Thursday, October 31, 2019

United States Bankruptcy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

United States Bankruptcy - Essay Example Bankruptcy is defined as a person that has been legally declared insolvent due to having a level of debt that places a person in a status in which their regular income is insufficient to pay the person’s monthly obligations (Yahoo, 2008). A bankruptcy was a solution chosen by many reached a point in which lenders were extremely mad since many people with the ability to pay were filing bankruptcy in order to eliminate debt. These con artists were willing to give up the right to have credit for seven years in exchange for a clean slate gain through the elimination of all their debt. In 2005 the US government decided to make some changes to the bankruptcy laws in order to protect the credibility of the financial / banking system in the nation and to ensure people assume responsibility for their financial mishaps. Society at large pays the price of delinquent debtors since those bank losses are factors in the interest rates people receive in their loans such as their mortgage paym ents. This report studies the new bankruptcy law of 2005 referred too as the bankruptcy abuse prevention act. The bankruptcy laws are structure under different chapters which include chapter 13, 11 and 7. Chapter 11 is a bankruptcy alternative for business owners and corporation which provides protection for the business entities so that the lenders do not drive a company out of business if it becomes insolvent. It calls for a reorganization of the corporate debt and lower temporary debt payment so a company can have cash flow to create a new business plan to continue a business going. Chapter 13 is similar to chapter 11 as far as providing temporary relief from lenders, but it applies to individuals. Chapter 13 allows a person to salvage their overall credit by entering into arrangement with creditors to pay off the debt in longer time periods, reducing interest, and holding off all payments for predetermined periods of time

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Scenario #1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Scenario #1 - Assignment Example After responding to the patient’s need, the next procedure was for the nurses to relate to the patients pain. Thereafter, effective measures in easing the pain experienced by the patients were to be undertaken by the nurses. Constant monitoring of the patient’s condition and communication with family members could assist in understanding the patient’s condition. Constant monitoring of the patient’s condition in collaboration with health professionals will help in promoting good healthcare for patients (Lemmer, 2009). Documented history of the patient home care is also helpful in improving care since doctors can easily monitor patient condition when he/she is brought to the hospital. Family meeting on the health of the patient assists in toning down the tension and coming up with a common message and feeling towards the health of the patient. In this case, a family meeting would help in appointing a person to collaborate with the nurses and doctors in taking care of the patient. The patient had several signs that caused pain and anguish to the patient while at the same time it led to the death of the patient. The important steps that need to be carried out in managing the patient look into reporting, responding, relating, reasoning and reconstructing. These steps are used in taking care of the pain and managing the patient in the process of providing good healthcare to the patients. In this case, the nurses would have managed the pain suffered by Mrs. H. and then make her comfortable while looking for solutions to each of the symptoms (Lemmer, 2009). The first care step would be to make Mrs. H. comfortable and rehydrate her for the patient to be able to cope with her pain. In this case, stabilizing the patient is quite important for Mrs. H. while at the same time looking for solutions through consultations with doctors and experts. Teaching the family the process of monitoring the

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Role Of Stakeholders In Projects Construction Essay

Role Of Stakeholders In Projects Construction Essay The management of competing stakeholders has emerged has as an important weapon in the successful implementation of projects. According to Olander and Landin 2007, there is a growing and natural tendency for external stakeholder groups to try to influence the implementation of construction project in line with their individual concerns and needs. This presents a challenge for project managers to assessing and managing these various concerns and needs in order to ensure that the execution of the project is not hindered. Yang et al, 2009 pointed out that the construction industry has a poor record of stakeholder management over the past decades owing to the complexity and uncertainty of projects. Many problems can arise in the implementation of construction projects such as project managers having unclear objectives as regards stakeholder management and underestimation of the power of key stakeholders. In order to solve these problems, project managers needs to develop effective strategies for managing stakeholders. Proper management of stakeholders will lead to stakeholder cooperation and enhances the achievement of project objective while neglect of stakeholders can hinder it. This report seeks to analyse and establish the important role that stakeholders play in the implementation of construction projects with focus on the UK construction industry. Documentary analysis and discussion of findings are presented in this research report. Chapter 1 1.0 Introduction In the execution of any project, and especially in construction projects, there are so many different interests that need to be taken into consideration. The representatives of these interests are those that are referred to as project stakeholders (Olander and Landin, 2005). In order to effectively manage project stakeholders, there is the need for an understanding of the term stakeholders. Rodney, 2007 describes project stakeholder as a person or group of people who have a vested interest in the success of project and the environment within which the project operates. The management of stakeholders is very important in the execution of any construction project. For instance, in large infrastructure and engineering projects, several studies have revealed how stakeholders significantly influence the project outcome. Hence, there is the need to develop appropriate strategies by which stakeholders will be managed from the inception of the project up till the final closing out stages. Understanding the stakeholder theory provides a solid framework for identifying, analysing and categorizing stakeholders as well as recognizing their behaviour in order to manage them effectively ( Aaltonen, Jaakko and Tuomas, 2008). The purpose of stakeholder identification and analysis is to facilitate an understanding of how to successful manage project stakeholders in todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s rapidly evolving environment. Olander and Landin, 2005 higlighted that the requirements of the community apply pressure on organisations to modify or change their working methods and the means of communicating with stakeholders. They further reiterated that any stakeholder with a negative perception can severely hinder a construction project from achieving its objectives. The concerns and interests of stakeholders if not properly managed often lead to serious conflicts and disagreements. Stakeholders are very important to the success of a project. It is vital to identify them as they affect or are affected by the project. Pan (2005) believes that the identification of stakeholders involves knowing those with high or potential interest in the project and its outcome and involves the grouping of stakeholders with shared objectives together. Winch, 2010 describes project stakeholders as those actors which will incur or perceive they will incur a direct benefit or loss as a result of the project. The execution of construction projects usually brings about new product or value, but they can also have damaging effects creating such problems as noise, dust, environmental pollution and other obstruction within the project area. These often lead to public outcry and resistance from local residents and other interest groups whom could be affected by the construction project. Winch, 2010 categorized the different types of stakeholders for a construction project in order to aid analysis and management of their problems. He classified them into two categories, which are internal stakeholders and external stakeholders. Internal stakeholders are those persons and organizations that are directly involved and affected by the project while the external stakeholders are those that are not directly involved but may be affected by the project. The internal stakeholders were broken down around the client as those on the demand side and those on the supply side while the external stakeholders were broken down into public and private actors as shown in table 1 below. This research is designed to provide essential background and recommendations for managing project stakeholders and the impact of their behavior and on project success. 1.2 Overview of the Research. According to Newcombe, 2003 the role and nature of the construction client in the United Kingdom have changed dramatically over the last 50 years. He further assert that different stakeholders have varying levels and types of investment and interest in construction projects and can be viewed as multiple clients or customers for the project in which they are involved. Stakeholders with different levels and types of power and interest in construction projects have expectations that the project manager must manage. In order to achieve these, the project manager must adequately identify who the project stakeholders are, recognise what these stakeholders expect from a construction project and then develop strategies to manage the stakeholders. It is important to state that conflicts and controversies can arise in the implementation of construction projects if the concerns and interests of the stakeholders are not properly managed. To prevent this, project managers need to take into consideration the concerns of all stakeholders and devise a means of discourse to reconcile conflicting interests. Construction projects affect stakeholders in both positive and negative ways (Olander and Landin, 2005). For instance, a construction project can be of relevant use to one stakeholder group and have negative consequences on another. Getting to understand each stakeholderà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s point of view and providing a room for dialogue will help foster good relationships and avoid potential disruption to project plans. This research will therefore examine the role in which stakeholders play in the implementation of construction projects and their impact, establish the relationship between theory and practise in relation to stakeholder participation in construction projects and propose strategies for managing external stakeholders through out the project life cycle. 1.3 Rationale The rationale for this research will be divided into three parts, namely: Academic, Business and Personal. 1.3.1 Academic The has been a wide range of literature and studies on project stakeholders and how to manage them, however this research will focus on the assessment of the impact of stakeholders in influencing project objectives and how they can be managed. The importance of managing stakeholders in a construction project to ensure its success will be analysed in this research. 1.3.2 Business Large construction projects are usually a subject of varying controversies from the turbulent environmental forces. The complexity of these projects generates a lot of interested parties who either have something to gain or loose from the development of the project (Walker). These stakeholders exert all power within reach as they seek to influence the outcome of the project. Managing the project effectively requires that stakeholders are properly managed as a function of the project management process. 1.3.2 Personal Successful project managers recognise the relevance and importance of stakeholder management to project success, and as a potential project manager, it is a necessity to have an in-depth understanding of the management of stakeholders in todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s volatile environment, most especially with construction project which has generated so many tensions in the past. My previous degree in Civil Engineering has also necessitated my desired to have the construction industry as a case study. 1.4 Aims and Objectives The aim of this project is to identify and evaluate the influence and role of stakeholders in the execution of construction projects: a case study of the UK construction industry. This research will examine the role in which stakeholders play in the implementation of construction projects with particular emphasis on external stakeholders and their impact in influencing the project outcome. Below are the objectives of this research project: To evaluate the influence of stakeholders in the implementation of construction projects (using stakeholder mapping together with the power/interest matrix). To establish the critical success factors associated with stakeholder management in the construction projects. To examine the level of stakeholder involvement in the construction project life cycle. To propose strategies for managing external stakeholders in construction. 1.5 Scope The scope of this project includes: Documentary review on the subject area of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Managing project stakeholders in construction and project success. Preparing a primary research plan and proposing a primary method for managing stakeholders in construction projects. The scope exclusions include; This study will be restricted to the primary research plan only and will not include any secondary research. 1.6 Deliverables The deliverables for this research plan will be divided into two; internal and external. Internal Deliverables: A project research plan that contains the study background, aims and objectives, overview of the research study, rationale, scope and exclusion, assumptions and considerations, and structure of the report. A documentary review on the topic area. A primary research proposal Conclusion and recommendation, and highlights for further research areas. External Deliverable: A compiled Management report submitted to enhance further research. 1.7 Assumptions and Considerations. The demands of different stakeholder groups are diverse, thus project managers must be able to evaluate the variety of demands presented by stakeholders so as to enhance communication between them. However, consideration is given to the fact that the stakeholders analysed in this research will be applicable to a wide range of construction projects as well as the strategies to be proposed. 1.8 Methodology The research will employ the use of a case study to investigate the role and impact of project stakeholders in influencing their needs and expectations. The research methodology to be adopted for the research will be predominantly qualitative. The preference of the qualitative approach is driven by the objectives of the research which is descriptive and explanatory in nature. Documentation analysis will be used to analyse any relevant documents gathered that relates to the research. 1.9 Project schedule The research plan for this work which outlines the steps to fulfil the objectives as well as the timescale for the research is presented in Appendix 1 which is attached to this project research plan. 1.10 Research Structure This research will consist of an introductory part made up of the project research plan, and will further be divided into four chapters with; Chapter 2 reviews relevant literatures by other experts and documents on the research topic, and then presenting a critical analysis of facts and ideas which are significant to the topic. Chapter 3 will focus on the methodology for the research which is mainly documentary analysis and will present a proposal for the primary research plan. Chapter 4 will present a findings and discussion of the key element of the research. Chapter 5 will be a summary of the project to provide a conclusion and recommendation and also areas for further research.

Friday, October 25, 2019

The Crucible: Evil And Greed In Man :: Essay on The Crucible

The Crucible: Evil and Greed In Man High personal, acquisitions, evil desires and massive greed took part in shortening the fuse of the chaotic corruption of the Salem witch trials. Amidst the quiet and peaceful period of the Puritan era in America, not everything seemed as they were. Disorder and sin heightened the animosity and deteriorated the very center of a solemn and strong virtuous society. The Puritan belief in the basic evil of man is evident in Arthur Millers The Crucible through the actions of Abigail Williams and Reverend Parris. The main character who first brings forth this ruckus is Abigail Williams. Her desire directs towards John Procter, a married man, and she does anything to win his heart. She even tries to put a hex on his wife, Elizabeth Procter. When Betty awakens and confronts Abigail, about the spell, "You did, you did! You drank a charm to kill John Procters wife" (Miller 19). This quote allows the reader to become aware of the severity of Abbys ruthlessness. Her loathing of Mrs. Procter goes to such great lengths that she would go beyond the point of extremities. An example of her demonic acts, is when she mutilates her stomach with a sewing needle and claims it to be Elizabeth Procters voodoo spell. "and struck two inches in the flesh of her belly, he draw a needle outshe testify it were your familiar spirit pushed it in." (Miller 71). From this, it can be conceived that she would disastrously knock down any obstacle to get what she wanted. Another character who brings greed upon themselves is the Reverend Parris. He uses his high social status as a priest as an excuse to obtain that of which he considers is a requirement for such a prestigious man as he believes to be. In an argument between Reverend Parris and Giles Cory, Giles disagrees on Parris having ownership of the chapel house and the amount of money he gets for his services. "Mr. Cory, you will look far for a man of my kind at sixty pound a year!" (Miller 28). His selfish self-centered ways are so perverse that he would take advantage of the Lord for his own prerogative. Reverend Parriss voracity overtakes him so much that it consumes him into callow motives. In a quarrel between John Procter and Reverend Parris, John brought up past preachings of Reverend Parris repeatedly demanding things of small detail. "But Parris came, and for twenty week he preachin nothin but golden candlesticks until he had

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 6

Chapter 6 When we got back to Nazareth we expected to find Joshua's mother hysterical with worry, but on the contrary, she had gathered Joshua's brothers and sisters outside of their house, lined them up, and was washing their faces and hands as if preparing them for the Sabbath meal. â€Å"Joshua, help me get the little ones ready, we are all going to Sepphoris.† Joshua was shocked. â€Å"We are?† â€Å"The whole village is going to ask the Romans to release Joseph.† James was the only one of the children who seemed to understand what had happened to their father. There were tear tracks on his cheeks. I put my arm around his shoulders. â€Å"He'll be fine,† I said, trying to sound cheerful. â€Å"Your father is strong, they'll have to torture him for days before he gives up the ghost.† I smiled encouragingly. James broke out of my embrace and ran into the house crying. Mary turned and glared at me. â€Å"Shouldn't you be with your family, Biff?† Oh my breaking heart, my bruised ego. Even though Mary had taken position as my emergency backup wife, I was crestfallen at her disapproval. And to my credit, not once during that time of trouble did I wish harm to come to Joseph. Not once. After all, I was still too young to take a wife, and some creepy elder would swoop Mary up before I had a chance to rescue her if Joseph died before I was fourteen. â€Å"Why don't you go get Maggie,† Joshua suggested, taking only a second from his mission of scrubbing the skin off his brother Judah's face. â€Å"Her family will want to go with us.† â€Å"Sure,† I said, and I scampered off to the blacksmith's shop in search of approval from my primary wife-to-be. When I arrived, Maggie was sitting outside of her father's shop with her brothers and sisters. She looked as frightened as she had when we first witnessed the murder. I wanted to throw my arms around her to comfort her. â€Å"We have a plan,† I said. â€Å"I mean, Joshua has a plan. Are you going to Sepphoris with everyone else?† â€Å"The whole family,† she said. â€Å"My father has made nails for Joseph, they're friends.† She tossed her head, pointing toward the open shed that housed her father's forge. Two men were working over the forge. â€Å"Go ahead, Biff. You and Joshua go on ahead. We'll be along later.† She started waving me away and mouthing words silently to me, which I didn't pick up. â€Å"What are you saying? What? What?† â€Å"And who is your friend, Maggie?† A man's voice, coming from near the forge. I looked over and suddenly realized what Maggie had been trying to tell me. â€Å"Uncle Jeremiah, this is Levi bar Alphaeus. We call him Biff. He has to go now.† I started backing away from the killer. â€Å"Yes, I have to go.† I looked at Maggie, not knowing what to do. â€Å"I'll – we – I have to – â€Å" â€Å"We'll see you in Sepphoris,† Maggie said. â€Å"Right,† I said, then I turned and dashed away, feeling more like a coward than I ever have in my life. When we got back to Sepphoris there was a large gathering of Jews, perhaps two hundred, outside of the city walls, most I recognized as being from Nazareth. No mob mentality here, more a fearful gathering. More than half of those gathered were women and children. In the middle of the crowd, a contingent of a dozen Roman soldiers pushed back the onlookers while two slaves dug a grave. Like my own people, the Romans did not dally with their dead. Unless there was a battle ongoing, Roman soldiers were often put in the ground before the corpse was cool. Joshua and I spotted Maggie standing between her father and her murderous uncle at the edge of the crowd. Joshua took off toward her. I followed, but before I got close, Joshua had taken Maggie's hand and dragged her into the midst of the crowd. I could see Jeremiah trying to follow them. I dove into the mass and crawled under people's feet until I came upon a pair of hobnail boots which indicated the lower end of a Roman soldier. The other end, equally Roman, was scowling at me. I stood up. â€Å"Semper fido,† I said in my best Latin, followed by my most charming smile. The soldier scowled further. Suddenly there was a smell of flowers in my nose and sweet, warm lips brushed my ear. â€Å"I think you just said ‘always dog,'† Maggie whispered. â€Å"That would be why he's looking so unpleasant then?† I said out the side of my charming smile. In my other ear another familiar, if not so sweet whisper, â€Å"Sing, Biff. Remember the plan,† Joshua said. â€Å"Right.† And so I let loose with one of my famous dirges. â€Å"La-la-la. Hey Roman guy, too bad about your getting stabbed. La-la-la. It's probably not a message from God or nothing. La-la-la. Telling you that maybe you should have gone home, la, la, la. Instead of oppressing the chosen people who God hisownself has said that he likes better than you. Fa, la, la, la.† The soldier didn't speak Aramaic, so the lyrics didn't move him as I had hoped. But I think the hypnotic toe-tappiness of the melody was starting to get him. I plunged into my second verse. â€Å"La-la-la, didn't we tell you that you shouldn't eat pork, la-la. Although looking at wounds in your chest, a dietary change might not have made that big a difference. Boom shaka-laka-laka-laka, boom shaka-laka-lak. Come on, you know the words!† â€Å"Enough!† The soldier was yanked aside and Gaius Justus Gallicus stood before us, flanked by two of his officers. Behind him, stretched out on the ground, was the body of the dead soldier. â€Å"Well done, Biff,† Joshua whispered. â€Å"We're offering our services as professional mourners,† I said with a grin, which the centurion was eager not to return. â€Å"That soldier doesn't need mourners, he has avengers.† A voice from the crowd. â€Å"See here, Centurion, release Joseph of Nazareth. He is no murderer.† Justus turned and the crowd parted, leaving a path between him and the man who had spoken up. It was Iban the Pharisee, standing with several other Pharisees from Nazareth. â€Å"Would you take his place?† Justus asked. The Pharisee backed away, his resolve melting quickly under the threat. â€Å"Well?† Justus stepped forward and the crowd parted around him. â€Å"You speak for your people, Pharisee. Tell them to give me a killer. Or would you rather I crucify Jews until I get the right one?† Iban was flustered now, and began jabbering a mishmash of verses from the Torah. I looked around and saw Maggie's uncle Jeremiah standing only a few paces behind me. When I caught his eye he slipped his hand under his shirt – to the haft of a knife, I had no doubt. â€Å"Joseph didn't kill that soldier!† Joshua shouted. Justus turned to him and the Pharisees took the opportunity to scramble to the back of the crowd. â€Å"I know that,† Justus said. â€Å"You do?† â€Å"Of course, boy. No carpenter killed that soldier.† â€Å"How do you know that?† I asked. Justus motioned to one of his legionnaires and the soldier came forward carrying a small basket. The centurion nodded and the soldier upended the basket. The stone effigy of Apollo's severed penis thudded to the ground in front of us. â€Å"Uh-oh,† I said. â€Å"Because it was a stonecutter,† Justus said. â€Å"My, that is impressive,† Maggie said. I noticed that Joshua was edging toward the body of the soldier. I needed to distract Justus. â€Å"Aha,† I said, â€Å"someone beat the soldier to death with a stone willie. Obviously the work of a Greek or a Samaritan – no Jew would touch such a thing.† â€Å"They wouldn't?† Maggie asked. â€Å"Jeez, Maggie.† â€Å"I think you have something to tell me, boy,† Justus said. Joshua had laid hands on the dead soldier. I could feel everyone's eyes on me. I wondered where Jeremiah was now. Was he behind me, ready to silence me with a knife, or had he made his escape? Either way, I couldn't say a word. The Sicarii did not work alone. If I gave up Jeremiah I'd be dead by a Sicarii dagger before the Sabbath. â€Å"He can't tell you, Centurion, even if he knew,† said Joshua, who had moved back to Maggie's side. â€Å"For it is written in our holy books that no Jew shall rat out another Jew, regardless of what a weasel one or the other shall be.† â€Å"Is that written?† Maggie whispered. â€Å"Is now,† Joshua whispered back. â€Å"Did you just call me a weasel?† I asked. â€Å"Behold!† A woman at the front of the crowd was pointing to the dead soldier. Another screamed. The corpse was moving. Justus turned toward the commotion and I took the opportunity to look around for Jeremiah. He was still there behind me, only a few people back, but he was staring gape-jawed at the dead soldier, who was currently standing up and dusting off his tunic. Joshua was concentrating intently on the soldier, but there was none of the sweating or trembling that we had seen at the funeral in Japhia. To his credit, Justus, although he seemed frightened at first, stood his ground as the corpse ambled stiff-legged toward him. The other soldiers were backing away, along with all of the Jews except Maggie, Joshua, and me. â€Å"I need to report an attack, sir,† the once-dead soldier said, performing a very jerky Roman salute. â€Å"You're – you're dead,† Justus said. â€Å"Am not.† â€Å"You have knife wounds all over your chest.† The soldier looked down, touched the wounds gingerly, then looked back to his commander. â€Å"Seems I have been nicked, sir.† â€Å"Nicked? Nicked? You've been stabbed half a dozen times. You're dead as dirt.† â€Å"I don't think so, sir. Look, I'm not even bleeding.† â€Å"That's because you've bled out, son. You're dead.† The soldier began to stagger now, started to fall, and caught himself. â€Å"I am feeling a little woozy. I was attacked last night sir, near where they are building that Greek's house. There, he was there.† He pointed to me. â€Å"And him too.† He pointed to Joshua. â€Å"And the little girl.† â€Å"These boys attacked you?† I could hear scuffling behind me. â€Å"No, not them, that man over there.† The soldier pointed to Jeremiah, who looked around like a trapped animal. Everyone was so intent on watching the miracle of the talking corpse that they had frozen in place. The killer couldn't push his way through the crowd to get away. â€Å"Arrest him!† Justus commanded, but his soldiers were equally stunned by the resurrection of their cohort. â€Å"Now that I think of it,† the dead soldier said, â€Å"I do remember being stabbed.† No outlet from the crowd, Jeremiah turned toward his accuser and drew a blade from under his shirt. This seemed to snap the other soldiers out of their trance, and they began advancing on the killer from different angles, swords drawn. At the sight of the blade, everyone had moved away from the killer, leaving him isolated with no path open but toward us. â€Å"No master but God!† he shouted, then three quick steps and he leapt toward us, his knife raised. I dove on top of Maggie and Joshua, hoping to shield them, but even as I waited for the sharp pain between my shoulder blades, I heard the killer scream, then a grunt, then a protracted moan that ran out of air with a pathetic squeal. I rolled over to see Gaius Justus Gallicus with his short sword sunk to the hilt in the solar plexus of Jeremiah. The killer had dropped his knife and was standing there looking at the Roman's sword hand, looking somewhat offended by it. He sank to his knees. Justus yanked his sword free, then wiped the blade on Jeremiah's shirt before stepping back and letting the killer fall forward. â€Å"That was him,† the dead soldier said. â€Å"Bastard kilt me.† He fell forward next to his killer and lay still. â€Å"Much better than last time, Josh,† I said. â€Å"Yes, much better,† Maggie said. â€Å"Walking and talking. You had him going.† â€Å"I felt good, confident, but it was a team effort,† Joshua said. â€Å"I couldn't have done it without everyone giving it their all, including God.† I felt something sharp against my cheek. With the tip of his sword, Justus guided my gaze to Apollo's stone penis, which lay in the dirt next to the two corpses. â€Å"And do you want to explain how that happened?† â€Å"The pox?† I ventured. â€Å"The pox can do that,† Maggie said. â€Å"Can rot it right off.† â€Å"How do you know that?† Joshua asked her. â€Å"Just guessing. I'm sure glad that's all over.† Justus let his sword fall to his side with a sigh. â€Å"Go home. All of you. By order of Gaius Justus Gallicus, under-commander of the Sixth Legion, commander of the Third and Fourth Centuries, under authority of Emperor Tiberius and the Roman Empire, you are all commanded to go home and perpetrate no weird shit until I have gotten well drunk and had several days to sleep it off.† â€Å"So you're going to release Joseph?† Maggie asked. â€Å"He's at the barracks. Go get him and take him home.† â€Å"Amen,† said Joshua. â€Å"Semper fido,† I added in Latin. Joshua's little brother Judah, who was seven by then, ran around the Roman barracks screaming â€Å"Let my people go! Let my people go!† until he was hoarse. (Judah had decided early on that he was going to be Moses when he grew up, only this time Moses would get to enter the promised land – on a pony.) As it turned out, Joseph had been waiting for us at the Venus Gate. He looked a little confused, but otherwise unharmed. â€Å"They say that a dead man spoke,† Joseph said. Mary was ecstatic. â€Å"Yes, and walked. He pointed out his murderer, then he died again.† â€Å"Sorry,† Joshua said, â€Å"I tried to make him live on, but he only lasted a minute.† Joseph frowned. â€Å"Did everyone see what you did, Joshua?† â€Å"They didn't know it was my doing, but they saw it.† â€Å"I distracted everyone with one of my excellent dirges,† I said. â€Å"You can't risk yourself like that,† Joseph said to Joshua. â€Å"It's not the time yet.† â€Å"If not to save my father, when?† â€Å"I'm not your father.† Joseph smiled. â€Å"Yes you are.† Joshua hung his head. â€Å"But I'm not the boss of you.† Joseph's smile widened to a grin. â€Å"No, I guess not,† Joshua said. â€Å"You needn't have worried, Joseph,† I said. â€Å"If the Romans had killed you I would have taken good care of Mary and the children.† Maggie punched me in the arm. â€Å"Good to know,† Joseph said. On the road to Nazareth, I got to walk with Maggie a few paces behind Joseph and his family. Maggie's family was so distraught over what had happened to Jeremiah that they didn't even notice she wasn't with them. â€Å"He's much stronger than he was the last time,† Maggie said. â€Å"Don't worry, he'll be a mess tomorrow: ‘Oh, what did I do wrong. Oh, my faith wasn't strong enough. Oh, I am not worthy of my task.' He'll be impossible to be around for a week or so. We'll be lucky if he stops praying long enough to eat.† â€Å"You shouldn't make fun of him. He's trying very hard.† â€Å"Easy for you to say, you won't have to hang out with the village idiot until Josh gets over this.† â€Å"But aren't you touched by who he is? What he is?† â€Å"What good would that do me? If I was basking in the light of his holiness all of the time, how would I take care of him? Who would do all of his lying and cheating for him? Even Josh can't think about what he is all of the time, Maggie.† â€Å"I think about him all of the time. I pray for him all of the time.† â€Å"Really? Do you ever pray for me?† â€Å"I mentioned you in my prayers, once.† â€Å"You did? How?† â€Å"I asked God to help you not to be such a doofus, so you could watch over Joshua.† â€Å"You meant doofus in an attractive way, right?† â€Å"Of course.†

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Definition of motivation Essay

Internal and external factors that stimulate desire and energy in people to be continually interested and committed to a job, role or subject, or to make an effort to attain a goal. Motivation results from the interaction of both conscious and unconscious factors such as the (1) intensity of desire or need, (2) incentive or reward value of the goal, and (3) expectations of the individual and of his or her peers. These factors are the reasons one has for behaving a certain way. An example is a student that spends extra time studying for a test because he or she wants a better grade in the class. Motivation is the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal and elicits, controls, and sustains certain goal directed behaviors. It can be considered a driving force; a psychological drive that compels or reinforces an action toward a desired goal. Motivation elicits, controls, and sustains certain goal-directed behaviors. For example, hunger is a motivation that elicits a desire to eat. Motivation has been shown to have roots in physiological, behavioral, cognitive, and social areas. Motivation is conceptually related to, but distinct from, emotion and may be rooted in a basic impulse to optimize well-being, minimize physical pain and maximize pleasure. It can also originate from specific physical needs such as eating, sleeping/resting, and sexual reproduction. Motivation can be divided into two types: intrinsic (internal) motivation and extrinsic (external) motivation. Intrinsic motivation  Intrinsic motivation refers to motivation that is driven by an interest or enjoyment in the task itself, and exists within the individual rather than relying on any external pressure. Intrinsic motivation is based on taking pleasure in an activity rather than working towards an external reward. Intrinsic motivation has been studied since the early 1970s. Students who are intrinsically motivated are more likely to engage in the task willingly as well as work to improve their skills, which will increase their capabilities.[1 ] Students are likely to be intrinsically motivated if they: * attribute their educational results to factors under their own control, also known as autonomy, * believe they have the skill that will allow them to be effective agents in reaching desired goals (i.e. the results are  not determined by luck), * are interested in mastering a topic, rather than just rote-learning to achieve good grades. Extrinsic motivation Extrinsic motivation refers to the performance of an activity in order to attain an outcome, which then contradicts intrinsic motivation. It is widely believed that motivation performs two functions. The first is often referred to as the energetic activation component of the motivation construct. The second is directed at a specific behaviour and makes reference to the orientation directional component.[clarification needed] Extrinsic motivation comes from outside of the individual. Common extrinsic motivations are rewards like money and grades, and threat of punishment. Competition is in general extrinsic because it encourages the performer to win and beat others, not simply to enjoy the intrinsic rewards of the activity. A crowd cheering on the individual and trophies are also extrinsic incentives. The concept of motivation can be instilled in children at a very young age, by promoting and evoking interest in a certain book or novel. The idea is to have a discussion pertaining the book with young individuals, as well as to reward them. Comparison of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation Social psychological research has indicated that extrinsic rewards can lead to overjustification and a subsequent reduction in intrinsic motivation. In one study demonstrating this effect, children who expected to be (and were) rewarded with a ribbon and a gold star for drawing pictures spent less time playing with the drawing materials in subsequent observations than children who were assigned to an unexpected reward condition.[2] While the provision of extrinsic rewards might reduce the desirability of an activity, the use of extrinsic constraints, such as the threat of punishment, against performing an activity has actually been found to increase one’s intrinsic interest in that activity. In one study, when children were given mild threats against playing with an attractive toy, it was found that the threat actually served to increase the child’s interest in the toy, which was previously undesirable to the child in the absence of threat.[3] For those children who received no extrinsic reward, self-determination theory proposes that extrinsic motivation can be internalised by the individual if the task fits with their values and beliefs and therefore helps to fulfill  their basic psychological needs.