The True Story free essay sample

A Nightmare On Elm Street and The Mothman In the early part of 1980, American newspapers ran a series of short stories  chronicling a serious epidemic in Southeast Asia which claimed the lives of a number of young adults. According to doctors, these relatively healthy men, all without a history of mental disorders, began reporting strange nightmares which kept them from sleep in order to avoid these terrors in their dreams. The consumption of coffee and other drugs helped the men remain awake, at first, but eventually each man went to sleep. Hours later, the men would be found screaming and violently thrashing in their beds before dying from unknown causes. â€Å"In the Philippines, it’s called bangungot, in Japan pokkuri, in Thailand, something else. † says Dr. Robert Kirschner, a physician familiar with this strange phenomenon. â€Å"But it all roughly translates as the same thing: nightmare death. † While Freddy Krueger was not the reported figure, Southeast Asians believed demons had invaded the dream realm of these men, eventually claiming them in their nightmares. We will write a custom essay sample on The True Story or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These stories eventually came to provide the basis for Wes Craven would build his critical success as a horror director and producer. These events would spawn nine movies in a series and eventually a remake that would still keep this generation’s children up at night. It began in mid-November 1966, when two couples, parked at an old World War II dump site that the locals called TNT, say they were chased by a large creature. They reported the incident to the police, and the sightings continued from there. Some said the creature chased them to the ground. Others suffered from bleeding eyes after reportedly seeing it. Many never slept well again. It did not help to calm fears when the towns investigative reporter Mary Hyre, who had devoted much press coverage to the Mothman, died suddenly. One theory is that people saw a huge sandhill crane that veered off course. Another is that it was a giant, mutated owl. And others say the people in Point Pleasant succumbed to mass hysteria. I believe that some people saw something. It was probably a bird, said Hilda Austin, 58, who lived through the Mothman sightings and is currently the head of the Point Pleasant Chamber of Commerce. Some of it was just hoax. It could have been something spawned by the toxic ground from the TNT area. Some of the eyewitnesses were on drugs. I thought it was a hoot, everyone just sort of laughed at this. They just thought it was preposterous. But others, like author Loren Coleman, said there is a history of this kind of lore in the Ohio River Valley. The Native American tribes of the area had a long history of passing stories about Thunderbirds, large bird-man figures that were always harbingers of woe. Much like A Nightmare on Elm Street the Mothman has also spawned a filmed, aptly titled The Mothman Prophecies. Which sensationalizes on the stories and warps the Mothman into some seer of disaster. Both of these stories and their movie counterparts have been scaring children and adults alike for decades not just because it was so stylishly executed on film, but because humans are more afraid of the plausible. It does not matter if it happened a 1,000 miles away in the same country or some unknown place in Asia, if the possibility is there it makes the story or film that much more scary and exciting and that is why these movies and stories have survived as long as they have.

The Police and Corruption essays

The Police and Corruption essays The police. Twenty-four hours a day, three hundred sixty-five days a year, this division of our government has a mandate to enforce the criminal law and preserve public peace. Understood in this mandate is an obligation to police everyday life matters that originate in the daily lives and activities of citizens within their community. Police interact in some form with the average citizen more often than any other government official. In society today the police play a key role in maintaining a civil society. This role assumes a substantial amount of power and authority over the general public. With power comes corruption and/or misuse of power. The question that is presented is, how and why do the police exceed the parameters of their power and authority? This is an issue that is predominant in urban settings, but not exclusive to these settings. This is an important issue because it effects all people. The police is a government service to all people, but all people do not feel they are being serviced. Not everyone is satisfied with the conduct of the police. Why do people feel that police are crossing boundaries that they should not be? This will be observed from four different aspects in which police are capable of exceeding the parameters of their power and authority: police and use of discretionary enforcement, Police justice, police harassment, and the unwarranted use of police authority. Police are allowed to and must use personal discretion in their determination of law enforcement. Unlike a judge or lawyer a police officer can not gather information and take time to make a prognosis to make a decision affecting the fate of a person. He must make a quick decision based on his discretion to determine the fate of a person.. ...a quick decision is required to protect the interests of the public and to satisfy requirements of operating efficiency (Reiss, p.130) Now ...

Geographical Relocation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Geographical Relocation - Essay Example MorÐ µovÐ µr, humÐ °n rÐ µsourcÐ µ mÐ °nÐ °gÐ µr should prÐ µpÐ °rÐ µ Ð ° cost Ð µffÐ µctivÐ µ plÐ °n to dÐ µcidÐ µ whÐ µthÐ µr thÐ µ rÐ µlocÐ °tion of Ð µmployÐ µÃ µ would bÐ µ Ð µffÐ µctivÐ µ in tÐ µrms of pÐ °rticulÐ °r cÐ °sÐ µ. ThÐ µ following pÐ °pÐ µr is Ð ° rÐ µport, which covÐ µrs thÐ µ issuÐ µs rÐ µlÐ °tÐ µd with thÐ µ Ð µxpÐ °triÐ °tion procÐ µss of thÐ µ workÐ µr from London, UK to MÐ °drid, SpÐ °in. HÐ µrÐ µin, I Ð °im to Ð °nÐ °lysÐ µ thÐ µ cÐ °sÐ µ of such Ð ° rÐ µlocÐ °tion, whÐ µn mÐ °king Ð °nÐ °lysis of thÐ µ country of rÐ µlocÐ °tion (thÐ µ Ð µconomy of SpÐ °in, tÐ °x Ð °nd hÐ µÃ °lthcÐ °rÐ µ systÐ µm, insurÐ °ncÐ µ Ð °nd politics), providing ovÐ µrviÐ µw of living Ð °nd working conditions Ð °nd invÐ µstigÐ °ting thÐ µ wÐ °ys thÐ °t mÐ °y fÐ °cilitÐ °tÐ µ thÐ µ rÐ µlocÐ °tion Ð °nd Ð °dÐ °ptÐ °tion procÐ µss of Ð ° workÐ µr who Ð µxpÐ °triÐ °tÐ µ from London to MÐ °drid. WhÐ µn providing thÐ µ rÐ µport I will mÐ °kÐ µ Ð °n Ð °ccÐ µnt on thÐ µ policy of our orgÐ °nizÐ °tion thÐ °t clÐ µÃ °rly idÐ µntifiÐ µs its goÐ °ls in Ð µÃ °ch stÐ °gÐ µ Ð °nd thus will rÐ µsult in bÐ µttÐ µr intÐ µrnÐ °tionÐ °l pÐ µrformÐ °ncÐ µ of Ð µxpÐ °triÐ °tÐ µs. TrÐ °ining should nÐ µvÐ µr focus primÐ °rily on bÐ µnÐ µfiting thÐ µ individuÐ °l Ð µxpÐ °triÐ °tÐ µ. RÐ °thÐ µr, it should cÐ µntÐ µr on mÐ µÃ µting thÐ µ orgÐ °nizÐ °tions goÐ °ls. It should try to mÐ °tch thÐ µ Ð µxpÐ °triÐ °tÐ µs knowlÐ µdgÐ µ, skills Ð °nd compÐ µtÐ µnciÐ µs with thosÐ µ rÐ µquirÐ µd for Ð µÃ °ch pÐ °rticulÐ °r Ð °ssignmÐ µnt. LikÐ µ most othÐ µr trÐ °ining, its succÐ µss should bÐ µ mÐ µÃ °surÐ µd by how much thÐ µ orgÐ °nizÐ °tion bÐ µnÐ µfits, not how much thÐ µ individuÐ °l might grow or lÐ µÃ °rn. ЕxpÐ °triÐ °tion, thÐ µ prÐ °cticÐ µ of sÐ µnding homÐ µ country mÐ °nÐ °gÐ µrs to othÐ µr country locÐ °tions, is Ð ° populÐ °r, Ð °lbÐ µit Ð µxpÐ µnsivÐ µ, prÐ °cticÐ µ Ð °mong intÐ µrnÐ °tionÐ °l corporÐ °tions (OBoylÐ µ, 1989). ЕxpÐ °triÐ °tÐ µs, fÐ °miliÐ °r with thÐ µ culturÐ µ, lÐ °nguÐ °gÐ µ, Ð °nd customs of hÐ µÃ °dquÐ °rtÐ µrs, cÐ °n fÐ °cilitÐ °tÐ µ thÐ µ trÐ °nsfÐ µr of corporÐ °tÐ µ culturÐ µ bÐ µtwÐ µÃ µn hÐ µÃ °dquÐ °rtÐ µrs Ð °nd thÐ µ subsidiÐ °ry, Ð µnhÐ °ncing communicÐ °tion Ð °nd

Cooperative Learning in Elementary Education Research Paper

Cooperative Learning in Elementary Education - Research Paper Example This will help to ease up students who might find it difficult to interact for fear of being judged. The follow-up activity will concern organizing the students into small groups. Each group has the responsibility of accomplishing a particular task. The next step in introducing cooperative learning will be assigning roles and responsibilities of each member of the group. This activity helps in the organization of work and contributes positively to timely and effective learning (Tomlinson, 2004). The positions of some of the members of the group can be the ‘starter’, ‘taskmaster/encourager’, ‘reader’, ‘praiser’, ‘researcher’, or recorder. The starter is the person who initiates the processes or supervises the uses of materials. The encourager is responsible for motivating other members of the group to contribute positively. The reader can make sure everyone in the group has identical information and understand the goals of the task. . The praiser is responsible for reinforcement of contribution from others. The researcher obtains additional information needed by the group while the recorder puts down the proceedings on paper. The responsibilities are not necessaril y restricted to any one person. The above is an example of how cooperative learning can be implemented in an elementary classroom. However, the age of the students demands constant check up by the teacher to ensure that the learning process is on the right

Media And Terrorism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Media And Terrorism - Research Paper Example Pandalai and Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses (2013) argue that several characteristics make the media to be well suited for terrorist and terrorist activities. One important characteristic that is important for terrorism as related to the media is that it sets the agenda in that the more attention one pays to a certain activity like terror attacks, the more importance and attention the public pays attention to it. Moreover, the way a news item is offered or outlined determines how it will be explained or understood by the target audience or population. It is a matter of fact that terrorists and their terror activities would want to be in the media most probably in a positive way to be seen as fighting for a political, ideological or political cause. The media becomes an important tool for setting and framing this agenda as wanted by the terrorist.  Terrorists adopt the use of the media to set and propagate some of their objectives of terrorism, Whitehead (2013) argues th at terrorists may use the media for purposes of seeking attention, recognition, and legitimacy, which can be achieved through the psychological interaction between them and the media to demoralize enemies. In order to achieve this, terrorists try to gain the attention of the audience to condition their thinking thus creating fear; afterward, they seek for recognition of their motives in order to gain sympathy and respect before using the media to gain quasi-legitimate status to be recognized as important political players. Terrorists participate at several levels in the media either when the media reports a terror attack, when terrorists send their messages through the media or when they have a full control of the media outlet. In the first case, the terrorists carry out an attack and wait to see how the media carries out the story or report it, while the second scenario occurs when those involved in the terror activity send their message to the media after framing their message.

Climate Change Biodiversity And Ecosystem Loss Environmental Sciences Essay

Climate Change Biodiversity And Ecosystem Loss Environmental Sciences Essay Climate change is a problem that is having a big impact in biodiversity and ecosystem loss, this is a problem that comes from decades and it is getting bigger and bigger and unstoppable, climate change is having a big impact in some parts of the ecosystem, like arctic zones, oceans, and other parts of the ecosystem, but climate change is now by the humans as Global Warming. Global Warming have a simple meaning, the climate is changing, the earth is warming up, the habitats of some species are changing this causes their extinction, the temperatures around the world are increasing causing that the glacier-melt, the oceans level increase. The climate change occurs because the increase of greenhouse gases that are Carbon Dioxide (CO2), this gases are produces by the humans and globalization, the greenhouse effect is when the energy from the sun drives the earths, In turn, the earth radiates energy back into space; Some atmospheric gases trap some of the outgoing energy, retaining heat somewhat like the glass panels of a greenhouse. The Humans are the reason why the biodiversity and the ecosystem is loss, we are the ones that produces this gases, and we are the only ones that can stop the Global Warming, this is a problem with the past of the years is getting every time bigger and its time to the humans stop this problem, a 39% of species around the world all in danger of extinction, and the ecosystem in which the animals and we (Humans), are leaving is in danger, the increase in temperatures in the last years, are melting the poles, and increasing the level of the ocean, the effect of the increase of the temperature, causes natural disaster, that affects the environment and killing many peoples, but this have many solutions. Chapter 1: Why biodiversity is important? Why is important dont lose it? Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play. For example: A larger number of plant species means a greater variety of crops Greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms Healthy ecosystems can better withstand and recover from a variety of disasters. And so, while we dominate this planet, we still need to preserve the diversity in wildlife. While there might be survival of the fittest within a given species, each species depends on the services provided by other species to ensure survival. It is a type of cooperation based on mutual survival and is often what a balanced ecosystem refers to. Chapter 2: Climate change impact on arctic an oceans biodiversity: The link between climate change and biodiversity has long been established. Although throughout Earths history the climate has always changed with ecosystems and species coming and going, rapid climate change affects ecosystems and species ability to adapt and so biodiversity loss increases. The climate change have more impact in some areas likes the arctic and the oceans. The Arctic, Antarctic and high latitudes have had the highest rates of warming, and this trend is projected to continue, as the above-mentioned Global Biodiversity Outlook 3 notes, In the Arctic, it is not just a reduction in the extent of sea ice, but its thickness and age. Less ice means less reflective surface meaning more rapid melting. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (2010) Global Biodiversity Outlook 3, May 2010 The extent of floating sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, as measured at its annual minimum in September, showed a steady decline between 1980 and 2009 according to National Snow and Ice Data Center, graph compiled by Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (2010) Global Biodiversity Outlook 3, May 2010. They are some species that need this sea ice like the polar bears. Other problem is the increasing of ocean acidification, Although it has gained less mainstream media attention the effects of increasing greenhouse emissions, in particular carbon dioxide, on the oceans may well be significant. Scientists are finding that on the one hand oceans have been able to absorb some of the excess CO2 released by human activity. This has helped keep the planet cooler than it otherwise could have been had these gases remained in the atmosphere. However, the additional CO2 being absorbed is also resulting in the acidification of the oceans: When CO2 reacts with water it produces a weak acid called carbonic acid, changing the sea water chemistry. As the Global Biodiversity Outlook report explains, the water is some 30% more acidic than pre-industrial times, depleting carbonate ions the building blocks for many marine organisms. In addition, concentrations of carbonate ions are now lower than at any time during the last 800,000 years. The impacts on ocean biological diversity and ecosystem functioning will likely be severe, though the precise timing and distribution of these impacts are uncertain. (See p. 58 of the report.) This change is also occurring rapidly, so some marine life may not have the chance to adapt. Some marine creatures are growing thinner shells or skeletons, for example. Some of these creatures play a crucial role in the food chain, and in ecosystem biodiversity. Chapter 3: Human impact in biodiversity. 3.1 Massive extinction. For a long time , human activities has been causing massive extinctions, A major report, released in March 2005 highlighted a substantial and largely irreversible loss in the diversity of life on Earth, with some 10-30% of the mammal, bird and amphibian species threatened with extinction, due to human actions. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), notes that many species are threatened with extinction. In addition, 75% of genetic diversity of agricultural crops has been lost 75% of the worlds fisheries are fully or over exploited Up to 70% of the worlds known species risk extinction if the global temperatures rise by more than 3.5 °C 1/3rd of reef-building corals around the world are threatened with extinction Every second a parcel of rainforest the size of a football field disappears Over 350 million people suffer from severe water scarcity Extinction risks out pace any conservation successes. Amphibians are the most at risk, while corals have had a dramatic increase in risk of extinction in recent years. 3.2 Declining ocean biodiversity: In the past century, commercial whaling has decimated numerous whale populations, many of which have struggled to recover. Commercial whaling in the past was for whale oil. With no reason to use whale oil today, commercial whaling is mainly for food, while there is also some hunting for scientific research purposes. Japan is the prime example of hunting whales for the stated aim of scientific research while a lot of skepticism says it is for food. Greenpeace and other organizations often release findings that argue Japans whaling to be excessive or primarily for food, other example is almost in japan the trap the white shark only for get his tail. 3.3 Loss of forest. A 20-year study has shown that deforestation and introduction of non-native species has led to about 12.5% of the worlds plant species to become critically rare (An example is the Amazon damage), A report from the World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development suggests that the forests of the world have been exploited to the point of crisis and that major changes in global forest management strategies would be needed to avoid the devastation. There are somes species that haven been discover, if this problem continues, the habitat of this species would be loss and they would been extend. Brazil, which is estimated to have around 55,000 species of flora, amounting to some 22% of the worlds total and India for example, which has about 46,000 and some 81,000 animal species (amounting to some 8% of the worlds biodiversity), are also under various pressures, from corporate globalization, deforrestation, etc. So too are many other biodiverse regions, such as Indonesia, parts of Africa, and other tropical regions. Graphic 2. Comparing actual area of Brazilian portion of the Amazon deforested each year between 1990 and 2009. Source: Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (2010) Global Biodiversity Outlook 3, May 2010, p.33 The significant decline noted in the Brazilian Amazon is not enough to prevent the World Bank worrying about the future. The Global Biodiversity Outlook report notes that According to a recent study co-ordinated by the World Bank, 20% Amazon deforestation would be sufficient to trigger significant dieback of forest in some parts of the biome by 2025, when coupled with other pressures such as climate change and forest fires. Furthermore, some of the reversals in deforestation is because of reforestation, but the report raises the same concerns as also noted further below. Namely, Since newly-planted forests often have low biodiversity value and may only include a single tree species, a slowing of net forest loss does not necessarily imply a slowing in the loss of global forest biodiversity. Between 2000 and 2010, the global extent of primary forest (that is, substantially undisturbed) declined by more than 400,000 square km, an area larger than Zimbabwe. Conclusion The animals habitat are disappearing because human, nature give all to humans but humans never gave him back, this is why the biodiversity is disappearing, climate change is altering all the habitat, the temperature are increasing, the pollution on is increasing every day, but the reason why all of this is happening is because humans, the environment is increasing in a 100%, and the humans dont take care about the forest or the animals. This would affect the humans in a future, an example is the water, without forest, no water, and if humans dont have water, it would be a several problem, like conflicts by countries looking for water, this is why I take climate change and biodiversity loose, Because this is a problem that affects humans all the days. Sources Global Biodiversity Outlook 3, May 2010 Our choise, Al Gore, 2010 An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore, 2006 Human Impact Triggers Massive Extinctions, ST. LOUIS, Missouri, August 2, 1999 (ENS) Jaan Suurkula, World-wide cooperation required to prevent global crisis; Part one- the problem, Physicians and Scientists for Responsible Application of Science and Technology, February 6, 2004 [Emphasis is original] Index Chapter 1: Why biodiversity is important? Why is important dont lose it?PG3 Chapter2: Climate change impact on arctic an oceans biodiversity:à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦PG3-5 Chapter3: Human impact in biodiversityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦PG5-9

Life Means Life - Original Writing :: Papers

Life Means Life - Original Writing The sly shoves and kicks from policemen didn't bother me. It was the look on their faces. They turned up their noses as if the smell of me was too foul to endure. Their eyes seemed to darken at the sight of me. The first time it really hit me that I was going to spend the rest of my life in prison was only when they took away my personal belongings. Everything that gave me a sense of identity, of individuality was carefully listed and placed into that blue plastic box - a Mars bar which I have loved since I was a little lad; my keys that never worked first time you twisted them in the lock; my worn and familiar clothes that I refused to throw out just because they were old, and my wallet with the picture of - my girlfriend who says she no longer loves me. These small insignificant things that made me an individual were stripped away literally and all that was left was me. Me. It made me break down right there in the room while they were removing the laces from my shoes. "We don't want any hangings tonight do we?" said the surly officer. A humiliating, brutal and invasive search of my naked body followed amid sniggers and crude comments from the men in blue before being marched to my cell. By this point I was beyond caring. A switch in my mind was flicked and I stared straight ahead, silently following the instructions of the uniformed guards neither flinching nor responding to anything anyone said or did. The door slammed shut and I surveyed my new home with its hard bed and a bucket in a corner. I was placed in solitary confinement `for my own security' which meant I didn't have to face the other inmates immediately although I realised at some point that I would have to. Solitary confinement - time to give me think about the weeks and months leading up to this point and the crime they say I committed.

Workplace Discrimination Against Women

Workplace discrimination happens when a worker is subjected to unfavorable or unfair treatment based on nationality, caste, religion, gender and race. This means that discrimination against women at the workplace is gender based. It is inclusive of the workers who suffer retaliation due to their refusal to accept work place discrimination. The federal law is against workplace discrimination is all areas i. e. recruitment, training, promotion, demotion and disciplinary actions. The laws that protect people against unfair treatment do so based on the protected characteristics rather than the personality or the performance of the worker.Discrimination can therefore end up being subjective to a large extent and this means that what one person may consider discriminatory, another person might not (Bartos & Wehr, 2002). Forms of workplace discrimination against women Women have a right not to be discriminated against in the workplace as dictated by the international laws. However, the real ity on the ground is that people do not necessarily comply with the law and this means that women are still discriminated against. They are discriminated against in several ways. One, they lack access to the labor market.Studies claim that the rate of unemployment is higher among women compared to men (Gilliland, Steiner & Skarlicki, 2007). It also indicates that women have a lower participation in labor force when compared to men. There are also more women working at part time jobs than men although this might not be their choice. They further indicate that compared to men, there are more women who work for jobs they are overqualified. Statistics continue to show that among the discouraged workers i. e. the unemployed people who have stopped looking for jobs due to the unavailability of work, there are more women than men.These people are usually shut out of employment due to cultural, social, structural barriers or basically discrimination (Chirwa, 1999). Secondly, there is a big wage gap between employed men and women doing the same kind of work. Women get 15-30% less for work of same value done by men. Studies show that women are not safeguarded by higher educational achievements especially where high positions count. In several countries, the more educated a woman is, the bigger the wage gap (Gilliland, Steiner & Skarlicki, 2007). Despite the fact that women live longer than men, in a lifetime, they earn less.This makes them to be less advantaged when it comes to conditions for pension insurance. They also get lesser pensions on retirement. This kind of discrimination is global affecting even the first world nations despite the existence of laws protecting women against discrimination. Thirdly, we have the issue of glass ceiling. This is the practice where women are least considered when promotions are being done. Most companies have 90% and above of men in their executive positions and the same kind of percentage of women in the lowest positions. In most cases, the higher a post is, the lesser the chance of a woman occupying it.This is irrespective of the educational level of the woman. In fact, women who manage to be at the executive positions are usually an exception to the rule. Even in the companies which are female dominated, you still find more men in the executive positions (Gregory, 2003). The major reasons for such problems are as a result of discrimination against women. The society makes women to compensate or pay a gender penalty as mothers. Most employers do not want to handle the hassles which come with motherhood and therefore, they solve the problem by employing more men than women.However, studies indicate that employers incur an increased cost of 1% or less of gross income of women workers when they hire a woman than when they employ a man. Other than the economic reasons, women are also discriminated against as a result of misguided preconceptions and stereotyping about women’s abilities and roles, leaders hip style and commitment (Landrine & Klonoff, 1997). Sociological perspectives Workplace discrimination against women can be looked at through three sociological perspectives.The first perspective of functionalism which is built upon two emphases: a) use of similarity between society and individuals and b) applying scientific methods to the social world. The first emphasis on the society’s unity makes functionalists to hypothesize about people’s needs which have to be met in order for a social system to be there. It also makes them to consider the ways through which those needs are met by social institutions. The similarity between individuals and society is focused on the homeostatic features of social systems i. e. social systems are there to maintain balance when it is disturbed by external shocks.This is basically achieved through socializing society members to certain common norms and values which enable consensus to be achieved. In the cases where socialization i s not fully sufficient to achieve so, some social control mechanisms are used to either reinstate conformity or isolate the people who can not be conventional from the society. These include gossip, sneering and sanctions (Gilliland, Steiner & Skarlicki, 2007). The second emphasis asserts that the social world can be studied just like a physical world. Functionalists view social world as real and as one which can be observed through interviews and social surveys.It also assumes that the values of the investigator’s do not have to interfere with search for laws which govern social system’s behavior. This perspective tries to show that people’s behavior is usually molded by the forces in the society. Individuals are treated as puppets whose behavior is as a result of the internalized expectations and the social structure of where they were brought up or live. In relation to workplace discrimination against women, functionalists would argue that men discriminate ag ainst women because that is the way the society is (Landrine & Klonoff, 1997).Conventionally, women were treated as home makers and children bearers and men as the bread winners. Although the world has evolved and women have become educated, the society still feels that men should provide and women should take care of their families. Working and earning are only seen as additional benefits of women in the society but they have to fulfill their roles as mothers and homemakers. It is not a wonder then when men do not find women competitive enough to handle the roles which men have always thought that they are theirs. At the same time, men may not feel that women should get better positions in a men’s world.The issue of maternity leaves and sick offs for pregnant women make men view them as incompetent. This explains why men are against women climbing up the ladder. Functionalists claim that is the way the social structure dictates (Chirwa, 1999). The second perspective is symbo lic interactionism. This is a sociological perspective about the society and self which was founded by pragmatists. It dictates that people’s lives are lived in the symbolic field. People derive symbols from social objects which have shared meanings which they create and maintain during social interactions.Symbols usually give provision to the ways through which reality is constructed through communication and language. Reality then becomes product of the society and people’s culture, society, minds and self are based on such symbols. These are the ones which determine human conduct (Gilliland, Steiner & Skarlicki, 2007). In relation to workplace discrimination against women, the society has created symbols which guide its thinking regarding how things should operate. For example, the society looks at men as leaders, heroes, heads and people who show others the way forward.The symbol that the society has created regarding women is that of submission, weakness and peopl e who follow instructions which have already been made by men. When a woman becomes a leader, she goes against the symbols that the society has already established. This is expressed in almost all aspects of life. In movies, the heroes are always men and when we have women, they are created as people who can not make decisions. On the other hand, men who are led by women are seen as weak. This can therefore explain why men do not want to give women leadership positions because that is a symbol of weakness.When women are subjected to this kind of life, they also accept their position as followers and the ones in leadership positions are seen as exceptions to the symbols in a society (Gregory, 2003). Finally, we have the conflict theory as the third perspective of looking at discrimination against women at the workplace. This theory argues that individuals and social classes or groups in a society have different quantities of resources, both non-material and material and that the grou ps which have more usually make use of their power to take advantage of the ones with less power.Its believed that the people in power make use of it in order to keep their favorable positions. They use it to keep the less powerful from gaining as this would only jeopardize their position. This can then explain why women are discriminated against at the workplace. Men have had power for a long time which they gained from the favorable position that the society places them in. However, women have catch up and they also have power in terms of money and education and this threatens the men’s position in the society.Men in leadership use their power to act as barriers towards women’s progression because they do not want them taking their favorable positions. When women are discriminated against in terms of less payments and lack of career advancement, they lose their leverage to gain the power which is to the advantage of men (Bartos & Wehr, 2002). Conclusion Discriminatio n against women makes them to be offered employment which is not gratifying. They get jobs which may not allow career advancement, jobs paying less and work which is precarious.They are also subjected to mobbing, bullying, sexual and moral harassment as well as unfriendly corporate culture. All these contribute to lower labor force participation among women which translates to economic loss in terms of higher social security and unemployment benefits, reduced tax income and lowered economic growth. This means that if men could appreciate the changes in the world and embrace the idea of career women who have equal opportunities as men, this would not only promote sound economic goals but also, it would improve social cohesion in America.

K-Pop Research Essay

K-Pop ê °â‚¬Ã¬Å¡â€ (an abbreviation of Korean pop or Korean popular music): is a musical genre consisting of dance, electronic, electropop, hip hop,[2] and R&B music originating in South Korea.[1] In addition to music, K-pop has grown into a popular subculture among teenagers and young adults around the world.[3] Although in a bigger scope K-pop may include other genres of â€Å"popular music† within South Korea, outside of the country the term is more commonly used for songs sung by Korean teen idols, which covers mostly dance, electronic, rap, hip-hop, and R&B genres.[4] Starting in 1992, dance and rap music became popular due to Seo Tai-ji & Boys, which is seen by many as the beginning of modern K-pop.[4] Genres such as ballad and rock are still popular today; however, the term can be debatable. With the rise of social media networks during the mid 2000s, the ability of K-pop to reach a previously inaccessible audience via the Internet is driving a shift in the exposure and popularity of the genre.[5] The Korean Wave has spread K-Pop to the Pacific Rim, the Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa. As an important part of the Korean Wave, K-pop has come from humble beginnings to gain a huge fan base not just in Asia but also other parts of the world. As South Korea continues to develop its IT infrastructure, K-Pop music is being shared over the internet and through mobile devices more rapidly than ever.[6] According to The New York Times, â€Å"attempts by K-pop stars to break into Western markets had largely failed prior to the proliferation of global social networks.† However, K-pop artists are now gaining more international exposure through social media networks such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, making it easier for K-pop artists to reach a wider audience.[7] Fans come from all around the world[8] and K-Pop is considered by some to be South Korea’s greatest export because of its popularity and growing influence.[9] Kpop bands as highly produced, sugary boy- and girl-bands with slick dance routines and catchy tunes.†[10] Many K-Pop music videos have colourful visuals and a catchy beat.[11] K-Pop multiple vocal genres, especially hip-hop and rap, emphasize performances and strong visuals.[12] Dance is an integral part of K-pop. When combining multiple singers, the singers often switch their positions while singing and dancing by making prompt movements in synchrony. K-Pop is also recognized for pretty-boys and girl groups[13] that are young and considered attractive. I couldn’t stop humming the beat; it had been cemented in my head. At first it was just a mere song that I would play to make fun of, but I couldn’t help it. Over and over again, I played it. There was something intriguing about, something different. It pulled me in and drew my brain. My ears craved the tune again. I did my best to resist the urges, afraid that I’d be swept into its trance and be associated with those who would listen to it. I eventually went back to listen to it, disgusted with myself for enjoying listening to the repetitive track. The chorus was ridiculous, the Engrish was unbearable, yet I was still called for by it. It was different than most of the type of music I had indulged in. K-Pop. I was herded into the world of delusional fandoms that couldn’t bear insults towards their oppas. The world where Engrish is a normal thing you would sing along with. Besides the occasional fan wars and drama (not the K-Dramas, but actual drama), I felt like I had a family within my own fandoms. It was simple; we were all interested in that particular group, and we all respected each for that. It gave us common grounds. But it’s even more than that, we all still shared the general idea: We all liked K-Pop. Most people who are used to western music made fun of this genre. This is probably the biggest thing that binds us together. Most of us non-Korean listeners have probably dealt with being made fun of for liking K-Pop, and this makes us even closer.

The relationship between democracy and Islam in Indonesia

The relationship between democracy and Islam in Indonesia The role of Islam in the transition to democracy in Indonesia This paper will discuss how Islam and democracy interact in Indonesia. The paper will look at the role of Islam in the transition to democracy, in which Islam has played a critical part in the pro-democracy movement.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The relationship between democracy and Islam in Indonesia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Islam has played a crucial role in the research on the compatibility in Islam and democracy, in elections and in the building of a civil society in Indonesia. During the past decades, democracy and Islam have been a debatable topic and continues to be a major issue in political discussions. In the western world, Islam and democracy are viewed as fundamentally irreconcilable. Samuel Huntington argued that collapse of democratic system in the Islamic world is owed to the fact that the Islamic customs and society being unwelc oming to Western freethinking principles. According to some Muslim conservatives, the democracy values are contradicted with the concept of fundamental Islam. On the other hand, Indonesia has been considered as one of the Muslim countries that have been able to incorporate and consolidate democratic values into its political system. Robert Hefner points out that in countries such as Indonesia, Islam has became vital to democratization and has turn out to be the single most vital force for political transformation and democracy. This paper will argue the concept of Islam and Democracy can be compatible by looking at Indonesia as the majority Muslim country in the world. Throughout the history, the concept of democracy is marked by conflicting interpretation. The idea of democracy is always contested and vague where it is tricky to apply into practices. Huntington (1984, p.195) argues that the definition of democracy are legion where the term has been far from political area such the term has just been apply to institution. This is where citizens have the capacities to choose freely among political alternatives by making their own decisions that have a direct effect on their lives. Jillani (2006, p.728) states that such values of freedom, tolerance and equality are the principle of democracy that form government in a sovereignty state.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, in the western perspective, democracy and Islam are view as fundamentally incompatible. Huntington (1984, p.208) states that Islam are seen to be inhospitable to democracy. This is because Islamic revival especially the Shish fundamentalist in Middle East are strongly oppose and against the development of democracy as it is identified with Western liberal principles and such principle will denies the Islamic concept of the sovereignty of God. The Islamic fundamentalist is seen to be anti-democratic in the view of religious resurgence (Heryanto Mandal 2003, p.122). According to Effendy (2008, p.41) the concept of democracy is not foreign to Islamic thought. The values of democracy such as justice, consultation, egalitarian, trust and freedom are inherent to the corpus of Islamic ideas. As a result Islam is seen to be compatible with democracy through this perception where these values are obliged implemented in Muslim’s social culture, economic and political activities. Heryanto and Mandal (2003, p.123) argues that values have to be substantiate through educational reform and the creation of social institutions that encourage participation of society in the political and religious realm. On the other hand, the most important confront for democratization in the Muslim world are rely on Muslim leaders and intellectuals themselves to come up with rational systems of Islamic democracy that are not easy reformulations of Western philosophy offe red in Islamic expression. The diversity of Islam in Indonesia Among other Islamic country, democracy has been able to thrive among the largest number of the Muslims in Indonesia due to the moderate forms of Islam the citizens has been able to adopt (Azra Hudson 2008, p.47). There has been a blend between the myriad ways and the pre-existing religious practices.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The relationship between democracy and Islam in Indonesia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This has resulted to a richly distinctive variant. The form of Islam originally from Indonesia does not have the attribute of severity and rigidity. This has enabled it to get praise due to its moderation and tolerance. Hefner (2000, p.18) argues that democracy in Indonesia has become the single most important force for political change and democracy in the Muslim world in regards to the compatibility of Islam and democracy. According t o Carnegie, (2006, p.3), Indonesia is the country with the largest population of Muslims. Michael Buehler also states that the country is the third biggest democracy in the world, only after the U.S. and India (2009, p.51). Islam has a prominent sway in the Indonesia’s political landscape and offers an array of political and conceptual potentials for the nation. For instance, home-grown Abangan Islam is highly practiced in the Central and Eastern Java while Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)-the conventional Sunni Islam- is common in East Java. The current Islamic tenets of Muhammadiyah are prominent outside Java and synonymous with contemporary welfare services and education in Indonesia. Muhammadiyah is also popular among the young population who are more intellectual and autonomous in Indonesia (Carnegie, 2006, p.3). One of principal reasons that explain the cordial rapport between democracy and Islam in Indonesia is the disintegration of Islamic power in the country’s social soc iety (Buehler, 2009, p.53). The diversity of Islam in Indonesia is attributed to manner in which the Islamic alteration took place in the previous eras. The conversion of Indonesians to Islam was influenced by a number of factors such as accommodating prior Islamic tenets and observances that were common in various parts of Indonesia. The colonial rulers also contributed to Islamic diversity in Indonesia when they denied indigenous rulers authority to set up unified institutions of Islamic education, worship and pilgrimage.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The absence of a unified Islam structure has led to tectonic movements in the democratization of Islam in Indonesia. The country has thus witnessed the elimination of official constraints on the spiritual life of its population. Moreover, new types of religious practices have emerged thereby reducing the control of Islamic leaders in the whole country (Buehler, 2009, p.54). The role of Islam during election period in Indonesia The diffusion of Islamic authority and the vulnerability of social structure are more visible during voting periods. For example, during the gubernatorial vote in 2005, the authority of religious leader- the Tuan guru- was trivial as a result of a large number of Islamic leaders in South Kalimantan province. The candidates involved in the election knew that political support from religious figures was not adequate to augment their chances since all contestants had a Tuan guru in their campaign teams. Some resorted to use other strategies such as providing fina ncial support to social amenities such as schools, hospitals and mosques to woo voters. In addition, the waning influence of religious leaders has been manifested by the voters who have ditched Islamic leaders that support unpopular political parties (Buehler, 2009, p.55). The modern Muslim parties continue to play a vital role in the Indonesia’s democratic landscape. For example, in spite of their diverse political inclinations, the Muhammadiyah and NU parties strongly support the existence of a secular state and have censured terrorist activities and the parochial interpretation of Islamic laws (Smith, 2005, p.115). The role of radical Islamist in Indonesia According to Amir Santoso, the relationship between democracy and Islam in Indonesia has been characterized by the antagonism and tension between the ruling elites and Islam (1995, p.3). Right from the colonial period to post-Soeharto era, Muslims have used their religion as their platform for struggle against colonial r ule, oppression and as a tool for religious chauvinism (Jillani, 2006, p.727). During the formative years of Suharto’s totalitarian New Order and Islamic organizations were major political forces that strongly sustained the New Order in defeating communism. However, the cordial partnership collapsed in the late 1960s when the state was fully focused on the general election in early 1970s. There are a number of theories put forward to explain the demise of the alliance between the government and Islam in Indonesia. First, the demise of communism in the country meant that Islam was the main ideological option to Suharto’s regime. Second, Suharto’s New Order regime strongly believed that Islamic groups wanted to introduce Islamic tenets in the country. Finally, since the government’s main goals were political stability and economic growth, the government introduced containment policies to weaken the influence of Islam in Indonesia (Santoso, 1995, p.3). The c urrent democratic landscape in Indonesia has reduced the influence of radical Islam by giving its proponents democratic space to form political parties, take part in electoral process and freedom of press. This type of regime has thus been able to establish the politics and policies employed by Islamists. This theory is relevant to Middle East countries since flexible autocratic power of some regimes such as Indonesia have allowed the contribution of radical Islamists. The inclusion of radical Islamic groups in the democratic process compelled them to abandon their initial radical stands and in the end, adopted moderate positions (Nasr, 2005, p.13). In nutshell, the theory of flexible autocratic structure is that the involvement of radical Islam in political process leads to moderate Islam while their exclusion through oppression enhances Islamic radicalism (Hafez, 2005, p.4). References Azra, A. Hudson, H. (2008) Islam beyond Conflict: Indonesian Islam and Western Political Theory . Aldershot, UK: Ashgate. Buehler, M. (2009) Islam and Democracy in Indonesia. Insight Turkey, 11(4), 51-63. Carnegie, P. (2006) The Politics of Indonesia’s Islamic Identification. Dialogue, 4 (1), 1- 24. Effendy, B. (2008) Islam and the State in Indonesia. Web. Hafez, M. (2003) Why Muslims Rebel: Repression and Resistance in the Islamic World. London, Lynne Rienner. Hefner, R. (2000) Civil Islam: Muslims and democratization in Indonesia. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Heryanto, A. and Mandal, S. (2003) Challenging authoritarianism in Southeast Asia.  London: Routledge. Huntington, S (1984) Will more countries become democratic? In Political Science Quarterly, 99 (2), 206-228. Jillani, H. (2006) Democracy and Islam: An Odyssey in Braving the Twenty-First Century. Brigham Young University Law Review, (3), 727-753. Nasr, V. (2005) The Rise of Muslim Democracy. Journal of Democracy, 16 (2), 13-27. Santoso, A. (1995) Islam and politics in Indonesia during the 1990s. Asi an Journal of Political Science, 3(1) 1-34. Smith, P. (2005) Terrorism and Violence in Southeast Asia. London: Sharpe.

University of Texas-Cancer Center Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

University of Texas-Cancer Center - Essay Example MD Anderson has established itself as an outstanding cancer treatment center through strategic management and continued development (Harris & Lenox, 2013). Multidisciplinary care is basically working with a team of medical professionals from different areas of specialization (Ginter, Duncan & Swayne, 2013). Research has shown that patients who undergo thorough multidisciplinary care setting always display better outcomes than those who attended to by a single doctor. A multidisciplinary care setting offers the doctors with an opportunity to share experiences and therefore come up with multiple solutions to the problem. Moreover, some types of cancer require a combination of two or more treatment methods and specialists; thereby require a multidisciplinary approach to facilitate sharing of skills. In essence, multidisciplinary care brings together experts from various specialization areas in one forum to determine the most appropriate course of treatment to adopt. Through the multidisciplinary care, the patients get better treatment thereby reducing mortality rate and improving the patient’s quality of life. For instance, MD Anderson remains committed in the cancer prevention campaign and offers education to cancer patients to control the spread and mitigate new infections of the disease. The head and neck center is headed by a medical director, a specialist in head and neck cancer treatment. The center is organized to facilitate efficient interdisciplinary relations among the health professionals. The dentists and physicians are derived from different areas of specialization such as medical oncology, head and neck surgery, ophthalmology among other fields. The center specializes on the treatment of tumors of various kinds such oral cavity, skull base, thyroid and parathyroid, larynx and many others (Feig, 2006). The activities head and neck center

Lesson Plan Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lesson Plan Analysis - Essay Example They start connecting to what they already know and prepare themselves to process new information; as well it encourages them to begin to formulate correct responses in L2. In assessing this part of the plan, students are evaluated as to active participation in the discussion, ability to comprehend and interpret new idioms by responding correctly to discussion questions and the general flow of the discussion, and their degree of peer engagement in L2. Provide alternative learning outcomes by revising the expectations and reducing the number of expectations. (p.260) By reading some selections aloud to students, it models pronunciation and helps students develop a feel for rhythm and intonation of English sentences. ( p.222) It is important for all teachers to guide students through texts, demonstrating effective reading strategies and focusing on specific text. This teacher-directed intensive reading known as â€Å"guided reading†; it helps students develop strategies that they can use to read independently challenging texts.