Recorded Music a Paradigm in Transition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Recorded Music a Paradigm in Transition - Essay Example Music has been a part of human civilization since the earliest times of human existence. The evolution of music over the centuries has made it an almost integral part of human life to the extent that music stars become heroes of a country and are immortalized in memory, stamps, or statues and by their very own work. From the classical producers of music like Beethoven and Bach, the rock stars of the 60s to the boy band fever of the 90s, music has been an essential aspect of art and culture for our society. However, while music is treated as art and entertainment by the majority of the public, it is also a very serious business with costs of production, marketing, distribution and development running into the billions of dollars. At the same time, there are huge profits to be made if a music venture is successful and things like concerts, videos, CDs, mp3s and several other means of accessing music mean that artists and record labels have many different avenues of making money (Daley, 1999). Undoubtedly, while other industries like the automobile manufacturing sector has been affected by technology, the music industry has possibly got the worst shock and the rude awakening of the digital age has forced the music makers to rush into a transition (Bruno, 2006).

Overview On Schizophrenia: Disorder Of The Mind

Overview On Schizophrenia: Disorder Of The Mind Schizophrenia has plagued humankind since the early centuries. The bible mentions of paranoia and manic rage in several books, but personally, my favorite is found in the book of Psalms. He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings, you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by dayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Ps. 91: 1-16, ESV). The importance of treatment options and research are unparallel to this disorder. One may ask, If this disorder carries a long history, then how common is the disorder in todays populations? The commonality of schizophrenia boggles the healthcare and research community. Diagnosis and the mandated criteria in which the disorder is understood is puzzling. The disorder itself is complex but common, even in the elder community. The rates of schizophrenia continue to climb and now even crossing over to late adult hood. Matter of fact, it is estimated that one in twenty-five people are diagnosed with some form of mental disorder in their lifetime. With odds such as this, it is vital for our medical, psychological, and spiritual community to be sensitive and consistent in teaching the world what a mental illness is and does to those that suffer. Within the medical and psychological community, it is common to see both words, mental illness, and disorder to mean the same thing. Matsumoto Juang (2008) describe a mental illness as a form of abnormality (p. 283). The best way to understand schizophrenia is through the knowledge from the medical community about the physical make up and definition of the illness. Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, disabling brain disease (Mental Health America, 2009). Schizophrenia is characterized and known to cause à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦gross distortions of reality; withdrawal from social interaction; and disorganization of perception and thought (Carson, Butcher Colman, 1988, p. 322). The disease does not know just one race, one cultureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦actually schizophrenia is world wide, across all continents. A prime example of the cross culture studies performed on schizophrenia patients comes from The World Health Organization (WHO; 1973, 1981). The organization sponsored the International Pilot Study of Schizophrenia (IPSS) to compare the risk and symptoms of the illness on a worldwide level.  The disease has distinct, unbiased symptoms (WHO, 1979). Therefore, the idea that there is a specific demographic to this disorder is incorrect. The diagnostic features of the disorder are wide and tend to give therapists and doctor a pathway to diagnosis. Some of the  direct symptoms, which we will discuss later in the essay, but a snapshot of them include  hallucinations, instability, hearing of voices and most common disorganized speech. Each symptom, studied throughout many different cultures and race have commonality. To determine if a person has schizophrenia, several industry standard evaluations and processes exist. Most people today recognize schizophrenia as a mentalà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦disorder (Yarhouse et al., 2005, p. 252). The testing process of schizophrenia, much like other mental disorders of psychosis, remains somewhat the same. The first and foremost step in diagnose of schizophrenia is an exhausted assessment. Treatment plans included are individual therapy, behavior and cognitive therapy, and lastly pharmapsychology (the admistration of medication by a psychiatrist). Schizophrenia has the label cognitive disorder; however, it affects other things such as emotions, daily life, and speech. Being that patients with the disorder have disorganized speech and instability in their lives, the psychology community performs worldwide studies on different aspects of the disorder. An academically claimed study is the 2009 study of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia patients performed from Hanuskiewicz, Chechnicki, et al. Within Hanuskiewiczs assessment he performed a study of normal speech rates and understanding, referred in the study as verbal fluency (Hanuszkiewicz, Cechnicki, et al., pp. 27-34) effects those with  schizophrenia, and drops dramatically with the age of the disorder. The fluency tests of Hanuszkieicz and party ranged from (sd=4.87)  for leisure fluency and  (sd=5.99) for living situation fluency in speech. The levels were significant in establishing a just cause that verbal skills and/or speech are a major cognitive concern with the schizophrenia patients from all parts of the world. Schizophrenia is often a debate on diagnosis due to the lack of understanding in the creativity that some with this disorder are blessed. Batey and Furnham (2009) discuss the relationship between what they refer to as Schizotypy (2009), creativity vs. intelligence. Schizotypy refers to an individuals proneness to psychosis and in particular, to schizophrenia (Batey, and Furman, 2009, p. 273). The measures of this study consist of fluency and divergent thinking, and the outcome was one that might set a standard for the need too not solely rely on psychology testing for the diagnosis of schizophrenia. The study proved that creativity in people with schizophrenia scores higher then intelligence. This means even if someone is not intelligent, they may still be creative enough to alter testing with tests such as fluency, as seen in this article. Psychopathology stresses that psychosis (a basis for schizophrenia) as a persons loss of reality. Psychopathology sides with the diathesis-stress model. According to Yarhouse et al., this model states, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦environment and stress endured changes bring on schizophrenia type symptoms (2005, p. 395). Currently 2.5 million American struggles with schizophrenia! This devastating disorder remains a top priority of the American Psychiatric Association (APA, 2000). The APA claims à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦schizophrenia to be the ultimate form of psychological breakdown (2000). According to research (Butcher, Mineka and Hookey, 2004) approximants, that 1 percent of the entire adult population in every culture and every type of community is affected with schizophrenia. However, other research (Comer, 2003) observes the acuteness to be larger and more significant in poverty-stricken cultures. Either way, schizophrenia is here and very pronounced in our communities and populations throughout the world. Gender to the contrary is about equal. Men however, tend to have more severe symptoms than women do. In addition, men show signs of schizophrenia breakdown much sooner. Women on the other hand show what is known in the psychology understanding as, late on-set (Yarhouse, et al., 2005, p. 391). This is the age after the age of forty-four and normally before the age of sixty-seven. Although both men and women show forms of late on-set, due to the fact of women showing later signs they are the most popular population for this form. Going back to the diagnostic features of schizophrenia, there are important criteria necessary for accurate diagnoses. Thought and expression (both verbal and non-verbal) usually lack. The person also lacks the basic logical skills and beliefs, and is most often delusional and/or experiencing hallucinations. Hallucinations are the primary disturbance for schizophrenia. Along with the lack of motor skills and interest in every day life, these are schizophrenia basics. That is one reason that most people with schizophrenia have comorbidity (a cross between being able to have a diagnosis of multiple disorders). Depression and personality disorders tie close with schizophrenia. Depression and schizophrenia are both psychological disorders, and often a person will face both disorders simultaneously. The depression would of course require a long-term (over one year) stretch to be considered as more than just the blues. To help with comorbidital understanding, Schizophrenia symptoms are grouped into three main categories, Positive, negative, and psychomotor (Yarhouse et al., 2005, p. 257). Positive shows gradual decline of speech and an increase of hallucinations and delusion. This is the first sign of something wrong psychotically. Negative includes lack of personality and temperament. Where as the psychomotor symptoms deal with the decrease of physical activity and is normally a later concern or symptom. The progression is normally the same for everyone stricken with schizophrenia. Treatment of schizophrenia is highly unlikely due to a few reasons. The first and most widely misdirected is the cost of healthcare, especially mental health care. With a deficit in our country and many third world countries lacking funds, this is a major problem. This is followed by the lack of highly skilled-trained psychologist and therapy personnel. Mental health facilities do not always hire the best options for their patients, and most times rely on aids vs. the educated staff necessary for proper treatment of their patients. Although this is better than the treatment provided in the early 50s and 60s, which was lockdown in local and state mental hospitals, it is still not up to par. Furthermore should a person get past their local doctor, and into a therapist/psychiatrist then there would be a hope. There are wonderful options of treatment, but the plans are somewhat disorganized and not patient directed. Budget tends to take front row seat, and this is very unfortunate to all involved. One current option of treatment for schizophrenia that is often easier to access for all is individual or group counseling. This referral can come from a general doctor, and does not require any major loopholes. Although this treatment option is less proven, it remains. The main moved of treatment for schizophrenia remains to be pharmapsychology. A recent form of medication labeled as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦atypical antipsychotic medication (Yarhouse, et al., 2005, p. 264), is widely accepted. These medications produce fewer side affects compared to past pharmapsychology options. Even so, pharmapsychology alone is not as accurate as the blend of both therapy and medication. Medication is considered necessary, but should not be a sole option for those that suffer. A favorite treatment plan personally involves a low dose (to experiences less or no side affects) and integration community and government programs. Along with pastoral programs, since schizophrenia patients are often diagnosed later in life, their denial and offense run high and require a spiritual or structured caring attitude. Community and pastoral programs are crucial. Agreeable, this type of honor and understanding, along with medication might prove to be the best option yet, and remains my personal choice. Another important treatment option or need is prevention and education. Some research has changed the over all view and medical needs and understandings of schizophrenia, but the treatments that are most widely accepted remain the same. It is through twin-to-twin studies and violence studies schizophrenia specific needs become known. In the case of certain twins, if one develops the illness, there is a 50% chance that the other twin will develop schizophrenia. The amazing fact is that the average public has only a small chance of having this illness. Research, even though lacking, remains pronounced. There are major research firms for the disease, one of them being the NARSAD, The Brain and Behavior Research Fund. This foundation continues to fight for an understanding of schizophrenia and actively performs case studies on twin-to-twin and single patients. They are also proud sponsors of the book called  Divided Minds: Twin Sisters and Their Journey Through Schizophrenia (Spiro, 2005). Twin studies have a major influence on schizophrenia and the research that surrounds the illness, and continue to prove that genetics is just as powerful in the understanding of the illness. Future studies of schizophrenia hope too also pinpoint physical causes to the environment. Another research area of schizophrenia is violence. As mentioned earlier, sometimes violence shows, and then diagnosis, and then lastly and often late, treatment. The general public and stereotypical populations put a cast on the illness to cause violent behavior. Studies have concluded that violence is a symptom of someone with schizophrenia. Ten epidemiological studies that specifically examine this relationship found a four-to six-fold increased risk of violent behavior in schizophrenia patients (Langstrong, Hjern et al, 2009).   Langstrong among other studies prove that there is a relationship of violence and schizophrenia, however there needs to be more research to confirm. Because this illness is forever changing, future study is needed. The treatment conditions of schizophrenia include psychotic drugs, group and individual counseling, and behavior therapy. Research of schizophrenia is cumbersome. The unknown, yet very pronounced disorder spreads through the clinical and academic areas of psychology as the worse of the worse in psychological breakdown. The possibility to discuss even a small amount of research proves positive for my point of view. Therefore, a few options and current, as well as past, research notations remain throughout the conclusion of this essay. The forever-growing importance of schizophrenia research gives an understanding of not only the illness but also the physical consequences on the person that has the illness. For example, Leucht, Burkard, Henderson agree, It is now well documented by research that people with severe mental disorders have a higher prevalence of several physical diseases and a higher mortality from natural causes than the general population (p. 1, 2007). It is the desire of todays researchers and psychologist to find the root cause wither it is from genes or environment, so that patients and their support can become aware of all options. The mystery of this illness continues to keep research at its peak; however, the causes are beginning to be truly recognized.    Doctors study the physical aspects of schizophrenia, and they study the neurological. The fact is that the brain is the central area that links  emotions and speech. Therefore, if something is off balance in a  brain then behavior begins to alter. Many medical articles argue that cognitive function is lower in someone with a mental disorder, such as schizophrenia, than the average healthy person is, because verbal and cognition support each other. This goes back to the verbal concerns that Hanuszkiewicz, Cechnicki, et al found when studying the speech and activity of someone with schizophrenia. To be exact, brain  imaging shows that in the prodormal phase the patient loses gray matter (neurons and other brain cells) when compared with controls-indication that some underlying brain damage (Seidman, 2009).  Prodromal shows a correlation between loss of brain matter and later signs and symptoms of schizophrenia. Seidman along with the University of Harvard lead progressive therapies in the understanding of schizophrenia.  Ã‚  Seidmans 2009 article says, The North American Prodromal Longitudinal Study (NAPLS), followed 291 clearly prodromal subjects for two and a half years and found that 35 percent of them went on to develop schizophrenia (Harvard News, Seidman). This study along shows how the prodromal stage plays into future diagnosis of schizophrenia Another area of research that is useful is the rate of mortality to those that suffer with schizophrenia. Seeman believes that the good news of schizophrenia treatments  is short lived, because the mortality rate remains excessive. She refers to the improvement of schizophrenia treatment in the last thirty years insufficient (2002). Seemans studies prove that schizophrenia patients of today are more vulnerable to negative choices such as Homeless, serious infection, poor diet, smoking, and overuse of abusive substances (Seeman, 2002, p. 162). This means the world is against the one with the illness. Nevertheless, many therapists believe spirituality is exactly what the patient and their love ones may need to conquer such a mental illness as schizophrenia.   It is through in-depth understanding of schizophrenia that  we can learn and accept the illness with a spiritual heart. Eric Johnson (1987) states that there are two aspects of why we all carry a fallen nature and he says the main reasons are that God holds us responsible and that for which [God] does not (Journal of Psychology and Theology). Education and the willingness to understand any mental illness without fright and ridicule can do wonders in the treatment of the patient, and the therapy of their love ones. The forefront of schizophrenia remains hopeful. There have been many small changes and some very significant improvements: attitudes towards families of patients have altered patient autonomy has increased; early intervention, assertive community treatment teams, psycho education, and cognitive behavioral therapy have all been introduced in the last thirty years (Seeman, 1979-2002, p. 162). Within the spiritual understanding of schizophrenia lies the understanding from a healing perspective. Just as Matsumoto Juang believe, Many cross-culture psychologists, psychotherapists, and counselors are sensitive to the issue of somatization (2009, p. 290). They both understand that everyone is different. They promote the very idea of spiritual healing. They both introduce the need for Indigenous Healing, [which] is rooted in religion and spirituality, not biomedical science (Matsumoto Juang, 2009, p. 323). Spirituality not only gives a safe place for the patient, but it provides an understanding to the patients love ones. The difficulties of schizophrenia are not small by any mean. Nevertheless, the people with the illness are trying to improve their lives, and we as the medical, social, and spiritual community must come together as one. The talents from the medical and psychological community are bar-none fantastic. Where the skills and understanding of the therapist may experience challenge, the outcome can be positive. Also, just for the person that struggles with schizophrenia to belong to something other than their disorder does a wonder for the progress in their life. With the compassion from the spiritual side, the knowledge from the medical side, and the understanding from the family side, and the urge from those that dedicate their life to the study of schizophrenia such as Seeman and Seidman remain hopeful. After all, hope is a universal language. If there is illness, there is a need for the research, love, understanding, and healing to continue to be a priority for all involved. References (2009). Schizophrenia. NARSAD InfoLine.  Mental Health Research Foundation.  Retrieved December 1, 2009 from,  http://www.narsad.org/?q=node/9/disorder. (2005). Abundant Life Bible: English Standard Version Holy Bible. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House. American Psychatric Association. 92000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. Batey, M., and Furnham, A. (2009). The Relationship Between Creativity, Schizotypy and Intelligence. Individual Difference Research Association, Inc. 7(4), pp 272-28. Retrieved October 12, 2010 from, Idr-Journal.com. Butcher, J., Mineka, S., and Hooley, J. (2004). Abnormal Psychology (12th ed.). New York: Guildford. Carson, R. C., Butcher, J. N., Coleman, J. C. (1988). Abnormal Psychology and Modern Life (8th edition). Glenview, IL: Scott Foresman. Comer, R. (2003). Abnormal Psychology (5th ed.). New York: Worth. Johnson, E. L. (1987). Sin, weakness and psychopathololgy. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 15(3), 218. Hanuszkiewicz, I., Andrzej, C.,   Kalisz, A. (2009). The Relationship between Cognitive Deficits and the Course of Schizophrenia: Preliminary Research on Participants of Rehabilitation Programme. Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Archives.(3) pp. 27-34. References Langsstrom, N., Hjern, A. et al.  (2009). Citations and Editors Notes: Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders.  Schizophrenia, substance abuse, and violent crime.  University of Oxford,  UK:  Remedica Medical Education Publishing.  JAMA 2009; 301:2016-23. Leucht, S., Burkard, T., Henderson, J. H., Maj, M. Sartorius, N. (2007).  Physical Illness and Schizophrenia: A Review of the Evidence.  New York,  NY:  Cambridge  University  Press. Masamoto, D. Juang, L. (2008). Culture Psychology (4th edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Seeman, Mary, V. (1979, 2009). Clinical Schizophrenia Related Psychoses. Toronto, Canada: Walsh Medical Media. Vol. 3(3). doi. 10.3371/CSRP.3.3.5. pp. 161-167. Seidman, L. (2009). Pathology: Pattern of Brain Activity Signals Danger in Schizophrenia. Therapeutic Focus Shifting to Earliest Statges of Disease. Harvard Medical School Article, Focus Online News. Retrieved October 7, 2010 from, http://focus.hms.harvard.edu/2009/022009/pathology.shtml.   Spiro, Carolyn Pamela. (2005). Divided Mind: Twin Sisters and Their Journey Through Schizophrenia. New York, NY: Saint Martins Press. World Health Organization. (1973). Report of the International Pilot Study of Schizophrenia (Vol. 1). Geneva: Author. World Health Organization. (1979). Schizophrenia: An international follow-up study. New York, NY: Wiley.

Essay --

When Scott Sullivan found out that Cooper was asking questions, Sullivan was â€Å"furious† with her and told her not to concern herself with financial audits (Anderson 51). Cooper and her team then made the decision to â€Å"quietly† investigate company accounting entries. The audit team made their first discoveries of fraudulent entries in May, 2002. They were able to trace fraudulent entries back to 2000. Less than a week after the Fort Worth Weekly article was printed, WorldCom accounting employee Mark Abide read the article. Having serious concerns about its revelations, Abide forwarded a copy to Glyn Smith who was on WorldCom’s internal audit staff. On May 29, 2002, WorldCom’s internal audit team, who was led by Cynthia Cooper, met to discuss an audit report as well as the Fort Worth Weekly article on Kim Emigh. During this meeting the audit team discussed â€Å"$1.4 billion that had been added to the company’s capital expenses† (Krim 5). It should also be noted that during this time, WorldCom’s external auditor, Arthur Anderson had just been indicted in the Enron scandal. Additionally, WorldCom’s CEO, Bernie Ebbers, had just resigned as large loans he received form the company had come to light sparking an investigation by the SEC. An accounting department employee, Sanjeev Sethi, at the internal audit meeting revealed that his department did not generate the $1.4 billion adjustments. The adjustments came from higher up in the organization. Cynthia Cooper and the audit team began to investigate the adjustments. Just days later, David Myers wrote multiple notes to Cooper attempting to keep Sethi from looking into capital expense reports. Cynthia Cooper confronted Betty Vinson who had processed the fraudulent entries. Vinson ackn... ...there . . . (United States of America V. Bernie J. Ebbers 2002, 27) The second piece of evidence is a memorandum the Ebbers sent on July 10, 2001, to a senior WorldCom officer requesting information concerning â€Å"those one time events that had to happen in order for us to have a chance to make out numbers† (United States of America V. Bernie J. Ebbers 2002, 27). Being that Sullivan was comfortable enough leaving Ebbers a voicemail using terms such as â€Å"one time stuff† and â€Å"junk. . . in the numbers† along with Ebbers’ own memo is enough evidence, in and of itself, to suggest Ebbers wasn’t innocent in perpetuating the fraud. Fraud Victims The fraud perpetuated by WorldCom executives casts a big shadow with wide ranging effects. The fraud has claimed numerous victims. Not only did thousands of employees lose their jobs, they lost their means to support their family. Essay -- When Scott Sullivan found out that Cooper was asking questions, Sullivan was â€Å"furious† with her and told her not to concern herself with financial audits (Anderson 51). Cooper and her team then made the decision to â€Å"quietly† investigate company accounting entries. The audit team made their first discoveries of fraudulent entries in May, 2002. They were able to trace fraudulent entries back to 2000. Less than a week after the Fort Worth Weekly article was printed, WorldCom accounting employee Mark Abide read the article. Having serious concerns about its revelations, Abide forwarded a copy to Glyn Smith who was on WorldCom’s internal audit staff. On May 29, 2002, WorldCom’s internal audit team, who was led by Cynthia Cooper, met to discuss an audit report as well as the Fort Worth Weekly article on Kim Emigh. During this meeting the audit team discussed â€Å"$1.4 billion that had been added to the company’s capital expenses† (Krim 5). It should also be noted that during this time, WorldCom’s external auditor, Arthur Anderson had just been indicted in the Enron scandal. Additionally, WorldCom’s CEO, Bernie Ebbers, had just resigned as large loans he received form the company had come to light sparking an investigation by the SEC. An accounting department employee, Sanjeev Sethi, at the internal audit meeting revealed that his department did not generate the $1.4 billion adjustments. The adjustments came from higher up in the organization. Cynthia Cooper and the audit team began to investigate the adjustments. Just days later, David Myers wrote multiple notes to Cooper attempting to keep Sethi from looking into capital expense reports. Cynthia Cooper confronted Betty Vinson who had processed the fraudulent entries. Vinson ackn... ...there . . . (United States of America V. Bernie J. Ebbers 2002, 27) The second piece of evidence is a memorandum the Ebbers sent on July 10, 2001, to a senior WorldCom officer requesting information concerning â€Å"those one time events that had to happen in order for us to have a chance to make out numbers† (United States of America V. Bernie J. Ebbers 2002, 27). Being that Sullivan was comfortable enough leaving Ebbers a voicemail using terms such as â€Å"one time stuff† and â€Å"junk. . . in the numbers† along with Ebbers’ own memo is enough evidence, in and of itself, to suggest Ebbers wasn’t innocent in perpetuating the fraud. Fraud Victims The fraud perpetuated by WorldCom executives casts a big shadow with wide ranging effects. The fraud has claimed numerous victims. Not only did thousands of employees lose their jobs, they lost their means to support their family.

Ethical Dilemmas Essay

There are three situations presented in the simulation which poses different ethical dilemmas on the part of the decision-maker. The symptoms of the respective dilemmas and their root causes shall be discussed individually because â€Å"analysis would be proper if they are able to locate the root cause of the conflict† (Lee). The Indiscreet Relationship The first situation presented was an indiscreet relationship between a boss and his secretary. The boss took the secretary along with him during business trips at the expense of the company. He even promoted the secretary to junior account executive. This problem created a stir within the company and corridor talks went around saying that the way to make it through the ladder of success in the company was through less than ethical means. This has caused an unrest among the employees of the organization that an ethical stand should be taken. However, the decision-maker had an ethical dilemma in making his decision. The boss, Patrick, is his former friend and colleague who was the one instrumental in landing him his job. Patrick also helped him during his early days with the company in getting hold of the ropes of the business of the company. On the other hand, company morale is going down because the employees think he is an unethical leader for allowing Patrick have his way in maintaining an indiscreet relations with his subordinate and in spending company resources in the process. This is what defines the ethical dilemma here. Sniffdog The second situation presented by the simulation which involved an ethical dilemma is the decision to represent SilverPill and their Sniffdog account. Sniffdog is a computer program which could sneak into the user’s hardware and retrieve many confidential data without the user’s knowledge. The ethical dilemma comes in when taking the account means allowance of the intrusion of privacy while not taking the account will make the company lose a lot of money by losing the account. The fact that compounds these all is that SilverPill informed the company that they will give all their accounts to McKinley should they choose to endorse Sniffdog. The ethics rulebook of McKinley states that the employees will maintain impeachable integrity in all its business dealings. Allowing Sniffdog to push through will not reflect well of this ethical rule. On its face, the business being dealt with here is plainly business and nothing will be objectionable about it. McKinley will just seek to endorse the Sniffdog program. However, when the program has capabilities of sneaking into private information, an ethical issue arises for McKinley will be signing itself to be part of such intrusion. Although SilverPill promised not to use any information that may be gathered for any illegal or extralegal use nor to sell it to a third party, the fact alone that there will be intrusion into the private lives of the users of the program will already present a grave ethical issue. Thus, the root cause of the problem here is whether or not to be a part of a project which can intrude into the private lives of clients by collecting confidential information from them without their knowledge. Think Eddie  And the third situation with an ethical dilemma presented by the simulation is whether or not to reveal certain information about the program Sniffdog to Think Eddie which is a competitor of SilverPill. At this point, SilverPill is no longer associated with McKinley and has moved on to another PR company. Think Eddie has entered the picture and wants McKinley to represent them for a computer program which has the same features as that of SilverPill’s Sniffdog. Think Eddie is a big client. And now it wants information about the Sniffdog program without, however, threats of any sanctions given to McKinley in case of non-compliance. The ethical dilemma here is whether to reveal the requested information to Think Eddie or not. Though Think Eddie did not give any threats for non-disclosure, surely there was an unwritten statement accompanying the request that non-disclosure might strain the relationship between the two companies. On the other hand, the ethics rule book of McKinley prescribes them not to hold conflicting interests. SilverPill, though a former client, still has the right that every information given by it to McKinley be kept confidential by the latter. Because of the mentioned rule, McKinley is duty-bound not to divulge confidential client information, especially in this case where the revelation will be made to a competitor. The root cause of the problem, therefore, is whether or not to reveal information obtained from a former engagement in order to establish a better business relationship with a new engagement even though the two have conflicting interests and the former engagement has already been severed. In all, the ethical dilemmas arise not because of the ethics rule books established by company but mostly because of moral grounds. â€Å"If doing what is right produces something bad, or if doing what is wrong produces something good, the force of moral obligation may seem balanced by the reality of the good end. We can have the satisfaction of being right, regardless of the damage done; or we can aim for what seems to be the best outcome, regardless of what wrongs must be committed† (Ross, 2007). Thus, the root of these dilemmas is simply because there are moral standards to which, companies as well as persons, must adhere.

Shadow Kiss Chapter 13

Thirteen WHEN WE GOT BACK to our rooms, I made up an excuse to Lissa about how I needed to go take care of some guardian stuff. She was eager to patch up the earlier conflict with Christian – probably in the form of clothing removal – and didn't ask any questions. There was a phone in my room, and after calling an operator, I was able to find out which room was Dimitri's. He was surprised to see me at his door – and a little wary. The last time this had happened, I'd been under the influence of Victor's lust charm and had behaved †¦ aggressively. â€Å"I have to talk to you,† I said. He let me come in, and I immediately handed over the note. â€Å"V. D – â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, I know,† said Dimitri. He handed the note back. â€Å"Victor Dashkov.† â€Å"What are we going to do? I mean, we talked about this, but now he really is saying he's going to sell us out.† Dimitri didn't answer, and I could tell he was assessing every angle of this, just like he would a fight. Finally, he pulled out his cell phone, which was a lot cooler than having to rely on the room's phone. â€Å"Give me a moment.† I started to sit on his bed, decided that was dangerous, and instead sat on the couch. I didn't know who he was calling, but the conversation took place in Russian. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked when he finished. â€Å"I'll let you know soon. For now, we have to wait.† â€Å"Great. My favorite thing to do.† He dragged an armchair up and sat opposite me. It seemed too small for someone as tall as him, but, as always, he managed to make it work and appear graceful in the process. Beside me was one of the Western novels he always carried around. I picked it up, again thinking about how alone he was. Even now, at the Court, he'd chosen to stay in his room. â€Å"Why do you read these?† â€Å"Some people read books for fun,† he observed. â€Å"Hey, watch the dig. And I do read books. I read them to solve mysteries that threaten my best friend's life and sanity. I don't think reading this cowboy stuff is really saving the world like I do.† He took it from me and flipped it over, face thoughtful and not as intense as usual. â€Å"Like any book, it's an escape. And there's something †¦ mmm. I don't know. Something appealing about the Old West. No rules. Everyone just lives by their own code. You don't have to be tied down by others' ideas of right and wrong in order to bring justice.† â€Å"Wait,† I laughed. â€Å"I thought I was the one who wanted to break rules.† â€Å"I didn't say I wanted to. Just that I can see the appeal.† â€Å"You can't fool me, comrade. You want to put on a cowboy hat and keep lawless bank robbers in line.† â€Å"No time. I have enough trouble keeping you in line.† I grinned, and suddenly, it was a lot like when we cleaned the church – before the fight, at least. Easy. Comfortable. In fact, it was a lot like the old days when we'd first begun training together, way back before everything had gotten so complicated. Well, okay†¦things had always been complicated, but for a while, they'd been less complicated. It made me sad. I wished we could relive those early days. There'd been no Victor Dashkov, no blood on my hands. â€Å"I'm sorry,† Dimitri said all of a sudden. â€Å"For what? Reading cheesy novels?† â€Å"For not being able to get you here. I feel like I let you down.† I glimpsed a shadow of worry on his face, like he was concerned he might have caused some irreparable damage. The apology totally caught me off guard. For a moment, I wondered if he was jealous of Adrian's influence in the same way Christian had been. Then I realized it was completely different. I'd been giving Dimitri a hard time because I'd been convinced he could do anything. Somewhere – deep inside – he felt the same, at least where I was concerned. He didn't want to deny me anything. My earlier bad mood had long since vanished, and I suddenly just felt drained. And stupid. â€Å"You didn't,† I told him. â€Å"I acted like a total brat. You've never let me down before. You didn't let me down with this.† The grateful look he gave me made me feel as if I had wings. If another moment had passed, I suspected he would have said something so sweet that I would have flown away. Instead, his phone rang. Another conversation in Russian took place, and then he stood up. â€Å"All right, let's go.† â€Å"Where?† â€Å"To see Victor Dashkov.† It turned out that Dimitri had a friend who had a friend, and somehow, despite the best security in the Moroi world, we managed to get into the Court's prison facilities. â€Å"Why are we doing this?† I whispered as we walked down the hall toward Victor's cell. I'd really, really hoped for stone walls and torches, but the place looked very modern and efficient, with marble floors and stark white walls. At least there were no windows. â€Å"You think we can talk him out of it?† Dimitri shook his head. â€Å"If Victor wanted to take revenge on us, he'd just do it without any warning. He doesn't do things without a reason. The fact that he told you first means he wants something, and now we're going to find out what it is.† We reached Victor's cell. He was the only prisoner currently being held. Like the rest of the facility, his room reminded me of something you'd find at a hospital. Everything was clean, bright, and sterile – and very bare. It was a place without any sort of stimulus or distraction whatsoever, which would have driven me crazy in one hour. The cell had silvery bars that looked very hard to break, which was the most important part. Victor sat in a chair, idly examining his nails. It had been three months since our last meeting, and seeing him again made my skin crawl. Feelings I hadn't known were buried in me suddenly burst to the surface. One of the hardest things of all was seeing him look so healthy and young. He'd bought that health by torturing Lissa, and I hated him for it. If his disease had run its normal course, he might be dead by now. He had receding black hair, with only the slightest touch of silver. He was in his forties and had a regal, almost handsome cut to his face. He glanced up at our approach. Eyes the same pale jade as Lissa's met mine. The Dragomir and Dashkov families had a lot of intertwined history, and it was creepy seeing that eye color in someone else. A smile lit his face. â€Å"Oh my. This is a treat. Lovely Rosemarie, practically an adult now.† His eyes flicked toward Dimitri. â€Å"Of course, some have been treating you that way for quite a while.† I pressed my face to the bars. â€Å"Stop screwing with us, you son of a bitch. What do you want?† Dimitri put a gentle hand on my shoulder and pulled me back. â€Å"Easy, Rose.† I took a deep breath and then slowly stepped backward. Victor straightened up in his chair and laughed. â€Å"After all this time, your cub still hasn't learned any control. But then, maybe you never really wanted her to.† â€Å"We aren't here to banter,† said Dimitri calmly. â€Å"You wanted to lure Rose over, and now we need to know why.† â€Å"Does there have to be some sinister reason? I just wanted to know how she was doing, and something tells me we aren't going to have a chance for any friendly chats tomorrow.† That annoying smirk stayed on his face, and I decided then that he was lucky to be behind bars and out of my reach. â€Å"We're not going to have a friendly chat now,† I growled. â€Å"You think I'm joking, but I'm not. I really do want to know how you're doing. You've always been a fascinating subject to me, Rosemarie. The only shadow-kissed person we know of. I told you before, that isn't the kind of thing you walk away from unscathed. There's no way you can quietly sink into the regimented routine of academic life. People like you aren't meant to blend in.† â€Å"I'm not some kind of science experiment.† He acted like I hadn't said anything. â€Å"What's it been like? What have you noticed?† â€Å"There's no time for this. If you don't get to the point,† warned Dimitri, â€Å"we're going to leave.† I didn't understand how Dimitri could sound so calm. I leaned forward and gave Victor my coldest smile. â€Å"There's no way they'll let you off tomorrow. I hope you enjoy prison. I bet it'll be great once you get sick again – and you will, you know.† Victor regarded me levelly, still with that amused look that made me want to choke him. â€Å"All things die, Rose. Well, except for you, I suppose. Or maybe you are dead. I don't know. Those who visit the world of the dead can probably never fully shake their connection to it.† There was a snarky retort on my lips, but something held me back. Those who visit the world of the dead. What if my Mason sightings weren't because I was crazy or because he was seeking revenge? What if there was something about me – something that had happened when I'd died and come back – that was now connecting me to Mason? It was Victor who had first explained what it meant to be shadow-kissed. I wondered now if he had any of the answers I'd been looking for. My face must have given away something, because Victor gave me a speculative look. â€Å"Yes? There's something you'd like to say?† I hated to ask him for anything. It made my stomach turn. Swallowing my pride, I asked, â€Å"What is the world of the dead? Is it heaven or hell?† â€Å"Neither,† he said. â€Å"What lives there?† I exclaimed. â€Å"Ghosts? Will I go back? Do things come out of it?† Victor was taking great pleasure in me having to come to him for information, just as I'd feared he would. I saw that smirk intensify. â€Å"Well, clearly some things come out of it, because here you stand before us.† â€Å"He's baiting you,† said Dimitri. â€Å"Let it go.† Victor gave Dimitri a brief glare. â€Å"I'm helping her.† He turned back to me. â€Å"Honestly? I don't know that much about it. You're the one who has been there, Rose. Not me. Not yet. Someday, you'll probably be the one educating me. I'm sure the more you deal death out, the closer you'll become to it.† â€Å"Enough,† said Dimitri, voice harsh. â€Å"We're going.† â€Å"Wait, wait,† said Victor, voice congenial. â€Å"You haven't told me about Vasilisa yet.† I moved forward again. â€Å"Stay away from her. She doesn't have anything to do with this.† Victor gave me a dry look. â€Å"Seeing as I'm locked away here, I have no choice but to stay away from her, my dear. And you're wrong – Vasilisa has everything to do with everything.† â€Å"That's it,† I said, suddenly getting it. â€Å"That's why you sent the note. You wanted me here because you wanted to know about her, and you knew there was no way she'd come talk to you herself. You had nothing to blackmail her with.† â€Å"Blackmail's an ugly word.† â€Å"There's no way you're going to see her – at least outside of the courtroom. She's never going to heal you. I told you: You're going to get sick again, and you're going to die. You're going to be the one sending me postcards from the other side.† â€Å"You think that's what this is about? You think my needs are that petty?† The mockery was gone, replaced by a feverish and almost fanatical look in his green eyes. The tight set of his mouth stretched the skin of his face a little, and I noticed he'd lost weight since our last encounter. Maybe prison had been harder on him than I'd thought. â€Å"You've forgotten everything, why I did what I did. You've been so caught up in your own shortsightedness that you missed the big picture I was looking at.† I racked my brain, thinking back to that time last fall. He was right. My focus had been on the wrongs he'd committed against Lissa and me personally. I'd forgotten other conversations, his insane explanations of his grand scheme. â€Å"You wanted to stage a revolution – still want to. That's crazy. It's not going to happen,† I said. â€Å"It's already happening. Do you think I don't know what's going on out in the world? I still have contacts. People can be bought off – how do you think I was able to send you that message? I know about the unrest – I know about Natasha Ozera's movement to get Moroi to fight with guardians. You stand by her and vilify me, Rosemarie, but I pushed for the very same thing last fall. Yet, somehow, you don't seem to regard her in the same way.† â€Å"Tasha Ozera is working on her cause a bit differently than you did,† noted Dimitri. â€Å"And that's why she's getting nowhere,† Victor retorted. â€Å"Tatiana and her council are being held back by centuries of archaic traditions. So long as that sort of power rules us, nothing will change. We will never learn to fight. Non-royal Moroi will never have a voice. Dhampirs like you will continually be sent out to battle.† â€Å"It's what we dedicate our lives to,† said Dimitri. I could sense the tension building in him. He might show better self-control than me, but I knew he was getting just as frustrated here. â€Å"And it's what you lose your lives for. You're all but enslaved and don't even realize it. And for what? Why do you protect us?† â€Å"Because †¦ we need you,† I faltered. â€Å"For our race to survive.† â€Å"You don't need to throw yourselves into battle for that. Making children isn't really that difficult.† I ignored his quip. â€Å"And because the Moroi†¦ the Moroi and their magic are important. They can do amazing things.† Victor threw his hands up in exasperation. â€Å"We used to do amazing things. Humans used to revere us as gods, but over time, we grew lazy. The advent of technology made our magic more and more obsolete. Now, all we do is parlor tricks.† â€Å"If you have so many ideas,† said Dimitri, with a dangerous glint in his dark eyes, â€Å"then do something useful in prison and write a manifesto.† â€Å"And what's this have to do with Lissa anyway?† I asked. â€Å"Because Vasilisa is a vehicle for change.† I stared incredulously. â€Å"You think she's going to lead your revolution?† â€Å"Well, I'd prefer that I lead it – someday. But, regardless, I think that she's going to be part of it. I've heard about her too. She's a rising star – still young, certainly, but people are taking notice. All royals aren't created equal, you know. The Dragomir symbol is a dragon, the king of the beasts. Likewise, the Dragomir blood has always been powerful – that's why the Strigoi have targeted them so consistently. A Dragomir returning to power is no small thing – particularly one such as her. My impression from the reports is that she must have mastered her magic. If that's so – with her gifts – there's no telling what she could do. People are drawn to her with almost no effort on her part. And when she actually tries to influence them†¦well, they'll do anything she wants.† His eyes were wide as he spoke, wonder and happiness on his face as he imagined Lissa living out his dreams. â€Å"Unbelievable,† I said. â€Å"First you wanted to hide her away to keep you alive. Now you actually want her out in the world to use her compulsion for your own psycho plans.† â€Å"I told you, she's a force for change. And like you being shadow-kissed, she's the only one of her kind that we know about. That makes her dangerous – and very valuable.† Well, that was something. Victor wasn't all-knowing after all. He didn't know about Adrian's spirit use. â€Å"Lissa will never do it,† I said. â€Å"She's not going to abuse her powers.† â€Å"And Victor's not going to say anything about us,† said Dimitri, tugging my arm. â€Å"He's achieved his goal. He brought you here because he wanted to know about Lissa.† â€Å"He didn't find out much,† I said. â€Å"You'd be surprised,† said Victor. He grinned at Dimitri. â€Å"And what makes you so certain I won't enlighten the world about your romantic indiscretions?† â€Å"Because it won't save you from prison. And if you ruin Rose, you'll destroy whatever weak chance you had of Lissa helping you with your warped fantasy.† Victor flinched just a little; Dimitri was right. Dimitri stepped forward, pressing close to the bars as I had earlier. I'd thought I had a scary voice, but when he spoke his next words, I realized I wasn't even close. â€Å"And it'll all be pointless anyway, because you won't stay alive long enough in prison to stage your grand plans. You aren't the only one with connections.† My breath caught a little. Dimitri brought so many things to my life: love, comfort, and instruction. I got so used to him sometimes that I forgot just how dangerous he could be. As he stood there, tall and threatening while he glared down at Victor, I felt a chill run down my spine. I remembered how when I had first come to the Academy, people had said Dimitri was a god. In this moment, he looked it. If Victor was frightened by Dimitri's threat, he didn't show it. His jade green eyes glanced between the two of us. â€Å"You two are a match made in heaven. Or somewhere.† â€Å"See you in court,† I said. Dimitri and I left. On our way out, he said a few words in Russian to the guardian on duty. From their manners, my guess was Dimitri was offering thanks. We ventured outdoors, walking across a wide, beautiful parklike space to get back to our rooms. The sleet had stopped, and it had left everything – buildings and trees alike – coated in ice. It was like the world was made of glass. Glancing at Dimitri, I saw him staring straight ahead. It was hard to tell while walking, but I could have sworn he was shaking. â€Å"Are you okay?† I asked. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"You sure?† â€Å"As okay as I can be.† â€Å"Do you think he'll tell everyone about us?† â€Å"No.† We walked in silence for a bit. I finally asked the question I'd been dying to know. â€Å"Did you mean it†¦ that if Victor did tell†¦that you'd†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I couldn't finish. I couldn't bring myself to say the words have him killed. â€Å"I don't have much influence in the upper levels of Moroi royalty, but I have plenty among the guardians who handle the dirty work in our world.† â€Å"You didn't answer the question. If you'd really do it.† â€Å"I'd do a lot of things to protect you, Roza.† My heart pounded. He only used â€Å"Roza† when he was feeling particularly affectionate toward me. â€Å"It wouldn't exactly be protecting me. It'd be after the fact – cold-blooded. You don't do that kind of thing,† I told him. â€Å"Revenge is more my thing. I'll have to kill him.† I meant it as a joke, but he didn't think it was funny. â€Å"Don't talk like that. And anyway, it doesn't matter. Victor's not going to say anything.† He left me to go to his own room when we got inside. As I was opening the door to mine, Lissa rounded the hall corner. â€Å"There you are. What happened? You missed dinner.† I'd completely forgotten. â€Å"Sorry †¦ got carried away with some guardian stuff. It's a long story.† She'd changed for dinner. Her hair was still pulled up, and she now wore a form-fitting dress made out of silver raw silk. She looked beautiful. She looked royal. I thought about Victor's words and wondered if she really could be the power for change he swore she was. Looking like she did now, so glamorous and self-composed, I could imagine people following her anywhere. I certainly would, but then, I was biased. â€Å"Why are you looking at me like that?† she asked with a small smile. I couldn't tell her that I'd just seen the man who frightened her the most. I couldn't tell her that while she'd been out living it up, I'd been off watching her back in the shadows, like I would always do. Instead, I returned her smile. â€Å"I like the dress.†

Children essays

Children essays Nowadays, the birth rate of many developed places is falling. Similarly, this phenomenon is found in Hong Kong. Many young married couples prefer not to have children in the first few years of their marriage. Even though they who choose to have children, prefer to have one only. By comparing with the order generation, having more than three children is not uncommon now. However, women married early and had children soon after marriage. Why is there such a great difference between the two generations? Is it economic structure changing? Is it concepts and values changing or social circumstances changing? I believe that all of above reasons caused that this phenomenon happened. The economic structure changing affects this phenomenon directly. Because the living standard in Hong Kong is very high, both of them have to work outside in order to afford renting a flat, the traveling expenses, the food, giving money to parents etc. In other words, being engaged in work, they do not have spare time and energy to take care of their children. Thus having children would be a great burden to them especially in the first few years, because they do not adapt taking care of other. Incidentally, whereas in the past, only men worked outside, women stayed at home to take care of their children. The concepts and values were changed form western culture. In these days, women realize their rights-freedom, so they prefer working outside to staying at home which is a close environment for them. Also, it is unfair for them. In addition, young couples now would like to have more freedom and enjoyment. As such, having children may deprive them of the time and space to live the way they like in a certain extent. On the contrary, they have to take up more responsibility and sacrifice their personal enjoyment like traveling, staying out late at night, and so on. Conversely, in the concepts and values of the older generation, it tends to think that it is the ...

Gender Stereotypes in Cosmopolitan

Gender Stereotypes in Cosmopolitan ity.

How to Write a Book Blurb that Sells (with Examples)

How to Write a Book Blurb that Sells (with Examples) How to Write a Book Blurb: A Guide for Novelists Last updated: 09/12/2018Creating a book blurb, while still technically writing, is closer to a science than an art. The blurb that appears on the back cover of your book, and on your Amazon page, will either:Work by convincing readers to take a chance on it, orFail to engage your target readers.In that sense, a good blurb is anything but subjective. In this post, three publishing editors have shared their secret behind writing the best blurb for your novel.What is a blurb?A blurb is a short description of a book that is written for promotional purposes. Traditionally, it would be found on the inside back cover of a hardback. As paperback publishing developed, readers began seeing the blurb appearing on the back cover. Generally, 150-200 words are more than enough for a full blurb.In the modern publishing landscape, where more books are being purchased online than in bricks and mortar stores, you are more likely to encounter blurbs on the product page of Amazon or any other digital re tailer. Sometimes, you will hear them referred to as ‘book descriptions.’ So now that we have our basic definition out of the way, let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work.How to write a book blurb in 4 stepsâ€Å"The opening of your blurb has to be incredibly precise and dynamic,† says editor Rebecca Heyman. â€Å"For a lot of first-time authors, I think there's an instinct to make sure readers understand everything that happened in the book’s universe before the beginning of the actual story. That's generally a mistake.†So if it shouldn’t set the stage for a reader who’s about to dive into your book, what should your blurb do?Without further ado, here's how to write a blurb in 4 steps. Read this: "How to write a novel's blurb in 4 steps" 1. Introduce your main character(s)At its core, novels are a storytelling medium, and that means your blurb has to be about characters. Consciously or not, readers check out the synopsis to see whether they want to spend time with your main characters. They don’t need to know their entire backstory, though - just enough to understand how they figure into the story’s primary conflict...2. Set the stage for your primary conflictThe primary conflict is what drives your story. It’s Harry Potter doing battle against Voldemort and his minions, FBI Agent Clarice Starling negotiating with Hannibal Lecter, or Captain Ahab’s obsessive vendetta against a whale. Without a real-world conflict, you don’t have a story readers can sink their teeth into. This blurb is a lot shorter than the previous examples. It’s a perfect introduction to the hard-boiled, no-nonsense narration style of the books. The short sentences and sardonic interjections (â€Å"Not much of a welcome† and â€Å"not a chance in hell†) might read like clichà ©s, but they capture a traditional hero in the Bogart mold.Also, the blurb gives us a sense of the setting. There’s no reason the reader should be aware of Margrave, but its repetition and context let us know that this is not a friendly town. Without having to spell it out, we can tell that Jack Reacher is about to encounter some small-minded locals.Of course, there are plenty of books to draw inspiration from. Just reach up on to your bookshelf and pull down your favorite book - see how they go about establishing characters, stakes, and conflict.As you’ve hopefully seen, your blurb is one of your book's biggest sales influencers, and it demands as much, if not more, attent ion than any other part of your marketing plan. The time and effort you put into refining and testing your blurb is money in the bank.What are some of the best book blurbs you’ve seen on an Amazon page or on a back cover? Share them in the comments below and tell us why you like them.

Art and craft in school Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Art and craft in school - Essay Example vity and diversity of the students possess and a magnitude of respect by showing the strength of character and originality thus improving communication and creativity in school. The condition of the school environment reflects its style and character. Including art and craft in the classroom environment creates an engaging foundation of trust among the students especially during the crucial stage where the class activity acquires self-sustaining and viability (Tuttle & Silva, 2009). I discovered that art is an investment in the culture of the school and should be preserved for the benefits of the students. In reserving original and best art in the classrooms highlight a sense of power to the students. It revealed an increased in performance after allowing the students to decorate their thoughts in the classrooms. The activity increased communication among the thus showing that art boosts their thoughts and influences the culture for growth. Art also increases the quality of life in the school environment. Art has a manipulative ability as is different every time one sees it thus; many students associate art with the essential effort related with the artist thus generates the effort to succeed in their activities. (Paquette & Tuttle, 2009 pg113). Art increases a complete approach to diverse programs during school hours thus increasing the performance as many students labor towards the purpose of their achievements. Art is also used in the class to make an impact to the people in the society. Paintings created through learning process are donated to people as a way of giving back to the community. Students with various arts display their work and feel proud while people appreciate their effort thus igniting their efforts towards success. An art creates an opportunity for students with learning difficulties to express their feelings and boost their memory (Tuttle & Silva, 2009). Students with learning complications may have problems in recalling what they have

Ryan air case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ryan air case study - Essay Example The Ryanair, founded in 1985 by the Ryan Family, is an airline which provides airline services that cover routes between Ireland and the United Kingdom. This airline industry served first as a second choice for passengers because the main airline that time was Aer Lingus. During its first years of operations, Ryanair was a "full service conventional airline", with two different seat classes and renting three varied types of aircraft. (O'Higgins 2004) In the early 1990's, Ryanair encountered problems in terms of management and profit gains. The lack of a stable management led by a good CEO resulted to losses amounting to 20 million Irish pounds. Before the appointment of Michael O'Leary as chief executive, five people have already held that same position in a short span of time. (O'Higgins 2004) With the leadership of the newly appointed CEO Michael O'Higgins, Ryanair underwent reforms in order to recover the losses the airline had in the early years. The new formula includes setting-up cheap fares, having no frills or decorations, and adopting the Southwest Airlines model. These reforms started the big turnaround in the airline company in the latter years of the decade. In 1997, Ryanair was a company "floated in an IPO1 on the Dublin Stock Exchange and on Nasdaq- 1002 but the following year, it registered 9.1 million shares on the London Stock Exchange." By the year 2002, the company was included in the Nasdaq- 100. (O'Higgins 2004 p. 834) III. STRATEGIC INTENT Low Cost Airfares The main goal of Ryanair is to keep the company as the leader of low fare airlines which operates "point-to-point short-haul flights" out of regional or secondary airports in Europe. (O'Higgins 2004, p.835) All the other strategies revolve around the primary objective of providing "no-frills service with low fares". This approach tries to target the budget conscious leisure and business travelers, as well as people who are never used to travel by air instead used other means of travel like land and water. (O'Higgins 2004) The air company provided the cheapest way possible to travel by air. It distributed most of the seat inventories to the lowest fare class. The no frills services made the company focus more on other services that are essential to the customers like: (1) frequent departures, (2) advance reservations, (3) baggage handling, and (4) consistent on-time services. It also removed the "non-essential extras (advance seat assignments, free in-flight meals, multi class seating, and access to a frequent flyer program, complimentary drinks, and other amenities) that interfered with the reliable, low cost delivery of its basic flights." (O'Higgins 2004, p. 835) Impacts The strategies of Ryanair which are centered to providing the cheapest air travelling services contributed to very good results. The company surpassed the Aer Lingus as the number one airline covering travels between Ireland and United Kingdom. This fantastic result is due to increased number of passengers (4 million) availing the low cost airline services. The increase of the company's market share to 37 percent enabled them to expand from Irish-UK route to 133 routes, with 86 destinations from 16 countries around the world. (O'Higgins 2004) By the end of 2003, the company had achieved the following: Ryanair became

William Shakespeare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

William Shakespeare - Essay Example The parents of William were John and Mary, in whom father belonged to a merchant class, and mother land gentry. During his teenage years, William’s dad faced with much financial difficulties and it continued till the success and fame of his son. It is not very easy to track the exact details of the life of William Shakespeare, the greatest, writer, poet and art lover of England. Surprisingly, William married women 8 yrs senior to him and became a proud father of three children not very late. The life of William Shakespeare could be categorized in to three phases : the first 20 years in which he completed his schooling and got married and attained father hood, the next 25 years where he explored and practices his writing and poetry skills, and last 5 years when he retired to Stratford to live a satisfying and successful old age. The distinction of Shakespeare was that, he was immensely talented play writer and wrote his works mostly foreseeing the actors in mind. According to ( Mcevoy,19)â€Å" William Shakespeare just like all other play writers of his time working in London playhouse, did not write with readers in mind. He instead wrote lines to speak for actors to speak which has to be understood as soon as they were heards by the audience†. Part II -The Masterpiece of Shakespeare -Romeo and Juliet i)Plot of the story Romeo and Juliet is a famous play written by Shakespeare in his early literary career, and this work went on to become one of his greatest literary works. This play is all about a young couple, Romeo and Juliet, who passionately fall in love each other, and longs for union in a background of hatred and violence. The families of both the lovers are enemies to each other and strongly oppose the romance shared by the young hearts. Romeo being the Son of Lord Montague meets the charming and beautiful Juliet in an uninvited ball and instantly falls in love with her. Interestingly, on the same night Romeo proceeds to the balcony of Juliet to exchange love vows and further decides to get married to his lady of love. ii)Form of the story This play is classic one written by William Shakespeare and unlike his other prologues it starts with a sonnet. As per (Elizabeth) â€Å"Three main sonnet forms have been in use since the Renaissance: the Italian or Petrarchan sonnet, the English or Shakespearean sonnet, and the Spenserian sonnet. Each is named for a poet who made the form famous.†This story initiates with a prologue and explains the outline of the story and is followed by 5 acts which is the rest part of the story .This play is different from most of other plays of Shakespeare as it had no dream scenes or flashbacks. The main centre of attraction of the story is the male character Romeo, and he carries the story till the climax. Structure of the story a)Exposition : The exposition of the story initiates with a prologue and the scene of fighting servants depicts the rivalry of the two families where Romeo and J uliet belong. This prologue defines the enemity that had been long practiced by the two families and indicate that the two lovers in such a case can never have a romantic union. This fight shows the intensity of revenge and hatred boiling in the hearts of the two families. b)First Incident: The initial incident that occurs in the story is the act by Romeo at the ball party, where he arrives uninvited. He here meets Juliet for the first time and innocently falls in love with her at the first sight. c)Rising Action - The action starts to progress greatly at the scene of balcony where each confess their love for each other. They instantly plan to get married and are talked out

The Conflict in Ukraine (2014-ongoing) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Conflict in Ukraine (2014-ongoing) - Essay Example The Conflict in Ukraine (2014-ongoing) is the greatest example of where the rule of the people cannot be respected by the running government. The government instead goes to the point compelling the people with the leadership they rejected (Lauren, Viola& Kathleen, 2015). Ukraine came back to full-scale war or conflict is very saddening. The fight begun in the 2014 April and has since raged numerous months to the eventual stage when the separatists and the Ukrainian government came to a ceasefire. The ceasefire has been used to prepare and reigniting of the fight mainly entailed capturing of the Donetsk airport that is a strategic symbol and asset from the government forces. The government troops have pulled out of the town that is the key transport hub as a new truce was established on 12 February in attempts to stage mediation process. The war has placed a cost of close to 5600 lives. The violence has placed up debilitating effects to the country as many civilians have been killed by rockets on the rebel side in the cities like Luhansk and Donetsk. Approximately thirty people were killed in the Maripaul, which is a port city under artillery attack. Rebels have since then besieged main roads and rail hub in areas of Debaltseve, which is the region i n which most Ukrainian military troops have their base. The Ukranian problem is equally shared in various other parts of the globe where poor electoral and leadership have resulted in rebels and mass killings. In the past few months thousands of Bangladesh workers died in one of the greatest workplace safety tragedy in ever recorded in memorable history. Nigeria, Iran, Russia and many other countries close to 80 countries have created a discriminatory environment for the LGBT persons. This case has been created by the design of policies and laws that deny the LGBT their human rights and respect to human dignity. The condition has created a

Justice and policing in United Arab Emirates Research Paper

Justice and policing in United Arab Emirates - Research Paper Example A research conducted under Hauser Global Law School Program found out that, â€Å"although the core principles of law in the UAE are drawn from Sharia, most legislation is comprised of a mix of Islamic and European concepts of civil law, which have a common root in the Egyptian legal code established in the late 19th to 20th centuries.† The justice system of the UAE is straightforward and the security and integrity of this region is attributed to its strict laws and regulations that its citizens and visitors are bound to follow. The working of the justice system is different in the UAE from many other countries in a lot of ways. In general, the legal system of many countries is shaped by precedents but in the case of the UAE, each case is treated as a new case and analyzed according to its circumstances. Furthermore, it is noteworthy to mention here that the courts in the UAE conduct in Arabic language, so legal representation is required to be well versed in Arabic. Thus lang uage barrier can be an issue for someone who is not familiar with Arabic and this can be particularly a problem for foreigners who may be involved in civil or financial-related disputes in the UAE. The criminal court of the UAE deals with all kinds of minor offenses and heinous crimes. As the UAE is constituted by seven emirates and each emirate has its own criminal courts, therefore, the justice system is strongly interconnected throughout the UAE. The independence of Federal judiciary â€Å"is guaranteed by the constitution† and it comprises of the Supreme Court and the courts of First Instance.

Causes of Juvenile Delinquency Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Causes of Juvenile Delinquency - Research Paper Example Cynthia (2008) further highlights that the juvenile court systems are driven by the idea that children who violate the law and get into problems should be assisted, guided and helped instead of being punished. This system was formed around the parental concept which advocates that the court should act as a parent, and develop an interfered part to protect the juvenile rather than seeking to determine guilt or innocence. However, different states in the world have established juvenile courts, which have age limits that are used to determine the extent of the offence charged. This is because some crimes committed by juvenile can be heard and determined by criminal courts and trials listened as those of adults (Cynthia, 2008). Globally, there has been an increase in juvenile delinquency in many countries which can be attributed to many cases. This paper shall present and analyze the causes of juvenile delinquency and highlight some of the dependent and independent variables and the crim inological theory concerned with cases. There are several theories which are used to explain the causes of juvenile delinquency. ... Vitaro, Bredger and Trembley (2002, as cited in Mandela, 2008) argue that the family has a big influence on a child’s development which can be positive or delinquent. In the light of family influences, the world youth report highlights that minors who are given proper supervision are unlikely to be involved in criminal activities. Therefore, juvenile delinquency can be linked to abnormal or undesirable family settings which are usually characterized by lack of parental guidance. Juvenile delinquency is influenced by poor internal guidance, premature autonomy and frequent conflict. Juvenile delinquency is influenced by some of these factors because they influence the family background which they live in. Changes in the family institution in the society today are influencing how minors grow. The family institution form is becoming modified with time (Mandel, 2008). For example, single parent families have increased. The absence of one parent to guide the child, especially boys, leads them to seek and acquire behavior from the group they interact with, such as peers. These groups end up taking the family institutions roles, and they influence the morals of a minor and contribute towards acquiring of negative behavior such as cruelty (United Nations, 2004). In addition, the capacity of parents in a family to provide children with what they require for their daily lives, such as books and others things, influences the behavior of the children. Some may feel excluded, and they can be motivated to join juvenile delinquent groups to satisfy their needs. Finally, communication in a family can also influence juvenile delinquency (United Nations, 2004). Moreover, if there are adult offenders in a family, they can

Justice and policing in United Arab Emirates Research Paper

Justice and policing in United Arab Emirates - Research Paper Example A research conducted under Hauser Global Law School Program found out that, â€Å"although the core principles of law in the UAE are drawn from Sharia, most legislation is comprised of a mix of Islamic and European concepts of civil law, which have a common root in the Egyptian legal code established in the late 19th to 20th centuries.† The justice system of the UAE is straightforward and the security and integrity of this region is attributed to its strict laws and regulations that its citizens and visitors are bound to follow. The working of the justice system is different in the UAE from many other countries in a lot of ways. In general, the legal system of many countries is shaped by precedents but in the case of the UAE, each case is treated as a new case and analyzed according to its circumstances. Furthermore, it is noteworthy to mention here that the courts in the UAE conduct in Arabic language, so legal representation is required to be well versed in Arabic. Thus lang uage barrier can be an issue for someone who is not familiar with Arabic and this can be particularly a problem for foreigners who may be involved in civil or financial-related disputes in the UAE. The criminal court of the UAE deals with all kinds of minor offenses and heinous crimes. As the UAE is constituted by seven emirates and each emirate has its own criminal courts, therefore, the justice system is strongly interconnected throughout the UAE. The independence of Federal judiciary â€Å"is guaranteed by the constitution† and it comprises of the Supreme Court and the courts of First Instance.

Ethical and Legal Issues in Health Care Practice and Policy Essay

Ethical and Legal Issues in Health Care Practice and Policy - Essay Example question of abortion, perhaps one of the most controversial topics in the field, has always been a subject of discussion, given its complex legal and ethical implications, pitting health care professionals against each other and against members of the public. Whereas it may be legal for health care practitioners to perform an abortion today, other health care professionals and members of the public still consider it unethical to do so, thereby creating an ethical dilemma in the field (Wallace, Wiegand & Warren 1997, p.586). Apart from that, other ethical dilemmas emerge at the end of life point, when health care professionals have to make the critical decision of switching off the life-support machines to permit death to occur. As if that is not enough, the issues of confidentiality, patient/practitioner relationship as well as matters to do with consent as in the treatment of underage patients often present numerous ethical dilemmas to health care professionals (Greenwood, 2014). Th is paper explores the ethical and legal issues that are relevant to health care practice and policy while incorporating critical application of selected theoretical perspectives applicable to ethics in health. Relevant ethical arguments and legal perspectives will be applied to a specific practice situation in reference to the adult learning theory of Knowles (1990). Eventually, this paper will explore the issue related to ethical and legal issues in health care incorporating professional body guidance (NMC code) and legal acts, as well as the views of theorists and philosophers. The term â€Å"ethics† has been conceptualized as â€Å"social values†, â€Å"morals† or â€Å"principles† that enable people in distinguishing between the acceptable and unacceptable social behaviour (Corning 2002, p.6); ethical values form the basis for social interaction because they are deeply entrenched in people. Health care professionals need to know ethical standards or principles and the professional

Nursing Interventions For Critically Ill Brain Injury Patients

Nursing Interventions For Critically Ill Brain Injury Patients A key priority when caring for a patient with an altered level of consciousness is giving the patient a chance, in which interventions are focused on learning about the patient, protecting and monitoring patient status, talking to the patient and working with the family (Villanueva, 1999). Neuroscience intensive care unit nurses carry numerous interventions when caring for a critically ill traumatic brain injured patient. In this study, their specific interventions, that they routinely perform, are identified. Quantitatively and qualitatively, nurses regularly monitor hemodynamic considerations such as O2 saturation, BP and temperature and other physiological parameters, monitor intracranial pressure and cerebral perfusion, and providing emotional support. While qualitative analyses solely showed that the other nursing interventions that they do could be classified as neurophysiological interventions, psychosocial interventions, injury prevention interventions, and interventions that maintains therapeutic environment. This study would present proofs of the comprehensive role of the neuroscience intensive care unit nurses caring for Traumatic Brain Injured patients and can be used in future researchers that would like to investigate the contribution of neuroscience inte nsive care unit nurses interventions to the progression of the patients condition. After gaining an approval from the institutional review boards and nursing administration, a survey was done to 67 nurses who work in 3 different ICUs from two level-I trauma centers who regularly care for critically ill TBI patients. Those two trauma centers were chosen because they were both comparable in terms of delivery and organization of nursing care, employment ratios, and nurse characteristics so as to not have bias on the study. The respondents were registered nurses that worked for at least 3 months as a full-time or part-time clinical bedside nurse in an ICU that handles critically ill Traumatic Brain Injured patients. They were approached during their unit staff meetings and change-of-shift report times and invited to take part in the study. They were then given a questionnaire which was comprised of 3 parts: Part A was comprised of series of questions about their previously handled TBI patient, part B contained case scenarios wherein they used nursing judgments, and par t C gathered demographic information about the nurse respondents. For the quantitative data, all neuroscience intensive care unit nurses indicated that they were responsible for the monitoring of the patients blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and temperature. And approximately 50% of the nurses indicated that they were also responsible for the monitoring of the ICP and CPP. For the qualitative data, there were 4 categories where in the nurses interventions were grouped. The first one is the Neurophysiological Interventions. It is comprised of monitoring and maintaining the physiological parameters to guarantee neurological stability in TBI patients. In addition to that parameter, they also monitored pulmonary artery and central venous pressure reading, cerebral spinal fluid drainage, serial laboratory values, and carbon dioxide parameters. Keeping these values within the normal range, nurses help TBI patient to prevent secondary brain injury and to uphold neurological stability. The second one is the Psychosocial Interventions. In this category, n urses make meetings between the family member and various members of the healthcare team. Meetings between the family members are held to provide education and background of the plan of care being rendered to the patients and also to give information about the possible patient outcomes and rationales for the therapies. The third one is the Injury Prevention Interventions. This category aims to prevent additional complications to the patient and to ensure patients safety. The primary interventions for this category are maintenance of spine precautions and frequent reorientation of the patient. Other interventions like prevention of skin breakdown and ventilator-associated pneumonia, prevention of falls and evaluation for the need of restraints to prevent disruption of medical devices are considered usual care for any vitally ill patient. The fourth and the last category is Maintaining Therapeutic Milieu. In this category, nurses give suitable environment for the patient and provide t heir special needs. Limiting visitors, decreasing lighting, minimizing noise, avoiding disruption of the patients sleep-wake cycle are the interventions done in this group. All of which are carried out to provide optimal care and rest periods to the patient thus limits further increase in ICP. Neuroscience nurses indeed have an essential part in the care of the critically ill traumatic brain injured patients. Their interventions address the prevention of secondary brain injury and complications and provide significant support and guidance for the family members. Therefore, they have a big contribution to the patients positive outcomes, but there is still no research documenting their multifaceted role on the patients progression. These data are needed to recognize the exceptional contribution of neuroscience ICU nurses as part of the interdisciplinary team caring for TBI patients and as a foundation for future research investigating how ICU nurses impact patient and family recovery from TBI during the acute stage of injury.

Compaison Of Any Two Search En :: essays research papers

Comparison of any two Search Engines (e.g. Yahoo, Magellan, AltaVista, Infoseek, Lycos, Bigfoot†¦ ) The single, most frequent piece of search advice for using Web search engines is to always search more than one engine to answer your question. No two engines are the same-each offers a unique set of features and indexes or crawls the Web differently. It’s no surprise the results vary. Good searchers triangulate output from several engines to acheive relevent results. The emergence of meta search engines is a credible antitode to the time-consuming practice of sequential search engine searches. By using a meta search engine to search several search engines at once and obtain ranked, clickable results, Web searchers can accomplish the Internet equivalent of doing a Dialog OneSearch. From one search screen, a searcher can select several search engines, formulate a search, click the Search button, and quickly receive ranked, compiled results. Meta search engines vary widely in which engines they search, how they process queries, and how they compile and display results. Some search sequentially, others simultaneously; some translate queries into target engine’s language, and others just send the query â€Å"as is†. The best metas offer an esily viewable list that can be customized, and it is a plus to see a checkbox feature on the first screen that allows you to choose the engines you want for a specific search. Ideally, a metasearch Web site would allow you to send a single query to multiple databases simultaneously, then retrieve, combine, and organise the results. This is more myth than reality. The majority of metasearches can query multiple database, but only one at a time. SavvySearch is the amazing exception to the rule. It can perform parallel searches on upto five databases at once. Results are retrieved and combined on one page, with duplicates eliminated. That alone would make it one of the better meta searches. There is more! SavvySearch uses your search terms, its own data about past searches, and other factors to create a search plan. SavvySearch allows the searcher to customize a selection of engines to search and in what order-and then save the customized selection for future use. SavvySearch Limited’s technology also enables users to 1) dramatically speed up browsing of the World Wide Web, 2) quickly target and retrieve relevant information from the internet, and 3) communicate seamlessly with a virtually unlimited number of databases worldwide. Compared to the current leading search engines and directories, SavvySearch.

Mongolian Armies :: essays research papers

The Mongols were nomadic herders and hunters who spent their lives in the saddles of their steppe ponies. They learned to ride and use weapons, especially the composite bow, at an early age. For hunting and war, every able-bodied male under the age of 60 years was expected to take part. The armies of the united Mongol tribes consisted of the entire adult male population. They fought under a strict code of discipline. Booty was held collectively. The penalty was death for abandoning a comrade in battle. This discipline, together with leadership, intelligence-gathering, and organization, raised the Mongol force from a cavalry swarm into a true army. The Mongol army was organized according to a decimal system, with units of 10, 100, 1000, and 10,000 men. These numbers for units were probably rarely approached due to casualties and attrition. The 10,000-man unit was the major fighting unit, like a modern division, capable of sustained fighting on its own. Individual soldiers identified most with the 1000-man unit of which they were a part, the equivalent of a modern regiment. Original Mongol tribes fielded their own 1000-man units. Conquered peoples, such as the Tatars and Merkits, were broken up and distributed among other units so that they could pose no organized threat to the ruling family. Genghis Khan created a personal guard unit of 10,000 men. This unit was recruited across tribal boundaries and selection was a high honor. In its early stages it served as a form of honorable hostage-holding. It grew into the family household and the source of the growing empire's ruling class. Mongol soldiers at first received no pay other than booty. Advancement was based on merit. Once the rapid conquests slowed, a new system of pay was put in place. Officers were later able to pass on their posts to heirs. Each soldier went on campaign with approximately five horses, allowing quick changes and rapid movements.

Morrison and the Intersections of my Life Essay

When I was younger I recall the haunting yet beautiful music of the Doors, led by Jim Morrison. I would feel connected to the music that I heard, but barely took the time to pause in my effort to understand the man behind the music. It was only when I was older and I began to contemplate serious matters of life, such as death and the legacy we leave for our families if we are so lucky to grow to an old age, that I began to look into the life of this man. He was unlucky to have lived a relatively short life, his music however and the way that he playfully dismissed conventions were his most important skills that he passed down to people like me, who are interested in the genius of men like him. The more I looked into Morrison’s work, the more I saw parts of myself. I think that sometimes people look unto others to find such a spark, something that reminds us that life is short, sometimes to a tragic degree. But what we do with our lives and what we leave behind are what we must focus on from time to time to be sure that we have lived life to the fullest and expanded our minds to as far as we could, until there was just nothing left to do. Morrison still maintains his position in our lives even in his death. He remains an elusive figure, complicated and suffering in the world due to his intelligence. His high IQ was likely more of a burden to him, an alienating source of frustration when he could not find other like-minded people to share his thoughts with. It is a likely thought for the religious people in the world that he is in a place that is better for him now with the writers and philosophers that he loved to read. This is something that I so deeply understand and connect with, the feeling of wanting to connect with others but having a barrier there between myself and others. Whether it is because of intelligence, chosen discipline, ethnicity, etc†¦ I believe everyone feels disconnected with others, at times. For some, this disconnect may bring upon a search for something that makes sense, an interconnectedness with others. Some may find religion, or music, or others on the same path. For me, I found a sense of enlightenment on discovering Morrison and his journey. He seemed to embrace his disconnectedness and turn it into an art. Although Morrison did feel a sense of disconnect with those around him, there are aspects of his life that can be connected when looking at his biography. The connections made with his experiences and his behavior can be further expanded to experiences in my own life. His childhood, for example, was cold and unfulfilling. His father was a U. S. Navy Admiral, which caused their family to move frequently (Kirjasto, 2000). There was never a healthy relationship developed between him and his father. When his father was as home he had an authoritative way of parenting, which likely led Jim to later have issues with authority figures and laws. Morrison most likely played the role of an underachiever as a young man, because his parents would not allow him to make his own decisions. Therefore, he left home and hitchhiked to California to follow the career that was forbidden by his parents, filmmaking (Cristafulli, 2000). After this he was shunned from his father and begun his lifetime of freedom amongst uncertainty and mystery. By looking at the restrictions placed upon Morrison and the rift between him and his family, many young people would likely see similarities to this in their own life. I, too, felt a distance between myself and my parents and begun to question my intentions in life in terms of the reasoning for what I was doing. When I began to wonder about whether or not I was following my own path or my parents’ ideal, I began to feel a sense of restlessness stirring inside. I wanted to rebel and do less than my best just to spite them. I hated certainty and the implications of securing a certain future with a life that had been set up for me. But, I did not go to Jim’s extremes of going against my family totally, though I did move away for college. I kept everything inside until I moved, thinking that everything would be different, that I would be different. But, I saw and realized that authority is authority, regardless of if it is parents or teachers or whomever. So, freedom is different than it may seem when you are young, it is scary and lonely, because when we are free to be ourselves, we are alone. We don’t feel free collectively, it is different for everyone. Morrison tried to do his best, however, to free people from the tensions and constraints they felt in the volatile era in which he performed. When I feel lonely and understand that I am going through a fundamental change in life, to become a higher functioning person that is not constrained by my past or any other chains that might bind my mind, I think of how it might have felt to go to one of the Doors concerts. I picture people, who are deep in their own thoughts of how to climb up to a more aesthetic purpose all together and it is comforting. Though I have went to many concerts of current musicians, there is some allure and pull back to the past when life was different and people were different. From this I try to remember that it is not only a journey we all must take to understand our individual past and how we arrived to our current mode of thinking, but also we must learn about the culture of our ancestors to see how we, as people, have arrived to this time and place. Jim Morrison was completely obsessed, one might say, with his perfect ideal of freedom, just as he was occupied with thoughts of a distant past. He, like most students of life, attempted to reconcile this past with his future. Though his life was most interesting as it was tragic in the way in which he attempted to blot out his present. He told his fans and those close to him that he was trying to expand his thinking while many believe that he was using drugs and alcohol as an escape. Regardless of why he was using substances, it is important for every young adult to question their quest for knowledge, as to why one is questioning their lives and the world at large. Even if we do not use drugs, as I do not, the exhilaration of finding out elusive secrets of life may be an intoxicating experience in itself. It is so much easier to look toward other people and other topics than to look inward at yourself. Morrison lived his life this way in the extremes of life’s possibilities. He turned to a much distant and disconnected past, though he believed that there was a sense of spirituality in what he described. It is likely that Jim suppressed his more mediocre thoughts in his past to invite in other more exciting thoughts to create a persona that would be remembered far beyond his own death. He would rather talk about experiences that could not be proven by any method and explore topics that were uncomfortable for others to deal with while encompassing them in music that was comfortable to listen to. His extreme positions taken in his poems were compounded in his sometimes irrational and incomprehensible behavior. These extremes were staggering in there visibility to others and Morrison seemed to revel in the controversy that he created. It was quite possible that he thrived on the attention while he also wanted for peace and calm. These two vying states of being along with his unresolved tensions in his past and future led to an explosive life. This makes me think of the importance of balance between the extremes of life to achieve understanding and happiness, but also to have a freedom to explore the extreme nature of our lives. I believe that people like Jim Morrison are necessary to understand, as it would be unhealthy in many ways to live his type of lifestyle. While many of us seek to achieve a limitless understanding of ourselves and our world, we must constantly evaluate and reevaluate our lives with the limits that we find along the way. We are, for example, slaves to our own limits of intelligence, we can only know so much. Jim had a high IQ, stated to be 149 (Kirjasto, 2000). He seemed to possess a wide understanding in what he read in books and studied in college, but he concentrated much of his life to pursuits that could not be studied, proven, or disproved. Many would say this was a waste of time. But, can we really understand how such an intelligent person could live in a world were things seemed so simple to them but not to us? What one person may think is rational and simple another person may see as irrational and difficult. In this way, we are stuck to the limits of what we can prove about our existence and what we can agree upon with others. What may seem to one person as disagreeable in another, may simply be a person using their intelligence in ways which we cannot understand. It may be a universal truth, then that what we can all agree on is that we will disagree. To see someone like Morrison, who constantly clashed with authority and fought the conventions of society, reminds us that we must agree that we will not always see things the same way as others. If we can grasp this concept fully in another person’s life, we can surely grasp it in our own. We can value others for their struggle to be who they are and to stand for something. We can appreciate conformity through seeing nonconformity and we can appreciate silence by listening to music. Sometimes we can learn more about things from looking at the extremes and opposites of what we have and what we do not have. For Jim life was a constant struggle to reconcile living with dying. His poems and songs are wrought with themes of death and destruction of madness and sanity. It may be stated that he wished to appreciate his life more by understanding death and he wished to appreciate his mind and his intelligence by studying themes of insanity and inducing drug and alcoholic states of numbness. There is a lesson to life in this behavior, as well. It is like the phrase that many of our elders like to teach to us, that we want what we do not or cannot have. This is especially important to college students, as many of us are confused in what to study and what to be once we are graduated. It is this fear that prevents all success in life. We are afraid that if we chose a career path that we might want to change our minds, so we tend to make hasty decisions just to get to over with, so to speak. The rumination over choices that present themselves as black and white, right or wrong type of thinking can hinder our growth. There is that gray area in between all things that we must explore. Though we do limit ourselves and become somewhat constrained once we do make a choice, the discovery of what we decide to do is an amazing journey and we must appreciate that. The journey of an entire life, the biography of another, interesting person is something that is important for all of us to look at. When we become mired in our thinking, unable to be creative or objective, we can take a step back and see how another person survived their struggle and then how they died from it or in spite of it. In this case, Morrison decided that he would taunt and tease his worst fears and he died from the excesses of this struggle. Morrison explained, â€Å"expose yourself to your deepest fear, after that fear has no power and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes† (Crisafulli, 2000). I believe that if we understand our fears then, indeed, we can overcome them. But if we constantly expose ourselves to our fears and the negative thoughts that arise from combating the deepest and darkest corners of the imagination then we are inviting chaos into our lives. Though Jim seemed to be a master of harnessing his inner chaos into his art, we must all of us, understand that we have limits on what we can make out of our turmoil. If we are seeking a simple understanding and a sense of finality to our fears and not making art with our deep imaginations, then we must be careful to not live to hard to fast and to wait patiently for understanding to emerge in our lives. I believe that for some, patience is a near to impossible state of being. We may feel that we have to rush our lives to complete everything there is to do and that there are not enough hours in the day. We may miss true beauty and opportunity if we think this way. Jim lived a hard and fast life, though he paused to make beautiful music and poetry. It may be, though, for the conflicted artist, that he had no choice but to create his work. Many interesting people feel this way, that they have no choice in there lives and that they were born to do certain things in their lives. Some are luckier than others to be enlightened to their life’s purpose early on. Others, like myself, must wait patiently for that moment of understanding and the sense of serenity and purpose that comes with our life’s work being laid out in front of us. I think that many people are rushed to get to that moment of knowing what to do with our lives and we may be so eager that we miss the moment. There is also another distinct possibility for all of us, who are patiently or not so patiently waiting for our purpose to present itself. This may be as it may have been for Jim, that our purpose in life is to deal with the extreme nature of the human condition. This is a certain fear for me, as I know it is for others. We may have to go down a path of misery. What then? Will we manage to do this in a way of sobriety? There are so many questions and the more we know about others and our world, the more we question ourselves. We may feel ready to tackle our own selves and our own fears, but what if we fear ourselves and our ability to carry out the plans that the most confusing universe has set out in front of us? I believe that Jim Morrison was made more confused in his life by the more he learned and that we must not be afraid of the questions. I think that even more, we must not be afraid of the answers. What we must do is realize that there will come a time before our own deaths to relax and that is when we are satisfied that we did ask all the right questions and that we did our due diligence to find all the answers. I must close by saying that reviewing the life of Jim Morrison has been interesting and personally fulfilling. Any intelligent and creative person’s life is useful to explore, especially a life that is cut short by an untimely death. What we could have become in our own lives is magnified by what others could have been if they had lives to see it. In this way, it is essential to live life to the fullest and act as if we are constantly writing our own biography. We must be careful in what we do and we must be patient, but we cannot be so careful as to miss out on the joy of pushing the limits of our own lives and of our surroundings. We must all trust ourselves enough to do this and we will be most surprised once we do and we begin to trust and respect all those that came before us and all those that will pass behind us in our lives. Works Cited C Cristafulli, The Doors When The Music’s Over: The Stories Behind Every Song, 2000, New York, NY: Thunder’s Mouth. Kirijasto, â€Å"James Douglas ’Jim’ Morrison†, 2000, Accessible Online http://kirjasto. sci. fi/morrison. htm, last accessed 2 March, 2009.