American Dream In the 1920s Essay

In the 1920s, many Americans were trying to achieve the infamous â€Å"American Dream.† The dream was to be rich, successful, happy, and one of the social elites. However, even though this was the dream for Americans in the 1920s, the general standard has changed over the years into the present time. Since the 1920s, the dream of putting a high emphasis on an individualistic and materialistic life has evolved into a present day dream of working hard, holding a well-paying job, and raising a family. The 1920s was an era of declined social and moral values, as shown by its increased pursuit of pleasure. When World War I ended in 1918, the young Americans who had fought the war became deeply disillusioned, as the battles that they had just fought in made the Victorian social morality of the early 1920s seem like hypocrisy. This caused those that had fought in the war to not care as much about upholding traditional morals. Also, since World War I was the â€Å"war to end all wars,† Americans were quite optimistic during the 1920s. The uncontrolled satisfaction that led to self-indulgent parties and wild jazz music resulted ultimately in the corruption of the American dream, as the uninhibited desire for pleasure exceeded other, less important goals. Americans’ pursuit of pleasure in the 1920s resulted ultimately in a decline in values. Many of the values of today’s dream are similar to those of the 1920s. The dream today does consist of pleasure and happiness. However, the dream of the 1920s was to put a much stronger emphasis on it than today’s dream does. The values and morals today are also more widely accepted by the general public. An example of this is women wearing bathing suits to a public beach. In the 1920s, it was bad enough that those bathing suits were even the l east bit revealing. Today, however, it is perfectly acceptable for women to wear bikinis to a public beach, which are much more revealing than those of the 1920s. This is because the standard has gradually changed over time. Many of the values of the 1920s were extremely new and deviated from the norm greatly. The â€Å"new† values crashed right into the 1920s with the emergence of the flapper, a new generation of women who bobbed their hair, wore short skirts, and listened to jazz music. People had no time to adapt to these values. On the other hand, the values of the modern American dream were gradually incorporated. Americans today have been around these values long enough that they are now accustomed to them. During the 1920s, family life was both similar and different than it is now. Advancements in industrial production and technology enabled ordinary Americans to acquire what once had been unattainable luxuries, such as automobiles. These luxuries that were part of everyday family life in the 1920s are still part of the dream today. There are, however, differences between family life of the 1920s and modern family life. In the 1920s, husbands were the â€Å"breadwinners† for their families. While the men were at work, their wives cooked, cleaned, and looked after the home. Wives also did most of the raising of the children. Women in the 1920s did hold jobs, but that was something more for young, single women. Married women typically did not obtain a job because it would cause them to take their focus off of taking care of their family. The dream today is that both men and women perform equal shares of raising the family. Instead of just the men holding jobs, women also hold jobs today. Instead of just the women caring for the home and children, men also take part. Through these efforts, Americans can hope to achieve the part of the dream of raising a family. Throughout the 1920s, Americans went on a spending spree. The rise of the stock market led to a sudden increase in the national wealth and created a society full of materialism. People began to consume and spend more than ever, and they had the idea that money and popularity would solve everything. A person from any social background could, potentially, strike a fortune. Speculators and industrialists who achieved the American dream in the 1920s of â€Å"getting rich† were labeled the â€Å"new money.† The aristocracy disliked the new money. The so-called â€Å"old money,† families that had always had money that was passed down from generation to generation, felt that the â€Å"get rich quick† ways of earning money were not as fulfilling as the traditional ways. Today, money is valued differently than it was in the 1920s. The dream is not centered so much around money as it used to be. Yes, money is still just as important, but people nowadays keep other goals in mind other than just earning money. The dream today consists of having a job that pays well and that is enjoyable, not just a job that only pays well. Another part of the American dream that women had in the 1920s was equal rights with men. The ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, which allowed women the right to vote, helped them come even closer to having equal rights with men. In the dream today, women seem to not be as concerned about women’s rights as they did in the 1920s. This is due to the fact that most of the work that needed to be done has already been done, such as the women’s rights movement and the ratification of the nineteenth amendment. Today, on average, women earn 77 cents for every dollar that men earn. Women still hold far less ownership, CEO, and other high positions within companies than men. These two facts are evidence that work still remains in the struggle for equal rights for women. However, women definitely came a long way and it is only a matter of time before they are equal with men, for most of the work has already been done. In the 1920s, there seems to have been an American dream that everyone was trying to achieve. Many people looked and some still do look toward this as a model for their own individual American dreams. However, even though this might have been the dream for many Americans in the 1920s, the general standard sure has changed over the years into the present time. Since the 1920s, the dream of putting a high emphasis on â€Å"materialistic† life has evolved into a present day dream of working hard, holding a well-paying job, and raising a family.

Psychology †Aggression Experiment Essay

Proposal Our investigation focuses on violence in the media and the affects that it has on viewers that watch it, a person’s heart rate can be monitored to see if watching certain films will affect the viewers. We predict that violence in the media does not affect an audience. To support the hypothesis we will conduct an experiment using a sample group of Yr.11 students which attend Westminster school. Three different varied films will be shown for 3 minutes, Educating Rita, Braveheart and Bugsy Malone. During each film heart rates will be taken at the half-way point and the end to get qualitative results. The independent variable in this experiment is the actual violence viewed by the audience and the dependent variable is the heart rate that will be recorded by the participants. The data that is found will be analysed to support the hypothesis, this will be done using graphs. Introduction This SACE approved research program was conducted to investigate the effects of violent and aggressive films on a collection of Year 11 Psychology students. We hypothesize that violence in the media does not affect an audience. To support our hypothesis an experiment was conducted using a class of Year 11 psychology students, where they were exposed to three film clips (Educating Rita, Brave Heart and Bugsy Malone). As the participants viewed these exerts, their heart rates were recorded during and at the conclusion of each clip to determine any changes in heart rate levels. The data that was found and used in this experiment is quantitative data. Our results are displayed in a bar graph using the mean value for each gender. Results Discussion The hypothesis of this experiment was that violence in the media does not affect an audience; this was supported through the results found throughout the duration of the experiment. The results showed little to no change in the viewer’s heart rate while watching the prescribed film exerts: Educating Rita, Braveheart and Bugsy Malone. The exact results are shown in graph 1, which displays the base rate, the heart rate half way through the clip and at the duration of the exert. The graph shows that whilst the participants watched Educating Rita, at the midway point of the clip their heart rate increased by 2bpm which is a mere 1.2%. When the heart rates were tested again at the duration of the clip, the mean value in the participant’s heart rates didn’t change at all. The heart rates taken during the Braveheart clip, show that the majority of participants heart rates actually fell by 3bpm. During the clip taken from Bugsy Malone, the average heart rate at the half way point decreased by 4bmp, but then increased by 6bpm at the duration of the film. Although, this data could have been skewed by two outliers who had very heart rates which may have been the cause of the results increasing. Overall there is not a huge increase of the heart rates after watching each film exert, as the greatest average in change of heart rate was only 6bpm. The difference in the results is so small that wouldn’t be considered as important, so this could also suggest that when violence and comedy are mixed together a greater reaction from the viewers is found. My investigation was really an unrepresentative sample group as it lacked much diversity at all. It consisted of only Year 11 Westminster School students who study psychology, also the group lacked much variety in terms of religion, background and beliefs. To make the experiment more accurate there needed to have been participants from different age groups, cultures and an even balance of the two genders to make the results more accurate and reliable. There were a few particular weaknesses in the experiment that fell under the extraneous variables category; one was that the class might have been anxious and excited about using the heart rate monitors which could have affected the overall results. Also, before the experiment begun the participants were playing with the heart rate monitors and testing them out, which may have enabled people to figure out how to slow and fasten their heart rate. There is a possibility that the participants could have been embarrassed or self-conscious of their results, so when their peers asked or saw their results sheet they may have felt inclined to change their results. During the experiment there were minor ethical issues that could have been handled better. This included confidentiality; participants were given an identification number at the beginning of the experiment, and it was quite easy for other participants to find out others identification numbers, making this a breach of their confidentiality. Another issue that became apparent was the point of voluntary participation. Although each participate did in fact have the option to either participate or not, the researcher suggested that if they did not participate their grades would be put in jeopardy and could inevitably not pass their SACE, or the semester’s worth of work. This definitely placed pressure on the participants to take part in the experiment. The last major ethical issue that arose during the experiment was when each participant was to sign an agreement which said they were willing to take part in the experiment, and if they were under the age of sixteen their parent of legal guardian was to sign on their behalf. At this point, participants asked if they were close to the age of sixteen (ranging from 1 week to 2 months) whether they could sign it themselves. The researcher then said they were happy for them to sign it themselves, and didn’t really mind either way. This is against the rules and rights of the experiment, and the researcher should have made sure that every student under the age of sixteen had their consent for signed by someone who was either a parent of legal guardian. The investigation has accurately met the hypothesis set; violence in the media does not affect an audience. Graph 1 clearly shows the minimal change in heart rates of nearly all the participants besides from negligible outliers. Although, there is a high possibility that the results would be different if the group of participants were selected with more diverse character and personality traits in mind. Nevertheless, I still believe the results are fairly consistent. The only factor that could possibly alter the results if the experiment was to be conducted again, would most likely be the day, time of day that it was undertaken and any underlying distractions to the participants. Words: 850

Political Economy and the Propaganda Model of Noam Chomsky

Using one of the case studies outlined by Chomsky & Herman in ‘Manufacturing Consent – The Political Economy of the Mass Media’, critically assess the main propositions put forward in their analysis of the mass media. Is the ‘Propaganda Model’ still relevant today? Noam Chomsky along with Edward Herman has developed the  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Propaganda Model†Ã‚  of the media works. They helped develop the detailed and sophisticated analysis of how the wealthy and powerful use the media to propagandise their own interests behind a mask of objective news reporting. Herman and Chomsky expound this analysis in their book  Ã¢â‚¬ËœManufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media’. In their 1988 book, Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky’s ‘propaganda model’ argues that there are 5 classes of ‘filters' in society which determine what is ‘news'; in other words, what gets broadcast by radio or printed in newspapers and shown on television. Herman and Chomsky's model also explains how dissent from the mainstream is given little, or zero, coverage, while governments and big business gain easy access to the public in order to convey their state-corporate messages. Noam Chomsky has been engaged in political activism most of his life; he spoke up firstly about the media coverage of Nicaragua. July 19, 1979 – the leftist  Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional  (FSLN/Sandinistas) rolled into Managua, Nicaragua leader of the insurrection that had finally succeeded in overthrowing the dictator Anastasio Somoza Debayle. Then there was the election in 1984. The American coverage for the elections in Nicaragua and el Salvador are a key aspect which Chomsky and Herman cover in Manufacturing Consent, and one which Chomsky spoke of on many occasions. The media covered both elections in both countries simultaneously the American media condemned the outcome of the election in Nicaragua as a â€Å"soviet sham† because the new Nicaraguan government were against the American puppet government and were a more socialist country. Because President Reagan's war created a need for a propaganda victory, in December 1983 the Sandinistas outsmarted Washington by scheduling their first post-triumph election earlier than originally planned— 2 days before Americans would decide whether President Reagan should continue to lead the country. The Media coverage up to this point had been little in the way of truth, and of the actual happenings of Nicaragua in the past. What they were trying to achieve, for many years, and most of all about the upcoming elections of the time. The American press seemed to try and protect America’s interest and perception by the people, then to deliver unbiased reporting. The fact that most of the rest of the world was opposed to Reagan's terrorist activities didn’t filter through to the Americans. Most of the Nicaraguan people, along with many worldwide had hoped that if the Sandinistas won as expected, Washington would accept the results and call off President Reagan’s â€Å"freedom fighters†. This was a naive hope, as Secretary of State George P. Shultz made clear: â€Å"with or without elections we will continue our policy of pressuring Nicaragua†. Nicaragua was in the news on election night in the U. S, but the story that was in the news was not one on Nicaragua’s election. The story was of soviet MIGs. As reported by CBS Evening News on November 6, 1984, the soviet freighter Bakuriani was on its way to Nicaragua with MIG 21 fighters aboard. The ‘sham election’ story was succeeded quickly by the security threat story. The overwhelming majority of objective observers concluded that the election was conducted competently and fairly by the Supreme Electoral Council, and that all Nicaraguan political parties had been given ample opportunity and resources to campaign and get their messages out to the people without serious hindrance from the Sandinistas. While all this was going on, the American government stated on the complete flipside that the El Salvador election, whose victors were against the socialist uprising, was a victory for democracy. The Americans supported the oppressive party and condemned the socialists because it suited them and they could easily pass off the socialists as communists. The American government continued to support and fund the tyranny long after this travesty. â€Å"Only the naive believe that Sunday's election in Nicaragua was democratic or legitimizing proof of the Sandinistas' popularity. The result was ordained when opposition parties tamely accepted terms that barred them from power. This plebiscite will not end the struggle for pluralism in Nicaragua. But neither can it serve as justification for recent American policy. â€Å"The Sandinistas made it easy to dismiss their election as a sham. †¦ † Nobody Won in Nicaragua, Editorial, New York Times, Nov 7, 1984 pg. A26. â€Å"No major political tendency in Nicaragua was denied access to the electoral process in 1984. The only parties that did not appear on the ballot were absent by their own choice, not because of government exclusion. †¦ Opposition parties received their legal allotments of campaign funds and had regular and substantial access to radio and television. The legally registered opposition parties were able to hold the vast majority of their rallies unimpeded by pro-FSLN demonstrators or by other kinds of government interference. † (http://www. williamgbecker. com/lasa_1984. pdf)â € A member of the [opposition] Popular Social Christian Party, Jose Lazos said his party ‘recognized the percentage of the F. S. L. N. vote. ‘ ‘It was an honourable process', he said. † [Lazos also confided to the LASA delegation â€Å"We received the vote we expected†. LASA report, ibid. , p. 18. — B. B. ] â€Å"A team of observers from the Washington Office on Latin America, a church-sponsored lobbying group, said the electoral process had been ‘meaningful' and had provided a political opening in Nicaragua. â€Å"The group, in a statement prepared after the voting ended on Sunday, said the process had been ‘well-conceived' and had afforded ‘easy access to vote with guarantees of secrecy. †Ã‚  From  Sandinista Claims Big Election Victory, by Gordon Mott. New York Times, Nov 6, 1984. â€Å"However, [Virgilio Godoy, the PLI presidential candidate who dropped out the day after a visit from the U. S. ambassador] went on to compare favourably Nicaragua's election with presidential elections in El Salvador earlier this year. ‘If the US is going to try to be honest in evaluating these elections, it will be a real problem for the Reagan administration,' Mr. Godoy said. ‘If the US administration said that the Guatemalan and Salvadorian elections were valid ones, how can they condemn elections in Nicaragua, when they have been no worse and probably a lot better than elections in Salvador and Guatemala. ‘The elections here have been much more peaceful. There were no deaths as in the other two countries, where the opposition were often in fear for their lives. ‘† Nicaragua vote seen as better run than Salvador's By Dennis Volman, Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor November 5, 1984, p. 13. Managua, Nicaragua  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Reviewing the history of the negotiations between the FSLN and the opposition parties since 1981, and especially during the current election year, Stephen Kinzer, the Managua-based correspondent of The New York Times, told our delegation ‘The FSLN gave in on almost all of the opposition parties' demands concerning how the electoral process would be run. Their stance seemed to be, â€Å"if any clause of the election law causes serious controversy, we'll modify it. † Most of the opposition's complaints about the process had nothing to do with the mechanics of the elections, but rather were more general criticisms of the political system†¦. What some of these groups want is a complete change in the political system: to abolish the CDSs (Sandinista Defence Committees), get the Sandinistas out of the army, prohibit [incumbent] government officials from running for office, and so forth. In short, they want Nicaragua to become a parliamentary democracy first, before they will participate. But this isn't Switzerland! ‘ † (LASA report, ibid. , p. 12. )†Suppose that some power of unimaginable strength were to threaten to reduce the United States to the level of Ethiopia unless we voted for its candidates, demonstrating that the threat was real. Suppose that we refused, and the threat was then carried out, the country brought to its knees, the economy wrecked and millions killed. Suppose, finally, that the threat were repeated, loud and clear, at the time of the next scheduled elections. Under such conditions, only the most extreme hypocrite would speak of a free election. Furthermore, it is likely that close to 100% of the population would succumb. â€Å"Apart from the last sentence, I have just described U. S. -Nicaraguan relations for the last decade. † —Noam Chomsky, The Boston Globe, March 4, 1990El Salvador in 1982 and 1984, and Nicaragua in 1984, provide a virtually controlled experiment in media integrity or submissiveness. The U. S. government promoted the Salvadoran elections as marvels of democratic advance, under adverse conditions, while trying to undermine and discredit the Nicaraguan election as a sham, even though facts did not support claims of superiority of the former election. In the case of El Salvador, the U. S. government agenda stressed the importance and excellence of the election. They focused on the long lines of smiling voters, the size of the turnout, rebel opposition and alleged efforts at disruption. Additionally, they downplayed the absence of fundamental conditions of a free election, such as the freedoms of press and assembly; the ability of all groups to run candidates; and freedom from state terror and coercive threats. The idea that the American press was so quick to praise one and condemn the other is what Chomsky refers to as the ‘propaganda model’ of the mass media. The American government dictates the press into writing about what benefits the American government more so than writing about the truth. Is the Propaganda Model still relevant today? In their propaganda model, Herman and Chomsky present a series of five â€Å"filters† to account for why the dominant U. S. media invariably serve as propagandists for the interests of the elite. Only stories with a strong orientation to elite interests can pass through the five filters unobstructed and receive ample media attention. The model explains how the media can conscientiously function when even a superficial analysis of the evidence would indicate the preposterous nature of many of the stories that receive ample publicity in the press and on the network news broadcasts. However, what, if any of what Chomsky and Herman presented is still relevant today? The model was dubbed a conspiracy theory by many critics on both left and right although Herman says he and Chomsky had looked for structural factors as the only possible root of systematic behaviour and performance patterns. In defending ‘Manufacturing Consent: Political Economy of the Mass Media’, Noam Chomsky's collaborator Edward Herman says; â€Å"Institutional critiques such as we present in this book are commonly dismissed by establishment commentators as ‘conspiracy theories,' but this is merely an evasion. We do not use any kind of ‘conspiracy' hypothesis to explain mass-media performance. In fact, our treatment is much closer to a ‘free market' analysis, with the results largely an outcome of the workings of market forces.   Herman goes on to further explain how the model is not a conspiracy theory and relevant: â€Å"The propaganda model describes a decentralized and non-conspiratorial market system of control and processing, although at times the government or one or more private actors may take initiatives and mobilize co-ordinated elite handling of an issue. † The â€Å"propaganda model† has as little in common with a â€Å"conspiracy theoryâ €  as saying that the management of General Motors acts to maintain and increase its profits. As Chomsky notes,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"to confront power is costly and difficult; high standards of evidence and argument are imposed, and critical analysis is naturally not welcomed by those who are in a position to react vigorously and to determine the array of rewards and punishments. Conformity to a ‘patriotic agenda,' in contrast, imposes no such costs. †Ã‚  Meaning that  Ã¢â‚¬Å"conformity is the easy way, and the path to privilege and prestige†¦ It is a natural expectation, on uncontroversial assumptions, that the major media and other ideological institutions will generally reflect the perspectives and interests of established power.   [Necessary Illusions, pp. 8-9 and p. 10] So in totally ruling out the ‘conspiracy theory’ label, Herman writes that â€Å"the dramatic changes in the economy, the communications industries, and politics over the past dozen years have tended on balance to enhance the applicability of the propaganda model. The first two fil ters–ownership and advertising–have become ever more important. The decline of public broadcasting, the increase in corporate power and global reach, and the mergers and centralization of the media, have made bottom-line considerations more influential both in the United States and abroad. The competition for advertisers has become more intense and the boundaries between editorial and advertising departments have weakened further. Newsrooms have been more thoroughly incorporated into transnational corporate empires, with budget cuts and even less management enthusiasm for investigative journalism that would challenge the structure of power (Herman and McChesney, 1997). † What Herman is saying is that the journalists own voice has been reduced. The Internet and new communication technologies are breaking the corporate stranglehold on journalism somewhat and opening an unprecedented era of interactive democratic media. Some think that they permit media firms to shrink staff while achieving greater outputs and they make possible global distribution systems, thus reducing the number of media entities. Herman states â€Å"there are, by one conservative count, 20,000 more PR agents working to doctor the news today than there are journalists writing it. †Looking for more modern examples to see if ‘The propaganda model’ still applies Herman uses the media's treatment of the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the subsequent Mexican crisis and meltdown of 1994-95. He states that â€Å"once again there was a sharp split between the preferences of ordinary citizens and the elite and business community, with polls consistently showing substantial majorities opposed to NAFTA — and to the bailout of investors in Mexican securities — but the elite in favour†. Media news coverage, selection of â€Å"experts,† and opinion columns were skewed accordingly; their judgment was that the benefits of NAFTA were obvious, agreed to by all qualified authorities, and that only demagogues and â€Å"special interests† were opposed. Labour has been under siege in the United States for the past fifteen years according to Herman, â€Å"but you would hardly know this from the mainstream media. † Using the example of the long Pittston miners’ strike to show â€Å"the propaganda model’s† relevance in a similar way to Nicaragua, Timor, Jerzy Popieluszko and so many of Chomsky and Herman other examples the strike was afforded much less attention than the strike of miners in the Soviet Union. The more recent examples to think of would be the American media coverage of the whole â€Å"war on terror† compared with most of the world’s media. Much of the world opposed the Iraq war and Americas invasions. In conclusion, the propositions put forward by Chomsky and Herman, such as the ‘five filters’ and their theories of mass media compared with worldwide media seem to be based on very solid ground, with a good foundation of case studies and research. The case study of Nicaragua being a prime example that backs up their studies in Manufacturing Consent. It is quite clear to see how the American media has filtered different stories and overall tried to sway people’s perceptions on the issue. The fact that the similar situation in El Salvador was so comparable proves a great basis to highlight Chomsky and Herman’s theories. Also when talking about if ‘the propaganda model’ is relevant today in which Herman talking on whether it is still relevant claims that â€Å"The applicability of the propaganda model in these and other cases seems clear. I agree that ‘the propaganda model’ is most certainly applicable today. To what extent remains to be seen through research, though I disagree that the internet has brought on an even greater level of control to mass media, although it is worth noting that the internet was a lot different back in the 90’s when Herman talked about it. | Bibliography http://www. chomsky. info/onchomsky/2002—-. htm http://ics. leeds. ac. uk/papers/vp01. cfm? outfi t=pmt&folder=30&paper=1227 The Social and Political Thought of Noam Chomsky  by Alison Edgley http://anarchism. pageabode. com/afaq/secD3. html http://www. chomsky. info/onchomsky/20031209. htm http://www. williamgbecker. com/nicaragua_1984_election. php http://www. chomsky. info/onchomsky/198901–. htm Washington's war on Nicaragua  by Holly Sklar http://www. williamgbecker. com/lasa_1984. pdf http://www. fifth-estate-online. co. uk/comment/Mullen_paper_FEO. pdf http://www. llc. manchester. ac. uk/research/projects/etrist/conferences/fileuploadmax10mb,169799,en. pdf

The argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The argument - Essay Example Tight state budgets of the current year have drawn attention towards the efficient and effective use of taxpayer money instead of wasting it in, otherwise activities that are deemed to be used for illicit drug abuse. According to those in favor the money that is being used to help the welfare program can be saved for other public welfare expenditures where it is more needed. A Republican speaker of the Wyoming house, Edward Buchanan, said, â€Å"The idea from Joe Taxpayer is, ‘I don’t mind helping you out, but you need to show that you’re looking for work, or better yet that you’re employed, and that you’re drug and alcohol free.’ † (The New York Times). He has simply tried to put forward the motive for drug testing. To be able to be qualified to receive the welfare aid, one must be subjected to drug tests first to ensure that the taxpayer money will not be used in illegal drug activities. To support the point, Garth Everett, a Lycoming County Republican who is in support of drug testing legislation said that the workers are often tested for drug abuse by their prospective employers before their employment, however the recipients of welfare aid are never subject to such tests which may reduce the effectiveness of this program. Such drug tests will enable the government (that can be seen as an employer in this case) to ensure that the money expenditure on welfare program is being spent responsibly and in the best interest of the beneficiary. Since government can be seen as an employer of welfare recipients in this case, this shouldn’t be contrary to the law and constitution. (Hall). As opposed to those in favor of the new legislation, those against it have tried to make their point on the basis of statistical evidences and past data relating to substance abuse. The main point of their argument is that, the new legislation makes an unnecessary and unreasonable assumption about the recipients of welfare aid pr ogram that they are necessarily involved in some kind drug activity. This is strictly against the US constitution which prohibits any unnecessary search of people. Therefore testing these unfortunate citizens for drug abuse would amount to an unconstitutional search of people who sought help. Eventually this will also lead to withdrawal of public confidence in the welfare program and attract unnecessary expenses in future. Courts in US have dropped such issues in the past on the similar grounds. A Democrat state representative against the legislation, W. Patrick Goggles, said, â€Å"This legislation assumes suspicion on this group of people, it assumes that they’re drug abusers.† (The New York Times). Democrats are also of the view that the actual costs to conduct these drug tests and all other overheads preponderate the potential benefits and savings expected to be derived from it. In Idaho, such a budget analysis was conducted last year which showed that the costs of this program are likely to be more than the saving. This caused the proponents of the program to drop this idea. There are also various statistics available to support this theory, for example, one such study says that the recipients of government aid are not more likely than the general US population to abuse drugs which is 8% of the population. Maria Kayanan said, "What the states are doing

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 55

Assignment Example The packaging is commendable as it keeps the drinks fresh, hygienic and portable. The corporation operates as a franchise. Above all, it has some of the most qualified employees to ensure high levels expertise in the respective fields. The return policy for this corporation is clear and reasonable in all its member country. 97% of its waste products get recycled helping in environmental preservation (Gaughan, 495). The corporation has a high annual turnover of up to $35 billion per year. This shows the level of profitability of this corporation. The pricing strategies differ depending on the clientele in its member countries. For example, premium pricing could be used in countries known to be economically stable since the consumers would not feel the burden as such.. This pricing strategy could also be used in an introduction of a new brand into the market. In other countries, penetration pricing could be used so as to enable the product penetrate through the market. Therefore, the corporation employs different pricing systems depending on the nature of the clientele bearing in mind that, as a franchise, it has to operate under the laws of its member countries. The corporation has favorable credit terms that are commendable by many dealers. The prices of its products are on the packages. This helps in ensuring price control so that retailers do not take due advantage to sell the product beyond the required prices (Gaughan, 495). In most of its member countries, the corporation enjoys quite a wide range of publicity. The corporation has managed to employ a distinctive marketing strategy that outdoes those of the existing companies in the member countries. The corporation engages itself in philanthropic activities in such a manner that it makes itself known to the inhabitants of its member countries. It also sponsors some activities, for example, the London 2012 Olympics. The corporation sometimes

Madagascar Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Madagascar - Research Paper Example The major language spoken in Madagascar is Malagasy. However, other languages including French and English are also used, but not as much as Malagasy (Tyson, 2013). This country has various cultures as well as ethnic groups. The capital city of Madagascar is called Antananarivo. The latest GDP(PPP) as well as GDP(nominal) for Madagascar stand at $33.642 billion and $ 11.188 billion respectively relevant to the latest estimates in the year 2014. The culture of Madagascar is greatly influenced by the different ethnicities that are found there. Some of these ethnicities comprise of the Indonesians, Arabs, Africans as well as the French (Campbell, 2005). However, it is important to note that Madagascar has always been having long lasting cultures as well as traditions. The different forms of cultures and traditions of the country of Madagascar can be seen through three main perspectives. These include the cuisine, language, the culture relevant to daily life and customs, as well as the culture relevant to religion (Tyson, 2013). Relevant to the religious culture, it is widely known that the people of Madagascar always worship as well as venerate the spirits of the dead. This is one of the traditional religious practices in Madagascar, popularly known as Fomban-razana (ancestor-worship) (Bradt, 2011). However, these traditional religious beliefs are not practiced by all the people of Madagascar. It is always believed that praye rs offered to Andriamanitra (the Supreme God) must always pass through the ancestors. This is always a culture in most religions in Madagascar, practiced regularly during ceremonies, events as well as performance of rituals. Other than religion, the cultures of Madagascar can also be viewed in terms of their cuisine. These cuisines always reflect a collection of interests from various ethnic groups. In Madagascar, it is always a culture that all traditional meals are consumed on the floor

A New Computer System for Staples (part 4) Essay

A New Computer System for Staples (part 4) - Essay Example Primarily, it is needed for a widening of market operations to cover the world in scanning for opportunity and threat. The decision to enter markets outside the home country depends on a company's resources, its managerial mind-set, and the nature of opportunity and threat (Keegan, Green, 2003). Marketing in diverse countries allows Staples to reach wider target audience and take market share from an established competitor. Using the market research Staples can develop new products for existing markets or develop new products for new markets. The advantage of product originality will allow Staples to create a strong international brand image. Brand loyalty will also be important factor in increasing the costs for customers of switching the products of new competitors. Using an international market development strategy, Staples will capture a larger share of a market for current products through market saturation and market penetration. Taking into consideration rapidly changing environment and customers expectations it is not enough to operate only on a national market. Global marketing will help Staples substantially increase the level of sales (Evans, et al 2004). To get the message different types of media will be used in accordance with particulate audience. Media selection will involve choice between alternatives. Therefore, for maximum penetration it may help to select primary (first choice) media that interlock or cross support each other. If deeper penetration into the same target market, for example, is required, then vertical advertising in the media that reach the same target market will be sought. For example, advertising on commercial television may be linked with advertising in the magazine that provides the programme schedules for viewers, or local radio advertising in an area may be accompanied by direct mail or press advertising. Direct marketing refers to the marketing operations where company sale is made directly to the purchaser without any conventional distributors being involved. Direct marketing involve a number of different methods which can be used in order to reach, communicate, interest and encourage consumers to buy. The methods are: direct response advertisements direct mail and mail drops personal (direct) selling Catalogue selling (McDonald, Christopher, 2003). Mail drops on the other hand are where the delivery of promotional literature to potential customers is undertaken by agents. It may involve posting through letter boxes, handing promotion literature out in the streets, or even placing literature under the windscreen wipers of cars. It can help a company reach a widely dispersed target market, present its message in a very personalized way addressing letters directly to potential buyers (Stone, 2001). Advertisements will also be placed in the Press, on TV and radio and consumers will be encouraged to order directly by telephoning or writing to the supplier of the goods or by filling in a coupon which may be incorporated in a Press advertisement. 'Off-the-page' purchasing of this nature relies on impulse, and there is a need to present an attractive proposition. The advertisement used must be informative enough to enable Staples existing customers to make a decision to purchase. Alternatively the advert may invite the potential customer to write in or phone for a catalogue or leaflet listing the full range of services. The

The TED Assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The TED Assignment - Research Paper Example In this essay I will discuss a few of the videos and how they believe one should lead their lives. The first video I saw was by Amy Purdy who lost her legs due to bacterial meningitis. At that time, she was devastated and wondered how she was going to fulfil her dream of traveling the world and of snowboarding. But then she realized that she had an option to take her life in the direction she wanted to take. So she accepted the fact that she doesn’t have real legs anymore and will have to bear with the artificial ones. She imagined herself to keep walking, helping people and snowboarding again. And this is the life she chose. She became creative about the artificial legs and customized them according to her needs. She failed, slipped, fell many times, but she would not let go of hope that easily. This was when she understood one of the most important life’s lessons: Obstacles do only two things to you-make you stop or force you to be creative. (Purdy, 2011) Her story tells you that one has two options when faced by a real tragedy: you can whine, be depressed, let go of hope and life or look right into the eyes of the world and follow your dreams irrespective of how many obstacles lay in front of you. These obstacles might stop you from doing something the way normally people do, but they also help you to imagine and discover new ways of following your dreams, living life to the fullest and being happy. Another speaker at Ted, Shawn Achor, a researcher and teacher of positive psychology talks about the formula of happiness. He argues that we always talk about what average people think, believe and do. We research on people and we generalize them as average people. He believes that â€Å"if we study what is merely average, we will remain average†. Furthermore he talks about the general perception of life and happiness. He argues that our happiness is mostly characterized by

Biases and Judgment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Biases and Judgment - Essay Example Several biases impact decisions, such as bias, or ethical issues related to the availability heuristic and bias related to the representative heuristic. Bias related to the availability heuristic pertains to being biased for information that is easier to recall and presumed as related (Korte, 2003, p.447). Bias related to the representative heuristic refers to evaluating situations using traits that represent stereotyped beliefs and values (Korte, 2003, p.447). The first judgment bias that I dealt with is related to anchoring and adjustment. Anchoring refers to focusing too much on an â€Å"anchor† or specific value in making decisions (Korte, 2003, p.447). Adjustment of decision-making occurs, when the decision becomes solely or greatly based on this anchor, instead of a wide range of factors (Korte, 2003, p.447). In order to deal with this bias, I used reflective decision-making, with expedient factors. Reflective decision-making pertains to having a long-term approach to decision-making, while expedience requires making fast decisions, often to achieve short-term goals (Hoch & Kunreuther, 2001, p.106). I needed to use reflective thinking, because I wanted to determine the potential anchors that I tend to use during making decisions. For instance, identifying the criteria for establishing an effective and efficient human resource department requires selecting the right factors and weighing them appropriately. I avoided anchoring a nd adjustment by considering different aspects of the problem, such as employee sentiments, resources, and situational factors. The organizations needs a more concrete HR system, but they cannot afford a whole-unit approach to HR. Some people would also not be open to professionalizing their HR systems, because of fear for drastic organizational changes that will upset the status quo. Instead,

International Trade debate Part 2 Essay Example for Free

International Trade debate Part 2 Essay In reading my classmate’s paper, it is interesting to note that while the author is against unrestricted trade, the author nevertheless cites many of its benefits such as reducing dependency and cutting the cost of living. What is even more interesting is that the author tries to build a case around arguments that consider these benefits as detriments without ample support. When countries have to compete globally, they would have to streamline their products in order to find their most competitive wares or they won’t be able to compete at all. This opinion which is also mirrored by my paper is true, but the fear that some countries would engage in unfair practices is unfounded. For one thing, what does the author mean by â€Å"unfair† competition? Offering a price that is lower than your competitor’s is not unfair, it’s just competition. As the paper also mentions, this leads to specialization of goods based on each participating nation’s capabilities. While some of our products might not be marketable because of cheaper, higher-quality brands from some other countries, other goods that we export would be more marketable because of free trade and we could focus on those goods for export and not have to spread our resources too thin. This way, we can get the best profit for our best product. But what about countries that cannot be competitive? What about countries who simply do not have globally competitive products? Globalization also gives them the benefit of having cheaper products for their labor force to afford. Kellison (2006) states that economies that cannot offer globally competitive products usually end up offering another valuable resource, labor. Free trade cuts the cost of living for its laborers which make them afford better lifestyles. What is so wrong with that? In the final analysis, it is clear that globalization has a rightful place in today’s economy. References Kellison, P. (2006). Labor Forces in the 21st Century. N. Y. : Bakeman Books. My classmate’s paper: International Trade Debate â€Å"The Case for Protection† My paper: International Trade.

Celebrating The Different Cultures Around The World

Celebrating The Different Cultures Around The World Different culture all over the world is celebrating events at different times of the year. These ranges are from small family occasion honoring such things as birth, marriage and death to weeklong festival involving thousand of people. On the other hand, other festival have developed and adapted to change while absorbing influence from the societies in which they are celebrating. Festivals of many types, serve to meet specific social needs and duties, as well as to provide entertainment. These times of celebration offer a sense of belonging for religious, social, or geographical groups. Different countries have different festival to celebrate. Some are cultural, some religious, some national, historical and many more. And there are different ways to celebrate them by there origin some festivals even carried way from other culture to celebrate. Country that I choose: Turkey and Belgium have different festivals too like other countries. Turkish, they involved in different kind of festivals like others, such as Manisa Mesir Festival. Religious festival like: Eidul Fiter, Eidul Azha, Day of Ashura and many more international film, cartoon and mausic festival. On the other hand the Danish are celebrated Graspop Metal Meeting, Metal Female Voices Fest, Pest pop, Huginns Awakening Fest, and Procession of the Holy Blood etc Among those festivals I am going to discuss: The day of Ashura (Turkey) and Procession of the holy Blood (Belgium). Here I am try to give a discussion on two festivals origin, how its celebrate, its significant on the prospect of both festivals and give a clear compare and contrast of the festivals by discussion. Origin: 2.1 The ashura: The word ashura literally means in Arabic language is tenth. Ashura or the day of Ashura is the 10th day of the first month of the Islamic calendar. The day remember as of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (a.s) bin Ali was the third Imam and the grandson of the Islamic holy prophet Mohammad (Pbuh) at the battle of kabala in Iraq on the 10th of Moharram on the year 61 AH (October 10, 680 AD). The day is commemoration as religious day by the Muslim. Ashura celebrated as religious festival nationwide. 2.2 Procession of the holy blood: The procession of the holy blood (origin) is preservation of the Jesus Christs blood when he crucified. Historical tradition says after the descent from the Crucified, some of his very blood preserved by Joseph of Arimathea. A coagulated relic said each year in this day the centerpiece is the Blood of Christ became fluid. In Bruges the Procession of the Holy Blood takes place on Ascension Day every year. (History 2010) Since from 12th century, the people and associations of the city of Bruges respect and pay homage to the Holy-Blood. Celebration: 3.1 Ashura: Ashura is a nationwide celebrated festival for the Muslim ummah. Its a religious festival too. All the Muslims celebrate this festival on Arabic month 10th of Moharram. Different Muslims remember and celebrate the day in different way. 3.2 How shias celebrate: The shias congregate together and ceremonial chest beating in public places as they display their dedication to Imam Husayns (Ra) suffering on that day. Shia Muslims observe the day in mourning for Hussein and in remembrance of his martyrdom. On this day some Shia Muslims beat and flog themselves in parades, to express their misery and to redo the pain that Hussein suffered. 3.3 How Sunnis celebrate: Some other Muslims pay tribute to the Imam Husayn (Ra) by holding Majlis. Reciting the Holy Quran and Maqtal al Husayn are read. In the holy day every year of that day prophet and their followers fasted as respect. As the Prophet (Pbuh) was saying if I reach next year I am going to fast on that day 9th (e-books- Prophet in the Quran, Shahi Muslim-1134) and its mandatory for fasting two days followed by the Ashuras day or next day of ashura. In Turkey there is a custom of eating Noahs pudding called Ashure and serve to the neighbors. (Noahs pudding) 3.4 Procession of the Holy Blood: In Burges of Belgium (where the Holy Blood remain nowadays) the colorful Procession of the Holy Blood is held on Ascension Day in the spring. The bishop of Bruges carries the relic through the streets, accompanied by costumed residents acting out biblical scenes. (Festival and events) 3.5 Burges day: Thousand of people participated in the show and sixty to thousand spectators watch the procession, which is also known as Burgges Schoonste Dag (the most beautiful day in Burges). The event resembles as spiritual aspect, as many bishops, priests and nuns from all over the world come to celebrate. As the Holy Blood passes by everyone became still and silent in admiration. (Burges day 2010) In 1291 the traditional of the procession recorded first time and its followed a route around the city walls until 1578.The route is still followed today Significant 4.1 Ashura: The day of ashura is not only significant for the Imam Husayn (r) but also for many reasons for the Muslims. Like this is the day when Allah accepted the regret of Adam (a) after his exile form heaven, 4.2 some significant events: Noah (a) and Yunus (a) are saved from danger, even that day Moses was talk to Allah and given commandments and Jesus was raised to Heaven. So, on that prospectus Ashura remembered as gratitude to the Almighty Allah by fasting on the 9th and 10th of Moharram by many Muslim. [Moreover on the 10th day of Moharram in an event Imam Husayn bin Ali, grandson of the Prophet Mohammad (Sm) was brutally killed by the Yazid in the battle field of Karbala in the year 680 A.D.] 4.3 Shias believes: The shias believes that the Battle of Karbala fought between the Good and Evil where Imam Husayn (r) represents good on the other hand Yazid represents evil. They do not take the day as joy rather than as mourn. Some shias hurt them by a chain including blade to show solidarity with Husayn (r) and his family. (significance) 4.4 The procession of Holy Blood: The procession of the Holy Blood tries to answer the questions every man has on the meaning of his own life and on the existence of the world. Everyone have whishes to be deeply happy. That happiness has different names, according to the cultural background, called by some Nirvana, by others Heaven, or, in the biblical tradition: the Kingdom of God, Sion or the new Jerusalem.(significance of the holy blood) Summary : Comparison and contrast between Ashura and Procession of holy blood: Ashura and Procession of Holy Blood both are a holy festival, which are celebrated every year in a particular day by their followers. These festivals resemble as a mourning day and on that particular day they are assemble and remember their holy activities. On both of them Ashura is older than procession of the holy blood by dated. Above the celebration, the festivals are celebrated in different way but the point that each of the festivals similar is, its a mourning festival to celebrate. Shias are remember the day by Husayns brutal killed against the Evil called Yazid and the Sunnis remember the day for many remarkable issues. On the other hand the Christians are celebrated the procession of holy blood by presents of many bishops carried way the holy blood of Jesus Christ. From the religious prospectus of the two festivals are carry significantly importance. Muslims remembered the day for many significant events as well as the Christians for Jesus Christ crucified Conclusion: A festival has carries a nations existence. Ashura is a religious festival celebrates by the Muslim and Procession of holy blood celebrates by the Christian also a religious festival too. Turkey and Belgium have been celebrating those festivals by own respect, belief, values and colors. But in one aspect these festivals make people close to each other.

Criminology Essays Death Penalty Capital

Criminology Essays Death Penalty Capital Death Penalty Capital In today’s society many believe that the death penalty is a proper way to punish individuals sentence of capital crimes. Since the beginning of time this has been a controversial subject because each individual feels and believes a certain way towards this process. Many have lost loved ones who suffered and feel the death penalty is the righteous punishment, best form of revenge, or even type of closure. However, theirs those who argue that this is a process that is time consuming, expensive, ineffective, and morally wrong. Also the fact that the death penalty can lead to the deaths of innocent people is the number one cause of mistrust of the legal system (Ruddell, 2000). Capital punishment is important and vital to our society because it’s something that affects and shapes our legal system. Our legal system is what keeps our society and way of life in control and organized. As this system is mistrusted or flawed our society with each case is affected in their confiden ce, morals, and reliance towards our legal system. The inconsistencies that have emerged are what make this a subject widely discussed and so controversial. Capital punishment is an unnecessary punishment that is faulty and ineffective and must be changed. In the study â€Å"Political Culture and The Death Penalty† Fisher conducts research in effort to understand why the death penalty varies among the fifty states. He investigates if political culture is a determinate of states adopting capital punishment. The results indicate that there is a strong relationship between political culture and the death penalty (Fisher, 2006). Also that political culture does affect the existence of the death penalty in each state and the frequency of sentences. He goes on to explain that not all states adopt the death penalty in efforts to deter crime but rather to maintain social order within society (Fisher, 2006). The minority threat hypothesis is introduced in the study â€Å" Social disruption, state priorities, and minority threat†. This hypothesis purposes that, as there is a change in size the minority group competes for economic and political power, which becomes a threat (Ruddell, 2000). In response to this threat politically powerful groups support the control of minorities to maintain their own position (Ruddell, 2000). This hypothesis expresses that this is why many of those who are incarcerated and subjected to sever punishments are minorities. This hypothesis attempts to explain why our political leaders today support the death penalty and are against abolishing it through out our legal system. That this is a way of control rather then a way of deterring crime. The death penalty is labeled flawed because of different reasons, but in a study conducted by Stauffer titled â€Å"The interaction between victim, race, and gender on sentencing outcomes in capital murder trial† its many vital reasons that come into affect. In this study the researcher examines numerous cases within the North Carolina prison system and the overall distribution of sentences. The results show that in cases where the victim is female the death sentence is 57.5% verse 42.5% male victim cases (Stauffer, 2006, p. 64). In all the cases and combination of cases it’s shown that there is a difference in sentencing when it comes to race, gender, and status. This confirms the existence of discrimination within death penalty sentences, that just one circumstance could change the outcome. Get help with your essay from our expert essay writers During the end of 1999 the Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that 3,527 inmates where under death sentences which equals to a 2% increase in just a year (Rein, 2002, p. 102). In the 3,527 inmates 528 were executed, 205 died while waiting to be executed, and 2,193 had their sentences overturned (Rein, 2002, p. 120). In the United States from 1973 to 2000 137 women were executed which is a considerable gap verses 99% (3,663) of males inmates who were under death sentences (Rein, 2002, p. 78). When exploring race 46% of all death row inmates were white, and 43% were black (Bedau, 1997, p. 37). In 2005 the murder rate in death penalty states was 5.87 verses the non-death penalty states 4.03, which is a forty six percent difference (Williams, 2002, p. 169). This proves that adopting the death penalty does not deter or decrease crime in any give area (Henningfeld, 2006, p. 2). In these brief statistics it’s clear the system is not only not deterring crime, but the opposite is ha ppening each year as crime and incidents are rising. Another studied conducted by Thorsten Sellin in 1959 supports that the death penalty is not effective to American society (Winters, 1997, p. 100). Sellin conducted an extensive study of capital punishment within the United States. He measured social structure, history, and economy of each state. As he compared each time he found the death penalty had no affect on the homicide rate of that particular state (Winters, 1997, p. 101). Sellins work has been replicated numerous times and with each replication his findings were confirmed (Winters, 1997, p. 101). The death penalty is the ultimate act that is irreversible and a denial of human rights and liberties. This practice has not been applied fairly in the past and even now in the present. The death penalty should be eliminated and laws that support it should be changed. The death penalty is a premature way to accomplish justice and should be a process that is changed to better our society. Our system does not promote rehabilitation and when rehabilitation is accomplished still they are executed. Stanley Tookie Williams was executed by lethal injection in December of 2005 even after he had changed his behavior and applied positive goals towards life and helping the youth. The best way to accomplish justice is to change the laws of capital punishment. This will ensure innocent individuals from being executed, preserve the costs, and help society find true justice by sentencing capital offenders to serve a life sentence. The Women’s Bar Association of New York argues for the change and abolishment of capital punishment. They express that the laws should be changed because an error-free death penalty could never exist, that the death penalty discriminates, that the death penalty does not deter crime, and that the public does not support the death penalty (Williams, 2002, p. 170). The death penalty will always generate opposing views and controversy because it’s a process within our society that each individual feels differently towards. Each year innocent individuals are executed and justice is not reached with these inconsistencies and ineffective ways. Our justice system needs to apply major change to our laws dealing with the death penalty because this process is only working against our efforts to deter crime. This process has not help society solve the crime rate and it’s only sending the wrong message into the community. The research shows that comprehensive investigation proves that this process is unsuccessful, which also confirms that the death penalty is form of revenge, control, and closure to those that feel it’s vital to our system and humanity. References Bedau, H. (1997). The Death Penalty in America: Current Controversies. New York: Oxford University Press. Fisher, P. (2006). Political Culture and The Death Penalty. Criminal Justice Policy, 17 (1), 48-60. Henningfeld, D. (2006). The Death Penalty: opposing view points. New York: Greenhaven Press. Rein, M.(2002). Capital Punishment: Curel And Unusual?. New York: Routledge. Ruddell, R (2000). Social disruption, state priorities, and minority threat. Punishment and Society, 7(1), 7-28. Stauffer, A. (2006). The interaction between victim, race, and gender on sentencing outcomes in capital murder trial, 10 (2), 98-177. Williams, M. (2002). The Death Penalty: opposing view points. New York: Greenhaven Press. Winters, P. (1997) The Death Penalty: opposing view points. New York: Greenhaven Press.

South Africa :: essays research papers

The amazing thing as you fly into Hoedspruit from Jo’burg is seeing the walls of the canyon from the air, and how the ‘highveld’ drops horizontally more than 1000 metres into a vast, flat expanse known as the ‘lowveld.’ As we drove from the airport to the Blyde River Canyon Natural Reserve, we saw how the flatness of the ‘bush’ was framed by the huge red cliff walls of the canyon. The Reserve is at the bottom of the canyon, right by its mouth. The house was surrounded by a natural ampitheatre made of the beautiful rock faces of the canyon walls. It really is a majestic and amazing place. Wherever you look, you always have a choice of beautiful mountains to look at. Right in the reserve, stands a conical mountain called Modimule. It is a strangely pointed, stand-alone mountain at the mouth of the canyon, surrounded by all the enormous cliffs. The local people have always believed Modimule is the origin of the world and modern science has proved it has the oldest rocks anywhere in the planet other than Australia. The Blyde River Canyon is the third biggest canyon in the world and it is truly imposing. The natural reserve has all types of animals and happily for us since we always walked to and from the lodge for lunches and dinners, no predators. So the animals seemed more curious about us and it was possible to have close encounters with them. My first sight when we arrived was of beautiful zebras standing by the shade of the walls to avoid the hot sun. On the first morning, as we had breakfast outside, looking at the mountains, a plethora of birds came to say hello and entertained us with their melodies. On the second day, as we had lunch in the lodge, we saw a bunch of baboons moroding and trying to break into a house and steal food. They were so funny, walking one after the other in a straight line - oblivious to us. We also learnt that they can be pretty destructive if they get into a house, as it happened to our neighbours. She described it as being the worse scenario you could ever imagine, as she entered her home and found that the baboons had paid a visit through an opened window and gone around destroying, playing and marking territory all around the house.

Methods of Communication at Portmeirion :: Computer Science

Methods of Communication at Portmeirion ========================================== In this section I am going to describe the different types of communication within Portmeirion together with the use of ICT. Here are some examples of written communications that Portmeirion use; * Letters: ICT now have a major part when writing letters because a lot of company’s prefer to word process them as it quicker, simpler and neater. Letters can be sent home to make customers aware of the latest offers. * Notes can be used to inform work colleges of meetings with the rest of the company. * Faxes * Text Messages: * E-Mail: ict is used because letters are sent electronically  · Notices for Notice Boards): ICT could be used as they could display notices on notice boards using Word or Powerpoint or a DTP package – posters done on the computer always look more attractive and neater – also they can be saved an edited in the future. * Reports: could be written for major areas of development or concern using ICT. * Agenda * Records: of customers and daily sales etc could be saved on file using ICT. * Magazines: company’s could publish magazines and other promotional literature for sending out information * Diaries * Memos are used to remind workers of certain events and to pass messages between departments * Contracts and other personnel documents * Calendars * Invoices and other financial documents * Cheques (payments) * Graphs and Charts * Reports can be used to make reports on employees, purchases and exports. * Posters and leaflets are used for advertisements * Here are some examples of Oral Communication that Portmeirion use: * Telephone * Voicemail * Web Cam & video conferencing * Meetings * Answer Machine * Requests  · Office (could send messages) * Discussion * Dictaphone * Training sessions * Face to face talking * Vide * Interviews C2 C3 ===== Are methods of communication at Portmeirion effective? ====================================================== Portmeirion's communication is very effective in my opinion or else the business wouldn’t be as successful. This is because every business needs to communicate with its workers or the workers need to communicate with each other. A way that this is shown is if the Sales and Marketing department is doing a new promotion that they can tell the ICT department to send a letter out to all the customers of Portmeirion by mail merging which requires ICT Written communication outside of the business Word processing, excel, e-mail and fax are some of the ways that written communication is used outside of a business. These are very effective because if the company is doing a new production they can send a letter to all the companies’ customers by mail merging this means that they can send the same letter to different customers by

Author/Mother Relationships Essay

It is very important to have a good relationship with at least one of your parents. You need to be able to share memories of your childhood with the people who raised you. I believe that sharing childhood stories with your parents gives you a connection to a relationship based on trust, emotion and sincerity. In Tony Ardizzone’s short story â€Å"My Mother’s Stories,† Tony tells the reader of his relationship with his mother while she is very sick in the hospital. Throughout the story Tony talks about childhood memories with his mother and he also describes the stories that she is telling to him. I think that through his memories and their stories together the reader is able to imagine and relate to the relationship between Tony and his mother, Mary. We first begin to see the feelings between the author and his mother at the end of the fourth paragraph of the story. Talking about his mother’s stories, he says â€Å"For now the sounds and pictures are my sounds and pictures. Her memory, my memory.† (Ardizzone, 117) You can tell from these sentences that Tony feels very connected to the memories that he shares with his mother. Throughout the story, his mother tells Tony stories about her wedding day, the births of all her children, and other stories from when they were younger. Tony also recalls several memories he has with his family and his mother. It seems like these are events that he remembers often but seems to recall more clearly now that it is nearing the end of his mother’s life. I think it means a lot that his mother felt like she should share these things with her children. It shows that Tony and his mother are very comfortable with each other. Towards the end of the story Tony describes a time from when he was younger. Mary protects her children from seeing a very sick dog get put down by a police officer. Tony says â€Å"We try to look out the windows too, but she pushes the five of us away. No, she says. I don’t want any of you to see this.† (Ardizzone, 125) She tries to protect Tony and his siblings from having to witness death: something terribly awful but of course, inevitable. I think that it is ironic that this is the last story that Tony imagines while his mother is in the hospital. It is ironic because in the story his mother is trying to shield him from seeing something die and sometime very soon Tony might have to see death take over his mother. He is not entirely sure how he would deal with this real fact. I think that this last story shows the reader that his mother really cared about her family and is protective. Since we get this feeling from â€Å"My Mother’s Stories† it shows us that Tony and his mother portrayed their relationship from their stories and memories. Tony and his mother share a relationship that is full of trust and emotions. The connection between the author and his mother is revealed to the reader or listener through the memorable events in their lives. These stories get brought to the surface of Tony’s memories at this point in his life because his mother is now very sick and is in the hospital. Recalling these precious memories can show people the type of relationship he shared with his mother and remind the audiences of the connections within their own families.

Reflection paper

Reflection Paper: Zombie Apocalypse Myths have been around in all parts of the world for thousands and thousands of years. All religions have their own myths on how the world was created and dealing with the evil spirits in the world and much more. Over the years there were different myths created making society believe in them along with others wanting the historical facts behind these myths. Making many of us develop a sense of fantasy with these myths. For example, the zombie apocalypse.The word Zombie comes from the Haitian and New Orleans voodoo origins. It refers to a human dead body which serves the undead, but what makes people so crazed over it? Is it the mysterious way the illness or â€Å"bite† first started? Why is it continually being spoken about on the websites and on the television? Many people have their own interpretation on this. Many of it deals with the preparedness for the end of the world. This ties into the entertainment of peoples minds since people ar e bored in the world wanting to create a new myth. Let me elaborate on this farther.When It comes to the zombie type of apocalypse many people have created movies, video games, and books on It. This type of apocalypse have given some people the â€Å"adrenaline rush† in video games for they can use violence to kill these zombies. Other people search the facts in order to prepare for disasters in the world. It can be tough to get people thinking about emergency preparedness before disaster strikes. Hollywood created these zombie movies, video games, television series, and books to spark our attention and get people Involved in preparing before a true natural disaster strikes.Because of these many movies and books In the world It made people question this zombie apocalypse. Will it really happen? How do you prepare for it? Many people in the world have said to have an emergency plan and survival kit set up. But who would want to believe this? Is it a myth or fact? Many people h ave then thought of this apocalypse as another contribute to the humans who are â€Å"living† whom, without the threat of law, would contemplating to rape and kill you Just to take what you have, and to enjoy whatever sick twisted fantasy they cook up on the spot.This Is the type of facts people have to add to this myth. As signs go on with the facts other than trying to survive and kill the zombies, people would get depression. Depression will lower your immune system, causing the stress and making you tired constantly which can add to your death or becoming a â€Å"zombie. † Even if there is not a zombie attack, the government might be more prepared for an earthquake or any other type of disaster which is more common than an actual zombie apocalypse. I personally do not believe In the typical zombie apocalypse movies and videotapes and such.I do believe in other myths and such but with this type it is more fantasy than anything else. I would need to be given factual and solid scientific evidence explaining how and why this would occur. I refuse to acknowledge this as a valid warning. However I do have respect for some of the CDC government opinions, as they are entitled believe whatever they may want to. Even if it Is scientifically based To me it ties in with someone wanting the entertainment and excitement due to their boredom or preparing for the true natural disasters.The idea is to get the attention of people who would otherwise not prepare for real, actual emergencies, like natural disasters by getting the attention of people and getting them to seriously think about an emergency kit, in order to save us money. In any survival situation you must have food, water, shelter & protection. However, if a zombie apocalypse were to occur, you would not only have to have the supplies to survive, but would also have to have the ability to protect the supplies and your family.Most likely, you would need to have enough supplies for a minimum of three months. Then have a plan for either how to grow or produce your own supplies. This is another factual to needing to prepare. Personally, I would like to know why everyone thinks that they would be trying to survive. With the likely percentage of infection across the world in all the scenarios e imagine, there is a 99 percent chance that you would be a zombie too. What makes one think that it could not â€Å"happen to me? Why would one assume that they would be fighting them? Chances are they would be stumbling and moaning as well. These are questions that I face with this type of myth and why people could possibly be into this. Other people would use this as another way to get closer to their faith. For example, people would think that the zombies are Satin's demons and the â€Å"living† are God's children trying to escape Satin's grasp. To me this seems a very possible way to lead to their myth and fantasy in their minds.As other people believe, like me, that the zombies a re far-fetched, they do however look at the facts like the deadly flu in 1918 making people afraid to leave their homes. To me it is one way to use this apocalypse as entertainment to fill their boredom, but to end up believing this could possibly be an outcome in the world is bizarre. As, you can see many people use this as a way to prepare for the real disasters in the world, to have emergency kits and plans on how to survive. But then other people see it as actually happening. What do you believe in? Myth or fact? Why are you into this? Reflection paper This chapter focuses on the principles of biology. Biology Is the scientific study of life. A notable contradiction to science Is pseudoscience which Is something that sounds selecting but Is not based on complete evidence. Life encompasses a wide variety of things, but all life has a set of seven characteristics which are order, regulation, growth and development, energy processing, response to the environment, reproduction, and evolution. Life exists in many levels ranging from the exosphere to molecules and atoms.A cell is the lowest structural level that can sustain the activities required for life. Cells exist in one of two categories: prokaryotic or eukaryotic. A prokaryotic cell is simple, small, and lacking a nucleus while a eukaryotic cell is larger and more complex, containing many membrane-enclosed organelles. Biological domains further differentiate between kinds of cells. There are three major biological domains, two of which are classified for prokaryote and the other f or eukaryote. They are Domain Bacteria, Domain Archie, and Domain Eukaryote.Evolution Is also a major theme In biology. Evolution Is the concept of life evolving over the course of time. Charles Darwin Is responsible for the concept of evolution through natural selection. His idea of natural selection was about the adaptation to the environment over time by populations in order to survive. Discovery science and hypothesis driven science are the two main processes of science. Scientists follow the scientific method to test their findings. Theories and scientific saws sometimes result from many repeated experiments.A theory is a comprehensive explanation while a law is a more a generalized description. The basis of science requires that experiments be repeatable, as scientists repeat each other's experiments to check for verification. This is why It Is very important for scientists to be honest with their observations and results. Correlations occur when events occur together In time and space. It Is very Important to know that correlation does not always equal causation. A controlled experiment Is needed to prove a relation.This includes a control and experimental group. As science has advanced, technologies have advanced as well to help us apply or take advantage of said scientific advances. Positive and negative things have come about from the mix of science and technology. A positive result has been the use of DNA in criminal court cases. A negative result has been the deforestation and toxic wastes caused the growth in population. The information regarding the resistance that certain bacteria may be developing towards antibiotics is particularly interesting to me.This will also be relevant to me not only as I may probably be more careful with any future antibiotic Intake but also as I will be entering the health field and will need to be aware of this. As a nurse I might need to administer antibiotics or monitor or read patients bacterial count. By the time I become a nurse, In a couple of years, this has the possibly of becoming a larger Issue (hopefully not! ) and their might need to be extra precautions that I will need to inform patients of as well as general health. Reflection Paper Across Cultures Reflection Cross-cultural literacy and experiences are playing an Increasingly important part In developing a global management team particularly In a cultural-diversity team or organization. Building an effective global business team by Governance and Septa's told us that multinational corporations looking to exploit global economic of scale, transfer of knowledge etc needs to master managing global business teams. And the Dam's presents three culturally determined strategies for resolving conflict between organizational members from different cultures.For the past peer reviewed presentation, the purpose of this presentation is to help us gaining more experiences by working in a multicultural team. This teamwork exercise has given me an opportunity to develop my cultural learning and improve my understanding of the concept of culture. Be more specific about the part of communication, there Is Individualistic versus collectivist In the cultural aspect. The collective require consensus on decisions and the Individual view this as lower priority. Our group was In the prevalence of collectivism which has pros and cons.In a positive way, our team members can put forward different ideas then put them all together to achieve our goal. Furthermore, our team members select the best ideas to present and arrangement the points without any questions. During the discussion, we had different personal opinions due to the shortage of individualism so some conflicts arisen. To solve this problem, we tended to continue the ideas then discussed which one is most accepted. Therefore, there aren't many diverse ideas until finished the discussion.Next time, I will think out more Ideas then try to communicate with my team members more. At same time, I will listen to others about their opinions clearly and try to compare different Ideas then choose the best Idea. The communication Is the Important factor In the multinational cooperation. MAGGOT'S Reflection Paper BY h eptanes Cross-cultural literacy and experiences are playing an increasingly important part in developing a global management team particularly in a cultural-diversity team or organization.Building an effective global business team by Governance and Septa's Be more specific about the part of communication, there is individualistic versus collectivist in the cultural aspect. The collective require consensus on decisions and the individual view this as lower priority. Our group was in the prevalence of will think out more ideas then try to communicate with my team members more. At different ideas then choose the best idea. The communication is the important factor in the multinational cooperation. Reflection Paper Teachers, parents, and peers can all assume who is a good student and who is not by their reparation for the class, in-class behavior, and how they manage their classes on their free time. It is permanently vital to be prepared for class not only for yourself but to show the professor what kind of student you are. This means that the student should have read the material beforehand to get a clear understanding of the theme of the following lecture and prepare any questions.Also, being on time and bringing the proper necessities to class will show your professor that you are ready to learn. Being prepared for class is the first impressions students show their professors. I complete my reparation the day before the class. Do this to refresh my memory of the new course material. In addition, if I have a question, jot it down in my note book so will not forget it the day of class. I always keep my needed supplies in my backpack and double check before every class.If you are not prepared, your professor may think down upon you, which is an undesirable way to prove your self-worth. Behavior inside the classroom is correspondingly important. Just like being prepared, showing up to class on time can increase your chances of having a great first impression. Classroom etiquette involves tying throughout all of class while being involved and taking notes. Although am very shy and quite, give my professors clues that I am paying attention and am interested in their class.To do this, sit in the front of the class, look at the teacher while he or she is talking, and ask any questions that may come up. In addition, I try my best to keep small group discussions on topic. However, I know that I can greatly extend these tactics to prove how interested I am in the class. After class many students forget to do their assignments and procrastinate until the last possible moment. This will result in terrible work and prove to the professor that their class is not one of your prioriti es.The best way I show my professors that I am interested in class is by taking the time with my homework and papers. Will complete the assignment but will continue to recheck what have done up until I am completely pleased with my work. By doing so, I am communicating that I actually care about the class. In Sociology 201 , I put in my best effort to impress my professor. Although I am not asking many questions and do not talk as much as other students, do try my best to prove my interest and give great impression by the work I do produce. Reflection Paper Teachers, parents, and peers can all assume who is a good student and who is not by their reparation for the class, in-class behavior, and how they manage their classes on their free time. It is permanently vital to be prepared for class not only for yourself but to show the professor what kind of student you are. This means that the student should have read the material beforehand to get a clear understanding of the theme of the following lecture and prepare any questions.Also, being on time and bringing the proper necessities to class will show your professor that you are ready to learn. Being prepared for class is the first impressions students show their professors. I complete my reparation the day before the class. Do this to refresh my memory of the new course material. In addition, if I have a question, jot it down in my note book so will not forget it the day of class. I always keep my needed supplies in my backpack and double check before every class.If you are not prepared, your professor may think down upon you, which is an undesirable way to prove your self-worth. Behavior inside the classroom is correspondingly important. Just like being prepared, showing up to class on time can increase your chances of having a great first impression. Classroom etiquette involves tying throughout all of class while being involved and taking notes. Although am very shy and quite, give my professors clues that I am paying attention and am interested in their class.To do this, sit in the front of the class, look at the teacher while he or she is talking, and ask any questions that may come up. In addition, I try my best to keep small group discussions on topic. However, I know that I can greatly extend these tactics to prove how interested I am in the class. After class many students forget to do their assignments and procrastinate until the last possible moment. This will result in terrible work and prove to the professor that their class is not one of your prioriti es.The best way I show my professors that I am interested in class is by taking the time with my homework and papers. Will complete the assignment but will continue to recheck what have done up until I am completely pleased with my work. By doing so, I am communicating that I actually care about the class. In Sociology 201 , I put in my best effort to impress my professor. Although I am not asking many questions and do not talk as much as other students, do try my best to prove my interest and give great impression by the work I do produce. Reflection paper Asian Stereotypes It's human nature to create stereotypes. Humans are Judgmental beings that always seem to Judge something before they get to know them. Whether Its fear of the unknown, or Just because of bias. Stereotypes can be seen in almost every race. From white people being considered â€Å"trailer trash,† to Hispanics being known as â€Å"lazy. † Another group that has stereotypes are Asians. Asian people are those who originate from Asian. This group Includes both Indians, Japanese, and Chinese people. To begin, there are many different stereotypes about Asians.First of all, Aslant men are considered to be chauvinistic. Males are considered to be very disrespectful towards women. They are also seen as against the liberation of people. Furthermore, Aslant parents are portrayed as conservative and strict. Especially In the movies they are seen as dictators with their children. Thirdly, Asians are considered to have better bad English. As many movies have also sho wn, Asians are shown as having a very broken English and being unable to say â€Å"L† sounds. Moreover, religion is also something that people stereotype.For example, Sikhs are all considered to be Muslims. Also that Asians are not very good athletes. The one that is most common is that all Asians are great at mathematics. This is more of a nurture and less of nature when it comes to mathematics. I believe this is where the whole all Asians are doctors idea came from. This is all untrue. All in all, stereotypes are Just made up ideas about others. We tend to group people up with what we believe they represent. It's an unfortunate part of life but it seems to happen more and more. Reflection paper Asian Stereotypes It's human nature to create stereotypes. Humans are Judgmental beings that always seem to Judge something before they get to know them. Whether Its fear of the unknown, or Just because of bias. Stereotypes can be seen in almost every race. From white people being considered â€Å"trailer trash,† to Hispanics being known as â€Å"lazy. † Another group that has stereotypes are Asians. Asian people are those who originate from Asian. This group Includes both Indians, Japanese, and Chinese people. To begin, there are many different stereotypes about Asians.First of all, Aslant men are considered to be chauvinistic. Males are considered to be very disrespectful towards women. They are also seen as against the liberation of people. Furthermore, Aslant parents are portrayed as conservative and strict. Especially In the movies they are seen as dictators with their children. Thirdly, Asians are considered to have better bad English. As many movies have also sho wn, Asians are shown as having a very broken English and being unable to say â€Å"L† sounds. Moreover, religion is also something that people stereotype.For example, Sikhs are all considered to be Muslims. Also that Asians are not very good athletes. The one that is most common is that all Asians are great at mathematics. This is more of a nurture and less of nature when it comes to mathematics. I believe this is where the whole all Asians are doctors idea came from. This is all untrue. All in all, stereotypes are Just made up ideas about others. We tend to group people up with what we believe they represent. It's an unfortunate part of life but it seems to happen more and more.

Population: 485; Culture Essay

Michael Perry introduces several themes throughout Population: 485. Love, pain and acceptance are all touched upon in his memoir, but one that seems to stick out and is brought up again and again is death. As a volunteer firefighter, most of the connections he makes with the people of his community are caused by responding to emergency accident and fire calls- many of which result in death. In our culture, and every culture, death is an inevitable fact of life. We all, at some point in our lives, are going to encounter the death of someone close to us. Whether it will be a family member, friend or ourselves, young or old, it is going to happen and we will have to face it. Death affects everyone differently and the way we cope with loss varies with every person and with every culture. When the majority of us think of death, we see someone old and sick, frail and weak. While mourning the loss of a loved one is never easy, regardless of age or cause of death, losing a young friend or family member is an even more challenging reality to face. It is often the unexpected losses that don’t make sense. We ask ourselves â€Å"Why? † â€Å"Why did this happen? and try to bring meaning to the tragedy. â€Å"Surely we can’t die just because we hit a patch of pebbles on a curve. Surely there is preordination in the pea gravel. We are creatures of myth, hungry for metaphor and allegory, but most of all, hungry for sense. † (p. 132). This is one of the ways our culture copes with death. We refuse to believe that a you ng person could die so quickly and meaninglessly and we are swift to find a reason behind it all. In reality though, there is no answer. Seven years ago a close friend of mine died due to injuries caused by a motorcycle accident. He was twenty years old. It was a painful experience that left me questioning my faith and asking why such a good person was taken away at such a young age. I did try to find reasoning behind it, but never really came up with an answer. I cried for weeks, for hours at a time. I couldn’t stop thinking about how real this was, how I was never going to see his face or hear his voice again. So many things in life he didn’t get a chance to experience. I longed to go back in time to find a way to prevent his final outcome, but I soon realized there was nothing I could do. His death brought many people close together. We had huge gatherings, for a couple months after he passed, with all of his friends and family. We told stories and talked about our greatest memories we had with our friend, laughed and cried together. We supported each other, shared our feelings and listened to one another. It was our way to cope with our loss. We soon realized that the world doesn’t stop for people to grieve, so after a while, the parties died down and we all got back to our normal routines. Life forces you to get it together and to move on and time heals all wounds. I now hold my friend as a memory and know that I will see him again someday. We often see this in our culture. People come together to help each other through hard times. Emotional support and counseling are other ways people in our culture cope with death. This memory has been triggered by the story Michael Perry tells of Tracy Rimes. Tracy was killed in a motor vehicle accident while taking a corner too fast or too wide. She was just a teenager, not even graduated from high school. Parts of her story are brought up again and again by the author throughout the book. I think this incident got to him and he had a hard time coping with this one. Maybe it was because she was so young with a lot of life ahead of her. Maybe it marks a milestone or turning point for him. â€Å"Today we had tragedy, but it was our tragedy, and we dealt with it not only as public citizens, but also as friends and neighbors†¦ To feel at home is a rare, precious thing, and I began to feel at home that day. † (p. 16). It was the day he made his connection and found his place. Maybe he relates aspects of the incident to his own life. In chapter one there is a paragraph where he is talking about the accident and he describes how the girl was â€Å"pinned in silence† after the violent squalling, glass exploding, rubber tearing, steel tumbling and then just stillness. As if peace is the only answer to destruction†¦ The girl is terribly, terribly alone in a beautiful, beautiful world. † (p. 4). He describes the land and nature so much in the book with such life and love, and also comes off as kind of an outsider always looking in, trying to find a place to belong. Does he too feel terribly, terr ibly alone in a beautiful, beautiful world? I think this is another way to cope with death. Find a positive outcome from a tragedy. Death can make a person stronger. It can make someone open there eyes to life and not take it for granted. It can make someone open their doors a little wider to friends and family and let people in. Michael shares a lot of stories throughout his book that involve the unexpected deaths he has encountered. In fact, he has seen a dead person so many times he says, â€Å"I can look at you and know exactly what you would look like dead. † (p. 128). I can relate to this in a way. While I have never imagined what the person sitting next to me will look like when they’re dead, I have also seen many a corpse. It comes as part of the package when you choose a career in healthcare. I have worked as a respiratory therapist for four years now in a hospital. We respond to all the codes and traumas that come in and are basically responsible for a person’s airway. We also manage the ventilators and occasionally have to â€Å"pull the tube† when it has been determined that the ventilator is just prolonging the dying process, if that is what the family wishes. At first, it was hard for me to deal with the situations. I would go home still thinking about that pale, lifeless body. I couldn’t get the voices out of my head of the family screaming the patients name and crying and praying. It all got to me. I cried the first few times, but then I quickly learned that you have to somehow detach yourself from the emotional aspect of the situation, sort of take your mind somewhere else for a minute than get back to reality, like the author seems to do in his writing. Now, after seeing so many, a dead body doesn’t even phase me. It’s no big deal anymore to respond to a code, perform CPR, suction nasty stuff from an endotracheal tube that’s deep in the throat of a patient covered in blood and bowel†¦ and then go eat lunch. Sounds gross, but it’s our job. You just learn to block certain things out. I think Michael uses his ability and love for writing as a way to cope with death. He seems like sort of a loner, maybe he doesn’t feel comfortable talking with someone about what he’s thinking or feeling, so he writes stories and anecdotes about them. The way he starts a story of one his calls, than jumps to a completely different subject, and then later returns to finish the story maybe is a reflection of another way he handles death. It’s like he takes a break for a minute and shifts his thoughts somewhere else, so that he can return to the facts of the story, and not be interrupted by emotions. I think writing or keeping a journal with our own stories, thoughts and emotions is another way our culture copes with death too. I think death is an aspect of our culture that we don’t much like to talk about, or think about. We know that we are all going to someday die, and that everyone we know will too someday pass, but it is much more comfortable to take for granted tomorrow. Death is something that could potentially happen to anyone, at any given moment and I think it is our avoidance of death that creates such grief when the death of a loved one comes unexpectedly. For me, it’s the unknown part of the afterlife that scares me. That and the thought of not being with my children. In the book, Michael Perry shares his own feelings of dying. He brings the reader to the woods, where he feels that sleeping in the presence of the trees and in the dirt joins him with the earth and gives him a sense of what it is to be holy. â€Å"I have come to think of my sleeps in the forest as a rehearsal for burial†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 140). He gives the impression that he is prepared for death and that we should ponder upon the fact that it is coming. Not how or where or why, just the simple truth that we will be gone someday and it may seem less discomforting if we just accept the fact and â€Å"give it a nod now and then. † (p. 140). Death can get to be a very sensitive subject in our world today. It means so many diverse things to different people and cultures and is handled in your own way by each individual. For the most part, I think coping with the loss of a loved one comes down to a person’s individual beliefs, traditions, and culture. It is a personal choice whether or not to prepare for and accept death. Michael Perry brings the subject to your attention several times throughout the book, almost forcing you to think about death. â€Å"Be grateful for death, the one great certainty in an uncertain world. Be thankful for the spirit smoke that lingers for every candle gone out. † (p. 142). We don’t know when or why or how, but death is coming. To you, to me, to everyone someday. It’s a scary thought, but I hope I can build an acceptance to the inevitable fact of life and be at peace with death when it knocks on my door, before it’s too late.