Quality of Life for the Patient and Family Essay

Quality of life has a different meaning for everyone. Many personal thoughts and feelings can come into play when caring for others during the end stages of life. However as a nurse and caregiver, these opinions must be put aside at this significant time. For some health care providers, we may feel that keeping the patient comfortable and having them surrounded by family is most important. However, for the patient, personal culture, lifestyle and value for one self as well as a sense of independence in handling this time alone is most imperative. Therefor a nurse must consider the individual’s past experiences, present lifestyle and personal hopes in which they choose to live in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns at this stage. One must meet not only the physical needs of the patient but the psychosocial demands in this sensitive time of need. Seeking aggressive medical treatment vs. palliative care is something that is very personal and differs from individual to individual. Nurses’ opinions and suggestions of the â€Å"best care† should not be voiced to the patient or family, even if asked directly. For Mrs. Thomas, time also plays an important role. She is young and may have many other worries than those of an older age experience in preparing for end of life. A nurse must consider what areas of life are important to her and what is the relative importance of each of these areas. Personal perception that counting on family support is huge, but may not be possible in Mrs. Thomas’ situation as her children live out of town. STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE The nurse should look at several strategies that directly impact the patient as well as the family. Quality of life not only looks at the health status  the patient but those directly involved in the care of the patient. This encompasses a broader set of planning including finances, housing, and employment. This will have a direct impact on the entire family. Three important strategies that are helpful to relieve overall stress and promote optimal coping skills include: 1) patient awareness of disease process, 2) available support from healthcare providers and 3) addressing physical as well as the psychosocial needs of the patient. Healthcare professionals must be prepared and speak directly with the patient and family when it is determined best to the physician’s ability, that the identified disease of breast cancer will cause death. Advance planning and preparation may be helpful in dying well if Mrs. Thomas is more aware about her status of disease. Physicians and nurses must change the plan of aggressive medical treatments of curing the disease of breast cancer and concentrate providing support and a comfortable well being of the deteriorating disease process. This in turn should provide a plan of care for relief of pain, contentment to the patient and focus on the overall whole being of quality of life. The homecare team can include doctors, nurses, home health aides, social workers, and clergy as well as trained volunteers. Most team members provide on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to deliver support. The patient and family should feel the comfort in calling these resources at anytime. The nurse must remind Mrs. Thomas and her husband that they are not â€Å"bothering† any team member by asking for assistance. The team must always work together and communicate the patient’s goals for end-of-life care. It is important for all to realize this is very individualized for each patient and family member. Each individual strategy should include caring for the whole person physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually. It important for the team to develop strengths based perspectives of psychosocial interventions and listen to what the patient and family have to say to enable them to cope better. In doing so, the team must also communicate on each encounter with Mrs. Thomas and family as well as each other to assure that her and the husband’s needs are being met. HOLISTIC CARE A holistic nursing care plan in valuable in delivering care to the entire person in supporting the physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, social and  environmental needs. With this approach, nursing care needs to move away from viewing Mrs. Thomas as merely a ‘diagnosis’ and treating her as a whole person. Nursing goals should be to develop immediate trust with the patient and family, provide comfort, supportive care, and symptom management. This can be achieved by effective communication and providing a calm, relaxed setting for Mrs. Thomas. Allowing her to speak openly and honestly about her feelings and emotions of grief, physical complaints such as pain, nausea, and difficulty sleeping is a good way to start to develop a trusting nurse/patient relationship. As a nurse, one must be supportive and be willing to listen openly. Once Mrs. Thomas begins to express these types of things, the nurse must review and evaluate every visit to improve specific concerns with her. More importantly, healthcare providers must display an openness to hear new concerns and prioritize the needs of the patient and family. FUNCTIONAL ABILITY Assessments to maintain the self functional ability for Mrs. Thomas should include creating a plan to achieve realistic goals and allow self care as long as possible. This in turn can give control back to Mrs. Thomas, help raise confidence and value her quality of life. Mrs. Thomas’ physical, social and environmental conditions should also be considered to help her care for herself. Discussing the 24/7 availability of visits from registered nurses and social workers, involving family and friends or volunteers that can help with running errands and meal preparation for adequate dietary intake, and discussing appropriate medical equipment to assist with ADLs such as performing personal hygiene can prove to be helpful. PROVIDING ADDITIONAL CARE When self-care is no longer possible, the importance of more frequent nurse and/or social worker visits, and interaction of clergy is valuable. In addition, further involvement of additional family, friends, home health aides or volunteers to assist not only with running errands, meal preparation and assistance with ADLs but being present in the home for longer periods to care directly for Mrs. Thomas becomes more imperative. The nurse can assist in making sure appropriate DME equipment is in the home. In  addition, this turns out to be a time when additional emotional support is of great concern for Mr. Thomas. CHRONIC DEPRESSION Mr. Thomas already suffers from chronic depression and now has to endure immense and continuous stress to care for his wife with advanced breast cancer. Over time this takes a toll his health, ability to work, finances, and their own personal and family needs. Involvement of not only the nurse, but also social worker and bereavement counselor can help Mr. Thomas tremendously. Encouraging him to take his medications will help both him and his wife. Also, reassurance that it is okay to want quiet time and allowing others to help to care for his wife should be verbalized to him in a caring manner. Taking some of the financial worries away from Mr. Thomas may help as well. The social worker can discuss resources that are of no cost from community volunteer organizations and review the reimbursement of covered services from the insurance organization at the beginning and in ongoing care of his wife. Sharing the right information with the patient’s family is very important and can assist in better coping. Again, the home care team must offer an environment that provides the openness to hear all concerns and overall needs of not only the patient but also her family.

A Love Letter

Dear Chanel; In this letter, I would like to express my love for your products. I have always been a fan of just about everything that your company has to offer, but in particular, I love your handbags and your shoes. They have always been a big part of my life and I am a fan for a number of reasons. When compared to other companies out there, it is clear that Chanel makes the finest handbags and shoes on the market.I love your products because they are both stylish and classic. They combine the best of modern style with the old time classic feel that all of your customers demand. When I wear a pair of your shoes or carry one of your handbags, I feel like I am combining the old with the new. I am indulging my tendencies to set new trends, while remaining classy and traditional. This is why I love Chanel and their products. They are just better than any other shoes and handbags that you will find out on the market.I love Chanel shoes because they always feature the newest style. They are always setting trends and looking to do new things that other companies have not been able to do before. When I go out in a pair of Chanel shoes, I know that people are going to turn and look. I like that about their shoes.I love Chanel handbags for the same reason. While they are trendsetting and they stay up with the times, they still allow me to look as classy as I possibly can. This is a really cool part of wearing Chanel products. They make all of the other companies out there look silly.

Criminal justice Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Criminal justice - Thesis Example There have been a number of issues however that have been raised when dealing with medical experimentation especially when the test subjects are human beings. This has to do with medical ethics and the right of going about seeking test subjects as well as the process of the experiments themselves. One of these issues is the matter of using prisoners to conduct medical experiments on various diseases such as AIDS and Hepatitis C when seeking cures. The argument behind the use of prisoners for the conducting of medical experiments in these areas is the fact that there is a higher prevalence of these diseases in the prison populations as compared to other groups and thus it is generally a convenient approach whilst seeking test subjects (Epstein, 2009, pg38). However, it has to be considered whether it is right to use prisoners as guinea pigs for medical experiments, or is it a type of discrimination on the part of the medical researchers (Tauber, 2005, pg18). This subject can be said to have both pros and cons when put into, and the issue is if the pros outweigh the cons considerably enough to win the day. There are a number of advantages to be considered by using prisoners as test subjects for new drugs to combat these diseases. These advantages have to do with the situation at hand and the potential positive outcome should the drugs be successful. They include: Situational advantage – Prisoners are in a position where they reside in a controlled environment and thus this would make it easier for researchers to ensure that the test subjects are placed in a conducive environment for the conduction of the research (Lakhan et al, 2009, pg 12). For example, this is to say if the subject is not supposed to take any alcohol during the test period, this would not be a problem as they have no access to any liquor. Since the test subjects are all located in one area for the entirety of the test period, observation also becomes a simpler process as

Commerce Bank Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Commerce Bank - Case Study Example The weakness is the staffing challenge, which will be solved with training more internal workers to curb the emerging trends. The visible opportunities are evident in the New York market where competitors rely on deposits and loans instead of service provision. Commerce bank offers the typical retail banking transactions with a different touch to impress their clients and build a strong reputation in the industry. For instance, the bank ensures that customers have access to their services for longer durations, spanning 12 hours daily. This initiative is to enable the clients receive quality services in all the branches countrywide. Headquartered in the Southern New Jersey, Commerce bank has stores in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New York (Francis & Research Associate Corey Hajim, 2006). Another strategy that makes the bank exceptional is their freedom and experience when handling customer problems and the routine gifts offered to new clients. This enabled the bank to receive more deposits than their competitors, which increased profit margins and liquidity ratio. The bank also grew its customer base through aggressive promotional strategies such as branding roadway kiosks, free customized hot dogs and through the help of vendors. Currently, it offers high market share and a large customer base across the country, which is a competitive advantage. Commerce bank faced the challenge of recruiting the best employees for their jobs. As a result, organizational culture and philosophy were important aspects in determining the best employees. The bank should aim to hire professionals who understand how to handle customers with experience and decency. It is also tricky to acquire the services of experienced workers on a full-time basis since they are already absorbed in other sectors (Francis & Research Associate Corey Hajim, 2006). The company manages its affairs pertaining to both internal and external environments. For instance, in the SWOT analysis, Commerce

Reflective paper on Baldridge principles, organizational issues, Assignment

Reflective paper on Baldridge principles, organizational issues, personal and organizational learning - Assignment Example The Baldridge criteria are a results oriented and proven management techniques that feature on the characteristics of organizations that do very well. Whether in the education sector, healthcare, security or business organizations, the Baldridge process importantly helps ensure that organizations that use this model are kept accountable, are managed in a sustainable manner, are properly aligned, improved, rewarded, recognized, while also immensely helping with the organization’s recruitment endeavors. In truth, there are a myriad of different approaches of organizational and personal improvement and management, but the Baldridge criteria stands solidly apart. For one, unlike other approaches, this process offers an improvement framework that is non-prescriptive. Additionally, the techniques are all-inclusive and integrated, addressing all the factors involved within the organization, its workings and outcomes. Moreover, the brilliance of the process resides in its focus on common needs of the set-up, rather than on benign aspects such as techniques, tools and procedures. The technique addresses the desires of all the stakeh olders in an organization and is essentially adaptable and accommodative to various organizational and personal practices and needs. The criteria of the Baldridge allow for organizations to conduct self-assessment and gives insightful feedback to users. The criteria also assist in enhancing the performance capabilities, practices and results while further facilitating proper communication methods/ techniques within the organization. Not only do the Baldridge criteria focus on improving the organization, but it also focuses on personal (individual) learning within these settings of application. This is significantly contributed by its core values and concepts which strongly advocate for visionary leadership (that demands the setting of proper examples from leaders so that ethical behavior, values and expectation are reinforced even as

Iraq and afghan veterans Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Iraq and afghan veterans - Research Paper Example The emotions and images of war may remain in the souls and minds of returning soldiers for decades or even lifetimes after the wars. This is usually due to a fundamental reshaping of important human characteristics, especially those related to the soul. The characteristics include â€Å"how we perceive; how our minds are organized and function; how we love and relate; what we believe, expect, and value; what we feel and refuse to feel; and what we judge as good or evil, right or wrong† (1). As a way to deal with the emotions and images of war that still linger in the souls and minds of returning soldiers, most of them suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD) and engage in substance abuse. This paper is a discussion on the effects of war on returning soldiers, with a particular focus on Iraq and Afghan veterans. The use and abuse of substances such as alcohol and narcotics for most soldiers usually begins with the beginning of military life. Ruiz and Strain point out that â€Å"the armed services have experienced problems with alcohol abuse from the earliest days of military service, in part because heavy drinking has been an accepted custom and tradition that continues today† (926).To this day, military outlets sell alcohol beverages at reduced prices. On top of this, alcohol is part of the work culture in the military as it is used to encourage camaraderie and unit solidarity, ease interpersonal pressures and reward hard work. Just like alcohol, illegal drugs or narcotics and nonmedical prescription drugs have been used by soldiers to help cope with panic or boredom, increase alertness and reduce fatigue, as well as to reduce pain from wounds. The use and abuse of these substances have over time been discouraged in the military and policies have been developed to help eliminate the problem. According to Ruiz and Strain, â€Å"urine tests, which are conducted randomly or when an individual is suspected of

It is Practitioner Journal Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

It is Practitioner Journal Article - Essay Example Young children transform materials during play, observe and comment on the results. Pre-school teachers can make preschoolers have a strong desire to experiment and learn more about maths. They can offer developmentally suitable resources and opportunities to help preschoolers appreciate maths. The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics helps kindergarten kids describe shapes and space as well as represent, relate and operate whole numbers in a set of objects. Preschool teachers have many chances of helping children develop their understanding of shapes and space. According to Hannibal (1999), pre-school maths helps children make sense of the world around them. It further helps them to reason and solve problems. In preschool, shapes support teaching and learning if used effectively by the teachers. This article endeavors to shed light on how shapes can be used to teach preschool children mathematics. To enable the children learn teachers use various strategies. I read information about shapes to children and asked the child to read along with me. Reading about shapes to children helps the teachers to know how much the child knows about shapes (Sarama & Clements, 2009). Through reading about shapes to children, they can recognize and name shapes such as square, triangle, circle or a rectangle. The child knew the rectangle, the triangle, the square and the circle. However, the child seemed not to know the shape of a diamond and the oval. The child asked, â€Å"How does a diamond look like†? I responded â€Å"a diamond has six sides†. The child asked again, â€Å"are all the sides of a diamond equal?† I responded â€Å"you can choose to have them equal or unequal†. Then the child asked â€Å"Is oval the shape of an egg?† I replied â€Å"Excellent! It looks like an egg.† The child was able to characterize the shapes by their properties. Further, the child was very amused at the realization that shapes could be associated with things they interact with on

Article #5 Joy in School by Steven Wolk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Article #5 Joy in School by Steven Wolk - Essay Example Coming up with new things gives a student sense of importance. They become empowered and given a chance to experience how demanding invention is (Wolk, 2010). Teachers should provide space in school and exhibit students’ original work. They can decide to place photographs of students against their work. A student comes up with ideas and teachers help to design and develop them. School space should be welcoming and lively. They give a feeling of freedom to learn than boredom and rigidity (Wolk, 2010). Students should have free areas where they can read from and discuss. They should be colorful to set in a vibrant and joyful sight. Students should be allowed to spend some time outdoors and interact with nature. Going for recess and having outdoor classes set them in a jovial mood. Reading of excellent books like story books gives joy to students since they are not too serious books. Arts and gym classes should be considered as valuable as the other classes. Students have different talents, which can only be realized if given a chance. Assessment in school should be made more friendly experience (Wolk, 2010). Students should be helped to learn that failure is part of

Analysis of The Friends with Benefits movie (Interpersonal Essay

Analysis of The Friends with Benefits movie (Interpersonal Communications) - Essay Example Friends with Benefits is a movie about a New York based head-hunter, Jamie, attempting to sign Dylan, an individual based in Los Angeles, for her client. When Dylan accepts the job and makes the move, he rapidly becomes friends with Jamie. The friendship turns into a relationship with benefits. Nonetheless, Jamie has an emotionally dented past and Dylan has a past of not being emotionally available. This makes both Dylan and Jamie not to attempt to fall for one another. In addition, both Dylan and Jamie terminate their relationships with their loved ones, both of them promising to remain out of emotional engagements. When Jamie employs Dylan to manage the art department of GQ in New York City, and she is the only individual Dylan knows in this area, they make a decision of becoming friends with sexual gains. The friends with benefits relationship between the two works properly until Jamie has an encounter with a pediatric cardiologist who might just be her match and Dylan asks her to accompany him to Los Angeles to celebrate thanksgiving. This illustrates a number of signals because Dylan may be perceived as being jealous of the doctor or Jamie may be sending new signals in the path of Dylan. (Bradshaw, 2011). This paper will analyze the movie, Friends with Benefits, and analyze five concepts learned in class in relation to the movie, providing clear descriptive examples from the movie of those concepts. The essay will discuss the concepts of self-disclosure, identity management, perception, emotions and interpersonal conflicts, and how they relate to the movie. Self-disclosure refers to both the subconscious and conscious act of providing extra information regarding oneself to other people. This may entail, but is not restricted to, dreams, thoughts, fears, feelings, successes, aspirati ons, failures, goals, favorites, dislikes, and likes. Characteristically, a self-disclosure takes place when an individual at the outset meets another person and continues as the individual develops and builds their relationship with another person. As people get to know others, they reveal information about their selves. In addition, if an individual is not eager to self-disclose, the other person may also not reveal information about themselves too. For example, in Friends with Benefits, on a night when they are at Jamie’s apartment watching a romantic film, both share information regarding the issue of relationships and sex. After self-disclosure, they both conclude that sex should not be accompanied with extreme emotional attachment (Bradshaw, 2011). Identity management is a continuous process which contains three associated phases. They include the trial stage, the enmeshment stage, and the renegotiation stage. The trial stage takes place at the start of a relationship w hen individuals are starting to explore their differences and willing to attain a balance for the sake of the relationship. For example, when Dylan is timid to move to New York, Jamie spends the evening taking Dylan around New York so as to expose him to the city and its opportunities. The enmeshment stage sees the emergence of similar features. For example, both Dylan and Jamie agree that sex should not have emotional attachments. Finally, the renegotiation stage sees individuals tackle identity concerns and using their past in attaining this. For example, Dylan’s father tells him to go after Jamie if there is an opportunity to save their relationship and not let a similar thing happen to him as it did to his father (Bradshaw, 2011). Perception is the method by which a person becomes conscious of events and objects in the external world. It may be affected by primacy-recency. A person’s tendency to give extra significance to what appears first may lead a person to see what corresponds to this judgment and to misperceive or distort any contradiction. For example, Jamie finds out that Dylan may be leaving his job for another one before the

Policy making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Policy making - Essay Example The country has been trying to resolve and reduce use of fossil fuel. This has led to debates among leaders on invention of a renewable fuel source like ethanol. Scientific criticism is diverse as it focuses on external instrumentalization process of science and technology in economic, political and military spheres. It also focuses on the internal academic structures where questions on social relevance that is grounded on causality and reductionism. Furthermore, solutions about the social problems are also analyzed. A scientific approach like use of ethanol is accepted if the outcomes of the process are ethical: it is less harmful as compared to other fuel sources. Hopes can be drawn to science if the values and the epistemological foundations attached are beneficial to the citizens. For instance, production of corn in U.S has increased from one third to five billion bushels between 1990 to 2010. This is an economic improvement thus earns more profit to the locals. Human activities such as deforestation have negatively affected production of corn. Furthermore, climatic conditions such as drought also affect corn production. Thus, ethanol production from corn is non-renewable; it means that corn production also reduces. This has directly affected the level of ethanol produced. This has led to food shortage in Mexico due to the depleted corn. Furthermore, increase in production of ethanol, leads to pollution and degrades agriculture. This has led to enforcement of environmental policies to curb production of ethanol. In addition, ethanol production is affected by the market trend. Due to the high demand of ethanol, it has forced many ethanol users to participate in the business. This is due to the less environmental effects that ethanol has to the environment. It is also estimated that the price of gasoline is about $0.9 per gallon due to the presence

Othello is a play about jealousy Essay Example for Free

Othello is a play about jealousy Essay Othello is a play about jealousy, Iagos innate jealousy and the imposed jealousy of Othello, discuss. Othello is a Shakesperian tragedy in which the valuable qualities of the favourable characters are manipulated against them in such a way that their own qualities catalyse their own downfall. At the start of the play all is well between the honest Othello and sweet Desdemona until Iago slowly poisons Othellos mind until it cumulates in a bloody and murderous finale. Shakespeares plays are well renowned for their examination of human emotions through drama, Romeo and Juliet examined the nature love, Hamlet examined the characteristic of having a weak mind, and both of these plays revealed the dangerous aspects to extreme feelings. Othello is a play that also explores the destruction that human emotion can lead to, and this essay shall consider the proposition that Othello is a play about the emotion of jealousy and its consequences. Iago is the first cause of all the trouble in Othello. His apparent motive for wanting to oust Cassio in favour of himself is his belief that Cassio is less fit and capable of the position of lieutenant than he. Nor the division of a battle he knows More than a spinster, unless bookish rhetoric, Wherein the togged consuls can propose, As masterly as he. Mere prattle without practise In all his soldiership. Iago, Act I, scene I. The harsh sounding pr sound in the alliteration in Iagos speech suggests his anger at Cassios appointment. This idea is later supported when Iago goes on to declare he cannot feel love for the Moor, as he feels Othello picks officers out of favouritism. Iago feels hard done to by Othello, and the combination of these revelations indicate that Iago is jealous of Cassios new position and contemptuous towards Othello for giving it because he wanted the position for himself. He may also feel jealous because he is considered less favourable as a person to Othello, because he scorns Othello picking his lieutenant out of favouritism. It is these feelings that rouse the desire for revenge on Cassio and The Moor inside Iago, and cause him to plan the fall of his superiors. Jealous people are never happy with others fortunes and therefore can only be happy when others are misfortunate. Therefore, it is possible Iagos desire for destruction is spurred by his jealousy. Due to the fact Iago is the root cause of the tragic result of the play, the point that Othello is about Iagos innate jealousy seems to be well made because it is jealousy which first inspires Iago to bring misfortune to those he views to be better off than himself. Iago is not only jealous of Cassio, but also jealous of Othello. Similarly to the jealousy he feels for Cassio, Iago is jealous of Othellos respect and fortunate position. However, there is also evidence that Iago is jealous of Othellos relations with women. He believes that his wife has been unfaithful to him with Othello and this would rouse jealousy and contempt. And it is thought abroad that twixt my sheets Hes done my office Iago also finds Desdemona very attractive, and perhaps reveals he wants her for himself, although Iagos precise motives are never revealed in the play. Now I do love her (Desdemona) too; Not out of absolute lust, through peradventure I stand accountant to as great as sin, But partly led to diet my revenge For I do suspect the lusty Moor Hath leaped In my seat Act II scene I line ~280 This speech can be interpreted as either meaning he loves Desdemona because he can use her as a tool in his revenge against the Moors behaviour with his wife, or perhaps interpretted as Iago admitting he wants Desdemona for himself- and his justification of this feeling being that Othello had Emilia. Either interpretation concludes that Iago hates the moor because of jealousy not only on the grounds of status and position in the army, but also in terms of women too. The idea of Iagos innate jealousy of wanting Desdemona for himself would explain his behavoir of disregard for Desdemonas feelings in conspiring misfortune for Othello. Iago sees her as a whore, And Ill warrant her, full of game Iago Act II scene III line 19. And this treatment of devalueing is similar to that of someone you want for youself and cannot have1. He is jealous of Othellos relationship with her, and thus his hatred extends to her because he feels that Desdemona should love him and thus he not only wants Othellos position, but to destroy the love he has with Desdemona because he is jealous of it. Iago would not have gone beyond his plans to simply eliminate Cassio if he had not felt passion for Desdemona, his actions to ruin her stem beyond military position. Another idea as to why Iago plans to eliminate Cassio and Othello is that of Coleridges suggestion of motiveless-malignity. The idea that Iago was not exactly jealous but just gained pleasure from seeing others miserable is, in my opinion, is a stronger idea than that of Iago acting because of jealousy alone. There is evidence to suggest that Iago was not jealous of Othello supposedly having sex with his wife, but just saw it as more reason to hate him. Iago did not hate Othello because of this- but as well as this- and this suggests that Iago had no real reason to hate Othello, but his evil character enjoyed the pleasure of seeing a great man fall. I hate the Moor And it is thought abroad that twixt my sheets He has done my office Act I scene III line ~385 The use of AND in this speech suggests that Iago hates the Moor through separate reasons than the issue of his wife. Iagos treatment of Roderigo and Desdemona in the play also suggest that Iago is just an innately evil person rather than someone corrupted by innate jealousy. Roderigo and Desdemona have complete faith in honest Iago, and he abuses their trust and incorporates them into his plans regardless of how he may hurt them as individuals. O good Iago, What shall I do to win my lord again? Good friend, go to him Desdemona to Iago Act IV scene II line ~147 He has no reason to be jealous of Roderigo and Desdemona and yet he hurts them anyway, so this suggests Othello is not just about Iagos innate jealousy, but his evil ways. He knows the trouble he is causing, and indeed uses dark imagery to express the enjoyment in the pain he creates. I havent. It is engendered. Hell and night Must bring this monstorous birth to the worlds light The darkness in the language and the imagery of hell he uses indicates a dark cruel side in Iago and the playful romantic imagery of his evil plans proves he retracts enjoyment out of it without guilt. If consequence do but approve my dream My boat sails freely both with wind and steam. I believe getting so much enjoyment out of their misery is a point against Othello being about Iagos innate jealousy because jealous people tend to act irrationally. Iago methodically plans his actions. However, the fact Iago is so bitter could also have hardened him over the years. He seems to be jealous of anyone who is valued favourably, and resentful to anyone who values someone else more highly than himself. In this way I am of the opinion that the play is very much about Iagos innate jealousy transforming him into a bitter man who derives his only pleasure in life from seeing people who could be happy turn miserable. Iagos tragedy is perhaps that he can never be happy himself and so spends his life making others miserable with motiveless-malignity. However, in the book Seven, a serial killer says I took it away because I envy your normal life detective, so it seems that envy is my sin having killed his victims he admits he wishes he could be normal. Jealousy and envy are closely interlinked, so if a serial killer who kills helpless victims even prefers to die because of his jealousy of normal happy people, then the fact Iago shows no remorse perhaps wagers that Iago did not primarily act out of his jealousy but lust for causing pain. Othello is very much in love with Desdemona at the start of the play, he feels his soul bound to hers and has complete faith and trust in her. His soft language is almost like poetry and reveals his gentle nature. Oh my souls joy! If I were now to die, Twere now to be most happy; for I fear My soul hath her content so absolute That not another comfort like to this Succeeds in unknown fate Othello is an old black man and Desdemona is a beautiful young Venetian girl, in Shakesperian times this would have been considered a very unconventional marriage and people would have looked down on it, at the time, black people were only associated in England with Slaves. The play, however, shows that true love in any circumstance can over power social integrity. In the beginning of the play, their relationship is very solid despite the troubles that they had to go through to be accepted, however Iago poisons Othellos mind into becoming a jealous monster. Desdemona originally speaks of Othello as if he is beyond jealousy My noble Moor Is true of mind, and made of no such baseness As jealous creature are. Desdemona Act III, scene IV. Therefore, when Othello is finally corrupted by Iagos slowly dripping trickle of evil lies and ideas, it is a shock to Desdemona to see her husband so callous. The play is about how Othello changes from one man into a completely different one, and the cause of this is jealousy. Thus I can say that the play is about Othellos imposed jealousy. As Othello spends more and more time with Iago, he becomes almost in Iagos possession. At the beginning of the play, Othello has a musicality in his words, and speaks with such beauty and power. Amen to that, sweet powers! I cannot speak enough of this content It stops me here; it is too much of joy. His references are to God and Christianity, and he talks of sweetness, joy and contentment. Later, however, the imagery he uses in his speeches changes completely. Shakespeare uses imagery in language to portray the personalities of characters, and thus, a change in Othellos speeches indicates a change in personality. Damn her Lewd Minx. O damn her, damn her! Come, go with me apart, I will withdraw To furnish me with some swift means of death For the fair devil. Now art thou my lieutenant Act III, scene IV. The imagery he uses here is that of darkness and hell. These are similar to Iagos imagery repetition of hell. Shakespeare makes a connection between Iagos hellish imagery and Iagos possessing of Othello. Witchcraft in Shakespeares time had more social stigma attached to it than in 2002 Britain, therefore, Shakespeare was making strong linkages between Iago and evil, stronger than how we would interpret it today. The almost hellish possession of Othello by Iago leads to the end result, and thus the imposed jealousy of Othello by Iago is a main part of what the play is about. Psychologist Emma Goldman states on jealousy: Jealousy, the contortions of which we see in the matrimonial tragedies and comedies, is invariably a one-sided, bigoted accuser, convinced of his own righteousness and the meanness, cruelty and guilt of the victim. Jealousy does not attempt to understand. Its one desire is to punishas severely as possiblehonour is restored as soon as blood is shed, either that of the man or the woman. From the archives of the New York public library. This description is essentially what Othello goes through and basically summarises the play. Othellos imposed jealousy is different to Iagos innate jealousy because while Iago appears to be jealous of people who merely have the capacity within them to be happy, Othello appears jealous of Cassio and suspicious of Desedemona because he genuinely thinks they do him wrong. This can lead to the interpretation that Othello was never indeed jealous. Coleridge believed that Othello was indeed not jealous. Let me repeat, that Othello does not kill Desdemona in jealousy, but in a conviction forced upon him by the almost superhuman art of Iago, such a conviction as any man would have entertained who had believed Iagos honesty as Othello had Notes on Othello, Coleridge Coleridge is saying here that Othello was not jealous of Cassio, or unnecessarily suspicious of Desdemona, but in fact just severely hurt. Iago is repeatedly referred to as honest throughout the play, and even his own wife Emilia did not suspect him of such evil acts. Therefore, because Othello is such a believing and trusting person, he had no element within himself that questioned the honest Iago, with whom he was on first name friendly terms with. Othello was not jealous when he killed Desdemona, but in fact felt it was the only way in which he could regain his respect. In Shakespearian times, the man whose wife was unfaithful would be labelled a cuckold. It was a huge public disgrace to the man as well as an emotional strain, and Othello, being proud, did not take this well, thus he killed the woman he loved not out of jealousy, but out of solemn agony. Without Desdemona, and with the knowledge that someone he loved so deeply had betrayed him, Othello felt in despair. Look where he comes. Not poppy, nor mandragora, Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world, Shall ever medicine thee to sweet sleep Which thou owedst yesterday Iago of Othello Act III scene III, line 329. In this way we can see that Othello is not just a play about jealousy, but it is also a play about trust and deception. Othello should have believed Desdemona but the seemingly honest Iago used everyones good traits against them, and caused the bloody mess single handedly. To conclude, Othello is perhaps a play about the innate jealousy of Iago, however, I am left unsure about the precise motives Iago has. I tend to agree with Coleridge, that Iago is motivated simple by the direst cruelty, although there is substantial evidence, such as his behaviour towards people who seem happier than himself, that Iago suffers from innate jealousy aswell. The play to me, seems to be more about mistrust, and the tragedy that Othello believes Iago over his wife. The fact Othello is so quick to doubt both his love and his best friend also suggests that Othello has a weakness in character judgement and solidarity of emotion. However, Iago was a very intelligent manipulator, and had luck on his side, to create a catharsis of emotion which drives Othello to kill his beloved, and how Iago manages to do this, is essentially what the play is about. It leaves the open question for me, that did even Shakespeare not know exactly what drove Iago, did the writer have doubts, or was he just unable to convey such a complex character within the confines of a play. 1 It is a psychological theory that if someone/something you love is unreachable, your mind will automatically begin to devalue them to ease the pain of not having that person/thing. It is easier to accept a whore does not love you than to accept a genuine pure girl does not love you.

How the misrepresentation of war and conflict can lead to a false view of events

How the misrepresentation of war and conflict can lead to a false view of events Introduction In June 2009, it was announced that there would be an Inquiry looking into the Iraq War, and the United Kingdoms involvement within it (â€Å"About the Inquiry†, 2009). The Chilcot Inquiry aimed to cover the period between the summer of 2001 and the end July 2009, looking at not only the run-up to the conflict, but also the period during, and the outcomes after measures had been taken. Its aims were set to find out the legality and legitimacy of the conflict (Hirsch, 2009), and how it was presented to the public, prior to engagement. There has been much debate over whether what the public are presented with is as truthful as it states to be. Whether it be giving a cleaner depiction, with exaggerated sophistication, or â€Å"inflated claims† (Meacher, 2010, para. 2), such as the ‘weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, it can be debated that a fair representation is somewhat hard to find. The purpose of this dissertation is to look at how conflict can become misrepresented via the media. It aims to look at the various ways that the media communicate the conflict to the public, and how it poses itself as a watchdog, supposedly working as the publics eyes and ears, as well as giving them an outlet via which their ‘voice can be heard. Whilst one initially thinks of war as a brutal and life affecting situation, more recent war seems to leave most western citizens relatively untouched, and therefore, perhaps less informed. What little they may know tends to be gathered via television or print media, and tends to somewhat be taken quite literally as the ‘way it is. Chapter one brings together these ideas, and explores how the news present conflicts to its audiences. The dissertation then goes on to address the problematic representations that have occurred, and looks at how news can be manufactured for audiences, depicting situations in differing ways to how they are really occurring. It also looks at the idea of propaganda, and the negative and positive ways in which it can be used. This second chapter also addresses the Abu Ghraib situation, and how such a horrific situation can by-pass the media, and perhaps be covered-up. The media however, proved to play a positive role, informing the public of the situation, bringing them into the loop. Other elements which must be addressed is alternative representations. From documentary to video games, people now often use media which originates from conflict as a form of entertainment. Whether it be to inform themselves further, in the cause of documentaries, or to entertain and ‘participate, the media enables audiences to approach the idea of conflict from other angles. This is therefore why it is vital that such genres be addressed when looking at the representation of war and conflict. Chapter One: The Media; Our Eyes and Ears and Voice? When considering how most people get their news and current affairs information, most tend to trust and favour certain institutions. They trust these sources to deliver them accurate and truthful reports. Few people would question their favourite institutions ability to do so, or would question the validity of the ‘stories, consuming them as factual information, and would rarely think beyond it. As discussed by McChesney and Nichols, ideally, the media is supposed to â€Å"serve as a stern watchdog over those in power and those who want to be in power† (McChesney Nichols, 2002, p.24). This supports the idea that the media can be used to aid a countrys citizenship, helping those who do not have power to have a voice. Without the media, the public would find it hard to be heard, so they need to have the media on their side, likewise, the government must have the support of the media to influence the public (Katz, 2009, p.200). But whether the media really honours its role as ‘watchdog is questionable. When considering the media, particularly in relation to reporting conflict, it seems somewhat unlikely that a completely fair and accurate representation, to all audiences, could occur. The BBC, according to Aitken (2007, p.8), is thought of as one of the most trustworthy places that one can gather news and information. This could be due to a sense of ownership in which the UK public feel (via the license fee), or due to it being the most historically established. Either way, nationally, and internationally, it has become a trusted organisation. Zelizer and Allan even argue that, particularly post September 11, the BBC has become an organisation that the American public trust to deliver what they see as more extensive information. In comparison to US media representations, the BBC â€Å"provided a much more in depth approach, [] along with [a] ‘blunter attitude† (Zelizer Allan, 2002, p.12) . According to Aitken, (2007, p.2), the BBC does have a duty under its Royal Charter, in order to maintain the license fee, that it must not be biased or favour views. This may indicate why it is seen as a more trustworthy source of information. However, as questioned by Aitken, it may be seen as the BBC holds people and organisations to account, but â€Å"who holds the BBC to account?† (Aitken, 2007, p.2). Particularly, when as Aitken suggests (2007, p.20), the political opinion within the organisation would be formed by those working within it. As Navasky discusses, â€Å"journalism, the flow of news, information, and ideas, is the circulation system of our democracy, the way we find out whats what. It is based largely on journalism that we make up our national mind† (Navasky, 2002, p.xiii). The medias influence over the public is tremendous, especially as it may be the main influence over many of ones beliefs. It therefore shows that there is a sense that the media should be aware of its power, and should therefore be regulated in such a way that it does allow diversity of representations to occur. As Doyle asserts, it is vital that there is a number of â€Å"different and independent voices, and of differing political opinions and representations† (Doyle, 2002, p.11). However, as Aitken continues, journalists report using their own views, and may do so completely unintentionally. However, when many journalists within an organisation are of similar beliefs, it could be hard for them to realise they may be bia sed. This is an â€Å"institutional deformation, invisible to the people working there, unless you were one of a small minority who happen to take a different political view† (Aitken, 2007, p.20). When considering journalism of attachment, it is easy to see where one may be unable to stand neutrally. As it is a â€Å"journalism that cares as well as knows† (Bell, 1998, p.15), the journalist is increasingly likely to be more emotionally entwined with the story, and therefore may find it harder to stand in a non-biased position. As Ellis addresses (1998, p.167), moral responsibility often takes over when journalism becomes closer to the victims. Emotion is a powerful tool used by the media, it can help to draw in an audience, and get them following along. According to Boltanski (1999, p.5), there must be sufficient contact between the ‘victim and those who are ‘fortunate for one to be able to connect with the victim or ‘unfortunate.   Despite this though, as Boltanski (1999, p.27) states, the two groups actually mean nothing to one another. Therefore, it is believed that the emotional effect of such reporting is relatively short lived for the audience consuming. Bystander journalism however, seems to be the more idealistic approach that media organisations may favour, if wishing to be non-biased. This form of journalism is more concerned with factual elements of war. This is a less biased approach, as it tends to report an overall representation via factual elements. It allows audiences to walk away without feeling an attachment or moral obligation. Whilst audiences may tend to favour this form of reporting as more accurate, it can cause problems. According to Sanders, there is â€Å"a time to be passionate and a time to be dispassionate† (Sanders, 2005, p.43). As he continues, this approach to journalism allows a â€Å"more truthful depiction of the horrors of war† (Sanders, 2005, p.43). It may give a more accurate reading into the devastation (on paper), but how one interprets that information though is where the problems occur. If one is not given the chance to physically see the devastation, it is hard to really understand. Therefore, by dispassionately reporting, one may lack the emotional tie, and get a cleaner depiction of what is ‘intended to be communicated. Whilst one may feel they understand the situation, they are only being told facts, and whether they can really translate these into reality, is problematic. If one does not get the full picture, including the emotional and social impact that such a war may have over others, it is an unfair representation. Economical and statistical figures only tell so much, and do not communicate a reality. As Nichols and McChesney discuss, we â€Å"dont see the reality of war† (Nichols McChesney, 2005, p.v). Although this is in reference to the US press and public, it could be applied to any countries depiction, according to the countries own national belief, even if not to the same extent. â€Å"War is the most serious use of state power: organised, sanctioned violence† (Nichols McChesney, 2005, p.37). It is therefore a serious issue if one is not being given the chance to see the reality of a conflict, and the arguments behind it. It is all very to have a vague understanding behind a conflict, via information received from the media, but many audiences may take this information too literally. They may not look beyond the information offered, and may take the medias chosen narrative as a truthful and fair depiction, without questioning why the media has taken that particular angle. As discussed by Aitken, it is about â€Å"constructing ‘narratives which give the audience a coherent framework within which to judge current developments† (Aitken, 2007, p.17). But as Aitken continues, most people consume and trust one narrative, despite there being many other competing versions of the same situation, which may be a more accurate representation. Narratives give audiences a platform to work on, and a basis to which they can base their beliefs. If however, there are many competing versions a situation, as Aitken suggests (2007, p.17), this demonstrates the various views that a broadcaster may possess. It would be hard for a broadcaster to deny their biases, particularly when there are other similar reports of other viewpoints. No one can truly asses a situation fairly without viewing every angle of the situation, not only from the home governments wished depiction, but also from the ‘enemies depiction. This draws onto another point. Due to the technology of today, audiences are now able to access news instantly as situations are occurring. They are led to believe this gives them a bigger picture. It is also a good position for the public to be in, as they are therefore able to access the same information as others, and are less likely to be misled. This however can be problematic for controlling bodies, particularly in relation to conflict. â€Å"Leaders must be prepared to handle the rapid pace of global communication and to avoid serious policy mistakes deriving from global televisions demands for a fast and effective response† (Gilboa, 2005, p.24). They have little time for preparation, and therefore have to be somewhat careful in what they say, and aim to be somewhat vague, to give them the ability to be able to change their angle later if necessary. Videophones have also proven problematic for those reporting via the media. Whilst they can â€Å"empower journalists [], documenting the effects of battle while capturing a dramatic but information-rich account of war† (Livingstone, Bennett Robinson, 2005, p.34), they can display more than a chosen government may have wished audiences to witness. However, it must be recognised that even with such resources, reporters are often not actually at the ‘frontline, and are still some distance from the actual action, and therefore may only have the details which they may have been given by officials. It may also vary with the type of people which they are surrounded by, i.e. civilians or the military. Another issue to discuss when considering reporting a conflict is where the information reported has been obtained from. Reporters are often â€Å"given access to a steady and predictable supply of information that is typically provided by official government sources† (Livingstone, Bennett, Robinson, 2005, p.34). This therefore, shows that the information may not be directly from the source, even if we are led to believe so. It therefore may not be the full bulk of the situation, particularly when the government is the middle man, as it may wish to represent its own view. If the government is passing the information on, they are able to edit the information into a situation that compliments their desired standpoint. Why would one wish to humiliate or inflate problems for itself when it is unnecessary to do so? This therefore raises the question of whether we should be in fact more concerned by what we are not being shown, rather than what we are. This process of eliminating a nd censoring news via gatekeeping is a way of ensuring only ‘newsworthy subjects reach the public, whilst other things they deem unnecessary, do not. The reporting of the 1990-1991 Gulf War can demonstrate where a lack of information was relayed to the public. During the conflict, the public were given a cleaner depiction, and were under the impression that bombs dropped were precise and accurate. However, â€Å"after the war it was revealed that in fact only 7 per cent of bombs were ‘precision or laser-guided weapons† (Philo McLauglin, 1995, p.149). Throughout the conflict, there was an obsession around the sophisticated weapons that were being used, which could now be seen as somewhat misleading. As cited by Philo and McLauglin (from The Daily Mirror), â€Å"The world watch in awe yesterday as Stormin Norman played his ‘home video revealing how allied plans are using Star Wars technology to destroy vital Iraqi targets. Just like Luke Skywalker manoeuvring his fighter into the heart of Darth Vaders space complex, the US pilots zeroed into the very centre of Saddam Husseins Baghdad† (Philo McLauglin, 1 995, p. 149). Such an article would give a very unfair representation of the real effect, but this may not be clear to audiences until after the situation has taken place. Surely therefore, this misleading of the public could be seen as a form of propaganda? As Rosenfeld suggests (2007, p.70), it may be necessary to represent events in certain, perhaps biased ways, as this should encourage support and patriotism within the public. Today one may assume that due to our knowledge and understanding of propaganda, it is less likely to happen to us. But as a victim of propaganda, would you really realise you were being subjected to it? According to Edward Bernays, propaganda is seen as a vital tool for societies. â€Å"Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are together as a smooth functioning society† (Bernays, 2005, p.37). Essentially, propaganda is â€Å"the establishing of reciprocal understanding between an individual and a group† (Bernays, 2005, p.161). So if as Bernays suggest, propaganda is needed to obtain a joint understanding within a group, this may indicate why it may be used by governments to persuade t he public to join their beliefs, in order to get a desired outcome. This can show why, it is essential that certain representations be presented to the public, however inaccurate or biased they may be, to create an alliance of beliefs. This would also support the idea behind over-emphasising the sophistication of war and cleanliness, in order to maintain support. As you can see from this chapter, the media are there as our eyes and ears, feeding us information, but also serves, as a watchdog over government and other elite bodies. Also demonstrated is how the media have a great responsibility when reporting, due to their persuasiveness, and the fact that the public can be easily manipulated, and often follow and gather their national belief via what the media feeds them. It shows how ones understanding of a situation may differ depending on how it is reported. If reported using emotions, it may create a different perception to if it was reported factually, even if the factual representation, on paper, gives more information. This gives a good basis upon which to discuss why such reporting takes place, and how it may benefit those in power. It also raises the questions around what is not being shown to audiences, and what happens when the media or government are shown to have been untruthful. Chapter Two: Censorship, Deceit and Propaganda As discussed in Chapter One, it can be somewhat confusing to consider the various ways that the media can present particular views. As suggested previously, it is thought that they do so consciously, but other views suggest that it is often unintentional. Whilst aiming to appear open, they often present a marginal view of the information they themselves are aware of. It therefore must be questioned why such actions are implemented, rather than presenting as much as possible, and why particular views are manufactured for audiences. Ellis (1998, p.170) considers the lack of information reported about a conflict to be incredibly important. The national security of a country could be jeopardised if one were to report everything occurring, on both the front line, and the tactical decisions behind it. As Ellis continues, it is thought that the media coverage of the Vietnam War was partially to blame for the conflicts failure. It is thought that â€Å"television coverage critically sapped the support of the American public† (Ellis, 1998, p.170). As this was the first war that was able to be broadcast ‘live, the problems were unforeseen, and therefore led to a problematic position for the government. Whilst the government was saying one thing, images shown were undermining their words, subsequently making the government appear somewhat untrustworthy. This, therefore, would show that it is necessary that the media and its coverage of a conflict should be censored and paid close attention to, so that support is maintained by the public. But, if censorship is in such a way that it helps the audiences to form a chosen opinion, effectively, this could be seen as propaganda. As Bernays states, propaganda is â€Å"the conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses† (Bernays, 2005, p.37). But, also adds that it is important for democratic society, and without which, it would be hard for one to live harmoniously, especially if everyone was of differing opinions. Therefore, presenting a situation in a particular way should help society to form a joint understanding. For example, when thinking in relation to Iraq, the main reason for intervention was due to supposed ‘weapons of mass destruction. If the public understand the threat, they are more likely to consent. As demonstrated durin g the ‘Iraq Enquiry, when it was discovered that there were no weapons, the public support was threatened. It therefore is essential that the politicians defend what they have formerly said, just as Alistair Campbell has demonstrated, defending their statements as not misrepresentative (â€Å"Alastair Campbell defends†, 2010). As Bernays reiterates â€Å"We are governed, our minds moulded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of† (Bernays, 2005, p. 37). Therefore, whether it is government who we have chosen, the military, or other leaders that we have not, this would support the idea that our feelings about conflict are generally dictated to us. So, as it would appear, sometimes the restriction of coverage may take place when it is not entirely necessary. As Ellis addresses, during both the Falklands War in1982 and the Gulf War of 1991 â€Å"citizens were prevented from learning information which in a democratic society, they had a right to know† (Ellis, 1998, p.170). This seems particularly unfair, as citizens were unable to witness the real war that was being fought in their name, paid for by themselves. Since technology developed though, it would appear that censorship has become more necessary. As discussed in the previous chapter, videophones and correspondents worldwide enable audiences to access the action, at a much closer distance than previously (Livingstone, Bennett Robinson, 2005, p.34). This gives an impression to audiences that there is nowhere to hide, and they may believe what they are seeing is a fully representational true account, rather than the edited snippet that it really is. This kind of opinion, of knowing more, does not take into account that there are plenty of other journalists who are not as close to the action, or those who are closer to it, who may wish to protect the interests of those surrounding them. As previously stated, there is always fear that public support may be jeopardised, which is why on occasions there may be a haze over what is reality, as well as what is fabricated truth within the media. When one is able to ‘witness war from multiple angles, from multiple genres, and even witness it live, it creates public curiosity. Especially since problematic representations of previous conflicts have been reported, the public fight harder to know the truth, so they no longer have the wool pulled over their eyes. They want to ensure the war fought in their name is a war which they support. Particularly, when considering the fact that many nations are bound together as ‘one for the purpose of the media, forgetting the fact that there are many cultures, viewpoints and faiths with differing opinions. The public need the media to take on their role of ‘watchdog, and need it to marshal what is taking place beyond their vision on their behalf. The media, therefore, it seems has begun to honour this role more greatly. In 2004, the media brought us evidence of what is referred to as Abu Ghraib. It was revealed that some Iraqi detainees had been subjected to torture and other physical abuse. According to Miles, an Al-Jazeera cameraman, who was mistakenly arrested for a crime he did not commit, found out that â€Å"torture was still standard in Americas principle military detention centre in Iraq† (Miles, 2005, p.326). According to Miles, as the time of the accusations against the American military, â€Å"few in the West believed their stories at the time, probably because they were Arabs, perhaps because they worked for Al-Jazeera† (Miles, 2005, p.326). The US government and military repeatedly denied the accusations, â€Å"Donald Rumsfeld has described Al-Jazeera as ‘consistently lying, [and] accused the network of causing ‘great damage and harm in Iraq by continuously broadcasting wrong and inaccurate information, impairing what the coalition forces [were] trying to achi eve† (Miles, 2005, p.327). As Miles describes (2005, p.328), it was US officials that were angry, believing that such allegations would fuel Iraqi hatred against the West further. At the time, the officials may have not known of the occurrences, but it cannot be ruled out that they had no knowledge of it. This demonstrates an example whereby the American media were feeding the public with false information, whether it was intentional or not. If it was intentional though, it would have been in favour of government, who would obviously not want to be painted in a bad light. It was not until the New Yorker magazine published evidential pictures of the abuse that it was uncovered and believed, and finally admitted to be the truth (Miles, 2005, p.328). However, this is not where the only problem lies. Since then, it has been debated whether or not all of the images should be released for the public to view. One the one hand, it is believed that the images should be realised due to the fact that it was the American citizens own troops causing the offences, under the American name, whilst others believe it could potentially cause further harm. According to a report, â€Å"Obama said he believes release of the abuse photos would incite hatred against American troops† (Alberts, 2009, para. 4). This again brings up the subject of national security. Understandably the release of such images during a time of conflict could incite further hatred, but due to freedom of information, what right do officials really have to withhold them? Surely if one is to fully understand war, they must have the full picture, however horrific and problematic it may be. If the images are not fully released, is there a reason behind this other than prot ecting our conscience? What is being hidden? Could it be contributing to part of a ‘cover-up, with fear of something more sinister than what we already know being revealed? If therefore, officials had known about the situation (prior to it being confirmed), yet it had not made its way to mainstream media, this is misinforming the public, giving them a one sided ‘clean account of their position in the conflict. By never witnessing the faults of ones own government, one cannot really claim to know. Even by withholding the images, it does not allow the American and Western democratic public a clear view as to what is really occurring under their name. Particularly as it is ‘our men, who are normally painted as positively heroic, committing such horrific offences. This sort of behaviour by the media and government causes other problems too. Conspiracy theories to try and help explain other supposed reasonings behind war and decisions made by government begin to emerge. It helps give a new blame figure, and is perhaps fuelled by paranoia and suspicion (Knight, 2003, p. 20). As Knight asserts, conspiracy theory may put â€Å"forward the idea that sometimes people at the very centre of power might create (or perhaps just cynically promote) a popular outburst of demonology in order to further their own political schemes. This view is sometimes known as the elitist theory of moral panics, because it suggests that the elite deliberately fuel moral panics in order to legitimate repressive measures that would otherwise be unacceptable† (Knight, 2003, p.20). When the public begin to doubt their own government, feeling they are being fed propaganda, it is obvious they should want an explanation, so may turn to conspiracy theories as an alternative and comfort. For example, the documentary The Conspiracy Files (Rudkin, 2010, January 10) demonstrates how one may begin to become suspicious. It claims that a video of Benazir Bhutto talking after her first attempted murder was edited to exclude a statement she made about Osama Bin Laden. The version it claims the BBC presented cut out this section, for no apparent reason, so it is questionable as to why it was censored. A further example where the Western governments fear of what could be revealed via the media was demonstrated in October 2009 (Gray, 2009, October 25). Lance Corporal Joe Glenton was a soldier once serving in Afghanistan, who now faces a court martial and has been arrested. He claimed that he had â€Å"witnessed sights during his time in Afghanistan that forced him to question the morality of his role† (‘Soldier arrested, 2009, para. 8). Alike him, many other documentaries and interviews with ex-soldiers seem to unveil similar situations, where soldiers have a different picture of the war than the media have led the public to believe. The sanitization that takes place in the media is a view which soldiers alike Corporal Glenton would like to set straight. Glenton began to get the medias attention when he spoke at an anti-war demonstration that called for the British troops to be brought home. He claimed that many of the soldiers and demonstrators believed that it was not longer justifiable to have troops in the Middle East, and was trying to raise public awareness of this. This particular story came at a time when the public in both the UK and America were starting to doubt whether the war was really getting anywhere. Jeremy Corbyn MP is quoted as stating that the â€Å"war in Afghanistan had no clear war aims† (â€Å"Britons believe ‘Afghan war is failing†, 2009, para. 15). He also states that it is now â€Å"the time to change policy and bring the troops home to prevent Nato involving itself in a Vietnam style quagmire† (â€Å"Britons believe ‘Afghan war is failing†, 2009, para. 17). With such stories and statements emerging in the media, it does cause the public to question why the media and government would not present the ‘full picture. Especially when thinking about how the US media is less open about situations than the UK and other countries media (Zelizer Allan, 2002, p.2). Previously, it was easier for a government to deny that they knew about a situation, but technology has now taken this advantage away, making it impossible not to know. However, as Zelizer and Allan argue, the media may be used in such a way that it helps the public. â€Å"Journalism plays a key role in moving whole populations form trauma to recovery† (Zelizer Allan, 2002, p.2). It can therefore help to unite a nation, regardless of differing backgrounds, and help them to work together, particularly through traumatic times like conflict. With this view, it would seem that the US in particular may have needed such treatment. As the targeted nation in the 9/11 attacks, the y may have required more help than other nations to come to terms with the situation, as well as needing ‘encouragement in the right direction, and perhaps protection from the truth.. However, there is no doubt that this is a form of propaganda, as it does not demonstrate a clear communication of all the information one would need to make a fair judgement in order to make a justified opinion. This may demonstrate why the American citizens have trusted foreign institutions such as the BBC for increased information, as previously addressed The media also tend to emphasise violence and negative features of the enemy in order to justify the conflict in hand. Today, â€Å"terrorists have been given a voice† (Liebes Kampf, 2004, p.78). Since technology has greatened, other views, beyond just violence, have been represented. Interviews and arguments have been appearing in the media, with direct responses from the ‘enemy. Despite perhaps this being a positive thing, it can be used by government and the media to paint their own picture. They do not have to show everything, and can edit it as they desire, as previously discussed with the Bhutto footage. Another clear example is in the Joint Forces military publication. It has a dismissive attitude when discussing anything anti-American. It even addresses the problems of ‘foreign propaganda. It gives a sense of heroism, stating that via the American efforts in the war on terror, that they will â€Å"enable populations misinformed by censorship and other impediments to hear the truth† (Dailey Webb, 2006, p.46). It does not take into account the use of their own propa

Impact of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX)

Impact of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) Sarbanes-Oxley Act In the aftermath of the post-boom financial scandals in the U.S., Congress revised significantly federal securities laws and ratified the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in 2002 (SOX). As noted by Coffee (2006, p. 16), the intent of the new legislation was to â€Å"protect the integrity of financial reporting by redesigning the network of institutions and intermediaries who served investors in order that the capital markets would not be systematically deceived again.† SOX imposes several changes to the governance and regulatory environment in the U.S. including, (1) heightened disclosure, (2) separation of analysts from underwriters, (3) requiring attorneys to report crimes or fraud without delay, and (4) requiring senior management to personally certify their corporations’ quarterly financial results. In addition, audit committees were given enhanced powers, with a new quasi-public self-regulatory system put in place. Some observers have concluded that the overall impact of SOX is beneficial as a consequence of improved transparency and disclosure, with heightened monitoring providing better control of agency costs. Indeed, a governance metrics international survey (GMI) claims that U.S. companies have gone up to the top of an international comparison of corporate governance standards, leave behind the U.K. The report suggests due to SOX and similar reforms, the performance of large U.S. increased by over 10%. However, opponents of SOX have argued that the costs of compliance are excessive. For example, a survey of corporate board members by Korn/Ferry International estimates that the costs of compliance average $5.1 million, while Parsons Consulting estimates that costs average $12.28 million for 70 British headquartered businesses. (Lorne N. Switze, 2007)The annual survey of Foley Lardner LLP suggests that the costs associated with SOX are particularly onerous for small and medium-sized companies, with smaller firms lacking the requisite compliance infrastructure. Adherence to Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 (Management Assessment of Internal Controls) is deemed in their survey to be the most problematic, with estimated compliance costs ranging from $350,000 to $1 million to assess and document the scope, adequacy, and overall effectiveness of the internal control structure and procedures. According to the most recent Foley Lardner survey, since the enactment of SOX the average cost of comp liance for companies with under $1 billion in annual revenue has increased more than $1.8 million to approximately $2.9 million, representing a 174% overall increase. (Lorne N. Switze, 2007)The U.S. Government Accountability Office also has suggested that small businesses’ costs for implementing the disclosure requirements of SOX rules are disproportionately higher than large firms. Recently, the high costs of compliance have been alleged to the impetus for several international companies to delist from U.S. exchanges. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act is the single most significant piece of legislation embracing corporate governance since the U.S. securities laws of the 1930s. At the forefront of this legislation, is the intent to restore public confidence and interest at a time when there was an avalanche of corporate scandals. The cost and financial cost of implementing the act will, no doubt, be significant. Two-thirds of IT executives surveyed explain that future investment in financial technologies is targeted to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (Strempel, 2004). A recent study indicated the average cost of being publicly traded for a company with less than $1 billion in annual revenue shot up $1.6 million due to this act. There is ground swell of objections to the acts implementation. However, the effort to restore public confidence and interest is priceless. Of interest is that despite the swelling of complaints by companies concerning the burden imposed by the act, 56% of a recent survey explained that they do not track and report internally on the costs of Sarbanes-Oxley and other compliance programs (Sri Forum Limited, 2003). The act is an attempt to restore public confidence that corporations have squandered away. A responsibility of public research is to inform the public to the diverse issues that surface. The advantages and disadvantages need to be discussed at length. A significant impact of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is to make the board of directors more inquisitive of various items that are presented to them for approval. (Joseph J. Riotto, 2007)Historically, items presented to board of directors might have been a simple â€Å"rubber stamp.† Now, board of directors need to be aware of the ramifications of their approval. Recently, the percentage of chief executive officers who were forced out by their boards rose significantly. In fact, on average, directors are now spending 50% more time each month than before on their responsibilities (Prentice, 2005). In short, it raises the visibility of procedures for corporate accountability. There is mounting speculation that the act has decelerated corp orate mergers and acquisitions. One rationale is that the due diligence process for acquisitions could conceivably be lengthened because of the directors taking their responsibility more seriously. In addition, an effective compliance program can mitigate the amount of a criminal fine imposed under the acts guidelines; improve processes to eliminate criminal opportunities; establish requirement for corporate adherence to the act; and promote good corporate citizenship. As far as the state and local government sector is concerned, it might be in their best interests to further investigate and be proactive. Balancing the needs and expectations in this area is ideally done before it becomes a strict requirement. Compliance to the act is costing firms significant amounts of time, professional fees, and other resources (Beasley and Hermanson, 2004). Congress determined that the public interest is best protected by, not less regulation, but more regulation of corporate policy and governance. From the governments viewpoint, success is not measured solely by the bottom line, but by the optimization of public interest. A centralized corporate governance approach has been emphasized. The act has endorsed the Commission to promulgate such rules and regulations, as may be necessary or suitable in the public interest or for the safety of investors, and in furtherance of this act. The passage of time might be the true test of the effectiveness of the act. Corpor ate fraud is essentially the product of the morality and ethics of management. (Joseph J. Riotto, 2007) To Conclude, One of the criticisms of SOX is that it overly burdens small-cap firms. The net benefits of SOX in the form of increased accountability of managers to act in shareholders’ interest outweigh the costs of increased disclosure and compliance. On the whole, the SOX support the substitutability of governance mechanisms for small-cap firms. Some sub-optimal deployment of the endogenous governance mechanisms is observed. Firm leverage is inversely related to performance. Laws are implemented so that they are followed; however, there will always be those that look to circumvent the law. In short, the act is recognized as a dynamic document in the sense that additional rules can be implemented for the betterment of the public interest. References Beasley and Dana R. Hermanson, Effective Compliance Programs in the Aftermath of Corporate Megascandals. Insights: the Corporate and Securities Laws Advisor, Englewood Cliffs NY 18 (5) (2004), pp. 12–18. Coffee, 2006 J. Coffee, Gatekeepers: the professions and corporate governance, Oxford University Press, New York (2006). Joseph J. Riotto, Understanding the Sarbanes-Oxley Act next term—A valued added approach for public interest, Critical Perspectives on Accounting, September 2007 Lorne N. Switze, Corporate governance, Sarbanes-Oxley, and small-cap firm performance, The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Volume 47, Issue 5, December 2007, Pages 651-666 Prentice, 2005 R. Prentice, Student guide to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Thomson Publishing (2005). SriForum Limited, 2003 Sri Forum Limited. â€Å"Sarbanes-Oxley almost integrated into corporate governance strategy† NY. July 2003. Strempel, 2004 D. Strempel, Companies pay price for Sarbanes-Oxley, Fairfield County Bus J 43 (June 24) (2004), p. 11.

History Of Space Exploration :: Space Exploration Essays

In our history many great things have happened. We have been inventing and exploring things since day one. Many of these things that we discovered or invented we thought would never be possible in earth's life time. But they exists now, today, they are used by almost every human being and there are many more incredible and unmanageable things to come and aid us in every day life. One of the most interesting things to me would fall under exploration and inventing. You are about to venture in to the history of space and learn how man and mans objects have gotten there. The exploration in space dates back over 40 years ago, January, 31 of 1958 to be exact. On this date Explorer 1, which was the first U.S. satellite to be fired in space and its unknown, to orbit earth. It lifted off from Cape Canaveral using a modified Jupiter-C rocket called ABMA-JPL. It carried a scientific experiment of James A. Van Allen, and discovered the Earth's radiation belt. Along with defeat and triumph also come disappointment and failure. In March 5 of 1958 Explorer 2 was launched by another Jupiter-C rocket and failed to reach orbit. October 1, 1958 NASA was founded, taking over existing National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics and only ten days later U.S. - IGY space probe was launched to a incredible height of 70,700 miles. On March 3 of 1959 Pioneer 4, an U.S.-IGY space probe is launched by a Juno II rocket, and achieves an earth-moon trajectory, passing within 37,000 miles of the moon. It then fell into a solar orbit, becoming the first U.S. sun orbiter. About a year later Tiros 1 was fired into earth's orbit and became the first successful weather satellite for the United States. Then on August 18 of the same year, 1960, Discoverer XIV was launched and became the first U.S. camera-equipped Corona spy satellite. On July 14, 1965, They U.S. Mariner 4 returned the first close-range images of Mars. The above paragraph explains some of the earliest satellites, spy satellites, and probes that were sent into space to explore the unknown and the "Impossible". May 5 of 1961 Mercury Freedom 7 carried Alan B. Shepard, Jr., who was the first U.S. astronaut in space, in a suborbital flight. This United States' first manned space flight project was successfully accomplished in a 4 2/3 year period of dynamic activity. During this time they saw more than 2,000,000 people from many major government agencies and much of the aerospace industry and combined their skills, initiative, and experience into a national effort. Also during this 4 and 2/3 period six other manned space flights

Essay --

Brady Fletcher Mrs. Stone Advanced English III 12. Dec. 2013 Robert E. Lee America has had many people that have made a positive difference to this nation by showing perseverance and putting others first for the greater good for the cause. People from low levels of society and from high levels of society have contributed to change this to become great. Robert E. Lee and his family did not enjoy fantastic wealth (â€Å"American Experience†). Robert E. Lee had an impact on this nation from the military standpoint. He had many difficult choices and decisions to make, like to stay with Virginia or to lead the Union Army. Lee served his country with everything he had. He fought on the battlefield, and commanded troops to victories and defeats. Lee never complained about the situation he was in or gave up when the going got tough. How did Robert E. Lee’s successful military career affect his life and how is he considered a prominent figure in American history? Lee didn’t grow up in a real wealthy family although his family held a position in Virginia’s ruling elite. His father Henry Lee, also known as â€Å"Light-Horse Harry,† was a cavalry leader during the Revolutionary war. Like his father, Robert E. Lee also took the military route when he enrolled in the Military Academy at West Point where he rapidly grew in ranks and graduated second in his class of 1829 (â€Å"American Experience†). After graduating from West Point Lee took the job as an officer in the corps of Engineers, where he supervised and inspected the nation’s coastal defenses. Lee did this for 17 years without having any experience on the field of war. All of this would change very soon for Lee when he would finally set foot on the battle field in Mexico in 1846. Lee r... ...uch to defeat. Lee has had many ups and downs during military career. Because of this, people look to Robert E. Lee as a very good man. He showed loyalty, dedication, and relentless pursue for victory. He truly is a person that you can model your life after and learn some valuable life lessons from him. His courageous and brave lifestyle should be recognized as a prominent figure in United States history. Lee taught people what it meant to be a true American dedicated to make this nation be as good as it can be. He also faced many tough decisions in war whether it was to attack, retreat, or to surrender. Although people make tough decision every day of their life, they don’t compare to the decisions that Lee had to make. Lee’s decisions lead to the death of soldiers in a winning or losing effort. Also his decisions made an impact on the United States. Essay -- Brady Fletcher Mrs. Stone Advanced English III 12. Dec. 2013 Robert E. Lee America has had many people that have made a positive difference to this nation by showing perseverance and putting others first for the greater good for the cause. People from low levels of society and from high levels of society have contributed to change this to become great. Robert E. Lee and his family did not enjoy fantastic wealth (â€Å"American Experience†). Robert E. Lee had an impact on this nation from the military standpoint. He had many difficult choices and decisions to make, like to stay with Virginia or to lead the Union Army. Lee served his country with everything he had. He fought on the battlefield, and commanded troops to victories and defeats. Lee never complained about the situation he was in or gave up when the going got tough. How did Robert E. Lee’s successful military career affect his life and how is he considered a prominent figure in American history? Lee didn’t grow up in a real wealthy family although his family held a position in Virginia’s ruling elite. His father Henry Lee, also known as â€Å"Light-Horse Harry,† was a cavalry leader during the Revolutionary war. Like his father, Robert E. Lee also took the military route when he enrolled in the Military Academy at West Point where he rapidly grew in ranks and graduated second in his class of 1829 (â€Å"American Experience†). After graduating from West Point Lee took the job as an officer in the corps of Engineers, where he supervised and inspected the nation’s coastal defenses. Lee did this for 17 years without having any experience on the field of war. All of this would change very soon for Lee when he would finally set foot on the battle field in Mexico in 1846. Lee r... ...uch to defeat. Lee has had many ups and downs during military career. Because of this, people look to Robert E. Lee as a very good man. He showed loyalty, dedication, and relentless pursue for victory. He truly is a person that you can model your life after and learn some valuable life lessons from him. His courageous and brave lifestyle should be recognized as a prominent figure in United States history. Lee taught people what it meant to be a true American dedicated to make this nation be as good as it can be. He also faced many tough decisions in war whether it was to attack, retreat, or to surrender. Although people make tough decision every day of their life, they don’t compare to the decisions that Lee had to make. Lee’s decisions lead to the death of soldiers in a winning or losing effort. Also his decisions made an impact on the United States.

The Underrepresentation of Women in Academic Leadership in the United S

The literature review for this study examines various researches imperative to understanding the context, nature, and extent of the problem of underrepresentation of women in academic leadership in the United States. Gender inequality still exists in leadership positions in U.S academia; â€Å"women are still struggling to be at the leadership table despite the progress the U.S. has made in recent times through the process of eliminating discrimination in the workplace† (Lapovsky & Slaner, 2009). The review also pulls resources from literatures dealing with assessing the root causes of underrepresentation of female Leaders in the United States, with regards to employment discrimination, societal roles etc. From this review, some notable topics emerged that pulls an in depth analysis of the various factors that influence the underrepresentation of women as leaders in the United States academia. Consequently, research has shown that the number of female presidents have not chang ed in the last 10 years (Lapovsky & Slaner, 2009). Keywords: women and leadership, Academic Leaders, US Academia, Leadership Characteristics. Are women underrepresented in leadership role in the U.S Academia? A Literature Review A report written in the American Association of University Professors, states that as women pursue academic leadership advancement, the lower the percentage of women in higher leadership roles become. For instance, the representation of woman in leadership roles are as follows: Fifty percent of women are lecturers and instructors, forty six percent are represented in Assistant professor positions, thirty eight percent and twenty three percent are college presidents (ACE, 2007). Furth... ...rative literature review: Guidlines and examples. Human Resource Development Review, 4(3), 356-367. doi: 10.1177/1534484305278283 Kiamba, J. M. (2008). Women’s activism for gender equity in Africa, women and leadership positions. Social and cultural barriers Due Billing, Y., & Alvesson, M. (1989). Four ways of looking at women and leadership. Scandinavian journal of management, 5(1), 63-80. doi.10.1300/J111v32n03_08 Fernandez, J. Race, (1998). Gender and rhetoric: The true state of race and gender relations in corporate America. New York: McGraw Hill. Recruitment, retention, and professional development of women faculty a report from the academic issues subcommittee of the provost's committee on the status of women. Informally published manuscript, John Hopkins University, Maryland, USA. Retrieved from http://www.jhu.edu/news_info/reports/womenfac/report.html

Compare Contrast Paper

W. B Monday October 1, 2012 Compare / Contrast Essay The differences and similarities between Ramayana and Gilgamesh are very noticeable. In my opinion Ramayana and Gilgamesh are like water and wine. While they both fight battles and they are both important people in their home lands, they have totally different ways of going about life and totally different views on their power as king. â€Å"To bad as well as good, to all, A generous man compassion shows; On earth no mortal lives, he knows, Who does not oft through weakness fall. †- Ramayana.This quote to me means that all men are equal, one must show compassion towards all things because no matter what journey we take we all come to the same end. Like Gilgamesh, Ramayana was also born into a very wealthy family and destined to become king of his empire. However, unlike Gilgamesh, Ramayana was a very noble and kind hearted ruler. Ramayana was respected and loved by his people who all knew he would one day make a great king. Gilgamesh on the other hand was already king and abused his power. Instead of being a great ruler and looking out for his people, he only thought of himself.Gilgamesh made his people work very hard, and to be even worse he raped the brides on their wedding nights. â€Å"I have peered over the city wall, I have seen the corpses floating in the river’s water. So too it will come to pass for me, so it will happen to me†¦ Since no man can avoid life’s end, I would enter the mountain land and set up my name. † – Gilgamesh This quote I think best describes Gilgamesh and shows just how selfish and arrogant he is. He sees the pain and sorrow of his people and realizes that no one escapes death but instead of trying to help them out he tries to figure out a way to become immortal.Gilgamesh and Ramayana both go through battles that show their strengths. However, Gilgamesh goes searching for his battles and Ramayana’s battles are brought upon him. After being banished from his kingdom Ramayana goes to live in the forest with his wife and brother. They live in harmony and peace until the evil demon king Ravana takes away Ram’s wife Sita in revenge for Ram having disfigured Ravana’s sister. This event brings out the warrior in Ram and he goes to the end of the world to save his love. Gilgamesh’s battles are very different. They are merely battles he seeks to show off how powerful he is.Gilgamesh unlike Ram does not know what love is or how to love someone until he meets Enkidu, who is his soulmate, his equal. Gilgamesh and Enkidu both set of on journeys together to conquer evil and help Gilgamesh find immortality. In the end of his journey Gilgamesh looses Enkidu as a punishment from the gods and never reaches immortality the way he hoped, he does however turn in to a much nicer person. Ramayana on the other hand fights the battles that he is obligated too, saves his wife and also saves other prisoners of his evi l opponents. In the end he goes back home and takes back his place as the king of his empire.Ramayana and Gilgamesh though living similar lives are two very different people. A kind hearted and peace loving Ramayana only fights when he has no choice and has always known the importance of his people and his family. Where as a cold hearted, and evil Gilgamesh has to experience pain and sorrow before becoming a nicer more contentious person. All the power that Gilgamesh has makes him think he is better and above all on the other hand all the power that Ram has does nothing to him he is always a kind hearted individual. Both Ramayana and Gilgamesh end up becoming immortal in that their legends live on.They both believe in the power of the gods and that they are very important. Except Ramayana respects the gods and Gilgamesh thinks so highly of himself he believes the gods are on his side because of how strong he is until he learns the hard way that he too can be punished. The stories of Ramayana and Gilgamesh were very similar in that they both had life journeys, battles and other difficulties to overcome. The epics also show just how different both characters are even though they live through similar life events and end up the same.. dead but immortal through the passing of their stories.

What Is a Data Warehouse

Question 1 What is a data warehouse? What problems does it solve for a business? A data warehouse is a place where data is stored for archival purpose, analysis purpose. Usually a data warehouse is either a single computer or many computers servers tied together to create one giant computer systems. Data warehouse solve a lot of problems to companies as it helps to structure files and avoid unnecessary duplication of data.Data warehouse also allows to easily updating data and encourages management to regard data as a resource that must be properly managed just as any other resources. Question1B What do you see as the benefits of using a web-like browser to access information from a data warehouse? The benefits of using a web browser to access information from a data warehouse is that it allows users to have access to different search engines and opens up different links with the relevance key search. Some results will be more complete than others as they have different ways of indexi ng websites.Using a web browser to access information from a data warehouse is also useful as the links give you access to images and videos which interact users but can also slow down the logon level of speed operations meaning that the data warehouse is accessed at a fast speed. Question2 The SAP system is a collection of software that performs standard business functions for corporations. Here are some applications developed by SAP for consumers use, they are regrouped into categories of utilities[1]. Financials applications The SAP Financials applications contain all of the functionality needed for enterprise-wide financial management. These include: Financial Accounting (FI), Provides a complete financial accounting solution, including income statements, balance sheets, journals, ledgers, and all areas of financial accounting. †¢ Enterprise Controlling (EC): Assists in controller tasks. †¢ Capital Investment Management (IM): Assists finance organizations in their capi tal investments and tracking. †¢ Controlling (CO): Assists the controller organization. †¢ Treasury (TR): Assists with transactions related to the U. S. Treasury. Human Resources applications †¢ Personnel Administration (PA): Assists with all areas of personnel administration, including applicant tracking and personnel history. Personnel Development (PD): Assists with training and educational status of employees. These systems handle all of the mundane HR tasks, such as personnel and payroll, and also a number of more esoteric HR functions, such as seminar and convention management. Logistics applications The SAP Logistics applications include SAP's most popular modules. †¢ Materials Management (MM): Manages raw materials, inventory, and all aspects of goods manufacturing. †¢ Production Planning (PP):Offers sophisticated tools for planning large production environments. General Logistics (LO): Manages logistics for companies that require large-scale deployme nt of goods and resources. †¢ Sales and Distribution (SD): Manages the inventory and distribution of finished goods. †¢ Plant Maintenance (PM): Manages the resources required for large manufacturing plants. †¢ Quality Management (QM): Captures and maintains quality control for manufacturing environments. †¢ Project System (PS): Assists with the scheduling of project tasks and interdependencies between tasks. ;; Oracle is the leading company in a leading software development and provides usiness with systems and information with reliable, secure, and integrated technologies[2].These software’s include: †¢ Agile Link-to-SAP XI: Agile Product Collaboration provides a comprehensive solution to manage bill of material (BOM), item, and engineering change order (ECO) data necessary for product content collaboration across the manufacturing supply chain. †¢ Oracle Communications for SAP RM-CA Manage: SAP RM-CA Manager integrates the BRM billing platform with SAP Revenue Management–Contract Accounting (SAP RM-CA), a revenue management system that SAP offers to the telecommunications industry Siebel Connector for SAP R/3: The Siebel Connector for SAP R/3 supports both synchronous and asynchronous transactions across application boundaries. The resulting consistency of data provides efficient coordination between front and back-office operations. †¢ Oracle Business Intelligence Applications (BI Apps) are prebuilt BI solutions that deliver intuitive, role-based intelligence for everyone in an organisation that enable better decisions, actions, and business processes.Based on best practices, these solutions enable organisations to gain greater insight and value from a range of data sources and applications including Oracle E-Business Suite, PeopleSoft, Siebel, and third party systems such as SAP. †¢ Imaging ; Process Management (I/PM), part of the Stellent assets, provides organizations with a scalable solution focused on process-oriented imaging applications and image-enabling enterprise applications.With I/PM, organizations can quickly integrate their content and processes directly with Oracle and other third party enterprise applications, such as EBS, PeopleSoft Enterprise, JD Edwards Enterprise One and JD Edwards World, Microsoft Business Solutions, SAP, Lawson, and Baan. Here are the advantages of these two very competitive companies in the industry of enterprise application software reported by Eweek[3]. Oracle advantages |Control of the Oracle database | |Without data, enterprise applications are little more than empty containers.As the Oracle database platform evolves, it is | |becoming the data management system for enterprise applications. | | | |More open environment | |Oracle has done a better job of embracing Web- and Java-based application development paradigms that are familiar to a broader| |number of developers. | | |Customers relationship management | |Due to its acquisitions of Siebel and PeopleSoft, Oracle has a deeper knowledge of business processes, driven more often than | |not by front-end CRM (customer relationship management) applications. | | | |Middleware | |Oracle isnt that much better than SAP in this category, but at least Oracle has recognized its weakness in the middleware area| |enough to try and acquire BEA. | | |Mid market channel | |Oracle has a stronger history in the channel than SAP, and, as such, has a better ability to leverage third-party solution | |providers in the small and midsize business market. | | | |Flexibility | |Oracle is a little more flexible in its approach to the business processes it will support, compared with the more | |hierarchical SAP model. | | |Global development Team | |Oracle development teams work together around the globe with relatively equal levels of autonomy. | | | |More third party application | |Years of working with ISVs on its database have created a stronger Oracle ecosystem. | | |Stronger OEM par tnership | |The Oracle database is a critical piece of enterprise software driving server sales for Dell and Hewlett-Packard (and making | |the latter companys sales force an extension | SAP advantages Legion of consultants | |A large army’s worth of business consultants owe their professional existence to SAP and help keep SAP the market leader. | | | |CIO loyalty | |Many CIO’s3 have invested millions of dollars in SAP and have staked their careers on its continued success. | | |Partnership with IBM | |IBM is probably one of the largest resellers of SAP software, on top of DB2 databases. | | | |Partnership with Microsoft | |Although SAP has ambitions in the SMB space in which Microsoft sells its own applications, a marriage of convenience results | |in a lot of Microsoft Office-to-SAP enterprise application work. | | |Open source | |Although SAP would balk at the idea of open-source application software, it provides tons of resources for the development of | |open-sou rce infrastructure software—making more money available for SAP software. | | |Business Process Integration | |Years of work in this area have resulted in a depth of expertise that is difficult to replicate. | | | |Global Footprint | |SAP has extended its enterprise application customer base around the world. | | |German Engineering | |Although it is sometimes seen as overly rigid, a reputation for attention to detail works in SAPs overall favor. | | | |Vertical market penetration | |Compared with Oracle, SAP has had more time to gain expertise across a broader array of industries. A recent Forrester research paper[4] found that Oracle has a strong middleware platform and better support of open standard and as such it is the right choice for customers who rely heavily on custom development in conjunction with packaged applications. The reporters Wang and Rymer asserted that companies in the high-tech manufacturing market segment would likely be better off with Oracle while co mpanies in the pharmaceutical and utilities industries would be more likely to choose SAP.In the light of this report my choice between theses systems will be based on the targeted market segment, in other words I will select the vendor that best suit my business activity. So therefore, I will select Oracle enterprise application if my company focuses on high-tech or with heavy reliability on custom development in conjunction with packaged applications. My choice in the other case will be to go for SAP if my business is found in the utilities industries or pharmaceutics. Making these choices will surely enable great customers satisfaction since they provide employees with the best equipments to serve these customers.Question3 Week 4 Lecture summary relating to: Data base models A data base model is a theory or specification describing how a data base is structured and used . several models have been suggested: The Hierarchal model is organized in to a tree like structure aiming to k eep data in an organized manner. This structure allows one relationship between two types of data i. e the parent child relationship, the child may have only one parent but the parent can have many children’s. The Network model organizes data using two fundamental records and sets.In other words the network model allows a many to many relationship meaning that the program maintains a current position and navigates fron one record to another by following relationships in which the record participates records can also be located b supplying key values. ( we have seen that most data bases used on man frame and minicomputer are based on the network or the hierarchal model. Relational model 3 key terms are widely used in the relational data base model these are relations , attributes and domain. A relation is theh colum and rows the named colums of the relations are called attributes and the domain is the set of values.The relational model was introduced as a way to make data base management system more independent. The structure of the relational model is a table where rows and columns of the tables are related. Database Development Entity modeling Entity relationship diagrams and entity relationship model illustrate the correlation and its nature between entities. The entities identifies the needs of the business and holds information of it all, with this method the relationship may be one to one or one to many. There are diverse benefits to the entity relationship modeling as it gives a specified picture of the current and requested system data.Normalization Normalization is the procedure of removing duplication of data. Normalization is also the process of verifying by making sure that there are no problems when updating the database and the operations on the various relations will not lead to conflicting and incorrect data. Part 2 Question1 (iii) What is the role of entity-relationship diagram and Normalization in database? Normalization and ERM are use ful techniques for data management because normalization is the process of organizing data to minimize duplication, it usally divides a database into two or more tables defining relationships between the tables.The objective of normalization is to isolate data so that additions, deletions, and modifications of a field can be made in just one table and then spread through the rest of the data base via the defined relationships. I. e the customers number is related to its matching customers name and matching customer order. Therefore ERM and Normalization techniques ensure that data is well organized so that when updating some data you face no duplications or error. Data modeling is the process of creating a logical representation of the structure of a data base because it provides a unified view of data which is independent of any model.