How can we see architecture as a form or median that merges humanity Thesis

How can we see architecture as a form or median that merges humanity and nature - Thesis Example 122). Since time immemorial, several societies of the world have been known to honor sculptures and other forms of architectural designs as their gods; the Chinese and ancient Japanese societies being the best point of reference. As a matter of fact, their places of worship had specific architectural designs. This was evidence enough of the close relationship that existed between architecture and humanity (Brebbia, 2012, p. 71). Before the World War I, architectural designs were not necessarily buildings. Monuments stood in large cities and significant laces like museums and attraction sites. They added to the beauty of sceneries and made nature admirable. That notwithstanding, these designs reminded people of the significance of nature and. They were also a direct reminder of the fact that nature ought to be protected by humanity. For this reason, people remained connected with nature courtesy of the architectural designs of the times. The warm relationship between nature and architecture began deteriorating after the Second World War and the cold war that came thereafter. The Great Depression of the United States of America also contributed to the degradation of the closeness that existed between nature and architecture. People were more oriented to business and improving their economic statuses as opposed to observing the importance of nature. Every architectural design began to take the direction of business. The architectural designs of this period and periods that followed were therefore no longer associated with neither nature nor humanity but how people would get money out of them. This then marked the beginning of the disconnection between nature, humanity and architecture. Humanity and nature have lost connection and this can be seen from the early periods of romanticism in which there was a protest against the impending scientific rationalization of nature. This was dated to the 18th century

Recruitment and Selection Strategies Essay Example for Free

Recruitment and Selection Strategies Essay rganizational goals: Mr. Stonefield, when choosing applicants that will be suitable matches for your limousine service can be accomplish by ensuring that you hire those individual that share similar views, values, and beliefs. By doing this you will not only benefit the company, you will see greater productivity from your employees and most of all loyal, long-term employees that express their satisfaction. If both Mr. Stonefield (the business) and the employee parallel in their thoughts, views, and strategic goals, there will be an aspiration for each individual to see through to the needs of their coworkers as well as the desire to see the business survive and thrive. Mr. Stonefield you will find that an employee will be loyal and give there 100%. Forecasted demographic changes: An analysis of projected workforce needs for the next 5 years will need to be based on the businesses goals as well as demographic changes to both the work force, economy as well as industrialization. By identifying and following the trends of the economy, work force and unemployment rates will assist the business in predicting changes to come. By knowing these trends Landslide Limousine Services may be able to stay one step ahead of its competitors. Workforce diversity objectives: In order for Landslide Limousine Services business to be triumphant and survive the initial start-up, the workforce must be diverse enough to compliment the targeted market and consumer base. With the marriage of the employees and the business goals it shows the consumers of this passenger transportation business that Landslide Limousine Services are striving to match individual interests. A survey and gain insight as to their patrons’ views and patterns. Drivers and chauffeurs will be able to customize and individualize the service they offer by knowing  their clientele. An example that comes to mind would be: a client is in Austin for business. This client enjoys theater productions. If a driver knows the likes and dislikes of his or her client then they can do research on what productions are happening during their clients stay and offer the information about what is going on in Austin. It is the belief that there are three elements in setting the motion for Mr. Stonefield’s business: First, Landslide Limousine should establish a strong commitment to the diversity in the workplace. This commitment needs to begin at the top and weaved within and through all employees who work for the company. It is advisable that Landslide’s senior and upper management model the behavior therefore showing that they are in full support and respect of diversity in the workplace. Second, Landslide will need to understand and gain a precise insight to the businesses eagerness to move forward and keeping in touch with up to date demographics of the industry and the cultural diversity. Mr. Stonefield and his team must develop a workforce profile. By doing this they will gain an understanding of the workforce and the potential hiring pool. By profiling the workforce and the potential hiring pool allows for complete diversity that will be beneficial to all crucial positions and organizational elements. By researching and monitoring trends and workforce reports published quarterly and annually are great resources and sources of data in regards to employment movement. Researching social networks and potential employees can prove to be useful when making employment decisions and offers. Affirming that the employee are of the caliber both personally and professionally that Landslide wants as part of the team. The outcome would be gaining a professional and a precise view of a company’s demographic profile. By combining and comparing this information will assist in planning and Landslide’s workforce model. This information will also assist Landslide in predicting potential future prospects for recruitment, hiring, and retention. Organizational branding: Landslide unlike any other business will need to frequently examine and revisit their organizations corporate strategy, mission, image, and activities which will contribute to their organizational branding. Organizational branding is what a business exclusive and distinctive. This in itself will create distinguishing factors that will set itself apart from the competitors. By using and exploiting these methods and procedures, Landslide will be able to place its  professionalism, persona and look in the mind of its clientele, potential clients and employees and thus creating and establishing an image that is transparent in wh at Landslide is and why it exists. Methods for recruiting candidates: Initially, due to the fact that Landslide is a new business Mr. Stonefield will not be able to utilize the method of internal sourcing. However once the business is established and services are rendered Landslide will then be able to incorporate the process of internal sourcing for recruiting candidates. Internal sourcing consists of posting the vacated or new position in an easily and highly visible area within a business for current employees to view. Internal sourcing is a very valuable tool to use as it utilizes the internal candidate pool and is a cost saving measure for the business as current employees are at present employees of the company and is acquainted and accustomed to the culture of the business and allows the employee a feeling of â€Å"climbing the ladder† thus creating success for the employee as there will be little to no training and orientation for the new position. There is a potential disadvantage to internal sourcing, there may be a chance of stagnation as it does not allow for the potential for fresh new ideas that external sourcing may bring. Therefore it would be post haste of the marketing department to keep up with changes in the market and knowing what other similar businesses are doing. As stated above another potential recruiting method is external sourcing. External sourcing focusing on utilizing outside sources for advertising for candidates. Landslide may want to advertise job openings and postings in the newspapers, local papers, Craig’s list, online,- internet job services, use local job boards and trade publication announcements. Examples of online job posting sites are LinkedIn, Craig’s List, Texas Job Services, Monster.com and CareerBuilders.com. External sourcing has many advantages as it is not limited to a captive audience, meaning current employees. It also allows for new views, thoughts and ideas in this ever changing business market and workforce. External sourcing also has its disadvantages, that starting with a new employee means cost are incurred to train and orient them. It will take time for the new hire to learn the culture, ins and outs of the business. There needs to be a screening process during the initial application process that will screen out the individuals that would not be a fit for the company as well as screen out those individuals that would be a  fit the company and its organizational culture. Another option is third-party sourcing. This sourcing makes use of job placement agency to find qualified job candidates. The similar recruiting processes are used for third-party Sourcing as does external sourcing. However, one major difference is that a job placement agency is not a direct part of Landslide business itself. Landslide contracts with job placement agency(ies) to help identify potential qualified candidates. Third-party sourcing has its advantages: it will save Landslide time and funds by identifying qualified candidates. Another advantage is that Landslide may be able to minimize their human resources department so that HR employees can focus on hiring and training of the new hires. Dependent on the turnover rate of the company’s employees, Landslide may want to entertain the idea of identifying when hiring should be made. This may be a process that is identified after one to two years of operations. By pinpointing norming and trends within the business will assist in recognizing when there is a higher need to fill positions. If possible to limit the times of hiring to only a certain period of time(s) during the year. Landslide will want to take into consideration its growth and level of employee turnover as well as the cost of contracting with a hiring agency that it may be appropriate to fluctuate between internal and external sourcing. There are also a number of other potential avenues of recruiting potential employees such as recruiting individuals that are retired and of retirement ages, contacting vocational rehabilitation services to employ individuals with disabilities, college fairs, job fairs and high school vocational classes. Methods for screening candidates: There and multiple steps in the screening process. The initial screening conducted is during the internal, external sourcing the process is quick and unrefined selection method. Candidates submit applications and references. This screening process reviews the application, references and conducts background checks as well as interviews. Selection of candidates is time intensive as its process is more detailed and comprehensive than the initial screening. The actual selection process gives HR and the hiring managers a fuller view and insight of candidates by observing the individuals behavior. This behavioral screening can be obtained via having the candidate partake in a number of assessments such as job skills test and face to face interviews and gathering information as to the candidates’  character through reference and background checks. Interview methods: There are many types of interview methods that Landslide could use. However the below are some suggested methods: 1) The first being a behavior-based interview: Through behavior-based interviews, Landslide will be able to gain insight about the candidate by asking scenario based or direct questions describing examples and situations they may have experienced and how they handled themselves. These interview questions give light to behaviors in past employment(s) allowing Landslide to potentially predict future behaviors. 2) Situational Interviews: Having candidate answer interview questions of a hypothetical nature. Testing procedures: Below are various testing method suggestions: 1) Ability tests: Tests the mental clerical, mechanical, physical, or technical ability to perform the essential functions of the job. 2) Knowledge tests: Measures candidates’ job-specific knowledge about the position. 3) Personality Inventories: Due to the need for some of Landslide’s personnel to be extraverted. For example an extremely introverted individual may not be a good match in driving individuals to and from their destinations. The position involve one on one human interaction. 4) Performance/Work sample tests: Test the candidate on actual work environment and performance. Interview process considerations: 1.Landslide should avoid illegal discrimination: As Mr. Stonefield stated he expects to hire 25 employees. It will be imperative that Landslide develop a working knowledge of all anti-discrimination laws and rules. Federal law prohibits discriminating on the basis of race, gender, pregnancy, national origin, religion, disability, and age. However Landslide will also become knowledgeable of local and state requirements to protect against discrimination. 2.Applicants have a right to privacy it is advisable that Landslide avoid asking questions that would infringe rights to privacy. Such questions are about race, parentage and marital status 3.Landslide must follow federal and state guidelines and rules in regards to hiring immigrants. Landslide should ensure that they hire individuals that are documented citizens or legal aliens. Applicants must complete federally  required documents such as I-9’s and W-4’s with supporting evidence. Landslide must make copies and inspect employee provided supporting documents to make sure they are legal and binding. Methods for selecting candidates: Since Landslide is a new business in the Austin, Texas area that they should start with advertising their job openings. The applicant selection begins through recruitment, either external sourcing or third party sourcing. At this point all resumes and applications are screened for only those qualified to continue to the next step. Those candidates are then interviewed. The next step begin with making contact with the applicant by telephone asking the applicant to commit to an in person interview. This initial telephone contact is one of many first impressions. Once the applicant interviews and passes they go forward to the testing portion of the hiring process. Building diversity within Landslide Limousine Services will be extremely important. This will potentially widen the clientele base worldwide. When a client knows that the business is multilingual and culturally savvy. The clients will respect and patron Landslides services over and over again. Landslide will also be viewed as being a diverse workplace that honors all races and ethnicities. Various laws that must be considered when hiring – especially in a diverse workforce would be: The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 Family and the Medical Leave Act of 1993 and Sexual Harassment. References Cascio, Wayne F. (2013). Managing Human Resources: Productivity, Quality of Work Life, Profits (Ninth Edition). New York, NY. University of Phoenix (2013). Week Six Difficult Concepts. Retrieved on Saturday, December 14, 2013 at: https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/Materials/IP/curriculum/sb/HRM531/week_6_video.asp

Discrepancy in Media Coverage Essay -- Communication, Influence on Peop

Discrepancy in Media Coverage Name: Course: College: Tutor: Date: Discrepancy in Media Coverage More boys than girls indulge in sports activities in school. This has become a huge source of concern. Male students take active part in sports activities. Girls on the other hand shun such activities. There has been a link between media coverage and the indulgence of girls in sporting activities in schools. This is primarily because; television and other media show sports as a preserve of men. As a result there are few females in the sporting activities on media. Hence female students never have role models to ape in sports. Boys find several sources of, motivation to participate in sports. However, the discrepancy in media coverage is getting better with time. There is a realization of the importance of balanced attention with regard to gender in sports programs. Therefore there are increased efforts to ensure that several sport program s show women participating in games. This will lead to a better perception of sports by girls. Eventually, girls will change their attitude about s ports. The paper takes a keen look at the entire perspective of media coverage and its corresponding effect on the participation of girls in sports activities. Media forums have always been instrumental in preparing a platform for the activities of the society. With regard to sports, it has been often been perceived as a preserve of males. Therefore, supporting programs in television and other forms of media have always featured males. Hence females have been left out. According to my experience as a specialist in the development of children, there is a need for a very positive and active partnership as far as the care of a chi... ...ke sure all of them are on the same page. To instill the culture of working together, Employers should establish that teams are groups that collaborate and share skills in effort to reach common objectives and goals that benefit the overall performance of the company. Every worker should have a different rough idea of what makes a good team. To run and operate efficiently, communication should be open between the employees and the management of the firm. When all of these are implemented, maximization of business values is almost guaranteed. Therefore, the presentation of media has a lot of influence on how people perceive reality. There have been several efforts to put an end to the discrepancy in media. As a result, there has been a significant change in the manner of presenting sports in media outlets. As a matter of fact, media discrepancy is getting better.

Masculinity

Epic heroes like Achilles, Odysseus, and Aenas were warrior-type males who fought enemies and wars with great strength and exceptional courage.   Most of the time they had little regard for their own personal safety.   That, particularly characterized Achilles.   Odysseus on the other hand was cautious and wise.   He was a complex and strategic thinker.   Aenas had a deep devotion to God and would fight for his people and country. Those epic heroes were the image of masculinity.   They fought wars which they won.   They had great moral convictions.   They were strong and courageous.   They did not shrink from challenges, they instead charged forward for God, people and country.   They did not only capitalize on their physical strength, they had great minds as well. The long years in between periods of history saw the transformation of the idea of masculinity from the time of the epic heroes to the modern day masculinity.   However, on those times when, again, nations went to war, the ‘heroes’ in men once again surfaced.   They were aggressive and patriotic, and they sacrificed and felt honored by serving in the war. Different times had different norms.   The ‘war’ is now on athletics.   Physical strength was no longer for combat but it became healthy physique for athletics.   Athletes have to compete, whether it is against one’s self or an opponent.   Like in combat, they need to have the will to win, a strong character and of course, the fire of nationalism. Media has the most experience in defining and presenting masculinity.   They came up with stereotypes like: he has a sense of humor, he is aggressive, he is in control and is decisive, he is successful, and lastly he gets angry too, meaning he is being human. The perception or idea of masculinity do not seemed to have changed from the epic heroes, to the athletes at the Olympics and to the present-day or modern men.   Very evident, therefore significant are; love of God and country, courage, character and success as traits that truly make a man masculine. References: â€Å"Epic Traditions: the Hero–Homer to Virgil to Dante to Milton.† 13 November 2006. http://faculty.goucher.edu/eng211/epic_traditions_the_hero.ht â€Å"Common Stereotypes of Men in Media.†Ã‚   Media Stereotyping.   13 November 2006. â€Å"Characters of the Classical Epic.†Ã‚   13 November 2006. http://www174.pair.com/mja/epic.html Bourke, Dr. Joanna.   â€Å"The Image of Man.   The Creation of Modern Masculinity. By Professor George L. Mosse.† February 1997.   Updated 26 March 2002.   13 November 2006. http://www.history.ac.uk/reviews/paper/bourke.html   

Who am I and why do I want to be a social worker Essay

Just like most children, I had my fantasies and wishes of becoming a medical doctor so I could help alleviate the sufferings of many. Although this desire was not actualised as I ended up studying engineering but i always felt a big vacuum and an unquenchable desire which i couldn’t explain until I became a care support worker In my early years as a growing young girl in Africa, abuse and injustice happened on a daily basis and nothing was done about it. Female genital mutilation was a tradition and many female children died in the process. A tradition where women were treated like slaves, children suffered abuse and neglect and not even the government could stop it. Although I did not go through any of this because my parents were educated and civilised, but these horrible incidents happened right before me to those my friends, neighbours and relatives and the sight of these oppression and injustices broke my heart but being that I was only a child, I couldn’t intervene. However, this encounter kept playing like a video in my mind till now that is has become clearer that my pursuit of becoming a social worker will answer my many questions. My interest in pursuing this career was birthed when I worked alongside some charitable organisations in Nigeria during my National Youth Service. My service was in the health care setting where I had the opportunity to help people with diverse family problems, health challenges, domestic violence, rape etc, and liaising with other non-governmental agencies to work with the less advantaged to achieve better lives. This experience went a long way in healing my broken heart as a young innocent girl that grew up where injustice thrived. I have always been of the opinion that, if, everyone contributes positively towards the society by way of giving help and support where needed, this world will be a better place. I further developed a keen interest to train in this career over the years because of my work and experience as a support worker and work with young homeless people in Germany. As a support worker, I worked with older people with learning disabilities and supported them in their own homes and in residential settings. During my residence in Germany, I pioneered a charity organisation that was responsible to organise music concerts in the hospitals settings, residential homes for both the elderly and young people. I am deeply passionate, patient, and tolerant and enjoy the service of humanity. Since arriving here in UK, I have had the opportunity of working as a support worker and have further acquired and improved my skills in areas such as communication, psychology and total well-being of individuals. I have also been able to work effectively with older people with disabilities by providing continuous support to them. Being a support worker has also helped to improve my confidence, patience, interpersonal skills, and initiative. Supporting and empowering people have always been my passion and becoming a social worker will mean actualising my long awaited dream. According to Open University (2013) [internet], social work is a profession which aims to protect children and adult from harm whatever their age, gender and cultural background. Social work thrives on social justice which is based on the concept of equality, human right, fairness, mutual obligation in the society and helping to reduce poverty in the society. The latest issue on poverty according to Department for work and pension and Department of education (2013) [internet], there are almost 300,000 households in the UK where none of the adults has ever worked and 300,000 children with parents going through drug issues. What will become of these children being raised in such a precarious situation? To deal with these issues, there is a need for solving the problem from its root rather than approaching it on the surface. Helping these troubled families turn their lives around is paramount because children in such homes will have their chances of success reduced and this will be passed on to their next generation. I believe that while trying to improve the lives of adults and youths especially those with drug and alcoholic problems, helping children overcome poverty without waiting for it to escalate into bigger issues is appropriate. Family instability leads to poverty not just to the concerned families but to the whole nation in general. Social justice is also about making family, community and society function better without prejudice, oppression, discrimination and inequality, providing the support and tools to help make life more comfortable. Some of the challenges encountered in the society have its roots traceable to early life. Evidence suggests that children tend to enjoy better life, become successful, and thrive better both psychologically and developmentally when the same two parents are able to support and protect them through childhood stage. Attachment theory proves that the earliest bond between children and their parents have a tremendous long lasting impact that continues throughout their life time. How we are depends on how we experience this early relationship. Payne, M (2005). Another burning issue on my mind is people with disabilities and how they are being treated. Having an African background, my experience with children with disability is heart breaking. Africa has one of the largest populations of children with disabilities in the world. Their predicament which is swept under the carpet is also characterised by an exclusion from social service, inaccessible infrastructure as well as neglect and abuse. In fact, there’s no program or assistance for the disabled in Africa both old and young. Taken into consideration that we live in a diverse society where we encounter people with different culture, backgrounds, race, believes, values etc, there’s every need to accommodate, tolerate and celebrate each other regardless of these differences. As a would be social worker, I intend facilitating change in some areas where lesser attention is paid. I am very passionate about family welfare and ensuring healthy relationship between children and their parents. I will ensure that I put into practice the social work values and ethics which will be acquired during my course of study combining it with my own values.

The Basics of an Experiment

The Basics of an Experiment Science is concerned with experiments and experimentation, but do you know what exactly an experiment is? Heres a look at what an experiment is... and isnt! Key Takeaways: Experiments An experiment is a procedure designed to test a hypothesis as part of the scientific method.The two key variables in any experiment are the independent and dependent variables. The independent variable is controlled or changed to test its effects on the dependent variable.Three key types of experiments are controlled experiments, field experiments, and natural experiments. What Is an Experiment?  The Short Answer In its simplest form, an experiment is simply the test of a hypothesis. Experiment Basics The experiment is the foundation of the scientific method, which is a systematic means of exploring the world around you. Although some experiments take place in laboratories, you could perform an experiment anywhere, at any time. Take a look at the steps of the scientific method: Make observations.Formulate a hypothesis.Design and conduct an experiment to test the hypothesis.Evaluate the results of the experiment.Accept or reject the hypothesis.If necessary, make and test a new hypothesis. Types of Experiments Natural Experiments: A natural experiment also is called a quasi-experiment. A natural experiment involves making a prediction or forming a hypothesis and then gathering data by observing a system. The variables are not controlled in a natural experiment.Controlled Experiments: Lab experiments are controlled experiments, although you can perform a controlled experiment outside of a lab setting! In a controlled experiment, you compare an experimental group with a control group. Ideally, these two groups are identical except for one variable, the independent variable.Field Experiments: A field experiment may be either a natural experiment or a controlled experiment. It takes place in a real-world setting, rather than under lab conditions. For example, an experiment involving an animal in its natural habitat would be a field experiment. Variables in an Experiment Simply put, a variable is anything you can change or control in an experiment. Common examples of variables include temperature, duration of the experiment, composition of a material, amount of light, etc. There are three kinds of variables in an experiment: controlled variables, independent variables and dependent variables. Controlled variables, sometimes called constant variables are variables that are kept constant or unchanging. For example, if you are doing an experiment measuring the fizz released from different types of soda, you might control the size of the container so that all brands of soda would be in 12-oz cans. If you are performing an experiment on the effect of spraying plants with different chemicals, you would try to maintain the same pressure and maybe the same volume when spraying your plants. The independent variable is the one factor that you are changing. It is one factor because usually in an experiment you try to change one thing at a time. This makes measurements and interpretation of the data much easier. If you are trying to determine whether heating water allows you to dissolve more sugar in the water then your independent variable is the temperature of the water. This is the variable you are purposely controlling. The dependent variable is the variable you observe, to see whether it is affected by your independent variable. In the example where you are heating water to see if this affects the amount of sugar you can dissolve, the mass or volume of sugar (whichever you choose to measure) would be your dependent variable. Examples of Things That Are Not Experiments Making a model volcano.Making a poster.Trying something, just to see what happens. On the other hand, making observations or trying something, after making a prediction about what you expect will happen, is a type of experiment. Sources Bailey, R.A. (2008). Design of Comparative Experiments. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521683579.Beveridge, William I. B., The Art of Scientific Investigation. Heinemann, Melbourne, Australia, 1950.di Francia, G. Toraldo (1981). The Investigation of the Physical World. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-29925-X.Hinkelmann, Klaus and Kempthorne, Oscar (2008). Design and Analysis of Experiments, Volume I: Introduction to Experimental Design (Second ed.). Wiley. ISBN 978-0-471-72756-9.Shadish, William R.; Cook, Thomas D.; Campbell, Donald T. (2002). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for generalized causal inference (Nachdr. ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0-395-61556-9.

Famous Celebrity Trials and Court Cases

Famous Celebrity Trials and Court Cases Even the rich and famous can find themselves in trouble with the law. Being a celebrity in the United States does not protect you from the pursuit of justice. Nor does it protect you from becoming a crime victim. These stories give the timeline of criminal investigations and trials of cases involving celebrities. Some of the cases are closed and adjudicated, while others are still on-going. The Death of Michael Jackson On June 25, 2009, less than a month before he was scheduled to begin a series of comeback concerts, paramedics were called to Michael Jacksons rented home in Holby Hills near Los Angeles where they found him unconscious and not responding. The Trial of Michael Jackson Pop singer Michael Jackson faced charges of conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion, three counts of committing lewd acts upon a child, attempted lewd acts upon a child, and four counts of administering intoxicating agents to assist in the commission of a felony. The Legal Saga of O.J. Simpson On Sept. 13, 2007, Simpson and four other men entered a Las Vegas casino hotel room where some of his sports memorabilia were being offered for sale by two collectors. Police arrested O.J. Simpson on kidnapping and armed robbery charges. The Robert Blake Case Robert Blake faced trial for the murder of Bonny Lee Bakley and soliciting two other men to kill her. Bakley, 44, was shot to death on May 4, 2001, as she sat in Blakes sports car behind a restaurant where the couple had just dined. The Phil Spector Case Legendary rock and roll music producer Phil Spector was charged with the fatal shooting of former actress Lana Clarkston Feb. 3, 2003, at his Los Angeles mansion. The Jennifer Hudson Family Murders On October 24, 2008, the bodies of Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Hudsons mother and brother were found in the familys home on Chicagos South Side. Shot to death were Hudsons mother, Darnell Donerson, and her brother, Jason Hudson. The Legal Troubles of Joe Francis Joe Francis, who has made millions from his Girls Gone Wild videos and magazines, has found himself entangled in legal trouble in civil and criminal courts on the state and federal levels. The Kobe Bryant Case Professional basketball star Kobe Bryant, 24, was charged with a single count of felony sexual assault against a 19-year-old woman at an exclusive spa where he was staying when he came to Colorado for knee surgery in the summer of 2003.