Descriptive Essay About Reefing - 1615 Words

Twenty-five at the time, just married, having had my first son I’m not sure what possessed me to jump head first into the most expensive hobby conceivable, but, that’s exactly what I did. The reefing hobby is both challenging, and extremely rewarding. There are many daily, weekly, monthly, and even annual tasks that must be done to maintain a thriving system. In this essay I hope to give an understanding of what it’s like to keep a piece of God’s majestic ocean in my home. My current system is 300 gallons in total water volume. It towers in the corner of my living room, dwarfing everything in its presence. The wall mounted TV is but a small fraction the size of the tank. A faint hum not unlike that of a refrigerator can be heard from the†¦show more content†¦The arch is riddled with corals, it’s crowned with a particularly large SPS colony at least a foot tall known as a green slimmer. It was given this name because when removed from the water it will excrete a thick, snot like mucus to protect its delicate polyps. Polyps are the individual animals that make up the coral colony. They are essentially a round animal with a mouth in the middle and a ring of tentacles around the mouth. The tentacles possess stinging cells (called nematocysts) and can be used to sting, paralyze, and catch prey. They also share a communal skeleton that is made up of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). The calcium carbonate is collected from the water column, and in a closed system (like a fish tank) this must be dosed daily. Proper levels of calcium and alkalinity are essential for overall health of the reef. The left side of the aquascape is separated from the right by a deep chasm, or crevasse if you prefer, in the rockwork. It’s dominated by SPS corals. Although their branch structure and overall growth patterns vary, they essentially look like trees. They come in a variety of bright colors, ranging from crimson to deep blue. They are often more than one color, for instance some have a green base that turns to a vivid blue towards the tips. If you were to touch one it would have the texture, and feel of sharp jagged rock. Small acropora crabs and various other tiny crustaceans inhabit their branches. This is where many small prey

Migration Through Human Trafficking Through The Dominican...

Introduction: The topic I will be researching is migration through human trafficking in the Dominican Republic. I am particularly interested in this topic because of its dynamics. The trafficking of women has been an ongoing issue in Dominican Republic and we barely hear about these stories in the media. My original interest was on the migration of women and the reasons why women migrate to North American countries and other Latin American countries from the Dominican Republic. But in researching for this topic, I encountered numerous articles on migration for sexual exploitation and the trafficking of women and young girls in Dominican Republic. This came as a shock to me, as being from Dominican descent and both of my parents born and†¦show more content†¦Unfortunately, I was not able to get direct links from both of my sources because of the nature of this topic they refused answer some of my original questions. Truth is, even though these women are no longer â€Å"enslaved† o ne may say, they are still afraid and I was lucky enough to get some information. Both of the women interviewed refused to give names and locations. II. Research Findings: SQ1. What are the reasons behind trafficking in women for sexual exploitation? Interviewee 1.: â€Å"For many reasons. Imagine we live under poverty, we grow up under poverty and we want better lives for our children and ourselves. She says she left for the same reason everyone else leaves to earn money and come back and buy a house for our family.† (Interviewee #1, 11/06/2014, Dialogue). Truth is, interviewee 1 is right, according to an article entitled â€Å"Sex trade Flourishes in Dominican Republic†, the average person in Dominican Republic the minimum salary is about $80.00 a month. With this being said, we must know that not a lot of people in the Dominican Republic earn even half of the minimum salary. This is what a policeman or someone with a profession is able to earn. Nevertheless, it is understandable why people seek elsewhere for job opportunities. Also, to stay at home means to either adjust yourself to these living conditions or like in

The Second Inaugural Address By Abraham Lincoln - 852 Words

The primary source I have chosen is the â€Å"Second Inaugural Address† by Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address on March 4, 1865. Lincoln delivered his address as the Civil War was drawing to a conclusion and the final ends towards slavery. His address was to thousands of spectators, but was intended for a national and international audience. Some of the conspirators involved with Lincoln’s assassination such as John Wilkes Booth, George Atzerodt, and John Surratt were present in the crowd during the inauguration. Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States. Abraham most importantly led the Civil War into victory. He preserved the Union, abolished slavery, and strengthened the federal government, while also modernizing the economy. Lincoln’s speech contained neither happiness nor sadness. Rather, the speech was a reflection of the causes and meaning of war. The speech was greeted with misunderstanding. Many thought Lincoln would provide a victory speech for the North or blame the South for the evil of slavery. Lincoln’ address only contains 703 words, which is also of the shortest inaugural addresses recorded. Throughout the address, Lincoln mentions God, the Scripture, and invokes prayer. Frederick Douglass, abolitionist leader, wrote in his journal, â€Å"The address sounded more like a sermon than a state paper† (Autobiographies, 802). Lincoln began his address in a overwhelm tone. Lincoln begins his speech, â€Å"The progress of ourShow MoreRelatedAbraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address1752 Words   |  8 PagesAbraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address (1865) Page, 229. 1. Abraham Lincoln wrote second Inaugural Address in March 1865. I believe he wrote it because the cause of the civil war was slavery, since he blames that God was a cause of the Civil War and slavery. Lincoln also wanted the North and south to put aside their issues that divide them in order to heal their â€Å"broken arms†. 2. This document reflects the reveals that the Civil War was occurring during the time period. It also introduces theRead MoreAbraham Lincoln s Second Inaugural Address1070 Words   |  5 PagesOn March 4, 1865 Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address as president of the United States. The inaugural address came at the very end of the American Civil War, and just a month before the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Prior to this address, the United States had been split into two different independent states, the Union and the Confederacy. Throughout Abraham Lincoln’s first term and the very beginning of his second, Lincoln had to deal with the secession of the eleven statesRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Abraham Lincoln s Second Inaugural Address1234 Words   |  5 PagesTiana Lanier Professor Lara Chapman Rhetorical Communication: A Theory of Civil Discourse July 7th, 2015 Rhetorical Discourse in Two Distinct Pieces of Work; Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address Emily Dickinson’s Success is Counted Sweetest Rhetoric is often denoted to as the art of persuasion. A set of linguistic traits and semantics used to evoke emotional responses from its intended audience, opening the floor for unanticipated influence by said audience. It would be an atrocity to ignoreRead MoreIn Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, President Lincoln addresses a divided nation. Both600 Words   |  3 PagesIn Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, President Lincoln addresses a divided nation. Both the Union and the Confederacy are bitter to each other towards the end of the war. However, Lincoln calls both the north and the south to set aside their issues that divided them in order to heal their broken nation. Lincoln uses a slew of rhetorical methods in his speech such as tone, diction, and syntax to further assist him in achieving his purpose of uniting the nation. Lincoln’s optimistic toneRead MoreAbraham Lincoln : The Greatest President Of The United States1051 Words   |  5 Pages Abraham Lincoln, arguably said to be the greatest president of the United States, was simply a smooth-tongued politician with the ability to sway the masses and imbibe a sense of patriotism which would allow for the United States to go to war against itself, all while under the guise of equality and slavery; when in reality the war was about individual state rights, and the fact that the southern states were becoming too powerful to be controlled by the centralized federal government. Even fromRead MoreThe Legacy Of Abraham Lincoln1217 Words   |  5 PagesAbraham Lincoln was born in the year 1809 on February 12th in the town of Hardin County, Kentucky to Thomas and Nancy Lincoln. Growing up Lincoln had no proper education, consequently he read books and educated himself. During Lincoln’s young adult years, he worked a various number of jobs as a shopkeeper, surveyor, and a postmaster. In 1832, Lincoln became a captain of the Hawk War against the Native Americans. Shortly after the war was over, he began his political career and was elected to theRead MoreAbraham Lincolns Second Inaugural Address1093 Words   |  4 Pagesreconciliation, restoration† (Edwin Louis Cole). Abraham Lincoln’s â€Å"Second Inaugural Address† is a speech that highlights every point in Cole’s quote. He, Lincoln, talks about how the south manages to rebel, how their economy will be left in ruin, how they will repent and be forgiven by both God and the North, how the North and the South will reconcile, and finally he talks of how the nation will move on to restoration. Abraham Lincoln’s â€Å"Second Inaugural Address† emphasizes the reconciliation of a tornRead MoreAbraham Lincoln : The Great Emancipator1590 Words   |  7 PagesSarmiento 6 Abraham Lincoln: The Great Emancipator During Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, the United States was divided into North and South, who were at war with one another. Recognizing the nation needed a determined leader to guide them into prosperity, Lincoln devised his plan for success. Lincoln’s attempts to preserve the North, while uniting them with the South seemed to be failing as the war continued throughout his first term. Once Lincoln got reelected in 1864, he set out to succeed inRead MoreThe Legacy Of Abraham Lincoln1117 Words   |  5 PagesWar. The sixteenth President, Abraham Lincoln, administered in the oval office during this time of chaos. Lincoln’s presidency revolved around many issues that were tearing the nation apart. His duty was to ease tension with regards to slavery and emancipation, cease secession, and preserve the Union. Lincoln is best known for three of his greatest presidential addresses: The House Divided Speech, First Inaugural Address, and Second Inaugural Address. These ad dress helped bring the Union out of despairRead MoreThe Legacy Of Abraham Lincoln924 Words   |  4 PagesAbraham Lincoln was the United States 16th President in 1861. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by Lincoln, which freed slaves. According to the National Archives and Records Administration, â€Å"The proclamation declared, that all persons held as slaves within the rebellious states are, and henceforward shall be free† (Archives.gov). Despite the fact that the Emancipation Proclamation did not free all slaves, it paved the way for African-American to fight for freedom. It also changed the focus

The Perception of Beauty Free Essays

The Perception of Beauty Today the world we live in is very reliant on the media. The media contributes to us updates on our economy, news on events, the weather, and other important information. The media also dispenses influential images and messages. We will write a custom essay sample on The Perception of Beauty or any similar topic only for you Order Now The media is so intertwined in our lives that we do no truly comprehend how much influence it really has on us. Some of the messages and images we receive from the media can be positive as well as negative. Most often than not, we are exposed to images that are so unrealistic and unattainable by the average person that we become discontent with our lives and with ourselves. This is when the media starts to distort our thoughts on the normal way of life and what true beauty is. The mainstream media’s perception of beauty is thin and glamorous. Most of the people displayed in the media have unrealistic body types. With the constant exhibit of these airbrushed to perfection bodies the audience becomes desensitized, especially the youth, making people believe that it’s normal. This constant reminder can cause great guilt, making one think they are unattractive and below average. The negative body image being portrayed in the media is on display for everyone and it’s continuously being supported by the rest of the population. With this distorted perception of beauty many people have become unsatisfied with themselves. This persistent image of what you should look like can lead to poor physical and mental health. With people becoming insecure with their body image things like low self-esteem, depression, eating disorders, and even suicide can occur. In source 1 (Effects of the Media on Body Image), it states that the National Eating Disorder Association (2006) reports, â€Å"In the past 70 years national rates of all eating disorders have dramatically increased. † To some, being thin becomes everything. Deception of reality invades people’s lives and with media being just a turn or a click away, the influence of the media starts at an early age. According to The Journal of Adolescent Health, â€Å"Teenagers that are overweight, or believe that they are overweight, appear to have a higher risk of suicide† (This information is stated in source 3: Teen Suicide Attempts Linked to Body weight and Body Image). Each year the models in the media are growing thinner and the advertisement of dieting and exercising is increasing. Beauty is being manipulated again and again. People’s physical and mental health is at serious risk and it’s time for a change. Perfection does not exist and for someone to try to attain such a thing is not healthy. The images in the media have profound effects on our lives and with that in mind, the media should rethink their perception of beauty. Just because someone is not stick thin doesn’t mean they’re not beautiful. Just because someone doesn’t look like the model on the cover of a magazine doesn’t mean they’re not beautiful, and just because someone doesn’t acquire the characteristic of what the media insights as beautiful, doesn’t mean they’re not beautiful; it just means they are realistic. We continue to take a walk down a dangerous path in our culture. Not enough is being done to deter the false images that are being portrayed. The media’s perception of beauty is both unrealistic and harmful to one’s self. As a collective society, we need to accept our flaws. We need to accept people for how they look, stop trying to live up to an unrealistic image in the media, and just be ourselves. Why do we give the media the right to say what’s beautiful? Their exhibit of beauty is not real. It’s time for a change in media for the sake of society’s health. How to cite The Perception of Beauty, Papers

Knight Engines Essay Example For Students

Knight Engines Essay Priority of issues: D Sale of 10000 units to pistons which would otherwise have to be sold at $100 0 rice to be more than SASS(excluding rush fee and insurance) and we could try till $650 (including rush fee and insurance) O Advertising our product for attracting more customers in the long run Underlying interest: CITY minimize the loss caused due to the Swiss deal 3 To establish a long term relationship with Knights Engine 0 To increase the companys revenue and retain the shareholders Goals: Tangible: TO sell 8,000 pistons (What Knight needed) for $650 (desired price * insurance) and want the Knights to indicate on the chassis that their engines were fitted by us (Caliber Engines) ay this we are trying to maximize profits o $650 and minimizing loss by selling 8000 out of 10000 units produced for the government of Switzerland. Intangible: We will try to establish both a good relationship and a reputation for fair deals, so that future business can develop, Walkway points and BATAAN: Walkway point: We would walk away from the deal if the price drops below $480 and if they refuse to indicate on the chassis that their engines were fitted by us (Caliber Engines) BATAAN: To sell more pieces at a little lesser cost thus reducing the average cost per piece. Negotiate the branding in exchange of the rush fee or the insurance cost. One Of the most important parts Of the planning process is to anticipate what your opponent will do, and along those lines felt it was essential to determine What my opponent would consider a successful agreement. In other words, finding out the criteria upon which he would be evaluated could potentially uncover an opportunity to align our incentives and achieve a mutually beneficial solution. Strategy: We would surely follow an active engagement strategy First start with a competitive negotiation because we assume that price is almost certain to be a high priority for both parties. Then based on how it goes we are more than happy to get into a collaborative negotiation with the Knights as we are looking at a long term relationship. Call would first propose $560 4 rush fee, J Then tell them about the insurance and how investing in insurance would help them increase the guarantee of each unit being of best quality as against 4-5% of bad units. C calculated the highest price to be $650 with the rush fee and insurance included. Thus this would be the best price to get for the pistons. II The lowest price that I hoped to achieve was the market price of $560, but would be ailing to go lower if needed since the alternative was to get $1 CO but try my best to not go below $480 as that is the production cost. 0 would go down on the rush fee Or insurance fee in exchange Of Caliber branding. The last hurdle would be to convince them to buy from Caliber instead of a cheaper competitor Who would take longer than wanted to get the pistons ready. By taking the higher price, they would not only get the quality that they desired and they would also receive the products on time so that her company would not look bad for being late.

Management Accounting Analysis

Question: Analyse and interpret the annual reports and financial statements and to do a comparative analysis using ratio and trend analysis of prescribed companies and write an executive report in order to make an investment decision. Answer: Introduction Considering the past few decades, the segment of Supermarket in Australia has undergone a sea change. Is functioned, as well as tamed by the two major that is the Wesfarmer and Woolworths. Going by the presence and coverage, both the giants accounts for more than 70% of the market and hence, can be aptly termed as duopolistic. The business continues to gather a strong response as the necessity items are always needed by the public. The food market is best described as a component that is essential part for an economy and plays a predominant role in the process of development. This leads to all around growth of the economy. The government should evaluate this sector to keep the economy regulated (Choi Meek, 2011). Company Background The presence of Woolworths Limited can be traced to 1924 when the initial supermarket store was opened and in the current scenario, it has appeared to be the largest in Australia and the second largest when it comes to New Zealand. The expansion can be seen in segments like retail goods, furniture retailing, covering of floors, retailing of footwear, hotel resorts, departmental stores, etc (Woolworths Limited, 2015). On the other hand, Wesfarmer is a supermarket retailer that has its presence over 770 supermarkets in entire Australia. It has a rich history in Australia and its presence can be traced to 1914. It is dedicated to provide the families of Australia with the products they require for an affordable price. Under the ownership of Wesfarmers, a new team lead to a changeover that restored the glory and provided a strong boost that helped the brand to revive (Wesfarmers Ltd, 2015). Analysis of the Industry Wesfarmers, as well as Woolworths are mainly dominated by the suppliers and have eliminated the small players in the market. The two companies has seen a substantial growth in the past half century. It is to be noted that the combined power has accumulated 70% of the profitability and the factor of profitability has enhanced more than 40% and 24%. Going by the current trend, it can be said that the companies will continue to ride on huge profits (Woolworths Limited, 2015). Gathering a strong and major chunk of the market has provided them with the skills to ascertain prices, establish barriers and other exceptional level in the entire industry. Hence, the other players of small stature are under constant pressure in terms of pricing, output and strategies of the market. The reason that the super market of Australia is dominated by Wesfarmers and Woolworths is that they are the major players and have captured a major chunk (Wesfarmers, 2015). Analysis - Company 1- WESFARMERS LIMITED An initial analysis of trends in the items Ratio Formula Wesfarmers Limited-2015 Wesfarmers Limited-2014 PROFITABILITY RATIOS Return on Assets Ratio Net Income 2440 = 0.060 6% 2689 = 0.068 6.8% Total Assets 40402 39727 Net Profit Margin Ratio Net Income 2440 = 0.039 3.9% 2689 = 0.045 4.5% Sales 62089+13 59881+12 LIQUIDITY RATIO Current Ratio Current Assets 9093 = 0.935 9311 = 1.131 Current Liabilities 9726 8229 Quick Ratio Quick Assets* 9093-5497 = 0.370 9311-5336 = 0.483 Current Liabilities 9726 8229 CAPITAL STRUCTURE Debt to Equity ratio Total Liabilities 15621 = 0.387 13740 = 0.346 Total Assets 40402 39727 Equity Ratio Total Equity 24781 = 0.613 25987 = 0.654 Total Assets 40402 39727 *Quick assets= Current Assets- Inventory-Prepaid Expenses From the above table we can see the movement in the figure and ratio of Wesfarmers Limited for the year 2015 and 2014. We see that the revenue of the company has gone up from $60,181million to $62,447million from 2014 to 2015. The major source of increase of revenue has come from sale of goods which is due to increase in operating activities. Also we can see that last years net profit was $ 2689 million and this years net profit is $ 2440 million, even though revenue has increased net profit has dropped, this is due to the reason that in the year 2014 company earned a profit of $1179 million which was earned from discontinued operations. Overall we see an increase in net profits of the company from continuing operations (Horngreen, 2013). Moving to the balance sheet we find that there are no major variances. Mostly there has been a negative variance in the currents assets of the company by $238 million, which is mainly due to decrease in cash and deposit balances with bank. Also we can witness an increase of $893 million which is due to increase in intangible assets machineries and goodwill of the company. The total liabilities of the company have also increased due to increase in operations of the company (Brealey et. al, 2011). Profitability Ratios from the above comparison it is indicated that the Analysis -Company 2- WOOLSWORTH LIMITED Ratio Formula Woolsworth Limited-2015 Woolsworth Limited-2014 PROFITABILITY RATIO Return on Assets Ratio Net Income 2137.4 = 0.084 8.4% 2458.4 = 0.102 10.2% Total Assets 25336.8 24136.5 Net Profit Margin Ratio Net Income 2137.4 = 0.035 3.5% 2458.4 = 0.040 4% Sales 60679.1 60772.8 LIQUIDITY RATIO Current Ratio Current Assets 7660.9 = 0.836 7106.1 = 0.949 Current Liabilities 9168.6 7489.5 Quick Ratio Quick Assets* 7660.9-4872.2-9.9 = 0.303 7106.1-4693.2-13.2 = 0.320 Current Liabilities 9168.6 7489.5 CAPITAL STRUCTURE Debt to Equity ratio Total Liabilities 14204.8 = 0.561 13611.1 = 0.564 Total Assets 25336.8 24136.5 Equity Ratio Total Equity 11132 = 0.439 10525.4 = 0.436 Total Assets 25336.8 24136.5 *Quick assets= Current Assets- Inventory-Prepaid Expenses From the figure of Woolsworth Limited that there has been a very little decline in sales of the company, which is alright since, the economies do not work in a same way every year. The net income of the company has also showed a similar trend. Similar is the state of balance sheet of the company. The current assets of the company have shown a little movement of $554.8 million, the major reason of which is increase in cash balances of the company (Northington, 2011). Also the non-current assets of the company have increased from $17030.4million to $17675.9million due to increase in investing activities of the company. There has been a huge movement of fund from non-current liabilities to current liabilities, which is due to increased short term borrowings of the company and decreased long term borrowings. Comparison of the Ratios Profitability Ratio Return on Assets ratio The return on total assets for Wesfarmers declined in the year 2015 as compared to 2014 indicating the assets were not used in an optimum manner (Albrecht et. al, 2011). It has dropped in the year 2015. On the other hand the same has been witnessed for Woolsworth where the return on total assets has dropped indicating that the assets was not utilized properly. However, the drop in Wesfarmers is less. Net profit margin - The net profit margin of both the companies dropped marginally and can be attributed to the difference in the sales factor. The external factors were mainly responsible for it and competition from others. Liquidity Ratios From the computation it has observed that the current as well as acid test ratio has fallen for Wesfarmers and in both the division it fails to be near the ideal ratio indicating that the company will face difficulty in meeting the obligations. The same has been noticed for Woolsworth where the current and the liquid ratio has dropped. Though the drop in current ratio is marginal but it is indicated that the company will face problems in meeting the obligations (Williams, 2012). Capital Structure From the comparison it is seen hat the debt equity of Wesfarmers has increased marginally but is less than .50 indicating that the company utilizes a balance between equity and debt. The equity ratio of the company is properly balanced and hence, is ideal for the company. However, in the case of Woolsworth, the debt equity is more than .50 and equity ratio is low indicating higher proportion of debt for the company (Parrino et. al, 2012). Market Performance Ratio: Earnings per share are the allocation of companys profit to each of its outstanding share. From the above we clearly see that, earnings per share of Wesfarmers Ltd are 216 cents whereas that of Woolsworth limited is 174 cents. The dividend payout ratio of Wesfarmers is approximately 51% and that of Woolsworth limited is 42%. Conclusion From the whole analysis we see that the overall performance of Wesfarmers is better than Woolsworth is most of the cases. But we should keep in mind that even if companies with high payout ratio sometimes do not perform well. The companies should aim at maximizing the shareholders wealth. Thus, total market capitalisation of the company is a major part which shows the market performance of a company. Therefore, going by the overall analysis it can be said that selection of Wesfarmers is a good bet as the company has good capital structure and market share. The liquidity problem can be settled with ease. References Albrecht, W., Stice, E. and Stice, J 2011, Financial accounting, Mason, OH: Thomson/South-Western. Brealey, R., Myers, S. and Allen, F 2011, Principles of corporate finance, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Choi, R.D. and Meek, G.K 2011, International accounting, Pearson . Davies, T. and Crawford, I 2012, Financial accounting, Harlow, England: Pearson. Horngren, C 2013, Financial accounting, Frenchs Forest, N.S.W: Pearson Australia Group. Northington, S 2011, Finance, New York, NY: Ferguson's. Parrino, R., Kidwell, D. and Bates, T 2012, Fundamentals of corporate finance, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Williams, J 2012, Financial accounting, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

The Nineteen-seventies Was An Incredible Decade. It Was A Essays

The nineteen-seventies was an incredible decade. It was a decade of change, one of freedom, a time for great music. It was also an incredible decade for shock, fear and serial killers. John Wayne Gacy, an amateur clown, was a pedophiliac homosexual. He tortured and killed thirty three little boys and stored their remains under his house. David Berkowitz, a.k.a. the Son of Sam, stalked New York City from nineteen-sixty-seven to nineteen-seventy-seven. He claimed to have been following a voice from his dog that told him when and where to kill. Ted Bundy, who is believed to have killed at least thirty-four people, was charged for only three under his own defense- and in fact, he was commended by the judge for his own defense. He was put to death. With the combination of a very powerful media and a society fascinated with gruesome, sadistic crimes, modern serial killers have been put in the spotlight. We are enraptured with serial killers so much, that we pay seven dollars to go see a movie where everyone except the bad guys gets strangled, mutilated, or shot- and enjoy it in some sick way. The media goes out of its way to glamorize murder and terrify the public. We support killers like Charles Manson on Death Row with our tax dollars. In fact, we support them with more than that. About two months ago there was an art show in California entitled: The Death Row Art Show III. Pieces sold for thousands of dollars regardless of their aesthetic appeal, because of the identity of the artists. Serial killers are becoming as popular as rock stars. Serial killers are a development of the industrial world; they really didn't "come about" until the late eighteen-hundreds when society was becoming modernized and the threat of the new age sort of displaced some individuals so much they felt they had to kill to get their point across to society. Jack the Ripper is probably the most notorious killer in history because he established the serial killer profile. Ripper set up a pattern for the new line of mass murderers who would follow in the tradition of a truly organized killer. He had a sexual obsession with prostitutes that led him to target complete strangers for a days work. When he was done, he laid his victim out in a ritualistic manner with various disemboweled items placed strategically on or around the victim's corpse. Of course, murder has been around for centuries, committed by under-educated thieves. No one was interested in meeting, and hearing about a poor peasant that slit someones throat in a dark alley. But ever since the introduction of serial killers into our society, with their precision and strategy of the murder, the media became fascinated with these people, and so did society. So instead of killing or punishing these horrible people, we now have television networks arguing over movie rights to the killers story. News shows fighting to get the "exclusive interview". T-shirts with the killers faces on them(e.g.. the famous "Manson T-shirt"). The only explanation I can offer is that we are still obsessed with our own mortality, and we always will be. As long as we die, we'll be fascinated by those who seem to be invincible from death like, serial killers, Hitler...its almost as is we like to see the act of death itself, over and over, to observe the exact moment- or what it is that puts us over that incredible brink between life and death. I can honestly say I am fascinated with the serial killer. But since when did we condone the practice of serial killers? Why aren't they put to death promptly after being convicted, instead of being kept alive for the media to interview? You have to wonder who is making money in this. When we allow people like this to dominate our media, it's like we're saying its all right to murder. Did society and the media forget that the victims of those serial killers are us and our families? Its not the serial killers that affected the twentieth century so much, but the spotlight that allowed them to grow. Maybe if not for all the attention, there wouldn't of been so many deaths. There are so many maybes, so many problems. But it all comes down to one thing, basically, money. The media will do just about anything for money. When are they going to learn that they have been corrupting the minds and souls of observers everywhere? --- Works Cited Yofee, Ellen B. "Here Pigs!" Gear October 1995: 10-12 The editors of Time