Mini-Assignment #1 †Case: Mccain Foods Limited

1. If you were in charge of the Asian operations for McCain, how would you recommend the company overcome the challenges in the Chinese market? Being a foreigner in any market is a challenge, if I were in charge of the Asian operations for McCain I would first gain an understanding of what appeals to the Chinese market. This way I will be able to produce a product that will not only satisfy the Chinese consumers but also not offend them.For example, in regards to packaging, the Chinese market are very attracted to the colour red as it conveys good luck and good fortune while our company should avoid the colour white as it represents death and mourning. It is simple details like these that the Chinese market would become more comfortable and willing to accept western food. Additionally, prices of the McCain products may be seen as overpriced compared to local Chinese products.A different approach being in charge of the Asian operations would be to adjust the prices of our products, pe rhaps set them at a price lower than the standard in order to appeal to the Chinese consumers who are not familiar with McCain. Lowering the price will allow consumers to give McCain foods an opportunity to show western foods can be accepted. Once McCain foods have become more familiarized with the Chinese community our company would be able to raise prices as we have already established an appealing brand with consumers.Another effective decision to overcome the challenges in the Chinese market would be to improve advertising of McCain products. Advertising campaigns including celebrities endorsing products have proved numerous times they improve sales and overall awareness of the brand. The reason for this is because especially in the Chinese market, when consumers see celebrities they look up to become associated with a product, it gravitates their interest towards that certain brand or product. 2. Drawing from Hofstede’s work on global cultures, what challenges might Cana dian managers at McCain face when interacting with their Chinese business colleagues?Hofstede’s work on global cultures includes power distance, individualism-collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity-femininity. The challenges in regards to power distance include that Canadians may treat subordinates more fairly and equally unlike Chinese managers who believe in formal authority and knowing your place of rank within the company/business. The challenges with power distance Canadian managers may face will initially be establishing a relationship with Chinese business colleagues.They may find that the Chinese are less willing to exchange information and communicate with one another as Canadians follow a more democratic view versus the Chinese following an autocratic view. Secondly Canadians may face challenges with individualism-collectivism as their scores differ vastly. The mindset of the two cultures clash as Canadians have an un-biased take when it comes to hirin g and promotions; solely looking at performance and the potential of that person while the Chinese take on a more biased view giving higher priority towards people managers have a connection with such as family members.The main challenges would be compromising on how to promote and hire employees with such different views. Essentially Chinese business colleagues have an approach of comparing results with other companies whereas Canadians look at a broader picture, viewing productivity/efficiency success. The challenge both cultures will have to face is compromising management styles to please employees as well as contribute towards the company’s success. Bibliography: China – Geert Hofstede. 2 Feb. 2013 Canada – Geert Hofstede. 2 Feb. 2013

Importance to the play Essay

Write a letter from the director to the actor playing a character you have studied, in which you advise him/her about the role he/she will be playing and it’s importance to the play. Congratulations for your excellent audition for the role of the inspector in the production ‘An inspector calls’. You have been chosen to play this role because out of all the actors we auditioned, your performance showed certain qualities needed to play the part of the inspector. For example the inspector must have a strong and domineering character to show that he is in control of the others throughout the section of the play where he is at the house. The inspector must also come across as quite eerie and ghostlike at times. J. B. priestly was born 13 September 1894, Bradford, West riding of Yorkshire and he died August 14th 1984 aged 89. He wrote many books and also had his only radio broadcast during the war. He wanted this particular production to be set in 1912, this is because it fits in with certain things that are mentioned in the play, for instance at the beginning when Birling is delivering his speech displaying his narrow-minded opinion of the war, Titanic and other political views. If a modern version of the play was to be performed, then he wouldn’t be able to do this and therefore we wouldn’t have that particular information on Birling which really shows his character and how he is a capitalist and believes that he should look out for himself and his family and considers as and okay thing to do to pay his workers as little as possible because they can’t walk out or argue with him as they have nowhere else to work. This is important in the play, because ‘The Inspector’ is the person that tries to make Birling change and possibly become more socialist and realise that there are other people in the world and I think that the way that the Inspector arrives immediately after he has delivered this speech to the rest of the Birling family, that the ‘Eva/Daisy’ story could possibly have just been a story until he refused to change his ways. I think that the point of the play was that the Inspector had come to the Birling’s house to try to change them and make them better people, and they were told about Eva/Daisy and then they were given the option to change. I think that if Birling and Mrs Birling and Gerald had also realised that they needed to change (like Sheila and Eric) then they wouldn’t have received the second phone call. Capitalism is a social and economic system which means that a person believes in class and social groups and believes that they should be distinguished from one another, and believes that if you want to make yourself richer then you can, also these people will not want to negotiate themselves with people poorer or people from a lower-class background than themselves. The characters in the play that have been chosen to represent this are Mr & Mrs Birling and Gerald.

Success Notes

What is my definition success? Living life to the fullest Achieving small goals in life One’s life is in full balance Not feeling stressed and overwhelmed in life Following my dreams Being in control of my future Having college education Having a careerHaving great friends  the continuous state of action that you have to perform to meet your goals To me success means setting up a goal, and then putting your complete energy towards attaining it. If you can do it all, then the feeling of satisfaction with your effort is what I feel defines the state of bliss – for me that feeling of contentment within myself is Success. What does success means to me?What success means for me? Well success to me means an achievement in life or to do well at. Some of my goals that will lead to my success will have to start with going back to school and getting a degree in a field that I never thought possible. That was my first goal to get into college and now that I have achieved that go al, I see nothing but success in the future. When I get done and I get my bachelor degree, who knows the success I could endurance / achieve.Health, Money, Education Have opportunities to be successful Prosperity and success (ideals)

The Role of Utmost Good Faith in Insurance Law Case Study

The Role of Utmost Good Faith in Insurance Law - Case Study Example This difference in approaches to contracts in the US and the UK will illustrate how the UK will uphold claims even if questionable on the strict guidelines of the contract and material fact; whereas the US relies more on the concept of good faith and how this applies to the material fact. The basis of Hansen Bancorp Inc et al v US is that the Court of Federal Claims had erred in its judgment and the breach of contract by the US government was total therefore the appellants of the Hanson Company were entitled to restitution on all counts. This decision stems from the question whether there has been a total breach of contract if there has been a total breach of contract restitution is available. The court decided there was a total breach because the US government had come to a contract and Hanson had committed its resources to fulfill its duties; however, the US government had failed to complete its obligations, therefore, fulfilling the criteria of a total breach of contractual obliga tion. This decision is primarily an exercise in the power of the contract and its adherence, which cannot be avoided even if the breaching party is the government. The case of Hansen Bancorp heavily relies on the adherence of the contract and contract law; whereby once the parties started to act on the contract then it is only fair that the other party follows through with their contractual obligations. This case does not fudge along the lines of what may not constitute the total breach of the contract.... judgement and the breach of contract by the US government was total therefore the appellants of the Hanson Company were entitled to restitution on all counts. This decision stems around the question whether there has been a total breach of contract, if there has been a total breach of contract restitution is available; however without total breach this remedy is not available. The court decided there was a total breach because the US government had come to a contract and Hanson had committed its resources by fulfilling its duties; however the US government had failed to complete its obligations therefore fulfilling the criteria of a total breach of contractual obligation. This decision is primarily an exercise in the power of the contract and its adherence, which cannot be avoided even if the breaching party is the government. The case of Hansen Bancorp heavily relies on the adherence of the contract and contract law; whereby once the parties started to act on the contract then it is only fair that the other party follows through with their contractual obligations. This case does not fudge along the lines of what may not constitute total breach of the contract. Rather the courts take a very logical and straightforward approach considering each part of the dealing to ensure that a total breach has occurred. The court identifies that a breach is an act or failure to act that impedes the fulfillment of the contract by one of the parties, where the other party has fulfilled their obligations or all the obligations they are able to prior to action by the other party. This approach ensures that the original contract is the most important factor in determining a breach and if the actions of a party are obviously impeding the contract then there is a breach of contract, i.e.

Company Resources and Capabilities of Abercrombie and Fitch Case Study

Company Resources and Capabilities of Abercrombie and Fitch - Case Study Example In the following intangible assets i.e. human assets and brand and image assets of company are described.Human assetsAbercrombie and Fitch as a big retailer of clothing recruit the young boys from colleges, as they look like the catalog models. American look is used to judge the personality of a new candidate. Shoppers prefer to buy the products from stores where staff looks as they act in the advertisements. In some respects hiring a good looking person is not illegal but discrimination is found in regards of sex, age and ethnicity. People having retail experience complain as they are not hired; instead of that young good looking people having no retail experience are recruited (Barlow and Stewart, 2006). Brands and imageCompany focuses on the customers’ demands and continues moving along the customers’ value chains. Company targets the youth people aged between 14 and 22 years old to sell the sports and other products. Some important brands of company include as Aberc rombie & Fitch, Ruhel No 924, Hollister Co., Gilly Hicks and Abercrombie. All of these brands are produced ensuring the focus and engagement of customers. Company operates at different segments and caters to potential and existing customers at different stages.This part is focused to see the distribution capabilities and strategic flexibility as capability resources of the company. Distribution capabilities of company to fulfill the orders of its customers as well as other companies are an enhanced feature.

Business & Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business & Leadership - Essay Example Part two of the video accesses strengths and weaknesses of each leadership style and demonstrates ways and adapting your leadership styles to change business circumstances. In this part the video explains how the subordinates of the leader determine the appropriate leadership styles for the different situation measured by their response to your leadership style. Part three of the video looks at the persona of a leader. The personality and character attributes team members of an organization expects to find in their leader. The video explains the need for the leaders to adapt to changing organizational situations. The commentator of the video clearly states that the purpose of the video is to help an individual develop his or her own personal leadership styles. Critical Analysis By defining four distinct management approaches, the video strengthens an individual’s leadership skills as supervisor or a manager. It is obvious that diverse management situations in any organization will demand different leadership styles from the leader. It is also true that different employees in the different organization respond differently to the methods of direction provided by their leaders. However, there are standard leadership styles that define a better leadership in any organization and employees will undeniably respond and corporate well to better leadership, which in turn promotes sustainable productions and profitability for the organizations (Be prepared to lead). A critical analysis of this video shows that its purpose is to demonstrate those standard leadership styles and what traits a good leader should possess. This leadership video aids the leaders or any individual who may be placed in a leadership position sometime in their lives those leadership skills and style that they would employ when the tough situations rises in their place of leadership. The video also describes how employees respond differently to the various leadership methods, and explains how the natural approaches of the leader can be modified to facilitate better response from the employees. This is a helpful video because it helps to develop great leaders in all levels of the organizational structure. When for example, we have a good supervisor in the lower level management, of the organizational structure, productivity increases from this level and climbs all the way to the top-level management (Be prepared to lead). The atmosphere is also improved throughout the business environment and the top level managers also are relieved of unnecessary hustles because of the good response corporation they receive from their junior staff. The video teaches an individual how to: Take initiative. Recognize their leadership potentials. Build their leadership traits. Earn the trust of their employees. Build the vision and communication skills. Recognize the various leadership mistakes that happen in organizations. Develop their own personal leadership styles. The video also encour ages the leaders to treat the juniors fairly, develop their team, admit their mistakes, and build the community. It is worth noting that the video demonstrates that good leadership skills is what makes an individual a leader but the willingness of others to follow that leader is what makes a good leader. This is the reason the video has not only looked

Compare and contrast psy 5025 ass. 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Compare and contrast psy 5025 ass. 4 - Essay Example Adlerian psychotherapy is complete built upon the theory of Alfred Adler. Adler was a strong follower of Freud. He disagreed with Freud’s sexual development theory however. He believed the child’s experiences with power and the lack of power make the difference between positive mental health development and unstable mental health development or neuroses as Freud called it. Adlerian Therapy works with several major issues. Emphasis is placed on the importance of the feelings of self the come from conflicts and social interactions. This is basically an individual’s self image or self esteem. This therapy also stresses that one’s sense of self is the core of personality. Therefore they would say that personality is moldable and ever changing. In general this therapy begins with psychoanalysis however greater emphasis placed on motivation and social interactions (Schwartzman, 1998). The goal of Adlerian play therapy is to challenge and encourage the beliefs and the goals of the client and to help them form goals that are useful in social relationships as well as help them form an image of themselves that allows them to feel equal to others. These goals relate to every area of the client’s life (Schwartzman 1998). In general adlerian therapy and in play therapy the therapist provide a supportive and accepting enviromnet for the client to open up. In the case of children that is not always enough. Children are seen as timid and unwilling to share why they are doing things with adults by nature. Since Adlerian therapy is basically talk therapy the systems theory needed to be added for play therapy. They see play as a way to fool the child into opening up because the session is conducted during a â€Å"play time†. By playing together the therapist puts him/her self on the same level of the child so the child will open up. The play is not seen as therapeutic but rather as a tool to do psychoanalysis with the child (Schwartzman,

Public relation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Public relation - Essay Example The Boston Bruins ice-hockey team has also organized hockey games with other hockey clubs in order to build the strength of togetherness and to promote their public image in the state of Boston. The Boston Patriots football team has also played exhibition games in Foxboro to show the benefits of team work and the importance of people working together in order to protect their collective interests. In order to further boost their public image, these sporting clubs have also hired the services of great media intelligence solutions. Boston Celtics selected the VMS’s Media Monitoring and Analytics service at the end of 2010 in order to provide the basketball franchise with their media monitoring and analytics service. The three other Boston sporting clubs have also hired the services of media outfits in order to boost their image in the eyes of the public as this is very important in making them a marketable brand. These clubs make use of the monitoring and analytics service of th ese media outfits to keep record of their public relation activities. They also use the media outfits to keep track of their fan base and their followership from social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.

Economics of Exchange Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Economics of Exchange - Research Paper Example Contextually, the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) had been focused on keeping the entire manufacturing process in-house, concerning which the management presumes that out-sourcing certain elements of its production system or rather its supply chain system shall be beneficial for the company to satisfy the augmenting demand. With due concern to the above mentioned aspects regarding the outsourcing initiatives of BlueJay, this essay would intend to present a workbook for weekly staff meetings which is intended to be held in the 30 days period of recommending the outsourcing plan. Hence, the objective of the workbook would be to develop adequate understanding amid the supply chain management team regarding the background of the decision and evaluation to be taken. The proposed workbook will thus address the economic aspects of value and utility (i.e. the concept of economics of exchange) in relation to decision making process to render a better knowledge of economic as well as financial el ements related with the company’s upcoming decision. Workbook The workbook is scheduled for a 30 days period describing the aspects to be covered in 4 weekly staff meetings. ... Correspondingly, the last meeting will be held to obtain feedbacks and evaluate the understanding of the staffs which would assist them in contributing efficiently to the overall outsourcing process. Economics of Exchange Today, when there is a price tag hanging on every element which can be a part of a transaction, the concept of economics of exchange becomes quite apparent. It is often regarded as the process of serving commodities in exchange of a value, particularly in monetary terms. Thus, it can be affirmed that the concept of economics of exchange is based on the process of transaction which further tends to determine the balance between the customers’ requirements and the company’s capacity. It is often described as a transaction process through which the firm intends to serve its customers with the notion of earning value for the commodities offered (Williamson, 2008). In relation to BlueJay’s current economic conditions, the SLT of the firm’s sup ply chain management have proposed the strategy of outsourcing related to which, a number of researches are to be conducted for making effective decisions with concern to the quality as well as cost of the products. This in turn is likely to influence the economics of exchange in the supply chain process of the company where it is required to make decisions with regards to the quantity of in-house production, quantity of products to be outsourced, prices and the risks which are connected with the suggested procedure. It is expected that the outsourcing will assist the firm in reducing the cost of production for the goods and will also assist in meeting excessive demand from the customers. On the

Paper 1 about Chinese media industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Paper 1 about Chinese media industry - Essay Example As markets in Western and Eastern economies opened up, various countries in Asia, including Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong took advantage of expanding export markets to strengthen their economies. It was in this context that the Chinese state Under Deng Xiaoping decided to institute market reforms, specifically to make their socialist policies more competitive in an increasingly global economy (Harvey, 2005). Neo-liberal influences were mostly driven by economic stagnation and unemployment in Western countries, which necessitated a new system that diverged from the state interventionist policies introduced under the American New Deal of the 1930s. Under the neo-liberal theories that came to dominate global economics thinking in the 70s and 80s, state intervention in markets was greatly discouraged with the expectations that self-regulating markets were the best way to tackle economic stagnation (Selden, 1993). It was within this context of a neo-liberal revolution in Western economies that Chinese market and media reforms began. Increasingly, China’s integration with the global economy, which was based on neo-liberal theories, supported by free market Western economies, necessitated reforms in the allocation market economy supported by China under the previous Mao regime. When China finally opened up its markets to the global economy, there was a dramatic inflow of FDI and the sta te began to openly support moves towards market freedom (Selden, 1993). This meant that China started to experience similar effects to its economy as the neo-liberalized global economy, which increased the capitalization of China’s elites in comparison to its ordinary citizens (Zhao, 1998). The historical context within which media and market reforms took place in China mainly had to do with the Communism vs. Capitalism debate, which characterized relations between Western economies and Eastern economies. Media reforms also took place within this

Family violence Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Family violence - Assignment Example According to Barnet et al. (2011), family violence refers to violence between family member’s i.e. husbands, wives, children and parents. The APA dictionary of psychology defines domestic violence as â€Å"any action by a person that causes physical harm to one or more members of his or her family unit† (p.23).Family violence can be learned through cultural values which are repeatedly communicated through media and institutions that tolerate it. Alcohol and drug abuse could be another force of family violence. According to Halter & Varcarolis (2014), alcohol and drugs cloud ones judgment (p. 540). However; alcohol could be used as a scapegoat to avoid arrests and punishment when caught in the act. Anger is another force that could cause people to be entrapped in family violence. Lack of skills to handle anger and stress may cause overwhelming problems for both victim and perpetrator as forms of communications may have broken down (p.11). Psychological conditions such as bipolar may contribute to cases of violence. Such conditions should be treated and people informed of the condition in case of an attack. In all different cases discussed above aggression stands out as perpetrators of violence use this tool to overpower their victims. It is also important for afflicted families and individuals to come out and seek the protection of the law and access counseling services. The children’s act 38 of 2005 gives clear outlines children’s rights and parents responsibilities towards children. The law has provisions of protection against physical child abuse. Many facets have been associated with child abuse. These include individual pathology, parent –child interaction, past abuse in the family and situational factors. (Bryant, 2011) discusses different theories of physical abuse according to Crosson-Tower (2008) which are linked to the children’s

Pillowman Review Essay Example for Free

Pillowman Review Essay The team of San- Jacinto central college performed the play â€Å"The Pillow man† originally written by Martin McDonough on 2003 in the Powell Arena Theatre. The play was about the tale of Katurian, a fiction writer who was interrogated by the two detectives Ariel and Tupoloski regarding the unpleasant stories of children written by Katurian. The content of Katurian’s stories was similar to the murder of the different children in the town, so they were suspected of the case. The play was performed on the black-box theatre, which was modified into the upthrust stage. The stage was good enough to support some specific part of the play like the background family scene that was provided when Katurian was narrating the story. The audiences sitting on raised stages on the three sides were able to relate the Katurian’s narration with the background scene. The opening moments of this play are superlatively funny, thanks to the interaction between Katurian and his two captors, a Detective named Tupolski (Joe Franco) and a policeman named Ariel (Richard Turner). Tupolski seems to be the epitome of quiet, industrial effectiveness, whereas Ariel (the winged indentured servant in The Tempest?) is very tightly wound, and more than eager to jump his prisoner and beat him senseless. Though all the characters were good to perform their assigned roles, I personally appreciate the role of Michal, performed by Aaron Alford, a freshman student of San Jacinto College. Just as the script says Michal was little slow to get the things, Alford did exactly the same throughout the play. As well, this character has added some comedy flavors in the play like itching ass etc. He made us laugh most of the time. The sound factor of the play was good. The crying sound from the background was really natural that attracted the attention of the audiences like me. It made to feel like somebody was really tortured there. There was a special sound effect in the play relating to the homicide and torture. Mr. Brian Hamlin did the very good job as a director and fight director. The play was directed so well. All the cast and crew do their best to execute the play. Most of the casting members were professional and graduate students interested in theatre. The two plays that I watched during this semester â€Å"The Pillowman† and â€Å"KOYAANISQATSI†. The opening scene of â€Å"The Pillowman† and â€Å"KOYAANISQATSI† both were really good. Among these two play I like â€Å"KOYAANISQATSI† better because the Hopi Indian chanter played really well. Also, action was well executed on â€Å"Star Blood† on â€Å"KOYAANISQATSI† rather than interrogating on â€Å"The Pillowman†. Lighting was well executed on â€Å"â€Å"KOYAANISQATSI† and sound effects on â€Å"The Pillowman† To sum it up, the play was good enough to entertain. I can make a consensus that the script of the play was well written. The characters were giving just the satisfaction to the superior script of the play. It was worth watchin g.

Development of a Five Year Career Plan

Development of a Five Year Career Plan Five Year Career Plan Introduction Once we enroll into the university for higher studies, every minute we live is crucial to our career. I do not intend to drop out of college nor do I intend waste my money by just holding a degree on my hand and not knowing where to go. To make our time as a university student we are ought to develop a five year plan for our career so that we know exactly how to best utilize our current time period and know exactly where to head to once we graduate. I am to become an Electronic Engineer and see myself as a part of a multinational organizational working for my dream job. How do I plan to achieve this goal? I have skills, time and techniques to manage that ought to enable me to get to where I want to be in the next five years. The first step was to enroll in to the Electronics and electrical department of the University of Derby. That I already have done. What do I do now? This I now have to analyse. An Electronic engineer uses human senses and expertise to transmit and process information through a wide variety of technological gadgets that we normally use and the ones that can bring about a change in the environment both the natural and the business/economical. Will be a good electronic engineer? A swot analysis would help me in analyzing my position. SWOT Analysis Career planning is nothing less than along term strategy that would govern and manage our future, and the best way to assist this strategy to use the strategy matrix known as SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. SWOT would determine the efficiency of the strategy we aim to adopt for my career choice. It would show my position compared to the possibility of getting a victory or defeat. (Dev Seeker) If I end up with more weaknesses than strengths, then it would be obvious that electronic engineering is certainly not my calling. So lets begin. Strengths I love mathematics! Likeness for Mathematics is crucial to become an electronic engineer. The education that I am getting from the University of Derby puts me at par for the job. They are offering a four year course with hands-on experience of the professors and the alumni to learn from. Secondly, I have the ability to generate independent and genuine thoughts. I am creative, innovative, imaginative and a visionary. All of which constitute a good electronic engineer. My scores so far suggest that I have an above-average intelligence level together with capability to conduct logical reasoning. Thirdly, I possess good job hunting skills. Weaknesses When I leave for the job hunt, I would not be having any job experience so that would be a minus on my part. The university of Derby does not offer work placement facility so obtaining work experience and getting a final job would be my own doing. Opportunities There is scarcity of the skills I posses in the electronic industry producing electronic gadget and technologies. I have options in working in changing work designs, line management and digital signal processing in private consultation firms, development laboratories and in government organizations. I can also open up my own company with my own unique ideas for gadgets. Threats My class fellows and the students from other universities with the same education background who contain better work experience and fast job hunting skills may pose a threat to me while I search for a job of an electronic engineer. By the time I graduate, the idea that I may have to open up my own company, may get outdated, as we live in a world with fast changing technology. Time Management The University of Derby offers a four year course. During which I would have to accommodate time for internships so that I can obtain enough work experience by the time I graduate. But I would not get a job the very next day! To do so, I would have to manage time efficiently. Time management would require me to keep a track of all the job opportunities and internship opportunities as they sprung up in the newspapers and on the internet. Follow up to class schedules, so that I dont end up wasting my time in repeating courses. I would take the courses specializing in the field of Electronics in my second year of my four year course. And once I graduate, the whole fifth year would involve managing time in scheduling for job interviews. Sources of Information For planning a career it is very crucial to have a data bank to gather and analyse and act upon the facts I gather up from various sources of information regarding my career plan. My sources of information are: 1. My professors at the university of Derby 2. My parents 3. The internet 4. Newspapers Information Analysis What information have I got so far regarding Electronic Engineering? Electronic engineering supplements human senses and their skills through brining about changes in the technological aspects of work and commerce. There are several branches of electronic engineering that I can opt for. After four years I can work for a private company, a government organization and start my own company. I have the energy, the creativity and the skills to become a successful electronic engineer. What have I learned so far? Questioning Techniques and Listening Techniques Questioning and listening are very important to attain the right information regarding the career and how to proceed upon it. They would uncover my misunderstandings and solve my problems. I ask open and closed ended questions. Open, which do not require a framed and constrained answer and can be as big as it can be. Closed on the other hand would answer in either yes or no. Good listening skill is as much about listening as about speaking, so I listen carefully as to whatever my parents, teachers, guiders in short say to me or answer me regarding my queries of the career that I have chosen. Conclusion I want to be an Electronic Engineer in the next five years. I have the skills to get the job. I will spend four years in studying for the degree in Electronic Engineering, at the University of Derby and search for the job in the fifth year. References Bereau of Labor and statistics, [online] accessed on 22 August 2009, from

Differences Of Mermaid Myths From Cultural Beliefs English Literature Essay

Differences Of Mermaid Myths From Cultural Beliefs English Literature Essay Myth is traditional ancient stories which have actually occurred in a previous age, explaining cosmological and supernatural traditional of a people, their gods, heroes, cultural traits and religions beliefs (Leach 1975 778). This essay will compare relationship between mermaid myths from different cultural beliefs and its symbols which represent the inner meaning of each myth. It is certainly true to say that the idea of mermaids when first arrived into peoples mind is a mythology aquatic creature with female human torso; instead of legs, mermaids have tail of a fish. They have beautiful crystal clear voice, which seduced men to fall into the hallucination when they are singing. In other word, it could be understood that Mermaid themselves portrait the beautiful seduction of the female sex. Nobody could possibly stand the pleasing voice if any of them get close to the mermaid. This significant also has been taken as a theme, connotation, slogan or the meaning of some certain tales and advertising products. Though, there are some questions about the mermaid myth that have been wondered by mythological researcher. (Doty 2004 11) They have a broad presentation in different myths and folklores depending on those cultural beliefs. The appearance of mermaids can be differentiated up to the imagination and the message they want to send. As long as they maintain the female figure with dramatically long hair, it is a copy right of mermaids characteristics. Significance and meaning are broadly different as well according to a particular cultural mythology. Initially, the word Mermaid means sea woman. Mere is an old English means sea and maid from maiden, means woman. Males equivalent is Merman, where it could be recognized clearly the use of direct word man after mere, Mythological research. (Doty 2004 11) Unfortunately, the ideology of this aquatic myth is focused on the representation of womans enchantment and seduction due to the emphasis of appearance. Merman obviously does not play a big role in those issues. Besides, there is another dark story of mermaids attitude, where they would portray foxy planners. They are depicted to be squeezing life out of mostly sailor, while attempting to escape from sea storms. In some myths, mermaids also carry humans down to their underwater kingdom. These two ideas are more terrified than the first mermaid tale, but still emphasize on seduction. It is normal in term of classical myth to depict women as negative or passive models, said Marta Weigle in Myth and Mythmaking in Fantastic Literature by Women. (Shinn 1986 19) If women in mythology described as negative example, then Why is a mermaid not portraying as a creature with more masculinity? Since a holy spirit of aqua is a Goddess in Thai Pra-mae-kong-ka or waters spirit in Greek mythology not including the famous Poseidon. Anything associated with water should be translated to the meaning of softness. Women do not have masculine body constructed as men. They would not be able to intensively fight as the way male heroes did. Therefore, they have to use the ability of enchanting nearby men who lured by their stunning bodies and music. Greek mythology explains the characteristics of mermaid in similarity. Greek addressed the name of Sirens. Three dangerous bird-women lived in mysterious rocky coast, where they lure nearby sailors to enchanting by their fine music. Sirens portray as seductresses as same as the description of women in mythology. Women were sources of sin (Shinn 1986 110). Sirens sometimes portrayed in later folklore as fully aquatic and mermaid-like. They still sustain the figure of female who is the best in seducing human in every myth. witcombe.sbc.edu/water/artmermaids.html there is another mermaid myth in Japanese beliefs. According to old Japanese tale, Mermaids organs could give the miracle affection to people who desired in particular supernatural power. Anyone who ate flesh of a mermaid would achieve the immortality and vice versa A mermaids heart would turn back to mortal human. This mermaid myth is rather extra-ordinary to the ideology of Western mermaid. The ability of gaining immortality would persuade the dark side of human to hunt mermaid selfishly, as human is afraid of aged and death. However, there is a drawback to remind a sin of going against the nature. A person, who became an immortal, would live in the world alone for eternity. He or she could only watch their beloved people died as time passed by while he or she was the only one who survived for decades. That is the agonic pain human could feel without physical wound. (Doty 2004 15) Such myths that are embedded into the different cultures are the result of the fears of water. Regarding to Geoffrey Galt Harpham, the author of On The Grotesque: Strategies of Contradiction in Art and Literature, The grotesque is the concept without form: the world nearly always modifies such indeterminate noun as monster, objects or things (Harpham 1982 3). A byproduct of fear as a mermaid may be makes the figure of the mermaid a monstrous, an abject; a grotesque. Feared and unbearable, human invent a figure that represent their different suppressed fear; fear of oceans, fear of travelling or perhaps fear of women. Human in the presence of the fearful figure get what is called the temptation. Temptations are not grotesque not because they are hideous dragons and gorgons terrible beasts are not necessarily grotesque but because in the midst of an overwhelming impression of monstrousness there is much we can recognize, mush corrupted and shuffled similarities, (Harpham 1982 5). Due to these temptations, the abject, the grotesque human fear and cannot bear is in fact rather something familiar. The idea results in a cross over between human and non-human. To mermaids, theyre fish crossing over with human; the familiar with the abject. Even though Mermaids myth is broadly presented according to culture and belief, there are basic understandings of mermaid maintained. Mermaid could not be a mermaid if there is no seductive characteristic in any sense. The tale of different world becomes very well known narrative by media and the adaptation such as The Little Mermaid of Waltz Disney Picture. In the adaptation, the mermaid figure Ariel plays the protagonist who longs to explore the land above and eventually falls in love with the human prince Phillips while recuing him from a shipwreck. Difference leads to the struggling situation, and audiences love to consume the conflict within a plot. As the crossing over gets narrowed down into something forbidden, the mermaid figure in the narrative seeks to become human. She is then seen as a human being the protagonist and has humanly feelings. From the frightening image of a sea monster grotesque, the mermaid myth gets varied by the new identity as a protagonist who is portrayed as a young curious and delightful girl who can fall in love with the most forbidden condition; racial difference. Therefore, the forbidden love issue between human and mermaid appears to be the most famous genre. Within the Thai culture, according to Jit Phumisak, there are fewer stories about mermaids comparing to the western; although, mermaids have appeared in some Thai literatures. Most people might imagine that mermaid has half and half body between human and fish but in the very first Thai literature mermaid appeared as a snake in Li-lit-ong-karn-chang-nam (à  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ¥Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ´Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ¥Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ´Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ­Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ²Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ £Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã…  Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã‹â€ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â€ž ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ³) à  Ã‚ ¸-à  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ²Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ªÃƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‹â€ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ «Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â€ž ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ·Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ­Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ±Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã…“à  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ·Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ­Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚  à  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ­Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ²Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ·Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ­Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ µÃƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ²Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ ¡ à  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ­Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ²Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸-à  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ±Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‹â€ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ±Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â€ž ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸-à  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ £Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â€ž ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ´Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã‹â€ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â€ž ¢ (He, Pra-insuan rode on the white cow and use mermaid as a weapon) à  Ã‚ ¸-à  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ £Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ­Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ´Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â€ž ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸-à  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ £Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã…  Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã… ½Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ² à  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ªÃƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ²Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ²Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã… ¾Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ £Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ °Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã… ¾Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ £Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã‹â€ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ ¡ à  Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã‹â€ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã… ¾Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã…  Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ £Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ¥Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ² à  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã‹â€ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ²Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚  Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ´Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â€ž ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‹â€ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ±Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ £Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ¯Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (With a power of mermaid he could destroy anything) Pra-insuan uses the holy white cow as his transportation and use a snake as his weapon but in this poem the writer didnt use the word snake but he used mermaid or nguak Which means that snake and mermaid referring to the same thing. This mermaids appearances are nearly like mermaids archetypes in general; although differentiate to fit the Thai literature world. The myth of mermaids is also used through a symbol by using its appearance and its characteristics. The symbolism of a mermaid that is widely known is the Starbucks Coffee logo having a twin-tailed siren in the middle surrounded by the green circle labeled the company name. Siren is a name calling for a creature having a half-fish, half-woman body in Greek mythology. According to the myth, sirens actually take forms of a bird or a fish but soon after, the myth stated as the siren was a fish-woman. The origin of the twin tails is a combination of a fish tail and a womans legs. Usually Sirens are hunting around rocks or cliffs. Additionally, they are believed to be daughters of the river Achelous and the nymph Calliope and usually they live in mountains. Basically, a symbolic figure of siren can have diverse meanings such as an inferior of women, a impure imagination attracted towards the beginning or the end of life, or a suffering of a yearning leading to death meaning though they ha ve a beautiful face and breast, they could not satisfy the craving occurred by their music and charm because of their atypical bodies. But essentially they give a meaning of temptations or seduction meaning the use of the charm to death. According to Juan Eduardo Cirlot, the author of The Dictionary of Symbols, The spell thus cast is attributed to the siren whose songs so captivates the listeners that he falls into the ocean (of the lower water and of nascent forms) teeming with multitudinous life. (Cirlot 2002 298) What significance of sirens is that they were given such a beautiful rhapsody which really the music has reductive and deadly sense hidden that anyone who hear the song may step into sirens places without knowing that he will be a prey of them. So this feature is what Starbucks company got the idea of the logo from the myth of sirens. The Starbucks logo was inspired from the invention of the name of the company. At first, the company name Starbucks was taken from the cha racter who is the first crew on the ship, Pequod, from a literature named Moby Dick. According to Sara Gilbert, the author of The Story of Starbucks, The striking green, black and white logo that adorns all the Starbucks products is a salute to the companys earliest incarnation.(Gilbert 2008 13) The name, Starbucks, is an intention of the company that every costumer reminds of a fascinating scent of a deep ocean. And that intention comes to a research on the symbol to represent of it, and so they come up with a twin-tailed mermaid or so called siren which was copied from a Nordic woodcut of the sixteen century. The first usage of the twin-tailed siren was the original symbol from the woodcut which the siren was having a Rubenesque body, showing its breasts and navel and wearing a crown. Also, apart from her breasts and navel, her tail symbolizes as a more sexual connotation openly. According to Howard Schultz, Dori Jones Yang, the author of Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Bui lt a Company One Cup at a Time, That early siren, bare- breasted and Rubenesque, was supposed to be as seductive as the coffee itself .(Schultz and Yang 1997 33) The company gives the significance of the siren as a creature who devour men to death, when compared to the smell of the coffee that the smell was like such a sweet song a siren singing which is, due to the mythology, having a seductive music and it seduces people who hear of it to come to its place or people who smell of their coffee would come to the shop. According to Bryant Simon, the author of Everything but the coffee: learning about America from Starbucks, With Schultzs approval, they drew her as a less seductive, less dangerous icon, more a sweet, mild-mannered mermaid than a sexually dangerous mermaid.(Simon 2009 42) Later on, the company changed the appearance of the siren logo by covering up its breasts and belly button to have less sexual connotation and it was redrawn by focusing on the sirens face into a sweet ly smiley siren than a dangerously seductive previous one. Importantly, the new siren logo gives a new brighter good feeling of a siren rather than a woodcut siren. Also they changed color of the surrounding circle from brown to green which is more nature conservative and it gives a feeling of more friendly along with the new siren than the preceding version and it is the one used in every branch until today. In conclusion, the mermaid myth has long been bounded to the civilizations of mankind. Each culture around the world may have its own interpretation of the mythical sea creature, but it is notable that all share similar features of half fish half human. The figure is often seen as the representation of the females dark side, for example the seductresses of the sea that lure sailors to their end in the deep water of the oceans by their beautiful deceiving voices. Or the scary mythical creature that holds the secret to eternal life and youthful that people are after with little knowledge of the consequence of their greed. The figure of a mermaid can be called a grotesque; the non-thing that stands for anything opposing human, all that is feared and disgusted by human. However, from another point of view, the mermaid grotesque can be seen as rather familiar to human as a mermaid features half of a woman body, and in some narrative come in contact with such personal side of the human lif e; love. Furthermore, the figure of mermaid can not only represent aspects of darkness of the femininity but also the humans mind in general, for example, seduction, sexual desire, fears, greed, religion or even forbidden sexual perversity. Different tales were told in many different narratives about the mermaid through space, time and media means.

aboriginal medicine Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many of the inequalities in the health of the Aboriginal people can be attributed to the erosion of the Aboriginal culture.(chp.2). Restrictions placed on the cultural practices of the Aboriginal people ultimately led to the abatement of the Aboriginal traditional medicines.(p88). Losing their freedom to practice traditional therapeutics, the Aboriginal people eventually had to adapt to the culturally inappropriate ways of western medicines. The purpose of this paper is to examine the advantages of Aboriginal healing methods for the Aboriginal people, as well as to explain why these traditional methods continued to persist long after western style medicines were introduced. Advantages of Aboriginal Healing Methods for the Aboriginal People   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Traditional healing methods were based upon traditional Aboriginal spirituality beliefs.(p18). This spiritual belief system stated that â€Å"people exist within this context as worthy creatures, but no more worthy than any other being. To live secure, healthy lives through acknowledging and respecting the spiritual as well as the physical world, because there is no difference between the two.†(p71). The whole Aboriginal culture was based around these beliefs. Everyone in the community was treated as equal with acknowledgment and respect. Therefore those who deemed to follow the cultural beliefs had no difficulty in understanding the healing practices of the people. This appreciation of equality and respect was an advantage to the Aboriginal people, especially within their healing methods.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Illness was treated in many ways but the main goal was to achieve a sense of balance and harmony.(p82). Applications of herbs and roots, spiritual intervention, and community wide ritual and ceremonies were all therapeutic practices.(p71). â€Å"It was the healer who held the keys to the supernatural and natural worlds and who interpreted signs, diagnosed disease and provided medicines from the grassland, woodland, and parkland pharmacopoeia.†(p18). The healers knowledge of herbs and roots and ways to administer and diagnose had been passed down from generation to generation.(p85). Healers stood as an advantage for the Aboriginal people. â€Å"Trust and a personal relationships would naturally build between the patient and the healer.†(p77). This must have ... ...be effective for them. The healing practices persisted because they satisfied the needs of the Aboriginal people and because they trusted and understood the healing rituals and practices along with the individuals involved. Isn’t it best to trust what you know?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The nature of traditional medicine and its intimate relationship with Aboriginal culture explains the inadequacy of Western medicine as the primary model of health care for the Aboriginal community. I believe the preservation of the Aboriginal culture is the only true cure for the Aboriginal people. Society today must work on developing an understanding towards each other, and realize that the Aboriginal people are not rebelling against the â€Å"White man† or his ways, rather Aboriginal’s are trying to help their people by going back to what has worked for their ancestors for centuries; and what they feel comfort in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  word count: 12542 Medicine That Walks Question #4 based on the book by Maureen Lux

The Knight in Rusty Armor :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Knight in Rusty Armor The Knight in rusty armor depicts our mental processes, or cognition that plays a complex and dramatic role in my life. I have learned that our cognition makes us human. I can cope only by first sensing and understanding my environment, just like the knight. sometimes I misperceive and wrongly interpret certain situations, causing problems for myself. My expectations and response partly determine how I see the world. My attitudes, suspicions, and conclusions about others also determine how I relate to people. like the knight my hopes, dreams, and/or fears become self-fulfilling prophesies and determine the future to some extent. As we saw in chapter 2, our values and goals determine the directions our lives take. The knowledge of human behavior, including self-help skills, and our rational planning partly determine our success in achieving our life goals. Our motivation also determines how far we go in the directions set by our needs and values. The discrepancies between reality and our ideals will determine how satisfied we are with ourselves and our lives. The knight from an early age viewed himself as unattractive because his nurse told him that he had a face only a mother could love, this early feed back encouraged him to where a face mask that did serve the purpose of protection from dragons and battles but also helped him to hide his unattractive face. I feel that this prompted him to pursue being a knight which gave him positive feed back as a defender and hero. This was a seemingly good idea on the outside but in reality he was hiding who he really was, he neglected his role as husband and father by ignoring his wife, and son. His wife Juliet tried to tell him that he was not rescuing damsels in distress and slaying dragons because he was such a good knight, but that he was doing it for himself, it made him feel good about himself and not so much for the good of others. Juliet made at good point when she told the knight that he did not love her but that he loved the idea of her loving him, meaning that he did not give love but took love. I believe this to be a mistake many people make in relationships they do not have love for themselves, and cannot give love, so they seek out The Knight in Rusty Armor :: essays research papers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Knight in Rusty Armor The Knight in rusty armor depicts our mental processes, or cognition that plays a complex and dramatic role in my life. I have learned that our cognition makes us human. I can cope only by first sensing and understanding my environment, just like the knight. sometimes I misperceive and wrongly interpret certain situations, causing problems for myself. My expectations and response partly determine how I see the world. My attitudes, suspicions, and conclusions about others also determine how I relate to people. like the knight my hopes, dreams, and/or fears become self-fulfilling prophesies and determine the future to some extent. As we saw in chapter 2, our values and goals determine the directions our lives take. The knowledge of human behavior, including self-help skills, and our rational planning partly determine our success in achieving our life goals. Our motivation also determines how far we go in the directions set by our needs and values. The discrepancies between reality and our ideals will determine how satisfied we are with ourselves and our lives. The knight from an early age viewed himself as unattractive because his nurse told him that he had a face only a mother could love, this early feed back encouraged him to where a face mask that did serve the purpose of protection from dragons and battles but also helped him to hide his unattractive face. I feel that this prompted him to pursue being a knight which gave him positive feed back as a defender and hero. This was a seemingly good idea on the outside but in reality he was hiding who he really was, he neglected his role as husband and father by ignoring his wife, and son. His wife Juliet tried to tell him that he was not rescuing damsels in distress and slaying dragons because he was such a good knight, but that he was doing it for himself, it made him feel good about himself and not so much for the good of others. Juliet made at good point when she told the knight that he did not love her but that he loved the idea of her loving him, meaning that he did not give love but took love. I believe this to be a mistake many people make in relationships they do not have love for themselves, and cannot give love, so they seek out

Interpersonal Relationship Essay

Introduction Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations. American Nurses Association (ANA) An interpersonal relationship is an association between two or more people that may range from fleeting to enduring. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpersonal_relationship). Seemingly to Hildegard Peplau, nursing is an interpersonal process because it involves interaction between two or more individuals with a common goal. Peplau, emphasized the nurse-client relationship as the foundation of nursing practice. A therapeutic nurse-patient relationship is defined as a helping relationship that’s based on mutual trust and respect, the nurturing of faith and hope, being sensitive to self and others, and assisting with the gratification of your patient’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs through your knowledge and skill. This caring relationship develops when you and your patient come together in the moment, which results in harmony and healing. Effective verbal and nonverbal communication is an important part of the nurse-patient interaction, as well as providing care in a manner that enables your patient to be an equal partner in achieving wellness. (Pullen & Mathias 2010) Patient-centered communication is a basic component of nursing which facilitates the development of a positive nurse-patient relationship and along with other organizational factors, results in the delivery of quality nursing care. In most instances, a nurse plays an essential role in the life of a patient. The concerns and cares they give to their patients is a big factor that uplifts each one’s spirit, therefore the goal of the nurses of Olivarez College BSN IV is to create a harmonious relationship between their patients through a well organize and meaningful interactions. The study of the relationship between patient and nurse is important to see how efficient a patient recovers, to understand his illness fully; whether there’s a chance of recovery or nothing to expect at all. Moreover, the role of the nurse is to lessen the emotional and physical pain of every patient. In dealing with these, a need for better communication strategies and methods should be applied. There may be some existing practices exercised by hospitals for their nurses and patients, but a thorough study to improve it better is an advantage. (Cruz, JA 2010) One good way of communicating with a patient is by merely listening to them. Letting them express their thoughts and anxieties may help them feel better. Furthermore, an understanding smile, a good sense of humor, a compassionate outlook and friendly gestures can alleviate their pain and anxiety. The focus of this research is the patient’s perception of an effective nurse-patient relationship. The most common method of interaction is communication. Communication is the sending of ones information to another and may be done verbally or non-verbally. Background of the Study An internal problem of nurses is common. There are so many things to adjust especially working with people that they knew for the 1st time. An interpersonal problem not only occurs with co-workers, it can also be applied with nurse-patient relationship. Everyday different types of patient are being encountered by the nurses. This study gives interest to the researchers to develop and enhanced interpersonal skills and confidence during nurse-patient interaction in the area. Mostly, nurses do not practice good communication skills because of low-self esteem to deal with the patient, resulting to the insufficient gathering of important details and information on the patient’s data. Nursing students should practice well on developing nurse-patient relationship to be an effective and a qualified nurse. Nurse has important role enhancing communication skills. Nurses play an important role in health communication. They are the ones who are always in close contact with the patients. Having effective communication skills and being able to employ them in communicating to the patients is very essential for every nurse. A nurse must be able to communicate effectively to the patient, its family and their co-workers, as well. It is important for health care personnel to understand the doubts, fears and the anxieties of the patients who come to them for treatment. It is equally important to talk in an understanding tone to those who have not voiced their fears but are obviously scared. Patience is also essential in dealing with hard headed and unbeliever patients especially when the patient is suffering and in pain during medication and they tend to refuse taking medicines anymore. Nurses feel a sense of accomplishment when they give a positive influence on their client’s health status. Learning experiences with simulation offer the nursing student an opportunity to further develop knowledge, skills and critical thinking abilities prior to practicing in the clinical setting. Role play, as well as manikin use, can enhance the nursing student’s ability to respond to a variety of patient care scenarios before actually encountering them in the clinical setting (Billings & Halstead, 2005). Active learning with immediate feedback reinforces the nursing student’s performance and confidence in relating to patients and other professionals in the healthcare setting (Billings & Halstead, 2005). A student nurse can easily relate to the situation of their patients in terms of their know-how and further sturdy of their illnesses. This study aims to know how patients can perceive and cooperate for the fulfilment of their rehabilitation. Cutcliffe and McKenna (2005) reported that during treatment, hospital and community patients interact more with nurses than with any other health professional in the multidisciplinary team. These authors also highlighted that nurses are continuing to expand their role into medical and even surgical practice. Nursing proves as difficult to define as ‘care’, which means that the role of the nurse and how it is differentiated from other health professions is often misunderstood. Perhaps nurses provide care and doctors provide tre atment, but (McMahon 2007) argues that neither addresses the skills and knowledge needed in modern nursing to provide good-quality care, nor explains why students take three years to train before they become qualified nurses. Since Florence Nightingale’s time, nursing could be seen as having moved from a task-oriented practice towards a therapeutic process that encompasses a wide range of nursing roles, focused on the individual patient and his or her health and well-being. (McMahon 2007) attempts to define therapeutic nursing abilities as being characterized by six skills: developing the nurse-patient relationship; caring and comforting; using evidence-based physical interventions; teaching; manipulating the environment; adopting complementary health practices. These are all the skills developed by nurses during their pre-registration education; all of them demand good communication skills for effectiveness. It appears that this argument supports the notion that ‘nursing’, in addition to the applied knowledge and attitude, is underpinned essentially by communication skills. Review of Related Literature and Studies FOREIGN The relationship between the nurse and the patient is often seen as a therapeutic relationship in itself that is based on partnership, intimacy, and reciprocity (McMahon, 2007). Its purpose is different from a social relationship in that it has a focus on the patient’s well-being as a priority, and the nurse and the patient do not need to have anything in common or even like each other (Arnold and Boggs, 2006). This relationship can last only five minutes in an accident and emergency department or primary care practice, or can continue and develop for months or years during chronic illness management. It can be intensely personal when breaking bad news, or quite superficial such as when directing a patient to the appropriate clinic room. However, all of these scenarios are nurse-patient encounters that impart to the patient something of the support and meaningfulness of their engagement with health care. They tell the patient whether they are viewed as important and valued, and whether they will be listed to or discriminated against. Since Florence Nightingale’s time, nursing could be seen as having moved from a task-oriented practice towards a therapeutic process that encompasses a wide range of nursing roles, focused on the individual patient and his or her health and well-being. (McManhon 2007) attempts to define therapeutic nursing abilities as being characterized by six skills: developing the nurse-patient relationship; caring and comforting; using evidence-based physical interventions; teaching; manipulating the environment; adopting complementary health practices. These skills are developed by nurses during their pre-registration education; all of them demand good communication skills for effectiveness. It appears that this argument supports the notion that ‘nursing’, in addition to the applied knowledge and attitude, is underpinned essentially by communication skills. For instance, reticence from the others may prompt encouraging remarks of prompt questioning timing of social responses: This requires the communicator to know when to speak, when to listen, when to interrupt or prompt, or when to take the lead or be led. Self-presentation: A good communicator has self-awareness and is able to use this self-knowledge to present themselves to the other. This gives the other feedback about who the communicator is and therefore how to interpret and respond to them. For instance, sitting in a forward-leaning position assures the other that they are being listened to. Rewardingness: This is the ability to engage the other in the communication and know how to reward communication behaviour. For instance, using nods, smiles, and eye contact encourages someone to talk about themselves. For instance, if they realize that being dressed formally is off putting to a young teenager, they can respond by removing a tie or rolling up their sleeves. Argyle breaks communication skills down into behavioural skills rather than skills of insight, understanding, and cognition. Another definition of good communication comes from (Becker et al.) who suggest that skilful communicator ‘must be able to identify the emotions or intent expressed by the other person and make sophisticated judgements about the form and timing of the appropriate response ‘. In this definition, the skilled communicator uses accurate perception and good judgement to understand the interactions and know how to make appropriate judgements. It may be that all of these factors are part of the skills of a good communicator–that skills are made up of a good sense of reality, awareness of self and others, accurate reading of situations, good timing, and ability to use the self to facilitate meaningful and positive communication. Many of these skills can be learnt and developed through the practice and through personal development by improving self-awareness, and awareness and understanding of other people and heir cognitive and emotional states. Related Studies Patients’ Perceptions of Interpersonal Continuity of Care by Nancy Pandhi, MD and John W. Saultz, MD (2005) this is the qualitative and quantitative study of Interpersonal continuity of care is important to a majority of patients, particularly those from vulnerable groups. Patients value the relationship with their physician, their physician’s knowledge about them, and the ability to communicate their concerns. Over time, contact with a physician seems to lead to the development of trust and confidence. However, continuity of care is not valued by all patients or across all settings. Nurse-patient relationship: analysis of problems Encountered by the nursing students of Olivarez College (2010). In this study the purpose of descriptive studies is to observe, describe and document aspects of a situation as it naturally occurs and sometimes to observe as a starting point for the hypothesis be it as general or theory development. The survey analyzed the data of the faculty needs of the nursing college department, the degree on which these needs were met. Synthesis Patients’ Perceptions of Interpersonal Continuity of Care by Nancy Pandhi, MD and John W. Saultz, MD (2005) this is the qualitative and quantitative study of Interpersonal continuity of care is important to a majority of patients, particularly those from vulnerable groups. Patients value the relationship with their physician, their physician’s knowledge about them, and the ability to communicate their concerns. Over time, contact with a physician seems to lead to the development of trust and confidence. However, continuity of care is not valued by all patients or across all settings. The studies utilized results quantitative (19/36), qualitative (16/36), or mixed methods (1/36). The largest number of the studies (15/36) took place in the United States. Several took place in the United Kingdom (8/36), The Netherlands (4/36), and Canada (4/36). The remainder took place in other European countries (2/36), Australia (2/36) or both the United States and England (1/36). All recruited patients from ambulatory settings. A summary of results from these studies regarding our contextual questions is reported below. Nurse-patient relationship: analysis of problems Encountered by the nursing students of Olivarez College (2010). In this study the purpose of descriptive studies is to observe, describe and document aspects of a situation as it naturally occurs and sometimes to observe as a starting point for the hypothesis be it as general or theory development. The survey analyzed the data of the faculty needs of the nursing college department, the degree on which these needs were met. According to researchers, this study is a qualitative phenomological research to a patient-centered communication is a basic component of nursing which facilitates the development of a positive nurse-patient relationship and along with other organizational factors, results in the delivery of quality nursing care. In most instances, a nurse plays an essential role in the life of a patient. The concerns and cares they give to their patients is a big factor that uplifts each one’s spirit, therefore the goal of nurses of Olivarez College BSN IV is to create a harmonious relationship between their patients through a well-organized and meaningful interactions. Theoretical Framework This study is based on Hildegard Peplau’s Theory of Interpersonal Relations. The Theory of Interpersonal Relations is a middle-range descriptive classification theory. It was influenced by Henry Stack Sullivan, Percival Symonds, Abraham Maslow, and Neal Elger Miller. The four components of the theory are: person, which is a developing organism that tries to reduce anxiety caused by needs; environment, which consists of existing forces outside of the person, and put in the context of culture; health, which is a word symbol that implies forward movement of personality and other human processes toward creative, constructive, productive, personal, and community living. The nursing model identifies four sequential phases in the interpersonal relationship: orientation, identification, exploitation, and resolution. The orientation phase defines the problem. It starts when the nurse meets the patient, and the two are strangers. After defining the problem, the orientation phase identifies the type of service needed by the patient. The patient seeks assistance, tells the nurse what he or she needs, asks questions, and shares preconceptions and expectations based on past experiences. Essentially, the orientation phase is the nurse’s assessment of the patient’s health and situation. The identification phase includes the selection of the appropriate assistance by a professional. In this phase, the patient begins to feel as if he or she belongs, and feels capable of dealing with the problem which decreases the feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. The identification phase is the development of a nursing care plan based on the patient’s situation and goals. The exploitation phase uses professional assistance for problem-solving alternatives. The advantages of the professional services used are based on the needs and interests of the patients. In the exploitation phase, the patient feels like an integral part of the helping environment, and may make minor requests or use attention-getting techniques. When communicating with the patient, the nurse should use interview techniques to explore, understand, and adequately deal with the underlying problem. The nurse must also be aware of the various phases of communication since the patient’s independence is likely to fluctuate. The nurse should help the patient exploit all avenues of help as progress is made toward the final phase. This phase is the implementation of the nursing plan, taking actions toward meeting the goals set in the identification phase. The final phase is the resolution phase. It is the termination of the professional relationship since the patient’s needs have been met through the collaboration of patient and nurse. They must sever their relationship and dissolve any ties between them. This can be difficult for both if psychological dependence still exists. The patient drifts away from the nurse and breaks the bond between them. A healthier emotional balance is achieved and both become mature individuals. This is the evaluation of the nursing process. The nurse and patient evaluate the situation based on the goals set and whether or not they were met. The goal of psychodynamic nursing is to help understand one’s own behavior, help others identify felt difficulties, and apply principles of human relations to the problems that come up at all experience levels. Peplau explains that nursing is therapeutic because it is a healing art, assisting a patient who is sick or in need of health care. It is also an interpersonal process because of the interaction between two or more individuals who have a common goal. The nurse and patient work together so both become mature and knowledgeable in the care process.

Who committs suicide in prison more males or females

Research Paper In January 2012 Freddie Dabneylll died by driving His Car into the James River. Authorities ruled that the cause of Death was suicide. The Suicide rate in Virginia has been continually rising. In 2011/2012 it was reported that the suicide rate reached an all time high at 13 Suicides in one year. This has been the highest number of suicides in Virginia for almost a decade. According to the States Medical Examiner Office, Virginians' are three times more likely to die from a Suicide then a Homicide.The Medical Examiner's Office said that the stress of Unemployment, elationship problems, and the lack to access Mental Health Resources all played a part in the rising Suicide numbers. Suicide is the act of a person taking His or Her own Life. Who is more likely to commit suicide in prison males or Females? Is there a way that we can prevent Suicide? Suicide can be prevented; most people who commit Suicide do show signs of constant stress and frustration or Depression. Virgin ia Department of Health) 90% or People who kill themselves have a Diagnosable and treatable Mental Illness. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in The United States of America. In 2007 the Number of People who died from Suicide was 34,598. 395,320 people were treated in emergency departments for self inflicting Injuries. The numbers of attempted suicides are always higher than suicide, it is estimated that there are 25 attempted suicides for every suicide. Females from Virginia reported that they had Mental Health Disorders more than Males.For Males that's not good because reporting that you have a Mental health Disorder means that you actually went to get help and receive treatment, and when it comes to that females seek help more than Males. Medical Examiner's Office 2008) In 2007 the CDC (Center of Disease Control) in Virginia conducted a survey to Measure attitudes regarding Mental Health Issues. 90% of Virginians agreed with the statement â€Å"Treatment can help person s who have Mental Illnesses†. Only 54% Virginians agreed with the statement â€Å"People are caring and sympathetic to others that has a Mental Disorder.Suicide can be prevented we just have be willing to be more caring and concerned about people who has Mental Disorders. Between 2008 and 2011 there were 4,344 Suicide Deaths in a 5-Year Suicide rate of 1 1. 4 per 100,000 people Population in Virginia. Suicide was the 7th leading cause of Death in Virginia. (Virginia Health Department2008) During this Period of time the leading Mechanism of committing Suicide was Firearms (57. 3%) The second leading Mechanism was Suffocation (18. 6%). The rest of Mechanisms of fall (1 . 73%), Drowning (1. 38%), (1. 5%) of suicides were by other means.Virginians of the age 30 and older has the highest rate of Suicide; the suicide rate for people 35 and older was 18. 6 per 100,000. The second age group that had the Highest Suicide rate was youth 15-25 years old. Youth from the age 15-25 years ol d had a Suicide rate of 15. 5 per 100,000. In 2004 to 2008 there were a total of 3,420 Suicides, so from 2008 to 2011 the amounts of Suicides increased over a thousand. (Medical Examiner Office Of Virginia2008) The Suicide rate for Males in Virginia was 3. 6 times higher than Females. The Male Suicide rate was 17. per 100,000; the Female Suicide rate was 5. 2 per 100,000. The leading cause of Suicide for males was the use of Firearms. Out of all the Males that committed Suicide63. 5% of them used Firearms to commit Suicide. For Females the leading cause of Suicide was Poisoning, 38. 8% of females that committed Suicide did it by poisoning their selves. The Suicide rate for race varies but no race significantly outweighs the other. Even though the Suicide rate for Caucasians in Virginia are higher than the other races in Virginia, the Suicide rate in Virginia for a Caucasian person rate is only 2. times higher than African American person in Virginia. Suicide is the Leading Cause of Death for Inmates in Custody. In 2009 303 Inmates died due to the action of Suicide. The total Number of Suicides in prison for both Male and Females is 2,894. Sadly the Total number of Suicides for Male Inmates was 2,661, and for Female inmates were 232. Why do Male Inmates commit suicide ore than Female Inmates? There are more male Inmates than Female Inmates. In 2009 the males made up most of the Jail Population, 88% percent of the Jail population was males.Suicide rates in Jail have decreased every year 2008-2011. The Suicide rate went from 49 Deaths per 100,000 to 36 Deaths per 100,000. The male suicide rate was 43 per 100,000 Inmates in custody, and the Female Inmate rate was 12 deaths per 100,000. Though There More males in Prison that Females why is a Male 3 times more likely to commit suicide? When being Incarcerated Female Inmates receive more constant therapy and counseling than Male Inmates. In 1993 the BOP(Board of prisons) developed a special program for Female Inmates .This is special help for Female Inmates and its mainly used for them because its proven that a Female is 5 times less likely to commit a violent crime than a Male. This program is almost like a second chance in life. (U. S. Department of Justice Programs2009) When a Female is arrested and charged for a crime, their time to serve and sentence is lenient when compared to Males. During Incarceration Female Inmates receive Educational and Recreation programs. They also are given an opportunity to take Job Training and programs to assist Female Inmates to be better Woman, This as implemented by the U.S Department of Labor. The BOP offers Females Inmates the best Rehabilitation programs possible. Female Inmates apprenticeship programs offer special classes that give Females an opportunity to pick up a Trade. There are up to 40 different Trade programs for Female Inmates. The BOP also has special Mental Health Disorder Programs for Female Inmates. Remember Mental Health In 1994 A sheriff by the Name of Jim Pendegraph made a commitment to improve the treatment Programs for Male Inmates. These programs are supposed to help Male Inmates and address the reason why they are incarcerated.These Programs include Therapeutic, educational and Literacy Programs, While Incarcerated Male Inmates who are eligible may be allowed to receive treatment. This isn't a Law Implemented by the BOP though, this is something a Local Sheriff came up with to better the Community. It is known that while in Prison Females receive more treatment and better opportunities to better themselves than Males. Female Inmates also receive More Therapy for Mental Health Disorders than Males. Because of the advantages that Female Inmates have over Male Inmates this is the reason why Males commit Suicide More than Females.In Society period Males commit Suicide more than Females, because Females get treated more for their Mental Health Disorders that Males. When a Female has a Mental Health Disorder she is m ore likely to report it and attempt to receive Help. Males don't report the fact that they have mental issues and this risk factor is the main reason Males commit Suicide more than Females. (Medical Examiner's Office of Virgin2009) Suicide in Virginia and in the U. S is a problem that needs to be approach and talk about more in Society. Only 54% of people in Virginia agreed with the fact that people are caring to others that.

Lincoln: the Great Emancipator Essay

Until it was abolished in 1865, slavery thrived in the United States since the nation’s beginnings in the colony of Jamestown in 1607. In 1776, the founding fathers stated that â€Å"all men are created equal† when they declared independence and started a war that freed the 13 colonies from the oppressive rule of Great Britain. However, after â€Å"the land of the free† had been established, slavery had yet to be eliminated. After the war of 1812, sectionalism began to grow prevalent in America. The Industrial Revolution in the early to mid-1800s advanced the country technologically while further dividing it as the North became industrialized and the South became more agrarian and reliant on slave labor. Sectionalism was increased by westward expansion, and began to manifest itself in American politics. The country could have gone to war by the early 1800s, but various political compromises held the two sections together for another half of a century. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 and the Compromise of 1850 are two important examples. Tensions built over the 40 years of compromise. Abolitionists worked to gain support in the North while they caused outrage in the South. In the government, everything had to be compromised and everything was a competition, such as legislature and westward expansion. Fortunately, when sectionalism and tensions around slavery boiled over, Abraham Lincoln came to the forefront of US politics. He created a reputation for himself and the Republican Party with a political platform against the expansion of slavery. He became known in the South as an abolitionist through the Lincoln-Douglas debates, and his election in 1860 sparked the secession of 11 southern states from the Union and the beginning of the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln was the most important contributor to ending slavery in America because of his actions toward winning the Civil War and emancipating the slaves, and he was able to do this because he was an extraordinary politician who handled the circumstances as nobody else could have managed. Abraham Lincoln’s ability as a politician was crucial in his role as commander-in-chief of the US army during the Civil War, because to end slavery, Lincoln knew he had to win the war. The first thing Lincoln did as president, in his Inaugural Address, was try to calm the frantic South, re-stating that he had â€Å"no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery where it exists,† (Halsall). Lincoln’s  primary goal was to preserve the Union. As he put it, â€Å"If I could save the union without freeing any slave, I would do it,† (Majerol, 25-26). He needed the support for the war from the Northern citizens, many of whom were not abolitionists. Lincoln was faced with another difficult issue throughout the Civil War. Four states—Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, and Delaware—held slaves but remained in the Union. If Lincoln waged a war that strongly opposed slavery, he risked losing those Border States to the Confederacy, which would probably cost him the war. Another issue that Lincoln had to deal with over the course of the war was incompetent generals. Lincoln discharged many of his generals throughout the war, which made it difficult to carry out his plans. In a telegram to General McClellan, Lincoln urged him to attack Lee â€Å"The present hesitation to move upon an entrenched enemy is but the story of Manassas repeated,† but McClellan ignored the order (Ayers et. al, 369). It was not until Lincoln appointed Ulysses S. Grant commander of all Union armies that he started having consistent success. If Lincoln had not been elected president, slavery may have continued for much longer in America. Besides the fact that Lincoln, as commander-in-chief, lead the Union Army to win the Civil War, the many proposed compromises in 1860 and 1861 might have allowed slavery to continue in America, such as the Crittenden Compromise. Another important way that Lincoln’s skill as a politician benefited the Union was his treatment of the Confederacy. Lincoln reasoned that since it is unconstitutional to secede from the Union, the Confederacy and its government was illegitimate, and Lincoln’s administration refused to recognize the Confederacy’s independence. This became important later in the war when other nations refused to recognize the Confederacy’s independence. When the time was right, Abraham Lincoln masterfully changed the ideology of the war to focus on slavery, and he used the slaves themselves as a powerful force in the war and on the home front. Lincoln did this through the First and Second Confiscation Acts, the Emancipation Proclamation, and his Second Inaugural Address. Early in the war, three slaves escaped to the Union Army, raising the question of what to do with fugitive slaves. Under the Fugitive Slave Act, they had to be returned to their owners in the Confederacy. However, Lincoln adopted an ingenious policy of taking slaves as â€Å"contraband  of war,† treating them as property as the Confederacy did. Lincoln went on to sign the First Confiscation Act in August 1861, which emancipated slaves that escaped to Union lines. In July 1862, Lincoln signed the Second Confiscation Act, which essentially gave him the authority to emancipate the slaves in Confederate territory (on the grounds that they helped the war effort and were contraband). This legislation helped the Union Army greatly. Over 190,000 soldiers, sailors, and workers came to the Union Army from the Confederacy (McPherson, 193), and at the end of the war, African Americans made up 20 percent of the Union Army (Majerol, 26). The escaped slaves also influenced soldiers in the army who now â€Å"were talking with real men and women who had been (and perhaps still were) slaves,† (Goodheart, 15). However, a vastly more important document was the Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln drafted the document in July 1862 and showed it to his cabinet. William Seward reminded him of the importance of timing, so Lincoln waited until the army won the Battle of Antietam to issue the Proclamation. In a letter Lincoln wrote in 1864, he stated â€Å"when, early in the war, Gen. Fremont attempted military emancipation, I forbade it, because I did not then think it in indispensable necessity.† Lincoln then cites two more examples of him holding off efforts at emancipation (Fehrenbacher, 257). When it was issued on January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was a turning point in the ideology of the war. It took a war that had been officially about preserving the Union and made it about ending slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation was a bold move for Lincoln to make because of the pro-slavery Border States. Lincoln had made â€Å"earnest, and successive appeals† there for compensated emancipation, but was rejected (Fehrenbacher, 257). He then had to make a choice between â€Å"surrendering the Union† or â€Å"laying a strong hand upon the colored element,† hoping to outweigh losses with benefits (Fehrenbacher, 258). Over a year later, Lincoln said he felt no losses, and a gain of 130,000 soldiers, seamen, and laborers. Lincoln certainly had good timing when he issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Britain and France were coming closer to aiding the Confederacy, and in Britain’s case, they only wanted the Confederacy to win one more battle to prove that they were on the winning side of the war. Antietam was a terrible loss for the South, and Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation prevented Britain and France from aiding the Confederacy because they both had  anti-slavery governments, and the war was now about slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation was a wise move for Lincoln as an abolitionist, because it allowed blacks to fight in the military, which might lead to citizenship and the right to vote for blacks (â€Å"Civil War Black Soldiers†). Lastly, Lincoln focused public attention on the issue of slavery in his Second Inaugural Address, reminding the people know what their brothers were fighting for. Abraham Lincoln’s most important quality was that he was a great politician, which allowed him to manage the difficult situations put before him in order to provide actual results that ultimately ended slavery in America. Among these results were Union victory in the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation, the First and Second Confiscation Acts, the Gettysburg Address, and the Thirteenth Amendment. The Union victory in the Civil War is a simple fact, but it was the most indispensable step to the end of slavery in America. Ending slavery meant nothing if the Union did not win the war and control the South again. Additionally, without a war in the first place, slavery might not have ended. It is possible that a compromise could have held the divided nation together without putting an end to slavery. Lincoln’s talent as a politician was also crucial in the Emancipation Proclamation when he released it in time to prevent any foreign nations from intervening and aiding the Confederacy. Lincoln showed his skill as a politician in the Lincoln-Douglass debates, when he took a careful stance on slavery that he thought would best suit the needs of the nation at the time. Lincoln was constantly stressing that he was not an abolitionist, and it was ridiculous to assume that â€Å"Just because I do not want a negro woman for a slave I must necessarily want her for a wife,† (Fehrenbacher, 106). Lincoln proved himself when he ran against Douglas in the presidential election of 1860 and won. Lincoln orchestrated the defeat of the Confederacy and the end of slavery using his political position as president and commander-in-chief, and his cunning as a politician to influence the people of America. It could be argued that the slaves played a more vital role in securing their freedom than Abraham Lincoln did. The slaves had influential leaders such as Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass. The Underground Railroad  freed hundreds of slaves, and it was led by a former slave, Harriet Tubman. Frederick Douglass wrote a book about his life as a slave which influenced public views of slavery in the North. He also published an abolitionist newspaper, the North Star. He also showed people that slaves were treated like animals and stripped of the quality that defines humans: independent thought. â€Å"these words sank deep into my heart, stirred up sentiments within that lay slumbering, and called to existence an entirely new train of thought,† (Douglass, 20). He told about how he was like other slaves until he learned to read and write, and became a human who was able to create his own destiny. These contributed to raising tensions and starting war, which was a necessary evil for slavery to be abolished and the Union to remain whole. These contributions also put pressure on the government to oppose slavery. Moreover, the 190,000 soldiers, sailors, and laborers who escaped slavery and came to the Union Army contributed greatly to the war effort, fighting valiantly and supporting the Army off the battlefield as well. By the end of the war, these soldiers made up 20 percent of the Union army, as well as influencing public opinion in the North. These were valuable aids to the end of slavery in America, and without them, slavery might not have ended in 1865. However, they are insubstantial compared to the contributions of Abraham Lincoln. First, the emancipation of nearly 200,000 slaves happened because Lincoln had not issued the Emancipation Proclamation and the First and Second Confiscation Acts. He transformed the ideology of a nation when he directed the war at slavery. In comparison with Lincoln’s monumental tasks, the contributions of slaves are insignificant. In conclusion, Abraham Lincoln was a more important constituent in ending Slavery in America than the slaves themselves because of his contributions as Commander-in-chief to win the Civil War and emancipate the slaves, and he was able to do this because he was an outstanding politician who handled the circumstances with unparalleled capability. Lincoln dealt with the difficult issue of fighting a war in which he could not make many bold decisions for fear of the Border States seceding, and he applied his ability as a politician to lead the Union to victory. Lincoln faced another difficult  issue of how to treat escaped slaves during the war, and altered the entire ideology of the war so that the focus was slavery. He did this with his First and Second Confiscation Acts and, most importantly, a well-timed Emancipation Proclamation. Lastly, Lincoln’s capability as a politician led to concrete actions he took towards ending slavery, including the Emancipation Proclamation, the Thirteenth Amendment, and of course, winning the Civil War, the element without which the end of slavery in America might not have been possible. Lincoln influenced the history of America and (unintentionally) became a martyr. Today, racial discrimination does not exist in US legislation and America is constantly getting closer to complete racial equality. Works Cited Ayers, Edward L., Jesus F. De la Teja, Deborah G. White, and Robert D. Schulzinger. American anthem. Ed. Sam Wineburg. Orlando. Fla.: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2009. â€Å"Civil War Black Soldiers.† , Black Soldiers, Robert Gould Shaw, 54th Massachusetts. 2007. Civil War Academy. 24 Jan. 2013 . Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass. New York: Dover Publications, 1995. Fehrenbacher, Don E. Abraham Lincoln. Stanford: Stanford UP, 1964. Goodheart, Adam. â€Å"How Slavery Really Ended in America.† New York Times 3 Oct. 2011: 12-15. Halsall, Paul. â€Å"Internet History Sourcebooks.† Internet History Sourcebooks. July 1998. Fordham University. 24 Jan. 2013 . Majerol, Veronica. â€Å"The Emancipation Proclamation.† The New York Times Upfront 7 Jan. 2013: 24-27. McPherson, James. â€Å"Who Freed the Slaves?† Drawn With the Sword: Reflections on the American Civil War. 1996. 192-207.