Media Influence Essay

The Mass Media is a unique feature of modern society; its development has accompanied an increase in the magnitude and complexity of societal actions and engagements, rapid social change, technological innovation, rising personal income and standard of life and the decline of some traditional forms of control and authority. There is an association between the development of mass media and social change, although the degree and direction of this association is still debated upon even after years of study into media influence. Many of the consequences, either detrimental or beneficial, which have been attributed to the mass media, are almost undoubtedly due to other tendencies within society. Few sociologists would refute the importance of the mass media, and mass communications as a whole, as being a major factor in the construction and circulation of social understanding and social imagery in modern societies. Therefore it is argued that the mass media is used as â€Å"an instrument†, both more powerful and more flexible than anything in previous existence, for influencing people into certain modes of belief and understanding within society. The question of medias influence on society and its cultural framework has often been debated upon from leading theorists to anyone with any form of media connections, but to contemplate that a character in Coronation Street or Eastenders can have an influence on an audience members attitude, beliefs or interpretations of society is a very simplistic and debatable version of the truth. The media does influence, but using more diverse and subtle roles of impact. Some theorists suggest that it is even a case of society influencing the media and not the more widespread and presumed version. History In the early 1930’s, the Payne Studies study took place into the effects and influences of the mass media on the society as a whole using, at times, theories or beliefs that dated back to the late nineteenth century. This is regarded as one of the first in the area of or notion that the mass media has an affect on the societal attitudes and beliefs of that time. This was soon follow around about a decade later in 1941 by Katz, Berelson, and Lazarsfeld who also decided to research into the topic of media effects, a research which produced the now commonly known ‘Minimum Effects Model’. The main aspect of this research being to investigate any possible link or factor that may influence voting behaviour. As has been described in numerous literature it’s ‘discovery’ was that the mass media played little or no part in the process of the formation of any political opinion, attitude or preference. They came to the conclusion that the biggest factor influencing people was not the media, but other people. By the 1960’s, there was a revival of Marxist attitudes, and so the work of Katz, Lazarsfeld, and Berelson was largely dismissed in favour of re-examining the model of research into media effects, due to the modifications the mass media had undergone in the post 1941 period, to consider another way in which to investigate the influence and the effects of the media. Influence, society and individuals As Jane Root wrote in the book â€Å"Open The Box†, which delves into the possibilities of media influence, â€Å"It has a role in defining what we think of as a natural†¦it helps to map out who we think we are†. To look at the medias effect and influence, there is an underlying need to define influence as we understand it in relation to society and it’s overall effect. Media is a major piece within society that is often linked to the notion of social influence. Society understands the notion or concept of being influenced as an â€Å"external force† (the media) linking itself or connecting with a personal action or viewpoint of the recipient. (John Corner: 2000: 378) The forces of influence that have been described as a major power in media effects are those that are circumstantial and directed, those which can be placed within a framework or model, for example â€Å"uses and gratifications†,  those of a generic function but ultimately those which state perspectives, interpretations, and measurements which can lead to evidence and proof. Uses & Gratifications Model A systematic and widely used model in social sciences study of media influence over the effects on an audience concerning behaviour, attitudes and beliefs, is the theory of uses and gratifications. This theory can be linked to the notion of social belonging and how an audience can be deceived into believing that this concept can be achieved. The tenet underlying this approach to studying audiences was that individuals actively consume and use the media in order to meet certain needs. In reality, with the power belonging in the focus of the media, it can be defined as a tool of subliminal persuasion. (O’Sullivan, Dutton, Raymer: 1998) Blumler and Katz (1974) concluded that audience’s fulfilment of needs came within the broad generalisation of four desires: * Diversion – a form of escape or emotional release from  everyday pressures. * Personal Relationships – companionships via television personalities and  characters and sociability through discussion about television with other people. * Personal Identity – the ability to compare one’s life with characters and  situations within programmes, and hence explore personal problems and perspectives. * Surveillance – a supply of information about what is going on in the  world. It is believed that this need to gratify its audience with the pursuit of an idealistic social fulfilment provides the media the opportunity to convey subliminal messages that may influence our opinions, interpretations and understanding of societal factors. The thought that the media is an overwhelming force that influences their audiences through the means of appealing to their desires and needs, must be examined in contrast with the notion that â€Å"every one is free†. Meaning that the mass media’s audience can resist being controlled, simply through choice. An individual always has the option of simply not watching that programme or not reading that particular newspaper. An individual makes the choice, and the selection that is made will merely underpin the views and inclinations that they already have. Television Violence It is believed that the most prominent sign of the mass medias influence is the link to violent programmes and violence within society. Some, technological determinists extend to the belief that the television has altered the world, and it is an â€Å"evil thing that rots the minds of youth†. Television characters are repeatedly recognized as heroes, due to the gaining of respect and numerous other rewards through their actions, they are especially likely to be imitated. For instance at the height of it’s British dominance of children’s television, The Power Rangers were the cause of a large number of accidents, injuries and quarrels that its young audience endured due to the imitation of the characters movements and actions. It may also act as a cue to aggressive behaviour, through desensitisation, uninhibitedness and stimulation. Scenes of violence in a horror film allegedly influenced the two accused ten year olds involved in the infamous James Bulger murder, in which a young boy was abducted and killed. It is  said that they undertook the resulting actions after becoming intrigued and excited by the violent scenes within the horror movie Childs Play. At the accused’ trial the defence made an attempt to present an argument that their actions could be explained through their fascination to television and films which distorted their understandings of society, reality and moral values. Also, it has been noted that naturally aggressive people may simply choose and prefer to watch more violent programmes than of any other nature. Friedrich and Stein found that aggressive-prone children are likely to become even more aggressive after watching violent television. A report made by the United States Surgeon General concluded that television violence is influential, as many as 25% of child viewers may be affected. But what it doesn’t take into account is that other research undertaken had shown, that from over 300 studies using numerous amounts of children, there was no direct effect of the violence portrayed through the mass media on the youth of contemporary society, though there is considerable disagreement between different studies. For instance it could be concluded that violence can never be considered the sole cause of delinquent behaviour, it may possibly just act to reinforce or affect those that are already prone to such tendencies. These examples have been noted as possible indications of the effects of the mass media through the means of expression of television violence, but the media is accused of also acting in more subliminal ways when looked at through the vehicle of the print based and television news. News The mass media present a stereotyped picture of life, which can often lead to undesirable prejudices within not just national, but international, society. The mass media and in particular the television and print based news are often accused as being a significant source, in wide ranging and varied ways, of enhancing common stereotypes. It is argued now that in the case of women, ethnic groups, the disabled, certain professions, the old, the  physically unattractive and even nationalities are all presented according to accepted stereotypes. As â€Å"the war on terrorism† in Afghanistan rages on the news that has come from that region has had exactly the same type of subliminal messaging that was continually occurring in the Gulf War press. The aim of that journalism was to distinguish the language concerning both sides that were at war. During the Gulf War the descriptions given to the opposite sides were of a distinct nature as to enhance the British reputation and to condemn the Saddam regime. British troops â€Å"took out†, â€Å"suppressed† and â€Å"eliminated† their opposition because of an â€Å"old fashioned sense of duty† because they are â€Å"professionals†, â€Å"brave† and â€Å"lion-hearted†, whereas Saddam’s army simply â€Å"killed† and â€Å"destroyed† because they â€Å"feared Saddam† and were â€Å"cowardly† and â€Å"Bastards of Baghdad† (O’Sullivan, Dutton, Rayner: 1998:80). These binary oppositions are used as a form of media propaganda, the conscious manipulation of information in order to gain political advantage. By using the media as a tool of manipulation the Conservative government of the Gulf War era and the Labour government of the present day have effectively stereotyped the opposition in order to provide national unity and enhance their own political agendas. Studies have also been carried out to study the effects of television on political behaviour, with Blumler (1970) as just one, concluding that television had little or no discernible influence over the viewer. Construction of the news is another way in which the mass media can have an influence over the masses. Through the placement of certain aspects of, for example, a news feature or the selective process made by editors it preserves the notion of media influence continually. Television and print based news, due primarily to their fixation with crime and violence arguably has a pessimistic impact upon our societal behaviour. The news can be described as being an oxymoron; giving us the skin of the truth stuffed with a lie. I personally do not concur with this as I consider that generally news does not lie, except it does not inform the audience of the entire truth by omitting the less interesting and dramatic parts. A news program is  primarily focused on the facts, but for the purposes of television and the print based media they tend to emphasise on the dramatic, generally violent stories and images to capture and sustain its audience, under the facade of keeping it informed. The med ias influence through the news is that it affects the public both consciously and subconsciously, and in some cases sends us about our lives unnecessarily fearing the remote dangers that we see excessively portrayed in the news. Stereotyping Children’s programmes especially have a tendency to amplify stereotypes, presenting â€Å"goodies† and â€Å"baddies† within episodes. The confirmation of their stereotypes may makes children feel more comfortable with themselves if they can place someone within a group. Also some children often only have their contact with some minority groups through the television. Greenfield (1984) found that Sesame Street’s use of ethnic and disabled minorities has had positive affects on children, particularly those from the minority groups who feel greater cultural pride and self-confidence. Certain events are over-reported, such as violent or sex crimes, and this acts to alter public opinion. Cohen (1965) suggests that the media creates moral panics by widely reporting an initially minor event, which leads to further comprehensive reports, detection of causes or troublemakers. Radio Cantril (1940) is often referred back upon as a classic example of how the mass media can influence through the gaining of trust. It refers to an incident in the late thirties that caused a widespread public panic in America after a radio station broadcast of H.G.Wells’ fictional narrative War of the Worlds. The production involved a series of news bulletins in which the reporter gave a â€Å"live† account of a Martian invasion. A lot of listeners had tuned in a few moments after the show had begun and so, apparently unaware that the program was of a fictitious nature, believed what they were hearing was the truth and so began becoming hysterical, with some taking to the streets and others even packing up their belongings as  quickly as they could and driving off in order to avoid the attacks. Cantril’s study was the documentation of media-social relations at the time and so the â€Å"invasion† pointed towards the influence that the radio had over the masses, as they truly believed the broadcast. The primary factor in the â€Å"invasion† was the trust that the public had in radio journalism being unwittingly extended to a practical simulation. What was evident from this episode was the steady, gradual and routine influence that the mass media as a whole had exerted, led to the radio broadcasts listeners faith that they were being attacked (Corner: 2000: 385). This case has been cited as being an excellent example of the â€Å"Hypodermic Needle Model†, a hypothesis which asserts that the media are dominant agents of influence, capable of â€Å"injecting† ideas and behaviours directly into fairly inert audiences of isolated individuals. It could also be marked down as not only showing the behavioural changes that can arise from a single piece of media output but also the underlying example of media influence that experts have looked for through experiments or fieldwork. Conclusion In closing, there are perceived to be constantly changing views on the influence that is exerted by the mass media. At first there was the attitude that the media was forcing itself upon us in such a way as to exert its influence and shape our beliefs, actions and values. Now though as time has moved on, theorists are thinking about this area of research in other ways and through diverse approaches. There was a shift in the perspective of researchers within audience reception in the seventies and is evident none more so than in the statement made by James Halloran (1970): â€Å"We must get away from the habit of thinking in terms of what the media do to people and substitute for it the idea of what people do with the media.† The technological determinist view, which states an overemphasis on the part of the mass media as the major, if not solitary cause of societal and  cultural changes, which have effected actions and beliefs, is not the view that I personally would concur with. In my opinion the mass media is an incredible tool of persuasion and could influence somebody undoubtedly. Mass media audiences are arguably on the whole not passive, and so the amount of influence that is exerted upon the recipient depends entirely on the individual. As most pieces of media output are â€Å"polysemic† in nature, meaning that it is capable of having different meanings and readings from person to person (O’Sullivan, Dutton, Rayner: 1998:327), the way in which, or by how much, an individual is influenced is entirely through choice. Bibliography * O’Sullivan, Dutton, Rayner: (1998): Arnold Publishers â€Å"Studying The Media: Second Edition† The following authors were cited from â€Å"Studying The Media: Second Edition† James Halloran (1970) Blumler and Katz (1974) James Curran & Michael Gurevitch: (2000): Arnold Publishers â€Å"Mass Media And Society: Third Edition† Chapter 19: John Corner: (2000) Within Chapter 19, written by John Corner the following authors were cited: Cantril (1940) Blumler (1970) * John Eldridge, Jenny Kitzninger, Kevin Williams: (1997): Oxford Uni. Press Inc â€Å"The Mass Media & Power In Modern Britain† The following authors were cited from â€Å"The Mass Media & Power In Modern Britain†: Greenfield (1984) Friedrich and Stein United States Surgeon General Report Cohen (1965) * Jane Root: (Unknown): (Unknown) â€Å"Open The Box†

Challenges Children Face in Divorced Families Essay

The death of a parent is less devastating to a child than a divorce. (Billota, 2012) There are long term and short effects that children face during and post divorce. There are six stations in which most couples face while going through these trials. About fifty percent of married couples will get a divorced before the children are of the age of 18. (Scott, 2010) Since divorce is so complex I will discuss some guidelines on how to ease the pain on children growing up or going through a household in which parents are getting a divorce. The death of a parent is less devastating to a child than a divorce. (Billota, 2012) After carefully analyzing this statistic I can say that I agree with the statistical fact. Speaking from personal experience, I feel like I am a creditable source and can relate to this topic of Challenges Children Faced in Divorced Families. Another statistic is that half of American children, under the age of eighteen will witness the actual break of their parents and half of those children will also witness the failure of the second marriage. The percentage of children being raised without their fathers in America is an astonishing forty percent. Children who experienced a divorce are more like to be at a higher risk for illness or injury such as asthma, headaches, and speech defects. (Billota, 2012) These are just a few of the statistical facts that children of divorce face. My name is Mayra and I am a statistic. I come from a divorced family; I witnessed the breakup of my parents and both of their second marriages. I am a divorcee, my son is a recipient of speech therapy and I was raised without a father. Divorce is a death of a commitment and a promise, but unlike a death of a parent, it isn’t someone we mourn and then slowly move forward from, it is a death that we have to deal with on a day to day basis. This is why the death of a parent is less devastating to a child than of a divorce. (Billota, 2012) â€Å"I, Mayra, take thee, Erick, to be my lawful wedded husband. To have and to hold from this day forward; for better or for worse; in sickness and in health; to love, to honor, obey, and cherish; from this day forward; till death do us part.† These are common broken vows. Why do people marry? According to our text, people marry for love and commitment as well to avoid the inevitable feeling of loneliness. (Scott, 2010) A steady companionship is ideal in society and although that isn’t the sole reason for marriage, it is one of the major reason people pursue marriage. Other reasons people get married besides personal fulfillment, can be for financial reasons, wealth, power and reproductive reasons. (Scott, 2010) In a perfect world everyone would live a fairytale marriage and live a happily ever after. In today’s society divorce is what happens when couples don’t work out. Some might refer to it as a trend; do to the simple fact that in the most recent years the numbers of divorce rates have increased to a little more than 1 million a year. (Scott, 2010) Factors that affect marital stability are, but not refined just to, age of first marriage, education of individuals, income, religion, parental divorce, cohabitation, and presence of children. (Scott, 2010) There are different stages in the process of divorce. Starting from when the conflict between the married couple begins and last a period of time; to the initiation of legal paperwork; to the spouses’ adaption to the dissolution of the troubled marriage. (Scott, 2010) As mentioned above some factors that affect marital stability include the presence of children. Marriages can last longer if children are indeed present do to the fact that parents don’t want their children to grow up in a broken home; it can be imposed values or the sense of guilt. In cases when the marriage cannot be salvaged and there are children involved in the dissolution; it is best that the parents take time to careful initiate the process while providing stability and structure. (Scott, 2010; Block, Kemp, & Smith, 2012) The six stations that married couples face as they divorce are: emotional, legal economic, coparental, community and psychic divorce. During the emotional station, either one or both partners begin to question their marriage based on the viability or quality. One or both partners may withdraw emotionally, withhold feelings and may withhold affection. Intentionally hurting one another may occur because of the frustration, anger or resentment that they might feel towards each other or one another. Separation during this stage is common and it is common to do so after an argument or fight. (Scott, 2010) It is crucial that from this stage parents recognize that in order to avoid their children from feeling the stress and the pain of a divorce, that they provide structure, love and reassurance to the children. One thing to remember is not to belittle one another or argue in front of the children. (Block, Kemp, & Smith, 2012) During my emotional station, we both detached from one another and intentionally hurt one another by verbally insulting each other. An argument that occurred while placing an order at a restaurant was all it took to know that the person that I married knew nothing about me after 6 years of marriage. I took into account that I had a son and I didn’t want him to grow up without both parents, but I figured it wasn’t a healthy marriage and I couldn’t hide my pain, it showed and affected my relationship with my son. I left within a couple of days of that argument. Second station: The legal divorce officially ends the matrimony and gives both parties the right to remarry or see other people as they please. This is a deliberating period of time and usually takes months before it’s finalized. Divorce can be expensive and result in either spousal support, alimony, and or child support, which leads’ us to our third station: economic divorce. Economic divorce involves the economical settlements of tangible items that may have been accrued during the marriage. It includes homes, cars, bank accounts, investments and any future earnings. This station is not applicable to every marriage being that not every marriage last as long and may or may have not accrued much. Stations two and three may also affect the challenges the children face during these periods. Children may face the challenge of not seeing either parent for long periods of time and have to incorporate a new schedule and routine. It is common for a father to become less involv ed with their children during this period because of their perceptions of possible sources of support. Fathers may feel that by providing child support they no longer have resume their ties to fatherly duties. During the economic station, children may also face economical changes. It is common for the mother to have custody and usually in household incomes the father has a higher income. If they live with the mother the child may not live the life as if both parents combined their income causing stress and emotional pain to a child. (Scott, 2010) Being involved with the children after divorce is a great way to reassure them that they have both parents’ regardless of the separation. And even through the economical changes, providing the children with a safe secure home, establishing a routine, and providing structure will ease the challenges the children face. (Block, Kemp, & Smith, 2012) Children react to divorce by having feeling of denial, anger, sadness, rejection, despair and grief and loneliness. Station 4 the coparental divorce involves the responsibilities the parents have to the children that include, custody, visitation, and financial and legal aspects of it. (Scott, 2010) Engaging in custody battle adds an abundant amount of stress to all parties, especially the children. Ensuring that the children don’t get caught in between battle is important. Parents should make sure they don’t have the children chose sides and always remember it should be in the best interest of the child. (Block, Kemp, & Smith, 2012) The community divorce, station five, involves the changes of the social relationships which includes relatives and friends that are associated with a former spouse. This can act as a loss to either family member. Having to detach from relatives, such as in-laws, mutual friends, family members of the former spouse, puts a toll on everyone because people are left to feel like they have to choose sides. Children face the challenges of losing friends and the luxury of having the sense of family. (Scott, 2010) In my personal situation, mutual friends were forced to take sides because my former spouse couldn’t handle the thought of sharing anything that had to do with me. Former family members feel like they can’t invite to family parties out of respect to my ex, but it affects my son because, he misses his father’s family. Situations like these are best handled by presenting as a united front. (Block, Kemp, & Smith, 2012) The psychic divorce, sixth station, has no time frame and involves defining yourself as single person rather than a couple. During this process, people mourn their failed marriage, use the time to discover their self, distance themselves from the divorce and accept the breakup. The station of difficulty and time varies from individual to individual. (Scott, 2010) Children absorb so much through divorce and being a strong parent, who reassures them that they are not at fault or cause for the divorce helps ease the grief caused by the divorce. Helping children express emotions and committing to listen to the children without getting defensive reassures the unconditional love that you have for them. Adjusting to new circumstances is difficult for children, they can look at divorce as a loss and by supporting their feelings helps create that trust that may have been lost with the divorce. (Block, Kemp, & Smith, 2012) Divorce on children has a short term and long term effect. The short term experiences that are most commonly shared among children whose parents divorced are: rejection, anger, denial, sadness, despair, and grief. Children tend to feel guilty and blame themselves for the divorce and fantasize about parents reuniting. The stresses of this may cause health problems, both physical and psychological. Health problems may be caused by the lack of health insurance following the divorce, which creates a health problematic for children. The stress of the divorce may lead to depression and leave the children feeling incompetent. This depends on the guidance of the parents and the adjustment process of the child. Long term effects may not be as clear and consistent. Long term effects are long-lasting and interfere with the process of social-emotional developmental. (Scott, 2010) Children of divorced families are four more times likely to have problems with their peers. It is also said that boys who come from divorced parents tend to be more aggressive toward their peers than those who don’t come from a broken home. (Billota, 2012) The adult children of divorced parents show much more anxiety and have a higher rate of having failing interpersonal relationships. The more common long term effect of children of divorced parents is low self-esteem, depression and school and behavior problems. These are the negative effects and challenges children face. (Scott, 2010) Support for marriage and families can be found online, within the community and schools. Some schools provide affordable counseling services. Parents who decide to divorce are encouraged to learn about the effects children face during divorce. It may help reduce risks children might face during and after the process. There is a high risk for fathers to be less involved with their children after divorce, so it is encouraged that families promote activities that involve parents and children so that it help them stay connected (Scott, 2010) Important guidelines to help children cope are, telling the truth, saying â€Å"I love you†, addressing the changes, avoid blaming anyone, listening and acknowledging feelings, having patience, providing reassurance, and providing a structured routine. When in doubt, it is encouraged to seek professional help. (Block, Kemp, & Smith, 2012) By providing all the above, helps give the children a sense a security and perhaps the hope that everything is for the better. It would be nice if children from divorced families could break the vicious cycle of divorce. I can say that for two yours I put a lot effort into making my marriage work. I encourage everyone to take premarital counseling and post-marital counseling. I believe to have a strong successful marriage there needs to be a solid foundation of communication, trust and respect. Love is an emotion and in most cases conditional, the only unconditional love that I ever known is for my son. I can’t say that for everyone. If I would have known that I was going to cause so much emotional pain getting a divorce, never in a million years would have given up after two years. The death of a parent is less devastating to a child than a divorce. (Billota, 2012) Works Cited Billota, L. (2012, March 23). 18 Shocking Statistics About Children and Divorce. Retrieved from Marriage Success Secrets website: http://www.marriage-success-secrets.com/statistics-about-children-and-divorce.html Block, J., Kemp, G., & Smith, M. (2012, March 21). Children and Divorce. Retrieved from Helpguide.org: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/children_divorce.htm Scott, M. A. (2010). Marriages and Families. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Descriptive Final

Robert Campbell Mrs. Overly ENGL 1301. 54 11/1/2005 Assignment: Ch. 3. Descriptive Writing—â€Å"The Body Farm† p. 139, #1. Write an essay in which you describe something that most people would find repulsive or frightening. Skydiving It was an ordinary day in June when a few friends and I decided that we wanted to do something that we thought was exhilarating, so we went skydiving. What is skydiving you might ask yourself? Skydiving is exactly what it sounds like, the act of jumping or falling out of an aircraft and parachuting to the earth. Some people might call you crazy or even think that it is repulsive or frightening, but those adventurous enough to participate will never forget what it is like and will want to do it over and over again. To us, skydiving is a vacation. The morning that we decided to go skydiving was a time that I will never forget. I awoke that Saturday and began to think about what I was going to do; after an idea came to me I called my friend Raquel and Julie. When they picked up the phone and heard of what I was asking of them they both were apprehensive and nervous, but after talking to them for a while they both decided that we would go. Around 12:30 I picked them up and we went to get something to eat at McDonalds, before heading out to Skydive Spaceland in Rosharon. I have to admit that upon arriving at Skydive Spaceland my friends and I began to wonder what had gotten into us. Upon our arrival we first went into the plane hanger and then to a place they call â€Å"Manifest†, which is where you began to sign your life away. Filling out the papers took my friends and I approximately 30 to 40 minutes to complete, and this paper work was basically legal documents that say if you are injured or hurt in anyway shape or form in the dive that the are not liable for anything. When we were through signing the papers and paying the fees, we were then ready to take the class required for the dive. In order to skydive you must take a 45 minute class that explains the important things required to prepare for jumping. Probably the two most important instructions they teach you, are what altitude you must pull the parachute at, which is 5500 feet, and the saying â€Å"fly fifty five to stay alive†. Another thing that was also important was the arch of your back when first exiting the plane. This was necessary because it forces your body to flip over causing you to fall in a controlled motion. In the class my friends and I had to practice this motion by squatting and quickly going to a standing position while arching our backs, it insured that we understood the motion. Following the class was over we then began to suit up into royal blue jump suit, which look like astronaut space suits. Once suited up we began to board into the aircraft, which was a twin engine plane only big enough to seat about 25 people, and reeked of gasoline. Before this point in my life I had never rode in a plane, so it was going to be a first. We boarded the plane and began to seatbelt ourselves in next to our tandem jump instructors. Then the plane began to take off and at this time I was pretty nervous but my adrenaline was pumping so fast I did not know what to think. The plane ride took about 15 minutes to reach the appropriate altitude that we needed to exit the plane, and the time we rode with the cargo bay door wide open. When we reached the appropriate altitude I was the first in line to exit the aircraft, which was scary because I had not watched anyone else exit before me. Upon exiting the aircraft you hear a loud sound â€Å"whoosh†, and a cold wind comes over your body. Then the most exhilarating feeling came over me and I was having a blast. We had to do a number of things that we learned in our class, while we were up in the air. Such as, checking you altimeter at different altitudes and shaking the camera mans hand, and over all just having fun. And then at 5500 feet it was time to pull the parachute. There is a misconception that when the parachute is pulled that the person is jerked up from the parachute deploying; but this is not true because it is an optical illusion due to the fact that the camera man videoing the free fall continues to fall, therefore making it look as the he was jerked upward. After the parachute was deployed, there is an 8 to 10 minute descent, after landing on the ground I was thankful but at the same time my adrenaline was pumping and I was ready to do it again. And the video camera observed the whole scene. Although some people might call you crazy or even think that sky diving is repulsive or frightening, but to those who venture to share in this act we call skydiving will never forget what it is like and will want to do it over and over again. Skydiving is something that I enjoy and plan to do at least a few more time in my life. I have to say that it was the funniest experiences in my life.

Sources of Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sources of Finance - Essay Example The equity market (also known as the stock market) is the market for trading equity instruments (Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, 2005). Shares are the securities issued to the general public and its ownership implies business ownership.There are two different types of shares: Equity shares and Preference shares (Finance.mapsofworld.com, 2013). One of the examples of the equity instrument is common stock shares, publicly traded on national and global Stock exchanges (Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, 2005). Debts are the financial instruments traded for a long period of time. Example of debt instruments are mortgages and bonds (either corporate or government) (Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, 2005). Loans are granted by Banks, insurance companies or financial institutions in order to provide working capital or finance capital equipment (Term loan, 2006). Various banks including commercial banks, industrial development banks, and cooperative banks give medium-term loans for a period of 3-5 years (Finance.mapsofworld.com, 2013). Financial institutions established by State and Central governments give long term loans (Finance.mapsofworld.com, 2013). In order to get long term loan the company is required to limit dividends, to meet minimum working capital and debt to net, etc. (Term loan, 2006). If the company is granted the loan, it is amortized over a fixed period of time (Term loan, 2006). Loans as a source of long-term financing have some obvious benefits to the borrowers, as the principal and interest are the figures that can be calculated and planned in budget. Also, the duration of the business relationship is defined in the contract and normally ends when the debt is paid out (National Federation of Independent Business, 2009). Equity financing allows a business entity to acquire funds without generating debt obligations. When the company issues shares usually there is no debt burden on the company

Can you follow the reasoning of the Fine Tuning Argument Are you Essay

Can you follow the reasoning of the Fine Tuning Argument Are you convinced by it's reasoning and it's response to many universes hypotheses Why or why not - Essay Example Everyday science is discovering new things, so it would be inadequate to conclude that God is omnipotent. This is a response to the reasoning and responses to the universe hypotheses of the fine tuning argument (Collins, 3) I am not convinced by the general principle reasoning. It formulates the fine tuning argument against the ‘atheistic Single-universe’ hypothesis. It uses the prime principle of confirmation. The confirmation principle states that for two hypotheses H1 and H2. Something counts as evidence for hypotheses rather than another that is when is truer under a certain hypothesis than another (Collins, 8). Therefore in probability, the greater the difference, the greater the probability of counting as evidence. The examples offered in the principle of confirmation are, firstly, find rocks. Whereby if you find rocks in the mountain errand Saying ‘welcome to mountains’ there is a great probability that it is your brother who wrote it rather than chance. Secondly, a defendants fingerprints found on a murder weapon would more probably suggest that he is the murderer. I do not agree to the application of the principles that relies on the fact that that the universe has th e fine-tuned life factors being more probable under the theism hypothesis. The belief that the universe along with the essential life factor is an inexplicable brute fact (Collins, 18). The principle questions whether there are other universes. If there are, then one of the universes has to be fine tuned. It happens that the only fine-tuned universe could be ours because the other does not support an intelligent life. I am not convinced by the response to many universes hypothesis because it describes the universe as large or perhaps infinite thus it differs with the fundamental physical parameters. I agree that the majority of the universes do not support life-permitting values only a one. Its hard to understand the existence of improbable universe such

Who Moved My Cheese by Johnson Spencer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Who Moved My Cheese by Johnson Spencer - Essay Example This prevents the change from getting an individual by surprise. Quick adaption to the change is necessary. This calls for the release of the old cheese to enjoy a new one. It is advisable to move before the change. As in the case of the mice in the book, the move fast in search of new food supply and have quick instincts to adapt upon depletion of the existing supply. It is also very significant to accept a change in order to move ahead. In case someone faces change, do not waste precious time blaming others. Quickly move with the cheese. It is also advisable to enjoy a new cheese but does not create a comfort zone in the new cheese. Try to take the positive bit of a change and seize the opportunity to learn new ideas. To keep up with the pace some changes are of need. This calls the rearrangement of the staffs to face a new change for managers. People can also stay at one point for a long time since most of them are not ready to change for another cheese. Management purposes that i f one does not change become extinct. Most people wait until the environment presents no any other option but only a change. This is the worst management practice. People should practice counteracting the fear of the new cheese. People should also practice movement in the right direction. The application of the lesson learned in this book can help in both personal profession and management. This would prompt an individual to be keen to details and welcome a reason for a change. Always have the confidence of unknown to bury the fear.

Biopolar Disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Biopolar Disorder - Essay Example Mania and depression both may involve states of malnutrition secondary to the psychiatrically diminished awareness of or ability to maintain one's health and well-being. Thus, a metabolic panel along with, in extreme cases, levels of thiamine, albumin, and prealbumin may help determine the extent of self-neglect and compromised nutritional state. Neuroimaging modalities are currently not helpful in diagnosing bipolar disorder. Rather, the clinical presentation of symptom clusters, as defined in the DSM-IV TR, plus family and genetic histories guide the mental health clinician in diagnosing psychiatric conditions. Neuroimaging studies of child and adolescent patients with bipolar disorder are few. MRI studies of children and adolescents with bipolar I disorder have shown enlarged ventricles and an increased number of hyperintensities compared with healthy control subjects. The pathologic and clinical significance of these findings is unknown. In MRI studies, in a study by Darsi (1999) found that the area of the thalamus was substantially decreased in youths with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia compared with healthy control subjects. Studies in adults revealed similar findings. ... studies of children and adolescents with bipolar I disorder have shown enlarged ventricles and an increased number of hyperintensities compared with healthy control subjects. The pathologic and clinical significance of these findings is unknown. In MRI studies, in a study by Darsi (1999) found that the area of the thalamus was substantially decreased in youths with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia compared with healthy control subjects. Studies in adults revealed similar findings. The diagnosis of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia cannot be made on the basis of this volume difference on MRI. Nonetheless, reduced thalamic volume is consistent with clinical symptoms of poor attention, difficulty in filtering simultaneous stimuli, and dysregulation of mood, all of which symptoms found in patients with both of these major mental illnesses. Whether a structural or functional deficit in the thalamus may be causal or contributory to the pathophysiology of these mental disorders remains unknown. Other Tests: A baseline ECG may be needed before a psychotropic medication is started because some are known to alter QT intervals or other features of the cardiac rhythm. Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings from overly high and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. The periods of highs and lows are called episodes of mania and depression. (Upadhyaya, 2006; Wikiepedia, 2007; NIMH, 2007). Symptoms of mania (or a manic episode) include (NIMH, 2007; Upadhyaya, 2006;, Wikiepedia, 2007): Increased energy, activity, and restlessness Excessively high, overly good, euphoric mood Extreme irritability Racing

Energy Resources Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Energy Resources - Lab Report Example When a wire is moved in a magnetic field, electricity is generated in that wire. A motor is a machine that is just the reverse of generator. When electricity is passed through a motor, it causes the internal shaft to spin. This spinning action can be used to perform various tasks. 6. Fossil fuels are the energy sources that are derived from the organic matter produced millions of years ago and preserved in certain ideal conditions. We care about fossil fuels because they are non-renewable and once depleted can never be replaced. 9. The patterns of energy usage and waste production in industrialized world differ from those in the non-industrialized world because in the industrialized world most of the activities are automated and require electricity and oil as their energy sources. Contrary to this, in the non-industrialized nations, the economies are primarily agrarian and depend on conventional energy sources like wood, coal, etc. Hence the patterns of waste production tend to differ in the two worlds. 1. There exist vast differences in the usage of energy sources among countries owing to many reasons. The industrialized countries have automated economies and means of production. Hence such developed nations utilize sophisticated sources of energy like electricity, nuclear energy, etc. On the contrary, the underdeveloped nations have primarily agrarian economies that utilize conventional sources of energy like fossil fuels, biomass fuels and the like. In the times to come, the industrialized nations will experience a marked shift towards renewable energy sources like the solar energy because of the financial resources that are at their disposal to conduct research and development in these areas. Besides, the tougher environmental laws in the developed nations will motivate them to shift towards renewable energy resources. So far as the non-industrialized nations are concerned, the usage of fossil fuels is

The Planar Truss System Steel Truss Bridge Assignment

The Planar Truss System Steel Truss Bridge - Assignment Example In order to estimate the dead weight of the bridge truss system, the steel chamber’s weight had to be evaluated per every unit length and the entire length of the truss. Concrete and gravel make a major component of the bridge and it is mathematically critical to include their weights in the calculations. The total weight of the concrete used in the bridge was 24 Newtons per Cubic meter according to table A1, AS/NZS1170.1;2002. The steel of the bridged was assumed to be 310UB which was 453 Newtons per meter or 42.6 kilograms per meter. The following are the individual measurements obtained from the structure per every material used that included steel, concrete, and further explores the dead weight and live weight of the bridge truss system. To evaluate the total weight of the concrete used in the construction of the bridge, we had to first estimate the thickness of the bridge. In our approximation, we established that the thickness of the truss bridge system is 30 meters. This measurement was strictly taken on the concrete. Because we were covering the measurements in two dimensions, we divided the width by 2, which gave us 5. To get the dead load of the truss system, both the load of the steel and concrete had to be brought together by addition. The load of the concrete is 1764kN and that of steel is 1852.51kN. Therefore, the Dead load of the system is, In order to get the live load, both the weights of the bridge and that of the freight train had to be combined. There are two railway tracks constructed on the bridge alongside other features. The freight engines that are found in Melbourne are the NR; an abbreviation for the national Rail Class. They have an aggregate mass of about 132 tons. They also have lengths of 22meters.

Human Resource Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Human Resource - Essay Example To attract top performance, design the aspects to include where to place the ad of the fallen job vacancy with appetizing job descriptions, design methodologies of referrals, with the help of IT department design an appealing career web page portal and make time line when to give the candidates calls. Schedule and organize interviews to evaluate competency, skills and creating opportunity. In creating effective referrals programmes as the HR manager should use both employee referrals programs and internship models as the recruitment process is an all year event. This will create unlimited referral program in which the employees will assist continually in identifying of the best strong candidates for the job for future and current opportunities. No maximum cap should be placed for referrals submission and to create an effective program, tagging of a referral should be done and in-case hired an incentive fees (LuisR.Gà ³mez-Mejà ­a, 2012). This is an essential component of strategy in the hotel organization in that it helps the management to evaluate if the set out performance meets the business objectives. Performance managements links the behaviour of each individual employee to that of the hotel and with definition of expectation from each of the employees. This will help the hotels to determine the expectations met and those are not meet and take necessary actions which includes training, incentives or even disciplining of individual employees. To achieve this strategic goal a measurements are applied to the hotel goals and the feedback is timely communicated to the employees in the respective departments and the line managers advised to take appropriate actions. The strategic administrative purpose of the system helps the hotel to make use of the information generated on daily basis to aid in decision making in salary, benefits, hiring and in training programs recognition. This mode of management helps in retaining the best

Netsuite customer relationship management for the Banking Sector Essay Example for Free

Netsuite customer relationship management for the Banking Sector Essay NetSuite is the worlds leading provider of on-demand business application software combining accounting and enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM) and  ecommerce capabilities in a completely integrated solution. With over 12,000 customers globally, NetSuite companies are enabled to manage all key business operations uniting departments, automating processes and gaining unparalleled insight into their business. Netsuite is built around a single customer record, so all areas of the business; sales, support, accounting, distribution, shipping and billing, use the same information for every interaction. Because NetSuite gives vital business intelligence in real time, businesses can make informed decisions faster. Deliver better business management powerful real-time, customisable dashboards, NetSuite business management software gives managers and employees the functionality, information and tools they need to manage their entire business better and streamline operations. Eliminate data re-entry because NetSuite software is built on a single record for every aspect of business, theres no need to waste time re-inputting data into separate systems. Eliminate IT maintenance and upgrade costs NetSuite is cloud-based, business management software with a 99.5% uptime guarantee. This gives greater reliability and security while eliminating the need for on-site hardware and software. Make better decisions faster NetSuite business management software gives real-time business intelligence dashboards for any and every aspect of the organisation from leads, commissions, sales revenue and forecasts to bank balances, receivable and payable anywhere and anytime. Increase collaboration NetSuite SaaS offers portals that allow customers, partners and vendors to collaborate allowing organisations to get closer to customers and partners, move quickly and seize opportunities.

Hong Kong Education Essay Example for Free

Hong Kong Education Essay The pre-school education voucher scheme was launched by the government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in September 2007. The scheme was meant to introduce reforms in education in efforts to promote good early childhood education as the foundation for a child’s lifelong learning (Education Department, 2000). Based on this scheme, every parent who has a child aged between 3 and 6 years should be given a voucher worth $13,000 every year (HKU Faculty of Education, 2008). Out of the $13,000, $10,000 can be used by the parents to pay tuition fees in the kindergartens. The remaining $ 3000 should then be used for the professional development of the teachers in pre-school institutions. The pre-school education voucher should be used under certain conditions. These conditions are, that the voucher should not be used for generating profit, pre-school institutions such as kindergartens must make sure their accounts are open for inspection, the school must attain the set Education Bureau benchmarks within 5 years based on the pre-school quality of education, and tuition fees need to be under $24,000 for half day and $42,000 for full day programs per student, per annum. Due to the restrictions that accompany the pre-school education voucher scheme in Hong Kong, stakeholders in the education sector have shown concern for the impact of the imposed restrictions. This has resulted to a debate that has involved the government and the stakeholders. Since its introduction in the 2007/2008 years, the voucher scheme has been very important for parents with children attending kindergartens. The scheme has provided parents with direct fee subsidy and this has eased their financial burden. It is estimated that a total of 820 kindergartens which represents 85 per cent of the total number of kindergartens in Hong Kong have joined the scheme. In addition, 117,000 pupils are enjoying the benefits from the pre-school education voucher scheme fee subsidy. Since 1997, pre-school institutions in Hong Kong experienced reforms that considered internal effectiveness in schools to be important (Vickers, 2003). According to the Hong Kong government, the implementation of the voucher scheme is an indication of its commitment and support to pre-school education. In addition, the schemes are a positive response to the demands that have been made by the kindergarten principals and teachers. This has become possible through the financial support that the schemes provide for the professional development of the teachers and the principals. It is very important to note that the primary objective of the pre-school education voucher scheme in Hong Kong is to provide parents with direct fee subsidy. It is estimated that over 80 percent of the total number of kindergarten teachers have managed to obtain the Certificate of Early Childhood Education(C (ECE)). Some teachers have enrolled in the courses or have managed to obtain qualifications equivalent to (C (ECE)). To evaluate whether the voucher scheme has been successful in achieving its objectives, the Education Bureau (EDB) in Hong Kong continues to conduct Quality Review studies. By May 2009, the Education Bureau is estimated to have conducted survey on more than 320 kindergartens. The government of Hong Kong acknowledges that pre school teachers experience pressure at work and they need to develop in their profession. The scheme is considered to be one of the ways through which the teachers’ professional development can be promoted. Impact of the Pre-school education voucher scheme on teacher’s professional development Teachers at pre-school institutions have shown their full commitment and dedication to education in Hong Kong . One of the ways through which the pre-school education voucher scheme has impacted positively on the teacher’s professional development is by trying to reduce the workload of the teachers and the principals. Since one of the primary objectives of the scheme is to promote professional development of the teachers, the Education Bureau has continued to enhance communication between the school administration, teachers and other stakeholders in the sector (Andrew, 2008). This has resulted to efficient and continuous implementation of programs that are aimed at improving the teachers’ professional development. The quality review mechanism that has been adopted by the Education Bureau ensures that school self evaluation is done to encourage continuous improvement in education and the teachers professional development. Teachers have been concerned about the pressure at work that results from the quality review done by the Education Bureau as well as the work load at school. However, the quality reviews that are supported due to the implementation of the pre-school education voucher scheme have promoted professional collaboration between teachers. Pre-school education in Hong Kong has for a long time been provided by the private sector and non-profit making institutions. This demands that all pre-school institutions such as kindergartens to be well placed in a manner that the market forces are used to determine the teachers’ salaries at discretion. The launch of the pre-school voucher schemes has increased financial resources for the kindergartens and schools’ management activities (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, 2007). In addition, these resources have been used to finance efforts that aim at providing a working environment that attracts and retains qualified and well performing teachers. The financial resources injected by the voucher scheme have also been very vital in facilitating the payment of good salaries to the teachers. These benefits have acted as a motivation for the teachers to improve their skills and abilities hence their professional development (The Education Bureau, 2009). The Hong Kong government has reaffirmed its commitment in promoting high quality education at the pre-school level by encouraging schools or kindergartens to provide the teachers with qualification allowances. Research studies that have been conducted to determine the impact of pre-school voucher schemes in Hong Kong show that over 52 per cent of parents, principals and teachers agree that the scheme is a fair policy that promotes excellence in early childhood education. The teachers satisfaction with the scheme has been due to the opportunities the schemes have offered to them to improve their professional skills. Teachers consider the voucher scheme to have a positive influence on the schools and their staff. By improving the quality of education offered at the kindergarten, it has become necessary for teachers qualifications to be improved. This has played an important role in the teachers’ professional development. A large number of parents with children in pre-school institutions assert that the schemes have promoted the qualifications of the teachers as well as the improvement made on the school facilities. The schemes have encouraged teachers to pursue higher education or to undertake more education courses. At the pre-school level, extra curricular activities are very critical for children development and learning (Sweeting, 1990). Teachers compliment learning in class by extra curriculum activities. By participating in the coordination and implementation of extra curricular programs in school, the teachers’ ability to lead and teach is improved. The voucher scheme has increased financial resources to be spent for the extra curricular activities in school. By being involved in the activities, the teachers’ professional ability to use the activities in educating the children is improved. By September 2008, about 30% of teachers at the pre-school level had enrolled and attained good qualifications after enrolling for (C (ECE)) courses which are recommended and supported by the Education Bureau. The pre-school principals who are also teachers have had an opportunity to pursue higher education . For example, about 61 per cent or a large number of principals have been enrolled to undertake the Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Education (B Ed (ECE). A program to certify the qualification of the principals were put into place in January 2008 . By March 2009, about 300 principals who served in the pre-schools had taken a certification course. For continuous professional development in the teachers, many kindergartens have adopted teacher development subsidy (TDC) to offer the teachers’ school based training programs. The pre-school education voucher scheme provides support services that are offered to develop language skills, cognitive abilities and physical development in children. Teachers gain from this by being engaged in creating a good learning environment, proper children learning, portfolio planning as well as curriculum planning and organization. Being engaged in these activities has been vital in improving the professional skills of the teachers when it comes to planning for good learning at school (Bray and Koo, 2005). The Hong Kong Education Bureau participates in promoting the teachers professional development under the voucher scheme by commissioning a professional training course for their principals. By improving the principals’ leadership and management skills, the teachers are able to get good guidance and effective leadership that relate to the teacher’s work (Ranson, 2003). The principal training course is characterized by an offshore programme and provides an on-spot consultative visit to the principal who participates in the course. About 130 principals are estimated to join the training programme. The principals have given positive feedback about the benefits of the programmes. To support the implementation of the pre-school curriculum revised guide, the Education Bureau organizes professional development programmes which relate to school based curriculum knowledge, leadership, curriculum management and pedagogical knowledge in various areas of learning. This effort has promoted the professional development of the teachers through capacity building. Transparency in pre-school institutions has been promoted by the requirements set by the Education Bureau when it comes to the management of the financial resources . The resources provided by the scheme promote the smooth running of the schools, good remuneration for the teachers and provide a good learning environment. These have gone a long way to increase accountability of the principals and the teachers and this has motivated teachers to embrace good values that are important in professional development. Some of the questions that have been raised about pre-school voucher schemes in Hong Kong is whether the schemes can minimize the overall work pressure on the teachers and improve the staff ratio. The pre –school education voucher schemes have promoted professional upgrading for both the principals and the teachers. For those who serve at PEVs-NPM-KGs, a teacher development subsidy is provided in each voucher. The subsidy is utilized for teacher training and development courses. Furthermore, the teachers and the principals who serve in non PEVs-NMP-KGs can claim a reimbursement from the Education Bureau to cater for up to 50 percent of the fees for a degree or diploma course that has been approved in early childhood education. By the year 2011/2012, all teachers serving at pre-school level are expected to have obtained a certificate in Early Childhood Education (LegCo panel on education, 2009). This together with the demand by the scheme that all kindergarten principals who are appointed from 2009 to have a BEd (ECE) have encouraged teachers to pursue higher education. In addition, the requirement for principals to have a one year post qualification experience and a certification course has encouraged principals and teachers to get engaged in professional development activities and programs. All kindergartens under the scheme have put into place measures that ensure there is continuous professional development by providing school based training programmes under the teacher development subsidy program. Areas of school work that are covered include children’s’ development, learning and teaching, management and organization, and children and school culture support. The quality reviews carried out by the Education Bureau assists the teachers to invest their energy and time in professional development as a way of promoting sustainable school improvement. For example, local non-profit making schools starting 2012-2013 will be able to redeem the education voucher if they are able to meet the prescribed standards of the Quality Review framework (Education Department, 2007). The requirements specified in the Education ordinance (Cap 279) ensures that teachers’ professional development can occur when they meet the set educational standards. The first batch pf 130 Quality Review planned visits began in the 2007-2008 school year (Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, 2008b) and an increase in ratio of graduate teachers in 2008/2009 has raised the professional standards and status of the teachers. The Quality Review Framework promotes transparency and accountability in schools which promotes a culture that is good for professional development of teachers. The Hong Kong government is committed and dedicated to the improvements made in education and the professional development of teachers. The development and implementation of the Pre-school Education Voucher Scheme in Hong Kong is one of the ways through which the government has managed to improve the quality of education and to promote professional development in teachers and principals. High quality education at the pre-school level can be attributed to the pre-school education voucher scheme, classroom inspection and quality reviews in schools. In conclusion, the pre-school education voucher scheme has been promoted through the 2007/08 school year Training Activity, Teacher Development plan for 2008/09 school year, Four-year Teacher Development plan and the professional upgrading of Kindergarten principals and teachers.

Infants Secure Attachment To Different Caregivers Social Work Essay

Infants Secure Attachment To Different Caregivers Social Work Essay Experience of early childhood attachment is at the base of healthy child development and works as the framework for the intimate relationship with others. Early manner of communication between the caregiver and child shapes the attachment relationship. The outcomes of infant attachment considered to be long-term and influences generations of families. According to Bowlby who developed theory of infant-caregiver attachment, attachment security characterizes the confidents of infants in their caregiver, and can be observed through how they interact with their caregiver and how they make use of the caregiver as a secure base to explore their environment (Brown, McBride, Shin Bost, 2007). Attachment theory, therefore, has been regarded as the major structure for the research of mother-child attachment, and it also might offer a practical approach for examining attachment development between other caregivers and infants. Nonetheless, in spite of a number of researches on mother-child att achment has conducted, we still are unfamiliar with attachment relationships between other caregivers such as a father and adoptive parents. Because of the socioeconomic changes that have occurred in the United States during the past three decades, more mothers, with infants, work outside the home and, in many cases, new roles for fathers within the home increased, and many couples with a variety of reasons decided to adopt children also increased. Therefore, this paper explores whether an infant can develop secure attachment to a caregiver other than their primary caregiver, usually mother, and then how father and foster mother-infant attachment relationship different from ordinary infant-mother relationship. Importantly, sensitivity has been considered as a key predictor for secure caregiver-infant attachment. Despite the fact that the relatively few researches studying the attachment relationship with fathers, some studies on father-child attachment suggests that fathers can give sensitive care, an important factor for developing secure attachment, for their children as much as mothers can; therefore, the level of attachment between father and child appears to be comparable to that usually found with mothers (Brown et al., 2007). Moreover, Brown et al. (2007) found that when fathers employed favorable parenting activities, father involvement time does not seem to affect on secure father-child attachment. More specifically, infants tended to form quite secure attachment relationships despite the fact that either their fathers were more involved or disinvolved. When fathers, on the other hand, employed less sensitive child-rearing, increased father involvement was associated to an insecur e father-child attachment (Brown et al., 2007). Therefore, father-child attachment is influenced by fathersà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ parenting quality, and increased involvement is better for building attachment only when it accompanied by positive parenting. In addition, another research showed that fathers who valued the parental role were more tend to have a secure attachment with infants, but this connection was marked only when fathers have positive marriage, conceivably because these fathers are more prone to be given helping hand from their partner (Wong, Mangelsdorf, Brown, Neff Schoppe-Sullivan, 2009). Yet interestingly, fathers who valuing the paternal caregiving role might promote secure attachment of temperamentally difficult infants, for such fathers may be tend to support them with daily child-rearing activities and be adjusted to emotional needs of their infants as well as their other demands. Accordingly, temperamentally difficult babies would be more prone to attach securely to fathers in this circumstance. Even though all adopted children go through a stressful disjointing from their attached figures and are replaced with new attachment figures in the foster family, they are also able to develop and become attached to their fostering families. Jeffer and Rosenboom (1997) examined 80 mothers and their infant from all over the world, adopted between at age of 6 month and 8 month olds, in the Strange Situation when they were 12 and 18 months to evaluate their attachment. According to their study, they found more secure infant-mother attachment than insecure attachment relationship as normally expected. The actual proportion of secure attachment at both 12 and 18 months were approximately 75%, so secure attachments observed this research seemed to be stable over time (Juffer Rosenboom, 1997). Another study of attachment between foster parents and infant also demonstrated that quality of mother-infant attachment in middle-class foster families was comparable to the result of families with only biological children; however, interracial adoption were more likely to have less secure caregivers- infants attachment (Singer, 1985). It might be explained by which families who adopt children of a different race than themselves are less likely to receive hearty support from extended family, friends, and neighbors than are families who adopt children of the same race. Higher rates of insecure attachment also have found among infants who spent as a minimum of 8 months in a Romanian orphanage and then placed to foster families. Infants who adopted at an earlier age, by contrast, do not appear to have an elevated rate of insecure attachment to their adoptive parent (Chisholm, 1998). From these results, although adopted age of infants seems to be a critical factor whether they develop secure or insecure attachment to foster patents, adopted infants are capable of attaching to their new caregiver, and in turn, adoptive parents are responsive enough so that they can meet their adopt ed babiesà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ needs and be a their lighthouse as well. Since infants can develop securely attached relationship to other caregivers, the long term effects such as resiliency to new environments and having positive behaviors and expectances are assumed to be similar to which mother-infant relationship likely to have. Even though the comparison of attachment in foster and non-foster families was reasonably resemble, the outcome sometimes do not exclude the potential importance of insecure or disrupted post-infancy family relationships as a source for the adjustment problems of the adoptee. The study showed that when children reached to school age, they faced to the reality of adoption and begins to be aware of their circumstances, including being abandoned by their parents. Consequently, they often feel frustrated, doubtful, and become insecure to their current families relationship (Singer, 1985). Nonetheless, it appears that the higher occurrence of troubles accounted later on in such families cannot be explained only by attachment probl ems of earlier life because early secure attachment counteracts to these problems and buffers the negative emotion to some degree. In conclusion, infants can develop secure attachment not only to their mothers but also other caregivers, including fathers and adoptive parents. It seems that infants can become attached to any caregivers, provided that those caregivers interact with them on a regular basis, provide physical and emotional care, and are emotionally invested in the child. Sensitivity plays crucial role in secure attachment development between caregiver and infant; on the other hand, the amount of time parents involves in parenting appears to be less related to secure attachment development. The similar positive outcome of secure attachment can be expected to the attachment relationship among father- and adoptive parents-infant. Children are born prepared to form relationships with those who care for them, and those early experiences influence the relationships that they develop within the family and in the greater world outside of the home. Consequently, relationships affect childrenà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s healthy development, and childrenà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s development, in turn, transforms their later fine relationship.

The Dying Dreams :: essays research papers

Arthur Miller profoundly explores the subject of morality and human values in his two famous plays, Death of a Salesman and All My Sons. Though dealing with a common topic , the works contain major differences that help to make them unique. Death of a Salesman describes the tragedy behind shattered dreams and the effects that they bring on entire families. It focuses greatly on illusions created by individuals and the inability of those individuals to except reality. All My Sons, on the other hand, explores the frightening reality of people's insensitivity and their moral values and the illusions created to cover up the tragic reality. The reality versus illusion theme exhibits the parallelisms and the distinctions between the plays. The subject of human values may be compared through the points of view, the imagery, and the life lessons of the two works. All My Sons denounces immorality more directly then Death of a Salesman. Joe Keller's refusal to stop the shipment of cracked cylinder heads causes the deaths of innocent American soldiers. The grim reality is that he allowed the people who were defending him and fighting next to his sons to die, thus committing the ultimate sin of murder. In All My Sons Joe Keller immensely influences the lives of many outside his family while caring only about his own. By contrast, in Death of a Salesman Willy Lowman commits adultery, a rather minor sin when compared with murder. His influence is limited only to the lives of his wife and sons, while he desires to impact the lives of those outside his family. Arthur Miller emphasizes the destruction of lives more apparently in All My Sons then in Death if a Salesman. However, both plays are linked to events dealing with acquisition of money. The theme of material wealth can often be noticed as the basis for many actions in the two works. Joe Keller commits the terrible act because he fears loosing his business and thus, not being able to provide for his family materially. He willingly chooses money over the lives of the soldiers and over the life of his friend and partner. Similarly, Willy Lowman's every action in life revolves around money and material success. His obsession with acquiring wealth destroys his relationship with Biff and his own sanity and happiness. Willy has an affair only to further himself in his career, only to attract more customers.

Federal Reserve Open Market Operations Essay -- Economics Fed Market

Federal Reserve Open Market Operations SUMMARY The Federal Reserve's operating strategy for implementing monetary policy involves interest rate targeting through open market operations. The Federal Reserve does not utilize reserve requirements or the discount rate as part of this strategy. Open market operations involves the buying and selling of securities in the open market, in order to influence reserve balances. By manipulating reserve balances, the Federal Reserve can control the price of reserves in the market. The price of reserves is known as the Federal Funds rate. The Federal Funds rate is the interest rate banks charge each other for lending and/or borrowing reserve balances. This paper will discuss how the Federal Reserve implements a strategy of interest rate targeting through open market operations. Part I Introduction The Federal Reserve Bank is the central bank of the United States. In 1913, Congress created the Federal Reserve System to provide stability to the financial and monetary system. The Federal Reserve Bank (from here on, referred to as the "FED") has four main functions. They conduct monetary policy by influencing money supply in the economy, in order to maintain full employment, price stability, and promote economic growth. They regulate and supervise banking institutions to ensure the safety and soundness of the U.S. financial and banking system. The FED also provides financial and banking services to the U.S. Government, the public, and to financial institutions. And lastly, the FED maintains stability in the financial system by reducing systemic risks that may arise in the markets. The Federal Reserve System is made up of the Board of Governors and twelve regional Federal Reserve banks. The Board of Governors consists of seven members who are appointed by the President of The United States, and must be confirmed by the Senate. All seven governors are members of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), and each vote on the conduct of open market operations. The network of twelve regional banks performs various functions, including; operating a nationwide payments system, distribution of currency and coin, supervising and regulating member banks, and serving as banker for the United States Treasury. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is a major part of the Federal Reserve... ... Trends - The Funds Rate Target and Interest Rates - September 1999. http://www.stls.frb.org/docs/publications/mt/1999/cover9.pdf - 12-13-99 Â · The Dwindling Power of Rate Cuts. http://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/03/opinion/03wed1.html October 3, 2001. Â · Another Rate Cut From the Fed. http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/12/opinion/12wed2.html December 12, 2001. Â · Hess, Diane. 2001. Fed Paints Real Rates a Deeper Shade of Red. http://www.thestreet.com/markets/taleofthetape/10005186.html December 11, 2001. Â · Task, Aaron L., 2001. Cutting Spree May Dull Fed's Blade. http://www.thestreet.com/markets/aarontaskfree/10003583.html November 06, 2001. Speeches: Â · Meyer, Laurence H., 2001. Remarks by Governor Laurence H. Meyer. Before the National Association of Business Economics. The Federal Reserve Board. November 27, 2001. Â · Greenspan, Alan. 2001. Testimony of Chairman Alan Greenspan. Before the Joint Economic Committee, U.S. Congress. The Federal Reserve Board. October 17, 2001. Â · Greenspan, Alan; 2001. Testimony of Chairman Alan Greenspan. Before the Committee on Financial Services, U.S. House of Representatives. The Federal Reserve Board. July 18, 2001.

Ode of the West Wind by Percy Shelley Essay -- too a skylark, spirit,

Percy Shelley was a rebellious writer. Many of the things that he had written didn’t really follow the social standards of his time. Many times, he would call something out or introduce many ludicrous ideas. He also was a huge fan of William Wordsworth, a poet who thought the Industrial Revolution was ruining our connection towards nature. So, Shelley tended to follow this theme, except in a more rebellious way and Adam Kirsch agrees when he states, â€Å"Unlike the average radical, then, Shelley didn't just challenge social taboos; he openly violated them, living his personal life in accordance with unpopular principles like equality, women's rights, and free love.† (Kirsch, Adam). One of the many tools Shelley used in his writing was the use of personification, or treating non-human things as if they were human. For example, Ode of the West used personifies the wind which is shown throughout the poem as he speaks to the wind like he would a person. In To a Skylark, he admires the bird and uses many creative images to express the wonder and magnificent qualities of the skylark. Percy Shelley’s poems Ode of the West Wind and Too a Skylark both use imagery to show links between spirit and nature, and they each use personification of different things to show these connections. First of all, both of Shelley’s poems Ode of the West Wind and Too a Skylark use imagery to illustrate connections between nature and spirit. Ode of the West has many magnificent images that are described throughout the poem. Shelley used many illustrating words that really formed a picture of what he was talking about. The connection of nature and spirit are shown in lines such as, â€Å"Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red, / Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O... ...that show connections between spirit and nature. Works Cited Donovan, Josephine. "Aestheticizing Animal Cruelty." College Literature 4(2011):202. eLibrary. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. Kirsch, Adam.. "AVENGING ANGEL ; Books." New Yorker, The. 27 Aug. 2007: 85. eLibrary. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. Knapp, John. "The spirit of classical hymn in Shelley's "Hymn to Intellectual Beauty"." Style 33. 1(1999):43. eLibrary. Web. 24 Mar. 2014. Neth, J., Michael.. "The Shelley-Byron Conversation.(book reviews)." ANQ 9. (1996):61(4). eLibrary. Web. 24 Mar. 2014. William, James , 1792-1822 (1792-1822) The Complete Poetical Works of Shelley including materials never before printed in any edition of the poems: Edited with textual notes by Thomas Hutchinson Oxford The Clarendon Press 1904 xxvii, 1023 p. Preliminaries, introductory, and editorial matter omitted; non-English verse omitted.

Is Parliamentarism Conducive to Better Political Outcomes Than Presidential Systems? Essay

Is Parliamentarism conducive to better political outcomes than Presidential systems? My interpretation of the question leads me to believe if parliamentary systems are better than presidential systems in deriving better political outcomes. By better political outcomes this implies not only ease of making political decisions but also the manner in which the two systems function and which is better, and whether or not this leads to favourable political outcomes. Issues that I am going to discuss in this essay are going to include the functionality of both systems, the differences between the two systems and whether or not the system provides and facilitates good political outcomes. According to Bagehot â€Å"a Presidential system endows the incumbent with both the ceremonial functions of a head of state and the effective functions of a chief executive.†(Bagehot) In a Presidential system the executive branch exists and resides outside of the legislature. The executive branch does not purpose legislature but have the power to veto them. â€Å"The president has a fixed term in government and it is usually a difficult process trying to eliminate the president.†(Verney) The executive branch controls their cabinet and does not members of the cabinet serve at their will, this means the President can hire or fire anyone from the cabinet. According to Verney â€Å"Parliamentary system, consists of the head of government that are dependent on the confidence of the legislature and can be dismissed by a legislative vote of no confidence.†(Verney) There are two main types of parliamentary democracy which consist of the ‘Westminster system’ and the ‘Consensus system’ but there is also a hybrid of the presidential and parliamentary system which is called the semi-presidential system. The Westminster system derives from the UK and can be found in many of Britain’s ex-colonies such as India and Canada. The Westminster system tends to be a more adversarial style of debating. The consensus system can be found in Germany and Spain and tends to be more consensus style of debating system. Firstly, legislation is always a key factor to answering the question as to which of the following systems is conducive to better political outcomes. Linz argues that â€Å"in a Presidential system both Legislature and the executive can claim legitimacy since both drive their power from the votes of the people in free competition among well-defined alternatives, a conflict is always possible.†(Linz)This occurs because a Presidential system adopts the separation of powers format. Presidential systems usually but not exclusively reside in Federal countries. This allows for a separation of powers between the legislature and executive. This separation can be looked at in different forms, some advantageous and hinders to political outcomes. For example an advantage of having the separation of powers in the Presidential system is that it does not create a dictatorship type of government. The separation of powers means that in the Presidential system the executive as well as the legi slature are can both claim legitimacy, which in turn means that they can both cancel each other out. Presidents cannot impose laws and legislature cannot interfere with presidential powers. In the United States there is a supreme court that decides whether or not the legislature or the President are acting unconstitutional and thus act as a referee in the debating between the two factions of government. The presidential system is seen to be more democratic because of the conflict between the two factions of government. The congress in the US represent the different views of the people in different states and the president represents the US as a whole thus a conflict between the two bodies shows a more democratic process. The Presidential system also has fixed term elections, this is a key argument used by pro-presidential academics, and Horowitz argues that fixed term elections leads to better democratic outcomes. The reason for this thinking is because, â€Å"Fixed terms does not produce winner takes all outcomes as there is conflict between legislature and executive.†(Horowitz) A fixed term also links into the previous mentioned point about reducing the chances of an elective dictatorship as there would eventually have to be a set date for an election and thus if either the executive or the legislature has proven to be unpopular they would get voted out of office. However there are disadvantages to the presidential system in terms of fixed terms and conflicts with legislature. One key disadvantage is that the conflict between the president and the legislature produce political gridlock within the system, â€Å"the separation of powers of a presidential system frequently creates undesirable and long-term political gridlock and political instability whenever the president and the legislative majority are from different parties.†(Linz) Linz â€Å"argues that this inherent political instability can cause democracies to fail, as seen in such cases as Brazil and Chile.†Linz believed that political gridlock can prove to be costly in the forging of governments because it hinders the speed and decisiveness of democracy and thus cause democracies to fail like he mentioned in South America. Also a separation of powers in the presidential system leads both the president and the legislature to become less accountable. Both the executive and the legislature can shift blame upon each other and thus leads to less accountability come election time to the vote rs. Parliamentary systems on the other hand have their government intertwined with the legislature and government is formed form the legislature. In the UK, the Westminster model forms government form the winning party in parliament. So in a parliamentary system there is no separation of powers. The advantages of this are that it reduces the likeliness of political gridlock. Linz argues that â€Å"Parliamentarism imparts flexibility to the political process, presidential makes it rigid.†(Linz). As the government would expect to have backing from their party they have the ability to pass through legislations quicker with less hassle than a presidential system may incur. This is an advantage over the presidential system the executive is often chosen independently from the legislature. If the executive and legislature in such a system include members entirely or predominantly from different political parties, then stalemate can occur. In this form it can be said that Parliamentarism is conductive to better political outcomes than the presidential system. The passing of legislature is an important task for any government as it shows strength and can make or break a government’s reputation. In respect to this I feel that the presidential system may be lacking in terms of being able to pass legislation as it may not be able to react quick enough to changing events or situations, this is where a parliamentary system seems to be more adequate, however a parliamentary system could become gridlocked if there is a minority government with low discipline so the element f political gridlock is not only exclusive to Presidential systems. However the issue of legitimacy in the Presidential systems has the ability to cause numerous problems in the terms of legislation passing. But it can also be argued in the case for support of the Presidential system it can be argued that Prime ministers are constrained to the need of The House of Commons and thus do not act as fast as expected. An example of this is taken from John F. Kennedy work where he states, â€Å"Stanley Baldwin and Neville Chamberlain were constrained by the need to maintain the confidence of the Commons.†(Kenned y) In the need for confronting German military build up before the outbreak of the Second World War. Another issue to contend with is how the governments are elected. In a Parliamentary system, the government is elected through the party system and thus the winning party forms government through having a simple majority in the parliament. In the presidential system, the executive is elected by the public and is directly elected. This difference between the two systems is seen in both an advantage and disadvantages. In a presidential system Voters know who they are voting for and accountability resides within the President. Horowitz states â€Å"Voters have a clear choice of Ideology to pick from.†(Horowitz) This means that there is no only the one straight choice and thus it is clear to voters who they are picking and what type of ideology this is going to represent. However a disadvantage of this is that direct election creates a zero-sum game. This is that there is only one winner and all other votes do not amount to anything and thus no coalition can be made with the oppos ition. This is seen has undemocratic and a hindrance to better political outcomes. An example of this is seen with the Bush vs. Gore election of 2000, where Bush won the election by 271 to 266. In such a close competition, where arguably almost half of the country voted against him. It seems undemocratic to have Bush becoming the President; this can lead to the polarisation of politics within that country. This is because when a president wins an election he is the head of state as well as the representative of a nation but he stands for a clearly partisan political option. But Presidential system has one up on its parliamentary counterpart as the â€Å"voters know and are in control of who they are voting for to be president, while in a parliamentary system voters vote for their constituent MP and the party decides who is Prime minister,† (Riggs) this can be seen as hindering democracy and could not be conductive to better political outcomes. However the Parliamentary system can be an advantage because it leads to power sharing and coalitions, thus it is argued makes politics more representative. An example of this is mentioned by Lijphart, â€Å"Parliamentarianism has attractive features for nations that are ethnically, racially, or ideologically divid ed. In a unipersonal presidential system, all executive power is concentrated in the president. In a parliamentary system, with a collegial executive, power is more divided. In the 1989 Lebanese Taif Agreement, in order to give Muslims greater political power, Lebanon moved from a semi-presidential system with a strong president to a system more structurally similar to classical parliamentarianism.†(Lijphart) However it can be argued that a parliamentary form of government leads to the personalisation of power by the prime minister or an ethnic group in the country. As there is no fixed terms is in the Parliamentary style of government it is argued that if a prime minister was to get voted in with a large majority, with the whip system in place, where all party members will obey the party line the government is capable of introducing any legislature, without any issue. This can be seen as being undemocratic as it would lead to an elected dictatorship. This was the case in Nigeria during the 1960s, â€Å"Under the Westminster model, during the 1960s, groups in the North managed to secure a majority in Parliament and began to seize power and excluded everyone else from power. This lead to an ethnic authoritarian rule of the country, and was the main factor for the Nigerian Biafrican War and countless military coups.†(Horowitz) This shows that Parliamentarism is just as harmful as presidential system in stifling democracy. Horowitz makes the comment â€Å"It is possible that Presidential systems helped stifle democracy in Latin America, Parliamentary systems have helped stifle democracy in Africa.†(Horowitz) To conclude, the Presidential system has its advantages to conducive a better political outcome, such as having fixed terms, direct elections and separations of power however these advantages can also act as disadvantages when viewed in another way. The parliamentary system too has its advantages to creating a better political outcomes, its advantages such as likeliness of coalition, being supposedly more representative and being more responsive in creating a stronger government also can be seen as a disadvantage when looked at in a different light. Dahl states â€Å"claims that parliamentarianism is less prone to authoritarian collapse. These scholars point out that since World War II, two-thirds of Third World countries establishing parliamentary governments successfully made the transition to democracy. By contrast, no Third World presidential system successfully made the transition to democracy without experiencing coups and other constitutional breakdowns.† This in effect argues the point that parliamentary systems have been more successful in terms of having peaceful transition from colonialism to democracy but although presidential system may not have had a successful transition to democracy but parliamentary system has not had a 100% success rate and thus we cannot say for definite if it is better than presidential system we can only assume. My research in this essay has led me to believe that the both system are conducive to better political outcomes in their own way, theoretically they are both capable of producing democratically stable countries and environments with better political outcomes, however in practice this is not always the case and thus I feel that my research has led me to be inconclusive and i have to sit on the fence when trying to realise which one cre ates a better system. Bibliography Bagehot W, (1867) The English Constitution, MacMaster University Dahl, R (1989) Democracy and Its Critics- – Yale University Press Horowitz, Donald L. (1990) Comparing Democratic Systems- The Johns Hopkins University Press Kennedy. John F. (1940)- Why England Slept?, Macmillan Lijphart, Arend (1999). Patterns of democracy. New Haven: Yale University Press. Linz, Juan J. The Perils of Presidentialism – The Johns Hopkins University Press Riggs, Fred. (1988) The Survival of Presidentialism in America International Political Science Review Verney

Hello Inc.

Chevron Corporation United States http://database. iprofile. net/company/Chevron_Corporation/companyOverview. html 1 Contents @ 2012 iProfile. All Rights Reserved. Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps TABLE OF CONTENTS Chevron Corporation Corporate Overview Company Profile 6 Stock Performance Analysis 7 Org Charts & Contacts Executive Management 9 Senior IT Management 12 IT Management, Enterprise Architecture 14 IT Management, Strategy, Planning & Projects 16 Executive Management, Chevron Oronite Company 18 Executive Management, Chevron Venture Capital 9 Executive Management, Chevron Australia 20 Contacts Table 22 Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT & Executive Biographies 32 IT Executive Interviews 46 2 Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps TABLE OF CONTENTS Chevron Corporation Patricia Yarrington 46 John Watson 47 Gary Luquette 48 IT Executive Presentations 49 J. P. Morgan Oil & Gas Conference: Global LNG 49 Australia Investor Meetings 50 UBS Global Oil & Gas Conference 2012 51 2012 UBS Thailand Natural Gas Field Trip 52 Credit Suisse Energy Summit 2012 53 Barclays Capital CEO Energy/Power Conference 4 IT Infrastructure & Applications Technology Implementations 56 QuantumRD 60 ThinManager 61 McLaren Enterprise Engineer 62 3 Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps TABLE OF CONTENTS Chevron Corporation EnterpriseWizard 63 NRX Asset Information Management 64 Microsoft SQL Server 65 Wonderware IntelaTrac 66 OpenWorks R5000 67 CartoPac Field Server 68 Windows 69 IT Footprint and Budget 70 4 Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps CORPORATE OVERVIEW Chevron Corporation 5 Corporate Corporate OverviewOrg Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps Chevron Corporation Headquarters Contact Information 6001 Bollinger Canyon Road San Ramon, California 94583 United States Phone: +1-925-842-1000 http://www. chevron. com Employees: 61000 D-U-N-S ® Number: 001382555 SIC: 2911 D-U-N-S is a registered trademark of the Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. and its affiliates. Financial Performance Company Profile Chevron Corporation is one of the world's leading integrated energy companies (#2 in the US behind Exxon Mobil), with proved reserves of some 11. 2 billion barrels of oil equivalent and a daily production of 2. million barrels. The company operates in the world’s most important oil and gas regions, and is a leader in refining, fuels, lubricants and additives. Chevron's interests range from chemical production and mining to energy research and nanoscience. Along with a range of power facilities, the company is also the world’s largest producer of geothermal energy. Chevron, which is restructuring its refinery and retail businesses to cut costs, owns or has stakes in some 8,200 g as stations in the US that operate under the Chevron and Texaco brands. Outside the US, the company owns or has stakes in almost 9,700 gas stations.It also owns 50% of chemicals concern Chevron Phillips Chemical. Sales by Division 6 Corporate Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps Chevron Corporation Stock Performance Analysis Compared to Index of Peers & Competitors 12 Months 5 Years 7 Corporate Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps ORG CHARTS AND CONTACTS Chevron Corporation 8 Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps ORG CHARTS AND CONTACTS Chevron Corporation full org charts Executive ManagementChief Executive Officer & Chairman Biography Paul Bennett Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 James Blackwell Matthew Foehr Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-8 42-1000 Direct Tele: +1-925-790-3434 John McDonald Joe Geagea Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Stephen Green George Kirkland Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Chief Governance Officer & Corporate Secretary Executive Vice President, Technology & Services Chief Technology Officer & Vice President Vice President & Comptroller President, Chevron Gas & Midstream & Corporate†¦ BiographyExecutive Vice President, Upstream & Gas & Vice†¦ Presentation Vice President, Policy, Government & Public Affairs Vice President & Treasurer Presentation Biography Lydia Beebe Biography Biography Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Interview Biography John Watson 9 Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps ORG CHARTS AND CONTACTS Chevron Corporation full org charts Executive Management (II) Chief Executive Officer & Chairman Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Roy Krzywosinski Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Corp Tele: +61 -8-9216-4000 Joe Laymon Wesley Lohec Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Gary Luquette Sandy Macfarlane Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Melody Meyer Hewitt Pate melody. [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Interview Vice President, Human Resources, Medical & Security President, Chevron North America Exploration &†¦ President, Chevron Asia Pacific Exploration &†¦ Managing Director, Chevron Australia Pty Ltd. Vice President, Health, Environment & Safety General Tax Counsel Biography Biography Presentation Biography President, Chevron Oronite Company LLC Presentation Ronald Kiskis Interview Biography John WatsonVice President & General Counsel 10 Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps ORG CHARTS AND CONTACTS Chevron Corporation full org charts Executive Management (III) Chief Executive Officer & Chairman Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Rebecc a Roberts [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Corp Tele: +1-713-432-6000 Chuck Taylor Trond Unneland chuck. [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Biography Jay Pryor Corp Tele: +1-713-954-6000 Michael Wirth Patricia Yarrington Corp Tele: +44-1224-334-000 Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Vice President, Business DevelopmentVice President, Strategic Planning Vice President & Managing Executive, Chevron†¦ Chief Financial Officer & Vice President Interview Executive Vice President, Downstream & Chemicals†¦ President, Chevron Pipe Line Company Biography Biography Interview Biography John Watson Rhonda Zygocki Executive Vice President, Policy and Planning Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 11 Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps ORG CHARTS AND CONTACTS Chevron Corporation full org charts Senior IT Management Biography John McDonald Chief Technology Officer & Vice President Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000Cor p Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Direct Tele: +1-925-842-4750 Lynn Chou Biography ahmed. [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Direct Tele: +1-925-842-1043 Denise Coyne General Manager, Technology Management &†¦ General Manager, Process Applications & Data Biography Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Direct Tele: +1-925-842-4100 or +1-925-842-7212 Gilles Eberhard General Manager, IT Strategy, Planning & Project†¦ gilles. [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Louie Ehrlich President, Chevron Information Technology†¦ Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Direct Tele: +1-925-790-3412 Jim Green Chief Information Officer & General Manager†¦ [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Biography Biography lynn. [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Chief Information Officer, Corporate Department†¦ Biography Peter Breunig Head, R&D, Energy Technology Biography Ahmed Badruzzaman Karen Grote Chief Information Officer, Global Marketing Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Direct Tele: +1-925-842-4930 12 Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps ORG CHARTS AND CONTACTS Chevron Corporation full org charts Senior IT Management (II) Biography John McDonald Chief Technology Officer & Vice President Richard Jackson aul. [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Direct Tele: +1-925-842-9021 Ashok Krishna Celia Lin Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Direct Tele: +1-925-790-3789 Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Jana Multhaup Kirk Rehage Director, IT Security Chief Information Protection Officer & General†¦ Vice President, Technology Downstream Chief Information Officer, Americas Products [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Chief Information Officer, Chevron Global Gas Biography Paul Huttenhoff Biography Biography Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 General Manager, IT AuditCorp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Direct Tele: +1-925-827-7491 13 Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps ORG CHARTS AND CONTACTS Chevron Corporation full org charts IT Management, Enterprise Architecture Biography Peter Breunig General Manager, Technology Management &†¦ Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Direct Tele: +1-925-842-4750 Kelly Becker Tom Bell [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Direct Tele: +1-925-842-1470 Dennis Bourque Wendy Brumbach [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 [email  protected] comCorp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Henry Cariaso Lee Conroy [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Direct Tele: +1-925-358-7084 lee. [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Joseph Fielding Sebastian Gass [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 sebastian. [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Manager, Information Technology Manager, Emerging Infrastructure Techno logies Biography Senior Manager, Windows Server Security Manager, Applications Development Manager, Enterprise Architecture Manager, Organizational Capability Manager, Information Technology, MidContinent†¦ Manager, Business Analytics 14Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps ORG CHARTS AND CONTACTS Chevron Corporation full org charts IT Management, Enterprise Architecture (II) Biography Peter Breunig General Manager, Technology Management &†¦ Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Direct Tele: +1-925-842-4750 Ricky Gilbert Manager, Manufacturing, IT Systems [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Dennis Mores Manager, Data Center Office Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Direct Tele: +1-925-358-7314 Shenita Ramsey Jennifer Scriabine [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 [email  protected] comCorp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Direct Tele: +1-925-842-5074 Client Manager, Information Technology Audit Manager, IS Ope rations Lisa Tharaud Global Category Manager, Enterprise Software lisa. [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 15 Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps ORG CHARTS AND CONTACTS Chevron Corporation full org charts IT Management, Strategy, Planning & Projects Biography Gilles Eberhard General Manager, IT Strategy, Planning & Project†¦ gilles. [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Josh Burdick Paul Fontenot josh. [email  protected] comCorp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 paul. [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Patrick Garcia Jamie Gibbs Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 jamie. [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Gene Guidry Franz Helin [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 franz. [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Darryl Martin Laura Pollock Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Project Manager Manager, Gl obal Infrastructure Design, Project†¦ Project Manager, Information Technology Program Manager Project Manager, IT Project Manager Project Manager, TCO Project Manager, Information Technology 6 Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps ORG CHARTS AND CONTACTS Chevron Corporation full org charts IT Management, Strategy, Planning & Projects (II) Biography Gilles Eberhard General Manager, IT Strategy, Planning & Project†¦ Denise Sexton Dipak Vekaria denise. [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 dipak. [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Senior Project Manager, Information Technology Project Manager, Information Systems, Gorgon IM&T Biography Biography gilles. [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Tommy YanowskiProgram Manager, Global Supply & Trading Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 17 Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps ORG CHARTS AND CONTACTS Chevron Corporation full org charts Executive Management, Chevron Oronite Company Ronald Kiskis President, Chevron Oronite Company LLC Biography Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 David Seals Chief Information Officer, Chevron Oronite†¦ david. [email  protected] com Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 Direct Tele: +1-925-216-0026 Jirong Xiao Vice President, Products & Technology Corp Tele: +1-925-842-1000 18 Corporate Overview Org Charts & ContactsBios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps ORG CHARTS AND CONTACTS Chevron Corporation full org charts Executive Management, Chevron Venture Capital Trond Unneland Vice President & Managing Executive, Chevron†¦ Biography Corp Tele: +1-713-954-6000 John Hanten Desmond King Corp Tele: +1-713-954-6000 Direct Tele: +1-713-954-6360 Corp Tele: +1-713-954-6000 Colleen Mazza Matthew McElhattan Corp Tele: +1-713-954-6000 Corp Tele: +1-713-954-6000 Richard Pardoe Don Riley Corp Tele: +1-713-954-6000 Corp Tele: +1-71 3-954-6000 Venture Executive President, Chevron Technology Ventures Business Support Principal PrincipalVenture Executive 19 Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps ORG CHARTS AND CONTACTS Chevron Corporation full org charts Executive Management, Chevron Australia Presentation Roy Krzywosinski Managing Director, Chevron Australia Pty Ltd. Corp Tele: +61-8-9216-4000 Colin Beckett Rick Biddle Corp Tele: +61-8-9216-4000 Corp Tele: +61-8-9216-4000 Kaye Butler Kevin Cunningham Corp Tele: +61-8-9216-4000 Corp Tele: +61-8-9216-4000 Brian Dalzell Peter Fairclough Corp Tele: +61-8-9216-4000 Corp Tele: +61-8-9216-4000 David Fielder Gerry Flaherty Corp Tele: +61-8-9216-4000Corp Tele: +61-8-9216-4000 General Manager, Greater Gorgon Area General Manager, Human Resources Manager, Finance Manager, Operational Excellence, Health†¦ General Manager, Operations General Manager, Policy, Government & Public†¦ Planning Manager General M anager, Asset Development 20 Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps ORG CHARTS AND CONTACTS Chevron Corporation full org charts Executive Management, Chevron Australia (II) Presentation Roy Krzywosinski Managing Director, Chevron Australia Pty Ltd. Corp Tele: +61-8-9216-4000 David Minemier Brian SmithCorp Tele: +61-8-9216-4000 Corp Tele: +61-8-9216-4000 Neil Theobald Mike Williams Corp Tele: +61-8-9216-4000 Corp Tele: +61-8-9216-4000 Manager, Non-Operated Joint Ventures General Manager, Gas Marketing &†¦ General Manager, Wheatstone Development Managing Counsel 21 Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps ORG CHARTS AND CONTACTS Chevron Corporation Contacts Company First Name Last Name Title Rank Telephone E-Mail Chevron Corporation – HRD Helen Alm HR Business Partner, AD HR Project Team Others Direct: +1-925-842-8236 [email  protected] com Chevron Corpor ation –HRD Leslie Ann Rodarte HR SAP Payroll Administrator Administrator Direct: +1-925-842-0803 [email  protected] com Chevron Corporation – HRD Jennifer Backer-Walton Manager, Global HR Reporting Manager Corp: +1-925-842-1000 jennifer. [email  protected] com Chevron Corporation Ahmed Badruzzaman Head, R&D, Energy Technology Head of Direct: +1-925-842-1043 ahmed. [email  protected] n. com Chevron Corporation Kelly Becker Manager, Information Technology Manager Corp: +1-925-842-1000 [email  protected] com Chevron Australia Pty Ltd. Colin Beckett General Manager, Greater Gorgon Area C-Level Corp: +61-8-9216-4000 Chevron CorporationLydia Beebe Chief Governance Officer & Corporate Secretary C-Level Corp: +1-925-842-1000 Chevron Corporation Tom Bell Manager, Enterprise Architecture Manager Direct: +1-925-842-1470 Chevron Corporation Paul Bennett Vice President & Treasurer Treasurer Corp: +1-925-842-1000 Chevron Corporation – HRD Norm Berkley Manager, Human R esources Manager Corp: +1-925-842-1000 Chevron Australia Pty Ltd. Rick Biddle Manager, Operational Excellence, Health, Environment & Safety C-Level Corp: +61-8-9216-4000 Chevron Corporation James Blackwell Executive Vice President, Technology & Services Vice President Corp: +1-925-842-1000Chevron Corporation Dennis Bourque Manager, Emerging Infrastructure Technologies Manager Corp: +1-925-842-1000 Chevron Corporation – HRD Susan Boyle Manager, Corporate HR Communications Manager Corp: +1-925-842-1000 Chevron Corporation Peter Breunig General Manager, Technology Management & Architecture C-Level Direct: +1-925-842-4750 Corporate Overview Org Charts & Contacts [email  protected] com [email  protected] com [email  protected] com 22 Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps ORG CHARTS AND CONTACTS Chevron Corporation Contacts Company First Name Last Name Title Rank Telephone Chevron Corporation – HRDKyle Bromley Manager, Human Resources Manager Corp: +1-925-842-1000 Chevron Corporation Wendy Brumbach Manager, Organizational Capability Manager Corp: +1-925-842-1000 Chevron Corporation – HRD Linda Buchanan Manager, Employee Development & Organization Capability Manager Corp: +1-925-842-1000 Chevron Corporation Josh Burdick Project Manager Manager Corp: +1-925-842-1000 Chevron Australia Pty Ltd. Kaye Butler General Manager, Human Resources C-Level Corp: +61-8-9216-4000 Chevron Corporation Henry Cariaso Senior Manager, Windows Server Security Manager Direct: +1-925-358-7084 [email  protected] com Chevron Corporation Lynn ChouGeneral Manager, Process Applications & Data C-Level Corp: +1-925-842-1000 lynn. [email  protected] com Chevron Corporation – HRD Sean Connors Supervisor, Staffing Supervisor Corp: +1-925-842-1000 Chevron Corporation Lee Conroy Manager, Information Technology, MidContinent & Alaska Manager Corp: +1-925-842-1000 Chevron Corporation Denise Coyne Chief Information Officer, Corporate Department & S ervices CIO Direct: +1-925-842-4100 or +1-925-842-7212 Chevron Australia Pty Ltd. Kevin Cunningham General Manager, Operations C-Level Corp: +61-8-9216-4000 Chevron Australia Pty Ltd. Brian Dalzell Manager, Finance Manager Corp: +61-8-9216-4000Chevron Corporation – HRD Janet Duncan HR Business Partner Others Direct: +1-925-842-7739 janet. [email  protected] com Chevron Corporation Gilles Eberhard General Manager, IT Strategy, Planning & Project Management C-Level Corp: +1-925-842-1000 gilles. [email  protected] com Chevron Corporation – HRD Jennifer Edris Team Leader, Human Resources Lead Corp: +1-925-842-1000 Corporate Overview E-Mail [email  protected] com josh. [email  protected] com lee. [email  protected] com 23 Org Charts & Contacts Bios, Interviews & Presentations IT Infrastructure & Apps ORG CHARTS AND CONTACTS Chevron Corporation Contacts Company First Name Last NameTitle Rank Telephone E-Mail Chevron Corporation Louie Ehrlich President, Chevron Info rmation Technology Company & Chief Information Officer, Chevron Corp CIO Direct: +1-925-790-3412 Chevron Corporation – HRD Helen Fairclough Manager, HR Strategy & Talent Management, Downstream & Chemicals Manager Corp: +1-925-842-1000 Chevron Australia Pty Ltd. Peter Fairclough General Manager, Policy, Government & Public Affairs C-Level Corp: +61-8-9216-4000 Chevron Australia Pty Ltd. David Fielder Planning Manager Manager Corp: +61-8-9216-4000 Chevron Corporation Joseph Fielding Manager, Applications Development Manager Corp: +1-925-842-1000