Deception Point Page 27

The gaping hole in the ice now looked like a small swimming pool in the middle of the habisphere. The surface of the two-hundred-foot-deep pool of melted water sloshed for a while against the icy walls of the shaft and then finally grew calm. The waterline in the shaft was a good four feet beneath the glacier's surface, the discrepancy caused by both the removal of the meteorite's mass and ice's property of shrinking as it melts. Norah Mangor immediately set up SHABA pylons all around the hole. Although the hole was clearly visible, any curious soul who ventured too close and accidentally slipped in would be in dire jeopardy. The walls of the shaft were solid ice, with no footholds, and climbing out unassisted would be impossible. Lawrence Ekstrom came padding across the ice toward them. He moved directly to Norah Mangor and shook her hand firmly. â€Å"Well done, Dr. Mangor.† â€Å"I'll expect lots of praise in print,† Norah replied. â€Å"You'll get it.† The administrator turned now to Rachel. He looked happier, relieved. â€Å"So, Ms. Sexton, is the professional skeptic convinced?† Rachel couldn't help but smile. â€Å"Stunned is more like it.† â€Å"Good. Then follow me.† Rachel followed the administrator across the habisphere to a large metal box that resembled an industrial shipping container. The box was painted with military camouflage patterns and stenciled letters: P-S-C. â€Å"You'll call the President from in here,† Ekstrom said. Portable Secure Comm, Rachel thought. These mobile communications booths were standard battlefield installations, although Rachel had never expected to see one used as part of a peacetime NASA mission. Then again, Administrator Ekstrom's background was the Pentagon, so he certainly had access to toys like this. From the stern faces on the two armed guards watching over the PSC, Rachel got the distinct impression that contact with the outside world was made only with express consent from Administrator Ekstrom. Looks like I'm not the only one who is off-the-grid. Ekstrom spoke briefly with one of the guards outside the trailer and then returned to Rachel. â€Å"Good luck,† he said. Then he left. A guard rapped on the trailer door, and it opened from within. A technician emerged and motioned for Rachel to enter. She followed him in. The inside of the PSC was dark and stuffy. In the bluish glow of the lone computer monitor, Rachel could make out racks of telephone gear, radios, and satellite telecommunications devices. She already felt claustrophobic. The air inside was bitter, like a basement in winter. â€Å"Sit here, please, Ms. Sexton.† The technician produced a rolling stool and positioned Rachel in front of a flat-screen monitor. He arranged a microphone in front of her and placed a bulky pair of AKG headphones on her head. Checking a logbook of encryption passwords, the technician typed a long series of keys on a nearby device. A timer materialized on the screen in front of Rachel. 00:60 SECONDS The technician gave a satisfied nod as the timer began to count down. â€Å"One minute until connection.† He turned and left, slamming the door behind him. Rachel could hear the bolt lock outside. Great. As she waited in the dark, watching the sixty-second clock slowly count down, she realized that this was the first moment of privacy she'd had since early that morning. She'd woken up today without the slightest inkling of what lay ahead. Extraterrestrial life. As of today, the most popular modern myth of all time was no longer a myth. Rachel was just now starting to sense how truly devastating this meteorite would be to her father's campaign. Although NASA funding had no business being on a political par with abortion rights, welfare, and health care, her father had made it an issue. Now it was going to blow up in his face. Within hours, Americans would feel the thrill of a NASA triumph all over again. There would be teary-eyed dreamers. Slack-jawed scientists. Children's imaginations running free. Issues of dollars and cents would fade away as petty, overshadowed by this monumental moment. The President would emerge like a phoenix, transforming himself into a hero, while in the midst of the celebration, the businesslike senator would suddenly appear small-minded, a penny-pinching Scrooge with no American sense of adventure. The computer beeped, and Rachel glanced up. 00:05 SECONDS The screen in front of her flickered suddenly, and a blurry image of the White House seal materialized on-screen. After a moment, the image dissolved into the face of President Herney. â€Å"Hello, Rachel,† he said, a mischievous glint in his eye. â€Å"I trust you've had an interesting afternoon?† 29 The office of Senator Sedgewick Sexton was located in the Philip A. Hart Senate Office Building on C Street to the northeast of the Capitol. The building was a neo-modern grid of white rectangles that critics claimed looked more like a prison than an office building. Many who worked there felt the same. On the third floor, Gabrielle Ashe's long legs paced briskly back and forth in front of her computer terminal. On the screen was a new e-mail message. She was not sure what to make of it. The first two lines read: SEDGEWICK WAS IMPRESSIVE ON CNN. I HAVE MORE INFORMATION FOR YOU. Gabrielle had been receiving messages like this for the last couple of weeks. The return address was bogus, although she'd been able to track it to a â€Å"whitehouse.gov† domain. It seemed her mysterious informant was a White House insider, and whoever it was had become Gabrielle's source for all kinds of valuable political information recently, including the news of a covert meeting between the NASA administrator and the President. Gabrielle had been leery of the e-mails at first, but when she checked out the tips, she was amazed to find the information consistently accurate and helpful-classified information on NASA overexpenditures, costly upcoming missions, data showing that NASA's search for extraterrestrial life was grossly overfunded and pathetically unproductive, even internal opinion polls warning that NASA was the issue turning voters away from the President. To enhance her perceived value to the senator, Gabrielle had not informed him she was receiving unsolicited e-mail help from inside the White House. Instead, she simply passed the information to him as coming from â€Å"one of her sources.† Sexton was always appreciative and seemed to know better than to ask who her source was. She could tell he suspected Gabrielle was doing sexual favors. Troublingly, it didn't seem to bother him in the least. Gabrielle stopped pacing and looked again at the newly arrived message. The connotations of all the e-mails were clear: Someone inside the White House wanted Senator Sexton to win this election and was helping him do it by aiding his attack against NASA. But who? And why? A rat from a sinking ship, Gabrielle decided. In Washington it was not at all uncommon for a White House employee, fearing his President was about to be ousted from office, to offer quiet favors to the apparent successor in hopes of securing power or another position after the changeover. It seemed someone smelled Sexton victory and was buying stock early. The message currently on Gabrielle's screen made her nervous. It was like none other she had ever received. The first two lines didn't bother her so much. It was the last two: EAST APPOINTMENT GATE, 4:30 P.M. COME ALONE. Her informant had never before asked to meet in person. Even so, Gabrielle would have expected a more subtle location for a face-to-face meeting. East Appointment Gate? Only one East Appointment Gate existed in Washington, as far as she knew. Outside the White House? Is this some kind of joke? Gabrielle knew she could not respond via e-mail; her messages were always bounced back as undeliverable. Her correspondent's account was anonymous. Not surprising.

Patients Dealing with Poverty Essay

Poverty affects almost half the world. Over three billion people live on less than $2.50 a day (Global Issues). The United States, one of the wealthiest nations in the world, accounts for almost 12% of these statistics. In addition to these people, another 50 million are â€Å"near poverty† level. Even more alarming, according to the 1999 Census Bureau, over 16% of all children in the United States live in poverty verse the recorded 12% of adults (Yahoo Health). I chose to write about people living with poverty because God has really placed the issue on my heart this year. Last May, my father lost his job and became homeless. I am happy to say he is now employed and looking for housing. After seeing the effects of poverty first hand, I have felt tremendously compelled to reach out to those in need. I have applied for an Episcopal Urban Intern Program through AmeriCorps and if I am accepted, I will be working with them starting in August. God has really blessed me with a heart of compassion and understanding, and I want to use that gift to serve others to the best of my ability. Poverty is a global issue that affects every corner of our world. There are an endless amount of people suffering in every county and many issues to be discussed. Because there are so many people affected worldwide, I am only going to focus on the effects in the United States for this essay. So, what is poverty? Poverty can be defined in several different ways. According to the US Census Bureau, poverty is measured in numbers. Any person living on a yearly income of $11,136 or under (add $2,820 for each additional person in the household) is considered to be in poverty (US Census 2010). However, the social definition of poverty is any person living with a lack of essential items such as food, clothing, water, and shelter (Think Quest). Minority racial and ethnic groups are much more likely to live in poverty. Also, poverty is much more prevalent in single, female-headed households (Yahoo Health). It is extremely important to be educated about the kinds of people living in poverty, especially if you are a healthcare worker, because the effects of their financial status greatly impact their well-being. Individuals living at or near poverty level suffer a variety of chronic ailments. They often have no health insurance so they rely on emergency rooms for care and often do not fill their prescriptions. They frequently postpone getting medical care due to lack of insurance and also have shorter life spans (Society of Teachers of Family Medicine). For every small decrease in income we see a significant decrease in health outcome. Another big concern of poverty-level individuals is that they are more likely to smoke and to live sedentary lifestyles (Hope Through Healing Hands). In a study done in year 2000, researchers found that more than one third of people living in poverty had a drug or alco hol problem. Also, more than half (56%) of those studied reported not having enough to eat at sometime in the last year (Society of Teachers of Family Medicine). Lack of nutrition, for any period of time, can cause detrimental effects on the body such as weight loss, bone deterioration, and even death (Merck Manuals). Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety were also very prevalent in this study of poverty-stricken people. Something very interesting to me about this study is that in response to interview questions about issues in daily life, personal health and/or access to health care services were the third most commonly cited concerns (employment and housing were the top two concerns). Among these health concerns, costs and health insurance coverage were the biggest issues raised. Nearly half of Americans whose incomes are below 150% of the poverty level are without insurance coverage. In contrast, only about 40% of those with incomes below 100% of the poverty level are without health insurance (Society of Teachers of Family Medicine). This is due to the target income range of government programs. Federal and state programs (such as Medicaid) help tremendously with insuring those at poverty level. However, there are many others considered the â€Å"working poor† who do not qualify for these programs. These people all too often have to choose between paying for meals and paying for health care. Those living in poverty that do have health insurance from government programs often have very limited coverage. Prescription medications and medical supplies (such as eyeglasses) are often not included. Healthcare professionals often mistake those in poverty, especially those between the 150% – 200% level range, as non-compliant patients (Society of Teachers of Family Medicine). Because people living in poverty often do not come in for preventative care, do not fill prescriptions, and fail to adhere to other recommendations, they can easily be mistaken for â€Å"bad patients.† It is a common misconception that they are ignorant to the importance of health care. It is imperative to understand that these individuals are doing the best they can with the finances and resources they have available. The main solution to health care problems those living in poverty face is a change to our health care system. Coverage needs to be available to all members of society for all health needs. As healthcare workers, we are not all called to be change agents in the world for this cause. However, we can educate ourselves to better understand poverty so we can deal effectively with those patients experiencing it. Americans almost always seem to be informed of poverty in under-developed countries. They also seem to be well-aware that poverty causes poor health. Still, many in the U.S. remain unaware that this problem exists in our country as well (Hope Through Healing Hands). Healthcare providers can communicate effectively with poverty-stricken individuals by showing a genuine desire to assist and serve them. Developing a sense of empathy, not sympathy, for the person shows that you care for them rather than feel bad for them. It is important to understand that these individuals’ sense of time occurs only in the present. They rarely think of the future or what effects their present actions might have on them later in life (TFC Association). They live for today because that is all they have. It is best to project kindness to these individuals, as with any group of people. Another very effective tool for helping those living in poverty is providing resources. Researching free or low-cost programs in your community and sharing them with these patients is a great way to help. Using appropriate humor is also a great way to lighten the mood and bring a smile to someone’s face that may be experiencing financial hardships (TFC Association). There are so many problems poverty brings upon an individual. Living with this burden can truly effect a person is so many ways. As a healthcare worker there is only so much we can do to assist people at these low-income levels. Although we can not provide a means for them financially or fix the living situation they are in, it is important to understand the impact we can have just by being compassionate. If you work in an office with ignorance to this issue, it is vital to inform those around you about the effects of poverty on health care. Before jumping to conclusions about a patient who is non-compliant, you may want to ask questions to find out if it is due to poverty. The key is to treat them with dignity and respect, regardless of their social status, and you really will make a difference. Works Cited 1. â€Å"Poverty Facts and Stats — Global Issues.† Global Issues : Social, Political, Economic and Environmental Issues That Affect Us All — Global Issues. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. . 2. â€Å"Poverty.† Yahoo! Health. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. . 3. â€Å"Poverty Data – Poverty Threshholds – U.S Census Bureau.† Census Bureau Home Page. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. . 4. â€Å"Finding Solutions to Poverty.† A Dollar a Day: What Is Poverty? Web. 24 Mar. 2011. . 5. â€Å"Understanding the Culture of Poverty.† Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. . 6. â€Å"Poverty and Healthcare: Fatefully Linked.† Hope Through Healing Hands. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. . 7. â€Å"Undernutrition: Disorders of Nutrition and Metabolism: Merck Manual Home Edition.† Merck & Co., Inc. Is a Global Research-driven Pharmaceutical Products Company. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. . 8. â€Å"Health Needs of People Living Below Poverty Level.† Transplant Fi nancial Coordinators. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. .

Transformational Writing

Transformational Writing The men Jerked to the floor, all social barriers destroyed by the capricious nature of death. Privates and Generals alike squirmed in the filth, their searching hands smothering soft pink flesh, fearing the deathly burrow of a bullet. Jack flopped, limp like a fish. His face buried itself into the dirt and broke the dry crust his chin tunnelling into the sticky layer below, gaping like an open wound. He heard the ration party strike the floor their contents spilling out into the mud.He heard a rasping moan escape Evans' lips, his shoulder thumping the fire step awkwardly. He heard the cries of men and the guffaw of a crow, mocking the senseless carnage. And then silence. The dominoes had fallen. Jack wrapped his hands around his head, nuzzling his face into the mud as a baby would a bosom seeking the protection of thick underground earthy walls and for a moment he forgot about the war, he forgot about Evans and Shaw and Weir and instead he was sat at home wit h Margaret, chair pulled up by Johns bed, drinking in his sons face running his hands through his wispy hair.The promise he had made Margaret echoed in his mind, her mature features thick with concern glazed over im, â€Å"l am going t' surivive this bloody war, I'm gonna go home and look after my wife and we're gonna grow old together and on sundays we'll visit Johns grave and†¦ † He remembered the misplaced Sandbags. Gingergly he raised his head, others were stirring around him.Weirs broken body lay sprawled in the filth, his arms splaying at odd angles, dirt swimming into his open mouth, infecting every pore. â€Å"Sir! † Jack hissed, â€Å"Its 0k, the boche missed. † No reply. â€Å"Sir! † No reply. Now on his feet, Jack edged his way towards Weir, commando style in he dirt, his eyes flashing nervously towards the missing sandbags. â€Å"Weir! † mud splattered his face, his elbows working with vigour.Blood pumped from the exit wound in the back of Weirs' head, saturating his neck and tunic. His soft cap lay forgotten in the dirt, blown off the balding head. Jack moaned. Cradling his captains' body in his arms he called for help, â€Å"Someone get me a medic, he must have fallen unconcious! † Evans', Fielding and Jones gazed at the pair with a sorrowful expression. â€Å"Its Just a scratch! † Jack cried in answer to the now congealing blood, â€Å"Just a scratch! † By bighame

Managing A Law Firm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Managing A Law Firm - Essay Example Strategically located: Most of the time, the structure, location, and appearance of the office makes a lasting impression on potential clients. The law firm should consider the appearance as not â€Å"too intimidating† to clients. It should have a cozy but professional atmosphere which would be inviting and stimulating to conduct business transactions. Appropriately promoted: Several marketing strategies to promote law firms are easily available depending on the budget and the objectives of the firm. The build a good image, the following marketing strategies could be of assistance: â€Å"a. Identification of the firm name and that the firm is a "full service" law firm. b. Publication of articles both in legal and trade magazines. c. Participation by attorneys in positions of authority and leadership in civic, social and religious organizations and bar associations. d. Develop firm stability, public concern, and a sense of paying "civic rent" by financially supporting, or offe ring pro bono services to, worthy community activities as a firm, where appropriate. e. Each member of the firm was sensitized to become increasingly aware of the use of the media. f. Institutionalizing the name of the firm by use of stationery that increases the emphasis on the name and changes the emphasis of listing individual attorney's names by seniority. In the age of technological developments, the internet is suggested as an innovative marketing tool to promote the image of the law firm to a wide range of potential clientele.

Stereotypes in Gertrude Stein's Three Lives Essay

Stereotypes in Gertrude Stein's Three Lives - Essay Example Hejinian’s says that Stein’s â€Å"dependency on names (nouns) tends to obscure experience by replacing what we experience with a reestablished concept.† This concept has been seen through Stein’s repetition throughout the novel. It is through the repetition of these norms, prejudices, and racism that Stein brings forth the absurdity of what the lower class and women are expected to be. The columniation of all these women in death shows that they all lead a life of suffering and pain despite being good, and that maybe norms should be reconsidered. In Melanctha we see how Dr. Campbell continues to have the same conversation with Melanctha over and over and through his repetition we see a dependency on adjectives and how they are subjective. Dr. Campbell continually uses the term â€Å"excited† to show how he expects colored people to act. He doesn’t feel that colored people should be acting all excited. His expectation of how colored people an d the lower class should behave is seen when he says, â€Å"I certainly do like everything to be good and quiet, and I certainly do think that it is the best way for us colored people.† This stereotype can be generalized to how all the lower class and middle class should act. ... For example, Dr, Campbell originally thinks that Melanctha is not good but thinks that Rose is good even though she is an alcoholic. He relates being good with not being excited but Rose gets excited from drinking. Therefore, he doesn’t really understand these norms that he is trying to follow, and the repetition of this word â€Å"excited† that he is not really sure about coincides with the fact that the reader should question norms because they don’t make sense and people often contradict themselves just as Dr. Campbell does. Other than the use of repetition, another way that the novel challenges stereotypes is by representing them in a realist perspective. It’s not trying to paint an idealistic picture of how life is at the time. Rather it is painting a very real picture of everyday life for three women. This picture is of their mundane everyday life. A major stereotype during the times of this novel (and even now) is that women should be responsible fo r taking care of the home and stay in shape. In the story of The Good Anna we see this stereotype is represented and talked about in a very realist way. The stereotype is strengthened by the good Anna believing that this is how it must be done, â€Å"A girl was a girl and should act always like a girl, both as to give all respect and as to what she had to eat.† There is a repetition throughout this story of the â€Å"right way for a girl to do.† Here the author plays on our preconceived idea about what is right for a girl and makes us question this stereotype not by idealizing it or playing it down, but by showing it to us in the light of what is really is. One can see that Stein, in her novellas, reproduces the typical feminine roles which are assigned to them by the

Restaurant With A Difference Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Restaurant With A Difference Case Study - Essay Example The presence of combination of thoughts of both is necessary in the strategies they adopt for implementing in their restaurant business. Any business including restaurant depends on finding the fact that customer really wants. In that sense, Mark is correct and he devised a way to know what most of the customers like to have. Gross. T. Scott cites Tom Peters' MBWA (management by walking) that helps in finding out what customers want. Mark's proposal is a combination of both technology and walking to the customers that is followed by a system that finds out the most favored dish by the customer. (Gross, T. Scott, 2004) However, a strategy is necessary with the proposal of Mark as Restaurant business involves innumerous number of food service operations. There is still market for a new comer with innovative ideas in food-service business. The strategies regarding Restaurant business of Mark and Jenny will help in keeping in view the changing lifestyles and driving the surge in food service business. However, the strategy regarding serving the fresh food is absent in the idea of Mark and they have to include that aspect into the strategy of their restaurant business. In addition to serving on cite, the restaurant has to find more methods to sell the food that needs no dishes to wash if used at home. This needs new packaging techniques for the food that is sold as a parcel. This is keeping view the fact that the singles, working parents and elderly demand a greater convenience in buying their meals and are turning to operations that provide that convenience. Therefore, the operations of restaurant bu siness of Mark and Jenny should include innovative food service and packaging procedures. One more aspect that needs attention in the strategy is planning as lack of planning may result in losses in I year of the initiation of the business. The important aspects in the strategy of the restaurant business are quality food, good service and great people to serve. The strategies should keep in view the diners you can satisfy. In this aspect, Mark is right and Jenny is little bit pessimistic. As no body can please everybody, the important aspect in the strategy of a new restaurant business is to find out the real percentage of the customers you can attract and the percentage of the market you can capture. When you are targeting on casual food customers, you may not be perfect in attracting formal customers. So, one has to keep in view the type of customers and percentage of market they are going to target. (Lynn, Jacquelyn, 2001) Human Resources Any successful entrepreneurs in Hotel/Restaurant Business have to embrace key principles to determine the customer's expectation and in that sense, Mark's approach and idea is up to the mark. The Human Resources should maintain quality initiative. The strategies depend on initiatives. The appropriate management, business balance, performance challenges are the aspects that need consideration while framing Human Resource strategies. The HR strategies should include the employee encouragement techniques that can increase the quality that employees offer (D'Annunzio-Green, Norma (Editor), 2002). Technology Necessary for Restaurant The foremost technology that is necessary for every business is

Art history response paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Art history response paper - Essay Example The work of the sculptor is usually aided by nature while the painter requires knowledge of how shadows may affect their work. Greater mental analysis and skills are therefore required of painters. The sculptor deals with shapes while the painter deals with the transparent objects. Varchi’s inquiry led to various opinions from different artists. According to Bronzino, both the painters and the sculptors require different types of skills. The sculptors have to be more accurate when it comes to measurements as they cannot cheat on the aspects of measurements. According to Messer Benedetto, painting is nobler as compared to sculpture. Other artists who are in the view that painting is more noble than sculpture includes Pino although Michelangelo disputes the argument that painting is more noble than sculpture since its requires a lot of skills and intellectual efforts. The dialogue between Lauro and Fabio has also been unable to come up with clear answers regarding painting and sculpture. The arguments that have been presented in the article indicate that both painting and sculpture have different unique features. Different skills are required in order for one to become a painter and a sculptor. A lot of intellectual skills are required during the painting as one has to come up with paintings that will be acceptable to the audience. On the other hand, a lot of manual efforts are required when developing a sculpture. This is considering that some of the sculptures are quite huge. A part from the manual efforts, expertise is required in order to ensure that the sculpture does not fall apart during display. However, despite the differences in the requirements, I think that painting is nobler as compared to sculpture. The painters have to be creative and innovative in order to satisfy the audience. On the other hand, the painters are supposed to have knowledge on different elements of art and design

There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so Term Paper

There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so - Term Paper Example have heard a lot of medical professionals who talks about the positive effects of meditation therapy or counseling over the health progress of a sick person. Upon reflecting what these people are trying to convey, I have realized that it is by having a positive attitude and outlook in life that enables a sick person to easily recover from his/her illnesses as compared to another person who has developed a negative outlook in life. There are many situations that can prove that there is neither good nor bad and that the way we think makes something good or bad. We have always been told that cigarette smoking could lead to the development of cancer. Despite all the scientific evidences that can prove this idea right, we can still find a lot of medical practitioners who are chain smokers. Is it really difficult to quit smoking? Is cigarette smoking the only way to control work-related stress? Of course, we all know that the answer is â€Å"NO†. Have you ever wondered why most of these medical professionals find it very difficult for them to quit smoking whereas there are some people without medical background who could easily resist the temptation of smoking? If cigarette smoking is really addicting, how come there are some people who smoke but can anytime control their mind and convince themselves not to smoke? It is given that each person is subject to either internal and/or environmental stressor. Although stressor is always present in our daily life, each individual has their own strategy on how they choose to manage stress. In the book entitled â€Å"Psychology Applied to Modern Life: Adjustment in the 21st Century†, it was mentioned that mediation as a form of therapy is effective in terms of converting negative emotions such as the feeling of stress into a positive one (Weiten, Lloyd, Dunn, & Hammer, 2009, p. 130). This explanation mentioned in the book clearly suggests that it is how a person thinks that makes something either good or bad. Perhaps, some of

Public behavior change message Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Public behavior change message - Research Paper Example Some of these attempts encourage behavior change while others do not. This entirely depends not only on the content but also on the skills in these messages (Browning & Thomas, 2005). Some of The behaviors are encouraged if constructed in terms of their benefits versus their costs. Other people respond to a message when individualized orshaped in a personal process. Communicating behavior change is different from any other instruction method because it targets groups in the community. The strategy used to communicate behavior varies from one group to another. It is reasonable to consider issues like vulnerability, resources message type when communicating behavior to certain groups. It is crucial to have an extensive research and a clear plan for successful communication of behavior change in a community. Various health problems are caused by risk behaviors such as reckless driving, drug abuse and overreacting. Health behavior research helps to modify and maintain positive health behaviors. Therefore, individuals should put an effort to maintain positive behavior change by self-regulation. Many behavior change programs have been established that focus on individuals and the community. Communicating behavior change is a good strategy for dealing with many problems in a community. It is an effective strategy for mobilizing the community on public health outreach programs (Browning & Thomas, 2005). Improved knowledge on behavior change has reduced transmission of HIV/AIDS in the community. Various health-promoting strategies use the communication as an educative method to the society. High-risk groups such as women, drugs abusers and youth need communication strategies. This article discusses strategies that mass media use in promoting beneficial behavior change among individuals. Mass media can be used to influence public behavior directly or indirectly. This is through directly targeting people suffering from public

Video game console and Pg Essay Example for Free

Video game console and Pg Essay The Attractiveness of the Console Video Game Industry (Porter 5 Forces) Suppliers (Medium to Low) Suppliers include Foxconn Precision Components, IBM etc. for chip manufacturing, product assembly, video game creators, and content providers. Each supplier would provide a small piece of the complete product and as such bargaining power would be low (pg. 282). Buyers (Low) Buyers consisted of various retailers that carry the product and would vary in bargaining strength depending on their size. From the sheer number of retailers that carry the product along with the global presence of the major competitors in the industry there is no single retailer in a position to exert any significant level of power. Substitute Products (Medium) Direct substitutes for the console video game industry are personal computers, arcade machines, and handheld game devices which vie for consumer spending (pg. 279). These substitutes are near in cost and provide no switching costs aside from their price. Combined with the presence of a large number of near substitutes vying for entertainment expenditures there is a threat from substitute products. Threat of New Entrants (Low) Large capital investments, distribution channels, technological complexities and other critical factors within the game console industry would be barriers for new entrants. Also the creation of an assortment of games and accessories would bring down the threat of new entrants even further as this would be a huge obstacle to overcome. Rivalry among Competing Sellers (High) Rivalry within the video game console industry would be high. Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo would â€Å"battle for market supremacy† (pg. 275). This battle would weaken differentiation by competitors developing products that were technologically superior and more powerful than the offering of rivals (pg. 283). This benchmarking lead to price wars by competitors squeezing profit margins and limiting market share gains (pg. 281). Conclusion With the recession making 2009 sales decline to $382. 6 million from $617. 3 million in 2008 (pg.283) and with the overall assessment of the five forces the video game console industry would not be attractive. This accompanied by the high risk technological complexities and the increased intensity of competition the industry would be considerably unappealing. Success in the Game Console Manufacturing Industry The 3 – 4 critical success factors are: 1. 2. 3. 4. Advancement in Technology Price and Strategy Research and Development Quality and Innovation of Gaming Accessories (ex. Games, remotes, etc. ) a) Distinctive Resources/Capabilities Leverage by Nintendo: 1. Differentiating the User Interface and Remote Value There is a high value in Nintendo’s ability to differentiate its product offering in comparison to Microsoft and Sony as it allows Nintendo to appeal to a new market segment which included people who did not generally play video games (pg. 281). This value is best shown with Nintendo’s dominance in unit sales for 2009 (exhibit 4, 5, and 6). Rarity The user interface and remote was rare as Nintendo was the first to bring together a Bluetoothactivated wireless controller which provided gamers with a wide range of motion capabilities (pg. 280). This new ability harnessed by Nintendo allowed users, â€Å"to physically interact with the virtual world, significantly changing the experience of video gaming (pg. Pg. 280). † Imitability Patent protection would protect this technology from being duplicated, but the remote capability and interface could be substituted by competitors. In fact, Microsoft and Sony had announced intentions to create a variety of ways for their consumers to interact with games on their systems (pg. 287). (Temporary Competitive Advantage) 2. Marketing Strategy Innovation Value (Temporary Competitive Advantage) This is of high value as it would allow Nintendo to appeal to a larger market and create an infinite possibility for profitable growth (pg. 281). Also, since this new segment did not require technological complexities and hyper realistic graphics (pg. 281) Nintendo was able to cut down drastically on costs and have a profit margin of an estimated $50US per unit where Sony took a loss of around $250US per unit sold (pg. 284). Rarity This was rare as Nintendo was attempting to target new customers rather than fighting with competitors for old ones (pg. 283). Its overall rarity would be explained by Brian O’Rourke as he states, â€Å"Microsoft and Sony spend a lot of time developing cutting edge technology. Nintendo is not a technology company it is a toy company. It is not interested in bleeding edge electronics and graphics (pg. 284). † Imitability This marketing strategy could be duplicated by Sony or Microsoft. This is possible by the competing firms leveraging into new ways for its consumers to interact with its consoles as both companies have shown intentions to pursue the casual gamer market (pg. 287). Organization for both Resources Nintendo was able to leverage these capabilities by bringing together the company’s research, innovation, technology and functionality (pg. 280). The organization was also able to leverage its success within the DS, and interactive games like Duck Hunt and Track and Field (pg. 281) while focusing on differentiating. b) Resources and Capabilities Leveraged by the Competition: Sony Technology and Innovation Value There is great value in developing faster and more advanced consoles. As this allows Sony to secure consumer interest and market share by being able to provide a more realistic gaming experience (pg.275). Rarity A focus in technological development is fairly unique although it is a capability pursued by two of the three main competitors in the industry: Sony and Microsoft, and so is not very rare. (pg. 275) Imitability The development of technology would be made easier by the experience that Sony had in the research and development of earlier models. This would create time compression diseconomies as competitors attempt to develop similar advancements. (Temporary Competitive Advantage) Microsoft Building a Successful Community with Xbox Live (Temporary Competitive Advantage) Value This was valuable as Xbox utilized various PC features. These features included a broadband connection and memory storage which connected Xbox players all over the world (pg. 283). The value to the consumer was the online voice chat, opportunity to download new video game content, and the ability to play multiplayer games over broadband (pg. 286). Rarity Neither Sony nor Nintendo had an established online gaming community. In fact, this was one of Microsoft’s biggest differentiating factors to its competitor’s (pg. 285). Although it had been tried before this would still be considered rare as currently within the marketplace no other competitor had the capability. Imitability The idea was imitable as it could be substituted. Xbox themselves substituted Dream casts online initiatives with Xbox Live. The advantage Xbox had was the ability to leverage advances in both technology and social trends (pg. 283). However it would not be able to be duplicated do to patent and copy right laws. Is This a Blue Ocean Strategy Yes this is a blue ocean strategy as Nintendo was able to give players the ability to physically interact with a virtual world, thus changing Nintendo’s direction to an undetected marketplace. This change was more compelling to consumers who had never considered buying video game consoles before (pg. 280). In fact, Nintendo was able to simplify its consoles design and focus less on hyper realistic graphics saving money and also attracting individuals who didn’t ordinarily play video games (pg. 281). Even the name Wii was created to emphasize that this console â€Å"was for everyone,† which went into a completely different direction then current industry rivals (pg. 281). This strategy moved Nintendo into a larger and more diverse market while giving them a large increase in sales and in profit margins. Marking Scheme 5 FORCES: 28/30 Overall this section is extremely well done. The analysis is clear, succinct and supported. VRIO: 30/35 For the most part the analysis is well done, organized, clear and supported. For Nintendo’s inimitability consider issues like time compression, path dependence and first mover advantages. I’m not sure if it is a clarity issue or requires further explanation as the features you have mentioned for the Xbox are for the most part offered by the Playstation 3.There is a possible rarity argument though. Well Done. BLUE OCEAN: 10/10 This section was extremely well explained. MECHANICS: 23/25 There is minimal writing issues present. For example, â€Å"The user interface and remote was rare as Nintendo was the first to bring together a Bluetooth-activated wireless controller which provided gamers with a wide range of motion capabilities (pg. 280). † Change to â€Å"were† as the plural version should be used after the compound subject. Overall an outstanding job! TOTAL: 91/100.

Low cost strategy and differentiation strategy on HR

Low cost strategy and differentiation strategy on HR Executive Summary: The report will develop key points using the Porter competitive model as a guide. It will describe low cost strategy and differentiation strategy and its impact in key HR function such as HR planning, recruitment and selection, orientation, training and development, career planning, performance management, compensation management, Health and safety and International Operations. Theory description: Michael Porter made a major contribution to the field of strategic management by grouping the different positions organizations can compete in five competitive strategies. Porters business strategy concentrates itself with the product and the market scope. The importance of gaining a competitive advantage is extreme in the economy and it grows out from the value an organization is able to for their consumer that exceeds the firms cost of creating it.  [1]   The five forces govern the profit structure of an industry by determining how the economic value it creates is apportioned. That value may be drained away through the rivalry among existing competitors, of course, but it can also be bargained away through the power of suppliers or the power of customers or be constrained by the threat of new entrants or the threat of substitutes. Strategy can be viewed as building defenses against the competitive forces or as finding a position in an industry where the forces are weaker. Changes in the strength of the forces signal changes in the competitive landscape critical to ongoing strategy formulation.  [2]   Low-cost Provider Strategy the goal of this strategy is to provide a product or service at a price lower than that of competitors while appealing to a broad range of customers. Low cost strategy is centered on the capability of the company to produce and deliver products of competitive quality at lower costs. Cost leadership strategy is much more than cost reduction initiatives that get lot of prominence in strategic planning and review session of any company as a means to improve the bottom line of a company by improving its efficiency. Some companies use their efficient cost structures to protect their markets from the competitors by responding to competitors move of making in-roads in the market space by reducing prices. Such reactive response may make a company predominantly inward focused. Positioning low cost strategy Better way to strategically position a company on the advantage of cost is to increase market share by transforming from lowest cost producer to lowest cost supplier of products. This way the company translates its cost advantage into price advantage for its customers and thereby improves the market share. The prospect of increasing the market share provides a great opportunity for the company to leverage the economies of scale coupled with the ruthless cost cutting measures it plans to execute. More the competitive space it occupies which also means that more competitors eliminated more effective are economies of scale and as a result the costs are driven still lower. When a company is able to transform the efforts of cost reduction into cost advantage for customers the company can be said to be successfully pursuing low cost leadership strategy. Wal-Mart is one company that continuously strives to reduce costs and in the market place it has got the image of supplier of products at the lowest prices. This is how Wal-Mart captures the markets and eliminates the competitors and improves revenues and market share. Economies of scale and efficiency form the core around which Wal-Mart executes its strategy. Companies pursuing cost leadership strategy compare each and every activity along their value chain with competitors and are committed to surpass them. Innovation in such companies is focused on process improvements rather than on products .Therefore, companies pursuing cost leadership strategy target mass markets with proven products.  [3]   Differentiation strategy an organization employing this strategy seeks to differentiate its products from other competitors products in ways that will appeal to a broad range of customers.  [4]  Examples of suceesful organizations are Examples of the successful use of a differentiation strategy are Hero Honda, Asian Paints, HLL, Nike athletic shoes, Perstorp BioProducts, Apple Computer, and Mercedes-Benz automobiles. HR functions and Porters strategies: Human resources Planning can be defined as a process by which an organization ensures that it has the right number and kinds of people, at the right place, at the right time, capable of effectively and efficiently completing those tasks that will help the organization achieve its overall objectives or in other words HRP can be defined as planning for the future personnel needs of an organization, taking into account both internal activities and factors in the external environment. When adopting low cost strategy organizations the product must be perceived by consumers as comparable to the ones offered by the competition and have a price advantage. The objective is to gain market share or to earn higher profit margin, this options have direct impact in HR Planning. When analyzing the function we can observe that at entry level succession planning is minimal. Outside labor markets are monitored to satisfy entry level needs and resource to fringe workers.  [5]  On the other hand, Or ganizations that adopt a differentiation strategy the impact in HR planning, is the following the company recognizes that people are the key in gaining a competitive advantage in the market and their strategies reflect that concern. Succession management is vital in this environment is critical, employees need to possess certain competencies and skills to advance in the company, with this organizations invest in developing skills is part of the promotion policy. HR management focuses on career and training and job security and employee loyalty is very with these organizations.  [6]   Recruitment and Selection function incorporates the process to discover the sources of manpower to meet the requirements of the staffing the sources of manpower to meet the requirements of the staffing schedule and employ effective measures for attracting the manpower in adequate numbers to facilitate effective selection of an effective working force. Selection is the process of choosing the most suitable candidates from those who apply for the job. It is a process of offering jobs to desired candidates. Organizations that adopt low cost strategy focus less Recruitment and selection. It is mostly done at level entry and the pool is the surrounding labor market pool and recruitment and selection budgets are lower organizations that adopt differentiation strategies. Recruitment methods are based on mouth to mouth and on-site applications, resource to local newspapers. Career paths are narrow and positions that are not entry level are filled in house.  [7]  When adopting a differentiation strategy an organization reaffirms that human capital is key in gaining your competitive advantage it centralizes the importance of Recruitment and Selection. In this picture, the strategy reflects the need for a pool of employees with a broad range of skills and competencies. The employee that they seek is one that will need less supervision and with an innovative mind and ability to work in teams. On the other hand, the selection process involves team interviews and behaviorally based evidence of innovative performance and resources to testing may occur.  [8]   Orientation Training and Development is the field concerned with organizational activity aimed at bettering the performance of individuals and groups in organizational settings.  [9]  This concept is differs from company to company , low cost strategy will incorporate a training and development process focused on increasing the efficiency of the job, training is provide in a minimal delivery due to the skills to perform the job being lower. Investment in career development is few and the focus in acquiring new skills is non existence. If we analyze the food industry, this is the predominant rule. Employees are trained to perform a job and their trained on the basis in delivering a service. While in a differentiation organization, employees are viewed as the key for their success and investment in training and career development are higher. In organizations as Apple INC have developed training and development programs that will focus on skills and attitudes, decision making, ability to work i n teams, creative thinking, it is aimed to be a process that will incite innovation and creativity. Apples training and development can range from training the staff or employees on how to use a new piece of software, complete a form, give good customer service or write a professional letter. Training and development programs are an essential component of a learning environment that can improve the Apple Inc.s ability to attract and retain employees with the skills and competencies needed to achieve results for the benefit of the company. Training and developing new and current staff to fill up new roles and work in dissimilar ways will be a decisive part in the endeavors of the company to meet its transformation challenges. Ways that employees learn and achieve results will also continue to transform how Apple Inc. do business and engage or force the employees in further innovation and improvements in line with its objectives.  [10]   Career Planning includes the steps an individual undergoes in an organization during working period, which takes the person through the hierarchic ladder with expansion in duties and responsibilities with resultant increase in pay and status. It is a process which enables an organization to meet its current and future manpower requirement through provision of career opportunities for its employees. Planned and systematized progression of events in the field of work of Individuals during their employable periods of life.  [11]  Low cost organizations will invest little in career planning due to the fact their aim is to provide a low cost service and investing in career planning will increase their costs. Although, at the corporate level some techniques maybe visible. In a differentiation strategy organization career planning is a tool to improve employee motivation and loyalty. Methods as career development workshop, human resources planning and forecasting, succession planning, career development pathing programs and mentoring are set in place to guide employees.  [12]   Performance management is the process of creating a work environment or setting in which people are enabled to perform to the best of their abilities. Performance management is a whole work system that begins when a job is defined as needed. It ends when an employee leaves your organization.  [13]  Low strategy organizations develop performance management plans that are standard are measured by standard criteria, when executing performance reviews the feedback is immediate, specific in the form a review and accountability is implemented. Appraisals are performed by the direct supervisor not utilizing the 360 appraisal method the objective here is for promotion consideration. These plans are implemented in the food and restaurant industry where positions normally are less complex in the bottom level. As in differentiation environment like Apple INC performance management is based on long term implications of behavior, the objective is geared to implement behavior that will have long term efficient behaviors. The plan tries to encourage empowerment, diversity, and team work, innovation that will reach efficient and effective outcomes. Performance reviews are 360, evaluation is done by measuring group work in terms of objectives not defragmenting the individual effort.  [14]   Compensation Management is an important task for HR; it is complex task that is performed periodically which configures each employees compensation in order to be included in the payroll process. Organizations with low cost strategies manage their compensation strategy in order to monitor the wages offered by organizations in their market; they incorporate lower wages and fringe benefits and adopt a lag strategy by utilizing outsourcing to countries or states where wages are lower. The reduction in wages can be achieved by using part time employees, because they do not receive fringe benefits. In pay performance dimension is used to reward individual effort in low cost organizations. Companies with differentiation strategies develop their compensation strategy very carefully. Wages can be slightly below the market average, but the opportunities to increase your pay through other means are plenty for example incentive pay. By placing yourself as a differentiation focused company pay p erformance is incorporate and it depends on individual, group and corporate achievements.  [15]   Health and Safety policies are extremely important in the Canadian workplace environment. Organizations will comply with the legal requirements and will ensure employees have a safe and healthy work environment. Where organizations differ is their level of complexity of HS practices. In low cost driven organizations the investment in health and safety is used as the main goal of achieving legal compliance. Manufacturing sector gear their practices to ensure the safety requirements are met. As in a differentiation organization we see the reach to a next step by implementing employee wellness programs and use health and safety to increase their competitive advantage by positioning as going beyond the limits. International Operations Conclusion:

Subcultural Theories of Youth Offending

Subcultural Theories of Youth Offending Introduction The essay will look at historical subcultural theories and explanations which play a role in explaining youth offending behaviour. It will in particular focus on deviant and radical subcultural theories including theories from Merton and Cohen and look at ways in which these theories are still prevalent amongst contemporary society and continue to be relevant. The essay will consist of an in dept critical analysis of the arguments put forward. Browne (2000) defines a subculture as a group of people who hold their own norms, culture, ethnicity, sexuality and values. Subcultures are smaller cultures held by a group of people within a larger culture in the society of which they belong to. Crime and deviance subcultural explanations of deviance advocate that those individuals who commit deviant behaviours share similar values which are to an extent differentiated from the main values of society The dissertation will critically review the literature. It is useful to do this as it helps to identify to the validity of the literature. In carrying out a critical literature review it aids in ensuring that new research into the topic avoids the errors found in some earlier research. Aims and objectives of the dissertation will be to critically analyse literature of historical theorists well known for their work associated with early deviant subcultural theories and to explore their relevance within contemporary society and demonstrate how historical ideas differ and/or are similar with ideas from society today. Other aims and objectives include carrying out a critical analysis on the work of these theorists and of sources which information has derived from. Literature Early Radical and Deviant subcultural theories Robert Merton put forward the theory of anomie/ strains which posed of great relevance to subcultural theories in the origins of deviant subcultural theorists. The theory suggest that deviance is a means used to achieve societys goals when they cannot be achieved through legitimate means due to factors such as socio economic factors, disadvantages in education and job prospects. This can then place strain upon these individuals as they want to achieve the goals but lack the opportunity for doing so by conventional means, (Cote, 2002). Great Britain Department for Work and Pensions (2004) in their sixth annual report state that many neighbourhoods have been subject to a spiral of decline. Areas with high unemployment and crime rates attain bad reputations resulting in businesses and employers to move out and which means there is high turnover and plenty of housing which is left empty posing opportunity for crime, vandalism and drug dealing. This supports Mertons view that deviance may in actual fact be a result of deprived areas posing disadvantages on individuals. This provides strong support for Mertons theory as it has been derived from a credible government organisations findings which have been providing data for the government for six years. Cohen (1955) criticised Mertons theory however and states that it does not account for crimes which are committed for no apparent reason. He fails to address why acts of deviance may take place where they fail to provide any monetary value. Cohen believes that acts of deviance take place out of fun not out of necessity. He also believes that crime does not take place on an individual level but as a collective problem for gang members who seek audiences in order to gain status and respect. In addition Cohen (1973) states that undesirable subcultures may be used as scapegoats for the government and law officials with the aim of creating moral panic so they can be viewed as fighting off these delinquents. There have been occasions when the governments claims have been questioned. BBC (2002) talk about the government placing blame for the growth of youth crime on incompetent and violent parents. Questions however have been raised as to whether the government is evading responsibility for the increase of crime levels to parents. This can however only be a matter of raising questions as to whether or not the government exercise the use of scapegoating. Baerveldt et al (2006) used criteria from work carried out by Goode and Yehuda to carry out an investigation to prove the hypothesis that a moral panic relating to youth crime has been prevalent since the 1990s in the Netherlands. They had found that most of the criteria identified by Good and Yehuda had been met however it was unclear that the underpinning of this moral panic was solely down to beurocratic processes. There were also flaws identified with the methodology or the research and Baerveld et al felt that future research should be more comparative looking at moral local panics or comparing panics with non-panics. This suggests that the finding from this study may not be as significant as the methodology may have been flawed. The work carried out by various sociologists in The Chicago School also contributed to the origins of deviant subcultural theories. Hopkins Burke (2008) speaks of the Sociologist Ernest Burges who put forward a theory of social disorganisation in 1928. The University of Chicago Centennial Catalogues (2010) state that Burgess played a central role in research which he contributed to the Chicago School of sociology. He observed that there was a high presence of criminal behaviour in the zones of transition. He put this down to the constant expansion of the business district into these areas resulting in the displacement of residents in this area. As this was one of the most desirable zones to live in, it was an area of attraction for immigrants who were too poor to live elsewhere. Burges claimed that this resulted in the weakening of family and communities due to social patterns. Shaw and McKay state that it is neighbourhood organisation which allowed or prevented offending behaviour. They noted that parents of youths from neighbourhoods which were wealthier fulfilled their childrens needs resulting in less crime in the areas. However they stated that in the zone of transition families were strained as a result of migration, poverty and rapid urban growth. Left with little support children and young people had no social constraints placed on them therefore were more likely to seek friends in the streets of the city in search for excitement. It can be argued however that poverty does not always lead to crime as there are people who want to break the cycle of poverty and change their lives around. BBC (2005) state that the cycle of poverty (As shown in Appendix 1) is where families or communities become trapped in poverty as a result of limited resources such as education, and finance. Breaking the cycle of poverty can be demonstrated by the self made millionaire Sir Alan Sugar; his early life began by being brought up in a council estate. It can be said that in some situations being bought up in poverty may have a positive effect on some people, Barke and OHare (1991). However sometimes it may be necessary to commit crimes in order to break thee cycle of poverty. Jenks (2005) stated that The Chicago School contributed to the discovery of new and different people. Subcultural studies by The Chicago School discovered new ways of life and different sides of cities. Albert Cohen is a well known theorist for contributing to early US deviant subculture theories throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Burke (2005) talks about Cohens deviant subculture theory, which suggests that it is the family position in the social structure which determines the childs actions in later life. Cohen states that juvenile delinquents were motivated to offend in order to achieve status, with their offending serving no real purpose. He questioned acts of deviance which were non finance motivated such as vandalism. He put this down to a term which he described as status frustration. He talks about mainly working class boys who are denied of any status achievement through education which ultimately leads to failings in education and future prospects. This according to Cohen caused frustration due to the lack of goal achievement and as a result they formed delinquent subcultures in order to create new achievable goals of their own. Moreover Cohen believes they take middle class values and rebel against them. This theory replaces the emphasis that Merton placed on financial incentive for delinquent behaviour with the focus being on the achievement of status. Cohen rightly shows how deviance is a rational response to life and indicates how it can be learnt through peer groups. Moreover Cohens theory offers a good explanation for non utilitarian crimes. Cloward and Ohlin in Downes and Rock (1988) disagree with Cohen and state that he overrated the role of school and education as the cause of delinquency. Short and Strodbeck (1974) however found little evidence to support Cohens claims of rejection towards middle class values of society within gangs Cohen has also been criticised for not accounting for female deviance and emphasising too much on males. Home Office (2003) looks at the summary of cautioning rates for non-monitoring offences by sex from 1992 to 2002 (see Appendix 2). This summary shows female cautioning to be relatively low, accounting for an average of 10% up until 1996. The rate then increases by a substantial amount between 1997 up until 1999 where at one point it is the same as males. From 2000 to 2002 there is a drop in the female figures. This shows that females do also account for offending behaviours and also shows how societys situation can change over the years and therefore one single theory which applies at one stage may not be sufficient enough to apply at later stages and therefore goes against the relevance of early deviant subcultural theories with regards to contemporary society. Albert Cohen is a well known for his work with relation to sociological explanations of theories of gangs; his theories have played an important role throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Cohens work has been of high relevance throughout the decades and continues to provide foundation for contemporary society, (Kinnear, 2009). The notion of the family position being a factor in causing deviant behaviour is also supported by Albert. K. Cohen who talks about breakdown of the family controls being a casualty of gang membership, (Cohen 1955). Albert Cohens work is supported by another well know researcher, Albert. K. Cohen and therefore provides more support for Albert Cohens claim that status achievement provides a source of encouragement for gang membership. ESRC Society Today (2009) state that members of organised gangs are generally males who are from broken families and lower class backgrounds. It is said that they may join gangs as they are more likely to gain moral support from them which encourages excuses of violence and criminal activities. They also spoke about the link between social class and crime in deprived neighbourhoods. This shows how the work of Cohen is still reflected in modern day society. Smith (2007) supports this by claiming that the majority of young offenders derive from broken homes and that gangs usually consist of boys who have never been a part of an intact family. This supports the view that broken homes contribute to delinquent behaviour. This provides support for the notion that it is males who are usually involved in gangs is still consistent with modern day ideologies. Macdonald (1995) also supports the view that it is generally males who join gangs and states that males gain identity from being in a gang whereas women tend to pursue independence. Muncie (2004) discusses Cohens work further and talks about the concept of status frustration which is similar to Mertons anomie/strain theory. It states that children who are lower class feel this notion of status frustration as they feel they can not meet the same criteria as the children from the middle class so they seek groups who share similar status frustration in which they fit in better. Muncies claim demonstrates that Cohens work is still relevant to modern day researchers. This view can be supported by the work of Gold and Mann (1972) who found that it was students who achieved lower grades with the most involvement in delinquent behaviour. They also reported that these students felt threatened by academic failure which lowered their self esteem and delinquency was a factor which was identified in order to raise esteem. This link can still be found in schools. Wales News (2009) states that only 28 percent of children who were entitled to receive free school meals received 5 GCSEs graded A* to C whilst 62% of other pupils received these grades. This shows the link between social deprivation and underachievement as children who receive free school meals are receiving school meals as a result of social deprivation. This is a neo-Marxist argument in the sense that it suggests that the most powerful culture in society (middle class children who do not get free school meals) will over rule the lower class in terms of education and future prospects (children who receive free school meals). According to the Marx class theory the bourgeoisie (the capital class) are economically the dominant class, as a result of their ownership and control of means of production. Neo Marxists also claimed the bourgeoisies were politically the ruling class. The proletariat (the working class) are property-less and must work for the bourgeoisies in order to sustain a living, (Messner and Krohn, 1990). Therefore it can be said that neo-Marxist views are consistent ideologies which are evident within everyday contemporary society. Social Justice Challenge (2007) state that more than 3 in 4 of young offenders have no educational qualifications. This supports the view that the majority of delinquents lack in education and this may be the underlying factor which influences delinquency. This shows that in actual fact modern day society does project similar notions as ones identified in the 90s and therefore the changing nature of contemporary society does not invalidate theories which were established in the past completely. Cloward and Ohlin like Cohen and Matza and Skye, were known for contributing towards early deviant subcultural theories. They build on the work of the strain disorganised perspectives in their theory of differential association theory and state that delinquency was most prevalent within lower class subcultures however they take different forms. They propose three different types of deviant subcultures and state that the ability for them to develop depends on the opportunities available to them to commit deviant crimes and also the area in which they derive from (Burke, 2008). This is however based on a subjective nature and therefore may not be sufficient enough to solely rely on this theory. It can be argued that the validity of this may be supported in the sense that a number of different theorists share similar notions which have derived from the work they have carried out. In addition their view is also supported by findings from a study conducted by Elliott and Ageton (1985) who studied National samples and found that lower class youths committed four times as many offences as middle class youths and one and a half times as many as working class youths. This supports the views that delinquency is more prevalent within the lower classes. The figures of these samples however may not show the true statistics as they may not account for the dark figures of crime, which Koffman (1996) defines as crimes which have not been reported such as white collar crimes. White collar crimes are crimes which are committed by people who are educated with a high social status. These crimes are hard to detect as they are often carried out by highly intelligent individuals and can therefore be less visible than blue collar crimes which are usually committed by the working class., (Sutherland, 1945). Examples of white collar crime can be demonstrated with the recent MPs expenses scandal in 2009 which went undetected for a long period of time. Tittle (1995) argues that the impact of social class on crime is a myth. Although there may be some truth on this claim, it is of a subjective nature which is presented without any supporting findings to back it up with. Thee first of the three deviant subcultures identified is by Cloward and Ohlin was criminal gangs which are believed to emerge in areas where there are conventional and non conventional codes of behaviour with the combination of lawful and unlawful businesses. BBC (2009) report that the criminal gangs in the UK are costing the country up to  £40bn a year and about 30,000 criminals in the UK are members of organised crime gangs. They have also been described as having derived from areas which hold similar traits to those described by early subcultural theories. The second of the identified deviant subcultures was the conflict or violent gang which develop from individuals from unstable backgrounds. It is defined as grouping which develops as a result of absence of stable criminal organisation and consists of members who seek status and reputation from committing violent crimes which are often carried out as random acts of crime. Guardian (2005) talks about criminal gangs from several neighbourhoods in London who call themselves Muslim Boys in order to pretend they have links with global terrorism and to gain status by causing fear within public domain. The third of these is the retreatist gang who are individuals who retreat to sex, drugs and crime as a result of failure in successfully perusing legitimate and illegitimate opportunities. National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Centre (2004), describes gangs which are involved in similar activities and hold traits similar to the retreatist gang which Cloward and Ohlin identified. This shows that all three gangs described by Cloward and Ohlin are still prevalent in modern day society and suggests that their research may not be in dated. However it is important to remember that although the types of gangs identified still exist there may be many more different types which have formed during the years. According to Sykes and Matza (1957) delinquents drift in and out of offending. They state that this delinquent behaviour fluctuates due to the neutralisation theory which attempts to explain how deviants try to justify their deviant behaviours by explaining to themselves and others their lack of guilt. They identified five different types of rationalisations, these are, denial of responsibility, denial of injury, the denial of the victim, the condemnation of condemners and the appeal to higher loyalties. This theory attempts to explain why delinquents drift in and out of delinquency as many delinquents feel or express remorse and guilt as a result of their criminal act. Another reason for this may be because delinquents frequently show respect for law abiding citizens. Sykes and Matzas (1957) techniques of neutralisation were introduced at a time in society where there were great concerns over juvenile delinquency, this meant they had a large sample of delinquents to study as there was a large outbreak of delinquency within society at this moment in time. Post modern deviant subcultural theories Post-modernism rejects the idea that theories or meta-narratives are sufficient enough to apply to modernity. Post modern theories state that it is aspects such as fashion, image and popular culture which are most relevant. It stressed that contemporary Britain consists of diverse and fragmented social groups from different backgrounds, (Hopkins-Burke and Sunly 1998). An example of post-modern youth culture is rap music. Hopkins-Burke and Sunley (2008) state that in the 1990s gangsta rap which is a form of black music that derived from the USA became a popular phenomenon in Britain. This style of music promoted problems to stem from the white culture and carried out criminal activity as a solution to this problem. This style of music is also popular within other ethnic groups. Osgerby (2004) stated that there was a rise in gangsta rap around the 1980s and 90s which provides support for Hopkins- Burke and Sunlys theory as modernity may bring about new trends, fashion and culture which influence delinquent behaviour. The songs of gangsta rappers such as Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G were far from discreet in rapping about guns, violence and their hate for the police. Critics stated that their music could promote crime and violence within society as people looked up to them and may have seen it as a cool concept. This is also supported by the Guardian (2005) who talks about criminal gangs around London who communicate in slang, most of which had derived from black American rap music. Seifert (2009) also supports this by claiming that children absorb information like a sponge and that because of this they are likely to withdraw into a world of fantasy and misinterpretation of the violence and lifestyle portrayed in rap music. Sutherland (1937) warns of the dangers of preconditions for criminal behaviour such as motivation and attitudes which have to be learnt. This supports the views that the messages gangsta rap music promote may pose to be a detrimental threat according to Sutherlands views. Deviant subculture theories were revisited and revised by neo-Marxist sociologists and criminologists at the Birmingham Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies (BCCCS). They observed that deviant subcultures were a result of structural economic problems created by social change. The work by BCCCs was in some way similar to Merton and The Chicago School theories as they all suggest similar factors and concepts play a role in influencing deviant subcultures. The BCCCS focused on mainstream youth and delinquency and spectacular youth subcultures (Hopkins-Burke 2008) Hopkins Burke and Sunley (1988) state that early British subcultural theories focused on levels of economic activity and the structural class analysis playing a key role in explaining delinquency. A good example of this can be demonstrated by the Global credit crunch which we are currently experiencing. Telegraph (2008) stated that a leaked home office letter revealed that the credit crunch could lead to a crime wave in the form of more crime and more illegal immigration. This shows that when people are suffering from lack of finance, crime is more likely to be carried out as a result in order to sustain a living. Hopkins-Burke and Sunely (1998) looked closer into such mainstream deviant subcultures. They talked about work carried out by Paul Corrigan whose work was highly influenced by American subcultural theories. He carried out a study on males aged between 14 to 15 years old within two working class schools in Sunderland. This study observed the distribution of power within the school environment. He argues that school is a concept which has been forced on to working class children in which the system attempts to force middle class values upon them. This in turn led to the working class children rebelling. In terms of spectacular youth subcultures, this was subcultures which consisted of generally the working class young people who possessed a distinctive style which included dress, lifestyles, behaviour patterns and musical styles. The types of people which have been identified as falling into this category are individuals who are: Teddy Boys. Mods, Skinheads and Punks. SDFS (1999) talk about how clothing and style can be a trademark which is adopted by juvenile gangs. They state that gang members wear certain types of clothing, colours or having certain hairstyles and tattoos. This is a common phenomenon within modern society and is important to keep up with as it helps identify members within gangs and trace them back to the criminal activities they may have committed. Hopkins-Burke and Sunley (1998) state that early subcultural studies put forward the notion of young delinquents as being social climbers climbing up the social ladder from lower class to middle class. Cohen (1973) states however that creation does not justify behaviour. Later studies support the notion that subcultural theories continue to provide relevance in contemporary society. This is demonstrated by the work of Wilson. Wilson puts forward the underclass theory in which he states groups which are from isolated neighbourhoods acquire fewer legitimate opportunities available to them in the form of employment, education and job information networks. All these deprivations of opportunities helps raise the likelihood of people turning to deviant activities, (Wilson, 1991). Hopkins-burke and Sunley (1998) talk about William (1989) and Moore (1991) who refer to poverty as central to the underclass thesis which results in individuals attempting to gain economic through other means such as crime. Rodger Hopkins Burk has done a vast amount of research on post-modern subcultural theories, Hopkins Burke (2008) states that Rodger Hopkins Burke is Principle Lecturer for Criminology at Nottingham Trent University and therefore his work is of a credible nature. The importance of early subcultural theories has also been stressed by Bailey (2004) who states that during the past decades many theorists have contributed towards what we now consider as being contemporary criminology. In addition, Blackman (2005) has accused postmodernism of being reluctant to focus on social structure. However he states that post-modern theories offer useful critical insights but their theories lack substance and critical application to young peoples social, economic and cultural lives. Conclusion From this critical literature analysis, the conclusion can be drawn that no single theory can sufficiently explain all delinquent behaviours as it has been shown that there can be many factors which play a role in contributing towards the causes and motives of delinquency. Also it can be said that early subcultural theories are still of relevance to contemporary society, however solely cannot be used in explanations of delinquent behaviour in modern day society as it has been demonstrated by post modern theorists that other factors may influence delinquency as trends and fashion change with society. The literature review has sufficiently met all its aims and objectives which were to answer the question as to whether early deviant subcultural theories still prove to be relevant within contemporary society. Recent sources have been used to demonstrate similarities and differences apparent with regard to early deviant subcultural theories and modern day society. The literature review has also met aims of critically analysing research and sources. The literature review has looked into the history of subcultural theories which consisted of deviant and radical explanations of delinquency. Taylor et al (1975) defines radical delinquency as being a conservative theory of delinquency, which looks at theories put forward by theorists such as Marx. Hopkins Burke (2005) states that deviant subcultures share common notions which are that certain social groups have values and attitudes which influence delinquency. Many early subcultural theories have been put forward in order to explain deviant behaviour. Merton states that deviance occurs as a result of financial incentives whereas Cohen put forward the view that it is status frustration which motivates delinquency, other theorists such as Miller believe delinquency is related to class cultures and post modern theories state that it has got to do with certain trends prevalent within society at any given time such as influences from the Rap music culture. The analysis consists of work from The Chicago School who according to Colosi (2010) were the first major body to emerge during the 1920s to study youth offending. Theorist such as Albert Cohen, Cloward and Ohlin who were described by Cressey (1999) as pioneering theorists and praised for addressing both origin and transmissions of deviant subcultures. These theorists work has undoubtedly contributed vastly towards deviant subcultural theories in the past but also provided foundation for modern day theorists to base their work upon. This supports the view that early subcultural theories do provide relevance to modern day society and even if they may not be directly relevant they may pose relevance in the sense that their work can be further studied and built upon with relation to future research. Post-modern theories however raise the important issues of early deviant subcultural theories not being able to account for newer influences which derive as a result of changes in society. This has been shown by theorists such as Burke and Sunley (1988) who propose that delinquent behaviour may be influenced by aspects such as rap music, drugs and alcohol. Substance Abuse and Mental health Service Administration (2003) discuss findings from The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) (2000) which found a relationship between alcohol usage and emotional and behavioural problems in adolescents. These behavioural problems included delinquent and criminal behaviours. This supports the statement that other factors which have risen with societal changes play a role in influencing delinquent behaviour. Post modern studies help compare how society has changed throughout the years and are more up to date on modern day society and therefore has been able to provide newer insights into the causes and influences of deviant behaviours. According to Tanner (1996) early subcultural theories in the 1960s and 1970s were subjected to vast amount of criticisms. He claims that they exaggerated the cultural differences between delinquent and non delinquent individuals. These place focus upon delinquent individuals rejection towards middle class values. Siegel (2007) accuses early subcultural theories of being of a descriptive nature. He states that they sufficiently describe values and how they are transmitted in a normal process of socialisation but fail to address their origins. This is something Cohen has been accused of doing as he fails to address cultural differences. For instance his theory of delinquency identifies that it is the need for status which causes delinquent behaviour but he fails to address where this status frustration derives from, so his theory does not explain what has caused this need for status and what factors are involved in this process. He has also been criticised for placing too much emphasis on the male gender. As the analysis found female offending has increased over the years. This shows how he has ignored cultural differences as he fails to address the issues of women and crime. Another criticism Cohens has been criticised for is to having placed too much focus on working class crimes and middle class crimes have not said to been accounted for and neither have individual acts of crimes been considered. In addition it has also been argued by critics that there is too much emphasis and research focused upon delinquency within schools. They state that delinquency within schools is only short lived and episodic and therefore they cannot be generalised as being full time delinquents. As stated earlier Matza (1964) supports these criticisms by arguing that the majority of youths in schools who are less successful tend to only drift in and out of rebellious traits which have little influence upon later life, thus supporting the views that delinquency is episodic. Millers claims of deviance being an extension of working class culture in schools was also subject to criticisms. Subcultural theories were said to over ex

Genetical Engineering is Wrong Essay -- Persuasive Essay

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At one time, golden rice was just a wild idea that Ingo Potrykus thought up. Optimally, golden rice would improve the lives of millions of the poorest people in the world. The rice would contain beta-carotene which is the building block for vitamin A. However, imagining golden rice was one thing and bringing it into existence was another. He struggled for years with his colleagues to deal with the finicky growing habits of the rice they transplanted to a greenhouse near the foot hills of the Swiss Alps. Potrykus and his colleagues became successful in the spring of 1999. By creating golden rice, Potrykus wanted to be sure it would reach malnourished children of the developing world; those for whom it was intended. He knew that would not be easy because of the fact that the golden grains also contained snippets of DNA borrowed from bacteria and daffodils. Being a product of genetical engineering, Potrykus's product was entangled in a web of hopes, fears, and politi cal baggage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Until now, genetically engineered crops were created to resist insect pests or to control the growth of weeds by using herbicides. However, in this circumstance the genetically engineered rice not only benefits the farmers who grow it, but primarily the consumers who eat it. These consumers include at least a million children who die every year because they are weakened by vitamin-A deficiency and an additional 350,000 people who go blind. In addition to this concern, there is another. It is prospected that by the year 2020, the demand for grain, both for human consumption and for animal feed, is projected to go up by nearly half, while the amount of farmable land will probably dwindle, thus introducing a whole new series of problems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is only a short four step process that enables one to produce golden rice. The genes that give golden rice is its ability to make beta-carotene in its endosperm come from daffodils and a bacterium called Erwinia uredovora. These genes, along with promoters (segments of DNA that activate genes), are inserted into plasmids that occur inside a species of bacterium known as Agrobacterium tumefaciens. These agrobacteria are then added to a Petri dish containing rice embryos. As they "infect" the embryos, they also transfer the genes that encode the instructions for making beta-carotene. The transgenic rice plants must now be crossed with ... ...nly be a matter of time before we are choosing what our children will look like. Works Cited Curry, Andrew. "New Genes? Cool Beans!." U.S. News & World Report, 9/11/2000. Vol. 129   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Issue 10. Epstein, Ron. "Why You Should Be Concerned About Genetically Engineered Food." August   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2000. <http://mercury.sfsu.deu/~rone/gedanger.html> (15 Nov 2000). Fischer, Joannie. "Passing on Perfection: Successes, and more cautions for gene therapy." U.S.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  News & World Report, 10/02/2000, Vol. 129, Issue 13. Pennis, Elizabeth and Normile, Dennis. "Golden Grains," Science Now, 4 Aug 2000, p3. Pure Food Campaign, The. What's Wrong With Genetic Engineering? June 2000.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  <http://www.geocities.com/athens/1527/text.html> (15 Nov 2000). Robinson, Bina. "Golden Gift." Technology Review. Sept/Oct 2000, vol.103, p. 17-20. Russo, Enzo and David Cove. Genetic Engineering: Dreams and Nightmares. New York:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  W.H.Freeman, 1995. Spotts, Peter. "The Unwitting Labs of Genetic Modification." Christian Science Monitor,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  9/5/2000. Vol. 92 Issue 1989. Tangley, Laura. "Engineering the Harvest." U.S. News & World Report. 3/13/2000, Vol. 128,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Issue 10.

The Lost Roanoke Colony Essay -- essays research papers

Jamestown is thought by most of our general population to be the first colony in the New World. This is only half true. Jamestown is considered our first successful colony, however it was not our first attempt at a colony. There were a few attempts to colonize the New World before Jamestown and one in particular that is found to be interesting is Roanoke also known as the Lost Colony. It received this name due to the fact that the colonists that settled this colony disappeared very mysteriously. This poses the question of What happened to the people of Roanoke? There are many different viewpoints of what occurred to the colonists and the goal here is to address each one of them. In England, a document signed on January 7, 1587, created a governing body called the Governor and Assistants of the City of Roanoke in Virginia. John White, an illustrator and map maker, was appointed governor. Then on May 5, 1587, eighty-five men, seventeen women, and eleven children boarded the ships heading for the New World. The plan was originally designed for the colony to settle at Chesapeake Bay, however on July 22, 1587, Simao Fernandes, the ship captain of the expedition decided to drop everyone off at Roanoke Island, the site of a previous expedition called Greenville, instead of pushing up the coast to the Chesapeake Bay. John White believed that they would reunite with the fifteen colonists left behind from the previous expedition. Instead he only found the bones of one of the men, ...

Reasons Why the Stock Market Crashed

Dear Corrupt Government, It has come to your attention of the three factors that brought on the stock market crash of 1929. This is a very important issue to me and i believe the three main reasons as to what cause the stock market to crash. One reason is buying on margin. The second reason is the gov't creating easy money. The last reason the stock market crashed was stocks being priced hired than actual value. I hope you will consider my position on the issue and as well as the rest of my essay. The first reason I believe the stock market crashed was buying on margin.This let a lot of people essentially borrow money from stock brokers. In the article â€Å"What caused the wall street crash of 1929† they said buying on margin lead people to owe a lot of money from losing money in stocks. The article also mentions that this resulted in banks closing and going out of business. These are all very important facts to be considered when answering the question of what caused the sto ck market to crash. The second reason I believe the stock market crashed was the gov't faking an economic rise.In the article â€Å"The Great Depression† it said that the gov't created a fake boom through easy money and credit which was followed by a huge bust. This is then how the stock market crashed from all the fake economic rise. In addition, the low interest rates and low rates to buy on margin both made share holders want more stocks because they were so cheap. I believe these facts to be considered when choosing the three reasons of why the stock market crashed. The third reason why i feel the stock market crashed was the stocks being sold for much higher than they are worth.This meant a lot of people lost money and a few gained a lot of money. In addition, this meant that people who bought on margin where owing stock brokers a lot of money they didn't even have to start off with. In the article â€Å"Black Tuesday† it says stocks lost more than $26 billion in value and over 30 million shares and later $30 billion being lost from selling worthless stocks at a high price. This is why the stock market crashed. I also consider these facts to be important to making the decision of the three reasons why the stock market crashed.Surprisingly, a lot of the reasons are tied together in some way as I had mentions before. So, Corrupt Government, I wish for you to consider my argument i have shown you today in this letter i am writing to you. I hope my arguments are important to you in your decision of figuring out what the three reasons are for the stock market crashing in 1929. Let me repeat that my three reasons for the stock market crashing are buying on margin, creating a fake boom, and stocks being sold at higher prices than valued. I trsut you will see these this way as well. Thank you for your time.

Blinding Revenge-Hamlet

Michael Kuritnik 3/6/13 G-Block Blinding Revenge Fundamental themes are preserved throughout history because they relate to everyday aspects of life. Surprisingly, very little has changed since Shakespearean times. Although technology has changed the way in which humans communicate, people still react to emotional stimuli similarly to those of the middle ages. Anger has always triggered annoyance, uproar and violence. Like several characters in Hamlet, today’s society experiences a thirst for revenge because of something unsettling that ultimately stirred up anger.Individuals who strive for vengeance become overwhelmed with indignation. In some cases idiosyncratic deception and false imagery are used in order to attain what one seeks. Throughout Hamlet, Shakespeare emphasizes that revenge leads to chaos and ultimately inevitable debilitating consequences Revenge has the overwhelming ability to deteriorate a man into a monster. It influences Hamlet to make reckless decisions th at ruin him and eventually lead to his downfall. Hamlet is driven to insanity by his own desire to kill Claudius. Hamlet becomes so obsessed with revenge that it quickly consumes him.He exclaims in one of his soliloquy, â€Å"Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause And can say nothing- no, not for a king Upon whose property and most dear life A damned defeat was made† (II. ii. 595-598), feeling guilty and remorseful for not yet acting on his impulse for revenge. At this point, calling himself a coward for not having taken revenge, Hamlet clearly demonstrates his madness for vengeance. Moments later, blinded by revenge, Hamlet stabs Polonius on the impulsive whim that it may be Claudius spying on him. He feels no guilt for his reckless action, suggesting that he acted out of madness and had little thought through the affair.Consumed by revenge, Hamlet has deteriorated into a murderer. Immediately after Hamlet murders Polonius, Claudius becomes blinded by his own desire for revenge. In his rage, Claudius sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern with Hamlet to England, where Hamlet fools the English into killing them instead of him. After sending them off, Claudius states, â€Å"I like him not, nor stands it safe with us to let his madness range,† understanding that the best method of containing Hamlet’s revenge is to keep Hamlet close; however Claudius’ anger leads him to send Hamlet to his unhonorable death (III. ii,L1-2). By attempting to avenge Polonius, Claudius ultimately sets up his own demise, as well as Rosencrantz’s and Guildenstern’s. If not for Claudius’ rash decision to send Hamlet away, Hamlet would have never been able to contact Norway and send the spies to their deaths by sabotaging the letter. Laertes’ vengeful decisions lead to detrimental consequences and the deaths of virtuous lives. Enraged by his father’s death, Laertes decides to make an attempt on Hamlet’s life. Playing co ol and pretending to wish for a duel in fun, Laertes tries to gain his revenge.As a result of his recklessness, the entire court of Denmark is killed. Lying motionlessly on the cold marble floor, Laertes whispers to himself, â€Å"The foul practice Hath turned itself on me. Lo, here I lie, Never to rise again,†his lungs gasping for one last breath of air (V. ii. 348-350). Only on his deathbed does Laertes realize the irony and the mistake he made by seeking revenge. This is because Laertes’ obsession with vengeance for his father’s death tempted him to plot for murder with the devious Claudius.Treachery and vengeance, which blinded Laertes, actually lead to his downfall and make him feel at blame for the deaths of innocent people. Not surprisingly, the modern world is full of regretful acts of vengeance. Imperialist Japan shocked the world by bombing the United States at Pearl Harbor in December of 1941. As a result, the United States launched a huge pacific off ensive while also sending troops and resources into a large Europe campaign to assist against the Nazis. Similarly, Claudius’ killing of Hamlet’s father triggered Hamlet to seek revenge at all costs.After essentially winning the war, the United States turned their eyes back to the Japanese who had so mercilessly brought them into the fight. Within a week of the dropping of the first atomic bomb, Japanese opposition crumbled. This historical win marked a huge accomplishment, but the US would soon come to regret their decision. By dropping the atomic bomb on Japan, the US gave away critical information as to the extent of their power. Major allies and enemies began constructing their own nuclear weapons, launching the world into the Cold War era.In addition, the atomic bomb obliterated Japanese morale and culture, reducing the island country back to the bottom of the food chain. It would take many years before Japan could return to its former prominence. Today in US hist ory classes students discuss the ethics behind the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan because of the death, despair, and world chaos that came as a result of payback for a small bombing at Pearl Harbor. In their pursuit for revenge, both America and Hamlet went too far, which resulted in mass killings and the destruction of powerful nations.Shakespeare’s message has proven to reiterate itself through the years. As shown when the otherwise noble Hamlet is driven to blindly kill Polonius, when Claudius dooms his servants unintentionally, and when Laertes’ actions result in the death of the Court of Denmark. Shakespeare makes it clear that revenge’s consequences are drastic. As in the bombing of Japan, this statement is tried and tested every day in the real world, albeit on a much smaller scale. Everywhere revenge is sought after, the aftermath is worse than the beginning.