Benefits of Affirmative Action in Higher Education

For twenty-five years, positive efforts have been made to qualified women and color of people to equal educational opportunities. As a result, the participation of the underrepresented groups of our society has increased significantly. The past and the present history of discrimination against women and people of color in education have extremely limited the current generation's educational opportunities. Until we can eliminate these inequities, positive measures would remain critical for women and color of people. Affirmative action programs have made a significant difference to a number of qualified individuals whose talents would not have watched over without such programs. It has improved the heterogeneity and the quality of education in our schools. In education, affirmative action provides the following to make educational opportunities accessible to all Americans: – Review of other merit factors besides grades and test scores by admission committees – Recruit for undergraduate, graduate admissions, and special educational programs – Provide mentoring, counseling, and other support programs. Affirmative Action In Education Has Expanded Opportunities For Women And People Of Color But The Need Remains If we take a closer look, many of the nations finest educational institutions had the doors firmly closed to women and people of color. Although the Civil Right Act and the Education Amendments prohibited racial and ethnic discriminations, educational opportunities for women and people of color are still limited by discrimination and stereotyping. As a result, women and people of color continue to fell behind by many educational measures. For example: Eliminating Educational Barriers For Women And People Of Color Through Affirmative Action Has Produced Broader Benefits To Society As A Whole Affirmative action programs have helped to increase the number of women completing law and medical school. The presence of women in justice and health care systems has given consumers more choices. The greater availability of female doctors and lawyers are the direct results of affirmative action programs at medical and law schools. â€Å"Affirmative action programs in medical schools have increased the number of physicians of color. Data suggests these physicians fill an important role in caring for poor people and members of minority groups. Black and Hispanic physicians locate their practices in areas with higher proportions of residents from underserved minority groups. In addition, they care for higher proportions of patients of their own race or ethnic groups and patients who are uninsured or are covered by Medicaid†. Source: Komaromy et al., â€Å"The Role of Black and Hispanic Physicians in Providing Health Care for Undeserved Populations,† The New England Journal of Medicine, May 16, 1996, Vol. 332, No. 20, p. 1305. What Would Happen If Affirmative Action Were Eliminated? The elimination of affirmative action will have devastating effects and it has already being felt in two of the nation's largest public universities. In 1995, the University of California system's Board of Regents voted to drop affirmative action in admissions beginning with next year's entering class. In Texas, a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit barred public colleges in that state from considering the race of prospective students. The Washington Post (5-19-97) noted that 21 black students have been selected for next fall's class at UCLA's law school-an 80 percent drop from last year and the lowest number of African Americans offered admission since about 1970. In Texas, nearly 400 fewer black and Hispanic students have been offered admission as undergraduates-a 20 percent decline. The Fall '97 entering class at the University of Texas Law School will include no African American students. Based on this data each and every civic in the nation should be alarmed. Not only that but also everyone should oppose to the policies denying entire segments of our society the full range of opportunities that our country has to offer. Why Admissions Policies Consider More Than Grades and Test Scores Antagonist of affirmative action is in favor to rank all applicants on the basis of quantitative measures alone. College admissions counselors and committees do understands that merit consists of just more than grades and test scores. Family income and parental academic attainment can also correlate to a student's ability to succeed. So the college counselors and committees understands if they limit the qualifications selection by only grades and test scores that might lead to the exclusion of talented musicians, artists, athletes, and other able individuals. Schools have a legitimate reason to strive for a mixed learning environment for students that will enable them to live in a pluralistic nation and compete in a global marketplace. A practical education encourages students to interact and work with people of diverse backgrounds. What the Courts Have Said About Affirmative Action in the Education Context â€Å"In Hopwood V. University of Texas School of Law (1996), the U.S. COURT of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that the University of Texas's Law School's affirmative action program violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. At issue was an admission's policy that compared ‘minority' and ‘non-minority' applicants separately. In its decision, the Fifth Circuit said the Supreme Court's ruling in Bakke (that race could be used as one of several factors in admission) was no longer valid. While the Supreme Court allowed the Hopwood ruling to stand, it did not affirm the decisive language of the ruling†. Education is a fundamental virtue in every aspect of social and economic opportunity in the United States of America. More than ever before, educational achievement is connected to the economic security and the advancement for individuals as well as the nation as a whole. Schools carry a strong responsibility of preparing the future leaders of our country to effectively live and lead in a diverse society. America's competitiveness lies in its ability to support the innovative talents of its people. In an era where educated nation is a stronger nation economically and otherwise. As we approach the 21st Century, our commitment as a moral citizen to these programs is more vital than ever.

Compare and Contrast Helena and Hermia in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

â€Å"Two lovely berries moulded on to one stem/ so with two seeming bodies but one heart†¦..† In William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream Helena confronts Hermia to remind her once again of their relationship. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a play about the two Athenian couples who constantly run through the course of true love. In this play Helena and Hermia are the two characters that have found their true lovers but are running through obstacles that prevent them to be with their loves.Hermia who is in love with Lysander has to go against the will of her Father Eugeus, while Helena has yet to make her love that is Demetrius fall in love with her. The whole play twists around the lovers and the way they approach to love and courtship. Although Hermia and Helena are both willing to risk honour for true love; in truth Hermia is confident in her approach to courtship while Helena lacks self-esteem.Hermia and Helena are both willing to risk their honour for their true loves. For example Hermia is risking her honour by running away with her true love Lysander:My good Lysander, I swear to thee by Cupid’s strongest bow, By his best arrow with the golden head, By the simplicity of Venus’ doves†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. By all vows that ever men have broke (In number more than ever women spoke), In that same place thou hast appointed me, Tomorrow truly will I meet thee. (1.1.169-178)Hermia vows upon the strongest symbols of love such as Cupid’s strongest bow, and Venus’ doves as her promise to meet Lysander at the place where they’ll elope. Hermia is risking her reputation by running away with Lysander, because she leaves the city with a person who she loves and trusts but is not married to, so therefore the society may consider her act as a disappointing example for other civilians. While Hermia is willing to risk her honour for Lysander, Helena is willing to risk her repute for the sake of her true love Demetrius. This is best illustrated by Demetrius who states: You do impeach your modesty too much,To leave the city and commit yourself Into the hands of one that loves you not, To trust the opportunity of night And the ill counsel of a desert place With the rich worth of your virginity. (2.1. 199-204)This passage from Demetrius depicts that Helena is risking her reputation by being alone with him at night in a deserted forest. As stated by Demetrius, Helena is committing herself to someone who does not love her and therefore she cannot trust Demetrius with the rich worth of her virginity. â€Å"Your virtue is my privilege†¦..†(2.1.205).Helena’s reply to Demetrius’s statement is that Demetrius will protect her with his virtue so therefore leaving the city and being alone with him does not seem to Helena as risking her honour. In conclusion Hermia and Helena are both connected in terms of risking their honour for Lysander and Demetrius. Helena and Hermia ar e both willing to risk their honour for true love, yet they both are also different in their approach to get to their lovers to be with them. For example the passage below shows Hermia’s confidence at her approach with Lysander. †¦.But, gentle friend, for love and courtesyLie further off in human modesty. Such separation as may well be said Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid. So far be distant. And, good night, sweet friend. Thy love ne’er alter till thy sweet life end! (2.2. 45-50)Hermia is confident in her approach to courtship because knows how to say no to Lysander on something that may not seem right to her such as sleeping with him. Separation before marriage is a right thing for Hermia to do and she has the confidence to express herself to Lysander. When Hermia tells Lysander to lie further off in human modesty she says it without hesitation. In this case Helena lacks the confidence that Hermia has in her approach to love. Helena is insecure about her i dentity and often compares her body image to Hermia’s as she does in the following passage. Call you me â€Å"fair†? That â€Å"fair† again unsay.Demetrius loves your fair. O happy fair! Your eyes are lodestars, and your tongue’s sweet air More tunable than lark to shepherd’s ear When wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear. Sickness is catching. Oh, were favor so, Yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go. My ear should catch your voice. My eye, your eye. My tongue should catch your tongue’s sweet melody†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (1.1. 181-189)This passage describes that Helena is insecure about her body image as well as her personality. Helena thinks that Demetrius loves Hermia because of her beauty which makes Helena think that she is inferior to Hermia. Even though both Helena and Hermia are both known to have the same beauty; Helena finds herself uglier because she doesn’t have the love of Demetrius. Helena’s approach to her love i s weaker than that of Hermia’s because of her insecurity and a low self-esteem. Helena wants Hermia’s beauty to be a sickness that she can contract.Hermia’s sweet strain, her lodestar eyes, and Hermia’s overall beauty is what Helena wishes and her insecurity about herself. As a result Hermia’s approach to courtship is stronger because of the high level of confidence she has, whereas Helena lacks that confidence because of her insecurity about herself. To conclude, although Hermia and Helena are both willing to risk their honour for true love, Hermia is stronger at her approach to love and courtship, and Helena lacks self-esteem  because of the insecurity about herself.Hermia is willing to risk her reputation by running away with Lysander, while Helena is willing to risk her reputation by being alone with Demetrius at night. With this connection also comes an alteration, when Hermia proves her confidence that Helena is not bound to have. Hermia kn ows how to say no to something that may not seem right to her. â€Å"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind/ therefore is wing’d Cupid painted blind†¦..† (1.1. 234-235). Helena’s statement that love is blind and looks with the eyes depicts that she approaches to love thoughtlessly; do you think this approach makes her successful in winning the heart of Demetrius?

State Intervention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

State Intervention - Essay Example The value placed upon the family unit is undeniable. Understanding the importance of the historical significance of the family unit, this article guarantees that the state will, with all its power, protect, defend and uphold the sanctity of the institution. Undeniably society as a whole affirms these principles having ratified the Constitution and empowered the courts to act as a caretaker and a defender when the rights of the family unit are challenged. Problems arise when government agencies through interpretation of law presuppose to know better than the parents what is best for their own child. Sadly there are cases where the government does need to intervene to protect the child; however, the concern lies when they begin to believe that the government itself has the right to step within the bounds of the family unit and impose its will upon it. It is, actually, quite a chilling thought. Thankfully we live in a country that has a set of checks and balances in place that is empowered, when necessary, to remind itself of the sovereignty of the family. The Health Act, 1970 authorized the establishment of Heath Boards in Ireland. These "eight health boards were established with statutory responsibility for the delivery of services in their respective areas." (Health Service, 2004, n.p.) Their function is to over see the delivery of heath service programs and benefits throughout the state. One of the source documents the health board uses in carrying out is function is the Child Care Act, 1991. Through legislative means such guidelines have been enacted to guide them in executing their duties. Unfortunately, in some cases, the possibility exists that the very power entrusted to them is abused. They begin to believe that they have the right to interpret and convolute the meanings of documents such as this and, intentionally or not attempt to destroy the fabric of the family unit. Such was the case which occurred when the North West Health Department attempted to usurp the power from the parents in deciding how best to raise their own children. This one act of sanctimonious righteousness threatened to redefine the very Constitution itself by denying the validity of a parent's rights to chose what they feel is best for their own child. That being said, I'll turn to the facts in the case described here and detailed in North Western Health Board-V-W. (H.), (2000) IEHC 199 Child Care Act, 1991 The Child Care Act, 1991 contains in Section three the responsibility of health boards to ensure that every child living within each area geographical boundaries is provided adequate medical care and other benefits. However the statute limits the power of the state to intervene only in those cases was proper care and guidance is not being provided for by the parents. When this happens, the state is to intervene, on behalf

Not everybody loved the Apollo space program Essay

Not everybody loved the Apollo space program - Essay Example The Apollo’s program size went beyond the Panama Canal in its size as the largest non-military technological activity the U.S engaged in throughout her history. The only comparable project to the Apollo was Manhattan project although from a different perspective as it involved wartime setting. The human space shift imperative served as a direct outgrowth of the earlier projects of Gemini as well as Apollo that had earlier been designed to execute the same goal. The successful accomplishment of the goal was however realized on 20th July, 1969 through the use of Apollo 11 when Neil Armstrong stepped out of the space shift and made contact with the moon’s surface (Walsh 13). Despite the significant achievement, majority of individuals as well as organizations within the federal state criticized the project of the Apollo Lunar Programs. The paper explores the main arguments presented by the critiques most of them based on the amount of money spent and the possible alternati ves that the critiques argued the money would be spent (Bernstein 19). Consequently, the paper examines whether the options presented by the critics of the Apollo Lunar project change over time and if changes occurred, the presented alternatives are brought into perspective. The fight for the balance of power between the US and the Soviet Union remain the primary reason that drove Kennedy to advance with the moon project. The soviet’s Union superiority in airspace exploration remained a significant driver for ensuring the US accomplished her mission of lunar exploration as a sign of pride and again to assume the superiority of the air. According to Kingsley, (29), â€Å"irrespective of the prestige that came about with the achievements; opinions from the public regarding the processes were divided.† When Neil Armstrong and Aldrin set foot on the moon, it marked the beginning of a process that led to the greatest opposition among scientists, scholars, as well as standard public

Impact of Internal Factors on Strategic Planning Essay

Impact of Internal Factors on Strategic Planning - Essay Example rt Macauley decided to rescue victims who survived during the crash and he started dealing with the mission of helping the victim, but he had to deal with the financial issues. The mission of starting the organization of providing disaster and other emergency relief took the stage. Therefore, with the help of Pope John Paul and financial aid from other people; the organization started operating in 1982. The mission of the organization is to restore health, save lives and offer relief services through delivering effective medicines during disaster period or any other emergence cases within America and across the globe. One of the key aspects of the AmeriCares in the internal environment is leadership aspects. Leadership is one of the effective aspects that are taken into consideration in the AmeriCares organization. The organization has varied leaders who are assigned different roles in a hierarchy manner. Marquis and Huston (2009) argue that leadership styles employed in an organization can impact organizational performance in case leaders does not take it into consideration. Different leaders employ leadership styles depending on the environment or leadership behaviors; hence, this might impact strategic planning in the organization (Harrison and Association of University Programs in Health Administration, 2010). AmeriCares  association  is  an independent and fair organization; thus, it recruits leaders with effective skills for managing the company. Thus, leadership skills, behaviors and styles employed by each leader may hinder effective decision making process; thus impacting strategic planning process. Another aspect is the organizational structure within the internal environment. The company is structured in a manner that enables leaders to make an effective decision process when handling significant issues. The flow of information is from the top management leaders to the bottom; thus, poor management and effective communication in the hierarchy may

Imagining a continuation of The Road by Cormac McCarthy Essay

Imagining a continuation of The Road by Cormac McCarthy - Essay Example He had not known what to expect. Around and around he went like a miserable and a dismal son who feels he is not belonging to this world. â€Å"They may kill you. They may hurt you. You have none to depend on. The North is not a good place to go to. You will be in a real jeopardy if you go there. Life is impossible in the North. You shall suffer. None is going to help you,† a sweet soft voice addressed the boy from inside. But he was determined to continue walking along the same road. Each time he walked he could remember all the sweet lovely conversations he had had with his father. He was cherishing many hopes waiting for life to smile again at his face and for the sky to irrigate his heart with much love. He had never experienced any sort of love except the one he truthfully felt for his father. He was silent for a time. He listened to the cool breeze running in his broken heart forshadowing something good to happen. Something that can alter his life and bring the smile to his face again and again. To all the faces. Those who know him have all died and they could not commemorate that expected joy for which he was thirsty and hankering. â€Å"I shall require you to accept certain assurances, sonny! You have no interest in any friends. Stick to the guidelines the father has set for you. No harm is going to touch you. No harm. No harm.† After having a long sleep under the shadow of an orange tree, the boy woke up all suddenly. He noted that the sun had cast some of its beams on his body. He had dreamt that he was brought to a new world where all people are getting along with each other. A world where flowers are growing in utter peace and bees buzzing hither and thither, dancing in marvelous circles like a Persian dervish. He was most happy because the birds are still chirping above not caring about hunters’ disdain and winter’s cold rain. He walked and walked. Then his eyes fell on a large house

One Page Response on 'Wayward Puritans' by KAI ERIKSON Essay

One Page Response on 'Wayward Puritans' by KAI ERIKSON - Essay Example One classic example to this is cannibalism. Most societies deem this as immoral but there are few communities that practice it thinking that eating their enemies will strengthen them, or similar to that line. The article enlightened my perspective in understanding deviant behavior. A group has subjective boundaries, something that changes through time depending on the experiences and situation that they are subjected to. These experiences become the string that attaches each member to each other, forming the community’s spirit and conformity. These experiences also set the behaviors that conforms and deviates with the group. It is important to note that when someone behaves differently from the group, it does not automatically mean that they are deviant. There are still levels of deviance that the group tolerates, being expected deviance such as teenagers behaving raucously. With this, the study of deviance revolves not one the individual that behaves differently but on the re actions and responses of the group that the individual belongs to. Deviance has and will always be part of our lives. I may have done deviant deeds but not to the extent that the group will shun me and discriminate me. This opened my eyes that our actions will always depend on our social environment.

Western Civilization Vs their Colonies Civilization Essay

Western Civilization Vs their Colonies Civilization - Essay Example Western Civilization Vs their Colonies Civilization The main objective of this essay is to deliberate on the claim without biasness and give backing of the arguments with documented information. Other sectors argue that science and technology become the rulers of the world rather than agriculture and survival; is this civilization or modernization2. Humans have been in existence for over a million years yet civilization is only 5000 years old. According to Global Hegemony and the rise of technology3, technology becomes a necessity for economic requirements and this seems to support the claim of the western Europeans that they were more civilized. According to Carlyle, industrialization becomes the victory of man over nature. To an extent this purported claim and made the British feel superior that others and imposed their beliefs on others. As their technologies grow the European forcibly put down others civilizations if they did not agree to their ways. This put a pose or question mark on the civilization claim of the European since civilization is supposed to be a good thing why forced others. The approach of the western European to force other on civilization brought more question on their intent than purpose. The European has assisted in the transportation system, communication and other aspect of technology; however, they borrowed the concepts from others such as Asians and even some from part of Africa such as Egypt. This borrowing makes it difficult to whole heartedly give the Western European all the credits about the civilization in their colonies. Iraq, India, China, Egypt, Central America and then the Barbarian West are all credited for the civilization growth in the world. Why would Western European claim that they were more superior yet they borrowed their technologies? It is in order to conclude that they were more civilized; however, wrong to purport that others were uncivilized. The civilization the European claim so much is a bout the development of cities; however, civilization is broader than the cities and claiming technologies overtook agriculture and survival negate the definition of civilization. The above arguments do not dispute the claim that European were civilized than their colonies but emphasize the understanding of civilization. Further more, it their give a chance to reflect between civilization and modernization4. The two are clearly different one is based on technology advancement the other focuses more on the living jointly and cooperatively. A swing had happened as an effect of the industrial revolution. Asian civilizations, like China, Africa civilization, like Egypt and other civilizations, which were once considered impressive and steady5. European countries or nations viewed the earth or universe through the aspect of technology and disregarded any consideration for civilization. As their technology advanced, Europeans expanded to other nations in order to spread their superior ideas and inventions. When civilization is considered in regards to Afric a; Western European were more advanced technology wise. The European considered Africa culture as devoid of technology and primitive. If Africa had the resources as the Western or other nations would they be considered primitive? Opportunities and resources facilitated the civilization or technology advancement of the Western6. When we consider the definition of

Community research Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Community research - Case Study Example Fourth, qualitative methods apply biased knowledge. This is good for nursing because this discipline is not confined to inflexible, definable variables. 2. Disdvantages I see in using qualitative methods in nursing study. A disadvantage of qualitative methods is poor consistency. Another disadvantage is difficulty comprehending its dynamics and aspects. As a result, the chances of subjectivity in qualitative nursing studies increase radically. 3. Advantages I see in using quantitative methods in nursing study. One advantage of quantitative methods in nursing research is function. The role of quantitative findings is to apply a precise strategy for gathering and reviewing any measured information (Frels & Onwuegbuzie, 2013). Second, quantitative methods increase precision in study findings. This is because quantitative methods are based on numbers. 4. Disadvantages I see in using quantitative methods in nursing study. One disadvantage of quantitative methods in nursing studies is time consumption. Quantitative methods involve arbitrary selection of samples, which takes up a lot of time. Second, nursing researchers may find quantitative methods hard to carry out particularly when similar kinds of information are gathered concurrently (Frels & Onwuegbuzie, 2013). Aitamaa, E., Leino-Kilpi, H., Puukka, P., & Suhonen, R. (2010). Ethical problems in nursing management: The role of codes of ethics.  Nursing Ethics,  17(4), 469-82. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0969733010364896 Frels, R. K., & Onwuegbuzie, A. J. (2013). Administering quantitative instruments with qualitative interviews: A mixed research approach.  Journal of Counseling and Development: JCD,  91(2), 184-194. Retrieved from

Management Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Management Finance - Essay Example Behavioral issues of standard costing include planning and operational variances which further includes materials, sales and labor variances. Planning and operational variances mean when plans or standards of a budget are normally depending on the expected environment where targets are decided. But in reality if the environment is not same as the expected one then the actual performance is compared with the standard performance to measure the changed conditions. In planning variance, we compare the set up standard with the revised standard and in operational variance we compare the actual output with the revised standard. The other important behavioral issues of standard costing involve Variable overhead variance and fixed overhead variance. Variable overhead variance can be defined as the difference between the standard or planned variable overhead cost which is allowed for the actual output and the variable overhead cost that has actually occurred. The variance is also called as ex penditure variance as the variable overhead cost can vary with change in production thus a change in expenses amount can also be the reason of such variance (Drury, 2008, p.432). It can be expressed as follows- Fixed overhead is the portion of total overhead cost variance which can be occurred due to the difference between the standard cost of fixed overhead allowed for the output which is produced in actual. And the actual fixed overhead cost incurred. Fixed overhead variance can be derived as- Fixed overhead further expands itself as a. Budget or Expenditure Variance and b. Volume variance. Budget or expenditure variance is known as that portion of fixed overhead variance which occurs because of difference between actual fixed overheads and planned or budgeted fixed overheads during a particular period of time. It can be derived as follows- Volume Variance is the portion of fixed overhead variance which happens due to the difference between standard costs of fixed overhead which i s allowed for the actual output and the planned fixed overheads for the particular period in which the actual out has been produced (Drury, 2008, p.438). Volume variance can derived as follows- Apart from measuring the variance analysis, we should also focus on the relationship between variance analysis and behavioral issues that occurs in an organization. Variance analysis measures the performance ability of the managers (Izhar, 2001, p.294). Managers know that their performing ability is judged by the variance analysis and their risk and reward depend either on adverse or on favorable result of variance analysis. Thus they have two ways, either they will work hard to achieve the standard amounts or they can manipulate the planned amounts. For this reason the organization should distinguish between controllable cost and uncontrollable cost. Controllable cost can be defined as those cost which can be controlled by the managers if they are efficient enough like cost of labor. It is a controllable cost and if management is efficient then they can reduce the labor cost by reducing number of the inefficient labors. They will hire only those labors that are skilled and efficient in the production line. Uncontrollable costs are those costs which cannot be controlled by management like cost of raw materials. Management cannot influence the cost of raw materials in the market (Bhattacharyya, 2011, pp. 539-540). Thus if the managers are judged by planning variance then they will be discouraged and de-motivated. It

Hosting a dinner party for friends Essay Example for Free

Hosting a dinner party for friends Essay Ask how many guests will be coming for the dinner. Determine if any of the guests have any special food requirements like being vegetarian or any food allergies. Determine what the budget is for the dinner party. Plan the menu for the dinner; take note of serving nutritious and delicious food. Identify what dishes will be served and list all of the ingredients and the required tools for preparing the ingredients. Go to the market to purchase all the needed ingredients. Recruit help from willing family members to help in the dinner preparation. Set the theme for the dinner and buy flowers and fruits for the centerpiece. Prepare and cook the dishes for the dinner. Clean the house and make sure there is enough room for each person. During Make sure that guests are comfortably seated. Provide entertainment or keep the conversation flowing smoothly. Make sure that the food is well presented and served in order. Ample time is given for the guests to digest the food before serving the dessert. Personal necessities like going to the bathroom, flossing, washing their hands and the like are provided. After Supervise the cleaning up of the dinner table. Wash the plates and cutlery before going to bed. Left-over dishes should be stored properly. Make sure that everything is cleaned and tidied for the next day.

Child Reading and Writing Development

Child Reading and Writing Development Learning of children in early ages Question: Consider the ways in which children learn to read and write. Illustrate, using Kenner, Al-Khatri, Kwok, Kim and Tsai’s study (2004) how young children pay attention to directionality, shape, size, spatial orientation in producing different writing scripts. Introduction It is necessary to encourage the children towards learning since childhood. Motivation towards learning and thinking is important when child is young because at that time, child grabs the thing easily. If child gets training about the importance of learning and practices writing in the early childhood, then it will be beneficial for his rest of life. It is a fact that a child changes in a lot of ways during the years of primary school. These years are so much important to develop a habit of learning and thinking in the child. Cognitive development is necessary to be developed in young children. Cognitive development includes learning skills such as languages, strong memory, planning and paying attention to the work. In these initial years, parents have to play their role. (Australia, 2012) By the help of different activities, parents can motivate the children towards learning new things. But it is also a fact that training young children is not an easy task. It is neither easy for the parents and nor for the teachers. By the help of various sessions, activities and games, we can encourage children towards learning. Child sometimes faces difficulty in learning different stuffs at a time but with the passage of time, he becomes habitual. In the book, Becoming Biliterate Kenner C. (2004) explains about child’s learning of different languages. He also discusses about different ways by which we can motivate young children to read and write. Furthermore, in the paper, we will look on different ways of teaching children in young ages and also discuss relevant techniques. Emergent literacy Term Emergent literacy defines the interaction of young children with books. This term explains that when a children is in the state of learning something and when he is not in a position of writing or reading some stuff. Marie Clay used this term for the first time. Emergent literacy is process that starts from the birth of a child and continues until and unless child trains in writing or reading in a conventional sense. This term is used in the field of psychology, linguistics, sociology and education. (Anon., 2011)Process of reading and writing starts in the young ages of an individual. A child tries to contact with different types of communication from the beginning. It is observed that most of the children starts recognizing different signs and symbols in the age of two or three years. It is because of the fact that every time, their mind is in the state of learning and interacting with different things. As far as this matter is concerned that either the child starts writing fir st or reading, it varies from child to child. But researches show that most of the children face difficulty in reading during their early ages and start writing quickly. Issues in the acquisition of literacy Acquisition of literacy for the young children is not easy. Although, child starts observing all the things by using his five senses but still some guidance is necessary. By the help of guidance and training, child learns the things easily. There are different issues that a child faces in the acquisition of literacy especially in terms of learning second language. Learning of different languages becomes a big problem for young children. In the article, Literacy and Second Language Acquisition: Issues and Perspectives, Weinstein (1984) explains that there is a strong relationship between the acquisition of second language and literacy. Author explains that understanding different languages and learning second language is difficult. (WEINSTEIN, 1984)In another article by Philip and Mikko (2003), it was explained that most of the children in European countries complete their acquisition of language before starting their early school education. English is at the top in the acquisition of languages. Children learn English easily as compared to other languages. (Philip H. K. Seymour, Mikko Aro, Jane M. Erskine, 2003)Another issue that is faced by the children in learning is their mental state. It is not always necessary that mental state of every child is same. Therefore, we cannot apply same strategies for all children. Some children do not grab these thing quickly and to develop the sense of learning in them, it is necessary to apply alternate techniques. How young children learn different writing systems There are different writing systems working in the world. It is not necessary that everyone knows all writing systems. Most of the people knows one or two writing systems usually. Talking in terms of learning different writing systems for the children, it is good to trained them in their early ages. For example, if a child is born in Europe and parents want him to become familiar with English writing system, then they have to guide him about English writing alphabets in the early ages. There are basically two types of writing systems. First type is known as alphabets and second type is called as Syllabaries. Both types are divided on various sub divisions. List of major classification is as following. Consonant alphabets Abugidas Alphabets Syllabaries Semanto-Phonetic writing systems Undeciphered writing systems (Anon., 2007) Now, the question is how young children learn different writing systems? There are different ways by which we can guide young children in learning various writing systems. First way to improve literacy is by teaching Morphemes. Morphemes is a collection of words that consists of different units of meaning. By the help of morphemes, children can easily pronounce the words and spell them. Teaching morphemes is a best way to teach vocabulary to the young children. (Nunes, T., and Bryant, P, 2006, pp. 14) Another way to teach different writing systems to the children is by using cardboard books. Parents can use different pieces of clothes, and cardboard books to teach different alphabets to the children. Colorful pictures can play an important role in attracting the young children towards learning. Writing different scripts and the design of symbols For writing a particular language, specific writing system is used. Writing system is usually known as Script. On the other hand, symbols are also used to guide children about languages. Types of scripts are as following. Script support Alphabets Right to left alphabets Syllabary Syllabic alphabet Ideographic script Depending upon your language style and script, you can teach your child about the language. If we take the example of English writing system, then it is seen that it starts from the left hand side whereas in case of Arabic, script starts from right hand side. So, it is necessary for the parents that they teach child about these basics. Suppose, you are from the Arabic background and make familiar your child with the Arabic writing system, then it is necessary for you to focus on the Arabic writing system. You should select those books and cardboards on which Arabic words are written so that your child starts recognizing these words. Following is an image that tells you about the basic Arabic writing system. Another way of guiding your child is through symbols. You can teach your child by using different symbols and pictures of something. In the early childhood, child easily understand words by the help of its illustration. Kerner (2004) focused on the illustration of symbols and pictures. (Kenner, C. Al-Khatib, H., Kwok, G., Kam, R. and Tsai, K, 2004, pp. 35), In this picture, we can see that with all the English alphabets, different pictures are used so that child cane identify the word easily. By the help of symbols and pictures, identification of words become easy. Embodied knowledge In order to teach the children to read and writing, actions also play a great role. Education in which body involves actions and knows how to act on something is called as Embodied Knowledge. The best example of this type of knowledge is riding a bicycle. Almost, everyone knows how to ride a bicycle and we do not need to memorize the procedure of riding bicycle. This is a type of knowledge that is automatically imprinted in the mind of an individual. It can be said that embodied knowledge is present in our unconsciousness. Children learn this knowledge by observing the environment. Embodied knowledge is somewhat similar to the Cognitive science. Conclusion To conclude the entire discussion, it can be said that parents can play an important role in teaching their child in early years. Young children are quite sensitive and in the early ages, their care is the duty of parents. Parents should teach their child by using techniques and activities. Before sending the child to school, a child should have a basic sense of recognizing and understanding different words and things. So, that he may not face any difficulty in future. Works Cited Anon., 2007. Types of writing system. [Online] Available at: http://www.omniglot.com/writing/types.htm [Accessed march 2014]. Anon., 2011. what is emergent literacy?. [Online] Available at: http://www.lincoln.dubuque.k12.ia.us/School-Wide/Literacy/EmergentLiteracy.htm [Accessed march 2014]. Australia, c. o., 2012. About thinking and learning. [Online] Available at: https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/sites/default/files/public/KMP_C3_CDTL_AboutThinkingAndLearning.pdf [Accessed 2014]. Kenner, C. Al-Khatib, H., Kwok, G., Kam, R. and Tsai, K. (2004), Becoming Biliterate: Young Children Learning Different Writing Systems, Stoke-on-Trent, Trentham Books. Nunes, T., and Bryant, P. (2006), Improving Literacy by Teaching morphemes, London, Routledge. Philip H. K. Seymour, Mikko Aro, Jane M. Erskine, 2003. Foundation literacy acquisition in European orthographies. British Journal of Psychology, 94(2), p. 143–174. Seymour, P., Aro, M., and Erskine, J. (2003), Foundation Literacy Acquisition, in British Journal of Psychology, 94: 143-174. WEINSTEIN, G., 1984. Literacy and Second Language Acquisition: Issues and Perspectives. TESOL Quarterly, 18(3), p. 471–484.

Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information

Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information TASANIA BANTON BUSINESS PROFILE Founded in (2014) and located at 123 Bridgeview avenue half way tree, Miracle Obsession Cosmetic is a company that specializes in many different types of cosmetic products. The company offers products and services ranging from concealers, foundation, finishing powder, lipbalm , lipstic, makeup removal, mascara, eye-brow-pencil, and many other products. The company was established by two individuals who thought they could be a good competition for the MAC cosmetic line. Hence they partnered together and created this growing cosmetic company and hope to achieve its goals and objectives through good management, good marketing and having a good promotion body. Miracle Obsession is a company that promotes their products and services through different medias such as (social medias) Facebook twitter and other medias such as newspaper, television, and magazines. The company chooses these methods of promotion and advertisement because it will aid and helps in attracting the interest of cosmetic lovers. Miracle Obsession biggest goal is to have as many branches as possible throughout Jamaica and the company also looks at going international within the next two to three years. Miracle Obsession hopes to achieve one of its major goal which is to higher as much unemployed Jamaican that are willing to make the company benefits which intern will be of great important for them to benefits also. The cosmetic company faces simple difficulties such as employees not being able to represent the brand company as they should. However the management body seeks to employ persons with experience within the customer service industry. To conclude miracle Obsession business profile the company works towards maintaining competitive advantage over it competitors and continues to be one of the leading cosmetic companies in Jamaica. CONSULTING PROFILE A Brighter Future and Intelligence consulting firm is located in St Andrew Jamaica. This consulting firm was established in the year (1999), by two individuals Peter Johnson and Nishi Barclay who thought that they could take people’s ideas and helped them to put them to good use. Consequently, we have managed to advise our clients about the ways in which they can be great entrepreneurs through good management. The firm seeks to locate and achieve its goals and objectives by satisfying its clients’ needs through innovative ways. The key areas that we go through daily with our clients are marketing of goods and services, pricing strategies, good management and also the ways in which they can maintain competitive advantage. There are many different small investors that rely on us so we seek to continue to provide the best quality services for our clientele body and also future clients to come, so that we will continue to be one of the leading consulting firms within the island. However with on amount of over thirty (30) experienced experts combining their strategic skills with definitive management consulting prior to the firm knowledge of Ideas can make sense Know how. Hence whenever the firm identifies unsatisfied demand and new business opportunities they worked endlessly to bring forth its creative and innovative ideas. The firm continues to work endlessly to source development and implement logistic methods about the business environment and its purpose. In concluding A Brighter Future and Intelligences business profile, the company will continue implement and research good marketing strategies that will aid continue to have positive impacts on all the small businesses that depends greatly on the firms Knowledge. RATIONAL This research is about the ways in which information, knowledge and communication can benefit organizations. The researcher seeks to attain the relevant information that will aid in a better understanding of how important knowledge, communication and information are within the organization. The research intends to evaluate and analyze how to access information and knowledge need through the different sources and methods such as internal and external, primary and secondary, formal and informal. The researcher identifies the factors that can affect communication, knowledge, and information both positively and negatively within the organization. The research will therefore supply the researcher with substantial materials that influences the organization approaches in building a good organization through being knowledgeable about products and services gathering information that will improve on business decisions through effective communication. Bad communication skills are a major setback for organization to effectively make decisions and find solutions to problem. OBJECTIVES To identify methods of improvements that will aid in the range of decision to be undertaken and knowledge needed to ensure the effectiveness of the decisions. To identify the levels of stakeholders that will develop business relation which will aid in the decision making process for improvements. To create a personal plan for the organization that will encourage effective communication. to implement strategies that will improve systems relating to information and knowledge. LITERATURE REVIEW According to Wolfganf (2008), Communication is the exchange and flow of information and ideas from one person to another; it involves a sender transmitting an idea, information, or feeling to a receiver.Effectivecommunication occurs only if the receiver understands the exact information or idea that the sender intended to transmit. According to Kennerly (2008), Information is data that is accurate and timely, specific and organized for a purpose, presented with a context that gives it meaning and relevance, and can lead to an increase in understanding and decrease in uncertainty. Information is valuable because it can affect behavior, a decision, or on outcome. According to Denning (2009), knowledge is the factor condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association. Denning further stated that knowledge can also be defined as the ideas or understandings which an entity possesses that are used to take effective action to achieve the entity’s goals. An understanding of knowledge requires some grasp of its relationship to information. The human mind is often seen as being capable of two kinds of knowledge the Rational and the Intuitive. However Kennerly (2008),stated that organizations today have access to almost unlimited amounts of data-sales , demographics, economic trends competitive data, consumer behavior, efficiency measures, financial calculation ,etc. However, many decisions makers in organizations feel lost and perplexed. They have mountains of data and still are not capable of making the correct decisions, or understanding where they really are. METHODOLOGY Both qualitative and quantitative research approach will be utilized for this research study. The researcher intends to conduct a qualitative research in providing that information about the importance of a valid contract and the effects of the different elements of a contract. Therefore interviews will be used as the primary research approach. The researcher anticipates in conducting interviews with at least two different representatives that major in law. All interviews therefore will be taped record and are expected to endure for up to fifteen (15) minutes. A quantitative research approach will also be utilized and is expected in facilitating the researcher with information on the wider views of the public on their understanding of a legal contract and the impact of the elements of a legal contract. Surveys and questionnaires will be used as the methods of collecting and obtaining the information’s needed. Therefore the researcher plans on performing the various methods for conducting the research through one of the most popular social Medias which is known as facebook. Facebook will allow and influence the effective feedback, based on the larger amount of people. Therefore approximately fifteen (15) questionnaires questions will be post on facebook time line, in which the researcher plans to accept and analyze all the feedbacks from the respondents. The researcher will also use the secondary data collection method because it is more accessible, quicker, cheaper, saves time and provides a lot of necessary and relevant information. Secondary source of information can be of great benefit and is essential to use for this research project because it will provide the researcher with current and essential information. The secondary data will also assist in analyzing and structuring the appropriate ways in which this research project should be administered. However in utilizing all the methods and research approach to collect data and information will be of great benefit to the researcher and also others you anticipate in reviewing the research upon completion. REFERENCES John Wolgang. 2008.Communication and leadership. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcom.html. [Accessed 15 March 14]. Gregg Henriques. 2014.Theory of knowledge. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/theory-knowledge/201312/what-is-knowledge-brief-primer. [Accessed 15 March 14]. Kennerly. 2008.the use of information in decision making. [ONLINE] Available at:http://archive.audit-commission.gov.uk/auticommission/sitecollectiondocuments/auditcomissionReports/Nationalstudies/cranfieId_information_use_review.pdf. [Accessed 16 March 14]. Steve Denning. 2009.What is Knowledge. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.stevedenning.com/knowledge-management/what-is-knowledge.aspx. [Accessed 16 March 14].

Childhood and Adulthood in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger Essa

Childhood and Adulthood in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger   Ã‚  Ã‚   Holden Caulfield sees childhood as the ideal state of being. He thinks adulthood is filled with corrupt people. The only way anyone can win in the adult world is if the cards are stacked in his favor. The characters in The Catcher in the Rye play a diverse set of roles in the war between childhood and adulthood.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Children do not think of appearances very highly, but in order to be respected in the adult world you must always look your best. Holden did not care what people thought about him as long as he felt good. He would wear his red hunting cap backward (p. 18). He also would have his hair cut crew cut style, which is thought of as a kids haircut. Ackley is the absolute extreme of not just looking, bad but he also had terrible hygiene. He had mossy yellow teeth from not brushing them and bad acne(p.19). Adults always hide their imperfections to make themselves look good, but many are as Holden calls them, secret slobs (p. 27). Stradlater is a perfect example of this. He always shaves twice but never cleans his razor (p. 27). He will spend forever making sure his hair is perfect and all his clothes look just right. Sunny, the prostitute, bleaches her hair and dresses up nice to fit into the adult world (p.95). Mrs. Antolini, a married women, needs to look good when she goes out in public. The night Holden crashes there for a while, she looks terrible without her make-up and with rollers in her hair (p. 185). All that matters is she looks good by society's standards so she can be accepted into the adult world.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Children live on lasting compassionate memories, while adults go for empty sexual conquests. Holde... ... living. Mr. Antolini gets through to Holden a little better but is unable to keep his attention (p 181). Carl Luce is just a few years older than Holden and basically tells him he is immature and will always be the same (p. 136).Kids really want things to stay the same while adults want things to change and grow quicker than they should.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Holden seems to be the only one fighting this war. When he makes an adult decision he always gets sick. When someone he loves makes an adult decision Holden gets very mad. The more he tries to keep kids from turning into adults the more depressed he becomes. As he goes crazy, life will become hell for him.       Childhood prolonged, cannot remain a fairyland. It becomes a hell (Louise Bogan).       Work Cited    Salinger, J.D.   The Catcher in the Rye.   Boston: Little, Brown, 1991.

Cloning More Ethically Acceptable than Global Warming Essay -- Climate

Cloning More Ethically Acceptable than Global Warming One day soon, human clones will walk among us. Does the thought send a shiver up your spine? How about the notion of eating french fries from a potato engineered with jellyfish genes to make its leaves bioluminescent? We should consider our responses to both issues now, before reality comes knocking at the door. Several groups have announced intentions to clone humans, and the bioluminescence gene has already been successfully incorporated into potato plants. If those prospects make you squirm, you're not alone. The public's emotional response to the issues of human cloning and biotechnology far outstrips its response to global warming and widespread species extinction. When Dolly the sheep was first cloned by Scottish scientists, political leaders around the world sensed the negative reactions among their constituents and moved to pass legislation banning the new technology in humans. Any new developments in the area stir up fresh controversy, such that the cloning issue is frequently featured on the front page of major newspapers. These articles seem to suggest that apart from a few mad scientists, most everyone agrees that cloning humans is wrong. But why is it so wrong? Consider the Monitor's quotes from the experts. Professor Chen, vice-president of Beijing University, says about human cloning, "There isn't a controversy. There's no real discussion. We know it's wrong and not natural." John White, who is secretary for science policy at the Australian Academy of Science, is equally willing to speak authoritatively on the issue: "We clearly oppose cloning whole human beings. There are too many troubling ethical and moral issues." &nbs... ...oss of biodiversity, humans are playing God to the extreme and are seriously harming the organisms themselves, as well as existing and future generations of humans. If tinkering with the genes of God/Nature's creations is wrong, then surely the complete extinction of thousands of species - of God/Nature's creation - and the complete transformation of His/Her planet is the ultimate evil. For the sake of consistency and morality, we must get passionate about these issues. Since Dolly the sheep hit the headlines in 1997, many people think of cloning whenever they think broadly of "ethical issues." Genetic engineering conjures the same reaction for similar reasons. But cloning and genetic engineering are nothing but small moral peanuts in relation to our negligent treatment of the organisms that grace this planet and render it habitable for humanity.

great gatsby :: essays research papers

The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, contains many literary devices. One of such devices is characterization, the author’s method of describing characters. In this novel, the author creates many of the characters to be superficial. Through their actions, comments, and descriptions, Fitzgerald gives the reader an idea of the characters. One such character proves to be Daisy. Although she had fallen in love with Gatsby when she first met him, when he was at war she quickly wanted something to shape her life. Because of the wealth and lifestyle involved, she chose Tom Buchanan as her husband. Later, we see that Daisy still loves Gatsby, and cheats on Tom because of this. This act shows that she is disloyal and shallow. Daisy believes that she can go on with life however she wants and not have to worry about those she affects. She was the driver of the car and killed Myrtle, yet she let Gatsby die because of his love for her. Daisy abused Gatsby’s emotions, and then left the area with Tom to get away from the destruction they caused. These are ways in which Daisy proved to be a superficial character. Another character who displays such qualities is Daisy’s husband, Tom. Tom is even more dishonest than Daisy, a notion that begins taking shape with the discovery of Tom’s "girl" in the city. Tom proves to be a man of little morals. Although he confronts Daisy about morals in her relationship with Gatsby, Tom has his own woman on the side. Also, he lets this fact be known by others as though it does not bother him, an exposing of his nature. Later, after Myrtle is killed in the accident, Tom shows sadness, but not remorse. Tom then instructs George to murder Gatsby, an act that comes more from a heart seeking revenge for Daisy than for Myrtle.

Body of the Paper Essay

People see marriage as a bond between two people that involves responsibility and legalities, as well as commitment and challenge irregardless of how the ceremony took place. This concept of marriage hasn’t changed over the years. The notion of marriage as a sacrament and not just a contract can be traced from the writings of St. Paul who compared the relationship of a husband and wife to that of Christ and his church (Eph. v, 23-32). Different cultures are rich with wedding rituals and traditions. The said practices have some sort of historical and spiritual explanation amongst people with varying traditions drawn from their ancestors. A certain belief was incorporated in their culture which makes every ritual unique from one another. Nonetheless, all of them acknowledge the union of two individuals. One universally known tradition is that of the engagement ring. It is a ring that is given prior to the wedding ceremony which means that two people are engaged and are scheduled to be married soon. This custom can be dated back to the ancient Romans. It is believed that the roundness of the ring represents eternity. Therefore, wedding rings symbolizes a union that is to last forever. It was once thought that a vein or nerve ran directly from the â€Å"ring† finger of the left hand to the heart (Wedding Traditions 2008). The objective of this paper is to review wedding rituals and traditions being practiced by people across cultures. More specifically, we will look into the rich and unique wedding practices observed by the Filipinos, Chinese and Hindus. Moreover, we will study the significance of each wedding ritual for every culture and why it is part of their tradition. Body of the Paper A wedding ceremony is celebrated in recognition of the union or so-called â€Å"marriage† of two people. It may be performed by either a highly-respected religious elder or a government-sanctioned officiator. Marriage generally creates commitment between the individuals involved and also with their extended families in most cases. Throughout history, and even today, families arrange marriages for couples. The people involved didn’t and don’t have much to say about the decision. Most couples didn’t marry because they were in love but for economic contact. People marry for various reasons—it may be one of the following: public declaration of love, wants to gain legal, social and economic stability, formation of a family unit or legitimizing sexual relations. Some marriages involved a bride price wherein the groom or his family will give money or a present to the brides family; some required dowry where the bride’s family will be the one to offer money and gifts to the groom’s family, few had underwent some sort of dating or courtship for some time, but most of us are generally accustomed to our own traditions (Wedding Traditions 2008). In this paper, seven wedding rituals across different cultures will be discussed. Egyptian, Korean, Lebanese and Libyan wedding traditions will be reviewed. Specifically, the Filipino, Chinese and Hindu wedding rituals will be studied in details and will be compared. Weddings in Egypt are huge family events irregardless of their social status. Even in this generation, some of them still hold the significance of customs and symbols to the celebration. Al-zaffah is a slow procession performed by the couple’s family and friends. It is accompanies by music until they reach the reception hall. Also, the henna party called laylat al-hinna is still an important tradition to them. Egyptian weddings are celebrated with a strength that comes from the respect of family bonds. Like other couples, they also wish for a happy married life. In Korean wedding ceremonies, wild geese is used as a symbol of faithfulness. The groom’s father will throw red dates at the bride for fertility and good luck. In addition to that, cotton seeds, red beans and salt are thrown by their neighbors to drive evil spirits away. Three days after the wedding, the bride will be sent to the groom’s house. There, the bride then crosses a sack of grain and burnt straw to wish for a good harvest. In Lebanese weddings, roses are generally used. The bride then wears bangles and tiara on the wedding day. The new couple will serve ghoraibi to their guests as a symbol of the bride’s purity. Their weddings are inspired by rose petal shaped chocolates and white butter cookies. Libyan weddings ceremonies are Islamic in nature and is generally presided by an imam. At the bride’s house days before the actual wedding ceremony and reception, the marriage contract is already being signed. At the reception, the couple doesn’t eat with their guest. Rice and candy are showered on the bride. a. Filipino Marriage Gone are the days of arranged marriage (kasunduan) and shotgun marriage (pikot) where individuals, the bride and the groom, had no choice but to obey and comply with their parent’s wishes of them getting married. However, the Filipino style of courtship (ligawan) and suitor’s serenade (harana) have been lost over the years, too. These so-called traditional courtship styles have been reduced to dating. SMS messages and emails are means of communication of single men and women in today’s generation, and Filipinos have their way of adapting to these changes. Though these rituals have vanished as time passes by, engagements and wedding practices are still pretty much the same. Despite these revolutionizations, the essence of marriage remains in Filipinos—that is having the purest and sincerest intentions, respect for the elders and spiritual devotion. a. 1 Filipino Wedding Customs In early times, Filipino groom-to-be threw his spear at the front steps of his future home, which is said to be a sign that the bride has been spoken for. Nowadays, a ring is used as a symbol of engagement. a. 2 The Engagement Pamanhikan is an activity done by Filipino families where the groom and his parents visit the bride’s family to ask for her in marriage. In this event, wedding plans are included in the said activity participated by both families. The plan includes the discussion of guest list and wedding budget. Usually, the groom-to-be is seen to run some errands around the bride’s house. Paninilbihan is the tradition where the groom-to-be renders service to his future wife’s family to gain their approval (Celeste, T. 1997). a. 3 The Ceremony The wedding ceremony lasted for three days during the pre-colonial days. On the first day the couple was brought to the house of babaylan (priest) and will join hands over a plate of raw rice and give blessings to the couple. The priest will then prick the chest of both the bride and groom and draw a little blood on the third day. They then will join hands and proclaim their love for each other three times. The couple will be fed with cooked rice by the priest on the same plate and will give them a drink with some of their blood mixed with water. Binding the couple’s necks and hands with a cord, the priest will then declare them married. Today, most Filipino weddings are performed as Catholic weddings though some native ritual still remains. Sponsors are special people chosen by the couple to act as their witnesses. Thy can be godparent, counselors or relatives. Secondary sponsors will take charge to some special parts of the wedding ceremony such as the candle, cord and veil ceremonies. Lighting the candle symbolizes the joining of two families and representing Jesus Christ as the light of their married life. Placing the veil over the bride’s head and groom’s shoulder symbolizes that the two individuals are joined or unified. The cord, which is made of a decorative silk cord called yugal, in a form of figure eight, is placed in the couple’s shoulders symbolizes everlasting fidelity among the bride and groom. Arrhae or 13 coins which are blessed by the priest is given by the groom to his bride as a sign of his commitment, dedication to his wife and future children’s welfare (Filipinafiancevisa. com 2001). b. Chinese Marriage Chinese wedding is a ceremonial rite within Chinese folks wherein marriage is established by pre-arrangement between families. In short, the spouse-to-be of sons and daughters in Chinese families are determined by their parents. Within the Chinese culture, romantic love is prohibited and a monogamous relationship is common among citizens. Between 402-221 B. B. , Chinese marriage started to become a custom. Though the country China has many geographical as and is filled with extended history, generally there are six rituals to be followed, known as the three letters (request letter, gift letter and wedding letter) and six etiquette (proposal, birthdates, bride price, wedding gifts, arranging the wedding and wedding ceremony). Before modern age, women and not allowed to choose the person they will spend the rest of their lives with. Marriages were chosen based upon the needs of reproduction and honor as well as the needs of the husband and father-to-be (The Chinese Historical and Cultural Project 2001). b. 1 Chinese Wedding Customs Ancient Chinese believes in destiny. In prehistoric times, the gods tie a red string around the ankles of a man and a woman who will be a couple in the future. The Chinese tradition of determining their destiny is through their parents. The parents of the groom will write the bride’s eight characters which her year month, day and hour of birth and will then be placed in their family altar. After three days and nothing unfortunate happened in the family, it is a sign that the match is approved. The same ritual is performed by the bride’s family. If the match is granted, the celebration begins (About. Com 2008). b. 2 The Engagement Twelve gifts were exchanged by both parties to seal the couple’s marriage agreement. Chopsticks are famous engagement gift symbolizing the wish for sons. Usually, the family of the groom sends a whole roast pig to the bride’s house. In olden times, the bride’s family will send back the pig’s head and hind portion showing that everything has a beginning and an end. The wedding announcement in China is done by the groom providing special cakes to the bride’s family for it to be sent to family and friends. b. 3 The Ceremony Firecrackers are used to drive away evil spirits and are fired upon the arrival of the bride to the wedding ceremony. In a traditional Chinese wedding vow, the couple will kneel before an altar with offerings such as roast pig, ducks and chickens decorated with red candles. With cups tied with red strings, the bride and the groom will then sip wine as a sign of their vow. They will then cross their arms, exchange cups and drink again. The sharing of wine symbolizes the harmony of their married life together. After the event, the bride will serve a cup of sweet tea to each member of the groom’s family (The Chinese Historical and Cultural Project 2001). c. Hindu Wedding Sanskit is the language used for most holy Hindu ceremonies. One of which is the Hindu wedding. Traditionally, Hindu weddings are conducted in this language, thought not always. They have many wedding rituals that have evolved over the years and are different in many ways from the modern western wedding ceremony. The Hindu marriage ceremonies vary in different regions and according to family traditions. The Hindus give a lot of emphasis and significance to marriages and the ceremonies are very colorful and extend for several days. However, modern Hindu weddings are much shorter and do not involve the traditional ceremony that lasted for days. Also, some of their rituals are being altered. Instead, ceremonies are chosen by the couple’s family depending in their family tradition and class. Therefore, ceremonies differ among various ethnic groups that practice Hinduism. Generally, the wedding is conducted under a canopy with four pillars and a sacred fire in the middle of the altar which serves as the witness of the ceremony (National Association of Wedding Ministers 2008). c. 1 Hindu Wedding Customs In Old Hindu wedding ceremonies, the whole family participates in the ceremony, from nephews and nieces to the couple’s siblings. Moreover, the mothers of the groom and the bride play a special part of the entire celebration. c. 2 The Engagement The priest visits the bride’s home to recite reading and prayers so as to bless the wedding a few days before the formal wedding ceremony. On the evening before the wedding the groom will come over to the bride’s house and the bride’s family will welcome them with a small ceremony. Sometimes, the bride’s mother will be offering a gift to the groom’s mother. During this activity, the couple is not allowed to meet. If they see each other, it is believed that it will bring bad luck to their marriage (National Association of Wedding Ministers 2008). c. 3 The Ceremony The bride is escorted to the canopy by her maternal uncle. On the other hand, the groom is accompanied by the best man and a young girl whose role is to keep him alert by shaking a metal pot filled with coins. The entire ceremony is divided into three parts. The Kanyadaan is the first part where the bride’s parents will wash the couple’s feet with milk and water to cleanse and purify them for a new life together. The Hastamelap or known as the joining of the hands, the couple’s hand are joined together. The priest will then chant some verses in their holy scripture then a loop pf white raw cotton will be placed around the couple’s shoulders to symbolize their bond. A small open fire is lit in the center of the place. The bride’s male relatives will be called to lead the couple to walk around the fire. The number of times that they will walk around the fire will depend on the village they came from. In the southern state of Kerala, couples walk around coconut blossoms instead of a fire. In the couple’s hands are grains of rice, oats and leaves which symbolizes the blessings of good health, prosperity, happiness and wealth. At the end of the ceremony, rose petals are sprinkled to the couple to ward off evil spirits by the groom’s brothers. When the entire ceremony is over, the bride will feed her groom with mouthful of Indian sweets to show her responsibility to cook and take care of him and their children. In turn, the groom does the same act to show that he will provide her needs as well as for their future family. After the rituals, the relatives are invited under the canopy to place red dots in the couple’s foreheads and sprinkle them with rice grains to wish for a long, happy and prosperous knowledge together (Triveni Wedding Cards 2007). Discussion Marriage has been a very significant event among men and women. It symbolizes the union of two souls as well as recognition of the bonding of individuals in the presence of a minister or a government-sanctioned officer. In addition to this, wedding rituals have made cultures across nations rich and unique. These rituals exemplify their beliefs and lifestyles which explains some psychological theories. This paper primarily focuses on wedding rituals of Filipinos, Chinese and Hindus. The Egyptian, Lebanese, Libyan and Korean wedding styles and traditions were also reviewed. They differ in a way that is shows or portrays their traditions, however everyone has a common goal and that is to present how two individuals are joined and unified. That is, the need to express and acknowledge the joining of two souls, in the eyes of God or a government officiator for the recognition to be legalized. Filipino rituals only show how Filipinos value and respect their family’s approval for their soon-to-be spouse and that spiritual cleansing is important as a commitment and devotion to one’s lifetime partner. Valuing family ties can be observed to all Filipinos. Moreover, this concept can be seen in Filipino’s way of living—that they are still attached to their own families though they already have a family of their own. Chinese, on the other hand, believes in destiny and marriage is pre-determined. Their practices and beliefs show the Chinese way of living. Chinese nowadays are known to bloom in the business field, and from what was discussed in this paper, their marriage also depends on one’s economic stability. In addition to that, their rituals show the wealth of every Chinese family showing their capability to build and sustain a family. Lastly, the rituals of the Hindus show more of their spirituality. Driving evil spirits and wishing for happiness, wealth, prosperity and good health are some of the elements significant in the ceremony. Their ceremonies are usually colorful which indicates their lifestyle. Also, since family members and relatives play an important role in the festivity, it shows how significant family togetherness is to them. Having seen and discovered various rituals from different cultures, it clearly illustrates the diversity of people’s beliefs and traditions. It appears that every ritual and practices observed in different nations shows a historical, spiritual and psychological background that explains their lifestyles. Historical in the sense that these practices are drawn from their ancestors and are still practiced nowadays. Spiritual, because they honor and ask blessings from the gods that were introduced in their culture. Moreover, these rituals have specific meaning that will result to spiritual empowerment for the married couple. And lastly psychological, because there are certain reasons why people get married depending on their background and culture, how they choose the person to marry and the effect of their marriage in their future together. In my own point of view, further studies should be recommended for more explicit explanations of reviewed traditions and practices. In addition to that, results or outcomes should be recorded to analyze the accuracy of certain rituals that are observed. This may be helpful for further developing traditions as to giving more fruitful effects to couples who are soon to be married. In this case, comparison will be avoided to whether what culture is more rich and meaningful; rather respect for every culture’s belief will be promoted. Though such recommendations may seem tedious as to disrespectfully changing one’s belief and modifying a certain culture, acquiring these ideas may also help elevate people’s lifestyle as well as establishing a more logical and significant culture. References About. Com 2008. Chinese Marriage since 1950s Retrieved on March 14, 2008 from http://chineseculture. about. com/library/weekly/aa112200a. htm Celeste, T. 1997. Filipino Wedding Rites. Retrieved on March 14, 2008 from http://www. snoopydude. com/wedding/filipinowedding. htm Down, J. 2002. Chinese Wedding. Retrieved on March 17, 2008 from Newsfinder 2002, Culture Section. Ehow. com 2008. Wedding Customs and Traditions. Retrieved on March 14, 2008 from http://www. ehow. com/information_1329-wedding-traditions-customs. html? ref=fuel Filipinafiancevisa. com 2001. Filipino Wedding Traditions. Retrieved on March 14, 2008 from http://www. filipinafianceevisa. com/FilipinoWedding. htm Finch, P. 2007A Filipino Wedding – What To Expect Retrieved March 17, 2008, from http://ezinearticles. com/? A-Filipino-Wedding—What-To-Expect&id=821770 Huanxing Q. and Zhongmin L. 1999 Unique Chinese Customs in Hui’an, Fujian Province Retrieved on March 17, 2008 from Xindeco Business Information Company Kasal. com 2006. Despedida De Soltera. Retrieved on March 14, 2008 from http://www. kasal. com/html/rr/fili/fili5. html Morgan, P. J. Weddings in Egypt. Retrieved on March 17, 2008 from Saudi Aramco World, pages 34-39 National Association of Wedding Ministers 2008. Hindu Wedding Ceremony. Retrieved on March 14, 2008 from http://www. aweddingministers. com/ceremonial_mat/hindu_wedding. htm Persian cultures 2007. Wedding in different culture. Retrieved on March 14, 2008 from http://www. coxformat. co. uk/images/_backup/wedding-in-different-culture. html The Chinese Historical and Cultural Project 2001. Chinese Wedding Traditions. Retrieved on March 14, 2008 from http://www. chcp. org/wedding. html Triveni Wedding Cards 2007. Hindu Wedding Ceremony. Retrieved on March 14, 2008 from http://www. weddingcardshoppe. com/Hindu_Wedding_Ceremony. htm Wedding Traditions 2008. Wedding Traditions and Folklore. Retrieved on March 14, 2008 from http://www. vfwpost1503. org/wedding_traditions. htm Xing Q. H and Zhongmin 1998 Lu Wedding Customs Northern Shanxii Retrieved on March 17, 2008 from Folk Customs of China

Leadership Process Essay

First Section Leadership is a process by which one person influences the thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors of others. Leaders set a direction for the rest of us; they help us see what lies ahead; they help us visualize what we might achieve; they encourage us and inspire us. Level 5 leadership refers to the highest level in a hierarchy of executive capabilities that we identified during our research. Leaders at the other four levels in the hierarchy can produce high degrees of success but not enough to elevate companies from mediocrity to sustained excellence. And while Level 5 leadership is not the only requirement for transforming a good company into a great one—other factors include getting the right people on the bus (and the wrong people off the bus) and creating a culture of discipline—our research shows it to be essential. Good-to-great transformations don’t happen without Level 5 leaders at the helm. They just don’t. (Traylor, 2001) The Level 5 leader sits on top of a hierarchy of capabilities and is, according to our research, a necessary requirement for transforming an organization from good to great. But what lies beneath? Four other layers, each one appropriate in its own right but none with the power of Level 5. Individuals do not need to proceed sequentially through each level of the hierarchy to reach the top, but to be a full-fledged Level 5 requires the capabilities of all the lower levels, plus the special characteristics of Level 5. (HBR, 2001) It differs from other leadership styles as the leaders come from the grass root of the organization. Meaning, it is the leader who has grown and developed from the ground level of the organization and has gradually escalated towards the top most level. This allows an employee to go through all phases and nurture to the top level of the organization i.e. CEO level. A few years ago in Strategy & Leadership, Michael Raynor debunked the premises on which the shareholder-first model rests, and a few months ago Michael Porter criticized the current belief that looking beyond the business is bad for business. In the January/February Harvard Business Review he argues that companies should be considering other stakeholders, and so generates economic value by creating societal value. These respected thinkers offer another answer to the question about the purpose of a business: the firm should see itself as an interdependent part of a community that consists of multiple stakeholders whose interests are integral to business success. In this view, an enterprise can be seen as a system of long-term cooperative relationships between affected parties. (Collins, 2001) These include the firm’s managers and employees, customers and clients, investors, suppliers, the towns, states and nations where the firm is located or sells goods and services and even future generations of stakeholders. In such a system, stakeholder influence generates pressure for the organization to behave in ethical and environmentally and socially responsible ways, and in turn, this interdependency helps the firm be sustainable and resilient. This alternative approach to leadership is variously referred to as ‘‘sustainable,’’ ‘‘Rhineland’’ or ‘‘honeybee’’ leadership. By sustainable we don’t just mean a firm is being green and socially responsible. Research and observations in over 50 firms around the world, including in many listed corporations, suggest that sustainable leadership requires taking a long-term perspective in making decisions; fostering systemic innovation aimed at increasing customer value; developing a skilled, loyal and highly engaged workforce; and offering quality products, services and solutions. (Caroselli, 2003) Second Section In 2005, Lee Scott, ex-CEO and President of Wal-Mart Stores and now Chairman of its Executive Committee, announced that the company would essentially adopt sustainable leadership principles going forward, although he did not use that term. Financial performance was solid, but the company was the target of many complainants – employees, local communities, suppliers, and environmentalists. Scott decreed that Wal-Mart, one of largest Fortune 500 corporations, would become more ethical, and more socially and environmentally responsible. The company would use its political might to benefit ordinary Americans in healthcare and energy savings, and make people’s lives better. Scott even advocated paying more for products from ethical suppliers – an extraordinary reversal by an enterprise built around a low-cost strategy. In the years since, Wal-Mart has experimented with environmentally-friendly stores and other socially-responsible measures. Interestingly, its bottom line has not suffered during this process, posting net sales increases for the past five years, according to Wal-Mart’s 2009 annual report. In recent months, in a move to improve the healthiness of its products, the firm announced plans to reduce the fat and salt in its house brand groceries and cut prices on fresh produce. (Shaw, 2005) A considerable body of evidence shows that sustainable practices are more likely to enhance business performance than the shareholder-first approach. First, various writers have examined and compared the Anglo/US system with its Rhineland counterpart, concluding that Rhineland principles are more sustainable and lead to better outcomes than the shareholder-first approach. Second, Avery and Bergsteiner have gathered extensive evidence for each of the individual practices in their pyramid model, showing how they are more likely to contribute to positive business outcomes than their counterparts under the shareholder-first model. For example, a major difference between shareholder-first and sustainable practices lies in whether they retain people or lay them off when times get difficult. Staff retention is regarded as a foundation element in the pyramid because conditions aimed at keeping staff can be initiated at any time. However, retaining staff supports various higher order outcomes in the pyramid; it allows knowledge to be retained, and supports quality, trust, and innovation, for example, and enhances financial performance, as well as staff and customer satisfaction. Similar cases can be made for the other 22 elements. (Cooke, 2008) What senior executive would reject these as legitimate goals for an enterprise seeking to both thrive and endure? To some cynics, sustainable leadership – a management approach aimed at delivering better and more sustainable returns, reducing unwanted employee turnover and accelerating innovation – sounds too good to be true. They dismiss it as just another form of humanistic management, merely good management practices, or as following old-fashioned values. There is some truth in each of these characterizations. Certainly, sustainable leadership embraces aspects of humanistic management in that it includes valuing people and considering the firm as a contributor to social well being. The individual practices of sustainable leadership are not new: B Warren Bennis advocated recruiting, training, and employing an effective top leadership team rather than just relying on the heroic CEO. He also proposed that firms become financially transparent as a step to becoming more ethical. B Peter Drucker wanted managers to promote change and allow innovations to come from all over the organization, thereby enabling ordinary people to make extraordinary things happen. B Stephen Covey urged using the knowledge and engagement of a firm’s employees. What is new is the understanding that these practices form a self-reinforcing leadership system that enhances the performance of a business and its prospects for survival. What is also significant is that sustainable leadership practices are diametrically opposed to the typical shareholder-first approach, which business schools, management journals, the media, and many practitioners continue to promote. (Branson, 2010) Sustainable leadership in practice Sustainably-led organizations have been identified across different sectors, countries, institutional contexts, and markets. Examples of successful enterprises that consistently embrace sustainable leadership principles abound, particularly among privately-held firms and SMEs. Unlisted companies displaying virtually all of the 23 characteristics of a sustainable enterprise include: in the USA, WL Gore & Associates (Goretexw and other products) and SAS (software); in Germany, Giesecke & Devrient (bank notes and securities) and Ka ¨rcher (cleaning solutions); and in Switzerland, Endress & Hauser (flow technologies) and Migros (retail conglomerate). However, it is likely to be more difficult for listed corporations or private equity groups to operate on sustainable principles because of the pressures on them to achieve short-term performance goals. Yet numerous listed enterprises manage to operate sustainably, if necessary by standing up to or managing their relationships with the financial markets. Well-known examples include Germany’s Munich Re from the finance industry; Colgate (consumer goods) based in the USA; Britain’s BT Group (telecommunications); the Thai construction corporation, Siam Cement Group, and its competitor from Switzerland, Holcim. (Streshly & Gray, 2010) Third Section There are many obstacles in changing to sustainable leadership. First, sticking with conventional wisdom is comfortable and easy – it’s business as usual. Second, change is disruptive and initially creates both financial and intangible costs, although as the Wal-Mart case shows these may not slow growth and profits. Third, most people disregard hard evidence and make their decisions on the basis of ideological beliefs. Managers are no exception to this human foible despite their training and experience in decision making. Fourth, major change involves risks, bringing with it the chance of a drop in short-term performance, so stakeholders need to be prepared to focus on the long term. Finally, radical change can take a long time to embed and then maintain. A major Australian bank converted from a shareholder-first strategy to a sustainable leadership model. The change took a decade to take hold, with outstanding results, but unraveled in only a few years to under a new CEO with a different agenda. The choice to adopt a more sustainable strategy, one that research and practice show leads to higher resilience and performance over the long term, remains in the hands of each executive team. Unfortunately, executives remunerated on a short-term basis may have no incentive for seriously pursuing long-term change, to the detriment of shareholders and other stakeholders. This is where the fundamental short-term focus of the shareholder-first or business-as-usual model begins to destroy shareholder value and endanger a firm’s very survival. (Brown, 2005) References Branson, D. M. (2010). The last male bastion: gender and the CEO suite in America’s public companies. Taylor & Francis. Brown, M. T. (2005). Corporate integrity: rethinking organizational ethics, and leadership. Cambridge University Press. Caroselli, M. (2003). The business ethics activity book: 50 exercises for promoting integrity at work. AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn. Collins, J. C. ( 2001). Good to great: why some companies make the leap–and others don’t. Harper Business. Cooke, P. (2008). Branding Faith: Why Some Churches and Non-Profits Make a Difference and Other’s Don’t. Gospel Light. Shaw, K. A. (2005). The intentional leader. Syracuse University Press. Streshly, W. A., & Gray, S. P. (2010). Leading Good Schools to Greatness: Mastering What Great Principals Do Well. Corwin Press. Traylor, P. S. (2001). IT Takes Two. CIO Magazine , Vol.15, No.4, November 15

Effect of Vampires on Society

When you hear the word vampire you probably think of today’s modern charters, from Twilight or True Blood. According to the article â€Å"Blood Ties, The vampire Lover† By Helen T. Bailie, Today’s vampires make up book 53% of today’s book sells. Vampires in today’s image have become creatures of lust, the dream man of teenage girls all over the world. Before pop culture took over vampires in stories, were monsters of horror. Pre-dating today’s pop culture fad, vampires were used to explain things that people didn’t understand, something scary and unknown. So what has caused all theses changes in vampire stories over time?Changing them from feared unknown demons to every teens heartthrob. To find out where the change came from we’ll look at what the original vampires were thought to be and the legends associated with them/ Then Ill review the early stories of vampires followed by the examination of stories from today’s pop culture. Finalizing where the shift came from. Following up with the impact that the impact that these stories could be having on society today. * * Vampires date back to practically the dawn of time. But the vampires that originated were thought to be a type of blood- sucking corpse.The first vampire â€Å"sightings† were by the Slavic community back during the middle ages according to an article titled â€Å"Was the vampire of the eighteenth century a unique type of dead corpse† written by G. David Keyworth an article about the early legends of vampires. Vampires were originally thought to be created by all kinds of different ways, like women that didn’t want to be housewives, or that wanted to do other things rather than cooking, cleaning and tending to the children were often thought to be under the spell of a powerful vampire.The Slavic people believed that vampires were made from improper burials, being born out of wedlock, or just being born on a certain day. While the Romanian people caught onto the vampire trend quickly after the Slavic, Romanians thought vampires were made from women that didn’t eat salt during the pregnancy, and even being the 7th child in the family of the same gender. The ways that vampires were made may seem odd to you and I but they were things that in the early days of the middle ages were considered wrong or different from the norms.Today’s science helps explains most of the things that were thought to be considered the marking of a vampire to be invalid. For example believed that swelling or discoloration of the body after deaths were signs that the deceased was going to come back as a vampire. We now know that the rigor mortis sets in and causes most things post mortem that were thought to be signs of vampirism in the middle ages. * The people of these communities did their best to keep new vampires from rising out of the ground.They tried to keep animals from crossing over the graves, ens uring a proper burial and placing a ton of boulders and rocks on the graves to keep the corpse firmly in the ground. There has even been pre-staking the person through the heart and then staking them into the ground. Try as they may their preventive measures didn’t always work and there was distinct evidence for a vampire being around. Most of these early communities had the same clues that a vampire was running amuck.When livestock disappeared or turned up dead, blood on the mouth of the body, the body being swelled up holes in the ground, and also vampires didn’t eat the garlic given out during church ceremonies. Killing vampires in the early days was pretty straightforward, drive a steak through its heart, shoot it through the coffin or shove garlic into its mouth. From this of course emerged men that could be hired to track down and kill the vampires through out the town, everything from church priest to an actual vampire hunter, what we would now relate to as some one that was like Van Helsing.How easily vampires were killed in the stories of the middle ages aren’t really explained but considering the need for vampire hunters, I think it would be safe to say it wasn’t easy. Though Romania was were the original vampire stories begun, vampires apparently thrived in England during the middle ages. (Keyworth 243). Most deaths did occur because of being around old corpses but generally because of the diseases that they carried. An anonymous monk at Byland Abbey wrote majority of the stories of vampires.The monks and high relgious leaders of these towns came up with these legends because they believed in vampires, but they also used them to control the people of their town. By doing the right thing during life you could prevent yourself from becoming a vampire in the afterlife. So basically the religious leaders played on the fears of the towns people to keep them in church and keep them in line. One of the more famous stories of this time was of two brothers that fell down dead one day and were buried only to be seen later that night walking through the own. (Keyworth 245). These stories spread and eventually the whole world was on vampire alert. These stories continued well on into the 1900’s eventually dying off slowly as the scientist learned more about humans, the body and how it worked. The first shift in these stories was from the tales of monks to an actual novel written by Bram Stocker. Dracula, a story still talked abut today, Dracula was really the introductory novel to bring vampires into fiction works.The story of a man that travels to buy property in Transylvania from Count Dracula, realizing shortly after getting to the castle that he is a prisoner and the Count has supernatural powers. Slowly the jonathans fiances, friend is converted into a vampire, she is sleeping walking and frequently has strange marks on her neck, Van Helsing is called into help but inevitably fails, the friend and Jo nathan’s wife are both eventually converted. (Spark notes/ count Dracula).Dracula was a big step he really brought in the fear of the unknown and represents the fixation on youth. Dracula’s first film in the United States dates back to 1931 where the foreign aspect was centralized on, really making him seem like an outsider, from there the next change in Dracula came about in the 1970’s where we were introduced to the genre of vampire stories told by the vampire, allowing the audience to feel his alienation, to almost feel sorry for him and even though he was evil to feel an almost compassion for him.The final shift in the Dracula movies came in 1992, where Dracula was cast as a love struck monster making him even more human, more relatable but on the downside easier to defeat, making him a typical Hollywood character instead of the monster that he began in the late 1800’s After the 1970’s rendition of Dracula there was another book that came out t hat really kept the trend going of the relatable vampires.Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire, along with having the emotional vampires that were alienated from society, these vampires were fully capable of feelings, something that before the 70’s really wasn’t thought of, her vampires feel guilty, they have fears, hopes dreams and of course infinite sadness. During this time is also when gender roles really started to be challenged, vampires could now be women. Sometimes the most powerful vampires were in fact women.Women not playing victim but being the same as their male counter parts took a big shift in most of the vampire novels and stories. The seventies were really a time of change for the vampire stories. The Vampires that were introduced in Interview with a Vampire brought the first real sense of sexuality, it had been in stories before but it wasn’t mainstream, but erotic sexuality between the vampires and their victims that of course were usua lly women became a huge part of these stories and the ones that would come after.But it also introduced homoeroticism, something that was completely taboo, and put a new hot flare into the vampire scene. Sexuality continued to be played up in following books and stories from the subtle cues in Interview with a Vampire to the â€Å"monsterized aggressive female sexuality to the lesbian vampires f of Great Britain’s Hammer studio† (Weinstock 4) from this to the BDSM and polygamy of the Anita Blake series. Sex both same and different sex became a huge part of the vampires identity in today’s pop culture all starting here.If the monks that wrote the horror stories of what they thought were real vampires during the middle ages heard the stories of today, they would probably start flinging holy water while laughing at what society had come to think of the monsters that had plagued their cites. Vampires, which started out as a way to control the city, keep people in li ne, and to explain the unexplainable. Now you look at Vampires like Edward Cullen, Bill Compton or Stefan and Damon Salvatore, even Selene, which are all vampires and major heart throbs of today.Everywhere you turn there seems to be another vampire coming out and a huge teenage fan base to follow. The vampires in all of these stories bring a different light to the traditional vampire story, the most famous and noticeable being the vampires of Twilight that sparkle in the sunlight instead of bursting into flames. The characters in these stories are all part of what is described as the emotional vampire, An emotional vampire is defined is a vampire that has turned from his monster tendencies and has started trying to follow human morals and are fighting the struggle. Unknown par 36). This new generation of vampires was created by women for women, according to the article â€Å"Fearless Vampire Kissers† about the vampires in today’s most popular books and shows, by Bernar d Beck. Beck goes on to explain that vampire movies have more or less becomes â€Å"chick flicks†. In the article â€Å"Vampires, Vampires Everywhere† Jeffery Andrew Weinstock explains the main principles of today’s vampire stories, the first being that they are always about sex, vampires represent a tabooed sexuality, simply vampires are naughty.Another part of vampire stories is that vampires themselves are more interesting than the humans that surround them, some how even though they are the undead vampires are more alive than the humans that are around them. â€Å"Vampires are imperial, selfish, domineering and intensely physical, lurking beneath the human facade is pure animalistic energy† (Weinstock 4). It’s this energy that usually draws the reader to the vampire of the story.The third main part of any vampire story is that the vampire comes back, weather its because the vampire dies by stake through the heart or the vampire leaving on his o wn accord for the safety of the humans around them, they always come back, they return because the humans refuse to let them die, refusing to let go. Some stories use voodoo to get them back from the dead, or in twilight Bella simply jumps off a cliff to get her vampires to come back, I wouldn’t always root for the attempted suicide path, it may not be as effective and have some bad consequences.One of the last pieces of the vampire puzzle is that the vampires are always considered outsiders, or â€Å"other†. Different articles have different theories on what vampires may represent as outsiders weather its coming out of the coffin being like coming out of the closet, so the vampires represent the fear of homosexuality in our society or weather it represents race or even weather it’s a representation of how we just cant seem to escape the gender roles that have been in place for thousands of years.The simple fact is that the vampire is an outsider in the communit y that it is in. Maybe this to is part of the allure that draws the females of this generation into these stories, that they are outsiders and the maternal instinct to take care of all things make the female in the stories feel such sympathy in the book, or story that they are in. But how did we get from point A the terrifying animated corpses to point B of the sparkling lover vampire? The answer is really pretty simple Vampires are a malleable monster that have become what society has made them.As a society we no longer fear what the people of the middle ages feared, because we have cleared things up through science and technological advances, and our higher reasoning that vampires don’t actually exist, so we have turned them more or less into fairy tale creatures. Making them as cute and cuddly as a teddy bear in most cases. These stories focus on love that is worth dying for because today most people have a deep inner fear of never finding that kind of love. Paired with th is is the fear of getting old or at least looking like you are getting old, the vampires stories in pop culture coddle those fears.The article â€Å"Meme of the Year: Loving the Undead† states that Vampires are the most relatable among the sci-fi, fiction and fantasy characters. Also most vampires in pop culture are wealthy and devastatingly handsome which plays off two things that have become very important in today’s society, money and good looks will get you pretty much anywhere, pick up and news magazine and this will be confirmed. The worlds in Twilight and True Blood are centered around mystery and deception, love and sex, (Unknown2, par 2) The reason that the vampire stories have shifted so much over the course of history is because humans themselves have changed.Vampires have evolved into what humans want them to be, because they can easily look human and attempt to mesh into our world it brings us to these characters that are full of mysterious and speak to th e side in most women that want a bad boy that’s good to them. The books of Twilight, True Blood and Vampire Diaries are flying off the shelves at bookstores and keeping an insane amount of viewers for their movies, or shows.Adults and teenagers both flocking to these new emotional vampires, now a large part of this is no doubt because of the looks of the men and women cast in these stories. But the shift in vampire stories has left a genre that doesn’t have women in their typical role in the kitchen or doing female dominated jobs. But the Females in these stories are falling for the male leads in almost an unhealthy way becoming pretty much dependent on the â€Å"men† in their lives to keep them emotionally stable.It makes you wonder how this could be psychologically affecting the minds of tweens and teens that are obsessed with these stories. The main offender of this is the book and movie phenomenon Twilight, and the â€Å"perfect† boyfriend Edward Cull en. Though there aren’t enough studies to show the exact effect that literature and movies have on the brain, scientist do know that they have and effect on the mind according to the journal â€Å"A Boy Friend to Die For† by Debra Merskin about Edward Cullen being a compensated psychopath.The point of her article is to prove that Edward Cullen is a compensated psychopath (CP). A compensated psychopath is someone that in innately psychopathic and on the higher end of it but has learned to function in society. In the book Bella becomes completely dependent on Edward willing to almost kill herself to just hear a hallucination, and is willing to give up humanity just to be with him.Edward is controlling and manipulating of Bella, doing what he thinks is best for her to stay safe but usually just hurting her more in the process. Edward tells her who she can be friends with and when she can hang out with them. He tries to keep her from her best friend because he doesnâ€℠¢t approve. Edward also twist the truth when he speaks to Bella telling her only what she needs to know and leaving the rest out, often not even bothering to tell her what's going on at all and Bella just keeps following him.Edward has so many of the traits in a classic case of compensated psychopath, he doesn’t have a real since of morality, psychopaths also don’t have the ability to feel real love, though Edward says he loves Bella the only thing pouring through the novel is the sexual tension, Edward realizes that the instant gratification of drinking Bella’s blood would kill her and there would be nothing left for him to gain, this is stereotypical for CP, finding that you have to wait for your prey. (Merskin 155)All in all, Edward could be a great â€Å"man† for Bella but he has so many of the traits the psychiatrist would relate to having CP that it’s a little hard to imagine. The Vampire is the bad boy of the paranormal world (Merskin 152) b ut having teenagers who are still growing and finding themselves subjected to creature that is supposed to be perfect yet exhibits these behaviors is emotionally damaging because these girls project and in turn want to find someone like their fiction character crush. In conclusion vampires are the monsters we make them.Society changes the image of the vampire due to what they need, they want and what their true fears are. Vampires started out with monstrous legends and those that were sworn to see them all dead. Vampires in Slavic times were just control elements and explanations of what at the time could not be explained, monsters that stalked the innocent women. Bram Stokers Dracula and Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire were the next big jumps during the 70’s changing them to the beginning of the emotional vampire and introducing the pure naughtiness and sexual aspect, also making them relatable to the public by giving them emotions, hopes and desires.Finally come to today’s pop culture, written by women for women, the irresistible bad boys of today’s fiction world, a complete turn around, from ugly disgusting still live corpses to the sparkly vampires that teens and adults around the world have come to know and love. Is this love safe? No most likely not, but we’ll just have to see what shift the vampire world makes next, hopefully back in the direction of monster.