The Killers Film Analysis - 1697 Words

The 1946 film The Killers is a renowned film noir based off of Ernest Hemingway’s short story of the same title, focusing on the detailed backstory and investigation for the motive of the murder of Pete Lund/Ole Anderson, commonly known and referred to as â€Å"The Swede.† A film noir is a term made originally to describe American mystery and thriller movies produced in the time period from 1944-1954, primarily marked by moods of menace, pessimism, and fatalism. Although the film does not focus on the war itself at all, it still puts forth interesting new ways in how gender relations can be stereotypical as well as divergent proceeding the Second World War. The film begins with two hired assassins, dubbed as â€Å"The Killers,† interrogating†¦show more content†¦Some time later, Sam would catch Kitty wearing stolen jewelry, in which The Swede takes the blame for her, resulting in his imprisonment for three years. This led Reardon to track down a man n amed Charleston, The Swede’s prison cellmate, whom revealed that following his release, The Swede was involved in a massive $250,000 payroll heist at a hat company, a company that Jim’s insurance company just so happens to insure, led by â€Å"Big Jim† Colfax, along with thugs Dum Dum and Blinky, as well as a mysterious woman. Through a telephone call, Lubinsky is notified that Blinky, from the payroll heist, has been shot and is nearly dead at a hospital, in which the duo of investigators go and listen to his last words describing the heist in accurate detail. Before his death, Blinky reveals that the set meeting place for after the heist changed because the previous halfway house had â€Å"burned down.† The Swede, whom was the last to be notified of the halfway house change, accuses Colfax of attempting to pull a fast one, and proceeds to take all of the money for himself while holding everyone at gunpoint. After hearing all of this, Reardon is cert ain that the payroll heist is linked to the murder of The Swede. Reardon then returns to Brentwood to investigate The Swede’s room, only to find Dum Dum rummaging through the room in search of loot from the heist. Through a brief struggle andShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Charles Burnett s Film, The Killer Of Sheep, And My Brothers Essay2123 Words   |  9 PagesFilm is, and has been one of the most significant aspects of American culture for over one hundred years. In addition to entertainment value, film plays crucial social role in conveying the struggles, and hardships of various groups. The importance of film is constantly being changed and driven forward by filmmakers. Without influential directors, there would be no driving force making films that entertain and inform about the perspective of different groups of people. Throughout the history ofRead MoreBlack Fish : Critical Analysis1361 Words   |  6 Pages Black Fish: Critical Analysis Black Fish uses the death of a recognized Killer Whale trainer at SeaWorld, Dawn Brancheau who was one of Tilikums trainers thorough his twenty years in captivity, almost as a framing device to explore the theory that possessing Orcas in captivity is corrupt and unnatural for the whales. In Black fish, there are many different tragedies that went on while the Orcas were in captivity. Fisher men separated the young from the mothers and took them into SeaWorld. ManyRead MoreFilm Analysis : Blackfish 1475 Words   |  6 PagesDocumentary Film Analysis: Blackfish Purpose: â€Å"Blackfish† the documentary film was created to reveal how confinement of killer whales can lead to dangerous behavior toward human trainers. The main claim this film displayed is how the captivity of Killer Whales triggers aggression and is unsafe for humans and other marine mammals. Blackfish uses the story of Tilikum (most aggressive killer whale who killed the most amount of Sea World trainers), interviews of previous trainers, and court hearingsRead MoreAnalysis of Natural Born Killers Essay989 Words   |  4 PagesAnalysis of Natural Born Killers Natural born killers is a violent film with a twist. It provides humor and violence and cartoons in parts of the film. I think that Natural born killers is a bad film because a lot of the time you don’t know what is going on and it is a film that you have to watch without any distractions, also it makes out that violence is funny by using cartoons and other surrealistic parts. The film is also bad because it can influence dominant andRead MoreThe Horrifying Shower Scene in Alfred Hitchcocks Film, Psycho1660 Words   |  7 PagesIn this essay I will be doing a close analysis on the famous shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, 1960. I will be looking at the mise-en-scà ¨ne, performance, cinematography, editing, and the manipulation of sound. I will also be looking at themes that are explored in the film and what messages they convey to the audience. I will be using some theories to help analyze this particular sequence. At the beginning of the clip we can see the Marion flushing pieces of paper down the toilet in a closeRead MoreMovie Analysis: M vs. Bicycle Thieves Essay1399 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis of M and Bicycle Thieves One thing that both movies, M and Bicycle Thieves, share collectively is the open ending; both movies make audiences interpret their own perception or ending of the movies. Also, both movies contain a sense of tragedy in the final scenes; in the movie M, I felt somewhat sympathetic toward the mentally ill killer even though I knew he was the serial killer and might be pretending to get away. The feeling of sympathy toward the serial killer in the presence of hisRead MoreChange: an Analysis of the Silence of the Lambs1567 Words   |  7 PagesChange: An Analysis of The Silence of the Lambs Stacy Cooper HUM/150 May 28, 2012 Victor Armenta University of Phoenix Change: An Analysis of The Silence of the Lambs The Silence of the Lambs (1991) is a film based on the novel by Thomas Harris, directed by Jonathan Demme. This film is a psychological crime-drama-thriller. Each of the main characters in this film share, in their own ways, a desire for change. The purpose of this paper is to analyze three main character’s roles in the film, andRead MoreAnalysis of the Film Silence of the Lambs1358 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿The American publics fascination with serial murders has not only continuously kept these violent men and women in the public eye, but has also inspired the creation of films that demonstrate and dramatize the heinous crimes committed by these people. One such film program that adapts crimes committed by serial murderers, and the murderers themselves, is The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Through a combination of criminology, psychology, and sociology, The Silence of the Lambs is able to not onlyRead MoreHorror Movies Are All the same1163 Words   |  5 Pagesmovie. Socie ty has paid to be entertained by these gruesome stories that we all truly fear. Before movies, people would purchase books of similar traumatic events to read in their spare time for amusement. It has been said by the Filmmakers IQs horror film lesson (2012), that writers such as Bram Stoker created graphic novels that would grab the audiences attention for years to come. But the horror movie, The House Of The Devil (1896), was noted as being the first ever horror movie. And as the yearsRead More James M. Cains Novel Mildred Pierce: Comparing the Book and Movie Version869 Words   |  4 PagesJames M. Cain. After the success of the novel, the Hollywood film came out, produced by Jerry Wald. The novel and the movie are very different from each other. â€Å"James M. Cain sent several letters of complaint to producer Jerry Wald, objecting to the changes Wald wanted to make, especially the dramatic idea of making Veda a washout musically and putting her in a tawdry nightclub† (Bennett Notes). The three main differences in the film were, the murder of Monte, Veda not having a successful career

My Life As A Premature Baby - 996 Words

On September 28, 1990, I embarked on this journey called life. Due to me being a premature baby, I had a few complications in my early years of development. Also, my mother who I love dearly has been handicapped my entire life and the first couple of years of my life was wheel chair bound. Because of these two factors, I would mimic much of my behavior in my early years after her. For example, I did not walk until I was two years. This caused doctors and my mother to be concerned about my development. So for the first four years of my life, I went to a number of therapists. At the age of two, I started school at Urban Christian Academy here in Savannah Ga. My teachers there were awesome. They worked with me and made sure I was nurtured and taught everything I needed to know. After completing the elementary grades, I went to Bible Baptist day school as a seventh grader. I stayed there until the eleventh grade. After finishing middle school and the first two years of high school, I finished out my High School years at Jenkins. Jenkins is where I discovered I wanted to work with children. And not just any children, I wanted to work with special needs children and children who were only slightly behind. I had a friend there who had a learning disability. She could function just as well as the rest of us in the class; she just had a hard time grasping certain concepts. She was always picked on and decided that she wanted to give up. I felt horrible. My heart was broken becauseShow MoreRelatedPremature Babies And Their Chances Of Survival1286 Words   |  6 PagesPremature babies have existed since the beginning of time. The only difference between now and the past is that babies currently have more chances of survival. This paper will discuss a few components: the history of premature babies, impact of knowledge and technology and the nurses that take care of premature babies. We have the ad vancement in technology to thank for that. Today there are still some cases where the baby might be born and still be too underdeveloped and die even with technologyRead MoreCauses And Consequences Of Preterm Babies854 Words   |  4 Pagesappointment with my doctor; I believe that this day would be some routine that turn out to be a nightmare. My doctor indicated that my baby had to be born on this date because he had a problem at my 32 weeks of pregnancy his weight was only 3 lbs and there was a high level of protein on my urine. I was diagnosed with preeclampsia; finally, my baby was born a premature baby my first question was why? And what is a premature baby? Premature baby Tiny and very pink, a baby born more that threeRead MorePreterm Childbirth Speech1471 Words   |  6 PagesSpeech Title: Preterm Childbirth Specific Purpose Statement: My audience will learn about preterm birth as well as the causes of it and ways to prevent it. Central Idea: Preterm childbirth is the leading cause of death in infants, and it is important that we know that there are ways to prevent preterm birth and care for babies who are born prematurely. Method of Organization: Topical Introduction: I. In a time where everything is seemingly at our fingertips, it can be difficult for us to adjustRead MorePreterm Birth Is Important And Interesting Topics1256 Words   |  6 Pagesreasons is because it happens so often and unexpectedly. Preterm Birth has become a personal interest in research simply because it has made a tremendous impact in my life. Having a Preterm Birth has taught me lots of things, such as, to grow as a person and as a mother, to see things from a different perspective, to get up, continue with my life, and perhaps to learn how to say â€Å"good bye† to a little one without even saying â€Å"hello.† For all the reasons above, there are some questions I would like to address:Read MoreTeen Pregnancy Is Becoming More Of An Issue992 Words   |  4 PagesAfter the egg is fertilized by a sperm and then implanted in the lining of the uterus later developing into a placenta and embryo to become a fetus and grow (the free dictionary). The miracle of life ; teens seem to be experiencing this way to early on in life; Statistics show that in 2013 a total of 273,105 babies were born to women aged 15-19 and they had only about a 26.5 % living rate per 1,000 women (â€Å"about teen pregnancy†). Although our percentage has dropped since the last couple of years AmericaRead MoreNeonatal Intensive Care Unit ( Nicu )1579 Words   |  7 Pagesapproximately 500,000 premature births per year. In 2009, my cousin was born ten weeks prematurely, weighing merely two pounds, four ounces. After spending a copious amount of time in and out of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with my family over the course of a month, I developed an interest in its operation. Being a neonatologist became my leading occupation of interest. I chose to further research this topic in hopes of finding out whether or not this is the career path for me. In my research paperRead MoreMedical Ethics : Medical Ethical Dilemma Essay878 Words   |  4 Pagesme becaus e it dealt with a baby in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) born at twenty-four weeks’ gestation, weighing nine ounces. I want to be a NICU nurse so I am sure I will be faced with an issue similar to this at some point in my career. 2. What are your feelings about this dilemma? Are you for or against? I am for this dilemma. I liked when Doctor Ramanathan said, â€Å"I don t know if I can put cost to life†¦ It s worth it (Gorman, 2011). The fact that this baby may have a shot at livingRead MoreEssay on Nicu nursing1594 Words   |  7 Pages70% of premature babies that are born between 34 and 36 weeks gestation a year. When a baby is born early, or born with birth defects, the Neonatal Intensive Care unit is its first home. The nurse’s in the NICU have the difficult job of preparing baby’s and parents for a health life together. A baby who has been put into the NICU will stay there until it is healthy enough to go home. According to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, â€Å"In the United States, nearly thirteen percent of babies are bornRead MoreResearch Article : Outcomes For Extremely Premature Infants1064 Words   |  5 Pagesresearch article entitled Outcomes for Extremely Premature Infants, which may be accessed for free, full text, at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nig.gov/pubmed /25988638. The independent variable for my research article was the medical equipment used in their experiments for extremely preterm infants. The dependent variable for my research article was the extremely preterm infants that depended the use of these machines used to support their life. The hypothesis of my research article was the challenges that â€Å"graduates†Read MoreRelationship Of Substance Abuse And Physical Abuse1622 Words   |  7 PagesPhysical Abuse in Preterm Birth In the year of 2010, more than 450 billion babies were born prematurely (Truong, Reifsnider, Mayorga, Spitler, 2013). At least 35% of infant deaths each year are caused from preterm births, which also costs the U.S health care more than 26 billions of dollars in the year of 2005 alone (Malloy, 2013).Premature birth affects the growth of the child and leads to various complications. Babies born before 37 weeks are at an amplified risk for an assortment of medical

Knowledge Is Power Essay Example For Students

Knowledge Is Power Essay Knowledge can be defined as the fact or state of knowing. There are many different aspects of knowledge. Knowledge comes from many different places. There are great numbers of philosophers who have tried to describe where knowledge comes from. Also knowledge can be divided into different parts according to the way we receive knowledge. There are many things that related to the knowledge of something. The development of questions in philosophy about knowledge began back in the day of Plato. They are still around today. These questions are the hardest to answer. Also these questions are used to give background on a lot of philosophies. Epistemology is the theory of knowledge. This theory asks three questions: what are the sources of knowledge? What is the nature of knowledge? And is our knowledge valid? Knowledge is believed to come from four different sources. The sources each have their own way to look at the world. The appeal to authority is the first source of knowledge. We learn things about the past from the testimony of others. The experience of the person who gives you the testimony is the actual source. Although authority is used a lot as a source of knowledge, this is only a secondary source. Another source is the senses through empiricism. The realm of knowledge is given to us through all of our perceptions of something concrete. Whatever someone sees, hears, touches, smells, and tastes then is made into an idea that becomes a part of the knowledge that person can receive. The philosophy of pragmatism is similar to empiricism. The next source is rationalism. Rationalists say that thinking is a source of knowledge. They also say that the mind has the ability to discover truth by itself, or knowledge is obtained by comparing ideas with ideas. The things that the senses detect are just raw material of knowledge in rationalism. The last source is intuition, or the direct apprehension of knowledge that is not the result of conscious reasoning or of immediate sense perception. Intuition has four different ways that it is connected with being a source of knowledge. First George Santayana believed intuition was the awareness of the immediate data of consciousness. He said that intuition is in the knowledge of oneself and ones own life. The second is that intuition is actually just a combination of ones past experiences and thinking. It comes from subconscious induction or deduction. People who have done a lot of thinking and have done a certain type of work will have a good intuition in that area. The belief that intuition is a higher kind of knowledge is the third way it could be a source. Bergson said that intelligence and intuition are traveling in opposite directions. Intelligence is a tool used by science to deal with matter, while intuition is the instinct of someone that leads that person to the very inwardness of life. The last way intuition could be a source of knowledge is through mystical expressions. It is believed that mystical expressions can enable someone to gain an immediate knowledge that transcends knowledge gained through reason and the senses. This fourth description of intuition says that it could be a manifestation of the self in union with spiritual reality. These sources of knowledge range from the very perception of objects to the supernatural induction of knowledge Knowledge does not only have its sources but it also can come from different natures. The two main natures of knowledge are subjectivism and objectivism. Other than the nature of knowledge there are two types of knowledge. These types are associated into both natures. Subjectivism is the belief that things do not exist without a preconception of the object. Through consciousness we can find reality. The dreams, hallucinations, and illusions that a person has are all part of subjectivism. These things that a person experiences are not physical in the outside world making them a part of the experiences in the mind. Locke described the color, sound, taste, odor, and so on of an object to not belong to that object in the outside world. He called these secondary qualities. .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed , .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed .postImageUrl , .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed , .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed:hover , .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed:visited , .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed:active { border:0!important; } .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed:active , .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3bcf989ab20a08a35b0653cec40bf2ed:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Deloach 1 Juvenile Criminals This newest phenomeno EssayThe secondary qualities vary from person to person. Later after Locke had had problems getting around the notion of material substances, Berkeley stated that all qualities, both primary and secondary, are in the mind therefore matter doesnt exist. More recent subjectivists have said that we cannot get outside our own experiences. The other nature of knowledge is objectivism. Objectivists reject Berkeleys view. They believe that there is an independent reality apart from minds. In part of the arguments for objectivism is that the conclusion is drawn that all known thing are known. This is a way of say that we cannot know things until we experience them. Although the subjectivists give a definition to the word idea, they also give that word another definition. The two definitions are, the concept held by the knower and the object known. This is a little confusing and brings up different questions about it. There is no way that the object of an act of thought can be the actual thought itself. Another argument for objectivism is that the existence of an outside world explains the experiences that we have to contribute to everyday life. These experiences are forced upon us by the outside world. The last argument is that we have other events that come in and break our train of thought. These experiences have to come from an outside world. These events have to obey laws outside our minds. The subjectivists and objectivists will argue day and night until both are blue in the face, but we will never know the nature of knowledge. The tests of knowledge are made up of skepticism, the correspondence theory, the coherence theory, and the pragmatic theory. Skepticism shows that there is no knowledge and the quest for truth is vain. Furthermore, skepticism is the attitude of questioning any assumption or conclusion until it can be subjected to rigorous examination. The correspondence theory is also the agreement with fact, which is most widely accepted by the realists. This theory says that truth is the agreement between the statement of fact and the actual fact. Also through this theory, belief has no effect on the truth or falsity of something. The idealists accept the coherence theory of consistency. This theory judges validity by the consistency or harmony of all our judgments. A judgment is true if consistent with other judgments that are accepted as true. The pragamatists see utility in the pragamatic theory as the test of truth. This theory states that ideas have to be tested before they can be found true. Knowledge is the most powerful tool known to man. If it is ever mastered, it could be very dangerous. Although people try everyday to find total knowledge they will never because there are so many ways knowledge can be found, the choice of nature of knowledge, and the tests of knowledge. It all hurts my head trying to understand everything that is known.

My Mom is My Hero Essay Example

My Mom is My Hero Essay Essay on My Mother Where would I have been without you mother? Destiny gives us opportunities to meet new people in our lives. Each one bringing a unique flavor, molding us into what we will become. There is always that one person who will walk in when the rest of the world walks out, the person that wont sleep if I dont sleep, the person that will run up and down looking for something for me to eat, the person that will pray to God to take her life instead of mine when I am sick: my sweet mother. A mother of eight, a woman shaped with strength, wisdom, experience, honesty, faithfulness, a caring wife and mother. She gathers from her soil, minerals and natural resources and equipped her children for survival. Her life of honesty, wisdom and strength inspires me with confidence and great motivation to achieve success. My mother: a woman from Abaft, a land with exotic beaches equipped with Ana blue waters and surrounded by anchors of Joy and laughter which enveloped you in the rhythm of its music and the sensational taste of its food that left you craving more. We will write a custom essay sample on My Mom is My Hero specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on My Mom is My Hero specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on My Mom is My Hero specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer My mother, a mi-light skin tone, flawless skin, a narrow, not so much fat facial shape, plump lips, dark brown eyes with thick eyelashes, high cheekbones, a straight, narrow nose, a big booty and a long straight hair extending to her cheeks. Her life was full of misfortune and unexpected troubles following her divorce to my dad. They divorced in the year 2000 because the beauty of another woman charmed my dad. At this time, I was Just two years old and had no clue as to what was going on. I was Just another unfortunate product of an unsuccessful marriage; Just another case to be brought up by a single woman whose Joy had always been my pain. Because I knew deep in my heart, she did not deserve what had been done to her by the forces of this world. After the divorce, my misery began. I was sent to live with my uncle and his family because I was the only son and my dad wanted to protect me. He needed an heir according to our rich strong values, which said: a man is a man if he has an heir to his throne and must be a male child. While at my uncles house, I was treated like an orphan. My uncles wife had always wished that, my fathers wealth were her husbands. She used this as an opportunity to release her build up Jealousy. The worst of it all was when she started calling my mother names saying, mirror mother is a lazy woman, a prostitute, a careless and unfaithful woman. She was mean to me because she wanted my fathers wealth to be her husbands. Imagine at the age of three; a child had to go through all that. Now as I think about it, I realized she taught me: patience and how to survive in hardship. A week after my uncles wife called my mom names, I was her next victim. She took me to the farm and showed my own portion and a time limit to work on it or else there will be no food and place for me in ere house. She then went to the market and bought new water Jars and commanded water. In addition to that, I had to check my uncles traps every morning. After a year of intense domestic chores, I got sick and needed medical attention which never came. I nursed the abscess for months which later on lead to a big scare. This scare reminds me of the hardship I received from my own uncles wife, a human and a woman who is still giving birth, not knowing what will happen with her own children. The wound later exposed me to other diseases that were unknown to the doctors and even to me. I was in real pain and no one in my uncles house really paid attention to me. I was left uncared for, abandoned as though I had no family. It was a Good Samaritan that heard my cry, who shared my pain and look for possible avenues I could get help. It was a radio announcement by this Good Samaritan that I am able to be here today. She called and informs my mom about my condition. Two days later, I felt the arms and warm embrace of a true woman, a loving and caring mother. It was not easy coming over because she was not working at the moment and could barely afford the cost of transportation to where I was. But when it came to me, the case was far different. She sold her clothes, Jewelries, and other valuable belongings she had owned for years. When she arrived, she was directed to my cold and lonely room, no lights and no mattress. I was laid on a wooden floor; no clothes, no food, no water and above all no medication to even help my fever. The room was like a devils den. Tears flow from her eyes like a river, as soon as she walked in. She grabbed me in her soft-gentle hands, soft as the petals of a rose. I felt a new found affection. And this was when my healing began. Taking me back with her to our hometown was a matter of kidnap. My uncle could not let her take me from them and this was the only thing she had in her head. She had a plan and asked me to cooperate. This was what I was willing to do any time any day. She planned on asking my uncle if she could take me for a short walk. With her wisdom and strength, we successfully fled from that den and from that moment, I knew I was going to be healed not by taking medications, but because of the love and affection I will be getting from my sweet mother. To keep me happy and healthy, she used her experience and tried many works for earning: she sold cooked food by the roadside, opened a mint-vegetable store and also leaned houses. This was to see that we survive. Despite the hardships, she never gave up. Unfortunately, she continued to suffer from tons of work to do every day. I remember days where she woke up from 6 am and worked continuously until AMA, in an effort to afford for eight of her young children. She usually ended her day with great fatigue and could not keep her eyes opened as soon as she came back home. One thing I admire about my mother is her positive spirit. In spite of the hardship that we were going through, she was always optimistic about the future, smiling and saying softly in her prayers I know all will be well. She will turn to me and say my boy, when sickness, trouble, sadness and temptation comes your way, you can cry as much as you want but know that you were born to win and I believe you will change my story someday. This has been my motivation; this has been the only phrase that keeps me going every day. We got to my hometown late and I couldnt sleep. I lay in bed trying to get some rest from the stressful Journey, but all I could do was staring at the ceilings. Rather than tossing and turning in bed, I got up and walked the dark- silent hallway, walking restlessly and thinking about what I had gone through, the eve when we practice it. My mother is Just a normal woman like every other in the world. In my world, she is my hero. She sacrifices her life to make me happy; from her is where I got my strength, love and support to go forward in life. Without her by my side, I could not be what I am today. There is one lesson I learned from my mother: We need to give our best in anything we do in life. We need to know and appreciate the people who care about us. For me, my mother is my superhero. I promised her to be boy she sacrifices her life for me to be and I will do anything in the world to keep her happy even in death.

The Battle of Fort Donelson During the Civil War

The Battle of Fort Donelson During the Civil War The Battle of Fort Donelson was an early battle in the American Civil War (1861-1865). Grants operations against Fort Donelson lasted from February 11-16, 1862. Pushing south into Tennessee with assistance from Flag Officer Andrew Footes gunboats, Union troops under Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant captured Fort Henry on February 6, 1862. This success opened the Tennessee River to Union shipping. Before moving upstream, Grant began shifting his command east to take Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River. The capture of the fort would be a key victory for the Union and would clear the way to Nashville. The day after the loss of Fort Henry, the Confederate commander in the West, General Albert Sidney Johnston, called a council of war to determine their next step. Strung out along a wide front in Kentucky and Tennessee, Johnston was confronted by Grants 25,000 men at Fort Henry and Major General Don Carlos Buells 45,000-man army at Louisville, KY. Realizing that his position in Kentucky was compromised, he began withdrawing to positions south of the Cumberland River. After discussions with General P.G.T. Beauregard, he reluctantly agreed that Fort Donelson should be reinforced and dispatched 12,000 men to the garrison. At the fort, the command was held by Brigadier General John B. Floyd. Formerly the US Secretary of War, Floyd was wanted in the North for graft. Union Commanders Brigadier General Ulysses S. GrantFlag Officer Andrew H. Foote24,541 men Confederate Commanders Brigadier General John B. FloydBrigadier General Gideon PillowBrigadier General Simon B. Buckner16,171 men The Next Moves At Fort Henry, Grant held a council of war (his last of the Civil War) and resolved to attack Fort Donelson. Traveling over twelve miles of frozen roads, the Union troops moved out on February 12 but were delayed by a Confederate cavalry screen led by Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest. As Grant marched overland, Foote shifted his four ironclads and three timberclads to Cumberland River. Arriving off Fort Donelson, USS Carondelet approached and tested the forts defenses while Grants troops moved into positions outside the fort. The Noose Tightens The next day, several small probing attacks were launched to determine the strength of the Confederate works. That night, Floyd met with his senior commanders, Brigadier-Generals Gideon Pillow and Simon B. Buckner, to discuss their options. Believing the fort was untenable, they decided that Pillow should lead a breakout attempt the next day and began shifting troops. During this process, one of Pillows aides was killed by a Union sharpshooter. Losing his nerve, Pillow postponed the attack. Irate at Pillows decision, Floyd ordered the attack to commence, however it was too late in the day to begin. While these events were occurring inside the fort, Grant was receiving reinforcement in his lines. With the arrival of troops led by Brigadier General Lew Wallace, Grant placed the division of Brigadier General John McClernand on the right, Brigadier General C.F. Smith on the left, and the new arrivals in the center. Around 3:00 PM, Foote approached the fort with his fleet and opened fire. His attack was met with fierce resistance from Donelsons gunners and Footes gunboats were forced to withdraw with heavy damage. The Confederates Attempt a Breakout The following morning, Grant departed before dawn to meet with Foote. Prior to leaving, he instructed his commanders not to initiate a general engagement but failed to designate a second-in-command. In the fort, Floyd had rescheduled the breakout attempt for that morning. Attacking McClernands men on the Union right, Floyds plan called for Pillows men to open a gap while Buckners division protected their rear. Surging out of their lines, the Confederate troops succeeded in driving back McClernands men and turning their right flank. While not routed, McClernands situation was desperate as his men were running low on ammunition. Finally reinforced by a brigade from Wallaces division, the Union right began to stabilize however confusion reigned as no one Union leader was in command on the field. By 12:30 the Confederate advance was stopped by a strong Union position astride Wynns Ferry Road. Unable to breakthrough, the Confederates withdrew back to a low ridge as they prepared to abandon the fort. Learning of the fighting, Grant raced back to Fort Donelson and arrived around 1:00 PM. Grant Strikes Back Realizing that the Confederates were attempting to escape rather than seeking a battlefield victory, he immediately prepared to launch a counterattack. Though their escape route was open, Pillow ordered his men back to their trenches to re-supply before departing. As this was happening, Floyd lost his nerve and believing that Smith was about to attack the Union left, ordered his entire command back into the fort. Taking advantage of the Confederate indecisiveness, Grant ordered Smith to attack the left, while Wallace moved forward on the right. Storming forward, Smiths men succeeded in gaining a foothold in the Confederate lines while Wallace reclaimed much of the ground lost in the morning. Fighting ended at nightfall and Grant planned to resume the attack in the morning. That night, believing the situation hopeless, Floyd and Pillow turned command over to Buckner and departed the fort by water. They were followed by Forrest and 700 of his men who waded through the shallows to avoid Union troops. On the morning of February 16, Buckner sent Grant a note requesting terms of surrender. Friends before the war, Buckner was hoping to receive generous terms. Grant famously replied: Sir: Yours of this date proposing Armistice, and appointment of Commissioners, to settle terms of Capitulation is just received. No terms except unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted. I propose to move immediately upon your works. This curt response earned Grant the nickname Unconditional Surrender Grant. Though displeased by his friends response, Buckner had no choice but to comply. Later that day, he surrendered the fort and its garrison became the first of three Confederate armies to be captured by Grant during the course of the war. The Aftermath The Battle of Fort Donelson cost Grant 507 killed, 1,976 wounded, and 208 captured/missing. Confederate losses were much higher due to the surrender and numbered 327 killed, 1,127 wounded, and 12,392 captured. The twin victories at Forts Henry Donelson were the first major Union successes of the war and opened Tennessee to Union invasion. In the battle, Grant had captured nearly one-third of Johnstons available forces (more men than all previous US generals combined) and was rewarded with a promotion to major general.

Word Choice Comprise vs. Compose

Word Choice Comprise vs. Compose Word Choice: Comprise vs. Compose At this rate, it won’t be long before even pedants  give up on the difference between â€Å"comprise† and â€Å"compose.† After all, â€Å"comprise† is frequently misused, particularly by people writing â€Å"comprised of† when they mean â€Å"composed of.† But it’s our job as Guardians of Language (it sounds snazzier than â€Å"proofreaders†) to defend against grammatical abuses. So, in this post, we explain  how â€Å"comprise† and â€Å"compose† should be used. Comprise (To Contain or Include) The verb â€Å"comprise† means â€Å"contain† or â€Å"consist of,† so it is used when describing a whole that includes multiple parts or components: The United States comprises fifty states. Here, â€Å"comprises† shows that the United States (as a whole) includes fifty individual states. Typically, when using â€Å"comprise,† the whole should come before the parts in the sentence. Compose (To Make Up or Constitute) While also a verb, â€Å"compose† means â€Å"make up† or â€Å"constitute.† As such, we could invert the example above to say: Together, fifty states compose the United States as a republic. In this sentence, the focus is on how the fifty individual states combine to form the United States as a country. Those stars arent just there to look pretty. [Photo: Jnn13]We also see why â€Å"composed of† is acceptable while â€Å"comprised of† isn’t, since â€Å"compose† focuses on the parts that constitute the whole. We can therefore rewrite the example sentence again as: The United States is composed of fifty states. More generally, â€Å"compose† can also mean â€Å"create an artistic work† (particularly music or a painting), or even â€Å"calm oneself† (where its a variation of â€Å"composure,† meaning tranquility). Comprise or Compose? The problem with â€Å"comprised of† is that â€Å"comprise† is the opposite of â€Å"compose,† not a synonym. In short, they can’t be used interchangeably. One good way to remember this is the following: The whole comprises the parts; the parts compose the whole. Here we see how both terms refer to how something is constituted, but from opposite directions; while â€Å"comprise† describes the components as belonging to a whole, â€Å"compose† describes the whole as constituted by its parts.

Hero's Journey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Hero's Journey - Essay Example Pericles and Alexander the Great are two historical figures that are exemplary of the culture from which they came. Pericles was an influential statesman, speaker, and general during the Persian and Peloponnesian war. Much of the reputation of Athens for being a place of learning and culture came from Pericles’ promotion of the arts and literature. Though he did not record his speeches himself, the Greek historian Thucydides recreated many of them in his works. In Pericles’ funeral oration, he uses the occasion to not only praise those that died in the war, but to â€Å"celebrate Athens and its democratic ideas† (Western 865). He was such a prominent figure that this time period was referred to as the â€Å"Age of Pericles.† Being the prominent figure that he was, his main interest was in promoting the society of the Greeks: â€Å"Our constitution does not copy the laws of neighboring states; we are rather a pattern to others than imitators ourselves. Its administration favours the many instead of the few; this is why it is called democracy† (867). As we can see, Pericles takes pride in his country and the ideals which he believes in and is trying to instill in other people. Alexander the Great was more ambitious than his fellow Greek Pericles. Indeed, he went undefeated in battle and conquered most of the world that was known to the Greeks by the age of thirty-two. Alexander also did not record his own life; once again the fellow Greek Plutarch took that task upon himself. As was often the case in the ancient world, if someone was to accomplish an amazing feat, then it was considered that the gods must be somehow involved and favoring the individual. This idea is present in Plutarch’s history: By this means, as it would seem, it was suggested to Dareius from Heaven that the exploits of the Macedonians would be conspicuous and brilliant,

Country Profile of France Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Country Profile of France - Article Example In 1999, France made the euro its official currency, and this has allowed France to further integrate itself into the core of the European economy. France is also playing a central role in the development of the European Union’s military (cia.gov). The seat of the French Revolution, which is the source of much of the thoughts and writing on democracy, France is now currently a republic, and it has had a mixture of a presidential and parliamentary administration since legislation was passed in 1958. The current president is Nikolas Sarkozy, and he won the election with 51% of the vote. Sarkozy is serving a five-year term as president of France. In 2000 the French constitution was amended in order to change the term of the presidency from seven years to five years (cia.gov) In size, France is slightly smaller in area than the state of Texas with 260,558 square mileage. This figure includes all of its territories overseas and including its claim in Antarctica. This makes it the largest European nation, just slightly ahead of Spain in total size (cia.gov) France has always been central to scientific development. For example, France was home to Marie and Pierre Curie who are famous for their theories and work on radioactivity. In more recent scientific efforts, France is among the leaders in various fields, including mathematics, astrophysics, biology, medicine, genetics, and physics. To put this in perspective, it should be mentioned that French scientists have been awarded a total of twenty-six Nobel prizes over the past ninety years (francethisway.com) There are many research institutions throughout France. Some of these include the National Centre for Scientific Research, the National Institute for Health and Medical Research, and the National Institute for Agronomical Research. The institutions are public research institutions.  

Hospitality Industry Essay Example for Free

Hospitality Industry Essay Hospitality is the relationship between guest and host, or the act or practice of being hospitable. Specifically, this includes the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers, resorts, membership clubs, conventions, attractions, special events, and other services for travelers and tourists. The word hospitality derives from the Latin hospes, which is formed from hostis, which originally meant to have power. In the West today hospitality is rarely a matter of protection and survival, and is more associated with etiquette and entertainment. However, it still involves showing respect for ones guests, providing for their needs, and treating them as equals. Cultures and subcultures vary in the extent to which one is expected to show hospitality to strangers, as opposed to personal friends or members of ones in-group. The hospitality service industry includes hotels, casinos, and resorts, which offer comfort and guidance to strangers, whether it be commercial (for monetary gain) or non-commercial (not for profit). The terms hospital, hospice, and hostel also derive from hospitality, and these institutions preserve more of the connotation of personal care. Hospitality ethics is a discipline that studies this usage of hospitality. The Pakhtun people of South-Central Asia, pre-dominant in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan and Afghanistan have a strong code of hospitality. They are a people characterized by their use of Pakhtunwali, an ancient set of ethics, the first principle of which is Milmastiya or Hospitality. The general area of Pakhtunistan is also nicknamed The Land of Hospitality. To the ancient Greeks, hospitality was a divine right. The host was expected to make sure the needs of his guests were seen to. The ancient Greek term xenia, or theoxenia when a god was involved, expressed this ritualized guest-friendship relation. In Greek society a persons ability to abide the laws to hospitality determined nobility and social standing. Celtic societies also valued the concept of hospitality, especially in terms of protection. A host who granted a persons request for refuge was expected not only to provide food and shelter to his/her guest, but to make sure they did not come to harm while under their care. [2] In India, hospitality is based on the principle Atithi Devo Bhava, meaning the guest is God. This principle is shown in a number of stories where a guest is literally a god who rewards the provider of hospitality. From this stems the Indian approach of graciousness towards guests at home, and in all social situations. Hospitality as a cultural norm or value is an established sociological phenomenon that people study and write papers about (see references, and Hospitality ethics). Some regions have become stereotyped as exhibiting a particular style of hospitality. Hospitality management is the academic study of the hospitality industry. A degree in Hospitality management is often conferred from either a university college dedicated to the studies of hospitality management or a business school with a department in hospitality management studies. Degrees in hospitality management may also be referred to as hotel management, hotel and tourism management, or hotel administration. Degrees conferred in this academic field include Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, Master of Business Administration, and Doctor of Philosophy. Hospitality management studies provides a focus on management of hospitality operations including hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, amusement parks, destination marketing organizations, convention centers, country clubs, and related industries. The hospitality industry consists of land category of fields within the service industry that includes lodging, restaurants, event planning, theme parks, transportation, cruise line, and additional fields within the tourism industry. The hospitality industry is a several billion dollar industry that mostly depends on the availability of leisure time and disposable income. A hospitality unit such as a restaurant, hotel, or even an amusement park consists of multiple groups such as facility maintenance, direct operations (servers, housekeepers, porters, kitchen workers, bartenders, etc. , management, marketing, and human resources. The hospitality industry covers a wide range of organizations offering food service and accommodation. The industry is divided into sectors according to the skill-sets required for the work involved. Sectors include accommodation, food and beverage, meeting and events, gaming, entertainment and recreation, tourism services, and visitor information. Usage rate or its inverse vacancy rate is an important variable for the hospitality industry. Just as a factory owner ould wish a productive asset to be in use as much as possible (as opposed to having to pay fixed costs while the factory isnt producing), so do restaurants, hotels, and theme parks seek to maximize the number of customers they process in all sectors. This led to formation of services with the aim to increase usage rate provided by hotel consolidators. Information about required or offered products are brokered on business networks used by vendors as well as purchasers. In viewing various industries, barriers to entry by newcomers and competitive advantages between current players are very important. Among other things, hospitality industry players find advantage in old classics (location), initial and ongoing investment support (reflected in the material upkeep of facilities and the luxuries located therein), and particular themes adopted by the marketing arm of the organization in question (for example at theme restaurants). Very important is also the characteristics of the personnel working in direct contact with the customers. The authenticity, professionalism, and actual concern for the happiness and well-being of the customers that is communicated by successful organizations is a clear competitive advantage.

Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Maxwell Perkins Essay -- Hemingway Fitzgeral

Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Maxwell Perkins Although not a writer himself, Maxwell Evarts Perkins holds an auspicious place in the history of American literature. Perkins served as editor for such well-acclaimed authors as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Thomas Wolfe, Ezra Pound, Ring Lardner, James Jones and Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. Through his advocacy of these modernist writers, he played an important role in the success of that movement. Perkins association with Thomas Wolfe is perhaps his most famous, but his relationships with Fitzgerald and Hemingway are equally note-worthy. He was, at different times, their editor, friend, creditor and the link between them. Born in 1884, Perkins was a Harvard graduate of the class of 1907. He worked as a reporter for the New York Times for several years, but a desire for greater stability led him to a job at Charles’ Scribner’s Sons publishing house in 1910. He began as an advertising manager, but by 1914 Perkins was promoted to the editorial department.[1] There he became known for his ability to recognize upcoming authors, and in 1932 he was made a vice president.[2] When Perkins died in June of 1947, he was considered the most important editor in America.[3] Perkins first learned of F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1919. Another author, Shane Leslie, regretted that Scribners had been sued for libel because of his works, and to make amends Leslie forwarded a promising manuscript to Perkins. The manuscript was â€Å"The Romantic Egotist,† written by Fitzgerald before his entrance into World War I.[4] Perkins was stunned by the vitality of the piece, but he did not feel that it was complete enough for publication. After two more versions a... ...s.htm [2] Malcolm Cowley, Unshaken Friend: A Profile of Maxwell Perkins (Boulder, CO: R. Rinehart, Inc., 1985), 24. [3] A. Scott Berg, Max Perkins: Editor of Genius (New York: Dutton, 1978), 5. [4] Cowley, 30. [5] Berg, 15-16. [6] Ibid., 16. [7] Ibid., 63. [8] Malcolm Cowley, Unshaken Friend: A Profile of Maxwell Perkins (Boulder, CO: R. Rinehart, Inc., 1985), 32. [9] â€Å"Maxwell Perkins,† www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/wolfe/perkins.htm [10] John Hall Wheelock, Editor to Author, the Letters of Maxwell E. Perkins (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1979), 30. [11] Berg, 6. [12] Ibid., 4. [13] Ibid., 324. [14] Ibid., 41-2. [15] Ibid., 389. [16] Ibid., 392. [17] Ibid., 395. [18] Ibid., 390. [19] Ibid., 67. [20] â€Å"Maxwell Perkins,† www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/wolfe/perkins.htm [21] Berg, 449-50. Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Maxwell Perkins Essay -- Hemingway Fitzgeral Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Maxwell Perkins Although not a writer himself, Maxwell Evarts Perkins holds an auspicious place in the history of American literature. Perkins served as editor for such well-acclaimed authors as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Thomas Wolfe, Ezra Pound, Ring Lardner, James Jones and Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. Through his advocacy of these modernist writers, he played an important role in the success of that movement. Perkins association with Thomas Wolfe is perhaps his most famous, but his relationships with Fitzgerald and Hemingway are equally note-worthy. He was, at different times, their editor, friend, creditor and the link between them. Born in 1884, Perkins was a Harvard graduate of the class of 1907. He worked as a reporter for the New York Times for several years, but a desire for greater stability led him to a job at Charles’ Scribner’s Sons publishing house in 1910. He began as an advertising manager, but by 1914 Perkins was promoted to the editorial department.[1] There he became known for his ability to recognize upcoming authors, and in 1932 he was made a vice president.[2] When Perkins died in June of 1947, he was considered the most important editor in America.[3] Perkins first learned of F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1919. Another author, Shane Leslie, regretted that Scribners had been sued for libel because of his works, and to make amends Leslie forwarded a promising manuscript to Perkins. The manuscript was â€Å"The Romantic Egotist,† written by Fitzgerald before his entrance into World War I.[4] Perkins was stunned by the vitality of the piece, but he did not feel that it was complete enough for publication. After two more versions a... ...s.htm [2] Malcolm Cowley, Unshaken Friend: A Profile of Maxwell Perkins (Boulder, CO: R. Rinehart, Inc., 1985), 24. [3] A. Scott Berg, Max Perkins: Editor of Genius (New York: Dutton, 1978), 5. [4] Cowley, 30. [5] Berg, 15-16. [6] Ibid., 16. [7] Ibid., 63. [8] Malcolm Cowley, Unshaken Friend: A Profile of Maxwell Perkins (Boulder, CO: R. Rinehart, Inc., 1985), 32. [9] â€Å"Maxwell Perkins,† www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/wolfe/perkins.htm [10] John Hall Wheelock, Editor to Author, the Letters of Maxwell E. Perkins (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1979), 30. [11] Berg, 6. [12] Ibid., 4. [13] Ibid., 324. [14] Ibid., 41-2. [15] Ibid., 389. [16] Ibid., 392. [17] Ibid., 395. [18] Ibid., 390. [19] Ibid., 67. [20] â€Å"Maxwell Perkins,† www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/wolfe/perkins.htm [21] Berg, 449-50.

Killing Without Emotions

Shaharyar khan Michael Miller CW 1 Date: 05/02/13 Killing Without Emotions â€Å"In World War Two it is fact that only 15 to 20 percent of the solider fired at the enemy. That is one in five soldiers actually shooting at a Nazi when he sees one. † (Frisbee Jr) This surprising fact clearly indicates how hard it is to kill without emotions. The guilt or the feeling one gets after he has killed somebody is the worst feeling of his/her life. This fact also indicates our human nature. Emotions are the essential and necessary part of humans. In one way, humans are differentiated from animals and emotionless machines.This human nature of ours makes us think or stops us in order to kill without emotions. When humans are hardwired to be empathetic and compassionate not to kill, it is hard to understand why there is so much killing in the world? How, with empathy and compassion, can people kill? They must override their emotions with stronger emotions of hate and notions of purpose base d on their beliefs. In the following paragraphs will present few examples that will indicate why and how some people override their emotions with stronger emotions based on their purpose.A common example of this is of a suicide bomber. So how these suicide bombers are formed or what is the psychology involved behind suicide bombing. . Often the suicide bombers arrested in Pakistan are usually teenagers and are from a poor background. They are usually kidnapped on their way to school or madraassa (religious school) and then brainwashed. Research and Today’s media reveals that suicide bombers using their religion as a shield justifies what they are doing are right.During brainwashing they are kept isolated and given misleading information on the name of the religion. They are told by the corrupt religious leaders that killing of the non Muslims are justified according to their religion. In addition to this they are also told that dying in the name of their religion will earn th em the rank of a martyred. They are also brainwashed that they will earn a high rank in the heavens and rivers of milk and honey and beautiful virgins await. (Yusufzai and Jamal). They are offered high price to get the job done.They are assured that their family will live wealthy life after their job is done. Almost 90% of the suicide bombers are normal humans but, after knowing the position they can earn by dying in the name of their religion, change their emotions to kill hundreds of innocent humans. From this above example it can be concluded that they simple overcome their emotions with stronger emotions of earning high rank in Heavens by dying in the name of the religion, securing the lives of their family and obeying the orders of God.Another type of the people who override their emotions to kill are the soldiers. Soldiers override their emotions for certain reasons that they learn during the training. During the training there are told that they are the protectors of the land . The lives of their families and their countrymen depend on them. Moreover, they are trained with the fact that what they are doing is right and justified and God is with them. The training for the soldiers keeps on the changing with time to time. The soldiers are given complete training/ practicing area. The soldiers are desensitized by making them shoot at human shaped paper targets, drill and then to moving targets and pop up targets look kind of human shape making their response automatic and focused†. (Dwyer). The training areas includes all kinds of difficult pathways, underground tunnels and sudden appearance of the human shaped targets which they have shoot at and take them down. They are also congratulated on their first kill which increases their confidence to override their emotions more easily â€Å"In addition to this there are addressed directly making them believe that they actually have to kill. (Robinson). â€Å"Often a times the present the enemies in way that does not even feel like a human; for instance they will call their enemies by those names that even don’t look familiar. Names like â€Å"gook† who knows what is gook? It does not sound like a human or a person. Half of the desensitizing and dehumanizing is made easier in presenting a person that does not even to our class or kind. In addition, saying that God is with us, we are fighting for the sake of our country and the people and God is proud of us.A lot of killing is made easier in this for the soldiers presenting these as a reason. † (Pomerantz) So, with this kind of training and lessons of patriotism being given to the soldiers makes it easier to override to their emotions. In the conclusion I would restate again that killing without emotions is really hard unless you have you don’t overcome your emotions. It takes a lot of nerve and heart to kill without emotions. Works cited Dwyer, Gwynne. â€Å"Soldiers trained to kill and post-traumatic ps ycho-babble. Thuppahi's blog, 29 April 2011. Web. Web. 18 Feb. 2013. Yusufzai, Asfaq, and Amna Nasir Jamal. â€Å"Teenagers recruited, trained as suicide bombers. †Ã‚  Central online Asia. N. p. , 11 04 2011. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Robinson, Steve. â€Å"The impact of killing and how to prepare the soldiers . †Ã‚  Frontline. Frontline, 01 Mar 2001. Web. 18 Feb 2013. Pomerantz, Andrew. â€Å"The impact of killing and how to prepare the soldiers . †Ã‚  Frontline. Frontline, 01 Mar 2001. Web. 18 Feb 2013.

The Better Self in Ourselves

The influx of self-help books in today’s ultra-modern world is by no means an accident. They are by-products of a world that has become more complicated and complex as the ways in which it has to be lived in. This complexity coincides with the development of more complex thought processes that seek to find meanings in life and how everyone fits into that life. That search for meaning and the process of meaning-making involve attempts to make sense of the existence of one’s self as a tiny spot relative to the vastness of the cosmic universe.This has led many social scientists to develop theories that attempt to explain ways through which the self can be understood in its multi-faceted contexts. John Locke underscored the importance of the â€Å"continuity of consciousness† through an enabled memory and imagination (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2007). He believed that a person can understand his/her self by examining the past and imagining the future. Jean- Jacques Rousseau, on the other hand, stressed the significance of the society as a necessary and yet corruptible element in understanding one’s self (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2008).The former emphasizes the objective self-examination while the latter stresses the subjective self-expression. Sigmund Freud believed that human beings have irrational, primitive and animalistic instincts that should be repressed for the betterment of one’s self and the society at large (Curtis, 2002); while Wilhelm Reich claimed that it is the repression of the society of the â€Å"original† forces and emotions within human beings that makes human beings irrational (The Wilhelm Reich Museum).And quite contemporarily, Ian Hacking advances the practice of disciplinary psychology as a means to define selfhood in its socio-cultural contexts (Hacking, 2002). It has offered individuals the tools through which they can take a deeper look at their inner selves in relation to the society and the world they live in. Towards a Better Understanding of the Self in Ourselves All the psychological theories and practices cited thus far have only one aim: to make us understand ourselves more than how we understand ourselves now.They provide us tools so we can acquire skills to help us learn more about ourselves and to nurture that self within ourselves for a better us. Their primary objective is to illuminate the existence of one’s self and give us enlightenment to enable us to view that self in new and better perspectives and vantage points with the hope that we can be better for ourselves, the people around us and the society we live in. Disciplinary psychology posits that if we could understand our psychological self better, we can understand the kind of person that we are.Doing so, we can be that person we aspire to be. We can be astronauts, airline pilots, NBA superstars, forensic scientists, geologists, etc. There are infinite possibilities of being who we want to be if we just indeed are able to understand ourselves better. Truly, while there are infinite possibilities of being ourselves, there are also infinite questions that needed to be answered about ourselves. As time changes and as the world becomes more modernized, the concepts of personhood and selfhood become even more complicated.Questions about humanity become more apparent. When we question why we are driven by this desire to succeed and gain more material wealth, we turn to become pseudo-psychoanalysts in trying to understand this desire and how it can manipulate us if not tempered with reason. And as our consciousness is feed with the commercialism we see around us, engendered by the consumerism in the media, we are guided by the fact that advertisements use psychoanalysis to manipulate human minds to become infatuated with manufactured desires.We are reminded of the â€Å"police within our heads that needs to be destroyed† (Curtis, 2002). When we question ou r temperaments and attitudes towards love, life and work, we may turn to looking back at how we were brought up, the environment we grew up with and the kind of upbringing that we had. Disciplinary psychology guides us to look back and look forward and struggle to find meanings in those acts. Indeed, while disciplinary psychology offers us tools to gain better understanding of ourselves, the synthesis depends on our own willingness to analyze.While it can provide us maps to where we could finally go, the choices of directions we take remain our own pre-occupation. And while it gives us patterns through which we could build our own conceptions about ourselves, our self-concept remains our own decision. In the final analysis, disciplinary psychology can provide us proper guidance, but the path towards better understanding of one’s self depends on our own will to tread that path forcefully and purposefully. And as always, that willingness can be questioned psychologically.

Government Use of Media to Advance Foreign Policy Agenda

Government Use of Media to Advance Foreign Policy Agenda Abstract The following essay analyzes the relationship between the media and the government. The paper provides evidence that many governments, particularly those that exist in established democracies, openly employ media propaganda to advance their agendas in foreign policy. The different methods of research employed in this essay include content analysis, polls and surveys and the uses and gratifications model.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Government Use of Media to Advance Foreign Policy Agenda specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Introduction While the original intention of the media was to provide an independent, bipartisan check to the power of any individual government, the power base of any established democracy relies on the media to communicate to its followers. This is especially true in the case of foreign policy. Various media outlets interpret international events and their effects on foreign policy acco rding to the political interests they serve. According to McCormick (2009), the media play an important role in foreign policy by virtue of what foreign policy issues they chose to report. Thus media coverage has a direct â€Å"influence on public’s attention to foreign policy,† as well as an enormous impact on what foreign policy issues become newsworthy (p. 546). The essential first step in foreign policy is to decide what information the public has access to, thus the role of the media as information gatekeepers becomes paramount (McCormick 2009; Spanier Hook 2009). Governments in established democracies therefore employ media propaganda to advance their agendas in foreign policy. Content Analysis Content analysis refers to the methodology used to examine the specific content of a given communication tool. For the purposes of this essay, content analysis focuses on the texts used by the government as they relate to the cycle of voting in established democracies suc h as the United States. As Krippendorff (2004) observes, â€Å"in governments in which succession is†¦regulated politically†¦predicting the succession of leadership†¦is a favorite game of political analysts and important to foreign policy decision makers† (p. 175). Content analysis remains a pivotal instrument that researchers use to â€Å"expose propaganda techniques† employed by the media (Krippendorff, 2004, p. 45). Perceived successes in foreign policy may be advertised via the media to engender support during an election drive. An example is the May 2011 coverage of the death of Osama bin Laden, utilized by the Democrats in a partisan manner, as well as by the Republicans, who argued that it was the policies of the George W. Bush administration that allowed Obama to capture the fugitive Al Qaeda leader (Adams 2011).Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Surveys (Polls) The proliferation of online media outlets leads to a more informal method of polling for governments to use in addition to the standard polls such as Gallup – monitoring online chat of a political through Twitter and Facebook, as well as reading the prevailing moods conveyed in the media blogosphere. Bucy (2005) argues that the media will facilitate change on both sides however, not simply as a tool for swaying votes; â€Å"since people will communicate their views on government more directly, rulers and representatives will become more sensitive†¦and, perhaps, more responsive†¦to lobbying and public-opinion polls, especially in established democracies† (Bucy, 2005, p. 9). Uses Gratification Model The uses and gratification model refers to a central tenet of media analysis – the effect of any given media depend entirely on who uses them, for what purpose and how often (Bucy 2009). As Bucy (2009) explains, â€Å"how a person is affected by a given communications medium depends on that person’s reasons and goals for using that medium†¦People use the Internet for a variety of reasons and motivations†¦and will thus use it differently and it will have different effects on them accordingly. There is, in short, no simple sound bite for how using the Internet will affect an individual (Bucy, 2009, p. 196). Thus, any government’s use of the media to advance foreign policy propaganda will only have impact insofar as it reaches its intended targets and gratifies them in some way, be it through affirming their current belief system or adhering to existing prejudices and knowledge. The media must be consumed in order to have its desired impact; therefore people who do not engage with any given media outlet’s coverage of a particular foreign policy issue will feel little or no affinity to the message. Similarly, certain media appeal to certain mindsets; media consumers typical ly choose media outlets which conform to their view of the world. Conclusion One thing that can be ascertained from the research, the media remains a central player in any political outcome, particularly in a democracy where voters are free to identify with the media outlets of their choice. The vast network of media also acquires more power in the political climate political system, according to Sparks (2006), because the system itself is â€Å"more unstable. There are fewer people who identify strongly with a single party, more people who call themselves independents, and more people splitting their ticket at the polls. In such a volatile climate, scholars expect that the media might have more impact on the political process† (Sparks, 2006, p. 55).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Government Use of Media to Advance Foreign Policy Agenda specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Governments can certainly be expected t o continue to deploy propaganda via various channels to sway voters however; voters, like consumers, develop media savvy in the same way that governments do. Media consumers actively engage with the media that affirms their existing worldview, thus the propaganda will likely be more readily sniffed out and either accepted or cast aside. References Adams, R. (2011, May 2). Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck: Thank God for President Obama. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/international. Bucy, E. (2005). Living in the information age: A new media reader(2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth. Krippendorff, K. (2004). Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. McCormick, J. (2009). American Foreign Policy and Process. Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing. Spanier, J. and Hook, S. (2009). American Foreign Policy since World War II. Washington: CQ Press. Sparks, G. (2006). Media effects research.Belmont: CA: Thomson/Wadsworth P ublishing.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

Assigning Classroom Jobs to Teach Students Responsibility

Assigning Classroom Jobs to Teach Students Responsibility If we want to teach children to be responsible, we have to trust them with responsibilities. Classroom jobs are an effective way to enlist students in the duties of running a classroom. You can even have them fill out a Classroom Job Application. There are many different jobs you can choose from  for use in your classroom. The First Step - Pitch Your Idea Tell the students that, soon, they will have the opportunity to apply for classroom jobs. Give them a few examples of the types of jobs that are available and watch their eyes light up as they imagine themselves as the little rulers of a certain domain of the classroom. Make it clear that when they accept a job they will have to take it very seriously, and if they do not meet their commitments they can be fired from the job. Make this announcement a few days before your plan to formally introduce the job program so that you can build anticipation. Decide on the Duties There are hundreds of things that need to be done to run a successful and efficient classroom, but only a couple dozen that you can trust the students to handle. Thus, you need to decide how many and which jobs to have available. Ideally, you should have one job for each student in your class. In classes of 20 or fewer, this will be relatively easy. If you have many more students, it will be more challenging and you may decide to have a few students without jobs at any given time. You will be rotating jobs on a regular basis, so everyone will have a chance to participate eventually. You also have to consider your own personal comfort level, the maturity level of your class, and other factors when you decide how much responsibility you ready to give your students. Use a Classroom Jobs List to get ideas for which jobs, in particular, will work in your classroom. Design an Application Using a formal job application is a fun opportunity for you to get each students commitment in writing that they will perform any job to the best of their abilities. Ask students to list their first, second, and third choice jobs.   Make the Assignments Before you assign the jobs in your classroom, hold a class meeting where you announce and describe each job, collect applications, and emphasize the importance of each and every duty. Promise to give each child his or her first or second choice job some time throughout the school year. You will need to decide and announce how often the jobs will be changing. After you assign the jobs, give each student a job description for their assignment. They will use this to learn what they need to do, so be explicit! Monitor their Job Performance Just because your students now have jobs doesnt mean you can just sit back and take it easy while they perform their duties. Watch their behavior closely. If a student is not performing the job properly, conference with him or her and tell the student exactly what you need to see in their performance. If things dont improve, it might be time to consider firing them. If their job is essential, you will need to find a replacement. Otherwise, simply give the fired student another chance during the next cycle of job assignments. Dont forget to schedule a certain time each day for the jobs to be performed.

Research Methods & Methodologies in Accounting and Management Essay - 2

Research Methods & Methodologies in Accounting and Management - Essay Example The UK has become an attractive destination for higher education for many nations. Nowadays, the highest inflow of foreign students to the UK comes from China. The number of Chinese students taking higher education courses in the UK has shown dramatic increase during past decades. In 1998-1999 the number of Chinese students in UK was 4000 (Ianelli and Huang, 2014). By 2001, the number rose by 71% to nearly 18,000 students and by 2009-2010 to almost 57,000 (Gittings, 2002; Ianelli and Huang, 2014). There are many papers which aimed to explore the determinants of the choice of UK universities by overseas students. Soo & Elliot (2010) have carried out such research, analysing key determinants of popularity of the UK universities among international students. They have found that fee cost, quality of education, as well as the existing popularity of a university among home applicants were some of the most significant factors (Soo & Elliot, 2010). Thus, prestige and quality of higher educa tion are recognized to be the most common reasons. However, the inflow of Chinese students can be hardly explained only with these aspects. With the growth of the middle class and market orientation of China, Chinese families seek value for money (Gittings, 2002). Obviously, that decision of a Chinese student to study in the UK is more likely to be sponsored by their parents, and therefore, parents also are important decision-makers in the process. Ianelli and Huang (2014) have tried to analyze how the patterns of attainment of Chinese graduates have changed during the last decade. The findings have shown that science, engineering, business, and social sciences were the courses in great among the Chinese students in UK (Ianelli and Huang, 2014). Also, the study has shown that Russel Group universities are increasingly popular among Chinese students studying in

Localisation of the prostate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Localisation of the prostate - Essay Example The prostate is one of the organs in the male reproductive system responsible in releasing a fluid to alkalinise the semen (Hugging, Scott & Heinen, 1942) in order for the sperms to survive in the acidic environment of the female vagina. It is divided into four zones, namely the peripheral, central, transition and anterior fibromuscular zones (Meyers, 2000), while it can also be divided more commonly into four lobes, namely the anterior, posterior, lateral and middle lobes. The prostate is located superior to the anus, anal sphincter, bulbourethral gland, testes, penis and the urogenital diaphragm. It is inferior to the urinary bladder and the seminal vesicle. It is anterior to the rectum, coccyx, common ejaculatory duct and also the seminal vesicles. It is posterior to the symphysis pubis. On the medial part of the prostate lies the prostatic urethra. Its proximity to the rectum allows the prostate to be palpable in rectal examinations. Among those structures commonly harmed by ineffective localisation of prostate radiotherapy is the rectum, bones (symphysis pubis, pubic bones, and the coccyx) and the seminal vesicles. The veins where the blood flows away from the prostate are the prostatic venous plexus, pudcordal plexus, vesicle plexus and the internal iliac vein. Lymph nodes around the prostate are the external iliac lymph nodes, internal iliac lymph nodes and the sacral lymph nodes. These venous and lymphatic structures are responsible for the possible metastasis of malignant prostate cells to the surrounding structures beyond the prostate. Radiotherapy beyond the prostate, especially to the lymph nodes is necessary as the cancer reaches beyond stage 2, while the venous system will allow the predictability of metastasis to other organs. The cancer of the prostate begins with genetic changes within the prostate cells triggered by different possible risk factors such as genes, aging, race, environmental, increased

Debord, Rutherford and Giroux Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Debord, Rutherford and Giroux - Essay Example Nothing, not even an essay into the general nature of meaning of things, should be viewed out of its context. Thus, at the very onset, this essay admits that its purpose in being is to examine the political nature of the present age through the light of communication media. Probably the most emblemic symbol of the present age of international development is the media - electronic and otherwise. This is because the media sells things - goods, services, ideas, opinions, etc - all that is necessary to sustain this present generation of enhanced civilization in the present day and well into the future. Whether it is a commercial enterprise selling biscuits for profit or a politician selling him- or herself for self-aggrandizement the media is there to help do the job. Thus, it is necessary to know how the media views the nature of things and influences it so that it can be better understood how the media's pervasive influence on life in the 21st century moulds its modes of epistemology. This shall be done so now with the views of three European thinkers - Debord, Rutherford and Giroux - on how the individual consciousness thrives or languishes amid the greater world at large. The essay shall begin on the following very germane note - Hegemony, the rule of the dominant, in the individual consciousness is the subjectivity that the hegemony itself has instilled psychologically in it. This is so according to Louis Althusser (Lecture Notes 2) and quite in line with what Gramsci thought of it as the subjected class accepting the values and mores of the dominant class as 'common sense' and 'natural' to sustain hegemony - Gramsci's definition of the rule of the dominant class over the subjected one (Lecture Notes 2). The hegemonistic rule is thus natural and second nature in the subject, who may have been subjected to its influence right from birth, though it may not stand in his or her stead.DeBord and the 'Spectacle' To understand DeBord better it is necessary to understand his conception of what he terms as the 'spectacle' better - "The spectacle is not a collection of images; rather it is a social relationship between people that is mediated by images". And, - "The spectacle cannot be understood as either a deliberate distortion of the visual world or as a product of the technology of the mass dissemination of images. It is much better viewed as a Weltanschauung that has been actualized, translated into the material realm - a world view translated into an objective force". (Lecture Notes 2) So what do these two statement signify In terms of mass communications DeBord can be correlated with Gramsci in the following sense - The spectacle is the otherness that is imposed around the individual consciousness, the being-in-itself, that it must acknowledge all

Vs of Big Data

Vs of Big Data Big data based on the word itself means data which is big but how much big is considered as big? For a small business, big data might be few gig while Facebook processes 100s of Tb data every day [6]. So, the definition of big data will slightly differ from organization to organization. Few years back big data meant the huge size of data which is beyond the ability of normal software to process and handle it. Big data was defined using the 3 Vs : Volume, Velocity and Variety but now that has changed and now four more Vs were added which consists of [1] : Variability: This means the data does not have same meaning every day and is constantly changing Veracity: Making sure the data we have is accurate Visualization: Visualizing the data so it can be easily interpreted by readers Value: The final goal is to get some value out of data University of California, Berkley asked forty thought leaders in data science field about the definition of Big Data. John Akred the founder and CTO of Silicon Valley Data Science described big data as, Big Data refers to a combination of an approach to informing decision making with analytical insight derived from data, and a set of enabling technologies that enable that insight to be economically derived from at times very large, diverse sources of data [5].While David Leonhardt who is an editor for The New York Times defines big data as, Big Data is nothing more than a tool for capturing reality just as newspaper reporting, photography and long-form journalism are [5].ÂÂ   As we can see different people from different industry has different definition of Big Data but one thing in common is that it follows the basic three Vs defined before and the end product is different. Microsoft defines big data as patterns which can be used with proven practices for predictable results. Further they defined big data as Data often produced at fire hose rate, that you do not know how to analyze at the moment but may provide valuable information in future [4]. Then they ask the readers if they know what the visitors to their website are really thinking? Or if they are business owners and if they know what the customers think of their products? They ask these questions and then tell them that the answer is hidden in the pile of data which is hidden away and if you can find it still it might be difficult to process it and get meaningful insights out of it. Microsoft then further defines big data as Big data typically refers to collections of datasets that, due to size and complexity, are difficult to store, query, and manage using existing data management tools or data processing applications. We notice here that they are trying to focus on the difficulty of storing, querying and managing data and can expect a solution or product for it. So basically, Microsoft is trying to connect with their readers by asking them if they have a big data problem and then providing an example of what techniques data analysts and business managers are following and how Microsoft can help them. Then they describe Big Data with the text book definition using the three Vs and links the readers to their product called HDInsight [4]. HDInsight is a Hadoop- based solution which Microsoft offers. It is an all in one solution which can store data, process data and executing data analysis. Tableau is one of the biggest company and provider of visualization techniques which can help companies visualize data from any source. They define big data as structured or unstructured, petabytes or terabytes, millions or billions of rows, you can turn data into big ideas[1]. They try to focus on the visualization part as Tableau is used discover and understand their data. So, if we compare it to Microsoft definition they are missing the part about storing the data, retrieving it and the problems behinds it.ÂÂ   While explaining the meaning of big data tableau keeps pointing out the importance of visualizing the data regardless of the size of data and how organizations can leverage this to their benefit. They also iterate that storing, preparing and iterating data is costly and Tableaus vision is to help companies apply best practices to get the most out of their data. SAS uses the three Vs of big data (Volume, Velocity and Variety) to define it and say its not the amount of data that is important but what to do with it and how to use it to make better decisions. SAS adds two more dimensions Variability and Complexity to its definition of big data. They define variability as inconsistency in the amount of data that flows which cannot be controlled [3]. Complexity is defined as different types of data coming from different sources and connecting and combining it to get meaningful insights out of it. When we compare, the definitions provided by these companies it is obvious the core definition of big data remains the same but then these companies tailor tit according to the products they offer. Microsoft which provides end to end solution for big data talks about storing of data which is skipped by Tableau as it provides solution for visualizing the data and not storing. So, we can conclude that there is no authority on the exact meaning of Big Data and its solutions. Works Cited [1] Understanding Big Data: The Seven Vs. Dataconomy. July 23, 2014. Accessed January 30, 2017. http://dataconomy.com/2014/05/seven-vs-big-data/. [2] Big Data. Tableau Software. Accessed January 30, 2017. https://www.tableau.com/stories/topic/big-data. [3] What is Big Data and why it matters. What Is Big Data? | SAS US. Accessed January 30, 2017. http://www.sas.com/en_us/insights/big-data/what-is-big-data.html. [4] What is big data? Accessed January 30, 2017. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn749868.aspx. [5] What Is Big Data? What Is Big Data? Blog. September 03, 2014. Accessed January 30, 2017. https://datascience.berkeley.edu/what-is-big-data/. [6] Data size estimates. Follow the Data. June 24, 2014. Accessed January 30, 2017. https://followthedata.wordpress.com/2014/06/24/data-size-estimates/.

The Effects of Creatine on Athletes Bodies Essay -- Drugs Steroids Sp

The Effects of Creatine on Athletes' Bodies From a very early age sports are introduced upon both young boys and girls. Although it begins with sportsmanship and teamwork, it begins to evolve into new objectives when these young athletes enter high school. In fact, high school sports are vastly different. Your mind is trained to obliterate the opponent and win at all costs. This mentality can often lead many young athletes to turn to supplements to assist in muscle building. The most common supplement in use currently is Creatine. While athletic departments and sports nutrition stores claim that it is harmless, why do so many high school athletes end up with severe muscular and pulmonary damage? The answer has yet to be clearly defined, but we do know of some side effects which can lead to both positive and negative results in the continued use of this supplement. In order to understand what effects could result of creatine use, we must first explore what exactly creatine does in our body. Creatine is an amino acid which acts as a building block in the construction of proteins in the body. Muscle cells take the creatine and store it as energy for future use in the body. During intense exercise, phosphocreatine is broken down to creatine and phosphate, which is used to regenerate ATP. The remaining creatine in storage in the muscle cells may also increase the regeneration rate of energy after intense exercise. This serves as an extra boost of energy for young athletes. Currently, scientific studies indicate that creatine will boost an athletes maximum performance level by 5-8%. There is also evidence that leads sports nutritionists to believe that creatine can boost total energy output by 5-15%. At this point, it seems... ...ct, but I have yet to hear of any drug that can add almost forty pounds of muscle in a month without posing severe health risks. Currently, there are not any proven clinical studies that show side effects as drastic as what I have personally witnessed. According to the American College Of Sports Science, the only proven side effect of creatine is future weight gain of a substantial amount after an athlete has stopped using the supplement. Unfortunately, the true negative effects will not be fully understood until many years on down the road. In the meantime, parents and athletes alike need to take a stance against the use of dietary supplements at the high school level. Sources 1. Kreider, Richard P. (PhD), Creatine, the next ergogenic supplement? www.sportsci.org 2. American College Of Sports Medicine, Summary on Creatine supplement. www.iahsaa.org

B. F. Skinner and Behavior Conditioning

Behavior conditioning is viewed as a significant psychopathological influence that extends beyond the concept of psychoanalysis and sexual psychology. Burrhus Frederic Skinner (1904-1990) considers the concept of conditioning as comprehensive type of learning wherein behavioral changes are manipulated rather than intrinsically stimulated. According to the article of Moore (2002), behavior conditioning of Skinner gives rise to two primary components: (1) the biological foundation of behavior manipulation through hormonal systems and other physiologic relations (e. g. neurologic functioning, genetic relationships, etc.), and (2) the occurrence of the behavioral event. Behavior conditioning is the indirect manipulation of activities in order to elicit a behavioral response or behavioral pattern. B. F. Skinner’s idea of behavior conditioning revolves in his concept of Operant Conditioning, which is a type of learning process wherein stimulation of behaviors illicit behavioral modi fications. According to the article of O’Donohue and Plaud (1994), Skinner’s behavioral conditioning involves a mutual relationship between the strengthening and weakening effects rendered by environmental consequences.The mutual relationship between (1) reinforcement and (2) punishment is directed by a stimulus control. According to B. F. Skinner, â€Å"human behavior is not a simple machine-like product of a stimulus, but is something dynamic, changing and in flux, as the environment is in influx†. Behavior conditioning of B. F. Skinner, indeed, constitutes environmental reinforcements and punishments that set the behavioral trends of a human being. Discussion Behavioral ConditioningThe psychological activities fostering behavior in an individual are said to be dynamic, ever changing and mutually linked with the external forces of the human environment. Skinner has observed early on that a large part of our behavior is not automatically elicited by an uncondit ioned stimulus. According to Moore (2002), the concept of behavioral conditioning is associated to the process of survival wherein a human being is directed to a specific pattern of behavior in order to foster adaptation towards the changing environment.Skinner’s operant conditioning can be viewed as a diverse behavioral process that evolves and influences the individual's survival during its lifetime by facilitating the adaptation towards the environment (Moore, 2002). The consequence behavior is the result of the individual’s way of adaptation towards the environment. In the process of the individual’s adaptation, the â€Å"environment in turn acts back on the behavior and on the individual: both are changed as a result of reciprocal behavior-environment interchange (Skinner, 1953)†.According to Burgess (1997), Skinner’s idea of behavior conditioning comprises of three perceivable components that explain to the process of behavioral modification. These elements are (1) the inner activities of behavior, (2) nature of inner behavior, and (3) the role of the environment. Inner activities include the cognitive processes and activities (e. g. thinking, problem solving, decision-making, etc. ) that an individual performs prior to the adaptation of behavior.Meanwhile, the nature of inner behavior is assessed whether the individual’s behavioral change is due to the evolution of society or external environment (phylogenetic) or genetically acquired (ontogenetic). Lastly, the environment facilitates the learning atmosphere that reinforces the permanent change of behavior in the individual (Burgess, 1997). In application of this theoretical proposition, the behavioral transformation of 12-year old that initiates a bullying behavior at school is first established by an inner assessment of self and environment.The child analyzes the capacity of his strength over the others in the class, and then further internalizes the nature of his preferred action. Reinforcers of this behavior can either be other classmates influencing him to bully others or his intrinsic psychological desire to bully others. In a well-appropriate environment where the subject is regarded as the strongest, the chance of producing a bullying behavior to 12-year old boy is more likely (Burgess, 1997; O’ Donohue and Plaud 1994).As for the analysis above, behavior conditioning is therefore affected by three major components, namely (1) the inner self, (2) the environment and (3) the process of behavioral adaptation. However, according to Moore (2002), another contributing factor to consider is the biological foundation of behavior. In Moore’s (2002) argument derived from Skinner’s behavioral conditioning, the influence of hormonal and genetic compositions is another perspective of behavior modifications.â€Å"The science of behavior is concerned with behavior directly selected according to phylogenic contingencies, via inherited genetic mechanisms (Moore 2002)†. The contributions of genetics to causal behavioral events are said to be due to the sensitivity of nervous function to environmental stimulation. Skinner suggests that some behaviors dominating in an individual are not externally fostered, rather elicited only by the environment or other forms of reinforcements (Moore 2002). Components of Behavior Conditioning B. F.Skinner’s view of behavioral conditioning comprises of diverse factors, specifically (1) the material environment during the lifetime of the individual organism (Moore 2002), (2) inner activities and nature of a behavior – phylogenetic (Moore 2002; Burgess 1997), (3) the Gene-Behavior relationship (Moore 2002), and (4) the reciprocal behavior-environment interchange (O’ Donohue and Plaud 1994). In these four contributing factors of behavior conditioning, Skinner, in his operant conditioning, has proposed two essential balancing components: (1) positive reinforcements (rewards), and (2) negative reinforcements (punishments).Operant conditioning involves the functional relationships between behavior events and environmental events. Consequent behaviors can be demonstrated by systematic and controlled changes in the environment. To Skinner, â€Å"there are three-term contingency that exemplifies the relationship among antecedents, behavior and consequences. † Most activities that human beings perform socially provide the context for other people to react according to these activities in one way or another; thereby, initiating consequences of behavior.Such principle is also true in terms of physical environment through the presence of reinforcements, specifically reward systems and punishments. According to Skinner, â€Å"behavior is governed to some degree by reinforcement, which can be organized in endless variety of ways according to reinforcements and punishments. † In addition by Moore (2002), reinforcements largel y depend on the environmental settings and the behavioral nature present in the individual. Negative and positive reinforcements act as the behavior leverages that manipulates an individual’s behavior.According to O’ Donohue and Plaud (1994), behavior conditioning and the basic elements of reinforcements and punishments are defined as the Law of Effect responsible for manipulating both desired and undesired behavioral practices. The main emphasis of behavior modification is to reinforce behaviors that are valuable, and negate those behavioral patterns that are not appropriate. In operant conditioning, the individual’s behavior operates on the environment and determines the occurrence of reinforcements as contingent to the behavioral conditioning.According to Moore (2002), reinforcements are interrelated to the individual’s survival and adaptation. â€Å"Operant conditioning occurs when the probability of a response in the presence of an antecedent stimul us increases because of the prior consequences of the response in the presence of the stimulus in question (Moore 2002)†. Skinner’s view of behavioral conditioning identifies covert, implicit or private events as contributing factors to the mutual relationship between stimuli and the influence on behavior response. Conclusion In conclusion of the study, B.F. Skinner in his idea of behavioral conditioning emphasizes behavior as a consequence of the relationship between environment and behavioral events. Conditioning behaviors is facilitated by manipulating the external reinforcements, specifically reward systems and/or punishments, derived from the different contributing factors. Behavior conditioning revolves in various contributing factors, namely (1) the inner and nature of behavior, (2) physical environment, (3) biochemical processes of behavior, and (4) reciprocal behavior-environment interchange.Consequent behaviors are product of the individual’s adaptation in his environment as a form of survival mechanism. References Jensen, R. , & Burgess, H. (1997). Mythmaking: how introductory psychology texts present B. F. Skinner's analysis of cognition. Journal of Psychological Record, 47, 221-227. Moore, J. (2002). Some Thoughts on the Relation between Behavior Analysis and Behavioral Neuroscience. Journal of Psychological Record, 52, 261-266. O'Donohue, W. , & Plaud, J. (1994). The Conditioning of Human Sexual Arousal. Journal of Sexual Behavior, 23, 221-228.