Beowulf and Hercules

Beowulf and Hercules Beowulf and Hercules are both extremely heroic characters with tons of characteristics that make them that seem that way. Both Hercules and Beowulf are very well known heroes that have had stories told about them for hundreds and hundreds of years. They both have similarities and differences but the similarities definitely outweigh the differences.Beowulf and Hercules similarities are so much alike they are pretty much the same character in different stories. Both Beowulf and Hercules are great warriors that wanted nothing more than to help and protect the people they knew, one example that shows this is how Beowulf was called â€Å"the mighty protector of men† (Part one, section two). They both killed the same type of mythical creatures in their stories. â€Å"I give thanks that I behold all of this treasure in front of me. (Part two, section nine)- This shows how generous of a person the character is and Hercules is just the same. â€Å"A word so massi ve no ordinary man could lift, he drew it from its scabbard† (Part one, section two) shows the similarities between both Hercules and Beowulf in that they used the same basic weapon and not anything fancy, just their hands and sword. There are very few differences between these characters. One is that Hercules is known as a God and Beowulf is only just a king.Another difference between the two is that Beowulf is a mortal that can possibly die in battle and Hercules is an immortal that is pretty much impossible to kill. As you can see both Hercules and Beowulf are two great heroes that are very protective over the people. They are so powerful they can kill magnificent creatures with just their bare hand or a sword. To are both two of the greatest heroes known to literature today.

Phenomenal Woman Essay

A phenomenal woman, according to both Maya Angelou and Virginia Woolf, is a female who knows herself well. The phenomenal woman is honest and could even be proud enough to show the world who she really is. Both authors have given very beautiful ways to describe the phenomenal woman. Angelou describes her as self-confident, honest, sincere, mysterious, and silent although her own curves can be alluring. Knowing her capabilities as a woman makes her very attractive to men despite most people’s conventional idea that beautiful women are physically well-endowed. Woolf on the other hand, shows a more timid side of the phenomenal woman by introducing the character of the Angel of the House. She says that this angel is what most women project to the public. She is practical, sympathetic, charming, always willing to make sacrifices for her household, pure in mind and in heart but unfortunately does not have a mind of her own. The angel would rather lie to get a society’s approval to attain the success she wants. To transcend to become phenomenal, the Angel of the House must perish and give way to an honest individual who does not need to hide behind the image of a man. The phenomenal woman is brave enough to liberate herself from the domestic concepts of society. Why is it phenomenal for a woman to be herself in society? This is because the world has imposed so many expectations and has stereotyped women as the weaker of the genders. Men are allowed to be who they are. They can even write about the physical romantic reactions of people bluntly. However, it is hard for a woman to express herself as frankly because society demands her to be submissive and docile. It takes so much courage for a woman to say what and how she feels even about the basic things that are common to man and woman (example: sex). The mere effort to express one’s self about any aspect of the world is what makes a woman phenomenal. I believe that Virginia Woolf’s description of a woman is closer to my own image of what a phenomenal lady really is. Woolf was able to show the problems that most women encounter daily. Some of these troubles are deeply embedded not only in the reactions of society to a liberal woman but mostly in her subconscious thoughts. It takes great will power to kill the Angel of the House and also manage to survive smashing into a rock. It takes a very strong female indeed to look at society in the eye and say her thoughts about the world so bravely and develop into a phenomenal woman.

Biography on Abraham Lincoln Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Biography on Abraham Lincoln - Essay Example His brother John Kennedy served as the president of America and Robert Kennedy himself served as the Senator of United States. This essay would further provide details about the biography of Robert Kennedy (Talbot 2007). Robert Kennedy studied in different schools all over his life and graduated from the Milton Academy in 1942. He then served in the military for two years in the World War II after which he was discharged. After serving in military Kennedy joined Harvard University and performed in the football team. He completed his degree of bachelors from the Harvard University in 1948. He further studied law from the University of Virginia and graduated from the university in the year of 1951. It was in 1950 that Kennedy married Ethel Shakel and their first child was born in 1951 named Kathleen. It was the coming years in which the career of Robert Kennedy developed and he successfully played a role in the politics of United States (Evan 2000). The career of Robert Kennedy in real life started when he enter the arena of law in 1951 after graduating from the Wisconsin University. Robert joined the Criminal Division the US Department of Justice as a lawyer but later resigned to help his brother John in his the election of Senators. In 1952 Kennedy was hired by McCarthy as an assistant advocate for the Senate subcommittee. Being a counsel for the subcommittee McCarthy performed many researches which showed as to how the allies were backstabbing each other. He was against the cargos being delivered to enemies and gave out several speeches in this regard. However, again in 1953 Robert resigned from this post because he was not fond of the internal running of the committee. He joined the committee back in 1954 and became the chief counsel in the year 1955. His major breakthrough as a chief counsel was when he was appointed as the head of the committee which was investigating the

Ethical Considerations on the End of Life Research Paper

Ethical Considerations on the End of Life - Research Paper Example In other cases, the person to be given euthanasia does not have the power to make a decision. This may happen, for example, if he/she is in a state of a comma, or else, he/she is conscious but is fully paralyzed and can do nothing more than fed artificially. According to (Cavan and Dolan 12), euthanasia can be defined as, â€Å"the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (such as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy.† As this definition indicates, all possible measures are exercised in euthanasia to ensure that it takes the victim minimum pain and labor to die. It is obvious that the victim is given euthanasia by another person.   Issues like euthanasia should be dealt with extreme care and delicacy particularly in the present age when people have grown much conscious about health and safety issues and ethics is considered a priority in every act an individual indulges in. â€Å"All forms of euthanasia, voluntary or involuntary, should be condemned until death is chosen for an individual by law because of his/her criminality.† It is useful to discuss certain types of euthanasia before making an in-depth analysis of the ethical consideration of this dilemma because people tend to argue for or against euthanasia without distinguishing between the various conventional forms of euthanasia. There are two fundamental types of euthanasia depending upon the presence or absence of the will of the person being given euthanasia. These two types of euthanasia are called as the voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia (Dyck). It may seem surprising that there are people who tend to have euthanasia willingly, though it is true and there may be many reasons for that. Euthanasia which is given after seeking due permission from the victim is termed as the â€Å"assisted euthanasia†.

Teenage pregnancy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Teenage pregnancy - Research Paper Example Previously it was believed that teen pregnancies are usually because of socio-economic factors, lack of sex related services and decreased contraception but nowadays this view is challenged by many as all these aspects have been overcome by the growing society (Kost et al 2010). It is a belief that the economic burden that is passed unto teenagers who become pregnant can put a significant strain on the possibility of a brighter future. Moreover, it could be argued that abortion can help alleviate a cycle of poverty in women who themselves are the result of teenage pregnancy. Therefore, abortions are the answer for a pregnant teenager in view of her health, future and career. Different Views on Abortion Smith (2001) carries out a study to explore the negative and adverse effects of teenage pregnancy in the form of premature delivery and stillbirth. The study is carried out in order to understand the adverse perinatal outcomes in teenage pregnancy cases. Teenagers are at a lower risk o f unhealthy outcomes when given 1st birth. Moreover, the risk of caesarean is also loweramong teenage mothers in the first delivery. However, Smith (2001) reveals that second delivery of a teenage mother is highly risky in terms of caesarean and premature or still birth. There is an increase in the teenage pregnancies between the years 2005 and 2006 by 3% (Lewin 2010). The teenage abortion rate has also been increased by approximately 1 percent from 2005 to 2006. These increasing rates are related to the struggles made by government in order to curb this issue. The "abstinence-only programs" supported by Clinton's government are called into question. However, the pregnancy rates are significantly lower in 2005 at 69.5 as compared to 116.9 in 1990. The only issue that is gaining increasing attention from the opposition is the increased rate in 2007 of 71.5 in 2006. Lewin (2010) forms an opinion that Blacks, Hispanics and Whites are all showing increasing trends on teenage pregnancies in the recent years. Teen pregnancy is generally believed to be harmful by many for not only the pregnant woman but also for the baby. Teenage pregnancy can pose health risks to the baby because the teenager woman would not be capable enough to take care of the baby at such a tender age. Similarly the teenager woman would also not be able to support her child financially and thus this would disrupt safety and life plans for the baby. The only way out of these issues to teenagers is abortion. This interruption in pregnancy leads to increased risk of breast cancer among the teenagers (Melbye et al. 1997). The study suggests that the breast cells are proliferated quickly without following the normal procedure which protects the health of the woman. There are certain positive aspects of teenage pregnancy and motherhood which keep the trend going. Seamark (2004) provides a valuable study in this regard by interviewing teenage mothers to evaluate their experiences of having children at a n early age. The responses were quite positive as the teenage mothers tend to be positive in their perceptions, goals and feel more motivated towards their aims by the responsibility of their children. They show a positive attitude towards the busy yet ambitious life to protect and help the children grow healthy and contented (Seamark 2004). The teenage pregnan

Marketing is more of an art than a science Essay

Marketing is more of an art than a science - Essay Example is author highlights that most individuals in a group will conform to group norms and principles, thus making it easier to make â€Å"valid and reliable predictions† about human behaviour and consumption decision-making (Bartels 1951, p.320). When attempting to gauge or predict human behaviour based on mathematical models, human behaviour in this case is no longer considered an inconsistency in a scientific equation since social conformity is predictable and known to occur on the back of many empirical studies. This phenomenon then validates such scientific approaches to marketing such as the Product Life Cycle model in certain markets as social compliance provides consistency that allows for quantitative research methodology when behaviour is no longer a variable. The socially-driven trends inherent to human behaviour make it possible to create an effective mathematical equation to predict demand both short- and long-term that will lead, ultimately, to operational efficiencie s and future time-to-market demands for new innovations. There are, however, many marketing practitioners that would strongly disagree with the validity of a scientific approach to marketing. Egan (2009, p.32) believes that science â€Å"has damaged marketing’s relevancy† as data and research methodology are often superimposed over practical judgment and analyses of market conditions. Peter and Olson (1983) actually state that empirical analysts in marketing are deluded, negating the necessity for subjective inference to understand consumer attitudes and market-perceived belief in product or service quality. How, however, can this be justified? Consumers often maintain egotistical relationships with a brand, that is, until the consumer has found a psychologically-based connection to a brand. When...Peter and Olson (1983) actually state that empirical analysts in marketing are deluded, negating the necessity for subjective inference to understand consumer attitudes and market-perceived belief in product or service quality. How, however, can this be justified? Consumers often maintain egotistical relationships with a brand, that is, until the consumer has found a psychologically-based connection to a brand. When brand attachments occur, consumers are more willing to discard egocentric brand relationships and develop supporting brand connections that fuel positive word-of-mouth advertising (Muniz and O’Guinn 2001; Aron, Aron and Smollan 1992). These relationships are founded on psychographic brand positioning that takes into consideration attitude, lifestyle and psycho-social characteristics of consumers. Unpredictable and non-universal human behavioural components conflict the relevancy of using scientific approaches and, instead, marketers transcend the tangibles of product and service by utilising integrated communications that involve language emphasising sophistication, sincerity, excitement, and competence. According to Aaker (1996) the aforementioned communications conceptions are necessary to create positive psychological attachments to a brand. Science simply cannot effectively represent the complexity of human attitude that is highly relevant to whether brand loyalty is achieved.

Heritage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Heritage - Essay Example The repairs, alterations and exterior modifications protected the heritage values of the hall. This concept paper seeks to show the historical significance of Petone Labour Hall and the continued importance and identity to the community heritage despite its conversion into mainly a cinema hall. Under the severance, it is identified by the Map Number B5 on location 52 Bay Street, formally refered to as Petone Labour Hall and the legal description is Lot 70 DP 51.The building was constructed using bricks and reinforced with concrete. It comprises a large hall, a stage and a smaller lecture room located at the back. The Light House that is run in partnership with Upper Hut’s luxury 40-seat art house cinema has two theatres where unlike other theatres popcorn is prohibited (Leach et al n.pg). The special features in the Light house include the proposed insulation controls sound effects. The Light House is designed to screen movies that appeal to a larger and wider audience than those in the big chain multiplexes. Alongside the two theatres there are licensed coffee shops. The building was used mainly for entertainment purposes and now that it is a cinema hall, it does not mean it serves a different purpose. However, this preserved the building’s heritage value an d also restored its role as a community entertainment center (Leach and Moulis n.pg). The new face of the building has different accessibility levels from the ground, as well as, the ticketing area and the coffee shops. There are five cinemas access levels from the ground and in every level there are seats set aside for people with disabilities. For example, there are hearing loop for sound transmits directly to the hearing aid for individuals with hearing impairments. It also has an infrared system that consists of listening receiver and a transmitter. This feeds sound into the transmitter then to the individual

Adidas competing with Nike in china Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Adidas competing with Nike in china - Essay Example bout combining the consumers to the product design and create solid plans and methods in building long-lasting relationship between the business and the customers. Marketing is seen not only in business but also in other aspects of life like arts, fashion, retailers, publishers, people, internet providers, tourism, education, government, non-profit organizations and even sports (Groucutt, Leadley and Forsyth, 2004). In the 20th century it is note-worthy to take note of the globalization of business which is affected by internal factors such as mission, systems, management and resource structures; external factors like customers, suppliers, labor force, shareholders, society, technology, governments, economy and competition (Lussier and Kimball, 2009). According to Heizer and Render, most companies that enter the global markets like Europe, South America and China expand their businesses especially supply chains with challenges. Proper and innovative strategic planning and careful research must be conducted to reduce the high political and currency risks in all countries around the world. Some key points for global supply chains are: to be able to adjust to quick changes like currency exchange fluctuations, distribution channels and parts availability; to be able to use the computer and internet technology to manage the system, schedule and distribution; to be able to seek help from teams made u p of specialists to handle all sorts of issues. A good example is Mc Donald’s, the fast food chain had planned six years ahead before expanding in Russia and had a supply chain there to lower the cost of distribution and to keep the quality of the food (Gaspar et. al, 2006). Nike and Adidas have been competing in the arena of shoe industry. Currently Nike get the most market share especially in East Asia which many sports fans are located. The technique done by Nike is subcontracting. The company harnessed the vast man power of China by subcontracting some Chinese shoe

Divorce & marriage Essay Example for Free

Divorce marriage Essay People from broken families are less likely to have successful marriages. This is because of the psychological implications such families bring into their life. According to available psychological evidence, divorce is a major cause of emotional stress and depression (Clarke-Stewart, Brentano, 2006). Depression as a psychological impairment has been evidently found to factor much in compromising the social life of the victim. Such individuals are marked with lack of hope for the future, a factor that only serves to negate their chances of engaging in successful marriage. Another commonly cited potential implication of divorce on children is that it can cause negative perception of a particular gender by the child. According to available statistical evidence, it is clear that due to the social and economic hardships experienced by children after the divorce of their parents, most tend to develop hatred against one gender of the community (Clarke-Stewart, Brentano, 2006). With such a mental setting, an individual finds it a major challenge to accept and appreciate that gender into a binding relationship. This has the direct implication that they are less likely to engage in successful marriages. Still, the sustainable building of character traits in a child is mainly by copying the character traits of the surrounding members of the community (Clarke-Stewart, Brentano, 2006). This means that their parents are the most influence society members in modeling the character of the child. However, prior to divorce or family breakdown, families are found to have constant conflicts and/or communication failure. Such imply that the character of violence is instilled in the mind of the child. Also, broken families fail to provide the efficient parental love required for modeling reliable social behavior of the child due to the lack of one parent character in the family. All these only negate the children understanding and appreciation of the underlying meaning of marriage. References Clarke-Stewart, A. , Brentano, C. (2006). Divorce: Causes and Consequences. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Sleep Theories Essay Example for Free

Sleep Theories Essay Most people think that when we sleep, we can shut down our mind. However, with the power of advanced technique, scientist made a careful observation of human brain waves, body temperature, heart rate, breathing, and other physical functions. They received a new light on sleep. Our brain and body actually are active during sleep, sometimes even more active than we are awake. There are two type of sleep, making up a complete 90 to 100 minute cycle that can be repeated 4 to 5 times in an average eight hours sleep. NREM (nonrapid eye movement) sleep: also called quite sleep. Have four stages, from stage 1 to stage 4.REM (rapid eye movement) sleep: also called active sleep. Stage 5, in this stage you dreaming.( Cherry, K.2012) During sleep, we usually pass through five stages of sleep Stage1. Light stage of sleep.  Turn off the light, close your eyes, and find the most comfortable position to lying down on the bed .While, you may feel sleepy now. Your eyes start moving slowly, muscle activity slows and body feel more relaxed. You had already entered stage 1 sleep without noticing it. At this stage, you may be aware of noises. You can be easily awakened and may feel that you are not really sleeping. During stage 1, our brain activity slows down; brain produces waves from alpha waves enter to theta waves. (Rathus, S.pp.100). ï  ¬ 2. A light sleep but it is deeper than stage 1. Stage 2 may last for 20 minutes.Your brain starts producing more waves but activities become lower. Your eyes stop moving; breathing, heart rate slows and body temperature decreases. Right now, you are ready to enter deep sleep. During stage 2, the brain waves are interrupted by bursts of brain activity knows as sleep spindles.( Rathus, S) Stage 3 and 4. Transition period between light sleep to deep sleep. At stage 3, you deep sleep starts, your brain produce slower delta waves. There is no eye movement and you will not consciously trying to move your body. Moreover, your heart rate and blood pressure will drop down to the lowest level during the day. According to the repair and restoration Theory of Sleep, deep sleep is the stages for your body to repair damaged and rejuvenate itself. Growth could occurs in stage 4.( Walsh, K.). It will be difficult to wake you up during these two stages, you cannot adjust immediately, and you may feel dazed and exhausted for few minutes. Stage 5. a very light, active sleep  This stage also called rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. It is a miraculous stage that you hear rate, heart rate increases, blood pressure raised and breathing become shallower; your eyes move back; your brain become more active as you awake and you start dreaming. Incredibly, your muscles still maintains in a relaxed state. Stage 5 usually occurs about 70 to 90 minutes after we fall asleep. ( Brain basics: Understanding Sleep ). The functions of sleep Sleep is the most important thing for us to surviveï ¼Å'it can protect us from disease. Having enough sleep in a day will bring lots of benefits to us -a clear mind, a good mood and full of energy. Sleep may also have other benefits like improving physical and immune function. The following are the summarized functions of sleep. Sleep provides an opportunity for the body to repair and rejuvenate: remove fatigue, conserves the body energy Beneficial of skin care: good sleep can increase the activities of skin metabolism. Sleep provides growth and development: Deep sleep increases the release of growth hormone in human baby or animals.  Sleep protect our nervous systems: helps us recover from stress Sleep improves our study ability: can strengthen and improve our memory. Sleeping affects our immune systemï ¼Å¡increase resistant system Discusses one sleep disorder (i.e., explains the disorder, its causes, symptoms, and the treatment options available). Sleep is a natural process, but if you feel sleep is always difficult such as It is hard to fall asleep; although you have slept for eight hours you may still feel tired and have difficulty to memorize something. If these problems bothered you for ages, you may be suffering from a sleep disorder. Doctors discovered that there are more than 70 sleep disorders which can seriously interfere with our work, driving, and social activities. The most common sleep disorders include insomnia, narcolepsy, and sleep apnea. ( Brain basics.) Insomnia is a Latin word for â€Å"no sleep†, is â€Å"a symptom, not a stand-alone diagnosis or a disease† .People that is affected by insomnia has the inability to fall asleep or maintaining sleep. (Insomnia overview). Common symptoms of insomnia include difficulty falling asleep; feel awake for a whole night; only can sleep for few hours per day; waking up frequently, and could not get back to sleep. There are many causes of insomnia. It can be caused by stress, anxiety. It may be related to substance use, such as alcohol, and caffeine. Behavior therapy is often part of any treatment for insomnia. For example: A healthy lifestyle can help to improve sleep quality, doing exercise is helpful in reducing stress. Provides examples of how/if any of sleep theories, and/or disorders apply to your life. I found a part time job as a store manager in my final year of college. It was hard to study at school during the day and lead employees to work in the night. Worries and tenseness lead me to insomnia. I felt that it is difficult for me to fall asleep in late night, and sometimes when I awake, I still felt tired and dizzy. Lack of enough sleeps cause me became moody, such little things would fire me up. I have to take sleeping pills to get to sleep, but it would not take effect for long term use. Learning to relax helped me sleep better and feel better. It is simple, using scented candles at home to create a comfortable area, take a bath and listen to the music.

Inflation Rate and Economic Stability of Brazil

Inflation Rate and Economic Stability of Brazil Introduction This paper is concerned with the economic consideration of one of the South American countries and analyzes the impact of an economic concern on that particular South American country that has been chosen and identifies the trend of the economic concern with in specified region on the basis of data sets accumulate from the source. The south American countries has major impact on American economy and the economic concern of one of an important country raise our body of knowledge regarding the economic trend in that particular country and its impact on overall economy as well. South American Country The economy of South America consists of twelve nations with three territories and comprise of 6% of population in the world. I have choose Brazil among other South American countries as Brazil is the largest South American country and Brazil is one of the fastest growing economies of the world. It is ranked at fifth spot in the world regarding population and geographical region and fifth largest economy regarding GDP in the world. The economic concern of Brazil is effectively contributes to world economy and interesting trend of economy can be seen. (Abreu, 2005). Economic Concern Among four economic concern including GDP, quantities of specific Goods and services gross Domestic Product (GDP), and unemployment inflation I have selected inflation. Inflation is an important economic concern that will effect the economy in great extend and inflation rate of a country economy is an important indicator for a country growth prospective. Inflation means rise in the general price level of the country and loss the real value of money as fewer commodities will bought with each additional unit of currency. Inflation directly relate to the economic productivity and has positive and negative both effect on economy as it create economic uncertainty which may discourage saving and investment. High prices of general commodities and hoarding will be its largest disadvantage. In positive sense it may encourage non monetary investment. But the inflation rate needs to be control in order to sustain country economy. Inflation trend in Brazil The inflation rate in Brazil is fluctuating over the years. No consistent trend can be seen in the inflation rate ac past year data support this assumption. According to the data displayed by ( IPCA) in 2002 the inflation rate was 12.53% that is quite high rate. Then the decreasing trend of inflation rate can be seen in Brazil economy as 9.3% in 2003, 7.6% in 2004, 5.69% in 2005, and 3.14% in 2006 that is least in this decade. Then the slight increasing trend can be seen in rate of inflation. 4.46% can be seen in 2007 and 5.91 in 2008. The fluctuating trend can be seen in this range in coming years as well. (Inflation Statistical table) Statistical Table Inflation (IPCA) 2002 12.53% 2003 9.30% 2004 7.60% 2005 5.69% 2006 3.14% 2007 4.46% 2008 5.91% Past two years Inflation Trend Past two years monthly inflation rate trend can be seen from this graph that shows the monthly frequency of the inflation rate. The graph bars shows the trend of inflation from year 2011 that is 6.01%. The increasing slope can be seen from March, 2011 up to October, 2011. Inflation rate at the month of October is the highest that is 7.31%. Then the control implementation on inflation increasing trend can be seen from 7.31% to the deep low rate at 4.92% in July, 2012 that is complemented to Brazil economy. The upward Trent at semi annual bases can be seen in Brazil economy. The last recorded inflation rate of 6.15% that is quite high. Brazil government target inflation rate is 4.5% with the plus and minus tolerance margin of 2% in it. The high inflation trend is important consideration for the government as increasing inflation rate affect the economy in deep roots and make the investment and saving difficult. People purchasing power will be effected that will effect their standard of living and indulge the poverty level in the country as commodities will be difficult to purchase with even more money in hand because due to inflation country will lose its real money value. (De Paiva Abreu, 2005). According to IBGE report it is recorded from 1980 the Brazil inflation trend has gone through various fluctuations. Historical data shows average of 411.8 % Brazil inflation rate that reached at highest rate of inflation of 6821.3 % in April 1990 that was the highest rate for all time. The low inflation rate of 1.7 percent was found in December 1998. The measure used to calculate inflation is consumer price index. Brazil important contribution in consumer price index are tobacco, food and alcohol that covers 31% of total, 15 percent by transport sector and communication carries 5 %. . (Brazil Inflation Rate) Statistical Evidence comparing various countries inflation rate Inflation Rate of various countries is showing the Brazil high rate of inflation as compare to other countries except India that has the inflation Rate o f 6.62. An increasing trend is quite threatening for Brazilian government for economic growth and required close consideration to control the rate in future in order to stabilize the economy. Conclusion The Inflation rate and economic stability are closely related to one another and required close concern in order to stabilize the economy. Brazil increasing trend provide the threatening for its future concerns and shows that the government need to closely consider this regime in order to stabilize the economy and to achieve the economical growth in the world.

Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - Driven b

The Role of Fate in Oedipus Rex Before we approach this complex question inductively, we are at first obliged to contemplate what definitions and assumptions are being made. This essay, perhaps more so than others, requires a more extensive look at this aspect of the question, because of the sheer variety of possible responses. However, I now have reduced them to three possibilities. Firstly, we could make the assumption that perhaps as destiny controls all fates, then Oedipus' character was created long before he was conceived. On the other hand, we could also say that perhaps Oedipus' horrific fate came about because of his character and fate. The final possibility is that everything is inevitable - therefore no one ever has had any say in their own fate, let alone Oedipus. In this essay I would like to discuss these three ideas, and perhaps draw a conclusion at the end on which I feel to be the most valid. The first solution to this question, as I said earlier, is the idea that destiny makes character. As destiny supposedly in the Greek mindset maps out all events before they occur, we can today assume with this logic that perhaps the components that "built" Oedipus' character were caused by fate. We know today that character is determined by biological factors and experience. These biological factors would have been determined by how well he was fed, how well he developed, his genes etcetera. The experience would have also been determined by the pre-destined master plan of Fate. Thus it is possible to argue that Oedipus, as components of his character and mind, was entirely shaped by fate and therefore cannot be held responsible for what he has done, as he has no control over his actions. But the premises that th... ...e dealt with in a normal way. This is theatre. It has been crafted to look as though the fall is due to some error of action, strongly interlaced with fate. Yet despite all this, I do not feel that this is how the play has materialised. It seems to me as though Oedipus could not have stopped the actual horrific incest and patricide occurring, only the realisation of it. To me, as a non-believer in fate, nothing is due to Oedipus' character. He seems merely unfortunate, a victim of superstition. Yet to those of you who accept fate, then perhaps this could be the explanation. It is a completely subjective decision, based on a personal interpretation. This is something that I cannot decide. Thus I leave the decision open, but my decision closed. Neither is right, and neither is wrong. Works Cited: Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1991.

Gender and Sexual Insensitivity Essay -- Gender Inequality Essays

Gender inequality refers to unfair or unequal treatment of people based on their femininity or masculinity. This is often in reference to roles that society has stipulated by default for each gender type. Sexual inequality refers to bias treatment of people based on their male or female sexual traits. Awareness and sensitivity to gender and sexual inequity are vital in the functioning of a society; every society member ought to have equal status, voice and opportunities irrespective of their gender. In every day-to-day activity, gender and sexual insensitivity exhibits in peoples’ speech, behavior and delegation of duties. Insensitivity is often unintentional, thus the need to create awareness among people on what is insensitive and be enthusiastic to begin the change that society needs to be able to give equal chances to all its members and give them a sense of belonging despite their gender (Jackson, 1998). Recently, I received an e-mail from my friend regarding his opinion on Valentine’s Day. In this email message, my friend, Rob presented women in a negative way by using derogatory language and casting aspersions. Rob claimed that women were the cause of men’s sorrow and global warming (Personal communication, February 13, 2014). Upon further reading, I realized Rob insinuated that Valentine’s Day was a creation of women and that the intention was to coerce men into buying presents. His assertion was that women were opportunistic, materialistic and always plotting to get something out of men. I found this demeaning as the generalizations and stereotyping presented in the email were offensive. He also used the word ladies, which he spelt in capital letters, which I felt offensive and unwarranted. A further an... ...ley: University of California Press Vance, C. M., Ensher, E. A., Hendricks, F. M., & Harris, C. (2004). Gender-based vicarious sensitivity to disempowering behavior in organizations: Exploring an expanded concept of hostile working environment. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, 16(3), 135-147. Weisstein, N. (1993). Psychology constructs the female; or, The fantasy life of the male psychologist (with some attention to the fantasies of his friends, the male biologist and the male anthropologist). Feminism & Psychology, 3(2), 195-210. Withington, R. (1937). â€Å"Lady,† â€Å"woman,† and â€Å"person.† American Speech, 12(2), 117–121. Young, A. M., Vance, C. M., & Harris, C. (2007). Moving beyond gender to discover differences in sensitivity to disempowering acts: An examination of the role of social context. Group & Organization Management, 32(5), 598-620.

Burn out of social workers in the work place Essay

Social workers are people committed to better the lives of others and this is done through varying capacities. Some work with families, children as well as in school while others work in the medical field especially those dealing with mental health. They assist people to amicably deal with domestic conflicts, disabilities, challenging health conditions, economic problems that precipitate housing problems, unemployment as well as issues like drug and substance abuse. (www. bls. gov). Their role in policy making can also not be underscored given their efforts in conducting research and making relevant recommendations as to the best or appropriate strategies. Social workers are also quite influential in the adoption processes as well as single parent assistance. Medical and public health social workers are committed to offering psychological support to people with life threatening conditions for instance HIV Aids and Alzheimer’s disease patients. Social workers can also work in local authorities as well as in government. In pursuit of making the lives of others worth the while, social workers in their respective fields are faced by many challenges. (www. bls. gov). They have to be in constant movement from their offices to where their clients are located and back to their offices where clerical work is done. Most often than not they experience burn outs while in their work a condition that affects their productivity levels. The focus of this paper is to explain why burn out occurs among the social workers, it will illustrate how it occurs, its effects on the organization and thereafter suggest that appropriate solutions to resolve it. The term ‘burn out’ is used to refer to the process or state of mental exhaustion that has a high impact on one’s productivity. In the book Handbook of human factors and ergonomics in health care and patient safety, Carayon presents some signs and symptoms of burn outs in the work place. Burn outs leads to anxiety and lack of zeal. It causes depression and mental exhaustion, poor concentration and memory as well as increased instances of absenteeism and general poor productivity. (Carayon P, 2006). Burn outs are not good for any profession in any organization. They cause a negative impact on interpersonal communication among the various employees in an organization would definitely have a bad effect on the company’s output. (Azar T, 2000). Burn outs increases people irritability and minor issues are magnified and this can be a source of conflicts among the various employees. The overall effects of burn outs are transferred from the individuals affected to the organization as a whole. Organization risk registering high dissatisfaction levels, increased job turn over as well as low morale. In Carayon’s book burn out is defined as ‘the persistent negative work related state of mind that is characterized by exhaustion which is accompanied by distress, a sense of reduced effectiveness and the development of dysfunctional attitudes and behaviors at work’. (Carayon P, 2006). This psychological problem develops gradually and may initially be unnoticed. It arises from the contrast between one’s objectives or intentions and the reality at the job. In most cases burn outs are caused by the adherence of inappropriate or rather inadequate stress coping mechanisms. Prolonged job stress leads to burn outs among the employees in question. Burn outs lead to decreased motivation and creates anti work attitudes. (Carayon P, 2006). Social workers in the various fields experience burn outs while in their work places. This occurs when the organizations they work for fail to meet their high goals and expectations. They feel dissatisfied with their work and this dissatisfaction leads to feeling of disappointment and grief. (Soderfeldt M and Soderfeldt B, 2003). According to a 2006 research it was clear that most social workers are not contented with their work. A high percentage reported high levels of job dissatisfaction and were ready to leave their various organizations. According to them, the value of the work they did was not equivalent to the pay they received. (The Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2006). Social workers suffering from burn outs may feel detached with their clients and this will definitely affect their productivity levels. (Takeda F et al, 2005). Although different people will react differently to burn outs some could isolate themselves and have poor eating and sleeping habits. Others may find solace in alcohol or smoking all of which has a negative effect on their health. The relationship between the social workers experiencing burn outs and their clients as well as with fellow workmates is negatively affected by burn out as it triggers anger. (Lewandowski A, 2003). Organizations suffer economically whenever social workers leave due to the burn out problems. They incur the costs of hiring new employees and training them to be effective. This is made worse by the fact that they have the constraint of scarce resources. Organizations or agencies that fail to address the issues presented by their employees in this context the social workers are more likely to register higher incidences of job turnover which translates to increased costs. (Lewandowski A, 2003). A major cause of the increased instances of burn outs among the social workers is attributed to lack or failure by some agencies to involve them in the decision making processes. The lack of autonomy and the increased bureaucratization in their work place makes them feel alienated or isolated. (Lundy C, 2003). The problems to be handled by social workers become difficult by the day and this demands that the organizations adjust with the changing times if amicable solutions are to be arrived at. In her book, Social work and social justice, Lundy explains that social workers have a challenging job. Financial constraint is a major set back hindering their efficiency or productivity. They have to undergo or rather face job related stress as they try to allocate the minimal resources to match the overwhelming demands. The structure of the social welfare delivery, the mandate of the agencies they work for as well as the needs of their clients also lead to increased stress which precipitates burn outs among the social workers. (Lundy C, 2003). Most social workers are in the job due to a call or vocation to help others and the failure to involve them in the decision making process hinders their effective performance. (Kreisher K, 2002). Great control of funding sources also has a negative effect on the level of satisfaction that social workers derive from their work. The reduced commitment by the government to boost the welfare sector has led to the reduction of funds which makes social work a very challenging profession. (Lewandowski A, 2003). Without the autonomy or involvement in the decision making process they are denied the chance to apply their findings or expertise to directly affect their practice. This hinders the effectiveness of various welfare programs and on not realizing their goals they are frustrated and feel helpless. The ineffectiveness of the sector that they work for may have a direct negative impact on the social workers. They may place themselves in the shoes of their clients who could be victims of abuse or violence and live in fear especially with the knowledge of how ineffective the system is. (Kreisher K, 2002). Given the emerging social and economic conditions, the involvement of social workers in the decision making process would be more of a necessity then a requirement. This would ensure that there is effective division of labor and the work load could be minimized. Workload has negative effects on the employees’ health. This can be backed by a 1999 survey by the Canadian Union of Public social workers which established that increased work load among the social workers in the development services in children aids societies had a negative impact on their well being. To a tune of 87% social workers in the various fields confessed that the increased work load had a negative on their health. (Kreisher K, 2002). Work overload precipitates burn outs. With minimal finances at their disposal, agencies or organizations dealing with welfare hire fewer people than would be required a condition that sees the social workers with a large work load at their disposal. The social workers job predisposes them to risks of physical and verbal abuse and threats at work all of which have negative implications on their mental, physical and social well being. It also has an effect on their job satisfaction levels. In the article ‘Burned out’ Kreisher Kristen argues that the poor pay given to social workers dealing with children and the youth, in the face of the tough economic times has a big role to play in boosting ‘burn outs’ among the social workers. Their job demands are increasing while their reward or pay is dwindling and this is a major disincentive for them. There is need for the welfare organizations to adjust the compensation rates to match the difficult economic times. (Kreisher K, 2002). As Lewandowski in Organizational factors contributing to worker frustration: The precursor to burnout notes disappointments among the social workers have also been aggravated by the fact that their roles or responsibilities have changed and are in contrast with their expectations. Instead of spending more time with their clients in the field they spend more time carrying out clerical work. (Lewandowski A, 2003). For the agencies or organizations accountability is of essence as they are under pressure from the financiers to show how their resources are spent. In other words the agencies are more concerned with the number of people served while the social workers are more concerned with the quality of services provided. The social workers pay is at times affected by gender bias where for instance women dealing with children are lowly paid. (Kreisher K, 2002). The burn out problem can be resolved if appropriate strategies are adopted to help the social workers face the challenges in their work effectively. Prevention of burn out can be handled both at an individual level as well as at an organizational level. Social workers can be advised to take well balanced diets, have enough sleep, talk with their workmates and share their challenges as well as create some time away from the stressful conditions. Social networks are vital as they enable one to connect with their friends and make the stress that they face easier to deal with. Identifying hobbies that would ease the work tension and pressure is also an effective way of reducing the effects of burn outs. Of mush significance is the role of organizations in resolving burn outs among the social workers. Organizations must adapt all inclusive strategies where social workers have a significant role in the decision making process. (Azar T, 2000). This makes them feel appreciated for the roles they play in the organizations. To enable social workers better manage the challenges attached to their work it is important that the social work curriculums be modified to train them on the appropriate ways to handle complex situations. Spending more time training would also ensure that they acquire immense knowledge on how to deal with real life situations. Mentorship programs would also suffice in resolving the problem of burn outs. Strong mentorship where older and experienced social workers share their experiences with younger and inexperienced social workers will provide them with adequate knowledge on how to deal with difficulties while in this job. It will reduce their job stress as they will understand that it is part of their job. Mentorship also provides them with relevant solutions to would be problems while in their jobs. Strong supervision is also vital in ensuring that work load problems that cause burn outs are effectively handled. (Kreisher K, 2002). An organization culture is also crucial in creating or reducing burn out in the work place. Positive cultures must be embraced by all means. Organizations with positive cultures go the extra mile to ensure employee retention. They make them feel that they are part of the organization and involve them in the decision making processes. They also provide financial incentives like paid vacations and health benefits. Team work is also embraced in such organizations and it ensures that job stress does not have adverse effects on the employees. Supportive co workers are essential in reducing job related stress. (Kreisher K, 2002). Organizations must also invest in making the work place safe such that the risks of being physically harmed are minimized. They can train the employees on how to deal amicably with incidences of violence. The effects of social workers burn outs on the individuals, clients and on the organizations are not desirable. The organizations must by all means ensure that employees are retained as increased job turn over sees them lose skilled, experienced and dedicated employees. They must therefore be committed to minimize the job stressors in the work environment to curb burn outs. References Azar T. 2000. Preventing burnout in professionals and paraprofessionals who work with child abuse and neglect cases: A cognitive behavioral approach to supervision. Psychotherapy in Practice, 56, 643-663. Colleen Lundy. 2003. Social Work and Social Justice: A Structural Approach to Practice. Broadview Press. Fumi Takeda. Naoko Ibaraki, Eise Yokoyama, Takeo Miyake and Takashi Ohida. 2005. The Relationship of Job Type to Burnout in Social Workers at Social Welfare Offices. Journal of Occupational Health Vol. 47 (2005), No. 2 119-125 Kristen Kreisher. 2002. Burned Out Children’s Voice Article, July/Aug 2002. Retrieved on 12 August 2008 from http://www. cwla. org/articles/cv0207burnedout. htm. Lewandowski A. 2003. Organizational factors contributing to worker frustration: The precursor to burnout. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 4, 175-185. Pascale Carayon. 2006. Handbook of Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care and Patient Safety. Routledge Publishers. Soderfeldt M and Soderfeldt B. 2003. Burnout in social work. Social Work, 40, 638-647. Social Workers. Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Editions. Retrieved on 12 August 2008 from http://www. bls. gov/oco/ocos060. htm The Royal College of Psychiatrists. 2006. Mental health, burnout and job satisfaction among mental health social workers in England and Wales. The British Journal of Psychiatry (2006) 188: 75-80. doi: 10. 1192/bjp. 188. 1. 75.

Slashes in culture Essay

Three plays that explore clashes between cultures are Wole Soyinka’s â€Å"Death and the King’s Horseman,† Tony Kushner’s â€Å"Angels in America,† and Anna Deavere Smith’s â€Å"Fires in the Mirror. † In general, these three plays depict and illustrate how conflicts between two cultures arise due to differences in beliefs and practices, among others. However, while these plays are similar in that they depict conflicts between cultures, they also show these clashes differently from one another. In â€Å"Death and the King’s Horseman,† the plot is mainly set in Nigeria at a time when the country was still a British colony. The focus is on Elesin, the horseman of the Yoruba tribe Chief. Since the chief died, Elesin must follow Yoruba tradition and commit a ritual suicide as his spirit is highly important in helping the Chief’s soul to pass through the afterlife. Otherwise, the Chief’s spirit will wander the earth forever and bring misfortune to the Yoruba people. The play sets the tone for a clash between culture when the British ruler of the Nigerian colony, Mr. Pikings intervenes and prevents Elesin from taking part in the ritual suicide at the very last minute. Basically, Mr. Pikings viewed the ritual as barbaric and illegal under British laws. Since the suicide ritual is integral to the Yoruba tribe, the people were thrown into pandemonium, which eventually resulted in Elesin’s son Olunde, commiting suicide in order to restore honor to his family and restore order to the tribe. Ultimately, Elesin commits suicide himself in order to compensate for the consequences of his actions. Evidently, in the play â€Å"Death and the King’s Horseman,† the clash between two cultures is vividly illustrated in the differences in customs and traditions between the Nigerian tribe Yoruba and their British colonizers. On the side of the Nigerians, a tradition of committing ritual suicide is necessary for the maintenance of order among the tribe while on the side of the British, the said ritual is considered brutal and illegal. Meaning to say, the Nigerian people, being a colony of Britain, had no choice but to follow the rule of their superiors. The difference between the practices of the two cultures resulted not only in two deaths in the Yoruba tribe but chaos among the tribe. On the other hand, in the play â€Å"Angels in America,† the conflict between two cultures is mainly shown in the different sexual orientations of the characters. Generally, most of the play’s characters are gays. Although it is not shown that gays are mistreated in the play, it is the relationships between the characters and their issues with themselves that depict the clashes between cultures. For one, most of the characters in the play are afraid of revealing their sexual orientation. This indicates that homosexuality is not fully accepted in the play’s society, which creates a virtual clash between gays and straights. This is evidenced by one scene in which Roy Cohn, a straight-male and top-class lawyer in the play, was enraged upon finding out that Joe Pitt, one of this best subordinates, is a gay. One notable symbol that play utilizes is Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). In the play, Prior Walter and Roy contract AIDS. After discovering their illness, they suddenly feel isolated from the world as evidenced by events in their life—Prior is left by his lover Louis Ironson and Roy is disbarred as a lawyer. Roy, who is not a gay, is also shown to be in denial of his illness and claims that he has liver cancer instead of AIDS. He also believes that AIDS is only associated with gays, which symbolizes another form of clash between two cultures. In short, in the play, two cultures are virtually presented: Roy represents the straight group of men who hates anything associated with homosexuality such as AIDS while Prior represents the gays. Although homosexuality is not a true culture per se, its various practices such as the sexual intercourse between two men, among others, has enabled it to become more or less a culture of its own. Another form of clash between two cultures shown in the play is the social prejudice against or blacks. In the play, the blacks are epitomized by Belize, who is a registered nurse who cares for Prior and Roy. However, Roy, being the racist that he is, treated Belize with the same disdain and dislike he has for gays. In short, it can then be said that the central conflict between the two cultures in the play revolves around the characters differences in sexuality or sexual preferences and practices. Finally, in the play â€Å"Fires in the Mirror,† the chief conflict between cultures is the clash between the Jews and the blacks or African-Americans. The conflict is traced to an accident in which a Jew lost control of his vehicle and ran over a seven-year old black child named Gavin Cato. This caused tension between Jews and the blacks in a place called Crown Heights, which eventually resulted in violence, riots, and the murder of Yankel Rosenbaum, who is a Jew. Notably, the play is not a straight-forward type wherein scenes are played out by people with different roles. Rather, it consists of monologues by 26 different characters that witnessed or saw the Crown Heights, with each providing their own perspective or view of the conflict between the cultures. These various perspectives fuse to form a multi-faceted and deep account of the tension between the Jews and Blacks and also form the central conflict of the play. Basically, the 26 characters that had monologues belong to different races and cultures. Meaning to say, in their accounts of the events of in Crown Heights, their opinions and comments are most likely biased depending on which race or culture they belong to or which side they are on. For example, the Anonymous Young Man # 2, one of the 26 characters in the play, claimed that all blacks are only rappers, athletes, or murderers and robbers. Likewise, Sonny Carson, an activist on the side of the Jews, commented that the Jews were second to the police in showing their hatred for blacks. On the other hand, Reverend Al Sharpton, an advocate of black civil rights openly criticized the discrimination against African-Americans by the Jews. Carmel Cato, the father of the murdered black boy, also lambasted the social prejudice against blacks and claimed that the Jews were running the show. Meaning to say, the conflict between the two cultures in the play is illustrated through a battle between the Jews and the blacks, which was started by a car accident that killed a boy. However, it is evident that even the white race, such as members of the police, favored the Jews over the blacks, which added further tension in the already growing conflict between the two cultures. It can then be argued that this play showed a very superficial difference in cultures. Over-all, the three plays differ in their depiction of cultural diversity and conflicts between cultures in terms of the nature of the conflict and the source of the clashes. In â€Å"Death and the King’s Horseman,† the tensions between cultures were spawned by differences in traditions and practices. On one side, these practices are considered sacred while on the other, they are viewed as primitive and illegal. In â€Å"Angels in America,† the conflict between cultures arises from differences in sexuality or sexual orientation. It mainly involved one side freely accepting his homosexual nature and another side utterly despising everything associated to being gay. Lastly, in â€Å"Fire in the Mirror,† the clash between the two cultures was rooted from a single accident that could have been easily resolved but was instead worsened by stereotypes and racial advocates. Evidently, â€Å"Death and the King’s Horseman† showed a classic form of culture conflict while â€Å"Angels in America† depicted a conflict between sub-cultures. On the other hand, â€Å"Fires in the Mirror† showed a more personal and superficial side of a clash between cultures.

Human Sexuality: Toys and Technology Essay

Throughout history, the concept of sexuality and what is deemed as normal within different societies has evolved constantly. Various social standards and expectations often play into how a culture will approach sexuality—what it entails, what its limits may be, or if it is even an appropriate topic of discussion (Davies, 1982, p. 1042). Evidently, no matter how liberal or relaxed a particular society may be, there are still certain areas of sexuality that are considered taboo such as the integration of technology (Rubin, 1989, p. 267). This pertains to the use of internet or film porn, vibrators, and other sex toys. While the use of technology for sexual purposes is widespread, there are still some apprehensions about it, and many are still uncomfortable with the concept of sex toys and pornography. Due to factors such as politics, religion, and cultural traditions, society still tends to classify the use of sexual accessories or entertainment as taboo; and this is indicative of how social norms influence one’s views and comfort level when it comes to sexual behavior. As political changes have altered the way in which society functions, so have they altered people’s views of sexuality. Consider the ancient Grecian times, during which sexuality and promiscuity were considered to be a normal part of everyday life. People treated sexual behavior in a relatively unabashed manner. When kingdoms and politics began to grow to be larger in scale, however, it had an inverse relationship to the presence of sexuality in society (Greenberg, 1988, p. 185). Sexual enjoyment began to be more repressed in an effort for politicians and rulers to control a group of people (Davies, 1982, p. 1032). Political movements also led to the promotion of chastity as well as the elimination of prostitution (Rubin, 1989, p. 68). Widespread political agendas essentially began implementing a new mindset and a new set of morals in society. Instead of sex being treated as a natural and acceptable part of life, the growth of politics determined sexual behavior as being immoral; and as time passed, it became a solid societal expectation that people should repress any animal-like sexual urges and avoid promiscuous behavior. At the very least, they should keep their sexual conduct private and refrain from discussing it with others. Aside from prostitution, masturbation was heavily discouraged (Rubin, 1989, p. 68). Even in today’s society, this mindset is still present. Many people, especially women, are uncomfortable with the concept of masturbation, let alone discussing it with others (Rubin, 1989, p. 282). With vibrators being one of the most popular masturbation accessories, the negative or awkward associations between the vibrators and the actual act of masturbation can be observed—that is, since masturbation is still considered by some to be taboo, vibrators and other sex toys are automatically put into the same category. Along with politics, religion has been a major influence in terms of how different cultures and societies perceive sexuality. When one considers the literal translation of the Bible, for example, the messages are clear and quite threatening. Those who violate what God declares to be the boundaries of sexuality are thought to be an â€Å"abomination†, and it even states that prostitutes should be stoned to death (Greenberg, 1988, p. 196). The enforcement of these beliefs within society was for the purpose of creating social boundaries in an effort to maintain ultimate control over a group of people (Davies, 1982, p. 060). If society followed a religious order, then immoral behavior would theoretically be minimized. Many cultures, especially in the Western world, therefore, adhered to the Christian-based ideals of sex (Rubin, 1989, p. 283). This philosophy says that sex has one sole purpose, which is procreation. The Bible also states that sex is intended to take place between a man and a woman, suggesting that masturbation is a sin (Rubin, 1989, p. 283). This explains why so many still frown upon sex toys, which are meant to enhance one’s sexual pleasure even if they are not having sex with another person. Religious texts, in general, have served to disassociate several aspects of sexuality with moral and ethical behavior (Davies, 1982, p. 1042). Not only is masturbation considered unethical, but so is watching pornography. The Bible does not only classify sexual deviancy with physical actions, but what one thinks about as well. If someone is watching pornography, they are thought of to be engaging in immoral behavior; and if they are married, then pornography is simply considered to be another form of cheating and disloyalty. Many couples today will choose to watch a porn video together in order to enhance their sex life, but it is still thought of as taboo and not often discussed amongst couples. Regardless of whether or not all people believe in a certain religion, it is clear that religion has affected society and how people perceive matters such as porn or masturbation—even if they are not aware of any religious influences. Together, politics and religion have introduced the concept that illicit sex is unethical (Rubin, 1989, p. 289). They have developed social traditions and standards, which includes laws against pornography and other sexual factors that are considered to be obscenities (Rubin, 1989, p. 289). It is now a normal standard in society that one has to be at least 18 years of age to rent or buy porn. In addition, adult entertainment has become its own thriving industry due to the laws that prohibit pornography from being viewed by the general public (Rubin, 1989, p. 290). Of course, separating the porn business from society is not necessarily a negative act, especially since children should not be exposed to such graphic themes and images. The fact that there are laws that ban porn and other forms of adult entertainment, however, add to society’s stigma when it comes to how porn is perceived. A porn video is not considered to be the same as a rated R movie that children under 17 cannot watch. It is thought of as a taboo movie that even adults think of as inappropriate or socially unacceptable (Davies, 1982, p. 1037). If there are laws required to regulate or even ban certain sexual acts—such as in certain states, where homosexual sodomy is illegal—then sexuality in general is considered criminal, and that it should be treated with caution (Rubin, 1989, p. 91). The criminalization of sexuality has essentially conditioned society to be apprehensive in how they engage in sexual acts and whether or not they make use of any available material or objects that were created to improve their experience. Although the use of vibrators has become increasingly population—especially after the hit TV show Sex and the City made the â€Å"Rampant Rabbit† vibrator so famous—it is still considered to be a rebellion against tradition (Davies, 1982, p. 1040). Perhaps this is why women who openly admit to using sex toys are still referred to as â€Å"new age† or â€Å"modern women†, even though vibrators and other toys have been available for so long. When one thinks of the traditional and socially acceptable form of sex, they will most likely think of a man and a woman who are probably married. Sex toys are typically not considered a â€Å"normal† part of intercourse; and many consider using vibrators as emasculating to men and traditional gender roles (Greenberg, 1988, p. 15). Sexual behavior is already thought to be lusty and risque. When additions like erotic toys are added, sex is thought to be that much more taboo (Greenberg, 1988, p. 224). This is because toys are basically an excess—that is, couples do not need vibrators in order to have intercourse. Even during masturbation, people do not require inanimate objects to engage in the act. According to Gayle Rubin (1989), there is also a sexual hierarchy in society that lists what is defined as normal sex (p. 282). Monogamy is one of the defining factors of â€Å"good† and â€Å"acceptable† sexual behavior; and since pornography is generally based on pure lust between two unmarried people, it is still not thought of as a normal form of sexual expression. The use of vibrators, especially for masturbation purposes, tends to be looked down upon as well, simply because it tends to cross traditional social boundaries (Davies, 1982, p. 1032). These boundaries imply that technology in general, when used for sexual acts, represents a lack of morals, ethics, and values (Rubin, 1989, p. 310). This, of course, is not the case. Although centuries have passed since Western society adopted religious and politically-based views on sexuality, people still cannot fully accept that objects like vibrators and porn films have become a normal part of sexual behavior. The attempt to regulate sexual behavior and influence how people approach their own personal sex lives is nothing more than an example of the desire for ultimate control (Greenberg, 1988, p. 238). Although there should be restrictions that protect children from adult content, this should not affect society’s comfort level when it comes to sex—after all, it is a natural behavior. Sex, in general, is simply taken too seriously in Western culture, and only causes unnecessary amounts of stress and anxiety on those who wish to deviate from the standardized ideal of sexual behavior (Rubin, 1989, p. 310). Vibrators and sex toys are nothing more than accessories for sexual acts, and pornography is merely an adult form of entertainment; but due to political, religious, and traditional forces, they are still considered to be sexual and social taboos.

Creveld’s transformation of war Essay

Martin van Creveld is regarded as one of the most influential contemporary military theorist and historians of modern times. Born in Netherlands, Creveld however has spent a life time in Israel studying and analyzing warfare from the vantage point of the faculty of the Hebrew University where he has been teaching since 1971. During these years he has published a number of works on contemporary military warfare. Supplying War, Command in War, The Transformation of War and The Rise and Decline of the State are some of his most important works amongst others. Highly respected amongst military academia, Creveld has been a regular on the teaching and lecture circuit in many parts of the World including the United States and Europe. His thoughts on warfare and the modern military are absorbed by most militaries including of course the country of his stay, Israel. Many military analysts consider, Creveld’s work, â€Å"The Transformation of War† as his most influential as he has brought out a new paradigm of warfare identified as non Trinitarian war, which is a seminal change in military thinking for the first time after Clausewitz in the 19th Century. (Creveld, 1991). This is now compulsory reading for US army officers. Transformation of War is essentially a critique of the Clausewitzian mode of war as highlighted in the 19th Century master’s seminal work on warfare, On War. (Clausewitz, 1976). Transformation of war breaks away from Clausewitzian model of wars determined by the relationship and resolution of the state or the government, the population and the military, a concept which Creveld has denoted as the Trinitarian model of war. Creveld on the other hand argues that warfare has changed considerably as war is fought today by states as well as non states, thus negating the first premise of Clausewitz. (1991). The population is an indeterminate factor in modern warfare and the modern military is incapable of coping with the changing nature of warfare unless it transforms its war fighting modes. The new war which Creveld talks about is not necessarily an engagement between two states and thus in some ways not winnable by modern armies without transforming themselves. Creveld explains war through a five fold prism of theories. The first is to denote those who fight war. As against the modern state centric militaries, Creveld attempts to indicate that throughout history it is not just states but also leagues, cities and religious orders amongst others who have fought war, thus states do not necessarily have a monopoly on war. In the contemporary spectrum also, states are losing their unique status as the makers of war, Hezbollah, Taliban, Tamil Tigers and the Al Qaeda represent the most significant examples. (Creveld, 1991) The second issue brought out by Von Creveld is the relationship between combatants and non combatants. This is no longer rational as indicated in wars of the old determined by internationally accepted legal instruments as the Geneva Conventions. In many cases today, the lines between war and crime have been blurred with prisoners being treated with utmost brutality. (Creveld, 1991). The third issue is conduct of wars wherein tactics and strategies too have undergone seminal change but which comprise of combat between the will of two protagonists where there is congruence of Creveld’s ideas with Clausewitz. The fourth significant issue addressed by Creveld is that war is not just continuation of politics by other means as indicated by Clausewitz but fought for varied purposes including religious, ethnic survival and so on. Creveld seems to suggest that the policy for making war will be as much determined by culture as by the will of states. (Creveld, 1991) A final issue which has been raised by Creveld is of the role of the individual in war fighting, the motivations, the fighting spirit and the factors that make a soldier fight. This should be clearly understood by the military leader as per Creveld. Seen in this perspective the motivations of the suicide bomber of today forming one of the main weapons of the terrorist organization would attain relevance. (Creveld, 1991) Creveld thus provides a broader perspective of warfare which may have greater relevance in today’s wars, than Clausewitz. This is so as he has covered a much wider period of warfare and thus is able to arrive at much broader conclusions on the changing nature of wars. Clausewitz on the other hand appears to have derived the principles from his more recent experiences which came after establishment of the Westphalian order. Viewed in the perspective of the types of conflicts being waged in the World today, Creveld’s views would seem quite relevant. A number of contemporary military writers as Carver have supported Creveld. (Carver, 1981). Moreover a survey of conflicts in which American forces were engaged even as the Gulf War 1991 was going on would indicate the possible simultaneity of conventional and guerrilla or asymmetric conflicts. (Bolger, 1991). On the other hand to view warfare completely as a state versus non state phenomenon may also be out of context. Some recent wars such as the Iraq War 1991, Operation Enduring Freedom 2003 or the Indo Pakistan conflict in 1999 in Kargil could possibly fall in the context of Trinitarian conflicts. Thus the state has not totally lost monopoly on wars. Another issue is of motivation of soldiers. The overwhelming importance given to motivation of soldiers by Creveld appears unjustified in that this may explain the use of say Kamikaze by the Japanese during the Second World War but such tactics despite high levels of motivation do not win wars. To that extent some of Creveld’s theories are not fully directed towards indicating strategies to win wars. Another argument is that of anarchy, if states lose their monopoly of making wars, the World would resemble chaos and disorder. This is seen in many parts of the globe even today. Thus states will continue to be a prime instrument of violence in the years ahead. Notwithstanding the above issues, Creveld has clearly indicated the changes that have come about in warfare and his theories have received considerable support in the military community. The need is to adopt recommendations made by Creveld rationally to political and military organizations by ensuring that societies adapt instruments of violence which are most appropriate to their environmental culture and needs of the times. Thus states should not only prepare for conventional wars but other types of warfare including guerrilla, information, political and cultural and develop their militaries as full spectrum forces. Government and militaries also need to take into account the possibilities of being confronted not just by uniformed soldiers but also by suicide bombers, grenade and gun toting vagabonds, information warriors and even biological warfare agents. The complexity of conflict has thus interminably increased over the years.

A Lack of Tech-Friendly Policies Means US Could Loose Its Lead Essay Sample

The article â€Å"A Lack of Tech-Friendly Policies Means US Could Loose Its Lead† provides relevant treatment about deficiency of proper proficient inventions in the state. It is argued that the state strongly lacks proficient geographic expeditions. new in-migration workers policy and more low-cost instruction. The writer references that the US is a state with tremendous resources. venture capital and the best universities. but the state should move quicker to keep world’s taking place in technological domain. I think that the article is really of import for country’s policy because it highlights current jobs and challenges. Nowadays engineerings are fleetly developing in many Asiatic states. particularly in China. Japan and Korea. and. in my sentiment. the US authorities should pay more attending to policies which encourage and promote technological inventions and scientific geographic expeditions in the energetic field. Actually. the state has adept applied scientists to interchange information and proper resources to use. It goes without stating that the US is really powerful state in all domains. but nowadays the country’s authorities wages attending to contending terrorist act. war in Iraq. and racial favoritism and neglects the bedrock of economic issues which are considered the nucleus of country’s fight at the world’s scene. I agree with the writer that â€Å"innovation starts from education† . and the fact that â€Å"too many pupils are dropping out of school. and excessively few are analyzing math and science† is truly dissatisfactory for me. I think that making more occupations. actuating pupils to larn. and increasing productiveness will excite technological development of the state. The writer is really persuasive as he offers relevant grounds and claims of cardinal political figures to escalate the feeling and do people cognizant of bing jobs. However. I don’t like the thoughts of working out new atom bombs. Space missions. in my sentiment. are of import as they help to understand our universe better.

Comparing the school of thought Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Comparing the school of thought - Essay Example Vision is the central concept of this school of thought (Pearce, and Robinson, 2004; Sadler & Craig, 2003). This vision of course emanates from a leader who formulates the appropriate strategy to attain fulfilment of the former. This strategy formulation happens to use the leader’s intuition, wisdom, experience, judgement, and insight (Mckenna, R. et al, 2007). This presupposes that that the strategy should exist in the mind of the leader in the form of a vision of the organizations future. The leader accomplishes the strategy design using partly aware process. With the leader being heavily guided by the vision single-mindedly and he should keep close control over implementation, reformulating it as necessary (Sadler & Craig, 2003). A leader cannot be called as such without followers. Combine the leader and his or her followers, and a group is created. Something must however bind the members and the leader and such wonderful link is called a culture. Thus, organizations should have a culture or an evidence of shared belief. An organizational culture is therefore defined as the shared belief of persons in the business entity (Sadler & Craig, 2003; Wilcox, 1998; Franklin & Baun, 1995) which these people reflect in their traditions and habits. This would explain the presence of ore tangible manifestations like signs, logos, symbols, uniform, one flag and even design of building or facilities to reflect a common understanding on some (Sadler & Craig, 2003). The best example of having common belief is a church whose members have someway doing things which they themselves give significance. When applied to business organization, culture is thus viewed as a separate school of thought from entrepreneur. Based on this background, it must be easy to see the strategy formulation as a process of social interaction using the shared beliefs and values of the members of the organization to

Management high performance DB 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Management high performance DB 3 - Essay Example They detest lateness and hence prefer business meetings to run on time. People especially during meetings should be dressed in decent formal attire as they do not like exposure of too much skin. When they have offered business cards, they prefer them to be read first as a courtesy and not just kept in the pocket (Nishiyama, 2000). The different approaches to management add to the company performance as business is able to be conducted well whether it requires individual or group assessment. This is because the company will be conversant with both group and individual performances as it is an amalgam of the two cultures. Performance will also increase as the managers will be able to deal well with either working in groups or working with individual employees and both levels maximum achievement will be obtained. The only thing that will subtract the performance and this will happen in the initial stages of working together (short term) is the fact that it will take time for American managers to work well and achieve performance with groups as it will be for Japanese to work well with individuals (Karmakar,

IOM Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

IOM - Assignment Example When the country is equipped with such a big number of professionals, it becomes much easier to satisfy the diverse needs of clients throughout the nation (DeWit 322). The acquisition of a baccalaureate degree is of great value because it can improve the standard of healthcare in the country. Therefore, it should be implemented by bringing the public and private sector together. First, the health care organizations within the country should urge all the nurses with diploma and associate degree qualifications to enroll for a baccalaureate degree program upon the completion of their courses (DeWit 319). Besides, both the public and private funders should be ready to work as a team. They should allocate enough funds to support bac ­calaureate programs. This would enable many nurses to enroll for it. Last, but not least, the U.S. Secretary of Education, Health Resources and Services Administration and other agencies should avail loans and grants for the nursing students who are willing to pursue baccalaureate degree programs. These would make it much accessible to them whenever they need

People Resourcing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

People Resourcing - Essay Example The definition of people resourcing includes a number of activities. â€Å"People resourcing is concerned with ensuring that the organisation obtains and retains the human capital needs and employs them productively. It is also about those aspects of employment practices that are concerned with welcoming people to organisation and, if there is no alternative, releasing them† .This definition highlights important aspects relating to people resourcing. First, it primarily focuses on organisation’s human capital requirements and subsequently it requires the effective and productive use of employees. In this regard, it is pertinent to highlight that this part of definition looks ambiguous as it does not further describe the productivity of employees. Consequently, this situation leads to consequent unclear application of definition. In the next part of definition, the definition author has attempted to elucidate hiring and firing perspective as an inbuilt part of people res ourcing. However, it is still relevant to highlight that this definition points out the importance of human capital. For example, the definition author insists that human capital, such as natural talent, ability to satisfy job description and job role as expected by employer, remains a central focal point of the definition. At the same time, the definition also insists that after satiating the first two requirements of the definition, it is essential to work for the third requirement (productive utilisation) of the hired personnel.

Encouragement Of Small Business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Encouragement Of Small Business - Research Paper Example One of the ways through which the national governments promote entrepreneurship is by encouraging small businesses through financial incentives, training for small entrepreneurs, providing exposures to such small businesses, and even reserving some government contracts to small businesses. By reserving certain government contracts to small businesses, it offers them an opportunity for growth, expansion, exposure, and even it shields them from competing with large businesses that have massive financial resources that small businesses cannot compete against (Compton, 2009). It is important to note that under the Small Business Act, a small business is defined as a business that is owned and operated by an independent person (S), and it is not a dominant player in the market. This present paper will focus on the encouragement of small businesses by the government through the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), which spells out regulations for government officials when they are making purchases of government’s goods and services. ... Socio-economic considerations of the federal procurement process Broaddus et al. (2009) that the legal framework that is in place requires that the United States government to engage in an efficient and competitive process when it is procuring goods and services. Besides abiding by this legal framework, the government has further instituted various policies in the acquisition process in a bid to promote certain socio-economic objectives. The policies have been aimed at proving more contracting opportunities to vulnerable groups such as small businesses owned by youths, small women-owned businesses, veteran-owned small businesses, and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. However, these small businesses are required to abide by the ancillary requirements as stipulated in the law and in executive orders. According to Keyes (2003), the main socio-economic consideration of the federal procurement process is the uplifting of small businesses that are owned by disadvantaged grou p or persons, who face economical and social disadvantages. These businesses have been accorded special status by the Small Business Act in regards to the U.S government procurement process. Therefore, it is more likely for these small businesses to be awarded a government contract since the government aims at improving the social and economic conditions of the people who run the small businesses, their families, and the community at large. Gender is also a factor that is considered in the government procurement process, in order to favor small businesses that are owned and managed by women entrepreneurs who are normally clustered as a disadvantaged group because of the various challenges that they face. Keyes (2003) stated that the consideration of women in the federal procurement

There are only two ways in which humankind can produce knowledge Essay

There are only two ways in which humankind can produce knowledge through passive observation or through active experiment. To what extent do you agree with this statement - Essay Example I will take passive observation to mean knowledge acquired through discovery but in which the knower do not influence the phenomenon they are studying. Active experimentation is whereby the knower participates in creating or producing knowledge. The title presupposes that humankind can only discover or create knowledge. I am going to argue that there are different approaches to produce knowledge in addition to passive observation and active experimentation as evidenced by the various areas of knowledge and ways of knowing. In order to understand whether we discover or create knowledge and whether there are other ways of producing knowledge, first we need to understand what knowledge is. Lagemaat (2015, 23) defines knowledge as â€Å"justified true belief† (Lagemaat, 2015, 23). From this definition, arise three concepts that need explaining: truth, belief and justification. Truth is what distinguishes knowledge from belief. People hold many beliefs depending on their cultures some of which are superstitious hence not everything that people believe is knowledge. For example, the Greeks believed in myths such as odyssey to explain extraordinary events such as earthquakes. Such beliefs even if the Greeks considered them true cannot be true and as such are not knowledge. For it to be considered as knowledge what one claims to know must be true otherwise, it may be true or false. Since we cannot be 100 percent sure that what we know is true, a degree of certainty is acceptable hence something is true beyond reasonable doubt (Stuart, 2000). Belief is to believe what you claim to know as true is true (Stuart, 2000). It is having confidence or strong conviction that what you claim to know is true. For example, if you hold the truth that telling lies is wrong, then you should have the conviction to say that you know that it is true. For Lagemaat, belief and knowledge lay in a continuum ranging from the impossible to certainty hence there is

Personal Development Plan Part 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Personal Development Plan Part 2 - Essay Example the same time, though, I realize that such output, while good, was not my best, and that I could have done better had I exercised proper time management instead of procrastinating. It is for this reason that I chose to work on my weaknesses as the focus of my personal development – in this case in particular, fixing my weaknesses will allow me to utilize my strengths to greater effect. Time management – a concept our parents and teachers have been beating us over the head with ever since elementary. Those of us fortunate (and diligent) enough to gain a good grasp of it early on usually end up becoming successful enough, while those who fail at it often end up failing at everything else. This is not too noticeable in elementary and high school, where students have their daily schedules predetermined – they know what time each subject is, which saves them the trouble of having to fix their schedule. In college, however, time management and/or the lack of it becomes more readily apparent. According to Penn State’s University Learning Center (2001), the greater freedom of movement in college means it falls down to the students themselves to manage their time as they please. Before discussing my time management issues, though, I feel it to be more important to first define what exactly time management is. According to Steve Pavlina (2008), time management boils down to deciding what one must do and then doing it. And while these steps may look simple enough to understand at first, another question immediately follows: what exactly should one do at a given moment? Opportunity costs also come into play as no matter what course of action one chooses, it will always involve forgoing the results that could have been gotten from the other options. Thus, as in business, it becomes necessary to choose the path with minimum cost, yet maximum satisfaction. In short, time management should focus on scheduling the best task for a given period of time. All other side

Advantages of working from home Essay Example for Free

Advantages of working from home Essay There is a trend towards making jobs more mobile and allowing employees to access work remotely from home. Technology has also made a great contribution allowing people to work from home. Equipments such as computers, facsimile machines, telephones etc. have revolutionized the work industry and this trend has helped employers, employees and the state at large. An International Telework Association survey found that the number of teleworking employees grew from 41.3 million in 2003 to 44.4 million in 2005 and projects that number to climb to 51 million by 2008 (Marcia Reed-Woodard, Dec 2005). For a company, employees working from home may save them time, space and money. But for an employee, the benefits are much greater. In addition to the above mentioned factors, the employees benefit with flexibility in working hours, avoid distractions and family commitments are easily fulfilled. The greatest advantage is the time factor which can make the job much comfortable working from home. Often at times, time, becomes your ally, expanding or contracting to conform to specific work assignments. The pressure to finish the work or to look busy even when you are not, is eliminated. Therefore, you can fix your own work hours, more or less, as required. You do not have to reach work on time or give a reason for being late, relieving everyday stress. In an event of sickness, you do not need to get a medical or present a reason to the boss. You can still get some work done instead of remaining idle at home. Lunch can be managed and repair works can be done easily while being at home. You can set your own target and get maximum work done according to your wish. You avoid getting in traffic by driving for long hours to get to work and hence you save on fuel charges, car maintenance and also your precious time. Even if you take a two hour lunch no one can punish you as you are your own boss. Secondly, you avoid distractions around you while working at home. You can avoid difficult co-workers who can make your life stressful at work. Also bullies and gossipers can be avoided to give a good peace of mind. Sometimes there are office politics, like the boss favours some one and constantly looks at what you are doing. This calamity avoided can become a boon in concentrating on more work and reaping more benefits since peacefully you can get extra work done without having to face comments from co-workers or boss on the spot. At work you may come in contact with customers who are offensive, abusive etc. while at home no such instances can bother you. Thirdly, you can be with your family and get your work done simultaneously. The notion that parents do not spend time with children can be avoided and proper care can be taken of them at home. Children get more attention and life can be healthier when people around you are happy, and this can boost your self confidence and esteem. If any family member is sick or needs to get some attention, then this task is easily accomplished as you are your own boss. You can take your own decisions at your own will. Members of the family can be of great help when you have a large amount of work such as, typing a report, which can be done by anyone mature enough in the house or also your close friend or relative. Children can have an opportunity to see what their parents do for a living. The financial benefits are also very attractive. Instead of waiting for a boss to give you a raise or a promotion, the amount of money you can earn is directly related to your own performance. Whether the business is the sole means of support or a secondary income, its earning potential is up to you. These days, people who have been frequently shut out of job markets, for example, homemakers, students, retirees, to name a few, can use their home business to create new income opportunities. You save on travel expenses and you do not have to send your children to nurseries if you can be at home, so substantial savings can be made. In conclusion, working from home can be very relaxing and comfortable. We can see that working from home increases efficiency due to fewer distractions, and much greater benefits are reaped due to less stress and office complications. Today more people have home-based businesses, which increases the use of new ideas to generate income. Hence, working from home can be very rewarding and it may be a dream come true if in the future you own a business with your own ideas and independent thinking. References: -Scarry, Sandra and John Scarry. The writers workplace 6th  edition. http://choosing-careers.suite101.com/article.cfm/five_reasons_to_be_self_employedhttp://ezinearticles.com/?7-Benefits-of-Working-At-Homeid=51130http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCESitemId=1073791632

Examining The Understanding Social Disorganization Theory Criminology Essay

Examining The Understanding Social Disorganization Theory Criminology Essay Social Disorganization means the disruption or breakdown of the structure of social relations and values resulting in the loss of social controls over individual and group behavior, the development of social isolation and conflict, and a sense of estrangement or alienation from the mainstream of ones culture; the  condition or state of anomie (dictionary). Social Disorganization Theory is a theory that is less than one hundred years old. The founders of this theory are Shaw and McKay. Social disorganization theory was developed in the early 1900s in Chicago, Illinois, based upon the fact that the founders of this theory had been researching juvenile court records for more than one decade (Pratt, Gau, and Franklin 43). The theory suggested that there were high rates of crime in certain neighborhoods; particularly rather poor neighborhoods. Once Shaw and Kay discovered these findings, they figured that crime was no longer based on the individual alone, but more so the structure of th e neighborhood and what the neighborhood consisted of socially; neighbors level of interaction with one another, along with their ability to regulate the youth of their community (Pratt, Gau, and Franklin 44). There are several factors that can help determine social disorganization within a community. A few of these factors include: low socioeconomic status, high rates of residential mobility, increased diversity within the community and single-parent households (Pratt et al. 44, Barton et al. 247, and Kingston et al. 54). However, one of the main factors frequently used to determine social disorganization is residential mobility. Residential mobility is the frequent Childress 2 change of residence, either in the same city or town, or between cities, states or communities (dictionary). Residential mobility has the ability to socially disorganize any community. Neighbors packing up and moving more frequently than not, puts a strain on the ability for people to bond with one another and form a friendship with other residents who also reside in their community. Another factor that is often used to determine social disorganization is the socioeconomic status of a particular neighborhood. Poor neighborhoods with low income usually contain single-parent residencies. Single-parent households with young children living in them, have a hard time controlling the youth of their households, let alone the youth of their communities. Lack of discipline to the youth and improper social skills with their peers causes them to get involved in certain activities that are not only harmful to the community but harmful to themselves as well. According to the authors of the articl e A Test of Social Disorganization Theory in High-Risk Urban Neighborhoods, Structurally disadvantaged neighborhoods that lack the resources to effectively monitor children (such as: summer camps, music lessons, sports training, home computers, and special tutoring) and provide few sanctions for inappropriate behavior are likely to have a higher number of delinquent peer groups available to youthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Poorly monitored youth are more likely to socialize with deviant peers and to engage in misconduct (Kingston et al. 58-59). As stated before, social disorganization occurs mainly in poor neighborhoods with high residential mobility lack of socializing between the neighbors throughout the community. These factors allow the crime in these communities to grow exponentially. Social exclusion and isolation from one another has a negative effect on the community because it creates a gateway for crime to occur. With no one from the community willing to step up and organize groups like The Neighborhood Watch or etc., it creates opportunities for crime to occur at any given time throughout the community. With no control over the youth living in the community, crime tends Childress 3 to rise. With lack of control over the youth, gangs have a high risk of developing. When gangs develop, there are a number of negative things that can occur. Some of the negative activities that can stem from gangs are burglaries, vandalism, drug-dealing, and violence, just to name a few (Mares, 41). The number of gangs began to rapidly increase in America during the 20th century. Without warning, gangs began showing up and developing in suburban, rural and urban communities (Mares, 41). This could have been prevented somehow if there had been more unity within the communities and if neighbors had been more willing to socialize with one another while agreeing to keep an eye out for any suspicious behavior with their community. However, it is safe to say that gang violence and homicides has the ability to destroy neighborhoods and put fear into people while causing isolation throughout the community (Mares, 42). So, if people within a community are afraid of the area that they are living in, it makes it harder for them to call the police and report a crime; and if they do report a crime, the chances of them cooperating with the police and stepping up as a public witness is not high, because they may feel threatened by the local gang members of the community, as well as scared for their lives. When this occurs, crime increases within the community because local gang members feel as if theyre invincible and as if they can get away with any crime they commit, no matter how large or small the crime may be (Mares 43). Social Disorganization started off as a theory fit for urban, rural and suburban neighborhoods. However, throughout the years, social disorganization has progressed from slum neighborhoods to college campuses. With the Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University shootings, campus crime seems pretty evident in these areas (Barton et al. 245). According to the authors of the article Social disorganization theory and the college campus, four-year college universities reported 44 murders, 2,491 forcible rapes, 1,386 robberies, 2,130 aggravated assaults, 25,978 burglaries, and 3,410 motor vehicle thefts back in 2007 in the United States Childress 4 (Barton et al. 245). Residential mobility is an obvious factor of social disorganization on college campuses because most colleges do not require their student to live on campus. Students living in nearby towns tend to commute back and forth to school everyday. Theres also the case where students get to pick a new room during the room reservation process towards the end of every academic school year. The percentage of students remaining in the same dorm room year after year is not very high. All of these factors regarding residential mobility on college campuses make it very hard for neighboring students in the dormitories to form a lasting bond with one another, since students usually get a new neighbor at the beginning of every academic school year once they move back onto campus. Then you have the college students who decide to pledge for a Greek organization on campus. These organizations take up the majority of a students time. Those students who live on campus but are dedicated to a Greek organization are hardly ever in their dorm rooms, thus, making it that much easier for crimes, such as burglaries, to occur on the college campus, particularly in the dormitories. Despite the positive things that Greek organizations do for the community, crime is very much capable of happening at their events, particularly their parties. Certain crimes such as under-age drinking, illegal drug use and vandalism are, very much so, capable of happening at a Greek organizations college party (Barton et al. 248). However, according to authors of the article Social disorganization theory and the college campus, Stronger community organizations provide more opportunities for positive social interaction, improve formal social control by increasing the chances that neighbors will observe neighborhood activity and intervene when they see potential problems, and thereby decrease the chance of crime occurring (Barton et al. 248). The dynamics of a community determine whether or not there will be social disorganization. Of course openness and communication within the community enhances the Childress 5 chances of gaining more control over the youth residing in nearby homes of their neighbors, including the homes of their own (if they have any). Coming together and unifying to form protection groups such as The Neighborhood Watch, will give people within the community a feeling of safety and protection. So, if someone from The Neighborhood Watch witnesses a crime taking place with their community, they may feel more confident and safe about calling the police to report it, since they will have the support of the The Neighborhood Watch within the community to fall back on. Aside from unity and proper communication amongst the residents of a community, the quality of the schools within the community have a strong ability to decrease social disorganization. Schools within a community that are not overcrowded or lacking basic needs such as teaching supplies and up-to-date text books, makes the students who are attending that particular institution more guaranteed to gain a quality education (Kingston et al. 58). This will give them more of an interest in pursuing a higher education, such as college, which will give them motivation to focus more on school by getting good grades and becoming more involved with extracurricular activities, instead of getting into trouble out in the streets of their community. According to the text book Key Ideas in Criminology and Criminal Justice, the authors conclude at the end of chapter four that levels of social disorganization may affect informal control and criminal opportunity mechanism, which, in turn, directly influence neighborhood crime rates (Pratt et al. 50). Childress 6