Is the attempt to manage employees cultural values and emotions perfectly reasonable or a step too far

Introduction This paper is aimed at showing that in most cases, the management of employees’ emotions and cultural values is ineffective and unethical even despite the fact that this idea appeals to many business administrators. In order to elaborate this argument, it is first necessary to discuss the concept of organizational culture and explain how the values of employees are formed.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Is the attempt to manage employees’ cultural values and emotions perfectly reasonable or a step too far? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In particular, I will try to demonstrate that people’s attitudes toward an organization depend mostly on the nature of their work and their long-term experiences with the company. Moreover, they are dependent on their cultural background. The main task is to show that they cannot be shaped through a planned initiative. These issues will be disc ussed in Section One. Furthermore, in Section Two, I will try to show that the management of workers’ values and emotions can result in conformist thinking in the organization and inability to critique other people. Finally, Section Three will be aimed at examining the ethical aspects of managing cultural values and emotions of employees. In particular, I will try to demonstrate such attempts can encroach on the ethical integrity of a person. These are the issues that I would like to address in this paper. Factors influencing cultural values and emotions of employees Overall, organizational culture is one of the first concepts that should be discussed. In their article, Shahzad et al. (2012) provide several definitions of this notion. First, they define culture as a set of assumptions or values that differentiate a particular organization (Shahzad et al. 2012, p. 976). Moreover, in this context, this term can be understood as beliefs and feelings that employees have about the ir job, the company in which they work, its goals, and its principles (Shahzad et al. 2012, p. 976). These attitudes depend on a variety of factors, for instance, the nature of work, the rewards that employees receive, the relations between managers and employees, career prospects and the social status that a person receive due to his/her work.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, a manager who strives to change organizational culture will have to manipulate these factors. The problem is that this task is hardly possible. This person would have to change the compensational policies of the company, its structure, and probably the attitude of the community toward a certain profession. For example, the study carried out by Stephen Ackroyd and Phillip Crowdy (1990) shows that the values and behaviour of workers often depend not on organizational, but occupational culture ( p. 4). These authors examined the behaviour of those people who worked in slaughter houses (Ackroyd Crowdy 1990, p. 3). Many of these people viewed their job as a necessary evil, but they did not take much pride in it (Ackroyd Crowdy 1990, p. 3). This example is important because it illustrates that the values and emotions of workers are not dependent on the actions of managers. In some cases, their attempts to manage the values and emotions of workers are not feasible. The advocates of cultural management can say that in some companies workers identify themselves with the organization, for instance, one can mention such corporations as Honda or Toyota (Wilmott 1993, p. 545). Nevertheless, one should take into account that this loyalty to the group can be explained by social and cultural development of Japanese society (Wilmott 1993, p. 545). It cannot be fully attributed to the actions of managers. These are some of the objections to the management of a person’s values or emotions in the workplace. The second issue that should be discussed is how to demonstrate that the change in cultural values has really been made. The first argument that scholars put forward is that there is no theory that describe the construction of personal or group values (Fitzgerald 1988, p. 5). Additionally, Thomas Fitzgerald points out that it is necessary to explain how the values of employees can be replaced or modified and how this change can be measured (1988, p. 9). Yet, this question still has not been examined by psychologists or social scientists. Secondly, managers have to compare old cultural values or emotions of employees with new ones.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Is the attempt to manage employees’ cultural values and emotions perfectly reasonable or a step too far? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In order to do it, a person should conduct a serious of interviews with employees for several times. Even if a company chooses to conduct such interviews, it is quite possible that workers will give responses that management expects from them. In other words, one cannot ensure the validity of such results. Again the problem of measuring values and attitudes can undermine the very idea of managing the employees’ values, feelings, or emotions. Admittedly, there are some ways in which managers can change the attitudes of workers. For instance, in those companies where leaders encourage workers to take in decision-making, people are more likely to have positive experiences. However, these experiences are the result of long-term effort of the leaders. They cannot be attributed to a short-term planned initiative. For instance, in his article, Michael Rosen (1988) describes a Christmas party that was organized to improve the relations among employees (p. 478). Yet, one cannot ensure that such parties can improve the atmosphere in the workplace. Thus, administrato rs cannot always provide convincing empirical evidence proving that they did change the worker’s values and that this change positively affected the productivity of the company. This methodology has not been fully developed. Apart from that, one can refer to the research conducted by Emmanuel Ogbonna and Barry Wilkninson (2003) who demonstrated that the so-called cultural shift in many companies can be better explained by structural changes, job insecurity, or the threat of punishment (p. 1151). Studies suggest that in most cases, culture change initiatives do not help to internalize the values advocated by the management (Ogbonna Harris, 1998, p. 286). In other words, they may follow the principles or rules that are imposed on them, but they do not see them as internal obligations.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, people who claim to produce a cultural change in an organization will have to provide evidence showing that this goal has really been achieved. Currently, psychology or social sciences cannot provide methods for measuring the achievement of this goal. This is one of the main issues that business administrators should take into account. Groupthink and Conformism Many business administrators regard the management of employee’s culture as a positive phenomenon. They believe that this strategy can increase workers’ loyalty to the company, and its goals. Assuming that this goal can be attained, there are many potential problems, and one of them is conformist thinking (Won-Woo 2000, p. 873). It should be noted that very often managers attempt to make workers think and act in a similar way. In their opinion, the adherence to the rules of the company has to be the top priority for an employee. In many cases, such a requirement is quite understandable; moreover, good coordination is necessary for any organization. However, business administrators should remember about the dangers of groupthink. This is a situation when employees cannot critique or question the decisions of top management only because they take their opinion of these managers for granted (Won-Woo 2000, p. 882). Corporate leaders should put more value in individuality to ensure the diversity of opinions in the workplace. Without this diversity of opinion, they companies can become stagnated. As it has been said before the very concept of organizational culture suggest that employees have a shared set of beliefs, feelings, and emotions. Thus, managers attach more importance to collectivism and attachment to the group. This strategy can include to some of the following outcomes: 1) self-censorship or unwillingness to contradict the group; 2) the belief in the infallibility of the group; 3) lack of attention to the details which contradict the dominant views; 4) failure to evaluate and critique the decisions of the organization; 5) poor assessment of risks (Won-Woo 2000, p. 882). Therefore, business administrators should remember that decision-making in their organizations can decline because of their attempts to manage the emotions and cultural values of workers. They can reach a situation when employees will be unwilling or unable to think critically. One can easily assume that the performance of such a company may soon decline. This is the risks that managers should be aware of. Ethical aspects of managing cultural values and emotions Another issue that should be discussed is the ethical aspects of emotions and cultural values of workers. Even it is possible to manipulate the values and emotions of a worker, one can still ask a question whether this activity can be acceptable from an ethical point of view. The thing is that every employee is a unique individual who has a distinct set of goals, beliefs, or principles. In his article, Hugh Willmott (1993) arg ues that companies that try to manipulate the values and emotions of workers closely resemble totalitarian societies (p. 523). He points out that these attempts completely contradict some liberal values of freedom of expression or privacy (Willmott 1993, p. 523). Moreover, a worker might be reduced to a mere cog in the machine. This is one way of looking at this problem and it does not support the idea of creating specific cultural values that should be shared by every employee. Additionally, employees themselves can reject any attempt to influence his/her emotions or values. The problem is that many managers want their employees to be completely loyal to the company. Its needs and goals have to be the top-most priority for them. However, these goals can be achieved in different ways, and some of them may not be ethical. Thus, a question arises as to how an employee should act when the strategies of the company contradict his/her ethical principles. In companies, in which the loyalt y to group is viewed as an obligation, a person can be afraid of acting in an ethical way (Maharaj 2008, p 68). The thing is that in the long-term, this lack of moral independence can eventually produce catastrophic effects on a company. Many of the corporate scandals that broke out during the last decade can be explained by the fact that many people did not try to evaluate the morality of the decisions taken by corporate leaders. For example, one can refer to the well-known Enron scandal which can be partly explained by the firm belief in the morality of the group (Gini 2004, p. 9). Thus, managers should consider how the management of cultural values or emotions can eventually affect the reputation of the company and its public image. Moreover, these initiatives can create a gap between corporate leaders and workers who will believe that they are manipulated. Conclusion Overall, these examples show that the attempts to manage cultural values and emotions of workers can be questione d from ethical and scientific points of view. As it has been shown there is not clear method explaining how business administrators can actually affect the attitudes, goals, feelings, or principles of employees. One of the main problems is that there are no theoretical frameworks that can accurately describe the process of changing or influencing the emotions and values of workers. Secondly, it has been shown that the attitudes of an employee are dependent on many factors like the nature of work, cultural background, his/her social status, and so forth. Not all of these factors can be manipulated or altered by the organization. Additionally, managers should remember that these attempts can compromise ethical principles within the company and impoverish its decision-making. Managers or corporate leaders may like the idea that they can affect employees’ inner world, but at this point this task cannot be done. References Ackroyd, S. Crowdy P 1990 ‘Can Culture be Managed? Working with â€Å"Raw’ Material: The Case of the English Slaughtermen†, Personnel Review, vol. 19 no. 5, pp.3 – 13. Fitzgerald, T 1988, ‘Can Change in Organizational Culture Really Be Managed?’, Organizational Dynamics, vol. 17 no. 2, pp. 5-15. Gini, A 2004, ‘Business, Ethics, and Leadership in a Post Enron Era’, Journal Of Leadership Organizational Studies, vol. 11 no. 1, pp. 9-15. Maharaj, R 2008, ‘Corporate governance, groupthink and bullies in the boardroom’, International Journal Of Disclosure Governance, vol. 5 no. 1, pp. 68-92. Ogbonna, E, Harris, L 1998, ‘Managing Organizational Culture: Compliance or Genuine Change?’, British Journal Of Management, vol. 9 no. 4, p. 273-288. Ogbonna, E, Wilkinson, B 2003, ‘The False Promise of Organizational Culture Change: A Case Study of Middle Managers in Grocery Retailing’, Journal Of Management Studies, vol. 40 no. 5, pp. 1151-1178. Rosen, M 1988, ‘You Asked for It: Christmas at the Bosses’ Expense’, Journal of Management Studies, vol. 25 no. 5, pp. 465-480. Shahzad, F, Luqman, R, Khan, A, Shabbir, L 2012, ‘Impact of Organizational Culture on Organizational Performance: An Overview’, Interdisciplinary Journal Of Contemporary Research In Business, vol. 3 no. 9, pp. 975-985. Won-Woo, P 2000, ‘A comprehensive empirical investigation of the relationships among variables of the groupthink..’, Journal Of Organizational Behavior, vol. 21 no 8, pp. 873-887. Wilmott, H 1993, ‘Strength Is Ignorance; Slavery Is Freedom: Managing Culture in Modern Organizations’, Journal of Management Studies, vol. 30 no. 4, pp. 515-552. This essay on Is the attempt to manage employees’ cultural values and emotions perfectly reasonable or a step too far? was written and submitted by user Kristen Knight to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Death Penalty Debate

Death Penalty Debate Introduction Death penalty has been a serious debate issue both in the United States of America and other parts of the world. There have been those who champion for the abolition of death penalty and there have also been those who want the death penalty to be maintained citing that some criminals cannot be tolerated within the society.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Death Penalty Debate specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More So many nations in the world have been reported to have abandoned the death penalty yet others have continued to use it. It is crucial to mention that death penalty has been used constitutionally by some states to punish political dissidents hence raising the main objectives of the capital punishment in terms of containing felony and other forms of criminal activities all over the world. Similarities between the two articles The first similarity that is very conspicuous between the two articles is tha t they both address the issue of death penalty both within the United States of America and other parts of the world. The two articles are cognizant of the fact there are some states within the United States of America that have actually abolished death penalty as a capital punishment; however, they also recognize that of these states have not abolished the corporal punishment and still apply it in punishing specific class of criminals (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). Again, the two articles examine the different modes of meting death penalty in the United States and other parts of the world. Amongst the mode of meting death penalty discussed by the articles are electrocutions through electric chair, lethal injection, gas chambers and firing by hidden prison warders. It is important to note that these articles distinguish these death penalty modes into both historic and current; they also cite technological advancements utilized in the process (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). It is also important to mention that the two articles are cognizant of the fact that the execution of those sentenced to state execution have slowed down over the past several years. They both explain that it has been highly possible that innocent people have mistakenly been executed only to be realized letter that they were innocent people. The slow down has been informed by the fact that there is need for thorough investigations to be conducted before carrying out executions. In the case of the United States of America, the slow down in the execution has been explained by the decision of the Supreme Court to stop the execution until repeals are conclusive on a particular case for which an inmate has been sentenced to death. Both articles have also addressed the fact that some governments have considered abolishing the death penalty (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). For instance, one article states that a good number of states are considering putting a stop to death as a capital penalty within their jurisdictions.Advertising Looking for essay on common law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Besides, another article reveals that the governor of the state of Illinois, George Ryan made of declaration of a suspension on death penalty and further appointed a commission and charged it with the responsibility of studying the system of capital punishment in the state (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). Differences of the two essays As much as the two essays have addressed similar themes, there are some differences that can be pointed out. Whereas one essay has addressed the issue of death penalty in general, another is specific din pointing out the specific cases of executions that have taken place in the past. The essay on the American death penalty history reveals about the studies that have been done on how technological advancement has changed the way death penalty is carried out; for instance, it gives an insight into how death penalty has moved from trap-door gallows to what is known as the â€Å"Upright jerker† to electric chair then to gas chambers and finally to lethal injections. The other article has not addressed this issue. However, it is again important to note that the essay on history of The American death penalty has not addressed some issues that are addressed by the essay on the sow death. The essay slow death gives an insight about pressure to abandon death penalty; for instance, the articles states that in Colorado, one-vote margin was used to put down an uprising meant to go against the death penalty. This has not been hinted by the essay of the history of the American death penalty (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). Again, the article on slow death has given statistics regarding death sentencing while the other article has not discussed any form of statistics. In this case, the essay on slow death has systematically given various statistics touchin g on different issues of capital punishment. For instance, it reveals that in 2009, the state and the federal courts sentenced 37 inmates to execution which it recognizes as the lowest number since the year 1994. In 2010, it further states that the number of those sentenced to death reduced to thirty. This makes the essay relevant in predicting that soon death penalty may be a thing of the past; this prediction is not possible with the essay about the history of the American death penalty since it is just a general discussion about death penalty in the United States of America (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). The essay on the slow death has revealed the fact that despite the commitment of various states to put an end to death penalty, there are some states that still strongly mete death penalty.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Death Penalty Debate specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the states is Texas which is described as amongst the world’s busiest executioners handling almost the largest executions in the world. This is stated that will make the United States of America in general unique with respect to abolition of death penalty worldwide. All these issues are not addressed by the other essay on the history of death sentencing in America (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). The essay on slow death has also discussed about the cost of death sentencing to the state and concerned individuals. The cost is examined in terms of moral cost and the financial cost. For instance, the essay indicates that anti-death penalty individuals have argued that the financial cost involved in death penalty issues could be utilized in taking care of unresolved murder issues that still pending within the justice system. In terms of moral cost, the essay on slow death posits that the death punishment has been disputed on the ground of it subverting what Pop John referred to as a â€Å"Culture of li fe.† However, the essay reveals that all these cannot be sufficient grounds on which death penalty should be abandoned. All these issues are also not addressed in the other essay that has dealt with the history of death penalty (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). Conclusion Death penalty has been debated by so many people amongst who are those who fight for its abolition and those who favor it its retention within the statutes. The two articles have addressed the issue of death penalty. In the process they have some similarities and differences. Amongst the similar issues addressed by the two articles is the fight by anti-death penalty crusaders for states to abolish death penalty as a corporal punishment and the fact that some states are planning to abolish death penalty and struck it out of their statutory books. However, states like Texas has been described to still strongly cling to death penalty as a way of capital punishment and is not likely to let go any time soon (Bol e pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). Two essays have also discussed certain issues differently. The article on slow death has given statistics regarding death sentencing while the other article has not discussed any form of statistics. In this case, the essay on slow death has systematically given various statistics touching on different issues of capital punishment. For example, it indicates that in 2009, the state and the federal courts sentenced 37 inmates to execution which it recognizes as the lowest number since the year 1994. This kind of statistics has not been given the other essay (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2).Advertising Looking for essay on common law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Nonetheless, the debate about death penalty is knot likely to end soon as long as there are still those who support its statutory relevance and those who view it as an outdated form of punishment and cruelty to humanity, especially with regards to how it is carried out. Even though some states in the United States of America and countries in other parts of the world have started to abolish the penalty other states are actually reinstating it in their constitution (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). Bole, William. A slow Death. Common Wealth. New York: Common Wealth Foundation, 2009. Hartnett. Stephen. The Death Penalty: An American History. The Journal of American History: New York: Bloomington, 2003.

In septic patients does the use of Etomidate as an induction agent for Essay

In septic patients does the use of Etomidate as an induction agent for endotracheal intubation increases mortality - Essay Example Rapid sequence intubation is the preferred method of intubation in the emergency and trauma units because it carries a decreased risk of patient aspiration and vomiting (Lafferty & Kunkarni, 2008). To facilitate induction, anaesthetic agents like etomidate or midazolam are used. However, practitioners and experts acknowledge that anaesthesia use for intubation and ventilation is hazardous and poorly tolerated in critically ill patients (Mccormick, 2006, p. 1). Mccormick (2006, p. 1) recommends that a trained anaesthetist should be present when this procedure is undertaken. Hypotension is one of the adverse effects that can manifest after induction, hence, the needed presence of the anaesthetist at this stage of the procedure. However, literature on the use of etomidate as an induction agent has been rendered controversial. Bridgewater (n.d, p. 2) claims that this controversy mainly stems from the fact that etomidate actually causes adrenal suppression. Other studies have yet to subst antially prove or disprove the merits of etomidate use in septic patients. Hence, this study is now being undertaken in order to assess the current researches on this subject in the hope of coming up with an academic and evidence-based resolution to this controversy. Data was gathered for this paper in different databases through electronic and library catalogue searches. The MEDLINE electronic database was assessed through the Google search engine. Catalogue searches included ‘anaesthesia etomidate’ and ‘septic patients etomidate’. Index searches of books included the following keywords: ‘etomidate’ and ‘septic patients’. Electronic searches through the Google search engine used the words ‘etomidate induction septic patients’. In order to further specify searches, the words ‘etomidate mortality risk’ and ‘rapid sequence intubation’ were added in. Websites for the Cochrane Library and the

Real Options Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Real Options - Essay Example Use of standard techniques to evaluate real optionsTraditionally the use of standard techniques was predominant though lacked merit in its application. The techniques included use discounted cash flows and net present value analysis. Here, future expected cash flows are treated as the present values of the empirical probability measure that reflects the risk of the project under a discounted rate. Cash flows that is expected are highly valued in this approach than any other flexible issue that alters the strategy to market goal realizations. The net present value approach presents management as being passive to their Capital investment. Most analysts account for this real option problem by adjusting the discount rates. However, real options valuation looks at management as being active and they revolve interests with varying market trends. Real options usually bring into action the best contingency plan. Management has a duty to fight any negative occurrences by lowering the possibil ities of exposure and limit the firm’s benefits from uncertainties in the market.The contingent characteristic of profits to be realized in the future of a business, in real options models is exhibited by applying financial option techniques. Using the risk-neutral measure approach comprises the reduction of the probability distribution for the risk being accounted for. Real options valuation accounts for uncertainties in the future of definite parameters that define the value of the business.

Art History Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Art History - Assignment Example In the piece On Abjection, the author delves into the limits a human being can sink to in order to ensure survival, as undoubtedly noted at Auschwitz. Is it the complete absence of ego or the antithesis of narcissism, he argues or just the reverse? (Anon,14). In La Frontera, Gloria Anzuldua laments the Anglicization of the Spanish language and says that it is tantamount to losing Chicano or Latino identity in the USA, although the Latin American population is fast growing into the nation’s largest ethnic community (Anzuldua, 87). In The System Shattered and Renewed, the author comments that dirt is reviled in most religious rituals, while water purifies (Douglas, 160). In all these articles, the agent that could cause disruption for the rest of the community is told to stay away from it till he or she is healed or the element causing the danger to purity has passed or faded away. Even in an enlightened society like the USA, we rightly consider abuse of power or proof of corrup tion or scandal as disastrous to the career of a politician or indeed, any public figure. It is for this reason (the Watergate and Lewinsky scandals) that Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton had to resign from the highest office in the

Advantages of Virtual Reality in Education| Proposal

Advantages of Virtual Reality in Education| Proposal Assignment 2 Research Proposal (i) Research aim and questions In recent years, Virtual Reality (VR) technology has been introduced and incorporated into education. However, its relationship with students second language acquisition remains unclear though there are a few researches in the last decade. In this research proposal, I will examine the main advantages of using VR in second language acquisition and analyse its effectiveness on improving students self-efficacy based on previous studies. Meanwhile, I will highlight the areas that require further examination and propose my plan to address the following questions: a) Major Question: How can Virtual Reality (VR) improve students self-efficacy in learning a second language? b) Sub questions: 1. What factors affect effectiveness of using VR to improve students self-efficacy in second language acquisition? 2. What is the difference between using VR and traditional immersion classroom in terms of improving students self-efficacy?3. To what extent can VR improve students self-efficacy on long term? (ii) Hypotheses to address The following hypotheses are given based on my literature reviews on previous studies and my formulated questions: 1. Using VR can improve students self-efficacy in second language acquisition. 2. Using VR in second language learning could improve and sustain students self-efficacy on long term. 3. Students find it more comfortable speaking target language to VR rather than in a face-to-face conversation. 4. Using Head Mounted Display (HMD) are more effective than computer screen in improving students self-efficacy. 5. Using VR is more effective to improve students self-efficacy than immersion language classroom. (iii) Definitions of key terms In this part, three key terms, Virtual Reality, Affective Filters and self-efficacy, require definition: a) Virtual Reality (VR) The term Virtual Reality was used to describe 2D online multiplayer websites that is based on conventional communication through text input (Lin Lan, 2015). However, Monahan, McArdle, Bertolotto (2008) observe a significant development of 3D graphic technology that enables VR to be much more immersive and 3D powered.   Lin Lan (2015) concur that the difference between the VR nowadays are significant from the original concept as they provide authentic life experience through its 3D virtual environment rather than just watching graphics from a computer screen. Hence the term can be best described a system that creates an authentic virtual 3D graphic world where users can view and interact through multi-sensory inputs from external devices (Pan, Cheok, Yang, Zhu, Shi, 2006). As a result, the definition of Virtual Reality in this proposal is focusing on the technology that involves using personal computer or Head Mounted Display (HMD) in classroom education (Limniou, Roberts, Papadopoulos, 2008) since this definition enables my proposal to focus on its highly immersive 3D graphic features that enhance the interactions between users and the virtual world. b) Affective Filters Affective Filters hypothesis is proposed by Krashen (1982) to describe attitudinal factors relate directly to acquisition (p.31) that act to prevent input from being used for language acquisition. (p.32). He categorizes the Affective Filters into three: learners self-confidence, motivation and anxiety (p.31), which are closely related to the concept of self-efficacy as below. c) Self-efficacy The term self-efficacy can be defined as peoples judgment of their capabilities to organise and execute courses of action required to attain designated types of performances (Bandura Schunk, 1981, p. 31). Furthermore, Pajares Schunk (2001) contextualise the term in education as students ability to persist and be resilient when facing challenges in learning. Finally, it is noteworthy that self-efficacy is considered by Oliver, Purdie, Rochecouste (2005) as one of the major affective factors in students process of learning second language acquisition, which fits into Krashen (1982)s hypothesis of Affective Filters. (iv) Literature Review In this section, I will present connections between using VR and improving students second language acquisition from my readings. Firstly, I will explain two advantages of using VR in second language learning from previous studies. Afterwards, two researches are presented and discussed to respectively highlight the features of VR technology and to establish the correlation between use of VR and improvement of learners self-efficacy. Finally, it is equally important to discuss the limitation of these researches as my proposed research aims to address these issues later. a) Benefits of using VR in second language learning To start with, two major advantages are identified in using VR in students learning in language: reduction of Affective Filters and synchronised linguistic and physical co-presences. Reduction of affective filters in using VR in language learning has been established by multiple studies. Schwienhorst (2002) suggests a major difference between conducting a role-play with real person and with a VR is that language learners feel less embarrassed when making mistakes in their conversations since they are aware of the non-judgemental nature of using VR. Furthermore, Moschini (2010) concurs that because second language learners feel that unlike a real person, VR is non-judgemental when their speak, which encourages them to interact with others in the virtual world and ultimately, making them feel more confident and less stressed. In addition, Schwienhorst (2002) points out the possibility of practice the same conversation for much longer time in VR provides learners with higher chance of succeed in speaking as they feel less pressured with more confidence in completing the designated tasks. Another benefit of using VR in language classroom is that VR synchronises learners physical and linguistic co-presences, which results in more effective communication. Clark Marshall (1981) believe that in order to communicate effectively, it is important to reach mutual knowledge in their conversation between two interlocutors. One important indicator of its effectiveness is the level of synchronisation of learners physical location and linguistic one. They furtherly point out that communication cannot be effective unless conversation happens in the same location with speakers physical one, which is not always the case in second language learning, suggested by Schwienhorst (2002). He believes that using VR bridges the gap between learners physical locations and linguistic co-presence since it offers this immersive environment that makes learners to believe they were somewhere else. Henderson, Henderson, Huang, Grant, (2009) extend that students choice of location words can be faci litated through using VR when they communicate through videolink due to the merge of physical and linguistic co-presences. b) Second Life research study The first research by Henderson et al. (2009) establishes the correlation between using VR in language learning and its effectiveness on improving students second language acquisition. Meanwhile, another The Second-Life research is a quantitative research study at Monash University that utilizes VR platform Second Life to improve Chinese language learners self-efficacy (Henderson et al., 2009). They design a virtual world where students need to use their created avatar to collaborate with other learners to complete certain Chinese language learning tasks, such as identifying and placing order on Chinese dishes in a Chinese restaurant. Throughout the research Henderson et al. (2009) observes a significant improvement in learners self-efficacy as their survey suggests that student believe VR offers a learning experience more authentic and relevant to real world. They conclude that students self-efficacy could generally improve by incorporating VR in second language learning. c) Tag Along Role Play research study A more recent study, TagAlong Role Play, by Mock (2016) at MIT highlights a few key features of using VR in education due to its continuous technological development. Unlike using the computer screen in the Second-Life research, TagAlong Role Play incorporated Google Cardboard device, a kind of Head Mounted Display (HMD), into language learning (Mock, 2016). He identifies two major differences between using Google Cardboard and its predecessors: higher affordability and 360 degrees spherical view. The first feature, concurred by Sharples, Cobb, Moody, Wilson (2008), makes VR technology significantly more accessible to all students in classroom, rather than just a few due to its low cost of purchase. Another implication is that the device is easier to maintain and use compared with its predecessors, making it possible to access to students of different age (Mock, 2016). Another key difference between using Google Cardboard and a computer screen is the 360 degrees spherical view offered by the former. Rand et al. (2005) suggests that using HMD devices could offer higher level of immersion for learners, which is witnessed in the TagAlong Role Play research (Mock, 2016). Instead of navigating using keyboard, learners simply need to look around when wearing HMD and the tracking system will adjust the image they see accordingly. Thus, this more immersive environment, according to Rand et al. (2005), could elevate sense of presence of VR users, which could ultimately translate into higher level of synchronisation between physical and linguistic co-presence (Schwienhorst, 2002). The TagAlong Role Play research offers some new features of VR in language education that could not be feasible a few years earlier, which brings some new potentials that have not been examined yet. d) Limitations and future directions Despite all the benefits and features of VR mentioned above, it is important to argue that there are certain limitations of the researches above, which require further research on these issues. To begin with, the effectiveness of using VR to improve students self-efficacy on long term remains unexamined. Despite the conclusion drawn by Henderson et al. (2009), they concede that whether such improvement will sustain on long term is not yet confirmed since their study was conducted in a single lesson. Moreover, Bandura (1997) acknowledges the challenge students face when their high self-efficacy does not translate into better result, which could significantly impact their self-efficacy in negative way. Hence, as Henderson et al. (2009) suggests, a research with longer term is required to determine the effectiveness. Secondly, the impact of those emerging mobile VR devices in second language acquisition has not yet been fully discussed. The devices used in the Self-Life study are different from what we understand as VR in this proposal since Henderson et al. (2009) explain that students used personal computer on an online website in the study. However, in the past several years, VR industry has undergone a revolutionary development in making these devices smaller and more mobile, especially with the Head Mounted Display (HMD) (Lin Lan, 2015). Therefore, it is only recent that VR could be deployed in language learning classroom on 1:1 ratio due to these developments. However, Mock (2016) acknowledges the implications of such development need further examination. Finally, Quinn Hussey (2003) note that Little has been published on its [VR] efficacy compared to conventional training methods (p. 164), which challenges the pre-conception that VR is necessarily more effective than other learning methods. Furthermore, they suggest that using VR as the sole instructional tool might make learning less effective rather than what we anticipated. Even with VR being used as supplementary learning tool, its higher effectiveness compared with traditional learning methods are not yet conclusive (Crosier, Cobb, Wilson, 2000). Therefore, a research comparing the effectiveness of VR with other immersive learning environment, such as language immersion classroom, is warranted for further studies. (v) Significance of the research The aim of this research is to contribute to the existing knowledge of self-efficacy in second language acquisition. Besides, it will examine the issue in a school context rather than in a university classroom. In addition, it compares the effectiveness of VR with traditional immersion language classroom. Most importantly, it explores the factors that could be related with the use of VR in learning process. Hence, four major significances are explained as follows: Firstly, this research aims to contribute to the knowledge of self-efficacy, which plays a crucial role in students second language acquisition. Henderson, Henderson, Huang, Grant (2009) suggest that self-efficacy is an important indicator of students learning performance in future, which is concurred by Oliver, Purdie, Rochecouste (2005) as they believe students with high level of self-efficacy are more likely to achieve successs in learning compared with their low-level counterparts. Meanwhile, the relationship between students self-efficacy and their proficiency in reading and listening is emphasised by Mills, Pajares, Herron (2006) through their research with French learning university students in the United States. To contrast, Krashen (1982) points out that regardless of language learning capacity, if a student has very high affective filter due to low self-confidence or motivation, what student learned in class is unlikely to translate into higher performance in future. Thu s, it is important to examine the factors of learners self-efficacy in second language acquisition, among which could possibly be related to the features of VR technology although the exact variables are not yet clear. Secondly, this research aims aims to investigate the effectiveness of VR in improving students self-efficacy in secondary school context. Although Henderson et al. (2009) observe signficant improvement in students self-efficacy from their studies, the context of a secondary school classroom might be quite different from a university one. In particular, Pajares (2006) implies that compared with adult learners, self-efficacy plays an even more important role in adolescent learners learning and achievement since the latter usually have very limited options in motivation, which makes them less resilient than adult learners. As a result, he suggests that adolescent students are unlikely to continue their learning if they do not have a sustainable self-efficacy to complete their learning. Therefore, it is important to research on the effectiveness of using VR on secondary school context so as to provide a clearer picture on how effective VR is in improving self-efficacy in a different educ ational context. In addition, this research aims to compare the effectiveness of VR with other teaching methods in language teaching. As Ausburn Ausburn (2004) and Bowman McMahan (2007) suggest that despite all the positive result of using VR in education industry, researches comparing VR with those more traditional teaching methods are rarely conducted. Quinn Hussey (2003) also concur that using VR might not necessarily a more effective teaching methods than others, contradicting with studies from Wong, Ng, Clark (2000) which suggests that VR is indeed more effective when it comes to training dentistry students. In the context of second language acquisition, although it is still inconclusive to suggest VR is indeed more effective than immersion, it will be exploratory to compare the effectiveness between the twos, which could re-shape our definition of what an immersive language classroom looks like. Last but not least, this research focus on the factors that determine the effectiveness of VR in improving self-efficacy rather than seeing VR as a powerful tool itself. Ausburn Ausburn (2004) caution the danger of assuming the tool can be effective without considering of all the contexts and relevant variables. One of the factors could be software design of the VR program as suggested by Riva (2003) who argues that simply having the most advanced device is not enough for VR to be effective in education, rather we need to have a compatible software in order to maximize its effectiveness. Otherwise, as she suggests, the effectiveness could decrease significantly if the ecosystem cannot sustain the learners sense of presence by making them to believe what they see is real. From this example, we can assume more factors should be explored when it comes to effectiveness of VR, especially on improving students self-efficacy, which is part of the objectives of this research. (vi) Methodology Firstly, pragmatism is chosen to be the methodological paradigm due to the nature of this research. Gray (2004) suggests that for pragmatists research tend to focus on a practical issue/phenomenon and idea is true only if the issue can be addressed in a practical manner. In the context of this research, pragmatism is best represented by that aim that using VR will hopefully improve students self-efficacy, a practical challenge we are facing in second language learning classrooms every day. As a result, the theoretical perspective of pragmatism encompasses the design of this research. In addition, due to the nature of pragmatism in this study, it is designed to be a mixed methods research with two stages of quantitative and qualitative approaches respectively. However, the qualitative stage of the study will be emphasized to answer the main question of this proposal, which is considered as a qualitatively-driven research that incorporates quantitative research to ensure a more comprehensive insight of the problem (Johnson, Onwuegbuzie, Turner, 2007). Therefore, methodologies of both stages are presented as follows: First stage is designed to be an quasi-experimental research (quantitative) aiming to validate hypothesis on the correlation between using VR and improving students self-efficacy in language learning. Creswell (2012) defines experimental research as to test an idea, practice or procedure to determine whether it influences an outcome or dependent variable (p.295). Another advantage of using experimental research is to have control group to exclude the non-necessary variables that could distract our understandings of such relationship. Hence in this proposal, the hypothesis that using VR can improve students self-efficacy in long term will be examined by this approach and using experimental research could enable us to establish the potential connections in between. Second stage is based on the Ground Theory for qualitative research, aiming to explain the factors that influence the effectiveness of VR in improving the learners self-efficacy. In his book Gray (2004) suggests the Ground Theory approach to be best involved when there is not a clear agreement on the theoretical framework of certain issue, which is the case for using VR researches in education (Ausburn Ausburn, 2004). Finally, Gray, (2004) points out that the Grounded Theory could help develop theoretical framework that could be practical in assisting educators, which aligns with the pragmatic paradigm of this research. (vii) Methods Based on the methodologies above (quasi-experimental and the Grounded Theory), the first stage involves experimental research (quantitative) using control group and analytical survey before the second stage, based on the Grounded Theory in qualitative research, involves semi-structured interview and open-coding analysis. Finally, it is crucial to secure all participants confidentiality throughout this research. Designated sample groups will consist of two Year 9 classes with student number at around 15 for each group, who are current students at a same Australian secondary college. Each group are expected to have a gender ratio at around 1:1 and have a same second language learning background. One class will involve using VR in their second language learning while the other will be a language immersion classroom without using VR. Stage 1: Control Group Survey Research (Quantitative) First step of the research is to establish control group to manipulate the independent variables in this research. As Gray (2004) suggests that although ideally the sampling groups should be assigned randomly, in reality this is not always the case. It is predicted that the control group will be pre-determined according to school but two classes of similar context could be chosen. Such context includes students gender ratio, age, second language learning background, student number, etc. to minimize distracting effects on the dependent variable, which is students self-efficacy in this research. More importantly, control group enables the research to compare the effectiveness between using VR and simply using language immersion pedagogy in second language classroom within a highly structured approached as identified as a main feature of control group (Gray, 2004). Secondly step involves ongoing collection of data for analytical surveys from both groups within a timeframe of one month. The survey is designed to measure students self-efficacy before and after using VR in language learning. Compared with the Second-Life study from Henderson et al. (2009), a months period enables this research to gain insight into the effectiveness of VR on students self-efficacy during a much longer term in comparison to only a single lesson. Questionnaires will be designed based on the research hypothesis and online survey tools will be utilized to collect students attitudes towards using VR in language learning. Finally, one-way ANOVA approach is chosen for data analysis in this stage, aiming to establish the correlation between the dependent and independent variables although Punch (2005) cautions that the two groups of humans will almost certainly have different independent variables, making the conclusion less likely to be generalized. Stage 2: Semi-Structured Interviews In this stage data will be collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews with both groups first. Individual interview will be conducted during class time with semi-structured questions that enable the researcher to focus on the research question while remaining flexible for open-coding later. Using such technique, as suggested by Newton, (2010), provides us with rich data in gaining insight into participants context, which is considered crucial in helping participants discover the factors that influence their self-efficacy in second language learning and its relationship with using VR. Finally, the interview recording will be transcribed for data analysis. Finally, the Ground Theory approach is implemented when analysing collected qualitative data from the interview. One highlighted feature of the Grounded Theory is Open Coding, which, according to Gray (2004), involves categorization of different concepts while comparing with each other. Then questions should be asked based on the result of coding before conceptualization of more general categories. Afterwards, using axial and selective coding enable researcher to narrow down the categorization and focus on the variables that influence students self-efficacy in second language learning (Gray, 2004). Finally, he also highlights an advantage of mixed methods as using both analytical surveys and interview enable researcher to triangulate the data to get a clearer insight here. Therefore, it is hope that at the end of this stage, factors that influence the effectiveness of VR improving learners self-efficacy could be summarized. Confidentiality It is paramount for this research to obtain written consents from the following participants after them being fully informed of the research: School administrations/leadership, participating school principal in this case. Participating school staffs, this includes classroom teachers, ICT department and other educational support staffs. Participating students parents/guardians from both sampling groups The implementation of obtaining consent will adhere with relevant policy by using the checklist provided for ethical approval (University of Melbourne, 2017). In addition, the research will ensure the data involved will be protected and remain anonymous to maintain confidentiality and this includes the data from staffs, parents and participating students. Furthermore, during the semi-structure interview stage, it is important to ensure coding when collecting and analysing all interview notes, transcripts and recordings. (viii) Assumptions This proposal is assumed based on: VR devices are affordable to classroom in which each student can access one VR device.   Contrary to what Chittaro Ranon (2007) suggest that most classroom cannot afford Head Mounted Displays (HMD), the TagAlong Role Play study using Google Cardboard clearly shows such disadvantage is diminishing with the technological advancement of VR devices (Mock, 2016). Therefore, it is assumed that school can afford one device, such as Google Cardboard, for each student so their exposure to VR could be maximized. Using VR in second language classroom does improve learners self-efficacy from at least a short-term. This assumption is supported by the Second-Life research in which Henderson et al. (2009) demonstrate a significant improvement in short term research. Both research and control groups will be taught by one same teacher who will be teaching same content using the same curriculum around approximately the same timeframe. This aims to minimize the impact of different teachers influencing students self-efficacy in the ways that are not part of this research, which is supported by Pajares (2006) teenagers are particularly susceptible to teachers belief and what they say in classroom. These assumptions enable the research to focus on the factors that improve students self-efficacy through using VR in second language classrooms. (ix) Limitations Two limitations are identified and discussed while possible solutions are proposed as follows: Firstly, the control group might vary in different independent variables and thus impact the validity of the survey data. This is a one concern mentioned by Crosier et al. (2000) as they concede it is highly challenging to find equivalent groups in real life and more importantly, as Ausburn Ausburn (2003) argue against the notion that one technology could solve the problem without taking into account of all the social contextual background. This will result in lowered external validity of the comparison result between the VR group and the language immersion only group. Therefore, it is important to use data reduction technique when analysing them to minimize the impact of irrelevant variables (Punch, 2005). By implementing the technique, the researcher could stay focused on establishing the correlation between the desired independent and dependent variables. Secondly, another concern is the participants health in relation to use VR for longer time. This concern is raised by Mantovani, Castelnuovo, Gaggioli, Riva (2003) who observe temporary disorientation and nausea among VR users after using for a longer time. However, they admit this effect is largely caused by those out-of-date VR devices. As for solution, using lighter and more recently developed VR device, such as Google Cardboard, can significantly reduce the effect (Mock, 2016). Moreover, he suggests switching from stereoscopic to monosporic viewing mode could minimize such effect. Therefore, Google Cardboard device is chosen to be the VR equipment in this research to give participants options to reduce the effects. Finally, regardless of the equipment, it is important to inform participants, their parents/guardians and school leadership of such concern before the commencement of the research. References Ausburn, L. J., Ausburn, F. B. (2003). A comparison of simultaneous vs. sequential presentation of images in a visual location task to learners with visual and nonvisual perceptual styles: A study of supplantational instructional design. Journal of the Oklahoma Association of Teacher Educators, 7, 1-20. Ausburn, L. J., Ausburn, F. B. (2004). Desktop Virtual Reality: A Powerful New Technology for Teaching and Research in Industrial Teacher Education. Journal of Industrial Teacher Education, 41(4), 1-16. Retrieved from http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JITE/v41n4/ausburn.html Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The Exercise of Control. Encyclopedia of Human Behavior, 4, 71-81. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470479216.corpsy0836 Bandura, A., Schunk, D. H. (1981). Cultivating competence, self-efficacy, and intrinsic interest through proximal self-motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41(3), 586-598. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.41.3.586 Bowman, D. A., McMahan, R. P. (2007). Virtual reality: How much immersion is enough? Computer, 40(7), 36-43. https://doi.org/10.1109/MC.2007.257 Chittaro, L., Ranon, R. (2007). Web3D technologies in learning, education and training: Motivations, issues, opportunities. Computers Education, 49(1), 3-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2005.06.002 Clark, H., Marshall, C. (1981). Definite reference and mutual knowledge. In Elements of Discourse Understanding. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from citeulike-article-id:122353 Creswell, J. W. (2012). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches. Sage Publications, 2nd ed, 2015-2017. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524839915580941 Crosier, J. K., Cobb, S. V. G., Wilson, J. R. (2000). Experimental Comparison of Virtual Reality with Traditional Teaching Methods for Teaching Radioactivity. Education and Information Technologies, 5(4), 329-343. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012009725532 Gray, D. E. (2004). Doing Research in the Real World. Book, 1-441. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13398-014-0173-7.2 Henderson, M., Henderson, L., Huang, H., Grant, S. (2009). Language acquisition in Second Lifeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¯: Improving self- efficacy beliefs. Ascilite Auckland 2009, 464-474. Johnson, R. B., Onwuegbuzie, A. J., Turner, L. A. (2007). Toward a definition of mixed methods research. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1(2), 112-133. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689806298224 Krashen, S. D. (1982a). Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. The Modern Language Journal (Vol. 67). https://doi.org/10.2307/328293 Krashen, S. D. (1982b). Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. The Modern Language Journal (Vol. 67). https://doi.org/10.2307/328293 Limniou, M., Roberts, D., Papadopoulos, N. (2008). Full immersive virtual environment CAVETM in chemistry education. Computers Education, 51(2), 584-593. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2007.06.014 Lin, T.-J., Lan, Y.-J. (2015). Language Learning in Virtual Reality Environments: Past, Present, and Future. Ed A Pragmatic Marriage: Analysis A Pragmatic Marriage: Analysis A pragmatic marriage, very popularly known as an arranged marriage is incredibly common in many parts of the world due to the common notion that relying on the family to select a potential spouse is considered an advantage as they have years of wisdom and experience. The biggest plus point is that there is a intentional attempt taken to match the two families which includes the bride and groom on the wide ranging parameters of social status, financial strength, background, educational opportunities and similar lifestyles as well as the physical appearances of the bride/groom as every family will want to provide their offspring with protection, happiness and a secure life. This concept is thought to tremendously increase the probability of the marriage succeeding. On the contrary, the two people are complete strangers to each other when their marriage is arranged by their family, thus they might take time to develop a level of comfort and understanding after marriage. Getting to know each other before marriage allows partners to have better respect and perception for each others needs and desires. The advantage being that ample time is achieved to explore both the positive qualities and the negative qualities about each other and learn to deal with it, well in advance before marriage thus, creating a satisfactory level of comfort after marriage effortlessly. Love marriages are ideally based on many factors such as friendship, respect, familiarity and understanding. Whereas in arranged marriages, one is forced to marry a stranger with whom they have no history or bond with. In most cases, the parents and relatives are often domineering and try to compel their child into a relationship he/ she doesnt agree with. This creates a complicated situation that may compel the partners to live together lifelong in a marriage that they are not content with. Besides popular love lore like Heer Ranjha and Sohni Mahiwal, India has always followed a long tradition of arranged marriages. In the Indian society, love marriages are considered taboo and Indian weddings are often associated with arranged marriages. Statistics reveal that the divorce rate in India is only 2% as compared to the other parts of the world such as United States with a divorce rate of 50%. This cannot be considered as a reliable statistical figure due to the fact that in India divorce is also considered taboo. Therefore, whether they like being with their spouse or not isnt the priority. They are just forced to stay in that relationship for the rest of their lives. Women have been known to become a victim and to stay on and bear a violent relationship for the sake of respect in society, family pride, parents self esteem etc. Compromise and amendments form the foundation for a woman in an arranged marriage, mainly because the married couple does not have any fixed notion s or expectations from one another and they are not provided with any alternatives. Women continue to remain in sadistic relationships to maintain their familys dignity and respect and also have to be incredibly selfless and surrender to his/her fate. The woman is regarded as a means to the continuation of the family name as well as a willing slave to her husband. According to the Press Trust of India (2010), Marriage can be forced to save honour, and women can be murdered for rejecting a forced marriage and marrying a partner of their own choice who is not acceptable for the family of the girl. Therefore arranged marriages tend to be sexist. Being in the 21st century, arranged marriages are now considered as an outdated notion. These days individuals believe that no third party can understand the workings of a persons heart other than them themselves. Love can also cloud ones mind and keep them from seeing the faults of their potential mate making it easier to compromise. In some parts of the world, arranged marriages should be completely outlawed as parents tend to take wrong use of it. Arranged marriages are considered as an illegal activity as this archaic method benefitted the arent more than their offspring. Some parents arrange marriages for their children within social circles itself. Others did it for the monetary rewards offered by the other family. Therefore, arranged marriage is sometimes considered as a business deal between two families as they look into the property, wealth and status of the family in the society and then finalize the relationship. Also, some of these pre-planned marriages were used as a bargaining chip to cease a war between opposing family feuds. For example, throughout history as far back as the Romans and the Greeks, the war was sometimes averted by the marriage of opposing cultures as a means to peace and prosperity. In an arranged marriage there are different sorts of pressures faced by the girl and the boy to be fair-skinned and physically attractive. In India the evil of dowry system, concept of matching horoscopes and the caste and community issues, is sometimes taken to its extreme levels and has greatly contributed to the argument against arranged marriages. Getting to know the spouse before marriage is what plays the most prominent role in marriage satisfaction, but fulfilling this requirement depends on how much freedom were given to know our opposite sex, before marriage. Unlike our prospects of the ongoing transition from arranged marriage to freedom of mate choice, position of parents in selecting childrens mates has not really subsided. According to a research done by Xu Xiaohe and Martin King Whyte (1990), in 20th century, Chinas communist initiated supporting freedom of mate choice for young people, while they were also opposing dating culture (Xiaohe and Whyte, 1990). Although this research solely includes Chinese society during 20th century, middle easterners have faced rather similar situation even in 21st century. When parents and the society support this type of strategy, parents can actually put the title of arranged marriage away, as well as keeping their authority vital. Meanwhile, they dont let their children date anyone , unless they meet the person in person. In this case, they are actually letting their children meet and know their future spouse before marriage, so they have given them the opportunity to get to know that specific person before marriage, which could be considered an opportunity to fall in love or to develop bonds, but they arent actually letting them know the opposite sex. They are so worried that they prefer to keep their children naÃÆ' ¯ve, rather than letting them risk their relationships, dating wrong people. Some people may think as long as you get to know your partner before marriage, its enough. But we believe in this case, you havent married the person you were in love with; youve just found a decent partner to marry, because you were supposed to marry someone eventually. In arranged marriage, the importance of getting to know your partner before marriage is completely overlooked, which leads marriages to failure. Besides, when you dont know how people from your opposit e sex behave, think, talk or react to specific matters, and what are the things that they care about, misunderstanding is the first burden which will add to discontentment of your arranged marriage. Its not deniable that the ones who are forced to arranged marriages find ways to compromise with their spouse; because the criterions of knowing a marriage as satisfying are not simply limited to how couples get married. When couples are younger, they tend to assess level of their marriage satisfaction by their wealth or even political status. As time goes by, even presence of grand children can affect their evaluation of their marriage. For instance, our own grandparents got married when they didnt even know what marriage is; so they were never asked about who they prefer to choose as spouse; However, if you ask them whether they were satisfied with their marriage or not, they wouldnt express discontentment. Because if they had had dreams about marriage, they had put them aside to reach a compromise with the life they were forced to have, and if they didnt have an idea of marriage, they never found out what love match is. This doesnt mean that couples who get married with love match es always stay as content as theyd been at the first place, but it does confirm the fact that normally, the ones who marry their love of their life, are more satisfied with their marriage, than couples who are already content of their current life, but got married based on arranged marriage. In the survey done by by Xu Xiaohe and Martin King Whyte (1990), it is stated that variations of mate selection do not involve just two categories, but a continuum from total parental control to total freedom of choice Along with this continuum. So basically, when we oppose arranged marriage, were not just against the gist of arranged marriage, but also against the strong authority that parents have over the procedure of getting married. Arranged marriage must be banned, because the ideology behind this type of marriage follows extremely dogmatic patterns regarding parental authority that make lives of couples miserable.

Killing Is Never Justifies :: essays research papers

Killing Is Never Justified Capital punishment, by definition, is the legal killing of an individual. Now, how someone could be killed legally when murder is universally recognized as a violent and serious crime. It is irrevocable, meaning that once an inhabitant of death row pays the ultimate price. The death penalty is corporal punishment in its most severe form and is considered to be the ultimate form of retribution for those who have committed society's most heinous crimes, including rape and murder. Ultimately, Capital punishment is wrong due to the likelihood of error, the unjust racial allocation, and the violation of constitutional rights. However, many people believe that capital punishment is morally correct and preserves human dignity. Primarily, until human judgment is proved to be infallible, capital punishment will always carry a likelihood of error along with it. As Hugo Adam Bedau said in his writings, â€Å"Since 1900, in this country, there have been on the average of four cases per year in which an entirely innocent person was convicted of murder. Scores of these people have been sentenced to death† (Bedau 8). Considering that four completely innocent citizens had been sentenced to death, in a period of twenty years about eighty innocent people would have been wrongly sentenced to death. Human judgment and the justice system in which the United States of America is based on will never be perfect; there will always be a margin of error. Because of the infallibility of human nature, a few people each year are accused of crimes in which they did not even commit. Should innocent citizens be placed on death row and sentenced to death for crimes they did not commit? Because the justice system will never be perfect and mistakes are inevitably going to be made, capital punishment is not a just solution, especially for the innocent. Furthermore, many innocent convicts have been executed, while others have been lucky enough to prove their innocence in time. Subsequently, according to the Atlanta Weekly newspaper, In Georgia in 1975, Earl Charles was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. A surviving victim of the crime erroneously identified Charles as the gunman; her testimony was supported by a jail-house informant who claimed he heard Charles confess. Incontrovertible alibi evidence, showing that Charles was in Florida at the very time of the crime, eventually establishes his innocence–but not until he had spent more than three years under his death sentence.

Ethics of Doctor Assisted Suicide

One of the most hotly debated topics going on now is the one concerning the ethics of assisted suicide and euthanasia. Nowadays with all the progress that the medical profession has gained, people who are terminally ill have more options, and there have been continued efforts to give them the â€Å"right to die† when they choose this option. I was interested in researching this topic because I think the debate has a lot to do with politics. This dilemma has been hotly debated and I was open to seeing how this movement was progressing. In the beginning, I was a proponent on this issue, and believed people should not be denied their wishes when they wanted to end their pain. However, I was open to learning more about the opposite stance and what the reasons for opposition were. It always seemed unusual to me that suicide was not illegal, but it was illegal to assist in one even with a consenting party. I wondered how this could be, and how people could deny people this right in unending pain. There never seems to be a prosecution of doctors who participate in these acts, even though they frequently go to court. I wondered why this occurred and what the laws really said regarding this. I also wondered how people distinguished between forgoing medical interventions and actually assisting in the suicide. As I approached the research, my main questions were regarding the opposition. I really did not know all the problems that could occur. Research about this brought to light many things that are not discussed in the media, although this is a highly publicized subject. I found that it is very difficult to end the debate because all the arguments are just matters of opinion. Opposers and protestors have good arguments. No one really knows what would happen, so opinions are used to predict it. Since all the media attention, I will try not to discuss the many things that are already known. I found myself intrigued at what I did not know, and found my views profoundly affected. After reading current articles about what was going on legally and about cases, reviewing the history of this topic, and reading books showing the two opposing viewpoints, I have made my conclusions. I will show how people are currently handling this and how they are being viewed. I will discuss the main arguments on both sides. Finally, I will show what I concluded from this and how my views have been altered by information that I did not know before. I will begin by explaining how the terms are defined. Euthanasia derived from Greek roots and means â€Å"good death. † Active euthanasia is a direct and deliberate intervention to kill the patient. It is â€Å"intended to end the life of the competent, terminally ill patient who makes a fully voluntary and persistent request for aid in dying. † Voluntary euthanasia takes place when the patient requests the action and it is involuntary if the patient is not mentally competent enough to make the right choice. Passive euthanasia is withholding treatment from a patient. A physician-assisted suicide occurs when the patient does the actual act, but the physician provides either enough information or the means to do it. One source defines it as a â€Å"desperate measure, justified only in exceptional cases where every effort has first been made to care for a dying person by other means. † The terms euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide usually are used for the same thing and are not generally distinguished from one another. Typically the means of suicide is lethal doses of a poison such as pills, an injection, or gas. Motive causes euthanasia to be distinguished from murder, because its intent is merciful and is done out of kindness. The physician's intentions can make considerable differences concerning how their act will be classified. The most common reason for a patient to want this aid is a terminal illness. Unbearable suffering has caused the person to become intolerant of the physical and/or emotional pain. The other reason is a physical handicap that is debilitating and the patient would rather die than live with it. Most people are able to cope with this, but in some cases, it is impossible for the patient to do so. In ancient times, euthanasia was encountered often. However, suicide was condemned. During the sixteenth century, some people began to see it as more of a personal choice. It eventually became decriminalized, but assisted suicide and euthanasia are still crimes in most countries. The introduction of powerful analgesics caused a rise in the interest in the â€Å"right to die† movement. It was advocated in the late 1800's, and has been a topic for debate since the early 1900's. Doctors have been helping patients die for centuries. Some cultures today have people that will stop eating and wait to die when they become seriously ill. The â€Å"right to die movement† is encouraged by several factors. Modern technology has come along to extend human life. The fear of the dying process is of great concern to some people, especially when it accompanies physical and psychological suffering. Patients are becoming more in charge of their own fate and have more of a voice. Finally, there is a concern about the high health care costs. They cost more than 60 billion annually, and 1/3 of Medicaid payments go to patients in their last year of life. Medicine's main goal has always been the preservation of life. Now, this is being challenged in an attempt to change it. The two sides of the issue are being debated. On one side are the people who think it is not a physicians place to kill a patient, because he/she should only help, not harm. The opposition thinks that suffering is the real harm. The debate comes at the point of the onset of the terminal illness, when it will be time to decide on the means. This is sometimes called the â€Å"Kevorkian moment. † Proponents give examples of people who could be helped, while opponents give counterexamples of people who may be harmed. There are many moral and legal considerations. The support for a physician's participation is increasing. According to opinion polls, about 60% of people in the U. S. are supporters. About 15% of physicians practice it when it is justified. It is actually impossible to know for sure how much takes place because incidents are usually kept secret to avoid prosecution. Most people who have reported that they would consider it give reasons such as that they would not want to be a burden, would not want to live in pain, or would not want to depend on machines or others. The main argument for the support of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide is that people should have the right to control their life and death, and should be able to end their lives when they wish if they are suffering needlessly. It is argued that it is a private choice and society has no right to be concerned. They usually portray it as a case of individual liberty. One source states â€Å"euthanasia, if legalized, would be the ultimate civil liberty, since it would secure the freedom to determine and to control our own death. † Physicians must then decide if they are willing to take part in either directly killing the patient or by assisting the patient in suicide. The physician should follow the demands of the patient, even if it means killing them, because that would respect their wishes and the rights of the patient. Physicians treat patients with the purpose of restoring health. If the patient can't be restored to a reasonable level of living, it shouldn't be wrong to discontinue it. Euthanasia supporters often try to get sympathy by relating stories to make one feel like suicide is the only option in their case. The media has sparked a lot of interest, and continues to show stories like this. Simi Linton, psychologist, says, â€Å"I'm disturbed at how the media treats it, as: here are these poor folks; let's help them end their lives† (qtd. in 1). It makes it seem as if would be inhumane to deny anyone this option. Basically, it is the quality of life that is the main concern of the patient. They may feel that life is not worth living in their state. It would not be humane to insist that every means be taken to keep someone alive. A physician's main concern is to relieve suffering, so sometimes there is only one way to achieve that goal. At the time that efforts are no longer doing any good, the main concern is to make the patient comfortable and alleviate symptoms such as pain. Drugs do not always get rid of all the pain, especially when it is excruciating. Sometimes a patient will be drugged into unconscious with severe pain that cannot be controlled. This does not seem like effective pain management to me. I do not believe people will be satisfied living in such a state as that. They would want to be put out of their misery. Legalization would cause many changes. It would give rights to the person who does it, rather than the person who dies. It is about the right to kill, rather than the right to die. 9 Physicians would need to be trained in more areas regarding this, such as information about medications and dosage, and about the mentality of the patient. They will need to gain expertise in understanding patients' motivations for requesting it, assessing their mental status, diagnosing and treating depression. The medical profession is developing greater expertise in managing terminal illness but would need to develop similar expertise in responding to requests for physician-assisted suicide. The debates over assisted suicide have forced clinicians to be more aware of what can be done to relieve suffering. Doctors are improving palliative care and their own behavior. Patients are becoming more aware of their options. The problems associated with legalizing assisted suicide are usually not talked about when the proponents make their argument. The discussion of the potential for abuse, the ways it could be prevented or better helped are put on a backburner. The main argument against legalization is that human life is sacred, and it is not a human right to take it away. Some say that there is no need for suicide, because health care should resolve all problems and pain management has come a long way. Most people who commit suicide suffer from depression, so it is often debated whether this could be the reason for someone wanting assisted suicide. Often, when their depression is treated, the patient responds well, and would like to live. A regular physician cannot make the determination of whether a patient is suffering from depression. This is something that is difficult to diagnose in terminally ill patients. Just because a patient request suicide does not mean this will be an appropriate solution. Sometimes, a patient may even request suicide, but when the time draws near, they change their mind because it did not seem so imminent before. The will to request the suicide must be voluntary, but this decision is left up to the physician. How can a physician judge whether it is voluntary or not? It is also difficult to determine what terminal is. When people say that it should be reserved for people who are terminally ill, they cannot define it. It is used to mean someone whose death will occur in a relatively short time. Some people may say that if they will die in 6 months it is considered terminal, but it is difficult to determine exactly how long someone has to live. They may live much longer than that. A person could also be terminal who is in a vegitative state, but will live for years in that state with continued medicine. People cannot reach an agreement on what the definition of terminal would be, some even say old age is terminal. Marianne Smith, Program Development Director of the Death with Dying National Center defines it as â€Å"an illness in which there is no chance of recovery and that death is imminent. â€Å"15 Activists of euthanasia use the demonstration that suicide is the only means to control unbearable pain. Most pain is supposed to be able to be eliminated, or greatly reduced. Many people do not get enough pain control. 6 One reason is the underknowlege many physicians have about this, and that they are afraid the patient will become addicted. Also, too much pain medication can cause symptoms that may be worse than the disease was itself. One source says that â€Å"patients and physicians alike may be unaware of the options available in the medical system, including advances in pain control that could help patients but are not routinely provided. â€Å"3 There may be no solution to these problems, but some things can be done. Better health care education, more access to health care, and informing patients of their rights. 6 Everyone has the right to pain relief. Patients should get adequate health care, and not killed. Physicians argue that if good care of the dying is being provided, then a request for suicide would be rare. 4 Some patients may want to consider suicide, but are incapable of administering medicine. Some people may also lose their mental capabilities, and will be unable to request it. It is difficult to assess fairness in cases like these. Some people use a form of advance directive and make their request before deterioration occurs. It is hard to extend the same rights to all patients without causing abuse. If someone is unable to communicate their request, it would be frightening for someone to make that decision for them and to say that their life is not worth living, so we must kill them. There is great potential for abuse if it were to be legalized. Depressed people, elderly, and very frightened people would be greatly affected. People may feel pressured into giving up. Elderly are especially vulnerable to this. Now that there are more people living longer, this problem will increase. They may tend to feel they are a burden on their families, or are selfishly consuming resources. If a physician advocates it, they also may be swayed. People may also feel distrustful of the physician's advice. This may cause a hardship in getting appropriate care. 10 Legalization will only encourage more people to take part in it. It does not seem as if we would be ready for this to occur, because we are only just beginning to explore some realms of the medical world. It took a long time to figure out about adequate care for many patients and when is the right time to withdraw life support, so it would not seem that we would be ready for this step. The â€Å"slippery slope† argument is used by opponents, saying that legalization will lead to involuntary euthanasia. My own opinion is that if assisted suicide were legalized, we may not be as inclined to advance medical progress and knowlege. It would seem easier to just put the patient out of his/her misery. They may not use their experience to increase what we know about medicine and learn how to help the illness, or better cope with it. Proponents have said that euthanasia should be considered â€Å"medical treatment. † If this is so, there could be great potential for abuse. Then it may be more likely to be administered to people who cannot make the request. Some decisions that have gone to court say that assisted suicide is a constitutional right and that someone else can make the decision for the patient. If direct killing can be legalized by someone else, someone who is not competent could be euthanized without ever expressing that wish. It seems to be inevitable that patient are going to be killed without permission if legalization occurs, even with rules about consent. The main argument of how abuse of the practice could occur is called the â€Å"slippery slope argument. † It says that â€Å"even if particular acts of killing are sometimes morally justified with particularly pain-ridden patients, sanctioning practices of killing would run serious social risks of abuse, misuse and neglect. 3 The bad consequences of legalization would occur over time as this practice became more used. Another potential form of abuse lies in the fact that it would be cheaper to euthanize a patient than to continue medical treatment. It is thought that it could become a means of health care cost containment. Some of the main supporters of euthanasia are people concerned about lowering health care costs. 6 Religion has caused many people to debate it. Most churches are adamantly opposed to the idea of suicide. However, some Christians believe that God would not want them to suffer. 9 Although most religions and churches disagree with intentionally killing a patient, many people who hold this stand will allow the withdrawal of life support. It is believed that there is a difference between killing and letting die. Someone who is against euthanasia may agree with letting someone die who is being kept alive solely by life support that is not really helping them. 3 People feel that the intent in these cases is different. The more accepted approach does not involve killing. One interpretation of the difference shows that the intent is different because actively killing is aiming at death, and withdrawing support simply accepts that we are limited to help the dying and cannot reverse the process. 8 However, some peole believe that since death is the outcome no matter what, there is no moral difference between them. Another matter of intent distiction regards what is called the â€Å"double effect. † A physician will administer a pain medication to relieve pain, but knows that it may cause death. The patient would be in pain without it, but it may cause death if it is administered. It is usually believed to be moral if the doctor's intent is to relieve the suffering, and not to cause death. It is allowed if the death is foreseen but not intended, because it is the intent that makes it wrong. Although suicide is no longer a crime, giving assistance in it is, everywhere except for Switzerland, Germany, Norway, and Uraguay. In Australia, a law was passed that allows terminally ill patients to ask for assistance by injection or taking drugs themselves. 7 There is a debate about it because Parliament wants to overturn the statute, which is the world's only voluntary euthanasia statute. In the Netherlands, it is actually a crime, but it has been ruled that physicians may assist in death under certain conditions. Some of these are that the patient must be ruled competent, and two doctors must conclude that the patient has less than 6 months to live. 8 The United States has used them as an example to see what would happen if it were to occur here. They are having problems with it, mainly with abuse. The physicians there have reported that the main reasons people request it are â€Å"low quality of life, the relatives, inability to cope, and no prospect for improvement. 0 Some sources show that people are requesting it for physical symptoms that it is almost ridiculou that they would go to such an extreme measure for. I think that the potential for abuse here may be great, because it is getting out of hand over there. People are becoming afraid to go to hospitals because euthanasia is becoming so commonplace. It now accounts for 15% of deaths. 1000 unconsenting deaths occur each year. 1. In 1994, the state of Oregon passed a ballot that gives limited physician-assisted suicide legality. This makes it the first in the nation to do so. A doctor must determine the patient has less than six months to live. A second doctor must decide that they are mentally competent and not suffering from depression. The patient must request it in writing with two witnesses, and then 48 hours before the doctor delivers the prescription the request must be repeated orally. 1 It must be a voluntary act. However, those jugements are left to the physician. So far, it has never been put into action. Other states are considering similar legislation, such as California which has proposed a law that is similar to the guidelines that the Dutch have adopted. Lawsuits in Washington State and New York were ruled by the 9th and 2nd U. S. Circuit Courts of Appeals that laws prohibiting physician-assisted suicide are unconstitutional. The legal fate will be determined by the Supreme Court. In 1990, the decision of Cruzan v. Missouri Department of Health resulted in people having the right to avoid unwanted medical treatment, including food and water. 5 It recognized the right to terminate unwanted medical treatment even when death would be the result. 14 People often use the Constitution as a basis for argument. The 14th amendment prohibits the state from depriving â€Å"any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. † So to deny a dying patient medical assistance when requested is to â€Å"threaten this patient's request for help is judged denial of constitutionally protected due process. â€Å"4 As the courts were in session to hear a case about whether terminally ill people have a constitutional right to physician assisted suicide, demonstrators sang and picketed outside a Supreme Court building. The emotions of the rights issue has been compared to that of abortion. Both of these issues dig into whether we have the right to choose such personal issues. People can feel very strongly about the issues of mercy killing, whether they oppose or support it. The lack of laws cause people to avoid prosecution for assisting in a suicide. Kevorkian has escaped prosecution because there is not a state law prohibiting it, according to a Michigan judge. 9 People are afraid that activities such as his would become widespread if assisted suicide were legalized. His actions have been opposed not because of the assistance, but because he had no real relationship with his patients and had not given them any kind of clinical evaluation. Many were also not terminally ill. 3 It seems to show what is lacking in the medical sysytem, or what could become of it. Every case of assisted suicide is not convicted or prosecuted, even in states that make it illegal. However, the fact that there are many landmark â€Å"right to die† cases, shows that the law is commited to the prohibition. However, the procedures are not described as killing. If this were the case, the act would have to be justified similar to killing someone out of self defense. 4 It is hard to define the conditions that there must be in order to make it legal, because there is so much that we do not know. For euthanasia to be ethical, there must be certain guidelines. The person must be a mature adult, and has been shown to be mentally competent and willing to make the decision. Some medical help will have already been given, and it should seem that the fight is hopeless. 9 Many organizations have beliefs on this and they try to educate the public on euthanasia and what their views are. I contacted Marianne Smith, the Program Development Director of the Death with Dignity National Center. 15 She explained to me in e-mail how the organization feels about euthanasia and what they do to educate the public about it. The organization is working toward better health care for paients. She feels that assisted suicide should be legal, but that â€Å"physician-assisted dying should be the response of last resort,† and â€Å"when all other options fail to relieve unbearable suffering, when the patient is acting on his or her own initiative, is not clinically depressed, and is capable of administering the medication personally. The people who could be elgible are â€Å"only terminally ill, competent adults with decisionmanking capacity. † I also asked whether euthanasia could be avoided with adequate pain medicine. Her response was that â€Å"Physicians, medical associations and hospices all have stated that not all pain can be controlled. † Their view, which is one I encountered a lot, is that the medical professionals have not been trained adequately in pain management. Regarding the issues of potential â€Å"slippery slope† abuse, she says that physician's aid in dying is more common than people realize, and legalization would just make it happen openly, instead of secretly. However, the state regulation should provide strict guidelines and penalties for violations. I think that it is hard to make sure that the decisions are correct, so it should be carefully thought out. We are dealing with a very serious issue, which is death. It should not be an easy decision to make or to carry out. Becaue death is the consequence, the decision to kill oneself, and carrying it out should be very difficult and carefully thought out. This would help ensure that people have thought about it enough and know that this is the best decision. I don't know how a solution can be thought of to deal with the debate, but things such as more health care education and informing patients of their rights should be a consideration. I hope that if legalization ever were to take place, that they would carefully restrict who qualified for euthanasia. After all my research, most of my questions have been answered. It is difficult to come to a conclusion because there is no right or wrong answer. I don't know how anyone can determine what should be done. Who can put a price on life and say who has the right to die? The basic choice is whether to let doctors help people die, and if so, how? I have found many great arguments either opposing or protesting this issue, which has led me to my conclusions. When I began this paper, I dove into it thinking that I was going to condone the idea of assisted suicide. I knew I could convince someone that it should be the moral and legal thing to do. I could not imagine a life without the ultimate choice or having to endure great suffering. I was going to defend this side, but also show the opposing side. Once I got into the research, I found many facts that I had not known before about why it has not yet been legalized. Many questions and opinions showed me that there were things I had not even bothered to think about before. What a surprise to me that I could begin a project as a supporter, and then turn around my views. I now see where the opposers are coming from. There are just too many problems and considerations to think about before this could ever happen, and there are alternate solutions. I cannot say that this has given me a complete turn in the opposite direction, but I am definitely leaning toward the opposing side except in extreme circumstances when nothing could ever help the patient.

Best Places to Find Gifts for Geologists

Best Places to Find Gifts for Geologists Stumped on what to get the geologist in your life for the upcoming holiday, birthday, or anniversary? Heres a short list of places to shop and gifts to get for that person who loves all things geological. The gift ideas in this geologic gift guide range from serious to wacky, plus a few items to make your jaw drop! Not on the list are all of our favorite books for geologists - for those, visit our  book reviews. Geological Tool Gifts   The Brunton Co. The Brunton Company is the maker of world-standard field tools for geologists, starting with their famous compasses many of us know simply as Bruntons. Forestry Suppliers For everything from hammers to sieves, Forestry Suppliers has a great inventory of tools your geologist will enjoy. Amateur Geologist Amateur Geologist boasts all sorts of gifts for geologists from the tools they’ll need in the field to books, geological maps, and even fun, educational items for kids. One can never have too many 10X magnifiers – at least a geologist can’t! Here are our picks for the best magnifiers on the market. Magazine and Guide Gifts for Geologists Bobs Rock ShopWhile Bob doesnt sell rocks at his rock shop (Bob’s Rock Shop is actually an online publication and community for rock enthusiasts), but this great Web destination has advertisers who do- or you can get a subscription to  Rock Gem  magazine here. Earth MagazineEarth Magazine is one of the best and most popular magazines for those who take geology seriously (the publication was formerly  titled Geotimes). You can buy gift subscriptions for your geologist on their site. Mountain Press PublishingMountain Press Publishing’s online bookstore is home to the highly regarded Roadside Guide and Geology Underfoot series of books. U.S. Geological Survey Maps and MoreYes, the USGS has a store, and it’s full of great gifts for geologists! Find maps, posters, passes, products and more from the worlds coolest government agency. Desert GuidesDesert Guides host an assortment of books about getting around, and even finding wealth, in the desert. Your geologist will get lost in the fascinating information and stories! Minerals, Rocks, and Collectibles Gifts Science Stuff Science Stuff, formerly known as Earth Stuff, has gifts for any young scientist. We especially like their Earth science section with rocks, minerals, tools, fossils, and books for smart kids interested in all things geology. The Mineral GalleryThere are hundreds of mineral shops on the Web, but the Mineral Gallery probably has the best selection of minerals for sale for your geology enthusiast. FulguritesWhen lightning strikes the ground, sediments are fused together by the energy creating beautiful and unique crystal-like structures. Various mineral dealers sell the melted results as collectibles, you can find them at the link above. Top Stone Rolling FountainsThese fountains feature large stone spheres spinning miraculously suspended on water. Uniquely beautiful, these gifts are perfect for the geologist or rock enthusiast who has everything. We love this site. Spheres To YouThey call themselves the biggest seller of stone spheres in the world, and we believe them. Their selection is incredible. The Soft EarthPottery artist, Joan Lederman, uses pedigreed seafloor mud from Woods Holes oceanographers to make wonderful objects and collectibles. U.S. Geological Survey Bench Mark ReplicasFull-size reproductions in pewter of those cool brass benchmarkers from all around the world from the most famous summits to the South Pole. They even make earrings, pins, pendants, and more.