Analysis of Diane Arbu's Identical Twins Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analysis of Diane Arbu's Identical Twins - Essay Example The paper states that Diane Arbus shot her photographs primarily using the Rolleiflex medium format that contained twin lens reflex. These features of the lens provided her photographs with features that were distinct. For instance, most of her photographs, including the â€Å"identical twin,† have waist level viewfinder as well as the aspect of the square ratio. The application and perfect adoption of the techniques of applying the viewfinders facilitated Arbus to connect with her subject perfectly, and beyond the stands of normal eye level viewfinders were able to synchronize the intended photograph. The photograph, identical twins portray the images of two young girls namely Colleen and Cathleen Wade. These two girls are equally portrayed standing side by side juxtaposed to each other with the aim of reviling their underlying identity. Moreover, the girls are addressed in similar attires of matching corduroy dresses with white lase around their necks and about their wrists. Additionally, the photograph clearly indicates that both girls have white headbands about their heads trapping their dark hair. Notably, they are coherently staring at the camera with one of them posing with a slight slime about her face while the other showing a slight indication of sadness. The indicated nature of state of each girl’s face depicts a state of parallelism among these twins. Furthermore, the parallelism may be as well been defined, or portrayed by the haunting nature of the portrait. In summary, it may be certain to say or note that the photograph reveals the photographer’s vision. Some of the photograph scholars had once noted that Arbus was suffering from identity issues. According to Patricia Bosworth, a biographer, Arbus in her career had ever been involved with the question of identifying her identity by comparing herself with other. She once had wanted to determine who she was and who others were. Therefore, the photograph of the twin image is a clear expression that cruxes the vision Arbus ever had. Alternatively, one may argue that Arbus was representing the content of the photograph in the form of normality being freakishness, and freakishness being normality (Krauss 12). According to Arbus, this photograph, of identical twins, was photographed at their tender age of seven years old each. In addition, it is as well apparent to note that the photograph was taken in a Christmas party, the party that was organized for twins and triplets. Commenting on the photograph, the father of these girls once commented that they had never thought such worst likeness of twins ever existed since according to him, they have never seen such likeness among any identical twin he has ever seen. It is worth noting that the photograph of the twins has as well inspired other artworks. For example, Stanley Kubrick reflects the elements of this photograph in the film â€Å"The Shinning†. Two identical twin sisters, with identical pose, are featured in this film. Most of Arbus’ artistic ideas are also reflected in a piece of artwork known as â€Å"Gummo† by Harmony Korine. The artistic elements represented by Arbus in the â€Å"Identical twins† photograph are also featured in a television series episode named â€Å"The Old and The Restless†. About the contemporary photographic work, Arbus is considered as a charitable photographer, in the sense that her work unconventionally related to the subject matter of portraits she presented in her collection. Most of Arbus’ photographs, including â€Å"Identical twins,† portray people or society as living unusual lives, and the same notion was accepted by most societies. Therefore, her photographs depicted what could have been supposed to be the real person. This makes her

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde Essay Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest is about a young man who leads a double life, in whenever he wants to escape the reality, along with his obligations and real-life dealings. The story is not just about the life of the young man, Jack, also known as Ernest, but it is also about taking life in a more serious way. In order to do so, Oscar Wilde has reformed or improved the parts of life that he has satirized in the story. One aspect which Wilde has reformed in the story was in the life of Jack/Ernest. He is described as a seemingly responsible and respectable young man. He is also well-off, as he owns a country estate. But at some time in the story, it was found out that Jack was an adopted child, and that he was found in a handbag by the train station. Jack’s past and his present life is so ironic that it effectively builds up his character. It is both amusing and surprising that for a baby who was supposedly left alone in a train station would be able to survive and be successful when he grows up. Jack have almost everything that he desires, wealth, fame among those who know him, love in the person of Gwendolen; so who would ever think that a person like him was adopted as he was abandoned in the train station as a child? Oscar Wilde reformed Jack/Ernest character in order to make the story much more interesting. Despite his somewhat unlikely past, he is now a wealthy man, leading a happy life. If his character wouldn’t be reformed or improved, he wouldn’t be rich or attractive, following the fact that he was an abandoned child. The interesting part of the story though is not his rags-to-riches life; instead it was his double life that he leads, in the form of Ernest. Another one Wilde’s reform to the character he was satirizing was when the issue of marriage was introduced in the story. Jack Worthing is in love with Gwendolen Fairfax, and so is Gwendolen to Jack. But the problem is that Gwendolen fell in love with Jack because of her fixation to the name Ernest. Jack introduced himself to Gwendolen as Ernest for her to love him, but he still has to face his problem, as Gwendolen intends to marry only the man whose name is Ernest. Oscar Wilde reformed Jack’s character by actually trying to become Ernest: his alter ego that he uses as a scapegoat to preserve his morality as Jack Worthing. For Jack, the name Ernest is his way to keep an honorable image in place. By using Ernest, Jack is able to escape his real life, as he is bound by duties and obligations, as well as a reputation he must protect. Ernest actually provides Jack with an excuse he conveniently uses whenever he wants to do things that he can do when he is under his real identity. It is also his disguise, as Jack wants to remain being seen as upright and moral, and with Ernest as his mask, he is able to misbehave. His character is reformed when it was the time for him to make the choice: to be Ernest or be Jack. It was love that drove him to that deciding corner, as Gwendolen was evidently in love with him being Ernest, and he is not sure if she would still love him if he is Jack. In the end, Jack apologized to Gwendolen, which she returns with forgiveness, saying that she did so because she is sure that Jack would change to make up for his mistakes. The Importance of Being Earnest is Oscar Wilde’s way of satirizing the general tolerance for hypocrisy in the Victorian concept of morality, and this is shown by the character Jack Worthing. He wants to adhere with notions of duty, honor, and respectability, yet he lives a double life, Ernest, hypocritically flouting those notions.

A Lady in a Machine-Shop Essay -- Susan Bivin Aller

In "A Lady in a Machine-Shop," Susan Bivin Aller uses creativity, determination, and confidence to demonstrate how they led Margaret Knight to succession as an inventor. Knight and her family moved to Manchester, New Hampshire when she was at a young age. At the age of twelve, Knight witnessed a mill worker injured by a steel-tipped shuttle. This motivated her to create a safety mechanism, her first invention, to prevent any further injuries in cotton mills. Knight's mind was built with creativeness and that helped her succeed. As Knight grew up with her brothers, she invented "sleds, kites, and other playthings that?were the envy of all the boys in town." Knight often had a smile on her face when making new items for her brothers. She enjoyed inventing and helping others in need. "Because she didn't play with dolls," like other girls did, Knight's mind developed independently and creatively. She was the type of person that had her own thoughts and feelings. When Knight worked at the Columbia Paper Bag Company, she wanted to improve how the machines made the bags. The bags were si...

Key Economic Factors of Microsoft Corporation Essay

As a dominator in both the PC operating system and office suite markets, Microsoft Corporation expose themselves to the cloud-based computing model presents execution and competitive risks. They are transitioning to a computing environment characterized by cloud-based services used with smart client devices. Their competitors are rapidly developing and deploying cloud-based services for consumers and business customers. The pricing and delivery models are evolving, and cause economic growth to move slower. They may not be able to adequately protect their intellectual property rights. Protecting their global intellectual property rights and combating unlicensed copying and use of software and other intellectual property is difficult. While piracy adversely affects U.S. revenue, the impact on revenue from outside the U.S. is more significant, particularly in countries where laws are less protective of intellectual property rights. As a result, their revenue in these markets likely will grow slower than the underlying PC market. Similarly, the absence of harmonized patent laws makes it more difficult to ensure consistent respect for patent rights. Throughout the world, they actively educate consumers about the benefits of licensing genuine products and obtaining indemnification benefits for intellectual property risks, and they educate lawmakers about the advantages of a business climate where intellectual property rights are protected. However, continued educational and enforcement efforts may fail to enhance revenue. Reductions in the legal protection for software intellectual property rights could adversely affect revenue. In conclusion, the economic growth is the main key factor for Microsoft Corporation and this reason likely to continue due to the globally affect issue on the intellectual property rights and unlicensed copying and use of software worldwide. The company in its life cycle Microsoft Corporation is at the stages of maturity, as they are in the market of computing for a few decades. This stage will remain as they are a dominator in the PC operating system and office suite markets. They are devoting significant resources to develop and deploy their own competing cloud-based software plus services strategies. While they have their own expertise, investments in infrastructure, and the breadth of their  cloud-based services provides them with a strong foundation to compete and to remain as a strong player in the market. The five or six most important factors for success in this business In order to success, there is a few factors in Microsoft Corporation including as follow: continuing to innovate and bring to market compelling cloud-based experiences that generate increasing traffic and market share; maintaining the utility, compatibility, and performance of our cloud-based services on the growing array of computing devices, including smartphones, handheld computers, netbooks, tablets, and television set top devices; and continuing to enhance the attractiveness of our cloud platforms to third-party developers. continuing to make significant investments in research, development, and marketing for new products, services, and technologies, including the Windows PC operating system, the Microsoft Office system, Bing, Windows Phone, Windows Server, Zune, Windows Live, the Windows Azure Services platform and other cloud-based services offerings, and Xbox 360. To create competing vertically-integrated model, in which a single firm controls both the software and hardware elements of a product, has been successful with certain consumer products such as personal computers, mobile phones, and digital music players. We also offer vertically-integrated hardware and software products This company stand with respect to these factors? Microsoft Corporation will stand with respect to these factors with the help of talented employee. As their business depends on the ability to attract and retain talented employees. Their business is based on successfully attracting and retaining talented employees. The market for highly skilled workers and leaders in the industry is extremely competitive. They are limited in their ability to recruit internationally by restrictive domestic immigration laws. If they are less successful in their recruiting efforts, or if they are unable to retain key employees, their ability to develop and  deliver successful products and services may be adversely affected. Effective succession planning is also important to their long-term success. Failure to ensure effective transfer of knowledge and smooth transitions involving key employees could hinder their strategic planning and execution. Four key business risks related to client’s business and industry. They may not be able to adequately protect their intellectual property rights. Protecting their global intellectual property rights and combating unlicensed copying and use of software and other intellectual property is difficult. While piracy adversely affects U.S. revenue, the impact on revenue from outside the U.S. is more significant, particularly in countries where laws are less protective of intellectual property rights Third parties may claim we infringe their intellectual property rights. Due to the claiming, Microsoft has to stop selling or redesign affected products, or pay damages to satisfy indemnification commitments with their customers. They may not be able to protect their source code from copying if there is an unauthorized disclosure of source code. Source code, the detailed program commands for their operating systems and other software programs.

Divorce and Its Effect on Children

Divorce and its Effect on Children Sociology 120 Wednesday December 7, 2011 My research paper is focusing on how divorced parents affect children. I am focusing mostly on how the child is affected behaviorally, emotionally, and academically. I chose this topic not because my parents are divorced, but because I will be getting married at the end of this month and I thought this would be interesting. I believe that in many cases, divorce is not needed and that the parents should work a little harder and sacrifice to have better relationships with each other and their children.The question I want to answer is if children are affected by the divorce of their parents, and if so, how much. My hypothesis is that children of divorced parents are negatively affected behaviorally, emotionally, and academically. I felt like it was better to focus specifically on these three areas so I could better measure what it is to be negatively affected by divorce. After I first chose this topic to researc h and use for my paper, I started off with the general question in mind of does divorce affect children. I used the LCC library resources online to start gathering information.It was after I spent a while gathering information that I discovered that my topic was too broad and that to more effectively answer the question I was seeking, I needed to narrow down my topic. I looked at the research I had collected from online, newspaper articles, and academic journals, and found a few reoccurring themes. These themes of children of divorced parents being affected emotionally, behaviorally, and academically are the ones I would like to address in my paper. Divorce has become a very common element in today’s society.When more than half of all divorces involve children under the age of 18, divorce does not only affect the husband and wife, but now more than ever their children get mixed up in the sometimes ugly process of divorce. Every year more than one million children experience t he divorce of their parents, and overall close to 40% of all children will experience parental divorce before they turn 18(Amato). Emotional damage is most likely the hardest effect to identify and diagnose with children of divorced parents because it can be hard to measure and is not something that can easily be see.An article in American Journal of Family Law entitled â€Å"The Psychological Impact of Divorce on Children: What is a Family Lawyer to do? † discusses a study that surveyed 1,000 teenagers between the ages of fourteen and eighteen. The study recorded their opinions on divorce and measured thoughts, feelings, and attitudes on the subject. Dr. Robert Gordon conducted the poll and named it the GordonPoll Youth Survey. The teenagers were asked about their parents’ arguing and 50% of the teens said it is â€Å"terrible. When asked what the arguing consisted of, 26% said that their parents’ arguments included â€Å"criticizing the other parent. † Another 35% said that their parents’ arguing included screaming, hitting, and â€Å"throwing stuff† (Jolivet). Dr. Robert Gordon stated after the results of the poll were collected and analyzed that, â€Å"Clearly, children are more deeply bothered by parent conflict than most adults think. While very few adults would scream, hit or throw things at their spouses, most married couples would admit that they at least occasionally disagree and criticize each other in front  of  their children.I’d like to think that these survey results would make them think twice about that† (Jolivet). Whether the parent’s are still together and fighting, or divorced and fighting, it is clear that the children who are caught in the middle of the parents’ feud are the ones who suffer the most. This same article discuses a list of factors that researchers have compiled together to help identify a high-conflict divorce that could have a more significant impact on a child.The factors that have been identified include â€Å"criminal convictions, involvement  of child welfare agencies in the dispute, several or frequent changes in lawyers, frequent court hearings, the overall length  of  time it takes for the case to settle, and a history  of  contact or timesharing denial† (Jolivet). The effects on children emotionally and behaviorally are roughly doubled when they are a part of a high-conflict divorce. These high-conflict situations should be avoided at all costs to ensure the emotional impact on the child is minimal.Studies have shown that children who are a part of these high-conflict divorces experience powerful negative emotions including, â€Å"chronic stress, insecurity, and agitation; shame, self-blame, and guilt; a chronic sense  of  helplessness; fears for their own physical safety; a sense  of  rejection, neglect, unresponsiveness, and lack  of  interest in the well being† (Jolivet). Luckily, most divorces would not be classified as a ‘high conflict,’ but that does not mean the emotional impact on children of divorce is nonexistent. At the very least, stress is a major problem that divorce has on a child.Robert Emery, Ph. D. is a Professor of Psychology and Director of the Center for Children, Families, and the Law at the University of Virginia. Emery has written numerous books on the subject of divorce and family relationships. An article he has written displays the results of a study he did on college students and the lasting impact divorce has had in their lives. Of the 99 students polled in this study, 73% admit that they would be a different person today if their parents had not divorced. Close to half also say that their parents’ divorce still causes struggles in their lives (Emery).Emery also says that besides stress being a major impact on children of divorce, the risk that they will have other affects is substantial. He says, â€Å"Divorce c learly increases the  risk  that children will suffer from psychological and behavioral problems. Troubled children are particularly likely to develop problems with anger, disobedience, and rule violations. School achievement also can suffer. Other children become sad for prolonged periods of time. They may become depressed, anxious, or become perhaps overly responsible kids who end up caring for their parents instead of getting cared for by them† (Emery).The article â€Å"The Psychological Impact of Divorce on Children: What is a Family Lawyer to do? † states a number of behavioral problems that are brought out in children who experience a high-conflict divorce. Some of the behavioral problems are defined as, â€Å"a group  of  behaviors which can be described as: lower commitment to marriage, infidelity, problems with anger management, feelings  of  insecurity, neediness, demandingness, denial and blame, contempt, and poor conflict resolution skills, high er levels  of  depression, and more problems with peers† (Jolivet). In comparison, Dr. Paul R.Amato of Pennsylvania State University compared the results of these studies to similar ones of children who have grown up in stable, two-parent families. The children of the stable families have a â€Å"higher standard of living,   receive more effective parenting, experience more cooperative co-parenting, are emotionally closer to both parents, and are subjected to fewer stressful events and circumstances† (Jolivet). Another study performed by Dr. Amato and Dr. Danelle D. DeBoer has shown that adults who have experienced the divorce of their own parents as children prove to have higher rates of divorce themselves. During the 17 ear study, 2,000 married individuals and 335 of their children who also got married were observed. The study revealed that divorces were seen more often among the adults that had parents of their own who had divorced. Dr. Amato commented on his s tudies with the theory that parents who had seen their own parents’ divorce saw divorce as a reasonable solution to an unhappy marriage. Dr. Amato does add that adults with divorced parents are not necessarily going to be doomed to divorce themselves, but that they may need to work a little harder to keep their own marriages from following the same path to divorce (Jolivet).Psychologist Judith Wallerstein, founder of the Judith Wallerstein Center for the Family in Transition, has conducted numerous interviews with children of divorce and to this day is dedicated to her qualitative method stating it is more personal and intimate. Wallerstein began her interviews back in 1971, directly after the no-fault divorce was passed in California. Divorce rates began rising as parents took advantage of this new law not taking into account the affect it would have. Wallerstein decided to start talking to the children about how the divorce affected them.Of the original 131 children she had when she started her project, she has continued contact with 93 of them. The children are now adults themselves and through her interviews she has determined that, â€Å"the major impact of divorce does not occur during childhood or adolescence, rather, it rises in adulthood as serious romantic relationships move center stage. When it comes time to choose a life mate . . . the effects of divorce crescendo† (Peterson). Wallerstein found that of the 93 adult children of divorce she has interviewed, only 40% have married.She says that the adult children of divorce expect to fail at marriage and that they fear â€Å"loss, conflict, betrayal and loneliness. † She also states, â€Å"That she is amazed that the children of divorce tell her divorce is with them every day of their lives† and â€Å"how much their parents' divorce shaped their adult years. † (Peterson). It’s plain to see that based on the results of these numerous studies, that divorce certa inly does play an important role in the lives of children of divorce both while they are still young and as they grow into adulthood.It not only affects their life as a child, but also their future. An article in the The Miami Times entitled â€Å"How divorce affects a child's education,† Fran Newman, author of â€Å"Children in Crisis† explains some of the ways a child’s education is affected by divorce. She states that it can be very difficult to detect the way divorce affects a child, but one of the more noticeable changes is in a child’s education. Whether the child begins acting out in class, or their grades drop, it is something that needs to be addressed. Newman encourages strong communication between home and school.She also adds that, â€Å"in recognizing that there's something wrong at home, teachers look for two things. One is a child who is normally energetic and outgoing withdraws. The other is the stable child who all of a sudden begins to act up and get into all sorts of problems† (Education). Are the differences in school because of the arguing that occurs at home, or the fact that the parents devote most of their time to the divorce, new spouse, or themselves instead of their children? Sara McLanahan, a sociologist at Princeton University, has done several studies measuring the academic effect divorce has on children.In one such study, McLanahan discovered that children of divorce are more likely to drop out of high school compared to children whose parents stay together. In her studies, she found that the middle-class is affected the most and that, â€Å"They are roughly three times as likely to drop out of high school if their parents split up. † She also found some interesting results that show how the children are affected as they grow into adulthood. In girls, she discovered that they are more likely to have a premarital birth, and boys have a higher chance of being unemployed (Divorce).Kathleen K iernan of the Family Policy Studies Centre and Martin Richards of Cambridge University have also done research of the lasting impact divorce has on children as they grow older. Their research however was focused on families in Great Britain where there are more records, some dating back to the 1950s, of how divorce impacts children as they grow into their 20s. These records confirm much of what McLanahan has shown in her studies of children as they move out of their teens. The studies done by Kiernan and Richards have confirmed that children of divorce are more likely to drop out of school and even leave their homes early.This leads to higher rates of early cohabitation and premarital birth. Kiernan’s and Richard’s work also suggests that children of divorced parents are less likely to attend a university (Divorce). Writer Diana Mahoney best described divorce when she said, â€Å"No  divorce  is a good  divorce, but when it comes to the kids, some  divorces  are clearly better than others† (Jolivet). It is clear that not all children of divorce are impacted the same ways as others, or as profoundly. Parents have the huge responsibility of caring for their children and many parents take this matter too lightly.Many steps should be taken before divorce is even an option, and too many parents see divorce as the only step when a relationship becomes a little shaky. If a divorce is absolutely necessary, it is the parents’ great responsibility to make sure the child always comes first no matter what. Works Cited Amato, Paul R. â€Å"The Consequences of Divorce for Adults and Children. †Ã‚  Journal of Marriage and Family  62. 4 (2000): 1269-87. ProQuest Central. Web. 4 Dec. 2011. â€Å"Divorce and Children: They Muck You Up. †Ã‚  The Economist  Mar 20 1993: 33-. ProQuest Central. Web. 6 Dec. 2011  . Emery, Robert E. How Divorce Affects Children. † The Truth about Children and Divorce. 2011. 05 Dec. 2011 http://www. emeryondivorce. com/ how_divorce_affects_children. php. â€Å"How Divorce Affects a Child’s Education. †Ã‚  Miami Times: 15B. Ethnic NewsWatch. 2011. Web. 4 Dec. 2011  . Jolivet, Kendra Randall. â€Å"The Psychological Impact of Divorce on Children: What is a Family Lawyer to do? †Ã‚  American Journal of Family Law  25. 4 (2012): 175-83. ProQuest Central. Web. 4 Dec. 2011. Peterson, Karen S. â€Å"Unhappily Ever After Children of Divorce Grow into Bleak Legacy. †Ã‚  USA TODAY: 01. D. ProQuest Central. Sep 05 2000. Web. 6 Dec. 2011  .

A Rising Pharmacist Essay Example

A Rising Pharmacist Essay Example A Rising Pharmacist Essay A Rising Pharmacist Essay Today many people are sick and disabled. IVe seen many people that have become sicker than what they normally were. Illness brings problems that can be quite devastating, and it can lead to depression. IVe always question my self and asked myself, Will these problems disappear? Who can help these people? Are there solutions to decrease the sickness faced by people of today? I know that some day these problems will disappear, and we will become healthy individuals. The health of others is my greatest concern because it affects this world for them and not only for The health of others around me has such a great effect that I want to become a pharmacist. I plan to obtain skills in such areas of pharmacy that will promote a better heath rate. In the field of pharmacy, I wish to change the hardships and the complication that patients have in order for them to receive medications. I want to make the prices lower but at the same time heal the patients. l, being a part of the pharmacy departments, will change the hopes today of patients. Then they too can have a chance ofa happy ending life. I am very please to have the option of becoming a pharmacist. IVe had many things taught to me that ensure me of becoming a great pharmacist. At the complex center in Woodville, Mississippi, I was accredited with skills such as drug calculations, drug classification, and terminology of medical terms. I competed in the HOSA bowl and was placed fourth out of twenty students in the pharmacology area. I am sure that with my skills IVe obtained, I will become the best pharmacist there is. By becoming a pharmacist, the health of others will become very hopeful because I will make it my obligation to implement the best drugs.

Free Essays on The Constitution

The Constitution of the United States of America is the base of how our government was formed. It's made up of several amendments, which states the rights of the people of the United States. It was drafted on September 17, 1787 by a group of men who we call today our "Founding Fathers". The Founding Father's opinions greatly influenced the make-up of the constitution. The First Amendment in the constitution, and one of the most important ones, states that congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, freedom of speech, the press or the right of the people to assemble. Our Founding Fathers opinions sometimes conflicted each other which caused tension when writing and signing the constitution. One particular difference several fathers had was the separation of church and state. Thomas Jefferson, a very intelligent and well-respected father, viewed that the separation of church and state was a must in order to have a stable government. In contrast John Dickinson vo ted against the separation of church and state saying that religion in schools was needed. He even refused to sign the Declaration of Independence because of that reason alone. In 1984 the Equal Access Act was put into action, which divided the church and state on a clearer line. It was passed after years of problems with the separation of church and state in public schools. The Equal Access Act says that a religious group must be initiated by students and have a voluntary attendance policy. It also says that a public school and its employees may not sponsor or participate but may pay incidental cost and be assigned solely to maintain discipline. The most controversial court case that has happened related to religious activities in schools occurred in the past year. In Santa Fe, Texas two religious families took the independent school district to court saying that it violated their first amendment after allowing a protestant prayer at a high school footbal... Free Essays on The Constitution Free Essays on The Constitution The Constitution of the United States of America is the base of how our government was formed. It's made up of several amendments, which states the rights of the people of the United States. It was drafted on September 17, 1787 by a group of men who we call today our "Founding Fathers". The Founding Father's opinions greatly influenced the make-up of the constitution. The First Amendment in the constitution, and one of the most important ones, states that congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, freedom of speech, the press or the right of the people to assemble. Our Founding Fathers opinions sometimes conflicted each other which caused tension when writing and signing the constitution. One particular difference several fathers had was the separation of church and state. Thomas Jefferson, a very intelligent and well-respected father, viewed that the separation of church and state was a must in order to have a stable government. In contrast John Dickinson vo ted against the separation of church and state saying that religion in schools was needed. He even refused to sign the Declaration of Independence because of that reason alone. In 1984 the Equal Access Act was put into action, which divided the church and state on a clearer line. It was passed after years of problems with the separation of church and state in public schools. The Equal Access Act says that a religious group must be initiated by students and have a voluntary attendance policy. It also says that a public school and its employees may not sponsor or participate but may pay incidental cost and be assigned solely to maintain discipline. The most controversial court case that has happened related to religious activities in schools occurred in the past year. In Santa Fe, Texas two religious families took the independent school district to court saying that it violated their first amendment after allowing a protestant prayer at a high school footbal...

How to Create Classroom Management Routines

How to Create Classroom Management Routines Over the years, educators have developed many different methods for keeping classrooms under control. Currently, one of the most effective is a  program of classroom management proposed by educator  Harry K. Wong  in his book  The First Days of School. The focus of Wongs program is on creating orderly classroom routines that help children understand what is expected of them each day. It is a highly effective method, one that works well in both special and general education classrooms. Each day, the children from Room 203 line up outside the classroom and wait to be greeted by their teacher. When they enter the room, they place their homework in the basket marked homework, hang up their coats, and empty their back packs. Soon, the class is busy recording the days assignments in their assignment book, and when completed work on the spelling puzzle they found on their desks. The Importance of Routines Every day, the children in room 203 follow the same routines, routines they have learned. Flexibility comes in instruction, in meeting individual needs or challenges as they arise. The beauty of routines is that they are about what we do, not who we are. A child can be reminded that they forgot to complete a routine, and they will not feel hurt, as they probably would if they were told that they broke a rule. Its well worth the extra time required to create routines, since routines help children understand what is expected of them, where to find the resources they need, and how to behave in the classroom. Routines take time to be taught, but eventually, they become second-nature, and students no longer need to be reminded what to do. The best time to establish routines is at the beginning of the school year.  The First Six Weeks of School, a book by educators Paula Denton and Roxann Kriete, lays out six weeks of activities that teach routines and create meaningful ways for students to interact and create community in the classroom. This approach is now trademarked as The Responsive Classroom. Creating Routines The best routines are those that anticipate common challenges in the classroom and find ways to address them. Before creating a routine, teachers should ask themselves the following questions: How will the students enter the classroom?Where will they place their backpacks? Their homework?Who will take attendance? How will the students record their lunch choices?What does a student  do when his or her work is completed?How does a student  record his or her independent reading?How are seats chosen at lunchtime? A resource room teacher will need to ask: How will the students  get from their general education classroom to the resource room?How will the students know when it is time to move from their desks to the teachers table?What role will a classroom aide play in the structure of the classroom?Who keeps track of homework and class assignments? Teachers should have an answer for each of these questions. Children from communities without much structure will need a great deal of structure in their day. On the other hand, children from more orderly communities will not necessarily need as much structure. As a teacher, it is always best to have too many routines and too much structure than too little- you can more easily take away than add. Rules While routines are more effective for managing classrooms, there is still a place for rules. Keep them short and simple. One of the rules in every classroom should be Treat yourself and others with respect. Limit your rules to a maximum of 10 so that students can easily remember them.

Teaching and Learning Reading Skills Research Paper

Teaching and Learning Reading Skills - Research Paper Example This paper illustrates that various types of media that are available in the society that discourages the students to read more are very accessible. Television, movies, and the like do not require anybody to learn how to read. The mere fact that people should only open their eyes and listen to what is projected on the screen without reading anything leads students to become uninterested in reading. At school, there is not as much student interaction during the reading classes, thus the more the students stay uninterested. Identifying students’ learning strategies are as important as identifying the different teaching strategies that the teachers should implement in a classroom. Children, at a young age, require activities that would make them interested in participating in a reading class. If there are not enough activities that would engage them in learning and developing their skills, more likely, the students would lose focus and resort to disinterest. Specific teaching tec hniques such as additional exercises and activities are necessary to encourage the students to read further. One of the most common teaching techniques that the author has observed among the teachers back in elementary was the focus on the vocabulary words in a reading class rather than the content and comprehension. There are more vocabulary exercises than those that require comprehension and analysis that may have been a lot more interesting for the children than the memorization and use of the words that teachers thought were important for the students to focus on. There are no doubt vocabulary skills should be improved as well, however, reading classes should not put much weight on the definition of the difficult words, but rather, the understanding of the students to the ideas that the reading exercises present. In addition, reading activities were but a part of the language book. Reading comprehension exercises were limited to only a few questions for which no further exercise s are added.

Etruscan Archaeology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Etruscan Archaeology - Essay Example right, particularly in how early its social structure was developed, the origins of the people who inhabited it, and the cultural and technological advancements they made during their independent existence. In recent times, interest in ancient Etruria has increased and the result of this archeological interest has led to greater understanding of the region’s diversity (Witcher 122). For understanding southern European history prior to the 8th century B.C. and beyond, a detailed survey of Etruscan archaeology is required. In general overview, the agriculture of the early- to mid-Etruscan civilization consisted of farms that contributed significantly to a central food and general supply of commodities like cereals, olives, figs, and wool (Barker 782). Before long, farming in the Etruscan state came under extensive regulation, when the economic system and society in general changed into one featuring a number of stratified and complex hierarchies. In addition to farms, roadways (for communication) and heavier equipment became necessary. These changes are clearly evident from the archaeological evidence uncovered at distinctively Etruscan sites (Witcher 102-5). In the case of Etruria, the compound of a new government and a new farming system created what came to be the growth of a system that emphasized difference between the elites and the public (Barker 783). Archaeological evidence regarding such transformations is especially scant, but telling examples like botanical residues at some sites paint a v ibrant picture. Economically, the archeology of the Etruscan civilization is appealing for its possible contribution to an understanding of a pre- or early-Roman economy. Subsistence farming, not at all unlike that seen in the medieval ages, took root in the context of growing state authority. Barker (1988) even claims that surplus animals not consumed for their commercial value were often sacrifice to legitimize â€Å"the authority of the elites amongst the peasantry

New Virtual Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

New Virtual Society - Essay Example in Brown 30). In this respect, for example, while terminating relationships or turning down a candidate for open job position, a lot of individuals prefer to substitute face-to-face conversations for virtual methods of communication in order to avoid any embarrassment and try to prevent oneself from any negative emotions. 2. Cyberspace helps to widen communication and diversify person’s social ties, which, despite all advantages of virtual life, can stay quite unstable and weak. For instance, Brown states that â€Å"someone with more than 3,000 Facebook friends probably has more than 2,000 shallow friendships† (31). Even though, being a former classmate, coworker or merely an acquaintance from exhibition, each so-called â€Å"friend† from such a long list may have different relation to the owner of profile, not many social networks admit this disparity and provide relevant additional options for their users. â€Å"In the new Virtual Society, we will see an increasing transition from basic matchmaking sites to sites that enable people to actually go out on online â€Å"dates† without ever leaving their desks. While face-to-face dating will never entirely disappear, the process - and even relationships themselves - will happen more and more in virtual space† (Brown 30) According to the latest forecasts, in the future, dating sites will be more advanced implementing technological option that ensures virtuality of face-to-face dates. Hence, users will not be forced to leave their houses in case they wish to meet someone. Therefore, along with existence of traditional dating, virtual relationships and meetings will be widely popularized (Brown 30). â€Å"More and more people regard the virtual world as a place where they can establish and maintain safer, less demanding relationships on their own time. Ease, flexibility, and relative anonymity will continue to be three key components on

Microeconomics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Microeconomics - Assignment Example These goods are traded in the market where the buyer and seller first agree on a price level and then the buyer acquires the good. Thus, consumers have to pay for the good in order to acquire its benefits. Cars and cell phones are examples. In contrast, a public good is one that is available for all and does not necessarily need to be acquired by paying for it. For example, street lights or a light house benefit all instead of one person. The increase in the number of public goods by the government helps it to cut across the system of class disparity and allows everyone to benefit from them without actually paying for the goods. The government thus produces public goods to increase the social welfare of the society. Ans 3) Private goods are paid for by the consumers in order to get ownership of the good. Thus, only the person buying it acquires all the benefits. However, the free rider concept comes into play when one entity such as the government is responsible for providing all the benefits that are equally shared by the people. An example of this can be bridges and roads that are used by everyone while the government builds them. Ans 4) The optimal quantity of pollution can never be zero because any production activity in the economy makes pollution an unavoidable spillover effect. For instance, a car manufacturing company will cause air pollution and for an economy that is operating on a free market basis with no government intervention, even though the cost of the pollution will not be borne by the company, it will be a byproduct of that production process. Thus at any point, the optimal quantity of pollution can never be zero unless all forms of economic activity are halted (Mankiw, 2002). Ans 5) Increasing the gas tax would have a number of adverse effects. Firstly, the cost of other goods will increase with the increase in gas tax. The automobile, aviation and shipping industry rely heavily on gas and will raise their prices in accordance to the increas e in tax so that the costs can be covered. In addition to this, the purchase of automobiles will decrease since the gas tax would result in a higher cost of the car for the consumer. Secondly, the demand for gasoline is considered to be inelastic in the short run. This means that the gas consumption would not decrease with an increase in gas prices. Therefore, an increased gas tax would be a further strain on the costs of manufacturers and consumers. Also, this increase would be reflected on specifically the lower and middle income groups that own fewer vehicles than the higher income group. People in rural and remote areas depend on public transportation and thus a high gas tax would be unfair to the low income groups (O’Sullivan & Sheffrin, 2005). Ans 6) Pollution is defined as damage or harm caused to the environment that we live in. A pollution tax will thus reduce pollution by making large and small organizations to take responsibility for the pollution their economic ac tivities cause. The revenue from these taxes can be used to take measures to eliminate the pollutants that are responsible for harming the environment. For instance, a carbon emission tax can allow the government to invest in projects that reduces industry pollution such as CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage). Moreover, a pollution tax will balance the pollution costs that many organizations may not incorporate in their production proces

Fainel exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Fainel exam - Essay Example It is a house built of wood and it stands out as a brow house ext to a wall made of stones. Textures and window is a painting in a natural setting. It is a window which is next to a garden something common in most homes. It is presented in a very natural way using ordinary colors to make the painting familiar to the viewer. Antiquities angel is a painting reflecting the face of an antiquity shop. The different forms of antiquities one can find in such shops such as drum gives the painting its identity. Conclusively, Elizabeth Ann has stated that her work shows fragmented reality. She is inspired by music, sound, pieces and bits of manmade and natural forms of nature. With the use of light, color, and shadow she forms her paintings to represent nature around her. Use of logic in a dream world makes her paintings unique and exceptional. Gathering images from the real world, and putting them together in creative ways has ensured that her work is relevant in the modern contemporary

Microeconomics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Microeconomics - Assignment Example These goods are traded in the market where the buyer and seller first agree on a price level and then the buyer acquires the good. Thus, consumers have to pay for the good in order to acquire its benefits. Cars and cell phones are examples. In contrast, a public good is one that is available for all and does not necessarily need to be acquired by paying for it. For example, street lights or a light house benefit all instead of one person. The increase in the number of public goods by the government helps it to cut across the system of class disparity and allows everyone to benefit from them without actually paying for the goods. The government thus produces public goods to increase the social welfare of the society. Ans 3) Private goods are paid for by the consumers in order to get ownership of the good. Thus, only the person buying it acquires all the benefits. However, the free rider concept comes into play when one entity such as the government is responsible for providing all the benefits that are equally shared by the people. An example of this can be bridges and roads that are used by everyone while the government builds them. Ans 4) The optimal quantity of pollution can never be zero because any production activity in the economy makes pollution an unavoidable spillover effect. For instance, a car manufacturing company will cause air pollution and for an economy that is operating on a free market basis with no government intervention, even though the cost of the pollution will not be borne by the company, it will be a byproduct of that production process. Thus at any point, the optimal quantity of pollution can never be zero unless all forms of economic activity are halted (Mankiw, 2002). Ans 5) Increasing the gas tax would have a number of adverse effects. Firstly, the cost of other goods will increase with the increase in gas tax. The automobile, aviation and shipping industry rely heavily on gas and will raise their prices in accordance to the increas e in tax so that the costs can be covered. In addition to this, the purchase of automobiles will decrease since the gas tax would result in a higher cost of the car for the consumer. Secondly, the demand for gasoline is considered to be inelastic in the short run. This means that the gas consumption would not decrease with an increase in gas prices. Therefore, an increased gas tax would be a further strain on the costs of manufacturers and consumers. Also, this increase would be reflected on specifically the lower and middle income groups that own fewer vehicles than the higher income group. People in rural and remote areas depend on public transportation and thus a high gas tax would be unfair to the low income groups (O’Sullivan & Sheffrin, 2005). Ans 6) Pollution is defined as damage or harm caused to the environment that we live in. A pollution tax will thus reduce pollution by making large and small organizations to take responsibility for the pollution their economic ac tivities cause. The revenue from these taxes can be used to take measures to eliminate the pollutants that are responsible for harming the environment. For instance, a carbon emission tax can allow the government to invest in projects that reduces industry pollution such as CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage). Moreover, a pollution tax will balance the pollution costs that many organizations may not incorporate in their production proces

Critically discuss the extend to which formal strategic may be Essay

Critically discuss the extend to which formal strategic may be considered to be the key to effective business process management in hospitality SME'S - Essay Example According to Tangen (2004) , this suggests poor organisational configuration, which is detrimental to sustained competitive advantage. Configuration is defined as â€Å"making choices about what a company will do and how it will do it, and†¦ensuring that the things a company does reinforce each other†. They argue that the lack of a focused competitive strategy is one of the key causes of poor organisational configuration. However, the problem of organisational configuration is not just restricted to understanding markets, with poor configuration being found in a number of key areas, including hospitality SMEs’ relationships with their customers, which are fraught with uncertainty. There is an acknowledged advantage in that small firms are closer to the customer, enabling more personal relationships to develop (Crook , 2003). However, this is tempered by the danger that having a limited customer base (Gray, 2005) facilitates the development of deferential supplier–customer relationships. Research by Harrison (2003) concludes that, apart from those firms which operate only in very low profit or niche markets, hospitality SMEs are consistently found to be subservient to their larger counterparts. This view is supported by Wong (2005) who suggest that hospitality SMEs have a lack of control over their futures because of demands made by stronger customers throughout the supply chain. An addi tional burden is a lack of power to leverage payment of debts from these customers, as noted by (Okumus, 2003), who point out that many smaller firms are â€Å"afraid to press customers too hard for payment for fear of loss of future business†. It is this scenario which most severely affects hospitality SMEs as their limited resources cannot cope with the fluctuations in cash flow that late payment inevitably brings. The overall effect of the fiercely competitive environment in which hospitality SMEs operate is that, very often, strategic planning becomes a seemingly

Revenge in Hamlet Essay Example for Free

Revenge in Hamlet Essay â€Å"Hamlet is the finest of all plays in the English revenge tradition† (Shakespeare, IV). The recurring theme in William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, is revenge, every character in this play wants revenge on someone else. Revenge in this play means murder. From the beginning right through until the end of the book, there are three instances where revenge is seen; the ghost of Hamlet senior wants revenge on Claudius, Hamlet wants revenge on Claudius and Laertes wants revenge on Hamlet. Hamlet is the most serious play on revenge because of all the questions asked (Shakespeare, IV). At the very beginning of Hamlet, Hamlet seniors ghost appears to his son, Hamlet and demands revenge on his brother, Claudius. Claudius murders his brother because he wants to become king, his ambition and he wants to have the Queen Gertrude as his wife. When the ghost of Hamlet senior appears to Hamlet he says, â€Å"So art thou to revenge when thou shalt hear† (1.5. Line 7). Once Hamlet discovers that Claudius is the murderer of his father, Hamlet shall find revenge on his uncle. Also during the ghost’s appearance he tells his son to revenge Claudius’ soul in an unnatural murder, â€Å"Revenge his soul and most unnatural murder† (1.5. Line 25). Hamlet senior wants his son, Hamlet to find revenge on Claudius for his death and stealing his Queen. Now that Hamlet knows about his fathers murder and who actually caused it, he wants revenge. Hamlet wants revenge on his uncle, King Claudius for his fathers death. There are several chances that Hamlets has had throughout the play to get back at Claudius, but each time he hesitates and waits for better timing and different circumstances. During Act three, Scene three of Hamlet, Hamlet draws his sword and says to himself, â€Å"To take him in the purging of his soul,/ When he is fit and seasoned for his passage?/ No./ Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent† (3.3. Lines 85-89). Hamlet has a chance to avenge his father, but hesitates. Later on in the play, Hamlet has another chance to kill his uncle, â€Å"Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damned Dane,/ Drink off this potion. Is thy union here?/ Follow my mother† (5.2. Lines 318-320). Hamlet finally avenges his father and kills King Claudius. Finally, there is the revenge Laertes wants from Hamlet for his father’s death and his sister’s insanity. Laertes discovers Hamlet is home and wants his revenge. During act three, scene four of Hamlet, Hamlet murders Polonius, Laertes’ father and he lead Ophelia, Laertes’ sister to insanity.  As Laertes was conversing with the King, he says, â€Å"I dare damnation. To this point I stand,/ That both the worlds I give to negligence,/ Let come what comes, only I’ll be reveng’d/ Most throughly for my father† (4.5. Lines 132-135). At the point Laertes is at, he does not care what happens to himself as long as he finds avenge on his father and his sister. Laertes decides that he will wait until he is able to get back at Hamlet, he says â€Å"And so have I a noble father lost,/ A sister driven into desp’rate terms,/ Whose worth, if praises may go back again,/ Stood challenger on mount of all the age/ For her perfections. But my revenge will come† (4.7. Lines 25-29). Laertes never did get his revenge on Hamlet, as Hamlet actually kills Laertes. As it has been proven, Shakespeare’s play Hamlet has a recurring theme of revenge and each case of revenge resulted in a death. Everyone wants their revenge on someone! In Hamlet, revenge is a serious matter because of its results. Hamlet senior’s ghost and Hamlet both receive their revenge on Claudius when he is killed by Hamlet. Laertes wants his revenge on Hamlet but Hamlet kills Laertes before he gets the chance. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. New York: Oxford University Press., 2002. Print

A Report On Race And Ethnicity Sociology Essay

A Report On Race And Ethnicity Sociology Essay Racism and Ethnicity are two well known subjects in the academic world. Although not a popular choice of study Racism and Ethnicity can be found in Multicultural education, Sociology, Economics, to name just a few. Although used in the same way, Racism and Ethnicity are very different. The purpose of this essay is to define and provide examples of racism, institutional racism, and individual racism. I will also focus on the impacts that these forms of racism have on those who are on the receiving end of racism. The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines racism in two meanings: One, â€Å"the belief that there are characteristics, abilities, or qualities specific to each race† and two, â€Å"discrimination against or antagonism towards other races†. Ethnicity on the other hand has three meanings: One, â€Å"relating to a group of people having a common national or cultural tradition† two, â€Å"referring to origin by birth than by present nationality: ethnic Albanians 3. â€Å"relating to a non-Western cultural tradition: ethnic music. (Oxford Dictionary: rev 2009). The word â€Å"race† has been around for several hundreds of years. At first it was used to describe an extended family through the generations, then as times passed it referred to large groups of people that were not family yet shared the same cultural practices and traditions, values and demographic location. When the Europeans made contact with people outside their homeland (America, Asia and Oceania) they would put people into categories that would show differences between their culture and those who were â€Å"new† to them. These categories according to Pearson were what Banton (a writer on Evolution) called â€Å"Selectionist theories of evolution†. (Pearson:1990). Banton argued that a persons â€Å"physical appearance (phenotype) and/or inbuilt genetic makeup (genotype) explained human thought and action (Pearson: 1990) and it was then acceptable for people to define people on a â€Å"scale of attributes, from inferior to superior, from primitive to superior† (Pearson: 1990) all of which has made many a scientist question the world and how it is breaking up people into different races. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries a hierarchy was formed where those who were black (dark skinned) would be at the bottom and those who were white (fair skinned) wee at the top. Those who had dark skin were considered less educated or uneducated, simple people who were best suited to jobs that involved physical and manual labour. A white person, notably a white male middle class male, had intelligence, held down a job in managerial role and was financially far better of than those of dark skin. This was known as â€Å"racial essence, to determine the abilities of a person or a group† (Study Guide: Unit 6). By the mid twentieth century, the study of genetics was becoming a turning point in humanity. Rather than focussing on a persons skin colour, it became more acceptable that having good access to food, education, clean water, and healthcare contributed to the development in human beings. Pearson (1990), argued ethnicity is â€Å"what people do† (Study Guide: U nit 6) and demonstrated this by quoting a set of definitions by Anthony Smith with reference to ethnic communities. Ethnic communities have: a â€Å"collective name a â€Å"common myth of decent† a â€Å"distinctive shared culture† â€Å"an association with a specific territory† and a â€Å"sense of solidarity† This is defined in Pearsons article as an ethnic community â€Å"as a named human population with shared ancestry, myths, histories, and cultures having an association with a specific terroritory and a sense of solidarity† (Pearson: 1990). Institutional racism focuses on a group of people who are often more â€Å"dominant† than other groups and choose to criticise another group for being like second class citizens in particular â€Å"radically inferior† (Pearson:1990) that allow a more dominant group to dictate to the less off group â€Å"where they live, what language they speak, what school they attend, what job they acquire, how they are treated by the police and the courts, how they are portrayed by the media, and what form of political and legal representation they have to recourse to† (Pearson: 1990). Thus, those who are part of the more dominant group can dictate how the less dominant group can be used and have the racist beliefs and actions placed upon them. An example of instutional racism is prominent where there are often two or more different ethnicities. In South Africa for example, â€Å"judicial rules and regulations discriminating against black persons are a clear case point (Pear son: 1990). In New Zealand however, there is no such thing as discriminatory legislation and policies and practices are usually unintentional than discriminating towards one another. Individual racism on the other hand is more personal and is targeted at individuals rather than a group of people. Also known as personal racism, Brislin identifies four types of individual racism: 1. Intense racism â€Å"the belief that certain people are inferior, and hence are perceived as being of low worth. 2. Symbolic racism- Dominant groups â€Å"feel the the out group is interfering with important aspects of the culture- creating problems†. 3. Tokenism- Dominant groups prove that they have engaged in â€Å"token activities to prove that they have even handed the treatment of other races†. 4. Arms length- People engaging â€Å"in friendly positive behaviours towards out group members in some social settings but treat them the same out group members with noticeably less warmth and friendliness in other settings†. Brislin(2000). Kenan Malik argued that individual racism â€Å"imprisons those who are subjected to it while strengthening Western cultures†. Orientalism, which Malik quotes is a â€Å"dualism between the east and the west and the Orient and has helped to define ‘other â€Å"which people can see is different and excluded in race relationships. In summary I have defined and provide some examples of racism and ethnicity and outlined the concepts of institutional racism and individual racism. By focussing on these examples we can be sure that racism affects people either as a nation or are subjects of individual attacks. By being aware of these prejudices, it is important to understand that we should not feel more superior to one another just because of the colour of someone elses skin. Racism is in many parts of the world and although it appears for many reasons, it should be addressed so not to damage a particular culture or a persons identity.

Freakonomics A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything b

Freakonomics A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner Freakonomics brings together many combinations of thoughts that one wouldn’t find relevant in companionship. The two authors discuss comparisons that are so off the wall, that you almost question reading the book; however, that is the reason many read the book in the first place. The authors Levitt and Dubner compare in one chapter of Freakonomics the reason why drug dealers live with their moms. Throughout this chapter, the authors discuss questions about why intelligent people sometimes do not ask questions that people really care about, advertising and surveys, and why, in general, do drug dealers still live with their moms. The use of testimonial evidence is prudent in the chapter because its proof builds the case for the qualitative evidence used during the drug dealing section of the chapter. I will discuss these three topics in detail and analyze the author’s contributions to the arguments they present, by evaluating how the argument was portrayed based on the ev idence given in the book. â€Å"But if you can question something that people really care about and find an answer that may surprise them—that is, if you can overturn the conventional wisdom—then you may have some luck† (Levitt and Dubner 87). What Levitt and Dubner meant by this passage, is that if you divulge yourself into questions, ridiculous or not, you might find something you are looking for. If there are unanswered questions, and no one is asking them, they are â€Å"bound to yield uninteresting answers† (Levitt and Dubner 87). Meaning, people are not usually asking questions in which they are not interested in the answers. From a personal no... ...ves otherwise. A foot soldier makes, according to the financial evidence given, $3.30 an hour. Actually, many foot soldiers held other jobs to supplement the low wages they were issued dealing drugs. The evidence given in this section of the chapter was useful to the reader to understand and visually absorb the material. As a whole, the evidence given in this chapter was sufficient in building a cohesive thought. However, the advertising and survey section of the chapter through me for a loop and almost made me stop reading the chapter all together. The use of testimonial, measurement, and analytical data discussed in the chapter allowed me to truly understand the point that the authors were trying to get across to the reader. The chapter, like the rest of the book, contains thoughts that are not conventional in nature and are interesting to think about.

Emerging markets Essay

Emerging markets are nations with social or business activity in the process of rapid growth and industrialization. The economies of China and India are considered to be the largest.[1] According to The Economist many people find the term outdated, but no new term has yet to gain much traction.[2] Emerging market hedge fund capital reached a record new level in the first quarter of 2011 of $121 billion.[3] The seven largest emerging and developing economies by either nominal GDP or GDP (PPP) are China, Brazil, Russia, India, Mexico, Indonesia, and Turkey. [pic] An emerging market economy (EME) is defined as an economy with low to middle per capita income. Such countries constitute approximately 80% of the global population, and represent about 20% of the world’s economies. The term was coined in 1981 by Antoine W. Van Agtmael of the International Finance Corporation[pic] of the World Bank. Although the term â€Å"emerging market† is loosely defined, countries that fall into this category, varying from very big to very small, are usually considered emerging because of their developments and reforms. Hence, even though China is deemed one of the world’s economic powerhouses, it is lumped into the category alongside much smaller economies with a great deal less resources[pic], like Tunisia. Both China and Tunisia belong to this category because both have embarked on economic development and reform programs, and have begun to open up their markets and â€Å"emerge† onto the global scene. EMEs are considered to be fast-growing economies. What an EME Looks Like EMEs are characterized as transitional, meaning they are in the process of moving from a closed economy to an open market economy while building accountability within the system. Examples include the former Soviet Union and Eastern bloc countries. As an emerging market, a country is embarking on an economic reform program that will lead it to stronger and more responsible economic performance levels, as well as transparency and efficiency[pic] in the capital market. An EME will also reform its exchange rate system because a stable local currency builds confidence in an economy, especially when foreigners are considering investing. Exchange rate reforms also reduce the desire for local investors to send their capital abroad (capital flight). Besides implementing reforms, an EME is also most likely receiving aid and guidance from large donor countries and/or world organizations such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. One key characteristic of the EME is an increase in both local and foreign investment (portfolio and direct). A growth in investment in a country often indicates that the country has been able to build confidence in the local economy. Moreover, foreign investment is a signal that the world has begun to take notice of the emerging market, and when international capital flows are directed toward an EME, the injection of foreign currency into the local economy adds volume to the country’s stock market and long-term investment to the infrastructure. For foreign investors or developed-economy businesses[pic], an EME provides an outlet for expansion by serving, for example, as a new place for a new factory or for new sources of revenue. For the recipient country, employment levels rise, labor and managerial skills become more refined, and a sharing and transfer of technology occurs. In the long-run, the EME’s overall production levels should rise, increasing its gross domestic product and eventually lessening the gap between the emerged and emerging worlds. Portfolio Investment and Risks Because their markets are in transition and hence not stable, emerging markets offer an opportunity to investors who are looking to add some risk to their portfolios. The possibility for some economies to fall back into a not-completely-resolved civil war or a revolution sparking a change in government could result in a return to nationalization, expropriation and the collapse of the capital market. Because the risk of an EME investment is higher than an investment in a developed market, panic, speculation and knee-jerk reactions are also more common – the 1997 Asian crisis, during which international portfolio flows into these countries actually began to reverse themselves, is a good example of how EMEs can be high-risk investment opportunities. (For more insight on getting into emerging economies, read Forging Frontier Markets.) However, the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward, so emerging market investments have become a standard practice among investors aiming to diversify while adding risk. (For more details on the advantages and disadvantages of making foreign investments, see Is Offshore Investing For You? and Going International.)

Reflection About Platos Allegory of the Cave Essay

This should already be clear to you: -The shadows of ideas projected on the wall = opinions, illusions. -The wall = the material world seen by us. -Ideas are the basis of reality and not the material world. The most important thing you can do is: ‘ Know thyself’, practice self-reflection, learn more about yourself than what you believe you are. Here I will go further: The material world is largely an illusion, it is always changing. By just looking at it, one cannot learn anything. There is also another world: an eternal world of ideas. It is made up out of eternal unchanging forms of things. This world can be known through reason alone. The material world (world of things) is a manifestation of this eternal world of ideas. Using the allegory, Plato pictures the everyday situation of man. He can speak, hear, and encounter the world without actually being aware of the world of Ideas. True knowledge can only be gained from the world of ideas. The world of things merely generates opinions or illusions. lato depicts these worlds as existing on a line that can be divided in the middle: the upper part of the line is the world of ideas and the lower part is the world of things. Each region can further be divided in two. In the world of things, there are â€Å"illusions†, which composes the lower region, and â€Å"beliefs†, which composes the higher region. The illusions are the shadows represented by the artistic works of the craftsmen and poets. The beliefs are man’s knowledge of individual things, which may sometimes be true but is often times false because individual things are constantly changing. The world of ideas, on the other, can be divided into â€Å"reason† (the lower part of the region) and â€Å"intelligence† (the higher part of the region). Under reason is the knowledge of things like mathematics. And under intelligence is the knowledge of the highest and most abstract categories of things, for example, understanding the ultimate good. Here are some examples that I want to give: – the idea of giving: ‘when you give something to a person, you create a bond between yourself and the other’; the other shows you gratitude for your gift. BUT in real life (material world) it can be so that a particular person has had some nasty experiences with giving presents (some people aren’t that gratefull) and therefore creates an aversion for ‘giving’. He has formed a wrong ‘opinion’ about the idea of giving. – Poker hands: in poker KK is a very good hand, this is mathematically so. Some pokerplayers however lost a lot of chips with this hand, because an Ace fell on the table. This means that in the future they will tend to misjudge their hand (because of their experiences with it) and underestimate it (contrary what is known in probability theory) – e.g. you learned from your environment that all black people are bad. This is in a sense a shadow on the wall of the cave. Instead of fixating on the shadow, you must force yourself to look behind that what you have learned (or passively accepted) before. Then you will find out that what you have learned before isn’t the truth. – fear of snakes: you start panicking because you thought you saw a snake in your yard, but it is only a garden hose. When you return you see the truth, it was your own fear that gave you a misjudgment. – The entire idea behind science is basically based on this: instead of assuming certain things to be true, scientist tend to do a lot of research and experiments before they will claim a theory about something. In a real situation you should discard your own opinions and strife for the truth. The truth will hurt (just as staring in the flame). It wil hurt you AND others. It is in part conquering your fears, and be open minded in all situations. Questioning yourself always is truely a hard task. (many who have left the cave, came back because it was just too difficult living in the light of reason)

Pride: Virtue or Vice

According to Richard Taylor, â€Å"Pride is not a matter of manners or demeanor. One does not become proud simply by affecting certain behavior or projecting an impression that has been formed in the mind. It is a personal excellence much deeper than this. In fact, it is the summation of most of the other virtues, since it presupposes them. † Philosophers and social psychologists have noted that pride is a complex emotion. However, while some philosophers such as  Aristotle consider pride to be a profound virtue, others  consider it a  sin.The view of pride as a sin has permeated Christian theology dating back to Christian monasticism. However, it wasn’t until the late 6th century that pride was elevated in its ranks among the seven deadly or cardinal sins. The Bible, especially the Old Testament, has plenty to say about pride. In the book of Proverbs for example we read, â€Å"Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. (16:18). Again in P roverbs 21:4, Scripture says, â€Å"Haughty eyes and a proud heart—the lamp of the wicked—are sin.Augustine makes the argument that pride is not just a sin but it is the root of all sin. He often used the following passage to support his claim: â€Å"The beginning of pride is when one departs from God, and his heart is turned away from his Maker. For pride is the beginning of sin, and he that has it shall pour out abomination (Sirach 10:12-13). † This paper seeks to examine Augustine’s ethics on pride and how he supports it in his Confessions. Augustine considered pride to be the fundamental sin, the sin from which all other sins are born.Augustine believed the devil’s sin was rooted in pride. In his Enchiridion on Faith, Hope, and Love, he states that, â€Å"Some of the angels†¦in their pride and impiety rebelled against God, and were cast down from their heavenly abode,† and that the devil â€Å"was with his associates in crime exal ted in pride, and by that exaltation was with them cast down. † Pride has a certain fascination, attraction and influence over everything, and it corrupts everything, even what is in itself good. No one can escape the pressure of its temptations, including Augustine himself.In his  Confessions, Augustine identifies pride in his own life. For example, during his adolescent years when he was searching for wisdom, Augustine refused to approach Scripture because the Latin version that was available to him seemed too basic and unpolished. It certainly did not compare to the scholarly works of Cicero that he was reading. It wasn’t until years later that he could admit that it was his pride that kept him from turning to Scripture. He wrote, â€Å"I was not in any state to be able to enter into that (its mysteries), or to bow my head to climb its steps. He goes on to say, â€Å"Puffed up with pride, I considered myself a mature adult. † The same pride that kept him fr om accepting the Bible, led him to Manichaeism. Augustine refers to the Manichees as earthly-minded men who are proud of their slick talk. So, looking back on his life, he could acknowledge that the Manichees could never have satisfied him because of their own pride. Augustine's argument on pride rests on the premise that human beings are defined by what we love and what we love determines not only what we do but who we become – speaking to our very identity.The human predicament, as Augustine sees it, is that our loves and our desires are disordered. In order to explain this further, Augustine often referenced the Genesis story of Adam and Eve. Although Adam and Eve were created in the image of God, they were not satisfied. They wanted to be like God, knowing good and evil. It was pride that motivated their rebellion against God and it was a disordered love that allowed them to put themselves before God despite the consequences. Their disobedience led to destruction – not only of themselves but also of everyone else.Accordingly, Adam and Eve’s disordered love disordered the loves of all their offspring and since the fall, all human beings have been born with disordered affections. To Augustine, it was no accident that the Bible records the pride of Adam and Eve as the cause of their fall from God’s grace. Augustine calls this disordered love amor sui, which is Latin for self-love. This love of self that he describes is willing to put the world at the center and source of everything. According to Augustine this primal form of sin is rightfully named pride, as it is a perverse and speci? kind of self-love that leads us to claim a place that rightly belongs to God alone. As we turn away from God, self-love becomes the guiding principle of our lives. He suggests that two cities are formed by two loves: the earthly by the love of self and the heavenly by the love of God, even to the contempt of self. In his book, The City of God, August ine explores the opposition of these two loves. He writes that the members of the city of God are marked by the love of God, amor dei while the members of the earthly city are marked by self-love, amor sui.It is no surprise, then, that those absorbed in amor sui act according to what they love and the disorder of their loves is reflected in the disorder of their lives. We do what we love and disordered love disorders what we do. This is the primary theme that runs through Augustine’s confession. In his Confessions, Augustine reveals that his own life was absorbed by this self-love or pride. He shows how prior to his conversion, his life was directed by his own will and his own misguided judgments.When reading his confessions, we are made privy to Augustine’s struggles with self-love and his description of how it undermines his love of God. He is compelled to confess his excessively erotic relationships with women, his misdemeanors, and his lust for experiences that doe s not consider other people. Augustine was a slave to the objects of his own desires. He gives great detail about his erotic desires, suggesting that it was his desire to love and be love that dominated him. Once again, we recognize his notion of misdirected desires and love without restraints.Even as we read the confession of the theft of the pears in Book 2, it allows us to see how Augustine explains the idea of pride as the bottom-line of all sin. Augustine is quite concerned with this incident in which he and some friends stole pears from a neighborhood orchard. Augustine deeply regrets his sin, and offers a few brief insights as to how and why he committed them but what bothers him most is that he stole the pears out of sheer desire to do wrong. This story takes Augustine’s explanation of the nature of the sin of pride to a deeper level.It suggests that his actions simply represent a human perversion of his God-given goodness. In fact, what he sought to gain from stealin g the pears and everything we desire when we sin turns out to be a twisted version of one of God's attributes. In a very skillful way Augustine matches each sinful desire with a desire to be like God – demonstrating how pride seeks power that we do not and cannot possess because it belongs to God alone. The creature can never attain the same level as the creator even though pride allows us to think the contrary.Augustine also argues that each sin consists of a love for the lesser good rather than a preference for God. Such delight in the created over the creator reflects a turning from God and a turning to love of self. Augustine’s own disordered desires give us an awareness of not only the individual but also the social nature of pride or sin. For Augustine, pride is a disorder that affects us not only personally but also communally. This is why our existence becomes consumed by the need for power. We seek after this power through a series of desires that are incomple te and therefore will never satisfy.How then is pride the root of all sin? Augustine would say our lives were made for God and to want more than God is pride. God is enough and pride causes us to forsake God and to seek after disordered desires to fulfill our self-love. According to Augustine, â€Å"The soul fornicates when it turns away from you and seeks outside of you the pure and clear intentions which are not to be found except returning to you. † We sin, then, by loving the inferior aspects of ourselves, or by loving ourselves to such excess that we claim God’s place, and in the process we pervert what love truly is.True love, as Augustine sees it, does not seek out personal advantages. For Augustine, the solution is for human beings to seek humility for it is humility that transforms our lives. Where pride takes pleasure in replacing God’s power with our own desire for power, humility allows us to be satisfied with our God-given place in the universe. Aft er Augustine spends his first 30 years searching, he comes to the conclusion that only a person with humility can follow Christ. As he says to God in his Confessions, â€Å"You sent him (Christ) so that from his example they should learn humility. Where pride was the mark of the Augustine’s years prior to his conversion experience in Milan, humility became a goal of the rest of his life. Bibliography Augustine, Confessions, translated by Henry Chadwick (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992) Augustine, The Enchiridion on Faith, Hope, and Love (Washington, D. C. : Regnery Publishing, 1966) Cardinal sin. Dictionary. com.  © Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.. http://dictionary. reference. om/browse/cardinal sin  (accessed: February 21, 2013). Taylor, Richard. Ethics, Faith, and Reason  (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1985) Wogaman, J. Philip, Introduction to Christian Ethics: A Historical Introduction, (Louisville, Westminster John Knox, 1993) ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Richard Taylor,  Ethics, Faith, and Reason. (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall 1985), 98 [ 2 ]. Dictionary. com.  © Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.. http://dictionary. reference. om/browse/cardinal sin  (accessed: February 21, 2013). [ 3 ]. Augustine, The Enchiridion on Faith, Hope, and Love (Washington, D. C. : Regnery Publishing, 1966), [ 4 ]. Augustine, Confessions, translated by Henry Chadwick (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992), 40 [ 5 ]. Ibid. , 40 [ 6 ]. Philip J. Wogaman, Introduction to Christian Ethics: A Historical Introduction, (Louisville, Westminster John Knox, 1993), 57. [ 7 ]. Augustine, Confessions, translated by Henry Chadwick (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992), 32. [ 8 ]. Ibid. , 219

ArticleAbstract Assignments 10 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

ArticleAbstract Assignments 10 - Essay Example It also follows that there is a strong correlation between the consumer demands and the presence of star players (Timothy 2007). The study builds on past research that assists in developing strategies aimed at improving marketing strategies. The analysis of game specific attendance and contrasting it to the annual average attendance facilitates the development of these strategies. Furthermore, the study complements the body of knowledge by recognizing past research on star players and extending the findings of these studies to the Major Soccer League. Timothy (2007) provides that despite the contribution of the study, it is noteworthy that the study only aimed at the short term, effects of Freddy Adu’s presence but made no attempts to study the long term results of the presence of the star in the league. The results for the short term do not reflect the actual position since the data reflect on the outcome during the early stages of the entry of the superstar. It is noteworthy that these effects might gradually fade off and make no difference in the outcome in the long

Greenwich Construction Ltd Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Greenwich Construction Ltd - Assignment Example Company are reviewing the types of ICT devices they should provide to their employees to enable them to maximize their effectiveness when working away from their office. Some of the devices which can be useful for the company are;Laptop: This is the basic miniature version of a desktop computer. It helps in carrying the office along and also makes working at home a lot more comfortable. With the help of networking, officials can remain in constant touch through instant messaging and emails. Laptop or Notebook (as some people prefer to call it) is generally smaller than a briefcase, which can be easily transported and conveniently used in temporary spaces such as on airplanes, in libraries, temporary offices, and at meetings. A laptop typically weighs about 5 pounds and is 3 inches or less in thickness. Companies like Greenwich Construction Ltd. can even order for bulk supplies with special requests to laptop manufacturers for adding some more company specific features on all the lapt ops. This way it gives a unique identity to the laptops. Of course it will depend on the number of laptops that are being procured. Laptop computers generally cost more than desktop computers with the same capabilities because they are more difficult to design and manufacture. A laptop can effectively be turned into a desktop computer with a 'docking station', a hardware frame that supplies connections for peripheral input/output devices such as a printer or a larger monitor. Palmtops: In its consistent urge to make gadgets smaller, the computer itself was reduced from a huge ENIAC to the small PC and then to laptop. Now we are in the age of palmtops. A palmtop is also called a Personnel Digital Assistant (PDA), a Smart Phone, or Pocket PC. It was during the late eighties that we heard about PDA. But after some initial hiccup, it has now firmly established itself in the communication world. PDA is a handheld digital organizer. In fact Personal Digital Assistant is a term for any small mobile hand held device that provides computing and information storage retrieval capabilities for personal or business use. It was in the year 1993 when its first variant 'Newton' appeared from the stable of Apple Computers Ltd. But the price tag of $700 for a complicated and not very useful product (at that time) proved to be too prohibitive for the product to become popular. It was in the year 1996 when US Robotics brought out its Pilot series with newer features that PDA s started becoming a sought after device. Calendar, notepad and address books, mobile phone with GSM technique are now common features on a PDA. Therefore now the user can; Write a memo while on the move, Use the calendar , Use it as a Personal Information Manager Jot down notes on the LCD screen from the heights of an airplane, Talk to the boss, Combine computing, telephone/fax, and networking features Send an email to other colleagues. Surf the net for useful information about the construction business or to know the latest trend the real estate market. Chat with the networked group, passing on information/ instructions to subordinates and colleagues. Transfer urgent files on the net. Can sign the important files using digital signatures with appropriate notings. Take photographs of some eye-catching building architecture for future reference To top it all the device prices are consistently coming down day by day. The range starts from as little as $150. Much like a traditional computer, PDAs consist of a display screen (the screen is usually a touch screen, and it is called a LCD display), a processor, memory, and an operating system. There is a wide range of operating systems that PDAs run on, one of the most popular being the Palm OS. Microsoft also has PDA operating system called Windows CE. While the PalmPilot is widely known because of its influence on the market, there's a wide range of PDAs for today's consumer to choose from. What is most amazing about a PDA is its low power consumption

Mr. Ps Case Study Solution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mr. Ps Case Study Solution - Essay Example As the report stresses  the primary objective being treatment of the patient is important for the patient and his wife to comply with the prescribed medication with the help of an outpatient’s nurse supervision. The medications include ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers, which will improve the health of the patient by stabilizing the patient for more therapeutic measures.This discussion declares that  most patients suffering from CHF diseases are adamant to undertake medication while in hospitals since they pray for their demise. Mr. P’s condition is similar, thus there is need for the patient to receive home care from his wife or the wife may hire a caregiver. The home care will involve contacting the nurse daily after referral and a weekly outpatient nurse’s visit to ensure the patient is in good condition. The patient and the caregiver should be educated on the various ways to improve the health of the patient and the consequences of failure to oblige with t he medication plan. Psychological education is important to ensure that the patient and the caregiver learn to accept the disease. The caregiver will acknowledge the essence of keeping constant communication and trust with the patient that will reduce the pain experienced due to depression and despair.  The patient will learn to become friendlier with the caregiver thus building a bond that will enable decision making easier for both parties and solve depression issues. The caregiver will learn the importance of trusting the patient on some decision making to enhance the patient feeling valuable.

A Reading and Referencing exercise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A Reading and Referencing exercise - Essay Example The article uses British birth cohort panel data to generate an understanding of how education and level of qualifications have an impact on earnings of the person in the long run (Blundell et al., 2000).   The article, â€Å"learning styles and academic outcome: The validity and utility of Vermunt’s inventory of learning styles in British Higher education setting† is written by Dr. Elizabeth A. Boyle, Tim Duffy and Karen Dunleavy. The study was conducted in British University and provided examination of how Vermunt’s integrated model of learning provides varied academic results as they are based on the different learning styles (Boyle et al., 2003). Binsardi and Ekwulugo have written an article, â€Å"International marketing of British education: research on the students’ perception and the UK market penetration†. The article talks about education in UK and perception of international students about it. Moreover, it provides analysis of UK perfor mance in the market with respect to their education system (Binsardi & Ekwulugo, 2003).   An article by Philip Brown, â€Å"The third wave†: education and the ideology of parentocracy â€Å" talks about the different eras of schooling and education system and how children have shifted their priorities based on abilities and efforts to their parents’ wishes and consent resulting from ‘ideology of parentocracy’ (Brown, 1990). The last article relevant to the module is, â€Å"Testing the Relationship between Education and Political Participation using the 1970 British Cohort. â€Å"Mikael Persson writes the article, and it talks about education system of British Institutes and its effect on political participation. The data is extracted from British cohort study showing how the education system has evolved and how individual’s cognitive ability is being used. However, the study concludes that

The e-Project will be based on the United States Patent and Trademark Research Paper

The e-Project will be based on the United States Patent and Trademark Office as for my e-Project, www.uspto.gov. It will be an evaluation of how the USPTO interfaces with Businesses - Research Paper Example ch ‘promote the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for limited times to inventors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries. USPTO records trademarks which are based on the Commerce Clause of the Constitution (Section 8 of Article 1, Clause 3). While working with this arrangement of safety, the United States industry has greatly benefited; there are new goods which have been manufactured, old products have been put to new use and it return has brought about employment opportunities for many Americans. The power of the American economy is greatly dependant on an efficient mechanism which is in place to guard new ideas in originality and ingenuity. The constant requirement of trademarks and patents highlights the resourcefulness of entrepreneurs and inventors in the United States. The Federal Agency USPTO is very much responsible for the achievements and progress which the nation has made technologically. This agency is responsible for advising the Unit ed State’s president, Government agencies in charge of IP (intellectual property) policy enforcement and protection as well as the Security of Commerce only that it also encourages a more effective and strong protection of the IP outside American borders. The Federal Agency, USPTO promotes efficient protection of the IP for entrepreneurs and innovators in the United States globally by collaborating with further agencies to guard strongly the IP provision in worldwide agreements and in free trade. Furthermore it grants education, preparation, and the ability in building plans which are formed to create admiration for the IP and to encourage the expansion of tough IP enforcement management by the United States trade partners around the world. (USPTO) The USPTO headquarters is comprised of 5 interrelated buildings which are located at 600 Dulany in St, Alexandria in Virginia. The workplace provides work for about 9000 employees, from engineers to scientists to attorneys and pretty much

Study of Integrated Science Essay Example for Free

Study of Integrated Science Essay The importance of science in today’s world is overwhelming and therefore the education system throughout the world has geared itself to provide the required training in scientific skills to meet this growing challenge. Many countries have transformed themselves from poor feudal type economies through the increasing application of science and technology. China and India are two outstanding examples as they have grown to become economic and industrial power houses and in several ways compete effectively with developed countries. Any country which does not give the needed assistance to the study of science usually lacks development. Through science, bridges are constructed, vehicles manufactured, roads constructed and knowledge expanded. In spite of the relevance of science mentioned above, the pupils of Mampamhwe M/A JHS 2 have difficulty in studying and understanding science. The three aspects of pure science and one applied science (Agricultural science) have been combined to form the basis for the study of science at the junior high school. Collectively, they are known as integrated science. During the end-of-term examination, less than 40% of the thirty five (35) pupils in the class barely get above the average mark of fifty (50) in integrated science. The pupils mentality that, integrated science is difficult and poor methods of teaching can be counted as factors that have facilitated the poor performance of the pupils in the subject. Not using the scientific method of solving problems in the teaching of scientific problems and solving practical questions raises an eyebrow on how pupils can grasp the concepts of the subject. With pupils living in a community which major occupation is farming (cocoa to be precise) and pupils themselves engaging in farming activities, it would have served as a good ground for the application of agricultural science and biology which forms part of integrated science. But this seems not to be the case with the pupils. With the relevance of the study of science to the improvement of the pupils’ mind and life and also to the community as a farming one, prompted the researcher to study and investigate ways of improving the study of integrated science at JHS 2. Statement of the problem The problem which prompted the researcher to carry out this research is the poor performance of pupils in integrated science among the JHS 2 pupils of Mampamhwe M/A. It is therefore against this background that the researcher has decided to use the experiential approach to help solve this problem. Purpose of the study The reason why the researcher is carrying out this research is to: a) Identify the causes of the poor performance of pupils of Mampamhwe M/A JHS 2 in integrated science. b) Assess the effects of the poor performance in integrated science on the pupils. ) Establish possible solutions that can help solve the poor performance in integrated science. d) Provide teachers with some guidelines in improving the teaching and studying of integrated science. e) Help parents understand the conditions that they can put in place to help their wards improve their performance in integrated science. f) Provide suggestions to managers of education in Ghana when planning the syllabus. Rese arch questions Research questions for this study include the following: i) What difficulties do pupils of Mampamhwe M/A JHS 2 face in the study of integrated science? i) What are the major causes of the poor performance of the pupils in integrated science? iii) What are the appropriate interventions that can be taken to address the problem? iv) What is the effect of the project on the problem? Significance of the study This research will help pupils to recognize effective ways of learning integrated science which can bring about an improved performance in the subject. It will also help teachers of integrated science to vary their techniques or methods of teaching and choose methods according to the nature of the topic. Last but not least, it will also enable curriculum planners to include this practical work in the JHS science syllabus so that pupils at the junior high schools can make use of it. Delimitations This project work is limited to improving the performance of integrated science among only JHS 2 pupils of Mampamhwe M/A. This is because that is the class that the researcher was assigned to teach and has fair knowledge of their learning abilities. Also, out of all the subjects on the JHS 2 timetable, the researcher chose to carry out his research on only integrated science since it’s the subject assigned to him to teach. Last but not least, there were many approaches that could have been used for this study but the researcher deemed it best to use the experiential approach Organization of the study The research work is organized in five main chapters. Chapter one is titled ‘Introduction’ and it comprises the background to the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, research questions, significance of the study, delimitations, limitations and organization of the study. Chapter two is the review of related literature. It consists of the ideas and views of other writers, internet and other sources. Chapter three discusses the methodology which includes the research design, population and sample selection, research instrument, data collection procedure and data analysis plan. Chapter four considers the analysis of data based on the findings and discussions of the findings. The last chapter summarizes, concludes and also makes recommendation after the study.   Literature review Review of related literature in this chapter involves the systematic identification, location and analysis of documents containing information related to the research problem. It is designed to review works on the importance of the study of science in the basic school. The knowledge gained through the study of science plays an important role in the general education of the school curriculum, therefore, a large number of studies pertaining to the teaching and learning of science by many educationist and writers. This chapter considers the contributions of other researchers and their proposal suggestions for correcting these difficulties. The contributions are placed under the following headings in this chapter. Definitions of science. What is integrated science? Importance of science. Importance of science education as a school subject. Causes of poor performance of pupils in integrated science. Experiential method of teaching. Definitions of science According to Websters New Collegiate Dictionary, the definition of science is Knowledge attained through study or practice, or Knowledge covering general truths of the operation of general laws, especially as obtained and tested through scientific method [and] concerned with the physical world. Science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge. This system uses observation and experimentation to describe and explain natural phenomena. The term science also refers to the organized body of knowledge people have gained using that system. Less formally, the word science often describes any systematic field of study or the knowledge gained from it. (http://www. sciencemadesimple. com) According to Wikipedia (2012), Science is obtained from the Latin word scientia, it means knowledge. It furthered on to say that, science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. An older and closely related meaning still in use today is that found for example in Aristotle, whereby science refers to the body of reliable knowledge itself, of the type that can be logically and rationally explained. (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Science). It goes on to say that, in modern use, science is a term which more often refers to a way of pursuing knowledge, and not the knowledge itself. Dictionary. com (2012) defines science as a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws. World English Dictionary (2009) also defines science as the systematic study of the nature and behavior of the material and physical universe, based on observation, experiment, and measurement, and the formulation of laws to describe these facts in general terms. The medical dictionary (2002) also says science is  the observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of phenomena. Such activities restricted to explaining a limited class of natural phenomena. Such activities applied to an object of inquiry or study. The science dictionary (2002) also defines science as the investigation of natural phenomena through observation, theoretical explanation, and experimentation, or the knowledge produced by such investigation. It continues to state that science makes use of the scientific method, which includes the careful observation of natural phenomena, the formulation of a hypothesis, the conducting of one or more experiments to test the hypothesis, and the drawing of a conclusion that onfirms or modifies the hypothesis. In general, science can be defined as the systematic observation and classification of natural phenomena in order to learn about them and bring them under general principles and laws. According to Twumasi (2009), Science has three main branches, namely; Chemistry, Biology and Physics. Chemistry is an experimental study of substances and the useful compounds that can be formed from these substances. Chemistry also has three branches which include inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. Physics is concerned with the forces that exist between objects and the interrelationships between matter and energy. Biology is the study of living things and their interactions with the environment. Biology is also divided into plants, animals and ecology. What is integrated science? Integrated Science is a straight forward, easy-to-read, but substantial introduction to the fundamental behavior of matter and energy in living and non-living systems. It is intended to serve the needs of non-science individuals who are required to complete one or more science courses as part of a general or basic studies requirement. It introduces basic concepts and key ideas while providing opportunities for students to learn reasoning skills and a new way of thinking about their environment. According to wiki. answers. com, integrated science is a combine study of all areas of the sciences or the introduction of some areas in sciences. It goes on to try to differentiate between science and integrated science by explaining that integrated science is a course with merged topics like biology, chemistry, etc. whilst science is a big body of knowledge, it is about everything around us even inside our own body. Importance of science Below are some importance of science as identified by www. mikebrotherton. com. 1. Science exercises the mind and teaches logical thinking. 2. Science encourages skepticism and questioning assumptions and looking at things in different ways. 3. Making important decisions based on science instead of superstition or demagoguery or hatred or fear etc often produces better results. 4. The techniques of science (logic, testing hypothesis, gathering, data, etc) can be applied in daily life for â€Å"small† personal problems and activities (purchasing decisions, playing games, cooking, debugging software, etc), not just for â€Å"big issues† like physics, astronomy, technological development, etc. 5. Through the study of science, horrible diseases can be cured, or prevented entirely, and it can still provide hope for those with as-yet-incurable diseases. . Through science, people who love each other can talk to each other whenever they want no matter how far apart they are in the world, and can be together the next day through improved ways of communication and transport. 7. Science can show us what has caused mass extinctions and point the way to preventing similar catastrophes in the future. 8. Science can make us feel big and special for understanding the age of the Earth, the nature of stars, and the size of the universe, even if those things dwarf us. 9. Science gives us superpowers, like looking across the universe, seeing atoms, flying across the Earth or to the moon, moving mountains, and harnessing the energy of the sun. 10. Science has helped us to understand ourselves and the environment. 11. It shows the best way of solving problems. Importance of science education as a school subject Science, as a subject is universal and knows no boundaries. The claims of Science for inclusion in the school curriculum came to be recognized after years of active and persistent efforts. Science almost revolutionarized human life and proved indispensable for existence of man. Now, supremacy of Science has been established in every field. In fact, so great is its importance for man and society that the present day people live in an age of science. No one perhaps needs an explanation at present to include science in the school curriculum. Canon Wilson, a famous educationist in 1867, in support of inclusion of science as a School subject wrote, Science teaches what evidence is, what proof is’’. English, History, Geography, Classics etc. re taught because they provide a liberal education. The main object of imparting education is to turn out intelligent citizens able to appreciate and enjoy the beauty and wonder of Nature. They should be efficient in all walks of life and should take delight in the wealth of culture of past generations and civilizations. Hence, Science should form an essential part of the curriculum as it is the only subject which affords k nowledge of certain facts and laws and helps in achieving the main object of education. According to www. preservearticles. om, Prakash (2011), the following are the arguments in favor of integrated Science to be placed in School Curriculum: 1. Science provides unique training in observation and reasoning. Science students reason from definitely ascertained facts and form clear concepts. It makes one systematic and enables him to form an objective judgment. 2. The discoveries have added to the prosperity of human race with vast increase of knowledge. Herbert Spencer in his, What Knowledge is of Most Worth gives information which study of Science furnishes. According to him, Science learning is incomparably more useful for our guidance in life. Other chief subjects too provide an intellectual training not inferior to that of Science. Practically, we live in a world of scientific discoveries. So science education cannot be neglected. 3. Prof. H. E. Armstrong says that Science is taught to provide training in and knowledge of Scientific method, which is useful in the life pursuits. So this needs a School base of Science education. 4. Science has its cultural value. It has a literature of its own. The Scientific discoveries of Galileo, Newton, Faraday, Darwin, Pasteur, Kelvin, Bose, Armstrong and others are treasures of mankind. So, Science has won the first rank of humanistic studies. 5. Science has utilitarian value. It trains the child to use his leisure properly. These are clearly illustrated in scientific hobbies. 6. Modern knowledge of Science provides great intellectual pleasure. An educated person is under very great disadvantage if he is not familiar with that knowledge. 7. Knowledge of the methods of observation and experiment in the different branches of Science helps pupils to develop a logical mind, a critical judgment and a capacity for methodical organization. . Science is useful in that it remedies some of the defects of the ordinary school education. It is found to be the most valuable element in the education of those who show special aptitude. Science provides discipline of mind. Causes of poor performance of pupils in integrated science The poor performance of pupils in integrated science can be attributed to many factors. Alsop (1985) said â€Å"if science is to be learned affectively i t must be experienced, (UNESCO, 1973)†. The laboratory is a unique fact of science education. Tamir (1989) also said that in the developing countries especially sub – Saharan Africa, there are a number of factors contributing to the poor performance in science. Thus low per capital income, predominantly rural populations, economy based on primary products, experience of political independence and limited access to school particularly at the secondary level. The sub — Saharan Africa is the region which has the greatest difficulties in providing the normal facilities of trained teachers, laboratories and equipment for teaching practical science. Also Toh (1990) said, prior knowledge, attitude to school, attitude to cience and academic self concept affect success in the performance in science investigation, and he continued to say that explicit understanding is not adequate for success in science investigation. Moreover, Torto (2003) said, gender disparity in education also leads to poor performance in science especially among woman. She said, female still have low access to education, low participation and poor performance in many subject. Many factors which are home, community and school based, continue to restrict development female education she said further that, factors within the classroom are not only uses of gender imbalances in education. Home based factors which include family size, household income, parents’ education, cultural and traditional beliefs all contributed substantially to poor female enrolment in school. Gott and Mishiter (1987) also added that, science education is in a state of rapid change. In recent years there has been an ongoing debate concerning the importance of concepts and process in our science courses. This debate has been brought into tighter focus since the autumn of 1988 in England and Whales with the advent of the national curriculum in science. Shito (1958) stated in the daily graphic that the community regards science students who are females as witches and ugly. In addition to this, Femsa project staff (1995) conducted and presented a research on the availability of resources and facilities for teaching and learning science as well as mathematics in Africa. They said that, where resources and facilities such as teacher textbooks, laboratories, chemicals, tools, textbooks, laboratory tools and equipment, teaching aids, store, office etc. are inadequate, it makes the teaching of science to become teacher centered. This type of approach is heavily dominated by the teacher as he or she lectures the subject, gives notes and demonstrates the practical aspect of the lessons. The students remain passive participants expected to listen and observe only. July (1925) said if science education is to be lectures and demonstration, then no results could be achieved in the future. He also added that any school that claims to teach science only theoretically is not a school. Morii (1434) said, a teacher is capable of teaching and implementing quality education if he is given what he is suppose to be given (an ancient scientist. He also added that the poor performance of science is due to low motivation given to teachers. According to Dzama (1999) causes of poor performance of pupils in science is as a results of absence of vocational incentives rather than by conflict between science and African traditional values and beliefs. He argued that conflict between science and traditional beliefs and values is not peculiar to Africans. He also demonstrated that in the growth of science in developed countries, improvement in the performance of students succeeded rather than proceeded industrial and technological development. Experiential method of teaching According to Wikipedia (2012), experiential learning is the process of making meaning from direct experience. Simply put, Experiential Learning is learning from experience. The experience can be staged or left open. Aristotle once said, For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them. David A. Kolb helped to popularize the idea of experiential learning, drawing heavily on the work of John Dewey, Kurt Lewin and Jean Piaget. His work on experiential learning has contributed greatly to expanding the philosophy of experiential education. Experiential learning focuses on the learning process for the individual. An example of experiential learning is going to the zoo and learning through observation and interaction with the zoo environment, as opposed to reading about animals from a book. Experiential learning requires no teacher and relates solely to the meaning making process of the individuals direct experience. However, though the gaining of knowledge is an inherent process that occurs naturally, for a genuine learning experience to occur, there must exist certain elements. According to David Kolb, an American educational theorist, knowledge is continuously gained through both personal and environmental experiences. He states that in order to gain genuine knowledge from an experience, certain abilities are required: 1. the learner must be willing to be actively involved in the experience; 2. the learner must be able to reflect on the experience; 3. the learner must possess and use analytical skills to conceptualize the experience; and 4. The learner must possess decision making and problem solving skills in order to use the new ideas gained from the experience. Experiential learning can be a highly effective educational method. It engages the learner at a more personal level by addressing the needs and wants of the individual. Experiential learning requires qualities such as self-initiative and self-evaluation. For experiential learning to be truly effective, it should employ the whole learning wheel, from goal setting, to experimenting and observing, to reviewing, and finally action planning. This complete process allows one to learn new skills, new attitudes or even entirely new ways of thinking. Most educators understand the important role experience plays in the learning process. A fun learning environment, with plenty of laughter and respect for the learners abilities, also fosters an effective experiential learning environment. It is vital that the individual is encouraged to directly involve themselves in the experience, in order that they gain a better understanding of the new knowledge and retain the information for a longer time. As stated by the ancient Chinese philosopher, Confucius, tell me and I will forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I will understand’’. According to learning consultants, experiential learning is about creating an experience where learning can be facilitated. How do you create a well-crafted learning experience? The key lies in the facilitator and how he or she facilitates the learning process. An excellent facilitator believes in the creed: You teach some by what you say, teach more by what you do, but most of all, you teach most by who you are. And while it is the learners experience that is most important to the learning process, it is also important not to forget the wealth of experience a good facilitator also brings to the situation. An effective experiential facilitator is one who is passionate about his or her work and is able to immerse participants totally in the learning situation, allowing them to gain new knowledge from their peers and the environment created. These facilitators stimulate the imagination, keeping participants hooked on the experience. Creating an experiential learning environment can be challenging for educators who have been taught through traditional classroom techniques. Identifying activities that allow learners to understand and absorb concepts can be a new and daunting experience. However, by providing direct experience in addition to standard written and visual materials, learners with different types of learning styles and strengths can be accommodated. Sudbury model of democratic education schools assert that much of the learning going on in their schools, including values, justice, democracy, arts and crafts, professions, and frequently academic subjects, is done by learning through experience. Summary Science can be defined as the systematic observation and classification of natural phenomena in order to learn about them and bring them under general principles and laws. Science has been part of man in time past and has even become more of man’s life in recent years. The usefulness of science can be seen by the things around us; the roads, bridges, cars, computers, refrigerators etc. The selection and study of some aspects of science as a whole is what is termed as integrated science. To defend the study of integrated science and science as a whole in schools, Canon Wilson, a famous educationist in 1867, wrote, Science teaches what evidence is, what proof is’’. According to Prakash (2011), Science learning is incomparably more useful for our guidance in life. Many researchers are of the view that, learning is best understood when it is experienced as stated by the ancient Chinese philosopher, Confucius, tell me and I will forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I will understand’’. According to David Kolb, an American educational theorist, knowledge is continuously gained through both personal and environmental experiences. Also, Aristotle once said, For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them. According to learning consultants, experiential learning is about creating an experience where learning can be facilitated. An excellent facilitator believes in the creed: You teach some by what you say, teach more by what you do, but most of all, you teach most by who you are.   This chapter talks about the research design that the researcher used in solving the problem, the population and sampling solution, research instruments, data collection procedure and data analysis plan. It also describes the type of research used in the study. It also involves the method of data collection, pre-Intervention, intervention and post- intervention stages. Research design Research design is a plan which specifies how data relating to a given problem should be collected and analyzed. It provides the procedural outline for conduct of any given investigation. The research design used is an action research design which is directed towards solving a specific problem at the classroom level. This type of research is usually undertaken by either a teacher or group of teachers in a school to solve a peculiar problem in the classroom or in the school as a whole. The design makes work very easier and simpler. This is due to the fact that, it does not involve inconveniences such as travelling etc. The design deals with a particular group of people in a given area concerned and helps to solve the problems which specifically affect him/her. Action research also helps the teacher to understand what actually goes on in teaching and learning situations. It is important in the sense that, it does not only enhance teacher’s professional status but also promotes teacher’s personal improvement of his/her practices. It is through action research that the teacher can evaluate his or her teaching effectively. Action research is also conducted with the purpose of solving classroom or local school problems through the application of the scientific method. Moreover action research helps teachers to understand better, all aspects of their practices in relation to the subject content, the curriculum, and the methods that are more appropriate to the levels of pupils in their class. Finally, action research helps teachers to be equipped with knowledge on the various approaches or methods that they can use to suit the children they teach. In spite of the outlined strength, the results of the design cannot be generalized. This is because the design does not cover a wide range of people and it seeks to detect and solve a problem affecting a particular group of people. This tends to be a weakness on the part of the action research. Population and sampling selection A population of 113 pupils at the junior high school was used for the study at Mampamhwe M/A JHS in the Obuasi Municipal Assembly. Though this number at the junior high school was considered, JHS 2 class was sampled for the study. The average age of the sampled class was fourteen (14) years. The table below shows the distribution of the sampled class. Table 3. 1 Distribution of pupils’ gender |Gender Number Percentage (%) | |Boys 16 44 | Girls 20 56 Total 36 100 | | | |This class was chosen for the research because the researcher was assigned to teach Integrated Science in that class. | | | Research Instruments I used two main strategies to detect how pupils learnt science. I initially had with pupils an oral discussion on a science topic and afterwards asked pupils oral questions on it. An exercise was later given to pupils based on the same topic discussed. Discussion The discussion method was aimed at finding out how pupils understand the principles of a topic if orally narrated and discussed in class. Discussion method stimulates critical thinking. Frequent questions whether asked by the researcher or the pupils, provide means of measuring learning and exploring in-depth the key concepts of the course. During discussions, pupils’ answers to questions could help the researcher to determine whether they have experienced what they are saying or they just read them from books. Exercise The purpose of the class exercise was to allow pupils to freely express themselves in the way they understood the topic that has just been taught. Pupils’ answers to questions will give the researcher the idea on how best they understand a topic when orally discussed with them. It also gives the researcher a clearer idea of how pupils think science is. Whether they think science is a written down facts that can never be tampered with or they think science is everything that goes on around them and they can verify each and every aspect of it. Data Collection Procedure Pre-Intervention Stage A lesson on corrosion and rusting from page 25 of pupils’ text book was selected and delivered by discussion method. Pupils had the basic concept of corrosion and rusting but could not different between the two. The factors responsible for rusting to occur were also discussed and few points were written for pupils to copy. From pupils’ answers given during the discussion, the researcher observed that pupils knew that rusting occurs on metals when they are left in the rain but cannot exactly tell what is responsible for it. This was explained to pupils. An exercise was then conducted to see how pupils understood the lesson. The exercise required pupils to state whether or not an iron can rust if it was kept a) under a bed b) on the ceiling c) in hot water d) inside a refrigerator e) in a hot water with oil spilt on the surface. Though pupils’ contributions to the discussion were favorable, about one-fourth of the class was able to score 3 out of 5 in the exercise. This showed that, pupils may have understood what was taught in the class but cannot apply it in real life situations. I looked at the exercise and recorded pupils correct answers without marking so that pupils could not tell whether they were correct or wrong. Besides that, there might have been some pupils in the class whose attention was somewhere else or did not understand what was been discussed but since most of the class were contributing, the researcher took it that, the whole class was contributing to the discussion. In practical lessons, this problem cannot be overlooked. Intervention Stage The class was divided into four (4) groups and each group was given an experiment to carry out. Each group was given three (3) new iron nails. The first group was asked to put their nails into a plastic or rubber container, cover it and place it under a bed for a week. The second group was asked to add water to their nails in a plastic container and place it inside the school refrigerator. The container should be left open. The third group was asked to also put their nails in boiled water, cover it and keep it for a week. The fourth group was also asked to place their nails into boiled water, pour oil on the surface and cover it tightly. After a week, pupils presented their experiments to the class and explained to the class the apparatus used for the experiment and what happened at the end of the experiment. Each member of the group had his/her own written report of how he/she saw the experiment go. One member of each group does the presentation with the other group members standing behind him/her. After the explanation, questions are thrown to the group and the other members are to answer. Some of the nails rusted whilst others did not. The absence of atmospheric oxygen in the boiled water covered with oil did not allow those nails to rust. So besides the fourth group’s setup, the rest of the setups caused the nails to rust due to the presence of oxygen or moisture. Post-Intervention Stage The class exercise that was given to pupils during the pre-intervention stage was again given to pupils to answer again. This time the researcher marked the exercise and saw many changes as compared to the answers they wrote before the intervention stage. Many wrong answers pupils wrote in the first exercise were corrected. Limitations Many problems may militate against this study but the few ones I would like to enumerate here include: 1. Problem of finance: The researcher will have to travel to other tertiary institutions to use their libraries if the researcher’s local library cannot provide the necessary books needed. Money will also be spent to buy airtime and data bundles to enable research on the World Wide Web. Without money, all these cannot be possible. 2. Time factor: The time at the disposal of the researcher is very limited and for that matter may not permit such an intensive coverage. Also there might be other written documents which may contain detailed information about this research work but due to the limited time available to the researcher, he may not review those documents.