Meaning of Life and Jeremy Fink Essay Example for Free

Meaning of Life and Jeremy Fink Essay A) MEANING OF LIFE – BY JEREMY FINK. B) CHARACTERS: JEREMY FINK, LIZZY MULDOON, MRS. FINK, MR. MULDOON, MR. OSWALD, SAMANTHA AND RICK, JAMES AND MR. FINK. CONFLICT: THE CONFLICT IS ABOUT JEREMY TRYING TO FIND FOUR KEY’S THAT WOULD OPEN THE BOX WHICH HIS DAD LEFT IT FOR HIM FOR HIS THIRTEEN BIRTHDAY PRESENT WHEN HE DIED AND JEREMY IS TO FIND THE KEY THAT WOULD FIT ALL FOUR SPOTS IN THE BOX BEFORE HIS THIRTEEN BIRTHDAY. SETTING: HAPPENS IN MODERN DAYS IN NEW YORK CITY. BASIC SITUATION: JEREMY AND LIZZY TRY TO FIND THE KEY BEFORE JEREMY’S THIRTEEN BIRTHDAY. C) PLOT: JEREMY SEE’S THE POSTMAN WITH A BOX ADDRESSED TO HIS MOM. JEREMY TAKES THE BOX AND OPENS IT TO SEE A BOX. WHEN HIS MOM COMES AND SEES HIM WITH THE BOX HIS MOM TELLS HIM HOW THE BOX WAS HIS PRESENT HIS DAD LEFT HIM FOR HIS THIRTEEN BIRTHDAY AND HAD TO FIND ALL FOUR OF THE KEYS THAT WOULD OPEN IT BEFORE HIS BIRTHDAY COMES. LIZZY AND JEREMY GET IN TROUBLE AND THEY HAVE TO DO COMMUNITY SERVICE. THEN THEY MEET MR. OSWALD WHO TRIES TO HELP THEM. THEIR COMMUNITY SERVICE WAS TO DELIVER STAFF TWO NEW PEOPLE WHICH THEN THEY GET TO MEET NEW PEOPLE. D) CLIMAX: IS WHEN LIZZY AND JEREMY OPENED THE BOX AND DISCOVERED HIS. FATHER’S MEANING OF LIFE. E) FALLING ACTION: IS WHEN JEREMY OPENS THE BOX AND FINDS IT FULL OF STONES. JEREMY THEN REMEMBERS HIS FATHER HAD COLLECTED EACH STONE AT EACH IMPORTANT EVENT OF HIS LIFE. F) RESOLUTION: IS WHEN JEREMY FIND OUT THAT MR. OSWALD, JEREMY’S MOM, THE MAILMAN, AND LARRY FROM LARRY’S LOCKS WERE ALL IN JEREMY’S DAD’S PLAN TO GIVE JEREMY THE BOX AT THE RIGHT TIME AND SO THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK FOR ALL FOUR OF THE KEYS, ALTHOUGH MR. OSWALD HAD THEM ALL ALONG. BY HAVING THIS PLAN HIS DAD KNEW THAT JEREMY WOULD MEET NEW PEOPLE AND GET TO EXPERIENCE. DIFFERENT THINGS HE WOULD NEVER DO. G) POINT OF VIEW: FIRST PERSON BECAUSE THERE IS TOO MUCH FEELINGS AND EMOTION IN THE BOOK. H) PERSON VS PERSON- JEREMY AND LIZZY AS THEY TRY TO FIND THE KEYS TO THE BOX. PERSON VS SOCIETY- JEREMY AND THE SOCIETY MEETING NEW PEOPLE TO TRY TO FIND THE KEY TO THE FOUR HOLES. I) THEME: A LESSON THIS STORY TEACHES ABOUT LIFE IS TO NEVER GIVE UP, AND ALWAYS BE MOTIVATED TO DO SOMETHING YOU KNOW YOU REALLY WANT TO DO. J) SIMILE- AS HARD AS IT CAN BE WITH HOPE ON THE WAY. SIMILE- LIFE IS AS EVENTFUL AS A JOURNEY. METAPHOR- NO PAIN, NO GAIN.

Understanding Organisations and the Role of Human Resources Essay Example for Free

Understanding Organisations and the Role of Human Resources Essay Human Resources are the most vital resource for any organization. It is responsible for each and every decision taken, each and every work done and each and every result. Employees should be managed properly and motivated by providing best of their abilities as per the industry standards. There are many activities in HR that the employee’s working in the HR department needs to partake in to support an organisation. Below are three that I have decided to focus on Recruitment and selection: When it comes to recruiting for an organisation, an HR employee has a lot to get involved in. They are the ones that arrange, or provide assistance in posting vacancies, developing and implementing recruitment strategies, identifying and selecting candidates, assuring all pre-employment requirements are met, and confirming job offers. Advertising the job role is something an HR employee has to do. They can advertise job roles in many different ways such as internal emails. Most companies start out emailing internal employees about current job vacancies incase another employee would like to apply for the role or a friend or family member would. This is cost effective as no money is spent on advertising publicly; therefore if they are working within a budget, this is a good way to save money. Advertising publicly can become an expense. If an HR employee does choose to advertise publicly such as in the local paper, then they will have to work on writing the advertisement and sending the advertisement to the local papers. One way of advertising publicly without affecting any budget is by advertising on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin, and posting the advertisement on job websites such as Reed.co.uk, indeed.co.uk, and totaljob.co.uk. This is a good way to advertise a job vacancy as no costs are incurred and it is guaranteed to be viewed by many possible applicants. Other ways in which an HR employee advertises for vacancies is through a Recruitment Agency. This can become quite expensive, but it’s down to the agency to find the suitable candidates and notify the HR employee about the prospective clients. If a large number of applications are received, this will prevent the interviewing of all applicants by the HR employee, even though all applications are reviewed and applicants whose qualifications and experience seem most appropriate to the opening for which they have applied  are generally selected for screening interviews with the HR employee and possibly another member involved in the recruitment process such as a Team Leader, Manager, or Director. If successful, the HR employee will notify all the applicants interviewed for the specific vacancy, and they will also notify them of the outcome of the selection process. Before conducting an interview, an HR employee has to be aware of the following †¢Familiarising with the duties and requirements of the position they are looking to fill. †¢Making sure they can answer general questions about the organisation and the benefits provided. †¢Formulate questions that will focus on job-related issues such as asking the can didates how they would deal with real life, job-related situations. †¢Write down and organize the questions in the order you will be asking them. †¢Review applicant’s CV and application. †¢Put the applicant at ease with introductory and welcoming remarks. †¢Ask open-ended questions which require behavioral descriptions rather than simply â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no† answers (i.e., have them describe a work situation in which they handled stress well rather than just asking if they can â€Å"handle stress well†). †¢Stay away from questions that have more to do with personal lifestyle than job experience. Phrase the question so that the answer will describe on-the-job qualities instead of personal qualities. If the question is not related to performance on the job, it should not be asked. General Administration of the employees Another aspect an HR employee has to deal with is the general admin of their employees. The HR department with have every employee’s personal details such as address details for sending out letters, pay-slips, or any other documentation. Bank details to make sure the employees wages go into the employees account. Passports, any qualification certificates, birth certificates, right to work, sickness forms, medical information, etc. Any of this information is liable to change in which case, it is down to the employee to notify the HR employee and it is the HR employee’s job to correct, amend and store away this information. Part of the admin is making sure the filing system is maintained and up to date, Supporting with training development administration including updating training records, and other ad hoc duties that support the smooth running of the office and  the HR department Payroll and compensation: Another aspect on an HR employee’s job is to ensure that all staff receives their wages accurately and on time, usually on a monthly basis. Most of the time, when dealing with payroll, producing the pay slips is the most important part of pay roll. The HR employee has close communication with managers and other employee’s such as Team Leaders to find out about any new recruits, promotions, benefits, and any other aspects that need to be considered when dealing with an employee’s wage. Compensation is the reward received by the employee’s in return for their contributions to the organisation. It is an organised practice that involves balancing the work-employee relation by providing monetary and non-monetary benefits to employees. Compensation is an integral part of human resource management which helps in motivating the employees and improving organisational effectiveness. Other compensation is determining and providing the compensation packages to the employees that are aligned with the business goals and objectives. In some cases, organisations have to take special measures regarding compensation of the employees so that the organisations retain the valuable employees. The compensation systems have changed from traditional ones to strategic compensation systems. Ways HR professional support Line Managers and their staff Building Relationships with employees The primary reason human resources and line managers should work together is because both parties have a vested interest in ensuring the company achieves success. Through working together, line management becomes more proficient in tactical human resources functions. This frees up time for human resources professionals to devote more time to strategic HR management. Everybody working in an organisation should develop the right culture and behaviours between everybody working for the organisation. HR employees do this by coaching and working with line managers to help them to better understand the range of tools at their disposal to help develop and train the employees of the organisation. This can range from linking specific performance measures such as behavioral, attitude, willingness, and quality  of an employee’s work, and if needed, making exceptions and goals for an employee to work towards. When HR is working with line managers, the HR employee should posses the ability to build effective relationships with other employee’s in their organisation. This will enable the HR employee to communicate the translation of the HR and business objectives in a language that both sides understand. Only then can the relationship be built on a platform of mutual respect and trust where both sides work as a team. HR employees need to make line managers aware of the support that is available to help them to develop their talent management capability. Line Managers recognise that it is up to HR employee to raise their profile in terms of what they can offer and bring to a business making them a more reputable employee for the organisation Conflict Resolution Workplace conflict is inevitable whenever department employees represent different cultures, work styles and personalities. When conflicts arise, line managers typically seek the advice of HR in resolving issues between employees or issues between employees and their managers. If there is already tension between HR and a member of the management team, it can be difficult for HR to determine what underlies the conflict and how to resolve it. A positive working relationship between HR and any employee in a management status will make it easier when handling workplace investigations and solving the differences between staff. When HR and line management work together, it’s easier for HR to investigate workplace issues because the human resource staff may have greater confidence that line managers document their employment actions and decisions appropriately and according to company policy. Department Staffing The human resource department’s main function is to support the workforce needs of the organisation. HR and line managers should communicate regularly and frequently to determine the skills and qualifications that are required to make sure that department functions are running smoothly. Whenever there’s a vacancy in a line manager’s department, an HR recruiter or employment specialist and the line manager review the job description to  determine who might be suitable for the roll internally. During the recruitment and selection process, HR advises line managers on how to identify qualified candidates and existing department staff capabilities. Performance Management Training and development is an HR function that prepares line managers for a number of leadership tasks. One task is conducting employee performance appraisals. Human resources practitioners develop learning objectives based on line managers’ understanding of the organisation’s coaching philosophy. Leadership training topics include how to provide employees with constructive feedback and how to conduct fair and unbiased assessments of employee performance. HR and line managers should therefore work together to ensure the organisation maintains a consistent approach to performance management. Inconsistencies within an organisation’s performance management system negatively impact employee job satisfaction, which is another reason HR and line managers, should work collaboratively.

Picturebook Analysis Essay

Picturebook Analysis Essay Picturebooks are often labelled as easy books with simple illustrations, large fonts, few words, and produced exclusively for children. Indeed, the Randolph Caldecott Medal committee definition states: A picture book for children is one for which children are an intended potential audience (ALA). Picturebooks may masquerade as easy texts, but their child friendly appearance masks the intricacies that they often contain. Contemporary picture books have become more sophisticated, encourage multiple readings, and may deal with complex issues. Today they are often written for two sets of readers with two levels of meaning: one for younger readers and one for older readers. The question of audience is one this essay will address, considering ways in which childrens picturebooks may appeal to adults, with the primary focus on contemporary texts. In the framework of this essay, the word picturebook is defined as a book that uses both text and illustration to create meaning as opposed to an illustrated book where the pictures may enhance the book but add nothing to the story. In the picturebook neither the illustrations nor the text can stand alone, requiring an integral relationship between picture and word, the interplay between the two being essential to the whole (Moebius, p. 312). The modern picturebook is a vibrant and sophisticated art form, which invites engagement and examination. One striking example of an outstanding visual text is writer-illustrator Shaun Tans The Lost Thing (2000). The design of the book cleverly and successfully integrates the text into the illustrations so that the two work as one. Each full page (no white space), has a collaged background of technical specifications, scientific diagrams and formulae. Layered on top of these are the pictures and words that tell the story of the lost thing, a red bio-mechanical creature found on the beach by a boy, who then takes on the responsibility of finding it a home. The narrative, reminiscent of a lost dog story, is likely to appeal to the young child, although there is no happy ending as such. Equally, the sarcastic and humorous expressions may strike a chord with the older reader, and is just one way in which the book is able to crossover between the child and the adult audience. Another way is through Tans detailed illustrations; his industrial and urban landscapes, suggestive of a retro-futuristic metropolis, are open to multiple readings and interpretations. For the older reader, the value and appeal is the opportunity to deconstruct the imagery, analyse the visual and symbolic codes, and appreciate the intertextuality. Tan mentions how readers of The Lost Thing often notice [his] parodies of famous paintings by artists like Edward Hopper and Jeffrey Smart, or slight references to the medieval artist Hieronymus Bosch and Spanish Surrealists. Visual intertextuality is a common device in childrens picturebooks and one way in which it reaches out to an adult audience. Jonathan Jones, writing in the Guardian newspaper in 2008, for example suggests that Sendaks monsters in Where the Wild Things Are resemble the minotaur in Pablo Picassos 1937 print Minotauromachy and Beatrix Potters art has been linked to that of the artist John Everett Millais. Intertextuality is also an underlying premise of Anthony Brownes work whose illustrations reference the paintings of the surrealist artist Rene Magritte. Browne is open about how his work includes pictorial references saying: I do use, in the backgrounds, famous works of art which, in some way, comment on the story in some way tell us something about somebodys state of mind or whats happening beneath the story, beneath the words. Browne is noted for creating visual metaphors and layered meanings in unusual and ironic ways, incorporating hidden jokes and objects within the images. Critic Sandra Beckett suggests that the parodying of artworks by illustrators is one of the reasons that picturebooks appeal to adult readers, stating: Browne certainly seems to poke fun at high art in Voices in the Park, where the two paintings displayed for sale in a garbage-littered street beside a panhandling Santa with the sign Wife and millions of kids to support are the Mona Lisa and a very sad-looking Laughing Cavalier (Bec kett, 2001). For those who are familiar with the originals, this adds intertextual meaning. But enjoyment of intertextual references depends on the reader recognising cultural allusions. Full appreciation of visual and verbal puns requires prior knowledge from the reader. Intertextuality assumes a knowing, or ideal audience. Browne however, says What I wouldnt like to do is to share some sort of conspiratorial wink with the adult reader with the parent or teacher over the childs head. Nevertheless, much of the humour, allusions, and subtleties in Brownes books may be beyond the understanding of young children. Other picturebooks break with the traditional convention of juxtaposing text alongside illustration, which has not only guided the way readers read, but also their understanding of the relationship between words and images. Examples of ironic discrepancy between text and pictures can be found in Jon Scieszkas and Lane Smiths The Stinky Cheeseman and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (1992) and David Weisners The Three Pigs (2001), which bend the traditional fairy tale into a new shape. The size and positioning of the text, the way the words relate to the characters, the change in their function, and the fact that characters speak about the words and the layout, all become part of the meaning. In the conventional childrens picturebook readers know what to expect and how to receive it, but postmodern books such as these break the rules and question the readers usual expectations about their form and nature. Bette Goldstone in her essay Postmodern Experiments discusses how the spatial dimension s in postmodern texts have been reconceptualised to allow for movement and interactions never before seen in picturebooks which present startling new ways to read and view a page (Goldstone, p. 322 323). In The Three Pigs the old story of The Three Little Pigs is pieced together in new ways, and as Goldstone explains, explores the space beyond the conventional margins of storytelling. The focus is consistently visual as characters break through the picture plane to rearrange the words and manipulate the story which allows the reader/viewer to witness the construction of the story, and permits a non-linear reading of the text (Goldstone, p. 326). Readers must be alert to the changing nature of the way that word and image interact on the page, switching from one mode to the other. Weisners parodying of the conventions of narrative literature is possibly one of the most appealing aspects for adults. The interplay of the textual and the pictorial lies at the heart of the picturebook, a relationship that is being continually challenged and re-worked in the modern text. One innovative example is David Macaulays Black and White (1990). Four separate stories, which may or may not be connected, are presented in a four panel format. Macaulay employs multiple art styles and techniques as well as unusual perspectives and variable viewpoints. Words and images work together to bring story telling to new levels; sometimes the words help explain the illustration, and sometimes they contradict the illustration. Readers are encouraged to navigate the stories and draw connections between seemingly unrelated things. Irony, humour and playful deception are running themes in what is a multidimensional, nonlinear story. This book not only looks different but must also be read differently. Readers must work to resolve the conflict between what they see and what they read. This is not so much a book just to be read, as one that invites an interactive experience. Goldstone argues that by involving and challenging the reader in this way their reading experience is enhanced and intensified. For adults, this contravention of the conventional childrens picturebook may be the intriguing aspect, and one they are happy to delve into. With so many viewpoints, details, and features the modern hybrid book certainly suggests a practised reader, one who is able to use their experience of conventional story structure and sequencing to negotiate these non-linear and sometimes confusing texts. But they also imply a reader who accepts and celebrates the changing landscape of the modern picturebook, be it the adult or child. Picturebooks represent a unique literary form for learning and discovery, and for the adult can open up new ways of reading childrens literature. Although picturebooks are primarily aimed at the child, the text and illustrations, concepts and issues may be more relevant (and important) to older readers, whether the author-illustrator intends it or not. The contemporary picturebook is a sophisticated and multifaceted production which can be recognised and appreciated for its artwork, and the synthesis of text and illustrations. While the quirky postmodern text may not be considered quality literature, it is nevertheless thought provoking and invites engagement, making it an ideal medium for the adult as well as the child. In the debate over what constitutes childrens literature, the texts discussed in this essay are just a few examples where picturebooks written for children may appeal equally to adults, and where illustrated does not necessarily mean belonging exclusively to children . Picturebooks can cross all genres and be enjoyed by people of all ages.

The Wars by Timothy Findley Essay -- Justifying Wars Timothy Findley E

The Wars by Timothy Findley Justification. Defined as the act of justifying something. To serve as an acceptable reason or excuse for our actions, based on actual or believed information. Throughout the history of not only the modern world, but certainly back to the â€Å"barest essentials of reason† our species have made decisions that have effectively shaped our world into what it is today. Or have not. The judgments made in the past may also have been relatively insignificant to a larger picture, but would still be important in one persons or a group of people’s day-to-day life. Either way, choices made in any way, shape, or form, are based on what the decision maker believes to be true or morally right. Timothy Findley displays the abovementioned opinion-based judgments in the novel The Wars. From the background behind the novel, to the ending scene of the main character being burned to the ground in a flaming barn, many choices are made. Whether large and important or small and insignificant, Mr. Findley asks us as readers and as humans to look into ourselves to uncover the reasoning behind the choices, as well as our own actions and the actions of our leaders. The justification for most of the aforementioned incidents in The Wars can be classified under 3 broad-based ideas: safety, self-interest or the moral/general good. The first of these main ideas brought up in the novel is safety. The time setting of the story starts in 1915, almost a year after the First World War has begun. At the beginning of this war, the first major decision based on the idea of public safety was made: going to war in the first place. Assassination at Sarajevo sparks what would be a catastrophic loss for nations all across the world. This decision that directly affects the main character, Robert Ross, is Britain declaring war on August 5, 1914. This automatically makes Robert’s home country, Canada, at war as well, as they were part of the British Empire. In the past century, public safety has been the main justification for most types of war. But is going to war really safe? The conceived viewpoint of the author, often referring to the battlefield as lifeless and, in essence, counterproductive, says no. 9,000,000 casualties in four years across the world says no. Many attempts at peace by the UN and peacekeeping coun tries such as Canada say no. Yet, world leaders still pos... ...n for his condition after the fire, Robert would have been in prison for his actions. Instead, his almost lifeless body was guarded all day, even though it was stated by doctors that he would never be able to function or be capable or reason again. Or treason again. Second Lieutenant Robert Ross was a tyrant or pioneer. â€Å"Bastard† or â€Å"hero†. This is for us to decide for ourselves. Throughout The Wars, the main character is involved in many decisions, most of which fit under three main ideas or categories of justification: moral/general good, self-interest, and safety. Timothy Findley indirectly asks the readers of his novel to take these ideas into our own lives, and apply them to the decisions we make as a person or as a society. These decisions may be as simple as what type of bread we buy in the morning to more significant, such as who we vote for on Election Day. For any action we take there is always some type of justification or reason for doing what we are doing. It occurs today as it has occurred in centuries before. And surely, as we look into the future, the decisions will remain, only the justifications will differ, based on information we believe or know to be true.

A Web Page :: Essays Papers

A Web Page A web page is an electronic document written in a computer language called HTML, short for Hypertext Markup Language. Each web page has a unique address, called a URL, short for Uniform Resource Locator, which identifies its location on the network. A website has one or more related web pages, depending on how it's designed. Web pages on a website are linked together through a system of hyperlinks, so that you can jump between them by clicking on a link. On the Web, you navigate, popularly knowing as surfing, through pages of information based on what interests you at that particular moment. Home Page When you browse the World Wide Web you'll see the term home page quite a lot. Think of a home page as the starting point of a website. Like the table of contents of a book or magazine, the home page in most cases gives an overview of what you'll find at the website. A website can have one page, many pages or a few long ones, depending on how it's designed. If there isn't a lot of information, the home page may be the only page. But usually you will find at least a few other pages. Web pages vary wildly in their design and content, but most use a traditional magazine format. At the top of the page is a masthead or banner graphic. Then there's a list of items, such as articles, often with a brief description. The items in the list are usually hot, meaning that they are linked to other pages in the website or to other websites. Sometimes these links are highlighted words in the body of the text or are arranged in a list, just like an index. They can also be a combination of both. A web page can also have images that link to other content. Designing the structure of your Web site Designing your Web site begins with planning the purpose of the site, what the content will be, and how you want it to be structured. A well-designed Web site can make it easy for your audience to navigate and get the information you want them to receive. It can also make it easier for you to manage and update later on. Planning the purpose and content of the site

The Effect of an Illinois Wesleyan Education on Political Ideology :: Politics Education Essays

The Effect of an Illinois Wesleyan Education on Political Ideology Political commentators often label American students not as liberals or conservatives, but simply as apathetic citizens unconcerned with political issues. The number of students venturing to the polls continues to be depressing to any advocate of a democratic form of government. Outside of political science classrooms, few students seem to be knowledgeable of simple political events and personalities. Has this apathy always plagued universities in the United States? There existed in the 1960s a movement in American students that awakened a generation of political activists. The rise of the student movement in opposition to the Vietnam War gained national attention as teach-ins and other forms of protest became a daily occurrence on campuses. The beginning of the student-based civil rights movement only fueled this activism. As the media looked on, the students of America gained a reputation as a radical, left-wing population. The nation has seen a rebirth of many of the Vietnam-era values in today’s students. Protests, mostly in opposition to the war in Iraq, have become frequent events on college campuses. Student organizations advocating equal rights for women, racial minorities and the gay community have made their voice heard in state and federal legislatures. Perhaps there is some truth to the view that college students are a very liberal group that tends to become more liberal as they approach graduation. Many scholars feel that the university environment nurtures this liberalization in the student body. There seems to be a general acceptance of social and economic liberal ideas both in and out of the classroom. Some feel that professors have a large effect on students’ political development. Others speculate that the material studied by students awakens new views that tend to push them to the left. Still others believe that it is the effect of peers and the general college environment that has the biggest impact. Whatever the source, it seems as if college students tend to cross the graduation platform more liberal than they arrive. This research will look at the political views of students at

Dogs Are Better House Pets Than Cats

Dogs are better pets than cats Yukako Taketani English 122 Instructor Chang March 17, 2013 Dogs are better house pets than cats In the world, there are only three types of people: dog lovers, cat lovers, and please-no-dogs-or-cats-around-me people. Between the dog and cat lovers, there is always a big debate on the subject which animal is more suited as house pets and has better companionship with humans. According to the article, â€Å"U. S Pet Ownership Statistics, there are 78. 2 million owned dogs in the United States, while approximately 86. 4 million owned cats (The Humane Society of the united states, 2011).From these facts, the society might be already on the cat side. A lot of people may complain that cats are better house pets than dogs because they are easy to take care of. However, in my opinion, a dog’s lifestyle and personality is better fitted for us to live with, and they are great companions. Dogs as security guards First of all, dogs can work as security gua rds. It is known as one of the earliest duties of domestic dogs. They protect the property of its owners, whether that property is land, livestock or his owner’s home (The Canine Information Library, 2011).When there is a sign of a dog picture and a word of â€Å"watch out† hanging on the neighbors fence, who does not take extra cautions when he or she walks cross the house? If I were a robber, I will not choose a household with a dog, since there is a high probability that the dog will bark every time I walk by. I own a Chihuahua mix dog, who only weights 10 pounds. She never attack or bite people or other dogs outside home. In fact, she is the kind of the dogs who always wags her tail to everybody, and shows her stomach, which is considered one of the submissive behaviors in canines.I am not expecting her to fend off or fight, if someone breaks into my house. However, she is a barker whenever she hears a faint sound around my house. On the other hand, cats can only m eow, which is a lot quieter and less intimidating than dogs bark. Moreover, they are indifferent to new people and often hide under the bed or table. There are many stories out there that dogs fended off, or protected their owners from robbers. However, I have never heard that cats scared away from someone tried to get in the house. From these facts, dogs are much better house pets compared to cats as security guards. For an active lifestyleIn addition, dogs promote an active lifestyle to their owners. While cats stay home and do their own things, dogs love to go outside. Dogs need exercise, but so do people. In these days, a lot of people are thought to be lack of exercise, and it is unhealthy both physically and mentally. However, having a dog as a pet will cancel out this problem. Jenna Stregowski, a registered veterinary technician, examines that dogs enjoy going on a walk, and we can make them a part of our own exercise routines (Stregowski, 2013). I agree with her. Some people , including me, cannot work out continuously because our laziness defeats us.For those people, having a dog will improve their lives, and the pets and the owners can be both happy. Some people are known to walk their cat on harness yet, cats do not enjoy the experience. Most of the times, it ends up with an undesirable result. Fetching balls and swimming are dogs’ favorite exercise. They also can go in cars, hiking, and camping. Even in unfamiliar places, dogs still can adapt themselves into new environments well. Conversely, cats require some time in order to accept and adjust to new things. As a veterinary technology student, I can give my own experience as an example that dogs are more adaptable animals than cats.When they are brought to a veterinary hospital, most of the dogs are still wagging their tail and happy. However, the cats are fear to death because of the unfamiliar environment and people, and they sit in a circle and in the very back in the carrier as much as p ossible. Of course, I have seen some friendly cats at the veterinary hospital yet, most of the cats do not well in new places like dogs can. Having a cat will not improve your life, but dogs can. More Trainable Another argument is that dogs are more trainable in our lives. There are many dogs that can do incredible tricks, and listen to their owners’ commons.People debate that some cats can be also trainable and do shake hands. They may also question why cats or dogs need to do tricks, such as shaking hands or rolling over, which are not useful for both humans and pets. However, since two completely different living beings spend time under the same roof, more trainable and obedient dogs are, of course, better for humans. One of the cat’s feature behavior is climbing. In the article, Pam Bennett, cat behavior expert, states that the more vertical areas available to your cat, the more it increases her territory (Bennett, 2013).They climb on the table, kitchen, computer, or basically anywhere they can, and it is not acceptable. Especially, when the kitchen is full of food and the stove and knives used, it is not only about sanitation, but also danger for both owners and the cat. Training cats on not climbing is difficult because it is their instincts. There are many undesirable cat behaviors that cats have but dogs do not, such as scratching furniture or carpets and playing in closets, where you keep expensive clothes. In spite of these, you do not need to concern about these problems with dogs.I am not saying that dogs are not naughty. They can also climb on the table, and chew your clothes. However, you can easily discipline them, because they have the pack behavior and social hierarchy system that you can take advantage of by playing yourself at the top (All Dogs GYM & INN, 2011). By shaking it by the scruff of the neck as a punishment, you can correct undesirable behavior and also teach your dog that you are dominant. With a cat, this way of pun ishing is not useful, or just makes her fear to you. They are more difficult than dogs. Conclusion Dogs are easier to live with.Whether small breeds or large breeds, they can alert and protect their owners’ houses and owners from strangers. Because dogs like outside activities and can easily adjust themselves in a new environment, People can take them anywhere and have a good work out together. Dogs have an undesirable behavior as well as cats yet, they are easy to discipline. Thinking about these facts, dogs are better pets than cats for us. Work Cited All Dogs GYM & INN (2011). Dogs’ social hierarchy & pack behavior. Retrieved on March 17, 2013 from http://www. alldogsgym. com/content/view/106/138/ Bennet, P (2013). Why your cat need to climb.Retrieved on March 17, 2013 from http://www. catbehaviorassociates. com/why-your-cat-needs-to-climb/ Stregowski, J (2013). 10 reasons dogs are better than cats. Retrieved on March 19, 2013 from http://dogs. about. com/od/funphot os/ss/Ten-Reasons-Dogs-Are-Better-Than-Cats_10. htm The Canine Information Library (2011). Guard dogs. Retrieved on March 17, 2013 from http://guarddogs. bulldoginformation. com/ The Humane Society of the United States (2011). U. S. pet ownership statistics. Retrieved on March 17, 2013 from http://www. humanesociety. org/issues/pet_overpopulation/facts/pet_ownership_statistics. html