Missouri Compromise

Missouri Compromise Missouri Compromise, 1820â€"21, measures passed by the U.S. Congress to end the first of a series of crises concerning the extension of slavery. By 1818, Missouri Territory had gained sufficient population to warrant its admission into the Union as a state. Its settlers came largely from the South, and it was expected that Missouri would be a slave state. To a statehood bill brought before the House of Representatives, James Tallmadge of New York proposed an amendment that would forbid importation of slaves and would bring about the ultimate emancipation of all slaves born in Missouri. This amendment passed the House (Feb., 1819), but not the Senate. The bitterness of the debates sharply emphasized the sectional division of the United States. In Jan., 1820, a bill to admit Maine as a state passed the House. The admission of Alabama as a slave state in 1819 had brought the slave states and free states to equal representation in the Senate, and it was seen that by pairing Maine (ce rtain to be a free state) and Missouri, this equality would be maintained. The two bills were joined as one in the Senate, with the clause forbidding slavery in Missouri replaced by a measure prohibiting slavery in the remainder of the Louisiana Purchase north of 36 °30'N lat. (the southern boundary of Missouri). The House rejected this compromise bill, but after a conference committee of members of both houses was appointed, the bills were treated separately, and in Mar., 1820, Maine was made a state and Missouri was authorized to adopt a constitution having no restrictions on slavery. A provision in the Missouri constitution barring the immigration of free blacks to the state was objectionable to many Northern Congressmen, and necessitated another congressional compromise. Not until the Missouri legislature pledged that nothing in its constitution would be interpreted to abridge the rights of citizens of the United States was the charter approved and Missouri admitted to the Uni on (Aug., 1821). Henry Clay , as speaker of the House, did much to secure passage of the compromiseâ€"so much, in fact, that he is generally regarded as its author, even though Senator Jesse B. Thomas of Illinois was far more responsible for the first bill. The 36 °30' proviso held until 1854, when the Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Compromise. See studies by G. Moore (1953, repr. 1967) and R. H. Brown (1964). The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History

Naoparticles Lab Report - 803 Words

Nanoparticles show different and distinctive properties from the bulk materials and they can be incorporated in different fields such as, biomedicine, catalysis, and energy conversion, so they have gained significant considerations from the researchers in the last two decades. For example, biologist and scientists have just started to apply nano-pattering techniques to create detection systems for genomic studies. On the other hand, engineers and physicists are aiming to shrink the size of transistors and MEMS components by using the method of nanofabrication in order to make high performance electronic devices. In general, material properties are completely dependent on the structure, so changing the macroscopic bulk properties, such as†¦show more content†¦In addition, uniform inorganic nanoparticles of gold has been used extensively as drug carriers.^3 This proposal mainly seeks to discover two methods, which use salt powder as separation medium, for forming uniform inor ganic nanoparticles without the use of solvent. Innovations: The methods of hot injection and solution-based are usually used to create different types of uniform nanoparticles, such as Pd and Pt, by choosing the appropriate ligands or capping agents that lead to carefully control the size and shape of the resulting nanoparticles.^7 However, there are some disadvantages associated with using the previous methods to synthesize uniform nanoparticles because they require long time to get the resulting nanoparticles and large quantities of expensive solvent. In addition, 3D transition for metals is very difficult to be accomplished by using the previous methods. Additional annealing step also is required to get the desired crystallinity for the resulting nanoparticles, which might lead to the evaporation of the expensive solvent. Because of those disadvantages for above-mentioned methods that rely on the use of expensive or toxic solvent, solventless methods have obtained significant interest due to the fact that they are fast and they do not requ ire the use of expensive solvents. The innovation of this research will focus on the use of solventless methods to synthesize uniform inorganic nanoparticles.

Philipino Scientist Arturo Alcaraz and Geothermal Energy

Arturo Alcaraz (1916-2001) was a Philippino volcanologist who specialized in geothermal energy development.  Born in Manila, Alcaraz is  best-known  as the Philippines Father of Geothermal Energy Development due to his contributions to studies about Philippine volcanology and the energy derived from volcanic sources.  His main contribution was the study and establishment of geothermal power plants in the Philippines. In the 1980s, the Philippines attained the second-highest geothermal generating capacity in the world, in great part due to Alcarazs contributions. Education The young Alcaraz graduated at the top of his class from Baguio City High School in 1933. But there was no school of mining in the Philippines, so he entered the College of Engineering, University of the Philippines in Manila. A year later--when Mapua Institute of Technology, also in Manila, offered a degree in mining engineering--Alcaraz transferred there and received his Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering from Mapua in 1937. After graduation, he received an offer from the Philippines  Bureau of Mines  as an aide in the geology division,  which he accepted. A year after he began his job at the Bureau of Mines, he won a government scholarship to continue his education and training. He went to Madison Wisconsin, where he attended the University of Wisconsin and earned a Master of Science in Geology in 1941.   Alcaraz and Geothermal Energy The Kahimyang Project notes that Alcaraz  pioneered in generating electricity by means of geothermal steam among areas proximate to volcanoes. The Project noted, With a vast and extensive knowledge on volcanoes in the Philippines, Alcaraz explored the possibility of harnessing geothermal steam to produce energy. He succeeded in 1967 when the countrys first geothermal plant produced much-needed electricity, ushering the era of geothermal-based energy to power up homes and industries. The Commission on Volcanology was officially created by the National Research Council in 1951, and Alcaraz was appointed Chief Volcanologist, a senior technical position he held until 1974. It was in this position that he and his colleagues were able to prove that energy could be generated by geothermal energy.  The Kahimyang Project reported, A steam from a one-inch hole drilled 400 feet to the ground powered a turbo-generator which lighted up a light bulb. It was a milestone in the Philippines quest for energy self-sufficiency. Thus, Alcaraz carved his name in the global field of Geothermal Energy and Mining. Awards Alcaraz  was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1955 for two semesters of study at the University of California at Berkeley, where he received a Certificate in Volcanology.   In  1979, Alcaraz won the Philippines Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for International Understanding for supplanting national jealousies that led to a confrontation, with increasingly effective cooperation and goodwill among the neighboring peoples of Southeast Asia.  He also received the 1982 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service for his scientific insight and selfless perseverance in guiding Filipinos to understand and use one of their greatest natural resources. Other awards include  Mapua Institute of Technologys Outstanding Alumnus in the Field of Science and Technology in Government Service in 1962; the Presidential Award of Merit for his work in volcanology and his initial work in geothermy 1968; and the Award for Science from the Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science (PHILAAS) in 1971. He received both the Gregorio Y. Zara Memorial Award in Basic Science from PHILAAS and the Geologist of the Year Award from the Professional Regulatory Commission in 1980.

Atellophobia Free Essays

TRANSVERSAL PROYECT ENGLISH ATELOPHOBIA Grammar Oral Literature Marina Cecilia Garcia Contreras Rodrigo Hernandez Martinez Ilse Navarrete Salazar Diego Rodriguez Castro 4 °A Why we chose this problem? People too often become victims of Atelophobia in other words ‘fear of imperfection’. But one should always remember that mistakes are eye openers. They add to a person’s experience. We will write a custom essay sample on Atellophobia or any similar topic only for you Order Now Mistakes are very normal. Till the time, you do not try to do a thing that you have never done before, you cannot do it. Any kind of fear of failure in doing that task perfectly is just a blocker. In my point of view I can say there are many things that this phobia makes you very insecure one is that you learn from mistakes , if I want to be perfect how can I make a mistake ? Hypothesis We think that atelophobia exists because all the influence of the media. Nowadays television, radio, magazines and many others, try to make people think that they should have an specific profile; they tell them they should be skinny, beautiful, tall, white and many others stereotypes that make people afraid of not being good enough and try to do many things to be perfect, but this can’t happen and many people have terrible consequences because of this. Problem Atelophobia is the fear of not being good enough. This is such a common problem that many people suffer and it’s getting bigger and bigger everytime because of the influence of the media and because people believe in all it says. It happens principally in teenagers because they are more involved in social pressure and many times they don’t accept themselves because of this. The worst part is that this can cause many others problems in them such as anorexia, bulimia, bullying and many other physic and psychologic problems. Conclusions What we learn about this problem is that it is psychological, but in a big amount it is caused by society, we are often influence by the things people says and considers it is â€Å"perfection†. In addition, they always promote the ideal stereotype, with certain characteristics like being skinny, tall, white and what they consider beautiful, it appears in many ways of media like television, magazines, radio, etc. Even if we don? t notice, it causes a lot of damage in people, being obsessed with your image can have some terrible consequences. What we, as a society, can do about it is to stop caring about what people say, you don? need to have perfect physical appearance, just accept yourself as you are, be happy and feel confidence with your image. We have to start by making people know that being judgmental really can hurts the feelings of the other persons. This problem is nowadays very common, not accepting yourself can cause many horrible deceases like anorexia, bulimia, vi gorexia or worse, suicide. We really have to stop this problem; it will take us time because we are used to be influenced by what all the people think, we should start with campaigns against stereotypes. Photos: How to cite Atellophobia, Papers

Innovation and Sustainable Business Development Cultural

Question: Discuss about the Innovation and Sustainable Business Developmentfor Cultural. Answer: Introduction Business model is an abstract representation of organizational operations in terms of revenue collection and service provision to the beneficiaries (Morris, 2015). Business concept is an idea that includes information like services and products offered, target population, and the competitive advantage of the firm among the other companies offering the same services provision (Morris, 2015). It also includes the market share of the company, service delivery and innovation approaches. A business model defines its rationale of the way a company crafts, distributes, and capturers value in various contexts such as social, cultural, or economic settings. The procedure of constructing a business strategy encompasses the process of business model generation. In theory and practice, the terminology business model is applied for a wide array of formal and informal descriptions to stand for key aspects of an organization including business process, organizational structures, trading practices, and sourcing. Conceptualizing a business model helps in obtaining tools and skills required during difficult situations. It involves identification of a problem and formulation of hypothesis that helps solve the issue at hand. According to Morris, (2015) conceptualization involves two separate stages; problem definition and system conceptualization. A well defined problem is half solved (Morris, 2015). Problem definition is therefore, identifying the actual and potential challenges the organization has and the impact on its operations. Conceptualizing as the second stage, gives an insight of the possible available ways of handling the identified obstacles. Competitive advantage, customer, business alignment, business value and execution of ideas are dimensions used in conceptualizing a business model (Kasabov, 2012). Applications of these dimensions help in solving both static and dynamic problems in an organization. Business model outline the steps of identifying static problems and ways of eradicating them. For example, the renovation of the organizational structure, and how to economize the firms resources. Dealing with the dynamic problems like the customers changing needs require formulation of dynamic hypothesis that govern innovation to cater for the customers changing needs. This problem solving strategies are highlighted in the model. A business model helps in firm partnership by giving the need, direction of implementation, problems identification and handling, and the possible outcomes. For example the major need of the organization is to maximize the financial statistics and maintain the profit margins (Bocken, 2014).Also the number of partners a firm partnership need is outlined in the model. This helps to counter challenges of large and unmanageable firms. The hiring and firing rules, customer acquisition and retaining, sales and delivery and value creation are stipulated in the model. Innovation process also can be best understood using the business model. It states the engineering methods that can be applied in value generation in the firm. It stipulates the methodology of doing it, tools, procedure and market analysis and approach. The model also helps one in identifying the dynamic changes of the consumers need and how to meet their needs through innovation (Zott, 2015). Zott and Amit (2010) tried to explain the system of activities performed by the firm and those by the third parties like customers, partners, and suppliers as part of the firms business model. They also gave a conceptual toolkit to help the managers in the development and building of the business models to cater for their future needs. Also, they claimed that improved knowledge in designing an activity system was important in helping managers in identifying the topic of development and designing of a better business model (Chen, 2011). They also suggested the following; The key role of entrepreneurial managers is to design a model that helps in the current and future undertakings of a firm. System-level activity was more important as compared to the procedure of doing it like outsourcing of the work to be performed. Equip managers with tangible toolkits of designing of a business model that help in improving common understanding and effective communication (Malhotra, 2000) It also highlights the activity of the firm and adopts the importance of business model by building the literature from the previous business model (In Baden, 2015). They also suggested that design theme (originality and efficiency) and design elements (governance, content and structure), as the origin of value creation in the firm. Zott and Amit use an example of FriCSos technology (young engineering company) to elaborate the understanding of the business model (Glauner, (2016).) . The company had obtained a good means of friction reduction in its machines. FriCSo was to use a business model and develop innovation to counter the dynamic problem being encountered and develop the dynamic solutions like continuous oiling and replacement of the worn out parts. The target industry was chosen to commercialize on the companies products. The firm therefore was to form a model that could help them in deciding whether to manufacturer, resources to be used and highlight activities involved. Also the procedure of partnership in case the partner needs to collaborate with other companies (Stamhuis, 2013). FriCSo therefore, having a template of guiding principles, was able to venture in the dynamic economy. Zott, (2013) gives a clear and elaborate means of designing and adopting a business model .The identification of the design elements and theme forms basis of designing a business model. The problem identification and conceptualizing ideas towards solving the problem is best managed using a business model. Also it highlights clearly the procedure of a business model in partnership and innovation process to help in coping with the need for value creation but not how is acquired. The above reasons have helped me to appreciate Zott and Amit article in understanding of the business model as a system and its importance. Also Zott and Amit have explained the business model as an activity based system rather than optimization (where all the activities are done according to the model and not deciding whether to outsource or get from within the organization) (Zott, 2015). It also explains how mangers can develop business models that help in the current and future situation management of the business. In conclusion this model forms basis of: activities as a key role in conceptualization of proposed models, use of a system level approach in understanding what the firm is to do, understanding that business model is an emerging issue and development of model that explains the needs of the organization at a given point in time. This forms basis of the development of a business model for the future researchers and managers who are to develop a business model. References Bocken, N. M. (2014). A literature and practice review to develop sustainable business model archetypes. Journal of cleaner production, 42-56. Chen, T. F. (2011).). Implementing new business models in for-profit and non-profit organizations: Technologies and applications. Glauner, F. ( (2016).). . Future viability, business models, and values: Strategy, business management and economy in disruptive markets. In Baden, F. C. (2015). Business models and modelling. Kasabov, E. . ( (2012)). . The compliance business and its customers: Gainging competitive advantage by controlling your customers. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Malhotra, Y. ((2000)). Knowledge management and business model innovatio. . Hershey, Pa. [u.a.: Idea Group Publishing. Morris, M. S. (2015). Is the business model a useful strategic concept? Conceptual, theoretical, and empirical insights. Journal of Small Business Strategy, 27-50. Stamhuis, B. . (2013). . Merging the concepts of design thinking and business model innovation: Opportunities for Philips to design new business model. Zott, C. . ( (2015). Business model innovation: toward a process perspective. The Oxford Handbook of Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, 395. Zott, C. . ((2013). The business model: A theoretically anchored robust construct for strategic analysis. Strategic Organization, 403-411.

Ideas Are Tools Essays - American Brands, Compaq, Tool,

Ideas are Tools" I have found that the power process #1 "Ideas are Tools" is the most important learning process that a person can use to reach the level of a master student. This idea suggest that you treat ideas as tools and that each new idea that the text has to offer should be used and evaluated as to it's effectiveness. Imagine that a new idea is a hammer. You want to take this hammer and use it to see if it will do the job that you want to complete. If it doesn't work for you save the tool for future use and try another tool that might handle the job better. Consider the textbook as a toolbox and it contains the entire tools you need to use to become a master student. You want to test each idea yourself. Don't look for right or wrong with a new idea instead look for its potential value and how you can test it. Remember that, ideas are for using not believing. I have a friend that is a mechanic that I admire and trust very much. He always impresses me whenever he works on one of our cars. He has a large selection of tools in his toolbox at his disposal that he has accumulated over time by performing many different types of repair jobs and each one may require a different tool to make the job easier. He has also gained his knowledge through formal training or by learning on his own over a period of time. The point is that he has learned that his tools help him do different jobs and it not only speeds up the repair process but it makes it easier for him when he uses the right tools. New ideas are like tools, use them to see if they will help you do a job faster or easier. "If it works use it. If it doesn't don't." Be like a mechanic store your tools because you never know what the next job you have to perform might require you to use. This first power process also suggest that you can expand your toolbox by looking for answers. Education is about finding answers to questions so don't stop searching out answers or you will stop learning. Don't be afraid to take a risk and try to look for more answers even if you think you have found the right one. This concept goes back to one of our five values to college success, risk taking. Actually, you could say that if you practice this power process, "Ideas are Tools", you would use all five values to college success: focused attention, self-responsibility, risk taking, integrity, and contributions. As I go through each new chapter I am able to take each new power process and try it out to see if I can use it to help me in my other classes. It has been thirty years since I was in school and the new learning tools being offered in this course has helped me adjust quickly and efficiently to this new college experience. I am able to evaluate new ideas, decide if it helps me or not, and remember them so I can refer to it later when a situation might call for that particular process. I feel if everyone would use this first process that it makes a great foundation to build your education on and help you become a master student. Normal Normal Heading 1 Heading 1 Default Paragraph Font Default Paragraph Font Body Text Body Text Compaq User2C:\windows\TEMP\AutoRecovery save of Document1.asd Compaq User2C:\windows\TEMP\AutoRecovery save of Document1.asd Compaq User#C:\My Documents\Ideas are Tools.doc Compaq User#C:\My Documents\Ideas are Tools.doc Compaq User#C:\My Documents\Ideas are Tools.doc Compaq User#C:\My Documents\Ideas are Tools.doc Compaq User#C:\My Documents\Ideas are Tools.doc Compaq User#C:\My Documents\Ideas are Tools.doc Compaq User#C:\My Documents\Ideas are Tools.doc Compaq User#C:\My Documents\Ideas are Tools.doc Compaq User#C:\My Documents\Ideas are Tools.doc Compaq User#C:\My Documents\Ideas are Tools.doc Compaq User#C:\My Documents\Ideas are Tools.doc Times New Roman Times New Roman Symbol Symbol Compaq User Compaq User Compaq User Compaq User Compaq User Normal Compaq User Microsoft Word 8.0 Compaq _PID_GUID {23D1B1E9-7EF8-11D2-9507-444553540000} {23D1B1E9-7EF8-11D2-9507-444553540000} Root Entry 1Table 1Table WordDocument WordDocument SummaryInformation SummaryInformation DocumentSummaryInformation DocumentSummaryInformation CompObj CompObj ObjectPool ObjectPool Microsoft Word Document MSWordDoc Word.Document.8

Crimes and Trials of Lyle and Erik Menendez

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.