Personal Development Plan †Setting Your Vision (Milestone One) Essay

In the last two weeks of taking this class I have learned a lot about myself, or at least thought a little more about who I am as a person and how I handle different situations. I have endured many things in the last two years that I’m sure many people go through, but should never have to. I have fallen to my lowest, and brought myself back up to my highest. This ranges anywhere from being homeless and sleeping in my truck and having no one around to help me out, to getting my own apartment, attending school again, and getting the best job I’ve ever had that actually pays the bills. With the self-assessments we have taken in the last two weeks I have come to realize I am apparently dangerously close to burning out due to being overly stressed. With everything going on in my life I don’t feel like I am close to burn out. I feel like I could take on a lot more and still be ok mentally and physically. The stress scale that I filled out indicated I had a â€Å"High or very high risk of illness.† This is probably of the most accurate test out of the five tests I took. Between working full time, part time school, bills and supporting my live-in boyfriend who is currently unemployed my stress level is through the roof. This gives me a much deeper respect for families with only one income who live this way constantly, even more so when children are involved. By writing out my development plan I hope to get an even better understanding of myself. How I now handle different situations, and getting feedback and suggestions on better ways. I also hope to learn more about career choices and ways to handle the stresses of work and the many thought processes of management thinking. I don’t want to stay in the position I currently hold forever and would definitely like to move up in the company that I now work for. There are many opportunities for advancement at United Healthcare, but I know that to really succeed and thrive I would need to make a couple of self-adjustments and some self-growth before I could truly  grow and thrive. This is why this development plan is so important to me. By writing out my goals and watching myself grow as a person, intellectually and emotionally I can really gather my thoughts and get them organized and really get my goals situated. This organization would help greatly with my motivation. As we read about motivation theories in chapter two, I agree that in on theory there are basic needs that need to be met in order to keep motivated. I also agreed with another theory that sometimes more than one of those could be wanted at any given time [1]. By doing this plan, I hope to be able to find out what my immediate needs are, or the most important that I feel, and be able to keep those needs satisfied in order to stay motivated to advance in my career as well as schooling.

Innocence of Youth Essay

In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger shows how an adolescent boy develops a cynical outlook on life, causing him to feel isolated. Salinger uses Holden to interpret change from the innocence of youth to the responsibilities of adulthood. Holden’s confusion represents that difficult change a person experiences while growing up. He is trying to find his place in the world, but certain obstacles are preventing him from moving forward. The path to redemption is difficult for him because he doesn’t want to accept the responsibilities of being an adult. The novel shows that through adolescence a person faces many new changes that can be difficult to accept. Holden wants the preserve the innocence that a person has as a child. His cynical views of the world develop through his experience with the corruption of the adolescent world. â€Å"Certain things, they should stay the same. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone, I know that’s impossible but it’s too bad anyway.†(Salinger 122) Salinger points out that, changes are not always positive and it would be easier if we could preserve some things. Holden doesn’t want to face the reality of adulthood because he hasn’t experienced many events that show the positive side of being an adult. Holden’s search for moral values is a difficult and lonely path because of his minimal success of finding them. â€Å"Holden speaks of his loneliness and depression; the story of a few days in his life indicates how sad and lonely his search for moral values is in which he finds them to be sorely lacking.†(Walters 3) The search for innocence and moral is often times very lonely due to the constant heinous events that occur. Characters like Holden want to realize a better life that is away from the corruption of civilization. (Walters 3) Throughout his life, Holden experienced many events that show the corruption of adults and teens. He believes that as a person grows up, they fall into a pit of evil and cruelty. He dreams of becoming the catcher in the rye and saving children from falling into the tainted world of adults. Salinger interprets children as pure and free of sins. Purity is often associated with kids as they have not experienced the greed and desires of adul ts. The thing Holden holds closest to him is the memory of his unique brother Allie. The qualities Allie possesses are extremely unique among even kids, which is why Holden is so mesmerized with him. He was not able to experience the adolescence of Allie, which could have contributed to his obsession with innocence. â€Å"Holden’s fantasy elaborates his obsession with innocence and his perhaps surprisingly traditional moral code.†(Walters 3) Holden’s moral code is different because he is often rude, lies to people and even pursues sexual intercourse. Although his moral code is different, he still has the right intentions. His lies are often to make people feel better and his rude attitude is a result of his distaste for immorality. Holden is confused and doesn’t know how to face the world or the people in it. The time period and environment in the novel are aspects that could have contributed to the confusion. Holden’s experienced this confusion during a time of tension in the United States. The post World War II time period could have had negative effects on Holden through conformism and dramatic changes occurrence in the U.S. â€Å"Holden experiences both the confusion of adolescence and spiritual discomfort of an entire age.†(Historical 6) Holden experiences events in New York City, a city of demoralization, crime and crookedness. His cynical perception of the cruel world could have been limited to the setting of the novel. Prep school and public schools are both socially and economically different than public schools. (Historical 8) His time at school could have influenced his emotion due to the elevated expectations of prep schools. There are many aspects of Holden’s life that could have contributed to his confusion and hatred. Confusion is a common emotion during the adolescent stage of a person life. Holden’s confusion is a result of his inability to truly connect with anyone because of his cynical views. He has a feeling of hopelessness for the world around him because of his distaste for adulthood. â€Å"Holden tells the story of his disenchantment with his life and the direction it is taking.†(Walters 2) The realization that he will be entering adulthood evntually depresses him. He wants to retreat backward into the world he is leaving, that of childhood innocence. (Vanderbilt 298) Holden wears a red hat is symbolic of his position in life and the direction it is taking. Wearing it backwards suggests not only his defiant withdrawal from teammates but his desire to go back to his youth. (Vanderbilt 297). Holden finally decides he needs to move on in life after meeting with his sister Phoebe. The innocence of his younger sister allows him to truly find what he is looking for. Through his sister, he finds hope for the world around him. It is through the innocence of Phoebe, at the end, that Holden initially moves toward his redemption. (Vanderbilt 299) Holden’s cloudy stage of confusion eventually starts to clear up. His realization that his actions affect that people he cares about allows him to seek redemption. He states that he will start applying himself in school and has a better outlook on life. Work Cited Page Literary and Historical Context.† The Catcher in the Rye: Innocence Under Pressure. Sanford Pinsker. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1993. [1]. Twayne’s Masterwork Studies 114. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 27 Feb. 2013. Salinger, J D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print. Vanderbilt, Kermit. â€Å"Symbolic Resolution In The Catcher In The Rye: The Cap, The Carrousel, And The American West.† Critical Insights: The Catcher In The Rye (2011): 297-305. Literary Reference Center. Web. 22 Feb. 2013. Walters, Gordon. â€Å"The Catcher In The Rye.† Masterplots, Fourth Edition (2010): 1-2. Literary Reference Center. Web. 22 Feb. 2013.

Alcohol Research Paper Essay

Alcohol plays too significant a role in society today and should be an after thought as opposed to the most essential addition to any social event. Alcohol creates numerous social, economic, and health problems that could very easily be stopped if it played a less influential role in every day events. The use of alcohol is prominent in, but not limited to three social circles that include students, family groups, and religious gatherings. Experts have much to say about alcohol use and abuse in these three categories, including all of the negative aspects of drinking. Social drinking is a common occurrence around America. Whether it is after work or after a football game, white collar or blue, two-thirds of the American population sit down at least once a week to enjoy an alcoholic beverage (Med. unc. edu). Many of these people do not realize that drinking is what leads to uncontrolled behavior, drunk driving, and in the long run, addiction. They are thinking only of the short-term effects, not the negative long-term consequences. People who regularly turn to alcohol eventually begin to neglect their families and other responsibilities, consequently wrecking the lives of loved ones and their own as well. While the lasting negative effects of alcohol use are spewed daily through the media, the problems will not stop until society completely understands how alcohol can indeed pose a serious threat to the nations social welfare. Alcohol has an adverse effect on the economy. The consequences of alcohol abuse and dependence cost the nation an estimated $99 billion each year (Gordis, 209). It is tax money that pays for alcoholics who both live on the street and are barely getting by or who are in government-funded hospitals and institutions. The United States should either find an alternative way to take care of these people or perhaps raise liquor taxes. Either one of these options would conceivably minimize the economical problems caused by alcoholic beverages. It is not the responsibility of the people as a whole to take care of the homeless people who have fallen prey to the lure of alcohol related problems. As of 1991, about 14 million Americans met medical diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse or alcoholism. There are numerous health problems that are linked to drinking. For instance, if alcohol is consumed during pregnancy, birth defects may result, worse, the baby could be born addicted to alcohol (Kellam, 30). High doses of alcohol have also been found to delay puberty in females and slow bone growth and result in weaker bones (Windle, 179). One of the main risks of drinking alcoholic beverages is having a stroke. A review of epidemiological evidence concludes that moderate alcohol consumption increases the potential risk of strokes caused by bleeding (Camargo, 1620). Another medical problem that involves alcohol is the use of prescription medications. Alcohol may interact harmfully with more that 100 medications, including some sold over the counter. The effects of alcohol are especially augmented by medications that depress the function of the central nervous system, such as sleeping pills, sedatives, and antidepressants, and certain painkillers (Thomas, 336). Upon understanding the risks of drinking, some people would surely stop. Better health is a good reason to do so. One of the main groups of alcohol users is high school and college students. Despite a legal drinking age of 21, many young people in the United States consume alcohol. There are several factors that put youth at risk for drinking and for alcohol-related problems and also several consequences of their drinking. Thirteen- to fourteen- year-olds are at high risk to begin drinking. This is a confusing stage in their life and they are easily pressured into doing things they would not normally do. Also at high risk are twins and adopted children. Studies of these two groups demonstrate that genetic factors influence an individual’s vulnerability to alcoholism. Children of alcoholics are more likely than children of nonalcoholics to imitate drinking during adolescence and develop alcoholism, but the relative influence of environment and genetics have not been determined and vary among people (Chassin, 453). Advertising has also been found to play an influencing role in adolescents’ decision to drink. Research has assessed the effects of alcohol advertising awareness on intentions to drink. In a study of fifth- and sixth-graders’ awareness measured by the ability to identify products in commercials with the product name blocked out awareness had a small but statistically significant relationship to positive expectancies about alcohol and intention to drink as adults (Grube, 257). Although there are many risk factors inviting youths to drink, one of the most prevalent is peer drinking and acceptance of drinking. If one minor sees another drinking he would most likely find it acceptable and join his friend. If all of these risk factors were reduced, say, less advertising of alcohol where children will likely be influenced, children would not find it as acceptable to drink and would probably not start off so young or abstain wholly. Though the prevalence of binge drinking varies among campuses, the overall statistics are alarming. A 1993 survey by 18,000 students at 140 colleges in 40 states found that 44% of the students drank heavily (med.unc. edu). In an effort to curb students thirst for alcoholic beverages, many schools are trying to come up with alternatives to promoting social events that involve alcohol. Colby University has come up with a new program that offers students an alternative to getting ? sloshed. ‘ Faculty and students there have formed a committee that will recommend a reorganization of social functions. One of their recommendations was that the student association spend at least 50% of their funds exclusively alcohol free events. The other 50% of the funds may be used for entertainment, decorations, or refreshments, but may not be used for the purchase of alcohol (colby. edu). More schools should take part in this kind of rehabilitation, not only does it give the school a positive reputation, but it gives the student s more time to concentrate on the reason that they are there which is to learn. Serving food, non-alcoholic drinks, offering activities and entertainment such as games and music, and ceasing to give alcohol two hours before the end of the party are all ideas that will promote safe social scenes and responsible parties. One way to deter younger drinkers from becoming addicts is to step up the punishment for law-breakers who have a blood alcohol concentration indicating public intoxication. Whether it is as minor as carrying a fake identification card or as major as a drunk driving accident, offenders who break the law while legally intoxicated should be punished to the full extent of the law. Alcohol abusers, these risk takers and law-breakers, may realize after being punished once or twice that this is not the path they should take. Sobriety is a great thing, and the choice to be sober is one that should have positive connotations as opposed to the negative ones that go with drinking and being drunk. Learning at a young age that alcohol is not the great thing that everyone makes it out to be is a step in the right direction. We really should start now on a program that gives every child from kindergarten to college factual, unbiased training about alcohol. Then in a couple of generations we’d see fewer problems. Most people would have learned to drink responsibly. (Weiner, 93) The earlier people learn, the best it will be for them and society in general.

HIST - American History Since 1865 Research Paper

HIST - American History Since 1865 - Research Paper Example It is the legacy of that decision which since 1945 has come to have a variety of interpretations among both laymen and scholars alike. Despite the ensuing controversy, the bombing of Nagasaki was both necessary and militarily expedient. Shortly after the Hiroshima bombing President Truman addressed the American people regarding his decision and the implications it and nuclear weapons would have for the future of the country and the world. †¦It was to spare the Japanese people from utter destruction that the ultimatum of July 26 was issued at Potsdam. Their leaders promptly rejected that ultimatum. If they do not now accept our terms they may expect a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which has never been seen on this earth.2 The President in no uncertain terms sought to justify his decision as one that would prevent the costly use of manpower needed to carry out an amphibious invasion of Japan. This comes as little surprise given that by 1945 some â€Å"7,000 American fami lies had already sacrificed two or more of their boys for freedom.†3 Many Americans had grown tired of the war, then in its fourth year. Truman made it clear that his decision stemmed from the sole desire to utterly destroy and annihilate Japan’s war-making capacity and shock that country into surrender. The decision to bomb Nagasaki therefore was a pragmatic one. Secretary of War at the time, Henry L. Stimson, played a major role in the decision to use the bomb on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A recent biography of Stimson by Prof. Sean L. Malloy has claimed that Stimson took part in the most significant foreign policy decision of the twentieth century: â€Å"to use nuclear weapons against Japan and as a diplomatic tool against the Soviet Union.†4 Revisionist historians have long sought to claim that the use of the bomb was to intimidate the USSR and not due to real military needs. Many historians today look to Truman and Stimson as being the two biggest factors in the decision to use the bomb. They assert the president’s role by virtue of his office and Stimson’s role by virtue of his political influence with the president. Stimson supported both Truman’s reasoning and his decision. The fact that he saw the practical effects of the bomb for diplomatic and political ends after the war is not surprising. Given that the post-war world was shaping up to be one dominated by the US, a weakened Britain, and a war-ready and war-ravaged Soviet Union, men like Stimson (who had far more foreign policy experience than Truman) were well aware of the implications of atomic weaponry. And yet the war in the Pacific Theatre had been an especially sanguine one. This is not to say that the European Theatre was nothing to fret about, after all death and mayhem are, in the end, death and mayhem. Many accounts of American soldiers who fought in both Europe and the Pacific often detail the outright perseverance, refusal to surrender, fight-t il-death mentality of the Japanese as being somehow more pronounced than in other armies’ soldiers. Japanese tenacity was well demonstrated and DOWNFALL (the code name for an invasion of the Japan) assumed a death toll of at least 500,000 and as much as 1 million.5 The unanimity of Japanese defense commanders is striking. Navy and air commanders presided over mere remnants of their forces, but the Japanese spirit, and their suicide devices, still gave them hope. The army, short as it was of fuel, was almost manic because of its powerful defense of

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Strategic Management - Essay Example Along with this general, industry and competitor’s environment of Cochlear Ltd will be analysed for the success and growth of the company. Opportunities There is great opportunity for Cochlear Ltd as it operates in the health care sector. The company has been able to increase its revenue due to increasing demand of their products. In developed economy there has been increase of implant surgery of 25% and in the emerging economy it has been approximately 20%. There are great opportunities as there has been increasing demand for implants of Cochlear in emerging economies. The increasing trend is shown graphically in figure 1 below. Figure 1: Increasing trend (Cochlear Ltd 2011). By analysing the stock market of Cochlear Ltd, positive trends have been observed. This represents the performance of the company and the interest of investors in investing in the company. This offers the company an opportunity to raise funds and invest in new technology or innovation in order to expand their market and develop new products. The positive trend is represented graphically in figure 2 below. Figure 2: Positive Trend (ASX Limited 2011). Growth and Innovation The company invests in research that provides opportunity to develop innovative products. This is the key strategy that has led the company to a remarkable growth and innovation in the global market (Cochlear Ltd 2011). International Expansion With the increasing sale and growth the company has been able to enter in Eastern Europe, China and Southern American market. The increasing demand and revenues have helped Cochlear Ltd to achieve its international expansion (Herald and Weekly Times 2011) Strategic Alliance Role Cochlear Ltd has been able to integrate the goals of customers’ lifetime value to dynamic and performance-focused organisation that are poised to achieve its full potential and develop shareholder’s value and meet stakeholder’s expectations, which have strategically enhanced the p erformance of the company. Threats The threat is from technical advancement. There are innovative technical devices for impartial deafness. There are developments of new processors in portable size with greater efficiency that challenges the company as well as industry competition (McDermott & et al 2011). The implantation of these devices has shown discrimination in the result of performance. They do not show similar pattern of outcome (Busby & et al 2000) This problem of performance is threat to the company’s position in regards to the electrode bands of a cochlear implant array which had not been able to deliver greater results. There were lot of variations and the results are still not determined about the consequences. The problem is a threat for the company to grow in different economies (The American Journal of Otology 2011). General Analysis In the children category, there is greater opportunity for Cochlear Ltd as there are opportunities in the implantation of childr en. It is the best market for such opportunity to be tapped is the UK and the US market (Waltzman & Roland 2006). The implantation of cochlear is popular since people prefer these devices for themselves and also for their children. The scope is huge as there are supports for the

Utilitarian Theories of Punishment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Utilitarian Theories of Punishment - Essay Example This theory relies on some intrinsic value being installed within a person initially in order for these decisions and distinction to be made. The tern utilitarianism was established or became from philosopher Bentham’s test question; ‘What is the use of it,’. Bentham’s’ theory suggests that all pleasures are qualitatively alike; grading them based on values such as intensity, certainty, purity, fruitfulness, length and temporal closeness. While Bentham and Mills were philosophers they were also known as economists and Mills theory expanded on utilitarianism. Mills suggested that pleasure is something that can be quantified and qualified and that those who are aquatinted with both prefer that pleasures are quantified. Explaining this preference involves assuming that humans have a sense of decency within their higher faculties and that this dignity is necessary for happiness and those pleasures which conflict with maintaining this dignity is rejected. Theory’s regarding punishment is usually either retributive or utilitarian (Rawls). Those that are retributive emphasize past actions in consideration of the consequence that much must be paid. Theories that are utilitarian are frequently seen as the opposing position and are often used in consideration of the future. Utilitarian theories of punishment will serve as the focus of this discussion.

What are the main determinants of bank failure Essay - 1

What are the main determinants of bank failure - Essay Example e recent financial crisis has raised a large number of concerns about the strength of the current banking system to provide stability to the financial markets. Banks taking too much risk are highly prone to fail unless they have hedged their risks properly. Banks may fail if equity is insufficient to provide a safe cushion to write down any non-performing loans (Kolari, pp. 361-387, 2002). Before recent financial turmoil, banks were more concerned about their profitability. They attempted to maximize profits to increase shareholders wealth by increasing their financial advantage. A large deposit base provided for high financial advantage for banks, while their equity cushion continued to diminish. Most banks were using a ratio of more than twenty times debt compared to their equity (Goddard, pp. 1911-1935, 2007). Low level of equity provided a very small cushion for the banks in case of a financial turmoil. A bank with three percent equity could suffer a loss of all its shareholders wealth if it lost just a minor fraction of its loan assets. For example, bank with an equity base of 10 billion pounds and a loan base of as high as 300 billion pounds, would have lost all its equity with a decrease of 3.33% in the value of its loan assets (Altman, pp 589-609, 1968). Banks need to manage their liquidity risk with extreme caution. A bank that maintains to little liquid reserves can go bankrupt if it fails to meet its obligations on time. These obligations include payment on demand deposits and interest payments to depositors holding cash in their saving accounts. If the bank is holding too little cash, it can usually borrow money through inter-bank borrowing at the federal funds rate (Ohlson, pp. 109-131, 1980). However, at times of financial crisis, the liquidity of the market could be low. In the recent financial crisis rumors about bank failures resulted in a run on banks. Depositors wanted to withdraw their money before a suspected bankruptcy. On a usual day banks

Journal #1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Journal #1 - Assignment Example According to the basic principle of communication, people cannot read the mind, and therefore they judge by the behavior and not the intention. In life, many at times we try so much to hide our reactions towards some communication or not to communicate back (Trenholm & Jensen, 2008). Personally, I tried one time not to communicate back to someone that he may think that I am not affected by whatever he was saying. He was tirelessly trying to irritate me and get into my head with an intention of hurting my feelings. Since I knew his intention, I wanted to pretend that his words had no effect on me by remaining silent, very unlike me. I was very successful at remaining quiet, unfortunately, I could not control the expressions on my face which communicated enough back to him, and I think he enjoyed it that he did not even need my verbal communication. As much as I tried to avoid communication, other forms of communication other than words still communicated whatever I had in mind. This principle explains that one cannot take back what has already been said, this is reference to a proverb which states that one cannot swallow back any word that goes out of the mouth. The effects of the words will inevitably remain (Trenholm & Jensen, 2008). Even in a court situation, if a judge gives an instruction to the jury to disregard the last statement made by a witness, it is perfectly clear to a lawyer that it will still make an impression to them. I remember a situation where I was really angry with my best friend for doing something that I had told him not to, and we got into a heated argument, then I happened to mentioned something that I ended up regretting, but I could not take it back. Since I knew most of his secrets, I made him feel so bad and he almost hated me forever. I wished that I could take back what I had mentioned but it was just impossible. I had to face the consequences of it. The cultivation theory suggests

The Bahai Faith and an Excerpt by Bahaullah Essay

The Bahai Faith and an Excerpt by Bahaullah - Essay Example The Baha'i Faith originated more than 150 years ago and expanded around the world. Affiliates of the Baha'i Faith reside in more than 100,000 sections of the globe and derive from practically every civilization, occupation, nationality, and monetary environment. Baha'i Faith strives to find a unification of vision in seeking a purpose in life through true religion. Such a vision unfolds in the writings of Baha'u'llah. (The Baha'i Faith / The International Web site of the Baha'is of the world). One of his writings, "The Moral Guidance in Ornate Prose", will be analyzed in this paper. Baha'u'llah begins his Moral Guidance piece with similar parallels to the eight Beatitudes taught by Jesus Christ. The Beatitudes are simply written but very profound statements that guide, teach and show values of Jesus' message, similar to Baha'u'llah's Moral Guidance excerpt. "Be generous in prosperity", "worthy of trust of thy neighbor", "treasure to the poor", "an answerer to the cry of the needy", "Be unjust to no man", "show all meekness to all men" (Tradition).These teachings from the beginning of Baha'u'llah's Moral Guidance passage, emphasize that a firm sense of unity between all of us is essential to human progression and that all prejudice - racial, religious, national or economic - is destructive and must be overcome.

Investigate the design of Lighting Systems, Electrical Energy Essay

Investigate the design of Lighting Systems, Electrical Energy Management and Tariffs - Essay Example This is done when the consumption is less and proper and no wastage of energy is there. The lamps and other devices should be of proper rating and proper standard. The design should be such that required illumination is obtained in a least possible cost. a) Fluorescent Lamp :- The basic construction of this type of lamp is that it has a discharge tube made up of glass. There are two electrodes at both the ends. This tube contains gases at certain pressure which on ionization emits light. The fluorescent powder is coated at both inside and outside the tube. The electrodes at both the ends are coated with some electron emitting material. A choke coil is connected in series with the lamp to stabilize current. One capacitor is also connected to compensate the power factor. This lamp emits white colour and widely used in homes, offices and shops. b) Electric Discharge Lamp :- These were the first type of lamps that were used. In these type of lamps there is a discharge tube in which two electrodes are connected to both ends and excited by electric source. The gas inside the tube gets ionized and emits light. There are various types of electric discharge lamps namely sodium vapour lamp and mercury vapour lamp. c) Filament Lamp :- In this lamp a fine filament is connected to the electrodes and excited which emits light. The construction of these kinds of lamps is very simple. Earlier fine carbon was used as element in these lamps later on tungsten was preferred in place of carbon. Principle of good lighting While designing lighting system following considerations should be done. 1) Proper illumination level :- This is the major factor because for proper vision the brightness of the object should be proper which depends on illumination level. Degree of illumination depends upon some factors like size of the object, distance from the observer, object background contrast. There are some standards made by ISI for illumination level in various parts of he building. For street lighting also some standards are made. Table below shows some average value of illumination level. Places Illumination level Heavy Traffic routes 30 Average traffic routes 15 Secondary roads with local traffic 8 Secondary roads with light traffic 4 2) Uniform Illusion :- The vision of eye depends on the brightness of the object. If the uniformity of light is there the eye has to adjust more. This will cause fatigue. The method to achieve uniform illumination Generalized light should also be employed with local light. 3) Colour of light :- The brightness of any object basically depends on colour of light falling on it. The composition of light should

Legal and Ethical Implications for Classroom Management Essay Example for Free

Legal and Ethical Implications for Classroom Management Essay Today’s classrooms are more dynamic than ever before. Educational needs of students are changing at breakneck speeds, along with the demands being placed on their teachers. There are associated legal and ethical implications that are evolving as rapidly as the technology that is driving a lot of the change. In order to have a chance to meet the needs of students and legal/ethical obligations, educators must have well developed classroom management techniques. These can get tricky quite often and require balancing the increasingly diverse needs of many different people. To be an effective teacher today is extremely difficult for these reasons. This essay will examine some of the current issues that teachers are exposed to in today’s classrooms by summarizing four journal articles and responding to them. The specific issues will be free speech and what it means in a school setting, cell phones in classrooms, bullying (specifically of students with disabilities), and gender specific dress codes. Freedom of Speech The issue addressed in the first article summary is freedom of speech and how it is interpreted in a public school setting in relation to the distribution of religious materials. This is really not a new topic of debate. Current precedents have been set in court cases dating as far back as1969 and the Tinker vs. Desmoines case. In that case, the court decision reads that, in order to prohibit any students’ expression of opinion, the school must provide evidence to support the fact that the actions being suppressed would be significantly disruptive (Essex, 2006). Because it is an issue of ongoing debate there are cases still being heard all over the country. This article is specifically in response to a case in the New York Supreme Court, where a student was prohibited from distributing religious fliers on school property. The question is, why was the student prevented from expressing her opinion in the first place. According to Essex (2006), one of the requirements placed on schools is that they remain viewpoint neutral. This means that if the literature was suppressed because it was religious in nature, the suppression violated her First Amendment rights, even in the school setting. In all court cases, the real message has been that schools are responsible for making sure parents and students are aware that the schools are merely sending messages indiscriminately from religious and non-secular sources and that they are not in support of any of them (Essex, 2006). Really the essence of the article is that sound policies must be in place, well documented, and consistently followed for a school to be able to regulate what a student says or distributes and there must be no endorsement of any particular ideas from any group or student. Cell phones The next topic of discussion is cell phones in classrooms. The article being summarized is entitled The Only Thing We Have to Fear is†¦120 Characters. In this article, Kevin Thomas and Christy McGee (2012) make arguments for the use of cellphones in classrooms in spite of the fact that 69% have banned them. This paper responds to the many reasons for disallowing their use, and then it goes on to highlight some ideas about why cell phones should be used as educational tools. Both sides of the discussion certainly make valid points. If 69% schools have taken students cell phones away, there must be some reasons. Thomas Mcgee (2012) identified and responded to four commonly offered rationales, including misuse for cheating, replacing Standard English with textese, sexting, and cyberbulling. It seems rather obvious that these are negative side effects of the technology, however there are also positive results that can be attributed to the use of cell phones. Today, they are relatively affordable and powerful miniature computers. When used properly, the possibilities for better use of time are astonishing. According to Thomas and McGee (2012), teachers need to be modeling appropriate behavior with their portable electronic devices and taking advantage of the benefits because the technology is not the cause of the problems. The problems being associated with cell phones all existed in some form, long before modern technology. Thomas Diamates (2010) reports that courts have supported schools in their efforts to ban cell phone use as long as the school follow established procedures. Bullying The third topic has to do with bullying, specifically students with disabilities. These students stand out in the classroom, as they are â€Å"different† and so they are subjects of increased abuse from fellow students (Eckes and Gibbs, 2012). Schools and teachers have an obligation to provide students with disabilities a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004). This paper looks at the findings in several court cases to establish what is required of teachers in situations where students with disabilities are being bullied. What this article shows is that there are an increasing number of suits against school where disabled children are being bullied. The interpretation of what is considered an appropriate education, and whether or not the school took proper preventative/disciplinary steps in light of the bullying are the reasons for these suits. The findings of this study provide evidence that the courts will generally side with schools that have taken and documented actions to alleviate the harassment. In Brown vs. Monroe County Board of Education (1999), the Supreme Court ruled that for a school to be liable, it must receive federal funds, it must have been aware of and acted â€Å"deliberately indifferent† to the harassment, and the bullying must have been severe enough to deprive educational opportunity (Eckes and Gibbs, 2012). Basically, schools must make an adequate effort to alleviate the harassment in order to limit their liability, and this has been upheld by the courts in cases like Werth v. Board of Directors (2007), and Biggs v. Board of Education (2002). Dress codes The last article on the list takes a look at how and why public schools can or cannot implement gender based dress codes. Proponents of dress codes list reasons including less distractions, less pressure to dress right, safety, and lower cost to families. Opponents say that dress codes take away students expressive rights, which are already severely limited in school settings. In this particular case, Ceara Sturgis had her picture and name removed from her senior yearbook because she is a lesbian who was more comfortable wearing the school prescribed male outfit. The current question is whether or not this is in violation of her civil liberties. Historically the courts have upheld the rights of schools to implement dress codes with very few exceptions. In Blau v. Fort Thomas Public School District (2005), a father brought suit against the school for violating 1st and 14th amendment rights with their dress code. The court found no violation of rights since â€Å"it is not related to suppression of the content of expression, it furthers a substantial government interest, and it does not burden substantially more speech than is necessary to further that interest† (Dowling-Sender, p. 34, 2005). On the other side of the coin, in United States vs. Virginia (1996), schools were required to show a â€Å"legitimate and important† reason for any gender based restrictions (Smith, 2012). In Ceara’s case, the school is going to have to show that it meets all these criteria, and the outcome has some potentially far reaching consequences. What all this means is that teaching in todays classrooms must be dynamic. Teachers need to be aware of their ever-changing legal and ethical obligations as educators. Decisions must be based on sound judgment and carefully documented observations. Teachers, students, and parents must work together and communicate with each other to create the best possible learning environment for everyone.

The Global Significance of the Middle East Essay Example for Free

The Global Significance of the Middle East Essay Middle East, a term for an indefinite region centered on southwest Asia and extending into North Africa. According to the most widely accepted definition, the region includes Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Egypt and all the countries of the Arabian Peninsula. According to other definitions, it includes various adjacent countries. The term originated in the early 20th century and came into popular use during the World War II. The older term Near East, now becoming obsolete, sometimes was also used to include the Balkan countries as well as the lands around the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. Much of the Middle East is desert or semidesert, and most of the people are clustered in oases or river valleys, where water makes the land productive. It was in these centers that some of the world’s earliest known civilizations flourished. From the Middle East, also, came three major religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Today, the people are predominantly Moslem (Islamic); about half use the Arabic language. The regions principal assets today lie in its rich oil fields, mainly in the Persian Gulf region, which have more than half of the world’s proven reserves. This wealth has placed new importance on Middle East’s position at the junction of three continents, where it controls vital links in the international transportation system. There has scarcely been any period in the history, however, when significant developments did not center on the Middle East. Middle East is a very rich country basically because of its oil reserves and other resources. But lately it has been a source of chaos and tragedy among the individuals living in it. Other countries are envious of what they have and therefore are doing things that could ruin the reputation and stand of Middle East. Some citizens also of Middle East, specifically the â€Å"armed groups† makes it hard for their own country to be more affluent and be well- developed because peace and order is one of the factors that has to be considered. Hence, the government itself within Middle East should take proper actions for the amelioration of their country and for their people as well. References: 1. â€Å"Middle East†. New Standard Encyclopedia. Volume 11. Pages 342-348. 2. Armajani, Yahya, and Thomas Ricks. The Middle East. Prentice Hall, 1986.

Theories of Perception and Perception in the Workplace

Theories of Perception and Perception in the Workplace Perception Perception can be termed as the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses. It can be understood as the way in which something is regarded, understood and interpreted. In our day to day activities we perceive things constantly. Perception is a process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment. Various authors have defined Perception as follows : â€Å"The best and the most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched†¦but are felt in the heart† Hellen Keller â€Å"To begin with, our perception of the world is deformed, incomplete. Then our memory is selective. Finally, writing transforms.† Claude Simon Perception includes our five senses i.e. touch, sight, taste smell and taste. It also involves the cognitive processes required to process information, such as recognizing the face of a friend or detecting a familiar scent. The perceptual process is a sequence of steps that begins with the environment and leads to our perception of a stimulus and an action in response to the stimulus. Most of the perception process takes place subconsciously. However what we perceive can be substantially different from objective reality. For example, we may view our workplace as a great place to work favourable working conditions, interesting job assignments, good pay, excellent benefits, understanding and responsible management but someone else may have a different view point than ours. This is due to the difference in our way of thinking or perception. The Perception Process consists of Three Steps: They are: Selection Organization Interpretation 1. Selection Selection is the process by which we attend to some things in our environment and not others. Because we are exposed to infinitely more data than we can possibly manage, the first thing our brain helps us do is select the data we want to attend to. Many things affect what data we select out of the environment to attend to, but this is primarily a matter of contrast: we are attracted to larger things against a smaller background and vice versa; things that move against a still background, and vice versa; things that repeat, things that are familiar in a strange environment, things that are different in a familiar environment, etc. For example if we are walking around a park we may focus on the swings and not the lake. This is due to the fact that we want to focus on the swings because we give greater importance to it. 2. Organization While we may have selected out and attended to particular data in the environment, many messages are still ambiguous – that is, we can ‘‘arrange’’ the data in more than one way. We all can remember from some training exercise or psychology class those pictures and images that challenged your perceptual abilities – like the one that is both the old haggardly woman and the beautiful young woman with a hat – but not at the same time? There are others that are common – lines that are both bent and parallel; grey spots that appear between squares, but are not ‘‘really’’ there in the physical data? Thats the same issue plaguing us. Importantly however, notice that in all cases, we cannot see the competing sets of stimuli at the same time. We cannot see the old woman and the young woman at the same time; we cannot see the lines as parallel unless we are told to look; we cannot see how the man continually ascends the staircase unless we look for other data. The fact that we see one thing and not the other is the way perception works in conflict. Of course, it’s the same physical picture for everyone, so what explains the discrepancy in ‘‘reality’’? Again, the same picture for everyone – the physical data don’t run around and rearrange themselves when we blink – so why don’t we see the same thing? 3. Interpretation The final perceptual process is interpretation, where we attach an assessment or evaluation to the data, or derive a particular understanding of the data. Our interpretations, as do our organizing schema, come from our mental models or frames of reference. Past experiences play an important role in how we interpret data, as well as our assumptions about human nature, and our expectations about people, things and events. How we interpret data is also influenced by personal mood, as well as ‘‘closure’’, which allows us to add finishing touches to an experience to reduce any uncertainty about the data. It is what allows us to finish another person’s sentence for them, or generalize what another person must be like based on what they are wearing or something they say. Various Studies Conducted on Perception There have been many research and studies done on Perception. Some of them are detailed below: 1. Self Perception Theory Self-perception theory (SPT) is an account of  attitude  formation developed by  psychologist  Daryl Bem (1972).According to self-perception theory, people come to know themselves in the same way that they come to know others. They observe their own behaviors in a variety of situations and then they make attributions about their behaviors. Of course, people are free to make so-called fundamental attribution errors. Most of the time we prefer to attribute the causes of behaviors in others to personality traits or internal factors, rather than situational ones. We tend to think that another persons actions are caused by something within, rather than being caused by circumstances, or external, situational factors. The personality traits to which we attribute our own behaviors can be seen as self-definitions. This is especially true in the context of narratives about ourselves in psychotherapy. It may be useful to outline specifically how self-definition operates in counselling and psychotherapy. Such a model can serve to identify the stages of the process. It should also point out a basis for the reciprocal nature of therapy. Here is a proposed six-step outline of the self-definition process in counselling and psychotherapy. In a psychotherapy experience, people learn about themselves by observing their own behaviors: They observe and attend to the things they say about themselves in counselling sessions. The therapist encourages new behaviors, including new recognitions of feelings, new experiences and new cognitions. People then try out new behaviors, both in and out of the counselling sessions. With the counsellors help, they reflect on these new behaviors: What do these behaviors say about their self-definitions? They then redefine their selves according to their new behaviors. Feedback from others, including the counsellor and other members in a group counselling setting, allows them to monitor the changes. It may be that when this sequence occurs, therapists quite often notice that the therapy is â€Å"working.† Perhaps good counselling and psychotherapy experiences can be best understood as instances of heightened self-perception. 2. Extrasensory Perception Extrasensory perception or ESP refers to the sixth sense in an individual. It was coined by Dr. J. B. Rhine to denote psychic abilities. These psychic abilities included telepathy, clairvoyance, clairaudience and precognition or retro cognition associated with them. He believed that individuals perceive using their mind senses rather than the physical senses. Experiments and Findings Ina Jephson (1920) was one of the first person to conduct a study using cards on ESP. She reported mixed findings across two studies. G.N.M. Tyrrell conducted further experiments using target-selection and data-recording to guess the location of a point of light in future. Other experiments of paranormal cognition and ability to retrieve information through token objects were conducted by Whateley Carington and J. Hettinger respectively. In the 1960s, cognitive psychologyandhumanistic psychology were the centre of development. Therefore in line with them, parapsychologists became increasingly interested in the cognitive components of ESP, the subjective experience involved in making ESP responses, and the role of ESP in psychological life. Memory, for instance, was offered as a better model of psi than perception. This called for experimental procedures that were not limited to Rhines favoured forced-choice methodology. Free-response measures, such as used by Carington in the 1930s, were developed with attempts to raise the sensitivity of participants to their cognitions. These procedures included relaxation, meditation, REM-sleep, and the Ganzfeld (a mild sensory deprivation procedure). 3. Gregory (1970) and Top Down Processing Psychologist  Richard Gregory (1970) believed that perception is a hypothesis. Heargued that perception is a constructive process. It relies on the approach of top down processing. For  Gregory was of the opinion that perception involves making inferences and best guesses from what we see.He argued that people perceive using their past experiences as an anchor in his approach. When we see something, we develop a perceptual hypothesis based on prior knowledge. The hypotheses we develop are nearly always correct. However, on rare occasions, perceptual hypotheses can be disconfirmed by the data we perceive. 4. Gibson (1966) and Bottom Up Processing James Gibson (1966)  criticized Gregorys discussion citing it as artificial and of having no relevance in the real world. It is important to note that Gregory noted these as exceptions in his theory rather than a norm. Gibson was of the opinion that perception is direct. He believed that there is enough information in our environment to perceive directly.Gibson thought that perception is sensation and we get what we see. He believed that the information we receive about our environment w.r.t. to shape, distance, size, etc. is sufficiently detailed for us to form our own perception. For example, Gibsons support of the argument that perception is direct is parallax motion. As we move through our environment, objects which are close to us pass us by faster than those further away. This is most recognisable when we are moving in a fast car. Emerging trends and Challenges globally and in India Factors Affecting Perception in Workplace There are various factors that can affect an individuals perception in a workplace. These factors are responsible for the difference in attitudes among employees, absenteeism, turnaround, job satisfaction etc. The various factors are : Stereotyping: We sometimes see stereotyping in an organisation based on an employees field of work. The most common example is that of white-collar employees and blue-collar employees. The employees from both these stratas have a different perception of each other simply because the kind of work they do. Though both are contributing towards the growth of the organisation but stereotyping brings different perceptions among them Personal problems: Many a times the personal problems of a worker finds its way into his/her work life. These problems can include death, divorce, pregnancy etc. A worker going through a personal problem may be grateful that he has a job atleast and works hard to retain the same. On the other hand he sees is colleague as not being so grateful and perceives him/her as lazy. Cultural Difference: Cultural Differences may play a major role in development of perceptions among individuals. These occur due to the upbringing and the past experience of an individual. Asian employees have a tendency to focus more on the relationship with their employer compared to their western counterparts. In America and Britain the emphasis on time management which is secondary to Indian employees. Management Styles: If a manager does not interfere in the subordinates work and maintains a distance between them he may be perceived as one who does not care about the employees or their work. However if he interferes, he may be thought to be a person who does not trust anybody. Gender Bias: Gender bias and sexual harassment are burning issues that plague all organizations today. What constitutes sexual harassment and what does not is widely influenced by perception. Macabe and Hardman conducted a survey in Australia on sexual harassment and found that white-collar workers perceive and report sexual harassment more than blue-collar ones. The survey found that in white-collar organizations, most women experience sexual harassment. While men were more tolerant than women, women who had experienced it were most likely to report it. In blue-collar organizations, the type of harassment and the people most likely to report it were same but there were no gender differences as far as sexual harassment is concerned. Conclusion Perception is the way we perceive people, objects and events. A number of factors operate to shape and sometimes distort perception. These factors can reside in the perceiver; in the object, or target, being perceived; or in the context of the situation in which the perception is made. When we look at a target and attempt to interpret what we see, our interpretation is heavily influenced by your personal characteristics our attitudes, personality, motives, interests, past experiences, and expectations. For instance, if we expect police officers to be authoritative or young people to be lazy, we may perceive them as such, regardless of their actual traits. The Perception theories too are not cent percent applicable in all cases. This is due to the fact that each individual is different and he has a separate way of thinking. I would like to conclude by saying that Perception is about PERCEIVING and it depends on the individual. References: Books Robbins , Judge and Vohra (2013) Organisational Behaviour Perception and Individual Decision Making In-text reference : (Robbin, Judge and Vohra,2013) Journals R. Michael Boneko (2011). Learning in conflict: revisiting the role of perception  Development and Learning Organizations VOL. 25 NO. 2 2011, pp. 15-17,  In-text reference : (R.Michael Boneko, 2011) Rostylsaw W. Robak (2001). Self-Definition in Psychotherapy: Is it Time to Revisit Self-Perception Theory?  North American Journal of Psychology, 15277143, 2001, Vol. 3, Issue 3  In-text reference : (Rostylsaw W. Robak, 2001) Ellis, A. (2000). Rational emotive behavior therapy.  In R. J. Corsini D. Wedding (Eds.), Current Psychotherapies (6[supth] ed., pp. 168–204). Itasca, IL: F. E. Peacock Publishers.  In-text reference : (Ellis, A. ,2000) Websites Kendra Cherry Perception and the Perceptual Process.  Retrieved from the website : http://psychology.about.com/od/sensationandperception/ss/  In-text reference : (Kendra Cherry) Boundless Psychology Sensation and Perception  Retrieved from the website:  https://www.boundless.com/psychology/textbooks/boundless-psychology-textbook/sensation-and-perception-5/the-basics-of-perception-39/selection-168-12703/  In-text reference : (Boundless Psychology) Wikipedia Perception Theories  Retrieved from the website : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/perception-theories.html  In-text reference : (Perception Theories)

Appearance Versus Reality in Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie Es

Appearance Versus Reality in Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie In any Tennessee Williams' play, nothing is as it seems. Everything represents more than itself. Williams' creative use of symbols creates a drama that far exceeds the apparent or surface level. Williams himself admits that "art is made out of symbols the way your body is made out of the vital tissue," and that "symbols are nothing but the natural speech of drama [. . . ,] the purest language of plays [. . . ; S]ometimes it would take page after tedious page of exposition to put across an idea that could be said with an object or a gesture on the lighted stage" (Demastes 174). The reader must engage not only what appears to be just a needed prop or dialogue, but also the reader has to project beyond the obvious to understand the full impact of the symbols Williams uses. He controls every aspect of his plays by giving very precise stage directions. He is the god of his work. He directs every aspect as if he is afraid to turn lose any control unless it becomes something else than he wi lls it to be. In The Glass Menagerie, Williams uses many symbols that cannot fully be retained by the reader in just one reading of the play. The Glass Menagerie is a play about a dysfunctional family during the 1930s and how they survive in their own world of reality. Even the characters themselves are symbols of a deeper meaning; for example, Amanda Wingfield's name itself is revealing. Amanda contains the word man, and she has to play the role of the man and the woman of the house since the father deserted the family long ago. Close examination of the last name Wingfield gives the reader additional clues. The Wingfields are actually taking life as it comes to them, or, in... ...orks Cited Demastes, William D. Realism and the American Dramatic Tradition. Tuscaloosa, AL: U of Alabama P, 1996. Kolin, Philip. Tennesse Williams: A Guide to Research and Performance. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1998. Scanlan, Tom. Family, Drama, and American Dreams. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1978. Sievers, W. David. Freud on Broadway, A History of Psychoanalysis and the American Drama. New York: Hermitage House, 1995. Weales, Gerald. "Tennessee Williams 1914-. Contemporary Literary Cristicism. 21 Vols. Ed. Dedria Bryfonski and Phyllis Carmel Mendelson.Detroit:Gale,1978.471. Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing. 5th ed. Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1999. 1864-1908. Work Consulted Williams. Edwina Dakin. Remember Me to Tom. New York: Putman, 1963.

Artificial Reproductive Technologies Essay examples -- Infertility Pre

Artificial Reproductive Technologies Introduction Today about 15% of all couples in the United States have fertility problems. 40% of the problems attributed with the man and 50% with the woman and the other 10% is unexplained or due to both partners. Couples today are waiting longer to start families than their parents, this has an effect on fertility of the couple. A woman has a harder time trying to after the age of 30. So, when a couple decides that they want to start a family and can not, what options do they have? Due to the advancements in technology over the past 20 years, these couples now have options with Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART). Although these options are available, the question still remains; Are they ethical? What Causes Infertility? When a couple is infertile, the problem can exist with the man, woman or with both. In natural reproduction it has been estimated that even when sperm does reach the egg, only 84/100 are fertilized, 69/100 implant, 42/100 survive the first week of pregnancy and 31/100 survive to birth. So even in fertile couples, the odds are not totally on their side. Infertility can be caused by sources other than purely medical reasons like the standard of living, stress, and pollutants in the environment. Starting a family later in life also increases the chance of a couple being infertile. There are two main causes of female infertility: tubal disease and endometriosis. Tubal disease is a disorder in which the fallopian tubes are blocked or damaged. Fallopian tubes are thin tubes leading from each of a woman's two ovaries to her uterus, through which eggs travel and in which they are fertilized. Scar tissue, infections or tubal litigation usually causes this ... ...y for infertile couples. I believe that embryos have a right to life. I think that society is fortunate to have people that want to be surrogate mothers. I am sad for the orphans because they seem to get the short end of the stick in this deal. As more couples find ways to have their own children, less couples are looking into adoption. Bibliograhy Alpern, Kenneth D. 1992. "The Ethics of Reproductive Technology" Oxford University Press: New York Caplan, Arthur L. 1995. "Human Reproduction Emerging Technologies, and Conflicting Rights" Library of Congress: Washington Cunnimgham, Paige C. 2000. "The reproductive Revolution" William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Cambridge Gosden, Roger. 1999. "Desiging Babies" W.H. Freeman and Company: New York Hildt, Elisabeth. 1998. "In Vitro Fertilisation in the 1990's" Ashgate Publishing Company:Great Britian Artificial Reproductive Technologies Essay examples -- Infertility Pre Artificial Reproductive Technologies Introduction Today about 15% of all couples in the United States have fertility problems. 40% of the problems attributed with the man and 50% with the woman and the other 10% is unexplained or due to both partners. Couples today are waiting longer to start families than their parents, this has an effect on fertility of the couple. A woman has a harder time trying to after the age of 30. So, when a couple decides that they want to start a family and can not, what options do they have? Due to the advancements in technology over the past 20 years, these couples now have options with Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART). Although these options are available, the question still remains; Are they ethical? What Causes Infertility? When a couple is infertile, the problem can exist with the man, woman or with both. In natural reproduction it has been estimated that even when sperm does reach the egg, only 84/100 are fertilized, 69/100 implant, 42/100 survive the first week of pregnancy and 31/100 survive to birth. So even in fertile couples, the odds are not totally on their side. Infertility can be caused by sources other than purely medical reasons like the standard of living, stress, and pollutants in the environment. Starting a family later in life also increases the chance of a couple being infertile. There are two main causes of female infertility: tubal disease and endometriosis. Tubal disease is a disorder in which the fallopian tubes are blocked or damaged. Fallopian tubes are thin tubes leading from each of a woman's two ovaries to her uterus, through which eggs travel and in which they are fertilized. Scar tissue, infections or tubal litigation usually causes this ... ...y for infertile couples. I believe that embryos have a right to life. I think that society is fortunate to have people that want to be surrogate mothers. I am sad for the orphans because they seem to get the short end of the stick in this deal. As more couples find ways to have their own children, less couples are looking into adoption. Bibliograhy Alpern, Kenneth D. 1992. "The Ethics of Reproductive Technology" Oxford University Press: New York Caplan, Arthur L. 1995. "Human Reproduction Emerging Technologies, and Conflicting Rights" Library of Congress: Washington Cunnimgham, Paige C. 2000. "The reproductive Revolution" William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Cambridge Gosden, Roger. 1999. "Desiging Babies" W.H. Freeman and Company: New York Hildt, Elisabeth. 1998. "In Vitro Fertilisation in the 1990's" Ashgate Publishing Company:Great Britian

DYSTHYMIC DISORDER Essay examples -- essays research papers

DYSTHYMIC DISORDER & BRIEF THERAPY DEPRESSION  Mild, chronic depression has probably existed as long as the human condition, although it has been referred to by various different names. The DSM-III replaced the term â€Å"neurotic depression† with dysthymic disorder--which literally means ‘ill-humored’-and it was added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 1980  Dysthymic disorder, also called dysthymia, is a type of depression involving long-term chronic symptoms that do not disable an individual, but keep them from functional at full steam or from feeling good.  Despite the long-term nature of this type of depression, psychotherapy is effective in reducing the symptoms of depression, and assisting the person in managing his/her life better. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS  Characterized by a chronic course (i.e., seldom without symptoms), with lowered mood tone and arrange of other symptoms that may include feelings of inadequacy, loss of self-esteem, or self-deprecation; feelings of hopelessness or despair; feelings of guilt, brooding about past events, or self-pity; low energy and chronic tiredness; being less active or talkative than usual; poor concentration and indecisiveness; and inability to enjoy pleasurable activities. IDENTIFYING DYSTHYMIC DISORDER  Negative thoughts and thinking are characteristic of depression. Pessimism, poor self-esteem, excessive guilt, and self-criticism are all common. ...

Characters in Lord of the Flies Essay

The power struggle, egocentric and intolerance in society today is ruining human relationships and Golding shows this through his characters in Lord of the Flies. Through the characters Jack, Roger and Ralph, Golding shows this interaction. Jack symbolises the struggle and silent fight for power over other people, Roger represents people who easily gives up in relationships and walk away and Ralph helps demonstrate mans reliance on appearance to create and keep relationships. The island emphasises these relations and shows Goldings view of relations among people. The relationships between humans is emphasised throughout the novel, and Golding has given his views on these relations through characters in the novel. Jack is a very strong, dominant character who feels the need to gain superiority over everyone else to feel power and control. He represents the power and hunger for dominance over others and Jack shows this through scaring others and demanding them to do jobs that put Jack on top which is emphasising the silent fight for dominance in human relationships today. Jack says â€Å"I ought to be chief†¦ because I’m chapter chorister and head boy. I and sing C sharp†. This narcisstic dialogue shows how Jack wants escalate the idea of how important and better he is than Ralph and all the other buys, by saying this he is showing the boys how much better he is and scaring him with his range of talents. This affects the way that the reader understands and develops Jack’s character which then shows his egotistic approach to dominance over the other boys. Golding is using the character Jack and his silent fight for dominance over the boys to show how society is constantly trying to gain superiority in relationships. This is showing how the power struggle in society is ruining human relationships. Roger in Lord of the Flies is a character developed by Golding to comment of how humans too easily give up on relationships. Roger throughout the novel develops into one of the savage followers of Jack, which brings out and dramatises the human characteristics and actions in relationships. Piggy died by being hit by a falling boulder that was pushed from the side of a cliff by Roger. This action of pushing the boulder to stop Piggy talking and complaining is how Golding showed us how human relationships are easily given up. â€Å"storm of sound†¦incantation of hatred†¦Roger, with a sense of delirious abandonment, leaned all his weight on the lever†. This imagery and hyperbolic language emphasises how Roger found the easy way to escape the relationship all the boys had with Piggy as they were in a disagreement. The imagery gives a picture which makes the reader feel the tension and the hyperbolic language helps emphasise the tone of aggression that humans use today to escape relationships easily. Golding has used the character Roger to show the intolerance in relationships in society today, which is running human relationships. There are many purposes to Ralph’s character in Lord of the Flies, one is that he gives a emphasised view on mans reliance on appearance to create and keep relationships. In the beginning of the novel when the boys first arrive on the island they elect Ralph instead of Jack because of his appearance and characteristic demeanour, this reflects the attitudes of humans in society today. Golding describes Ralph through the perspective of the boys by saying â€Å"could see not that he might make a boxer, as far as width and heaviness of shoulders†, this imagery and comparison to the features needed to be an athlete gives the reader an image of what Ralph would look like and why he is looked up to by the other boys. This means the boys would rather have a fit good looking leader that they would aspire to be like, which is close to the way many people decide on their relationships with others. This is what Golding is trying to show through the character Ralph that in society h uman relationships are becoming ruined by creating relationships based on the appearance of others. Golding uses the characters in Lord of the Flies to demonstrate the power-struggle, intolerance and dependence on appearance to create and keep relationships. This is through Jacks power struggle over the other boys, Roger’s intolerance towards Piggy and how through the boys choosing Ralph to be their chief in the early hours of landing on the island it shows how his strong, built appearance was more appealing that Jack which demonstrates how appearances have a big effect on human relationships.

Crime Scene Investigation Case Study Essay

OBTAINING and RECORDING PHYSICAL EVIDENCE When it comes to identifying people that have committed a criminal act, the most positive means is through fingerprints. When we are born, our fingerprints stay with us until we die and our bodies start decomposing. To the human eye our fingerprints look the same, however, further investigation will show that each of us have a unique set of friction ridges that comprise our fingerprints and sets our identity apart from each other. At a crime scene, there are two different types of fingerprints that may be found. Patent prints are visible to the human eye. Latent prints are â€Å"unintentional prints found on items of evidence or at a crime scene† (Unknown, Obtaining and Recording Physical Evidence, n.d.). The ability to visualize prints depends on the physical condition of the person who left the print, the surface on which they left it, and the reflection of the light which is used to help visualize the print. Other circumstances that effect the visibility of latent prints is time and exposure to elements like heat and cold. However, in any case, prints should be attempted to be obtained. When latent prints are smudged they lack the specific ridges to distinguish the print correctly. These types of prints may not be perfect for fingerprint analysis; they may be utilized to provide other trace evidence. Before latent prints can be lifted and processed they need to be discovered. Each print left in different types of surfaces have to be processed in a special way. The most common means is with the use of fingerprint powders or through chemical treatment. Most field kits supply a variety of colors so that the powder can contrast with the background on which they were left. The most widely used colors are black and white  because they are standard colors that contrast on many objects. Fluorescent fingerprint powders help develop prints on multicolored surfaces, and require the source of ultraviolet light. As with most equipment, safety goggles and gloves should be used to avoid undue exposure and harm to the investigator. It is important to have a delicate touch and a small amount of powder to make the latent print visible. Once the print has started to show up, continuing to brush with the direction of the friction ridges will make the fingerprint stand out. At that time, a photograph of the print should be taken and logged prior to lifting the print. If an investigator is in the field without proper powders, passing non-flammable evidence through the smoke of a burning piece of pine will cause soot to deposit on the object. Chemical processing of latent prints happens in the laboratory. Lab technicians are trained in using techniques that are required by the federal law in using many chemical mixtures to aid in processing evidence. Many porous objects will absorb the secretions from fingerprints and will not rub off as easy as they will on nonporous surfaces or objects. In order to get these prints visible, chemicals are applied to react to the secretions to make the print visible. The amount of contact and pressure applied by the fingers will affect prints the most. Once the prints are visualized, and photographs have been taken, prints can be lifted and placed on a print card and transported to the lab for further processing. The most common method to use for lifting prints is rubber lifters and transparent lifting tape. Rubber lifters work the best on curved or uneven surfaces, whereas transparent tape will lift the print in the position in which they were left on flat surfaces. How to Lift Fingerprints The basic police officer’s fingerprint kit should contain a fingerprint brush, black and bi-chromatic powder, lifting tape, and fingerprint cards. There are several types of fingerprint brushes available, the one to use is a personal preference. Fiberglass fingerprint brushes have a better rate of to â€Å"distribute the fingerprint powder evenly† (Spraggs, 2007). Most crime  scenes will utilize the black lifting powder; however, the bi-chromatic powder will be very helpful in processing prints on dark surfaces, because it is a mixture of the black powder with a white or silver powder. When the bi-chromatic powder is used on dark surfaces it will look light and it will show up dark on light surfaces. The best rule for processing latent prints using powder is to use less lifting powder than you think you are going to need. Many latent prints can be ruined by over processing with powder. David suggests â€Å"give the print powder jar a quick shake before opening the lid† then goes on to say â€Å"remove the lid and place the fingerprint brush inside the lid† (Spraggs, 2007). The lid will retain enough powder to start processing the latent print. A precise amount of pressure applied while spinning the brush will produce a good print with good ridge detail. He mentions that too much powder will fill the ridges and over process the print and too little will not produce enough, keeping in mind that too much contact between the brush and the print will damage the print. Once the print has been developed it is time to begin lifting the print. Lifting tape comes in a variety of widths and compositions. General lifting tape is used on flat surfaces and polyethylene tape is great for curved surfaces like door knobs. An important key in applying the tape is to keep it evenly and as smooth as possible. David suggests using a credit card to ensure even and smooth applications. â€Å"Securing the lifting tape about an inch from the edge of the print, then use the edge of the credit card to gently press the fingerprint lifting tape onto the surface† (Spraggs, 2007). This process allows for thorough adhesion of the powder and the tape ensuring that air bubbles are eliminated at the same time and being trapped in the tape. He also utilizes the credit card again when placing the tape to the fingerprint card. How Far Should Prints Be Trusted? Fingerprint analysis is not an exact science and has many potential flaws. One man was imprisoned for six years in Massachusetts for shooting a police officer, only to be released in 2004 when the fingerprint evidence that was  used to convict him was trumped by DNA. For a long time the Department of Justice contended that there was a zero error rate in fingerprint analysis. In a study conducted by FBI’s Latent Fingerprint Section in Quantico, Virginia, concluded that the chance to be mistake a fingerprint for someone else was 1 in 1097. This study was conducted on 50,000 pre-existing images and compared electronically against the whole data set, thus producing 2.5 billion comparisons. However, many advocates against the admissibility of fingerprinting continue to jump on the bandwagon and believe the study does not reflect what happens in life. In life, partial prints from a crime scene can be messy and send an invalid picture of the criminal. In an unpublished study conducted by 92 students that had one year of training where they had to match archive and fake crime scenes. The end result was 2 out of 5861 were incorrect, which produced an error rate of 0.0034% (Coghlan, 2005). Results from proficiency tests published and cited in the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology (Vol. 93, p. 985), report error rates occur at a 0.8% average, and have been known to be as high as 4.4%. Latent Fingerprints In 1914, Dr. Edmond Locard established the first rules on the minimum number of minutiae necessary for a positive identification. According to his study, if twelve or more concurring points are present when the fingerprint is clear the identity is â€Å"beyond debate† (Unknown, Latent Prints, n.d.). If there are eight to twelve concurring points are present the certainty of the identity will be contingent on five additional points. They are the sharpness of the print, the rarity of its type, the presence of the center of the core and the delta in the exploitable part of the print, the presence of pores, and the perfect and obvious identity regarding the width of papillary ridges and valleys, the direction of the lines and the angular value of the bifurcations. If there were less than eight points present, the fingerprints could not provide a valid and accurate identity. Dr. Locard believed that approximately 40 pores in concurrence could establish individuality (Unknown, Laten t Prints, n.d.). Fingerprint Detection: Current Capabilities Crime scene investigators use a variety of tools to help solve a case. Latent fingerprint detection and identification is among one of the greatest forensic techniques used. The value of fingerprint evidence is insurmountable. An investigator needs to know how to detect, enhance and record the print that has been left behind not visible to the human eye. Latent prints left behind at the crime scene are the most common type of fingerprint evidence, but they are also the ones that can cause the most problems, mainly because it is there, but not to the unaided eye. Utilizing optical, physical or chemical treatments to develop the print comes with precise judgment. The investigator or crime scene technician must distinguish between porous, non-porous and semi-porous surfaces; water insoluble or water soluble, etc. Just like anything else, latent fingerprints will start to deteriorate and can lead to the loss of clarity over a specific time because of numerous factors. â€Å"Elements of this process include evaporation of volatile components (e.g. moisture), diffusion (e.g. through the substrate for porous surfaces and across the surface for non-porous surfaces), decomposition (e.g. bacterial action, oxidation, chemical breakdown due to heat and light, etc.)† (Lennard, 2007). The rate of dehydration will depend on certain factors like the temperature, humidity, and exposure to sun, air currents and the surface on which the print was left. Exposure to high humidity can result in diffusion of a water soluble print, causing the print to be lost, and any detection techniques to be ineffective. Using optical detection techniques will aid in finding latent fingerprints. Luminescence will help display a weak friction ridge detail. The best optical detection is achieved by using short-wave ultraviolet (UV) light. This technique is highly effective because the light acts as a contrast between the surface by absorbing the light or reflecting it back showing the presence of print. Will DNA Replace Fingerprints in the 21st Century? The use of fingerprints to help solve crimes was first suggested by Dr. Henry Faulds in 1880. Twelve years later, fingerprints that were left in blood at the scene of a double murder in Argentina were used to convict and identify the killer. However, the first fingerprints accepted in court in the United States didn’t happen until 1911. When we are born, we have distinct patterns on the tips of our fingers that will only change under a biological variation, because once formed in womb, the ridges are permanent and unique to each individual. â€Å"Biological variation is also known as the natural law of variation and is sometimes stated as ‘Nature never repeats’† (Leo, 2005). There are three basic types of fingerprint patterns: loops, whorls, and arches. Each of these patterns are arranged to give individuals unique ridges that make up the person’s characteristics of fingerprints. It is when these ridges are examined under a microscope side by side with a known source that a person can be confirmed or eliminated as a suspect. With new technology, fingerprint evidence can be searched through automated fingerprint information systems (AFIS). Fingerprints are used to establish a person’s identity in the United States and in every other country in the world. Fingerprints are not just used as evidence in a crime (criminal history), but for employment and security clearances. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was discovered in 1911. It was also discovered that this DNA was the carrier of genetic information. However, it wasn’t until 1985 that the structure also established the uniqueness of each person. One year later, the first use of DNA in a criminal case was used to match a suspect to a double murder in England. The first case of DNA evidence admitted in a United States court didn’t happen until 1988. Since then, over thirty-five states have admitted DNA evidence in one form or another while more than twenty-five states have the population frequency data or statistics to be admissible in court (Leo, 2005). DNA evidence is found at crime scenes as the presence of blood, semen, hair, skin, and saliva. In order to make a comparison a DNA profile must be extracted from the evidence and/or a sample taken from a known individual. A DNA profile is accomplished through a process called electrophoresis. After the profile has been extracted, the results are recorded on an autorad and can be compared to other profiles. There are thirteen markers that are used to standardize a national data base called Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) in the United States (Leo, 2005). To date, DNA is still emerging as we continue to move further into the technological future, and can be used for personal identification, employment, security clearance, or to track criminal histories. Every second of the day, millions of fingerprints are being searched via the automated fingerprint systems around the world. Thousands of crimes have been solved because of the fingerprint evidence left behind at the scene of the crime. In 1994, when CODIS began, there have been over 20,000 DNA matches. In Los Angeles County, California, more than 500 latent prints are matched to criminal offender on any given day (Leo, 2005). Both methods of identifying an individual play crucial roles in solving crime. Although fingerprints are still considered the â€Å"golden standard† for forensic evidence in the courtroom (Leo, 2005), DNA is moving forward in being a very important tool to combat and solve crime. However, when it comes down to it, both techniques complement each other and provide vital information to help find criminals. Works Cited Coghlan, A. &. (2005). How Far Should Prints be Trusted? New Scientist, 2517(187), 6-7. Retrieved January 21, 2013, from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.devry.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&an=18376323&site=ehost-live Lennard, C. (2007, December). Fingerprint Detection: Current Capabilities. Australian Journal of Forensic Science, 39(2), 55-59. Retrieved January 21, 2013, from http://www.informaworld.com Leo, W. (2005, September/October). Will DNA Replace Fingerprints in the 21st Century. The Print, 21(5), 1-5. Retrieved January 21, 2013, from http://www.fingerprintidentification.net/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/dnavfingerprints.pdf Spraggs, D. (2007, February 01). How to Lift Fingerprints. Retrieved January 20, 2013, from Police Magazine: www.policemag.com/channel/patrol/articles/2007/02/how-to-lift-fingerprints.as

The Need for Gun Control

Shortly after dusk, a sixteen-year-old boy stands on the street corner talking with a friend about what happened at school today between himself and another student. He nonchalantly stands there sipping his Pepsi when all of a sudden a black Honda with tinted windows drives up to the corner. The window rolls down, a voice calls out, and the boy walks up to the car. He bends down to peer into the car to see who it is when three rounds from a .38 caliber pistol rip through his chest and neck. The other boy frantically runs off into the distance. He stumbles backwards and trips on the curb behind him and falls to the sidewalk the car speeds off into the dark alleyway across the street. The young boy struggles to breathe as he coughs up blood. He chokes to death with every effort to breathe. He dies a minute or two later. These kinds of events are all too familiar to us and perturb us as we see an increasing number of handguns fall into the hands of the young. I am shocked at the sight o f these events where innocent children are being gunned down on the street because of petty little arguments over something so minuscule as a pair of shoes, a particular type of jacket, or simply just a misinterpreted look. I believe that more strict handgun regulations are a must in today's society. I'm not saying that we have to ban handguns, but we have to take legislative measures in order to limit the possibility of handguns falling into the hands or youths. Peter Annin and Tom Morganthau state that according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Report, murders committed by persons under the age of eighteen who were arrested jumped from 1,193 in 1985 to 2982 in 1994. [1] This report shows a substantial increase in the number of killings by people who are under the age of eighteen. Most of these people are often participants in gangs and involved with drugs. Many of these people find that guns are a much easier method to defeat his or her opponent in a quarrel. This problem is made worse by the increasing availability of guns. Residents of gang-ridden areas are afraid to leave their homes for fear that their children or themselves might fall victim to a gunshot. I believe that many people feel we need tighter control over the sale of handguns while many others believe that we shouldn't. Many people say that it is a right to own firearms and handguns in this country because it is guaranteed by the second amendment of the United States Constitution. The second amendment states, â€Å"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.† First of all, very few states today in the U. S. have militias because we have the five branches of the U.S. Military, the Army, Navy, Marines, Airforce, and Coast Guard. The military provides this country with enough support to fend off any war levying or belligerent nations. That is the military's obligatory purpose today. There is no necessity for a state-run military. The U.S. Military's purpose is to keep this land free. Second, the Bill of Rights was designed to protect the people from our government should it transcend to tyranny. These laws and rights were established in the period of colonial times when monarchies and dictatorships were commonplace in society. Today, they're just about non-existent except for subtle hints of them in communist governments which exist in areas such as the People's Republic of China. We have no need to protect ourselves from the possibility of a dictatorial government materializing from our democracy because it is highly unlikely that this would occur. The United Nations, which the United States is a member of, would not allow this because their main function is to stop the spread of communism. We are not living in that era anymore and that is why I believe that guns aren't really needed that much by civilians.As I mentioned before, I'm not suggest ing that we, the people, totally ban guns. Firearms and handguns still have their recreational purpose in society. For a lot of people, the sport of hunting wild game is an enjoyable pastime and tradition that has been passed down through the ages. People have always hunted. From Paleolithic man to the Middle Ages and to the present, hunting has and provides us with food even though that same food can be purchased at the local supermarket. Other activities such as target shooting and enrollment in gun clubs are also enjoyable. They are sports, just like any other sports, that give men and women a sense of pride and satisfaction that fulfills the primitive instinct of competition in our minds.Another important argument among civilians of the country is that if more restrictions on firearms and handguns are passed, this would gradually lead to a total ban on all guns sometime in the future. In an article written by Robert J. Blendon, John T. Young, and David Hemenway, they include a G allup/CNN/USA Today poll which shows how gun owners, non-owners, and the nation as a whole were surveyed. Sixty-five percent of all people, including owners of guns and non-owners, believe that stricter legislation would gradually lead to a total ban on all guns. In addition, a majority of gun owners, approximately fifty-five percent, believe that these laws would violate the second amendment of the U. S. Constitution while non-owners don not believe this. The survey was asking about how stricter laws would reduce certain aspects related to guns. The national figure is sixty-nine percent for those who believe that stricter laws would reduce the number of people killed by guns in arguments. Sixty-eight percent of the nation believe that laws would reduce the number of accidental deaths and suicides attributed to guns. Fifty-eight percent of the nation agrees that more laws would reduce violent crime. However, in both cases of owners and non-owners, the difference of agreement is over twenty percentage points in favor of non-gun owners. [2] I certainly agree that stricter legislation would definitely reduce the number of gun-related deaths and that if handguns were restricted from the hands of minors and criminals, the rate and recidivism rate, the rate of repeat offenders, of violent crime would be reduced. I believe that we need more strict laws to curb some of the violent crime that is being committed by America's youth. I also believe that the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) will not let the government ban all firearms since the NRA is the biggest lobbyist in the gun control debate today because it has so many active members. Finally, most people feel that they need handguns for protection of their property and themselves. I believe that protection of your own property, such as you home, is perfectly fine, but if you carry a gun around for protection, that can become dangerous. For example, gang members who carry guns are an enormous threat to ot hers. If someone should irritate or annoy them, they might possibly resort to using his or her gun on that person. Innocent children and bystanders could fall victim to a stray bullet. Minor arguments could erupt into bloodshed on the street corner or in a dark alleyway. Other people are also a possible threat, especially to police officers. If for some reason, a gun-toting civilian was pulled over for a traffic violation, that person could decide to shoot that police officer in an attempt to get away. This would cause major problems in society. Another thing is that people under the influence of drugs or alcohol might use their guns on somebody without reason because of impaired reasoning and judgment associated with inebriation. Now I'm not saying every person would be and is like that, but there are some people that are. I believe that this presents a danger to society and why handgun access and sales should be restricted. I believe that we need tougher legislation on handguns. C itizens should be registered for each and every gun he or she owns and that they should be obligated to pay a high fee for that registration. Also, juveniles and convicted felons that have already served time should not be permitted to purchase or possess and handgun. I believe that if someone who has purchased a handgun, should be required by federal law to take a safety and training course in order to lawfully possess a handgun. This course would be directed by the federal government and would ensure that a handgun purchaser's record would be checked out. This country should have tougher laws in order to restrict handgun access and sale. I'm not saying this will work, but it will be a step forward in the direction of effective gun control. If we and the government can work together on it, we can slowly minimize the problem and keep guns out of the wrong hands. Bibliography [1] Annin, Peter; Morganthau, Tom. â€Å"The lull before the storm?† Newsweek 4 December 1995 [2] Blendon, Robert J.; Hemenway, David; Young, John T. â€Å"The American public and the gun control debate† The Journal of the American Medical Association 12 June 1996 [3]  Historical Perspective:  http://essaylab.com/blog/gun-control

Does Prejudice Still Exist Today? Essay

Does racism and prejudice still exist today? Officially there is no racism in the United States in the sense that all kinds of racial discriminations are prohibited by law. But racism still exists to some extent in the hearts of the people. In general, there is a reduction in the prejudices people have about others based on their race or other similar social background. But these prejudices have not completely died down. A large portion of US citizens still appear to have racial prejudices to different degrees. Although the public commentary describes the United States as post racial, racism and prejudice continues to exert a very real and persuasive influence on institutional policies and processes, interpersonal interactions, neighborhood infrastructure, socioeconomic opportunities, and media imagery in the world today. Racism The core of racism is the belief among people or a position taken by them that people of some races are essentially inferior to people of some other races. â€Å"When people of different races believing in or supporting such racist views come in contact with each other, they are likely to engage in racist behavior† (Davis, 2012). Racist Behavior Racist behavior can influence discrimination among people of different races, with an intention to put the people of other races at a disadvantage, or to avoid interaction with them, or both. Such discriminatory behavior can be explicit and performed without any attempt to hide. This behavior can also be subtle, that cannot be detected or pinpointed easily. Racist behavior may include many kinds of activities carried out secretly. â€Å"In spite of the laws against racist behavior, people do continue to behave in racist ways to some extent. Frequently this behavior is unintentional and difficult to pinpoint. In other cases the behavior is intentional but cannot be detected and punished by law for various reasons† (Garry, 2011). Stereotypes Stereotypes evolve out of fear of people from a minority group. Stereotypes are generally developed by a series of isolated behaviors by a member of a group that was unfairly generalized to be viewed as a character of all members of that group which in turn formed prejudice and racism. â€Å"When we judge people and groups based on our own prejudices and stereotypes and treat them differently, we are engaging in discrimination† (Thomas, 2013). Conclusion All of us face peer pressure when confronted with a joke which puts down a certain minority. It takes courage to raise objections to these jokes and belittling names and to actively fight the prejudice and bigotry which they foster. It is important to stand up against injustice, and fight the discrimination, stereotypes, and racism which have served as the precursors to persecution and violence. References Garry, K. (2011, March 11). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://kgarry. wordpress. com/2011/03/11/prejudice-in-the-united-states-today-a-problem-that-we-may-never-resolve/ Davis, S. (2012, January 4). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://blog. ctnews. com/mixingitup/2012/01/04/does-racism-still-exist/ Thomas, J. (2013). Teaching race and racism in the 21st century. Retrieved from http://www. ehow. com/way_5192208_teaching-race-racism-21st-century. html.