Wednesday, December 25, 2019

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson - 823 Words

Throughout the work of Langston Hughes, and the documentary film, â€Å"The Lottery†, you find many similarities, and differences from today’s society and acceptance of black Americans. In today’s society these works and many others of the Harlem Renaissance era still hold true, but the most important is the African Americans reliance on God. In, â€Å" I too†, by Langston Hughes wrote in 1922 is about a presumably young black man is stating that he too is an American and one day everyone will treat him as such. â€Å"I am the dark brother, they send me to eat in the kitchen but I laugh, and eat well and grow strong.† (Hughes, 1922). This work shows how even through diversity, enslavement, discrimination, and torture the black man one day will prevail, and has held onto the hope that his reliance on God will bring him and his people through that one say they will be treated as equal. â€Å"Besides they’ll see how beautiful I am and be asha med- I too, am America.† (Hughes, 1922). This fight is still prevalent today because the â€Å"presumably† a black man is considered dangerous because of his neighborhood, upbringing, or because of the past told to them from long ago. When in all actuality that black man is just one that was raised in a rough neighborhood just trying to find a way to climb up the economic ladder so that he and his family will not have to same life he did. But though all of that black Americans still cling to God in hope that one day he will truly be seen as equal. â€Å"TheShow MoreRelatedThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson1195 Words   |  5 PagesOn the surface, Shirley Jackson’s short story, â€Å"The Lottery,† reads as a work of horror. There is a village that holds an annual lottery where the winner is stoned to death so the village and its people could prosper. Some underlying themes include: the idea that faith and tradition are often followed blindly, and those who v eer away from tradition are met with punishment, as well as the idea of a herd mentality and bystander apathy. What the author manages to do successfully is that she actuallyRead MoreThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson757 Words   |  4 Pagessucceed but many fail just like the main character Tessie Hutchinson in Shirley Jackson’s short story â€Å"The Lottery†. When someone hears the word â€Å"lottery†, he or she may think that someone will be rewarded with prize. But â€Å"The Lottery† By Shirley Jackson is different than what one thinks. In the story, a lottery is going to be conducted not like Mega Million or Powerball one play here. In the story, the person who wins the lottery is stoned to death instead of being rewarded with the prize. TessieRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson931 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1948 Shirley Jackson composed the controversial short story â€Å"The Lottery.† Generally speaking, a title such as â€Å"The Lotteryâ⠂¬  is usually affiliated with an optimistic outlook. However, Jackson’s approach is quite unorthodox and will surely leave readers contemplating the intent of her content. The story exposes a crude, senseless lottery system in which random villagers are murdered amongst their peers. Essentially, the lottery system counteracts as a form of population control, but negatives easilyRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson1504 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson In The Lottery Shirley Jackson fills her story with many literary elements to mask the evil. The story demonstrates how it is in human nature to blindly follow traditions. Even though some people have no idea why they follow these traditions. The title of the story plays a role in how Shirley Jackson used some literary elements to help mask the evils and develop the story. The title â€Å"The Lottery† serves as an allegory. When people think of the lottery majorityRead More`` The Lottery `` By Shirley Jackson894 Words   |  4 Pagesshort story â€Å"The Lottery†, author Shirley Jackson demonstrates Zimbardo’s concepts in three different areas: Authority figures, Tradition and Superstition, and Loyalty. The first concept Jackson portrays in â€Å"The Lottery† is the authority figures. Jackson indicates that the lottery is being held in the town center by one authority figure, Mr. Summers, annually on June 27th. Every June 27th, without fail, townspeople gather in the town square to participate in the annually lottery even though mostRead MoreThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson1510 Words   |  7 PagesShirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† illustrates several aspects of the darker side of human nature. The townspeople in Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† unquestioningly adhere to a tradition which seems to have lost its relevance in their lives. The ritual that is the lottery shows how easily and willingly people will give up their free will and suspend their consciences to conform to tradition and people in authority. The same mindless complacency and obedience shown by the villagers in Jackson’s story are seenRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson8 11 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† was published by Shirley Jackson. The story was true expression of Jackson’s genuine thoughts about human beings and their heinous competence in an annual village event for corn harvest . First, her used to word symbolized main point of the story. Second, Jackson was inspired by few historical events happened in the past and a life incident in her life. Lastly, She was able to accomplish the connection between historical and biographical with the story. Therefore, Shirley Jackson’sRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson934 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson signifies the physical connection between the villagers and their unwillingness to give up their tradition. â€Å"The Lottery† is very unpredictable and quite misleading. The black box has no functionality, except every June 27th. Shirley Jackson depicts the black box as an important and traditional tool. Although the villagers in â€Å"The Lottery† are terrified of the goal of the lottery and the black box, they are unwilling to let go of the tradition. Shirley Jackson portraysRead MoreThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson799 Words   |  4 Pagesthe mood and to foreshadow of things to come. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is a story in which the setting sets up the reader to think of positive outcomes. However, this description of the setting foreshadows exactly the opposite of what is to come. In addition, the theme that we learn of at the end leads us to think of where the sanity of some human beings lies. The story begins with the establishment of the setting. To begin, Shirley Jackson tells the reader what time of day and what time ofRead MoreThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson1764 Words   |  7 Pagesfilled with excitement and eeriness, leaving the reader speechless. The Lottery , a short story written by famous writer Shirley Jackson, created an uproar on June 26, 1948, when it was published in the magazine The New Yorker (Ball). The gothic thriller, set in an unknown time and place, shares the tradition of a small town, a little larger than three hundred people, in which a drawing is held once a year. In this â€Å"Lottery,† each family’s husband draws a slip of paper from a black box. The husband

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Stress and Troubled Adolescents Essay example - 757 Words

Adolescents today are growing up in a totally different setting than the generation before them. New problems and choices are entering these young, and influential kids lives. There are a lot of different factors in children’s lives that weren’t as common one generation ago. Adolescents today are filled with stress due to everyday problems in their lives. There are many factors that are playing into all of this stress put on children. One of these factors is divorce, one-parent families. Since 1960, the divorce rate has almost doubled. Almost one half of all marriages end in divorce. With this, about one quarter of all births are to unmarried women. Adolescents growing up in a single parent family are more likely to try†¦show more content†¦It makes them vulnerable to peer pressure. They tend to be more daring and experimental, and they fail to think about the physical attributes that come into play. Like having unprotected sex, doing drugs, smoking, and drinking alcohol. These could have a major affect on their physical, and even mental state of being. The really sad thing is that the kids don’t even understand what they are doing to themselves. They are caught up in a world of separation, and aggression. Adolescents with all of these problems and aggression have been known to bring on some of the most violent crimes in the country. This is a very scary scenario, as we are still in the wake of the Columbine shooting. Many children are taking out there stress by bringing guns to school; this is a major problem in our society. If kids aren’t feeling safe at school, there is something very wrong. According to our â€Å"Searching For Great Ideas† book, the homicide rate among adolescents with firearms doubled from 1985 to 1992. (23) There is a very simple solution to these adolescent’s problems, and it’s parents. It is easy for everyone to point the finger at violent movies, video games, or television. These wouldn’t even be a factor if they had loving and caring parents to let them know what is right and what is wrong. By giving these kids attention, they begin to feel a sense of importance and reason in life. It suppresses the feeling of loneliness, and also lowers theShow MoreRelatedPsychosocial Factors That Affect Adolescent s Behavior876 Words   |  4 Pages Psychosocial Crisis in Adolescents Adolescence is an interesting stage of development and is the fifth stage of Erikson stages of development .According to Erikson adolescence is a time of searching for one’s own identity and developing a sense of autonomy. Trying on different â€Å"selves† is a common mental and behavioral activity of adolescents who are in the process of developing an internally anchored sense of who they are, rather than defining themselves by what others think or expect of themRead MoreDepression in Our Youth682 Words   |  3 PagesMany teenagers and adolescents experience major depression in America today. True depression is the effect of a chemical imbalance in the brain that cannot be helped. It can also be caused by a certain traumatic event or a bunch of smaller negative events. The third leading cause of death with teenagers is suicide, caused from major depression. Teenagers suffer from depression for various reasons; including difficulties in school, peer-pressure, troubles with their home life, or relationship issuesRead MoreThe Positive Effects Of Music1382 Words   |  6 Pagesthen point out that even though music had a lot of positive effects, we cant forget about the negative ones. The effect that popular music has on childrens and adolescents behavior and emotions is of paramount concern. There is particular concern related to the lyrics of some genres of music and their effect on children and adolescents. Lyrics have become more explicit in their references to drugs, sex, and violence over the years. Lyrics of some music genres, such as rock, heavy metal, rap, andRead MorePreventing Teen Substance Abuse Within Rural Areas1205 Words   |  5 Pagesinto trouble (Lohmann, 2010). Public programs and activities provide a healthy outlet for these potentially troubled teens and are a necessary facet of any environment. There is a direct correlation between lack of community supported recreation and teen drug abuse; by developing an array of activiti es and support systems in rural areas it is possible to decrease the likelihood that adolescents will use substances, unfortunately introducing programs into rural areas comes with many challenges. RuralRead More Adolescence: Stress, Depression, and Suicide Essay1309 Words   |  6 Pagesstage of childhood is influenced by stress, depression, and suicide rate. Some people support the optimistic view that says that adolescence is not a period of storm and stress. Others, including me, support an opposite pessimistic view which characterizes adolescence as a period of stress and inner turmoil. Unfortunately, it has been recently proved that depression is a growing problem in todays society and a major contributing factor for a multitude of adolescent problems. This is because , as researchRead MoreAdolescence Essay 101357 Words   |  6 Pagesstage of childhood is influenced by stress, depression, and suicide rate. Some people support the optimistic view that says that adolescence is not a period of storm and stress. Others, including me, support an opposite pessimistic view which characterizes adolescence as a period of stress and inner turmoil. Unfortunately, it has been re cently proved that depression is a growing problem in today s society and a major contributing factor for a multitude of adolescent problems. This is because , as researchRead MoreHow Divorce Affects The Children917 Words   |  4 Pagesthinking, because the stress of one parent being absent may cause anxiety. Without the structured stability of a two parent home the majority of children from broken homes tend to lead troubled lives. Most of the children involved tend to have troubled lives as they get older. Dropping out of school, unemployment, and social anxiety are just a few of the impacts on those whose parents may have split-up. As Carl E. Pickhardt writes in The Impact of Divorce on Young Children and Adolescents the struggles ofRead MoreThe Influence of Childhood Mental Disorders On the Quality of Public Education1037 Words   |  5 Pageswith some sort of mental disorder. Fortunately, it is usually not as serious as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, but nonetheless it is a great stress for both the kid, their family and people around them. According to the reports by the U. S. Surgeon General and the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health (2010), four million children and adolescents in this country suffer from a serious mental disorder that causes significant functional impairments at home, at school and with peers. Of childrenRead MoreRelational Reframe ( 1 Session ) Essay926 Words   |  4 Pages1. Relational Reframe (1 session) -Shifting the family’s view of treatment from focusing on the adolescent as â€Å"the problem† to enhancement of family relationships as an important part of the solution. -Task 1 begins with the therapist orienting the family to session and treatment goals -e.g., â€Å"I’d like to spend some time today getting to know each of you, who you are, what you like to do, and then I’d like to find out more about what has brought you to treatment, your understanding about [adolescent’s]Read MoreWhat Makes A Good Friendship?1533 Words   |  7 Pages Abstract While opposing in differences, a wide variety of perspectives merge on the fact that adolescent friendships are good for development. Research studies have shown a low status of younger adolescents being at risk for having a lot of negative outcomes, but there have been little found on the focused qualities of â€Å"youths relations with peers†. Our youths that reported that having a close relationship with someone creates higher self-esteem, it makes them create better relationships with

Monday, December 9, 2019

Dog of Dow Strategy

Question: Discuss about the Dog of Dow Strategy. Answer: Introduction: The current research examines the popular Dog of the Dow strategy by evaluating the risk and return. This is made through application of the principles behind the strategy to the Hang Seng Index (HSI) and Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI) from the years 2003-2012. The back-testing outcome signifies that this particular strategy has been conventionally famous amongst the community of investment by outperforming the benchmark successfully, which is the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The outperformance in Dogs of HIS has been only observed. By comparison, the Dogs of HSCEI have failed to overrun the standard in the previously mentioned time horizon. The discrepancy of outcome has been attributed to the fact that the mainland counterparts (A-shares) highly affect the constituents of HSCEI. It is observed that the mainland market of China is a growth play, which has restricted the progress of the principle of value investment underlying the strategy of Dogs. History of Dogs of the Dow: The Dogs of the Dow has gained the polarity among the investment community because of its straightforward, understandable and prudent performance (He 2014). In addition, the long outperformance in comparison to the index of benchmark, The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is another reason behind the growing popularity of the Dogs strategy. Dogs strategy is an application of investment value, which criticises that the undervalued stocks have purchasing opportunities, which are probable to bring back to their fair prices. This provides the investors with an opportunity of earning favourable returns. However, hrberg, Schnknecht and sterberg (2014) argued that using dividend yield is an efficient measure to track the undervalued securities among the constituents of DJIA instead of price/earnings and price-to-book ratios. This is primarily because of the following three reasons: A high stock of dividend yield is probably to be a dawdler with a depressed share price over the last year and it is more likely in contrast low dividend yield shares for regaining value and catches the peers, which has outperformed DJIA. The investors tend to select defensive shares, which are relatively less subject to the poor economic cycle and fetch stable income for the investors in a struggling market. A cushion effect could be developed with the help of dividend, which receives greater appreciation from the investors in a sluggish market. During the time of economy recovery, the investors could make both gain in dividends and appreciation of capital. The other multiples of trading could not provide any protection level, which indicates the superiority of dividend yield in choosing undervalued stocks. Price/earnings and price-to-book ratios are highly subject to accounting manipulating and short-term profit fluctuations. On the contrary, dividend data avoids accounting manipulation, since it is more predictable. The concept Dogs imply that these securities have underperformed considerably and therefore, they could be termed as unfavourable investments. Coming to construction of portfolio, the advocator of Dogs strategy chooses the beginning ten largest stocks in terms of dividend yield. These stocks are selected on the final trading day of each accounting year to construct a uniformly weighted portfolio for the purpose of simplicity. The developed portfolio is kept for a year until the last day of the upcoming accounting year. During that time, the investors need to select the same criteria for reassessment of new Dogs securities in order to rebalance the portfolio. Henceforth, the portfolio is comprised of ten securities, which is overhauled yearly to consist of the current greater dividend yield securities amongst the constituents of DJIA. With the help of such portfolio construction, the investors do not need to invest all funds on a specific security; however, they could invest in a diverse group of stocks from DJIA. These are some of the securities of reputed organisations, which are large and liquid in nature. In addition, these securities have undergone many economic crises and managed to survive over the years. Thus, the Dogs portfolio could be considered as conservative investment due to flourishing operating history. In the words of Qiu, Song and Hasama (2013), despite the undervaluation of some firms due to complicated business issues like the oil spill of Exxons Valdez in 1984, they have overcome the situation to maintain business sustainability. However, there is an exception, in which Manville Corporation has become insolvent in 1984 due to legal suits, which has resulted in elimination from DJIA. Dogs strategy is planned for making long-term investments and ample time horizon is needed for accomplishing the desired outcome. After investigating the Dogs portfolio and the performances of DJIA for 17 years from 1973-1989, it has been found that the portfolio has made an annual return of 17.9%, while the figure is 11% for DJIA constituents. However, review of the current performance is necessary to assess the effectiveness of the Dogs portfolio. The below-mentioned chart supports the efficiency of the strategy, since it has outrun the market by 17.74% starting from 2010 to 2013. In case, the risk is high to beat the market, the strategy might not be convincing for the investors. Hence, it is feasible to contrast the outcomes relative to both risk and return. According to the research results of Tissayakorn et al. (2013) from 1928 to 2001, it has been found that the Dogs have outperformed DJIA, since the return achieved is 12.9% with a standard deviation of 12.8%. On the contrary, the return of DJIA is 11.4% having standard deviation of 22.4% based on risk adjustment. Therefore, it could be inferred that the strategy of Dogs have outrun the market with a lower level of risk, as laid out by the values of standard deviation. In simple words, it could be inferred that the Dogs strategy has a greater Sharpe ratio in contrast to the set benchmark. The investors planning to invest for longer periods prefer steady growth instead of changed dividend payout. In addition, the firm maintaining the growth in its dividend policy could achieve certain requirements to increase the value of the shareholders. Based on this viewpoint, Ghouse, Nadrah and Ahmad (2014) named ten securities, which have the greatesr dividend yield with never reduced dividends from 1998 to 2003. These have been categorized as the Dow Core 10. The portfolio has an average half-yearly return of 14.9%, which is 0.47% more in contrast to the Dogs portfolio. This is because of the lower rebalancing need, which minimises the requirement of realisation arising from capital gains tax. Hence, it could be inferred that the fall in transaction cost makes the portfolio of Dow Core 10 highly cost-effective for the investors. References: Ghouse, M., Nadrah, S.H. and Ahmad, N., 2014. Conceptual Paper of the Trading Strategy: Dogs of the Dow Theory (DoD).Noryati, Conceptual Paper of the Trading Strategy: Dogs of the Dow Theory (Dod)(June 4, 2014). He, J.J., 2014.Can Alternative Dogs of the Dow Beat Hedge Funds?(Doctoral dissertation, Princeton University). hrberg, T., Schnknecht, P. and sterberg, E., 2014. Dogs of the Dow. Olsson, D. and Necander, A., 2016. Beating the market through dividend yields: Dogs of the Dow in the Swedish context. Qiu, M., Song, Y. and Hasama, M., 2013. Empirical Analyses of the/dogs of the Dow Strategy: Japanese Evidence.International Journal of Innovative Computing, Information and Control,9(9), pp.3677-3684. Tissayakorn, K., Song, Y., Qiu, M. and Akagi, F., 2013. A Study on Effectiveness of the" Dogs of the Dow" Strategy for the Thai Stock Investment.International Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology,4(2), p.277. Yan, H., Song, Y., Qiu, M. and Akagi, F., 2015. An empirical analysis of the dog of the dow strategy for the Taiwan stock market.Journal of Economics, Business and Management,3(4), pp.435-439.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Vick and Ben Essays - National Football League, American Football

Its been almost 3 weeks since Ben Roethlisberger had a tragic MCL sprain (4-6 weeks) while facing the St. Louis Rams. What have we learned about the Steelers (3-2) since Big Bens accident? The obvious conclusion is that Roethlisberger, like the last 11 seasons, in the main facilitator of this offense. An offense, which many say, is the most dangerous in all of the NFL. With LeVeon Bell, last years leader in yards from scrimmage, Antonio Brown, one of the best (if not the best) wideouts in the game, and Martavis Bryant, the Steelers #1 deep threat, all being orchestrated by last years passing leader, Ben Roethlisberger, the Steel Citys offense is the fiercest it has been since the 70s dynasty. The 4 Bs, as well as a renewed offensive line, were going to lead Pittsburgh in the contention for the Lombardi Trophy. Then in Week 3, Rams safety Mark Barron sacked Big Ben, hitting him just below the left knee, leading to the MCL sprain. Who was to come in after this devastating injury? None other than Michael Vick. After Bruce Gradkowski suffered a dislocated finger during preseason, and the confidence in Landry Jones became a figment of their imagination, the Steelers signed stay-at-home dad, Michael Vick. Upon his arrival, Vick was placed into the 2nd-string slot, ahead of Landry Jones. Vick was the best option, and even after his showing in his first 2 starts, he still is the best option because no one wants to witness Landry Jones starting a game in the NFL. Steelers fans would rather see punter Jordan Berry start before Landry Jones. Thus, the need for Vick was dire. So far, Vick has gone 1-1 with a disappointing Week 4 loss against Baltimore, and a jaw-dropping Week 5 win against San Diego. His record should be 2-0, but thanks to the leg, or lack thereof, of Josh Scobee, missed field goals cost Pittsburgh a win against their then winless archrivals (Scobee is now a free agent). As we all know, the Steelers were Saved by the Bell in their win against the Chargers. LeVeon Bell scoring from 1 yard out as time expired saved a very poor outing by Michael Vick. Seeing this, one may think that the Steelers are faring well, but in fact every snap with Vick at quarterback causes a nationwide cringe. There is an obvious lack of chemistry between Michael Vick and the Steelers Pro Bowl wide receiver, Antonio Brown. Browns stats have plummeted in the past couple of games. His streak of 35 regular season games of having at least 5 catches and at least 50 yards was snapped in Vicks first start. After averaging 10 catches, 145 yards, and 15 yards/catch through the first 3 games (all Ben starts), Brown has been held to averaging 4 catches, 43 1/2 yards, and 12 yards/catch in the past 2 games (Vick starts. The past couple of games, Antonio Browns stats have dropped 50-60%, giving him the numbers of a 3rd string slot receiver. Brown has even told the media that he thinks he [doesnt] get the ball enough [Vick is] playing conservative to make sure [the Steelers] get the win. Vick has only had a total of 227 passing yards in his 2 starts. In Bens first tw o games this year, he had a total of 720 passing yards (not counting Week 3 due to injury). The Steelers passing game is producing 69% less with Vick than with Ben. With offensive coordinator Todd Haley using more of a passing philosophy, many other Steelers have had to step up. LeVeon Bell has had to take the majority of the workload, and is thriving with 240 yards through Vicks two starts. Stephon Tuitt, Cameron Heyward, and Bud Dupree have risen up on defense, accounting for more than 50% of the teams total sacks. Also, Ross Cockrell, one of the biggest surprises for this young defense, has been playing lockdown coverage throughout the season. An interception and a fumble recovery add to this 4th year veteran out of Dukes stat sheet. Overall, the Pittsburgh secondary, which brought many concerns due to the lack of experience, has stepped up since Big Bens absence. Final Thoughts

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

10 Definition Essay Topics on Muslim Culture

10 Definition Essay Topics on Muslim Culture If you need some solid info for your next definition essay on Muslim culture, consider the 10 facts below: A great deal of attention is drawn to the fact that many presume the veil prevents men from thinking impure thoughts about women, thereby associating women and their bodies with sexuality and sin. It was incorrectly assumed that â€Å"the veiling of women to protect mens virtue and hence also the Christian emphasis on sexual abstinence and renunciation† (Barlas, 2009, p. 3). This in turn leads to the notion that â€Å"in traditional Muslim discourses, then, the veil is meant to protect men by hiding the impure, but enticing female body from them. However, the very power of this body to arouse men also makes it vulnerable to their sexual depredations which is why it must be veiled† (Barlas, 2009, p. 3). Islam literally translates to submission to the will of God. The religion is the second-biggest in the world and with over 1 billion people following the faith and its cultural implications today. Islam as a religion was revealed in Arabia over 1400 years ago. Those who follow the tenants of Islam are referred to as Muslims. Followers of this faith today believe that there is a single God, who is called Allah. God sent his prophets to man in order to teach them how they should live and follow his law. Some of the prophets of God include Abraham, Jesus, and Moses. The final prophet was Mohamed. As a Muslim followers believe that Islam has always existed but that the religion actually dates to the migration of Mohammed for practical purposes. Our laws are based on the holy book known as the Quran and we believe that there are five basic pillars to Islam. The five basic pillars include declaring your faith, praying five times per day, giving money to charities, fasting, and completing a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in your life. Among these tenants of faith there is no requirement to specifically share the message and convert those who are of a different face although many believers today do live by such a code. Today there are many religions in the world all of them believe in some form of deity which provides truths and codes by which they must live. But atheists do not subscribe to the idea of a god or gods and they live by the fact that creation is scientifically justifiable and supported and the creation. A God is not justified. But in any case it is imperative that believers of any face do not push their beliefs onto another group. The only way to truly understand the perspective, the rituals, and the belief system of another culture is to understand the history surrounding that culture, the current events surrounding that culture, and what the fulfillment of certain activities brings to those cultural beliefs. This is the foundation of cultural relativism and a better understanding and acceptance of all people. Homa Hoodfar is one author who has provided in-depth analysis of the history, purpose, and misunderstanding of the veil worn by Middle Eastern and African women. This author covers the influence of British Colonials on the Muslim culture and how their perception, although misconstrued, painted a picture of oppression for Muslim women. Hoodfar uses historical evidence to explain the social implication of the veil and its cultural heritage and to help the reader understand the political use of the veil by women. Although many mistakenly believe that the Quran orders the wearing of the veil (which means full body covering), the author provides insight into its misinterpretation by westerners and their subsequent assumptions that have created a defensive mindset for women who enjoy the comfort of the veiling and its role as a political tool for those who seek to bring change and improvements in their communities. There are many different types of religions in the world and they all believe in some form of deity from which they derive their truths and codes, however there is also one umbrella grouping, atheists, who don’t subscribe to the idea of god(s) but rather exists with the belief that creation by a god is not justified. The concept of atheism is that one does not believe in a God. This is the exact opposite a very devout religions around the world particularly the second most popular, Islam. Other religions are much more comfortable with the religious practices and customs of faiths from around the world in spite of differences they may have because all religions have some form of deity from which they derive their truths and their codes. And yet it can be a challenge for various people of faith to avoid imposing their ethnocentric beliefs upon atheist, and vice versa. Atheist do not subscribe to the idea of a God and they believe that the creation of a god is not justified and does not promote an excuse for action, in action, or beliefs and cultural practices that cause harm. It is the concert of cultural relativism that must be promoted in its fullness in order for members of devoutly religious groups to understand and accept practices of atheism, and for atheist to understand and accept the practices of devout religions. Supporting these beliefs and opinions is not necessary to be culturally aware but not imposing the beliefs of one system on another is. Cultural relativism is the concept that the beliefs of a particular culture and the practices of that culture need to be understood within the context of the cultures background, their history, and the current events which surround that culture. It is imperative that people do not ethnocentrically impose their beliefs and their opinions onto others because these beliefs and opinions are products of enculturation. Cultural relativism is not the same as moral relativism but it does require that people do not confuse their own feelings about a custom with a thorough understanding of a custom. People must investigate the meanings of customs for those practice them and the functions that each custom for fills with in a different society in order to truly understand them. Overlapping themes in many articles about Muslim culture include the veil as a symbol of oppression, used to evoke emotions of sympathy or contempt from the west. For some, the veil remains a symbol of oppression. â€Å"Muslim women are completely and utterly subjugated by men, and the veil is a symbol of that† (Bullock, 2002 p.13). We hope these will help with writing an essay, please also check our 20 topics and 1 sample essay on Muslim culture as well as a complete guide on writing a definition essay. References: Barlas, A. (2009). Islam and Body Politics: Inscribing (Im)morality. In Conference on Religion and Politics of the Body Nordic Society for Philosophy of Religion (pp. 1-12). Reykjavik: University of Iceland. Bullock, K. (2002). Rethinking Muslim women and the veil: challenging historical modern stereotypes. Herndon, VA: International Institute of Islamic Thought. Hoodfar, H. (n.d.). The veil in their minds and on our heads: Veiling practices and Muslim women. Retrieved from umass.edu/wost/syllabi/spring06/hoodfar.pd Kemper, Michael, Anke von Kügelgen, and Dmitriy Yermakov.  Muslim Culture In Russia And Central Asia From The 18Th To The Early 20Th Centuries. Berlin: Schwarz, 1996. Print. Ostle, Robin.  Sensibilities Of The Islamic Mediterranean. London: I.B. Tauris, 2008. Print. Reichmuth, Stefan, Jörn Rüsen, and Aladdin Sarhan.  Humanism And Muslim Culture. Göttingen: V R unipress, 2012. Print. Syrjänen, Seppo.  In Search Of Meaning And Identity. Helsinki: Finnish Society for Missiology and Ecumenics, 1984. Print.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

An Update About Deforestation in Canada

An Update About Deforestation in Canada Deforestation, or the loss of forests, is progressing at a fast pace worldwide. This issue gets much attention in tropical regions where rainforests are converted to agriculture, but large swaths of boreal forests are cut each year in colder climates. Canada has long enjoyed an excellent standing in terms of environmental stewardship. That reputation is being seriously challenged as the federal government is promoting aggressive policies on fossil fuel exploitation, dropping climate change commitments, and muzzling federal scientists. What does Canada’s recent record on deforestation look like? An Important Player in the Global Forest Picture Canada’s use of its forest is significant because of the global importance of its wooded lands – 10% of the world’s forests are located there. Most of it is boreal forest, defined by stands of coniferous trees in subarctic regions. A lot of the boreal forest is far from roads and this isolation makes Canada the steward of much of the remaining primary or â€Å"pristine forests† not fragmented by human activity. These wilderness areas play important roles as wildlife habitat and as climate regulators. They produce large amounts of oxygen and store carbon, thus reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide, which is a key greenhouse gas. Net Losses Since 1975, about 3.3 million hectares (or 8.15 million acres) of Canadian forest were converted to non-forest uses, representing about 1% of the total forested areas. These new uses are primarily agriculture, oil/gas/mining, but also urban development. Such changes in land use can truly be considered deforestation, as they result in permanent or at least very long-lasting loss of forest cover. Cut Forests Does Not Necessarily Mean Lost Forest Now, a much greater amount of forest is cut each year as part of the forest products industry. These forest cuts amount to around a half million hectares a year. The main products issued from Canada’s boreal forest are softwood lumber (typically used in construction), paper, and plywood. The forest products sector’s contribution to the country’s GDP is now only slightly more than 1%. Canada’s forestry activities do not convert forests into pastures like in the Amazon Basin, or into palm oil plantations as in Indonesia. Instead, forestry activities are done as part of management plans prescribing practices to encourage natural regeneration or the direct replanting of new seedling trees. Either way, the cutover areas will return to forest cover, with only a temporary loss of habitat or carbon-storing capabilities. Around 40% of Canada’s forests are enrolled in one of the three leading forest certification programs, which require sustainable management practices. A Major Concern, Primary Forests The knowledge that most forests cut in Canada are managed to grow back doesn’t detract from the fact that primary forest continued to be cut at an alarming rate. Between 2000 and 2014, Canada is responsible for the greatest total loss, acreage-wise, of primary forest in the world. This loss is due to the continued spread of road networks, logging, and mining activities. Over 20% of the world’s total loss of primary forests occurred in Canada. These forests will grow back to, but not as secondary forests. Wildlife necessitating large amounts of land (for example, woodland caribou and wolverines) will not come back, invasive species will follow the road networks, as will hunters, mining prospectors, and second-home developers. Perhaps less tangibly, but just as importantly, the unique character of the vast and wild boreal forest will be diminished. Sources: ESRI. 2011. Canadian Deforestation Mapping and Carbon Accounting for Kyoto Agreement.Global Forest Watch. 2014. World Lost 8 Percent of its Remaining Pristine Forests Since 2000.Natural Resources Canada. 2013. The State of Canada’s Forests. Annual Report.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Politics short answers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Politics short answers - Essay Example The Afghan government sought to reassert its position. The second level is similar to the first since it states the parties involved. The parties involved were the Taliban and the American forces. The Taliban is an Islamic extremist outfit that perpetuated terror. The American forces were the forces to crush the extremist outfit. The third level is the system. There are two systems in this conflict. The first system is the Taliban system. This is an extremist system that operates based on religious values. The extremist believe that their attacks are sacred hence; they are not bound by moral values. The American forces seem as agents of democracy. They are out to deliver Afghanistan from the bondage of a terrorist outfit. An ethnic group is a community that have the same religion, language or culture while a nation is a large community that contain people of diverse racial background, language and culture. Nations are recognized internationally while ethnic groups are constituents of nations. The diverse people integrate to form a state, although the cultural and ethnic differences may affect a country significantly. A security dilemma is a situation where a nation is reluctant to undertake certain action since they are cautious of the consequences. This result in a period of indecision in which the possible outcomes are evaluated

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Liberal Arts Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Liberal Arts Studies - Essay Example It is reasonable to see corporations and communities as benefiting from the struggle and competition that Darwin saw in the animal world and applied to humans as well. With a new job opening, for example, candidates will be determined as qualified or unqualified. The qualified applicants will get the interview for the chance to prove that they are up to the task and capable of doing what is required. Ideally, the best (or strongest) candidate based on the job description will be hired for the job. However, in the business world this is not always the case. Often the person hiring for the job will hire someone based on their personality or if they know them personally. So the most qualified or strongest applicant often does not get the job. However, ideally, a smart business person would hire the strongest and best qualified candidate. In modern society, certain jobs have been reduced or even eliminated. With the growth of technology, many professions were reduced in number while new professions were created. There are numerous examples of people who are professionals making a lot of money who are laid off and find themselves out of work and unable to get another job.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Panera Bread Company Essay Example for Free

Panera Bread Company Essay Panera Bread Company is regarded as one of the largest company in the United States that has specialized in the production of breakfast and lunch food for its consumers. Panera Bread Company which was in the years back been referred to as An Bon Pain is reported to be producing products such as baked foods, sandwiches, soups among other food products and beverages. The company is reported to have been founded in the year 1987 by Ken Rosenthan with its headquarters situated in Richmond Missouri in the USA. The company operates in divisions namely; franchise segments; who are licensed to carry out business transactions in the name of the company and retailing operations; which covers over five hundred bakery cafes that are reported to be company owned and over six hundred cafes which are franchised operated in more than thirty five states. In the year 1999 it was expanded into a national restaurant. Panera Bread Company has struggled to survive the growing competition and to effectively utilize its opportunities by utilizing the concept of company analysis which is very critical in modern business world. The aim of Panera Bread Company has always been to become a market leader in production of foods and beverages globally by diversifying and reaching to many new markets. In the year 2005, the company was ranked top forty by the Business Week in the annual list of hot growth companies. By that year its earnings was projected at $ 38 Million with an increase of over 40% in profit. In the year 2007, Zagat rated the company to top the list of Overall Food Facilities and Popularity rankings. Panera Bread Company is further recognized for its involvement in community events such as silent auctions, runs and walks by making donations. SWOT Analysis Modern businesses are faced with changing business environments and Panera Bread Company is not exceptional from facing such changes within their business context. By carrying out SWOT analysis, environment analysis is very decisive to Panera Bread Company and it is usually analyzed in two extents; the external environment and internal environment examination within the business perspective. Research reveals that the analysis of external environment illustrates opportunities and threats that exist in the market for a firm that may be either present or impending. On the other hand, internal environment examination depicts the strengths and weaknesses that the business may face in the market place (Anthony, 1998). Strengths Strength in this context can be identified as that distinctive ability posed by a firm and if the company utilizes such an opportunity it can succeed and can gain competitive advantage, over its rivals in the industry. The most common strength associated with Panera Bread Company is that of being a market leader in the food industry and particularly marketing of bread. Research indicates that Panera Bread Company is better placed than its main rivals in the market in that it has significantly acquired larger market share which is attributed to its diversification to various countries in the world, for example it has opened many subsidiaries in Toronto, Canada. It is also reported that the company has a strong brand name of its products which have significantly aided the company in terms of achieving a larger market share. The other strength that the company has is that of the best marketing channels that have aided marketing of packaging solutions products to a wider range of customers (Kotler, 1996). Weakness Weakness in this context can be referred to as any dimension of a firm that possibly will deter the accomplishment of set objectives by the firm and usually considered to comprise the company’s resources, capabilities and assets that are not fully utilized. From the company’s profile it can be noted that Panera Bread Company has weak policies, procedures and regulations that may deter the attainment of target performance of the company in some target markets. It is also reported that recently, the employees are not motivated to work and there has been complains regarding low pay and poor working conditions among others although such reports have not been proved. The management of the company should therefore look for ways in solving such problems that may affect adversely the performance of the employees and thus the overall performance of the company. Also the culture of Panera Bread Company has been under scrutiny and there has been allegation that the company is producing loaves of bread which are of poor quality, an issue that the management should look at it seriously (Anthony, 1998). Opportunities For companies to achieve the set objectives, they have to identify and devise events or features in the business external environment that will give them an added advantage or chance of performing better than their competitors. Such an event or feature can be referred to as an opportunity because it will create more chances to the company by increasing the current proceeds through acquiring a significant market share. Panera Bread Company has opportunities that if utilized will be of great benefit to the firm because it will lead to exploring and reaching to more new markets. Research indicates that there is greater demand for bread products in Africa and the management of Panera Bread Company should open subsidiaries in some of those countries after carefully analyzing the situational analysis in those potential markets. Since Panera Bread Company is among the market leaders in bakery industry; it is perceived to be having a well developed financial foundation and thus does not face any liquidity or cash flow problems. It is for this reason that the company should explore new markets and can compete across the entire market without fearing that its competitors can outdo them financially. However, before competing Panera Bread Company should carry out cost benefit analysis in order to avoid unnecessary expenditure (Brandenburger and Nalebuff, 1995). Threat In business context, a threat is regarded as an event which if not taken care of it may possibly deter the accomplishment of company’s goals e. g. customers declining income and competition among other events deemed to causing danger to the operations of the business. Panera Bread Company is basically faced with intense rivalry in bread and beverages products since many firms have opted to join the market because it is considered profitable. In fact, in some market segments particularly in Canada there has been a significant drop in terms of the company’s market share because new firms has entered the industry. Globalization concept has brought about new inventions and Panera Bread Company is faced with the task of coping with such innovations, for example the task of training and development programs to educate the employees on new technologies might be costly and difficult to acquire; such as the use of on-line marketing techniques and networking facilities (Anthony, 1998). Competitive Strategy According to research, Panera Bread Company has embarked on identification of markets that bread products and beverages can do best and it is through this that the company has sold a lot in the target areas. This strategy is normally referred to as segmentation; where the company has avoided competing entirely across the entire food industry but instead targeting certain markets i. e. bread and some beverages markets. Market segmentation will be an ideal situation for Panera Bread Company since competing across the entire market is expensive and considered to entail a lot of risks that the firm cannot sustain for example unfair competition by its rivals in the market (Bagley and Savage, 2006). This will involve Panera Bread Company marketing staff subdividing the existing market into different subsets of clientele where each division may be chosen as an intended market to be explored with a different marketing mix strategy. In essence, target marketing strategy will involve market segmentation which Panera Bread Company will have to find it on the acknowledgment that any segment comprises of potential buyers of bread products and beverages with diverse needs and dissimilar buying behavior. After carefully developing and subdividing the entire market to segments or the target markets, Panera Bread Company should then position itself on how to carry out the marketing activities in order to meet the overall objective of the corporation. Under this; positioning will imply to the formation of limits for bread products and beverages in the minds of the intended market in relation to the rivalry faced. Positioning of any firm including Panera Bread Company is very essential since it forms the foundation of all the communication of the company that comprise the following; branding, publicity, advertising and packaging among other strategies. Therefore it will be prudent for Panera Bread Company to create a single unique position which will operate as a guide for marketing communications involved thus will aid in transmission of steady image (Cullen and Parboteeah, 2005). HR and its Importance Since the mission statement of Panera Bread Company is clear, that it aims at being the market leader of producing bread products and some beverages not only locally but globally it should implement its marketing strategies particularly in the identified target markets. Implementation is putting in to action whatever plan or strategy that the management had formulated and therefore human resource is the most crucial asset in this stage. Research indicates that any company must motivate and provide clear direction to its human resource in order to attain its objectives. Therefore, Panera Bread Company should clearly identify the needs of its employees and try to meet them in order to give them an ample opportunity to serve diligently and be dedicated to the company. By offering a competitive package and offering performance contracts to the employees; ensures that they perform to the fullest because they will be highly motivated to work. Good leadership and management skills will be essential to Panera Bread Company’s management staff in order to command respect from the employees (Hilltop and Sparrow, 1994). Recommendations Panera Bread Company should note that nowadays, it is possible to use e-business through the internet for distribution purposes especially when dealing with international businesses. Digital innovations coupled with rapid growth in new technologies are changing the way distribution channels for companies and Panera Bread Company is able to use such hi-tech communication channels to monitor progresses in the market places not only in USA but globally. The company should further utilize modern entry market modes which such as Foreign direct Investments and licensing in order to build long-term markets in its target markets. It will be possible to also adopt joint ventures which will make possible for Panera Bread Company to gather enough market information quickly and familiarize itself with the laws, regulations and needs of the customers in the target market (Grant, 2005). Conclusion Panera Bread Company is among the current market leaders in the food industry and therefore stands a better chance of attaining a significant market share as a result of the brand name of its bread products and beverages that are regarded to be of high quality. Every business including Panera Bread Company is faced with challenges and it has to fully adhere to market regulations in order to avoid unfair competition. The concept of globalization cannot be written off either since many firms including Panera Bread Company has diversified to various markets and there are threats and opportunities associated with such globalization. Therefore the company should formulate strategies that are considered global in nature in order to meet the current expectations of the customers in the target customers. Such strategies like build, harvest or divest should be considered by the Panera Bread Company when assessing the performance of its products in its target markets. Management functions of planning, directing, leading and controlling should be adhered to by the management of Panera Bread Company in order to significantly improve the operations of the company by achieving the required targets (Kotler, 1996)

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Bronze and the Shang Dynasty :: Chinese China History

Bronze and the Shang Dynasty A societies use of the materials surrounding them is imperative to their success as a prominent civilization. The reign of the Shang dynasty roughly began around c1600- c1050bc, during this time the middle class artisans devoted much of their time to perfecting bronze work for ritualistic purposes as well as military basis; while the Shang kings and nobles held positions of high power and prestige over the common day labourer. The kings were thought as having a special connection with the ancestors of the past and were highly respected. The common Shang dynasty labourer lived a very hard and tedious life, like the common Egyptian, everything was done to please the king. Unfortunately, the Shang kings were very harsh on the people and some even referred to the Shang dynasty as 'the Slave dynasty' because the nobility had so much control over the common day workers, they had no shame in sacrificing other humans for ritualistic practices. As well, the Shang people were also occupied wit h every day tasks such as hunting for food and an early form of farming. Evidence of the Shang peoples everyday life were found at An yang, the Shang capital city, inscribed oracle bones presented a picture of constant bickering with other groups around and even war. Modern day archaeologists have come to the conclusion that the bronze work of the Shang was very well crafted and elite at its time, thousands of Shang bronzes survives today. The influence of bronze on the Shang people's everyday life, weaponry and art established a reputation of leadership among this group of people. The Shang people's everyday life was very religious and trying. The rulers had a great amount of power over the people and controlled much of what they did in their day-to-day chores. The Shang elites and artisans devoted much of their time to perfecting bronze work. The elites "organization was apparent because Shang rulers had to mobilize men and material to mine, transport, and refine the ores, to manufacture and tool the clay models, cores and moulds used in the casting process and to run the foundries." (Buckley 129) The mining of ore used to make bronze was done by the poorer classes and looked after by the noble class. The Shang people were able to organize themselves and get to the resources that they needed. Through study, it is evident that the lower class of the Shang people worked very hard "mining required labourers on hands and knees to drag their heavy ore sleds out through cramped and unventilated tunnels.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Philips and Matsushita Essay

1. Which factors account for differences in strategies and structures of Philips and Matsushita? What are their distinctive competencies and incompetencies? 2. What are the key organizational challenges that each company is facing at the end of the case? What recommendations would you give to the respective CEOs? 1.The two companies, each from different regions of the world, have an extensive history that have caused for different cultures, strategies and structures to be implemented (Bartlett & Beamish, 2010: 301). Philips, as an European company with the â€Å"old boys network† originally had a structure that Bartlett and Beamish (2010) classify as the Decentralized Federation. It was a structure that was based on internal relationships. The National Organizations (NO) that were in place had informal power over their product divisions. However this structure led to great distance between the corporate management and its subsidiaries with information and knowledge not spreading fluently from one NO to the next. This fragmentation, which Bartlett and Beamish (2010) state as a limitation of this form of structure, increased costs and promotes inefficiency. The learning capacity of the organization was harmed. Philips therefore tried to stay afloat by making drastic cuts, reorganizing an d implementing a Matrix structure, a popular phenomenon is the 1980s (Bartlett & Beamish, 2010: 300). However this lead to adjustment only in structure and not in culture, making it fail. When this was realized the company began to alter its structure again towards a Transnational Structure (Bartlett & Beamish, 2010) with a more integrated structure and where a vision that appeared to be lost was clearly reinforced, communicated and lived throughout the organization. Matsushita had a different heritage which lead them â€Å"to adopt very different strategic and organizational models.†(Bartlett & Beamish, 2010: 301) This Japanese company was set up with a non-typically Japanese divisional structure which would comply more to Bartlett and Beamish’s (2010) Coordinated Federation structure. It had an international mindset to achieve worldwide presence whether this was in the form of own image or by producing products for competitors and did this by providing divisions with development, production and marketing abilities whilst providing centralized parent technology all thr oughout the organization. In the 1960s the company was pushed abroad by pressure imposed on them by increasing manufacturing costs and national governments. The expansion led for the company to localize more intensely and aimed to move towards a more decentralized structure with less dependency on the center. When the domestic market collapsed end 1980s the company began to focus more on R&D as they lacked behind in technology advances. This was a result of the inability for knowledge to spread and the inefficiency of the development not being centralized. The company tried to move away from the imitator image they carried and aimed to do this by removing internal competition that was stimulated by the divisional structure and promoting a customer based innovative culture. Because of their different structures and strategies the companies both experience different (in)competencies. Competencies exist when resources are put to good use so that they create a competitive advantage for the business opposed to its competitors (Volberda et al., 2011). Both competencies and incompetencies are portrayed in the table below. From looking at this table one can see that some competencies of one company is the incompetency of the other as a result of the different implemented strategies. Where Philips, that is more centralized, is innovative, Matsushita lacks innovation. However, Matsushita experiences a rich company culture with a clear vision which is exactly what Philips lacks. | Philips| Matsushita| Competencies| * Innovative, strong R&D department * Can respond to local differences due to set up of NOs * The delegation of responsibility causes for strategic freedom| * Cheap production as a result of economies of scale. * Fast response to market * Rich culture and clear vision integrated throughout company by the implementation of Seven Spirits| Incompetencies| * Inefficiency in global aspect * Unclear responsibilities due to decentralization * Too much informal power granted to NOs * Fragmentation and restructuring leads to unclear vision and values throughout the company| * Lack of innovation at the level of the subsidiaries * Too much reliance of the subsidiaries on the domestic country * Centralized parent company lacks understanding and knowledge of market needs and production realities| 2. Because of their different strategies and competencies, both companies face different challenges. However, both face a phase of restructuring. Philips is currently going towards a Transnational organization where their approach of marketing is changing, being different in each country, and where they aim to outsource more. Also, they try to communicate a shared vision. According to Bartlett & Beamish (2010) they should focus on communicating a clear (simple, relevant, and reinforced) continuous and consistent vision. This will allow for; managers to look further than their scope of responsibilities and for the company to work more functionally as a whole. Matsushita is experiencing a recent restructuring in which they decentralize further, communicate a new culture of innovation and R&D and try to remove internal competition. Matsushita should be aware of the threat of strategic isolation, where each subsidiary is too focused on their own operations and it is therefore advisory for Matsushita to refocus their executive attention to get the most out of their subsidiary components. Bartlett & Beamish (2010) give various ways to do this; by â€Å"creat[ing] channels for attention, seek[ing] out the hidden gems and give them a platform, measure[ing] returns on executive attention and giv[ing] subsidiaries a chance to contribute.† An advice to both companies is to properly manage the process of change by following â€Å"the emerging change process† starting at changing individual attitudes and mentalities and then the interpersonal relationships and processes before changing the formal structure. Philip’s experience proves that doing this in reverse order won’t work, only this way can the organizational psychology be adapted. References: Bartlett, C. A., & Beamish, P. W. (2010). Transnational management. New York: McGraw-Hill. (Bartlett & Beamish, 2010). Volberda, H. W., Morgan, R.E., Reinmoeller, P., Hitt, M.A., Ireland, R.D., & Hoskisson, R.E. (2011). Strategic Management. Hampshire: Cengage Learning EMEA.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Aristotle as a Critic Essay

Aristotle (384-322 B. C. E. ), the son of a physician, was the student of Plato from approximately 367 B. C. until his mentor’s death in 348/347. After carrying on philosophical and scientific investigations elsewhere in the Greek world and serving as the tutor to Alexander the Great, he returned to Athens in 335 B. C. E. to found the Lyceum, a major philosophical center, which he used as his base for prolific investigations into many areas of philosophy. Aristotle is a towering figure in ancient Greek philosophy, making contributions to logic, metaphysics, mathematics, physics, biology, botany, ethics, politics, agriculture, medicine, dance and theatre. As a prolific writer and polymath, Aristotle radically transformed most, if not all, areas of knowledge he touched. It is no wonder that Aquinas referred to him simply as â€Å"The Philosopher. † In his lifetime, Aristotle wrote as many as 200 treatises, of which only 31 survive. Unfortunately for us, these works are in the form of lecture notes and draft manuscripts never intended for general readership, so they do not demonstrate his reputed polished prose style which attracted many great followers, including the Roman Cicero. Aristotle was the first to classify areas of human knowledge into distinct disciplines such as mathematics, biology, and ethics. Some of these classifications are still used today. [There has been long speculation that the original Poetics comprised two books, our extant Poetics and a lost second book that supposedly dealt with comedy and catharsis. No firm evidence for the existence of this second book has been adduced. Our (knowledge of the text of the Poetics depends principally on a manuscript of the tenth or eleventh century and a second manuscript dating from the fourteenth century. ] (not to write in notes)*. Aristotle could be considered the first popular literary critic. Unlike Plato, who all but condemned written verse, Aristotle breaks it down and analyses it so as to separate the good from the bad. On a number of subjects Aristotle developed positions that significantly differed from those of his teacher. We very clearly note this profound difference of opinion with Plato and, indeed, observe the overt correction of his erstwhile master in Aristotle’s literary and aesthetic theories. Aristotelian aesthetics directly contradicts Plato’s negative view of art by establishing a potent intellectual role. The principal source of our knowledge of Aristotle’s aesthetic and literary theory is the Poetics, but important supplementary information is found in other treatises, chiefly the Rhetoric, the Politics, and the Nicomachean Ethics. Aristotle’s main contribution to criticism may well be the idea that poetry is after all an art with an object of its own, that it can be rationally understood and reduced to an intelligible set of rules (that is, it is an â€Å"art,† according to the definition in the Ethics). The main concern of the rules of the Poetics, however, is not with the composition of literary works; it is rather with their critical evaluation. Consequently, criticism can be a science, and not a mass of random principles and intuitions. Aristotle speaks of the educative value of visual, musical and verbal arts. Both the Rhetoric and the Poetics can be considered –to be expansions of this view. We might say that Aristotle sets literature free from Plato’s radical moralism and didacticism, while he still expects it to be conformable to a moral understanding of the world. For him, literature is a rational and beneficial activity, and not an irrational and dangerous one, as it was for Plato. Aristotle? s approach to literature is mainly philosophical: he is more concerned with the nature and the structure of poetry than with its origin. The origins of poetry had been grounded on the instinct of imitation which is natural to man. The first poetical works were spontaneous improvisations. The origins of the different genres is justified by Aristotle thus: â€Å"Poetry soon branched into two channels, according to the temperaments of individual poets. The more serious-minded among them represented noble actions and the doings of noble persons, while the more trivial wrote about the meaner sort of people; thus, while the one type wrote hymns and panegyrics, these others began by writing invectives. (Poetics II). † The development goes through serious or comic epic poems such as those written by Homer to comedy and tragedy; â€Å"these new forms were both grander and more highly regarded than the earlier† (Poetics II). Aristotle does not, however, decide on whether tragedy (and by implication, literature) has already developed as far as it can; but he does assert that it has come to a standstill. Aristotle makes a brief outline of the history of tragedy: â€Å"At first the poets had used the tetrameter because they were writing satyr-poetry, which was more closely related to the dance; but once dialogue had been introduced, by its very nature it hit upon the right measure, for the iambic is of all measures the one best suited to speech . . . . Another change was the increased number of episodes, or acts. (Poetics II). † Aristotle also deals briefly with the rise of comedy: â€Å"the early history of comedy. . . is obscure, because it was not taken seriously. Comedy had already acquired certain clear-cut forms before there is any mention of those who are named as its poets. Nor is it known who introduced masks, or prologues, or a plurality of actors, and other things of that kind. Of Athenian poets Crates was the first to discard the lampoon pattern and to adopt stories and plots of a more general nature. (Poetics II). † The work of Aristotle as a whole may be considered to be an attempt to develop a structural and metalinguistic approach to literature. Although it preserves a concern with valuation, its main thrust is towards the definition of theoretical possibilities and general laws. Some critics have spoken of Aristotle’s sin of omission in relationship with lyric poetry and the inspirational element in literature. This is a fact. But it does not seem so important when we look at what Aristotle does say and the principles he establishes. We can barely recognize the aspect of criticism after Aristotle’s work, if we compare it to its previous state. His is the most important single contribution to criticism in the whole history of the discipline.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Perfectionists Read This! There is No Getting It Right!

Perfectionists Read This! There is No Getting It Right! You can please some of the people some of the time. A few months ago, I received a call from a potential client who told me he had almost decided not to call me because he did not like my website. My immediate response, as a lifelong perfectionist, was to think, â€Å"I need to fix this!† I asked him to tell me more about what he didn’t like. I looked at some other web sites he said he did like. I even spoke to my web designers about what it would take to redesign my site to be more Web 2.0. Then I took a step back. This was one person. One potential client. I have no way of knowing exactly how many other people are not calling, which is what scared me and made me think I should make changes. But other people were calling me and telling me they chose my company over many others on the web because they were so impressed with my web site! Some of them even purchased my highest-value packages. Given these realities, my business coaches suggested that redesigning my site was not the best choice of investments right now. With the benefit of wisdom and reason, I decided to wait before making any major changes and to make some minor tweaks to my existing site instead. My site is performing just fine, imperfect though it is. If you are a job seeker, take this story to heart. On a conference call this month entitled â€Å"Debunking Resume Myths,† one of the participants, a resume writer, shared an enlightening story about one of her clients (I’ll call him Jim). Resume in hand, Jim began applying for positions locally. One company, which was not well-regarded in the area, criticized the resume for being too polished. Jim was undeterred and kept applying for positions using his spiffed up resume. Not long after the first company’s criticism, another company, with a reputation as an excellent place to work, complimented Jim on his decision to invest in a professionally-written resume. This company ultimately hired him, and he remains in his new position today. If Jim had spent his time trying to get it right, changing his resume every time anyone did not like it, he might have missed out on applying for a job he wanted. We have a winner! These stories prove that no matter what decisions you make with your resume, personal statements or written documents of any kind, some people will like the finished product and some will not. The best advice I can give is to create a document that you feel best represents who you are; the right company, school or client will appreciate the way you present yourself and act on their opinion! Sometimes sticking to your gunsand not striving for impossible perfectiontakes courage and patience. Sometimes you might discover after a period of time that you truly have missed the mark and need to do something differently. But if you give your best shot a chance to reap rewards, you have an excellent chance of coming out a winner. Do you have a story of a time when one person criticized your document or presentation and another person (besides your mom) loved it? Please share below.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Fun French Number Practice for the Classroom

Fun French Number Practice for the Classroom Do you find teaching numbers boring, figuring that once youve taught your students to count in French, theres not much else you can do? If so, I have good news for you (and your students). Here are some great ideas for practicing numbers, including several games. Simple French Number Practice Ideas Use flash cards with the digit written on one side and the French spelling of the number on the other. Ask students to count by twos, fives, tens, etc.Count different objects in the classroom: number of desks, chairs, windows, doors, students, etc.Practice numbers with math operations: adding, subtracting, etc.Print out some paper money or use pennies and practice numbers by counting money.Talk about the time and date.Depending on the age of your students and your concerns about privacy, you could ask students about various personal details in French: birthdayagenumber and ages of brothers, sisters, cousin(e)sphone numberaddress You or your students can bring in pictures of food, clothing, dishes, office supplies, etc. and then discuss how much each item might cost - Ça coà »te 152,25 euros, for example. Good for combining number practice with other vocabulary words.One teacher found that students forgot to use the word ans when describing someones age, so now at the beginning of class, she writes the names of one or two celebrities or notable French people on the chalkboard and students guess his/her age. You can find birthdays in Today in Francophone history. Fun French Numbers Practice, Games and Activities British Bulldog / Dog and Bone A game for outdoors or a gymnasium: Divide the class in half, and have each side stand in a long line facing the other half, with a large gap for running between the two teams. Give each member a number: each team should have the same set of numbers but in a different order so that the students with the same number are not facing each other. An article, such as a scarf, skittle, or baton, is placed in the space between the two teams. Then the teacher calls a number and the student from each team with that number races to retrieve the article. Whoever gets it earns a point for his/her team. Number Toss Have the students stand in a circle and throw a nerf ball to another student (not adjacent). Upon catching the ball the student must say the next number. If s/he doesnt know what number youre on, says the wrong number, or pronounces it incorrectly, s/he is out of the game. Phone Numbers Have students write their actual phone numbers on a small piece of paper with no names. You can play too, by writing a phone number that you know well (such as the schools if you dont want to use your own). Collect the slips of paper and pass them back out randomly, making sure that no one has his/her own number. Everyone stands up. Start the game by reading the number on the paper you have. The person whose number it is sits down and reads the number s/he has, and so on until everyone is seated. Works well for listening, but they have to be able to say the numbers accurately enough for their classmates to understand them. I do this once theyve learned 0 to 9. Le Prix est Juste / The Price Is Right Teacher thinks of a number and gives students a range to guess from. Students respond and if incorrect, the teacher responds with plus or moins. When a student finally guesses the correct answer, s/he can be rewarded with a sticker, piece of candy, or a point for the team. Then the teacher thinks of a new number and gives a range and students begin guessing again. TPR with Numbers Write numbers on large cards, then call out instructions to the students: Mettez trente sur la table, Mettez sept sous la chaise (if they know prepositions and classroom vocabulary for example). You can mix it up with other vocabulary to catch them off guard and keep their attention: Donnez vingt Paul, Mettez la prof sur huit, Tournez vingt, Marchez vite avec onze. Or you can put the cards on the chalk tray and practice with avant, aprà ¨s, and cà ´tà © de: Mettez trente avant seize, Mettez zà ©ro aprà ¨s dix, etc. You might want to start with just five or so numbers at first; when they get good at those, add a couple more and so on. Zut Go around the room and count. Each time there is a 7 - a number with 7 in it (like 17, 27) or a multiple of 7 (14, 21) - the student must say zut instead of the number. They are knocked out of the game if they mispronounce the number, say the wrong number, or say the number when they should say zut. So the game should sound like this: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, zut, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, zut, 15, 16, zut, 18, 19, 20.... You can change the zut number periodically to keep them on their toes.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 41

Assignment Example The correct sentence is: â€Å"Are Dan’s children’s teachers’ using this book to its full potential?† 12. Page 431 of our handbook says that pronouns referring to indefinite pronouns should be accurate in number. In the sentence, everyone and no one are singular indefinite pronouns, so the pronouns referring to them should be singular. The correct sentence is: â€Å"Everyone should leave his or her books on my desk, but no one should leave his or her pencils on my desk.† 13. Page 475 of our handbook says that commas are before coordinating conjunctions. The commas are not used correctly in the sentence, and the correct sentence is, â€Å"We went to the game and had a good time, but my brother, a student at MSU, fell out of the stands.† 16. Page 481 of our handbook says that semi-colons are used to separate items in a series that might be confusing if commas alone were used. The correct sentence is, â€Å"I plan to visit Detroit, Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; Toledo, Ohio and Springfield, Missouri. 17. Page 511 of our handbook says that appropriate common abbreviations should be used, but some terms should be spelled out. The correct sentence is, â€Å"Mr. Smith is from Michigan. He lives on Maple Boulevard. He is not in his office any Tuesday in

Friday, November 1, 2019

Character analysis of the book Crooked letter, crooked letter by Tom Essay

Character analysis of the book Crooked letter, crooked letter by Tom Franklin - Essay Example The novel, â€Å"Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter† can be considered as a literary piece catering the themes of a thriller. However, at the same plane, the novel is undoubtedly one of the powerful redemptive studies of characters which make it a psychological tale as well. This essay intends to explore the subtle intricacies of human character presented in the novel, â€Å"Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter† and therefore forms one of the best suitable and apt formative studies for the character analysis. At the outset of the novel, the readers are introduced to a masked man mysterious in nature committing various crimes. However, browsing through the pages of this crime thriller, any sensible mind would be easily able to judge the novel from a different realm as well. An undefined story of friendship lies at the centre of the novel which generates a different flavor for the novel. At this paradigm, the readers are introduced to two characters quite opposite to each other. The characters are Silas Jones, who was called â€Å"32† a name he got from his jersey in high school athlete team and the lonely, Larry Ott. He also receives a nickname but quite opposite to Jones. He receives the name of â€Å"Scary Larry† after the lineage of the boy with the disappearance of a girl whom she takes for a drive and a date. However, with the development of the novel, the characters conceived by Franklin appear to be quite credible characters with much impression from the real life and flawed by the pragmatic traits of mundane human nature. Larry Ott is a white from a lower-middle-class family and Silas Jones was a black boy who used to stay in a cabin at rent within the premises of the property owned by Larry’s father. Silas was a poor boy from a sole black mother. Their childhood was therefore marked by a total difference of socio-economic parameters and they used to hardly interact with

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Computer Network Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Computer Network - Essay Example Moreover, there is no documentation for the current IT infrastructure. There is no documentation explaining the network setup in the company. Also, the software and the hardware are outdated. Considering that the computers are still running windows XP, it implies that the OS may not support the current versions of application software and hardware needed to run the business as per the requirements. Considering the above stated issues, it’s clear that the WLA Company IT infrastructure needs to be restructured, redesigned and updated to meet the current IT requirements. This involves updating both the software and the hardware parts of the current system, designing new network infrastructure to cater for the needs of the company and training the existing employees on how to use the lately installed networking system. To solve the above-connoted issues a network system has to be set up. This network system will consist of client computers, servers and other peripheral devices such as printers, fax machines, telephone etc. (i.e. a client/server network is set up). The best network design for this company is peer-to-peer design. But the rapid growth of the company calls for the preparation of the company for further expansion by allowing flexibility. In this regard, the best network design will be a hybrid network. With this setup, account and permission will be required to access file on the server, while at the same time, access to other computers on the network will be shared equally. This will minimize the cost of setting up the network while at the same time bringing in efficiency. The hardware and software explain below are recommended to ensure maximum functioning of the company activities. All software and hardware that will be required for WLA business is listed below and why the justification of why it is required. Garrett (2003)

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Sports Biomechanics and Functional Anatomy

Sports Biomechanics and Functional Anatomy Introduction: Biomechanics is the sport science field that applies the laws of mechanics and physics to human performance, in order to gain a greater understanding of performance in athletic events through modelling, simulation and measurement (Wood, 2009). According to Mcginnis, (2004), Biomechanics is useful to sports and can identify what forces may have caused an injury, how to prevent the injury from recurring and what exercises may assist for injury rehabilitation. It can be used for alternations in technique, equipment or training to prevent or rehabilitate injury. The general role of Biomechanics is to understand the mechanical cause-effect relationships that determine the motions of living organisms. In relation to sport, Biomechanics contributes to the description, explanation, and prediction of the mechanical aspects of human exercise, sport and play. Sports biomechanics offers methods by which the very fast actions which occur in sport can be recorded and analysed in detail. An importa nt application of sports biomechanics with any sport is the definition and understanding of skills. This can help in the coaching process and as a result enhance the learning and performance of those skills (Reilly and Williams, 2003). When looking at golf it is clear to see a lot of skill is involved during the swing. Hung and Jani, (2004) stated that the golf swing is one of the most complex biomechanical motions a human can make in sport. The aim of the golfer must be to make a consistent strike of the ball to propel it in the desired direction for a given distance. Furthermore the hip plays an important role in the golf swing. The Hip joint: The hip joint is one of the largest and most stable joints in the body. It is a ball and socket joint that consists of the head of the femur connecting with the acetabulum of the pelvic girdle. The pelvic girdle, including the hip joint plays an important role in the supporting the weight of the body while offering mobility by increasing the range of motion in the lower extremity. The acetabulum is the concave surface of the ball and socket joint, facing anteriorly, laterally and inferiorly. Furthermore the spherical head of the femur fits snugly into the acetabular cavity, giving the joint both congruency and a large surface. Both the femoral head and the acetabulum have large amounts of spongy trabecular bone that facilitates the distribution of the forces absorbed by the hip joint (Floyd and Thompson, 2001; Nordin and Frankel 2001; Uys, 2004). Ligaments of the hip: According to Callaghan et al, (2006) several strong ligaments reinforce the capsule of the hip joint. These include the iliofermoral ligament, the pubofemoral ligament and the ischiofemoral ligament. The iliofemoral ligament is the strongest ligament in the body and helps to prevent extension of the femur when the body is standing erect. It is a Y-shaped band of very strong fibres that connects the lower front iliac spine of the coxal bone to a bony line (intertrochanteric line) extending between the greater and lesser trochanters of the femur. However the pubofemoral ligament extends between the upper portion of the pubis and the iliofemoral ligament. Its fibres also blend with the fibres of the joint capsule of the hip joint. The ischiofemoral ligament is made up of a band of strong fibres that originate on the ischium just behind the acetabulum. These fibres blend with the fibres of the joint capsule of the hip. (Pickering, 2009) Muscles of the Hip: The muscles of the hip joint are those muscles that cause movement in the hip. Most modern anatomists define 17 of these muscles, although some additional muscles may sometimes be considered (Mind Body Motion, 2007). These are often divided into several groups. These muscles control the movements of the hips. According to Ãâ€"zkaya et al, (1999) the psoas, iliacus, rectus femoris, pectineus and tensor fascia latae are the primary hip flexors. These are also used to carry out activities such as running, walking and kicking. The gluteus maximus and the hamstring muscles are hip extensors. The gluteus medius and gluteus minimus are hip abductor muscles providing for the inward rotation of the femur. The gluteus medius is also the primary muscle group stabilizing the pelvis in the frontal plane. The adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magus and gracilis muscles are the hip adductors and also provide for the outward rotation of the femur. Movement of the hips: The hip joint allows for the greatest range of movement as it has the capacity to move in three planes, about three axes. It also has a great deal of mobility, which allows normal locomotion in the performance of daily activities. Kolt and Mackler, (2003), state that the hip joint has three degrees of freedom of motion which include flexion-extension in the sagittal plane, abduction-adduction in the frontal plane (figure 3.2) and external-internal rotation in the transverse plane. Golf The modern golf swing has evolved with this use of technology, both in equipment and analysis; as well as the physical training the golfers now go through. The golf swing is a very complex body motion, involving a large range of movement of the upper limbs that act as a link between the golf club and the body, with the lower limbs acting as the main movement promoting areas. Limitations in the body in terms of flexibility, muscular strength, endurance, or power can create faults in the swing from a biomechanical perspective. As a result, most of the successful golfers in the world today, are relatively fit, flexible and strong compared to in the older generation of golfers. Improved technology in gyms has given golfers the opportunity to strengthen specific and key muscles used in the swing. Hip rotation is very important to the effectiveness of the golf swing. According to Hill, (2007), it holds the key to a powerful swing. To increase power and ball-striking ability the hips need to rotate properly during the swing. According to Atherton,(2009), most amateur golfers rotate their hips too far during the backswing, which makes it difficult for them to get their hips to open up to the target at impact, a key component of a successful swing. However, the increased risk of hip injury is a relatively recent hazard for golfers, arising from the greater rotation favoured by the modern golf swing. This adaptation of this technique itself reduced the incidence of low-back injury among golfers. The downswing begins with a forward movement of the hips that, with good golfers, actually begins approximately 0.1 seconds before the club head reaches the limit of the back swing. This moving forward of the hips rotates the whole upper body and moves both levers through the first part of the downswing (Hay, 1993). The forces responsible for this forward movement of the hips and the lesser forces exerted by the same hip and leg muscles later in the downswing have been estimated to account for 2.5 hp of the total 3-4 hp generated in a good drive. Thus it can readily be seen that the muscles of the hips and legs constitute the main source. A series of EMG studies have described the role of the hip muscles during the golf swing (Thain and Alistair, 2002). A study by Tsai et al, (2004), showed that hip abduction strength was significantly higher in better golfers. In addition it stated all the hip movements tended to be stronger in the best golfers who had the lowest handicaps and longest driving distances. In one study performed by the University of Umea in which the muscle activities in 13 male professionals while performing a golf swing were analysed using dynamic surface electromyography (EMG) and the muscle activities were measured in percent of maximum manual muscle testing (MMT) of each muscle. During the forward swing, gluteus maximus, expressed the highest muscle activity during a complete golf swing (84%). This indicates that especially the trailing side, gluteus maximus, is an important hip stabiliser as the golfer shifts the weight to the target side and the golf club begins to accelerate (Grinell, 1999). In golf the hip is especially exposed to high-velocity internal rotation on the downswing, requiring a great deal of eccentric gluteus muscle control. Set-up, ball positon, alignment and posture are essential for a good swing. However according Shamus, ( 2001), the most common characteristic of an improper setup position is failing to use a hip-hinge motion to obtain the primary spine angle. Furthermore evolved technology has made it easier for golfers and coaches to analyse the golf swing and correct mistakes made by the golfer. Technology advances: (ASTAR and Powerstool) The Astar digital video technology is the latest, highly sophisticated software that evaluates and analyses recorded golf swings. This means that golf instructors can literally capture and illustrate every aspect of a students swing to determine and remedy any problem areas. It automatically creates a video file of the entire desire motion (for a golf swing from address to follow-through). Astar includes all necessary functionality to analyze technical performance, hence improve the golf swing by this method of analysis. By using the very latest A Star professional software, golf swings can be analysed from many different angles and a plan can be put in place for the improvement of any golf swing (ASTAR, 2006). The powerstool is another example of advanced technology used to improve the golf swing. It mimics the perfect golf swing as close as possible enabling the golfer to get inot the most efficent position (Strachan, 2009).The powerstool makes sure the golfer achieves the right amount of hip turn and shoulder turn. This helps to reduce tension and strain that is common with over turning. Technology in footwear and insoles has also developed throughout the years making golf shoes more comfortable and blister free. It has also been proven that specific golf shoes reduce injuries of the lower extremities. In addition, according to Light, (2008), the use of custom foot orthoses to change the mechanics of foot function may improve hip extension and create prolonged relief of low back pain symptoms. As a result, they provide a viable alternative to surgery to treat hip and back painmaking it pain free for golfers. Orthoses are also helpful for supporting the arch of the foot, offloading specific pressure points in the foot, and cushioning the heel. Furthermore it was claimed that orthoses could be a non-invasive approach to improving biomechanics and possibly pain. ECCO golf, (2009) states that their golf shoes use a double-layer inlay sole that ingeniously absorbs heel force, reducing the impact felt by your knees, hip and back. That same heel force is also used to power an air-circulation system that ensures a fresh, dry and cool environment for your feet making it comfortable for the golfer. In conclusion, it is clear to see that technology is evolving a rapid rate with new advances in biomechanical parameters. Advances in analysis and equipment has been proven to improve general performance of all sports and even holds an important role in reducing injury and the rehabilitation of injury.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Instructional Design :: essays research papers

The ultimate goal of Instructional Design is to quickly and effectively teach people a new skill, or system of thinking. Elliot Masie, editor of TechLearn Trends, suggests  ¡Ã‚ §all training is about behavioral stimulation that changes human beings on some level. ¡Ã‚ ¨ (Masie, 1998, p. 14) This is a tall order  ¡Ã‚ §to change human beings ¡Ã‚ ¨, and therefore, any professional instructor that accepts this challenge must ask plenty of fundamental questions first. These essential questions are part of a process known as Needs Assessment. This critical front-end work is going to 1. Provide information about audience capabilities and preparedness. 2. Establish that, indeed, there is a need for training. 3. Reveal information regarding the company culture. An instructor needs this information to choose tools for the program; the more you know your audience, both customer and learners, the more successful the program will be. There are several need assessment models to follow, but I will use  ¡Ã‚ §The Zemke-Kramlinger Model of the Major Human and Organizational Factors that Affect People Performance in an Organization ¡Ã‚ ¨. Their model asks hard questions in three different categories: Performer Skills „h What Abilities „h What Skill Level „h Job Knowledge „h Objective „h Needs Company Support „h Objective „h Expectations „h Reward „h Punishment „h Feedback „h Support Corporate Culture „h History „h Mission „h Goals „h Strategy „h Tactics „h Plans Without this information, the designer is only guessing. Once a designer is confident the needs assessment has provided a solid foundation to start building a program, different tools, or media, should be considered. The variety of tools ranges from simple (print) to high tech (satellite dish communication). The American Society for Training and Development has published a book that outlines an eight-step process for assisting in selection of the proper tools. The steps are as follows: 1. Understand all the training tools available with the benefits and drawbacks of their use. 2. List the media delivery that WILL WORK FOR YOUR AUDIENCE AT THEIR CAPABILITY LEVEL. 3. Evaluate your media list with the goals of training, and level of audience in mind. 4. Conduct a cost comparison. 5. Synthesize findings and establish  ¡Ã‚ §core media ¡Ã‚ ¨. 6. Consider auxiliary media that would augment your  ¡Ã‚ §core media ¡Ã‚ ¨. 7. Identify any implementation issues, organizational requirements, or technical limitations which could prevent successful use of your  ¡Ã‚ §core media ¡Ã‚ ¨. 8. Prepare your conclusion in a formal report for management. With all the preparation out of the way, just what tools are we talking about? Here is a list of possibilities: Manuals Handouts Video Tape Overheads Data Bases CD Rom Interactive Video Conference Internet Computer Base Training Satellite Distance Learning With information on the objectives, learners, the company, budget, constraints etc.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Book review: Drew Magary’s PostMortal Essay

The Postmortal starts with whispers that an anti-aging cure has been discovered. This is similar to the human capacity enhancement proposal speculated in chapter 3 of Dickenson’s bioethics. Also, we see similar proposal play out in the chapters of More and Vita-More’s Transhumanist Reader, where technology is speculated to be used to stop aging process, enhance human intelligent, capability and agility. More even goes a step further to propose ‘the Posthumanist’ – overcoming the limitations that describe the less desirable aspects of human condition – a life devoid of disease, aging and death. However, the Postmortal cure does not prevent someone from getting sick, diseases or even dying from accident, rather it merely stops the body from ageing. That means a 27 year old that gets the treatment will have the same body and physical appearance and fitness until the day they die. The United States government instantly prohibits it for three decad es, providing them an ample opportunity to research it and comprehend the effects better. At this time, pro-cure and pro-death protesters were fighting more and more aggressively for and against the cure respectively. Just like the religious right fought against the stem cell research in chapter 6 of Dickenson’s bioethics in 2001, the religious devotees’ fight against the anti-aging cure and the Vatican issues a condemnation against it. Underground treatments known as black market cure were being perpetuated. Eventually John Farrell, the narrator got the cure at one of these underground markets. Within two weeks or there about, he convinced his friend to get the treatment and thereafter encountered a couple of tragic events associated with a mysterious woman that influenced his emotions throughout the story. Finally, the cure was legalized. The novel includes how things regarding love, marriage, and the law and government changes overtime. Marriage became endangered because the fundamental premise of marriage â€Å"till death do us part† has been considerably altered. John’s law firm devised a new form of marriage called ‘cyclical marriage,’ – a 40-year term marriage which involves an obligation to live together as husband and wife for 40 years, with an option to  separate (with evenly split assets) or to renew the marriage for another 40 years at the end of the contract. The cure nearly brought marriage to a halt and love undermined as most people believe there is a greater chance of separation for a new lover. Mr. Farrell prefers not getting married to his lover who is pregnant with his baby but only choses to take care of the child. As things change around the world, he continues to document his life experiences. A new form of worship is discovered whereby man is seen as the god of his own and ruler of the earth. A lot of people become outlaws and selfish; others become religious enthusiasts; while some others chose to refrain from getting the cure. Throughout the course of the book, the government gradually loses control over her citizens. Different laws are passed to expand death penalty to include giving â€Å"lee-way† to people who wish to die in a legal way without the need of committing suicide but which is of course morally wrong. The other detailed problems consist of jails, how to provide housing to people and basic necessities, as well as how to deal with countries that have become military powerhouses. Similar moral violation was seen in bioethics where executed Chinese prisoners’ kidneys are harvested for sale to wealthy westerners; the Tuskegee and Guatemala experiments by the US Public Health in chapter 7; and the surrogate motherhood and egg selling in chapter 2. All these practices, in one way or the other violate morality at the very least.  As the story continues to unfold in the book, Mr. Ferrell falls in love again which also results in another tragic incident. Over and over again he tries to find joy but has his hopes dashed, signifying the fact that the ‘cure’ for ageing is not really a great thing in many ways. As the United States becomes unsafe, Russia and third-world nations assume control of surrounding nations and Chinese starts acquiring nuclear weapons to get rid of certain populations. Pregnant woman are punished because people hate the idea of conception and child birth. A war over Antarctica begins and chaos sets in. Meanwhile in totalitarian societies like China and Russia, the government takes undue advantage of the looming prospect of an exploding and forever  young world population in the face of diminishing resources. Russia forms a strong and formidable army with eternally young soldiers; China cuts herself off from the rest of the world, while the United States plummets into widespread class warfare while terrorism is on the high side as people kill at will. It’s baffling how much of these are conceivable. At the end of the story, nuclear weapons are dropped on the coast of California where Mr. Farrell tries to elude the attack with his lover. But unfortunately the man is stabbed as they try to make their way to a safer ground. The injury is so severe that he bleeds so immensely and regrettably the end is here for him. Meanwhile as he gradually makes an inroad to a new world, he releases that there is no such thing as immortality. However, his lover is expected to survive. Nicholas Agar in his book, Humanity’s End, objected similar enhancement proposal. From my understanding of the chapters, many of his objections are based on the premise that, for any action whose outcome is uncertain and perhaps bad, we ought to presume that the worst could happen, and work to address all conceivable exigencies before proceeding further. Thus, going by the fantasy (the story), we have seen how a cure that is rather an everlasting treasure in the hearts of many has turned out to be the greatest nightmare of all time to the society. Perhaps, if the world had applied due diligence (as noted in Agar’s book) before legalizing such cure, these problems could have been avoided. The book is an awesome read because it raises one’s curiosity as you go further. You are eager to know what happens next and how things will unfold. It is a story that could very well happen. Most of the events in the book are also plausible reactions that the world could very well experience. The first two parts of the book are intriguing as the world goes through a dramatic change with the recognition of the cure, and I admired the tension that arose between pro-death and pro-cure groups. Again, similar religious protest was seen in Chapter 3 of Dickenson’s bioethics where religious movements fought against stem cell research and funding to a halt. Although the ban on its funding was later rescinded by President Obama, but the issue  is still contested in courts. However, one minor issue that I hope to point out is: for a story that started out in 2019 and runs through 2079, technology did not advance that much. Apart from a few inventions like plug-in cars mentioned in the book and which even has same level of sophistication as today’s plug-ins (charging duration of 48 hours), technological innovation seems to be frozen for several decades. One would expect that the significant population explosion expressed in the book would be accompanied by a robust ‘capacity building’ and technological development that is aimed at addressing the problems of a few extra billion population of people around the world, rather technology seems stagnant in this book.