Frederick Douglas - liberation of slaves Research Paper

Frederick Douglas - liberation of slaves - Research Paper Example To keep them in their place, slaves were forbidden to be taught how to read or write, they were separated from their families at even very young ages and were regularly physically and emotionally beaten as a means of keeping them in line. All of this had the effect of reducing these people to the survival instincts of animals, reinforcing concepts held by the white people as well as the slaves that this menial labor was all they were capable of – higher thought was clearly beyond the capacity of their more primitive brains. Proving that this was not the case, though, was Frederick Douglass, the first black man to appear on a presidential ticket in America. An escaped slave from Maryland, Douglass toured the country and the world telling his story and illuminating the various ways in which black people are kept in their dark imprisonment through no fault of their own and with little hope of discovering a means of true escape. In his early narrative Frederick Douglass: Life of a n American Slave, the author details his early life and education in such a way that he illustrates both the dehumanizing effects of slavery as well as those factors that operated to inspire him to ‘become a man’ rather than remaining in the role of a slave. This narrative, as well as the speeches and work Douglass did to increase awareness of the true condition of the slave, did much to convince the white people of the world that black people had equal potential when given equal opportunity. Although his exact birth date is unknown, Douglass believed he was born sometime in February of 1818, already a slave on a Maryland farm. He died on February 20, 1895. The name he was given at birth was Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, but he later changed it as he discovered more information about his probable parentage. â€Å"He spent his early years with his grandparents and with an aunt, seeing his mother only four or five times before her death when he was

Evolution vs. Intelligent Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Evolution vs. Intelligent Design - Essay Example The teaching of creation in public schools simply fulfills the purpose of protecting specific underling religious beliefs. If creation is to be taught, it is solely the responsibility of parents and the church because teaching the religious theories of creation in schools not only violates constitutional precepts. This issue invokes intense passions from those driven by their religious faith and those who would stand up for the Constitution and those that gave the lives of their loved ones to protect it. The First Amendment begins with â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (â€Å"The Constitution†) The idea of creation is undeniably religious doctrine. The government, therefore, cannot promote it in classrooms as science without infringing on the First Amendment. The Supreme Court has held that instructors may not teach that humans were created by God and must present only scientific ex planations for the history of life. Creationism can not be presented as scientific fact. In addition, it is also unconstitutional to compel teachers to teach creationism and schools may not refuse to teach evolution in an effort to avoid offending religious individuals. The idea of disclaimers placed in school books such as ‘the teaching of evolution is not intended to influence or dissuade the Biblical version of Creation or any other concept’ has been lawfully established to be unconstitutional. An instructor also has the constructional right to teach evolution (â€Å"Epperson v. Arkansas†, 1968). Religious theories of creation may be incorporated into school curriculums as a comparative example of what some religious groups accept as fact.

Benjamin Franklin Essay Example for Free

Benjamin Franklin Essay Can a man be as vast as a nation? Did the life-experiences and cultural contributions of a single individual play as pivotal a role in the establishment of American democracy and American culture as any written declaration, constitution, or law? Without a doubt, there are historians who stand at the ready to assert that Benjamin Franklin was just such an individual. Numerous books, scholarly articles, essays, encyclopedias, and even works of fiction have contributed and continue to contribute to the mythic status of Benjamin Franklin in American history. However, there is is good reason to reject any surface-level interpretation of Franklins important contributions to the founding of American Democracy, and read with great care the complex and extensive evolution of Franklins actions and stated philosophies over the span of a great many years. The resulting image of Franklin when the myth of Franklin and the historical Franklin are compared is one of a challengingly deep and complex thinker, and of a man who acted in keeping with his deepest philosophical, moral, and spiritual beliefs many of which were quite radical in his day and many of which were astonishingly traditional. The truth of the matter is that Franklins extant writings are so rich and voluminous that one can find almost any sort of Franklin one wishes to find, (Frasca, 2007) but, certainly, in comparing the historical Franklin to the mythic Franklin, important insight into American history and into the psychology of American culture can be gained. Franklins career can be said to have begun very early in his life, when he left school at 10 years of age to help his father (Franklin, Benjamin, 2007); not long afterward, he was apprenticed to his half brother James, a printer and publisher of the New England Courant, to which young Ben secretly contributed. After much disagreement he left his brothers employment and went (1723) to Philadelphia to work as a printer (Franklin, Benjamin, 2007). Franklins early life was later given its first boost toward mythic status with posthumous publication of Franklins Autobiography in 1791, not long after Franklins death. If the Autobiography helped to foster the mythic status of Franklin in American history, it was but one of the many examples of Franklins written contributions to American culture. During his active career, Franklin was immersed not only in science and history, but in philosophy and ethical theory as well. His popular writings contained both humor and moral axioms notably in his very popular publication, Poor Richards Almanac, which was In his day the great source of profit to every printer [ ] which was issued yearly, and which was the vade-mecum in every household that could spare the necessary two or three pence annually (Ford, 1899, p. 400). Franklins steady contributions to American popular culture during his lifetime included not only the folk wisdom of Poor Richard, but with much-needed humor for the American continent: In America, however, either because the immigrants had been recruited from the unfortunate and the religiously austere, or because the hardness of the conditions resulted in a sadness which tinctured the lives of the people, there seems to have been a practical extinction of all sense of the humorous. (Ford, 1899, p. 388) Against this background, Franklin himself often a deep-thinker and a moody person articulated the first instances of a natively American sense of humor. This fact is very important in evaluating both the mythical and the historical Franklin because the mythic Franklin remains empty of all but a few slight traces of Franklins triumphant career and reputation as a humorist. His status as such is very important because, as mentioned, it is Franklins cultural contribution to America as well as his political contributions which cements his status as a Founding Father and which has resulted in the extensive influence Franklin has held over American culture from its earliest beginnings. Franklin used humor in a very conscious way to pave the way for his more considered ethical and moral ideas; more importantly he seized the opportunity to define humor in America for generations: perhaps his most remarkable attribute is that the future historian of the now famous American humor must begin its history with the first publication of Poor Richard (Ford, 1899, p. 389) and, by doing so, Franklin placed himself in a key position to define through humor just what it mean to be an American. His capacities as a humorist do not seem to have been affected, but rather emerged naturally out of his personality. Franklin used humor to not only define himself and to partially define American culture, but as a method to settle scores or take shots at traditional beliefs or institutions: His irresistible inclination to screw a joke out of everything is illustrated by the scrapes he got himself into with his advertisers. Employed to print an announcement of the sailing of a ship, he added an N. B. of his own, to the effect that among the passengers No Sea Hens, nor Black Gowns will be admitted on any terms. Some of the clergy, properly incensed, withdrew their subscriptions from the Gazette. Yet this did not cure him of the tendency, and he was quickly offending again. (Ford, 1899, p. 394) Humor and literary works provided one means for Franklin to influence the development of early American culture and these aspects are slightly contained in the myth of Benjamin Franklin, with the humorous aspects downplayed. For example, Poor Richards Almanac is probably part of the Franklin myth in most peoples minds and they probably also are aware that Franklin offered axioms of wisdom in this Almanac, but many people are probably deeply unaware that Franklins gift for humor was not only an important part of his literary output, but an aspect of his personal philosophy and a method by which he engaged other people and also helped to resolved conflicts. Another aspect of the Franklin myth is that he invented electricity by tying a key to a kite-string. Like many myths, this myth has a basis in historical reality: His experiment of flying a kite in a thunderstorm, which showed that lightning is an electrical discharge[ ] and his invention of the lightning rod[ ] won him recognition from the leading scientists in England (Franklin, Benjamin, 2007) but it is a slim basis. What the lightning and key myth represents in a compressed form is the long and complex contribution to the natural sciences and to popular inventions which actually was a part of the historical Franklins career. In regards to his actual scientific achievements, Franklin is noted by historians to have been a brilliant inventor and adapter of existing technologies: He repeated the experiments of other scientists and showed his usual practical bent by inventing such diverse things as the Franklin stove, bifocal eyeglasses, and a glass harmonica (Franklin, Benjamin, 2007); he is regarded as having a very brilliant scientific mind and a keen sense of practical implementation of abstract ideas. These qualities are also present in Franklins philosophical and political ideas which will be discussed shortly and together, Franklins scientific, philosophical. and political vision actually coincide with the popular aesthetic already shown to have been a part of his literary output. In some ways, Franklins cultural contributions mirror a deeply democratic sense of purpose and fulfillment: the creation of common axioms, a common wisdom, along with useful technologies are not separate from Franklins political vision. Ironically, the egalitarianism which is inferred in Franklins guiding principles is less present on the surface in his specifically political writings. When specifically considering Franklins political beliefs and writings, it should be pointed out that Franklin was actually very different from the other Founding Fathers. He was older and more committed to the British Empire and certainly more cosmopolitan and urbane than they were (Morgan, 2005, p. 551) and because Franklin lived abroad for just under twenty years in England and having traveled a lot through Europe, Franklin was in many ways the least American of the revolutionaries (Morgan, 2005, p. 551). This duality in the historical Franklin is, of course, completely absent from the lightning and key mythic Franklin who is regarded as a Founding Father of American democracy. This last idea of the myth of Franklin is true enough, but as this paper has hopefully shown, the historical picture of Franklin is a more ambiguous and much more complex than the myth. This is an understandable condition because part of what myth does with historical events is to simplify them and streamline them so that the symbolic impact can be made more powerful and less diluted by alternate interpretation. It would be difficult if not impossible, for example, to generate a mythic vision of Franklin which included the historical reality that Franklin preferred the social and intellectual life of London to that of Philadelphia (Morgan, 2005, p. 551) or that his landlady, Margaret Stevenson, and her precocious daughter, Polly, provided Franklin with more compatible intellectual companionship than did his own wife and daughter (Morgan, 2005, p. 551) so these very real and very important aspects of Franklins actual life and his actual personality are absent from the Franklin myth. Yet these aspects, and others, are extremely important in helping to define and understand what exactly Franklin contributed as a Founding Father of American democracy. That his cultural contributions, whether humorous, literary, or scientific not only fostered his myth but actually altered the course and evolution of American society is demonstrable by way of historical evidence. What, then, were Franklins political contributions to the early American nation? Did Franklin evidence as much resourcefulness and thoroughness in his political career as he evidenced in his career as a printer, or humorist, or inventor? One very interesting aspect of Franklins life is that he dealt with not only the revolt of the American colonies against a British Empire which he loved, but also with the resulting estrangement from his own (illegitimate) son during the course of the war. Franklins actions at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War give a solid glimpse into his sympathies and beliefs at the time: As trouble between the British government and the colonies grew with the approach of the American Revolution, Franklins deep love for his native land and his devotion to individual freedom brought (1775) him back to America. There, while his illegitimate son, William Franklin, was becoming a leader of the Loyalists, Benjamin Franklin became one of the greatest statesmen of the American Revolution and of the newborn nation. (Franklin, Benjamin, 2007) As a statesman, Franklins contributions can be at least to some degree quantified and cited: he was postmaster general, a delegate to the Continental Congress, an appointee and signatory to the committee which wrote the Declaration of Independence, he was also sent to Canada with Samuel Chase and Charles Carroll of Carrollton to persuade the people of Canada to join the patriot cause (Franklin, Benjamin, 2007). The mythic vision of Franklin as a powerful statesman delivering powerful, moving oratory before the Continental Congress, or laboriously poring over draft versions of the Declaration of Independence are confronted by anecdotes of historical fact. An example of this is John Adams, who contemptuously described a Franklin from day to day sitting in silence, a great part of the time fast asleep in his chair and sighed that he was likely nevertheless to get credit for everything achieved by the Congress, (Lopez Herbert, 1975, p. 203). Again, Franklins political reputation was based not so much in his perception among his American colleagues, but in his foreign popularity and fame. His best tactic was not spell-binding oratory or intricate legalese, but in injecting a calm pronouncement or a bit of humor (Lopez Herbert, 1975, p. 203) into difficult political processes. The question still remains as to what Franklin, personally, believed about the American Revolution during the time of the revolt and afterward and whether or not Franklin can be accurately described as a firm believer in democratic principles. The historical facts suggest that Franklin held conflicting views about democracy and royalist rule. On the one hand, he advocated personal liberty, on the other, he seemed reluctant to dismiss with the notion of a royalist government altogether. As he wrote in the Autobiography, his feelings were not at all certain during the time of the approaching revolution: In our way thither I projected and drew up a plan for the union of all the colonies under one government, so far as might be necessary for defense, and other important general purposes (Franklin, 1914, p. 131) but here there is no mention of a constitution or a strong Federal government at all. Franklins own visions for a single-chamber congress and a weak executive council were rejected (Franklin, Benjamin, 2007) and, alter, although he objected to aspects of the final Constitution, he helped to direct the compromise [and] worked earnestly for its ratification (Franklin, Benjamin, 2007). The picture which emerges of Franklin as a politician is one of a man whose core-principles were challenged by the birth of a new government, but who fought resolutely on behalf of the new nation without regard for the degree to which it mirrored, exactly, his always-evolving personal beliefs. In addition to the differences which are evident between Franklin the myth and Franklin the historical figure in regard to his literary, scientific, and political contributions to American history, two other areas of Franklins life are absent from the mythological figure of Franklin: his religious and racial convictions. Of course, it is absolutely true that Franklins religious convictions and his views on race and ethnicity evolved throughout his lifetime. On the other hand, Franklins religious beliefs seemed to occupy a central place in his interpretation of his own lifes purpose and the meaning of his life. Where religion is concerned, Franklins most intimate beliefs depict a rather traditional point of view. Because of his personal experiences and personal fortunes, Franklin tended to view the arc of his life in rather conventional religious terms: Scattered through his writings are sentences full of gratitude to God for His favor in lifting him up from such a low to such a high estate, in bringing him substantially unscathed through the graver dangers and baser temptations of human life, and in affording him the assurance that the divine goodness, of which he had received such signal proofs in his career, would not cease with his death (Bruce, 1917, p. 51) these simple, but enduring, beliefs are easily compatible with many forms of American Christianity. That said, it would be very difficult to trace an influence from Franklin to modern Christianity, nor an influence of Christianity directly on the myth of Franklin. In both fact and in myth, Franklins traditional religious ideas are downplayed due, presumably, to their being conspicuously in keeping with the common ideas of Franklins time. Interestingly enough, Franklin retained his religious convictions at the close of his very eventful life and the fruition of his religious convictions strengthened him in old age and in death. As one of his biographers wrote: WHEN THE DAY CAME, April 17, 1790, he was ready. All his life he had been gingerly taming death, stripping it of its awe and power, clothing it in appealing metaphors of travel and bliss, humoring it, giving it a place in the family circle (Lopez Herbert, 1975, p. 308) and because of his receptiveness to deeply held religious convictions which were, nonetheless, not tied to any kind of dogma or strict adherence to religious doctrine, Franklins religious philosophies and his actual death are gestures, also, of a democratic sprit and and individualist. The conflict which the religious side of the historical Franklin presents for the mythic vision of Franklin is difficult to articulate. It has to do with the fact that, while Franklins individualistic take on Christian principles and religious ideas does, in fact, make a very compatible fit with the American notion of individual liberty, Franklins avoidance of traditional dogma and doctrine results in making his individualistic religious beliefs more difficult to define and express to a popular audience. Just as there is no easy mythical expression for Franklins humor, as there is for his scientific prowess, there is no ready mythic symbol for his peculiarly individualistic religious beliefs which are rooted in traditional Christianity. Just as Franklins religious attitudes fail to find mythic expression, his ambiguous views on race and racial prejudice also are a poor fit for the Franklin myth. The attentive observer of history will take into consideration that at various points in his life, Franklin was demonstrably racist and xenophobic: Franklin was clearly unhappy about the great number of Germans who were immigrating to his home town of Philadelphia, even though many supported him by patronizing his printing business (Lapham Saunders, 2005) and also, Franklin prior to the Revolutionary War grumbled about Philadelphias bilingual (English and German) street signs and complained that the Pennsylvania parliament needed to use translators (Lapham Saunders, 2005). In addition to these historical facts, there is evidence that Franklin was not only racist, but perhaps a bit paranoid about other races and cultures. He wrote on one occasion, That the Number of purely white People in the World is proportionably very small. (Lapham Saunders, 2005) which in and of itself might be considered merely an observation of fact until it is paired with Franklins words, which preceded the statement: Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a Colony of Aliens, who will shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us instead of our Anglifying them (Lapham Saunders, 2005). These kinds of historical details and indications of Franklins character have no place in the Franklin myth. Their impact on the historical influence of Franklin is one which is very complicated and fascinating because the evolution of Franklins thoughts and actions in regard to issues of race underwent a profound change throughout his life. Although Franklin seemed to regard one race being in conflict with another in some of his writings, he nevertheless, was chosen to be president of one of the first anti-slavery societies in America, (Lapham Saunders, 2005) and he went on to help to create black schools, assist free blacks to obtain work, promote family-friendly values, and improve the social conditions black children (Lapham Saunders, 2005). The most important aspect of Franklins views on racism is that his ideas evolved over his lifetime, becoming more tolerant and egalitarian as he grew older (Lapham Saunders, 2005), however, even such a dramatic and ultimately positivistic aspect of Franklins historical biography is left out of the Franklin myth. A letter to Franklin from his sister seems to encapsulate the very kinds of ambiguities and vagaries which the myth of Franklin exists to erase. His sister remarks of the American revolution: to Propagate Is stufed into them, it is Dificult to know whither Either Party are in the Right. for my Part I wish we had Let alone strife before it was medled with folowed things that make for Peace (Van Doren, 1950, p. 107) and from this letter and others like it, the modern observer is able to glean at least a partial understanding that ideas and conflicts in Franklins time were no more clear, no more black and white than they are in our own. In conclusion, while the myth of Benjamin Franklin, the man who discovered electricity with a key tied to a kite, the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence, a man who is one of the Founding Fathers of America, is a powerful and enduring myth, the historical facts of Franklins long and eventful life offer and a more authentic illustration of early-American philosophy, politics, and culture. The conflict between the myth of Franklin and Franklin the historical figure is rooted in the fact that historical truths are often ambiguous, complex and difficult to express succinctly, whereas myth, while sacrificing authenticity often makes a far more expedient impact on popular consciousness. Franklin the historical figure achieved a far greater influence practically over the development of American culture and American politics than the myth is capable of expressing; however, the historical facts of Franklins life also sometimes stand in stark opposition to the myth which they, at least in part, began. References Bruce, W. C. (1917). Benjamin Franklin, Self-Revealed: A Biographical and Critical Study Based Mainly on His Own Writings (Vol. 1). New York: G. P. Putnams Sons. Franklin, Benjamin. (2007). In The Columbia Encyclopedia (6th ed. ). New York: Columbia University Press. Ford, P. L. (1899). The Many-Sided Franklin. New York: The Century Co. Franklin, B. (1914). The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. New York: Macmillan. Frasca, R. (2007). Benjamin Franklin Unmasked: On the Unity of His Moral, Religious, and Political Thought. The Historian, 69(2), 359+. Lapham, S. S. , Saunders, A. (2005). Benjamin Franklins Evolving Views on Race and Ethnicity. Social Education, 69(1), 13+. Lopez, C. , Herbert, E. W. (1975). The Private Franklin: The Man and His Family. New York: W. W. Norton. Morgan, D. T. (2005). The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin. The Historian, 67(3), 551. Van Doren, C. (Ed. ). (1950). The Letters of Benjamin Franklin Jane Mecom. Princeton, NJ:

Composite Performance framework (CPF) Application

Composite Performance framework (CPF) Application The scope of this dissertation is; To diagnose issues within a division, project or company within the mining and allied industries. To give guidelines on assessing the nature of the issues. To provide guidelines on corrective actions for those perceived issues. To take steps to prevent it from reoccurring. To embrace continuous improvement in all aspects of the operations and where possible to extend this continuous improvement to employees personal lives. This research has limitations, in that the research of literature is taken from all over the world with much of the literature coming from the USA, and the heuristic component is harvested through local Australian and Africa experience. Whilst these limitations are not all encompassing, they are nonetheless limitations. A research dissertations such as this: Does not guarantee outcomes Only addresses identified issues Does not guarantee access to replacement of personnel Does not guarantee Management driven solutions Does not instantly cure a culture that may be weak Works within the confines of the operational dynamics of that site Research done mostly on coal mines and associated industries This dissertation is based on the application and implementation of the Composite Performance framework (CPF). This research is derived from the experience of this researcher and is harvested from the mining and related industries. The outcomes of this research are intended to benefit the mining industries in its future endeavours, especially management at all levels. Appendix E demonstrates the application of the CPF. Chapter 6 introduced case studies using the CPF and these chapters will introduce the implementation of the composite performance framework (CPF) as well as managerial practices within the mining industry in more detail. This current chapter will address some issues as they are seen by this researcher and methodologies to restrain them. The nature of the mining industry calls for a different and in some cases a unique set of managerial skills and tools, such as a succession and training plans, due to the high attrition rates, discussed in earlier chapters of this dissertation. Implementation practices using the CPF in the mining industry. As demonstrated in Ch 6, management is not a passive function, but rather an ongoing active and proactive function. Ignoring issues and not dealing with them in a prompt and decisive manner will cause issues to morph into potentially larger issues that could be even more difficult to resolve. This dissertation has focused on implementing change in the mining industry. Change merely for the sake of change, and change without gain are of no benefit to the organisation. By the same token; the absence of change is static, and will not help a company progress or take advantage of new technology and possibilities. All change to be implemented must be evaluated to assess the change that will benefit the organisation. As mentioned in Ch 2 of this dissertation, it is not good enough to do things correctly; the correct factors need to be established, and they must be implemented correctly. Management and planned change must be programmed according to the changing and growing objectives of the organisation and its people. All changes must be able to be measured, and based on the continuous improvement philosophy; must show measured change, on track and in accordance with the scheduled objectives of the company or operations. Previous chapters of this dissertation raise various issues within the mining industry including aspects and issues within the management of the mining industry. The mining industry has taken steps to resolve some managerial issues in the mining industry and to this end have introduced some training courses which are mandatory for anyone that will supervise another mine worker in any way. Any intended change must be preceded by a operational process plan, a basic idea of what a broad operational process will look like, when implementing change in accordance with the CPF philosophy. RQ1: What are the elements of a framework that can be used to address mine operational problems and issues? In answer to RQ1 this researcher is convinced that all five aspects of the CPF are valid frames to re-engineer a company or organisation within the mining or allied industries. The five elements can be seen in chapter 4 and also within the case studies presented in chapter 6. The five elements of the CPF were developed to cover all aspects of change management and to be flexible and to deliver sustainable change by way of the continuous cycle of assessment. RQ2: What are the appropriate strategies to initially identify mining operational problems and issues? In answer to RQ2 this researcher states, that by assessing the operation to be re-engineered the manager assigned to implement change, will be made aware of problems and issues within that organisation. His role is to find areas where change will be rejected and how to best deal with that situation as and when it arises. Communication is vital at all stages of the change implementation process. Chapter 4 and the case studies in chapter 6 demonstrate this effectively. RQ3: What is the efficacy of the CPF in mining operations? In answer to RQ3, this researcher is comfortable that the CPF is a highly efficacious tool to re-engineer organisations within the mining industry. Chapter 6 of this dissert Introduction When projects are conceived, they are costed out and a cost is assessed. This cost is invariably a budget cost to complete the project. The next stage is to assess whether that cost can be negotiated down and cost savings to be sought. This is usually done by value improvement processes. This stage is commonly known as a value improvement process (VIP), and assembles a team of experienced managers within the field at assess each cost and see where savings can be gained. A normal project function with any large project in the mining industry is that of Value Improvement Process (VIP); Value Engineering (VE) forms a part of VIP Process. Value Engineering is a methodology where the best possible engineering or process practices are employed to gain a value advantage to ensure that the project remains viable. This is initially achieved by a VIP project using a series of workshops, usually facilitated by an independent facilitator. The primary objective of a VIP project it to gain cost reductions, without losing value or functionality project wide, in order to reduce costs and improve the net present value (NPV) as well as improve operating costs into the future. This researcher uses a number of specific strategies when implementing the CPF. These are briefly considered: Brain storming. This is used in group situations with relevant team members as well as the VIP team. Identification of local champions. Local champions are usually selected in conjunction with supervisors and management meetings, and team leaders that know the team structure better. Identification of local champions s detailed below. As with so many professionals; in developing a VIP project, the VIP project manager will discover that professional single mindedness prevails and can cost the project dearly if not handled correctly. In order to address the above, this researcher in using the CPF uses the workshops as an idea generation methodology. In short it is a Brainstorming exercise. This researcher considers that the usual form of Brainstorming is counter-productive rather than conducive to the idea generation. This is because of some team members that may be experienced but silent during the brain storing sessions. This researcher will introduce a more beneficial manner of generating ideas and concepts in section 7.5 of this chapter. The objective is more than to generate ideas; it is to generate the best quality of new ideas. Another area of integration effectiveness can be derived from self-managed work teams. Of equal importance is the need for local champions (normally leading hands or supervisors) among current work teams†¦they become information gatherers and disseminators, coaches and mentors, teachers, consultants and facilitators. Identification of local champions Local champions at times, are just one of the team members. However, they are crucial because they are usually respected and their peers carefully consider their views. Local champions in the mining industry are quite often the Leading Hands or the Supervisors. When placing champions in work teams, through positive problem solving and conflict management strategies, they may help various group representatives to confront existing conflict. It is the conviction of this researcher that the Leading Hands and Supervisors are the quintessential managers on a mine site or mining project. Enhance / promote problem solving behaviour The effectiveness of each organisation in achieving integration or administering change management programmes is directly related to the extent that its members rely on problem-solving behaviour to resolve conflicts. In order to implement problem-solving behaviour and at the same time establish commitment to work teams, champions need to be competent in their: skills in human interaction ability to form quick and functional relationships deciding priorities among goals ensuring decisions are fair and equitable Some of the conditions, which foster integration within an organisation, are: external communications internal communications empowerment team training and team learning Team work Team work is when a team works in harmony with each other to reach certain goals and objectives for the company, but also to a lesser degree for each member of that team. During the implementation process of change it is critical that teams work together with each member as well as other teams and management. Meet regularly with teams and discuss the planned as well as completed organisational changes and what outcomes are expected. Recognise that teams will understand that you may not have the answers to everything, but it is important for them to feel the communication is candid. Regularly communicate agreed goals and the vision of the new situation Encourage teams to discuss fears and concerns in teams Open suggestion boxes for employees to raise questions in anonymity Whenever possible, assign roles and responsibilities in line with teams interests Obtain individual team member buy-in Obtain commitment from the team members to the change Minimise any resistance that is suspected Reduce team anxiety Ensure total clarity of objectives Share the information and the goals Challenge the current situation and allow the team members to do the same Obtain clarity from the senior management as well as the team members Minimise uncertainty

Essay --

The term forensic is used often among television crime dramas but what is it? Forensic, as defined by Oxford Dictionary of English, is â€Å"relating to or denoting the application of scientific methods and techniques to the investigation of crime (Stevenson). This science has led to the capture of many criminals. DNA testing has been a large part of this forensic science, however forensics played a large role prior to DNA testing being developed. Fingerprinting, blood typing, and trace evidence were three of the forensic tests in use before DNA testing that helped identify a suspect. Fingerprinting is a technique that has been in use for a long time. In 1880, a Scottish doctor, Henry Faulds, first suggested to the British that fingerprints could be used in criminal investigations. This suggestion had merit because every person has a unique set of fingerprints. The concept was then incorporated into the law system. Fingerprints are, in fact, most often used in prosecutions. They are to help the prosecutors identify a suspect and to place them at the scene of a crime (â€Å"Fingerprints† 410-411). Fingerprints can be left on almost any surface, including smooth ones. The combination of the friction ridges, or the raised grooves on the fingertips, and sweat that gathers there is what causes the fingerprint to leave a trace (Bergman and Berman-Barrett). Fingerprinting is widely used today and I believe it still plays a large and crucial role in criminal investigations. Blood Typing, or Serology, is another method of identification used in forensics. This type of science is focused on the study of Antigens in the blood and how specific antibodies places blood into separate groups. The blood groups most commonly used in this scie... ...croscopically match fibers from carpet to a specific car is fascinating and intriguing. Trace evidence also seems to be easily left behind, where as fingerprints can be concealed with rubber gloves and blood is not always left at crime scenes. Forensic science consists of many different components that have helped solve many crimes. Fingerprinting can be used to place criminals at scenes and to identify suspects. Serology is a science that has become outdated but helped prosecutors narrow down suspects. It ultimately led to the development of DNA testing, the culprit for its demise. Edmund Locard was the innovator behind the concept of trace evidence and how particles can be compared microscopically to help in crime solving. All of these aspects of forensics potentially led to the development of DNA testing and laid the groundwork for future expansion.

The Silver-tongued Rapist in Vladimir Nabokovs Lolita Essay -- Naboko

The Silver-tongued Rapist in Lolita    You can always count on a murderer for a fancy prose style. So says Humbert Humbert at the start of Lolita in his account to the "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury" (9). He refers to himself as a murderer (he is, after all, "guilty of killing Quilty"), not as a rapist, the far more serious offense Lolita levels at him. That I, and everyone else who reads the book, call Dolores Haze by the name "Lolita" demonstrates the efficacy of Humbert's fancy prose style - under the spell of his aesthetic mastery, we, the jury, must bend to his subjective vision through memory, and thus we see the twelve-year-old nymphet as Lolita, as she is in Humbert's arms. It is difficult to castigate Humbert when we see the world through his European eyes.    Humbert's main strength is his sense of humor. Nabokov is sure to throw Humbert's way all the American kitsch he can handle - mostly in the form of Charlotte Haze. His sly insults sail over her head, but Humbert wins our approval by making sure we understand them. Similarly, we admire him be...

Disaster Preparedness Essay

A disaster is generally defined as an event in which illness or injuries surpass resource capabilities of a community or medical facility (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2010). Disaster preparedness is a process of ensuring that an organization has complied with the preventive measures and is in a state of readiness to contain the effects of a predicted disastrous event to minimize loss of life, injury, and damage to property. see more:essay on disaster management in english Disaster preparedness can also provide rescue, relief, rehabilitation, and other services in the aftermath of the disaster, as well as have the capability and resources to continue to sustain its essential functions without being overwhelmed by the demand placed on them. The American Nursing Association is helping to ensure that disaster preparedness and response is robust in this country to be personally and professionally prepared for a disaster. Being in a prepared profession can help cope and help the communities recover from disaster better, faster and stronger (Brewer, 2010). According to the Maricopa Integrated Health System (MIHS) at Maricopa Medical Center, they have a specialized disaster preparedness plan to fit their current top three hazards. Maricopa Medical Center conducts a Hazard Vulnerability Assessment (HVA) annually. The current top three hazards K. F. , Manager of Fire Safety and Disaster Preparedness, at Maricopa Medical Center has identified include: Mass Causality Incidents (trauma, burns, pandemic, etc. ), Small Casualty Hazardous Materials Response (less than five patients), and Severe Weather Incidents (monsoonal action, thunderstorms, and haboobs). This organization has a comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan that addresses the top three current hazards in the organization’s region. Maricopa Medical Center is also further developing their business continuity and recovery plans into stand-alone plans (K. F. , personal interview, February 13, 2012). In order to evaluate and determine the effectiveness of the disaster preparedness plan, Maricopa Medical Center annually conducts a minimum of two operational exercises, in addition to various discussion based exercises. The organization’s exercises follow the Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP), which includes an after action report process with an improvement plan and corrective action plan sections. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, many studies have showed that disaster drills have been an effective way to improve staffs knowledge of hospital disaster procedures (Catlett, 2004). Additionally, exercise objectives are developed in such a way to exercise pieces of the plan that have been identified as opportunities for continual improvement and/or grant deliverables. Once opportunities for improvement of the disaster plan are identified, these improvements are remedied by being given corrective actions with specific time frames and the status is reported to senior management. Some recent corrective actions that have occurred within recent years include the development of position-specific training to further build comfort for those that are activated in the Hospital Command Center, plan changes regarding Casualty Care Areas during a response to a Mass Casualty Incident, and Standard Operating Procedure enhancement for the Hospital Emergency Response Team (K. F. personal interview, February 13, 2012). The representation that is present on the disaster preparedness committee for Maricopa Medical Center does not include nursing management. The emergency management committee includes a cross-sectional representation from the entire health system. This includes Acute Care, Behavioral Health, Ancillary Services, and Outpatient Services. K. F. , stated, â€Å"Bedside nursing has been extremely instrumental within the various task groups that focus on plan changes. In fact, the task groups associated with Casualty Care, Fatality Management, and HERT development are chaired by bedside nursing staff. There is also a Steering Committee for guidance that includes the Chief Operating Officer, Chief Medical Officer, Chief Information Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and the Vice President of Hospital Operations (K. F. , personal interview, February 13, 2012). † The established relationships that are within the community to help implement the organization’s disaster preparedness plan are that K. F. is currently the Chair-Elect for the Az Coalition for Healthcare Emergency Response (AzCHER-Central), which brings hospitals, clinics, skilled nursing acilities, fire & Emergency Medical Services (EMS), public health, emergency management, and other community stakeholders together for planning. Maricopa Medical Center currently has three to four members on the general body of this group, including bedside nursing representatives. There are a number of governmental agencies that are involved in the organization’s disaster preparedness planning. K. F. is an active member with Coyote Crisis Collaborative, which includes some of those from AzCHER, but also universities and community colleges, utilities, private business, faith-based and other volunteer groups, etc. The Chief Information Officer is currently the Chairman of the Board for Coyote Crisis Collaborative. Additionally, they participate in the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) Grant which is administered by Arizona Department of Health Services. All of these opportunities provide environments for collaboration, plan sharing, and developing solutions to issues that face all of those included (K. F. , personal interview, February 13, 2012). In order to implement this plan, staff has received adequate training. The National Incident Management System and Incident Command System training is required for all identified Hospital Command Center staff. They have a â€Å"3-Deep† list for all identified positions. Required training includes Incident System-100, Incident System-200, Incident System-700, and Incident System-800 as a minimum. Incident System-300 and Incident System-400 are required for section chiefs and incident commanders. An overview of the Hospital Incident Command System is shared with all employees at New Employee Orientation. The Hospital Emergency Response Team (HERT) members receive additional Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) training within the HERT course and must take Incident System-100, Incident System-200, and Incident System-800 as pre-requisites for HERT. At Maricopa Medical Center, HERT training is now the standard for the Emergency Department first-year residents during their orientation process. K. Fehr stated, â€Å"Additionally, position-specific training has been identified in a recent exercise as an opportunity for improvement. That training has been developed and is scheduled to be administered over the next 90 days (K. F. personal interview, February 13, 2012). † Maricopa Medical Center has an automated system for the Hospital Command Center that is based upon Hospital Incident Command System IV. This system allows for â€Å"virtual† command and has the ability to send status updates, as well as provide real-time status to the HCC Team. They have also just been given access to a Mass Notification program from Arizona Department of Health Services that can be used internally to ensure that communication during incidents is sent to every employee. HICS IV is the current model that is used, which is National Incident Management System compliant (K.  F. , personal interview, February 13, 2012). The standards that nurses are held to concerning their ethical obligations to their organization and community would be handled by the Incident Commander with guidance of wither a Legal Specialist or Medical Ethicist. Any issues that are specific to standards of care would be approved by the Incident Commander and forwarded to the staff during the event based upon available resources, etc. If the question is specific as to the nurses’ duty to respond to work during a disaster, they do not require them to respond. They hope that they would stay or be willing to come in. The planning includes the set-up of child/elder care areas and sleeping areas for the staff to remove barriers that would take them away from their station. Planning does include the idea that at least 40 % of the staff will not remain or come in during an incident. Maricopa Medical Center has a Memorandum of Understanding and a Memorandum of Agreement with other regional hospitals and formal request processes at the county and state levels for additional staff. When asked whether staff buy-in was a coveted aspect in Maricopa Medical Center’s disaster plan, K. F. tates, â€Å"Staff is absolutely buy-in coveted for this organization’s disaster preparedness plan. The best method that we have found for involvement includes the expansion of the HERT Program, covering the program during Health Fairs and Nursing Skills Fairs, and involving staff in exercises as mock patients (K. F. , personal interview, February 13, 2012). † After my interview with K. F. , I was really intrigued into what all goes on with a disaster preparedness plan. I knew that disaster plans were in effect for many organizations, but I did not realize the actual extent of what goes n with the planning of it. I learned a lot through the interview and was very pleased with the information that I received about Maricopa Medical Center and their disaster preparedness plan. I feel that what is involved in their plan is very relevant to the location of the organization, as well as how they every year they have two operational exercises, as well as discussion based exercises, to help test their plan and determine its effectiveness. I think this is a very important aspect to any organization because without testing the plan, it is unclear how effective it really it. After these annual exercises, I think it is great that the organization has an after report with ideas for improvement to help make their disaster plan stronger and more effective. All in all, I believe that Maricopa Medical Center has a very effective and sufficient disaster preparedness plan for their organization and that they are consistently looking for areas of where they can improve and better their plan to help the community recover from disaster as it occurs (K. F. , personal interview, February 13, 2012).