Length paragraphs project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Length paragraphs project - Essay Example On the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1998), the UN also celebrated the tenth anniversary of the Vienna Convention on Drug Trafficking, and reaffirmed the resolve to intensify international efforts to eradicate this evil. This paper attempts to briefly examine the impact of laws and policies in this ongoing war, and to suggest possible changes and measures in order to accelerate the pace of international efforts in curbing the drugs menace. The war against drugs has assumed global dimensions, and almost resembles the crusades. The problem has apparently assumed alarming proportions primarily due to years of inaction by several governments, apart from the lack of clear policies, laws, and implementing machinery relating to drugs. Increasing drug use as such is not seen as the major culprit in compounding the crisis. It is estimated that in the U.S. alone, illegal drug trafficking accounts for over 8% of international trade revenues, totaling US$400 billion annually (Riley, 2001). Among other things, the evils propagated by the mushrooming drug industry include the following: â€Å"The need for an integrated approach to drug control is now well accepted, and was endorsed by the international community with the establishment in 1990 of the UN’s Global Program of Action† (Knaack, 1995, p. 349). This Program set out to implement â€Å"balanced strategies that are comprehensive and multidisciplinary in scope† and targeted at â€Å"combating all aspects of drug abuse and illicit trafficking† (1995), apart from tackling certain other related problems, such as: Unless tougher, more consistent and better-organized international action can be mounted against trafficking, we will continue to pour tens of thousands of billions of dollars into the ‘war against drugs’ without rooting out the evil. The potential profits are so enormous that major traffickers will always have an interest in stimulating demand and

Developing Retail and Promotion Strategies Essay

Developing Retail and Promotion Strategies - Essay Example A regional shopping Center is expected to have high customer traffic and hence implementing a promotion strategy would help convince large numbers of people to purchase a product. The firm requires coming up with a mission statement that will help their customers understand why the product suits their needs. The location of the regional shopping center should also be strategic such that many customers have easy access to it (Rogers, 2001). Customers may decide to purchase commodities in a certain shop just because it closer to them even if other factors such as price are no favorable. A convincing mission statement will lure customers into purchasing a certain product over another. The shopping center should focus more on product organization in their shelves and stores. A customer may decide to purchase a commodity just because they saw it in the shelves. Product organization may also convince window shoppers on purchasing a product they saw(Voss & Seiders, 2003). It is therefore im portant to ensure that the products catch the eye of the target market. The shop may also use modern strategies such as internet marketing to convince them to purchase a product at a certain retail center. However the cost consideration of such a method should be well evaluated so that it does not affect the profit percentages. Direct marketing could also be very effective in a regional shopping center. The firm may decide to employ people in the shop who will talk to the customers and convince them to purchase a certain product. This method has an advantage over the others since there will be a direct response from the customers and hence adjusting to fit the market will be very easy for the manufacturer (Bhatia, 2008). A new restaurant will obviously be experiencing low numbers of customers and will require critical retail and promotion strategies in order to

The Korean War Essay Example for Free

The Korean War Essay The Korean War was one of the infamous proxy wars waged during the tense Cold War period, between the United States of America and the Soviet Union. In that period, the overwhelming concern facing the free world, helmed by America, was the realization of the Truman Doctrine, which in effect included the containment of the Soviet Union and the aversion of an ominous political and military phenomenon known as the Domino Effect. The Domino Effect was the belief that should a state or country fall into the throes of Communism, surrounding countries would one by one begin to fall into the hands of the Soviet Union, heralding the very real possibility of a Third World War and all-out nuclear war. Hostilities began on the 25th of June, 1950, apparently instigated by the North Koreans – more specifically, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Army (Evanhoe, Ed. 2002 http://www. korean-war. com/TimeLine/1950/06-25to08-03-50. html). The South Korean response and the United States’ support for the military engagement began in earnest within the next couple of days. The war escalated through the following months, and casualties mounted on both sides till an armistice was signed on 27 July, 1953. The war could be viewed in three distinct phases, i. e. the Opening Situation – from June to September 1950, the United Nations counterattack – from September to November 1950, and toward the ceasefire line – November 1950 to July 1953 (Dwight D. Eisenhower, p. 173). For the United States, it was a costly involvement that saw a total of 29,557 deaths, 92,934 wounded, and 7,245 interred as prisoners-of-war (Evanhoe, Ed. 2002 http://www. korean-war. com/TimeLine/1953/timeline1953. html). Yet, it was seen as a very necessary action in the light of the international political arena both then and now. The Korean War was an important preface to the Vietnam War, which saw a much more heavy engagement and stunning military losses suffered by the United States. It was the major conflict that occurred after World War II, and should be recognized as such because of the significant implications that surrounded its conflagration and escalation. It is notable as the powers that be supplying the elements and process of war really belonged to the United States, the Soviet Union, and China. That the war was waged on Korean soil by the North and South Koreans was just a physical representation. Again, this conflict was perpetuated by ideological and political differences and would be fleshed out over again in another time on another turf. The Korean War was at once both critical and unfortunate. It is referred to sometimes as the Forgotten War, simply because it was sandwiched between World War II and the Vietnam War, the former because of the horrific scale of the conflict and the latter because of the intricacies and long-drawn out battle timeline. Psychologically, however, the Korean War represented an important milestone for anti-communist sentiments and international support for a United States military presence as the World leader, and the global policeman. In truth, the Korean War in the eyes of the United States was more of a police action than a war – that was an appropriate response to unsolicited hostilities waged against their key ally. One might be forgiven for the view that the Korean War was much ado about nothing, for there was very little real land reallocation and it ended in a technical stalemate (Korean War History Guide, n. d. http://history. searchbeat. com/koreanwar. htm). There was plenty of huff and puff on all sides, and there were many peace negotiations and overtures throughout. Today, the war has not officially ended, and both Koreas are still technically at war. They had been observing an uncertain peace for the last fifty years and one can surmise that without the vitriolic might and fervor of both the Soviet Union and China that existed then in that period of world history, North Korea had no real impetus to engage the South in yet another conflict. Today also, the world is witnessing a very isolated North Korea devoid of even its closest ally’s support, for it is not in China’s interest in all respects to support any possible conflagration. Should North Korea choose to be an enfant terrible and pick a fight with the South, it would really be doing so as a lonely and desperate attempt to regain its largely irrelevant dominance and imagined presence on the world stage. No longer would it be a thinly-cloaked war of belligerence waged by the Communist powers that be. REFERENCES Dwight D. Eisenhower, Mandate for Change: 1953-56 (Garden City, NY: Doubleday Company, Inc. 1963), p. 173 Evanhoe, Ed. 2002 http://www. korean-war. com/TimeLine/1950/06-25to08-03-50. html Retrieved on 30 May 2010. Evanhoe, Ed. 2002 http://www. korean-war. com/TimeLine/1953/timeline1953. html Retrieved on 30 May 2010. Korean War History Guide, n. d. http://history. searchbeat. com/koreanwar. htm Retrieved on 30 May 2010.

The Integration Of Core Concepts And Frameworks In Health Studies Nursing Essay

The Integration Of Core Concepts And Frameworks In Health Studies Nursing Essay Introduction This assignment attempts to explore the integration of core concepts and frameworks in health studies. The purpose of the assignment is to analyse the writers current professional practice, focusing on the outcomes of reflection, models of health, focus for learning, methods of enquiry and occupational mode of practice. Where reflective accounts are used to demonstrate a relationship to current practice, the author will make these entries in the first person (Webb, 1992, Hamill, 1999). The author is a senior staff nurse within an acute and emergency care facility in the North West of England. To ensure anonymity and confidentiality no reference is made to either patients or staff (NMC, 2004). During the last three decades, many professional groups have taken up reflective practice. Bulman Schutz (2004) argue that this enhances learning and promotes best practice within nursing. It is seen as an appropriate form of learning and a desirable quality amongst nursing staff (NMC, 2002). There have been many attempts to define reflective practice, however, Atkins Murphy (1993) argue that the whole concept is poorly defined. Reflection and reflective practice is a process allowing the practitioner to explore, understand and develop meaning, highlighting contradictions between theory and practice (Johns, 1995). Moon (1999) defines reflection as a set of abilities and skills, to indicate a critical stance, an orientation to problem solving or state of mind. Reflection is a window through which an event or situation is broken down and evaluated upon in an attempt to understand what has happened, to improve practice and aid learning and development (Reed, 1993, cited in Burns Bulman, 2000). Kolb (1984) states that reflection is central in theories of experiential learning and argues that within nursing, this form of learning is the most dominant. Platzer, Blake Ashford (2000) state that there are many benefits to learning through reflection, however, they are critical of individual reflective accounts and acknowledge the barriers to this form of learning. They explain how group reflection is more potent when attempting to understand complex professional issues and believe that through sharing, supporting and giving feedback in these sessions will facilitate learning with greater effectiveness. Wilkinson Wilkinson (1996) share this view, but highlight the importance of respecting and maintaining confidentiality. Schon (1983) describes reflection in two ways: reflection in and reflection on action. The differences in these types of reflections are reflecting whilst the situation unfolds and reflecting retrospectively on an event (Greenwood, 1993, Fitzgerald, 1994). Atkins Murphy (1994) improve upon this and suggest that for reflection to make a significant difference to practice, the practitioner must follow this up with a commitment to action, as a result. Interestingly, Greenwood (1993) also states that reflection before action is an important preparatory element to reflective learning as it allows the practitioner to formulate plans ahead of situations arising. There are other writers on reflective practice and conflicting arguments exist about when best to reflect. (Wilkinson, 1999). There are some critics of reflective practice, these highlight issues including the surveillance and self-regulation of reflective practice (Taylor 2003). Bulman Schutz (2004) suggest that when bringing personal feelings and emotions into the public domain that this can act as a barrier to reflection. They also acknowledge other limitations to the reflective process, including a lack of effective tools for assessment, political and financial pressures and the knowledge and skills required by facilitators. Taylor (2003) proposes that due to the confessional nature of reflection, debate can be raised over the legitimacy and honesty of the process. Schutz (2007) states that insufficient research has taken place to assess the benefits of reflection in nursing, leaving some debate about its appropriateness. Taylor (2003) argues however, that reflective practice is considered a positive approach to learning and is an important educational tool. There are many models to guide a practitioner through the reflective cycle. Reflection was first explored by Dewey (1933), Boud et al (1985) Cooper (1975) Powell (1989), Jarvis (1992), Atkins and Murphy (1994), Reid (1993) and others. More recently, models used to guide reflective practice, include Gibbs (1998) Johns (1995), Bortons (1970), Smyth (1989) and others. Health is a broad concept and can embody a variety of meanings, of which there is no particular right or wrong answer. There is no ideal meaning of health, making it a highly contested topic (Aggleton, 1993). The word health derives from the old English word to heal (hael) meaning whole (Naidoo and Wills, 2000). This statement suggests that health relates to the individual and concerns their holistic well-being. However, the literature suggests that opinions vary and that some perspectives disagree. Health is defined in many ways, generally divided into two types of understanding; official and lay perspectives. The main difference between the two, is that one is the view held by professionals and the other represents the views of lay people (non professionals). Official definitions of health have two common meanings in every day use; positive and negative (Cribb 1998, Aggleton 1993). The positive view represents a state of well being and the negative view surrounds absence of disease. The World Health Organisation (WHO) (1946) encapsulated a holistic view of health, Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Whilst setting high targets to be achieved, this definition has been criticised for being too idealistic and impossible to attain (Aggleton, 1993). In view of the criticism, the WHO changed its definition: health is the extent to which an individual or group is able to realise aspirations, to satisfy needs and to change or cope with the environment. Health is therefore seen as a resource for everyday life not the object of living. Health is a positive concept emphasising social and personal resources as well as physical capabilities (WHO, 1986). This suggests that more recent definitions see health not as a state, but as a process towards the achievement of each individuals potential (Seedhouse, 1986). Negative definitions focus on the absence of disease or illness (Aggleton 1993, Naidoo Wills 2000). One definition of health suggests that people are healthy so long as they show no signs of bodily abnormality (disease). This definition fails to take into account how the person feels about themselves. The individual may feel ill in situations where health professionals are unable to find any underlying pathology (Aggleton 1993). Alternatively, an individual may have a disease and feel perfectly well. The main point being made here is that subjective perceptions cannot be overruled or invalidated by scientific medicine (Naidoo Wills 2000). The negative meaning of health is utilised by the medical model, which is explored later in the text. Whilst in the workplace, it is apparent to me (who is also a Registered Nurse) that both positive and negative meanings of health are used. Doctors focus on health from the negative viewpoint e.g. a doctor may review a patient and whilst not being able to find evidence of an acute illness, decides that the patient is fit to be discharged. Alternatively, I may focus on the positive view. In this context, a holistic approach to the patients health and social well-being is being explored, and therefore a comprehensive assessment of these needs are being made prior to discharge. As previously mentioned, lay beliefs are the views of those who are not professionally involved in health issues (Aggleton 1999). Whilst this is so, they must not be totally discounted as they can be as important as official definitions. They often influence the behaviour and understanding of an individual, and ultimately, the way they respond to health issues. An example of this can be demonstrated when reflection takes place after an incident e.g. a gentleman was admitted to the assessment area complaining of chest pain. After investigation, he was diagnosed with a myocardial infarction. Immediately after diagnosis, he remained on bed-rest for twenty-four hours, then after this period, the patient stated (when asked how he felt), that he felt well and had infact never felt better. At this point the patient proceeded in an attempt to get out of bed and mobilise locally. Thus, it was his belief (a positive view) that because he felt well (he had no symptoms of feeling unwell) then th is was a signal for him to carry on, in his normal manner, which was not the case. If the patient had been told he needed to rest, then it is likely that his behaviour would have changed. Beliefs about health can also vary from place to place (Aggleton 1993). Having nursed in various locations throughout the United Kingdom, my experience of this is first hand and from this experience, I share the views of Aggleton. There seem clear distinctions between health needs and health interpretations between different social class groups. e.g. in deprived areas, beliefs of health are that you just get by, however, in more affluent areas, health is not seen as merely being free from ill-health, but looks at other dimensions too, like keeping fit, eating healthily and being active. According to Jones (1994), health is subject to widely variable individual, social and cultural expectations, produced by the interplay of individual perceptions and social influence; suggesting that individuals create and re-create meanings of health and illness. This is done by our lived experiences. This view is supported by researchers, who have identified social class differences in concepts of health (Blaxter 1990, Calnan 1987). Their findings concluded that middle class respondents had a more positive view of health and found this to be linked to perceptions such as enjoying life and being fit and active. Through the same research, working class groups viewed health as functional and avoiding ill health. One explanation for these findings is that compared to working class people, middle class groups have greater control over their lives, due to income thresholds and job security, generating higher standards of living. According to Naidoo Wills (2000), this leads to people in different social classes holding different beliefs about autonomy and fatalism. These views are confirmed by my experiences in the workplace. The majority of patients I see are from working class backgrounds. This information is obtained from the patient during admission, when asked about their occupational status. It must be acknowledged however, that someones occupation doesnt necessarily denote their social group. These patients do have a tendency to view health as functional and this further supports the explanation offered by Naidoo Wills (2000). The United Kingdom is undoubtedly classed as a multicultural society, therefore it could be argued that a range of cultural views about health co-exist (Naidoo Wills, 2000). Alternative practitioners offer therapies such as acupuncture, reflexology and massage, which are based on cultural views of health and disease and run in conjunction with therapies offered by the National Health Service, which focuses on scientific medicine. The use of complementary alternative medicine (CAM) is largely unregulated but due to recent government pressures, a regulatory body to govern the use of some of these practices is to be set up (Hawkes, 2008). It is also evident that differences in chronological age and lifestyle also play a key part in influencing our views about health. For many young people, health may be seen as the ability to take part in sporting activities or being at the peak of their fitness (Blaxter 1990, Aggleton 1993). Alternatively, health for the older person is more likely to relate to the ability to cope and to be able to undertake a more restricted range of actions (Williams 1983, Aggleton 1993). It is clear from this discussion, that there are a variety of forms that can be taken from a concept. It is felt therefore that it would be useful to use an analytical framework which brings together defining features of concepts of health and demonstrates their relationship to each other. One such framework is by Alan Beattie (1987, 1993). Beattie (1987, 1993) suggests that concepts of health can be characterised by a focus on health as the property of individuals through to the property of people collectively, on a continuum. Further concepts can be seen as open to authoritative definition (or scientific principles), or alternatively as socially negotiable within the context of people concerned. This lead Beattie to set out two interlocking axis the horizontal and vertical axis. The horizontal axis represents individual people to families, groups and whole communities. The vertical axis represents a stance from expert led (authoritative usually represented by expert knowledge) to client led (negotiated using peoples own interpretations of their health and viewing them as experts in their own right) interventions. From this, the four quadrants of Beatties concepts were born. Biopathological models of health are related directly to the individual, them being the focus for treatment and free from illness or disease. Health is proclaimed in an authoritative manner through investigation and diagnosis. This model relates closely to the medical model of health. Biographical models of health focus on the individual subjective experience of health. Health is seen as part of everybodys life story and is therefore seen as being linked to our individual biographies. Health is not established through science but the personal opinion of the individual in the context of their lived experience. Environmental models view health as a property of populations as opposed to individuals. The emphasis is on the use of statistical data to describe epidemiology, in order to determine the health of the population. The communitarian concept states that health is the property of the social contexts of peoples lives in their communities. Health is seen to be influenced by how people respond to their material and cultural circumstances of their lives and not being shaped by authoritative monitoring of patterns of health. Beattie (1987, 1993) suggests that these models are not mutually exclusive. They can co-exist in differing circumstances, however, the emphasis may be more or less dominant. Having explored these models, it becomes evident that within my practice the Biopathological model is the most dominant between the members of the health care team e.g. a patient is admitted to the assessment unit with complaints of chest pain. The medical team (or the technician as Beattie would refer) would see the individual as the focus for treatment and will carry out expert, scientific led investigations. The diagnosis would then be proclaimed in an authoritative manner. This model has been criticised for being too narrow and it can be argued that medicine is not as effective as it is often claimed (Naidoo Wills 2000). The twentieth century has seen a reduction in mortality and increased longevity in developed countries and it is often assumed that medical advances have been responsible for this. McKeown Lowe (1974) would argue that this is not necessarily the case. In their historical analysis they concluded that social advances in general living conditions had been responsi ble for most of the reduction in morbidity, whereas the contribution of medicine had played a much smaller role. However, within the professions and institutes of medicine, mechanistic approaches to analysis are still dominant (Beattie et al 1993). In practice, the biopathological model of health is usually adopted when dealing with the nominated patient group, but it must be acknowledged that sometimes, due to the nature of nursing (even in an acute area), I may utilise other models within Beatties framework, particularly the biographical model of health. Here, the focus is still individual, but the care is negotiated as opposed to prescribed. Interestingly, the NMC (2004) code of professional conduct also advocates that patients be treated individually, with respect and with their best interests in mind. An example can be given to the reader of when this overlap occurs. A patient is admitted to hospital, following an acute exacerbation of chronic airways disease. The individual is seen by the doctor and in an authoritative manner prescribed a course of treatment, which included smoking cessation. The patient did not respond well to this demand. He believed that because he had been smoking for most of his adult life, that this did not contribute to his current health breakdown. Utilising previous experience in this area, I talked through the issues of smoking cessation and gave a rationale for the proposed treatment. I listened to the patient, with their concerns and anxieties and found that previous attempts at stopping smoking had been unsuccessful. The patient highlighted that no help had been offered previously from the health care team and that he had no financial compensation for his treatment. After a discussion about the support and available services, the patient accepted my offer to a free and confidential stop smoking service and agreed to a referral being sent. According to Beattie (1987, 1993) the focus for learning concerns the type of knowledge a health care practitioner needs in order to practice within their setting. Within the biopathological model of health, the focus for learning is that of essential knowledge applied by the competent worker (the technician). This is consistent with my focus for learning and is utilised frequently in every day practice. It is the most dominant over other focuses suggested by Beattie (1987, 1993) within other models of health. An example of when I might use this form of knowledge could be when managing a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) clinic. I assess the patients risk of having a DVT, then, by following the trusts protocol decide the patients management plan. To ensure the effective running of the clinic at a competent level requires me to have essential knowledge about the diagnosis and treatment of DVT including a thorough understanding of the anatomy and physiology involved, the treatments, radiologi cal investigations, complications and side effects to treatment. Carper (1978), suggests that there are four fundamental patterns or types of knowing in nursing. These are known as his taxonomys of knowing and include, the empirics, aesthetics, personal knowledge and ethical domains. The empirics element of his taxonomy relates to the science of nursing and having the ability to describe, explain and predict. The aesthetics dimension relates to the art of nursing. Personal knowledge relates to the knowledge that an individual has from their past experiences in nursing and the ethical component of Carpers taxonomy relates directly to the decision making, the rights and wrongs, holding values and applicating. A method of enquiry, concerns the formal ways in which knowledge is generated and used by practitioners (Beattie 1987, 1993), often referred to as research and is vital in informing practice (Rolfe 1996). Research has two main paradigms for which there are different terms. Here, they shall be referred to as positivism and interpretivism. Positivist research is concerned with facts based on objective information, which is tested and systemised e.g. a randomised controlled trial. Interpretivist research deals with meanings based on subjective information e.g. a patient satisfaction survey (Parahoo 1997). Previously, I have identified that the predominant method of enquiry in the workplace is the positivistic approach, directly relating to the biopathological model of health. In nursing, the use of evidence-based practice is prevalent and Naidoo Wills (2000) agree is firmly established. This is consistent with the use of randomised controlled trials to establish what forms of treatment are most effective for most people. Sackett, Rosenburg, Muir Gray, Haynes Richardson (1996), describe evidence based practice to be a conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. This suggests that evidence based practice is crucial to the effective delivery of care and to the role and status of the nursing profession (Hardey Mulhall 1994, Roper, Logan Tierney 1996). An example of positivistic research, used within my practice, would be the use of diabetes mellitus, insulin glucose infusion in acute myocardial infarctio n (digami regime) (see appendix 1, for summary of research findings). Following these findings, the digami regime has been implemented throughout the NHS Trust in which I am employed, and is now standard procedure for staff to use on the appropriate patients. The data to support the use of the digami regime evolved from randomised controlled trials, which Hardey Mulhall (1994), maintains provide high reliability. Further more, the randomised controlled trials have been described within evidence-based practice as the gold standard (Naidoo Wills, 2000). On the negative side, Parahoo (1997) argues that positivistic research studies human beings as objects and does not provide knowledge of the patients views of the treatment. Conclusion It is undoubtedly clear that health is a complex and multi-faceted area for discussion. There are many meanings and definitions to health with no simple answers. It has become clear that lay and professional views should be regarded equally due to their equal stature. The practitioner has always regarded these as so, but the essay has highlighted this important area and has increased my awareness of this for future clinical practice. The practitioner will continue to view health positively and holistically and will endeavour to promote this practice amongst other members of the multi-disciplinary team. The practitioner has learned that using an analytical framework is a useful tool when mapping concepts of health in particularly Beatties framework. The framework was easy to follow and relates well to practice. The focus for learning was found to be predominantly around applying essential knowledge. The method of enquiry that informs practice was dominantly positivism which linked closely with Beatties biopathological model. Not surprisingly, this model prevails as the most dominant in my clinical practice. From this module, I feel that I have developed both personally and professionally. The knowledge gained through the undertaking of further study has helped me bridge the theory practice gap and has made me more aware of issues surrounding this complex area of health. Appendix 1 This study was initiated to test the hypothesis that rapid improvement of metabolic control in diabetes patients with acute myocardial infarction by means of insulin glucose infusion decreases the high initial mortality rate and that continued good metabolic control during the early post infarction period improved the subsequent prognosis of myocardial infarction (Malmberg et al 1995, Malmberg et al 1994, Malmberg 1997). Conclusions from this study, support the immediate use of insulin glucose infusion followed by multi-dose insulin in diabetic patients with acute myocardial infarction (Malmberg et al 1995, Malmberg et al 1994, Malmberg 1997) References Aggleton. P. (1993) Health Routledge. London. Atkins. S., Murphy. K. (1993) Reflection: a review of the literature. Journal of advanced nursing. 18(8) 1188-1192. Atkins. S., Murphy. K. (1994) Reflective practice. Nursing Standard, 8(39) 49-56. Beattie. A., Gott. M., Jones. L., Sidell. M. 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The Significance of the Beowulf Poem :: Epic Beowulf essays

The Significance of the Beowulf Poem      Ã‚   There are many characteristics of the Beowulf poem that make it a significant part of the history of literature.   It is a perfect representation of how the people in eighth century England communicated, what their feelings were, and their culture.   "It gives us vital information about Old English social life and about Old English politics and about many things that scholars would like to have much more information on."(Raffel ix)   Another characteristic is that the Beowulf poem was passed down orally.   The poem contains aspects of Christianity what form it takes in the story.   It is also sort of a history of how the English language has changed in the many years from then until now. The poem also contains many mythical references and it contains   a great hero.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Beowulf is considered an artifact by many because "it is the oldest of the English long poems and may have been composed more than twelve hundred years ago."(Beowulf 19)   It deals with events of the early 6th century and is believed to have been composed between 700 and 750.   "No one knows who composed Beowulf , or why.   A single manuscript (Cotton Vitellius A XV) managed to survive Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries, and the destruction of their great libraries; since his name is written on one of the folios, Lawrence Nowell, the sixteenth-century scholar, may have been responsible for Beowulf's preservation."(Raffel ix)   An interesting fact that is unique about the poem is that "it is the sole survivor of what may have been a thriving epic tradition, and it is great poetry."(Raffel ix)      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The poem was composed and performed orally.   "Old English bards, or scops, most likely began by piecing together traditional short songs, called heroic lays; they then gradually added to that base until the poem grew to its present size.   The verse form is the standard Old English isochronic:   each line contains for stresses; there is a strong caesura in the middle of the lines and the resultant half lines are bound together by alliteration.   Although little Old English poetry survives, Beowulf's polished verse and reflective, allusive development suggest that it is part of a rich poetic tradition.

Complementarity and Substitution in the Theory of Capital :: essays papers

Complementarity and Substitution in the Theory of Capital This essay is an explanation and importance of complementarity and substitution in the theory of capital. Complementarity can be usually seen in goods with â€Å"sympathetic shifts in demand.† It is also important to realize the narrowness of the traditional treatment of complementarity. Complementarity is analyzed in a single enterprise and also in the economic system as a whole. In the latter complementarity is analyzed in an economic system in equilibrium and also in disequilibrium. In an economic system with equilibrium all the acts of all individuals are consistent with each other and all factors of production are complementary. The system with disequilibrium on the contrary, realizes that while a factor of substitution eliminates another factor, another will be created, though possibly it might be of a different mode. It is idealistic to think that capital structure can only exist in equilibrium, but realistically, capital structure is in a state of continuous transformation. Any major change creates a situation of instability of the capitalistic economy. A clear example of this is the accumulation of capital on profits and the inducement to invest. As capital accumulation grows, investment opportunities and the rate of profit decline. Also, the existence of unused human or material resources provides potential complements for new productive combinations, which in result produce the changes in capital. These unused resources have two main functions in the world of dynamic change. First, they reduce the shock when disintegration exists, and second they stimulate the investment of capital goods complementary to them. In conclusion, the theory of capital is a dynamic discipline, and is not in static equilibrium.

Is ‘Of Mice and Men’ Pessimistic? Essay

The two main themes of ‘Of mice and Men’ are loneliness and prejudice. These two elements create a depressive and pessimistic background. You can feel the pessimism all through the book, but some parts have different levels of pessimism. John Steinbeck chose the title from a poem called ‘To a Mouse’ and written by Robbie Burns, from which the book is clearly inspired: â€Å"But Mousie, thou are no thy-lane, In proving foresight may be vain: The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men, Gang aft agley, An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain, For promis’d joy!† The last two verses refer to the dream and how it doesn’t succeed. The dream is destroyed by loneliness, which in this case, is represented by Curly’s wife. When Lennie kills her everything is over; Lennie knows this, but he is too slow to realise it’s true. In this verse Robbie Burns tries to tell us that men are as weak as mice, and that often our plans don’t succeed and we only get the opposite. Curly’s wife is one of the most important characters in the book because she represents both loneliness and prejudice; and is also a victim of both. She is prejudged for being a woman and is not even given a name; this is how John Steinbeck shows the prejudice in the book. â€Å"If I catch any one man, and he’s alone, I get along fine with him. But just let two of the guys get together an’ you won’t talk. Jus’ nothing but mad. You’re all scared of each other†, in this quotation you can see how she and all the workers in the ranch feel; they are all lonely but they’re all too scared of being prejudged for talking to Curly’s wife. She is married, even if Curly doesn’t love her; but he is very possessive, and cnat stand that she flirts with the workers in the ranch. â€Å"Got no teeth, he’s all stiff with rheumatism. He ain’t no good to you, Candy. An’ he ain’t no good to himself. Why’n’t you shoot him, Candy?† Candy’s dog is his only friend, this shows all the loneliness in the ranch. Candy is left to no other option than to shoot the dog, his only companion, and this will lead him to complete loneliness. This is an obvious metaphor to what’s going to happen to Lennie, which is no good for George or any one else. Another small metaphor, which gives a clue to what’s going to happen to Lennie, is that the same gun is used to kill the dog and Lennie. When George and Lennie are in the bunkhouse, Lennie plays a solitaire. This is a metaphor to George’s loneliness. He has Lennie but he knows he’s not capable of doing difficult tasks, and in some way Lennie is to George no more than a pet dog; this fact ‘highlights’ George’s situation: loneliness. When George kills Lennie, slim is the only one that realizes it was him, and knew it was going to happen: â€Å"Never you mind. A guy got to sometimes†. Lennie has sometimes in the book got a dead mouse or animal in his pocket; he loves them, and never intends to kill them, but he does. This reflects what’s going to happen to the dream, Lennie loves it, but unconsciously, he destroys it. Optimism takes a good part in the book; Lennie’s relationship with George is optimistic because Lennie is always thinking in the future and in the dream. Candy too is optimistic about the dream, but knows it’s all over when Lennie kills Curly’s wife. George is the cleverest from the three and knows from the beginning that the dream is never going to happen, and that it’s impossible. Lennie keeps going on about the dream and so George finally with optimism and for a short period of time, thinks its possible but it all comes to an end when Lennie accidentally kills Culys’s wife. This is a book with a pessimistic atmosphere, and it’s set in a bad time for the world. John Steinbeck had the same life as a worker like George and had similar experiences. Lennie’s relationship with Gorge in the beginning is very optimistic, but in the end it all changes and their lives turn into a ‘blind alley’. In conclusion, this book is pessimistic, and it’s a masterpiece of modern literature.