Unequal Distribution Of Wealth - 1477 Words

The unequal distribution of wealth has always been a huge problem that has plagued society throughout the ages. As forms of governments of each nation have changed, the unequal distribution of wealth has remained a constant. Even in Communist countries, which were supposed to eliminate this problem by abolishing the private ownership of land, the unequal distribution of wealth was still a problem in their society. It is difficult for society as a whole to make advancements, because of the unequal distribution of wealth. It also creates a gap between the classes in a society, which usually leads to clashing opinions about many important issues. The unequal distribution of wealth also makes the living conditions of the less fortunate†¦show more content†¦The unequal distribution of wealth is a major problem that all societies must face. The biggest problem that it creates is a large separation between the upper and lower classes in society. The gap between the two classes is m ostly caused by a difference in interests. For example, Marx believed that the upper class is only concerned with increasing its own cash flow, and as a result, ?Has converted the physician, the lawyer, the priest, the poet, the man of science, into its paid wage laborers?(225). I only partially agree with Marx?s idea, because although the upper class is concerned with its own well being, it doesn?t necessarily exploit the lower class and make them a mere wage slave. The gap is actually created because the poor want laws to be made that help them maintain what little wealth they have, while the upper class wants to pass laws that will help them gain more wealth. Marx also believed that the unequal distribution of wealth, ?Has reduced the family relation to a mere money relation?(225). I have the opposing opinion on this matter. People who are in poverty usually have closer family relationships than the upper classes do, because they are more dependent upon one another to survive. Th e unequal distribution of wealth also makes it difficult for the poor to get out of poverty. The poor normally have inadequate schooling, which makes it difficult for them to get good jobs, and thusShow MoreRelatedUnequal Distribution of Wealth Essay1487 Words   |  6 Pagesthe country’s wealth. Wealth can be defined as a person’s assets and monetary gains. This unequal distribution has caused numerous economic and geographical problems, such as how resources are divided among countries, how developed or industrialized a country is in relation to wealth distribution and the wide spread of disease and lack of medical attention due to an absence of money. In this paper I will address the negative and positive aspects associated with wealth distribution. I will explainRead MoreUnequal Distribution of Wealth Essay792 Words   |  4 PagesSmith was very conscious of how the wealth was unequally distributed amongst the poor versus the wealthy, and how and if this dist ribution continued it would leave the poor at a disadvantage, in the sense they will never have the opportunity to move ahead and will always be at the mercy of those who possessed more wealth. Mr. Smith viewed economics contrarily than the mercantilist. Compared to the days of old, the views of economics and mercantilism based wealth on the amount of gold and silver theRead MoreUnequal Distribution Of Wealth, Unethical Behavior949 Words   |  4 PagesBesides unequal distribution of wealth, unethical behavior may arise due to imbalance knowledge. Asymmetric information is perceived to be the root of unethical behavior (Kolb, 2008). The unethical behavior relies on the usage of private information for personal benefit (Kolb, 2008). This includes displaying not only misleading information but also an absence of displayed information, which is, in ethical perspective, considered as sin of omission. Paul Krugman (2007) also blames Friedman publiclyRead More John Locke and the Unequal Distribution of Wealth Essay800 Words   |  4 Pagesslippery. Which brings us to the head of the serpent. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In Locke’s opinion the idea of fair unequal distribution of wealth came about with the creation of money. Before money, things could not be saved fairly. Over stocking by some would lead to spoilage, and leave others with nothing. Once money was introduced though, this allowed the accumulation of wealth, without waste, so Locke says â€Å"†¦thus came in the use of money- some lasting thing that men might keep without spoilingRead MoreAn Unequal Distribution Of Wealth And Power Across The Nation2049 Words   |  9 Pages Living in America, I have always been aware of fact that there is an unequal distribution of wealth and power across the nation. However, I was unaware that there is such a significant gap between the rich and the poor. It was made clear in the video â€Å"Wealth Inequality in America†, that the top 1% has more power and wealth than the middle and poor classes. The rich can get away with not paying their taxes and sitting on their pile of free money. In the meantime, the poorest people are down to theRead MoreSociological Explanations of Unequal Distributions of Wealth and Income in Contemporary Britain1304 Words   |  6 PagesSociology Homework: Examine the sociological explanations of unequal distributions of wealth and income in contemporary Britain (24 marks) There are five main sociological explanations of unequal distributions of wealth and income in contemporary Britain that I will be discussing as well as explaining within this essay. One sociological explanation for the unequal distribution of wealth and income in contemporary Britain is because it is necessary for the maintenance of society. This is arguedRead MoreThe Unequal Distribution Of Wealth Affects Students From A Young Age1489 Words   |  6 Pagesdevelopments of these opportunities. The unequal distribution of wealth affects students of all ages in the education system. In order to reduce education inequality, the funds allocated to the low-income neighborhoods in a state should to be increased not only to decrease the gap between rich and poor and decrease the amount of poorly paid teachers, but also to provide schools with enough resources to ensure success. Although in the past the biggest cause for unequal opportunities in education has beenRead MoreEquality And Social Inequality Of Class And Class Equality1400 Words   |  6 Pagesethnic social divisions and how they highlight an unequal distribution of wealth, privilege and power. Unequal distribution can be seen in a variety of ways, such as income and wealth inequality for the working class, and unequal opportunities for ethnic minorities in the workplace. This essay will also be discussing how ethnic and class divisions interlink. Firstly, the sociological study of ethnic inequality highlights the unequal distribution of wealth, privilege and power. â€Å"Racism is built into theRead MoreAccounting Practice Contributes to a Just Distribution of Resources1602 Words   |  7 Pagesregulations, which can result in unequal treatment or unequal distribution of goods and services among different people. Some laws favor certain members within a community while putting a burden on other members. An economic system is, for the most part, a result of political processes developed by humans and the processes are ever evolving within societies. The legal structure of an economic and political system are important because certain resource distributions are a result created from the systemRead MoreAn Annotated Bibliography On Household Wealth Essay729 Words   |  3 PagesHousehold Wealth in China. Chinese Sociological Review 47.3 (2015): 203-229. Academic Search Complete. Web. 27 Oct. 2015. Xie and Jin examine the leve l, distribution, and composition of household wealth in contemporary China. The study reveals that the richest one percent of the population owns over one third of the total national household wealth, while the poorest twenty five percent owned less than two percent in 2012. Housing assets in China show to be the largest component of household wealth, comprising

How to Write a Nursing Essay Introduction on How My Values Align with the H Ideas

How to Write a Nursing Essay Introduction on How My Values Align with the H Ideas Up in Arms About How to Write a Nursing Essay Introduction on How My Values Align with the H? Long study hours in nursing school Nursing school is remarkably challenging and demands an enormous amount of study time. Nursing theory is the terminology that's provided to the knowledge body that's used to support nursing practices. Nursing is a tremendously hard job that's extremely rewarding sometimes. People who want to go into nursing must look at the many pros and con that are connected with nursing. With the aging population issue being currently among the most significant for the children that are searching for an acceptable nursing home for their parents or relatives, it's becoming an important question in their opinion. In the present healthcare system, there's still a systemic bias which favors non-Indigenous folks. Therefore, the residents aren't provided with the service they require and their needs aren't taken care of. The aging population class is thought of as the big consumer of the resources supplied by healthcare. Another discouraging fact is that how much time it can take for a new behaviour to turn into automatic will be dependent on the individual and their circumstances. At present, a number of the communities might not have facilities offered for the separate situations occurred because of illness that might be possibly carried by the individual and the urgent attention may not be paid in due course only for the reasons of understaffed homes. So, besides affecting yourself you also influence your relationships with family members and friends. Anyone who can handle the cons given below, and not listed, is a person who's going to earn a tremendous nurse. Another consideration is, obviously, the fact of your circumstances. In addition, don't self-censor believing your values must be worthy in some manner. You may not have taken the chance to explore your own personal values or it might be some time since you considered them. The academic purpose ought to be present. Your readers should comprehend the major flow. You must extract the principal thoughts of the author and make an article based on his suggestions and goals he was attempting to reach. This post is the consequence of that time away. It's possible to even quote some sections of the interview for improved expression of your own suggestions and thoughts. It is possible to discover quite a few resources that will help you on your self-awareness journey. In case the length isn't specified, utilize no more than two pages. You might already have an excellent fit between values and career, or there may be a mismatch. Just follow it and your primary direction. New Questions About How to Write a Nursing Essay Introduction on How My Values Align with the H The essay ought to be presented professionally, utilizing the suitable format and a sound structure. Lastly, it should be referenced in the right manner. Such essay would not be possible to read due to its faulty logic. Your essay shouldn't be a free-flowing analysis. We give a platform at which you can directly get in touch with your writer this can cut back communication barrier. If you are going to order from our affordable essay writing service, there is going to be a personal consultant who will assist you in composing the paper in addition to the sound structure that's composed of 3 primary structural elements. It's an academic job, and your writing should fit. To begin with, the introduction has to be discussed, this is the way you will plan to answer a few of the questions in the paper. Writing your paper The nursing essay paper extends to you with the occasion to show you know how about the topic issue. While you're learning how to compose a nursing essay, it is imperative that you plan carefully. Planning your paper As you learn to compose a nursing essay, it's important to do a little bit of planning. Finally, your nursing essay has to be correctly referenced.

Describe the Policies and Procedures of the Setting free essay sample

It is important that this policy is constantly being applied to ensure full safety of the pupils, this is why all staff MUST be familiar with this policy. Within this the school also has home school agreements for each year group which set out the Code of conduct/Golden Rules. Is a set of rules/guidelines for the pupils so they understand how they should behave and what is expected of them. It is important that the children are reminded of the code of conduct so that it becomes their routine and they fully understand it. It is essential that positive behaviour is always promoted, praised and used as children notice when adult’s behaviour is out of character, if positive and professional behaviour is continually used it is more likely that the pupils will also behave in that way. The golden rules are a focus around the school and are visibly displayed for all to see within the classrooms and the school hall. We will write a custom essay sample on Describe the Policies and Procedures of the Setting or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The children learn about these golden rules from the day they start at Springdale and it becomes a big part of Springdale life. Rewards and sanctions Although good behaviour is encouraged in schools, children will still behave inappropriate at times. Consequences for bad behaviour in my placement school can take many forms. †¢ Move from the sunshine to the black cloud. †¢ Miss time out from golden time, break or lunch play. †¢ Be sent to the head of year/deputy head †¢ Be sent to the head teacher and a meeting arranged with parents. Rewards for good behaviour can include the following. †¢ Full golden time awarded Raffle tickets gained/stickers †¢ Star of the day †¢ Extra time to choose activities †¢ Certificates in assembly Springdale Golden Award All staff can given certain rewards/sanctions however some may be given by a certain member of staff for example, if you do some good work in class then your teacher will put you forward for a Golden award which you get from the Headteacher in assembly. The child gets a certificate and a sticker infront of their peers. Dealing with conflict and inappropriate behaviour The schools policy for behaviour will give information on how you should manage more difficult behaviour as a teacher or TA. It is also important that pupils understand the behaviour policy of the school so that they have a clear idea of how bad behaviour will be dealt with if they choose to go against school rule or behave in an inappropriate manner. Anti-bullying My placement school has a separate anti-bullying policy but bullying is also built in to the behaviour policy for the whole school. It covers all forms of bullying including cyber bullying. Anti bullying is promoted for all pupils within the SEAL project, the golden rules and the home school agreements. Attendance My schools attendance policy sets out how the school manages issues around attendance. Attendance has to be monitored carefully to ensure there are no unauthorised absences or long spells of unexplained absences. Both children and parents have a responsibility to ensure they attend school and this policy will explain what will happen if the policy is not followed.

The Closet free essay sample

Wow! What a kiss. It was my second kiss, but it was so spectacular that it seemed like it was my first. His name was Matt and he was supposed to be my friend, but then things got a little too friendly. The problem? He was supposed to be dating my best friend Rebecca. Im not sure how it really happened, but I started to fall for him (if Rebecca had known, she would have said that I crashed for him). I spent about a week sitting with him at lunch and going out of my way to see him in the halls, but he was so dense that he thought that I was just being super nice to him.My other best friend Meri (who was also best friends with Rebecca) was having her thirteenth birthday party. She invited Matt in hopes that he and Rebecca would hook up. We will write a custom essay sample on The Closet or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page At the party, I told Meri that I really liked Matt, but to keep it a secret. I soon realized that if you tell one person a secret, it is no longer a secret. I was in trouble. Within minutes the party-goers were buzzing about my news. I went upstairs to escape the pressure of Hey, ask him to dance, and the ever-famous phrase He told me he likes you.I sat on the foot of Meris bed gathering my thoughts for about five minutes when somebody knocked on the door. It was Matt. He thought that I was mad at Meri. Mad didnt even begin to describe my feelings toward her at that moment. I know that you want to be more than friends, and Im sorry, but I really dont think that it would work out between the two of us. As he said this I could have sworn that my heart was shattering. Are those your shoes? He was making a feeble attempt to change the subject. I wanted to be cold and tell him that if they were on my feet they most likely belonged to me, but I just sat there with my mouth shut. Hide-and-go-seek in the dark! Meris mother yelled up the stairs. Meri picked the teams. Matt and I were coupled up. The lights went out, and I realized that nights were darker than I remembered. My hand found its way into his and we went up the stairs to find a place to hide. We chose the closet in Meris room. My heart was pounding in my throat while we stood there in the silence. I was concentrating on the rhythm of my breathing when he spoke up. Did you mean what you said before? His voice cut through the silence. Yeah. I could have kicked myself for that response. But what was I supposed to do? Lie?I really do like you I I just didnt want to ruin our friendship. As he said this he started to kiss my neck. I felt this warm heat run through my body as the tips of his fingers brushed over my neck. He tilted my head and kissed me. At that moment I felt as if I was finally in synch with somebody else. All time stopped. To me it was the most beautiful thing in the world Then Rebecca opened the door. My friendship with Rebecca lasted about another two weeks, but I think it was over in her mind that night. My relationship with Matt lasted a record-breaking five days. I soon learned that friendships are too precious to risk over boys. After all, boys come and go as frequently as airplanes at any international airport. Joni Mitchell described this lesson best in Big Yellow Taxicab when she sang, Dont it always seem to go that you dont know what youve got till its gone? Taking things for granted is a mistake that many people make over the course of their lives. I never knew how much my friendship with Rebecca meant to me until it ceased to exist.

Free Essays on No Children Here

There are no Children Here Alex Kotlowitz's book, There are no Children Here, deals with the subject of race, values, and community responsibility of the urban underclass. The American inner city deals with the issues such as violent crime and drug wars. With these two explosive issues, the neighborhood experiences the downward spiral of social separation, unemployment and welfare dependence. The lives of two black boys, Lafayette, 10 and Pharaoh, 7 are followed as they struggle to grow up in one of Chicago's worst housing projects. Lafayette and Pharaoh are not any different than many of their neighbors. Their mother is welfare dependent. Their father is an alcoholic and drug abuser. In the home, there are other siblings, an older brother and sister along with younger triplets, just like so many other families in the area. Kotlowitz takes you into an offensively maintained housing project infested with gangs, where murders and shootings are an everyday thing. The image of the devastation and the despair of no hope of the people living inside the project are vivid. One can truly sense the hopefulness, grasping the loss of family and ardently desire a new life for the boys. You hold out hope that things will work out for the boys. In America's minefield of urban life, Lafayette and Pharaoh are surrounded by violence and poverty through their lives. The neighborhood had no banks, no public libraries, no movie theatres, no skating rinks, or bowling allies. The lack of respectable businesses only contributes to the demise of the neighborhood and unemployment in the area. With the drug lords keeping shop in an abandoned building, drug abuse is rampant and shooting is common. There were no drug rehabilitation programs or centers to help combat the problem. Police feared going into the ghetto for their own safety. There are no Children Here embraces Lafayette and Pharaoh over a two-year period in which they struggle with school, attemp... Free Essays on No Children Here Free Essays on No Children Here There are no Children Here Alex Kotlowitz's book, There are no Children Here, deals with the subject of race, values, and community responsibility of the urban underclass. The American inner city deals with the issues such as violent crime and drug wars. With these two explosive issues, the neighborhood experiences the downward spiral of social separation, unemployment and welfare dependence. The lives of two black boys, Lafayette, 10 and Pharaoh, 7 are followed as they struggle to grow up in one of Chicago's worst housing projects. Lafayette and Pharaoh are not any different than many of their neighbors. Their mother is welfare dependent. Their father is an alcoholic and drug abuser. In the home, there are other siblings, an older brother and sister along with younger triplets, just like so many other families in the area. Kotlowitz takes you into an offensively maintained housing project infested with gangs, where murders and shootings are an everyday thing. The image of the devastation and the despair of no hope of the people living inside the project are vivid. One can truly sense the hopefulness, grasping the loss of family and ardently desire a new life for the boys. You hold out hope that things will work out for the boys. In America's minefield of urban life, Lafayette and Pharaoh are surrounded by violence and poverty through their lives. The neighborhood had no banks, no public libraries, no movie theatres, no skating rinks, or bowling allies. The lack of respectable businesses only contributes to the demise of the neighborhood and unemployment in the area. With the drug lords keeping shop in an abandoned building, drug abuse is rampant and shooting is common. There were no drug rehabilitation programs or centers to help combat the problem. Police feared going into the ghetto for their own safety. There are no Children Here embraces Lafayette and Pharaoh over a two-year period in which they struggle with school, attemp...

Living On Campus vs. Off Campus

Living On Campus vs. Off Campus Is your college kid contemplating a move off-campus? The dorm versus apartment, on-campus versus off-campus question,is a common topic for sophomores and juniors. Some colleges offer on-campus apartments as well as dormitory options, but most students start at least thinking about moving off-campus halfway through their college tenure. Here are some things to think about before making this big decision. Cost Dorms tend to be significantly pricier than living in a modest, shared apartment, especially when you take square footage into account. But that $14,000 per year dorm fee generally includes a substantial dining hall allowance. Make sure you remove the food tab from the equation so youre comparing apples and apples, not apples and oranges. And dont forget those other costs of apartment living: utilities, internet, and garbage service. A final caveat: your college kid likely wont qualify for an apartment on his own, so youll need to cosign the lease. Convenience Theres no doubt that living on campus is convenient. Classes are right there. Food is served by the buffet-load. Medical help for even minor issues is moments away. Move off-campus and there will be transportation costs and/or on-campus parking issues. Your kid will need to have at least rudimentary cooking skills. And there wont be an R.A. just down the hall, ready to help. Social Life Dorms are ready-made hubs of sociability. Everyones the same age and going through the same things, and everyone is eager to make friends. Depending on the apartment complex and your college kids level of gregariousness, he or she may find it difficult to meet people and make new friends. That can be a huge issue for freshmen, but not so much for upperclassmen who have already made plenty of friends. Its much easier to meet new people in apartment complexes with attractive common areas - such as a pool, basketball courts, or lounge - and in complexes where college kids make up the majority of the residents. Noise and Privacy In general, apartments are much quieter than dorms, where the steady sounds of partying or merely boisterous neighbors waft through the walls. Apartments tend to be calmer. Theres more room to spread out. Also, your kid wont be sharing a bathroom with ten or 20 other people. Space Bedrooms in an apartment might be even smaller than that tiny dorm room. But unless your child is considering a studio, conversion, or junior one-bedroom, apartments have room to spread out because they will also have a living room and a kitchen. And the bathroom is an actual room in an apartment, not a cubicle. Food Dining hall cuisine may have its detractors, but at least someone is providing three feasts a day. In an apartment, the grocery shopping and cooking is up to your child. That means developing some cooking skills and a recipe repertoire, not to mention budgeting skills. Groceries cost substantially more than dorm dwellers usually realize. Amenities Dorm laundry rooms are open 24/7. Apartments may have limited hours or no on-site laundry at all. Parking is either included in the apartment rent or available for a reasonable cost. And if the apartment complex has a pool, its right there and ready for splashing - not across campus and monopolized by the colleges swim team.

Project management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Project management - Research Paper Example cusses the history of project management, its significance in the contemporary age, some of the obstacles that project managers commonly face in their work and the functions of project management. â€Å"Project management is the science (and art) of organizing the components of a project, whether the project is development of a new product, the launch of a new service, a marketing campaign, or a wedding† (MPUG, 2011). Project management, as the name implies, includes everything that is required to manage a project. A project is a one time endeavor. It is unique. Some people confuse the definition of project with that of process. The former is unique and non-repetitive whereas the latter is repetitive in nature. According to Lewis (2002), projects have been managed for thousands of years, yet it has been identified as an entirely separate disciple all over the world in the last ten years. This tells how short the history of project management is. The claim of Lewis (2002) has been reinforced with the support of Azzopardi (2009), though Azzopardi (2009) dates the development of project management of tools in organizations to the mid of 1950s. ‘Project Management’ is an important topic because all organisations, large and small, are involved in implementing new undertakings as diverse as the development of a new product or service, or a public relations campaign. To keep ahead of their competitors, every organisation is faced with development of complex services and processes. These need cross-functional expertise in a given organisation. (Modesto and Tichapondwa, 2009, p. 15). Every project is different and has its own specifications. The risks and opportunities associated with every project are unique. Two projects may be of entirely same nature with the same project parties, location, and time, yet the two may call for entirely different patterns of management. This can be attributed to the difference of various internal and external factors arising in the

War and peace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

War and peace - Essay Example The Zionist argument is that they appeared in Palestine in the late 19th century with the intention of reclaiming their ancestral land. Jews purchased land and started putting up the Jewish community. Palestinian Arabs with violent opposition tried to force the Jewish out of the land, but the Zionist reacted with force to defend themselves. This same case exists up to date. The Zionist movement, from the start, desired to completely dispossess the indigenous Arab inhabitants so that Israel could be completely a Jewish state (Bennis 58). The land purchased by the Jewish Fund was in custody of the Jewish and could not be sold or leased to Arabs. The Arab population, as it became aware of the Zionists’ desires and intentions, it opposed further immigrations of the Jewish. The Arab population also opposed further sale of land to the Zionists. The sale of land to the Zionists exerted an immense danger to the existence of Arab community in Palestine. Because of the opposition, the w hole project of Zionist could not be realized without the backing of the British military. The Zionists did not mind about the real inhabitants of the land they believed in colonialist view that the rights of the original inhabitants did not matter. All that the Zionist wanted was total or partial entitlement to the land. On the other hand, the Arab’s opposition to the Zionists was not based on anti-Semitism, but on a reasonable fear of dispossession of their populace. Because of these two oppositions, the conflict continues. Palestine became an Arab and Islamic state by the end of the seventh century. Its boundaries and characteristics became known almost immediately. The occupants of the land at the time believed that they lived in a land known as Palestine. However, after the establishment of Israel in 1948, everything changed. The land, which the inhabitants of Palestine referred to as Palestine, part of it, was now Israel. The Palestine and the Israelis oppose each other regarding the land. Each group seeks to fight for the land, which they believe is theirs. This opposition increases daily and deepens as the two groups engage in the fight and kill one another’s group. The fight could have been halted a long time ago if there existed no opposition to the land. For a very long time, the ancient Arabs who have been existing on the land were the majority as the Zionist came to purchase land and establish their community. In this case, when the Arabs discovered the intentions of the Zionists of forcing out of the Arab community, the Arabs gained opposition to the move since they wanted to retain their ancestral land and at the same time, the Arabs were the majority. There was no way; the Arabs could have allowed a minor community to force them out of their inherited soil. On the other hand, the Zionist could not give up gaining ownership of the land for their benefit. As the two sides oppose each other, the conflict continues to exist between th e two communities (Tessler 73). According to the founder of Zionism, the aim of the Zionist was to split the penniless population, who were the Arabs, across the border through procuring employment in transit countries. The process of expropriating and removing of the poor was to be carried out circumspectly and discreetly. However, at

Psy240 Final Analyzing Psychological Disorders Essay Example for Free

Psy240 Final Analyzing Psychological Disorders Essay You are interviewing for a psychologist position with a top company. After your face-to-face interview with the team, they have provided you with two additional assignments—Part A and Part B below, which will complete the interview process: * Part A: A psychologist understands how biology can affect psychological activities and disorders. In your interview, you are asked about your understanding of the causes and treatment(s) of schizophrenia. In your reply, discuss the following: * Areas of the brain affected * Causal factors * Associated symptoms * The neural basis * Appropriate drug therapies * Part B: Part B of the interview consists of interpreting some case studies from a biopsychologist’s perspective. You are given four different case studies of disorders and have the option of choosing two out of the four case studies to analyze. * Write a 1,750- to 2,100-word paper in APA format containing the following: * Introduction * Part A of the interview process. * Part B of the interview process: * Choose two of the four case studies presented in Appendix A. * Discuss your understanding of the problem presented in each of the two case studies from the perspective of a biopsychologist. * Include each problem’s relation to the nature-nurture issue and any relevant portions of the Basics to Biopsychology text. * Use a minimum of five outside resources, including at least 3 peer-reviewed articles. * Apply any helpful drug interventions or solutions. * Discuss the positive or negative aspects of these drug interventions or solutions and * Conclusion

The Role Catalysts In Chemical Reactions, Their Importance In Industry

The Role Catalysts In Chemical Reactions, Their Importance In Industry, Problems and New Developments OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE SCHOOLS EXAMINATION BOARD. General Certificate Examination - Advanced Level Chemistry (Salters') - Paper 3 mock. ROBERT TAYLOR U6JW. A Catalyst is a substance that alters the rate of a reaction. The catalyst remains unchanged at the end of the reaction. The process is called catalysis. In this report I aim going to explain the role of catalysts in chemical reactions and their importance in industry. I will also outline the problems associated with the use of some catalysts and discuss, using appropriate examples, new developments in this area which will help reduce damage to the environment. The process of catalysis is essential to the modern day manufacturing industry. Ninety per cent, over a trillion dollars' worth, of manufactured items are produced with the help of catalysts every year. It is therefore logical that scientists are constantly searching for new improved catalysts which will improve efficiency or produce a greater yield. An acidic catalyst works due its acid nature. Catalysts are strong acids and readily give up hydrogen ions, or protons: H+. Protons can be released from hydrated ions, for example H3O+, but more commonly they are released from ionisable hydroxyl groups (R-OH) where the O-H bond is broken to produce R-O- and H+. When the reactant receives protons from an acid it undergoes a conformational change, (change in shape and configuration), and becomes a reactive intermediate. The intermediate can then either become an isomer by returning a proton to the catalyst, or it may undergo a further reaction and form a completely new molecule. Up until the mid - 1960's silica-alumina gels were used to catalyse the cracking of hydrocarbons. This form of cracking is where the large molecules in oil are converted into small, highly volatile molecules. However because the size of the pores of silica-alumina gels was so variable, (ranging from 0.1nm to 50nm), and the fact that their shape was so variable, they were hardly ideal catalysts. Due to the large size of their cavities, large carbonaceous products were able to form in the cavities thus lowering the reactivity if the catalyst. Catalysis with alumina silica-gels was also difficult to control precisely because of their indefinite structure, and therefore uneven d... ...ce on the surface of the solid therefore the solvent only acts as a form of heat transfer and a working fluid. In summary I see Supported reagents as the best possible solution to the problems associated with catalysis due to their easy use and their ability to be recovered and re-used. They have a high level of activity and improved selectivity in reactions. This is accompanied by their highly catalytic activity which leads to the best possible level of performance in commercial uses. This has already been proven by the use of active reagents in Friedel - Crafts reactions. These reactions originally had the drawbacks of firstly the hydrolysed aluminium chloride containing aqueous effluent which is produced, and secondly the by-products such as polymeric tars and di- and polysubstituted by- products which are produced which unless they can be successfully removed make the product impure. By using a supported reagent catalyst, in most cases the desired level of activity can be achieved but the catalyst can be removed easily from the reaction mixture and re-used. I personally therefore feel that the future of environmentally friendly catalysis lies with supported reagent catalysts.

Gps vs. Gis

GPS vs. GIS Global Positioning System (GPS) is a system that accurately determines the precise position of something on Earth. GPS is a constellation of twenty four satellites, each of which orbits Earth once every twelve hours. The U. S. Department of Defense operates and maintains these Global Positioning System satellites. Each satellite contains a high precision atomic clock and several transmitters that constantly send radio signals back to Earth. These signals communicate the satellite’s unique identification code, health, and position in space. Global Positioning Systems and base stations units in the fields receive these satellites and use them to calculate positions. All Global Positioning Systems receivers collect the locations of real world features (represented as points, lines or areas), and some can store descriptive data, or attributes, about these features. (1) Global positioning systems have been fully operational since April 27, 1995. GPS have become widely used worldwide, and a useful tool for map making, land surviving, commerce, scientific uses, tracking and surveillance, and hobbies such as geocaching. Also, the precise time reference is used in many applications including the scientific study of earthquakes and as a required time synchronization method for cellular network protocols . (2) Geographers find GPS to be particularly useful in coding the precise location of objects. That information can later be enters as a layer in geographic information systems. (2) Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer system that can capture, store, query, analyze, and display geographic date. 3) Geographic Information Systems allows us to view, understand, question, interpret, and visualize data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes, reports, and charts. A Geographic Information Systems helps you answer questions and solve problems by looking at your data in a way that is quickly understood and easily shared. Geographic Information System technology can be integrated into any enterprise information system framework. GIS is most often as sociated with a map. A map, however, is only one way you can work with geographic data in a Geographic information System, and only one type of product generated by a GIS. A GIS can provide a great deal more problem-solving capabilities than using a simple mapping program or adding data to an online mapping tool. When GIS software was first created, it required powerful computers and extensive training. Now, anyone can develop a desktop map. (3) (1) www. gps. gov (2) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/GPS (3) Rubenstein chapter 1

Running Head: Multinational Corporation

General motors is a multinational corporation that was begun in 1908 by William Durant.   It has ever since extended its services to several foreign countries including Mexico. It is the world’s largest known company for manufacturing of automobile (Cray & Chrome 1980).Its outstanding business activities in Mexico are among others, provision of high quality Products in order to remain competitive in the global economy.   The leaders inGeneral Motors have also invented business plans that enable them to reduce the costs of the  Intensive engineering, prototyping as well as tooling activities they operates in Mexico(http://www.gm.com)  The General motors management team has established a net working program for hiring new employees so as to facilitate manufacturing and marketing of heir automobiles.   The corporation has also expanded an initiative known as jumpstart in Mexico whose main goals are to indoctrinate those who have been newly hired into the corporationsâ⠂¬â„¢ culture and to give them a chance of meeting employees in other parts of the corporation so as to get exposed to the corporations’ business leaders (Cray & Chrome, 1980).   This ensures smooth running of the business activities since high employee relation is established and maintained.General motors operations on the host country, Mexico, has some comparative advantages. Compared to the US, labor costs in Mexico are much lower and therefore General Motors Corporation stands a good chance in Mexico as opposed to US since it cheaply obtain its parts production. At the same time General Motors Corporation in Mexico does not encounter stiff competition for skills and technology from many automobile companies than it could encounter in the US (Maurice, 1995).This is well explained by the fact that US is believed to gain those jobs that require high skills and technology as it trades with Mexico.   This indicates that most of the scientists and engineers who have the req uired skills and technology secure jobs in the General motors corporation (Lance & Ian 1998). Since it is a well paying and established compensations compared to any other automobile corporation in the country.The environmental issues that prevailed during the on set of the General Motors Corporation in Mexico such as rising costs of health care as well as pension costs really affected rapid growth of the company. General motors however, have worked on these issues through working extensively with the Workers Union on ways for trimming down the health  care costs for the workers their families as well as the retirees (http:delphi.com/about/social/)Although General Motors Corporation in Mexico was well established, it also faced stiff and competitive pressure form the other automobile companies.   This could lead to lower sales than expected by the management and overall economic strain to the company. However, General Motors Company have embarked on innovation ever since and it has expanded computer as well as electronic content on their vehicles (Lorean & John, 1980).   It has also extended its recruitment to cover most technologically advanced countries like China, Europe and India hence acquiring high skilled scientists and engineers.There is also the issue of globalization that entirely has benefited the General Motors Corporation.   It has been much easier for the company to get access to the technology that is being developed around the world (Jagdish, 2004). In Defense of Globalization.Oxford University Press.   The different scientists and engineers recruited by the General Motors from diverse cultures influence the culture of the host country, Mexico. The stiff competition brought in by globalization has also made it difficult for the Mexico-based automobile companies to compete in the market especially the small companies (Frederick, 1947)Resolving these issues has serious financial commitment and long-term expenses especially when the high skilled scientists and engineers demand for better salaries.The Acme motors should put in place strong criteria upon which its workers are hired or employed so as to improve and maintain supply of high quality automobiles to its clients. The workers should be able to conduct thorough research and be technologically innovative so as to enable Acme motors compete sufficiently in the global market.References.Cray, E. & Chrome C. (1980). General Motors and Its Time. New York: McGraw-Hill.Cray, E. & Chrome C. (1980).A History of General Motors. New York: Smithmark  De Lorean & John Z. (1980).On a Clear Day You Can See General Motors. London: Sidgwick and Jackson.David M. (2003).What the Market Does to People: Privatization, Globalization, and Poverty.   Clarity Press.Frederick H. (1947). Patterns of Union-Management Relations: United Automobile Workers (CIO), General Motors.Science Research Associates.Jagdish B. (2004). In Defense of Globalization.Oxford. University Press.Maurice E. (1995).Electronic Technology, Corporate Strategy, and World Transformation.Quorum Books.Lance D. & Ian M. (1998).Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology.  Ã‚   Routledge.Retrieved on 24th 2008, from http://www.gm.comRetrieved on 24th January 2008Retrieved on 24th January 2008, from http://delphi.com/about/social/

The Most Controversial Plays of the 20th Century

The Most Controversial Plays of the 20th Century The theater is a perfect venue for social commentary and many playwrights have used their position to share their beliefs on various issues affecting their time. Quite often, they push the boundaries of what the public deems acceptable and a play can quickly become very controversial. The years of the 20th century were filled with social, political, and economic controversy and a number of plays written during the 1900s addressed these issues. How Controversy Takes Shape On the Stage An older generations controversy is the next generations banal standard. The fires of controversy often fade as time goes by. For example, when we look at Ibsens A Dolls House we can see why it was so provocative during the late 1800s. Yet, if we were to set A Dolls House in modern day America, not too many people would be shocked by the plays conclusion. We might yawn as Nora decides to leave her husband and family. We might nod to ourselves thinking, Yep, theres another divorce, another broken family. Big deal. Because theater pushes the boundaries, it often evokes heated conversations, even public outrage. Sometimes the impact of the literary work generates societal change. With that in mind, lets take a brief look at the most controversial plays of the 20th century. Springs Awakening This caustic critique by Frank Wedekind is one  of hypocrisy and societys flawed sense of morality stands up for the rights of adolescents. Written in Germany in the late 1800s, it was not actually performed until 1906. Springs Awakening is subtitled  A Childrens Tragedy. In recent years Wedekinds play (which has been banned and censored many times during its history) has been adapted into a critically acclaimed musical, and with good reason. The storyline is saturated with dark, brooding satire, teen angst, blossoming sexuality, and tales of innocence lost.The main characters are youthful, likable, and naive. The adult characters, in contrast, are stubborn, ignorant, and almost inhuman in their callousness.When the so-called moral adults rule by shame instead of compassion and openness, the adolescent characters pay a heavy toll. For decades, many theaters and critics considered Springs Awakening perverse and unsuitable for audiences, showing just how accurately Wedekind critiqued turn-of-the-century values. The Emperor Jones Although it is generally not considered the best play by Eugene ONeill, The Emperor Jones is perhaps his most controversial and cutting-edge. Why? In part, because of its visceral and violent nature. In part, because of its post-colonialist criticism. But mainly because it did not marginalize African and African-American culture in a time when openly racist minstrel shows were still considered acceptable entertainment. Originally performed in the early 1920s, the play details the rise and fall of Brutus Jones, an African-American railway worker who becomes a thief, a killer, an escaped convict, and after journeying to the West Indies, the self-proclaimed ruler of an island. Although Jones character is villainous and desperate, his corrupt value system has been derived by observing upper-class white Americans. As the island people rebel against Jones, he becomes a hunted man and undergoes a primal transformation. Drama critic Ruby Cohn writes: The Emperor Jones ​is at once a gripping drama about an oppressed American black, a modern tragedy about a hero with a flaw, an expressionist quest play probing to the racial roots of the protagonist; above all, it is more highly theatrical than its European analogues, gradually quickening the tom-tom from normal pulse-rhythm, stripping away colorful costume to the naked man beneath, subordinating dialogue to innovative lighting in order to illuminate an individual and his racial heritage. As much as he was a playwright, ONeill was a social critic who abhorred ignorance and prejudice. At the same time, while the play demonizes colonialism, the main character exhibits many immoral qualities.   Jones is by no means a role model character. African-American playwrights such as Langston Hughes, and later on Lorraine Hansberry, would create plays that celebrated the courage and compassion of black Americans. This is something not seen in ONeills work, which focuses on the turbulent lives of derelicts, both black and white. Ultimately, the diabolical nature of the protagonist leaves modern audiences wondering whether or not The Emperor Jones did more harm than good. The Childrens Hour Lillian Hellmans 1934 drama about a little girls destructive rumor touches upon what was once an incredibly taboo subject: lesbianism. Because of its subject matter, The Childrens Hour was banned in Chicago, Boston, and even London. The play tells the story of Karen and Martha, two close (and very platonic) friends and colleagues. Together, they have established a successful school for girls. One day, a bratty student claims that she witnessed the two teachers romantically entwined. In a witch-hunt style  frenzy, accusations ensue, more lies are told, parents panic and innocent lives are ruined. The most tragic event occurs during the plays climax. Either in a moment of exhausted confusion or stress-induced enlightenment, Martha confesses her romantic feelings for Karen. Karen tries to explain that Martha is simply tired  and that she needs to rest. Instead, Martha walks into the next room (off-stage) and shoots herself. Ultimately, the shame unleashed by the community became too great, Marthas feelings too difficult to accept, thus ending with a needless suicide. Although perhaps tame by todays standards, Hellmans drama paved the way for a more open discussion about social and sexual mores, ultimately leading to more modern (and equally controversial) plays, such as: Angels in AmericaTorch Song TrilogyBentThe Laramie Project Considering a rash of recent suicides due to rumors, school bullying, and hate crimes against young gays and lesbians, The Childrens Hour has taken on a new-found relevancy.   Mother Courage and Her Children Written by Bertolt Brecht in the late 1930s, Mother Courage is a stylistic yet grimly disturbing depiction of the horrors of war. The title character is a cunning female protagonist who believes that she will be able to profit from war. Instead, as the war rages on for twelve years, she beholds the death of her children, their lives vanquished by the culminating violence. In a particularly grisly scene, Mother Courage watches the body of her recently executed son being tossed into a pit. Yet she does not acknowledge him for fear of being identified as the mother of the enemy. Although the play is set in the 1600s, the anti-war sentiment resonated amongst audience during its debut in 1939 and beyond. Over the decades, during such conflicts as the Vietnam War and the wars in Iraq  and Afghanistan, scholars and theater directors have turned to Mother Courage and Her Children, reminding audiences of the horrors of war. Lynn Nottage was so moved by Brechts work she traveled to war-torn Congo in order to write her intense drama, Ruined. Although her characters exhibit much more compassion than Mother Courage, we can see the seeds of Nottages inspiration. Rhinoceros Perhaps the perfect example of the Theater of the Absurd,  Rhinoceros is based upon a deviously strange concept: Humans are turning into rhinos. No, its not a play about the Animorphs and its not a science-fiction fantasy about were-rhinos (although that would be awesome). Instead, Eugene Ionescos play is a warning against conformity. Many view the transformation from human to rhino as a symbol of conformism. The play is often seen as a warning against the rise of deadly political forces such as Stalinism and fascism. Many believe that dictators such as Stalin and Hitler must have brainwashed the  citizens  as if the population was somehow fooled into accepting an immoral regime. However, in contrast to popular belief, Ionesco demonstrates how some people, drawn toward the bandwagon of conformity, make a conscious choice to abandon their individuality, even their  humanity  and succumb the forces  of society.

Make winning small talk in a job interview

Make winning small talk in a job interview Although there’s a wide array of variables that can affect the types of interviews you’ll find yourself in when job hunting- from the industry and position you’re pursuing to the size of the room and the number of people whom you’ll be meeting with and more- your goal should always be the same: to leave a positive and lasting impression on a prospective employer and stand out from the competition as someone they’d really value working with. While there are a number of key factors that you’ll be focusing on as you prepare for an interview, from a well-polished resume to an impeccable outfit and talking points about your past accomplishments and why you’re the perfect candidate for the job, one area that often gets overlooked is the value of â€Å"small talk.†The truth is, small talk is actually an essential component of the interview process. Often, our very first and last impression, before and after the nuts and bolts of an int erview takes place, is made over small talk. Think of the walk from the reception area, the few initial moments of â€Å"settling in† to the room where the interview takes place, and the final goodbyes over a firm and confident handshake- these are all opportunities to make a positive and memorable impact.Let’s review some effective strategies for making sure you put your best foot forward when making small talk in a job interview.Stay positive.You may have had a terrible morning on your way to the interview where everything went hilariously wrong- your alarm didn’t go off, you knocked over a steaming hot cup of coffee, and you nearly burnt a hole in your shirt while ironing it and eating breakfast at the same time- but do you want this to be the first impression your interviewer has of you? Whining about the challenges you overcame to get to the interview on time, assuming you made it there on time, is not a good idea.You don’t want your interviewer to t hink that if you were hired that you’d have to deal with an array of life’s foibles each morning in order to get to work on time. And you don’t want them to think you’re the type of person who’s always negative and has a raincloud following them around. Regardless of your work history and accomplishments, starting or ending an interview with negative small talk will surely work against you when they’re making a hiring decision.Instead, stay positive- both in what you say and in your body language. Smile, project confidence and a positive outlook, and try to turn your small talk into an opportunity to be complimentary. Talk about how nice the office is or the pleasant weather or commute over, drop a comment about a nice plant or piece of artwork that your interviewer has. The goal here is to make the interviewer think that you’d be a pleasant person to have around if hired.Avoid controversy.Sometimes an interview will start off on a ca sual and relaxed vibe- more like a friendly conversation than a Q A session, and this can be a good thing. Remember, the goal of an interview is to both present yourself as a capable candidate as well as a person who’s enjoyable to have around. You definitely want to leave the impression that you’ll make a great fit within a company’s workplace culture. However, if an interview takes the tone of a casual conversation this doesn’t mean that all conversation topics are okay to bring up. Do your best to avoid such hot-button areas as politics and religion, and try to refrain from getting too personal, which may make an interviewer uncomfortable or think that you have boundary issues, which could be a big red flag.Use context clues.Whenever you’re first getting to know someone new, that’s typically when you’re most open and receptive to available context clues about how best to proceed in a conversation. An interview should be no differe nt. Look for clues- both subtle and overt- to help build your small-talk game. Is your interviewer’s office filled with dog photos and he or she drops a casual dog reference into the conversation? Try to inject a mention about your own love of dogs, and if you have a dog yourself, even better! Don’t forget, the best way to bond with someone is to discover the things you have in common.Context clues can also help you determine what conversation items to avoid. Does the interviewer wince or look uncomfortable when you make mention of something? Pay attention to this, and change the subject, fast. Bottom line: be friendly, flexible, and on the lookout for positive conversational touchpoints.Are you ready for small talk?Whether or not you like small talk, you need to be prepared to handle it when you’re going on interviews. You can’t rely on your resume to â€Å"speak for itself†- remember, most interviewers are looking to get a sense of what sort of p erson you are and what it would be like to work with you, in addition to gauging your professional abilities. Be sure to treat each interview as an opportunity to get to know someone new and make a positive connection, and you’ll be sure to make a great impression!

Communication and Conflict Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Communication and Conflict Final - Essay Example In order to achieve the goals of conflict resolution, the mediator must have enough internal direction and good communication and interpersonal skills in order to come to an agreement with both parties (â€Å"Why Does Virginia Tech Have a Conflict Resolution Program?† 2009). Being able to speak eloquently and clearly as a mediator is a key role in how conflicts are negotiated. Both parties must feel like they understand what is going on within the conversation being had, not only with each other, but how the mediator is being understood by both parties. Good mediators are able to keep the subject at hand relevant to the discussion and can navigate difficult, at-times uncharted waters, so to speak. One approach to conflict is that â€Å" ‘we do not have to stay the way we are’; we all have more choices in conflicts tha[n] we assume† (Hocker, et. al., 1985, p. xi). According to Gerzon (2006), â€Å"As our world grows smaller, opportunities for conflict multiply. Ethnic, religious, political, and personal differences drive people apart--with potentially disastrous consequences--and its the task of perceptive leaders to bring them together again† (pgh. 1). Finally, a negotiator or person in conflict mediation needs to be helpful, above all things. If a negotiator is not helpful, chances are that the conflict could escalate or become blown out of proportion. Negotiators must seek to navigate that fine line which divides people who are at odds with each other. Being helpful is one of the key traits negotiators need to have in order to be successful at their job. Good negotiators are able to see any conflict from both sides and are able to navigate uncharted waters. The deft negotiator is one who nimbly and quickly thinks on one’s feet and can mediate in sticky situations. According to Britannica (2008), â€Å"[The creation of the such a one body, the League of Nations, was an idea strongly favored by

Informal interview with immigrant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Informal interview with immigrant - Essay Example Also, according to my culture, public expression of romantic feelings is discouraged; in fact, according to my culture, it sounds a bit odd to tell your lover publicly that you love her. For that reason therefore, dating in my culture is quite different from dating in the American culture- in my culture, rarely do the dating couple express their romantic feelings in public as is the case in American culture. Again, in socializing, the people of culture behave quite differently from the American people. This is because the people of my culture considers the community to be more important than the individual, for that reason, therefore, the people of my culture are quite united as a community, unlike the American people who are individualistic and who regard the individual to be more important than the community/society. Answer: There are two main situations in which I felt completely misunderstood when I arrived in America. In the first situation, on the first day of my arrival in America, I extended my hand in greetings to all the people I interacted with at the airport. To my surprise, many of the people I extended hands to in greetings looked at me suspiciously and they did not shake my hands; I really felt misunderstood by these people and ever since I wait for the people to first extend their hands in greetings before I extend my hand and shake them in greetings. In the second incident, on my second week in America, I held my friend’s hand, my compatriot mr. Eric Odhiambo, as we were walking along the road; to our surprise, the people looked at us suspiciously. I later learnt that the people who looked at us suspiciously thought that we were gays; in my culture, holding hands among people of the same sex is never associated with gayism or lesbianism. I really felt so much misunderstood in this incident. Answer: One of the things that really surprised me upon arriving in America is the high level of public

Air Pollution Controlling for industrial cities in Saudi Arabia Research Paper

Air Pollution Controlling for industrial cities in Saudi Arabia - Research Paper Example The idea of nationalism should be abandoned and the concept of global citizenship should be embraced in order to solve the problems of humanity. The corporate entities are also required to practice the idea of green production and will also have to use alternative and eco-friendly energy sources. As a last resort the humanity should find ways for leaving Earth as its environment will decay beyond repair. The NASA along with main economic powers of the world is trying to perfect space travel technology for resettlement of humanity on some other planet. Conclusively if all the methods of controlling global warming and aerial pollution then humanity may have to revert towards the simpler life that must be spent in underground tunnels because in a few generations the Earth's surface may become inhabitable. However in the light of whole discussion the simpler life will be the best one for humans. Introduction The modern era of the 21st century has been facing the challenge of controlling pollution. The fundamental reason for environmental degradation is believed to be growing number of green-house gases in the atmosphere. These lethal gases are however the byproducts of state of the art production technologies. The humanity has abandoned natural way of living and initiated to use vehicles and factories for transportation and production respectively. Yet aforementioned technological interventions are the most noted sources of pollution. The increasing pollution is also considered as one the most significant causes of degrading health standards because harmful gases such as carbon monoxide when introduced into the human body can cause lung cancer and other respiratory issues (Brunekreef, Janssen, Hartog, Harssema, Knape, & Vliet, 1997). These gases are also causing the ozone layer to thicken that hinders exhalation of ultraviolet rays. Thus, these gases are contributing significantly towards aggravating the phenomenon of global warming. The sense of environmental bett erment is quite prevalent in developed nations of the world. But less enlightened nations are not largely bothered by the presence and expansion of environmental decay. In recent years nonetheless researchers from underdeveloped countries are emphasizing the notion of policy development in order to control and manage environmental deformation. According to a sensitive calculation, it was found that in the next 150 years the planet Earth will become uninhabitable because of global warming. Moreover the destructive forces are already starting to set in as glaciers are melting and therefore hurricanes and flooding are increasing in all parts of the world. Furthermore the nature of problems identified in the preceding paragraph is international and due to this reason nations are suggested to pool their resources in order to fight the biggest challenge humanity has ever faced. The time is believed to be near when humans will be forced to revert towards simpler existence in order to save their skin. According modern research caves and underground tunnels are significantly immune to the effects of global warming and therefore if everything fails against global warming and pollution then humans may have to take shelter in caves. The typical corporate mindset of profit maximization has played a significant role in enhancing the demon of global warming. In the past and present the businessmen remained concerned with profit that compelled them to harm the natural

Effects Of Offenders And The Community Criminology Essay

Effects Of Offenders And The Community Criminology Essay The use of incarceration as a punitive and rehabilitative approach to crime has been around for centuries. The use of penitentiaries began in the 18th century in England. The British society started a move away from corporal punishment and more towards imprisonment with the hope that it would reform the mind and body (Jackson, 1997). These changes eventually paved the way for the establishment of penitentiaries throughout Europe and onto the United States. Historically, imprisonment was based on the concept of punishing those who wronged society, by inflicting suffering on the body. Today its strives to achieve its basic tenets consisting of punishment, deterrence and rehabilitation. In focusing on the United States, over the past thirty years the country has experienced an unprecedented rise in the use of incarceration. In 1972 there were 330,000 people residing in prisons and jails, today there are 2.1 million (King, Mauer Young, 2005). During this time span, the population rose b y less than 40 percent yet the number of people in prison and jail rose by more than 500 percent. To explain this dramatic change, we must look to factors such as changing crime rates, demographics, cultural shits and politics (King et. al., 2005). Today, there are many conservative, steadfast politicians who bank on getting tough on crime. In this light, we must evaluate whether institutionalization is the best method for diminishing crime and whether those offenders being imprisoned, are being set up for success or for failure, especially in their ability to reintegrate back into society once their time has been served. We must address the fact that these offenders, once imprisoned, encounter serious psychological changes and stigmatizations. The incarceration of an individual affects more than just the individual, but also family, peers and the community. The release of an offender back into society leaves one vulnerable and scared by an ex-con label. Their reintegration back int o society is a critical stage that is dependant on certain vital factors, which contribute to whether one will inevitably lead a continued life of crime or a life of desistance. Is incarceration really a remedy to crime, a so-called deterrent for future criminal activity, or merely a mechanism for labeling someone as a deviant member of society? It is important to assess what is actually known about the impact of imprisonment on crime control and with that in mind we must examine how incarceration rates have increased. The use of incarceration has significantly grown over time and the United States has become by its own creation, an extremely punitive system. The enactment of tougher sentencing rules, restrictive release patterns and the abolition of parole in some states have supported a system based on this concept. Many advocates of the system, including the Department of Justice, support this approach and have stated that tough sentencing means less crime (King et. al., 2005). However, an overview of changes in incarceration and crime in all fifty states revealed that there is no consistent relationship between the two. Crime did not decrease merely because incarceration was increasing (King et. al., 2005). Therefore, incarceration may not be the most effective way to achieve results in crime control. Advocates believe t hat by locking someone up, they can physically no longer commit crime. This concept may very well uphold to be true, but what about after their release from prison? Will they be more susceptible to or away from crime? Introducing someone to a life of incarceration inevitably leads to institutionalization and the effects of prisonization, which can seriously hinder ones adaptation and reintegration process. Institutionalization is a term used to describe the process by which inmates are shaped and transformed by the institutional environment in which they dwell. Sociologist, Irving Goffman described in his book Asylums, that institutions were a place of residence and work where a large number of like-situated individuals, cut off from the wider society for an appreciable period of time, together lead an enclosed, formally administered round of life (King, 2000, p. 2). By this account, we can claim prisons to be a form of institution. Later, the term was also coined prisonization when it occurred in correctional settings (Haney, 2001). The term, often thought pejoratively, expresses the negative psychological effects of imprisonment. Goffman identified five modes for adapting to an institutional life. The first step involved a situational withdrawal, where prisoners begin to minimize their interaction with others. Next, prisoners form antagonistic behavior and refuse to cooperate with staff members and begin to show hostility towards the institution itself. This type of behavior will often result in prisoners being sentenced to the conditions of solitary confinement. Colonization is a step in which involves the prisoner making a transformation to which he or she becomes institutionalized. In this step, prisoners begin to feel that life in prison is more desirable than life outside the prison. Next is the conversion step, which leads prisoners to adopt to the behavior that the guards and facility regard them to be like. The last step in the adaptation mode is the so-called playing it cool segment. In this stage, prisoners stay out of trouble and conform to their surroundings so that when they are released, they ca n have a maximum chance, in the particular circumstances of eventually getting out of prison physically and psychologically undamaged (Haralambos Holborn, 1995 p. 306). Once an offender is confined to an incarcerated life, the prisoner often is forced to undergo a unique set of psychological changes in order to survive the prison experience. Prisoners must undergo serious adaptations and recognize the deprivations and frustrations that come along with a prison life. This is commonly referred to as the pains of imprisonment and most certainly carries certain psychological effects (Haney, 2001). Such psychological symptoms can include dependence on the institutional structure, hyper vigilance, interpersonal distrust, suspicion, emotional over-control, alienation, psychological distancing, social withdrawal, isolation, incorporation of exploitative norms of prison culture, diminished sense of self-worth and personal value and post-traumatic stress reactions to the pains of imprisonment (Haney, 2001). With the rate of incarceration increasing, it also brings about the changes in prison populations. As a result, the size of the U.S. prison population has led to widespread issues in overcrowding. Penologists have described this dilemma by claiming that the U.S. prisons are in crisis and have characterized each new level of overcrowding as unprecedented (Haney, 2001). The United States incarcerates more persons per capita than any other nation in the world. The U.S. rates have consistently been between four and eight times more than those for other nations such as Japan, Netherlands, United Kingdom and Australia (Haney, 2001). This combination of both overcrowding and rapid expansion of prison systems adversely affects the living conditions in these prisons. Overcrowding leads to jeopardized prisoner safety, compromised prison management, and limited prisoner access to meaningful programming. The rehabilitative process is in effect significantly hindered. Many sociologists, psychologists and psychiatrists, have studied the process of prisonization extensively and all agree that the process involves a unique set of psychological adaptations that often occur in varying degrees in response to the extraordinary demands of prison life (Haney, 2001). A prisoner must incorporate the norms of prison life into their habits of thinking, feeling, and acting. However, given todays expansion and overcrowding of prisons, this is a demanding and dangerous process. The prison environment is not a friendly one and many soft criminals leave prison as hardened criminals. Prison life can consist of many negative attributes, which affect a prisoners ability to rehabilitate. The more overcrowding in prisons, the less access to rehabilitation, which therefore leads to higher reconvictions rates (Hanks, 2008). The presence of gangs and violence within prisons, along with the feelings of anger, depression, rage and sadness all accompany incarcerated individua ls. Prisons are often the scenes of brutality, violence and stress to the point where many prisoners are concerned for their own safety. The increase in sentence lengths for prisoners also results in prisoners experiencing higher levels of psychological strains of imprisonment due to the longer periods of incarceration time. The psychological isolation of prison from ones community, the lack of prison visitation programs and the already scarce resources that have been used to maintain ties between prisoners and their families and the outside world, seriously affect the prisoners chances for survival and rehabilitation (Haney, 2001). Juveniles are especially more prone to the effects of prisonization. An example of such transformation is the case of Boston Billy. Billy spent half his life in prisons and jails and claimed that these institutions were horrible places that toughened up people up to a point that you dont care (Bhati Piquero, 2008). Once the institutionalization phase has been completed, the prisoner must eventually undergo their reintegration back into society. Facilitating the transition from prison back to the free world is a very delicate and critical stage. There are many stigmatizing aspects of incarceration, which may result in a prisoners inability to successfully make the transition. Prisons are aimed to essentially cure criminals of crime so they can be fit to reenter society, however, this concept may not be so encouraging. Studies show that whether a prison releasee will reoffend once back in society depends on their life trajectory and life course post prison life. Certain factors contribute to the indication of whether they will have a successful readjustment. However, the stigma of a deviant past and life in prison never leaves their mind. We live in a society that unfortunately judges those for doing time and often society is the culprit to the basis of their reoffending and self-fulfilling proph ecy to remain deviant. PRISON ISSUES Prisons have traditionally been coined schools of crime. The prison experience helps to build up resentment, expose prisoners to many skilled offenders who help to teach them many tricks of the trade. Many inmates will often go into prison as petty, nonviolent offenders who are released back into society as now serious, violent offenders. It is customary to state that two-thirds of all released prisoners will be back in prison again within three years of their release (Stevens, 2004). Since prison life is comprised of its own structure and institutional rules, a form of governing amongst this institution will exist. There are at least four sets of codes, or rules, that govern prison life: (1) the official administrative rules and regulations; (2) the convict code; (3) the color line; and (4) gang membership rules (Stevens, 2004). The official rules are the basic tenets of acceptable and unacceptable behaviors and rules. The convict code is an idealized description of how the perfect convict should behave. The color line is rather an invisible code, which one instantly becomes aware of when certain racial groups appear to be dominating or in control. Race tends to be a factor in many prison issues such as the determination of friendships, cell assignments and cell locations. This process is sometimes referred to as balkanization (Stevens, 2004). Gang codes also dominate some prison lives and tend to be underground outlines for criminal enterprises. Similar to Goffmans theory on institutionalization, Wheeler (1961), found that inmate commitment to prison society followed a U-shaped curve. When an inmate first enters the prison, they enter so still being committed to the rules of conventional society, however as time passes, their misbehavior increases. This misbehavior begins to reflect a commitment to inmate codes. As their release from prison is encroaching, they begin to renew a commitment to the values of the outside world. This can be viewed in a positive light because it signifies that most inmates orient themselves for law-abiding behavior shortly before they are released (Stevens, 2004). However, there remains no assurance in knowing that a released prisoner will avoid continuing a life of crime. LABELING THEORY IN CORRELATION TO INSTITUTIONALIZATION Labeling theorists argue that the state is to blame for anchoring people in their criminal careers. Prisons are not the answers to solving our crime problems and they are in fact, dangerously criminogenic. There is a significant societal reaction towards offenders and when they are treated like such, there lies the unanticipated consequence of creating the very behavior we seek to prevent. Society makes assumptions about offenders and sees them as people with poor character who will most likely recidivate. This public scrutiny can either shame the offender into conformity or push them into crime because they see no other means to overcoming their label. Chiricos, Barrick, Bales and Bontrager (2007) conducted a study on the fate of convicted felons facing probation. In support of labeling theory, Chiricos et. al. concluded that, being adjudicated a felon significantly and substantially increases the likelihood of recidivism in comparison with those who have had adjudication withheld ( Cullen, Lilly Ball, 2011, p. 151). Further research on the effects of imprisonment has been conducted by criminologists in which have also supported labeling theory. Three general conclusions have been resulted which claim that a custodial sanction has either a null effect or criminogenic effect, the longer the time spent in prison leads to a higher likelihood of recidivism and lastly, the harsher the prisoner living conditions, the higher the likelihood of reoffending (Cullen et. al., 2011). A meta analysis of 50 studies analyzed the effect of prison sentences on recidivism and found that longer prison sentences were associated with higher recidivism rates for both high and low risk offenders. It was also reported that lengthy exposure to the harsh conditions of prison life and the institutionalization resulting from that living, has both short and long term effects on an individuals ability to readjust to life outside prison (Visher Travis, 2003). It is important to realize that there are collateral effects of incarceration and the reentry process is fundamentally a dynamic, social process. The public stigma attached to an ex-convict status seriously affects the reintegration process. We can deduce that prisons may in fact be doing more harm than good. REINTERGRATION AND POSTRELEASE Recidivism is directly affected by post prison reintegration and adjustment. This is in turn, dependent upon four sets of factors: personal and situational characteristics, social environment of peers, family, community and state-level policies (Visher et. al., 2003). Understanding an individuals pathway to reintegration and the various support systems necessary, both privately and governmentally are crucial to a successful integration. Reconnecting with the institutions of society is a goal and a process in which a released offender must consistently work through and one to which policymakers need to take attention to. In 1994, the Bureau of Justice Statistics conducted the largest study of its kind when it examined criminal recidivism using a sample of 300,000 prisoners released in 15 states. The study found that 67.5 percent of prisoners were arrested for a new offense within three years and 51.8 percent were back in prison for committing a new offense or violating their parole. T hese percentages demand for progress in the reintegration process. In 2002, the federal government awarded $100 million dollars to the states in order to help develop more effective reentry programs for those released from prisons (Visher et. al., 2003). Similar to the social bond theory, the process of reintegration is dependant upon a prisoners attachment and bonds to society. Strong ties between prisoners and their families have the strongest positive impact on their post release success. A commitment to family roles is imperative to avoiding a life of crime. Rejoining the labor market and ensuring stable and consistent employment is also crucial in the process and often this element is diminished for prisoners who have dismal job prospects given that they have learned few marketable job skills while institutionalized. These offenders will often find difficulty in finding a job while being labeled as an ex-convict (Cullen et. al., 2011). The stigma of a criminal record is a significant barrier in the search for employment. Watts Nightingale (1996) reported that as many as 60% of ex-offenders are not employed within one year after their release and this figure is partly due to the limited availability of felon-friendly employers ( Counsel on Crime and Justice, 2006). Laub and Sampson found that incarceration as a juvenile had a negative effect on later job stability, which was also negatively related to ones continued involvement in crime over the course of their life (Bahr, Armstrong, Gibbs, Harris Fisher, 2005). Many offenders will leave jail feeling unprepared for their release and face obstacles in their way towards becoming a healthy and productive member of their communities. In a focus group study of women and men, researchers found that substance abuse, employment, and housing were the most significant factors that facilitated or blocked successful reintegration into communities (Weiss, Hawkins, Despinos, 2010). Leaving a highly structured environment like a prison for an unstructured society leaves many decisions and responsibility for an individual to consider. Post release is a highly vulnerable time for ex-convicts and their susceptibility to negativity is very probable. COLLATERAL EFFECTS OF IMPRISONMENT Recently, the effects of imprisonment on families and communities have been becoming a focus of research for some. Hundreds of thousands of prisoners return to their communities annually and therefore, the reentry process has become an increasing interest. The extents of the consequences that result from mass incarceration often go beyond just the individual offender but also onto their families and their communities. Research has indicated that due to the rise in incarceration rates, there has also been an increase in broken homes and disenfranchised communities (Counsel on Crime and Justice, 2006). The Counsel on Crime and Justice introduced the existence of the concept of collateral effects which refers to the unintended negative consequences that result from an offenders conviction and incarceration. Incarceration effects more than just the one being locked away and the costs of imprisonment are paid both directly and indirectly on many levels. Imprisonment can directly negatively affect the offenders family and children and can include personal, social, financial, emotional, psychological, and physical concerns. Social and economic structures of communities are also affected. Researchers will also argue that the removal of offenders from communities does harm, especially in communities of color (Counsel on Crime and Justice, 2006). Incarceration can also be conceptualized as a form of coerced mobility. Coerced mobility is a practice that takes large numbers of males out of inner-city communities for prolonged absences (Cullen et. al., 2011). While it would be appropriate to suggest that offenders are liabilities in their communities, theorists also suggest that they are also assets to the community in the sense that they are members of their own social networks as well as income providers. Therefore, the elimination of these offenders from communities will also result in social disorganization and weak economic development. THE CREATION OF AN AT-RISK POPULATION Many people tend to forget the fact that imprisonment affects more than just the individual being imprisoned. Incapacitation can be contagious and unintentionally creates an at-risk population for some. For example, today there are an increasing number of children with incarcerated parents. It is estimated that 1.5 to 2 million children are affected nationwide by incarcerated parents (Miller, 2006). There is evidence to suggest that these children are responding negatively to being separated from their parent. A child with an incarcerated parent is often left feeling depressed and sad which leads to externalizing behaviors that may include aggression and delinquent activity. Approximately 50% of youths in the correctional system have a parent in the adult correctional system. Children with parents in prison are 5 to 6 times more at-risk to become involved in the criminal justice system, however the short and long-term effects of this phenomenon are difficult to accurately quantify (M iller, 2006). We can therefore observe that in this aspect, prisons are causing more harm than good by creating a repercussion factor. More crimes are essentially being committed or going to be committed as a result of someone being taken out of the community, especially in the case of a person who had family bonds tying them to the community. Children and youth are impressionable and vulnerable beings who are learning by example. The reality of incarceration in their home life is a life-altering experience, which can often set the course or direction for their own path towards criminal behavior. LIFE COURSE PERSPECTIVE VERSUS DETERRENT THEORY There is much research on why people commit crime, but much less research about why people who have committed criminal acts choose to desist from crime. In reviewing the post release life of offenders, the theory to focus on is life course perspective. Refraining from crime depends on ones local life circumstances. There are certain transitions that can help to increase social bonds and may help to alter a criminal trajectory. Bahr et. al (2005) explored the entry process by interviewing 51 parolees three times, over a period of three months from their release from prison. Of the 51 parolees, 10 were reincarcerated within six months after their release from crime. The findings suggest that overall, a network of family relationships is important in making the transition from prison life to community life. The extent of ones family bonds helps to change the criminal trajectories of parolees. The quality of the parent-child bond also significantly influenced the likelihood of a parolee returning to prison. While there have been established links between incapacitation and crime on a negative standpoint, there are also findings that support incarceration as a deterrent. Incarceration can influence criminal careers based on two strands of criminological theory, those that focus on the role of punishment and that which focuses on the relationship between past and future criminal activity (Bhati et. al., 2008). A key policy question in criminology is whether incarceration serves as a deterrent, criminogenic or null effect on subsequent criminal activity. Given that a lack of research exists in this area, Bhati et. al. (2008) conducted a study on this topic by developing micro-trajectories using information from past arrest patterns. The date used in this research came from a larger study on recidivism of prisoners released in 1994, which was collected by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. A total sample of 32,628 persons was studied across 15 states. The findings reported that 96 percent of the releasees were either deterred from future offending or merely incapacitated by their incarceration. A small percentage consisting of 4 percent of the releasees exhibited a criminogenic effect. This study is not consistent with the labeling theory hypothesis but instead is more in favor of deterrence-based theories. However, this data also raised the question of generalizibility as it only consists of data on 15 states in a country of 50. DISCUSSION In review of the literature on institutionalization, incarceration and its effect on crime, we can conclude that there is significant evidence linking incarceration with crime. While researchers have struggled to accurately quantify the degree to which crime reduction is attributable to imprisonment, the truth remains that prisons may actually be doing more harm than good. The effect of incarceration on subsequent criminal activity at the individual level is still far from being recognized and further research on the area is needed. However, we can recognize that the incarceration experience as a form of punishment tends to have varied effects on offenders. For some it may operate as a deterrent, others as a criminogenic factor and for some irrelevant either way. It is sad to realize that in our society, one single deviant event can be enough to stigmatize a person indefinitely as an offender or as a deviant person. Some offenders leave prison and make the case that they have permane ntly changed and are reformed, new people. Unfortunately, there is a negative bias with this, and labeling theorists will agree that regardless of whatever reformation is claimed, the deviant stigma will continue to exist. For some, ones past behavior is the best predictor of their future behavior. Researchers can support this by finding that well over half of ex-prisoners are returned to prison within 3 years of their release. In todays world it is much easier to establish oneself as deviant, than it is to establish ones credentials as a reformed person. As a result of labeling theory, many members of society are unwilling to take a chance on a once incarcerated individual who appears to be trying to make positive steps forward. These obstacles only hinder an offenders chance for effective survival and reintegration into society. Incapacitation strategies seek to reduce crime and do so in some ways. It is true that incarcerated offenders are prevented by incapacitation from committing further crimes, but at what cost to themselves and to society. Incapacitation strategies take a slice out of an individuals career, but whos to tell that that career will cease once they are back in the free world. The United States currently has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world with over two million people under the jurisdiction of correctional authorities (Weiss et al., 2010). The majority of this rate can be blamed on the get tough on crime movement and the nations continued war on drugs. In comparison to other industrialized nations, these rates are five to eight times higher and have risen significantly over the last thirty years (Weiss et al., 2010). The criminal justice systems use of correctional facilities to punish those members of society who violate laws and commit crimes is a method based on the concept of deterrence. The idea of becoming institutionalized and taken out of society for a period of time is suppose to make an individual recognize his/her bad behavior to the point to where he/she will no longer behave in such a way for fear of becoming institutionalized again. At the same time, society can be at peace knowing that that person is no longer a current threat to society. However, the stages involved in this transition involve many negative aspects, which question its intended function. The process of institutionalization and becoming prisonized is a traumatic event filled with psychological changes that in some cases never heal or reshape themselves. Institutionalization desensitizes offenders and creates hardened criminals, the very thing it seeks to prevent. During prisonization, physical and psychological trans formations occur which negatively changes an individual, but are however, necessary in order for an individual to survive the entirety of the experience. During the time in which an offender is incarcerated, those close to him such as his family and community may be suffering as a result of this imprisonment. An offender with children loses the ability to bond with their child and as a result, the child faces the risk of becoming scared from the experience. This detachment from a parent can result in negative forms of behavior and delinquency and as research has demonstrated, children with incarcerated parents have a much higher risk for getting involved in correctional settings themselves. In this respect, imprisonment promotes crime. The community also suffers greatly when those are taken out of it. People are assets to a community in the sense that they are members of the social networks and everyone, a possible income provider. The elimination of offenders from communities results in social disorganization and weak economic development. When there is a weak economic and social disorganization, a breeding place for crime will persi st. Prison life is another world, one that often does not make ease for a smooth transition back to reality. Research has shown that the stage of reintegration back into society once being institutionalized, is a very critical stage and to which is dependant on several factors. The life course perspective focuses on the steps necessary in ones life to avoid a criminal trajectory. A combination of life course theory and social bond theory creates a medium to which explains the elements necessary for a successful reintegrated life, void of crime. Family bonds, especially that of child-parent bonds, are extremely important in the reintegration process. Socialization with positive peers and consistent and steady employment are also crucial to the process. A lack of one or more of these bonds creates an opportunity to allow for crime to justify means. In this process, an offender is also combating stigmatization. In accordance with labeling theory, ex-convicts have a difficult time in their r eintegration period due to the stigma that is placed upon them. For some, this presents a hardship that is often impossible to defeat and some offenders will often give into their label and become self-fulfilling prophecies. Labeling theory appears to be a valid effect of institutionalization as research has shown that as many as half of the offenders released from prison will return within three years of their release. This evidence can support labeling theory as an obstacle in the way of successful reintegration and deterrence from recidivism. As we move towards an era highly focused on a punitive system of justice versus a rehabilitative approach, policy makers need to assess whether prison systems are really the answer to obtaining intended objectives. Incarceration is increasing at an all time record yet crime is not decreasing at an all time record. There are too many strings attached with the process of incarceration, and many of these strings lead to the realization that in the overall scheme of things, prison does more harm than good. Research accurately quantifying this finding needs to further be evaluated and discussed, but there is a consistent finding within this review, which significantly addresses the issues associated with the effects of institutionalization and its negative impact on the offender and society as a whole.

Free College Admissions Essays: My Experience :: College Admissions Essays

College Admissions : My experience To whom that cares!!! At this moment when I am sitting down here writing this, I suddenly think of this time last year when I was fresh out of high school, hearing about Berea for the first time. I sent my application to Berea with lots of confidence and hope, and I knew I was not accepted. College to me, as much as to many others, is so important. At the time I heard the news of my being denied, I was disappointed, but soon I realized that my failure was just among the many challenges that anybody has to face during their lifetime. Further more, I happened to know, later on, about the two other Vietnamese who were accepted. Having known that hardly ever more than one student from each country is accepted to Berea, I was so proud to know that the ability of Vietnamese students has been recognized and that, despite of the fact that our country still faces many difficulties, the students have been trying to reach high goals. In Vietnamese proverbs, we have this saying :" A day one goes, a sea of knowledge he earns". By this time, I have realized how true it is. Last year, I was an exchange student in a high school in Mississippi. That was the first time I went overseas. Although, before this trip, I was quite used to living independently because I had to live without my mom for almost 7 years during the time she went to work in Poland. However, my first trip abroad was something totally new and different. A very different country and her people first met me. I gradually got used to everything and felt that those adaptations I had made also came with growth in my maturity. When mentioning about maturity, I am quite sure about what I am talking. Obviously, I still am a long way from being an adult who has gone through enough hardships in life to have the right to judgment on life. However, I believe that the ten months I was away from my homeland, from my family, I now look at my life and future with a very serious and subjective point of view. If I had not been in the U.S, I would never have known of an eventful U.S senior year in high school, and the people, the lifestyle there. Free College Admissions Essays: My Experience :: College Admissions Essays College Admissions : My experience To whom that cares!!! At this moment when I am sitting down here writing this, I suddenly think of this time last year when I was fresh out of high school, hearing about Berea for the first time. I sent my application to Berea with lots of confidence and hope, and I knew I was not accepted. College to me, as much as to many others, is so important. At the time I heard the news of my being denied, I was disappointed, but soon I realized that my failure was just among the many challenges that anybody has to face during their lifetime. Further more, I happened to know, later on, about the two other Vietnamese who were accepted. Having known that hardly ever more than one student from each country is accepted to Berea, I was so proud to know that the ability of Vietnamese students has been recognized and that, despite of the fact that our country still faces many difficulties, the students have been trying to reach high goals. In Vietnamese proverbs, we have this saying :" A day one goes, a sea of knowledge he earns". By this time, I have realized how true it is. Last year, I was an exchange student in a high school in Mississippi. That was the first time I went overseas. Although, before this trip, I was quite used to living independently because I had to live without my mom for almost 7 years during the time she went to work in Poland. However, my first trip abroad was something totally new and different. A very different country and her people first met me. I gradually got used to everything and felt that those adaptations I had made also came with growth in my maturity. When mentioning about maturity, I am quite sure about what I am talking. Obviously, I still am a long way from being an adult who has gone through enough hardships in life to have the right to judgment on life. However, I believe that the ten months I was away from my homeland, from my family, I now look at my life and future with a very serious and subjective point of view. If I had not been in the U.S, I would never have known of an eventful U.S senior year in high school, and the people, the lifestyle there.