The Vikings Barbaric and Gentle essays

The Vikings Barbaric and Gentle essays The Vikings lived in large family groups. Children, parents and grandparents lived together. When the eldest son took over the family farm, he became the head of the family and responsible for the well-being of them all. He had to provide the food the family needed. His wife, the lady of the household, had to see to it that the food lasted during the long, dark winter. She made butter and cheese, dried and smoked meat and fish for storage and she was also expected to know about herbs for making medicine and care for the sick and wounded. The farm animals were also her responsibility and when her husband went trading, went Viking, or hunting she also ran the farm in his absence. In rich families she would have servants and slaves to help her. As a visible sign of her authority and power the lady of the household wore the keys to the food chests at her waist. When the men travelled abroad raiding, trading, or had gone hunting or fishing, the women were in charge of the work on the farm. This lead to that the women played an important part in society. Girls were married at the age of 12 -15. They were then expected to run a household. Let's hope they got some help from the older women in the family! The marriage was agreed between families and was regarded as an alliance between the two families for mutual help and protection. The girl herself had little to say in the matter. The bride brought cloth of linen and wool, a spinning wheel, a loom and a bed as part of her dowry. Women from richer families could also have jewellery of silver and gold, farm animals and even farms as a part of their dowry. Everything she brought into the marriage remained her personal property and did not fully become part of her husband's estate. Her children would in turn inherit this property as part of their maternal inheritance. The woman did not fully become part of her husband's family when she married. She continued to be a part of her own famil...

How to Write a Free Will Philosophy Essay

How to Write a Free Will Philosophy Essay Free Will Philosophy Essay Features of writing a philosophy essay on Free Will How to start writing Tips on how to start How to write an outline How to write a thesis for a philosophy essay on Free Will How to write an introduction Tips on how to write an introduction and thesis How to write body paragraphs Tips on body writing How to finish a philosophy essay on Free Will Tips on conclusion writing Tips on revision Sample Essay on Free Will Features of writing a philosophy essay on Free Will Writing about free will might seem easy but you may face a few challenges. First of all, for students who are not in the philosophy class, it would be vital to get familiar with the diverse schools of thought. As a writer, you must always have a position, especially when your essay is argumentative. Your position must always be substantiated by clearly elucidated points or arguments. As you will come to realize, philosophy papers require a lot of research so keep digging until you get arguments you find convincing. Ensure your paper is persuasive and that your readers will eventually either be forced to argue against your argument or will agree with your argument. How to start writing When you interact with accomplished writers, they will tell you to never be in a hurry when you want to start writing any paper or article. Additionally, they will caution you on how you start the writing process because it determines your grade. The first thing you need to know when you are writing an essay on Free Will is that it needs a lot of research. For you to determine your position and to develop persuasive arguments, you need to immerse yourself deeply in research. However, unlike what many students do, avoid the temptation of reading too much without making or taking relevant notes down. Therefore, make short notes while reading and especially any argument or point which you find convincing or relevant to your article. Remember also to develop an outline because it will make your work easier. Separate the sections (introduction, body, and conclusion) while you are creating the outline. Most importantly, however, determine your position. Tips on how to start Here are a few tips to help you start an essay on Free Will: Conduct extensive research. Take notes as you research. Develop a position or stance. Determine relevant arguments to help you write your essay. Develop or create an outline for your paper. How to write an outline Developing an outline is an important step in the writing process. Essentially, it contains the sections of your writing (introduction, body, and conclusion) and the points you will include in your paper. An outline should be thorough and contain all the points and arguments you wish to include in your paper. The thorough it will be, the better and easier it will be for you when you start creating your essay. However, remember it should be deeply grounded in research. So, below is a sample of an outline for an essay on Free Will. Introduction Define free will. History of free will. Thesis statement – free will does not equal free choice. Body First argument + evidence. Second argument + evidence. Third argument + evidence. The fourth argument – an opposing argument. Conclusion Restate your thesis. Enhance the argument by including something that will further the debate or discussion on Free Will. How to write a thesis for a philosophy essay on Free Will A thesis is simply your main point or argument. It includes your position and should be clearly written and included in the introduction. How to write an introduction The introduction indeed the most important section of your paper. This is because it is after reading your introduction that most writers will either be bored and quickly move on to something or will be highly interested and continue reading. Therefore, you need to start strongly and keep your readers yearning for more. Remember that your introduction should be brief and to the point. Accomplished writers will ask you to disclose enough to arouse your readers’ interest but make it brief to make them want and yearn for more. This tactic will keep them reading. Tips on how to write an introduction and thesis While writing the introduction and thesis, consider the following: Start with a hook, something to arouse the interest of your readers. Make it brief but with enough points. Include the thesis statement. Narrow the focus or scope of your thesis. How to write body paragraphs The body paragraphs mainly contain the supporting points or arguments. As stated earlier, the thesis statement contains your position or main argument. However, your paper will not be complete if it lacks supporting arguments or evidence to back up your thesis. The body section, therefore, is also another important piece in an essay. Each body paragraph must have a point that it is trying to communicate. Additionally, every point or argument must also be followed by ample supporting evidence. However, before you proceed to the conclusion (and this is mainly if you are writing an argumentative paper on Free Will), remember to include one last paragraph which elucidates further on the strongest argument against your position. Tips on body writing To write a perfect body, consider the following tips: Each paragraph must start with a topic sentence which holds the supporting argument. Every supporting argument must be followed by supporting sentences or ample evidence. Make use of transition words to show when you are moving from one point to another. Tie your points to the thesis statement and ensure they all help to further explain your position. Be thorough and always cite whenever you include information which is not original. For an argumentative essay, include an argument that is against your stance. How to finish a philosophy essay on Free Will When you are writing, the energy you start with must be coherent and be rationally and evenly distributed in your entire paper. Therefore, your conclusion must be as strong as your introduction and body. For a philosophy essay on Free Will, you will need to restate your position and also include the main points from your essay. However, instead of the clichà © ending, you can also include something like an anecdote to help further the discussion on free will. Tips on conclusion writing Consider the following tips while writing your conclusion: Restate your position or thesis statement. Mention the main points from your essay. Include an anecdote or a few sentences to help further the discussion on Free Will. Tips on revision Revising an essay simply entails the processes which help you to get a perfect essay. Accomplished writers will always stress this step because many students are usually in a hurry and often forget to revise their papers before they submit them. However, ensure that you always take this step seriously. Below are some tips to help you revise your paper the next time you write an essay: Read through your work several times after you have finished writing while making the necessary corrections. Ask a friend or a relative to read your work and to pinpoint any mistakes they might come across. Use some of the online revising tools to help you discover any mistakes you might have missed as you were proofreading. Philosophy Essay Sample: Free Will Almost every webpage or book written about free will seems to continue or further the various debates and disagreements brought by the term. All philosophers seem to want to say something regarding free will and each comment is always met with a certain response. However, one argument regarding the term always seems quite shallow to me. Often, you will hear some accomplished philosophers say that human beings do not have free will because God knows what we will do even before we do it. The simple fact that God is all-knowing and that he knows whichever choice we make means we are not free and are, therefore, not making any free choices as we would like to think. However, I believe this argument is irrelevant, and this is because of three things: knowing what happened, what happens, and what will happen does not necessarily equal to any interference; having a God who knows everything including our choices does not mean we are limited in the choices we make but that He knows what we wi ll choose in the future; God is also not limited to the past, present or the future and time is not in any way part of His being or nature. Free will is often defined as man’s innate ability to make equal or unrestricted choices. God knows all our choices, and this includes the ones we made, ones we are making, and the ones we will make. However, Him knowing these things is not equivalent to Him preventing or allowing some to happen. Every human being has an infinite number of options at every turn, but everyone always chooses among the ones he/she is familiar with. Unless in countries where dictatorship exists, my choice of an option is never restricted, but I always choose from a pool of options that I know of. However, the consequences or results are never affected, restricted or even impacted by God knowing the choice I will make. Him knowing never affects me. Additionally, God knowing also does not mean my choices are limited but that He knew beforehand what I would be up to today. God knew I would write this article, but I had the option of refusing to write it or even delegating it to someone else. My other options are still intact, and I am the one who decided to write the paper and Him knowing had nothing to do with the decision I made. My natural ability to choose or to make a choice is not affected and remains intact. I can choose to leave this article here and ask a friend to finish it for me. However, I am making a conscious choice to continue writing it. God knowing that I will write it or give it to a friend to finish has nothing to do with the choice I will make. Finally, a majority of the people with this notion believe that time is part of God’s nature or being. However, if the future like the present exists for God, then God is not part or does not exist in man’s time realm. Additionally, it means God is not restricted to the past, present, or the future. His being is everywhere hence our future choices are known to Him like our present choices are. Additionally, this only means that He knows what we, in our freedom, will choose come the time to make certain choices. This, however, does not take away our free will or our freedom to act or think as freely as we might like.

Public Health--Discuss the health problems and health service issues Essay

Public Health--Discuss the health problems and health service issues that are associated with homelessness - Essay Example discussion presented in this essay will draw on evidence from a large variety of credible sources to see what past and contemporary research has to say on the subject. The gravity of this matter of homelessness is evident from statistical data revealed in one of the latest newspaper reports in the country. According to this report, as many as 112070 people identified themselves as homeless in the UK in 2014. This figure represents a whopping 26% increase in homelessness over the last four years which demonstrates the hideous proportions of this very serious matter in the country. While the rate of homelessness has increased by 26% which is a spine-chilling reality in itself, the number of those people who sleep on the streets or pavements has tremendously increased by 75% (Henley 2014). This is saying something about an ever-increasing wealth gap between the rich and poor in the UK. This gap is at its worst in the present contemporary times as a result of which homelessness has also increased at a gigantic pace. There is a definite link between homelessness and health issues in particular mental health as it is suggested by many that both entities are inextricably linked to each other. Research claims that the use of institutions like psychiatric hospitals to treat the mentally disordered homeless people has fallen in the UK. However, particularly high fear levels have been noticed in those who â€Å"spent a large proportion of their lives in psychiatric hospitals† (Glover-Thomas 2002, p. 157). It is claimed that such patients when discharged to live freely in the community have only served to â€Å"add to the homelessness problem† (Glover-Thomas 2002, p. 157). The correlation between homelessness and adverse mental health is of such extent that about 1/3rd of all homeless people are diagnosed with different critically severe mental health issues like suicidal distress, chronic substance abuse, schizophrenia, and paranoia (Videbeck 2013, p. 6). Actually,

Vladimir Propp and James Bond Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Vladimir Propp and James Bond - Essay Example He planned to rob gold from Fort Knox by means of killing the troops of guards that surrounds the area. However, Bond’s step to seduce Galore makes a dramatic change to his plan and forces him to escape during the battle of his men and of the army in Fort Knox. He manages to get away by disguising as a military officer. Later, he plans to escape to Cuba but died in an encounter with Bond as he fires his pistol against the window’s glass that makes him sucked out of the plane’s window. Oddjob (Harold Sakata)-the quiet henchman of Goldfinger that killed Jill and Tilly Masterson. He wears a top hat with blades that he uses as a weapon. He died in a fight against James Bond in the vault in Fort Knox as he attempts to get his hat stuck in a metal. Bond grab a live electric wire and touch it to the metal causing electric shock that kills Oddjob. Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman)-Goldfinger’s sexy pilot. She has the responsibility together with the squadron of girl pilots to spray nerve gas in the surrounding area of Fort Knox. However, Bond seduces her and manages to convince her to spray a harmless alternative instead of nerve gas. At the end she survived the plane crash, parachuting out of the plane together with Bond as Goldfinger is being sucked out of the plane. Jill Masterson (Shirley Eaton)-A girl that monitors Goldfinger opponent’s card and gets distracted with James Bond, causing her to betray Goldfinger. She develops an affair with Bond but later meets her death in the hands of Oddman (Goldfinger’s henchman). Her whole body is painted with gold and died in suffocation. Tilly Masterson (Tania Mallet)-Jill Masterson’s sister that tries to shoot Goldfinger. Bond stops her and started their chase. She does not match with Bond’s hi-tech car and makes her obliged to ride Bond’s. She died as she tries to shoot Goldfinger when she breaks in

The Effects of Meat-Based Diets on the Environment Essay Example for Free

The Effects of Meat-Based Diets on the Environment Essay According to study, around 2.5 million years ago, humans abandoned their vegetarian habits and adopted a more omnivorous diet in the era of the genus Homo. In 1999, researchers were not sure whether the bite marks they found on 2.5 million year old animal bones were made by humans or not. Peter Ungar (2003) of the University of Arkansas made an analysis that concluded the bite marks were indeed from the first members of the Homo generation (1). Eating meat has developed into a necessary part of human culture over the course of the millions of years. Although, consuming meat also has a big impact on the environment. One of the biggest impacts done by eating meat is the depletion of resources, especially because a generous amount of water is used for livestock. With more than 1.7 billion farm animals in the world, it is approximately triple the amount of humans (4). Research shows that it takes 441 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, on the other hand, it only takes 14 gallons of water to produce one pound of wheat. The meat industry is one of the major reasons why we are depleting in fresh water. Ed Ayres (1999) of the World Watch Institute found the following: Around the world, as more water is diverted to raising pigs and chickens instead of producing crops for direct consumption, millions of wells are going dry. India, China, North Africa and the U.S. are all running freshwater deficits, pumping more from their aquifers than rain can replenish (2). Raising cattle is also very damaging; they create wreckage to the environment through over-grazing, soil erosion, desertification, natu ral waste, and tropical deforestation to make room for farms and soy fields for feed (8). Dr. David Brubaker, PhD, at Johns Hopkins Universitys Center for a Livable Future, states that, The way that we breed animals for food is a threat to the planet. It pollutes our environment while consuming huge amounts of water, grain, petroleum, pesticides and drugs. The results are disastrous (2).† Manure from cattle can also cause pollution in groundwater and drinking streams. This affects many ecosystems, including humans. In 1995, 25 million gallons of manure and urine spilt into a lagoon in the New River in North Carolina. Over 10 million fish were affected and killed, and 264,000 acres of land were closed due to poisoning (4). Officials in California identify that cows are the major source of nitrate pollution in approximately 100,000 square miles of groundwater. When drunk by humans, depending on the level of nitrate in the drinking water, the effects can range from severe illnesses to even death. Research proves that high levels of nitrate in water can also increase th e risk of methemoglobinemia, or â€Å"blue-baby syndrome†. It has the ability to kill infants and children. Furthermore, the waste from animals contains other harmful pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Cryptosporidium. Based on past events, if not dealt with properly, manure spills are proven to be very hazardous to animals’ habitats, for they take long to clean up and replenish what has been destroyed. For example, a spill of the excess waste of livestock from factory farms in Maryland and North Carolina is proven to be linked to a case with Pfiesteria piscicida, a disease that wiped out millions of fish in the area and caused many symptoms to the local people, such as skin irritation and short-term memory loss. Nutrients found in manure also cause algal blooms in water, which eat up all the oxygen. When there is no oxygen in the water, it is called a â€Å"dead zone† and this area cannot support aquatic life, meaning that bio-diversity is lowered in that ecosystem (3) (6). Not only does raising livestock harm natural resources, it also uses a lot of fossil fuels. It is found that the United States uses ten percent of their energy every year just to produce meat for their consumers. In other words, 40 calories of fossil fuel are needed to make only one calories of protein provided from eating beef (4). Many of the CO2 released in the air are directly related to livestock. A lot of energy is used to heat the buildings that hold the animals, to produce all the crops, to feed the animals, to import and export, and to refrigerator to keep the meat from going bad. An ecologist David Pimentel states that â€Å"Animal protein demands about eight times as much fossil fuel as for a comparable amount of plant protein (2).† Emissions from factory farms release harmful toxins into the air, such as ammonia, methane, and hydrogen sulfide. Coincidentally, when ammonia is released in the air, it can cause smog or acid rain. On people, the effects could be breathing difficulty and unclean air. Methane is a big contribution to global warming. Research shows that the meat industry is the largest source of methane production in the world, releasing around 100 million tons a year. So theoretically, global warming can be slowed down a portion by stopping the emission of methane into the atmosphere (4). In recent attempts, the PETA organization the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – have used several innovations to get the message out about meat-based diets and how it is greener to become vegetarian. In Europe, the response was surprising; to illustrate, the number of vegetarians doubled in Great Britain, the number upped in Germany to eight million vegetarians, and similar results in other countries. Unfortunately, the citizens of the United States were still unmoved and not motivated to take action because the consequences were not happening at the present moment. Especially due to the fact that Americans have been growing up surrounded by the culture of meat-eating for billions of years now, it is almost impossible to divert Americans to see that becoming a vegetarian is for a good reason and that it is a very healthier alternative for both humans and the environment (5). In my opinion, I think that becoming vegetarian is one of the main solutions of our world environment problems today. Because our demand for meat has risen so much the past years, partly due to overpopulation and how now more people can afford eating quality meat, we are willing to sacrifice other precious resources (such as water, land, and forests) to make sure that our demands are met in the economy. I think as humans, we are glutinous to think that any kind of food is available without a cost to us because we are at the top of the food chain in the entire world. By depleting our natural resources just to raise livestock for slaughter and consumerism when there are other alternatives to human diets, even if we make enough meat to last us a while, overall it is a short term accomplishment, not long-term, and over time this temporary solution will wear off, leaving us with no meat source, and also no resources because they are all used up. In order to motivate people to adopt the vegetarian lifestyle, people will have to find a good reason to how it will benefit them, such as having a stronger, healthier body (8). Adding in the appeal of a chance to survive longer, we humans as naturally selfish people will try and pick the best choice (in this case, being a vegetarian) if it means we will be able to live longer than everyone else. It is disappointing how people in our world today are very ignorant to the world issues and problems affecting our welfare in the future, because people are so caught up in their everyday lives to worry about what will come in the future due to the actions unknowingly made by our own hands. What needs to be down is to educate humans about the environmental benefits of living a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, in relation to all the environmental impacts that a meat-based diet brings onto the Earth. In conclusion, meat-eating is of nature to humans. Although, in order to maintain our Earth in a liveable state for the near future, meat-eating may soon be out of the question. In our desperate moments, we will look to becoming vegetarian in hopes to continue our human generation on this Earth because all our other meat sources will have run out due to the high demands. It may not be obvious now, but I can guarantee that if we do not change our eating habits soon, our world will soon spiral into economic collapse, finishing in the destruction of the environment, and maybe even the end to the human generation.

Roswell :: essays research papers fc

Science Fiction Final Project: Roswell On the night of July 4, 1947 a thunderstorm filled the sky with loud blasts of thunder and a distinct sound accompanied by a bright flash of light. Giving little thought to the strange occurrence, Mac Brazel went back to sleep and decided to inspect the damage in the morning. In the morning the farmer and his son were surprised to discover an area where pieces of metal were spread throughout the field. Mr. Brazel knew that the pieces appeared to be very strange so he loaded his truck with some of the debris and took them to the closest city, Roswell, which is some 75 miles from his farm. The Roswell sheriff looked at the debris and decided to call the Roswell Army Air Field. He thought that the pieces could be the wreckage of a top-secret project and that the army would be the best authority for the situation. The Army checked and found that, in fact, no secret projects had been performed in that location. Jesse Marcel and Captain Sheridan Cavitt decided to drive to the farm outside of Corona, New Mexico and look at the crash site for themselves. Upon seeing the crash site, they mutually decided that the wreckage was not from this world and that they must alert the Pentagon. The Pentagon already knew by this time what was happening in Roswell, and General Clemence McMullen told Roswell Army Air Field that they must cover up the whole story. Thus the government of the United States decided to lie to its citizens. Extraterrestrials exist and have visited our planet. The United States government as well as many other worldwide governments have proof of UFO existence but are afraid to release this information to the general public. It is up to the general public to examine the evidence and decide whether UFO’s exist. If the government is going to continue a policy of denial then the citizens must begin a policy of belief. Whether policy makers are afraid of UFO’s effect on national security or the potential mass hysteria that could follow such a release of information, the people must not sit back and let evidence of extraterrestrial contact slip through the cracks. A UFO crashed into the side of a mountain on the night of July 4, 1947. The alien craft had malfunctioned that may have been caused due to the thunderstorm.

Disaster Paper Essay

When you deliberate on a disaster, it becomes clear that any such event has three phases to it. Initially, there are antecedents that lead to the disaster. When enough antecedents have accumulated, the disaster occurs at that specific tipping time. Finally after the disaster has happened the final phase of resolutions occurs. The resolutions are steps that the society attempt to implement to revert the effects that the event has produced. Consider the Deepwater Horizon disaster that happened on July 17th 2010. Upon critical review the group have identified series of antecedents that led to the disaster. At the tipping point the disaster occurred, lives were lost and numerous crew members injured. After the initial shock of the disaster and evacuation of the crew engineers and BP staff attempted to close the well with numerous trials. Eventually policy makers were involved in development of the new safety policies. Numerous investigations and trials were performed to better understand the disaster and avoid similar events. At the end numerous antecedents have been identified, the disaster was resolved and the consequences identified. The Deepwater Horizon accident was found to have multiple antecedents that caused this tragedy. Specifically, a sequence of eight safety barriers that were breached led to the explosion which killed eleven people and caused widespread pollution throughout the Gulf of Mexico. At first the annulus cement barrier was installed improperly and did not isolate the hydrocarbons coming from the well. The shoe track barrier did not isolate the hydrocarbons. As a consequence these two events allowed hydrocarbons to rise up the well and aboard the Deepwater Horizon rig. The negative pressure test was incorrectly interpreted. The influx of hydrocarbons was not recognized until it was too late. Well control response actions failed to regain the control of the well. This led the well flow to be diverted to the mud gas separator causing gas to be vented onto the vessel rather than being diverted over board. Safety fire and gas systems did not prevent hydrocarbon ignition from the engine room. Finally, the blowout preventer (BOP) emergency modes did not seal the well due to the accumulation of previous seven events mentioned above. With these eight events leading one to another, it was much more difficult to seize the explosions and fire that damaged the MUX cables and hydraulic lines. This resulted in failure of the emergency disconnect system. To conclude, it is clear that specific and identifiable antecedents can be discovered and that their accumulations to a tipping point lead to the disaster. The second phase of the Deepwater Horizon disaster deals with engineers and BP technical staff trying to close the well so that the oil spill is stopped. To reduce the oil spill the leaking oil is set on fire with the hope that the spill will be reduced. On May 2nd, 2010 PB starts to drill a relief well that should overtake that leaking site. On May 5th one of the leaking sites is capped, however oil continues to leak from the well. On May 7th BP engineers use the containment chambers to close the remaining leaks. The idea fails and is abandoned. On May 9th a â€Å"junk shot† approach is implemented, the following day â€Å"top hat† approach is planned out. The attempt to reduce the leak continues, numerous other approaches and plans are implemented to either reduce the oil spill or completely halt it. On august 4th BP reports that using the latest attempt the â€Å"static kill† appears to be successful and attempts to permanently seal the leak are in the process. On September 19th the Deepwater Horizon leak have been permanently sealed. The nightmare that happened on May 2nd has been halted but not fully resolved. The environmental affect that the disaster caused will hunt the future of Gulf of Mexico waters for decades. For example, seahorse populations in the region decline and the Hippocampus zosterae, dwarf specie of seahorses, is on the verge of extinction. The role of engineers in the Deepwater Horizon disaster is immense. During the accumulation of antecedents there are evidences that engineers knew about chaos that was occurring on the Deepwater Horizon rig. However, due to poor management and lack of communication between companies involved in the project, engineers had little impact in correcting the antecedents. Eventually, when the disaster occurred, the BP engineers tried various attempts and ideas to close the opened well. Lastly environmental engineers are and will be involved in cleaning efforts of the Gulf of Mexico waters. Therefore it is important to consider the engineers as not only the antecedents in a disaster but also as proactive members of society that attempt fixing the environment to pre-disaster state. Therefore, engineering is involved with all disaster phases. As a group, we plan to incorporate each disaster phase into the final report and discuss how engineering process have been aiding the future avoidance of similar disasters. It is important to understand that media reports cover just a few aspects of disasters and news in general. In many cases the scope of media reports is within political and economic spectrums. Therefore further research into documents released by various commissions and investigators that are publicly available will be looked at and analysed by the group and its members. The group process is moving according to the milestones developed and outlined in the proposal paper. Despite this, new opportunities in scheduling allows for the group to have a few extra meetings and perhaps finish the final report ahead of the scheduled time. The comparison chart of milestones is outlined below. Over all there are a few challenges that the group have to work through. As mentioned above the group plans to analyze some reports developed by the investigators of the disaster. The challenging part is to read through pages of technical analysis and to identify related parts for the assignment. Since there are new group meetings, it should be possible to accomplish this task in professional manner. In addition the group will do a presentation on the project therefore these two meeting dates will be allocated towards that time. The final paper will contain a more detailed and chronological outline of the disaster phases. The paper will discuss the causes, antecedents and policy developments that occurred as of the result of the disaster. The general breakdown of the parts has not changed since they were assigned during the composition of the proposal paper.

Group Development Essay

First, here is a summary of the development stages of a team. In the forming stage, team members come togetherand form initial impressions. They socialize in order to get to know each other and bond with other team members. In the storming stage, team members experience hostility and infighting over tasks and how the team works. In the norming stage, team members start to come together and realize what needs to be accomplished. In the performing stage, team members are well-organized and well-functioningand maintain a positive balance. In the adjourning stage, team members achieve closure when the project is accomplished. At the end of the cask study the team is still in the storming phase of team development. The team has not fully come together. There is still some infighting with Mike and the presence of cliques is developing, for example, the situation in the cafeteria. Overall, I think there is tension within the team. Christine’s leadership abilities could benefit by having knowledge of the stages of group development. Aside from the very first meeting Mike was not present at any subsequent meetings. He missed out on the forming stage of team development. During this stage Mike could have talked with the team about his outside distractions, job and girlfriend, that may prevent him from fully participating at the meetings, and on the project. If Christine had some knowledge of team development she would have recognized this lapse in the forming stage and could have been able to address this issue with Mike before it became a bigger problem. Christine, as the team leader, could have pulled Mike aside and talked to him about the importance of attending the meetings. She could have spoke with him after the cafeteria incident to reassure him that he was not being excluded, but that all the team members being there was truly a coincidence. Also, she could have told Mike her opinion about how she felt he had a lot to offer the team, the value of his contributions and how it would help with the success of the team. PART II – Problem Identification The primary problem that appears in this case is Christine’s lack of knowledge in team development and as a team leader. The secondary problem is Mike’s unwillingness to contribute to the team. Since Christine did not have knowledge of team development or experience she was ineffective as the team leader. She could have organized the team better by assigning tasks’, scheduling meetings in advance, and possible scheduling a team building event to solidify the forming stage of development. Mike was the second problem to overall team success. Although Mike had issues outside of the team he should have talked to the team at the beginning and asked for assistance and support. After the incident in the cafeteria Mike simply walked away. He should have stayed for a few minutes and discussed the situation with the other members. I don’t fell Mike did his part to interact with the team to enhance the forming stage of development. After the first meeting he immediately set himself as an outsider. Christine as a leader must understand the each group of individuals is going to have its own personality, both individually and collectively. When you understand the needs of each member, and the dynamic that each one brings to the group, then and only then, are you able to develop a strategy to utilize team development to achieve the groups ultimate goal. The goal is to complete a quality project on time. If Christine’s knowledge of team synergy, social facilitation, and overall team effectiveness would have server her well in her role as project leader. Lastly, Christie needs to learn how to assign tasks based on the strengths, and weaknesses of each team member. Other members of the team each had something to offer, including Mike. He was classified as a clown. Clowns tend to be very spontaneous in their thinking; this is a possible source of new and innovative ideas. This should have been communicated to Mike as well as the rest of the team. PART III – Retrospective Evaluation In order for Christine to solve her primary problem two things need to occur. First, Christine should take a class in organization behavior. Understanding the team development process, as well as, team effectiveness, and teams in an organization will definitely help Christine. She will be able to understand, and identify positive and negative aspects of her project team and would have been able to implement steps to correct any deficiencies. The second aspect was Christine’s lack of effectiveness and her inability to integrate Mike into the team. After the first meeting which Mike attended, the problems started. Mike did not make meeting, and was submitting hand written notes. Christine should have structured a meeting that Mike could attend, or scheduled a team building social event. in addition, she could have started reviewing his notes with the other team members at the meetings since he was not there to do it himself. This would at least have given the other team members the knowledge that Mike was making an effort on his part of the project. PART IV – Reflection In my opinion Christine was presented with a challenge that was way above her level of experience. Her lack of knowledge in team development, and as a team leader was evident in the project team. The team did not make it past the storming phase, and therefore never fully developed into an efficient team. She failed to integrate one individual into the team. This caused friction within the team and left one section of the project incomplete with one week remaining until the deadline. Overall, I do not believe Christine was an effective group leader. REFERENCES 1. Schermerhorn, J.R. Jr.,Osborn, R.N., Uhl-Bien, M., & Hunt, J.E., Organizational Behavior 12th Edition (2012), John Wiley & Sons, Danvers, MA.

Capital Punishment Essays - Penology, Capital Punishment, Murder

Capital Punishment Essays - Penology, Capital Punishment, Murder Capital Punishment There has been many controversies in the history of the United States, ranging from abortion to gun control, but capital punishment has been one of the most hotly contested issues in recent decades. Capital punishment is the legal infliction of the death penalty on persons convicted of a crime (Cox). It is not intended to inflict any physical pain or any torture; it is only another form of punishment. It is irrevocable because it removes those punished from society permanently, instead of temporarily imprisoning them. The usual alternative to the death penalty is life-long imprisonment. Capital punishment is a method of retributive punishment as old as civilization itself. The death penalty has been imposed throughout history for many crimes, ranging from blasphemy and treason to petty theft and murder. Many ancient societies accepted the idea that certain crimes deserved capital punishment. Ancient Roman and Mosaic law endorsed the notion of retaliation; they believed in the rule of "an eye for an eye." Similarly, the ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, and Greeks all executed citizens for a variety of crimes. The most famous people to be executed are Socrates and Jesus. Only in England, during the reigns of King Canute (1016-1035) and William the Conqueror (1066-1087) was the death penalty not used, although the results of interrogation and torture were often fatal (Kronenwetter 12). Later, Britain reinstated the death penalty and brought it to its American colonies. Although the death was widely accepted throughout the early United States, not everyone approved of it. In the late-eighteen century, opposition to the death penalty gathered enough strength to lead to important restrictions on the use of the death penalty in several northern states, while in the United States, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Rhode Island abandoned the practice altogether (Kronenwetter 15). In 1794, Pennsylvania adopted a law to distinguish the degrees of murder and only used the death penalty for premeditated first-degree murder. Another reform took place in 1846 in Louisiana. This state abolished the mandatory death penalty and authorized the option of sentencing a capital offender to life imprisonment rather than to death. After the 1830s, public executions ceased to be demonstrated but did not completely stop until after 1936. Throughout history, governments have been extremely inventive in devising ways to execute people. Executions inflicted in the past are now regarded today as ghastly, barbaric, and unthinkable and are forbidden by law almost everywhere. Common historical methods of execution included: stoning, crucifixion, burning, breaking on the wheel, drawing and quartering, peine forte et dure, garroting, beheading or decapitation, shooting and hanging (Kronenwetter 171). These types of punishments today are considered cruel and unusual. In the United States, the death penalty is currently authorized in one of five ways: firing squad, hanging, gas chamber, electrocution, and lethal injection. These methods of execution compared to those of the past are not meant for torture, but meant for punishment for the crime. For the past decades capital punishment has been one of the most hotly contested political issues in America. This debate is a complicated one. Capital punishment is a legal, practical, philosophical, social, political, and moral question. The notion of deterrence has been at the very center of the practical debate over the question of capital punishment. Most of us assume that we execute murderers primarily because we believe it will discourage others from becoming murderers. Retentionists have long asserted the deterrent power of capital punishment as an obvious fact. The fear of death deters people from committing crimes. Still, abolitionists (people against capital punishment) believe that deterrence is little more than an assumption-and a naive assumption at that. Abolitionists claim that capital punishment does not deter murderers from killing or killing again. They base most of their argument against deterrence on statistics. States that use it extensively show a higher murder rate than those that have abolished the death penalty. Also, states that have abolished the death penalty and then reinstituted it show no significant change in the murder rate. They say adjacent states with the death penalty and those without show no long term differences in the number of murders that occur in that state. And finally, there has been no record of change in the rate of homicides in a

6 Steps for Self-Discipline When You Study

6 Steps for Self-Discipline When You Study Have you ever heard the quote, Self-discipline is the difference between choosing what you want now and choosing what you want most? Its a quote that tons of people in the business world follow religiously in order to get exactly what they most desire from their companies. Its a theory that many people use to get themselves out of bed to get to the gym before going to work. Its a mantra that athletes use to do that last set of squats, even though their legs are burning and they want nothing more than to quit. But its message of endurance and self-denial is perfect for those students looking to gain an edge on their competition by acing the ACT in order to get into the college or university of their dreams or those students who simply want to score their highest on their midterm or final exams.   Why Self-Discipline Is Important According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of self-discipline is the  correction or regulation of oneself for the sake of improvement. This definition implies that certain regulation or stopping of ourselves from certain behaviors is important if we are going to improve in some way. If we are relating this to studying, it means that we need to stop doing certain things or start doing certain things while studying in order to get the positive results we crave. Regulating ourselves in this way is incredibly important because it can build self-esteem. When we achieve the goals we set for ourselves, we get a boost of confidence which can improve many aspects of our lives. How to Have Self-Discipline When You Study Step 1: Remove Temptations Self-discipline is the easiest when things that distract you from your studies are out of sight, out of earshot, and out the window, if necessary. If you find yourself tempted by external distractions like your cell phone, then by all means, turn the thing completely off. Nothing is going to happen in the 45 minutes that you are going to sit down to study (more on that in a minute) that cannot wait until you have a scheduled break. Also, take the time to remove the clutter from your study area if clutter makes you crazy. Unpaid bills, notes to yourself of things you need to accomplish, letters or even pictures can pull your focus off your studies and into places it does not belong when you are trying to learn how to write a stellar essay for the Enhanced ACT test. Step 2: Eat Brain Food Before You Begin Studies have shown that when we are  exercising willpower (another word for self-discipline), our  mental energy tanks slowly get  emptied. Forcing ourselves to give up what we want in the now for what we want later physically zaps our reserves of glucose, which is the brains favorite fuel. This is why  when we are sitting diligently ignoring our cell phones and pushing back our need  to check Instagram, we are more likely to head to the pantry for a chocolate chip cookie than we would be if we were not practicing self-discipline at all. So, before we ever sit down to study, we need to be sure to indulge in some brain foods like scrambled eggs, a little bit of dark chocolate, maybe even a jolt of caffeine to make sure that our glucose is steady enough to NOT drive us away from the learning were trying to do. Step 3: Do Away With Perfect Timing There is never a perfect time to begin studying for your test. The more time you give yourself the better off you will be, but if you sit around and wait for the  perfect  moment to start studying, you will be waiting for the rest of your  life. There will  always  be something more important than reviewing the SAT Mathematics test questions. Your friends will beg you to go out to the movies to see the final showing of the seasons top film. Your family members will need to be driven on errands or your parents will need you to finish cleaning your room. If you wait until everything is just right- when everything else is accomplished and you feel  great  - you will never find the time to study. Step 4: Ask Yourself If I Had to, Could I? Imagine that you are sitting at your desk. Behind you is an intruder with a weapon pointed at your head. If the only thing between life and saying goodbye to the world as you know it was studying for the next several hours (with scheduled breaks), could you do it? Of course, you could!  Nothing in the world would mean more than your life at that moment. So, if you could do it then- drop everything and give studying everything you have in you- then you can do it in the safety of your own bedroom or library when the stakes arent quite that high. Its all about mental strength. Give yourself a pep-talk. Tell yourself, I have to do this. Everything depends on it. Sometimes, imagining a real life-death scenario works when youre staring at 37 pages of differential equations. Step 4: Give Yourself a Break And by giving yourself a break, we definitely dont mean abandoning all self-discipline and settling down in front of the TV. Schedule mini-breaks into your study session strategically. Set a watch or timer (not the phone - thats turned off) for 45 minutes. Then, force yourself to study for those 45 minutes, making sure that nothing interferes with your work. Then, at 45 minutes, take a scheduled 5- to 7-minute break. Use the bathroom, stretch your legs, grab some brain food, reorganize, and get back at it when the break is over. Step 5: Give Yourself Rewards Sometimes the answer to being self-disciplined lies in the quality of the reward you give yourself for exercising willpower. For many people, the practice of self-discipline is a reward in and of itself. For others, especially those who are just trying to learn to have some willpower when studying, you will need something a little more tangible. So, set up a reward system. Set your timer. Practice studying for that final  for 20 minutes with no interruptions. If youve made it that far, then give yourself a point. Then, after a short break, do it again. If you make it another 20 minutes, give yourself another point. Once youve accumulated three points- you have managed to study for a full hour without surrendering to distractions- you get your reward. Perhaps its a Starbucks latte, one episode of Seinfeld, or even just the luxury of getting onto social media for a few minutes. Make the reward worth it and withhold the reward until youve met your goal! Step 6: Start Small Self-discipline is not a natural thing. Sure. Some people are more self-disciplined than others. They have the rare ability to say no to themselves when they want to say yes. What you need to remember, however, is that self-discipline is a learned skill. Just like the ability to make a perfect free-throw with a high percentage of accuracy  only comes after hours and hours on the court, self-discipline comes from the repeated exercise of willpower. Dr. Anders Ericsson, a Florida State University psychologist says that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at something, but â€Å"You don’t get benefits from mechanical repetition, but by adjusting your execution over and over to get closer to your goal. You have to tweak the system by pushing,† he adds, â€Å"allowing for more errors at first as you increase your limits.† So, if you truly want to become an expert at having self-discipline while studying, you not only have to practice the skill, you have to start small, especially if you repeatedly give in to what you want now instead of waiting for what you want most. Start by forcing yourself to study (I have to style) for just 10 straight minutes with 5-minute breaks in between. Then, once that becomes relatively easy, shoot for fifteen minutes. Keep increasing the time you manage self-discipline until you are able to focus for the full 45 minutes. Then, reward yourself with something and get back at it.

Busiess law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Busiess law - Research Paper Example lang=04 RERA seeks to aim transparency and effectiveness as a regulatory body in the conduct of its day to day activities in various real estate transactions. RERA is actively and constructively enforced new laws and regulations, as well as imposing the appropriate penalties, which include fines and removal from the authorized developer and broker registers.5Taylor, C. (2008)6. Getting the Balance Right, The Report: Dubai 2008.7 Oxford Business Group.8 In April 2009, Dubai has made significant changes in the cancellation of real estate projects pursuant to Law No. 9 of 2009. Specifically, Section 5 of Law No.9 has empowered the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) to cancel a real estate project. Hence, the developer must return to the purchaser all the amounts paid in occurrence of such event. â€Å"This provision has energized the investor community, insofar as it mandates that developers should give investors a 100 percent refund if a project is cancelled†. Yamalova, L.9 (2 009)10. ‘Ambiguity Prevails Over RERA Regulations’11. ... end of the notice period stipulated in the preceding paragraph the Purchaser has not fulfilled his contractual obligations, the following provisions shall apply: a.) â€Å"In case the Developer has completed at least 80% of the project, the Developer may keep the full amounts paid and request the Purchaser to settle the remaining amount of the contract price. If this was not possible, the Developer may request that the property be auctioned in order to collect the remaining amounts due to it; b.) In case the Developer has completed at least 60% of the project, the Developer may revoke the contract and deduct up to 40% of the purchase price of the Real Estate Unit stipulated in the contract; c.) In case of projects where construction commended but did not reach 60%, the Developer may revoke the contract and deduct up to 25% of the purchase price of the Real Estate Unit stipulated in the contract; d.) In case of projects whereat construction has not yet commenced for reasons beyond th e Developer’s control without any negligence or omission on its part, the Developer may revoke the contract and deduct up to 30% of the total amounts paid by the Purchaser.†14Article 11, Sec. 2 Law No. 9 of 2009. ‘Real Estate Related Laws-Law No. 9 of 2009’15, Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultancy16. Retrieved on May 20, 201117, from the World Wide Web: http://www.awf.ae/law-9-2009.html.18 The enactment of Law No. 9 also provides that in case â€Å"RERA may, decide to cancel a real estate project, following a grounded report, in which case the Developer must return to the Purchasers all the amounts paid by them in accordance with the provisions of Law No (8) of 2007 concerning Escrow Accounts of Real Estate Developments in the Emirate of Dubai†. 19 Article 11, Sec. 5 Law No. 9 of