Why I Want to Become a Nurse Essay Sample Essay Example

Why I Want to Become a Nurse Essay Sample Paper Admission Essay on Why I Want to Become A Nurse As I was growing up I remember being afraid of doctor and nurses. I use to hate going to the doctors I’m pretty sure most children were afraid too. I remember so clearly that when the doctor had to give a shot I wouldn’t let myself. I would start crying and start moving around. The nurses would hold me down and the doctor would give me a shot and after that I would be so mad with my mom for letting them give me a shot. The way I would act I can relate to â€Å"Mary Ainsworth†, to her Ambivalent Attachment Pattern, is a style of attachment in which children display a combination of positive and negative reaction to their mothers: they show great distress when the mother leaves, but upon her return they may simultaneously seek close contact but also hit her or kick her (Development Across the Life Span, R.S.P, 2011). As soon as my mom would try to get close to me I would hit her n be so angry with her. I didn’t stop being afraid of them until I was about 7 y ears old. At the age 6 going on 7, I remember playing doctor with my cousins. I was a little more comfortable but still a little afraid. I never wanted to be the patient. I always prefer being the doctor or nurse. When playing doctor we all had a role and we all got along with each other. I can relate this to â€Å"cooperative play; play in which children genuinely interact with one another, taking turns playing, or devising contests (Development Across the Life Span,2011). I use to like to play this with my cousins. It was one on my favorite childhood games. In the sixth grade, I remember my teacher asking us what we wanted to be when we grow up as other students started answering. I started to think about it n I had no clue. I was very nervous because it was getting close to being my turn to answer the question. I didn’t know what to say, so before it was my turn one of my friends said that she wanted to be a teacher. So after my friend the teacher asked me, â€Å"So Erica what would u like to be when you grow up†, and I replied â€Å"Well I want to become a teacher like you†. But in reality that wasn’t true I was just afraid at that age to say that I didn’t know yet. I was sad that day because I kept thinking about what I wanted to become and nothing came to mind I was just so undecided and I kept thinking what if I never figure out what I want to be. By the end of that week it didn’t cross my head anymore. We will write a custom essay sample on Why I Want to Become a Nurse Essay Sample specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Why I Want to Become a Nurse Essay Sample specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Why I Want to Become a Nurse Essay Sample specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer As time flew by I didn’t think about it anymore until I started high school which was ninth grade. In the ninth grade since it was all about being popular and being cool, I wanted to be a fashion designer. So being a fashion designer was in my mind. I remember my parents asking me what I wanted to be and I told them I wanted to be a fashion designer and they were upset they were saying that it wasn’t a real career. When they told me it wasn’t a real career I was being ignorant about it. I starting researching about it I started to notice a couple of things about it. I started to ask myself what if I don’t get a job in this career and it was so competitive. So then I was back to undecided. At the end of the ninth graded I took this test that determined careers that fitted me. When I finished taking that test it gave me a list of choices so I picked 3 that I liked and they were a detective, a dentist, and a nurse. My first choice was a detective I really lik e all that mystery and problem solving. So in the tenth grade I was into all the types’ of shows that had to do with criminal justice. I found that very interesting and fun. I remember my sister going to nursing school for a vocational nurse, but I never mind her or asked her anything about it. She was always studying and was always at school. She was so busy with it that I hardly even got to see her. When I was in the eleventh grade I remember she graduated from vocational nursing program, we were all proud of her. After she graduated I remember seeing her studying more and more and I asked her, â€Å"Why are you still studying didn’t you graduate already?† and she said, â€Å"I need to passed my boards exam in order to earn my license.† After she took her test a couple of weeks passed and she received a letter on the mail and it was her license. I remember the joy n happiness in her face. That summer I remember I would go with her to her job, she used to do home visits. The first day I went I was observing everything as the moment we walked in there she was very nice to the patient like if he was family. I remember she asked the patient if it was okay if I watched the wound care and he said yes. I was a bit scared I really didn’t want to watch but I did it anyways. When my sister removed the old dressing I was grossed out but managed to keep a straight face. When we left I asked my sister how was she able to do and that I don’t think I would be able to do that. So then my sister started to explain to me how much she loved nursing. I was amazed in how she expressed herself towards nursing. So since that day it opened my eyes. I decided to go with my sister to her home visits every other day or whenever I was able too. I started realizing that I was growing this passion for it and was becoming more interesting in nursing. I was very curious in the nursing career and I was just repeatedly asking my sister questions about it. I started to grow this huge love towards nursing the way you are able to care for a patient and give them comfort and help them in any way you could. I saw it as a super hero being there care for them as much as possible. So at that moment I decided I wanted to be a nurse. I thank my sister for giving me the experience she gave me. Because of her I had finally decided what I wanted my career to be. I also learned that it I okay if u are undecided and don’t know want u want to become. I believe there is a moment when you will realize what u want to become, and now I follow me sisters foot prints and will succeed in becoming a nurse just like her.

Discussion

Discussion Discussion-Adapting Marketing Strategies Essays Marketing in a global environment brings with it some unique challenges. Assume that you are with Kellogg's Cereal Company. You have decided to enter the market in a new country. I. What are some things to consider when entering a new market? Kellogg Cereal Company needs to clearly define its marketing objectives. In moving into a new country, knowing their target group takes on a new meaning. A part of knowing their target includes but is not limited to knowing that country’s: language, economy, monetary structure, political structure and status, culture (business, social and historical), import/trade/business policies, regulations and laws (especially as they pertain to foreign owned businesses). If the Kellogg’s Company decides to establish facilities in the target country, they will want to consider where it will manufacture their products and what it will take to establish those facilities in the country or countries they choose. If they are not going to establish in the target country, they have to consider if they are going to export (directly or indirect), licensing, joint ventures and direct investment (Kotler and Keller p. 603). With exporting Kellogg’s may considering engaging an ex port management company which will be one of their biggest costs if they go this route (Kotler and Keller p. 603). They will want to decide if they are going to move into just one country or multiple and how they will go about doing this. Will they do it all at once, staggered or gradually? Business expansion has to be very well thought out, however, when you are moving into another country it has to be very well planned and strategized. They should consider making certain that they know what type of competition they face in those companies and develop a very strong and aggressive marketing and public relations campaign in those countries. Competition may be a bit more radical than expected, especially in developing countries. Kellogg’s has to decide if they are moving into developing or already developed markets. They must determine which will best serve their brand. The company has to be prepared to do business differently in order to adapt to the country’s socio-economic and cultural differences. They may find themselves in markets that they do not target in their current markets. Determining channels of distribution is also very important. In developing countries there may be obstacles to overcome that they company might not encounter in the USA. In already developed countries, distribution may involve government owned/run channels or dealing with privateers or brokers. Lastly, do they have to make innovations to their existing products or do they have to create new cereals or will their existing products serve the new global markets without innovations/adaptations? II. What are some recommendations as to how Kellogg’s in particular should enter the market and what strategies should be considered so that the cereal products are effectively introduced upon entry into the market? I recommend that Kellogg’s create a team of people native to each country in which they desire to expand to represent their interests and serve as operations and sales in the chosen country. A team from the USA should relocate to that country and partner with this team as they will want to create a seamless relationship with that country’s government and business and manufacturing community and solid communication flow. These individuals will assure that all legal, political, cultural and business activities and challenges are appropriately addressed. For this reason, moving into more than one country is not recommended initially. A planned strategic move into a specific region may work best. The marketing team should be a mix of persons native

International Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

International Human Resource Management - Essay Example Due to this constant change, many trends take place in the organization such as complexity of employment and hierarchy of managers and employees. There is an increase in the number of employees and size of workforce. Increment in size of workforce requires training to inculcate specialized skills in the employees. Moreover, management also needs a special kind of training that helps them make better managers so that they run the organization in a better way. One of its responsibilities is identifying the competitive employees and non-competitive employees of organization. All these trends possess great importance and every organization requires some individuals who manage the problems pertinent to human resource to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization (Boxall & Purcell, 2003), the process of managing the human resource in known as Human Resource Management. If this management is taking place internationally to run an international business then it comes under the heading of International Human Resource Management. Currently, there is great need of effective IHRM because many organizations are working globally with branches and offices in many parts of the world. Effective IHRM decides the failure or success of any organization globally. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ISSUES THAT ARISE IN IHRM PRACTICES Social responsibility issues that arise in IHRM practices are exploitation of employees, assigning the employees work, which they consider torture for themselves, firing employees for no reasons, giving priority to employees because of any personal relationship (Wood, 1999). Not listening to employees’ complaints and not giving... From the research it can be comprehended that the conventional functions of Human Resource Management now need strategic directions towards increasing and supporting organizational potentials, through actions that go beyond the customary business activities such as economics, marketing, and non-customary activities, such as knowledge management. Human Resource Information System has great implication in every sector. It can play a fundamental role and help the communications process in the organization. Most prominently, organizations can employ and hold the top performers, improve efficiency and enhance job satisfaction of the employees. Human Resource Management has the responsibility to capitalize on efficiency and revenue, but in the rising scenario, the role of Human Resource manager is changing swiftly due to variations in government guidelines, labor legislations, and machinery. The trends have taken place in the organization, human resource planning, job design, motivation, a nd recruitment and skill development and employee relations. Human Resource Management can face the challenges effectively if organizations implement proper strategies. Therefore, the role of Human Resource Management will be more momentous in future due to the rising scenario. To resolve the ethical issues enterprises should make each member of the enterprise aware of the importance of ethics on their lives. If they always respect ethics and consider them as basic for living a peaceful life they will never face any disastrous situation.

Human Resource Manager's Use of Computer Tools Research Paper

Human Resource Manager's Use of Computer Tools - Research Paper Example This essay discusses that human resources managers utilize a number of technological tools on a daily basis to carry out their jobs. At the core of those technological tools is the personal computer, which adds in to the good organization of the human resources experts by letting them to make use of electronic recording systems. â€Å"Software used by HR managers includes word processing programs, spreadsheets such as Microsoft Excel and Lotus 1-2-3, accounting software like Intuit QuickBooks, AccountantsWorld Payroll Relief and Sage Software Peachtree, and various types of HR software. Human resource-specific software includes programs such as Sage Software Abra HRMS, WhizLabs Software and UniFocus Watson Human Resources Manager software†. Conventionally human resource management (HRM) has had a people centric approach. However, these days, when the economical requirements of the market call for a reorientation of strategic human resource beliefs and trainings, a stress is be ing put on an administration supported by knowledge applying technology as a tool. This paper sheds light on the inferences of this ‘new imperative on human resource management’. Now, HR tasks include a sufficient range of actions needing extremely diverse ‘skill sets’, from ‘compensation and benefit’ supervision - extremely quantitative - to worker associations - extremely qualitative. Therefore, there are justifiable issues regarding whether these tasks has to be together on executive arrangements with respect to latest reality as well as technologies. Discussion To be considered flourishing, HR tools should attain quite a lot of objectives, including (a) strategic coalition, which should sustain the objectives of a business by facilitating users; (b) business intelligence, which is requires to encourage fresh insights as well as knowledge, by offering users appropriate data and information, and by responding to inquiries. In addition, (c) co mpetence and success, which must modify the work done by HR workers, by radically recuperating their level of service, permitting additional time for job of better worth, and decreasing their expenditure. Computer tools for HRM can facilitate businesses in achieving their objectives and aims at present as well as in the upcoming times by: (1) assisting managers to set up their workforce more resourcefully, (2) making sure that workforce get appropriate guidance and progress. Thirdly, presenting fresh insights on the way to boost output; (4) facilitating workers as well as managers to get required data quicker; (5) decreasing HR executive expenditures; and (6) supporting with enhanced worker appraisal as well as selection (Roebuck, 2011). The end of post World War II-based suppositions of continuing connection between ‘employers and employees’, needs a fresh representation of employees growth that identifies worker mobility, economical stress, globalization, in addition to the rate of alteration within important computer tools (Bohlander & Snell, 2009). There is a basic requirement in HR to go on with expanding an evolution to ‘technology centric’ knowledge management, but with a ‘people focused’ approach. This is a significant concern these days due to the rational resources of a business. Knowledge management has a main part in guaranteeing competitiveness of the business rests on the insight that in business in today’s world, the single really exceptional resource of a company is the ‘intellectual and human capital’ (Bondarouk, 2011). Human Resource scheduling is linked with the inhibited consumption of workers to attain pre-decided aims - both interim as well as continuing. Following are its three most important traits: (1) demand work concerning assessing, evaluating, and trying to estimate the amount; (2) supply work trying to forecast what action is, and will

Are the problems faced by the feminist and sexual emancipation Essay

Are the problems faced by the feminist and sexual emancipation movements similar to those faced by civil rights movement Or are there major differences - Essay Example e to realize that if they are to attain their full emancipation from slavery, discrimination is to stop also, and hence the Civil Rights Movement came into being for this very reason. It took a while for the Civil Rights Movement to become unified, because many of its early leaders pursued their own agenda on a piece-meal basis. Until influential leaders like Medgar Evers and Martin Luther King came along, the movement was fragmented and due to this situation, it lacked the cohesion necessary to achieve its stated political and social aims. It is admittedly and doubly difficult for any mass movement to achieve any objective if leaders are not united, and this was the case during the early years of the Civil Rights Movement. The entrenched interests of the white supremacists and the political establishment are not going to give way that easily, and many of them saw blacks as a threat to the American way of life. In this regard, the early Feminist Movement was strikingly similar to the Civil Rights Movement in that it was also fragmented, with no clear articulation of what it tries to achieve. Many feminists pursued different agendas on their own, although feminism owes its origins to the early Suffrage Movement to give women the right to vote. Early feminists cannot agree on what they want; whether it is equality in the workplace, at the home, or in the political arena. On the other hand, there are significant or major differences between these two big movements. Feminism is a fight for equality, but only with regards to womens rights. It is not just a fight for recognition, but also a struggle between the two sexes in which there is often a rampant form of sexism, a form of gender discrimination (Paludi 12). In a sense, feminism is a form of gender politics and pits man against woman, male against female protagonists. While the Civil Rights Movement was a struggle against the political and social establishment, feminism can be seen within the context of human

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Applications

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Applications I. Introduction Artificial intelligence  (AI) is the  intelligence  of machines and the branch of  computer science  that aims to create it. Textbooks define the field as the study and design of  intelligent agents,[1]  where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its chances of success.[2]  John McCarthy, who coined the term in 1956,[3]  defines it as the science and engineering of making intelligent machines. The field was founded on the claim that a central property of humans, intelligence-the  sapience  of  Homo sapiens-can be so precisely described that it can be simulated by a machine.  This raises philosophical issues about the nature of the  mind  and limits of scientific  hubris, issues which have been addressed by  myth,  fiction  and  philosophy  since antiquity.[6]  Artificial intelligence has been the subject of optimism,[7]but has also suffered setbacks[8]  and, today, has become an e ssential part of the technology industry, providing the heavy lifting for many of the most difficult problems in computer science. AI research is highly technical and specialized, deeply divided into subfields that often fail to communicate with each other.[10]  Subfields have grown up around particular institutions, the work of individual researchers, the solution of specific problems, longstanding differences of opinion about how AI should be done and the application of widely differing tools. The central problems of AI include such traits as reasoning, knowledge, planning, learning, communication, perception and the ability to move and manipulate objects.[11]  General intelligence (or strong AI) is still a long-term goal of (some) research. AI plays a major role in the field of robotics. The word  robot  can refer to both physical robots and  virtual  software agents, but the latter are usually referred to as  bots.[3]  There is no consensus on which machines qualify as robots, but there is general agreement among experts and the public that robots tend to do some or all of the following: move around, operate a mechanical limb, sense and manipulate their environment, and exhibit intelligent behaviour, especially behaviour which mimics humans or other animals. There is conflict about whether the term can be applied to remotely operated devices, as the most common usage implies, or solely to devices which are controlled by their software without human intervention. In  South Africa,  robot  is an informal and commonly used term for a set of traffic lights. It is difficult to compare numbers of robots in different countries, since there are different definitions of what a robot is. The  International Organization for Standardization  gives a definition of robot in  ISO 8373: an automatically controlled, reprogrammable, multipurpose, manipulator programmable in three or more axes, which may be either fixed in place or mobile for use in industrial automation applications.[5]  This definition is used by the International Federation of Robotics, the  European Robotics Research Network  (EURON), and many national standards committees. The Robotics Institute of America (RIA) uses a broader definition: a robot is a re-programmable multi-functional manipulator designed to move materials, parts, tools, or specialized devices through variable programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks.[7]  The RIA subdivides robots into four classes: devices that manipulate objects with manual control, automated devices that manipulate objects with predetermined cycles, programmable and servo-controlled robots with continuous point-to-point trajectories, a nd robots of this last type which also acquire information from the environment and move intelligently in response. There is no one definition of robot which satisfies everyone, and many people have their own.[8]  For example,  Joseph Engelberger, a pioneer in industrial robotics, once remarked: I cant define a robot, but I know one when I see one.[9]  According to  Encyclopaedia Britannica, a robot is any automatically operated machine that replaces human effort, though it may not resemble human beings in appearance or perform functions in a humanlike manner.[10]  Merriam-Webster  describes a robot as a machine that looks like a human being and performs various complex acts (as walking or talking) of a human being, or a device that automatically performs complicated often repetitive tasks, or a mechanism guided by automatic controls. Modern robots are usually used in tightly controlled environments such as on  assembly lines  because they have difficulty responding to unexpected interference. Because of this, most humans rarely encounter robots. However,  domestic robots  for cleaning and maintenance are increasingly common in and around homes in developed countries, particularly in  Japan. Robots can also be found in the  military. II. HISTORY Mechanical or  formal reasoning  has been developed by philosophers and mathematicians since antiquity. The study of logic led directly to the invention of the  programmable digital electronic computer, based on the work of  mathematician  Alan Turing  and others. Turings  theory of computation  suggested that a machine, by shuffling symbols as simple as 0 and 1, could simulate any conceivable act of mathematical deduction.[23]  This, along with recent discoveries in  neurology,  information theory  and  cybernetics, inspired a small group of researchers to begin to seriously consider the possibility of building an electronic brain.[24] The field of AI research was founded at  a conference  on the campus of  Dartmouth College  in the summer of 1956.[25]  The attendees, including John McCarthy,  Marvin Minsky,  Allen Newell  and  Herbert Simon, became the leaders of AI research for many decades.[26]  They and their students wrote programs that were, to most people, simply astonishing:[27]  computers were solving word problems in algebra, proving logical theorems and speaking English.[28]  By the middle of the 1960s, research in the U.S. was heavily funded by the  Department of Defense[29]  and laboratories had been established around the world.[30]  AIs founders were profoundly optimistic about the future of the new field:  Herbert Simon predicted that machines will be capable, within twenty years, of doing any work a man can do[31]  and  Marvin Minsky   agreed, writing that within a generation the problem of creating artificial intelligence will substantially be solved.[32] In the early 1980s, AI research was revived by the commercial success of  expert systems,[35]  a form of AI program that simulated the knowledge and analytical skills of one or more human experts. By 1985 the market for AI had reached over a billion dollars. At the same time, Japans  fifth generation computer  project inspired the U.S and British governments to restore funding for academic research in the field.[36] Stories of artificial helpers and companions and attempts to create them have a long history but fully autonomous  machines only appeared in the 20th century. The first  digitally  operated and programmable robot, the  Unimate, was installed in 1961 to lift hot pieces of metal from a die casting machine and stack them. Today, commercial and  industrial robots  are in widespread use performing jobs more cheaply or with greater accuracy and reliability than humans. They are also employed for jobs which are too dirty, dangerous or dull to be suitable for humans. Robots are widely used in manufacturing, assembly and packing, transport, earth and space exploration, surgery, weaponry, laboratory research, and mass production of consumer and industrial goods.[4] The word  robot  was introduced to the public by Czech  writer  Karel ÄÅ'apek in his play  R.U.R. (Rossums Universal Robots), published in  1920.[16]  The play begins in a  factory  that makes artifici al people called  robots, but they are closer to the modern ideas of  androids, creatures who can be mistaken for humans. They can plainly think for themselves, though they seem happy to serve. At issue is whether the  robots  are being  exploited  and the consequences of their treatment. However, Karel ÄÅ'apek himself did not coin the word. He wrote a short letter in reference to anetymology  in the  Oxford English Dictionary  in which he named his brother, the painter and writer Josef ÄÅ'apek, as its actual originator.[16]  In an article in the Czech journal  Lidovà © noviny  in 1933, he explained that he had originally wanted to call the creatures  laboÃ…â„ ¢i  (from  Latin  labor, work). However, he did not like the word, and sought advice from his brother Josef, who suggested roboti. III. FIELDS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE A. Combinatorial Search Many problems in AI can be solved in theory by intelligently searching through many possible solutions:[96]  Reasoning  can be reduced to performing a search. For example, logical proof can be viewed as searching for a path that leads from  premises to   conclusions, where each step is the application of an  inference rule.[97]  Planning  algorithms search through trees of goals and sub goals, attempting to find a path to a target goal, a process called  means-ends analysis.[98]  Robotics  algorithms for moving limbs and grasping objects use  local searches  in configuration space.[67]  Many  learning  algorithms use search algorithms based on  optimization. Simple exhaustive searches[99]  are rarely sufficient for most real world problems: the  search space  (the number of places to search) quickly grows to  astronomical  numbers. The result is a search that is  too slow  or never completes. The solution, for many problems, is to use heu ristics or rules of thumb that eliminate choices that are unlikely to lead to the goal (called pruning  the  search tree).  Heuristics  supply the program with a best guess for what path the solution lies on.[100]A very different kind of search came to prominence in the 1990s, based on the mathematical theory of  optimization. For many problems, it is possible to begin the search with some form of a guess and then refine the guess incrementally until no more refinements can be made. These algorithms can be visualized as blind  hill climbing: we begin the search at a random point on the landscape, and then, by jumps or steps, we keep moving our guess uphill, until we reach the top. Other optimization algorithms are  simulated annealing,  beam search  and  random optimization.[101] Evolutionary computation  uses a form of optimization search. For example, they may begin with a population of organisms (the guesses) and then allow them to mutate and recombine,  selecting  only the fittest to survive each generation (refining the guesses). Forms of  evolutionary computation  include  swarm intelligence  algorithms (such as  ant colony  or  particle swarm optimization) and  evolutionary algorithms B. Neural Network A neural network is an interconnected group of nodes, akin to the vast network of  neurons  in the  human brain. The study of  artificial neural networks[127]  began in the decade before the field AI research was founded, in the work of  Walter Pitts  and  Warren McCullough. Other important early researchers were  Frank Rosenblatt, who invented the  perception  and  Paulwerbos who developed the  back propagation  algorithm.[134]The main categories of networks are acyclic or  feed forward neural networks  (where the signal passes in only one direction) and  recurrent neural networks  (which allow feedback). Among the most popular feed forward networks are  perceptions,  multi-layer perceptions  and  radial basis networks.[135]  Among recurrent networks, the most famous is the  Hopfield net, a form of attractor network, which was first described by  John Hopfield  in 1982.  Neural networks can be applied to the problem of  intelli gent control(for robotics) or  learning, using such techniques as  Hebbian learning  and  competitive learning.[137]Jeff Hawkins  argues that research in neural networks has stalled because it has failed to model the essential properties of the  neocortex, and has suggested a model (Hierarchical Temporal Memory) that is based on neurological research. C. Approaches There is no established unifying theory or  paradigm  that guides AI research. Researchers disagree about many issues.[76]  A few of the most long standing questions that have remained unanswered are these: should artificial intelligence simulate natural intelligence, by studying psychology  or  neurology? Or is human biology as irrelevant to AI research as bird biology is to  aeronautical engineering?  Can intelligent behavior be described using simple, elegant principles (such as  logic  or  optimization)? Or does it necessarily require solving a large number of completely unrelated problems?[78]  Can intelligence be reproduced using high-level symbols, similar to words and ideas? Or does it require sub-symbolic processing?[79] D. General Intelligence Main articles:  Strong AI  and  AI-complete Most researchers hope that their work will eventually be incorporated into a machine with  general Intelligence (known as  strong AI),combining all the skills above and exceeding human abilities at most or all of them.[12]  A few believe that  anthropomorphic  features like  artificial consciousness  or an artificial brain  may be required for such a project.[74]  Eliezer Yudkowsky  has argued for the importance of  friendly artificial intelligence, to mitigate the risks of an uncontrolled intelligence explosion. The Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence  is dedicated to creating such an AI. Many of the problems above are considered  AI-complete: to solve one problem, you must solve them all. For example, even a straightforward, specific task like  machine translation  requires that the machine follow the authors argument (reason), know what is being talked about (knowledge), and faithfully re produce the authors intention (social intelligence).  Machine translation, therefore, is believed to be AI-complete: it may require  strong AI  to be done as well as humans can do it.[75] E. Planning Intelligent agents must be able to set goals and achieve them.[56]  They need a way to visualize the future (they must have a representation of the state of the world and be able to make predictions about how their actions will change it) and be able to make choices that maximize the utility  (or value) of the available choices.[57]In classical planning problems, the agent can assume that it is the only thing acting on the world and it can be certain what the consequences of its actions may be.[58]  However, if this is not true, it must periodically check if the world matches its predictions and it must change its plan as this becomes necessary, requiring the agent to reason under uncertainty.[59]Multi-agent planning  uses the  cooperation  and  competition  of many agents to achieve a given goal.  Emergent behavior  such as this is used bye volutionary algorithms  and  swarm intelligence. F. Learning Machine learning  has been central to AI research from the beginning.[62]  Unsupervised learning  is the ability to find patterns in a stream of input.  Supervised learning  includes both  classification  and numerical   regression. Classification is used to determine what category something belongs in, after seeing a number of examples of things from several categories. Regression takes a set of numerical input/output examples and attempts to discover a continuous function that would generate the outputs from the inputs. In  reinforcement learning[63]  the agent is rewarded for good responses and punished for bad ones. These can be analyzed in terms of  decision theory, using concepts like  utility. The mathematical analysis of machine learning algorithms and their performance is a branch of  theoretical computer science  known as computational learning theory G. Motion And Manipulation The field of  robotics[66]  is closely related to AI. Intelligence is required for robots to be able to handle such tasks as object manipulation[67]  and  navigation, with sub-problems of  localization  (knowing where you are),  mapping  (learning what is around you) and  motion planning  (figuring out how to get there). H. Knowledge Representation Knowledge representation  and  knowledge engineering  are central to AI research. Many of the problems machines are expected to solve will require extensive knowledge about the world. Among the things that AI needs to represent are: objects, properties, categories and relations between objects;[45]  situations, events, states and time;[46]  causes and effects;[47]  knowledge about knowledge (what we know about what other people know);  and many other, less well researched domains. A complete representation of what exists is an  ontology  (borrowing a word from traditional  philosophy), of which the most general are called  upper ontologies. I. Natural Language Processing Natural language processing[64]  gives machines the ability to read and understand the languages that humans speak. Many researchers hope that a sufficiently powerful natural language processing system would be able to acquire knowledge on its own, by reading the existing text available over the internet. Some straightforward applications of natural language processing include  information retrieval  (or  text mining) and  machine translation. IV. APPLICATIONS OF ROBOTS Robotics has been of interest to mankind for over one hundred years. However our perception of robots has been influenced by the media and Hollywood. One may ask what robotics is about? In my eyes, a robots characteristics change depending on the environment it operates in. Some of these are: A. Outer Space   Manipulative arms that are controlled by a human are used to unload the docking bay of space shuttles to launch satellites or to construct a space station B. The Intelligent Home   Automated systems can now monitor home security, environmental conditions and energy usage. Door and windows can be opened automatically and appliances such as lighting and air conditioning can be pre programmed to activate. This assists occupants irrespective of their state of mobility. C. Exploration   Robots can visit environments that are harmful to humans. An example is monitoring the environment inside a volcano or exploring our deepest oceans. NASA has used robotic probes for planetary exploration since the early sixties. D. Military Robots   Airborne robot drones are used for surveillance in todays modern army. In the future automated aircraft and vehicles could be used to carry fuel and ammunition or clear minefields E. Farms   Automated harvesters can cut and gather crops. Robotic dairies are available allowing operators to feed and milk their cows remotely. F. The Car Industry Robotic arms that are able to perform multiple tasks are used in the car manufacturing process. They perform tasks such as welding, cutting, lifting, sorting and bending. Similar applications but on a smaller scale are now being planned for the food processing industry in particular the trimming, cutting and processing of various meats such as fish, lamb, beef. G. Hospitals   Under development is a robotic suit that will enable nurses to lift patients without damaging their backs. Scientists in Japan have developed a power-assisted suit which will give nurses the extra muscle they need to lift their patients- and avoid back injuries. The suit was designed by Keijiro Yamamoto, a professor in the welfare-systems engineering department at Kanagawa Institute of Technology outside Tokyo. It will allow caregivers to easily lift bed-ridden patients on and off beds. In its current state the suit has an aluminium exoskeleton and a tangle of wires and compressed-air lines trailing from it. Its advantage lies in the huge impact it could have for nurses. In Japan, the population aged 14 and under has declined 7% over the past five years to 18.3 million this year. Providing care for a growing elderly generation poses a major challenge to the government. Robotics may be the solution. Research institutions and companies in Japan have been trying to create robotic nurses to substitute for humans. Yamamoto has taken another approach and has decided to create a device designed to help human nurses. In tests, a nurse weighing 64 kilograms was able to lift and carry a patient weighing 70 kilograms. The suit is attached to the wearers back with straps and belts. Sensors are placed on the wearers muscles to measure strength. These send the data back to a microcomputer, which calculates how much more power is needed to complete the lift effortlessly. The computer, in turn, powers a chain of actuators or inflatable cuffs that are attached to the suit and worn under the elbows, lower back and knees. As the wearer lifts a patient, compressed air is pushed into the cuffs, applying extra force to the arms, back and legs. The degree of air pressure is automatically adjusted according to how much the muscles are flexed. A distinct advantage of this system is that it assists the wearers knees, being only one of its kind to do so. A number of hurdles are still faced by Yamamoto. The suit is unwieldy, the wearer cant climb stairs and turning is awkward. The design weight of the suit should be less than 10 kilograms for comfortable use. The latest prototype weighs 15 kilograms. Making it lighter is technically possible by using smaller and lighter actuators. The prototype has cost less than  ¥1 million ($8,400) to develop. But earlier versions developed by Yamamoto over the past 10 years cost upwards of  ¥20 million in government development grants. H. Disaster Areas   Surveillance robots fitted with advanced sensing and imaging equipment can operate in hazardous environments such as urban setting damaged by earthquakes by scanning walls, floors and ceilings for structural integrity. I. Entertainment   Interactive robots that exhibit behaviours and learning ability. SONY has one such robot which moves freely, plays with a ball and can respond to verbal instructions. V. ADVANTAGES OF ROBOTS A. Business Benefits Robots have the ability to consistently produce high-quality products and to precisely perform tasks. Since they never tire and can work nonstop without breaks, robots are able to produce more quality goods or execute commands quicker than their human counterparts B. Management Benefits Robot employees never call in sick, never waste time and rarely require preparation time before working. With robots, a manager never has to worry about high employee turnover or unfilled positions C. Employee Benefits Robots can do the work that no one else wants to do-the mundane, dangerous, and repetitive jobs. Common Misconception about Robots : Introducing robots into a work environment does not necessarily mean the elimination of jobs. With the addition of robots comes the need for highly-skilled, human workers. D. Consumer Benefits Robots produce high quality goods Since robots produce so many quality goods in a shorter amount of time than humans, we reap the benefits of cheaper goods. Since the products are produced more quickly, this significantly reduces the amount of time that we are forced to wait for products to come to the marketplace VI. SHORTCOMINGS Fears and concerns about robots have been repeatedly expressed in a wide range of books and films. A common theme is the development of a master race of conscious and highly intelligent robots, motivated to take over or destroy the human race. (See  The Terminator,  Runaway,  Blade Runner,  Robocop,  the Replicators in  Stargate,  the Cylons in  Battlestar Galactica,  The Matrix,  THX-1138, and  I, Robot.) Some fictional robots are programmed to kill and destroy; others gain superhuman intelligence and abilities by upgrading their own software and hardware. Examples of popular media where the robot becomes evil are  2001: A Space Odyssey,  Red Planet, Another common theme is the reaction, sometimes called the uncanny valley, of unease and even revulsion at the sight of robots that mimic humans too closely.[99]  Frankenstein  (1818), often called the first science fiction novel, has become synonymous with the theme of a robot or monster advancing beyond its creator. In the TV show, Futurama, the robots are portrayed as humanoid figures that live alongside humans, not as robotic butlers. They still work in industry, but these robots carry out daily lives. Manuel De Landa  has noted that smart missiles and autonomous bombs equipped with artificial perception can be considered robots, and they make some of their decisions autonomously. He believes this represents an important and dangerous trend in which humans are handing over important decisions to machines.[100] Marauding robots may have entertainment value, but unsafe use of robots constitutes an actual danger. A heavy industrial robot with powerful actuators and unpredictably complex behavior can cause harm, for instance by stepping on a humans foot or falling on a human. Most industrial robots operate inside a security fence which separates them from human workers, but not all. Two robot-caused deaths are those of Robert Williams and  Kenji Urada. Robert Williams was struck by a robotic arm at a casting plant in  Flat Rock, Michigan  on January 25, 1979.[101]  37-year-old  Kenji Urada, a Japanese factory worker, was killed in 1981; Urada was performing routine maintenance on the robot, but neglected to shut it down properly, and was accidentally pushed into a  grinding machine. VII. CONCLUSIONS If the current developments are to be believed then the next wave of robots will have a supernatural resemblance with humans with the help of AI. The Indian automotive industry has finally awaken to the fact that robotics is not just about saving labour, but it also helps companies significantly to step up productivity and quality to meet the demands of international competition. Industrial robots can be involved in production industry because of its less time consumption, accuracy of work, and less labour. As globalization accelerates, robotics is increasingly vital to maintain the health of the industrial sector and keep manufacturing jobs at home. Now more than ever, the need to stay competitive is a driver for investing in robotics. Companies in all over the world are often faced with difficult choices: Do they send their manufacturing to low-cost producers overseas? Or, do they invest in robotics to continue making products here? We conclude that more companies are realizing tha t robotics is the better option.

netherlands :: essays research papers

Netherlands Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany Geographic coordinates: 52 30 N, 5 45 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 41,526 sq km land: 33,883 sq km water: 7,643sqkmArea - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey Land boundaries: total: 1,027 km bordercountries:Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km Coastline: 451 km Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM Climate: temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters Terrain: mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Prins Alexanderpolder -7 m highest point: Vaalserberg 321 m Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, arable land Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 8% other: 39% (1996 est.) Irrigated land: 6,000 sq km (1996 est.) Natural hazards: flooding Environment - current issues: water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Geography - note: located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde) Netherlands People Top of Page Population: 15,981,472 (July 2001 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.38% (male 1,501,925; female 1,436,017) 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 5,518,575; female 5,333,442) 65 years and over: 13.72% (male 899,052; female 1,292,461) (2001 est.) Population growth rate: 0.55% (2001 est.) Birth rate: 11.85 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) Death rate: 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) Net migration rate: 2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.) Infant mortality rate: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.43 years male: 75.55 years female: 81.44 years (2001 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.19% (1999 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 15,000 (1999 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 100 (1999 est.) Nationality: noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women) adjective: Dutch Ethnic groups: Dutch 91%, Moroccans, Turks, and other 9% (1999 est.) Religions: Roman Catholic 31%, Protestant 21%, Muslim 4.4%, other 3.6%, unaffiliated 40% (1998) Languages: Dutch total population: 99% (2000 est.

Examination of the Role of Evolution Theory Essay

In this paper I will briefly describe the evolutionary theory in general, and specifically as it relates to the study of criminology. I will examine the ways in which natural selection has shaped the processes which motivate human behavior, especially in terms of how competing for limited resources and ensuring that one’s genetic code is passed on are linked to aggressive behavior. Two crimes of which I have personal knowledge will be evaluated, with emphasis placed on the ways in which evolutionary theory may account for the aspects of criminal behavior in each. Finally, I will reflect on the ways in which evolutionary theory may help further our understanding of the causes and predictors of criminal behavior and whether it should become a focus of a practitioner’s efforts to help prevent crime and reduce recidivism on an individual and programmatic level. Evolutionary theory is the study of the ways in which human behavior has been shaped over the history of the development of our species through the process of natural selection. Since human behavior includes criminal behavior, the study of evolutionary theory can he helpful in our understanding of the causes of crime. Evolutionary theory seeks to better understand and possibly predict today’s criminal behavior by examining the history of humans as a species to determine the root source of aggressive and violent behavior. Natural selection is the process by which certain naturally-occurring adaptations get passed on from generation to generation because they provide some advantage to survival and reproduction (reproductive success). Simply stated, if one of our ancestors has a genetic trait that makes him or her more likely to survive, mate, and reproduce in a harsh social and physical climate, this trait will be carried on to his or her children. While on the other hand, an individual lacking this trait will be less likely to reproduce and pass his or her traits on to the next generation. Over time, the gene traits that are favorable to survival and reproduction continue to pass from one generation to the next, to eventually be present in modern man. This is survival of the fittest, that the most genetically fit individuals are the ones who survive and pass their gene pool on to the next generation through sexual reproduction. Evolution through natural selection is a slow process, however, and the environment can change much more quickly than the evolutionary process. This means that the adaptations which increased likelihood of survival and reproduction in our ancestral environment thousands of years ago do not necessarily help us to do so today. Neanderthal’s did not have access to supermarkets, match.com, or central heating. Modern man does have access to plentiful resources, but our brains have not had the time to catch up. In fact, these traits that once helped keep us alive as individuals and as a species can be harmful in our current environment, which is fundamentally different than the environment in which these drives were formed. In his seminal book, On Aggression (1966), Konrad Lorenz posited that aggressive behavior is inherited to help an individual to protect scarce resources, such as mates and food (Lorenz, 1966). Whereas aggression may have made it more likely that you would successfully compete for food and mates in our distant past, it now leads more often to what is considered antisocial and criminal behavior. The two crimes that I will discuss today were carried out by offenders with whom I have worked directly, which provides me with some unique insight into the situations, backgrounds, and psychological mindsets of the actors involved. Last spring, Joe stabbed his girlfriend of 5 years multiple times in the face, chest, and neck. His girlfriend, Donna, sustained multiple life-threatening injuries requiring emergency surgeries and were nearly fatal. If not for the quick response by first responders and the effective interventions of ER staff and doctors, this crime would be classified as a murder. Donna had filed a protection-from-abuse order a year before the assault, after Joe confronted and assaulted her for believing that she had been sleeping with another man. This order was broken several times before the stabbing took place, but Joe was quickly released each time. In my opinion, an evolutionary theorist would say that this act of violence was motivated by the fear of losing one’s mate, and therefore his means by which to reproduce. If this had occurred in our ancestral environment, the motivation may have been more necessary as males would be competing for a limited number of female mates, but this is certainly not the case today. Some other facts about Joe are that he was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and was not medicated because he could not afford his prescriptions. He had dropped out of school in 10th grade, leaving him limited employment opportunities, he was an active substance dependant, and he was raised in a single-parent household after his mother died in a car accident when he was 7. Joe’s father left his other son (Joe’s brother), who was only four years older, to take on the majority of Joe’s upbringing from this point on. In my opinion, even though Joe may have had an innate drive to protect what he believed to be a threat to his mate, it was the lack of protective forces and the presence of a combination of criminogenic risk factors, across multiple disciplines, which led to his criminal behavior. Evolutionary theory might have been able to describe why some of the mechanisms by which Joe’s aggressiveness developed, but it could not account for the crime itself because everyone is born with these same innate aggressive mechanisms. The second crime I will describe was an assault carried out by members of rival gangs in a dispute over a female and rights to prime drug-selling territory. Desmond is a member of the CRIPs gang and is involved in selling cocaine and marijuana in Northeastern PA. He has a prior record of three Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver charges, two convictions for Assault, and was currently on probation. One day during the summer, he came home to his apartments at the Sherman Hills development to find his girlfriend talking with a member of a rival gang, the Bloods, whom she claimed to know from elementary school. The Bloods are also involved in selling drugs in this area, and both gangs often feud over how the territory should be broken up, but this area was clearly marked as belonging to the CRIPs. Desmond confronted the man, and after he claimed that he was â€Å"disrespected†, beat him up and smashed his head on the curb with his foot. Evolution theorists would state that the motivations involved in this crime would be hatred between rivals (unrelated acquaintances) based on competition for limited materials and intangible resources like social status and respect (Daly & Wilson, 1997). The resources in this case being exclusive access to the money to be made in an area with a high concentration of â€Å"consumers†. The other environmental factors at play here are the perceived threat to Desmond’s girlfriend, or mate, who is the means by which his gene pool will be passed on. In addition, Desmond gave as reasoning for his crime the fact that he had been disrespected and had to reassert his social status through a violent reaction. Although I believe all of these evolutionary motivations to be valid, I don’t believe that it was innate drive alone which led to this crime. Anyone who is in a situation where he feels disrespected becomes angry, but not everyone responds by causing permanent damage to the offender’s facial nerves. As Bartol & Bartol state, â€Å"there is little evidence to justify portraying humans as innately dangerous and brutal or as controlled by instinct† (Bartol, 2011, p. 116). I believe that it was the presence and interplay of a number of criminogenic risk factors which decided whether this interaction would end with words or fists. In this case, the risk factors with the most influence on behavior were low socioeconomic status, lack of a pro-social peer group, lack of access to gainful employment opportunities, and antisocial attitudes and beliefs, among others. There were the difference between how you or I would have reacted and how a gang member reacts. If these risk factors were mitigated by programs initiated to reduce Desmond’s criminogenic risk and to provide him with access to protective factors, the crime most likely could have been avoided. There would be no way, however, to change his innate biological drives, developed over thousands of years of evolution, because these drives are static. I believe that evolutionary theory can help us better understand how and why the physiology and functioning of the brain developed the way it did through the process of natural selection. I also believe that this can be useful to our â€Å"investigation of the mind’s structure and operations† (Daly & Wilson, 1997). This knowledge can help us look for explanations for why some individuals engage in criminal behavior and to better understand the mechanisms by which this behavior occurs; which can give us insight into developing more effective interventions (Ward & Durant, 2011). I think that the evolutionary theory can help us to understand macro-criminality, but I do not believe that this understanding can help us nearly as much in our search for the causes and predictors of crime on an individual level. Working to reduce an individual offender’s risk of recidivating requires a careful analysis of what factors led him or her to lack the ability to control these in nate drives and an intervention program to help them to learn to do so. Every person alive today has been shaped by the same evolutionary process, so what are the factors that lead some individuals to be able to keep these drives in check and make rational decisions while others give in to their primal desires and engage in criminal behavior? I believe that the answer to this question is that individuals who engage in criminal behavior are exposed to some combination of biological, sociological, and physiological criminogenic risk factors while lacking the presence of protective factors which may have neutralized these risks. On these factors is where I believe we should be focusing our efforts and studies. Daly & Wilson state that the insights into the workings of criminal behavior â€Å"should not be viewed as alternatives to sociological and psychological analysis, but as complementary components of a more complete understanding† (Daly & Wilson, 1997) In this way, I believe evolutionary theory can give us insight into the â€Å"how† and the â€Å"why† of criminal behavior, but I believe we should be looking more closely at the â€Å"who†, â€Å"where†, and â€Å"when†. References Lorenz, K. (1966). On aggression. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. Daly, M. & Wilson, M. (1997). Crime and conflict: Homicide in evolutionary psychological perspective. Crime & Justice, 22, 51–100. Bartol, C. R., & Bartol, A. M. (2011). Criminal behavior a psychological approach. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. Ward, T. & Durrant, R. (2011). Evolutionary behavioral science and crime: Aetiological and intervention implications. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 16, 193-201.

Violence in Movie Theaters Essay Example

Violence in Movie Theaters Essay Example Violence in Movie Theaters Essay Violence in Movie Theaters Essay Essay Topic: The Godfather Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Violence in Movie Theaters Adams Mike. Batman movie massacre a reflection of violent video games, TSA violence against citizens and psychiatric drugging of young white men. Natural News. Accessed on 25 September 2012. Retrieved from naturalnews.com/036535_Batman_massacre_shooting.html Summary The shootings at the cinema hall in Colorado were the work of a medical student; James Holmes who had psychotic problems brought new questions about the content that the media were exposing to the public. Wearing a costume similar to the evil character Bane in the film â€Å"The Dark Knight Rises†, Holmes managed to kill 12 moviegoers and scare hundreds of other viewers. The best explanation of the incident was given by a doctor who claimed that Holmes was on psychiatric drugs. As a result, his behavior closely resembled that of the 1999 shooters in a Columbine high school. Violent video games were also cited as being part of the causative agent in the rise of aggressive behavior among young men. Assessment Most disturbed young men were permanently on psychiatric drugs that helped them lead a sane life. The detached behavior of randomly shooting people in a cinema hall is a side effect of exposure to severe violence and suicidal tendencies that were worsened by the constant attachment to violent games such as Batman, Mortal Combat or other fighting games. The mainstream media has also failed in the efforts to curb unnecessary exposure of the public to violence that may cause them to act in a manner similar to what they see on the silver screen. These violent young men also showed signs of depression, anger and suicide in their behavior. Reflection Young men are easily influenced by what they see and hear in the cinemas. I would propose that the media stakeholders should desist from embracing violence as a good thing and instead focus on reducing the effects of the violence on the society. In addition, those individuals who are on psychiatric drugs should be closely monitored by their immediate family members in order to ensure that they do not spiral out of control. The issue of gun laws should also be raised, and especially the access that young or mentally troubled individuals have to these weapons. Cieply Michael. A studio with violence in its bones. The New York Times. Accessed on 25 September 2012. Retrieved from nytimes.com/2012/07/26/movies/warner-brothers-and-its-decades-of-violent-films.html Summary Warner Studio has produced many action films for over six decades but their focus has been on producing action films. The latest report of violent activity that was related to the Warner studios happened when the â€Å"Dark Knight Rises† was being launched by Warner. The movie was marked by a deadly shooting by an overzealous psychotic fan of Batman. Within the same week, Warner decided to postpone the launching of another movie â€Å"Gangster Squad† which was a hard edge film that portrayed the crime and activity between the police and mobsters within Los Angeles. Assessment The trailers for the movie â€Å"Gangster Squad† showed a group of mobsters shooting inside a movie theater. The trailer might have been the reason why the shooting happened during the launch of the Dark Knight. The people who had access to the trailer most probably saw how the shooting took place and this planted the idea of performing a shootout in a cinema hall. When the public went to watch the premiere of the Dark Knight Rises, the shooter had a similar opportunity to relive what he saw in the trailer. The Warner Company also had a problem between maintaining business volumes and providing the public with violence-free content. Reflection The Warner Company has produced many films with the violence them and the effect of their films could be contributing toward the increased violence in America. In my opinion, the Warner Company was squarely responsible for the shooting that took place in the cinema hall. The responsibility of demonstrating acts of violence should also come with an additional liability that the intended audience should be warned of the consequences of watching these violent scenes. This would be similar to warnings on medication or even alcoholic beverages on the potential harm of the consumption of these products. Johnson H. John. Who should be blamed for the violence at movie theaters? Jet. Accessed on 25 September 2012. Retrieved from http://books.google.co.ke/books/jet Summary The article was written in 1991 when a myriad of violence erupted at the cinema halls where moviegoers had gone to watch the movie New Jack City. The movie featured gangsters and other criminal activities, violence and drug trafficking. The movie triggered rowdiness among the youth who did not manage to get a ticket to the premiere launching. The scuffles also claimed the lives of three police officers. The producers of the film claimed that they made anti-violence and anti-drug statements before the movie was shown. Warner Bros. Company was also involved in providing the security at the cinema halls. Assessment New Jack City was a movie that changed the way people perceived crime and gangster activities in the United States. The effect that the movie had was so intense that most of the cinemas that were showing the film pulled it down after a few hours. The movie had triggered riots, demonstrations and looting all over Los Angeles. Most of the chaos started from the cinema halls immediately after the movie had finished playing. The screening of shootings, gang activity, and rape and drug abuse showed to the viewers that these actions were not prohibited. The movies also had features of institutional racism in it. Reflection The younger generation within America has discovered that they could gain attention by expressing violent behavior. The movie New Jack City was the best movie to tap into this unsuitable energy by the youth. The movie also set the trends for fashion and lifestyles for the youth that has shaped them into irresponsible young adults. The younger generation should be counseled that the use of violence is wrong in any situation. Movies and other form of entertainment glorify violence as a part of life and the youth pick this up as a form of expression, thereby escalating the problem. Lupkin Sydney. Colorado Shooting Recalls History of Theater Violence. ABC News. Accessed on 25 September 2012. Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/US/colorado-shooting-recalls-history-theater-violence/story?id=16823347#.UGFFD81RQac Summary Lupkin discusses the recent theater shootings that happened in Colorado. He mentioned the other historical shootings that also happened in different cinemas across America. Lupkin took up an academic approach toward attempting to explain the increased violence within theaters. According to the scholars from Emory University Medical School’s Department of Psychiatry, people go to the movie and behave as if the events occurring in the movie were part of their real life. The reaction by people who read books by Corleones was much less aggressive than those who saw the same films in the theater. People who read novels, comics or printed stories are categorized by the university professor as being slightly different from the movie watchers. Assessment The online source was highly relevant and helpful as it discussed the academic explanation of the cause of violence among movie viewers. The objective of the article was to discuss the instances of violence in the theater and the scientific and sociological explanations behind the increased violence. The article also described the way in which the movies influence the behavior of the viewers by making violence seem rather acceptable. Reflection This article showed the real effect that the movies had on the audience. The article also had real life instances of people who triggered violence and how they were related to aggression in movies. After reading the article, I had the right frame of mind to understand the reason behind the increased aggression among moviegoers who see violent movies. Indeed, movies and other form of media are becoming more interactive, thereby making the audience feel that the events portrayed are real. As a result, frequent moviegoers have the potential of becoming more aggressive if the violence they perceive as being normal is present in many of the movies they watch. Rolfe Dick. Movie violence then and now. The Dove Foundation. Accessed on 25 September 2012. Retrieved from dove.org/columns/1997/column9704.htm Summary The movies seem real to the audience, and they invoke real and abundant feelings. Certain movies activate emotions and behavior that go beyond the sympathy for the character in the screen. An example would be seeing many action movies having violence to a point that it (violence) becomes normal and acceptable. Some of the famous movies that have been flagged for violence include â€Å"The Godfather Part III† and â€Å"Boyz in the Hood†. A â€Å"Godfather† showing in 1991, in New York, turned awry when two groups of men started arguing and exchanging fire that killed a 15-year-old bystander. Book readers are less susceptible to violence as compared to movie watchers. The book readers do not see the actual happenings and so they are less activated emotionally as compared to television viewers. Assessment Filmmakers have made many changes in the industry to an extent that violence and aggressive behavior has been presented as attractive, desirable and acceptable. Watching violent films have had negative effects within the society. First, the young people in society have had degenerative and disruptive behavior, and second, they encourage violent criminal activity. Reflection This article held technical descriptions on how the film industry made violence and aggression a normal part of the society. The article also gave a chronological narration of the violent occurrences within movie theaters. I gained valuable information after reading on the sociological side effects of the violence that was being broadcasted in the media. I would have a lot of criticism for the state of chaos existing within the film industry that lets them approve violence in society. The fact that watching violence on television and in the movies also increases the nature of aggression by the audience seems to be overlooked my companies only interested in entertaining and making money. This is opposed to the potential for harm that these forms of media have to those who are most vulnerable in the society. Rosenbaum, Jonathan. Movie Wars: How Hollywood and the Media Conspire to Limit What Films We Can See. Chicago, IL: A Cappella, 2000. Print Summary Rosenbaum discussed the controversial topic of the cinema and its role in society. He expressed that the vale of the cinema was often undermined by many people who frequented the premises. The book discusses the stages that stakeholders in the film industry go through from production, distribution and promotion of films. Companies such as Miramax engage in activities such as hoarding movies to deny other companies from distributing them. The book also criticizes the corporate cinematic culture and other behaviors such as denying the moviegoers the right to choose what movies to offer. Assessment The cinema industry is extremely powerful and influential in the way it manipulates the production studios, market researchers, publishing concerns and advertisers. The influence spreads to the way in which the films are made and the themes that are chosen for these films. The cinema industry has expounded on the violence themes to an extent that they influence how people think, act and interpret real life situations. Reflection The influx of various themes such as violence within the media can be understood as a plan by the media stakeholders to predetermine what the audience can watch in the cinemas. The result is a society flooded with violence because the entities responsible for controlling what the public can see and this has obviously failed as more and more people prefer to watch violence such as wrestling, reality fighting shows and extreme action movies. These same cinema bodies are responsible for censoring what the public can see through parental guidance. However, the adherence to these restrictions is not upheld as most young individuals have access to violent media and only a small proportion of their parents keep tabs on what the youth are watching. Rowles Dustin. The 10 Most Horrific Incidents of Off-Screen Movie Theater Violence. Pajiba. Accessed on 25 September 2012. Retrieved from pajiba.com/seriously_random_lists/the-10-most-horrific-incidents-of-offscreen-movie-theater-violence.php Summary Rowles analyzed the ten most horrific theater violence incidents that caused the death of many cinemagoers. A police officer stabbed a16-year old boy because he refused to leave the hall. This incident was reported in 2009. Earlier episodes that occurred in America were triggered by irate clients who were disappointed either by the services, the movie or the psychological disturbances among the moviegoers. The Philadelphia shooting of 2008 where a man was shot by another because his family was too loud is a case of psychological instability. Assessment The online article was extremely dependable and provided a lot of information on the reasons as to why people engage in aggressive behavior within and around cinemas. The article categorized the reasons for violence as psychological, physical or exaggerated gang activity. Most of the reports of these violent incidents indicated that the perpetrators replicated most of the violent scenes that they saw in the films. The article was specifically organized in the way it presented the film that was being shown, the violent incident that occurred in the theater and why the reaction occurred. Reflection This source displayed the way in which human beings have a behavior change after seeing violent movies. The article taught me that human beings could be easily influenced by the things they see, hear and experience. Violence for such people becomes an option when they are confronted with difficult situations. From the article, violence seems like a learnt behavior. As a result, the overexposure of young individuals to violence results in an increase in their aggressive behavior, especially since these individuals are easily influenced by their surroundings.

The Lost Art of Effective Procrastination

The Lost Art of Effective Procrastination Amending My Ways A couple of weeks ago, my assistant Jeanne requested that I stop sending her the copy for my blog articles on Sunday night or sometime on Monday, when I need her to publish it on Monday night. I’ve been writing my blogs on Sundays for 5 years, which worked fine when I was the one posting and distributing them. But now that another person’s schedule is at issue, I need to change my ways. This Friday, in an attempt to please Jeanne,  I squeezed  in my  blog in  the last minutes before heading  off to Breitenbush Hot Springs (near Portland, OR), where I had no  internet access (gasp) for 24 hours. Yup.  I left blog writing  to the last minute. I don’t procrastinate about a lot of work-related projects. In fact, I tend to err on the side of doing things right away so I don’t have to worry about them later! But in the case of my blog, I did so revel in a weekend of not knowing what I’d write about and being (mostly) at peace with that as Sunday night approached. So far, I have always thought of something to write about before deadline. I see the advantage of moving my deadline to Friday: I now don’t have the nagging thought, â€Å"I have to write my blog,† on my brain all weekend. But an early deadline has its challenges too. I have one more thing to fit into my work week, and pressure to think of something in what seems like less time. Procrastination Defined Procrastination, says Wikipedia, is â€Å"the practice of carrying out less urgent tasks in preference to more urgent ones, or doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable ones, and thus putting off impending tasks to a later time, sometimes to the ‘last minute’ before a deadline.† This form of procrastination can be destructive. People can get fired because they put important projects off until the last minute, often compromising quality- or missing deadlines altogether. But what about procrastinating on making decisions (and I don’t mean using the excuse â€Å"I’m still deciding the best way to proceed† to avoid starting a project!)? Whose Decision is it Anyway? As I shared in last week’s newsletter, I recently thought for too long about whether to sign up for coveted Forrest Yoga classes with the founder of the discipline, Ana Forrest, who was visiting Chicago. I noticed, while blithely  putting off  this decision, that there was something appealing about letting others make decisions for me. In this case, by the time I decided on purchasing the tickets, they were gone. I was forced to come up with Plan B, which was, ultimately, okay with me. My decision-making procrastination transferred to the decision of whether to fly to Portland for a week to check out the yoga scene there and to explore the area. I looked for friends to stay with before buying the ticket; that didn’t work. I almost let that make my decision for me, but persevered, finding an Airbnb spot that was perfectly situated. Then I decided if I couldn’t get my ticket for less than 50,000 miles I wouldn’t go. But the ticket stayed within my budget. So finally I booked my room and a rental car and hit â€Å"Purchase† on my plane ticket. Immediately fear set in. What was I doing? Why was I going to new city by myself with no real plan? Maybe I’d have a horrible time. Oh my, no wonder I took so long to make this decision. There was terror behind my procrastination. Putting the Pro in Procrastination I did not let my fear stop me, and by the first day I was enjoying a beautiful hike by some waterfalls and eating a delicious crepe at the Portland Farmer’s Market. I met two business contacts for very fruitful coffees and lunches (those I did plan a little bit ahead). But pretty much everything I did on my trip I decided to do at the last minute. Breitenbush Hot Springs is notoriously full at this time of year, but I called Thursday and got the last bed  available for the next night! I also managed to get an appointment with a bodyworker in Portland  10 minutes after I called to ask about availability. As a traveler, there’s not much difference between procrastination and spontaneity. Last-minute choices allow for a sense of adventure, which I truly enjoy when I’m on â€Å"vacation.† I ended up doing many things I would not have predicted because I did not plan ahead for every moment in Portland. To be sure, deciding things at the last minute requires a willingness to accept the consequences if things don’t work out as planned. I don’t recommend this tactic when other people (like your assistant) are depending on you, or when the consequences of letting circumstances make decisions for you are unacceptable. But when all that’s on the line is exactly what you’ll be doing for fun and adventure, why not go with the flow?

Dq6-Terence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dq6-Terence - Essay Example A decision support system (DSS) is a computer-based information system designed to help a manager choose one of the several possible solutions to a problem (Tripathi, 2011). Today, it is possible for an organization to automate certain decision-making processes in a huge, computer-based DSS that is sophisticated enough to analyse a huge amount of information quickly. As a system, some of the elements that constitute a DSS are models for collecting data, personnel, databases, processes, software and equipment. It helps an organization to increase its market share, cut costs, increase profits and improve the quality of services and goods. For instance, a national revenue authority may use a DSS to bring more citizens into the tax bracket, thereby increasing its tax revenue collections. Similarly, a manufacturer of detergent can use the DSS to determine the market segment that his competitor pursues. Once armed with this information, he can then choose to concentrate on the segment that least appeals to his opponent. The knowledge worker brings many benefits to his organization. Under this section, I’m going to discuss some of his/her roles and illustrate how a DSS relates to them. First, the knowledge worker analyzes data in order to establish links or relationships between/among phenomena (GSA Enterprise Transformation, 2011). For example, in processing applications for scholarships, a school administrator may want to check a student’s academic performance against his/her family background. Should the school have a DSS in place, this task should be relatively easy. The only the administrator will be required to do is to look at the student database, which is a key component of the DSS. Another role of the knowledge worker is to brainstorm, that is to think broadly. For instance, a town planner who is faced with the task of preparing a redevelopment plan for a declining area of inner city has to evaluate and

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Essay Example According to the author, Mark Twain’s remark that it is a â€Å"pity that the best part of life came at the beginning and the worst part at the end† has inspired him to write a story, in which he experiments a character who ages in the reverse order (1). The movie differs from the story in many aspects but it retains the basic premise of the protagonist aging backwards. The film’s theme departs drastically from the perceived notions of a Hollywood movie and explores a novel concept, thus making its viewing a unique experience for the audience. The movie, with its poignant themes, profound philosophical ideas and portrayal of love, will remain etched in the viewers’ mind long after they have watched it. The basic reason for my choice of this movie for my final paper is that I have always felt a close personal affinity to the story, which conceptualizes a man aging backwards. This reversal in nature’s process brings very interesting and bizarre consequences in his life. The main reason for my fascination for the movie stems from the fact that as a child, I used to fantasize how cool it will be to grow younger rather than older. Basically, I have felt that being different from other people could be a thrilling experience, especially in the context of ageing. Besides, the whole concept of the movie is so romantic, appealing to the senses of compassion and benevolence in me, especially the tender love of his foster mother for Ben when he during his ‘younger’ stages as an ugly old person. Also, the story postulates many idealistic philosophies that have inspired positive attitudes in me since I saw it as a 16 year old. The story has bred an understanding that the dis advantages in a person must not be considered as shortcomings. It has also made me realize that people whose traits do not fit into mainstream notion also deserve the same rights and considerations as any other person in this world, because