Biography of Henry Avery, the Most Successful Pirate

Biography of Henry Avery, the Most Successful Pirate Henry â€Å"Long Ben† Avery (c 1659–1696 or 1699) was an English pirate, plying the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and making one big score: the treasure ship of the Grand Mughal of India. After this success, he retired. Little is known for certain of his ultimate fate. Contemporaries believed that Avery took his loot to Madagascar where he set himself up as a king with his own fleet and thousands of men. There also is evidence, however, that he returned to England and died broke. Fast Facts: Henry Avery Known For: Most successful pirateAlso Known As: Long Ben, John AveryBorn: Between 1653 and 1659 in Plymouth, EnglandDied: Perhaps in 1696 or 1699 in Devonshire County, England Early Life Henry Avery was born in or near Plymouth, England, sometime between 1653 and 1659. Some contemporary accounts spell his last name Every, while some references give his first name as John. He soon took to sea,  serving on several merchant vessels as well as ships of war, when England went to war with France in 1688, and a few slave ships. In early 1694, Avery took a position as the first mate aboard the privateer vessel Charles II, then in the employ of the king of Spain. The mostly English crew was extremely unhappy with their poor treatment and they convinced Avery to lead a mutiny, which he did on May 7, 1694. The men renamed the ship the Fancy and turned to piracy, attacking English and Dutch merchantmen off the coast of Africa. About this time, he released a statement declaring that English vessels had nothing to fear from him, as he would attack only foreigners, which clearly wasnt true. Madagascar The Fancy headed to Madagascar, then a lawless land known as a safe haven for pirates and a good place to launch attacks in the Indian Ocean. He restocked the Fancy and had it modified to be swifter under sail. This improved speed began paying dividends immediately, as he was able to overtake a French pirate vessel. After looting it, he welcomed 40 new pirates to his crew. Then he headed north, where other pirates were amassing, hoping to loot the Grand Mughal of Indias treasure fleet as it returned from an annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Indian Treasure Fleet In July 1695, the pirates got lucky: the great treasure fleet sailed into their arms. There were six pirate ships, including the Fancy and Thomas Tews Amity. They first attacked the Fateh Muhammed, the escort ship to the flagship, the Ganj-i-Sawai. The Fateh Muhammed, outgunned by the large pirate fleet, didnt put up much of a fight. There were 50,000 to 60,000 British pounds in treasure aboard the Fateh Muhammed. It was quite a haul, but it didnt go far divided among the crews of six vessels. The pirates were hungry for more. Soon Averys ship caught up with the Ganj-i-Sawai, the powerful flagship of Aurangzeb, the Mughal lord. It was a mighty ship, with 62 cannons and 400 to 500 musketeers, but the prize was too rich to ignore. During the first broadside they damaged the Ganj-i-Sawais main mast and one of the Indian cannons exploded, causing mayhem and confusion on deck. The battle roared on for hours as the pirates boarded the Ganj-i-Sawai. The terrified captain of the Mughal ship ran below decks and hid among the concubines. After a fierce battle, the remaining Indians surrendered. Looting and Torture The survivors were subjected to several days of torture and rape by the victorious pirates. There were many women on board, including a member of the court of the Grand Mughal. Romantic tales of the day say that the beautiful daughter of the Mughal was on board and fell in love with Avery and then ran off to live with him on a remote island, but the reality was probably far more brutal. The haul from the Ganj-i-Sawai was hundreds of thousands of pounds in gold, silver, and jewels, worth tens of millions of dollars today and possibly the richest haul in the history of piracy. Deception and Flight Avery and his men didnt want to share this prize with the other pirates, so they tricked them. They loaded their holds with loot and arranged to meet and divide it, but they took off instead. None of the other pirate captains had a chance of catching up with the speedy Fancy, which headed for the lawless Caribbean. Once they reached New Providence Island, Avery bribed Gov. Nicholas Trott, essentially buying protection for him and his men. The taking of the Indian ships had put a great strain on relations between India and England, however, and once a reward was put out for Avery and his fellow pirates, Trott could no longer protect them. He tipped them off, however, so Avery and most of his 113-man crew got out safely. Only 12 were captured. Averys crew split up. Some went to Charleston, some to Ireland and England, and some remained in the Caribbean. Avery himself vanished from history at this point, although according to Capt. Charles Johnson, one of the best sources of the time (and often thought to be a pseudonym for novelist Daniel Defoe), he returned with much of his loot to England only to be later swindled out of it, dying poor in perhaps 1696 or 1699, maybe in Devonshire County, England. Legacy Avery was a legend during his lifetime and for a while thereafter. He embodied the dream of all pirates to make a huge score and then retire, preferably with an adoring princess and a large pile of loot. The idea that Avery had managed to get away with that booty helped create the so-called Golden Age of Piracy as thousands of poor, abused European seamen tried to follow his example out of their misery. The fact that he supposedly refused to attack English ships (although he did) became part of his legend, giving the story a Robin Hood twist. Books and plays were written about him and his exploits. Many people at the time believed that he had set up a kingdom somewhere- possibly Madagascar- with 40 warships, an army of 15,000 men, a mighty fortress, and coins bearing his face. Capt. Johnsons story is almost certainly closer to the truth. The part of Averys story that can be verified caused great headaches for English diplomats. The Indians were furious and held officers of the British East India Company under arrest for a while. It would take years for the diplomatic furor to die down. Averys haul from the two Mughal ships put him at the top of the earnings list for pirates, at least during his generation. He took in more loot in two years than pirates such as Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, Anne Bonny and Calico Jack Rackham- combined. Its impossible to know the exact design used by Long Ben Avery for his pirate flag. He only captured a dozen or so ships, and no first-hand accounts survive from his crew or victims. The flag most commonly attributed to him is a white skull in profile, wearing a kerchief on a red or black background. Below the skull are two crossed bones. Sources Cordingly, David. Random House Trade Paperbacks, 1996.Defoe, Daniel (writing as Capt. Charles Johnson). A General History of the Pyrates. Edited by Manuel Schonhorn. Dover Publications, 1972/1999.Konstam, Angus. The World Atlas of Pirates. Lyons Press, 2009.Henry Every’s Bloody Pirate Raid, 320 Years Ago. History.com.John Avery: British Pirate. Encyclopedia Britannica.

Human Resource Bundles

Human Resource Bundles The relationship between organizational performance and human resource management (HRM) practices has been discussed and examined by scholars and business administrators. It is believed that the ability to motivate, train or empower workers can give a company a competitive advantage over other firms.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Human Resource Bundles specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the issues that are often studied is the impact of the so-called human resource bundles on the business outcomes, namely productivity, profitability or retention of workers. In this case, the term bundles can be understood as a set of aligned and interrelated practices and strategies that are supposed to bring mutually enforcing effects on organizational performance (Ahmad Schroeder 2003, p. 37). This paper is aimed at determining whether this approach leads to superior outcomes. Overall, one can say that such bundles can inde ed have a positive influence on a company provided that managers understand the core values and needs of workers. At first, it is necessary to focus on the theoretical background of HR bundles and the reasons why approach to HR management has become very popular in many organizations. One of the main assumption is that the activities of an HR managers have to be synergistic (Toh, Morgeson, Campion 2008, p. 864). In other words, they have to supplement one another and create an extra value for a company. Scholars provide various examples to support this idea. For instance, companies often develop training programs for their workers so that they could acquire and develop new skills. However, these training programs usually yield better results, if an organization has a knowledge-based pay system (Toh, Morgeson, Campion 2008, p. 864). This system has to account for individual contribution of every worker so that he/she could be more willing to take part in training. This is how sever al HRM practices can reinforce each other.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The second point that scholars make is that HRM practices should reflect organizations context. Managers should take into account such factors as the size of the company, its structure, culture, product, and so forth (Verburg, Hartog, Koopman 2007, p. 186). This is why it is necessary to adapt HRM practices to this context and make them mutually consistent. There is another distinct peculiarity of HRM bundles. A manager, who adopts this approach, should not focus on a single activity. Instead, it is necessary to think about them as a system of related components (Gooderham, Parry, Ringdal 2008, p. 2043). These people should remember that the change in one practice can either increase or decrease the efficiency of other HR activities. So, this approach differs from conventional strategies o f HR managers. Overall, HR bundles have to touch upon such aspects of HR management as recruitment, performance appraisal, compensation, the development of employees’ skills, empowerment of workers, and so forth. These practices should not be viewed as some disjoint elements. More likely, they are supposed to support each other. It is believed that in this way, an organization can yield better results. So, theoretical underpinnings of HR bundles can be accepted. However, business administrators should remember that the bundling of HRM practices can be effective provided that the company can understands the values, goals, and needs of workers. HR bundles should be based on some tested assumptions about the behavior of workers. Provided that this set of policies is poorly designed, its effects can be devastating because a company can design a whole set of policies that disregard the behavior of employees. This is the main risk that human resource managers should consider. At th is point, it is necessary to discuss empirical studies that examine the impacts of using this approach.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Human Resource Bundles specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The researchers, who examine the changes brought by HR bundles, focus on such outcomes as the retention of employees, financial performance, relationship with customers, or operational performance (Subramony 2009, p. 745). The meta-analysis carried out by Manesh Subramony indicates that there is a positive relationship between the use of HR bundles and some of important business outcomes. For instance, one can mention motivation-enhancing bundles. They include such practices as linking pay with performance, incentive plans, or improved healthcare benefits (Subramony 2009, p. 746). The companies, which used these bundles, were able to reduce employee turnover (Subramony 2009, p. 753). Additionally, skill-enhancing bundles positi vely affected the performance of workers (Subramony 2009, p. 752). This is one of the examples showing that this strategy can lead to superior results. The main distinction of such companies is that they try to align their policies and orient them toward a certain goal. The management of these organizations does not isolate different practices of HR managers. One can also refer to the research conducted by Eleni Stavrou and Chris Brewster (2009) who examined the impact of different HRM bundles on such aspects of business performance as service quality, profitability, and productivity (p. 191). These authors surveyed the CEOs of 3702 companies (Stavrou Brewster 2009, p. 191). This study examines the role of different bundles that are related to training, performance appraisal, and compensation (Stavrou Brewster 2009, p. 193).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The researchers argue that a combination of strategies can better increase the productivity and retention of workers. In particular, they refer to training, pay-for-performance compensation system, and profit-sharing initiatives (Stavrou Brewster 2009, p. 193). On the whole, this study suggests that the bundle approach proved to be more effective than separate practices of HR managers. The organizations surveyed by Eleni Stavrou and Chris Brewster do not try to isolate HRM initiatives. More likely, they were viewed as a combination of mutually consistent policies. This is the main distinction of this approach. The use of the bundle method can have a positive impact on employees’ attitude toward the company and their commitment to organizational goals. One can mention the research article written by Jill Perry-Smith and Terry Blum (2000) who discuss the influence of the so-called work-family bundles. They can be defined as a set of policies that are designed to improve non-wo rk lives of employees (Perry-Smith Blum 2000, p. 1107). The findings of these authors suggest that workers feel more attached to those companies which try to reconcile organizational goals with personal needs of an employee (Perry-Smith Blum 2000, p. 1114). Normally, these bundles include such practices as flexible schedule programs, leave policies, or reemployment of workers (Perry-Smith Blum 2000, p. 1110). The main goal of these policies is to demonstrate that a company values each employee and wants to retain him/her. Nevertheless, the authors also point out that the positive influence of work-family bundles is much stronger in those firms in which a greater number of women are employed (Perry-Smith Blum 2000, p.1112). Thus, the positive effects of HR bundles depend upon the demographic characteristics of the labor force; in this case, one can speak about gender. On the whole, these examples suggest that the use of bundles can greatly benefit an organization. In most cases, organizations can really produce superior results with by adopting this approach. However, there are some issues that business administrators should not disregard. First of all, the researchers, who did these empirical studies, admit that it is often very difficult to measure the influence of HR bundles on performance. For instance, Manesh Subramony acknowledges that the influence of environmental factors on performance can be very significant and the degree of their influence should also be examined (2009, p. 758). In this regard, one can mention such external factors as the demand of the products or services, the level of unemployment in the country, or the competition faced by a company. These external factors can affect turnover in an organization or its profitability more profoundly than HR bundles. Additionally, Jill Perry-Smith and Terry Blum point out that the influence of HR bundles can be more accurately assessed if researchers conduct longitudinal studies (2000, p. 1115). It is necessary to examine the effects of HR bundles for a long time, because in this way one can better very the results of empirical studies. The problem is that longitudinal is not always possible. Thus, empirical evidence supporting the use of HR bundles should be more closely evaluated. Yet, despite these limitations one can still argue that the practices of HR managers should be better coordinated. They should have some common goal. This is why human resource bundles are often related to many positive outcomes, such as increased commitment of workers, improved productivity, and stronger motivation of workers. To a great extent, this argument is confirmed by many empirical studies. Although these studies have some limitation, the evidence that they provide suggests that the bundling of HRM practices is more effective that isolated activities of HR managers. Although, the use of HR bundles can be very promising, researchers should carry out further studies in order to measure t he efficiency of this method. One should focus on such dimensions of performance as customer retention, turnover in an organization, revenues, and so forth. More importantly, the impacts of HR bundles should be measured for more than once. References Ahmad, S Schroeder, R 2003. ‘The impact of human resource management practices on operational performance: recognizing country and industry differences’ Journal of Operations Management, vol. 21 no. 1, pp. 19-43. Gooderham, P, Parry, E, Ringdal, K 2008, The impact of bundles of strategic human resource management practices on the performance of European firms, International Journal Of Human Resource Management, vol. 19 no. 11, pp. 2041-2056. Perry-Smith, J, Blum, T 2000, Work-family human resource bundles and perceived organizational performance, Academy Of Management Journal, vol. 43 no. 6, pp. 1107-1117 Stavrou, E, Brewster, C 2005, The Configurational Approach to Linking Strategic Human Resource Management Bundles wi th Business Performance: Myth or Reality?, Management Revue, vol. 16 no. 2, pp. 186-201. Subramony, M 2009, A meta-analytic investigation of the relationship between HRM bundles and firm performance, Human Resource Management, vol. 48 no. 5, pp. 745-768 Toh, S, Morgeson, F, Campion, M 2008, Human resource configurations: Investigating fit with the organizational context, Journal Of Applied Psychology, vol. 93 no. 4, pp. 864-882. Verburg, R, Hartog, D, Koopman, P 2007, Configurations of human resource management practices: a model and test of internal fit, International Journal Of Human Resource Management, vol. 18 no. 2, pp. 184-208.

Super Sad True Love Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Super Sad True Love Story - Essay Example Despite their poverty, Lenny’s parents could afford to laugh at the poor people and could pick up some lessons from the about what failure could mean in America. This view clearly demonstrates that the success of a person in this society is measured by their wealth. Shteyngart (17) brings out another instance to show how the characters in the novel are materialist. He notes that the sculptor planned to impress the un-impressible Eunice Park by bragging of the material things he owns. He tells her that Eunice to stay in his beach house in Pulgia. He further quotes that he is wanted to head a commission in Shanghai where he will get fifty million dollars. The characters in the novel belief that they are not going to die but will live forever when they have material wealth (Shteyngart, 312). In (73) Lenny explains that he had to pay an extra ten dollars each at F train stop to them into the business-class carriage. This shows that characters in the novel are placed in classes acc ording to ones material wealth. These excerpts demonstrate that the characters in the novel are materialistic. The belief that a certain family can be worshipped because it is rich is flawed. Material wealth should not be a measure of the person’s status in the society but what the positive impact they make in the society should count. Material wealth has been used to look down upon other less fortunate people in the society but I do not concur with this belief. Moreover, due to materialistic view of the character one can use wealth to seduce someone who does not love him. I believe that material wealth should not be used as a measure of the person’s status and one should love freely without having to look at what their partner owns. The characters believe that money means everything. In contrast to my normative view, characters in the novel believe that it is fine to engage in sexual relationship with multiple partners. Lenny writes that it is a capital insult not to make love to a naked woman, even when she is related (Shteyngart, 216). This is a clear indication of the way the characters in the novel are obsessed with sex. Moreover, Shteyngart (13) writes that during the last night in Roman, Lenny spent the night with Fabrizia; another woman he had relations with. Lenny believes that Fabrizia likes him because of his because of the way he speaks and since she has not been to bed with a local man. This clearly shows that their sexual relation is not based on love (Shteyngart, 14). In addition, Lenny explains that during a party, Fabrizia and a British filmmaker took time to kiss him in turns. Fabrizia exposes to Lenny her pants and Mediterranean pubic hair (Shteyngart, 17).Lenny (17) confides that he had made love to Fabrizia. Shteyngart (18) writes that during the burial of the sculptor, Lenny was eying Eunice Park and wanted to reach out to her and touch her nipples. In the novel we learn that the American sculptor had during the last party m anaged to have sex with a cousin of Fabrizia who was only nineteen years as noted by (Shteyngart, 17). . Lenny explains had this happened in Roman; this would have become breaking news. Shteyngart (216) writes that Tomas had sex with many attractive ladies from Czech and after sometimes, Tomas’

Findlay University Education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Findlay University Education - Research Paper Example The main reason as to why they choose this type of classes was because of time flexibility. More than 18 students agreed that online classes were very flexible, in regard to time management. The need to allocate time for family is another reason as to why these people chose online classes. 5 students who participated in this research gave it as their main motivating factor. Another interesting statistics whereby two students agreed that time for work is a factor in choosing to attend online classes. Another two students agreed that transportation costs were a motivator in choosing online classes. Figure four explains the factors that made students to choose blended classes. Time flexibility was also the main factor chosen by students. This reason was advanced by 19 students. Family time and need of interacting with an instructor were other motivating reasons, and each stood at 4 students each. By looking at this study, I can denote that the results support my hypotheses. It is clear that students would prefer to attend face to face classes, as opposed to other modes of learning. The figures contained in this study give reasons as to why this preference. The main motivating factor is interactions with the instructor, and classroom discussions. In my own opinion, students gave these reasons because they are eager to learn in class, and to them, the best method of understanding the various concepts in class is to interact with the instructors and their fellow students.... From these results, group work is the list motivating factor that made students to choose face to face mode of learning. Figure 3 on the other hand gives an explanation on the various motivating factors that affects students who choose to attend online classes. The main reason as to why they choose this type of classes was because of time flexibility. More than 18 students agreed that online classes were very flexible, in regard to time management. The need to allocate time for family is another reason as to why these people chose online classes. 5 students who participated in this research gave it as their main motivating factor. Another interesting statistics whereby two students agreed that time for work is a factor in choosing to attend online classes. Another two students agreed that transportation costs were a motivator in choosing online classes. Figure four explains the factors that made students to choose blended classes. Time flexibility was also the main factor chosen by s tudents. This reason was advanced by 19 students. Family time, and need of interacting with an instructor were other motivating reasons, and each stood at 4 students each. By looking at this study, I can denote that the results support my hypotheses. It is clear that students would prefer to attend face to face classes, as opposed to other modes of learning. The figures contained in this study give reasons as to why these preference. The main motivating factor is interactions with the instructor, and classroom discussions. In my own opinion, students gave these reasons because they are eager to learn in class, and to them, the best method of understanding the various concepts in class, is to interact with the instructors and their fellow students.

Learning Team Reflection Essay Example for Free

Learning Team Reflection Essay There are several factors to consider when contemplating a potential lawsuit or settlement. As a person who is not trained in the law, it is important to seek counsel before making any decisions. Counsel can provide professional guidance in a field that a victim may be unfamiliar with. To attempt to navigate though the legal system without professional help would be confusing and frustrating. There are alternatives to litigation that some people may not be aware of. A professional in the law can give guidance and perspective as to which is the best route to take. One must consider the time involved in litigation. Cheeseman (2010) stated, â€Å"A trial can last less than one day to many months, depending on the type and complexity of the case† (p. 41). Also, a consideration must be the costs involved. It can be extremely costly to obtain counsel, although it may be wise to invest in legal representation. Counsel will be able to provide you the statue of limitations so that you know how long you are eligible to seek damages. Additionally, counsel will provide you realistic picture of the benefits and/or risks of going to trial or settling. Counsel would be able to explain the intricacies regarding a trial and provide a relative timeframe. Most people are unaware of the details and involvement of going to trial. In many cases it is in the best interest of both the injured party and the accused to seek a resolution outside of court. According to Cheeseman (2010), â€Å"More than 95 percent of all cases are settled before they go to trial† (p. 40). A victim may feel compelled to go to court, when counsel may know that a trial may not provide a favorable outcome. Counsel would need to be available as already discussed to decide whether litigation is the way to go. Once the decision had been made to pursue the issue legally, the appropriate legal representation would have to be found. The type of counsel would depend on the type of case. There are several specialties in law and finding the best person to represent you is crucial. You would not ask a lawyer that specializes in real estate to represent you in a wrongful death suit. If possible, legal representation should be made available before the decision to seek legal action is decided on. A lawyer is there to provide professional advice, but they cannot force you to make a decision one way or the other. Two main intentional torts that should seek council especially if there were bodily injury to the person or persons are assault and battery. Cheeseman (2010) stated, â€Å"Assault is (1) the threat of immediate harm or offensive contact or (2) any action that arouses reasonable apprehensio n of imminent harm† (p. 75). The threat to the life of an individual or offensive contact are two very good reasons to seek counsel for either monetary charges such as paying medical bills from the harmful contact or seeking restraining orders to prevent such contact form occurring. Cheeseman (2010) stated, â€Å"Battery is unauthorized and harmful or offensive physical contact with another person that causes injury. Basically, the interest protected here is each person’s reasonable sense of dignity and safety† (p 75). The other tort situation that should seek legal counsel are strict or product liability cases. Cheeseman (2010) stated, â€Å"That is, a participant in a covered activity will be held liable for any injuries caused by the activity, even if he or she was not negligent† (p. 89). To clarify further Cheeseman (2010) stated, â€Å"This doctrine holds that (1) there are certain activities that can place the public at risk of injury even if reasonable care is taken and (2) the public should have some means of compensation if such injury occurs† (p. 89). These cases either involve wrongdoing to the individual that usually ends in harm or death. If a product malfunctions which hurts the consumer or shorts out and the consumer dies are both reasons legal counsel should be involved. Again, legal counsel should specialize in the area that you need representing and the monetary costs of acquiring counsel should be researched before hiring them to represent your case. Seeking legal council is prudent in helping a victim understand their choices. There are situations when there is not enough evidence or legal grounds for any form of legal action, and legal council can provide that information. The proper and professional legal guidance can help a victim recover losses and damages. References: Cheeseman, H. R. (2010). Business law: Legal environment, online commerce, business ethics, and international issues (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Teenage Suicide Essay -- Teenage Suicide Essays

Teenage suicide has become a critical, national problem the extent of which is mind boggling. From 1980 to 1992 the rate of suicides involving persons from the ages of 10-14 years old has increased by 120 percent, and has increased 28.3 percent when involving persons from the ages of 15-19 years old (Suicide 451). More recently in a poll of 3,210 high-school honor students, a stunning one-quarter have seriously considered suicide (Eaton 15). Suicides have been proven to be one of the leading causes of death among teens, falling second only to accidents (Roberts 45). This data, however, may be inaccurate, being that deaths labeled accidental may have actually been teen suicides. Also, many families may not want to report suicides or suicide attempts for the fear of embarrassment. Nevertheless, there is extensive proof that suicide attempts and/or successes are on the rise among teenagers, and numerous groups have devoted themselves to establishing a cause to this epidemic. The one si milarity that all of these different groups seem to agree on is that there is not one single theory that explains the growing phenomenon of teenage suicide. However, a number of factors seem to be common among â€Å"at-risk teens,† factors that, if given the right set of circumstances, could put them in jeopardy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of and seemingly the most common of these factors is depression. According to the National Association for Mental Health, nearly 20 percent of those who receive care for depression in hospitals and clinics are under the age of eighteen (Leder 31). Everyone has different reasons for being depressed and the extent of that depression will also vary from person to person. Some common causes of depression that have been found to lead to suicide attempts are not feeling loved and/or understood, the feeling of rejection, trouble with friends and family, or the feeling of being â€Å"no good.† A loss, (as in the death of a loved one, divorce, or the breakup up with a boyfriend/girlfriend) Has also been found to link depression and suicide (Leder 34).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Psychologists and doctors have also realized that having numerous psychological problems, known as â€Å"conduct disorders,† causes teens to have impulsive behavior. This impulsive behavior can cause them to act violent... ... a sense of identity is often pretty shacked and fragile during adolescence, feelings of not being worth much in one’s parents eyes won’t help a young person’s self-esteem. In extreme cases the adolescent may look upon himself, as being despicable and worthless, and learn to hate himself, when he is unable able to reach their goals (Hafen 95). The Youth Suicide National Center feels that â€Å"few of them [adolescents] have found ways of dealing with the lack of self esteem and when these feelings overwhelm them, they believe there is something very wrong with them.† (qtd. in Hafen 23).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After reading numerous books and articles, the plain, but simple truth is that no one knows exactly why teenagers kill themselves. Psychiatrists have, however, reached the conclusion that in a society where adolescents have been exposed to many adult pressures and stresses, they may not be able to cope. Some of the most common causes of stress revolve around family situations, social problems, depression, developmental factors, and other factors associated with adolescents. It is this unbearable stress that leads them to the act of suicide.

Battlefield of the Mind

â€Å"Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your Mind† Author: Joyce Meyer Reviewer: Lisa Hutson I believe many times in the Christian and especially in the Pentecostal realm, we tend to do things in the name of Christ because we â€Å"felt† like it was from the Holy Spirit and instead of determining that by lining it up with the Bible, the living word of God, we tend to trust that our â€Å"feelings† are correct. But what happens when those feelings steam from negative, confused, judgemental or passive thinking?I never realized until I read this book that the majority of the bad decisions I have made in my life were decisions I made based on present feelings and that those feelings came from faulty or negative thinking. After I read this book, I understood that it is the things that I think about constantly that are the things that soak up my life. If those thoughts are positive, I will reap positive benefits. If those thoughts are negative, I will reap negativity but it is all in how I think. There are three life lessons that I have learned to incorporate into my daily life in order to live a Christ filled life.When I tend to go through those â€Å"wilderness mentalities†, I have learned to always do my best to be positive, to regularly meditate on the Word of God, and to be thankful at all times. Explaining the importance of being positive, Meyer tells us the mind is a battlefield. After reading 2 Corinthians 10;4,5, Meyer says that we are engaged in a war, our enemy is Satan and that our minds are the battlefield. The devil works diligently to set up strongholds in our mind and he does it through strategy and deceit and that he takes his time to work out his plan (16-17).In order to prevent the devil’s lies from penetrating our minds, we must defend them. You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind. Your life will not get straightened out until your mind does (27-28). Positive minds produce positive lives. Negative minds produce negative lives. Positive thoughts are always full of faith and hope. Negative thoughts are always full of fear and doubt (41). What really struck me about this concept is how Meyer tells us that thinking positive isn’t ignoring the negative, but it is believing that God is bigger than you and your situation and that all things will work together for good as His word promises.I am generally a happy person. I laugh at everything, I like making other people laugh and having good conversations. However, when negative things do arise, I tend to get angry or seclude myself. If I am having a disagreement with a co-worker or an argument with my parents, I will just refuse to talk to them. When the Holy Spirit brings them to my memory, I let negative thoughts produce even more feelings of strife and it takes a long time to get over it. I remember one time last semester when I was so upset with my mother that I refused to talk to her for almost four months!Learn ing to be positive does not mean that the negative situation did not happen but it simply means that we believe that God will heal it or bring good from it. It means forgiving even if we don’t forget but allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our attitudes so that we do not become weighed down by our situations. Meditating on God’s word is another huge lesson I have learned from this book. I believe that my biggest mistake early on in my walk with the Lord was not reading His word for myself. I became a christian at the age of fourteen and filled with the Holy Spirit by the age of sixteen.However, I would rather go on Wednesday nights and hear my youth pastor tell me what the Bible said instead of reading it myself. When I tried to read on my own, I often became very confused and frustrated and gave up. I let other people tell me how to live instead of searching it out myself. I continued this all through high school and finally during my senior year I had a very hurtful situation occur between myself and another family in the church. Since I wasn’t solid in my faith and relationship with the Lord, I let it tear me down significantly and I stayed out the church for about a year and a half.I let another’s faith become my own and when they failed me, I equated that with God failing me. â€Å"This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success. † Joshua 1:8 The Bible tells us that if we want to be a success and prosper in all of our dealings, we must meditate on the Word of God day and night.The Word of God teaches us what we should spend our time thinking about (57). Meditation in this context means to spend a lot of time pondering and thinking on the ways of God, His instructions and His teachings (57). In my situation , I had let sermons, Sunday school, and people in the church mold my faith and thought process instead of spending time myself thinking about the Word. I thought about the Word while I was sitting in church but outside of that, I had not really let it sink in. Now, I am making a significant effort to seek the scriptures myself.Of course, I am involved in church again but I am also making an effort during my own time to spend quality time with the Lord, in prayer and in His word, allowing Him to mold me into what He has created me to be. The last thing that â€Å"The Battlefield of the Mind† has taught me is to be thankful at all times. How can the devil control us if we are going to be joyful and thankful no matter what our circumstances are? â€Å"I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. † Psalm 34:1We can be a blessing to the Lord by letting His praise continually be in our thoughts and mouths (162). Be a grateful person, one f illed with gratitude not only toward God, but also toward people (163). Expressing appreciation is not only good for the other person but it is good for us, because it releases joy in us. Meditate daily on all the things you have to be thankful for. Rehearse them to the Lord in prayer, and as you do you will find your heart filling up with life and light (163). During my teenage years, my family went through a financial crisis. We lost our home and our vehicles.I spent my junior year of high school with my parents living out of a garage that we made into a make-shift home. I remembered crying myself to sleep many nights in that garage. I was embarrassed about our situation, angry at my parents for getting us in this mess, and confused that the Lord could let this happen to us. After about fifteen months in that garage, things finally began to turn around. We were able to sell our property and the garage, move into a rental property and get decent vehicles to drive instead of the old sixties model truck my dad had bought for three hundred dollars during the crisis.I remember being so grateful for that new rental property. It was an old yellow brick home, but it was wonderful to me. I had a room with real walls! I spent all of my savings on making my own bedroom beautiful with new paint, picture frames and curtains. It was through that situation that I truly learned how to be grateful. My parents and I have come a long way from that old garage but I still have a picture of that old garage in a frame in my room at home. Sometimes even now, I find myself being selfish and ungrateful for my many blessings.I think everyone does. However, that memory always shows me how far the Lord has brought me and how much farther He can take me as long as I stay faithful. â€Å"Battlefield of the Mind† by Joyce Meyer has many solid lessons that have taught me a lot about how to live victorious in Christ. As a young Pentecostal believer, I always thought everything was spi ritually supernatural. If God wanted me to think a certain way, He would just zap it into my head. However, as I grow in my relationship with Him, I realize He is not going to spoon feed me forever.He wants me to seek Him. If I put His lessons and teachings into practice, I will live victoriously. Being positive, meditating on His word and always being thankful to Him and to the people around me are just a few ways I can make my life a living sacrifice to Him. However, its really not even a sacrifice, for the blessings and benefits I receive from these practices far out weight the negatives. I learn more and more about myself and about my Heavenly father as I delve deeper into His word.His word is what empowers my positive attitude and reminds me to be grateful not only for His sacrifice but also for the many blessings He bestows on my life daily. I loved this book. I’m sure I will keep it around to read occasionally and remind myself to get my mind in order! Thinking produce s feelings and feelings behaviors and if I’m not happy with any certain behaviors, I must stem it back to what I spend my time thinking about. My mind is the battlefield and when it is renewed in Christ, I will be able to battle the enemy with confidence, perseverance, and power.