Why I Want to Visit South Korea free essay sample

With its expanding capital and traditions still deeply rooted, South Korea is a haven of serenity and modernity that will appeal to many travelers. Some reasons why i want to visit South Korea. Visit imperial palaces of exception.In Seoul and other parts of the country, Korean palaces are majestic and incredibly well preserved. Do not miss the many temples you can visit, where you can sometimes eat something or even sleep with the monks.Discover a unique and delicious gastronomySouth Korea offers very unusual dishes for us, with foods we do not have to eat: soybean soup broth, pasta flavored with cabbage (called kimchi), whole squid and much more!Enjoy an easy destinationKoreans are famous for their organization and hospitality, and not to be missed: the metro stations are well-appointed and easy to navigate even in an immense city such as Seoul. It is a very safe country to travel with total freedom; Its inhabitants will gladly help you if you do not know where to go. We will write a custom essay sample on Why I Want to Visit South Korea or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Visit Seoul: the capital that never sleepsSeoul is the reason why you should visit Korea as it is impressive: in the Myeongdong neighborhood the shop signs are always on; you can drink coffee, eat, go to a sauna or even do your shopping at any time of day or night!Bathing in JejuThe island of Jeju, located to the south, is a very quiet coastal station compared to the pace of development enjoyed by the rest of the country. Many do not know, but you can spend several days enjoying the beautiful beaches of fine sand of South Korea!Make nice excursions in the middle of a preserved nature.The calm country of the morning is composed of 70% by mountains and has many organized hiking routes, scattered throughout the country to enjoy a unique and well preserved fauna.

First Electoral College Tie - Election of 1800

First Electoral College Tie - Election of 1800 The first Electoral College tie in American political history occurred in the 1800 election, but it wasnt the two presidential candidates who were deadlocked. A presidential candidate and his own running mate received the same number of electoral votes, and the House of Representatives was forced to break the tie. The first Electoral College tie resulted in Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, a Democratic-Republican candidate, being elected president and runner-up Aaron Burr of New York, his running mate in the election, being elected vice president in 1801. The tie exposed a major flaw in the countrys new constitution, one that was corrected a short time later. How the Electoral College Tie Happened The candidates for president in the 1800 election were Jefferson and incumbent president John Adams, a Federalist. The election was a rematch of the race won by Adams four years earlier, in 1796. Jefferson won more electoral votes the second time around, though, getting 73 to Adams 65. At the time, the Constitution did not allow for electors to choose a vice president but stipulated that the second-highest vote-getter would hold that office. Instead of choosing Jefferson president and Burr vice president, the electors botched their plan and instead awarded both men 73 electoral votes. Under Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution the responsibility of breaking the tie was handed to the U.S. House of Representatives. How the Electoral College Tie Was Broken The delegation from each state in the House was given one vote to award to either Jefferson or Burr, to be decided by a majority of its members. The winner needed to get nine of the 16 votes to be elected president, and the balloting started on Feb. 6, 1801. It took 36 rounds of balloting for Jefferson to win the presidency on Feb. 17. According to the Library of Congress: Still dominated by Federalists, the sitting Congress loathed to vote for Jefferson - their partisan nemesis. For six days starting on February 11, 1801, Jefferson and Burr essentially ran against each other in the House. Votes were tallied over thirty times, yet neither man captured the necessary majority of nine states. Eventually, Federalist James A. Bayard of Delaware, under intense pressure and fearing for the future of the Union, made known his intention to break the impasse. As Delaware’s lone representative, Bayard controlled the state’s entire vote. On the thirty-sixth ballot, Bayard and other Federalists from South Carolina, Maryland, and Vermont cast blank ballots, breaking the deadlock and giving Jefferson the support of ten states, enough to win the presidency. Fixing the Constitution The Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1804, made sure that electors chose presidents and vice presidents separately and that a scenario such as the one that occurred between Jefferson and Burr in 1800 would not happen again. Electoral College Tie in Modern Times There hasnt been an Electoral College tie in modern political history, but such a deadlock is certainly possible. There are 538 electoral votes at stake in every presidential election, and it is conceivable that the two major-party candidates could each win 269, forcing the House of Representatives to choose the winner. How an Electoral College Tie is Broken In modern American elections, the presidential and vice presidential candidates are joined on the ticket and elected to the office together. Voters do not select the president and vice president individually. But under the Constitution, it is possible that the presidential candidate of one party could be paired with the vice presidential candidate of the opposing party in the event the House of Representatives is called on to break an Electoral College tie. Thats because while the House would break a tie for president, the U.S. Senate gets to choose the vice president. If the two houses are controlled by different parties, they could theoretically decide on a president and vice president from different political parties.

Effective Public Administrative System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Effective Public Administrative System - Essay Example Organizations must ensure that their employees follow the required procedures while handling their daily duties so that negative impacts are experienced and the organization achieves its desired outcomes. The technological advancement pressures the need for expertise in every field of production, improved living conditions, and an informed decision-making. An organization for example oil-producing company must have and implement strict policies governing its operations, occupational health, and compliance to the state laws governing processing and manufacturing industries (United Nations, 2005). The state requires that such companies must conduct environmental impact assessment so that they do not cause more harm to the environment and the people living within the vicinity of the industry. The state has in place the regulations and standards a company must meet before carrying out its operations, which the management of the organization must ensure that it complies and meets them, fa ilure to which permit is denied (United Nations, 2005). Oil producing companies require employees with technical expertise in the field of engineering to undertake most of its operations. The recruiting team of the company must ensure that they follow proper ways of employing, so that they do not end up messing with their operations, which consequences are faced by the society. The required knowledge and experience as per the law must be met; employing a software engineer to undertake, direct and supervise oil mining is not practical. The United Nations (2005) indicated that administrative staff of a company must ensure that their employees undergo appropriate induction training relevant to their area of specialization before they start working independently. Laxity in development and implementation of such policies might cause mishandling materials and machines resulting into an explosion causing injuries and deaths. Health facilities are very sensitive area that requires its emplo yees, nurses and doctors, to be qualified and certified by the board. A pharmacist cannot even at one point undertake surgery. It will be going against human right and is unethical as per the work norms and regulations of the country. Deaths will be caused; therefore, the government must ensure that people who are not trained and certified should by the authorizing body do not operate a medical facility, as that is breach of law which the individual must be punished for. Nurses who serve patients impolitely do not deserve to do the jobm because the patients might get traumatized due to stress. The impact caused could have been prevented if there were strict policies and regulations (United Nations, 2005). According to United Nations (2005), corruption is a barrier towards attainment of strong and effective administration of public policies. When politics is allowed to influence the functioning of an organization, for instance, when somebody presents his or her candidate for a certai n position, the independence of the organization no longer exists. The judicial system must be independent and reforms have to be made after a period, so that weaker laws are strengthened. Relying with the old system poses more problems than good to the society. Adoption of new technology improves the performance and operations of an organization. Acquisition of equipment that detects danger and alerts the employees reduces the number of risks

Business Law - solution of the specific case Essay

Business Law - solution of the specific case - Essay Example Joey suffered injuries while working in Monica's restaurant. When an employee works in an establishment it is the duty and responsibility of the owner to provide necessary safety measures to the employees. If an employee sustains any injuries while carrying out the work for the employer, the employer has got the responsibility to bear the cost of hospitalization of the injured employee and has to pay compensation in monetary or otherwise, if the question arises. As such Joey is entitled to have the above benefits. She can claim for the benefits under Worker's Compensation Insurance, because it was the duty of Monica to put her under the insurance coverage. Joey can also seek legal remedies as per The Fair Work laws, which gives her the minimum entitlements of benefits of an employee in terms of Rachel is a courier, trading under her 'own registered business name'. She is totally an independent contractor and is not a paid employee of Monica. Though she acts as a courier of Monica, she lacks the status of an employee of Monica. So Monica must consider Rachel as an independent contractor. The issue is similar to the case of: AMP Society v Allen and Chaplin (1978) 52 ALJR 407. If Monica considers Rachel as a part-time employee, she has to treat her in that status and has the responsibility to bring her under the provisions of The Fair Work Laws, and also she has to adhere to the terms and conditions of Award. And if Monica thinks that Rachel is an independent contractor, she does not have any such financial liabilities or responsibilities on Rachel. Monica has no need to worry over the conditions stipulated as per The Fair Work laws which entitle an employee to have the minimum award of pay and other conditions. 3 Qn. 2. Monica v. Phoebe Issues: Phoebe was an employee of Monica. She was engaged as chef on a contract basis. There was a written contract between them, and according to the contract, if Phoebe ceases to work under Monica, then Phoebe should not work in any hospitality industry anywhere within Adelaide for 6 months. But Phoebe violated the terms and conditions of the agreement, and joined another restaurant less than 1 km away from Monica's restaurant. Moreover, she has utilized the information obtained from her work at Monica's restaurant and used that information in the form of book of recipes, and earned monetary benefits out of it, to which Monica has also got some rights. Whether the profits of the book go to charity or others is not relevant here. What matters is that Phoebe has made a criminal (cheating) as well as a civil offence. Her actions caused pecuniary loss to Monica and damaged her business prospects. Conclusion: As such Monica can approach the Court for legal remedies and claim damages against Phoebe. 4 Qn. 3 Award and Enterprise Agreement 3. Describe and discuss the differences between an award and an enterprise agreement. Award: (http://www.youngpeopleatwork.nsw.gov.au). Award is a legal document which defines the minimal preconditions under which an employee is being employed. It addresses issues like wages, sick leave, holidays, overtime and it also sometimes sets out the basic prerequisites like maternity leave. It is the duty of the employers to follow the conditions of the

Leroy Nikky Barnes Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Leroy Nikky Barnes - Research Paper Example this life imprisonment was changed to 35 years of sentence when Barnes became a valuable government informant and began to expose myriad secrets of other drug lords and crime bosses. This research paper seeks to explore the character, status, and life journey of Nicky Barnes. Barnes had extremely conniving and astute skills which he used to spread crime in the country. It was in the prodigious world of crime that he found his shine and glory. Crime was where his mind worked the best and developed ingenious strategies to advance his interests. Research suggests that only a few other drug dealers were bigger than Barnes â€Å"during the Harlem heroin plague of the seventies† (Jacobson, 2014). He is 80 years old now and lives a quiet sober life, but he made a lot of headlines in myriad newspapers around the globe in his youth and adult life. He was the ringleader of the very notorious criminal organization named â€Å"The Council.† He himself laid foundation of this organization which under his guidance grew to become a highly powerful network. The centre of main function was Harlem, a large neighbourhood in New York City, where the heroin trade was controlled. An important thing worth mentioning here is that the name Barnes is not all about c rime because he is so much more than just that. Obviously, crime describes him and the first thing that comes up in anyone’s mind upon hearing the name Leroy Barnes is image of a powerful drug lord. But, research suggests that Barnes has long stopped worrying over drug mafia and heroin trade, rather â€Å"he is a doting family man, concerned only with his daughters and grandchildren† (Capeci, 1999). Also, not many people know that Barnes used to be a very smart student when he was young until forced to elope from home to avoid living with an abusive and alcoholic father. He remained involved in drug-dealing for a long time to support himself. It was only when he was sentenced to jail for drug-dealing that he gave up his

Impact of Heredity and the Environment on Child Behaviour

Impact of Heredity and the Environment on Child Behaviour Rachel Price Choose a specific area of psychology such as addictive behaviour, intelligence or personality traits. Evaluate the impact of heredity and the environment on this area.† There are a number of different approaches to psychology and each of these makes different suggestions about what aspects of psychology are worth studying and what underlying models or images can be developed to understand what people are like (Gross, 2009). These models or images then provide alternative views of psychology which can be used to explain the nature of a persons development, the causes of abnormality and the preferred methods of study and treatment (Gross, 2009). This assignment will look at how some of these different approaches to psychology can help to discuss the impact of heredity and the environment can have on childrens behaviour. Firstly, this discussion will consider from some perspectives why heredity might be considered to have a stronger influence on children’s behaviour than environment. It will do this with reference to temperament theories, twin studies and perspectives that children who are born pre term can have behavioural difficulties. Secondl y, it will explore how environment might be considered to influence children’s behaviour. It will do this with reference to social constructivist and social integrationist studies such as Bandura’s theory of social learning and studies of attachment and parenting style. In conclusion it will identify the key points of this argument and summarise them. Different theoretical perspectives on psychology include biological and cognitive approaches, behaviourism, constructivism, and social constructivism (Davy, 2012). Each of these takes a different standpoint on the relative influence of heredity and environment on the psychology of individuals. Behaviourism is a theory of learning which is based on the idea that all behaviours are learnt through conditioning, where conditioning occurs through peoples interactions with the environment (Davey, 2012), In contrast, the Biological approach (often referred to as biopsychology  or physiological psychology) studies psychological functioning by examining biological processes such as brain function, bio chemistry and hereditary (Davy,2012), Constructivist and Social constructivist approaches dismissed the view of scientific psychology where individuals can be studied in an objective manner when on their own in isolation and instead they attempt to identify how interactions can help construct knowledge(Davy, 2012).Davy (2012) suggests that the behaviour of children has been researched by psychologists from all perspectives, but with different emphasise. One theoretical perspective that support the suggestion hereditary might be considered to have a stronger influence on child’s behaviour is temperament theories. Goldsmith et al (1987) research suggests that although there are numerous theories on childrens temperament and behaviour, the majority agree that temperament refers to early appearing individual differences in behavioural tendencies that have a childs nature. Soon after birth children show a variation in behavioural dimensions that are considered to be temperamental such as attention/persistence, sociability etc (Goldsmith et al, 1987). Temperament theories suggest that such differences have a biological or constitutional foundation to a childs behaviour (Saudino, 2005). Another approach that offers suggestions that genetics play a part in a child’ s behaviour is the nativist approach, which use twin’s studies to support this suggestion. Twin studies that use parent ratings (most frequently used measure of temperament in infancy and childhood) offer suggestions of evidence of the genetic influences on a childs behaviour and temperament (Saudino, 2005). Cyphers, Phillips, Fulkner and Mrazek (1990) research on the temperament of twins during the transition from infancy to early childhood, which analysed data in which one twins scored was predicted from that of its co-twin, which as a result showed direct results that genetics and heritability had on the twins temperament. The results of the research showed that the predictions of the co twin’s behaviour were found to be correct in eight out of the nine temperament scales that were used in the research and supports the biological approach and a link between a childs genetics and their behaviour (Cyphers, Phillips, Fulkner and Mrazek, 1990). Research that uses twin s tudies to offer evidence of the link with a childs genetics and their behaviour consistently find that MZ twins are more similar in behaviour than DZ twins across a wide variety of temperament dimensions including emotionality, activity, shyness, sociability, attention/persistence, approach, adaptability, distress, positive affect and negative affect (Saudino, 2005). Saudino and Chemys (2001) research into parental ratings of temperament in twins also found that MZ twins showed similar behavioural styles.Bhutta, Cleves, Casey, Cradock and Anand (2002) research suggests that children who were born preterm are at risk for reduced cognitive test scores and their immaturity at birth is directly proportional to the mean cognitive scores at school age. Preterm-born children also show an increased incidence of ADHD and other behaviours (Bhutta, Cleves, Casey, Cradock and Anand, 2002). Evidence to demonstrate the influence of the environment on behaviour is provided by research on attachment Bowlbys attachment theory These attachment representations influence children’s cognitions, feelings, and behaviour in subsequent relationships and interactional settings; having an overall effect on the style in which an individual relates to others (Bowlby, 1982).Greenberg, Speltz, Deklyen, Endriga,(1991) suggest that in proportion there is a widespread number of insecure attachment in children with early-onset conduct problems ( conduct disorder is a psychological discord that is diagnosed in childhood and presents itself through a persistent or repetitive pattern of behaviour in which the basic rights of others and a lack of behaviour that relates to the childrens development and social skills) Insecure-disorganised attachment is common in conduct-problem samples (Green, Stanley, Peters, 2007) and shows a robust link with antisocial behaviour (Fearon, Bakermans-Kra nenburg,Van IJzendoorn, Lapsley, and Roisman, 2010). Disorganised attachment is marked by an absence of coherent strategies for attachment related resolution of distress, and often results in chaotic and bizarre child behaviour (Main Solomon, 1986).Parenting can have a significant and well established impact on the early childhood socialization process which includes childrens peer behaviour (Belsky 1984). Parenting during early childhood has been shown to have a significant impact on a childs social development, such as social engagement, cooperation and social competence (Landry, Smith, Swank, Guttentag, 2008). Parenting that is negative , hostile and unsupportive can be damaging for childrens social outcomes, hostility and un supportiveness in the parent child relationship are suggested to be associated with less social competence and an increase in social aggression in early and middle childhood (Brannigan et al., 2002).This suggestion supports the social learning theory which suggests that children who experience hostile exchange with their parents learn maladaptive social responses and that children may as a result respond disruptively in peer situations based on prior negative experiences with their parents (Russell, Pettit and Mize,1998).Disruptive peer behaviour during early childhood can restrict the development of social ability needed to help children develop later relationships with peers (Crick et al, 2006).Banduras social learning theory (1977) suggest that childrens behaviour is learnt from the environment through a process of observational learning. Children observe the people around them and the way they behave, which was shown by Banduras Bobo doll experiment that investigates if social behaviours can be learnt from observation and copying behaviour. The experiment suggests that children observe and then encode behaviour (Bandura, 1961). Children raised in institutions are known to be at great risk for developmental delays and disorders, w hich include mental health disorders (MacLean, 2003). Bos et al research Bucharest Early Intervention Project(2011) into psychiatric outcomes in young children with a history of institutionalization also offer suggestions that the environment can effect childrens behaviour. Young children with a history of being in institutional care often show poor attention, hyperactivity, difficulty with regulating emotions, elevated levels of anxiety and increased rates of attachment disorders (Ellis, Fisher and Zaharie,2004) They are also at increased risk for a quasi-autism syndrome, a pattern of features similar to autism(Rutter et al , 2007). The results of the research showed that children in the institutionalized group demonstrated significantly higher levels of emotionally withdrawn reactive attachment disorder (RAD) than children in the community comparison sample. Institutionalized children also scored significantly higher than the community sample on indiscriminately social/disinhibite d RAD. The differences in signs of both types of RAD were large and statistically significant Traditional behaviour-genetic models that make suggestions about childrens behaviour do not discuss the comparisons of the effects of differing environments on individuals who vary on genetically influenced characteristics. For example, in twin and adoption studies the degree of biological relatedness between individuals and not specific markers of genetically linked characteristics in the two individuals, is the primary focus, whereas variations in environments are rarely researched ( Collins, Maccoby, Steinberg, Hetherington and Bornstein ,2000).Elam et al (2014) research on adoptive parent hostility and children’s peer behaviour problems looked at 361 sets of adoptive children, and included research on adoptive mothers and fathers and the childrens biological mothers. The research looked at the links of birth mother low behavioural motivation and toddler low social motivation, as well as adoptive parent child hostility and childrens disruptive peer behaviour. The research s howed that birth mother low behavioural motivation was linked to a toddler’s low social motivation as well as adoptive mother/father hostility and a link between adoptive mother/father hostility resulting in reports of disruptive behaviour. Knafo, Israel, and Ebstein’s (2011) research on the joint contribution of genetics and the parenting environment to children’s prosocial development (Prosocial behaviours are those intended to help other people Eisenberg et al., 2006). The results of the twin study suggested the importance of both the environment and genetics in explaining individual differences. More in depth http://b2ess.nus.edu.sg/publications/knafo2011heritability.pdf http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/bul/128/3/490/ Conclusion approx 200 Reference List Bandura, A., Ross, D., Ross, S. A. (1961). Transmission of aggression through the imitation of aggressive models.Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 63, 575-582 Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Belsky, J. (1984). The determinants of parenting: A process model. Child Development, 55, 83–96. Bhutta, A. T., Cleves, M. A., Casey, P. H., Cradock, M. M., Anand, K. J. S. (2002). Cognitive and behavioral outcomes of school-aged children who were born preterm: a meta-analysis. Jama, 288(6), 728-737. Bowlby, J. (1982). Attachment and loss. Vol. 1: Attachment (2nd edn). New York: Basic Books. Bos, K., Zeanah, C. H., Fox, N. A., Drury, S. S., McLaughlin, K. A., Nelson, C. A. (2011). Psychiatric outcomes in young children with a history of institutionalization.Harvard review of psychiatry,19(1), 15-24. Collins, W. A., Maccoby, E. E., Steinberg, L., Hetherington, E. M., Bornstein, M. H. (2000). Contemporary research on parenting: the case for nature and nurture.American Psychologist,55(2), 218. Crick, N. R., Ostrov, J. M., Burr, J. E., Cullerton-Sen, C., Jansen-Yeh, E., Ralston, P (2006). A longitudinal study of relational and physical aggression in preschool. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology,27, 254 –268 Cyphers, L. H., Phillips, K., Fulker, D. W., Mrazek, D. A. (1990). Twin temperament during the transition from infancy to early childhood.Journal of the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry,29(3), 392-397. Davey, G, (2012). Complete Psychology. 2nd ed. London: Hodder Education. Elam, K. K., Harold, G. T., Neiderhiser, J. M., Reiss, D., Shaw, D. S., Natsuaki, M. N.,D,Gaysina, D.,Barrett Leve, L. D. (2014). Adoptive parent hostility and children’s peer behaviour problems: Examining the role of genetically informed child attributes on adoptive parent behaviour.Developmental psychology,50(5), 1543. Ellis, B.H., Fisher, P.A., Zaharie, S. Predictors of disruptive behavior, developmental delays, anxiety, and affective symptomatology among institutionally reared Romanian children.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2004; 43:1283–1292. Eisenberg, N., Fabes, R. A., Spinrad, T. (2006). Prosocial development. InN. Eisenberg (Vol. Ed.) W. Damon R. M. Lerner (Series Eds.), Handbook of child psychology: Vol. 3. Social, emotional, and personalitydevelopment (6th ed., pp. 646–718). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Fearon, R.M.P., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M.J., VanIJzendoorn, M.H., Lapsley, A., Roisman, G.I. (2010). The significance of insecure attachment and disorganization in the development of children’s externalizing behavior:A meta-analytic study. Child Development, 81, 435–456 Goldsmith, H.H.,Buss,A.H., Plomin, R.,Rothbart, M.K., Thomas, A.,Chess,S.,Hindle,R.A.,McCall,R.B., (1987). Roundtable: what is temperament? Four approaches.Child Development. 58 (1), pp.505-529 Green, J., Stanley, C., Peters, S. (2007). Disorganized attachment representation and atypical parenting in young school age children with externalizing disorder. Attachment and Human Development, 9, 207–222. Greenberg, M.T., Speltz, M.L., Deklyen, M., Endriga, M.C. (1991). Attachment security in preschoolers with and without externalizing behavior problems: A replication. Development and Psychopathology, 3, 413–430. Gross, R, (2009). Psychology The Science of Mind and Behaviour. 5th ed. London: Hodder Arnold add chapter Knafo, A., Israel, S., Ebstein, R. P. (2011). Heritability of childrens prosocial behaviour and differential susceptibility to parenting by variation in the dopamine receptor D4 gene.Development and psychopathology,23(01), 53-67. Landry, S. H., Smith, K. E., Swank, P. R., Guttentag, C. (2008). A responsive parenting intervention: The optimal timing across early childhood for impacting maternal behaviours and child outcomes. Developmental Psychology, 44, 1335–1353. MacLean K. The impact of institutionalization on child development.Dev Psychopathol. 2003; 15:853–884. Main, M., Solomon, J. (1986). Discovery of a new, insecure disorganized/disoriented attachment pattern. Affective development in infancy (pp. 95–124). Norwood, NJ: Ablex Russell, A., Pettit, G. S., Mize, J. (1998). Horizontal qualities in parent-child relationships: Parallels with and possible consequences for children’s peer relationships. Developmental Review, 18, 313–352. d Rutter, M., Kreppner, J., Croft, C., Murin, M., Colvert,E. ,Beckett,C., Castle,J.,Sonuga-Barke, E. Early adolescent outcomes of institutionally deprived and non-deprived. adoptees. III. Quasi-autism.J Child Psychol Psychiatry.2007; 48:1200–1207. Sakimura, J.N., Dang, M.T., Ballard, K.B., Hansen, R.L. Cognitive and temperament clusters in 3- to 5-year-old children with aggressive behaviour. J Sch Health. 2008; 78: 38-45 Saudino, K. J. (2005). Behavioral Genetics and Child Temperament.Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics: JDBP,26(3), 214–223. Saudino, K. J., Cherny, S. S. (2001). Parent ratings of temperament in twins. In R. N. Emde J. K. Hewitt (Eds.)The transition from infancy to early childhood: Genetic and environmental influences in the MacArthur Longitudinal Twin Study(pp.73–88). New York: Oxford University Press Thomas, A. Chess, S. (1977).Temperament and Development.New York, NY: Bruner/Mazel. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1188235/

Racism In America Essay -- Race Racism

Racism In America Racism (n): the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other race (Wordnet search, 1), a controversial topic in today’s society, a subject that many people try to sweep under the rug, but yet a detrimental problem that has been present in America since the colonial era. Will this dilemma come to a halt? Can all Americans see each other as equals despite their skin color and nationality; and what role has it played in past generations versus today’s generations and how will it affect our future? Has this on going way of thinking gotten better or worse? These are questions raised when many think about the subject; especially members of American ethnic groups and backgrounds, because most have dealt with racial discrimination in their life time. Since the beginning of colonization, America has been controlled by religiously and ethically diverse whites. The most profound cases of racism in the â€Å"United† States of America have been felt by Native Americans, Asians, African Americans, Mexican Americans, and Muslims. Major racially structured institutions include; slavery, settlement, Indian reservations, segregation, residential schools, and internment camps (Racism in the U.S., 1). Racism has been felt and seen by many in housing, the educational system, places of employment, and the government. Discrimination was largely criminalized in the mid 20th century, and at the same time became socially unacceptable and morally repugnant (Racism in the U.S., 1). Although racism was beginning to be looked down upon, and considered immoral ways of thinking, the ine... ...ericans. 06 Apr. 2008 . Finkleman, Paul. "Segregation in the United States." MSN Encarta. 06 Apr. 2008 . Kolchin, Peter. "Slavery in the United States." MSN Encarta. 2007. Henry Clay Reed Professor of History, University of Delaware. Author of American Slavery: 1619-1877 and Unfree Labor: American Slavery and Russian Serfdom. 03 Apr. 2008 . "Racism in the United States." Wikipedia. 19 Apr. 2008. 06 Apr. 2008 . "The Civil Rights Movenent." CNN. 1997. 06 Apr. 2008 . "Wordnet Search." Wordnet. 03 Apr. 2008 .

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 6

Micha The pain in her eyes nearly kills me. If it were possible, I'd go back in time and stop her from climbing down that tree that God awful night. Maybe then, I'd still have my best friend. I decide to make a sporadic stop to try and get Ella out of her own head. I park the car in an open space in front of the small coffeehouse located in the heart of town, between the Stop n' Shop and Bubba's Sports Barn. I shut off the engine and wait patiently for her to scold me. Her face reddens as she takes in where we are. â€Å"Micha, I'm really not in the mood for this right now. I have things to do and so does Lila.† â€Å"Come on, you haven't seen me play in ages,† I coax, using my best seductive voice. â€Å"I'll just do one song. In and out and we're done.† â€Å"Sounds cool to me,† Lila says from the backseat, finally relaxing a little now that we're far away from Grady's trailer. â€Å"I love hearing bands and lead singers are always sexy.† â€Å"Micha plays the guitar and sings by himself,† Ella says with a flicker of possessiveness in her eyes. â€Å"He's not a lead singer. He's a solo singer.† â€Å"It's all the same to me.† Lila pats Ella's head and in a way I think she's making a private joke with her. â€Å"Band or not, a guy who can sing and play is hot.† I grin charismatically and incline over the console. â€Å"Come on, pretty girl.† I wind a strand of her hair around my finger. â€Å"You know you want to come in and watch me be all hot and sexy, singing up on the stage. You know you've missed it.† Her eyes narrow at me as she fights back a smile. â€Å"You know that voice doesn't work on me. I've seen you use it too many times on too many girls.† â€Å"I haven't used it on a girl since you left.† I let the truth fall out. I used to come and go as I please with whoever I wanted, but once things started to change with our friendship, it became clear the void I was trying to fill was in her. â€Å"And I don't want to use it on anyone – â€Å" She conceals her hand over my mouth. â€Å"I'll go in with you, but only if you stop talking about stuff that makes me uncomfortable.† â€Å"Wait. What about my car?† Lila scoots forward and fixes her hair using the rearview mirror. â€Å"It's getting late. Won't the shop be closed soon?† I move Ella's hand away from my lips and entwine her fingers with mine. â€Å"We'll make it back in time. I promise.† Ella hesitates, staring at the coffeehouse like she's a mouse about to walk into a lion's den. I squeeze her hand. â€Å"Come on, let's go in. You'll be okay.† She looks at our hands, and then her gaze lifts, giving a fleeting glance at my lips before resolving on my eyes. â€Å"Is everyone still hanging out here?† â€Å"Kelly and Mike do and Renee and Ethan,† I say. â€Å"Grantford doesn't really come around here anymore, though.† Her plump lips curl to a grin. â€Å"Because you punched him in the face.† â€Å"That might be part of it.† I return her smile and let go of her hand to climb out of the car. It feels like I might be getting somewhere with her. She hops out and stretches, arching her back and sticking out her chest. It makes me want to rip off her shirt, pull her in the backseat, and do things to her I've never done with anyone I've cared about before. â€Å"What are you looking at?† She pulls the bottom of her tank top back over her stomach. She really has no idea how beautiful she is. She never has. Even back in her punk/goth faze, she rocked the look. I shake my head, unable to take my eyes off her. â€Å"Nothing. Just thinkin'.† She slams the door and we head across the packed parking lot. I rest my hand on her lower back, but she wiggles away and sidesteps around Lila, putting her between us. I frown. Maybe I'm not doing as well as I thought. Ella If he keeps looking at me that way, my restraint is going to melt into a puddle of hot, steamy liquid. Micha has the most piercing eyes in the world, aqua blue, like the sea, waved with equal intensity. He's flirty with me, which he used to do jokingly all the time, and I'd play along. But this is different somehow, more intense and real. It's like he's throwing his heart into the open, which isn't how he used to be. At least with me. Except for the day I left. The coffeehouse is cramped with people, even for a Saturday afternoon. Every booth and table is occupied and there's a guy with floppy brown hair playing the keyboard on stage, his voice a little off-key. The baristas are working hard on the long line that extends all the way to the door and in the corner, people are working on their laptops. â€Å"Where are we going to sit?† Lila scans the room. â€Å"There's no empty tables.† Micha spots Ethan and Renee at a corner table and waves at them. â€Å"Seat situation solved,† he says, taking my hand and leading the way to them. Renee is a short girl that wears heavy eyeliner and has dark red hair. Her hazel eyes zone in on Micha's hand tangled with mine. I attempt to pull my hand away, but Micha strengthens his grasp. â€Å"Hey, Ella.† She fakes a smile with her dark red lips. â€Å"What ya been up to?† â€Å"Nothing much,† I keep it simple, because simple is always better with Renee. â€Å"And so we meet again.† Ethan flashes a dimpled grin at Lila and pulls out a chair for her. â€Å"You decided to stick around here for a while.† Lila looks up at him as she takes a seat. â€Å"Thank you. I kind of had to since my car was trashed last night.† Micha drops down in the last empty chair at the table and starts to pull me down to sit on his lap. My eyes sweep the room in search of an extra chair, but it's so packed that people have to stand near the walls. â€Å"I don't bite, Ella May.† There is a challenge in Micha's eyes. â€Å"Unless you ask me to.† Everyone at the table is watching me. Not wanting to make a scene, I sink down on his lap. Ethan targets Micha with a bewildered look, which Micha ignores and steals a scone out of a basket in the middle of the table. He pops it into his mouth. â€Å"So what time's Open Mic?† Ethan's dark eyebrows plunge together. â€Å"Why? Are you thinking about playing again? Cause' all I can say is it's about freakin' time.† â€Å"What do you mean again?† I ask, grabbing a scone myself. â€Å"Why hasn't he been playing?† Ethan shoves up the sleeves of his shirt, crosses his arms on the table, and directs Micha with their secret-code look I have never been able to crack. I revolve my body to look at Micha, but instantly regret it. His eyes are too intense and I'm thrown out of my element for a second. â€Å"You stopped playing?† I ask him. â€Å"Why would you do that? Isn't it your dream still?† He shrugs, snaking his arms around my waist. â€Å"It's not the same without you here watching me.† â€Å"There were times I didn't watch you play.† I put my hands on his shoulders. â€Å"Even when I lived here.† He shakes his head and wisps of his blonde hair fall across his forehead. â€Å"That's not true. You never missed one.† I think back, knowing he's right. â€Å"I don't want you to stop living your life because I'm not here anymore.† â€Å"And I don't want you to be anywhere but here.† He squeezes my hip and I instinctively jump at the tingling heat that spirals down between my legs. â€Å"What can I get you?† The waitress interrupts us. We all read off what we want, and the waitress gets particularly giggly when she writes down Micha's order, even though I'm sitting on his lap. Her name is Kenzie and I've never liked her. She used to help Stacy Harris torment this girl we went to school with, who was in a wheelchair. I casually lean back against Micha's chest, as if I'm doing it by accident. No one seems to notice except for the waitress. And Micha. His heart beat speeds up as if the nearness of my body is driving him mad. She frowns and tucks the order book into her apron. â€Å"I'll be right back with your drinks.† I wait for Micha to call me out, but he stays quiet and keeps his hands on the tops of my bare thighs. I know it's wrong and that he's not mine. I made that clear the day I bailed, but I can't seem to help myself. Ever since we were kids, I always felt the need to keep him away from girls who aren't good enough for him. Old habits die hard. Micha Ethan is looking at me like I'm an idiot. Probably because I'm smiling like an idiot, but I can't help myself. Ella got territorial with the waitress. She's never done that before, not even before she left. â€Å"This band's interesting,† Lila hollers over the banjo band playing up on stage. â€Å"Is this the kind of music you play?† Ethan, Renee, and I burst out laughing. Even Ella covers her mouth, trying really hard not to laugh. â€Å"No sweetie, this isn't what I play.† I gulp my coffee. â€Å"Mines more†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Hot and sexy,† Ella says and I stare at her. She ignores my gaze and adds, â€Å"Think more along the lines of Spill Canvas.† Lila brushes some crumbs off the table. â€Å"That band you're always listening to when you're studying?† Ella nods, but shifts awkwardly. â€Å"That's the one.† It makes me feel better that she still listens to the same music. At least that hasn't changed. I keep one hand on her leg, afraid if I release her completely, she'll run off again. I steal another scone from the basket and pop it into my mouth. Lila starts chatting with Ethan and Renee gets on her cellphone. I sweep Ella's hair to the side and put my lips to her ear. â€Å"So you think I'm hot and sexy, huh?† She bites back a smile, pretending to be deeply immersed in the banjo song. â€Å"No, I said your music is hot and sexy.† â€Å"It's all the same.† I dare a kiss against her shoulder, relishing the softness of her skin, wanting her so God damn bad I'm getting a hard on just thinking about it. Ella notices it too and squirms around in my lap, making it worse. â€Å"Down boy,† she jokes with a nervous laugh, then presses her lips together and starts to stand up. I trap her down by the hips and conform her backside onto my lap. We fit together so perfectly it's mind blowing and all those feelings I felt for her before she left come rushing back to me. I need more of her. Now. Oblivious to everyone around us, my hands gradually slide up her thighs. â€Å"Micha.† She protests with a quiver in her voice. â€Å"Don't. There are people†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I silence her as my fingers brush the edges of her skirt. I can't stop – I've been carrying this sexual tension for ages. I started having these feelings for her when we were about sixteen. I ignored them for as long as possible, because I knew she'd freak if she found out. There were a few stolen kisses that I played off, but the night on the bridge, when I finally put it out there, changed everything. She freaked out just like I thought. Right after she left, I slept around, trying to get rid of the hunger inside of me, but after a while, I realized there was no point. Ella had taken something from me and there was no getting it back, unless I had her. So I let my hands sneak up the edge of her skirt and her fingers knead into my thighs. I wonder how far I should take this, since we're sitting in a booth in a crowded room, and I almost pull back, but one of her legs falls to the side, and I view it as an open invitation. â€Å"Alright, it's time for open mic.† The waitress that undressed me with her eyes speaks into the microphone on the stage. â€Å"If you already haven't signed up, you can sign up with Phil over there.† She points her finger at the owner, a middle-aged man sitting in the corner next to the speakers. â€Å"I think that's your cue.† Ella quickly gets up, thinking she's off the hook. Before I head up to the signup sheet, I spread my fingers across her lower back and whisper in her ear, â€Å"Don't think this is over because it's not.† She shivers and I strut off to the table with a satisfied smile on my face. â€Å"Well, son of a bitch,† Phil says from behind the table. He's an ex-band member of an 80's cover band and still looks like he belongs in that decade with his mullet and neon clothes. â€Å"Look what the dog dragged in.† â€Å"Miss me that bad, huh?† I jot down my name on the signup sheet. â€Å"Are you kidding me?† he asks. â€Å"All we've had to listen to for the last few months is banjo music and a couple of hippies playing on the bongos. I swear it's like Woodstock all over again.† I laugh, dropping the pen onto the table. â€Å"Well it's nice to know I've been missed, I guess.† Phil fiddles with the volume of the amps. â€Å"More than missed. Please tell me you're going to start playing here again. I'm in desperate need of some draw-in. This place is going downhill.† I smile politely, backing toward the table. â€Å"Nah, probably not. I don't think I'm going to be sticking around here much longer. I've got places to go, people to see.† On my way back to the table, I cross paths with Naomi. She is Phil's daughter, tall, with long black hair, and she's an awesome singer. I used to play with her back before she went on the road with a band. We were actually pretty close, but I haven't talked to her since she left. â€Å"Oh my God, I'm so glad I ran into you,† she says and there's a little bit of red lipstick on her teeth. â€Å"Isn't everyone?† I tease walking backwards. She laughs and swats my arm. â€Å"I see you still have that whole cocky attitude going.† I drop the act. â€Å"So you're back in town?† â€Å"Yeah, but only for a few weeks. Can we chat up after you play? There's something I really need to talk to you about. Something huge actually.† â€Å"How'd you know I was playing?† She points a finger at the table. â€Å"I just saw you sign up.† â€Å"Alright, I'll catch up with you later.† I wave good-bye, wondering what she could possibly want. Ella Damn Micha. He's killing me with his touches and longing gazes and now he's going to sing. I've always had a soft spot for his voice. We'd sit on his bed and he'd strum his guitar while I sketched. Those were some of the perfect moments in my life. â€Å"Ella, what's the matter with you?† Lila asks with an accusation. â€Å"You look a little flushed.† I sip my latte and realign the holder in the center of the table, so I can't see my reflection in the stainless steel. â€Å"It's just a little hot in here. That's all.† â€Å"Yeah, sure it is.† She won't stop looking at me, like she's trying to crack open my head. As Micha steps onto the stage not too far from our table, my heart starts to chant unspeakable words. Sitting on a stool with his guitar on his lap he puts his lips up to the microphone, nibbling on his lip ring. â€Å"This one's called ‘What No One Ever Sees'.† He strums a chord with his eyes locked on me, â€Å"I see it in your beautiful eyes, like a spot on the sun. The things you want to hide, buried deep inside you. Blinded by your light. It almost hurts to look at, almost hurts to breathe. Never can you look at the things no one ever sees Shaded by your light. Please take me inside you, please take me in. Never will I whisper, never will I give in. Even when I'm dying, your heart will always win. Shielded to the sightless, isolated from the naive. Breaking you in pieces, that can only ever grieve. Veiled by your light. Passionate for the world, yet overlooked by most. Your soul flickers in you, desperate to shine for the world But blinded by your darkness. Please take me inside you, please take me in. Never will I whisper, never will I give in. Even when I'm dying, your heart will always win.† With one lasting note, he ends the song. The crowd applauds and my eyes dart away from his penetrating gaze, and to the door. I want to run away like the room is on fire. â€Å"Holy crap,† Lila breathes, fanning herself. â€Å"You were right. That was HOT.† â€Å"I can play the drums.† Ethan taps his fingers on the table, and makes drum noises. â€Å"And I'm pretty good.† â€Å"Don't let him fool ya.† Renee sips her coffee and a smirk curls at her lips. â€Å"He can play the drums on Rock Band and that's it.† Ethan shoots Renee a dirty look. â€Å"Would you quit it? It's not funny anymore.† Lila looks at me for an explanation. â€Å"This is how they are,† I explain with a heavy sigh. â€Å"They fight like cats and dogs.† Lila props her elbows onto the table and rests her chin on her hands. â€Å"El, doesn't your brother play drums?† â€Å"Yeah, Dean did,† I say. â€Å"A little bit, anyway.† â€Å"Now Dean's hot,† Renee remarks, aiming to get under my skin. Micha collects his guitar and clears the stage for the next singer, a girl with pink dreads who looks like she has a grudge against the world. A tall girl with long legs meets Micha at the corner of the stage. Her wavy black hair flows down her back, her grey eyes are striking, and her smile is bright. Her name is Naomi and she's the daughter of the owner of the coffeehouse, who Micha played with a few times. She says something to Micha and he laughs. A flicker of envy burns in me, but I suppress it quickly. She leads him off the stage and Micha's hand roams toward her back. He flashes me one last glance, before he ducks behind stage. I can't read him at all and that frightens me more than when I can. Lila drinks her soy latte and peeks at me over the brim of her cup. â€Å"I don't care what you say. That boy is in love with you.† I stay silent, tearing up a napkin until it's shaped like a heart. â€Å"He might be, but not the kind of love you're talking about.† â€Å"So, Ella,† Ethan interrupts and I swear he does it intentionally. If he did, I'm thankful for it. â€Å"How's the city life?† â€Å"Stupendous.† I ruffle up the napkin and toss it into the empty scone basket. â€Å"That doesn't sound very convincing.† Ethan drapes an arm on the back of Lila's chair and places his foot on his knee. â€Å"Don't you like it there?† I force myself to cheer up and sit up straight. â€Å"Actually, it's pretty nice. There's a lot to do and the school is great.† â€Å"You're acting weird.† Ethan eyes me, rubbing his chin. â€Å"Something's got you all wound up.† â€Å"I'm completely okay,† I say in denial. â€Å"Although, the excessive questions are a bit much.† Lila peers over at me as she licks froth from her lips. â€Å"He's right. You look upset or something.† She feels my forehead. â€Å"You're not getting sick, are you?† Micha returns to the table and the coffeehouse has cleared out a bit. He grabs a vacant chair, pulls it up to the table, turning it backwards, and then sits down in it. â€Å"So what are we up to for the rest of the night?† Ethan asks while Micha checks his messages on his phone. â€Å"I got to take this pretty lady over here to get her car fixed by you.† Micha nods his head at Lila. Ethan looks pleased. â€Å"Wow, I'm honored to be the one to fix it.† Micha slides his phone into his pocket. â€Å"We have to swing by Ella's house and pick it up, so meet us at the shop in like a half-an-hour.† â€Å"Absolutely.† Ethan waves the waitress over to give us the check. â€Å"What do you think?† Micha asks me. â€Å"Does it sound like a plan?† I shrug, distracted by where he went with that girl. â€Å"Yeah, sure.† Everyone takes their coffee's to-go and we head for the door. I leave mine behind, along with something else, but I'm not sure what. Perhaps a piece of my new identity. *** Micha and I don't speak the entire drive home. It freaks Lila out a little and I worry that the more time she spends here with me, the less time she's going to want to spend with me on campus. When we pull into the driveway that routes the side of my house, there is a painful reminder of another reason I didn't want to come back waiting for me near the garage. â€Å"Whose car is that?† Lila scoots forward in her seat. â€Å"It's gorgeous.† â€Å"Why is he here?† I grimace, scowling at the shiny red Porsche with Ohio license plates. â€Å"Now be nice,† Micha warns, his voice dripping with sarcasm. â€Å"He's your brother.† â€Å"But it doesn't make him less of an asshole,† I mutter. â€Å"And he swore when he left, he was never coming back here ever again.† â€Å"That's your brother's car?† Lila asks. â€Å"Good God, what does he do for living?† I press the tips of my fingers to the sides of my nose. â€Å"Who knows?† â€Å"Well, how does he afford a car like that?† she requests interestedly. â€Å"It's not his car,† I say. â€Å"It's my mothers.† Micha and I swap an oblique look, recalling the day the car mysteriously showed up in the garage. She never would tell anyone how she got it, and for a while, Dean and I expected the police to show up and arrest her for car thievery. It never happened and as time went on, it became like a game to my mother. Not just with the car, but with life. We never knew if she was telling the truth or not. After she died, Dean took the car. He acted like it was his right and maybe it was. He wasn't the one who'd snuck out of the house that night and left our mother alone. â€Å"And that gorgeous car over there is yours,† I remind Lila, diverting her attention elsewhere. â€Å"You should probably go get it fixed, before Ethan wanders off from the shop.† She slumps back in the chair. â€Å"I'd really like to meet your brother first before I go.† â€Å"I'm sure he'll still be here when you get back.† Actually I'm hoping he'll be gone. â€Å"Come on, Lila, we'll make it quick.† Micha opens the door. â€Å"We can drop it off and walk back. It isn't too far.† When I climb outside, he captures my gaze over the roof of the car. â€Å"Are you coming with us?† â€Å"I think I need to stay.† My eyes travel to the back door. â€Å"Who knows why he's here and what he'll say to dad? And I don't think dad can handle his crap.† Pressing his hands to the roof, he leans over. â€Å"But can you handle his crap?† â€Å"I'll be fine,† I assure him. â€Å"Just get her car fixed. She needs to get out before she gets sucked into this place.† â€Å"This town isn't that bad.† Micha closes the door. â€Å"You used to think the same thing.† â€Å"I also used to believe my mom would get better,† I say. â€Å"And look what a crashing disappointment that was.† From the back of the car, Lila blinks at me, stunned. â€Å"Ella, I didn't know your mom was sick.† Micha's expression is guarded. â€Å"Let's go, Lila. Ella's right, if Ethan gets too bored, he'll bail.† They head for Lila's car and I head up the driveway, wishing I could run back into Micha's arms and alleviate the hole in my chest. Micha I worry about Ella the entire drive to the shop. Dean was never a good brother and at the funeral, he blamed Ella for their mother's death. He basically tore her to shreds. Maybe it was his way of mourning, but it was still a shitty thing to do. â€Å"So what's up with Ella and her brother?† Lila asks, resting her arm on the console. â€Å"I think that's something you should probably talk to her about.† I turn the car into the parking lot of the shop. â€Å"It's not really my story to tell.† Lila unclips her seatbelt. â€Å"But Ella's never really told me much about her life. She has always been so quiet about it and I just thought it was her personality, but the way everyone talks about her around here, I don't think it is.† â€Å"She used to be pretty loud spoken.† I reach for the door, but hesitate, needing to get it off my chest. â€Å"The Ella I knew was not the prim and proper girl you've been hanging out with. She had this fire in her and she didn't put up with anyone's crap. It got her into trouble a lot, but she was also the kind of person who would take the fall, even if it wasn't her fault.† â€Å"I think I saw that part of her when we stopped at a bathroom when we first got to town,† Lila muses. â€Å"There was this guy there who was giving me crap and Ella nearly beat him up.† I try not to smile. â€Å"She did, did she?† â€Å"Is that how she was when you knew her? Like a total badass?† Lila grins and I realize she's not as bad as I originally thought. â€Å"Yeah, she was always kind of a badass.† I shove the door open and my boots scuff the gravel as I climb out. There are a few cars parked in front of the metal building and both the garage doors are open. A truck is parked inside and the owner of the shop – Ethan's dad – is working under the hood. â€Å"So what do you do?† Lila asks as we head to the entrance. â€Å"A little of this,† I joke. â€Å"And a little of that.† â€Å"So it's a secret.† She picks up on my vibe. I swing the chain attached to my jeans. â€Å"For now, it kind of is.† â€Å"Gotcha.† She doesn't press and I like her even more. Ethan is waiting for us in the lobby, slouched back in a chair with his shoes kicked up on the counter and his head slanted back. â€Å"It's about damn time. I was about ready to leave.† Lila starts to giggle as she takes out her phone from her purse. â€Å"You guys weren't lying.† Ethan lowers his feet to the floor and stands up. â€Å"What's so funny?† â€Å"Nothing.† I shrug him off, resting my arms on the counter. â€Å"Ella and I just told her that if we didn't hurry up you'd get bored and leave.† â€Å"So you were talking about me behind my back.† He walks around the counter by Lila. â€Å"You got the keys or did you leave them in?† I toss him the keys and he catches them. â€Å"Where's Ella?† â€Å"Her brother showed up,† I explain. â€Å"She's back at her house.† Ethan's eyebrows shoot upward. â€Å"And you left her there alone with him?† â€Å"Only to drop this off,† I say. â€Å"Lila and I are going to walk back.† Lila glances back and forth between Ethan and me. â€Å"Is something wrong with Ella's brother?† â€Å"She'll be fine.† I lean against the glass door with my arms folded and check my watch. â€Å"But we should get back.† â€Å"I think I should stay here,† Lila says, frowning at her phone. â€Å"Are you sure?† I ask. â€Å"Ethan will take good care of it.† She looks upset as she tosses the phone into her purse. â€Å"Yeah, I need to make sure everything's taken care of properly.† â€Å"Alright, can you find your way back to the house?† I nudge the door open. â€Å"I'll make sure she gets there,† Ethan offers with a shrug. Lila adjusts her purse on her shoulder and gives him a small smile. â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"Alright, if it's okay with the both of you, then I guess I'll see you later.† I hike across the parking lot, toward the street. It's getting late, and the odds of Lila's car being fixed by the end of the day are pretty fucking low. I take out my cell phone and text Ella. Me: Just wantin to make sure ur ok? I walk down the sidewalk fenced by houses and dried out lawns. There is a drug exchange going on at the corner between a group of kids that still look young enough to be in high school. This side of town is pretty crappy, which I'm okay with now, but when Ella and I were kids, it was harder to deal with. Ella was always so curious about stuff. There were many times we got chased down for sticking our noses where they didn't belong and I got my ass kicked defending Ella quite a few times. But I'd do it again in a heartbeat because when it all comes down to it, it's just me and her against the world. Always has been. My phone buzzes inside my pocket and I check the message, surprised to see Ella's name on the screen. Ella: No, I don't think I am. Without a second thought, I run as fast as I can toward her house.

Frank Abignale - Catch me if you can essays

Frank Abignale - Catch me if you can essays In the beginning of the story we are introduced to the character Frank Abignale. His parents decide to get a divorce, resulting in Frank becoming emotionally distraught. He becomes a very lost and confused seventeen year old boy looking to escape the feelings of sorrow. Frank decides to run away, for he cannot choose which parent to live with, and figures it would be the best thing for him. Being so young and innocent to the real world, he figures the easiest way to make money is to scandal people and banks for his survival. This talent comes easy to frank, looking so mature in age and being abnormally brilliant, he becomes a professional con artist over night. One of the many qualities Frank had, which definitely had a big impact on his new career, was an extremely high level of perseverance. Frank would never give up on anything until he successfully achieved his goals. This habit was inherited from his father, he was a very successful business man. Throughout the story, Frank learns a lot of lessons that he encounters himself. He learns best from experience. It is obvious that during his outrageous adventure of conning and stealing he is going through immense changes. They start to convert him to a more honest and trustworthy human being. An example of this change is when he meets his fianc Rosalie. He is so in love with her that he feels guilty about pretending to be someone he is not. Frank starts second guessing his choice of employment. Feeling so close to Rosalie, he figures that he can tell her the truth about his real lifestyle and true identity. Tired of being an impostor, he faces the music and tells her all about his dark side. Unfortunately, telling her the truth did not quite as expected and blew up in his face. She called the authorities, and so this lead to Frank abandoning his life as an engaged doctor, to hopping back on a plane to another location as an airline pilot. After the incident, he really starts...

Kenneth Cole essays

Kenneth Cole essays Kenneth Cole is a very popular name in the fashion industry. Most who know anything about fashion, know about this leading designer. He first became interested in designing at a very young age and his father, Charles Cole, was more then happy to feed his sons growing fascination. When Kenneth was 10 years old his father would wake him up at 5:30 on Saturday mornings. They would first eat breakfast together and discuss how things were doing in their respective worlds. After breakfast they would go to Charles shoe factory, situated in lower Manhattan. Kenneth would sit in his fathers office and watch him as he worked. In the early 1970s Kenneth went to Emory University in Atlanta to get his undergraduate degree, with the intention to eventually attend law school. But, just as Kenneth was about to start his legal education his fathers right hand man left the factory to start his own business. To help his father out in this hard time, Kenneth decided to put off his education and learn his fathers business. At first Kenneth didnt have much experience, but in order to succeed in eventually taking over his fathers business he knew he would have to create a good image for himself. Since he couldnt impress his co-workers with the quality of his work he would have to impress them with the quantity of his work. He paid close attention and if the first worker would usually show up at 6:30 in the morning, Kenneth would show up at 6:15. Over the next few years, Kenneth and his father built a very successful business together. It was then. In 1982, that Kenneth realized that he needed to take it to the next level, by starting his own business. With his fathers encouragement, Kenneth set out with confidence and never once looked back. At first Kenneth started with a ladies footwear collection. But today he has delved into mens and ladies footwear, accessorie ...

Applying the five stages of grief to a case study of a 83 year old Term Paper

Applying the five stages of grief to a case study of a 83 year old woman - Term Paper Example Grief is a difficult issue at any time in a person’s life, but when the adult is older, there tends to be other challenges that happen because of their age. As an example, many older people will lose spouses, friends, and family as they age. This often forces them to think about their own longevity and they may be met with physical, emotional, and psychological crises (Gibson, 2012). Just as anyone else, elderly people have to adjust to the individual’s death and understand that their life goes on. Brief Background of Case Study The case study for this paper is an 83 year old woman who will be referred to as Mrs. X. Mrs. X has lost many people in her life. The first person she lost was her husband. In some respects, the husband’s death was more of a relief because of his constant fighting with Mrs. X. Mrs. X was left with a house payment, taking care of the house, and finding benefits she could use to sustain her home. Mrs. X was able to pay off her house eventua lly, and since her husband’s death, several friends and close family members have died. Mrs. X has never really dealt with any of these situations and she never attends their funerals because she does not like to see people in their coffin; she says this makes it feel too real for her own death. Mrs. X currently lives in a small town with her middle child, a daughter, whom she has a passive aggressive relationship with – the daughter takes her to doctors’ appointments and shopping, but basically Mrs. X is left at home to sit and watch television. Mrs. X has pretty much ignored grieving for any of these people, except for her oldest sister who died last year. Mrs. X still thinks of her sister because she was the last person that Mrs. X had to talk to in her family. In exploring the stages of grief, the stages will be applied to what might have happened if Mrs. X had allowed herself to grieve her friends and family. The Five Stages of Grief Kubler-Ross (2013) crea ted a model that explains the various stages that people go through to come to terms with grief. Although Kubler-Ross applied these stages to death, these stages can also be used to understand any type of loss a person moves through. Although she has arranged the stages in a certain way, she acknowledged that each person’s grief is different, and each person may go through the stages in different ways; in fact, they may also go through the stages in more than one way. In the next section, the five stages that Kubler-Ross created will be discussed and applied to Mrs. X. Stage 1: Denial Denial is the first stage of grief in which the individual denies that the individual has died. Kubler-Ross (2013) states that this is a natural part of grief because the individual often dies unexpectedly. Some people can become stuck in this stage when the grief is particularly traumatic. Mrs. X has been in this stage, particularly with her sister. She often states, â€Å"I just can’t believe she’s gone†. She also talks about wanting to call her for her birthday and so forth, and then remembers she is dead and calls. Mrs. X has had the most difficult time adjusting to her sister’s death. Gibson (2012) states that for older people, the idea of their loved one dying is known, but it can take time to be realized. Gibson points out that when two people have been in a relationship for a very long time, when one part of the relationship dies. The one who did not die (in this case Mrs. X) may feel more vulnerable in their functioning and emotionally. Perhaps this is one reason that Mrs. X is content to watch television instead of going on with her life. Stage 2: Anger Many people become angry when someone the love dies. They can be upset with themselves for not doing what they could have done, or they can be mad at God for taking their loved ones. Often, the individual may lash out at family members or friends

Financial Statement Fraud and Revenue Recognition Fraud Essay

Financial Statement Fraud and Revenue Recognition Fraud - Essay Example We can define financial fraud as an intentional act to deceive people through manipulated financial statements for personal gain (â€Å"Bank Negara Malaysia† 1). Financial fraud is crime under civil law and involves complex financial transactions conducted by white-collar business professionals with a criminal intention (â€Å"Bank Negara Malaysia† 1). Nevertheless, financial fraud derives numerous loses on the global economy and on the reference corporations where many companies collapse due to financial frauds. Additionally, financial fraud demeans investor confidence in financial reporting and lowers the efficiency of corporate governance. A financial statement fraud refers to an intentional misrepresentation of financial information that the corporation presents to the public. Notably, improper revenue recognition, failure to record incurred liabilities, and failure to disclose contingent liabilities are the most dominant financial statement frauds (Bradford 1). Cas es of financial statement fraud are on the increase and the economic crisis catalyzes the problems. Nevertheless, most of the financial statement frauds relate to revenues recognition while accounting errors take the other proportion. As such, internal and external auditors should understand the dynamics of revenue recognition fraud and institute proper measures to curb financial fraud. Ideally, financial statement fraud and revenue recognition fraud relate to financial fraud. Definition Financial statement fraud refers to an intentional misrepresentation, misstatement, or omission of financial statement data for the purpose of deceiving the public and creating a false impression of an organization's financial strength (Colby 1). Notably, financial statement fraud is an enormous challenge in the global market as corporations seek to stalk investors to continue investing in the corporation. Moreover, corporations engage in financial statement fraud for purposes of securing bank appro vals for financing and satisfy the shareholder’s interests (Bradford 1). Ideally, the top management plays the major role in a financial statement fraud since they supervise and authorize the preparation of financial statements. There are different forms of financial statement fraud in the global market where the initiators will use distinct systems of manipulation to maintain the appearance of the financial statement fraud. The most common types of financial statement fraud include manipulation of liabilities, improper recognition of revenues and expenses, improper asset valuation, improper disclosures (Pinkasovitch 1) on financial statements, and fictitious sales (Colby 2). However, manipulation of revenue is the most dominant form of financial statement fraud. This includes the posting of sales prior to payment while the manipulation of expenses includes the capitalization of normal operating expenses (Bradford 1). On the other hand, the manipulation of liabilities relates to failure to record regular expenses while improper disclosures relates to misrepresentation of the company’s financial status (Bradford 1). An overstatement of current assets on financial statements leads to improper assets and defines financial statement fraud (Colby 2).