Violence in the Family Essay Example for Free

Violence in the Family Essay The family has been stressed, time and again, as the basic unit of society. What happens therefore inside the family, particularly during the growing up years of an individual, shapes the individuals that make up the society. For a number of people, violence in the family is a daily fact of life. For others it is a remote possibility. Still, there are others who would rather have a violent family than having none at all. The future of the society hinges on the way that individuals are shaped inside the home. Hence, the issue of violence in the family has a big impact on the lives of people and on the society in general. The hypothesis of this essay is that frequent violence inside the family leads to a person becoming violent in his or her relationships in the broader society. By looking at a number of journal articles, this line of thinking will be explored more deeply and look at the relationship of the variables of violence in the family and violence in the broader society. There may be other aspects of the issue for consideration but the existence of violence in other relationships of a person who suffered from violence inside the home will be given priority over other concerns. Impact of Violence on Children One of the glaring impacts of violence in the family is the impedance of the normal trajectory of development in young boys and girls. In a study conducted by Barletto and McCoskey (2002), they looked at the impact of family violence on the development of misbehavior and attention problems among young boys and girls. Interestingly, they found out that attention and conduct problems were much more dominant in girls than in boys. Yet, the girls did not show delinquency even in the presence of violence in the family. On the other hand, violence inside the family has a much more direct impact on the delinquency of boys. At a young age, boys would display attention deficit problems and if left unchecked, such problems will lead to delinquency as they enter adolescence. With the findings of the authors, it means that family violence does affect the development of children and the way they relate with other people in their society. But what happens over the long run? How do the children deal with the effects of violence in their lives? In another study, conducted by Markowitz (2001), he explored the history of family violence in the lives of those who perpetuate the same. He found out that there is indeed a relationship between violent behavior in the family and one’s experiences of violence inside the family during the growing up years. This is true for persons who inflict violence against spouse and children inside the family. This is not an absolute rule, however. The researcher also found out that the effect of violence experienced while growing up is mediated or tempered by attitude. Violence inside the family is looked upon more favorably by men and by nonwhites. This may be due to cultural factors and the extent of violence experienced by boys as they are growing up compared to that experienced by women. This needs more research, however. Causes and Risk Factors of Violence in the Family In addition to the impact of family violence on children, another important aspect of the issue is the causes of family violence. How do people, particularly men, become violent inside the home? In this regard, Rodriguez, Lasch, Chandra and Lee (2001) explored a number of factors that serve as risk factors in the occurrence of violence inside the family. The researchers explored the status of employment, the use of alcohol and even the welfare benefits of the perpetrators of violence inside the home. What they found out is that employment, or the lack of it, is not an important cause of violence in the home because even employed persons also displayed the same level of propensity to violence. Those who are receiving welfare benefits, however, tend to have a higher propensity for violence. This could perhaps be attributed to an affronted ego or pride by having to receive welfare benefits. Alcohol use is another factor that increases the likelihood of violence in the family. If there were friends and other means of social support, however, this likelihood is significantly decreased. These findings do have important impact in understanding the causes of violence inside the home. While experiencing violence at an early age may be an important cause of perpetuating violence, the other factors should be considered. Violence in the family is further affected by what happens in the broader society. Sheidow, et. al (2001) explored the experiences of youth in urban settings in terms of violence experienced at home and in the community. The violence in the community is also at a high level in comparison with that inside the family. What the authors wanted to explore was the relation between the functioning of the family and the risk for exposure to violence in neighborhoods known for their violent environment. The authors discovered that the way that the family functions is indeed a contributing factor to the increased exposure to violence among adolescents in the neighborhood. This is particularly true for struggling families who are in the midst of inner city neighborhoods that exhibit social organization to a large extent. This gives credence to the earlier surmise that the experiences of individuals in the family contribute indeed to the perpetuation of violence in the individual. With the increasing dysfunction in the family, the individual will have to turn to peers and other groups or communities within the society so as to escape their experiences at home. However, since, they have experienced violence; they also know how to inflict violence. This is where they become perpetuators and not only receivers of violence. Repeating the Errors of Perpetuators Violence inside the family is a vicious cycle. It can be perpetuated by the next generation if left unchecked. Halford, Sanders Behrens (2004) looked at the behavior of couples with experiences of violence in their families. They caught on videotape the conversations and conflicts that the couples had and looked at how they resolved such conflicts. The male partners who reported observing violence in their families showed negative communication patterns compared with those who did not experience such. Females were not affected much by exposure to violence in the family. This also calls for a more in-depth research concerning the impact of violence in the family on boys and its long term effect on them. Conclusion Based on the foregoing discussion, it can be seen that violence in the family has long-term consequences and impact on the lives of people, particularly boys who may grow up to inflict violence to their families, too. As such, effective intervention measures should be arrived at so as to make sure that violence in the family does not become a big problem in the society. The family is still an important institution that helps shape the behavior and conduct of individuals. If the family is full of violence, then the individual reared in such a setting will also become violent over the long run. References Barletto, BK McCloskey, LA (2002). Attention and Conduct Problems in Children Exposed to Family Violence. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 72 (1), 83-91. Halford, WK, Sanders, MR, Behrens, BC (2004). Repeating the Errors of Our Parents? Family-of-Origin Spouse Violence and Observed Conflict Management in Engaged Couples. Family Process, 39 (2), 219-235. Markowitz, FE (2001). Attitudes and Family Violence: Linking Intergenerational and Cultural Theories. Journal of Family Violence, 16 (2), 205-218. Rodriguez, E, Lasch, KE, Chandra, P Lee, J (2001). Family violence, employment status, welfare benefits, and alcohol drinking in the United States: what is the relation? Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 55, 172-178. Sheidow, AJ, Gorman-Smith, D, Tolan, PH, Henry, DB (2001). Family and Community Characteristic: Risk Factors for Violence Exposure in Inner-City Youth. Journal of Community Psychology, 29 (3), 345-360.

My Summer Vacation in Florida Essays -- Summer Vacation Essays

Have you ever been on a vacation? To me a vacation is a time to be with friends or family. When I think of vacations, I think of packing, the flight or drive, and relaxation. Not only is it very exciting to go on a vacation, but you get closer to the people that go with you. Linda, my best friend's mom had asked me if I would want to go with their family to Florida. When she asked me I thought she was kidding, but when she said, "I need to know because if you are I need to get you a airplane ticket," I knew she was serious. I was so excited I could have kissed her. I was going to Florida with my best friend, Lisa, and her family. The people from Lisa's family that were going were Tina, Randy, Ashley, and Linda. Tina is Lis'?s sister, Randy is Tina?s husband and Ashley is Tina?s daughter. Linda is Lisa?s mom and she was the only one out of all Lisa?s family I knew. Going on a trip packing is defiantly a priority. The whole week before the trip I had began packing. I didn?t realize how many things I was going to need until I started packing. I packed two suit cases full of clothes, but I figured I?d rather have more clothes because you never know what the weather will be like. I packed cards, connect four, guess who, I pod, and food so we wouldn't be bored on the flight. When I was done packing my mom asked ? Are you moving out?? The night before leaving I couldn't sleep. When I woke up that morning it was a beautiful spring day. The sun was shining brightly, and the clouds in the sky looked like giant marshmallows. I was so excited because this was my first time going on a vacation. I had already put my suitcases and bags in my car the night before. After I said my goodbyes to my family, I was on my way. I met with Lisa a... ...icking because we didn?t want to miss our flight. Randy called the company where he had rented the van from and they came to pick us up. We made it to the airport just in time because when we walked in the airport they called our flight. This made us very relieved. The flight home went just as well as the flight there except this time I didn't have the butterflies. Overall going on a vacation is something I want to do more in the future. I learned many things from this vacation such as even though you go with some people you don't know as well, you get to know them and by the end of the vacation it's like you have known them your whole life. This vacation brought my friend Lisa and I closer because we experienced things together. Going on a vacation with someone makes your relationship stronger and you find out many different likes and dislikes about each other.

Marketing Draft: Les Mills Essay

Introduction: The Olympian â€Å"Les Mills† first opened the gym in 1968 and has been expanding its branches ever since including its Wellington branch in 1982, the gym I am focusing on (Les Mills, n.d). Les Mills is a one-stop comprehensive and full service gym located in Wellington. It offers facilities assisting in attaining active and healthy lifestyles through its extensive services. Mission Statement: Les Mills is a business providing a service with the goal of helping its consumers lead healthy and active lifestyles in central locations in Wellington. Market Analysis: Market Environment: The market is a considerable size in Wellington. Gyms like Jetts and City Fitness are key contributors to that size. Gyms vary in size and what they offer, they may be gender exclusive gyms, small stand alone gyms, large chain gyms, outdoor based training, and so on. Trends in the market consist of; attentive staff with relevant qualifications and a range of services within the gym (personal training, classes, good equipment). Customers within the market are in the â€Å"age of obesity† and generally concerned with â€Å"weight loss, muscle toning cardiovascular fitness, stress management and injury prevention/rehabilitation,† (The New Zealand Institute of Health and Fitness (March 2009). External Environment: Les Mills has many competitors as all gyms offer many of the same things. However all differ in internal features to set themselves apart from their competitors to target certain markets. Les Mills competitors are gyms like Jetts and City Fitness, and extend beyond gyms alone but also businesses which offer fitness, health and weight loss services, such as paddleboarding companies, Bikram Yoga and Jenny Craig. Internal Environment: Les Mills offers a strong motivational culture, this is important in gyms, to motivate their costumer in achieving their goals. Les  Mills staff are all well trained, personable people who create a motivational culture within the gym. They also offer the facility of personal training, Les Mills also offers a very wide range of equipment and workout machinery, as well as running classes. Competitive analysis: The gym market is an oligopoly-structured market. It consists of many small and large gyms. Gyms generally charge similar amounts for their services but price competition and calling can occur to gain customers over their competitors. Jetts and City Fitness charge less for memberships, however they attrac3t mostly to students or adults with lower incomes as they charge a more affordable fee. MACRO Environment analysis: Economic: Sociocultural Technological Gyms, like majority of businesses were and are affected by the post 2007 recession, which changed consumer-spending patterns. Les Mills had to factor that into its membership cost and how to market itself. Demographics impact Les Mills. Its locations need to be close to their target market. It seats customers who have disposable income to spend on membership costs. Due to the age of obesity there is increasing importance on fitness and health. This is predicted to become more trend in the future. Technological Environment: The Internet has changed the face and conduct of business. Les Mills has adapted to this by creating a website. The technological environment is not highly influential as they are a location-based service, but it is important in terms of communicating with their customers. TOWS: (Heinz Weihrich (n.d).) Threats: Opportunities: Economic struggle/recession: The 2007 economic recession lead to a decrease in its customers. Prior to the crash they had more disposable income. New Entrants: New entrants with innovative ideas extending beyond Les Mills  services is a threat to membership levels, and impact upon profit. Expanding target market: Les Mills could branch out to consumers who otherwise workout in the outdoors. Introducing Nutrition as a core aspect of the services offered. This would give it a competitive edge against competitors, as well as competing against weight loss competitors such as Jenny Craig. Strengths: Weaknesses: Good reputation: Les Mills is a well known, reputable and trusted. It has been operating since 1968. This allows for word of mouth among consumers. Innovative culture: Les Mils innovative marketing ideas such as, popular fitness classes and 24-hour services has set them apart from competitors and allowing them to charge more for memberships. Location: They are locate near customers generally working in corporate fields who can afford to pay higher subscriptions for convenience in city centers. Cost of running services: The classes Les Mills run are costly, as they need to supply the facilities, equipment, and trainers to run them. (Heinz Weihrich (n.d).) Target Market: Les Mills Target Market consists primarily of those in established jobs who have the additional disposable income to spend on a gym membership, typically priced higher than most other gyms. Recommendations: Les Mills could increase its membership levels by attracting a wider base of consumers, perhaps those whose interests lie in fitness but don’t like always being confined to a gym, who enjoy getting outdoors. A marketing idea that introduces a weekly activity such as Standup Paddle Boarding sessions where they take groups of people out on the water each week. The advantage of this is that it attracts customers interested in trying something new, as well as ones who have experience in it. It also strengthens their sense of community and culture in the gym because paddle boarding as a team is a social way to exercise, as opposed to running on a treadmill for example. Reference List: Heinz Weihrich (n.d). The TOWS Matrix— A Tool For Situational Analysis. Retrieved from http://www.usfca.edu/fac_staff/weihrichh/docs/tows.pdf MPlans (n.d) Health Fitness Marketing Plan. Retrieved from http://www.mplans.com/health_fitness_marketing_plan/situation_analysis_fc.php Andrew Weber.(n.d) Fitness Industry Analysis 2014 – Cost & Trends. Retrieved from https://www.franchisehelp.com/industry-reports/fitness-industry-report/ The New Zealand Institute of Health and Fitness. (May 2009). A profile on the New Zealand fitness industry (article). Retrieved From http://www.nzihf.co.nz/media-resources-1/articles/a-profile-of-the-new-zealand-fitness-industry Les Mills (n.d) Welcome to Les Mills. Retrieved from http://www.lesmills.co.nz/join-us/?club=1836&plan=fbabd202-741e-df11-9eaa-0050568522bb,c3280ab8-741e-df11-9eaa-0050568522bb

Biography of Johannes Kepler, Pioneering Astronomer

Johannes Kepler (December 27, 1571–November 15, 1630) was a pioneering German astronomer, inventor, astrologer, and mathematician who is best known for the three laws of planetary motion now named for him. In addition, his experiments in the field of optics were instrumental in revolutionizing eyeglass and other lens-related technologies. Thanks to his innovative discoveries combined with his original and accurate methodology for recording and analyzing his own data as well as that of his contemporaries, Kepler is considered one of the most significant contributing minds of the 17th-century scientific revolution. Johannes Kepler Known For: Kepler was an inventor, astronomer, and mathematician who served as a central figure in the 17th-century scientific revolution.Born: December 27, 1571 in Weil, Swabia, Germany  Parents: Heinrich and Katharina Guldenmann KeplerDied: November 15, 1630 in Regensburg, Bavaria, GermanyEducation: Tà ¼binger Stift, Eberhard Karls University of Tà ¼bingenPublished Works:  Mysterium Cosmographicum (The Sacred Mystery of the Cosmos), Astronomiae Pars Optica  (The Optical Part of Astronomy), Astronomia Nova  (New Astronomy), Dissertatio cum Nuncio Sidereo  (Conversation with the Starry Messenger) Epitome Astronomiae Copernicanae  (Epitome of Copernican Astronomy), Harmonices Mundi (Harmony of the Worlds)Spouse(s): Barbara Mà ¼eller, Susan ReuttingerChildren: 11Notable Quote: â€Å"I much prefer the sharpest criticism of a single intelligent man to the thoughtless approval of the masses.† Early Life, Education, and Influences Johannes Kepler was born on December 27, 1571, in Weil der Stadt, Wà ¼rttemburg, in the Holy Roman Empire. His family, once prominent, was relatively poor by the time he was born. Keplers paternal grandfather Sebald Kepler, a respected craftsman, had served as mayor of the city. His maternal grandfather, innkeeper Melchior Guldenmann, was mayor of the nearby village Eltingen. Keplers mother Katharina was an herbalist who helped run the family hostelry. His father Heinrich served as a mercenary soldier. Keplers gift for mathematics and interest in the stars became evident at an early age. He was a sickly child, and while he survived a bout of smallpox, he was left with weak vision and damage to his hands. His poor eyesight did not hinder his studies, however. In 1576, Kepler began attending the Latin school in Leonberg. He witnessed both the passing of The Great Comet of 1577 and a lunar eclipse in the same year, which were thought to have been inspirational in his later studies. In 1584, he enrolled at the Protestant seminary at Adelberg, with the goal of becoming a minister. In 1589, after obtaining a scholarship, he matriculated to the Protestant University of Tà ¼bingen. In addition to his theological studies, Kepler read widely. While at university, he learned of the astronomer Copernicus and became a devotee of his system. Career, Religion, and Marriage After graduation, Kepler obtained a position teaching mathematics in Graz, Austria, at the Protestant seminary. He was also appointed district mathematician and calendar maker. It was in Graz that he penned his defense of the Copernican system Mysterium Cosmographicum in 1597. Kepler married a wealthy 23-year-old twice-widowed heiress named Barbara Mà ¼eller that same year. Kepler and his wife began their family but their first two children died in infancy. As a Lutheran, Kepler followed the Augsburg Confession. However, he did not accept the presence of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of Holy Communion and refused to sign the Formula of Accord. As a result, Kepler was exiled from the Lutheran Church (his subsequent refusal to convert to Catholicism left him at odds with both sides when the Thirty Years War broke out in 1618) and was obliged to leave Graz. In 1600, Kepler moved to Prague, where he had been hired by Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe—who held the title of Imperial Mathematician to Emperor Rudolph II. Brahe tasked Kepler with analyzing planetary observations and writing arguments to refute Brahes rivals. Analysis of Brahes data showed that the orbit of Mars was an ellipse rather than the perfect circle that was always held to be ideal. When Brahe died in 1601, Kepler took over Brahes title and position. In 1602, Keplers daughter Susanna was born, followed by sons Friedrich in 1604 and Ludwig in 1607. In 1609, Kepler published Astronomia Nova, which contained the two laws of planetary motion that now bear his name. The book also detailed the scientific methodology and thought processes hed used to arrive at his conclusions. It is the first published account wherein a scientist documents how he has coped with the multitude of imperfect data to forge a theory of surpassing accuracy, he wrote. Mid-Career, Remarriage, and War When Emperor Rudolph abdicated to his brother Matthias in 1611, Keplers position became increasingly precarious due to his religious and political beliefs. Keplers wife Barbara came down with Hungarian spotted fever that same year. Both Barbara and Keplers son Friedrich (whod contracted smallpox) succumbed to their illnesses in 1612. After their deaths, Kepler accepted a position as district mathematician for the city of Linz (a post he retained until 1626) and was remarried in 1613 to Susan Reuttinger. His second marriage was reported to be happier than his first, although three of the couples six children died in childhood. At the opening of the Thirty Years War in 1618, Kepler’s tenure in Linz was further imperiled. As a court official, he was exempt from the decree banishing Protestants from the district but he did not escape persecution. In 1619, Kepler published Harmonices Mundi in which he laid out his third law. In 1620, Keplers mother was accused of witchcraft and put on trial. Kepler was obliged to return to Wà ¼rttemburg to defend her against the charges. The following year saw the publication of his seven-volume Epitome Astronomiae in 1621, an influential work that discussed heliocentric astronomy in a systematic way. During this time, he also completed the Tabulae Rudolphinae (Rudolphine Tables) begun by Brahe, adding his own innovations that included calculations arrived at by the use of logarithms. Unfortunately, when a peasant rebellion erupted in Linz, a fire destroyed much of the original printed edition. Later Years and Death As the war dragged on, Keplers house was requisitioned as a garrison for soldiers. He and his family departed Linz in 1626. By the time the  Tabulae Rudolphinae  was eventually published in Ulm in 1627, Kepler was unemployed and was owed a great deal of unpaid salary from his years as Imperial Mathematician. After efforts to obtain numerous court appointments failed, Kepler returned to Prague in an attempt to recoup some of his financial losses from the royal treasury. Kepler died in Regensburg, Bavaria, in 1630. His gravesite was lost when the churchyard in which he was buried was destroyed at some time during the Thirty Years War. Legacy More than an astronomer, Johannes Keplers legacy spans a number of fields and encompasses an impressive number of scientific firsts. Keplar both discovered the universal laws of planetary motion and explained them correctly. He was the first to correctly explain how the moon creates the tide (which Galileo disputed) and the first to suggest that the Sun rotates around its axis. In addition, he calculated the now commonly accepted birth year for Jesus Christ and coined the word satellite. Keplers book Astronomia Pars Optica is the foundation of the science of modern optics. Not only was he the first to define vision as a process of refraction within the eye, as well as explain the process depth perception, he was also first to explain the principles of the  telescope and describe the properties of total internal reflection. His revolutionary designs for eyeglasses—for both nearsightedness and farsightedness—literally changed the way in which people with vision impairments see the world. Sources â€Å"Johannes Kepler: His Life, His Laws and Times. NASA.Casper, Max.  Kepler. Collier Books, 1959. Reprint, Dover Publications, 1993.Voelkel, James R.  Johannes Kepler and the New Astronomy. Oxford University Press, 1999.Kepler, Johannes, and William Halsted Donahue.  Johannes Kepler: New Astronomy. Cambridge University Press, 1992.