Undercover Boss

Undercover Boss: Yankee Candle The episode of Undercover Boss over Yankee Candle touched on a few very important aspect of being a productive leader. The episode followed Yankee Candles CEO and President Harlan Kent as he posed as â€Å"Dan Johnson† while he spent the day being trained at different Yankee Candle jobs. Harlan Kent showed many qualities that an exceptional leader should posses. In a leadership analysis I will touch on the leadership qualities showed in this episode, as well as cover some mistakes that leaders commonly make and how they can be overcome.The most defining quality that Harlan showed through the episode is his extraordinary passion for all aspects of the Yankee Candle Business. Passion is extremely important for a leader to express because it not only is what drives the leader but also shows his followers an example of the commitment that they should have for their jobs. The second quality that was shown has to do with the way in which Harlan treated his employees. He showed the ability to put job titles aside and treat everyone equal. He listened to what his employees has to say and showed support to them as people.This is important as a leader because it shows followers that they are not only important to the organization but are recognized as the people they are and not only by their job description. One last quality that I saw Harlan showed in this episode was his ability to be film with his employees and make them understand what is expected of them. He did this with his final encounter with the employee Blaze. The important part of this encounter was that he was able to be firm with Blaze but then offer a resolution and support.This leadership quality instills respect in the employee for the leader and can increase the level of trust between the two. Leadership is not easy and there are many mistakes that will. One of these mistakes is for a leader to under inform an employee. This can be can caused for a number of reason s but it was shown in this episode a few times while Harlan was going through the orientation process. Employees would give Harlan a task to do with a small amount of instruction and then move on to their own job. Harlan would then struggle and employee would be disappointed in his work.I feel like this was a mistake by the employees because they should have recognized the lack of skill or direction that Harlan had and then worked with him until he was fully able to accomplish the task. Other mistakes that are commonly made by leaders have to do with the idea that they are above their followers. If leader asks their followers to arrive on time to a meeting and they themselves are late than their followers may believe being late or absent is acceptable. If a leader makes an excuse for something than a follow feels they can now make an excuses.There are many examples of this type of behavior that a leader can make. Leaders who make mistakes like these need to come to the understanding that leading doesn’t mean you are in charge. It means you are the leader and you should set the example. The best way a leader can recover from mistakes like these are to be clear and thero in all aspects of leadership. Secondly, If they make a mistake, recognize the mistake and then learn from it because everyone can recognize their mistakes but it takes a good leader to be able to learn from their mistakes.This analysis covered the leadership qualities shown by Yankee Candles CEO Harlan Kent is the episode of Undercover Boss as well as some of the mistakes leaders commonly make and how they can overcome these mistakes. The most important part to take from this analysis is that a great leader possess a passion for their job and needs to be able to listen and respect their followers. If a leader makes a mistake they need first recognize they made a mistake and than learn from the mistake to better themselves and the team.

Iago’s soliloquies are embarrassing and outdated

â€Å"It is through Iago's soliloquies that the audience gain most insight and enjoyment† How far do you agree with these views and what is your opinion? Iago's soliloquies feature throughout the play Othello and allow the audience to see the true feelings he has for other characters and his motives for his evil actions throughout the play. These two critical opinions show contrasting views of the value these soliloquies have to the audience and to the play itself. When Shakespeare wrote Othello, actors on the stage would often interact with the audience and involve them within the play. Soliloquies were an opportunity for an actor in his role to explain his motives and way of thinking to the audience. This is shown when Iago asks ‘and what's he then that says I play the villain? ‘ directly asking the audience to question their opinion of him or become accomplices of his evil plan. To a modern audience this interaction with the actors is rare and outdated so to many Iago's soliloquies just appear to be a man speaking to himself on stage. This can be embarrassing for the modern audience and also the actor playing Iago who has to deliver the lines convincingly. Another problem for the actor is that in Shakespearean times plays would be performed in open-air theatres during daylight with the audience stood right in front of the stage. This is different to modern day theatres that are enclosed and dark with the audience sitting further away from the stage. This makes the relationship between actors and audience less intimate, which may make the soliloquy less effective and therefore outdated. At the end of his soliloquies Iago ends in a rhyming couplet such as in Act 1 Scene 1: ‘hell and night must bring this monstrous birth to light' which to modern audiences is slightly outdated and may associate Iago with a stereotypical villain in a pantomime who plots against the ‘good' guy, in this case Othello. In pantomimes, the villain similarly interacts with the audience and uses hyperbolic language with rhymes, dark imagery and rhetoric questions as Iago does. Therefore, Iago's soliloquies may be perceived as outdated and embarrassing for an audience who see Iago's representation as a villain as stereotypical and childish Iago's soliloquies may seem outdated and embarrassing for an audience due to his racist language repeatedly referring to Othello as ‘Moor' and as a ‘devil'. A modern audience may not understand the racial term ‘moor' due to it being out of date, particularly as other characters use it a non racial way. The way his soliloquies are set out in blank verse and in iambic pentameter may also be embarrassing for the audience and increase Iago's association with the pantomime villain. When Othello was first staged, blank verse would indicate a serious, important part of the play and the audience would understand this switch from prose. Modern audiences without understanding the literary device may therefore find it outdated and fail to understand why an actor would be talking in a regular rhythm only when he was alone on the stage. The view that Iago's soliloquies add little to the play can be justified as Iago never fully shares his plan with the audience often formulating it in his head and claiming that ‘it is engendered' or that 'tis here but yet confused'. Instead the audience only gets to see the beginning of the plan and who he plans to use to deceive Othello. The soliloquies can be seen as unimportant as Iago produces more motives that are unlikely to be true such as his claim that Othello has slept with Emilia, in order to justify his original lies. This can begin to get repetitive and tiring to an audience. Without the soliloquies the audience would not lose out on the plot, only on Iago's insight so it can be argued that they are unnecessary. However, the second critic's view that Iago's soliloquies are insightful and enjoyable can also be explored. Iago is the most important character in developing the plot as without his conniving plans to ruin Othello, Othello's and Desdemona's marriage would probably have survived. It is through his soliloquies that we see how his mind works and how he abuses people's good nature in order to ruin them. The soliloquies allow us to see into Iago's mind, which allows the audience to gain great insight into what he is doing. In Act 1 Scene 1 his first soliloquy reveals a great deal of his opinions of other people and it is though Iago is taking off a mask, suddenly revealing a darker side than we have seen so far. The audience see his true opinion of Roderigo as being a ‘fool' who he is only associating with for ‘sport and profit' and that he is impatient with his idiotic and defeatist talk. He also reveals his reason for bringing about the downfall of Othello is due to rumours he has heard of Othello sleeping with Emilia, which he continues to mention in other soliloquies, claiming ‘the lusty moor hath leaped into [his] seat' in Act 2 Scene 1. Other than this motive, which is possibly a lie in order to justify his evil nature, his other motives are selfish and unfair. Iago intends to ruin Cassio in order to ‘get his place' and later reveals a jealousy for Desdemona. He only expresses his motives within his soliloquies making them insightful to the audience even if they are only to defend himself. Iago manipulates Cassio's ‘smooth dispose' in order to use it against him and convince Othello that ‘he is too familiar with his wife'. He abuses people's good nature in order to defeat them and the audience can see this through his soliloquies. He knows that Othello will ‘prove to Desdemona a most dear husband' and is ‘of a free and open nature' but plans to use this good nature in order to bring his downfall. The audience sees that he is totally evil by regarding his manipulation of people and their lives as a game, structuring his plan carefully in order for him to cause great damage. His plan to ‘pour†¦ pestilence into [Othello's] ear' shows how he intends to use the trust he has developed with Othello to advise him against Cassio and Desdemona. He again, uses Desdemona who he believes to be ‘virtuous' and ‘fruitful' enjoying the fact that he will ‘turn her virtue into pitch' by using her ‘goodness' as the ‘net that shall enmesh them all'. The audience can get a true insight into Iago's nature of being spiteful and wicked, which would not be as clearly seen if the soliloquies were removed. The audience can almost see the way his brain is working and his language shows this. He uses repetition such as ‘How? How? ‘ as he puts together his plan and there are often small pauses and contemplative moments such as ‘let me see now' to reflect his plan coming together. His dark mind is reflected through his language with images of ‘hell' ‘devils' with the ‘blackest sins' and poison. For the audience, this can be exciting as they are involved in his plan, almost acting as accomplices. They hold a greater awareness of what is going on in the play than the rest of the characters and so can foreshadow Othello's downfall. The audience are far more likely to be sympathetic for Othello by knowing the true evil nature of Iago through his speeches, particularly in knowing that even Iago, who sees the worst in people admits that Othello is ‘of constant, loving, noble nature'. In my opinion, the second critic's view that Iago's soliloquies are insightful and enjoyable is the most justified. Without his soliloquies the audience would be unaware of how Iago's plans come together, his motives or how he views the other characters. When he is with other characters it is almost as if he is wearing a mask to cover up his true feelings. He plays the honest and trustworthy friend and it is only when he is alone does his true nature show and the audience discovers that this is a clever manipulating method that he uses, knowing Othello ‘thinks men honest that seem to be so'. The first critics opinion that Iago's soliloquies are embarrassing and outdated can be a problem due to modern audiences not being used to this device. However, it can also be refreshing for an audience to experience this different way of acting and enjoyable to be involved in Iago's plot. As a modern audience we should understand that the play was written in a society that was different from today and therefore be less judgemental on how outdated it is. The critic's view that they ‘add little to the play' is, in my opinion less justified. The soliloquies may not be essential to the actual plot of the play but they provide a great by giving the audience an opportunity to understand Iago's character. As an audience we can foreshadow the upcoming events in the play and therefore be more interested as it all unravels. An audience will feel more hatred towards Iago due to his soliloquies and therefore feel more sympathy for the other characters as he causes their downfall. Instead of providing little to the play, they provide a great deal by stirring up the audiences emotions to the characters. Overall, I believe Iago's soliloquies to be of great insight and enjoyment to the audience as they allow an audience to see into his mind and be aware of his plot to bring Othello's downfall. Instead of being outdated and embarrassing they are insightful and enjoyable as audiences can directly witness his harsh and wicked nature.

Belief, Doubt and Synthesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Belief, Doubt and Synthesis - Essay Example Writing is one of the most significant professions in the US today. Based on this fact, numerous philosophies and principles apply in defining the ideal qualities and skills required of talented writers. These principles are subjective and mostly depend on the factors that determine the purpose of writing. In this regards, we have to acknowledge that not all writers possess the same qualities, as some of the American writers are better than others. Despite the fact that not all writers are equal in their skill sets, there should be a standard of differentiating smartest writers from poor ones. In this regard, I belief one should possess some of the fundamental qualities if he/she is to be considered as a professional writer (Starnino 42). The qualities of a writer fall into personal and technical skills. Possession of strong personal qualities entails the application of effective communication skills in presenting ones ideas and thoughts in written form. In America, every writer enjo ys freedom of speech and expression in his or her work. Writers are free to express their thoughts in whatever manner they wish, as long as their work falls within the scope of national rules and regulations. In this regard, writers face the predisposition of expressing their thoughts in an appropriate language as per the environment in subject. In trying to justify their thoughts and philosophies, writers can engage in persuasive, assertive or criticizing pieces of work (Lutovich and Fisher 67). One should integrate all these freedoms of thought and language in developing persuasive or even criticizing essays in order to accomplish writing goals. In this case, I belief a brilliant writer should be creative, vivid and imaginative. For example, a writer in a political arena speculating about the future of a nation’s politics should be imaginative and creative in persuading his followers and criticizing those opposing. Coherent development of political essays requires a writer to articulate the freedoms available with the communication skills in ensuring effective delivery of the intended message to the target audience (Lutovich and Fisher 72). In addition to personal skills, a talented writer should have a thorough understanding of the technical qualities of writing. I belief the first technical quality of expert writes is the ability to communicate fluently in written language. English writers must follow grammatical rules in every piece of their work. Efficient use of English will facilitate delivery of the message in an objective manner. Since the better part of writing entails collection of information from both the primary and secondary sources, a writer should also have strong research skills. He or she should carry out a research exercise from the problem definition stage to the results interpretation stage. Every writer should be conversant with the fundamental concepts of the topic of writing and should use relevant and appropriate vocabulary in expressing his or her ideas. Lastly, a talented writer should organize the essential parts of an essay in a logical pattern. Integration of these technical skills with the above mentioned communication qualities in an essay provide a criterion of defining a lovely piece of writing (Lutovich and Fisher 61). Human beings are in a continuous process or receiving new ideas and meeting new patterns of thoughts in their lives. When one meets a new idea,

Choose a topic Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Choose a topic - Research Paper Example long-term capital investments.  As many companies require credit and loans from banks to sustain the  business practice so if the payments are not made then the businesses tend to fail (Baily & Elliott, 2013). An individual gets affected of US Financial market crashes. It affects an individual as companies suffer losses, and they reduce benefits like health care and insurance. Moreover, due to low-income people will not be able save as they need to meet  daily expenses (Baily & Elliott, 2013). Answer 2: Primary role of Federal Reserve System is to provide the citizens of United States with a safer, flexible, as well as stable flow of monetary benefits. In the current economic condition, they have effectively participated reducing unemployment by introducing large-scale intervention that created money for them. The role of Federal Reserve Chairman is to protect the economy of United States against inflation and determine businesses in order to boost the economy, testifying twice a year and steering the FED to solve financial matter through consensus. In order to protect economic environment, the chairman of Federal Reserve can make monetary policy, supporting the economy by checking inflation. The role of Federal Reserve Board has the main role to devise U.S monetary policy and making key decisions at Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). With respect to current economic condition, the board supervises the banking performances that affects the economy and most importantly as President of United States need to take approval from the board relating to financial, agricultural or industrial interests so they require to carry out effective decisions (Alessi & Sergie, 2013). Answer 3: The interest rates have an affect the United States when the prices in the Federal Reserve Board are fluctuated. Interest rate is basically the charges the lender take for lending money if there is lower interest rate people will have more money spend creating a ripple effect through

History of the United States Since 1865 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History of the United States Since 1865 - Essay Example Republicans turned their attention from pursuing war to reconstructing the union. Radical Republicans gained control over policy making in congress, together with more moderate republicans they managed to gain control of the House of Representatives and the Senate. With this, they obtained adequate power to control possible declinations by President Andrew Johnson. The first Reconstruction act was passed by congress in March 1867. Secessionist states were divided into five military districts, each of which was governed by a Union general. Martial law was declared and troops dispatched to cultivate peace and protect former slaves. Thaddeus Stevens who was a radical supported the seizing of land from rich planters giving it to former slaves, moderates continued the Freedmen’s bureau which had always been underfunded and understaffed and was the only thing that had offered hope for former slaves by intervening between blacks and whites. General Oliver Howard who was the bureauâ⠂¬â„¢s commissioner backed up education for blacks with the aim of improving their prospects and living conditions. In 1869, more schools serving large numbers of students reported to the bureau. The bureau pushed for establishment of official contracts between landlords and laborers’ as well as a civil rights bill to grant citizenship for everyone born in the United States irrespective of color which would bring about equal protection of citizens under the law, the bill stated nothing about voting by blacks. The freedmen’s bureau and civil rights bill were supported by republicans as the hallmark to rebuilding the United States. President Andrew Johnson declined both bills claiming that they violated the State’s rights and those of white southerners who had not taken part in the decision making process. To ensure that blacks retained their rights, the republicans proposed the fourteenth amendment which was approved granting citizenship to everyone born in Ameri ca and equal protection for all citizens as stated in the law. Southern men who gathered in state conventions did not accept the Fourteenth amendment; they displayed their disapproval in every way in an attempt to prevent further prospects of remaking the south. In the spring of 1866, there were riots in New Orleans and Memphis, policemen and whites ruthlessly attacked and assassinated black people burning their homes with light or no cause. In the same year the Ku Klux Klan emerged, it was founded in Tennessee by Nathan Bedford Forrest. The Ku Klux Klan strived to ensure that the whites remained powerful in America; they wore costumes meant to overawe former slaves and stayed anonymous to avoid any retaliation. A military wing formed under the Democratic Party worked tirelessly fiving warnings and assassinating any whites and blacks who supported black rights or associated with the Republicans. Although Republicans had gained control of all northern states they were dissatisfied wi th the voting system, distribution of land, courts and education. In March 1867, they passed the Reconstruction act that placed the south under military leadership; all other southern states with the exception of Tennessee were divided into military districts. Consequently black and white men contested for leadership positions within the Republican Party. In 1868, the Republicans elected Ulysses D. Grant as president after Johnson was charged with impeachment, Grant was believed to be independent of party

Serial Killers Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Serial Killers - Research Paper Example Convicted serial killers have aided in the investigation for the motives of their actions as well as those who develop the vice. Introduction There are many vices that are portrayed by human beings who suffer from psychological disorders. Such vice include engaging in very heinous and inhumane acts. Such acts include domestic violence, child abuse, rape and stalking. People who engage in these acts do so in the search for psychological gratification. The main motivator to these vices is the urge to satisfy one’s pathological interests to experience power over the other humans. Serial killing is one of the most disturbing acts that people engage in. multiple murders that are very gruesome. Serial killers are known to be very cunning and heartless. A serial murderer can kill quite a big number of people before being cornered. This is mainly because the serial killers commit perfect crimes whereby they leave very insignificant or no evidence behind. Murder detectives can take mon ths trying to follow the steps of a serial killer. The most tasking part of hunting for a serial killer is trying to predict their killing pattern. Once a serial killer becomes predictable, it gets easier to corner them. Serial killers can also be caught in the act or identified by witnesses or even forward themselves to the authorities and confess. This paper focuses on a research conducted on serial killers. The reason for studying on serial killers is to try and shed some light on why serial killers engage in such inhumane deviant behavior. The information in this research paper has been gathered from various studies and reports on serial killers. Literature review Numerous studies have been undertaken on serial killers in the past. These are in an attempt to give the causes and the motivators of the deviant behavior. According to previous research, majority of the serial killers in the U.S are white males. Majority of the killers are usually in their late 20s. Black Americans ma ke up for 16% of the serial killer cases reported by the media. Researchers have established the basic characteristics of a serial killer. These include being generally intelligent, some may be from unstable relationships, most of the m are victims of abuse from their past, they have fetishes that they have obsessions for, they are sadists and in most cases they have been involved in crimes before. It is difficult to predict who is a killer or who is not in a society where many people portray one or several of the characteristics (Vronsky, 2004). Serial killers can also be very intelligent and successful people in the society who do not show any of the characters associated with serial killers. For instance in the reported case of Harold Shipman, who was very respectable man and a professional working with NHS, he was discovered to be a serial killer by the authorities. The man was a public figure in the community and he was well known for his award in the charity work supporting ch ildren with asthma. The community was shocked to know the true character of the psychopath in him. Similar cases have been reported in the past about respectable people turning out to be psychopathic serial killers (Vronsky, 2004). According to many theorists, for one to become a serial killer, they have to have some motivational factors. Many psychologists believe that serial killers

Final Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Final - Research Paper Example On the basis of common and discriminated accountabilities and individual abilities, developed nations must play a key role in fighting climate change and its negative impacts. As a developing nation, China is required to provide considerable importance to the subject of climate change (China.org.cn., n.d.). The paper will describe climate change issues in China which has faced significant condemnation from other nations. The objective of the paper is to understand how China has been dealing with climate change issues. Climate Change Mitigation Attempts in China In China, â€Å"The National Coordination Committee on Climate Change† has issued a range of policies and requirements in relation to climate change. China is ranked in the second position among nations with respect to carbon emission mainly because of high level of fossil fuel emission. It is being claimed by global leaders that China’s population, which is nearly four times larger than that of the United States , is the biggest emitter of carbon. The business related decisions in China have intensely impacted the level of international carbon emission and these decisions are inspired by trends of financial growth, local environmental safety and technological development. In order to make reformation in the economy, China has commenced wide-ranging efforts for ensuring energy effectiveness and use of renewable power sources, resulting in lessening of energy concentration. China has recognized that economic development cannot be sustained in the long run without reversing the damage to the environmental resources, national structure, farming output and national environment. Ignorance of these aspects leads to environmental pollution and resource diminution. In the year 1990, China had developed â€Å"Inter-ministerial National Climate Change Coordinating Committee†, making it accountable for policies and measures to mitigate the climate change (Chandler, Schaeffer, Dadi, Shukla, Tudel a, Davidson, & Alpan-Atamer, 2002). China’s Economic Responsibilities towards Climate Change China has confronted numerous environment-related issues due to its rapid economic development with respect to aviation, ports, energy resources and land resources among other aspects. China’s complex and corrupt bureaucratic system has faced criticisms for ineffective environmental policies. In the year 2006, China’s carbon emissions surpassed by 8% those of the United States. This has generated immense pressure from other nations calling for strengthening of the climate policy of the nation (PBL, 2007). China has also faced immense stress due to climate issue internally. The public of China have expressed grievances because of environmental issues. In China, the penalties for violation of carbon emission are too light. The organizations of China need to pay a maximum of one million Yuan for violating the rule of climate policy which is quite low in comparison to develo ping a waste treatment plant, costing approximately ten million Yuan (Liu, 2007). Thus, these low amounts of fine effectively enable organizations to violate federal instructions on environment. Several analysts suggest that the carbon emission in China can be as much as 20% more than the expectation. With respect to greenhouse gas emission, China has already surpassed the United States. According to the national figures, carbon emission of China increased almost 7.5% annually from 1997

Nursing Research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Nursing Research - Assignment Example e surgical procedures and the result showed that pain levels of patients managed with evidence-based practice were lower as compared to the controlled sample. Pain ratings of patients in the intervention wards were assessed at rest since surgery, on movement since surgery and worst pain on movement and it showed that they were significantly reduced compared with those in the control wards (Bolfman 2014). That is, post-operative pain management using evidence based practice help reduces pain levels of post procedure patients therefore facilitating faster healing. End of life care has been noted to be one of the key areas to improve quality of patient care. It is a phase of life when an individual is living with an illness, which will eventually worsen and cause death. A study was done on palliative care improvement of symptoms with evidence-based interventions and it showed that patients who were managed with evidence-based practice had reduced hospital stays, reduced hospital admissions and incurred lower costs (Whitehead, 2011). Palliative care for these patients was managed according to their symptoms and preferences. Therefore, use evidence based practice in the care of patients on end-of-life care will significantly reduce or prevent their

Tourism the best seven countries to visit Essay

Tourism the best seven countries to visit - Essay Example Travelling to different parts of the world has its own pleasures and uses; it is quite a great recreational activity. One gets to learn plenty from the different cultures, places, and people one visits and comes across. I have short listed seven countries that I find interesting, places that I have visited and places which I would like to go to in the future. Each of them has their own geographical features that distinguishes them from other countries. The countries’ statistics that I shall be mentioning later include the capital cities, the historic places, the geographical map, the currency in use and other notable features. Qatar The country which tops the list is where I am originally from. Qatar is an amazing place, particularly during the months of November to April. This is when the scorching temperature lowers down and the weather becomes pleasant and cool, the level of humidity falls and there is even a little rainfall. It is, I think, better for the families to visit this country due to the country’s strict laws regarding how men and women are supposed to act in public. So it would not quite suit a couple, particularly those who are big on public displays of affection. Once there, the visitor should make sure to change their money to the local currency which is the Qatari Riyal. The country is famous for its shopping malls, which are relatively expensive places such as Al Khor Mall, Lagoona Mall and Safari Hypermarket. Other places to visit are: The Kingdom of Aladdin, The Zoo, Al Rumaila Park, Dahl El-Hamam Public Park, Khor Al Udaid Beach, Al Jassasiya, Oryx Farm, Water Sports and Cruises, Desert Safari. Travelling to these places, one may need to hire cars or get a cab or use a bus. (Orr, 2008) Thailand Another country worth checking out is Thailand, the place I visited last summer, which I was told is the hottest time of the year. Those who would rather not be vacationing in such heat should book the tickets for the months of Novembe r to February when the weather is relatively cooler. You can go to this country with your family or your partner. It has enough attractions for both, some of them being Koh Samuei, Hua Hin, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Pai and also Ko Tarutao, Ayuthaya, Ko Chang, Similan Islands. Shopping zones include Siam Paragon, Central Chidlom, Platinum Fashion Mall Prince Palace, Natural Ville and Sivatel Bangkok. Then, of course, there are the beaches Thailand is famous for. These can be reached through various modes of transport from motorbikes, bicycles, tuk-tuks to bamboo rafts. What is notable is that the prices are relatively affordable in comparison to the European countries; the currency used is Thai Baht. (Boraas & Tracey, 2002) India Another Asian country is India, which I would like to visit between the months of October to March since it would be cooler then. It is purely suited for family outings since the culture is Eastern and there are certain behaviorisms to be followed. But i t does not mean that one cannot enjoy the visit, this country does have a lot to offer like the shopping zones such as Dil Hatt, Chandi Chowk, Connaught Place, Hauz Khas and Atria Millennium Mall. Other places to see are: the Taj Mahal in Agra, the various temples, the India Gate, the forts in Jaipur, even the beaches in Goa in particular and Mysore. The currency is the Indian Rupee and its low value makes spending time in the country very cheap. One can go around the place in railways, rickshaws or taxis and even cars. (Singh, 2009) United States of America Everyone is familiar with this country which is so vast that one can visit this place at any time of the year, but September is the month most preferred. Again, a trip to the USA is suitable for both: family as well as couples. There are many tourist attractions, again, most of which we all are already aware of, some being the historic places, the Statue of Liberty, the Niagara Falls, the casinos in Las Vegas, etc. Some of the s hopping zones

Psy240 Final Analyzing Psychological Disorders Essay Example for Free

Psy240 Final Analyzing Psychological Disorders Essay You are interviewing for a psychologist position with a top company. After your face-to-face interview with the team, they have provided you with two additional assignments—Part A and Part B below, which will complete the interview process: * Part A: A psychologist understands how biology can affect psychological activities and disorders. In your interview, you are asked about your understanding of the causes and treatment(s) of schizophrenia. In your reply, discuss the following: * Areas of the brain affected * Causal factors * Associated symptoms * The neural basis * Appropriate drug therapies * Part B: Part B of the interview consists of interpreting some case studies from a biopsychologist’s perspective. You are given four different case studies of disorders and have the option of choosing two out of the four case studies to analyze. * Write a 1,750- to 2,100-word paper in APA format containing the following: * Introduction * Part A of the interview process. * Part B of the interview process: * Choose two of the four case studies presented in Appendix A. * Discuss your understanding of the problem presented in each of the two case studies from the perspective of a biopsychologist. * Include each problem’s relation to the nature-nurture issue and any relevant portions of the Basics to Biopsychology text. * Use a minimum of five outside resources, including at least 3 peer-reviewed articles. * Apply any helpful drug interventions or solutions. * Discuss the positive or negative aspects of these drug interventions or solutions and * Conclusion

Segregation Of Public Schools Effects On Student Achievement Education Essay

Segregation Of Public Schools Effects On Student Achievement Education Essay School systems across the U.S. are voluntarily segregating their schools and schools may be more segregated today than they were at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. There is overwhelming evidence that segregation is a toxic social issue that serves to fortify discriminatory viewpoints and attitudes that negatively affect particular populations of people and innately puts Black and Latino students at a disadvantage, weakening facets of social capital in these students neighborhoods and further widening the life-long achievement gap between these students and their White counterparts. Black students continue to score lower than White students on standardized tests are underrepresented in institutions of higher learning and achieve overwhelmingly lower rates of wealth. This research will evaluate the affect of racial segregation on student academic achievement, which for purpose of this research will include standardized testing performance as well as attributes of social mobility, in order to identify the best model for U.S. school systems that fosters equity in access to resources and high student achievement. In the present paper, several case studies that investigate the learning outcomes and academic achievement in segregated schools are evaluated. From review of these case studies a hypothesis can be formed that states that racial segregation is detrimental to non-white students, particularly Blacks and Latinos. The following literature reviews demonstrate and support this hypothesis. The studies conclude that students who attend primarily minority schools are not as well prepared for post-secondary education and that this achievement gap is directly related to the degree to which they experienced segregation. The research also shows that all student benefit from diversity in their school setting; White students are also disadvantaged by re-segregation of schools. Review of Literature In a research article by Jones-Sanpei (2009), the research first identifies specific overarching goals of public education. The goals of education that this study evaluated are individual outcomes (academic achievement and job readiness) community outcomes (parental empowerment and social capital networks) and, individual social outcomes, such as future political engagement, social skills, and civic skills. Secondly the Jones-Sanpei research discussed the theory and research surrounding social capital and used data from five southern school districts and matching data from the 2000 Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey (SCCBS), (7) to examine the relationship between community social capital and segregated public schools. The study concluded by speculating about the potential effect of re-segregating public schools on both community and individual social capital. The Jones-Sanpei study stated that several factors promote student individual academic outcomes, which are usually measured by standardized exam scores. According to Jones-Sanpei (2009), student individual academic outcomes rely heavily on teacher attributes, pedagogical philosophy (teaching styles), and school structure. The study also takes into consideration school-mixed factors (community measures) such as parental involvement, curriculum funding, equity issues and community involvement, deemphasizing the practice of using solely standardized testing models to quantify students learning outcomes and student potential future competitiveness. The literature further legitimizes the importance of community measures as important outcomes of public education. Specific forms of social capital that may be fostered by public education include obligations and expectations among a network of individuals, information channels, and social norms. Social capital enables community members to tru st one another, establish business and political organizations, and to be involved in public education. Interactions through the public school medium have the potential to increase the general social capital of a community. (Jones-Sanpei, 2009). The Jones-Sanpei study looked at two large southern school districts from 1992/1998 through 2005. The six school districts included in this analysis all had between 50,000 and 125,000 students in the 2005-2006 school-year. Additional community measures included the percent of each racial group in the community; mean community education, mean community income, and population density based on 1990 Census data. Community social capital measures tested by the study were interracial friendships, informal socializing and social trust. To test the hypothesis that communities with segregated public schools have lower community social capital, the study used t-tests, then used logistic regression to examine which social capital measures contributed to the interracial friendship measure. The findings of the study were that residents of communities with higher levels of school district segregation reported significantly lower levels of general social trust while communities with less segregated school districts reported significantly more social trust. Furthermore, respondents with higher general social trust were twenty-nine percent more likely to report having interracial friendships than respondents who reported lower general social trust. The findings support the hypothesis that segregated schools put children at a disadvantage for competing with their peers who will later have to work in a diverse society. It may be that community social capital influences local school district policymaking with respect to racial integration or that district segregation influences community social capital. In conclusion, there seems to be a relationship between district segregation and community indicators of social capital. ( Jones-Sanpei, 2009) The (Goldsmith, 2009) study of the affect of re-segregation of public schools focused on the long-term effects of this segregated schooling on achievement levels of Black and Latino students. The study used longitudinal data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 which surveyed a sample of eight graders from across the U.S. in the spring of 1988. Students were resurveyed in 1990, 1992, 1994 and 2000. The NELS:88 data is relevant research about educational processes and outcome which include student learning, predictors of dropping out and effects on students access to equal education. Studying the minority-concentration and educational-attainment relationship is important because racial  segregation results  in  blacks and Latinos attending  schools  and living in neighborhoods with higher proportions of minorities than whites. (Goldsmith, 2009, 4) This study hypothesized that segregation perpetuates racial inequality and that the percentage of black or Lati no in a neighborhood negatively affects individuals educational achievement. The focus of ( Goldsmith, 2009) was the circumstances surrounding segregated schools, and possible causes of the segregation. This research summarized findings of previous studies and found that The racial segregation of neighborhoods is principally responsible for the racial segregation of schools (Goldsmith, 2009, p10).that show that schools that attempted to change from white, segregated schools to integrated schools had high rates of teachers and staff who reported that they did not receive adequate training to teach in integrated settings. Goldsmith also concluded that schools of segregated populations of Black and Latino students were less likely to graduate from high school and attain a bachelors degree than students in predominantly white schools. Empirical data from previous studies was analyzed the correlation between segregated neighborhoods, segregated schools and educational outcomes. This research supports earlier discussed hypotheses of segregations affect on individua l achievement and community social capital by analyzing the validity of the perpetuation theory. This theory maintains that Blacks and Latinos who experience segregation in schools and their communities continue to be segregated in other social institutions over the course of their lives fail to develop networks with whites or the knowledge for developing these networks. These networks are important because they carry high-status knowledge, for example, about college admission procedures. An inability to form social ties with whites and to access information in white networks reduces the life chances of blacks and Latinos well after adolescence. (Goldsmith, 2009, p10). Goldsmith, 2009 also presents reason for future research to study schools in predominantly minority neighborhoods as it would provide valuable data on effects of segregation on student achievement. The method for this research included NELS data as stated before as well as an analysis of students residential zip code areas retrieved from eth 1990 and 1992 census reports. The research conducted by (Austin, A M, 2008) clearly lays out data for the correlation between segregated schools and achievement on non-white students. The weight of the findings in this study further legitimize the importance of the two previous studies discussion of the long-term, quality of life disparities caused by the lack-luster community social capital of students in segregated schools and segregated neighborhoods. The main focus of this research was to compare the grade point averages of white male and female students to the grade point averages of male and female minority students. The students high school GPAs are then used a measure to project future college achievement by race. This research also supports the research presented by the NELS, clearly stating that racial segregation in schools across the U.S. directly affects minority students ability to compete in institutions of higher learning and eventually in the job market. (Austin, A M, 2008) found that the gap between white and minority students is about 11.2% of the average GPA. This study also looked at the effect of different environmental factors faced by minority students, specifically their segregation in early years of schooling, to explain the academic performance gap that existed once they reached the post-secondary level. Like previously reviewed studies, this study sound that minority students tend to live in segregated neighborhoods and attend segregated schools. This fact put minority students at a grave disadvantage at the post-secondary education level. For the research, student performance was tracked over a period of 6 years of 1331 public school students from the State of Georgia who enter the University of West Georgia in the Fall semester of 2001. Of the 1331 students in the study, 60% are female, 75.1% are white, 20.4% are black and the remaining students are Asian (1.1%), Hispanic (1.4%), Native American (0.4%) and multi-racial ( 1.7%). The average high school GPA is 3.01, and the average SAT scores are 502 for the verbal test, and 497 for the math. The study by (Massey, 2006) reported that 2/3 of African American lived under conditions of high racial segregation, and that 2/3 of all African Americans attended minority dominant schools. Masseys study focused on the academic achievement of 3924 students entering 28 selective universities in the Fall semester of 1999. He surveys these freshmen and assembles a data set on social conditions in neighborhoods and high schools and finds that minority students from segregated backgrounds attended substandard schools, received lower quality instruction, were exposed to higher levels of disorder and violence, and were less prepared socially for campus life. (Massey, 2006, 6) By looking at the reported performance of these students over their first three semesters in college, Massey concluded that segregation has a significant impact on student achievement. He estimated that going from total integration to total segregation would lower GPAs by about 0.13, and that taking segregated backgro unds into account reduces the performance gap, but doesnt completely eliminate it. He also predicts that, because his data is from highly selective schools, in general the effect will be worse. The study by (Condron, 2009) found that the number one cause of the achievement gap between minority students and white students is racial segregation in the schools. This study cited the social and economic stratification (social capital) between black and white Americans as a barrier to student achievement in schools and later as adults. This research used 1st grade data from a longitudinal study of a pre-kindergarten cohort and found that segregated schools cause an elevated role in the academic achievement gap as well as in social class disparities. This studys approach to the research differed from most by looking at social class as it directly correlates with race as opposed to looking at race as a sole determining factor of socio-economic status. This approach allowed the researcher to take into account that children growing up in different positions in the stratification hierarchy have categorically unequal and qualitatively different (rather than continuously graded) life and educational experiences [and that] poverty involves distinct material hardships and environmental disadvantages that may stunt poor childrens cognitive development (Condron, 2009, p9). This research also went deeper into the school-level practices that attribute to student achievement gap more so than the other literature reviewed here. In addition to looking at social capital, which other studies also did, this study analyzed organizational processes, teacher attributes and resources at the schools, in relation to student body composition. This study found that racially segregated schools had poor administrative cohesion, poorly developed staff, and substandard resources for students. In conclusion, the research is clear that despite historic Supreme Court victories to desegregate U.S. public schools, the workforce may be integrated but our neighborhoods and schools are not. There needs to be more research done in the way of showing more qualitative data of the future overall individual achievement of minority students who attend predominantly minority schools, segregated from white students. This should be done so that that one of two things can take place. Either a de-segregation movement in education reform policy needs to be pushed through or schools that remain segregated need to be brought up to the same standards of predominantly white, high performing school. It has already been proven that this has a significant impact on students in two ways. The first solution may prove more favorable as research also provides evidence that a diverse school environment benefits both minority and white students alike. The study will seek to provide to answer these specific questions: What is the perspective of individual teachers of the effects of their students culture, class, and gender on their academic performance? How do students view their race and the race of their classmates as factors that affect their academic achievement and overall academic experience? How do students and teacher talk about racial inequality in their school? How does school segregation affect both white and non-white students? The proposed study will help bring awareness to these critical points. Methodology For my study I will use two New York City schools, both on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. One school is a charter school where of the 380 students, 43% are black, 29% are Hispanic, 1% are White and 1% are Asian (information for the ethnicities of the other 25% was not provided at time of this proposal). 100% of the students who attend this k-5 school qualify for free lunch based on government poverty guidelines. The math and reading scores are high, among the best in the city (http://insideschools.org/?fs=1280). The other schools, a pubic school under the department of education, demographics is such: of 336 students, 13% black, 36% Hispanic, 34%White, 13% Asian (http://insideschools.org/index12.php?fs=20). The math and reading scores at this school are less than stellar. I will select 15 respondents from each school for the interview; three students from each grade, grade 3 through 5, one Black, one White and one Asian. I will select two teachers from each grade level. Teachers i n both upper and lower elementary school will be chosen and their ethnicities will be mixed to mirror those of the students being interviewed. This will be done to ascertain whether there are common themes in regards to perspective of race and students achievement amongst the teachers in terms of their ethnic background. The teachers will be selected based on the test score of their students from previous years; teachers with high results for student achievement will be selected. Data will be collected through interviews and observations. The interviews will be open-ended. They will focus on biographical information, what populations they have the most experience teaching, what they felt contributed to their success and trends in academic achievement they notice among the students they have worked with. They will also be asked general questions about how they prepare themselves to be culturally aware, how they address diversity or multiculturalism in the classroom and how they communicate expectations to their students. A sample of interview questions for the teachers that will be used: 1. Tell me about yourself? (Where are you from, upbringing, culture, why you chose to be a teacherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) 2. Have you been to any professional development workshop about diversity in the classroom? 3. How do you think your background and/or teacher training influence how you interact with students? (Your rapport with the students, communication style, your ethnic background in comparison to your students) 4. Do you set high expectations in your classroom? Why? Why not? 5. Do your expectations change depending on the demographics of your class? A sample of interview questions for the students that will be used: 1. Do you spend time with kids who are different from you in school? How are they different? 2. What is it like to go to school with these kids? 3. Do you have friends that attend another school? What is it like for them? 4. Does your teacher set high expectations for you? 5. Is school difficult for you? Why or why not? 6. Do you ever feel that you are different from your classmates or teachers? How? The teachers will be observed and video taped for ten hours in the span of three months. During the observations the researchers will take specific notes in regards to the teachers behavior and interaction with students. Potential codes that may arise include: expectations, communication, empathy and rapport. The researchers will look at the data identify overarching themes that speak to the effects of the shift to re-segregation of public schools. The data will be studied to see how the experiences of students in racially diverse school settings differ from those in segregated school settings and how this experience may translate to differences in academic achievement and components of the social capital theory, specifically, obligations and expectations among a network of individuals, information channels, and social norms. The committee will also seek to see if there are common themes in regards to the teachers ethnicity and professional development in regard to their cultural sensitivity. They will look at how the perspectives and identity of the teachers reflects how they approach diversity in the classroom and how they transmit information about a variety of topics, and how they set expectations for their students depending on students race. Discussion This research will clearly show that re-segregation is a problem that needs to be taken under control. This research is not only concerned with academic achievement affected by segregation, but is also concerned with students and teachers experience and perspective of race in the school. The data collected will tell the story of what effect race has on a school community and the whole educational experience of students. I expect to find that in the charter school where students are segregated in that there is a very small percentage of white students and there is less of a mixed demographics, that teachers are under-prepared to teach in classrooms where their students race is different from their own. I also expect to find that these teachers have had little or no professional development for fostering cultural sensitivity in their classrooms. Most importantly, I expect to find that teachers expectations and perception of student achievement in the charter school will be inconsistent, and differ from those of teachers in the public school where there is a more diverse student population and that their attitudes will decrease the effectiveness of their classroom instruction, thereby hindering the academic achievement of their students. Another expected result of this research is that students of different races will have significantly different responses to the question of what their teachers expectations. I expect that while teachers may report that they have the same expectations for all of their students, interview responses from students may very well reveal that students are intuitive and sensitive to the differences in teacher expectation that may be communicated through subtle teacher behavior like how much they are encouraged to participate in class discussions compared to other students. Possible shortcomings of the methods in this proposed study are that this data collected in the manner previously stated does not provide true longitudinal data to track specific students experiences of racial integration or segregation and their resulting academic achievement beyond elementary school. A longitudinal study may follow this study in the future. Further considerations for methodology that may affect the outcomes of this study are the affect of overall student interracial experiences. Limitations to the proposed research methods are that no data will be collected that gives researchers information for what the out-of-school experiences for the students are; do they live in diverse neighborhoods or segregated communities? What are their parent interracial relationships and/or experiences that may inform them? In future research data may be collected on the degree to which students are segregated outside of school. To collect this data, student enrollment records would have to be collected, tracking the students by race and places of residence, which can be generally identified by area zip codes. The possible problem with collecting this data may be that some students actually live outside the neighborhood listed on records. This could affect the findings of this research by misrepresenting the correlation between in-school seg regation and neighborhood segregation that affect overall student segregation and academic performance. Another limitation of the interview method to collect data in this study is that students and teachers may answer as they feel they are expected to. This would make the data collected by interview about teacher rapport with students and expectations of students achievement inconsistent with data that may be collected through formal observations by researcher. As we see more school reforms that resemble business models and more charters, we also see more segregation. One possible implication of this research is that charter, which appear to contribute heavily to the re-segregation, will come under more stringent scrutiny and closer regulation. As for public schools that are a part of the board of education. Other possible implications of this research are that administrations will consider more professional development training for their teachers in eth way of preparing them to teach their diverse or non-diverse populations. As stated in the introduction of this proposal, one of the goals of public schooling is to produce critical thinkers who can function in what is becoming a more diverse global job market. Having said this, it is foreseeable that this research will be used to inform schools and educators to the extent to which they are meeting this requirement of public schooling or missing the mark. There sill also be a shift in the conversations that surround race in the school. Through the information gathered from the interview responses, teachers and administration will become aware of the disconnect between students experiences and teachers perception of students experiences.

Inherent and Instrumental Values in Ethics :: Happiness Life Papers

Inherent and Instrumental Values in Ethics The distinction between inherent and instrumental values in ethics could, in my view, be said to represent a contemporary version of both the eudaimonistic distinction between virtues as instruments and forms of happiness as the goals or ends to be achieved through these instruments, and of the deontological distinction between duties and the summum bonum to be, at least ultimately or in an afterlife, achieved through them. The paper identifies and explores what appears to be a threefold relationship between inherent and instrumental values. First, their mutual inseparability is found to be based in the very concept of instrumentality. Second, their parallelism in the relevant respects is seen also to be rooted in their instrumental relation. Third, and very significant, the inherent and instrumental values are discovered to be reversible so that what were inherent values can often become instrumental and vice-versa. Finally, and most importantly, the value and richness of human life is perceived to be nothing else than the function of the richness in values in ethics as well as in other spheres of human life. I. Introduction John Dewey holds the value concept as controversial since a survey of the current literature of the subject discloses that views on the subject range from the belief, at one extreme, that so-called 'values' are but emotional epithets or mere ejaculations, to the belief, at the other extreme, that a priori necessary standardized, rational values are the principles upon which art, science, and morals depend for their validity. And between these two conceptions lies a number of intermediate views. (1) One intermediate view says that values in general are things, beliefs, actions, emotions, and attitudes which are found acceptable, desirable, and even praiseworthy to the individual, to society, or to both of them. (2) We find as many different kinds of values as there are different areas of human life-intellectual, emotional, aesthetic, religious, moral, political, economic, etc. The distinction between inherent and instrumental values applies equally to each one of these fields. This ch apter, however, will limit itself to the inquiry into the nature and relationship of the inherent and instrumental values in the field of morality with only an occasional excursus into other fields. To indicate the meaning of these two kinds of values we could begin by saying that the inherent values are, roughly speaking, the desired results achieved through the operation of the instrumental values. Inherent and Instrumental Values in Ethics :: Happiness Life Papers Inherent and Instrumental Values in Ethics The distinction between inherent and instrumental values in ethics could, in my view, be said to represent a contemporary version of both the eudaimonistic distinction between virtues as instruments and forms of happiness as the goals or ends to be achieved through these instruments, and of the deontological distinction between duties and the summum bonum to be, at least ultimately or in an afterlife, achieved through them. The paper identifies and explores what appears to be a threefold relationship between inherent and instrumental values. First, their mutual inseparability is found to be based in the very concept of instrumentality. Second, their parallelism in the relevant respects is seen also to be rooted in their instrumental relation. Third, and very significant, the inherent and instrumental values are discovered to be reversible so that what were inherent values can often become instrumental and vice-versa. Finally, and most importantly, the value and richness of human life is perceived to be nothing else than the function of the richness in values in ethics as well as in other spheres of human life. I. Introduction John Dewey holds the value concept as controversial since a survey of the current literature of the subject discloses that views on the subject range from the belief, at one extreme, that so-called 'values' are but emotional epithets or mere ejaculations, to the belief, at the other extreme, that a priori necessary standardized, rational values are the principles upon which art, science, and morals depend for their validity. And between these two conceptions lies a number of intermediate views. (1) One intermediate view says that values in general are things, beliefs, actions, emotions, and attitudes which are found acceptable, desirable, and even praiseworthy to the individual, to society, or to both of them. (2) We find as many different kinds of values as there are different areas of human life-intellectual, emotional, aesthetic, religious, moral, political, economic, etc. The distinction between inherent and instrumental values applies equally to each one of these fields. This ch apter, however, will limit itself to the inquiry into the nature and relationship of the inherent and instrumental values in the field of morality with only an occasional excursus into other fields. To indicate the meaning of these two kinds of values we could begin by saying that the inherent values are, roughly speaking, the desired results achieved through the operation of the instrumental values.

The Character of Yolanda Garcia in How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Acce

The Character of Yolanda Garcia in How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents and !Yo!  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Julia Alvarez develops the character of Yolanda Garcia in some different and similar ways in her two books How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents and its sequel !Yo!. The reasons for the differences in the two characterizations of Yolanda is that there is almost no continuity concerning her character in the two books-meaning that all the specific details of Yolanda's life given to the reader in the first book are different (not continued nor elaborated upon) in the sequel. It was almost like reading about two different characters that just happened to have the same family and happen to have immigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic. For example, in the first book Yolanda goes to graduate school, becomes a teacher, and only shows interest in writing poetry. She also marries a man named John after having fallen in love with a young man named Rudy in college. In the second book Yolanda does not go to graduate school, in fact, she almost does not get her b achelor's degree because she elopes with a young man named Darryl Dubois. She does become a teacher, but she publishes mainly prose-short stories and novels-not poetry. Whereas, the similarity in the two different characterizations of Yolanda is that she is definitely assimilated to American culture, yet her Old World values and lifestyle also influence her.    In both books it is clear that Yolanda has successfully assimilated to American culture. Unlike her parents-first generation immigrants-who never gain a complete mastery of the English language, Yolanda masters the language and excels in school. In the second book, one of her college professors has the f... ...Old World roots and that its traditional values still have a significant impact on her. Yolanda must continually reconnect with her Old World roots to fulfill her destiny of passing on her family's heritage/story to future generations.    Works Cited Primary Sources Alvarez, Julia. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents. New York: Plume, 1991. - - - . !Yo!. New York: Plume, 1997. Secondary Sources Alvarez, Julia. Something to Declare: Essays. New York: Plume, 1998. Barak, Julie. "'Turning and Turning in the Widening Gyre': A Second Coming into Language in Julia Alvarez's How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents," MELUS Spring (1998), http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m2278/1_23/53501904/print.jhtml. Accessed 04/07/2001. The Author Project. "Julia Alvarez." http://ahs.aps.edu/authorproject/juliaalvarez.html. Accessed 04/07/2001.   

Gun Control Laws Take Guns Away from Law-abiding Citizens Essay

Gun control is a very big issue in the United States today. Many people don't agree with the gun control laws that they have today. Gun control laws only take guns away from law-abiding citizens. Many people have their own reasons for owning a gun. Why would the government want to make it harder for people to own a gun? People that own guns are not very likely to be attacked by criminals. Owning a handgun is one of the best ways of protection. The second amendment states "the right to bear arms" does this grant everyone a right to own a gun? Gun control laws have not been proven to do anything for citizens. Gun control laws just make it harder for a good guy to own a gun. Gun control laws are not a good idea. Gun control only takes guns away from law- abiding citizens and it does nothing to stop criminals from buying illegal guns, who are unlikely to obey the law and register their guns (Long 45). In many cases the term gun control is improperly used. The definition of gun control is; government regulation of possession and use of firearms by private citizens (Zimring 23). The government is using it as way to take our right to bear arms. There are many reasons that people want to own a gun. One of the main reasons that people own a gun is protection. In a survey given about guns, " self defense" was the primary reason for owning a gun (Nisbet 114). Guns provide a great source of psychological reassurance even among citizens who are not especially concerned about the fear of crime of being victimized (Long 53). The right of self-defense and the right to use firearms for defense of self and family are the cornerstone of individual rights enumerated in the U.S. constitution (Nisbet 89). Why does the government ... ...r when they own a gun. The second amendment clearly states "the right to bear arms" doesn't let the government try to change that. Don't let gun control laws fool the public, because they have not been proven to reduce crime at all. So go out and buy a gun before that right is taken away. Eventually guns might just be a thing of the past. So practice your right to protect your country and vote against gun control any time that you can. Work Cited Page Long, Robert. Gun Control. New York: H.W. Wilson co, 1989. Nisbet, Lee. The Gun Control Debate: You Decide. New York: Prometheus, 1990 Zimring, Franklin E. and Gordon Hawkins. The Citizens Guide to Gun Control. New York: Macmillan, 1987 Zimring, Franklin E. "Gun Control" The World Book Encyclopedia. 1995 ed. Media WatchÂâ€"June 1997 "Gun Rights Forces Outgunned on T.V." 23, April 1999

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 5

Micha There she is, the girl I used to know. It's visible in her green eyes that she's getting turned on. She was always weird like that, the speed, the danger always got her own engine burning. Then I have to slow down and all the fire dissolves. She puts on her seatbelt and mutters something about the Ella I know being gone forever, but I'm calling her out. I have big plans to bring my best friend back, whether she likes it or not. She's wearing a short skirt and tank top that's tight enough to show off her curves. It's driving me crazy that I can't touch her. â€Å"What happened to the turnout?† she asks as we drive by the spot we use to park at during small town cruising. â€Å"It looks like you can't even take the road up to the cove anymore.† â€Å"You can if you walk or have four-wheel drive and ramp the hill.† The turnout is blocked off by a large fence so that no cars can reach the dirt road that leads to a secluded area near the lake. â€Å"They blocked it off after they busted a bunch of people for drug and alcohol possession.† â€Å"Anyone I know?† she inquires, feigning indifference. I thrum my fingers on top of the steering wheel. â€Å"Yeah, you're sitting next to one of them. But mine was only for alcohol.† Her friend gasps in the backseat and I catch Ella secretly rolling her eyes. â€Å"What'd you get?† she asks nonchalantly. â€Å"Probation and anger management classes.† I return her indifference. Her head turns toward me. â€Å"Anger management classes?† â€Å"I also punched Grantford Davis in the face,† I explain. â€Å"Pretty hard. Broke his nose and everything.† Her friend gasps again and I wonder how Ella could be friends with her. She seems like a naive princess. Ella studies me acutely with her beautiful eyes that always give away what she's really thinking. â€Å"Why did you punch him?† â€Å"I think you know why.† I carry her gaze forcefully. â€Å"I asked him to drive me to the bridge, Micha,† she says it like it strangles her. â€Å"It wasn't his fault. He was just doing it as a favor.† â€Å"He should have never left you there alone.† I flip the blinker on, making a turn down a dirt road that leads into a field of tall, dry grass. â€Å"Not in that condition. You could barely think straight. In fact, do you even remember anything about that night?† She fiddles with a band of bracelets on her wrists. â€Å"I'm not sure.† â€Å"Are you not sure?† I accuse. â€Å"Or do you not want to admit it?† She starts to open her mouth, but then clamps her lips shut, and turns toward the window, dismissing me and the conversation. Ella The night I went to the bridge, I had been in a weird funk the entire day. My mom died a few weeks earlier and I couldn't seem to get rid of this vile feeling in my chest and I wanted it to go away. Badly. So I took drastic measures and decided to walk in my mother's footsteps for a night. My mom wasn't awful. She had her good moments, but had a lot of bad ones too. When she was up, she was great – a lot of fun. At least that's what I thought when I was young. However, when I got older, there was a painful realization that it wasn't normal to go on huge shopping sprees, take off in the middle of the night for a road trip, pretend she could fly†¦ But the night on the bridge wasn't the worst night I'd ever experienced. It was just the last push to my rapid decline toward the loss of control over my life. â€Å"Ella, where are you?† Micha's voice snaps me out of my own head. â€Å"You were dazing off on me there.† We're parked in front of Grady's single-wide trailer located in a field, near a junkyard and an abandoned apartment complex. I unbuckle my seatbelt, climb out of the car, and flip the seat forward to let Lila out. â€Å"No thanks.† She shakes her head, cowering back in the seat. â€Å"I think I'll wait in here.† â€Å"You're much safer inside.† Micha points to a crumbling shack in the middle of the field. â€Å"That's a crack house over there and trust me, if they see you sitting in here, by yourself, they're going to come over and harass you.† Micha's messing with her, but I let him be because this place isn't that safe of a spot. Her face pinches and she scrambles out of the car. â€Å"Who is this person's house we're at? It's not a drug dealer, is it?† â€Å"No, it's just an old friend.† I trade a secret glance with Micha and feelings rush through me like the sun and the wind. Grady was once Micha's stepfather. His mother and Grady were married for a few years and most of our happy childhood memories consist of him, camping, fishing, working on cars. Between the ages of eight and nine life was solid, not broken to pieces. I meet Micha around the front of the car and when he takes my hand, I don't object. Being here is like traveling through time and it hurts to know that the man who showed me that life can be good is dying. Lila tugs the bottom of her dress down self-consciously. â€Å"Are you sure I'm okay going in here?† â€Å"Relax,† I tell her as we reach the rickety front porch. â€Å"Grady is a good guy, he just likes living an unmaterialistic lifestyle. He chooses to live in a place like this.† She forces a tense smile. â€Å"Alright, I'm relaxing.† Micha squeezes my hand and then knocks on the door. A few knocks later and we let ourselves in. It's like I remember, and it makes me smile because it's comforting. Grady was a big traveler when he was younger and his walls map his destinations; petite nesting dolls from his trip to Russia on a small bookshelf, a painted Bokota mask from Africa hooked to the wall, a large hookah from Nepal sitting on a small fold up table. It overwhelms me and tugs at my memories. The trailer is small with a narrow kitchen connected to a boxed in living room and the three of us nearly fill up the space. Micha slides his hand up my arm and draws me to him. â€Å"Are you going to be okay?† I nod, forcing the tears away. Micha kisses my temple and I don't retreat this time, allowing myself one small moment. â€Å"It'll be okay,† Micha says. â€Å"And I'm here for you.† Time's up. â€Å"Where is he?† I take a deep breath, move away from Micha, and smother the old Ella away. He points over my shoulder. I turn around and my heart drops to my stomach. The medium build, tall man, with bright blue eyes and a head full of hair, has shifted into a frail, skeletal figure, with sunken eyes and his head shaved. His plaid jacket drowns his body and the belt around his jeans has holes added to it. I hesitate to hug him. â€Å"How are you? Are you okay?† â€Å"I'm always okay. You know that. Not even a little cancer can bring me down.† He smiles and it's just as bright as it was. Using his cane, he hobbles toward me. I meet him halfway, in front of the tattered leather recliner and give him a gentle hug, afraid I might break him. â€Å"How have you been, my little Ella May?† He steps back to take a look at me. â€Å"You look different.† I self-consciously touch my hair. â€Å"I changed my looks a little. Thought I could use a change or two.† He shakes his head contemplatively. â€Å"No, it's not that. There's something else. You seem sad.† â€Å"I'm fine,† I deny and not very well. â€Å"I feel great.† He offers me a tolerant smile. â€Å"You've never been a good liar, you know that. I always knew it was you who broke the vase.† From behind me, Micha nods concurring. â€Å"It's her eyes. They show way too much. Although she thinks differently.† â€Å"If you knew I broke the vase,† I say, â€Å"then why didn't you call me out on it?† Grady laughs and exchanges a look with Micha. â€Å"Because the elaborate story you made up won my heart over, I guess. Besides, it was just a vase.† The tension resolves, except with Lila who looks like she doesn't know what to do with herself. She dawdles near the door, fidgeting with her watch and her hair as she glances around the snug trailer. â€Å"Grady, this is Lila,† I introduce, motioning her to come closer. â€Å"She was my college roommate.† Lila steps forward and gives him a small wave. â€Å"It's nice to meet you.† â€Å"Same here.† Grady nods his head welcomingly and then arches his eyebrows at me. â€Å"So college? That's where you ran off to.† â€Å"I'm sorry I didn't tell you when I called,† I apologize. â€Å"I just needed a break. From everything.† â€Å"I'm not going to lie and say it didn't hurt a little.† He rests his weight on the cane, and his arms and legs look too thin to be moving. â€Å"You're like a daughter to me and I thought you trusted me enough to come to me if you were going through something.† His eyes dart to Micha and I wonder if he's told Grady about that night eight months ago on the bridge. â€Å"I need to make a phone call.† Micha holds up his phone as he backs for the door. â€Å"Lila, why don't you come outside with me?† Lila gladly obliges and the door swings shut behind them, rocking the house. Grady collapses into the recliner, sighing with relief. â€Å"We need to talk.† Preparing myself for a lecture, I drop into the concaved sofa across from him. â€Å"I'm in trouble, aren't I?† â€Å"Do you think you need to be in trouble?† He props his cane against the coffee table. I pull a throw pillow on my lap and slump back into the couch. â€Å"I don't know. It's hard to tell what's right and what's wrong anymore or what's up and what's down even.† He rocks in the recliner. â€Å"You've always had a good grasp on what's right and wrong. You just have a hard time admitting that sometimes you choose the wrong.† â€Å"I know that.† I gesture at myself. â€Å"That's why I changed into an Ella who doesn't do any wrong and who can keep control of her life.† â€Å"That's not what this is. This is you running from life and you can't control everything. Even if you want to.† His words send a chill through my spine. I pluck at a loose thread on the pillow. â€Å"Did Micha tell you about the night before I left†¦ did he tell you what happened – what I did?† He presses his cracked lips together. â€Å"He did.† â€Å"So then you understand why I ran away. If I don't change, then I'll turn out like her – I'll turn out just like my mother,† I admit aloud for the first time and a weight lifts from my chest, but falls right back on it, seeming ten times heavier. â€Å"I'll lose control.† He hunches forward with a sad expression on his exhausted face. â€Å"You know I knew your mother really well.† â€Å"But only because you always had to come fix everything after she had one of her episodes.† â€Å"Sweetie, you're not her. Your mother was sick – she had a mental illness.† â€Å"Bipolar Disorder is hereditary,† I say quietly. There is a higher chance that I have it just because she had it.† â€Å"But it doesn't mean you will.† With unsteady legs, he pushes up from the chair and sits down next to me on the sofa. â€Å"I think you're so afraid that you'll end up like your mom that you're hiding who you really are, but you can't control everything – no one can.† â€Å"But I can try,† I mutter and sit up, tossing the pillow off my lap. â€Å"You remember what I was like. All the crap I did. The stupid, irresponsible crap. I was a wreck waiting to happen and that night proved it. I almost†¦ I†¦ I almost killed myself.† â€Å"No, you didn't. I heard the story and you would have never gone through with it,† he says confidently. â€Å"You were just trying to sort through some stuff. You still are.† â€Å"No, I was going to do it,† I tell him, but it's a lie. â€Å"My mind may have been hindered, but I remember enough to know that when I climbed on top of that bridge, I was going to jump.† He shakes his head. â€Å"Then you don't remember what happened afterward with Micha.† â€Å"Yeah, I do.† I take a faltering breath. â€Å"I kissed him and then left him on the bridge. Then I went home, packed up my stuff, and ran away.† â€Å"No, something else happened that night.† His forehead scrunches. â€Å"Micha took you somewhere else. At least that's what he told me.† I scratch at my wrist, trying to recollect, but the events of that day are hazy. â€Å"I don't remember this at all.† â€Å"From what I understand you were out of it and pretty upset. Those two are not a good combination. Trust me, I've been there.† His fingers seek his cane. â€Å"Micha saved you from jumping, but there's more to it than that.† â€Å"When you say you've been there, what do you mean exactly?† â€Å"I mean, I've been at the place where it seems like the only way left is down.† I sift through his words. â€Å"You know, I came here to see if you're okay, and somehow all we've talked about is me.† â€Å"And that's exactly what I need,† he says. â€Å"I'm sick and tired of everyone wanting to talk about my death.† I open my mouth, but the front door squeaks open. I expect Micha, but a middle-aged woman in black sweat pants and a white t-shirt walks in. Her bleached hair is woven into a braid and she's carrying a large black bag. She grins at Grady as she shuts the door. â€Å"You're being bad again. You know you're not supposed to get out of bed.† Grady rolls his eyes, but his face lights up. â€Å"Yep, I've been bad. I guess you'll have to punish me.† I try to ignore their disturbing comments the best that I can, but it's ridiculously awkward. â€Å"Ella, this is Amy.† His serious demeanor alleviates as he says her name. I stand up from the couch to shake hands with Amy, noticing there's no ring on her finger. â€Å"Are you his nurse?† Grady starts to balance to his feet and she moves to help him, but he waves her off. â€Å"I got this. I'm not crippled yet. â€Å" She sighs and moves back. â€Å"Yes, I'm his nurse and I'm supposed to be taking care of him, but he's a stubborn man and refuses to let me do my job properly.† He growls and then chuckles. Using his cane, he heads toward the hall, his feet dragging along the orange shaggy carpet. â€Å"Ella, can you stop by tomorrow? I want to talk to you some more.† â€Å"Okay, I'll come back,† I promise as he vanishes down the hall. I turn to the nurse. â€Å"How bad is he?† She drops the bag on the counter and unzips it. â€Å"What did he tell you?† â€Å"That he has cancer,† I tell her as she takes out some baggies from the bag. â€Å"But that's all. He doesn't like to open up about himself.† Reaching into her bag, she extracts a handful of prescription bottles. â€Å"No, he doesn't, does he?† She shakes a bottle filled with clear liquid. â€Å"He has stage four bone cancer.† I nearly fall to the floor. â€Å"Stage four, but then that means that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It means that he has a hard, short road ahead of him,† she says frankly. â€Å"You're Ella Daniels, right? And your father is Raymond Daniels?† My fingers grasp the fabric of the recliner like it's a lifeline. â€Å"Yeah, why?† â€Å"No reason,† she says with a shrug. â€Å"Grady just talks about you sometimes.† â€Å"But you know my father,† I state warily. She zips up her bag and shuffles to the kitchen sink with the medication. â€Å"I was the nurse on call the night he was run over.† Because he was drunk out of his mind and decided to ride his bike in the middle of the highway. â€Å"So you take care of Grady, here at his home?† She turns on the faucet and fills up a glass of water. â€Å"I'm the home nurse he hired after he decided he didn't want to spend his last months in a hospital bed.† He only has months left? I need to regain control of the spiraling situation. I stumble for the door. â€Å"Tell Grady I'll see him tomorrow.† I trip down the steps and nearly eat dirt. Luckily Micha is at the bottom and he drops his phone to catch me. He steadies me to my feet, his fingers digging into my hips as he looks me over with concern. â€Å"Okay, what happened?† â€Å"He's dying,† I whisper, staring out at the dry field. â€Å"He's really dying.† â€Å"I know.† Micha holds onto me forcefully, the tips of his fingers touching my bare skin. â€Å"I told you this before we came over here.† My lungs restrict oxygen. â€Å"I thought when you said it†¦ well, I don't know what I thought, but not this.† I wave my hand at the door without looking at it. â€Å"Not a nurse. Not a few months left.† His hands move around to my back and he enfolds me against his chest. I rest my head against him, breathing in his comforting scent. I start to ask him what happened that night, but my fear of the truth shushes me. What if it's bad? What if it pushes me over the edge? â€Å"What do you want to do today?† he whispers. â€Å"You name it and it's done.† I pull away, blinking back the tears. My gaze travels to Lila sitting in the car, reapplying her lip gloss in the rearview mirror. â€Å"I have to take her to the shop and get her on the road.† Against my protest, Micha cups the back of my head, and lures me against him. â€Å"You could just ditch her.† I slap his arm. â€Å"Since when are you mean to girls?† â€Å"Since they keep complaining about the sheer drabness of the town,† he says in a mocking cheerleader voice. â€Å"And the bugs. It's ridiculous. Ten minutes out here with her and I want to lead her into the crack house over there and run.† â€Å"That's not a crack house and you know it.† I shake my head, forcing back a grin. â€Å"And I know you better than that. I'm sure you want to get in her pants.† He pauses, and then slowly his hand explores my back and sneaks to my ass. He grabs it, and bows my body into his, firing a heat deep inside my core and fumbling a moan from my lips. For a second, I forget where I am. â€Å"The only thing I want to get in is you,† he murmurs in my hair. I regain control and shove back. â€Å"Seriously? You're going to start this? Here of all places.† He swings a hand at the trailer. â€Å"Why not? Because of Grady? He'd be happy to finally see us together. He's been saying for years that you and I will end up together.† I cover my ears. â€Å"I can't listen to this.† In three long strides, he's in my face, nearly stepping on my toes. â€Å"You think that just because you left, it would change how I feel? Well, guess what? You're wrong. I can't help how I feel. I'm still in – â€Å" â€Å"Don't say it.† I point a finger at him. â€Å"Don't you dare, Micha Scott.† He holds up his hands, wide-eyed and derisive. â€Å"Oh, now I'm in trouble. You used my last name and everything.† I glance at the car, checking if Lila's eavesdropping, then whirl back and hiss, â€Å"You are in trouble. I've been back for less than a day and everything I've worked on concealing is falling apart because of you.† His aqua eyes are a fierce blue. â€Å"Good. You're fucking crazy if you think that you can run off and change your identity. This unfeeling, preppy girl thing you got going on,† he motions his hand at my tank top, white frilly skirt, and curly hair, â€Å"is nothing but bull shit. You can't just change who you are on the outside and expect it to change who you are on the inside.† Anger bubbles through me and I shove him. â€Å"You're wrong.† His boots scuff the dirt as he catches his balance and smiles haughtily. â€Å"Am I? Because right now that fire I love so much is burning pretty bright.† He reaches for my cheek, to touch me – entice me. â€Å"Micha, this is who I have to be otherwise I can't breathe. Please just leave it alone. That damn fire might exist, but I want it gone.† I spin my back to him, praying he'll listen to me for once, because if he keeps it up, sooner or later I won't be able to resist. But Micha has never backed down on a challenge in his life.

Future Is Unpredictable Essay

Many believe the future is far brighter and more promising than ever imagined as a result of change over time. Although this stands true, there is no method enabling us to accurately predict the future in terms of greatness or prosperity. Even so, it is essential to realize how brilliant the earth has become. As a result of the passing of time, lives have improved thanks to technology and medicine, which have helped create a brighter world. For example, years ago, a person risked death by being diagnosed with a disease such as strep throat. With lack of antibiotics and technology needed to cure diseases, lives were not as rich as they are today. With the vast abundance of medicines in existence today, strep throat can be easily cured. In the same way, cancer, which once left victims without hope, can now be cured with use of chemotherapy that exists as a result of modern technology. Lives have bettered because of the degree of change in the world that has led to the improvement and creation of medicines. The world continues to brighten each and every day; at this rate, the future may even hold a cure for diabetes. Fifty years ago, women and minorities did not even stand close to white men in terms of opportunity and prosperity. As a result of time, the world has come a long way with women and minorities now holding important business positions and succeeding in ways that were never imagined. In the days of Martin Luther King, an African American and white male would not even dare to enter the same building. Today, by looking inside a public building, one can see the degree of change on this earth that caused African Americans and whites to now work together in schools and businesses, which are more accepting than ever. Fifty years ago people would never imagine black women to become influential figures. Today, Oprah Winfrey, an African American woman, is loved and followed by millions of fans. The future is unpredictable, but this degree of change is more promising than ever. All in all, time has led to change that has created a brighter and more promising earth. Diseases that were once deadly are now easily cured. People that once faced extreme discrimination are now treated as equals. The world continues to change for the better, one day cures may will be found for diseases thought today to be deadly and groups such as gays may one day be fully accepted.

Tripadvisor

1. Why do consumers write reviews? Most users were pleased with their hotel or travel experience, so they wanted to share them to others. On the contrary, some write review because they aren’t satisfied with hotel’s service or facilities and feel disappointed. A few want to have a conversation or take it as a shortcut to reach management. In summary, consumers write reviews because they feel that it is useful to get advice from the website and want to exchange useful information and experience with others. 2. Why is Tripadvisor appealing to consumers?Tripadvisor displays detailed ,rich and relevant data for use by consumers in their travel planning. Tripadvisor can guarantee authenticity by examining all data entered to insure that no fraud data. A sophisticated algorithm is used to calculate the ranking taking into consideration the quantity, quality ,age of reviews and external data . So it provides unbiased information which win the trust of consumers. Potential cons umer can use this vast pool of data to help evaluate alternatives during the consumer decision making process.This â€Å"world of mouth† information is perceived as being more vivid, easier to use and more trustworthy than marketer-provided information. 3. How would you measure how â€Å"engaged† people are with Tripadvisor? Can you suggest some â€Å"actionable† metrics that Tripadvisor might be using in how it interacts with its user base? There are several measures can evaluate how people â€Å"engaged†: * Registration date * Log-in frequency * Numbers of reviews ,photos or videos posted * Update frequency of reviews, photos or videos. How long people remain activity status * Ranking of reviews or photos * Interactive with others on the forums * Average days each user spend on TA * Average time each user spend every log-in. 4. What do hotel owners and property managers feel about Tripadvisor? How does Tripadvisor manage to create the balance between co nsumers and hotel managers? 5. How does Tripadvisor monetize its UGC? How does it differ from many of the other UGC sites on the Internet (pick a few for comparison)? Tripadvisor use three main sources to monetize its UGC: Text links take users to hotels which could charge to TA on a cost-per-click basis. Once user click into the hotel link,the hotel should pay TA from $0. 25 to $1. * Display advertising on the basis of cost-per-thousand impression. That is showing advertising for thousand time then charge once. * â€Å"Business listing† service business owner to promote their TA listing by adding contact information or discount to consumer via coupons. There are many UGC website, some have the same profit model, some have different profit model.Take â€Å"secondlife † as example, its main business are virtual  community and games,its profib model are rental of virtual land, membership fee, Exchange fee of virtual goods. ect. One Chinese SNS website named â€Å"Kaix in†,its profit model are advertising,virtual money to buy game tools. 6. Why has Tripadvisor been so successful in hotel reviews? Why is it not known for restaurants even though it has user reviews on over half-a-million restaurants? 7. Can Tripadvisor replicate its success in China, vacation rentals and flights?If so, how would you prioritize them? So far, it is hard to say whether it is success in China or not. It has several challenges and competition is serious. * China is a huge potential market , but currently there are relatively small portion of population travel frequently, and most travel place are in China. International background is not the unique advantage. * Small portion people will choose online travel booking , most of them will rely on travel agency especially when they are going to travel abroad.When they travel in China,they are prefer to call the hotel for booking rather than online. As we know ,large amount of user are basis of UGC website. Without it, i t is hard to make profit. * There are more than 5 strong local competitors such as â€Å"qyer†,†mafengwo†in China market. These local competitors have the same business model with Tripadvisor but are more familiar with Chinese markets and Chinese travel habits So far ,these UGC travel website are all in the stage of attracting user to visit website and

My Memoirs Essay

I am Jack Merridrew, when I was younger I went to a cathedral school where I was head boy and chapter chorister. My choir and I were being evacuated from England because of the cold war. None of us knew where we were going, but wherever it was it would be safe. I thought it would be a great adventure but I was certainly proved wrong. This is how my adventure began. We were on the aeroplane, which was taking us to our new destination, when the lights began to flicker and the windows began to shake. The next thing I knew we had crashed. I woke up the next morning to find myself lying on a patch of grass with some of the choir boys. I was not injured but just a bit shocked at what had happened. I didn’t have a clue where we were but I knew I would survive somehow. The weather was excruciatingly hot and the air was very moist. I led my choir into the forest where we found lots of fruit. I used not to eat much fruit but I was so hungry I ate as much of it as my stomach would take. There was a stream where we were able to drink from, the water tasted so fresh, the freshest I’ve ever tasted. I heard a loud noise, I didn’t know exactly what it was but it sounded like a horn. My choir and I followed the noise, until we came to a platform, where there were lots of other boys. One of the boys was blowing a conch. I can remember ordering the choir to stand in line so that we looked presentable and authoritative. The boy with the conch introduced himself as Ralph and there was a fat boy with him, wearing rounded spectacles. Simon from my choir fainted like he usually did, because he was an epileptic. The other boys and I had discussed our situation and had established that there were no adults on the island, so I suggested that I should be chief because I was head boy. Ralph decided to have a vote on who should be leader. It should have been me, but they chose Ralph because of that ridiculous conch thing that he had. I was extremely furious and disappointed; Ralph said that my choir could be hunters and obviously I was leader of the hunters. Ralph suggested that we should explore where we were to make sure we were on an island. He told me the fat boy’s real name was Piggy. Piggy wanted to come with us. I laughed and told him to go back to the others. If Piggy had come with us he would have slowed us down. As we were exploring we heard a squealing noise. We ran to see what it was. A pig was tangled in some creepers. I pulled out my knife, ready to cut its throat. Something in me stopped me from killing the pig, maybe it was the thought of the knife going through the flesh or maybe it was because I was too innocent. I didn’t care what the reason was at the time. Ralph and Simon were looking at me I felt ashamed and angry, I vowed to myself that I would kill it next time. When we were certain that we were on an island, we agreed to build a signal fire on the top of the mountain so we could be rescued. When we were still down on the platform a littulin said that there was some kind of â€Å"beastie† on the island. I knew that he was just afraid because he was away from home. I wanted everyone to know that I was strong so I promised to kill the beast if I saw it. We managed to get loads of leaves and bits of wood for a fire; but we had no matches to light a fire. I snatched Piggy’s glasses and managed to shine the light through them causing a bit of smoke. I blew it a bit and it lit the leaves and sticks. In minutes the fire got out of control and it swept down the side of the mountain. After the fire some of the littulins had noticed the boy with the birth mark on his face was missing. We came to the conclusion that he was killed during the fire. I didn’t particularly care. It wasn’t at all my fault. The littulin should have been more careful. Hunting was becoming really tedious, as there was nothing to kill. I desperately needed meat; I was prepared to kill, to prove to the rest of the boys that I should be chief not Ralph. All Ralph cared about was making huts, sticking to the rules and getting rescued. I knew that we wouldn’t get rescued straight away; I just wanted to have fun and make the most of our time on the island without any adults. As time passed on the island my clothes got worn and ripped but I didn’t care. I was able to make paints for my face out of berries and mud; I spread it all over my face as camouflage to help me in the forest. It was my new identity. When we went hunting we found a pig, we chased it and killed it with our spears. I felt victorious and triumphant. The flesh and blood did not concern me at all; I just wanted the meat. We marched proudly back to the beach. Ralph didn’t even care that I had got some meat; he just cared about a ship that had gone past, and hadn’t seen us. It wasn’t my fault the signal fire had gone out, we had to go and hunt. The ship probably wouldn’t have seen the fire anyway. I don’t know why but I took my anger out on Piggy and his glasses got broken. As usual Ralph stuck up for Piggy like he always did. When we were roasting the pig I knew that Ralph was jealous that he hadn’t been part of the hunt, which is why he should have let me become chief because I was more fun then he. One day while I was on the beach a something fell from the air. We all thought it was a beast; I was even fooled at first. When Ralph, some other bigguns and I went to look for the beast, I didn’t really know what creature I was looking for. I went up to the top of the mountain alone. There was a huge bulge next to a boulder; I couldn’t make out what kind of creature it was. It was extremely dark; I went back up there with Roger and Ralph. It moved. For the first time I was actually scared. But I soon forgot about it because I wasn’t really bothered. After I got off the island I never found out what it was because when the investigation team went up to the mountain there was nothing there. While we were having a meeting on the platform, I wanted another vote for a new chief. I was surprised and ashamed when they still voted for Ralph. They should have chosen me. I went off on my own to think; I wasn’t surprised though when my hunters came to look for me. My hunters would rather be in a tribe with me than Ralph. I decided I would make a tribe of my own. Everybody knew I was the strongest on the island; I would be able to provide food. If I kept everyone scared they would join my tribe. I invited Ralph to a big feast that I was having, while two of my hunters went to steal fire from them. He did not realise my plan. It was to keep my friends close but my enemies closer. All the boys came to my feast because I could provide them with food. I asked people to join my tribe, nearly everyone joined, apart from Piggy and Ralph. When Simon crawled out of the forest and into our circle I did think for a second that it was a beast. But everyone including myself got carried away beating him as if he was the beast; I just couldn’t stop hitting him with my spear. It was like my body had been taken over by evil. I didn’t mean to kill him. The next day I decided to move my tribe to Castle Rock because it was more enclosed and Ralph wouldn’t be able to invade my location. We had no way of getting fire so we plotted together to go and steal Piggy’s glasses. When I got back from hunting the next day, I found Ralph at Castle Rock, we began to argue then started to fight. My tribe took Sam and Eric hostage so that Piggy and Ralph were now on their own. Ralph was still sticking up for Piggy. He told me to give back Piggy’s glasses but there was no way that I was going to give Piggy his glasses they were now mine. Whilst Piggy was standing in the entrance protesting about his glasses, Roger released a huge boulder. It came hurtling down the cliff and smashed Piggy’s skull in two. It didn’t bother me, I was so glad he was out of the way. Now I just needed to get rid of Ralph. I threw my spear down at him but missed. He got away and ran into the forest. I wanted Ralph dead. My tribe and I went into the forest to hunt him down. We burnt out his hiding place to smoke him out. Ralph ran through the forest and across the platform, he fell to the ground. This was my chance to kill him, to show him I could do what I wanted because I was strong and powerful. But as we looked up a naval officer looked down at us and said, â€Å"Have you been having a war or something?† That is when I knew my adventure was over. I was totally astonished. All the hatred in me went away. Suddenly I didn’t feel so powerful and strong, I felt small and weak like a littulin. When the officer asked who was boss Ralph said, â€Å"I am.† I don’t know why I didn’t say anything. Maybe it was because I was scared or maybe it was because I was never a real chief. We were put onto a ship, which took us back to England. The naval officers were surprised that three people had been killed. They were asking so many questions. I kept quiet; I didn’t want the officers to know I was one of the boys that caused most of the trouble on the island. After we were rescued, the war was over for a month. I was sent back home with the rest of the boys. I found it incredibly hard trying to settle back into a civilised society. I had been back at home for only a week when there was a letter in the post informing me of an inquest into Piggy and Simon’s deaths. I found it difficult to recollect what had happened. But when I thought about it more and more I remembered everything in fine detail. I kept thinking what if they find me guilty for Simon’s death? Would they send me to prison? Throughout the space of two weeks I was taken in and out of the police station to write many statements on the killings, which took place on the island. I did not see any of the boys again until we were up in court, I was found partly guilty for Simon’s death, and I was found guilty of conspiring to kill Piggy and also I was found guilty of attempting to kill Piggy. Most of the boys blamed me for the killings but Roger was also found guilty of killing Piggy. I do not know what happened to the rest of the boys, but I do know that Ralph was let off with just community service. I am writing my memoirs from Celeron detention centre, while serving two life sentences. If I ever get out of here I will visit Ralph and show him the sufferings of solitary confinement. He was also to blame for Simon’s death, why should he be let off? I now realise that when I was on the island, camouflaging my face with paint had hidden my true identity, which led me to do many things I wouldn’t usually have done. The society we had been in on the island was very different, we were all out of control and there was no one there to stop us. I now realise that killing isn’t a game; I saw it as a game because it mitigated the brutality of what I was really doing. The only problem is, I realised it too late. I lost control of my actions and now I have to pay for them. However, I do not regret conspiring to kill Ralph because he is someone I truly hate and I always will. I should have been chief!