Soccer Ball May Seem Simplistic - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 869 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/04/04 Category Sports Essay Level High school Topics: Soccer Essay Did you like this example? To many the soccer ball may seem simplistic in nature; one may think the sole purpose of this round object is to be kicked into a large net. The soccer ball possesses greater significance than what people perceive. Prown says an object has meaning if it is linked to a sense of self, the structure of the soccer ball does connect an individual to their sense of self by teaching the importance of diligent practice, by improving cognitive problem solving and by encouraging introspection and acceptance of ones mistakes. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Soccer Ball May Seem Simplistic" essay for you Create order The soccer ball teaches an individual that daily preparation and training are essential to perfect a certain skill. The aerodynamic properties of the soccer ball allow it to travel at speeds of up to sixty miles per hour when kicked aerially to another player (source 2). Through meticulous training, players develop fundamental skills such as passing, shooting, ball control, first touch and dribbling. Perfecting fundamental skills allows players to keep up with the fast-paced nature of the game. For example, in soccer first touch is defined as the opportunity a player has to touch the ball with his or her foot, body, or head as the receiver of a pass (source 1). It is not uncommon for players to extensively practice this skill; an article published in the Guardian found that players in the Dutch football club FC Trent would do a drill where they would practice the first touch skill ten thousand times during the duration of a practice session up to six days a week. Furthermore, the coach added that players were expected to practice this skill further when they would go home (source 3). The less time a player takes to complete an action, the more time he or she has to take advantage of the situation. To successfully complete any basic skill in soccer, one must have adequate ball control from all parts of the foot that can only be built from practice. Furthermore, practicing soccer drills also helps build cognitive decision-making in players. Cognitive decision-making is defined as a human decision-making based on information, knowledge, and preference (source 4). When a soccer player practices a fundamental skill repetitively such as passing or dribbling a soccer ball, they are building a cognitive blueprint, which they can visualize during game scenarios (source 5). This rehearsal allows players to make decisions instinctively rather than having to think about what they have to do, which can be very beneficial in a game scenario. A deep reservoir of skills is essential to have but it must be accompanied by the ability to make important decisions in tough circumstances. The soccer ball presents players with multiple options when facing a particular situation. While taking a corner kick, a player has the ability to simply pass to another player on his team along the ground, cross the ball aerially to one of his teammates or even try to score a goal from the corner line. In this scenario, a player must be able to successfully analyze the game situation and pick an appropriate action. This helps promotes cognitive decision-making and forces a player to analyze the scenario before choosing what to do (Split second decisions, ball can go where you want) In the boarder sense, the soccer ball creates a need for acceptance and introspection of an individuals mistakes. Mistakes are an integral part of any competitive sport and a player must identify and rectify his or her mistakes to be successful. The game of soccer is a test of precision and very seldom do mistakes not change the outcome of the game. For example, common strategy teams use to score goals is to give a player the opportunity to head the ball in the goal during a corner kick. If a player misses an easy chance to score a goal off a header, it is ultimately his or her fault because they should have sufficient knowledge and skill to execute a header correctly. Only the player can be responsible for the missed chance; the ball is an inanimate object and simply serves as a medium through which the players actions are communicated. In this scenario, an individual has no choice but to look at his or her mistakes and introspect to ensure the mistake isnt repeated in the future. Some may argue that the structure of the soccer ball may cause an individual to lose their sense of self. Players often gain an obsession with perfecting their skills to the point where their actions become mechanical causing them to forget about their sense of self. This is a logical argument, however it is not necessarily a negative thing. Some players use the soccer ball to define their sense of self. The legendary Brazilian soccer player Ronaldinho was quoted saying, Its everything to me. Without the ball I am nothing. While this may seem to prevent someone from finding their true sense of self, it also ensures the players are completely focused on perfecting their skills which leads to a better game experience for the players and views. The soccer ball does connect an individual to their sense of self by teaching the importance of meticulous practice, by improving cognitive problem solving and introspection of ones mistakes.

Antigone s Bravery And Her Challenge Of Breaking The...

Antigone’s Bravery and Her Challenge of Breaking the Traditional Role of Women (October 6) Antigone is an extremely strong woman. The way that she stood up to King Creon when he banned the burial of her brother Polyneices for being a traitor. Antigone disregarded any consequences for her actions from the King just to do what she thought was morally right. Also, in Antigone women were looked at as being inferior to men. The scene that showed just how superior men thought they were to women in Antigone was when Creon mocked his son, saying that he was a â€Å"woman’s slave.† I interpreted this scene as Creon telling his son that he should not be a slave to any women, but rather a woman should be a slave to him. Antigone as a brave woman questioned and defied the traditional role of women in literature and its self. Antigone is some ways reminds me of Rosa Park, the strong women who decided one day enough was enough and she would not give up her seat on a bus for a white individual. The same way that Antigone stood up to King Creon, Rosa Parks stood up to societ y by saying that she deserved to sit in the same section as whites. Both women faced consequences for their actions, but they both also made incredible feats in literature and history showing how strong women truly are. Sadly, women today are still treated as inferior to men, especially in the workforce. Women are being paid less than men for the same quality of work and it is simply unacceptable. It is 2016, not the 1950’s,

Beowulfs Origins Essay Example For Students

Beowulfs Origins Essay The origins of Beowulf predate the era of readily available manuscripts and texts for a common and, at the time, mostly illiterate peasantry to read. Though Beowulf was recorded in Old English, it can readily be assumed that its roots are to be found in the mostly oral traditions of the ancient Germanic tribes that roamed and settled much of Western Europe. Because of this heavy oral tradition, stories and legends were passed on by storytellers who would recite their tales from memory. Beowulf, in many ways, reflects this tradition in how it is told. Epics and ballads of considerable length may have needed repetition in order to be memorized easier, and Beowulf has many of its events told again and again. In that sense, a story being retold in Beowulf might be akin to refrain of a song. Also, it is quite possible that the especially more heroic events needed more emphasis, for killing Grendel was no small task, so repetition might have been used as a tool to remind the storytellers a s to which events within the Beowulf story were the most important. In essence, repetition in Beowulf was used both for memorization and event emphasis. First of all, repetition in Beowulf may be present as an aid for memorization. Though there are two different tales of Beowulfs heroism in water, it can be noted that both have many similarities. The first is told at the banquet before Beowulf it to face Grendel. Unferth, king Hrothgars spokesman, notes that Beowulf was bested by one Breca in a swimming contest. Though Beowulfs response is long and detailed, it is to be seen that he faced more than a few sea monsters. Rough were the waves; fishes in the sea were roused to great anger. Then my coat of mail, hard and hand-linked, guarded me against my enemiesA cruel ravager dragged me down to the sea-bed, a fierce monster held me tightly in its grasp (42). In his encounter with Grendels mother, much the same is to be seen after Beowulf dives into the lake. Then she grasped at him, clu tched the Geat in her ghastly claws; and yet she did not so much as scratch his skin; his coat of mail protected him; she could not penetrate the linked metal rings with her loathsome fingers (61). Though the stories take place at different times and under different circumstances, the parallels can easily be seen. From this, it can be surmised that for memorization purposes retelling the same story in a different way might be easier than telling a completely new one. Next, and perhaps more importantly, repetition stressed the important events that Beowulf undertook and marked them for the most important parts of the story. This can best be seen in the telling and oft repeated retelling of his encounter with Grendel. The first time it is told, obviously, is when the Geat performs the feat. However, following that, it is told again almost immediately to Hrothgar. I did not hold my deadly enemy firm enough for that; the fiend jerked free with immense power. Yet, so as to save his life, he left behind his hand (50). Again it is mentioned before Grendels mother attacks the thanes. Grendel, that hateful outcast, was surprised in the hall by a vigilant warrior spoiling for a fight. Grendel gripped and grabbed him there, but the Geat remembered his vast strengththus he overcame the envoy from hell, humbled his evil adversary (57). Beowulf himself tells of his fight with Grendel to King Hygelac. The demon monster meant to shove me in it, and many another innocent besides; that was beyond him after I leapt up, filled with furyGrendel escapedbut he left behind at Heorot his right hand (73). Though each telling is different in its length and wording, it can be derived that these repetitions are to strike the point home that while Beowulf did go on many different adventures and slay many beasts, the encounters that are repeated are the meat of the story and are the ones that are the most critical to be remembered and repeated. .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc , .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc .postImageUrl , .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc , .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc:hover , .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc:visited , .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc:active { border:0!important; } .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc:active , .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1d673b2036732079dd882d46dd6135dc:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Henry Ford Engineer Essay

Stephen Crane A Research Paper Essay Example

Stephen Crane: A Research Paper Essay Stephen Crane gained international renown through his book â€Å"The Red Badge of Courage†, which he wrote was published in 1985 when he was only 24 years old. This novel portrayed the American society during the Civil War. His father was Jonathan T. Crane, a member of the Methodist clergy and his mother is Mary Helen Peck Crane, who died when he was still young. He was born in Newark, New Jersey as the fourteenth child of his parents. Stephen Crane witnessed how his sisters and brothers died. Such experiences could have led him to portray violence in his fictional works. Four years after the death of his mother, her elder sister, Agnes, died because of meningitis. A year after, his brother Luther died of a railroad related accident. He was introduced to the world of writing when one of his siblings, Townley, gave him an opportunity to write about several activities of Ocean Front resort community. Because of his sharp criticism of the practices of the upper class, he lost his job along with his brother. His first novel, â€Å"Maggie: A Girl of the Streets† was published through the money he inherited from his mother (Vanouse, 2004). Stephen Crane’s life and writing career is very interesting. For one, the success of â€Å"The Red Badge of Courage† is phenomenal and upon first reading, it appears as if Crane, himself, was there to witness the horrors and scenes of war. Surprisingly, he did not personally witness the war! Rather, he relied on interviews and first hand accounts of the war and reconstructed their accounts in order for him to create vivid scenes and moving portrayals. He was only 28 when he died of tuberculosis. Such an early death seems to be a waste of talent. If he lived longer, he could have written more and employed his writing skills in analyzing and criticizing the society he lived in. His background is also interesting. His father is a Methodist minister. The initial expectation would be for him to be conservative and would tend to follow the faith and example of his father. His works, however would belie this initial example (Vanouse, 2004). We will write a custom essay sample on Stephen Crane: A Research Paper specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Stephen Crane: A Research Paper specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Stephen Crane: A Research Paper specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer H.G. Wells’ tribute to Crane A lot of people mourned the demise of Stephen Crane and not only his family. One of them was H. G. Wells, the renowned writer of science fiction and fantasy who has developed a close friendship with the author. The tribute of H. G. Wells was written more than a hundred years ago, yet it is timeless in expounding on the contributions of Crane to literature as well as to the person of Crane, himself. Wells (1900) praised the newness and the power of the literary method of Crane, which was eventually called naturalism or realism. He considered Crane’s method as a fresh breath into the literary world of English speaking countries and hailed his imagination for being vigorous. Moreover, it broke away from several traditions endemic in the literary world of that time. â€Å"It was a new thing, in a new school† (Wells, 1900, p. 234). Crane’s pen effectively eliminated trivial information from his prose and fiction and instead worked towards the presentation of elements and â€Å"impression†. Wells (1900) also described rather poignantly how Crane sat down and wrote his pieces. He said that Crane can sit down at home with only his mind conjuring scenes and acts of war, digging records of interviews and observations from his memory and have these thoughts and ideas translated into words by his pen as it writes on the paper. Wells also drew attention to a funny attitude of Crane – he is a bad traveler. He loses his trains as well as his luggage, miss connecting trips even in the absence of disturbing wars. Crane went to Greece and to Cuba as correspondent for war. These experiences contributed to the deterioration of his health. When he was on his way back from Cuba, the boat he was riding was shipwrecked. True to his calling to be a writer, he wrote about the experience and produced the short story â€Å"The Open Boat†. The reception to short stories, however, was on the decline during that period. As a result, the shorter works of Crane was not received very well by readers and critics alike, and he was encouraged to stop writing shorter pieces. Although, his health was failing, crane continued to write incessantly and produce works of fiction, war stories as well as engage in his journalistic work. On top of all these, he also experimented in writing poetry (Wells, 1900). Wells did not engage in the futile effort of trying to rank Crane on top of his contemporaries and colleagues. Rather he argued that Crane, prior to his early death, has left a very distinguishing mark in the landscape of English literature. His influence was important and that his writings will be sewn onto the fabric of literature for all time. The way that he wrote about war was praiseworthy, his descriptions vivid and profound, yet never did he expound on the reasons and justifications why those wars were fought. Wells concluded by declaring that Crane has opened up a new era of literature by recording impressions tinged with vigor and intensity (Wells, 1900). The Lighter Side of Crane: â€Å"The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky† as Comedy Tibbetts (1965) has noted that a lot of critics and readers have regarded â€Å"The Bride Comes  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   to Yellow Sky† as an allegory. Tibbetts, argued instead that it should be read as a comedy in order to fully appreciate its impact. Several authors have put forward allegorical interpretations of what the story means. One author, for example, regarded the marshal and the badman to be representations of idealism and stark realism on other extreme. Others viewed the story as a representation of the conflict between the cultures of Eastern and Western countries. The author drew attention to the style of writing employed by Crane. He argued that such a style was utilized in order to put several layers of meaning in his writing and discourage simple and shallow readers from getting the real message of the story. If Crane’s writing were analyzed, it can be observed that he used exaggerations as well as understatements in order to expound on his stories and ideas. On a deeper note, it appears that Crane viewed life as a long struggle and trick. What sets him apart, however, is his effective use of imagery and metaphor. Another possible reason for misreading Crane is his reputation for writing on â€Å"serious† topics and tragedies, which, more often than not, were infused with â€Å"dark meaning†. Yet, â€Å"The Bride..† is still a comedy that should be enjoyed and should be read â€Å"too deeply† (Tibbetts, 1965). The story is all about the town marshal and how he endeavored to bring his wife to Yellow Sky, a border town of Texas. It is a western story, and probably one of the best during its time. The story has four parts. The first one deals with the relationship of Jack with his wife, whose name was not given in the story. Perhaps her namelessness was meant to show that she is not very important in the story except for being Jack’s wife. The couple was on board a train and became self-conscious. As a result, they were made fun of by several passengers in the train. Jack and his wife eventually alighted from the train and walks toward his home. Crane then showed the state of the town through the six men who were drinking at the bar. One of those men, Scratchy, used to be an adversary of Jack. Perhaps because of drunkenness and old atrocities, Scratchy issues challenges and shoots the saloon door and a dog. Later he challenges Jack for a duel. Jack, however, declined his challenge. The n the subtly funny episode between Scratchy and Jack ensued. When Jack was already pressed for an answer why he was not answering Scratchy’s challenge, he simply answered that he was married. Scratchy then walks away, thinking and considering that his western practices are over (Erskine, 2007). The story symbolizes the end of the western era and the increasing encroachment of civilization to a frontier town, which is Yellow Sky. Jack, being a part of the community, represents a kind of break from tradition. He was presented as a person who takes himself seriously and who is thoughtful in what he does. In bringing his wife to the town, he appears to have betrayed the practices he used to have with his friends in the town. Although he appears to take himself too seriously, the comedy in the story is the way that Scratchy held himself and how he showed his provincialism and lack of erudition. Conclusion Stephen Crane can be regarded as a trailblazer in literature. During his time, his writing started shaping English literature towards a new direction. His peers have had great perceptions of his work. One of these peers is H. G. Wells, who praised Crane for eliminating trivial details from his prose and incorporating only the important aspects in developing his stories. He also hailed the imagination of Crane and the way that he created war stories not out of actual experiences but out of interviews and second hand sources. Nonetheless, Crane was effective in portraying war and its various aspects. Crane, however, was not a totally serious writer. Yes, he was keenly observant and did not allow any particular aspect of society and history to go unnoticed. He also managed to write on the lighter side. In spite of the way that various authors and critics read â€Å"The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky†, he managed to depict an aspect of western culture that was about to be phased out, r ather comically, instead of seriously. This multi-faceted talent of Crane lends credence to his contributions to literature. Truly, he was one genius who paved the way for other writers to further develop English literature. At first impression, Crane might be expected to become conservative because of his family background and with his father as a Methodist clergyman. Yet, such a conservative background did not prevent him from exploring various aspects of reality and society without regard for what the church might say or what his father might say. He freely experimented with his form and style and as Wells proclaimed, he broke away from tradition in order to pursue his own style. Such a display of individualism is admirable and perhaps one of the shapers of American culture. For even though society is important to an individual, it is still the individual who sets his own course, just as what Crane has shown. Too bad he died young. Reference Erskine, T. L. (2007). The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky: An Analysis. Retrieved 31 May 2007 from http://members.tripod.com/studies/ENGL2328/bride_yellow_sky.htm. Tibbetts, A. M. (1965). Stephen Cranes The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky†. The English Journal, 54 (4), 314-316. Vancouse, D. (2004). Stephen Crane. The Literary Encyclopedia. Retrieved 31 May 2007 from http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=trueUID=1060. Wells, H. G. (1900). Stephen Crane. From an English Standpoint. North American Review Publishing Company, 171 (525), 233-242. Stephen Crane A Research Paper Essay Example Stephen Crane: A Research Paper Essay Stephen Crane gained international renown through his book â€Å"The Red Badge of Courage†, which he wrote was published in 1985 when he was only 24 years old. This novel portrayed the American society during the Civil War. His father was Jonathan T. Crane, a member of the Methodist clergy and his mother is Mary Helen Peck Crane, who died when he was still young. He was born in Newark, New Jersey as the fourteenth child of his parents. Stephen Crane witnessed how his sisters and brothers died. Such experiences could have led him to portray violence in his fictional works. Four years after the death of his mother, her elder sister, Agnes, died because of meningitis. A year after, his brother Luther died of a railroad related accident. He was introduced to the world of writing when one of his siblings, Townley, gave him an opportunity to write about several activities of Ocean Front resort community. Because of his sharp criticism of the practices of the upper class, he lost his job along with his brother. His first novel, â€Å"Maggie: A Girl of the Streets† was published through the money he inherited from his mother (Vanouse, 2004). Stephen Crane’s life and writing career is very interesting. For one, the success of â€Å"The Red Badge of Courage† is phenomenal and upon first reading, it appears as if Crane, himself, was there to witness the horrors and scenes of war. Surprisingly, he did not personally witness the war! Rather, he relied on interviews and first hand accounts of the war and reconstructed their accounts in order for him to create vivid scenes and moving portrayals. He was only 28 when he died of tuberculosis. Such an early death seems to be a waste of talent. If he lived longer, he could have written more and employed his writing skills in analyzing and criticizing the society he lived in. His background is also interesting. His father is a Methodist minister. The initial expectation would be for him to be conservative and would tend to follow the faith and example of his father. His works, however would belie this initial example (Vanouse, 2004). We will write a custom essay sample on Stephen Crane: A Research Paper specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Stephen Crane: A Research Paper specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Stephen Crane: A Research Paper specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer H.G. Wells’ tribute to Crane A lot of people mourned the demise of Stephen Crane and not only his family. One of them was H. G. Wells, the renowned writer of science fiction and fantasy who has developed a close friendship with the author. The tribute of H. G. Wells was written more than a hundred years ago, yet it is timeless in expounding on the contributions of Crane to literature as well as to the person of Crane, himself. Wells (1900) praised the newness and the power of the literary method of Crane, which was eventually called naturalism or realism. He considered Crane’s method as a fresh breath into the literary world of English speaking countries and hailed his imagination for being vigorous. Moreover, it broke away from several traditions endemic in the literary world of that time. â€Å"It was a new thing, in a new school† (Wells, 1900, p. 234). Crane’s pen effectively eliminated trivial information from his prose and fiction and instead worked towards the presentation of elements and â€Å"impression†. Wells (1900) also described rather poignantly how Crane sat down and wrote his pieces. He said that Crane can sit down at home with only his mind conjuring scenes and acts of war, digging records of interviews and observations from his memory and have these thoughts and ideas translated into words by his pen as it writes on the paper. Wells also drew attention to a funny attitude of Crane – he is a bad traveler. He loses his trains as well as his luggage, miss connecting trips even in the absence of disturbing wars. Crane went to Greece and to Cuba as correspondent for war. These experiences contributed to the deterioration of his health. When he was on his way back from Cuba, the boat he was riding was shipwrecked. True to his calling to be a writer, he wrote about the experience and produced the short story â€Å"The Open Boat†. The reception to short stories, however, was on the decline during that period. As a result, the shorter works of Crane was not received very well by readers and critics alike, and he was encouraged to stop writing shorter pieces. Although, his health was failing, crane continued to write incessantly and produce works of fiction, war stories as well as engage in his journalistic work. On top of all these, he also experimented in writing poetry (Wells, 1900). Wells did not engage in the futile effort of trying to rank Crane on top of his contemporaries and colleagues. Rather he argued that Crane, prior to his early death, has left a very distinguishing mark in the landscape of English literature. His influence was important and that his writings will be sewn onto the fabric of literature for all time. The way that he wrote about war was praiseworthy, his descriptions vivid and profound, yet never did he expound on the reasons and justifications why those wars were fought. Wells concluded by declaring that Crane has opened up a new era of literature by recording impressions tinged with vigor and intensity (Wells, 1900). The Lighter Side of Crane: â€Å"The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky† as Comedy Tibbetts (1965) has noted that a lot of critics and readers have regarded â€Å"The Bride Comes  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   to Yellow Sky† as an allegory. Tibbetts, argued instead that it should be read as a comedy in order to fully appreciate its impact. Several authors have put forward allegorical interpretations of what the story means. One author, for example, regarded the marshal and the badman to be representations of idealism and stark realism on other extreme. Others viewed the story as a representation of the conflict between the cultures of Eastern and Western countries. The author drew attention to the style of writing employed by Crane. He argued that such a style was utilized in order to put several layers of meaning in his writing and discourage simple and shallow readers from getting the real message of the story. If Crane’s writing were analyzed, it can be observed that he used exaggerations as well as understatements in order to expound on his stories and ideas. On a deeper note, it appears that Crane viewed life as a long struggle and trick. What sets him apart, however, is his effective use of imagery and metaphor. Another possible reason for misreading Crane is his reputation for writing on â€Å"serious† topics and tragedies, which, more often than not, were infused with â€Å"dark meaning†. Yet, â€Å"The Bride..† is still a comedy that should be enjoyed and should be read â€Å"too deeply† (Tibbetts, 1965). The story is all about the town marshal and how he endeavored to bring his wife to Yellow Sky, a border town of Texas. It is a western story, and probably one of the best during its time. The story has four parts. The first one deals with the relationship of Jack with his wife, whose name was not given in the story. Perhaps her namelessness was meant to show that she is not very important in the story except for being Jack’s wife. The couple was on board a train and became self-conscious. As a result, they were made fun of by several passengers in the train. Jack and his wife eventually alighted from the train and walks toward his home. Crane then showed the state of the town through the six men who were drinking at the bar. One of those men, Scratchy, used to be an adversary of Jack. Perhaps because of drunkenness and old atrocities, Scratchy issues challenges and shoots the saloon door and a dog. Later he challenges Jack for a duel. Jack, however, declined his challenge. The n the subtly funny episode between Scratchy and Jack ensued. When Jack was already pressed for an answer why he was not answering Scratchy’s challenge, he simply answered that he was married. Scratchy then walks away, thinking and considering that his western practices are over (Erskine, 2007). The story symbolizes the end of the western era and the increasing encroachment of civilization to a frontier town, which is Yellow Sky. Jack, being a part of the community, represents a kind of break from tradition. He was presented as a person who takes himself seriously and who is thoughtful in what he does. In bringing his wife to the town, he appears to have betrayed the practices he used to have with his friends in the town. Although he appears to take himself too seriously, the comedy in the story is the way that Scratchy held himself and how he showed his provincialism and lack of erudition. Conclusion Stephen Crane can be regarded as a trailblazer in literature. During his time, his writing started shaping English literature towards a new direction. His peers have had great perceptions of his work. One of these peers is H. G. Wells, who praised Crane for eliminating trivial details from his prose and incorporating only the important aspects in developing his stories. He also hailed the imagination of Crane and the way that he created war stories not out of actual experiences but out of interviews and second hand sources. Nonetheless, Crane was effective in portraying war and its various aspects. Crane, however, was not a totally serious writer. Yes, he was keenly observant and did not allow any particular aspect of society and history to go unnoticed. He also managed to write on the lighter side. In spite of the way that various authors and critics read â€Å"The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky†, he managed to depict an aspect of western culture that was about to be phased out, r ather comically, instead of seriously. This multi-faceted talent of Crane lends credence to his contributions to literature. Truly, he was one genius who paved the way for other writers to further develop English literature. At first impression, Crane might be expected to become conservative because of his family background and with his father as a Methodist clergyman. Yet, such a conservative background did not prevent him from exploring various aspects of reality and society without regard for what the church might say or what his father might say. He freely experimented with his form and style and as Wells proclaimed, he broke away from tradition in order to pursue his own style. Such a display of individualism is admirable and perhaps one of the shapers of American culture. For even though society is important to an individual, it is still the individual who sets his own course, just as what Crane has shown. Too bad he died young. Reference Erskine, T. L. (2007). The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky: An Analysis. Retrieved 31 May 2007 from http://members.tripod.com/studies/ENGL2328/bride_yellow_sky.htm. Tibbetts, A. M. (1965). Stephen Cranes The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky†. The English Journal, 54 (4), 314-316. Vancouse, D. (2004). Stephen Crane. The Literary Encyclopedia. Retrieved 31 May 2007 from http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=trueUID=1060. Wells, H. G. (1900). Stephen Crane. From an English Standpoint. North American Review Publishing Company, 171 (525), 233-242.

Role of Quakers in the Abolitionist Movement

Introduction The history of the movement meant to put an end to slavery dates back to the establishment of slavery in America. In the West, millions of African slaves were entrenched in to the American labor force from the beginning of the 16th century and were not freed until the last decade of the 19th century. Unlike the modern day slavery, America’s economy was dependent on the labor of slaves whose masters treated them unfairly.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Role of Quakers in the Abolitionist Movement specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More During that time, very few people spoke against slavery since they were satisfied with the status quo. However, the Quakers from the very beginning came out strongly to criticize slavery, which they viewed as immoral. Even though some members within the church were slaveholders, they soon banned the ownership of slaves among themselves in a move that they beli eved would set an example for others to follow. 1 Throughout the slavery period, Quakers distributed pamphlets and staged demonstrations that finally gave rise to the abolitionist movement. History of the Quakers The Friends Church was begun over three centuries ago. The church was established by George Fox who was an Anglican before he began feeling that there was more to religion than what was being offered by the Anglican Church. When he was only 19 years old, George Fox moved across churches looking for an answer to his questions but he never got them. Apparently, the Church of England, which was the official religion at the time, was too sophisticated for the common person and many people felt that it did not address their needs. 2 This desire to find a connection and inner peace with God led George Fox to establish an association of â€Å"Friends† after the exhortation given by Jesus in John 15:15 where he called the believers his Friends. However, there were people who opposed the changes that this â€Å"Friends† were bringing to the church and they branded them â€Å"Quakers† after the manner in which they trembled when speaking of their newfound faith. Instead of taking the name in a negative manner, the Friends felt that it complemented them and they decided to adopt the name as their official logo. 3 Since the foundation of the church in 1647, the Quakers focused on passing across the message that Jesus Christ was the answer to all problems. This saw many people who were tired of the formal religion coming forward to join the movement that was offering them something â€Å"real† as opposed to what the Church of England was offering. In reality, the one thing that was attracting people to the Friends was their doctrine.Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Quakers viewed slavery as unjust and this compelled them to for m an anti-slavery group, the first in history. Throughout the 18th century, the Quakers initiated a strong opposition against slavery. This fight by the Quakers saw the number of abolitionists go up and by 1830, the issue had already become a political matter in America. 4 To many people, the Quakers were perceived to be drastic people. The reason for this was their deep sated belief that before God, all people were equal, and every person had the privilege of receiving God’s salvation and wisdom. Additionally, this Society of Friends was against any form of cruelty and they lived simple lives, which differentiated them from the mainstream church. This conviction led them to view slavery as morally wrong and they spent most of their time preaching against this vice. Just a few years after its establishment, the Quakers Society began opposing slavery and this marked the beginning of the Abolitionist Movement. In 1696, Quakers made a public declaration renouncing slavery and r enewed their calls to fight the vice. 5 Before this declaration, the founder of the Quakers group had stated his detest for slavery but never took tangible steps to fight the vice. During that time, there were still leaders in the Quaker group who owned slaves thus making the issue divisive within the church. Despite this being the case, some of the Quaker leaders such as Benjamin Lay continued to push for the abolition of slaveholding within the church. In one of his searing addresses, Lay termed the practice as â€Å"Hellish† and a â€Å"filthy sin†¦the greatest sin in the world, of the very nature of Hell itself, and is the Belly of Hell.† 6 This sharp criticism brought an awakening within the group and soon many members began questioning the morality of the leaders who owned slaves within the Friend Society. This led to the replacement of leaders who owned slaves with others who abhorred the practice. Although this was a gradual process, it gave way to the en actment of the popular â€Å"Act for the Gradual Abolishment of Slaver† in Pennsylvania. By the time that this was happening, all the Quakers were against slavery and they had become members of the abolitionist movement. 7 Key Figures in the Movement Upon coming to America, Quakers were viewed as dangerous heretics and they often underwent persecution by people who termed them as Witches. Since these Quakers were not welcome in most states, they found asylum in Rhode Island, which had tolerance towards minority groups. The first Quakers who came to America went on to become key figures both in the Friends Society and in the formation of the Abolition Movement. 8 Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Role of Quakers in the Abolitionist Movement specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More William Penn William Penn who lived from 1644-1718 is believed to have been one of the most instrumental figures in the Quaker s Society in America. With the help of his friends, Penn is said to have aided in the establishment of Pennsylvania colony, which later came to be the center for American Quakers and went ahead to be the first colony to abolish slavery. As the years progressed, Pennsylvania became the only state where people with divergent people would congregate without the fear for reprisals. Under the group doctrines, Penn insisted that women needed to be accorded their due respect since this was in tandem with God’s view of equality. Being one of the founders of the Pennsylvania State, Penn helped the colony to come up with a constitution that was credited with placing power in the hands of citizens other than concentrating it on the government. The constitution drafted by Penn also provided a humane Penal Code for offenders and ensured that the fundamental rights for everyone were respected. Under this constitution, many slaves took their masters to court protesting against the inhumane treatment they were receiving. The lenient terms outlined in this constitution enabled the Quaker group to blossom and provided them with a forum for their criticism of slavery. 9 George Keith George Keith was an energetic Quaker who was mainly credited with producing numerous pamphlets that spoke against the enslavement of Africans. Even before Quakers began opposing slavery, Keith had already published a pamphlet titled â€Å"An exhortation and caution to Friends concerning the buying and selling of Negroes.† In the 1693 publication, Keith criticized the Quakers leadership for its failure to take a strong stand against slavery. He termed the enslavement of Africans as human rights violation and claimed that those who were supporting slavery within the church were erring and called for their repentance. This statement put Keith on a collision path with the church leadership and led to his disownment two years later. Even after his exit, other members picked up Keith’ s message and the leadership of the Quakers was forced to comply with their demands. This made George Keith an important figure in the Abolitionist Movement. 10 William Southeby After fellow Friends disowned George Keith, things seemed to cool down a bit within the movement. However, another Quaker William Southeby who died in 1720 picked up from where Keith had left and continued making calls for the society to disown slavery. What made Southeby’s calls weightier was because unlike the others before him he was a Native American. Like Keith before him, Southeby kept on publishing attacks on those who imported and held slaves. Encouraged by his courageousness, other Native American Quakers joined the abolition movement making it even stronger. 11Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Benjamin Lay The Quaker Benjamin Lay came in to the limelight in the 1730’s when he and other Quaker abolitionists led by John Woolman and Anthony Benezet came out in strong opposition to slavery. Before he began opposing slavery, Lay had been a renowned West Indian slaveholder and many slaveholders therefore heeded his calls. Instead of choosing the diplomatic way, Lay adopted a more confrontational method where he could kidnap the children of slaveholders apparently to acquaint the child with the grief of slaves. This antislavery tactics made him a key figure among abolitionists and even fellow Quakers. Lay also contributed to Woolman’s 1754 publication titled Some Considerations on the Keeping of Negroes, which criticized the notion of valuing money over the lives of Negroes. 12 John Woolman Quaker John Woolman was drawn in to the abolitionist movement from an early age. In fact, Woolman spent most of his life traversing the country to preach on the ills of slavery. When he was 20 years, Woolman shocked his friends when he began talking openly on the ills of slavery. This was in response to a request by his boss to draft a bill of sale for a slave girl to which he complied but not before expressing his thoughts on the matter. Immediately after this incident, Woolman quit his job and traversed the country preaching the abolitionist gospel. 13 Anthony Benezet Anthony Benezet was also another Quaker who worked closely with Lay and Woolman in their opposition to slavery. Throughout his life, Benezet dedicated his life to the course of abolishing slavery and he had a collection of nearly every publication on antislavery. As an ardent abolitionist, Benezet also corresponded with abolitionists living outside America and kept on updating them on how the situation was on the ground. His love for slaves led him to establish a school for slave children in his home compound, which went on to become the first Negro school in the United States. Under his l eadership, Quakers unanimously resolved to bar any slaveholder from the church in order to set an example to the rest of the world. 14 Levi Coffin The Quakers sensitivity to the needs of freed slaves compelled them to devise a safe passage to ensure that the slaves were not recaptured until they got into the Northern states or other places where slavery was banned. To achieve this mission, the Quakers devised an â€Å"Underground Railroad† (UGRR), which was simply a means for slaves to move safely from one place to the other. By 1835, thousands of people majority of who were Quakers operated the UGRR. One of the men credited with devising the UGRR was Levi Coffin. During his lifetime, Coffin who was a Quaker businessperson devoted most of his time to the UGRR a contribution that earned him the title of Presidency for the underground movement. Indeed, the Coffin’s are said to have hidden a group of escaped slaves for more than 21 years. Later, Coffin confessed to havin g aided close to 3,000 slaves using the UGRR. This made him a key figure in the abolitionist movement. 15 Lucretia Mott Susan Anthony Several female Quakers worked side by side with the men to fight for women’s rights and put an end to slavery. One of these women Lucretia Mott, a Quaker leader and reformer worked tirelessly to ensure that the rights of women were respected and had a desire to see slavery wiped out. On her part, Susan B. Anthony who had been born to Quaker parents endeavored to see slavery banned even as she fought for women rights to vote. According to Anthony, denying women the right to vote was tantamount to slavery since there was no provision in the constitution that denied women and slaves their absolute rights. Although neither Mott nor Anthony lived long enough to see the fruits of their struggle, their efforts were undoubtedly rewarded since their campaign helped in strengthening the Abolitionist Movement. 16 Observations The Quakers contribution t o the Abolition Movement is unquestionable. In fact, their boldness gave other abolitionists courage and led to the formation of the first anti-slavery group in America. Throughout the 18th and the 19th centuries, the Quakers traversed the country giving sermons and spreading anti-slavery messages. Their involvement saw all their members free the slaves they possessed and they failed to buy or sell any products made by slaves. Throughout this period, the Quakers produced publications urging the Congress to outlaw slavery and slave trade. Finally, the importance that the Quakers gave the matter made other people realize that it warranted attention and soon an abolitionist movement was born. This abolitionist movement finally saw the outlawing of slavery in 1888 thus ending the slavery era that spanned three centuries. 17 Conclusion The road leading to the abolition of slave trade was not an easy one. For close to three decades, slaves of African origin toiled in white farms without receiving any meaningful pay for their services. Due to the contribution that the slaves were making to the economy, their presence became an accepted way of life thus making many people not to address the matter. However, the start of the 18th century saw Quakers begin to question the morality of slavery and slave trade. Although some Quakers owned slaves, this soon changed and nearly every slaveholder within the church liberated the slaves that he owned. This was meant to set a moral example for many to follow since majority of these people could not imagine a life without slaves. Throughout the slavery period, the Quakers provided freed slaves with safe passages to areas that did not support slavery. This boldness encouraged many people to join the abolitionist movement, which finally led to the abolition of slavery. Notes 1Ferrell Claudine, The Abolitionist Movement (Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006), 66-76 2Larry Ingle. First among Friends: George Fox and the Creation of Quaker ism. (Oxford University Press, 1994), 28-55. 3 Ibid, 31. 4 Ibid, 34. 5 Judy Cameron and Rosemary Bachelor, â€Å"Quakers in the Anti-Slavery Movement.† The Second Boat 17 (Winter 1998): 102-118. 6 David Davis, The Problem of Slavery in Western Culture. (Oxford University Press, 1988), 94-104. 7Cameron and Bachelor, 104 8 Gary Nash and Jean Soderlund, Freedom by Degrees: Emancipation in Pennsylvania and its Aftermath. (Oxford University Press, 1991), 101-108. 9James Huston, â€Å"The Experiential Basis of the Northern Antislavery Impulse.† Journal of Southern History 56 (November 1990): 609–640. 10 Ibid, 613. 11 Ibid, 618. 12 Davis, 98. 13 Ibid, 101. 14 Ibid, 104. 15 William Switala, Underground Railroad in New Jersey and New York. (Stackpole Books, 2006), 67-81. 16 Ibid, 76. 17 Claudine, 71. Bibliography Cameron, Judy, and Bachelor, Rosemary, â€Å"Quakers in the Anti-Slavery Movement.† The Second Boat 17 (Winter 1998): 102-118. Claudine, Ferrell. The Abo litionist Movement. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. Davis, David. The Problem of Slavery in western Culture. Oxford University Press, 1988. Huston, James. â€Å"The Experiential Basis of the Northern Antislavery Impulse.† Journal of Southern History 56 (November 1990): 609–640. Ingle, Larry. First among Friends: George Fox and the Creation of Quakerism. Oxford University Press, 1994. Nash, Gary and Soderlund, Jean. Freedom by Degrees: Emancipation in Pennsylvania and its Aftermath. Oxford University Press, 1991. Switala, William. Underground Railroad in New Jersey and New York. Stackpole Books, 2006. This research paper on Role of Quakers in the Abolitionist Movement was written and submitted by user Countess to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Project Management Implementation Strategies

Project Management Implementation Strategies Free Online Research Papers Project Management Implementation Strategies Project Management is the operations function of Sonoran Steel Services. The lone member of this department must divide time between other departments. Typically, he spends about 8 hours a day in these functions. As the company grows, there is a risk that this department may become overloaded. With current revenue projections, it will become necessary to hire another project management trainee within two years. Duties in this department are as follows: Interaction with customer Contract Management Purchasing Scheduling Change order costing and management Subcontractor management Management of records And More Sonoran is a steel re-seller or broker. The marketing department sells a project and it is this department’s duty to execute the contract. Steel fabrication is a custom or job process. Krajewski and Ritzman, 2000, describe a job process as one that â€Å"creates the flexibility needed to produce a variety of products in significant quantities†. Almost every project in construction is unique. Occasionally, similar projects will be built, but identical projects are extremely rare. This forces drafting firms, fabricators, erectors, and project managers to review each project and develop schedules and manufacturing plans for that unique project. Very little inventory is maintained in a steel fabrication shop. Operating similar to a â€Å"Just in Time† manufacturing facility, all materials are ordered and scheduled for delivery as they are needed. Storage is kept to no more than two weeks inventory. There is such a vast array of material sizes and specifications; there is no other reasonable way to provide the materials needed. Sonoran will purchase material directly from the steel warehouses for some projects and will buy materials from the fabrication shops on smaller projects. No management of inventory is required for Sonoran. While not in the possession of the latest technology and software, Sonoran has a file of spreadsheets that have been developed over the past five years. These ease the transfer and storage of information. Fewer documents need to be stored as hard copy. Enlisting the use of the Internet for both gathering and transmitting information saves the company time and money. Project Management situation analysis PROJECT MANAGEMENT STRENGTHS ? 20 years construction experience ? Relative strengths ? Multiple seminars ? Core competencies ? Taught by a great mentor ? Key factors of success ? Scheduling tools ? Very good understanding of the whole project ? Establishes good relationships with contractors ? Excellent computer skills ? Skillful negotiator ? Works toward greater good of subcontractors ? Good mentor and trainer The company principal, Richard Oxford, has extensive experience in the steel industry. He has attended many seminars on project management, time management and negotiation. To add to this, he was trained by one of the best managers in the steel industry. With over 40 years in the steel industry, his mentor was a strong influence in Mr. Oxford’s development. Mr. Oxford has successfully managed several projects greater than $10,000,000 in value. This requires a deep understanding of project scheduling and schedule maintenance. Mr. Oxford also has a history of extremely good relationships with contractors. Many of the projects that Sonoran is able to bid are opportunities given by people with whom he has previously worked. One reason he is able to establish such relationships is his understanding of the larger project and the impact of steel fabrication and installation on other trades. This understanding and concern has built lasting relationships that are paying off today. PM Weaknesses Only one person with time divided Can get overloaded and not take care of projects Not a strong estimator Works from small home office As with any single employee company, there is a risk of being too successful. This leads to overloading. With the need to divide time between sales, estimating, finance, and project management it is easy to miss an important task. Working from a home office saves money, but is somewhat cramped. There is occasionally the need to spread out multiple plan sets. Another weakness is that the project manager often needs to provide estimates for change order work. The financial situation at the company has forced the owner to become an estimator. These projects are all hard bids. If a project is underbid, the company has to absorb the loss. PM Opportunities Available upgraded scheduling tools New hire to expand capacity Freedom to develop new PM systems as necessary There is relatively cheap scheduling software available called SureTrac Project Manager. This software costs approximately $500 and is able to perform more than enough tasks to manage schedule on steel projects. This software would allow the company to track multiple projects on any interval it chooses. Resource loading options can be used to track project finances. Basic Excel software is also extremely versatile. It is easy to develop job specific spreadsheets from this platform. The company’s intended growth will require departmental growth. This will require the hiring of a new project manager. Several areas can be tapped for potential employees: ? Shop Personnel ? Other companies project management teams ? Detailers ? Estimators ? Field personnel ? Recent construction management graduates Any intelligent individual from one of these areas can be trained in the art of project management. Each of these areas would bring strengths and weaknesses. Computer and communication skills are a must. PM Threats Overloading Schedule interruptions by general contractors Non performing subcontractors Bad budgets from sales The greatest threat to quality project management is job overloading. It is not always easy to predict how and when this will happen. Projects are bid to fill schedule holes, but sometimes the schedules slip or are accelerated. The general contractor may not be performing in a proper manner causing the steel schedule to slip into a conflicting position with another project. Subcontractors sometimes do not perform at expectation. All of these factors lead to overloading of the project team and possibly to poor performance. PM Trends Greater technology Electronic data transfer Global subcontracting Like many other industries, steel management is moving toward higher levels of technology. New computer programs that feed design information into â€Å"Computer Numerically Controlled† equipment is the latest development. This ends the need to duplicate information from one functional area to another. Electronic data transfer has greatly increased the speed of information transfer. Project management is nothing without information transfer. Electronic files containing complete sets of design drawings are e-mailed around the world. This has led to increase in global subcontracting. There are many low cost, high quality detailers available in East Asia and South America. This could be a cost advantage for Sonoran. Project Management Strategic Objectives 1. Project Manual 2. Develop purchasing methodology 3. Add new Personnel 4. Train new project manager 5. Online drawing Transfer The goals in this functional area are developed around improving the department by developing better purchasing methods, hiring and training new personnel. If the company intends a 50% rate of growth, it will be necessary to develop a project manual to maintain consistency in project management. It is critical that high quality consistent management be provided to contractors. This consistency will develop into consistent profits. Project Management Implementation strategies 1. Project Manual 06/30/2001 ? Determine functional areas 12/31/2001 ? Develop or adjust spread sheets 02/28/2001 ? Text development for each area 05/30/2001 The intent of a project manual is to develop a consistent set of procedures to follow for each project. While it is usually easy for one individual to be consistent, it is difficult for multiple individuals to act in the exact same manner. A project manual will be used to help train new project managers in proper job methodology. This will lead to consistent documentation, filing systems, and measurements of job costs. The intent is not to clone the founder, but to recreate things that work. Latitude will be given for personal creativity. 2. Add new personnel 12/31/2001 ? Job description 09/31/2001 ? Hiring strategy 10/31/2001 ? Interviews 12/01/2001 Future employees at the company will wear many different hats. It is important to write a good job description of the employee’s duties. This will help both the owner and new hire. From this description, it will be easier to determine the kind of individual that will best fill the companies need. A strategy for seeking such individuals will be developed and interviews scheduled. With current market conditions, the duration of the strategy development stage and interview stage may be greater than the month allowed. 3. Training 12/31/2002 ? Introduce job sets 01/03/2001 ? Plan reading 01/10/2001 ? First Project 02/01/2001 ? Estimating 06/01/2001 Training is intended to be a multi-year project. A quality project manager will take 3 to 5 years to develop. Training will include many more phases than are listed. These are the basics of development. Much training will be hands on and by observation of the existing project managers. The first project will be awarded very early in the process. At this stage of company development, the senior project manager should have time to mentor the new project manager through several projects. The company is small enough that help will always be near. 4. Purchasing methodology 03/30/2001 ? Interview steel purchasers 11/20/2000 ? Develop needs analysis for company 01/31/2001 ? Needs analysis for sub-fabricators 02/28/2001 Purchasing is a function that many companies relegate to another department. At Sonoran, this function will be performed by the project manager. To develop a purchasing methodology, informal interviews will be staged with steel purchasers in the city. From these interviews, and interviews with sub-fabricators, a needs analysis will be conducted to establish proper and profitable formatting for the purchasing plan. Software is available, but it is very expensive. NPV analysis of the software purchase shall also be conducted. 5. Online drawing transfer 12/31/2003 ? Equipment analysis 06/30/2003 ? Software Analysis 07/30/2003 ? Lease or buy plotter 10/31/2003 ? Lease or buy computer 11/30/2003 This function is not just the wave of the future, it is now. Hardware and software is extremely expensive. It will be two to three years before the cost can be justified. It is possible to use equipment from other sources. The detailers generally possess the proper equipment to e-mail drawing files and plot incoming files. If the company intends to use international firms to do detailing functions, it can pay printing firms to plot the drawings. This is expensive, but not as expensive as equipment purchase. Ideally, the cost analysis will allow for the purchase of the equipment in three years. SUMMARY The project management department has more strength than any other department in the company. The company is based upon selling project management services. A weakness is in purchasing management. Work needs to be done to improve this process. Technologically, the company needs to make improvements. While the technology is available, money for such equipment and software is not available at this time. It will be necessary to closely monitor the workload within the department, especially with the shared duties the lone employee possesses. With the companies intended growth, it will become necessary to hire and probably train another project manager within the next 15 months. Mr. Oxford is very qualified to train such a manager. Research Papers on Project Management Implementation StrategiesThe Project Managment Office SystemAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalDefinition of Export QuotasBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductResearch Process Part OneTwilight of the UAWOpen Architechture a white paperPETSTEL analysis of India

Broken Window Concept Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Broken Window Concept - Essay Example The evolution of policing in the United States has transcended over time for the ultimate goal of according protection to the general population. There were diverse strategies employed by public police forces aiming to improve security and safety, and to decrease the incidence of crime. One of the most commendable approaches introduced was the broken windows concept. In this regard, the objective of this essay is to proffer relevant and critical issues pertinent to the broken window concept of the policing field and its connection to social disorder as described by George L. Kelling James Wilson and George Kelling introduced the broken windows theory in their discourse of the same title published in the Atlantic Monthly in 1982. The authors examined a pattern in proliferation of crime and disorder using this theory. Accordingly, â€Å"if a window in a building is broken and left unrepaired, all the rest of the windows will soon be broken as well. The unrepaired window is a signal that no one cares and so breaking more windows will not result in official sanction. This type of vandalism can occur anywhere once the sense of mutual regard and the obligations of civility are lowered by actions that seem to signal a lack of common concern† (Orange News & Press, 2009, par. 3). The concept tries to analyze the effect and influence of wanton disregard for replacing order in the community to police enforcement of peace and order. Several scholars tried to test its validity using experiments and statistical data regression analysis over specified periods of time. The findings are diverse and interesting in the light is determining the direct relation of the broken windows theory to crime deterrence. The concept is actually grounded in philosophical and psychological theories of human behavior. According to a study conducted by Karim Kanji (n.d.) entitled The State of Broken Windows in New York, he specifically aimed to test the validity of the concept in relation to

California is the nation's greatest state (sorry Texas) Essay

California is the nation's greatest state (sorry Texas) - Essay Example To measure the highly ranked stake between the two states, the variables under consideration include crime rate, employment rate, housing costs, access to employment, health insurance, education level and excellence, mortality rate, health, property tax, and pollution from industrialization, tourist attractions, income, and human activities. Overall, California stands a better chance of appealing to visitors and residents with the friendly socioeconomic environment. Less property tax influenced residents to invest in real estate that business owners can operate from their own premises other than renting working space. On the other hand, high property tax increases reduces the accessibility and acquisition of permanent housing or investment in some types of business such as those requiring the construction of complex premises. Between California and Texas, California stands a better chance of attracting investors and permanent property ownership. This is because as of 2013, California’s property tax was at an average of 0.80% against Texas average of 1.74%. By default, home buyers and other structure buyers are more likely to invest in a state where property tax is more accommodating (Wile, para. 6). The considerate property tax has also influenced better academic institution development leading to a higher graduation rate in California as compared to Texas. It is observed that nations with good and reliable education system attract higher graduation rates than nations that do not have the same quality if education systems. The US’s higher learning institutions are renowned for producing higher quality academic elites. However, general education system cannot tell a lot about specific states such as Texas and California. In its quest to support the national education quality, California has developed an education system that sees

Hospers' view that the unconsciousness that determines what the Essay

Hospers' view that the unconsciousness that determines what the conscious impulse and conscious acts will be is correct - Essay Example The author takes a position that the unconscious is very instrumental in determining the conscious deeds. Man’s actions may be influenced by various factors depending on the prevailing conditions; some of these conditions are within their control while others are not. Hospers argues that the concept of freewill is an illusion because ‘an act is free if and only if it is a voluntary act’. Using examples, he demonstrates that acting involuntarily dominates over voluntary actions. In many quarters, the debate of whether individuals act on freewill has been demonstrated. The proponents argue that freewill is nonexistent because the influence of the unconscious dominates over an individual (Blatchford 41). Citing the situation at birth where a child learns from the environment and the process continues with further development, the argument says that the influences of all those experiences are the ones that bring out the actions of an individual. The way a person acts is not a factor of their willingness but an inner push by the subconscious. A man is a product of their unconscious since their choices are biased. Humans make choices every day. Choices are not justifiable if they do not incorporate the aspect of freewill based on non-coercion. In a case where a person finds himself or herself torn between giving their money to thieves or otherwise they take away his life, making such a decision cannot be termed as freewill because the person is not willing to do either, only that he is limited to make a choice. Whenever a person makes a choice, there are factors inherent in the person that influences the choice (British Philosophical Association 2). In his article, Hospers gives a very convincing example stating that the paralytic are unable to move their legs while the others can, depicting that the limitations are not reliant on the choice of the individual but the credibility of the choice. What gets into the mind of a person indirectly influen ces their actions. Many are the compulsions that influence the humans without their knowledge. The perception that whatever we do is based on an informed choice may be far from the truth. The influences mould people are beyond our control, it is a wrong perception based on a misplaced attitude that am acting like myself, when the reality is that the factors surrounding an individual create an experience that forms the basis of their judgments and choices (British Philosophical Association 4). The actions we demonstrate are out of our control, character formation is an aspect that is based on a myriad of factors such as environmental and genetic that is far beyond our control. The exact character developed influences what we desire that further translates to what we do. Therefore, our actions are a product of a strong inherent will within us that has no individual control, if there was a possibility an individual could act otherwise. The experiences gained in the course of life creat es a bias on the decisions made, a situation that we are unable to distinguish as unconscious. Considering the parts of the unconscious mind, it is evident that they influence every bit of a person’s being. The id is the section that seeks instant fulfillment; it touches on our instincts and primitivity. Therefore, based on the choice to be made these two factors influences the decisions we make. The choice made by a chief executive of a large corporation is based

Speaking Skills Issues And Solution English Language Essay

Speaking Skills Issues And Solution English Language Essay For the longest time, the idea of testing language have always revolved around testing the knowledge of the language itself but now, the idea of testing for communicative competence is getting more and more popular. In testing communicative competence, speaking and listening tasks are commonly used. Those require tasks such as the completion of an information gap and role play (Kitao Kitao, 1996). As teachers of ESL, it is imperative for us to enhance the students delivery skills, increase their confidence, and develop their methods of organization and critical thinking skills. In order to do this, a valid and reliable way of assessment to determine whether the set goals were met is required. The oral communication field needs a clear-cut method of evaluation as can be found in discrete language skill classes such as listening comprehension (Nakamura Valens, 2001). Language teachers and language testers need a method which takes subjective qualitative observations and then transforms them into objective quantitative measures. A critical issue in the assessment is the selection of criteria for evaluating performance. Stiggins (as cited in Butler Stevens, 1997) points out that the selection of these criteria should be one of the first steps in designing performance assessments. Students should understand ahead of time what is expected of them. This can actually help them determine on what basis their performance will be judged. When students are actively involved in establishing assessment criteria for tasks, they do not only have a better understanding of what is expected of them when they perform the tasks, but they will be able to more fully appreciate why the criteria are important (Butler Stevens, 1997). The Issue of Assessing Speaking Skills. Speaking is probably one of the most difficult skills to test. It combines skills that may have little or no correlation with each other, and which do not do well to objective testing. In ( Kitao Kitao, 1996), it was mentioned that there are not yet good answers to questions about the criteria for testing these skills and the weighing of these factors. It is possible to find people who can produce the different sounds of a foreign language appropriately; hence they lack the ability to communicate their ideas correctly. This is one of the difficulties that testers encounter when testing the oral production of learners. However, the opposite situation could occur as well; some people do have the ability of expressing their ideas clearly, but at the same time they cannot pronounce all the sounds correctly. Another difficulty is the actual implementation of speaking skills testing. That is because it is difficult to test a large number of learners in a relatively short time. Therefore, the examiner is put under great pressure (Heaton, 1988). The next difficulty is that speaking and listening skills are very much related to one another; it is impossible to keep them mutually exclusive. In most cases, there is an interchange between listening and speaking, and speaking appropriately depends on comprehending spoken input. Therefore, this has an impact on testing speaking because the testers will not know whether they are testing purely speaking or speaking and listening together. Finally, the assessment and scoring of speaking skills is one of its biggest problems. If possible, it is better to record the examinees performance and the scoring will be done upon listening to the tape. The aspects of speaking that are considered part of its assessment include grammar, pronunciation, fluency, content, organization, and vocabulary. (Kitao Kitao, 1996). Depending on the situation and the purpose of the test, testers need to choose the appropriate methods and techniques of testing. The Solution: Method of Assessing Speaking Skills. 3.1. Monologue, Dialogue and Multilogue Speaking Test. Nakamura Valens (2001) conducted a study on Japanese graduate students at Keio University. They used three different types of speaking tests as a form of assessment. The first type is the Monologue Speaking Test which is also called the presentation. Students were asked to perform some tasks such as; show and tell where they talk about anything they choose. This gives the students a chance to make a mini presentation. The second type is Dialogue Speaking Test which is also known as the interview. It is an open-ended test where the students lead a discussion with the teacher, and students in that kind of test are required to use conversation skills that they have learned before. The third type is Multilogue Speaking Test that is also called the discussion and debating. Here, the discussions are student-generated, and students are put into groups where as a group, they decide on a topic they feel would be of interest for the rest of the classroom. The evaluation criteria that was used in that study was as follows: Evaluation Items: Presentations: Content Language Eye contact Interviews: Comprehensibility Pronunciation Fluency Ability to explain an idea Discussing and debating: Able to be part of the conversation to help it flow naturally Uses fillers/ additional questions to include others in conversation Transfers skills used in dialogues to group discussions The rating scale ranged between poor and good with the symbols from 1 to 4. The finding of their study reveals that among the three test types, the discussion tests was the most difficult followed by interview test and the presentation test. In Malaysia, we saw a similar system being implemented but were poorly regulated and too restrictive. Dialogues are used in the school-based assessment and Monologues and Multilogues are common in both school-based assessment and the MUET speaking test. Although it follows this model, it failed to accurately gauge students speaking ability as the tests were poorly regulated (prevalent in school-based assessment) and too restrictive (MUET). 3.2. Testing speaking using visual material Without even comprehending spoken or written material, it is possible to test speaking using visuals such as pictures, diagrams, and maps. Through a careful selection of material, the testers can control the use of vocabulary and the grammatical structures as required. There are different types of visual materials that range in their difficulty to suit all the levels of learners. One common stimulus material could be a series of pictures showing a story, where the student should describe. It requires the student to put together a coherent narrative. Another way to do that is by putting the pictures in a random order of the story to a group of student. The students decide on the sequence of the pictures without showing them to each other, and then put them down in the order that they have decided on. They then have the opportunity to reorder the pictures if they feel it is necessary. In the Malaysian context, this system is already in use in the school-based oral assessment for primar y school. Another way of using visual stimulus is by giving two students similar pictures with slight differences between them, and without seeing each others pictures they describe their own pictures in order to figure out the differences. However, there is a problem in using visual stimulus in testing speaking, it lies in that the choice of the materials used must be something that all the students can interpret equally well, since if one student has a difficulty understanding the visual information, it will influence the way he/she is evaluated (Kitao Kitao, 1996). 3.3. The Taped Oral Proficiency Test In that approach, the students performances are recorded on tapes and then assessed later by the examiner. This method has some advantage and some disadvantages. According to Cartier (1980), one disadvantage of the taped test is that it is less personal; the examinee is talking to a machine and not to a person. Another disadvantage is that it has a low validity. Moreover, the taped test is inflexible; if something goes wrong during the recording, it is virtually impossible to adjust for it. On the other hand, there are some advantages of that type of test. It can be given to a group of students in a language lab, it is more standardized and more objective since each student receives identical stimuli, and scoring can be performed at the most convenient or economical time and location. I believe that the taped test method is very practical when it comes to testing large numbers of students where the teacher would not have enough time to assess each one of them individually. However, the problem lies in not having enough language labs in some schools which, in turn, creates a big difficulty for teachers. Conclusion Previous research on classroom testing of ESL speech skills provides several models of both task types and rubrics for rating, and suggestions regarding procedures for testing speaking with large numbers of learners. However, there is no clear, widely disseminated consensus in the profession on the appropriate paradigm to guide the testing and rating of learner performance in a new language, either from second language acquisition research or from the best practices of successful teachers. While there is similarity of descriptors from one rubric to another in professional publications, these statements are at best subjective. Thus, the rating of learners performance rests heavily on individual instructors interpretations of those descriptors (Pino, 1998). In spite of the difficulties inherent in testing speaking, a speaking test can be a source of beneficial backwash. If speaking is tested, unless it is tested at a very low level, such as reading aloud, this encourages the teaching of speaking in classes. In my opinion, testing speaking skills could be a very interesting experience, and it gives teachers an opportunity to creative in selecting the test items and materials. Moreover, it has a great impact on students by making them enjoy taking the test and feel comfortable doing so if the teacher chooses the materials that interest their students and that is suitable to their age and levels of knowledge. References Butler, F. A., Stevens, R. (1997) Oral languages assessment in the classroom. Theory Into Practice, 36 (4). 214-219. Cartier, F. A. (1980). Alternative methods of oral proficiency assessment. In J. R. Firth (Ed.), Measuring spoken language proficiency (7-14). GA: Georgetown University. Heaton, J. B. (1988). Writing English language tests. Longman. Kitao, S. K., Kitao, K. (1996). Testing speaking (Report No.TM025215). (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED398261) Kitao, S. K., Kitao, K. (1996). Testing communicative competence (Report No. TM025214). (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED398260) Nakamura, Y., Valens, M. (2001). Teaching and testing oral communication skills. Journal of Humanities and Natural Sciences,3, 43-53. Pino, B. G. (1998). Prochievement testing of speaking: matching instructor expectations, learner proficiency level, and task types. Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education, 3, (3), 119-133.

National Parks or National Problems? Essay -- Critical Thinking Essays

A bear meanders across the road several hundred yards in front of your slowly moving vehicle. A doe and her fawn leap back into the brush as you approach. The sun shines in such a way that it seems the mountains above you go on forever. This pristine image of our nation's national parks is unfortunately getting harder to find today. The approximately 270 million visitors to the parks annually have begun to take their toll on the wild and preserved areas of our nation. Congress created the world's first national park, Yellowstone, in 1872. For many years after the beginning of Yellowstone (and other such parks), the wilderness could be viewed from afar, but not entered. Camping within park limits was something that was just not done by visitors (National Park Service, Caring for Legacy, 1). The national parks were much less accessible to the public sector in the early 1900's than they presently are. A staggering 68% of Americans have visited at least one area of the National Park System today, and all these visits have undoubtedly led to the gradual degradation of our parks (Rettie, 124). Our National Park Service, or the NPS, is the agency responsible for the upkeep and management of the national parks (Rettie, ix). The service was created in 1916 (National Park Service, When Did the NPS, 1). The early parks, including Yellowstone, didn't have a central governing body for over forty years. This meant that the first parks had to struggle to stay alive and running. In addition, many fell into ruin due to lack of public support or due to the fact that some Americans didn't even know that these parks existed. People also weren't sure how to handle themselves within park boundaries, which is still a problem today. Several of the ... ... American Press, 1990. Keiter, Robert B., and Mark S. Boyce, eds. The Greater Yellowstone System. London: Yale University Press, 1991. Leal, Donald R., and Holly Lippke Fretwell. "Users Must Pay to Save Our National Parks." Consumers' Research Magazine, August 1997. First Search. Online. 12 Oct. 1998. National Park Service. "Caring for the American Legacy." http://www.nps.gov/legacy/mission.html. (24 Nov. 1998). National Park Service. "Fire in the National Parks." http://www.nps.gov/pub_aff/issues/fire.html. (15 Nov. 1998). National Park Service. "National Park Resources in Peril." http://www.nps.gov/pub_aff/issues/paril_p_.html. (20 Nov. 1998). National Park Service. "When Did the NPS Begin?" http://www.nps.gov/legacy/legacy.html. (20 Nov. 1998). Rettie, Dwight F. Our National Park System. Urbana and Chicago: University Of Illinois Press, 1995.

Troubled Youth Today

Youth today are dramatically different than the youth just fifteen years ago. Styles, schooling, resistance, and especially consequences have changed a lot. Children can no longer come home after school with a note from the teacher and receive a lashing with dad’s belt. No longer can they wear the dunce hat in class when misbehaving. Though this is a good thing, it has become much harder for parents to control and maintain their children. In â€Å"Children Should Be Seen Not Heard† by Gill Valentine, a single mother states, â€Å"I think children are allowed to get away with more because we’re so frightened of Social Services†¦they know there’s nothing you can do to stop it. † Without consequence children’s behaviors are going much farther down the â€Å"wrong† road then parents know how to handle. In light of this, now more than ever, drastic measures have been taken to help children. There are youth help centers where parents can send their children to receive the help they need to return to a more level headed state of being. In an article written by Bruce R Schackmann, it was stated that, â€Å"only one in ten adolescents who need treatment actually receives help. † Some of these programs are not as strict, and the child only goes in a few times a week for sessions. Other residential treatment centers are for a month or two, while the most extreme residential centers for youth are over one year long. Since this has become quite a popular trend for parents to do, there is more and more research showing the outcomes of these children and if it actually helped. For parent’s to really understand what their child needs they need to know if strict institutes or more loose help centers are more productive with enhancing and helping the youth’s individual and family life. There are pros and cons to each type of center. A residential treatment center, also known as an RTC is similar to Therapeutic Boarding Schools (TBS) with the exception of how long the program lasts, the intensity of the therapy, and the educational component involved. At Risk Teen-Residential Treatment Centers website). The RTC’s provide much more verbal contact with the family and physical family involvement. Usually in these types of facilities there are less rules, which helps the students to build closer friendship-like relationships with the staff, which can overall help the outcome of the student. The child is learning new things during every session and gets to practice his or her new knowledge within just a few weeks sometimes even hours. This gives the student the ability to test what they have learned and come back to the program to share how it went and work on how to make it better. There tends not to be as much resistance at these shorter, sometimes non-residential centers, which leads to less resentment being built up against the institute. Students at these types of programs have the ability to think for themselves. They are given a type of structure to follow, usually in the form of a certain amount of steps, however it is up to them how to succeed and progress through these steps to the end. Chris Conner from The Spot said, â€Å"discipline may not always be helpful because then the student cannot develop who they are by themselves and they won’t be able to really take their life into their own hands and create their own structure. † Another perk of these programs is that they tend to be less expensive. This allows students of lower class to be able to participate in the RTC services. â€Å"Positive outcomes for youth in RTC’s are [mainly] associated with stays that are relatively shorter, include family involvement, and involve aftercare. † (Brenda D. Smith) Though there seem to be many pros, there are also a few cons. Because the students are there for such a short time period it is easier for them to skim by, or fake what they are doing. Also they might not hold onto the information they have learned as deeply as a longer program. This can cause the students of shorter programs to relapse sooner than longer programs. In Teenage Wasteland by Donna Gaines a boy â€Å"was arrested for drunk driving and entered a rehab program. For a while he dried out, and then he tried getting his life in order. Things started to look up for him†¦but that didn’t last. † (The Kids In The Basement) The longer programs known as TBS’s have many pros and cons as well. Unlike RTC’s they tend to be over a year in length, which means they are residential and away from the family. There is limited communication with the family as well as limited physical contact. There is a loss of connection to the outside world, which can cause a student to build extreme resentment against the program. The therapeutic aspect of these programs is extremely intense and can be hard for such young students to deal with. â€Å"They try to discipline your whole life, to embarrass you out of being yourself, they put you on a routine, to make you normal†¦this structured pproach can be harmful to some extent. More often it gets abused. † (Teenage Wasteland-The Rock). After having stayed at a program away from your family, friends, and society for so long the student usually has the urge to break free when they get out. Unhealthy ways of rebellion are often seen among these youth. This can be seen in disobeying one’s parents, skipping classes again, and can mean â€Å"joints, beers, liquor, and if it’s a good night maybe something a little stronger-coke, dust, crack. † (Teenage Wasteland-Us and Them). The children who go to these programs are pretty equal when it comes to gender. One has to be in the middle to upper middle class to be able to afford the price of these programs which can range from â€Å"around $2,100 per month and can climb to $8,000 a month. † (At Risk Teen-Residential Treatment Centers website). Some pros of the long term program are that because they are longer the student has the chance and time to really work on their issues with the help of much more intensive therapy than an RTC. Instead of having to leave school for a month or two at these programs there is schooling offered to help the students to not fall too far behind and even catch up if they were behind. Though the structure can be seen as harmful at times, it also teaches the students the importance of structure in their lives and not just being a wild spontaneous party animal. The staff and students have more time to create bonds that can be lifelong along with student-student relationships. Having relationships with the people where you are living helps one to feel more at home and they have a better chance of becoming more open and letting people in emotionally to help them. Because of these aspects of longer programs they tend to have a very good outcome. The youth who are being sent to these programs are coming from all different backgrounds of race, gender, and class in particular. These youth tend to be children who have either not had enough rules growing up or too many, and they have found their own ways to resist society, especially in the face of their parents, and have been sent to these places to get help. Family life has changed dramatically along with our society and culture. â€Å"In the 1950’s, it [smoking cigarettes] was a mark of juvenile delinquency for boys, trampiness for girls. † (Teenage Wasteland-Us And Them). Now a child smoking a cigarette is one of the smaller worries of a parent. With drugs becoming so popular, affordable, and easily accessible, this trend has hit almost every youth sub-culture. It is a way for the youth to rebel from their parents and society, while gaining acceptance from their peers. With our culture having changed so much recently, especially in the last twenty to forty years, the youth has become extremely peer oriented. â€Å"Wherever they have been taught to look for good, they find evil. Families are falling apart, and the papers are full of atrocities perpetuated by adults on kids. (Teenage Wasteland-This is Religion I). It is becoming harder and harder for the youth to come home to their families to talk to them about the eighth graders picking on them at lunch time, when they are traveling between their father’s house and their mother’s house on alternate Tuesdays, every other soccer game, and every third weekend. The newspapers and shows are showing that is it dangerous for children to be alone on the street or any further than a block or two away from home, and â€Å"consequently, boys and girls increasingly are having their activities formally organized and timetabled. (Children Should Be Seen Not Heard, Gill Valentine). This type of lifestyle is very overwhelming for children. To have some sort of a release the child usually begins to spend more and more time with their friends to avoid the family life. Along with this, to really deepen the avoidance tactic, the child usually starts to use drugs of some sort. The burden of homework and being embarrassed to go to class because one is unprepared can be overwhelming enough for a child to start skipping classes, and in time drop out all together. The youth at these programs can be involved in the punk scene, the gangster scene, and the hippie scene, and all be going through these same issues. The youth are just finding their own way and different sub-cultures to associate with to avoid their own lives. When the youth get sent to these programs their sub-culture is completely torn apart and they are forced to create a new one with all of the other students at the program. This can actually be very healthy. When I was sent to my wilderness program I was stuck in the middle of Duchesne, Utah with five other girls. I had no choice but to be-friend these girls no matter if they looked different and acted different than me. This was the first step in helping me to step away from judgment. When I got to my TBS in Heron, Montana, I was given a sort of uniform and my make-up, music, and pictures from home were all taken from me. Everyone was shed of their outer appearance that they based friendship off of at home. Girls had to have their hair up at all times with no bangs or hair in their faces. Boys had to have short hair and wear belts at all times. We weren’t even allowed to talk about what type of music we listened to at home, to fully extinguish the images that we all had had. This really helped me to make friends with everybody and grow as a less judgmental person. The rules we were given were extremely strict. We were told they were not called rules but â€Å"agreements†. We were agreeing to live by this standard, and ironically we were being forced to say â€Å"agreements† and if we said rule we were punished. I had fifteen-minute phone calls with my parents every two weeks and was not allowed to talk to any other family members except for them. As time went one I was awarded privileges to be able to write my sister and grandparents letters and it wasn’t until I had been at the program for 18 months that I was allowed to use the phone to call my sister for 10 minutes every two weeks. Punishments included things such as doing extra chores, dishes, digging, weeding, shoveling snow, and the worst was digging a stump out of the ground. I had four stumps during both winters I was there. Extremely low temperatures and feeling sick were not taken into account when a child had broken a rule. I was ostracized three times during my 23-month stay. When I first got there I was not allowed to talk to anybody for one week. And then the two times I got in major trouble I was not allowed to talk to any other students. I was also not allowed to talk to any of the staff or teachers there except for my personal therapist, family therapist, and headmaster. I was forced to sit in the back of the dining hall facing the wall at all times. I was shamed and guilt tripped and I believe this to be an incredibly unhealthy technique to use with growing youth. The children who went to The Rock in Teenage Wasteland by Donna Gaines were very similar to me. Most of them were diagnosed with a disorder called ED, emotionally disturbed. Most kids going to the TBS or RTC programs today are diagnosed with either ADD, ADHD, or ODD. ODD stands for Oppositional Defiant Disorder. It has become prevalent since corporal punishment has become illegal. Most kids who went to The Rock had been given up on by the faculty at their other schools, and this was the only place for them. When I left home no one had given up on me as a person, they had given up on trying to control me and help me. Everyone supported me and wanted me to become healthy again. They sent me away because they loved me and that was what I needed. The kids who go to The Spot, in downtown Denver Colorado, are children with seemingly similar backgrounds. They have probably been given up on, or have given up on themselves. They have this help center to go to with not many rules, but that can really help them to lead a healthier and more successful life. I am similar to these youth because before I had gotten sent away I was no longer living at home. I was sleeping couch to couch and sometimes sitting on curbs until two in the morning when someone could sneak me into their house. I had given up on myself and was harming my own body with drugs and had stopped going to school all together. I feel that the homeless youth who are going to The Spot are taking the initiative to help themselves, however I feel that there might not be quite enough structure or help services for them to really start working on their life and turning it around. There needs to be a place with an amount of structure between a TBS/RTC and youth help centers such as The Spot and the YMCA. In general the youth who are homeless and attending the spot and the youth who are so out of control they are being sent to these residential treatment center can tell us a lot about the general youth in the United States today. â€Å"In contemporary Western societies we are witnessing a decay in childhood as a separate category and that the distinction between children and adults is becoming increasingly blurred. † (Seabrook, 1987). There is an incredible amount of resistance among the youth of the U. S. today towards the â€Å"norm†. Youth are being oppressed by the different laws that are placed on them, the inability to hang out in certain public spaces, and the overall mindset that we are hormonal and crazy teens. The youth are resisting this oppression by breaking the rules, by taking drugs, skipping classes, and hanging out and skateboarding in places where it is printed â€Å"not allowed†. However, through this resistance we are proving that the adults are extremely correct. The youth are beginning to gain more and more power out of this resistance mostly due to corporal punishment being illegal. Parents are being watched very closely to see that their children are not being abused. It has become very hard for parents to discipline their children, with the fear that any wrong move and their own child, neighbor, or passer-by could call Child Protective Services on them. It is very important for these youth to be studied because we are the future of this nation, of this world. Some of these children are being treated in unnecessary and unfair ways that can be economically harmful to the family, and in some cases can emotionally pull the family apart due to lack of communication. The population of the children going through these processes is becoming larger and larger by the year. If the adults of the society could start to look at what they are doing that could be helping to cause this â€Å"loss† of children in our communities, things could really start to change for the better. It seems as if â€Å"parents have become ‘overeducated. ’ But instead of becoming sensitive or acting rationally, they get hyper alert to ‘signs’ of ‘drug problem. ’ They start reading pathology into every little thing their kid does. † (Teenage Wasteland-The Rock). Give the children a chance to be themselves. As much as a child might yell when they hear that who they are is just â€Å"phase†, it usually is true, it is a â€Å"phase†. Let your children make mistakes and learn from them. Be there for them all the time to love them and to help teach them right from wrong. Try to understand and listen to them rather than preach from our own childhood. The gap between youth and adults will become much closer if we all begin to listen and love. BIBLIOGRAPHY Gaines, Donna. 1991. Teenage Wasteland: Suburbia’s Dead End Kids. New York: Harper Perennial Valentine, Gill. 1996. Urban Geography. Children Should Be Seen and Not Heard: The Production and Transgression of Adults’ Public Space. 205-220 Website: Residential Treatment Centers: http://www. selectown. com/oppositional-defiant-disorder. php Copyright 2004 Website: Residential Treatment Centers: http://www. selectown. com/residential-treatment-centers. php Copyright 2004 Interview with Chris Conner from The Spot Seabrook, Jeremy, 1987. The Decay Of Childhood. News Statesman. 10 July, 14-15 Schackman, Bruce R. , Erick G. Rojas, Jeremy Gans, Mathea Falco, and Robert B. Millman. â€Å"Does higher cost mean better quality? evidence from highly-regarded adolescent drug treatment programs. (Short Report). † Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy 2. 23 (July 31, 2007): 23. Academic OneFile. Gale. University of Denver. Smith, Brenda D. , David E. Duffee, Camela M. Steinke, Yufan Huang, and Heather Larkin. â€Å"Outcomes in residential treatment for youth: The role of early engagement. (Report). † Children and Youth Services Review 30. 12 (Dec 2008): 1425(12). Academic OneFile. Gale. University of Denver.