Is there a midlife crisis Essay Example for Free

Is there a midlife crisis Essay As a man approaches middle age a number of factors converge that tend to disrupt his previous modes of experiencing himself. For some men, this stress may culminate or be expressed in a â€Å"midlife crisis. † This crisis has been variously described as a pervasive sense of alienation from ones own being in the world, unidentified or misunderstood feelings of anxiety or depression, and/or physical symptoms expressive of psychic distress. In an attempt to bring some order to conflicting reports about the experience of people entering middle age, we reviewed the existing literature. A lack of consensus soon became apparent. Some writers argued that a midlife crisis was a universal experience in male development; others suggested that men reached their peak of self-actualization at this point. Looking at the literature more closely, we saw that the research findings seemed to depend upon which methods were used and in which culture the middle-aged population was being studied. Psychoanalysts, psychiatrists, and other writers working with clinical data often see a middle-age crisis as universal a developmental inevitability. Levinson proposes, as did Jaques and others, a developmental sequence, with a period of midlife crisis, which â€Å"exists in all societies, throughout the human species, at the present stage of human evolution† (Sifford 1983). More recently, theorists like Slater, Laing, and Henry have focused on the alienating effects of socialization into a culture based on denial, distortion, and repression. Culture, that is, works to deny and distort what is most human in us. Regardless of whether we see midlife crisis as a consequence of social structure or culture, many theorists tell us that midlife crisis is widespread phenomenon. The impact of historical forces on the life course does not stop with one generation. Each generation encounters a set of historical circumstances that shape its subsequent life history and that generation transmits to the next one both the impact that historical events had on its life course and the resulting patterns of timing. Cultural norms governing the timeliness of life transitions (being â€Å"early,† â€Å"late,† or â€Å"on time†) and norms governing familial obligations also shape individual and collective family timing. In all these areas, historical and cultural differences are critical. Particularly significant is the convergence of socioeconomic and cultural forces. For example, â€Å"middle-age crisis† was a relatively recent invention in popular psychology in American society. It was attributed to middle-class women in particular in describing the problems connected to menopause and the â€Å"empty nest† in mid adulthood. â€Å"Middle-age crises† were not widespread, however. They were a product of stereotypes and a social construction rather than of sociobiological or familial realities. Since the 1970s, a considerable volume of feminist psychological literature has placed â€Å"middle-age crisis† in its proper perspective by exposing the cultural and â€Å"scientific† stereotypes that created the concept (Lawrence 1980). For the process to be fully working, then, we would expect to have evidence from lay accounts that the wider public had accepted and normalised the condition. Further evidence was provided by a Gallup poll survey in 1992 which found that over two-thirds of middle-aged men in the UK believed that there was some indefinable phenomenon called the ‘midlife crisis’. Furthermore, it stated that over half of the sample thought they had experienced a midlife crisis, or were actually having one, at some point between the ages of 40 and 60 (Neustatter 1996:80). Second, a further stage occurred in the United States when the midlife crisis started to appear as a legitimate condition in course material designed for the training of nurses. The psychologist Carl Jung believed that in Western cultures, the midlife crisis of males is rooted in a search for deeper spiritual roots (Marin 2001). From the perspective of male and female roles, there is often a reversal of roles away from the closed/traditional paradigm; that is, the husband moves inward to find strength for the future, and the female moves outward to the work world and career (Morris 1995). Thus midlife men experience the self-doubts, malaise, and concern over issues of a failure of adaptation. External economic changes in the opportunity structure affect changes in the timing of entry into the labour force, and, ultimately, retirement. Institutional and legislative changes, such as compulsory school attendance, child-labour laws, and mandatory retirement, shape the work-life transitions of different age groups and eventually influence their family life as well. People who suffer a midlife crisis in this form see the exciting experience of forward movement as ending with youth and the future as repetition and decay. Some people have midlife crises, but most do not. Crises do occur in midlife, but they are usually caused by a variety of factors, certainly not by chronology alone. We conclude that a more adequate theory of human development must take into account both the socio-historical environment, on the one hand, and internal psychological and biological processes on the other. References Lawrence, B. S. (1980). â€Å"The Myth of Midlife Crisis. † Sloan Management Review, 21(4): 35-49. Marin, Rick. (2001). â€Å"Is This the Face of a Midlife Crisis? † N. Y. TIMES, June 24, [section] 9. Morris, B. (1995). â€Å"Executive Women Confront Midlife Crisis. † Fortune (September 18): 60-86. Neustatter, A. (1996). Looking the Demon in the Eye: the challenge of midlife, London: Joseph. Sifford, D. (1983). â€Å"Midlife Crisis: The Nagging Pain of Unfulfilled Dreams,† Philadelphia Inquirer, October 17, p. 4.

steroid testing :: essays research papers

Steroids   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Picture this. You’re watching your favorite baseball player at the plate and the pitch comes and he absolutely crushes the ball strait out of the park; but the next day there is a big investigation and your favorite player is caught having used an illegal steroid to enhance his play. You hope the news isn’t true but the evidence is over whelming. Your favorite baseball player broke the rules and is a cheater (Brown). This terrible scenario can easily be a future reality if steroid testing doesn’t begin regularly. In baseball the owner is allowed to test for steroids once a season and that’s all that is mandatory (Shaikin). This interests me because some of my favorite athletes in several sports are being accused of cheating the game and I just simply want the truth. Fans over the country agree that there should be more steroid testing, to get rid of the cheaters, but more importantly people believe they need more testing to help save li ves.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For instance, many people will be in favor of more steroid testing because they want all the dishonest players out. People want the competition and the level of play fair. Nobody wants to have a league where 90% of the players follow the rules and workout and mold there body bodies by using hard work, and see the other ten percent just simply take a quick injection of some steroid and have there bodies bigger and faster than the rest (Shaikin). Next, and overwhelmingly people want previous records and accomplishments stricken from the record if that person is taking steroids. For example,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   take a player like Sanfrancisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds, who had 73 home runs in a single season a few years ago and people want him tested for steroids (Brown). It raises a good point. If players have nothing to hide then why not test them. The players seem to have all the control on if they should be testes or not, but people forget that it’s the owners and the league that decide the policies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Still, and most importantly the main reason athletes should be tested is for their safety. For example, if a player uses steroids there a number of side effects. They can get liver cancer, cardiovascular problems, sterility, and testicular atrophy (Miller). In fact, withdrawal from steroids is almost as bad as taking steroids.

Bless Me Ultima Essay

What will Antonio become when he grows up? A priest? A vaquero? A curandero? A farmer? Antonio’s future is not clear because, at the end of the novel, he has finally decided to choose his own path. Instead of listening to the beliefs of his mother or the desires of his father, he will fulfill Ultima’s encouragement to follow his heart. With this in mind, it seems likely that Antonio will probably become a man of learning according to Ultima, Whether or not this means that Antonio will become a priest as well is uncertain. Considering his questions about religion and morality and his anxieties about sin, it seems as if the life of a priest is not for him. However, no matter what he decides to do when he becomes an adult, the most important thing is that he has learned to make his own path. â€Å"I had more time to spend with Ultima, and in her company I found a great deal of solace and peace.† (Anaya 223) If Antonio found solace and peace with Ultima because of what she did (being a curandera). So why should he give up his solace and peace once she was gone? If becomes a curandero he would give himself solace and peace because of what he would do like Ultima. â€Å"I dropped to my knees; bless me, Ultima† (Anaya 260) Antonio asked to bless him right before she died. Antonio did not ask her to bless him in the name of God but a being a curandera. This seems to make Antonio not believe in God but in the powers of curandera. â€Å"I bless you in the name of all that is good and strong and beautiful, Antonio. Always have the strength to live. Love life, and if despair enters your heart, look for me in the evenings when the wind is gentle and the owls sing in the hills. I shall be with you†(Anaya 261) Ultima’s final blessing to Antonio Her statement also gives Antonio a idea with which to understand her death by offering a sequence of physical objects that he can see as symbols of her life and through which he can continue to feel her presence. Antonio will be without Ultima and will have to make his own choices without her guidance from now on, but she makes it clear in this blessing that her spirit will endure with him and that the lessons she has taught him will still serve him well even after she dies.

Management Info Systems Midterm

Jacqueline Soto Midterm Information Systems I 1) A 2) A 3) B 4) A 5) A 6) C 7) D 8) C 9) C 10) C 11) B 12) D 13) D 14) B 15) A 16) A 17) C 18) D 19) A 20) D 21) B 22) C 23) B 24) B 25) A Essay Questions 26. You work for an auto manufacturer and distributor. How could you use information systems to achieve greater customer intimacy? You could create a website that allows customers to built their car to their satisfaction.You could also implement a forum where customers could communicate with other customers about any questions or concerns they may have and also talk to support personnel. You could also create an automated system that reminds customers about scheduled maintenance routines and such. 31. What do you consider to be the primary ethical, social, and political issues regarding information system quality? Privacy, Accuracy, Property & Accessibility. 32. How do you think our government should handle the political issue of Internet decency and access limitations?In my opinion, the Internet is way too extensive to try and manage or regulate. There are always going to be ways to share copyright information and breach access limitations. The Internet has definitely gotten way out of hand when it comes to music videos, music, software, ect. I think they should just stop trying to limit the users because they will find one way or another to share new material. 33. What are the functions of management? Briefly ExplainFunctions of management are to make decisions and to formulate actions plans to solve organizational problems. They also have to make sure the company is efficient. 34. What is the difference between a risk and an issue? A risk is a future event that may have an impact on budget, scope, and schedule. An issue is a current problem that is not a risk because it has already happened and has influenced the budget, scope, and schedule. Bonus Question What are the keys to managerial effectiveness and how does IT support them?Give an example of each. Effi ciency – Doing the right things. IT supports by automating routine tasks. (Scheduling a backup of exchange on the server every Monday at 6:00pm) Effectiveness – Doing the right things right. IT helps managers identify opportunities. (Make sure the backup ran properly and test to see if the backup is complete) Transformation – Using IT to change the way you do business. Transforming the product or service being delivered. (You can do the testing remotely by using rdp)

How to Calculate Population Standard Deviation

How to Calculate Population Standard Deviation Standard deviation is a calculation of the dispersion or variation in a set of numbers. If the standard deviation is a small number, it means the data points are close to their average value. If the deviation is large, it means the numbers are spread out, further from the mean or average. There are two types of standard deviation calculations. Population standard deviation looks at the square root of the variance of the set of numbers. Its used to determine a confidence interval for drawing conclusions (such as accepting or rejecting a hypothesis). A slightly more complex calculation is called sample standard deviation. This is a simple example of how to calculate variance and population standard deviation. First, lets review how to calculate the population standard deviation: Calculate the mean (simple average of the numbers).For each number: Subtract the mean. Square the result.Calculate the mean of those squared differences. This is the variance.Take the square root of that to obtain the population standard deviation. Population Standard Deviation Equation There are different ways to write out the steps of the population standard deviation calculation into an equation. A common equation is: ÏÆ' ([ÃŽ £(x - u)2]/N)1/2 Where: ÏÆ' is the population standard deviationÃŽ £ represents the sum or total from 1 to Nx is an individual valueu is the average of the populationN is the total number of the population Example Problem You grow 20 crystals from a solution and measure the length of each crystal in millimeters. Here is your data: 9, 2, 5, 4, 12, 7, 8, 11, 9, 3, 7, 4, 12, 5, 4, 10, 9, 6, 9, 4 Calculate the population standard deviation of the length of the crystals. Calculate the mean of the data. Add up all the numbers and divide by the total number of data points.(925412781193741254109694) / 20 140/20 7Subtract the mean from each data point (or the other way around, if you prefer... you will be squaring this number, so it does not matter if it is positive or negative).(9 - 7)2 (2)2 4(2 - 7)2 (-5)2 25(5 - 7)2 (-2)2 4(4 - 7)2 (-3)2 9(12 - 7)2 (5)2 25(7 - 7)2 (0)2 0(8 - 7)2 (1)2 1(11 - 7)2 (4)22 16(9 - 7)2 (2)2 4(3 - 7)2 (-4)22 16(7 - 7)2 (0)2 0(4 - 7)2 (-3)2 9(12 - 7)2 (5)2 25(5 - 7)2 (-2)2 4(4 - 7)2 (-3)2 9(10 - 7)2 (3)2 9(9 - 7)2 (2)2 4(6 - 7)2 (-1)2 1(9 - 7)2 (2)2 4(4 - 7)2 (-3)22 9Calculate the mean of the squared differences.(4254925011641609254994149) / 20 178/20 8.9This value is the variance. The variance is 8.9The population standard deviation is the square root of the variance. Use a calculator to obtain this number.(8.9)1/2 2.983The population standard deviation is 2.983 Learn More From here, you might wish to review the  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹different standard deviation equations and learn more about how to calculate it by hand.

Australian Wills, Estates, and Probate Records

Australian Wills, Estates, and Probate Records Wills and probate records can often be a gold mine when researching Australian ancestors. Wills generally list surviving heirs by name, providing confirmation of family relationships. Probate records which document the handling of the estate through the court, whether the deceased died testate (with a will) or intestate (without a will), may help identify where family members were living at the time, including those residing in other Australian states, or even back in Great Britain. For more information on the valuable genealogical clues estate records can provide, see Probing into Probate Records. There is no central archive of wills in Australia. Instead, wills and probate registers are maintained by each Australian state, generally through the probate registry or probate office of the Supreme Court. Some states have transferred their early wills and probates, or provided copies, to the State Archives or Public Record Office. Many Australian probate records have also been filmed by the Family History Library, but some of these films are not permitted to be circulated to Family History Centers. How to Locate Australian Wills Probate Records AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORYRecords begin in 1911Indexes to wills and probate records in the Australian Capital Territory have not been published, and the records are not available online. ACT Supreme Court Registry4 Knowles PlaceCanberra ACT 2601 NEW SOUTH WALESRecords begin in 1800The Supreme Court NSW Probate Division has published an index to probates granted in NSW between 1800 and 1985, available in the NSW State Records Authority reading room and many major libraries (not available online). An index to early wills not included in the regular probate series is available online. Probate packets and wills from 1817 through 1965 have been transferred from the Supreme Court to the State Records Authority of New South Wales. Many of these probate packets are indexed online in Archives Investigator, including Series 1 (1817–1873), Series 2 (1873–1876), Series 3 (1876–c.1890) and a portion of Series 4 (1928–1954). Select Simple Search and then type in the name of your ancestor (or even just a surname), plus the term death to find indexed wills and probates, including the information youll need to retrieve a copy of the full probate packet. Learn more in the NSW Archives briefs Probate Packets and Deceased Estate Files, 1880–1958. State RecordsWestern Sydney Records Centre143 OConnell StreetKingswood NSW 2747 Access to wills and probate records from 1966 to the present require an application  to the Probate Division of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. Supreme Court of New South WalesProbate DivisionG.P.O. Box 3Sydney NSW 2000 NORTHERN TERRITORYRecords begin in 1911Indexes to Northern Territory wills and probates have been created and published on microfiche. The Family History Library has a partial set, but they are not open for circulation to Family History Centers (viewable in Salt Lake City only). Alternatively, send a SASE to the Northern Territory Registrar of Probates with details on the descendant, and they will send a return letter regarding the availability of the record and fees to obtain a copy. Registrar of ProbatesSupreme Court of the Northern TerritoryLaw Courts BuildingMitchell StreetDarwin, Northern Territory 0800 QUEENSLANDRecords begin in 1857Queensland has more will and probate records online than any other Australian state or territory, courtesy of the Queensland State Archives. Detailed information is available in their Brief Guide 19: Will Intestacy Records. Index to Wills, 1857-1940  - An online index to wills compiled from original Supreme Court files from all districts, including a few wills for people who died outside Queensland.Equity Index 1857-1899  - An online index to original Supreme Court Equity files that include the names of all people connected with a case.Instruments of Renunciation 1915-1983 - Lodged by executors who were no longer willing to administer a will, these records include many details on the deceased and estate.Trustees Files Index 1889-1929 - Files related to trusts set up under the terms of a will. Queensland State Archives435 Compton Road, RuncornBrisbane, Queensland 4113 More recent probates in Queensland are administered by and available through Queensland district court registrars. An index to the most recent probates from all districts can be searched online. Queensland eCourts Party Search – An online index to Queensland Supreme and District Court files from as early as 1992 (Brisbane) to the present. Supreme Court of Queensland, Southern DistrictGeorge StreetBrisbane, Queensland 4000 Supreme Court of Queensland, Central DistrictEast StreetRockhampton, Queensland 4700 Supreme Court of Queensland, Northern DistrictWalker StreetTownsville, Queensland 4810 SOUTH AUSTRALIARecords begin in 1832The Probate Registry Office holds wills and related documents for South Australia from 1844. Adelaide Proformat offers a fee-based probate record access service. Probate Registry OfficeSupreme Court of South Australia1 Gouger StreetAdelaide, SA 5000 TASMANIARecords begin in 1824The Archives Office of Tasmania holds most older records relating to the administration of probate in Tasmania; their Brief Guide 12: Probate includes details on all available records. The Archives Office also has an online index with digitized copies of wills (AD960) and letters of administration (AD961) up to 1989 available for online viewing. Index to Wills Letters of Administration from 1824-1989 (Tasmania) (includes digitized records) Probate RegistrySupreme Court of TasmaniaSalamanca PlaceHobart, Tasmania 7000 VICTORIARecords begin in 1841Wills and probate records created in Victoria between 1841 and 1925 have been indexed and digitized and made available online free of charge. Records of wills and probate records up to 1992 will eventually be included in this online index. Probate records after 1925 and up through about the last decade or so can be ordered through the Public Record Office of Victoria. Public Record Office Victoria99 Shiel StreetNorth Melbourne VIC 3051 Index to Wills, Probate and Administration Records 1841-1925 (Victoria) (includes digitized records) Generally, wills and probate records created within the past 7 to 10 years can be accessed through the Probate Office of the Supreme Court of Victoria. Registrar of ProbatesSupreme Court of VictoriaLevel 2: 436 Lonsdale StreetMelbourne VIC 3000 WESTERN AUSTRALIARecords from 1832Probate records and wills in Western Australia are not generally available online. See Information Sheet: Grants of Probate (Wills) and Letters of Administration from the State Records Office of Western Australia for further information. The State Records Office holds two indexes to wills and letters of administration: 1832-1939 and 1900-1993. Files up to 1947 are available at State Records Office on microfilm for viewing. State Records OfficeAlexander Library BuildingJames Street West EntrancePerth Cultural CentrePerth WA 6000 Most Supreme Court records in Western Australia, including probates, are covered by a 75 year restricted access period to protect the privacy of persons mentioned in the records. Written permission from the Supreme Court is needed before viewing. Probate Office14th Floor, 111 Georges StreetPerth WA 6000

What an IT do for business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

What an IT do for business - Research Paper Example Information technology is developing at a very great speed, particularly in the business world. Many firms are using the internet for various functions to enhance their production efficiency and augment their marketing strategies. However, key among these is the use of technology to increase the competitive advantage of firms. This paper analyzes how a company/business can use information technology to increase its competitive advantage. Introduction Internet has changed the structure of global markets and made it possible to hook up to other systems, people, and companies, without the restrictions of time and space. The dispersion of such a system is purposefully significant for economic development of every country. With the development and progression of the information and communication technology (ICT), competitive advantage plays a vital role in contemporary companies and businesses (Cicak, 2010). Information network comprises diverse types of software platforms and databases, which the companies use to increase effectiveness and augment their competitive advantage. These include venture-wide networks devised to administer all principal functions of the company provided for instance SAP, PeopleSoft, and JD Edwards among others. They also include more general-purpose database creations aimed at specific uses for instance the products provided by Oracle, Microsoft, and many others (Dewett & Jones, 2000). Ways in which information technology helps in generating competitive advantage The fundamental means for understanding the impact of information technology on companies is the value chain. This is the set of procedures harmonized to produce a certain product or service and offering it to the consumers. In almost all industries and companies, information networks carry out several separate but interrelated activities that affect the procedures like production, fabricating, advertising, selling or delivering products to customers. Modern industry is endeavori ng to reinforce relationships with clients, generate new revenue opportunities as well as lessen supply chain inadequacy. The directness of Internet networks ensures ultimate compatibility with other technologies and the volatility of internet-based information systems (Cicak, 2010). Because of advancements in information technology, buyers have easier access to information concerning products and providers, therefore boosting their bargaining power. In addition, internet networks tend to lessen variable costs and to generate considerably greater pressure for firms to engage in vicious price competition. Although internet affects the operational efficiency and strategic positioning in various ways, it also offers new opportunities for reinforcing or realizing strategic positioning (Cicak, 2010). Information efficiencies (INE) are the savings on cost and time that effect when Information Technology permits individual workers to carry out their present tasks at a higher stage, take on extra tasks, and enlarge their positions in the company because of progresses in the capability to collect and evaluate data. On the other hand, information synergies (INS) are the routine gains that outcome when Information Technology permits two or more persons or subunits to merge their resources, cooperate, and collaborate across function or subunit limitations (Dewett & Jones, 2000). Another way in which network technology helps to create competitive advantage is through differentiation. Information technology helps a company to differentiate itself through various aspects. These include pricing, product improvement, and shorter-time to market as well as customer service. Furthermore, information network can help a company offer customised products and services, therefore improving differentiation and competitive advantage. Supported by the Internet’s interactivity aspect, for instance registration form and E-mail, a company can easily gather customer information includ ing