Management coursework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Management coursework - Essay Example Some of their aspirations: housing, public facilities, schools, hospitals, religious centres, cultural and recreational centres. People work hard for these aspirations, for these reflect one special characteristic of man – survival. Survival also involves the psychological, spiritual, physical and mental needs. Political situation in the community or country where port is located has to be looked out and given much importance. Political aspects vary from port to port or from country to country. Local authorities may provide different procedures, and may not be very cooperative when it comes to the development of business. Diplomatic procedures have to be in place to gain cooperation from local authorities. Careful study has to be done on particular ports and terminals in other countries, particularly Asian countries. These areas have different laws and political situations which can not be treated the same with more advanced countries. They have situations that are sometimes unstable, and laws and procedures which seem, at first, hostile to a new organisation. However, with recent trends, more and more countries, like Asian countries, are encouraging investors to conduct business into their lands. In most instances, local authorities support development of business in their area. They entice businessman to venture in their lands for economic growth. They become cooperative and encourage businesses to invest more. They do this with some special tax reductions and incentives to foreign businesses. Countries have different laws and procedures for business, especially if that business is for big ports, so called the nodal points of commerce where ships and other forms of transportation are interconnected. Laws naturally affect the operations of these terminals. Management must be able to give a thorough study of these ports. Port law is a branch of law which makes use of the general

Information Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Information Systems - Essay Example System Interface is a candidate for extreme programming while databases and database integration is a candidate for agile modeling and agile data methodologies. Using extreme programming in the case of developing an application that will allow patients to easily enter electronic data for safe uploading is convenient and relevant. Given that the practice serves a wide variety of clientele with different needs and capabilities to operate the devices they use to enter data, continuous and rapid releases experimented on users will allow refinement of the product to the desired levels of functionality and usability. Varied groups of users have varying levels of needs in terms of a user-friendly interface (either computer or mobile). Coupled with disabilities such as vision and level of comprehension, a fit-all product developed using traditional SDLC cannot be usable. The continuous integration and test-driven model acquired by combining extreme programming and agile methodologies would e nsure that the final product is both usable but and friendly. Agile data is applied on the data aspects of the application. Since the functional requirements of the system require the entering and uploading of patient information in a secure manner, agile data techniques are applied on the data aspects of the software system. Agile database development processes and integration include database refactoring, DB regression testing, agile data modeling and continuous database integration (Scott W. Ambler).

Effect of Bone Marrow Composition Changes With Age

Effect of Bone Marrow Composition Changes With Age PROJECT TOPIC: INVESTIGATION INTO THE EFFECT OF BONE MARROW COMPOSITION CHANGES WITH AGE BETWEEN THE TWO GENDERS ON FINE STRUCTURE ANALYSIS (FINESA) TECHNIQUE A short 100 word lay-person summary– The project is about the investigation into the bone marrow composition changes with age between the two genders and its effect on the structure MRI technique fineSA. It utilizes MR to excite the rectangular prism shape volume in the human body to generate a signal that is processed to provide information about anatomical structure of interest. It will be conducted in a 12 weeks period commencing with literature review of relevant journals and conference papers relating the topic. It will be followed by the modelling of a bone marrow phantom aimed at adding a uniform composition structure that will control the outcome of the project. It will then be concluded with the analysis of the processed clinical data for both genders with different age range. Aim The main aim of this project is to identify a trend between different gender subjects with a varying range of ages from 18-80 and other measures of signal which can be attributed to bone marrow composition and its effect on the fineSA technique. FineSA is a technique that defines anatomical structures using MR data by acquiring data from rectangular prisms located in the anatomical region and region of interest. It is currently unknown what happens to the fineSA in regards to bone marrow (BM) changes. By identifying the trend it will enable the technique to be adjusted to suit each subject and not generalise its bone marrow applications as it is currently done. The research will fill a gap in the industry concerning the bone marrow composition (BMC) changes with ages with the use of the fineSA techniques. Objectives Carry out a detailed literature research related to BMC changes with age and sex. Relevant journals and conference papers will be analysed to support the research work. The modelling of a bone marrow phantom to observe the effect of fat will be accomplished. The fluid around the phantom will simulate the bone marrow and that will give the signal expected. Analysis and evaluation of a clinical data set for different gender ages ranging 18-80 will be carried out. It will be started by looking at the k0 on the spectra with respect to the age and the expected bone marrow composition. The data obtained from the company is made of spectra in Matlab format and the relevant information will be extracted in Matlab. It will also be necessary to investigate the effect of noise as noise is measured during the acquisition. Resources and necessary approvals I will need to complete Human Subjects Protection training in order to work with patient data. It is used to fulfil the requirement for education in the protection of human subjects. The ethical review board that approved this study is Western Institutional Review Board (WIRB) located in the USA. There are no known health risks associated with this research. Literature review According to the literatures, bone marrow does changes with age and becomes fatty and so it is expected to give a higher signal in the MR technique used. According to an early studies conducted, for daughters and their parents to compare (BMF) content assessed by inphase and out-of-phase MRI in between family members. It was found that the daughters had less BMF and BM whole body and regions where BMF was assessed than their mothers and fathers. This was in agreement with a previous studies that link increased BMF with age [1]. MR spectroscopy studies have demonstrate that vertebral fat content increases as the bone density (BD) decreases. Several literatures have suggested a relationship between bone mineral content and bone marrow fat (BMF) which has been found to lead to bone weakness. A study was conducted on fifty-six female patients with the age range 50–65 years to assess vertebral bone marrow fat (BMF) content’s relationship with osteoporosis by the use of chemical-shift magnetic resonance imaging (CS-MRI). It was however concluded that BMF content calculated with CS-MRI was not reliable for predicting bone mineral density in female patients aged between 50 and 65 years and so further research was recommended [2]. Differences in the relationship between BMF and bone has also been attributed to the potential ethnic differences in African American and Caucasian men and women. This was shown in a study done to evaluate the relationship between BMAT and BMD for potential sex and ethnic differences within a large sample with DXA and whole-body MRI data. The results obtained was found to be consistent with a previous findings done in Caucasian women and of Asian men and women. However there is reported inverse association between BMF and BMD in studies of men and women without ethnicity explicitly [3]. A further study conducted on 211 subjects also suggested that BMC changes are different for both male and female subjects. The largest change in the BMC in the lumbar spine was seen to have occurred from 5 to 24 years in the male subjects. Conversely, the largest decrease occurred after 45 years in female subjects. In an earlier research by Dunnill et al. [4] to investigate the changes in cellular and BMF in the vertebral bodies and correlate those changes with age and sex, no differences between the sexes for age-related variations was found. This also implied more research need to be done to ascertain the relationship between BMC and age and sex [5]. Methodologies The project will be managed with the aid of programme of work with details on a Gantt chart that list all the tasks dates. The milestones mark the completion of a task and meetings with the supervisor for review. Literature research (2 week) A review of relevant literatures in relation to BMC changes with age and gender. Outcome 1: Literature review finished and theories for further research have been studied. Phantom Modelling (2 week) Arrangement will be made with the company for this to be carried out Outcome 2: Pantom modelled and analysed. Data analysis and evaluation (3 week) The clinical data will be analysed will be carried out at this stage and then evaluated. Outcome 3: Data analysed and a conclusion drawn. Draft write up (2 week) Write the first draft of the dissertation which will be presented to the research supervisor for review. Outcome 4: Complete first drafted of the report. Final dissertation (2 week) The final copy will be produced and reviewed for any errors and ethical issues by supervisor and then submitted. Outcome 5: Complete the final report for submission. Contingency (1 week) This is an open period where any problems encountered will be dealt with. Conclusion The research plan was conducted to evaluate the purpose and methodologies that will be employed for the project to be successful. With the timelines drafted and the resources effectively utilised the project is expected to be successful. At the end of the project, the results should guide the industry in use of the fineSA with bone marrow composition changes with age application. If it is concluded that there is a trend in the bone marrow composition changes with age, it will require changes made to the technique used in acquiring the signals. This could lead to having to adjust for composition the current technique used.

Equality: The Destination Yet To Be Reached :: essays research papers

He had a dream. Does anything else come to mind when you mention the one and only Martin Luther King Jr.? For most people, probably not. The truth is, King was recognized primarily for his dream. And why not? It was a good dream, one that promoted peace and equality. It was the dream that was thought to have united the black and white communities, the dream that made America aware of a problem, and the dream that ultimately led to his demise. Let me ask you a question: Would King be happy to see how far his dream has come? Don’t answer so quickly. Instead, let us ponder†¦ Today, there is coracial education. African Americans are in every U.S. school; it’s not uncommon. Blacks and whites can dine together at neighboring tables at any restaurant. Anyone to utter the word â€Å"nigger† is most definitely punished in the harshest form. Caucasians are not considered to be better than their darker friends in any way, shape, or form. Of the ignorant bigoted percentage of the population, whites consider blacks every bit as strong and honorable as themselves. Our schools even hold assemblies to reprimand racism, targeting these horribly self-emulating whites. For the most part, blacks have surpassed the label of â€Å"lower class,† or â€Å"uneducated,† or â€Å" secondary citizens.† For the most part, African Americans have overcome. But have they surpassed and overcame even equality itself? Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for equality goes both ways. Just as it is unthinkable to place a white person above a black person, it should be unthinkable to place a black above a white. Perhaps it is the white community’s guilt or regret for years of oppression that accounts for this, but there is a growing amount of reversed racism in our country today. There are more cases where blacks are being treated differently, being treated special, simply because they are a few shades darker. White children have less oppertunities as a result of this. This is discrimination based on skin color. Is this not racism? The very racism King fought against? If we are all to be treated equally, as stated by our own government, then why is our government promoting the defiance of this very law? Colleges all across our country are responsible for practicing reversed racism. Because of their desire to accept students within a minority, they are in fact excluding many more qualified white students from their education services. Equality: The Destination Yet To Be Reached :: essays research papers He had a dream. Does anything else come to mind when you mention the one and only Martin Luther King Jr.? For most people, probably not. The truth is, King was recognized primarily for his dream. And why not? It was a good dream, one that promoted peace and equality. It was the dream that was thought to have united the black and white communities, the dream that made America aware of a problem, and the dream that ultimately led to his demise. Let me ask you a question: Would King be happy to see how far his dream has come? Don’t answer so quickly. Instead, let us ponder†¦ Today, there is coracial education. African Americans are in every U.S. school; it’s not uncommon. Blacks and whites can dine together at neighboring tables at any restaurant. Anyone to utter the word â€Å"nigger† is most definitely punished in the harshest form. Caucasians are not considered to be better than their darker friends in any way, shape, or form. Of the ignorant bigoted percentage of the population, whites consider blacks every bit as strong and honorable as themselves. Our schools even hold assemblies to reprimand racism, targeting these horribly self-emulating whites. For the most part, blacks have surpassed the label of â€Å"lower class,† or â€Å"uneducated,† or â€Å" secondary citizens.† For the most part, African Americans have overcome. But have they surpassed and overcame even equality itself? Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for equality goes both ways. Just as it is unthinkable to place a white person above a black person, it should be unthinkable to place a black above a white. Perhaps it is the white community’s guilt or regret for years of oppression that accounts for this, but there is a growing amount of reversed racism in our country today. There are more cases where blacks are being treated differently, being treated special, simply because they are a few shades darker. White children have less oppertunities as a result of this. This is discrimination based on skin color. Is this not racism? The very racism King fought against? If we are all to be treated equally, as stated by our own government, then why is our government promoting the defiance of this very law? Colleges all across our country are responsible for practicing reversed racism. Because of their desire to accept students within a minority, they are in fact excluding many more qualified white students from their education services.

Choose a Topic from Your Personal Knowledge and Experience Essay

My whole wedding planning experience and the day I got married July 4, 2008 are the most memorable days of my life. The reason for choosing July 4 was because that was the day we became girlfriend and boyfriend. I realized it was time to get married after observing my boyfriend and getting to know him better, I decided he was the one with whom I wanted to share the rest of my life with. It was during the month of March when we picked out our wedding date. I noticed the time was nearing so quickly. Finally time to start planning. First I made an appointment with David’s Bridal to try on wedding dresses. One day while my husband was out working my best friend offered to take me. I then looked through a catalog and marked my favorite dresses. I am a very picky person. So I wanted my wedding dress to be the perfect one. I like to take my time in order to make a good decision. The Lady who brought out the dresses wasn’t helping much. It seems like she really didn’t care and I could walk out with any dress as long as she made a sale. I really liked one dress a lot. But it was time to go my appointment was over. I still wanted to try on more dresses just in case there was another dress way over the top beautiful. The lady said if I wanted to try on more dresses I should make another appointment. I finally left with a dress in mind. My next plan was to decide on where I wanted to get married. I began to do some local research on the Internet. I wrote down numbers and called. They were either all booked out or closed on July 4. I finally got too frustrated that I was thinking about canceling all my plans for a wedding and take a trip to the courthouse instead. No hassles and stress free is the way to be. I still wanted a wedding dress even to get married at the courthouse. I still wanted something special for us even though it was going to be the two of us. A few months went by getting closer to the date. One day my husband and I were taking care of errands when we pass a place that turns out to be a place to have a wedding. So we go check it out and really loved the place. It made us change our mind to have a wedding. A few days later I went into a store to look around at wedding stuff. There was a lady there that introduced me to her. Her name was Patty. She was really nice and really cared it turns out she does photography, catering makes cakes and more. Everything I needed. So one day my husband and I were driving around and I see this big yellow sign from the road. I tell him to turn around to see what it said. It was a big beautiful mansion. That read weddings, parties and graduations. We go in  there the lady shows the package plans available and gives us details. We were sitting with her at a round table. She just starred at us with those eyes that say sign the contract already. It didn’t seem like she realized that it was a big step to take. A lot of money and a lot of things to think about. We talked about it and decided to take the offer only 4 days left until July 4. We told my family about it and my mom was thrilled. On the other hand my grandma was saying we couldn’t plan a wedding in four days. Even though I was telling her I already paid for it and signed the contract. She thought it was too impossible for me. The lady patty told me from the store she could be my photographer. She also made my bouquet for me. My husband took me back to David’s bridal. I invited my two sisters to come along. I tried on a few more dresses while my husband stayed out in the car. He can’t see me until our wedding day of course. I picked out my necklace, earrings, and tiara. My sister bought me a veil as a wedding gift. I was ready to check out. I ended up buying the dress I liked from the first appointment. My husband and I went to look for rings that same day we went to zales. A lot of rings to choose from and I was stuck between two favorites. I finally picked out the one I liked so did my husband. Except I did something different he bought me an engagement ring to be my wedding ring. I like them better. We bought the rings and I decided 4 years ago Report Abuse Additional Details So we had to come pick it up another day. We were worried it wouldn’t be ready on the day of our wedding, But unfortunately it was. We went to the wedding rehearsal it was just me and him. My husband doesn’t speak english. So we practiced him saying the vowels. We decided he would just repeat after the minister on the actual wedding day. He sounded just like an american speaking. We then went over the walk one time and she said we were done. I expected more practice than that. I thought you practiced until you got it all down. This was our first experience and she didn’t even let us practice enough to get the feel. Well we finally left very worried with no good rehersal. I got some copies of the directions from map quest. I told my family about the wedding event. And where it would take place. I don’t know why but everyone was making up lame excuses. My Grandma said she couldn’t  drive in the dark. My aunt said there would be too much traffic. 4 years ago  to leave my ring with Zales to get it sized. My appointments turned out to be a disaster. So many things went wrong that it’s not even funny. The lady that waxed my eyebrows messed them up so badly. She left unwanted hairs everywhere. Then I made a spray tan appointment. I was supposed to start noticing change in the color of my body in two hours. I was so dissapointed there wasn’t even a difference. It was finally time to go pick up our rings. My ring was yellow it looked fake. I got upset started crying because the ring was so expensive and I wasn’t happy with it. I complained to them about the yellow ring. Thank God I had two favorites. I asked them if they could switch it out for the other one I liked. I felt so relieved when they said yes I could switch. Then they gave us a little bad news. They said when they were in the process of sizing the ring it shredded. They said it was a bad ring. They had to get him another ring but the same one and resize it again. 4 years ago A few other members in my family were coming up with excuses. That was really odd. My family was not supportive at all except all my sisters. My husband had to pay for the whole wedding. I didn’t even get any gifts. Now July 4, 2008 is finally here. I got my hair and makeup done by this old lady. She didn’t seem like she really cared either she just did an up do the way she liked it. She was also in a huge rush. She used makeup from the 1960’s literally. I could have done the work she did and better with the money she charged me. I started to get so emotional because I expected to look stunning. So here I am crying makeup and all. I got to my sister’s house looked in the mirror and said to myself not so bad after all. Did a few touch ups. Once I get my dress on everything will be all right. As random strangers tell me congratulations I’m starting to feel good. So here I am in shorts a t-shirt and wedding veil driving myself to my on wedding. 4 years ago It was about a forty minute drive. I only had about twenty minutes to get my dress on and have time to actually think. Well what do you know my sister forgot one of my under garments. So I had to wait for my husband to bring it  to me. He wasn’t even on his way yet. I should have already been in my dress. I put a few curls in my hair. It was time for it to start. My photographer got there with my beautiful twenty four red roses bouquet. She snapped a few pictures of me. Going down the staircase before anyone had seen me. So I’m walking down the aisle and I see my husband standing waiting for me. We said our vowels. We finally kissed I will always remember when he said to me â€Å"You look beautiful†. Everything turned out miraculously. Even though we had no idea what we were doing it all fell into place. It looked like we knew what we were doing and have already been married four times. 4 years ago You see through my wedding experience the planning and appointments can get stressful. Even though my family was not supportive they came to my wedding. I didn’t really care even if it was just going to be the two of us. I really showed my family I could do it. Nobody really cared but my photographer. She was the one telling us what to do even though it was not her job. To this day my Grandma’s always talking about how beautiful my wedding was. She always asks if she could borrow my pictures to show them off to people. Like at church work and family that didn’t get to come. So have faith in your wedding. As long as you and your other half stick together and believe everything will turn out great.

Illegal Immigrants Close the Borders Essay - 1317 Words

Illegal immigration has been a problem that has plagued the United States for many years. This problem is not new to the country because thousands of immigrants have crossed over the oceans and Mexican border since our country was founded. The underlying problem is the lack of assimilation to the American ways of life and the acceptance of existing rules and laws. With the already fragile economy and the largely growing unemployment rate Americans must make every effort to close its borders to undocumented workers to ease the strain and retain any available jobs for unemployed Americans and legal workers. Aviva Chomsky writes â€Å"immigration plays a much more complex role in the employment picture, and many different factors affecting†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"of 147 illegal immigrants arrested by federal authorities in 1975 who re-entered the labor force, 35% received unemployment benefits at some time over the next five years.†(Anzovin 49) However, more recently illegal immigration has finally met with some opposition in some states such as Arizona, and Georgia with the passing of new legislation to crack down on illegal immigrants’ in these states. Until recently the illegal immigrants’ population in Georgia had increased every spring due to the fact that illegal workers move north from Florida after agricultural labor jobs run out at the end of harvesting season. But with the new immigration laws that have taken place in some states such as Georgia and Arizona it allows local law enforcement to see if a worker is legally able to work in the US. If the workers are illegal they are immediately deported and the employer that hired them is charged fine in excess of 270,000 dollars or more. All be it, the laws are more lax in my home state of Georgia than Arizona, I’m glad to see that the state has made some effort to battle the affliction facing the state and the country. One major difference in th e Georgia version of the law is that he citizen status is on to be check if one has been in the act of breaking the law where as in Arizona there only needs to be suspicion of immigration status to constitutes a status check. Part of that law states no employer may refuse to hire a qualified personShow MoreRelatedImmigration : The United States1087 Words   |  5 Pagescountry prospect and is more enrich. Opening the border might improve the economy or can impact the job market for American citizens. It is the jobs of American citizens to be given more to this illegal immigrant. I believe the U.S. borders should remain closed. While it is clear that opening the borders can have benefits, I believe it is more important to keep jobs available for Americans. In my opinion, I think the US borders should remain close because Citizens` or Americans` should be the firstRead MoreThe Border Of The United States1057 Words   |  5 Pagesnot close the borders. The United States has two of the world s longest borders. One of the two was very welcoming of immigrants and could leave America open to attack. This also can mean less room for Americans as the country grows every day. Closed borders were necessary due to the fact of terrorists, overpopulation, limited resources, and costs. Terrorists were the key to mass chaos in the United States. The northern border of the United States was one the longest unprotected borders in theRead MoreOpen Border Policy and Illegal Immigration1844 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Open Border Policy and Illegal Immigration Introduction Immigration is one of the contentious issues that continue to elicit mixed reactions from different parties. In most western economies, debates on immigration policies have been on the rise in the recent decades. Whereas the international human rights have confirmed that freedom of movement is one of the basic human rights and hence no one can be deprived, most governments have put restrictions on immigration. Furthermore, the enactmentRead MoreAre Babies Born on the United States Soil Be Considered Full-fledged Citizens or Not?1360 Words   |  6 PagesUnited States to illegal alien mothers are often referred to as anchor babies†. Under current practice, these children are United States citizens at birth, simply because they were born on United States soil. They are called anchor babies because, as United States citizens, they become eligible to sponsor their relatives when they turn 21 years of age, thus becoming the legal United States anchor for an extended immigrant famil y (Shopper). Thus, the United States born children of illegal aliens notRead MoreEssay on We Must End Illegal Immigration in the United States1391 Words   |  6 PagesEveryday illegal immigrants try to come to the United States for freedom. The United States government should double the patrolling of the borders and the coast of the United States in order to keep out illegal immigrants. We need to some how create a program that will end illegal immigration. Ensuring that people who enter the United States illegally will not be able to obtain employment, public assistance benefits, public education, public housing, or any other taxpayer-funded benefit should beRead MoreIllegal Immigration And The United States1593 Words   |  7 PagesIllegal immigration and the deployment of these undocumented inhabitants of America has been a disputed issue for decades. It is debated whether to return the illegal immigrants to their country of origin, or to let them stay in the United States. F actual evidence and statistics has proven that although the immigrants may not be authorized as citizens or inhabitants of America, they do contribute to the diversity of the country. With such a large population of foreigners, the immigrants also influenceRead MoreIllegal Immigration Is The Act Of Migrating Across A National Border1310 Words   |  6 Pagesnature, illegal immigration is hard to measure and control. But to fully understand the solutions and properly analyze them; the origin, causes, and effects must be clear. Illegal immigration is the act of migrating across a national border without a legalized permission from the target country. Illegal immigration has long been a problem in the USA since the latter half of the 20th century. In spite of all the laws that was issued the door was left open especially for the Mexican immigrants. ThroughoutRead MoreThe Official Definition Of Illegal Is â€Å"Contrary To Or Forbidden1517 Words   |  7 PagesThe official definition of illegal is â€Å"contrary to or forbidden by law†. The definition of an Immigrant is â€Å"an individual who comes to live permanently in a foreign country†. Therefore Illegal Immigrants are foreigners who enter another country, the United States of America, without a Visa. They cross the border by avoiding inspection and overstay the allotted period of time allowed as a visitor, tourist, or businessperson. There are 12 million illegal immigrants in America today. How is the possibleRead MoreThe Immigration Policy Of The United States Essay922 Words   |  4 Pagesimmigration, legal and illegal alike, but now we are in crisis mode. Most of the immigrants from Central America, especially Mexico, do not want to immerse themselves in American culture. However, they do want a return of the South-West territory of Mexico. Under the Obama Administration and his infamous executive orders, we have more problems than ever, especially surrounding illegal immigration. Hillary Clinton will only exacerbate the problem, since her attitude towards illegal immigration is identicalRead MoreEssay on Immigration Issues Between UU And Mexico1256 Words   |  6 Pagesmost difficult to resolve. The problem relates to both economic and business realities of the U.S. and Mexico. There may be anywhere between 4 to 12 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States. For undocumented immigrants from Mexico, population experts have discovered that there is a constant flow of both immigrants into the US and leaving the US . This is the primary reason why the exact number remains unknown. Mexicans make up the single largest group of undocumented workers. Many

Crimes and Trials of Lyle and Erik Menendez

In 1989, brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez used a 12-gauge shotgun to murder their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. The trial received national attention because it had all the elements of a Hollywood movie — wealth, incest, parricide, infidelity, and murder. Jose Menendez Jose Enrique Menendez was 15 years old when his parents sent him to the US from Cuba after Castro took over. Influenced by his parents, who were both champion athletes in Cuba, Jose also developed into a good athlete and later attended Southern Illinois University on a swimming scholarship. At the age of 19, he met and married Mary Kitty Anderson and the couple moved to New York. There he earned an accounting degree from Queens College in Flushing, New York. Once out of college his career soared. He proved to be a highly focused, competitive, success-driven employee. His climb up the ladder eventually led to a lucrative position in the entertainment industry with RCA as an executive vice president and chief operating officer. During this time Jose and Kitty had two boys, Joseph Lyle, born January 10, 1968, and Erik Galen, born November 27, 1970. The family moved to a prestigious home in Princeton, New Jersey, where they enjoyed comfortable country-club living. In 1986, Jose left RCA and transferred to Los Angeles where he accepted the position of President of Live Entertainment, a division of Carolco Pictures. Jose earned a reputation as being a heartless, tough numbers cruncher, which turned an unprofitable division into a moneymaker within a year. Although his success brought him a certain level of respect, there were also many people who worked for him that completely despised him. Kitty Menendez For Kitty, the West Coast move was disappointing. She loved her life in New Jersey and struggled to fit into her new world in Los Angeles. Originally from Chicago, Kitty grew up in a broken middle-class home. Her father was physically abusive to his wife and children. They divorced after he left to be with another woman. Her mother never seemed to get over the failed marriage. She suffered from depression and deep resentments. Throughout high school, Kitty was sullen and withdrawn. It was not until she attended Southern Illinois University that she seemed to grow and develop self-esteem. In 1962, she won a beauty pageant, which also seemed to bolster her confidence. In her senior year of college, she met Jose and fell in love. She was three years older than he was, and a different race, which at that time was frowned upon. When Jose and Kitty decided to marry, both their families were against it. Kittys parents felt the racial issue would lead to unhappiness and Joses parents thought that he was only 19 and too young to marry. They also did not like that Kittys parents were divorced. So the two eloped and soon afterward headed to New York. Kitty turned away from her future goals and went to work as a schoolteacher while Jose finished college. It seemed to pay off in some ways after his career took off, but in other ways, Kitty lost herself and became completely dependent on her husband. She spent much of her time tending to the boys and waiting on Jose when he was home. When she discovered that Jose had a mistress and that the relationship had lasted over six years, she was devastated. He later admitted to cheating on her with several women throughout their marriage. Like her mother, Kitty never seemed to get over Joses infidelities. She too became bitter, depressed and even more dependent. Now, having moved across the  country, she had lost the network of friends that she had in the northeast and felt isolated. After having children Kitty gained weight and she lacked style in her clothing and general appearance. Her taste in decorating was poor and she was a bad housekeeper. All of this made acceptance in the affluent Los Angeles circles a challenge. On the outside, the family looked close-knit, like a perfect family, but there were internal struggles that took its toll on Kitty. She no longer trusted Jose and then there was the trouble with the boys. Calabasas The San Fernando Valley suburb called Calabasas is an upper-middle-class area and where the Menendez moved to after leaving New Jersey. Lyle had been accepted into Princeton University and did not move with the family until months later. During Lyles first semester at Princeton, he was caught plagiarizing an assignment and was suspended for one year. His father attempted to sway Princetons president, but without success. At this point, Jose and Kitty were both aware that the boys were incredibly spoiled. They got most everything that they wanted — great cars, designer clothing, money to blow and in exchange, and all they had to do was live under the strict controls of their father. Since Lyle was thrown out of Princeton, Jose decided it was time for him to learn some life lessons and he put him to work at LIVE. Lyle was not interested. He wanted to go to UCLA and play tennis, not go to work. However, Jose would not allow it and Lyle became a LIVE employee. Lyles work ethic was similar to how he acted towards most things — lazy, disinterested, and leaned on daddy to get him through it. He was constantly late for work and ignored assignments or would just take off to go play tennis. When Jose found out, he fired him. July 1988 With two months to kill before returning to Princeton, Lyle, 20 and Erik now 17, began burglarizing their friends parents homes. The amount of money and jewelry that they stole amounted to around $100,000. After they were caught, Jose saw that Lyles chances to return to Princeton would be over if he was convicted, so with the help of a lawyer, he manipulated it so that Erik would take the fall. In exchange, the brothers would have to go for counseling and Erik was required to do community service. Jose also forked out $11,000 to the victims. Kittys psychologist, Les Summerfield, recommended psychologist Dr. Jerome Oziel as a  good choice for Erik to see for counseling. As far as the Calabasas community went, not very many people wanted anything more to do with the Menendez family. In response, the family headed to Beverly Hills. 722 North Elm Drive After being humiliated out of Calabasas by his sons, Jose purchased a spectacular $4 million mansion in Beverly Hills. The house had marble floors, six bedrooms, tennis courts, a swimming pool, and a guesthouse. Previous occupants included Prince, Elton John, and a Saudi prince. Erik changed schools and began attending Beverly Hills High and Lyle returned to Princeton. The switch was probably difficult for Erik, who had managed to develop some friendships at Calabasas high school. Being the younger brother, Erik seemed to idolize Lyle. They had a deep bond that excluded others and as children, they often played exclusively together. Academically, the boys were average and even that level was hard for them to maintain without the direct help from their mother. Teacher evaluations often included the suggestion that the boys homework was above the capability that they showed in class. In other words, someone was doing their homework for them. And they were right. Throughout Eriks entire time in school, Kitty would do his homework. About the only thing Erik was good at was tennis, and at that, he excelled. He was the number one ranked player on the schools team. In high school, with Lyle no longer involved in his day-to-day life, Erik had his own friends. One good friend was the captain of the tennis team, Craig Cignarelli. Craig and Erik spent a lot of time together. They wrote a screenplay called Friends about a teen that saw his fathers will and went and killed him so he would inherit the money. No one at the time knew the implications of the plot. Spoiled Rotten By July 1989, things for the Menendez family continued to spiral downward. Lyle was on academic and disciplinary probation from Princeton after destroying property. He also tore up the golf course at the country club that the family belonged to, costing their membership to be suspended and thousands in repair cost that Jose paid. Erik spent his energy with failed attempts to make a name for himself in tennis. Jose and Kitty felt that they no longer could control the boys. In an attempt to get them to grow up and face some responsibility for their lives and their futures Jose and Kitty decided to use their will like a dangling carrot. Jose threatened to remove his sons from the will if they did not change the way they were living. Something Was Amiss Based on outside appearances, the remainder of the summer seemed to go better for the family. They were doing things together again as a family. But Kitty, for unknown reasons, did not feel safe around the boys. She spoke to her therapist about feeling fearful of her sons. She thought they were narcissistic sociopaths. At night she kept her doors locked and two rifles nearby. The Murders On August 20, 1989, at around midnight, the Beverly Hills police received a 9-1-1 call from Lyle Menendez. Erik and Lyle had just returned home after going to the movies and found their parents dead in the family room of their home. Both parents had been shot with 12-gauge shotguns. According to autopsy reports, Jose suffered explosive decapitation with evisceration of the brain and both his and Kittys faces were blown apart. Investigation The rumored theory about who murdered the Menendez was that it as a Mob hit, based partially on information from Erik and Lyle. However, if it was a mob hit, it was a definite case of overkill and the police were not buying it. Also, there were no shotgun casings at the murder site. Mobsters do not bother to clean up shell casings. What created more concern among the detectives was the tremendous amount of money the Menendez brothers were spending which began immediately after their parents were murdered. The list was long, too. Expensive cars, Rolex watches, restaurants, personal tennis coaches — the boys were on a spending roll. Prosecutors estimated that the brothers spent around a million dollars in six months. Big Break On March 5, 1990, seven months into the investigation, Judalon Smyth contacted the Beverly Hills police and informed them that Dr. Jerome Oziel had audio tapes of Lyle and Erik Menendez confessing to the murder of their parents. She also provided them information on where the shotguns were purchased and that the Menendez brothers had threatened to kill Oziel if he went to the police. At the time, Smyth was trying to end an alleged relationship with Oziel, when he asked her to pretend to be a patient at the office so that she could eavesdrop on a meeting he was having with the Menendez brothers. Oziel was afraid of the boys and wanted Smyth there to call police in case something happened. Because there was a threat on Oziels life, the patient-therapist confidentiality rule did not apply. Armed with a search warrant the police located the tapes in a safety deposit box and the information Smyth provided was confirmed. On March 8, Lyle Menendez was arrested near the family home, followed by the arrest of Erik who returned from a tennis match in Israel and turned himself into the police. The brothers were remanded without bail. They each hired their own lawyers. Leslie Abramson was Eriks lawyer and Gerald Chaleff was Lyles. The Arraignment The Menendez brothers had full support from most all of their relatives and during their arraignment, the atmosphere lacked the appropriate seriousness for what was taking place. The brothers strutted in like movie stars, smiled, and waved to their family and friends and snickered when the judge began to speak. Apparently, they found the serious tone of her voice humorous. You have been charged with multiple murder for financial gain, while lying in wait, with a loaded firearm, for which, if convicted, you could receive the death penalty. How do you plead? They both plead not guilty. It would take three years before their cases went to trial. The admissibility of the tapes became the big hold up. The California Supreme Court finally decided that some, but not all of the tapes were admissible. Unfortunately for the prosecution, the tape of Erik describing the murders was not allowed. The Trials The trial began on July 20, 1993, in the Van Nuys Superior Court. Judge Stanley M. Weisberg was presiding. He decided that the brothers would be tried together, but that they would have separate juries. Pamela Bozanich, the chief prosecutor, wanted the Menendez brothers to be found guilty and to get the death penalty. Leslie Abramson was representing Erik and Jill Lansing was Lyles lawyer. As flamboyant a lawyer as Abramson was, Lansing and her team were equally quiet and sharply focused. Court TV was also present in the room, filming the trial for its viewers. Both defense lawyers admitted that their clients did kill their parents. They then went about methodically trying to destroy the reputations of Jose and Kitty Menendez. They tried to prove that Menendez brothers had been sexually abused by their sadistic father throughout their lifetime and that their mother, when not participating in her own form of perverse abuse, turned her back on what Jose was doing to the boys. They said that the brothers murdered their parents out of fear that the parents were going to murder them. The prosecution simplified the reasons behind the murder stating that it was done out of greed. The Menendez brothers feared that they were going to get cut out of their parents will and lose out on millions of dollars. The murder was not a spur of the moment attack done out of fear, but rather one that was thought out and planned days and weeks before the fatal night. Both juries were unable to decide which story to believe and they came back deadlocked. The Los Angeles DAs office said they wanted a second trial immediately. They were not going to give up. The Second Trial The second trial was not as flamboyant as the first trial. There were no television cameras and the public had moved on to other cases. This time David Conn was the chief prosecutor and Charles Gessler represented Lyle. Abramson continued to represent Erik. Much of what the defense had to say had already been said and although the whole sexual abuse, incest  direction was disturbing to hear, the shock of hearing it was over. However, the prosecution dealt with the sexual abuse allegations and battered persons syndrome differently than how it was dealt with during the first trial. Bozanich did not address it at all, believing that the jury would not fall for it. Conn attacked it straight on and got Judge Weisberg to block the defense from saying that the brothers suffered from battered persons syndrome. This time the jury found both the Menendez brothers guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Shocking Moment During the penalty phase of the Menendez trial, Dr. William Vicary, who was Eriks psychiatrist since his arrest, admitted that Leslie Abramson asked him to rewrite portions of his notes that were being reviewed because it could be harmful to Erik. He said she called the information prejudicial and out of bounds. One section that was removed pertained to Eriks saying that his fathers homosexual lover told Erik and Lyle that their parents were planning to kill them. Erik told Vicary that the whole thing was a lie. The fact that Abramson had asked the doctor to remove incriminating comments could have cost her her career, but it also could have caused a mistrial. The judge did not allow that to happen and the sentencing phase continued. Sentencing On July 2, 1996, Judge Weisberg sentenced Lyle and Erik Menendez to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The brothers were later sent to separate prisons. Lyle was sent to North Kern State Prison and Erik was sent to the California State Prison.