Obamas Health Care Reform Speech (Full Text)

Obamas Health Care Reform Speech (Full Text) Madame Speaker, Vice President Biden, Members of Congress, and the American people:When I spoke here last winter, this nation was facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We were losing an average of 700,000 jobs per month. Credit was frozen. And our financial system was on the verge of collapse.As any American who is still looking for work or a way to pay their bills will tell you, we are by no means out of the woods. A full and vibrant recovery is many months away. And I will not let up until those Americans who seek jobs can find them; until those businesses that seek capital and credit can thrive; until all responsible homeowners can stay in their homes.That is our ultimate goal. But thanks to the bold and decisive action we have taken since January, I can stand here with confidence and say that we have pulled this economy back from the brink.I want to thank the members of this body for your efforts and your support in these last several months, and especially those who have taken the difficult votes that have put us on a path to recovery. I also want to thank the American people for their patience and resolve during this trying time for our nation.But we did not come here just to clean up crises. We came to build a future. So tonight, I return to speak to all of you about an issue that is central to that future and that is the issue of healthcare.I am not the first President to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last. It has now been nearly a century since Theodore Roosevelt first called for healthcare reform. And ever since, nearly every president and Congress, whether Democrat or Republican, has attempted to meet this challenge in some way. A bill for comprehensive health reform was first introduced by John Dingell Sr. in 1943. Sixty-five years later, his son continues to introduce that same bill at the beginning of each session.Our collective failure to meet this challenge – year after year, decade after decade – has led us to a breaking point. Everyone understands the extraordinary hardships that are placed on the uninsured, who live every day just one accident or illness away from bankruptcy. These are not primarily people on welfare. These are middle-class Americans. Some can’t get insurance on the job.Others are self-employed, and can’t afford it, since buying insurance on your own costs you three times as much as the coverage you get from your employer. Many other Americans who are willing and able to pay are still denied insurance due to previous illnesses or conditions that insurance companies decide are too risky or expensive to cover.We are the only advanced democracy on Earth – the only wealthy nation – that allows such hardships for millions of its people. There are now more than 30 million American citizens who cannot get coverage. In just a two-year period, one in every three Americans goes without healthcare coverage at some point. And ever y day, 14,000 Americans lose their coverage. In other words, it can happen to anyone.But the problem that plagues the healthcare system is not just a problem of the uninsured. Those who do have insurance have never had less security and stability than they do today. More and more Americans worry that if you move, lose your job, or change your job, you’ll lose your health insurance too. More and more Americans pay their premiums, only to discover that their insurance company has dropped their coverage when they get sick, or won’t pay the full cost of care. It happens every day.One man from Illinois lost his coverage in the middle of chemotherapy because his insurer found that he hadn’t reported gallstones that he didn’t even know about. They delayed his treatment, and he died because of it. Another woman from Texas was about to get a double mastectomy when her insurance company canceled her policy because she forgot to declare a case of acne.By the time sh e had her insurance reinstated, her breast cancer more than doubled in size. That is heart-breaking, it is wrong, and no one should be treated that way in the United States of America.Then there’s the problem of rising costs. We spend one-and-a-half times more per person on healthcare than any other country, but we aren’t any healthier for it. This is one of the reasons that insurance premiums have gone up three times faster than wages. It’s why so many employers   especially small businesses are forcing their employees to pay more for insurance, or are dropping their coverage entirely.It’s why so many aspiring entrepreneurs cannot afford to open a business in the first place, and why American businesses that compete internationally   like our automakers are at a huge disadvantage. And it’s why those of us with health insurance are also paying a hidden and growing tax for those without it about $1000 per year that pays for somebody else†™s emergency room and charitable care.Finally, our healthcare system is placing an unsustainable burden on taxpayers. When healthcare costs grow at the rate they have, it puts greater pressure on programs like Medicare and Medicaid. If we do nothing to slow these skyrocketing costs, we will eventually be spending more on Medicare and Medicaid  than every other government program combined. Put simply, our healthcare problem is our deficit problem. Nothing else even comes close.These are the facts. Nobody disputes them. We know we must reform this system. The question is how.There are those on the left who believe that the only way to fix the system is through a single-payer system like Canada’s, where we would severely restrict the private insurance market and have the government provide coverage for everyone.On the right, there are those who argue that we should end the employer-based system and leave individuals to buy health insurance on their own.I have to say that the re are arguments to be made for both approaches. But either one would represent a radical shift that would disrupt the healthcare most people currently have.Since healthcare represents one-sixth of our economy, I believe it makes more sense to build on what works and fix what doesn’t, rather than try to build an entirely new system from scratch.And that is precisely what those of you in Congress have tried to do over the past several months.During that time, we have seen Washington at its best and its worst. We have seen many in this chamber work tirelessly for the better part of this year to offer thoughtful ideas about how to achieve reform. Of the five committees asked to develop bills, four have completed their work, and the Senate Finance Committee announced today that it will move forward next week. That has never happened before.Our overall efforts have been supported by an unprecedented coalition of doctors and nurses; hospitals, seniors’ groups and even drug c ompanies   many of whom opposed reform in the  past. And there is agreement in this chamber on about 80% of what needs to be done, putting us closer to the goal of reform than we have ever been.But what we have also seen in these last months is the same partisan spectacle that only hardens the disdain many Americans have toward their own government.Instead of honest debate, we have seen scare tactics. Some have dug into unyielding ideological camps that offer no hope of compromise. Too many have used this as an opportunity to score short-term political points, even if it robs the country of our opportunity to solve a long-term challenge. And out of this blizzard of charges and countercharges, confusion has reigned.Well the time for bickering is over. The time for games has passed. Now is the season for action. Now is when we must bring the best ideas of both parties together, and show the American people that we can still do what we were sent here to do. Now is the time to deliv er on healthcare.The plan I’m announcing tonight would meet three basic goals: It will provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance. It will provide insurance to those who don’t. And it will slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses, and our government.It’s a plan that asks everyone to take responsibility for meeting this challenge   not just government and insurance companies, but employers and individuals. And it’s a plan that incorporates ideas from senators and Congressmen; from Democrats and Republicans and yes, from some of my opponents in both the primary and general election.Here are the details that every American needs to know about this plan: First, if you are among the hundreds of millions of Americans who already have health insurance through your job, Medicare, Medicaid, or the VA, nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have. Let me repeat this: Nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have.What this plan will do is to make the insurance you have work better for you. Under this plan, it will be against the law for insurance companies to deny you coverage because of a preexisting condition. As soon as I sign this bill, it will be against the law for insurance companies to drop your coverage when you get sick or water it down when you need it most.They will no longer be able to place some arbitrary cap on the amount of coverage you can receive in a given year or a lifetime. We will place a limit on how much you can be charged for out-of-pocket expenses, because in the United States of America, no one should go broke because they get sick.And insurance companies will be required to cover, with no extra charge, routine checkups and preventive care, like mammograms and colonoscopies   because there’s no reason we shouldn’t be catching diseases like breast cancer and colon cancer before they get worse.That makes sense, it saves money, and it saves lives. That’s what Americans who have health insurance can expect from this plan   more security and stability.Now, if you’re one of the tens of millions of Americans who don’t currently have health insurance, the second part of this plan will finally offer you quality, affordable choices. If you lose your job or change your job, you will be able to get coverage. If you strike out on your own and start a small business, you will be able to get coverage. We will do this by creating a new insurance exchange   a marketplace where individuals and small businesses will be able to shop for health insurance at competitive prices.Insurance companies will have an incentive to participate in this exchange because it lets them compete for millions of new customers. As one big group, these customers will have greater leverage to bargain with the insurance companies for better prices and quality coverage. Thi s is how large companies and government employees get affordable insurance. It’s how everyone in this Congress gets affordable insurance. And it’s time to give every American the same opportunity that we’ve given ourselves.For those individuals and small businesses who still cannot afford the lower-priced insurance available in the exchange, we will provide tax credits, the size of which will be based on your need. And all insurance companies that want access to this new marketplace will have to abide by the consumer protections I already mentioned.This exchange will take effect in four years, which will give us time to do it right. In the meantime, for those Americans who can’t get insurance today because they have preexisting medical conditions, we will immediately offer low-cost coverage that will protect you against financial ruin if you become seriously ill. This was a good idea when Senator John McCain proposed it in the campaign, it’s a good idea now, and we should embrace it.Now, even if we provide these affordable options, there may be those   particularly the young and healthy who still want to take the risk and go without coverage. There may still be companies that refuse to do right by their workers.The problem is, such irresponsible behavior costs all the rest of us money. If there are affordable options and people still don’t sign up for health insurance, it means we pay for those people’s expensive emergency room visits.If some businesses don’t provide workers health care, it forces the rest of us to pick up the tab when their workers get sick, and gives those businesses an unfair advantage over their.And unless everybody does their part, many of the insurance reforms we seek   especially requiring insurance companies to cover preexisting conditions just can’t be achieved.That’s why under my plan, individuals will be required to carry basic health insurance just as most states require you to carry auto insurance.Likewise, businesses will be required to either offer their workers healthcare, or chip in to help cover the cost of their workers. There will be a hardship waiver for those individuals who still cannot afford coverage, and 95% of all small businesses, because of their size and narrow profit margin, would be exempt from these requirements.But we cannot have large businesses and individuals who can afford coverage game the system by avoiding responsibility to themselves or their employees. Improving our healthcare system only works if everybody does their part.While there remain some significant details to be ironed out, I believe a broad consensus exists for the aspects of the plan I just outlined:consumer protections for those with insurance,an exchange that allows individuals and small businesses to purchase affordable coverage, anda requirement that people who can afford insurance get insurance.And I have no doubt that these reforms wou ld greatly benefit Americans from all walks of life, as well as the economy as a whole.Still, given all the misinformation that’s been spread over the past few months, I realize that many Americans have grown nervous about reform. So tonight I’d like to address some of the key controversies that are still out there.Some of people’s concerns have grown out of bogus claims spread by those whose only agenda is to kill reform at any cost. The best example is the claim, made not just by radio and cable talk show hosts, but politicians, that we plan to set up panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens. Such a charge would be laughable if it weren’t so cynical and irresponsible. It is a lie, plain and simple.To my progressive friends, I would remind you that for decades, the driving idea behind reform has been to end insurance company abuses and make coverage affordable for those without it. The public option is only a means to that end   and we should remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goal.And to my Republican friends, I say that rather than making wild claims about a government takeover of healthcare, we should work together to address any legitimate concerns you may have. There are also those who claim that our reform effort will insure illegal immigrants. This, too, is false   the reforms I’m proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally. And one more misunderstanding I want to clear up under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place.My healthcare proposal has also been attacked by some who oppose reform as a â€Å"government takeover† of the entire healthcare system. As proof, critics point to a provision in our plan that allows the uninsured and small businesses to choose a publicly-sponsored insurance option, administered by the government just like Medicaid or Medicare.So let me set the reco rd straight. My guiding principle is, and always has been, that consumers do better when there is choice and competition. Unfortunately, in 34 states, 75% of the insurance market is controlled by five or fewer companies. In Alabama, almost 90% is controlled by just one company. Without competition, the price of insurance goes up and the quality goes down.And it makes it easier for insurance companies to treat their customers badly – by cherry-picking the healthiest individuals and trying to drop the sickest; by overcharging small businesses who have no leverage; and by jacking up rates.Insurance executives don’t do this because they are bad people. They do it because it’s profitable. As one former insurance executive testified before Congress, insurance companies are not only encouraged to find reasons to drop the seriously ill; they are rewarded for it. All of this is in service of meeting what this former executive called Wall Street’s relentless profit expectations.Now, I have no interest in putting insurance companies out of business. They provide a legitimate service, and employ a lot of our friends and neighbors. I just want to hold them accountable. The insurance reforms that I’ve already mentioned would do just that.But an additional step we can take to keep insurance companies honest is by making a not-for-profit public option available in the exchange.Let me be clear   it would only be an option for those who don’t have insurance. No one would be forced to choose it, and it would not impact those of you who already have insurance. In fact, based on Congressional Budget Office estimates, we believe that less than 5% of Americans would sign up.Despite all this, the insurance companies and their allies don’t like this idea. They argue that these private companies can’t fairly compete with the government. And they’d be right if taxpayers were subsidizing this public insurance option. But th ey won’t be. I have insisted that like any private insurance company, the public insurance option would have to be self-sufficient and rely on the premiums it collects.But by avoiding some of the overhead that gets eaten up at private companies by profits, administrative costs and executive salaries, it could provide a good deal for consumers. It would also keep pressure on private insurers to keep their policies affordable and treat their customers better, the same way public colleges and universities provide choice and competition to students without in any way inhibiting a vibrant system of private colleges and universities.It’s worth noting that a strong majority of Americans still favor a public insurance option of the sort I’ve proposed tonight. But its impact shouldn’t be exaggerated   by the left, the right, or the media. It is only one part of my plan, and should not be used as a handy excuse for the usual Washington ideological battle.This is the plan I’m proposing. It’s a plan that incorporates ideas from many of the people in this room tonight   Democrats and Republicans. And I will continue to seek common ground in the weeks ahead. If you come to me with a serious set of proposals, I will be there to listen. My door is always open.But know this: I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it’s better politics to kill this plan than improve it. I will not stand by while the special interests use the same old tactics to keep things exactly the way they are.If you misrepresent what’s in the plan, we will call you out. And I will not accept the status quo as a solution. Not this time. Not now.Everyone in this room knows what will happen if we do nothing. Our deficit will grow. More families will go bankrupt. More businesses will close. More Americans will lose their coverage when they are sick and need it most. And more will die as a result. We know these things to be true.That is why we cannot fail. Because there are too many Americans counting on us to succeed   the ones who suffer silently, and the ones who shared their stories with us at town hall meetings, in emails, and in letters.I received one of those letters a few days ago. It was from our beloved friend and colleague, Ted Kennedy. He had written it back in May, shortly after he was told that his illness was terminal. He asked that it be delivered upon his death.In it, he spoke about what a happy time his last months were, thanks to the love and support of family and friends, his wife, Vicki, and his children, who are here tonight. And he expressed confidence that this would be the year that healthcare reform   Ã¢â‚¬Å"that great unfinished business of our society,† he called it would finally pass.He repeated the truth that health care is decisive for our future prosperity, but he also reminded me that  Ã¢â‚¬Å"it concerns more than material things.† â€Å"What we face ,† he wrote, â€Å"is above all a moral issue; at stake are not just the details of policy, but fundamental principles of social justice and the character of our country.†I’ve thought about that phrase quite a bit in recent days   the character of our country. One of the unique and wonderful things about America has always been our self-reliance, our rugged individualism, our fierce defense of freedom and our healthy skepticism of government. And figuring out the appropriate size and role of government has always been a source of rigorous and sometimes angry debate.For some of Ted Kennedy’s critics, his brand of liberalism represented an affront to American liberty. In their mind, his passion for universal health care was nothing more than a passion for big government.But those of us who knew Teddy and worked with him here people of both parties   know that what drove him was something more. His friend, Orrin Hatch, knows that. They worked together to provide children with health insurance. His friend John McCain knows that. hey worked together on a Patient’s Bill of Rights. His friend Chuck Grassley knows that. They worked together to provide healthcare to children with disabilities.On issues like these, Ted Kennedy’s passion was born not of some rigid ideology, but of his own experience. It was the experience of having two children stricken with cancer. He never forgot the sheer terror and helplessness that any parent feels when a child is badly sick; and he was able to imagine what it must be like for those without insurance; what it would be like to have to say to a wife or a child or an aging parent   there is something that could make you better, but I just can’t afford it.That large-heartedness   that concern and regard for the plight of others is not a partisan feeling. It is not a Republican or a Democratic feeling. It, too, is part of the American character. Our ability to stand in other peopl e’s shoes. A recognition that we are all in this together; that when fortune turns against one of us, others are there to lend a helping hand.A belief that in this country, hard work and responsibility should be rewarded by some measure of security and fair play; and an acknowledgement that sometimes government has to step in to help deliver on that promise. This has always been the history of our progress.In 1933, when over half of our seniors could not support themselves and millions had seen their savings wiped away, there were those who argued that Social Security would lead to socialism. But the men and women of Congress stood fast, and we are all the better for it.In 1965, when some argued that Medicare represented a government takeover of healthcare, members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans, did not back down. They joined together so that all of us could enter our golden years with some basic peace of mind. You see, our predecessors understood that government cou ld not, and should not, solve every problem. They understood that there are instances when the gains in security from government action are not worth the added constraints on our freedom.But they also understood that the danger of too much government is matched by the perils of too little; that without the leavening hand of wise policy, markets can crash, monopolies can stifle competition, and the vulnerable can be exploited.What was true then remains true today. I understand how difficult this healthcare debate has been. I know that many in this country are deeply skeptical that government is looking out for them.I understand that the politically safe move would be to kick the can further down the road   to defer reform one more year, or one more election, or one more term. But that’s not what the moment calls for. That’s not what we came here to do. We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it. I still believe we can act even when it’s hard. I still believe we can replace acrimony with civility, and gridlock with progress.I still believe we can do great things, and that here and now we will meet history’s test. Because that is who we are. That is our calling. That is our character. Thank you, God Bless You, and may God Bless the United States of America.

Effective Guidelines on How to Write a Sponsorship Letter Essays

Effective Guidelines on How to Write a Sponsorship Letter Essays Effective Guidelines on How to Write a Sponsorship Letter Essay Effective Guidelines on How to Write a Sponsorship Letter Essay In the business world a sponsorship letter is a very common term yet very important. Majority of schools, colleges, universities, private and non-profit organizations totally rely on contributions made by large corporate in order to cope with their business needs or requirements and keep it running. The main purpose of getting financial support in the form of funds from large corporate is to keep the operations of the business steady and smooth. It is observed that non-profit organizations mostly ask for a sponsorship to multinational companies. However, writing such types of letters is quite an intimidating task since your entire funds depend on how you ask the corporate for sponsorship. There are many important tips or pointers one should understand in order to learn how to write a sponsorship letter and receive substantial funds for the business. First of all, it is important to do a thorough research on possible corporate or private sponsors in order to understand which one will be willing to offer you funds. You need to find those corporate that share your company’s interest. You need to find one that takes interest in your proposal. Briefly explain them in the letter why you need the funds. Thoroughly describe the operations of your organization and tell the corporate what type of products and services it offers to the consumers. If this is a completely new project then you will need to explain it in detail. Explain them why you think this project will be successful. If necessary propose the main aspects of your project. Estimate how much funding you need for your new project or an existing one. Create a brief report on the required funding, including each little detail. However, you need to be true and honest in writing your sponsorship letter. If there is someone you know who work in that corporate, it is advisable to get in touch with that person and give his/her reference in your sponsorship letter to build more credibility. However, make sure that the person is willing to help you and support you in getting the sponsorship from the company. To make the sponsorship more effective you will need to mention the benefits the corporate will be able to receive if it sponsors your project. Explain them in detail how they will be able to earn brand promotion or credibility in the market. Put forth all the benefits of the sponsorship before the company. It is integral to mention a brief overview of all the projects that you have completed in the past and explain then the success of those projects. Remember that you need to be gentle and respectful in writing your sponsorship letter. Don’t make it sound like you are begging for money. Don’t worry if you got fail with the first company you send the letter to. There are thousands of possible corporate whom you can request for a sponsor. Given them all the details regarding your business or company such as name, address, web or email address.

Cómo obtener copia certificado de nacimiento en EE.UU.

Cà ³mo obtener copia certificado de nacimiento en EE.UU. El certificado de nacimiento en Estados Unidos es un documento que prueba que la persona es ciudadana de ese paà ­s. Se utiliza como evidencia para sacar el pasaporte americano y otros documentos legales como, por ejemplo, la tarjeta del Seguro Social, la licencia de manejar o para probar identidad para casarse. La necesidad de obtener una copia vlida del certificado de nacimiento puede surgir tanto a los ciudadanos que se encuentran dentro de Estados Unidos como a aquellas personas que nacieron aquà ­ pero viven en otro paà ­s y quieren tramitar su pasaporte americano en una oficina consular u otro trmite. Es posible que se requiera obtener la apostilla de la Haya para utilizar en otro paà ­s el certificado de nacimiento en EE.UU. -excluyendo gestiones en el consulado americano. En este artà ­culo se informa sobre cules son las caracterà ­sticas de una copia vlida del certificado de nacimiento, quà © no puede ser utilizado en su sustitucià ³n, cà ³mo solicitar una copia y quà © problemas pueden surgir. Adems, se explica las diferencias entre un certificado de nacimiento y un reporte consular de nacimiento en el exterior. Caracterà ­sticas del certificado de nacimiento en EE.UU. Desde 2011, el Departamento de Estado pide que los certificados de nacimiento, que se conocen en inglà ©s como birth certificates, contengan los nombres completos del padre y de la madre. Salvo en los casos en los que sà ³lo cuente con un progenitor reconocido, pero tambià ©n deber figurar el nombre completo. Adems, debern constar el nombre completo del recià ©n nacido, su sexo y la fecha de nacimiento y el lugar. Es muy comà ºn que, asimismo, los certificados de nacimiento incluyan la hora de nacimiento, si fue un parto mà ºltiple con gemelos, trillizos, etc, el lugar de residencia de los padres y el lugar y fecha de nacimiento del padre y de la madre. En la mayorà ­a de los estados, los certificados de nacimiento tienen un nà ºmero de registro formado por 11 dà ­gitos. Los 3 primeros corresponden al estado de nacimiento. Asà ­, en el caso de California es el 104, en el de Texas, el 142 y el de Nueva York el 131 excepto en la ciudad de NY, que se utiliza el 156. Finalmente, el documento deber tener un sello levantado, impreso o multicolor de la autoridad que lo emite, que deber ser el estado, el condado o la ciudad, dependiendo de las leyes del estado en las que tuvo lugar el nacimiento. Adems deber estar firmado por el encargado del registro y constar la fecha del certificado. Bajo ninguna circunstancia puede utilizarse para asuntos legales el certificado entregado a los padres por el hospital en el que tuvo lugar el nacimiento y en el que frecuentemente aparecen las huellas del pie o las dactilares del bebà ©. Ese papel es solamente un recuerdo. Cà ³mo se solicita un certificado de nacimiento en EE.UU. El gobierno federal no emite este tipo de documentacià ³n. Hay que solicitarla en el estado o territorio de Estados Unidos, como por ejemplo, Puerto Rico, en el que tuvo lugar el nacimiento. Aquà ­ estn las direcciones para contactar con la que se necesite. En general se permite enviar la peticià ³n a una direccià ³n de correo fà ­sica o incluso se puede solicitar el certificado por internet. Hay que pagar una pequeà ±a cuota y, dependiendo de los estados, se permite realizar el abono con una tarjeta de crà ©dito, dà ©bito, chequera de los Estados Unidos. Algunos estados permiten que se solicite una tramitacià ³n exprà ©s. En todo caso, hay que permitir unos dà ­as porque todos los certificados deben notarizarse. Adems, existen empresas privadas autorizadas para colaborar en los trmites como por ejemplo Vitalcheck y usbirthcertificate. Problemas que pueden surgir con el certificado de nacimiento Un problema que se puede plantear es que certificado de nacimiento contenga algà ºn dato errà ³neo como, por ejemplo, el nombre o el apellido est mal deletreado, se equivocaron en la fecha de nacimiento o incluso en el sexo. En este caso es necesario comunicarse con la Oficina de rà ©cords vitales del estado en la que tuvo lugar el nacimiento y seguir sus instrucciones para corregir el error. Cada estado exige requisitos distintos, por lo que no es posible informar sobre quà © hacer para cada caso particular. Otro problema que puede surgir es que, por la razà ³n que sea, no es posible encontrar el certificado de nacimiento. En estos casos, es posible probar la ciudadanà ­a Americana con documentacià ³n secundaria, como por ejemplo el Certificado retrasado de nacimiento o la Carta de falta de rà ©cord. Subrayar que nunca jams sirve como prueba de la ciudadanà ­a americana la tarjeta del Nà ºmero de la Seguridad Social, la tarjeta de votante o la de haberse licenciado tras prestar servicio en cualquiera de las ramas del Ejà ©rcito americano (Marines, Aire, Tierra, Mar o Guardia Nacional). Otro problema es que, en la actualidad, algunos condados en el sur de Texas niegan el certificado de nacimiento a los nià ±os nacidos allà ­ pero cuyos padres son indocumentados. En este caso se recomienda contactar con un abogado o una organizacià ³n de defensa de los derechos de los migrantes con experiencia en este problema. Finalmente, se estn dando casos en los que personas nacidas en Estados Unidos no pueden obtener el pasaporte estadounidense o renovarlo porque el Departamento de Estado desconfà ­a sobre la autenticidad del certificado de nacimiento. Este tipo de problemas puede darse por distintas razones, por ejemplo, cuando el nacimiento tuvo lugar en la vivienda de la madre y se tardà ³ en registrar oficialmente. En estos casos, es necesario probar la ciudadanà ­a estadounidense recurriendo a un conjunto de documentos como el certificado de bautismo, rà ©cords de escuela y de trabajo, declaraciones juradas, etc. Certificado de nacimiento y Reporte consular de nacimiento El certificado de nacimiento en EE.UU. es un documento diferente al Reporte Consular de Nacimiento en el extranjero, que deben solicitar las personas que son ciudadanas americanas a pesar de haber nacido en el extranjero porque su padre, su madre o ambos son estadounidenses. Estos documentos no los emiten ni las Embajadas ni los Consulados, sino que si se quiere obtener una copia debe contactarse con el Departamento de Estado en Washington. Otros certificados vitales: fallecimiento, matrimonio o divorcio Las oficinas de los estados que emiten los certificados de nacimiento tambià ©n suministran los de fallecimiento, matrimonio o divorcio. Si necesita obtenerlos siempre pueda contactar con ellas por correo o por telà ©fono. Para buscar los datos de la oficina que corresponde ponga en su navegador el internet el nombre del estado donde solicita el rà ©cord y aà ±ada, entre comillas, vital record office. Puntos clave El certificado de nacimiento en EE.UU. prueba la ciudadanà ­a estadounidenseEl certificado del hospital no tiene ningà ºn valor legalSon vlidos los certificados emitidos, firmados y sellados por una autoridadPuede solicitarse a una empresa privada la obtencià ³n de un certificado vital Este artà ­culo es informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal para ningà ºn caso concreto.

Beowulf a Epic Old English Poem

Beowulf a Epic Old English Poem The following article is from the 1911 edition of a famous encyclopedia. BEOWULF. The epic of Beowulf, the most precious relic of Old English, and, indeed, of all early Germanic literature, has come down to us in a single MS., written about A.D. 1000, which contains also the Old English poem of Judith, and is bound up with other MSS. in a volume in the Cottonian collection now at the British Museum. The subject of the poem is the exploits of Beowulf, son of Ecgtheow and nephew of Hygelac, king of the Geatas, i.e. the people, called in Scandinavian records Gautar, from whom a part of southern Sweden has received its present name Gotland. The Story The following is a brief outline of the story, which naturally divides itself into five parts. Beowulf, with fourteen companions, sails to Denmark, to offer his help to Hrothgar, king of the Danes, whose hall (called Heorot ) has for twelve years been rendered uninhabitable by the ravages of a devouring monster (apparently in gigantic human shape) called Grendel, a dweller in the waste, who used nightly to force an entrance and slaughter some of the inmates. Beowulf and his friends are feasted in the long-deserted Heorot. At night the Danes withdraw, leaving the strangers alone. When all but Beowulf are asleep, Grendel enters, the iron-barred doors having yielded in a moment to his hand. One of Beowulfs friends is killed; but Beowulf, unarmed, wrestles with the monster, and tears his arm from the shoulder. Grendel, though mortally wounded, breaks from the conquerors grasp, and escapes from the hall. On the morrow, his bloodstained track is followed until it ends in a distant mere. All fear being now removed, the Danish king and his followers pass the night in Heorot, Beowulf and his comrades being lodged elsewhere. The hall is invaded by Grendels mother, who kills and carries off one of the Danish nobles. Beowulf proceeds to the mere, and, armed with sword and corslet, plunges into the water. In a vaulted chamber under the waves, he fights with Grendels mother and kills her. In the vault he finds the corpse of Grendel; he cuts off the head and brings it back in triumph. Richly rewarded by Hrothgar, Beowulf returns to his native land. He is welcomed by Hygelac, and relates to him the story of his adventures, with some details not contained in the former narrative. The king bestows on him lands and honors, and during the reigns of Hygelac and his son Heardred he is the greatest man in the kingdom. When Heardred is killed in battle with the Swedes, Beowulf becomes king in his stead.After Beowulf has reigned prosperously for fifty years, his country is ravaged by a fiery dragon, which inhabits an ancient burial-mound, full of costly treasure. The royal hall itself is burned to the ground. The aged king resolves to fight, unaided, with the dragon. Accompanied by eleven chosen warriors, he journeys to the barrow. Bidding his companions retire to a distance, he takes up his position near the entrance to the mound - an arched opening whence issues a boiling stream.The dragon hears Beowulfs shout of defiance, and rushes forth, breathing flames. The fight beg ins; Beowulf is all but overpowered, and the sight is so terrible that his men, all but one, seek safety in flight. The young Wiglaf, son of Weohstan, though yet untried in battle, cannot, even in obedience to his lords prohibition, refrain from going to his help. With Wiglafs aid, Beowulf slays the dragon, but not before he has received his own death-wound. Wiglaf enters the barrow and returns to show the dying king the treasures that he has found there. With his last breath Beowulf names Wiglaf his successor, and ordains that his ashes shall be enshrined in a great mound, placed on a lofty cliff, so that it may be a mark for sailors far out at sea. The news of Beowulfs dear-bought victory is carried to the army. Amid great lamentation, the heros body is laid on the funeral pile and consumed. The treasures of the dragons hoard are buried with his ashes; and when the great mound is finished, twelve of Beowulfs most famous warriors ride around it, celebrating the praises of the bravest, gentlest and most generous of kings. The Hero. - Those portions of the poem that are summarized above - that is to say, those which relate the career of the hero in progressive order - contain a lucid and well-constructed story, told with a vividness of imagination and a degree of narrative skill that may with little exaggeration be called Homeric. And yet it is probable that there are few readers of Beowulf who have not felt - and there are many who after repeated perusal continue to feel - that the general impression produced by it is that of a bewildering chaos. This effect is due to the multitude and the character of the episodes. In the first place, a very great part of what the poem tells about Beowulf himself is not presented in regular sequence, but by way of retrospective mention or narration. The extent of the material thus introduced out of course may be seen from the following abstract. When seven years old the orphaned Beowulf was adopted by his grandfather King Hrethel, the father of Hygelac, and was regarded by him with as much affection as any of his own sons. In youth, although famed for his wonderful strength of grip, he was generally despised as sluggish and unwarlike. Yet even before his encounter with Grendel, he had won renown by his swimming contest with another youth named Breca, when after battling for seven days and nights with the  waves  and  slaying  many sea-monsters, he came to land in the country of the Finns. In the disastrous invasion of the land of the Hetware, in which Hygelac was killed, Beowulf killed many of the  enemies, amongst them a chieftain of the  Hugas, named Daghrefn, apparently the slayer of Hygelac. In the retreat he once more displayed his powers as a swimmer, carrying to his ship the  armour  of thirty slain enemies. When he reached his native land, the widowed queen offered him the kingdom, her son Heardred be ing too young to rule. Beowulf, out of loyalty, refused to be made  king  and acted as the guardian of Heardred during his minority, and as his  counselor  after he came to mans estate. By giving shelter to the fugitive Eadgils, a rebel against his uncle the king of the Swain (the Swedes, dwelling to the north of the  Gautar), Heardred brought on himself an invasion, in which he lost his life. When Beowulf became king, he supported the cause of Eadgils by force of arms; the king of the Swedes was killed, and his nephew placed on the throne. Historical Value Now, with one brilliant exception - the story of the swimming-match, which is felicitously introduced and  finely  told - these retrospective passages are brought in more or less awkwardly, interrupt inconveniently the course of the narrative, and are too condensed and allusive in style to make any strong poetic impression. Still, they do serve to complete the portraiture of the heros character. There are, however, many other episodes that have nothing to do with Beowulf  himself  but seem to have been inserted with a deliberate intention of making the poem into a sort of  cyclopedia  of Germanic tradition. They include many particulars of what purports to be the history of the royal houses, not only of the  Gautar  and the  Danes,  but also of the Swedes, the continental Angles, the Ostrogoths, the Frisians and the  Heathobeards, besides references to matters of  unlocalized  heroic story such as the exploits of Sigismund. The Saxons are not named, and the Franks appear only as a dreaded hostile power. Of Britain there is no mention; and though there are some distinctly Christian passages, they are so incongruous in tone with the rest of the poem that they must be regarded as interpolations. In  general  the extraneous episodes have no great appropriateness to their  context,  and have the appearance of being abridged versions of stories that had been related at length in poetry. Their confusing effect, for modern readers, is increased by a curiously irrelevant  prologue. It begins by celebrating the ancient glories of the Danes, tells in allusive style the story of Scyld, the founder of the Scylding dynasty of Denmark, and praises the virtues of his son Beowulf. If this Danish Beowulf had been the hero of the poem, the opening would have been appropriate; but it seems strangely out of place as an introduction to the story of his namesake. However detrimental these redundancies may be to the poetic beauty of the epic, they add enormously to its interest for students of Germanic history or legend. If the mass of traditions which it purports to contain be genuine, the poem is of unique importance as a source of knowledge respecting the early history of the peoples of northern Germany and Scandinavia. But the value to be assigned to  Beowulf  in this respect can be determined only by ascertaining its probable date,  origin, and manner of composition. The criticism of the Old English epic has therefore for nearly a century been justly regarded as indispensable to the investigation of Germanic antiquities. The starting-point of all  Beowulf  criticism is the fact (discovered by N. F. S. Grundtvig in 1815) that one of the episodes of the poem belongs to authentic history. Gregory of Tours, who died in 594, relates that in the reign of Theodoric of Metz (511 - 534) the Danes invaded the kingdom, and carried off many captives and much plunder to their ships. Their king, whose name appears in the best MSS. as Chlochilaicus (other copies read Chrochilaicus, Hrodolaicus, c.), remained on shore intending to follow afterward, but was attacked by the Franks under Theodobert, son of Theodoric, and killed. The Franks then defeated the Danes in a naval battle and recovered the booty. The date of these events is ascertained to have been between 512 and 520. An anonymous history is written early in the eighth century  (Liber Hist. Francorum,  cap. 19) gives the name of the Danish king as Chochilaicus, and says that he was killed in the land of the Attoarii. Now it is related in  Beowulf  that Hygelac met his death in fighting against the Franks and the  Hetware  (the Old English form of Attoarii). The forms of the Danish kings name given by the Frankish historians are corruptions of the name of which the primitive Germanic form was Hugilaikaz, and which by regular phonetic change became in Old English  Hygelac,  and in Old Norse Hugleikr. It is true that the invading king is said in the histories to have been a Dane, whereas the Hygelac of  Beowulf  belonged to the Geatas or  Gautar. But a work called  Liber Monstrorum,  preserved in two MSS. of the 10th century, cites as an example of extraordinary stature a certain Huiglaucus, king of the Getae, who was killed by the Franks, and whose bones were preserved on an island at the mouth of the Rhine, and exhibited as a marvel. It is therefore evident that the personality of Hygelac, and the expedition in which, according to  Beowulf,  he died, belong not to the region of legend or poetic invention, but to that of historic fact. This noteworthy result suggests the possibility that what the poem tells of Hygelacs near relatives, and of the events of his reign and that of his successor, is based on historic fact. There is really nothing to forbid the supposition; nor is there any unlikelihood in the view that the persons mentioned as belonging to the royal houses of the Danes and Swedes had a real existence. It can be proved, at any rate, that several of the names are 1 Printed in Berger de Xivrey,  Traditions  Teratologiques  (1836), from  a MS.  in private hands. Another MS., now at Wolfenbiittel, reads Hunglacus for Huiglaucus, and (ungrammatically) gentes for  Getis.  derived from the native traditions of these two peoples. The Danish king Hrothgar and his brother Halga, the sons of Healfdene, appear in the  Historia Danica  of Saxo as Roe (the founder of Roskilde) and  Helgo, the sons of Haldanus. The Swedish princes Eadgils, son of Ohthere, and Onela, who are mentioned in  Beowulf,à ‚  are in the Icelandic  Heimskringla  called  Adils  son of  Ottarr, and Ali; the correspondence of the names, according to the phonetic laws of Old English and Old Norse, being strictly normal. There are other points of contact between  Beowulf  on the one hand and the Scandinavian records on the other, confirming the conclusion that the Old English poem contains much of the historical tradition of the  Gautar, the Danes and the Swedes, in its purest accessible form. Of the hero of the  poem,  no mention has been found elsewhere. But the name (the Icelandic form of which is  Bjolfr) is genuinely Scandinavian. It was borne by one of the early settlers in Iceland, and a monk named Biuulf is commemorated in the  Liber Vitae  of the church of Durham. As the historical character of Hygelac has been proved, it is not unreasonable to accept the authority of the poem for the statement that his nephew Beowulf succeeded Heardred on the throne of the  Gautar, and interfered in the dynastic quarrels of the Swedes. His swimming exploit among the Hetware, allowance being made for poetic exaggeration, fits remarkably well into the circumstances of the story told by Gregory of Tours; and perhaps his contest with Breca may have been an exaggeration of a real incident in his career; and even if it was originally related  of  some other hero, its attribution to the historical Beowulf may have been occasioned by his renown as a swimmer. On the other hand, it would be absurd to imagine that the combats with Grendel and his mother and with the fiery dragon can be exaggerated representations of actual occurrences. These exploits belong to the domain of pure mythology. That they have been attributed to Beowulf, in particular, might seem to be adequately accounted for by the general tendency to connect mythical achievements with the name of any famous hero. There are, however, some facts that seem to point to a more definite explanation. The Danish king Scyld Scefing, whose story is told in the opening lines of the poem, and his son Beowulf, are plainly identical with Sceldwea, son of Sceaf, and his son Beaw, who appear among the ancestors of Woden in the genealogy of the kings of Wessex given in the  Old English Chronicle.  The story of Scyld is related, with some details not found in  Beowulf,  by William of Malmesbury, and, less fully, by the 10th-century English historian Ethelwerd, though it is told not of Scyld himself, but of his father Sceaf. According to Williams version, Sceaf was found, as an infant, alone in a boat without oars, which had drifted to the island of Scandza. The child was asleep with his head on a  sheaf,  and from this circumstance, he obtained his name. When he grew up he reigned over the Angles at Slaswic. In  Beowulf  the same story is told of Scyld, with the addition that when he died his body was placed in a ship, laden with rich treasure, which was sent out to sea unguided. It is clear that in the original form of the tradition the name of the foundling was Scyld or Sceldwea, and that his cognomenScefing (derived from  sceaf,  a sheaf) was misinterpreted as a patronymic. Sceaf, therefore, is no genuine personage of tradition, but merely an etymological figment. The position of Sceldwea and Beaw (in Malmesburys Latin called Sceldius and Beowius) in the genealogy as anterior to Woden would not of itself prove that they belong to divine mythology and not to heroic legend. But there are independent reasons for believing that they were originally gods or demi-gods. It is a reasonable conjecture that the tales of victories over Grendel and the fiery dragon belong properly to the myth of Beaw. If Beowulf, the champion of the Gautar, had already become a theme of epic song, the resemblance of name might easily suggest the idea of enriching history by adding to it the achievements of Beaw. At the same time, the tradition that the hero of these adventures was a son of Scyld, who was identified (whether rightly or wrongly) with the eponymus of the Danish dynasty of the Scyldings, may well have prompted the supposition that they took place in Denmark. There is, as we shall see afterwards, some ground for believing that there were circulated in England two rival poetic versions of the story of the encounters with supernatural beings: the one referring them to Beowulf the Dane, while the other (represented by the existing poem) attached them to the legend of the son of Ecgtheow, but ingeniously contrived to do some justice to the alternative tradition by laying the scene of the Grendel incident at the court of a Scylding king. As the name of Beaw appears in the genealogies of English kings, it seems likely that the traditions of his exploits may have been brought over by the Angles from their continental home. This supposition is confirmed by evidence that seems to show that the Grendel legend was popularly current in this country. In the schedules of boundaries appended to two Old English charters there occurs mention of pools called Grendels mere, one in Wiltshire and the other in Staffordshire. The charter that mentions the Wiltshire Grendels mere speaks also of a place called  Beowan ham  (Beowas home), and another Wiltshire charter has a Scylds tree among the landmarks enumerated. The notion that ancient burial mounds were liable to be inhabited by dragons was common in the Germanic world: there is perhaps a trace of it in the Derbyshire place-name Drakelow, which means dragons barrow. While, however, it thus appears that the mythic part of the Beowulf story is a portion of primeval Angle traditio n, there is no proof that it was originally peculiar to the Angles; and even if it was so, it may easily have passed from them into the poetic cycles of the related peoples. There are, indeed, some reasons for suspecting that the blending of the stories of the mythic Beaw and the historical Beowulf may have been the work of Scandinavian and not of English poets. Prof. G. Sarrazin has pointed out the striking resemblance between the Scandinavian legend of Bodvarr Biarki and that of the Beowulf of the poem. In each, a hero from Gautland slays a destructive monster at the court of a Danish king, and afterwards is found fighting on the side of Eadgils (Adils) in Sweden. This coincidence cannot well be due to mere  chance; but  its exact significance is doubtful. On the one hand, it is possible that the English epic, which unquestionably derived its historical elements from  Scandinavian  song, may be indebted to the same source for its general plan, including the blending of history and myth. On the other hand, considering the late date of the authority for the Scandinavian traditions, we cannot be sure that the latter may not owe some of their material to English minstrels. There are similar alternative possibilities with regard to the explanation of the striking resemblances which certain incidents of the adventures with Grendel and the dragon bear to incidents in the narratives of Saxo and the Icelandic sagas. Date and Origin It is now time to speak of the probable date and origin of the poem. The conjecture that most naturally presents itself to those who have made no special study of the question, is that an English epic treating of the deeds of a Scandinavian hero on Scandinavian ground must have been composed in the days of Norse or Danish dominion in England. This, however, is impossible. The forms under which Scandinavian names appear in the poem show clearly that these names must have entered English tradition not later than the beginning of the 7th century. It does not indeed follow that the extant poem is of so early a date, but its syntax is remarkably archaic in  comparison  with that of the Old English poetry of the 8th century. The hypothesis that  Beowulf  is in whole or in part a translation from a Scandinavian original, although still maintained by some scholars, introduces more difficulties than it solves and must be dismissed as untenable. The limits of this article do not permit us to state and criticize the many elaborate theories that have been proposed respecting the origin of the poem. All that can be done is to set forth the view that appears to us to be most free from objection. It may be premised that although the existing MS. is written in the West-Saxon dialect, the phenomena of the language indicate transcription from an Anglian (i.e. a Northumbrian or Mercian) original; and this conclusion is supported by the fact that while the poem contains one important episode relating to the Angles, the name of the Saxons does not occur in it at all. In its original form,  Beowulf  was a product of the time when poetry was composed not to be read, but to be recited in the halls of kings and nobles. Of course, ​an entire epic could not be recited on a single occasion; nor can we suppose that it would be thought out from beginning to end before any part of it was presented to an audience. A singer who had pleased his hearers with a tale of adventure would be called on to tell them of earlier or later events in the career of the hero; and so the story would grow, until it included all that the poet knew from tradition, or could invent in harmony with it. That  Beowulf  is concerned with the deeds of a foreign hero is less surprising than it seems at first sight. The minstrel of early Germanic times was required to be learned not only in the traditions of his own people but also in those of the other peoples with whom they felt their kinship. He had a double task to perform. It was not enough that his songs should give pleasure; his patrons demanded that he should recount faithfully the history and genealogy both of their own line and of those other royal houses who shared with them the same divine ancestry, and who might be connected with them by ties of marriage or warlike alliance. Probably the singer was always himself an original poet; he might often be content to reproduce the songs that he had learned, but he was doubtless free to improve or expand them as he chose, provided that his inventions did not conflict with what was supposed to be historical truth. For all we know, the intercourse of the Angles with Scandinavia, which enabled their poets to obtain new knowledge of the legends of Danes, Gautar, and Swedes, may not have ceased until their conversion to Christianity in the 7th century. And even after this event, whatever may have been the attitude of churchmen towards the old heathen poetry, the kings and warriors would be slow to lose their interest in the heroic tales that had delighted their ancestors. It is probable that down to the end of the 7th century, if not still later, the court poets of Northumbria and Mercia continued to celebrate the deeds of Beowulf and of many another hero of ancient days. This article is from the 1911 edition of an encyclopedia, which is out of copyright here in the U.S. See the encyclopedia main page for disclaimer and copyright information.

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The methods the authorities have developed to stop it,  The approach taken by the British authorities to reducing football hooliganism has been largely increasingly sophisticated policing, surveillance and monitoring techniques, segregation of fans, restrictions on alcohol etc. The British Government has also introduced specific legislation to cover acts of hooliganism.  Such measures are common elsewhere in Europe, the German, Dutch and Belgian authorities, in particular, have been more proactive in their approach to the problem. The development of fan coaching schemes appears to have had an impact on levels of violence in certain areas. Such schemes, which involve social workers deployed with groups of fans, provide useful models for other countries. German clubs are involved to an extent in the fan coaching schemes; elsewhere there is little contact between club officials and the fan groups. Very recently the British police have started using the Spotter system. This is a system that is used throughout the season in the English Premier and Football Leagues. A police liaison officer is attached to a particular club and has the responsibility of identifying and monitoring hooligans, usually travelling to away games and assisting the local force with the detection of hooligans. Identified hooligans would be banned from viewing all of there teams games and before European and international ties take place, their passports are confiscated so that the wont travel to the away games in other countries and cause any trouble. Another scheme introduced was a hooligan hotline whereby supporters could phone in and report incidents of hooliganism and perhaps even identify perpetrators. Although this scheme was promoted as being entirely new, similar schemes have been in existence since 1988, when the West Midlands police set up a 24-hour hotline. Conclusion I believe as long as football exists there will be hooliganism as when people have differences of opinions there are always going to be some narrow minded people who will get angry and lash out. This may be on supporters of the opposing side, the authorities or vandalism of public property. However although I believe hooliganism will always exist I believe that there are things that increase the likelihood of such acts occurring these include:  Drink, which heightens peoples emotions making them more likely to get angry and it also, stops them from fearing fighting and the law. When people drink they stop thinking rationally and do things that they otherwise wouldnt do. Troublemakers these people come to a stadium often not watching the match especially to get into a fight. They often encourage drunken supporters into joining in with there trouble making. They often taunt opposing fans in the hope that there will be a fight.  The mood of the fans contributes to hooliganism, as if the supporters have had a good journey and their team has a good result then they will be in a good mood hence being less likely to cause trouble  Security presence, will act as a deterrent to hooligans as they will not want to be punished for their actions, so if there are many police officers they wont want to start trouble. Although there are still the occasional instances of hooliganism the police have done well in dramatically cutting down the amount of them. They are co-operating much more with their European counterparts and have new measures such as the spotter system and the hooliganism hotline. However there is more that the government can do I believe the police should be given greater powers in arresting and prosecuting hooligans. Penalties for hooligans should be a lot more severe in order to act as a deterrent. Also everyone entering a stadium should undergo a breathalyser test to see if they are over the legal alcohol limit and if they are they should be taken to the police station and fined and banned from viewing there team play for a set period of time. I believe that this will not only act as a deterrent but it will stop the trouble makers from coming to the football so the atmosphere in the stadium will good and the emphasis on having a good time. This will also increase the popularity of the sport as more families will come to watch the sport introducing a new generation of football lovers who wont be interested in hooliganism, just in the sport. Appraisal of study  The problem with my project was that as I choose the subject matter of hooliganism. It was very hard to find facts and figures to back up my points all I could find to prove my points were discussions and reports about this study. Though these reports were written by experts in this field, they too had to work in the same conditions without facts to back up what they were saying, so I am only going on what they believe and they cannot prove what they are saying to be true. So if I were to improve this project I would have to get some data to prove my theories to be correct.

Human Resource Management Essay Example for Free

Human Resource Management Essay Human Resource Management (HRM) is the term used to describe formal systems devised for the management of people within an organization. These human resources responsibilities are generally divided into three major areas of management: staffing, employee compensation, and defining/designing work. Essentially, the purpose of HRM is to maximize the productivity of an organization by optimizing the effectiveness of its employees. This mandate is unlikely to change in any fundamental way, despite the ever-increasing pace of change in the business world. As Edward L. Gubman observed in the Journal of Business Strategy, the basic mission of human resources will always be to acquire, develop, and retain talent; align the workforce with the business; and be an excellent contributor to the business. Those three challenges will never change. Until fairly recently, an organizations human resources department was often consigned to lower rungs of the corporate hierarchy, despite the fact that its mandate is to replenish and nourish the companys work force, which is often cited—legitimately—as an organizations greatest resource. But in recent years recognition of the importance of human resources management to a companys overall health has grown dramatically. This recognition of the importance of HRM extends to small businesses, for while they do not generally have the same volume of human resources requirements as do larger organizations, they too face personnel management issues that can have a decisive impact on business health. As Irving Burstiner commented in The Small Business Handbook, Hiring the right people—and training them well—can often mean the difference between scratching out the barest of livelihoods and steady business growth†¦. With technology changing every day, and the talent crunch forcing employers to get the most out of each and every staff member, the focus on HR is set to continue. Even without a time machine, it’s clear HR’s role will move ever-closer to the very heart of business. Plugging the talent gaps This is not to say there are no challenges facing HR in the present day, far from it. At the top of the critical list on Singapore’s business landscape is the impending talent shortage that is set to hit organisations of all shapes and sizes. Elizabeth Martin-Chua, local HR expert and author, says businesses are again having to chase talent. Previously, the situation was the much more ideal reverse – with job candidates pulling out all stops to find work in their favoured organisations. Now, with the baby boom generation set to move into retirement with only smaller-sized age groups available to replace them, the talent crunch is set to move into a more permanent fixture. That means renewed importance will be placed on those HR

Chemistry and Synaptic Transmitters :: Chemistry Science Scientific Essays

Chemistry and Synaptic Transmitters The most common psychoactive substances can be divided into depressants (i.e., alcohol, sedatives, hypnotics), stimulants (i.e., cocaine, amphetamines, ecstasy), opioids (i.e., morphine and heroine), and hallucinogens (i.e., PCP, LSD, cannabis). The brain has different effects to different psychoactive substances. They bind to different receptor types, and can increase or decrease the activity of neurons through several different mechanisms. Consequently, these psychoactive substances have different behavioral effects, different rates of development of tolerance, different withdrawal symptoms, and different short-term and long-term effects (Vaccarino & Rotzinger, 2004). In this team project we will take a closer look at the hallucinogen, LSD by explaining the chemistry and route of access of LSD, synaptic transmitters and the parts of neurons affected, inhibitory/excitatory potential changes, physiological changes, primary behavior changes, side effects of behavior changes, and effects reported by users. LSD is considered to be one of, if not the, most potent hallucinogenic drug known (Leicht, 1996). To understand LSD first we will give a brief history of how LSD came into existence. In 1938, Albert Hoffman was an employee in the pharmacological department of Sandoz, in Basel, Switzerland. Hoffman was studying derivatives of lysergic acid, including systematically reacting the acid group with various reagents, to produce the corresponding amides, anhydrides, esters, etc. One of these derivatives was the diethylamide, made by addition of the –NC2H5)2 group, and it was named LSD-25. But the new substance didn’t appear to have any particularly useful medical properties, although the research report noted, in passing, that â€Å"the experimental animals became restless during the narcosis†. (May, 1998). LSD was not looked at for the next five years until Hoffman couldn’t get this new substance out of his mind and decided to reexamine LSD. Hoffman stated: â€Å"A peculiar presentiment- the feeling that this substance could possess properties other than those established in the first investigations- induced me, five years after the first synthesis, to produce LSD-25 once again so that a sample could be given to the pharmacological department for further tests.† So, in the spring of 1943, he repeated the synthesis of LSD-25. Hoffman is quoted in his laboratory journal on April 19, 1943. 17:00: Beginning dizziness, feelings of anxiety, visual distortions,

Shirley Jacksons The Lottery Essay -- Shirley Jackson Lottery Essay

Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery'   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The setting in a story helps to form the story and it makes the characters become more interesting. There are three main types of setting. The first is nature and the outdoors, second is objects of human manufacture and construction and the third is cultural conditions and assumptions. These three things help the reader to understand the characters better in Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery';.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  'The Lottery'; is started out by being described as 'The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full summer day.'; The flowers are blooming and the children have just gotten out of school for the summer. To the everyday reader this story starts out as a pleasant one but there is much more in store for the reader at the end of the story. Th setting leads the reader to believe that this is your normal kind of town with normal people. But it isn't until the end that the reader finds out that winning the lottery might not be as good as they thought it was.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first type of setting that, Nature and the Outdoors plays a major role in 'The Lottery';. The most unusual thing about 'The Lottery'; is that the author never tells the reader exactly where the story is taking place. This means that the reader has to gather clues to try and figure out where this is all happening. The are only a few clues given to help the reader out. One clue is that the men are 'Speaking of planting and rain, tractors and taxes';. T... Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery' Essay -- Shirley Jackson Lottery Essay Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery'   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The setting in a story helps to form the story and it makes the characters become more interesting. There are three main types of setting. The first is nature and the outdoors, second is objects of human manufacture and construction and the third is cultural conditions and assumptions. These three things help the reader to understand the characters better in Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery';.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  'The Lottery'; is started out by being described as 'The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full summer day.'; The flowers are blooming and the children have just gotten out of school for the summer. To the everyday reader this story starts out as a pleasant one but there is much more in store for the reader at the end of the story. Th setting leads the reader to believe that this is your normal kind of town with normal people. But it isn't until the end that the reader finds out that winning the lottery might not be as good as they thought it was.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first type of setting that, Nature and the Outdoors plays a major role in 'The Lottery';. The most unusual thing about 'The Lottery'; is that the author never tells the reader exactly where the story is taking place. This means that the reader has to gather clues to try and figure out where this is all happening. The are only a few clues given to help the reader out. One clue is that the men are 'Speaking of planting and rain, tractors and taxes';. T...

Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman Essay

Willy Loman is often recognised as the tragic hero of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman but arguments can be made against Biff being the contemporary hero and thus the true hero of the play. The purpose of a tragedy is to create pity and fear in the audience. A traditional tragedy consists of the central character, the tragic hero, creating chaos in the community he lives in. The hero becomes tempted by something, leading to the exposure of the character’s fatal flaw. The fatal flaw becomes the dominant characteristic of the hero and ultimately leads to the hero’s downfall and demise. After the hero’s death, at the end of the tragedy, order is restored, leaving the audience with a sense of catharsis. Miller creates an American tragedy, as opposed to a Greek or Shakespearean. America has never had a king or nobility who could represent a tragic hero in a traditional tragedy and Miller wanted to give a voice to the ordinary working class man, showing their lives can also be tragic. He once stated â€Å"I believe that the common man is as apt a subject for a tragedy as kings are† (New York Times. 27th Feb 1949). Despite critics arguing against it being a tragedy Linda declaring â€Å"attention, attention must be finally paid to such a person† (Page 44) recognises the tragic status of the play. She also highlights the importance of the ordinary working class, who too can be tragic heroes. The tragic hero is seen to be punished out of proportion for one fatal mistake they make. Willy’s mistake is his belief in the American Dream which he continues to chase relentlessly. His fatal flaw -his hamartia – is his insecurity, which leads him to suffer throughout the play. Willy is an unsuccessful salesman, living in the city, struggling to face reality and re-living memories which he had reinterpreted to fit his dreams (Page. 2003. Page 62). Willy has bought into the American Dream, chasing it relentlessly throughout his life, but his dreams are unrealistic. Dave Singleman, an eighty-four year old salesman, became his inspiration and role model, after he â€Å"realized selling was the greatest career a man could want† (Page 63). Willy saw Singleman as loved and adored by everybody and so his insecurity led him to follow the same career path, in the hope he would lead the life that Willy saw Singleman as living. â€Å"Cause what could be more satisfying than to be able to go, at the age of eighty-four†¦ and be remembered and loved and helped by so many people?† (Page 63). Willy’s perception of Singleman is a warped perception. Just like his perception of the American Dream, it is just an illusion. Willy fails to realise this and gain a grasp of reality, leading to his death and making him a tragic hero. Willy has lived the wrong dream; he should be out in the countryside with his family, working in a job making use of his hands. He put his own ceiling in his living room and is oblivious to the amount of skill it takes to do such a job. Charley: â€Å"Yeah. That’s a piece of work. To put up a ceiling is a mystery to me. How do you do it?† Willy: â€Å"What’s the difference?† (Page 34). Biff recognizes Willy â€Å"had the wrong dreams. All, all wrong.† (Page 110). However, Willy always worked hard for his family, showing courage and determination. Willy wants success to be able to spend more time with his wife and family but is often dismissive of them, even berating Linda for buying the wrong cheese. â€Å"Why do you get American when I like Swiss?† (Page 12). Willy is incapable of relinquishing his dream and another character flaw, his pride, stands in the way of him accepting a job from Charley. â€Å"What the hell are you offering me a job for?† – Willy (Page 33). Willy’s relentless pursuit of his dream makes him a tragic hero. Willy was abandoned by his father and brother at a young age. Singleman then became his role model and father figure. Throughout the play Willy struggles with insecurity, a result of being abandoned. During times he relives the past and escapes into old memories he often talks to his older brother Ben. It is not an accurate representation of his real memories of Ben – it is unlikely he ever saw Ben again at all – but Willy uses Ben as a voice to criticise his own life. During Willy’s memories Ben spends a lot of time putting Willy down and trying to leave. â€Å"Haven’t the time, William.† – Ben (Page 66). Although Willy’s main character flaw is his insecurity he has others. Willy is often contradictory, calling Biff a â€Å"lazy bum†, then saying Biff is â€Å"not lazy† (Page 11). Willy fails to berate Biff for stealing a ball, even saying â€Å"Coa ch’ll probably congratulate you on your initiative!† (Page 23). He does not reprimand Biff for his stealing, often encouraging him. Willy is contradictory, telling Biff â€Å"just wanna be careful with those girls†, yet has a mistress himself (Page 21). The introduction of his affair â€Å"[From the darkness is heard a laughter of a woman]† (Page 29) turns Willy’s memories darker, as it was Biff finding out about the affair that caused their relationship to break down. Willy exaggerates his success, telling Linda he did â€Å"five hundred gross in Providence and seven hundred gross in Boston† and then changing to â€Å"roughly two hundred gross on the whole trip† (Page 27). He exaggerates to boost his self confidence and fight against his insecurity. Willy has bought into the materialistic concept of the American Dream. His motto is â€Å"be liked and you will never want† (Page 25). . Willy believes to be successful you must be well liked, believing â€Å"a man can end with diamonds here on the basis of being liked† (page 68). He believes he has to be successful for Biff to love him but ironically Biff has loved him all along. Willy is a good man, proving this by showing his happiness for Bernard success – â€Å"Willy: [genuinely shocked, pained and happy]† (Page 75). Despite Willy pursuing the wrong dreams he shows courage, determination and a love for his family, creating pity and sympathy in the audience. However his several flaws, the biggest of which is insecurity, lead to his demise, making him a tragic hero. A contemporary hero has qualities such as strength, honesty, morality, integrity, self-reliance and the courage to face up to reality. At the start of play Biff has not managed to relinquish his father’s dreams completely. He works out on a ranch, a job he loves, but comes back every spring because of his guilt, to try and succeed in sales, a career he hates. â€Å"It’s a measly manner of existence† (Page 16). He realises he would do better in the country and all he truly desires â€Å"is to be outdoors† (Page 16) but he hasn’t been able to abandon his father’s dreams completely. Biff is physically attractive and could have been a top football star but his confidence has diminished. â€Å"Biff Loman is lost† (Page 11.) It is evident from the beginning of the play that Biff is worried about Willy’s struggle with reality and his past. â€Å"Does he know Mom can hear that?† (Page 20). From a young age Willy encouraged the wrong ideals in Biff. Willy often condoned and ignored Biffs tendency to steal, rather than reprimanded. â€Å"Shut up! He’s not stealing anything!† (Page 40). Biff stole after feeling humiliated to regain a sense of power. By the end of the play Biff is honest about his stealing, even admitting he â€Å"stole a suit in Kansas City and was in jail† (Page 104). Stealing a pen from Ben Oliver’s office forces him to realise the things he loves in the world and the stupidity of his stealing. â€Å"What the hell am I grabbing this thing for?† (Page 105). Biff has a moment of self-realization at the end of the play, accepting reality and being honest about his life. He realises they have spent their lives chasing the wrong dreams and his father must abandon the American Dream. â€Å"Will you take that phony dream and burn it before something happens?† (Page 106). He tries to force the rest of his family into facing reality, managing to force Willy into face it for a brief moment. Willy refuses to let go, relinquishing the chance to become the true hero, and remaining the tragic hero of Death of a Salesman. Biff had always been conceited, a result of Willy’s constant praise – â€Å"Good work, Biff† (Page 22) – throughout his youth, when they had a great relationship, until Biff found out about Willy’s affair. However, by the end of the play Biff realises he’s â€Å"a dime a dozen† (Page 105), ridding himself of the self-superiority he has spent years carrying around. He understands Willy spent so much time praising him that he became egotistical. â€Å"I never got anywhere because you blew me so full of hot air that I could never stand taking orders from anybody† (Page 104). Biff realises his arrogance, facing up to reality, admitting he is â€Å"not a leader of men† (Page 105). Biff has always felt some reluctance to follow the American Dream. By the end of the play he realises Willy and the Lowman family had always been chasing the wrong dreams and he faces and accepts reality. He accepts he was never anything more than a shipping clerk and realises his family have been living in a fantasy world. â€Å"We’ve been talking in a dream for fifteen years† (Page 82). Biff finds self-assurance, and is comfortable with who he is. â€Å"I know who I am, kid† (Page 111). He matures and faces up to the world of reality. Biff finds his identity, faces reality, is honest about his life and finds a personal, as well as physical strength. He shows a lot of the qualities found in a contemporary hero. Miller uses expressionism and realism in Death of a Salesman. Realism accurately portrays characters and situations through human characteristics and language, costumes, and sets. Expressionism is concerned with portraying the inner emotions and psychology of a character. Dialogue tends to become more poetic and lighting is used to create atmosphere in expressionism. Realism looks at the objective; expressionism looks at the subjective. Miller uses realism in the play through the life-like sets, the realistic American-English language and the typical costumes. Expressionism is used when Willy is re-living the past, reinterpreting memories to suit him; he often lives in this world. He is happier in his past memories, before the affair and before his and Biffs r elationship broke down. Willy often tries to escape to the past and into expressionism. Realism and the present are too painful for Willy as he has to live with his strained relationship with Biff, his failure as a salesman, and his guilt of an affair. Happy has been influenced by Willy to chase the American Dream but does not pursue it to Willy’s extent, ruling him out as the tragic hero. He is not as successful as he would like to be. â€Å"All I can get do is wait for the merchandise manager to die (Page 17). He sleeps with women to avenge men who have surpassed him on the career path; similar to Biff seeking revenge on those who have humiliated him by stealing. Happy lives in the Loman dream world, refusing to face reality. He is happy to allow Willy to live in a dream world, to carry on humoring him. â€Å"Sure, have lunch tomorrow!† (Page 88). Even after Willy’s death Happy is unable to relinquish Willy’s desire to fulfill the American Dream. â€Å"I’m gonna show you and everybody else that Willy Lowman did not die in vain† (Page 111). Happy appears to be jealous of Biff being Willy’s favorite â€Å"How do you like that damned fool! (Page 47). This could be a possible reason why he follows the dream – to seek his father’s approval. Linda regularly defends Willy and excuses his behavior, which only keeps Willy trapped in his destructive dream. Miller’s opening stage directions suggest Willy creates and structures Linda’s ideals for her â€Å"his massive dreams and little cruelties†¦longings which she shares, but lacks the temperament to utter and follow to the end† (Page . Linda is the mediator of the family, often discovering the reasons behind Willy’s cruelties whilst mediating. She adores Willy but kindness such as buying him special cheese is just thrown back in her face, something she accepts without argument. Linda knows Willy has impossible dreams, but unlike Biff she cannot bring herself to acknowledge the fact. Linda will not allow Willy’s dreams to be crushed because he is the â€Å"dearest man in the world† (Page 43) to her and she will not have anyone â€Å"making him feel unwanted and low and blue† (Page 43). What she does not realise is by leaving Willy to continue chasing his dreams, he will become a tragic hero (Page. 2003. Page 71-73). Willy is a tragic hero; he continues to chase his dreams relentlessly failing to recognise he should be in a job making use of his hands, living in the country. Willy only saw a warped perception of Singleman’s life, Willy’s inspiration, role model and father figure, after his father and brother abandoned him. Willy uses Ben’s voice to criticise himself in his reinterpreted memories. His abandonment led to his insecurity, leading to his death. His insecurity led to his affair, which led to the breakdown of the relationship between him and his son, Biff. Despite Willy’s flaws, he loves his family and shows he is a good man, inspiring pity and sympathy in the audience, provoking sadness with his death, making him a tragic hero in the traditional sense, but not the true hero. Biff could have been a top football star and is physically strong. He is courageous; he is the only member of the Loman family at the start of the play to have partly relinquished the American Dream and by the end he has completely relinquished it. He faces reality and attempts to make his family face it to, even managing to make Willy face it for a brief moment. He is finally honest about his life – his career and his stealing. He shows morality and integrity. One of the hardest things to do in life is to face up to reality and Biff alone manages to do this making him the true hero of Death of a Salesman. Is Biff the true hero of death of a salesman The question posed here, â€Å"Is Biff the true hero of death of a salesman† asks the writer to asses’ weather or not Biff is the ‘true’ hero of Death of a salesman as oppose to Willy Lowman’s role given to him by the author A.Miller as being the tragic hero. Miller broke from the norm of traditional characterization when creating the character Willy Lowman, in that the archetypal Tragic hero had to be a descendant of nobility or aristocratic decent, who’s demise affects not just those close to him but a group of people e.g a population, state of notoriety or kingdom. America had never had the Kings and Queens that a traditional tragedy had historically needed, Miller’s intention was to show how the common working class man could be shown to be a tragic hero and an American tragic hero as oppose to a Greek or Shakespearian one. Linda becomes Millers voice in the play â€Å"attention, attention must be finally paid to such a person† (Page 44) showing that in Millers eyes a regular person can and should be seen as a tragic hero. Biff in Death of as salesman must be seen to be the main protagonist due to his ability to see the proverbial holes in the proverbial fabric of not only his, Willys and all the Lowman’s lives but also the holes that people fall through in pursuit of a dream. The dream in this case being Millers idea of the American dream. The idea of the American dream stems from the notion that America is or was the ‘land of opportunity’ a bountiful land of infinite horizons and opportunities waiting to be explored and taken. Miller paints Biff as a character who initially buys into his farther idealistic view that a â€Å"well liked† person will have doors opened for them, in this sense Willy felt that the reputation of a person directly reflected its self in sales figures which translates directly in to wealth which he would use to translate into time spend more time with his family showing that Willy was a good man who’s goal was for the well being of his loved o nes, its just that his dream was wrong, â€Å"all wrong†. This idea of the acquisition of wealth and being well liked (not to suggest that to be well liked should be avoided, but to actively seek it out above all else can bare negative connotations) detracts Willy from the main goal in anyone’s life to be happy and develop a sense of fullness through honest self discovery. Given that at the time of Millers play the idea of the American dream was tarnished only by a few American writers of that the time and was still a prevalent driving force in American society a relatively young society, Miller Gives the reader the sense that this dream or the pursuit of it is not the only dream or even the right dream for all people. In the United States Declaration of Independence listed among the ‘unalienable rights’ is written â€Å"We hold these truths to be self–evident, That all men are created equal, That they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, That among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness†, This extract from the defining piece of American literary history supports Millers character Biff Lowman’s idea of discovering ones self in America as oppose to simply discovering wealth. Willy’s dream was not him, it was not who he was or what he wanted to do. Willies own American dream was lived through the idea of acquisition of wealth and gaining notoriety as oppose to finding his own dream and perusing it. Biff buying into his fathers dream goes to see Oliver with the intention of getting twenty thousand dollars in-order to set up in business with his brother happy however Biff sitting in Oliver’s office realizes that he never has been a sales man nor was it his intention to be one, â€Å"How the hell did I ever get the idea I was a salesman there?† (Page 82) it was his fathers dream. Bill Oliver doesn’t recognize Biff and in the frustration of the realization he had lied to himself Biff takes Oliver’s pen. The taking of this pen is symbolic in the sense that Biff has always been overly praised by his farther giving him an over inflated ego, he was never told not to steal and Willy often praised him for it â€Å"Shut up! He’s not stealing anything!† (Page 40) in addition the taking of the pen by Biff at the office of Mr Oliver can also be seen as Biff taking something for himself, something physical, from a life in which he feels he plays no real part, the act of taking the fountain pen, something physical, sees this object become the reparations he seeks from following his farther faulty ideals and beliefs. Towards the end of the play this acceptance of stealing becomes more prevalent when he admits he stole a suit and spent time in prision for the theft. Biff is the only one who voices his opinion that they had been following the wrong dream realizing he was not a leader of men and that he was good, like willy, with his hands and he should be out west being practical bui lding something or working as a farm hand. Willies adoration of Dave Singleman a man he met whilst a traveling salesman is one of a warped view. Singleman becomes a farther figure, role model and source of inspiration for Willy, â€Å"Cause what could be more satisfying than to be able to go, at the age of eighty-four†¦ and be remembered and loved and helped by so many people?† (Page 63). The name Dave Singleman however can be seen to imply Singleman is a ‘single’ man a man who lives out of a suitcase moving from hotel to hotel in solitude and isolation. The characteristics of this interpretation of Singleman Willies role model seem reflect on Willie in his life, adopting the idea of a salesman who is well liked will be a success however once again this is the wrong dream for Willie to be following. At the time Biff catches Willie his farther with another woman he is going to Willie for help, to see if he can speak to his math’s teacher to get him to bump up his mark so that he could graduate and take up his college football scholarship, he goes expecting his farther the â€Å"well liked† salesman with all the charm and charisma in the world to be able to get him out of having to re-sit his exam however he comes to realize Willie is not who he makes himself out to be when he uncovers this deception, â€Å"Biff Don’t touch me you – liar! Willy â€Å"Apologize for that!† Biff â€Å"You fake! You phony little fake! You fake!† from this moment on Biff starts to se Willie for who and what he truly is and most importantly seeing his fathers flaws, this is important because it allows biff later in life to see through the ‘vie en rose’ and deluded image that Willie tries to purvey thus allowing him to start to discover ad pursue hi s own dream. Willie believes he has to be successful for Biff to love him but Biff rather ironically has loved him all along which Willie realizes at the end of the play when Biff breaks down and cries in front of him to which he says â€Å"isn’t that – isn’t that remarkable? Biff – he like me!† (Page 106). This realization however does not detract Willie from his mission to take his own life, shortly after he has another delusion of Ben (the delusion of him being his older and more successful brother although he had not seen his brother since he had left him in thier youth) this shows that Willie has gone too far in his mental degradation when his conversation with Ben even after his realization with Biff spurs him on even more to take his own life. Ben says to Willie that â€Å"the jungle is dark but full of diamonds† (page 106) suggesting that willies death is the dark jungle and that from his death he will receive diamonds, the diamonds in this case being insurance money the family more notably Biff was to receive from his death, money that he would have left to biff to start up a business, once again this shows that Willy still can’t see what Biff was trying to say to him and that he was never going to give up on the pursuit of his dream. Biff up on returning home after he and happy had left Willy in the chop house realises he must be honest with his farther about who he is in order to realise his dreams â€Å"Biff- Pop! I’m a dime a dozen, and so are you!, Willy – I am not a dime a dozen! I am Willy Lowman and you are Biff Lowman!, Biff – I am not a leader of men, Willy, and neither are you.† For Biff it is in renouncing Willy and willies dreams that he becomes free to dictate his own future and it is here that for the first time in his life completely rids himself of the oppressive shackles of willies dreams. This can be interpreted also as the death of Biff as the sales man, the death of his affiliation and obligation to willies ideologies allowing him to be free to start his new life out west, bringing new life withe the death of an old one, the death of a salesman. In conclusion since Biff is the only member of the family to renounce Willys idea of the American dream with the addition of realizing his own dream and what he must do to peruse it, Biff therefor must be seen to be the true hero. It must be added also that the American dream can still apply to Biff’s pursuit only Biff’s pursuit as stated in the American constitution is a pursuit of happiness the happiness Willie never managed to gain for himself or his family by following his own American dream.