Category: Uncategorized

Charting a Company’s Direction

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Task 1: Financial Statement Analysis

Question 1

The analysis of a company’s financial statements helps provide the information needed by analysts, creditors, and investors in the evaluation of the company’s financial performance. At the same time, some of the information provided in these statements is usually a requirement by the accounting standards or by law. The financial statements are a good communication tool for the accomplishments that the company has so far made, especially to external parties interested in the company, such as analysts, media, and investors. This is the manner through which management communicates with the external parties. Senior management within the company is able to use financial statements as effective tools for detailing the successes that the company has achieved in the past as well as the expectations it has for the future (Way, 2019). The industry’s needs are met as the first steps in the analysis of financial statements since creditors and investors have invested in the company, and they would use the evaluation as a tool for identifying the profitability of their investments. This is due to the fact that they are the source of finance for the company’s operations. In light of this, the company has to prove that indeed the money is being put to good use, and it is standing out in the industry as a good performer, having met all the industrial requirements and standards set for good performance.

Question 2

Relevance, in light of accounting information in the context of valuation methodology and disclosure, basically means the capability of users to make predictions on past, present, and future outcomes, or making a confirmation of prior expectations. Relevant information helps make a difference in decision making by improving the user’s capabilities in prediction or giving feedback on prior expectations (Board, 2008). Representational faithfulness, on the other hand, is the ability of available information to give a fair and true view, while being presented fairly, especially touching on financial statement information (Alexander & Archer, 2003). In line with this, such information plays a key role in creative accounting as well as in the opinion statements provided by an auditor (. Such information is free from bias and material error, thus showing its relevance.

In the event that the highest relevance is present in the selection of accounting method, representational faithfulness is still considered important even though it is considered next. Relevance is considered first owing to it being essential. They are both important for decision usefulness. With the presence of both, then information is reliable, non-biased, neutral, free from material error, and complete, thus dependable (Di Pietra, McLeay, & Ronen, 2014). Therefore, neither can be absent. In the event that they are both absent, the decision loses meaning when information provided has material error, bias, is incomplete, not neutral, and non-verifiable. This means that accounting information has to have both characteristics: relevance and representational faithfulness for decisions to be useful and dependable.

Task 2

There are various challenges that are presented in the understanding and reporting of cash flows and taxes, especially when looking the operations of businesses. Going concern and liquidity is one of the challenges. The survival of businesses is based on their ability to have cash flow to help the company stay afloat. Management is required to conduct an assessment on businesses to identify the ability of the business to continue as a going concern. Financial statement analysis helps make this clear. In the event that the business is not able to continue as a going concern, the business is forced to inject additional income into the business to prevent bankruptcy (van der Tas, 2020). At the same time, if the economic climate is unfriendly, the government may consider tax reduction for businesses to stay afloat and the economy to continue thriving.

Assessment of impairment on business assets is yet another challenge. Nonfinancial assets being impaired means the sale or use of the asset cannot acquire the carrying value of the asset. This may mean greater losses to business and possibly, cash flow needed to be injected into improving the asset for use or sale. Given the changing assumptions of market participants at certain market conditions when it comes to measurement of fair value, some economic climates may call for more depressing fair value measurement considerations, which may mean much lower value to businesses (van der Tas, 2020). This also means much lower cash flow available to businesses to continue keeping the operations staying afloat. In the event that the economic climate is suffering on the basis of an event that affects business, then the government is expected to come in and provide responses that help provide cushioning to businesses. This can come in form of subsidies, public levy reductions, credit and tax reductions, loans on low interest, reductions in rent, and tax exemptions. To ensure that businesses stay afloat even in pressing economic times, the government has to ensure that relevant laws have been enacted. Businesses will need to consider whether a government grant received or a tax reduction will help provide relief to operations (Info Entrepreneurs, 2019). For cash flow maximization, there ought to be effectiveness in debt control and credit management, while still ensuring effectiveness in supplier management and stock control.

References

Alexander, D., & Archer, S. (2003). On economic reality, representational faithfulness and the ‘true and fair override’. Accounting and Business Research, 33(1), 3-17.

Board, F. A. S. (2008). Statement of financial accounting concepts No. 2: qualitative characteristics of accounting information. Financ Acc Stand Board.Di Pietra, R., McLeay, S., & Ronen, J. (Eds.). (2014). Accounting and regulation: New insights on governance, markets and institutions. Springer Science & Business Media.Info Entrepreneurs. (2019). The challenges of growing a business – and how to meet them. Info Entrepreneurs. https://www.infoentrepreneurs.org/en/guides/the-challenges-of-growing-a-business—and-how-to-meet-them/Van der Tas, L. (2020, April 2). Five financial reporting Issues to consider as a consequence of COVID-19. EY. https://www.ey.com/en_gl/assurance/five-financial-reporting-issues-to-consider-as-a-consequence-of-covid-19Way, J. (2019, February 4). What Is the Importance of a Company’s Financial Statements? Chron. https://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-companys-financial-statements-21332.html

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Music of the Baroque Music PeriodThe baroque music period began around 1600 to 1750 and involved a musical language depicting affections that include agitation, grief, and joy (Collins). There were distinct styles and practices in the baroque period that include theater (Opera), church and chamber for the styles, while the practices include the Stile Antico which is highly polyphonic and the Stile Moderno that involve homophonic w/solo voice. The opera style of music is a drama in which all the dialogue is sung (Mitchell). For the opera music, there are two main types of singing, and they include aria and recitative. For the recitative section of opera music is a sung speech containing dialogue that is highly rhythmic and syllabic. For the aria type, it involves a fully developed melody for a vocal soloist. Stile Antico is the practice for the opera music, and an example of the stile Antico is that of Claudio Monteverdi, with the opera ‘The Coronation of Poppea.’

Another style of the baroque music is the Church that served the purpose of awakening the passion for the religious subjects (Koenigsberger). The practice is Stile Moderno. The churches spent a lot of money on lavish decorations that conveyed the authority of the church as well as inspiring religious fervor. The sound of the baroque organ filled the brilliant interiors with its powerful resonance and a striking variety of timbres created an awe. An example of the Church style is the work of Johann Sebastian Bach, ‘Toccata and Fugue in D minor.’ The chamber is the third style of the baroque music (Rangel-Ribeiro). The concerto was characterized by multi-movement and involved a musical work that featured an instrumental soloist accompanied by an ensemble. The concerto was of two types that include solo concerto and concerto grosso. Antonio Vivaldi is a renowned musician of the concerto, and an example of his work include his famous masterpiece Le Quattro Stagioni translated as the four seasons.

Work Cited

Collins, Paul. The Stylus Phantasticus and free keyboard music of the North German Baroque. Routledge, 2017.

Koenigsberger, Helmut Georg. “Music and Religion in Early Modern European History.” Music and the Renaissance. Routledge, 2017. 275-306.

Mitchell, Brittney S. “The Secret Society of Opera.” (2016).

Rangel-Ribeiro, Victor. Baroque music: A practical guide for the performer. Courier Dover Publications, 2016.

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Music of the Brain

Music if food to the brain and therefore has more benefits to a person. The documentary ‘Music of the Brain’ tells of the role that music plays in the course of child development, becoming an adult until death. Music affects the development of a person’s brain from conception until death. A 7:50, the documentary discusses the role of music in the development of a child through the act of the mother singing. Right from conception, the sounds and vibrations make the infant identify themselves with a certain culture same to that of the mother as the brain develops articulating the sounds to a certain culture. The music, therefore, plays a vital role in ensuring the development of the mother-infant relationship. The role of music varies in the different stages of life such as during childhood, looking for the elderly as well as music therapy for the patients in the hospital.

The documentary at 11:22, the presenter argues that music activates the brain especially when the favorite music is put on activating the temporal lobe, the part of the brain that identifies music. The middle temporal gyrus as well is activated and involved in remembrance while the temporal lobes are activated for memory. The limbic system of the brain is involved in processing the emotional parts, and this keeps the whole brain active when listening to music. At 17:50, the presenter talks of the role of music in ensuring usage of both hemispheres of the brain. Normal speaking and use of language use the left hemisphere, and this leaves the right hemisphere unused. For the people who engage in music, the right hemisphere is used as well, and this makes a balance between the two parts of the brain. At 19:30, the speaker says that music acts as a therapy for the sick people and in the documentary, a patient with mumbled speech sings fluently and audibly and therefore music kind of rebuilds the speech.

Work Cited

Music of the Brain. Retrieved from: https://youtu.be/JyEsPfcvgzg?t=1532

Chase Markowitz

CCJ 4687

Evaluation And Assessment of Victim Services

Krista Flannigan, JD

11/10/2021

Evaluation And Assessment of Victim Services

Introduction (Evaluation and Assessment of Victim Services)

Define evaluation and assessment of victim services

Thesis statement-

Evaluating and assessing victim services is a noble goal to the society as it leads to the right and correct way of trying to inform people to get help and not shy away, therefore this paper discusses the process of evaluation and assessment of victim services as well as the impact of the evaluation on the quality of heath services presented.

Body

history of victim services

current state of victim services

success rate of victim services

possible problems with victim services

how the problems can be solved

possible outcomes due to solution of the problems

Conclusion

in conclusion, it is true that evaluation and assessment of victim services is the best possible way to see if the children and any other person who is a victim of home-based violence or sexually abused victim are being helped according to best methods. Even though there is lack of trust in some of the institutions running the victim services it seems most of them are doing okay and they continue to be a great force to make the world a better place.

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Chasing Ice

In his 2012 documentary “Chasing Ice,” award-winning photographer and film-maker James Balog delivers stunning yet shocking images of the impact of climate change on glaciers. He traveled to several locations setting up cameras to capture footage of the glaciers melting. This documentary is one of many that capture the effects of climate change on the earth. It gives insight into just how dire the situation is and that urgent action is necessary to address the matter of climate change. Years from now, we may not have any glaciers to speak of, and Balog’s expeditions are proof of this.

Balog traveled to far away locations including Iceland and Greenland to capture images and footage of the effects that global warming has on the environment. He was the author of the Extreme Ice Challenge in which time-lapse cameras were set up across the Arctic. These cameras were to capture data on the changes in glaciers over a number of years, starting in 2005. The expedition suffered many setbacks. The shooting location was far from ideal for the crew’s cameras and other equipment. Many of the cameras were quite costly and ended up getting spoilt within e short while due to the water from the ice. Other challenges include the extreme terrain in the Arctic. Balog underwent several surgeries due to a knee problem he suffered in the remote locations in Iceland, Alaska, and Greenland.

The team did not give up so quickly but made changes in their equipment and cameras. They were finally able to get images over a long period of ice to create the documentary “Chasing Ice.” some videographers spent weeks in Greenland to capture one of the most historic calving of a glacier. The 75-minute event happened at the Jakobshavn Glacier in Greenland and shows 7.4 km3 of ice crash off the glacier. The views shown in the film are quite breathtaking, but in just a few years, entire glaciers disappear leaving behind unrecognizable landscapes.

Melting ice and glaciers is one of the effects of global warming as a result of climate change. Global warming has led to the rising of temperatures on the earth’s surface causing ice to melt. The most significant contributor to global warming is greenhouse gases including methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide that cause the greenhouse effects. The earth receives radiation from the sun which should be reflected back into the atmosphere. However, these gases absorb the radiation and keep it from escaping into the atmosphere. The earth becomes much warmer as a result.

Melting ice and glaciers poses a significant threat to human life. It leads to rising of water levels in the seas and oceans of the earth. Because of this, coastal regions are at risk of being submerged. Human life and property are under serious threat. Greenhouse gases mainly from the burning of fossil fuels have led to acidification of water bodies and reduced oxygen level. Plant and animal life in these water bodies face the threat of extinction.

Solutions to the issue of climate change need to be implemented. There are many devastating effects including wildfires, rising water levels, drastic changes in weather patterns among others. All these pose a threat to human life and property. Countries need to come together to find ways of reducing climate change by looking for cleaner forms of energy. Greenhouse gases come from the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and other human activities. “Chasing Ice” shows just how fast the impacts of global warming are felt across the world. The documentary creates awareness, and hopefully, it leads to action to combat climate change.

Works Cited

Balog, James. “Chasing Ice.” National Geographic Documentary (2012).

Music of the Civil War

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Music of the Civil War

Music in the civil war played a critical role in boosting the morale of the nation, especially important to soldiers who were fighting at the front- line because it helped them maintain their moral and courage during battle (Davis, 2018). Through music that motivated and reminded the soldiers of their anticipated goal of freedom, they were able to remain hopeful during the war and believe that they would eventually win against all odds. Music grew to become a critical shared experience amongst people that remained back at home and those that went to the overseas conflict zones; as a result, their emotions were connected, and the fighters were more committed to fight for their people. Music was developed by both sides of the war as a propaganda of art to inspire their soldiers or demoralize their counterparts; thus, each country was committed to establish their musical voice which would enhance their popularity and dominance during the war. Some of the popular songs that were played during the civil war include “The battle cry of freedom”, and “Just before the battle mother” by George Root, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” by Julia Ward, “Dixie’s Land” by Daniel Decatur, and ”When Johnny Comes Marching Home” by John Barry (Davis, 2018).

“Battle Cry of Freedom” was a patriotic song that captured the fighting spirit of Union soldiers through its lyrics which were written in 1862 by George Root (Davis, 2018). The lyrics were patriotic and emotional, as they addressed the fight of the American army against the southern states that fought to preserve slavery. In these words, it strongly supported the freedom of equality by exposing how the war would positively impact the community because “A free government is better than a slave government” (Davis, 2018). In order to promote nationalism among American citizens after independence was achieved in 1776. This song was very popular in America during colonial times when the regions’ newspapers used to publish its lyrics regularly. The hymn inspired the North to reunite the country and free African-Americans from slavery, “And although they may be poor, not a man shall be a slave.”

Another popular song was “Just before the battle mother” by George Root whose message was to encourage southern mothers to always pray for their sons, especially the soldiers who were fighting in the ongoing civil war in order to protect the southern states (Davis, 2020). This song emphasized the idea of family values and religious beliefs by stating that mothers should never stop believing that their sons would make it back home. Just like “Battle Cry for Freedom”, “Just before the battle mother” was also a patriotic song which was intended to boost morale among soldiers and thanks them for fighting to defend the nation. The words were optimistic in nature as they encouraged gratitude and appreciation to southern women who had not a choice but to let their children go and fight for their country (Davis, 2020). The song also encouraged soldiers to fight courageously and be victorious over the enemy.

“The Battle Hymn of the Republic” by Julia Ward was also an important song during civil war as it was used as a hymn in order to rally up Union soldiers to march ahead and fight bravely. This song was composed in 1861 and the lyrics were extremely powerful as they not only promoted national pride among Union soldiers but also motivated for a sense of unity among African-American and white American army members, as well as social justice and equal rights for all. Julia also reflects on God’s grace, and insists on the need to believe in God’s will. Through the words “Glory, glory hallelujah for he whose name is love”, the author manifested that love for one another united the people within the community which made them stronger and unified in love (Davis, 2020).

“Dixie’s Land” by Daniel Decatur was also important since it was a song that called for secession. The lyrics, which were written by Daniel Decatur Emmett, advised southern Americans to secede from the union and form a country of their own (Davis, 2020). The song encouraged freedom and liberty for the African-Americans which motivated them to fight bravely against the Union soldiers in order to form their own country. The lyrics of this patriotic song, “There’ll be openings all around Dixie’s Land…” fueled African-Americans courage to fight for their freedom from slavery and discrimination in order to have equal rights as those who had been born in America (Davis, 2020). Also, the song was intended to encourage freedom and equality among all races, genders and religions. The lyrics of this song were important because they motivated black soldiers in one of the largest military campaigns in American history. The fight for freedom led to the formation of a country that included African-Americans as majority citizens, which was first established in 1869. As a result, the song was an important Southern anthem used during the American Civil War to instill patriotism and nationalism among southerners.

Lastly, the song ”When Johnny Comes Marching Home” by John Barry, Patrick Gilmore, and Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore. The song is believed to have been written by Patrick Gilmore to his sister Annie as she prayed for the safe return of her fiancé Captain John O’Rourke who had gone to participate in the civil war (McWhirter, 2018). The song’s popularity grew mainly because it was used by people who expressed longingness for their friends and relatives who were in combat. The song was sung by both Southerners and Northerners in the hope of encouraging their loved ones to return alive, and during that period, it became the hymn of choice in America.

In conclusion, the discussed songs and many other patriotic tunes had a significant impact on the lives of union soldiers during civil war due to their inspirational and encouraging lyrics which raised the morale of these soldiers. In addition, these songs promoted country pride among Union soldiers. This is evident in “Battle Cry for Freedom” as it incited passion and zeal in Union soldiers to fight bravely against rebel groups in order to unify with the North while maintaining rights and freedom equally for both united states citizens and African-Americans. As evidenced by the discussion, music helped to strengthen and renew each side during the war; thus, it played an important role in influencing people’s feelings about the war, and had a profound effect on how it ended.

References

Davis, J. A. (2018). “Our War-Songs” (1864): Popular Song and Music Criticism during the American Civil War. Popular Music and Society, 41(5), 489-505. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03007766.2017.1359468Davis, J. A. (2020). Locating patriotism in civil war songs. Civil War History, 66(4), 380-415. https://www.pdcnet.org/cwh/content/cwh_2020_0066_0004_0380_0415McWhirter, C. (2018). The Civil War: Music in the Armies. In Music and War in the United States (pp. 54-66). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315194981-4/civil-war-christian-mcwhirter

Music vs. civil Engineering

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Harmony forms the foundation above which music melodies are generated and offers systems that support the music tune and places it together to form a music sound. Like in engineering, music sounds are regarded to have the vertical and horizontal components. The horizontal components proceed in times of rhythm, or melodies. In engineering, any vibration produced by a structure occurs the same way as the harmony of a music sound does. On the other hand, the vertical components comprises of the sum total of what happens at a given moment. In civil engineering, experts making structures are much cautious of structures they use because they can sound against each other causing a severe damage. In music, such sounds are desired because they produce the tones needed by musicians to make up a melody. People who love sounds always understand the need for combining music with engineering because the two form the basis for a rhythmic musical sounds. A rhythmic sound of music depends on its velocity and harmony produced by accompanying instruments.

Velocity is a very common word used in all engineering subjects. In civil engineering, structure velocity plays a significant role because it determines the speed at which certain materials move and assist in determining distance and time covered. In music, velocity of a sound plays a vital role in determining the rhythm of a music. A music engineer must understand the velocity required to perform a certain song in order to match the beats of music instruments. Pianists and guitarists set their instruments at a certain velocity according to type of song. The term velocity in engineering and in music have similar meaning, but with different applications. The volume used by music experts to set the tone and melody of music compares to the speed set by engineers to test the strength of certain materials.

Another important aspect of music relationship with civil engineering is rhythm. Various bodies move at specific rhythms that constitute a motion. Music experts and engineers share some common knowledge in terms of rhythm. Vibrating bodies in engineering move at a given rhythm and produce certain disturbances depending on the force impacted on them. Similarly, music sounds are produced because of the amplitude of some sound producing substances. The amount of displacement given to a substance determines the tone of voice, hence, volume. In the same way engineers practice how to fix certain structures to fit the desired functions, musicians also practice rhythm lessons that dictate how certain instruments should be played. Understanding the above features allow a music expert produce the best rhythms using the correct music beats.

For music to produce a desired rhythm and harmony, melody should be effectively set according to the desired beats. Melody in music determines the ability of the listener to enjoy the beats and rhythm of the song. In engineering, vibrating bodies produce melodies depending on the type of materials and rigidity. In the same way, music instruments produce melodies when acted upon by the person playing them. Different instruments have various melodies depending on the key pressed and the amount of force used. A music engineer should have extensive experience in audio production in order to ensure the music melody and harmonies correspond to the velocity and rhythm of the song. The relationship between music and engineering is present in various elements of music that people engage in.

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Characteristics of a good life

Human beings spend all their lives searching for happiness and fulfilment. This can be found in everyday activities such as family life, work, hobbies, travel and interests. Sometimes, people are willing to go to extreme lengths in search of the elusive concept of happiness. Literature is a reflection of this desire for a good life, for example, Lena Younger in ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ wants a good home for her family and Nora Helmer in ‘A Doll House’ took a loan so that her husband could regain his health in Italy. Similarly, Elizabeth Bishop explores her love of fishing in her poem ‘The Fish’, and Calixta cheats on her husband in search of happiness. From these four works of literature, it is evident that health, a comfortable home, and coexistence with other beings are the key characteristics of a good life.

The first defining point of a good life is a comfortable home that can accommodate all the family members. Since a family occupies a home, a good life will also entail a devoted and thoughtful spouse. In Lorraine Hansberry’s ‘A Raisin in the Sun’, Lena Younger is the matriarch of the Younger family after the death of her husband. The family receives a check for the late Younger’s insurance money, and a conflict ensues over what the family should do with the money. Lena wants to buy a house, a dream she and her husband shared while he was alive (Hansberry). Her son Walter intends to start a business while her daughter Beneatha wants to use the money to pay for medical school. Lena finds out that her daughter-in-law Ruth is pregnant, even more reason to move to a bigger home. Their quarters are already cramped, and they share a communal bathroom. Moving to a bigger and better house would be suitable for the family; they would be more comfortable and have more space especially with the new baby.

The theme of a comfortable home with a devoted spouse is shown in ‘The Storm’ by Kate Chopin; Calixta’s husband Bibi and their son Bobinot head out to the store, and they get caught up in a storm. Alcee, one of Calixta’s old acquaintances, stops by to shelter from the storm (Chopin). They have sex during the storm; which is a sign that both of them may have been unhappy in their marriages. In ‘A Doll House’ by Henrik Ibsen, the play ends with Nora Helmer storming out and leaving her husband because she feels he treats her like a doll to be played with. Her husband got furious when he learnt of the loan that Nora had taken from Krogstad. He did not appreciate the fact that she did it out of concern for his wellbeing. He tells her that he will not let her raise their children but later relents (Ibsen). However, by that time Nora was already furious and declared that they did not understand each other even after they had been married for eight years.

The second requirement for a good life is health. Nora Helmer took a loan from Krogstad who happens to be her husband’s employee. A few years before, Nora and her husband Torvald were poor and had to spend their money carefully. During that time of want, they spent long hours working, and Torvald fell ill as a result. To regain his health, the couple travelled to Italy. Nora claimed that money for the trip came for her father, but she secretly took a loan from Krogstad without her husband’s knowledge (Ibsen). She prized his health above all. However, this comes back to haunt her as Krogstad blackmails her when Torvald fires him.

Coexistence with other beings is also another essential quality for a good life. In her poem ‘The Fish’, Elizabeth Bishop explores her fishing hobby. She has caught a large fish, and at first, she is proud of her achievement. She describes the fish with pride but later realises that she has harmed it when she sees the lines that have pierced through its lips (Bishop). She feels remorseful for having hurt the fish and lets it go in the end. This is a sign that human beings should coexist with other living things such as plants and wildlife. Humans also have a responsibility to care for these forms of life. Aside from coexisting with animals, people should also strive to coexist with each other. Many times people get into conflict with each other and must learn to resolve their issues peacefully. Lena Younger in ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ came up with a plan for her family members to coexist. They would split the money so that each person could fulfil their own dream.

In conclusion, all the four works; ‘A Raisin in the Sun’, ‘The Fish, ‘The Storm’, and ‘A Doll House’ share a similar theme, the search for a good life. From the four it is clear that to have a good life there must be good health, a happy home, and coexistence with others. For good health and a happy home, money is the underlying factor in the short stories under study. Peace with nature and other people is also emphasised; Elizabeth Bishop lets her prize fish go, and the Younger family finds a way to share the insurance money. These stories and poem reflect the general society where people spend their lives searching for things that make them happy.

Works Cited

Bishop, Elizabeth, and David Ishii. The fish. John Sollid, 1974.

Chopin, Kate. The complete works of Kate Chopin. LSU Press, 2006.

Hansberry, Lorraine. A raisin in the sun. Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, 2007.

Ibsen, Henrik. A doll’s house. A&C Black, 2008.

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Charges Against Socrates as Recorded in the Apology

The Apology written by Plato gives an explanation of the speech made by Socrates at the trial following the charges brought against him by Meletus (Schofield n.p). Socrates is accused of corrupting Athens’ youth, and not believing in the gods of the State and inventing his deities (Plato 24b). However, Socrates is not guilty of these accusations. Although there were multiple prosecutors and evidence pointing to Socrates’ guilt, he stood firm in his beliefs. Many of his beliefs and opinions to defend himself were supported by evidence, which will be presented throughout this essay.

Socrates interrogates Meletus in order to defend himself against the charges brought against him. Socrates is very skillful in the way he questions Meletus. As a result, Meletus proves to be contradicting himself and making absurd charges. For instance, in regard to the charges brought against Socrates that he was corrupting the youths, Socrates asks Meletus who is the improver of the youths (Plato 24b). He tells him since he has taken the pains to discover who their corrupter is, he must be knowing their improver. At first, Meletus does not answer. Socrates considers Meletus’ silence a disgrace and a considerable proof of Meletus’ lack of interest in the matter. He further urges him to speak up and tell who the youths’ improver is. In response, Meletus claims that all citizens are youths’ improvers apart from Socrates, who is the only one corrupting them. Socrates asks Meletus whether the good do their neighbors good and the evil do them evil, which Meletus agrees with. Socrates further asks Meletus if he alleges that he corrupts the youths unintentionally or intentionally. According to Meletus, Socrates corrupts the youths intentionally. He further uses Meletus’s response that the good do their neighbors good and the evil do them evil and asks if having this information, he would be unaware that living among the youths he has corrupted would be posing him the danger of being harmed by them (Plato 25d ). Socrates states that the Meletus would convince neither him nor other people. Socrates then claims that he does not corrupt the youths; and if he does it is unintentional. Defending himself, he says that if his offense is unintentional, the law does not recognize unintentional offenses. He tells Meletus that he should have taken him aside privately and warned. He further states that if he had been advised, he would have stopped doing what he only did unintentionally.

Socrates then challenges Meletus to explain how he is corrupting the youth. He asks if this is so because he teaches them not to recognize the gods that the State believe in but rather acknowledges the gods that he has invented, or is it because Socrates is an atheist who does not believe in any god. Meletus replies by stating that Socrates is an atheist as long as he does not believe in the godhead of the moon and the sun but teaches that the moon is the earth and the sun is stone. In his defense, Socrates reminds Meletus that these things about the moon and the sun were never taught by him but are rather teachings of the Clazomenian and Anaxagoras, who considered the moon and the sun material substances. He tells Meletus that he has a very bad opinion of the judges if he thinks they do not know that the doctrines of the moon and the sun are found in the books of Clazomenian and Anaxagoras. Also, Socrates asks Meletus whether he believes Socrate does not believe in any god. In response, Meletus says, that Meletus does not believe in any god at all. Socrates points out Meletus’s self-contradiction where he accuses Socrates of introducing new gods of his own and still claiming that he is an atheist who does not believe in any god at all. In this case, Socrates defends the two charges brought against him.

Also, Socrates defends himself against the charge of corrupting Athens’ youth brought against him by Meletus by explaining that some of the men from the wealthy social classes are attracted to him since they enjoy listening to him as he exposes the ignorance of the people who consider themselves as wise. He further explains that his followers observe who are assessed and found to be anting in wisdom, and instead of becoming angry with themselves, they become angry with Socrates and refer to him as the misleader of youth (Plato 23e). Socrates explains that he is the wisest man in the land and considers himself a spokesman for the Delphi’s oracle (Plato 22e).

Overall, Socrates is put on trial for two main charges, including corrupting the youths, and not believing in the gods of the State and inventing his own gods. Although there are several prosecutors and evidence to prove Socrates guilty, he is not guilty of the charges against him and uses evidence to defend himself. He interrogates Meletus skillfully, which lends him contradicting himself. For instance, Meletus claims that Socrates is a complete atheist who does not believe in any god. This contradicts one of his accusations that Socrates had failed to acknowledge the gods acknowledged by the city and instead had invented his own gods.

Works Cited

Grube, George Maximilian Anthony, and John M. Cooper. Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo. Hackett Publishing, 2002.

Schofield, Malcolm (2016). “Plato (427–347 BC)”. Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Characteristics of a Highly Effective Team

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Characteristics of a Highly Effective Team

A highly effective team is vital for the success of an organization because it allows team members to perform tasks without interfering with personal space and achieve the organization’s objectives. Under a highly effective team, Team players can communicate efficiently, make meaningful connections, and be more engaged in their work and the relationship with their colleagues (Shuffler et al., 2018). In most cases, such teams align with the organization’s values, leaders, and peers in the working space. A highly effective team is characterized by specific aspects that make it a success and contribute to the enhanced performance of an organization. Having clear roles and responsibilities for each team member is one of the characteristics of a highly effective team. The team leaders should prepare a well-laid and detailed plan showing the roles of each team member to avoid conflicts and confusion regarding tasks assigned.

Additionally, practical communication skills are critical in any team working towards a specific goal. It allows team members to openly express their opinions and concerns, creating a pool of ideas and otherwise helping the organization tackle issues and provide solutions to challenges in the tasks at hand (Baker et al., 2006). Other essential characteristics include but are not limited to trust and respect among team members, prioritizing urgent tasks and projects, practicing continuous learning, recognizing contributions, learning from mistakes, and celebrating success

Some of the barriers to teamwork include team size, lack of trust and proper communication among team members, objective confusion, poor decision-making, ineffective leadership, and poor conflict resolution techniques (Etherington et al., 2021). All these barriers bar a team from achieving its effectiveness and facilitating improvement in the organization.

References

Baker, D. P., Day, R., & Salas, E. (2006). Teamwork as an essential component of high-reliability organizations. Health services research, 41(4 Pt 2), 1576–1598. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6773.2006.00566.xEtherington, C., Burns, J. K., Kitto, S., Brehaut, J. C., Britton, M., Singh, S., & Boet, S. (2021). Barriers and enablers to effective interprofessional teamwork in the operating room: A qualitative study using the Theoretical Domains Framework. PloS one, 16(4), e0249576. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0249576

Shuffler, M. L., Diazgranados, D., Maynard, M. T., & Salas, E. (2018). DEVELOPING, SUSTAINING, AND MAXIMIZING TEAM EFFECTIVENESS: AN INTEGRATIVE, DYNAMIC PERSPECTIVE OF TEAM DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTIONS. The Academy of Management annals, 12(2), 688–724. https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2016.0045