Profile of Charles Starkweather, 1950s Spree Killer

Profile of Charles Starkweather, 1950s Spree Killer Charles Starkweather had all the makings of growing up to be a respectable man, but greed, resentments, and jealousy ate at his soul and turned him into a cold-blooded killer that murdered at will during an eight-day killing spree. With his 14-year-old girlfriend at his side, the two killed anyone that got in their way, regardless of their relationship to their victims. Childhood Years Starkweather was born on November 29, 1938, in Lincoln, Nebraska to Guy and Helen Starkweather. Unlike many serial killers, Starkweather grew up in a modest and respectable home with hardworking parents who provided for their seven children. Those who knew Charles as a child described him as well behaved and mild-mannered, as were all the Starkweather children. It was not until Charles started school that a deadly monster inside of him began to grow. Elementary School Years Born with genu varum, also known as bow-legged, Starkweather had to endure some early challenges. He also developed a speech impediment and was teased by his classmates. Suffering from undiagnosed severe myopia, which prevented him from being able to see objects twenty feet away, Starkweather was labeled as a poor student and perceived as being slow by his teachers, despite his 110 IQ. It wasnt until he was 15 that his inability to see was diagnosed, but it was too late for Charles, who was already severely lacking in primary education. Middle School Years Starkweather was one of the kids that sat in the back of the class, distracted and seemingly annoyed by having to be there. But when it came to gym time, his self-esteem shined. Physically he had developed into a robust and coordinated athlete. That could have been a positive factor in his life. Instead, Starkweather became one of the school bullies who his fellow students feared. As he grew older anyone who appeared better than him, regardless of if he knew them, was a possible victim of his quick kicks and hard fists. High School Drop Out At the age of 16, Starkweather dropped out of ninth grade and worked at a warehouse. He developed a passion for fast cars and renegade attitudes. Around this time James Dean hit the big screen in the movie classics, East of Eden and Rebel Without a Cause. Starkweather identified with James Deans role as Jim Start, the troubled and rebellious teenager. He started dressing like Dean with tight jeans, slicked-back hair and cowboy boots. Starkweather embraced the hood persona and all the attitudes that went with it. He had developed into a moody, ego-driven defensive trouble maker who had little control over his quick temper and brewing rage. Caril Fugate Caril Fugate was the 13-year-old younger sister of Starkweathers best friends girlfriend. The four began double dating, and the young impressionable Caril became infatuated with her James Dean look-alike boyfriend. Starkweather was equally infatuated with Caril. She was pretty, as rebellious as he was and she adored him. What little money Starkweather made was spent on keeping Caril happy. It did not take long for the word to get around that Caril was his, and anyone else who might be interested would be risking their lives to pursue her. He left his job at the warehouse after several run-ins with his boss and began working as a trash collector. He liked the job better. It allowed him more time to see Caril after she got out of school, something Carils parents did not like. When rumors circulated that Starkweather and Caril were going to get married and that she was pregnant the Fugates decided to stop the relationship. This did little to deter the two. They continued to see each other. The Unobtainable Starkweathers life was falling apart. His father had kicked him out of the house after the two argued over an accident that Caril had in a car that he and his father owned together. Carils parents totally rejected Starkweather and forbade their daughter from seeing him. He lost his job as a sanitation worker and got locked out of his room for not paying his rent. It is at this point that the depressed and frustrated Starkweather decided that he had no future, but what little future he did have was going to be spent with Caril Fugate and all the material things that up to now had been unobtainable. First Murder On December 1, 1957, Robert Colvert, 21, was working at his job at the Crest gas station, when Starkweather robbed, kidnapped, then shot him in the back of the head on a dirt road outside of Lincoln, Nebraska. The day before Colvert had refused credit to Starkweather who was short on cash and wanted to buy Fugate a stuffed animal. This hurt Starkweathers pride, and he wanted to get even. He could also use the $108 that he robbed from the station. As far as killing Colvert, in Starkweathers mind, the kid deserved it. He shouldnt have humiliated him the day before by refusing him credit. The following day Starkweather told Fugate about the murder. She did not end the relationship after hearing the news. For Starkweather, this was a sign that their relationship was forever sealed. What was going through the mind of Starkweather in the weeks before January 21, 1958, is not known, but the pressure of having to one day face the consequences for murdering Colvert were surely mounting. But now with the monster inside of him unleashed, there would be no going back to his normal, dismal life. The Bartlett Family According to Starkweather, on January 21 he decided to try to mend his relationship with Fugates parents. He went over to their house to invite her stepfather Marion Bartlett to go hunting. He also brought Fugates mother Velda Bartlett two pieces of carpet. The Bartletts, who believed that their young daughter was pregnant by Starkweather, were not swayed by his good intentions and an argument broke out. Starkweather became unhinged and shot Velda in the face and Marion in the back of the head. The Bartletts daughter (Fugates sister), two-and-a-half-year-old Betty Jean, was also not spared. Starkweather shut off her frightened cries by slashing her repeatedly in the throat with a knife. Then to make certain no one survived the massacre, he stabbed all of his victims again. He then put Veldas body inside the commode of the family outhouse. He put Betty Jeans body inside a box of garbage and also placed her in the outhouse. Marions body was left on the floor of the chicken coup. Life Goes On Starkweather and Fugate lived in her dead parents house like a couple honeymooning for the next six days. To those who stopped by they were greeted with a handwritten note stuck on the front door that said, Stay away Every Body is sick with the Flue. Friends and family of the Bartletts werent buying the flu note, and after a lot of persistence the police did a physical search of the home and found the bodies, but not before Starkweather and Fugate had fled. August Meyer Now on the run, Starkweather, and Fugate weaved through back roads and made it to Bennet, Nebraska, where August Meyer, 70, and a long time friend of the Starkweather family lived. As they made their way up the rough dirt road that led to Meyers farm their car got stuck in the  snow. The couple abandoned it and continued on foot to the old mans house. What transpired afterward is unclear, except that Starkweather and Meyer got into a confrontation and Meyer ended up dead from a shotgun blast that removed a large portion of his head. Well fed from food from Meyers kitchen and loaded up with the dead mans guns and whatever cash they could find, Starkweather and Fugate headed by foot to the nearest main road. If they were to survive, they needed to get their hands on a car. Robert Jensen, Jr. and Carol King The couple hitched a ride with Robert Jensen, Jr., 17, and 16-year-old Carol King. Without wasting any time, Starkweather forced Jensen to go to a torn down school that was nearby. The terrified couple was led to a storm cellar. There Starkweather shot Jensen six times in the head and King once in the head. When the police discovered the young couple, it was noted that Kings pants had been pulled down and her genitals had been slashed, but there were no signs that she had been sexually assaulted. Starkweather later said that Fugate was responsible for the slashing. She thought Starkweather was sexually attracted to King and acted out of jealousy. A Strange Turn of Events As more of Starkweathers victims were discovered the manhunt for the fugitives intensified. At first, Starkweather talked about going out of state to Washington, but for some strange reason the couple turned Jensens car around and headed back to Lincoln. They passed by Fugates family home, but when they spotted the police cars that surrounded the house, they headed to the more affluent side of town where the rich lived. The Wards and Lilian Fencil Starkweather was familiar with the big homes that lined the streets from his days as a trash collector. One of the wealthiest homes belonged to C. Lauer Ward, 47, and his wife Clara Ward, also 47. Ward was the president of the Capital Bridge Company and the Capital Steel Company and one of the wealthiest men in town. On January 30, 1958, now eight days on the run, Starkweather, and Fugate forced their way into the Ward home. Inside were Clara and their live-in maid Lilian Fencl. Starkweather told the women that they had nothing to fear, then ordered Clara to fix breakfast. He liked being waited on by the woman whose trash he had collected so often. He then tied each of the women up in separate rooms and stabbed them to death. Annoyed by Claras barking poodle, he crushed the dogs neck with his rifle, leaving it alive to suffer. When C. Lauer Ward returned home from work, he met with the same fate as his wife and Fencil. Starkweather shot him dead. The F.B.I. Starkweather and Fugate loaded up C. Lauer Wards 1956 black Packard with supplies and decided to get out of town. When the Wards bodies were discovered the Governor put the F.B.I. and the National Guard on the case to stop the fugitives. Merle Collison Starkweather decided that they needed to get rid of Packard after hearing descriptions of them and the car on the radio. Merle Collison was a traveling shoe salesman who decided to pull off on a side road for a nap just outside of Douglas, Wyoming. Starkweather spotted the napping man, pulled over and woke him up. He demanded that Collinson switch cars with him, but the salesman refused. Not having time to argue, Starkweather shot him in the head nine times. Collison had a Buick with a push-pedal emergency brake, and Starkweather did not know how to release it. When he stalled out a passer-by offered to help, he was met with a rifle pointed at his face and the two began to wrestle. At the same time deputy Sheriff William Romer drove up on the pair, and Fugate sprang from the front seat of the Buick, screaming and pointing at Starkweather, saying, Hes killed a man! Starkweather jumped into the Packard and took off with Romer following close behind. Romer called for back up as he tried to keep up with Starkweather who was driving up to 120 miles an hour. More officers joined the chase, and one of them managed to shoot out the back windshield of the Packard. When a piece of the spraying glass cut Starkweather, he thought he had been shot and quickly pulled over and surrendered. In Custody The killing spree of Starkweather and Fugate was over, but the task of putting together the pieces of who did what had just begun for authorities. At first, Starkweather said Fugate was not responsible for any of the killings. Fugate insisted she was a victim and not a participant in any crimes. She told investigators that she had been held hostage and that Starkweather said he would kill her family if she did not go along with his demands. Fugates hostage story quickly dissolved after she admitted to being present when her family was butchered. Both were charged with first-degree murder, and they were extradited to Nebraska to stand trial. The Trial of Charles Starkweather The list of charges against Starkweather was lengthy, and the only defense his lawyers could bring to the table that could save him from the electric chair was an insanity defense. But to Starkweather, going down in history as insane was unacceptable. He used every possible opportunity to thwart his lawyers efforts by announcing that he was indeed sane during his killing spree. Instead, he said he killed his victims out of self-defense, a position no one believed. The jury found him guilty on two charges of first-degree murder and recommended that he be put to death in the electric chair. The court agreed, and he was sentenced to die on June 25, 1959. The Trial of Fugate When Starkweather found out that Fugate said she was his hostage, he stopped protecting her and told the authorities of her activity which included slashing Carol Kings genitals and shooting C. Lauer Ward. He also said she was responsible for Merle Collisons murder and went as far as describing her as one of the most trigger happy people he had ever met. He testified against her in court, although it was pointed out by her defense that he had changed his story at least seven times in the past. Few believed Fugates defense of being a victim and she was found guilty of murdering Robert Jensen, Jr. and given a life sentence because of her age. In the years following her sentencing, she continued to insist that she was a victim. Her sentence was later commuted, and she was paroled in June 1976. Except for one interview, Fugate never spoke publically about her time spent with Starkweather. The Final Curtain Call On June 25, 1959, Starkweathers execution was on schedule. Earlier in the evening, he had ordered cold cuts for his final meal. He was asked if he wanted to donate his eyes, which he said no adding, Why should I? Nobody ever gave me anything. Just after midnight, ​the 20-year-old spree killer was escorted to the execution chamber with his head shaved and dressed in a prison denim shirt and jeans. When Starkweather was asked if he had any final words, he merely shook his head no. There was to be no last scene for the James Dean wannabe. No words to send journalist off scribbling in their notebooks. He, like other killers before him, was strapped into the electric chair, hit with 2200 volts of electricity and killed.

Brand Influence on the Behavior of Generation Y Research Paper

Brand Influence on the Behavior of Generation Y - Research Paper Example The paper "Brand Influence on the Behavior of Generation Y" discusses the factors of fashion brands that influence the buying decisions of this segment. Research shows that price, peer feedback, advertising, emotional value, product quality, brand identity and the physical environment influence the buying behaviour. These factors are discussed in detail in the following sections. This paper is based on the findings of qualitative research conducted on Generation Y fashion consumption behaviour. The benefit of a qualitative research is that it can accommodate a wide variety of sources and benefit from the scholarly work of several researchers. The study is based on analysis of secondary sources which includes research publications and online content. Major themes that recur most frequently in the secondary sources have been discussed in this paper. Research journals, textbooks and websites covering issues of brand management and marketing were consulted to collect data for this paper. The results of the research showed that rational factors affect brand consumption behaviour among Generation Y consumers as much as emotional factors. The consumers appear to be motivated by product quality and price based on their parental influence. At the same time, they are also influenced by peer feedback, brand identity and brand advertising. As a result, fashion brands pay equal attention to reflecting quality through tangible and intangible aspects in their product development and marketing practices.

American government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American government - Essay Example Age is another factor where the young tend not to vote considering perhaps that their voting would not make a difference showing a lack of understanding or trust in the system. Older voters, over the age of 45, tend to vote more as an age group. More recently, statistics have shown that citizens over the age of 60 have voted more than in the past (Cummings and Wise 328). Religion plays a role in voter participation as religious groups tend to reach out to their communities in organized action (Cummings and Wise 328). Finally, another socioeconomic factor is behavior of marginalized groups, who like religious groups, would gravitate towards community based campaigns. Also, a number of marginalized groups may feel disenfranchised and not participate in voting at all (Hay 20). Objectivity and bias in the press and the Court’s protection of its freedom: Objectivity in reporting means that the reporter strips away any personal bias and produces a report which is based on facts, is convincing, espouses human values, presents a fair context and has views from all parties concerned. In practice, however, it is easier said than done. When the founder of Christian Broadcasting Network, CBN, Pat Robertson, lost in his bid to win Republican nomination for presidential candidate in 1988, he came back to his network and accused the â€Å"liberal media establishment† of â€Å"masking their basic bias† while claiming objectivity (Vaughn 98). CBN is a network that appeals to the Christian right and conservative political agenda. The â€Å"establishment† he referred to were the three major networks considered liberal, ABC, CBS and NBC. So which side was biased ? It seems the answer lies in what the reader or viewer himself believes in but it is still important for a journalist associated with any organization to have made an attempt to be objective (Hachten XV). On another

Financial Analysis for Ipplepen Plc Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial Analysis for Ipplepen Plc - Case Study Example As such, the potential of a stock as a profitable investment is often linked to the company's ability to maximise shareholder value which in turn, is mirrored in its financial statements. Financial analysis has gained wide acceptance as a tool in assessing the health and well-being of a business entity. This is also considered as a helpful technique which aids investors in ascertaining the gains and the risks involved in buying and holding company's stocks. This report aims to evaluate the viability of investing in the stock of Ipplepen through the utilisation of an in-depth financial analysis. In so doing, this report will give a brief introduction of the company, its operations, and the recent significant corporate changes. To get a profound evaluation of the financial situation of the organisation, it will diagnose the important aspects of Ipplepen's financial health which include profitability, liquidity, gearing, working capital utilisation, investment, and cash flow. In order to come up with a comprehensive and accurate assessment of Ipplepen, this report makes use of the company's financial statements which include the consolidate income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement for the fiscal year 2006. The required data for the financial ratio computation are transcribed in Microsoft Excel spreadsheets in order to facilitate more accurate and more convenient data processing. For a more adequate assessment, 2005 is used as a comparative year. After the computations, the financial data and computation are double checked in order to ensure correctness. The interpretation of the computed financial ratios are aided by the concepts and theories presented in various finance books, journals, and articles. 3.0. Company Background Ipplepen Plc operates in the UK fashion industry through the wholesale and retail of clothing, footware, and leisure equipment in the British Isles and Ireland. The business organisation has two core areas of operation: stores, which denotes to its retailing activities of clothing, footwear, and leisure equipment; and Manaton, which refers to its activities as a distribution channel of Manaton products. Aside from these operations, Ipplepen generates income from sub-let property and other property related activities. During 2006, its main operation accounts for 99% of its total turnover. Ipplepen currently employs 3762 part-time and 1786 full-time employees to man its operations. 4.0. Financial Analysis Financial ratio analysis is a very essential tool in assessing the financial health of a business entity. Financial ratios are grouped into five categories, each showing a different aspect of a company's financial operations. These are profitability ratios,

Gene Therapy for Haemophiliacs

Gene Therapy for Haemophiliacs Introduction The main goal of gene therapy is to replace a mutating gene that causes disease, with a healthy copy of the gene or inserting a new gene into the body to help fight the particular disease. In addition, gene therapy is a promising treatment option for a number of diseases such as inherited disorders, different types of cancer and viral diseases. (Samuel Murphy, 2008) Nonetheless, the technique is still under tests, for the reason that it stays risky. According to Professor Nathwani, there is no confirmation of any side effects in patients who already have been treated with gene therapy, still, long-term-follow-up for the adults patients is required before the therapy can be approved for children. Gene therapy is currently only being tested for untreatable diseases. The most challenging one for the gene therapy is Haemophilia. It is yet not accomplished, however there is a significant progress of improvement. (National Library of Medicine, 2016). Haemophilia is a bleeding disorder resulted from low functional blood levels which slow down the blood thickening (clotting). Individuals with this condition experience prolonged bleeding during surgery, after a bad injury or even after they had a tooth pulled out. In very few cases of Haemophilia, prolonged bleeding occurs after minor trauma or in absence of any. In situations like this, bleeding into the brain, joints, or other internal organs could cause serious complications (National Library of Medicine, 2012). Haemophilia overview, diagnosis and treatment options There are two principle types of Haemophilia A and B. Haemophilia A, additionally called, factor VIII, is a hereditary disorder caused by the absent or defective factor VIII (clotting protein). (National Haemophilia Foundation, no date). Haemophilia B, likewise, called factor IX (Christmas disease) is a hereditary disorder caused by the absent or defective factor IX (also a clotting protein), approximately 1/3 of the cases, in both types, are caused by a spontaneous change in a gene. The X and Y chromosomes are called sex chromosomes. The haemophilia gene is carried in the X chromosome. Males have XY chromosomes, X from their mother and Y from their father. Females have two X chromosomes, one from their mother and one from their father. In this case, if a boy has haemophilia gene in his X chromosome from his mother, he will have haemophilia. However, fathers cannot pass haemophilia to their sons. At the point when a female has haemophilia gene on only one of her X chromosomes, impli es as a carrier and can only pass the disease to her children. (National Haemophilia Foundation, no date). Haemophilia is more common in males than females. Nowadays, 1 in 5000 males worldwide are born each year with Haemophilia A and approximately 1 in 20 000 with Haemophilia B.(National Library of Medicine, 2012). The most convenient way to diagnose Haemophilia is to find out if the disease is in the family history, then it would be very possible for the new-born to be infected as well. The other ways to diagnose the disease is to do blood tests to determine any missing clotting factors or low levels, and which ones are causing the problem, and DNA test, which is looking for mutations who cause the haemophilia and eventually compare it to the carrier (parents). The main treatment for haemophilia is called replacement therapy (gene therapy), involves injecting missing clotting factor proteins into the affected persons bloodstream. These proteins help to repair normal blood clotting but often the therapy must be repeated frequently (Hemophilia Federation of America, no date). Gene therapys future Over the past 15 years an empowering data from successful trials on animals and humans have finally resulted incredible accomplishment in patients with severe Haemophilia A and B. Researches from the University College London and St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital organised a team to investigate a potential gene therapy improvement. The investigation was focused on 6 males with severe Haemophilia B. All patients received one-time intravenous infusions of the gene vector at different doses. As indicated by the review, the men were producing clotting factor IX at less than 1% of normal levels. After the gene therapy each patient was tested and the result showed a significant improvement factor IX at between 2% and 11% of normal levels. According to the scientists, gene therapy would enhance the outcomes significantly more after proceeded regular therapy. (National Institutes of Health, 2011). Most recently in 2016 another experiment took place, made by BioMarin. The case included 8 patients with severe form of Haemophilia A. The released information was demonstrated that 2 high dose patients had an increased levels of Factor VIII above 50 percent. Every one of the patients received a single dose of BMN 270 (new investigational drug), 6 of whom have been treated at the highest dose of 61013 vg/kg. The full treatment lasted up to four months. After the last observation, according to the researchers, the highest dose levels of experienced increasing Factor VIII ranged between 4 and 60 percent. All high dose patients had a significant improvement. Also, according to the World Federation of Haemophilia, factor levels were variating in the normal ranges. However, there was a slight problem with some of the patients. BioMarin noticed that some patients had expanded liver enzyme levels (because of the long period of the therapy), prophylactic corticosteroid therapy was given and according to the company, the enzyme levels dropped back to normal. (Ben Adams, 2016). Third significant test included clinical trials managed by Professor Amit Nathwani of University College London and demonstrated an actual hope for haemophilia B patients. In this experiment, each patient received one of three doses of a gene therapy vector to deliver the genetic material for making Factor IX. Factor IX levels increased in all individuals with severe haemophilia B, the following gene therapy remained stable and lasted for more than 4 years. Amazing results and incredible improvement. Moreover, the six patients who received the highest gene therapy dose, remained high blood-clotting protein levels from less than one percent of normal to five or more, which reduced the spontaneous bleeding to 90 percent. According to Professor Nathwani, the unimaginable outcomes permitted the patients to live ordinary life and eventually practice their favourite sport without the need for Factor IX replacement therapy or any daily medication. (New England Journal of Medicine, 2011). Th e following graphs are showing the gained results from the experiment: Figure 1. Factor IX activity after gene transfer (The New England Journal of Medicine, 2014) Figure 2. Number of annual bleeding episodes (The New England Journal of Medicine, 2014)         Ã‚   Both of the graphs are demonstrating the improvement in each patient. Scientists do numerous trials, experiments and researches each day to develop the gene therapy technique. Many evidences of clinical efficacy are currently observed, more work is accomplished and more researches are made. Gene therapy has guaranteed the advantage to those who suffer from Haemophilia, however, this advantage has not been acknowledged yet due to the fact that this field is still young. Although, the majority of the taken experiments and their results are quite encouraging and for the past twenty years numerous trials demonstrated significant improvement in the patients (Christopher Doeing, 2009). Besides, the possibility of gene therapy treatment holds great hopes and has been successfully used to cure some diseases, however, the technique is still under research to make sure it will be safe and effective in the future with no life threatening side effects. It is believed that the gene therapy will l ead to patients having rare bleeding episodes or even begin producing their own clotting factor. Therefore, more experiments have to be done and researches should take care for future side effects or inherited disorders (Mark Derewicz, 2015). All the recent examples of severe haemophilia and the incredible improved process toward a cure showed how much potential this technique has. Is it going to be the next treatment of choice? In my opinion, yes. The ability to insert a foreign gene into the body, and make it possible to approach a new treatment or the ability to control one of the most dangerous human diseases, is one of the first steps to complete success. According to Jack McCain, in 1990 Dr. Anderson carried the first gene therapy trial and cured a hereditary disease of the immune system in a 4-year-old-girl. Today, the patient is still alive and doing very well. This medical case along with the analyses stated above, prove that gene therapy one day can become a staple of 21st century medicine (Jack McCain, 2005). Conclusion According to Graham Templeton, gene therapy researchers have invested decades to develop this amazing technique. Nowadays, gene therapy can be life-changing for many people around the world. For the past 50 years new technologies have been used to control bleeding disorders, however gene therapy offers the possibility of a cure. As stated, gene therapy might be the next sensational discovery for a treatment not only for haemophilia but cancer, other inherited disorders or even HIV (Graham Templeton, 2016). For the past few decades scientists had some successful developments such as: discovering new treatments, inventing new techniques to investigate particular diseases, however the most important one is to be able to treat untreatable diseases, and according to all the experiments stated above, gene therapy is a promising technique, not only for correcting defects, but also for treating cancer and other harmful diseases. More work needs to be done before gene therapy can become a tre atment of choice and this may take another decade until scientists are completely sure that there will be no harmful effects by choosing this technique as a possible cure of Haemophilia.

Life After Death :: essays research papers fc

Life After Death As the irritating, yet monotonous beeps of the life-monitor in the emergency room began to slowly die away, George struggled to hang on. It's not my time yet, he thought. Please, give me just one more day†¦ The beeps soon became increasingly far in between, while the doctors frantically bustled on in a futile attempt to stabilize the dying man like a bunch of panicking bees trying to save their doomed hive from a pouring rain. The world turned hazy, then completely dark, as George felt himself slowly floating into the darkness. He flew and flew without end. Then there was the light - that infamous "light at the end of the tunnel." (Randles 2) It gave out a strange, comforting warmth that enveloped him, easing his fears and relieving all doubts. George somehow knew what to do - to just let go. He felt quite at home. Back on earth, the rhythmic, mechanical beeps suddenly turned into a solid, continuous high E, signaling the end. George was about to cross over. Being bathed in the strangely comforting light, he was soon greeted by his long- lost friends and relatives, beckoning for him to come, come join them. George wanted to stay. More than anything he cared for, George wanted to stay right here, basking in the light of love. But he felt something pull him back. Wait, not yet, he thought. It's not my time yet... The next moment, George was somehow reunited with his physical body, lying on that uncomfortable hospital bed, amidst the doctors sighing in relief, surrounded no longer by that soft glow, but again by that rhythmic beep, beep, beep†¦ Is there a parallel between George's account of a near-death experience (NDE), and what really happens when we ourselves die? Is there indeed a part of us that conquers death and continues to live a different kind of existence where it has new powers and undergoes unfamiliar experiences? Is there really a heaven, or numerous heavens, full of blissful joys awaiting some of us and a hell, or countless hells, full of different punishments for others? Or is physical death, in fact, the end of life as we know it? Such questions about death and dying has intrigued humanity since the dawn of time. One area to which we might look for some answers to this puzzle is religion. Unlike science, dealing only with the material and tangible, traditional religion takes another view of our reality by recognizing the validity of metaphysical experiences. World's major religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity, as well

Nine-Phase Change Model Process Essay

Introduction In undertaking any change project in an organization it is imperative that business executive understand that properly tailored coordinates and strategically sound routes are paramount to the success of the project from its planning phase to its execution phase. Linda Ackerman Anderson and Dean Anderson have formulated the nine-phase change model that when implemented properly is a powerful tool in helping organizations better tailor their change strategic plans to be in line with the organization’s influential areas of change; change needs, employees’ needs, and the desired outcome. The Nine-phase Change Process Model The Andersons’ model of change is called the nine-phase change process model, this change model is general enough to fit any organizational structure and size and specific enough to organize its nine phases into a logistical flow that makes for better adaptation. The phases of the nine-phase model are 1. preparing to lead the change, 2. creating organizational vision commitment and capacity, 3. assessing the situation to determine design requirement, 4. designing the desired state, 5. analyzing the impact, 6. planning and organizing for implementation of the change, 7. implementing the change, 8. celebrating and integrating the new state, and 9. learning correcting the course. It is non-invasive and since it doesn’t confine the change agent to adhering to stringent restrictions, rather, it provides a workable method for organizations to align their mission of where they currently are to their vision of where they want to be and provide guidance on how to attain those vi sions with as little resistance as possible, bettering the chance of success. Personal Change Plan The Andersons’ nine-phase change process model closely resembles my personal model of change. A general explanation of my change model is that it includes an investigation of an organization’s stated and implied vision, mission, and credo and how their business practices measure up to them. A strategic and rhythmic method properly planned to include thorough research  on facets of internal and external environmental changes that may affect the change, an overall risk analysis and contingencies to counter those risks, hierarchical charts of both the project management team and the organization in general; this is an attempt to give everyone a better understanding of where they are in the command chain with the hopes of facilitating orderly communication flow. My plan would also include a work breakdown structure that will include a budget tailored to different departments. The project plan will be properly communicated to all employees in terms understandable to them; employees will be encouraged to give constant feedback and input on the project. Milestones will be clearly stated and celebrated, standard departmental training will be given prior to and during execution of the project plan. Meetings will be held with departmental heads to track progress of the project and everyone will be kept updated. Documentation of processes and procedures followed during the project will be made and kept for future reference. Research Method In conducting further research on the change model I intend to use companies like Wachovia and Peace Health that have implemented or is implementing the change model as testimonies to the effectiveness –or lack thereof- of the change model. I will also seek to explore the criticisms of this model and compare and contrast it with my own. My resources will include websites like Linda Ackerman Anderson’s Being First website, EbscoHost, Lexis Nexis, and the course text book â€Å"Managing Organizational Change.† This resource pool will provide credible information to conduct a thorough research.