Argument paper for american political science Essay

Argument paper for american political science - Essay Example As important as freedom of speech is to facilitating liberal public discourse in a democracy, there are certainly limits that most democratic countries have considered reasonable to place on that right. Freedom of expression has been subject to reasonable time, place and manner restrictions designed to accommodate the dissemination of ideas in a way that does not hurt people or threaten the security and well being of society. Lewd and obscene, profane, libelous or slanderous expressions are all categories that have been considered ripe for government regulation in liberal democracies. So-called "fighting words," those aimed at inciting violence or breach of peace, have also been restricted (Beauharnais v. People of State of Illinois, 1952). One cannot, nor should they reasonably expect to be allowed to, yell "fire" in a crowded theater when no such emergency exists. Such limitations on speech are consistent with the spirit and intent of the First Amendment, which arguably was intende d by the Framers of the Constitution to protect a free and open public discourse from government intrusion. This essay goes on to discuss these and other reasonably acceptable limitations on free speech in liberal democracies. Restricted Speech under the First Amendment There is a vast body of American jurisprudence that addresses the extent to which the government can constitutionally abridge speech and other forms of expression. The U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted the First Amendment numerous times, and in so doing has clearly defined the scope of the freedom of speech and the extent to which government may limit it. In summary, the general rule is that all speech is presumably protected unless the government has an important, substantial and content-neutral interest in limiting it, and that limit is narrowly tailored to the interest. According to the Supreme Court, "Government regulation of expressive conduct is sufficiently justified if it is within the constitutional power of the government, if it furthers an important or substantial governmental interest, if the governmental interest is unrelated to suppression of free expression, and if the incidental restriction on alleged First Amendment freedoms is not greater than is essential to furth erance of that interest" (Barnes v. Glen Theater, Inc., 1991). That general rule raises a host of other questions around what is meant by "important" or "substantial" interest, what is considered a "content-neutral" restriction, etc. All of these more miniscule issues have been addressed by the Court. Ultimately, at least in the United States' version of liberal democracy, the government has been able to regulate speech under many circumstances when doing so furthers legitimate and reasonable interests. Such forms of expression as pornography, commercial speech (advertisements), political campaign donations, and others have been reasonably restricted within the U.S. These kinds of limitations are arguably appropriate and necessary for an ordered society in which a balance is sought between the need for openness and free thought and expression, and the need for people to be able to live comfortably and securely. Liberal democracy is not anarchy. It does not mean that people can say or do

Leadership Management with Organizational Diversity Essay Example for Free

Leadership Management with Organizational Diversity Essay In today’s global market and corporate economy, the importance of understanding the power of cultural diversification within the workplace is very important. The ability to interchange and collaborate on set goals and objectives facilitates the process of attaining such goals at high performance level. With the influx of several cultures into the corporate world, it is important for managers to analyze, learn, adapt, and exemplify how a diverse work system must function. In post modern time, the organizational behavior behind getting a task done was generally focused on the individual critical thinking working method, but with increasing competency in the market, the need to accept the team process of completing a task has become evident. Transitioning from the standard individual workplace and into a diverse one is difficult especially on societies with a hardship in adaptability and those with a strong traditional belief. The acceptance of diversity is something that must me learned and understood taking into consideration ones surroundings and behavior influences. As a child, a person’s understanding on what culture similarities and differences are solely depends on his/hers family, friends, peers, literature, media, and etc. Learning to embrace diversity is hard but not impossible; in every society there are always difficulties in accepting other groups of people that don’t comply with the existent group’s way of life, and this is when the ability to accept and embrace play a role. Having the knowledge on how to perceive situations and surroundings is ones defensive mechanism that allows a person to know what to do in a certain situation. When faced with the unexpected, this knowledge based perception becomes what is known as bias. According to a research article, â€Å"Our biases serve as filtering lenses that allow us to make sense of new information and experiences based on what we already know (Nadler, 1997). This bias can sometimes be of positive nature giving an individual the ability to adapt and tell right from wrong, but sometimes bias can also form a negative perception of people based on sole belief crating ignorance, prejudice, and/or stereotype. Development of accepting diversity in a workplace is sometimes difficult and takes time to adapt since everyone comes from different backgrounds. This is something that cannot be acquired or pressured on people in short notices or time constraints, such as development classes or short group sessions. Management in a work environment must use techniques of group encouragement and cooperative training to allow everyone to understand and exemplify each other’s strengths and abilities. Examples of such techniques can be: * Developing an atmosphere that is safe for all employees to ask for help. People should not be viewed as weak if they ask for help. This is what helps to build great teams — joining weakness with strengths to get the goal accomplished. * Actively seeking information from people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. Also, including everyone on the problem solving and decision making process. * Including people who different than you in informal gatherings such as lunch, coffee breaks, and spur of the moment meetings. * Creating a team spirit where every member feels a part of (Nadler, 1997). Human Resource Development (HRD) is the process in which the department of human resource is recognizing certain qualities and attributes individuals possess when handling new entrants in hiring or promoting. Having the ability to recognize what abilities individuals have, better allocates certain individuals with others to form a high performance team. By working jointly to train and collaborate with supervisors and management will assist in better teaching individuals the correct way of completing a task or job process. The development of what is known as â€Å"soft skills† such as diversity, communications, and social networking skills will promote a better work system and decrease employee turnover. The key is to promote job likeness and positive attitude with employees for a positive organizational result. Along with a focused human resource development initiative, organizations must understand the importance of the internal and external factors that make up the entire success. Internally, organizations must take into consideration the behavioral influence its people incorporate into every day operations in regards to its long term gains. What influences the behavior of these individuals is the type of culture the organization has. Culture is defined as, â€Å"the aggregate of beliefs, norms, attitude, values, assumptions, and ways of doing things that is shared by members of an organization and taught to new members† (2010, p. 370). This definition of culture best describes how an organization is built and how it functions on everyday operations led by individuals with a strategy of positive leading. According to authors Lussier and Achua, â€Å"all organizations have a culture, whether they acknowledge it or not. Every organization has a culture, distinguished by its own beliefs and approaches to problem solving and decision making. An organization’s culture is manifested in the values, norms, and expectations that leaders preach and practice, in its employee’s attitudes and behavior, in ethical standards and policies†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (2010, p. 370). The importance of leaders to understand the type of culture that his/her organization has is important to continue a process of strong work ethics, team effort, and skill development. In leadership studies, there is a power of culture that defines how well an organization can create and internal unity of its people, and also how well it adapts to its external environment in areas of sustainability and consumer/competitive preferences. The cultural power of internal unity generally describes how management supports the organization’s vision, mission, goals, and strategy. Having a strong internal normative order can change the workforce into a creative one where individuals come together to share and develop new innovative ideas that will benefit the entire organization. It is important that management encourages its employees in a positive way by using motivational and identification tools, to increase individual desire and interest in his/her job to increase performance while also taking into consideration each and every single employee. While it is important to motivate employees to like their job, having rules and certain guidelines also promotes social control by setting certain requirement to maintain a safe and secure working environment. The external adaptation of cultural power describes the impact of outside influences such as consumer preferences towards the organizations product, or environmental awareness that must be taken into thought to reduce its negative impact on sustainability. Example of an organization who takes into consideration an external analysis is Southwest Airlines who ranks the highest in competitiveness within its market, taking into account the importance of customer preferences in keeping affordable price levels, consumer loyalty through programs of frequent flyer, and employee needs in both financial and health needs. Table 1.1 displays the total rating amount Southwest Airlines received against its competitors American and United Airlines. Along with a strong power of culture within an organization or group, the ability to acquire certain characteristics of performance to increase production or service is important. There are two types of performance ratings in organizational culture; one is a high performance mark that identifies an optimum group of individuals working together towards a similar goal or objective and one with a low performance mark indicating a lack of agreement with individuals with a strong concern for self-interest different from the general census. Low-performing organizations have four major characteristics of poor quality; these include insular thinking, resistance to change, politicized internal environment, and unhealthy promotions. Examples of organizations with an insular method of thinking are those with upper level management who believe and dictate what decisions to make based on their own knowledge and concern. This type of business strategy is ineffective since cooperative group decision making is not used, causing a decline in operational performance. Managers who always think their right, demotes interest and desire for individuals to work. This thinking method is evident in businesses where upper level management does not receive or disregards information channeled through operational levels of production. The organizations that are resistant to any changes in strategies or techniques are generally those that have continuously followed set guidelines and norms for long periods of time. This type of continuous and repetitive process categorizes this performance culture as low. Having the same type of methods of completing a work process makes the job more concerned with keeping one’s position rather than expanding and seeking innovations. Businesses that follow this type of performance rank low since adaptability with external changes becomes difficult causing a negative impact to organizational success. Similarly, a highly internal politicized organization suffers from the lack of culture and team sharing when it comes to decision and critical thinking. Powerful leaders or executives tend to make the decisions and instruct followers on what to do next; followers simply agree to avoid reprimand or disapproval. Last, the use of negligent promotions from management places unskilled personnel in top level positions where strategic thinking is required. Having someone in the decision making spot without having the sufficient amount of knowledge or training, jeopardizes the entire operation and success of the overall organizational purpose. The opposite of a low-performing culture in an organization is one who is highly recognized for team development and value sharing within all levels of operations and management. An organization with a highly valued purpose and mission is usually accepted by its followers who share its similar views and thoughts. High performance organizations tend to also encourage communication between management and employees to sustain a strong culture to assure everyone is on the same path following the same values. A direct description of a standard high performing cultural organization is described as, â€Å"a culture of discipline-where everyone is responsible to the values of the company, to its standards, and to the purposes it serves† (2010, p. 375). The characteristics that identify a strong performing culture is one with reinforcement tools, intensely oriented people, oriented results, and a major emphasis on achievement and excellence. Examples of such reinforcement tools include the use of slogans and ceremonies, in which the organization shares its values with its employees. Having such a tool makes much feasible the entry of new employees by directly displaying the core values and meaning. By being people oriented the organization exemplifies the importance of being a democratic business rather than an autocratic one where a single management official makes all the decisions. Individuals, who work in organizations where they are treated with respect and acknowledged for their contribution, tend to become more committed and hold their positions for longer periods of time. Setting goal markers and rewarding individuals based on total outcome versus the set marker improves individual desire to continue working at their best attainable performance or better. It is determined that what influences an organization’s culture is the impact that the external environment has on the overall behavior of employees or followers. There are four distinct types of cultures that have been developed taking into account the organizational strategic focus along with the external turbulence. A competitive culture is one that represents a leader that encourages and values a highly competitive work network (2010, p. 385), in this kind of organizational environment the need to always be on top of the market is intense. Being competitive is a must to avoid falling back in face of competitors that may produce similar products and drive one’s profitability down. Leaders in upper level management tend to create certain goal marks to promote his or her employees to work harder in return for profit gains and revenue increases; this type of working environment allows everyone to challenge themselves against the skills of others. Companies that exemplify competitiveness in the market include Pepsi Co. and Coca-Cola, Wing-House and Hooter’s, Dominoes’ and Papa John’s, etc. These companies are constantly monitoring each other in order to sustain greater performance than the other. Cooperative culture is when an organization represents a leadership belief in strong, mutually reinforcing exchanges and linkages between employees and departments (2010, p. 384). This type of organization tends to allows for employees to take on the task of decision making and developing ideas that can be advantageous to the overall performance. Management encourages relationship building between co-workers in order to increase skill and knowledge sharing in hopes of creating innovations. In today’s market with the constant change of diverse work groups, this type of cultural development is highly regarded and implemented. The adaptive culture is one that represents a belief in active monitoring of the external environment for emerging opportunities and threats (2010, p. 384). Organizations that lean on becoming adaptive are the ones that bare risks in changing and implementing their procedures based on what the external environment is doing. Acknowledging the changes in consumer preferences and taking the time to research and engage in changing the overall method of operation is an example of an adaptive culture. Last, the bureaucratic culture is formed when a leader values order, stability, status and efficiency (2010, p. 385). In contrast to the adaptive culture, the bureaucratic culture is structured to follow a set form of guidelines and policies. This kind of culture will strive to maintain stability within its operations without any consideration to changes or innovations. What keeps these organizations operational is stability and repetitiveness; however, with constant changing external factors such as economic welfare and global sustainability, many organizations have to divert from this path and become one who encourages flexibility and change. Having a diverse culture in an organization is difficult especially when differences in making decisions and completing task vary from person to person. According to a global research program intended to describe the dimensions and framework of cultural differences, it describes sets of values different individuals appreciate varying from one region of the world to another. One behavioral factor is individualism within oneself, this is defined as a psychological state in which people see themselves first as individuals and believe their own interest and values are primary. This kind of individual does not promote collaborative thinking or relationship building at the workplace, while it still may be present, the percentage is low. Nations that hold high individualistic organizations are those that promote individual achievement; everyone has the ability to strive towards something for themselves. Countries such as The Unites States, Great Britain, and Canada represent a majority of individualism in organizations. The opposite is collectivism; this kind of organizational behavior describes a collective and team effort workplace, where everyone is responsible for a groups success. Organizations that are considered collective form group work sessions and team goals that encourage everyone to help each other out. In the case of failure, the loss is distributed among everyone; nobody is left to themselves. Nations that revolve around a collective environment include Greece, Japan, and Mexico. Another dimension in global culture is the level of masculinity and femininity within the organization. This type of influence does not necessarily have to do with gender or percentage of upper level management of different gender. Having a high level of masculinity generally describes the behavioral tendencies of being assertive and competitive. The exact definition of masculinity is a culture that emphasizes on assertiveness and a competitive drive form money and material objects (2010, p. 392). What this states is that organizations that have a masculine tendency are those that strive to be the best; the organization must compete against others and win. Having a drive for money and material objects describes the need to accomplish a goal or purpose to receive valuable results. Studies indicate that nations that display such masculinity in business and organizations are Japan and Italy. On the other side of the spectrum, femininity is described as a culture that emphasizes developing and nurturing personal relationships and a high quality of life (2010, p. 392). This kind of influence in organizations tends to focus majorly on the best interest of others, rather than being competitive. These organizations have more concern on providing quality to the market, offering emotional along with physical well being. Nations that are considered to preserve feministic views are Sweden and Denmark. Organizational diversity is mainly considered as a type of culture that must be embraced in order to utilize the most of human resource which provide new insights to developing and promoting a consumer product that may be demanded. Embracing diversity is advantageous to organizations by opening new doors to marketing strategies that retain longer relationships with consumers. Having different view on product development allows for flexibility and the sharing of ideas. It also has a tendency to retain talent within the organization; this is true since many individuals view diversity in a workplace as a plus and comfort zone where they can express themselves. Members who feel comfortable in their workplace working alongside others who may have similar thoughts or cultural preferences will most likely stay longer. Absenteeism on site would decrease tremendously and the amount of resignation would also decrease with long-term members due to diversity encouragement. This is cost beneficial since high turnover of employees imposes costs to the organization, and having long term members increase job satisfaction which results in better quality and overall gains. The support of diversity also allows for members to interact with one another to form innovative methods of working forming cost saving and even better output products. However, with the positive outcomes of embracing diversity there are several negative downsides if not assessed or managed correctly. Having a very diverse culture may pose a chance or competitiveness or unwillingness to work from employees. Some may view the presence of another person from a completely different background as offensive or threat. It is important to acknowledge what members do and how to assess everybody’s differences and values. Communication can sometimes be blocked due to lack of communication skills, and differences of perception. The sender of a message may want to say something, but due to differences in culture, the receiver may decode the entire message incorrectly. It is important for leader to train employees on how to communicate messages and understand the appropriate language and expressions that can be used in the professional organizational environment. While achieving organizational diversity, leaders are constantly challenged with obstacles that make it difficult for them to organize a group of people with different backgrounds. It may not be impossible but may sometimes pose risks of having conflict within the workplace. One of these obstacles are individuals who are prejudice against others; prejudice is the tendency to form an adverse opinion without just cause about people who are different from the mainstream in terms of their gender, race, ethnicity, or any other definable characteristics (2010, p. 398). Examples of prejudice occurrences in an organization can be the standard image or perception that management or production work is strictly a male’s job. Traditionally many women are pushed away from receiving equal rights as men in the workplace, but are now evolving into the new images of corporate management. There has been a drastic change in the amount of women in the workplace due to the external environment cha nging the way society lives. Another example of prejudice is discriminating against another person based on their ethnicity or cultural background. Many organizations are fighting against having levels of privileges and opportunities solely for a single group of people. The development of social-cultural group awareness and support associations from organizations has made available several opportunities for all types of peoples. A great example of an organization striving towards equality is Southwest Airlines personal websites created to promote and support several group of people of different race, sex, religion, and culture. This demonstrates that their corporate image stands behind their mission of providing everyone the same privileges and rights as everyone else. Having an understanding of organizational behavior and cultural makeup will enable managers to become better leaders. By analyzing the several characteristic each person within the organization holds will allow for managers to know how to confront that person’s needs and work with them to increase job satisfaction and performance. References Lussier, R. N., Achua, C. F. (2010). Leadership Behavior and Motivation. In R. N. Lussier, C. F. Achua, Leadership (pp. 70-101). Mason: South-Western Cengage Learning. Nadler, L. (1997, August 13). Leadership and Developing Diversity. Retrieved February 13, 2012, from Big Dog Little Dog s Performance Juxtaposition: http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/diverse.html

Lewis Carrolls Through the Looking Glass Essay -- Literature Children

Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass â€Å"If it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn’t, it ain’t. That’s logic,† according to Tweedledee, a character in Lewis Carroll’s famous children’s work Through the Looking Glass (Complete Works 181). Of course, Lewis Carroll is most well known for that particular book, and maybe even more so for the first Alice book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The connection between Lewis Carroll and logic is less obvious for most people. In reality, Lewis Carroll is the nom de guerre for the Reverend Charles L. Dodgson, a â€Å"puttering, fussy, fastidious, didactic bachelor, who was almost painfully humorless in his relations with the grown-up world around him† (Woollcott 5). Though it may seem that Dodgson and his pseudonym emit two very different personalities, as Braithwaite points out, there really only existed â€Å"a completely integrated though singular personality† (174). While Dodgson under his true name usually only published books on mathematics and logic, under the name of Lewis Carroll he published books for the young, with some exceptions. One such exception to this division of subjects is the work Symbolic Logic; this textbook was published under the name of Lewis Carroll. It is through Dodgson’s children’s works that his integrated personality emerges. His Alice books, for example, contain many statements of logic and games of mathematics, intended for the amusement of his audience. Dodgson â€Å"regarded formal and symbolic logic not as a corpus of systematic knowledge about valid thought nor yet as an art for teaching a person to think correctly, but as a game† (174). With this perspective, it is easy to see why he was interested in... ...tin. The Universe In A Handkerchief. New York: Copernicus, 1996. Gardner, Martin. The Annotated Alice. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000. Gattegno, Jean. Lewis Carroll: Fragments of a Looking-Glass. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1974. Goldfarb, Nancy. â€Å"Carroll’s Jabberwocky.† The Explicator 57 (1999): 86. Hofstadter, Douglas R. Gà ¶del, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid. New York: Basic Books, 1979. Holmes, Roger W. â€Å"The Philosopher’s Alice in Wonderland.† Phillips 159-174. Phillips, Robert, ed. Aspects of Alice: Lewis Carroll’s Dreamchild as seen through the Critics’ Looking-Glasses. New York: Vanguard Press, 1971. Wilson, Edmund. â€Å"C. L. Dodgson: The Poet Logician.† Phillips 198-206. Woollcott, Alexander. Introduction. The Complete Works of Lewis Carroll. By Lewis Carroll. New York: Random House. 1-9.

An Analysis of Miltons On His Having Arrived At the Age of Twenty-Thre

An Analysis of Milton's On His Having Arrived At the Age of Twenty-Three John Milton is one of the most famous poets of the English language. Even though his works are not many, he is considered the greatest writer in English literature. In John Milton' s works we can see the problems of the English society and his own too. Such a poem is " On His Having Arrived At the Age of Twenty-Three" because it shows the concerns that Milton had about his career when he was young and still hadn't chosen his own way in life. In this famous work of his we don't see a celebration of a birthday but a problem that the young gentleman faces as time passes by. The author uses many metaphors and symbols in order to give a more vivid image of his problem, and at the end he gives a solution to this problem. The structure of " On His Having Arrived At the Age of Twenty-Three" is typical for John Milton. This is a fourteen-line lyric poem also called Italian sonnet. T is called Italian because it was invented in Italy in the thirteenth century and later English writers began using it. The Italian sonnet consists of an eight-line octave and a six-line sestet. In the first eight lines the author introduces a problem and in the sestet he gives a solution to the problem. The poem has a rhyme scheme typical for the Italian sonnet. The octave has a rhyme ABBAABBA and the sestet's rhyme scheme is CDECDE. " On His Having Arrived At the Age of Twenty-Three" is a poem whose lines are all with ten syllables and with five beats per line. In this poem John Milton has not used techniques such as parallelism, assonance, and alliteration but even despite of this fact this is considered a great work of his. ... ...thor his fate is in the hands of God, and it is Him that chooses the way Milton has to follow. The author has no other choice except to become a poet. He must not worry about the other poets who till now have produced many works, and the only thing he has to do is to follow God. In the poem " On His Having Arrived At the Age of Twenty-Three" John Milton introduces a problem and gives a solution to this same problem. In fact, this problem is relevant even today, when young people have to decide on a career. Also as time goes by people ask them more often what they have done in their life. The figurative language that the author uses contributes a lot for the building of the image of the problem in the poem. The metaphors and the symbol of time make the poem a really good piece of literature, which discuses problems that we have even today.

Storm Born Chapter Seven

I couldn't believe it when Wil told me he wanted to go too. Why did everyone suddenly want in on what was probably the most dangerous trip of a lifetime? I sure as hell didn't want to go. Why did they? If only I could have given up my spot. â€Å"No,† I told him. â€Å"You'll get yourself killed.† I sounded just like Roland now. â€Å"Yeah, but you said I wouldn't actually go in body. Only my spirit would go.† â€Å"Doesn't matter. The spirit is still your essence, still tied to your being and body. Someone does enough damage to it, then your body's toast too.† He didn't seem to care, which I found ironic for a guy who seemed to be so afraid of everything else. His final argument was that Jasmine would be scared and traumatized; his presence would comfort her in the face of being carted off by more strangers. He had a point, I supposed, but I warned him he would only be a reflection in that world, bearing little resemblance to his human self. She might not know him. Accepting this, he remained undaunted, and I decided if he wanted to get himself killed, that was his problem. So long as he didn't drag me down in the process. I also made sure he paid me beforehand. Best not to take chances. When the appointed night came, I brought Tim with me. Since Wil would not be able to go physically, we'd need someone to watch his body. Tim treated it like going to summer camp, bringing a tent and a drum and everything. I told him he was an idiot, but he had grand plans for how he could later tell his groupies he went on a vision quest. The way he saw it, he would only be half-lying. I could have brought Roland and had a little less absurdity, but I didn't trust him not to sneak in after me. So Tim it was. We drove outside of town, traveling winding roads that snaked through the desert. Wil waited for us in a secluded spot, away from some of the more public access areas. It was a beautiful night, with the stars and moon crisp in the sky and saguaros standing watch. There were a few other thin spots between the worlds I could have used, but I chose this one because I liked the privacy and because it was one of the strongest. I wanted to waste as little power as possible in the transition over, particularly since I'd have to work to bring Wil along. As it was, we had enough trouble even getting him into a trance. â€Å"Jesus,† I said irritably, watching him in the dim lighting, â€Å"how much coffee did you drink today?† He probably didn't even drink coffee. Too many carcinogens or something. â€Å"I'm sorry.† He attempted to stay still. â€Å"I'm just so worried about her.† He lay on a blanket near our small campfire, the smell of burning sage hanging in the air. Tim sat back near the tent with his iPod, smart enough to leave me alone and do my job. With the way Wil kept twitching, I doubted anything short of Valium would calm him down. Not that that ultimately would have done us any good. â€Å"Are there coyotes out here?† he demanded. â€Å"Some have been known to attack humans. Even with a fire. They could have rabies. And snakes – â€Å" â€Å"Wil! You're wasting our time here. If you can't calm down soon, I'm going without you.† Already the crescent moon had reached its zenith; I didn't want to transition too long after its descent. At my wits' end, I produced the pendulum and hung it before Wil's face. I didn't really go for hypnosis, but I'd had good results with it in the past for clients needing soul retrieval. Hoping it would work on him, I began walking him through the stages of unconsciousness. It worked. Or maybe just my threat to leave him behind did. Finally, I saw him fall into a waking sleep, the perfect time for his soul to loosen from his body. Holding out my wand, I drew his spirit to me so it clung like static, felt but not seen. Then, relaxing my own consciousness, I let my mind expand and touch the walls of this world, pushing its limits into the Otherworld as far as I could go. As I expanded out, I held on to an awareness of my body, working hard to bring it over in its entirety. Unlike so many others, I was even strong enough to bring other material things – my clothes, my weapons. At first nothing seemed to happen, then the landscape around me shimmered, almost like we were trapped in a heat mirage. My senses blurred, making me feel disoriented, and then my surroundings clarified. I found myself breathless, a wave of dizziness sweeping me. The effects passed quickly. I was pretty good at crossing worlds. â€Å"Oh my God,† breathed a voice that sounded vaguely like Wil's. Looking to my side, I saw his Otherworldly representation. Not even powerful enough to come over in elemental form, he appeared beside me much like any spirit in my own world would have: vague shape, translucent, and smoky. â€Å"You did it. You really brought us over.† â€Å"Hey, I live to serve.† â€Å"Actually, mistress, that is our job.† I turned around and tried to hide my surprise. My minions stood before me but not as I knew them in the human world. In this world, the Otherworld, they were more corporeal, appearing in their natural forms and not as a projected sending. Nandi stood tall and rigid, a black woman in her mid-forties. Her face had hard lines and angles, beautiful in a regal and hawklike way. Iron-gray waves of hair framed a face as bleak and expressionless as her spirit version's. As for Finn, I'd expected him to be small and spritelike. He, however, was almost as tall as me with shining, sun-bright hair that stuck up at odd angles. Freckles covered his face, and the grin he showed me mirrored the amusement I usually saw when we were together in my plane. Volusian looked the same as always. I didn't exactly know what to say, seeing them like this. It was kind of startling. They watched me silently, waiting for orders. I cleared my throat, trying to appear haughty. â€Å"All right, let's get this moving. Who knows the way to this guy's place?† They all did, as it turned out. We stood at a crossroads, mirroring the one we'd left in my world. The country around us was beautiful, warm and balmy in the evening twilight, pleasant in a different way from Tucson. Cherry trees in full bloom lined the roads, shedding pink-white petals to the ground as the breeze rustled their leaves. â€Å"We stand in the Rowan Land, mistress,† explained Nandi flatly. â€Å"If we follow this road, we will eventually reach the part of the Alder Land where King Aeson lives.† I glanced at the road. â€Å"What, no yellow bricks?† Nandi didn't get the joke. â€Å"No. The path is dirt. The journey will be long and must be taken on foot. Likely you will find it tedious and wearying, plunging you into misery and making you wish you had never set out on this quest.† â€Å"Quite the endorsement.† She stared at me, puzzled. â€Å"It was not an endorsement, mistress.† We set out, and I discovered in about five minutes that conversation with this group was pointless. So instead I focused on studying my surroundings, like any good soldier would. I had crossed over in body a few times, but I had never stayed long. Most of my jaunts had been to chase down wayward spirits. I'd always jumped in, done my duty, and jumped out. With such beauty, it seemed incredible the residents here would want to keep sneaking over to my world. Birds sang a farewell to the setting sun. The landscapes we passed were gorgeous and exquisitely colored, like a real-life Thomas Kinkade painting. It almost looked unreal, like Technicolor gone crazy. There was also magic here. Strong magic. It permeated the air, every blossom, every blade of grass. It set my hairs on end. I didn't like magic, not this kind, not the magic that filled living things. That was a gentry thing. Humans had no magic within them. We took it from the world with tools and charms; it was not inborn with us. Feeling it so heavy in the air unnerved me, almost making it hard for me to breathe. Suddenly we crossed an invisible line, and cold wind blasted against my skin. Snow lay in drifts along the side of the road – which stayed miraculously uncovered – and icicles hung daintily on the trees like Christmas ornaments. â€Å"What the hell happened?† I exclaimed. â€Å"The Willow Land,† said Finn. â€Å"It's winter right now. Here, I mean.† I glanced behind us. A chilly, white landscape stretched back as far as the eye could see, no cherry trees in sight. I wrapped my arms around my body. â€Å"Do we have to go this way? It's freezing.† â€Å"You are the only who is cold, mistress,† noted Volusian. â€Å"Yeah,† said Wil brightly. â€Å"I can't feel anything. How cool is that? I bet those boots of yours won't protect you from hypothermia.† I rolled my eyes. Stupid spirits. All of them. Alive or otherwise. â€Å"How much farther through here?† â€Å"Longer if we keep standing around,† said Volusian. Sighing, I trudged along, pulling my coat tighter. I wore my usual one, the olive-green moleskin that went to my knees. I had put it on mainly to cover the arsenal underneath, and it had seemed too warm back in Tucson. Now it felt ridiculously thin. Teeth chattering, I followed the spirits, focusing mainly on putting one foot in front of the other. In only a short while, we crossed another unseen boundary, and thick humidity slammed down on me, much like my sauna. Heat boiled around us, and this time I took off my jacket. In the fading light, deep green leaves rustled together, and cicadas sang in the trees. The flowers here were different than the delicate ones in the Rowan Land. These had richer, deeper colors, and their perfume was cloying. The minions informed me we'd crossed into the Alder Land. I cheered up, happy to find it wasn't winter here and that we were so near our goal. Until we crossed back into the pink-treed valleys of the Rowan Land. â€Å"What's this? Are we going in circles?† â€Å"No, mistress,† said Nandi. â€Å"This is the way to King Aeson's.† â€Å"But we just came out of the Alder Land. We need to turn around.† â€Å"Not unless you want to take days to get there. Your friend's body wouldn't survive that long.† Volusian inclined his head toward Wil's ethereal form. â€Å"That doesn't make any sense.† â€Å"The Otherworld doesn't lie like yours,† explained Finn. â€Å"It's hard to notice if you haven't been here a lot. It's more obvious when physical. The land folds in on itself, and sometimes what seems longer is shorter. And what's shorter is longer. We've got to cut back through here to get to Aeson's. Weird, but there you have it.† â€Å"It sounds like a wormhole,† I muttered as I walked again. â€Å"Worms do not travel this way,† said Nandi. I tried explaining what a wormhole was, how some physicists theorized space could wrinkle and fold, making it possible to travel through those folds and end up on the other side more quickly. As soon as I reached the word â€Å"physicist,† I gave up, realizing I fought a losing battle. We soon crossed into the Oak Land, a breathtaking landscape of fiery orange trees and scattered leaves, enhanced by the burning orange sunset. Here, it apparently was autumn. I swore I could smell wood smoke and cider on the wind. Something else also caught my attention. â€Å"Hey!† I stopped and stared off into the trees. I had just seen a sleek orange form dart by, its white-tipped tail flaring behind it. â€Å"It was that fox again. I swear it was.† â€Å"What fox?† asked Finn. â€Å"I don't see anything.† â€Å"Neither did I,† added Wil. â€Å"My mistress has gone mad at last,† Nandi said on a sigh. â€Å"Long before this,† muttered Volusian. â€Å"There was a fox watching me back in my world†¦and now I just saw another one.† â€Å"The Otherworld has animals just like yours does,† said Finn. â€Å"It's probably coincidence.† â€Å"But what if it's not?† â€Å"Well, it could be a spirit fox. Was it really big? Sometimes they're – â€Å" Volusian cried a warning just before the horses came crashing through the trees. I had my gun and athame out in a flash, firing without hesitation at the first assailant I saw. There were twelve of them, men and women, some armored and some not. Their clothing looked like something you might get if the cast from Lord of the Rings went to a rave. All of them rode horses. Charmingly archaic. The man I shot screamed. Steel bullets and gentry flesh don't mix so well. Unfortunately, he had shifted position at the last minute, so I only took him in the arm. In my periphery, I saw Volusian flare with blue light; I hoped he was fighting on my side. One of the riders bore down on me with a copper sword alight with magic. My iron athame caught it, and we stood locked there for a moment. Iron, the emblem of technology, fought back against the metal it had supplanted, but in the end his magic was stronger. There was simply more of it, and the wielder had more brute force. He pushed me backward, and I stumbled into someone one of my minions must have unseated. In one fluid motion, I regained my balance and slashed at the man with my athame. Blood gleamed through his shirt, and then I clocked him in the head. He staggered, and then another hit took him down. Another rider came at me. I fired, and she jerked backward as the bullet hit her in the chest. Underneath her shirt, I saw leather armor and wondered how much that would have softened the blow. I took aim at another rider, and then a sharp female voice called out to me. â€Å"Stop, human. Unless you want your friend to die.† Glancing over, I saw a tall woman with long black hair worn in two braids. She inclined her head toward a young man whose arm extended gracefully outward. Above the palm of that hand, Wil's spirit floated. A golden, viscous glow encased him, giving him the appearance of an insect stuck in amber. I had no clue what kind of magic it was, but I knew he was trapped. And at risk. Damn it. This was exactly the reason I hadn't wanted him along. He had indeed succeeded in getting both of us killed. I glanced around. Seven of the riders were injured, unconscious, or possibly dead. Not bad for the four of us, I thought, as I assessed our odds of taking out the last five. My gun was still trained on my target. The woman gave me a thin smile as though reading my mind. â€Å"You could kill him, but your friend would be dead before your next eye blink. As would you.† â€Å"What's it matter? You'll just kill us both anyway. At least this way I'll take company to the next world.† A new voice spoke: â€Å"No one's sending you to the next world. Not yet anyway.† One of the unhorsed riders clambered to his feet. Presumably one of my spirits had fought him, because I didn't recognize him. Yet†¦something about him struck me as vaguely familiar. White-blond hair hung to his shoulders, and ice blue eyes studied me carefully. He approached slowly, a sly smile spreading over his face the closer he got. I didn't know who he was and wondered what tactical advantage I'd gain or lose by turning the gun on him instead. Was he the bigger threat? When he was only a couple feet away, his face lit up, and he lost himself to great, booming laughs. â€Å"I don't believe this. I don't believe this! The mouse has walked right up to the cat. Unbelievable.† The black-haired woman fixed him with an irritated glare. â€Å"What are you rambling on about now, Rurik?† He could barely contain himself. â€Å"Do you know who this is? This is the Dark Swan herself. Eugenie Markham, right at our doorstep.† I flinched at the use of my given name, though I knew it shouldn't surprise me anymore. â€Å"By the gods, I never expected this. I fought her only a week ago, and now here she comes, offering herself to me.† â€Å"If you consider me shoving my gun down your throat offering, then yeah, I suppose I am.† I eyed him curiously, and then I knew. â€Å"It was you. You're the ice elemental from the hotel.† He sketched me a bow. â€Å"And now I'll finish what I started. Happily, even. The sight of your naked body has haunted my dreams for many a night.† â€Å"Yeah? The only thing I remember about you is how easy it was to kick your ass.† Rurik grinned. â€Å"You'll remember a lot more before I'm done.† Behind him, a few of the other men regarded me with renewed interest. I felt myself go rigid, despite my bold words. The black-haired woman eyed Rurik distastefully. â€Å"If you think I'll let you give in to your†¦perversions here, you're wrong. You're as bad as them.† â€Å"Stop being so prim, Shaya. You know who she is.† â€Å"It doesn't matter. You can have her later if the king says so, but you're not doing anything while we're on patrol. My patrol.† I didn't quite take that as female solidarity, but it was better than nothing. I'd come expecting a grisly death, not a gentry gang bang. Wil might be a lost cause, but if I fired on one of the guys, my minions could probably do serious damage to the others. I tensed, ready to fire. â€Å"Stop,† Volusian suddenly said, moving forward. â€Å"Don't touch her.† â€Å"We don't take orders from you,† replied Shaya. Volusian was unfazed. â€Å"No, but you do take orders from your king, and my mistress has business with him.† I saw the men freeze. So did I. Business with their king? Ah, right. We were in the Oak Land where Dorian ruled, the king Volusian had originally wanted me to see. Suddenly I wondered if this winding way we'd taken had been a ploy of his to get us to Dorian after all. If so, I wondered if he'd imagined capture as part of the plan. Shaya regarded me coolly. â€Å"King Dorian has no business with her.† A few of the men looked like they doubted this, and I jumped on it, as well as what Volusian had said about Dorian earlier. â€Å"Are you so sure?† I smiled, portraying the same smug confidence I used with the minions, even as my heart pounded in my chest. Too many eyes on me. It was like public speaking. â€Å"I've come a long way to talk to him. How do you think he'll react if he finds out you've killed me before I've delivered my message?† â€Å"Tell me your message,† she said impatiently. â€Å"I talk only to him. Alone. I don't really think he'd like you getting the gossip before he did. Or not getting it at all if you kill me.† â€Å"We won't kill you,† said Rurik cheerfully. â€Å"We have plenty of other things we can do. You'll still get to the king†¦eventually.† Volusian fixed his red eyes on Rurik. â€Å"And how do you think Dorian will feel when he learns you've been at her before him? The king's tastes are quite†¦particular.† In another situation, I would have decked Volusian. Whose side was he on anyway? Stupid question, I realized a moment later. He was on his own side. As always. The gentry all appeared put out. They looked like they really wanted to kill someone. The woman verified as much. â€Å"They've killed our people. We cannot let that go unpunished.† One of the other female riders strode forward. â€Å"No, actually. Everyone's still alive. Some just barely†¦but if we can get a healer out here fast enough, they'll live.† All alive? So much for Team Eugenie. I'd known gentry were stronger in their own world, but this†¦It didn't bode well for our gallant attack on Aeson and his people. Next time I'd aim for the face. I doubted they'd come back from that. â€Å"Let's kill the weak human anyway,† suggested one of the others, â€Å"just for fun. We can still bring her to the king.† â€Å"The king's going to offer me hospitality,† I informed them, still talking out of my ass, â€Å"for my whole group. He'll be pissed if you kill one of them. It'll make him look bad.† I was lying, and Shaya looked like she knew it. â€Å"You seem very sure of yourself, Odile, but I'm less convinced.† The other woman crossed her arms. â€Å"We have to get a healer. We need to go back for help now.† Shaya thought about this and then gave a sharp nod. She delegated people to stay with the wounded and others to escort my party back. Before she did, she ordered me disarmed. Rurik made a great show of this, touching me a lot more than was really necessary as he took away the athames – handle first, of course – and wand. When he wrapped his fingers around the butt of the gun, a look of shock crossed his face and he recoiled. â€Å"Damn it!† he swore, cradling his hand. â€Å"It's†¦I don't know what it is. But it doesn't feel†¦right.† I smiled sweetly. Thank God for polymers. Almost as effective as iron. The commanding woman's eyes flashed. â€Å"Someone take it from her.† No one moved. â€Å"All right, then, one of you spirits. You take it.† My minions didn't move. â€Å"They don't take orders from you,† I said, parodying her earlier words. â€Å"They do from you. Order one of them to do it now, or I will have the life squeezed out of your friend, regardless of King Dorian's anger.† I studied her, trying to decide if she bluffed. Wil suddenly made a piteous sound as the golden aura around him tightened. God, I hoped Volusian was right about this Dorian ridiculousness. â€Å"Nandi,† I said simply. She strode forward and removed the gun from me. One of the riders offered up a cape so she could bundle it up. When it looked like a smothered baby, he reluctantly took it. As for me, I was hoisted onto Rurik's horse for the trip back to Dorian's. The spirits needed no such transportation. He wrapped his arms around me, ostensibly to reach the reins, but I was pretty sure he didn't need to touch my breasts to do it. His hold tightened. â€Å"I wouldn't want you to fall off,† he explained. â€Å"I'm going to cut your balls off the first chance I get,† I informed him. â€Å"Ah,† he laughed, urging the horse into motion. â€Å"I can't wait for you to meet the king. He's going to love you.†

The Crusades essays

The Crusades essays There are differing views on whether the Crusades were motivated by religion or were there also other factors. Hans Eberhard Mayer says that other factors were also important in the development of the Crusades, but the religious motivation was the strongest. Ronald Finucane counters that political, economic, and social factors also were responsible in the development of the Crusades. The crusades arose out of the feudal society of the eleventh century. Pope Urban II had called the Christians to join him in a Holy War to reclaim the Holy Lands as an act of Christianity. He appealed to the interest of the people by offering them salvation if they rescued the Holy Land from the Muslim people. He kept in mind the materialistic and economic prospects of the venture. This offered crusaders freedom, adventure, and the possibility of economic gain. The crusades were a defensive act against the flourishing Muslim faith, which Christians perceived as a threat to their own faith and way of life. The prospect of wealth and expansion were an added bonus. The original objective of the Crusade was to provide help to the Christian Church in the East, but the seed of greed was planted in the minds of men. The opportunity for social advancement and the possibility of increasing wealth were very tempting to the crusaders. This was an opportunity for European expansion. This opened up the Mediterranean Sea for Christian shipping and provided trade with the Near and Far East. I agree with Finucane in that the Crusades were probably more motivated by greed for territory and ignorance of another culture than religious reasons. The Muslims were a threat due to their mere occupation of the lands and for no other reason than that, they were persecuted and religion was the guise to carry out the acts. The expansion of the Christians into the Mediterranean Sea and trade in the East was probably considered worth far more than the lives lost fight...

Focus On The Victoria Climbie Inquiry Report Social Work Essay Essays

Focus On The Victoria Climbie Inquiry Report Social Work Essay Essays Focus On The Victoria Climbie Inquiry Report Social Work Essay Paper Focus On The Victoria Climbie Inquiry Report Social Work Essay Paper In his statement to the House of Commons when showing Lord Laming s Inquiry Report into the decease of Victoria Climbie , on 28 January 2003, the Secretary of State for Health, Alan Milburn, said: It is an all excessively familiar call. In the past few decennaries at that place have been tonss of enquiries into atrocious instances of kid maltreatment and disregard. Each has called on us to larn the lesson of what went incorrect. Indeed, there is a singular consistence in both what went incorrect and what is advocated to set it right. Lord Laming s Report goes farther. It recognises that the hunt for a simple solution or a speedy hole will non make. It is non merely national criterions, or proper preparation, or equal resources, or local leading, or new constructions that are needed. : I will give an overview of the enquiry. I will besides give an overview of the subjects, deficiency of answerability right through the organisations to the most senior degree and staff non adequately trained in kid protection. I will analyze and review these subjects in relation to bureau policy, legal demands, research, practician cognition and the voice of the service user. Previous enquiries and at that place associate to this enquiry will be discussed along with have we learned any lessons from this. The failure to implement a legal, ethical and political model to inform current best pattern will be utilised. I will reflect on the deductions of grounds informed pattern and how this will inform future societal work pattern. This paragraph will supply a sum-up of the events taking to the decease of Victoria Climbie, and set up why there was a demand for the enquiry. From the study ( Lord Laming, 2003 ) we know that Victoria Climbie came to England with her grandaunt, Marie-Therese Kouao in April 1999. Within a twelvemonth, she was dead. On 25th February 2000, Victoria died of hyperthermy at St Mary s Hospital, Paddington. She was merely eight old ages old and had 128 separate hurts to her organic structure. On 12th January 2001, her great-aunt Kouao and her fellow, Carl Manning, were convicted of slaying. The degree of inhuman treatment experienced by Victoria was genuinely hideous, with day-to-day whippings utilizing several different implements. Her concluding yearss were exhausted life and kiping in an unwarmed bathroom in the center of winter, where she was bound manus and pes, lying in her ain piss and fecal matters in a bin bag in the bath. The secretary of State set up the independent statutory en quiry into her decease, under the Chairmanship of Lord Laming, in April 2001, to set up under subdivision 81 of the Children Act 89 the concerns with the maps of the local authorization societal services commissions and the manner they relate to kids. The enquiry wanted to analyze the manner in which local governments in regard of their societal services maps and place the services sought or required by, or in regard of Victoria, Marie-Therese and Carl. This subdivision will now take to analyze and review the cardinal subject I have identified that emerged from the enquiry study which is deficiency of answerability right through the organisations to the most senior degree and staff non adequately trained in kid protection. Lord Laming ( 2003 ) points out There were at least 12 cardinal occasions when the relevant services had chances to successfully step in to assist Victoria, but had failed to make so. Within the Report Lord laming ( 2003 ) states That non one of these intercessions would hold required great accomplishment or made heavy demands on staff, sometimes it needed nil more than a director making their occupation by inquiring pertinent inquiries or taking the problem to look in a instance file. He continues to provinces Lord Laming ( 2003 ) There can be no alibi for such sloppy and unprofessional public presentation. As Lord Laming ( 2003 ) commented Not one of the bureaus empowered by Parliament to protect kids in plac es such as Victoria s emerged from the Inquiry with much recognition, what happened to Victoria, and her ultimate decease, resulted from an inexcusable gross failure of the system. Lord Laming s ( 2003 ) expressed His astonishment that cipher in the bureaus had the presence of head to follow what are comparatively straightforward processs on how to react to a kid about whom there is concern of deliberate injury. The Inquiry Report ( Lord Laming, 2003 ) highlighted widespread deficiency of answerability through the administrations as the chief ground for the deficiency of protection afforded to Victoria. Who should be held responsible for these failures? As Webb ( 2002 ) provinces: Lord Laming was clear that it is non the hapless and sometimes inexperient front-line staff to whom he directs most unfavorable judgment, but to those in places of direction, including infirmary advisers, I think that the public presentation of people in leading places should be judged on how good services are delivered at the front door . Professor Nigel Parton ( 2003 ) points out that Too frequently in the Inquiry people justify their places around bureaucratic activities instead than around results for kids. Frankly, I would be the really last individual to state that good disposal is non indispensable to good pattern. Professor Nigel Parton ( 2003 ) continues to province that Good administration-and we did n on see a batch of it, I have to say-is a agency to an terminal. I can non conceive of in any other walk of life if a senior director was in charge of an administration and that administration was traveling down the pan-to put it crudely-in footings of gross revenues and public presentation that person would state My function is wholly strategic, do non keep me to account for what happens in the administration . Peoples who occupy senior places have to stand or fall by what service is delivered at the front door. The Inquiry Report Lord Laming ( 2003 ) highlighted the evident failure of those in senior places to understand, or accept, that they were responsible for the quality, efficiency and effectivity of local services. As Rustin ( 2010 ) states Lord Laming pointed to the yawning spread in the differing perceptual experiences of the administration held by front line staff and senior directors. Lord Laming was univocal that the failure was the mistake of directors whose occupatio n it should hold been to understand what was go oning at their front door. As the Report Lord Laming ( 2003 ) pointed out, some of those in the most senior places used the defense mechanism no 1 of all time told me to distance themselves from duty, and to reason that there was nil they could hold done. Rustin ( 2004 ) states this was non a position shared by Lord Laming. Rustin ( 2004 ) besides continues to province that Lord Laming went even further in grounds to us, stating us forcefully that, in his position, answerability of directors was paramount, and that the front line staff were by and large making their uttermost. In add-on to the cardinal jobs of a deficiency of answerability and managerial control, it was besides evident in the class of the Inquiry Lord Laming ( 2003 ) that other weaknesss existed in all facets of pattern. This subdivision will measure old enquiries and how they link to this enquiry and have any lessons been learned from them. As Rustin ( 2004 ) provi nces: As with many old enquiries into child protection failures, Maria Colwell ( 1973 ) , Jasmine Beckford ( 1984 ) , Tyra Henry ( 1984 ) and Kimberley Carlile ( 1986 ) it was clear that the quality of information exchange was frequently hapless, systems were rough and information failed to be passed between infirmaries in close propinquity to each other. As the Report commented Lord Laming ( 2003 ) Information systems that depend on the random passing of faux pass of paper have no topographic point in modern services . The grounds from another study, Maria Colwell, who had died in January of 1973 pointed to similar failings, which were found in Victoria s study these failings were, deficiency of answerability and staff non adequately trained ( Corby et al, 2001 ) . Inquiry studies are beginnings of grounds to inform societal work pattern and even though they have many failings within them as illustrated. Professor Nigel Parton ( 2004 ) points out that In many respects public enquiries have proved to be the cardinal vehicle through which alterations in policy and pattern have been brought about over the last 30 old ages in relation to child protection policy and pattern in this state. Professor Nigel Parton ( 2004 ) continues to indicate out that Rather than public enquiries being ignored, they have been cardinal to the manner kid protection operates. In this regard, they are every bit much a portion of the job as they are the solution. Have lessons been learned from the many public enquiries over the old 30 old ages. It was as if provinces Professor Nigel Parton ( 2004 ) The frontline professionals, and the cardinal administrations and bureaus who have duty for kids and households were rather incapable of larning the lessons and, crucially, seting these into pattern in such a manner that such awful calamities could be avoided. It is hoped by many, hence, that the study by Lord Laming, and the alterations brought about as a consequence, will intend that this will be the last study of its type. This subdivision will turn to the other subject I have highlighted equal preparation. The inquiry of equal preparation and supervising for staff working in all the relevant bureaus were besides an issue identified in the Inquiry. Professor Nigel Parton ( 2004 ) points out that In Haringey, for illustration, it was observed that the proviso of supervising may hold looked good on paper but in pattern it was deplorably unequal for many of the front line staff. Professor Nigel Barton ( 2004 ) besides points out that nowhere was this more apparent than in the fact that in the concluding hebdomads of Victoria s life a societal worker called several times at the level where she had been populating. There was no answer to her knocks and the societal worker assumed, rather wrongly, that Victoria and Kouao had moved off, and took no farther action. As the Laming Report ( Lord Laming, 2003 ) commented, It was wholly possible that at the clip Victoria was in fact lying merely a few paces off, in the prison of the bath, urgently trusting person might happen her and come to her deliverance before her life ebbed off . This subdivision will now look at the failure to implement the legal and political model within the inquiry study. Lord Laming within the study ( Lord Laming 2003 ) told us that he continued to believe that the Children Act 1989 was fundamentally sound statute law . His recommendations do non reason for a major new legislative model. However, Lord Laming ( 2003 ) states he did non believe that the Act was being implemented in the manner that had been envisaged for it, and, in his position, there was a oscitance spread at the present clip between the aspirations and outlooks of Parliament and the certainty of what is delivered at the front door . Rustin ( 2004 ) states In the absence of equal managerial answerability, front line workers were obliged to do important strategic determinations, for illustration about the usage of the Children Act, and between utilizing subdivisions 17 and 47 ( associating severally to a kid in demand, and a kid in demand of protection ) . The subdivi sions of the Act had been developed with the purpose of every bit pointed out by Rustin ( 2004 ) Of recognizing the different demands of kids . How the subdivisions were being applied on the land nevertheless as stated by Lord Laming ( 2003 ) is Quite different, far from using the subdivision of the Act that would outdo run into the demands of the peculiar kid and their fortunes, what they were really making was utilizing these subdivisions to curtail entree to services and to restrict the handiness of services to people . The Children Act, Lord Laming ( 2003 ) argued to us Should be about advancing the wellbeing of kids, non about seting labels around people s cervix . Lord Laming ( 2003 ) went on to propose that Front line workers were being forced into doing determinations that should decently hold rested with direction and policy determinations . This raised major inquiries about the function of public services and the basic rules that should underpin them, as ( Lord Laming 2003 ) stated We need to stand back and say that we need to detect the basic rule that the populace services are at that place to function the populace, non merely some of the populace and non merely some people who can acquire through eligibility standards, or who are sufficiently relentless . Therefore services must be more accessible and they must be more in melody with their local communities. If, as Lord Laming believes Kirton ( 2009, p.17 ) states The Victoria Climbie instance was non alone, but highlighted widespread and major lacks in the execution of the Children Act, this raises issues that Government should turn to. I believe that the Children Act 1989 remains basically sound statute law. However, there is concern as pointed out by Professor Nigel Parton ( 2004 ) That the commissariats of the Act which sought to guarantee an appropriate response to the differing demands of kids are being applied unsuitably, used as a agency of rationing entree to services, and have led to subdivision 17 instances being regarded as holding low precedence. The Laming Inquiry ( Lord Laming 2003 ) recommended that consideration should be given to uniting the Working Together counsel and the National Assessment Framework counsel into a individual papers, puting out clearly how the subdivisions of the Act should be applied, and giving clear way on action to be taken under subdivisions 17 and 47. Within this subdivision I will discourse the ethical model. It is of import to include the issues of societal category and gender, which were non apparent in the Victoria Climbie enquiry. However, it is issues around ethnicity and race that are more apparent. However, the diverseness referred to is improbably complex. This is illustrated at assorted points provinces Webb ( 2002 ) For illustration: At the clip Victoria s instance was handled in Brent, all the responsibility societal workers had received their preparation abroad and were on impermanent contracts. ( In Brent ) at least 50 per cent of societal workers clip was spent working on instances of unaccompanied bush leagues. As Webb ( 2002 ) provinces There was grounds that Haringey has one of the most diverse populations in the state, with 160 different linguistic communications spoken locally, a long tradition of travelers settling in the borough and a high proportion of asylum-seeking households ( 9 per centum of the entire population ) . Within the study Lord Laming ( 2003 ) points out that In relation to all the London boroughs involved there were high degrees of poorness and want, diverse cultural, cultural, lingual backgrounds, every bit good as the diverse backgrounds of the workers themselves. In many respects, it seems Victoria s state of affairs was non alone in these several boroughs. Webb ( 2002 ) indicated The impact of increased planetary mobility, more specifically the rapid addition in asylum-seeking households, together with the diverse backgrounds of the workers themselves progressively seems to characterize work in many metropolitan countries. This has a peculiar impact provinces Webb ( 2002 ) On the nature, stableness and coherence of local communities. It is deserving observing that, compared to the Maria Colwell instance, no referrals are noted in the Victoria Climbie instance from neighbors or other members of the community apart from the child minder Mrs Cameron. We are non merely speaking ab out diverseness here but unbelievable complexness. Kirton ( 2009 ) argues that Not merely does it present major lingual challenges but besides it poses major challenges for statutory sections in relation to the familial and cultural individualities of those with whom they work and to whom they have duty. Issues around racism are clearly of import here, nevertheless they can non be reduced to a simple black and white community and cultural divide. This subdivision will reflect on the deductions of evidence-informed pattern ( EIP ) and the utility of the enquiry to inform the development of future societal work pattern. Often, in hindsight, those who put people at hazard are blamed for the bad luck and injury they cause. ( Kirton, 2009 ) This is arguably the most signii ¬?cant professional context in which EIP has emerged. Harmonizing to Munro ( 1998 ) Social workers rely on obscure appraisals and anticipations, instead than sing what is more or less likely. In mundane life determinations have to be made on a limited grounds base and professional determinations are besides at best debatable . There are legion unexpected and complex results in societal work, many of which remainder on holding to do judgements under conditions of uncertainness. ( Kirton, 2009 ) The chief jobs associated with doing effectual determinations in societal work as stated by Kirton ( 2009 ) include: hazard and uncertainness, intangibles, long-run ded uctions, interdisciplinary input and the political relations of different vested involvements pooled determination devising and value judgements. Decision analysis has developed as a statistical technique to assist get the better of these sorts of jobs. Decision analysis is closely related to put on the line appraisal and actuarial patterns. Evidence-informed pattern and policy are self-explanatory. They involve the acceptance of evidence-based protocols and utilize local criterions for carry oning societal work pattern and developing organizationally specii ¬?c policies. ( Webb, 2002 ) It has been suggested that evidence-informed protocols feed straight into the practician context to supply guidelines for transporting out EIP. Basically evidence-informed pattern and policy in societal work will imply the explicit and wise usage of current best grounds in doing determinations about the societal attention of service users. This dei ¬?nition is widely used and derived from Sackett et Al. s Evidence-based Medicine ( 1996 ) . A matter-of-fact attack as stated by Sackett ( 1996 ) Has been adopted here, which regards the pattern of grounds as incorporating practician expertness with the best available external grounds from systematic but multiple research methods. The execution theoretical account outlined is the thought that the practice-based procedure begins with the grounds instead than the single or groups of clients. Clearly the application of evidence-informed pattern and policies will be governed by the economic range of societal work bureaus in footings of resources and the development of an evidence-informed substructure. ( Kirton, 2009 ) Sackett ( 1996 ) points out that At a local degree it will besides be dependent on incremental acquisition and accumulative professional development which are likely to be facilitated by the pattern research webs and evidence-based briei ¬?ngs discussed supra. In this essay I have analysed and critiqued two cardinal subjects from the enquiry, deficiency of answerability right through the organisations to the most senior degree and staff non, adequately trained in kid protection. I have besides analysed and critique these subjects in relation to bureau policy, legal demands, research, practician cognition and the voice of the service user. I have linked old enquiries and discussed have we learned any lessons from these enquiries. I identified the failure to implement a legal, ethical and political model to inform current best pattern will. I besides reflected on the deductions of grounds informed pattern and how this will inform future societal work pattern. A shutting quotation mark to complete from the Secretary of State, Alan Milburn ( 2003 ) It has felt as if Victoria has attended every measure of this enquiry, and it has been my good luck to hold had the aid of co-workers whose abilities have been matched by their committedness to the undertaking of making justness to Victoria s memory and her enduring spirit, and to making something positive from her agony and ultimate decease.

Rankle

Rankle Rankle Rankle By Maeve Maddox A reader declares: I rankle Or get rankled when I hear someone, usually, an athlete, is under rated. What does this mean? The question asks about the term underrated, but this post will focus mainly on rankle. First, the verb underrate: underrate: to estimate at too low a value or worth. Ex. Research shows men tend to overrate themselves and women underrate themselves. Further explanation of underrate does not seem necessary. The reader is correct in the observation that the term is frequently used in reference to athletes. For example, a Google search brings up several lists of â€Å"the most underrated sports figures†: 10 Most Underrated Athletes of All Time The 25 Most Underrated Sports Superstars of All Time The List: Underrated all-time athletes 10 of the most underrated sports stars of all time The 5 Most Underrated Athletes The 25 Greatest Underrated NBA Players of All Time Now, to rankle. Taken into English from Old French, the verb rankle initially meant â€Å"to fester† or â€Å"to suppurate.† A wound that rankled was in the process of rotting. Over time, the word has dwindled in figurative use to mean to annoy or to irritate. Rankle conveys a sense of ongoing emotional hurt or bitterness. The verb may be used transitively or intransitively. Here are examples of current use: After less than three months on the job, LePage has already managed to rankle more constituencies with his bluntness than any Maine governor in recent memory.- Deseret News Christie’s Cowboys Support Rankles Some New Jersey Residents- Wall Street Journal My father didn’t get his due. That still rankles.- Shadaab Khan $10 bill change rankles descendant of Alexander Hamilton- New York Times [Rod] Serling was not just another freelancer and he rankled at the perceived affront to his work- Jeannot Szwarc Are you rankled by your cankles? A new liposuction treatment may help- Daily Mail Note: The word cankle is a new one on me. Word flags it as a misspelling. Cankle does not appear in the OED or on the Ngram Viewer, but Merriam-Webster offers a citation from The Philadelphia Inquirer dated 2001 and defines cankle as: a wide, thick, or fat ankle that appears indistinguishable from the lower calf. Cankle is a portmanteau: calf + ankle. As for rankle, It’s a good word to convey a festering annoyance of long duration. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Synonyms for â€Å"Meeting†Hyper and HypoUsing Writing Bursts to Generate Ideas and Enthusiasm

Risk Factors Associated with Adolescent Suicide Essay

Risk Factors Associated with Adolescent Suicide - Essay Example This rising trend, particularly in the 15-19 age group placed suicide as the leading cause of death for males and the third most common cause of death for females. As a result of these figures, suicidal behaviour in adolescents became a major health concern in both developed and developing countries. This paper will review studies that seek to identify risk factors in adolescent suicide. The research will pertain to two dissimilar geographical areas and their social milieu, namely New Zealand (the Beautrais, Drummond, Fortune, Heled, Langford, and Fleming studies) and Korea (the Lee, Park, and Kim studies). Half a world apart, the two countries have recorded rising incidences of suicide and suicide ideation among the children and adolescents in their societies. The aim of this study of both countries is to gain knowledge which would help implement new strategies to reduce the rising suicide figures. The study shall employ the Comparative Social Science Approach as research framework. Theoretical Framework This paper shall employ a variant of the Comparative Social Science Approach, a framework for cross border research projects carried out by international researchers. The framework is one of the several paradigms endorsed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. While this exercise does not employ a network of researchers, for which the framework is best suited, it is however useful in structuring a comparative study across borders, such as this one. The framework entails identification and discussion of the following elements: (1) Identification of criteria in the context of cross comparison and transferability (2) A better grasp of cross-national phenomena (3) Collective learning for the benefit of research for action. The first step indicates that there are varied criteria for research that would be relevant to each country specifically. However, there would also be criteria which would be relevant to both social environment s, and therefore would prove useful in the transference and comparison of information across the theoretical divide. While the first step seeks what are common between the two societies, the second step entails an understanding of the differences between the two settings. An appreciation of the country-specific elements would shed light on the nature of the phenomenon studied – in this case, the incidence and ideation of suicide among adolescents. This understanding would prove invaluable in determining the usefulness and validity of the findings on the basis of the geographical location. Finally, the collective learning gathered should yield recommendations that would prove useful in the preparation of an action plan. Discussion of the academic literature Before applying the framework, the topic of study should first be compared for compatibility. The studies appear to agree that previous suicide attempts are predictive of future suicidal behaviours (Fleming et al, 2007: 214 ), with an important qualification. However, the New Zealand studies tackled the matter of fatal suicides – attempts that had resulted in a death. The Korean studies, on the other hand, dealt with suicide ideation, without information on suicide fatalities. The Kim study refers to an article published by Myers et al (1991) which states it would be inappropriate to generalize results from those who have attempted suicide to suicide ideators and adolescents who have actually committed suicide, as there may be qualitative differences in these groups. The Fleming et al study indirectly supports this theory when it quotes the work of Evans et al (2005) which states ‘few young people who report to have tried to kill themselves may in fact have wished to die, and very few

Employee Relations Killing Time Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Employee Relations Killing Time - Case Study Example has to recognize the talent pool which is available and the government needs to make viable conditions for them to exist and work in the best manner possible. The role of HR thus is to liaison these activities in the best interests of the organization as well as the linkage that it has with the government. This helps the overall mission and vision basis of the organization and helps develop the objectives on a long term basis more than anything else. The need is to realize that talent management can truly play a pivotal role at exploiting the weaknesses present within the prevalent system and look to play upon the strengths which could be drawn from the linkages brought forward by training regimes of the organization helped and facilitated by the governmental ranks. A conflict within an organization can take place due to differing personalities of the employee and the manager or in their attitudes that lead in their linkage with each other. This could also happen due to their norms and behaviors which might not be liked by any one party (person) and thus lead to a conflict of thoughts, ideas, actions and eventual behaviors towards each other. There is a degree of power when we speak of the manager in terms of the same over his subordinate or the employee who is working under him in a direct or an indirect capacity. Different conflict handling styles include avoidance of the conflict in the first place which will ensure that the two persons within the organizational set up remain at peace and understand each other's personalities. Example is that of subordinate not taking harsh words of the manager at all and just adhering to his instructions. The second one is that of accommodating where each of these persons would accommodate the personality tr aits of each other and... This case study refers mostly to Greengard and Byham book, in which authors suggest hiring for attitude. While resumes present degrees, experience and skills, â€Å"they’re only part of the overall picture† The Women & Infant’s Hospital seeks employees who are compassionate, diplomatic, energetic and confident, and Southwest Airlines looks for energy, humor, team spirit, a strong work ethic and self-confidence. These companies do not discover these characteristics on a resume, so they employ â€Å"behavior-based interviews and in-depth analysis of candidates†. The researcher of this case study describes how Southwest gathers a group of job candidates in a room and observes how they interact. They ask them questions that will reveal personality traits. Attitudinal shift must happen within the work colleagues and they must be told clear cut that their work must hold priority over anything else, as long as they are working within the office timings. They must not waste any time whatsoever and commit themselves whole-heartedly towards work and nothing else. This would benefit one and all as well as the organization which must be on the hunt to complement its employees through different initiatives in the name of bonuses, incentives and so on and so forth. The researcher then concluds that there is a serious lesson to be learned from this scenario presented in the case study and all efforts must be enacted by the top regimes within the organization to make sure that the learning has been done in the best possible way.

Is the current law on murder still acceptable Assignment

Is the current law on murder still acceptable - Assignment Example It is more than any rule that is practiced or any law but it’s a complete process of legal frame work. England inherited the law of Wales, therefore when talking about the English Legal System we refer to Wales’s as well. The English Legal system is based on the common law where the judges can carry on the law themselves and the decisions from the previous cases and be made as a part of law. (Gillespie, 2007) The legal system of England and Wales is based on the common law legal system used I Republic of England and in most common wealth countries. United Kingdom is the member of the European Union, England and Wales are constituent countries of the UK. The essence of common law is that it is the judges sitting in courts applying the Law of England. 1.1 CRIMINAL LIABILITY OF A DEFENDENT ACCUSED OF MURDER As explained by Catherine Elliot and Frances Quin in the first chapter (Elliot & Quin, 2012) there are various elements necessary to prove the criminal liability of a m urder. A criminal offence is only possible when both â€Å"Actus reus† and â€Å"Mens rea† are conducted at a time. ... As stated in the English law that a person is innocent until proven guilty. ACTUS REAUS + MENS REA = CRIMINAL OFFENCE (the above diagram shows the elements of criminal offence) In the case of Woolmington v DPP (1935) the defendant had taken a gun to threat his wife (the victim of the case), that he would commit suicide if she didn’t return to him, accidently the gun went off and he was convicted of murder. Hence, it is concluded from this case that although he did it by accident but the murderer had done a criminal offence, with a guilty mind. (Roe D, 2005) 1.2 ACTUS REUS To begin with the study of any case, firstly it is necessary to prove the criminal offence. As talked about it earlier a criminal offence is a compound of both intention and action to commit the crime. Actus reus is the first element of a criminal offence. Briefly and in simple words it means intent, the intention to commit offence. The term is a Latin word meaning ‘the guilty act’. The literal m eaning explains that it is important that a physical action or movement takes place. In the case of R  v Cunningham  (1982), the victim was attacked by the defendant wrongly assuming that victim has sexual relation with his fiance. The defendant repeatedly hit the victim in his head, causing fracture and severe injuries resulting in death in a week. Although the defendant claimed that law of murder should be held to those who intent to do kill but unfortunately the decision was given against the defendant. 1.2.1 IMPORTANCE The concept of Actus reus has been derived from English common law. The principal of this concept is the application of both the elements of criminal offence to call it a criminal act. Any act that is carried on with the intention to harm anyone becomes a criminal act. In the

Expository on Critical Thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Expository on Critical Thinking - Essay Example She said, "Almost 60 percent of the online population under age 17 uses instant messaging, according to Nielson/Net Ratings. In addition to cellphone text messaging, Weblogs, and e-mail, it has become a popular means of flirting, setting up dates, asking for help with homework and keeping in contact with distant friends. Lee also said, "Some teachers see the creeping abbreviations as part of a continuing assault on technology on formal written English. We see and use these types of writing on a daily basis and it doesn’t confuse many people due to the fact that the way our brains process the information we see and read. In â€Å"How to Mark a Book† by Mortimer J. Adler it ties in with critical thinking while reading by showing that a book is never really read until it is written in and notes are taken to make sure that you really understand what you have read. Adler says, â€Å"You know you have to read â€Å"between the lines† to get the most out of anything.† That is just like critical thinking in reading and writing all day long. The more thinking critical that is done the better work will improve over time. Thinking critical can also do wonders in helping you stay alert in writing and reading because the brain is constantly at work processing information that was just read. Adler backs this up by saying, â€Å"First, it keeps you awake. (And I don’t mean merely conscious; I mean awake.) In the second place; reading, if it is active, is thinking, and thinking tends to express itself in words, spoken or written.† The things that Adler and Lee are both talking about are forms of critical thinking in reading and writing. â€Å"The Markers Eye† by Donald Murray is also a form of critical thinking in reading and riding by showing that writers are always looking more into their work the more they write. Murray says, â€Å"When beginning writers complete their first draft, they usually read it through to correct

Decision Making with Managerial Accounting Case Study

Decision Making with Managerial Accounting - Case Study Example In other words, managerial accounting is referred to as the internal business-developing role of finance and accounting professionals who plan, implement and manage the internal systems, which encourage effective decisions, thereby supporting and controlling the value creating activities of an organization (Ioana-Diana, 2014). Managerial accounting is aimed at providing financial and non-financial information to managers, so as to help them make the best decisions. It facilitates effective internal decision making that is primarily focused on planning and controlling purposes. The type of decisions taken by managers depends heavily on the accounting information available to them. Given the fact that financial accounting data does not provide sufficient detail for internal decisions, it must be broken down to further details, regarding individual services and products offered by the company. Not only do managers need to be aware of the cost of a service or product, but they also need the cost information to be broken into intricate details of smaller components, that will enable them to conduct ‘what if’ analysis and thus, predict the future. The types of decisions that managers more often than not are supposed to make are regarding pricing a particular or a group of products, dropping a produ ct or product line, purchase of new resources by replacing the old ones, assessing the performance of managers and divisions of an organization and sometimes, making instead of purchasing a product. Therefore, this suggests that the two fundamental utilities of managerial accounting are planning and controlling. Both the factors mentioned in the statement above help managers to accomplish fluent decision making (UNF, n.d. ). The principal role of managerial accountant is to record financial information within the financial statements of a company, which is utilized by the management team of the organization to

Expository on Critical Thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Expository on Critical Thinking - Essay Example She said, "Almost 60 percent of the online population under age 17 uses instant messaging, according to Nielson/Net Ratings. In addition to cellphone text messaging, Weblogs, and e-mail, it has become a popular means of flirting, setting up dates, asking for help with homework and keeping in contact with distant friends. Lee also said, "Some teachers see the creeping abbreviations as part of a continuing assault on technology on formal written English. We see and use these types of writing on a daily basis and it doesn’t confuse many people due to the fact that the way our brains process the information we see and read. In â€Å"How to Mark a Book† by Mortimer J. Adler it ties in with critical thinking while reading by showing that a book is never really read until it is written in and notes are taken to make sure that you really understand what you have read. Adler says, â€Å"You know you have to read â€Å"between the lines† to get the most out of anything.† That is just like critical thinking in reading and writing all day long. The more thinking critical that is done the better work will improve over time. Thinking critical can also do wonders in helping you stay alert in writing and reading because the brain is constantly at work processing information that was just read. Adler backs this up by saying, â€Å"First, it keeps you awake. (And I don’t mean merely conscious; I mean awake.) In the second place; reading, if it is active, is thinking, and thinking tends to express itself in words, spoken or written.† The things that Adler and Lee are both talking about are forms of critical thinking in reading and writing. â€Å"The Markers Eye† by Donald Murray is also a form of critical thinking in reading and riding by showing that writers are always looking more into their work the more they write. Murray says, â€Å"When beginning writers complete their first draft, they usually read it through to correct

Alienation Theme in Metamorphosis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Alienation Theme in Metamorphosis - Essay Example One day Gregor wakes up to find that he is a large insect with tiny legs that could hardly carry him. His enormous efforts to wake up and catch the next train after missing the normal one do not bear fruit and he decides to sleep. However, he cannot sleep since he is used to sleep on the right side and apparently, he could not turn to that direction. His employer visits his house, which makes him open the door and reveal his real status to his parents and his employer who leaves the house quite scared. From this point, Gregor is isolated form the rest of his family and he keeps to his room where his sister feeds him. He adopts insect features and items are removed from his room to create him enough space to crawl and fly. Every day he eats less, which makes his body very weak. Gregor receives rejection when he leaves his room one last time after hearing sounds of violin form her sister playing for customers. He at last dies and his family celebrates his death (Kafka and Crick 29-44; Kafka web). This paper discusses Kafka theme of alienation through Gregor who is alienated from his job, family, social life, and himself. Alienation from Himself One morning, Gregor woke up transformed into large insect. As he lifted his head he could see his brown belly, slightly domed, and divided by arches into stiff sections. He was so huge such that the bedding was hardly able to cover it and seemed ready to slide off any moment. Gregor had many legs, which were quite feeble compared to the rest of the body and could hardly carry him (Kafka web). This meant that Gregor had ceased to act like a human being and his actions had to change to that of an insect. He is a new man who has to rediscover himself again in his new form and manage the normal life he was used to. Kafka uses transformation from a human being to an insect to depict the highest level of alienation of human beings from themselves. Outwardly, Gregor could fulfil all his obligations most of which included his pare nt’s debts that he had to pay for the next six years. Despite working for the last fifteen years, he is living in his parent’s apartments with no future of himself, no dreams of his own and this is bound to continue for the next coming years. The job is so demanding that he has to leave the house at wee hours of morning, which makes him have not enough sleep. He has no time for himself to relax and do other things that he loves doing (Kafka web). Alienation from his Job Despite working for his company for the last fifteen years, Gregor is not one of the valued employees. Kafka presents him as one devoted employee who has never failed to report on duty for all these years that he has worked for this company (Kafka web). His devotion is because of loneliness that rocks his life due to lack of a woman around him and intimacy he longs for. A picture of a woman on his wall tells it all. However, his transformation has changed things now that he is not a valuable employee. H is current transformation alienates him from reporting to his duties a thing that makes him at loggerheads with his employers. A visit by a chief clerk form the company Gregor is working for highlights further conditions surrounding his work place. Gregor’s boss thinks that he has missed from work because of some money entrusted to him, which is not the case. The chief clerk is a good intermediary