Comparing Branagh and Olivier

The two movie versions of Shakespeare's Hamlet that are directed by Laurence Olivier and Kenneth Branagh have similarities and differences. The similarities include how Hamlet feels betrayed by his mother because of her sudden marriage after the death of his father. The differences include how Hamlet is portrayed as a character. Olivier uses the Hamlet's relationship with Gertrude and his soliloquy to portray Hamlet as confused, whereas Branagh uses the same dynamics to portray Hamlet as furious.Olivier presents Hamlet's relationship with Gertrude as more physical in order to ndicate Hamlet's confusion, while Branagh presents the relationship between Hamlet and his mother as less physical to reinforce his feelings of frustration. During the scene where Claudius and Gertrude are encouraging Hamlet to stay in Denmark, Gertrude freely touches Hamlet and kisses him on the mouth to console her grieving son (Olivier, 1948). During this scene, Hamlet is sitting at the edge of the table wear ing all black and is turned away from everyone. He is upset that his mother has remarried such a short time after his father's death.His tone of voice suggests that e is full of grief, devastated about the death of his father, and feeling betrayed by his mother. Even though he feels betrayed, Hamlet passively allows his mother to embrace and kiss him. Hamlet is confused, and has no sense of how to deal with his conflicting feelings. Branagh, however, presents the relationship between Hamlet and his mother without any physical contact between the two. During the same scene in Branagh's version, the queen smiles and encourages Hamlet to stay instead of returning to Wittenberg (Branagh, 1996). In comparison to Olivier's Hamlet,Branagh's Hamlet has a different tone of voice. His tone of voice is on the edge of tears. When Gertrude consoles Hamlet and urges him to stay in Denmark, he agrees to stay, but does not engage in any physical contact with his mother. He remains distant from his mother, both emotionally and physically. Unlike Olivier's Hamlet, Branagh's Hamlet shows that he is more bitter than Olivier's Hamlet about Gertrude's quick marriage. Thus, the directors' depictions of Hamlet's interaction with Gertrude in the two films reveal differing interpretations of Hamlet's response to feeling betrayed.The two film versions also use Hamlet's first soliloquy to depict their different interpretations of Hamlet's character. Olivier's Hamlet delivers his soliloquy in his thoughts to indicate his confusion, whereas Branagh's Hamlet delivers his soliloquy in spoken words to show his frustration after he learns that his mother has married Claudius. In the Olivier version of the play, Hamlet's first soliloquy is spoken in his head (Olivier, 1948). In this speech, he emphasizes that only a little amount of time has passed after his father's death and that Gertrude has remarried too quickly.He also emphasizes his confusion about Gertrude's marriage to Claudius, when Ge rtrude used to follow his father like Niobe. In Olivier's version of the soliloquy, Hamlet is grieving over his father's death, but he is more upset about his mother's quick marriage to Claudius, his tamer's brother. During his soliloquy, Hamlet says â€Å"trail thy name is woman† (Olivier, 1948) calling his mother weak-hearted for remarrying too quickly. In contrast to Olivier's Hamlet, Branagh's Hamlet speaks and yells to emphasize points in his soliloquy.He speaks of the same issues, but the tone of voice s different. He sounds exhausted, annoyed, and speaks as if he is about to start crying. However, when he mentions the point that frustrates him the most, his voice becomes significantly louder; when he yells â€Å"yet within a month! † (Branagh, 1996), emphasizing the short amount of time between the death and marriage, he reveals his bitterness. He feels betrayed and angry at the way Gertrude has moved on so quickly, rather than confused and sad, as he does in Ol ivier's film.Thus, although both Olivier's and Branagh's versions of Hamlet stress the same conflict about his other, Hamlet is characterized differently in each film. In both film versions of Hamlet, the protagonist faces the same conflict, but Olivier and Branagh take different approaches to portraying Hamlet. In Olivier's version, Hamlet's relationship with Gertrude is portrayed in a physical manner to stress Hamlet's passivity and feeling of confusion, whereas in Branagh's depiction, Hamlet's relationship with Gertrude reveals a less physical and more distant relationship in order to indicate his anger and frustration.Their soliloquies also distinguish the directors' two different ersions of Hamlet; Olivier's Hamlet delivers his speech in his thoughts, adopting a passive style to suggest Hamlet's confusion, while Branagh's Hamlet delivers his speech out loud to indicate his anger and frustration. These two different depictions of the main character reveal how critical the direct or's input is in creating a distinct interpretation of Shakespeare's plays.

Competition in the Movie Rental Industry in 2008

Competition in the Movie Rental Industry in 2008: Netflix and Blockbuster Battle for Market Leadership Although the corporate strategies implemented by Netflix and Blockbuster have allowed them to become leaders of competitive advantage in the movie rental industry, they sometimes encounter strategic issues that slow down their product and services process. My research of Netflix and Blockbuster will enable me to present a SWOT analysis and recommendations for each company. Netflix, founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings, has achieved its goal of becoming the largest online movie rental service in the world. By the end of 2007, Netflix recorded revenues of $1. 2 billion. With a library of 100,000 movie titles and a subscriber base of over seven million, they had become the leaders of the movie rental industry (Gamble & Thompson, 2011). Netflix’s business model of internet subscription enabled them to compete in the movie industry. Consumers love going to the movies, but with increasing theatre prices found it too expensive to attend public viewings. Netflix provided an inexpensive way to view movies which could be done from the comforts of home. According to the text, (Essentials of Strategic Management, 2010), â€Å"Netflix’s success is due to its six-pronged strategy of providing comprehensive selection of DVDs, easy way to choose movies, fast delivery, no return due dates, and convenient drop in mail movie returns† (Gamble & Thompson, 2010). In an online survey by Nielsen Online, Netflix was rated number one for three years and for nine consecutive periods by Forsee/FGI Research (Netflix, 2009). Netflix Strategic Issues Blockbuster, Netflix’s fiercest competitor, experience many rental issues until 2007 when they regained market shares forcing Netflix to reduce subscription prices. Not only did Blockbuster gain presence, other competitors like Redbox also gained presence in the market due to new technologies (VOD & DVR) that are influencing the business environment. The business model used by Netflix caused a stir in the market industry. However, the damage control strategies of competitors and competitor recapture of market shares is threatening Netflix’s competitive advantage. Netflix has to change with the times. Competitive Forces Netflix and Blockbuster are affected by the five forces of competition which are potential new entrants, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat of substitutes, and rivalry among existing competitors (Gamble & Thompson, 2010). The companies must understand how these forces work and affect their operation. Threats of New Entrants -In the home video/game industries, new entrants must own large amounts of movies/games for rental or sale to fulfill customers' demands. Meanwhile they have to build up various distribution channels for products to reach customers in a very quick way (Xie & Lin, 2008). Bargaining Power of Suppliers -The inputs of suppliers in the home video/game industries are very important and since there are only a few qualified suppliers in the industry, their bargaining power is high. Netflix acquires its movies from movie studios and distributors, buying DVDs on a fee-per-DVD basis, paying license content fees, and signing revenue sharing agreements. Blockbuster also has revenue sharing agreements with its suppliers. To some extent, these agreements reduce the bargaining power of suppliers. In terms of the computer system, Blockbuster is using Provia's Viaware warehouse management system (packaging, sorting, and distributing rental products) in its supply chain management to keep costs down (Xie & Lin, 2008). Threats of substitutes -Substitutes include movie theaters, satellite TV, and cable TV. Customers can go to movie theaters and enjoy the vivid atmosphere. Alternatively, they can order â€Å"pay-per-view† or subscribe â€Å"on-demand† from satellite TV and/or cable TV providers to watch movies at home. Users can watch anytime they want. Satellite and cable TV offer sufficient selections of new releases and are is easy to watch with just click on remote. Netflix and Blockbuster compete for customers by offering various kinds of movies and internet access (Xie & Lin, 2008). Rivalry among industry competitors – Netflix and Blockbuster are in a highly competitive industry. Competitors include merchant retailers, such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Target; video and game store like Hollywood Video, Movie Gallery, and Game Stop; supermarkets, convenient stores such as Publix, and McDonald's. The significant rival is Hollywood Video which offers movie and game rentals (Xie & Lin, 2008). Bargaining power of buyers -Buyers are not in concentrated groups and do not buy in large amounts. However, within the entertainment industry, customers have a lot of alternatives and have no switching cost. However the introduction of DVDs, influenced customers to purchase DVDs since the cost is almost the same cost of rentals. This makes buyer power moderate (Xie & Lin, 2008). The five forces of competition of the movie rental industry presents little force against a competitor’s market position based on buyer power, supplier power, and new entrant threats. However, threat of substitutes and rivalry among competitors can affect the amount of profits a company will gain and retain. Netflix SWOT Analysis The presence of Netflix and Blockbuster in the movie rental industry has assisted me in developing this analysis of each corporation’s strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats as followed: Netflix’s strengths are: Good reputation, unlimited movie rental subscription, no due dates or late fees, easy website access, and large movie selection. Netflix’s weaknesses are: Limited to internet rental access, and long waiting period for new releases. Netflix’s opportunities are: To provide Video on Demand media access, music and movie download, and acquire partnership with gaming industry. Netflix’s threats are: Low DVD rentals, government regulation of rental distribution, high level of competition, and new movie media technology. Blockbuster SWOT Analysis Blockbuster’s strengths are: national and international recognition provides movie and game rentals, various vices for rental access (i. e. stores, kiosk, and internet), offers snacks and beverages for purchase in stores, and accommodates all customer types. Blockbuster’s weaknesses are: Poor distribution process, increased operating expense, decreased reputation, limited new released video games, unable to compete with game distributors (i. e. GameStop), and constant rental policy changes. Blockbuster opportunities are: Unlimited access to downloadable media libraries, increased production of brand movie rentals, and partnership with gaming system industry. Blockbuster’s threats are: New video formats, decreased DVD movie rentals, increased competition, and government regulation of movie rentals. The SWOT analysis shows that Netflix and Blockbuster have strong strengths and opportunities, however in order to Netflix to maintain its competitive advantage there needs to be an upgrade in innovation and technology that will strengthen their reputation and reliability. Blockbuster’s loss in reputation will continually plague their ability to remain competitive and maintain the customer base that they have. Blockbuster will continually face challenges until they upgrade their innovation and technology to level where they will enter into recovery mode. As I studied the financial information presented in the text, it appears that Netflix has been able to offer customers the benefit of low rental fees because they have been able to maintain a low level of expenses. The benefits offered to customers have increased the amounts of net income and movie rentals. Netflix prides itself on promoting customer satisfaction and meeting demands of its internet base. According to the numbers presented by Internet World Stats, the percentage of internet penetration by the North American population was 74. 2 percent in 2009, which was a 134 percent increase from 2000. At this rate, Netflix could secure an internet rental customer base of 74. 2 percent which would strengthen its success (Miniwatts Marketing Group, 2009) Blockbuster’s biggest challenge is development of a viable strategic approach to price setting. When Netflix entered the game, Blockbuster began to lose profits. In an attempt to recoup some of its losses, Blockbuster presented campaign where the rental policy constantly changed leaving customers confused and unsure of the rental process. Although Blockbuster has a large selection of movie titles and global presence, its reputation of dissatisfied customers and inefficient distribution has caused its overall cost to rise significantly. Blockbuster’s competitive advantage is that it offers various channels by which customers can access entertainment media. According to Blockbuster, â€Å"The same customer can choose different ways to access media entertainment on different nights† (Blockbuster, 2010). Recommendations In order for Netflix to maintain its competitive advantage there must be an adjustment of their strategy. Customer satisfaction should be a key factor of its strategy. I recommend that they base their marketing promotions on increasing customer awareness of the variety of accessible content offered. They should also implement the availability of music content and digital media to their library. The development of an award program for customers with lengthy memberships would influence word of mouth recommendations. Most of all, Netflix must continue to offer their customers the benefit of more titles at modest cost subscription memberships. In order for Blockbuster to regain its competitive advantage and reputation there must be the development of a strategy that will increase their profit. They have to become more innovation in internet and in-store rental process. There should be monitoring devices placed on scanner registers and mailed movie rentals to better track returns in order to keep their cost at a minimum. Staff should be trained and monitored on a constant basis to ensure that customer satisfaction is the key priority. Blockbuster must implement policies that will be enforced and understood by customers. They should also team up with gaming system producers to ensure that they will be supplied with current games and possibly offer gaming system rentals. Most of all they should find their own niche market which will provide them with a specialized competitive advantage. The information researched on Netflix and Blockbuster has enabled me to conclude that competition in the movie rental industry is highly competitive. There are new companies entering the market that have a competitive advantage whether it consist of internet rental, vending machine rental access, or in-store rental access. Netflix and Blockbuster have taken the lead in providing thousands of movie title to be viewed in the comfort of our own homes without the expense of movie theatres. Although both companies have a competitive advantage, they each have a following of dedicated customers who will stay with them because of familiarity. Through my research I have learned that consumers are the controllers in the movie rental industry. If consumers dislike the way they are serviced or the cost of movie rentals they will most certainly move on to a company which will cater to their movie wants and needs. However, the movie rental industry must stay up on new innovations and technologies in order to remain competitive, profitable, and maintain modest levels of overall costs.

Proposal Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Proposal Argument - Essay Example The family therapist acknowledges that there is a diversity of family forms, such as nuclear, extended, cohabitation and same-sex, to name a few. It is also acknowledged that the different forms a family each have inherent strengths and weaknesses. Hence, the family therapist emphasises interventions that facilitate individuals to form social couples and households, or family groups. It is the aim of the family therapist to assist with relational development within the couple or household, and to support the learning of new ways to problem-solve. As a human service worker professional, the family therapist does not discriminate on grounds of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, and religion or health status. To enable effective and efficient intervention, the family therapist needs to adhere to a theory that reflects their personal therapeutic philosophy. The social construction framework is useful to human service workers in the fields of family therapy and psychotherapy in that it allows practitioners to investigate and empower client’s creation of meaningful understandings of themselves and the wider world (Swann, 1999). The framework focuses on the key influences of sociocultural forces and the environmental context of human understanding, learning and accumulation of knowledge. Within family therapy this theory provides the therapist with a powerful ability to draw family members away from blaming each other for their behaviors, and placing these behaviors within a larger sociocultural context. For example, the Western values of independence, competition and profit contributing to the family to place pressure on their son to find gainful employment and to do better in life than what they have. In turn, the son has felt misunderstood, isolated and unable to achieve due to constant â€Å"failures† and has chosen to d rop out of society. Now living

EasyJet A No Frills Airline Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

EasyJet A No Frills Airline - Assignment Example The disadvantages of the cost leadership strategy, as employed by EasyJet, include negative perceptions of quality, poor customer service, and unsustainable discounting systems. It is recommended that EasyJet adopt highly flexible strategic decisions, develop a more aggressive and direct strategy, and reevaluate its wage structure. Finally, it will provide a comprehensive conclusion, and make the necessary recommendations regarding the subject. This paper provides a comprehensive perspective of EasyJet as a company, including the cost leadership approach, which is the generic strategy favoured by the company. EasyJet is a leading budget airline that operates mainly in Britain and Southern Europe. The company’s headquarters are in Luton, Britain. According to Anderson (2014:41), as at December 2014, EasyJet employed almost 9,000 people and flew to over 600 destinations in 30 countries. In the financial year ended September 2014, the company posted revenues of  £4,527 million (Anderson, 2014:41). This represents a 6.3% growth in the 2013 financial year. Pre-tax profit, on the other hand, was  £581 million, representing a 21.5% increase in 2013. EasyJet’s 2014 financial results were positive to say the least, and reflected the strategic decisions made by the company to maximise efficiency and expand its services to more countries (Chen, 2013:34). The strategic plan implemented in 2013 was necessitated by changes in the global and European airline industries that complicated operating conditions for most airlines. EasyJet, however, has been able to not only adapt but also t o perform in spite of the conditions. As of December 2014, the company’s founder, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, is the largest shareholder (Doganis, 2013:38). Apart from basic travel, EasyJet offers a range of auxiliary services. For example, it collaborates with Gate Gourmet for its in-flight products and services, Europcar, for car hire services, and booking.com that

Lee Miller Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lee Miller - Research Paper Example In 1929 she searched out Man Ray in Paris and turned into his understudy, mate and muse. She additionally featured in Jean Cocteaus point of interest film â€Å"The Blood of a Poet† (Haworth 15). Lee Miller as an artist was the muse of Man Ray as well as his student and soon his partner. She gained from one of the best cutting edge photographic artists, mastering lighting, printing and the methodology of "solarization" - a method for turning around highlights into blacks - they ran across together. She made a representation toward oneself titled lee mill operator standard lee mill operator and helped Paris "Vogue" as both model and picture taker. She made representations and mocking drawings, captured baffling road scenes, rich close reflections and pictures like Blasting Hand which embody the convulsive magnificence lectured by the organizer of Surrealism, Andrà © Breton. She likewise made the absolute most radical photos of the naked of the Surrealist age - nudes which have been depicted as changing the female middle into a phallus (Conekin 57). Lee Miller travelled to London in 1939 to live with Roland Penrose. She prepared her Surrealist eye on the disarray of Blitzed London for her first book, Horrid Glory (1940). She began working for British "Vogue" in 1940 and turned into the magazines work-horse and most productive patron. Mill operator assumed each sort of photographic work for the magazine, whether documentary, picture or design. She started composition characteristic articles in 1944 with a profile of the American radio television star Ed Murrow. The "Life" photographic artist David E. Scherman turned into her coach in photojournalism, her sweetheart and companion. Before long she was traveling to France as an authorize war journalist for Vogue. The magazine distributed Millers singing dispatches on field healing facilities in Normandy, the Liberation of Paris, the battling around the German-possessed bastion in St Malo, the

Quantative reasoning Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Quantative reasoning - Speech or Presentation Example This implies that half of the people of this group have a manual dexterity of over 79.5 and the other half of the employees have a manual dexterity of over 79.5. To calculate the standard deviation of Group A, firstly the difference of the values and the mean is calculated, after which these numbers are squared. The total of the squares are then calculated and then divided by the number of values to provide the Variance. The last step is to take the square root of the variance. This provides the standard deviation for the group. The Standard deviation along with the Mean, give the image of Group A to be a better option, whereas combining the Standard deviation and the median, Group B proves to be a better option. Thus these measures alone cannot be considered to make the choice. Other measures are to be kept in mind as well before making a decision by the company. Thus more data and analysis is required for this decision. 2. From the information that has been provided the Mean has been calculated to be 7.55 calls. For the mode however there are two possible answers, 4 as well as 8. This is because they are repeated the most number of times. However, 8 will be chosen as the Mode in this case as it is closer to the mean that has been calculated. The Median for in this case has been calculated to be 7. These numbers are quite accurate and are as expected. These values are all quite accurate, however the median can be considered as the most accurate measure. The Standard Deviation in this case has been calculated as 4.421255. This implies that the number of calls can be 4.421255 Â ­above or below the calculated mean. This deviation is considered to be good as the deviation is not very high and allows a clearer view of the number of calls the company can

Why are adjusting entries necessary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Why are adjusting entries necessary - Essay Example A situation that requires an adjustment entry is when an amount in the accounting records of the company has already been recorded but the amount is realized that it is far more than the current accounting period. Consequently, there are other situations that the adjusting journal entries may be required before the company issue the financial statements for example a situation when there is nothing that has been entered into the accounting records for a particular expense or revenue that did occur and require that they are included in the income statement and the balance sheet of the current period. Another situation is when some amount of money has already been entered in the accounting records but it needs to be divided between two or more accounting periods. Adjusting entries are used to measure income and financial position of the company or organization in a very useful and relevant way. For example if the management of the company would wish to know the much they earned during the last few months or years and even its liabilities and assets at particular date. This makes it a necessary reason for making the entries that will indicate the actual and realistic positions to the users. The procedure for making these adjustments and entries must be complete and consistent at the end of each accounting period (Lypko, 2013). Therefore the accountants must ensure that they make these adjustments by analyzing thoroughly the accounts and determine which account requires adjustment. Adjusting entries allows financial statements to be compared through different accounting periods (matching rule). Management of the company can use the adjustment entry journal to analyze whether the company is making progress in terms of earning profits or improving its financial position. For example if the accrued salary expense for a given month is

Issues in Criminal Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Issues in Criminal Justice - Essay Example behaviour of the defendant, illegal possession of drugs, presence of drug in school and secretly carrying drug with approval or knowledge of the school administrator. The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 "enacted the 100-to-1 quantity sentencing powder cocaine"; the law is strong enough to suggest the award of sentence. As per law, "possession of drugs i.e. cocaine is liable to five-year mandatory minimum prison sentence", the quantity specified in the law is 500 grams of powder cocaine. As per gathered evidence there is no law, which can protect the defendant from the imprisonment sentence (Martin, 2002). The serious offence committed by the defendant is much beyond the possession of cocaine. The defendant possessed cocaine at a location which is considered to be righteous place. The possession of cocaine at schools and public location is serious offence than simple possession of cocaine. The important element relevant to this case also includes the non-availability of any argument, excuse or reason by the defendant which shall rescue her against the violation. As per American Behaviour-Law, no one stands above the law enforcement agencies. The instruction of law enforcement agencies is binding, and any violation shall be considered unacceptable. The defendant misbehaved with the police officer, the defendant was abusive and her act of throwing bag towards the officer was sign of disrespect. As per law, the defendant shall be either send for voluntary service, if not she shall be counselled, and any such action in future shall be deemed intolerable, and the defendant can be taken into custody as per law. The law suggests that the defendant has no right to protest in front of police; however the defendant had the right to request the presence of her lawyer during investigation. From the quoted incident, it is evident that the behaviour of the police officer towards the defendant was normal and acceptable, therefore the response of the defendant towards

Baroque Arts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Baroque Arts - Essay Example The artistic styles adopted by Bernini and Poussin both show a huge number of differences that may be attributed to the divergent background of these two artists. Good examples of the respective arts by these two artists are The Sacrament of Penance that displays a sinful woman requesting, while on her knees, for supplication, and The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa that shows Teresa’s face with an angel’s embodiment. These are examples of religious paintings that show a wide disparity in form of art used by these two artists who graced the world of art at an almost same time.Priorities: while Bernini was of Italian origin-a stronghold for the Catholic Church, Poussin hailed from France. As such, Bernini’s artistic displays were mainly centered on religious beliefs. His subject matter was majorly focused towards bringing out a religious theme. His executed works, in form of paintings and sculptures, were as well showed a major interest in myths of human, and in general s ocietal existence. Bernini considered dynamism in creating his sculptures and aimed at inviting the viewers to form a part of the scene that was being displayed. Energy and a sense of motion always formed a part of his paintings and sculptures as these were a part of human existence. The figures created by Bernini occasionally possessed a strain of muscle, a flow of hair, swirling motions among others and were always constructed in a diagonal format to emphasize to the audience the essence of movement in the society.

Multicultural Issues in Counseling Essay Example for Free

Multicultural Issues in Counseling Essay In the field of counseling and psychology, it is always necessary that the counselor understands the predicament that the patient is facing. This is because, this patient is coming for assistance because he or she is not in a position to do his activities right. Therefore in this case it is necessary that the supervisee and in this case Ann has all the attributes that are needed as this is the only way that she will be able to help Donald. As Barratt, E. et al, (1997) in their research found out, it calls for a good rapport between the counselor and the patient for the patient to receive meaningful treatment or help. This is not the case here as Donald is always complaining that Ann is not giving him enough attention. In real sense, it is the broken rapport that exists between them that is the problem. In the content of my informal assessment of Ann’s multicultural counseling skills, I would clearly indicate that Ann lacks the basic and crucial skills that are necessary for a counselor to execute his or her duties. I understand that the main reason for this is the background where Ann has grown. She has grown up in an area where there are no mixed races. This developed in her limited socialization skills when dealing with people. This is her new interaction with a person from a different race and due to this; it becomes very difficult for her to deal with the patient. As Gladwell, (2007) argues, it calls for a counselor to have good communication and socialization skills so that he or she can be able to assist a patient. In addition, the counselor should understand that the patient is not in the right frame of mind. The counselor should not give the comments that the patient gives the same weight as the way he or she would if the person was in the right frame of mind. These are some of the basic attributes, which Ann lacks, and I would include this in my informal assessment report. According to Dinn, W. et al, (2000), gauging the level of awareness has its basis on how well one executes the duties assigned to him or her. In this case, Donald is complaining that he is lacks appropriate attention and therefore he is contemplating on stopping treatment. On the other hand, Ann is claiming that she has done all that she could so to help the patient. This is a clear sign that Ann is giving up. The patient is already hopeless and the doctor or the counselor can only revive his hope. If the counselor loses hope, it means that there is no chance of recovering. It is also a clear indication of lack of commitment and objective by the counselor. The level of Ann’s self- awareness is therefore very low. The reason is that she is not fully aware that she is the counselor and that the patient really needs her assistance. She seems to forget her role in the whole process, which is to help the patient recover. In addition, Ann is complaining that Donald is over-dependent on her. She fully understands that Donald is suffering from Schizophrenia and dependency is expected. This is a clear indication that Ann happen to have very limited knowledge of the appropriate treatment interventions. For instance, it would be absurd for a surgeon to complain that he or she is encountering a lot of blood when he or she fully knows that this will be inevitable. If we receive such a complaint, it is a clear indication that the person has no or limited knowledge of what he is doing and what he is supposed to do. This is the case happening with Ann. At the same time, Ann is complaining of not having a good communication with the patient because he has difficulty expressing himself in English. As she was born and raised in only one region, there are chances that she did not have good socialization and communication skills and probably the problem is not the English but the access which she is having difficulty understanding. In conclusion, in my informal assessment, I would clearly indicate that the problem here is not the patient but Ann. She seems to lack the basic attributes of a counselor. A good counselor should be dynamic in all the activities that he or she is doing. He should not use a universal platform to treat his or her patients. He should take each patient individually, understand him or her and adopt a proper method in treatment. This is something that Ann needs to improve on. She also needs exposure as she has very little experience in dealing with people. For instance, she has very limited if any knowledge and experience with the African-American culture and all this is attributed to the way she was raised. ? References Barratt, E. et al. (1997). Neuropsychological Cognitive Psychophysiological Substrates of Impulsive Aggression. Biological Psychiatry , 1045-60. Dinn, W. et al. (2000). Neurocognitive Function in Antisocial Personality Disorder. Psychiatry Research , 173-92. Gladwell, M. (2007). Blink: Power of Thinking Without Thinking . Irwin: Back Bay Books .

Treatment of Homosexuality in Restoration and Enlightenment

Treatment of Homosexuality in Restoration and Enlightenment Homosexuality and the Problem of Identification in Restoration and Enlightenment England Restoration and Enlightenment England undeniably inherited, and to a large extent carried on the social, religious, and legal prejudices, or restrictions towards homosexual men that already existed for many centuries. The pronounced and extensive feelings against homosexuality in England which could be regarded as homophobic, as else where were strongly related to Christian theology and its strong influence upon prevailing social attitudes. There are several outright and clear condemnations of homosexuality in both the Old and New Testaments that influenced Christian theology to refute homosexuality as a deeply sinful and immoral act.[1] Outside of Judeo- Christian theology and ideology, homosexuality had not always been condemned or morally and socially vilified. Indeed in classical Greece and Rome being openly homosexual seemingly left men without detrimental social, religious, or legal consequences, which meant that few men had bothered to cover up their homosexual identities, fee lings, activities, and lifestyles. All that had changed once Christianity had become the dominant religion throughout Europe and taught that homosexuality was abnormal and sinful behaviour, and led to actions which were morally indefensible.[2] The Renaissance had rekindled interest in classical Greek and Roman art, literature, and sculpture, which in parts mentioned homosexuality as a normal and un-sinful part of everyday life. An unintended by product of the Renaissance had been the realisation that male homosexuality had not always been socially, or religiously taboo, and that it had not therefore been illegal in classical Greece or Rome. These earlier societies had not held homosexual men in disdain or made them social outcasts’ yet they were supposed to be immoral and degenerate compared to Christian societies. The realisation that only Judeo-Christian societies were so predominantly homophobic provided an impetus for homosexual men to alter their societies by arguing th at they were free to chose how they lived their lives and were not actually morally depraved. The initial moves to allow homosexual men to live openly started in Southern Europe before having an impact in Renaissance and Enlightenment England.[3] Arguably the Reformation disrupted the liberalising effects of the Renaissance, yet would eventually lead to increased levels of secularisation, and to the more liberal academic, social, and scientific attitudes of the Enlightenment. The more immediate consequences of the Reformation was increased attempts to rid Western European societies of false theology and cleanse it of immorality such as homosexuality, although the resulting conflicts between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism received the most attention amongst contemporaries and historians alike.[4] In England the onset of the Reformation had not altered the difficult situations that homosexual men faced if they wished to live their lives openly. That was due to the Protestants whether within the Church of England or the non-conformists outside of it being as opposed to male homosexuality as the Roman Catholic Church had always been. For the churches, homosexual thoughts or desires were just as sinful as actually performing homosexual acts. However if homosexual men refrained from acting upon their desires they would at least escape earthly punishment for their sins, which would be judged by God on their Judgement Day. Homosexual men either had to hide their sexual preferences or deny them completely. For they had virtually no alternative to concealing their orientation or gender identifications, and leading clandestine private lives. Hiding sexual orientation could make all the difference between been socially and economically successful or been disgraced, and possibly executed. Rumours of being homosexual could prove to be ruinous whether such allegations were proven or not. If actual homosexual acts could be proved to have taken place beyond doubt in an English Crown Court it would be fatal to those convicted. The high risks involved in leading a homosexual life even in secret helps to explain the lack of evidence that homosexual men left behind about themselves, as leaving information in writing or talking to the wrong people could leave to being convicted and then executed.[5] The concealment of homosexual identification was almost universally considered to be essential in England prior to the Restoration and Enlightenment eras, and remained highly important throughout those times. For men that held powerful social, economic, political, and religious positions being publicly identified or just rumoured to be a homosexual could prove to be disastrous for the maintenance of their position. Such rumours could reach the top of the political, social, and religious orders. During the 1590s until his death, even the Archbishop of Canterbury, John Whitgift came under suspicion of being sexually involved with another man. Whitgift was lucky enough to maintain the confidence of Elizabeth I as well as James I and therefore was not disgraced or removed from his post. Clergy had to be above suspicion of immoral sexual conduct whether homosexual or heterosexual in nature. The fact that England as a Protestant country allowed clerical marriage meant that the clergy could gratify heterosexual needs through marriage, whilst homosexual clergy if they existed had to preach the teachings of a religion that despised their sexuality.[6] The higher position a man held the greater the effort he would have put into hiding his homosexual orientation and identification. For instance, in the 14th century Edward II’s known homosexuality, when combined with his political ineptness contributed to his removal from the throne, and his subsequent murder. Kings were expected to be more masculine than any other men within society are, as they were expected to lead their countries during wartime, for kings to be suspected or known to be homosexual was detrimental for their chances of reigning over their countries successfully. Nearer to the Restoration and Enlightenment eras, the Duke of Buckingham was widely believed to have become the most influential and powerful royal favourite, not to mention the chief minister via his rumoured homosexual relationship with James I. Buckingham managed to form a similarly close relationship with Charles I, who seemed oblivious to the Duke’s unpopularity and incompetence. Rumours o f homosexuality did not damage Buckingham as much as his ineptness, yet they did not help improve his popularity either.[7] For homosexual men in Restoration and Enlightenment England, their social, political, and religious exclusion if their sexual orientation became public knowledge was attributable to the way in which homosexuality was regarded as being tantamount to sodomy by a majority of the heterosexual population. Sodomy was deemed to be as serious a sin as heresy and witchcraft, as the definition of sodomy incorporated all sexually deviant acts.[8] In earlier periods, males caught committing homosexual acts were usually trialed and punished by Church courts. The law was changed in 1534 in order for people accused of buggery to be trialed by Crown courts. The legislation of 1534 made it even more dangerous for male homosexuals to be known as being sexually active, or even to have their orientation known. The maximum punishment for any man caught and convicted for this crime was execution. Thus making buggery a crime punishable by death, in line with the sentences for heresy and witchcraft. The onl y difference was that the practice of executing heretics and alleged witches had gone by the end of the Enlightenment era, whereas the carrying out of homosexual activities was still a capital offence until 1861 and a crime until the 1960s[9]. Immediately prior to the Restoration period had been the Commonwealth, which had attempted to rigorously enforce all moral and religious values to meet with its fundamentalist Protestant ideology, including all heterosexual and homosexual sex outside of marriage. Whilst the Puritanical regime inspired by Oliver Cromwell had intended to cleanse the whole of Britain of its sins, it failed. During the Commonwealth period heterosexual adulterers as well as respectable Anglicans had to lead clandestine existences just like homosexuals and Roman Catholics had done for many decades.[10] Charles II’s return from exile ushered in the era of the Restoration, which brought a relaxation of the draconian moral codes of the Commonwealth, especially in the Royal Court. Despite his own immoral behaviour, Charles II only went as far as wanting religious toleration rather than officially supporting a relaxation of moral and sexual standards of behaviour. Even had Charles wished to improve the l egal position of homosexual men he would have not been prepared to face public and Parliamentary opposition to such plans.[11] Whilst the Restoration may have meant a more relaxed moral attitude at the Royal Court, there was no change in the legal position of men caught performing homosexual acts.[12] Concealment of homosexual identification or the protection of men in high social and religious positions was the best way to stay clear of prosecution and ultimately execution.[13] Living in towns and cities in general and in London in particular improved the chances of homosexual men not being caught, and leading a more fulfilling existence.[14] Homosexual men to an overwhelming extent publicly appeared to fit in with the gender role models during the Restoration and Enlightenment eras in England. As not conforming to conventional gender role models would have revealed their identity as homosexual men, many therefore decided to cover up their true identity to avoid persecution and their own personal disgrace. Homosexual men therefore, had to perform the gender roles expected of heterosexual men, such as being husbands, fathers and acting as heads of their households. Getting married and having children was the best means of concealing homosexual identification and removing suspicions of any sexual wrongdoing or immorality. Men of all social, economic and religious status were homosexuals, yet the higher their status the more they had to lose by revealing their sexual orientation. Self-preservation was presumably a greater motivation than self-expression or self-fulfilment. Although it must have made countless numbers of homo sexual men in Restoration and Enlightenment England the Reformation had weakened the hold of Christianity over society unknown to anybody at that time. The main long-term consequence of Protestantism was to increase the level of secularisation in England, although other social values reinforced prejudices towards homosexual men.[15] The Enlightenment continued the process of secularisation started by the Renaissance and only delayed by the Reformation, which slowly made English social and genders values more liberal and less repressive.[16] In many respects social prejudices against homosexual men outlasted the religious reasons for homosexuality being illegal in England in the first place. The fear of sodomy as an unnatural form of sexual behaviour persisted even as English society became increasingly secularised.[17] The treatment of homosexual men in Restoration and Enlightenment England was not the same throughout the country. London was a city in which homosexual men could attempt to be more open about their sexual orientation and worry less about fulfilling expected gender roles. As one of the biggest cities in the world, London was place in which homosexual men had an increased level of opportunities to be true to themselves, rather than outwardly conform to social and religious norms with regard to sexual conduct. Homosexual men that remained publicly unknown had to carry on living up to widespread masculine stereotypes.[18] These comments have to be qualified, as although London was a cosmopolitan centre where it was possible to lead different lifestyles that differed from the Christian and heterosexual norm. London was also the part of England in which the letter of the law could be enforced most vigorously, as it was the seat of government and Courts and magistrates would not want to be seen as unable to tackle criminal and immoral activities. As individuals homosexuals may have been able to lead homosexual lives with the protection of people in high places. However, at the end of the day it still remained sensible for homosexual men to hide their orientation as the legislation that could result in their conviction and execution remained upon the statute books.[19] For the majority of homosexual men in Restoration and Enlightenment England the opportunities to be readily identifiable as homosexuals were strictly limited and even when those chances were available it remained dangerous to take them. Some careers such as acting or singing gave a few homosexual men the chance to appear less masculine in public without raising undue suspicions of their sexual orientation. The majority of homosexual men were in the situation where they had to perform the social, economic, religious, or political functions that their position at birth had put them into. The majority of so cial, political, religious, and economic positions in Restoration and Enlightenment meant that all men had to perform their tasks in masculine ways. [20] Therefore, it could be concluded that the circumstances of the times made it very difficult for homosexual men to clearly allow themselves to be identified as such by their contemporaries in Restoration and Enlightenment England. It has also made it harder for modern historians to qualify and quantify the number and the experiences of homosexual men during that period. As was explored and evaluated above there were various reasons for homosexual men to conceal their sexual orientation from becoming general public knowledge, and to carry out any homosexual activities in secret, if at all. The overwhelmingly Christian nature of England before, during, and after the Restoration and Enlightenment eras had a very strong upon how homosexual men had to hide their sexual preferences from English society as a whole. Before the Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church had wide acceptance of its theology and opinions with regard to male homosexuality. The Roman Catholic Church had taught that all male homosexual activities should be regarded as deadly sins, which stemmed from all homosexual men having morally deviant thoughts that inevitably led to behaviour which needed to be severely punished, even to the point of executing homosexual men. Basically, Christian ideology was opposed to homosexuality on the grounds that it was an intolerable sin, just like heresy and witchcraft, which needed to be eradicated. The Reformation did not change the Christian perspective that male homosexuals should be punished as and when they were caught performing homosexual acts. Indeed the legislation that allowed the English Crown Courts to prosecute and execute people convicted of buggery was passed by the Reformation Parliament that enacted the break away of the English Church from the Papacy. The knowledge that being caught performing homosexual acts would result in execution meant that all men that performed such acts by and large did so in complete secrecy to avoid capital punishment. T he need for self preservation meant that the vast majority of homosexual men concealed their identities to stay alive and free, with the options to carry out homosexual activities in secret, or abstain from meeting other men altogether. To remain successfully hidden from people that might have them prosecuted the majority of homosexual men would chose not to leave written documentary evidence of their sexual activities or their feelings towards other men, as such material could easily have led to their conviction and subsequent execution. Homosexual men could have been from any social and economic background, as homosexuality seems to occur naturally within some men. After all it would hardly have been nurtured within Restoration and Enlightenment societies in England that overwhelmingly regarded homosexuality as being wrong and unnatural. Only limited numbers of homosexual men felt save enough not to hide their orientation, living in London, or having rich and powerful protectors w ere the factors that might allow some degree of openness. Bibliography Ashley M, (2002) A brief history of British Kings Queens, Robinson, London Betteridge T, (2002) Sodomy in Early Modern Europe, Manchester University Press, Manchester Fernandez-Arnesto, F Wilson, D (1996) Reformation Christianity and the World 1500-2000, Bantam Press, London Gardiner Wenborn (1995) The History Today Companion to British History, Collins and Brown Ltd, London Lenman, (2004) Chamber’s Dictionary of World History, Chambers, Edinburgh MacCulloch D, Reformation – Europe’s House Divided (2004) Penguin Books, London Schama, S (2001) A History of Britain The British Wars 1603-1776, BBC Worldwide, London 1 Footnotes [1] MacCulloch, 2004 p. 620 [2] MacCulloch, 2004 p. 620 [3] Betteridge, 2002 pp. 71 – 74 [4] Roberts, 1996 p. 235 [5] MacCulloch, 2004 p. 209 [6] MacCulloch, 2004 p. 209 [7] Betteridge, 2002 p. 46 [8] MacCulloch, 2004, p.622 [9] Gardiner Wenborn, 1995, p.388 [10] Schama, 2001, p.235 [11] Ashley, 2002, p.320 [12] Gardiner Wenborn, 1995, p.646 [13] Betteridge, 2002, pp.71-74 [14] MacCulloch, 2004, p.620 [15] Fernandez-Armesto Wilson, 1996, p.290 [16] Lenman, 2004, p.264 [17] Gardiner Wenborn, 1995, p.388 [18] Betteridge, 2002, pp. 71-74 [19] MacCulloch, 2004, p.622 [20] Betteridge, 2002 pp. 71-74

Literary Crossovers :: Personal Narrative Essays

Literary Crossovers I wish that I could wrap a character up in the fabric of the author's words and, carrying them by the handles of description and narration, pluck them from their own story and drop them down into the middle of someone else's. On sitcoms, sometimes, they do "crossovers" - episodes in which a person from another show appears and is integrated into the story line as the character he or she elsewhere portrays. I would like to create a series of literary "crossovers." I would send Funes to Vietnam with Tim O'Brien. I would ask him what he saw in a soldier's life and years after his return I would ask him if he ever escaped his memories of it. If Tim was haunted by mental snapshots of the man he killed on a moonlit trail, what would his memory do to Funes, who has no ability to forget those things that torture him? Could Funes, after tracing every image in his mind a hundred thousand times, find some meaning in the war that eluded Tim? One that eludes me? I would send Maude to Hester Prynne, who spends so many years in profound loneliness. Could even Maude touch Hester's soul? Could Hester touch Maude's concentration camp tattoo a little bit like Hester's scarlet letter - a physical manifestation of incredible suffering? Is Maude more like Pearl than like Hester? Not quite human, always looking at the world through tinted lenses? I would invite Harold to one of Jay Gatsby's parties. Might Harold, too, fall in love with Daisy's beautiful aloofness? Or would he stand in the shadows of Gatsby's magnificent house, afraid to dance to the pulsing music? Would he somehow befriend Nick, finding in him a soul of equal uncertainty? What could they teach each other? It is magnificently interesting to imagine these crossovers - these episodes that play in my head. I can see each one projected on the screen there. "Funes in Vietnam" is a tragic episode, one that leaves you with that feeling in your stomach that you're glad it wasn't real but afraid it might be close. The blood of innocent children and the screams of dying women seep into Funes' brain, dripping into his every thought. He is unable to forget anything, and so he lives the war in Vietnam a hundred times a day.

The Shortcomings of College Education Essay -- Personal Narrative

The Shortcomings of College Education "The more we know the world around us, the more successful we will be." This quote, from the introduction of my high school chemistry book, was my driving force as a teenager to attend college. My expectations of college were to gain insight into a world that I had not yet discovered. I had high aspirations of receiving a good education and obtaining a good job when I graduated. But four years later when graduation day arrived, I felt unfulfilled. In evaluating my education, I realized that I learned how to get good, but not great grades. I learned how to study to make the most of my time. The focus I shared with many of my peers was not always to appreciate the information received, but rather, to value the counsel from someone else who previously took that professor's class and maybe to be lucky enough to get a hold of last semester's examinations. Basically, I acquired useful skills for any job: to follow directions, to give the boss what he or she was asking of me, and to network and gain insight from other colleagues. It was still disturbing to me that after four years of schooling, I felt I had not received the education I initially expected. Overall, college does not bring out the full academic potential of the students who invest the time and money into an education. Teachers need to set aside their biases and restructure and develop curriculum, as well as student-teacher relationships, in order to truly develop college students into freethinking, exploratory people. Structured, pertinent curriculum is the foundation of a good class. If students are not interested in the information presented, then the class has no value to the student but to merely satisfy a graduation requir... ...heir instruction, they they should stay in the field or in the labortory where their energy is concentrated. Quit wasting the time and money of the students and give college instructors the fair evaluations they deserve. Set standards for their positions and hold them accountable for skills in teaching, not just their content knowledge. Works Cited Cheney, Lynne V. "PC: Alive and Entrenched." In The Presence of Others: Voices that Call for Response, edited by Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz. New York: St. Martin's Press. 1997. Glasser, William. "Noncoercive Discipline." In Building Classroom Discipline, edited by C.M. Charles. New York: Longman Press. 1999. Rose, Mike. "Lives on the Boundary." In The Presence of Others: Voices that Call for Response, edited by Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz. New York: St. Martin's Press. 1997.

Prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Essay -- Examining Pr

Prejudices are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilized by education: they grow there, firm as weeds among stones. CHARLOTTE BRONTE, Jane Eyre Prejudice is something which has affected everyone at one time or another. It is like looking out a frosted window and not seeing a clear picture. When people look through a frosted window they sometimes see a blurred vision of the world outside. Sometimes we see people as very different from ourselves when really they are just a very little bit different from us. We can even see someone as an enemy instead of for who they really are. These narrow minded views in our society are prevalent, even though most of the time they are incorrect. To Kill a Mockingbird expresses many diverse pictures of prejudice; the situations also show that prejudice can be conquered. Aunt Alexandra will not allow Scout to play with Walter Cunningham because he is a poor boy. Aunt Alexandra shows her prejudice by not letting Scout play with someone of a lower social status "they're good folk...

Understand and Meet the Nutrition Requirements of Individuals with Dementia

1. 1 Describe how cognitive, functional and emotional changes associated with dementia can affect eating, drinking and nutrition? Cognitive: depending on the type of dementia a person has they may have trouble in recognising the food in front of them or not understand that the food provided is for them, they may even view the food in front of them as food. This can be caused by their minds not recognising what is in front of them. Functional: depending on the type of dementia a person has they may struggle to use their knife, fork and spoon, they may even struggle to chew or swallow. This can be caused by the mind forgetting how to do something, or making that task become more difficult to perform. Emotional: depending on the type of dementia a person has they refuse to eat all together, this could be caused by the mind simply telling them they are not hungry or thirsty when they actually are, this can happen quite often and is usually caused by a problem causing them to get upset or angry. 1. 2 Explain how poor nutrition can contribute to an individual’s experience of dementia? Poor nutrition can actually worsen the symptoms of dementia for people. A report states that people with dementia who are undernourished may end up worsening their condition. But poor nutrition can also cause individuals with dementia to need specialised help more often as well. 1. 3 outline how other health and emotional conditions may affect the nutritional needs of an individual with dementia? Dementia can be effected by other conditions that may prevent the individual from eating or drinking: Health – it is quite often for individuals with dementia to end up with Urinary Tract Infection or UTI for short, and while having a UTI the individuals may get more confused or angry causing them to not wanting to eat. Emotional – quite a few dementia suffers end up with depression because of the drastic changes in their life, such as being taken away from your home and your family. Having depression may cause the individuals to not want to eat. 1. 4 Explain the important of recognising and meeting an individual’s personal and cultural preferences of food and drink? Some people have curtain dietary requirements such as being vegetarian or vegan, some religions require you not to eat pork or only eating meet if it’s halal. Even though the individual has dementia they still have these beliefs and it is important to respect that person’s beliefs and choice. . 5 Explain why it is important to include a variety of food and drink in the diet of an individual with dementia? A balanced diet is important to people with dementia because if they do not have a nutritional diet then it can worsen their condition. Weight loss, nutritional deficiencies and inadequate fluid intake can a ll have a negative effect on a person’s dementia. It is the care assistances job to make sure that the individuals get the correct diet they each need. 2. 1 describe how mealtime cultures and environments can be a barrier to meeting the nutritional needs of an individual with dementia? In some cultures, people have strict meal time and meal size restrictions. People who are of Muslim religion fast once a year where they cannot eat when the sun is up, but for someone with Dementia they may think they are fasting when they don’t need to, so end up refusing all meals offered and provided to them. Another example would be that someone with dementia may not see or understand why they have to eat in a particular way, for example, starter, main, dessert. For someone with dementia, their tastes may have changed and might not want to eat meals that are set out for them in a particular way. By sticking to a regular meal time, this can be a barrier to the nutrition they need, because they may not want to eat at the same time as everyone else. 2. 2 describe how mealtime environments and food presentation can be designed to help an individual to eat and drink? Food presentation is very important to people with dementia, because their view on things are different, even though its meal time and other people around them are eating. If it doesn’t look like food they won’t eat it. Make sure that the table cloth is a bright colour and that the plate is a completely different colour, as well as different colour food on the plate. Even though to us there is something clearly on the table for someone with dementia, if there was a red table cloth with a red bowl and tomato soup inside, even though there is something there in front of them, they may not be able to see it. 2. 3 describe how a person centred approach can support an individual, with dementia at different levels of ability, to eat and drink? Treating everyone individually and offering them choices with their day to day life are the best ways to support someone with dementia. Many people with dementia are capable of making choices for themselves. So it is important to offer them different meal choices so they can pick which they prefer. If someone has progressed further with their dementia and are unable to communicate to tell us what they want, then we may need to show them the different options or check their care plans to see what they prefer eating. If none of this is available then you could observe them, If they eat what you provide then you should take a note that they liked it, if they don’t then try them with something else.

Alzheimer Disease Not Just Memory Loss

Alchemist's Disease: Not Just Memory Loss Introduction Memory loss is like an old age where it is a condition which mankind has always reluctantly recognized and always – with resignation. Memory loses are sometimes trivial and meaningless and go unrecognized. However, when these losses are so great that a person does not know who or where they are the concerns are quite grave. Although It Is realize that Alchemist's disease destroys the brain memory function, many do not realize precisely how the memory is destroyed once one is aware of the process; it becomes faster to work forward to alleviate the destruction.Walkout memory there Is no knowledge to recreate or reproduce past perception, emotions, thoughts and actions that are so vital to live a full and functioning life. Memory is the key that unlocks doors that keep us functioning, not only mentally but physically. Discussion As a new era dawns upon us many people find themselves asking the question; â€Å"What is Alchemi st's Disease? † Alchemist's Disease today affects almost all people in some way. Since the amount of lives this disease affects continues to increase epidemiologists have named Alchemist's Disease, â€Å"The Disease tot the Century†. Edwardian, 2007, IPPP-362) In 1906 a German neurologist Allis Alchemies performed a neurological autopsy on a 56-year-old woman who had suffered deteriorating mental health for many years before her death. Alchemies noticed a disorientation of nerve cells in her cerebral cortex, the area of the brain responsible for controlling memory and reasoning. There were two oddities he found. The first was an accumulation of cellular debris surrounding the nerves he called this senile plaque. The second oddity were groups of nerves that were bunched and twisted he called this neurotically tangles.In the following years as more autopsies were inducted the same oddities that were found in 1906 were found in patients displaying the same symptoms. At tha t time a prestigious German psychiatrist, Emil Grapnel, proposed naming the disease In honor of Its discoverer Also Alchemies. (First 2008, #6-88) Alchemist's Disease American's Disease is a chronic brain disorder that destroys one's ability to reason, remember, imagine and learn. The disease Is also known as â€Å"senile dementia† or â€Å"pre-senile dementia†. Dementia refers to the lost tot mental health. The term â€Å"senile† meaner old. Pre-Senile† refers to those patients less than 65 years of Lesions on brain cells that take the form of senile plaques and neurotically age. Tangles cause Alchemist's Disease. Healthy brain tissue is normally arranged in an organized pattern These knots and tangles throw the brain into mass confusion taking over and destroying healthy brain tissue. This causes the brain cells to stop functioning. Recently a protein Taut NAS been discovered in these tangles and knots This protein is found in healthy brain cells, but is found in much larger quantities surrounding areas affected by this disease.Other ailments have been linked to the onset of the disease. These include head trauma, problems with the immune system, blood cancer, thyroid problems and Downs Syndrome. Stages of Alchemist's Disease There are four distinct stages of progression. The progression of Alchemist's can take from three to fourteen years. This time span is based on the time from diagnosis to death. All patients go through these stages Just at different rates. The first stage of Alchemist's the patient experiences a slowing down of many factors of behavior. They have less energy, slow to learn new things, and their reaction time decreases.Patients experience only mild forgetfulness of recent events, familiar people and places. They have a decrease in Judgment, and trust. Also, they become increasingly stubborn and restless. Many people are unaware of the presence of a disease because frequently memory loss is common in the elderly due to fatigue or a period of sickness. (Gel, 2006, Pl 393-1400) In the second stage the patient becomes increasingly forgetful and has more trouble recalling recent occurrences. They have difficulty in skills such as decision making, planning and Judgment.The patient's speech and comprehension become much slower and often loose their train of thought often. They are usually able to complete common tasks but need assistance with more complicated ones. They must be given clear and repeated instructions by caregivers. Victims start to become aware of illness and become depressed, irritable, restless, and socially withdrawn. In the third stage Alchemies patients loose all ability to recognize familiar people and places. They have trouble completing simple everyday tasks like eating, bathing, getting dressed and using the toilet.They lack interest in personal hygiene and loose all sexual instincts. They have difficulty communicating verbally. Patients are easily agitated and deny they are ill. The fourth stage of Alchemist's Disease is the stage that ultimately leads to death. Patients are unable to recognize themselves and close family members. They become bedridden; and only slight useless movements are made. The only way of communication they use is screaming out. Diagnosis of Alchemist's Disease Diagnosis of this disease is very difficult. Doctors are only 100% certain of the presence of the disease from autopsies after death.Diagnosis is based on the lodgment of physicians and their experience with Alchemist's Disease. Current accuracy of correct diagnosis is 90%. Recently they have discovered a way to test the level of Taut protein; this has helped with correct diagnosis. Sometimes mental tests are run to test the memory, learning skills, language skills, and the ability to follow instructions. (Harmon, 2005, Pl 55-187) Many people also question the heredity of the disease. It has been found that some forms of the disease are hereditary. The â€Å"Pre-Seni le† Alchemist's which usually sets on in a person around 40, 50 years of age is found to be hereditary.There are three types of genetic proteins that have been inked to Alchemies patient's pollinate E, E, and E. Those who inherit E have a higher chance of developing the disease. One scientist, Barbara Talon, has discovered the tissue found in the upper nose goes through the same changes that the cerebral cortex tissue goes through. She plans on tinning oh it t t his tissue taunt in the nose deteriorates at the same rate of that found in Alchemies patients. If so this could lead to the early diagnosis of Alchemist's. Treatment of Alchemist's Disease Currently treatment is focusing on slowing progressions and coping with symptoms.One drug, THAT, is a drug that helps to boost levels of acetylene's, a chemical that is involved in memory. Two FDA approved drugs being tested are Tactile and O'Donnell these drugs are also to help memory. Although, these drugs cause side affects, O'Do nnell is found to cause nausea, cramps and lose of appetite. Estrogen for women has been found to have a positive affect on Alchemies patients mental decline. It helps memory, language skills, and the ability to concentrate. Nicotine has also been found to slow the formation of senile plaque, improve memory, learning and concentration.Doctors do not suggest this use of treatment at all; nicotine causes lung cancer, emphysema, high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. Currently 4 million people in America have been diagnosed with Alchemist's Disease. It is projected with the aging â€Å"Baby Boomers† that 14 million people will be diagnosed in the upcoming years. (Sails, 2008, app-43) Drugs to Aid in the Treatment There are currently two drugs to aid in the treatment of Alchemist's disease. These drugs are only effective during the first couple years of the disease. The drugs are called Cogent and Airiest.Both of these drugs work by increasing a chemical in he brain that works with memory. They do not cure the disease, but they do produce some improvement in patients. This disease is obviously a horrible one. It can rip a family apart, and there is nothing that can be done about it. Hopefully, one day a cure will be found, but in the mean time, Alchemies ¤? ¬was disease has total control over a person who is afflicted with it. It also has control over the family of the person afflicted with it. Almost everyone in this country has some sort of tie to this disease, and this is why more research should be done in hopes of finding a cure.This asses affects 10% of those over 65 years old and 50% of those over the age of 85. One-Half of those living in nursing homes are living with Alchemist's. Seven out of 10 patients live at home; family members care for 75% of them; the other 25% of them are cared for by hired caregivers. It has also been found that 55% of caregivers show some signs of depression. Alchemist's occurs more often in women and in Afri can Americans or Hispanics. (Sloane, 2007, app-132) Alchemist's Disease – A Costly Disease Alchemist's Disease is a very costly disease; it is the third most costly disease after heart conditions and cancer.In 1998 the U. S. Government spent approximately $90 billion on medical care and $400 billion to research. This disease costs a family $174,000 a year on care giving and another $42,000 a year on nursing homes. Medicare is a retirement benefit to those over 65 years old. Medicare does cover some the costs to provide help to the patient such as nursing homes. The extent of help varies by state. When seeking help people find themselves asking, â€Å"Where should I go? † â€Å"When should I go? † When you tell that a Tamil member may nave the disease or in need of mental attention you should first see you family physician.The physician will determine if they believe the problem to be Alchemist's. You should also bring medical records and a list of all medication the patient is on because certain medications or the combinations of medications may resemble Alchemist's. In every community there are services offered to assist those people affected by Alchemist's, for patients, family and caregivers. The Illness And The Caregivers Alchemist's disease affects the person with the illness and the caregivers. It is estimated that 1-4 people are caregivers. The disease has a long duration which impacts more on the caregivers.It can cause a great deal of emotional stress to caregivers. It also has a financial impact on those who provide care for patients suffering from Alchemist's disease. It is estimated that the national costs of caring for patients with Alchemist's disease is $100 billion. It can also indirectly cause loss productivity, absenteeism and worker replacement. (Edwardian, 2007, IPPP-362) Many people with Alchemist's disease do well at home during the initial stages. However eventually there is the need for long term care facilities. Lo ng term care is defined as help from family and friends.It can also mean regular visits by home health aides. It might also mean moving the patient to an assisted or nursing home that can provide twenty four medical attentions. There are two major types of long term facilities for Alchemies disease patients. One of them is Nursing home which provides room and board with twenty four hour skilled care. A licensed nurse provides this type of care. There are special units for people with Alchemist's disease. The environments, activities, philosophy of care and staff training are based upon the needs of Alchemist's disease patients.Nursing homes usually have rained and supportive staff who have knowledge about how to adjust to the patient. They have information about each patient to individualize care and to eliminate behavioral symptoms. There are special activities which reduce anxiety and agitation. A nursing home has pleasing sights, sounds and smells. They also have a low noise leve l and non glare lighting. Some facilities also have security measures to prevent wandering. Another type of long term facility is assisted living. This type of facility is suitable for people who require personal care and general guidance but do not require any specialized medical care.They are good for people with moderate functional impairment. This type of long term care promotes self direction and participation in decisions. It also focuses on independence, privacy and dignity. It attempts to create a home based environment. It is an attractive option for patients who seek assistance and independence at the same time. (First, 2008, app-88) Conclusion In conclusion Alchemist's disease is a very serious condition that affects many people. They do not know what causes this disease or why people get it, due to the fact that there is a chance for anyone to get this disease.People must take recreation and seek the advice of healthcare professionals to be tested for this disease. This way they have a chance to go on living there lives for as long as possible. If they do not seek care then they have a lesser chance of living a longer life. Obviously, knowledge regarding Alchemist's disease has progressed far from thinking that it is Just a loss tot memory. Choosing the best type tot long term care can be difficult for caregivers. Assisted living facilities are the best option for people with early stages of the disease. Nursing home facilities are best for patients who suffer from advanced stages of the disease.This disease produces a full-blown dementia in its patients and affects millions of people and their families. These people and their families have special needs. Consequently, programs, environments, and care approaches must reflect this uniqueness. Developing an effective care/service plan for a person with dementia requires careful assessment of that person, a detailed plan, and attention to the individualized needs of persons with dementia. Alchemist's disease can cause emotional and financial stress to the patient and the caregivers. However there are many choices available which can improve the quality of life.

Job Satisfaction in the Workplace Essay

Brent Meyers’ stated,† as employees demand increases in salary, the cost of producing goods or services also increases†. With the unemployment rate where it is today and was, company owners can remain stagnant with his/her current work force as it pertains to wage increases. I believe employees understand that finding employment in this economy can be daunting, and business owners are educated to these thoughts. Another element that plays into job satisfaction is management strategies and personal interaction between managers and company personnel. I recently read an article about new managers and ten mistakes he/she may make. Management: Top 10 New Manager Mistakes. In this article, John F. Reh points out ten critical mistakes new manager make. I believe he is spot on due to shifts in management personnel here at Nypro, my current employer. The first mistake on John’s list is â€Å"thinking he/she knows everything†. Most managers I have come across micromanage his/her team due to lack of trust and believing his/her knowledge is far superior to those working under them. This in turn leaves little room for a team to develop because lack of communication is there between parties. The second leading mistake new managers make is â€Å"showing everyone who’s in charge†. With the shift in new management personnel, I’m sure everyone knows who the new boss is. Pushing one’s weight around, and showing your ego’s true colors will only lead to resentment and failure to cooperate. This in-turn leads to employee dissatisfaction and most likely, a lack in quality produced products. Third on this list is â€Å"change everything†. Trying to † re-invent the wheel† will most likely lead to the discomfort of employees. Most people find it hard to change with the times. Most feel comfortable by staying with routine and what he/she knows. Moving individuals out of his/her comfort zone can have a negative impact on performance. With that said though, sometimes change is necessary, considering that our economic system is financially unstable, which in turn is effecting the way companies are doing business in this globalized business world. This list does continues on with negatives that impact job satisfaction, but I would also like to take the time to point out the positive influences managers can have as well. Bauer, T. , & Erdogan, B. Organizational Behavior. chapter 12. Throughout this course we have learned the behaviors of individuals in the work place, motivation, stress, communication, etc. Chapter 12, â€Å"Leading People Within Organizations† was an eye opener for me. Some of the most fundamental aspects of managing a team or company has been forgot in my eyes by most managers in this current job market. I believe today, employees are missing the â€Å"People orientated leaders†. By definition, â€Å"People Orientated Leaders† are those that † show concern for employee feelings and treating employees with respect and consideration†. Bauer & Erdogan pg. 290. ) Managers of today in my mind follow â€Å"Theory X† which states † employees are lazy, do not enjoy working, and will avoid expending energy on work whenever possible†. ( Bauer & Erdogan pg. 291. ) I clearly stated earlier that companies are struggling to return to a high standing in profitabi lity due to a failing economy. By saying this, managers need to find ways to justify cuts and spending within an organization. So how do they go about making such cut? By having an assertive attitude and pointing the finger at employees. I don’t believe â€Å"theory X† is completely wrong, some workers in our companies are indeed lazy and do not want to expend energy on task provided, but I think if the managers of today were just as concerned with his/her workforce by being † Open, Conscientious, Sociable, and Agreeable†, as he/she is about profits and the stakeholders, the organizational environment may have a more fruitful existence along with a boost in productivity. [Bauer, T. , & Erdogan pg. 286. ] Lisa M. Saari & Timothy a. Judge Case study Employee Attitudes And Job Satisfaction. s an analysis of † three major gaps between HR practice and scientific research in the area of employee attitudes in general and the most focal employee attitude in particular- job satisfaction: 1) the cause of employee attitudes, 2) the result of positive or negative job satisfaction, and 3) how to measure and influence employee attitudes†. [Saari & Judge] Gap-1 † The Cause of Employee Attitudes† The first gap focuses on† employee personalities, cultural influences, and work situation influences†. A study on dispositional influences found that † childhood temperament was statistically related to adult job satisfaction up to 40 years later†. (Staw, Bell, & Clausen, 1986) Further studies have shown that job satisfaction stems from a individuals † disposition or temperament†. (Shane, & Herald, 1996) Despite the findings of these individuals Erez states that † one of the limitations in this literature is that it is not yet informative as to how exactly dispositions affect job satisfaction†. Erez, 1994) The researchers do say there is a correlation between job satisfaction, but know that â€Å"organizations cannot directly impact employee personalities†. So companies take different measures by placing employee into jobs that best suit him/her, and in-turn, improve employee attitudes. Cultural influences is another hot topic in this globalized job market. With the United States being the melting pot of the world, cross cultural work forces are inevitable. A study performed by Hofstede stated that there are † four cross-cultural dimensions, (1) Individualism- collectivism; (2) uncertainty avoidance versus risk taking; (3) Power distance; (4) masculinity/femininity. (Hofstede, 1980) The importance of HR to understand these four † cross-cultural factors† is detrimental to the adjustment of different cultural attitudes within an organization. [Hofstede] The last portions of gap-1 is â€Å"Work Situation Influence†. This to me is one if not the most important factor of job satisfaction, â€Å"is the nature of the work itself† satisfying. Also, these surveys provide data that a company can use to pinpoint problem areas within the organization. Nypro uses such surveys via internet to determine employee job satisfaction, would you recommend a relative or friend to work at Nypro, and are you satisfied with the work provided, question like that. This case study concludes its research with the view that more in-depth study is needed to measure the impact that employee attitudes have on an organization. Furthermore, this research will dive deeper into the understanding of † relationships between employee attitudes and business performance†. This in-turn â€Å"will Assist HR professionals as they strive to enhance the essential people side of the business in a highly competitive, global arena†. Lisa M. [Saari ;amp; Timothy a. Judge] I believe this case study pointed out some very strong facts that dictate a positive or negative attitude as it pertains to job satisfaction. Although the work performed was a focal point for this research and how it plays into a fruitful work environment. Managers attitude, friendship in the workplace, and economic stability, should have been focal points too of their research. I believe these three key factors play just as much a role in job satisfaction and employee attitudes as any other facet of a work environment. Understanding not just the employee and his/her personality, but the scope of the work environment, and management personnel that govern action among employees, will surely improve employee performance, attitude, and overall wellbeing of a company’s workforce. In conclusion, I chose this topic out of the many provided because job satisfaction in the work place has become a sore subject to discuss among co-workers in recent years. Since I have been in the manufacturing industry, I have heard talk of the business not being what it used to be. Employees are dissatisfied with the way companies in the manufacturing sector of business treat their employees. People don’t feel a sense of job security, are overworked, understaffed, and underpaid. In this declining economy, companies that once saw rising profits, now find themselves making cut anywhere they can. This of course will impact the company’s workforce itself. My degree pertains to management, and although there is areas of the business that are hard to control at the time, price of natural resources, conomic stability of the firm, competitors prices, and wages for employees, does not mean that managers have to forget fundamental areas he/she can control, company functions for staff members, personal interaction with the workforce, and letters or emails of praise to employees. I understand the financial collapse of the economy in 2008-2009 hurt a lot of firms, and those firms are still recovering from unethical acts performed by banks, wall street, and government personnel, but let’s not forget that the way we treat our employees has a huge impact on, production, employee morals, customer satisfaction, and the firm itself. I hope to one day be in a management position so that I can make a difference in employees lives as it pertains to his/her work environment. I want to lend an ear, be open, be passive and assertive to get task done, and most importantly, understand that the backbone of the organization lies within a happy and productive employee. During my journey through this course, Organizational Behavior, I have learned the importance of understanding people from the standpoint of work ethic, cultural differences, and how different personalities play into how a organization blends its population and functions as a team. Although the book covers managing and leading people within organizations, proper decision making skills, and the political aspect of power within companies. I believe an effective manager that is trying to create job satisfaction for his/her workforce needs personal people skill, and an understanding of cultural differences. I believe these fundamental characteristics, especially people skill, are sorely lacking in today’s job market of managers. The main focus of most managers today seems to lie with the financial wellbeing of the company rather than having a balance between finances and employee welfare. This course has taught me how to interact with people on a professional level. Sure, I may not get along with everyone and may not have all the answers when I am a manager, but treating everyone with dignity and respect far outweighs one’s ability to make the bottom line look good. Besides, without a mentally healthy workforce, profits and success could be far out

School Shootings

Situation On February 14, 2018, Nikolas Cruz massacred 17 students of Stoneman Douglas High School. Since then, politicians, grieving mothers and fathers, and average citizens are at odds with one another over what should be done to prevent such a catastrophe from happening again. In today's world of perceived division, animosity, and public policy debate, it seems now more than ever that school shootings are a hot button issue. In 2018, websites and organizations with political agendas argue that anywhere from 15 to 18 school shootings have happened in the U.S. while those with opposing beliefs say that those incidents have been exaggerated or isolated incidents either near or off a school campus. Since the shooting at the University of Texas (1966) to the Columbine (1999) shooting to most recently the Stoneman Douglas (2018) school shooting, acts of violence are becoming more and more common. School shootings perpetrated by youth (16-25) are a concern and researchers have investigated what causes individuals to perform such actions. Years of research, investigating, autopsies, and psychological evaluations can be, to a degree narrowed down into two causes of school shootings; Individual factors affecting troubled youth and social/cultural influences. While many would argue that there is no definitive cause of school shootings, it seems that most suspects involved experienced some sort of contribution at the psychological or communal level. The researchers who have data to back their argument are hopefully going to be instrumental as to determine a cure or implement preventative measures to make sure a school shooting can either never happen again or reduce the number of incidents/casualties. Researchers: Argument of Individual Factors Affecting Troubled YouthThe consensus among most researchers is that the suspect suffers from mental health issues. Dr. McGee and Dr. DeBernardo, both forensic examiners, believe that â€Å"school shooters† can usually fit a common criteria due to their research of adolescents responsible for school shootings from 1993 to 1998. Both agree that through their research, the â€Å"shooter† is a â€Å"normal† adolescent coming from a middle class, white neighborhood of around 50,000 people. They have a somewhat high IQ and come from a type of broken home (divorce, separation, etc.). It isn't until that they investigated what the child was experiencing pre-incident that caused concern. The adolescent will experience low self-esteem, disconnect from their peers, and some sort of psychological stressor. These stressors/factors all culminate into â€Å"triggering† the suspect into them believing that the only way to respond to recent trauma is to enact violence on whoever they believe is the cause for such conflict. In the case of Charles Whitman who was the perpetrator of the University of Texas massacre, he murdered the ones closest to him, his wife and mother for debatable reasons while Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold took revenge on their entire school. Glenn W. Muschert, author of â€Å"Research in School Shootings† examines the multitudes of contributing factors of school shootings and states â€Å"A variety of causes may contribute to school shootings †¦ even if direct causality may not be established.† (Muschert, 67) While he believes that there is no definitive cause, mental health is the primary point of argumentation. Continuing with the trend of individual factors affecting troubled youth, another pivotal cause that researchers can identify besides mental health problems is peer humiliation/bullying. Mr. Kimmel and Mr. Mahler, authors and contributors to â€Å"Adolescent Masculinity, Homophobia, and Violence† examine the societal impacts of possible school shooters at the peer level, stating â€Å"In conducting our analysis †¦ because they were different from the other boys—shy, bookish, honor students, artistic, musical, theatrical, nonathletic, â€Å"geekish,† or weird.† (Kimmel Mahler, 1445) Contrary to mental health, the argument of these authors is that the influence doesn't happen personally from psychological issues but those around them. In their research, most school shooters are suburban caucasian males in suburban neighborhoods and the influence is from students use of derogatory, homophobic slurs to ridicule these kids and repress their individualistic qualities. Eventually this contributes to the triggers discussed with mental health and the peer humiliation/identity becomes the cause. Another quote from a researcher contributing to the argument that bullying creates school shooters states â€Å"Is there something disturbing about the fact that children expect that their schools will have high levels of gay bashing, slut bashing, violence against girls, racism, and violence against those who are less able or otherwise â€Å"different†?† (Klein,233) Jessie Klein believes through experimentation, statistics and testimonials from victims of bullying, this hurts the individual in such a way that the only recourse is through violence in the form of school shootings. Argument: Social, Media, External Influences Lead to School ShootingsWhile the argument from a multitude of researchers and scholars that mental health and bullying are the preliminary factors that cause school shootings, other researchers examining the same topic have come upon the hypothesis that external factors are to blame. The first would be the media's coverage of school shooters upon apprehension. The national news and tv coverage gives the belief that those who commit school shootings are regarded as celebrities within the nation's spotlight on them. Since the Columbine Shooting the news provides national news to inform America about what is currently happening but students who are currently experiencing a rough patch of bullying, declining mental health, and other things see this as an opportunity to gain the attention of all who are drawn to national disaster. Video games are believed by many to glorify and give possible shooters a platform to commit such an act without consequence leading to the belief that violence in schools is the next step. McGee, J. P., ; DeBernardo, C. R. The classroom avenger: A behavioral profile of school based shootings. The Forensic Examiner, (1999). 8(5-6), 16-18. (2018)Muschert, G.W., Research in School Shootings. (2007) vol. 1, issue.1, 60-80Kimmel, M. S.; Mahler, M. Adolescent Masculinity, Homophobia, and Violence. (2003)k vol. 46, issue. 10, 1439-1458Klein, J., The Bully Society: School Shootings and the Crisis of Bullying in America's Schools. NYU Press. (2012) School Shootings In this paper it looks at some previous school shooting that have happened in the United States. It looks at the shooters, and also look at theories of what possibly could’ve been their motives for commenting such a tragedy, taking innocent lives. The paper looks at what we have learned and what we can do to prevent future school shooting tragedies. It looks at how bullying has pulled the trigger and how kids just want to be heard. The paper looks at what psychologist and criminologist have to say about future shootings and past shooters.It looks at the copycat effect and how the 1999 Columbine High School shooting has set the tone and gained such attention that people have attempted or made notion that there will be an attempted repeat. Keywords: School shootings are a tragedy that does not cross many minds in America until one occurs. The people who end up involved never imagine something like that happening to them, and the ones that go unaffected by the situation continue to ignore it. This is a major problem in America today.But we can’t really fix what we don’t know what to fix, looking back on these tragedies that take place in schools. We see don’t see nothing but a cold blood killer, but looking deeper than what the naked eye sees on the surface, we have saw that many of the shooters that have shot up schools in the past have been victims. They have been victims of harassment, depression, and anger that has been built up. They have stated warning signs but people in society tend to ignore and blow the warning signs off like nothing could ever happen.That is until all the built up anger and resentment from being bullied, feeling alone, and depressed seem to outburst in to horrific tragedies. The Columbine Shooting. America’s most deadly school shooting took place at Columbine High School in 1999. Two boys named Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold opened fire on their classmates killing which 14 classmates and teaches life go t taken away that day when Harris and Klebold entered their school. They also took their own life after the horrific act (Phillips, 2006). It is said that the two killers were plotting this soon to be known tragedy for two months.Right after the shooting happened, it was discovered that one of the gunmen had an internet site talking about killing. The website talked about making pipe bombs on the website it stated that â€Å"pipe bombs were some the easiest and deadliest way to kill a large group of people. † The site also referred to NBK which was an event that that was approaching where the pipe bombs would be used. It’s said that the two boys were a members of an antisocial group that are referred to as the â€Å"Trench Coat Mafia† there was supposedly a group of ten students that wore long coats and dark sunglasses all the time.Classmates of the two killer’s state that they were jerks and that they were strange. They didn’t really talk to anyon e else at the school, they were considered to be outcasts (Marshall, 1999). Shooters who were victims of bullying. One in particular shooting is a prime example that bullying can send someone over the edge. The shooting took place at Heath High School in west Paducah Kentucky in 1997. The shooter was Michael Carneal who claimed he was bullied and he opened fire on the school prayer group, shooting eight of his classmates.When Carneal was asked why did he do it? He said he was sick of being bullied and picked on (Deadly lessons: Understanding, 2003). Carneal stated that he was talked down to and humiliated and even physically tormented. He was brought to his breaking point due to bullying. Michael Carneal wasn’t just the only one that has opened fire in school due to being bullied. Alleged shooter Charles Williams who took the lives of two students injuring thirteen others when he opened fire at a Santana High School in Santee California in 2001.It was the deadliest shooting i n the United States since massacre that took place at Columbine High School in 1999. Williams had a fit depressingly common profile for children in trouble in the United States Schools according to psychologists and the schools security. The teen was a social outsider whose angry lethal threats were taking as jokes by his friends and family. Richard Butterworth a psychologist who studies United States school shootings, states that the consciousness that are in kids today is shooting is the way to manifest their anger.Since the Columbine school shooting schools have been so afraid of a fire in their hallways, they have put extinguishers everywhere. But yet they have done nothing to what are causing the fires, these kids are mad and they don’t know what else to do states Butterworth (Quinn, 2001). Eric Chester a Denver based teen expert stated that Williams â€Å"appears to be another distraught, disengaged, disenfranchised kid who wanted people to take notice of him† (Q uinn, 2001).Williams was a 15 year old who was described as â€Å"a skinny kid who got picked on a lot† some of his other aquanauts described him as an outsider who was a nerd, but others state that he was well liked. One classmate Jessica more says people called him â€Å"freak, dork, and nerd† (Bradberry, 2001). These two examples of school shooters were not the only victims that felt like they had to open fire inside hallways to be notice or heard. Sad to say they will probably be more that are victims of being bullied and will feel as this is the only way.The Copycat Effect. Since the Columbine High School shooting they seem to be an outburst of copycats that have been found with bomb making material in their passion, people who have made threats to do something Columbine like, to people found just days before their plots that are columbine like and are about to be take place and have been stop due to tips to the officials. The recent school shooting that took plac e a Sandy Hook Elementary School where 28 in total lost their life including the shooter himself and his mother.From the evidence gathered at the house of alleged shooter Adam Lanza, there was no goodbye letters nor a tell all letter. No motive was giving as to why Lanza opened fire in an elementary school full of innocent kids, from the news the day of the shooting no one really knew of an Adam Lanza which means he was antisocial probably. However the officials and investigators did discover he was a twenty year old boy who was obsessed with mass killers. The most odd and dark disturbing thing investigators and officials recovered at Lanza’s house was Lanza’s fascination with the 1999 Columbine High School shooting.The Columbine massacre was like the center of Lanza’s obsession that had to do with mass shootings. According to the Newtown report, Lanza had â€Å"hundreds of documents, images, and videos pertaining to the Columbine High School massacre. † He also had downloaded videos about the two gunmen (Pearce, 2013). During an analysis of school shootings between the years 1999-2007 Professor Ralph W. Harkin of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at City University of New York found that 8 out of 12 school shooters â€Å"directly referred to the Columbine shooting† (Pearce, 2013).Seung-hui Cho just right after the Columbine High shooting, Cho was an eighth grader when he had supposedly written a disturbing English paper and in it he stated that he wanted to make a repeat of the Columbine shooting eight years after that paper he opened fire on the campus of Virginia Tech College and took the lives of 32 people including his own. Which passed the Columbines total body count with flying colors, even though it was at a college. He still was in the train of thought while he was in grade school which wasn’t many years later after the Columbine shooting.Like one Criminologist warned in 2007 after the Virginia Tech sho oting â€Å"records exist but to be broken† (Pearce, 2013). Theories behind the purpose of kids and teenage killers. Although there are a lot of theories on why kids and teenagers go on killing sprees at schools, no one can really put a finger on to why they go on their killing sprees taking innocent people’s lives. A big theory is that they are bullied and that’s the only one that makes sense to a lot of unknown motives of past mass killers that go on killing sprees at schools.They are out casters that can no longer stand the bullying and humiliation, and just want to be heard. They feel as if the only fix to being heard and notice is pack guns to school and unleash the hurt and angry they feel to the bullies, even though they tend to take innocent people’s lives that haven’t done nothing to them in their path to destruction. Some theories state that they just want the fame weather they take their own life in the process or they pay the price livi ng. Other theories blame mental illness, some theories blame numerous things all at once.They were mental ill and got picked on and they went unheard, so they wanted to get famous to get notice and heard. But nobody can actually pin point what has exactly triggered todays youths killing sprees. James Alan Fox a Criminologist professor at Northeast University in Boston states â€Å"Nothing is different about kids† although fifty years ago, a kid that has been getting bullied or is a victim of being bullied is more likely to take their anger out by going on a vandalism spree rather than to pick up the nearest gun they can get their hands on and go on a killing spree (Khadaroo, 2013).What has been learned and what can help prevent school Shootings. Shootings at educational institutes are tragic and a shocking thing for the United States. For the most recent big massacre that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary, there have been many discussions on what we can do to prevent someth ing so horrific from happening again. But in the reality a lot of people find themselves asking can anything really be done to prevent such horrific things like school shooting from happening?An article the is prepared by Dr.  Daniel J. Flannery at Case Western Reserve University and colleagues the article contains an examination of the past studies on the topic that’s main focus is on â€Å"targeted† and â€Å"rampage† or â€Å"spree† shootings. The article finds that there is some characteristics shared from past shooters. Shooters shared characteristics like narcissism, depression, low self-esteem, and a fascination with violence. There isn’t however enough distinctive similarities to create a distinctive profile for a future potential shooter (Springer, 2012).The authors came to a conclusion, that the most effective way to possibly prevent these kind of tragedies is through a threat assessment. An assessment which requires fundamental testing , such as suicide risk, homicide risk, thought process, reality testing, mood and behavior, as well as social and developmental histories. Another key is to pay close attention to an obsession with violence and firearms. Even though this may seem obvious, but the resources that are provided to mental health school officials don’t provide for these assessments.The other conclusion that the authors have come to, is that the mental health officials and adults need to take threats of violence seriously, just like they have been doing to the suicide threats (Springer, 2012). Conclusion. The conclusion we have come to by the end of this paper on school shootings is, that majority of the shootings that have happened have been outburst of anger and just of direr need of wanting to be heard. Although there isn’t many clear motives, almost in every case the shooter have or has been bullied or has been an out caster.We’ve learned that the Columbine High School shooting has set the bar high for the high body count and even though that was surpassed at the Virginia Tech shooting. The Columbine gave school shootings a new tone. Sure we could crack down on guns and make stricter laws toward them. But the Columbine shooters made it clear that if someone really knew how to make a good bomb they could just as well kill people. There are rules about being tougher on bullying but there’s always going to be bullying going on no matter how much we suspend kids, press charges against them it might take away some of the bullying.But it will still be there. A lot of these shooters just wanted to be heard and they felt as opening fire in the hallways of school was the only way to get people to listen. So even though there isn’t a lot we can do in prevention of these horrific crimes we can still look for a solution. School shootings can happen in any community in this country. What people don’t realize is that it can happen in a flash, it doesnà ¢â‚¬â„¢t matter how many awards the school gains for being an efficient school, it doesn’t matter how many good people they’re in the community.There is always a left out person an out caster that has been a victim or is being a victim as we speak that just wants someone to hear them out but this country don’t seem to listen even when they do make threats. Some shooting the shooters have clearly said something bad was going to happen, that they were going to do something. But there again no one would listen people just think yeah right you couldn’t and you wouldn’t. But in reality they are being dead serious. Every threat needs to be taken serious and the one that makes the threats needs people to take time to listen to what they have to say, to what they are feeling.