Examining Emotions, Attitudes, and Job Satisfaction Assignment

Examining Emotions, Attitudes, and Job Satisfaction - Assignment Example Furthermore, they are given about 10% discount during in-store purchase. The company also offers its employee starting benefits that include both dental and vision insurance. The company pays for not only retirement but also vacation (Ager & ROBERTO, 2013). Manager, on the other hand, are hired only from within and this way they potentially make over 120,000 per year. These are among the things that set Trader Joe’s apart since having a healthy and happy ‘crew’ results in good sales as the staff is approachable to customers and is proud of the job. Trader Joe’s does not just employ managers. Instead, prospective managers are sent to Trader Joe University to learn everything there is about the company. With the training they get, they do not have problems running the store in accordance to what Trader Joe’s has set as guidelines. The university also fosters in them loyalty that they pass on to other members of staff so that the stores are ran according to the company’s and customers’ expectations (Allaway et al., 2011). When every member of staff is instilled with the right character, loyalty, and customer-focused attitude, it does work for the best of the company as the customers receive the service they expect. Conditioning employees in such a way is a marvel and is in no doubt the reason Trader Joe’s a success. Understanding the emotions and attitudes of others is key to managing relationships with all those that leaders work with. Normally, leaders assume superiority and relate with other subordinate staff as lesser people. It goes a long way when a company sees every member of staff as a partner instead of a worker (Lepak, & Snell, 2002). As a leader, it is crucial to understand that your emotions affect those that work around you. This way, decisions made in the store should be founded on reason and rational thinking. By understanding the emotions of others,

The Split between the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church Research Paper

The Split between the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church - Research Paper Example It continually gained a significant number of converts and eventually became one of the world’s strongest religions. During the postclassical civilization, Christianity took the centre stage as it played a vital role both in Western and Eastern parts of Europe. Christianity is believed to have begun as part of Jewish reform movement. Even before the birth of Jesus, some Jews had begun to preach about the coming messiah. The Jews had the belief that the birth of Jesus would bring salvation to mankind, and judgement as well to those who failed to honour salvation. Christianity transformed from the persecuted group of believers over a long period of time, alongside the harsh and vastly changing political environment in Europe. During the fourth and the fifth century, the Roman Empire collapsed. This enhanced the growth of a very powerful church that remained on course for a very long time. All this collapse resulted in subjugation of the church. The early followers of Christ began to spread the gospel throughout the Roman Empire. It began with one the earliest converts like Saul, who was converted to Paul, and his major task was an assignment to take the Christ’s message around the Mediterranean region. Wherever he went, he created churches and constantly wrote letters to them. The early churches shared their common belief in Christ and were united in their worship; they usually met together, shared the scriptures and listened to one another. They were very caring and were usually bonded together. However, as time went by â€Å"Christians began to disagree as to who should lead the groups, the form the worship should take, and how Christian beliefs should be understood. This led to splits within the Christian church† (Jordan 5). It has been observed that the early churches enhanced their unity through faith. They had unity of the doctrine and the traditions that existed in the churches, and this led to

Bharatanatyam Dance Shape Tamil Cultural Cultural Studies Essay

Bharatanatyam Dance Shape Tamil Cultural Cultural Studies Essay Bharatantyam has been embedded in the Tamil culture for centuries, transmitted from generation to generation and evolving over time to uphold its sacredness and its representation of the states traditional identity. Today Bharatanaytam has spread worldwide, performed and practiced across countries and accepted by both traditional and modern masses. However it was only after its rebirth in 1930, when the Devadasi Act was passed, and due to E. Krishna Iyers reworking of the dances movement vocabulary into a socially accepted dance form (On, 2011), that Bharatanatyam gained its respectable social status and hence is why today it plays a crucial role in portraying Indias cultural and traditional identity. This portrayal may be seen as what Bourdieu would call a habitus, which is created through a social, rather an individual process leading to patterns that are enduring and transferrable from one context to another (Powercube, 2012). More precisely, Bharatanatyam is a social measure used to maintain and promote a certain habitus, defining the cultures values which are transferred both through time and across the nations, whilst also acting as a guide for the Tamil generations today. This essay analyses, based substantially on Bourdieus habitus theory, to what extent Bharatanatyam shapes Tamil cultural identity, especially abroad. Art forms in general, especially when practiced over centuries, have proven to be central to any articulation of ethnic identity (Hyder, cited in David, 2009) and this is even more true when a population lives outside of its home nation. There were, and still are, a significant amount of Tamilians that immigrate from India and Sri Lanka to the United Kingdom, especially during and after the British colonialism period. For many Tamilians in London, especially the older generation, Bharatanatyam is the element that contains within it all of their cultural and religious identity: it represents an idealism that they must try to incorporate and preserve. Bharatnayam acts as what Foster would consider an ideal body, something that the material body looks up to and tries to achieve. This ideal cultural representation in Bharatanaym has been transmitted over the years to future generations and to this day young Tamilians explain how Bharatanatyam is part of [their] culture and prevents the culture and religion [from] being forgotten, especially in the West (David, 2009). Two students, Maya and Mahumita, reinforce this statement by confirming that studying Bharatanatyam is their way of learning about their cultural heritage whilst living abroad. For example, most of Bharatanatyams bodily movements and facial expressions bear a prominent representation of Tamil womanhood. This can be seen in small gestures such as the application of the kumkum on the forehead (in representation of the third eye), the plaiting of the hair or the folding of the sari, all symbolizing a feminized social body (David, 2009), describing how a woman should appear and behave in this cultural context. Another more specific example would be that of the heroine character, known as the nayika, and how she uses stylized gestures to prepare herself to meet the hero, the nayaka. Through these gestures the dance transmits an idea of femininity and grace which acts as an ideal for all Tamil women to try live up to and admire. This also links to Bourdieus concept of doxa, which is formed through a combination of unspoken norms and beliefs that are taken-for-granted assumptions or common sense behind the distinctions we make (Powercube, 2012), which in this case is the portrayal of how women are expected to behave. These characteristics that Tamil women need to behold are part of an unstated conduct that is reinforced through the dances movements and storytelling, constantly reminding the Tamil population, and women in particular, what their role in society is. As author Ann R. David explains, for the Tamil middle class, Bharatanatyam promises respectability and a traditional femininity and is, therefore, a prized carrier of tradition (David, 2009). As a result, purity of Tamil tradition, their rituals and religion, their language and their social behaviour (such as the importance of womens chastity in the Tamil civilization) is upheld substantially through Bharatanatyam it is consi dered an influential tool used to craft social status and conduct, uniting Tamil cultural identity across the world. However, first-generation Tamil immigrants, and especially Tamil Hindu groups, are concerned that the external pressures of the West may overwhelm the younger generations and cause them to lose sight of their national identity as Tamilians. In order to preserve this sense of cultural identity, several schools have been built abroad to encourage and indulge the youth in their Tamil culture, ensuring that their roots are not forgotten. These classes would, according to Ann R. David, allow the transmission of traditional culture and assist immigrants in maintaining Tamil identity in local diasporic settings where the acquisition of Tamil social, cultural, and religious values does not necessarily take place (David, 2009). Most Sri Lankan Tamil temples and Tamil weekend classes in London are led by Tamil conservationists who try to stay true to their cultural identity by discouraging their dance pupils to attend international performances to keep them from any outside influences. In add ition, most of the syllabus is written and taught in Tamil, despite the fact that the second generations are likely to have grown up with English as their first language given their educational and social context. This obsession to ensure that Bharatanatyam is practised and incorporated in the lives of immigrated Tamilians means that, as a result, the dance now bears more rituals and ceremonies attached to it today than it had during the period of its revival (David, 2009). For example, the offering of flowers on stage, known as pushpanjali, and the dedication of bells on the stage are common rituals now that were not required previously in Bharatanatyam. As part of their cultural essentialism, none of the teachers in the London Tamil temples have introduced any creative or slightly unconventional material to their students, ensuring that the history of the dance is untouched in order to transfer a pure concept of their Tamil cultural identity. This may be considered as what Bourdie u refers to as misrecognition, similar to Marxs concept of false consciousness, which is the conscious manipulation of a certain group or individual. In this case, the conservationists use Bharatanatyam to encourage certain social pressures that have been accepted without questioning such as, as previously discussed, the role of obedient women in the Tamil society. But is this pressure of preserving Tamil traditions through Bharatanatyam having the contrary effect and pushing away the younger generations from exploring their cultural identity? Some may argue yes, as certain teachers and practitioners, mostly in other countries in Europe and in North America, support Tamil nationalism through change and development. Aided and supported by the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam), Tamil Sri Lankan nationalism in particular is encouraged to evolve through more creative Bharatanatyam choreographies. For example, a Bharatanatyam piece was choreographed narrating the story of a military woman who sacrifices her male relatives to be a part of the Sri Lankan war. These types of narrations are unconventional compared to any of the traditional Bharatanatyam stories which usually involve Gods and their relationship with mankind. Another example would be the Akademi centre today whose goal is to enlarge received aesthetic definitions of the traditional and classical through strategic acts of cultural translation and situate Indian dance on the multicultural map of Great Britain (Meduri, 2004). Therefore, this modernising of Bharatanatyam and the use of its representative symbolic movements to express contemporary concerns is going against the work of the preservationists. This contemporary development of Bharatanayam can be seen as creating a new, more current and perhaps global cultural identity. This sense of global identity seems to be growing, even in Britain, especially amongst the second generation as they have no strong, direct ties to their homeland. They hence tend to see themselves more as British, British Asian or British Hindu citizens who are made up of both cultures, yet belong strongly to neither. These young Tamilians are part of a global youth culture (Saldanha, cited in David, 2009) which means they hold a global identity, unlike their elder relatives who struggle to maintain their traditional cultural identity whilst living in a different country amidst a completely different set of values. In the late 20th century all Indian dance forms were put under the label of South Asian dance, despite the fact that South Asia evidently consists of many more countries than just India, hence not only creating a rather vague category for these Indian dances, but also merging internationalism with nationalism. The specific classical dance Bharatantyam being thrown amidst numerous other Indian dances and renamed as a part of a South Asian dance was a huge turning point as it enlarged the Indian label and made visible the diverse dance, performance, and theatre practices of the Indian/Asian diaspora (Meduri, 2004). But some Bharatanatyam dancers and teachers, such as Mira Kaushik, encouraged this relocation of Bharatanatyam dance within the broader category of South Asian dance. Kaushik claimed that although Indian dance might look Indian, it is South Asian dance in the United Kingdom because it is performed not just by immigrant dancers from India but by hundreds of South Asian dancers belonging to the different nations of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, and Africa (Meduri, 2004). One may argue that Kaushik challenges the idea that Bharatanatyam is specially reserved for Tamilians as their source of cultural identity; she brings a whole new concept to Bharatanatyam by suggesting that it can appeal, be understood and performed by many o ther nationalities. This reform therefore alters and reshapes the key tool Bharatanatyam that traditionally promotes the estalished Tamil habitus. By reintegrating Bharatanaytam with a more futuristic and contemporary aspect, it challenges the cultures original habitus and its centuries of unquestioned customs. Therefore Bharatnatyam may actually be seen as a source of creativity and as a catalyst for a new global identity, rather than a source of tradition and preservation of a purely Tamil identity. Bharatnayam has been adopted and reworked since the very beginning of the 1900s by the West, especially in the United States to begin with. For example, in 1906 Ruth St. Denis, the co-founder of the dance company Denishawn, was hugely inspired by South Asian dance and she immersed herself in Indian writings and culture. She used these resources to later on choreograph dance pieces, such as Incense, The Legend of the Peacock, Radha and further on group productions such as The Flute of Krishna in the 1920s. Another distinct dance pioneer, La Meri, even created a rendition of Swan Lake through Bharatanatyam vocabulary. Especially since the 1930s, Bharatnayam has opened up, as men now feel comfortable to interpret womanly roles, whilst also many dancers from outside of the Tamil nationality have b egan practicing Bharatanatyam, even to a professional level. But does this globalisation of Bharatanatyam necessarily affect the preservation and the influence it has on the Tamil population and their cultural identity? Rather on the contrary, although Bharatantyam has been increasingly globalised since the early 1900s, the dance itself to this day remains associated with tradition and symbolism. Both in local Indian communities and abroad, Bharatanatyam is an art that globally and continually promotes the habitus of the Tamil community and its values: whether a non-Tamilian dances it, whether a contemporary story is being told or whether a man dances a womans character the movement vocabulary and the concepts behind the dance remains the same for example, even the interpretation of Swan Lake by Le Meri through Bharatanaym essentially needs to use the dances symbolized codes to tell the story. Bharatanatyam is based intricately on traditional meanings, and therefore whatever context it may be placed in, it will stay true to its Tamil origin. Especially in countries such as Britain and Indonesia where the Tamil population is significant, Bharatanatyam remains a key pathway to not only identify themselves with their distant Tamil customs and embody their cultures habitus, but to spread it worldwide. Word count: 2,005

Of Mice And Men :: essays research papers

Of Mice and Men Essay:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, shows the struggles and hardships that two migrant farm workers experienced during the Great Depression. The dream of owning their own farm keeps them going and lightens the load of their work while it also strengthens their friendship. The dream that Lennie and George had, although unlikely to be achieved, causes a friendship to grow and thus gives a meaning to life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lennie and George have a mutual dependency on each other, but Lennie needs George more because he has a mental handicap and George needs to watch over him. For Example, when Lennie and George met their new boss, George told Lennie not to talk so the boss wouldn’t know how that Lennie is mentally disabled. Without George telling Lennie not to talk to their new boss Lennie might have showed how unintelligent he was and he might not have gotten the job. George is like a parent to Lennie and he shows his love not through the words he speaks to Lennie but through the way he cares for him. In addition, Lennie causes trouble wherever he goes without knowing it. They had to leave their old job because Lennie grabbed a girls dress. George likes having George around even though he says he would have it easy without him, George finds Lennie funny in some situations and George probably appreciates having a little responsibility in his life. Lennie and George have a spe cial bond between each other that most grown men don’t have, because of this bond they believe they will achieve their dream.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Lennie has to kill George he becomes the loneliest character in the book, this is because he knows how it feels to have a friend but now that he doesn’t he is even more depressed because he knows how it feels to not be lonely. For example, the other ranch hands have never felt anything else but loneliness so they are used to the feeling. Since Lennie used to have George he knows what it feels like to not be lonely. Not only has he lost his best friend but also his dream of owning their own farm. In addition, the loneliness that George faces might not have been causes if he would have watched over Lennie and not let him roam around free. George didn’t want to kill Lennie but he did it for his own good so Lennie wouldn’t be brutally murdered by Curley and the other ranch hands.

Assignment 4 Celta

Assignment 4 – Lessons from the Classroom The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. I decided to take the CELTA because it seemed like a fairly easy way to make some money while I traveling. However, a mere month's exposure to teaching has given me the confidence to pursue teaching English as a serious career alternative, should I ever get sick of political antics and swindlers' conspiracies. All through my life, people told me I would make a decent teacher. Now, I believe it. I believe it because I have braved the utterly nerve-racking schedule of assignment submissions and lesson planning and teaching without falling apart. Though I learned a lot from our wonderful trainers (full credits to Gabbi and Maureen) and my absolutely wonderful classmates, I really have miles to go before I sleep (literally). A month is a very short time to learn something but it is admirable that all of us have had such a tremendous growth curve. Personally, I know I have become much more confident about standing in front of a classroom full of students and talking about the finer points of the English language. Not many noticed it, but I avoided writing anything on the board the first afternoon we had Teaching Practice (TP) because my hands were shaking so vigorously. I have definitely come a long way since then. I have learned a lot from the critique and feedback by classmates and tutors, observation of peers and experienced teachers, and from self-reflection. I discovered the very first day that it was important to establish a good rapport with the students and be comfortable talking with them. Observing Darin during his first lesson taught me a very valuable lesson – I learned it was important to engage students in conversation rather than assume the role of a traditional teacher. Though Maureen commented on June 23, the first day of TP, that I established a good rapport with the students, I really feel that I felt more comfortable from the second lesson onwards. Observing Porter in the first week of the class was a big bonus. He was so much at   ease in class, so much at home. He made the students feel comfortable and involved his Advanced English students in the process of teaching and learning. I worked hard on planning from the beginning and mostly produced solid plans. On June 2, Maureen mentioned that I had a very detailed lesson plan and good language analysis. I adjusted well to the different levels of students within the class. When I was teaching elementary level classes, I made it a point to explain concepts to the weakier students and help them during the tasks if they had any difficulty. After Teaching Practice on June 26, my classmates who had observed me teaching commented that I had monitored weaker students like Carlos and Jessica well throughout the class. I think I did well in class management from the beginning. I made sure I kept all students on their toes and working hard. From the first week, when Maureen commented that I managed my classes well, till the third week, when Gabi as well as my classmates commented that I taught a good lesson to one truant students – I think my class management skills have only improved. From the beginning of Teaching Practice, both Maureen and Gabi commented that I successfully established a good rapport with the students. On the first day, Maureen wrote in my Teaching Practice Evaluation, â€Å"You established a nice rapport with the students, very friendly and confident. † When we switched levels, Gabi wrote in my Evaluation, â€Å"You built a good rapport with your new SS. † Even though I have switched to the Intermediate level, some of the Elementary level students often come up to me with doubts and questions. I have to mention that observing Darin while he taught was a fantastic experience because he has always establishes such a comfortable rapport with his students. I had a problem with excessive TTT from the very beginning. I think a major reason for this is that the Indian educational system tends to have very teacher-centered classrooms. from the beginning, the tutors and my classmates have pointed out that I need to reduce TTT and make the lessons more student-centered. Though I have tried hard to do this, I still have a long way to go before I become a minimalist talker. I do earnestly believe that student-centered learning is far more effective. It was great to observe Porter because it showed how minimalist TTT can be super effective in the classroom. Porter allowed the students to lead classroom discussion and complete his sentences. He elicited a lot of information without being verbose. I analyzed language items well before presenting them in class. On June 24, Maureen commented that I had a â€Å"detailed analysis of the grammar operation of the target language. † In the beginning, I had some trouble organizing the stages of clarification of meaning and grammar form. However, I think I improved significantly in latter classes. On July 2, when I taught relative classes, Maureen said that I used effective CCQs and did a â€Å"thorough analysis of the form and meaning. † I did help students with improving their pronunciation by doing both choral and individual oral drilling. However, I think this is one area in which I have a lot to improve. I have tried to correct students' pronunciation errors, especially at the intermediate level, but I think I should do more of this. Fernanda consistenly drills the students a lot and tells me that it is very important for them to repeat the sounds again and again before they can be comfortable with them. I think I did well in giving students practice in receptive skills of reading and listening during my lessons. On June 26 Maureen commented, â€Å"I think students received some useful reading comprehension practice, and you adapted the materials creatively. † I do have a problem with linking the stages during receptive skills lessons. As Gabi commented on July 8, I need to link tasks more clearly so students know why they are doing the activities you ar giving them. I haven't done a very good job at providing productive practice to students because I don't time my lessons too well. Most often, students don't have enough time for speaking or writing at the end of the lesson. Wilson did a fantastic job at timing his lesson on July 14 – the students had more than 15 minutes of freer speaking practice at the end of his lesson. My goals for the future are to make my lesson more student centered, to reduce TTT and to improve my timing. These have been my most significant weaknesses throughout the course. I need ot hold back and let go of my control over the class. This will help me reduce TTT while at the same time making the lesson more student-centered. To achieve this aim, I will let the students discuss everything before I step in with suggestions and clarifications. This will also make the lesson more interactive and fun for the students. I will work hard to be economical with my instructions and explanations by planning my lesson to the last detail. Timing the lesson is also a matter of careful planning. I also need to be very aware of the ticking clock. With this aim in mind, I will invest in a large clock placed strategically in the classroom so I can't miss it.

Personality and temperament of children Essay

In the past several years, day care has become the norm in most American families especially that more and more women are joining the workforce and this has become integrated into the welfare system (Davies, 1998). Over the years, research has been active in determining the positive and negative effects of day care to the mental health and cognitive functioning of young children. Results at best have provided evidence that good quality day care is a positive experience for young children (Davies, 1998). On the other hand, proving that day care can significantly affect the mental health and cognitive functioning of the child has remained ambiguous. Establishing causality between use of day care and child mental health and cognitive functioning is difficult because of several variables that might confound the results of the research study. First of this is the inherent personality and temperament of children, measuring child temperament of very young children is cumbersome and difficult coupled with the fact that valid instruments might not be available at this time. It is a fact that mental health and adjustment and cognitive functioning in young children are influenced by their traits and individual differences, hence one could not absolutely say that use of day care would lead to better mental health adjustment and cognitive functioning. Second is the parenting styles of the child’s parents, the child in day care might have involved, authoritative parents or they might have detached and autocratic parents. Although parenting style can be assessed through parenting instruments but it does not clearly provide an explanation as to how a child behaves or how prepared he/she is to interact with children and other caregivers. It is therefore possible that a child that attends a day care center would be socially adept and well adjusted but this could be easily a product of his/her family set-up and parenting style rather than being in day care. Lastly, establishing causality means that the research must prove that the use of day care causes the betterment or deterioration of the child’s mental health and cognitive functioning, this alone is a methodological challenge since day care is made up of several elements lumped into the concept of day care and one factor such as playing with children may have an effect in cognitive functioning but not in mental health. Meanwhile, measuring mental health and cognitive functioning in young children would entail that the research be a longitudinal study since these variables are not manifested in very young children, hence following original research participants for a period of 10 or 15 years might be a more valid design, but one also has to account that children through the years are shaped by their educational experiences in formal schooling and this may inadvertently influence the results of the study in favor of day care when in fact what has been measured was educational experiences in later years. References Davies, C. (1998), Assessing outcomes in child care: An international perspective. Children & Society,12; 3, pp. 155-160. Harvey, E. A. (1999). Short-term and long-term effects of early parental employment on children of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Developmental Psychology, 35, 445-459. Available at http://euryale. sbs. umass. edu/users/eharvey/devpsycharticle. pdf

Medieval Christmas Traditions

Medieval Christmas Traditions Among the Pagan traditions that have become part of Christmas is burning the yule log. This custom springs from many different cultures, but in all of them, its significance seems to lie in the iul or wheel of the year. The Druids would bless a log and keep it burning for 12 days during the winter solstice; part of the log was kept for the following year when it would be used to light the new yule log. For the Vikings, the yule log was an integral part of their celebration of the solstice, the julfest; on the log, they would carve runes representing unwanted traits (such as ill fortune or poor honor) that they wanted the gods to take from them. Wassail comes from the Old English words waes hael, which means be well, be hale, or good health. A strong, hot drink (usually a mixture of ale, honey, and spices) would be put in a large bowl, and the host would lift it and greet his companions with waes hael, to which they would reply drinc hael, which meant drink and be well. Over the centuries some non-alcoholic versions of wassail evolved. Other customs developed as part of Christian belief. For example, Mince Pies (so called because they contained shredded or minced meat) were baked in oblong casings to represent Jesus crib, and it was important to add three spices (cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg) for the three gifts given to the Christ child by the Magi. The pies were not very large, and it was thought lucky to eat one mince pie on each of the twelve days of Christmas (ending with Epiphany, the 6th of January). Food Traditions The ever-present threat of hunger was triumphantly overcome with a feast, and in addition to the significant fare mentioned above, all manner of food would be served at Christmas. The most popular main course was goose, but many other meats were also served. Turkey was first brought to Europe from the Americas around 1520 (its earliest known consumption in England is 1541), and because it was inexpensive and quick to fatten, it rose in popularity as a Christmas feast food. Humble (or umble) pie was made from the humbles of a deer the heart, liver, brains and so forth. While the lords and ladies ate the choice cuts, the servants baked the humbles into a pie (which of course made them go further as a source of food). This appears to be the origin of the phrase, to eat humble pie. By the seventeenth century, Humble Pie had become a trademark Christmas food, as evidenced when it was outlawed along with other Christmas traditions by Oliver Cromwell and the Puritan government. The Christmas pudding of Victorian and modern times evolved from the medieval dish of frumenty a spicy, wheat-based dessert. Many other desserts were made as welcome treats for children and adults alike. Christmas Trees and Plants The tree was an important symbol to every Pagan culture. The oak, in particular, was venerated by the Druids. Evergreens, which in ancient Rome were thought to have special powers and were used for decoration, symbolized the promised return of life in the spring and came to symbolize eternal life for Christians. The Vikings hung fir and ash trees with war trophies for good luck. In the middle ages, the Church would decorate trees with apples on Christmas Eve, which they called Adam and Eve Day. However, the trees remained outdoors. In sixteenth-century Germany, it was the custom for a fir tree decorated with paper flowers to be carried through the streets on Christmas Eve to the town square, where, after a great feast and celebration that included dancing around the tree, it would be ceremonially burned. Holly, ivy, and mistletoe were all important plants to the Druids. It was believed that good spirits lived in the branches of holly. Christians believed that the berries had been white before they were turned red by Christs blood when he was made to wear the crown of thorns. Ivy was associated with the Roman god Bacchus and was not allowed by the Church as decoration until later in the middle ages when a superstition that it could help recognize witches and protect against plague arose. Entertainment Traditions Christmas may owe its popularity in medieval times to liturgical dramas and mysteries presented in the church. The most popular subject for such dramas and tropes was the Holy Family, particularly the Nativity. As interest in the Nativity grew, so did Christmas as a holiday. Carols, though very popular in the later middle ages, were at first frowned on by the Church. But, as with most popular entertainment, they eventually evolved to a suitable format, and the Church relented. The Twelve Days of Christmas may have been a game set to music. One person would sing a stanza, and another would add his own lines to the song, repeating the first persons verse. Another version states it was a Catholic catechism memory song that helped oppressed Catholics in England during the Reformation remember facts about God and Jesus at a time when practicing their faith could get them killed. (If you would like to read more about this theory, please be warned that it contains graphic descriptions of the violent nature in which Catholics were executed by the Protestant government and has been refuted as an Urban Legend.) Pantomimes and mumming were another form of popular Christmas entertainment, particularly in England. These casual plays without words usually involved dressing up as a member of the opposite gender and acting out comic stories. Note:Â  This feature originally appeared in December 1997, and was updated in December 2007 and again in December 2015.

Creditor Rights in Sovereign Debt Markets Essays

Creditor Rights in Sovereign Debt Markets Essays Creditor Rights in Sovereign Debt Markets Essay Creditor Rights in Sovereign Debt Markets Essay Globally, governments are increasingly defaulting on their debt obligations with the most recent example being Argentina, Greece, Russia and a host of East Asian economies. The situation has elicited mixed reactions in international markets and bilateral institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, which have proposed aggregate collective action clauses that protect the investors interests (Broner et al. 2013). According to Noy (2008 p.64-78), without creditors, international financial markets cannot exist; therefore, investors must have meaningful ways to recoup back their investments in case of sovereign default. However, information access is considered key towards making informed investment decisions; thus, close cooperation between sovereign borrowers and creditors is critical. During a default, a countrys financial reputation is questionable, and oversight agencies such as the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and Iconic agencies such as Moody rating often raise the red flag when dealing with defaulting nations (Diaz-Cassou and Erce 2011, p.14-18). Such defaulting economies suffer economic consequences, including restrictions on accessing financial markets, trade embargo, and tightening of the fiscal deficit in their home countries. These restrictions are implemented because the sovereign creditors, just like ordinary investors, have their rights in the sovereign debt markets. It is in light of this fact that the paper will focus on creditor rights in the sovereign debt markets, the potential costs of sovereign default for a country and the magnitude of the costs likely to be incurred should a country default its sovereign debt obligations. How Economies default their Sovereign Debts Since the advent of the global financial markets, sovereign debts have been considered the safest investment type due to their risk-free nature coupled with their potential for high returns. However, in 2002, the market was shocked when Argentina announced it was unable to service its bond debt. A decade later, Greece restructured its sovereign debts. These two situations elicited mixed market reactions, raising the question, if the two governments completely defaulted, how could investors recover their invested assets? This is because government-issued bonds are considered risk-free and never accompanied by any form of collateral other than the governments guarantee to service its debt (Manns 2015, p.118-152). During the worlds financial meltdown, major economies were pushed into a deep recession because the countries experienced low growth and huge budget deficits, leading to a sharp rise in debt-GDP ratio. Previously, in such scenarios, countries absorbed their debts by utilizing different approaches. By late 2009, the average spreads were still minimal, and the allocation of sovereign hands in the domestic residents was below 50 percent in emerging economies such as Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain (GIIPS) (Ahmed 2016, p.4359; Rogers 2012, p.117-148). The situation deteriorated and economies such as Ireland, Spain, Greece and Argentina reported massive debt deficits than previously anticipated. These events not only slowed down the repayment of the debts, but also affected how different credit instruments were absorbed in the market. The same year, Greece defaulted on its IMF loan repayments, but surprisingly, the same government decided to settle a yen-denominated bond held by private entities fully. The situation was shocking since the IMF is the most authoritative lender and financier of last resort. According to Greeces move, IMF and other multilateral agencies are considered the de facto senior creditors; therefore, raising the question why first settle the yen-dominated debt. However, IMFs senior status as the principal economic lender is not enshrined anywhere legally (Waibel 2014, p.22-41). Creditors Rights in Sovereign Markets Aguilar and Zejan (1985, p.385-395) debated on the relative importance of distressed economies meeting their debt obligations. Key emerging economies such as Argentina, Greece and Bulgaria have underscored the importance of understanding the bargaining positions of their debt-riddled economies. According to Dowell-Jones (2014, p.51-85), the most fundamental question that remains unresolved is What can creditors do to reclaim back their assets if a sovereign nation does not fully ascribe to its debt obligations? Metz and Tudela (2011) continue to argue that sovereignty implies that no single agency globally can seize the assets of a foreign country. This discussion attempts to address the underlying issue using two approaches: Reputation Approach Direct Punishment Reputation Approach This principle works on a very direct premise because countries value the access to the international money market that facilitates smooth consumption in the face of volatile output or fluctuating investment opportunities (Longstaff et al., 2007). Countries are always trusted to issue timely loan repayments, hence do not wish to reprieve their status as good debtors. Considering reputational symmetry, there is no need for the creditors seeking arbitration or political sanctions; rather, investors should understand economies sovereign borrowing limits on external debts since the flow of repayments largely depend on a countrys fundamental computation of consumption spending (Arellano and Bai 2013). Therefore, should creditors extend so much to a country, an elastic limit may be reached whereby the country is unable to retain its debt repayment program. Investors must acknowledge that reputational approach comes with the undeniable feature of analyzing the countrys macroeconomic situati on instead of the murky institutional capacity to participate (Pepino 2015, p.73-95). Punishment Approach It is assumed that foreign creditors have no legal mandate whatsoever to repayment in debtor country courts (Stephanou 2013, p.127-158). However, these are other peoples assets because creditors accord investment rights in sovereign debt contracts, and any controversial government to an individual or government-to-government trade dispute can always be resolved by the international court of justice, affiliated to the IMF and the World Bank (Porte and Heins 2016, p.1-13). Creditors legal rights, if violated in certain cases, may interfere with a countrys business privileges such as imposing embargoes on the free movement of cargo within certain jurisdictions, a scenario that may interfere substantially with a countrys economy. Despite creditors rights, there is also the issue of seniority in the sovereign debt markets, and unlike the corporate debts, there are no legal rules of priority and seniority when it comes to the international debt market (Santiso 2009). Due to the lack of a harmonized standard in relation to a sovereign bankruptcy procedure, no single government can decide which creditor cluster to service their debts and the extent of the payment levels (Dam 2015). Seniority in debt repayments is considered an optional decision, thus not legally enforceable in a court of law. Conclusively, it can be argued that only credit-specific factors propel debt repayment patterns, and a nations economic fundamental cannot be used as a metric illustrating seniority in sovereign debt repayments. For instance, in 2005, Greece defaulted payment to the most senior creditor, the IMF, while serving its junior creditors such as the fund managers and other institutional investors. Factors Driving Sovereign Debt Default One of the key factors prevalent with sovereign default is the accumulation of vast reserves of foreign denominated debts from the market, making the economy unable to make timely payments due to factors such as tight budgets and lack of political goodwill. In such scenarios, sovereign investors find it difficult acquiring support from supranational courts or creditors rights enforcement agencies. According to Wright (2010, p.295315) and Schroeder 2015 p.73-104), when countries default on some of their treasury obligations, it means that the state is no longer willing to handle its debt liabilities or pay up the interest. Signs of sovereign debt defaults begin to emerge when an economy is associated with massive overspending or too much borrowing for approximately 8 to 10 years. However, there are always consequences for the creditors and, in most cases, international negotiations commence, which often end up in partial debt cancellation. Under such an arrangement, partial repayments are remitted while the investor surrenders a huge chunk of the debt. A perfect example is the Argentines economic crisis (1999-2002), whereby creditors unanimously agreed to relinquish 75 percent of the outstanding debt. In certain instances, the creditors may wait for a regime change to recoup their dues. Creditors rights are clearly spelled out in international law, and they not only entail the rights of creditors against the debtor, but also amongst other creditors. In cases where there is a default over several cases, the rules in favor of the creditors rights establish the particular creditor that holds the strongest right towards any particular relief, whether attaching state assets or seeking any other form of compensations if possible. Waibel (2013, p.209251) reiterates that to mitigate against default risks, contemporary economies have responded through issuing bonds in hard currencies via international financial institutions as transaction intermediaries, and as a result, courts have been established in New York, London and Tokyo to deal with cases of aggrieved creditors (Baldacci and Gupta 2011, p.251-263). To curb or control sovereignty credit defaults, the International Capital Market Association (ICMA), an entity legally mandated to oversee the international financial mar ket, has enacted a multilateral legal framework that regulates the sovereign debts restructuring process for the sake of enhancing predictability, stability, and efficiency in the international financial system (Erdem and Varli 2014, p.42-57). Consequences for the Economy If a country defaults its treasury obligations, it simply disposes of its monetary obligations towards creditors. The immediate effect under such a scenario is that the country benefits from an immediate reduction in its debt portfolio and the accompanying interests associated with such debts (Hu, An and Yang 2008). However, the countrys reputation is dented among multilateral creditors and other credit rating agencies (Doug 2014, p.14). This means that the country cannot easily participate in the international financial market because investors perceive the economy as high risk. In a different scenario, foreign lenders may jeopardize the countrys monetary sovereignty. Sovereign defaults also include constrained access to credit not only in international markets, but also domestically since the government of the day has lost its credibility amongst investors. Besides, the domestic financial institutions also hold significant amounts of domestic debts, and if a government defaults, th e situation may degenerate into bank runs and lead into a financial crisis since most investors find it difficult to cope up with broke governments. These effects have consequences to an economys Gross Domestic Product (GDP) because the country is faced with a higher borrowing cost due to its poor credit score (Kolb 2011, p.113). The situation may exacerbate if the creditors are domestic borrowers because the government must always visit financial markets to offset their operational expenses such as paying workers and suppliers. Such a situation may lead to a knock effect on the entire economy and completely paralyze operations (Christodoulakis 2006). Argentinas Case Study Argentina can be used as a perfect case on how a section of an economy may escalate the debt crisis. The country defaulted its sovereign debts in 2002 and the economys fiscal deficit and debt position deteriorated significantly. As a result, the interest rate spread increased dramatically from below 10 percent to almost 50 percentage points by the end of 2001 (Bruno 2009). The Argentine government responded by increasing reliance on local financial institutions, whereby the government debt as a percentage of the banking systems total assets rose from 15 percent in 2000 to 21 percent by the end of 2001 (Wei 2003, p.709-705). In this light, the banking sectors credit risks increased significantly. Besides, the voluntary debt exchanges that increased the maturity of the bonds also increased maturity mismatches on the institutions financial statements. Due to the weakening of the banking system, there were widespread panic withdrawals throughout 2001, whereby deposits fell by 20 percent by the year-end (Fliz 2010, p.52-72; Zutshi 2008). By early 2002, the Treasury confirmed that it was defaulting $18.8 billion of their external debt and concurrently announced it was ditching the currency exchange board regime. These series of events prompted the Peso, Argentines official currency, to fall from 1 peso per US dollar to 3.9 by the end of March 2002. As a result, the country was heavily indebted when the debt is converted into their local currency. The situation impaired the local financial institution systems that provide liquidity and credit to the economy, and the banks credit to the private sector as a proportion of annual GDP reduced by 50 percent from 20.8 percent in 2001 to 10.8 percent by the end of 2003. The scenario led to lessened economic activity, hence increasing the countrys fiscal burden compared to GDP. The banks non-performing loans also increased dramatically when the recession deepened. According to Horn and Fritsche (2012, p.118-126), Argentina had a sovereign debt more than $123.7 billion, which wa s not sustainable even with conservative estimates. Additionally, it is noteworthy that no financial valuation of the countrys export and import growth could deliver the requisite net long-run foreign exchange earnings adequate for servicing the debt, even if the countrys interest levels were to move back to pre-crisis level. The countrys trade deficit expanded and its currency got overvalued, trade liberalization stalled and the exports only comprised of an insignificant share of the countrys economic bedrock (Schaumberg 2014, p.135-154).

TYPES/CATEGORIES OF EXPERT SYSTEM

TYPES/CATEGORIES OF EXPERT SYSTEM An expert system is designed to solve problems and to produce advices as outputs. The expert system applications can be used for: ADVICE SYSTEMS This system is used to give information to the user on a course of action. For example, oil companies use expert system like GeoQuest and GeoPlay to advise on the most likely places to drill for oil. CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS This system can identify and grade information. For example, botanist use expert system to classify rare plants. DIAGNOSIS SYSTEMS This system can predict or determine the cause of problem. For example, medical experts are used to diagnose illness and diseases. PLANNING SYSTEMS This system can design or prepare an itinerary or schedule. For example, PowerGen uses the SHIRAS deductive database to plan shift patterns. PREDICTIONS SYSTEMS This system can give forecast future events resolving in solving problems from the past. For example, Metasite predict hot spots in the molecule to help chemists focus their design of compounds to optimize CYP, FMO3, and AOX1 mediated metabolism. GENERATIONS OF OPTIONS This system can generate alternative solutions to a problem. DEBUGGING AND REPAIR SYSTEMS A debugging and repair expert system can generate and administer remedies for system faults. For example, COOKER ADVISER provides repair advice with respect to canned soup sterilizing machines. (Joshik, n.d.) CATEGORIES OF EXPERT SYSTEM FOR PROPOSED SYSTEM The proposed system can be categorized as advice system as it gives information to the user on course of action. This is because our project recommends engineering fields to take for A level students on user’s preferences and requirements. For example, at the beginning of the system Julia will ask the user what field the student wants to enter in, if the user has no idea, a series of questions will be asked by Julia to recommend a suitable field for the student. The system will assist the student throughout till it satisfied with all the possible question asked and will be answered based on the input given. Another expert system proposed is the help of scheduling planning which is well built for the student to prepare them for any engineering course. After the student has input its interest and the system has decided the best solution it will then display a schedule or plan on how to proceed without having any problems.

Is Charisma a Personal Quality or a Trait Essay

Is Charisma a Personal Quality or a Trait - Essay Example The essay "Is Charisma a Personal Quality or a Trait?" examines the concepts of charisma as a trait and a personal quality. Charisma has been studied and theorized in various ways by different sociologists, psychologists, and management specialists. The concept of charisma as a trait has been elaborately explained in Weber’s work related to leadership in the civil society. Originally, Weber referred to charisma as an inherent quality of an individual, which makes that individual very different from the ordinary men and gets treated as someone specially awarded with paranormal, heroic and exceptional qualities. Later, he narrowed this definition to include specific personal qualities that distinguish the individual from other people. Based on Weber’s generalization and pontification of charisma, Shils defined charisma as, â€Å"the quality which is imputed to persons, actions, roles, institutions, symbols and material objects because of their presumed connection with ‘ultimate,’ fundamental,’ ‘vital,’ order-determining powers†. Weber refers to charisma as one of three bases of legitimate authority in the institutional setup. While Weber’s original concept of charisma emphasizes on charisma as a personal quality. Weber’s philosophy bases the evolution of all social organizations on charismatic qualities of few individuals. Klein and House define charisma as â€Å"a fire that ignites followers’ energy and commitment, producing results above and beyond the call of duty†.

Discussion Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 23

Discussion Question - Essay Example Compare and contrast the flow of litigation in criminal cases and civil proceedings. Include a discussion of the introduction of each type of case in the process, the participants, and the role of the court in each. A civil case involves a situation where an individual or a particular entity states that another entity has failed to reach the legal responsibilities they ought to carry out. The duties in such a case are established under the constitutional law. It is thus the role of the courts to see to it that these people receive quality treatment and consequently either lead to annulment of the agreement or resolution of the dispute. In criminal cases, the person is charged in a legal process referred to as an indictment. On behalf of the American citizens, the government takes up the responsibility of prosecuting the particular person or group (Herring 35). The attorney’s office has the responsibility of prosecuting these state

'Information systems have revolutionised the way we work'. Critically Essay - 1

'Information systems have revolutionised the way we work'. Critically discuss this statement using two concepts from the mod - Essay Example Information systems control almost all aspects of an organization’s management ranging from planning, controlling, co-coordinating, and recruiting of new staff. The technology also s companies to conduct business in virtual locations within the cyber space. Information systems have also created new challenges to businesses; for example, hacking and identity theft, which are the commonest cyber crimes (Panigraphy, 2010). Therefore, understanding of the way information systems have revolutionized the way businesses work is critical in the digital age. This study will focus on creation of virtual organizations and reduction of bureaucratic inefficiencies as the main ways through which information systems have changed the working of firms. Virtual Organizations Virtual organizations refer to those that carry out business in implicit environments that have no physical locations. These companies use computers, information systems, and the internet in carrying out all their functions . The offices of such companies are paperless and the non-physical offices are assumed to be in the cloud (Winfan, & Davis, 2005). These companies do not have boundaries in their workplace in terms of the employees they recruit and the regions they reach. This is because cyber space allows them to employ workers and reach customers from all regions of the world. Amazon, Google, and E-bay are examples of virtual companies that sell their products and services through virtual offices, and their workers are located in every corner of the world. The existence of virtual organizations may be explained by the theory of social determinism, which argues that technology changes the society. This is because if it were not for the development in technology, these firms would not be in existence (Laudon, & Babston, 2013). Corporate Culture of Virtual Organizations Corporate culture determines the success of a company because it creates a notion of how activities should be conducted in the organ ization. Existing and outgoing employees of a company usually pass the organization’s culture to newly employed workers. The corporate culture of implicit organizations differs from physical companies because it requires workers and managers to possess characteristics such as trust, valuable leadership skills, and efficient communication (Hess, 1995). Trust is an essential factor in virtual organizations because it enhances managers to manage employees who work in different locations. This means that the lack of trust in these companies may prevent the firms from performing their functions efficiently leading to poor performance. Efficient leadership and communication skills, on the other hand, also help in ensuring that there is cooperation and coordination in the company (Clegg, Harris, & Hopfl, 2011). Lack of these qualities in a virtual company may lead to the breakdown of activities. Working Techniques used in Virtual Organizations Virtual organizations use unique techni ques to bring workers together and to ensure that work is completed efficiently. These companies mainly use telecommuting to complete their jobs. Telecommuting is where workers are connected to the organization by information systems that operate through the internet. Managers connect with employees through emails and telephones

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace - Term Paper Example Methodology: The approach adopted is both qualitative and quantitative and primary and secondary sources have been used for research. A questionnaire was distributed to 50 participants in order to collect information about experiences concerning sexual harassment (either faced by them or witnessed). Findings and Inference: Majority of the respondents revealed that women, mostly low skilled ones are mainly exploited in different workplaces. Secondary research findings also support this. Hence it can be said from the evidence that sexual harassment is a major reason behind apprehensions towards work amongst women. Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Sexual Harassment or sexual annoyance in the Workplace is considered as a great concern for employees as well as for the employers of organizations and institutions across the globe. The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has been highly concerned about the occurrence of sexual harassment at workplace since its inception in 1975. Various c ases of sexual harassments are registered in local justice courts of countries across the globe. The emergence of the term called sexual harassment has been traced in North America back in mid 1970s. Sexual harassment has been defined by the following two ways: â€Å"Harassment related to sex.... The research seeks to answer the question ‘whether sexual harassment might be one of the reasons why people, especially women are apprehensive about joining an organization.’ Literature review: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title VII of the act has been highly instrumental in providing greater amounts of opportunity and freedom for women in the workplace. The most important objective of the title has been to identify as well as to eradicate discriminatory employment practices. These aspects have been used in the act for the purpose of providing equal opportunities in respect to each and every aspect at the workplace. However, despite all these legal provisions for reducing the level of sexual harassment in different workplaces across the country, in actual practice this problem has not been solved at all. Even after four decades of these legislations and regulations, several instances of sexual harassments in public and private workplaces across the country are found. Various recent researches and findings suggest that near about 50 percent of women face one and/or more forms of sexual harassment(s) in their workplaces. A study on sexual harassment in American workplaces, which has been conducted by the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, revealed the fact that almost 10 million women in the country have faced different forms of sexual harassment in the workplace (Jackson and Newman, 706). There are various aspects which are called to comprise the set of most important reasons behind these evidences of sexual harassments in workplaces in the country. Among these aspects most important ones are socio-demographic aspects, the social contact and the spillover effect of sex-role. The socio-demographic profile of a worker reveals

Removal of junk foods from vending machines Research Paper

Removal of junk foods from vending machines - Research Paper Example This paper aims to discuss concerns related to the junk food being delivered with the aid of vending machines. Many people find these junk food stuff like pizza, burger and french-fries tastier and easier to eat than the regular meal. They are getting more fame, especially with kids from school ages as they easily get fantasized by the appearance and taste of these junk food items and start avoiding the healthy food to get some of the junk food. Most of the schools and colleges have junk food items in their cafeteria and vending machines that allow students to choose between the home-cooked food and junk food. The vending machines are not just restricted to schools and colleges, but now they can be found at shopping malls and cinemas, where people cannot bring any eatables or water along with them and therefore, they are not left with any option but to consume junk food only (JimB, 2011). To me, this is another one of the unhealthy habits that people have adopted, without realizing w hat price they might have to pay for it. Therefore, my opinion is that this new trend of increased consumption of junk foods rather than nutritional food items, and soft drinks instead of water should be discouraged, as it certainly has an adverse impact on one’s life, both physically and socially. ... evealed that not only heart diseases but also lack of energy, depression, and lowering of one’s I.Q are some of the adverse effects caused by consuming high amount of junk foods in the daily lives (JimB, 2011). Also, soft drinks that are now mostly part of every day’s meal can effect one’s health badly due to the high proportion of carbonated soda in them that softens the tooth enamel gradually and could result in inner tooth damage over the period of regular consumption (Keefer, 2011). Not only this, but the fast food trend has also eliminated the element of eating together to a great extent. A family having more home-cooked food typically sits together and shares their day’s experience and other things on the dinner table, but as these junk foods have eliminated the need of sitting and eating, the tradition of a combined meal has also started to fade. The government should see this issue as a matter of concern, and should come up with measures to reduce consumption of junk foods. One thing that can be done in this regard is to remove these junk food items from the vending machines. This could result in a profound decrement in the schools and cinemas revenue however, for the sake of people’s health it is not something which is too much to ask for. A practice carried out by the California High Schools to remove junk food items from schools’ canteens, resulted in lowering of the calorie intake of their schools students in comparison to other state students (O'Connor, 2012). This makes it clear that other than just the potato chips, there are several other junk foods too that people consume daily from the vending machines, thus adding a significant amount to their fat and calories levels. Another disadvantage of this is that serving junk foods to school kids

'Information systems have revolutionised the way we work'. Critically Essay - 1

'Information systems have revolutionised the way we work'. Critically discuss this statement using two concepts from the mod - Essay Example Information systems control almost all aspects of an organization’s management ranging from planning, controlling, co-coordinating, and recruiting of new staff. The technology also s companies to conduct business in virtual locations within the cyber space. Information systems have also created new challenges to businesses; for example, hacking and identity theft, which are the commonest cyber crimes (Panigraphy, 2010). Therefore, understanding of the way information systems have revolutionized the way businesses work is critical in the digital age. This study will focus on creation of virtual organizations and reduction of bureaucratic inefficiencies as the main ways through which information systems have changed the working of firms. Virtual Organizations Virtual organizations refer to those that carry out business in implicit environments that have no physical locations. These companies use computers, information systems, and the internet in carrying out all their functions . The offices of such companies are paperless and the non-physical offices are assumed to be in the cloud (Winfan, & Davis, 2005). These companies do not have boundaries in their workplace in terms of the employees they recruit and the regions they reach. This is because cyber space allows them to employ workers and reach customers from all regions of the world. Amazon, Google, and E-bay are examples of virtual companies that sell their products and services through virtual offices, and their workers are located in every corner of the world. The existence of virtual organizations may be explained by the theory of social determinism, which argues that technology changes the society. This is because if it were not for the development in technology, these firms would not be in existence (Laudon, & Babston, 2013). Corporate Culture of Virtual Organizations Corporate culture determines the success of a company because it creates a notion of how activities should be conducted in the organ ization. Existing and outgoing employees of a company usually pass the organization’s culture to newly employed workers. The corporate culture of implicit organizations differs from physical companies because it requires workers and managers to possess characteristics such as trust, valuable leadership skills, and efficient communication (Hess, 1995). Trust is an essential factor in virtual organizations because it enhances managers to manage employees who work in different locations. This means that the lack of trust in these companies may prevent the firms from performing their functions efficiently leading to poor performance. Efficient leadership and communication skills, on the other hand, also help in ensuring that there is cooperation and coordination in the company (Clegg, Harris, & Hopfl, 2011). Lack of these qualities in a virtual company may lead to the breakdown of activities. Working Techniques used in Virtual Organizations Virtual organizations use unique techni ques to bring workers together and to ensure that work is completed efficiently. These companies mainly use telecommuting to complete their jobs. Telecommuting is where workers are connected to the organization by information systems that operate through the internet. Managers connect with employees through emails and telephones

Removal of junk foods from vending machines Research Paper

Removal of junk foods from vending machines - Research Paper Example This paper aims to discuss concerns related to the junk food being delivered with the aid of vending machines. Many people find these junk food stuff like pizza, burger and french-fries tastier and easier to eat than the regular meal. They are getting more fame, especially with kids from school ages as they easily get fantasized by the appearance and taste of these junk food items and start avoiding the healthy food to get some of the junk food. Most of the schools and colleges have junk food items in their cafeteria and vending machines that allow students to choose between the home-cooked food and junk food. The vending machines are not just restricted to schools and colleges, but now they can be found at shopping malls and cinemas, where people cannot bring any eatables or water along with them and therefore, they are not left with any option but to consume junk food only (JimB, 2011). To me, this is another one of the unhealthy habits that people have adopted, without realizing w hat price they might have to pay for it. Therefore, my opinion is that this new trend of increased consumption of junk foods rather than nutritional food items, and soft drinks instead of water should be discouraged, as it certainly has an adverse impact on one’s life, both physically and socially. ... evealed that not only heart diseases but also lack of energy, depression, and lowering of one’s I.Q are some of the adverse effects caused by consuming high amount of junk foods in the daily lives (JimB, 2011). Also, soft drinks that are now mostly part of every day’s meal can effect one’s health badly due to the high proportion of carbonated soda in them that softens the tooth enamel gradually and could result in inner tooth damage over the period of regular consumption (Keefer, 2011). Not only this, but the fast food trend has also eliminated the element of eating together to a great extent. A family having more home-cooked food typically sits together and shares their day’s experience and other things on the dinner table, but as these junk foods have eliminated the need of sitting and eating, the tradition of a combined meal has also started to fade. The government should see this issue as a matter of concern, and should come up with measures to reduce consumption of junk foods. One thing that can be done in this regard is to remove these junk food items from the vending machines. This could result in a profound decrement in the schools and cinemas revenue however, for the sake of people’s health it is not something which is too much to ask for. A practice carried out by the California High Schools to remove junk food items from schools’ canteens, resulted in lowering of the calorie intake of their schools students in comparison to other state students (O'Connor, 2012). This makes it clear that other than just the potato chips, there are several other junk foods too that people consume daily from the vending machines, thus adding a significant amount to their fat and calories levels. Another disadvantage of this is that serving junk foods to school kids

School Bus and Dumb Pigs Essay Example for Free

School Bus and Dumb Pigs Essay Narrator: Megan’s father asked her to feed the pigs on her way to school. He said†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Father: Megan please feed the pigs but don’t open the gate. Pigs are smarter than you think. Don’t open the gate. Megan: right I will not open the gate. Not me no sir no no no no. Narrator: so Megan went to the pig pen. She looked the pigs. The pigs looked at Megan. Megan: these are the dumbest looking pigs I have ever seen. They stand here like lumps on a bump. They wouldn’t do anything if I did open the gate. Narrator: so Megan opened the gate just a little bit. The pigs stood there and looked at Megan. They didn’t do anything. Megan said Megan: these are the dumbest looking pigs I have ever seen. They stand here like lumps on a bump. They wouldn’t do anything even go out the door if the house was on fire. Narrator: so Megan opened the gate a little bit more. The pigs stood there and looked at Megan. They didn’t do anything. Then Megan yelled†¦ Megan: HEY YOU DUMB PIGS! Narrator: the pigs jumped up and ran over Megan, WAP- WAP- WAP-WAP-WAP and out the gate. When Megan got up she couldn’t see the pigs anywhere. She said Megan: UH OH, I am in bad trouble. Maybe pigs are not so dumb after all. Narrator: then she went to tell her father the bad news. When she got to the house Megan heard a noise coming from the kitchen. Then it went, Pig: OINK OINK OINK Megan: that doesn’t sound like my mother. That doesn’t sound like my father. that sounds like pigs. Narrator: she looked in the window. There was her father sitting at the breakfast table. A pig was drinking his coffee. A pig was eating his news paper and a pig peeing on his shoe. Father: Megan you opened the gate. Get these pigs out of here. Narrator: Megan opened the front door a little bit. The pigs stood and looked at Megan. Finally Megan opened the front door all the way and yelled†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Megan: HEY YOU DUMB PIGS. Narrator: the pigs jumped up and ran right over Megan, WAP- WAP-WAP-WAP And out the door. Megan ran outside chassed all the pigs into the pig pen and shut the gate. Then she looked at the pigs a said†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Megan: your are still dumb, like lumps on a bump. Narrator: then she ran off to school. Just as she was about to open the front door of the school she heard a sound. Pigs: OINK OINK OINK. Narrator: she said †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Megan: that doesn’t sound like my teacher. That doesn’t sound like the principal. That sounds like pigs Narrator: Megan looked in the principle’s window. There was a pig drinking principal’s coffee. A pig was eating the principal’s newspaper. And a pig was peeing on the principal’s shoe. The principal yelled†¦. Principal: Megan, get these pigs out of here! Narrator: Megan opened the front door of the school a little bit. The pigs didn’t do anything. She opened the door all the way and yelled†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Megan: HEY YOU DUMB PIGS. Narrator: the pigs jumped up and ran right over Megan, WAP-WAP-WAP-WAP and out the door. Megan went into the school she sat down at the desk and said†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Megan: that’s that I finally got rid of all the pigs. Narrator: then she heard a noise. Pig: OINK OINK OINK Narrator: Megan opened her desk and there a new baby pig. The teacher said†¦ Teacher: Megan get that dumb pig out of here. Megan: Dumb? Who ever said pigs were dumb? Pigs are smart. I am going to keep it for a pet. Narrator: at the end of the day the school bus finally came Megan walked up to the door then heard something say, Pig: OINK OINK OINK Narrator: Megan said Megan: that doesn’t sound like the bus driver that sounds like the pigs. Narrator: she climbed up the stairs and looked in the bus. There was a pig driving the bus, pigs eating the seats and pigs lying in the aisle. A pig shut the door and drove the bus down the road. It drove the bus all the way to Megan’s farm, through the barnyard and right into the pig pen. Megan got out of the bus walked across the barnyard and marched into the kitchen. She said†¦. Megan: the pigs are all back in the pig pen. They came back by themselves. Pigs are smarter than you think. Narrator: and Megan never let out any more animals out again. At least not any more pigs

Public Sphere By Jurgen Habermas

Public Sphere By Jurgen Habermas Public sphere, according to Habermas, is a democracy approach in which different groups of people coming together to share their opinion towards social and political issues (Lubenow, 2012). Harbermes point of view was based on the concept of deliberative democracy. To him, democracy is achieved through the involvement of public into the political system. Habermess concept was force moving towards communicative power in democracy terms. Habermas s idea (as cited in Lubenow, 2012) communicated that the public sphere is an interactive structure which make-up by the state, the political system, and also the private sectors in this civil society. Thus, the function of public sphere is to provide a social platform where public opinion is heard. Added, the public sphere play the role of articulating public opinion which involves integrate themes, arguments and contributions, and to carried the voice of the public in discussing the issue faced by the current civil society and to generate res olution as well as to aid in decision making processes (Lubenow, 2012). Generally, the Habermasian idea on democracy is based on the central of public sphere. In simple words, public sphere is an open platform for each and every citizen to discuss and share their view on political issue in equal chances and status (Maia, 2007). The concept of public sphere emerges from two perspectives. The historical perspective which means a lots of different individual persons assembles to form a public to debate political issue or matters of common interest. Besides that, the public sphere is described from a normative perspective. This sphere constitute to a new source of power legitimation through rational and critical debates. This highlighted that democracy is a new form of domination which members need to give acknowledgement to the norms and decisions made (Maia, 2007). However, there were some later theories that developed as advancement in explaining the public sphere. For instance, Hannah Arendt proposed the agonistic concept of public space. In his explanation, his criticize that the loss of public space in the modern society. Arendts political point of view stresses the changes in the social world contributed to the decrease of public sphere. The interaction of social with politics is more of not a concrete one whereby people behave accordingly to the social set of so called norms instead of acting and thinking critically. Arendt also accounted public space is the space for freedom and execution of power through speech and persuasion (Benhabib, 1992). Another model that explained the public sphere is the liberal model of public dialogue. This particular concept is from Bruce Ackerman in which he conveyed liberalism is a form of political culture based on conversational constraints. Ackermans concern was the way different groups can resolve the problem of living together harmoniously yet do not share the same thoughts of good. Conversational restraint is the path to understand the phenomenon. The concept of it emphasizes on neutrality when dealing with disagreement between two parties. When disagreement occurs, in is important to not fight back in another dimension of moral truth or value but to use dialogue to identify the norms that enforce mutual trust and respect reasonably according to respective culture (Benhabib, 1992). The difernces of this two model concept and model as compare to Habermass model of public sphere is that in Habermass view is that public sphere should be more democratic affected by both social norms and political decisions. Moreover, public sphere should not be based merely on legitimation from public dialogue, but instead judged by the model of practical discourse (Benhabib, 1992). The history and development of public sphere begin as a bourgeois society to guaranteed free speech, free press, and free assembly (Fraser, 1990). Public opinion is formed as a result of these free discussion and debate. Public sphere therefore offered an idea on how democracy should be. It should be open, able to be accessible, and not restricted to any rational discussion of public matters (Fraser, 1990). Having said that, the idea of Habermas on public sphere also has certain limitations. According to Fraser (1990), Habermas fails to recognize other, nonliberal, nonbourgeois, competing public spheres, which caused him only to focus on merely liberal public sphere. Besides that, Habermas idea rest on a class-and gender-biased and also a conflict when trying to adopt his idea in this new century and era since his idea was a way long ago developed in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Therefore, his idea was rethink and revisit by scholars from time to time in democracy term. Another neglected yet important factor influencing the public sphere is the influence of media and mass communication on democracy (Maia, 2007). Habermas (as cited in Rasmusseri, 2007) elaborated that the function of media in public here is for members of the community to raise issues, provide arguments, specify interpretations and propose solutions. In his paper, Rasmusseri (2007) studied the use of internet and its contribution to the political public sphere among the multiple views in the diverse population which can be convenient yet complicated. Media included the main stream media (the press, cable TV, and broadcasting) and the new media (networking such as internet) is playing an important role in todays society in communicating to the public audiences on social and political issues. However, the mass media filters the information before sending it out so that receivers more or less receive the same information more or less in the same manner (Rasmussen, 2007). The internet-ba sed communication is called as the new media provides more opportunities for members in the public sphere to give feed-back and comment. However, there was also a problem of validity and reliability of the sources of information because such information comes from a wide range of users from the internet and different participants giving own individual opinions for events, topics, and views. The divergence of sources leaves validity and reliability of the information hard to be determined. Habermas, later on, revise and clarify some of his earlier concept. He focuses more on sovereignty within large group instead of individuals preferences and choice. Thus, he made the conclusion that democracy is much determined on deliberation yet not ones will (Maia, 2007). (Maia, 2007) (Rasmussen, 2007) (Fraser, 1990) (Lubenow, 2012) Seyla Benhabib, Models of Public Space: Hannah Arendt, the Liberal Tradition, and Jurgen Habermas, in Craig J. Calhoun, ed., Habermas and the Public Sphere (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1992), 73-98.

Men and Women Engaging in Non-traditional Sports :: Sociology Essays Research Papers

Men and Women Engaging in Non-traditional Sports What are the social and cultural costs and benefits of an individual (male or female) entering a non-traditional sport for their gender/sex (e.g. women who enter body building, power lifting, boxing; men who enter synchronized swimming or field hockey)? Social change has been marked by men and women participating in non-traditional roles for their sex. Athletics is one field where non-traditional roles are both applauded and derided by society. Female body-builders and male ice-skaters push the boundaries of what is socially acceptable in our society. While there are many rewards for such activity, there are also many costs, both to society and to the individual. There are many cultural and personal costs to engaging in non-traditional sport. Women and men face personal humiliation and the derision of friends, family, and society. They can be denied advancement in the work force, be ostracized by society, and suffer a multitude of slights and slurs. Women, in particular, bear the brunt of this particular brand of humiliation. Mere personal humiliation is not the only cost of non-traditional participation in sport. Some people may see it as a lessening of the game. For example, there are slightly different rules for women's basketball then for male basketball. By allowing women to play and compete in a supposedly "weaker" version of the game, we lessen the value of the game and the competition in which the players are engaged. Such difference also reinforces cultural beliefs that men and women cannot compete on a level playing field. Supposedly, women must have easier rules, because otherwise, they would not be able to play. This particular cultural attitude can arise from women participating in sport. However, it is a goal of such participation that that attitude be eliminated from our society. There are also a number of benefits to men and women engaging in supposed non-traditional activities. It pushes the boundaries or what is acceptable in our society, paving the way for future pioneers. It makes difference more acceptable in our society by not backing down. We can only become more accepting of other people when there are such extreme points of view out there to compare our opinions to. Athletics, in general, benefits with the presence of both men and women in all sports. With such a wide range of potential competition, sport is much more exciting and rewarding - personally and monetarily. Both sexes contribute something to their respective sport, and challenge the other to accept new ideas and change.

The Effect of Relativity Theory on Marathon Runners :: physics sport sports running

Sometimes people say, "Running is good for your health, and you can live longer." Is it true? Isn't there another reason? Is health the only cause of longevity? I wondered if the effect of relativity is one of the causes. In 1905, the great physicist, Albert Einstein, put forward a new theory called "The Special Theory of Relativity". It is very simple and it says only these two principles 1. The laws of physics are the same in all inertial system. 2. There is a speed limit, and it is the speed of light. Suppose two inertial systems, one of which, S, is the rest system and another, S', is moving at the velocity v to S. In above pictures, red and blue represent S and S', white balls moving are light, green boards are mirrors. Since the speed of light is constant, (ct)2 = (vt)2 + L2 (1)

Inquiry Proposal: Serial Killers Essay

1. Description. The topic that I have chosen to cover for my proposal is serial killers. The term â€Å"serial killer† was established in the 1970’s by Robert Ressler (former director of an FBI program). He chose â€Å"serial† because these types of murders are crimes in series. Murderers become serial killers after three or more victims with quiet periods of time in between the murders. The US holds 76% of the world’s serial killers. According to the latest FBI study in 2007, there are approximately 400 serial killers in the US and 80% of them have emerged since 1950. Statistically, the average serial killer is a white male with a lower to middle-class background and is usually in his twenties or thirties. It seems ludicrous that serial killers often have families, homes, are employed, and appear to be normal members of a community. There are many myths about serial killers such as, they are dysfunctional loners, they are all white males, they all travel, they can’t stop killing, and that they are insane. My proposal is figuring out what may be true about these serial killers. I find it interesting how something brought into this world as an innocent baby could turn into a serial killer. 2. Guiding Questions. Here are some of the questions that are the major components behind my proposal. Where did the term â€Å"serial killer† come from? What makes a person a serial killer? How many are there in the U.S? Why do they do it? What happened throughout their life? What makes them tick? How do they get caught? I believe that these are important questions that need to be answered, as each one gives us a better understanding as to what makes a person not only murder but murder multiple people over periods of days, weeks, and even years. 3. Research Gathered. Coming into this, I thought it would be easy to figure out exactly what is going on in these serial killers minds but it’s not. It’s hard to say precisely what is going on in their head and what led up to it without being them but with inside information from interviews with serial killers and interviews with detectives, you get a feel of what made them act the way they do. Profiling a serial killer is important in catching a serial killer. Determining the  signature and what the serial killer had to do for the crime are big aspects of profiling. Studies from doctors and information from past murders create the profile along with crime-scene information and witness statements. For instance, if the crime scene shows evidence of careful planning, the killer is likely to be intelligent and older. Not all profiles are perfect but they are usually on point. Serial killers begin to surface around their twenties and once they reach a certain point, there is no going back. De tectives also have to profile the victims because they are the key to catching the serial killer. They were picked because something stimulated the serial killer to do so. The only way to prevent the becoming of a serial killer is to go back to their childhood and break up the peculiar patterns. Just like all human beings, serial killers are the product of their heredity and the choices they make throughout their life. Their behavior is influenced by life experiences and biological factors. Humans are in a constant state of development from the moment they are born to the moment they die. Behavior is affected by a stimulus that is processed by the nervous system. According to neurobiologists, our nervous system is environmentally sensitive which allows the individual nervous system to be shaped throughout a lifetime. In saying that, failure to develop social coping mechanisms as a child can result in violent behavior. There are important periods of time in which it is essential that kids learn basic rules on how to interact with people and if they aren’t learned during that period of time, it could be impossible to learn later on in life. Serial killers often exhibit three behaviors in their childhood and they are bed-wetting, arson, and cruelty to animals. They are also likely to come from broken homes and have been abused or neglected. Serial killers act completely normal in front of others and are said to be good members of their community. They are generally intelligent, organized, and some can be very social. The two most common theories as to motives of serial killers include childhood neglect and abuse, and mental illness. Many, if not all serial killers experience neglect and abuse as children. They are often physically and or sexually abused as children or are witnesses of abuse. This pattern of neglect and abuse forces them to grow up without a sense of anyone other than themselves. Mental illness is a big factor in determining whether or not the killer was conscious and aware of his or her actions. Many serial killers try to use the excuse that they  are psychotic but only few have been diagnosed. According to the Diagnostic & Standard Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), a psychopath is a person with an antisocial personality disorder (APD). As said in the DSM-IV, a person with APD follows a pattern of â€Å"disregard and violation of the rights of others occurring since the age of 15.† This pattern includes seven factors but three have to be met for diagnosis and those are, â€Å"failure to conform to social norms, irritability and aggressiveness, and lack of remorse.† Psychopathy is manifested in people who use a mixture of charm, manipulation, intimidation, and violence to control others while satisfying their selfish needs. Although serial killers possess many traits consistent with psychopaths, all psychopaths don’t become serial killers. Psychopaths who become serial killers don’t value human life and are extremely callous when interacting with their victims. Along with mental disorders, is brain damage. Damage to areas such as the frontal lo be and the hypothalamus can result in extreme aggression, loss of control, and loss of judgment. For instance, Henry Lee was a convicted serial killer and was found to have extreme brain damage in both the frontal lobe and hypothalamus which was a result of childhood abuse including malnutrition and alcoholism. After gathering information on the motives and behaviors of serial killers, I realized there is no specific combination of traits or characteristics that all serial killers possess. There isn’t a generic template that determines a serial killer. They are driven by their own unique motives or reasons. Catching a serial killer is difficult because they are just your average looking man or woman living across the street. Serial killers only get caught after making a mistake. Information from the crime scene and autopsy are collected and entered into a date base where similar crimes are matched up by the killer’s signature. For instance, some killers position the body a certain way or leave them in a certain place. Investigators look at the method of procedure which reflects what the killer had to do in order to commit the crime. The crime reflects their personality and the victim is the key to catching the serial killer. Detectives have to piece together who the potential serial killer may be by matching up victims that are similar in area and most commonly, their looks. Detectives have to know how to spark the serial killers emotions and make them tick. For instance, John Douglas (FBI serial killer profiler) was asked to assist in a trial involving a  serial killer because he had manipulated the jury into believing that he wasn’t capable of doing such a thing. John told the prosecutor to physically touch the serial killer and violate his personal space because it will make him think that he isn’t superior and in return, will drive him crazy. He then asked the accused serial killer what it was like to wrap his fingers around his victim’s throat. The serial killer then had a major outburst and went crazy because he was recalling what happened and it excited him. The jurors finally saw another side to the man and it turned the whole case around. You have to know what makes them tick in order to catch them. 4. Optional Primary Research. I decided to find documentaries on two of the most notorious serial killers Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer. The first documentary I watched was â€Å"Biography: Ted Bundy: The Mind of a Killer (1995).† Ted Bundy was a boy scout, a college graduate, a law student, and a star in Washington State politics. Growing up, Ted was told that his actual grandparents were his mother and father and that his actual mother was his older sister. His grandmother (mother) had health issues such as depression and panic attacks and was eventually introduced to electro-shock therapy and his great grandfather was known to be extremely violent and frightening. His family began noticing at the age of three that Ted wasn’t adjusting well. His first incident happened when he was being babysat by his aunt and she was taking a nap. Ted’s aunt woke up to him placing all the kitchen knives around her body in an outline with the blades pointing towards her. After the incident with his aunt and fighting with his step-father a lot, Ted was forced to move to Tacoma, WA and it devastated him because he thought of his great grandfather as a father and he didn’t want to leave him. Once in Tacoma, Ted’s peers thought of him as a shy person. He stuttered a lot and didn’t date. He really isolated himself from the crowd and started becoming a peeping Tom. Ted started to consider himself above the law. While in college, Ted met a girl named Stephanie and was particularly attracted to her beautiful long hair that was parted in the middle. Stephanie was wealthy, sophisticated, and worldly; everything Ted wished he was. They were together for a year and in that time, Stephanie had taken Ted’s virginity. While Ted was in love, Stephanie didn’t see a future with him and broke it off becau se she didn’t think that he was very serious about his future. Ted became devastated and dropped out of school. He then went to visit his  relatives to figure out who he really was and ended up finding out that his so called â€Å"sister† was actually his mother. After hearing this news and the horrible break up with Stephanie, Ted became extremely resentful. He felt that his mother and girlfriend destroyed his life and therefore wanted revenge. A couple years later, he met back up with Stephanie and seemed to be a new and improved man to her. Stephanie agreed to marry Ted and then he dumped her right away for revenge but it didn’t stop there. It all began in 1974 when Ted was twenty-four years old. Ted began going to the Washington college pretending to be hurt with crutches and that is how he would lure his victims in. He pretended to drop his books right by his van and while the woman would bend down to pick it up, he would hit her over the head with a crow bar and throw her in the van. He would then take them to the woods and sexually assault them. Ted was hurt that Stephanie took his virginity and broke his heart so now he was going to sexually assault and kill all his victims. Ted’s ideal victim was a small framed female with long parted hair in the middle and beautiful just as Stephanie was. While still attending college, Ted studied the procedures that the police task force would use to catch him. Ted was eventually caught and admitted to killing more than thirty women. Ted told the court that he felt entitled to ruin women’s lives after two women ruined his. On January 24, 1989 at 7:00 AM, Ted Bundy was granted his electric execution at the age of forty-nine years old. Ted’s story goes to show how something in his childhood led up to factors that would make him a serial killer. It also shows the motive that he had which was killing only women because two women ruined his life and killing women who looked like Stephanie. Ted said he was sor ry for killing those women but only he knows if he really is sorry or not. It’s hard to determine what went on in Ted’s head but we can see the correlation he made between the women he killed and why he did it although it doesn’t make sense to us. The other documentary I watched was â€Å"Biography: Jeffrey Dahmer (2000).† Jeffrey Dahmer was the perfect child. He loved playing with other kids and was really outgoing. He had a fascination with animals and was an extremely curious child. He always wanted to feel things and their texture. When he was ten, his mother was hospitalized and treated for anxiety. His parent’s marriage was crumbling and they had to move away. Jeffrey then all of a sudden became socially awkward. He started to become fascinated with what animals looked  like on the inside so he began collecting road kill as a young teenager. In an interview, his dad says that he is convinced that everything started going downhill when Jeffrey began collecting road kill and dissected them. Dahmer realized as a teen that he was attracted to men and at the age of fourteen, he started having thoughts of violence and sex. Dahmer knew the thoughts and urges kept getting worse. One of his fantasies was to lie next to an unconscious man. In saying that, Jeffrey devised a plan to knock out a local jogger with a bat and lay next to him but the jogger never went by that day and it made Dahmer think that maybe he shouldn’t be thinking about that kind of stuff. Dahmer started becoming a heavy drinker and even drank during school. He started going to houses that allowed the exchange of sex with gay men and that is where he found his first victim. After his first victim, Dahmer couldn’t hold in his urges anymore and it was the start of a killing spree. He began meeting men at gay bars and once there, he would drug them with sleeping pills, take them back to his home, and lay there next to them and listen to the sounds of their bodies. After getting bored with listening to their bodies, Dahmer would have sex with them while they were drugged, would kill them, cut up their body, and save their bones or private parts as trophies. At one point, he even started eating his victims saying that â€Å"it felt like they were a part of him.† Dahmer was eventually caught because of a foul odor coming from his apartment which was his victims. Dahmer blamed alcohol when he was caught saying that if he hadn’t been so drunk, he wouldn’t have been caught. He also placed the blame for the murders on his atheistic beliefs and the theory of evolution. He believed that he was equal to the devil. Dahmer stated â€Å"if it all happens naturalistically, what’s the need for a God? Can’t I set my own rules? Who owns me? I own myself.† Dahmer believed that he was above all and the media didn’t help that. He received so much attention from the media that he started getting cocky about it. He once told a detective â€Å"when I tell you what I tell you, you’re going to be famous.† Dahmer wrote a 159 page confession consisting of thirteen years and seventeen victims. Dahmer pleaded guilty but insane and was served a 937 year prison sentence. Once in prison, Dahmer decided he wanted to be baptized and get back into his religious state of mind. It all ended for Dahmer on November 29, 1994 when an inmate who called himself â€Å"Christ† beat Dahmer with a metal rod from the  prison gym and was pronoun ced dead on the way to the hospital. Once again, I don’t understand why he tortured and killed his victims the way he did but just like Ted Bundy, his behavior drastically changed when he was young and for both men, it is was seemed to be the turning point in their life. 5. Info to be collected, Analysis. I have gathered a good amount of information on how serial killers evolve to the person they have become. From here, I hope to learn more about what triggers different emotions in their brains. The main thing I want to figure out is how they become so violent and how they are capable of committing such horrid acts of violence. I believe the most effective method of analyzing serial killers was reading articles and watching documentaries. The articles were from reliable resources such as the FBI, and gave a lot of good information as to what their motives and behaviors were. The documentaries were a good way of analyzing serial killers because I got to see the way they acted and hear their stories to figure out w hat led up to the killings and what exactly their motives were. I am going to continue to watch documentaries on not only Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer but other serial killers to see if their behaviors and motives match up somehow. Although all serial killers aren’t the same and don’t share the same motives, they do share the same urges. The purpose of this would be to see if my explanations of the motives, behaviors, and childhood experiences of these serial killers are in fact true for others as well. This analysis may help me in learning about the brain and how it works. Another interesting explanation as to triggers for serial killers is a chromosome abnormality. Some researchers are starting to believe that there is a change associated with the male chromosome make up. There is an ongoing investigation on if and how the gene changes and why it does. The end point of this assignment for me is to follow up with the study of similar chromosome changes in these men that become serial killers. 6. Timeline. I currently still have some questions as to what other similarities might occur between serial killers such as chromosome abnormalities or brain defects. I will be continually checking these doctors and researcher’s information gathered from their testing and experiments to hopefully receive new and improved information. One of the most helpful things to do is watch movies and documentaries on not only serial killers but their families, the detectives, doctors, and the researchers. The one  problem that I feel I might encounter is not having enough evidence and consistent information to back it up because it is a new study being done. Although I have continuing questions, I believe that I have covered my research topic to the best of my ability and now my own curiosity will keep me wondering and wanting to know more information than what has been given to me. Citations Freeman, Shanna. â€Å"How Serial Killers Work.† How Stuff Works. A Discovery Company. 02 October 2007. Web. 20 March 2014. Mueller, Robert. â€Å"Serial Murder.† The FBI. US Government, US Department of Justice. 02 September 2005. Web. 20 March 2014. Bardsley, Marilyn. â€Å"Jeffrey Dahmer.† Crime Library. Criminal Minds & Methods. 04 August 1991. Web. 20 March 2014. Montaldo, Charles. â€Å"The Myths about Serial Killers.† Crime/Punishment. About.com. July 2008. Web. 20 March 2014. Rogers, Abby. â€Å" A Terrifying Glimpse into the Mind of a Serial Killer.† Business Insider. 08 June 2012. Web. 20 March 2014. Scott, Shirley. â€Å"What Makes Serial Killers Tick?† Crime Library. Criminal Minds & Methods. 04 October 1991. Web. 20 March 2014. Gregg, Allan. â€Å"Interview with FBI Profiler John Douglas (1996).† Dark Documentaries. 29 November 2011. Web. 20 March 2014. Montaldo, Charles. â€Å"Characteristics of the Psychopathic Personality.† Crime/Punishment. About.com. July 2008. Web. 20 March 2014.