Family Matters

My favorite vacation was two summers back just before I entered high school. My family and I traveled to South Padre Island, Texas; located in the Gulf of Mexico; connected to Texas by only a long narrow bridge. I had high hopes for the vacation, but they took a plummet during the course of my vacation. Although much of my vacation was an utter disaster, I learned that with family you can make the best out of anything. My trip started out alright flying into the lush tropical island, seeing the shimmering waves winking at me during the airplanes descent. When we exited the airport my skin was greeted with a warm tropical breeze upon stepping outside. We then took a cab to our lavish hotel, The Magnolia. Upon entering the hotel lobby, I was greeted to the tantalizing smell of freshly caught Gulf shrimp, which got my stomach growling. It seemed that after such an amazing day as this one that this vacation could only get better, but alas that was not in nature’s plans. The next morning, dark clouds loomed in the horizon, signaling a storm; little did I know that it would turn out to be the mother of all tropical storms; a hurricane! Most occupants of the island were in a hurry to leave, but the bridge was the only way out of the island, other than the airport which was closed in this emergency. While ost of the city’s traffic was jammed trying to get onto the bridge, my family and I went to the penthouse of the hotel and locked ourselves in. To ease the tension, we played card games and told stories while the hurricane passed by and two days later the storm had finally gone by and the flooding had subsided so it was safe to go out. We then made good use of the near-empty beaches and enjoyed surfing and boogey-boarding on the gigantic waves enjoying our time together as a family. After a fun day on the beach, we were slightly disappointed to be informed by the hotel manager that we could no longer stay in the penthouse so we had to return to our original room. The next day I was saddened that our trip had come to an end as I slowly packed my belongings. On the way to the airport I was deep in thought, I realized that for all the misfortunes that plagued us on our trip, it actually turned out to be a very enjoyable vacation and countless summers after it is still my favorite vacation to date.

Southwestern University

Operations Analysis Week 7Case Study 2:   Southwestern University A. See the Case Studies Assignment Rubric in Doc Sharing for assignment details. Complete the  three questions at the end of the case on page 95.Case Studies Southwestern University: (A)*Southwestern University (SWU), a large state college in Stephenville, Texas, 30 miles southwest of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, enrolls close to 20,000 students. In a typical town-gown relationship, the school is a dominant force in the small city, with more students during fall and spring than permanent residents.A longtime football powerhouse, SWU is a member of the Big Eleven conference and is usually in the top 20 in college football rankings. To bolster its chances of reaching the elusive and long-desired number-one ranking, in 2003, SWU hired the legendary Bo Pitterno as its head coach. One of Pitterno’s demands on joining SWU had been a new stadium.With attendance increasing, SWU administrators began to face the i ssue head-on. After 6 months of study, much political arm wrestling, and some serious financial analysis, Dr. Joel Wisner, president of Southwestern University, had reached a decision to expand the capacity at its on-campus stadium.This integrated study runs throughout the text. Other issues facing Southwestern’s football expansion include (B) forecasting game attendance (Chapter 4); (C) quality of facilities (Chapter 6); (D) break-even analysis for food services (Supplement 7 Web site); (E) location of the new stadium (Chapter 8 Web site); (F) inventory planning of football programs (Chapter 12 Web site); and (G) scheduling of campus security officers/staff for game days (Chapter 13).Adding thousands of seats, including dozens of luxury skyboxes, would not please everyone. The influential Pitterno had argued the need for a irst-class stadium, one with built-in dormitory rooms for his players and a palatial office appropriate for the coach of a future NCAA champion team. But the decision was made, and everyone, including the coach, would learn to live with it.TABLE 3. 6 Southwestern University Project Time Estimates (days) ActivityDescription Predecessor(s) OptimisticMost LikelyPessimisticCrash Cost/Day ABonding, insurance, tax structuring—203040$1,500 BFoundation, concrete footings for boxesA2065803,500 CUpgrading skybox stadium seatingA50601004,000 DUpgrading walkways, stairwells, elevatorsC30501001,900EInterior wiring, lathesB2530359,500 FInspection approvalsE0. 10. 10. 10 GPlumbingD, F2530352,500 HPaintingG1020302,000 IHardware/AC/metal workingsH2025602,000 JTile/carpet/windowsH810126,000 KInspectionJ0. 10. 10. 10 LFinal detail work/cleanup, K2025604,500The job now was to get construction going immediately after the 2009 season ended. This would allow exactly 270 days until the 2010 season opening game. The contractor, Hill Construction (Bob Hill being an alumnus, of course), signed his contract. Bob Hill looked at the tasks his engineers had outlined and looked President Wisner in the eye.I guarantee the team will be able to take the field on schedule next year,† he said with a sense of confidence. â€Å"I sure hope so,† replied Wisner. â€Å"The contract penalty of $10,000 per day for running late is nothing compared to what Coach Pitterno will do to you if our opening game with Penn State is delayed or canceled. † Hill, sweating slightly, did not need to respond. In football-crazy Texas, Hill Construction would be mud if the 270-day target was missed. Back in his office, Hill again reviewed the data (see Table 3. 6) and noted that optimistic time estimates can be used as crash times.He then gathered his foremen. â€Å"Folks, if we’re not 75% sure we’ll finish this stadium in less than 270 days, I want this project crashed! Give me the cost figures for a target date of 250 days—also for 240 days. I want to be early, not just on time! †Discussion Questions1. Develop a net work drawing for Hill Construction and determine the critical path. How long is the project expected to take? Start A-30 B-60 E-30 30/30 0/0 | | | 90/119. 9 | | 120/149. 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | I| | | | F-0. 1| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | End| | | C-65| | 150/150 | | G-30| H-20| | | I-30| | L-30| | | | | | | | | | 180/180 | | 200/200 | 230/230 260/260 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 95/95 210/229. 9 D-55 K-0. 1 Critical Path The project is expected to take 260 days.2. What is the probability of finishing in 270 days? Project variance is computed by summing the variances of critical activities: O? 2p = 11,11111111 + 69,44444444 + 136,1111111 + 2,777777778 + 11,11111111 + 44,44444444 + 44,44444444 = 319. 44444444 Project standard deviationO? p = 17. 873 days Probability of project completed before 270 days. Z = ( 270– 260 ) / ? p = 0. 559 ? 0. 56 From table 0. 5 and 0. 06 ? 0. 71226 = 71. 23 %3. If it is necessary to crash to 250 or 240 days, how would Hill do so, and at what costs? As noted in the case, assume that optimistic time estimates can be used as crash times (Render 94-95) Render, Jay Heizer and Barry. Operations Management, 10th Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions. <vbk:9781256081487#outline(7. 13. 13. 1)>. To crash in 250 days the following activities must be reduced the time specified:A – 10 days The total cost would be of $15. 000 more than the initial budget. The probability of project completed before 270 days would be: Z = ( 270– 250 ) / ? p = 1. 119 ? 1. 12 From table 1. 1 and 0. 02 ? 0. 86864 = 86. 86 % To crash in 240 days the following activities must be reduced the time specified: D – 10 days The total cost would be of $15. 000 + $19. 000 = $34. 000 more than the initial budget. The probability of project completed before 270 days would be: Z = ( 270– 240 ) / ? p = 1. 6785 ? 1. 68 From table 1. 6 and 0. 08 ? 0. 95352 = 95 . 35 %

Aristotle vs. Plato Essay

Born in Northern Greece. Aristotle’s male parent was a tribunal doctor to the male monarch of Macedon where Aristotle himself would be requested by King Philip II to tutor his boy Alexander ( who grew up to go â€Å"Alexander the Great† ) . Aristotle. one of the most influential minds in doctrine including political theory is besides known as the legendary Greek philosopher. logician. scientist. and pupil of Plato. Aristotle studied in Plato’s Academy in Athens. Plato being the pupil of Socrates and besides known as the male parent of political theory helped educate and determine the head of immature Aristotle who so became known as the first political scientist. It was the diverse ambiance in which Aristotle was raised. along with his instruction and so his many travels that gave him the deepness of being able to see and see the good and the mistakes in the universe. Aristotle saw doctrine within the physical universe. He believed that our truths came from physically interrupting down systems and analyzing them to understand them. He had experience with travelling and seeing different universe governments. Aristotle believed one had to interrupt things down through empirical observation and scientifically. Therefore deriving his rubric of political scientist who used scientific methods to analyse and reason his beliefs. ideas. and sentiments. Aristotle believed that one must believe critically and rationally utilizing inductive ground and an empiricist attack. Aristotle studied over 100 governments and analyzed which 1s were the strongest. how they functioned. and which best served the people. He concluded that the best type of authorities government was that of one with a strong in-between category to equilibrate the upper and lower categories to make the most stable and merely society. He believed that this government would be a combination of facets from a civil order ( an elected authorities that has the bulk of the common people’s best involvement ) . nobility ( regulation by the rich but with the people’s involvement in head ) . and monarchy ( a individual swayer if there is the possible that that metropolis has a qualified swayer as such which Aristotle admits is rare and can easy turn into dictatorship ) . Aristotle felt that most people did non hold adequate intelligence or power to manage running the authorities so it is best to set those in power who do. In his work. The Politics. Aristotle is explains that a metropolis is made up of many people. many persons who possess different positions and values. It is the diverse group of the metropolis that makes it a metropolis. If a metropolis were to go more and more a unit so it would lose its singularity in sentiments and do up and get the better of the full definition of a metropolis. Aristotle believes that people are entitled to their ain ideas. sentiments. and ownership. He states in his work ( Politics. page 40-41 ) that is non in the nature of a metropolis to be a unit. Aristotle believes that metropoliss are made up different parts and different entities that work together as a whole. They do non work as one but instead work together. Aristotle provinces that utmost fusion of a metropolis is non a good thing. Aristotle states that â€Å"The metropolis exists for the interest of a good life† . significance that a metropolis is at that place to map as an mercantile establishment to run into the demands of each of its citizens. Each citizen has his ain demand to be met. Aristotle realizes that what makes one individual happy may non do the other happy. â€Å"It is obvious that a metropolis which goes on going more and more of a unit will finally discontinue to be a metropolis at all. A metropolis. by its nature. is some kind of plurality† ( Aristotle. p. 39 ) . Aristotle is reasoning that if a metropolis becomes more and more incorporate so merely one voice is heard and it will so miss the really alone constituents of different voices. maps. and positions that made it a metropolis in the first topographic point. Aristotle believed that a metropoliss intent was to heighten plurality. a diversified metropolis that comes together to map. Known as the first political philosopher. Plato saw all physical things to be illusional. to be â€Å"a shadow of reality† ( Simile of a Cave ) and he stated that worlds are falsely led by their senses. Because of this. harmonizing to Plato- merely a society lead by Philosophers is a merely society ( Republic 473-475 ) . Plato believes that philosophers are the lone 1s to seek out absolute truth and justness and will hence be more educated and more inclined to do the best determinations for the group. At the same clip Plato thought that every individual had the possible to obtain ground. truth. and cognition by â€Å"stepping out of the cave and seeing the â€Å"light† . Plato believed that if people were educated decently so they would do good determinations. He believed people’s basic nature to be good. Whereas Aristotle tended to more of a realist and knew that some people did non hold it in them to â€Å"reason† or to â€Å"see the light† . In his book. The Republic. Plato discusses his belief in making a metropolis like utopia where there are no categories and everyone portions everything including adult females. kids and belongings. Plato’s positions are a bit unrealistic because he seems to non take into consideration human nature. Worlds are of course competitory and with clip would go more individualistic. Plato would non hold with Aristotle’s transition that a metropolis that grows into a unit will finally discontinue to be a metropolis. Plato on the reverse would province that the more of a unit the metropolis becomes. the more of Utopia it will be with everyone in common idea and understanding. common ownership of land. animate beings. and adult females. Plato’s ideal metropolis was that of a Utopian that would be governed by philosophers. He desired a perfect society with no jobs where people were happy. His society would dwell of three categories: swayers. aides and labourers. The swayers would be the philosopher male monarchs. would ever govern the province. The aides ( warriors ) would support the province and the labourers would be responsible for material production of goods needed by the province. Plato believed that the philosopher male monarchs should run the province being that they are the wisest and best possible campaigners. Plato was wholly molded by his instructor Socrates. taking on all of his ideas and doctrines whereas Plato’s pupil Aristotle took on many of his ain decisions and ideas many times beliing Plato’s. Plato was more of a dreamer while Aristotle was more of a realist. Where Plato sought out the â€Å"Utopia ideal situation† . Aristotle sought out how to break the current state of affairs. Another difference about Aristotle and Plato’s attack is that Plato is more focussed on the flawlessness of the universe and how people come to cognize about this. While Aristotle focal points more on the observations in nature and he knows non everything in nature is perfect. Aristotle. unlike Plato. was non focussed or concerned about the thought of a perfect society ; alternatively he wanted to better upon the 1 that he was portion of during his being. He believed that society should endeavor to use the best system it can achieve. He felt that Utopia was unrealistic and pointless. It would be best that society was at its highest possible and you can merely better upon the bing one. Therefore the integrity of a metropolis would decrease the individualism and different constituents that unambiguously make up a metropolis. therefore in the terminal the devastation of the really significance and map of what a metropolis ought to be.

Human Services Program and Profession SEMINAR UNIT 6 Research Paper

Human Services Program and Profession SEMINAR UNIT 6 - Research Paper Example Basically the service offered should be tailor-made depending on the student background so that student develop the qualities that make him more resourceful, intelligent, understanding and he get connected to group and enjoy life and the process of learning. The diverse culture makes it difficult to treat the child in the same manner while rendering human service. Children form one community, culture tend to be more close with similar culture and avoid other groups which later might result in conflicts. It would result in group within the group. The challenge is to make children open minded. It is necessary to understand the psychology of child which generally is founded on diverse culture base. The language used communication methods also differ based on the background of diverse culture. Skills also differ depending on the cultural background. Health, nutrition condition also differ resulting in different characters, attitude and personality. What are three careers in the field of human services working with children, adolescents, and their families? Give some background on the positions you discuss including some of the training and skills needed for the positions. Would you be interested in pursuing any of the careers you listed? Why or why not? 3 careers in the field of human service are Counsellor, Social service Assistant and Childcare Worker. As Counsellor it is necessary to study the background of the child and family. In career counselling it is necessary to know the tradition and skills of family .Important aspect is child skill. As Social service assistant basically it is necessary to provide food, mental healthcare including adoption of child and to take all the needed measures to make the child pursue the career which interests the child so that child can make maximum contribution. As Child care worker the responsibilities would be to feed, ensure safety and make child to

WORLDVIEW ANALYSIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

WORLDVIEW ANALYSIS - Essay Example The essential center is on issues of system and epistemology that is the routines, ideas, and hypotheses through which economists endeavor to land at learning about investment forms. Theory of mass trading is likewise concerned with the routes in which moral qualities are included in financial thinking. Budgetary thinking has suggestions for equity and human welfare; all the more essentially, financial thinking frequently. However noteworthy moral suppositions that savants of matters in profit making have thought that it was beneficial to investigate. The rationality of matters in profit making is concerned with the cement social presumptions that are made by economists. Scholars have offered thoughtfulness regarding the organizations and structures through which investment movement and change happen. The measurement of the theory of trading and lending that falls inside the rationality of science need to do with the status of financial investigation as an assemblage of exact learning. Logicians are not observational analysts, and in general they are not formal hypothesis manufacturers. There are a few parts of rationality in commercial concerns. To start with, thinkers are generally ready to inspect the coherent and balanced gimmicks of an experimental order. Second, thinkers are overall prepared to consider subjects needing to do with the ideas and speculations that economists utilize for instance, investment levelheadedness, Nash harmony, impeccable rivalry or transaction costs. Logicians can offer helpful examination of the qualities and shortcomings of such ideas and speculations in this manner helping honing economists to further refine the hypothetical establishments of their order. Till now, we have depicted the position of the thinker under worker of the economist. In originality, the line between feedback and hypothesis creation is not a sharp

Chapter 8 Reaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Chapter 8 Reaction - Essay Example .. It is a very peaceful way to stop the anger of the other parties involved in conflict and can decrease the element of stress, fight and violence involved in usual conflicts. Things I dislike about this chapter The thing I dislike about the chapter is the section where it discusses about the priority conflict. This conflict where moral judgment is given attention is not taken by me as an ideal way to handle a situation. For example it is shown that in a medical emergency where injured old aged are given priority rather than people with serious injury is not an acceptable method of handling conflict. This cannot be comprehended as in some cases; an individual might be in a fatal situation and if an old person is treated just because of his age, cannot be considered a justifying act. Also in the section for priority conflict, it is explained that, borrowing is considered as bad concept in Germany, which is hard to understand. Borrowing is not a bad concept, as human being come across problems at some point of their life, they definitely demand help from others undoubtedly. So, if one take financial help from government or family members it is not a sin or a morality issue. What I learned about the chapter This chapter is all about methods to deal with conflict and how people in different cultural backgrounds practice various approaches to handle conflicts they encounter in their day to day life. It is very interesting and surprising to know that there are so many ways to control conflict like accommodating, avoiding, competing and collaborating. It is even more interesting to know that Japanese follow a very non aggressive way of avoiding conflicts in comparison with American who follow a competing method. I believe that being tactful about conflicts is the main message of this chapter. The chapter helped in learning that people in the West look in for their benefits when helping out people, and does not just arrive in a cultural scene just for the benefit of t he other party. In the chapter it is also shown that people of different culture around the world have their own beliefs and practices when it comes to conflict management. Some practice outrageous and open- minded method, whereas other takes calm and peaceful tactics to solve a raging situation. It also allowed me to learn that in conflict there are various branches to deal with like as intergroop conflicts, interpersonal conflict and inter cultural conflicts. In all these conflicts the main issue is considering the priorities of the parties involved in the conflict and gives justice to people who support more of a moral ground. What 5 things I learned about myself from this chapter 1) Patience: I believe during conflict it is necessary to have patience, which I lack and need to be cultivated to deal with conflicts in a better way. If other party gets violent in a conflict my peacefulness can suppress the heat of the conflict to a great level. The main factor which makes a conflict worse is when two parties or many parties violently argue or shout during a conflict. In brief, avoiding is the best approach in regard to conflicts even though it is difficult to practice. 2)Morality: I learnt that my morality can help me in dealing with conflicts as I give myself less chance to arouse frightful situation. Being moral, an individual can be more humble, understanding and truthful which gives less chance to fights

Religion and Politics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Religion and Politics - Research Paper Example Challenge to separate church from State arise due to immediate and long term causes which includes social, political and religious changes respectively. Americans are trying to divide the neighboring countries in terms of religion and politics. The division or separation of religion and politics rests on the cornerstone that, religious affairs cannot be compared and equated to politics. In this chapter, I will discuss how the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance has brought forth conflicts between religion and politics among American citizens. I will base my argument on the Supreme Court case of Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow. The Pew Research Center’s Religion and Public Life Project has done studies on how religious issues cross over to political debates in the United States. The studies also include the examination of how politics spills over to religion. The above named project has also identified different ways in which religion has molded the American citizens’ behaviors and attitudes. These issues and attitudes are targets issues pertaining politics and whether religious institutions should be involved in the same. Ideally, the commitment of the public to religion in the United States has prompted the progression of the debate on whether religion and politics should be separated (Noll & Harlow, 2007). ... Elk Grove Unified School District in California, U.S.A, has a pledge case to defend against in the Supreme Court. Michael Newdow’s daughter attended classes in this school. Newdow argued that the mentioning of the phrase by students during recitation of the pledge violated the establishment clause of America. The case endured different levels before reaching the Supreme Court. First, Newdow sued the school to a federal district court in the city California. However, Newdow was not the first man to raise concerns over the recitation of the pledge by students in public school. The seventh circuit of 1992 supported a law in Illinois that allowed public school students to recite the Pledge. However, in 2003, Ninth Circuit of Appeal ruled that the addition of the phrase â€Å"Under God† in the pledge and the demand by the School District Policy for the recitation of the pledge by students was unconstitutional, and it also violated the establishment clause of the first amendm ent (Andonian, 2003). The Supreme Court dismissed the case in 2004, for lack of provident standing. On the contrary, the court concentrated on the interests of both Newdow and his daughter. Justice Stevens argued that probably, Newdow’s daughter was not willing to affirm the constitutional challenge. On the concurring opinions, the majority ware accused by Justice Rehnquist for avoiding to consider the advantages of the constitutional challenge addressed by Newdow (Goelzhauser, 2011). Justice O’ Connor also argued that, Newdow had grounds to challenge the Elk Grove school policy. He later found out that the school policy opposed difficulties in the establishment clause. However, the dismissal of the case by

Reliability & Maintenance of Solar or Wind renewable energy systems Research Paper - 1

Reliability & Maintenance of Solar or Wind renewable energy systems - Research Paper Example Every failure has a cost attached to it. The principal reliability-linked factors of cost through the useful life of an item being Design & Development, Production and Maintenance & Repair, evaluated in the backdrop of installation and environmental parameters like temperature, humidity, vibration, corrosion by chemical attack etc. and the degradation caused by the combination of a few or all of them. A higher reliability invariably envisages higher production, design and development costs, whereas, appropriately factored-in maintenance and repair costs can lead to higher levels of reliability. In the context of non-sustainability of the current energy practices, dawning of global awareness that renewable energy sources are the only way out, has led to a sensible emphasis on solar energy as one of the (wind energy being the other) most abundant and attractive renewable energy source, easily available for harnessing. In the scenario of rapidly depleting natural energy sources like coa l, oil and natural gas, the solar option has presented itself as an alternative which is being vigorously pursued for viability for commercial exploitation in the longer run. A system that uses solar cells and solar panels in a mechanical system that collects, transforms DC current into AC current and stores the electricity for later use is often called Active Solar Energy. The deeper â€Å"Bath Tub† assumes the shape of a â€Å"Shallow Pan† in the case of static equipments predominantly deployed for renewable energy applications, as far as reliability is concerned; the failure zones in this case are therefore not pronounced. Listed below are a few indicative amongst the many, though not exhaustive, but popular applications: Solar air conditioning Solar ovens for heating of foodstuffs Agricultural irrigation Hydrogen generation by the use of photo-electro-chemical cells The following applications however stand out amongst the most popular commercial applications: 1. Ge neration of electricity in Solar updraft towers Solar towers use an array of reflectors termed ‘heliostats’, approximately 120 sq. meters in size. Located on top of 150 meters tall towers within receptacles, these are directed towards the sun for direct absorption of the heat of the concentrated solar radiation. Operating temperatures close to 1000oC can be attained depending upon the choice of the heat transfer fluid (HTF) which in turn also decides the design of the receptacle, lined with the very best quality insulation material for optimum performance. High reliability is foreseen at the design stage itself. Likely failure points are identified in advance using the FMECA (Failure Mode Criticality and Effect Analysis) technique and appropriate specification de-rating vis-a-vis the liberal vendor rating is resorted to, for ensuring realistic unhindered performance. Finite element thermal simulation and sensitivity analysis to comply with the thermal specifications als o forms part of the internal product review. External third party assessment provides inputs for MTBF (Mean Time between Failures) calculation for useful lifetime assessment, maintainability and manufacturing as part of an iterative design process for consistent improvement of product designs and individual components. Selection of the most appropriate materials of construction of all the components of solar renewable energy systems forms the last

Exam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Exam - Assignment Example The qualities include transparency, honesty, and trustworthiness. These traits make the teacher and student’s relationship even stronger. The teacher’s reliability and dependability further makes him an all-round leader. The reality that the teacher can judge when wrong stays true to what he utters, is never a disappointment, and tries to understand other people make the teachers an exceptional leader (Hershey 2015). Normative leadership theories control the act of leaders by building the moral principles or norms unlike the general ethical perspective addressing the leader’s behavior. Type of normative leadership theory they most commonly identify with is the transformation leadership called the transactional compared to a more form of leadership called transforming. The transactional lower level needs followers to focus on terminal values like liberty, equality, and justice. The Transformational leaders become more of role models to their followers who admire, respect, and trust them. The inspirational motivation-transforming leader uplifts the team morale by encouraging followers stimulating innovation and creativity. The transformational leaders are a bit more successful than the transactional leaders making other companies prosper extremely. These are the most common normative leadership theories that leaders who are keen on ethical issues live by. Since ethical leadership is based on understanding and positive relations, it is important to that it is included in most organizations thus improving the quality of performance in such organization and the quality of leadership in the organization is also improved. Leaders need to conform to ethical leadership attributes for them to establish to perfect relationships characterized by mutual respect and trust. The ethical leader should develop the type of relationship that arises from basic and vital

Wide Reading Assignment - Sherlock Holmes Essay Example for Free

Wide Reading Assignment Sherlock Holmes Essay This assignment is based on three Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle which are, The Man with the Twisted Lip, The Final Problem, and The Empty House. The aim is to give a full understanding of each story and to give a good idea of why these stories are still as popular today as they were 100 years ago. I will explain this by discussing some of the characters and taking into account the social and historical context. Sherlock Holmes stories are all quite different in their own way because they explore different kinds of crime and characters. Such as in The Man with the Twisted Lip, where they are trying to solve a suspected murder and in The Final Problem they are trying to catch Professor Moriarty for various crimes. These three stories do have some similarities, which are that Sherlock Holmes always solves the crimes and is always the main character. They also involve Dr. Watson, a doctor, who seems to be Holmes companion in solving these crimes. Arthur Conan Doyle has created Holmes character very effectively as in that period in history crime was rife in London and the public were scared and thought the police force were not protecting their community as well as they should. So because Holmes didnt work for the police force and always solved the crimes then he seemed to be like a hero to the public and maybe their fantasy because he kept people safe and they probably wanted so much for him to be real. The readers of Sherlock Holmes in Victorian England showed so much interest that when Doyle tried to end the stories of Sherlock Holmes by killing him in The Final Problem there was a public outcry and Doyle even received death threats because they wanted so much for him to carry on with this character that had caught their attention so vividly. In that time of history there were no televisions or much entertainment at all for the public so that is probably why they got so intrigued by this wonderful character that solved all the crimes. I would describe Sherlock Holmes as a very pompous, confident and intelligent person. He also seems to be quite secretive about his plans such as when he persuades Dr. Watson to go on one of his missions, he doesnt tell him where they are going or what is in store for him and this makes me feel quite anxious for Watson, such as in The Man with the Twisted Lip when he said But Im all in the dark and Holmes answers Of course you are. Youll know all about it presently. I think this is a very significant quality in all of the Sherlock Holmes stories because it gives a sense of mystery for the reader and makes it a lot more interesting. Holmes also has a dark-side to himself, which is displayed when he states: Had I been recognised in that den my life would not of been worth an hours purchase, for I have used it before now for my own purposes.

A History of Art Movements and Styles

A History of Art Movements and Styles Neoclassism was an art and style developed during the late 1700s in the French revolution. It has various visual characteristics: It is solidly modeled using strong direct lights and darks to show form, the compositions are rational in that they are balanced and orderly, presence of strong acidic colors, there are no marks left by the artist since brush strokes are carefully controlled to hide individual strokes and it stresses virtues of classical civilizations of the Greeks and Romans such as discipline, athleticism, education, and moral principles, honesty and charity. Angular and sculptural shapes are normally assigned to males while soft and curvilinear forms depict women. Neoclassical themes are normally centered on classical stories heroic acts and virtues carried out by males who are depicted as gallant and stoic. Felinity in women, on the other hand, is depicted and confined to the domestic and private realm. Neoclassicism is therefore depicted as masculine whereby the male body depicts topical issues on politics, society and sexual attributes. The Neoclassic painting of the famous violinist Paganini by Ingres shows this form perfectly. Romanticism was an art style during the mid 1800s that was a resultant of the revolt against Neoclassicism. The major characteristics of Romanticism are: It attempts to display ideal beauty through dramatic scenes, individual marks of the artist can be viewed, it is a form of art that is based on feelings basically of love rather than thoughts hence gets the viewer to experience strong emotions and it is based on an exotic subject matter. In its theme, it is normally based on atmospheric landscapes with a nostalgic depiction of the past especially the Gothic with a bias towards the primitive such as traditional folk culture, cult of individual heroic figures who are often revolutionaries in art or politics, mysticism, the cult of sensibility that emphasizes on women and children, passion for romance and a fascination with death. The romantic painting of Paganini by Turner attempts to show the feeling of his music through the emotional qualities of the man and physical traits of the c omposer. Impressionism is an art movement or style that started in the mid 1800s in France. There are various characteristics of Impressionism such as: Asymmetrical balance whereby the plunging perspective, cropped forms and art work compositions are balanced asymmetrically; use of pure color whereby pure, prismatic colors fresh from the new tin tubes unmixed on the palette are laid directly on the canvas; use of Impasto or thick paint applied in thick raised strokes to create a roughened uneven texture; use of a high horizon line in order to create a plunging perspective; use of colored shadows and the use of broken color and broken brushstrokes. The theme expresses perceptions of nature by covering rural landscapes, maritime landscapes, pastoral landscapes, bucolic visions of nature and aquatic art. Neo-Impressionist paintings have gone further to entail urban scenes and joyous modern life in working class scenes. One of the famous pieces of art was Girl with a Hoop done by Pierre-Auguste R enoir in 1885. Surrealism is a form of art and a cultural movement that started in the 1920s which drew elements from both Cubism and Expressionism. Over the years, the members have produced great works in visual artworks and writings. There are various characteristics of this style which entail a blend of the depictive, the abstract, and the psychological. Some devices applied are levitation, changing of scale in an object, transparency and use of repetition in creating a typical art form. The juxtaposition of objects that would otherwise not be grouped together is also used in order to convey a certain message or show a metaphor. Most artworks have simple titles that simply state the subject matter for easy comprehensibility. The major theme is the ability of love to overcome reason which has been widely depicted by the French surrealist Desnoss in Deuil pour Deuil whereby the narrator is in a ruined desert city close to a river yet he insists on us. This illustrates a blind quest for love. Other themes covered are sexuality as depicted by Metamorphosis of Narcissus painted in 1937; artistic intention, chance and fatalism; relation between dream and reality and taboos. The basics of cubism can be seen in another art movement such as pointillism and fauvism. Cubism is the art form entailing creation of abstract shapes in three dimension on a two dimensional surface. Artists such as Pablo Picasso have popularized this art form. The artists attempt to show several views on multiple planes of a particular subject is the most distinguishable feature. Cubist art forms are also shallow in depth and perception. It preserves a warped two-dimensional look via a presentation of subjects that are broken up along geometric planes. Analytic Cubist art applies monochromatic color scheme while synthetic cubism adopts multiple color schemes. The most popular theme is still life as depicted by the Still Life with Open Window painting by Rue Ravignan in 1915. This is a work of art that depicts inanimate subject content, commonplace objects such as flowers and manmade objects such as jewellery. Religious and allegorical symbolism is attached to the art. Futurism is an art form that emerged in Italy under the Italian poet, Filippo Marinetti . There are various essential characteristics of futurism such as it includes irregular, agitated lines communicating the movements energy and images being displayed as if in perpetual motion. Futurism is based on a theme of violence, war, anarchy, technology and speed based on an urban background which is conveyed through the artworks energy. Paintings and sculptures glorify life and the changes in technology that transforms objects. Carrà  s Funeral of the Anarchist Galli displays police attacks and the riot aftermath in 1904 Italy. Broken panes and diagonals rendered energetically distinguish this art form. Post-Impressionism is a resultant art form as a widely felt reaction against impressionism. These paintings apply the bright Impressionist palette but create art in a formalized order and structure. Paint application technique applied enables the viewer to see the image from multiple angles. In the art work, one can easily see brushstrokes, the style used and the personal experience of the painter over fidelity, multiple viewing angles and the personal expressiveness of the painter. Paintings are based on realistic scenes of modern life which are displayed by visual effects rather than inclusion of details. This is particularly the case in Alfred Sisleys 1872 painting Bridge at Villeneuve-la-Garenne. Realism is an art form that aims at faithfully representing reality and various aspects of actualities in life. It mainly represents the middle class without any prejudice, romance or idealism. It is characterized by a representation of reality in comprehensive detail with characters being of more importance than the action or plot. There is a complex relationship between characters, nature, social class and their past. The diction applied in the compositions is natural but poetic. This art form deals with ethical issues and choices in its themes. The socio-economic class conflict is addressed in these compositions as a major theme. The widening gaps between rich and poor are depicted by the characters used. Charles Dickens work on David Copperfield, the suffering of impoverished children who have to work in industries illustrates realism explicitly.

Paradoxes and contradictions presented in Macbeth

Paradoxes and contradictions presented in Macbeth Paradoxes and contradictions (foul and fair, and so on) presented in Macbeth In William Shakespeares tragedy, Macbeth, readers are introduced to a harsh world of war, murder and treachery. At the beginning of the play three witches tell Macbeth that in his life time he will become Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, as well as the King of Scotland. At first Macbeth is slow to believe the prediction of the witches, but after the first two prophecies come to fruition Macbeth becomes power hungry. Throughout the drama readers see both the rise and fall of Macbeth. Macbeths coming to power, through destructive and immoral means, creates a world of mistrust in most, if not all, characters. Shakespeare exploits this world of uncertainty and evil by adding many contradictions and paradoxes pertaining to trust and darkness. After the original murder of Duncan in Macbeths castle characters become very uneasy because there is obviously a traitor among them. Trust becomes a big issue among those in the castle, and others concerned for the well being of Scotland. Shakespeare emphasizes the trust versus mistrust issue by using specific literary devices. In the very first scene one of the witches utters the famous paradox, Fair is foul and foul is fair (1.1.) This paradox means that appearances can be very deceiving and there is fine line between good/evil and trust/mistrust. Before the murder of Duncan Macbeth has an Gillis 2 internal battle with his conscience, he reflects on the fact that Duncan is here in double trust. There are in fact two reasons for him to be protecting the King. He says, Hes here in double trust:/ First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,/ Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,/ Who should against his murderer shut the door,/ Not bear the knife myself. (1.7.). Ultimately Macbeths vaulting ambition(1.7) overrides his conscience and he does murder Duncan in his own castle. After the deed is committed Macbeth panics. He sees ghosts and believes that he will never sleep again. Lady Macbeth reminds him that he must keep remain calm and hide his guilt to maintain the trust of the other members of the Kings party. False face must hide what the false heart doth know(1.7.). Hiding the truth is Macbeth and Lady Macbeth main focus, along with attempting to murder anyone who stands in the way of the continuation of their royal linage. The question of who to trust is also seen when Macduff travels to England to seek the help of Malcolm, Malcolm tests him by making himself out to be a tyrant that has no interest in kingly duties and MacDuff reacts with despair, O my breast,/ Thy hope ends here!(4.3.) Malcolm then decides that MacDuff is indeed a loyal patron of Scotland and he may trust him. The uneasiness of the characters is amplified by Shakespeares emphasis on trust. It is extremely difficult to tell your friends from your enemies when a traitor is among them. Shakespeare also uses light and darkness to enhance the images of good and evil throughout the play. Macbeth often makes reference to darkness as if he is shamefully trying to run away and hide from his thoughts and actions. Even before the murder of Duncan he feels guilty. Macbeth says, Stars hide your fires,/ Let not light see my black Gillis 3 and deepest desires(1.4.) The darkness of the night is then embraced my both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as they attempt to hide their evil deeds from the public eye. It seems as though the characters in Macbeth believe that the cover of darkness is needed when committing acts of violence and corruption. The witches are also associated with darkness. Banquo refers to them as instruments of darkness (1.3) and Macbeth calls them secret, black, and midnight hags(4.1) These references give readers a sense that the witches are mischievous and evil rather than simply the messengers of good news and predictors of great fortunes. The darkness also seems to blur the lines between reality and the supernatural. All of the appearances of the witches occur during the night deep in the wood, where it is hard to tell reality apart from a paranoid imagination. The light and your eyes may play tricks on you causing you to think or believe something fictional. This is why Shakespeare only had the witches materialize under these circumstances, to enhance the effect of the supernatural. Light is also used as a metaphor for life. In Macbeths final soliloquy he says, And all our yesterdays have lighted fools/ The way to dusty death. Out, out brief candle! (5.5.) Shakespeare compares life to the flame of a candle. The candle can be extinguished easily and in the grand scheme of things it only burns for a tremendously small amount of time. It does not matter how long the candle has been burning it can be blown out at any point. This is an especially interesting comparison because those murdered in Macbeth are of all ages, from King Duncan to Macduffs children. Throughout this tragedy Shakespeare uses many literary devices to make certain aspects of his writing stand out to the reader. The paradoxes, contradictions and metaphors Gillis 4 used in Macbeth constructed a sort of onstage world where it is impossible to trust anyone. At any point there could be someone hidden in the darkness ready to take your life. Scotland has been enveloped in a shadow of darkness, and the result is disorder, chaos and murder.

Essay --

America is one of the most obese countries in the world, and the reasons are quite obvious. Take a look around. Fast food chains on every block, more and more technology to make our lives easier, and high amount of stress are just a few factors to weight gain in our country. There are many different views on obesity and how the people think it should be resolved, whether it's government making the change or the people taking care of themselves. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. Are we doing enough to bring these statistics down? No. In the last 40 years, there has been a growth to more than 160,000 fast food restaurants in America (â€Å"Adolescent and School Health†). Restaurants (such as Wendy's, McDonald's etc.) serve more than 50 million people per day, generating about 65 million in sales annually. Only since obesity has become a national epidemic have fast food restaurants changed their ways. But we need to do more than just change the kind of oil the french fries are fried in. Better yet, why don't we remove, or intensely decrease the number of the unhealthy fast food chains, and spread more healthy fast food chains, such as Subway? Is it something government could take act in? Should the United States government take measures to fight the rise of obesity in the country, or are choices concerning diet and nutrition better left to the individuals, free of government interference? As many people are trying to put the blame of obesity on restaurants, others, like myself, have a strong opinion that the restaurants have nothing to do with obesity and the customer has the right to order what they would like. Some supporters believe that government should take action to... ...ents decision. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity now ranks as the 10th most important health problem in the world (â€Å"Obesity Seen as a Global Problem†). Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. Centers for Disease Control and Protection estimates that obesity contributed to the deaths of 112,000 Americans in 2000 (â€Å"Obesity in the U.S. Fast†). It is estimated that annual medical care cost of obesity are as high as $147 billion (â€Å"Obesity in the U.S. Fast†). Government-provided food stamps are often expended on junk or fast food, because it tends to be less expensive than fresh or cook food. Governments fund producers of meat and dairy products to keep prices low. For now, governments are taking a smarter and more productive approach through regulation, and by working with manufacturers.

How To Clean The Bathroom Essay -- essays research papers

The first thing you need to do is gather all the supplies you will need. There are many different cleaners in which you will be using. These cleaners are glass cleaner, surface cleaners, soft scrub, and ammonia. You will not only need cleaners but also implements to clean with. These are a mop and bucket, broom, cobweb brush, toilet brush, rags, a sponge, a squeegee and a step latter. Last but not least, you will need a cleaning carrier to put your supplies in to make it easier to move them around . In you carrier should be all the cleaners except the ammonia, the toilet brush, sponge, a squeegee and a few rags. Now that you have the cleaners in carrier you are ready to get started. Start by useing a web-brush to get down any cobwebs that many be in the corners of the ceiling. Fill the sink with hot water and let any soap dishes or toothbrush holder soak. Now get the bottle of glass cleaner, sponge, squeegee, a glass rag, and a terry cloth rag and get into the shower. Begin by spraying down the tile and use the ruff side of the sponge to loosen any soap scum or build up. Using a terry cloth rag and wipe the tile clean. Now spray down the glass and again use the sponge to loosen any build up. Use the squeegee to take off the majority of the cleaner off and a glass rag to wipe any marks left. Make sure to look at the glass from all directions to be sure you didn’t leave any marks. Polish the shower head and knobs so they shine. Now scrub floor well and wipe dry as you get out...

Forward the Foundation Chapter 29

32 â€Å"Professor Seldon come in,† said Chief Librarian Tryma Acarnio in an icy tone of voice. Hari Seldon accompanied by Wanda and Palver, entered the Chief Librarian's imposing office. â€Å"Thank you, Chief Librarian,† said Seldon as he settled into a chair and faced Acarnio across the vast desk. â€Å"May I introduce my granddaughter Wanda and my friend Stettin Palver. Wanda is a most valuable member of the Psychohistory Project, her specialty being in the field of mathematics. And Stettin, well, Stettin is turning into a first-rate general psychohistorian-when he's not performing his duties as my bodyguard, that is.† Seldon chuckled amiably. â€Å"Yes, well, that's all well and good, Professor,† said Acarnio, baffled by Seldon's good humor. He had expected the professor to come in groveling, begging for another chance at special Library privileges. â€Å"But I don't understand what it is you wanted to see me about. I assume you realize that our position is firm: We cannot allow a Library association with someone so extremely unpopular with the general population. We are, after all, a public library and we must keep the public's sentiments in mind.† Acarnio settled back-perhaps now the groveling would begin. â€Å"I realize that I have not been able to sway you. However, I thought that if you heard from a couple of the Project's younger members-the psychohistorians of tomorrow, as it were-that perhaps you'd get a better feel about what a vital role the Project-and the Encyclopedia, in particular-will play in our future. Please hear Wanda and Stettin out.† Acarnio cast a cold eye toward the two young people flanking Seldon. â€Å"Very well, then,† he said, pointedly eyeing the timestrip on the wall. â€Å"Five minutes and no more. I have a Library to run.† â€Å"Chief Librarian,† began Wanda, â€Å"as my grandfather has undoubtedly explained to you, psychohistory is a most valuable tool to be used for the preservation of our culture. Yes, preservation, † she repeated, upon seeing Acarnio's eyes widen at the word. â€Å"Undue emphasis has been placed on the destruction of the Empire. By doing so, the true value of psychohistory has been overlooked. For, with psychohistory, as we are able to predict the inevitable decline of our civilization, so are we able to take steps toward its preservation. That is what the Encyclopedia Galactica is all about. And that is why we need your help, and the help of your great Library.† Acarnio could not resist smiling. The young lady had an undeniable charm. She was so earnest, so well spoken. He gazed at her sitting in front of him, her blond hair pulled back in a rather severe scholarly style, one which could not hide her attractive features but, rather, showed them off. What she was saying was starting to make sense. Maybe Wanda Seldon was right-maybe he had been looking at this problem from the wrong angle. If it were actually a matter of preservation, rather than destruction†¦ â€Å"Chief Librarian,† began Stettin Palver, â€Å"this great Library has stood for millennia. It, perhaps even more than the Imperial Palace, represents the vast power of the Empire. For, the Palace houses only the Empire's leader, while the Library is home to the sum total of Imperial knowledge, culture, and history. Its value is incalculable. â€Å"Does it not make sense to prepare a tribute to this great repository? The Encyclopedia Galactica will be just that-a giant summary of all the knowledge contained within these very walls. Think of it!† All of a sudden it seemed so very clear to Acarnio. How could he have let the Board (especially that sourpuss Gennaro Mummery) convince him to rescind Seldon's privileges? Las Zenow, a person whose judgment he greatly esteemed, had been a wholehearted supporter of Seldon's Encyclopedia. He glanced again at the three in front of him, waiting for his decision. The Board would be hard-pressed to find anything to complain about with the Project members-if the young people now in his office were a representative sample of the kind of persons involved with Seldon. Acarnio rose and walked across his office, his brow furrowed, as if framing his thoughts. He picked up a milky crystal sphere from a table and hefted it in his palm. â€Å"Trantor,† Acarnio began thoughtfully, â€Å"seat of the Empire, center of all the Galaxy. Quite amazing, when you think of it. We have, perhaps, been too quick to judge Professor Seldon. Now that your Project, this Encyclopedia Galactica, has been presented to me in such a light†-he gave a brief nod to Wanda and Palver-â€Å"I realize how important it would be to allow you to continue your work here. And, of course, to grant access to a number of your colleagues.† Seldon smiled gratefully and squeezed Wanda's hand. â€Å"It is not only for the greater glory of the Empire that I am recommending this,† continued Acarnio, apparently warming to the idea (and the sound of his own voice). â€Å"You are famous, Professor Seldon. Whether people think of you as a crackpot or a genius, everyone seems to have an opinion. If an academic of your stature is allied with the Galactic Library, it can only increase our prestige as a bastion of intellectual pursuit of the highest order. Why, the luster of your presence can be used to raise much-needed funds to update our collections, increase our staff, keep our doors open to the public longer†¦ â€Å"And the prospect of the Encyclopedia Galactica itself-what a monumental project! Imagine the reaction when the public learns that the Galactic Library is involved with such an undertaking designed to highlight the splendor of our civilization-our glorious history, our brilliant achievements, our magnificent cultures. And to think that I, Chief Librarian Tryma Acarnio, is responsible for making sure that this great Project gets its start-† Acarnio gazed intently into the crystal sphere, lost in reverie. â€Å"Yes, Professor Seldon,† Acarnio pulled himself back to the here and now. â€Å"You and your colleagues will be granted full insiders' privileges-and a suite of offices in which to work.† He placed the crystal sphere back on its table and, with a swish of robes, moved back to his desk. â€Å"It might take a little doing, of course, to persuade the Board-but I am confident that I can handle them. Just leave it to me.† Seldon, Wanda, and Palver looked at each other in triumph, with small smiles playing at the corner of their mouths. Tryma Acarnio gestured that they could go and so they did, leaving the Chief Librarian settled in his chair, dreaming of the glory and honor that would come to the Library under his aegis. â€Å"Amazing,† said Seldon when the three were safely ensconced in their ground-car. â€Å"If you could have seen him at our last meeting. He said I was ‘threatening the essential fabric of our Empire' or some such rot. And today, after just a few minutes with you two-â€Å" â€Å"It wasn't too hard, Grandpa,† Wanda said as she pressed a contact, moving the ground-car out into traffic. She sat back as the auto-propel took over; Wanda had punched their destination coordinates into the control panel. â€Å"He is a man with a strong sense of self-importance. All we had to do was play up the positive aspects of the Encyclopedia and his ego took over from there.† â€Å"He was a goner the minute Wanda and I walked in,† Palver said from the back. â€Å"With both of us pushing him, it was a piece of cake.† Palver reached forward and squeezed Wanda's shoulder affectionately. She smiled, reached up, and patted his hand. â€Å"I must alert the Encyclopedists as soon as possible,† Seldon said. â€Å"Although there are only thirty-two left, they are good and dedicated workers. I'll get them installed at the Library and then I'll tackle the next hurdle-credits. Perhaps this alliance with the Library is what I need to convince people to give us funding. Let's see-I'll call upon Terep Bindris again and I'll take you two with me. He was kindly disposed toward me, at least at first. But how will he be able to resist us now?† The ground-car eventually came to a halt outside the Psychohistory Building at Streeling. The side panels slid open, but Seldon did not immediately move to disembark. He turned to face Wanda. â€Å"Wanda, you know what you and Stettin were able to accomplish with Acarnio; I'm sure you both can push some credits out of a few financial benefactors as well. â€Å"I know how you hate to leave your beloved Prime Radiant, but these visits will give you two a chance to practice, to hone your skills, to get an idea of just what you can do.† â€Å"All right, Grandpa, although I'm sure that, now that you have the Library's imprimatur, you will find that resistance to your requests has lessened.† â€Å"There's another reason I think it's important for the two of you to get out and around together. Stettin, I believe you said that on certain occasions you've ‘felt' another mind like yours but haven't been able to identify it.† â€Å"Yes,† answered Palver, â€Å"I've had flashes, but each time I was in a crowd. And, in my twenty-four years, I can remember feeling such a flash just four or five times.† â€Å"But, Stettin,† said Seldon, his voice low with intensity, â€Å"each flash was, potentially, the mind of another person like you and Wanda-another mentalic. Wanda's never felt these flashes because, frankly, she's been sheltered all her life. The few times she's been out in a crowd there must not have been any other mentalics around. â€Å"That's one reason-perhaps the most important reason-for you two to get out-with me or without me. We must find other mentalics. The two of you alone are strong enough to push a single person. A large group of you, all pushing together, will have the power to move an Empire!† With that. Hari Seldon swung his legs around and hoisted himself out of the ground-car. As Wanda and Palver watched him limp up the pathway to the Psychohistory Building, they were only dimly aware of the enormous responsibility Seldon had just placed on their young shoulders. 33 It was midafternoon and the Trantorian sun glinted on the metal skin covering the great planet. Hari Seldon stood at the edge of the Streeling University observation deck, attempting to shield his eyes from the harsh glare with his hand. It had been years since he'd been out from under the dome, save for his few visits to the Palace, and somehow those didn't count; one was still very much enclosed on the Imperial grounds. Seldon no longer traveled around only if accompanied. In the first place, Palver spent the majority of his time with Wanda, either working on the Prime Radiant, absorbed in mentalic research, or searching for others like them. But if he had wanted, Seldon could have found another young man-a University student or a Project member-to act as his bodyguard. However, Seldon knew that a bodyguard was no longer necessary. Since the much publicized hearing and the reestablishment of ties with the Galactic Library, the Commission for Public Safety had taken a keen interest in Seldon. Seldon knew that he was being followed; he had caught sight of his â€Å"shadow† on a number of occasions in the past few months. He also had no doubt that his home and office had been infiltrated by listening devices, but he himself activated a static shield whenever he engaged in sensitive communications. Seldon was not sure what the Commission thought of him-perhaps they were not yet sure themselves. Regardless of whether they believed him to be a prophet or a crackpot, they made it their business to know where he was at all times-and that meant that, until the Commission deemed otherwise, at all times Seldon was safe. A light breeze billowed the deep blue cloak Seldon had draped over his unisuit and ruffed the few wispy white hairs remaining on his head. He glanced down over the railing, taking in the seamless steel blanket below. Beneath that blanket, Seldon knew, rumbled the machinery of a vastly complicated world. If the dome were transparent, one would see ground-cars racing, gravicabs swooshing through an intricate network of interconnecting tunnels, space hyperships being loaded and unloaded with grain and chemicals and jewels bound for and from practically every world of the Empire. Below the gleaming metal cover, the lives of forty billion people were being conducted, with all the attendant pain, joy, and drama of human life. It was an image he loved dearly-this panorama of human achievement-and it pierced his heart to know that, in just a few centuries, all that now lay before him would be in ruins. The great dome would be ripped and scarred, torn away to reveal the desolate wasteland of what was once the seat of a thriving civilization. He shook his head in sadness, for he knew there was nothing he could do to prevent that tragedy. But, as Seldon foresaw the ruined dome, he also knew that from the ground laid bare by the last battles of the Empire living shoots would spring and somehow Trantor would reemerge as a vital member of the new Empire. The Plan saw to that. Seldon lowered himself onto one of the benches ringing the deck's perimeter. His leg was throbbing painfully; the exertion of the trip had been a bit much. But it had been worth it to gaze once again at Trantor, to feel the open air around him and see the vast sky above. Seldon thought wistfully of Wanda. He rarely saw his granddaughter at all anymore and invariably Stettin Palver was present when he did. In the three months since Wanda and Palver had met, they seemed to be inseparable. Wanda assured Seldon that the constant involvement was necessary for the Project, but Seldon suspected it went deeper than mere devotion to one's job. He remembered the telltale signs from his early days with Dors. It was there in the way the two young people looked at each other, with an intensity born not only of intellectual stimulation but emotional motivation as well. Further, by their very natures, Wanda and Palver seemed to be more comfortable with each other than with other people. In fact, Seldon had discovered that when no one else was around, Wanda and Palver didn't even talk to each other; their mentalic abilities were sufficiently advanced that they had no need of words to communicate. The other Project members were not aware of Wanda's and Palver's unique talents. Seldon had felt it best to keep the mentalics' work quiet, at least until their role in the Plan was firmly defined. Actually the Plan itself was firmly defined-but solely in Seldon's mind. As a few more pieces fell into place, he would reveal his Plan to Wanda and Palver and someday, of necessity, to one or two others. Seldon stood slowly, stiffly. He was due back at Streeling in an hour to meet Wanda and Palver. They had left word for him that they were bringing a great surprise. Another piece for the puzzle, Seldon hoped. He looked out one last time over Trantor and, before turning to make his way back to the gravitic repulsion elevator, smiled and softly said, â€Å"Foundation.† 34 Hari Seldon entered his office to find that Wanda and Palver had already arrived and were seated around the conference table at the far end of the room. As was usual with those two, the room was completely silent. Then Seldon stopped short, noticing that a new fellow was sitting with them. How strange-out of politeness, Wanda and Palver usually reverted to standard speech when in the company of other people, yet none of the three was speaking. Seldon studied the stranger-an odd-looking man, about thirty-five years old, with the myopic look of one caught up for too long in his studies. If it weren't for a certain determined set to the stranger's jaw, Seldon thought he might be dismissed as ineffectual, but that would obviously be a mistake. There was both strength and kindness in the man's face. A trustworthy face, Seldon decided. â€Å"Grandfather,† Wanda said, rising gracefully from her chair. Seldon's heart ached as he looked at his granddaughter. She'd changed so much in the past few months, since the loss of her family. Whereas before she had always called him Grandpa, now it was the more formal Grandfather. In the past it seemed she could barely refrain from grins and giggles; lately her serene gaze was lightened only occasionally by a beatific smile. But-now as always-she was beautiful and that beauty was surpassed only by her stunning intellect. â€Å"Wanda, Palver,† Seldon said, kissing the former on the cheek and slapping the latter on the shoulder. â€Å"Hello,† Seldon said, turning to the stranger, who had also stood. â€Å"I am Hari Seldon.† â€Å"I am most honored to meet you, Professor,† the man replied. â€Å"I am Bor Alurin.† Alurin offered a hand to Seldon in the archaic and, hence, most formal mode of greeting. â€Å"Bor is a psychologist, Hari,† said Palver, â€Å"and a great fan of your work.† â€Å"More important, Grandfather,† said Wanda, â€Å"Bor is one of us.† â€Å"One of you?† Seldon looked searchingly from one to the other. â€Å"Do you mean†¦?† Seldon's eyes sparkled. â€Å"Yes, Grandfather. Yesterday Stettin and I were walking through Ery Sector, getting out and around, as you'd suggested, probing for others. All of a sudden-wham!-there it was.† â€Å"We recognized the thought patterns immediately and began to look around, trying to establish a link,† Palver said, taking up the story. â€Å"We were in a commercial area, near the spaceport, so the walkways were clogged with shoppers and tourists and Outworld traders. It seemed hopeless, but then Wanda simply stopped and signaled Come here and out of the crowd Bor appeared. He just walked up to us and signaled Yes?† â€Å"Amazing,† Seldon said, beaming at his granddaughter. â€Å"And Dr.-it is Doctor, isn't it?-Alurin, what do you make of all this?† â€Å"Well,† began the psychologist thoughtfully, â€Å"I am pleased. I've always felt different somehow and now I know why. And if I can be of any help to you, why-† The psychologist looked down at his feet, as if all of a sudden he realized he was being presumptuous. â€Å"What I mean is, Wanda and Stettin said I may be able to contribute in some way to your Psychohistory Project. Professor, nothing would please me more.† â€Å"Yes yes. That's quite true, Dr. Alurin. In fact, I think you may make a great contribution to the Project-if you'll join me. Of course, you'll have to give up whatever it is you do now, whether it is teaching or private practice. Can you manage that?† â€Å"Why, yes, Professor, of course. I may need a little help convincing my wife-† At this he chuckled slightly, glancing shyly at each of his three companions in turn. â€Å"But I seem to have a way with that.† â€Å"So it's set, then,† said Seldon briskly. â€Å"You will join the Psychohistory Project. I promise you, Dr. Alurin, this is a decision you will not regret.† â€Å"Wanda, Stettin,† Seldon said later, after Bor Alurin had left. â€Å"This is a most welcome breakthrough. How quickly do you think you can find more mentalics?† â€Å"Grandfather, it took us over a month to locate Bor-we cannot predict with what frequency others will be found. â€Å"To tell you the truth, all this ‘out and around' takes us away from our work on the Prime Radiant and it is distracting as well. Now that I have Stettin to ‘talk' to, verbal communication is somewhat too harsh, too loud. â€Å" Seldon's smile faded. He had been afraid of this. As Wanda and Palver had been honing their mentalic skills, so their tolerance for â€Å"ordinary† life had diminished. It only made sense; their mentalic manipulations set them apart. â€Å"Wanda, Stettin, I think it may be time for me to tell you more about the idea Yugo Amaryl had years ago and about the Plan I've devised as a result of that idea. I haven't been ready to elaborate upon it until now, because until this moment, all the pieces have not been in place. â€Å"As you know, Yugo felt we must establish two Foundations-each as a fail-safe measure for the other. It was a brilliant idea, one which I wish Yugo could have lived long enough to see realized.† Here Seldon paused, heaving a regretful sigh. â€Å"But I digress. Six years ago, when I was certain that Wanda had mentalic, or mind-touching, capabilities, it came to me that not only should there be two Foundations but that they should be distinct in nature, as well. One would be made up of physical scientists-the Encyclopedists will be their pioneer group on Terminus. The second would be made up of true psychohistorians; mentalists-you. That is why I've been so eager for you to find others like you. â€Å"Finally, though, is this: The Second Foundation must be secret. Its strength will lie in its seclusion, in its telepathic omnipresence and omnipotence. â€Å"You see, a few years ago, when it became apparent that I would require the services of a bodyguard, I realized that the Second Foundation must be the strong, silent, secret bodyguard of the primary Foundation. â€Å"Psychohistory is not infallible-its predictions are, however, highly probable. The Foundation, especially in its infancy, will have many enemies, as do I today. â€Å"Wanda, you and Palver are the pioneers of the Second Foundation, the guardians of the Terminus Foundation.† â€Å"But how, Grandfather?† demanded Wanda. â€Å"We are just two-well, three, if you count Bor. To guard the entire Foundation, we would need-â€Å" â€Å"Hundreds? Thousands? Find however many it takes, Granddaughter. You can do it. And you know how. â€Å"Earlier, when relating the story of finding Dr. Alurin, Stettin said you simply stopped and communicated out to the mentalic presence you felt and he came to you. Don't you see? All along I've been urging you to go out and find others like you. But this is difficult, almost painful for you. I realize now that you and Stettin must seclude yourselves, in order to form the nucleus of the Second Foundation. From there you will cast your nets into the ocean of humanity.† â€Å"Grandfather, what are you saying?† Wanda asked in a whisper. She had left her seat and was kneeling next to Seldon's chair. â€Å"Do you want me to leave?† â€Å"No, Wanda,† Seldon replied, his voice choked with emotion. â€Å"I don't want you to leave, but it is the only way. You and Stettin must isolate yourselves from the crude physicality of Trantor. As your mentalic abilities grow stronger, you will attract others to you-the silent and secret Foundation will grow. â€Å"We will be in touch-occasionally, of course. And each of us has a Prime Radiant. You see, don't you, the truth-and the absolute necessity-of what I am saying, don't you?† â€Å"Yes, I do, Grandfather,† said Wanda. â€Å"More important, I feel the brilliance of it as well. Rest assured; we won't let you down.† â€Å"I know you won't, dear,† Seldon said wearily. How could he do this-how could he send his darling granddaughter away? She was his last link to his happiest days, to Dors, Yugo, and Raych. She was the only other Seldon in the Galaxy. â€Å"I shall miss you terribly, Wanda,† Seldon said as a tear worked its way down his finely creased cheek. â€Å"But, Grandfather,† Wanda said as she stood with Palver, preparing to leave. â€Å"Where shall we go? Where is the Second Foundation?† Seldon looked up and said, â€Å"The Prime Radiant has already told you, Wanda.† Wanda looked at Seldon blankly, searching her memory. Seldon reached out and clutched at his granddaughter's hand. â€Å"Touch my mind, Wanda. It is there.† Wanda's eyes widened as she reached into Seldon's mind. â€Å"I see,† Wanda whispered to Seldon. Section 33A2D17. Star's End. Part V Epilogue I am Hari Seldon. Former First Minister to Emperor Cleon I. Professor Emeritus of Psychohistory at Streeling University on Trantor. Director of the Psychohistory Research Project. Executive Editor of the Encyclopedia Galactica. Creator of the Foundation. It all sounds quite impressive, I know. I have done a great deal in my eighty-one years and I am tired. Looking back over my life, I wonder if I could have-should have-done certain things differently. For instance: Was I so concerned with the grand sweep of psychohistory that the people and events that intersected my life sometimes seemed inconsequential by comparison? Perhaps I neglected to make some small incidental adjustments here or there that would have in no way compromised the future of humanity but might have dramatically improved the life of an individual dear to me. Yugo, Raych†¦ I can't help but wonder†¦ Was there something I could have done to save my beloved Dors? Last month I finished recording the Crisis holograms. My assistant, Gaal Dornick, has taken them to Terminus to oversee their installation in the Seldon Vault. He will make sure that the Vault is sealed and that the proper instructions are left for the eventual openings of the Vault, during the Crises. I'll be dead by then, of course. What will they think, those future Foundationers, when they see me (or, more accurately, my hologram) during the First Crisis, almost fifty years from now? Will they comment on how old I look or how weak my voice is or how small I seem, bundled in this wheelchair? Will they understand-appreciate-the message I've left for them? Ah well, there's really no point in speculating. As the ancients would say: The die is cast. I heard from Gaal yesterday. All is going well on Terminus. Bor Alurin and the Project members are flourishing in â€Å"exile.† I shouldn't gloat, but I can't help but chuckle when I recall the self-satisfied look on the face of that pompous idiot Linge Chen when he banished the Project to Terminus two years ago. Although ultimately the exile was couched in terms of an Imperial Charter (â€Å"A state-supported scientific institution and part of the personal domain of His August Majesty, the Emperor†-the Chief Commissioner wanted us off Trantor and out of his hair, but he could not bear the thought of giving up complete control), it is still a source of secret delight to know that it was Las Zenow and I who chose Terminus as Foundation's home. My one regret where Linge Chen is concerned is that we were not able to save Agis. That Emperor was a good man and a noble leader, even if he was Imperial in name only. His mistake was to believe in his title and the Commission of Public Safety would not tolerate the burgeoning Imperial independence. I often wonder what they did to Agis-was he exiled to some remote Outer World or assassinated like Cleon? The boy-child who sits on the throne today is the perfect puppet Emperor. He obeys every word Linge Chen whispers in his ear and fancies himself a budding statesman. The Palace and trappings of Imperial life are but toys to him in some vast fantastical game. What will I do now? With Gaal finally gone to join the Terminus group, I am utterly alone. I hear from Wanda occasionally. The work at Star's End continues on course; in the past decade she and Stettin have added dozens of mentalics to their number. They increasingly grow in power. It was the Star's End contingent-my secret Foundation-who pushed Linge Chen into sending the Encyclopedists to Terminus. I miss Wanda. It has been many years since I've seen her, sat with her quietly, holding her hand. When Wanda left, even though I had asked her to go, I thought I would die of heartbreak. That was, perhaps, the most difficult decision I ever had to make and, although I never told her, I almost decided against it. But for the Foundation to succeed, it was necessary for Wanda and Stettin to go to Star's End. Psychohistory decreed it, so perhaps it wasn't really my decision, after all. I still come here every day, to my office in the Psychohistory Building. I remember when this structure was filled with people, day and night. Sometimes I feel as if it's filled with voices, those of my long-departed family, students, colleagues-but the offices are empty and silent. The hallways echo with the whirr of my wheelchair motor. I suppose I should vacate the building, return it to the University to allocate to another department. But somehow it's hard to let go of this place. There are so many memories†¦ All I have now is this, my Prime Radiant. This is the means by which psychohistory can be computed, through which every equation in my Plan may be analyzed, all here in this amazing, small black cube. As I sit here, this deceptively simple-looking tool in the palm of my hand, I wish I could show it to R. Daneel Olivaw†¦ But I am alone, and need only to close a contact for the office lights to dim. As I settle back in my wheelchair, the Prime Radiant activates, its equations spreading around me in three-dimensional splendor. To the untrained eye, this multicolored swirl would be merely a jumble of shapes and numbers, but for me-and Yugo, Wanda, Gaal-this is psychohistory, come to life. What I see before me, around me, is the future of humanity. Thirty thousand years of potential chaos, compressed into a single millennium†¦ That patch, glowing more strongly day by day, is the Terminus equation. And there-skewed beyond repair-are the Trantor figures. But I can see†¦ yes, softly beaming, a steady light of hope†¦ Star's End! This-this-was my life's work. My past-humanity's future. Foundation. So beautiful, so alive. And nothing can†¦ Dors! SELDON, HARI-†¦ found dead, slumped over his desk in his office at Streeling University in 12,069 G.E. (1 F.E.). Apparently Seldon had been working up to his last moments on psychohistorical equations; his activated Prime Radiant was discovered clutched in his hand†¦ According to Seldon's instructions, the instrument was shipped to his colleague Gaal Dornick who had recently emigrated to Terminus†¦ Seldon's body was jettisoned into space, also in accordance with instructions he'd left. The official memorial service on Trantor was simple, though well attended. It is worth noting that Seldon's old friend former First Minister Eto Demerzel attended the event. Demerzel had not been seen since his mysterious disappearance immediately following the Joranumite Conspiracy during the reign of Emperor Cleon I. Attempts by the Commission of Public Safety to locate Demerzel in the days following the Seldon memorial proved to be unsuccessful†¦ Wanda Seldon, Hari Seldon's granddaughter, did not attend the ceremony. It was rumored that she was grief-stricken and had refused all public appearances. To this day, her whereabouts from then on remain unknown†¦ It has been said that Hari Seldon left this life as he lived it, for he died with the future he created unfolding all around him†¦ Encyclopedia Galactica [1] All quotations from the Encyclopedia Galactica here reproduced are taken from the 116th Edition, published 1,020 F.E. by the Encyclopedia Galactica Publishing Co., Terminus, with permission of the publishers.

“Offenders Are Heterogeneous in Nature” Discuss.

â€Å"Offenders are Heterogeneous in nature, discuss† Offenders are a heterogeneous population of individuals, which range from shop lifters to murderers. There are clear intergroup differences based on characteristics of the offender, victim and the crime. Therefore it is very difficult to discuss the possible heterogeneity of all offenders as one group, thus this paper will focus on one particular type of offender. Sex offenders are frequently viewed as a homogeneous class of individuals, the public do not tend to distinguish the difference between indecent exposure and rape merely considering these offenders as ‘deranged or evil’ (Bartol & Bartol 2008). On the other hand research conducted by Knight, Rosenberg and Schneider (1985) shows that sex offenders differ extensively in terms of the frequency and type of sexual activity they engage in. They also differ in personal traits such as ‘age, background, personality, race, religion, beliefs, attitudes, and interpersonal skills’. Furthermore there are fundamental differences in the Modus Operandi (M. O) of sex offenders, for instance gender and age of the victim, the degree of planning before the offence and the amount of violence used or intended. Therefore preliminary research shows clear disparity regarding the heterogeneity of sex offenders, thus the homogeneity of this group will also be considered. A person is labelled a sex offender when they are convicted of a sex crime; this may include, rape, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, paedophilia, frotteurism, exhibitionism, incest, necrophilia and so on. The majority of studies used in this essay will be centred on sex offenders who have committed rape, sexual assault, child sexual abuse and paedophilia. Thus it is necessary to define some of these terms, the most common definition of rape is ‘the penetration of the anus or vagina by a penis, finger or object or the penetration of the mouth by a penis. ’ (Polaschek, Ward & Hudson, 1997). Sexual abuse is defined by the Sexual and Domestic Violence Services (SDVS) as ‘when a sexual act is intentional and is committed either by physical force, threat or intimidation and by ignoring the objections of another person. . The major difference between sex offenders is the age of their victim, rapists and offenders who commit sexual abuse prey on persons of 16 years of age or over, whereas child molester and paedophile victims are under 16 years of age. Firstly we need to consider when discussing the heterogeneity of sex offenders is the various typologies involved. Research has shown that offenders sexual aggression can be divided into two distinct groups; instrumental and expressive. Instrumental sexual aggression occurs when the sex offenders only use enough coercion so that the victim complies and expressive sexual aggression this is when the offender’s fundamental motive is to physically and psychologically harm the victim (Bartol & Bartol, 2008). On the other hand the assumption that sexual offenders always exhibit aggression is not always congruent; according to Revitch and Schlesinger (1988) many sex offenders are not prone to violence but rather are timid, shy and socially inhibited. Intra-group typologies should also be considered when looking at the differences between sex offenders. For example Groth et al. 1979) categorised Rapists into four main sub groups; power-assurance, power-assertive, anger-retaliatory and anger-excitement. This first sub group is the most common type of rapist, who rapes due to insecurities about their masculinity. The power-assertive rapist is socially skilled, displays a high level of violence and is sexually confident . The third sub group has high levels of anger towards women, commits blitz attacks and also degrading activities are often involved. Finally the anger-excitement rapist is rare and gains pleasure and sexual excitement from seeing the distress of the victim (Bartol Bartol, 2008). Groth and Birnbaum (1978) created the regressed-fixated dichotomy of child molesters. Regressed offenders are men who have matured sexually but have returned to an earlier level of psychosexual development. Fixated offenders are said to be ‘developmentally fixated on†¦ basis such that their sexual interest is in children’ (Howitt, 2002). These typologies give an insight into the major differences in basic characteristics and motives of sex offenders, which illustrate the point that they diverge in terms of their ‘nature’. The demographics of sex offenders also shed light on the similarities and differences of sex offenders. First gender will be considered, unsurprisingly the majority of sex offenders are male, and 95. 5% of sex offenders in the Federal Probation and Pre-trial Services System in the U. S are male. On the other hand, Kaplan and Green (1995) reported data which indicated that between 4 and 25 percent of victims of child sexual abuse stated their abusers were female. Therefore it indicates that the population of female sex offenders is underestimated. However it can be said with conviction that the majority of sex offenders are male, this fact contradicts that they are heterogeneous in nature. Surprisingly research shows that sex offenders are often adolescent males (Bartol & Bartol, 2008), Becker and Johnson (2001) found that 20-30 percent of all rapes and 30-50 percent of child molestations are committed by this group. However the issue of average age of a sex offender has been found to be more complex, as Hanson (2001) reported that child molesters tend to be older. This conclusion was supported as Henn, Herjanic, and Vanderpearl (1976) found that 75 percent of convicted rapists were under the age of 30 and 75 percent of child molesters were over. This indicates that the average age of the sex offender is in dispute. Knight, Rosenberg, and Schneider 1985 conducted a study which demonstrated a number of notable commonalities between aggressive paedophiles and rapists. The first is that sex offenders have problems with alcohol. Another similarity is that they have a high rate of high school failure and dropout; this is supported by a recent case study of 437 sex offenders conducted by Black and Pettway (2001). They discovered that 60 percent of child molesters and 70 percent of rapists did not graduate high school. The third commonality found was that sex offenders tend to have unstable work histories in unskilled occupations, Black and Pettway (2001) study supported this; however it was found that child molesters had a higher history of stable work. The final commonality noted was the sex offender’s tendency to come from a low socioeconomic class. However, the case study previously discussed also enlightened several differences between sex offenders; it found that the majority of rapists had never been married (65%) whereas two thirds of child molesters were married (66%). Another characteristic that showed disparity between sex offenders was race, it found that a larger proportion of child molesters were white (72%) and a greater proportion of rapists were black (60%). This shows that as a whole sex offending occurs across races, although it illustrates that specific sex crimes have a specific racial majority. Research has shown homogeneity in the level of intelligence of sex offenders. Cantor et al. (2005) found that male sex offenders score significantly lower in IQ measures than male who commit non-sexual offences. Nevertheless, this difference is not displayed uniformly across sex offender sub-types; it was found that those offenders that commit rape against adults have the same IQ as non-sexual offenders. It was found that a significant decline in the level of the IQ of the sex offender came hand in hand with a decline in the age of the victim. Cantor et al. (2005) concluded that these results do not indicate that low IQ scores cause sex offending, merely that something may have happened during early childhood to inhibit their cognitive functioning. Studies have supported the conviction that someone who has experienced sexual abuse as a child is more likely to later engage in sex offences. For example Seto and Lalumiere (2008)conducted a meta-analysis and found that sex offenders were much more likely to have been sexually abused than non-offenders. Therefore, groups of adult sex offenders contain a disproportionate number of individuals who have experienced sexual abuse. This provides evidence that sex offenders are homogeneous and a high number of them suffered sexual abuse as a child. Personality research into sex offenders has shown a homogenous trend among sex offenders. Aromaki, Lindman and Eriksson (2002) conducted a study into the levels of antisocial personality traits among a group of Finnish sex offenders and found that 50% had an anti-social personality disorder according to DSM-IV specifics. Furthermore sex offenders reliably demonstrate high levels of psychopathology (Stinson, Becker & Tromp, 2005). In a study of adult sex offenders it was found that 63% of these offenders exhibited a significant level of psychopathic traits ranging from mild to severe. Another homogeneous trait which male sex offenders share is cognitive distortions; cognitive distortions are attitudes and beliefs which offenders use to deny, minimise and rationalise their behaviour (Murphy, 1990). Most rapists tend to conform to attitudes that support men to be ‘dominant, controlling and powerful’ whereas women are expected to be ‘submissive permissive, and compliant’ (Bartol & Bartol, 2008). Furthermore Malamuth and Brown (1994) studied the perceptions of women in sexually aggressive men and found that suspicion was associated with attitudes which supported sexual aggression. These men generally believed that women do not tell the truth when it comes to sex (Milner & Webster, 2005). Also Polsheck and Gannon (2004) found that male rapists view women as hostile and they ‘are dangerous’. The combination of these attitudes and schemas has a strong disinhibitory effect on sex offenders, they encourages them to interpret ambiguous behaviour of their victims as ‘come-ons’ and believe that sexual behaviours that are intended to coerce women are not offensive. They also believe their rape victims derive satisfaction from being assaulted. Lipton, McDonel, & McFall, 1987). Cognitive distortions are also common among child molesters and paedophiles. For example Abel, Becker, and Cunningham-Rathner (1984) outlined seven common cognitive distortions among child molesters these included ‘if children fail to resist advances, they must want sex’, ‘sexual activity with children is an appropriate means to increase the sexual know ledge of the children’ and so on. Several researchers confirm that child molesters do report similar sexual attitudes and beliefs about children. Hayashino et al. 1995) found in a comparison between the level of cognitive distortions of child molesters and non-offenders, that child molesters had more. This shows there is a theme of cognitive distortions among sex offenders. An imbalance of sex hormones has been shown to be a homogeneous factor throughout sex offenders, although the type and levels of hormones do vary between sex offender sub groups. A recent study conducted by Dabbs et al. (1995) high testosterone was found to be linked to crimes of sex and violence, so that the highest risk ratios for high testosterone men were observed for rape, child molestation and homicide, respectively. The Giotakos et al. (2003) study in rapists provides a more complex account of the hormone imbalance noting that, rapists were found to have higher levels of plasma testosterone, dihydrotestosterone and free androgen index than controls but lower levels of a major metabolite of serotonin. In paedophiles several serotonergic disturbances and increased epinephrine levels have been found (Maes et al. , 2001). Thus hormonal imbalances are a congruent theme in various sub-groups of sex offenders, indicating homogeneity. Another homogeneous aspect of the nature sex offenders is there general increase in sexual arousal due to ‘abnormal sexual material’. Many studies have used phallometric measurements in order to measure the sexual arousal of a participant to a specific sexual stimulus. Abel et al. (1997) used this technique to create the rape index which measured responses to erotic material including force and coercion. The men with the highest response have the greater rape potential. A similar index was created for dangerous child molesters (Avery-Clark & Laws, 1984). The validity of this index was confirmed by Wormith (1986) who found that the majority of the classifications based on circumference phallometric measurements of sex offenders were accurate. The final feature of the sex offender which should be discussed is their likelihood to commit recidivism. Some statistics show homogeneity in this area too, Hanson (2001) discovered a 19 percent sexual recidivism rate for child molesters and a 17 percent recidivism rate for rapists during five years follow-up time after release. This points towards rates of recidivism being just under 20 percent for sex offenders. Although other studies show disparity in recidivism rates, one study found a 39 percent recidivism rate in child molesters after a three year follow up (Langan, Schmitt & Durose, 2003). In conclusion, although research indicates significant fundamental homogeneous themes of sex offenders such as alcoholism, low IQ, high school drop-out, history of sexual abuse, unskilled occupations, hormone imbalance, cognitive distortions and personality disorders. However these were shown to vary depending on the sub-group of sex offenders being discussed. Research has shown that sub-groups of rapists and child molesters vary on levels on the themes previously discussed. Demonstrating sex offenders can be divided into clear heterogeneous sub-groups based on their nature. This paper has highlighted the complexities of researching the heterogeneity of the offender as a whole group and has clearly supported the idea that sex offenders have inter-group heterogeneous characteristics. References Aromaki, A. S. , Lindman, R. E. and Eriksson, C. J. P. (2002) Testosterone, sexuality and antisocial personality in rapists and child molesters: a pilot study. Psychiatry research110 (3), 239-247. Bartol, C. R. , & Bartol, A. M. (2008). Criminal behaviour: a psychosocial approach, 8th Ed. Pearson Education. Chapter 12 & 13. Blumenthal, S. , Gudjonsson, G. and Burns, J. (1999) Cognitive distortions and blame attribution in sex offenders against adults and children. Child abuse & neglect23 (2), 129-143. Giotakos, O. , Markianos, M. , Vaidakis, N. and Christodoulou, G. N. (2004) Sex hormones and biogenic amine turnover of sex offenders in relation to their temperament and character dimensions. Psychiatry research127 (3), 185-193. Howitt, D. (2002). Forensic and criminal psychology. Prentice Hall: Pearson. Chapter 9 & 10 Jespersen, A. F. , Lalumiere, M. L. and Seto, M. C. (2009) Sexual abuse history among adult sex offenders and non-sex offenders: A meta-analysis. Child abuse & neglect33 (3), 179-192. Johnson, J. L (2006), Sex offenders on federal community supervision: Factors that influence revocation. Federal probation a journal of correctional philosophy and practice 70 (1). Milner, R. J. , & Webster, S. D. (2005). Identifying Schemas in Child Molesters, Rapists and Violent Offenders. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 17, 425 – 439. Robertiello, G. and Terry, K. J. (2007) Can we profile sex offenders? A review of sex offender typologies. Aggression and Violent Behavior12 (5), 508-518. Stinson, J. D. , Becker, J. V. and Tromp, S. (2005) A preliminary study on findings of psychopathy and affective disorders in adult sex offenders. International journal of law and psychiatry28 (6), 637-649. Taft, B. , Wilkinson, R. A. , Stickrath, T. J. (2001) Profile of ODRC sex offenders assessed at sex offender risk reduction center. Journal of rehabilitation and correction (1) www. womenscenter. virginia. edu/sdvs/assault/definition