Group Exercise on “The Landlady”

In the exposition stage of the plot, the author reveals all the pertinent details of the story. This story however does not reveal everything about the landlady until the climax of the story. 1. What clues did the author give the reader regarding the sinister plan of the landlady that was about to unfold? Animals were usually a good sign in a place like this, Billy told himself. But both animals were stuffed. He was in the act of stepping back and turning away from the window when all at once his eye was caught and held in the most peculiar manner by the small notice that was there. BED AND BREAKFAST, it said.BED AND BREAKFAST, BED AND BREAKFAST, BED AND BREAKFAST. Each word was like a large black eye staring at him through the glass, holding him, compelling him, forcing him to stay where he was and not to walk away from that house, and the next thing he knew, he was actually moving across from the window to the front door of the house, climbing the steps that led up to it, and reach ing for the bell. He pressed the bell. Far away in a back room he heard it ringing, and then at once —it must have been at once because he hadn’t even had time to take his finger from the bell button—the door swung open and a woman was standing there.She has a room ready for him before he comes in. She had put a warm water bottle in the bed before he came, and the bedclothes had been neatly turned back on one side, all ready for someone to get in. â€Å"Five and sixpence a night, including breakfast. † There were no other hats or coats in the hall. There were no umbrellas, no walking sticks—nothing. There were only two other entries above his on the page, One was a Christopher Mulholland from Cardiff. The other was Gregory W. Temple from Bristol. And the last entry was two years old.She wants him to sign the book, so that she won’t forget his name, and then she can always check the book. She does it with Mr. Mulholland and Mr. Temple. 2. At what point do you begin to become suspicious that the boarding house is not quite normal? †¢When he goes in a kind of hypnosis and goes to ring the bell †¢The landlady answers the door right away. †¢It is very cheap, but no one there. 3. Where is the climax in the story? Its when he realizes there only have been two others visitors besides him, and he notices a suspecting smell and taste in the tea (gets poisoned) potassium cyonide 4.Why does the author write the story in this way? How can you relate his plot’s structure to the theme that he is trying to communicate with you? I think that the reason for this is, that troughout the story there are hints troughout the story that says that this is not a good place – the sign outside – how quickly she opens the door – few visitors – the smell of both her and the tea – her habit of stuffing her pets – etc. This is how he shows that when you are seventeen you still are naive and do not always see the big picture, even if there are hints on the way. THEME ANALYSIS What is the main theme of the story?Why is the author telling you a story of a landlady who inadvertently is also a serial killer? The main theme is â€Å"Naive†. The young man thinks at first that this is the perfect place and is naivly comfortable and does not have any suspission, although there are some hints throughout the story. He doesn’t realise the true character of this â€Å"nice† landlady until it’s too late, and he has been poisoned. I think that the author is telling the story in this way to show that there still is a lot to learn at the age of seventeen, and you are still not ready to make accurate decisions and really not always able to see the big picture.INTERPRETATION What is your reaction to the author’s view on life and/or human behavior? †¢Should people be careful of strangers? The author is trying to tell us that things aren’t always as they seem to be, they can seem harmless on the outside, but on the inside they can do the most unimaginable things, as we read in this story the nice landlady kills and stuffs her victims. This is why we think that the author is trying to show us that you should be careful of strangers, because they aren’t always as nice as they seem to be.†¢Is it better to live in a small town than a big city? We think that the main difference between living in a small town and a big town is, that in a small town it is hard to hide things from your neighbours, and that’s why they are more likely to notice if something is not as it should be, whereas in a big city, people take less notice to other people. They mostly keep matter to themselves and only see the other people on the surface. That is why we think that it is better to live in a small town, if you want to live safe. Group Exercise on â€Å"The Landlady† PLOT ANALYSISIn the exposition stage of the plot, the author reveals all the pertinent details of the story. This story however does not reveal everything about the landlady until the climax of the story. 1.What clues did the author give the reader regarding the sinister plan of the landlady that was about to unfold? Animals were usually a good sign in a place like this, Billy told himself. But both animals were stuffed. He was in the act of stepping back and turning away from the window when all at once his eye was caught and held in the most peculiar manner by the small notice that was there. BED AND BREAKFAST, it said.BED AND BREAKFAST, BED AND BREAKFAST, BED AND BREAKFAST.Each word was like a large black eye staring at him through the glass, holding him, compelling him, forcing him to stay where he was and not to walk away from that house, and the next thing he knew, he was actually moving across from the window to the front door of the house, climbing the steps that led up to it , and reaching for the bell. He pressed the bell. Far away in a back room he heard it ringing, and then at once —it must have been at once because he hadn’t even had time to take his finger from the bell button—the door swung open and a woman was standing there. She has a room ready for him before he comes in. She had put a warm water bottle in the bed before he came, and the bedclothes had been neatly turned back on one side, all ready for someone to get in. â€Å"Five and sixpence a night, including breakfast.†There were no other hats or coats in the hall. There were no umbrellas, no walking sticks—nothing. There were only two other entries above his on the page, One was a Christopher Mulholland from Cardiff. The other was Gregory W. Temple from Bristol. And the last entry was two years old. She wants him to sign the book, so that she won’t forget his name, and then she can always check the book. She does it with Mr. Mulholland and Mr. Tem ple.2.At what point do you begin to become suspicious that the boarding house is not quite normal? †¢When he goes in a kind of hypnosis and goes to ring the bell†¢The landlady answers the door right away.†¢It is very cheap, but no one there. 3.Where is the climax in the story?Its when he realizes there only have been two others visitors besides him, and he notices a suspecting smell and taste in the tea (gets poisoned) potassium cyonide 4.Why does the author write the story in this way? How can you relate his plot’s structure to the theme that he is trying to communicate with you?I think that the reason for this is, that troughout the story there are hints troughout the story that says that this is not a good place – the sign outside – how quickly she opens the door – few visitors – the smell of both her and the tea – her habit of stuffing her pets – etc. This is how he shows that when you are seventeen you still are na ive and do not always see the big picture, even if there are hints on the way.THEME ANALYSISWhat is the main theme of the story? Why is the author telling you a story of a landlady who inadvertently is also a serial killer? The main theme is â€Å"Naive†. The young man thinks at first that this is the perfect place and is naivly comfortable and does not have any suspission, although there are some hints throughout the story. He doesn’t realise the true character of this â€Å"nice† landlady until it’s too late, and he has been poisoned. I think that the author is telling the story in this way to show that there still is a lot to learn at the age of seventeen, and you are still not ready to make accurate decisions and really not always able to see the big picture.INTERPRETATIONWhat is your reaction to the author’s view on life and/or human behavior? †¢Should people be careful of strangers?The author is trying to tell us that things aren’ t always as they seem to be, they can seem harmless on the outside, but on the inside they can do the most unimaginable things, as we read in this story the nice landlady kills and stuffs her victims. This is why we think that the author is trying to show us that you should be careful of strangers, because they aren’t always as nice as they seem to be.†¢Is it better to live in a small town than a  big city?We think that the main difference between living in a small town and a big town is, that in a small town it is hard to hide things from your neighbours, and that’s why they are more likely to notice if something is not as it should be, whereas in a big city, people take less notice to other people. They mostly keep matter to themselves and only see the other people on the surface. That is why we think that it is better to live in a small town, if you want to live safe.

Kindergarten Chats – Architecture

This reading has introduced me to various factors in architecture regarding what it represents and should be in society through Louis Sullivan words. A Terminal Station: The Masculine Implies forceful, direct, clear and straightforward, The Feminine Implies intuitive sympathy, suavity, grace, and qualities of soothe, elevate, and refined. Should be easy to get in and out (efficiency) Outward aspect of the style takes on the ambulance of architecture. I agree, a terminal station should be able to tell us what it is and from the outside, where are the entrances, exists, etc†¦This is a public figure and needs to be clear. The Key: Each buildings external aspect represents character and it's up to us to unlock the architecture behind the building. The Architect represents or misrepresents society at large; what his plain duty is, if any what society has demanded and expect. There is a particular trust between the society and the Architects. Whichever way our architecture goes, so wi ll our country go However the architecture is rotten to the core, according to Sullivan, the illusion of American architecture.I agree how the public in large is not heavily involved in how their architecture is designed, thus we are putting trust on architect's hands. Nature: Is visible, objective forms, contains aspects of beauty of form and color. The elements of earth and air shaped by delicate hand of time A creative impulse of origin In conclusion, buildings are made of materials, but the elements of the earth are removed from the matrix of nature, and reorganized and reshaped by force; mechanical, muscular, mental, emotional, moral, and spiritual.Character: Not confined to the individual, it is also defined by the municipality, the nation, rent trends, and qualities that we the people are demanding in the marketplace. Values: We recognize values in medals, diplomas, or monuments. Brings a sense of community Curtain values in which money cannot measure. Take for example a buil ding, any builder can tell you the estimated value of the property in money terms. However, the value of the building is based on subjective value and Dollar value.Sullivan recommends that both come into play. Human nature determines the subjective value, which is more permanent, but money value is inseparable from the a Roman temple: affairs of life. Sullivan talked about how roman temples are place in great modern cities, at the same time having a strenuous sight, sound, that remind the people of their god. Such a holy precinct shall be doubly sacred to us in our reverence for this union of old and new. An example of how a building can be highly subjective, take for example a bank.Just as we discussed in class, a Bank wants their building to seem powerful with strong values. Sullivan disagrees that banks in America should not resemble a Roman Temple. He believes that it should belong to ancient Romans and that banks an make as much money in any kind of bank. Thus no need for imita tions . It was a part of Roman life and their culture, and that goes along with the Roman glory, thus building temples all over resemble a roman death. Taste: It expresses a familiarity with current persons of the culture, or trends. Ђ When an architect loses trust from the people at large, this is called weak taste. I always consider taste as what the market demands, for example having garages in suburban houses because of the demand for car and storage area. A Department Store: Sullivan describes a department stores as a structure that is logical, though, and states directly its purpose, and unmistakable though not wholly gratifying index of the business conducted within its walls. It's directness of statement is its chief virtue.Expanse of glass and light and displays In other words, it stands to reason that a thing looks like what it is and outward appearances resemble inner purposes. This is a great example of Function and Form. Function and Form: Every form we see there is a vital something or other which we do not see, which makes itself visible to us in that very form. A state of nature the form exists because of the function and behind the form is neither more nor less than a manifestation of what you call the infinite creative spirit, called God. Ђ A building is properly designed when you are able to read through and know the reason for that building. The details are not the same as the parts and the mass. Logical vs.. Organic growth Logical is scholarship, or taste, or all of them combined, cannot make organic architecture Logical is common sense, a thoroughly disciplined mind, a perfect quinine, and a gracious gift of expression. Logical can not deal with creativity process, for the creating function is vital, as its name is pure-reason. Ђ Organic correlates to organism, structure, growth, development, and form. Organic implies the pressure of a living force and a resultant structure or mechanism. The pressure is Function and the result ant is Form. Ornaments in Architecture: Sullivan explains ornaments as a decorative application of enhanced beauty of our structures. It's what gives charm to a building. I agree with Sullivan that it's a luxury, to a necessary, because of the great value of the masses.Take for example a garage; to me it does not need ornaments, because Just the building itself provides the required beauty. However I agree that a certain type of ornaments mixes well with certain buildings, examples: retail, industrial, residential, office, etc. Beautiful building may be designed that shall bear no ornaments A decorated structure, harmoniously conceived, well considered, cannot be stripped of its system of ornament without destroying its individuality. The luxury of this inquiry becomes necessary; our architecture shall have neared its final development. Ђ Ornament design will be more beautiful if it seems a part of the surface or substance that receives it than if it looks â€Å"struck on. â₠¬  Both the structure and ornament obviously benefit by this sympathy; each enhancing the value of the other. Also a curtain kind of ornament should appear on a certain kind of structure. Buildings should posses an individuality as marked as that which exists among men, making them distinctly separable from each other, however a strong the racial or family semblance may be.If I stare at my house, I will see all types of Ornaments that have been chosen because of my Hispanic culture, Ecuadorian family, sports, hobbies, and each room has a certain type of style. Thoughts about this Reading I personally did not like this reading as a narrative, because there were many parts filled with a lot of fluff. I prefer to read a reading that is more straightforward and provides real examples and has pictures. Overall, my favorite parts talking about we the people have trust and give total control to developers and architects of designing our lives.

Humanism and the Renaissance Essay

Founded on the ideals of Italian scholar and poet Francesco Petrarca during the late fourteenth century, Renaissance humanism centered itself on humanity’s potential for achievement. Although God is credited for creating the universe, human beings are the ones credited for developing and sustaining it. The shift was away from understanding the world through faith and towards a broader intellectual and scientific understanding of it. A humanist, in this context, was simply a teacher whose curriculum focused on the liberal arts. By the mid-fifteenth century, this curriculum evolved to include rhetoric, grammar, poetry, history and moral philosophy (or ethics). Together these individual disciplines comprised the core of humanistic studies. But the ideas introduced were not altogether new. Humanists relied on primary sources such as the classical literature of Greece and Rome. What is remarkable, however, are the great lengths to which the movement sought to recover and reintroduce old ideas to the present times. It is remarkable when considering that after the fall of Rome in the fifth century much of the texts housing ideas central to humanistic thought were virtually lost or buried in obscurity. Ancient ideas within these classical texts were considered crucial because humanists considered the ancient world the pinnacle of human achievement and thought its human accomplishments should serve as the model for contemporary Europe. After the fall of Rome, human progress and achievement slowed to a trickle. Western civilization became mired in a period of cultural decline that the Renaissance mind considered a â€Å"dark age† in human history. The only way out was a return to the ideas propelling the ancient world forward. It was, in essence, a trip back to the future. Humanism profoundly affected the artistic community and how artists themselves were perceived. The medieval mind viewed artists as humble servants whose talent and ability were meant to honor God. This is evident in the work of medieval artists adorning churches and cathedrals. Renaissance artists, in contrast, were trained intellectuals – well versed in the classics and mathematical principles. And the art that they created reflected this newfound perspective. The Renaissance also gave birth to a new class in the social order – the merchant class which closely resembles what we now refer to as the middle class. And this merchant class had the means to commission an artist’s services. This dramatically expanded the sources of patronage (i. e. financial support) as well as the themes an artist could consider. No longer was patronage a luxury only the aristocracy could afford. And no longer were commissions relegated primarily to religious considerations. Enlightened citizens with the means to afford it considered artistic patronage an important activity. And with expanded participation, new kinds of art were introduced into the Renaissance landscape. Aristocratic patrons often commissioned portraits. But much of the art commissioned at the time was at the patronage of the merchant class. This art was primarily secular in nature – including mythological subject matter – and adorned the halls and rooms of town homes and country villas. Citizens such as Cosimo de’ Medici were civic minded and supported notable worthwhile causes. De’ Medici supported libraries, for example. He also had a fondness for the work of the artist Donatello and an interest in merging Plato’s ideals with Christian philosophy in an effort to demonstrate how life’s spiritual aspects can overcome physical limitations (leading to a revival of Neo-Platonism). Cosimo’s grandson – Lorenzo the Magnificent – was an avid art collector and benefactor to a young Michelangelo. This underscored the benefit of associating intellectual pursuits with the resources to pursue them. It cast a wide social net along with establishing a thriving market place for creativity. One work of art that embodies the ideal of the Early Italian Renaissance is Donatello’s â€Å"Penitent Magdalene. † The work was commissioned between the late 1430s and 1450s. It is a life-size polychromed wood sculpture. The contrapposto positioning (one leg bearing weight with the other relaxed) is a reference to classic Greek style. The work presents Mary Magdalene as a sympathetic figure who has paid her dues in life. It is an emotionally moving piece. Once a prostitute, Mary evolved to become one of Jesus Christ’s most devout followers and trusted confidants. She was the first person to whom Jesus appeared after the Crucifixion. Afterwards, however, she lived her life in perpetual penance and self-imposed suffering to atone for the sins in life she committed. The sculpture presents Mary as old and frail with few hints of her long lost and forgotten beauty. What does remain to remind us that this was once a strong and beautiful presence to behold is a refined bone structure, the contrapposto pose and long hair. But the trembling hands raised as if in prayer and tattered dress convey that this woman has suffered long enough. She is deserving of forgiveness and compassion. This is the work of an artist well versed not only in the spiritual origin of this woman’s story, but our own sense of humanity and what we may aspire to.

Prepare a Strategic Plan Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Prepare a Strategic Plan - Term Paper Example Hence, considering the current scenario of the business environment, it is important for every company to carry out strategic planning before functioning in the market place. In this paper, the strategic planning process of Vodafone will be presented. This project is not only aimed at studying the existing strategic planning of Vodafone, but the aim is also to formulate a strategic plan for the business to grow over the next three years. The company chosen for this assignment is Vodafone. Thus, a brief overview of Vodafone, prior to recommending the strategic plan for the forthcoming years, will be important. This will enable the readers to gather better understanding of the scenario. Vodafone Group PLC, commonly known as Vodafone, is a UK based global telecommunication firm. The company had started its operation from 1991 and before that, Vodafone used to function as Racal Telecom. Vodafone has its registered office at Newbury, Berkshire and is headquartered at London, UK. The company is adjudged as the third largest telecommunication company of the world, in terms of revenue and number of subscribers. The global telecommunication industry is led by China Mobile with a staggering 453 million subscribers (Vodafone, 2013). At present, the company operates in more than 21 countries and has licensed partners in 40 other countries. It is noticed that the Vodafone Global Enterprise division alone offers IT and telecommunication services catering to corporate clients in more than 65 countries of the world. The total employee strength of the company is 91,272. The company is listed at London Stock Exchange and is a London Stock Exchange constituent. In the financial yea r 2012-13, the company has earned revenue of  £44.445 billion and made a profit of  £429 million (Vodafone, 2013). Some of the important products of the company, apart from core service offerings (telecommunication and IT services), are Vodafone Mobile Connect USB Modem,

Do you believe that we should all aim to be better global citizens Essay

Do you believe that we should all aim to be better global citizens - Essay Example By extension, one needs to examine how feasible the arguments for or against world citizenship are. Perhaps there is no better way of defining global citizenship than to adopt the viewpoint expressed by Thomas Paine when he said â€Å"My country is the world, and my religion is to do good† (Chumbley & Zonneveld 61). The world has advanced in more ways than one. It is for this same reason that the concept of global citizenship has become rampant; as widely acceptable as it is widely rejected. The same reason applies to the belief people have about globalization. The world, overtime, has been divided into countries. Although some of these countries and their people have certain features in common, they are not totally the same. These differences that mark them apart are many other peoples of the world. For instance, countries in the world are commonly classified into developed, developing and under-developed. This is just one of the main divisions. The basis upon which countries of the world are sub-divided is their social and economic standing, among others. However, the essence of being world citizens is to share responsibilities. Since some parts of the world seem to be experiencing little or no progress, while others are progressing rapidly. The advanced countries of the world find it imperative to unite under a number of organizations to ensure that the under-developed and developing nations of the world measure up to what they are supposed to be in the comity of nations. All these happen because in the long run or in the short run, the advancement or backwardness of one nation would affect other nations of the world (Jacobson 27). Nonetheless, one must not fail to mention that not only the developed nation have a responsibility to bear, the people from advancing and under-developed economies of the world also have roles to play. In spite of the different points of view people have about global citizenship, there are certain beliefs that are true. One of such beliefs is that it is not legal for anyone to state that they are global citizens because there is no document that formally stipulates such. This is in spite of the existence of such a body as the United Nations. Yet facts that accrue reveal that there are basis upon which one can safely assume that many of the peoples of the world are indeed global in their citizenship, automatically. One of facts is represented by the internet. Virtually everyone in the world is connected via the internet. This connectivity is so potent that when an incident happens in one part of the world, everyone knows about and is affected in one way or the other. Yet despite the advancement of global citizenry via the internet, there is still a whole lot to be done. For instance, some people in the world know little or nothing about the internet. So, if the condition for being a global citizen is having a presence on the internet, it can only mean that some people in the world will, by design, be d isqualified. Nonetheless, this does not cancel out the benefits of being a citizen of the global community. There are obviously many ways of being a global citizen. Some persons would even believe that once anyone is born into any family in any country on planet earth, such a person automatically becomes a global citizen. This is based on the assumption that since the family is a smaller constituent of a

The Hero(ine)'s Journey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Hero(ine)'s Journey - Essay Example What is particularly interesting about this â€Å"mythological† approach to any given subject matter is that it nearly perfectly applies to the way that almost every story can be told. Evidence of this process can of course be seen with regards to the story of Odysseus. The author begins by recounting how the â€Å"ordinary world† presents the known reality and easy confines within Odysseus’ life will develop. In this way, the hero is presented as an entity that is uncomfortable and/or unaware of the underlying tension and struggle that brews beneath the surface. This develops the action into the secondary stage or â€Å"call to adventure†; represented by Odysseus choosing to â€Å"take the plunge† and embark upon his journey. ... tem with the â€Å"ordinary world†; acting as a type of buffer and constraint against the unknown dangers that very well exist within the confines of the unknown. This refusal is interesting in that it follows a spiritual undertone that often requires Odysseus to undergo a spiritual reassessment of morality in order to form a more realistic opinion with respect to the anticipated action that is awaiting him. In the fourth stage, the Odysseus receives mentorship; a fundamental aspect of the heroic development that he receives. The fifth stage revolves around the character stepping over the threshold which has thus far been the barrier for undertaking such an endeavor. This is of course a figurative and literal step in that it helps to define the way in which the character views their own circumstances as a function of the â€Å"mission† in which they are about to undertake. It is also not until this juncture that, according to the author, the character is fully committed to undergoing the demands and hardships that such a course of action necessarily implies. Similarly, the sixth step implies the character development that takes place once the character has stepped across the threshold. These developments are generally concentric around the tests, allies and enemies that the character encounters a function of endeavoring to complete his/her quest (Russel et al 22). Similarly, stages seven and eight refer to the lead up to and confrontation with the ordeal that has necessarily defined the struggle up until this point. As with any story and/or character revelation, the lead up to the action is oftentimes as intriguing to the audience as the action itself. In this manner, the author devotes some time to discussing the means by which screenwriters can further develop upon the

Reading assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Reading - Assignment Example However it is also a clear fact that there are factors which anteceded the triggering factor described herein. The antecedent factor to the police shooting had its underpinnings in the ideological persuasions which sovereign citizens believe in. Sovereign citizens believe that being under the control of the government is wrong and for this reason, they believe that they are not under the control of the government. Members of sovereign citizens eschew being under government control because they believe that local, federal and state governments are operating illegally, since they (members of the group) exist outside these governments’ jurisdiction. Because of this, members of sovereign citizens believe that they are free from government control and therefore have their own code of law which they follow (Pierce, 1). As is provided for by the FBI, the beliefs above as held by sovereign citizens in turn have their underpinnings in the Redemption Theory. This theory holds that the U S government in 1993 when it abandoned its gold standard basis for currency and instead began to use its citizens as collateral in international trade agreements (FBI, 1). As a side note and from a common sense point of view, it is clear that any state which uses its citizens as collateral in any engagement is unjust and illegitimate, though this accusation which sovereign citizens level against the US government is not true. However, because of this false charge against the government, sovereign citizens see the supposed dereliction on gold standard as the basis for currency in 1993 as a gateway for illegal and criminal activities since the US federal, state and local governments have hitherto not been acting in the interests of Americans. The culmination of the immediate foregoing has thus been a catalogue of criminal and illegal activities which stem from one superordinate crime: personal abnegation from the responsibilities and duties of being an American citizen. Because of thi s, sovereign citizens do not pay taxes, do not drive on a state driver’s license and do not obey the law. Other criminal activities which sovereign citizens engage in because of their belief in the Redemption Theory are defrauding of banks, the US government, fraud (mail, mortgage, bank and wire), the selling and purchase of contraband such as firearms and money laundering. It is important to note that the perpetuation of sovereign citizens’ Redemption Theory and belonging to sovereign citizens heavily rely on the aforementioned criminal activities. In fact, the exaction of these crimes is the Redemption Scheme. Without crime as the Redemption Scheme, Redemption Theory crumbles. Against this backdrop, sovereign citizens illegally possess firearms and other weapons to eliminate the law enforcers and to thwart the arrest of their members. The same group uses crime to disintegrate and emasculate the government which they believe is illegitimate. Conclusion All the above u nderscores the fact that sovereign citizens have always come to view all law enforcement agencies and their officers as propagators and facilitators of an illegality, since they work for and defend an illegal government. With this twisted logic, sovereign citizens on one hand and law enforcement officers and law abiding on the other hand have lived in parallel systems: the police seek to ensure adherence to traffic rules while sovereign citizens

The nature of Darwin's Contributions to the study of evolution Essay

The nature of Darwin's Contributions to the study of evolution - Essay Example Most f these masses said nothing, however, some vocally supported such persons as Charles Hodge, a Princeton theologian who preached that Darwinism was atheism. John William Dawson and Arnold Guyot, two f the last reputable nineteenth-century creationists attempted to oblige science by interpreting the days f Genesis "as ages and by correlating them with successive epochs in the natural history f the world" (Ruse, 229). Dawson and Guyot cited several supernatural interventions, particularly in their theories f the first humans; however, they attempted to keep such paranormal citations to a minimum, thus focusing on a maximizing f operations f natural law. Between 1910 and 1915, The Fundamentals was published to rejuvenate and reform Christianity throughout the world. These booklets were mass-produced, and, at the time, posed a bigger threat to orthodox faith than did evolution. According to Numbers, "Although one contributor [to The Fundamentals] identified evolution as the principal cause f disbelief in the Scriptures and another traced the roots f higher criticism to Darwin, the collection as a whole lacked the strident anti-evolution that would characterize the fundamentalist movement f the 1920s" (249). William Jennings Bryan soon became the ideal spokesman for an anti-evolution crusade. He was politically involved and, although lost the bid for presidency three times, had a national reputation, vast prestige, and a strong following. Bryan often preached f the silliness f humans having a biological connection to apes. After the outbreak f World War I, Bryan began to trace the source f trouble to the influence f Darwinism. From the information printed in two published books, one by Vernon Kellogg and one by Benjamin Kidd, Bryan blamed the deterioration f Christianity and democracy on the support f theories f evolution. Each f the two books cited conversations among German officers revealing that Darwin's biology had played a major role in convincing the Germans to declare war. Bryan furthered his crusade by noting that beliefs in evolution were the main cause f students to lose faith in the Bible. In class we learned that "creation science" has, indeed, not been proven as a science, thus should not be taught in schools. However, it is that same claim that was used by many creationists when referring to theories f evolution-- that it is not scientific. The crusade against evolution was given a significant boost in 1921 when British biologist William Bateson declared that scientists had not discovered "the actual mode and process f evolution" (Bateson, 56). Even though Bateson urged creationists not to misinterpret his statement as a rejection f evolution, they ignored him and accepted the statement as a minor triumph. Nonetheless, when it came down to a scientific debate, the creationists had only a handful f legitimate scientists-- including one or two physicians and a few teachers. In 1925 came the famous Scopes trial, where a high school teacher, John Thomas

Analyze papers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analyze papers - Essay Example The colleges are cheaper and high school pay an average of $ 2,544 per year. The colleges attain high enrollment despite the harsh economic conditions in the society (Boggs p 3). Thesis: American colleges are democratic, diverse and offer equal opportunities in access of quality education American colleges are democratic since citizens have equal access regardless of age, gender, race or ethnic background. The education is accessible, quality and ensures a learning lifeline for the rural communities. The community colleges offer critical workforce for the nation since a majority of the first responders including firefighters, police officers and paramedics have postsecondary credentials (Boggs p 3). The education provide local economies with required skills such as the Alabama Southern Community College that offers paper technology programs to the pulp industries and Gulf Coast colleges that offer petrochemical technical programs. The colleges are inclusive and diverse in terms of na tionality, ethnicity, social economic status and disability composition of the student population (Boggs 4). All American politicians and educationists agree that education guarantees American competitiveness and productivity (Delbanco p 1). American colleges keep pace with knowledge economy through providing the required skills and expertise in the industries. Although education has existed since Ancient Greece and Rome, American colleges have gone further to formalize the education system by grant of the teaching license and modern colleges with library facilities. American colleges have specialized education and strive to reach many people as possible including women. Inclusion of need-based policies ensures equal access of education among social classes without any regard to social status or birth status of the individual. Interestingly, students from affluent families have chances of gaining admission to nonprofit colleges and gain knowledge on American and international cultur es (Delbanco 3). Unlike other college systems that aim at attaining higher employment rates like Chinese, American college system aim at enabling the multi-cultural student population to learn from each other. Indeed, a landmark case of Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978) demonstrated that inter-racial student population enables interchange of ideas and interaction of consciences. American colleges have utilized technology to ensure higher access and reduce costs associated with small classes per faculty. The hybrid model allow for electronic instruction and assessment. However, the standardized testing system of other countries such as China and Belgium is slowly gaining inroads in US decentralized system with the No Child Left behind Program assessment program proposed by President Barrack Obama. The standardized system will undermine liberal education ideologies, but will cater for the cost, use of technology and increase the transition from the school to coll ege. However, some qualities such as creativity, humility and insight in to ethical behaviors are immeasurable using standardized testing. American college system is under revolution due to increase in the use of information technology, globalization, inadequacy of secondary education and high debate on skills needed in the economy. Accordingly, older students are faced with challenges such as family demands,

The Way of the Shepherd Essay Example for Free

The Way of the Shepherd Essay Regulatory Bodies Checkpoint Basically, a regulatory body is a tiered system put in place to protect investors and banks from cons and scams. It helps to prevent fraud and punishes offenders for things such as insider trading. At the top of this regulatory structure is the United States Congress which is itself the in charge of the SEC or Securities Exchange Commission, this body puts regulations and laws in place which banks, brokers, investors and the Marketplace must abide by, it also oversees all operations and releases quarterly and annual reports on the health and direction of the market and conomy. Next is the NASD or the National Association of Securities Dealers, this is the body that makes policy for the industry i. e. , stockbrokers and industry professionals must abide by and comply with. Last is regulation on the state level is the state security regulators which also handles complaints and enforces laws and finally the individual brokers and investors. The market is set up is a buyer beware system, though there is a fair amount of safety measures in place. Individuals should maintain an air of personal responsibility when investing and educate themselves; his is the biggest regulatory safety practice of them all. The laws are mainly in place to protect the banks not the individual. It is important to have these institutional organizations in place to keep the market honest or else it could be a free for all. Though I have learned that investing in stocks and bonds is a risky business and should not be a hobby for the inexperienced, much money can be lost in the blink of an eye and only money that one can afford to lose should be invested. The Way of the Shepherd By maweex Lloyd G. Hernandez MA 302 Two thumbs up for this wonderfully written book. This is a guide not Just for wannabe managers but for everyone: down from students to ordinary people. This is I think could be a guide for a better way to live and interact with people around us. I really had a very good time reading the book and will be reading this one over and over again. The book is very easy to understand. The summary of the book will lead to the 7 Principles of the Way of the Shepherd: 1 . Know the Condition of Your Flock In here the book suggested that to be an effective leader/manager, it is elementary to know the condition of your people and the status of their work. You get o know them one by one and regularly talk to them. You should always be open to what they say and often ask them on the status of their work and even their life if they want to talk about it. 2. Discover the Shape of Your Sheep The 2nd principle teaches us that it is a leader/managers prerogative to choose the right staff/people for his group. A manager has all the chance to take in good people and let go of those who are not fit and undoubtedly very hard to manage to make flock management easier. 3. Help Your Sheep Identify with You The 3rd principle teaches us that an effective leader must always ask from is people the best from them but at the same time showing them that you also is giving the best you can offer. A leader should be a good example not Just in words but also in actions. A good manager always reminds their people that without them they cannot do anything. A manager sets good example and does this with compassion because according to the author, great leadership isnt Just professional; its personal. 4. Make Your Pasture a Safe Place The 4th principle suggests that a leader/manager should always see to it that their people are in good hands. Always feed them information either bad or good. It is important that they hear it from their leader first rather than from others mouth. A leader should treat equal importance to all employees of whatever position they handle and is ready to remove someone who might cause disaster to the group. A good leader is someone who is visible to their people most of the times and is regularly rotating their people for them to be able to mentally enhanced their 5. The Staff of Direction The 5th principle teaches us that to become a good leader/manager, directing people with persuasion rather than coercion is very essential. A good leader ives freedom to their men but always instill in their minds the boundaries and limits to where there freedom is only up to. A good leader gets in the way when their people gets in trouble and reminds them that failure isnt fatal after all. 6. The Rod of Correction The 6th principle teaches us that to be a good leader/manager it should always be in a leaders mind and heart to Protect, Correct and inspect their men. A good leader fghts for their men against attacks from other men but corrects them privately if they found it that it was their mens fault. An efficient leader also sees to it hat he knows the progress of their men and how they are doing in their works. . The Heart of the Shepherd The last principle could probably be the very important. The author suggested that great leadership is a lifestyle, not a technique. Great leadership always involves the heart of the leader/manager. A great leader always sees to it that what he asks from their men are for everyones good. A good leader asks for something that is Just appropriate for the team. A good leader uses his heart to guide the people around him and makes sure that they are all in good position at all times.

Literature Review: Burglary and Crime Prevention

Literature Review: Burglary and Crime Prevention LITERATURE REVIEW INTRODUCTION The literature study in this study revolved around a document analysis on the Constitution, (SA 1996: Constitution), Crime Prevention Strategies, previous studies in the field by discussing the following concepts: environmental criminology, the burglary/robbery process, motivation, target selection, residents’ activities and lifestyle, accessibility of neighbourhood, perspective on environmental crime prevention, crime prevention through environmental design, situational crime prevention. ENVIROMENTAL CRIMINOLOGY A range of factors including social, economic, demographic, biological, psychological and physical, influence the occurrence of crime. According to Naude (2000:7) high levels of crime are more prevalent in countries where there is a high proportion of people who feel economically deprived. From the suspects arrested for housebreaking residential and house robbery in Westville policing area for the period 2012/2013 it is evident that the suspects are not resident in Westville policing area. This study will therefore focus on locations of crime, the characteristics of those locations, the movement paths that bring offenders and victims together at those locations as it would be easier to alter the environmental opportunities for crime than to influence the complex soci-economic factors motivating offenders (Smith 1986:82). This was also found in Naude (1988:11) who stated that it would be easier to prevent opportunities for crime in the physical environment, since committing the crime can mainly be attributed to rational decisions rather than being the result of pathological, biophysical, psychological or social factors. Sovensend in (David 2003:7) argues that a crime only occurs when there is integration in what motivates the offender to commit the crime. The aim would thus be as also found in Smith (1986:84), to reduce opportunities for crime as perceived by potential offenders, by introducing target hardening, target removal, reducing the payoff and encouraging public surveillance. THE BURGLARY/ROBBERY PROCESS This process refers to the causal events within a specific time and space context that leads to the commission of the offence. For burglary/robbery to take place there must be a ready, willing and able offender, a vulnerable attractive provocative target, a favourable environment and the absence of a willing, able and credible modulator (Ekblom 1996:47-50). According to Wilcox (1990:1) the following elements must be present in order for a crime to occur: Desire, Ability and Opportunity. This is depicted in the crime triangle below Fig.2.3.1 OPPORTUNITY The desire and ability refers to the characteristics of a criminal or potential criminal and the opportunity, conditions conducive to a criminal act. The absence of any one of the elements will result in no crime taking place. For a crime to occur the potential perpetrator must have a need and a target. According to Brangtinham and Brantingham (1993:268) the search for a suitable targets rests on a general backcloth formed by routine activities and on a template that helps identify what a great chance is or what a good opportunity would be or how to search for chance and opportunities. By performing daily routines of non-criminal activities the triggered potential burglar develops an awareness space. In accordance with his/her idealized crime template, his/her target will be searched in the awareness space. When the potential burglar finds such a target, he/she will commit the burglary. It is important to realize that the triggered event, the probable crime template, the activity backcloth and the criminal readiness are interrelated. They further went on to say that mixed-use developments are likely to contain a variety of land-users which could potentially provide increased and more diverse opportunities for crime. Shopping malls, storage places, schools, and service stations and restaurants tend to attract criminals as well as legitimate customers to the area. The routine activities of the community (including potential offenders) will therefore affect the incidence of crime in and around these nodes of activity, which are systematically more concentrated in mixed-use developments. Westville’s mixed land development ensures many persons outside Westville to traverse into Westville for work, leisure and potential criminal activity. The above indicate that criminals identify their targets during their day to day activities identifying those areas where they would not be easily identified, are easily accessible and are affluent. Research on burglaries done by (Brantingham and Brantingham 1981, Rengert and Wasilchick 1985) suggests that residential burglars engage in a search process along â€Å"activity spaces† in order to select neighbourhoods in which to commit burglaries. Neighbourhoods are chosen along familiar routes and this is done during the day to day movement of the burglars. This was also found in Schneider and Kitchen 2002:107 who stated that , offenders , like ordinary people, have day to day schedules which involve trips to and from work, visiting friends, going shopping and it is during the course of these activities that they search out likely targets. These targets may even be repeatedly victimised. The busyness of a location also creates opportunities for criminal activities as was found in Shover (1991) who stated that the busyness and anonymity of a large city attracts those who earn a living through crime as it reduces the possibility of offenders being recognised as strangers. This view was also held by Rubenstein H, Murray C, Motoyama T and Rouse W (1980) who reported that heavy pedestrian and vehicular traffic flows were associated with higher victimisation rates as it creates high-density environments and this reduces the risk of strangers and potential offenders being recognised. OFFENDERS MOTIVATION According to Reppetto (1972:21) the satisfaction of a perceived need for money appeared to be the primary motive for most burglaries although offenders did acknowledge that subsidiary satisfactions such as excitement revenge curiosity and feelings of group solidarity also played a role in their decision to offend. This was also found in the study done by Dr. Zinn( ) where he interviewed 30 convicted residential robbery perpetrators on the motivation for offending. 97% of the perpetrators in the study stated their motivation being economic gain; the victims were target because of their wealth. 80% stated that their families and friends and acquaintances in their communities had knowledge of their criminal activities. They stated that residential robbery resulted in quick money. In a study done by May (2011:70) it was found that the majority of perpetrators reported that unemployment triggered their aggravated robbery. TARGET SELECTION The manner in which criminals select potential crime sites, penetrate a variety of symbolic and physical barriers to commit crime, has drawn attention from environmental criminologists. Weatherburn (2001:6) states that criminals commit more crime when the opportunities to do so are more and incentives to do so are good. The following are factors that are conducive for the selection of a possible target: lax physical security, lax personal security, lax law enforcement or low perceived risk of apprehension, attractive commercial or residential targets and easy opportunities for selling or disposing of stolen goods. In Bernasco and Nieuwbeerta (2004:297) it was found that burglars target specific areas that offer increased revenue, requires minimal effort when the premises or property is entered, the premises/property appear to have valuable items; and the burglars feel (perceive) that they will not be apprehended or disturbed while conducting the burglary (low risk of being detected and apprehended. They further state on (2004:297-298) that the burglar would look at the affluence level of the property; and the possibility (likelihood) of the successful completion of the criminal act. The wealth displayed in the form of properties and vehicles by Westville residents may be what criminal are drawn to. Felson and Clark (1988) states that there are four elements designated by acronym VIVA that influences a targets risk of being victimized by crime namely: value, target must be rewarding , inertia, the ability of the target to be moved, visibility, exposure of targets to offenders, access, all those environmental and situational features that my facilitate offenders getting to the target. Sovensend (2003:17) is of the opinion that burglars estimate the potential rewards by assessing the size and condition of houses, yards, and vehicles parked in garages. Conspicuous evidence of wealth places a property at a higher risk of victimisation. As is the case in Westville which is an affluent area. However, Wessel (2002:13) argues that there is evidence that most expensive looking homes are spared for fear of security devices or the presence of staff on the property. According to Tilley, N Pease, K Hough, M Brown, R ( 1999:7) that burglars target areas were there is a possibility of high value valuables, nobody present to prevent the burglary from taking place, that there is a market where the stolen goods can be disposed of and in return receive a monetary incentive for the stolen goods and the dwelling have insufficient security hardware to provide it with any reasonable level of perceived guardianship (protection) This was supported by Reppetto (1971:16) in his study he obtained from the interviewees as to the reason for selection of their targets being, ease of access, appears affluent, feels inconspicuous, presence not be questioned, isolated neighbourhoods, few police patrols and anonymity of neighbours. Kleemans ( 1996:55) in his findings as to why perpetrators repeatedly victimise he said, the first is the knowledge the burglar has obtained about the goods to be stolen, the second time the burglar can steal the goods he/she could not transport the first time, the goods that he/she forgot to steal the first time; or the goods for which he/she has only now found a potential client for, the burglar can be reassured that after a time the goods stolen the first time have been replaced, knows the risk factors (layout of the house, the ease of access and egress). Pease (1998:6) argued that the key reasons for repeats are believed to be the presence of good, and lack of bad, consequences of the first crime for the offender, and the stability of the situation which presents itself to an offender on the first and subsequent visits to the scene of his/her crime. PERMEABILITY OF NEIGHBOURHOOD According to Garland F White (1990:59) permeability is the number of access streets from traffic arteries to the neighbourhoods. He is of the opinion that permeable neighbourhoods may provide less risk of apprehension for offenders as there are more escape routes. In addition they may be more likely to be selected for burglaries on the basis of chance. If a neighbourhood has more avenues of access, the chance of an offender entering it while searching for a burglary location would be greater. Schneider and Kitchen (2007:121) reported on a study which compared a dense permeable housing estate with a lower density estate dominated by cul-de- sac. Their finding was that burglaries, auto crime, arson and public disorder were significantly higher for the area with a higher density permeable development. They were cautious to note that there are many other factors, other that density and street layout, which may help to explain these patterns Although neighbourhood permeability has been linked to neighbourhood crime rates, the results have not always been conclusive. An experimental study in Hartford Connecticut (Fowler 1982) found that decreasing the number of entrances to the experimental neighbourhood and thereby decreasing the amount of traffic did not necessarily reduce robberies and burglaries in the long run although there was a short-term reduction in crimes. The pattern of victimisation moved from less-travelled side streets to the more heavily travelled streets in the district. The study suggests that a reduction in crime could be achieved both when physical permeability is reduced and when the neighbourhood is organized socially to prevent crimes. The physical changes alone were not enough to produce a long term reduction in crime. (Taylor and Nee 1988) are of the opinion that dwellings which are more visible from the street or neighbours and passers-by, are less desirable as a target for burglars. David WM Sovensend 2003:17 were of the same opinion. He also stated that burglars tend to avoid targets easily observed by neighbours or passers-by. Therefore, it can be deduced that houses in isolated areas, not visible from the road and on large properties of land which are next to parks or other non-residential areas are more attractive to burglars. A study by Davison and Smith (2003) revealed that crime was more frequent in accessible areas with commercial land use and residential burglary was reported to be more frequent in residential properties close to commercial areas (Dietrick 1977). Research by Wilcox and Quisenberry (2004) revealed that businesses in residential areas exhibited an increased risk of burglary. Yang’s research (2006) which investigated some three thousand burglaries, found that burglaries are more likely to occur in properties located in mixed-use sites. Brantingham and Brantingham (2008:91) have discussed mixing land-users as supported by New Urbanism and commented â€Å"this planning practice will increase the activity in some nodes and is likely to produce a clustering of crime† CRIME PREVENTION Currently crime prevention is the primary function of the South African Police Service. The South African Police is mandated by the Police Act 68 of 1995 as well as section 205(3) of the constitution to combat crime, investigate crime, maintain public order, protect and secure South Africa’s inhabitants and their property; and to uphold and enforce the law. However the SAPS are not in a position to effectively combat crime on their own. The Government since 1994 recognised the need for crime prevention. This need saw the acceptance of the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS) in 1996 and the White Paper on Safety and Security in 1998. The NCPS is a multi-agency approach to crime prevention and aimed to influence the operations of the Departments of Safety and Security, Justice, Correctional Services, Welfare, Intelligence, Health and Education. The NCPS document made mention of environmental design as one of its pillars (1996:67). To assist the NCPS and the White Paper on Safety and Security, a National Crime Prevention Strategy Centre (NCPSC) was established within the department of Safety and Security and their functions are to mobilise other government departments, to assist provincial and local government in preventing crime, to assist in co-ordinating and managing the prevention of certain crimes and to monitor the effectiveness of social crime prevention interventions. The White Paper on Safety and Security (South Africa 1998:14) places emphasis on two approaches to crime prevention, viz, crime prevention through effective criminal justice and, social crime prevention. The White Paper (1998:19) further states that social crime prevention can be categorized as follows, viz. developmental crime prevention, situational crime prevention, community crime prevention and continuous improvement to the integrated Justice System. A multi-departmental or multi-sectoral approach is thus needed, which involves all levels of government and includes relevant organisations of civil society (South Africa 1998:20) According to the Crime Prevention Module level 1 (2001:9) crime prevention emphasises community involvement and without community involvement, crime cannot be prevented effectively. To accomplish this Police have to form a partnership with other role players which include but not limited to, the community, private security companies, business Against Crime (BAC), media, non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’S), etc. Naude and Stevens (1998:48) argue that co-operation must be forged by means of guidance, meetings and interaction with businessmen, public and use of media to succeed in long preventative programme. The researcher supports the arguments of Naude and Stevens as this can filter through to the prevention of house robberies and housebreaking residential in the Westville policing precinct. Lab (1997:19) states that prevention activities should not be restricted to the efforts of the criminal justice system alone but should include that of the public and private organisations. According to Bennett and Wright (1984:19) situational crime prevention refers to any environmental community or individual based method which aims to increase the risk, decrease the reward or increase the difficulty of committing the crime. Brantingham and Faust (1976:284) offer three types of crime prevention approaches viz, primary crime prevention (the identification of those conditions in the physical and social environment that offer opportunities for criminal acts), secondary crime prevention, the early identification of offenders (the intervention before an offence is committed), tertiary crime prevention (this aims to deal with offenders with the purpose of preventing further criminal activities). Lab (1997:20) is of the opinion that primary crime prevention is to put measures in place with the aim of making crime less attractive and more difficult for the offenders to commit whilst secondary prevention focuses on problems that already exist and are fostering deviant behaviour. Lab (1997:23) states that tertiary prevention includes arrests, prosecutions, incarceration, treatment and rehabilitation.