Profile of Serial Killer John Eric Armstrong

Profile of Serial Killer John Eric Armstrong John Eric Armstrong was a 300-pound, former U.S. Navy sailor, who was known for being mild-mannered and who had an innocent child-like look, so much so, that while in the Navy he was nicknamed Opie by his mates. Armstrong joined the Navy in 1992 when he was 18 years old. He served seven years on the Nimitz aircraft carrier. During his time in the Navy he received four promotions and earned two Good Conduct medals. When he left the Navy in 1999, he and his wife moved to Deaborn Heights, a working-class neighborhood in Michigan. He got a job with Target retail stores and later with the Detroit Metropolitan Airport refueling airplanes.   Those who lived around the Armstrongs thought of John as a good neighbor and stand-up guy who was a committed husband and devoted father to his 14-month-old son.   A Call to the Police Detroit investigators became suspicious of Armstrong after he contacted them in regards to a body he saw floating in the Rouge River. He told the police that he was walking on the bridge when suddenly he felt ill and leaned over the bridge and saw the body. Police pulled the body of 39-year-old Wendy Joran out of the river. Joran was known to the police. She was an active drug user and prostitute. Investigators noted that Jorans murder was very similar to a string of murders of prostitutes which had recently occurred. Police Suspect Armstrong Investigators looking into the possibility that a serial killer was murdering local prostitutes found Armstrongs walking along the bridge story to be highly suspicious. They decided to place him under surveillance. Once they had Jorans DNA and other evidence collected they went to Armstrongs home and requested a blood sample and asked if they could collect fibers from around his home and from the inside of his car. Armstrong agreed and allowed the investigative inside his home. Through DNA testing the investigators were able to link Armstrong to one of the murdered prostitutes, but they wanted to wait to get a full report from the testing lab before they arrested Armstrong. Then on April 10, three more bodies were discovered is various stages of decomposition.   Investigators set up a task force and began interviewing local prostitutes. Three of the prostitutes admitted to having sex with Armstrong. All three of women described his baby-like face and   the 1998 black Jeep Wrangler that Armstrong drove. They also said that after having sex, Armstrong appeared to go crazy and tried to strangle them. Arrest On April 12, police arrested Armstrong for the murder of Wendy Joran. It did not take long for Armstrong to crack under pressure. He told investigators that he hated prostitutes and that he was 17 years old when he first committed murder. He also confessed to killing other prostitutes in the area and to 12 other murders that he committed around the world while he was in the Navy. The list included murders in Hawaii, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Singapore, and Israel.   He later recanted his confessions Trial and Conviction In March 2001, Armstrong went on trial for the murder of Wendy Joran. His lawyers tried to prove that Armstrong was insane, but their efforts were unsuccessful. On July 4, 2001, Armstrong bargained down to a plea of second-degree murder, and as a result he was sentenced to 31 years of life in prison for the murders of Brown, Felt and Johnson. All together he received two life sentences plus 31 years as punishment for his killings. Armstrong later said that he began killing prostitutes after his high school girlfriend broke up with him for another man, who he claimed seduced her with gifts. He viewed it as a form of prostitution and began his killing spree as an act of revenge. FBI Launches an International Investigation The FBI continued to try to connect Armstrong to similar unsolved murders in countries such as Thailand, and all other places Armstrong was based while in the Navy.

20 Words for That Certain Something

20 Words for That Certain Something 20 Words for That Certain Something 20 Words for That Certain Something By Mark Nichol Some people have it, and some people don’t. But what, exactly, is it? Here’s a list of words describing a special quality that sets certain people apart from others, and their meanings: 1. Brio: vivaciousness (Italian, â€Å"fire, life,† perhaps from the word for vigor from a form of French) 2. Charisma: charm or personal magnetism (from the Greek word meaning â€Å"favor†) 3. Chutzpah: admirable or excessive self-confidence; this word and ginger are the only ones on this list that have both positive and negative connotations (from Hebrew by way of Yiddish; several other spellings are used, but this one is the most common) 4. Duende: charm (from Spanish dialect, meaning â€Å"ghost†) 5. Élan: enthusiasm (from the French word eslan, meaning â€Å"rush,† with the same Latin root from which lance is derived) 6. Esprit: vivacious wit (French, from the Latin term spiritus, â€Å"spirit†) 7. Flair: style, or talent or tendency (from the French word meaning â€Å"odor† or â€Å"scent,† ultimately from Latin flagrare, an alteration of fragrare, from which fragrance is derived) 8. Ginger: spirit, or temper (from the Latin term zingiberis, for the root used as a spice and a medicine, derived from the Sanskrit word srngaveram) 9. Gumption: initiative (from a Scottish word meaning â€Å"shrewdness,† perhaps from a Germanic term meaning â€Å"attention†) 10. Gusto: enthusiasm (the Italian word for â€Å"taste,† from the Latin term gustus) 11. Je ne sais quoi: a quality not easily described or expressed (a French phrase that means literally â€Å"I know not what†) 12. Knack: intuitive capacity or knowledge (originally meant â€Å"trick†; perhaps from the onomatopoeic word akin to knock) 13. Mettle: vigor, stamina (from an alternate spelling of metal) 14. Moxie: energy, enthusiasm, courage (from the brand name of a soft drink; early on, such beverages were often touted, long before the advent of energy drinks, as providing pep) 15. Panache: flamboyance; originally, a decorative plume of feathers on a helmet (from the Latin term pinnaculum, meaning â€Å"small wing,† by way of Italian and French) 16. Pizzazz: glamour, vitality (unknown etymology) 17. Savoir faire: self-assuredness, talent for knowing how to conduct oneself (from the French term savoir-faire, meaning â€Å"knowing how to do,† from the Latin words sapere, meaning â€Å"know,† and facere, meaning â€Å"do†) 18. Savoir vivre: knowledge of appropriate behavior (from the French word savoir-vivre, â€Å"knowing how to live,† from the Latin terms sapere, meaning â€Å"know,† and vivre, meaning â€Å"live†) 19. Spunk: courage, pluck (from the Gaelic word spong, meaning â€Å"tinder,† ultimately derived from the Latin term spongia, from which sponge is also derived) 20. Verve: vivacity, energy, enthusiasm (ultimately from the Latin term verbum, meaning â€Å"word,† because of the early sense of â€Å"flair for speaking or writing†) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives Peace of Mind and A Piece of One's MindWhen Is a Question Not a Question?

The Difference Between Phonics and Phonetics

The Difference Between Phonics and Phonetics The Difference Between Phonics and Phonetics The Difference Between Phonics and Phonetics By Maeve Maddox Reader Ali Abuzar wonders about the difference between phonics and phonetics. In popular usage the words are often used interchangeably, although phonics [fÃ… nÄ ­ks] is the term usually employed when speaking of a method of beginning reading instruction. In this use, phonics is regarded as a simplified form of phonetics [fÉ™-nÄ•tÄ ­ks], which is the scientific study of speech sounds. NOTE: Although phonics and phonetics end with s, they take singular verbs: Phonics is the most effective way to teach reading. Here are definitions from the OED: phonics The branch of linguistics concerned with spoken sounds; phonetics The correlations between sound and symbol in an alphabetic writing system; the phonic method of teaching reading. phonetics The study and classification of speech sounds, esp. with regard to the physical aspects of their production; the branch of linguistics that deals with this. Using phonics to teach reading involves teaching the beginner the sounds associated with the letters of the alphabet before introducing written words. The beginner learns to analyze words by comparing the letters in them to the sounds they represent. NOTE: Early practice is confined to words in which the letter/sound correspondence is regular. Once the beginner has established the habit of expecting letters to represent spoken sounds, words containing one or more non-phonetic elements are introduced. Another term, phonology [fÉ™-nÃ… lÉ™-jÄ“, fÃ… -], refers to the study of speech sounds. Phonology encompasses rules governing pronunciation in a given language. phonology n. Originally: the science of speech sounds and pronunciation, esp. as they occur in a particular language. Now: the branch of linguistics concerned with the study of phonological relationships within a language or between different languages; the system of contrastive and phonotactic* relations among the speech sounds of a particular language. OED *phonotactics The branch of linguistics concerned with the rules governing the possible phoneme** sequences in a language or languages; these rules as they occur in a particular language. **phoneme A unit of sound in a language that cannot be analysed into smaller linear units and that can distinguish one word from another (e.g. /p/ and /b/ in English pat, bat). English Spelling Not Total Chaos Learn To Spell By Phonograms, not Letters Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Types and Forms of HumorConfused Words #3: Lose, Loose, LossAffect vs. Effect

How to Explain Employment Gaps

How to Explain Employment Gaps School happens, children happens, illnesses happen. But at the end of these trials and triumphs, the workplace is there waiting for us, ready to judge.  Of course it should forgive the dreaded work gap, especially given your very excellent reasons for taking some time off the job, but don’t rely entirely on the one-in-a-million boss that understands the idea of work life balance. Take the following three steps to ensure your application doesn’t suffer because of employment gaps.Explain It on  Your ResumeYou can’t ignore the gap. But you don’t want to get too defensive about it either. Instead, add a brief â€Å"Career Summary† section at the top, a simple and concise paragraph that explains your gap professionally. If your time off was for personal reasons, briefly touch on that. If it was for an additional degree or qualification, this should be emphasized as a strength, rather than a weakness to be explained. Sell it, baby!Go into Detail Your Cover LetterThe whole point of a cover letter is to make a personal connection, and provide valuable context for your application. It’s the best possible way to convince them- on paper, anyway- that you’re right for the job, with or without the work gap.Find a way to make lemonade; even if you were just exhausted, you can always sell that time as time spent recommitting yourself to your career purpose. Be honest, professional, and show the hiring manager all your silver linings.Prepare to Discuss It in Your  InterviewDon’t just plan to skate through the interview and hope the topic doesn’t come up. You must be prepared to discuss your work gap. Have a few answers prepared- and practiced. And then just focus on being yourself: warm, professional, likeable, and competent.Make sure you find some way to use the work gap to your advantage. It can make the interviewer see you as a stronger, more insightful person. Or a sharper and more driven future employee. The bottom line here is to make the absolute best you can out of this gap in your employment history. In most cases, you can turn this liability into an asset with a bit of perseverance, thought, and charm.

Reflection paper about the annishnaabe people Research - 3

Reflection about the annishnaabe people - Research Paper Example Each tribe has its own medicine wheel. The Ojibway believe that their medicine wheel offers them direction in life. In the same way, the wheel of medicine is a life-cycle that represents the natural cycles of life from delivery, to growth, to demise, and even regeneration. The wheel of medicine not only includes the Ojibway people, but also the nations of the earth. The four cycles are viewed in a clockwise manner. North is at the top, East to the right, South at the bottom, and West on the left of the viewer. Even though the wheel has neither the beginning nor the end, it is crucial to enter the wheel from the South and proceed in a clockwise direction. At the centre is the Creator and is also the Medicine Wheel itself. We begin from the East because it is where life starts and everything starts to come alive from people, vegetation, and seasons among others. The medicine wheel comprises of the following (Lawson, McDowell and Thomson 56-57): West – Sage; it cleans the air, its smoke can also be utilized to cleanse one from spirits, help one to observe, feel, and taste things effectively. Besides, the tea made from sage is beneficial for the throat. Sage can also be used to provide direction when one

In what respects has sovereignty been redefined in the post-Cold War Essay

In what respects has sovereignty been redefined in the post-Cold War era - Essay Example The fierce cold war between United States and former Soviet Union created lot of tensions across the world during that period. The superiority of these political powers forced other countries to align towards either of them for their safety and security. At the same time, such polarization towards either of these superpowers was forced other countries to formulate their foreign policies and economic activities strictly in accordance with the interests of the superpower related to them. In other words, during cold war era, countries which sought the protection from either of the superpowers lost their sovereignty and they forced to support all the actions of the superpower under which they aligned or polarized. Thus the individuality, freedom, and identity of such countries were in question during the cold war era. Many changes happened in international politics during the post cold war era. Many countries which were once sidelined under the banner of these superpowers, started to bre athe free air and experience freedom. For example, countries like Poland, Bulgaria and Rumania were under the Soviet banner during the cold war era and after the destruction of Soviet Union, these countries started to embrace democracy and experienced the value of human rights and freedom. Such countries started to speak in their own language on international political affairs instead of speaking in the language of communism or the Soviet Union after the cold war era. They restored their sovereignty and individuality.

Feminist theories in history of art Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Feminist theories in history of art - Assignment Example as the same nonsense that was at the middle of the canonical separation of the mediums that are used in drawing, painting and the making of sculptures and this was a way of emphasizing the underlying absurdity that was contained in her work. This was as though she had received an awareness of her own open wound and she was now trying to accept the absence of meaning and oneness that was in her life turning in to the non-subject of what she considered her non-work she considered this to be the big nothing and generally looked at it as an absurdity, (Wagner (b), 51). On all the levels of being visual which is where the unthought-of resides, Bourgeois’ work categorically goes against these dichotomies that are between the mind and the bod; abstraction and figuration; â€Å"visuality† and tactility; flatness and volume, time and space which generate other dichotomies that are more direct such as male-female, and black and white but also those that prevent visual art from achieving the effect that it aims at as thought which is opposition that casts visual art as spatial and narrative as being temporal works on confining each of these to a domain that is restricted of visual body and narrative mind, (Wagner (a), 10). The selection of diary notes is useful since it develops a position where the reader gets to understand the artists’ psyche n a verbal way rather than a visual one which greatly assists in the interpretation of works of art that are created and these notes range from poems to her inner thoughts about the surroundin gs that she is in, (Bourgeols,

Interpretation Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Interpretation Methods - Essay Example Scholarship and research are the basic requirements to achieve this goal.Many of England's museums were mainly established to promote learning. Although there are several other ways of learning but still, learning through objects is the most beneficial way. It is an interactive approach that can encourage the imagination stimulating an urge for discovery. The cumulative impact of museums on the lives of individuals as well as society is simply enormous. Many museums have already worked in partnership with a wide range of organizations in order to develop a better approach for learning programs. Most of the times, these activities take place inside the museum premises. But sometimes the museums take their collections and expertise out into public venues, residential homes, social gatherings, hospitals, prisons and schools. This can help us understanding the powerful impact of museum-based learning. In the last ten years, living history is becoming more and more popular not only among museum professionals but the historic house visitor. This process is well established and flourishing in the USA. The use of live interpretation in Britain is lacking both the status and methodology in comparison with the other side of the Atlantic. In short, it is in its infancy. The living history technique is still having a long way to go before its acceptance by many British museum professionals, as a valid and effective technique of Social History Interpretation, instead of a simple approach just for children or special events. This acceptance mainly depends on exploring the potential educational and learning experience offered to all the visitors. Living History Living history can be defined as being a direct form of live interpretation, first person interpretation. Drama and Theatre is excluded in the field of Education because that they do not necessarily require a factual or historical basis. Whereas guiding, demonstration of a craft and the third person interpretation are historically and factually based, but they do not require any mark able performance skills. Battle re-enactments are excluded because this form of presentation frequently has no educational object. It has no historical context and is not linked to any performance skills. It should be noted that only first person interpretation requires an interesting combination of historical knowledge, performance skills and educational objectives. History The first use of living history method was in Europe less than one hundred years ago. Artur Hazelius (1833-1901), who is remembered for the Open Air Museum, founded Skansen, the Museum of Scandinavian Folklore in Stockholm. It was started in 1873. Although the museum gained popularity, he

Procter and Gamble Europe Essay Example for Free

Procter and Gamble Europe Essay I. Introduction Since the end of World War II, business organizations in the United States are becoming closer together with businesses in the European region. There are several reasons of this business behavior. First is the geographical location. Geographically speaking, Europe is the next logical step for foreign expansion after the North American continent has been fully explored. Second is the cultural and technological situation in Europe. Reports indicated that some nations in Europe has became more Americanized in technology and more importantly, culture (Hilger, 2006). Procter and Gamble, one of the most acknowledged companies in the United States have also had a significant presence in the European market today, particularly in Germany. In this paper, we will discuss Procter and Gamble’s decision to expand their business into the European continent and how the decision relates to Procter and Gamble’s corporate strategy. II. P G Corporate Culture In the company’s annual report and reports from external observers, there are actually various traits in Procter and Gamble’s operations that define their uniqueness in the global market. However, some of those corporate cultures are more in line with the European expansion strategy, compare to the others. Some of them are:  · Diversity In the company’s official website, it is mentioned that people at Procter and Gamble are united by the commonality and of corporate values and goals. Diversity is considered as the uniqueness of each of them that will help fulfilling corporate goals. The company has a human resource system that is designed to ensure that everything works for everyone and as the company became more diverse, the company encourage collaboration even more and stresses the importance of fully utilize individualities of people at Procter and Gamble. This culture should work well to support Procter and Gamble’s decisions to perform international expansion.  · Innovation The group also relies heavily on its capability to innovate and create new things from merely ideas. The group applies about a dozen core technologies to amplify this particular competitive advantage. Furthermore, the group has connected its internal innovation capability to vast external network of scientists, technology problem solvers and corporate inventors. Procter and Gamble treat innovation as a process that can be refined continuously to produce more robust and reliable results. This particular capability to inn ovate has also been a contributive factor to Procter and Gamble’s decision to expand abroad. By tapping into this capability, the company can adapt to local environments and create new and innovative products.  · Market Leadership Spokesperson of the company has once said in the middle of a launching campaign that Procter and Gamble put forth many competitive advantages like consumer oriented strategy and innovation, but most importantly, the company also stresses heavily on market leadership. In its annual report, it is repeatedly stated that the company is designed to win in various aspects of the global business competition. The company spends huge percentages of their earnings each financial period on marketing campaigns because they believe in being a winner in every market they get themselves into. Analysts believed that this value also makes it more appealing for Procter and Gamble to expand their business into Europe, especially after the war was over and created a more positive atmosphere for international expansions.  · Focus on Growth Procter and Gamble also stated in its annual report that the company as a whole, is designed for growth. In other words, corporate management is always looking for growth opportunity whether internally or externally. Thus, a chance to develop business into a new market will obviously be perceived as another way to secure growth. III. Strategy by PG III.1.  Ã‚   Human Resource Management Investments Despite the cultures of the company that supported corporate expansion into Europe, the group must still adapt to the changes between American business culture and European. One of the greatest changes in Procter and Gamble is within the human resource department. As the company entered the new market, management has formed a project team to compare between the current employee services and the expectations of Procter and Gamble. In the case of Europe expansion, Procter and Gamble has also developed a strategic alliance with IBM and transferred this value into corporate competitive advantage.   Procter and Gamble also uses their HR account managers to organized how the business is performed within the company. Across the whole Europe, management have organized the HR business accounts to mirror the way the business is organized, and the HR account manager is responsible for ensuring that the team delivers business results in a way that generates growth. Overall, Procter and Gamble has made huge investments in its Europe HP structure, but the new model has now become a significant source of operational and strategic competitive advantages within the continent (Mandiese, 2006). III.2.  Ã‚   Communication strategy changes Along with the European expansion, Procter and Gamble has also invested heavily in changing its information technology. One of the changes Procter and Gamble has made is shifting from media planning to communication planning. This was as much as an industry effort as it is an internal initiative. Procter and Gamble might not be the only company embracing the consumer-centric approach to the media, but Procter and Gamble did it in quite a high-profile fashion that the marketing world surrounding the company must pay attention to the new philosophy. The company maintained a consistent focus on media creativity and also pushed to develop a broadband video upfront marketplace. IV. The Vizir Launch (no data) V. Change Management Model The change management model that can be suggested to Procter and Gamble is the three step change model. This change model basically contains three steps, which are: unfreezing, moving and re-freezing. These steps however, can be modified according to the extent of change that must be performed. For small projects, companies generally go for the light model. The Medium-Sized Model on the other hand is created for the majority of project. For complicated projects, people generally use the Complex Model. When the element of time is crucial, then the suitable modification is the quick model. The last variation is the one designed for a slow type of change, which is the Day-by-day model (Baekdal, 2006). For Procter and Gamble on the other hand, which contains various products for various customer segment, the Complex model is the most suitable. In the Complex model, the unfreezing step contains phases like: analyzing the problem to understand what is really going on and the reason of it, and then understanding the cost and benefits of a change. Afterwards, the company should explain the situation to members of the company and listen to their comments. The next phase includes invalidating the present rules and policies and defines new visions, new goals and finally generate a plan. The move step in the Complex model includes explaining the logics of the new vision, mission and goals and getting everyone on board. Afterwards, the team should listen to everyone’s comment, evaluate the plan and adjust the plan based on the feedbacks. In the re-freezing step, management should define new rules and policies and define the new way of living for the company. This step includes constantly renewing the energy and evaluating the results (Baekdal, 2006).

The Public Need to Know Essay Example for Free

The Public Need to Know Essay Research has shown that children born in the 2000‘s have a 1-3 chance of developing type two diabetes, and 7% of obese five to seventeen year olds has at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease. â€Å"Over the past 30 years childhood obesity has more than tripled in the United States. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, obesity in children is one of the easiest medical conditions to recognize but most difficult to treat. (Wittman,2010 pg.75).† are now federal guidelines now in place that all school are required to meet. These new federal nutrition guidelines are now tough, due to the changes in state and federal laws the government has banned the use of pesticides in crop growing. The federal government has finally step in and made new laws to save the children of our future. Infusing the new health and nutrition program to ensure meals are well balanced and nutritional for students growth and development is one of the best thing they come have ever implemented, many of these new meal requirements as part of their â€Å"program nutrition standards set forth by the USDA require most schools to increase the availability of whole grains, fat-free and low-fat fluid milk in school meals; reduce the levels of sodium, saturated fat and Tran’s fat in meals; and meets the nutritional needs of school children within their calorie requirements (Johnson, RK, et al. 1998).† This brochure will identify the economy issues, special need for the students been served, developing a standard health and nutrition menu for schools and the benefits of changes that’s have been made in the school lunch menu. Some of economy issues for school lunch and breakfast pr ograms were re-authorized with significant improvements to make it easier for eligible children to be enrolled. By doing the re-authorization will allow underprivileged children in families that receiving government asseds to automatically receive free school meals without having to complete an application, and school districts will have to review a sample of applications more carefully to make sure families are  eligible. With nutrition and health meals in school that are high in fat, sodium, cholesterol and they were very unhealthy meals. All of this was done to cut the cost of foods. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) that started in 2006 was the second largest food and nutrition assistance program which and provided over 28 million low-cost or free lunches to children on a typical school day at a Federal cost of $8 billion for the year (Economic Research Report 1998). The NSLP report provides background information on the, including historical trends and participant characteristics. It also addresses steps being taken to meet challenges facing administrators of the program, including tradeoffs between nutritional quality of foods served, costs, and participation, as well as between program access and program integrity. The special need is for students to be offer a variety of healthy foods in school meal and snack programs that will prevent childhood obesity and diabetes. Schools are required by law to offer school meals and snacks that are consistent with the federal government’s dietary guidelines. Having these programs has allowed students to develop healthy eating habits and to learn to enjoy many different foods. Healthier meals provide energy and nutrients for students. These are special needs because schools where given students food that was unhealthy and causing childhood deaths. These new programs that have been enforced has help decrease childhood diabetes and obesity. FIGURE 5-1 Excerpt from a late version of the Menu Development spreadsheet for estimating and evaluating the average daily energy and nutrient content that would be provided by possible meal patterns for breakfast, using preliminary targets for schoolchildren ages 5–10 years kindergarten through grade 5. (Joh nson, RK, 1998 pg. 295) TABLE M-6 Sample Lunch Menus: High School MONDAY| TUESDAY| WEDNESDAY| THURSDAY| FRIDAY| WEEK 1| | | | | Choice of:| Choice of:| Choice of:| Choice of:| Choice of:| Sloppy Joe (3.6 oz) on WW Roll| Regular or Spicy Chicken Strips (3oz)| Pineapple Glazed Turkey Ham (2 oz)| Nachos Grande with Tortilla Chips (2 oz)| Teriyaki Chicken Dippers (3 oz) with White Rice (1 c)| Cheese Lasagna (1oz) with Marinara Sauce ( ½ c)| Chicken Patty (2.5 oz) on WW Roll| Hamburger (2.7 oz) on Bun| Chicken Patty (2.5oz) on WW Roll| Corn Dog  (4oz)| Assorted Pizza (6.3oz)| Assorted Pizza (6.3 oz)| Assorted Pizza (6.3oz)| Assorted Pizza (6.3 oz)| Assorted Pizza (6.3 oz)| Cheeseburger (2.7oz meat, 1 oz RF cheddar cheese) on Bun| Grilled Chicken Salad (2 oz chicken, 2 oz black beans, 1 c spinach, cherry tomato)| Chef Salad (1 oz turkey, 1 oz ham, 0.5 oz LF cheese,  ½ egg, 1 c dark green leafy blend, cherry tomato, cucumber)| Taco Salad (2 oz taco meat, 1 oz shredded cheddar, 0.25 oz tortilla chips, 1 c dark green leafy blend)| Black Bean Salad ( ½ cromaine, 2 oz black beans, 1⠁„8 c corn, 1⠁„8 c p ineapple)| Deli Roll Salad (1oz turkey, 1 oz LF cheese, 1 c romaine blend, tomato)| Sub Sandwich (1.5 oz turkey, 0.5 oz RF cheese) on Hoagie Bun (4†)| Roast Beef Sub (2 oz roast beef, 1 oz RF cheese, romaine leaf, tomato) on WW Hoagie Bun (5†)| Veggie Sandwich (2 oz RF cheese, lettuce, tomato, cucumber) on Hoagie Roll (5†)| Deli Turkey Sub (2 oz turkey, 1 oz RF cheese, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion) on WW Hoagie Roll (5†)| Sub Sandwich (0.75oz turkey ham, 0.75 oz turkey salami, 0.75 oz turkey bologna, 0.5 RF cheese) on WW Hoagie Roll (5†)| Veggie Wrap (romaine, 2 oz monterey jack cheese, cucumber, red pepper, tomato, matchstick carrots) in WW Tortilla| Buffalo Chicken Wrap (2.5 oz chicken, 1 oz LF cheese, romaine leaf, 1 oz ranch dressing) in WW Tortilla| Turkey Club Wrap (2 oz turkey, 1 oz RF cheese, lettuce, tomato, 1 oz ranch dressing) in WW Tortilla| Italian Wrap (1 oz turkey salami, 1 oz turkey ham, 1 oz LF cheese, romaine leaf, tomato) in W W Tortilla| | Green Beans ( ½ c)| Sweet Potatoes ( ½ c)| | Baked Potato Wedges ( ½ c)| Vegetarian Beans ( ½ c)| Fresh Mini Carrots ( ½ c)| Fresh Zucchini Slices ( ½ c)| Golden Corn ( ½c)| Sliced Summer Squash ( ½ c)| Developing a standard health and nutrition menu for schools involve there were five major steps taken to help develop the menu : (1) consideration of the adequacy of the meal planning approaches in current use; (2) the selection of the new meal planning approach; (3) the identification of an established food pattern guide to serve as a basis for school meal patterns for planning menus that are consistent with Dietary Guidelines for Americans; (4) the design and use of spreadsheets to test possible meal patterns against the preliminary nutrition targets established in Chapter 4; and (5) the testing of a series of possible standards for menu planning and evaluation of the resulting menus in terms of nutrient content, cost, and suitability for school meals (School Meals: Building Blocks for Healthy  Children) The benefits of these programs are typically acquired during person’s childhood according to The Dairy Council. Therefore, healthier school lunches would lead to healthier nutritional choices throughout childrens entire lifetimes. By making healthy school lunches the norm as opposed to the exception, children will inadvertently learn about nutrition and healthy eating. The reverse is also true; children who are provided with sugary, fatty foods at school can develop poor eating habits that can last a lifetime but by have this program is has decrease childhood diabetes and cholesterol. References Wittman, Demand Media; Candy Vs. Vegetables Healthy, Unprocessed Lunch Choices, 2010 Johnson, RK, et al. Journal of Child Nutrition and Management, 1998. 2:95-100. Gettlinger, MJ, et al. Journal of the American Dietetic Association,

The Theme of Dehumanization in Breakfast of Champions Essay -- Breakfa

The Theme of Dehumanization in Breakfast of Champions "Dear Sir, poor sir, brave sir: You are an experiment by the Creator of the Universe." (Vonnegut 259) Imagine if this was addressed to you. What an awful feeling of betrayal and loneliness you would no doubt get. But what if next you heard this? "You are the only creature in the entire Universe who has free will. You are the only one who has to figure out what to do next-and why. Everybody else is a robot, a machine." (Vonnegut 259) Surely you would feel like your entire existence was a big joke, one at your expense. You would feel desensitized, remote, and detached from all human feeling. You would be a poor victim, someone taken hold of by the cold grasp of dehumanization. The American Heritage Dictionary defines dehumanize as "To deprive of human qualities or attributes" or "To render mechanical and routine". This certainly does a grand job at describing the callous, inhuman, and cold feeling you get when reading the novel Breakfast of Champions. In his book Breakfast of Champions , Kurt Vonnegut Jr. uses bold motifs, complex characterization, a plot of mundanity and shallowness, elementary diction, and satirical style to emphasize his main theme of dehumanization. In 1922, Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was born in Indianapolis, Indiana to Edith Vonnegut and Kurt Vonnegut Sr. At the age of 18 he graduated from Shortridge High School and pursued a degree in chemistry at Cornell University. (Bonner, par. 1) However, he left college in 1943 to serve his country in World War II. Upon return, Vonnegut continued his studies at the University of Chicago in the field of anthropology. (Encarta, par. 4) In 1950 He left his job and started writing full-time. Vonnegut's other works include ... ...his main theme of dehumanization. He does this using bold motifs, complex characterization, a plot of mundanity and shallowness, elementary diction, and satirical style. He shocks and confuses us with his style of writing, leaving us floundering with questions. Through all this he makes the human race seem empty and alone. But he is right in doing so, because we in fact are. 1 n : an activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates 2 adj. : placed side by side often for comparison; "juxtaposed pictures" Bibliography: Vit, Marek. Home Page. http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/4953/champions.html Bonner, Stephanie E. Home Page. http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/4953/alter_ego.html Anonymous. Encarta. http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle.aspx?refid=76157250 Vonnegut, Kurt. Breakfast of Champions. New York, New York: Dell Publishing. 1973.

Essay --

Black Robe" is a 1991 movie starring Lothaire Bluteau, Aden Young and Sandrine Holt. It was directed by Bruce Beresford and adapted from Brian Moore's 1985 novel of the same name. It was produced by a â€Å"Joint Film Production of Australia and Canada†. The movie lasts about one hour and forty-one minutes. The movie was named "Best Canadian Film" at the 12th Annual Genie Awards, with August Schellenberg also taking home the "Best Supporting Actor" trophy. (Epinions, 2004) The movie revolves around a 1632 French missionary, Father LaForgue (Lothaire Bluteau) or Black Robe as the Indians referred to him. He traveled to North America to attempt to â€Å"save the savages on the new land†. His mission leads him to a Canadian settlement and an Algonquin tribe. There he is first introduced into the Indian religion, culture, and practices. This is also where his first major shock occurs, when he encounters a Frenchman, Daniel (Aden Young), having sex with the Algonquin chief's daughter, Annuka(Sandrine Holt). Shortly after, Father LaForgue decides to accompany a small group of Algonquin Indians on a...

Bilingual Acquisition

Through various observations and experiences that the public witnessed regarding bilingualism and learning second languages, the people have formed particular beliefs, opinions, and ideologies about language and communication, as well as the nature or characteristics of second language learners and the learning environments they are subjected into.These beliefs, opinions, and ideologies, even generalizations are extremely significant in shaping the structure or framework of education in terms of bilingualism and second language learning considering the situations of the learners because they provide the academic community with significant information that will help professionals in making well-informed decisions regarding the matter at hand. For instance, people may communicate their thoughts about various teaching strategies that efficiently provide learning opportunities for second language learners that were designed to accomplish the goals and objectives of bilingual education.So metimes, the involvement of the public to academic affairs helps in fostering collaborative relationships that further improves the landscape of education. With this in mind, one of the most important issues regarding bilingual education shall be discussed in the remainder of this text, determining how second language learners learn best and identifying how the issue shall be settled for the adaptation of academic institutions under the context of bilingual education.This particular issue challenges the framework of bilingual education because it criticizes how pedagogical processes designed for second language learners facilitate the transfer of knowledge efficiently and appropriately meeting established goals and objectives of bilingualism. Apparently, there had been much debate on the risks, difficulties, and challenges involved during the process of bilingual acquisition due to the perceived results or outcomes from the learning process that do not meet standards, guidelines, go als, and objectives of bilingual education.For critiques of bilingual acquisition, learning two languages at the same time influences what and how second language learners will learn, particularly grammatical structures and functions. They postulate that there will be learning delays if the pedagogical processes implemented for bilingual education is compared with those applied for monolingual education.Although critiques have developed an acceptable position that transforms how bilingual education and acquisition is viewed, I believe that thorough investigation on the matter supported by various research studies will support how bilingual education is made efficient by implementing pedagogical processes based on bilingual acquisition. This discourse shall focus on disproving the aforementioned claim about bilingual acquisition and look to support arguments through a series of discussions gained from various reputable and valid sources.Going over these issues thoroughly and comprehe nsively is extremely important because understanding how learners will be able to learn through bilingual acquisition matches the landscape of society at present time. GLOBALIZATION AND BILINGUAL EDUCATION I believe that bilingualism is rooted on globalization which initiates worldwide interaction between people from different nations. Globalization facilitates the growth and development of economies, cooperation and sharing between governments and politics, unity among cultures, and so on. However, one of the challenges faced by globalization is communication.For this reason, there had been an impending need in the past to look for means by which interaction among nations was to be facilitated by discovering communication strategies and techniques. Under these pretexts, bilingual education was developed and its foundation fortified in order to cultivate the aims and objectives of globalization. (Sonntag, 2003) For these reasons, tackling issues that either shape or debunk bilingual education is severely important because its results or outcomes instantly affect the situations that society will consequently experience.By realizing the advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses, nature and features of bilingual education society will become aware of its importance in developing the landscape of our world based on the demands and concerns of our society at present time. We shall be able to make valuable decisions on how we are to develop and improve education, particularly bilingual education, in order for people to obtain comprehensive and essential knowledge and skills to become productive and indispensable members of society. ANSWERING CHALLENGES TO BILINGUAL ACQUISITIONThe primary critique towards bilingual acquisition constitutes tendencies that impede learning and education rather than foster it in children. The critique hypothesis has something to do with how the process of simultaneously learning two languages might affect how learners will u nderstand and apply grammatical rules and structures during communication. This concern was focused on the possibility that learners might confuse the grammatical structure of one language with the grammatical structure of another developing inefficient and erroneous language use and communication.However, several research studies have proved that this argument or hypothesis is not true. Two research studies which were conducted to determine how early exposure to the target language of learning influences learning development and capabilities. These two studies revealed that early exposure to the target language does indeed strengthen the foundations of language learning and is more likely to exhibit positive results or outcomes. The first study conducted by Newport (1990) focused on proving the influence of maturational constraints in learning the American Sign Language or ASL.The second study by Mayberry, Lock, and Kazmi (2002) was centered on comparing the task performances betwe en learners who had no early experiences of the target signed and spoken languages and those who experienced learning situations for the purpose of obtaining knowledge and skills on the target signed and spoken languages. Both studies have revealed that exposure to the target language, whether it be signed or spoken, is more likely to contribute to advanced development of linguistic capabilities later in life despite differences on the level of maturity exhibited by children as compared to adults.This particular conclusions prove how exposing children with the target language early on is important in helping build a strong foundation for linguistic learning and capabilities that shall materialize until adulthood. Caruthers, Laurence, & Stich (2005) talked about how the competencies and capabilities of children are often undermined. What some people fail to realize, especially critiques of bilingual acquisition in children, is how this specific population as young as they are, are ab le to exhibit linguistic competence that is comparable to the knowledge and skills obtained by adults.By obtaining evidences from the poverty of stimulus argument and facts gained from psycholinguistic investigations on the language and communication skills of children, Caruthers, Laurence, & Stich (2005) proved that children are similarly capable of achieving competence in linguistics in the same way that adults do. In this particular study, children were described to be capable of looking beyond their experiences and determine the differences between languages used in various settings and situations.Moreover, the language input that children obtain from learning serve as guides for them in order to distinguish between their native language and the target language even if the nature of the input does not match their previous experiences. This means that children are naturally capable of learning second languages by looking beyond their previous experiences and native language, and distinguishing the second language through symbolisms and interpretations.In previous discussions, the innate learning capabilities of children were explored in order to emphasize how children are able to learn two languages efficiently despite differences in language or grammar structures between the learner’s native language and the target language. This argument was supported by research studies conducted by Newport (1990), Mayberry, Lock, & Kazmi (2002), and Caruthers, Laurence, & Stich (2005) which support the hypothesis that there is no learning gaps between children and adults.Exposure to the target language at an early age does in fact establish continuity to a child’s learning competence towards adulthood. This particular idea dismisses the previous argument stated to critique bilingual acquisition which states that simultaneous language learning will cause developmental delays in language, because the process results to the opposite. Studies have confirmed th at early exposure leads to impressive competence on language in later life.Supporting these arguments were the claims revealed about the innate characteristics of children who are able to perceive different languages despite their previous experiences from their native language. Children have been said to be naturally perceptive who can distinguish the differences between various languages simply because they do not relate their earlier experiences and their native language with a second or foreign language.This particular finding also dismisses the arguments presented against bilingual acquisition that relates the simultaneous learning of second languages to confusion regarding grammar usage or conflicts between the native language and the target language which leads to poor communication among children who were believed to be incapable of distinguishing grammatical and structural differences among various languages. In Ng & Wigglesworth’s (2007) discussions on bilingualism and language acquisition, they dismiss assumptions on the child’s innate capabilities as determinants of bilingual competence.For Ng & Wigglesworth (2007), bilingual competence exhibited by children is influenced by external factors independent of the child. Therefore, assumptions that children may not be able to handle second language learning because of their inability to distinguish between grammatical forms and structures exhibited by two different languages are incoherent simply because it was based on a limited construct which does not consider all the factors and aspects involved in the process.According to Ng & Wigglesworth (2007), the efficiency and frequency of interaction influences how language, particularly a second language, is acquired or learned. This means that although learning is generally known to be influenced by personality, self-motivation, and innate characteristics, the quality of instruction or interaction and the frequency by which instruction or in teraction take place affects the bilingual competence of children.Therefore, if some people argue that bilingual acquisition might not be the best strategies in the transfer of language and communication skills, we say, based on Ng & Wigglesworth’s (2007) illustrations that the feared or perceived outcomes of bilingual acquisition – that is, conflicts on grammatical forms and structures between the first and the second language – may be prevented by focusing on developing a strong foundation that shall stand by bilingual education. This means that the success of learning and bilingual acquisition is dependent therefore on how language is taught and learned.Pressly & McCormick’s (2006) discussions on bilingualism and cognitive development support Ng & Wigglesworth’s (2007) arguments. For Pressly & McCormick (2006), enhancing the bilingual or linguistic competencies of second language learners is dependent on the methods of instruction. Moreover, in several studies comparing bilingual and monolingual students, it has been found out that the awareness of bilingual students that they obtained from their exposure to two different languages contributed to their cognitive development, and thus, helped in letting them differentiate grammatical structures between both languages.CONCLUSION From previous discussions, we have found out that perceptions regarding flaws of bilingual acquisition are annullable. This is because evidences from research studies have pointed out that the innate capabilities of children, the external factors that contribute to bilingual acquisition, and the comparison between bilingual and monolingual learners, prove that children should not be undermined by supposing they will not be able to handle the process of acquiring two languages simultaneously.These findings imply that academic institutions should focus on strengthening the quality of bilingual education in order to further the cognitive growth and deve lopment of bilingual learners. Further research studies should focus on how bilingual education is to be transformed in order to meet high standards and guidelines of second language learning and linguistic competence that are not only precursors to personal growth and development and nation-building through productiveness, but also in meeting the demands of a globalized and multicultural society that relies so much on communication and interaction.ReferencesCaruthers, P. , Laurence, S. , & Stich, S. P. (2005). The Innate Mind: Structure and Contents. United States: Oxford University Press. Damon, W. , et. al. (2006). Handbook of Child Psychology, 6th Ed. John Wiley and Sons. Mayberry, R. I. , Lock, E. , & Kazmi, H. (2002). Linguistic Ability and Early Language Exposure. Nature, Vol. 417, p. 38. Macmillan Magazines Ltd. Ng, B. C. & Wigglesworth, G. (2007). Bilingualism.An Advanced Resource Book. Oxford, UK: Routledge. Pressly, M. & McCormick, C. (2006). Child and Adolescent Developm ent for Educators. New York, NY: Guilford Press. Newport, S. K. (1990). Maturational Constraints on Language Learning. Cognitive Science 14, 11-28. Rochester, New York: University of Rochester. Sonntag, S. K. (2003). The Local Politics of Global English: Case Studies in Linguistic Globalization. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.

John Fitch

John Fitch was a great inventor and his ideas helped us today. He also was a clockmaker and bronze smith. He invented the first steamboat and the steam locomotive railway. Here are some facts on John Fitch inventions. John Fitch was born in Windsor, Connecticut on a farm. This farm is part of present day South Windsor, Connecticut. He had schooling from a clockmaker. Opened a brass and silversmith business in Trenton, New Jersey and succeeded until the American Revolution. In addition, he served the army for a short time and then started a gun factory. He also considered selling tobacco and beer to the continental army.After this he was surveying the Northwest Territories he was captured by Indians. Later was turned in to the British. British then released him and he started working designing steam powered ship. He was unable to get funds from the Continental Congress, so he found new investors and persuaded them. These investors gave him a 14 year monopoly. John Fitch saw some Briti sh steam engines drawings. But he had to build his own steam engine because he lacked money and was too difficult. John Fitch built many successful models with the help of Henry Voight. Henry Voight was a watchmaker; he constructed a 45 foot steamboat.The first trial run of this steamboat was in the Delaware River. The delegates of the Constitutional Convention were there to see the trial run. John Fitch constructed four different steamboats between 1785 and 1796 that successfully plied rivers and lakes. John Fitch demonstrated the feasibility of using steam for water locomotion. His models utilized various combinations of propulsive force, including ranked paddles, paddle wheels, and screw propellers. This steamboat was propelled by oars on the sides. The following years John Fitch build a 60 foot steamboat. It was powered by a steam engine that drove several stern mounted oars.This ship carried up to 30 passengers to round trip voyages. It went between Philadelphia and Burlington, New Jersey. After this invention John Fitch was granted a patent after the battle with James Rumsey. James Rumsey had an invention that was similar to John Fitch’s invention. Unfortunately the patent commission did not award the broad monopoly John Fitch asked for. But the patent did award James Rumsey and John Stevens for their Steamboat designs. This caused John Fitch to lose his monopoly and investors leaving his company. Although his steamboats still worked and run successfully.He did not focus on the construction and the operating cost. He did not have the chance to explain the economic benefits of steam navigation. Later on John Fitch’s ideas was turned profitable by Robert Fulton. Although, Robert Fulton got a patent from New York because of his partner’s powerful influence Robert Livingston, Robert Fulton was unable to get a patent from the US patent. He was unable to do this because one of John Fitch’s companies, William Thornton was the clerk o f the patent office and bitterly opposed him. But John Fitch had a patent from France and was credited more than Robert Fulton for the invention of the steamboat.In addition, John Fitch invented the steam railroad locomotive in 1780. He showed a little of his model to the president George Washington and his cabinet in Philadelphia. In Ohio Historical Society Museum still has a model of the railroad locomotive. John Fitch was eager to work with rail locomotive, but soon his ideas were forgotten. Without John Fitch contributions to the steamboat and the steam railroad locomotive we would not have ships. John Fitch was a great American inventor that was ignored. He was ignored because the investors didn’t give him the patent he asked for.In 1802, the Englishman Richard Trevithick invented a full-size steam locomotive. This locomotive would soon haul the world's first locomotive-hauled railway train, and within a short time the British invention led to the development of actual r ailways. Americans ignorance of John Fitch's pioneering invention a quarter of a century earlier, began importing English locomotives and copying them. Many of John Fitch’s ideas were copied and they get all the credit, because he lacked money to pay for a company. A memorial to John Fitch stands in Bardstown, Kentucky's Courthouse Square.Here he lies with complete replica of his first steamboat. John Fitch Monument also stands in Warminster Township, Pennsylvania at the spot he first developed the idea for a steamboat. John Fitch High School was built on Bloomfield Avenue in Windsor, Connecticut in the 1934. It became an elementary school in the 1950s. The building was converted to elderly housing in the 1990s, but its facade still bears John Fitch's name and likeness carved in stone. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.Sources 1) Encyclopedia 2) About. com 3) Google 4) Ask. com 1. njlh 2. jjn

HR Plan for Principle Financial Group Essay

Human resources are the most important aspect of any organization in today’s world. The developing idea of the necessity of HR department and the need of making the efficient and timely use of the organization’s resource for the betterment of the organization has taken recent importance. Companies that are the giants of business arena have made it sure that their sole target is not to keep their customers satisfied but also to ensure that their employees are satisfied with their work and they are giving their best output. The paper will look into the organization named â€Å"Principle Financial Group† that how the HR of organization works and how they are making it work better. Principle Financial Group The organization Principal Financial Group (The Principal) is a worldwide financial services contributor which provides an extensive variety of financial commodities, and is a U. S. leader in 401(k) plans. The Headquarters of The Principal are based in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The corporation is serving more than 18 million customers globally. By September 30, 2009, the organization had assets amounting more than $280 billion. In May 2009, Fortune Magazine had listed The Principal as 273rd in the list of 500 largest companies in USA. It is also considered as the most Ethical Company of the world and has received many awards due to this quality (Principal. com, 2010). The organization was founded by Mr. Edward Temple in the year 1879 by the name ‘Bankers Life Association’ and it used to provide life insurance to the men aged between 22 to 55 years. Since then, Mr. Edward served as the President of the organization for thirty years and the organization saw its prosperity under his leadership. In the year 1985, after nearly a century, Bankers Life Company became Principal Financial Group (PFG). The company started to expand and decided to provide its services in other countries too that included Brazil, China, Argentina, Chile, Hong Kong, Mexico and India. In October 2001, the company offered its initial public offering and became listed in New York stock Exchange (Principal. com, 2010). The competitors of PFG are AXAHY. PK, John Hancock Financial Services Inc. , a privately held organization and Lincoln National Corporation. PFG ranks to be the highest amongst the three mentioned (Daily Finance. com, 2010). The Culture of Principal Financial Group Culture is the way people work in an organization. It the way employees are thought to behave and perform their tasks. Culture is an important aspect of any organization as with out culture and organization would not function properly. It may not seem to be an integral of any organization’s success, but when giant corporations are looked over, it would come to our realization that culture makes each and every organization distinguish itself from others. Cultures can originate from many factors and they can also become the permanent way of work performances. Stories, jargons, ceremonies are part of an organization’s culture. Culture can be formalized i. e. , followed strictly by the words of book, or it can also be simple. In which ever way culture is followed, it makes an important component of an organization and it also helps employees get familiarized with the place they work in. Culture of PFG Culture of PFG is very vibrant and helps employees enjoy the work they do. The culture of PFG is embedded with their commitment to honesty and togetherness. They believe in team work and they want to excel at what they do. There are certain components of their culture. They are: Commitment to diversity, Commitment to development, Commitment to community and Commitment to ethical practices (Principal. com, 2010). They have faith in diversity if employees in organization. They respect the employees which hail from different back grounds and consider that their experiences and their knowledge would help the organization perform better. They appreciate learning from them and value the differences present amongst each other. Development is important for the organization. Training to the employees is important and they accept the fact as true. They have their training programs and they enhance the capabilities of the employees’ not for the organization only, but they trust that employees should be given importance as they give importance to their work. Additional development openings are provided to the employees through Employee Resource Centers. These centres foster a way of learning amongst the employees. These groups give a proper work setting for the employees who have common interests, and they provide career development opportunities and reach out the community for the purpose of recruitment and selection. Some of the employees resource groups are; ‘Asian Employee Resource Group’, ‘Disability Employee Resource Group’, ‘Muslim Employee Resource Group’, ‘Women in Technology Group’ etc (Principal. com, 2010). Core Values of PFG Their core values are the factors that are critical to their success. They are factors which help the organization make its decision and they do not change. These factors give the organization its personality. They are customer focused and they believe that customers will help their organization grow and they are very concerned about what their customers want and desire. Be it any business or an individual that needs financial assistance, they make it sure that their customers are provided with complete choice and control in their financial provisions. Training and Development at PFG Training and development of employees is another important aspect of the organization. The organizations that ignore the aspect of training and development come across many troubles at the later stage of their organizational life cycle. They fail to stay in touch with the recent development in the environment and their response to those changes is laid back which results in failure. In order to stay in touch with the regular changes in internal as well external environment, companies must train and develop their employees. Importance of training and development can not be ignored. Timely training and development not only helps the employees, but it also provides organizations with competitive advantage over their competitors (Noe, 2009). Employee development is another critical to success factor of the organization. Excellent culture with growth opportunities is what PFG gives to its employees and it believes that continuous training and development will help them retain employees and would give satisfactory results to the organization. Change and innovation is another key to success for PFG and it works on it to help employees change with ease and flexibility (Principal. com, 2010). Profitability and sound financial performance is also the success factor of the organization. Along with operational brilliance they provide their customers with timely solutions and satisfactory results with their products and services. With fierce competition they are faced with, PFG has been able to remain an outstanding financial solution to many institutes and individuals (Principal. com, 2010). Recruitment and Selection When recruiting and selecting the employees, PFG follows the guidelines of EEOC. i. e. , Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. They are fully dedicated to the concept of the equal employment opportunities and it is evident through the diversity of the employees in the organization. The policy is to hire, train and develop employees regardless of gender, color, race, religion, pregnancy, national origin, sexual orientation, etc. Harassment of employees on these differences is strictly forbidden in the company. However, the things to decide their eligibility to the employment are their competence, qualification and their merit (Roberts, 2008). In the work place the employees are treated with great respect. Diversity in the organization makes employees accept each other’s differences as the basis of their learning and experience. The principles they follow at their work place are: work schedules are flexible to cater to the needs of their employees. They believe that employees should be given the required flexibility so they do not find hindrances in their personal as well as professional lives. Multicultural celebrations are norms at PFG. Employees learn the cultural celebrations of their colleagues and they respect each others traditions. This creates the bond between employees and they value the contentment of their partners. For the expectant mothers, PFG is very considerate to help them during their pregnancy. PFG provides prenatal care to the mothers and ensures that working mothers who are expecting their babies are to be taken care of. They do not discriminate them on their health issues. For Muslims, they also provide a separate prayer rooms to ensure that that religious obligations do not go unattended and it helps the employees respect the religious needs of their counterparts (Principal. com, 2010). Compensation Management in PFG Compensation management is other important aspects of an organization’s contend employees. Efficient compensation management gives the employees with advantage of performance management too. These two aspects are closely linked. Employees must know that their compensation would tend to increase if they outperform their colleagues and give performance that is beneficial towards meeting the goals of the organization (Berger & Berger, 2008). Compensation Management in PFG is based on the competitive salary system and salaries are evaluated yearly on the basis of the performance of the employees. They also get to participate in the annual incentive program which is subjective to the performance of the organization as well as the individual performance. They call it PrinPay (Principal. om, 2010). The organization’s compensation package is not just salary but it comprises of different benefits provided to the employees. These benefits are the medical benefits which can be customized by the employees according to their choice. Dental benefits include different dental services. Other benefits are vision coverage, wellness programs, and flexible spending accounts. Financial benefits provided to the employees include the retirement programs with 401 (k) plans, stock purchase program and treatment to short term and long term disability of the employees. The financial and health benefits are not the only incentives that are given to the employees of the organization. The employees enjoy the time off facility called ‘Personal Time off (PTO)’. The PTO is saved in a â€Å"PTO Bank† and employees earn extra hours at the year end. Nine paid holidays are given to the employees through out the year, and they are also given some time off for voluntary activities they want to perform. PFG does not believe in standardized compensation package and year end salary raises are all subjected to the performance of the employees (Principal. com, 2010).

Words That Wound

Brian Kobel Take Home Quiz Lynn Classon English 1510 1The essay â€Å"Words that Wound† by Kathleen Vail shows how bullying effects today’s youth. The essay shows how tragic bullying can be on kids, and how it has lead to suicide and even accidental murder. I think that bullying can lead to such tragedies, but at the same time, bullying is just a part of life. I feel that bullying toughens up kids, and gets them ready to deal with people in the real world, and if they cannot handle the bullying, I feel they won’t make it in the real world.You have to ignore kids giving you a hard time, and know you won’t be around them for the rest of your life. 2The essay shows the influences bullying has on kids by telling stories of tragic stories that have led to young kids committing suicide or even being murdered. â€Å"Death was the only relief he could imagine† William Head said after his son committed suicide because he was bullied. This should definitely r aise bully-awareness. No kid should ever feel so poorly about themselves that they feel the only way out is taking their own life.Someone should step in the way if the bullying is going that far. 3But, for the most part, bullying is a part of life. I was bullied in school, my roommate was bullied, my little brother was bullied, and my older cousin was bullied. At one time or another, every kid gets bullied. It is part of human nature to try and feel dominant. †They feel it’s a normal part of growing up, that it’s character-building. † Head also said about the school board. Being bullied, unfortunately, a normal part of growing up, but you need to experience it, and learn how to react to it.Bullying really is character building. 4Kids need to learn how to handle bullying so that they can deal with people in the real world. People push you around just as much in the real world as they do in school. â€Å"It’s your problem—you need to learn how to deal with it yourself† The supervisor of the school said on the issue. I agree with the quote completely. You need to learn how to deal with your problems, not have someone else take care of it. Mommy and daddy won’t be there at work, they won’t be there at college.Learning how to stick up for yourself is a huge life lesson. 5In the essay â€Å"Words that Wound† by Kathleen Vail, the author showed how bullying can effect kids in a negative way. It showed how bullying leads to kids committing suicide or even dying. It did not really touch on what bullying teaches kids. With dealing with bullies, kids also learn to stick up for themselves. Which in the end I feel is a much better experience to have in the long run.

Anyone Can Cook! Professor Ramos Blog

Anyone Can Cook! When I was younger, I absolutely loved waking up to the smell of waffles coming from the kitchen. My mom would always make me waffles for breakfast before school. She would add a beautiful mix of sweetened fruit on top along with butter and syrup, and it quickly became my favorite breakfast meal of all time. Not only would she make amazing breakfast dishes every morning, she would also make and pack me incredible lunches that I would thoroughly enjoy every day. From french dip sandwiches to homemade donuts, my mom was able to make anything I would ask for. My friends would always stare at my lunches in jealousy because of how good my food looked everyday. Unpacking my lunch pail always excited me because everyday my mom would pack me something different. As I got older, I started to watch my mom make the delicious food she would prepare for me. I was always amazed and interested in how her food came out smelling, tasting, and looking so incredible. My mom then started teaching me how to cook and allowed me to help her in any way possible. I would hand her ingredients, cut things up, mixed whatever she needed, etc. Overtime, helping my mother in the kitchen became normal for me to do. Not only did I learn how to cook by watching her, but we grew a stronger connection. Even till this day, I still go into the kitchen to watch and help my mom cook. I thought it would be cool if I was able to cook by myself without help from my mom so I could cook meals for my friends and family. Learning to cook by watching my mom cook became so intriguing to me. Watching a meal be prepared into something so delicious and being able to eat it at the end was so satisfying. There is even excitement in not knowing how the dish will turn out. When my mom would try new exotic recipes sometimes they didn’t always turn out the best. However, I always admired my mom for taking risks when cooking and not being afraid to mess up. After years of watch ing my mom cook and helping her in the process, I had this urge to try to cook by myself without her help. When I was about 10 years old, I started to test out my cooking skills and fed my creations to my friends and family. For my very first dish, I attempted to prepare macaroni cheese. I vividly remember walking into the kitchen and craving macaroni and cheese. I looked in every cupboard and inside of our pantry for microwavable mac cheese, but I wasn’t able to find anything. I never really enjoyed the microwavable version and I liked my mom’s version way better. I decided to go to my mom’s room and said to her, â€Å"Mom I’m starving and I really want mac cheese can you please make me some?† My mom looked at me in somewhat annoyance and said, â€Å"I’m actually really busy right now you should try to make some by yourself.† I got up and left the room and went back to the pantry to find stuff to make mac cheese with. Without knowing what exactly what I was looking for, I went back to my mom and asked her if she could get the ingredien ts out for me. She agreed and we both walked back to the kitchen, and I watched her take out the ingredients to make the mac cheese. I’ve made macaroni cheese in the past with my mom so I roughly knew what I had to do. After thirty minutes of hard work I finally finished making the macaroni cheese. I was afraid that it wouldn’t taste as good as my mom’s, but as soon as I took the first bite I was taken back by how good it tasted. I was so excited that I was able to cook something that tasted delicious. I ran up to my mom with a bowl of my freshly made mac cheese and told her to try some. After my mom took the first bite she smiled and said to me, â€Å"Wow this tastes amazing Alex! I’m so proud of you this tastes really good.† In that moment I was ecstatic that my mom was proud of me for being able to cook mac cheese all by myself. I ran to my sister and told her to try it and she also looked at me in shock and told me it was amazing. I was fi lled with joy that I was able to cook a meal by myself and was able to share it with my family. Even though my mac cheese probably didn’t even taste that great, these words of encouragement propelled me to cook more in the future. Ever since that day, I tried to cook meals by myself. At first it started with simple dishes, but then as I grew older I began to make more intricate dishes. I started making meals for my family every week and whenever I have free time I would just practice making dishes in the kitchen. I think that having the ability to cook and prepare meals out of anything and everything is a great and handy skill to hone. Cooking for other people brings me a different kind of joy because I can see how my food can brighten someone’s day and help them feel better even if it’s just by a little. The development of my cooking skills, at first, was very difficult just like all skills that have to be learned. In this case practice really does make perfect, seeing the noticeable progress in the way I cook is rewarding. I love how I can see myself improving every time I cook compared to how I was when I started. A lot of mistakes were made on the way to getting better, but like most talents it was all worth it. In the end, seeing how far I have come and how much I have accomplished is the most rewarding feeling. Cooking has always been a part of my life and the time I have spent doing it has made me appreciate it even more than before. I’m always going to thank my mother for showing me the ways of working around the kitchen and how to cook for myself and others. My mom inspired me to cook and I am so grateful that she has been so supportive of me. Cooking allowed my mom and I to develop a strong bond and I am so thankful for all that she has taught me. This skill I have developed allows me to make others happy with the dishes I create. I absolutely love being able to cook and I am forever appreciative of those who have encouraged me to keep cooking.

buy custom America’s Established Institutions essay

buy custom America’s Established Institutions essay According to Flexner, notable among institutions that facilitated the existence of oppression among women include capitalism; government; church and family; racism and the law (351). Each of these institutions played contributory roles in furthering anti-suffrage sentiments. This is mainly because they have been constituted in a pro-establishment setting. When it comes to capitalism, industrial states to the north were the last ones to give in. railroad, oil and manufacturing lobbies were secretly working against suffrage campaigns. First because of the threat posed by Womens Christian Temperance Union which had a suffrage cause, and secondly, by WRM, which had established itself as a voice of labor reform since its inception. The WRM was also associated with a new form of socialism that the lobbies considered incompatible with capitalism. Southern states, owing to the history of racism, were opposed to the womens fight against suffrage. The states always associated, and rightly so, feminist struggle with black struggle. Giving women voting rights would mean enfranchising an entire half of the black population. The political machines of the federal government were not certain that they would be able to handle an additional electorate population, which was already suffering from susceptibility to rampant corruption. Being militant, the forces of electoral corruption had no other obvious stance to take apart from oppose any clean-up of politics. Feminist movements were triggering awareness on the need to clean up American politics and therefore had to be opposed. Faced with such difficulties, it seems obvious that nothing short of militancy would have enabled women succeed in their course. The family and the church represent two powerful institutions whose views on the right of women to vote were not on the affirmative. For the church, attention was often drawn to the temptress nature of women, her role in multiplication and her submission to man. This made church leaders unable to join in the fight without fueling controversy. The same case applies to the family when it comes to concepts of male supremacy, child rearing responsibility, sexual double standards, all of which were at risk of being eroded if the advocates of Womens Rights Movement carried the way. It is not likely that men would let go of these traditional family advantages without a fight. Therefore the issue of militancy had to feature prominently in order for the 19th amendment to be born. Buy custom America’s Established Institutions essay

Appellate Jurisdiction in the US Court System

Appellate Jurisdiction in the US Court System The term â€Å"appellate jurisdiction† refers to the authority of a court to hear appeals to cases decided by lower courts. Courts that have such authority are called â€Å"appellate courts.† The appellate courts have the power to reverse or modify the lower court’s decision. Key Takeaways: Appellate Jurisdiction Appellate jurisdiction is the authority of a court to hear and decide appeals to decisions made by lower courts.In the United States federal court system, cases originally decided in the district courts can be appealed only to the circuit courts of appeals, while decisions of the circuit courts can be appealed only to the U.S. Supreme Court. Decisions of the Supreme Court cannot be further appealed.The right to appeal is not guaranteed by the Constitution. Instead, the appellant must â€Å"show cause† by convincing the appeals court that the trial court had failed to properly apply the laws involved or to follow proper legal procedures.The standards by which an appeals court decides the correctness of a lower court’s decision is base whether the appeal was based on a question of substantive facts of the case or on an incorrect or improper application of the legal process resulting in the denial of due process of law.   While the right to appeal is not bestowed by any law or the Constitution, it is generally considered to be embodied in general tenets of law prescribed by the English Magna Carta of 1215. Under the federal hierarchical dual court system of the United States, the circuit courts have appellate jurisdiction over cases decided by the district courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction over the decisions of the circuit courts. The Constitution gives Congress the authority to create courts under the Supreme Court and to determine the number and location of courts with appellate jurisdiction. Currently, the lower federal court system is made up of 12 geographically located regional circuit courts of appeal which have appellate jurisdiction over 94 district trial courts. The 12 appellate courts also have jurisdiction over specialized cases in involving the federal government agencies, and cases dealing with patent law. In the 12 appellate courts, appeals are heard and decided by three-judge panels. Juries are not used in the appeals courts. Typically, cases decided by the 94 district courts can be appealed to a circuit court of appeals and decisions for the circuit courts can be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Supreme Court also has â€Å"original jurisdiction† to hear certain types of cases that may be allowed to bypass the often lengthy standard appellate process. From about 25% to 33% of all appeals heard by federal appellate courts involve criminal convictions. The Right to Appeal Must be Proven Unlike other legal rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, the right to appeal is not absolute. Instead, the party asking for the appeal called the â€Å"appellant,† must convince the appellate jurisdiction court that the lower court had incorrectly applied a law or failed to follow proper legal procedures during the trial. The process of proving such errors by the lower courts is called â€Å"showing cause.† The appellate jurisdiction courts will not consider an appeal unless cause has been shown. In other words, the right to appeal is not required as part of â€Å"due process of law.† While always applied in practice, the requirement to show cause in order to gain the right to appeal was confirmed by the Supreme Court in 1894. In deciding the case of McKane v. Durston, the justices wrote, â€Å"An appeal from a judgment of conviction is not a matter of absolute right, independently of constitutional or statutory provisions allowing such appeal.† The court continued, â€Å"A review by an appellate court of the final judgment in a criminal case, however, grave the offense of which the accused is convicted, was not at common law and is not now a necessary element of due process of law. It is wholly within the discretion of the state to allow or not to allow such a review.† The way in which appeals are dealt with, including determining whether or not the appellant has proven the right to appeal, can vary from state to state. Standards by Which Appeals are Judged The standards by which a court of appeals judges the validity of a lower court’s decision depends on whether the appeal was based on a question of facts presented during the trial or on an incorrect application or interpretation of a law by the lower court. In judging appeals based on facts presented at trial, the court of appeals judges must weigh the facts of the case based on their own firsthand review of the evidence and observation of witness testimony. Unless a clear error in the way the facts of the case were represented to or interpreted by the lower court can be found, the appeals court will generally deny the appeal and allow the decision of the lower court to stand. When reviewing issues of law, the court of appeals may reverse or modify the lower court’s decision if the judges find the lower court wrongly applied or misinterpreted the law or laws involved in the case. The court of appeals may also review â€Å"discretionary† decisions or rulings made by the lower court judge during the trial. For example, the appeals court might find that the trial judge improperly disallowed evidence that should have been seen by the jury or failed to grant a new trial due to circumstances that arose during the trial. Sources and Further Reference â€Å"Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure.† Legal Information Institute. Cornell Law SchoolAbout U.S. Federal Courts.† United States Courts

Psyche and Her Progeny

Psyche and Her Progeny Psyche and Her Progeny Psyche and Her Progeny By Maeve Maddox The origin of our word psyche is the Greek noun psukhe, denoting both breath and the life represented by breath: â€Å"the animating principle in man and other living beings.† The word has been a rich source of words in English and other languages. In the classical myth of Cupid and Psyche, the woman Psyche represents the human soul. The earliest extant written version of this story appears in the second-century novel The Golden Ass by Apuleius. Its inclusion echoes the theme of the novel: the soul’s search for union with the divine. The prefix psych/psycho has been used in English since the 17th century. The earliest meaning of psychology was â€Å"the study or consideration of the soul or spirit.† Until the 19th century, psychology was considered to be a branch of philosophy; gradually it developed into a science concerned not with the soul or spirit, but with the human mind. Most of the English words formed with the combining form psych- date from the 19th century. Most have scientific applications, but a few have gone mainstream. Here are a few examples of psych words with their most common definitions: psych (transitive verb): to influence psychologically; to intimidate, demoralize. Example: He tried to psych me out, but I didn’t fall for it. psyched (adjective): excited, stimulated, enthusiastic. Example: I’m really psyched about the movie. psychedelic (noun): a drug (usually illicit) that produces an alteration in the mind; adjective: producing an alteration of consciousness, often accompanied by hallucinations. psychiatry (noun): The branch of medicine concerned with the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illness. psychology (noun): the branch of science that deals with the mind as an entity and in its relationship to the body and to the environmental or social context. psychic (noun): a person with psychic abilities; (adjective): appearing to have psychical powers, especially of telepathy or clairvoyance. psycho (noun): any person exhibiting odd or deranged behavior, especially when violent or hostile. psychoanalysis (noun): a therapeutic method, originated by Sigmund Freud, for treating mental disorders by investigating the interaction of conscious and unconscious elements in the patients mind psychodrama (noun): a psychotherapeutic exercise in which patients act out feelings and problems in front of others; used colloquially to mean any interaction involving the expression of deep feelings. Psychodrama is also a term given to a play, film, or novel in which psychological elements are the main interest. psychokinesis (noun): the supposed phenomenon whereby physical objects are moved or affected by mental or psychic effort; telekinesis. psycholinguistics (noun): the branch of linguistics that deals with the psychological processes inherent in language acquisition and use. psychometrics (noun): the measurement of mental capacity, thought processes, aspects of personality, etc., esp. by mathematical or statistical analysis of quantitative data; the science or study of this; (also) the construction and application of psychological tests. psychopath (noun): a mentally ill person who is highly irresponsible and antisocial and also violent or aggressive. psychosis (noun): severe mental illness, characterized by loss of contact with reality. psychotic (adjective): of, relating to, or suffering from psychosis. psychotropic (adjective): of a drug or plant affecting the mind. psychopomp (noun): a mythical conductor or guide of souls to the place of the dead. One of the duties of the Greek god Hermes (Roman: Mercury) was that of psychopomp he conducted the souls of the dead to Hades. metempsychosis (noun): transmigration of the soul, passage of the soul from one body to another. Pythagoras taught metempsychosis and recommended a vegetarian diet, perhaps to avoid the possibility of eating any ancestors who might have reincarnated as animals. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Is She a "Lady" or a "Woman"?At Your DisposalPassed vs Past

Emotional health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Emotional health - Essay Example Erickson’s Eight Stages of Psycho-Social Development: States that the individual has to undergo eight stages of development, in order for them to become integrated into society (Erikson 359-396). Erickson focuses on eight stages in total; however the first five are aimed at childhood, whereas the last three are classifications of changes which take place throughout the rest of the individual’s lifetime. In summary, Erickson was concerned with the individual’s adaptation to society. Let’s now compare this to Sigmund Freud, and his approach, which is centered towards the individual’s adaptation to their own psychic sphere. According to Freud, the young child first develops an oral fixation, whereby as a baby and then toddler, everything goes into the mouth. They then move onto the anal stage, during toilet training, and finally at around five to seven years of age they undergo what is known as the Oedipus complex, whereby the boy fears castration, at the hands of their father, for lusting after the mother; and whereby the young girl accepts the reality that she has already been castrated. Either way, the phallic stage represents an acceptance of external authority, and a reordering of the individual’s psychic World, so that they become emotionally well regulated. Erickson versus Freud: Interestingly, when we compare, Freud to Erickson, we can clearly see that both theorists are attempting to explain the emotional developmental stages of the individual, and that for Erickson the focus is on adaptation to external challenges; whereas with Freud the focus is upon internal adaptation within the psychic reality of the individual, to the external reality which faces them. While the focus might be slightly different, the inference is the same, that a healthy individual has to come to terms with the society, in which

The Humanistic Theory of Carl Rogers Research Paper

The Humanistic Theory of Carl Rogers - Research Paper Example Both Maslow and Rogers believed that feelings and emotions should be a part of education, identifying two different types of learning namely cognitive and experience. Cognitive involves memorization, acquisition of vocabulary, formulas, and the like while experience is the application as a result of learning. With his extensive experience as a psychotherapist, Rogers applied the concept of humanistic approach in the education process and developed the method of teaching central to the learner. Along with this line, he formulated a hypothesis that a person can facilitate another person’s learning but cannot directly teach another individual. This point to the importance of what the student does but not that of a teacher. Another hypothesis of the theory is the relevancy of the learning to the students wherein the student only learns things which enhances the self. Rogers also identified that the learning environment should be free of threats but rather friendly teaching environ ment for learning to take place (Zimring, 1999). Today, the humanistic theory is used in the different educational settings to include adult learning and training and is found to be successful. However, in situations where its application becomes a failure, the attitude of the administrators and teachers interfere with its effectiveness. Description of Humanistic Theory Carl Rogers learning theory considers several elements in learning. One is the relevance of the education to the learner. In the excerpt from the study conducted by Blanton (1998), she found out that students are motivated to learn if they know the learning activity benefits them. Students who understand the purpose of any educational activity learns better and could retain the information. Comparatively, students who do not find teaching related to their purpose are not motivated to go on with their studies. Relevance is very important in adult learning because their intention of pursuing their education is towards self-actualization either in their work or for personal enhancement of their knowledge and skill. The capability to learn however has to be supported with the provision of the right environment if the person is to bring out his full potentials. The humanistic theory also identified the involvement of feelings, ideas, and intention to come into play. This element points that the individual has to be taught including all factors influencing learning and not only a part of it. With this, the traditional teacher-centered style of teaching is shifted to the learner for him to be involved in his learning process to acquire the first-hand experience. To humanistic view, this is more significant than the mastery of academic contents since the learner will not only benefit at the present but uses the acquired and retained knowledge and skill in the future. This theory also focuses on learning which is self-initiated to achieve personal fulfillment. The student has to develop the ability to t ake charge of his learning without relying so much on others to him what he needs to know every time. Students have to take upon themselves the responsibility to look for information and learn it.