Best Practices for Implementing Post-Adoption and Wrap...

Adoptive Families are special; they have a desire to grow their families by reaching out to children that need homes. These families face many unique challenges, but also receive many rewards, associated with the decision to adopt. These challenges continue for many families, through the process of adoption, legal finalization, and for many years post-adoption. The challenges are different in many ways from those faced by biological parents. Adoptive parents not only face the normal challenges faced from raising a child, but also the psychological issues of the child/ren adopted. Some children placed for adoption have social, psychological, or physical problems that many adoptive families may not be able to address. Previous research has shown an association between post adoption services and successful adoptive placements. â€Å"Post adoption services often respond to the effects that separation, loss, and trauma can have on children and youth who have been adopted. They can facil itate adjustment processes; promote child, youth, and family well-being; and support family preservation† (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2012). It is because of these issues, and many others, that placement agency must consider when providing wrap around services for families. Wrap around post adoption services can provide extended services for families in order to address some of the negative risk factors associated with adoption. These services can also provide future resources for families

Physics of Tsunamis Essay - 960 Words

Tsunamis are waves, or series of waves, created by a disturbance in the ocean. Most of the time this disturbance is by an earthquake but can be from meteorites, landslides, or even explosions. They are sometimes known as tidal waves but this is a misnomer because tsunamis have nothing to do with tides. While tsunamis are feared particularly in light of the December 26th tsunami, the physics behind them is fascinating. One the largest tsunamis in recent history was the Cascadia tsunami in 1700. This occured when two continental plates (stretching from Vancouver to California) slipped causing a 9.0 magnitude earthquake. The resulting tsunami stretched across the entire Pacific and is recorded in Japanese history. Researchers have†¦show more content†¦The 1960 earthquake in Chile was ripe for causing a tsunami, and it caused one of the largest tsunamis in recent history. The tsunami stretched across the entire Pacific causing large-scale destruction in Hawaii and Japan and in other places. Some towns in Japan were saved as the result of watchers whose job included checking the ocean for unusual behavior. Several hundred people owe their lives to the men that saved entire towns. The Alaskan Quake of 1964 caused a significant tsunami as well, killing 122 people and causing over $106 million in damage. The most recent major tsunami was in the Indian Ocean. This is unusual because almost all tsunamis take place in the Pacific. On the morning of December 26th, 2004 a magnitude 9.0 earthquake rocked Southeast Asia. This quake triggered a tsunami that is the most deadly to date. Almost 300,000 people have died as a result of the tsunami, and hundreds of thousands more are displaced or homeless. The quake was the largest in 40 years and was so large that it moved the ocean several meters vertically at the epicenter; this is enormous for tsunamis. In some places the tsunami was as high as 15 meters but in many areas it just occured as a rushing wall of water, more similar to a flood than waves. The ocean receded very far before rushing back in, exposing fish and seafloor never seen before. This piqued the curiousity of many people thus causing many more deaths than there would have been.Show MoreRelated Physics of Tsunamis Essay examples1377 Words   |  6 PagesPhysics of Tsunamis This paper will discuss the physics and warning systems of tsunamis, a destructive wave force that researchers have been studying for many years. Tsunamis are different than tides or surface waves because undersea earthquakes, instead of winds or the gravitational pull of the moon or sun, generate them. They can reach speeds of up to 700 kilometers per hour but can be undetected until they reach shallow water, then unexpectedly arise as deadly waves. Tsunamis evolve fromRead MoreA Report On Marine Geophysicists1081 Words   |  5 Pagesgeophysicists is the peculiarity of tsunamis that impel such extensive danger. After 2004, a 9.1 earthquake induced the Indian Tsunami that killed more than 250,000 people and left a million others affected in one day, people started to observe the amount of destruction caused by tsunamis (Helal Mehanna, 2008, p.787). The disaster was of such a magnitude that now has educated most people about the subject. The idea of it being a usual wave began to seem unlikely. Tsunamis are provoked by different phenomenaRead MoreMonetary Policy And Housing Markets Essay959 Words   |  4 Pagesperiod than actually occurred†¦ thus indirectly the Fed’s interest rate policies contributed to the housing bubble.† The effects of monetary policy played in the housing market development was significant that it sent tsunami waves across the U.S housing market. Like the laws gravity in physics states an object that goes up must come down, the financial market also relates to that theory as the market goes through ups and downs during the fiscal years. U.S was going through a recession in 2006 era and thenRead MoreAnalysis : Falling Celestial Bodies : Asteroid Trajectory And Impact Duration 4 Weeks1480 Words   |  6 PagesTHIS FORM WITH FINAL ASSESSMENT Student Identification: Grade 11 SUBJECT DETAILS SUBJECT Physics Year 2015 TEACHER Term 2 UNIT TITLE â€Å"Falling† Celestial Bodies: Asteroid Trajectory and Impact Duration 4 weeks General Assessment Information This is an individual, non-experimental research based assessment item. Students may however, work collaborativelyRead MorePersonal Statement753 Words   |  4 Pagesconsidered these people my journalism professors, and worked with them to develop the skills I still use to translate research and scientiï ¬ c news for my audiences. Because of my bachelor’s degree in physics, my main focus was on space science, though I also reported on major events such as the Indonesian tsunami and the 2005 Kashmir earthquake. On a more ongoing basis, I researched, designed, and presented a wide variety of programs on many topics, such as the This Week In Space Science live/multimediaRead MoreRogue Waves2080 Words   |  9 Pagesdescribe these troughs as riding a down elevator. Further, rogue waves differ from tsunamis and tidal waves in that the latter are both extremely rare instances which are caused by an earthquake, volcanic eruptions, or landslide which displaces a large volume of water, thus creating a single large wave whereas rogue waves are more of a more regular and fundamental property of the sea (BBC par. 8; McDonald A21). Moreover, tsunamis are relatively small waves in height but long in length whereas rogue wavesRead MoreBoston Molasses Disaster855 Words   |  3 PagesOn the fateful January day in 1919, a sound described as machine gun fire was heard, and a fifteen foot wave came crashing through the street at thirty five miles an hour, killing dozens and injuring hundreds more. Many scientists point out that a tsunami that size would not have caused such devastating effects, due to molasses being a non-Newtonian fluid. Depending on how the molasses is made, it can have 5,000 to 10,000 times the viscosity of water. Swimming through the substance is nearly impossibleRead MoreTides1740 Words   |  7 Pagesphenomenal Fundy Tides, which overpower the rivers flowing into the Bay of Fundy and reverse their direction two times a day. Extraordinary tides occur when the tidal wave length is two to four times the length of the Bay. By virtue of blind luck or physics, the tide is amplified into a standing wave, like water sloshing in a bathtub. For a breaking wave to form, the surging tide must meet an obstacle. When the ocean meets the river going in the opposite direction, the sea hesitates, piles up behindRead MoreDisasters Caused By Natural Disasters1175 Words   |  5 Pagesbe classified as either a human caused disaster which basically involves the negligence or irresponsibility of one single person or a group of people, or natural caused disasters. Natural disas ters may happen due to volcanic eruption, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc. and many other causes. Sometimes disaster can also be intertwined between both human caused and natural disasters. In this essay we are going to talk about some of the most famous engineering disaster which has an intertwined fate with naturalRead MoreAnne: Armageddon Reaction Paper1265 Words   |  6 Pagesserious. Not so. The best description of Armageddon is an action-adventure film sprinkled with comedy. Every effort is made to excite and entertain. No effort is made to educate or inform. Scientific accuracy is tossed out the window. The laws of physics are continually violated in order to maximize the drama. What happened to the good old movie classics that tried to teach us something about life?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is amazing that the asteroid is able days in advance to send warning signals consisting of

How Does Media Systems Shape The Development Of Media...

How does media system shape the development of media relevant company: a case study of WeChat’s practice in Chinese and oversea markets. Introduction The diversity of media systems around the world leads the media and communication industries in different countries and areas to different directions. As an overall background for every media and communication company in a certain area to innovate new products/services and develop, the media system plays an important role during a product/service’s lifecycle from its concept design to its growth and maturity. In this case, this essay will take a Chinese social network service (SNS) WeChat as example to analyze how does China’s protectionist model influence WeChat’s major features and†¦show more content†¦This SNS was first released in January 2011, offered services include free voice and video calls, multimedia messaging (allows video, image, text, and voice messages), group chat, and etc. (Tencent, 2016). As its Chinese name Weixin indicates, this service focuses on communicating through micro (Wei) messages (Xin). However, Weixin is not only a text and voice messaging communication service, it also introduces several social and media functions. Firstly, Weixin raises a personal photo stream service called ‘Moments’ for users to share their ‘best moments’ to people in their contact list (Tencent, 2016). Moments is a relatively private space only opens to users’ friends, and families. In the Chinese version, this space is directly called ‘the friend zone’. With the evolution of Weixin services, users can share multimedia contents from photos, to short videos, texts, website links and etc. in their Moments and comment or click ‘like’ under their friends’ Moments as well now. This virtual space allows users to know the daily life of people their cared without meeting in reality, and help them to maintain relationships by interacting in Moments. Secondly, Weixin allows any business, organization, and individual users to register official accounts with a few simple steps (Grata, 2014). Through an

Sociological Perspectives On Education Theory And Practice...

SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES AND THEIR APPLICABILITY IN EDUCATION THEORY AND PRACTICE Presented by: NDUNG’U M. JOSEPH 2016/ED/33284 To MRS. R. GITONGA APRIL 2016 1.1 Overview The word theory merely refers to a particular kind of explanation. Leedy and Ormrod (2005) point out: â€Å"A theory is an organized body of concepts and principles intended to explain a particular phenomenon†. Thus, theories explain â€Å"How† and â€Å"Why† something operates as it does (Johnson Christensen, 2007). As stated by Boss, Doherty, LaRossa, Schumm, Steinmetz (1993), â€Å"Theorizing is the process of systematically formulating and organizing ideas to understand a particular phenomenon. Thus, a theory is the set of interconnected ideas that emerge from this process.† The major sociological perspectives on education fall nicely into the functional, conflict, and symbolic interactionist approaches (Ballantine Hammack, 2012) 1.2 Conflict theory Conflict theory does not dispute the functions just described. However, it does give some of them a different slant by emphasizing how education also perpetuates social inequality (Ballantine Hammack, 2012). One example of this process involves the function of social placement. When most schools begin tracking their students in grade school, the students thought by their teachers to be bright are placed in the faster tracks (especially in reading and arithmetic), while the slower students are placed in the slower tracks; in high school, three commonShow MoreRelated The Examination of the Residential School System in Canada Essay932 Words   |  4 PagesEducation is an essential aspect in our ever-changing societies. It is used as a means of transmitting concepts, knowledge, and values, often to younger generations (Ravelli Webber, 2010). Education and schooling differ in all societies, varying based on the methods of teaching of different cultural groups. For instance, Canadian Aboriginal people were taught based on the needs of their individual families and class. This greatly differed from the European system of education, which stressed adequateRead MoreWhat is Sociology?1169 Words   |  5 Pagesdiscussion within this collection broadly follows mai n concepts and perspectives, with many authors, but also of key peer tested Authors. I will initially outline the main concepts and main perspectives from a selection of these authors, and aim to conclude, that is is the â€Å"sociological thinking† gained from â€Å"unpacking† this knowledge, that can be applied to Social Work today. â€Å"Social theory, consists of major authors, perspectives and key issues, there are many different strands, that although haveRead MoreThe Impact of Sociological Theories in Education1674 Words   |  7 PagesImpact of Sociological Theories in Education Crystal Taylor-Johnson SOC101: Introduction to Sociology Professor Christine Henderson November 22, 2010 Education is the most important part of a person’s life. Without a good education people would struggle in everyday life just to be able to get by. There are three theories that help understand education. Even though most people feel theories are just someone’s opinions, education has many different theories that support it because these theories helpRead MoreThe Sociological Perspective Or Imagination, Cite Its Components, And Explain How They Were Defined By C.974 Words   |  4 Pages1- Define the sociological perspective or imagination, cite its components, and explain how they were defined by C. Wright Mills. The sociological Taboo (or imagination) is defined as a way of thinking that help us use external information and experience to form theories about the social pattern around us. We collect data and from that information, we make judgments and predictions. These require going beyond one’s point of view. People s life and experiences are different. Therefore, it is importantRead MoreDeviance : Deviance And Deviance1292 Words   |  6 Pagessignificantly more than simply basic non-similarity; it is conduct that hauls out fundamentally from social desires. The sociological meaning of deviance puts accentuation on social connection, not ones conduct. Sociologists view abnormality as far as procedures inside of a gathering, judgements and definitions, not generally as curious individual acts. The sociological meaning of deviance perceives that not every conduct is judged also as with all gatherings. What is degenerate to a sure groupRead MoreExamining the Different Sociological Theories on Education Essay929 Words   |  4 PagesEducation and schooling are important in modern societies because it can create opportunities for people to succeed. It is greatly influential to the development of our mentality and morality. Through education and schooling, one gains knowledge and insight that can help with the survival and advancement in society. However, the three main sociological theories have different views on education and its purpose. From a functionalist perspective, this theory focuses on how education operatesRead MoreThe Sociological Effects of Residential Schools Essay969 Words   |  4 Pages2014) In the film Education as We See It, some Aboriginals were interviewed about their own experiences in residential schools. When examining the general topic of the film, conflict theory is the best paradigm that will assist in understanding the social implications of residential schools. The film can also be illustrated by many sociological concepts such as agents of socialization, class inequality, and language as a cultural realm. According to conservative conflict theory, society is a struggleRead MoreAsdfghjkl894 Words   |  4 Pagesamp; Technology * Sex and Gender * Social Psychology * Sociological Practice * Sociological Theory * Sociology of Children * Sociology of Culture * Sociology of Education * Sociology of Emotions * Sociology of Law * Sociology of Mental Illness * Sociology of Population (a.k.a., Demography) * Sociology of Religion * Undergraduate Sociological Education Anthropology is the study of humans, past and present. To understandRead MoreSociological Perspectives On The Sociological Perspective1178 Words   |  5 PagesThe Sociological Perspective is a behavior that connects one with society. As written in the textbook Society the Basics, sociological perspective is also defined as â€Å"seeing the general in the particular† (Berger, 1963). A major part of being a sociologist is finding patterns in everyday life. As an ordinary person, finding patterns is almost a natural instinct. Every individual falls into a category, whether how unique they claim to be. Individuals can be categorized by race, class, sexual orientationRead MoreThe Sociological Perspective, As Defined By The Textbook Society900 Words   |  4 PagesThe sociological perspective, as defined by the textbook Society: The Basics on page 2, is being able to see the general in the particular. This means that a sociologist’s goal is to observe a group of specific p eople, such as those who go to professional sports games, and find the similarities in their behaviors, like why some dress in outrageous costumes. A sociological perspective is important to understanding the role of a society as part of the larger world. This is called the global perspective

Market Analysis for the E-Guitar Market Free Essays

Market Analysis and Low-Price-Segments The global market for music instruments covers about $16,8 billion. As there are no reliable sources on worldwide sales data for guitars, the U. S. We will write a custom essay sample on Market Analysis for the E-Guitar Market or any similar topic only for you Order Now market shall be examined exemplarily. Table 1 shows the development of units sold, retails, and the average prices over the last ten years. It can be observed that there is a growth of nearly 275% in units sold, and about 160% in retail, whereat the average price decreased by 57%. According to this there is a strong tendency for low price products. Year| Units Sold| Retail| Average Price| 2010| 2,991,260| $1,151,290,000| $372| 009| 3,302,670| $1,158,592,050| $350| 2008| 3,201,220| $1,022,861,000| $309| 2007| 2,341,551| $903,261,000| $386| 2006| 1,942,625| $921,057,000| $529| 2005| 1,742,498| $922,280,000| $529| 2004| 1,648,595| $923,522,000| $560| 2003| 1,337,347| $762,185,000| $569| 2002| 1,153,915| $694,883,000| $579| 2001| 1,090,329 | $710,769,000| $652| In table 2 this tendency appears very obviously. In the low price segment, that is prices below $500, are about two third of the whole market volume. Comparing acoustic and electric guitars it can be observed that there is a stro nger request for high prize electrics than acoustics. Units  Sold| Units  Sold| Type  |   Acoustics| Electrics| Under $100  | 390,028  | 256,354| $101 to $200  | 410,030  | 561,537  | $201 to $350  | 110,008  | 195,317  | $351 to $500  | 40,003  | 97,659| $501 to $1,000  | 40,003  | 61,037  | $1,001 to $1,500  | 10,001  | 24,415  | Over $1,5o1| 20,001  | 36,621| Total| 1,490,260| 1,501,000| Also it turns out that high quality guitars as Gibson’s or Paul Reed Smith’s, which are presented in this paper, are prestige goods with an inverse price-demand relationship. That is higher prices are associated with higher quality. Gibson’s former attempt to join the low price segment in order to compete with rivals such as Yamaha and Ibanez, which are both producers of cheap guitars, did not turn out to be successful as it did not match with their â€Å"century-old tradition of creating investment-quality instruments that represent the highest standards of imaginative design and masterful craftsmanship† (Kotler et al. 2010, p. 327). The strategy of focusing on the high quality segment, at a time when most guitar manufacturers entered the low price segment, has proven very successful. Gibson’s chief executive noted: â€Å"We had an inverse [price-demand relationship]. The more we charged, the more product we sold. † Kotler et al. 2010 (Principles of Marketing, Thirteenth Edition, Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, Pearson Education Inc. , Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 2010) In case of prestige goods, the demand curve sometimes slopes upward. Consumers think that higher prices mean more quality. For example, Gibson Guitar Corporation once toyed with the idea of lowering its prices to compete more effectively with rivals such as Yamaha and Ibanez that make cheaper guitars. To its surprise, Gibson found that its instruments didn’t sell as well at lower prices. We had an inverse [price-demand relationship],† noted Gibson’s chief executive. â€Å"The more we charged, the more product we sold. † At a time when other guitar manufacturers have chosen to build their instruments more quickly, cheaply, and in greater numbers, Gibson still promises guitars that â€Å"are made one-at-a-time, by hand. No shortcuts. No substitutes . † It turns out that low prices simply aren’t consistent with â€Å"Gibson’s century-old tradition of creating investment-quality instruments that represent the highest standards of imaginative design and masterful craftsmanship. Bild Body How to cite Market Analysis for the E-Guitar Market, Essay examples

Distressing Combination of Several Factors

Question: Discuss about the Distressing Combination of Several Factors. Answer: Introduction: The older population is most at risk with various medical conditions which affect their health negatively. The older people are at risk of diseases such as coronary heart disease, cardiovascular diseases, cancer of the lungs and breast, COPD, prostate cancer and dementia. Both young old, middle old and Old-old adults are at risk. Pain in older persons with dementia has often been under reported due to poor assessment skills. Studies have shown that dementia patients receive limited care due to unrecognizable symptoms of pain leaving them to suffer without any medicare, (Corbet et al., 2014). In a study by Oosterman et al., (2014) shows that adults with dementia made few true positives, less accurate negatives and high false negatives. Most of the adults were young old and above and those with multiple disease correlated with dementia like Alzheimers disease. In any disease diagnosis, pain is the common factor affecting diseases management and patient quality of life. Pain assessments among these patients are often assed using observational tools, (Delaine Thomas, 2016). The impact of pain in dementia is a complex issue; dementia is characterized by effects on neuro pathological diagnosis. Assessment of pain is however challenging in that loss of ability to communicate leaves the patient in chronic in pain without proper assessment for appropriate care. Chronic pain dementia can be as result of persistent underlying medical condition. Pain is often under reported among adults, and screening methods used dont critically assess the extent of the pain as they are already unable to inform others that they are in pain, (Achtenberg Lautenbacher, 2017). Young Old adults over 60 years of age are prone to lower back pains are often encountered due to physical, mental and psychosocial changes in their bodies. Age related factors have compounded the occurrence of pain among the adults. Multiple risk factors including ethnicity, gender and genetic have associated with pain increase, (Wong, Karppinen Samartiz, 2017). Challenges in assessing pain is however complicated with advanced dementia compared to people without dementia. Nurses failure to report pain has often been plagued with under reporting due to poor assessment techniques used. Visceral pain has always been associated with medical conditions in the muscular region, GI and cardiovascular pathways, (Allely, n.d). As a nurse, pain management forms key provision in end of life care, acute nursing care centers and home care based treatment often are not fully supported and allocated few resources to effectively manage pain in older age in advanced dementia. Mentoring of nurses amongst themselves and establishing needs assessment periodically coupled with interactive based learning of patient centered care using the principles of human value, individualized care, perspective view and social view could help in improving and promoting value of care to the patients. As a nurse theirs is need for continuous professional development in nursing field and pharmacology as information and knowledge depth change daily, which can have positive impact on pain management practice in dementia. References Achterberg, W., Lautenbacher, S. (2017). Editorial: Pain in Dementia: A Distressing Combination of Several Factors. Current Alzheimer Research, 14(5), 468-470. Allely, C. S. Pain in individuals with dementia: is the concept of pain no longer intact? Ammaturo, D. A., Hadjistavropoulos, T., Williams, J. (2016). Pain in Dementia: Use of Observational Pain Assessment Tools by People Who Are Not Health Professionals. Pain Medicine, pnw265. Corbett, A., Husebo, B. S., Achterberg, W. P., Aarsland, D., Erdal, A., Flo, E. (2014). The importance of pain management in older people with dementia. British Medical Bulletin, 111(1), 139-148. Oosterman, J. M., Hendriks, H., Scott, S., Lord, K., White, N., Sampson, E. L. (2014). When pain memories are lost: a pilot study of semantic knowledge of pain in dementia. Pain Medicine, 15(5), 751-757. Wong, A. Y., Karppinen, J., Samartzis, D. (2017). Low back pain in older adults: risk factors, management options and future directions. Scoliosis and Spinal Disorders, 12(1), 14.

Boeing Company free essay sample

The fundamental analysis consists of describing the competitive forces in the industry including the company’s relative advantages and disadvantages to its competitors and a discussion on ROE as the basis for growth. Based on the technical analysis, we find that Boeing’s stock is overpriced. Its intrinsic value is $13. 39 in 2011, which is substantially less than its current price. But, our fundamental analysis shows that Boeing Company has not only greater earnings growth but also little more ability to grow than its competitor Lockheed Marin Corporation.The Boeing Company also has strong prospect for earnings growth in coming years. Based on the technical and fundamental analysis, we recommend hold. Background Boeing is the world’s leading aerospace company and the largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircraft combined. Additionally, Boeing designs and manufactures rotorcraft, electronic and defense systems, missiles, satellites, launch vehicles and advanced information and communication systems. As a major service provider to NASA, Boeing operates the Space Shuttle and International Space Station. We will write a custom essay sample on Boeing Company or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The company also provides numerous military and commercial airline support services. Boeing has customers in more than 90 countries around the world and is one of the largest U. S. exporters in terms of sales. Headquartered in Chicago, Boeing employs more than 158,000 people across the United States and in 70 countries (Boeing, 2011, p. 1). Early History of Boeing Commercial Aircraft Boeing started its career in the second half of 1920’s by selling training aircraft to the U. S. Navy.This conglomerate, known as United, was the essence of vertical integration, controlling almost all aspects of the aerospace business. By 1931 United Airlines had a fleet of 120 planes that flew 32,000 miles a day (Sgouridis, 2007, p. 90). A continuing expansionist drive for market domination fueled the conglomerate. United created demand for aircraft and the manufactures profits are used of designing bigger and better planes that would in turn attract more passengers generating more profit for both division (Sgouridis, 2007, p. 90).

The Central Themes Presented in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark free essay sample

William Shakespeare is perhaps best known for being the father of plays. Of all playwrights, none can compare to Shakespeare’s style, creativity, and wit. A great example would be Hamlet which could perhaps be viewed as the best of all his plays. The lines of the play have been remembered in the minds of many that it is impossible not to remember, â€Å"To be or not to be.† This essay would discuss the central themes related to the play, Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, which is full of dark and gloomy details of life that exploring those details would mean a better understanding of the play. The themes of procrastination, death, and decay would be deeply examined in this paper along with a brief summary of the play itself. The Central Themes Presented in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark Hamlet has always been regarded as one of Shakespeare’s most problematic plays. We will write a custom essay sample on The Central Themes Presented in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page   As T.S. Eliot (1922) contends, â€Å"In several ways the play is puzzling, and disquieting as is none of the others† ( ¶ 5).  There exists the ghost, which may or may not be Hamlet Senior. As the instigator of the events that are to unfold, the Ghost may be from the Devil himself as Hamlet once feared. As the body count keeps piling up, at the end of the day no one can be too confident that the Ghost had anyone’s best interest in mind. Then, there is Hamlet’s misogyny, â€Å"Frailty, thy name is woman† (Shakespeare, 1983, p. 1862) which is referring to more than Queen Gertrude’s hasty marriage but to womanhood itself.   He tells Ophelia, whom he loves, to give up all things of the world most especially physical intimacies and to closet herself into a nunnery.  This bespeaks of an aversion to living, but that in itself is not death. There is also,the most driving question of all: Why cannot Hamlet make up his mind?   Why must he quibble and drabble?   His antics are of course most well-known: His hired players, his feigned madness and the unrelenting number of his soliloquies (seven in all) are central to the play.   Yet, he remained unable to avenge his father’s murder except to the very end of course. As Johnston (2007) has lectured: Revenge dramas, from the Oresteia to the latest Charles Bronson Death Wish film, are eternally popular, because, as playwrights from Aeschylus on have always known, revenge is something we all, deep down, understand and respond to imaginatively (even if we ourselves would never carry out such a personal vendetta). The issue engages some of our deepest and most powerful feelings, even if the basic outline of the story is already very familiar to us from seeing lots of revenge plots (for the basic story line doesn’t change much from one story to another). (n.p.) However, most readers and critics alike do acknowledge that the indecisiveness of Hamlet is indeed the heart of the matter.   This drives the play forward. The mere question of whether the Ghost comes from Heaven or Hell had taken its wear and toll in Hamlet’s soul.   Delay or Hamlet’s procrastination therefore must lead us to the nature of procrastination itself: The fundamental understanding of the procrastination definition is that, it is an act of delaying or putting off performing some tasks to a later period†¦Typically delaying the performance of some assignments can lead to a traumatic situationThe main reason for such delay in tasks may be avoiding or fearing of unpleasant outcomes in the assigned tasks. (Procrastination Advice, 2009, n.p.) To murder your mother’s husband must indeed be a most unpleasant task, even though he may be at the same time the murderer of a beloved monarch and father, and an usurper-extraordinaire of a throne that rightfully belongs to the prince of Denmark. Howeverm Johnston (2007) carefully points out a conclusion that modern interpretation has carefully credited as plausible, if not acceptable: †¦impossible for Hamlet to carry out. It’s not that he is by nature irresolute, too poetical or philosophical, or suffers from medical problems or a weakness of will. It is, by contrast, that this particular assignment is impossible for him. †¦he is incapable of killing the man who sleeps with his mother because that would mean that he would have to admit to himself his own feelings about her, something which overwhelms him and disgusts him. (n.p.) However, any mere interpretation of Hamlet as an Oedipal product seems superficial.   This does not mean that the desire is not there, but it is not enough.   It cannot seem to justify Hamlet’s procrastination and therefore it is inadequate. Let us not be blind to the fact that vengeance, though biblically belongs to the Lord, is the driving force of the actions in the play: â€Å"There is the striking parallel of three sons—Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras—each seeking to avenge a murdered father.  Hamlet and Fortinbras (who have both been deprived of their thrones by their uncles) are the inheritors of a blood- feud† (Hornstein, Brown, Brown, 1973, p. 315). Moreover, Fortinbras’ father was killed by the elder Hamlet and Laertes’  father  was killed by Hamlet who mistook the hidden Polonius for the king. Yet, Hamlet, who has most to avenge, is the last to act.  Only the death of Gertrude who inadvertently drank the poisoned cup that Claudius’ perfidy had prepared compels him to use the sword as an instrument of death – of others and not of himself. This is because Hamlet was fighting the great human instinct until the very end to give in to baser desires—vengeance.  He was fighting against the decay that permeated the whole of the Court of Elsinore as it is often illustrated as having a â€Å"physical body made ill by the moral corruption† (Phillips, 2009, n.p.). Consider, the people, though Hamlet is loved and popular, allow Claudius to sit on the throne sullied by murder and an incestuous and hasty marriage (Hamlet Senior and Claudius are brothers). Why have they allowed this injustice to remain?   Even Elizabeth in Shakespearean time was keen to her subjects’ gossip and opinions, but why was not there a murmur of protest even raised? Were the queen and the new king lovers even before the death of old King Hamlet?   Even the old king is tainted with the blood of others.   The old warrior’s hands are drenched in the blood of Fortinbras’  father. Were the people weak, the state weakened not only by the corrupting influence of Claudius and Polonius, but of the years before when war played so much havoc in the affairs of the kingdom? Vengeance itself is the last recourse when nothing can be done.   Hamlet could not act against a sitting monarch; Laertes could only connive with the corrupt king because his father’s murderer is a prince and Fortinbras could only move against the kingdom because it is quite obvious that royalty have their own rules. It was as Hamlet laments it: â€Å"O that this too too solid flesh would melt, / Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew! / Or that the Everlasting had not fix’d / His canon ’gainst self-slaughter! O God! O God!† (Shakespeare, 1983p. 1862). For how does one fight the inevitable decay of the soul, if the environment that must foster nobility of the soul does not exist?   Hamlet lives in a world at odds with himself as he himself is at odds with himself. Thus, this state of uncertainty is pushing him to the path of suicide.   Like all young people (Hamlet was a university student before his studies was interrupted by his father’s murder) who are faced with a dilemma or situation that because of their age, inexperience or inarticulacy, they could not resolve—they turn to death. How common it is to say, â€Å"I wish I could die,† when faced with embarrassment or one’s own inabilities.   Hamlet is unable to fulfill and carry on the task that he, as society and culture mandates, must do. This is the source of his procrastination. Hamlet is ironically, both cruelly and nobly, indecisive but acts when he wants to.   His uncertainties are the doubts that all men and women face – when they are challenged from within.   o give in to the world that says that vengeance is acceptable, the power is desirable no matter how it is gained, that love must be sacrificed—that the self is paramount and is above everything else. For how then can one explain the ease by which Polonius has corrupted innocent Ophelia to the point that she spies on the man she loves?   That she is driven to madness and death when Hamlet spurns herself, though harsh and cruel, is inevitable.

The Critical Response to Patrick Sharkeys Stuck In Place

Although much attention is paid today to the problems of developing the democratic and just society in the USA, it is almost impossible to reject the fact that racial inequality is in a constant progress in the country, and it can appear in different forms.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on The Critical Response to Patrick Sharkey’s Stuck In Place specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In his work Stuck in Place: Urban Neighborhoods and the End of Progress toward Racial Equality, Patrick Sharkey provides facts to support the idea that the obvious racial inequality exists, especially in the urban neighborhoods, leading to the unstopped development of the phenomenon. Thus, Sharkey focuses on the importance of places in the development of racial inequality and on the impact of urban neighborhoods on several generations growing at these territories. Focusing on the reliable arguments provided by the author, the reader can agree that effective durable urban policies are necessary in order to break the chain and reduce the negative impact of the neighborhoods on generations. However, the author’s argument can be discussed as rather controversial. Sharkey states that the era of the civil rights movements ended with doubtful positive results because the situation of segregation and inequality continued to intensify, and African Americans were legally isolated in the urban neighborhoods having less social and economic opportunities in comparison with the white population of the country (Sharkey 47). In spite of the fact that the author provides evidences to support his ideas and draws conclusions with references to the statistical data, Sharkey’s opinions make the reader rethink such positive results of the civil rights movements as voting rights and affirmative action from the other perspective.Advertising Looking for book review on american literature? Let's see if we can h elp you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thus, certain achievements of the movement were available only for individuals when the thousands of blacks continued to live in ghettos. According to Sharkey, the ghetto of the 1940s â€Å"was a place where all classes of African-American families were forced to live, the ghetto of the 1980s was a place where the most impoverished African-Americans had been abandoned† (Sharkey 25). From this point, being isolated in these places, African Americans became even more far from the social equality than they were before the era of civil rights movements. The social isolation of the certain groups of people without the necessary funding cannot lead to the improvement of the general social situation in the country. People living in the urban neighborhoods suffer from the constant unemployment, poor housing, poor living conditions, discrimination, and the absence of equal rights for receiving good education (Sharkey 33-35 ). The situation can be worsened with references to the lack of necessary reforms in urban policies and investing into these territories. The book by Sharkey is influential because it adds to the discussion of the problem of racism in the USA.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on The Critical Response to Patrick Sharkey’s Stuck In Place specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, the racial inequality is not overcome during the decades after the civil rights movements, and the situation remains unchanged for the thousands of young people who are brought up in the urban neighborhoods. Sharkey pays attention to the â€Å"generation of children who inherited racial inequality from a previous era and reproduced this inequality in their own lifetimes† (Sharkey 6). From this point, racial inequality becomes typical for these territories, and there are no opportunities for the next generations to break the ch ain. Young people continue to follow the life patterns characteristic for the life of their parents because there are no real opportunities to receive the education equal to that one outside the urban neighborhoods. On the one hand, poor neighborhoods should not become the barriers before young blacks living there because all the Americans are equal. On the other hand, African Americans are the victims of the social and political situation. The author’s arguments can be discussed as convincing because evidences for them are observable in relation to the everyday life. The life of young African Americans is affected in relation to all the spheres, they have lower test scores, cannot receive the appropriate higher education, and cannot be employed successfully.Advertising Looking for book review on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is important to understand the fact that African Americans are discriminated significantly while being isolated in ghettos. Sharkey states that social problems that â€Å"characterize poor, segregated urban neighborhoods have not arisen because of any character deficiencies of low-income African Americans or other ethnic minorities† (Sharkey 23). Thus, segregation was the result of discriminating policies. Many social problems emerged because of â€Å"a combination of economic and political disinvestment in urban neighborhoods† (Sharkey 23). The strength of the book is in referring to the changes in the urban policies and provision of social mobility for African Americans living in ghettos as to the ways of coping with the racial discrimination. These policies can change the whole situation and help in stating equality according to the principles of a just society. The situation can be changed with the help of providing people living in ghettos with more social mobi lity, more chances, and more equality. Sharkey proposes focusing on a specific durable urban policy which should be realized gradually in order to result in positive changes (Sharkey 23, 168). The author defines the durable urban policy as the policy with the capacity â€Å"to create changes that persist across generations of families, and policies that are less vulnerable to the changing political mood in Washington or to the fluctuations of the business cycle† (Sharkey 23). Thus, social equality is possible when the vision of this idea does not depend on the political changes. The reader can agree with the statement that â€Å"any form of discrimination in the housing and lending market must be challenged aggressively† (Sharkey 178). Nevertheless, despite the planned actions proposed by the author, the realization of the policy can become a challenging process because policy makers were inclined to be blind to the hidden discrimination and inequality during decades. The arguments and data provided by Sharkey in his book allow speaking about the development of the catastrophic tendency which leads to intensifying the racial discrimination instead of supporting the idea of equality. In his book, Sharkey presents the logical discussion of the problem of the urban neighborhoods in relation to their impact on the generations of the African Americans living in societies which â€Å"remained ‘hypersegregated’† (Sharkey 25). Thus, the author’s ideas are significant to examine the problem of discrimination with references to the role of poor neighborhoods and social isolation. Focusing on this aspect, it is possible to make first steps in overcoming the problem. The American people are used to focus on the idea that the American society provides equal opportunities for all the population in spite of differences. In reality, equality remains to be rather mythic. Sharkey’s book is interesting and influential because the a uthor discusses the problem of inequality with references to the urban neighborhoods where thousands of African Americans have to live because of the ineffective urban policies. The connection between the environments and the aspects of the African Americans’ life in ghettos was discussed as the controversial point during a long period of time. In his book, Sharkey focuses on this connection and states that the negative environments can provoke the negative aspects of the people’s social life. From this point, the effective urban policy can contribute to changing the situation for better. It is possible to agree with Sharkey’s position because the author’s arguments are logical, they are supported with the relevant and credible data. Works Cited Sharkey, Patrick. Stuck in Place: Urban Neighborhoods and the End of Progress toward Racial Equality. USA: University of Chicago Press, 2013. Print. This book review on The Critical Response to Patrick Sharkey’s Stuck In Place was written and submitted by user Nancy L. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Lost World essays

The Lost World essays The Lost World was written by Michael Crichton. This book is the sequel to Jurassic Park. This is book takes place on the island Isla Sorna. It was a privately owned island on the west coast of Coast Rica by InGen. They are the biology company that made the dinosaurs and founded Jurassic Park. This island is where the first dinosaurs were born. Dr. Wu just came up with this new technology and they werent sure how it would turn out so they made all the original eggs on this island. Then once they got it right then they make the eggs on Isla Nublar. The main characters were Richard Levine, Ian Malcolm, Doctor Thorne, and Sarah Harding. Richard Levine made all of the other people get into this mess. He had discovered that the Coast Rican government were burying strange dead animals that washed up on the coast. He went down there and send a piece back to Ian Malcolm. Malcolm brought it to a zoo and they said that it was tagged and that it was something that they had never seen before. At that moment Malcolm knew that it was a dinosaur because he had seen them before at Jurassic Park. Then he called Levine and he wasnt home. Then he got in contacted with Doctor Thorne, who was making some special field vehicles for Levine. Thorne also didnt know were Levine was. Both of them and two of Levine students from school, Kelly and Arby went over to Levines apartment. There he found a huge map on his wall and they figured out that Levine was on Isla Sorna. They figured it out by looking up old files on Site B on his computer, that he bought form InGen. They then decided to go to that island and get him. They then called Sarah Harding and asked her if she wanted to go and she said that she would think about it. Once on the island they unpacked the specially made trailer and the Explorer from the huge steel containers that the helicopter had brought to the island. They both ran off of electric and ...

Child Abuse A case for Imposing Harsher Punishments to Child Abusers

Child Abuse A case for Imposing Harsher Punishments to Child Abusers Introduction Children are very important since they represent the community’s hopes, ambitions and its future. As such, they are cherished and most parents try to provide a quality life for them. Even so, some live lives full of hurt as a result of child abuse which is one of the most heinous crimes.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Child Abuse: A case for Imposing Harsher Punishments to Child Abusers specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This crime sometimes leads to children being traumatized for life or physically damaged. It is therefore of great importance to stop it from happening. In an attempt to stop this abuse, forms of punishment have been devised for retribution and deterrence purposes. This paper will argue that harsher punishment should be imposed for perpetrators of child abuse. The paper will reinforce this proposition by delving into the merits of harsher punishments. A case for Harsher Pun ishments The most desirable function of any form of punishment is deterrence. The ideal situation is one where punishments do not have to be executed since their presence causes people to abide by the rules. Harsh punishments provide deterrence since they invoke fear to anyone who intends to engage in this despicable act (Hoffmann-Engl, 2006). For example, giving child abusers harsh punishments such as a life sentence will act as deterrence to people who can easily afford to pay the fines imposed. As such, future offenders would be forced to think twice about the results of their acts. Harsh punishments also have the advantage of protecting the society from child abusers. Cunningham (1999) reveals that child abusers display high levels of impulsivity and aggression. These are attributes that are undesirable and if such persons are given modest punishments such as community service or short prison terms, they will reenter society and continue harming children. By giving long prison s entences or even imposing capital punishments on such offenders, the society will be protected from these child abusers who would reenter society sooner if punishments were lenient. Demerit of Harsh Punishment While harsh punishments appear to offer a solution to the problem, this measure may be detrimental to the welfare of the child in the case where the abuser is its guardian. DfES (2003) reveals that many cases abuses are committed not by strangers but by the people who are closest to the children.Advertising Looking for research paper on family law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Imposing harsh punishments on these perpetrators will therefore leave the child without a guardian. Children may therefore end up suffering more as a result of the harsh punishments than they would if the punishment were more lenient. While this may be true, leaving the child at the mercy of the abuse just because they provide for its basic needs is the greater wrong. As such, harsh punishments should be imposed at the same time taking care to ensure that the child is provided for after the abuser has been imprisoned. Conclusion This paper has argued that imposition of harsher punishments for child abuse criminals has many advantages and therefore, it should be implemented by our justice system. It has been articulated that through harsh penalties, retribution is served for crimes committed and the offenders are put away from the society for a long time. In addition to this, harsh penalties acts as deterrence to would be offenders since an example is made of those who have already been convicted. By imposing harsh punishment, our society can mitigate or even completely get rid of child abusers therefore guarantying a good life for the children. References Cunningham, A.L. (1999). Suggested Punishment For Child Molesters Based Upon Victim`s Relationship to the Experimenter. Web. DfES, 2003, Every Child Matters. UK Government Green Paper, Cm 5860. London, HMSO. Hoffmann-Engl, L. (2006). A Probabilistic Model on Child Abuse. Chameleon Group.

How to Get a Merit Scholarship 6-Step Guide

How to Get a Merit Scholarship 6-Step Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re looking for a way to fund your college education, you should definitely check out merit scholarships. They’re especially great options for high-achieving students who may not qualify for much need-based financial aid. The best part of getting a merit scholarship is, of course, that you’re essentially getting free money for school.But how to get a merit scholarship can still be confusing and overwhelming. In this post, I’ll explain what defines a merit scholarship before going into both where you can find them and how you can get them. At the end, you’ll find a list of some of the top merit awardsavailable - this way, you can get a head start on getting that cash. What's a Merit Scholarship? Merit scholarships are financial awards that are meant to help students pay for school. They’re one of the best forms of financial aid because they’re free money that you never have to pay back, often with few to no strings attached. Let's answer some of themost common questions that come up aboutthese awards. How Do Scholarship Organizations Define Merit? Many merit scholarships look for students with impressive academic achievements.Others focus on community service, sports prowess, professional/business experience, leadership skills, or artistic talent. The most prestigious scholarships tend to go to students who stand out in several different areas. It's important to note that, although mostmerit scholarships are awarded primarily based on merit, many take financial need into account. Financial need qualifications (if applicable) will vary based on the scholarship. If you don't think you'll qualify for much need-based aid, you'll want to focus your energy on pure merit-based awards. Are Merit Scholarships Hard to Get? This will obviously vary based on the scholarship. In general, the bigger the award, the more serious the competition for the money. Merit-based scholarships are often difficult to get in the sense that they require dedicated, long-term, impressive performance in order to stand out as an applicant. For example, if you want to apply for a scholarship based on GPA, you will have had tomaintain a high GPA since the beginning of high school in order to be a competitive applicant. In another sense, thesescholarships may be less difficult than other awards because you might not have to do anythingâ€Å"extra† in order to qualify (if you're already a meritorious student, that is). How to Find Merit Scholarships There are two major sources of merit scholarships: private organizations and colleges/universities themselves. The way you’d go about finding (and applying) for thesescholarships depends on their source. Step 1 of the scholarship app process: figuring out where all these awards are hiding Merit Scholarships Offered Through Private Organizations Some of the most well-known (and most generous) merit awardsare offered through private and nonprofit organizations. The mission of many of these organizations is to provide financial assistance to high-achieving students who also demonstrate financial need. As such, it may be tough to find pure merit-based awards from these sources. To look for merit-based awards, you might want to start with these guides to the country’s top scholarships. Then, you can move on to looking for less competitive local awards. You can also do your own research by Googling scholarships based on your specific interests, skills, or activities. If you're into debate, for example, you might search for "debate scholarships," "debate merit scholarships," or even "debate scholarship [specific school name]." Merit Scholarships Offered Through Schools It’s often easier to find pure merit-based scholarships through schools than it is to find them through private or nonprofit organizations. Schools sometimes offer merit-based awards in order to attract competitive applicants. In order to get your hands on these merit awards, often all you have to do is apply to the school. You’ll automatically be considered for awards once you submit your college application. Colleges and universities often look at the following criteria when awarding merit scholarships (keep in mind that the specifics of these criteria vary widely by school): High school GPA Standardized test scores (SAT and/or ACT) Class rank SportsScholarships Talented athletes can get a ton of merit scholarship money (regardless of financial need), but the process is usually more complicated than just submitting a college app.If you’re looking for merit awards based on your sports performance, you’ll have to go through the proper channels, i.e. you’ll have to be in touch with coaches and/or be formally recruited. Your award will depend on the school’s merit scholarship policies and how much they want you as an athlete.Learn more about how college recruitment works. A Small Caveat Not all schools offer merit scholarships - many top private schools, for example, only offer need-based financial aid.If you’re looking specifically for schools that offer generous merit awards that aren’t dependent on financial need, you should check out our guide to schools with top scholarship programsor our guide to schools that offer full-ride scholarships- just be mindful when it comes to discriminating between need-based and merit-based aid. Want to build the best possible college application and financial aid package? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. How to Geta Merit Scholarship Ready to get started seeking out your own scholarship money? Here are all thesteps you should take if you want to optimize your chances of winning a merit award. Step 1: Start Early AsI mentioned before, you have to be in it for the long haul if you hope to qualify for some of the more competitive merit awards. Many merit awards will ask for transcripts, records, ordocumentation going back to your freshman year of high school.You don’t have to be perfect - your later high school years will matter more than your freshman or even sophomore year - but you do needto demonstrate a pattern of consistent high-achievement or consistent improvement. This will be important if you hope to come across as a compelling applicant. Step 2: Choose Your Focus Even if you're a young high school student, it's prudent to start thinkingabout what sort of scholarships make the most sense for you.What kindof merit award are you most likely to qualify for? Are you gunning to be a top student, a star athlete, a community service expert, or some combination? Unless you’re a true stand-out performer in another space, I’d encourage you to focus on your academics before expending energy on other pursuits. It's relatively easy to qualify for merit-based awards at many collegesif you have a strong GPA and/or test scores. You can be a great debater or have hundreds of community service hours under your belt, but if your grades are underwhelming, you’ll likely hurt both your college admissions and scholarship chances. Merit awardsare pretty useless if you can’t use them at the schools you want. The more you can narrow in on a type of target scholarship, the more successful you'll be. Step 3: Be Proactive AsI mentioned earlier, it’s important for you to consistently demonstrate that you’re a high-achieving student (or athlete, or volunteer) in order to be competitive for a merit award. This means you’re responsible for tackling any weaknesses in your performance before they become bigger problems. To be proactive, you can: See teachers and coaches for extra help on assignments or problem areas. Meet with your guidance or college counselor regularly (perhaps once a quarter) to check in about college plans, grades, career goals, etc. This may also serve you well if you need letters of rec from your counselors later forscholarship applications. Step 4: Have an ACT/SAT Prep Plan Standardized test grades are often a big part of qualifying for merit scholarships. The earlier you start laying out a plan for preparing and taking either the ACT or the SAT, the better off you’ll be. To start formulating a plan, check out these guides: Should you take the ACT or the SAT? How long should you study for the ACT or theSAT? ACT/SAT test dates and study plans How to get a perfect score on the ACT or the SAT Step 5: Find "Good Fit" Scholarships Not all of the scholarships that you’ll be interested in will necessarily be good fits, even if you technically meet all of the eligibility criteria. Applying to scholarships won’t be the only thing on your mind when you're putting together these apps, so it’s important to use your time efficiently when selecting scholarships. You could technically submit an infinite number of apps, but you’d likely be wasting your time. You don't want to just apply for one or two awards - applying to scholarships is still a numbers game - so aim for 8-10 applications. Think of it like you think of applying to colleges: select a few â€Å"reach,† a few â€Å"safety,† and a few â€Å"target† scholarships.Use your strengths(e.g. academics, sports, community service) to select scholarships for fit (and eliminate scholarships that aren't worth your time). For example, if you’re top of your class but only played JV-level sports, you might not be the best applicant for a scholar-athlete award. If a scholarship isn't a natural fit, you'll likely be wasting your time. Step 6: Submit Polished Applications Just like with your college applications, you only have one chance to make a good impression when you apply for merit scholarships (especially when it comes to themost competitive awards, where scholarship committees have to process thousands of apps). If possible, start putting together a tentative list of scholarships as early as your freshman year. This may seem a little too proactive, but keep in mind that many of the top scholarships are due late junior-early senior year. This early research will also help you stay on track to meet eligibility qualifications. Start seriously thinking about your apps about four months before their due dates. This gives you time to ask forletters of recommendation(if applicable). It also gives you a chance to get feedback on drafts of essays. Finally, have 2-3 trusted people look over your apps before submission to check for clarity, typos, or missing information.Don’t wait until the actual deadline to submit your application - you never know when you might run into technical issues that could prevent submission. It's best to schedule submission 3-5 days before theofficial due date. What Are the Top Merit Scholarships? If you're eager tobegin researchingmerit awards, the following scholarshipsare a good place to start. You’ll find a list of some of the biggest pure merit scholarships, in addition to a list of merit + financial need-based scholarships. For more comprehensive lists of top scholarship programs, check out our guides to the best scholarships available for high school juniors and seniors. Pure Merit Awards National Merit Scholarship Coca-Cola Scholarship Ronald McDonald Scholarships Merit + Financial Need Awards Gates Millennium Horatio Alger Scholarship Program Jackie Robinson’s Foundation Scholarship Program Engebretson Foundation Scholarship Jack Kent Cook Foundation College Scholarship Program Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student Competition What's Next? One of the hardest parts of searching for scholarships is that there isn't one centralized, reliable source of information on available awards. To help make the search a bit easier, we've put together several guides on various types of award programs. If you're interested in other merit-based awards, read about guaranteed scholarships based on ACT/SAT scores. Looking for scholarship apps that won't interfere with school or extracurriculars? Check out our guide to the 12 easiest scholarship applications. Finally, if looming college bills are getting to be a bit overwhelming, read more about how to get a full ride scholarship and how to apply for financial aid. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Wal-Mart operational management system and strategy Research Paper

Wal-Mart operational management system and strategy - Research Paper Example The paper tells that Wal-Mart currently maintains 120 distributions centers that service its 7,000 international stores. Wal-Mart’s investment in providing decentralized distribution networks provides the business with greater efficiency in terms of meeting delivery timelines and the ability to provide a more diverse assortment of domestic and international products. In terms of distribution, volume alone provides Wal-Mart with significant competitive advantage related to stock replenishment and strategic procurement opportunities. Wal-Mart’s main competitors, both domestic and international, include the discount retailers K-Mart, Target, Sears, Marks & Spencer, Macy’s and Zara. In the United States, Wal-Mart continues to outperform major competitors K-Mart and Sears due to its more efficient supply chain infrastructure. Sears’ is forced to put higher prices on its merchandise as Sears maintains higher overhead costs due to its centralized and rather limit ed distribution network. K-Mart is losing customer appeal due to its rather notorious neglect of the store sales environment and growing poor customer service. Wal-Mart, on the other hand, continues to devote considerable labor and financial investment into improving the aesthetics of its sales environments, backed by the significant capital and credit worthiness of this firm which rests on both domestic and foreign cash flow. Wal-Mart has also experienced significant efficiencies in its supply chain network by consolidating global procurement. In the 1990s, Wal-Mart maintained a variety of domestic and international procurement operations bases that contributed to high payroll investment. This decentralized global procurement system also limited its ability to create a streamlined procurement model while it focused on purchasing that was geographically-near its international customers. Today, however,

Johnny Juneau Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Johnny Juneau Case - Essay Example To begin with the defense of Johnny, it is important to stress the elements of a crime. Crime should constitute actus reus and mens rea or the intention and execution of such unlawful act. The mistake of information shall also be invoked to profess that it was never an intention of Johnny to defraud the gas station that prompted the owner to file theft charges against Johnny. The actual act of the crime is actus reus. It was derived from the principle stated by Edward Coke that stated actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea,  which means: "an act does not make a person guilty unless (their) mind is also guilty". Such, the guilt of a crime requires culpability and proof of fault both in intent and act. Following the principles of actus reus, criminal act is committed by doing it, omission and possession. Acting on a crime meant a â€Å"bodily movement whether voluntary or involuntary† to consummate the crime (Robinson v. California,  370  U.S.  660, 1962). Applying this principle to Johnny, the alleged criminal charge of murder was not a product of his bodily movement. Omission pertains to the failure to act the necessary bodily movement that resulted to harm which in Johnny’s case, the electrocution of his neighbor of which he was charged for being responsible of the neighbor’s death. ... For the act to be exempted from voluntary act that would constitute the culpability of actus reus, exemption falls under the following elements; 1. A reflex or convulsion; 2. A bodily movement during unconsciousness or sleep; 3. Conduct during hypnosis or resulting from hypnotic suggestion; 4. A bodily movement that otherwise is not a product of the effort or the determination of the actor, either conscious or habitual. Mens rea as a component of crime on the other hand is the intent, process or planning to commit the crime. It is the deliberative aspect of committing a crime which in Johnny’s case must be satisfied to qualify the electrocution of his neighbor as murder. To illustrate actus reus and mens rea, we would be compelled to cite an example to differentiate these two concepts. Planning to kill or rob as a mens rea is not a crime until it acted upon (mens rea). These two concepts when linked together constitute a crime that often leads to conviction. a. Defense on murd er charge The death through electrocution of Johnny’s neighbor was never intentional. In no circumstance did Johnny demonstrate intent, deliberation or any motivation to inflict harm or death to the neighbor. In fact, Johnny was even grateful for borrowing the ladder. In fact, Johnny Juneau himself could have been killed by the unfortunate incident because he was still using the ladder on his way down when it touched an uninsulated part of the gas store’s sign that made it electrified. There was no way Johnny could have known that would happen.   Yet, he is still charged with murder on the ground that his behavior led to the electrocution of his neighbor that falls on the ground of omission of actus

Prepare a business and marketing plan for a tourism,hospitality or Essay

Prepare a business and marketing plan for a tourism,hospitality or events organisation of your choice - Essay Example Chakula Restaurant target the central business district that gets crowded during lunch hours with high income individuals. Chakula Restaurant will operate in a sector where individuals with refined tastes spend approximately 500 GBP on a full course dinner items with beverages. The sector however has experienced a slow and sluggish growth majorly due to the rich tourists and business people, coming to the town majorly for business reasons. According to Mintel (2011), the recession has grossly affected the industry and sales have declined by 30%. There has been a reduction in business travel and dining out has also witnessed a decline due to the high costs. The smoking ban in public places has also prevented people from the fine dining sector. This business plan seeks to maximize profits through a fast food enterprise. Chakula Restaurant is likely to succeed due to the experience that the owner has as mentioned earlier. Chakula Restaurant is committed to its fast food business. Throug h this experience, the owner will be able to raise good funds, attract customers, and increase the confidence of both the interested investors and customers. Corporate strategy and mission The corporate strategy of the Chakula Restaurant

Effective Organizational Transformation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Effective Organizational Transformation - Essay Example Hence, it is imperative for the organizations to be cognizant of the inherent complexity of an organizational transformation, to avoid any confusion or possible frustrations. Organizational transformation mostly affects an entire organization and do brings in ample confusion and chaos in its wake. Therefore, the involved stakeholders need to be willing and prepared to act and operate in an environment defined by ample change, amorphousness and uncertainty. Besides, there aught to be an optimum awareness at all the levels within and organization regarding the multiple phases of change and the knowledge, attitude and expertise required to manage each specific phase. In the given context, an acknowledgement of some key elements involving organizational transformation does help. Vision- Any successful organizational transformation largely is dependent on a clear and lucid vision. A flawless vision does happen to be an essential ingredient of any well-managed organizational transformation.

Separation Strategies for Isoprenoids from Aqueous Solutions Term Paper

Separation Strategies for Isoprenoids from Aqueous Solutions - Term Paper Example The simplicity, cost and energy efficiencies as well as the separation capability of solvent extraction, make it the best among these techniques. Introduction Found in all classes of living organisms, isoprenoids are the largest and a diverse group of biomolecules. Also known as terpenoid, isoprenoids are derived from five-carbon isoprene units (2-methyl-1,3-butadiene) assembled and modified in thousands of ways (Encyclop?dia Britannica). In isoprenoids, two to thousands of the isoprene units, through one or neither of its double bonds, are linked into larger molecules to form linear or ring structures. As biomolecules, isoprenoids play a wide variety of roles in plant and animal physiological processes and as intermediates in the biological synthesis of other important biomolecules. The flavors, fragrances of essential oils and other plant-derived substances are due to these molecules. Geraniol, an isoprenoid, is a contributor to the fragrance of rose perfume. These molecules are al so extracted from plants or chemically synthesized to be used as pharmaceuticals (e.g. taxol, bisabolol, lycopene, artemisinin), animal feed supplements and food colorants (various carotenoids) For instance, lycopene is the red pigment in tomatoes while carotene, an isoprenoid and precursor of vitamin A, is responsible for the pigment in carrots. Given the biological importance and applications of these molecules, numerous chemical techniques have been developed for their isolation from their natural sources, which inevitably contains some amount of water. Conventional separation techniques such as distillation, fractional distillation, stream distillation, crystallization, solvent extraction, enfleurage, and chromatography are used. The chemical and physical properties of the compound as well as its abundance and distribution in nature, influenced the choice of technique. For instance, while volatile and plentiful isoprenoids such as turpentine are isolated by distillation of oleor esins, extremely rare compounds such as insect’s hormones are separated from the substrate by chromatography. Currently, fundamental research has been directed towards extraction of these molecules from their natural source by bioaccumulation in microorganism, from which these isoprenoids can be extracted (Clark, Maury and Asadollahi 29). This article seeks to discuss the various conventional and emerging separation techniques used for the separation of isoprenoids from aqueous substrate. This discussion will include overview of the underlying principle involved in the process, design considerations with respect to the technique, fundamental challenges associated with the technique and suggestion of the best technique with respect to performance, safety, cost, and energy efficiency. In addition, specific applications of the best technique will be given. Conventional separation techniques for the isolation of isoprenoids Conventional technologies employed include, simple disti llation, fractional distillation, stream distillation, vacuum distillation, solvent extraction, crystallization, and chromatographic techniques. Simple distillation Distillation involves the conversion of a liquid into vapor and the subsequent condensation of the vapor to back to liquid form. Distillation, as performed in the industry or laboratory is based differences in their volatilities (boiling point) of the mixture. Thus distillation is a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction.

Major issues in second language classroom research Essay Example for Free

Major issues in second language classroom research Essay Chapter one is all about the major issues in second language instruction that arose during classroom research. There are four general issues concerning the effectiveness of the classroom instruction that was mentioned. The first issue is entitled â€Å"Learning from instruction† which concerns Krashen’s extensive analysis of the role of instruction within his framework of interpreting L2 acquisition, wherein he views the effects of instruction as limited, however: the classroom should function to provide the learner with comprehensible target language (TL) input in an affectively supportive climate. The second issue is entitled â€Å"Teacher talk† the main goal of this research has been to determine what makes teacher talk an aid to learning, the initial approach of this research has been to describe the features of L2 teacher talk which distinguish it from speech to L2 learners in non instructional settings. The third issue is entitled â€Å"learner behavior†, both the teacher and the learners have been investigated not only their linguistic behavior but their learning strategies and social interactions with other learners have been the target of research. Some researchers have placed great emphasis on finding out whether the learners are viewed as being in control of their own learning. The last issue is entitled †Interaction in the classroom †, interaction is viewed as significant because it is argued that 1) only through interaction can the learner decompose the TL structures and derive meaning from classroom events, 2) interaction gives learners the opportunities to incorporate TL structures into their own speech. In chapter one the four major issues were introduced, because in the chapters that will follow, each chapter will treat the issues just outlined in greater detail. Chapter 2: Classroom research methods. Chapter two presents the principal studies and concepts that have elaborated the methodology for observing and analyzing classroom instruction and interaction. Several approaches were mentioned in this chapter, majority of it is the methodological approaches. Methodological approaches to the study of L2 classrooms are extremely varied, reflecting both a great diversity of research questions and purposes, and a range of theoretical perspectives on the conduct of research. There is a continuous give-and-take between the success and failures of quantitative and qualitative approaches to portray and explain precisely the processes and products of classroom interactions. These approaches have followed methods adopted by researchers in native language schooling or other sociological and sociolinguistic studies of communicative interaction. In this chapter these methods were described with regard to their capacity to extract and validate generalizations about social and linguistic processes occurring in L2 classrooms. Chapter 3: Teacher talk in second language classrooms Chapter three surveys research on the linguistic and discourse characteristics of teacher speech to L2 learners. This chapter reviews research that has investigated second language classrooms in terms of teacher’s language use in the classroom, especially the characteristic features that differentiate speech to nonnative speakers from that to native speakers. It was also mentioned here the four modifications in teacher speech which are: first is the modifications of speech rate, prosody, phonology, wherein the researchers that were involved , found teacher’s speech to second language learners to be slower, in comparison with other contexts and conditions. Second is the modifications of vocabulary, where they claim that both non teachers and teachers tend to use a more basic set of vocabulary items in their narratives told to L2 learners. Third is the modifications of syntax, it is by far one of the most investigated and quantified characteristics of teacher talk has been teacher’s syntactic modifications. These can be grouped into five types: measures of length of utterances, measures of subordination, measures of markedness, measures of grammaticality, and measures of distribution of sentence types. And the last one is the modification of discourse, which has two categories: the framing moves, where the only significant difference in framing moves was that visiting teachers used more, compared with the regular teachers. The second category is the self-repetition, where on the assumption that repetitions may provide the learner with more opportunities to process information or follow the teacher’s model. In this review, a variety of teacher behaviors have been described and compared across different contexts. Chapter 4: Learner behavior in second language classrooms Chapter four reviews research on the characteristics of learner behavior- participation and speech. They consider research on the contribution of the learner acquisition of a second language. Classroom researchers have focused on learner’s verbal and social interactions and have inferred learning strategies from learner’s behavior in such interactions. There were also hypotheses in the data and tentative conclusions about relationships to learning that are described in this chapter. These hypotheses will form the basis for organizing the results of studies on learner behavior. Research on learner’s classroom behaviors addressed several major hypotheses. In addition, a final section of this chapter examines studies of learner’s learning strategies, a relatively recent area of investigations in second language classroom research. As for learner strategies, there are clearly fruitful topics for further research. It is evident that the strategies identified to date constitute a very mixed set of phenomena, not all of which can be investigated under classroom conditions. Chapter 5: Teacher and student interaction in second language classrooms Chapter five describes research on teacher-leaner interaction. In this chapter several of the factors that have been considered to influence the quality and quantity of teacher-student interaction are examined. The interaction which occurs as a result of these factors is described, and some of the likely consequences of the interaction for learners are suggested. In the view of many researchers and practitioners, conversation and instructional exchanges between teacher and students provide the best opportunities for the learners to exercise target skills, to test out their hypotheses about the target language, and to get useful feedback. The classroom research has shown that teachers may be less likely to address L2 learners when they are mixed with native speakers. It has also been revealed that teacher’s different questioning strategies may be either helpful for inhibiting of communication in classrooms. The greatest error teachers make may be the assumption that what occurs as †correction† in the classroom interaction automatically leads to learning on the part of the student. The nature of interaction in L2 classrooms is perhaps the most critical issue concerning formal second language learning, and although the research cited in this chapter suggests important ways in which current instructional practice may be both effective for and detrimental to promotion of TL skills, the complete picture remains to be developed. Chapter 6: Learning outcomes Chapter six draws together all of the foregoing research, as well as other studies, to determine the state of knowledge about learning outcomes resulting from teacher’s and learner’s classroom interaction. This chapter will review research on L2 classroom processes that have a potentially positive effects on learner’s perception and incorporation of the forms and functions of the target language. It should be clear that there is substance to the view that classroom instruction will aid L2 acquisition. The direction of results in the few large-scale classroom studies favors slightly a focus on form or explicit talk about grammar. Research on outcomes of learner production and teacher-learner interaction, suggests furthermore that other factors in classroom learning may contribute greatly to acquisition. Some of these factors may underline or interact with the effects noted in this section. The research reviewed here concerning the TL learning effects of interaction in L2 classrooms is limited in its conclusions, yet highly suggestive for further research. But still there are many research that remained unsolved, but hope that in the future many of these will be once and for all solved. Chapter 7: Directions for research and teaching As the last chapter it is obvious that the major findings of the research will be summarized, and that implications for further research and teaching in second language classrooms will be suggested. Despite the increase of classroom-oriented research in recent years, few can be made with great confidence because of the difficulty of synthesizing. When all the research has been carefully analyze it has been shown that research is lacking in consistent measures of classroom processes and products. Sometimes inadequate in design to address critical research question. It is also incomplete in its quantitative or qualitative analysis, which leads to a need of greater theoretical specification of the constructs and relationships to be investigated. A discussion of these methodological issues is to be carried out before any future directions are suggested. In this chapter it was also pointed out the areas for future research on classroom reading, outline major implications for curriculum planning and L2 instruction, and lastly to suggest ways of achieving greater consistency across classroom research studies. The reason of pointing these out is because, it makes it more easier for future researchers to find answers. Summary Since the 1960s, there has been an increasing attempt in research on teaching and learning from instruction to relate the major features of teacher and student behavior in classrooms to learning outcomes. The research in this book deals with the nature of the teacher and student behavior in real classroom. Using this set up , researchers were able to observe and analyze what is really the nature of the teacher and the student’s behavior. They were able to determine what are the factors that can affect a L2 learner in acquiring language. They were focused on the learning and acquisition of the L2. In the first chapter, they discussed the major issues that arose during the research. The chapters that follows, the primary research studied is that conducted in L2 classrooms, in simulations of language classrooms, or in semi-instructional, tutoring interactions between teachers or L2 speakers and language learners. Many theories, hypotheses and approaches were formed and used in these research. But there was a memo in the start of the chapter, it says that the fact that this book is reviewing research on the preceding issues does not guarantee that the research will provide unambiguous answers to them. It’s because the research that was done in this book has not yet been proven to be accurate. The purpose of this book has been to attempt to elucidate the critical issues and findings of research in and about second language classrooms. While the studies reviewed here clearly are not always as rigorous or convincing as we would like, the past ten years of classroom-oriented research is impressive in the breadth and depth of study of a variety of issues, when virtually every study was groundbreaking in one respect or another- methodology, research questions, population studied, analytical techniques applied. At the same time, second language instruction has been gaining importance, as more people throughout the world find the need to acquire one or more second languages. There is diversification in the specific purposes of language instruction, an increase in language schools and programs, and an expansion in training programs for second language teachers, researchers, and program developers. For these reasons alone, second language classroom research has an important role to play. Reflection I think this book is quite the catch. Especially if you are an English major like me. This book helped me to understand a bit more the importance of second language acquisition. I already know from my ESL/EFL class that learning a second language is important, but this book made me realize that acquiring a second language will be very advantageous for me. Because if I learn my second language perfectly, I know that I will be more confident in myself. And that I can be globally competitive. This book does not only talk about second language acquisition, it also talks about classroom-oriented research. In the classroom-oriented research they tackled the nature of the teacher and the behavior of the students. They wanted to know what are the factors that affect the L2 leaner in acquiring language and how can they overcome these if they were to be problems, and how can they improve it if it were a solutions. In this book there were also hypotheses theories, and approaches that were formed and used. The setting that was used is the classroom, and that the main subjects are the teachers and the learners. This book is a big help in understanding second language acquisition. Although some words are a bit hard to understand , I will still recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning and acquiring a second language. And also to my fellow majors, because I know this book will be a big help in our studies.

Point And Click Adventure Games Film Studies Essay

Point And Click Adventure Games Film Studies Essay The intentions of this dissertation are to delve into the depths of a much-loved yet dwindling genre of video game, the Point and click Adventure. Setting out to investigate what made the genre so popular in the 1990s and discuss the mystery surrounding what game theorists and fans refer to as The Death of The adventure game. Point and Click adventures are all but a dusty book in the archive that is todays hugely successful gaming industry. However its position in the minds of the people that experienced it that singles out point and click as not only important to its fans but to the video game industry itself. Many games since the mid 80s have come and gone, leaving very little, if any impact on the gaming industry. Developers today hold the genre in high regard. In an interview with Claas Paletta of Daedalic Entertainment, I asked him about his experiences with the point and click genre: Point and click had a huge impact on me and my friends as teenagers in the 90s. I remember waiting for the next LucasArts or Sierra title to be on the shelves. Its what made me want to be where I am today, I just wanted to be involved in video games. I still play them all to this day, If I can get away with it. Claas, like many involved in the gaming industry have shown just what an impact the genre has had on their careers. Point and click is a genre that inspired a generation of game developers, with their witty humor, mind-bending puzzles and in-depth story. This ability that point and click had to tell a story was in no small part due to the biggest developer in the genre and of the 1990s, LucasArtsà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢. Founded under the name LucasFilm Games in 1982, they were originally set up as a research development company, however in 1984 they announced themselves as a developer and publisher of entertainment software. After several years of development a member of the LucasArts team developed the SCUMM engine, which stood for Script creation Utility for Maniac Mansion, a game that begun the revolution in Point and Click. His name was Ron Gilbert, he would go on to be a driving force behind the point and click generation of games at LucasArts, with titles such as the famous Monkey Island series and Day of the Tentacle; a sequel to Maniac Mansion. It was this engine that rejuvenated what was at the time parser driven adventure genre. The player would have to type commands into the game to achieve progression, however with the advent of the SCUMM engine Point and Click was born. With the experience of many successful movies in their arsenal, LucasArts and their development team, were able to create in-depth story and complex narrative that could only be comparable to that of the movie industry. Games at this time simply could not compete with the complexity of some LucasArts titles. The likes of Sierra who some would say kick started the adventure genre in the 80s with titles such as the Kings Quest series (1984-1994) were unable to create anything to get near the sales levels that LucasArts achieved. The first Monkey Island sold around 44,000 copies in the US alone, with estimates claiming Europe tends to double that number. According to an interview with Tim Schaefer (2007), co-creator of the monkey Island series: In 1990, Monkey Island took nine months to make and cost $200,000. In the early 90s, we were really excited if we sold 100,000 copies of a PC graphic adventure. This would leave sales at an estimated 150,000 units Worldwide. So considering the context of the time, and the money spent on the development of the game, Monkey Island was a huge success. Moreover, taking into account the ownership of PCs in 1990, in which not every household would own a PC, this figure was considered to be a very high and successful number despite it being vastly overshadowed in todays market. These sales were no fluke, of course the standard of game was the main contributor to its success, nevertheless LucasArts had one main advantage over their main rivals Sierra, an already huge captive audience. This audience was due to the huge success of the film franchises Star Wars and Indiana Jones. George Lucas had built a huge fan base due to the success of these movies, a fan base that were hugely excited by the prospect of video game versions of their favorite movies. Poss quote. With such a huge following LucasArts were able to create videogames that would appeal to the masses. They could call upon their already established film franchises to excite and connect with the player. For example the use of subtle references to the StarWarsà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ saga in the second Installment of Monkey Island, Monkey Island 2: LeChucks Revengeà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢(1995). During the climactic fight scene near the end of Monkey Island 2, LeChuck proclaims to be Guybrushs father, a twist taken directly from the Star Wars Movies in which you discover Darth Vader is, in fact Luke Skywalkers father. Its this innovative ability to interweave story, narrative, humor and in some cases popular culture into a single entity that set LucasArts and the genre it helped to re-mould, apart from other games of the time. Narrative within games had never been so advanced, it created mass appeal for PC gamers, a generation that played games before they progressed into the mass consumer market that they exist in today. So is narrative in question today? With titles being churned out much like in the movie industry, is narrative in modern gaming not what it was in the early to mid 1990s? Methodology When investigating this area of media it is important to take into account the ways in which I will tackle research surrounding the subject. The majority of the dissertation will be reliant on looking into the History of not only the point and click genre but the history of video games overall. Monkey Island and the point and click genre was a period in gaming, in which, I as a participant was heavily involved. This is a vital consideration when it comes to charting the events of The Death of The adventure game One Research model that will be useful for my investigation is the somewhat controversial method of Auto-ethnographic research. This is the process in which the writer or author writes his or her own personal narrative exploring their experiences within a certain field, rather than relying on the beliefs and findings of others. This is wholly the case in this dissertation due to my exposure and experiences with the subject matter. Despite the process becoming more widely used within the spheres of new media and journalism it is still thought somewhat controversial as a reliable method of research. Many Qualitative researchers have expressed concerns with the validity of the method, expressing concerns that all analytical texts should in some way connect to something larger element of life, rather than stating its importance through personal belief. Conversely Chang(2008) argues the benefits of Auto-ethnography. He claims that it allows for a research method that is friendly both rese archers and readers because of the texts engaging qualities, allowing the researcher to gain a cultural understanding of self in relation to others, on which cross-cultural coalition can be built between themselves and others. In summary, Auto-ethnography, used in conjunction with other forms of research, will allow this dissertation to become more engaging and allow, what are considered, important self-experiences to be communicated to the reader. One factor that must be considered if this method is going to be executed correctly is the coherent understanding that subjective opinion of the subject matter can be somewhat skewed by the fact that my relationship with it was established at a young age. The genre was what I grew up playing, it is important not to make drastic claims, solely based upon personal experiences of enjoyment interacting with the genre. The form that this dissertation will take, heavily relies on the recollection of historical events, breaking down these events and uncovering potential reasonings for the fall of the point and click genre. This makes hands-on research a somewhat tenuous subject in uncovering truths. Nevertheless, by employing an ethnographic approach that will coincide with the aforementioned Auto-ethnographic method I will endeavor to perform interviews with industry insiders, people that have in some way been involved in some element of the video game industry during the time period in question. One potential pit fall with interviewing could be the structure of the questions asked. It is important that I set out to ask no leading questions, and leave the participants response to be entirely reflective of their experiences. One potential issue I have encountered during the interviewing process was the location of the interviewees. The majority of the people of whom I wished to speak to are based in either the USA or Europe, this meant that interviewing face to face was implausible, this meant all interviews would have to be conducted via email. Potential problems with this process of interview include the inability of the interviewer to probe any interesting responses, Cowen(2001) tells of the importance of interview technique, she talks of the importance of empathy and rapport, listening and questioning, restatement, clarification and persistence. Many of which cannot be adhered to in an email-based interview. Chapter 2 The secret mythology of Monkey Island It is vitally important to single out and identify what it was that made Point and Click adventure games so popular in the 1990s. One of the most successful titles released in this period of escapist gaming was the work of a small team at LucasArts. In order to understand their success, we must understand the roots of the games; their inspirations, intentions and results. LucasArts video games had the advantage of two hugely popular and highly praised film trilogies to call upon when developing their Star Wars and Indiana Jones games. These aforementioned box office hits were all inspired by the works of Joseph Campbell, a prominent figure in the analysis of heroic myth throughout civilization. Campbell was an American mythologist, writer and lecturer who endeavored to break down the structure of myth. Most importantly in the context of this essay, was his analysis of the many faces and intentions of the Hero. Campbell (1968) explains the basic structure in his book The Hero With A Thousand Faces like this: A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man. In October 1990 a videogame emerged as one of the most unique and critically acclaimed adventure games of the decade. It also, like many of Lucas films, relied on this same myth structure but placed it in a completely new and unique setting. The Secret Of Monkey Island (1990) takes these same principles of the heroic myth as laid out by Campbell and delivers an interactive experience packed with wit and humor that has become a classic in its own right. Monkey Island is one of the best examples of interactive narrative that was released during the point and click era of gaming. It achieved this by using varying techniques of narrative and video game design to deliver a Joseph Campbell experience. Whilst other games in 1990 were helping you build railways or guide two plumbers to save a princess, Monkey Island was setting out to tell a story of Love, laughs and a mans endeavor to become Guybrush Threepwood, A Mighty Pirate. In the opening moments of the game the player is introduced to their setting, Melee Island. This is where the adventure really begins. We are then introduced to Campbells archetypal Old Wise Man in the form of the blind Island lookout; this is where the player and hero, Guybrush Threepwood, are given their instructions to complete the quest of becoming a mighty pirate. Our protagonist, Guybrush, is already on an island inhabited by pirates much mightier it would seem than he. So this initial opening chapter begins his quest to become a member of a pre-existing society; much like Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars trilogy. Campbells concept of proving your worth to the tribe before setting out on your journey. This is done by a series of trials in which Guybrush must prove his credential as a pirate, again connecting with Campbells outlining of the heroic myth. Campbell states that the ease with which a Hero defeats these challenges demonstrates how great of a person the truly are. This same argument can be easily transferred onto the puzzle solving element of Monkey Island, and in fact any adventure game. However it also coheres well with narrative idea that the protagonist, Guybrush, must struggle from the beginning in order to prove himself. Anything but the mighty pirate he dreams of being, Guybrush and the player must solely rely on their wits, and the puzzles and game design reflect this. To beat the swordsman, you have to participate in learning based puzzles. Learning insults by fighting various wandering pirates around Melee Island, then using logic to work out the correct insults to beat the sword master. Another challenge is to plunder some buried treasure from a dark forest, relying on either a guide or stumbling around in the woods until you by chance achieve your goal. Such decisions to solve puzzles or aimlessly wander are often ones faced by various heroes in their journeys through similar darkness. For example, in the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the first known pieces of literary work, the character of King Gilgamesh chooses to descend under the mountain in his quest for the Fruit of Immortality, stumbling around until he finds his way out before the Sun reaches him. The third and final quest is to steal an idol from the governors mansion, a test of wits and man-eating poodles this trial similarly harks back to ancient legend and myth. The previously mentioned man-eating Poodles, are a reflection of the beast guarding the prize. Guybrush must find a way past this defender before he is able to venture into the governors home, which represents the cave or temple of many ancient myths. Whether its the three-headed Cerberus defending Hades or the dragon protecting the Princess (as the governor eventually turns out to be) the beast plays a large role in the structure of mythology. LucasArts game design allows the player to be challenged in ways that mimic the patterns and conventions of the heroic myth by testing various skills that allow the overarching quest of the game to be embarked upon. One of the ways that LucasArts made the story of Monkey Island so compelling was the use of cutscenes to tell the story and fill in the gaps that were unobtainable during initial game-play. During the opening stages of the game a cutscene reads Meanwhile, deep beneath Monkey Islandà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ This is where we get our first glimpse of our storys Villain The Evil Ghost Pirate LeChuck and his ghost ship anchored deep under Monkey Island in a place that can only be described as Hell. The player is exposed to the undead crew of the ghost ship ominously discussing your arrival. The glowing blues and reds of this nightmarish locale are equally off-putting and are a stark contrast to that of the colors of Melee Island. This place is equally the subject of myth for all of the characters you meet throughout your journey, they tell Legends of doomed journeys to Monkey Island, ships returning without their crews. These cut scenes and NPC enabled narrative progression is what allows the player to gain an air of excitement and intrigue. They must venture to this Hellish place, yet have no idea how they will get there. Such an idea of the goal or part of the quest being some distance from home is a convention noted by Propp(1968) in his work Morphology of the folktale, he stated: Generally the object of search is located in another or different kingdom. This kingdom may lie far away horizontally, or else very high up or deep down vertically. The trigger for the main quest to begin is LeChucks kidnapping of Governor Marley. The players relationship with Marley is dependant on the order in which the trials are completed, Guybrush will either have a jilted romantic exchange with The Governor due to his not being a pirate or she is taken away just as the relationship with Guybrush has begun. In either circumstance Governor Marley takes the role of the desirable female figure that everyone desires. Numerous NCPs will talk of their admiration for Governor Elaine Marley, whilst she complains of her annoyance at having to continually turn away their advances. The Villain of the piece, LeChuck is also driven by his lust for Elaine, leading him to kidnap her and take her to the illusive Monkey Island. The female figure or love interest is an important convention of any myth Campbell explains that part of her value is to serve as both a goal for the hero but also one that can be attained through spiritual purity, in the rather skew ed case of Monkey Island this is represented by Guybrush proving himself as a mighty pirate. Campbell explains the female goddess figure as follows: She is the paragon of all paragons of beauty, the reply to all desire, the bliss-bestowing goal of every heros earthly and unearthly questà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦she is the incarnation of the promise of perfection; the souls assurance that, at the conclusion of its exile in a world of organized inadequacies, the bliss that once was known will be known again. This has never been truer than in The Secret Of Monkey Island and its sequel Return to Monkey Island The unattainable female character drives the plot of both games. This however was lost in the subsequent games in the series, highly criticized by the games creator, Ron Gilbert, for having Guybrush and Elaine Marry. Part of the function of her role in the story was lost when this decision was made. Guybrushs endless pursuit of Elaine whilst she laughs him off was one of the key driving forces behind what made the story and characters so successful. When she is kidnapped, neither Guybrush nor the player once hesitates in their need to rescue her. The transition from the pirate Island of Melee to the high seas in pursuit of Monkey Island coincides with a shift in chapter but also backdrop. It becomes daytime for the first time in the game, suggesting a new dawn, a new adventure. This theme continues with the discovery of Monkey Island, which is framed and explored during the day time. However before actually reaching the island the player must again fulfill another convention of fairytale and myth. Described by Propp as The Acquisition of a magical agent the Hero receives some sort of magic, which helps progress the story. This comes in the form of a potion that Guybrush must put together using inventory items. Once the potion is complete Guybrush enters a Rip Van Winkle-like state. This concept of the Hero entering a dream like state during his journey into the mythical realms is a key element of many myths that Campbell outlines. Once Guybrush has awakened he has reached his destination. This all works towards emphasizing th e mythical and mysterious aura surrounding the island, portrayed earlier in the story. Exploring Monkey Island allows for the skills learnt earlier in the game to be finally tested, albeit applied in new ways. Just as Campbell stated: The initial trials will dictate how difficult the heros journey will be The players ability to puzzle out this section of the game has fundamentally already been tested. Those skills now only need to be refined and adapted to suit the new puzzles. The earlier insult based swordplay becomes collecting bananas to please a monkey enough to hold a gate open for you. Wandering around the dark forest evolves into exploring an enormous island, finding a way to the other side and eventually down under the island, cohering with the earlier mentioned convention of the goal being far away above or below where you start your journey. Prior to this our wits are tested as we attempt to find a way around the Vegetarian Cannibals that inhabit Monkey Island. Eventually the player finds themselves in the depths of Monkey Island, it soon becomes clear that guybrush will require a guide for this particular leg of his journey. There is only one route through the twisting passageways of Hell, and in order for us to follow this path we must rely on the decapitated navigator. Once the player reaches the Ghost Pirate LeChuck and his ghostly pirate ship, that was shown in earlier cutscenes, the player finally can feel the satisfaction described by Joseph Campbell of the Hero as he reaches the mythological setting. Once onboard the ship after much jostling with a rather obnoxious severed head, Guybrush must recover a magic root that enables the player to mix a potion that has the power to defeat the ghost pirates. This idea of obtaining a magical agent is representative of the fruit that Gilgamesh pursues a convention also seen in countless other myths. It is described by Campbell as a Symbol of knowledge and life, however in Monkey island it is of course a way to make some root beer, which we all know is deadly to ghost pirates. This discovery and return to Melee Island coincides with the return of the Villain, LeChuck. Along with the return of LeChuck comes with it the feeling of terror and danger, this neatly coincides with the return to the darkness of M elee Island, creating a daunting scene for the imminent and fast approaching climax. This meeting of the Hero and Villain is often depicted as a battle, which only the Hero can overcome. However with the wit and satire that LucasArts bring to the genre of point and click, we learn that in fact Governor Marley is still more competent that all the other characters combined. This further cements her place as the divine female, whilst Guybrush defeating LeChuck reflects his role as the hero of the piece. In his book The Hero With A Thousand Faces, Campbell goes on to explain: It is obvious that the infantile fantasies which we all cherish still in the unconscious play continually into myth, fairy tale, and the teachings of the church, as symbols of indestructible beingsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦but the circumstance is obstructive too, for the feelings come to rest in the symbols and resist passionately every effort to go beyond. And this could be described as the result of Monkey Island. It explains why it is ultimately such a well loved and critically acclaimed game. It has taken the conventions and structure of Mythology that we all subconsciously know, love and understand and combined it to create a comedic, fulfilling and rich story for its audience. The creators understood what makes story work due to their extensive experience in the film industry, in the creation of Monkey Island they crafted an interactive experience that breathed further life into conventions and structure that have been integrated in mans stories for thousands of years. They proved that games arent necessarily all about the graphical elements, by allowing the player to truly engross themselves into a story and character they felt that they already knew they could create a game that would be permanently associated with a genre and a generation for years to come. SECTION 3 Failings of the PAC genre, 3d gaming. During the mid 1990s society was very much engrossed in emerging technologies and the age of the computer. Technology was progressing faster than ever before, with home PCs becoming more and more powerful. Computers were beginning to really show the world, specifically the mass media audiences, just what they could achieve. In 1995 Toy Story was released as the first solely 3D rendered feature film. It set a benchmark for the industry and firmly put a stamp on the market, showing just what computers were able to achieve. Meanwhile, in the games industry, the market at this time was in somewhat of a battle between the home consoles. At the time the only real contenders in the race to win the hearts of the consumer were the firmly established Nintendo and new kid on the block, Sega. Nintendo had dominated the market of home consoles since the advent of the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) in 1985, some 5 years later Nintendos command of the home video game business appeared unassailable. However in the early 1990s a challenger emerged. Armed with much faster technologies, riskier games and a more aggressive marketing strategy, Sega arrived on the scene with the MegaDrive. As Kline, Dyer-Witheford and De Peuter explain in their book Digital Play (2003), this console war pathed the way for the future of home video gaming: The contest between Sega and Nintendo revolutionised video gaming, propelling new extremes of technical innovation, marketing intensity, and cultural audacity and opening the way for other contenders This new competitive edge to the video game industry had never been seen prior to this first big clash between rivaling factions. The point and click genres main contributors, companies such as LucasArts and Sierra, began to get left in the wake of these quickly growing gaming giants. In an interview with the gaming blog Rock Paper Shotgun, Ron Gilbert, one of the original co-creators of Monkey Island and inventor of the SCUMM engine, aired his feelings on how the rest of the industry took off and left action adventure behind. He stated that games such as Doom and Tomb Raider appeared and injected adrenaline and new types of energy into video games, an energy that Point and Click simply wouldnt be able to contend with. This suggests that within the inner circle of those involved in developing point and click it was felt that the genre was beginning to dwindle. As Monkey Island writer Tim Schaefer stated in an independent interview: It felt very much, as if the genre we loved and helped to create and nurture had been infected. We all knew what was wrong but were powerless to help However, before the effects of the console war could be felt, whilst the home console was in its early years, The Action Adventure genre was allowed an environment in which to flourish. With its already established SCUMM system, created in 1987, LucasArts led the way in cutting edge narrative based action adventures. With titles such as Maniac Mansion being such a huge success, the genre continued to go from strength to strength whilst not paying too much attention to the ongoing battle between the Japanese contenders. As a genre, Point and Click offered something to gamers that, at the time, only the movie industry could offer, its ability to connect with its audience through the use of in-depth and immersive story and narrative. However they offered something new in story-telling, the unique quality of video games meant for a potential revolution, breaking the shackles of the standard linear storytelling. LucasArts had a strong team of developers behind the titles such as Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle. The likes of Ron Gilbert and Tim Schaefer were strong believers in story telling. Story as a medium of communication has been on this earth since the dawn of our species, so the implementation of this fundamental value of human society should be an easy one. However, this isnt always the case. Many games created after the point and click generation in some circles are thought to have neglected these story-telling elements in favour of highly polished graphics or over indulgent gameplay elements. This was never more apparent than in the period after the boom of the first fully 3d games. With the release of hugely successful titles after their first release Maniac Mansion, including Day of the Tentacle, Monkey Island and Sam and Max it could be said that LucasArts and other leading point and click developers were sitting pretty at the top of the pile of PC game developers. However, the video game industry is not one where a company is allowed to rest on their laurels, there is always someone waiting in the wings to challenge you and take the top spot. This landed in the hands of another Japanese technological giant, Sony. In 1995 the Sony Playstation was released with huge commercial success. This was the beginning of the boom in home consoles and the eventual progression into fully 3D gaming environments. The first major title to bring the concept of 3D environments to the forefront was Core Designs Tomb Raider, released in 1996 on three platforms, including PC, Tomb Raider would become one of Playstations most successful titles, whilst playing a large role in the 3 D revolution of video gaming. In order to fully comprehend the success of 3D video games, it is important to understand why the consumer wanted to be a part of them. As mentioned in the earlier chapter, Video games up until this point were 2D based arcade games, or more narrative driven titles such as the point and click. What the 3D revolution allowed developers to do was to take this story based game type and mould it into something with higher levels of realism. The creation of 3D worlds arguably allowed for a greater level of immersion for the player. Realistic soundscapes, voice-overs and sound effects, also worked to heighten the players sense of involvement. Immersion is a word banded about within the arena of video games, but it is important to fully understand its different forms and how they affect the player. Were Point and click games just not immersive enough? Or did the marketing led phenomena of progressively increased visuals and graphical aesthetics bring about the end for the un-advancing genre? When looking at where the point and click failed, it is important to focus on how the industry changed. As previously mentioned with the advancements in 3D graphics, PC games were slowly being left behind, requiring a multitude of upgrades in order to play titles that were easily running on the more compact home consoles such as the Playstation. With the advent of 3D gaming, came a new generation of gamer. It was the era of instant gratification. Conclusion There is no government approved starting place. Sometimes its story, other times its setting or a lead character. It all evolves in concert with each other. (Ron Gilbert, 2007) These are the words of Ron Gilbert one of the co-creators of Monkey Island, arguably the most popular Point adventure game ever made. Much like his hypothesis for creating video games, this Dissertation doesnt necessarily begin with a setting or a main character