Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Final Response Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Final Response Paper - Essay Example In college writing the readers target to encourage an interesting claim, evidence to the claim as well as the analysis of limits and claim objections. The provision is different from those provided in the secondary level since the secondary level does not prompt utmost rationality and demands for simplicity in their conformation. The synthesis necessary in secondary school writing targets the dummies a converse scenario to the college writing (Sommers 382). Even though many discourses involve writing and reading, some do not involve the outlined practices (Gee 11). Academic writing entails the format, type, and the language. The writing requires the use of formal language throughout to abide by the conventional demands. Under such provisions, the writing discourages the use of short forms of words and abbreviations. The writing has to be in a specific format such as the APA, MLA, Harvard or any other format (Hyland 96). Through the formation of the paper, it has to maintain a type such as an essay, coursework, and dissertation amongst other types as well. The dominant discourse is however contrary to the academic writing since it mostly promotes the passive voice and does not consider formats. Academic writing is different since it also involves instructions that guide all its aspects including the themes to be written about (Sommers 376). The main controversy is the time of engagement into the discourses and the effectiveness of their impacts. There is a group of students considered â€Å"special† in this aspect and cannot be compared to those who get engaged in discourse at tender ages (Gee, 14). Another trouble around teaching academic writing is the conflict of the daily experiences in communication and the requirements of academic writing. The common language and communication tends to be informal and appears not to abide by the demands of academic writing.

Monday, October 28, 2019

The Bus Strike In Singapore Essay Example for Free

The Bus Strike In Singapore Essay Fundamental lessons which we can all learn from the bus strike (Singapore) Against the backdrop of the now famous bus strike, there have been efforts undertaken by the following parties: The Singapore Government calling on all parties to voice their grievances through the appropriate channels and a flurry of measures adopted by SMRT in response to public and government sentiment. Whilst the reactions and actions undertaken after the strike are laudable, one can’t help but express concern that the underlying issues of wages, worker’s living conditions and a clear lack of communication channels between all relevant parties have surfaced only via the drastic action of a strike. Indeed, all parties involved have to clearly reflect on the events of the past week and do their utmost to prevent future occurrences of such incidents. Complacency setting in Citing how strikes would affect workforce productivity and deter potential investors, the Singapore Government has long taken a dim view towards strikes and strikes have been few and far between throughout the annals of Singapore’s history. This has and still must be the key driving policy: A zero tolerance towards illegal strikes. In an attempt to maintain the welfare of general workers in Singapore, the National Union Trade Congress, businesses and National Employer’s Federation had been established. Tripartism was vaunted as the the way to progress and to cultivate the symbiotic relationship between businesses, employers and employees. Indeed, the system of tripartism saw much success till the early 2000’s where there were troubling signs of complacency setting in and cracks slowly but surely emerging from the system. This was further compounded by the fact that there was a massive influx of foreign workers as the Government sought to open its doors to foreigners to maximize economic growth. It would be naà ¯ve to conceive that the strikes were one-off actions or actions taken by an irrational group of foreign workers. Conversely, it is clear that the issues stemming from the strike ie. low wages, poor living conditions, lack of proper communication channels between businesses and employees alongside with an inability to manage the influx of foreign workers were long drawn. Therefore, it is illustrative that complacency had long set in between the relevant parties and the event of a strike or any forms of dramatic action were only a matter of time. An overall reflection Whilst I am in unequivocal agreement that a firm stance should be undertaken against the workers for taking the law into their own hands, there must be similar punishments meted out to SMRT as well for failing to take into account the welfare of its foreign workers and to serve as a strong deterrent for businesses not to mistreat its workers. When profits should not be at all costs It has been a long accepted norm in Singapore that a company should be primarily judged on its financial performance and has a responsibility to its multitude of stakeholders for fulfilling that responsibility. Nonetheless, the profit at all costs model has come under siege and this is inherently inferred from none other than SMRT. Relationship between grow at all costs and severe ramifications Admittedly, it would be an uphill task to draw a direct co-relationship between pursuing profits at all costs and the recent spate of events that had besieged SMRT. Having said that, one can look no further than how the incidents of trains breaking down due to inadequate maintenance and the recent uproar over wages of workers seem to connote some conclusions about a continual focus on increasing profit margins each quarter. Statistics have shown that the under the tenure of then SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa, profits at SMRT had saw a steady increase quarter after quarter and everyone (from savvy investors, government and the general public) were duly impressed. However, the aftermath of the slew of incidents that have occurred (MRTs breaking down due to improper maintenance / lack of empathy for staff as evident by the strike) suggested that all was not well in the quest for grow and profit at all costs. How SMRT should not get away with a mere slap on the wrist It is indicative that all is not well at SMRT. There is a clear lack of communication between its staff, the upper echelons of the organization and a lack of distinctive and definitive direction being undertaken. Clearly, SMRT needs a wake-up call and the onus is on the Government to adopt a hardline stance against the company. Whilst some commentators have suggested heavy fines, I am of the belief that more drastic measures needs to be undertaken in the form of the government stepping in to perform the role of the company or possible suspensions in operations of the firm if the need arises. There would inevitably be some trade -offs in the form of services being affected in the short term but it would send a strong message to SMRT to step up or be replaced entirely either by the government or in the form of another private company. Aftermath of the strike In sum, the recent strike has revealed the stress points of tripartism and the relevant parties would do well to address them to prevent such a scenario from happening in the foreseeable future. With swift action being undertaken against the perpetrators of the strike, one can’t help but wonder whether SMRT should similarly be punished or be allowed to get away scot free?

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Scout’s Maturity Essay -- English Literature

Scout’s Maturity Maturation is a stage of growth that we as human beings begin at birth. â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† in Harper Lee shows Scouts growth as she experiences and understands the prejudice of Maycomb. In the beginning Scout is a naive little girl but as the story commences she begins to understand what goes on in Maycomb and by the end she may still be young but she has matured. In â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† author suggests the actions we take lead us to become human beings and what we have done and learned from it leads to mature beings. In the beginning, Scout is an outsider, a tomboy who is not accepted by her brother or his friend. She is known as â€Å"the girl† also she announces that she is five years old but she tries her best to fit in and play with he brother and Dill. Scout thinks of herself as an adult in the beginning, like at when at school she thinks of herself and her school mates as little adults, who must take care of the first year teachers, this shows she is still small but is working her way to adulthood. As the first part of the story progresses we learn another quality which makes Scout immature; the fact that she can’t control her anger. For example when Scout beat up her cousin, this shows she needs to accept something’s and let them go because if she keeps getting angry she is going to go on a rampage because in those days bigotry existed and she has to get use to it.. Scout makes very little progress in the first part of â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† but that doesn’t mean she isn’t determined. To fit in and feel as old as achievable is one of her true goals so she does as much as she can do to fit in and act as old as possible. One thing she does that is mature is she tries her b... ...but in the beginning she made childish accusations. As the story progressed she was shown the true colors of people and understands how life is in Maycomb County, Alabama. Near the end she makes better decisions and the ideas that come to her mind make her seem more mature. After Tom Robinson gets shot Scout matures into a woman mentally and the court trial was the route that showed her the people and there prejudice decisions from a girl to a man. In â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† Harper Lee says that in life we encounter many situations that affect us deeply but from the mistakes of others we learn valuable lessons. Scouts maturation from a young girl to a young woman is a slow alternation she made as she went through the tunnel and showed how she matured. People far prefer belonging than wisdom, but that is like wanting to be immortal without getting older.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Haruki Murakami’s Short Stories Essay

Haruki Murakami pens many a short story about a disenchanted character walking through life without much of a reason to be there. His protagonists share a sense of isolation from the other characters; their siblings, significant others, parents and coworkers all fail to get through to them in their different quests to find answers to life’s most important questions. Example: why did a strange man appear at the foot of my bed and lead to my eventual inability to get a good night’s sleep? The literal isolation of the characters from meaningful relationships creates an overarching sense of isolation in the mood of the stories, making the reader too feel as though no one understands them. The protagonists of each of Murakami’s stories share a sense of loneliness and disconnect with the people around them. In â€Å"Sleep,† the protagonist is a woman who has inexplicably lost her ability to sleep. This leads to her discovery of her disinterest in her life. The mundane aspects of her marriage, her relationship with her son, her duties in her everyday life, all become suddenly and horribly apparent to her. However, she does not feel propelled to tell her aforementioned husband or son about her problems with sleep. â€Å"Neither my husband nor my son has noticed that I’m not sleeping. And I haven’t mentioned it to them. I don’t want to be told to see a doctor. I know it wouldn’t do any good. I just know. Like before. This is something I have to deal with myself. So they don’t suspect a thing.† This inability to share experiences with family members illustrates the general attitude Murakami creates within his stories. Obsession with things separate from the self is very apparent in Murakami’s work. â€Å"The Kidney Shaped Stone that Moves Everyday† is a short story in which the protagonist himself is a short story author. Junpei’s own life experiences, in particular his father’s advice that only three women in a man’s life have real meaning to him, informs a story Junpei himself writes, about a doctor who finds a stone that eventually overtakes her life: â€Å"She is engaged in hurried coupling with her lover one evening in an anonymous hotel room when she stealthily reaches around to his back and feels for the shape of a kidney. She knows that her kidney-shaped stone is lurking in there. The kidney is a secret informer that she herself has buried in her lover’s body†¦ The lady doctor grows gradually more used to the existence of the heavy, kidney-shaped stone that shifts position every night. She comes to accept it as natural. She is no longer surprised when she finds that it has moved during the night†¦ After a while, it becomes increasingly difficult for her to take her eyes off the stone, as if she has been hypnotized. She gradually loses interest in anything else.† These excerpts from the story illustrate Junpei’s inability to rid himself of the advice given to him from his father, and in a way illustrate a person’s inability to let things go, how small things like stones grow to large sizes inside of us, and when we try to cast them away, it is not always easy to rid ourselves of them. â€Å"Having cast away the stone, she feels a new sense of lightness. The next day, however, when she goes to the hospital, the stone is on her desk, waiting for her.† This metaphor is a two-layer cake (excuse the metaphor to explain a metaphor!) in which the top layer is, of course, Junpei’s inability to let go of his father’s possibly misguided advice, and the bottom layer is our culture’s inability to unplug the phones, and get off the internet. Social networking digs inside of humanity to create a deep addiction that cannot simply be cast away. Nearly all of Murakami’s stories use a sort of emptiness in the life of his characters to show the effects of the narcissism of the modern age on people and their loss of faith, disconnection from family and friends and the general sense of loneliness. The isolation in Murakami’s work is an elegant metaphor for the isolation social networking creates in modern day society. The hilarious juxtaposition between being just the touch of a button away from someone, whilst being incredibly far away from them at the same time, is shown in Murakami’s character’s inability to truly connect with his or her families. This loneliness and disconnect is created by showing a deep-set misunderstanding between the characters and those around them. In â€Å"Sleep† the protagonist feels unable to share her problems with her family partly because of the fact that previously, people did not notice her going through major turmoil, â€Å"I lost fifteen pounds that month, and no one noticed. No one in my family, not one of my friends or classmates, realized that I was going through life asleep.† She believes that her family truly will not notice, or understand her predicament. She does not want to go to a doctor, because she believes her problem to be something she must go through alone. While this belief that she should not see a doctor could arguably be seen as misguided, it stems from the sense of isolation she already feels from the world. In a certain way this character is invisible to her family. They see her everyday, they quietly appreciate the meals she prepares for them, how she keeps the house for them, but they do not understand the deeper aspects of her personality, or so she feels. The protagonists in Murakami’s stories often feel as though no one in their lives truly knows them, or understands the way that they are feeling. The elegant metaphors in Murakami’s stories hit readers where we least like to be hit. They outline the aspects of our culture’s narcissistic obsessions with the self. Self help books, carefully, obsessively groomed profile pages, meticulously managed comments, and continuously growing corporations all geared towards making a better ‘you.’ For this essay I specifically addressed two of Murakami’s stories, â€Å"Sleep† and â€Å"The Kidney Shaped Stone that Moves Everyday.† These two stories exemplify the aspects of isolation in Murakami’s work, and how that isolation bakes the double layer cake, with the top layer the general goings on in the stories, and the bottom layer the overarching themes of narcissism, and cultural collapse. Pessimistic viewpoint and objectifying attitude towards women aside, Murakami weaves a tight tapestry that is certainly beautiful to look at.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Job Evaluation at Whole Foods Market Essay

Introduction The goal of any company is to attract and retain employees who share their core values. Whole Foods Core Values include selling the highest quality natural and organic products, satisfying and delighting customers, supporting their Team Members (Whole Food Employees) happiness and growth, creating wealth through profits and growth, caring about the communities and our environment, creating win-win partnerships with their suppliers and promoting the health of their stakeholders through healthy eating education. I will take these core values and apply them to the job analysis and prepared job descriptions when determining the job structure at Whole Foods. Evaluation of Jobs and Job Structure In looking at the job descriptions provided in the case study, I was able to assign job titles in the following manner: Job A- Prepared Foods Team Member Job B- Customer Service Team Member Job C- Prepared Foods Department Team Leader Job D- Prepared Foods Supervisor Job E- Dishwasher Job F-Customer Service Front End Supervisor Job G- Prepared Foods Associate Team Leader Job H- Associate Store Team Leader Job I-Grocery Retail Team Member The job structure that I came up with put the above jobs into two categories: Managerial and Store Support. In the Managerial structure I would place Job C, Job D, Job F, Job G and Job H. In the Store Support I would place Job A, Job B, Job E, and Job I. Process, Techniques and Factors The Job evaluation technique I used in my case study is the job ranking method. My reason for choosing this technique was simple. While looking at the Whole Foods website and their career paths page, the job opportunities  in each store appeared to be hierarchal in nature. While Whole Foods itself is quite a large corporation, per the information on the company website; there are less than thirty different job classifications. While this is the simplest method of job evaluation, Whole Foods themselves have placed the jobs in order, ranging from the highest, Store Team Leaders, Facility Team Leaders, Regional Presidents, and Presidents at the top and Team Members or Specialized Team Members at the lowest or entry level. The compensable factors that I used in determining these job rankings based on the job descriptions provided: job responsibility, skill, knowledge and ability. While Whole Foods does have various departments in their stores, with distinct job requirements, these types of jobs can be grouped into one classification and put into a predetermined grade. My meaning with this is that a Team Member in Bakery has the basic skills and knowledge as a Team Member in Meat. The respsonabilities may be different, bakery versus meat, but at Whole Foods the responsibilities and qualifications are the same. Excellent customer service and maintaining the departments that they are working are a few that come to mind. As Whole Foods is a team focused working environment, placing more value on one job versus another goes against their core values. Of course there will be different pay scales based on the person’s position in the hierarchy; it is not something that makes one person more important than another. Per their own company website, â€Å"Whole Foods seek individuals who believe in their mission of Whole Foods, Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet-people who are enthusiastic about food and our products, and who want to join a culture of shared fate† (Whole FoodsMarket.com). Therefore, individuals who work for Whole Food realize they are valued and with the training and development programs that are offered, a person can promote to a higher level with the experience, knowledge and skills they have obtained in their positions. Evaluation of Job Descriptions The job descriptions in this case study could use more structure. I found it very difficult to decipher some of the information within the job description. Even after going to the WholeFoodsMarket.com website to compare, I had difficulty giving a job title to some of the descriptions. While the job descriptions themselves did have most of the information  needed to help a person place a job title with the description, they could have been better written. These job descriptions did not give a very general position overview which would have been helpful. For example, for Job A, the position overview could have listed some of the tasks the job has. The following is taken from the Prepared Foods Team Member position description under the position overview: â€Å"Performs in the Prepared Food Department all of the following tasks: preparation, counter service, sanitation and stocking of products. Maintains a positive company image by providing courteous, friendly, and efficient Custome r Service. Supports team leader and regional coordinator in training and maintaining regional standards†. (WholeFoodsMarket.com) Instead of listing all of the job duties under â€Å"Kind of Work†, listing them out in a responsibilities section would have made it much easier for the reader. The requirements sections were sufficient. Listing out the reporting structure for each position also would have been helpful. All the information that was listed in the job descriptions I used to compare to the actual job descriptions on the Whole Foods Market website; it was just a difficult process without a better layout. The knowledge, skills and abilities needed for each job should have been listed in its own section for a proper job description. Having had these, it would have been a much smoother process in assigning job titles. Conclusion As this is my first attempt at assigning job titles and job structure, I found it to be a difficult process. When you do not have the best job descriptions available to you, or the opportunity to job shadow a person in the position, the realization that a lot of work needs to be done on the front end. It starts by collecting and summarizing all the job information for each position at a company. By having all the possible information needed to complete a proper job description, a compensation specialist can properly determine the value of the job, assess the relative value of the job and place it in a job structure that is clear and concise to all stakeholders. (Milovic, Newman and Gearhart) This case study showed me what happens when things are not done properly in the beginning. References http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/. Whole Foods Market http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/values/corevalues.php. Whole Foods Market core values http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/careers/index.php. Whole Foods Marker careers Milkovich, Newman and Gerhart. Compensation, 10th Edition

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

An Introduction to the French Language and Linguistics

An Introduction to the French Language and Linguistics A good place to begin if youre considering learning any language is to learn about where the language came from and how it functions within linguistics. If youre thinking about learning French before your next visit to Paris, this quick guide will get you started on discovering where French came from. The Language of Love French belongs to a group of languages identified as a Romance language, although thats not why its called the language of love. In linguistic terms, Romance and Romanic have nothing to do with love; they come from the word Roman and simply mean from Latin. Other terms sometimes used for these languages are Romanic, Latin, or Neo-Latin languages. These languages evolved from Vulgar Latin between the sixth and ninth centuries. Some other very common Romance languages include Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian. Other Romance languages include Catalan, Moldavian, Rhaeto-Romanic, Sardinian and Provenà §al. Because of their shared roots in Latin, these languages can have many words that are similar to each other.   Places French Is Spoken Romance languages originally evolved in Western Europe, but colonialism spread some of them all over the world. As a result,  French is spoken  in many regions other than just France. For example, French is spoken in the Maghreb, through Central and West Africa, and in Madagascar and Mauritius. Its the official language in 29 countries, but the majority of the francophone population is in Europe, followed by sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, the Middle East and the Americas, with about 1% being spoken in Asia and Oceania.   Even though French is a Romance language, which you now know means that it is based on Latin, French has a number of characteristics that set it apart from the other members of its linguistic family. The development of French  and basic  French linguistics  go back to Frenchs evolution from Gallo-Romance which was the spoken Latin in Gaul and even more specifically, in Northern Gaul.   Reasons to Learn to Speak French Aside from becoming fluent in the worlds recognized language of love, French has long been an international language for diplomacy, literature and commerce, and has played a significant role in the arts and sciences as well. French is a recommended language to know for business as well. Learning French can allow communication  for various business and leisure travel opportunities across the world.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Immigration Healthcare essays

Immigration Healthcare essays As many as 830,000 non-citizen immigrants are residents of California. Nearly one in five non-citizens, under the age of 65 in California, is covered by Medi-Cal. Medi-Cal is an essential source of healthcare insurance for millions of low-income, elderly, and disabled residents of California. Despite its anti-immigrant reputation, California has been among the most generous of the 50 states in providing public aid to needy non-citizens who lost benefits in the 1996 federal welfare overhaul. Under current law, legal immigrants are eligible for Medi-Cal if they meet income and other requirements established by the state. Illegal immigrants may obtain Medi-Cal only for emergency medical services and for prenatal care. California, home to about one-third of the nations immigrants, passed ballot initiatives in this decade targeting illegal immigrants, health care, affirmative action, and bilingual education. Last year taxpayers spent more than one-hundred million dollars in aid and benefits for immigrants. Governor Gray Davis, in one of several early attempts to reverse his republican predecessors policies, wants the state to spend $60 million on prenatal care for poor pregnant women who are illegal immigrants, money that former Governor Pete Wilson repeatedly fought to cut from Californias bugdet. It is estimated that for every dollar the state spends on health care for pregnant women, it saves $3.00 in health care costs for infants who otherwise would be born with preventable maladies. The loss of this health coverage would primarily affect children and women by cutting access to essential health services such as prenatal care and emergency rooms. This would then result in higher medical costs (increased cost to taxpayers) due to people delaying to seek medical attention and unnecessary hospitalization ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Biography of Johannes Kepler, Pioneering Astronomer

Biography of Johannes Kepler, Pioneering Astronomer Johannes Kepler (December 27, 1571–November 15, 1630) was a pioneering German astronomer, inventor, astrologer, and mathematician who is best known for the three laws of planetary motion now named for him. In addition, his experiments in the field of optics were instrumental in revolutionizing eyeglass and other lens-related technologies. Thanks to his innovative discoveries combined with his original and accurate methodology for recording and analyzing his own data as well as that of his contemporaries, Kepler is considered one of the most significant contributing minds of the 17th-century scientific revolution. Johannes Kepler Known For: Kepler was an inventor, astronomer, and mathematician who served as a central figure in the 17th-century scientific revolution.Born: December 27, 1571 in Weil, Swabia, Germany  Parents: Heinrich and Katharina Guldenmann KeplerDied: November 15, 1630 in Regensburg, Bavaria, GermanyEducation: Tà ¼binger Stift, Eberhard Karls University of Tà ¼bingenPublished Works:  Mysterium Cosmographicum (The Sacred Mystery of the Cosmos), Astronomiae Pars Optica  (The Optical Part of Astronomy), Astronomia Nova  (New Astronomy), Dissertatio cum Nuncio Sidereo  (Conversation with the Starry Messenger) Epitome Astronomiae Copernicanae  (Epitome of Copernican Astronomy), Harmonices Mundi (Harmony of the Worlds)Spouse(s): Barbara Mà ¼eller, Susan ReuttingerChildren: 11Notable Quote: â€Å"I much prefer the sharpest criticism of a single intelligent man to the thoughtless approval of the masses.† Early Life, Education, and Influences Johannes Kepler was born on December 27, 1571, in Weil der Stadt, Wà ¼rttemburg, in the Holy Roman Empire. His family, once prominent, was relatively poor by the time he was born. Keplers paternal grandfather Sebald Kepler, a respected craftsman, had served as mayor of the city. His maternal grandfather, innkeeper Melchior Guldenmann, was mayor of the nearby village Eltingen. Keplers mother Katharina was an herbalist who helped run the family hostelry. His father Heinrich served as a mercenary soldier. Keplers gift for mathematics and interest in the stars became evident at an early age. He was a sickly child, and while he survived a bout of smallpox, he was left with weak vision and damage to his hands. His poor eyesight did not hinder his studies, however. In 1576, Kepler began attending the Latin school in Leonberg. He witnessed both the passing of The Great Comet of 1577 and a lunar eclipse in the same year, which were thought to have been inspirational in his later studies. In 1584, he enrolled at the Protestant seminary at Adelberg, with the goal of becoming a minister. In 1589, after obtaining a scholarship, he matriculated to the Protestant University of Tà ¼bingen. In addition to his theological studies, Kepler read widely. While at university, he learned of the astronomer Copernicus and became a devotee of his system. Career, Religion, and Marriage After graduation, Kepler obtained a position teaching mathematics in Graz, Austria, at the Protestant seminary. He was also appointed district mathematician and calendar maker. It was in Graz that he penned his defense of the Copernican system Mysterium Cosmographicum in 1597. Kepler married a wealthy 23-year-old twice-widowed heiress named Barbara Mà ¼eller that same year. Kepler and his wife began their family but their first two children died in infancy. As a Lutheran, Kepler followed the Augsburg Confession. However, he did not accept the presence of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of Holy Communion and refused to sign the Formula of Accord. As a result, Kepler was exiled from the Lutheran Church (his subsequent refusal to convert to Catholicism left him at odds with both sides when the Thirty Years War broke out in 1618) and was obliged to leave Graz. In 1600, Kepler moved to Prague, where he had been hired by Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe- who held the title of Imperial Mathematician to Emperor Rudolph II. Brahe tasked Kepler with analyzing planetary observations and writing arguments to refute Brahes rivals. Analysis of Brahes data showed that the orbit of Mars was an ellipse rather than the perfect circle that was always held to be ideal. When Brahe died in 1601, Kepler took over Brahes title and position. In 1602, Keplers daughter Susanna was born, followed by sons Friedrich in 1604 and Ludwig in 1607. In 1609, Kepler published Astronomia Nova, which contained the two laws of planetary motion that now bear his name. The book also detailed the scientific methodology and thought processes hed used to arrive at his conclusions. It is the first published account wherein a scientist documents how he has coped with the multitude of imperfect data to forge a theory of surpassing accuracy, he wrote. Mid-Career, Remarriage, and War When Emperor Rudolph abdicated to his brother Matthias in 1611, Keplers position became increasingly precarious due to his religious and political beliefs. Keplers wife Barbara came down with Hungarian spotted fever that same year. Both Barbara and Keplers son Friedrich (whod contracted smallpox) succumbed to their illnesses in 1612. After their deaths, Kepler accepted a position as district mathematician for the city of Linz (a post he retained until 1626) and was remarried in 1613 to Susan Reuttinger. His second marriage was reported to be happier than his first, although three of the couples six children died in childhood. At the opening of the Thirty Years War in 1618, Kepler’s tenure in Linz was further imperiled. As a court official, he was exempt from the decree banishing Protestants from the district but he did not escape persecution. In 1619, Kepler published Harmonices Mundi in which he laid out his third law. In 1620, Keplers mother was accused of witchcraft and put on trial. Kepler was obliged to return to Wà ¼rttemburg to defend her against the charges. The following year saw the publication of his seven-volume Epitome Astronomiae in 1621, an influential work that discussed heliocentric astronomy in a systematic way. During this time, he also completed the Tabulae Rudolphinae (Rudolphine Tables) begun by Brahe, adding his own innovations that included calculations arrived at by the use of logarithms. Unfortunately, when a peasant rebellion erupted in Linz, a fire destroyed much of the original printed edition. Later Years and Death As the war dragged on, Keplers house was requisitioned as a garrison for soldiers. He and his family departed Linz in 1626. By the time the  Tabulae Rudolphinae  was eventually published in Ulm in 1627, Kepler was unemployed and was owed a great deal of unpaid salary from his years as Imperial Mathematician. After efforts to obtain numerous court appointments failed, Kepler returned to Prague in an attempt to recoup some of his financial losses from the royal treasury. Kepler died in Regensburg, Bavaria, in 1630. His gravesite was lost when the churchyard in which he was buried was destroyed at some time during the Thirty Years War. Legacy More than an astronomer, Johannes Keplers legacy spans a number of fields and encompasses an impressive number of scientific firsts. Keplar both discovered the universal laws of planetary motion and explained them correctly. He was the first to correctly explain how the moon creates the tide (which Galileo disputed) and the first to suggest that the Sun rotates around its axis. In addition, he calculated the now commonly accepted birth year for Jesus Christ and coined the word satellite. Keplers book Astronomia Pars Optica is the foundation of the science of modern optics. Not only was he the first to define vision as a process of refraction within the eye, as well as explain the process depth perception, he was also first to explain the principles of the  telescope and describe the properties of total internal reflection. His revolutionary designs for eyeglasses- for both nearsightedness and farsightedness- literally changed the way in which people with vision impairments see the world. Sources â€Å"Johannes Kepler: His Life, His Laws and Times. NASA.Casper, Max.  Kepler. Collier Books, 1959. Reprint, Dover Publications, 1993.Voelkel, James R.  Johannes Kepler and the New Astronomy. Oxford University Press, 1999.Kepler, Johannes, and William Halsted Donahue.  Johannes Kepler: New Astronomy. Cambridge University Press, 1992.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Develope a project schedule Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Develope a project schedule - Essay Example These shall also not involve any physical construction of project parts. Rather, there shall be a lot of boardroom work to ensure that the outcome of the feasibility studies is extensively digested. For instance the total cost of the project that emerges from the feasibility study shall be discussed on ways of meeting up those costs. The planning activities shall also include the setting up of an overseer committing and the drawing of a general plan s. following the planning stage shall be the actual execution of the project. This stage is thus named the execution stage and shall involve several ground work rather than boardroom work. There shall for instance be a system design project where the master plan system to be used in the construction of the project target shall be designed. More to this, all engineers shall be on site to put parts and pieces of the project together to ensure that actual manufacturing goes on. The last but one stage is the control stage. This stage shall have two phases. The two phases involve on-the-ground evaluation and off-the-ground evaluation. On-the-ground evaluation involves a rapid and continuous evaluation and monitoring exercise that shall be carried out on the project execution stage. This means that from time to time, there shall be officers who shall be monitoring and giving reports on the progress of the work. The off-the-grounds phase shall also be a generalized evaluation activity for the project after everything has ended. After this stage, the project shall successfully be closed. Looking at the various stages and the activities involved, the following duration for execution has been designed. The motive for allocation of time is from the perspective that the overall aim of the project is to save a lot of time in the construction of a unit machine. The whole project should therefore be executed in a total of eight (8) weeks. From the schedule table, it

Friday, October 18, 2019

Ancient world artifacts Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ancient world artifacts - Research Paper Example It was during this civilization that important inventions such as the wheel, the art of writing and communication, and the development and construction of cities were made (Pollock, 1999, Pp.3). The civilization flourished between 4000 – 1200 B.C., although the development and settlement of civilizations began as far back as in the 7000 B.C.E. during which the ancient Mesopotamians first learned to farm and herd cattle for livelihood (Armstrong, 2002, Pp.1). The artifacts studied for the purpose of this paper, include: The Sickle sword and the Cylinder seal with modern impression of a winged horse, both of which belong to the middle Assyrian period. The Assyrians were known for their cuneiform writings / inscriptions on clay as well as other instruments. The cruciform form of writing was a way developed during this period to record history and is found in several historiographic documents during this period (Thomason, 2005, Pp. 51). Overview of the Objects:? i) The Sickle Swor d 13th Century B.C. Middle Assyrian Period Source: www.metmuseum.org This curved sword belonged to the Middle Assyrian period, during the 1307 - 1275 B.C. in Mesopotamia. It is made of bronze and contains cuneiform inscriptions on it which mentions the name of the then ruler and King of Assyraia, thus indicating the period and the owner to whom it belongs. The sword has inscriptions on three different places i.e. on both the sides of the blade as well as on the edge / handle. It is called a ‘sickle’ sword because of its unusual curved shape (Bromiley, 1995, Pp. 1037). In ancient Mesopotamia almost all the swords used were sickle shaped and in fact, straight edged swords came into use much later after the end of the first millennium B.C.E. The unique quality about these sickle shaped swords was that they were considered to be very effective for slashing, rather than stabbing during warfare and the shape made it easier to harm the enemy (Bertman, 2003, Pp. 264; Bromiley, 1995). Another quality of these swords was that it was made from one single piece of metal, thus eliminating the need to attach a handle separately, which made it sturdier than the other types of swords (Gabriel, 1990, Pp. 44). The sickle sword first appeared during the Middle Bronze Age II in various places throughout Mesopotamia. It was believed to be an improvement from the battle axe which was used during the previous years. It was used during the reign of the Assyrian king Adadnirari I (Shalev, 2004, Pp. 55). ii.) Cylinder seal, 13th century B.C. Middle Assyrian period Source: www.metmuseum.org, Somervill, 2009, Pp. 22 These seals or 'stamps' were used during the middle Assyrian period as a way of stamping / signing important documents. The cylindrical object i.e. the pipe shaped objects were used to identify individuals. These seals were carved from various materials such as wood, limestone, ivory, and other similar hard materials / stones. The carving on each of these seals / stamps was unique just like signatures. The seals were used for marking goods, letters and for signing official documents. These cylinders first appeared during the 3500 B.C.E and were used continuously throughout the Assyrian period (Somervill, 2009, Pp. 22). These seals were considered to be one of the finest artifacts as well as a significant achievement of the ancient Mesopotamian civilization. The cylinder seals were first created by the Sumerians and were used in the

Employee testing project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Employee testing project - Assignment Example Performance assessment test can be carried out at organizational or individual level. In regards to organization, Performance assessment test requires strategic plan of the firm to layout goals, objectives and mission in a certain period of time (Anne and Sheldon, 19). Mostly, performance assessment test is carried out especially when the Organization wants to determine their progress with respect to realizing its goals and objective and to have right indicator of workers knowledge and abilities. More importantly, performance assessment test can provide indicators for improving instruction and increasing human resource productivity. This is mainly achieved through enhancement of human resource understanding of their roles specifically after successful performance testing (Anne and Sheldon, 31). Successful performance assessment test is characterized by positive changes in worker relations, their ability and effectiveness improves and improvement of overall performance customer servic e and teamwork. Performance testing also lessens business costs by identifying right workers for training, promotions, and hiring. For example, the figure below represents an employee performance evaluation form for Apple Inc. B. Employee strengths and accomplishments: Include those which are relevant during this evaluation period. This should be related to performance or behavioral aspects you appreciated in their performance. Cognitive ability tests typically use questions or problems to measure ability to learn quickly, reading logic, and reasoning. Cognitive ability tests also utilize other mental abilities that are so crucial in achieving aims and goals of different organizations. Cognitive ability tests evaluates an individual’s potential to solve job-related constraints by providing information about their mental abilities; such as verbal or mathematical reasoning and other potentials like speed in recognizing letters of the alphabet. Although the

Thursday, October 17, 2019

(A)- Organisation Should have a means of classifying, ranking, and Essay

(A)- Organisation Should have a means of classifying, ranking, and selecting information systems development projects. Discuss - Essay Example Furthermore, potential benefits refers to the extent to the project is seen as improving profits, customer service and the duration of these benefits. Resource availability involves the amount and types of resources that the project needs based on their availability. Moreover, project size or duration may include the number of individuals and time required to ensure that the project is complete. Lastly, technical difficulty or risk involves the level of technical difficulty to complete and compile the project successfully as expected (‘Planning’ 2013, p.104). All these techniques when considered, the classification and ranking of the project will be successful. But â€Å"one should balance all these factors between short term, high benefits versus high savings costs† (Dubey 2011, p.52). Feasibility analysis simply refers to the viability of an idea (Katimuneetorn 2008, p.2). This study helps in previewing the potential outcomes to enable us continue or not (Katimu neetorn 2008, p.3) and some of the factors that are used to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed project are economic, technical, operational, schedule, legal and contractual, and political factors. Economic feasibility involves the economic viability of the proposed system and it involves cost-benefit analysis (Katimuneetorn 2008, p.1). All costs including fixed and variable costs and benefits such as cost savings, increased revenue or increased profit of the proposed project should be evaluated keenly (Katimuneetorn 2008, p.7). Intangible costs include hardware, software or labour costs, but intangible cots include operational inefficiency and loss of goodwill (Katimuneetorn 2008, p.7). Most projects are approved only if they cover their costs within a given period. On the contrary, some projects can be approved based on intangible benefits like those associated with the government regulations or image of the organization. In addition, technical feasibility is determined by th e possibility that the organization has in obtaining necessary resources. â€Å"Assessing technical feasibility is to evaluate whether the new system will perform adequately or whether the organization is able to construct a proposed system or not† (Katimuneetorn 2008, p.12). Technical feasibility is manifested when required hardware and software are available in the market place or can be developed within the required time. More so, operational feasibility refers to the ability, desire and willingness of the stakeholders to use, support, and operate the proposed information system and it is important to clarify whether the proposed system will solve the business problems, take advantage of the opportunities or not (Katimuneetorn 2008, p.13). Actually, these people are interested in those information systems, which are very easy to operate, accurate, produce the desired information, and fit with the organizational objectives. Furthermore, schedule feasibility involves assessi ng the duration of the project, that is, time covered for it to be completed and be useful (Katimuneetorn 2008, p.14). System analysts have to consider how long the system will take to develop and consider whether the deadlines are mandatory or compulsory (Katimuneetorn 2008, p.14). Legal feasibility shows whether the proposed system conflicts with the legal requirements or not since a project may face

Privatization of zain company in kuwait Assignment

Privatization of zain company in kuwait - Assignment Example Getting hold of all the board members to assist in making key decisions was difficult since they also had other government duties assigned to them. The research findings also revealed that Zain’s services changed after its privatization. When comparing Zain’s services between pre and post privatization, the study revealed that the level of satisfaction due to service and product increased. The several categories of service delivery evaluated included: communication to the clients, monthly billing, branches availability and working hours, and the time for service delivery whether it is new subscription or reactivation of the service. The results revealed that the services before privatization were basic. In regard to its services, Zain also increased its investment in software development services, sophisticated modern technology; wireless connectivity services, including 3G, 4G/LTE Internet services and fiber optics after its privatization. The varied products and servi ces brought about by Zain’s privatization were registered in its profits. Some of potential weaknesses experienced during the study that were not within the control of the researchers included time constraints, small number of participants and lack of pre-privatization company sources. As regards to time; time frame allocated for the entire study was not enough to enable the researcher interview all the respondents. The set time was limited; thus, it was difficult for the researchers to meet the employees and the customers, some of which have busy schedules. Secondly, the sample population chosen for the research was small compared to the entire number of Zain’s customers and employees. Lastly, before privatization; the company was owned by the government and was not listed in Kuwait stock Exchange market. Therefore, to access data and get information on the strategy

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

(A)- Organisation Should have a means of classifying, ranking, and Essay

(A)- Organisation Should have a means of classifying, ranking, and selecting information systems development projects. Discuss - Essay Example Furthermore, potential benefits refers to the extent to the project is seen as improving profits, customer service and the duration of these benefits. Resource availability involves the amount and types of resources that the project needs based on their availability. Moreover, project size or duration may include the number of individuals and time required to ensure that the project is complete. Lastly, technical difficulty or risk involves the level of technical difficulty to complete and compile the project successfully as expected (‘Planning’ 2013, p.104). All these techniques when considered, the classification and ranking of the project will be successful. But â€Å"one should balance all these factors between short term, high benefits versus high savings costs† (Dubey 2011, p.52). Feasibility analysis simply refers to the viability of an idea (Katimuneetorn 2008, p.2). This study helps in previewing the potential outcomes to enable us continue or not (Katimu neetorn 2008, p.3) and some of the factors that are used to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed project are economic, technical, operational, schedule, legal and contractual, and political factors. Economic feasibility involves the economic viability of the proposed system and it involves cost-benefit analysis (Katimuneetorn 2008, p.1). All costs including fixed and variable costs and benefits such as cost savings, increased revenue or increased profit of the proposed project should be evaluated keenly (Katimuneetorn 2008, p.7). Intangible costs include hardware, software or labour costs, but intangible cots include operational inefficiency and loss of goodwill (Katimuneetorn 2008, p.7). Most projects are approved only if they cover their costs within a given period. On the contrary, some projects can be approved based on intangible benefits like those associated with the government regulations or image of the organization. In addition, technical feasibility is determined by th e possibility that the organization has in obtaining necessary resources. â€Å"Assessing technical feasibility is to evaluate whether the new system will perform adequately or whether the organization is able to construct a proposed system or not† (Katimuneetorn 2008, p.12). Technical feasibility is manifested when required hardware and software are available in the market place or can be developed within the required time. More so, operational feasibility refers to the ability, desire and willingness of the stakeholders to use, support, and operate the proposed information system and it is important to clarify whether the proposed system will solve the business problems, take advantage of the opportunities or not (Katimuneetorn 2008, p.13). Actually, these people are interested in those information systems, which are very easy to operate, accurate, produce the desired information, and fit with the organizational objectives. Furthermore, schedule feasibility involves assessi ng the duration of the project, that is, time covered for it to be completed and be useful (Katimuneetorn 2008, p.14). System analysts have to consider how long the system will take to develop and consider whether the deadlines are mandatory or compulsory (Katimuneetorn 2008, p.14). Legal feasibility shows whether the proposed system conflicts with the legal requirements or not since a project may face

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Last Supper by Andrea del Castagno, Leonardo, Tintoretto Essay

The Last Supper by Andrea del Castagno, Leonardo, Tintoretto - Essay Example The essay "The Last Supper by Andrea del Castagno, Leonardo, Tintoretto" compares three paintings - Andrea del Castagno, The Last Supper,1447; Leonardo, The Last supper, 1495-98; Tintoretto, The Last Supper, 1594. Del Castagno’s painting is one of the most distinct. It has a flat style, sharp angles and corners. All of this is in contrast with predominant style during the renaissance. This painting has no motion, no movement, and creates the sense in the viewer that they are looking into a sunken set of figurines. This static portrayal of Christ reinforces his importance historically. There is also something that recalls a Roman fresco about the piece, which also reinforces Christ as a historical figure set into a particular time and place, with historical importance. Da Vinci’s rendition of the last supper does not attempt to depict Christ in historical lights. This image attempts to cast Christ in a more human light. Da Vinci's last supper does not give Christ any par ticular sign of super-humanness, with only the wisp of a cloud suggesting a halo. Christ is given a position of importance, taking up the central portion of the image almost in its entirety, but there is nothing else that would overly separate him from the apostles. His clothing is similar in form and colour, he is not placed above the rest, nor does he have any sign of super-human lighting. Overall Da Vinci’s image depicts Christ in his humanity, reinforcing his human side and diminishing the supernatural.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Employment and its effects on high school and college students’ grade point averages Essay Example for Free

Employment and its effects on high school and college students’ grade point averages Essay Many students, parents, and educators have been seeking the so-called Holy Grail of learning for many decades. One question that has arisen out of this learning model is that of student employment? Many wonder if working a part-time job will affect a student’s grades, and if so, how much? The answer to this seemingly simply question, however, is more complex. A variety of factors must be considered when deciding if and to what extent a student’s grades are affected by his or her employment status. In recent years, the concept of the full-time student seems to be disappearing. From about age sixteen, an overwhelming majority of students, both high school and college, work while they attend school. This average is about 85% for most college students (Bradley, 2006). However, high costs everything from apparel to tuition drives these workers into their part-time jobs which are generally retail and service related businesses for an average of fifteen hours per week (Bradley, 2006). Generally, most studies do identify some differences in academic performance and attitude, but these differences are not as great as people once may have believed. Generally, studies find very few basic differences between working and non-working students, especially in college. However, the intensity of the job and the number of hours worked did seem to affect academic performance in many students at the high school level. Generally longer hours meant more stressors on the individual and had a negative affect on their grades, which translates into about a half of a grade point average(GPA) point lower than not working students or students who work only a few hours, perhaps on the weekends (Weller et al, 2003). Oettinger (1999) also found this to be true, and noted that minority students tended to be more affected by the GPA drop than white students. He noted his drop in GPA to be about . 20 points and to be most obvious in students working more than twenty hours per week. These studies corroborates a study done nearly twelve years earlier in which the researchers found, similarly, that students who put in longer hours at their jobs suffered lower grades, higher absenteeism, and less interest in school in general which was seen in negative behaviors while in school (Perils of Part-time Work for Teens, 1991). At the college level, these differences were less noticeable. Ironically, Bradley (2006) found that the grade point averages were highest for students who did not work AND for students who worked more than twenty hours per week. This seems to contradict the research done on high school students, suggesting that maturity and attitude may also play a part in the employment/grades debate. Research has also been conducted on academic attitude and perception as they relate to grades. In high school, students who worked longer hours did not seem to have much distress about their grades as a result of the employment: â€Å"Those who had jobs displayed no advantage over the others in self-reliance, self-esteem or attitude toward work† (Perils of Part-time Work for Teens, 1991). In addition, students who worked even seemed to report less school stress, possible because they had less interest in school, as mentioned above. Moreover, researchers explain this more blase attitude toward schools by the findings that students who worked were more likely to report avoiding difficult classing, cheating on exams, and copying homework from friends (Weller et al, 2003; Perils of Part-time Work for Teens†, 1991). This was not the case for university students. In college, students who worked perceived that their employment DID affect their grades even when the researchers found little or no interest in grades between non-workers and workers at the college level. Both working and non-working college students showed a high level of interest in their grades and expressed an overall desire to achieve a high level of academic performance. Students who did not work stated that did not do so in order to focus on their studies, and they believed that their studies benefited from this extra time. Again, though, the studies showed no difference in the GPAs of working and non-working college students (Bradley, 2006). Instead many researchers ponder how college students who work so many hours are able to keep similar GPAs to those that do not work. Bradley (2006) suggests that nonworking students may be spending similar time with other activities such as sports, extracurricular clubs, or even caring for dependents at home. He also proposes that the non-working students and the working students may be approaching homework and study in different ways. He notes that non-working students â€Å"may be most likely to adopt a ‘deep’ learning style, characterized by intrinsic interest in the subject content and a desire to maximize understanding of this content† and that working students â€Å"may be more likely to adopt an ‘achieving’ style aimed at maximizing grades through the effective use of space and time. † These learned differences could certainly account for the way different students juggle the demands of work. It is certainly helpful to note when employment can be an effect socialization tool aimed at building strong character and organizational skills and when it can be a definite academic detriment. Research shows that more differences exist for high school students than for college students, and that the majority of the college differences exist only in perception, not in actuality. This gives rise to the possibility of further research which could focus on the characteristics of working students who do keep their GPAs high.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

The Dilemma Of Gay Marriage Legislation Sociology Essay

The Dilemma Of Gay Marriage Legislation Sociology Essay Ladies and gentleman, we are gathered here today to witness Adam and Steve in the bonds of holy matrimony. In modern society this topic is a never ending battle. Between government officials and religious beliefs and teachings there is never a shortage of reasons why some think that homosexual marriage is immoral and unnatural. However to some it as a natural occurrence between two attracted individuals. Either opinion relies on the individuals own definition of the word normal. Many of Americas government officials such as George W. Bush are strongly against gay marriage. They believe that the sole purpose for the marriage of a man and a woman is a means of procreation and establishing a family union which is the basis of building a stable society. By recognizing the right of the same sex marriage would bring to big of a shift in the fundamental definition of the word marriage. So, as to not discriminate against homosexual peoples the Domestic Partnership Law came into place. This law was developed to give limited rights to same sex couples without denying them their constitutional rights. Gay Marriage: the Dilemma The modern society currently faces a never-ending debate on whether gay marriages should be an acceptable part of society. The argument revolves around the immorality and unnatural nature of homosexual marriages as seen through arguments forwarded by government officials and supported by religious beliefs and teachings. In opposition, some individuals argue that homosexual marriage is a natural occurrence between two individuals attracted to each other. Despite the basic argument, each opinion relies on the advocates definition of normal. In opposition to gay marriage, government officials argue that marriage should be an institution formed between a man and woman for procreation and establishing a family with the intention of building a stable society (Prager, 2004). This means that if the government were to recognize gay marriages, it would redefine the fundamental understanding of marriage. The case for marriage being for procreation is shared among both government and non-government that believe it is through marriage that children are born and raised to be moral social beings. As presented by Schiffren (1996), the society is a blend of cultures and traditions presented through the family, which starts with marriage where a couples shares love and has children. The children learn the cultural values and traditions as part of their upbringing. This argument denotes that gay marriages do not offer an opportunity for procreation, and may be harmful to children when the couple either adopts or has a child. In a gay marriage children are deprived either a mother or a father, which means children grow without the love and care of the deprived parent or the cultural values that would have been impacted by the missing parent (Prager, 2004; American Family Association, 2005). Agreeably, the child in a gay marriage will have two mothers or two fathers, but he or she will be deprived the right to have the other parent because of selfishness by the gay couple that seeks to have a family outside the norm. To solidify the anti-gay position, the U.S. government has passed various legislatures such as the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) passed in 1996 during Bill Clintons tenure. The law denotes that no state needs to recognize marriage union between people of the same sex even when conducted in another state that recognizes the marriage (Kholer, 1996). The legislation continues to indicate that the government does not need to recognize same sex marriage or polygamous marriage. DOMA developed in response to fear by some states that they would have to recognize same sex marriages conducted in Massachusetts, which had recognized gay unions. With the passage of the bill, twelve states banned all forms of gay marriages including those conducted as civil unions or domestic partnerships, and twenty states constructed a similar law, while other twenty-six states adopted constitutional amendments banning gay marriages. The passage of DOMA may have been in contravention of the Full Faith and Credit clause that mandates states to respect and enforce judicial rulings from other states, a case that applies to court orders, recognition of legal status, taxation, and spousal and child support (Kholer, 1996). However, as the Supreme Court argues states may make exceptions to the clause, as has been the case in firearm control, employment discrimination, and disability rulings. Nevertheless, a few compromises have been made such as through the Domestic Partnership Law adopted in California that came into effect to ensure homosexual people did not suffer discrimination. The law offers limited rights to same couples as part of their constitutional rights by defining their relationship as a domestic partnership. A domestic partnership is recognized as a legal or personal relationship between two individuals living together and sharing a common domestic life though not joined by traditional marriage (Pawelski et al, 2006). The domestic law provides benefits relating to adoptions, dental and medical insurance, dependent life insurance, and rights to a partners property in case of death. Other states have provided for gay couples through a civil unions policy such as Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, Connecticut and Vermont, recognizing a gay marriage but without the benefit of a title. Other opponents to gay marriages are religious groups such as Roman Catholics that base their opposition on the teachings of Christianity, an issue also shared by government officials opposing the marriage. According to the Christian faith, a man shall marry only a man as stated in the bible, and any marriage related union between two men or two women is unacceptable (American Family Association, 2005). The faith case also underlines that God created marriage as a union to facilitate procreation, a factor that raises one of the questions raised by supporters of gay marriages that whether people unable to procreate should not get married or should not have sexual intercourse (Sterling, 2004). Despite this question, the opponents hold that gay marriages cannot lead to procreation, making them immoral as well as unnatural though different views of what is natural and moral may abide. The definition of natural is something accepted and considered ordinary, while unnatural refers to things that deviate from the norm (Corvino, 1997). In the contemporary society, gay unions are publicized as unnatural despite their being a common part of daily life. For example, in most television shows and movies, gay characters are emerging as central characters, sometimes portrayed as showing affection such as kissing. The media has especially been instrumental in creating doubts concerning the unnaturalness of homosexuality making it difficult to discuss the social effects of gay marriage and leading to an almost social acceptance (Kurtz, 2003). Within this setting, proponents of gay marriages wonder why they are considered unnatural. Furthermore, some argue that gay attraction is a normal part of life in similar fashion to heterosexual attraction. The notion is that the way heterosexual people are born heterosexual and are attracted to the opposite sex, so are homosexuals born h omosexual and attracted to same sex persons. Therefore, homosexuality could be viewed as a natural reaction to ones sexuality and the society learn to deal with the issue instead of demonizing. Following this train, the Church should change its definition of natural by reinterpreting doctrine and accepting new information and becoming more open minded about emerging ideologies such as homosexuality. Furthermore, even some churches have adopted the viewpoint such as the Episcopalian church that now openly ordains gay Bishops (Public Agenda for Citizens, 2010). The Christian doctrine stands on the ground that God loves and accepts anyone, irrespective of their sins; therefore, on the same principle, homosexual people that may deviate from the classical normal are acceptable to God. However, to accept the argument the church may need to reconstruct some of the basic believes such as those indicating marriage to be between a man and woman. In my personal opinion, I think the government is unjustified in its handling of the gay marriage issue in that denies a person the ability to be free in a land considered free and home to opportunities. Within a free country, people should have the freedom to express their sexuality as gay or heterosexual and not dictated to be heterosexual. Further, marriage should not be defined as only a union between man and woman, but between two people willing to live together and share the joys and sorrows that come with marriage. Unfortunately, only few states have accepted this definition and made laws to that effect such as California; nonetheless, even those without respective laws should respect gay unions from other states in accordance with the full faith and credit clause and the Supreme Court should protect this clause instead of affording states loopholes. Currently, the government is afraid that allowing for gay marriages will corrupt the society, ruin children and families, and th e possible social change that may occur due to giving homosexuals their rights (Schulman, 2009). Instead of holding on to this fear, gay people should be afforded the opportunity to live with each other legally and enjoy the associated benefits as heterosexual couples for only their lives are likely to change. Further, the church has been too harsh on the homosexuals considering them as unnatural; instead, they should embrace them and offer them Gods love a concept taught throughout Christianity, such as I learnt in Catholic School. God accepts anyone willing to come to Him despite his or her faults. Furthermore, even the church has gay priests, so it would be fit to have gay followers, the same way there are heterosexual priests and followers. Agreeably, allowing gay followers is unlikely to benefit the church, but neither is denying them. Therefore, the same way the church is willing to accept people with a multitude of sins including those from genocidal Nazi; it can accept people with a different sexuality such as homosexuality. In conclusion, gay people have the right to decide for themselves how they wish to live without political or religious influences. Whichever way they choose, whether to get married or be joined in a civil union should be acceptable without any occurring discrimination. A revolution towards accepting this attitude is already occurring in the media as television shows include gay people and air their relationships; however, this should not only stop with the media but be accepted across generations and social groups. Noting the current trend, especially among the younger generation, which is more accepting, the American society may come to accept homosexuals as it has accepted those with heterosexual tendencies.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Immigration :: essays research papers

December 11, 2000 Immigration In the decades following the Civil War, the United States emerged as an industrial giant. Old industries expanded and many new ones, including petroleum refining, steel manufacturing, and electrical power, emerged. Railroads expanded significantly, bringing even remote parts of the country into a national market economy. America was the ideal place. In the late 1800s, people in many parts of the world decided to leave their homes and immigrate to the United States. Fleeing crop failure, a shortage in land, and employment, rising taxes, and famine, many came to the U. S. because it was perceived as the land of economic opportunity. Others came seeking personal freedom or relief from political and religious persecution. With hope for a brighter future, nearly 12 million immigrants arrived in the United States between 1870 and 1900. During the 1870s and 1880s, the vast majority of these people were from Germany, Ireland, Russian, Italy, and England Immigran ts entered the United States through several ports. Those from Europe generally came through East Coast facilities, while those from Asia generally entered through West Coast centers. More than 70 percent of all immigrants, however, entered through New York City, which came to be known as the "Golden Door." Throughout the late 1800s, most immigrants arriving in New York entered at the Castle Garden depot near the tip of Manhattan. In 1892, the federal government opened a new immigration-processing center on Ellis Island in New York harbor. Although immigrants often settled near ports of entry, a large number did find their way inland. Many states, especially those with sparse populations, actively sought to attract immigrants by offering jobs or land for farming. Many immigrants wanted to move to communities established by previous settlers from their homelands. Once settled, immigrants looked for work. There were never enough jobs, and employers often took advantage of th e immigrants. Men were generally paid less than other workers, and women less than men. Social tensions were also part of the immigrant experience. Often stereotyped and discriminated against, many immigrants suffered verbal and physical abuse because they were "different." The Irish were called white niggers. They came to America because of An Gorta Mor. (That’s the great hunger for those who didn’t know). The Britt’s hated (and still hate) the Irish, and they made them work like slaves, and paid them very little. The Irish, who came because they thought they could get some land, and be free in America, were starving in the streets, and dying in the factories.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Hot Zone Book vs. Movie Essay

†¢In the book, we have Nancy and Jerry, and they are very important characters who deal with Ebola. Also they are married. In the movie, Sam and his ex-wife shares similar rolls like Nancy and Jerry. They try to stop the outbreak of Ebola virus in the monkey house. In the movie Sam and his ex-wife is divorced and still have problems between them. †¢movie changed ‘Ebola’ to an Ebola-like virus called Motaba, the conditions of both diseases proved to be similar †¢The army took strong precautions in both cases, wearing Level 4 body-suits in the presence of the virus †¢They tried to contain a town and bomb it, and that made it so surreal that it eventually became difficult to take anything the movie says seriously. This made the movie fictional, and took away from the threat and danger of this deadly disease. †¢Robbie and Sam in the movie. It made it somewhat of a romantic love story †¢Daniels- equivalent to Jaaxs †¢movie didn’t focus on the monkey house at all †¢The pet store kind of took the place of the monkey house in that the host infected others at the pet store. †¢both have a laboratory monkey escaping from its cage †¢In the movie, the host monkey that was smuggled gets loose and threatens the lives of human race. In the book, one of the sick monkey in Reston escapes from its cage and Jerry spends days trying to catch it †¢similar is the potential rip in the space suits †¢Both Sammy Daniels and Jerry Jaax share a strong concern over his wife or ex-wife working with in the hot zone with the virus †¢Finally, the doctors in the book tried to help the villagers the best that they could, and eventually ended up leaving the village and the people behind. In the movie, the village, that had many people infected with the virus, was obliterated by a bomb †¢In movie, they catch the monkey responsible for everything

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Forensic Psychology and the Prison Service Essay

The two programmes mentioned above have similar objectives and use comparable methods. The curriculum includes teaching problem-solving skills, perspective taking and social skills, creative thinking, moral reasoning, management of emotions, and critical reasoning’ (Blud et al, 2003). To pass through the first stage of selection for a cognitive skills programme in HM Prison Service, offenders should either have a current or previous conviction for a sexual, violent or drug-related offence, or they should demonstrate a life-style factor such as serious drug abuse or poor family relationships which indicate they may benefit from the programme. One study conducted by the Canadian Correctional Service showed that there were modest outcome effects at best, with 47% of the sample being readmitted to prison. Critics of this treatment suggest that focusing on developing compensatory strategies to repair ‘deficits’ in thinking does not allow sufficient account to be taken of the predisposition, choices, opportunities and motivations of the individual, and that it would be more useful to design interventions which focus on providing opportunities to change and develop. There are alternatives to cognitive therapy within the prison system. One of these is the therapeutic institutional regime, which has the aim of ‘providing offenders with an institutional environment that will encourage their development as members of an effective community, which may then lead to more effective participation in their community on release’ (Howitt, 2006, p. 366). The effective treatment of sex offenders originated in the behavioural therapies common in the 1960s. The treatment of sex offenders was not a priority in prison services until the last few years. Sex offenders typically have both sexual and nonsexual problems (Blackburn, 1995), so assessment needs to cover social, cognitive, affective, and physiological levels of functioning. Treatment for sexual offenders differentiates between types of offence, such as child molestation, exhibitionism, rape, and sexual assault (Hollin, 1989). Behavioural therapists consider assessment of sexual arousal patterns to be necessary. Changing deviant sexual preference is a major target of cognitive-behavioural programmes. There are a number of ways of doing this, such as covert sensitisation, shame aversion therapy, masturbatory or orgasmic reconditioning and shaping and fading (Blackburn, 1995). However, there are a number of questions over their use. For example, the assumption that deviant preference predicts re-offending remains largely untested. There are also attempts to improve social competence. Cognitive distortions are targeted in this approach. These distortions include beliefs about sex roles, rape myths, the acceptability of child-adult sex, and the minimization of harmful effects of sexual assault. According to Blackburn (1995), offenders who commit serious crimes against the person are likely to display multiple psychological dysfunctions. Blackburn states that there are four types of murderer: paranoid-aggressive; depressive; psychopathic; and over-controlled repressors (of aggression). In one study, using the MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory), Biro et al (1992) found that 49% of homicide convicts were in the hypersensitive-aggressive category. This category consists of people with the characteristic of ‘being easily offended, prone to impulsive aggressive outbursts and intolerant of frustration. They are very rigid, uncooperative and permanently dissatisfied thing things. However, the causes of antisocial behaviour in psychotic offenders are often the same as those in the non-disordered. Psychological treatment for dangerous offenders is most frequently carried out in forensic psychiatric facilities. While pharmacological treatment is frequently the best strategy for treating acute psychotic disorders, psychological interventions are a more durable alternative for emotional problems such as depression or anxiety, and are critical in rehabilitation. There are few demonstrably effective treatment or intervention programmes for adult violent offenders in maximum-security prisons, particularly for those diagnosable as psychopaths. They have very high recidivism rates and are often involved in institutional violent behaviour (Belfrage at al, ).

Crime scene Essay

Review Questions 1. What is physical evidence? Provide at least three examples in your answer. Physical evidence is anything that can establish a crime that has happened and anything that links the crime and the criminal. Physical evidence might include objects like weapons, fibers and hair. 2. Describe three ways that a crime scene can be recorded. What is a benefit of each? Photography can show crime scenes at wide angles and can be taken at different vantage points. Drawings can show the location of evidence and contain accurate accounts of the distances. Notes contain description of the crime scene and location of evidence. 3. What is a chain of custody? Why is it important? Chain of custody is a list of persons who had possession of the evidence during the crime investigation. Chain of custody is important because it shows who has access to the evidence and indicates that it has been in the possession of law enforcement. 4. What three types of photographs are taken at crime scenes? Describe each type? Overview Photographs are taken at different points to show any entries and exits to the crime scene. Intermediate Photographs helps to show the evidence in relation to other objects in the room. Close up Photographs are taken to help record specific details that may not b picked up by photographs taken from longer ranges. 5. Why is it important to record the crime scene? It is important to record crime scenes because it helps to create a chain of custody showing what is present at the scene and its location as well as over all location. Critical Thinking Questions 1. Why is it important to secure the crime scene? What do you think would be the most difficult part of doing this? The main reason is that has the potential for contaminating or destroying evidence even if they don’t mean to do so. The most difficult part about this is reporters, civilians and family getting in the way. 2. What type of recording do you think would be the most useful to crime investigators? Why? Videography would be a useful recording tool in a investigation because of recording and the visual elements of the scene. 3. What do you think would be the best method of submitting evidence to a crime lab? Why? 4. What type of evidence do you think would be most difficult to collect? Why? Trace evidence would be difficult to find because its small ad not easily seen. 5. What does the Fourth Amendment protect against? Do you agree with these restrictions on collecting evidence? Why or why not? The fourth Amendment protects individuals from unreasonable searches & seizures agree with the restrictions because it has to be in plane site or have probable cause.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Dismissal Meeting Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Dismissal Meeting - Research Paper Example ination or dismissal is inevitability despite how strong the firms’ recruiting, performance management, management practices as well as hiring effectively be. Dismissal of the employees results from behavioral misconduct such as theft, violation of standards of conduct and/ or policies, changes in business such as lack of work, new markets and contract ending as well as performance issues. It is importance to note that, before settling down to conduct a dismissal meeting, a firm should first consult with a counsel from an employment attorney to ascertain non-exposure to litigation. As noted by Martin Yate’s â€Å"Keeping the Best†, a firm that fails to strip-off chronic poor performers, is viewed by the best performers employees as having condoned lackluster performance and/or it fails to recognize the difference as the best performers will always long for associating themselves to the best (Yate, 1991, p. 65). It is therefore key for both small and large firms to dismiss employees when it is called for. This is because small business may not afford to retain unproductive employees since poor performance negatively affect the Company’s outcomes through demotivating best performers. However, firing of employee calls for proper handling of the dismissal process to curb the looming pitfalls such as reduction in morale and productivity with respect to retained employees. In addition, the image of the Company and recruitment of new staff are embedded on how dismissal process is handled. As noted by Richard S. Deems in his book ‘How to Fir e Your Friends’, â€Å"Do it the right way, and there’s no lasting negative effect on the company or the person who is existing. Do it the wrong way, and the fired employee may have a very difficult time finding a new job and you and your company may end up in court (Deems, 1989, p. 16).† The manager needs to set the tone as how the work group will react to the challenge or stress arising from the unwelcome change. The

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Globalisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Globalisation - Essay Example Even while imposing ethical values on other cultures, globalization leaders should be careful not to hurt the regional feelings. Mollifying the jihad enthusiasts had been impossible till now. Future cultural uniformity is threatening the uniqueness of their regions and religions. Here Globalisation is seen as a threat to their very integrity and habitat. As the famous dictum goes â€Å"men who got the same things, shared the same culture;† Naturally it depends on the inherent economics and consumption similarities. Modernity threatens with its underlying uniformity. Expansion of western civilization is always combined with the dominance of western culture and this is not always palatable to other cultures. Old World has cultural diversities, differences of every kind. Rarities and peculiarities of regions are fast diminishing under globalization. â€Å"In short, new economic geographies are in the making: economic geographies that are global in their reach, changes that produ ce competition on a global scale and that reflect new conditions of production,† according to Cox p.2. It is believed homogeneity will over-last the differentiation. Today’s issues are mainly McDonald hamburger, cola world and its clash with the local cultures. The clash will continue between local and international in every sphere of life and it will go on till locally becomes international and international is accepted as local. Globalization cannot be termed as a homogenizing force, but it could be used as a tool towards that end.

Monday, October 7, 2019

EU Policy in the Area of Communications Assignment

EU Policy in the Area of Communications - Assignment Example As set forth by the TVWFD, access to information is to be enforced such that all citizens may enjoy on free television the major sports and cultural events, or at least the public extracts featuring highlights of such events, that are of high public interest.   Also, the Directive mandates Member states to ensure freedom of reception and retransmission in their jurisdiction of television broadcasts from other Member states, except when the broadcast â€Å"seriously and gravely† threatens to impair â€Å"the physical, mental or moral development of minors, in particular, those that involve pornography or gratuitous violence† (Council of European Communities, 1989, p. 23).  Ã‚  As set forth by the TVWFD, access to information is to be enforced such that all citizens may enjoy on free television the major sports and cultural events, or at least the public extracts featuring highlights of such events, that are of high public interest.   Also, the Directive mandates Me mber states to ensure freedom of reception and retransmission in their jurisdiction of television broadcasts from other Member states, except when the broadcast â€Å"seriously and gravely† threatens to impair â€Å"the physical, mental or moral development of minors, in particular, those that involve pornography or gratuitous violence† (Council of European Communities, 1989, p. 23).  Ã‚  The rules imposed to the Directive are apparently too liberal and absolute, in favor of the free exchange of information, and too restrictive in the matter of Member states exercising their discretion to control the entry of harmful informational broadcast content.   This is not to say that there is no high-level commitment to the Directive, but particular circumstances may call into question the wisdom of an absolutist approach in the Directive’s interpretation.   For instance, Germany has gained a reputation for its hardline stance against racial hate speech to uphold t he personal dignity right protected by Article One of the German Basic Law.   This is for good reason:   â€Å"Suppose a nationalist government takes power in one of the new Member States and the German broadcasting authorities doubt that its broadcasting authority will clamp down on neo-Nazi programming †¦ and show a documentary of David Irving, a notorious Holocaust denier†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Bignami, 2004, p. 129), then conceivably Germany may ban such broadcast within its jurisdiction. 3.   Analyze and discuss the reasons for the failure or success of transnational broadcasting projects in Europe. Include in your answer some reflection on the experience of a country of your choice.  

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Marketing Communication Based on Video Research Paper

Marketing Communication Based on Video - Research Paper Example Absolut is a business entity which was originated as a brain child of Lars Olsson Smith, the king of Vodka. The Absolut organization exists to provide the best quality vodka in the world. Today it is one of the leading brands of Vodka. The originators suggest that the main ingredient required to produce Absolut is a grain grown in Ahus, in Southern Sweden. The producers have coined a â€Å"one source concept†. It is this one source concept that the manufacturers believe causes Absolut vodka to be absolute. The Absolut website states that it is made of only natural ingredients, namely, winter wheat and water. Absolut is viewed as a perfect unit in that its bottle, its taste and its price combine to form one package. Over the years Absolut has added many flavors to its original and premium product. Flavors include Peppar, Citron, Mandarin, Rasberri, Vanilla, Kurant and Pears. Absolut on their website proposes that their Mandarin and Orange are two of the most popular flavors in the world. The brand’s origins and its background The brand Absolut was established since 1889 when Lars Olsson Smith registered the brand name and began to revolutionize the manner in which vodka was made. By 1979, it was imperative for Absolut to begin to export to countries around the world in order to survive. The genesis for Absolut was the idea of the legendary Lars Olsson Smith who revolutionized the manner in which distillation was done. He created the rectification method of distillation and to this day producers of alcoholic beverages still use this method. For Smith, rectification allowed all the impurities involved in the production of vodka to be removed. Thus, Smith called the product of his rectification Absolut rent branvin which means â€Å"Absolute pure vodka† in Swedish. For this reason, Lars Olsson Smith is known as the King of Vodka. In 1992, Absolut advertising campaign was inducted into the American Marketing Association’s Marketing Hall of Fame. Amazingly, this feat was won without the use of te levision as an advertising medium. Richard Lewis (1996) the mastermind behind Absolut’s advertising campaign claims that the major purpose of the campaign was â€Å"to build a healthy and enduring brand for Absolut.† Throughout the first hundred years of its existence Absolut was perfected in its taste, its texture and its packaging. 1.3 The brand’s popularity Although Absolut in its website views itself as the number one selling vodka in the United States, other sources such as Impact International believe that in 2010 Absolut was the fourth largest â€Å"international premium spirit in the world. Impact International noted that Absolut is available in 126 markets. Lewis (1996) notes that in 1981 at the beginning of the Absolut advertising campaign, 20,000 cases of vodka were sold to the United States each year by 1995; sales had reached to 3 million cases per year. Sarah Edmunds of Reuters in her interview with Bengt Baron posits, â€Å"In the United States †¦ Absolut has about 10-1/2 to 11 percent of the total vodka market, sales rose to 4.9 million nine-litre cases in 2006, up from 4.7 million in 2005. Also at this interview Baron observed that Absolut has â€Å"98 percent brand awareness in the (U.S.) consumer (market) and we're still growing faster than the market in general†. Nonetheless, Absolut still advertises itself on its website as the leading brand of vodka in the world. A positioning- perceptual map is an

Friday, October 4, 2019

I haven't decided yet It might be something about advertising Essay

I haven't decided yet It might be something about advertising - Essay Example dvertisements in Wal-Mart retailing, to analyse Wal-Mart as a global retailer, to identify the role of advertisements in Wal-Mart and to frame certain recommendations for the improved success of Wal-Mart through effective advertising. With a Confidence Interval of 90%, the sample size for this research happens to be 100 participants. This survey research has collected data related to the advertising media and advertising of the products of Wal-Mart. The data collected are statistically analysed using MINITAB statistical tool in terms of mean, standard deviation, tally tables and Pearson’s correlation. It has been found that Wal-Mart uses TV as major advertising media but other media like newspapers, billboards, mobile phones, digital signage, direct mail, cinema have not been used much for advertising. Also certain product range of Wal-Mart like musical storage devices, health and beauty products, jewellery, Grocery products and few others have not been advertised effectively. Based on this data analysis and discussion, this research has formulated a set of recommendations for improved advertising strategies of Wal-Mart. This chapter introduces the research concept and research scenario. The aim and objectives of this research are to be discussed along with the main research question and the supporting research hypotheses. The significance of this research work has also been emphasised along with the introduction of the research design specific to this research work. Started by Sam Walton in 1962 in US, Wal-Mart is expanding in it’s retail business all over the world. The business model of Wal-Mart happens to be ‘Every Day Low Prices’, which has earned many customers. Wal-Mart tries to achieve this reduced pricing strategy by cost optimisation in business processes like advertising, logistics, branding, cost effective supplier strategies, store design and merchandising. The international operations of Wal-Mart started in 1991 in the form of super stores

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Trait Theory Essay Example for Free

Trait Theory Essay As I began the process of preparing for this week’s assignments and I noticed that a great deal of emphasis was being put on personality trait testing, I have to say I was a little bit nervous as I have never really put much stock into those particular types of tests being very accurate. But after reading chapters 7 and 8 in our text Personality: Theory and Research, the article on Gordon Allport, and most specifically taking the self monitoring test myself and comparing the results given to what I already believed to be true about myself, I now have a better understanding about how these tests, along with an ability to gauge and monitor consistent patterns of behavior, feelings and thought (Cervone Pervin, 2013, p. 232) can be a valuable tool in not only a scientific setting but in gaining self awareness. I am writing this paper as a means of sharing my insights about personality trait theories as well as how these theories might help an individual gain insight into their relationships with themselves and others. I will also discuss the relationship between personality trait theories, psychoanalytic and humanistic theories and which of these are more effective in explaining human behavior. One of the largest insights I have gained through my research this week is the knowledge of the beliefs of Gordon Allport. His suggestion that the individual self is composed of the aspects that humans feel are the most essential interests me (Boeree, 2006). By breaking down those aspects into seven separate functions, which include, sense of body, self-identity, self-esteem, self-extension, self-image, rational coping, and propriate striving (Boeree, 2006), Allport developed a means to better explain where human motives derive from. As we attempt to gain a firmer grasp on our ability to improve our relationships with friends, family and the people we interact with on a daily basis, as well as a better understanding of our own personality strengths and weaknesses, we gain needed insight by studying personality trait theories. This gives us a better understanding of important areas that are key to healthy relationships. Two of those areas are communications and expectations. What we expect to receive from our relationships with others and how we communicate those expectations are vital in determining whether those relationships flourish or not. Our personality type has a great impact on both of those areas so it is important to be aware of our traits, what to build on, and what to work on letting go of. One of the main differences between the personality trait theories and the other theories we have studied thus far, such as psychoanalytic and humanistic theories, is that the personality trait theory approach individual’s differences. Trait theory seems to be more focused on measuring an individual’s personality characteristics and less focused on generalized behavior on average. I believe that the trait theory falls short of the humanistic theory in many ways, but in particular, it doesn’t seem to give as good a glimpse into how we develop the most basic of our personality traits. It also lacks in its ability to be as accurate a predictor of future behavior. In my opinion, trait theory seems to be more of a tool to put a name on certain aspects of our personality, while the humanistic theory gives us a better understanding of our personality. In conclusion, I hope that I have included in this paper a thorough description of the information I have gained through my excursion through this week’s learning resources. My goal was to give you my opinion on the differences between trait theory and the other personality theories we have studied and how important it is to be able to not only learn as much as we can about why we act the way we do, but to learn how to react differently in the future. I now believe that, through better understanding of the many different theories discussed in this course and not developing and one tracked mind, this can be accomplished. References: Cervone, D., Pervin, L.A. (2013). Personality: Theory and research (12th Ed.). Hoboken, NJ. John Wiley Sons, Inc. Boeree, C.G. (2013). Personality theories: Gordon Allport. Retrieved September 22, 2013 from http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/allport.html