Writing a Sample Essay About Friendship

Writing a Sample Essay About FriendshipWriting a sample narrative essay about friendship can be extremely beneficial in making sure that your work will be good enough to be accepted. However, there are a few tips you should keep in mind when writing a narrative essay on friendship. When writing the sample essay, keep it as realistic as possible. In addition, remember to make the information specific.It is important to have a theme when writing a narrative essay about friendship. While this does not mean it has to be specific, it will help you achieve a good foundation for your writing. For example, you may choose to write about the necessity of friendship, or the benefits of having a friend in high school. If you are able to include a basic idea to provide context, this will make it easier to write the sample essay. In addition, if you are given several different topics to write about, you will have a better idea of what type of essay you should write.As well, do not try to go too fa r off of the basic theme. For example, if you were asked to write about an argument between two people, do not include in your story about the origin of the argument. Do not include details of the argument in the opening paragraph. In addition, do not exaggerate or add details without adequate background information.There are several elements you will need to consider when writing a narrative essay about friendship. The first is the writing style. You should have a fairly simple and straightforward style to your essay.It is also important to consider how to structure your essay. To get started, include your topic and your primary focus in the first paragraph. You should be able to find some common threads to work with at this point. Then, proceed to weave your topic through the rest of the essay.Next, you will need to think about what kind of essay you will want to write. Will you use your essay as a thesis statement? Would you want to include supporting facts? Would you want to inc lude fictional or non-fiction information? Once you know what your essay will consist of, you will be better able to choose the format you would like to write in.Finally, make sure that you are following all of the rules of grammar and usage. For example, if you are writing a narrative essay about a girl's life, you should avoid using many adjectives and should make sure you are using all-capital letters. The next time you read a sample essay on friendship, you will be able to follow the proper format and writing style. Even if you are not submitting a narrative essay on friendship, you can still write one on your own. You can use these sample essays as a guide to where you should begin to write your own.Writing a sample essay about friendship can be challenging. This is why you should always make sure you have some information available before you begin. By following the guidelines mentioned here, you will be able to create a great essay on the topic, and remember to avoid many of the pitfalls that can lead to a poorly written essay.

Using Criminal Law Research Paper Topics For College

Using Criminal Law Research Paper Topics For CollegeCollege students should not be using their criminal law research paper topics for college. First, the topic should be covered in high school. Second, college students should not know about their law school degree. Third, you will run into problems with your professors if they find out that you are writing a paper about criminal law.Therefore, use your criminal law research paper topics for college for research purposes only. You may use them to help you decide which school you want to attend. When you decide on which school you want to attend, you should use the topic of your criminal law research paper to convince the university you are choosing that you are a good candidate for the program you want to go to.Before you write your own paper, take the time to read up on the subject you are writing about. This will help you write a more objective and thorough essay. The more you know about the topic, the better you will be able to wri te about it. It also helps you make connections between the law you are writing about and the society you are reading about. For example, if you are writing a paper about domestic violence, you will need to familiarize yourself with how the law and media handle domestic abuse.In order to take your research paper topics for college one step further, you will need to take some courses in criminal law as well. You can do this part of your coursework at a community college or junior college. Or, you can choose to complete an adult education program in your criminal law class. There are also colleges that offer the course. Make sure that the college you choose to take your criminal law course is accredited and recognized by the American Bar Association.One of the best ways to use your criminal law research paper topics for college is to contact an expert. If you cannot find someone in your area who specializes in the subject matter, ask around at your local law enforcement agency. The po lice or sheriff's department may have someone who works with cases similar to yours. You may even get lucky and find someone in the local legal profession. Whatever you do, don't be afraid to try.Your criminal law research paper topics for college should not only tell the story of your case, but the workings of the law as well. The more you know about the law, the better you will be able to explain the way the law works. If you use your research paper topics for college to write about the workings of the law, you will learn how it all works. You will also gain a new understanding of how things work in your community.You may also want to research your subject at your local law enforcement work. Law enforcement officers have seen many trials and crimes. This can help you become more familiar with the workings of the law. You will also be able to use this information when you decide to apply for a position as a law enforcement officer.Finally, if you can, try to visit the courthouse wh ere your case is being tried. Sometimes, you will be able to see the judges and attorneys that hear your case. If you have had a criminal case, you should be able to meet the judges and attorneys who heard your case. Meeting these people can be very enlightening, especially if you are having a hard time writing about your case in your research paper topics for college.

Be the Very First to Know What the Experts are Saying About Essay Topics about Pollution

Be the Very First to Know What the Experts are Saying About Essay Topics about Pollution The Benefits of Essay Topics about Pollution Pollution is among the most serious problems facing the universe these days due to its spread in everything around us, which negatively impacts the life of all living organisms, so we have to face that issue including all the force so that we are able to eliminate it. Health is a rather important aspect in the life span of everyone. Psychological health is extremely necessary with the physical health of someone so as to be healthy and fit. In order to talk about the effects it would be important to tackle each type of pollution and talk about the effects of that sort of pollution There are quite a few forms and forms of pollution that influence the surroundings. The debut of damaging waste materials, other types of contamination that are a hazard to the life sustaining atmosphere of the planet earth is often referred to as pollution. There are several effective solutions that may help us to address the problem of pollution in our environment. The most important problem that noise pollution, (also referred to as sound pollution), causes is it impacts the physiological and mental health of someone who's exposed to the excessive sound. After learning the damaging effects of pollution, an individual must get on the job of preventing or reducing pollution after possible. It's a universal hazard that necessitates combined efforts. Further, it impacts the health causing respiratory diseases, cancers and other troubles. You will likewise be able to discover the ideal solutions to remove these causes of the pollution. Finding Essay Topics about Pollution Online Creates need for new developments which might not be in keeping with local location. To guarantee that you will see a complete answer to every question, we've got a support team that is always online. More than that, the issue ought to be resolved on an international level by the united efforts of the worldwide community. The important problem in rural areas is that there's not much scope for working. Introducing Essay Topics about Pollution Buying pollution essays is an issue of a couple of seconds. One of the most frequent essay topics is the problem of environmental pollution. If you're a student unable to compose your transportation essays well enough to find great grades, we're here to assist you. Essays term papers dissertations and a whole lot more. The most frequently encountered paper writing service that the bulk of our clients require is essay writing. It is very important to make useful strategies like that of given in the essay to create a permanent remedy to decrease the degree of environmental pollution throughout the world to breath fresh air There are many newbie graduates who do not compose their essay in time which is why environmental pollution essay writing help is given to them. It is among the most typical topics of today's scholars. Therefore, many students and employees decide to obtain low-cost essay rather than writing it themselves. Essay Topics about Pollution - the Story Reduced quality of water sources can be avoided by decreasing the quantity of waste from industries. It is one of the greatest natural resources of the whole humanity. Transportation plays an important part in the modern world and has a deep influence on virtually all spheres of human activity including leisure, tourism, supplies and company. Alternately, you can write a synopsis of specific transportation businesses. All method of travel have their benefits and disadvantages. The Little-Known Secrets to Essay Topics about Pollution Individuals are considering exploring new places. Men and women have a tendency to underestimate this problem since it is impossible to smell, see or touch it. Introduction Pollution is among the critical matters and among the enemies of nature and human. Pollution of rivers, lakes and seas is an important concern for men and women who try to safeguard the surroundings. Details of Essay Topics about Pollution The above mentioned essay can be concluded by saying that it is quite critical to look at the increasing use of technical equipments to improve the caliber of air. To alleviate this, lenders should have t o forgive student loans in circumstances where students aren't able to repay their debts. Every student demands help with homework from time to time. Essay Topics about Pollution - Dead or Alive? Type of Pollution There are so many sorts of pollution. Primarily, air pollution is brought on by vehicles since they combust fossil fuel. Environmental pollution happens when pollutants contaminate the organic surroundings. It refers to the introduction of harmful pollutants into the environment. Again, legislation may be one of the utmost effective strategies to decrease noise pollution. The impacts of pollution are devastative. Effects of pollution There are several effects that may be credited to pollution. It is vital to comprehend noise pollution in order to reduce its effect on the surroundings. You might have to specify the form of your custom made essay on pollution, page count, formatting and style requirements, and deadline. You might also get in touch with your writer to supply some additional recommendations or request information regarding the order's progress. Now that you know the four primary constituents of a great thesis statement, I would like to give you more thesis statement examples. 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Office Of Personnel Management ( Opm ) - 1745 Words

Background Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in June 2015 discovered two cybersecurity breach incidents that impacted information of Federal government employees and contractors. OPM discovered that the background investigation data of current, former, and future Federal employees and contractors had been stolen y hackers. OPM found that sensitive information, including the Social Security Numbers of 21 million individuals were stolen from the background investigation databases. This includes 20 million individuals that applied for a background investigation, and 2 million non-applicants, mostly spouses or co-habitants of applicants. Some records also include Reports of Investigations/Statements from interviews conducted by†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ OPM manages pension benefits for retired Federal employees and their families. They also administer health and other insurance programs for Federal employees and retirees. †¢ OPM provides training and development programs and other management tools for Federal employees and agencies. †¢ OPM takes the lead in developing, testing and implementing new government wide policies that relate to personnel issues. As a prior OPM Credentialed Background Investigator from 2006-2009, I was dumbfounded on how something in this magnitude could occur. I was responsible to conduct federal background investigations and prepare reports of investigations in compliance with all laws, and other required federal agency regulations. Work cases throughout the geographic area of responsibility and travel to various places of employment, residence and education institutions. Background investigation records do contain some information regarding mental health and financial history provided by applicants and people contacted during the background investigation, however there is no evidence that health, financial, payroll and retirement records of Federal personnel or those who have applied for a Federal job were impacted by this incident (for example, annuity rolls, retirement records, USA JOBS, Employee Express). As I mentioned above, in 2015, OPM did discover that

Advertising Industry At A Leading Position †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Questions: 1.Where do I belong? 2.What is critical to be an outstanding manager? Answers: 1. Given my areas of interest, I believe I belong in the advertising industry at a leading position. I see myself in this industry because I have always been creative and my content writing skills are highly effective. I have always been fascinated by the advertising industry due to the fact that it provides a platform to work with highly innovative people with varied thought processes. I wish to begin my career as an intern, but in the longer run, I wish to become the head of the department. Advertising agencies have a positive, creative culture where people communicate their ideas openly and transparently. I have always been the kind of a leader who believes in communicating clearly. Therefore this would be an advantage. I truly believe in thinking out of the box and coming up with new ideas over different subject matters. I also feel that I possess excellent communication skills and therefore I would be fairly good at a job that requires client and customer interaction. As a future manager, I see myself capable of leading a large team on a national front. I truly believe that I possess the right skills to lead a team and ensure coordination in that team. I wish to be a respected manager and I would try to create an environment where my team members can come to me and feel free to discuss any issues that they may face. The reason behind selecting advertising industry was also because this industry and this job comes with various challenges in terms of short term deadlines and maintaining client satisfaction. I have always been someone who works best under pressure. I see myself learning and growing with my job by taking up new responsibilities and additional roles to fulfill. I aim to work with new people throughout my career and learn new things from each of them. I also hope to improve my skills with time and lead a large team. I hope to leave a significant mark in the advertising industry by working with leading brands and crafting their needs to perfection. I wish to reach a point where clients ask for my work rather than me conducting sales and going to them. Of course this would take some time but I am prepared to take my baby steps and work towards my goal. 2. There are various aspects of being an outstanding manager. I have high goals and ambitions for myself. Hence I am also aware that there are various aspects of my personality that I need to improve upon. I believe I am very impatient and tend to get aggressive during negotiations. I need to work on this quality and ensure that I have more respect for other peoples opinions. An outstanding manager also has immense subject knowledge. Therefore I will continue to improve upon my knowledge through a consistent reading habit. Various leading advertising agencies today have become multinational firms. People from different countries come together and work. In order to succeed as a manger, I need to make sure that I am good at intercultural communication. For this, I need to have a deeper knowledge about other cultures, geographies and languages. This would also help in managing global teams in the longer run. Although I have always been a creative person, it is imperative that I continue to work on this talent and make it better by participating in various workshops and activities. I will also make sure that continue my interactions with people and build long term as well as positive relationships with them to build deeper relationships. I have always believed that a persons network is the persons true net worth. Therefore, I need to make sure that my network in very strong. This network will include my team mates, my clients as well as other relationships of my professional lives. This will help me in getting the right kind of assistance in the longer run as and when required. As a manager, I will work towards developing a personal connect with my team members and ensure that I provide them with an environment which transpires open communication and transparency in expressing varied thought processes. I aim to build such a culture in my team because I believe this is one of the most important qualities of an outstanding manager. Overall, I wish to work on maintaining my temper and associating better with people by creating an environment of trust and respect a mong everyone. This is the true aspect of an outstanding manager. An outstanding manager is the one who is truly respected by his or her team members and can lead the team by example. This is the kind of a manager that I wish to be.

12 Signs and Symbols You Should Know

12 Signs and Symbols You Should Know 12 Signs and Symbols You Should Know 12 Signs and Symbols You Should Know By Mark Nichol What is the origin of various symbols used in English, and when is the use of each appropriate? Here’s a guide to twelve common signs, including how they developed and in which contexts they are used or avoided. 1. (Ampersand) The ampersand was, at least until well into the nineteenth century, treated as the twenty-seventh letter of the alphabet, but its star has fallen, so that now it is used only informally except in registered names of businesses (â€Å"Ay, Bee See Inc.†), which should be written as rendered; a comma preceding it is extraneous. The symbol comes from the cursive formation of the Latin word et (â€Å"and†), and the name is a slurring contraction of â€Å"and per se and,† which used to terminate schoolroom recitals of the alphabet: The phrase means â€Å"and by itself and†; instead of reciting, â€Å". . . W, X, Y, Z, and,† children said, â€Å". . . W, X, Y, Z, and per se and† to clarify that â€Å"and† referred to a list item rather than serving as a conjunction for an item that was left unuttered. The symbol is also seen in c. (â€Å"et cetera†), an alternate form of etc. American Psychological Association (APA) style allows the ampersand to link author names in an in-text citation (â€Å"Laurel Hardy, 1921†), but other style guides call for using the word and. 2. * (Asterisk) The asterisk is used to call out a footnote or to refer to an annotation of special terms or conditions, to substitute for letters in profanity (â€Å"Oh, s***!†) or a name rendered anonymous (â€Å"the subject, M***†), to serve as a low-tech alternative to a typographical bullet, or provide emphasis in place of boldface (â€Å"Do *not* go there the food is awful.†). It also has many specialized technical usages. Its name is derived from the Greek term asteriskos, meaning â€Å"little star,† and it was originally applied to distinguish date of birth from other references to years. 3. @ (At Sign) Until the age of e-mail, the at sign was restricted mostly to commercial use, in purchase orders and the like, to mean â€Å"at the rate of† (â€Å"Order 1K widgets @ $2.50 per.†). It’s also used in displays of schedules for competitive sports to identify the event venue. Now it’s ubiquitous in email addresses and in social-networking usage, as well as computer protocols, but outside of those contexts, it is considered inappropriate for all but the most informal writing. 4.  ¢ (Cent) This symbol for cent (from the Latin word centum, meaning â€Å"hundred†), unlike its cousin the dollar sign it’s also used in many monetary systems other than that of US currency is rare except in informal usage or for price tags. When it does appear, unlike the dollar sign, it follows rather than precedes the numeral, though as in the case of the dollar sign, no space intervenes. The equivalent usage in a context where dollar signs are employed is to treat the amount as a decimal portion of a dollar (â€Å"$0.99†); for clarity, a zero should always be inserted between the dollar sign and the decimal point. The sign probably originated to distinguish an ordinary c from one denoting a monetary amount. 5.  ° (Degree Sign) The sign for degrees of arc or degrees of temperature, which started out as a superscripted zero, was chosen for consistency with use of the minute (†²) and second marks (†³) employed in geometry and geography; those symbols originally stood for the Latin numerals I and II. The degree sign appears in technical contexts, but in general-interest publications, the word degree is generally used. In references to temperature, the symbol (and the designation of the temperature scale) immediately follows the associated numerical figure (â€Å"45 °C†). This style is true of many publishing companies, though the US Government and the International Bureau of Weights and Measures prescribe a space between the number and the symbol (â€Å"45  °C†), while other publications omit the first letter space but insert another between the symbol and the abbreviation (â€Å"45 ° C†). 6. (Ditto Sign) The ditto sign, first attested three thousand years ago, signals that text shown above is to be repeated, as in a list in which the same quantity of various materials is intended to be expressed: apples 24 bananas oranges The word ditto, meaning â€Å"said,† derives from the Tuscan language, the immediate ancestor of Italian, but was borrowed into English hundreds of years ago. The word, its abbreviation (do.), and the symbol are considered inappropriate for most writing, though the term has often been used in informal spoken and written language to mean â€Å"(the same as) what he/she said.† Although the symbol has a distinct character code for online writing, straight or curly close quotation marks are usually employed to produce it. 7. $ (Dollar Sign) This symbol for the American dollar and many other currencies was first used to refer to the peso, which inspired the American currency system. Various origin stories for the symbol come in and out of fashion, but it’s most likely that it developed from an abbreviation of pesos in which the initial p preceded a superscript s; the tail of the initial was often superimposed on the s. A dollar sign with two vertical lines is a less common variant. Most books and other formal publications tend to spell out dollars in association with a (spelled-out or numerical) figure, but periodicals usually use the symbol, as do specialized books about finance or business or others with frequent references to money. In international publications, when the symbol is used, for clarity, it is combined with the abbreviation US (â€Å"US$1.5 million† or â€Å"US $1.5 million†). The dollar sign is also used as an abbreviated reference to various functions in computer programming and similar contexts. 8. # (Number or Pound Sign, or Hash) This symbol evolved from the abbreviation for pound, lb. (a literal abbreviation for the Roman word libra, meaning â€Å"balance†), in which horizontal lines were superimposed on the vertical lines of the letters, producing something like the tic-tac-toe pattern used today. One of many other names for the sign, octotherp (also spelled octothorp or otherwise), was a jocular coinage by telecommunications engineers in the mid-twentieth century. The symbol is seldom used outside informal or highly technical or otherwise specialized contexts. 9. % (Percent) The sign for indicating percentage developed in the Middle Ages over the course of hundreds of years, beginning as an abbreviation of percent (from the Latin phrase per centum, meaning â€Å"out of a hundred†). Its use is recommended only in technical contexts or in tabular material, where space it at a premium. (Some standards authorities call for a space between a number and this symbol, but most publications and publishers omit the space.) 10. ~ (Tilde) The tilde is used as a diacritical mark over various letters to indicate a variety of sounds in different languages, but it also appears midline, like a dash (and is sometimes called a swung dash), to denote â€Å"approximately (â€Å"Last night’s attendance: ~100†). It has technical connotations as well and is even used as a notation for recording sequences of action in juggling. The name, borrowed into English through Portuguese and Spanish from Latin, means â€Å"title.† 11. / (Slash, Solidus, Stroke, or Virgule) During the Middle Ages, this sign of many names, including those listed above, served as a comma; a pair denoted a dash. The double slash was eventually tipped horizontally to become an equal sign and later a dash or hyphen. (The equal sign is still used as a proofreader’s mark to indicate insertion of a hyphen.) The slash also called the forward slash to distinguish it from the backslash, which is used only in technical contexts is an informal substitute for or. 12. _ (Underscore or Understrike) This artifact from the era of the typewriter was used on such devices to underline words to indicate emphasis in lieu of italics. As a survival of that function, words are sometimes bracketed by a pair of single underscores in email and other computer contexts to mark a word for emphasis (â€Å"That band totally _rocked_ the place.†). Indeed, as I typed this post in Microsoft Word, the program automatically converted rocked to italics. The symbol also appears frequently in email and website addresses and other technical contexts. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Math or Maths?41 Words That Are Better Than Good55 "House" Idioms

Family in the Media Today Essay Example

Family in the Media Today Essay Example Family in the Media Today Essay Example Family in the Media Today Essay Example The media has been credited with spreading numerous ideologies that have shaped the definition of life both in the United States and beyond. This means that the media in one way or another is a reflection of the societal norms as perceived and believed by the people. While some people would argue that the media shapes the thoughts of the people, it is evidently arguable that the society is reflected upon by the media. The media has to be able to sell and to do this; they must appeal to the audience by being relevant in whatever they do. Television Illustrating Family The fact that the media industry has grown in leaps and bounds over the decades implies that they have so far been doing the right thing. This only ascertains that the media is a reflection of the society such that whatever ideas are prevailing in the media must be the ideas that prevail within a given society. Over the years, the American media has undergone a number of changes with regards to their presentation of the family. Initially, families comprised of loving parents and obedient children. The father figures back then may have been, in some cases, unorthodox so to speak, but they loved and provided for their families to the best of their abilities. The mothers, on the other hand, were always the loving and caring kind, with unlimited patience and enough good advice to go around. Today, however, the typical family as represented in the American media is flawed with all sorts of challenges. Most programs even go ahead to show broken homes with divorced parents and fights about child support and custody among other things. The question thus stands is whether it is the society that has changed or simply the media has adapted a different perspective on the concept of the family. This paper will argue that the society has changed and that today’s families are not like those that our parents were brought up in. The media thus simply reflects on what the society has become, and the evident changes with regards to how families are presented can actually be traced back to the real life settings in today’s families. This paper will be based on a number of secondary sources on how the media has been representing families over the past couple of decades. The Media as a Reflection of the Society In â€Å"The Changing Face of the American Family†, Tim Stanley explores the phases that the American media has taken the definition of family. At first, the family as shown in The Cosby Show was a situation in which the father was the head of the family and had to remain unchallenged by the rest of the members. In this show, the media clearly stepped out of the societal norm of love and acceptance regardless of the actions or circumstances into a zone where the father knew best and was thus always right. While it could be argued that the media instilled this type of parenting in the American population, it would be insincere to say that the attitude came from the media. It was a strict form of parenting that did exist but was considered traditional since the media was showing more of liberal methods of parenting and definitions of the family as a shelter of love and acceptance. The family in this 1984 sitcom is a loving family headed by a working father who wants the best for his family (Stanley 9). This is in more ways than one a perfect family, where everyone lives by the rules, and in the end, they are all happy. â€Å"When Is Mommy Coming Home? A Content Analysis of Spillover in Parenthood† by Barbara Prince considers the effects of modern day parenting on the children and on the parents as well. In the article, the author cites that as children watch more TV and parents spend more time at work, the life as shown in the media is becoming more realistic than not. The study uses the TV series Parenthood to prove this fact, with the help of real research on working parents and their families. In this study, it is established that the story in Parenthood actually happens in the lives of the American people today. This simply means that while parents are out working, the children have to be entertained with stories that they can actually relate to. The media thus plays to the experiences of their audiences just so they can make profits and get good ratings. Basically, the media in this case is useful in mirroring the society and giving the people a version of the truth as they know it (Pri nce 32). Parenthood is a TV series that shows just how parents live their lives, trying to balance work and family and often failing at one if not both. This show presents a modern day family where parenting is inadequate in all senses of the word. â€Å"A Modern Family: The Performance of Family and Familialism in Contemporary Television Series† by Jennifer M. Fogel speaks of a devotion to protect the conservative image of the family even when the definition does not work so well in real life. The media is seen to bring out the undertones of conservativeness, unconditional love and comfort within the nuclear family as well as some kind of restricted mannerism that indicates an inclination towards perfection. While this author argues that the media today represents the consciousness of the society with regards to how people would like a family to be, she also contends to the idea that the TV shows often bend towards reality by giving the story as it should be (Fogel). This could possibly be because the shows need to appeal to the audience by being relevant to their experiences, and they should be able to somehow relate to the actors. This article argues that while the families in today’s media are mostly flawed wi th too much drama and conflicts, they have some subconscious undertones of the old-time families. This may be a way of showing that even in the changing face of the social construction of a family, the initial foundations of unconditional love, comfort and some level of conservativeness remain intact, even if only with a light touch. In Beneath Family Role Portrayals: An Additional Measure of Communication Influence Using Time Series Analyses of Turn at Talk on a Popular Television Program by James Honeycutt, Lynn Wellman and Mary Larson, the authors contend that the TV programs are used to teach families about communication among other things. The authors argue that while these programs have to be appealing and relevant to the audience, if they are to get good ratings, they are often used in such a way that they are also informative and educative to the audience by applying a lot of relevant techniques. This function of the media is found in the fact that families spend more time watching TV than having actual conversations, and thus it is important for them to find some useful lessons in the media. This article brings out the possibility that the media shapes the lives of the people, but it can also be understood to imply that the media is tailored to suit the needs of the audience (Honeycutt, Lynn and Larson 5 4). In a case where the media is used to teach communication to the families, it must have been that the families have been found wanting in the way that they communicate with each other. This would imply that the needs of the family are established before the media is used to meet these needs. In this way, the needs of the society shape the actions of the media. All these articles and studies agree to the idea that the media is only a reflection of the society with regards to what people believe, or want to believe. The media thrives on the ability to make sales and impress the audience, and it is thus compelled to be relevant to the audience in whatever subject they choose to pursue. In one way or another, the media is defined by the society such that whatever is seen in the media and accepted by the masses is a true reflection of what the society considers as normal and right. The thoughts and opinions reflected in the American TV shows are thus a representation of the attitudes of people with regards to the subject in question. Family in the Media In the past, the family was defined as a haven of perfection. It was all about keeping up appearances, obeying the elders and basically playing by the rules. The children were expected to do right by their parents while parents were always right. Generally, the society created a notion that family equaled perfection, and it is no wonder that it was considered as a pivotal aspect in defining individuals. In one way or another, the family was a great place to be, and every member of the society was groomed to be a part of this once they became adults. Rather than striving to attain happiness, people lived to start families and be ‘perfect’ as families had come to be defined (Neuhaus 770). Perfection was the key aspect, and no one wanted to be left out. At the same time, however, people had to deal with other pressures including working and being parents. As a result, these pressures, especially amongst the working families, may have contributed to the change in the family configuration. Gradually, families became conflicting with numerous flaws and kinks that tainted the notion of perfection and thus the ideal family crumbled to pieces. As the idea of perfection was swept away by the constraints of modern living along with the need to adopt modernist attitudes, the family was strained with family ties being put to the test and often crumbling under extreme pressures. The masses stopped associating families with perfection and rather began to accept the challenges that were experienced in daily living. This is what the new definition of a family became: a unit that has flaws and challenges but often stuck together at the end of it, all due to understanding and loyalty. This new definition was thus embraced and propagated by the media too as it suited all the different circumstances that families had to go through. There were instances of betrayal by family, conflicting loyalties, forgiveness and sometimes lifelong rifts that became irreconcilable. These experiences eventually dictated the definition of a normal family in the American society. Initially, family shows were those like The Cosby Show, with perfect families where the father was a good provider struggling to make ends meet, the mother a homemaker with a social life and the children all trying to be rebellious and yet respectful and obedient to their parents. However, as this situation changed, the shows also changed. From the perfect families, TV shows started embracing the changes in reality too by presenting families that in any way could not be considered perfect. There came shows such as My Wife and Kids, The War at Home, The Modern Family among others. All these shows present an image that can be considered more realistic based on the family setting today. While often sticking to the concept of a nuclear family, these shows bring out the conflicts in both the nuclear and extended settings. In The War at Home, the nuclear family has numerous challenges, and the children are in their teenage years. Then there is a younger aunt who adds on to the drama and co nflicts in the story (Kosovski and Smith 854). Generally, the story revolves around the drama that a normal family goes through, implying that normalcy in a family setting is all about being true to oneself and often communicating in such a way that one is transparent and yet accommodating of the other members. Considering the media as a mirror of the society, it can be stated that the image of a family as portrayed in the media today is a result of the social constructs on the family as developed gradually over the years. The more parents became drawn away from their families in search of financial stability and successful career paths, the more the fabric of the family unit as defined by the society became torn and in some cases irreparable (Brancato 55). In addition, for some reason, there came a time when the number of children born out of wedlock, often to unwed mothers, spiked. These single-parent families further contributed to the questioning of the definition of a family. As different opinions on the subject surfaced, more and more changes became evident with regards to the social norms. People started seeing the family in a more realistic light where the parents may not always be present, they would not always be on good terms, and the children would not always be as obedient. The se became the norms of family life as defined by the society, implying that the even the moral fabric was changing and that it was okay for parents to have differences and for children to stand up for themselves from time to time. The media as we know it today is a means through which the society speaks out, expressing the various opinions and attitudes towards a variety of issues. In an ideal world, the media is an exact reflection of the people and their thoughts and beliefs. The world may be far from ideal today, but the media remains steadfast in its role as a mirror of society. Even with the manipulation of the corporate sector, the media still has to conform to the ideals of the society in order to get good ratings and sell their brands. This is why most media houses strive to air programs that are relevant and informative to their audiences without being boring. The entertainment is fused with education and realistic representation with the purpose of reflecting what the society would consider as acceptable. Initially, the family was a picture-perfect setting, but there came too much pressure with modernization and globalization that changed this picture. People thus needed to see programs that reflecte d the real family settings and spoke to their situations. Their experiences needed to be reflected by the media houses, and these houses saw the need and met it. It is for this reason that the TV shows also had to change and embrace a more realistic outlook that is both modernist and constructionist with regards to the norms and values as dictated by the society.