Poorhouses in California Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Poorhouses in California - Essay Example Prior to reviewing the history and functioning of California’s poorhouses, the actual cause that led to the establishment of such facilities should be examined. In the earlier days, prior to the formation of poorhouses, paupers and destitute people within a community were cared for by providing relief through a caretaker and auctioning or contracting them with those who require their support or work (History of 19th Century American Poorhouses, n.d.). While is not clear as to when such poorhouses actually came into existence, a political code instituted in the year 1982 included a provision of care for the destitute and sick population within the country. This led to the establishment of several poorhouses within the country which were mostly tax-supported residential institutions. However, by the 19th century the United States adopted the system of Poorhouse establishment from England. This was seen as a more efficient and less expensive method to provide relief to paupers an d destitute in the country. Hence several such houses were created with the hope that housing paupers in institutions would provide an opportunity to reform their character or habits and help them overcome poverty and homelessness (History of the 19th Century American Poorhouses, n.d.). It was quite a challenge to collect information pertaining to the origins of poorhouses in California as by the time these institutions were established, it was politically incorrect to refer to these facilities with names that seemed derogatory. During the years 1930 and 1940, the Work Projects Administration (WPA) began an inventory process of the County Archives of several states. As early as 1850, the legislature made a provision that the Court of Sessions which later became the Board of Supervisors, should take care of the county welfare and provide all the

University Entrance Examination Essay Example for Free

University Entrance Examination Essay An entrance examination is an exam that applicants must pass with great scores for access to an institution of higher education as universities. The entrance exam to enter a college must be mandatory for all people who are interested in pursuing a career and vocational training for several reasons. First of all, the exam helps to measure and evaluate the level of intelligence, ability and knowledge of every applicant for example, young people or graduates from various schools in the country. In fact, all applicants are able to perform this test. Second, the student who really wants to go to a specific college or wants to study a specific career should strive and work hard to achieve his/her purpose. However, entrance examinations differ depending on the university. Some universities only evaluate logical reasoning and reading skills and others evaluate the knowledge in physics, chemistry, mathematics, English and many other branches. Finally, schools prepare their students to be trained to develop the examination required by SENESCYT in Ecuador to achieve a quality higher education, that is a reason why the classes that students take in high school are essential such as the average grades as well as the entrance examinations results because they play an important role in the college admission process. To conclude, an entrance exam opens the doors to all kinds of students who are willing to overcome and it motives them to learn harder to fulfill their wish and achieve future success but depends on them whether they approve the exam or not. Number of words: 255

Death Comes for the Archbishop: Not a Novel :: Death Comes for the Archbishop

Death Comes for the Archbishop: Not a Novel If someone felt compelled to classify Death Comes for the Archbishop as a type of novel, the most likely candidate would be a regional novel. Clearly, the setting and local color of this work make the region a critical component. However, before classifying the work as a type of novel, it must be determined whether it is a novel or, as Miss Cather has asserted, a narrative. Based on the structure and content of the book, it does not meet the classical definitions of novel and plot, so would lend itself more accurately to Miss Cather's classification. The simplified definition of novel given in A Handbook to Literature is "an extended fictional PROSE narrative" (335). By this definition, Cather's book would qualify as a novel. But there is a great deal more to a novel than this definition implies. The handbook expands by stating: "some organizing principle-PLOT, THEME, or idea-should be present in a . . . a novel" (335). Cather's book has an idea - to illustrate the historical, regional and cultural context in which two European priests perform missionary work in the desert of the American Southwest in the last half of the nineteenth century. This idea does not constitute a plot. Aristotle maintained that a plot should create a whole with "the structural union of the parts being such that, if any one of them is displaced or removed, the whole will be disjointed and disturbed" (Holman/Harmon 377). The structure of Death Comes for the Archbishop is made up of a series of episodes consisting of the experiences of two missionary priests, and legends of the region, such as Our Lady of Guadalupe. Would the whole become "disjointed or disturbed" if some of the stories or legends were removed or rearranged? No. The work would lose some of its richness, but the whole would not become incomprehensible. I believe Willa Cather perceived this work as a narrative rather than a novel because it lacked what is traditionally considered a plot. The work's narrative form is reminiscent of a journal, and had it been written in the first person instead of third, it probably would have been classified as a journal narrative rather than a novel.

Gene Therapy :: essays papers

Gene Therapy Gene therapy offers a new treatment paradigm for curing human disease. Rather than altering the disease phenotype by using agents who interact with gene products, or are themselves gene products, gene therapy can theoretically modify specific genes resulting in disease cure following a single administration. Initially gene therapy was envisioned for the treatment of genetic disorders, but is currently being studied in a wide range of diseases, including cancer, peripheral vascular disease, arthritis, neurodegenerative disorders and other acquired diseases. Even though the range of gene therapy strategies is quite diverse, certain key elements are required for a successful gene therapy strategy (i.e. cloning). The most elementary of these is that the relevant gene must be identified and cloned. Upon completion of the Human Genome Project, gene availability will be unlimited, but until then the starting point for any gene therapy strategy remains gene identification and cloning for relevant genes related to the disease. Once the gene has been identified and cloned, the next consideration must be expression. Questions pertaining to the efficiency of gene transfer and gene expression remain at the forefront of gene therapy research. Currently many debates in the field of gene therapy revolves around the transfer of desired genes to appropriate cells, and then obtaining sufficient levels of expression for disease treatment. Hopefully, future research on gene transfer and tissue-specific gene expression will resolve these issues in the majority of gene therapy protocols. Other important considerations for a gene therapy strategy include a sufficient understanding of the pathogenesis of the targeted disorder, potential side effects of the gene therapy treatment, and understanding of the target cells to receive the gene therapy. Gene transfer vector is the mechanism by which the gene is transferred into a cell. Currently there are at least 150 clinical gene therapy protocols worldwide. Since the approval process for these protocols is not as public outside the U.S., it is difficult to obtain an exact number of worldwide protocols. Of the publicized protocols, 125 are approved in the United States, 48 in Europe and at least 1 each in China and Japan. As of 31 December 1995, 1024 patients had been treated in either a gene transfer or gene therapy protocol. Much controversy exists regarding how many of these have benefited from their gene therapy, and no one has yet been cured. Public controversy in the field of human gene therapy is driven by several factors. Ordinary citizens as well as scientists easily understand the enormous potential of gene therapy, but the former may not appreciate all the pitfalls and uncertainly that lies in the immediate future. The financial interests of biotechnology firms and,

Comparison of English and Macedonian Adjectives

COMPARISON OF ENGLISH AND MACEDONIAN ADJECTIVES An adjective modifies a noun. It describes the quality, state or action that a noun refers to. Macedonian Adjectives are words that describe or modify another person or thing in the sentence. While in English an adjective doesn’t change when the noun changes, in Macedonian an adjective should agree in gender and number with the noun.For example: a) Masculine to feminine example: ? (this is my little son) becomes: ? (this is my little daughter) As you can see from the example above, the adjective comes before the noun and also takes the feminine form. ) Singular to plural example: ? (this is my white cat) becomes: . (these are my white cats). As you can see from the example above, the adjective comes before the noun and also takes the plural form.The most common suffixes added on the adverbs are: -For masculine gender: -/ (none) ex: (small boat) -For feminine gender: – a ex: (small house) -For neuter gender: – o ex: (small child) -For plural: – ? ex: (small toys) Here are some examples: English AdjectivesMacedonian Adjectives green tree- a tall building- a very old man – the old red house- a very nice friend – In Macedonian, Adjectives agree with nouns in gender, definiteness, and number, and they usually stay before the noun in a sentence. The comparative and the superlative form are formed analytically adding - (po-) for comparative, and - (naj-) for superlative, to the basic adjective form. If there are more than one adjectives before the noun, all of them agree in gender and number with the noun, but only the first adjective 1 et the definite articles morphemes, and the other adjectives keep their basic form. Adjectives in Macedonian usually have these endings: masculine adjectives – ending on consonant, on - (-ski), -/- (-ov/-ev) etc. ; , , †¦ feminine adjectives are formed by adding -a to the masuciline form (consona nt+a, or -ska, -eva, -ova etc. ); , , †¦ neuter adjectives are formed by adding -o to the masuciline form (consonant+o, or -sko, -evo, -ovo etc. ; , , †¦ plural form is same for all three genders and is formed by adding -? (-i) to the masculine form (consonant+i, -ski, ovi, evi etc. ) – , , †¦ – You can notice that the plural form of the adjectives ending on -ski is same as the masuline singular form. Adjectives agree with nouns in gender, number and definiteness with their noun and usually appear before it. Adjectives have three degrees of comparison ( , stepenuvanje na pridavki) – positive, comparative and superlative.The positive form is identical to all the aforementioned forms. The other two are formed regularly, by prepending the particle and the word directly before the positive to form the comparative and superlative, respectively, regardless of its comprising one or two words. Positive Comparative Superlative (heavy) (heavier) (heavi est) (long) (longer) (longest) Macedonian only has one adjective that has an irregular comparative – .PositiveComparativeSuperlative (a lot) (more) (the most) Adjective types: – Possessive Adjectives – his, her, its, my, our, their, and your (Whose) -Demonstrative Adjectives – that, these, this, those, and what (Which? ) -Interrogative Adjectives – used to ask questions – examples: what, which and whose. 2 -Indefinite Adjectives – some common indefinite adjectives are all, any, each, every, few, many, and some. English adjectives are used in only one form: they do not distinguish gender, number or case.English adjectives are used in 2 positions: Attributively (before nouns) ex. They bought a beautiful house. Predicatively (after nouns) ex. Their house is beautiful. AS + ADJECTIVE + AS – to compare people, places, events or things, when there is no difference, use as + adjective + as ex:Moscow is as cold as St. Petersburg i n the winter. NOT AS + ADJECTIVE + AS Difference can also be shown by using not so/as †¦ s ex:Mont Blanc is not as high as Mount Everest. COMPARATIVE + THAN To compare the difference between two people, things or events. ex: Mt. Everest is higher than Mt. Blanc. THE + SUPERLATIVE It shows which thing has that quality above or below the level of the others. There must be three or more to use the superlative. x:Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. Form the comparative and superlative forms of a one-syllable adjective by adding –er for the comparative form and –est for the superlative. ex:Max is older than John. If the one-syllable adjective ends with a single consonant with a vowel before it, double the consonant. ex:big bigger biggest With some common two-syllable adjectives we can either add ‘-er’ and ‘-est’, or use ‘more’ and ‘most’. x:common cruel gentle handsome likely,narrow pleasant polite simple stupid†¦.. Note that ‘clever’ and ‘quiet’ only add ‘-er’ and ‘-est’. It was quieter outside. We use ‘more’ for the comparative and ‘most for the superlative of most two syllabic and all longer adjectives. ex:Be more careful next timeA few common adjectives and adverbs have irregular comparative and superlative forms. goodbetterbest bad-worse-worst near-nearer-nearest -16654 old-older-oldest(elder-eldest) 3

Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson - A discussion of some literary techniques used in the novel.

Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson - A discussion of some literary techniques used in the novel. The novel "Snow falling on cedars" by David Guterson is an excellent literary example wherein the author has made use of several literary techniques. These techniques have been effectively placed throughout the novel and help in moving the story forward. Even more importantly, the literary devices used by the author complement the various themes in the novel, like the discrimination in society and the internal war of the two war veterans - Kabuo Miyamoto and Ishmael Chambers. The three main literary techniques and devices that are worthy of discussion are the use of motifs, symbolism and allegory. These techniques have been used intelligently by Guterson and there are several instances of the same throughout the course of the novel. Let's discuss them one at a time.A motif is a literary technique that is used in a lot of literary works and is very important to novels. A motif is a technique wherein in specific words or phrases reappear several times in the text and help complement th e central themes of the novel.Ismael, or IshmaelThis is very much like the theme, but the difference being that the theme is a statement whereas motifs can be words or phrases used to represent objects or specific incidents from the novel.In "Snow Falling on cedars", the storm is one such motif that affects the understanding of various aspects of the novel, like the characters, the society and the courtroom. The rainstorm was what made Ishmael and Hatsue meet inside the hollow cedar for the first time as lovers, when "[Ishmael] saw that Hatsue was ... no matter how long he lived."(Guterson 110-112). The storm affected the Japanese-Americans at the concentration camps and Ishmael and other soldiers during the battle which cost Ishmael his arm . The storm is actually shown to...

Free Essays on Love Versus Money

Love versus money. People meet each other, fall in love with each other and than marry. This chain of events used to be true some time ago. Meanwhile nowadays other possible reason for marriage like money appears. So the dilemma of whether to marry for money or not appears in the life of almost every young person. For me it is absolutely clear that marriage for love is better. First reason for that is psychological and physical health. When people are in love they understand themselves convenient with each other. If person knows that someone cares about misses him/her even after several hours break it makes that person feel himself calm. So, such human being experiences fewer stresses what positively effects as psychological as physical health. Second reason for marriage for love is degradation of personality. It is clear that only people with bad financial situation marry for money. After such marriage is completed that person’s self-esteem probably might be decreasing every day. The attitude of friends and family members can also be changed. Humiliation from the partner is also usual in such cases. In sum all these factors can lead to the degradation of person who marries for money. That is why it is more advantageous to marry for love. The third argument for love marriage is the destiny of future children. It is proven that children’s characters are formed on observation of parents’ behavior. In the family where parents love each other and as a result behave themselves properly according to the commonly accepted standards children usually feel themselves convenient and grow into normally developed personalities. Kids who do not see the love between their parents think that it is normal way of behavior and their further attitude to the opposite sex is different. In conclusion I can say that marriage for love is much better than one for money because it leads physical and psychological health, does not lead to degradation of... Free Essays on Love Versus Money Free Essays on Love Versus Money Love versus money. People meet each other, fall in love with each other and than marry. This chain of events used to be true some time ago. Meanwhile nowadays other possible reason for marriage like money appears. So the dilemma of whether to marry for money or not appears in the life of almost every young person. For me it is absolutely clear that marriage for love is better. First reason for that is psychological and physical health. When people are in love they understand themselves convenient with each other. If person knows that someone cares about misses him/her even after several hours break it makes that person feel himself calm. So, such human being experiences fewer stresses what positively effects as psychological as physical health. Second reason for marriage for love is degradation of personality. It is clear that only people with bad financial situation marry for money. After such marriage is completed that person’s self-esteem probably might be decreasing every day. The attitude of friends and family members can also be changed. Humiliation from the partner is also usual in such cases. In sum all these factors can lead to the degradation of person who marries for money. That is why it is more advantageous to marry for love. The third argument for love marriage is the destiny of future children. It is proven that children’s characters are formed on observation of parents’ behavior. In the family where parents love each other and as a result behave themselves properly according to the commonly accepted standards children usually feel themselves convenient and grow into normally developed personalities. Kids who do not see the love between their parents think that it is normal way of behavior and their further attitude to the opposite sex is different. In conclusion I can say that marriage for love is much better than one for money because it leads physical and psychological health, does not lead to degradation of...

Essay on Gema Rodriguez Internet Addiction 1

Essay on Gema Rodriguez Internet Addiction 1 Essay on Gema Rodriguez Internet Addiction 1 Gema Rodriguez Composition-6 Problem/Solution Essay 5/1/15 Internet Addiction Over the years the internet has been changing the way people live their lives daily. Technology has been upgrading the internet so that people can have easy access to it. The internet is becoming an addiction just like alcohol and it is growing more and more as each year goes by. People are getting disconnected to their surroundings because they are using the internet almost every minute of the day. Even though the internet is starting to be an addiction for some people, there are some solutions to stop the addiction before or after it begins. Some solutions may be to set rules, reduce where we get access to the internet, and provide therapy for people who are already addicted to the internet. Internet addiction has gotten out of control for many users all over the world. Families gather around the dinner table with electronic devices and do not engage in conversations with each other. Whenever people go out with their friends they are too busy checking their Twitt er, Instagram, and Facebook to pay attention to what is going around them. As Bilton says, we are becoming a dystopian society where people ignore each other as they stare at their phones every second of the day. Not only are electronic devices affecting us when we eat but they also take part in our jobs. People are always trying to make jobs easier and quicker to gain customer satisfaction and spend less money on their products. Electronics have become free money making devices for companies that require employees to work outside of the job by answering e-mails or other questions that people can access on their electronic device. Laura Petrecca also brings up a good point questioning if constant access to the internet comes at a cost: never clocking out. As companies discovered that they could get people to work from their electronic devices they also thought it did not require them to pay the employee. When people go home and â€Å"get off† of work to rest they really do no t stop working if they still have to take care of business on electronics. The downside for the employees in a case like this is that the majority of workers who work at home after leaving their job do not get payed for whatever they are doing that is related work. On the bright side some employees may be getting paid for the extra time they are working outside of their work place. Companies could also help stop the internet addiction that is being created by not overworking their employees at home that will require them to use electronic devices. Employers could also prohibit the use of digital devices if it is not required on the job. Not only will employers help reduce internet addiction this way, but their workers will be more focused on their job and it will create a better environment. Workers will be able to communicate with each other without texting; therefore, they will have a decent time at work not discussing everything that is on their cell phones with each other, which may cause problems in the working environment. As technology has been advancing people find it easy to gain access to the internet because it is wireless and found almost everywhere. Restaurants like Mcdonalds provide free use of the internet so that customers will be satisfied and return again. Providing people with free internet only increases the internet addiction because it allows people to use their electronic device without having to pay for it with their own money. The convenience of free internet also draws the attention of people to use the electronic devices for as long as they want because there is not a set time limit. If restaurants, stores, hospitals, and other places that provide free internet were to set a time limit on the usage of each electronic devices it could help reduce the internet addiction that is being created in society today. To help avoid this problem over all places like these could get rid of the free

The Italian-American Interment During World War II Research Paper

The Italian-American Interment During World War II - Research Paper Example The Italian-American Interment During World War II Roosevelt who at first admired the ways of the Italians via his affinity with the soon to be dictator Benito Mussolini, and then decided that the very person he admired was now a threat because of Mussolini's solid partnership with Adolf Hitler under the â€Å"Pact of Steel.† It was this paranoia on the part of Roosevelt that led to acts of Congress in the years of 1935-1939 that allowed for the illegal internment of Italians and eventually, the Germans and Japanese. Examples of this legislative work include the Alien Registration Act of 1940 and the Dangerous Cargo Act. All of the actions which the American government took against the enemy aliens on their land led to the creation of Nazi-like internment camps where Italians were held indefinitely without any charges being filed and their movement limited within the area of their incarceration. Thus, they were not allowed to hold jobs or own any businesses in their community. These inhumanities were but the tip of the iceberg when it came to the atrocities of war against the Italians residing in America without any legal status, though. If one were of Italian descent and living in the United States at that time without the benefit of citizenship, he and his family would most likely end up in an internment camp, regardless of the fact that the Italian Americans were one of the largest immigrant groups in the country at the time. The Italian immigrants were just like any other immigrant family in the United States. They struggled to retain their heritage while doing their best to become a part of the new culture that they chose to involve themselves with. It was these types of people who became the targets as alien threats in America. Mainly because of their adjustment issues, the old time Italians who could not adjust to the American way of life found themselves agreeing with Mussolini in terms of Fascist ideology, which they came to view in terms of a renewed spirit of their homeland that they needed to honor. 2 These sentiments also caused a great divide between the immigrant Italians and their first generation bor n Italian-American offspring who now identified more with the land of their birth in terms of heritage rather than the homeland of their parents. The arrests of the Italians living in America began on December 7, 1941. People arrested were part of the so-called Custodial List of the FBI that Pres. Roosevelt had the agency compile in the event that the United States needed to get involved in the ongoing World War. The list was meant to protect the country from being infiltrated by enemy forces and was set into action through the power of Title 50 of the U.S. Code, based on the 1798 Alien and Sedition Act which allowed for the arrest of â€Å"alien threats† during times of emergency. 3 Such was the perceived threat from the Italian immigrants during this time that the government began a rigorous campaign to quash the Italian heritage of first generation Italian Americans by declaring Italian an enemy language. The slogan for their campaign was â€Å"Don't Speak the Enemy's Lan guage! Speak American!† These posters lined the Italian-American communities during the war time era and saw a rapid decline in the use of Italian in the country since business owners decided not to speak the language in their place of

Individual Presentation( about homeless people) Essay

Individual Presentation( about homeless people) - Essay Example Lack of physical space exposes individuals to unhygienic conditions which can lead to serious health issues. Moreover, the insecurity that the lack of a permanent shelter imparts on an individual causes serious outcomes in terms of his or her psychological well being. When it comes to the case of children these implications are much serious. Homelessness amongst children can lead to serious consequences affecting their growth and their future. It has been found from experiences around the world that homeless children are prone to risks of abuse, child labor, addiction and health issues. Physical and sexual abuse of children who live on streets is a very common incidence being reported all across the world. Forced child labor is also a very sad but common consequence of homelessness amongst children. The plight of these children without homes must be an eye opener for all of us. It must be realized that a shelter is a basic right for every human being. The implications of homelessness have always been proved to be serious. Governments and Human Rights organizations must take serious measures to ensure that every individual has a shelter. Especially, no child must be deprived of a safe shelter. Every measure be taken that the welfare of the homeless is taken care of. It becomes our responsibility as a fellow citizen, as a fellow human being USDHUD. (2007). The Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congres. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Community Planning and Development. Retrieved from http://www.huduser.org/Publications/pdf/ahar.pdf> Bassuk, E.L., et al. (2011). America’s Youngest Outcasts: 2010. The National Center on Family Homelessness. Retrieved from

Discuss the role of the world trade organisation (WTO) in the 21st Essay

Discuss the role of the world trade organisation (WTO) in the 21st century in global trading - Essay Example The world trade organization is a global international body that deals with the rules of trade between countries. It was established in 1995 with the Marrakech agreement, which was signed by 123 countries (Jones, 2015). Its main objective is to provide the framework for negotiation between participating countries during the trade. It also regulated trade rules and regulations between member states to ensure smooth running of trade activities. It is run and managed by its member governments and the members normally make all major decisions as a whole. The member states send their representatives who help in making decisions on behalf of their countries. The representatives of the member states meet after every two years to make major decisions regarding the running of the organization. The ambassadors and delegates of the member states are expected to meet regularly for decision making whenever necessary in Geneva. The world trade organization is managed by the Secretariat, which has skilled experts in all sectors of the economy who assist in the smooth running of sector’s specific tasks (Schefer, 2010). The world trade organization has many roles, objectives, and functions, which make it important in international trade (Ahearn & Fergusson, 2010). The first role of this noble body is to conduct and manage implementation, operation, and administration of the agreements covered in their constitution. The world trade organization is supposed to oversee the formation of trade agreements, their implementation, their administration, and their operation (Sampson, 2005). It also ensures that member states lower their tariffs and remove other barriers that restrict free trade between countries. This helps countries to conduct trade freely without many challenges. The next role played by the world trade organization is to provide forums for business negotiations and settling of disputes between member states (Alexander & Andenà ¦s, 2008). Although

Marketing ExcellenceAmerican Express Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing ExcellenceAmerican Express - Essay Example Diversification and expansion of services offered- in the 1980s, American Express expanded into a variety of financial categories, which included brokerage services, banking and insurance and acquired companies such as Lehman Brothers Kuhn Loeb Inc, and E.F Hutton & Co. American Express has also been able to position itself against competition by forging and riding on partnerships by increasing the number of merchants that accepted its cards adding Walmart and developed new card offerings, including co-branded cards. American Express has also been able to partner with numerous banks such MBNA, Citigroup, UBS, and USAA. American Express has changed over time from its initial traditional business of â€Å"Travelers cheques†, in the 19th century, to charge cards in the 1960s, to a variety of financial services which include brokerage services, banking and insurance in the 1980s, to revolutionary credit cards in the 21st century and presently a variety of different personal cards as well as small business and corporate cards. 2. American Express has been able to integrate its business by expanding in other different businesses such as financial services, brokerage and insurance, in 1980s; American Express acquired a number of other companies such as Lehman Brothers Kuhn Loeb Inc and E.F Hutton & Co. The company has also increased its client base by increasing the number of merchants who accept their cards such as Walmart and developing new card offerings, including cards that are co-branded. American Express further integrated its business in mid-1990s when it re-branded its Small Business Services division as â€Å"OPEN: The Small Business Network†, thus increasing benefits such as flexible payments as well as special offers, partnerships, and resources for small businesses. American Express wanted to reach out to small business owners who primarily are different from people who work for big

Why Liberals Should Hate the Hate Crime Legislation Research Paper

Why Liberals Should Hate the Hate Crime Legislation - Research Paper Example It is essential to put into perspective the view that increased penalties for hate crimes are in fact justifiable, with a view to assessing its plausibility. The major reason for having increased penalties for harsh crimes is because, as opposed to regular crimes, hate crimes normally hurt a whole social group (Hurd 215). Whenever an individual commits a hate crime, it is evident that they are not doing it against the victim only, but as a matter of expressing their dislike and contempt for the whole social group. This being the case, therefore, a hate crime is not a crime against an individual, but a crime against a social group, of which, if the perpetrator of the crime could have the ability, he/she would harm the whole group. It, therefore, follows that even when a perpetrator of hate crime would seek to be charged equally with a regular crime perpetrator, doing so would be an injustice to the regular perpetrator of crime since one crime is definitely weightier than the other, ow ing to the number of individuals it hurts. Thus, there is a general agreement that hate crimes are crimes of a higher magnitude compared to regular crimes, in regard to the number of individuals hurt by such crimes, and thus should carry a higher penalty. Even when Hurd disagrees with the higher penalties attached to hate crime compared to regular crimes, there is a general agreement that owing to the number of people hurt by hate crimes, such criminals deserve a higher penalty. The second argument in support for higher penalties for hate crimes is the fact that hate crimes represent significantly greater culpability on the part of the perpetrator (Hurd 216). This is because the committal of a hate crime is a display of a long pre-meditated course of action, as opposed to the inadvertent cause of crimes. This places the perpetrator of such crimes in a more culpable position since those who plan to hurt others are more culpable than those who commit incidental crimes, without any pre -meditation (Hurd 219).

Marketing ExcellenceAmerican Express Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing ExcellenceAmerican Express - Essay Example Diversification and expansion of services offered- in the 1980s, American Express expanded into a variety of financial categories, which included brokerage services, banking and insurance and acquired companies such as Lehman Brothers Kuhn Loeb Inc, and E.F Hutton & Co. American Express has also been able to position itself against competition by forging and riding on partnerships by increasing the number of merchants that accepted its cards adding Walmart and developed new card offerings, including co-branded cards. American Express has also been able to partner with numerous banks such MBNA, Citigroup, UBS, and USAA. American Express has changed over time from its initial traditional business of â€Å"Travelers cheques†, in the 19th century, to charge cards in the 1960s, to a variety of financial services which include brokerage services, banking and insurance in the 1980s, to revolutionary credit cards in the 21st century and presently a variety of different personal cards as well as small business and corporate cards. 2. American Express has been able to integrate its business by expanding in other different businesses such as financial services, brokerage and insurance, in 1980s; American Express acquired a number of other companies such as Lehman Brothers Kuhn Loeb Inc and E.F Hutton & Co. The company has also increased its client base by increasing the number of merchants who accept their cards such as Walmart and developing new card offerings, including cards that are co-branded. American Express further integrated its business in mid-1990s when it re-branded its Small Business Services division as â€Å"OPEN: The Small Business Network†, thus increasing benefits such as flexible payments as well as special offers, partnerships, and resources for small businesses. American Express wanted to reach out to small business owners who primarily are different from people who work for big

About emotional inteliqence Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

About emotional inteliqence - Research Paper Example In a way, it makes us self-centered and makes us realize that the world is composed of myself and others and that I need to relate well with others. This relationship with others reflects on our team identity, on how well we perform or get together, on our emotional maturity on how we handle our differences (because for sure there will be) and our over-all development both as professional and a person. In a way emotional intelligence makes us realize that to achieve something, we need to collaborate with others or with a team. And to be able to work effectively with others and/or team, we have to learn how to regulate ourselves so that we can achieve our team’s objectives as well as my objective. This was evident with the questions in the tests that asked if it is completely true, mostly true to completely false if â€Å"it takes a push from others to get me going (question #16) and whether I have an â€Å"obsessive mind† (question #20). These questions which represents the test tries to determine if I can motivate myself, control myself and if I can relate well with others. The idea of Emotional Intelligence can be first traced on the work of Thorndike (1920) who theorized that intelligence is not only confined to academics but also includes emotional and social component (qtd. in Mandell & Pherwarni, 2003). Later, investigators like Guilford (1967) and H. Eysenck (1995) presented that intelligence is such a multifaceted construct that it is composed of one hundred and twenty varying types of intelligence (Lyusin, 2006). In 1971, Shanley, Walker, and Foley (1971) already hypothesized that social intelligence was distinct from academic intelligence, but could not support it with empirical evidence that emotional intelligence is a separate construct. This was later provided by Howard Gardner when he articulated his theory of multiple intelligences categorizing it as intra personal and interpersonal intelligences within within the framework

Hypothyroidism and its Relationship to Heart Disease and Cardiac Problems Essay Example for Free

Hypothyroidism and its Relationship to Heart Disease and Cardiac Problems Essay Hershman describes hypothyroidism as a disorder which results from a deficit of the action of thyroid hormone (2009, p. 435). This condition affects the development and function of all tissues of the body, an important example of which is the heart. The thyroid hormone is responsible for the crucial regulation of calcium flux into the sarcomeres of myocytes (Rao, 2007, p. 202). The most common effect of deficient thyroid-hormone action on any tissue is well known; a decrease in the basal metabolic rate. For the heart, this decrease most commonly causes a decrease in heart rate. Other manifestations may include decreased cardiac output, flabby myocardium, pericardial effusion and impaired endothelial function (Hershman, 2009, p. 435). However, for the profoundly hypothyroid patient, the most frequent cause of cardiac anomalies is impaired diastolic relaxation (Klein, 2005, p. 777). Although the fall in rate of metabolism is ubiquitous in hypothyroidism, the heart experiences a disproportionate change in demand and supply of oxygen, the supply drops faster than the demand. On the other hand, patients of coronary heart disease who have later developed hypothyroidism have been given either low doses of T4, or no medication at all by some practitioners (Klein, 2005, p. 777); the lowered cardiac load associated with hypothyroidism helps in lowering the stress on the heart. Nonetheless, the adverse effects of hypothyroidism on the heart and on metabolism generally far outweigh this small concession (Klein, 2005, p. 777). Another complication associated with hypothyroidism is hypertension. The main feature of pathophysiology that results in this manifestation is the increased vascular resistance due to absence of the vasodilating action of T3 (Klein, 2005, p. 776). This brand of hypertension shows decreased sensitivity to salt intake as compared to other forms of hypertension (Klein, 2005, p. 776). Hypertension in a profoundly hypothyroid patient is especially ominous. The increase serum levels of cholesterol and lipoprotein (a), associated with the low metabolic rate, combined with the increased vascular resistance may lead to coronary heart disease (Klein, 2005, p. 77). However, it’s the subclinical counterpart of hypothyroidism that represents a major challenge; the lack of clear cut symptoms makes the diagnosis of this latent condition difficult. In a recent study, subclinical hypothyroidism was claimed to be an independent risk factor for heart disease in women in their 60s and 70s (Hak et al. , 2000). The main pathophysiological feature is the delayed relaxation of the left ventricle after contractions, exacerbated by endothelial dysfunction and a stiffness of the arteries (Biondi, 2009, p. 24). Serum thyroid stimulating hormone, TSH, and serum free T4 are an appropriate starting point in acquiring a diagnosis of hypothyroidism (Hershman, 2009, p. 436). Myoglobin levels in blood and urine are also excellent indicators of injury to cardiac tissue (Klein, 2005, p. 777). Serum creatine kinase levels may also be increased, but troponin levels remain normal (Rao, 2007, p. 202). In subclinical hypothyroidism, TSH levels are moderately increased while T4 levels remain normal. ECG shows a general decrease in amplitude and the T wave may be inverted (Rao, 2007, p. 202). The treatment of both the latent and overt forms of hypothyroidism, in relation to the heart, involves the maintenance of steady thyroid hormone levels. Levothyroxine is the drug of choice; in patients with a known heart condition, the dosage of the drug should be given incrementally to reach a stable normal level (Rao, 2007, p. 202). In elderly patients, some degree of cardiac ischemia is assumed present and the dosage is always increased gradually (Hershman, 2009, p. 438). Beta-blockers can be administered to counter the deleterious effect hormone therapy on cardiac ischemia, unless counter-indicated (Rao, 2007, p. 203).

Concepts in solution focused brief therapy

Concepts in solution focused brief therapy SFBT, believe that solutions ensue when there is a change in negative interactive patterns and behaviour and as such, giving new meaning to clients problems and tools necessary to solve their them (Stalker et al., 1999). SFBT does not pathologize but rather focuses on clients strengths (Gehart and Tuttle, 2003). It orients clients to a solution talk rather than problem talk. The SF, therapist therefore works with the clients to find solutions as they occur. This pragmatic approach to therapy utilizes concepts that enabled clients to find solutions (Cunanan, McCollum, 2006). This modality strongly supports the view that there are solutions to almost every problem and that everyone has the capability to solve their own problems. The SF, therapist believes that people are dynamic and not static and that change is constantly occurring. The SF, therapist explores with the clients problem areas that they want to change in their lives while encouraging the continuance of areas that are currently working for them. The therapists and clients then co- construct concrete goals of a preferred future and subsequently create a change within themselves (Lewis and Osborn, 2004). There are many concepts which play a vital role in this modality, these include: re-session change (Lawson, 1994; Lethem 2006, 2002), moving from a problem saturated talk to solution-focused talk (Langdridge, 2006; Lethem 2002; Talyor, 2005), looking at the exception to the problem (Ruddick, 2008), viewing change as a constant, recognizing that language has meaning and experiencing hope (Gehart and Tuttle, 2003). Pre-session change The pre-session change is the concept that assesses to see if there have been any changes for the client prior to beginning their initial session (Weiner-Davis, 1987 as cited in Lawson, 1994). This pre-session change is an integral part of therapy as it helps the therapist to begin a dialogue in focusing on the solution and helps the client to see the possibility of change (Lethem, 2002). Problem saturated talk to solution talk According to Taylor (2005), moving from the problem-saturated story to a solution talk is one of the main goals of therapy. The problem-saturated story usually occurs during the initial stage of therapy. The therapist will take a non-judgmental stance to the client story while formulating the problem that the client is sharing, while gently helping the client to shift focus and explore possible solutions. The therapist also helps in directing the clients to make goals that they would like to accomplish during and after the course of therapy (Jordan, Quinn, 1994). During this process the therapist takes a curious/neutral stance in understanding the client and their presenting issue. While the therapist focuses on the here and now of the problem and how its currently affecting the client, they help to re-focus the client in the direction towards the future (Adam et.al., 1991 as cited in Jordan Quinn, 1994). The SFBT therapist re-directs clients from a problem saturated story to a state of solution oriented story. This shift allows the therapist to begin the process of building upon the clients strength in order to help them to identify solutions to their problem (OHanlon and Wiener-Davis, 1989 as cited in Reiter, 2007). Looking at the exceptions to the problems Eliciting feedback from the client about the differences when the problem did not occur, or occurred with less severity, helps the therapist identify strengths, embedded in exceptions that the client can utilize in the future, (De Jong Berg, 2002). The use of expectancy, derived from the work of Milton Erickson, was utilized by de Shazer utilized to help clients capitalize on the resource they possess within themselves to solve their problem. The art of solution focused therapy involves not only bringing awareness to the exceptions of problems but rather the solutions that lies in their repertories. According to O Hanlon, (1999) there should be positive expectancy talk. Change is constantly happening and hope This therapy assumes that nothing is always the same, it is the belief that change is occurring all the time and small change is generative, as one small changes leads to larger changes. Additionally, this assumption also means that problems are only as big as ones definition to them. Our definition defines both the experience and size of the problem. Change occurs when clients can look at the exceptions to their problems and make that shift from the problem-saturated story to solution-focused talk (Simon, Joel K. Nelson, Thorana S. 2007). Change can be measured with scaling questions, so as to get an overview of where the client is at and if any small changes have occurred (B.OConnell, 1998). According to Miller, Duncan and Hubble (1996, p 218), hope is the exercising of ones belief that something positive will happen in each session. This takes a team approach, both therapist and client work together actively to get an outcome which finds solutions to the clients problem. Assumptions of Solution Focused Brief Therapy This theory utilizes 12 assumptions, John Walter Jane Peller (1992) from their text Becoming Solution-Focused in Brief Therapy (pp 10-34) described the following assumptions: 1. Focusing on the positive: 2. Having clients identify the exceptions to the problem. 3. Change is occurring all the time. 4. Small change generative, small changing leads to larger changing. 5. Clients are always cooperating. 6. People have the natural resource within themselves to solve their problems. 7. Meaning and experience are interactionally constructed 8. Actions and descriptions are circular. 9. The response you received is the meaning of the message. 10. The client is the expert 11. Change is constantly occurring. 12. A treatment group comprises of members who share stated goals and have desires to accomplish these goals. Nature of Reality in Solution Focused Brief Therapy Reality is the construction of ones language and as such, problems are maintained when ones construction disregard their natural capability and resources. Steve de Shazer, 1991 stated that clients and their belief system constructs reality; reality is therefore invented rather than constructed. In the event that the reality that the client is living in at present is not working for them, then the therapist can gently invite the client to enter into a momentary hypothetical. This allows the client to enter into a reality where anything is virtually possible. This gives the client the opportunity to dream as to what they would be doing in the event that this miracle was to occur. Miller, (1996) stated that therapists can use the intervention of the miracle question to enter into this reality. The use of the miracle question allows the therapist not only to join with the client but to also enter the world of the client. This intervention allows for the client to imagine a better future reality in which they want to create the future (De Shazer, 1991). According to Nelson and Thomas (2007), reality is based on how the client chooses to live their life and their perception of what life is about. Each individual owns the architecture of their reality, and they choose how to shape their world. A therapist can however identify with the reality of their clients through the use of language. According to Harland as cited in de Shazer (1991), language constitutes the human world and the human world constitutes the whole world. In order to understand the clients language, the therapist has to enter into the world of the client and understand what is happening for the client at that moment. This allows the therapist to get a clearer understanding of the clients viewpoint and what motivates them to think as they do (Odell, Butler and Dielma, 2005). In SFBT, therapists respect the clients for who they are and the reality in which they live. The therapist takes a non-judgmental stance and doesnt make comparison with the clients past issues, but rather focuses on the here and now present of the client. Miller posits that therapists respect their clients point of view by understanding the language in which they speak. Language is the clients thoughts that help to shape and express who they are. The therapist and the client enter into a therapeutic relationship through the client language as the main vehicle to their perception of reality. Understanding the clients reality is a process. Initially, the therapist is unable to be a part of the clients reality because they are on the outside; however, as the sessions progress, the therapist becomes more familiar and better able to comprehend the clients language, and subsequently becomes a part of the clients reality (Miller, (1997b) De Shazer et al., argues that people use language to shape their reality and to assist in establishing the meaning of situations, relationships, others and self. They further note that the meanings people assign to a situation may limit the range of solutions to a problem, which is of particular interest to solution-focused therapy. They explained that every individual constructs his or her meaning based on previous experiences, beliefs, family of origin or societal view (De Shazer et al. 1988). Furthermore, they posit that clients stories are usually more problem-saturated than goal-oriented. Hence, it is easier for clients to focus on their problems than the solution. As such, when the therapist and client interact, there is a `co-creation of realties; therefore, differences in perspectives and meanings should be defined Bobele et.al, states expertise lies in the manner in which the conversation is conducted, not in the ability to convey a venerated body of information (Bobele, Gardner, Biever, 1995, p. 16). Philosophy proposes that reality exist objectively in the world irrespective of ones subjectivity, language or thoughts. I believe that a persons perception is his or her reality, and so what I believe becomes my reality; subsequently, what I believe in does not necessarily hold true for someone else. For example, I believe in a supreme being and that is a part of my reality; however, that might not be the reality for another person who sees himself as a God. A persons reality is shaped by his or her beliefs and value-systems, or anything that seems real to him or her whether its conceptualized by the mind or an extension of self or environment. Reality does exist for me, but there are several forms of reality. What I can see and touch and what I believe exists not in a physical state but by fai th. I define truth as being an accurate account of reality -a claim that has been proven factual. However, I would suggest that there might be several versions of truth. Truth can be based on my perception of what is true. But this may not necessarily be factual. For example, others may not share my belief that chocolate tea is pleasant to the taste; hence, truth can also be relative. Furthermore, if everyone were behaving in a certain way and someone came along behaving in the opposite manner, and then the perception would be that something is wrong with him or her, a plausible conception of insanity. If relatively, speaking nothing is innate to a newborn baby if the mind is a blank slate, then everything we know is learned from some source. If your only source told you, the moon was a space ship in the sky, then that would be your truth. After dissecting all these terms, I believe that objective and subjective truths co-exist in my reality. I know that certain things are just facts, yet at the same time I am aware that some things that were previously taught me as truths are not based on factual grounds. For example, my value system is not based on facts, but rather on my beliefs, my truths and my reality. It defines who I am as a person. Having the knowledge that my reality may differ from my clients reality, it is imperative that I am aware of my own bias and not project my reality unto my client, as this would be counterproductive, as the client would be seeing through the lens of my reality and not theirs. It is vital for clients to know what is real for them and how it affects their lives. However, through the therapeutic relationship, my reality may be shared not imposed or forced upon clients when I integrate therapeutic interventions and feedback to clients. SFBT has reinforced for me that language helps to shape ones reality and is a driving force in how we construct or de-construct our reality. Human Nature in Solution Focused Brief Therapy SFBT has a positive approach to therapy and toward clients in general. SFBT views clients as natural problem-solvers who have only lost sight of their ability to solve problems. Another common believe is people are not the problem but the problem is the problem. Furthermore, it utilizes and enhances the clients capability. Every person has the natural resource needed to cope even before the use of interventions. Hence the therapy process should constitute of promoting and finding the solutions that naturally lies within the clients (Peller, J.L., Walker J., 1992a). This theory also reinforced the concept that the client is the expert, and the solutions lie within them. In SFBT, the client is the expert, and the facilitator takes the position of not knowing and of leading from one step behind through solution-focused questioning and responding. SFBT is focused on finding solutions not problems and therefore does not look at a person in the sense of being maladjusted. It is the behaviour that causes maladjustment and not the innate qualities of the person. The clients narrative determines much about the repeated patterns of dysfunctional behavior (Peller, J.L., Walker J., 1992b). In SFBT therapy, the client knows the solution, and the role of the therapist is help clients to identify these solutions while maintaining a respectful and supportive role and not to be confrontational but, only make suggestions are necessary alternatives (De Jong Berg, 1998, p. 21). In SFBT, the therapist is seen as a collaborator and consultant, there to help clients achieve their goals. With SFBT, clients do most of the talking, and what they talk about is considered the cornerstone of the resolution of their complaints. Usually, SFBT therapists will use more indirect methods such as the use of extensive questioning about previous solutions and exceptions (De Jong Berg, 1998, p. 21). Self is the consciousness of ones own identity; it is what defines me as an individual. It is the component that makes up my personality. Self is who I am as an individual, which comprises my strengths, limitations, dreams, fears, likes and dislikes. My sense of self follows a consistent pattern personality and behavior does not change, and is made up of past, present experiences, values and cultural background. In contrast to this, the essential self is more of the ideal self; it is the self I hope to be, the self I desire to accomplish. Murray Bowen speaks about the solid self, which is highly differentiated free of emotional process. However, for me, the solid self is like my essential self where I am more highly differentiated, less reactive, and accepting of my faults. It is a wiser me, a mature, less indecisive me, an empowered me. The main difference between the two selves is one, the self is who I am in reality and the essential self is who I hope and want to be. I believe what makes individuals different is their individuals background and cultural/family values. Furthermore, ones environment and genetics both influence what makes each of us who we are. What makes me who I am today are my culture and family values, the environment that I grew up in, the parenting style that I experienced and my experiences. This academic programmed has greatly influence my way of thinking, and has forced me to do a lot of introspection, which has been an avenue that Ive used to better understand myself. One major thing that my life experiences have taught me is that the difficulties I have encountered in my life can be likened to my life test. I feel at times Ive been given the same exam over with a few changes in the questions and by now I have to come to know the end results. As this process unfolds I have become less anxious as I believe the end result will be successful and if not its ok as I can rest assured that this test will come again. I have always been given the opportunity to take my life test over and with each success; I have become stronger and empowered. With each failure Ive also experience growth as I make adjustments so as to do better. I believe that in order for an individual to experience a fulfilling life, they should live with (1) with no regrets and know that what they do is done to the fullest. (2) Accept the things they cannot change and (3) learn from their mistakes, which will by extension make them stronger. Nature of change in Solution Focused Brief Therapy In the solution-focused approach, change is viewed as a process that is inevitable and constant (de Shazer, 1985), clients situations may often fluctuate and often the small changes may seemingly go. Therefore, it is imperative for therapist to help clients to identify when these changes occur and attempt to identify circumstances and behaviors that encourage the desired change (de Shazer, 1985b). In assessing the problem, the therapist looks for past, present or even future exceptions, in addition to identifying clients strengths, this may enable them to reach some solutions. Solution-focused brief therapy focuses exclusively or predominantly on two things (1) helping clients to achieve their desired outcome through the setting of personal goals and (2) looking at the exceptions to the problems through the implementation of previous solutions. (de Shazer, 1985c). Change is in my viewpoint a permanent modification of behavior. While change is dynamic there is some amount of finality to it, something that is adjusted can be re-adjusted, but true change has a degree of permanence. Change removes us from our comfort zone. Change has a ripping effect on those who wont let go. Change happens for me when I confront and accept that I need a behavioral modification. Acceptance for me is the turning point for change. Change begins in my heart having that desire to want better; it might be awkward and uncomfortable at first, but then it becomes more accepting and more understanding. What I have gathered from doing this research and attending classes is that therapy as a process aids understanding and recovery from psychological difficulties. Therapy deals with underlying issues spanning across inter/intrapersonal conflicts, for example depression and marital conflict. Therapy provides an avenue to express ones feelings, understand patterns of thinking, gain perspective or knowledge surrounding past events and to obtain guidance to the right path. I believe therapy happens when one consciously seeks help for change; when there is a willingness to work on ones self, therapy ensues. Therapy happens when change occurs. For me, this program has been one big therapy session and my change has occurred in small increments, based on my willingness to visualize the change in my mind and take the steps necessary to execute that change. That change for me is feeling exposed, honest with myself but freshly aware of who I am as an individual. The relationship between client and therapist is integral, as it determines whether that client leaves the therapy room being a more mentally healthy person or worse off than when they first entered. According to Carl Rogers, the therapeutic relationship forms the foundation for treatment. If a helping relationship is not the number one priority in the treatment process, then clinicians are doing a great disservice to their clients as well as to the field of therapy as a whole. I strongly believe that for me to have a successful outcome in therapy, I must first join with my client, showing a genuineness to help, validate and empathize, give positive regard and help set goals with my client. Most of what I have learnt from my professors, advisor, supervisor, classmates, research and life experiences has formed the building blocks of my therapeutic stance. It is my hope that with this foundation, I will be an effective therapist, one that will join with clients in terms of where they are at and help them work through their problems. Furthermore, openness to change and a willingness to adjust so that I can better meet the need of my clients for both therapy and personal growth is intrinsic.

The Human Perception of Pain in Conjunction with the Mind-Body Problem

The Human Perception of Pain in Conjunction with the Mind-Body Problem There is more research surfacing supporting the notion that people can control their pain. What is left under-examined is the notion of whether the pain is mediated by the brain, mind, or both. We all know that pain is an instinctive "sense" if you will, necessary to the survival of all living beings. Without pain, it would go unrecognized and exacerbate to the point of death. Pain is a protective mechanism essential to survival. There are three important claims here: One is that pain is actually a perception. The second, is the brain mediates the suppression of pain through a "gate" in the spinal cord. Lastly, since pain is a perception, the mind may decide the degree to which the "gate" is open, which therefore influences to amount of pain reaching the brain. Recent research provides evidence that certain brain structures mediate the spinal cord gate. Still controversial is whether receptivity to pain is biological in origin and completely dependent on the brain, or whether the min d, the entity in an individual responsible for thought, and feelings, conscious or unconscious, controls the nervous system and in the end manipulates one's perception of pain. Pain is defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage" (1). When pain is described in these terms we can see that pain is a perception, sort of like seeing and hearing. When pain is processed there are a number of brain structures activated, commonly referred to as the "central pain matrix" (2). It may seem irrelevant to delve into pain signal activation in the brain since it is seemi... ...that one's entire perception of pain may be conscious in origin and simply correlate to the mechanisms of the brain, rather than stem from just the brain entirely. References 1)Pain Anatomy http://www.ahs.uwaterloo.ca/~ranney/painanat.html 2)The Human Perception of Pain http://dubinserver.colorado.edu/prj/nva/humanperception.html 3)Brain Pain Pathways http://psych.athabascau.ca/html/Psych289/Biotutorials/19/intro.shtml?sso=true 4)Modification of pain within the spinal cord http://www.manbit.com/obstetspain/obnlp3.htm 5)The Skeptics Dictionary http://skepdic.com/mind.html 6)Mind and Body Interactions http://www.mindbody.org/ 7)Mind-Body-Medicine http://www.mind-body-medicine.com/ 8)Mind and Body Wellness http://membrane.com/ncata/lynn/ 9) Carlson, Neil R., Physiology of Behavior. Needham Heights: A Pearson Education Company, 2001.

alcohol Essay -- essays research papers

Alcoholism, chronic and usually progressive illness involving the excessive inappropriate ingestion of ethyl alcohol, whether in the form of familiar alcoholic beverages or as a constituent of other substances. Alcoholism is thought to arise from a combination of a wide range of physiological, psychological, social, and genetic factors. It is characterized by an emotional and often physical dependence on alcohol, and it frequently leads to brain damage or early death. Some 10 percent of the adult drinkers in the United States are considered alcoholics or at least they experience drinking problems to some degree. More males than females are affected, but drinking among the young and among women is increasing. Consumption of alcohol is apparently on the rise in the United States, countries of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and many European nations. This is paralleled by growing evidence of increasing numbers of alcohol-related problems in other nations, including the Third World. Development Alcoholism, as opposed to merely excessive or irresponsible drinking, has been variously thought of as a symptom of psychological or social stress or as a learned, maladaptive coping behavior. More recently, and probably more accurately, it has come to be viewed as a complex disease entity in its own right. Alcoholism usually develops over a period of years. Early and subtle symptoms include placing excessive importance on the availability of alcohol. Ensuring this avai...

The Language of Mistrust and Fear

From the beginning, Bram Stoker makes it clear that Count Dracula should be viewed as The Other, a psychological distinction that has been used to describe the way people view the world in â€Å"them† and â€Å"us†. Stoker uses the concept of The Other to show how different Dracula is from the English and to create an underlying tension between the remaining characters and the vampire. He also uses the psychological distinction as a means of preventing the characters from determining the nature of the vampire earlier as they are aware that they have societal differences from the count.The characters choose to overlook many of the first warnings of the oddness of the Count because they were afraid they were acting out of a misunderstanding about the cultural differences. Stoker manages to establish Count Dracula as the other easily within the first chapter of the novel. In the first chapter, the impressions we have of Count Dracula all come from Jonathan Harker’s journal and Stoker establishes early on that Harker is uncomfortable with his surroundings.â€Å"The impression I had was that we were leaving the West and entering the East; the most western of splendid bridges over the Danube, which is here of noble width and depth, took us among the traditions of Turkish rule† (Stoker, Chapter 1). Even in his writing, Stoker decides to play up the strangeness of the land with the strange spelling of Budapest as Buda-Pesth. He establishes immediately that Harker is leaving the civilized world and going to a completely different land.He uses the lure and the mystique of â€Å"the East† to establish the difference all within the first paragraph of the book that Count Dracula is different from everyone else. As Harker travels inland, we learn that the count is from the edge of Hungary near the Carpathian Mountains, â€Å"one of the wildest and least known portions of Europe. † (Chapter 1) This is another attempt by the author to establish that Dracula is weird, and unlike the other characters. By claiming that he is from a wild and unknown region, Stoker is relying on the themes of Romanticism to imply that he is potentially evil and dangerous.And just a few paragraphs later he tells us that â€Å"I read that every known superstition in the world is gathered into the horseshoe of the Carpathians, as if it were the centre of some sort of imaginative whirlpool; if so my stay may be very interesting. † (Chapter 1). These lines establish clearly that Harker believes the people of Hungary to be less educated and different from the people of England. Furthermore, by establishing that he has heard they are a superstitious folk, he can justify their odd behavior to himself and not question the decisions that he is making (going alone to the Count’s castle despite their warnings).Throughout the novel, Stoker relies on the concept of the other to isolate his main characters from the world around them an d never is this as evident as in Harker’s initial journey to meet the count. All along the way, Harker is the tourist, intrigued and yet critical of local population. â€Å"The women looked pretty, except when you got near them, but they were very clumsy about the waist. † (Chapter 1) He describes the traditional dress and the more rotund nature of the populace as â€Å"clumsy about the waist† emphasizing the fashion of the time in Britain to be very thin with corsets cinching the waist in even farther.And, to the men, he is even less generous. The strangest figures we saw were the Slovaks, who were more barbarian than the rest, with their big cow-boy hats, great baggy dirty-white trousers, white linen shirts, and enormous heavy leather belts, nearly a foot wide, all studded over with brass nails. They wore high boots, with their trousers tucked into them, and had long black hair and heavy black moustaches. They are very picturesque, but do not look prepossessin g. On the stage they would be set down at once as some old Oriental band of brigands.They are, however, I am told, very harmless and rather wanting in natural self-assertion. To the average reader at the time of this writing, Stoker’s words about the people of Europe would have been strange and more than a bit fearsome, driven by the fear of the unknown. The author, realizing this, includes that very observation in Harker’s journal, when he hastens to explain that despite the many odd things in his journal, he had not overindulged in either food or drink, going so far as to list what he has eaten.There too, Stoker attempts to make the reader revile the locals with a comparison of their dinner to the â€Å"simple style of the London cat's meat! † (Chapter 1). Having established the physical differences between the inhabitants of Eastern Europe and those in London and draw attention to their different manner of dress and food, Stoker is ready to cut the last tie w hich might bind the two groups together: religion. On the eve of Harker’s approach to Dracula’s castle, the innkeeper’s wife attempts to prevent him from going.She relays the fear that something untoward will happen to him at the Castle and begs him to take her crucifix. I did not know what to do, for, as an English Churchman, I have been taught to regard such things as in some measure idolatrous, and yet it seemed so ungracious to refuse an old lady meaning so well and in such a state of mind. She saw, I suppose, the doubt in my face, for she put the rosary round my neck and said, â€Å"For your mother's sake,† and went out of the room. I am writing up this part of the diary whilst I am waiting for the coach, which is, of course, late; and the crucifix is still round my neck.(Chapter 1) In this short passage, Stoker firmly establishes that the Hungarians are not like the English, establishing them firmly as The Other, but he also manages to establish the ir humanity. When the woman asks him to take the crucifix, â€Å"For your mother’s sake†, Stoker overcomes the barrier between them, pointing to a common bond among all humans, the love of a mother for her child. This is done for two reasons: first, to illustrate to the reader that the oddities of the count are in fact unnatural and second, to begin to create a mood, to explain the beginnings of the fear that Harker feels as he approaches the castle.The reader is meant to feel that Harker’s observations about his trepidation as he approaches the castle at midnight are justified, that he is not merely some frightened little boy who starts at the darkness. This concept that the fear might be justified is building all along Harker’s journey to the castle and might have built more if he had understood the languages his fellow passengers spoke, Stoker writes, again playing to the classical definition of the other as someone outside our normal understanding, se parated by culture, religion and sometimes, by language.Then, in a subtle criticism of the Carpathians, another form of creating distance between groups, Harker observes that the roads and rough and that the driver seemed to â€Å"fly over it with a feverish haste. † (Chapter 1) This observation is meant to again set the people apart from the English who, it is implied, would never think of driving at such a pace and would have most certainly kept the road in better repair. â€Å"I was told that this road is in summertime excellent, but that it had not yet been put in order after the winter snows.In this respect it is different from the general run of roads in the Carpathians, for it is an old tradition that they are not to be kept in too good order. Of old the Hospadars would not repair them, lest the Turk should think that they were preparing to bring in foreign troops, and so hasten the war which was always really at loading point. † (Chapter 1). Even in his discuss ion of the fear of the Turks, Stoker is driving a wedge between the English and the Hungarians, as the British never feared invasion from aggressive neighbors thanks to the fact that they were on an island.This is just another means of driving a stake between the two cultures. For the normally reserved British, the thought of strangers giving Harker gifts along the way also helps to establish the difference between the cultures. â€Å"One by one several of the passengers offered me gifts, which they pressed upon me with an earnestness which would take no denial. These were certainly of an odd and varied kind, but each was given in simple good faith, with a kindly word, and a blessing, and that same strange mixture of fear-meaning movements which I had seen outside the hotel at Bistritz– the sign of the cross and the guard against the evil eye.† (Chapter 1). This passage actually plays on English attitudes in two matters: First, it would have been unconscionable to give a random gift to a stranger and make him feel that he must accept it. Second, the fact that they were actively demonstrating their religion and superstition was an act the British of the time would have found completely unacceptable. The British largely believed that church, the Church of England, was something you did when you went to services and not something to be practiced at any other time.Furthermore, the concept that you would let someone catch you making a hex sign of any sort was simply unbelievable. The British would simply be too polite to have anything in common with these heathens, further establishing them as The Other. In the end, Stoker’s work is masterful at clearly establishing the differences between class lines and cultures and creating The Other on numerous different levels. He establishes that Mina and Jonathan are the others when compared to Lucy and her well-to-go friends, both of them having been raised with next to nothing.He establishes Renfield a s the other via his madness and his actions during his fall to Dracula’s control and even Lucy is somewhat established in this manner, being the least learned and scientific of the group. Stoker made each of the characters unique and bound them to one another, but also invested in making clear divides between them to create an additional tension and confusion in the book that is just complicated by the arrival of Count Dracula. Upon the count’s arrival in London, he is regarded as exotic and interesting, a facet as completely a portion of The Other as the fear and trepidation.Often we are fascinated by those things that are different from us and we desire to see them, to learn more about them and even to imitate them while still holding them at a distance, knowing that they are not like we are. The fact that Stoker felt it necessary to establish this extreme difference when Dracula could easily have become the other certainly by virtue of being a creature of the night implies that Stoker was perhaps attempting to force the scholars that would read his novel to recognize a certain xenophobia within their culture.His depiction of the Eastern Europeans as highly different, almost medieval compare to the bustling and modern London can hardly be considered accidental. Stoker clearly had some thoughts about the way that the British observed the world around them and made Harker the extreme viewpoint of that British charm. Harker had to be an extreme, the most British of British subjects in his observations for stoker to force his audience to see how absurd such characterizations could be. Works Cited Stoker, Bram. â€Å"Dracula† Accessed at http://www. literature. org/authors/stoker-bram/dracula/chapter-01. html, December 9, 2007.

Physiological Changes Essay

In order to compensate, more salt is added to the diet. This can contribute to, or exacerbate, a pre existing high blood pressure condition. Changes to the gastrointestinal system can seriously affect the overall body of an older adult. Reduced saliva and imbalanced stomach acid contribute to dehydration and bowel problems. Ulcers can result from the imbalanced stomach acid and limited movement. Sometimes these can become bad enough that surgery is necessary. Then, the person is exposed to a higher susceptibility of alternate infections and secondary problems. Decreased muscle mass causes a lack of physical strength and endurance. Overall body composition begins to change in the older adult. Fat in the body increases as muscle mass decreases. Joints stiffen as glucosamine is lost. Ligaments between bones loosen. When an older person tries to walk, just as they did before, they can likely have a fall. This can lead to broken bones. Within the body’s organ system, plaque begins to build up in arterial walls. Increased blood pressure causes the heart to work harder. This is one explanation for the decreased energy and stamina in older adults. With decreased circulation comes a lack of oxygen throughout the entire body system. Dry skin and general forgetfulness becomes common in the older adult. Cognitive decline begins to happen along with the physical changes occurring with age. Illness, disease, memory loss, and changes in a person’s environment can all contribute to physiological decline. Due to lack of physical exercise, proper hydration, and lack of oxygen, emotional stress becomes a serious issue. As stress levels increase, physical stress increases. This cycle becomes reciprocal in nature. Hormonal changes occur simultaneously. This can be detrimental to body’s ability to process vital nutrients in the dietary intake. The imbalance in hormone levels causes issues with insulin and glucose levels. Lack of hormonal balance and dehydration contributes to poorly maintained nerves. Stress is both a result of these changes and a contributor to them. Hearing loss impacts a person’s social abilities and can lead to isolation. Some older adults may be embarrassed at their lack of ability to hear or understand everyday conversation. They tend to withdraw from social opportunities and become susceptible to depression. Along with hearing loss, comes lack of vision. Cataracts, lack of sensitivity to light, and decreased blood supply to the retina all contribute to the inability to correctly see in one’s environment. This can lead to accidents within the living space. The last factor to consider is socioeconomic status. During retirement, income may decrease and medical costs increase. One of the first areas impacted is the affordability of food containing proper nutrition. Social events are not always accessible. These environmental changes coupled with the physiological changes can accelerate physical and mental decline. Supportive services do help to increase both longevity and the quality of life.

English 12 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

English 12 - Essay Example experiment, average college students were gathered and placed into a prison environment, where they were quick to take on the roles of guards and prisoners. They acted in the ways that they thought they should have; they understood the situation so much that their personalities were taken over to accompany the situation. In my opinion, I agree with the thoughts of Zimbardo and Buchanan in regards to the fact that people are pitted against the natural forces of negative situations. There are many instances when a person is already familiar with the behaviors of a person or a role, so when they are put in similar situations, they react in a way that they are already aware of. As aforementioned, many people just act how they think they should; it is not so much the fear of judgment by others, but the fact that they should perform in a certain way, that there are expectations already set down for them. When people are put into a bad situation, they act as they see fit. Their behavior changes to help them get through whatever the situation is; oddly enough, it seems that most people resort to negative behaviors and actions than positive ones. An adrenaline rush from the situation may bring on the negative reactions, or perhaps people just feel a certain strength from being tough in a situation, even if it is negative. If the situation they are can be considered bad or evil, the person may act accordingly. In a bad situation, how else should a person act? In accordance to the situation itself. I also believe that conformity plays a large role in how people act in situations that can be deemed bad or negative. In some cases, people follow the behaviors of others that are in the same situation. Zimbardos prison experiment is an example of this - while some of the "prison guards" might have remained true to their personalities and typical behaviors, they noticed that others were strongly taking on the role of real prison guards. These other subjects conformed to the

Change in Employee Relations in United Kingdom Essay

Change in Employee Relations in United Kingdom - Essay Example Majority of the employees give preference to work in a better work atmosphere than working in a poor work atmosphere with higher pay. Globalization and other changes that took place in the world caused a drastic change in the employee relation. Huge difference can be seen in between the present form of employee relation and traditional way of employee relation. This paper makes an attempt to evaluate the changes in the employee relation in last 30 years and its importance in the future developments in the context of United Kingdom. Though there may be some variations in employee relation or industrial relations practices in various countries, changes are taking place in various countries in almost similar manner. Decades back, each country may have its own industrial practice, but now due to globalization and advancement of technology majority of the countries' employee relation practices are more or less similar. Today the industrial relation is very important and a widely discussed subject and has a great significance in the growth of industries. The terms labour relation and industrial relation are interchangeably used (Bean, 1994). A good industrial relation has a significant role in the success of any kind of business. Appalachian State University defines employee relations as "it involves the body of work concerned with maintaining employer-employee relationships that contribute to satisfactory productivity, motivation, and morale" (Staff-employee relations, n. d.). Disputes are common at work places. If there is a better labour relation this disputes can be minimized. If the employer is interacting with the employees in a better way it can increase the loyalty of the employees, thereby increasing the productivity of the organisation. Overview of different issues of employee relation Here are different issues related to the employee relation that requires detailed discussion and is always a topic of debate for the experts in this field. Some of the issues are employee grievances, employee wellness, employee compensation, employee discrimination, employee promotion...etc. The management especially human resource management team should be efficient enough to maintain an efficient employee relation in an organisation. 1. Employee grievances handling: Employee grievances are common at work place. If the management t failed properly solves the grievances of employee s o it may cause serious problems to the organization including losing of efficient employees. Employees would not be ready to work in organization where their grievances are not properly solved. There are no industrial concerns which are working smoothly at all times. In some concern employee have complaints against employers. In some other cases employers may have complaints against employees. This is happening mainly due to lack of better employee relation. These grievances may be real, imaginary, valid, invalid, genuine, not genuine etc. Generally speaking complaints affecting one or more employees may be treated as grievances. Grievance is a feeling of discontent or dissatisfaction among workers regarding anything concerned with the company (Som, n. d.). Causes of grievances: There may be variety of reasons for grievance. Some of them are explained below. a. Difference in opinion: The management and

CHS200 - Critical Thinking - Module 4 Case Assignment - Fallacies Coursework

CHS200 - Critical Thinking - Module 4 Case Assignment - Fallacies - Coursework Example All these features are evident in the fallacy of affirming the consequent that also incorporates a certain degree of assumption. Although Dr. Russell is new in the profession, Harold’s claims that he favors the new procedure do not suggest that he actually favors the procedure. Moreover, the place where Dr. Russell’s studied from as well as his claims should not influence the effectiveness of the new procedure. Hence, Harold’s irrelevant appeal to consequences is faulty. In responding to Harold, I employed fallacist’s fallacy. The response uses fallacist’s fallacy because it concludes that the truth value in Harold’s argument is false based on the premise that his argument contains a fallacy (Holt, 2006). Even though, Harold may be true in claiming that Dr. Russell favors the new procedure as effective, this is not evidence that Dr. Russell actually favors the new

Analysis of Circuit City Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analysis of Circuit City - Case Study Example I do not think that Circuit City performed poorly merely as a result of the replacement of highly paid workers with poorly paid workers. Stating that the organization’s performance was pegged on employee pay is too simplistic. Figure 1 and Figure 2 below are used to support this argument. Figure 1 shows that as Circuit City’s stock prices increase, customer satisfaction (ASCI index) decreases and vice versa. Assuming stock prices truly represent the financial performance of the organization, and also that there is a correlation between worker pay and customer satisfaction, interpreting Figure 1, one could argue that Circuit City gets higher returns when customer satisfaction is low. In this case, we would expect Circuit City to have performed better with the poorly paid workers who offered poor service. On the other hand, Figure 2 shows that the only time stock price increase/decrease corresponded with a similar increase/decrease in customer satisfaction (ASCI index) wa s between 2006 and 2007. This Figure shows no correlation between stock price and customer satisfaction. Best Buy and Circuit City are in the same industry thus we would have expected their graphs of similar variables to display the similar correlation between stock price and ASCI index unless there are other factors affecting the curves. For this reason, we find it inconclusive to state that the replacement of highly paid workers with lower-paid workers did or did not cause Circuit city to perform so poorly.

Competence destroying vs enhancing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Competence destroying vs enhancing - Assignment Example There are two types of innovations which are architectural innovation and generation innovations. Architectural innovation is characterized by fundamental changes in the linkages between existing subsystems in an organization. The modifications are made to ensure that the organization achieves its goals and objectives much faster with minimal expenditures. Generational innovations were involved with changes made to the already existing linked subsystems hence it is much broader. Assessing the effects of an innovation to a business is very important since it will determine whether the organization will carry on with the innovation or stop it. At the same time it can be used to point out the weak points of the innovation so as to aid with the process of improving it. The level of competence enhancing and destroying are the major concepts used to determine the effect of an innovation. For instance, in e-business, can be assessed whether it is appropriate to the organization being on a number of factors. For instance, the innovation should cost effective in the sense that there is minimal time spent and financial input towards achieving the organizations

Society’s Curiosity of the Unknown Essay Example for Free

Society’s Curiosity of the Unknown Essay Whenever I am walking home alone, I am always paranoid that something is going to happen to me. I start to think about all of the horrible possibilities that could occur and I always feel as if I am being followed or watched. Even walking in an empty parking lot to my car scares me because I have a fear of being abducted. I, along with most people, was raised to be cautious of things like that. I was taught to always think of the worst thing that can happen, to be safe and to prevent the worst from happening. I am scared of death because I do not know what will happen after that. American’s obsession with the dark side comes from the curiosity of death. This obsession came from the first death of a human being. That was when curiosity about death and the afterlife originated. People do not know what happens after death and we are interested to find out more. Americans today come across the dark side every day whether they realize it or not. Inquisitiveness about the dark side appears in books, movies, and television shows. The piece â€Å"Zombies: why are we so obsessed?† by Eric G. Wilson, refers to all of the zombie and vampire themed books, movies, and television shows in today’s society. â€Å"True Blood,† â€Å"The Walking Dead,† and â€Å"Twilight† are some very well-known examples he uses to capture our attention and also to answer the question why we are so obsessed with death. â€Å"Maybe our obsession with zombies is a reflection of our fear of a pandemic virus that will transform us into flesh-starved corpses. Or perhaps we are afraid of a global financial collapse that would result in cannibalistic hordes haunting burned-out cities,† (1) wrote Wilson. The author of this article does not even know the answer, but that is precisely the point, the answer to the afterlife will forever remain unknown. The answer to our obsession is simply mere curiosity about death and the afterlife. These shows are produced to entertain and meant to provide us some sort of relief to the lingering questions we ask ourselves every day, even though the answers are not concrete, whatsoever. Finding answers to these questions is why there are so many artistic pieces centered around the dark side which began the gothic era, circa mid 12th century. Edgar Allen Poe is one of the first American authors of gothic literature. The reason Poe’s writing is so intriguing is because it relates to society’s curiosity or apprehension of death. His writing is so interesting because any revulsion the reader has about death or the afterlife is diluted because they are experiencing death through someone else’s eyes and not their own. There is nothing more intriguing than the unknown of the afterlife. There seems to be some sort of an addiction to receiving any knowledge or vindications about death or the afterlife. We can get these answers from reading gothic literature such as this by Poe. Poes writing is popular because of how it relates to our fear of the unknown. Americans are often obsessed with the dark side of human nature which is a reflection of this fear. The Masque of the Red Death is one of the many famous pieces of gothic literature written by Poe. The short story takes place in Europe around the time of the 14th century where an epidemic of the Red Death, has killed off half of the population. Prince Prospero shut himself away in his castellated abbey with seven irregular rooms representing the seven stages of life. The most eastern room was light blue, emphasizing life and the subsequent rooms ranged from purple, green, orange, white, violet, and finally, the most western room was black. The black room symbolizes the gothic fear of the end of life. The sun rises in the blue east room, representing the beginning of the day and the beginning of life, and the sun sets in the black west room, signifying the end of the day or end of life. Prospero decides to invite the healthiest aristocrats to a masquerade ball in his castle. He and his guests foolishly feel safe and protected from the disease and death because the abbey is surrounded with â€Å"a strong and lofty wall with gates of iron.† Once inside, no one can escape and no one can get in. In the black room, there is unusual dà ©cor. There is an ebony clock, which symbolizes death. It chimes each hour to remind the partiers of the fear they have about the ending of their lives. The masqueraders were considered grotesque. Towards the end of the story, an uninvited guest representing the red death, who is dressed as a corpse, interrupts the party. This creature walks from room to room and past the guests to the black room, the most western room. No one goes near the shrouded man except Prince Prospero who is following him angrily and â€Å"he bore aloft a drawn dagger.† He confronts the red death. Shortly afterwards there is a scream and Prince Prospero falls to the floor dead. The figure stands in the shadow of a clock and the partiers realize that there is no life form behind this mask. When they realize that, one by one the guests start to die. Poe ends the story with the irony of death being inevitable as much as Prospero and the partiers tried to avoid it. When the ebony clock symbolizing death chimes every hour, the guests stop everything they are doing in order to reflect on death. â€Å"While the chimes of the clock rang, it was observed that the giddiest grew pale, and the more aged and sedate passed their hands over their brows as if in confused reverie or meditation† (2) When the clock echoed its chimes, the people who were the most alive even took time to bring their activities to an end in order to think about death and what happens when their life ends. The oldest of the guests were confused, putting their hands on their heads to consider the lives they have lived and what would happen if and when it all concluded. The guests of the party focus on running away or avoiding death. They do not want to come into contact with it because they do not know what will happen to them. This is why when the clock chimes, everyone goes silent and dazes off trying to view their beliefs on what death would really be like. They also come to the realization when the clock chimes that someday, their lives will end. It is almost as if everybody goes through a tempora ry transformation when the clock echoes and chimes. They take a step back and face the reality that they cannot hide from death forever. However, when the clock stops echoing, these thoughts are diminished and everyone resumes their previous activities overlooking the thoughts they just had, as if nothing had even happened. The guests continue to party with laughter filling the room. Later towards midnight, which is also the end of the day, symbolizing the end of life, this masked stranger suspends the party. The partiers immediately go quiet when they come to this realization that there is something bizarre about this figure. â€Å"There were many individuals in the crowd who had found leisure to become aware of the presence of a masked figure which had arrested the attention of no single individual before. And the rumor of this new presence having spread itself whisperingly around, there arose at length from the whole company a buzz, or murmur, expressive of disapprobation and surprise†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (2) The partiers discuss in a quiet manner what they think this unwelcoming intruder could represent out of curiosity . They do not gaze away from it, attempting to discover the true inscrutability of this unknown figure. At first the guests are disturbed that something like this would even occur in a ball that clearly reprimanded anything to do with death. They express disapproval and disgust when they first perceive this distinguishing character. However, they then begin to communicate to one another in a hushed tone what they think this craze may be. The guests do not fail to glance away or stop conversing endeavoring to figure out what this spiritual disposition represents out of their curiosity of the unidentified and the unknown. Poe’s gothic literature is not the only piece that represents society’s obsessive curiosity about death. William Faulkner is an American author of gothic literature in the 20th century that is also well known for his gothic writing style. Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily is a gothic horror story set in the antebellum South. The story is told in retrospect about a spinster named Emily Grierson. It begins and ends at her funeral and the narrator moves through her life from about the age of 30 until the age of 74. Emily is an eccentric aristocrat who lives with a very controlling father, who imprisons her in their home. At about the age of 30 her father dies but she is so eccentric and resistant to change that she refuses to accept his death for 3 days. â€Å"She told them that her father was not dead. She did that for three days† (3) Her father left her only the house, and no money. She is in denial of the fact and refuses to accept the deterioration of her social status. One day, Homer Barron, a northern construction foreman and self-proclaimed lifelong bachelor, comes into her life. In spite of the fact that she is penniless, she shows a condescending attitude toward him and feels that she is superior. â€Å"Because the ladies all said, â€Å"Of course Grierson would not think seriously of a northerner, a day laborer.†Ã¢â‚¬  (3) Eventually, she falls in love, but her love is expressed to Homer in the same way her father’s love was shown to her. Love equals control. Her tragic determination to keep Homer in her life and stop time leads her to murder the man. Years later when she dies at the age of 74, neighbors attend her funeral on the pretense of showing respect. However, it is their morbid curiosity that drives them to see her and her house. After her burial, the decomposed body of the entrapped Homer Barron is found in what appears to be a macabre bridal chamber and a grotesque shrine. Death and denial are recurring themes throughout the story. The death of the two men Emily loved most, her father and Homer, her denial of their deaths, her den ial of her diminished status, and finally, her own death weave through the story from beginning to end. Emily’s constant need for attention and approval lead her to be curious about not only death, but life as well. When she meets Homer in the story, she accepts carriage rides from him even when she hardly knows him and someone in her place typically would not associate with a northern laborer. An outcome of her father’s death is Emily’s newfound freedom and her birth of curiosity to what she has been missing out on in life. When she falls in love with Homer, she takes after her father and shows her affection peculiarly by controlling everything he does. Her cousins come to stay with Emily and as a result of this, Homer moves out. Emily then starts to relive her fear of being alone and deprived of attention. When Homer returns, Emily poisons him. Her curiosity about what her life would be like without him drives her to do this and he fear underscores her curiosity. To ensure that this never happens, she kills him. Curiosity about death appears throughout gothic lit erature from past to present but it appears in modern times too. Long Island Medium is a television program on TLC about a woman named Theresa Caputo, who supposedly can come into contact with the dead. The spirits speak to her to reassure those who were left behind of whatever concerns them. This provides closure to the people that have lost those loved ones. Long Island Medium is a well-liked show because it provides people with answers about those they have lost such as if they are okay, if they are in heaven, and what they are feeling. Curiosity about loved ones people have lost is the reason for the show’s popularity and it shows us how society is obsessed with the dark side. â€Å"I have been channeling spirit for 11 years now, and everyone wants to know what happens when they die,† says Caputo. In regular episodes of Long Island Medium, Theresa Caputo will be doing necessary daily activities and she will come into contact with the spirits. While at the supermarket, Caputo encounters two women and one of them has a baby in a st roller. She approaches them regularly. â€Å"My name is Theresa and I’m a medium,† she says with a smile on her face. She then goes on to the woman with the baby that she feels that there is energy between a mother and a father having a recognition and excitement towards the baby. She then goes on to ask the mother of the baby if her parents had died. The woman, Vanessa, from East Meadow, tells her story about how both her parents had passed away and she never got to say goodbye. â€Å"Just know that your dad is stepping forward along with your mom acknowledging the birth of your beautiful son,† she says politely. Vanessa smiles somewhat morosely and manages an â€Å"okay.† Caputo persists with telling Vanessa that her parents are watching over the baby by the rocking chair in the baby’s room. Vanessa’s mother’s spirit tells Caputo of the baby’s yellow room in their new house and Caputo says this to Vanessa. Vanessa and her Aunt smile a nd laugh in disbelief. â€Å"Just know that her soul is with you because she says you don’t feel her,† Caputo goes on. Vanessa said she never felt that her mother was with her spiritually. â€Å"I always say that. I can’t believe you just said that,† says Vanessa. â€Å"Your mother is leaning over and kissing you and saying that she’s proud of you and that you’re going to be an amazing mom.† Vanessa nods and begins to cry. It seemed as if she was waiting for some kind of answers for years. She was curious to find out vindications to how her parents were and what they thought of her. Almost every human being has experienced death in some way. An inference on why this show is so notorious is because of the human intellect that there is an afterlife, but it is just unknown. Society preys on any type of justification on what happens after death. There are other modern gothic shows on television that show society’s curiosity about the afterlife and the unknown, but in fictional forms. Pretty Little Liars is a show on ABC family about four girls who are trying to solve the mystery of the death of their closest friend Allison. Shortly after the confirmation of Allison’s death, all four girls start to get disturbing texts and messages from an anonymous person who calls themselves â€Å"A† Their deceased friend Allison was the only one they told all of their secrets to. They figured since she was dead that all of their secrets were safe. However, â€Å"A† knows everything there is to know about all four of the girls’ lives. Every situation that happens to them whether it is financial, romantic, or criminal, A is the first person to know about it. The girls reunite and figure out that they all receive these messages from A. They try to unfold the mystery behind A along with trying to configure the clandestine of their friend Allison’s death. They start to wonder if this A is really Allison and if she is still alive. Attempting to unravel this enigma leads them into life threatening positions which change their reputations and self-confidence. The obsession in finding out the unknown of what happened to their friend and what happens to them in the result of trying to solve this mystery is the consequences of their simple curiosity. In the beginning of this hit series, the girls’ beloved friend Allison, whom they confided in, mysteriously disappeared. Questioning of her disappearance was the uproar of the town. Shortly afterwards, the police found her dead body. When all of the girls start receiving the same, eerie text messages, with information that only Allison knew of them, they start to question if Allison is really dead, or if her spirit is within the messages. Their curiosity of the unknown leads them to questioning what really happened to their friend. If the inhuman had no sense of curiosity, they would not find themselves caught up in the drama an anonymous figure is trying to provoke. Their curiosity leads to this obsession of finding out everything there is to know about their friend’s death and what really happened to her. If society was not curious about the afterlife and death, we would not have all of these books, stories, television shows or movies revolving around the dark side. The essence of mystery is what attracts society to creating any source of material to find any information. Curiosity is simply in our nature. If there were no curiosity, billions of dollars would not be made in trying to provide people with some sort of answers to what they are seeking. Curiosity birthed America’s obsession with the dark side.