After meeting Romeo at the ball Essays

After meeting Romeo at the ball Essays After meeting Romeo at the ball Essay After meeting Romeo at the ball Essay There was another street brawl this morning with us and the Montagues but this doesnt matter any more. Today was a wonderful day. The invites were sent for my fathers party.Romeo and his friends entered our party unnoticed by my family. I danced with Romeo and fell in love immediately but then my mother parted us and made me dance with Paris.I havent seen him since and am missing him already.Later in the evening, after the party had finished, I was talking quietly to myself wondering where my Romeo was, declaring my love for him. Then he appeared out of the trees, in the orchard, in front of me. We declared our love for each other, then I realised he was in great danger. If any of my kinsmen saw him they would have killed him on the spot. We arranged a secret marriage tomorrow in Friar Lawrences cell as Romeo is a Montague, my enemy.MONDAY Romeo killed Tybalt 1 Hour after our weddingI sent my nurse with a message to Romeo in the morning, saying we shall marry today. Our marriage too k place in the afternoon; now I can be with my Romeo for ever and ever.Tybalt saw Romeo, still angry from seeing him at the party and he tried to start a fight. Romeo said he could not hurt him but he could not say why. Brave Mercutio, Romeos best friend stood up to Tybalt and fought. Romeo tried to break up the fight but Tybalt stabbed Mercutio under Romeos arm. Romeo felt guilty and fought with Tybalt. Romeo killed Tybalt and then realised what hed done. He ran away into hiding. When the prince arrived, he banished Romeo from Verona forever.My Romeo killed my dear cousin Tybalt, but I know Romeo didnt want to, but had no choice. Tybalt can be like that some times. I dont know what to do; my husband has killed my cousin. I am relieved that Romeo is still alive. I dont know what I would have done if anything had a happened to my Romeo. I am horrified though my Romeo is banished from Verona for ever. It is worse than everyone I know being killed.I want to see my Romeo one final time and sure enough later that night he arrived. We spent the night together.TUESDAY I refused to marry ParisRomeo left at dawn. My mother paid me a visit and talked to me about marriage, I said Mother it is an honour I dream not of.My father entered and told me I was going to marry Paris and the wedding was in a few days. I completely refused and my father verbally assaulted me. He was furious and he threatened to abandon me.I looked to my mother, she took my fathers side and ignored me. My nurse was all for the wedding with Paris as well. I decided to pay Friar Lawrence a visit, as I was already married and I would be committing bigamy.Paris means nothing to me but Romeo means everything.TUESDAY Friar Lawrence gives me a solutionI went over to Friar Lawrences cell seeking advice and he gave me a solution to my problem.A special potion that would make me seem dead for the next 42 hours. The potion would stop me breathing and stop my pulse I would collapse and my body temperature woul d drop. My family would find me and think I was dead, the wedding with Paris would be cancelled and I would be rid of him and my family.Meanwhile, Friar Lawrence would send a message to my Romeo informing him of the situation. I would be buried in the family vault and Romeo would come back to Verona and we would run away when I woke up. We will be together for ever and no-one will know anything about it.Just before bed I will take the potion.But I am unsure about the potion What if it doesnt work? What if I never wake up? Im scared.

TBD Devastator - Douglas TBD Devastator

TBD Devastator - Douglas TBD Devastator TBD-1 Devastator - Specifications: General Length: 35 ft. Wingspan: 50 ft. Height: 15 ft. 1 in. Wing Area: 422 sq. ft. Empty Weight: 6,182 lbs. Loaded Weight: 9,862 lbs. Crew: 3 Number Built: 129 Performance Power Plant: 1 Ãâ€" Pratt Whitney R-1830-64 Twin Wasp radial engine, 850 hp Range: 435-716 miles Max Speed: 206 mph Ceiling: 19,700 ft. Armament Power Plant: 1 Ãâ€" Pratt Whitney R-1830-64 Twin Wasp radial engine, 850 hp Range: 435-716 miles Max Speed: 206 mph Ceiling: 19,700 ft. Guns: 1 Ãâ€" forward-firing 0.30 in. or 0.50 in. machine gun. 1 Ãâ€" 0.30 in. machine gun in rear cockpit (later increased to two) Bombs/Torpedo: 1 x Mark 13 torpedo or 1 x 1,000 lb. bomb or 3 x 500 lb. bombs or 12 x 100 lb. bombs TBD Devastator - Design Development: On June 30, 1934, the US Navy Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAir) issued a request for proposals for a new torpedo and level bomber to replace their existing Martin BM-1s and Great Lakes TG-2s. Hall, Great Lakes, and Douglas all submitted designs for the competition. While Halls design, a high-wing seaplane, failed to meet BuAirs carrier suitability requirement both Great Lakes and Douglas pressed on. The Great Lakes design, the XTBG-1, was a three-place biplane which quickly proved to possess poor handling and instability during flight. The failure of the Hall and Great Lakes designs opened the way for the advancement of the Douglas XTBD-1. A low-wing monoplane, it was of all-metal construction and included power wing folding. All three of these traits were firsts for a US Navy aircraft making the XTBD-1 design somewhat revolutionary. The XTBD-1 also featured a long, low greenhouse canopy that fully enclosed the aircrafts crew of three (pilot, bombardier, radio operator/gunner). Power was initially provided by a Pratt Whitney XR-1830-60 Twin Wasp radial engine (800 hp). The XTBD-1 carried its payload externally and could deliver a Mark 13 torpedo or 1,200 lbs. of bombs to a range of 435 miles. Cruising speed varied between 100-120 mph depending on payload. Though slow, short-ranged, and under-powered by World War II standards, the aircraft marked a dramatic advance in capabilities over its biplane predecessors. For defense, the XTBD-1 mounted a single .30 cal. (later .50 cal.) machine gun in the cowling and a single rear-facing .30 cal. (later twin) machine gun. For bombing missions, the bombardier aimed through a Norden bombsight under the pilots seat. TBD Devastator - Acceptance Production: First flying on April 15, 1935, Douglas quickly delivered the prototype to Naval Air Station, Anacostia for the beginning of performance trials. Extensively tested by the US Navy through the remainder of the year, the X-TBD performed well with the only requested alteration being an enlargement of the canopy to increase visibility. On February 3, 1936, BuAir placed an order for 114 TBD-1s. An additional 15 aircraft were later added to the contract. The first production aircraft was retained for testing purposes and later became the types only variant when it was fitted with floats and dubbed TBD-1A. TBD Devastator - Operational History: The TBD-1 entered service in late 1937 when USS Saratogas VT-3 transitioned off TG-2s. Other US Navy torpedo squadrons also switched to the TBD-1 as aircraft became available. Though revolutionary at introduction, aircraft development in the 1930s progressed at a dramatic rate. Aware that the TBD-1 was already being eclipsed by new fighters in 1939, BuAer issued a request for proposals for the aircrafts replacement. This competition resulted in the selection of the Grumman TBF Avenger. While TBF development progressed, the TBD remained in place as the US Navys frontline torpedo bomber. In 1941, the TBD-1 officially received the nickname Devastator. With the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that December, the Devastator began to see combat action. Taking part in attacks on Japanese shipping in the Gilbert Islands in February 1942, TBDs from USS Enterprise had little success. This was largely due to problems associated with the Mark 13 torpedo. A delicate weapon, the Mark 13 required the pilot to drop it from no higher than 120 ft. and no faster than 150 mph making the aircraft extremely vulnerable during its attack. Once dropped, the Mark 13 had issues with running too deep or simply failing to explode on impact. For torpedo attacks, the bombardier was typically left on the carrier and the Devastator flew with a crew of two. Additional raids that spring saw TBDs attack Wake and Marcus Islands, as well as targets off New Guinea with mixed results. The highlight of the Devastators career came during the Battle of the Coral Sea when the type aided in sinking the light carrier Shoho. Subsequent attacks against the larger Japanese carriers the next day proved fruitless. The TBDs final engagement came the following month at the Battle of Midway. By this time attrition had become an issue with the US Navys TBD force and Rear Admirals Frank J. Fletcher and Raymond Spruance possessed only 41 Devastators aboard their three careers when the battle began on June 4. Locating the Japanese fleet, Spruance ordered strikes to begin immediately and dispatched 39 TBDs against the enemy. Becoming separated from their escorting fighters, the three American torpedo squadrons were the first to arrive over the Japanese. Attacking without cover, they suffered horrific losses to Japanese A6M Zero fighters and anti-aircraft fire. Though failing to score any hits, their attack pulled the Japanese combat air patrol out of position, leaving the fleet vulnerable. At 10:22 AM, American SBD Dauntless dive bombers approaching from the southwest and northeast struck the carriers Kaga, Soryu, and Akagi. In less than six minutes they reduced the Japanese ships to burning wrecks. Of the 39 TBDs sent against the Japanese, only 5 returned. In the attack, USS Hornets VT-8 lost all 15 aircraft with Ensign George Gay being the only survivor. In the wake of Midway, the US Navy withdrew its remaining TBDs and squadrons transitioned to the newly arriving Avenger. The 39 TBDs remaining in the inventory were assigned to training roles in the United States and by 1944 the type was no longer in the US Navys inventory. Often believed to have been a failure, the TBD Devastators principal fault was simply being old and obsolete. BuAir was aware of this fact and the aircrafts replacement was en route when the Devastators career ingloriously ended. Selected Sources Aviation History: TBD DevastatorHistory of War: TBD Devastator Boeing: TBD Devastator

Consumer behavior & Market Segmentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Consumer behavior & Market Segmentation - Essay Example This model suggests that consumers have some unsatisfied needs and wants whose recognition is the first step in the process. This need can be stimulated by internal or external stimuli. Upon need identification consumers search for information and evaluate the alternatives arising out of that search. Finally the purchase is made in favor of the best-liked brand. Consumers also display post purchase behavior; it is a phase that decides how satisfied the consumer is with the decision and will shape consumer’s re-purchase or recommendation decisions. This whole process is influenced by many factors (Kotler’s Marketing Essentials and cited in Lee [31]) which include social influences, marketing influences, situational influences and psychological influences. According to Stanton (66) â€Å"Marketing segmentation consists of taking the total heterogeneous market for a product and dividing it into several sub-markets or segments each of which tends to be homogenous in all significant aspects.† Consumer buying behavior and market segmentation are related in that segments in a market are formed on four common bases which include geographic, demographic, psychographic and behavioral. Hence behavior is one of the four major bases for segmentation. Segmentation on the bases of geographic (region), demographic (age, gender, religion, education) and/or psychographic (lifestyle or social class) is obvious however considering behavior while segmenting a market for a product is tough since it involves segmenting on the basis of usage, loyalty and other similar attributes which vary from person to person. Segmentation on behavioral basis not only focuses on the consumers traits but is also concerned with what consumers do and then forming a s egment of consumers showing similar behavior/feelings towards a brand. Hence identifying a segment which displays similar behavior/feelings towards a product is

Arguments about God's existence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Arguments about God's existence - Essay Example Arguments about God's existence However, belief is controlled by several factors such as evidence. The existence of evidence in experimentation points out to the fact that a hypothesis can hold a truth value. Therefore, the hypothesis can be a fact or a general truth as depicted by the evidence. The explanation about the existence of God is a subject that has been posited by several theoretical explanations. Some of the arguments and explanations that have been used by scholars to describe the existence of God include the cosmological argument, the teleological argument, and the ontological explanations. This paper discuses the teleological perspective that tries to explain the existence of God. it focuses on the arguments explanations and also reviews the criticisms that have been used as a basis of discrediting the argument. In the end, it defends the position taken by this explanation as a valid argument for the existence of God. The most prominent of facts that sum up the teleological argument about Gods existence is based on intelligent design. According to this school of thought, the existence of human-like intelligence in nature can be a possible explanation of the existence of God. The argument describes a scenario in which human intelligence drives the reasoning and direction of activities that result in meaningful action. The basic question in these happenings, therefore, is that while humans are guided by the free will to reason from their intelligence, what force pushes these phenomena to act in the same design and precision in nature.

Sports and Academic Achievement Essay Example for Free

Sports and Academic Achievement Essay Many studies have been done regarding the positive impact that athletics has on a student’s life. Studies have looked at the physical impact that athletics has on a student’s life like sportsmanship, healthy lifestyle, discipline, strategy, and time management. We will be looking at studies that have explored the impact that athletics has on students’ academic abilities. Academic success can be measured in many ways but we will explore grade point averages, math and English test scores, and graduation success rates to show the positive impact athletics has on a student’s academic abilities. Introduction Participating in athletics offers students the opportunity to learn valuable lessons they can use for the rest of their lives. Some lessons include teamwork, self-esteem, perseverance, discipline, time management, and healthy living. However, these lessons are not the only lessons a student learns. Students also learn lessons that carry over into the classroom and have a positive impact on academic achievement. These lessons include increased memory, diligence, time management, and memory capacity which can be supported by scientist that have researched the impact of physical activity on the brain. These studies have concluded that exercise causes â€Å"neurogenesis†, the process of growing cells in the brain therefore, increasing memory and learning capacities (Blaydes, 2011). The National Federation of State High School Associations in their 2008, â€Å"The Case for High School Activities† article shows that the return on investment on athletic programs and other extr acurricular activities is very high. Look more:  essay on perseverance â€Å"At a cost of only one to three percent (or less in many cases) of an overall school’s budget, high school activity programs are one of the best bargins around. It is in these vital programs – sports, music, speech, drama, debate – where young people learn lifelong lessons as that compliment the academic lessons taught in the classroom† (p. 1) Students who participate in athletics will experience greater academic success than students who do not participate in athletics. Using various research studies I will support this hypothesis by detailing the correlations between academic achievement and athletic participation. Students who participate in athletics have higher grade point averages (GPA), higher Math and English scores, and obtain higher levels of graduation rates and continue on to higher education. Grade Point Averages of athletes vs. non-athletes One of the measurements of academic success is grade point averages. High grade point averages indicate one’s diligence, perseverance and desire to succeed. Students who participate in athletics have higher GPA’s than students who do not participate in athletics. The 2002 study conducted by Schaben and Stevens of middle school students showed that students who participated in athletics had an average GPA of 3.15 compared to nonathletic students which carried an average GPA of 2.4 (p. 38). Another study of high school students by Stegman and Stephens (2000) found that both male and female students that had low athletic participation carried lower GPA’s. Male students in the 12th grade that did not participate in athletics carried an average GPA of 3.04 compared to 3.18 of male 12th graders that did participate. Female students in the 12th grade that did not participate in athletics carried an average GPA of 3.28 compared to 3.62 of female 12th grades that did participate (p. 3). Athletic participation directly impacts grade point averages of students that participate; therefore, students who participate in athletics have more academic success than students who do not participate in athletics. Math and English scores of athletes vs. non-athletes High math scores indicate academic success because it shows a student’s ability for problem solving, logical thinking and calculations. High English scores indicate academic success in students by way of writing abilities and communication abilities. Students who participate in athletics have higher Math and English grades than students who do not participate in athletics. Students who participated in athletics were found to have an average final grade of 74.5 in Math and 74.6 in English. Students that did not participate in athletics were found to have an average final grade of 715 in Math and 70.3 in English (Zaugg, 1998, p. 68). A North Carolina High School study of students who participate in athletics found that students who did not participate in athletics had an average Math grade of 57.9 and 50.8 for English compared to those students who did participate that had an average Math grade of 66.1 and 61.4 in English (2001, NCHSAA Bulletin, p. 2). Studies have consistently shown that participation in athletics directly impacts a student’s scores in Math and English to be higher than students that do not participate in athletics. Graduation Rates of athletes vs. non-athletes Students who participate in athletics have higher graduation rates and continue on to higher learning more often than students who do not participate in athletics. This is an academic success indicator because the athletic student is graduation and continuing on in their academic success in college. The National Center for Education Statistics followed high school athletes 8 years after graduation and found that elite athletes and varsity athletes are more than 1.70 times more likely to have postsecondary education (2005, Carlson, Planty, Scott, and Thompson, p. 11). Male students who do not participate in athletics are 4% less likely to obtain a college degree than those males students who did participate in athletics. There was a similar correlation between female non-athletes and female athletes (2001, Caudill and Long, p.529). Athletic students have a higher graduation rate than non-athletic students and athletic students continue on to higher education more often than non-athlet ic students. Objection of higher academic success in athletes One objection to the impact that athletics has on academics success is a study showing that non-athletes have higher ACT/SAT scores. In the 1997 Chronicle of Education article by Jim Naughton, students that did not participate in athletics had higher ACT scores (average 21+) than students who did participate in athletics (average of 19) (p. A44). In the study of high school seniors in Eastern Tennessee (2010, Gorman, p. 80) recorded no significant difference in ACT scores between participating and non-participating students. This objection disputes the findings that athletes have more academic success than non-athletes. Conclusion As the studies have shown, the impact of athletics isn’t just physical. â€Å"Interscholastic sports also promote life skills and lessons and enhance academic performance† (Lumpkin Stokowski, 2011). Those lessons carry over in the classroom and boost grade point averages, as well as the scores of Math and English. It has been found that athletic students have a higher frequency of graduation and continue on to higher education than non-athletic students. Students who participate in athletics have more academic success than students who do not participate in athletics. References Barber, B. L., Eccles, J. S. Stone, M. R. (2001). Whatever happened to the Jock, the Brain, and the Princess? : Young adult pathways linked to adolescent activity involvement and social identity. Journal of Adolescent Research, 16, 429-455. doi: 10.1177/0743558401165002 Blaydes, J. (2011, Fall). How to make learning a moving experience. Seen Magazine, 13(2), 78-79. Carlson, D., Planty, M., Scott, L., Thompson, J. (2005). Statistics in Brief: What is the status of high school athletes 8 years after their senior year? (NCES 2005303). Retrieved from the National Center for Education Statistics website http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/nels88/ Caudill, S. B. Long, J. E. (1991, August). The impact of participation in intercollegiate athletics on income and graduation. The Review of Economics and Statistics, 73(3), 525-531. Gorman, D. A. (2010). The effect of athletic participation on academic achievement for high school seniors in Eastern Tennessee (Doctorial dissertation). Liberty University , Lynchburg, VA. Lumpkin, A. Stokowski, S. (2011, Spring). Interscholastic sports: A character-building privilege. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 47(3), 124-8. National Federation of State High School Associations. (2008). The case for high school activities. (NFHS Report). Retrieved from Oregon School Activities Association website: www.osaa.org/osaainfo/08CaseForHSActivities.pdf Naughton, J. (1997). Athletes on top-ranked teams lack grades and test scores of other students. Chronicle of Higher Education, 43(46), 43-44. Schaben, L. A. Stephens, L. J. (2000, February). The effect of interscholastic sports participation on academic achievements of middle level school students. NASSP Bulletin, 86(34), 34-41. doi: 10.1177/019263650208663005 Stegman, M. Stephens, L. J. (2000). Athletics and academics: are they compatible? High School Magazine, 7(6), 36-9. Unknown. (2001, Fall). High school athletes outperform nonathletes again by wide margins in massive statewide academic study. North Carolina High School Athletic Association Bulletin, 54(1), 2. Zaugg, H. (1998). Academic comparison of athletes and non-athletes in a rural high school. NASSP Bulletin, 82, 63-72. doi: 10.1177/019263659808259910

Bob Marley Essay -- Art

Bob Marley Clemson University There are hundreds of thousands of people screaming for you on stage. The Prime Minister and leader of the opposition sit in the arena. Many thought this was a sight that would never be seen, but it was just the sight Bob Marley had in front of him at the One Love Peace Concert in Kingston Jamaica (April, 1978). This was his first appearance back in Jamaica in 14 years, an amazing show culminating with Bob joining the hands of opposing political figures onstage, and holding them firmly together. A hero and an icon while living, Bob Marley continues to influence people 25 years after his death (African Service News). His music and lyrics worked as the rhetoric of the Rastafarian movement against oppression, exploitation and racism in Jamaica. Using metaphors to describe the hardships of the political fights of Jamaicans and Africans Marley established himself as the spokesman of a race and culture. The Rastafari religion, the heart of Bob’s music, based itself in belief of ‘Jah,’ which was a metaphor for a god of goodness and love. Jah was the force fighting against the oppression from ‘Babylon,’ the destructive force. Metaphors of oppression and freedom, such as chains and birds, depict social problems and ways of liberation (Jensen). Many of Marley’s lyrics included these references and therefore fell into the latitude of acceptance, explained in Muzafer Sherif’s studies on Social Judgment Theory (Griffin), of his Rastafari listeners. When Marley spoke of things that were in the latitude of acceptance of his audience, his words impacted them listeners incredibly. â€Å"If you get down and quarrel everyday/You're saying prayers to the devil, I say/ Why not help one another on the way/ Make it much easier/ Jah love, Jah love, protect us† Positive Vibrations. Marley strived to increase awareness among the people of Jamaica, but his popularity didn’t end there. His music spread through the hearts of Europeans, Africans, and Americans. Lyrics and music work together to offer messages comprised of both theoretical and emotional content through the constructs of virtual experience (lyrics) and virtual time (music). Both virtual experience and virtual time must exist for music to function rhetorically (Sellnow). However it can sometimes work out otherwise. In fact, it was the bass heavy style of Bob Marley’s new age r... ... when it hits you feel no pain. So hit me with music, hit me with music now, brutalize me with music† Bob Marley Feb. 6, 1945 – May 11, 1981 Bibliography Bob Marley Continues to Touch People's Hearts 20 Years After. (August 7, 2002) Africa News Service, p1008219u1157 Griffin, E. (2003). A first look at communication theory. 4th ed. Boston, MA: McGraw Hill. Hakanen, E.A., Wells, A., Ying, L.L.S., (1999). Music choice for emotional use and management by Hong Kong adolescents. Asian Journal of Communication. 9 (1), 72-85. King, Stephen, Jensen, Richard (1995). Bob Marley's "Redemption Song": the rhetoric of reggae and Rastafari. Journal of Popular Culture, v29 n3 p17(20) Napier, Kristine. (Nov-Dec 1997) Antidotes to pop culture poison. Policy Review, n86 p12(3) Sellnow, Deanna D. (1999). Music as persuasion: Refuting hegemonic Masculinity in "He Thinks He'll Keep Her". Women's Studies in Communication. 22 (1, Spring), 66-84. Sellnow, Deanna, and Sellnow, Timothy. (2001). The "illusion of life" rhetorical perspective: An integrated approach to the study of music as communication. Critical Studies in Media Communication. 18 (4, December), 395-415.

Underlying Trend Rate of Growth

Explain the term ‘underlying trend rate of growth’ and the factors determining this rate. The underlying trend rate of growth represents a curve which shows the annual potential growth maximum that can be achieved with all available resources. An economy must target to increase this rate of growth and also actualize it. If the economy grows higher than this rate it will experience inflation. If lower it still has the capacity to grow. The trend rate of growth for an economy also represents the aggregate supply in the long run. The production possibility frontier also represents virtually more or less the same thing.There are various factors that determine long run aggregate supply. One considerable factor is the level of investment in an economy. Investment is vital as it is the back bone of economy. It enhances an economy by building more facilities and providing infrastructure to further develop and produce more, both in terms of quality and quantity. The higher the le vel of investment the higher the increase in capacity terms what an economy is able to produce. This is the growth that is in the nation’s stock of capital. New capital embodies technological advancements which leads to higher levels of productivity.The trend rate of growth is also determined by the trend growth of the working population of an economy. This is the trend of supply in the labour market. When the size of the working population increases it increases the potential working capacity of the economy. The magnitude of change in production output will reflect upon the level of labour/capital intensiveness in the economy. If the government can successfully increase the number of people of working age the trend rate of growth will increase. The trend rate of growth of factor productivity is a measure of gains in factor efficiency.For most countries it is the annual rate of growth of productivity that drives the long-term rate of economic growth. But of more interest and importance is where gains in productivity come from. The macroeconomic data on productivity is simply the aggregation of productivity performance at a microeconomic level throughout every industry and market in the economy. Technological improvements which reduce the real costs of supplying goods and services and which lead to an outward shift in a country’s production possibility frontier

Literature Review Global Financial Crisis Regulation

â€Å"Global Financial Crisis: Regulatory Arbitrage and Paradigm Shifts† In early 2008, the economy ground to an almost complete halt. As the stock indexes were overwhelmed by a virtual tsunami of never relenting red digits, it became clear that the financial markets had been hit by a crisis the scope and scale of which had not been witnessed since the Wall Street Crash of the 1930’s. Over time the causes became more clear, and as the dust settled, the world was left with several important questions to answer. First of all, there was the question of whether or not the global financial crisis was actually caused by flawed regulations and financial institutions or whether it is the fundamental behaviour of the financial market that is flawed, as caused by behavioural issues such as moral hazard and principle agent problems. As an extension of this, the second question involves whether or not financial regulation will be sufficient in realizing a stable and sustainable financial system or if a true paradigmal and behavioural shift is required. Finally and more practically, the third question is how such a change may be brought about in practice, and which exact aspects of the financial paradigm should be altered in order to realize sustainable financial markets. As we look more closely at the following questions and the appropriate literature, one can discern several issues, which may form the basis for further academic inquiry. First of all, it is clear that despite far reaching efforts of scholars, governments and other institutions to develop and introduce financial regulation in response to the financial crisis, recent evidence suggests that these measures fail to recognize fundamental flaws in the paradigms and values Freewriting exercise – Skills 3: Academic Writing S. N. Geesing – 342570 2010-2011 underlying actions of main financial institutions and firms, which need to be addressed in order to realise a sustainable financial process in the long term. From this main statement, we can now look into several direct causes of the crisis that can be related to the incentives that underlie these markets. One of these causes, as it appears, is the fact that Wall Street managed to lure the brightest minds in economics and mathematics with promises of wealth and fame, thus managing to consistently outsmart governmental institutions. By exploiting loop holes in regulatory frameworks, often done by developing complex financial derivates, the bulge bracket firms that set the tone in investment banking gained access to nearly limitless profits, foregoing issues of ethics and risk minimization in favour of short term and often personal gain. After recognizing this pattern, one may conclude that simply increasing bank reserves or bailing out mortgages (as many governments have done so far) will not allow for long term sustainability within financial markets. Other measures, such as increased transparency, caps on bonuses and reinvented incentive reward systems are more effective, but have proven difficult to practically implement. Introducing new regulation is always troublesome and this type of regulations has been met by heavy resistance, especially in the US, the place where new regulation is especially necessary. For this reason and more, a more indirect way of changing values and paradigms must be sought. Scholars have suggested that such measures are most likely to be found in economic theory and, more specifically, in forms of game theoretical applications, in which the government and the financial institutions act as â€Å"players† in a game that can be described as the general economy and financial markets.

The Crimes of Scorecard Killer Randy Kraft

The Crimes of Scorecard Killer Randy Kraft Randolph Kraft, also known as the Scorecard Killer, the Southern California Strangler, and the Freeway Killer, is a  serial rapist, torturer, and killer who was convicted for the mutilation and deaths of at least 16 young males from 1972 through 1983 throughout  California, Oregon, and  Michigan. A cryptic list found at the time of his arrest linking him to 40 additional unsolved murders became known as Krafts Scorecard. Early Life Born on March 19, 1945, in Long Beach, California, Randolph Kraft was the youngest child and only son of four children born to Opal and Harold Kraft. As the baby of the family and the only boy, Kraft was showered with attention from his mother and sisters. However, Krafts father was distant, preferring to spend most of his non-working time with his mother and sister. Krafts childhood was mostly unremarkable. He was, however, prone to accidents. At the age of 1, he fell from a couch and broke his collarbone. A year later, he was knocked unconscious after falling down a flight of stairs but a trip to the hospital determined that there was no permanent damage. Krafts family moved to Midway City in Orange County, California when he was 3. His parents purchased a former Womens Army Corps dormitory located in a commercial zone within 10 miles of the  Pacific Ocean and converted the structure into a three-bedroom home. Although the house was modest, both parents worked to pay the bills. Early Education At the age of 5, Kraft was enrolled in the Midway City Elementary school. Although a working mother, Opal was was a member of the PTA, baked cookies for Cub Scout meetings, and was active at church, making certain that her children received Bible lessons. Kraft excelled at school where he was recognized as an above-average student. In junior high school, he was placed in the advanced curriculum program and continued to maintain excellent grades. It was during these years that his interest in conservative politics grew and he proudly declared himself a diehard Republican. By the time Kraft entered high school, he was the only child still living at home. His sisters had married and moved into homes of their own. Since both his parents worked and were not often around, Kraft was fairly independent. He had his own room, his own car, and money he earned working part-time jobs. Kraft seemed like a typical fun-loving kid. While he was academically gifted, Kraft got along well with his peers. He played the saxophone in the school band, enjoyed tennis, and was a founder and participant in a student club focused on conservative politics. Kraft graduated high school at the age of 18, ranking 10th in his class of 390 students. College Years and Homosexual Awakening During his final year of high school and unbeknownst to his family, Kraft began cruising gay bars. After graduating, Kraft enrolled at Claremont Mens College on a full scholarship where he majored in economics. His interest in conservative politics continued, and he often attended  pro-Vietnam war  demonstrations. Kraft joined the Reserve Officers Training Corps, and in 1964, was a staunch supporter of Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater. During his sophomore year of college, Kraft became involved in his first openly homosexual relationship. He also changed his political affiliation from conservative to left-wing liberal. (He would later explain his years as a conservative as merely an effort to be like his parents.) Although Krafts homosexuality was not a secret at Claremont, his family was still unaware of his orientation. In an effort to clue his parents in, Kraft often brought homosexual friends home to meet his family. Remarkably, they failed to make the connection and remained unaware of Krafts sexual preferences. While still in school, Kraft took a part-time job as a bartender at The Mug, a popular gay bar located in Garden Grove. During this time, Krafts sexual appetites flourished. He began cruising for male prostitutes at known pickup spots around Huntington Beach. In 1963, he was arrested after propositioning an undercover police officer but the charges were dropped because Kraft had no previous arrest record. Change in Lifestyle In 1967, Kraft adopted more of a hippie look. He let his hair grow long and started sporting a mustache. He also became a registered  Democrat and worked on the Robert Kennedy campaign. It was at about this time that Kraft also began suffering from recurring headaches and stomach pain. His family doctor prescribed tranquilizers and pain medicine- which he often mixed with beer. Between his bartending job, his own drinking and drugging, his sexual experimentation, and heavy political campaigning efforts, Krafts interest in academia declined. In his final college year, rather than studying, he spent his time getting high, gambling, and hustling. As a result, he didnt graduate on time. It took him eight additional months to earn a Bachelor of Arts in economics, which he received in February 1968. U.S. Air Force and Coming Out In June 1968, after scoring high marks on the Air Force aptitude tests, Kraft enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. He threw himself into his work and quickly advanced to the rank of Airman First Class. It was at this time that Kraft finally decided to come out to his family. His ultra-conservative father flew into a rage. While she did not approve of her sons lifestyle,  Krafts mother continued to show love and support for him. His family eventually came to terms with the news, however, the relationship between Kraft and his parents was never the same. On July 26, 1969, Kraft received a general discharge from the Air Force on medical grounds. He later claimed the discharge came after he told his superiors that he was gay. Kraft briefly moved back home and took a job as a forklift operator and also worked part-time as a bartender- but not for long. Relationships with Jeff Graves and Jeff Seelig In 1971, after deciding to become a teacher, Kraft enrolled at Long Beach State University. While there, he met fellow student Jeff Graves. Kraft moved in with Graves and they stayed together until the end of 1975. It was Graves who introduced Kraft to bondage, drug-enhanced sex, and threesomes. The open relationship between Kraft and Graves grew more volatile as time went on. They frequently argued. Kraft had grown less interested in cruising for one-night stands and was looking to settle down into a monogamous relationship. Graves wanted just the opposite. Kraft met Jeff Seelig at a party in 1976, about a year after he and Graves split up. At 19, Seeling, who worked as an apprentice baker, was 10 years younger than Kraft. Kraft took on the mantle of a mentor in the relationship. He introduced Seelig to the gay bar scene and taught him about cruising a nearby U.S. Marine base for partners to engage in threesomes. Kraft and Seelig advanced in their careers. Eventually, the couple decided to purchase a small home in Long Beach but after Kraft landed a computer job with Lear Siegler Industries, he began spending a lot of time away from home on business trips to Oregon and Michigan. Tensions between the pair grew. The age gap, as well as the disparity in their educational backgrounds, and general personalities differences began to take their toll. The couple split up in 1982. The Tip of the Iceberg: Krafts First Murder Charge On May 14, 1983, two California highway patrol officers spotted a car weaving down the road. The driver was Kraft. The officers signaled for him to pull over but he continued driving for a short distance before coming to a stop. When Kraft finally pulled over, he quickly emerged from the car and walked toward the patrolmen. He smelled of alcohol and his fly was open. After failing a standard field sobriety test, the patrolmen went to take a look at Krafts car, where they found a young man, his pants pulled down and barefoot, slumped over in the passenger seat. The victims genitals were exposed, his neck showed signs of strangulation marks, and his wrists were bound. After a brief examination, it was determined the young man was dead. The victim was identified as a Marine stationed at the El Toro Marine Airbase, 25-year-old Terry Gambrel. Gambrels friends later reported that the young Marine had been hitchhiking to a party on the night he was murdered. His autopsy revealed hed been killed by ligature strangulation, and also indicated that his blood contained excessively high levels of alcohol and tranquilizers. The Scorecard and Other Key Evidence During the search of Krafts vehicle, patrolman found 47 Polaroid photos of young men, all nude, and all appearing to be unconscious- or possibly dead. The photographs were likely viewed by Kraft as trophies he could use to revisit the murders. Perhaps even more alarming was evidence found inside a briefcase taken from the trunk of Krafts car that contained a list of 61 cryptic messages. Investigators came to believe the messages- later dubbed Krafts infamous scorecard- formed a list of Krafts murder victims. Further evidence gathered at Krafts apartment- including clothing owned by victims, fibers from a rug matching fibers found at murder scenes, and Krafts fingerprints were later linked to various unsolved murders. Police also found pictures next to Krafts bed matching three cold-case murder victims. Krafts Modus Operandi All of Krafts known victims were  Caucasian males with similar physical characteristics. Some were gay, some were straight. All were tortured and murdered but the severity of torture varied by degree from victim to victim. Most were drugged and bound; several were mutilated, emasculated, sodomized, and photographed postmortem. The severity of the violence his victims endured seemed to correspond with how Kraft and his lover were getting along at the time of the incident. When Kraft and his lover were on the outs, the victims would often pay the price. Investigators learned that Kraft often traveled to Oregon and Michigan while employed at an aerospace firm from June 1980 through January 1983. Unsolved murders in both areas coincided with the dates that Kraft was there. This, along with decoding some of Krafts cryptic scorecard messages, added to the growing list of Krafts victims. Possible Accomplice Some of the investigators working the case believed Kraft must have had an accomplice. As damning as the evidence was, they couldnt ignore the fact that many of the victims had been pushed out of a car traveling at about 50 miles an hour- a feat that would be next to impossible to do achieve alone. Jeff Graves became the  main person of interest. He and Kraft had lived together during the time that 16 of the known murders took place. Graves backed up Krafts statement to police about his whereabouts on March 30, 1975, the night that 19-year-old Keith Daven Crotwell disappeared. Crotwell and his friend Kent May had gone on a drive with Kraft that evening. Kraft supplied both the teens with drugs and alcohol. Kent passed out in the back seat. Kraft pushed Kent out of the car. Crotwell was never seen alive again. Witnesses who saw May being thrown from the car helped police track Kraft down. When questioned, Kraft maintained that  he and Crotwell went for a drive and that the car had gotten stuck in the mud. He said he called Graves to come help but Graves was 45 minutes away so he decided to walk and  find help. When he returned to the car, Crotwell was gone. Graves corroborated  Krafts story. After Krafts arrest for murder, Graves, then in the advanced stages of AIDS, was questioned again. He told investigators, Im really not going to pay for it, you know. Graves succumbed to his illness before revealing anything incriminating. The Trial Kraft was initially arrested and charged with the murder of Terry Gambrel but as forensic evidence linking Kraft to other murders piled up, additional charges were filed. By the time Kraft went to trial, he was charged with 16 murders, nine counts of sexual mutilation, and three counts of sodomy. Kraft went to trial on September 26, 1988, in what turned out to be one of the longest and most costly trials in the history of Orange County. After 11 days, a jury found him guilty and he was given the death sentence. During the penalty phase of the trial, the state called Krafts first known victim, Joseph Francher to  testify  about the abuse hed suffered at Krafts hands when he was just 13, and how it had impacted his life. Kraft is currently  on death row in San Quentin. In 2000, the California Supreme Court upheld his death sentence.

US Postal Service Mail Holding Service Online Request

US Postal Service Mail Holding Service Online Request You spent months planning the perfect vacation and at last, its time to hit the road. The bags are packed, the car is loaded, and the dogs in the kennel. But wait. What about having days of mail stacking up in your mailbox where robbers and identity thieves might get their hands on it? No problem. Just go online and arrange to have the  U.S. Postal Service  (USPS) hold your mail while youre gone.   The USPS mail holding service offers postal customers the option of having their mail held for from three to 30 days quickly and easily. When you go on vacation, the last thing you need is to be concerned about the safety of your mail while youre away. Our Hold Mail Service addresses this issue almost effortlessly, said Francia G. Smith, USPS vice president and Consumer Advocate. This service represents our continued commitment to increasing customer access- making it easier and more convenient for customers to use the Postal Service when and where they need to. You can request USPS mail holding services up to 30 days in advance of the day you want it to start or as early as the next scheduled delivery day. You should request your mail holding start date by 3 a.m. EST (2 a.m. CT or 12 a.m. PST) on your requested day, Monday through Saturday. If you are going to be away from home for more than 30 days or if you are making a long-term move, you can also set up temporary or permanent USPS Mail and Package Forwarding Services. If you are making a permanent move, you can also use the forwarding service to update your official address. If you are just moving temporarily, you can use the Postal Service’s mail and package forwarding service for a period as short as 15 days or as long as one year. After the first six months, you can extend for another six months. How to Do It After you get online, just  go to the Postal Service home page. In the menu under Track Manage at the top of the page, click on the Hold Mail menu option.   Youll be asked to enter your delivery address information and the dates on which you want the Postal Service to start and stop holding your mail.   At the end of the mail holding request process, youll be given a  confirmation number so that you can modify the request if you come home early or decide you want to stay on vacation a little bit longer. The online service electronically notifies your local post office, and all of your mail will be held for the time specified and delivery is resumed on the requested date. Having the Postal Service hold your mail while you are away is one of the best steps you can take to prevent having your mail stolen. Request Mail Holding by Telephone   You can also request the USPS mail holding service over the phone by calling toll-free  1-800-ASK-USPS and following the menu options.   Whether requested online or by phone, millions of Postal Service customers have taken advantage of this convenient service since its 2003 launch.

Leadership Development Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Leadership Development Plan - Assignment Example With the help of these techniques, individuals can make sure that they identify their strengths and weaknesses and carry out necessary initiatives for capitalizing on the requirements of the corporate world. One of the most effective framework developed for evaluating the competencies of an individual is MBTI which was developed by Isabel Meyers and Katherine Briggs. The main idea behind this inventory model is that everyone needs to appreciate the individual differences and look for developmental opportunities so that the skills are further polished and refined. Considering the matrix developed by the experts, there are four sets of preferences of individuals which are as follows: According to the developers, there are sixteen classes in which people’s personalities can fall. I believe that I belong to the class ‘ESFJ’ which means that I have high extroversion, sensing, feeling and judging capabilities. I believe that this reading is true to a great extent as I am friendly and outgoing person. I can easily express my feelings and make sure that people around me have a good time to cherish. Moreover, I make decisions on the basis of feelings which means that the decisions are already made either by my traditions, culture or ingrained perceptions. Moreover, I have the ability of leading people as I am aware of the techniques of inducing others to motivate towards achieving the desired objectives. In various life situations, I get a bit hard with myself. There is a gap between my own perceived performance and my ideal behavior and due to this discrepancy I struggle against the feeling of guilt and depression. Sometimes, I get overwhelmed with these feelings and I end up in moments of emotional pain. I try to motivate myself by showing the brighter side of various aspects of my life such as my kind, unselfish and charitable nature. I am always ready to help people out and

Fair Compensation Budgeting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Fair Compensation Budgeting - Essay Example She has held this position for the last two years though she has not been very successful. This is because she was under a male manager who could not work with female workers freely. The former manager did not treat workers equally because, in this business, women were not paid the same salary as men. The new manager noted that women were not paid an equivalent rate as men for the same work. Question 1 What factors in the current compensation system for the county not identified here might influence Amy’s response? The current compensation system for the county pays women less salary than women. This is not fair because all workers are entitled to the same remuneration. However there are a number of things that will influence Amy in order to change the situation of unequal treatment of men and women in Adam County. First, Amy should research and find out whether both men and women are allocated the same duties in the company. She should evaluate this to find out whether, the f act that women are paid lower salaries than men is justified. Apparently, the previous manager might have been paying men more money probably because they were subjected to more work load. Amy should find out exactly why this was the case and address the situation from that point. Secondly, Amy might be influenced by the fact that women take more leave days than men. ... Such skills include ability to team work, working under pressure but not expecting an extra pay. For women this might seem hard because of their biological make up and their household responsibilities. These responsibilities such as child bearing and raising might be inhibiting the full performance of women at the workplace and therefore cannot be relied upon, for example, to do activities such as those of departmental heads. In addition, by the fact that departmental heads work involves a lot of travelling, women might not handle such tasks because of the constraints put on him by society. For example women who take a lot of time away from their husbands are often branded bad and false accusations of engaging in extra marital affairs while away for a prolonged time. Amy might also consider the commitment workers have towards the business. She will be influenced by those workers who have a spirit to work rather than those who work to earn money. To identify these workers she will be guided by how, for example, workers are punctual to work. The quality of work that such a worker does is also a crucial item to consider. If for example, workers are assigned similar duties, the manager should determine who among those workers the first to do the job is. The manager may also consider commitments outside the workplace, for example, commitment in family affairs and other matters connected with that family. There is a direct link between the performance of the work and the relationship with spouses at home. Workers spend a lot of time in the workplace and also in the family place. The balance between the two places is important for the profitability of the company. In addition, the number of dependents the worker has maybe