Free Essays on The Explosive Child

Ross W. Greene defines an inflexible-explosive child as a child who is unable to â€Å"shift gears and think clearly in the midst of frustration†(Greene 1998). His book The Explosive Child is a book that gives many examples of many different children who in situations are IE. The book is a good tool for parents or people who work with children who need help when it comes to dealing with inflexible and explosive children. The examples he gives throughout the book are good when trying to see what will and what won’t work for the individual child. The idea of giving in to these IE children is not what Greene says in the book. I think that the main idea that Greene is going for is that as a parent you need to decide what to make the issue of, knowing that it might lead to a meltdown. As a therapist a diagnosis of and IE child might be difficult because the child might have a meltdown before they even get to the therapist’s office. The TAT is a test that might be helpful when diagnosing the child. Listening to the stories that they tell can give insight into what the child feels, and possibly to why they act in the way they do. The Explosive Child is a book that is good for parents, teachers and even therapists. It has good information, and explains how these difficult children can be dealt with. This book is good for anyone who works with children. It could be a good resource for parents as well. They need to know that their child isn’t the only one who is inflexible and explosive.... Free Essays on The Explosive Child Free Essays on The Explosive Child Ross W. Greene defines an inflexible-explosive child as a child who is unable to â€Å"shift gears and think clearly in the midst of frustration†(Greene 1998). His book The Explosive Child is a book that gives many examples of many different children who in situations are IE. The book is a good tool for parents or people who work with children who need help when it comes to dealing with inflexible and explosive children. The examples he gives throughout the book are good when trying to see what will and what won’t work for the individual child. The idea of giving in to these IE children is not what Greene says in the book. I think that the main idea that Greene is going for is that as a parent you need to decide what to make the issue of, knowing that it might lead to a meltdown. As a therapist a diagnosis of and IE child might be difficult because the child might have a meltdown before they even get to the therapist’s office. The TAT is a test that might be helpful when diagnosing the child. Listening to the stories that they tell can give insight into what the child feels, and possibly to why they act in the way they do. The Explosive Child is a book that is good for parents, teachers and even therapists. It has good information, and explains how these difficult children can be dealt with. This book is good for anyone who works with children. It could be a good resource for parents as well. They need to know that their child isn’t the only one who is inflexible and explosive....

Biography of George S. Patton, Famed American General

Biography of George S. Patton, Famed American General George S. Patton (November 11, 1885–December 21, 1945) was an American Army general noted for winning battles in World Wars I and II. He first came to attention as a commander fighting Pancho Villa in Mexico and helped revolutionize the use of tanks in warfare. Despite his many successes, his aggressive, colorful personal style and his temper often caused issues with his superiors. Fast Facts: George S. Patton Known For: Famed but controversial American combat generalAlso Known As: Old Blood and GutsBorn: Nov. 11, 1885 in San Gabriel, CaliforniaParents: George Smith Patton Sr., Ruth WilsonDied: Dec. 21, 1945 in Heidelberg, GermanyEducation: West PointSpouse: Beatrice AyerChildren: Beatrice Smith, Ruth Ellen, George Patton IVNotable Quote: Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a human being can indulge. Early Life Born on November 11, 1885 in San Gabriel, California, George Smith Patton, Jr. was the son of George S. Patton, Sr. and Ruth Patton. An avid student of military history, the young Patton was descended from American Revolution Brigadier General Hugh Mercer and several of his relatives fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War. During his childhood, Patton met former Confederate raider and family friend John S. Mosby. The old veterans war stories helped fuel Pattons desire to become a soldier. Departing home, he enrolled at the Virginia Military Institute in 1903 before transferring to West Point the following year. Compelled to repeat his plebe year due to poor grades in mathematics, Patton reached the position of cadet adjutant before graduating in 1909. Assigned to the cavalry, Patton went on to compete in the modern pentathlon at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm. Finishing fifth overall, he returned to the United States and was posted to Fort Riley, Kansas. While there, he developed a new cavalry saber and training techniques. Assigned to the 8th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Bliss, Texas, he took part in Brigadier General John J. Pershings Punitive Expedition against Pancho Villa in 1916. World War I During the expedition, Patton led the U.S. Armys first armored attack when he assaulted an enemy position with three armored cars. In the fighting, key Villa henchman Julio Cardenas was killed- earning Patton some notoriety. With the U.S. entry into World War I in April 1917, Pershing had Patton promoted to captain and took the young officer to France. Desiring a combat command, Patton was posted to the new U.S. Tank Corps. Testing new tanks, he observed their use at the Battle of Cambrai late that year. Organizing the American tank school, he trained with Renault FT-17 tanks. Swiftly advancing through the ranks to colonel in the wartime army, Patton was given command of the 1st Provisional Tank Brigade (later the 304th Tank Brigade) in August 1918. Fighting as part of the 1st U.S. Army, he was wounded in the leg at the Battle of St. Mihiel that September. Recovering, he took part in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and Distinguished Service Medal, as well as a battlefield promotion to colonel. With the end of the war, he reverted to his peacetime rank of captain and was assigned to Washington, D.C. Interwar Years While in Washington, he encountered Captain Dwight D. Eisenhower. Becoming good friends, the two officers began developing new armored doctrines and devising improvements for tanks. Promoted to major in July 1920, Patton tirelessly worked as an advocate for the establishment of a permanent armored force. Moving through peacetime assignments, Patton led some of the troops that dispersed the Bonus Army in June 1932. Promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1934 and colonel four years later, Patton was placed in command of Fort Myer in Virginia. A New War With the formation of the 2nd Armored Division in 1940, Patton was selected to lead its 2nd Armored Brigade. Promoted to brigadier general in October, he was given command of the division with the rank of major general in April 1941. In the U.S. Armys build-up prior to World War II, Patton took the division to the Desert Training Center in California. Given command of the I Armored Corps, Patton relentlessly trained his men in the desert through the summer of 1942. In this role, Patton led the Western Task Force during Operation Torch, which saw his men capture Casablanca, Morocco in November of that year. A Unique Style of Leadership Seeking to inspire his men, Patton developed a flashy image and routinely wore a highly polished helmet, cavalry pants and boots, and a pair of ivory-handled pistols. Traveling in a vehicle featuring oversize rank insignias and sirens, his speeches were frequently laced with profanity and espoused the utmost confidence in his men. While his behavior was popular with his troops, Patton was prone to indiscreet remarks which often stressed Eisenhower, who had become his superior in Europe, and caused tension among the Allies. While tolerated during the war, Pattons vocal nature ultimately led to his relief. North Africa and Sicily In the wake of the U.S. II Corps defeat at Kasserine Pass in February 1943, Eisenhower appointed Patton to rebuild the unit at the suggestion of Major General Omar Bradley. Assuming command with the rank of lieutenant general and retaining Bradley as his deputy, Patton diligently worked to restore discipline and fighting spirit to the II Corps. Taking part in the offensive against the Germans in Tunisia, the II Corps performed well. Recognizing Pattons achievement, Eisenhower pulled him to aid in planning the invasion of Sicily in April 1943. Moving forward in July 1943, Operation Husky saw Pattons Seventh U.S. Army land on Sicily along with General Sir Bernard Montgomerys Eighth British Army. Tasked with covering Montgomerys left flank as the Allies moved on Messina, Patton grew impatient as the advance bogged down. Taking the initiative, he sent troops north and captured Palermo before turning east to Messina. While the Allied campaign was successfully concluded in August, Patton damaged his reputation when he slapped Private Charles H. Kuhl at a field hospital. Having no patience for battle fatigue, Patton struck Kuhl and called him a coward. Western Europe Though tempted to send Patton home in disgrace, Eisenhower, after consultations with Chief of Staff General George Marshall, retained the wayward commander after a reprimand and apology to Kuhl. Knowing that the Germans feared Patton, Eisenhower brought him to England and assigned him to lead the First U.S. Army Group (FUSAG). A dummy command, FUSAG was part of Operation Fortitude which was intended to make the Germans think that the Allied landings in France would occur at Calais. Though unhappy with losing his combat command, Patton was effective in his new role. In the wake of the D-Day landings, Patton was returned to the front as the commander of the U.S. Third Army on August 1, 1944. Serving under his former deputy Bradley, Pattons men played a key role in exploiting the breakout from the Normandy beachhead. Surging into Brittany and then across northern France, the Third Army bypassed Paris, liberating large chunks of territory. Pattons rapid advance came to a halt on August 31 outside of Metz due to supply shortages. As Montgomerys efforts in support of Operation Market-Garden took priority, Pattons advance slowed to a crawl, leading to a protracted battle for Metz. Battle of the Bulge With the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge on December 16, Patton began shifting his advance toward the threatened parts of the Allied line. As a result, in perhaps his greatest achievement of the conflict, he was able to quickly turn the Third Army north and relieve the besieged 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne. With the German offensive contained and defeated, Patton advanced east through the Saarland and crossed the Rhine at Oppenheim on March 22, 1945. Charging through Germany, Pattons forces reached Pilsen, Czechoslovakia by the wars end on May 7/8. Postwar With the end of the war, Patton enjoyed a brief trip home to Los Angeles where he and Lieutenant General Jimmy Doolittle were honored with a parade. Assigned to be the military governor of Bavaria, Patton was irritated not to receive a combat command in the Pacific. Openly critical of Allied occupation policy and believing that the Soviets should be forced back to their borders, Patton was relieved by Eisenhower in November 1945 and assigned to the Fifteenth Army, which was tasked with writing the history of the war. Patton died on December 21, 1945, from injuries sustained in a car accident 12 days earlier.

Forensic psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Forensic psychology - Essay Example nding this early stress can be highly useful in providing insights into the treatment and pathophysiology of depression and other forms of abnormal psychology. According to Durand and Barlow (2005) psychosocial factors that affect the brain function and structure include social learning in both the conditioning and cognitive processes. These processes normally affect implicit memory as well as blind sight. This means that an individual may develop mental disorders due to the kind of psychosocial experiences that he has been through. What this means for future research is that researchers have to look into prior experiences that an individual has been through before making any diagnostic conclusions (Kaufman, et. al, 2000). Researchers have to put into considerations the differences in each case before making decisions. This might help in curbing he stigma associated with mental illness labeling. The categorical approach is based on the idea that an individual is or is not a member of a specific discrete grouping. This approach assumes that all levels of human behavior are divided into normal and pathological categories. It also assumes that these behavioral classes discrete, homogeneous and non-overlapping. In this approach, the diagnosis is normally a yes or no decision. The main advantage of this approach is its effectiveness in research and understanding. A disadvantage of this approach is its clear use of inclusion and exclusion standards. In this approach, a person either has a disorder or he does not (Brown and Barlow, 2005). The dimensional approach classifies an individual’s behavior according to specific dimensions. According to Krueger, Skodol and Livesley (2006), many professional working in the personality disorders field are increasingly turning to the dimensional approach in developing diagnostic schemes for mental disorders. One of the advantages of this approach is its effectiveness in predicting functional impairment as compared to other

Irish Immigrants and Scottish Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Irish Immigrants and Scottish Society - Essay Example The arrival of the large mass of Irish immigrants belonging to lower social classes and carrying no educational values, but only the desire to survive, made it difficult for both sides to coexist and found the basis of a new society. The immigrants brought with them the religious and ideological conflict between Catholics and Protestants and supplemented in this way a problem that haunted British history from early times. As Tom Devine discusses in his paper there is a major crisis that started with the first wave of immigrants who came from area belonging to what is nowadays the Republic of Ireland and who were mostly Catholics. In such conditions, generated by what should be interpreted as the fled from famine and not immigration per se, the identity of the Irish immigrants transformed itself in a very spectacular way. Their values that were founded on religious beliefs represented an impediment in the process of assimilation that was supposed to take place between the Scottish society and its values and the newly arrived. The differences between the Irish and the Scottish are not to be analyzed only in terms of religion, but also from a social perspective; the nineteenth century meant for Scotland industrialization, new means of work and production that were not present in the rural Ireland. Lack of systematization of work generated not only the difficulties related to food in Ireland, but it triggered problems such unemployment and lack of education and working skills. After the first wave of immigrants, in the years following 1800, the Irish who came to Scotland carried with them a different aspect of Irish identity and, as Tom Devine points out, the interaction with the Scots was starting to open new paths, and the relationship between the two waves of immigration unveiled the fact that there were significant differences of mentality between them and that in the first decades there has been an agrarian improvement in Ireland and that Protestants developed a different intellect and thus were able to cope better with the new social environment. Comparing the two movements, the first one, the Catholics, were driven to Scotland by famine, these people who formed in Ireland a crafting society changed their lives in a significant way, leaving behind their rural homelands and throwing them in the middle of a society that they could not cope with because they lacked industrial skills. However, their identity was not shattered immediately because of the pride they took as Catholics, without realizing that to be an Irish immigrant is not all about expressing a religious statement. The stubbornness and will to survive shaped both English and Irish identities and the experience generated even by these uneducated and ill people imposed new values in the British history. Nevertheless, their desire to permanently reinforce their beliefs and also to create the necessary institutions devoted to its practice helped them surpass their minimal organizational status and rise in time to that of the more evolved Scottish society. The Protestant Irish belonging to the second wave provided a change for the Scottish society and Irish

Vodafone Case Essay Example for Free

Vodafone Case Essay The UK mobile telecommunications market is one of the most competitive in the world and, as a consequence, customer attrition or ’churn’ is high. In 2005, as part of a strategy to build on its market leadership, Vodafone UK began the quest for a competitor intelligence tool that would help its sales advisors reduce customer attrition and secure new sales. Vodafone wanted a service that would deliver timely, accurate information on the tariffs, deals and handsets being offered by its competitors to the employees that need it most the customer facing staff. After a rigorous analysis of competitor intelligence offerings from over a dozen providers, Vodafone UK selected CInergy’s Accelerated Intelligenceâ„ ¢. The service delivers same day market tracking and analysis of key competitor information from other mobile operators, major retailers and mobile virtual network operators. Quarter by quarter reduction in churn Measurable improvements in conversion rates Integration with retention and sales strategy Easy deployment with minimal impact on IT/CRM systems Partnership approach to implementation and training The Challenge With thousands of tariff, handset and offer combinations available in the market, keeping contact centre advisors up to date can seem an impossible task. Vodafone UK recognised this challenge and identified that it required a competitor intelligence tool that would help it to retain existing contract customers, notably at time of contract renewal, and attract more new customers. The company had initially considered developing its own solution, but had soon found that this would have been excessively costly both in financial terms and in the amount of resource required and identified that this was not its core area of expertise. Vodafone UK also found that there was a dearth of competitor data that was comprehensive and accurate enough for advisors to rely on during high pressure customer negotiations. The company therefore sought a partner which understood the specific challenges of the mobile telecoms market and which could apply that expertise to the data it delivered. Business Objectives â€Å"This has been an excellent implementation for CInergy, and Vodafone’s innovation and dedication to the project has enabled it to achieve very good results from the CInergy AIâ„ ¢ system†. Brian Boroff, MD, CInergy International Vodafone UK’s brief was that it wanted to understand its competitive landscape more clearly, to enable it to respond swiftly and effectively to customer requests and to ensure that it had a clear picture of how its offers stacked up against the competition. Specifically, the company wanted this information to be available not just to the management and marketing functions, but directly to advisors in its contact centres who deal with customers day to day. The company also wanted a system that would not have major implications for its IT platforms and which could be integrated into the existing desktops used by contact centre advisors, complete with Vodafone corporate branding. Finally, Vodafone UK needed an exp ert in the field that could provide end to end support from designing the service, through to delivery, advisor training and rollout across the organisation. The Solution: CInergy AIâ„ ¢ CInergy had already developed its Accelerated Intelligenceâ„ ¢ (AIâ„ ¢) competitor intelligence platform for the mobile telecoms market at the time that Vodafone issued its RFP in 2005. By designing an appropriate interface and tailoring specific service modules to meet Vodafone’s needs, CInergy was able to meet the criteria detailed in the RFP and to deliver a fully working system in a very short timeframe. After a successful trial, the service was rolled out to the majority of Vodafone’s contact centre community around the UK during 2006. Key features of Vodafone UK’s implementation of CInergy’s AIâ„ ¢ include: Comprehensive tariff and promotion monitoring Handset / device tracking with up to date pricing from all major competitors On demand, side by side comparisons of different deals, tariffs and handset options Expert analysis and scripted points that enable Vodafone sales advisors to demonstrate ’why we’re better’ Fully branded interface to match Vodafone  UK’s Intranet Reliable, accurate data analysed by teams with mobile telecoms knowledge A hosted, secure platform Delivering Accelerated Intelligenceâ„ ¢ Vodafone and CInergy worked closely together to ensure that Accelerated Intelligenceâ„ ¢ would deliver optimum benefits in terms of improved customer retention and sales. This partnership approach has enabled Vodafone to achieve a swift return on its investment. The company has found that its levels of churn have decreased as more sales advisors become familiar with the system and are able to integrate the CInergy AIâ„ ¢ functionality and information into their acquisition and retention processes. CInergy supported Vodafone in the development and delivery of induction training on Accelerated Intelligenceâ„ ¢ for all contact centre advisors with access to the system. Now that the system is in use, short refresher sessions delivered in the weekly advisor meetings ensure that all advisors are kept up to date as new features are introduced. Since CInergy AIâ„ ¢ was launched in 2006, CInergy has worked with Vodafone to implement two major upgrades to the system, as well as providing regular enhancements to the interfaces, functionality and database content based on feedback from the advisors who use CInergy AIâ„ ¢every day. â€Å"Since we’ve started using the system, it has contributed to a fall in our churn rates quarter by quarter, ensuring we remain highly competitive in the UK market†. John Coulstock, Senior Manager, Vodafone UK The Results As John Coulstock, a senior manager at Vodafone, explains, â€Å"We launched Accelerated Intelligence in Q3 2006 and it is currently in use by a large number of our contact centre advisors. Since we’ve started using the system, it has contributed to a fall in our churn rates quarter by quarter, ensuring we remain highly competitive in the UK market. We’ve found that the more our agents use the system, the more sales they are able to close. The CInergy  AIâ„ ¢ application has become an integral part of our customer retention and sales strategy.† Vodafone has now renewed its contract with CInergy for an extended term. CInergy’s AIâ„ ¢ service has delivered a range of benefits to Vodafone including: A contribution to a reduction in contract churn since its launch in Q3 2006 Improvement in the rate of saves in consumer and enterprise customer bases Reduction in call handling time Increased ability to set deals in a market context leading to better acquisition performance Improvements in operational efficiency by eliminating onerous, manual data collection Improved reporting, trend prediction, forecasting and analysis Clear understanding of competitor offerings to improve key pricing messages in advertising, dealer negotiations and channel marketing CInergy AIâ„ ¢ Content Modules CInergys AIâ„ ¢ is a powerful platform which is modular to suit the needs of todays mobile operators: Tariff and price tracking Detailed handset and device information Channel specific deals and advertising Source: Vodafone KPIs, December 2007 CInergy’s Accelerated Intelligenceâ„ ¢ has contributed to a 18.6% reduction in churn since its launch in Q3 2006. As Brian Boroff, MD of CInergy concluded, â€Å"This has been an excellent implementation for CInergy, and Vodafone’s innovation and dedication to the project has enabled it to achieve very good results from the CInergy AIâ„ ¢ system.† Vodafone UK Contract Churn Within OneYear of CInegy Al Rollout About Accelerated Intelligenceâ„ ¢ CInergy’s Accelerated Intelligenceâ„ ¢(AIâ„ ¢) puts competitive information into the hands of customer facing teams, enabling them to counter competitive offers and achieve higher retention and sales performance. The service enables service providers to significantly improve the number of sales they  close in a single call, helping to drive down the cost of customer acquisition and retention as well as improving revenues. Accelerated Intelligence is proven in the UK mobile telecom space having worked with four of the UK’s main network operators, delivering an average incremental customer save rate of 1.59% and reduction in call handling time of 22 seconds. CInergy International was set up in 2003 to deliver customer acquisition and retention solutions to providers of mobile and fixed telecom, broadband and digital television services. â„ ¢ About Vodafone UK Vodafone UK has 18.4 million customers and is part of the worlds largest mobile community offering a wide range of voice and data communications. The company is committed to providing mobile solutions that allow both consumer and business customers to make the most of now. Vodafone customers can now use Internet on your Mobile to view and navigate web pages and their favourite sites such as YouTube, eBay and the BBC. In addition, Vodafone connects customers across the globe with roaming agreements worldwide. It provides 3G roaming in 29 countries and offers great roaming value with Vodafone Passport.

Free Essay: Use of Symbols and Symbolism in Three Green Windows :: Three Green Windows

Use of Symbolism in Three Green Windows Superficially, Anne Sexton's poem Three Green Windows is an account of an old woman daydreaming an the verge of sleep. Upon looking deeper the reader realizes, through the use of general symbolism, the author portrayed the daydreams about a better life by a middle-aged woman, recalling the events of her past, and picturing what her future will be like. The order of the stanzas followed the order of present, past, then future. The organization made the shoreline of the woman falling asleep more realistic. At first, the woman described her present situation: falling asleep while realizing her life was wasting away: "I have forgotten that I grow middle-aged" (line 6). The narrator, (the old woman), then went on to describe the simile of how she felt she looked in her present aging state. "I see three wet gargoyles covered with birds" (lines 10). The "gargoyles" symbolize how the woman felt her looks resembled; the ugly gargoyle covered with birds somewhat represents the woman's feeling of ugly wrinkles and loss of beauty with age. The last line which mentioned the skins of the gargoyles, backs up these views about how the gargoyles covered with birds represents the woman's face growing ugly and wrinkled with her age, "Their skins shine in the sun like leather" (line 11). Throughout the first stanza the narrator began to notice things which reminded her of her past and future. The second stanza moves into the woman recalling her past. The stanza begins with the simile describing the woman to be "as light as a sponge" (line 12) symbolizing her small state as a child in her past. In lines 14&15; this symbolism was prevalent, as the woman described her mother: "She is my mother. She will tell me a story and keep me asleep." The childhood innocence which the woman seemed to remember also obviously symbolized through the objects which she discussed. "I see leaves- leaves that are washed and innocent, leaves that never knew a cellar, born in their own green blood like the hands of mermaids" (lines 17-21). The leaves seemed to symbolize her childhood innocence, and obviously they also showed how the innocence was lost with her growing older. The narrator's future was portrayed through the use of symbolism in the third stanza. The reader is able to gather a feeling of being in heaven.

Prison Gangs Essay

United States of America, what a beautiful place to live where great opportunities lie ahead of you and the American dream is right around the corner. Although United States of America is one of the most valued countries in the world with booming economy and intelligence, we face problems of our own such as homicides, terrorism, immigration, politics and etc. One of the biggest problems that we face today is prison gangs. It is very important to know and to learn about prison gangs because prison gangs will gain a stronger hold in communities if communities do not structure intervention to include more than law enforcement suppression. If that happens, street gangs may become better structured and drug gangs may become more powerful forces in the community (Fleisher & Decker, 2001). The purpose of this research paper is to knowledge the reader about the importance of prison gangs, overview of their organization & activities and finally contributes solutions to rising problem. We often question ourselves, what is a prison gang? And how do they differ from the street gangs? Lyman (1989) defines that, prison gang is an organization which operates within the prison system as a self-perpetuating criminally oriented entity, consisting of a select group of inmates who have established an organized chain of commands and are governed by an established code of conduct. Street level gangs honor and respect highly of the prison gang members and wishes to become a member of a prison gang one day. Prison gangs influences and carries a great power over the street level gangs. Prison gangs are also known as the â€Å"bad of the bad† to the street level gang members. The almighty, organized and professional prison gangs reign over the street gangs and on our society today and it is becoming a devastating problem. It has been estimated that, there are two million men and women serving prison terms in America (Fleisher & Decker, 2001). That is more than eighty percent of the population in city of Los Angeles. Criminologists argue that the criminals often do not have the power to control the destructive forces in their environment, which created their disabilities. Which defines that many criminals are victims of family abuse and neglect, school disciplinary practices that expelled them before they had sufficient education to pursue a career, and impoverished neighborhoods well outside the opportunity networks in the dominant community (Fleisher & Decker, 2001). It is depressing to admit the fact that the community and their families may have created these law breakers, but however, few members of the prisoners became high risk organizations in our society and has become one of the biggest problems today. Although the researchers have stated that â€Å"it was very difficult to obtain the data on the number of prison gangs and information about the prison gang,† through persistent and careful observation, a core-important information of the biggest prison gangs were able to be gathered. The prison inmates form groups and organizations based on their need for identity, belongings, personal interests and race. Fleisher and Decker (2001) stated that the first known American prison gang was the Gypsy Jokers formed in the 1950s in Washington state prisons and the first prison gang with nationwide ties was the Mexican Mafia in 1957. The Mexican Mafia prison gang started at the Deuel Vocational Center in Tracy, California and it was California’s first prison gang. The Mexican Mafia also known as the â€Å"La Eme,† was originally found by 13 inmates who were active Latino street gang members previously from different neighborhoods in the Los Angeles Area. The Mexican Mafia was born in order to protect themselves from other gang members, hostile inmates and prison staffs (Valdez, 2009). The Mexican Mafia gang eventually grew to be one of the biggest prison gang organization and focuses on criminal activities including drug trafficking and wars with other prison gangs. In order to become a member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang, one must have a sponsoring member and undergo a blood oath to prove his loyalty to the gang. The members of the Mexican Mafia frequently had tattoos on their right hands with the word â€Å"Eme,† and an eagle holding a snake in its mouth, symbolizing their organization. The Aryan Brotherhood of the Texas was the white supremacist group in California. These prison gang members opposed racial threat of African Americans and Hispanic inmates and countered the organization and activities of the Black and Hispanic gangs. The Aryan Brotherhood simply neglected Black and Hispanic inmates, desired the power to rule the prison system and was involved in drug trafficking. In order to join the Aryan Brotherhood, one must commit â€Å"making one’s bones,† requiring taking a life of someone. The Aryan Brotherhood followed one simple rule, â€Å"Blood in, blood out,† defining that the only non-violent out of the organization is by natural death. The Aryan Brotherhood gang members often had tattoos of a cloverleaf, swastika, lightning bolts and/or the letters â€Å"AB† on their bodies. The Black Guerilla Family became one of the most politically charged revolutionary gangs in history. The Black Guerilla Family is an organized prison gang established by George Lester Jackson, a leader of Black Panther who united with the Black Liberation Army (BLA), Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), and the Weatherman Underground Organization to create a powerful organization of the history. The Black Guerilla were feared by many of the prison guards due to their demonic presence and continued to remain in control until today. Tattoos such as the â€Å"prison watchtower surrounded by a dragon with a quarter moon depicted in its body,† and â€Å"silhouette of a rifle with a sword lying over it to form an X,† symbolized The Black Guerilla Family. The famous, almighty and traditional Los Angeles street gangs, also known as the Crips and Bloods are also found in prison systems today. Valdez (2009) examines that the two gangs, Crips and Bloods may war with each other while on the street, but however, there seems to be a truce and alliance between these groups inside the prison system and the probable reason for that is for their protection from the existing prison gangs. As these members in prison joined together, they insured protection and guide amongst themselves. In West Coast prisons, the Crips formed the consolidated Crip organization and the Bloods found the United Blood nation (Valdez, 2009). As most of criminologists already know that the prison gangs dominate the drug business and drug trafficking, many researchers have argued that the most prison violence are due to the prison gangs. Motivated by a desire to make money and be at the top of an institution’s inmate power structure, prison gangs exploit the inherent weakness resulting from overcrowded, understaffed mega-prisons such as correctional staffer’s inability to watch these activities of the inmates every moment of each day, every moment of each hours to month after month (Fleisher & Decker, 2001). Although I have not mentioned many other prison gangs and organizations, prison gangs continue to increase in numbers and it is continuing to become a big problem in our society. After all, prisons are institutions supported by millions of taxes in order to rehabilitate these criminals into a better person and keep them out of trouble, but unfortunately, prison system is where many street gang members learn the secrets of becoming highly professional criminals. Fleisher and Decker (2001) states that collaboration between correctional agencies and university researchers is a key to creating strong solutions to the difficult, persistent problem posed by prison gangs. Further researches and studies in this subject are required and solution to the problem must be operationalized immediately to prevent prison gangs from gaining stronger hold in communities, become better structured, and become much more powerful forces in the community. As we all dream and hope to increase the quality of our lives, dangerous issues and problems must be solved in order to fully achieve peace in our communities.

Pandora Case Analysis Essay

Abstract Pandora provides personalized Internet radio stations to its customers. Pandora provides this customized radio free of charge to its users. In combination with other business models, Pandora has successfully implemented the freemium business model in which 99% of its users receive a free service and 1% of the users pay for premium services. This business model is not appropriate for every type of business but can be profitable for some types of businesses with a planned implementation process and a clear understanding of customer values. Analyzing the success of Pandora provides information on the necessary requirements in order for business to earn a profit using the freemium business model. Pandora Case Analysis Pandora offers an Internet radio service, which tailors the music played, based on user preference. Pandora began as a free service to its consumers, while they found a way to earn a profit. Pandora utilized several different business models before implementing the freemium model. The freemium business model provides free services to 99% of the customers and expects 1% of the customers to pay a fee for premium services (Laudon & Traver, 2011). This business model can be very effective and profitable for certain types of business when managed correctly. Analyzing Pandora’s successful use of the model provides insight on which conditions need to be present in order for the freemium business model to be effective and profitable. The freemium business model is appropriate to use when the product or service is widely available and there are low variable costs in providing the product or service to each customer. It is also important that the business takes into consideration the timing of implementation and understands their customer’s values. History of Pandora The foundation of Pandora began with the creation of the Music Genome Project in 2000 and the service officially launched in 2005 (Westegren, 2009). Pandora’s founder Tim Westegren set out to create an on-line radio  station that categorizes music based on 400 different attributes such as melody, rhythm, instrumentation and harmony (Westegren, 2009). In order to accomplish this task, Westegren hired musical analysts who listened to music and created a database which links songs together based on similarity of those attributes (Shelly, 2009). This database provides the foundation for users to log into Pandora and enter an artist or a song that they want to hear. The search is a â€Å"seed† and the database creates a station based on the features of the song entered on the search. The station contains artists and songs that are similar to the search, but does not actually play the exact song or artist entered (Shelly, 2009). Pandora is interactive as users provide feedb ack to the database by giving a song thumbs up, thumbs down, or skip the song entirely (Shelly, 2009). The more the user listens to Pandora, the better the system understands their preferences (Shelly, 2009). In other words, by frequently interacting with the database, users receive a more customized radio station. Pandora Business Models Pandora continues to explore different revenue building business models in order to maximize monetization. These models include monthly subscription fees, advertising, contracting with on-line retailers and the freemium business model. When Pandora launched in 2005, their first business model was to provide 10 hours of free music and then require users to pay a monthly fee of $36. Pandora found that users listened to their 10 hours of free music, but were not willing to pay the monthly subscription fee (Laudon & Traver, 2011). When this subscription model failed to produce a profit, Pandora modified the model and provided 40 hours of free music for a month and after those hours were used, customers could either pay $.99 per song, sign up for the premium service, or do neither of these and not hear any more music (Laudon & Traver, 2011). Even with this modification, Pandora struggled to earn a profit. Pandora continued to improve their business model by adding advertisements to the site and radio stations. At the time, Pandora had almost 100,000 users; so many companies were willing to pay for advertisements on the site (Laudon & Traver, 2011). While the advertisements helped Pandora financially, it was still not enough to make a profit. Pandora then started  contracting with Amazon and other on-line retailers and included an option for users to purchase songs. Users can click the â€Å"buy† button, which redirects them to the retailer’s website. Pandora receives a fee for providing business to the retailer (Laudon & Traver, 2011). In addition, Pandora began contracting with Apple allowing users to listen to music on their iPhones (Laudon & Traver, 2011). The current model of Pandora combines advertising, contracts with retailers and the freemium business model. It is common for established businesses to earn a smaller percentage of its revenue from the premium model (Hung, 2010); therefore combining multiple revenue models maximizes monetization. Pandora continues to earn revenue from businesses paying to advertise on the site and through contracts with Amazon and Apple when users purchase music. Pandora implemented the freemium model in which 99% of users receive the service free and 1% of users pay for additional services. Approximately 1% of Pandora users pay $36 per year for premium services, which includes no advertisements and higher quality content (Laudon & Traver, 2011). As Pandora is a popularly used site, that 1% amounts to approximately 500,000 customers paying $36 per year which equates to almost 17 million dollars in revenue. Business Requirements Pandora’s effective use of the freemium business model provides insight on which conditions need to be present in order for the freemium model to be successful including the type of business, timing of implementation, and understanding customer values. The freemium business model is not appropriate for all types of businesses. It is most effective when the business provides a product or service that is widely available, has a customer base of over one million, and the variable cost of providing the free product or service must be low or close to zero (Laudon, & Traver, 2011). Pandora meets both requirements of having a large customer base and low variable costs. Currently, Pandora has approximately 47 million users (Statista, 2012), which is a large audience and exceeds the preference of one million. The cost of Pandora providing the service to one person is close to the cost it takes to provide the service to 47 million people. The variable costs per user are relatively low, as the main cost come from  software to provide Internet radio and the database to create radio stations. Once the software and database are created, they can be used multiple times without adding additional costs. Timing of Implementation Businesses who meet the criteria of having a large enough customer base and low variable costs also need to consider the timing of implementing the freemium model. Customers become accustomed to receiving a free service and expect that services to remain free. Requiring customers to pay for the service may result in the customer no longer being interested in the service. Research shows that waiting at least a year after offering the free service and a month after growth of the free usage slows is the most effective time to move to a fee service (Pauwels & Weiss, 2008). The wait period allows the site to gain popularity and customers to realize the free service’s value (Pauwels & Weiss, 2008). When Pandora first became available, customers were not willing to pay the subscription fees, as they had not yet determined the value of the service. Users listened to their free music until it ran out, and then waited until the next month when the free service was available. As the website gained popularity and customers realized the value of having a personally tailored radio station, they became more willing to subscribe to premium services. Pandora successfully implemented the freemium model almost six years of offering the free service. Customer Values One of Pandora’s strengths is the perceived value of its service to customers. Research shows that the perceived value of free content versus fee content determines if users will choose to pay for the service (Pauwels & Weiss, 2008). Pandora strives to provide each individual user a radio station that only plays their favorite songs. Most businesses fail to customize their products to each individual customer, so Pandora brings a personalized service to the customer (Westegren, 2009). An added benefit to the fee content is no advertising. Most other streaming radio stations and traditional radio stations play many commercials, which can result in listeners changing the station. Pandora’s premium services provide commercial free, advertising free, personalized radio for only $36 per year.  The benefit of the fee content encourages some users to pay the annual subscription. Pandora also allows users to connect with and recommend stations to their friends. This connection with friends through social media can be just as effective as receiving a review from a professional critic (Shelly, 2009). Most people have similar tastes in music as their friends and value their opinions. The personalized customization, no advertising and connection with friends increases customer value resulting in subscribers who are willing to pay for the service. Conclusion Analyzing Pandora’s successful implementation of the freemium business model provides insight on how other businesses can also benefit from this model. The freemium business model is not appropriate for all types of businesses. Two criteria that businesses must have are a large customer base, preferably in the millions, as well as low variable costs of providing a free service to customers (Laudon, & Traver, 2011). Businesses that meet these criteria must also take into consideration the timing of implementing the model and understand customer values. Pandora currently has well over a million active users and relatively low variable costs in providing the service. Reviewing Pandora’s history shows that timing plays an important role. Customers were not willing to pay for the service until they understood the value of the service. Pandora is aware that customers value individual customization and sharing their music with their friends. By offering a service that creates individual radio stations based on the user’s preferences and allowing them to share that music with their friends, has resulted in users who are willing to pay for premium services. Businesses interested in implementing the freemium business model can benefit from analyzing Pandora’s success in the model. References Hung, J. (2010). Economic essentials of online publishing with associated trends and patterns. Publishing Research Quarterly, 26(2), 79-95. doi:10.1007/s12109-010-9158-3. Laudon, K. C., & Traver, C. G. (2011). E-commerce: business, technology, society (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Pauwels, K., & Weiss, A. (2008). Moving from free to fee: how online firms market to change their business model successfully. Journal of Marketing, 72(3), 14-31. doi:10.1509/jmkg.72.3.14 Shelley, A. (2009). Pandora. Notes, 66(1), 138-142. Statista. (2012). Pandora’s active users from 2009 to 2012 (in millions). Retrieved from http://www.statista.com/statistics/190989/active-users-of-music-streaming-service-pandora-since-2009/. Westegren, T. (2009). Tailor your product to 1 million customers. (cover story). Financial Executive, 25(8), 38.

5 Answers to Questions About Direct Address

5 Answers to Questions About Direct Address 5 Answers to Questions About Direct Address 5 Answers to Questions About Direct Address By Mark Nichol 1. I want to tell athletes at my school, where the mascot is a wildcat, to be proud of their team’s accomplishment. Should I write, â€Å"Be proud Wildcats† or â€Å"Be proud, Wildcats†? I see things like this written all the time without a comma, but something tells me I should include one. You’re right. Both exhortations are correct, but if you write, â€Å"Be proud Wildcats,† you’re telling your readers to be proud Wildcats. â€Å"Be proud, Wildcats† is addressed directly to the athletes; you’re telling the Wildcats to be proud. It’s a subtle difference, but the version with the comma conveys the meaning you want. Also, when pondering whether to write something the way you see it all the time, consider the source: Direct address shows up a lot in informal, conversational (and frequently careless) writing such as email messages and written notes, but in published form, a comma generally (and correctly) separates the term of address from the statement. 2. One issue that comes up in my email communication is the situation in which I am addressing a known group of families, ladies, parents, or students. If I begin my email with â€Å"Hello, Ladies,† should â€Å"Ladies† be capitalized? According to The Gregg Reference Manual, in the salutation of a letter (or an email message) a form of direct address capitalize the first word and all nouns. 3. When should familial terms like mom be capitalized? Capitalize mom and related words when the term is a form of direct address substituting for a name: You’re asking, â€Å"Can I go see a movie, Mom?† just as you would ask, â€Å"Can I go see a movie, Jane?† When you speak of your mother to another person, substituting mom for her name, the word, for the same reason, is capitalized: Compare â€Å"I asked Mom if I could go see a movie† and â€Å"I asked Jane if I could go see a movie.† But if you precede mom with a pronoun, it is a generic noun, equivalent to a designation for any other person: â€Å"I asked my mom if I could go see a movie† is equivalent to â€Å"I asked my dentist if I could go see a movie.† 4. Why is the word miss not capitalized in your example â€Å"Please, miss, can you tell me the time?† The capitalization system for addressing people by a term other than a name is confusing. The first letters of words for job and familial titles are capitalized, but titles of respect like sir and miss, as well as terms of endearment (such as dear), are styled entirely in lowercase letters. 5. In â€Å"Your majesty, his imperial highness summons the prince to the Command Council Tent,† should I change his to His? Yes, but you shouldn’t uppercase only the first letter of his. Both â€Å"your majesty† and â€Å"his imperial highness† are used as titles; thus, all those words should be initially capitalized: â€Å"Your Majesty, His Imperial Highness summons the prince to the Command Council’s tent.† Technically, because â€Å"his imperial highness† is in the third person, it should not be initial-capped unless it precedes the person’s name, but such courtesies for monarchs are often excepted from this rule. (Also, if there is an official body called the Command Council, by all means capitalize its name. However, although you would capitalize room or chamber, for example, if there were a designated space for it to meet, because of a tent’s ephemeral nature, I don’t think tent merits the same treatment. Note that in the reference to the Command Council, I’ve made that body’s name possessive.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to Use â€Å"That,† â€Å"Which,† and â€Å"Who†People versus Persons10 Tips About How to Write a Caption

Definition of Barnburners and Hunkers

Definition of Barnburners and Hunkers The Barnburners and Hunkers were two factions that battled for dominance of the Democratic Party in New York State in the 1840s. The two groups might have been obscure footnotes to history  remembered mostly for their colorful nicknames, but dissension between the two groups played a major role in the presidential election of 1848. The issue underlying all the fracturing of the party was rooted, as were many political disputes of the day, in the growing national debate over slavery. In the early 1800s the issue of slavery was mainly kept submerged in the national political debate. For one eight-year stretch, southern legislators had even managed to suppress any talk of slavery in the U.S. House of Representatives by invoking the infamous gag rule. But as territory acquired as a result of the Mexican War came into the Union, heated debates over which states and territories might allow slavery became a major issue. The disputes playing out in the halls of Congress also traveled into states where slavery had been outlawed for decades, including New York. Background of the Barnburners The Barnburners were New York State Democrats who were opposed to slavery. They were considered the more progressive and radical wing of the party in the 1840s. The group had splintered off from the Democratic Party following the election of 1844, when its preferred candidate, Martin Van Buren, lost the nomination. The Democrats candidate in 1844 who offended the Barnburner faction was James K. Polk,  a dark horse candidate from Tennessee who owned slaves and advocated for territorial expansion. The Barnburners were anti-slavery and viewed territorial expansion as an opportunity for pro-slavery politicians to add more slave states to the Union. The nickname Barnburners was derived from an old story. According to a dictionary of slang terms published in 1859, the nickname came from a story about an old farmer who had a barn infested with rats. He was determined to burn down the entire barn to get rid of the rats. The implication was that the political Barnburners were obsessed with one issue (in this case slavery) to such an extent that theyd burn down a political party to get their way. The name apparently originated as an insult, but members of the faction seemed to take pride in it. Background of the Hunkers The Hunkers were the more traditional wing of the Democratic Party, which, in New York State, dated back to the political machine set up by Martin Van Buren in the 1820s. The nickname Hunkers, according to Bartletts Dictionary of Americanisms, indicated those who cling to the homestead, or old principles. According to some accounts, the word hunker was a combination of hunger and hanker, and indicated that the Hunkers were always set on attaining political office no matter the cost. That also aligns to some extent with the common belief that the Hunkers were the traditional Democrats who had supported the Spoils System of Andrew Jackson. Barnburners and Hunkers in the Election of 1848 The division over slavery in America had been largely settled by the Missouri Compromise in 1820. But when the United States acquired new territory following the Mexican War, the issue of whether new territories and states would allow slavery brought the controversy back to the forefront. At the time, abolitionists were still on the fringe of society. It wouldnt be until the early 1850s, when opposition to the Fugitive Slave Act and the publication of Uncle Toms Cabin made the abolitionist movement more acceptable. Yet some political figures were already firmly opposed to the spread of slavery, and were actively seeking to keep a balance between free and slave states. In New York States powerful Democratic Party, there was a division between those who wanted to stop the spread of slavery and those who were less concerned, regarding it as a distant issue. The anti-slavery faction, the Barnburners, broke from the party regulars, the Hunkers, before the election of 1848. And the Barnburners proposed their candidate, Martin Van Buren, a former president, run on the Free Soil Party ticket. In the election, the Democrats nominated Lewis Cass, a politically powerful figure from Michigan. He ran against the Whig candidate, Zachary Taylor, a hero of the recently concluded Mexican War. Van Buren, supported by the Barnburners, did not have much chance of regaining the presidency. But he took away enough votes from the Hunker candidate, Cass, to swing the election to the Whig, Taylor.

Introduction, Analysis, Recommendations and Draft of Paper Research

Introduction, Analysis, Recommendations and Draft of - Research Paper Example The paper will consider asking questions various stakeholders in the business field. These are managers, behavioral experts and the employees themselves. It will show how the world views the organizations affected by bad behavior, in particular growing firms. The paper will mainly concentrate on the childrens and teachers opinion. Observation is an important tool used by this paper to find the effects. The motivation of this project is the fact that most business employees are joyful and in the right mood, they would cooperate with interviewers.  It  will contribute to the findings of this paper by recording the findings after interaction. This paper will consider the keys to implementing successful behavioral change in an organization. It will then observe the employees, according to the response they give. In particular, it will identify the bad lessons various technological issues has brought to the employees. This paper will have a report from customers, who have encountered the effects of services from bad-mannered employees. The motivation for the report  is the need to have successful behavioral change in any organization. The paper will show the extent at which colleges have gone in training of their employees. Most colleges do not have necessary skills to teach good morals and behaviors to students. In particular, the paper will focus on young employees who have had recent employment. More so, it will focus a little on the experienced employees. Overall relationship between senior and junior employees will be part of the discussion in this paper. An interim study by a group of Australian education experts found out bad behavior has affected the production level of most firms. Good behavior requires much sacrifice from the employee, and it is always out of the heart. The stakeholder meeting involving firm managers from growing firms in Italy, drawing from Government (2012),