NYPD Stop, Question, and Frisk Policy Term Paper

NYPD Stop, Question, and Frisk Policy - Term Paper Example .. found that the stops were not actually finding or preventing crimes. 97% percent of stops resulted in no conviction at all, although they did still utilize city time and resources to reach those outcomes. â€Å" (Clark, Meredith â€Å"Reports Find 'Stop-and-Frisk' Does Not Cut Crime†). Reports also say that the policy has only served to fuel racial discrimination charges as those stopped are supposedly mostly black and Latino men. A move that according to most, constitutes the violation of a person's constitutional rights. The American public has their right to privacy and has quite strict rules regarding racial discrimination across the country. The New York Stop-and-Frisk policy has chosen to ignore the constitutionally and legally protected rights of the New York citizens in an effort to â€Å"keep peace† within their borders. With an average of 88 percent of â€Å"stop and frisks† resulting in the release of those being stopped without issuing a ticket or resulting in an arrest (â€Å"NY 'Stop and Frisk' Policy Violates Minority Rights, US Constitution - Judge†) , this policy should be seen as nothing but merely a nuisance. Evidence of this constitutional rights violation can be seen in the annals of the New York Attorney General's office as far back as 1999 when it was discovered that â€Å"Black and Latino New Yorkers were stopped at far higher rates than white men and women† (â€Å"NY 'Stop and Frisk' Policy Violates Minority Rights, US Constitution - Judge†). Such acts can be deemed as racial profiling which is a direct violation of the United States Constitution. The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution declares that people shall be protected from unreasonable searches. Yet in the state of New York, under the Stop-and-Frisk policy, at least 200,000 stops were made without reasonable suspicion from the year 2002 - 2004. Such a high rate of stops overall makes it quite evident that that there is no crime taking place and that the people being stopped were not in any way acting in a suspicious manner (Hanna, Jason â€Å"Judge Rules NYC's Stop-and-Frisk Policy Unconstitutional; City Vows Appeal). Over the past decade, a total of 5 million stops have occurred involving mostly Black and Hispanic men. The New York Stop-and-Frisk Policy is nothing more than a violation of one's right to privacy according to some people who have been involved in the implementation of the policy. Under the 14th Amendment people, regardless of gender, race, and ethnicity are also protected and given the equal protection of the law (Adelmann, Bob â€Å"Judge Rules New York City's 'Stop and Frisk' Policy Unconstitutional†). This amendment in particular is violated by the stop-and-frisk policy because of the conscious decision of the police force to concentrate their operations on the members of the black, Latino, and Hispanic communities. Due to the existence of the stop-and-frisk policy, New Yorkers are gripped with fear that they can be apprehended on the streets for no apparent reason. It has led people to fear a police state coming into existence in New York City. This is a policy that must be brought to an end because: â€Å"The NYPD's practice of making stops that lack individualized reasonable suspicion has been so pervasive and persistent as to become not only a part of the NYPD's standard operating procedure, but a fact of daily life

International Finance Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

International Finance Questions - Assignment Example Interest rate swaps are over the counter (private) transactions; and they are highly liquid financial derivatives that can be used by hedgers to manage both their fixed and floating assets and liabilities. A party that pay fixed rate is referred to as the payer and the receiving party is called the receiver. For example, X agrees to pay fixed rate of interest under specified time intervals to W and in return, X receives variable or floating interest on notional principle from W. The types of currency swaps include fixed for floating swap for same currency, fixed for floating rate for different currencies, floating for floating swap for same currency, floating for floating rate for different currencies and fixed for fixed rate swap for different currencies. Currency swap refers to a foreign-exchange currency agreement entered into by two parties in relation to principal alone or with interest for payment of a specified loan sum in one currency for an equivalent principle and interest of a specified loan sum in another currency (Shamah, 2003). Payments are made periodically and at maturity or termination of the contract, the principal amounts are re-exchanged. Currency swaps are over the counter financial instruments. Foreign currency swaps are long term because they involve high costs associated with finding counterparty. Currency swap are further divided into two. Principle only currency swap and principal plus interest currency swap. Principle only currency swap is appropriate for contract that are up to ten years and involves exchange of principle with another party in a specific time in future at a rate agreed at the present. It is used to secure cheap loan and reduce exposure to exchange rate fluctuations. Principal plus interest currency swap considers both principal and interest payments. In currency swap, principal is exchanged on national amounts at market rates, often using the same rate for the transfer at inception and at maturity. Credit default swa ps refers to contracts between two parties, where one who buys credit default swap, pays a seller and receives a payoff if loan is defaulted.

Judgemental Forecasting Method

Judgemental Forecasting Method Forecasting is a significant tool for many different sectors as it makes predictions on the future by looking at historical data, present data and the analysing of trends. However, some business forecasting is not done at a good level, as some business people confuse it with goals and planning. Forecasting, Goals and Planning, these three differ significantly, Forecasting is trying to calculate the future a specific as possible, by using historical data, present data and the analysing of trend, Goals for business is that the business would like to happen for them in the near future. Goals are usually done with lacking any planning or forecasting, as the business looks at their competitors and they either want to match them or exceed them in the market. Planning is looking at the forecasting and goals and deciding the best action that will make the business forecasting match their goals. As the business world is moving more into analysing data, forecasting is and will be a vital part of decision-making for the management team, as the forecasting can help with short term, medium term and long term forecasting. When a business has a lack of past data or the business is launching a new product, the business can still use forecasting, and they will use Judgement forecasting. Judgement forecasting is the use of opinion, intuitive judgment and subjective probability estimates. Judgment forecasting has few methods that can be used to get the best statistical analysis and there are Statistical surveys, Scenario building, Delphi methods, Technology forecasting and forecast by analogy. The Judgement forecasting has increasingly been recognised as a science, and over the years the quality of Judgement forecasting has been improving as the approach has been well structured and efficient. But it is important to understand that Judgement forecasting has not been perfected as it still has limitations. Judgment forecast depend on human cognition which has limitations, For example, a limited memory may render recent events more important than they actually are and may ignore momentous events from the more distant past; or a limited attention span may result in important information being missed, or a misunderstanding of causal relationships may lead to erroneous inference.1 This example shows that human memory can affect the judgment forecast in a negative way, and misunderstanding can lead to wishful thinking or optimistic view which can lead to faulty forecast, and in the case of launching a new product, the marketing and salesman teams will have an optimistic view for their lunch so they will not forecast its failure Beware of the enthusiasm of your marketing and sales colleagues2. In the case of judgment forecasting without any domain knowledge and only a set of time series data is used, getting a forecast will be very hard, as in the Hogath and makridais (1981) in their paper, where they have examined around 175 papers where there was judgment forecasting, they have approached a result of that quantitative models outperform judgmental forecasts3, in their research they have seen that judgment has been linked with systematic biases and errors, as some people were looking for patterns and linking together clues where there was none as the process was random. Judgment forecasting has been compared to many different kinds of forecasting such as statistical methods, and many different types of research conclude different findings of the accuracy of the two methods. In the paper of Lawrence (1985) and (1986) where the paper compares the accuracy of quantities model and judgment forecasting, the paper has come to a conclusion that demonstrated judgmental forecasting to be at least as accurate as statistical techniques4, also in the paper show that the standard deviation of the error of the statistical method was greater than the judgment forecast error. The paper also shows that if judgment forecasting was added in the statistical method, better sets of forecasting can be predicted and the level of error would decrease. In the study by Makridakis S and Winkler R (1983) it shows that there are few ways to combine the judgement and statistical forecasting. In the study it says that there is two way to join the two forecasting methods, the first is Concurrent Incorporation where to get the final forecasting both methods will have to be used to get the averaging procedure. The second way is a Posterior Incorporation which includes the judgmental revision of statistically derived forecasts5   this second way tries to improve forecasting by allowing the judgement forecasting to see and access the results of the statistical forecasting. After many years of research in the area of forecasting, Judgment forecasting improves when greater domain knowledge and more up to date information included, therefore by using this new information, judgment approach can then be adjusted and producing an improved forecast. By using a well structured and systematic approach, it helps to decrease the undesirable effects of the limitations of the forecast. By well structuring the approach it will make the forecasting task clear, and a good understanding of the structure is important to avoid unclear and uncertain terms. The method that is well structured that can be used for the judgment forecasting is the Delphi methods. The Delphi method is the use of experts opinions and judgment in the specific field to predict the expectation in that field. The Delphi method is respect method as it only looks at the opinions of the experts in their field and allows them to be anonymous at all time, therefore there is not influenced by their social and political pressure in their prediction, and all experts opinions are weighted equally so no one prediction is superior to another. But like any other approach, the Delphi method also has its limitations, the method is time-consuming, therefore, the experts might be discouraged to join the study or they will not contribute fully at all time of the approach. Adding domain knowledge to the judgement forecasting can be used fully for the prediction. The knowledge of the time series and further information which explains the historical performance of the series can have a minor influence on the forecast or a huge impact on the variable of the data. The domain knowledge represents the un-modelled module of the series. The un-modelled module is very important as it can be included into the statistical forecast to reach better results for the forecast. Many studies have been looking at judgement forecasting with the addition of domain knowledge, a study by Brown (1996) which looked at earning per share forecasting. The study shows that the forecasting of the management team was more accurate than the analysts predictions and the statistical model forecasting. In the study, it shows that the inside information which is the domain knowledge of the firm lead to the accuracy of the management team forecast. In the study, it showed that it did not matter if the statistical model was complex or simple as the management team and analysts got a higher accuracy level because of the domain knowledge the management team holds. In a study by Sanders (1992) where it compared the preference of judgement methods to statistical forecasting, the study compared both methods by the use of an artificial time series. The study looked at 38 business students, the students were thought some different ways of statistical and judgement forecasting and every student had two-time series and past data. The task for the students was to use all the information they had to forecast the next 12 steps ahead. The students were given one week to produce their judgement forecasting, then they were given statistical forecasting of the series, and then they were asked to review their forecast and do any adjustment if needed. The study has used the mean absolute percentage error to assess the forecasting results, and the mean percentage error was applied to calculate the level of bias in the forecast. The results of the study have similar results as the past studies did, as statistical methods outperformed judgment forecasting in all -time series but not the low noise step function. And the more complex the data pattern got the worse the judgement forecast became. The study clearly shows that the statistical methods had better forecasting in the high noise level data, and an increase in noise level has worsened off the judgement forecasting, the study says this is due because as the high noise increases it becomes harder for an individual to detect any kind of patterns. While judgement forecasting didnt perform well during a high noise, it did significantly well in the low noise function. Looking at the bias in the study, it shows that at a low noise series the judgement revision bias is low in the series, while for a high noise series it increases the bias in the series. The main point of the study by Sanders (1992) is that judgement amendments with statistical methods can have great advantage for a low noise series with a specific data patterns, and it will do better when statistical method are applied blindly to a time series, also at a low noise series the judgement revision bias is low in the series, but in a high noise series the judgment forecasting is not the right approach comparing to a statistical forecasting and in some instances the bias level in the judgement forecasting was greater than the statistical forecasting in a high noise series. Sanders approach of the judgement forecasting is not overwhelm approved in the forecasting filed, as it has many critics wondering about its efficiency, as the sanders approach for judgment forecasting does not use the experts opinions on the field that is going to be forecasted but uses the opinion and judgment of normal people who may have not have studied the field and have a small knowledge about it, therefore, there judgement would not be the best to use to create a prediction from it. Judgemental forecasting is an important tool in the business today but it has to be used right, as some business people confuse it with goals and planning. When doing a judgmental forecasting the aims and the purpose of the forecasting have to be clear and well structured to get better results. But like any forecasting method, Judgemental forecasting has its limitations and it is up to the person who is performing the forecast to make sure they are at a minimum. To get a better prediction it is important to try and increase the domain knowledge of the series as it has been shown in the Brown (1996) study, as the management team outperformed the statistical analysis due to the inside information of the firm and because they are the experts in that field. Also to improve the judgement forecasting as it has been shown in the Sanders (1992) have found if judgment forecasting is done with a revision of statistical methods, the forecast can be more accurate in a low noise series and with a less level of bias. Judgmental forecasting is not a perfect method to predict the outcome of a specific time series but it is a good point to start. References: Rob J Hyndman, (2013) Chapter: Judgmental Forecasts: Beware of limitations. Book: Forecasting: principles and practice R. Fildes and P. Goodwin (2007b). Good and bad judgment in forecasting: lessons from four companies. Foresight: The International Journal of Applied Forecasting 8, 5-10. Hogarth Makridakis, 1981 R.M. Hogarth, S. Makridakis Forecasting and planning: An evaluation Management Science, 27 (1981), pp. 115-138 Lawrence et al., 1986M. Lawrence, R. Edmundson, M. OConnor The accuracy of combining judgmental and statistical forecasts, Management Science, 32 (1986), pp. 1521-1532 Makridakis S and Winkler R (1983) Averages of forecasts: Some empirical results. Mgmt Sci. 29, 987-996 Sanders, 1992  N.R. Sanders  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Accuracy of judgmental forecasts: A comparison   Omega, 20 (3) (1992), p. 353 Brown, 1996 L. Brown Analyst forecasting errors and their implications for security analysts: An alternative perspective Financial Analysts Journal, 52 (1) (1996), pp. 40-47 Lawrence, M., Goodwin, P., OConnor, M., ÃÆ'-nkal, D. (2006). Judgmental forecasting: A review of progress over the last 25years. International Journal of Forecasting, 22(3), 493-518.

Sometimes A Shining Moment :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the book Sometimes a Shining Moment: Eliot Wiginton had a student that talked about a teacher who takes time to recognize students as an individual and not just part of a group. The student went on to say â€Å"I had one particular teacher that I would never forget. Once when the teacher gave back an essay I found that she had complimented my essay, the topic, and even me.† I had a teacher that that was just like the teacher that one of the juniors or seniors had. The teacher that I remember the best was my twelfth grade English teacher, Mrs. Oehler was a type of teacher that always involved every one in the class discussion. She took the time to realize me as a individual and not just a student that showed up for her class every day. Every day when I went to class I was excited to be their. We never knew what Mrs. Oehler had up her sleeve, but we knew that we would have a good time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I showed up at room 124 on the first day of class I did not know what to expect. You see I never had Mrs. Oehler in my previous three years of high school. I thought she would be a nice person to have as teacher, but I never knew that she would be the best teacher that I ever had. I first noticed that Mrs. Oehler was a special kind of person when she came over to my desk and out of the clear blue she asked me about my story I was writing for her class. I was surprised to here her say â€Å"so Matt how do you like you story so far†. She did not ask any body else in the class, just me. It was those little things that she did that impressed me. She always made time in class for each and every one of us to state our opinion about the days topic.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some days when we were reading a story she would turn it into a theatrical performance. She always keep us interested in what we were reading, and turned an ordinary assignment that would of been boring with any other teacher into a fun and rewarding experience.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We read the Adromenal Strain a story that dealt with a deadly virus from outer space and the use of the atomic bomb to rid the earth of this deadly infection. Our class was mixed with different emotions about using the atomic bomb. We discussed the effects and devastation that the bomb could bring and

Harlem Reinassance Research Muldoon

Back then, it was also well known as men New Negro Movement†, named after a famous poem titled The New Negro, written by a significant African American philosopher of this era, Lain Locke of 1925. The Renaissance involved many writers associated with Harlem, Manhattan, a ND the migration of African Americans from one part of the U. S. To another. This cultural move meet marked the first time, society as a whole noticed and focused on African American Literal ere.Although some did not believe that the Renaissance had an influence on African America an literature or the community, Harlem Renaissance became the period in which a group of Africa an American poets reduced amazing literature in three categories of art, essays, and poetry. The New Negro Movement was inspired by Marcus Graver, CEO of The Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNION), Lain Locke, the author of t he poem â€Å"New Negro†, and W. E. B Du Bois, an American Civil Rights Activists and editor. The mo vement motivated blacks and boosted their pride.African Americans now expanded their culture through deep artwork and literature. Harlem Renaissance did no t only shape American culture, but it also added its own elements to the American tradition n. It offered ewe ways of understanding and visualizing what it meant to be a black back a t this cruel time in history. Iberian, an African historian, states in his book, â€Å"Journey Thro ugh the Power of the Rainbow,† that â€Å"The best of humanity recorded history is a Cree dative balance between the horrors endured and victories achieved, and so it was d urine The Harlem Renaissance. (Iberian, 81 . ) This explained and proved that the move moment led to new philosophical ideas regarding all the conflicts African Americans expert encode in the twenties of America. This significant change in the mindset of African Name scans stuck throughout centuries and still carries on even today. Harlem Renaissance is among literary and ar tistic movements due to it's connection to Civil Rights and reform organizations. It encircled everything fro political pieces to jazz poetry. This era brings along some great poets, such as , Claude McKay, James Weldon Johnson, and Counted Culled.Longboats Hughes was by far one of the best poets on this period. The Crisis Magazine, the official magazine of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) that WA s mainly subscribed to blacks only. Negro World, the newspaper authored by Marcus Graver was the reason why African American writing was published. The Harlem Renaissance helped African Americans draw up a vision and gain opportunities for publications. The publications included poetry, short SST orgies, and essay sent it by black writers.This encouraged more to write and express thee r feelings through art, expression was a new way of feeling free. Harlem was described by Lain Locke (1 8861 954) â€Å"as not being the largest Negro populated community, b ut the first concentration in history of s mom many diverse elements of Negro life† (44. ) The Renaissance was related to â€Å"The New Negro 1925)† edited by Lain Locke, was the closest written statement that ideally list Ted The Harlem Renaissance. Locke promoted musicians, writers, and artist to look to Africa as an inspiration of their works.The New Negro describes the awareness and the e hope for black equality, he states no longer would blacks allow themselves to adjust themselves with unreasonable white requests. † Here he IS creating an awareness on self inference that blacks have gained throughout the years of inequality. In fact, Houston A. Baker's, in book â€Å"Modernism and the Harlem Renaissance,† indicates that â€Å"Locke success deed in writing our first national book, offering †¦ The sounds, songs, images, and gig NSA off nation. (473) Baker is praising Locke for writing the New Negro book because it represents the beginning Of the H arlem Renaissance, and African American us e it to boost their self confidence. The power in Lock?s poetry was held in people an d made them look through their actions and behaviors, and also view life from a differ perspective. Locke has a great influence on literature, and he encouraged Poe pale to illustrate African and African American subjects in their writing. It is very vivo us that The Harlem Renaissance gave black people a cultural difference through liter tauter.Literature was a great way to people used to show their emotions, pain, and motivation. W. E. B Du Bois is an African American editor and author, who wanted equal rights for African American. He used literature to spread motivation for the blacks. He was an ardent peace activists and advocate reduction of racism. Du Bois p published his collection of 14 essays named, â€Å"The Souls of Black Folk†, in 1903, and these sees says helped show the intellect of black race. He was a literary and cultural inspiratio n on that eloped activate the Harlem Renaissance and the powerful art about the Africa n American experience.Du Bois used his influential role in Crisis magazine to expose and oppose racism and injustices, such as lynching and segregation. He promoted African American artistic talents in his writing called â€Å"A Negro Art Renaissance. † He wanted black k artist to realize their ethical assignment by being committed to showing the issue of RA Coal equality in their work; in response to their own experience. His writings are a defining text of the The Negro Movement because of its deep effect on an entire genre action that retreated the center of Harlem Renaissance.This movement produced work the at was both initiated and an engaged with the African American culture. The Harlem Renal seance created African American literature in the United States and influence on man y authors throughout the twentieth century. The Harlem Renaissance was a transformable period in time when poe try chaw engaged a nation of Parliamentarians to an incredible level. Longboats Hughes was one of the leading black writers in that time period, and wrote many different types of lit ratter. He wrote, and created a new literary art form called jazz poetry.His poem â€Å"The N grog Speaks of Rivers,† provides solid unity for the African American history. His pop covered the issues faced by Parliamentarians with a combination of music, cheerfulness, and culture. Hughes essay spoke to the concerns of the Harlem Renaissance as it celebrated African American creative innovations such as blues, spirituals , jazz, and literary work that engaged African American life. The Harlem Renaissance was a rebirth of African American culture in New Your City. Literature from the Harlem Renaissance inspired many modern writers s such as Alice Walker, Impair Brake, Maya Angelo, and Toni Morrison.It also influence Martin Luther King's â€Å"l Have A Dream† speech because the speech seems t o b e closely related to Longboats Hughes poem â€Å"Let America be America Again†. Harlem Re nuisance provided a very important advancement in African American Art and Literature Inspiration from Longboats Hughes and Lain Locke are witnessed in modern c ultra and society. Even though the movement has been over since, the effects of the AU thorns and words written are still generally known today. In conclusion, the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance has opened doors for Todd ayes African American writers.The Harlem Renaissance was the internal spring for Parliamentarians branching out into the world on their own desire. The renal seance opened a new dimension for Parliamentarians and brought about the realization of â€Å"l c an do it, and do it with dignity, grace, and style. † This time period in history was not just a nation anal movement, but an impact creating a revolution Of sorts. Harlem saw a nonbelievers work per excellence, in various fields, which gave Parliam entarians a renewed image and a fresh outlet ask. Harlem Renaissance has been the breeding ground for creative endeavors by authors , poets, and artists.

Green Mountain Coffee Case Study Essay

Conscientious capitalism underscores the importance of aligning stakeholders’: employees, customers, shareholders, suppliers, community, and the environment, interests into the company’s decisions by refocusing on purpose instead of profit, which incidentally results in a successful bottom line (Sacks, 2009). The operating philosophy of conscientious capitalism incorporates three assumptions: interconnectedness, holistic wealth, and traversing time through multiple generations. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) has integrated this ethical continuum into their operational strategy, which has led to their current success. Interconnectedness GMCR embodies interconnectedness through their annual summit meetings that employ an Appreciative Inquiry (AI) 4-D model and through their organization’s cultural commitment. At the summit meetings, multiple internal and external company stakeholders convene to strategically plan for the future, assess stakeholder value and contributions to success, as well as reflect on company and industry historical trends, all which promote the positive core of GMCR (Neville, 2008). Interconnectedness is also evident by the embodiment of GMCR’s inaugural five core beliefs: a passion for coffee (recreating Stiller’s first experience of the perfect cup of coffee), financial performance, a destination workplace, ethics, and commitment to social responsibility (Neville, 2008). By engaging the stakeholders, especially with annual trips to the â€Å"origin†, GMCR creates a unified allegiance to social and ethical responsibility that produces positive ethical and financial outcomes for the company. Holistic wealth GMCR epitomizes holistic wealth in the form of value-based management (VBM), which can be defined as an integrated management control system that measures, encourages, and supports the creation of net worth beyond capital accumulation and profit (Beck & Britzelmaier, 2011). One way that GMCR uses VBM to create net worth is through flexible cash flow models provided to coffee farmers. The model entails providing interest-free pecuniary resources to coffee growers preceding the harvest, which secures perpetual payments for the suppliers, invariable income for the farmer’s family, and an uninterrupted coffee flow for GMCR (Neville, 2008). Another example of VBM is GMCR’s utilization of Fair Trade initiatives and family farming contracts that employ direct buying agreements granting farmers fair prices for their crops. By employing these types of social standards as a tradeoff for long-term sustainability, GMCR makes all stakeholders feel valued, which in turn increases their passion for productivity and subsequently GMCR’s bottom line. Traversing time through multiple generations With a global focus on agricultural replenishment and perpetuity, the common emphasis for businesses in this industry has been extending the vivaciousness of crops across multiple generations. Given that 30 coffee trees are required to provide one, three time per day coffee drinker with enough coffee and combined with the fact that the trees have to remain viable for at least 10 years to yield a financially profitable crop, GMCR’s commitment to organic food processes promotes to the concept of multiple generations of time, allowing farmers to pass their crops through generations (Neville, 2008). By trading a traditional business paradigm for one centered on an all-inclusive value-based continuum that encompasses interconnected systems of farmers, stakeholders, land, and visible and invisible time, GMCR is a prime example of how conscientious capitalism can stimulate corporate and financial success.

Shamanism

Shamanism Who are shamans? Shamans are personal beings who are involved in the practice of treating the spirits in a world beyond human understanding. Shamans are able to do this as they have the capacity to take a journey into the world of spirits. They enter the world of spirits where they are able to master the myths behind these spirits. Shamans are extremely vital in the communities where they are found as they help these communities in various ways.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Shamanism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For example, they guide their communities during difficult times, for instance, in times of sicknesses, death, pain or when people are faced with difficult choices concerning their lives (Moss, 2010). Shamans can be said to be people with specialist knowledge in a given religious system. The shaman has a great knowledge on the spiritual world, as well as human soul through ecstasy. Thus, they have the power of an unaltered state of mind. This is what enables the shamans to connect with the spiritual world. By so doing, the shamans bring numerous benefits to the community (Moss, 2010). Where are they? Currently, shamans can be found in Eurasia in countries like Siberia, Inner Asia and Mongolia. This is mainly due to the fact that their religious beliefs are closely linked to hunting and gathering activities in society. Shamanism has developed as a result of human beings desiring to exert their control, as well as influence to the natural world and traditional cultures and religions are said to be the oldest forms of healing (Moss, 2010). Consequently, some people estimate that shamanism originated a long time ago and has been part of many religions practiced world wide. For instance, shamanism has been practiced in parts like the Oceania region, Tibet, South America, Korea, as well as China (Moss, 2010). What are their practices for healing? A shaman plays several roles t hat are clearly defined. As a revered and essential community member, a shaman acts as a dream interpreter, a link between the physical and world of spirits, physician, spiritual minister and a psychiatrist. On the other hand, outsiders perceive a shaman as being a primitive medical doctor. However, to believers in shamanism, the healing rituals undertaken by the shaman offers an avenue for existence with a moral interpretation (Moss, 2010).Advertising Looking for research paper on alternative medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Healing is one of the major activities undertaken by shamans. There is a difference that exists between shamanistic healing and the conventional healing done in the traditional biomedicine. The difference is in the health implications of a symbolic reality in the two practices (Moss, 2010). This is in terms of mediating that which separates the biophysical and psychocultural aspects of medicine and science. Shamanism healing entails performance of rituals and the ritual activity performed both at the symbolic and social levels has effects on human functioning. A ritual performed by the shamans does have health implications. However, in most cases, healing activities in shamanism involve critical rituals performed as a response to crises in society (Moss, 2010). More so, there are rituals for social transition which in most cases, act as rites of passage. Shamanism healing also includes calendrical rituals normally held on specified days annually. These calendrical rituals enhance solidarity and integration in the society as a whole. As such, they are vital in recognition of a stage of development in one’s life (Moss, 2010). Some Shamanic ritual that appeal to me The rituals which appeal to me are those performed by the Lebu healers in Senegal. In their healing rituals, the shaman healers of the Lebu dress like hyenas. These healers are then confronted and s cared off by a noble lion, normally more powerful than the hyena. In this ritual, the hyena and lion do have a symbolic meaning where immorality and human weaknesses in society are represented by the hyena. Essentially, these shamans use the hyena to depict all the negative things happening in society while the lion is used to symbolize morality. Evil spirits have to be scared off to maitain morality (Moss, 2010). One major practice of shamanism is having the power animals. These power animals are what acts as people’s guide in their daily lives. Normally, these animals are seen as the guardian spirits. Thus, these guardian spirits are what represent the power, character quality, as well as the strengths of given people who believe in them. Additionally, in shamanism, these power animals keep changing from time to time. More so, the animals are viewed as having different strengths and they are responsible for infusing people with personal power (Weor, 2010).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Shamanism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

individual reflection on Jesus as the vine and we are the Branches Essays

individual reflection on Jesus as the vine and we are the Branches Essays individual reflection on Jesus as the vine and we are the Branches Essay individual reflection on Jesus as the vine and we are the Branches Essay My contribution to the group isnt exactly big as to the conflicts between schedules and communication but I have been able to provide an answer and an understanding of the title/image of Jesus that were given to us. And that might not be like shooting, or participating in the video but it is big in terms of understanding and actually realizing the purpose of the project. As for the specific information I have learned about the life and mission of Jesus? Well, based on my understanding of Jesus as the vine and we are the branches, He serves as our basis and center for growth. He serves as vines in our lives, in a way that without Him, we would not be able to fully grow as a person and to be able also to fulfill our mission in life. He is what connects us and makes us grow and bloom further in life as with the help also of God. I have realized from this project that His mission is to also help us in our mission as creations of God. We cannot fully grow and pursue things we want and eed in life without the guidance of God and our dependence and faith in both God and Jesus. For myself, I have realized that creating a stronger, like the branches with the vine, if taken properly, grows and blooms in the most beautiful way possible. And as for me as a creation of God, it is by having strong faith in Jesus and truly putting in my mind and heart Gods Word and Will and Just being Christ-centered In everything. As the branches only weaken when it is not fed and taken care of like the relationship with Jesus and God with us.

Case applichem hbr

Applichem is a company that offers high product customization. Indeed, they provide solutions to specific customer problems, and then refine the product and process to arrive at a product with broader application. They created a product that was widely used: Release-ease. This product enabled the customers to clean easily the mold at the end of the process, which was a bottleneck in the former line. In 1982 the market research team expected little increase in the demand during the next five years. The sales and profit were strong through 1982. However Applichem has done little focused research on the product or process after 1953. There are several versions of Release-ease among regions. The different markets have peculiar particularities. Competition is harder in Europe where the quality and product specifications are more closely monitored. Customers usually consume the product within one year of purchase, and they buy the Release-ease powder in bags of 50 kilograms. In the US customers use the product as long as 3 years after manufacture and purchase the powder in bags of many sizes from ?  kilograms. In Japan, Applichem was the only company whose product had been approved by the Japanese regulators, even if some imported products could be sold by other companies. Applichem’s main competitor is a US-based company that only owns one plant in Luxembourg but had strong sales in Europe. A third company was competing on the shares in the US. However, Applichem owned by far the largest part of the market share and had a reputation because the company held the patent on the oldest version of Release-ease. Comparison of the 4 plants In Table 1 below, it is possible to see the capacity utilization and yield of the plants. All the plants seem to have excess capacity, so there doesn’t seem to have any need of implementing additional capacity. The average yield is taken from Exhibit 3, and we can see that both plants of Gary and Mexico could use their capacity more efficiently. For Gary, the yield is quite low for a plant of this size. It might be due to the number of product families (19) produced at the plant compared to the others.

Critically assess the foreign policy of Barack Obama Essay

Critically assess the foreign policy of Barack Obama - Essay Example For those who serve the President, in this case Barack Obama, they would claim first and foremost, that they serve at the pleasure of the President. They are loyal workers within a national structure, that In the months leading up to the 2008 Presidential election, mass examples would exist as it came to general concern over the present state of affairs within the military action taking place, as a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The current President, in an effort to champion change in terms of what had become the norm, would make assertions that, for many, would appear to be significant and in that case, would lead the nation in a direction that would have been different from the most recent office holder and most likely, different from the choices made of other previous Presidents themselves. In considering whether or not these individuals, both men and women, would be seen more as self-serving and/or working for the same result, the answer(s) to that, would fall within being in the eye of beholder. An individual(s) can very easily possess intentions that may overtly seem self-serving but on the inside, may have been executed with what the person(s), may have felt were the most sincere of motives. For the President of the United States, one of the placements made to his national security team, would be the very person who sought to defeat him during the previous Presidential election. An individual of considerable political strength, Hillary Clintons placement amongst the foreign policy fray of the Obama Administration, would seem to some, as being a way to ensure that, by the time 2012 came and the President would surely seek re-election, Secretary Clinton would be in the position of being unable to attempt a second Presidential bid. This can be stated by the very thought, amongst many within the political structure, that an individual would not partake in a campaign for elected office that would place them in

Critical Leadership Competencies Needed in 2020 Assignment

Critical Leadership Competencies Needed in 2020 - Assignment Example Johnson & Army War College (2000) assert that there has to be accountability in leadership because of the dynamic nature of the society. It is recommendable for a leader to have persuasive skills and be open to other people’s ideology. Understanding future leadership indicates that a leader should have a formidable followership. This is attainable only when the boundaries of the expectations of leadership are defined. According to Marx (2006), learning has to be continuous in the leadership approaches in future. Respect will be mandatory for both parties to benefit from leadership; honesty will be a plus. Competition in the society is forcing leaders to exude positivism in the attitude. As such, the leader has to be friendlier in his approach to command a following in the current society. Leadership will be complicated because of the introduction of measures for monitoring performance. Globalization will influence leadership in various ways. It will lead to the introduction of technology that forces leadership to devise new strategies of handling organizational challenges (Hesselbein, Goldsmith & LLI, 2006). Diversification due to interaction of people in the globe requires a leader to be versatile and informed. Technological programs that assist in decision-making will alter leadership needs in an organization. External changes such as the use of technology in management will revolutionize leadership to a more inclusive

Hilda Polacheck, I Came a Stranger Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hilda Polacheck, I Came a Stranger - Essay Example The aspect of citizenship manifest strongly in the Hilda Polacheck of â€Å"I Came a Stranger.† The narration by Hilda about her life experiences gives us a view of the historical perspectives of citizenship in America. When arriving in USA with the mother and the siblings, Hilda Polacheck experienced the problem of gaining access to the American social system. Hilda narrates how the immigration officers in America confined her family and immigrants in a camp with deplorable conditions. The reason for the treatment was to prevent entry of people who become a public charge, and burden the government. The American authority of the time only allowed entry to immigrants who could support themselves. This experience by Hilda Polacheck helps us understand the history and significant of the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 2008. A clause in the Act prohibits issue of citizenship to immigrants who can become a burden to the public. 1The immigration officials have the responsibilities to examine skills, financial resources, physical abilities, health status and education of the immigrants before allowing entry into the country. During the historic America, there was a belief that poor immigrants would flood the country with anticipation to enjoy the economic prosperity. 2To become an American citizen through naturalization is never easy or automatic. A person has to undergo various screenings, and must have stayed in America for longer time. The given immigrant applying for naturalization must proved with authentic documentation that they have stayed in America longer enough to warrant issue of citizenship. This aspect of citizenship is evident the narration of Hilda Polacheck. In the book, Hilda mentions that her father died without having gained citizenship despite having applied. The reason given for the reluctance by the US official was that the

Prevalence and detection of depresion among aged care residents with Essay

Prevalence and detection of depresion among aged care residents with cognitive impairment - Essay Example However, there is treatment for depression, the preventive nature is always best for any ailment and if the depression could be prevented, that will be an important issue for analysis. Though, cognitive impairment is not hindrance in detecting depression, the alertness of use of antidepressant medicines is low in older people prescribed for the treatment. The consideration of cognitively impaired people equal with normal people adds additional importance to the study and analysis. The reasons for not detecting the depression in old people are also important. One of the implications of later life depression is the irrational thinking resulted due to depression. The depression influences the irrational thinking and as a result the rational approach can be damaged. This is the result of personality styles at older age are distinctly related to depression. The study of Leon Hyer et al revealed that the irrational thinking and cognitive impairment affect the personality styles. (Leon  Hyer et al, 2005) As the depression influences the irrational thinking, it can have negative implications on psychology of the older people. Even though, there are some factors that are not affected by the depression and irrational thinking, the resultant irrational thinking due to depression is an implication on psychology of the older people. The detection of depression and its psychological depend on methodology adopted. Testing before and after recovery, is one of the powerful methods of identifying the cognitive impairments and depression. The important concern about methodology is about using inappropriate definitions about the extent and nature of depression. The inappropriate definitions may lead to the illusion of recovery of patient, despite poorer performance at baseline memory measures. Another methodological concern is about age, microvascular disease and cognitive impairment in depression. As age

Isle of wight ventnor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Isle of wight ventnor - Essay Example In addition, the seabed forms a ridge rising to 15 meters of the surface that causes the sea to rush in between the ridge created and the Island. Due to this, there exists a narrow deep channel called the St Catherine’s Deep. The problem Study of the geotechnical situation in Ventnor indicates that the town has experienced landslides subject to ground movements. These landslides cause damage to property and interrupt the delivery of services mostly done through pipelines. The under-cliff of the Isle of Wight is 12 kilometers long. In 1988, the Department of Environment in Ventnor commissioned a study to come with ideas for dealing with the land instability problem. To understand the problems of stabilizing the town of Ventnor properly, it is important to consider; 1. The nature of the landslips 2. Study the strategies used to reduce negative impacts in the future and their applicability 3. Investigate the previous cases of instability It is very crucial to note that only some areas in the town of Ventnor experience landslips. In fact, various developed areas do not get affected even by main events. Consider the Bonchurch Old church which is over 1050 years old and still exists. Researchers tend to misinterpret the extent of the landslides since they include buildings and property that crumble due to poor foundations. Consequently, the problem appears great and non-manageable. (Griffiths, 2001). Location map The location of the town of Ventnor creates a problem in the stabilization of the area. The town faces a sea with various activities among them sea bed movements. Its open side facing the sea presents the problem of vulnerability due to lack of protection from sea tides and strong winds. Instability due to ground movements Ground movement continues to be a problem in the stabilizing of the town of Ventnor. The worst period occurred in 1961 where cliff falls and collapsed settlements were rampant following heavy autumn rainfall. Although the records da te as far back as 1781, it is not easy to get a clear picture of the problem of ground movements. 91% of the town has had minimal movement annually and short term major movements are attributed to long run movements. In the last 100 years, ground movement has become a challenge to the local community. This problem is independent of financial influence since it is a natural occurrence. The continued development of the area based on urbanization increases human traffic; thus, adds to the initial ground movement activity. Sir William 1997 argues that ground movements result from slope instability, ground compression and subsidence. Initially, the under cliff was a result of various phases of landslides due to climate and sea level influences. Landslides in Ventnor appear in the cretaceous rocks which consist of Gault clay overlain by big sandstones and chalk. The thin clay layers and the Gault clay determine the stability of the area. It is evident that the geotechnical design of the t own of Ventnor is itself a problem to the stability of the area. Landslides The images above show the occurrence of landslides which create a challenge in stabilizing the town. Mostly, landslides in Ventnor occur due to planes of weakness that come beneath impermeable clay surfaces. Water seeps through layers of sand leading to instability due to erosion. This image above represents the anatomy of the landslides. Landslides occur at the under-cliff of Ventnor located to the south of

Chemistry of the Drug Lithium Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chemistry of the Drug Lithium - Essay Example Lithium, as medically significant, is most commonly available as the carbonate or the citrate salt. These are used as drugs for various medical conditions, especially psychiatric disorders. Commercial synthesis of this drug requires addition of an electron to the poorly electronegative lithium ion (Li+). As a result, the synthesis requires an electrolytic step. The commercial ore spodumene, Li Al (SiO3)2 is widely used to produce this product. This is the ÃŽ ± form. This is converted to ÃŽ ² form by heating the ore to 1100 degrees centigrade. This renders the ore softer. Careful mixing with hot sulfuric acid and extraction in water generate a lithium sulfate (Li2SO4) solution. The sulfate is washed with sodium carbonate, Na2CO3. This results in a relatively stable precipitate of insoluble lithium carbonate, Li2CO3. The chemical reaction would be represented as Li2SO4 + Na2CO3 Na2SO4 +Li2CO3 Administered in this form, lithium in the body acts as a monovalent cation. This was used as a treatment for manic depressive psychosis despite its array of side effects since no other medications for this condition were available at that time.

Isle of wight ventnor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Isle of wight ventnor - Essay Example In addition, the seabed forms a ridge rising to 15 meters of the surface that causes the sea to rush in between the ridge created and the Island. Due to this, there exists a narrow deep channel called the St Catherine’s Deep. The problem Study of the geotechnical situation in Ventnor indicates that the town has experienced landslides subject to ground movements. These landslides cause damage to property and interrupt the delivery of services mostly done through pipelines. The under-cliff of the Isle of Wight is 12 kilometers long. In 1988, the Department of Environment in Ventnor commissioned a study to come with ideas for dealing with the land instability problem. To understand the problems of stabilizing the town of Ventnor properly, it is important to consider; 1. The nature of the landslips 2. Study the strategies used to reduce negative impacts in the future and their applicability 3. Investigate the previous cases of instability It is very crucial to note that only some areas in the town of Ventnor experience landslips. In fact, various developed areas do not get affected even by main events. Consider the Bonchurch Old church which is over 1050 years old and still exists. Researchers tend to misinterpret the extent of the landslides since they include buildings and property that crumble due to poor foundations. Consequently, the problem appears great and non-manageable. (Griffiths, 2001). Location map The location of the town of Ventnor creates a problem in the stabilization of the area. The town faces a sea with various activities among them sea bed movements. Its open side facing the sea presents the problem of vulnerability due to lack of protection from sea tides and strong winds. Instability due to ground movements Ground movement continues to be a problem in the stabilizing of the town of Ventnor. The worst period occurred in 1961 where cliff falls and collapsed settlements were rampant following heavy autumn rainfall. Although the records da te as far back as 1781, it is not easy to get a clear picture of the problem of ground movements. 91% of the town has had minimal movement annually and short term major movements are attributed to long run movements. In the last 100 years, ground movement has become a challenge to the local community. This problem is independent of financial influence since it is a natural occurrence. The continued development of the area based on urbanization increases human traffic; thus, adds to the initial ground movement activity. Sir William 1997 argues that ground movements result from slope instability, ground compression and subsidence. Initially, the under cliff was a result of various phases of landslides due to climate and sea level influences. Landslides in Ventnor appear in the cretaceous rocks which consist of Gault clay overlain by big sandstones and chalk. The thin clay layers and the Gault clay determine the stability of the area. It is evident that the geotechnical design of the t own of Ventnor is itself a problem to the stability of the area. Landslides The images above show the occurrence of landslides which create a challenge in stabilizing the town. Mostly, landslides in Ventnor occur due to planes of weakness that come beneath impermeable clay surfaces. Water seeps through layers of sand leading to instability due to erosion. This image above represents the anatomy of the landslides. Landslides occur at the under-cliff of Ventnor located to the south of

Terrorism in Pakistan Essay Example for Free

Terrorism in Pakistan Essay When analyzing the worlds current situation concerning terrorism, it is difficult to say whether the global war on terrorism has been a successful one. Since the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Centers in New York City, George Bush, former president of the United States, vowed to defeat terrorism. Eight years later, this promise has yet to be fulfilled, and even with the help of many countries globally, the threat of terrorism is still evident more then ever, which questions whether the global war on terror is succeeding. Moreover, to entirely grasp the subject, one must be familiar with the definition of terrorism and it can be defined as an act of violence or threatened violence intended to spread panic in a society, and to bring about political change. Terrorists do not necessarily live in their native states, they also migrate to neighboring countries, and countries abroad and often go undetected. The logistics and man power it takes to combat terrorism is immense, and it seems more evident that the global war on terrorism is not succeeding due to essentially three factors. First, that The United States has created a terrorist haven in the Middle East. Second, international support for the global war on terrorism is decreasing. Third, terrorism has been on the constant increase since September 11, 2001. On March 19, 2003, former American President George W. Bush announced to the world that the United States and the United Kingdom would be invading Iraq. He stated that this military operation was designed to â€Å"disarm Iraq, free its people and to defend the world from grave danger.† America had seen Iraq to be a major threat against world peace as well as a â€Å"breeding ground for terrorists†, and that it had to eliminate this threat before they could attack again. On March 20, 2003, a day after President Bushes address, The United States and the United Kingdom began their invasion of Iraq. Although the invasion was intended to disarm Iraq from any weapons of mass destruction, it was also aimed at uncovering and eliminating any terrorist organizations within the country since several United States officials accused Hussein of harboring and supporting al-Qaeda, the terrorist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks. In fact, no weapons of mass destruction were ever found and it was discovered that there was â€Å"no direct connection between Saddams Iraq and al-Qaeda.† Furthermore, while there was no concrete connection between Iraq and terrorism, the United  States and the United Kingdom decided to remain in Iraq and liberate its people. Moreover, attacks on troops were being carried out daily and Iraqis say that these attacks were being made by â€Å"organized forces motivated by nationalism, Islam and revenge that feed off public unhappiness.† Instead of creating a more liberal and safe Iraq, what the United States and United Kingdom had done was essentially bring more violence and terrorist activity to the country. Prior to the United States and United Kingdoms occupation, the people of Iraq were not able to speak their minds, but what they did have was security and the basic amenities to get through the day. After the occupation had taken place, the Iraqi people to this day â€Å"fear being attacked in their bedrooms; power, water, and telephones are routinely unavailable.† Shiites, which are a branch of Islam, supported the removing of Saddam Hussein from power, but got increasingly hostile towards the United States and United Kingdoms occupation of their country. This hostility resulted in the creation of religious extremists within Iraq which â€Å"have told western reporters that they are prepared to carry out martyrdom operations if and when they receive orders to do so.† The United States and United Kingdom invasion of Iraq had not only increased religious extremism in the country, but it was also used as a â€Å"recruitment tool by al-Qaeda and other groups.† The head of Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia, Saad al-Faqih, said that â€Å"images of American soldiers and tanks in Baghdad are deeply humiliating to Muslims.† This humiliation is one of man y things that tends to trigger deep anger for American and British forces occupying Iraq, and ultimately creates terrorists. However, some argue that the occupation of Iraq was essential in the global fight against terrorism. Former President George W. Bush stated that if the United States and the United Kingdom had not invaded Iraq, terrorists would not be idle. He goes on to say that â€Å"they would be plotting and killing [people] across the world and within [American] borders. By fighting these terrorists in Iraq, Americans in uniform are defeating a direct threat to the American people.† Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom also agreed with Bushs comments stating â€Å"There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that what is happening in Iraq now†¦is crucial for the security of the world.†

Impact of Knowledge Sharing for Elderly Housing Support

Impact of Knowledge Sharing for Elderly Housing Support The Impact of Knowledge Sharing in the Provision of Floating Support in Sheltered Housing for the elderly. Abstract As the population ages, increasing number of vulnerable older people are living alone in own home, sheltered housing or residential care. The needs of the older people are constantly changing and there is need for long term support. Older people living in sheltered housing with complex and high needs require access to services with a network of different types of support; high staff cover and supervision. Supported people introduced floating support to aid people with high and complex needs. Floating support aimed at preventing homelessness among people with high difficulties; and intensive support, with out-of-hours cover, for people with high needs. Housing services, social services, ‘health services have to liaise and coordinate the services being provided. Knowledge sharing will help ease of the tensions and demands among the agencies. This paper, which is based on an on-going PhD project, begins by examining the field of sheltered housing for the elderly, discusses floating support and the key prayers providing the support. This is followed by analysis of knowledge sharing and potential factors that are important to a successful knowledge-sharing in providing floating support to the services provider. This paper concludes that , trust, motivation, effective communication, shared mindsets, training and leadership are the critical for effective knowledge sharing in provision of floating support in sheltered housing for the elderly. Effective gathering and sharing knowledge and information between supported Housing providers, social services and health and Care agencies through the establishment of the Knowledge sharing initiatives. Keywords: Knowledge sharing, sheltered housing, floating support and Provisions Nowadays Knowledge is regarded as a strategic resource in organizations, and thus the leverage of knowledge is a key managerial issue. Knowledge creation, sharing and dissemination are the main activities in knowledge management. This study examines the influence the social and technological factors such as learning culture and IT use, could have on knowledge sharing of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) students. A cross-sectional survey was used as a methodology for data collection and 137 valid responses were collected from all the three categories of students that include graduates, undergraduates and preparatory students. The study shows that there is a significant positive relationship between the student learning culture and IT use on student knowledge sharing. The study limitations, practical implications, along with directions for further research are discussed.. Despite the strong interests among practitioners, there is a knowledge gap with regard to online communities of practice. This study examines knowledge sharing among critical-care and advanced-practice nurses, who are engaged in a longstanding online community of practice. Lack of knowledge and sharing knowledge with each other was also reflected on (Table 2 and Appendix). The participants from the specialized unit for demented people spoke about their lack of knowledge concerning demented people in general and they wanted more training. Their practical knowledge gained through long experience was put forward by the supervisor. Lack of resources, principally lack of time was another topic for reflection (Table 2 and Appendix). The participants spoke about the work with demented pensioners as time-consuming and that they hardly ever had the time they wanted, for instance to sit down and talk to the pensioners. The descriptions presented during the sessions and derived from practical experience could also support other staff who are dealing with the complexity of caring for demented people. The participants were given the opportunity of sharing their own knowledge with each other through comparing how they handled various tasks. Several studies show that staff who are given the opportunity to share their practical knowledge with others gain a wider variety of experience, attitudes, new ways, views and solutions to problems (Bulechek McCloskey 1985, Kadushin 1985). Johns (1995) emphasized that reflective practice always needs to be guided and that clinical supervision is central to the process of learning. Clinical supervision offers an ideal milieu for the guidance of reflective practice just as reflective practice offers an ideal method to structure what takes place within clinical supervision (Johns 1995). The benefits of these reflective discussions are not the focus of this study. It s eems reasonable, however, to assume that such well-designed discussions also help the nurses to achieve high quality care. (Olsson and Hallberg 1998) Effective knowledge sharing is vital to successful provision of floating support in sheltered housing for the elderly. There is still little knowledge available about home-based professional care for demented people and how to support it from a managerial point of view. In order to develop clinical supervision techniques further and to understand the home care staffs specific problems in their caring for demented people living in their own homes, it seems useful to study the content of supervision sessions. The professionals narratives during such sessions may contribute to a deeper understanding of professional home care for the demented. It is estimated that the best solution for elderly demented people is to stay at home, since their known environment can better support the maintenance of their personal lives and values. Staying at home supposedly gives demented people an opportunity to maintain ADL-performance, and promotes the individuals sense of self and integrity (Zgola 1988, Kihlgren 1990). Studies from Canada and the USA show that demented people remain in their homes during the major part of the disease (Alessi 1991, Gallo et al. 1991). It may well be that the circumstances are the same in Sweden. No studies, however, have been located. Usually demented people who stay at home are cared for by their own families (Dellasega 1991) and this is known to cause strain on the family caregiver (Given et al. 1990, Pushkar Gold et al. 1995). The family caregiver also seems to benefit from increased satisfaction and self-esteem related to taking on and carrying through the responsibility for their demented family membe r and they do not necessarily worry about their demented next of kin, as they tend to do if the demented becomes institutionalized (cf Stephens et al. 1991). On the other hand the family caregiver may suffer from social and affective limitations in his/her life especially at the beginning of the next of kins disease (Grafstrom et al. 1992) and Saveman et al. (1993) show that there is a risk of abuse of elderly people in informal care. Home care staff may have the opportunity to relieve such strain.(Olsson and Hallberg 1998) (Olsson and Hallberg 1998) Research on outcomes in supported housing has been very limited and most published studies are descriptive, rather than evaluative. Cost-effectiveness has generally not been investigated. The outcomes most commonly evaluated are satisfaction and quality of life. A recent GOSW research review has concluded that: Â § There are some beneficial effects of supported housing, particularly in relation to quality of life that could lead to improved health; Â § There is a lack of research into health related outcomes, such as re-admission rates or clinical symptoms; Â § The objective of promoting independence, as stated in the South West Regional Housing Strategy, should be assessed formally; Â § There is a need for formal evaluation of supported housing schemes to ensure that the projects meet the needs of the clients and the wider population. ABSTRACT In the area of knowledge management, many studies have been devoted to investigating how to design an effective knowledge-sharing system in organizations. These studies emphasized the importance of various aspects to the success of the knowledge-sharing system and provided us with hints concerning what critical factors we should consider in the design of a knowledge-sharing system for group learning. In this study, we aim at exploring the critical components of a successful knowledge-sharing system and influential aspects we should consider in the design of a system for group learning. To achieve this task, we conducted an experiment during a semester-long course. The participants in the experiment were the final-year undergraduate students of a business school in Hong Kong. Finally, several factors important to the success of a knowledge-sharing system were identified. Implications for teaching and learning were also provided. Keywords Knowledge sharing, group learning, critical success factor INTRODUCTION Knowledge sharing among students is believed to be an effective approach to facilitate studying and improve their academic performance. Therefore, how we should carry out successful knowledge sharing in the classroom is a meaningful topic and should be given some attention. To build a knowledge-sharing system is an approach worthy of effort in conducting effective knowledge sharing in school. However, which system aspects merit consideration is still a problem under investigation. Based on previous research, the present study explores potential factors that are important to a successful knowledge-sharing system and discusses some implications for academic teaching and learning. LITERATURE REVIEW In the area of knowledge management, many studies have been done to investigate how to establish an efficient system for sharing knowledge in organizations. These studies emphasized the importance of various aspects to the success of knowledge sharing system. For example, Almeida et als study (2002) emphasized the availability of multiple mechanisms, formal and informal, to share and transfer knowledge so as to flexibly and simultaneously move, integrate and develop technical knowledge. Besides, the organizational culture that is capable of supporting the flow of knowledge was also addressed as an important factor. Another study by Nelson and Cooprider (1996) empirically tested the relationships between IS performance and mutual trust and influence among IS groups and their line customers. They found that mutual trust can facilitate knowledge sharing and can then increase shared knowledge. Bryants paper (2003) mainly studied the role of leadership in organizational knowledge manageme nt by comparing the effect of transformational leadership and transactional leadership on knowledge sharing. The involvement of high technology in knowledge sharing is addressed by Hubers study (2001) that claimed that some of the barriers to knowledge sharing can to a certain extent be raised by utilizing appropriate technologies. A few studies noted the role of motivation in knowledge sharing. Most of them discussed the different effects of both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation on knowledge sharing. It was believed that extrinsic motivation is a short-term approach and cannot create a lasting commitment to sharing knowledge (Kohn, 1993). Moreover, extrinsic motivation is also inappropriate if the knowledge shared is mainly tacit in nature (Osterloh et al., 2000). In Hansens paper (2002), the results showed that project teams who could conveniently access related knowledge from other units by virtue of pre-existing relationships could complete their projects faster than those who failed to do so. Thus, pre-existing relationships are also a facilitating factor due to their shortening the path among units who possess related knowledge. Lastly, a common language is also believed essential for effective knowledge sharing so that knowledge producers and recipients can achieve fluent and accurate communication in exchanging ideas and knowledge (Ali, 2001). EXPERIMENTAL SETUP For this study, we planned an experiment that was conducted during a course and lasted for whole semester. The participants in the experiment were the final-year undergraduate students of a business school. For the purposes of this experiment, we separated all students into different groups with each group consisting of five to six students. We then assigned relevant project topics to different groups and asked them to finish the projects by the end of semester. At the beginning, we counseled the participants that sharing knowledge is an effective way of improving performance and encouraged them to share their knowledge with their group mates as much as possible during the projects. MEASUREMENT A questionnaire was designed to test the participants perceptions concerning knowledge sharing based on their experience acquired in the group projects. The questionnaire consisted of two parts. In the first part, we selected eight factors based on past studies, including knowledge-friendly culture, motivational practices, multiple available channels, leader supportiveness, trust, pre-existing relationship, common language and level of technology. Participants were asked to indicate the extent to which each of these factors is important to the success of knowledge sharing. The second part had four items: Email, Knowledge repository, Face-to-face (F2F) meeting and Formal seminar. We ask participants to indicate the frequency with which they used each of the above methods to share knowledge with their group mates. We distributed the questionnaire to 91 students in a course and finally obtained 75 usable samples for further data analysis. RESULTS The mean, max and min values for each of the eight variables in the first part are summarized in Table 1. In addition, we conducted a series of paired t-tests to statistically compare every possible pair of means. Based on the results of the t-test (Table 2), we categorized the eight factors into five different groups: knowledge-friendly culture and motivational practices, multiple available channels and leader supportiveness, trust, pre-existing relationship and common language, and, lastly, level of technology. Trust Culture Motivation Channels Leader Relation Language Tech MEAN 6.04 5.84 5.76 5.52 5.51 5.12 5.27 4.71 MAX 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 MIN 3 4 4 3 4 3 3 1 Importance MAX MIN Table 1. Results of the first part Culture 2.15 Motivation 2.71 0.92 Channels 4.36 2.66 2.31 Leader 5.18 3.42 2.32 0.12 Relation 6.54 6.11 5.16 2.95 3.04 Language 6.31 4.22 3.66 1.98 1.96 0.95 Tech 9.28 8.41 6.83 5.03 5.73 2.70 3.50 t-value Trust Culture Motivation Channels Leader Relation Language Table 2. Results of paired t-test ( p In each above group that contains more than one factor, the factors are not statistically different from each other. For example, the knowledge-friendly-culture factor is perceived as equally important as the factor on motivational practice. We then prioritized these five groups in terms of their importance to the success of knowledge sharing by comparing their mean level. Obviously, building trust is the most important factor and the level of technology the least, as shown in Table 1. The mean, max and min values of the second part of the dataset are exhibited in Table 3. We also worked out the percentage of responses that rated the item more than 4 points. By referring to this percentage and checking the corresponding mean values, we can obtain information concerning how many of participants at least frequently used each method to share their knowledge with others. To conclude, F2F meeting is the most frequently used approach to sharing knowledge. Formal seminars, on the contrary, were the least used. F2F Email Repository Seminar MEAN 5.83 5.41 4.48 3.00 MAX 7 7 7 7 MIN 4 2 2 1 Frequent Usage 94.7% 85.3% 46.7% 21.3% Table 3. Data of the second part IMPLICATIONS Our study has essential implications for course teaching and learning. Our study suggests that in order to facilitate knowledge sharing among students, building trusting relationships is the first and most important step to take. Such trust can be built and strengthened via gradual mutual understanding. Therefore, there should be various opportunities and occasions for students to get to know each other. In this way, improved trust due to good understanding can raise the psychological barriers to communication and can then increase the students willingness to share knowledge. Moreover, a healthy culture should be fostered among students that learning from others and sharing what you know with others is the right thing to do and an effective way of improving study. In this arena, instructors play a particularly critical role. As for the sharing activity itself, increasing interactive communication between students is still an ideal way of proceeding. Whether in class or after class, s tudents should be provided with adequate opportunities for face-to-face discussions without the presence of instructors so that they can actively share knowledge during these discussions. Frequent formal seminars are not an effective approach for sharing knowledge because they hardly communicate with each other to exchange opinions and thoughts during the seminars. REFERENCES Ali, Y. (2001). The intranet and the management of making and using skills. Journal of Knowledge Management, 5, 338-348. Almeida, P., Song, J. and Grant, R. M. (2002). Are firms superior to alliances and markets? An empirical test of cross-border knowledge building. Organization Science, 13, 147-161. Bryant, S. E. (2003). The role of transformational and transactional leadership in creating, sharing and exploiting organizational knowledge. Journal of Leadership Organizational Studies, 9, 32-44. Hansen, M. T. (2002). Knowledge networks: Explaining effective knowledge sharing in multiunit companies. Organization Science, 13, 232-248. Huber, G. P. (2001). Transfer of knowledge in knowledge management systems: unexplored issues and suggested studies. European Journal of Information Systems, 10, 72-79. Kohn, A. (1993). Why incentive plans cannot work. Harvard Business Review, 71,54-63. Nelson, K. M. and J. G. Cooprider (1996). The contribution of shared knowledge to IS group performance. MIS Quarterly, 20, 409-432. Osterloh, M. and Frey, B. S. (2000). Motivation, knowledge transfer, and organizational forms. Organization Science, 11, 538-550. Knowing in Community: 10 Critical Success Factors in Building Communities of Practice The Limits of Knowledge Management Many companies are discovering that the real gold in knowledge management is not in distributing documents or combining databases. In the last few years many companies have used the internet and other new information technology to link professionals across the globe to share documents or compare data. But many are discovering that the real value in knowledge management is in sharing ideas and insights that are not documented and hard to articulate. This undocumented, hard-to-articulate knowledge is what has been called tacit knowledge (Polanyi, 1958). A group of systems designers for a computer company tried to share their knowledge by storing their documentation for client systems in a common database. They soon discovered that they did not need each others documentation. They needed to understand the logic other system designers used — why that software, with that hardware and that type of service plan. They needed to understand the thinking of the other system designers. A petrophysicist trying to interpret unusual data from a deep sea oil well needed help from a colleague who had seen similar anomalies and could help him think through how to interpret it. Only in the course of the discussion were they able to understand the anomaly. A geologist faced with an array of new seismic tools needed to know which would be most useful in his particular application. A product development team at an auto company found through their internet that another development team had developed and rejected a design ideas similar to one they were considering. They needed to understand the reasons for the rejection and get feedback from the other team on the approach they were considering. A sales manager working with a particularly difficult client needed to know how sales managers for other product lines had dealt with that client. In all these cases people needed tacit knowledge; knowledge that was not documented, that their peers had never previously articulated, and t hat needed to be thought about to be shared (McDermott, 1999a). Using typical knowledge management methods to leverage tacit knowledge often results in information junkyards and empty libraries. At the heart of most knowledge management efforts is an attempt to document and share information, ideas and insights so they can be organized, managed and shared. But documenting tacit knowledge frequently does more harm than good. When a major computer company first introduced its knowledge site, it asked field engineers to place their files in a common database. But, like many other companies, this company soon discovered that their staff did not want to hunt through many, redundant entries. As one engineer said, My own file cabinet is bad enough, why would I want look through everyone elses file cabinet. Rather than a resource, the company had created an information junkyard, full of potentially good material that was too much trouble to sort through. The field engineers wanted someone familiar with their discipline to assess the material, decide what is important and to enrich the documents in the database by summarizing, combining, contrasting, and integrating them. This would make the junkyard useful. Another company instructed their professional staff to document key work processes so others could easily learn from them. Most staff felt their work was too varied to capture in a set of procedures, but eventually they completed the task. Within a year the database was populated, but little used, an empty library. Most people found the information to be too general to be useful. The help they needed was still in the experience — the tacit knowledge of their peers. Communities of Practice Leverage Thinking Ironically one of the oldest elements of organization is key to leveraging tacit knowledge, communities of practice. Communities of practice are groups of people who share information, insight, experience, and tools about an area of common interest (Wenger, 1998). A communitys focus could be on a professional discipline like reservoir engineering or biology a skill like machine repair or a topic like a technology, an industry, or a segment of a production process. In a manufacturing company, for example, communities were formed around steps in the production process. Shell Oil Co.s New Orleans operation, which is organized into cross-functional teams, formed them around key disciplines and topics that cross individual teams. Communities of practice have always been part of the informal structure of organizations. They form spontaneously as people seek help, try to solve problems, develop new ideas and approaches. Some say that spontaneous communities of practice have always been the real vehicle through which technical knowledge spreads through organizations. Spontaneous communities of practice are informal. People participate in them as their interest, time and energy dictates. Although they usually gel around a particular topic or domain, the specific issues they focus on change over time, as the needs and interests of their members change. Communities are held together by passionate interest and value. Communities of practice frequently form around topics community members have invested many years in developing; topics they are often passionately interested in, a science, a craft or a manufacturing process. But communities of practice are not just celebrations of common interest. They focus on practical aspects of a practice, everyday problems, new tools, developments in the field, things that work and dont. So people participate because the community provides value. Community members frequently turn to each other to help solve technical problems, like interpreting anomalous data. Because they are often linked, not only to each other but also to suppliers, universities and others outside their organization communities of practice, they often keep members informed of new developments in the field. Because community members share a common technical interest, they can share ideas and concerns with others who really unders tand. And praise from community members is often the most meaningful because technical peers really understand the difficulty of the work or the brilliance of an analysis. As a result, people often have a great deal of their professional identity tied up in their communities. Communities of practice link people in many ways. Communities frequently link people with a common interest who do not have regular day-to-day contact. For example, in Shell Oils New Orleans operation, communities link people who work on different teams. In this double knit organization (McDermott, 1999b) teams are the core organizational structure. Communities form around technical disciplines and topics that draw people from many teams. Each community operates in its own way, but the Turbodudes community is fairly typical. The Turbodudes draw people from different disciplines (geology, geophysics, petrophysics, reservoir engineering) who are interested in a particular kind of geological structure common in the Gulf of Mexico, turbidites. The Turbodudes stay together through five key components: a coordinator, mentors, a weekly meeting, presentations by outside vendors, and a website that stores topics discussed at previous meetings. For the last two years the Turbodudes have met ev ery Tuesday at 7:30 in the morning, before the other organizational meetings begin. Typically twenty to forty people come to the meetings. While there are often many new faces at the meetings, there is a core group of ten high-contributors who make most of the meetings. The meetings seem very informal. The coordinator asks who has a question or problem. After a short presentation, others offer their observations, describing the logic or assumptions they made in formulating those observations. A technical specialist takes notes on her computer. The following day meeting notes are posted on the communitys website. While the meeting only lasts an hour, people often leave in small groups hotly engaged in discussions of the meetings topic. But these meetings are not as informal as they seem. Between meetings the coordinator walks the halls connecting people with others who share similar concerns, following up on the meetings topics, and finding topics for the next meeting. To keep discus sions focused on cutting edge topics and to keep senior community leaders engaged, the community developed a mentorship program for people new to the field. The mentorship program provides an avenue for basic questions and distributes the job of educating new community members in an equitably. Communities thrive on trust. One of the main dynamics of the Turbodudes and many other communities of practice is that members ask for and offer help solving technical problems. Regularly helping each other makes it easier for community members to show their weak spots and learn together in the public space of the community. Having frank and supportive discussions of real problems frequently builds a greater sense of connection and trust between community members. As they share ideas and experiences, community members often develop a shared way of doing things, a set of common practices, and a greater sense of common purpose. Sometimes they formalize these in guidelines and standards, but often they simply remain what everybody knows about good practice. In the course of helping each other, sharing ideas, and collectively solving problems, everybody often becomes a trusted group of peers. Communities of practice are ideal vehicles for leveraging tacit knowledge because they enable person-to-person interaction and engage a whole group in advancing their field of practice. As a result, they can spread the insight from that collaborative thinking across the whole organization Critical Success Factors for Community Building Communities of practice are a new/old kind of organizational form. Even though communities of practice have been part of organizations for many generations, we have only recently begun to understand their dynamics and tried to intentionally develop them. Because they are organic, driven by the value they provide to members, organized around changing topics, and bound by peoples sense of connection, they are very different from teams and other organizational forms most of us are familiar with (McDermott, 1999b; Wenger Snyder, 2000). The challenges they pose and the factors in making them successful are also different. There are four key challenges in starting and supporting communities capable of sharing tacit knowledge and thinking together. The management challenge is to communicate that the organization truly values sharing knowledge. The community challenge is to create real value for community members and insure that the community shares cutting edge thinking, rather than sophisticated copying. The technical challenge is to design human and information systems that not only make information available but help community members think together. And the personal challenge is to be open to the ideas of others and maintain a thirst for developing the communitys practice. Ten factors, dealing with each of these challenges, are critical to the success of communities of practice. Without them, communities tend to flounder or fail. Critical Success Factors in Building Community Management Challenge 1. Focus on topics important to the business and community members. 2. Find a well-respected community member to coordinate the community. 3. Make sure people have time and encouragement to participate. 4. Build on the core values of the organization. Community Challenge 5. Get key thought leaders involved. 6. Build personal relationships among community members. 7. Develop an active passionate core group. 8. Create forums for thinking together as well as systems for sharing information. Technical Challenge 9. Make it easy to contribute and access the communitys knowledge and practices. Personal Challenge 10. Create real dialogue about cutting edge issues. The Management Challenge Knowledge management, like total quality and reengineering has become the latest of management fads. Many professionals have found that if they just keep their heads low they can escape the extra work and impact of these fads. With so many pressures drawing on their time, it is often hard to get the attention of professional staff. Four factors can communicate that management really does support knowledge-sharing communities. 1. Focus on knowledge important to both the business and the people. To show that communities of practice are important, form them around topics at the heart of the business, where leveraging knowledge will have a significant financial or competitive impact. Communities of practice at Shell, a very technically oriented company, started around technical topics. At a manufacturing company, we formed the first communities around major steps of the manufacturing process

Self-Awareness of The Sandboxs Characters :: The Sandbox Edward Albee

Symbolic Self-Awareness of The Sandbox's Characters Through his one-act play The Sandbox, Edward Albee has extended the allegory; his characters not only exist as symbols, but are more than vaguely aware of themselves as such. As caricatures rather than characters, they maintain a consciousness of their presence on stage as well as the stereotypical rules and emotions they are meant to display. Specifically through Mommy and Daddy's vacuous and immediate shifts to "appropriate" attitudes, Edward Albee issues his value statement. In effect, Shakespeare's assessment that "All the world's a stage,/And all men and women merely players" has been reanalyzed and extended by Albee, culminating in a work which declares the conventional conception of death as affected and contrived. Almost deceiving in its straightforwardness is the opening note on Mommy and Daddy and the "pre-senility and vacuity of their characters." Daddy's ensuing questions as to what is to be done, and Mommy's resulting composed answers set in motion the implication of an end-of-life ritual whose spiritual meaning has long since passed away. At one point, Daddy asks Mommy if they should conduct a conversation. Mommy responds, "Well, you can talk, if you want to...if you can think of anything to say...if you can think of anything new." Daddy's rejoinder in the negative establishes early on that his and Mommy's existences, and therefore actions, are hackneyed, artificial, mundane, and devoid of any true, personal meaning. By the air of preparation which pervades the play, and by Grandma's death in the end, a connection is made, and The Sand Box is duly noted as Albee's address on custom surrounding the coming of life's passing. The creation of an W W W W W W in which the actors are aware of their presence of stage breaks ground for Albee's take on society's engagement in role-playing. Requesting appropriate background music, and making remarks on lighting, Albee's characters cannot escape discredit regarding the genuine. Similarly, Albee greets the close advance of death with the suitable stereotypes of sudden darkness, violin playing, "a violent off-stage rumble," and Mommy's brief tears. Inevitably, the sincerity of Mommy and Daddy has been cast in doubt and all subsequent words and actions bear resemblance to conventions. Self-Awareness of The Sandbox's Characters :: The Sandbox Edward Albee Symbolic Self-Awareness of The Sandbox's Characters Through his one-act play The Sandbox, Edward Albee has extended the allegory; his characters not only exist as symbols, but are more than vaguely aware of themselves as such. As caricatures rather than characters, they maintain a consciousness of their presence on stage as well as the stereotypical rules and emotions they are meant to display. Specifically through Mommy and Daddy's vacuous and immediate shifts to "appropriate" attitudes, Edward Albee issues his value statement. In effect, Shakespeare's assessment that "All the world's a stage,/And all men and women merely players" has been reanalyzed and extended by Albee, culminating in a work which declares the conventional conception of death as affected and contrived. Almost deceiving in its straightforwardness is the opening note on Mommy and Daddy and the "pre-senility and vacuity of their characters." Daddy's ensuing questions as to what is to be done, and Mommy's resulting composed answers set in motion the implication of an end-of-life ritual whose spiritual meaning has long since passed away. At one point, Daddy asks Mommy if they should conduct a conversation. Mommy responds, "Well, you can talk, if you want to...if you can think of anything to say...if you can think of anything new." Daddy's rejoinder in the negative establishes early on that his and Mommy's existences, and therefore actions, are hackneyed, artificial, mundane, and devoid of any true, personal meaning. By the air of preparation which pervades the play, and by Grandma's death in the end, a connection is made, and The Sand Box is duly noted as Albee's address on custom surrounding the coming of life's passing. The creation of an W W W W W W in which the actors are aware of their presence of stage breaks ground for Albee's take on society's engagement in role-playing. Requesting appropriate background music, and making remarks on lighting, Albee's characters cannot escape discredit regarding the genuine. Similarly, Albee greets the close advance of death with the suitable stereotypes of sudden darkness, violin playing, "a violent off-stage rumble," and Mommy's brief tears. Inevitably, the sincerity of Mommy and Daddy has been cast in doubt and all subsequent words and actions bear resemblance to conventions.

Hamlet’s Gentle Ophelia Essay -- The Tragedy of Hamlet Essays

Hamlet’s Gentle Ophelia  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeare created a gentle little creature in the character of Ophelia in the tragedy Hamlet. Her strange misfortunes, as well as other circumstances, make her life an interesting one to explore in this essay.    Ward and Trent in The Cambridge History of English and American Literature maintain that Ophelia is interesting in herself, aside from her relationship with the hero:    Of Ophelia, and Polonius, and the queen and all the rest, not to mention Hamlet himself (in whose soul it would be absurd to attempt to discover new points here), after this we need not say anything. But it is observable that they are not, as in the case of Coriolanus, interesting merely or mainly for their connection with the hero, but in themselves. (vol.5, pt.1, ch.8, sec.16, no.55)    Helena Faucit (Lady Martin) in On Some of Shakespeare's Female Characters reveals the misunderstood character of Ophelia:    My views of Shakespeare's women have been wont to take their shape in the living portraiture of the stage, and not in words. I have, in imagination, lived their lives from the very beginning to the end; and Ophelia, as I have pictured her to myself, is so unlike what I hear and read about her, and have seen represented on the stage, that I can scarcely hope to make any one think of her as I do. It hurts me to hear her spoken of, as she often is, as a weak creature, wanting in truthfulness, in purpose, in force of character, and only interesting when she loses the little wits she had. And yet who can wonder that a character so delicately outlined, and shaded in with touches so fine, should be often gravely misunderstood? (186)    Ophelia enters the play with her ... ...s 6.1 (May, 2000): 2.1-24 .    Pennington, Michael. â€Å"Ophelia: Madness Her Only Safe Haven.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. of â€Å"Hamlet†: A User’s Guide. New York: Limelight Editions, 1996.    Pitt, Angela. â€Å"Women in Shakespeare’s Tragedies.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint of Shakespeare’s Women. N.p.: n.p., 1981.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html No line nos.    Ward & Trent, et al. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1907–21; New York: Bartleby.com, 2000 http://www.bartleby.com/215/0816.html