Harold Krebs in Soldiers Home Essay Example

Harold Krebs in Soldiers Home Essay Example Harold Krebs in Soldiers Home Essay Harold Krebs in Soldiers Home Essay In Ernest Hemingway’s â€Å"Soldier’s Home† Harold Krebs, a U.S Marine returns home from fighting in World War I to his small town in Oklahoma. The reader experiences the hardships and struggles Harold faces while adjusting to his new reality back home. The short story reflects Harold’s attempt at reintegration while struggling to reconcile his experience at war, with the society he returns to. He has clearly been affected emotionally and mentally by the atrocities of war, so very foreign to his family and community. When Harold returns home from war, everything feels like a struggle for him. The simplest of tasks become exhausting as he struggles to cope. Even his routine of waking up, washing, shaving, dressing and eating was complicated by his mother’s desire for interaction. Harold noticed that the girls left behind when he went to war were much older now, and while he found them more attractive than European girls, he didn’t findâ€Å"the courage or the energy to break into it† with the local girls due to the complication of having to interact with them (167).The lack of structure and employment resulted in Harold creating his own routine to reduce stress, â€Å"sleeping late in bed, getting up to walk downtown to the library to get a book, eating lunch at home, reading on the front porch until he became board and then walking down through the town to spend the hottest hours of the day in the cool dark of the pool roomin the evening he practiced on his clarinet, stroll ed downtown, read, and went to bed† (168) all without meaningful connection with other people in his life. : Prior to his return, post World War I, civilians idolized soldiers and wanted to only recount the heroic and uplifting stories. Harold returned home with the second division, leaving towns folk already having heard stories of the war’s atrocities, requiring Harold to lie to get a response. Harold â€Å"..felt the need to talk [about the war] b

Shaken Baby Syndrome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Shaken Baby Syndrome - Essay Example Today, SBS is recognised as a form of child abuse through out the world and there are laws to protect the child from SBS. This is a serious problem and it is estimated that about 25% to 30% of infant victims with SBS die from their injuries. It is important to note that nonfatal consequences of SBS include varying degrees of visual, motor and cognitive impairments that will last all through life. Studies have also found that the direct costs of child maltreatment are $24 billion annually while indirect costs often exceed an estimated $69 billion annually in USA (2001) (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2006). It is because of the papers published by John Caffey that SBS is today recognized as a child abuse. Caffey was a radiologist specializing in pediatric cases. Caffey stressed on the point that the multiple limb fractures he observed in babies were the result of abuse. However, it was not until Kempe and his associates at the University of Colorado Medical Center in Denver published their seminal article in 1962 that the theories of Caffey and others began to gain popularity and recognition (Leestma, 2006). In general, the injuries that characterize Shaken Baby Syndrome are intracranial hemorrhage i.e. bleeding in and around the brain; retinal hemorrhage i.e. bleeding in the retina of the eye; and other fractures of the ribs and at the ends of the long bones. The impact trauma may add on to the injuries such as bruises, lacerations or other fractures (Sirotnak, et al., 2004). Shaken Baby Syndrome predominantly occurs in infants less than one year of age. These infants below the age of one are susceptible because of their relatively large sized heads, heavy brains and weak neck muscles. The violent shaking of an infant causes the shearing of blood vessels around the brain and subdural haematoma causing irreversible damage to the nerve cells. As a result of these injuries, brain swelling and a lack of blood and oxygen may result, producing further damage to the infant's brain and other parts of the body. It is usually the parent or the caregiver who is involved in violently shaking an infant that may result in SBS and most of the experts believe that the reasons for this violent act are common in most of the cases such as frequent crying and toileting behavior. The new parents find it difficult to cope with certain behaviors of their new born child and in such cases the crying baby can become the trigger for frustration of parent or caregiver and may result in violent shaking of the baby. Since the time it is recognized as child abuse, several measures have been taken for the prevention of SBS. Additionally, the identification, evaluation, investigation, management and prevention of SBS require a multidisciplinary approach. It also relies on the knowledge, skills, mandate and jurisdictional responsibilities of key disciplines. It is important for physicians, nurses, and other health care providers to provide adequate information on SBS to the parents and other caregivers. There is also a need for shared commitment and coordination among health, child welfare, police, social services, justice and education professionals, as well as the community at large. Shaking a child violently is considered as child abuse and a criminal assault. For this purpose, several states in USA have passed bills and in most of these places the legal implications of SBS involve child welfare and criminal investigations. These

Charles Chesnutt Debates Washington and Du Bois Essay

Charles Chesnutt Debates Washington and Du Bois - Essay Example Washington: Of course laws are manipulated to hinder our progress and advancement. But we as blacks, in our own hunger and impatience also endeavor to regulate and manipulate perhaps too much and all at once. Nonetheless, in this social tug of war, we have already managed to strive and attain a compromise with the powers that be. Du Bois: A compromise is not enough. As Chestnutt says, the persistent funk of the matter still exists. This idea about obstructions and obstacles has already been established and understood in all of humanity; it is an absolute truth of all struggles, as in the Greek and Roman tragedies. Obstacles caused by the enemy as well as by the protagonist are inevitable in all epics and in all realities. Such 'evil' powers have always existed to obstruct the advancement of any race, of any people C: Now, beyond fairytales and myths, if we are truly emancipated should not all of society take up the responsibility of our emancipation Should not all of society, black or white, be held accountable for such manipulations of power that continue to degrade and oppress our progress W: Such responsibility and accountability take time. We as blacks have to accommodate ourselves to our newly acquired rights and we need to pacify the fears of the whites to establish a dialogue and a trust. D: Just as much as the whites have to accommodate to us ... Obstacles caused by the enemy as well as by the protagonist are inevitable in all epics and in all realities. Such 'evil' powers have always existed to obstruct the advancement of any race, of any people C: Now, beyond fairytales and myths, if we are truly emancipated should not all of society take up the responsibility of our emancipation Should not all of society, black or white, be held accountable for such manipulations of power that continue to degrade and oppress our progress W: Such responsibility and accountability take time. We as blacks have to accommodate ourselves to our newly acquired rights and we need to pacify the fears of the whites to establish a dialogue and a trust. D: Just as much as the whites have to accommodate to us being free, to us being educated, respected and held among the great intellectuals of society. We cannot humble ourselves too much or we'll be slaves again, brother. W: Yes but absolute emancipation will never happen over night. You cannot merely change white to black by adding in a completely new color which has never existed. The desired shades of grey or any color for that matter must go through their process to reach a compromise. C: Maybe you're right. We don't want white or black, we want white and black, and that is what black folks and white folks do not understand. The war is over. Perhaps it's time for an understanding- D: Well, I think what there needs to be is a sincerely desired resolution by both parties. The blacks need to establish themselves wholeheartedly and maybe even a little forcefully with their God given rights- W: Yet sensibly- D: To an extent. Whereas the whites need to earnestly acknowledge that yes, there must indeed be an acceptance of our rights and not a fear. One cannot try to outsmart

Music and Baroque Period Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Music and Baroque Period - Essay Example The advancement of music and its various genres found competent handling from the likes of great musical composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, George Friederic Handel, Antonio Vivaldi and Jean-Baptiste Lully. In their works, can be found the different kinds of music. In the work of Bach and Handel, the Oratorio flourished, and the Opera became popular due to Handel's compositions. The music of the Church also changed, with greater emphasis laid on the cantata, as well as toccatas, and fugue. This was the period, when court life was at its peak and the master of court-style composing was attributed to Jean-Baptiste Lully, while the Concerto grosso, found great meaning in the hands of Antonio Vivaldi its master. Baroque music can be divided into three periods - early, middle and late characterized by different styles. The early period was entrenched in religion while the middle period was characterized by music played in the court. This was the age of ‘absolutism’ when the power of the Church and the state created the need for organized public music and Chamber music. Music began to be treated as an art to be taught under the auspices of a formal structure. Jean-Baptiste Lully’s works during that period is marked by acquiescence to the demands made by the court and thus we have in collaborating with Molià ¨re in comà ©die-ballets, i.e. plays with dancing. He composed operas for the King, creating the tragà ©die lyrique based on libretti where the main focus was on the conflict.

Minimum Wage: Costs and Benefits

Minimum Wage: Costs and Benefits INTRODUCTION AND DEFINITION OF MINIMUM WAGE The concept of minimum wage has been an age long economic debate that has broadened economists’ horizon into examining both its costs and benefits. The whole concept behind minimum wage basically deals with how the welfare of workers in a country, state or geographical region can best be improved upon. Since the premiere of the industrial revolution which dates back to the early 19th century in England, minimum wage has become an increasingly open and popular debate. However, this definition has faced stiff opposition from activist who clamor for a minimum wage bracket. From a broader perspective, some critics of the minimum wage concept has proposed that instead of increasing the wages that workers receive, the employers should be more concerned about improving their welfare. This has been narrowed down to include their place of abode, their feeding, health insurance and other benefits that are not included as part of employees’ income. The proponents of employees†™ welfare have a strong belief that it would help the workers as it basically deals with economic development and in addition to this, would prevent the occurrence of wage inflation. However, there is a definition of minimum wage which is universally acceptable. According to the Wikipedia encyclopedia, it is simply defined as the least number in hours in terms of payment that an employer may legally pay to employees’. In examining this definition, it simply tells us that it is based on a set of rules guiding employees’ compensation for services rendered. COST OF MINIMUM WAGE: ALGEBRAIC AND GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION ALGEBRAIC REPRESENTATION The cost of minimum wage can be represented algebraically via the national income model. Hence, the cost is based on a macro-economic analysis given as: GDP= C+I+G+X-M. Where they are stated as follows; GDP= Gross domestic product, C= Consumption, I= Investment, G= Government expenditure, X= Export, M= Import. In analyzing each of the following components, the following are observations based solely on the cost of minimum wage. CONSUMPTION: With regards to the consumption of goods and services, opponents to an increase in minimum wage believes that it would lead to a drastic reduction in the consumption of manufactured goods as well as services as the cost of production is transferred to the consumers. This would lead to an increase in supply and a reduction in demand owing to cost. INVESTMENT: Conservatives are of the opinion that an increase in minimum wage would lead to a slowdown in investment. Employers would be unwilling to expand their business because of the heavy cost that would be paid to labor. This is because an increase in minimum wage would drive up the cost of labor which is very essential to production. Hence businesses would be reluctant to expand thereby leading to a reduction in investment in the long-run. GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE: Conservatives are of the belief that an increase in minimum wage would drive up government expenditure. To buttress their point, it should be noted that an increase in minimum wage would drive up the cost of production which would lead to job cuts. Job cuts would prompt the government to act quickly by providing social security programs that would discourage people from engaging in social vices and illegal activities. This increases the government expenditure. EXPORTS: An increase in the minimum wage would result in a drastic reduction in exports of the subject nation. This occurs as a result of the fact that when there is an increase in the minimum wage, it leads to an increase in the cost of production and eventually an increase in the prices of goods to be exported. This would eventually lead to a reduction in the units of exported goods. IMPORTS: Increasing the minimum wage would lead to a sharp increase in the importation of goods. The foreign nation would want to make its own good cheaper in the subject nation where the increase has occurred. This may eventually lead to illegal trading activities such as dumping of goods or manufacturing of substandard goods. Hence foreign products would flock the domestic markets killing the domestic industry which would eventually lead to unemployment and a reduction in government revenue. GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION y axis QSo $11.00QS1 QSo $7.25x axis (Minimum wage) 13.2units 20 units Units of goods produced The graph above represents the effect of an increase in minimum wage on the cost of production. From the above graph, the y axis represents an increase in the minimum wage of workers from $7.25 to $11.00. This led to the following observations. At initial minimum wage of $7.25, the number of units produced was 20units, hence cost of production is $7.25 * 20 = $145.working by assumption At new minimum wage of $11.00, producers are trying to maximize output by reducing input. Hence new cost of production is $11.00 * 13.2 = $145.2 which is equivalent to $145. Hence the old cost of production is equal to the new cost of production (Ceteris paribus) As a result of this action initial quantity supplied by producers (QSo) is reduced from 20units to approximately 13units. This is represented by a left word movement of the arrow from QSo to QS1, which signifies a reduction. In addition to this, the x-axis is also represented by a left word movement of the arrow from initial units produced (20units) to new units produced (13.2units equivalent to 13units) BENEFITS OF MINIMUM WAGE: MATHEMATICALAND GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION MATHEMATICAL REPRESENTATION For a better representation of the benefits of minimum wage, the most appropriate model to be employed would be the national income model. This model was also used in the cost of minimum wage. It is stated as: GDP = C + I + G + X – M C- CONSUMPTION Proponents of minimum wage increase are of strong opinion that it increases the level of consumption among the citizens. This is based on one of the factors affecting demand which states that quantity demanded increase with respect to an increase in the income of individuals. In other words when the minimum wage is increased people would be able to purchase more goods and services compared to the original amount. I – INVESTMENT Since the proponents of an increase in the minimum wage believes it would eliminate low paying jobs and lead to higher paying jobs, hence as it pertains to investment, an increase in the minimum wage would lead to greater investment in high skilled industries which would be beneficial to gross domestic product. This type of investments would in most cases be long term and is very crucial in moving a country from developing to developed. G- GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE Increasing the minimum wage would reduce the expenditure from government. This is according to proponents who believe that workers would earn more as a result of the increase and thereby depend less on the government for welfare benefits. This would eventually reduce expenditure on the part of the government and lead to more revenue on the part of the citizens. This would be very helpful to the economy as it would create a balanced budget. X- EXPORT Exports would be of great benefit to an increase minimum wage. The reason for this is that it would be very helpful in producing goods that meet international standards and can yield maximum utility. This would make the domestic country’s goods competitive in the international market thereby leading to a trade surplus in the long run. The basic reason for this is that with an increased minimum wage, employers demand more from employees. Hence their skills and competences are put to test. M- IMPORT As regards import, an increase in the minimum wage would not be helpful to imputed goods. This is based on assumption of the proponents of minimum wage increase. It is strongly believed that because the imported goods are cheap, they would most likely be substandard compared to those goods produced in the home country. Hence consumers would boycott these products and promote their domestic product instead. This would eventually increase the gross domestic product (GDP) In summary, an increase in minimum wage (Ceteris paribus) would be favorable to the economy given the following factors are synergized. GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION: BENEFITS OF MINIMUM WAGE Y axis QD1 $11.00 QDo QD1 $7.25QDo X axis (Minimum wage) 1kg 3kg Apples in kg The diagram above represents the effect of an increase in minimum wage on consumption. A simplified analysis of the graph is stated thus: In the above diagram, the vertical axis represents minimum wage. It also shows how the minimum wage has increased from its initial amount of $7.25to $11.00 The horizontal axis shows the amount in kg of apples that consumers can purchase given their income. Ceteris paribus, at $7.25 minimum wage, consumers are able to purchase 1kg of apples. When the minimum wage is increased to $11.00, there is a great increase by 2kg bringing the new consumption of apples to 3kg. This signifies that an increase in minimum wage has a positive effect on consumption.

A Graduation Certificate Can Get You in the Door :: Work Skills Competency Essays

Good Work Ensures Employment Success With increased attention to skill standards and worker certification, people tend to consider their qualifications solely in relationship to the occupational skills they have acquired. This publication addresses the myth that skill competencies alone ensure employment and discusses the value of continuous learning, emotional intelligence, networking, flexibility, and commitment to business objectives as other keys to workplace success. A Graduation Certificate Can Get You in the Door Although it is true that academic degrees, skill certifications, and other documentation of accomplishments provide access to employment, they are significant only at the time of the job offer and its acceptance. Skills that a person has today may be obsolete tomorrow; knowledge that has current significance to society may be insignificant in the future. Technology is the most obvious example. Routine functions such as inventory control, customer profiling, machine calibration, and document publishing are now assumed by technology. Workers who previously performed these functions have had to learn new skills such as how to operate the machines that have taken over these tasks and how to use technology to streamline their work efforts. Continuous learning is the key to the transition role that ensures a worker of ongoing employment. Workers must be continually striving to keep their skills up to date, technologically current, and relevant to their employing organizations. As more of the routine tasks of the job are performed by machines, as cyclical patterns influence the numbers of workers that employers need in a given month, and as global competition drives companies to be more cost effective, workers must develop skills that will enable them to work across departments of their companies. They must be continually assessing ways in which they can prepare for work their employers and society will need them to perform in the future. Participation in cross-training programs is another strategy for enhancing job security and success. Worker cross-training is becoming a common practice in business and industry, adopted as a means of coping with reduced staffing and increased worker mobility. In the recreational vehicle industry where it is difficult to recruit people who have relevant skills, for example, the cross-training of dealers makes it easier for owners to appoint these employees to management positions when resignations occur (Packard 1999). Cross-trained workers can reap significant benefits from such company-provided training programs as well as from involvement in community-based service organizations. "Sometimes outside activities and volunteer work can help you become more 'layoff-proof' by providing opportunities to develop expertise that you can bring back to the company" (Lieber 1996, p.