Thursday, November 28, 2019

The Night Before Sarah Moved Out I Remember Watching The Eleven Oclock

The night before Sarah moved out I remember watching the eleven o'clock news and seeing that the morning was to being a bright and beautiful day. It was going to be a perfect beach day. I planned to wake up in the morning, make some pancakes and invite my sister to go to the beach. It had been several weeks since we spent time together, and I knew she had the morning off, so this would be the perfect opportunity. That morning I woke up to hear my father's truck backing up to the house. Confused, I stumbled out of bed and managed my way to the window to see boxes cluttering the front lawn. The wonderful smell of freshly cut grass filled the air. That morning my sister moved to Rhode Island. She did not tell anyone about her move until an hour before she planned to leave, when she asked my father to borrow the truck. There went my plans for pancakes. Sarah was my half sister. She was a daughter from my father's previous marriage. I admit we never had the ideal sibling relationship, but I loved her unconditionally nonetheless. We came from a split and broken family and everyone always tried to make the best of it. Apparently everyone tried to make the best of it except for Sarah. I went downstairs and stood out on the front porch barefoot in what I slept in the night before. Boxes of her belongings were packed and stacked along the driveway. She walked by me without saying a word, avoiding eye contact. Speechless, I followed her into her bedroom and said, What is this? As she picked up another box she looked up and said, I'm moving to Rhode Island. I did not know what to say. It had only been about ten minutes since the rumbling of my dad's truck had waked me. Confused and shaken I went to the kitchen where my mother was sitting with her coffee. She stared out the window in a complete trance. Can someone please tell me what is going on here? I was starting to get angry at everyone's lack of words. Apparently you're sister is moving in with a friend. It seemed that no one cared that my sister was leaving without telling anyone, except for me. Her cold-heartedness was gut wrenching. Our broken family was starting to crumble and dissolve to nothing. At that moment and time, I felt I was the only one who cared about our family. Frustrated, I went back to Sarah. She was loading things into the bed of the truck with this girl whom I had never seen before. Her name was Sonia and apparently this was my sister's new roommate. She had blond dyed hair and contacts that gave her blue eyes, though her natural color was brown. She was disgustingly overweight and from what I sensed, had the personality of a rock. I never had met Sonia before and she did not make a good first impression. So I got this place in Little Compton. Sarah said it so nonchalantly. When were you planning on telling mom and dad you were moving out? I said choking back tears, completely offended. She went on to say that she's old enough to make her own decisions and that this is her life. Granted she was eighteen, her way of handling the situation was inconsiderate and immature. Sonia and Sarah continued to load up the truck. In the meantime my father sat silent in his reclining chair. He looked at me and sighed. Staring at the floor and patting the dog he shook his head, almost in shame. It seemed he was ashamed of his own daughter. Sarah came over to the living room where my parents and I were sitting. I'm leaving now. She said it so cold, almost as if we were kicking her out. My parents just looked at her and told her to call when she reached her destination. The tone of their voice just screamed disappointment. Standing in the driveway with my arms crossed I stared at her. She hugged me and said she'd be in touch. I was astounded. I didn't even know how to react. She jumped in the truck and started

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Free Essays on Heuristic Problem Solving

Heuristic problem solving – are common-sense rules drawn from experience, used to solve problems. Or simply put the heuristic method of problem solving is a rule of thumb. By contrast, algorithms are straightforward procedures that are guaranteed to work every time. Heuristic programming characterizes programs that are self-learning; they are a part of artificial intelligence, they get better with experience. Heuristic programs do not always reach the very best result but usually produce good results within a reasonable amount of search time. As discussed in the April 1998 Phi Delta Kappa article titled â€Å"What is problem solving†, general heuristics are â€Å"cognitive rules of thumb that are useful in solving a great variety of problems†. Specific heuristics are used in specialized areas, often-specific subject domains or professions. There are three common methods in heuristic problem solving. First, the most powerful general heuristic is to form a sub-goal to reduce the discrepancy between your present state and your ultimate goal state. Do something to get a little closer to the end goal. Problems defy one-shot solutions; they must be broken down into smaller parts. A second heuristic method seeks to solve problems by "working backward." First, consider your ultimate goal. From there, decide what would constitute a reasonable step just prior to reaching that goal. Then ask yourself, what would be the step just prior to that? Beginning with the end, you build a strategic bridge backward and event ually reach the initial conditions of the problem. The third heuristic method seeks to solve problems through "successive approximation." Initial tries at solving a problem may result in a product that is less than satisfying. Writing is a good example. Few accomplished writers attempt to write perfect prose the first time. Rather, the initial goal is a rough draft or an outline or a list of ideas. Over time, a manuscript is ... Free Essays on Heuristic Problem Solving Free Essays on Heuristic Problem Solving Heuristic problem solving – are common-sense rules drawn from experience, used to solve problems. Or simply put the heuristic method of problem solving is a rule of thumb. By contrast, algorithms are straightforward procedures that are guaranteed to work every time. Heuristic programming characterizes programs that are self-learning; they are a part of artificial intelligence, they get better with experience. Heuristic programs do not always reach the very best result but usually produce good results within a reasonable amount of search time. As discussed in the April 1998 Phi Delta Kappa article titled â€Å"What is problem solving†, general heuristics are â€Å"cognitive rules of thumb that are useful in solving a great variety of problems†. Specific heuristics are used in specialized areas, often-specific subject domains or professions. There are three common methods in heuristic problem solving. First, the most powerful general heuristic is to form a sub-goal to reduce the discrepancy between your present state and your ultimate goal state. Do something to get a little closer to the end goal. Problems defy one-shot solutions; they must be broken down into smaller parts. A second heuristic method seeks to solve problems by "working backward." First, consider your ultimate goal. From there, decide what would constitute a reasonable step just prior to reaching that goal. Then ask yourself, what would be the step just prior to that? Beginning with the end, you build a strategic bridge backward and event ually reach the initial conditions of the problem. The third heuristic method seeks to solve problems through "successive approximation." Initial tries at solving a problem may result in a product that is less than satisfying. Writing is a good example. Few accomplished writers attempt to write perfect prose the first time. Rather, the initial goal is a rough draft or an outline or a list of ideas. Over time, a manuscript is ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Management research coursework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management research coursework - Essay Example Thus, the purpose of the article is revealed that after analyzing various aspects of educational validity, the article will provide a research methodology framework for assessing the educational validity of business gaming simulation. Thus, the introduction is solely aimed at depicting the background that necessitates the study, and also at narrating the outline of the research paper. Thereafter, a brief explanation is provided about the method used to conduct research, the usual methods section seen in a research paper. The writers point out that the research was conducted ‘using total enterprise simulation’ (Stainton, Johnson & Borodzicz (2010, p. 705). Then, the researchers resort to a brief literature review to show that the assessment of validity is an ongoing issue and that an effective research methodology for business gaming simulation is yet to come. The article also makes the purpose clear that it is aimed at analyzing validity from an educational or learning p oint of view. The next section goes deep into the concept of educational validity and finds the two elements; design and implementation as the factors that dictate educational validity. ... The next section looks into the other factor in educational validity; that is implementation. The researchers show how a simulation should be implemented. The first point is incorporating practical experience will present real life problems, thus giving the students a chance to reflect upon what they learnt. In addition, they bring in the point that while the ‘learning by doing’ approach is adopted, there is the need for a facilitator to provide coaching, support and motivation. The researchers, after analyzing the problems involved in achieving educational validity, move on to developing a methodology framework for assessing the educational validity of a business gaming simulation. It is pointed out that none of the presently available studies has developed a process for designing, implementing and validating a total enterprise simulation. It is necessary for any research dealing with educational validity to assess the internal educational validity, external educational validity and external representational validity. According to Stainton, Johnson, and Borodzicz (2010, p. 710), internal educational validity means the ability to teach the student the relations in a business environment and external educational validity means the resemblance of the simulation with the real world environment. If it represents a real world environment, it has got representational validity. Three theoretical propositions are made to assess educational validity. According to the first proposition, if the participants understand the causes of their business results, the internal educational validity is evident. According to the second

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison - Case Study Example This essay would further provide instances from Ellison's life and would provide with the perspective and situation of the United States of America at those times. The book Invisible Man revolves around a black man born in America. It tells about the differences which were between the black and whites of America. The protagonist in the story portrays himself as an invisible man who is avoided and ignored by the society he is living in. The novel takes place in the 20th century which shows that it is placed in the very century that Ellison is living in. The Eastern United States in the mid 19th century was filled with racism and this impacted the whole theme of the book written by Ellison. Racism is a very important theme of the story which is maintained through out. White men are the respected members of the society in the novel, and so they were in the reality too. The college of blacks is run by the whites of the society and thus they should be respected in the novel. The novel came out when the world war II had ended and the world was recovering from the war. However the black society in the 1950s was still lagging behind and was being disc riminated. However actions were taken by the community to revive their rights in the society. Similar sort of actions were seen in the story written by Ellison. The discrimination prevailing amongst the black and whites in America impacted the book most. The fights and violence happening between these two races is also portrayed in the book. As in the first chapter the Battle Royal clearly shows how blacks were used by the Whites for their entertainment purposes. In the 1950s the blacks were treated as the inferior human beings on the face of this earth. It seemed that the white dominated society aimed at making these beings inferior in the society and put harm to them. They did not want the blacks to study or prosper in anyway. As seen in the story the narrator is expelled from his college only because of some harsh incidents which occur with a white trustee of the college. Furthermore in the 1950s the blacks of the United States were not united enough to stand to the white dominat ed society. There was segregation amongst the black individuals of the society which is the sole reason that the blacks could not prosper in the society. Again this was shown at several instances by Ellison in the novel as it is a person of black ethnicity only which expels the author from his college. Further the segregation amongst the groups between blacks is also seen in the novel which creates fights and riots among the black society only. The title of invisible man itself shows that the black individuals are not being seen by the society and seem invisible in a white dominated society. Blacks were not offered proper jobs in the 1950s because of their race and this is also shown in the novel by Ellison when the narrator is not able to get a proper job. The discrimination in the workplace in those times was so much that the blacks were not offered proper jobs even if they were educated. Like in the story the narrator is not offered a good job even when he is educated. The story further shows that the narrator has to settle down to work as a worker in the boiler room where even then he is discriminated by his employers and co-workers. The major theme of the

Monday, November 18, 2019

International Hospitality Operations Coursework

International Hospitality Operations - Coursework Example Essentially Dubai is one of the countries that form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Different ethnic groups reside in the Emirates, some of the include Pakistani, European, Bangladesh, Indian and Emirati. It is significant to note that, Middle East, is burgeoning in numerous ways, which include politically, economically and demographically (Baum, 47). It is evident that, much of the region’s wealth is attributable to having the world’s largest deposits of easily extractable oil and tourism activities. Background information The tourism industry in Dubai and in the whole Gulf region is comparatively young. Until the late 19550s, Dubai had no hotels. Visitors would spend with their hosts. It is noticeable that, the following two decades saw Dubai grow tremendously in developing basic facilities for travelers (Baum, 49). The opening of an international airport in 1959 and discovery of oil in 1966 spurred development and opening of several hotels. The founding of the Emirat es Airlines in 1985 and the Dubai Tourism Board saw Dubai attract investors and tourists from across the globe. The Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) facilitated international promotion and positioning Dubai as both commercial hub and resort destination (Rehman, 217). The establishment of the Jumeirah Group in 1997 as a hotel management company has seen the development of a portfolio of high-end hotels in Dubai and across the globe. For instance, the Burj-Al-Arab was opened in 1997 as the first seven-star hotel in the world (Brotherton, 151). This trend has accelerating to the current state, which puts Dubai in the global arena in tourist attraction and foreign investment (Rehman, 218). Political trend The middle East is often professed by westerners to be tantamount with conflict, but it middle East has serene areas where many diverse nationalities congregate, work and live together in a harmonious way (Buhalis & Costa, 122). It is imperative to note that, the UAE is one of the peaceful places with Dubai having the highest influx of international workers who make up to 80% of the country’s work force (Rehman, 219). Dubai is politically stable, and it has developed a reputation for being a safe hub for people of diverse nationalities, who work for companies from all over the globe. It is a constitutional monarchy ruled by Sheikh Mohammed (Rehman, 215). Mohammed, who has been on the wheel of leadership since 1995, had a vision for Dubai as an international hub for business and leisure. Mohammed realized his vision for Dubai quickly by the establishment of business centers, tourist attraction centers, which included skyscrapers such as the Burj Khalifa. It is the tallest building in the world. Such building makes Dubai distinct from the rest of the United Arab Emirates. They act as tourist attraction centers. It is imperative to note that, Dubai has managed to raise numerous sophisticated and pleasurable buildings even on water. The Burj Khalifa is illustrated below (Tizabi, 321). Additionally, is a member of numerous global organizations and associations, which include the Arab League, United Nations and World Trade Organization, this trend has sustained healthy relationships with the Western democratic countries. This membership has strengthened Dubai’s internal political stability (Tizabi, 317). Culture and religion background It is vital to note that, Dub

Friday, November 15, 2019

Research Methods for Patient Research

Research Methods for Patient Research Research Methods Statistics TAQ .1 TAQ. 2 The aim of the study was to test whether children who are told they will perform well, perform better than those who are not. The dependent variable is the subject test scores. The Hypothesis for this experiment would be â€Å"Subjects that are told they would do well, perform significantly better than those who are not†. The hypothesis is directional as we will find out which subjects perform better and not just that there is a difference (in that case it would be non-directional). Because we are expecting one set of results to be significantly higher than the other the hypothesis is one tailed. The control group are the subjects who have not been told they will perform well. The purpose of the control group is to act as a measuring stick to gauge the other subjects test scores to see if the hypothesis is correct. The independent variable is whether the children have been told or have not been told they will perform well. TAQ.3 Total word count, 1000 References; Wikipedia, 2014. Descriptive Research [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Descriptive_research>[accessed 7TH March 2014] Blurtit, 2014. Methodology Research [online] Available at: http://science.blurtit.com/462243/what-are-the-advantages-of-descriptive-research>[accessed 7TH March 2014] Palgrave,2014. Choosing appropriate research methodologies and methods [online] Available at: http://www.palgrave.com/skills4study/studentlife/postgraduate/choosing.asp#Introduction>[accessed 7TH March 2014] Monofacto,2014. Research Methods [online] Available at: http://www.mondofacto.com/study-skills/research/how-to-do-your-research-project/05.html>[accessed 7TH March 2014] University of Strathclyde,2014. Use of questions [online] Available at: http://www.strath.ac.uk/aer/materials/3datacollection/unit2/useofquestionnaires/>[accessed 7TH March 2014] Survey Lab, 2014. What is an average survey response rate [online] Available at: http://www.surveylab.co.uk/2011/06/what-is-an-average-survey-response-rate/>[accessed 8TH March 2014] Wikipedia, 2014. Questionnaire C[online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Questionnaire_construction>[ accessed 8TH March 2014] Care Quality Commission.2013 Community Mental Health Survey [online] Available at: http://www.cqc.org.uk/public/publications/surveys/community-mental-health-survey-2013>[ accessed 8TH March 2014] NHS Institute of Innovation Improvement,2013. Transforming Patient Research [online] Available at: http://www.institute.nhs.uk/patient_experience/guide/the_patient_experience_research.html>[ accessed 8TH March 2014] NHS Institute of Innovation Improvement,2013. Policies[online] Available at: http://www.institute.nhs.uk/images/Patient_Experience/Final%20Policy%20Report%20pdf%20doc%20january%202012.pdf>[ accessed 8TH March 2014] Wikipedia, 2014. Repeated Measures Design [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repeated_measures_design>[ accessed 8TH March 2014] Psycometrics, 2014. Repeated Measures Design [online] Available at: http://www.psychmet.com/id16.html>[ accessed 8TH March 2014] 1 Angel LesterResearch Methods Statistics

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Product Propaganda :: essays research papers

In order for a company to prosper and grow, some look to new products and packages, new uses and/ or new markets. A few of the companies featured used their ingredients as a marketing tool; while others utilized their appealing catch phrases as the main tool in their marketing scheme. Often, during this type of product propaganda many is revealed about the company; while the product itself is tucked behind the hype and flashy words of the companies’ marketing geniuses. The companies featured in this module seem to stick to certain trends such as marketing to one group of the population. Of the marketing schemes that arise include, targeting children and using the â€Å"mommy, buy me that† factor, the â€Å"on the go† American, the creative individual, and women who want to eat and feel good about themselves doing it. Many of these strategies seem to work however, one might want to reflect on the truth behind this propaganda. Nevertheless, marketers need not fret about if they are stretching the truth or not; all that matters is if the product sells.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  General Mills revealed that extending into other markets can prove profitable. When General Mills extended its corporation into the snack market by adding Milk n’ Cereal Bars and Morning Mid, they were very successful. General Mills found a way to change with the changing lifestyle of the typical â€Å"on the go† American; making their breakfast products portable. Not only did they unleash a new product onto the market, but they extended their â€Å"marketing loop† to people who are â€Å"on the go.† Nowadays, Americans are all about the fastest cars, quickest internet connection, and yes, even the quickest way to get through a meal. People today do not even want to stand in line at the bank that they came up with online banking; this is where the â€Å"on the go† breakfast bars come into play. General Mills also took care of the â€Å"nutritious on the go† Americans. In addition to being a good â€Å"on the go† bre akfast, Chex Morning Mix also provides nutrition because it has 10 vitamins and minerals. The new â€Å"on the go† product is a good selling factor for busy people who do not want to lose nutritional value by eating on the go. The idea that one can actually eat their breakfast on the move appeals to not only the fast paced people of today, but also to the ones that want to acquire more sleep.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

How does Confucianism and Daoism view women?

To begin with, Confucianism is a religion that is named after the philosopher, Confucius. He was an almost deified and impossibly wise man. He believed that to regain social order, people must act the role that society gave them. The father was to act the father, the son was to act the son, etc. The process of becoming that of which one is supposed to be is called â€Å"Rectification of Names. † The society should be founded on five relationships: 1) The ruler and subject; 2) The father and son; 3) The husband and wife; 4) The elder and younger brother; 5) The friend and friend. This proper behavior was required to create a calm, enduring, and beneficial society. In terms of the third relationship, husband and wife, the concept of the Yang and Yin come into play. The Yang is the male, dominating, structures. The Yin is the female, calm, passive structures. This balance, if maintained, is supposed to keep everything in perfect accordance. This concept, in my opinion, is what gave women the submissive role in the Confucius society. Unlike the women in Daoism, under Confucian ideals women were to play their roles in society by being submissive to men and were limited in their participation in society, but were respected and necessary. Their lives were centered in the family as â€Å"inside members† which meant that they were to stay indoors and not associate with the â€Å"outside† more than necessary. Actually, in upper-class homes, inside chambers were built for the women while the men had their own chamber outside. Women were also supposed to remain under the dominion of men and follow the â€Å"three obedience†: Woman follows man, youth follows father or eldest brother, after marriage, wife follows husband, and if her husband dies, she is to follow her eldest son. As children, young girls were not apart of the ancestral line. After marriage they gained their husband's line and became apart of a family making this the single most important event in a young girl's life. However, many girls never made it to marriage because their mothers killed them after they were born. Giving birth to a baby girl was not at all joyous. For those that did make it, their objective was to become a wife. A wife was the lowest link in the social hierarchy and was there to serve the mother-in-law. Once married, both the husband and wife's main focus was to take care of the husband's parents. Women were expected to be completely devoted to their husbands and would often choose to commit suicide than violate their womanly virtues. Mothers with lost of sons were much higher up socially than those with fewer. Women who did not marry were not accepted in the Confucian society. Divorce was also not accepted and was allowed only under strict circumstances by the husband. These circumstances include incurable sickness, no male heir, talking too much, stealing, disobedience, promiscuity, and jealousy. The husband could have several concubines of which the wife was supposed to be kind and courteous to. On the same level, women could talk to other women about their husbands if they drank too much alcohol, neglected their duties as a husband, or became abusive. The other women would then tell their husbands who would act accordingly. This all seems rather harsh, but the fact that women are the only ones that could give life; they were respected and considered necessary. On the contrary, women in the Daoist society were treated a whole lot better. Daoism puts an emphasis on nature and the feminine qualities of nature. Seeing as how women create life and Daoism is† that which creativity flows from,† women hold the up most respect. As a matter of fact, Dao means â€Å"Great Mother. † Unlike in Confucianism, the role of women being passive and flexible comes natural and unforced. Because of this natural passiveness, women are naturally good Daoists; simply because of this â€Å"naturalness. † In the Daoist Society women are reared as especially receptive to divine inspiration which provides a spiritual outlet for them. Women are also allowed to participate in all levels of Daoism and were thought to be the only ones who could reach the highest levels of Dao lineage, all except that of the Divine Lord. However, this did not move women out of their subordinate roles nor did it raise their social status, and the sexual practices in Daoism for prolonged life may have led to the exploitation of women. Another tradition performed by the Chinese women in the Confucian society was foot-binding. Originally it was done as a kind of ballet toe dancing performed for royalty. It eventually worked its way down the entire social strata and became a tradition linked to marriage. It was performed on young girls from the ages of five to seven, as early as two and as late as thirteen. The foot was to be shaped into what looked like the Golden Lotus bud. The perfect shaped foot was three inches long looked like it naturally extended form the foot, not like the 90* angle normal feet make. The foot was bound to break the arch and toes. The toes were broken to curl under the foot. The big toe was left to look like the point of the bud. Girls were told to walk on pieces of sharp metal and broken glass to cut the bottom of the foot so that when it healed, the toes would fuse to the foot. Every so often the feet were unbound to clean and tighten. This was an extremely painful process that took more than two years to complete. The binding shoes were worn the rest of the girl's life. Perfectly bound feet meant that the girl was marriageable, she was obedient, submissive, and could endure great amounts of pain. This also controlled her sexuality because it was hard for the girl to â€Å"get around. † The tiny feet also became an erotic fetish for some men. The girl's shoes were sent to her mother-in-law-to-be for inspection. The Girls' new mother would inspect for size, shape, and craftsmanship. Since the girl made the shoes herself, the explicit details gave a clue to what type of worker she was. This creativity was often the only creative outlet for the young girls. So to conclude, there are many differences in the ways women were dealt with in Confucianism and Daoism. In both religions, however, women were not very high up on the social scales, they were supposed to be the calm, passive and obedient counterpart of men, and were ultimately inferior beings. Foot binding became a Confucian tradition in marriage, while in Daoism, women held nearly the heights levels I the religion. I am just glad to say that I am a woman living in America today, and not in the classical Confucian society of China.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Marybeth Tinning

Marybeth Tinning Between 1971 and 1985, all nine of Marybeth and Joe Tinnings children died. While doctors suspected the children had a newly-discovered death gene, friends and family suspected something more sinister. Marybeth was eventually convicted of second-degree murder in the death of only one of her children. Learn about her life, the lives- and deaths- of her children, and her court cases. Early Life Marybeth Roe was born on September 11, 1942, in Duanesburg, New York. She was an average student at Duanesburg High School and after graduation, she worked at various jobs until she settled in as a nursing assistant at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, New York. In 1963, at the age of 21, Marybeth met Joe Tinning on a blind date. Joe worked for General Electric as did Marybeths father. He had a quiet disposition and was easy going. The two dated for several months and married in 1965. Marybeth Tinning once said that there were two things she wanted from life- to be married to someone who cared for her and to have children. By 1967 she had reached both goals. The Tinnings first child, Barbara Ann, was born on May 31, 1967. Their second child, Joseph, was born on January 10, 1970. In October 1971, Marybeth was pregnant with their third child, when her father died of a sudden heart attack. This became the first of a series of tragic events for the Tinning family. Suspicious Deaths The Tinnings third child, Jennifer, was born with an infection and died soon after her birth. Within nine weeks, the Tinnings other two children followed. Marybeth had always been odd, but after the death of her first three children, she became withdrawn and suffered severe mood swings. The Tinnings decided to move to a new house hoping that the change would do them good. After the Tinnings fourth and fifth children each died before they were a year old, some doctors suspected that the Tinning children were afflicted with a new disease. However, friends and family suspected that something else was going on. They talked among themselves about how the children seemed healthy and active before they died. They were beginning to ask questions. If it was genetic, why would the Tinnings keep having children? When seeing Marybeth pregnant, they would ask each other, how long this one would last? Family members also noticed how Marybeth would get upset if she felt she wasnt receiving enough attention at the childrens funerals and other family events. In 1974, Joe Tinning was admitted to the hospital because of a near-fatal dose of barbiturate poisoning. Later both he and Marybeth admitted that during this time there was a lot of upheaval in their marriage and that she put the pills, which she had obtained from a friend with an epileptic child, into Joes grape juice. Joe thought their marriage was strong enough to survive the incident and the couple stayed together despite what happened. He was later quoted as saying, You have to believe the wife. In August 1978, the couple decided they wanted to begin the adoption process for a baby boy named Michael who had been living with them as ​a  foster child. Around the same time, Marybeth became pregnant again. Two other biological children of the Tinnings died and Michaels death followed. It was always assumed that a genetic flaw or the death gene was responsible for the death of the Tinnings children, but Michael was adopted. This shed a whole different light on what had been happening with the Tinning children over the years. This time doctors and social workers warned the police that they should be very attentive to Marybeth Tinning. People commented on Marybeths behavior after their ninth child, Tami Lynnes, funeral. She held a brunch at her house for friends and family. Her neighbor noticed that her usual dark demeanor was gone and she seemed sociable as she engaged in the usual chatter that goes on during a get-together. For some, the death of Tami Lynne became the final straw. The hotline at the police station lit up with neighbors, family members and doctors and nurses calling in to report their suspicions about the deaths of the Tinning children. Forensic Pathology Investigation Schenectady Police Chief, Richard E. Nelson contacted forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden to ask him some questions about SIDS. One of the first questions he asked was if it was possible that nine children in one family could die of natural causes. Baden told him that it wasnt possible and asked him to send him the case files. He also explained to the chief that children that babies who die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), also known as crib death, do not turn blue. They look like normal children after they die. If a baby was blue, he suspected it was caused by homicidal asphyxia. Someone had smothered the children. Dr. Baden later wrote a book in which he attributed the deaths of the Tinning children as a result of Marybeth suffering from acute Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome. Dr. Baden described Marybeth Tinning as a sympathy junky. He said, She liked the attention of people feeling sorry for her from the loss of her children. Confession and Denial On February 4, 1986, Schenectady investigators brought Marybeth in for questioning. For several hours she told investigators different events that had occurred with the deaths of her children. She denied having anything to do with their deaths. Hours into the interrogation she broke down and admitted she killed three of the children. I did not do anything to Jennifer, Joseph, Barbara, Michael, Mary Frances, Jonathan, she confessed, Just these three, Timothy, Nathan and Tami. I smothered them each with a pillow because Im not a good mother. Im not a good mother because of the other children. Joe Tinning was brought to the station and he encouraged Marybeth to be honest. In tears, she admitted to Joe what she had admitted to the police. The interrogators then asked Marybeth to go through each of the childrens murders and explain what happened. A 36-page statement was prepared and at the bottom, ​Marybeth ​wrote a brief statement about which of the children she killed (Timothy, Nathan, and Tami) and denied doing anything to the other children. She signed and dated the confession. According to what she said in the statement, she killed Tami Lynne because she would not stop crying. She was arrested and charged with the second-degree murder of Tami Lynne. The investigators could not find enough evidence to charge her with murdering the other children. At the preliminary hearings, ​Marybeth said the police had threatened to dig up the bodies of her children and rip them limb from limb during the interrogation. She said that the 36-page statement was a false confession, just a story that the police were telling and she was just repeating it. Despite her efforts to block her confession, it was decided that the entire 36-page statement would be permitted as evidence at her trial. Trial and Sentencing The murder trial of Marybeth Tinning began in Schenectady County Court on June  22, 1987. A lot of the trial centered on the cause of Tami Lynnes death. The defense had several physicians testify that the Tinning children suffered from a genetic defect which was a new syndrome, a new disease. The prosecution also had their physicians lined up. SIDS expert, Dr. Marie Valdez-Dapena, testified that suffocation rather than disease is what killed Tami Lynne. Marybeth Tinning did not testify during the trial. After 29 hours of deliberation, ​the jury had reached a decision. Marybeth Tinning, 44, was found guilty of second-degree murder of Tami Lynne Tinning. Joe Tinning later told the New York Times that he felt that the jury did their job, but he just had a different opinion on it. During sentencing, Marybeth read a statement in which she said she was sorry that Tami Lynne was dead and that she thought about her every day, but that she had no part in her death. She also said she would never stop trying to prove her innocence. The Lord above and I know I am innocent. One day the whole world will know that I am innocent and maybe then I can have my life back once again or what is left of it. She was sentenced to 20 years to life and was sent to Bedford Hills Prison for Women in New York. Incarceration and Parole Hearings Marybeth Tinning has been up for parole three times since her incarceration. March 2007 To the surprise of many, State Police Investigator, William Barnes, spoke on Marybeths behalf, asking for her release. Barnes was the lead investigator who interrogated Tinning when she confessed to killing three of her nine children.When asked about her crime, Tinning told the parole board, I have to be honest, and the only thing that I can tell you is that I know that my daughter is dead. I live with it every day, she continued, I have no recollection and I cant believe that I harmed her. I cant say any more than that.The Parole Commissioners denied parole, citing that she showed little insight into her crime and displayed little remorse. March 2009 In January 2009, Tinning went before the parole board for the second time. This time Tinning indicated that she remembered more than she did during her first parole hearing.She stated that she was going through bad times when she killed her daughter. The parole board again denied her parole, stating that her remorse was superficial at best. March 2011 Mary Beth was more forthcoming during her last parole hearing. She admitted to smothering Tami Lynne with a pillow but continued to insist that her other children died of SIDS.Asked to describe what insight she had about her actions, she answered, When I look back I see a very damaged and just a messed up person... Sometimes I try not to look in the mirror and when I do, I just, there is no words that I can express now. I feel none. Im just, just none.She also said she has tried to become a better person and ask for help and help others.Mary Beth was denied parole in 2011 and will become eligible again in 2013. Joe Tinning has continued to stand by Mary Beth and visits her regularly at the Bedford Hills Prison for Women in New York, although Marybeth commented during her last parole hearing that the visits were becoming more difficult. Jennifer: Third Child, First to Die Jennifer Tinning was born on December 26, 1971. She was kept hospitalized because of a severe infection and she died eight days later. According to the autopsy report, the cause of death was acute meningitis. Some who attended Jennifers funeral remembered that it seemed more like a social event than a funeral. Any remorse Marybeth was experiencing seemed to dissolve as she became the central focus of her sympathizing friends and family. In Dr. Michael Badens book, Confessions of a Medical Examiner, one of the cases that he profiles is that of Marybeth Tinning. He comments in the book about Jennifer, the one child that most everyone involved in the case kept saying Marybeth did not hurt. She was born with a severe infection and died in the hospital eight days later. Dr. Michael Baden added a different viewpoint on Jennifers death: Jennifer looks to be the victim of a coat hanger. Tinning had been trying to hasten her birth and only succeeded in introducing meningitis. The police theorized that she wanted to deliver the baby on Christmas Day, like Jesus. She thought her father, who had died while she was pregnant, would have been pleased. Joseph: Second Child, Second to Die On January 20, 1972, just 17 days after Jennifer died, Marybeth rushed into the Ellis Hospital emergency room in Schenectady with Joseph, who she said had experienced some sort of seizure. He was quickly revived, checked out and then sent home. Hours later Marybeth returned with Joe, but this time he could not ​be  saved. Tinning told the doctors that she put Joseph down for a nap and when she later checked on him she found him tangled up in the sheets and his skin was blue. There was no autopsy performed, but his death was ruled as​ a  cardio-respiratory arrest. Barbara: First Child, Third to Die Six weeks later, on March 2, 1972, Marybeth again rushed into the same emergency room with 4 1/2-year-old Barbara who was suffering from convulsions. The doctors treated her and advised Tinning that she should stay overnight, but Marybeth refused to leave her and took her home. Within hours Tinning was back at the hospital, but this time Barbara was unconscious and later died at the hospital. The cause of death was brain edema, commonly referred to as swelling of the brain. Some of the doctors suspected that she had Reyes Syndrome, but it was never proven. The police were contacted regarding Barbaras death, but after speaking with the doctors at the hospital the matter was dropped. Timothy: Fourth Child, Fourth to Die On Thanksgiving Day, November 21, 1973, Timothy was born. On December 10, just 3-weeks old, Marybeth found him dead in his crib. The doctors could not find anything wrong with Timothy and blamed his death on SIDS. SIDS was first recognized as a disease in 1969. In the 1970s, there were still many more questions than answers surrounding this mysterious disease. Nathan: Fifth Child, Fifth to Die The Tinnings next child, Nathan, was born on Easter Sunday, March 30, 1975. But like the other Tinning children, his life was cut short. On September 2, 1975, Marybeth rushed him to St. Clares Hospital. She said she was driving with him in the front seat of the car and she noticed he wasnt breathing. The doctors could not find any reason that Nathan was dead and they attributed it to acute pulmonary edema. Mary Francis: Seventh Child, Sixth to Die On October 29, 1978, the couple had a baby girl they named Mary Francis. It wasnt long before Mary Francis would be rushed through hospital emergency doors. The first time was in January 1979 after she had experienced seizures. The doctors treated her and she was sent home. A month later Marybeth again rushed Mary Francis to St. Clares emergency room, but this time she would not be going home. She died shortly after she arrived at the hospital. Another death attributed to SIDS. Jonathan: Eighth Child, Seventh to Die On November 19, 1979, the Tinnings had another baby, Jonathan. By March Marybeth was back at St. Clares hospital with an unconscious Jonathan. This time the doctors at St. Clares sent him to Boston Hospital where he could be treated by specialists. They could not find any medical reason why Jonathan became unconscious and he was returned to his parents. On March 24, 1980, just three days of being home, Marybeth returned to St. Claires with Jonathan. The doctors couldnt help him this time. He was already dead. ​The cause of death was listed as a  cardiopulmonary arrest. Michael: Sixth Child, Eighth to Die The Tinnings had one child left. They were still in the process of adopting Michael who was 2 1/2 years old and seemed healthy and happy. But not for long. On March 2, 1981, Marybeth carried Michael into the pediatricians office. When the doctor went to examine the child it was too late. Michael was dead. An autopsy showed he had pneumonia, but not severe enough to kill him. The nurses at St. Clares talked among themselves, questioning why Marybeth, who lived right across the street from the hospital, did not bring Michael to the hospital like she had so many other times when she had sick children. Instead, she waited until the doctors office was opened even though he showed signs of being sick earlier in the day. It did not make sense. The doctors attributed Michaels death to acute pneumonia, and the Tinnings were not held responsible for his death. However, Marybeths paranoia was increasing. She was uncomfortable with what she thought people were saying and the Tinnings decided to move again. Tami Lynne: Ninth Child, Ninth to Die Marybeth became pregnant and on August 22, 1985, Tami Lynne was born. The doctors carefully monitored Tami Lynne for four months and what they saw was a normal, healthy child. But by December 20th Tami Lynne was dead. The cause of death was listed as SIDS.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Farmland Industries Inc. Essays - Midwestern United States

Farmland Industries Inc. Essays - Midwestern United States Farmland Industries Inc. Introduction Today, when we hear the slogans "better farming, better food," or "proud to be farmer owned" one company comes to mind, Farmland Industries. We may think of this of this fortune 500 company as a leading agricultural powerhouse, which it is, however, it was not always that way. Background Farmland Industries Inc. was founded by Howard A. Cowden, who was born and raised in Southwestern Missouri. Cowden started young in the cooperative business by working for the Missouri Farmers Association (MFA). However; in October of 1927, he had resigned from the position of secretary for the MFA and started out on his own. Immediately following, Cowden received the MFA oil contract that previously had been held with Standard Oil Company, and Cowden was now in the wholesale oil business. On January 27, 1928, Cowden Oil Company was founded. This business was moved to Kansas City, Missouri in late 1928. In January of 1929, Cowden Oil Company was dissolved and Union Oil Company (Cooperative) was formed. It was clear that Cowden had planned to do more than just buy and sell oil to local cooperatives. A board of directors was created to run the company, yet Cowden retained full control over the company that he had created. Cowden started recruiting smaller companies to join their cooperative by signing contracts to sell certain amounts of Unions products. In 1929, Union Oil Company had purchased its first land. "The Two Car Garage," as it is referred to, was the building that they had purchase to become their new home. In 1935, Union Oil Company changed its name to Consumers Cooperative Association (CCA). CO-OP was decided to be its official logo. In October of 1956, CCA moved to their new home on North Oak Trafficway, in Kansas City, and the company was ready for major business. In June of 1961, Howard A. Cowden retired as President of CCA and Homer Young stepped in to fill his shoes. In early to mid 1966, CCA changed its name again. This time to Farmland Industries, Inc., however; they still kept that CO-OP symbol for a trademark. CCA now emphasized much of its business to fertilizer, petroleum and commercial feed. This business only grew and grew for them. "By 1967, Farmland Industries had manufacturing facilities for various kinds of fertilizer at Lawrence, Kansas; Hastings, Nebraska; Green Bay, Florida; Fort Dodge, Iowa; Joplin, Missouri, and a plant under construction in Dodge City" (Fite 281). From here, Farmland Industries only increased its size, sales, and dividends, not to mention popularity. Some of the major lines include: Food Marketing, Feed, Crop Production, Grain, Beef, and Pork. Of course, there are many, many other lines that the company has produced throughout the years. Some of these things include: Ful-O-Pep (Union Oil Companys "Antiknock" gas designed to compete with ethyl), CO-OP tires, Batteries, Groceries, Canning and Dehydration, Tractors, Paint, Twine, Steel buildings, and many other successful ventures, along with many other flops. "Weve been working to improve margins-by lowering costs, by implementing shared margin programs, by offering prebooking, and contracting programs in fuel, crop production, products, & feed-and by increasing our emphasis on providing timely information and other services" (Annual 94 2). Organizational Culture Today, Farmland is the largest farmer-owned agricultural input cooperative in the United States. Its mission is: To be a producer-driven, customer-focused and profitable "ag supply to consumer foods" cooperative system (The Farmland Cooperative System 6). The people of Farmland Industries believe in American agriculture. They believe that everyone involved in progressive agriculture in America today is entitled to a return on their investments. Farmlands world headquarters are located in Kansas City, Missouri. The city is located on the banks of the Missouri river in western Missouri. The metropolitan area itself includes four counties in the state of Kansas which helps make up its population of 1.65 million people (U.S. Bureau of the Census 1). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 82.2 percent of this population are White, 12.7 percent are Black, 3.1 percent are Hispanic, and 1.9 percent include various other Races (1). In 1995, the estimated Kansas City median household income was $37,841. Thirty-eight percent of the households in the metro area have an effective buying power (this is the discretionary income households have after paying off all debts) of more than $50,000 per year (U.S. Bureau of the Census). Kansas City also boasts one of the lowest cost of living in major metropolitan areas. It ranked third among 25 cities with populations above 1.5 million people (U.S. Bureau of the Census). There are many exciting things to do once youre in Kansas City.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Macro Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Macro Economics - Essay Example This depicts that a greater percentage of the citizens in that country are striving to be in better places and constantly improving the state of the country through the concept of invisible hand. In India the economic condition is not that stable. This is because only a smaller portion of the population strives to make ends meet while a greater percentage is always dragging the country backwards economically because they don’t work hard and deliver. This is very challenging since the economy is always torn in an imbalanced proportion. Studies from economists behind this theory argue that it developed an idea of a subsistence level to model the theory. The economists claimed that if real Gross Domestic Product rose above this subsistence level of income, it would cause the population to increase and bring real gross domestic product back down to the subsistence level. In India the population is extremely high and this means that the real gross domestic product is always above the subsistence level of income thus bringing the gross domestic product back down to the subsistence level. The opposite happens in the United States of America and that is why the gross domestic product there is far better than that for India. Strong economic growth rate cannot be positive to high population growth. This is because when the population increases, resources for economic growth will be limited. This will therefore hinder growth in the economy due to the imbalance. This defect or problem can be prevented by factors such as controlling population growth by implementing birth policies. The birth rate should be moderate to make the resources adequate for the country3. When the country has a poor or weak growth rate it is a big hindrance to the economic growth. This is because there will be inadequate labor force in various organizations in the country. Labor is a fundamental factor of production and should therefore be supplied adequately in an economy. To offset this

Friday, November 1, 2019

Market for Digital Cameras in Europe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Market for Digital Cameras in Europe - Essay Example Then competition is reduced and a return to tacit agreement is likely. Petrol provides occasional examples of price wars. Interdependent behavior is an important feature of oligopoly, because the small number of competing firms watch each other closely, devising strategies which take into account the likely reaction of the others. Digital camera market has been growing phenomenally since last 10 years. According to a news report published in ZDNet UK, the sales of digital camera had doubled in the year 2003 on a global scale. A Japanese industry group claimed that Europe was ahead of Japan and the United States of America (USA) in terms of revenues and sales both. (Munir Kotadia, 2003) The Camera and Imaging Products association (CIPA) had revealed that 13.4 million units were shipped globally in the year 2003, with a year-on-year 93% growth. Out of these 13.4 million units, Europe received the most, that is 4.57 million units. This was 20% more than the shipments received by the USA and amounted to 3.82 million units. Japan snapped 3.08 million units. (Munir Kotadia, 2003) Research also reveals that for the first time, sales of digital cameras had exceeded those of film cameras in the year 2002. 23.6 million film-based cameras were sold in 2002 while sales of digital cameras amounted to 24.5 million. ... Some oligopolies have a number of large competitors, as with Coca Cola and other major soft drink suppliers, together with a large number of comparatively small suppliers which are price takers. Global digital camera market Digital camera market has been growing phenomenally since last 10 years. According to a news report published in ZDNet UK, the sales of digital camera had doubled in the year 2003 on a global scale. A Japanese industry group claimed that Europe was ahead of Japan and the United States of America (USA) in terms of revenues and sales both. (Munir Kotadia, 2003) The Camera and Imaging Products association (CIPA) had revealed that 13.4 million units were shipped globally in the year 2003, with a year-on-year 93% growth. Out of these 13.4 million units, Europe received the most, that is 4.57 million units. This was 20% more than the shipments received by the USA and amounted to 3.82 million units. Japan snapped 3.08 million units. (Munir Kotadia, 2003) Research also reveals that for the first time, sales of digital cameras had exceeded those of film cameras in the year 2002. 23.6 million film-based cameras were sold in 2002 while sales of digital cameras amounted to 24.5 million. Initially this gap was only marginal, but with the passing years, the gap has only been widening. With 80% to 90% penetration, the digital camera market has now reached the saturation point in Europe, US, and Japan. This is to mean that 9 out of every 10 consumers own a digital camera. (Munir Kotadia, 2003 and Coco Masters, 2009) The boom in phone and digital camera markets has given Europe the lead over US in these two technological grounds. Miss Carolina Milanesi, a Gartner analyst, had commented back then that consumers in US were still in the process of getting familiar