Emotional Intelligence And Employees Performances In Malaysia Education Essay

This research relates to emotional intelligence of the employees in commercial Bankss in Malaysia. Employees need emotional intelligence in working environment. It is of import for the commercial Bankss to maintain their employees working to their full potency. An employee must hold emotional intelligence in order to be able to understand and manage his ain and other people ‘s emotions, actuate oneself and command irresistible impulse, and efficaciously pull off interpersonal relationships in the working environment ( Goleman, 1998 ) . Daniel Goleman, the adult male most associated with popularising Emotional Intelligence, defines Emotional Intelligence harmonizing to five features. In his article â€Å" What Makes a Leader? † ( Harvard Business Review, Nov.-Dec. 1998 ) , he presents a chart that describes Emotional Intelligence as: Self-awareness, Self-regulation, Self-motivation, Empathy and Social-skill. Every one of us has different personalities, wants and demands, and ways of demoing our emotions. We need to manage them good if we wish to win in life. This is where emotional intelligence becomes of import. We use emotional intelligence to analyse our emotions, understand what they are stating us, and recognize how they will impact others. Besides that, motional intelligence besides involves our perceptual experience of people around us: when we understand how they feel, this allows us to pull off relationships more efficaciously. Peoples will be able to win in most things they do if they possess high emotional intelligence in them. Why? Because they are what others need in this society. When an electronic mail is sent by people with high emotional intelligence, it will be able to acquire answered rapidly. They will be able to acquire helps whenever and wherever they need it as people who have high emotional intelligence tend to do others experience good and their lives are much more restful than people who get upset easy.1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDYIn the commercial Bankss, employees ‘ emotional intelligence has become an of import factor to the success of today ‘s banking organisations in Malaysia. The success of any organisations in banking sectors has become dependent upon the effectivity of its direction, coupled with the effectivity of direction to maintain employees ‘ emotional intelligence at high degree and heighten their public presentations. Corporate leaders are one entity that giv es surety to concern success, and the work force is another entity that assists concerns. Harmonizing to Steward ( 2009 ) , she indicated that directors in banking sectors should to maintain the employees ‘ emotional intelligence at high degrees in organisations as that can guarantee that the undertakings are completed in a timely manner to advance profitableness and satisfy stockholder involvements. A successful bank is really dependent on the direction and leading accomplishments of the effectual director and his or her apprehension of importance of emotional intelligence, as they apply to generationally diverse subsidiaries ( Steward, 2009 ) . Employees ‘ emotional intelligence is really of import as it link to the success of a company. Harmonizing to Kim ( 2004 ) , in her survey she examined the importance of how Bankss depend on their employees for the ultimate success. Emotional intelligence influences productiveness ( Kim, 2004 ) . A banking organisation need to understand what maintain employees ‘ emotional intelligence at high degrees in order for them to make peak public presentation. It is non an easy undertaking to maintain employees ‘ emotional intelligence at high degrees because employees respond in different ways to their occupations and their organisation ‘s patterns. Emotional intelligence is able to travel a individual toward a end. Harmonizing to Goleman ( 1997 ) , the research in emotional intelligence gives us new penetrations into human behaviour which frequently seem self-contradictory. For illustration, the research indicates that IQ histories for 4 per centum to 25 per centum of a individual ‘s success. The staying 96 per centum to 75 per centum depends on a individual ‘s ability to comprehend, place and pull off emotion. Bettering this ability provides the footing for the sorts of societal and emotional competences that are indispensable for success in any occupation or disputing undertaking in life. This disclosure is about flooring to corporate America, which puts such high value on graduate school and other formal instruction that focuses on the cognitive facets of intelligence ( Laurens & A ; Budinich, 2006 ) . Frontline bank people, for illustration, face composite and demanding issues such as: fierce competition, presenting client service, gross revenues public presentation, conformity and a host of others. Developing the needed emotional competences, such as common trust, regard, empathy and cultivating interpersonal accomplishments to manage these issues is of import. Equally of import is the ability to efficaciously supervise their ain and others ‘ feelings and emotions, know aparting among them and utilizing that information to steer their thought and action. Laurens et Al. ( 2006 ) indicated in their survey that emotional competences and emotional intelligence are non taught in colleges and universities and do n't come of course to most companies who are submerged in analytical thought.The Domains of Emotional Intelligence ( Goleman, 1998 )Daniel Goleman ‘s five features of emotional intelligence theoretical account are shown above. The term emotional intelligence is link ed with the constructs of self-awareness, self-regulation, motive, empathy, and societal accomplishments. Self-awareness is the ability to acknowledge and understand personal tempers and emotions. Self-regulation is the ability to command or airt riotous urges and tempers and the leaning to suspend judgement and believe before moving. Motivation is a passion to work for grounds that go beyond money and position. Empathy is the ability to understand the emotional make up of other people, a accomplishment that may be used in handling people harmonizing to their emotional reactions. Social accomplishments frequently guarantee proficiency in pull offing relationships and edifice webs and heighten an ability to happen common land and construct resonance with others. These footings are defined by Goleman in his book, Working with Emotional Intelligence ( 1998 ) .PROBLEM STATEMENTA job many commercial Bankss have today is that they ne'er put and treat emotional intelligence as an of import accomplishment in their working environment. Due to retention jobs, commercial Bankss have been invariably accruing the cost of turn outing developing for new employees. There are plentifulness of human resources sections do non understand how emotional intelligence is. Harmonizing to Fleming ( 2000 ) , emotional intelligence of many employees or the occupation appliers of Bankss are non realized of how to be assessed by directors. There are many people that non holding any cognition or the different traits create the term emotional intelligence. Harmonizing to Miller ( 1999 ) , self awareness, self-regulation, motive, empathy and societal accomplishments are the constituents of Emotional Quotient and qualities of an all-rounded individual. Therefore, Bankss can happen people who largely likely would suit good in their working environment if they recruit professionals to assist them in mensurating the emotional intelligence of the occupation appliers. Besides that, it has been hard to acquire top direction to hold that they need to implement new recruiting tools in their employee hunts. Peoples might believe that it is excessively illogic for top direction to concentrate on the bottom line, but emotional intelligence is progressively being considered as a cherished people skill that defines the top-performers from mean employees ( Beagrie, 2004 ) . In order for employees to be successful in the commercial Bankss, direction staffs must larn and understand they need to look beyond a sketch. In add-on, there is more fluctuation in emotional intelligence than there is in Intelligence Quotient among the top direction people and the professionals. There is a really large difference between those at the high and low terminals of the emotional intelligence graduated table, and being at the top has major competitory advantage. Therefore, accomplishments related to emotional intelligence affair even more for success in workplace ( Goleman, 1998 ) . Normally employees who perform good and outshine in commercial Bankss are those who normally possess high emotional intelligence. However, it does non intend that a individual is the smartest or the finest in the commercial bank but it means that they are able to supply their best accomplishments to the remainder of the commercial bank and at the same clip understanding what else they need to work on. Harmonizing to Goleman ( 1998 ) , employees who perform good have bounds on their abilities excessively, but they know how to better them by working with person else that has strength that they do non hold as they are cognizant of their bounds.JUSTIFICATION OF STUDYHarmonizing to Goleman ( 1998 ) and Bar-On ( 2002 ) , emotional intelligence comprises of self-awareness, self-regulation, motive, empathy, societal accomplishments, adaptability and stress direction. These are the accomplishments that are of import to a success of a individual in an organisation. In add-on, harmonizing to Smewing ( 2004 ) , emotional intelligence is non a journey with a clear way, non one that should be embarked upon lightly. Emotional intelligence is a accomplishment which we can larn and better. It does non vouch that a individual will hold learned the emotional competences that affair for work if he or she possesses high emotional intelligence. It means merely that they have outstanding potency to larn them ( Goleman, 1998 ) . Therefore, organisations must supply preparation and development of emotional intelligence earnestly for it to be effectual. Besides that, direction demands to cognize how of import emotional intelligence accomplishments are as they can be developed and so convey benefit to their organisation. Management have been unwillingly seting money for developing employees on emotional intelligence because it takes a long clip for them to hold any consequences. While an organisation is seeking to enroll new employees with high emotional intelligence, it is of import for them to develop those current employees excessively as the whole civilization of a workplace could be shaped. Harmonizing to Laabs ( 1999 ) , he indicated that emotional competencies development needs old wonts of idea, feeling and action that are profoundly ingrained to be unlearned and new 1s to be learned by scholars. This requires motive, attempt, clip, aid and permanent pattern.RESEARCH QUESTIONSIn conformity with the intent of the survey, and based on the job statement, the undermentioned inquiries have been formulated: Is there any relationship between emotional intelligence affects employees ‘ public presentations in commercial Bankss in Malaysia? Does emotional intelligence affects employees ‘ public presentations in commercial Bankss in Malaysia? How emotional intelligence affects employees ‘ public presentations in commercial Bankss in Malaysia. Is there any correlativity between emotional intelligence and employees ‘ public presentations in commercial Bankss in Malaysia?Research OBJECTIVESThe intent of this research is to analyze the determiners of the emotional intelligence on employees ‘ public presentations in commercial Bankss, where the research population chiefly focuses on work forces and adult females who are the employees working in the Bankss. The aims of the research are stated as below: 1: To analyze if there is a relationship between emotional intelligence and employees ‘ public presentations in commercial Bankss in Malaysia. 2: To analyze if emotional intelligence affects employees ‘ public presentations in commercial Bankss in Malaysia. 3: To analyze how emotional intelligence affects employees ‘ public presentations in commercial Bankss in Malaysia. 4: To analyze if there is any correlativity between emotional intelligence and employees ‘ public presentations in commercial Bankss in Malaysia.Significance OF THE STUDYThis survey will assist commercial Bankss to understand the important function emotional intelligence dramas in their Bankss. It will demo that Emotional Quotient is every bit of import with Intelligence Quotient in the workplace. By utilizing emotional intelligence appraisal tools, they would let human resource sections to hold information to endorse up their sentiments and thoughts that are based on logical thought for utilizing emotional intelligence when looking for new employees. Commercial Bankss can foreground the leaders within the workplace and can understand how they contribute to the organisational environment. Besides that, this paper will besides give the commercial Bankss thoughts about the importance and effects of high degrees of emotional intelligence in the current employees. This survey will demo how people with different degrees of emotional intelligence can act upon their public presentations in the commercial Bankss. The survey will besides give directors of the commercial Bankss thoughts about who they should enroll. Grades are an of import thing to look at in freshly graduated pupils, their emotional intelligence abilities should besides be evaluated during the hiring procedure. Too many fantastic alumnuss are overlooked because their classs were non converting but they were involved in a figure of excess school activities that besides took up some of their survey clip to assist profit their school environment. It is of import to observe that the current manner that many organisations hire their employees is flawed and needs betterment. Enrolling for employees with high degrees of emotional intelligence should go an recognized pattern in commercial Bankss because making so would assist in the development of new leading within those commercial Bankss. This would bring forth happy employees and higher keeping rates. Emotional intelligence consciousness and action taken in commercial Bankss would profit them greatly over clip.BRIEF RESEARCH METHODOLOGYResearch Methodology presents the overview of the research methods that will be carried out in the Chapter 4 in deepness. It sets forth a description of theoretical model, hypotheses development, trying design, informations aggregation, every bit good as account of the processs for analysing informations, which refers to data analysis. The independent and dependent variables are shown below. Independent VariablesSelf-awarenessEmployees ‘ Performances in Commercial BanksSelf-regulationSelf-motivationEmpathySocial-skillAdaptabilityStress ManagementDependent Variable The development of questionnaires and measurings are largely in Likert graduated table and Itemized evaluation graduated table. Sampling program is based on 200 respondents of those employees working in commercial Bankss. Data aggregation techniques is based on ego administered and web enable study instrument. Data analysis techniques which include descriptive analysis and correlativity analysis are besides being discussed in that chapter of surveies.DEFINITION OF TERMSFor the intent of uniformity and lucidity, the undermentioned footings are defined in relation to their usage in the survey. Understanding the nomenclature is of import to better understanding the information that follows. Emotional Intelligence: â€Å" The ability, capacity, accomplishment, or self-perceived ability to place, buttocks, and pull off the emotions of one ‘s ego, of others, and of groups † ( Goleman, 1998 ) . Self-awareness: â€Å" The ability to acknowledge and understand your tempers, emotions, and thrusts, every bit good as their consequence on others † ( Goleman, 1998 ) . Self-regulation: â€Å" The ability to command or airt riotous urges and tempers and the leaning to suspend opinion – to believe before moving † ( Goleman, 1998 ) . Self-motivation: â€Å" A passion to work for grounds that go beyond money or position and a leaning to prosecute ends with energy and continuity † ( Goleman, 1998 ) . Empathy: â€Å" The ability to understand the emotional make-up of other people and skill in handling people harmonizing to their emotional reactions † ( Goleman, 1998 ) . Social-skill: â€Å" Proficiency in pull offing relationship and edifice webs and an ability to happen common land and construct resonance † ( Goleman, 1998 ) .Adaptability: â€Å"Stress Management: â€Å"ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDYThis undertaking has been arranged steadily. I have organized the information of this undertaking decently and as it has been requested so that readers will be able to construe the findings clearly.Chapter 1: IntroductionThis chapter states a brief debut of emotional intelligence. This subdivision is composed of background of the survey, job statement, research aims, and research inquiries, significance of survey and the definition of footings. These subdivisions are discussed in inside informations which would procure a brief preliminary apprehension sing the research subject.Chapter 2: Literature ReappraisalThis chapter carries out the extended literature reviews that stress on the survey of the determiners of Emotional Intelligence to reexamine t he related surveies. Apart from that, past researches which are closely related to the research subject will be discussed exhaustively.Chapter 3: Research MethodologyIn this chapter, a further inside informations and methodological analysis of this undertaking will be clarified. Hypothesiss will be developed based on the independent and dependent variables. In this instance, the dependant variable is the employees ‘ public presentations while the independent variables are Self-awareness, Self-regulation, Self-motivation, Empathy and Social-skill. Data aggregation method and research design are bound to be discussed in this chapter every bit good. Besides, informations analysis techniques will be discussed in this chapter along with subdivisions addressed before this subdivision.Chapter 4: Datas AnalysisThis chapter will go on with the information analysis. This is where will be goodness of step ; that is the questionnaire is valid or non to the hypotheses proving and will reas on it in a sum-up.Chapter 5: DiscussionThe last chapter will be the treatment and recommendation. This is where the decision and sum-up of what have been discussed in the earlier chapters. There will be parts included in this concluding chapter such as deduction of the survey, restriction of the survey and suggestion for future research. Flowed by overall decision from what has been happening in this undertaking.

A study of the psychology of belief with reference to the influence of Freud

For many people, religion has been a pillar of our society for as long as we can trace back. A psychologist however, would argue that religion developed from the day that the people of our society started questioning their existence. As Sigmund Freud, physiologist, doctor, psychologist and the father of psychoanalysis, is generally recognised as one of the most influential and authoritative thinkers of the twentieth century, we need to consider his analysis of religion when approaching this topic. However as some of Freud's theories were developed over a century ago is it really possible to apply them to our society today, especially as our society is so multicultural and faith still holds a key role within many people's lives? According to Sigmund Freud religion is an â€Å"illusion† we as a society or as individuals, conjure up for ourselves, for a number of key reasons. The first and most essential reason Freud claims we turn to religion is as a way of expressing psychological anguish from our childhood. The second is we turn to religion as a way of overcoming and preventing dangers from the natural world, in hoping to gain control â€Å"the necessity of defending oneself against the crushingly superior force of nature. † The third is that religion is used as a stress relief, stress that has developed from living in a suppressive society that condones the expression of sexual desire. A final key reason Freud developed is that we follow religion to prevent the feeling of helplessness we can get when we no longer have the protection of our parents or guardians: â€Å"And thus a store of ideas is created, born from man's need to make his helplessness tolerable and built up from the memories of the helplessness of his own childhood and the childhood of the human race† I shall address Freud's key idea to begin with: religion is a way of expressing psychological anguish. All of Freud's work is focused around the idea of our unconscious or our subconscious. Freud claimed that as children, any emotional torment we may suffer, instead of dealing with it directly at the time, we suppress it in our unconscious mind, only to channel it into another outlet later in life as an obsession or repulsion of any particular aspect of life. This is referred to as sublimation. One of the ways in which a person may choose to â€Å"channel† their negative experiences is through religion. This link was brought to Freud's attention as he began to notice similarities in his patients' obsessions in relation to the source of their compulsive behaviour as to that of a religious person and their faith. Both have a symbolic meaning to the follower and have a set ritual – failure to complete this ritual (however regular it may be) leads to guilty feelings of regret. Seeing this comparison Freud came to the conclusion that religion is another form of neurotic illness that stems from our unconscious. Freud then began to address the matter of what suppressed feelings from childhood actually were. It is through this thinking he developed the concept of the â€Å"Oedipus Complex â€Å". This suggests that as children, young boys hold loving feelings of a sexual nature for their mothers. Through this they develop feelings of envy and hatred for their fathers. Due to the society we live in the Oedipus complex has to be suppressed as it is not acceptable behaviour but the sexual urges, Freud claims, are still there. It is these urges that are pushed to our unconscious that later come out in obsession or infatuation with something – obviously in this case – religion. â€Å"Thus religion would be a universal obsessive neurosis of humankind. Just like the obsessive neurosis in children it springs from the Oedipus complex, the relationship with the Father† As mentioned before Freud made a direct link between psychological anguish and guilt and religion and guilt. Freud put forward a process that humans use to channel their guilt, particularly that of a sexual nature from the Oedipus/Electra complex. In an attempt to rid themselves of these feelings of guilt the person develops idols or Gods. By doing this they feel they can repent for their guilt by worship or sacrifice to these idols. Initially the idol may be a representation of the child's Father yet later on, in the same way the Father is rejected through Oedipus, the God is changed to an animal of a primal sort. The animal becomes sacred and inflicting harm upon the animal becomes a sin. Sacrifices are made to and worship becomes a ritual. This first stage of sublimation Freud labelled as animism. The second stage is, however, called religion. During this stage, the animal develops the status of a God and once again takes the form of the father figure thus completing the cycle from Oedipus to religion. As Freud said â€Å"I put forward a suggestion that mankind as a whole may have acquired its sense of guilt of its history, in connection with the Oedipus complex† Closely linked to this is the theory that religion is used as a â€Å"stress† relief, stress that is placed on us by the society we live in. The stress that is caused by the suppression of our natural urges as children. This stress forces us to channel our libido into other areas of thinking and working, areas in life that are more socially acceptable. As I explained previously it is common for this area to be religion and worship. Freud's second theory for religion is that we use religion as a way of protecting ourselves or overcoming fears from the natural world. The problem of evil and suffering and religion has long being a conflict for many philosophers and psychologists. It is through this conflict that â€Å"St. Augustine's Theodicy† was developed. St. Augustine based his arguments on the Bible and his theodicy suggests that God is perfect and created the world perfectly. Created things are susceptible to change and evil comes from angels and human beings that chose to turn away from God. Augustine concluded that God cannot be blamed for creating evil since evil is not a substance rather than a deprivation (a lack of good) and it is not logical to say God created that deprivation. Despite this theory and many others that have been presented to us since the problem of evil and suffering is what gives science a higher appeal than religion to many people living today but it is also, according to Freud why we invent religion in the first place. Religion offers us a â€Å"reward† for any suffering we may have inflicted upon us during our lifetime and adds meaning to life and its purpose. Otherwise we would be suffering unnecessarily and there would be no point to continue with life. Also through prayer and worship we feel we can control naturally occurring events that can cause us suffering such as death, illness, natural disasters etc. We do this in an attempt to abolish our fears of things we cannot control or change and hope to have some power over them through religion. Freud's next point is not dissimilar to the ideas of Karl Marx. Marxists would claim that religion is encouraged by the state to enforce order in society. Freud suggested a purpose for religion is that it is developed to give us a reason to obey authority. Regardless whether it is state authority or religious authority according to Freud people develop an attitude that â€Å"Everything in our world is an expression of the intentions of intelligence superior to us, which in the end, though its ways and byways are difficult to follow, orders everything for the best. We feel that if we disobey we shall not be rewarded, or worse punished for our crime or sin and we, by consequence, do not disobey. Freud came to the conclusion that religion must be overthrown for society to develop and progress. A final key reason Freud presents for humans fabricating religion is to prevent the feeling of helplessness we can get when we no longer have the protection of our parents or our guardians. This is simply that we develop â€Å"Gods† in order to protect ourselves, so we have someone to care for us and someone to look up to in the same way that we as children looked up to our parents. When Freud's theories were first published they were considered deeply controversial, interestingly though people took interest in what he said and took his psychoanalytical theory very seriously because at the time science was starting to make it's breakthrough and Freud's explanations were fresh and appealing to many. However whether theories that were developed over a century ago can still be relevant today is a different consideration. For Freud's work to still be relevant today, when science has developed further than psychology, which in comparison is considered the â€Å"soft science,† there would have to be some evidence to support the basics of Freud's theory. Freud based his â€Å"Oedipus Complex† on the ideas of Darwinism, a stage of life in prehistoric men when the family unit was the â€Å"primal horde†. It consisted of a mother a father and offspring. As the dominant male the father would scare off any male threat to the female. This continued until all the male offspring joined together and turned on the father and eventually killed him. The idea of religion stemming from guilt is not such a controversial one, particularly linking to sexual guilt and religion. Religious figures have often condemned sexual activity for the use of anything other than reproduction. Figures such as St. Augustine (who was greatly influenced by Plato) viewed sex and sexual desire as â€Å"having been implanted by the Devil at the time of the fall† as Peter Vardy explains Augustine claimed that it was best to avoid all sexual activity even within wedlock. If the situation should occur when sex was needed for reproduction then the man â€Å"should descend to his task with a certain regret. † Peter Vardy also outlines the common Catholic teaching which even today, in what we like to consider a sexually liberated society is still very traditional in it's approach, namely: – – Masturbation is sinful since this means using genitalia for a purpose for which they are not intended – Sex can never have pleasure or the expression of love as its main object since, again, this means using genitalia for a purpose for which they were not intended Homosexuality, if it is practised, is deeply sinful as this means using genitalia for a purpose for which they were not intended since procreation cannot result and it is â€Å"against nature† So considering people are still raised to believe sex for any other reason other than reproduction is sinful, it is easy to see why sexual feelings may lead to feelings of guilt. Particularly as sexual feelings are present throughout all stages of childhood that Freud identifies in the following ways: from birth to the age of eighteen months the child goes through what Freud named the â€Å"Oral Stage. This is to say all gratification of learning is gained through the mouth (feeding, chewing, sucking fingers etc. ) From eighteen months to three years the child progresses into the â€Å"Anal Stage† this normally happens when the child goes through potty training and often as a result develops fascination in anus and faeces. The period of time between three and six years of age was coined as the â€Å"Phallic Stage† and it's during this stage that the child develops features of the Oedipus complex (if male) or the Electra complex (if female). After the initial rush of feelings from the phallic stage have passed the child falls into the â€Å"Latent Stage† during which Freud claims there is no sexual development but this could be due to a suppression of the sexual feelings from the â€Å"Phallic stage. † The final stage of childhood according to Freud is the â€Å"Genital Stage† and depending on how the child's feelings from their younger years were dealt with, this is the time when sexual desire develops and is explored deeper. So if a child is raised to deny themselves the sexual feelings their body releases then they may begin to feel sinful or guilty for having these feelings in the first place. Therefore for Freud to find a link between sex, guilt and religion is not entirely controversial. This all acts as evidence towards Freud's theories and the relevance they hold in our society today. However, that said, there is plenty of reason why Freud's theories are not at all relevant to us in such a developed society. Freud has been criticised for focusing on the link between a father figure and a â€Å"God† in religions such as Judaism and, of course, Christianity. He fails to address eastern cultures and religions, which are based on worship of female idols or Goddesses,† such as the Egyptian Isis cult and Buddhism who have no one single object of worship. One of Freud's major critics, Bronislaw Malinowski, who went on to write a book called â€Å"Sex and Repression† disputed Freud's theory that religion develops from sexual guilt caused from the Oedipus complex. He points out for Oedipus to be a complex it needs to be universal. You cannot apply a complex such as Oedipus to matriarchal tribes in which the male is not dominant and takes the role of a nurse. Malinowski also brings to our attention the lack of evidence for â€Å"Oedipus† within the animal kingdom, as Darwinism only applies to early mankind. Also there is less evidence of â€Å"Oedipus† leading to religion in our society today as it is becoming increasingly secular and fewer people are turning to religion. This could suggest that the Oedipus complex does not occur, or if it does it does not have a link to religion. It is more likely, however, that all children still do go through the Oedipus complex but as our society is more sexually liberated people are allowed to express sexual desire in other ways rather than it becoming sublimated and channelled into religion. Another key criticism of the â€Å"Oedipus Complex† is the suggestion that religion is a cause of the complex rather than a result of it. If it was not for religion then, it is possible, these sexual urges would not have been suppressed at an early stage and a complex would not begin to develop. It could be just a possible that a child was made to feel guilty about the loving feelings towards his Mother and as a consequence developed a complex (Oedipus. ) Rather than the â€Å"Oedipus Complex† leading to religion. Another more general criticism is that even if religion is a cause or result of guilt, or fear it still works as a â€Å"Buffer† between the soul and reality. It is essential to society, as, music, art or literature as it is an expression of self and belief. Therefore it is not sound to suggest, as Freud did that religion must be overthrown. † Donald Winnicott essentially presented this criticism of Freud's work but is the popular feeling of many today. Psychology self – help book â€Å"Love is the Answer† presents the argument that some none – religious responses to misfortune of frustration e. g. Cynicism has actually been shown to be bad for physical health. So a â€Å"religious† view (of forgiving and repenting) might actually be health giving to us, and to dismiss it from our society would be to dismiss this positive outlook on life. So Freud's theory may have been apt for his society, a society built on religious structure, and some of his points may appear to justify the behaviour of people today. But I feel that in the twenty-first century when we are all encouraged to express our beliefs, ideas, sexuality and â€Å"bare our souls†, a theory based on suppression (even if it is unconscious) seems radical. I think religion itself has become more liberal and has resulted in many â€Å"branches† of Christianity all with a different strand of tradition. Some â€Å"branches† base their morals on the word of the Bible where as others feel that we have to â€Å"update† the word of God and adapt it to how we live today. To apply a theory from a century ago is to digress, in the same way technology has evolved, and our knowledge of our universe and surroundings have developed, we have to advance spiritually. We have to question what we already know, even if this means abandoning Freud's theories and all its implications.

History the world Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

History the world - Essay Example The early human communities were dependent on the nature for food as they were hunters and gatherers. The early settlements were sparse as compared to the new age due to numerous hunters present, and the game would not suffice. In addition, they would fish for their food along water bodies within their proximity. Their tools were of basic materials such as rocks and wood. They also acquired a language through which they would communicate, and developed the ability to use it in order to pass on what they had learnt. The early cultures were vulnerable to wild beasts and natural disasters, which may have developed enormous fear of the unknown forces of nature, these uncertainties of human life established religious beliefs and practices in an effort to preserve themselves from the unknown forces (The birth of civilisation 2). As the clock turned, the early man’s tools grew more complex and advance, and were more precise. These advancements lead to domestication of plants and animals, meaning that people could move to areas where these plants and animals did not naturally occur. The communities explored other areas such as valleys and riverbeds allowing their expansion and creating room for more advancement. The farmers also built dwellings that are more permanent in an effort to care for their crops from the planting season to harvesting. Along the riverbeds, pottery was acquired, illustrating the beginning of specialisation. Communities can be distinguished from each other owing to the level of social complexity and organisation, as well as their vast economic and cultural activities. For instance, the earliest of civilisations in Mesopotamia would use rivers for irrigation in the fields, which was not observed in other regions. This ensured sufficient food production for the community who would engage in other

MRKT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MRKT - Essay Example The 4P’s are product, place, price and promotion. This marketing mix brings together the four elements to yield the desired results in the target market and has been used by companies over the years to overcome the physical barriers that hinder general adoption of a product. This strategy can be use to help my father manage his business in a better way. PRODUCT OR SERVICE The product or service should be in line with the requirements of the public and their prospective customers. It is important to note that with growing market and ever changing customer needs, companies must develop their products and services to stand out in the highly competitive market (Armstrong and Kotler 5). When developing products, it is imperative to consider various aspects including quality, packaging, customer service as well as consequent after sale services. Product differentiation plays an important role at this juncture as it enables products to be noticeable in the market (Armstrong and Kotle r 5). In addition to, product variation enables the company to satisfy the diverse needs of the customers. With regards to services, companies must ensure provision of top notch service that is unmatched in the specific industry to gain prominent in the market place. Companies are advised to review their products often so as to discard obsolete products. This process is referred to as product elimination which ensures maintenance of a fresh and new exciting product line that remains relevant in the market (Armstrong and Kotler 10). It is of great importance to consider other additional features concerning the product that may considerably affect the market (Armstrong and Kotler 3). Companies should choose names that are simple, eye catching and trendy. The name of the product go hand with the packaging and both play a key role in attracting customers. The other essential feature to take into account is the brand name which should be used to market the product or service. Lastly, com panies must establish the appropriate cost of products and find out whether it can adequately yield profits. My father should ensure that the shops and apartments have been designed in an attractive way so as to attract the customers. He should provide additional services such as security and proper hygiene so as to attract and retain customers. PRICE Pricing is a vital element of any marketing strategy. Marketing decisions should be based on a comprehensive research on pricing (Armstrong and Kotler 3). This research offers knowledge on competitors’ prices on similar products in the market and the prospective demand. It helps companies to fix suitable prices for the consumer which has improves overall effectiveness of the marketing strategy. There are several elements affecting the price of a product or service. These include the company’s market share, cost of raw materials, number of competitors in the market and their marketing strategy as well as the consumers†™ perception about the product or service. My father can charge low prices for the rental shops in order to attract customers for the first few months. There are different pricing methods that are employed by companies in the current times. The first is cost recovery pricing which is applied by marketers to ensure that they recover the cost of production (Armstrong and Kotler 15). On top of this, they add a reasonable profit margin to

Critically analyse two of the theories that seek to explain the Essay

Critically analyse two of the theories that seek to explain the relationship between people and technology - Essay Example According to the determinists, human beings are directed by the technology, and cannot decide on how the technology will be used. In other words, the society is influenced by the technology. Another important perspective is sustantivism which suggests that human beings are enframed by technology. Human beings also lose their will if they become attached to the technological systems. This perspective shapes different institutions including the political systems, culture and social structure. The perspective further holds that technology has its own independent values, which human beings cannot be able to change. This paper examines the social construction of technology and actor network theory. According to Gad and Jensen (2009), this theory rejects the determinists’ perspectives that the society is influenced by the technology. The concepts of this theory are well described in an article titled, the social construction of technology: structural considerations. The writers of this article, Klein and Kleinman (2002) observe that the first component of the SCOT theory is interpretive flexibility. According to Klein and Kleinman (2002), this concept is borrowed from the empirical program of relativism and suggests that artifacts are products of intergroup negotiations. The second component is the relevant social group concept. According to this component, social groups share same values and characteristics. In this regard, different social groups can differ on how a particular technology works, but in the end they come into a consensus. The third component of this theory is closure and stabilization. According to this component, multi-group processes occur until a cons ensus is reached, and stabilization is facilitated by the rhetorical closure and closure by definition. Rhetorical closure occurs when all problems are eliminated while closure by definition happens when the problem is redefined until it poses no more

Alcatraz Island Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Alcatraz Island - Research Paper Example It was designed to be impossible to escape from, and was usually the last stop along a prison line for inmates considered â€Å"incorrigible† (Stollznow). Over the years of operation, from 1934 to 1963, thirty-six men tried fourteen different times to escape its walls (Ocean View Publishing Group). One of those was Frank Lee Morris, inmate AZ#1441 (Ocean View Publishing Group). When it was finally carried out, the escape attempt made by Frank Lee Morris, which spanned months of planning and included three other inmates, was the best escape even in its attempt by an Alcatraz inmate overall, mainly due to the meticulous nature of the planning behind it, as well as the fact that his body and 99% of the items used in the escape, even to this day, have never been found. The Escape Together with three other inmates, Morris finally succeeded in putting together a method that would enable him and the others to escape Alcatraz. One night, while trimming his nails, he noticed that the c lippers had a little â€Å"arm† with a pointed edge, and by digging it into the concrete of his cell wall, he discovered that he could gouge holes in it (Katz 210). The back of his cell had a vent that was six inches by ten inches, and Morris felt that if he could somehow enlarge this, he could slide through it into the unused utility corridor behind his cell (Katz 210). From that day on, digging commenced. Morris, brothers John and Clarence Anglin, and inmate Allen West would take turns digging around the vents in their cells (Ocean View Publishing Group). Morris and West were in adjoining cells, with the Anglin brothers in the next two adjoining cells (Ocean View Publishing Group). They worked in pairs, with one man chiseling and another keeping lookout (Ocean View Publishing Group). Morris fashioned crude tools from saw blades, as well as attempting to use a homemade drill (Ocean View Publishing Group). He also stole spoons from the cafeteria, leading them to be called the â€Å"Tablespoon Trio† together with the Anglin brothers after the escape (â€Å"The Tablespoon Trio† 25). They were able to dig without any guards noticing. In addition to the digging, Morris thought through every detail. He spent months building a raft out of raincoats that were issued to the inmates (Evans). In addition, he also fashioned a life preserver for each man (Evans). Perhaps, though, the most ingenious part of the plan was the â€Å"dummy heads†. Using concrete powder, mixed with soap and papier-mache, each inmate including Morris fashioned and painted a dummy head that looked remarkably lifelike (Albright 174). They were also topped off by real hair stolen from the barbershop (Albright 174). These heads fooled the guards for months while Morris was elsewhere during the night. The night of June 11, 1962, would be the last for Morris in Alcatraz. He slipped out of his cell and climbed one last time to the cell house roof (Evans). He then, after gath ering the supplies along with the Anglin brothers, made his way down 45 feet of pipe to the ground (Katz 212). The final escapee, Allen West, had made the error of cementing his false grate to the wall in places to avoid detection, and could not get it unstuck in time to join them; consequently, he was left behind (Evans). Morris inflated the raft with a â€Å"concertina† (accordion), and launched from the Northeast end of the island

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Strategic Management - Essay Example 2014). Management with consideration of communication will provide feedback in surveys, giving ideas in the organization. Sharing of information in an organization also ensures that the objectives of the organization are met, as communication will lead to coordination of activities. Strategic management involves innovation in activities that an organization carries out. Management strategies may involve development of a new product or rendering a new service. Innovation will involve putting groups together to work in development of major initiatives and giving out resources to ensure that the innovative objectives are met. Strategic management should involve trying out something that is new even with the risks that are involved. Management of projects is also a critical element through which management should be able to identify projects that ensures success in achieving all strategies. The other aspect of project management is development of priorities of all the elements to ensure that there is success in achieving objectives of management (Gerry et al. 2014). Project management will also ensure that employees understand strategies of the organization. Organization structure is an essential factor in strategic management. Organization cultures are the attitudes that are held by an organization and behavior that employees in the organization portray. Organization cultures are always unique and diverse due to personality. Managers are to understand the culture to ensure that planning that is put in place is in line with culture of the organization (Gerry et al. 2014). Cultures that are considered are those on belief in change by employees and values that employees hold. Strategic management in an organization requires consideration of these aspects. Engagement of employees at all levels, communication to employees, innovation in an organization, creation of

Commodity Chain Analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Commodity Chain Analysis - Case Study Example The recently multiple-disc clutch in the centre differential comes to the scheme's support when friction between the tires and ground is specifically low, such as when driving over snow or ice. (Horn 2008) Redefining the way ones belief as regards to driving with C-Class, and with the totally redesigned C230, one should consider about the value the fourth generation C2304MATIC offers. Its features such as the dynamic innovative exterior, power V-6 engines, agility control suspension, permanent all-wheel-drive scheme, and an instinctively designed interior that sets the whole thing at the driver's command, plus added feature of Bluetooth connectivity. The V6 dedicated a great deal of concentration to whatever that would add to the finest goal. Sophisticated computer schemes were used to calculate the flow of air, thus helping to optimize the flow of air from the air filter twin-chamber. This type considerably contributes to fuel Economy, hence the engineers of Mercedes Benz C2304MATIC refer to these as tumble flaps, which some measure signifies their intention: they literally produce the fuel/air mix to tumble, escalating the turbulence of the airflow and making it to penetrate the combustion chambers at higher speed, with a more consistent distribution. (Booth 2008) Commodity Chain The automotive industry, according to Gereffi 1994, is commonly considered as a typical illustration of a producer-driven commodity chain. It is differentiated by sizeable scale, intensive capital, and controlled by technology product cycles; manufacturer driven commodity chains are networks of global production wherein several final assemblers, one of which is Mercedes Bens, control the industry's major markets. The power and productivity of these incorporated final manufacturers get from their power over volumes, technology and domination over the chain's forward and backward connections, including product design, product specification, brands and R&D networks. Currently, it is noted in the literature, that three key trends have fashioned the modern structure of competition in the global automotive trade; and the same fashions have shaped new possibilities for competition for improving country auto-firms. These three fundamentals of Commodity Chain Analysis Page 3 global modifications in the auto trade for more that fifteen years now are: 1) consolidation in the top levels of the industry through a brandish of amalgamations and achievements in the 1980s and 1990s; and the outcome of which, the similar set of major players control markets internationally; 2) a stronger levelling of suppliers that has increased the value of a minor group of design-competent and global primary level dealers, whereas portioned the rest into contract producers and lesser level sub-contractors has drastically changed consumer and dealers relations, and the employer and employee relations; and 3) an increasing and unrelenting focus by the major assemblers and their primary level dealers on benchmarking dealers down the chain on the cost, deliverability and quality basis, has changed the basis

Legal Drinking Age Essay Example for Free

Legal Drinking Age Essay People have always wanted what they cannot have. Starting in 1984, this is the attitude most lawmakers in America have taken with respect to underage drinking, since it was the time when many states changed their drinking age from eighteen to twenty-one. Lawmakers thought that if you raised the drinking age, people could drink more responsibly, because as you grow older, your brain matures and with maturity comes responsibility. Although this law, passed not even twenty years ago, was made for the safety of young adults, people now are arguing to have the law returned to the age of eighteen. Many college students, professors and teachers have a lot to say about this topic. From John McCardell, former head of Middlebury College, to the Mother’s Against Drunk Driving Association, people have different views on the responsibility that young adults take when it comes to alcohol. Some people, who view that you should be able to drink when you are a legal adult, collect statistics about car accidents, deaths related to alcohol consumption, and binge drinking. Others who oppose this change in age collect similar data but there is a twist on the information that they receive. When making decisions about laws, people have to consider all possible situations. Since not only lawmakers have involvement in this issue, they have to think about everyone who will be affected, whether it is people from the age of twenty-one or older or eighteen or older. In changing the minimum legal drinking age to eighteen, the lawmakers would be granting adults with the ideal of justice. Since they are adults, they would be given equal consideration and be treated purely as adults. Also, having faith in these young adults grants them with responsibility, forcing them to grow up more quickly while still in their late teenage years. By giving them responsibility, you have to consider the obligation of non-malficience, which is avoiding doing injury to others. If a young adult got into a car accident while under the influence of alcohol, it would be that person’s fault along with all of the alcohol they legally consumed. While deciding whether to lower the minimum legal drinking age, you have to take into account that you do not have control over people. Instilling faith in our youth, we have to trust that they will make smart decisions. John McCardell, former president of Middlebury College, argues that if the MLDA was lowered to eighteen, that eighteen to twenty years olds could only drink if they completed forty-two hours of instruction of the history, chemistry, psychology and sociology of alcohol. This class would also teach the dangers of alcohol and what risks there are if someone drank an exceedingly high amount of alcohol. If a person eighteen or older took this class, they would earn a special license that would allow them to purchase and consume alcohol. Fighting against McCardell, the Mother’s Against Drunk Driving Association says that â€Å"the sooner youth drink, the more likely they are to become alcohol dependent and to drive drunk† One way to control this would be to have this program also include sitting in on multiple Alcoholic Anonymous meetings. When deciding, lawmakers have to think about the ideals of maturity, potential, responsibility, fairness and prudence. Abigail Baird, Assistant Professor of Physiological and Brain Sciences at Dartmouth College, studied nineteen brains of eighteen-year-old college students. These students moved 100 miles to go to college and lived without their families. The control to this study was a group of seventeen twenty-five year olds. Professor Baird came to the conclusion that the twenty-five year old brain was more mature, especially in the regions of the brain known to integrate emotion and cognition, the areas that take information from our current body state and apply it for use in navigating the world. Maturity can range though. It is proven that brains mature at different times. Although there is not a test we can give to determine the maturity of someone, lawmakers have to instill trust and hope in young adults. The ideal of potential and prudence fit in with the fact that lawmakers can not single-handedly pick out who is mature enough to legally consume alcohol at the age of eighteen. With more developed brains at twenty-one, the risk for drunk driving and making poor decisions while under the influence are lower. According to the Mother’s Against Drunk Driving Association, the MADD, an estimated twenty-three thousand lives have been saved from the elevated age of drinking since it the law was passed in 1984. Although it has saved lives, McCardell says that â€Å"(raising the drinking age to twenty-one) forced alcohol consumption behind the closed doors of dorms and fraternity basements. Always unsupervised, done in secret and too often excessive, this style of drinking has no doubt been responsibility for the alarming rise in rates of so called ‘binge’ drinking seen at colleges† Looking further into McCardell’s statement, TIME magazine says that data does not show that binge drinking has gotten worse since states raised their drinking age. John Schulenberg of the University of Michigan and Jennifer Maggs of Penn State say, â€Å"During the past two decades, despite many social, demographic, political and economic changes†¦rates of frequent heavy drinking among those ages nineteen to twenty-two have shifted little.† Having the ideal of prudence, lawmakers have to take statistics under consideration. They have to choose the option of letting under-developed, eighteen year old minds be allowed to consume and purchase alcohol, or to keep the law at twenty-one and break the ideals of justice and fairness. Having the legal drinking age of twenty-one breeds disrespect for law by having so many people break it, marginalizes the role of teaching about alcohol use and condescends the age of majority. When you turn eighteen in the United States, you can vote, enlist and fight in wars, sign contracts, marry, own businesses, serve in a jury and many other things. In most other cultures, alcohol consumption legally begins when you become a legal adult. According to the Institute of Medicine, ninety percent of alcohol consumed by eighteen to twenty years-olds is consumed when the person is involved in heavy drinking. Having the legal drinking age of twenty-one forces young adult and teenage drinking behind closed doors without any supervision. This force comes from peer pressure, media and watching what people older than them do. Teenagers are attracted to the thrill, making them drink more and more. The consequences of binge drinking are scary and sometimes fatal. The consumption of alcohol by underage Americans is common. When young people consume alcohol, the fact that they are doing something illegal does not cross their mind. Since the law prohibits young adults from partaking in an activity that usually mark adulthood, it encourages violation and disrespect of the law. According to Public Health Reports, two in every one thousand instances of underage drinking results in arrests. According to the Journal of American College Health, young adults who choose to illegally drink are drinking recklessly. This excessive consumption has resulted in binge drinking, putting young people at greater risk of alcohol poisoning, assault, sexual abuse, vandalism and alcohol related fatalities. During the Prohibition in 1920, the culture was bathtub gin, speakeasies and rumrunners. In the last ten years, these acts have been mirrored but with keg parties, beer pong and flip cup. Having the legal drinking age remain at the age of twenty-one prevents adolescents from gaining access to alcohol, saves lives by preventing alcohol-related traffic fatalities from ages eighteen to twenty and protects adolescent and young adult brains from the negative consequences of alcohol. The results from the National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey say that early initiation to alcohol leads to long-term alcohol problems. With the law set at twenty-one, it prevents alcohol from getting into the hands of the younger population by making it illegal to consume, purchase and possess alcohol. Many high school students are protected from this possible damage because their eighteen-year-old friends cannot buy alcohol for them. According to the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, people that drink in their adolescent years are more likely to have alcohol abuse issues later in their life. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that that the number of drunk driving fatalities amongst eighteen to twenty one year olds has decreased by thirteen percent ever since the law has been raised to twenty-one. That decline over the past two and a half decades is from quite a few factors, including safer vehicles, increased public awareness of the danger of drunk driving, mandatory seat belt laws, lower BAC limits and the use of designated drivers, which is a term that did not exist before the drinking age was raised in 1984. Also, the adolescent brain is affected differently by alcohol than the brain of a twenty-one year old. Having the drinking age of twenty-one will lead to a healthier population by not allowing adolescents to obtain it. The American Journal of Psychiatry scanned brains of young adolescents with alcohol abuse disorders and the brains of non-drinking peers. The study showed that the brains of young adolescents with alcohol abuse disorders show lower rates of activity during memory tasks and less developed brain structures than in their non-drinking peers. If the legal drinking age remains as it is now, America’s youth will be more protected. An alternate solution to lowering the age to eighteen and keeping the age at twenty-one is to only allow eighteen-year-olds, who have completed an intensive class about alcohol, to purchase and consume alcohol. John McCardell, former president of Middlebury College, is a proponent of this idea. His thought was to have a test similar to a driving test. You would have to take a class and pass a test in order to have a specific license for purchasing and consuming alcohol. The class would go over the history, chemistry, psychology and sociology of alcohol. It is also important that the young adults view people whose lives’ have been ruined because of alcohol. They could do this by attending Alcohol Anonymous meetings or going to visit rehabilitation centers and talk to people whose lives have been affected by alcohol. If eighteen-year-olds have this knowledge, then I think that they should be able to consume and purchase alcohol. Another alternate solution is to lower the age of purchasing and consuming alcohol to twenty. Not as young as eighteen, and not as old as twenty-one, the brain is significantly more developed at the age of twenty than it is at the age of eighteen. The consequences of lowering it by one year are not as risky as lowering the age to eighteen. Although some people will still fight against it, I feel as though it is a good middle ground between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one. A very high tech alternate solution is making all cars have an Ignition Interlock System. This device, installed in a cars dashboard, mandates that you breathe into a little slot before the car will turn on. Although the system is quite expensive, it is fool proof. After the engine starts, the device will require you to breathe in it again, just to make sure that a sober person did not breathe into the device for you. Currently used for people that have broken DUI laws, if these devices were put in all cars, it would be almost impossible for people to drive drunk. The only problem with the mechanism is that it would increase the value of cars by a great deal. Although it is expensive, installing an Ignition Interlock System in every car would prevent drunk driving. When considering both sides of the argument, we have to look at the total picture. Voting on whether to make the MLDA eighteen or twenty-one shows a full view of what people want since everyone eighteen and older can vote. The vote would directly target people that would be affected no matter what the outcome was. The lawmakers have to consider their obligations to the nation, since all lawmakers were elected into their position. They also have to consider the consequences of the option that they are giving people. Putting young people in situations where it is legal to drink and maybe would not be able to control their actions and drive drunk, endangering people around them. This would endanger others, so when making a vote, people would not only have to consider an individual but everyone around them After considering all of the information, the smartest choice for lawmakers is to keep the minimum legal drinking age at twenty-one. Although teenagers may still continue to break the law while purchasing and consuming alcohol, many high school students will be protected from legally purchasing and consuming because eighteen-year-old seniors will not be able to obtain alcohol. Also, the brain at the age of twenty-one is extremely more developed than the brain at eighteen. If an eighteen-year-old legally drank and got in his/her car to drive home, that inexperienced driver would be putting everyone on the road into danger. Since an eighteen year old, who probably started driving at the age of sixteen, would get on the road without any supervision and also while under the influence of alcohol, the risk of endangering him/herself is extremely high. By keeping the motto â€Å"for the common good in mind† the best decision for lawmakers is to keep the minimum legal drinking age at twenty-one. BIBLIOGRAPHY ABC News. Alcohol Laws: Should the Drinking Age be Lowered?. [Online] http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw.story?id=3529878page=2 The Harvard Crimson. Please Think Responsibly. [Online] Tuesday, September 16, 2008. http://thecrimson.com/article/2008/9/16/please-think-responsibly-it-certaintly-hasn’t/ TIME. Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered? [Online] Friday, June 06, 2008. www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1812397,00.html WSJ. College Presidents Stand Up for Common Sense? I’ll Drink to That. [Online] Friday, August 28, 2008. http://onlline.wsj.com/article/SB121996586419781419.html?mod=taste_primary_hs American Medical Association. Facts About Youth and Alcohol. [Online] http://www.ama-asn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/public-health/p†¦ug-abuse/facts-about-youth-alcohol/minimum-legal-drinking-age.shtml Choose Responsibly. Legal Age 21. [Online] www.chooseresponsibly.org/ Dartmouth News. Brain Changes Significantly After Age 18, says Dartmouth Research. [Online] February 6, 2006. http://www.dartmouth.edu/~news/releases/2006/02/06.html Wikipedia. Ignition Interlock Device. [Online] January 19, 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ignition_interlock_device

Animals Should Be Used in Scientific Research Essay Example for Free

Animals Should Be Used in Scientific Research Essay Over 100 million animals are used every year in the United States as models in biological and medical research to study human disease, injury, development, psychology, and anatomy and physiology. Research involving animals has played a vital role in virtually every major medical advance of the last century. Even today, there is no complete alternative to biomedical research with animals. The vast majority of research animals are mice and rats bred for this purpose. Dogs, cats, and non-human primates together account for less than one-half of one percent of the total, and this number has declined for more than 25 years. Since 1979, the number of dogs and cats needed in animal research has declined by more than 50%. The number of non-human primates needed represents less than .2% (.18% in 2004) and has remained relatively constant—in the 50,000 per year range—for the past decade. History The history behind animals being used in scientific research is that is started In Europe and in the US by the early 1900s and especially during and following World War I the benefits of animal research continued to be recognized. Following the Nuremberg Trials for atrocities by the Nazis during World War II, society spoke loudly demanding no research on humans until animal research had made such research a reasonable risk. Today, the majority of people in our society do agree with the idea of the humane and responsible use of animals in research. There is safeguard standards for scientific studies on animals * The USDA has set forth federal regulations governing the care and use of animals in biomedical research that are considered even more extensive than those covering human research subjects. * The Animal Welfare Act sets standards of care for research animals with regard to their housing, feeding, cleanliness, ventilation, and medical needs and requires the use of anesthesia or analgesic drugs for potentially painful procedures and during post-operative care. * The US Public Health Service Act requires that all institutions receiving research funds from NIH, FDA, or CDC adhere to the standards set out in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. * Institutions must follow detailed animal care recommendations and establish an IACUC to ensure that all animals are treated responsibly and humanely Some people think that all animals that are in scientific research are in pain or distress while undergoing the research that is not necessarily true. The 2004 USDA Annual Report reveals that 57% of all research procedures with animals involved no more than slight or momentary pain or distress (i.e., an injection). In 34% of research procedures anesthesia and postoperative painkillers were used. In 9% of the procedures, neither anesthesia nor pain medication could be used, as they would have interfered with research results. Scientific Perspectives Here are 4 reasons why animals are used in research: 1. The principles of anatomy and physiology are true for humans and animals, especially mammals. Once scientists learned that animals were similar to humans, in physiology and anatomy, it became preferable to use animals rather than humans for preliminary research. 2. Certain strains or breeds of animals get the same diseases or conditions as humans. Animal Models are frequently critical to understanding a disease and developing appropriate treatments. 3. Research meant introducing one variable and observing the results of that one item. With animals we can control their environment (temperature, humidity, etc.), and shield them from diseases or conditions not related to the research (control their health). Although human and animals get the disease that may be the subject of a research investigation, the different life styles or living conditions make them poor subjects until preliminary research under controlled conditions has been done. 4. We can use scientifically-valid numbers o f animals. Data from one animal or human is not research; it is a case study. To scientifically test a hypothesis, an adequate number of subjects must be used to statistically test the results of the research. Some individuals claim that we should use human or animals that have a disease to study that disease. Certainly, epidemiological studies (tracking the occurrence of a disease or condition) have provided many important insights into the cause of a disease or a condition, especially when an environmental aspect is responsible. However, epidemiological studies are successful in only a limited number of situations. Only if the study of a disease is severely hindered or not possible when the research subjects have been/are exposed to a variety of environmental factors. According to the American Medical Association, humans are the most frequently used animal in research. However, research studies conducted on humans follow preliminary studies conducted in animals. These animal studies make human studies a reasonable risk. The animal studies are not a guarantee of success, but they do tell us that the human research has a reasonable probability of success.

Reasons for the Defeat of the Germans

Reasons for the Defeat of the Germans Reasons for the Defeat of the Germans and the Results of Victory 17 January 1945 Entry of the Soviets in Warsaw 13 February Destruction of Dresden 25 April Meeting of the Soviet an US forces 2May Storming of the Reichstag, end of the Battle of Berlin 8 May German unconditional surrender Took an unexpectedly long time- it was obvious by late 1944 and victory seemed imminent with the Germans retreating on all fronts. The victory was delayed due to the insistence on an unconditional surrender (no armistice) by the allies and Stalin feared his allies would make a separate peace so the unconditional surrender was partly to reassure him. Stalin wanted to win the race for Berlin before the Americans.   Pushed west at maximum pace liberating Warsaw, Budapest, Prague and Vienna. Continuous all-out full frontal assaults, regardless of casualty counts. Allied Supreme Commander General Eisenhower allowed the Soviets to win to minimise casualties and clashes with the USSR. March 27th, 1934 slow the advance order. By early 1945 the German war effort was badly weakened by the mass bombings of cities such as Dresden which where industrial hubs. The Red army reached the outskirts of Berlin and met the USA at Torgau on the Elbe. Final battle of Berlin. General Zhukov used tactics that caused very high losses. For Stalin, the defeat was as much military as political. He wished to control as much of Central Europe and Germany providing a buffer zone against any future threats The symbol of victory was the storming of the Reichstag on 2nd May 1945. Reasons for the Defeat of the Germans Soviet Strength: The USSRs geographical size made it effectively impossible for a knock-out blow. German forces constantly faced the problems of being dangerous overstretched and the lines of communication. The size allowed new armies and industrial bases to be built beyond reach. Population (171,000,000 in 1941) nearly three times Germanys (Hitler did have the annexed populations too), the USSR could sacrifice men in a way impossible for the Germans. Vast natural resources (oil)m the longer the war went on the stronger the Soviet military-industrial power became, outproducing the Germans in everything by 1943. Command Economy established before the war, well-suited to total war and the emergency mobilisation of workers and resources. Leadership, after a bad start the USSR became ruthlessly effective, Stalin was a very capable war leader and his generals became highly competent, Propaganda and patriotism motivated the armed forces and civilians to fight and endure. German weaknesses: Failure of the rapid initial victory. December 1941, two front war. Germany lacked self-sufficiency, by 1943 to 1944 war production depended on all-out exploitation of dwindling economic and human resources. Hitler made strategic mistakes sacking best generals in favour of yes men. Abolished the War ministry replacing it with a high council he headed installing von Brauchitsch and Keitel to replace Fritsch. No winter coats. Germans alienated the nationalities provoking resistance and partisans. Allied Contribution: Dangerous threat to Hitler on other fronts (two front war) Mass bombing campaigns by British and Americans from 1943 caused huge damage to German industry weakening the resources available to fight on the Eastern Front. Allied secret intelligence gained via code breaking undermined German effort at crucial times (Stalin never informed directly) Enormous amounts of military and economic aid. Results of victory for the USSR: Emerges at the new world superpower, galvanised the USSR and unleashed its huge economic potential. The war badly weakened other European powers and made the USSR dominant militarily. Germany as the main enemy was: occupied, economically destroyed and likely to be demilitarised. For the regime, it was the glow of victory; that vindicated the communist ideology, offering a road to socialism as a replacement for fascism and an alternative system for capitalism. Massive territorial expansion incorporating: the Baltic states and parts of East Prussia. They also took over many East Central European countries that were weak and established pro-Soviet regimes. Also, caused one of the largest migrations in history 12,000,000 refugees, mostly ethnic Germans fled between 1944-1945 as the Red Army advanced. Despite the extent of the victory fears and insecurity remained. Stalin was anxious about the economic power of the USA. Feared a resurgent Germany (he wanted to break in into 300 independent states and make them farmland to supply food to Moscow) Feared and distrusted his own people and repressed any who returned including soldiers and prisoners of war. Disagreements on the Four-Power Occupation of Berlin, even after the moment of victory it was obvious an overall peace would be difficult. Germany drawn into 4 occupation zones (Soviet, French, American, British). Berlin was entirely within the Soviet Zone but was divided into 4 zones ruled by a Joint Allied Control Commission. Led to recurrent disputes between the USSR and the West. BUT AT A MASIVE PRICE: Post-war Reconstruction: The industry was devastated, not least in part due to the war claiming 1/8of the population and causing massive dislocation. Stalin promised in 1945 that the USSR would become the leading industrial power by 1960. Gosplan was instructed to prepare the 4th Five Year Plan for economic recovery. Set ambitious targets for industry (85%) and agriculture. 1/3 expenditure to be spent on the Ukraine which had been mostly devastated by the war. Very important for industry and agriculture. Stalin set out to exceed pre-war levels by three times to recovery, causing an upswing in the economy allowing for rationing to be abolished and for consumer goods to be produced! Industry: Much of the industry needed to be switched away from military and back to the civilian economy. Industry struggled to adjust to peace in 1946: Mining: down over 50% 1940 Electricity production: down 48% Steel: down 55% Transport: widely disrupted. Workforce: diminished, exhausted. Problems intensified by the sudden ending of Foreign aid (Lend Lease) 08/1945. Despite the difficulties by 1950 there was considerable industrial recovery: 1940 1945 1950 Coal (Tons) 165.9 149.3 261.1 Oil (Tons) 31.1 19.3 37.9 Steel (Tons) 18.3 12.3 27.3 Cement (Tons) 5.7 1.3 10.1 Electricity (Kilowatts) 48.3 43.2 91.2 The Soviets demanded the fulfilment of full war reparations from enemy countries, even those who had pro-Soviet governments. Huge amounts of material and equipment travelled East (mostly scrap metal) from occupied Germany. Sometimes entire factories and workers were moved to Russia, the effect of this is probably small however. Under the 4th five-year plan recovery was impressive: Steady increase in consumer goods. Rebuilding of the heavy industry. Some steady living standard growth. By 1948 wages reached 1938 levels. Agriculture: DEVASTATED: Gosplan figures of losses: Kolkhoz: 98,000 Tractors: 137,000 Combine Harvesters: 49,000 Horses: 7,000,000 (meat and war) Cattle: 17,000,000 Pigs: 20,000,000 Sheep: 27,000,000 Food: -60% 1940 levels. Poor prospects hindered by: Sever labour shortage as many peasants were the body of the army (27,000,000 people dead overall does not take in those injured) Scorched earth policy hurts the Ukrainian bread basket. Only 75% land cultivated in 1940 was cultivated in 1945. 1946 driest year since 1891, and the HARVEST WAS POOR ONTOP OF THIS! Led to some regions experiencing famine: Famine of 1946-1947 began in Ukraine and Central Russia (Stalins most hated areasà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) physical aspect not helped by dislocation caused by the war, especially shortage of labourers and lack of machinery. Nothing on the stage of the Great Famineà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Khrushchev claimed that in both Stalin exported grain abroad rather than relieving the famine. Letter to local Politburo representative on the management of a collective farm in Western Siberia September 1948 adapted by Noah: Why should we give you everything and not receive a gram back, undermining the economy of collective farms. We realise that during the war the grain was needed to supply the army and we gladly gave up everything. We had poor harvests in 45, 46, 47 but we gave everything for the recovery. How come in 1948 we cant keep some? We hoped that after achieving quota we could give out one kilo per work day, with these collections taking more than the quota we have nothing, there is not enough seed to sow for 1949, we dont see a crumb of bread and live off potato. The recovery: Was slow and patchy, the 4-5YP bought some increases but failed to reach targets. By Stalins death the agricultural sector was unsatisfactory but some areas recovered better. However, the famine cycle in Russia was broken 0 famine since 1947. One major thing holding back recovery was Stalin himself: His book: Economic Problems of Socialism in the USSR 1952. The writings were undeniable and this discouraged innovation and change. After Stalins death, the successors felt they had to introduce reforms and concessions to peasant farmers to alleviate their problems. 1940 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 Grain (tons) 95.6 65.9 67.2 70.2 81.2 78.7 92.2 Potatoes (tons) 76.1 74.5 95 89.6 88.5 58.7 69.2 Cotton (tons) 2.2 1.7 2.2 2.5 3.5 3.7 3.8 Cattle (m head) 28 23 23.8 24.2 24.6 24.3 25.0 Speech at the Supreme Soviet by Georgii Malenkov, published in Izvestia, 09/07/1953 (post Stalin GM in temporary control), adapted by Noah: Until now [Stalins death] we have not been able to develop light industry and the food industry at the same pace as heavy. We are obliged to ensure more rapid improvement in peoples living standards. We must significantly increase the output of consumer goods and in grain production. We need to reduce compulsory quotas from collective farms and reduce agricultural taxes. Summary: War was won at a great cost. But vindicated Stalins role as leader. Post-war reconstruction was more successful than may have been expected in 1945 amid the ruins.

Romanticism Essay -- Essays Papers

Romanticism The start of the Romantic Age coincided with the start of the French Revolution in 1789. It ends in 1837. Just as the revolution was changing the social order, the romantic poets were taking literature in a whole new direction. The mechanical reason that pervaded the work of the previous era was replaced by strong emotions and a return to nature. Animals and respect for nature were frequently used subjects in works of his period. The first generation of poets included William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Sir Walter Scott. Their primary contribution to literature was with their lyrical ballads. They used the typical romantic themes of respect for nature and all of its creatures. Wordsworth is above all the poet of the remembrance of things past, or as he himself put it, of â€Å"emotion recollected in tranquility.† Some object or event in the present triggers a sudden renewal of feelings he had experienced in youth; the result is a poem exhibiting the sharp discrepa ncy between what Wordsworth called â€Å"two consciousness.† The poem â€Å"Michael† is founded on the actual misfortunes of a family at Grasmere. In this poem, Wordsworth describes about a relationship of father, named Michael, and a son, named Luke. Michael is a shepherd in Grasmere valley. He is married to a woman, named Isabel. She is a housewife, who makes wool and rope to pass her time. They have a child, named Luke. Michael takes his son with him, so he can help him out with his work. Michael ...

Stranger Paper :: essays research papers

I know my subject by his first name only, Maynard, by listening to his frequent conversations with his close friend Rolando I have discovered they enjoy talking about alcoholic beverages, movies, and video games among other things. He is of average height and a slim build with frizzy short black hair and wears glasses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My first impression after observing Maynard for a short period of time was he might be shy and/or nervous in social situations even when interacting with a close friend. I came about this assumption by observing him look away from the listener when he (Maynard) laughs, he also fidgets with his hands by rubbing them together, etc. when being spoken to, he also spins his pen often. Another reason why I assume he is nervous is the manner in which he moves, all his movements are quick and sudden. His lack of participation in class discussion and in answering questions also fortified my assertion that he is shy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stemming from his shyness, I believe he is in a way, dependant on his friend Rolando’s social interactions and approval of him. He often sits to the side, ready to converse with him. He also covers his mouth/lower face with his hand by resting his head on his hand in various ways when facing the class as if he were cradling him self or hiding. I do not observe this behavior when he is talking to Rolando. This leads me to assume he suffers from some degree of insecurity. And I have yet to observe him to speak with anyone but Rolando until he asked me what he could write about me (what a coincidence).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lastly I gather from my observations that Maynard is a humble and laid back individual. His hair is frizzy and easy to maintain. He does not dress flamboyantly and he lets his mustache grow out.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As for significant information I have learned about Maynard, I learned he holds his friends in high esteem and depends on his relationships with them greatly. He does not interact in moderately large social groups well, but does listen attentively. And he may be a little edgy. I find that the subjects ignorance to his observation or lack of attention given to it, is a strength of this type of research.

The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion Chapter Nine

â€Å"†¦ And so, ladies and gentlemen, I give you the class of '92!† Bonnie threw her cap into the air along with everyone else. We made it, she thought. Whatever happens tonight, Matt and Meredith and I made it to graduation. There had been times this last school year when she had seriously doubted they would. Considering Sue's death, Bonnie had expected the graduation ceremony to be listless or grim. Instead, there was a sort of frenzied excitement about it. As if everyone was celebrating being alive-before it was too late. It turned into rowdiness as parents surged forward and the senior class of Robert E. Lee fragmented in all directions, whooping and acting up. Bonnie retrieved her cap and then looked up into her mother's camera lens. Act normal, that's what's important, she told herself. She caught a glimpse of Elena's aunt Judith and Robert Maxwell, the man Aunt Judith had recently married, standing on the sidelines. Robert was holding Elena's little sister, Margaret, by the hand. When they saw her, they smiled bravely, but she felt uncomfortable when they came her way. â€Å"Oh, Miss Gilbert-I mean, Mrs. Maxwell-you shouldn't have,† she said as Aunt Judith handed her a small bouquet of pink roses. Aunt Judith smiled through the tears in her eyes. â€Å"This would have been a very special day for Elena,† she said. â€Å"I want it to be special for you and Meredith, too.† â€Å"Oh, Aunt Judith.† Impulsively, Bonnie threw her arms around the older woman. â€Å"I'm so sorry,† she whispered. â€Å"You know how much.† â€Å"We all miss her,† Aunt Judith said. Then she pulled back and smiled again and the three of them left. Bonnie turned from looking at them with a lump in her throat to look at the madly celebrating crowd. There was Ray Hernandez, the boy she'd gone to Homecoming with, inviting everybody to a party at his house that night. There was Tyler's friend Dick Carter, making a fool of himself as usual. Tyler was smiling brazenly as his father took picture after picture. Matt was listening, with an unimpressed look, to some football recruiter from James Mason University. Meredith was standing nearby, holding a bouquet of red roses and looking pensive. Vickie wasn't there. Her parents had kept her home, saying she was in no state to go out. Caroline wasn't there either. She was staying in the apartment in Heron. Her mother had told Bonnie's mother she had the flu, but Bonnie knew the truth. Caroline was scared. And maybe she's right, Bonnie thought, moving toward Meredith. Caroline may be the only one of us to make it through next week. Look normal, act normal. She reached Meredith's group. Meredith was wrapping the red-and-black tassel from her cap around the bouquet, twisting it between elegant, nervous fingers. â€Å"Be careful with that; you'll ruin it,† she said aloud. Meredith's look of thoughtful melancholy didn't change. She went on staring at the tassel, kinking it up. â€Å"It doesn't seem fair,† she said, â€Å"that we should get these and Elena shouldn't. It's wrong.† â€Å"I know; it's awful,† Bonnie said. But she kept her tone light. â€Å"I wish there was something we could do about it, but we can't.† â€Å"It's all wrong,† Meredith went on, as if she hadn't heard. â€Å"Here we are out in the sunlight, graduating, and there she is under that-stone.† â€Å"I know, I know,† Bonnie said in a soothing tone. â€Å"Meredith, you're getting yourself all upset. Why don't you try to think about something else? Look, after you go out to dinner with your parents, do you want to go to Raymond's party? Even if we're not invited, we can crash it.† â€Å"No!† Meredith said with startling vehemence. â€Å"I don't want to go to any party. How can you even think of that, Bonnie? How can you be so shallow?† â€Å"Well, we've got to do something †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I'll tell you what I'm doing. I'm going up to the cemetery after dinner. I'm going to put this on Elena's grave. She's the one who deserves it.† Meredith's knuckles were white as she shook the tassel in her hand. â€Å"Meredith, don't be an idiot. You can't go up there, especially at night. That's crazy. Matt would say the same thing.† â€Å"Well, I'm not asking Matt. I'm not asking anybody. I'm going by myself.† â€Å"You can't. God, Meredith, I always thought you had some brains-â€Å" â€Å"And I always thought you had some sensitivity. But obviously you don't even want to think about Elena. Or is it just because you want her old boyfriend for yourself?† Bonnie slapped her. It was a good hard slap, with plenty of energy behind it. Meredith drew in a sharp breath, one hand to her reddening cheek. Everyone around them was staring. â€Å"That's it for you, Bonnie McCullough,† Meredith said after a moment, in a voice of deadly quiet. â€Å"I don't ever want to speak to you again.† She turned on her heel and walked away: â€Å"Never would be too soon for me!† Bonnie shouted at her retreating back. Eyes were hastily averted as Bonnie looked around her. But there was no question that she and Meredith had been the center of attention for several minutes past. Bonnie bit the inside of her cheek to keep a straight face and walked over to Matt, who had lost the recruiter. â€Å"Good.† â€Å"Do you think the slap was too much? We didn't really plan that; I was just sort of going with the moment. Maybe it was too obvious†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It was fine, just fine.† Matt was looking preoccupied. Not that dull, apathetic, turned-in look of the last few months, but distinctly abstracted. â€Å"What is it? Something wrong with the plan?† Bonnie said. â€Å"No, no. Listen, Bonnie, I've been thinking. You were the one to discover Mr. Tanner's body in the Haunted House last Halloween, right?† Bonnie was startled. She gave an involuntary shiver of distaste. â€Å"Well, I was the first one to know he was dead, really dead, instead of just playing his scene. Why on earth do you want to talk about that now?† â€Å"Because maybe you can answer this question. Could Mr. Tanner have got a knife in Damon?† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Well, could he?† â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie blinked and frowned. Then she shrugged. â€Å"I suppose so. Sure. It was a Druid sacrifice scene, remember, and the knife we used was a real knife. We talked about using a fake one, but since Mr. Tanner was going to be lying right there beside it, we figured it was safe enough. As a matter of fact†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie's frown deepened. â€Å"I think when I found the body, the knife was in a different place from where we'd set it in the beginning. But then, some kid could have moved it. Matt, why are you asking?† â€Å"Just something Damon said to me,† Matt said, staring off into the distance again. â€Å"I wondered if it could be the truth.† â€Å"Oh.† Bonnie waited for him to say more, but he didn't. â€Å"Well,† she said finally, â€Å"if it's all cleared up, can you come back to Earth, please? And don't you think you should maybe put your arm around me? Just to show you're on my side and there's no chance you're going to show up at Elena's grave tonight with Meredith?† Matt snorted, but the faraway look disappeared from his eyes. For just a brief instant he put his arm around her and squeezed. D..j. vu, Meredith thought as she stood at the gate to the cemetery. The problem was, she couldn't remember exactly which of her previous experiences in the graveyard this night reminded her of. There had been so many. In a way, it had all started here. It had been here that Elena had sworn not to rest until Stefan belonged to her. She'd made Bonnie and Meredith swear to help her, too -in blood. How suitable, Meredith thought now. And it had been here that Tyler had assaulted Elena the night of the Homecoming dance. Stefan had come to the rescue, and that had been the beginning for them. This graveyard had seen a lot. This graveyard had been the beginning, and the end as well. And maybe there would be another end tonight. Meredith started walking. I wish you were here now, Alaric, she thought. I could use your optimism and your savvy about the supernatural-and I wouldn't mind your muscles, either. Elena's headstone was in the new cemetery, of course, where the grass was still tended and the graves marked with wreaths of flowers. The stone was very simple, almost plain looking, with a brief inscription. Meredith bent down and placed her bouquet of roses in front of it. Then, slowly, she added the red-and-black tassel from her cap. In this dim light, both colors looked the same, like dried blood. She knelt and folded her hands quietly. And she waited. All around her the cemetery was still. It seemed to be waiting with her, breath held in anticipation. The rows of white stones stretched on either side of her, shining faintly. Meredith listened for any sound. And then she heard one. Heavy footsteps. With her head down, she stayed quiet, pretending she noticed nothing. The footsteps sounded closer, not even bothering to be stealthy. â€Å"Hi, Meredith.† Meredith looked around quickly. â€Å"Oh-Tyler,† she said. â€Å"You scared me. I thought you were-never mind.† â€Å"Yeah?† Tyler's lips skinned back in an unsettling grin. â€Å"Well, I'm sorry you're disappointed. But it's me, just me and nobody else.† â€Å"What are you doing here, Tyler? No good parties?† â€Å"I could ask you the same question.† Tyler's eyes dropped to the headstone and the tassel and his face darkened. â€Å"But I guess I already know the answer. You're here for her. Elena Gilbert, A Light in Darkness,† he read sarcastically. â€Å"That's right,† Meredith said evenly. † ‘Elena' means light, you know. And she was certainly surrounded by darkness. It almost beat her, but she won in the end.† â€Å"Maybe,† Tyler said, and worked his jaw meditatively, squinting. â€Å"But you know, Meredith, it's a funny thing about darkness. There's always more of it waiting in the wings.† â€Å"Like tonight,† Meredith said, looking up at the sky. It was clear and dotted with faint stars. â€Å"It's very dark tonight, Tyler. But sooner or later the sun will come up.† Just like he showed Elena, Meredith thought. In a way she was enjoying this verbal fencing, but she never lost sight of what she had come here for. Her cold fingers dipped into her jacket pocket and found the tiny sprig of vervain there. â€Å"That's all right, Tyler. I think I'd prefer to stay here.† â€Å"You sure about that? A cemetery's a dangerous place to be alone.† Unquiet spirits, Meredith thought. She looked right at him. â€Å"I know.† He was grinning again, displaying teeth like tombstones. â€Å"Anyway, you can see it from here if you have good eyes. Look that way, toward the old graveyard. Now, do you see something sort of shining red in the middle?† â€Å"No.† There was a pale luminosity over the trees in the east. Meredith kept her eyes on it. â€Å"Aw, come on, Meredith. You're not trying. Once the moon's up you'll see it better.† â€Å"Tyler, I can't waste any more time here. I'm going.† â€Å"No, you're not,† he said. And then, as her fingers tightened on the vervain, encompassing it in her fist, he added in a wheedling voice, â€Å"I mean, you're not going until I tell you the story of that headstone, are you? It's a great story. See, the headstone is made of red marble, the only one of its kind in the whole graveyard. And that ball on top-see it?-that must weigh about a ton. But it moves. It turns whenever a Smallwood is going to die. My grandfather didn't believe that; he put a scratch on it right down the front. He used to come out and check it every month or so. Then one day he came and found the scratch in the rear. The ball had turned completely backward. He did everything he could to turn it around, but he couldn't. It was too heavy. And that night, in bed, he died. They buried him under it.† â€Å"He probably had a heart attack from overexertion,† Meredith said caustically, but her palms were tingling. â€Å"You're funny, aren't you? Always so cool. Always so together. Takes a lot to make you scream, doesn't it?† â€Å"I'm leaving, Tyler. I've had enough.† He let her walk a few paces, then said, â€Å"You screamed that night at Caroline's, though, didn't you?† Meredith turned back. â€Å"How do you know that?† Tyler rolled his eyes. â€Å"Give me credit for a little intelligence, okay? I know a lot, Meredith. For instance, I know what's in your pocket.† Meredith's fingers stilled. â€Å"What do you mean?† Meredith backed away a step. â€Å"You think that's going to help you, don't you? But I'm going to tell you a secret.† Meredith's eyes measured the distance between herself and the path. She kept her face calm, but a violent shaking was beginning inside her. She didn't know if she was going to be able to pull this off. â€Å"You're not going anywhere, babe,† Tyler said, and a large hand clasped Meredith's wrist. It was hot and damp where she could feel it below her jacket cuff. â€Å"You're going to stay right here for your surprise.† His body was hunched now, his head thrust forward, and there was an exultant leer on his lips. â€Å"Let me go, Tyler. You're hurting me!† Panic flashed down all Meredith's nerves at the feel of Tyler's flesh against hers. But the hand only gripped harder, grinding tendon against bone in her wrist. â€Å"This is a secret, baby, that nobody else knows,† Tyler said, pulling her close, his breath hot in her face. â€Å"You came here all decked out against vampires. But I'm not a vampire.† Meredith's heart was pounding. â€Å"Let go!† â€Å"First I want you to look over there. You can see the headstone now,† he said, turning her so that she couldn't help but look. And he was right; she could see it, like a red monument with a shining globe on top. Or-not a globe. That marble ball looked like†¦ it looked like†¦ â€Å"Now look east. What do you see there, Meredith?† Tyler went on, his voice hoarse with excitement. It was the full moon. It had risen while he'd been talking to her, and now it hung above the hills, perfectly round and enormously distended, a huge and swollen red ball. And that was what the headstone looked like. Like a full moon dripping with blood. â€Å"You came here protected against vampires, Meredith,† Tyler said from behind her, even more hoarsely. â€Å"But the Smallwoods aren't vampires at all. We're something else.† And then he growled. No human throat could have made the sound. It wasn't an imitation of an animal; it was real. A vicious guttural snarl that went up and up, snapping Meredith's head around to look at him, to stare in disbelief. What she was seeing was so horrible her mind couldn't accept it†¦ â€Å"I told you it was a surprise. How do you like it?† Tyler said. His voice was thick with saliva, and his red tongue lolled among the rows of long canine teeth. His face wasn't a face anymore. It jutted out grotesquely into a muzzle, and his eyes were yellow, with slitlike pupils. His reddish-sandy hair had grown over his cheeks and down the back of his neck. A pelt. â€Å"You can scream all you want up here and nobody's going to hear you,† he added. Every muscle in Meredith's body was rigid, trying to get away from him. It was a visceral reaction, one she couldn't have helped if she wanted to. His breath was so hot, and it smelled feral, like an animal. The nails he was digging into her wrist were stumpy blackened claws. She didn't have the strength to scream again. â€Å"There's other things besides vampires with a taste for blood,† Tyler said in his new slurping voice. â€Å"And I want to taste yours. But first we're going to have some fun.† Although he still stood on two feet, his body was humped and strangely distorted. Meredith's struggles were feeble as he forced her to the ground. She was a strong girl, but he was far stronger, his muscles bunching under his shirt as he pinned her. â€Å"You've always been too good for me, haven't you? Well, now you're going to find out what you've been missing.† I can't breathe, Meredith thought wildly. His arm was across her throat, blocking her air. Gray waves rolled through her brain. If she passed out now†¦ â€Å"You're going to wish you died as fast as Sue.† Tyler's face floated above her, red as the moon, with that long tongue lolling. His other hand held her arms above her head. â€Å"You ever hear the story of Little Red Riding Hood?† The gray was turning into blackness, speckled with little lights. Like stars, Meredith thought. I'm falling in the stars†¦ â€Å"Tyler, take your hands off her! Let go of her, now!† Matt's voice shouted. Tyler's slavering snarl broke off into a surprised whine. The arm against Meredith's throat released pressure, and air rushed into her lungs. Footsteps were pounding around her. â€Å"I've been waiting a long time to do this, Tyler,† Matt said, jerking the sandy-red head back by the hair. Then Matt's fist smashed into Tyler's newly grown muzzle. Blood spurted from the wet animal nose. The sound Tyler made froze Meredith's heart in her chest. He sprang at Matt, twisting in midair, claws outstretched. Matt fell back under the assault and Meredith, dizzy, tried to push herself up off the ground. She couldn't; all her muscles were trembling uncontrollably. But someone else picked Tyler off Matt as if Tyler weighed no more than a doll. â€Å"Just like old times, Tyler,† Stefan said, setting Tyler on his feet and facing him. Tyler stared a minute, then tried to run. He was fast, dodging with animal agility between the rows of graves. But Stefan was faster and cut him off. Stefan was dragging Tyler back. â€Å"I always knew you were a jerk,† he said, shoving Tyler against a headstone, â€Å"but I didn't know you were this stupid. I'd have thought you would have learned not to jump girls in graveyards, but no. And you had to brag about what you did to Sue, too. That wasn't smart, Tyler.† Meredith looked at them as they faced each other. So different, she thought. Even though they were both creatures of darkness in some way. Stefan was pale, his green eyes blazing with anger and menace, but there was a dignity, almost a purity about him. He was like some stern angel carved in unyielding marble. Tyler just looked like a trapped animal. He was crouched, breathing hard, blood and saliva mingling on his chest. Those yellow eyes glittered with hate and fear, and his fingers worked as if he'd like to claw something. A low sound came out of his throat. â€Å"Don't worry, I'm not going to beat you up this time,† Stefan said. â€Å"Not unless you try to get away. We're all going up to the church to have a little chat. You like to tell stories, Tyler; well, you're going to tell me one now.† Tyler sprang at him, vaulting straight from the ground for Stefan's throat. But Stefan was ready for him. Meredith suspected that both Stefan and Matt enjoyed the next few minutes, working off their accumulated aggressions, but she didn't, so she looked away. In the end, Tyler was trussed up with nylon cord. He could walk, or shuffle at least, and Stefan held the back of his shirt and guided him urgently up the path to the church. Inside, Stefan pushed Tyler onto the ground near the open tomb. â€Å"Now,† he said, â€Å"we are going to talk. And you're going to cooperate, Tyler, or you're going to be very, very sorry.†