Twains A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court essays

Twains A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court essays King Arthur becomes the butt of Mark Twain's satire in "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court." As Twain often does, his vision of life in King Arthur's court is quite different than the life that Thomas Mallory presents in "Le Morte D'Arthur." This paper will examine how Twain depicts King Arthur as an individual that comes across as nothing more than In contrast to Arthur's court, in "Le Morte D'Arthur," Hank sees a very different court life. Mallory's King Arthur is always seen with nobility and respect. On the other hand, Hank notices the stark contrast between classes. The king is presented as a man who revels in storytelling and apparently believes every story he is ever told. While the starving peasants wore tattered clothing, Arthur's Round Table was: as large as a circus ring; and around it sat a great company of men dressed in such various and splendid colors that it hurt one's eyes to look at them. They wore their plumed hats, right along, except that whenever one addressed himself directly to the king, he lifted his hat a trifle just as he was beginning his remark" (Twain 25). This scene leaves us with the impression that the aristocracy is arrogant and mindless of the ordinary citizens. Hank tells us that he "knew that the highest and first ladies and gentlemen in England had remained little or no cleaner in their talk, and in the morals and conduct which such talk implies, clear up to a hundred years ago" (34). Additionally, we learn that no one in the country can read except a "few dozen priests" (48). We can definitely see how the higher classes deprived the lower classes of many things that we consider absolutely essential for modern life. Interestingly, Hank likes the king regardless of his lack of refinery. He tells us, "Well, I liked the king, and as king I respected him respected the office; at least r...

Serial Killer Couple Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo

Serial Killer Couple Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo Karla Homolka, one of Canadas most infamous female serial killers, was released from prison after serving a 12-year sentence for her involvement in drugging, raping, torturing, and killing young girls. The teenage victims included Homolkas younger sister, whom she offered to her boyfriend Paul Bernardo  as a gift.   Homolka was born May 4, 1970, to Dorothy and Karel Homolka in Port Credit, Ontario. She was the eldest child of three, and by all accounts, was well-adjusted, pretty, smart, and popular. She received ample love and attention from friends and family. Homolka developed a passion for animals, and after high school she started work at a veterinary clinic. Everything about her seemed normal. No one suspected her of hiding deeply disturbing desires. Homolka and Bernardo Meet At age 17, Homolka attended a pet convention in Toronto, where she met 23-year-old Paul Bernardo, an  attractive, charismatic blond with a persuasive personality. The pair engaged in sexual relations the day they met and soon discovered that they shared sadomasochistic inclinations. Paul quickly took on the role of master and Homolka willingly became his slave. Over the next few years, the relationship intensified. The couple shared and encouraged one anothers psychotic behavior. Bernardo began raping women with Homolkas approval. Bernardos specialty was attacking women getting off buses, sexually assaulting them, and subjecting them to other  humiliations. The police and media dubbed him The Scarborough Rapist, after the Ontario town in which many of the sexual assaults were committed. A Surrogate Virgin One source of friction between the couple was Bernardos incessant complaint that Homolka had not been a virgin when they met. Homolka was aware of Bernardos attraction to her sexually inexperienced 15-year-old sister Tammy. Homolka and Bernardo came up with a plan to force Tammy into being a surrogate virgin for her older sister. To accomplish the plot, Homolka stole Halothane, an anesthetic, from the veterinary clinic where she worked. On December  23, 1990, at a Christmas party at the Homolka family home, Bernardo and Homolka served Tammy alcoholic drinks spiked with halcyon. After the other family members had retired, the couple brought Tammy to the basement, where Homolka held a cloth soaked in Halothane over Tammys mouth. Once Tammy was unconscious, the couple raped her. During the attack, Tammy began choking on her own vomit and ultimately died. Unfortunately, the drugs in Tammys system went undetected and her death was ruled an accident. Another Present for Bernardo After Homolka and Bernardo moved in together, Bernardo began blaming Homolka for her sisters death, complaining that Tammy was no longer around for him to enjoy sexually. Homolka decided a young, pretty, virginal teenager named Jane, who idolized the attractive, older Homolka, would make a good replacement. Homolka invited the unsuspecting teen out to dinner and, as shed done with Tammy, spiked the girls drinks. After inviting Jane to their home, Homolka administered Halothane and presented her to Bernardo. The couple brutally attacked the unconscious teen, videotaping the sexual assaults. The next day when the teenager awoke, she was sick and sore but had no idea of the violation she had endured. Unlike others, Jane managed to survive her ordeal with the couple. Leslie Mahaffy Bernardos thirst to share his rapes with Homolka increased. On June 15, 1991, Bernardo kidnapped Leslie Mahaffy and brought her to their home. Bernardo and Homolka repeatedly raped Mahaffy over a period of several days, videotaping many of the brutal assaults. They eventually murdered Mahaffy, cut her body into pieces, encased the pieces in cement, and threw them into a lake. On June 29, some of Mahaffys remains were found by a couple who were canoeing on the lake. The Bernardo-Homolka Wedding June 29, 1991, was also the day Bernardo and Homolka married one another in an elaborate wedding at a Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, church. Bernardo orchestrated the wedding plans, which included the couple riding in a white horse-drawn carriage, and Homolka dressed in an elaborate and very expensive white gown. The guests were served a lavish sit-down meal after the couple exchanged vows, which included, at Bernardos insistence, Homolka promising to love, honor, and obey her new husband. Kristen French On April 16, 1992, the couple kidnapped 15-year-old Kristen French from a church parking lot after Homolka lured her to their car on the pretext of needing directions. The couple took French to their home, and for several days, they videotaped as they humiliated, tortured, and sexually abused the teen. French fought to survive but just before the couple left for Easter Sunday dinner with Homolkas family, they murdered her. Frenchs body was found in a ditch in Burlington, Ontario, on April 30. Closing in on the Scarborough Rapist In January 1993, Homolka separated from Bernardo after months of constant physical abuse. His attacks became increasingly violent, resulting in Homolka being hospitalized. Homolka moved in with a friend of her sister, who was a police officer. Evidence against  the Scarborough Rapist was building. Witnesses had come forward and a composite drawing of the suspect was released. A work associate of Bernardo contacted the police, reporting that Bernardo matched the sketch. Police interviewed Bernardo and obtained a saliva swab, which eventually proved Bernardo to be the Scarborough Rapist. The Ontario Green Ribbon Murder Task Force closed in on Bernardo and Homolka. Homolka  was fingerprinted and questioned. The detectives were interested in a Mickey Mouse watch Homolka had that resembled the one  French was wearing  the night she disappeared. During questioning, Homolka learned that Bernardo had been identified as the Scarborough Rapist. Realizing they were about to be caught, Homolka confessed to her uncle that Bernardo was a serial rapist and murderer. She obtained a lawyer and began negotiations for a plea bargain in exchange for her testimony against Bernardo. In mid-February, Bernardo was arrested and charged with the rapes and the murders of Mahaffy and French. During a search of the couples home, police discovered Bernardos diary, with written descriptions of each crime. Controversial Plea Bargain A plea bargain was discussed that would offer Homolka a 12-year sentence for her participation in the crimes in exchange for her testimony against Bernardo. According to the deal, Homolka would be eligible for parole after serving three years with good behavior. Homolka agreed to all terms and the deal was set. Later, after all the evidence was in, the plea bargain  was referred to as one of the worst in Canadian history. Homolka  had portrayed herself as an abused wife forced into participating in Bernardos crimes but when videotapes that Homolka and Bernardo had made were given to police by Bernardos ex-lawyer, Homolkas true involvement came to light. Regardless of her apparent guilt, the deal was honored, and Homolka could not be retried for her crimes. Paul Bernardo was convicted on all counts of rape and murder and received a life sentence on September 1, 1995. Rumors that Homolkas punishment was too lenient surfaced after pictures of her sunbathing and partying with other prisoners were published in Canadian newspapers. Tabloids reported that she was in a lesbian relationship with Lynda Verrouneau, a convicted bank robber. The National Parole Board denied Homolkas application for parole. Homolkas Release On July 4, 2005, Karla Homolka was released from prison in Ste-Anne-des-Plaines, Quebec. Strict conditions for her release limited her movements and whom she could contact. Contact with Bernardo and the families of several murdered teens was expressly forbidden. She is paralyzed with fear, completely panicked, said Christian Lachance,  one of Homolkas attorneys. When I saw her she was in a state of terror, almost in a trance. She cannot conceive of what her life will be like outside. Sources McCrary, Gregg O and Katherine Ramsland. The Unknown Darkness: Profiling the Predators Among Us. 2003.Burnside, Scott and Alan Cairns. Deadly Innocence. 1995.Transcript of Homolka interview. The Globe and Mail, 4 July 2005.

Basic Approaches to Leadership - Contingency Theories Assignment

Basic Approaches to Leadership - Contingency Theories - Assignment Example Leadership is an â€Å"observable set of skills and abilities that are useful in any work society, community or society† (Kouzes & Posner, 2009). Leadership is best defined as - â€Å"the process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.† (Chemers, 1997). Over the years, many theories of leadership have been proposed: trait theories, contingency theories, situational theories, behavioural theories, participative theories, management theories and relationship theories. This paper is aimed at understanding the various contingency theories of leadership and identifying the one which is most accurate. Contingency Theory of Leadership Contingency theory of leadership was one of the first leadership theories that accepted that there is no single leadership style or model that would best suit all situations. Contingency theories were formulated on the idea that leaders need to adapt to different sit uations and need to be flexible. Behavioural leadership theories are the basis of contingency theories. According to contingency theory, leadership depends on the numerous environmental variables such as the situational demands, qualities of followers, workplace culture, job at hand, overall environment and the leadership style itself (Lussier & Achua, 2009). Contingency theory is based on the following four assumptions: A leadership style is dependent on the demands of the situation and a single leadership style is not applicable to all situations. Leadership is not a born talent and it can be learned Leadership is successful on only when the situational contingencies are understood Effective leadership is possible only when there is a match between the leadership style, behaviour or personality and situational demands (Lussier & Achua, 2009) Following are some of the contingency theories proposed: Fiedler Model: Fiedler model was proposed by Fred Fiedler and was the first continge ncy model. According to this, the effectiveness of a group or its performance was dependent on the match between the leadership style and degree of control the situation allowed to the leader. Hence, the effectiveness of the leader depends of the leadership style and 3 key situational factors: relationship of the leader and the follower, position power and task structure (Robbins, 2009). Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Theory: The situational theory proposed by Hersey and Blanchard focuses mainly on the characteristics of the followers. According to this, the characteristic of the followers is the main element of the situation and is the deciding factor in the leadership behaviour/style adopted by the leader. That is, the readiness of the followers to carry out a task influences the leadership style. A different leadership style is needed when the follower’s task readiness is low (needs training and constant guidance) and when the follower’s task readiness is high (posses right skills and attitude along with willingness and confidence). Therefore, a leader needs to be flexible and adopt to the situation. A leader can adopt any of the four leadership styles (delegating, participating, selling and telling) depending on the situational factors (Daft & Lane, 2007). Leader-Member Exchange Theory: This is a very interesting contingency theory that argues that leaders try to establish a special relationship with a small group who possess similar attitude, demographic and personality characters as that of the leader. That

Discuss the evidence, or lack of evidence, that exists to support the Essay

Discuss the evidence, or lack of evidence, that exists to support the use of adrenaline (epinephrine) in cardiac arrest in pre-hospital setting (ambulance work) - Essay Example patients outside of hospital had no substantially greater success or improved survival rates over medical technicians supplied with basic CPR skills and semi-automatic defibrillators (paraphrased from graphs. 1-3). In a related study (Heart, 1997), researchers found results consistent with a continued skepticism over the use of adrenaline. According to this article, "Some emergency medical staff were authorised to give standard doses of adrenaline during the observational period. Adrenaline was given to 35% of patients and was associated with a significantly greater rate of restoration of spontaneous circulation and hospital admission. However, there was no significant difference in hospital discharge rates between the two groups. Thus adrenaline and its dosage during cardiac arrest remain controversial" (412-414). It appears that when paramedics and other qualified emergency medical personnel give adrenaline to cardiac arrest patients in the field, it significantly improves the chance that the patient will live long enough to be admitted to the hospital, but it does not significantly improve the chance that patient will survive long enough to be discharged from the hospital. Adrenaline is good for buying the patient an extra few hours or an extra day filled with tests and possibly some invasive treatments. It may not be good for much more. It should be pointed out that these findings may be more germane to patients who are found in ventricular fibrillation, rather than asystole. According to a study carried out in Sweden and reported in Resuscitation (1995a) Jun;29(3):195-201., "A large proportion of cardiac arrests outside hospital are caused by ventricular fibrillation. Although it is frequently used, the exact role of treatment with adrenaline in these patients remains to be determined. AIM: "To describe the proportion of patients with witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest found in ventricular fibrillation who survived and were discharged from

Importance of Management and Leadership for an Organization Essay Example for Free

Importance of Management and Leadership for an Organization Essay â€Å"Both management and leadership are needed to make teams and organisations successful. Trying to decide which is more important is like trying to decide whether the right or left wing is more important to an airplane’s flight. I’ll take both please!† (Clemmer, 2005, as cited in McLean, 2005, p.16). The aim of this essay is to answer the age old question as to whether management or leadership is more important to an organisation. Organisations, ranging from professional to social, have been in existence for centuries and the sole purpose of any of these organisations is to grow and succeed. Thus, it is without a doubt that any organisation would accomplish much without a source of management or leadership. Even though it is evident that both management and leadership are both fundamental to a successful organisation, a distinction between the two should be made; although they are both similar in definition and function they do differ in importance in and effect on organisations. It is contended that the implementation of good management has a greater benefit, and therefore has more importance, to an organisation than leadership because: leading is considered as an element of the management function; to manage an organisation is to sustain it whereas to lead is to direct it but if there is no management, there is no entity, which leaves nothing for leaders to lead; leadership is focused on the management of people but an organisation is made up of more than just people; and also the value of leadership depends deeply on the structure and size of the organisation in question. The term ‘good’ is often used to describe something of quality and skill; thus, good management simply means management that is of the highest quality and is effective in producing the greatest results for an organisation: â€Å"Excellent results stem from a combination of skilled management, strategic thought and a good dose of general common sense† (Honig, 1999, as c ited in Samson Daft, 2009, p.14). Every workplace organisation, whether large or small, has a manager or person in charge; whether the appointed person is able to implement good management depends on their skill and capability. Management is the major task of any manager – it involves the use of authority to coordinate and supervise the activities of others and to ensure that tasks are being completed in an effective and efficient manner. More importantly, managers must implement the four key elements of management: planning, organising, leading and controlling in order to attain organisational goals (Bartol, Tein, Matthews Sharma, 2008). Organisational goals, whether they are sales targets or technological developments, are put in place by managers to set out the purpose and scope of an entity. Without such goals an organisation would cease to exist as there would be no direction to grow or move forward. The process of setting goals and deciding how to achieve them is the planning aspect of the management fu nction (Bartol et al., 2008). If effective management is employed, there is a greater likelihood of managers establishing better organisational goals and contingency plans to ensure the future and success of the organisation; because it will not only be goal directed but will also be prepared for unforeseen circumstances that may arise, enabling them to react effectively and efficiently (Samson Daft, 2009). Good management also assists in the successful implementation of action plans to achieve such organisational goals by organising, allocating, arranging and regulating activities and resources within the workplace (Bartol et al., 2008). Leading and managing are terms often used interchangeably because leading is described as a core activity of any manager (McLean, 2005). Leadership involves managers using influence to motivate employees to engage in plans that work towards achieving organisational goals (Bartol et al., 2008; Samson Daft, 2009). This suggests that leadership is intertwined within the task of management. So if good management practices are in place in an organisation, leadership is expected to follow in existence. However, the mistake should not be made to describe leadership and management as the same thing – â€Å"leadership is an element of management but is not the same thing† (Lyson cited in Robinson, 1999, p.20). To say that leading and managing is the same would be to ultimately say planning and managing is the same thing; nevertheless, planning is only a function of management, as is leading. Therefore, if an organisation were given a choice between employing either a good manager or a good leader, the good manager would be the safer bet because it would be expected that a good manager encompasses good leadership. Furthermore, the importance of and need for management in a workplace is supported by the idea that organisations are established to succeed and innovate and such is not possib le without the planning and setting of organisational goals and the attainment of these goals by organising, leading and controlling. Once good management is in practice, the four key functions, including leadership, are sure to be carried out effectively and efficiently. The profitability of an organisation is not a result of good management on its own; however, management is a major contributing factor. Every organisation is goal directed, and as ascribed earlier, management is the attainment of organisational goals with the use of planning, organising, leading and controlling (Bartol et al., 2008). The organisational goals act as an entity’s reason for existence, it strives to achieve these goals in order to grow and accomplish. Therefore it can be concluded that the focus of any organisation is to grow and move forward rather than to remain stationary and unproductive and thus there is an assumption that the life of the entity will be on going. The survival of an organisation depends on the ability of the manager to sustain it by utilizing the effective skills of good management. The manager is responsible for making informed decisions about the welfare of the organisation along with the collective resources owned. These decisions aim to not only achieve goals but to sustain and up hold the organisation to ensure its survival in today’s dynamic environment. Thus there is emphasis on an organisation to have good management in order for the entity to survive, which also acts to highlight the importance of effective management. On the other hand, leadership is implemented as the principle dynamic force to guide and motivate subordinates to attain organisational objectives (Burns, 1978, as cited in Shamas Ofori, 2008) and ultimately bring change to an organisation as more goals are satisfied. If effective leadership is exercised within an organisation, innovation, change and transformation are easily attainable (Bartol et al., 2008). Alternatively, Slap (2010) asserts that although leadership profits and adds value to an organisation by way of innovation, it is not the purpose of introducing leadership. Rather, leadership is used as a tool to share and express important values and experiences to employees in an attempt to bring about an improved change in the workplace environment and in the attitudes held by employees. Leadership in this sense allows leaders to be more easily respected upon employees because they feel more connected with the leader, which also gives the leader greater influence to motivate and encourage hard work. Nevertheless, whichever way leadership is regarded the end result remains the same: innovation of an organisation by way of providing direction to accomplish objectives (Bass, 1990, as cited in Shamas Ofori, 2008). â€Å"A leader innovates; a manager maintains† (Hollingsworth, as cited in Robinson, 1999, p.20); without effective management to keep the organisation alive it is likely to fail, and consequently leaders will be left taskless there will be no goals left to achieve, no employees left to motivate and ultimately no organisation left to innovate. This strongly recognises the importance of good management and the added advantage it brings to an organisation; without good management, good leadership will be ineffective and futile. On the contrary, leadership is often considered as a much more pleasant concept in comparison to that of management: â€Å"leaders are seen as charismatic and often are admired and held in high esteem, managers frequently are thought of as the organizations taskmasters with a whip in one hand and a bullhorn for screaming out orders in the other hand† (Kotterman, 2006, p. 13). Zaleznik (1977) and Burns (1978), as cited in Nienaber (2010), portray m anagement as â€Å"mundane, uninspiring and tactical by nature† and in addition, asserting that management alone cannot guarantee the success of an organisation. Consequently, it has been argued that leadership should be favoured at the expense of management in a successful organisation (Spurgeon Cragg, 2007, as cited in Nienaber, 2010). One of the most important aspects of leadership is the leaders’ followers (Bennis, 1989, as cited in Shamas Ofori, 2008). Iscoe (2005, as cited in McLean, 2005) argues that people would rather follow a leader than a manger, if given the option; this is not surprising as leaders tend to focus more on the people rather than any other aspect of the organisation because in order for a leader to effectively influence and lead others they must work to gain the trust and respect of their followers. Thus, there are various positive reasons as to why leaders are commended over managers among the people, some of which are highlighted in Maccoby (2000), as cited in Shamas Ofori (2008)., p.63: â€Å"hope of success, trust in the leader, excitement about a project or mission, or the opportunity to stretch onese lf to the limit†. Unlike management, leadership is not an assigned role or title placed on someone. The task of managing a corporation is specific to the teams of managers who are formally appointed the position whereas leaders can stem from any sector of an organisation. Therefore, managers are associated with formal authority (McLean, 2005) which means people secondary to them in the organisational hierarchy may view managers as intimidating and unapproachable which further emphasises why leaders are more favourable in an organisation. Yet in reality, success isn’t easily achievable and so in order to attain it, compromise must occur. An organisation cannot survive on leadership alone, because although a leader may possess few managerial qualities, they are unable to satisfy all the tasks of a manager. Nevertheless, as every workplace organisation involves employees, it is evident that leadership is a fundamental aspect of any entity because leaders are responsible for managing the people. However, organisations are about more than just the workers, which illustrates the prevailing importance of managers to control all the remaining aspects of an organisation such as goals, plans, assets and resources. As previously mentioned, every organisation involves employees. The McDonalds restaurant is the largest fast food chain in the world, operating over 30,000 franchises in over 100 countries worldwide. It was revealed in the 2010 McDonalds annual report that the organisation employs over 1.7 million workers from all age groups across their stores. In enormous corporations such as McDonalds, with such a vast number of employees, it is expected that both leaders and managers are equally essential in running the organisation because there is an equally enormous number of duties to be satisfied. However, in contrast, a small, family-owned, local milk bar may only have, at most, three employees. Clearly leadership is not as important in an organisation of three people in comparison to that of one with over one million people, simply because such a minute organisation does not require such a deep extent of leadership. However, it is not to say that the manager of the milk bar should not possess leadership qualities because even though there are very few employees, motivation and communication of direction must still take place (Nienaber, 2010) in order for the business to thrive. Although both management and leadership are both important functions of an organisation, a number of moderating factors determine the effectiveness and importance of leadership including size of the organisation (Fiedler, 1967; Gardner et al., 2005, as cited in Shamas and Ofori, 2008) whereas, regardless of size or type, every organisation needs a person in charge. In other words, management is important and is needed in every organisation but the extent to which leadership is needed varies among different organisations. Conclusively, although leadership and management are functions that must be applied to any successful organisation, effective management has prevailing importance. Theoretically, management is defined as the attainment of organisational goals through planning, organising, leading and controlling (Bartol et al., 2008). Thus it is clear that leadership is encompassed in the task of management so if a manager can perform their task effectively, leadership is likely to follow. However the reverse is not true, as to lead is to influence, direct and motivate others to achieve goals, not to control so management is not a facet of leadership. Management is often considered as a control mechanism in an organisation which some tend to find intimidating and off putting which is why leadership is usually the preferred, softer option (Kotterman, 2006). However, the focus of leaders is often on the people but people are obviously just one aspect of an organisation which is why managers are more important because there are so many other features of an organisation to be controlled. By influencing people to complete tasks effectively and efficiently, leaders bring about change and innovation in an organisation. However, without management acting to sustain organisations in today’s turbulent environment, there is simply no place left for a leader (Hollingsworth, as cited in Robinson, 1999). Finally, the essentiality of leadership in an organisation depends greatly on the size and type of a corporation whereas management is equally important in any and all organisations. These points clearly demonstrate that good management is more important to a successfully running organisation than good leadership. All in all, if an organisation were given an ultimatum between a good manager and a good leader, the good manager is likely to prevail.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Essay -- Ebenezer Scrooge

A pill bug is an insect that forms a hard shell around its soft flesh whenever startled or scared. Just like this pill bug, humans guard themselves from anything that hurts them without realizing that they are shutting out the most precious moments of their lives. Ebenezer Scrooge, the main character of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, is a cold man. He finds what he defines as true happiness in the form of money and wealth. At first he only seems to be a machine living in a human form, but as Scrooge's true journey and hardships are revealed, it becomes difficult to blame only Scrooge for his independence. It is inevitable that Scrooge's rudeness and impudent ferocity towards people led to the mistreatment of his dead body, but Scrooge's walls were not built for nothing. As the story progresses, and his true story from start to finish is revealed. There is no one person to blame, for it was the wrong of everyone. As Blaise Pascal once said, â€Å"All of humanity's problems ste m from a man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.† At first glance, Ebenezer Scrooge is a strange man. In his old age, he lives alone in a manor that was once owned by his deceased business partner, the only person he ever interacted with. His thoughts are always cruel and thoughtless as it is displayed when Scrooge says, â€Å" 'If they would rather die,' said Scrooge, 'they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population' †(10). At the story's start, Scrooge is an antisocial person who avoids interactions with people claiming that they are useless. He is viewed by others as a demeaning figure who is to be shunned because of his uninviting manner. People who were content with their lives were surrounded by their peers and neighbors and never encour... ...p to humanity. He once dared to venture to the depths of darkness, where all hope of ever returning would be lost, but he was saved by the the Spirits who helped him realize that he was terrorizing himself. In the end, Scrooge lived with a bigger smile, louder laugh, and jollier step than anybody else; it was a happy ending. Had Scrooge not changed, it would have ended on a dark note with many forgotten deaths and unfortunate stories of dead bodies. Everyone has a choice. Which path of Scrooge will you take? There is no way to limit what society gives us and what problems we are presented in the beginning, but they way we handle and solve these problems become the basis of our everyday lives all the way to our last breath. Every moment in between will cherished as if the last and no person will ever go unfullfilled. Works Cited A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

The Rise and Spread of Islam

The rise and appeal of Islam can be attributed to many factors. Islam became popular because of the Qur’an, Muhammad’s personality, the immense faith among the early followers, it’s logical and clear principles and that those principles were consistent and logical (al-Islam). It was because of Mohammed’s personality that created the interest in Islam; the religion was not immediately popular when it was first introduced. It was only after Muhammad and his followers left their home for Medina, where the population welcomed Muhammad and the Muslims. Only after Muhammad became famous was he able to garner more followers and converts to Islam (World History Connections To Today, 257). Islam’s believers increased on a daily basis because of the caliphs and their agendas. Islam exploded rapidly during the times of the caliphate through successful military conquests. The campaigns were so successful and far-reaching, that by 750 AD, Muslims controlled land from present-day Iran in the east to present-day Portugal in the west and in North Africa to the south (World History Connections To Today, 260). Many people remained loyal to the religion after the empire detiorated because of the clear principle of the belief in one God. There were no others next to him, just prophets. There were also no conflicts within the religious teachings and the principle of treating all creatures with respect resonated within its followers. It was rare to have religious tolerance practiced toward different religions, yet the Qur’an celebrated it (al-Islam). Muhammad’s popularity was the primary attraction to Islam, but its message, principles and duties is what has kept the religion together throughout many centuries. People are still dutifully performing the requirements set forth in the five pillars which are, accepting God as the one true God, performing daily prayers, giving to the poor, fasting during Ramadan and the pilgrimage to Mecca (World History Connections To Today, 258). Many factors had to congeal to form the Muslim faith, and it will continue to be strong as long as the basic tenets of the religion are held sacred. Works Cited Guertin, Wilson H. , and, Mohammed J. Chirri. â€Å"Why Is Islam Popular? † al-Islam. 2 January 2009

Legalizing gambling Essay

Gambling is legal in many places, it’s not either a criminal or dangerous activity provided it is done responsibly, and in accordance with the law. Have you ever wagered on a game? If so you were gambling and should have been fined. Lawmakers have decided that it is evil to gamble, they have justified it as a means to scam billions from citizens in order to compensate for their mismanagement of tax revenue. They pass laws that could put a taxpayer in jail for placing a single dollar wager on a pool game. Legalizing gambling nationally could potentially benefit our economic situation. All gambling was once legal. Looking back only 75-100 years ago most of our states had lotteries in place. Over the past century, as a result of abuse and moral fervor the majority forms of gambling have been prohibited. The history of gambling in the United States evolved from Europe. The Puritans and Quakers took little time to create first laws against gambling in 1638. Casino gambling is becoming increasingly popular especially in southern states. Native Americans are allowed to establish bingo parlors and casinos on their reservations, although Las Vegas and Atlantic City remain gambling tourist top destination choice. Many states allow horse and dog racing tracks and then there’s the people who bet on sporting events, card games, and almost anything you can imagine in the privacy of their own home. The first thing to do is to regulate gambling, both land-based and online. After the legislative base is created and regulation covers every aspect of the gambling industry, it’s half way to being legalized. I don’t see why we should lose a couple dollars to a pool hustler, when we could be hustled legally by the state. Gambling offers individuals the adrenaline rush that greater opportunity lies within their own hands. People should not be denied an activity that they enjoy partaking in. Government can earn revenues from legalized gambling which can be diverted towards bettering our society. Legalizing gambling would increase employment opportunities in society which could help to reduce the amount of working capable people out of a job. Gambling establishments have shown to increase employment opportunities as well as improve tourism in the right areas. The presence of gambling establishments is also beneficial to society because they can contribute the revenues to local governments which then could use the profits for social programs that would benefit both gamblers and non gamblers. Legalized commercial gambling is becoming an increasing controversy within our state governments. There is no doubt that many different forms of legalized gambling has exploded in the region and around the country, if the government gives full support of legalization they will be doing all US citizens a favor. Some argue that gambling is an addiction, one that can become dangerous and harmful to the general public. The truth is that like all other influenced jobs it can be a way of making a living for yourself and your family. Though there are a lot of people that struggle with an addiction to gambling, there are probably just as many people who are responsible gamblers and have enough self control to moderate there wagering hobbies. Legalizing gambling nationally will help stimulate our struggling economy in many ways. If our government would be willing to try to implement new laws to legalize and regulate it theres no way a short time period of testing these ideas would leave any permanent damage on our nation.

Examples of key literature Essays

Examples of key literature Essays Examples of key literature Essay Examples of key literature Essay The four key literary terms I chose to use for my examples are symbol, imagery, coming of age and tone. Coming of age I am going to use the poem by Rachel Hades titled The Red Hat. The first two lines of this poem explain It all. It started before Christmas. Now our son officially walks to school alone. (Hades, 1994) A little boy Is growing up, and his parents are now letting him walk to school alone in his mind but they are secretly watching him. I will use Oranges a poem written by Gary Soot to describe a symbol. Oranges are the symbol in this poem. It symbolizes the innocent love of a twelve-year-old boy who is in on his first date with a girl. Lines 35-42 read l took the nickel from My pocket, then an orange, And set them quietly on The counter. When I looked up, The lady eyes met mine, And held them, knowing Very well what it was all About. (Soot, 1995) The oranges referred to In this line sounds more Like hope. I will also be using this poem to give an example of Imagery. Light In her eyes, a smile. Starting at the corners of her mouth. (Soot, 1995) Those lines paint a picture of the girls smile. The tone to the Landings Hughes poem Dream Boogie is happiness and excitement. For example, in line 16, he states Im happy! (Hughes, 1951) He is clearly expressing his happiness.

Secondary Data and Secondary Analysis - An Overview

Secondary Data and Secondary Analysis - An Overview Within sociology, many researchers collect new data for analytic purposes, but many others rely on secondary data- data collected by somebody else- in order to conduct a new study. When a research uses secondary data, the kind of research they perform on it is called secondary analysis. Key Takeaways: Secondary Data Secondary analysis is a research method which involves analyzing data collected by someone else.A great deal of secondary  data resources and data sets are  available for sociological research, many of which are public and easily accessible.  There are both pros and cons to using secondary data.Researchers can mitigate the cons of using secondary data by learning about the methods used to collect and clean the data in the first place, and by careful usage of it and honest reporting on it. What Is Secondary Analysis? Secondary analysis is the practice of using secondary data in research. As a research method, it saves both time and money and avoids unnecessary duplication of research effort. Secondary analysis is usually contrasted with primary analysis, which is the analysis of primary data independently collected by a researcher. How Do Researchers Obtain Secondary Data? Unlike primary data, which is collected by a researcher herself in order to fulfill a particular research objective, secondary data is data that was collected by other researchers who likely had different research objectives. Sometimes researchers or research organizations share their data with other researchers in order to ensure that its usefulness is maximized. In addition, many government bodies within the U.S. and around the world collect data that they make available for secondary analysis. In many cases, this data is available to the general public, but in some cases, it is only available to approved users. Secondary data can be both quantitative and qualitative in form.  Secondary quantitative data is often available from official government sources and trusted research organizations. In the U.S., the U.S. Census, the General Social Survey, and the American Community Survey are some of the most commonly used secondary data sets within the social sciences. In addition, many researchers make use of data collected and distributed by agencies including the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Education, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, among many others at federal, state, and local levels. While this information was collected for a wide range of purposes including budget development, policy planning, and city planning, among others, it can also be used as a tool for sociological research. By reviewing and analyzing numerical data, sociologists can often uncover unnoticed patterns of human behavior and large-scale trends within society. Secondary qualitative data is usually found in the form of social artifacts, like newspapers, blogs, diaries, letters, and emails, among other things. Such data is a rich source of information about individuals in society and can provide a great deal of context and detail to sociological analysis. This form of secondary analysis is also called content analysis. Why Conduct Secondary Analysis? Secondary data represents a vast resource to sociologists. It is easy to come by and often free to use. It can include information about very large populations that would be expensive and difficult to obtain otherwise. Additionally, secondary data is available from time periods other than the present day. It is literally impossible to conduct primary research about events, attitudes, styles, or norms that are no longer present in todays world. There are certain disadvantages to secondary data. In some cases, it may be outdated, biased, or improperly obtained. But a trained sociologist should be able to identify and work around or correct for such issues. Validating Secondary Data Before Using It To conduct meaningful secondary analysis, researchers must spend significant time reading and learning about the origins of the data sets. Through careful reading and vetting, researchers can determine: The purpose for which the material was collected or createdThe specific methods used to collect itThe population studied and the validity of the sample capturedThe credentials and credibility of the collector or creatorThe limits of the data set (what information was not requested, collected, or presented)The historic and/or political circumstances surrounding the creation or collection of the material In addition, before using secondary data, a researcher must consider how the data are coded or categorized and how this might influence the outcomes of a secondary data analysis. She should also consider whether the data must be adapted or adjusted in some way prior to her conducting her own analysis. Qualitative data is usually created under known circumstances by named individuals for a particular purpose. This makes it relatively easy to analyze the data with an understanding of biases, gaps, social context,  and other issues. Quantitative data, however, may require more critical analysis. It is not always clear how data was collected, why certain types of data were collected while others were not, or whether any bias was involved in the creation of tools used to collect the data. Polls, questionnaires, and interviews can all be designed to result in pre-determined outcomes. When dealing with biased data, it is absolutely critical that the researcher is aware of the bias, its purpose, and its extent. However, biased data can still be extremely useful, as long as the researchers carefully consider the potential effects of the bias. Updated by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

Revise essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Revise - Essay Example This bothered me sometimes until the bigger picture, their future became clearer. Raising children off the reservation can be both beneficial and constructive depending on the situations. In the beginning, I questioned myself why I was doing this? Was it to rebel from a community that I did not feel connected to or was I thinking about the importance of my kids life? Keeping them off the reservation was not endangering them or making them culturally insensitive. I found it to be protective and looking at the well being of their future. Many would disagree with me and say I was selfish because one should be respectful of his or her culture. Calling my children names, frowning at them and not being allowed to participate in certain activities they wanted were some of the problems my children faced for not being fully involved within their tribe. I thought this was not crippling their opportunities, but allowing them to see what else was out in the world and not in the reservation. Most Native Americans find it oaky not to be educated; and instead opt to work for their Tribal Casino and Resort. This was not going to be the situation for my children. During my kids youth was apparently the time when Native American education was not taken seriously. At this point, the damage on the youth revolved around things such as addictions, lack of world experiences, good healthcare, and crime. Originally, we had opted to raise our kids in the reservation because it was convenient for them to attend tribal schools where it was inexpensive and sometimes had free childcare. The older the children got, it became obvious their education had to be a priority in our lives; thus, we decided to move. With graduation rates at an all-time low and test scores getting lower, it was evident this was the best move my children. I wanted my children to have the opportunity to learn and have new experiences. My kids’