What factors influence a teenage mothers choice to breastfeed Essay

What factors influence a teenage mothers choice to breastfeed - Essay Example The said information was gathered through library-based qualitative research and then organized and analyzed to answer the research question which is the enumeration and discussion of the factors that influence the choice of teenage mothers to breastfeed. Breastfeeding is being promoted to the public as the main method in feeding infants. This can be attributed to the benefits that can be obtained for both the mother and the infant. Although this is considered as a readily available and natural method to use, breastfeeding remains to be unpopular in the United Kingdom. In fact based on studies, only approximately 40 to 60 percent of mothers are breastfeeding (NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, 2000). The need to promote breastfeeding is based on the specific advantages that it can bring about for both the mother and the infant. One is the strengthening of emotional connection between the mother and the baby through the contact and the experience itself. Another benefit is based on the essence and definition of motherhood. This is because breastfeeding is an act that can only be done by the mother, thus, it reaffirms the bond. In another view, the mother can be benefited in the sense that breastfeeding can help restore her body shape prior to pregnancy which is commonly an important concern for women who undergone the experience of giving birth. Lastly, breastfeeding can be considered as an affordable method to child rearing with the added advantage of being good for the infant’s health and immune system (Black, Jarman and Simpson, 1998). With the said reasons and benefits, it is a concern that the percentage of mothers utilizing the method is still limited or less than wh at is expected. In relation to the view of the benefits of breastfeeding, it is deemed important to determine the factors that can affect the

Decision Making Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Decision Making Management - Assignment Example ronment and surrounding in which it operates its business operations and also to continue to retain its customers by ensuring them that the company is effectively fulfilling its corporate social responsibility. Developing business ethics is one of the key issues for an organization and implant of such issues is extremely vital. Governments frequently focus on sustainability issue, which is associated with ethical issues and ethical standards as well. According to Hemmingway (2009), companies need to capitalize such business opportunities for the purpose of avoiding the negative outcomes for the company and also to further enhance the overall influence of its business operations on the economic life of the region, in which it operates its business operations. By fulfilling its social, environmental and economic duties towards the society, a company can enable itself to ensure the society and its people that the company is doing a productive job for society and environment as well. Often it happens that organizations are compelled to extend their capacity regarding corporate social responsibility by its stakeholders and organizations are well aware regarding the fact that if they do not fulfill the expectations of their stakeholders on timely basis, then they may have to face some severe consequences of it. Gray (2006) states that organization must ensure that they effectively communicate with its stakeholders all the major social issues, such as, pollution, employment, plant closures and other various major social issues and also the measures which the organization plans to adapt for the purpose of resolving such issues. In the recent times, companies have become extremely cautious and aggravated regarding to improve their business operations from the social point of view, that is understand and address the social issues on regular intervals, because the stakeholders of the company expects from it to do so on constant basis. Stakeholders include all the

Principles and Practices of Management Essay Example for Free

Principles and Practices of Management Essay Planning is the determination of the course of the objectives of a business, division or department to achieve maximum profit effectiveness, the establishment of policies and the continuous seeking and finding of new ways to do things. Implementing applies to the doing phases. After plans have been prepared, personnel must be selected and assigned their jobs; they must be trained and motivated to perform properly. Activities must be implemented in terms of the plans initially developed. This may include I. Selecting personnel II. Training personnel III. Motivating personnel IV. Delegation, V. Direction VI. Coordinating. Controlling refers to the evaluation of the performance of those who are responsible for executing the plans agreed upon. This may include: I. Controlling adherence to plans, and II. Appraising performance 2. Principles of Management Fayol has given fourteen principles of management. These principles are as fallows 1. Division of work: Fayol has advocated division of work to take the advantage of specialization. According to him, ‘specialization belongs to the natural order. The worker always works on the same matters, the manager concerned always with the same matters; acquire an ability, sureness, and accuracy, which increase their output’. Each change of work brings in it training and adaptation, which reduces output. Thus, division of work can be applied at all levels in the organization. However, he has recognized the limitations of division of work and has advocated that experience and sense of proportion will decide the extent to which division of work can be utilized fruitfully. 2. Authority and Responsibility: The authority and responsibility are related, with the latter the corollary of the former and arising from the former. He finds authority as a continuation of official and personnel factors. Official authority is derived from the manager’s position and personal authority is derived from intelligence, experience, moral worth, past services, etc. Responsibility arises out of assigning the work. 3. Discipline: All the personnel serving in the organization should be disciplined. Discipline is obedience, application, energy, behavior, and outward mark of respect shown by employees. Discipline can be classified into two types: self-imposed discipline and command discipline. The former springs form within the individual and are in the nature of spontaneous response to a skillful leader. Command discipline stems from a recognized authority and utilizes deterrents to secure compliance with a desired action, which is expressed by established customs, rules, and regulations. The ultimate strength of command discipline lies in its certainty of application. 4. Unity of command: Unity of command means a person in the organization should receive orders from only one superior. The more completely an individual has a reporting relationship to a single superior, the less the problem of conflict in instructions and the greater the feeling of personal responsibility for results. The principle of unity of command Is useful in the clarification of authority-responsibility relationship. 5. Unity of Direction Unity of direction means ‘one unit and one plan’. According to this principle, each group of activities with same objectives with same objective must have one head and one plan. The unity of direction is different from unity of command in the sense that former is concerned with the functioning of body corporate; the latter is concerned with personnel at all level. Unity of direction is provided for by sound organization of the body corporate, unity of command turn on the functioning of the personnel. Unity of command exists without unity of direction, but does not flow from it. 6. Subordination of individual to general interest: Command interest is above the individual interest and when there is conflict between these two, the common interest must prevail. However, factors like ambition, laziness, weakness etc. tend to reduce the importance of general interest. 7. Remuneration of Personnel: Remuneration and methods of payment should be fair and provide maximum possible satisfaction to employees and employers. 8. Centralization: Everything, which goes to increase the importance of the subordinate’s role, is decentralization; everything, which goes to reduce it, is centralization. Without using the term ‘centralization of authority’. This pattern is determined by individual circumstances and should be based on optimum utilization of all faculties of the personnel. 9. Scalar Chain: There should be a scalar chain of authority and communication ranging from the highest to lowest positions. It suggests that each communication going up or coming down must flow through each position in the line of authority. It can be short-circuited only in special circumstances when its rigid following would be determined to the organization. For this purpose, Fayol has suggested ‘gang palnk’ , which is used to prevent the scalar chain from bogging down action. 10. Order: Both material order and social order are necessary. The former minimizes lost time and useless handling of materials. The latter is achieved through organization and selection. 11. Equity: In running a business a combination of kindliness and justice is needed. Treating employees well is important to achieve equity. 12. Stability of Tenure of Personnel: Employees work better if job security and career progress are assured to them. An insecure tenure and a high rate of employee turnover will affect the organization adversely. 13. Initiative: Allowing all personnel to show their initiative in some way is a source of strength for the organization. Even though it may well involve a sacrifice of personnel vanity on the part of many managers. 14. Espirt de Corps: Management must foster the morale of its employees. â€Å"Real talent is needed the coordinate effort, encourage keenness, use each person’s abilities and reward each one’s merit without arousing possible jealousness and disturbing harmonious relations†. Techniques of Effective Coordination The basic objective of all managerial functions is to get things done by coordinated efforts of others. Thus, every function leads to coordination. However, following are the specific techniques for achieving coordination: Coordination by Chain of Command: In an organization, the chain of command is the most important methods of coordination. Superior, because of his organizational position, has the authority to issue orders and instructions to his subordinates. Weber has indicated that in a controlled administration coordination is achieved. Coordination by Leadership: Leadership brings individual motivation and persuades the group to have identified of interests and outlook in group efforts. Ordway Tead has stated that top management should practice leadership because without it, no coordination can be achieved. In fact, whatever is necessary for effective leadership is also required for coordination. Coordination by Effective Communication: Communication helps to developing understanding between individuals or groups among whom coordination is to be achieved. Through communication, every person understands his scope and limits of functioning, authority and responsibility, and relationship with others. Thus, effective communication provides horizontal as well as vertical coordination if there is free and adequate flow of communication in all directions.-horizontal, vertical, upward and downward. Communication to be effective does not require only a communication network but to keep the network free from any barrier, which effects flow of messages adversely. Coordination by Committees: Committees are the body of persons entrusted with discharging some functions collectively as group. Some committees have the authority to take decisions and others make recommendations only. The decisions of the committees are group decisions and the persons whose departments are affected by decisions generally constitute the committees. Thus the decisions themselves provide coordination among various functions of the organization. Coordination by General Staff: Generally, in big organizations there is general staff meant for  coordination. This staff employs a central position in communication network. All the heads of departments and sections send the various information to this center. This center stores the information and sends to various departments’ only relevant and related information. This center, because of its specialized knowledge, is able to assess the relevance and need of various information for a department. Thus, the coordination is achieved by supplying inter-departmental information. Special Coordinators: In some organizations, special coordinators are appointed for coordinating some special activities. For example, in a particular project, along with various functionaries, a project coordinator is appointed. His basic function is to coordinate various activities of the project and to keep information about the development of project so that he can provide it to the party concerned for which the project Is being completed. Such projects are generally taken on contract basis which are to be completed within the specified time. Self-coordination: This principles states that a particular department affects other departments and in turn is affected by them. However, this department has no control over others. In such a case, if other departments modify their actions in such a way that this affects the particular department favorably, self-coordination is achieved. This requires effective communication across the department so that they are able to appreciate the functioning of related departments. However, this method is not free from limitations and shortcomings, and in the organization, favorable climate and environment need to be created for self-control. Features of an Open Door Organization 1) An open door organization is task oriented. The accountability is clearly defined. 2) The authority (within the related functional area) is also absolute (or nearly so) matching the absolute character of the accountability. 3) Consultations are minimum and are not compulsive; the executive is free to consult and communicate (or otherwise) so long as he performs and delivers the objective. 4) Rules and procedures exist but only as guides-the executives (within their sphere of responsibilities)  having wide freedom of discretion to depart from the rules within the periphery of the broad corporate policies. 5) The accountability is clear-cut; objective is verifiable – in terms of cost, output target, time and profit. The means are (relatively) unimportant so long as the end is achieved. 6) The managerial behavior is highly flexible bending with lithe suppleness to the internal shifts in conditions and external maneuvers of the environmental zone of contract.

Health Indicators for Diverse Groups in New Zealand

Health Indicators for Diverse Groups in New Zealand Introduction Public health is the science and art of promoting and protecting the life and well being of the population as a whole, by preventing the ill health and prolonging the life through the organized efforts of the state and the society. This assessment aims to discuss and present the health status indicators for diverse groups in the National and International perspectives. It also includes the causative factors in health. Current Health Status indicators for Three Diverse Groups from National and international perspectives. New Zealand New Zealand is located in the South Pacific. It is a multi-cultural country and a very supportive on health of the society and its program. There are several diverse groups that living in New Zealand namely: the Maori, The Pacific people, the Pakeha or Europians and the Asian migrants. a. The Maori Maoris are the most important ethnic groups in New Zealand. They are the original settlers of the country. One indicator that compromises the health of the Maori is smoking. Smoking was identified as the most prevalent health status indicator and it is significantly observed in areas inhabited by the Maori. Broughton (1996) stated that traditionally the Maori society was tupeka kore (tobacco free). Maoris’ first encounter with tobacco was through the British, it was used as a tool of colonization by gifting or trading it in return for land and other resources. Currently, 32.7 per one hundred of Maori identified as being regular smoker, more than twice the smoking rates of European and Asian ethnic groups. Among Maori males the regular smoking rate is 30.5 percent and among females it is 34.7 percent. For Maori women of childbearing age (20-44 years), 40.5 percent smoke regularly. (Statistics New Zealand, 2014) Moreover, the Maori youth aged 15 – 19 years has higher smoking rate than non-Maori. In this age group, 38.8 percent (CI 29.3–48.3%) of Maori were current smokers compared with 13.7 percent (CI 10.4–17.1%) of non-Maori. There were some findings that there were notable difference in the average of the Maori and non-Maori’s initial taste of cigarette. On average Maori youth, their first cigarette was as early as 11.5 years compared to non-Maori youth at 12.7 years. As a result, tobacco smoking is the primary cause of the preventable death for Maori in New Zealand. Approximately, three times as many Maori died from Lung cancer and other smoking related diseases as Non-Maori each year. Maoris’ current smokers are more likely to prefer on smoking a roll-your-own-cigarette than non- Maoris smokers. The frequency of roll-your-own-cigarette was 70.3 percent for Maori and 57.4 percent compared to non-Maori. The most common reason of Maori and non-Maori for using the roll-your–own-cigarette was that, it has less expense than the manufactured cigarettes. The other reason for Maori and non-Maori they gave was, it last longer and taste better. Another health indicator among Maori is the Life Expectancy. The life expectancy of Maori men is 73 years while the Maori women is 77.1 compared to the non-Maori men which is 80.3 years and 83.9 years for the non-Maori women. The life expectancy at birth has narrowed the gap to 7.1 years between Maori and non-Maori people. In comparison with 8.2 years in 2005-07, 8.5 years in 2000-02, and 9.1 years in 1995-97 based on death rates of New Zealand in 2012-2014 (Statistics New Zealand, 2014). The differences in the life expectancy rate of Maori people compared to non-Maori are due to the number of factors including rates of smoking and socioeconomic status. b. The Pacific people The Pacific community in New Zealand are consist of different ethnic groups like the Samoans who are the largest group with 50% of the population, the Cook Islanders, 20%, the Tongan, 18%, the Niuaen, 8% and the Fijans who have the smallest group of 4%. (Ministry of Public Island Affairs, 2013) Obesity is one of the biggest issue in health for the Pacific Islanders. Among the New Zealand diverse groups, the Pacific adults had the highest rate of obesity with 67 percent followed by 46 percent Maori adults. Contrasting to, only one in seven Asian adult is obese, with a rate of 14 percent. On the other hand, Pacific children aged 2-14 are 55 percent obese or overweight, compared to 29 percent of the total child population in New Zealand. Based on body mass index, it was found out that almost one out of three adults from age 15 years and above were obese with a rate of 31 percent while about 34 percent were overweight. In ages 2-14 years, one in nine children were obese or 11 percent. Furthermore, high rate of overweight children of the Pacific people were also found, which was 22 %. c. The Asian group The Asian adults are generally in good health. They have the positive focus on health and well-being. In fact, Asian adults have comparatively low rates of smoking, hazardous drinking, asthma, arthritis, chronic pain, diagnosed mood or anxiety disorders (Asian Health, 2006). However, Asian adults are about 1.8 times as likely to have been diagnosed of type 2 diabetes as non-Asians. Self noted diabetes rates are common among Indian people, more than three times than the normal average. Asian adults generally report lower use of primary health center because of the language and cultural barriers that affect the access to health services (source). It was noted that after migration, Asian people may have increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases due to the lifestyle changes, physical activity and change in diet. United States of America United States of America is among the world’s good provider on health for its people. The total population of America as of 2013 is 320,051,000, with a gross national income per capita of 53,960. The allocations for health per capita is 8,895 international dollar in 2012 and the total expenditures for health as percentage of GDP as of 2012 is 17.9. (WHO, 2015) United States of America is a multicultural country and they have several diverse groups namely: the Whites Americans, the African Americans, the Asian Americans, the Native Americans/ American Indians and Alaska Natives, the Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders and Hispanic and Latino Americans. a. American Indians and Alaska Natives Tobacco remains the largest preventable cause of disease and death in the United States. Every year 480,000 of Americans are killed through cigarette smoking, and 41,000 of these deaths were due to the second hand smoking. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2014). Cigarette Smoking is the most prevalent case for the American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States of America with significantly the highest percentage rate among other racial groups, of 26.1 percent compared to 19.4 percent of the White Americans, the African Americans with 18.3 and the Hispanics has 12.1 percentage respectively. The Asian American has the lowest percentage of smoking with 9.6 percent. Men in the United States are the most frequent smokers with 20.5 percent compared to women who has 15.3 percent. Among the adults in America, ages 25 to 44 years are the most habitual smokers with a 20.1 percent, followed by the ages 45 to 64 years with 19.9 percent and 18.7 percent for ages 18 to 24. The least frequent smokers are at the age of 65 years and older with 8.8 percent. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). b. The African American Obesity is based on the body mass index(BMI) of a person of 30 or higher. The body mass index is measured of an adult’s weight in relation to his or her height, calculated by the adults weight in kilograms divided by the square root of his or her height in meters.(U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention,2014). In the United States more than one-third or 34.9% or 76.8 million of adults are obese. The African American have the highest rates of obesity with 47.8 percent, followed by the Hispanic with the rate of 42.5 percent, the White comes third with a percentage of 32.6 percent, and for the American Asian has the lowest rate of obesity with a rate of 10.8 percent. (Journal Of American Medicine, 2014) Obesity are more prevalent among middle age group from 40 tp 59 year old with a rate of 39.5% compared to the younger adults, the 20-39 years age group with a percentage rate of 30.3%, and the adults of over 60 years and above has a percentage rate of 35.4 percent. (Journal of American Medicine, 2014) Another indicator among African American is Diabetes. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States of America, killing 71.5 thousand people in 2012. (WHO, 2012) Diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by hyperglycemia or high glucose levels in the blood. In a healthy person the blood sugar level are kept in an acceptable range by insulin. Insulin is a hormone, that is produced in the pancreas, that will help the body absorb excess sugar from the blood stream. Among diabetic people, blood sugar levels are not adequately controlled by insulin. (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2010). Diabetes is most prevalent among African American adults, from ages 18 and over, with a percentage rate of 13.2 percent compared to the Hispanics with 12.2 percent, while, 7.3 percent for both White Americans and Native Hawaiians.(CDC, 2014) In 2012, 44.2 per 1000 population of African American adults were hospitalized for lower extrimity amputation in contrast with 12.5 per 1000 population of the White and 25.4 of the Hispanics. (National Healthcare Quality and Disparities, 2014) c. White Americans The Center for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC)2014, gathered the information about the mortality in the U.S., including the death by suicide. In 2013, there were 41,149 suicide cases reported. This makes the suicide, as the tenth primary cause of death in America. The CDC calculates the suicide rate each year by the number of the accounted suicide deaths that occur for every 100,000 people in the population. White americans got the highest rate of suicide death with 14. 2%, followed by the American Indians and Alaska natives with a rate of 11.7%. Much lower and nearly the same rates are common among Asians and Pacific Islanders with 5.8%, Hispanic with 5.7%, and African American with 5.4% respectively.(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014) In 2013, Men were most likely to commit suicide compared to women with a significant rate of 20.2, and women had a rate of 5.5, that is four times higher in men. It was noted in in 2013 that 77.9% of males died in suicide in comparison to much lower rate in female for only 22.1%. Among the age group, 45 to 64 years had the highest suicide rate of 19.1%, followed by 85 years and older with 18.6%. The younger groups aged 15 to 24 years had lower suicide rate of 10.9%.(CDC,2014). Causative Factors a. National Causative Factors The influence of the family members or growing up in the house or environment where people regularly smoke has a great impact for the prevalence of smoking among Maori people. The total lack of discouragement since some or all of the family members are smoking. In general, the peer pressure for the teen agers that caused them to start smoking at an early age and the feeling of relief from stress and fatigue. Lastly, the use of the roll-your–own-cigarette which has cheaper cost. (The Buzzle, 2015) The factors that influence the obesity of the Pacific people are, there lifestyle, habits and food consumption. For age fifteen years and above, less than half or about 40.9% of the Pacific males and Pacific females (48.9%) met the recommended vegetable intake that was notably lower than non-Pacific group. In addition, Pacific males and females consumed more servings of soft drinks or energy drinks per week. In particular, Pacific female, were three times as likely to eat fast food and takeaways in comparison to non-Pacific people. Children aged 2-14 years were less likely to have eaten breakfast at home compared to non-Pacific. (The Pacific Peoples Health, 2014) One causative factor of Diabetes is obesity. Atleast 80% of Type 2 diabetes are overweight. Due to today’s sedentary and westernised lifestyle, people will become overweight and eventually become obese. Obesity causes insulin resistance, meaning that the fats and muscle cells of obese people do not seem to react to the insulin, so there is an uncontrollable blood glucose level in the body, thus, leading to Type 2 diabetes. (Diabetes Info NZ, 2014) b. International Causative Factors The factor that triggers the prevalence of smoking among American Indians and Alaska Natives is that, it is included in a sacred tobacco ceremonial rights, religious practices and as medicinal roles for native culture. In addition, tobacco sold in tribal lands are exempted from state and national taxes, thus, it is cheaper and affordable. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2015) The causative factor of obesity of the African American is the limited access to safe places for outdoor physical activities. In order to carry out a a good and a balance healthy living, one must participate in a sufficient physical activity. In addition, lower incomes and poverty contributes to the increasing obesity, since less nutritious foods or calorie-loaded foods are often less expensive and affordable than healtier foods. (Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Obesity, 2014) The risk factor of diabetes which is prevalent among African Americans are due to lifestyle choices. The lesser chance of regular physical activity and consuming high-calorie foods in larger amount than necesarry will have the high risk of devloping type 2 diabetes. Another factor is heriditary, if someone in close family has diabetes, other members might also develop diabetes.(Endocrineweb, 2014). Based from the causative factors of the different health problems encountered from the national and international aspects, it is observed that they have almost the same common factors that triggers the prevalence of diseases. Lower incomes and living in more deprived areas are more prone to such diseases. Regular physical activities and proper nutrition is the key to have a healthy life. 3. Discussion Smoking is one of the major problem that the government of New Zealand is facing especially with the Maori group who is the leading cigarette or toabcco smoker than other ethnic groups. It is further noted, that there is a strong relationship between smoking and neighborhood deprivation. It means that there are more people who are engaged in smoking in most deprived areas than the least deprived areas. The government should continue to dessiminate information and awareness for the effects of smoking for the active and passive smokers most especially to the deprived areas where smoking is rampant. Conduct counselling for the addictive smoker and the family. Create programs or provide facilities that promotes physical activities to different groups. There should be a thorough emphasis and education for the tremendous effect of smoking like: smoking can harm every organ and systems in the body, cause 80% of lung cancer, and respiratory condition like emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking is also a major cause of heart disease, stroke and other cancers. In addition, smoking around children increases the risk of lung infection like croup, bronchitis and peumonia. There are a lot of health problems that the United States of America is facing, one of them is obesity and it is quite alarming that more than one-third of the population in America are obese. Among the diverse groups, Afrian Americans has the highest percentage of obesity. One factor of obesity for Black Americans is that they have limited access to safe areas for outdoor activities. To carry out a balance and healthy living one must indulge in a regular physical activitivities. It is also observed that lower income and poverty contributes to the increasing obesity since they will opt to consume the cheaper, less nutritious and high calorie foods. Being obese increases the persons risk to developing heart diseases (cardiovascular heart disease, stroke), type 2 diabetes and and other forms of cancer. In order to prevent obesity and the risk of developing long term diseases the government should continue to support programs that involves physical activities. Provide facilities for indoor and outdoor sports and a safe playground for children. The government should also provide a team that will monitor the intake of nutritious foods especially in the deprived areas where obesity is common. A quarterly checks of the blood for blood sugar, lipid profile and blood pressure for the obese persons.

Scops: A Living History :: English Literature Dictionary Essays

Scops: A Living History A scop is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "an Old English poet or minstrel." However, scops were simply so much more than that to the medieval world. They were the only means of entertainment for the people of the time. There was no television or Internet to escape to, and books were not readily available. Most medieval people in the eighth through twelfth centuries could not read or write,so the scops would tell amusing stories or tales of heroic deeds to the music of their harps. The stories would be chanted, giving great honor to those mentioned in the oral recitations, and the scop's song also provided a memory of the culture for those who would come after. According to Kemp Malone, â€Å"At an early date Germanic kings began to keep professional poets.† (p.75) These scops would travel the kingdom, telling their stories and singing their songs. They would have a harp or later a lute; these were the tools of their trade. Creating worlds and places many Anglo- Saxons never saw because few people ever left the place they were born, scops were important fixtures to the medieval world. The scops opened up the outside world to medieval people and engaged the imagination too. In Beowulf, scops are mentioned in recounting Beowulf’s deeds and amusing the men in the mead- halls. Like courtly fools, they would make their audience laugh. However, unlike the fools or court jesters, a scop was not there merely to entertain. They were a living history of the times and places of the past and present. Their ability to memorize many lines of poetry or stories has kept them alive throughout the ages so that we still have them today. The stories were sometimes embellished and altered to be more interesting to the listeners. For example, in Beowulf, there is the story of our hero fighting sea monsters as he swims across an ocean and spending seven days and night in the cold sea. â€Å"The Wanderer† is a tale that mostly likely would have been recited by a scop. The stories that the scops would tell often were elegies for the heroic dead.

Lady Macbeth of Shakespeares Play, Macbeth Essay -- English Literatur

Lady Macbeth of Shakespeare's Play, Macbeth Lady Macbeth is the most interesting and complex character in Shakespeare's play, Macbeth. She is, in fact, the point on which the action pivots: without her there is no play. The purpose of this essay is to describe Lady Macbeth’s role in the play and discuss why this makes her the most fascinating character. Her evil doings are the main reasons why she dominates the plot so greatly. These include the following: considers Macbeth to be a wimp not wanting to murder; letting Macbeth fulfill her plan; taking control over Macbeth’s thoughts and actions; turning Macbeth from a loyal man to a greedy, coldhearted human being. Also Lady Macbeth’s transformation in character and her relationship with Macbeth contribute to her importance. Lady Macbeth satisfies her role among the high society and is well respected like her husband. The King of Scotland, King Duncan, calls her â€Å"our honoured hostess.† She shows great affection towards Macbeth but at the same time very ambitious, as shown by her reaction to the prophecies given to him. She immediately decides that â€Å"the fastest way† for Macbeth to become king is to murder King Duncan. When Lady Macbeth hears of the prophecies given to her husband her true character is exposed for the audience to see. Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to go and make the prophecy true that he will become king. Macbeth‘s thoughts on the prophecy before his wife’s intervention was that â€Å"If chance will hav...

Democracy and Jim Crow

The United States of America is proud to be known as the land of the free. Its representative democracy Is supposed to hold the consent of all American colleens and make sure the constitution and equality Is upheld; however, Its state of government has been actively partaking In actively and rulings that do not benefit the whole of America. In fact, many of the state's decisions have been working against specific racial minorities and creating a criminal justice system that almost mirrors the racist statues implemented after the Civil War, called the Jim Crow laws.This New Jim Crow unfairly targets minority races, sentences them harsher in court, and leaves them and their families to deal with the immense consequences. These consequences not only trap them in a cycle of poverty and immobility, but take away many of the rights that are supposed to be granted to every citizen of the United States. These policies are pushing the U. S. Democracy back toward pre-Call War mentalities, maki ng African-Americans' (and other minority groups') voices Irrelevant and unheard. Power and authority rest In the state.While these two words seem honeymoons, they hold two very different meanings. Power Is the ability to make someone do something they would not normally do through the use of force and authority is the justifiable right to exercise that power. Only legitimate authorities have the consent of the people, while illegitimate authorities simply hold power over the governed, regardless to how the people feel. The united States of America claims to be a democracy, a state that has consent of the governed peoples.However, is that truly the case? By questioning the idea of democracy in the United States, one must look who olds the power in this country and whether or not we can consider the state working toward the overall benefit and happiness of country at large. The state Is defined as â€Å"a human community that (successfully) claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory† (Dobra, Walden, and Bezel 2012:37).While many people would recognize the government as a legitimate authority, that can and should be allowed to use force, the government may not exactly be using their power in a way that is equally beneficial and fair to all its citizens. Power is seen as any â€Å"individual, group or structural capacity to achieve intended effects as a result of force, influences, or authority† (Dobra, Walden, and Bezel 2012:3). The government and its officials hold the power; however, are they using that power democratically, with the consent of all the citizens in the ASSAI?In a democracy everyone should be granted the opportunity to participate in decisions of the political state once you are considered an adult citizen of that state (Dobra, Walden, and Bezel 2012:47) whether it be by voting or simply having the right to participate as much or as little as you want. In the United States' democracy, It Is thought that we have the ability to vote and have equal opportunity In all political decisions. In reality, the democratic freedoms and rights that the united States Is known for can be taken away or be made unavailable all too easily.Democracies, for their country, through voting or participating in a Jury, among other things. Yet, our â€Å"democracy' has somehow managed to covertly bring race and racist practices back into government. Many different aspects of the state help to create and enforce practices that work against the core values of democracy. The criminal Justice system, including police officers, courts, and Jails/prisons, encompass institutional racism, putting some racial groups at a disadvantage, but not through overtly discriminatory mechanisms.Ingrained stereotypical images of minority groups, heavy focus on impoverished areas, and leniency on drugs and/or crimes that are more associated with white people, cause this institutional racism. While individuals work ing for the state may not have these factors in mind, the system and our society have been shaped to be more aware of and give harsher punishments to people of color Alexander, 2012). Throughout history America's government has used race as a determinate factor on one's social standing and level of capability.In the late sass's Jim Crow laws were enacted in order to establish a â€Å"separate but equal† status for African Americans. In 1868, Amendment XIV gave black men full citizenship and promised them equal protection under the law. The northern victory in the Civil War and this amendment allowed blacks to vote, run for and win elected office positions, and serve on Juries. However, 10 years later when federal troops withdrew from the South, returning it to local white rule, this equal protection slowly disintegrated. In the twenty years after the fourteenth amendment was formed, blacks would lose almost all that they had gained.The freedoms and rights they had previously thought were guaranteed were being denied to them. This denial was made legal by Jim Crow laws, a series of racist statutes. These laws were implemented in order to appease white southerners and take back the rights that were granted to former slaves. While the fourteenth amendment granted citizenship to everyone born in the United States, including blacks, and protected individual's rights of citizenship, the Jim Crow laws specifically worked to destroy that. Citizenship allows one to vote.Therefore, Jim Crow laws could not necessarily take the right to vote completely away, however they implemented restrictions on registering to vote in order to assure that blacks would not be able to have a say. Through literacy tests and other prerequisites, the amount of blacks that were eligible to vote diminished rapidly. These were originally found to be constitutional because they did not specifically attack one group of people due to heir race, ethnicity, or background. However, these laws targeted the black community by aiming at their weaknesses.Since the majority of southern blacks were former slaves, they did not have wealth, a prestigious line of ancestry, or the necessary skills or network to seek employment out of servitude. The requirements to register to vote became nearly impossible for a black man to achieve. Some states required a literacy test knowing that former slaves were banned from learning how to read and write. If the slaves did become literate, there were many other stipulations that stood in the way of them registering to vote.There was a restriction on lineage, requiring that a grandparent had to have been a voter in order for you to become a voter. This was quite impossible for the majority of blacks, for the obvious reason that their grandparents were slaves themselves or had not been born in the United States so they were not voting citizens. Jim Crow laws took advantage of any government and hopefully be reduced back down to slavery or clos e to it. Implementing poll taxes and requirements to own property targeted blacks lack of monetary funds (Alexander 2012).As former slaves, they did not have a lot of money ND they definitely did not have extra money to waste on poll taxes. Even if they were granted land to purchase and had the money, most property owners would not sell to a black man. Last but not least, the â€Å"good character† clause was enacted. This is seemingly a last resort. If a black man met all the former stipulations, the poll workers could simply give a reason as to why they question his character and deny him the ability to register. The â€Å"good character† rule is purely based on opinion.Along with restrictions on voting registration, Jim Crow laws were also enacted to include restrictions on marriage, housing, public institutions and even times of day one could be outside. These were created to ensure that blacks were segregated as much as possible from the white community, being â₠¬Å"separate but equal. † In Please vs†¦ Ferguson, the Supreme Court found this idea constitutional; however, while restrooms, schools, train cars, and even neighborhoods became separate, they were rarely ever equal.Laws were even established that segregated blacks from living in white neighborhoods through making it illegal to live on a block in which the majority of residents were people that you could not marry. Laws banning interracial marriage were established before this. This ensured that blacks and whites would not live together, forcing blacks into parts of the town that were more impoverished. To further belittle former slaves, most buildings, restrooms and drinking fountains were separated with â€Å"whites only' and â€Å"blacks only' signs, showing an unwillingness to even share water with a different race.These â€Å"separate but equal† practices were highly discriminatory and not constitutional; however, the government was oblivious to this fact or chose to ignore it for quite a while. Brown vs†¦ Board of Education was one of the first cases to point out the flaws in the â€Å"separate but equal† practices. In that hearing, the Supreme Court decided that it was unconstitutional and detrimental to minority children to have separate public schools (Alexander 2012: 36). This court case was the first to rule that â€Å"separate but equal† was unconstitutional. This began the unraveling of Jim Crow.Separate public schools for white and black children were deemed unconstitutional and a violation of the 14th amendment, leading the way towards complete integration and more victories for the civil rights movement. After the first victory in court, African-American's continued their pursuit of civil rights and liberties, leading to the establishment of more equal practices. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, outlawed many forms of discrimination against racial, ethnic and religious minorities and women. It ended the abilit y to create unequal requirements in order to register to vote.Furthermore, it desegregated the school system completely, along with the workplace and public accommodations (Alexander 2012: 39). This eliminated Jim Crow laws, but it could not change the minds of those who supported them. The Voting Rights Act (1965) and Fair Housing Act (1968) outlawed discriminatory voting practices and provided for equal housing opportunities regardless of race or national origin; two things that had been responsible for the widespread the fifteenth amendment, making sure that no requirement or prerequisite was present in order to vote or to register.This way no citizen was denied the right to vote, no matter what race or ethnic background. The Housing Act also prohibits discrimination due to race, color, religion, or national origin. One cannot refuse to sell or rent a dwelling to any person because of those particular traits. However, landlords are not required to rent to anyone that applies, the y may deny someone based off of other criteria, like the applicant's suspected ability to pay rent.While the civil rights movement desegregated American and won back the black population's rights as citizens, this victory did not last long. These Acts seemed to have given the African-American population equality; however, there were many loopholes in which inequality still thrived; the biggest one being the 13th amendment's exception on slavery, allowing it only as a form of punishment for a crime (Alexander 2012:31). The 20th century changes in voter laws gave blacks the ability to change the political landscape and thus challenge white male corporate power.Yet, in the 40 years since the Civil Rights Movement, corporations (and the politicians that serve them) have been taking that power back by systematically attempting to deny African Americans the right to vote. This is where the birth of the New Jim Crow grew from. The New Jim Crow laws are more implicit and do not include over t racial language, however they are Just as bad. While they do not include specific details that are unique to one group of people, they create practices that unfairly attack minority groups through focusing on more impoverished communities and creating unequal punishments for crimes associated more with minorities.The War on Drugs is the main contributor to these New Jim Crow laws. This â€Å"war† gave America a reason to view racial minorities as the bad guys. Through the establishment of certain laws, such as establishing a 100 to 1 sentencing disparity for the possession or trafficking of crack, compared to penalties for trafficking of powder cocaine (Alexander 2012), there is a heavier focus on minority groups and larger criticism of their drug use due to increased arrested.The minimum mandatory sentence for small amounts of drugs associated with minorities, like crack, are equivalent to large amounts of drugs that are commonly used by white people, like powder cocaine. Furthermore, minority groups that get arrested for drug charges are more likely to receive a harsher punishment than if someone white were to be arrested. With the combination of severe and unbalanced drug possession laws along with the rates of conviction in terms of race, the Judicial system has created a huge racial disparity.Due to the belief that culture is responsible for black poverty, the government abstinently erased their role in fostering this poverty, â€Å"forgotten are the failed schools, the malign welfare programs, the desolate neighborhoods, [and] the wasted years† (Alexander 2012:53). This war on drugs and the huge push for â€Å"law and order† practices in inner cities or poor, black neighborhoods have caused lastly economic effects. The state is responsible for the negative effects that the black population is dealing with today.The war on drugs was supposed to be a crack down on drug users and sellers; however, it disproportionately targeted racial minorities and the hat focused on these inner cities and racial profiled community members to be targets of â€Å"stop and frisks. † In accordance with police officers increased amounts of arrests, courts were sentencing people of racial minorities longer prison terms than their white counterparts. To fit the influx of prisoners, more state institutions needed to be built.From the streets to incarceration, the criminal Justice system and state institutions have been flawed and seemingly corrupt. These actions only hinder the groups of people targeted and lead to an endless cycle of poverty and immobility. In the drug war, police have discretion regarding who to target (which individuals), as well as where to target (which neighborhoods or communities)† (Alexander 2012:123), enforcing strict policing in impoverished urban areas in which the majority of residents are of a racial minority.These police departments are bribed with monetary incentives in order to make drug-l aw enforcement top priority and step away from violent crimes to focus on inner city drug crimes. This is the state, the federal government, using resources to create inequality and put a target on areas where racial minorities are most common. Our society has established a stereotypical image of a criminal that includes darker skin color. This way of thinking is not only detrimental to certain ethnic groups, but establishes and enhances racial profiling.Police departments not only partake in racial profiling, they are taught to do so. The training program known as â€Å"Operation Pipeline† teaches officers how to â€Å"use perceptual traffic stops and consent searches on a large scale for drug interdiction† (Alexander 2012:70). This is enforcing the idea to make bias Judgments on civilians, stopping people who fit the profile of a rug user or criminal even if they are doing nothing wrong and there is no probable cause to stop or search them. Along with racial profilin g comes another unconstitutional practice implemented by our government agencies: the stop and frisk rule.This rule allows police officers to stop anyone they wish to and question or frisk them, as long as they have â€Å"reasonable articulate suspicion† (Alexander 2012: 63). People of color in impoverished neighbors grow accustom to stopping and spreading their arms up and onto the nearest wall whenever a police officer comes into view. This shows Just how common they are targeted. No matter if they are in a car, taking the bus, or simply walking down the street, racial minorities are aware that they unequally hold police attention, based solely on their appearances.Along with the unequal amounts of police attention, people of color also get unequal sentencing and conviction ratings. While the mandatory sentence for a large amount of cocaine, associated with the white population, is five years; the mandatory minimum sentence for small amounts of crack, associated with urban poor, is also five years (Alexander 2012). These longer felony sentences are unfair and lead to huge repercussions that a small drug offense should not create. Many people question why it seems like black fathers are always out of the picture.This may be due to the fact that a large percent of the black male population is under some form of incarceration and cannot be present for his family. The higher and unequal incarceration of colored males leaves many women alone and forces them to become a single parent. While nothing is wrong with being a single parent, it stifles their consequences that being in Jail produces psychologically, prisoners face tons of active reinforcement when they are released from prison, as if being locked up was not punishment enough.Since a majority of impoverished black men are targeted for searches and questioning, a large number of convicts come from poor areas. When they are released with no money, no Job, and no way of getting end meats; they are forc ed to straight back to the neighborhood that caused their problems and will most likely get involved in some form of illegal activity to earn a few bucks. Ex-convicts resort to illegal activities because the black mark on their record hinders them of getting any respectable Job. Being a felon is seen extremely negatively.Along with Job discrimination, felons lose their right to vote, their ability to receive welfare or student loans, and live in subsidized housing. Revoking all of these things leaves many felons, homeless, Jobless and on the road back to imprisonment. Our government does not have the consent of all it governs because a large portion of â€Å"the land of the free† is behind bars and without a voice. Racial minorities are unfairly targeted, imprisoned and revoked of their rights. This is pushing America backwards, toward slavery, a time when only white males had to right to an opinion.