Category: Uncategorized

Unit IV (4) Journal

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation

Course Tittle

Professor’s Name

Date

My opinion on Intelligence Assessment

After reading chapter 8, my opinion on intelligence assessment is that it implies the capability to comprehend complex ideas, take part in various forms of reasoning, learn from experience, adjust effectively to the environment, and overcome obstacles through psychological effort. Intelligence signifies a feature of life that scientists have for a long time attempted to assess, measure, and define ever since its origin. A number of models on intelligence originated in the early 1900s, momentarily after contemporary intelligence assessment appeared. With different models come different forms of intelligence assessment. Different intelligence is assessed to determine their validity. To begin with, the Pro-certified IQ test of the International High IQ Society is an example of the intelligence assessment. It was a timed assessment made up of eight pattern identification questions. Contemporary intelligence assessment usually focuses on abilities such as memory, spatial perception, language abilities, and mathematical skills. The capability to solve problems, see relationships, and remember information are significant intelligence elements, so they are usually the skills on which IQ assessments center. The assessment is recorded in terms of intelligence quotient, or IQ, an idea initially proposed by German psychologist William Stern and adopted by Lewis Terman in the Stanford-Binet Scale. The perception of intelligence draws back to the Latin verb intellegere, denoting the acquirement, processing, and storage of information. From this perspective, intelligence is limited to the intellectual, psychological capabilities of the individuals. 

Whether We Have a Better Job of Making It Less Biased Than It Was In the Past or Room for Improvement

So far, we have done a better job making intelligence assessment less biased than in the past. However, there is still much room for improvement. Improved and better intelligence assessments are reliable, signifying that they are consistent over time. They also show concept validity, meaning that they, in reality, measure intelligence instead of something else. The intelligence assessments done in the modern time gave some information about their particular text and what made it good and had their own advantages and disadvantages. However, some assessments tend to be the best generally is actually measuring as a whole. Intelligence assessments are developed son how we comprehend intelligence- our theories. One of the theories that best explain intelligence is the multiple-factor model of intelligence. Some intelligence assessments cover an extensive range of diverse psychological abilities, permitting it to assess an individual’s numerous bits of intelligence more systematically. So far, we do a better job of making intelligence assessment less biased than it was in the past. There is only a small room for improvement. Most intelligence assessments are good, and the fact is that they are not culturally biased increases their validity. However, at other times, the intelligence assessment is too narrow in its questions and does not assess multiple intelligences the same way a good assessment is supposed to do.

Whether IQ is a relevant, culturally-competent concept

IQ is a relevant, culturally-competent concept. It is evident that culture impacts IQ scores. However, some researchers assert that intelligence is a concept specific to a certain culture. According to them, intelligence’s cultural specificity makes IQ assessment biased towards the settings in which they were developed. One actual thing is that intelligence cannot fully or meaningfully be understood outside its cultural context. The connection between different intelligence features can be different across cultures, with positive relationships in one setting demonstrating to be negative in another. IQ is a relevant culturally-competent concept signifying that culture impacts IQ scores. Something that we think of as intelligence in a particular state means a lot in some regions and somehow little in others. An individual cannot just disregard IQ scores he does like, as most people do at times, as invalid as a result of cultural differences. Intelligence cannot completely or even expressively be comprehended outside its cultural context. A certain thing that is well-thought-out as intelligent in a particular culture might be well-thought-out as unintelligent in another culture, and vice versa. Furthermore, individuals in diverse cultures have dissimilar implicit models of intelligence, so they might not even signify a similar thing by the word. The associations between diverse features of intelligence can differ across cultures, with optimistic connections in one environment demonstrating to be undesirable in another.

History

Students Name

Institution of Affiliation

Course Title

Date

Civil religion is a concept to which dates its origin from the French political thoughts and eventually becoming a major topic for the American sociologists. The idea was first used by Robert Bellah in the 1960s. Civil religion means the inherent religious values of a nation as they are expressed via the public rituals and symbols such as the national flag and the ceremonies on the sacred days as well as at sacred places that include the battlefield, monuments and national cemeteries. Churches are excluded from the civil religion though at sometimes they are incorporated to be part of the civil religion in America. In the sociology of religion, the civil religion is regarded as the folk of the nation and as well as the political culture of the nation.

Sociologist Robert Bellah in his seminal 1967 essay, he argued that the United States had an elaborate and well and a well-instituted civil religion that existed alongside and was rather clearly differentiated from the religion conducted in the churches (Bellah & Tipton, 2006). Civil religion is also referred to as religious nationalism, public piety, shared faith and public religion, and that it provides a religious sanction for the political order as well as the divine justification for and the support for the civil society and the practices of the nations. Also, civil religion may be used to imply the state’s use of the consensus religious concepts, sentiments as well as symbols for its purposes. As a system for the established rituals, norms, values, allegiance and symbols, the civil religion is deemed to function as the social glue that binds the people of a nation together giving them an overarching sense of spiritual unity. Civil religion involves beliefs, events that reveal the purposes of God such as the American Revolution and the civil war, sacred places such as shrines to Washington, prophets such as Jefferson and Lincoln, sacred texts such as the constitution. Also, the civil religion further includes the ceremonies such as the Independence Day, hymns such as God bless America and my country as well as rituals that include the prayers at the public events such as the national day of prayers.

The Constitution in the American civil religion

Max Lerner in his classic article, the constitution and court as symbols, he pointed out to the role of the United States Constitution to what later the analysts termed as the American civil religion (Levinson, 1979). Lerner said that every tribe cling to something to which they believe to possess supernatural powers as an instrument for controlling the unknown forces in the hostile universe. The American tribe is no different from the others, and, the same and very habits of the mind derived from the authoritarian bible, as well as the religion of submission to a higher power, have also been carried over to the American authoritarian constitution. Also, philosophy to the submission to a higher law and a country like America in which its early traditions had prohibited a state church, ends by attaining a state church after all, although in a secular state. The United States Supreme Court plays a significant role in seeing to it that the constitution is followed to the letter and that the violators of the constitution do not go unpunished. The constitution being the supreme authority in the region helps to keep all the aspects in check including regulating the powers of the president and making sure that everyone is fairly treated even if not fully.

The hymn ‘God Bless America’ as a civil religion in America

The hymn God bless America is a popular song to which majority of the American population are conversant with and can be able to sing at any time if necessary. The song is taught in the American schools, and it is regularly performed at the sporting events. The hymn ‘God bless America’ sheds light on the cultural tensions that are within the US that are both past and present offering a historical chronicle that is full of surprises, and that will both edify and delight readers from all walks of life (Kaskowitz, 2013). The performance of the song at major sporting events qualifies the song to be incorporated into the components of the American civil religion as it binds all the people at the event making them be one. Furthermore, the song is taught in all schools, an indication that it is an important factor in the American population and that each person needs to know about it as well as the generations to come. The song has been passed to generations for quite a long period for now and has continued to be passed to the later generations to signify a common culture and embrace the symbolism of unity derived from the song. After the attacks of September 11th, the song God bless America was sung on the steps of the capital, at spontaneous memorial sites as well as during the seventh inning stretch at basketball games. The performance of the song at the majority of the events have made Americans become even more deeply embedded in the Americans collective consciousness. Civil religion has existed since the birth of the American republic and has continued to be present in all of the forms of the civil life, emerging with unusual strength in the times of a national crisis as evident from the hymn God Bless America. The hymn has some significant efforts to connect America with both divine blessings and guidance.

The president of America as a prophet and leader of the civil religion.

The president is a national figure and a symbol of unity, and that’s the main reason behind being led by a single president. Throughout the American history, the president has provided the leadership in the public faith. At sometimes, the president has primarily functioned as a political prophet just as the likes of Abraham Lincoln, at some occasions acting as the nation’s pastor like Dwight Eisenhower while at some times perform basically as the high priest of the civil religion like Ronald Reagan (Grinder & Shaw, 2016). In the prophetic civil religion, the president examines the nation’s actions about the transcendent values, calling upon the citizens to make sacrifices in times of crisis and also to repent of their corporate sins at the times when their behaviors fall short of the national ideals. As the national pastor, the president provides for spiritual inspirations to the people by affirming the American core values and urging them to appropriate those values and through the comfort of their afflictions. By assuming the role of the priest, the president makes America itself the ultimate reference point, leading the citizens in affirming and celebrating the nation and reminding the citizens of the country’s mission while at the same time praise and glorify his political people.

The American civil religion has been in existence since the nation became a republic. The founding fathers of the nation were responsible for the initiation of the civil religion, especially the post of the president, the constitution, national flag as well as the national currency. The components of the American civil religion are the symbols that are used to show unity among the American citizens in the manner of conducting their daily activities. The constitution acts as a check of balance and a supreme authority ensuring that justice is enforced through the courts. The hymns such as God Bless America are passed from one generation to the other as part of the American culture.

References

Bellah, R. N., & Tipton, S. M. (Eds.). (2006). The Robert Bellah Reader. Duke University Press.

Grinder, D., & Shaw, S. (2016). The Presidents & Their Faith: From George Washington to Barack Obama. Elevate Publishing.

Kaskowitz, S. (2013). God Bless America: The Surprising History of an Iconic Song. Oxford University Press.

Levinson, S. (1979). ” The Constitution” in American Civil Religion. The Supreme Court Review, 1979, 123-151.

Civil religion

OUTLINE

IntroductionOrigin and Concept of civil religion-

Civil religion is a concept to which dates its origin from the French political thoughts and eventually becoming a major topic for the American sociologists. Civil religion means the inherent religious values of a nation as they are expressed via the public rituals and symbols such as the national flag and the ceremonies on the sacred days as well as at sacred places that include the battlefield, monuments and national cemeteries.

Bellah’s contributions in civil religion

Sociologist Robert Bellah in his seminal 1967 essay, he argued that the United States had an elaborate and well and a well-instituted civil religion that existed alongside and was rather clearly differentiated from the religion conducted in the churches

Forms of civil religion in America

The American constitution

Max Lerner in his classic article, the constitution and court as symbols, he pointed out to the role of the United States Constitution to what later the analysts termed as the American civil religion

The hymn God bless America

The song is taught in the American schools, and it is regularly performed at the sporting events. The hymn ‘God bless America’ sheds light on the cultural tensions that are within the US that are both past and present offering a historical chronicle that is full of surprises, and that will both edify and delight readers from all walks of life

The American president as a prophet

Throughout the American history, the president has provided the leadership in the public faith. At sometimes, the president has primarily functioned as a political prophet just as the likes of Abraham Lincoln, at some occasions acting as the nation’s pastor like Dwight Eisenhower while at some times perform basically as the high priest of the civil religion like Ronald Reagan

Conclusion

The American civil religion has been in existence since the nation became a republic. The components of the American civil religion are the symbols that are used to show unity among the American citizens in the manner of conducting their daily activities.

Bibliography

Bellah, R. N., & Tipton, S. M. (Eds.). The Robert Bellah Reader. Duke University Press. (2006). 

Grinder, D., & Shaw, S. The Presidents & Their Faith: From George Washington to Barack Obama. Elevate Publishing. (2016). 

Kaskowitz, S. God Bless America: The Surprising History of an Iconic Song. Oxford University Press. (2013). 

Levinson, S. “The Constitution” in American Civil Religion. The Supreme Court Review, 1979, 123-151. (1979).

Assignment 1

My Opportunities

Student’ Name

Student’s ID

MWL 101 Personal Insight

Lecturer’s Name

Trimester: 201903

Word Count:

Executive Summary

I would utilize this report to present, analyze and evaluate my skills, traits and characteristics that with respect to my career growth and desire to work in the Tourism and Hospitality industry. Accordingly, this document would rely on my professional and industrial dashboards its basis. Precisely, I would utilize different tools including the 16 personalities test, shapes, academic review, personal performance style and values to test, identify and present my characteristics, skills and traits. Subsequently, I would respond to the findings from the different tests that I conducted. Moreover, the report presents my strengths and weaknesses, analyze and evaluate them (strengths and weaknesses) with regards to my desired job and industry. Thus, I would explain the importance of every strength and negative impacts of my weaknesses. Further, the report illuminates on the trends shaping the Tourism and Hospitality industry, analyze and evaluate such trends to determine employability level of the industry in the next couple of years. Finally, the document offers detailed analysis and evaluation of gaps in my skills with regards to the requirements of the selected industry. Conversely, the findings indicate that the Tourism and Hospitality industry is a highly-competitive industry that continues developing due to the ever-changing demands of its varied groups of customers. Luckily, I exhibit some of the essential skills and traits that are vital in the Tourism and Hospitality industry. Such skills include altruism, leadership, tolerance and reliability. As the industry strives to remain relevant and ensure provision of quality services and products, it focuses on recruiting highly-qualified individuals. Thus, this report presents my skills gap that I should handle to increase chances of succeeding in my career.

1.0Introduction

The Tourism and Hospitality industry serves as the most dynamic industries that continuously evolve since it focuses on offering quality products and services to a wide array of clientele. Tourists’ demands and expectations tend to change with time and differ from one category of individuals to the next. Moreover, the advancing technology impacts significantly on the industry as relevant tourism firms that entail hotels, travel agencies and airlines strive to establish, install and utilize the most suitable technologies for seamless communication and related processes. Consequently, individuals working under the industry of Tourism and Hospitality are expect to demonstrate particular skills and capabilities to ensure they remain competent in the highly-competitive environment. The relatively challenging processes of handling diversified types of tourists rely significantly on the ability of an individual to critically analyze and evaluate the business environment, determine and deliver the most appropriate products and services that meet or exceed expectations of the clients. Currently, I could adequately work as a management trainee in the industry following my limited scope of skills and experience. Accordingly, this report strives to illustrate and explain my current skills, characteristics and traits. Moreover, the report presents appropriate improvements that I ought to accomplish to attain better chances of excelling in my career. Therefore, this document presents descriptions, analysis and evaluation of my skills, characteristics and traits while focusing on necessary adjustments to remain relevant and competent in the dynamic industry.

2.0My Capabilities

2.2 My Capabilities – Analysis

2.2.1 Findings of My Tests

I strongly agree with the results since they paint my picture at a relatively high degree. I am an extrovert who likes hanging out with different persons including friends, relatives and family members. I spend most of my mental energy on handling intuitive processes rather than making mere observations of prevailing conditions. Consequently, emotions greatly influence my decision-making activities. Even so, I rely significantly on judgment to evaluate and determine suitable approaches with regards to my decisions-making processes, planning and execution of my duties and responsibilities. My overall identity is turbulent because I always desire more improvements, performances and developments (See Appendix personality 3).

I am a great Hospitality and Tourism enthusiast with desired traits and characteristics. For instance, I demonstrate excellent attitudes to tourism and hospitality related processes and operations. Moreover, I have great strategies, preferences, habits and skills that facilitate better development and growth in the industry. Unfortunately, I have a little weak experience in the hospitality and tourism industry since I have spent most of my time in studying with extremely limited industrial experiences (See appendix 1).

2.2.2 My Strengths and Weaknesses (Areas of Improvement)

As a protagonist, I exhibit some of the most crucial traits and characteristics that would contribute immensely in my career growth and development. I am a reliable individual who can be entrusted with varied activities and processes. Moreover, I am a charismatic person who can easily win attention of my audience and develop suitable communication environment. Still, I can tolerate varied situations and individuals, hence can work effectively in teamwork. Naturally, I am a true leader. My teammates would probably request me to lead them in handling varied events. Also, I am an altruistic person who strives to attract goodness for the largest number of parties (See appendix 3).

On the contrary, I exhibit some traits and characteristics that attract negative consequences with regards to my career development. As a protagonist, I am overly idealistic, and thus could realize many instances of conflicts with my workmates. Moreover, I am too selfless and hence my end up spending virtually all of my energy and time helping my workmates. Still, I am too sensitive and could end up suffering from relatively minor and less-relevant issues. Finally, I exhibit a fluctuating self-esteem that could attract detrimental effects with regards to my motivation (See appendix Personal 3).

2.2.3 Impact of these Strengths and Weakness on My Job Choice

Being an outgoing person would enable me to interact effectively with some ease while handling my managerial duties. Such a desirable aspect would enable me to overcome fear and socialize with persons from varied backgrounds, a practice that is expected of every hospitality and tourism personnel. Moreover, leadership skills would contribute significantly to effecting delivery of my duties as a manager. Also, I would be striving to attract more successes and improvement of applicable processes through the effect of my turbulent identity and altruism (See appendix personal 3).

Unfortunately, the weaknesses in my experiences, traits, skills and characteristics would adversely impact on my capacities to perform as a manager. Emotions would negatively impact on decision-making processes my forcing me to make conclusions that may be inappropriate to the industry, instead, I would be developing decisions that favor my desires and those of my organization. Similarly, limited exposures and experiences would negatively impact on my effectiveness and efficiencies when handling my managerial roles (See appendix 1).

Additionally, my selfless nature could adversely impact on my service delivery capacities. I would be spending more time helping others other than handling my duties. Also, the fluctuating self-esteem could result in loss of motivation. Moreover, my tendency to spend lots of time handling a given role could result in unwanted delays (See appendix 3).

Conclusion

Various tests as seen in my professional dashboard reveal that I exhibit lots of positive traits, characteristics and skills that are critical in the dynamic Tourism and Hospitality industry. My extrovert nature empowers me to effectively interact and work with persons from varied backgrounds, a practice that is inevitable in the industry. Moreover, my excellent attitudes and preferences toward the industry processes and operations are invaluable in encouraging more growth and development. Similarly, my capacity to intuitively handle situations and make appropriate judgments would allow me to properly execute my duties as a manager by facilitating development of informed decisions. Similarly, my turbulent identity contributes significantly in ensuring that I yearn for better performances and improvements at personal and organizational levels. Furthermore, I am a charismatic person who is a leader by nature. Even so, I am too sensitive, tolerant and idealistic, conducts that could attract unwanted consequences that include unnecessary focus on minor or irrelevant issues and wastage of time. Nonetheless, my relatively limited experiences in the industry coupled with my practice of making decisions under the influence of emotions could attract undesired consequences. Accordingly, I strive to develop such areas of weaknesses to remain more competent in the industry whose jobs become more competitive with time. I endeavor to acquire more knowledge and skills to close the existing gap and gain more competing capabilities to improve chances of prospering in my career. Thus, establishment and evaluation of professional and industry dashboards at regular intervals are invaluable in facilitating career development.

Appendix 1: SHAPE

Weaker areas Strengths

0-5 5-10 11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-45 46-50

Non-existent Very weak Weak Quite weak A little weak SHAPES OK Quite good Good Very good Excellent

Skills Habits Attitudes Preferences Experience Strategies Appendix 2: PPF Table

PPF Aspect Score Level and direction of preference

Structure 25 A score of 20 – 30 for the ‘More structure’ column suggests you have a strong preference for working or studying in an organised and systematic way. This can be a very productive way of working, and you are likely to be someone who gets things done and in an organised and timely fashion. It is worth considering whether more flexibility and openness to new ideas would benefit your performance. Danger points to watch for are over-rigid ways of thinking and working (79).

External Direction 21 A score of 20 – 30 for the ‘Less external direction’ column suggests you have a strong preference for taking control over how you work. This can be very useful in developing as an independent, autonomous learner, capable of taking on new projects and setting targets for yourself. It is worth considering whether you need to be more open to ideas from others. Danger points to watch for are possible weaknesses in team working and not fulfilling the requirements for an assignment (81).

Working with Others 27 A score of 20 – 30 for the ‘working with others’ column suggests a strong social preference when working or studying. This can be very useful for gaining a wide set of perspectives and ideas, for developing social skills, for team working and for developing mutual support. It is worth considering how far you would benefit from more time studying independently. Danger points are possible over-reliance on others and not developing your own ideas in an independent way (80).

Physical Stimulus 2 Scores of 2 for any item suggests that your performance might be affected if that stimulus is not present (81)

Global / Serialist 22 A score of 20 – 30 for the ‘Serialist styles’ column suggests you take a logical, analytical approach to study. This can be very useful in ensuring clarity and structure in your work. It is worth considering whether you need to create opportunities for developing your imagination and intuition. It may help to experiment with searching out links and connections between ideas. Possible weaknesses may be in drawing together your ideas into a strong whole and in making connections between what you are studying and the bigger picture (83).

Pressure 27 Scores of 20– 30 for ‘low pressure’ suggest that you may be good at protecting your health and well-being, and at producing good work even when there isn’t external pressure to do so. You need to beware of over-sensitivity to stress and to external requirements and conditions.

VAK 45 No strong preference: If your scores for all three areas are similar, then you may not have a strong sensory preference for learning. If your scores are high (40– 48 for each area), then you use all of your senses well to assist your learning. If scores are low (between 0 and 24), you may need to use your senses more consciously to assist your learning and experiment more with your learning

Appendix 3: 16 Personalities

My organization is fairly small and does not have any form of PMO within the structure. As such, I choose to focus on Intel, one of the global tech leaders of the current decade. Intel has a formal PMO that works to define and maintain project management best standards as well as guidance in a repeatable process and system within the company. Intel’s PMO has an added role of overseeing coordination, implementation, and assessment of projects directly and indirectly in a support role. Intel formally calls its PMO within its IT department the Program Management Office. Over the years, Duggan (2009) notes that Intel has used its PMO to advance its transformation by way of focused investments and smarter prioritization of projects. Intel adheres to its unique Agile PMO referred to as the focused Agile Persistent Team that use a self-direction structure in decision-making and prioritizing objectives (Calhoun, 2020). To make sure that their goals are in line, Intel’s Agile Project Management Office (PMO) and Agile Persistent Team collaborate closely with members of the business on a daily basis. Additionally, Intel has chosen a portfolio investment method for the work that emphasizes decision-making via a cost and benefit oriented perspective and considering the IT portfolio as a whole. This enables the examination of systemic risks, the ability to make decisions involving trade-offs, and a thorough understanding of the strategic value that the portfolio is meant to provide.

Recent projects at Intel including the Project Apollo cloud services and software utilized the Agile PMO to foster data driven process of decision making, transparency, accuracy, and accurate, consistent, and complete information for better products (Intel, 2022). The Agile PMO applied in the project helped to determine the value of the project, align it to industry standards, and ensure that it creates value for the organization. As Intel goes ahead into the future, the Agile Project Management Office (PMO) will enable lean ideas that give a clear line-of-sight from strategy to execution. Intel wants to keep up its cross-capability road-mapping in order to make it easier to prioritize future capabilities and innovation initiatives. This will be carried out as part of Intel’s endeavor to generate commercial value via better project management.

References

Calhoun, B. (May, 2020). IT@Intel: Modernize IT Portfolio Management with an Agile PMO. IT Project Management Office. Available at https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/it-management/intel-it-best-practices/it-portfolio-management-with-agile-pmo-paper.html

Duggan, L. I. (2009). Intel IT PMO: journey to maturity. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2009—North America, Orlando, FL. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute. Available at https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/intel-it-pmo-journey-maturity-6748Intel. (May 10, 2022). Intel Announces New Cloud-to-Edge Technologies to Solve Challenges of Today and Tomorrow. Available at https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/vision-2022-news-overview.html#gs.3yyj0n

Response to Veronica Yan

Your presentation is very clear and highlights a key methodological approach to PMO that IBM applies. Your use of external references is also important as it allows one to read deeper and to better understand your position. The project you have selected is also an excellent example of how PMO can be applied in a real-life organization to foster shareholder and stakeholder objectives.

Civil Rights VS Public Safety

CJA/550

The argument over public safety versus civil rights has been an ongoing process in the United States since the creation of the Constitution. Some argue that in order to have public safety in our society the government tends to violate some of our amendment rights, while others believe it is a mistake to sacrifice public safety for civil rights. Civil rights are rooted in our country and protect the people who live in this country. Many believe the safety of the general population is more important than protecting the rights of citizens. This paper will analyze public safety versus civil rights with focus on the death penalty, gun control, and pursuit driving and hate crimes.

The death penalty or capital punishment is the execution of an offender sentenced to death after conviction by a court of law of a criminal offense (Encyclopedia 2008). The death penalty has been an ongoing debate on whether it should be allowed or whether it violates our constitutional right. While most developed Western nations have stopped executing the United States continues to execute offenders (Zimring 2004). From 1977 through 2008 1,136 people have been executed, which consisted of people who committed murder (Procon 2010). Those who are in favor of the death penalty believe it is an important tool to help deter crime and it cost less than life imprisonment (Procon 2010). They believe retribution helps console the grieving family and it also ensures that the offender will never be able to commit another heinous crime (Procon 2010). According to Grant (2004) some people believe that some offenders should face the death penalty because of vengeance and retribution for violent crimes. During the time when Timothy McVeigh (Oklahoma City Bomber) was executed about 80% of viewers said he deserved to die. (Grant 2004). I remember after 911 a lot of people wanted to execute the people responsible for all of the deaths that were caused as a result of 911. According to a study that was done by Hashem Dezhbakhsh and Joanna Shepherd (2003), they found a strong link between executions and reduced murder incidents. They also found that for each execution on average there were 18 fewer murders (Dezhbakhsh 2003). In the civilizations of the Ancient Near East capital punishment was a way of life and the bible clearly supports this: “And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die; so shalt you put away the evil from your midst; and all Israel shall hear, and fear” (Deut. 21:21) (Capital 2002).

For the people who are against the death penalty believed it is unethical to kill a criminal for any reason because that person is a human being. According to some scholars and philosophers a human being regardless if he is a criminal or not, was created by God and it not appropriate to award a person the death penalty (Grant 2004). Some argue that the death penalty violate the VIII Amendment, cruel and unusual punishment. According to Grant (2004), death is not only unusually severe punishment but it does not serve penal purpose better that less severe punishment. During the Global Summit of Nobel Peace in 2003 many of the winners stated that they believed the death penalty is a cruel and unusual punishment that should be abolished (Grant 2004)

Another argument that has to do with public safety and civil rights is the right to buy and own a gun. The Second Amendment protects the right of people to keep and bear arms. In 2008 and 2010 the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment protects a person’s right to buy and own a gun that has no ties to the military. The individual’s right to bear arm is a symbol of individual freedom. Opponents in favor of the right to bear arm believe that a person has a right to use a gun in self defense and argue that any attempt to control their use is unconstitutional (Woods 2005). Opponents who do not favor the right for an individual to buy and own a gun argues that the 2nd Amendment only applies to the collective right of the militia to bear arms (Woods 2005). They argue that the language of the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms is only meant to be use by the militia. The 2nd Amendment states, “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to bear arms shall not be infringed” (Woods 2005). They believe that the right to bear arms is only meant for the sole purpose of a well regulates militia for the safety of a free state. Some argue that our government is sacrificing the public safety by allowing individuals the right to own a gun without being connected to a militia. Opponents who support gun control argue that by having gun control laws they curb access by criminal, juvenile and other high risk individuals (Woods 2005).

Pursuit driving is another public safety issue that deals with law enforcement officers engaging in high speed chase in order to catch a suspected criminal. The problem with pursuit driving is that it put innocent people, police officers, and criminals lives in danger. The numbers have shown over the years that pursuits continue to increase and the number of pursuit related injuries and deaths have increased also (Samaha 2005). Some Law enforcement officers are faced with fleeing suspects all the time and they must decided if the apprehension of the suspect worth the risk of endangering the public (Samaha 2005). In 1998 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 314 people were killed in police pursuits (Samaha 2005). Some people argue that the lack of a mandatory reporting system interferes with NHTSA attempt to track pursuit fatalities and these results in the collection of only half of the actual data (Samaha 2005). According to police pursuit records, the majority of pursuits involve a stop for a traffic violation, at least one person die every day as a result of the chase, and 1 percent of police officers who died in the line of duty los their life as a result of a car pursuit (Samaha 2005). Part of the problem with police pursuit is that most officers lack the proper training to properly maneuver their vehicle while chasing their suspect. Most officers were trained on how to pursuit but not when to pursuit.

Opponents who are in favor of police pursuits believe that if law enforcement agencies get rid of police pursuit that this will allow people who get pulled over for a traffic violation to flee because they know the officers cannot chase them (Samaha 2005). If I allow myself to think like a criminal I would not hesitate to flee from the law especially if I had a warrant out for my arrest. A no chase policy would keep the public safe from car accidents caused by police chase but at the same time it would keep more criminals on the street because they would flee every chance they get. Another argument is that many traffic stops result in arrests of violent criminals along with drug offenders (Samaha 205). A couple of weeks ago in Dallas TX there was a guy who was pulled over for speeding and when they ran his information they found out that he was wanted in a string of bank robberies. Although this guy did not flee, if he would have he may have gotten away because Dallas Police Department have a no chase policy, unless approved by a supervisor (only two officers are approved) and the suspect must be wanted for a violent crime.

Hate crimes have been around since the beginning of time and occur when a person targets a victim because of that person racial group, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age, nationality, class, ethnicity and disability (Gerstenfeld 2010). Hate crimes happens any and every where, in small and large cities, and every state. As long as hate crimes have been happening the actual name “hate crime” is new and so is the idea of special treatment of these offenses (Gerstenfeld 2010). The first hate crime law was not passed until 1980 and 3 decades later only 44 states, District of Columbia and the federal government have some form of hate crime legislation (Gerstenfeld 2010). In this day and time I find it hard to believe that not all 50 states have some type of hate crime law. Some people do not believe there should be special laws for hate crimes because they say all violent crimes are hateful regardless of race and sexual orientation. Those in favor of hate crime laws argue that there are hate crime laws because; the person who commits a hate crime deserve an increased punishment because these type of crimes are worse than ordinary; hate crime laws will deter the act; and that the laws will show that this type of crime is not allowed (Gerstenfeld 2010). In the US the most frequently reported hate crime is racism against blacks with 3,000 of the 8,000 hate crime reported to the FBI against black people (FBI 2009). In 1990 the Hate Crime Statistics Act was created which requires the Attorney General to collect data on crimes committed because of a person’s race, religion, disability ethnicity and sexual orientation (Gerstenfeld, 2010). According to the Uniform Crime Report (2010) since 1991 there have been over 113,000 hate crimes with 55% being racially motivated, 17% because of religion, 14% because of sexual orientation 14% because of ethnicity and 1% based on disability. Although there are laws that deal with hate crime there should be more laws and all 50 states should be required to have hate crime laws.

Trying to choose which is more important public safety or civil rights is really a waste of time because both are important and both have a time when one may appear more important than the other one. For example because of 911 some people believe their civil rights have been violated for the safety of the public because of the government’s actions when they passed the Patriot Act of 2001. I believe depending on what is happening in our society at the time that public safety and civil rights will always be sacrificed one for the other.

References

Dezhbakkhsh, H., & Sheperd, J. M. (2003). The Deterrent Effect of Capital Punishment:

Evidence from a “Judicial Experiment.Encyclopedia Britannica (2008) “Capital Punishment,”

FBI (2010) Uniform Crime Reports – Hate Crime Statistics.Gerstenfeld, P. B. (2010). Hate Crimes: Causes, Controls, and Controversies (2nd ed.). : Sage.

Grant, R. (2004, Jan/Feb). Capital punishment and violence. Humanist, 64(1), 25-29.

Procon.org. (2010) Death Penalty ProCon.org. DeathPenalty.ProCon.org.Retrieved from http://deathpenalty.procon.org/

Samaha, J. (2005). Criminal Justice (7th ed.). : Cengage Learning.

Woods, G. (2005). Right to bear arms; American rights. : Infobase Publishing.

Zimring, F. E. (2004). The Contradictions of American Capital Punishment. : Oxford University

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Civil War and Emancipation

Slavery has been cited as one of the reasons for the American Civil War. However, the Southerners were in reality fighting to keep the institution intact for several economic and political reasons. The Civil War entailed the North and South fighting each other mainly over the institution of slavery. The southern states firmly held on to slavery as it was the primary source of their income. The slaves were the most valuable part of their economy. Slave-owners could not imagine how they would survive without slaves working on their plantations. Slavery was a source of free labor, and the plantation owners incurred little expenses in their workers. The Northern states believed in the freedom of all men. President Abraham Lincoln and other Republicans were strongly opposed to spreading slavery to the western states which the southerners were vehemently opposed to. African-American slaves took advantage of the Civil War to fight for their freedom, greatly encouraged by Lincoln’s Emancipation Declaration.

Abraham Lincoln’s presidency was a ray of hope for the slaves. The northerners did not believe in slavery, and this irked the southern states. Lincoln was voted in without a vote from the southern states showing that they were wholly opposed to his fight against slavery. Several accounts from slaves show how they made the ensuing war all about their freedom. In ‘Thirty Years a Slave’ by Louis Hughes, the author details how the war tore down his employer together with his family, finally allowing the slaves to escape. Before his owner, McGee, Died, Hughes had attempted to flee twice but had been captured and taken back. When the Union soldiers seized the town of Memphis, Hughes and other slaves ran to the city where they would be free (Hughes, IV). In the end, Hughes explains that while his master had been more humane than other slave owners, there could be no excuse for buying and selling human beings.

Hannah Johnson, an African-American woman, wrote a letter to President Lincoln telling the president of her son who fought in the war. She told the president that the unjust slave owners should be treated the same way they had treated their slaves so that they would learn a lesson. The slave-owners were furious that the black men used the war to fight for their freedom from the white masters. Her son was a brave man who joined the battle to fight for his country in the hope that the south would be defeated and the slaves would be free. She praised Lincoln for his role in freeing the slaves by saying, “When you are dead and in Heaven, in a thousand years that action of yours will make the Angels sing your praises I know it.” (Johnson)

The third example of the slaves’ fight for freedom in the civil war is in the letter by a soldier, George W. Hatton. The African-American soldier explains how, during the war, they captured a notorious slave-owner named Mr. Clayton. Most of the soldiers in his regiment were from the plantations in the Wilson’s Landing region (Hatton). These soldiers invited the slaves whom the white man had whipped to do the same to him. William Harris was a soldier who had belonged to Clayton and some other women. Their position in the regiment had freed them from slavery under cruel masters like Clayton.

The Civil War paved the way for many slaves to be free. Many plantation owners in the south were furious at the Emancipation Declaration and vowed to stand their ground but were defeated by the Union soldiers. The slaves joined the regiments so that they would fight the southerners and gain their freedom.

Works Cited

Hughes, Louis. Thirty Years a Slave: From Bondage to Freedom. NewSouth Books, 2002.

Johnson, Hannah. “Letter From Hannah Johnson” Primary Sources. 31 July 1863. Retrieved from https://www.learner.org/workshops/primarysources/emancipation/docs/hjohnson.htmlHatton, W. George. “Retaliation in Camp” PBS online.28 May 1864. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h3082.html

My long-term career goals

When I retire from my professional career, I would like to be remembered as somebody who made a positive contribution in the lives of people I interacted with and in organizations I worked for. I understand that this calls for hard work and sacrifice, and I am ready to put in the required effort. I plan to approach all my duties positively and with the aspiration to “make a difference”.

I have registered for a Master’s degree majoring in strategic management under business management. Upon completion, my immediate objective will be to find employment in an organization, I can gain practical experience. I want to be exposed to a wide range of business areas. During this stage of my career, I intend to create a strong foundation of knowledge and expertise. Though, I want to get specialized knowledge in management, I still want to remain flexible. Attaining my short-term goals will allow me to prepare for my long-term career goals.

My medium-term goal is to get a secure but a challenging job in a blue chip company. At this moment, I expect to understand more about the specifics of my career path I intend to pursue. Hopefully, the achievement of my short-term goal will equip me with remarkable combination of knowledge, competency and experience to forge ahead.

My long-term goal is to reach the peak of the corporate ladder. Certainly, it would be good to achieve this by climbing the ladder straight up. However, I know that I will need to climb ladder by ladder to reach at the top. Preferably, I would wish to retire from my careers as a Chief Executive Officer of a top tier company. I would be satisfied from knowing that I positively impacted those whom I worked with.

If indeed, I accomplish all my goals, I would be financial stable in my retirement and live a comfortable life. I will use my free time doing charity work.

My Nursing Career Research

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My Nursing Career Research

Introduction

My name is xxxxxx xxxxxx and I plan on pursuing nursing as my career of choice. I have always wanted to help people and gain knowledge in the process. One of the most esteemed occupations is nursing. The nursing career is always changing, and there are so many different things you can do in it that you don’t have to adhere to one specialty. You can create a new area of interest if one does not already exist. One of the most fulfilling experiences is realizing that my attention, touch, voice, and time can assist a patient. Sometimes, the small gestures you do on behalf of your patient might have a big impact. An Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is the minimal need for registered nurses (RNs), but a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) may help you land a position with more power and higher compensation. Apart from acquiring a degree in nursing, the United States requires a nurse to be licensed and have experience as a registered nurse for a minimum of two years.

My Personality Assessment in Relation to Nursing Career

According to the Human Metrics Personality Assessment, I am an INFP which is also referred to as a mediator. The characteristics of people with this personality include intuitive, introverted, feeling and prospecting. This is a rare personality type as there is only 4% of them in the world. Their main skill is being open minded and thinking outside the box. They are also pure hearted and conduct all their endeavors without expecting anything in return. This clearly explains my obsession with helping people especially the sick. My personality also shows that I am an idealist who is always in search of solutions to problems. This character trait will help me with quick decision making and problem solving skills. As much as I am shy, I am very committed to my work and I am willing to work hard so that I can achieve my goal. According to Vark Assessment I learn more through multimodal learning style. This is the learning style that involves visual, auditory, reading and kinesthetic in order to understand and remember more. My type of learning style gives me an added advantage since other styles have either of the learning style but not all of them combined. It will make me a quick learner during my nursing courses, on job training and when doing voluntary work.

I also did the Multiple Intelligence Survey where I found out I have intrapersonal intelligence. Being intrapersonally intelligent has many benefits to my nursing career because I have the capacity to be self-aware and in tune with inner feelings, values, beliefs and thinking processes. It enables me to utilize clinical data by prioritizing nursing problems and formulate differential diagnoses. Secondly, I can easily formulate standard diagnostic and therapeutic procedures demonstrating awareness of risks, benefits, costs, patient preferences, and ethical and psychosocial issues. Thirdly, I will be able to demonstrate my ability to perform self-reflection in all nursing actions. I also have a high level of commitment to ethical-moral-legal principles. Intrapersonal intelligence also enables me to enhance my decision making and problem solving skills.

My Opinion and Aspirations on the United States Medical Sector

The US medical sector still has a number of current problems that need to be resolved, despite the fact that the country has taken initiatives to boost the healthcare experience. Medical mistakes are one of these problems. In the US healthcare industry, medical errors are one of the most often occurring preventable causes of adverse consequences. It’s important to address medical mistakes in order to decrease the mortality rate. Every year, medical blunders claim the lives of almost 200,000 individuals in US health facilities. The cost of preventing medical errors will go down, and quality medical care will increase. In my opinion, nurses in the US medical sector are in the forefront of eliminating clinical mistakes. By following protocol, the nursing community’s participants can contribute to the resolution of this problem. Reading medicine labels, pursuing continuous learning and working to avoid pharmaceutical errors are all examples of appropriate conduct. Keeping high-risk medications apart is another way that nurses can reduce medical errors. Since these medications have a very high risk of harming patients or even mortality when used incorrectly, nurses must store them separately. I also intend to join the group that is tackling the challenges that arise due to clinical mistakes. 

Nursing Career in the United States V. in Houston

Nursing career information defers both nationally and locally. In the United States, registered nurses (RNs) main responsibilities include planning patient care, delivering it to patients, and informing the public about a range of medical issues. A bachelor’s degree in nursing, an associate’s degree in nursing, or a diploma from an accredited nursing program are the typical educational paths taken by registered nurses. For a person to be a registered nurse, he or she must have acquired a nursing license. In May 2021, the median yearly salary for registered nurses was $77,600 according to Occupational Outlook. Between 2020 and 2030, it is anticipated that demand for registered nurses will increase by 9%, which is approximately average for all occupations.  During the next ten years, there are expected to be, on average, 194,500 opportunities for registered nurses. Many of those positions are anticipated to be brought about by the need to replace workers who change careers or retire.

In Houston the number of nurses employed in 2018 was 26,120. In 2028, the number is estimated to rise up to 252,330 which is 17% increase according to Career Onestop. Every year, there are over 16,130 projected job openings. Most people starting this career usually have a bachelor’s degree in nursing but no working experience or on the job training. However, the nurses take up certain programs such as Adult Health Nursing or Nurse Leadership to prepare themselves in advance. Getting certification for different nursing skills may help a registered nurse get a promotion or a job. The yearly salary for most nurses in Houston is $99,600.

As I aspire to join the nursing profession, I intend to first get a nursing degree. I will also join various nursing programs so as to acquire certification on different nursing skills. As I per take my nursing course, I will set time aside to do voluntary work in order to acquire some on job training. After securing a job as a registered nurse, I will consider taking a masters degree in nursing. I will use general federal financial aid to help finance my nursing degree. During my masters, I will apply for scholarship or apply for a loan and use my job salary as security. Some of the skills I hope to acquire to reach my career goal include critical thinking, active listening, social perceptiveness, service orientation and coordination. I also intend to be excellent in deductive reasoning, problem sensitivity and inductive reasoning.

My Financial Future as a Nursing Professional

As much as I am passionate about my nursing career, I also have lifestyle goals which I need to meet. I aspire to live a comfortable life depending on my salary. I would want to own a house and a car. The house will be not more than 10 km from my work place so it will be easy to access work from home. I will acquire the house through mortgage or save up so I can buy it. Before I buy the house I might consider living in an apartment which will fully depend on the size of my salary. I have no intentions of being materialistic but instead buy things that I actually need. I might invest in quality products which are mostly expensive for example in the case of phones, tablets or laptops. I also plan on traveling for vacations once a year to different states or countries. I am also willing to use the finances available to grow my education by taking up postgraduate programs. Depending on if I have a family or not I may decide to upgrade the house and the car. All in all, I will mainly focus in investing in experiences and education.

Since the nursing profession is highly in demand, it is likely that there will be an annual salary increment in the years to come according to Texas Reality Check. The national salary may get to over $90,000 annually while in Houston, $105,000 annually. It will therefore help in financing my lifestyle once I am a registered nurse. However, I will need some financial help when acquiring a house and postgraduate education. I intend to take up loans and use my salary as security for the house. As for my postgraduate education, I will apply for scholarships and do them part time. I will save up for my yearly vacations by setting aside some cash from each salary. In the event I have more finances to spare, I will consider investments such as real estate or open a business in an industry that I have full knowledge on. These investments will come in handy after I retire.

Cost of Living in Houston Compared to Other Cities

The cost of living in cities is a factor that I will seriously consider when deciding where to settle as I continue with my nursing career. I considered Brooklyn, New York and Alexandria, Louisiana compared to my salary in Houston, Texas. I estimated my salary to be $105,000 within the next few years when I become a registered nurse. My comparable salary in Brooklyn will be $96,713. I will need 46% more in groceries, 282% more in housing, 16% more in utilities, 18% more in transportation and 15% more in healthcare. In Alexandria, my salary will be compared to $ 48,976. I will need 3% more in groceries, 9% less in housing, 9% more in utilities, 3% less in transportation and 5% more in healthcare according to the CNN Money Calculator. It is very evident that the cost of living in Brooklyn is very much higher than in Houston while that of Alexandria is moderately affordable. I actually do not mind not having my family in a different city. I can visit them from often and have video calls to keep in touch. I however do not intend to leave my nuclear family behind in case I move. Housing is a very important factor that I will consider because I intend to own a home. The housing in Brooklyn is very expensive. Unless I get a salary increase or a promotion I would not consider Brooklyn. I would therefore consider settling in Alexandria rather than Brooklyn in the event I leave Houston which is very unlikely.

Volunteering in My Nursing Career

Voluntary work is very important to the nursing profession. Not only does it help a nurse gain more efficiency at work it also helps the community around the nurse. The nurse professional helps the people in his or her community based on the skills acquired while studying or working. Other benefits of volunteering in a community include connecting people, building empathy and trust, empowering the community, fostering efficacy, supporting health care and impacting social change according to Volunteer Houston. As I continue to progress in my career, I intend to join the MD Anderson Cancer Center and the St Joseph Medical Center. At MD Anderson, volunteering is a fulfilling experience that is genuinely at the center of the organization. I will collaborate with cancer patients, their care givers, faculty, and staff in order to improve the lives of the patients. They also have a College Volunteer Program, which is intended to give students a fulfilling voluntary work in hospital environments, which is an added benefit. At St Joseph, I will get to work with patients and people from different age groups. They are very adequate in making volunteers feel like part of the medical center.

Volunteering does not only benefit the community as a way of giving back but it will also help me grow professionally. Volunteering enables nurses to take on a variety of positions or expertise without committing for the long term. For instance, if I work part-time in a hospital, I might volunteer at a nearby school to experience what it’s like to be a school nurse. This would help me decide on a potential career path. A nurse’s network can be expanded via volunteering. A superior or workmate who volunteers their time could prove to be a helpful reference or perhaps pave way to greener pastures. By using my knowledge and abilities in novel ways and by keeping me sharp and current, volunteering will increase my chances of receiving a promotion or a job offer. Volunteering also helps nurses gain leadership skills by lending their special viewpoint and expertise to nonprofit boards, emergency management teams, communication teams, and more to assist bring about good change and enhance general public health. The volunteering experience will also help me grow skills such as decision making, patience and problem solving as I work with different people. I have previous experience in volunteer work where I learned how to keep an eye on and spot changes in patient signs and symptoms as well as how to act quickly in an emergency. Additionally, I gained knowledge on how to distinguish between abnormal and typical physical states and took part in activities related to pain management for patients. Additionally, I developed my analytical skills and my ability to spot pathophysiological issues and changes in status.

My Long-term SMART Goal

For any profession, not only nursing, having long-term and short term goals is very important. The short-term goals work as landmarks or milestones towards the destination which in this case is the long-term goal. For a goal to be beneficial it should be SMART. SMART is the abbreviation for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound. In my nursing profession my long-term SMART goal is to achieve a doctorate in nursing. I have various short-term goals which will help me evaluate my progress as I aim for the long-term goal. The short-term goals include gaining expertise in my unit or healthcare institution, becoming a mentor in my unit, joining a committee to network and broaden my knowledge, becoming certified in my specialized area, and enrolling in a continuing education course that intrigues me.

Considering my long-term goal is SMART, it does not reduce the chances of facing challenges before attaining it. One of the most likely obstacles will be finances to cater for my nursing degree and post graduate academics. I will use general federal financial aid to help finance my nursing degree. During my post graduate courses, I will apply for scholarship or apply for a loan and use my job salary as security. The other challenge will be time management since I will have to schedule time for family, academics, work and volunteering for a long period of time. I will also have to ensure that my wellbeing is in place by eating a balanced diet and maintaining a personal physical exercise routine. From time to time, I will enroll in therapy to avoid getting overwhelmed.

Conclusion

Ten years from now, I will probably be at the highlight of my nursing career. I will have finished my degree in nursing and gained working experience for about three years. I will be a registered nurse and maybe volunteering or doing my masters degree during part time. I however will not yet have reached my long-term goal of attaining a doctorate degree within the next fifteen years. When I achieve my doctorate in nursing, I will feel contented with my hard work. My time, knowledge and sacrifices will have yielded great results. It will also encourage my juniors and all those who will be looking up to me by then. I will consider becoming a lecturer part time as I continue with my career. I will be living my dream!

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My Memory

My memory of the visit to Hollywood is semantic. The picture that involves the experience I quite remember very well is my visit to Hollywood with my sister. I remember how we planned our trip for almost six months, trying to ensure that we put in place every bit of it to ensure everything went as planned. We planned a trip to Hollywood, where we had one of the best experiences by visiting different parts of Hollywood. I recall that both of us were looking forward to visiting the Walk of Fame and seeing the ‘Hollywood Sign. I can recall that we were all aware that any visit to Hollywood required one to make specific visits and take certain pictures for their memory. It is no secret that many people believe one cannot experience a Hollywood visit without making the Walk of Fame, and we made it a priority during the visit. I remember that once we were there, we took several pictures of celebrity names embedded in the ‘Walk of Fame.’ I can relive the experience of seeing the Walk of Fame and how I felt close to the numerous celebrities. We took significant time on the Walk of Fame trying to sport the names of some of our celebrity idols, and it was the apex of our visit. I remember we visited a movie theatre and were amazed at how big it was. The movie studio visit allowed us to see a movie set, which was my first experience.

My recollection of the visit is significantly influenced by the media reports of Hollywood and the general perception that people have about it. However, I knew Hollywood was the bedrock of movie production and celebrity living in the world, and visiting ensured that I created a physical connection with the place. The fact that we came across some stars during our visit helped enhance my memory of what transpired during the tour.

My Sister’s Memory

My sister remembers the moment we decided that we were going to visit Hollywood. He recalls that at first, my mum was skeptical about the trip and was against such plans. She had refused to help us finance the journey and even forbade us from borrowing her car for the trip. After several days of persuading her, she finally allowed us to visit, a condition that my elder sister would take responsibility for the entire trip and ensure I was safe. She also recalls that during our journey to Hollywood, our vehicle broke down, and we had to call mum so that she could help us pay for the repairs. During our time in Hollywood, my sister remembers that we had our camera, and we took many pictures to help us preserve our experiences and be proof of our tour. Her narration also includes the unfortunate event when we lost one of our cameras after forgetting it in one of the restaurants we visited for lunch and getting a call from the owners to pick it up. She recounts how many people were present at the Hollywood Walk of Fame, with many trying to capture the moment on their cameras.

Analyzing the Discrepancies

My sister remembers the incident before the trip, whereas I recall it, which is the biggest distinction between our memories. My sister seemed detailed in her memory as she could remember small details of our tour; my account of it was very shallow and less detailed. For instance, while I only seem to recall that we were permitted to visit Hollywood, she remembers convincing our mother to let us go. She recalls that our automobile broke down on the highway as we drove to our destination; however, I recognized that we had arrived in Hollywood. The difference between our accounts of the tour stems from a variety of factors, including the fact that I might have been less conscious of making the entire trip. My memory of the incident was distorted because I concentrated more on the trip than on the activities I had taken before it. I was looking forward to the memories I would make during my visit to Hollywood, and in the process, my mind did not capture what was happening around me before and as we drove (Bornstein & Pickard, 2020). The planning and preparation for the trip had less appeal for me than the experiences and sights of Hollywood did. I lost several details because they weren’t as a priority to me as my sister (Bornstein & Pickard, 909). For me, the trip’s focus was on Hollywood itself, and anything happening as we traveled was secondary hence did not warrant my attention. The fact that I am also not an enthusiast for long trips would have played a role in me forgetting some of the happenings of the day. Our route to Hollywood was an eight-hour drive, and we took turns driving that day. When I was not driving, I was either watching a movie on my laptop or listening to music, hence why I would not remember most things about the trip.

References

Bornstein, A. M., & Pickard, H. (2020). “Chasing the first high”: memory sampling in drug choice. Neuropsychopharmacology, 45(6), 907-915.