Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Poetry Is An Expressive Language - 1618 Words

Poetry is an expressive language that has developed through the years. Poetry has various forms on written and performed language that are important no matter the time frame it belongs too. Poems have been around for centuries whether it has been written or has been performed. Depending on the era poems have specific human issues (for example rape, murder and death) that are more spoken about than others. These issues are still drifting to modern day society. However, even though time goes by language does not stop, it alters. Poetic language has techniques, forms, structures and poetic devices. The technique of a poem concentrates on rhythm and rhymes. The form of a poem focuses on arrangements of lines. The structure of a poem centres on†¦show more content†¦The technique of this poem is rhyme. It is not present at first but eventually it is shown. The rhyme scheme is abba cddc effe gh. The form is arranged in 14 lines with a rhyme scheme. The structure is a sonnet. The p oetic device that is seen is metaphorical speeches about death in numerous ways. Death is one many human issues that is prominent no matter what era it is, however in the 1500’s death was frequent and the poem was engaging with its poetic language. ‘The Tyger’ by William Blake articulates how beauty and evil can be nature. The poem was created in 1794. The poem is about the speaker commenting on how a tiger who the creator is of a fearsome and beautiful creature. â€Å"The tiger is strikingly beautiful yet also horrific in its capacity for violence. What kind of a God, then, could or would design such a terrifying beast as the tiger?† (Anon., 2017). The poem expresses that nature has both beauty and evil in the world. â€Å"The tiger initially appears as a strikingly sensuous image. However, as the poem progresses, it takes on a symbolic character, and comes to embody the spiritual and moral problem the poem explores: perfectly beautiful and yet perfectly destructive, Blake’s tiger becomes the symbolic centre for an investigation into the presence of evil in the world† (Anon., 2017). The technique of rhyme and rhythm is prominent. The rhyme is clear in every two lines. Its rhythm is clearShow MoreRelatedStylistic Analysis: To--- by Peter Shelley1649 Words   |  7 PagesLanguage through Poetry: A Stylistic Analysis of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s â€Å"To ---â€Å" A Stylistic Paper Presented to The Faculty of the Department of English Institute of Arts and Sciences Far Eastern University Manila In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirement for the Course Eng C 31—Introduction to Stylistics Osabel, Julla C. Panis, Kimberly Nicole S. October, 2012 I. Reaction and it’s effects on you II. Summary of the Text Percy Bysshe Shelley’s â€Å"To ---â€Å" isRead MoreThe Goals Of Poetry Therapy1603 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å" People who read poetry have heard about the burning bush ,but when you write poetry, you sit inside the burning bush ’’- Li-young lee . Which means that for the people who write poetry, it is their heart and soul and even their pain they use poetry as a way to let out their frustrations.which brings us to the the point of this paper which is that Poetry Therapy is Just as beneficial as other types of (emotional) therapy.Through its benefits, types and effects on people,and their connections ,emotionalRead MorePoetry vs. Prose: A Killer Topic734 Words   |  3 Pagesargument between which is better, poetry or prose, and it ended with a knife. On January 20, 2014, a Russian man was stabbed to death in the Sverdlovsk region over an argument of which is better, poetry or prose. Poetry and prose have various common aspects, though it is their differences that make each unique in how they are loved. There seem to be three types of people in the world, those who love poetry and hate prose, those who love prose and despise poetry, and the mediators that love both.Read MoreA Sound Of Sense By Robert Frost899 Words   |  4 PagesPoetry fundamentally speaks to the senses by using descriptive language that creates vivid mental pictures and sensations in the reader s mind. Authors employ imagery and metaphor and other literary devices to add complexity to their work. Poet Robert Frost instead used what he called a â€Å"sound of sense† method in his approach to the language of poetry. He intentionally used the sound of speech (especially the colloquial tones of his native New England region) to develop his poetic meaning. HisRead MoreAnalysis Of Voice Lessons The Belle Epoque 1688 Words   |  7 Pagesangles. Bergeron, paradoxically yet successfully, chooses to get to the core of the French mà ©lodie by looking at it from a distance. Her focuses on the mà ©lodie’s complex relationship with the German Lied, the pedagogical movements of the French language in the late-nineteenth century, and Claude Debussy’s opera Pellà ©as et Melisande in order to â€Å"examine the range of French expression [Debussy] puts on stage and how he represents that range in music† are all indirect yet inventive ways in which BergeronRead MoreImportance Of English Language Arts Essay745 Words   |  3 PagesWhat is English Language Arts? How does it differ from English, the language itself? English Language Arts is not a language, but it is the study of communicating thoughts. Every subject is important in school; each demonstrates a particular skill in education, but Language Arts builds complexity of a person’s learning. Speaking, reading, and writing are all components of languag e arts. Having these skills are important; the first thing an interviewer notices is one’s ability to articulate, and learningRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado, By Edgar Allan Poe And Eating Poetry847 Words   |  4 PagesW.H. Auden once said, â€Å"Poetry is the clear expression of mixed feelings.† When comparing â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† by Edgar Allan Poe and â€Å"Eating Poetry† by Mark Strand their works incorporate horrid elements within their works, which creates apprehension in the reader. The writing styles of these authors provoke this apprehension. The similar characteristics of â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† and â€Å"Eating Poetry†, including captivating introductions that present an eerie setting, use of theatrical imageryRead MoreDouglass Harpers Use Of Slavery1177 Words   |  5 Pagesslavery, but Harper gave us the imagery of slavery through her rhyme scheme of poetry. Harper was more descriptive in how she portrayed t he reality of slavery than the other writers we discussed because the other writers focused on the history of slavery and were straight forward, and Harper made you feel as if you were actually there to witness what she was playing out in her poems through her usage of figurative language. Harper mainly discussed freedom of slaves and what women had to endure in slaveryRead MoreA Reflection in Sylvia Plaths Mirror1013 Words   |  5 PagesMirror Amanda L. Wilson Eng:125 Introduction to Literature Professor Lyndsey Lefebvre November 18, 2013 A Reflection in Sylvia Plath’s Mirror Sylvia Plath’s poem Mirror (1963) is evocative, provocative, and expressive. According to Clugston (2010) these are important components of poetry. Sylvia Plath’s first line is a projection of the mirror providing its introduction saying, â€Å"I am silver and exact†(Plath, 1963, line 1). The mirror is the protagonist who performs a dramatic monologue aboutRead MoreThe Importance Of Poetry In Poetry761 Words   |  4 Pagesfirst I was a little concern about writing poetry in English since I did not have any experience on it, but at the same time, I was very excited to start composing poems because I have a deep respect and affection for poets in general. I have always been a fanatic of authors such as Gabriela Mistral, and Pablo Neruda. Poetry portrays powerful feelings and images into words, capturing minimum details and converting them in the most beautiful verse, poetry is an art by means of words, the word itself

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Krapps Last Tape Imagery In Color Essay - 849 Words

Krapps Last Tape: Imagery in Color nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;During the 20th century, there was an evident disillusion and disintegration in religious views and human nature due to the horrific and appalling events and improvements in technology of this time, such as the Holocaust and the creation of the atom bomb. This has left people with little, if any, faith in powers above or in their own kind, leaving them to linger in feelings of despair and that life is an absurd joke. From these times grew the Theater of Absurd. Here they attempted to depict the very illogical and ridiculous life they were living. In comparison to traditional characteristics of earlier plays, the plots are seemingly deficient, if not sparse with little†¦show more content†¦He is described as wearing quot;Rusty black narrow trousers to short for him. Rusty black sleeveless waistcoat. Surprising pair of dirty white boots. Disordered gray hair. Unshaven. Very near-sighted (but unspectacled),quot; which is not the description of an anal retentive person (1627). Also despite the ledger and the boxes, he still cannot find the tapes which evidently have obviously become disorganized over time. And in his ledger, he has made various notes about the subject matter of tapes, but he fails to understand them. In addition, while reviewing his last tape, his younger self begins to speak of his profound revelation that has changed his life, but impatiently the elder Krapp forwards past it. His goal of self- improvement has unmistakably been abandoned and replaced by an uncaring and callous temperament. These remnants of his once fastidious nature, further support the deterioration of his former self. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Beckett also bestows the use of color to further uphold his view on life. He manipulates imagery of the color black to further intensify the mood of pessimism and death. By the house on the canal, Krapp recollects of a quot;dark young beauty with a black hooded perambulatoryquot; (1630). Beckett describes this baby carriage as being a quot;most funeral thing,quot; resembling the lack of hope that baby has as if it would better off dead (1630). This usage of color can also be seen when his

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Establishing The Internet in Public Schools Free Essays

Modems, e-mail, www’s and .com’s – are these phrases merely a part of a worldwide fad, or are they here to stay? And if they are, then what role should they play in the future of public education? Many times, new things come along, and we all jump on the big boat of opportunity so quickly that we forget to look at the long term merits of what we’re boarding. The Internet is a good example of this, and we should all take a much closer look before we decide whether the Internet has a purpose and a place in the public schools of tomorrow. We will write a custom essay sample on Establishing The Internet in Public Schools or any similar topic only for you Order Now Education is merely preparing students for the future. But what is the future? No one can say with certainty. But by taking a quick look around us, we can guess that the Internet will play a prominent role in our future. If we look at the stock market, for example, we can see internet and technology stocks skyrocketing beginning their first day on the market. Or, turn on the television and one will surely hear a commercial telling everyone to check out their company’s web site for more information on their product. Daily, we can see the Internet becoming more integrated in our lives and in the lives of our youth. Without the internet in our schools, how will teachers instruct students to take full advantage of what the internet has to offer? After establishing that the Internet is indeed a growing part of our society that will not likely disappear soon, schools and their administrators must decide if the Internet is a necessity or a luxury. The answer is simple; the Internet is a luxury. If it were a necessity for public schools’ survival, then how have they made it this far without it? Though the Internet is a luxury, that does not mean it has no place in public schools. Imagine schools today without luxuries such as the light bulb, copy machine, or personal computer. Ten years ago, it would have been impossible to compose a letter, to send it, and have it received all in a matter of seconds. It is imperative that students are taught how to access these new opportunities so that when compared with other students anywhere in the world, they will not lag behind in Internet proficiency. Schools must begin to incorporate internet education into their regular curriculum in order for students to be successful in today’s internet-savvy world. It is the responsibility of public schools to prepare our students for the future, and without the Internet in our schools, this would be impossible. By forbidding the internet to enter our schools, we would be condemning our students by sending them out into the age of the internet, being armed with nothing. Though the merit of the Internet itself will continue to be debated, it is obviously becoming an important part of our society and, therefore, must also become an important part of our schools, which are the future of our society. Had the youth of yesterday not been taught how to use computers, then they could not have created the internet of today. Therefore, if students of today are not taught how to use the Internet, then we are limiting the possibility of new discoveries tomorrow. It is important that we realize this: the education that is provided for our youth today will determine our future. In conclusion, schools and its communities must accept the inevitable and climb aboard the Internet ship of opportunity before it sets sail, leaving the future of our students, communities and nation behind. Where will this fateful journey end? Will it end in tragedy such as the Titanic, or will we be sailing on the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria to end at yet another beginning where something newer and more exciting awaits us? Only time can tell. How to cite Establishing The Internet in Public Schools, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Customer Relationship Management Research Proposal - Free Sample

Question: Discuss about theResearch Proposalfor Customer Relationship Management. Answer: Introduction A study on the impact of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) on acquiring and retaining customers in the hospitality industry of Singapore: A case study of Hotel Ibis Singapore. Research Background Global hospitality industry is currently booming with the prediction of $550 billion US dollars revenue in 2016 (Killarney, 2015). Singapore, being one of the top tourist destinations in the Asia has witnessed a tremendous growth in the hospitality industry. The competition is also getting fierce and the companies are implementing new and latest technologies to attract and retain customers. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is one such technique which is gaining importance in attracting and retaining customers. CRM refers to technologies, strategies and practices used by firms to analyze and manage customer data and interactions throughout customer lifecycle (Kanchan Sharma, 2015). In this study, the researcher will analyze the impact of CRM on acquiring and retaining customers in the hospitality industry of Singapore by considering Hotel Ibis as Case Study Company. Hotel Ibis is one of top 3 star hotels in Singapore. This hotel has been chosen because the results obtained from here can be generalized it medium-large sized hotels in Singapore who can adopt CRM. Further, collecting data would be easier from this hotel due to easy accessibility. Research Aim and Objectives Research Aim This study aims to analyze the impact of CRM on acquiring and retaining customers in the hospitality industry of Singapore, specifically in Hotel Ibis. Research Objectives To identify the significance of CRM to hospitality industry in Singapore To evaluate the relationship between CRM and customer acquisition To evaluate the relationship between CRM and customer retention Literature Review Mohammed, Rashid, Tahir (2014) defines CRM as the process of using technology to manage, collaborate, systematize and categorise customer interactions and data in order to find the most profitable customers and to identify customer patters or trends to provide more specialized services or for strategy formulation. According to the study of Padmavathy Sivakumar (2012) hotels can implement CRM in three parts. The first part is operational CRM which involves with the automation of basic business processes such as service, sales, marketing etc. (Dubihlela Khosa, 2014). The second part is analytical CRM which involves collecting and transforming customer data to useful knowledge that will help identify the behavioural patterns of customers, demands, wants etc. (Becker, Greve, Albers, 2009). The third part is cooperation CRM which enhances the relationship i.e. contact with customers. Further, according to the study Kanchan Sharma (2015), CRM streamlines and enhances the processes wit hin the company, which helps the company to focus on the acquisition of most profitability customers and thus it helps in customer acquisition. Further, the study of Chadha (2015) CRM improves the relationship of company with customers which further leads to customer retention. Proposed Research Methods Both Primary and secondary data will be used to achieve the objectives of this study. Secondary data will be collected through accessing journals and books. Primary data will be collected through interview with 4 mangers of Ibis hotel. Interview would provide in-depth information to the researcher about the relationship between variables in the study. The main ethical issue is concerned with the collection of primary data. Consent will be obtained from the managers and their identity and data collected will be kept confidential. Timetable for the Research Month Week Activity Month 1 Week 1 Devise key words for secondary data collection, collect secondary data Week 2 Scan the data collected and select most relevant data Week 3 Write up Introduction and first half of Literature review chapter Week 4 Complete Literature Review chapter Month 2 Week 1 Frame Questionnaire for Interview and get appointment for interview Week 2 Conduct Interview Week 3 Conduct Interview Week 4 Gather, read and analyze the interview responses Month 3 Week 1 Write Research methods chapter Week 2 Write Findings and discussion chapter Week 3 Write Conclusion Chapter Week 4 Complete the entire dissertation, proof read and spell check References Becker, J., Greve, G., Albers, S. (2009). The impact of technological and organizational implementation of CRM on customer acquisition, maintenance, and retention.International Journal Of Research In Marketing,26(3), 207-215. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2009.03.006 Chadha, A. (2015). Case Study of Hotel Taj in the Context of CRM and Customer Retention.Kuwait Chapter of Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review,4(7), 1-8. https://dx.doi.org/10.12816/0018976 Dubihlela, J. Khosa, P. (2014). Impact of e-CRM Implementation on Customer Loyalty, Customer Retention and Customer Profitability for Hoteliers along the Vaal Meander of South Africa.Mediterranean Journal Of Social Sciences. https://dx.doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n16p175 Kanchan, Sharma, A. (2015). Application of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) practices in Hotel Industries: A Review.International Journal Of BRIC Business Research,4(3), 1-6. https://dx.doi.org/10.14810/ijbbr.2015.4301 Killarney,. (2015).Hospitality Net - The Global Hotel Industry and Trends for 2016.Hospitality Net. Retrieved 16 September 2016, from https://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4073336.html Mohammad, A., Rashid, B., Tahir, S. (2013). Assessing the influence of customer relationship management (CRM) dimensions on organization performance.Journal Of Hospitality And Tourism Technology,4(3), 228-247. https://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jhtt-01-2013-0002 Padmavathy, C. Sivakumar, V. (2012). Dimensions of CRM Effectiveness and its Effect on Relationship Quality.International Journal Of Customer Relationship Marketing And Management,3(1), 1-17. https://dx.doi.org/10.4018/jcrmm.2012010101

Friday, November 29, 2019

Platos defence of philosophy understood as critical thinking, as it is represented in Socrates trial in the Apology Essay Example

Platos defence of philosophy understood as critical thinking, as it is represented in Socrates trial in the Apology Paper This essay will firstly, ascertain and examine what exactly critical thinking is. Secondly, it will provide a brief outline of Platos Apology, and then it will outline and assess how Platos defence is represented and understood as critical thinking. Finally, there will be a conclusion of what exactly being a critical thinker entails and a short paragraph explaining how the module has improved and expanded my own capacity for critical thinking. Young (1996, p. ) states that critical thinking is the capacity people have to question beliefs and presuppositions (their own and those of others) with a view to giving reasons for them or for amending them. Put more simply, critical thinking is the procedure for understanding and evaluating the evidence which supports a certain claim or view. Critical rationality which is the capacity to criticise, that is, to assess goals, rules and presuppositions themselves and where appropriate change them is a distinctively unique human trait, which gives human beings the power to engage critical thinking (Rationality Handout). It also involves rational decision making in whether to believe or discount a point, and it also involves accepting or rejecting certain evidence. It is not simply an exchange of opinions, but a critical and vigorous attempt to find ones way through discussion and argumentation. The Apology is Platos version of the speech given by Socrates as he defends himself against the charges of being a man who corrupted the young, refused to worship the gods, and created new deities (Schofield, 1998, p. 1). Young (1996, p. ) states that Plato sees philosophy itself as namely a style of thinking which is distinctively different from, for instance, science or religion or indeed anything else. We will write a custom essay sample on Platos defence of philosophy understood as critical thinking, as it is represented in Socrates trial in the Apology specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Platos defence of philosophy understood as critical thinking, as it is represented in Socrates trial in the Apology specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Platos defence of philosophy understood as critical thinking, as it is represented in Socrates trial in the Apology specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer So, philosophy for Plato is not a distinctive set of conclusions or of finished truths, but a distinctive style of thinking. For Plato, Socrates embodies this distinctive way of thinking and living that is philosophy, which Young (1996, p. 2) adds is not just another way of theorizing about life but also a new attitude toward life, even a new way of living life. Socrates begins by stating that the accusations against him began because people confused him with intellectuals who claim to have expert knowledge either in the natural sciences (cosmogonists), or in the social sciences or humanities (sophists). Socrates says There is a wise man called Socrates who has theories about the heavens above and has investigated everything below the earth, and can make the weaker argument defeat, the stronger (Young, 1996, p. 2). Socrates is, in the Apology, the very embodiment of philosophy or critical thinking, so by stating the differences he is stating that philosophy does not provide expert knowledge, but instead gives a different kind of human or limited knowledge. Socrates says of himself that it seems he really possesses this. And he hints that, limited though it be, the knowledge or wisdom that can be secured via philosophy is of decisive importance for human beings (Young, 1996, p. 3). The vital knowledge Socrates talks about is the abilities and vital skills philosophy learns people of questioning everything, being inquisitive in life and not accepting things for how they are. Socrates then goes on to tell a tall story about himself, which, as with all of the Apology, it isnt just the words spoken but the action and setting plus words left unspoken, which determine the texts meaning. Socrates tells the story of his friend Chaerephon who went to Delphi and through the oracle there asks the god if anyone was wiser than Socrates. The god said that there was no one. Socrates claims to have been astonished and then states that it was reverence toward the gods which led him by his questioning activity to challenge the leaders of the State (Young, 1996, p. 3): I knew I was making myself disliked, but felt compelled to put my duty to the god before all else And by the dog, Athenians! as I pursued my questioning at the gods command, it seemed to me that those with the greatest reputations for being wise were amongst the stupidest of all; others supposed to be their inferiors were wiser, and better people too. (Young, 1996, p. 3)) An important part of critical thinking is then, according to Socrates, having the ability and open mind to listen to and question everyones views. Socrates differentiates between the all-seeing knowledge of the gods and normal knowledge which humans can gain, and states that the wisest people are those who know that they can never have this definitive and ultimate knowledge. Young (1996, p. ) adds Socrates wisdom or knowledge consists in part in the fact that he (unlike his powerful interlocutors) knows the limits of his own knowledge (or the extent of his own ignorance), whereas they do not: a person who is ignorant of x but knows herself to be ignorant of it, is to that extent wiser than someone who does not know it either but mistakenly thinks she does. Socrates gets his accusers to admit that they are ignorant and proud; to use Platos language, they are lovers of status, power and wealth, as opposed to lovers of knowledge and truth (Young, 1996, p. ) and states they will only ever become wise and less ignorant if they change their will and desire. Translating Socrates words, Young (1996, p. 4) comments Philosophical knowledge or wisdom, then, depends upon on the will at least as much as the intellect; upon desire and upon the direction of desire at least as much as abstract intellectual ratiocination; upon practice at least as, much as theorizing. Critical thinking then is an intellectual effort aiming at acquiring human self-knowledge or self- understanding. (Young, 1996, p. 4). In order to strive to achieve this, a person must have courage, be prepared to question and challenge oneself, and to continue on even though it may be upsetting some people, just as Socrates upset those in power through his philosophy of questioning and debating. Critical thinking is a way of living which one embodies in their attitudes and practices, it is also about taking others views and beliefs into consideration, and then challenging the very presuppositions that these beliefs rest on. To be a critical thinker is to be tolerant, not take things at face value and to realise that as humans our knowledge will always be limited. This should spur one on to be open-minded and to question ones thoughts and views. However, Socrates recognises that some people may be unwilling to do this out of fear of losing their credibility and reputation. One should not automatically assume what a person says is true just because they are in power, in the same way Socrates tells the youth to think for themselves and not believe everything politicians say. Young (1996, p. ) sees philosophy as a second-order study; first-order studies being those, such as sciences that deal with facts, where as second-order study focuses on the concepts using which first-order studies study the real world and its facts with a view to clarifying the structure and role of these concepts; or again instead of engaging in first-order evaluation of the world we focus on the evaluations and judgements whereby first-order evaluating is done; and so forth. Socrates was willing to die for philosophy and the distinctive way of thinking and living it entails; the statement he made he unquestioned life is not worth living (Platos Apology, p. 12) sums up his life and beliefs perfectly. He believes that critical thinking is good for both individuals and society, and that the freedom to think in this way should be defended. In asking what the good life was and how we could attain it, Socrates made critical thinking the patrimony of potentially every person who was willing to follow his leadership. His simple call to critically examine oneself and the world would both empower and challenge his followers throughout the ages. To be fully human after the example set by the life of Socrates would require any serious person to engage in the examined life (Polelle, 2008, p. 91). Socrates was the very embodiment of what it is to be a critical thinker, and he saw it as being such a crucial part of being a human being that he was willing to die for it. The very idea of critical thinking needs defending because there will always be people who are annoyed by it and who will try to take away others freedom to practice it, just as happened to Socrates in the Apology. I must admit that I have never had time for either religion or god. When I was younger I could not understand why people spent so much time out of their lives worshipping something that has never even been proved exists. It seemed very unusual to me that people would pray to a god when things got bad because how do they even know someones listening? It seemed obvious to me at the time that surely there is no higher being because if there really was, would this almighty god allow all of the suffering that goes on in the world to continue? Can there really be a god that created our earth? After studying the critical thinking module I no longer think this way. Im open to everything, even something that cant be proved, like god. I still question the ideas on which ideas and beliefs are based, but I am now more open to all ideas, no matter how strange they seem to me at the time. Instead of just ignoring the Jehovahs Witnesses at the door, I now say hi, collect some brochures from them and have a chat, although I cant see myself ever becoming a follower of Jehovah. I am open to ideas, such as god creating the world, however I do feel this is very unlikely. I have thought there must be something out there listening to gods worshippers, and surely he must exist otherwise he would not have so many followers. But then again, perhaps the bible is a hoax. I feel more inclined to believe that a big bang created the earth, mainly because there seems proof to support the fact. To be a critical thinker means to consider and debate all ideas and beliefs and I feel I am developing my ability to think critically. However, this does not mean I have to agree with everything or everyones points of view.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Change is Necessary for Growth Essays

Change is Necessary for Growth Essays Change is Necessary for Growth Essay Change is Necessary for Growth Essay Washington changed me by getting to know my cousins and relatives better. My cousin Eduard and I went to visit my cousins and relatives in Washington for a couple of days. We were on the road for about twelve hours and got there at midnight. I remember telling my cousin Eduard, I can’t wait to get there to see how it is and see them.On the ride when we were in the mountains, all I would see is big, green trees and mountains in the back and front of us with my ears plugged because we were riding through the mountains. It was starting to get dark, and that’s when I knew we were almost there because we left in the morning around six o’clock a.m, so we should get there around six p.m. I got excited that we were almost there because I was really tired and I wanted to get out the car. When I woke up from that long day I knew that was where the entertainment and the adventures started with my cousins. After we all had got settled up, we decided to go dirt biking for half of the day. I like to go dirt biking, and doing it with my cousins was even better because we would try to compete in many challenges and see whos better with a dirt bike and just have a great time. That was a really cool experience to have, and it was a positive change for me because it was my second day there, and I was already really enjoying it with my cousins, I didn’tdon’t see and know much about them. I hope by the time I left, I would know such more facts about what they did and had in common with me, After dirt biking, we went out to eat and saw some amazing buildings. I remember I said â€Å"This is one of the biggest buildings I have seen in a long time†.That was another cool experience I had while visiting Washington. The next day got even more exciting and I had a very awesome time. My cousins and I went to the Space Needle and got on top. My cousin said, â€Å"This is the best view I have ever seen,† and I couldn’t disagree on that because it was re

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Scheduling and project management (pert and cpm SLP Assignment

Scheduling and project management (pert and cpm SLP - Assignment Example Typically, projects are part of organizations and their accomplishments largely depend on the organizational structure, style of management, culture and systems applied towards the same (Vanhoucke, 2012). In this paper, the analysis shall be based on the effects that project management has on the various departments of Wal-Mart, being that it is an organization of choice in this particular study. There are numerous divisions in the organization that varies from Finance, Marketing, Human Resources Management, Production, and Accounting among others. In a broader scale, most organizations have been known to have opted to adopt the benchmarking practices used in the production as being applied by Wal-Mart. The core aspect for the understanding of Wal-Mart Inc.’s application of project management is in relation to its own benchmarking practices that are widely used to define the prospects for a project in the respective department. Currently, based on the large operational base covered by the company in its distribution of its products to different markets would indicate that any changes that might be applied to a particular department would need to be done in line with the benchmarking techniques put in place; hence, an indication of huge undertakings for the project managers in the respective departments. Therefore, every project manager in each of the departments are required clearly to define their goals and make sure that the end results for the respective projects are in line with the organization’s requirements for business. Subsequently, project management has enhanced the process orientation in the various departments by ensuring that there are good project processes put in place and that all the workers in the various departments sufficiently follow the process. Process orientation is a major factor in the determination of the overall

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The effect of oil and gas to Qatar's economy Research Paper

The effect of oil and gas to Qatar's economy - Research Paper Example s from exporting various products, every industrial giant within these nations consume massive amount of oil in order to maintain smooth functionality in the operations and thus contribute to the overall economic development of the nations. In terms of Qatar’s economic condition and position, recent reports project that the nation experiences a real growth rate of about 5.5 % and is ranked 44th position in terms of world ranking. The per capita income of this nation was $102,100 in terms of world ranking till the year 2013. Observably, the nations is ranked 3rd in terms of gross national savings, 19th in terms of crude oil production and 6th in terms of natural gas production (Central Intelligence Agency, â€Å"The World Factbook† ). By taking into concern the findings of this particular study, the null hypothesis to be tested in this study will be, â€Å"The oil and gas segment has no considerable impact on Qatar’s economy has been validated†. Research Evaluation Technique. The information accumulated from the research work certainly helps in determining the validity of the above-depicted null hypothesis. It can be affirmed that the research question is mainly structured with the intention of understanding that how oil and gas sector being the primary sector in the Qatari economy impose extensive impact specifically on the governments’ revenue earnings, governmental export process, economic liquidity rate and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the nation. It would be vital to mention in this similar concern that the above-portrayed null hypothesis has been designed in such a way so that there occurs a high possibility of getting it rejected at the time when the findings of the research are revealed. This literature review section has been formulated completely depending upon the secondary data sources. This method implemented for literature review in this study includes the effective evaluation of the various online journals, reports and government websites.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Prospect and Effectiveness of Web 2.0 Tools Usage Research Proposal

Prospect and Effectiveness of Web 2.0 Tools Usage - Research Proposal Example The research proposal "Prospect and Effectiveness of Web 2.0 Tools Usage" talks about the prospect and effectiveness of the use of web 2.0 tools in information literacy in education, workplace, and everyday contexts by carrying out a comparative study in Australia and other countries as digital information affects modern life aspects of people. This study is exceedingly beneficial because it will center on the effectiveness of web 2.0 tools in information literacy in education, workplace and everyday lives of the peoples in Australia and New Zealand. Digital information affects every modern life aspects of the people. This aims to develop guidelines ‘formalizing academic standard practices’ and reporting using web 2.0 forms of authoring or content creation like blogging, social bookmarking and podcasting. This study is intended to investigate the strategies and tools available to further develop the success of web 2.0 tools in the sectors of education, workforce and the society as a whole, specifically in Australia and New Zealand. Web 2.0 technologies provide teachers new ways to engage students in a meaningful way. Children raised on new media technologies are less patient with filling out work sheets and listening to lectures because they already participate on a global level through the internet. The use of web 2.0 technologies proves the fact that education is a constantly evolving process. Research methods will include literature review, experimental investigation, modeling, and data validation.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

The Murray Darling Basin: An Analysis

The Murray Darling Basin: An Analysis The Murray-Darling Basin covers 1,061,469 square kilometres or approximately one-seventh (14%) of the total area of Australia. The Three longest rivers in Australia the (Darling River, the Murray river, The Murrumbidgee river) all run through the Murray-Darling Basin. The Murray Darling Basin is home to the most diverse ecosystem in Australia. It has at least 35 endangered species of birds, 16 species of endangered mammals and over 35 different native fish species. Unfortunately 20 species of mammals have already become extinct. It supports hydroelectricity, irrigation, domestic, industrial, recreational and leisure activities. It also produces over 40% of all Australian yield which is used in domestic and overseas markets. The aim of this report is to look at the three main issues regarding the Murray Darling Basin; the water quality, Droughts and Flood in the river and Blue-Green Algae. This report reflects on some of the effects these issues are having on the Murray Darling Basin. The final section of this report will make some recommendations to solve these problem. These issues are effecting the health of the Murray River and are damaging it as we speak. Current precautions and programs have not been able to arrest environmental damage. Blue Green Algae Blue-green algae are a type of bacteria known as Cyanobacteria. Blue-green algae are a natural part of the freshwater environment. In favourable conditions they reproduce at very high rates to form blooms which are explosions in growth that dominate the aquatic environment, forming scums that can be toxic. Blue-Green algae interfere with other uses of the water and can affect human health and have far-reaching consequences for the environment and the economy. Algae need stable water columns, Nutrients and sunlight to bloom. If these factors all combine together and then persist for a few days, blue-green algae cells will accumulate in the surface layer of the water body and if the conditions persist for several days or more, the cells can multiply to dramatic numbers eventually forming a bloom. They need little or no flow, calm weather with little or no wind and hot sunny days; these factors allow the water column to stratify, which is where a layer of warm surface water remains unmixed with the cooler, deeper water. Stratification can also result from differing densities through the water column, where saltier, denser water at the bottom remains unmixed with the fresher surface water above. There are many Dams built along the Murray-Darling Basin which restrict the flow of the river (little or no flow). As we are one of the hottest nations in the world it is natural to have hot weather. European farming have removed 15 billion trees. They: Influence water quality by initiating undesirable tastes and odours Discolouration and unattractive scums. Are toxic with some species producing toxins Can cause liver damage, stomach upsets and disorders of the nervous system in humans. Contact with high centralizations of blue-green growth can result in skin and eye aggravations. Although: Each State has extensive monitoring arrangements to detect and measure algae comprehensive emergency plans for dealing with algal blooms detailed arrangements for alerting the public about health risks Water supply authorities have advanced treatment techniques to remove dissolved toxins. The problem of Algae is still a big threat to the basin and it is increasing. I advise the construction of more sewage treatment plants along the Murray-Darling Basin. Instead of dumping the sewage straight into the Basin it would be wise to treat the water before dumping the water into the Basin or we could re-use the water after it is treated. I will also like to recommend to increase the flow of the river. A big machine similar to a blender be planed inside the basin which would blend the water in the river preventing Algae to bloom. If such technology is not available then maybe the government would consider to fund engineers to come up with a device/machine like described above or even better. Changes in Drought and Flood patterns Drought and flood are a natural phenomenon in the Murray–Darling Basin. Throughout wet years, the streams of the Basin will overflow into floodplains. However during times of drought the rivers become strings of disconnected waterholes along the course of the riverbed. On average, the natural flow into the Basin is around 33,000 GL per year but this varies greatly from year to year. Human uses of water has highly regulated the system with many structures such as dams, locks and weirs resulting in increasing impact on both drought and flood. After almost a decade of drought, a return to wetter conditions throughout the Basin in 2010 led to widespread flooding. This resulted in the inundation of many floodplains and refilling of the Basins water storages. The basins total water storage increased from 32% to 81% during 2010-11. It enabled numerous species to recover from the impacts of a long dry season. Climate change studies predict that the climate of the Murray–Darling Basin is likely to become drier in the future, due to the rising concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Many places along the basin suffer the worst from drought as they are in risk of not obtaining enough drinking water to support its population let alone its farmers. There is a projected impact of a 10% reduction in the average surface water availability across the whole Basin in 2030. Total losses caused by the severe 1982-1983 drought, for example, were estimated by the Australian Government to exceed $3 billion. The long-term health of the whole system is currently in danger. It has also been discovered that 4% of water that Australia gets from rainfall reaches the sea from the basin. Operation of the River Murray system is based primarily upon the control and management of the four main storages: Dartmouth Reservoir Hume Dam Menindee lakes storage scheme Lake Victoria In times of drought water is used from the dam’s storage for all activities. They provide safety to towns and cities from the tolls of flood and it will take a lot of time and money to recover. The government of Australia provides drought packages to support our farmers in major water crisis. Many areas in Australia have water restrictions to help conserve water for future use. Some areas also usewater recycling,desalinationplants and dig bores into the ground to get more water for their residents like that in Western Australia which was the first state to tap the ocean as a source of public drinking water produces 130 million litres of freshwater a day. I would like to recommend large scale constructions of desalination plants along coastal areas, it will help Australia to meet the demands of the increasing population of Australia at present and in the future; and to cope through major droughts. I would also like to recommend construction of dams in Queensland as they receive the most rainfall, but the water is not trapped and is hence wasted. Instead of using the rain water, they take water from the Basin to support their needs. The water can be used for all purposes. I would recommend the construction of more water storage facilities in drier parts of the county like Adelaide. It would also be wise for the government to stop the 4% of water obtained by rain from reaching the sea. Water Quality Salinity means the amount of salt content in soil or water. European farming practices replaced native vegetation with crops and pasture. As a result, the plants designed to deal with salinity issues were removed. This resulted in the increasing of salinity problem. It affects ecosystem health, reduce drinking quality and cause economic loss in agriculture. It affects native vegetation, crops, pasture, wetlands and river systems; it destroys native habitat and decreases biodiversity. With current practices there are no signs that the process of salinisation will slow down or be reversed within the foreseeable future. The quality of the Murray darling basin can also trigger algal growth. Matter disposed in the water carries nutrients which reduce the penetration of light which affects aquatic plants and animals. Lower water temperatures due to the release of water from deeper layers held in dams during summer can damage downstream ecological systems. Higher temperatures resulting from lack of flow from clearing of vegetation may worsen algal blooms. The water has low levels of dissolved oxygen because floodplains are flushed with organic matter which discolour the river water and make it appear blackish. The blackish water can sometimes become very low in dissolved oxygen resulting in the harm of aquatic plants and animals. Although these events can have a positive impact on the environment as they put nutrients back into the system which promotes the growth of many aquatic organisms. Although, there have been actions taken to solve these issues: The setting up of salt interceptions schemes throughout the Basin has helped to alleviate the problem of salinity. Toxins produced by Algae and other harmful particles are filtered and the water is purified before it is supplied to places. Many nutrients are put back into the water to promote the growth of many aquatic organisms. The government of Australia funds many water cleaning programs like: The Australian Government has signed an agreement with the Australian Capital Territory that will see up to $85 million of Australian Government funds available to help clean up Canberra’s lakes and waterways. Have not had a very significant effect on the issues. The government of Australia funds many water cleaning programs like: The Australian Government has signed an agreement with the Australian Capital Territory that will see up to $85 million of Australian Government funds available to help clean up Canberra’s lakes and waterways. I would also recommend the government to encourage farmers to practise water efficient farming and use pants that have roots which go deep into the earth to get their nutrients. The government should plant trees or bushed which remove salt from the water and soil like the salt bush. If current water problems continue Adelaide will run out of healthy drinking water by 2020. The government of Australia should also consider the introduction of strict laws and heavy penalties for dumping waste into the basin. Conclusion The issues of the Murray darling basin are increasing. Ninety percent of Adelaide’s population is dependent on the basin for their drinking water. Most of these issues were not an issue in the early 18-19 century. Everything was natural and all issues had a solution, but increase in human activities have made these issues big. If nothing is done about these issues, Australia will have a very tough time surviving. These issues are increasing even with the current actions being taken, because of the increasing population, activities and demand of Australia. Australia is growing vastly every day; new towns are being constructed, people are migrating, increase in mining and increase in farming. Australia needs water to support all these activities. If current conditions continue Australia will not be able to produce enough food and water to support its population let alone export anything. The agriculture industry consistently accounted for around 20 per cent of manufacturing sale s and service income and in 2009–10($24.3 billion) it provided jobs for 226,750 Australians. The economy of Australia will crash and it will have to import even the basic of foods. The ecosystem will not be able to recover and eventually Australia will run out of water. It has also been predicted that in the future there will be many wars for the sole purpose of obtaining water. Many advices included in this report will help solve other inter related issues, e.g. Construction of de-salination plant will help improve the water quality and to cope through major drought as well as Algae. The Australian government should consider the advices included in this report as they will help improve the health of the basin and ensure that Australia will have enough water in the future to support its increasing population. Bibliography

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Money Cant Buy Happiness Essay -- Happiness Essays

â€Å"The Seven Social Sins are: Wealth without work. Pleasure without conscience. Knowledge without character. Commerce without morality. Science without humanity. Worship without sacrifice. Politics without principle." -- Mahatma Gandhi   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Kingdom of Bhutan is pursuing a bold new social experiment. They want to demonstrate that a spartan rural society join the high-tech world without surrendering its soul. [1] Bhutan is an extraordinary place; seemingly untouched through the course of time. Resting in the heart of the Himalayas, it has remained in self-imposed detachment for centuries, apart from the rest of the world. "Since its doors were cautiously opened in 1974, visitors have been mesmerized: the environment is pristine, the scenery and architecture are awesome, the people are hospitable and charming, and the culture unique in its purity." [2]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  "Despite the huge potential of its natural resources, Bhutan emerged as one of Asia's poorest countries, shunning the 'profit at all costs' mentality of the rest of the world. With one foot in the past and one in the future, it strolls confidently towards modernization, on its own terms, fiercely protecting its ancient culture, its natural resources and its deeply Buddhist way of life." [3]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For the most part, the Kingdom of Bhutan has had remarkable success with its transition to becoming a relatively technological society. It is a nation which has also retained it culture and way of life in the process. Some scholars feel that in the United States, we have lost the more positive aspects of our culture, and thus, our "gross national happiness." This loss, apparently, is the cost of being a highly technological and consumption driven society. Americans are, by many measures, the most successful people ever known. Our enormously productive economy affords us luxuries beyond the wildest dreams of previous generations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  However, this prosperity brings evidence of a different story. Our rising standard of living has not always resulted in a higher quality of life. Indeed, in many ways there has been an erosion in our sense of well-being, both for us as individuals and for us as a people. Our wealth has come with unforeseen costs: personal, social and environmental. We must ask ourselves, "Is this really the American dream?"   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The traditional American dream of opportunity, progress, ... ...ow Much is Enough," in Lester R. Brown et al,  State of the World 2010 (New York: W.W. Norton and Co. Inc., 1001) 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alan L. Otten, "Young Adults Now Are More Pessimistic," Wall Street Journal, September 27, 2014. 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Cunniff, "Would You Believe These Are the Good Old Days?",   Seattle Times, September 19, 2014. 8.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Social Problems on Rise, U.S. `Health Check' Shows," Seattle Post - Intelligencer, January 14, 2014. 9.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Barbara Benham, "Why Have We Lost Confidence?". Investor's Business Daily, June 12, 2014. 10.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report 2014 (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014) p. 2. 11.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Richard R. Wilk, Emulation and Global Consumerism, in Paul C. Stern, Thomas Dietz, Vernon W. Ruttan, Robert H. Socolow, and James L. Sweeney, editors, Environmentally Significant Consumption (Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2012) p. 110. 12.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wackernagel et al. National Natural Capital Accounting with the Ecological Footprint Concept, Ecological Economics, Volume 29, Number 3, June 2014, pp. 375-390. 13.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ramon C. McLeod, "Baby Boomers Seek `Meaning'," San Francisco Chronicle, February 13, 2014.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Aircraft on Ground Essay

In the case of Bennett Solutions, if the support assembly does not fit, do we need to build the tree into a recursive model of considering buying another new part from Miami supplier or buying another from ARC, etc.   can we just end that branch of the tree taking into account the cost of returning the product and the reduced refund price? A: There is no set answer, so make whatever assumption you think is reasonable, state it clearly, and proceed with it. Q: Is the cost of rebooking per passenger another decision tree? What we are trying to figure out is the % of load (occupied seats) and % of passengers looking to rebook same day etc. that are to be used as fixed for calculations or as uncertainities. A: Try to make as few assumptions as possible. As a general guideline, when the case gives you enough data (e. g. , historical numbers, estimates, etc), such that you can compute a number directly, try to do that, instead of introducing new elements in the decision tree. Q: Is it possible to fly an empty plane from Santiago to Miami in order to avoid a cancelled Miami – Santiago flight? A: Carefully read the notes at the end of the case — one of them should stipulate something about this. Q: How long does it take to make the actual repair to the system once the parts arrive in Santiago? A: Make an assumption that you consider easonable, state it clearly, and proceed from there†¦ Q: Consider the sentence: â€Å"However, since this is a current initiative, there is only a 35% to 50% probability that support assemblies of different fleets will fit perfectly and hence are interchangeable. There is no way to know in advance, this has to be checked on the aircraft when the component is installed†. Does the abo ve apply only to the part supplied by Bennett or it applies to the other suppliers? A: It is safe to assume that it only applies to Bennett Cargo Sales as it refers only to the support assembly.

Friday, November 8, 2019

10 Words for Bodily Functions and Actions

10 Words for Bodily Functions and Actions 10 Words for Bodily Functions and Actions 10 Words for Bodily Functions and Actions By Mark Nichol No, this list isn’t just for those in the medical profession. Many readers find sesquipedalianism use of overly complicated words when a simpler synonym is available irritating, but ostentatious vocabulary has its place in invective, satire, and standard-issue humor, and can enhance general prose, whether through figurative or literal use. 1. Borborygmus: rumbling (â€Å"What I thought was the rumbling of a truck was only a bout of borborygmus in my stomach†) 2. Emesis: vomiting (â€Å"I turned away in disgust from the vile rhetorical emesis of the racist orator†) 3. Eructation: belching (â€Å"The smokestacks engaged in endless eructation†) 4. Ingurgitation: guzzling (â€Å"We gazed in disbelief at the rampant ingurgitation occurring among the frat boys arrayed around the keg†) 5. Mastication: chewing (â€Å"The students, engrossed in the mental mastication required of the assignment, failed to notice my entrance†) 6. Micturation: urinating (â€Å"They’re micturating over all that we honor and respect†) 7. Osculation: kissing (â€Å"The odious osculation that takes place between politics and big business will never cease†) 8. Peristalsis: swallowing (â€Å"They accepted the lies with peristaltic enthusiasm hook, line, and sinker†) 9. Sternutation: sneezing (â€Å"His incessant explosions of sternutation were unsettling†) 10. Tussis: coughing (â€Å"John produced gratuitous tussis to signal his extreme skepticism†) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Coordinating vs. Subordinating ConjunctionsPeace of Mind and A Piece of One's MindWriting a Thank You Note

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Search Warrants vs Arrest Warr essays

Search Warrants vs Arrest Warr essays How do we decide what is intrusion on an individuals life? Is it when physical or emotional harm is done to that person? But also what needs to be under consideration, is what limitations and what guidelines the official must be aware of when considering what actions to take upon that person. There are precedents and agreements that have been made before today, and these are what we must make the basis of our decision upon. The reality of the situation is that even though, the defendant has the rights to privacy and silence, the F.B.I. had not only probable cause that there were forged stamps and actual proof of the distribution of forged stamps, but also the ability to search for any object that could have caused a danger to the agents. We know the details about this particular case and we also know what the defendant feels was an intrusion upon his rights. For the record, the court feels it necessary to state the defendants rights, but also explain the process of searches and arrests. Protected by the constitution, each individual has the right to privacy, which is explained in the fourth amendment. This right is stated but not defined by a few solid principles, they follow; the individual has the right to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects. This allows for illegal or unreasonable searches, and excludes any evidence, which could incriminate that person; the second principle is a principle which clings to all rights guaranteed by the constitution and a rule of thumb that this court bases many of its judgments by, and it is the fact that one persons rights begin within oneself, but end at the beginning of the next persons nose. Since when the arrest was being made by the agents, they have the right over their own safety over the defendants right to defend himself physically, especially when the agents never inflicted any physical harm or never put the defendant into ph...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Stress of unmarried motherhood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Stress of unmarried motherhood - Essay Example If stress is left untreated, this may lead to life altering health complications that may also affect the child, thus coping with the challenges of single-parenthood and social support are of core importance. To start with, it shall be emphasized that single mothers, in this study, refers to those women who were separated, divorced, widowed, or never been married living with at least one child (minor age). The number of single-parent families, majority of which is headed by women, grew substantially since the 1960’s as a result of increasing rates of divorce and separation (Avison, Aneshensel, Scheiman, and Wheaton 73). In the most recent census in the U.S., about 84% of 13.7 million single parents are single mothers (Grall 1; Wolf n. pag.); 45% are currently divorce or separated; 34.2% have never been married; 19% are married (usually remarried); and 1.7% are widowed (Wolf). Wolf added that 79% of single mothers are employed and those who work in full-time basis are much grea ter (71.7%) compared to part-time basis workers (18.4%). In relation to poverty, 27% of single mothers live in poverty and in terms of public assistance or support, 22% receive Medicaid, 23.5% receive food stamps, 12% receive public housing or rent subsidy, and 5% receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Wolf n. pag.). In connection to stress, it is important to understand what stress is all about. According to Dr. Stoppler (1), stress, in general, is related to external (physical environment, job, relationships with others, and all situations, challenges, difficulties, and expectations occurring everyday) and internal (body’s ability to respond) factors. When a stressor comes in, our body’s rapid and automatic defense would be a â€Å"fight-or-flight--a reaction called the stress response (Smith, Segal, R., and Segal, J. n. pag.). The three components of the body involved in response to stress are: (1) the brain that immediately responds to release epinephrin e and norepinephrine, (2) the hypothalamus and pituitary gland transmitting signal to the adrenal cortex to release cortisol and other hormones, and (3) the many neural (nerve) circuits involved in the behavioral response (Stoppler 4). Though a certain level of stress can motivate an individual to perform well under pressure (Smith, et al n. pag.), however, a stress-out lifestyle is more likely an unhealthy one because it can affect the person’s eating habit that may result either to weight loss (due to lack of time to prepare healthy foods) or weight gain (to fill an emotional need and partly due to the effect of high level of cortisol during stress that stimulates fat, carbohydrate, and insulin) (Stoppler 1). Focusing on stress among single mothers, Scott (n. pag.) said that most mothers, generally, feel stress in the following areas: (1) time demands, (2) finances, (3) relationship demands, (4) protective instincts, (5) self doubt, and (6) time alone. A single mother carri es all stress in these areas with no male partner to share with, thus parenting is more burdensome to them compared to two-parent family. Studies consistently found out that single mothers have high levels of psychological distress and high rates of major depression than married mothers (Avison, et al 73). More specifically, separated or divorced mothers have higher rates of depression, dysthymia (a mood disorder),

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Event study for efficient market hypothesis ex dividend data Dissertation

Event study for efficient market hypothesis ex dividend data - Dissertation Example The intention of this study are efficient market hypothesis. The theory ‘efficient market’ was formulated by Eugene Fama in 1970. He described an efficient market as a market where at any point in time, actual prices of individual securities already reflect the effects of information based both on events that have already occurred and on events which, as of now, the market expects to take place in the future. The efficient market prices represent the intrinsic value of the securities. Researchers have developed this hypothesis to be known as the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) which states that the market prices reflect all information known to the public. Market react to any new information available in the market immediately as reflected in stock prices rather than gradually adjust it. This theory is an important concept in the area of understanding equity markets and cost of equity capital. Another important concept in the area of equity markets is that of random wa lk hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, the anticipated price of an asset fluctuates randomly around its expected value. Both the efficient market and random walk hypothesis, it is a futile exercise to try and find overpriced and under-priced assets. This is because, in an efficient market, the assets in the stock market are already reflecting all the available information. There are no future predictions that can be made about how a market will behave. The price of any assets is already a reflection of the best estimates for the expected risk and return of the assets. The suggestion that all the information known about past, present and future events is reflected in the current market prices means that the financial analysts are snake oil salesmen. This is why the EMH is such a controversial hypothesis. However, in an inefficient market, investors can identify miss-priced assets. Identifying the same can enable an investor to achieve gains (Rutterford, 1993). Because of these reasons, these hypotheses provide a solid theoretical and predictive model about the operations of the financial markets and influence more people to invest in stock market (Will, 2006). Types of Market Efficiency There are three primary categorization of EMH given by Fama (1970) according to the type of information reflected in the stock price – 1. Weak-form efficiency - Share prices reflect all past information and thus, rules out the possibility of predicting future stock prices on the basis of past

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Job Order versus Process Costing Techniques Research Paper

Job Order versus Process Costing Techniques - Research Paper Example Costing is one of the counting techniques used by companies’ manufactures goods and services to ascertain the labor, material expenses, and overheads incurred in operations. This is very crucial costing enables a company to know with certainty the materials needed, labor requirements and the overheads incurred for planning purposes. Costs are first accumulated after which they are assigned to products and services. Job-order and process costing are the two main product costing techniques usually employed for accumulating and assigning costs to services and products. Process costing, according to Finkler, Ward, and Baker, are a costing technique, which involves assigning all units produced within a given period to the same cost (34). Job-order costing, on the other hand, is a costing system that ascertains separately the costs incurred for producing the units for each job (Finkler, Ward, and Baker 34). The two costing techniques have certain differences, which makes them suitab le for certain companies and not in others. To begin with, before assigning costs to products and services, it is always necessary to accumulate the costs involved in the operation. This ensures that the company effectively determines all the overheads, labor, and material expenses involved in the operation. The two systems have several differences that distinguish one from the other. Firstly, in job-order costing system, jobs are given varying degrees of attention and skills from each operation or production department (Kinney and Raiborn 207). In contrast, in process costing system, the out-put units produced are given equal attention from each operation or production department.... Thirdly, in job-order costing system, costing is done to meet specifications of individual customers. This implies that products and services are produced in line with the requirements of a given customer. Therefore, in the job-order system, production is normally preceded by sales. In contrast, in process costing system, sales are preceded by production since production is for generating inventories for future sales. Therefore, under process costing system, there is no need of attempting to identify labor, material, and overhead costs with the specific orders made by customers. This is because each order forms just one of the many filled from a continuous flow of almost identical units from the line of production. Therefore, in process costing, costs are accumulated by departments, but not by orders, which are then assigned uniformly to all units passing through the department during a specified time. According to Finkler, Ward, and Baker, costs are not accumulated using job cost sh eets (Oliver 56). Fourthly, the two costing systems differ in accordance with how the unit costs are determined during operation. In this regard, in the job order costing system, unit costs are ascertained continually as soon as each job is completed. Process costing system, in contrast, involves periodic determination of unit costs. Additionally, in job-order costing system, material required for jobs depend on the order received. As such, the stock held is small in job costing. In process costing, on the other hand, materials required for output are known with certainty. Therefore, the material stock kept on hand tends to be higher than the job-order costing. In addition, most jobs, in job-order costing are directly traceable to other jobs, implying that a

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Broken Homes Essay Example for Free

Broken Homes Essay He made it sound like that’s the reason why I became a secularist. Having a bad experience growing up, growing up without a father or being in a broken family are common misconceptions that the theists think about the secularists. Both of my parents consider themselves as cafeteria Catholics, for short, secular people. They may be annulled, but they said that they felt happier when that came. According to the elders, people wouldn’t say that they came from a broken family because of heavy religious influence which makes them think that they are heretics. At the present time, people are very open about it and it is accepted in the society. Today, the religious community are alarmed with the boom of divorce within their society. According to this, 20% of Catholics and Protestants and 40% of Jewish marriages end in divorce after 5 years. Also, the Barna Research Group stated that in the United States, 11% of the adult population is divorced, 25% of adults have had at least one divorce during their lifetime and divorce rates among Christians are significantly higher than those of other religious denominations, and much higher than atheists and agnostics. The results from their research about divorce rate by religion show that: 1. Non-denominational (Evangelical Christian congregations that are not affiliated with any specific denomination) – 34% have been divorce 2. Baptists – 29% 3. Episcopal – 28% 4. Pentecostal 28% 5. Methodist – 26% 6. Presbyterian – 23% 7. Lutheran – 21% 8. Catholic – 21% Their research proved that the conservative Christians have the highest divorce rate, while the mainline Christians have a lower divorce rate. They found some new information that states that atheists and agnostics have the lowest divorce rate at all. The Associated Press confirmed the results of the research. There was a point in time where the Baptists had the highest divorce rate of any Christian denominations. Another research about divorce rates by religion stated that: Jews – 30% have been divorced Born-again Christians – 27% Other Christians – 24% Atheists and agnostics – 21% Ron Barrier, spokesperson of the American Atheists commented about the research. He said: These findings confirm what I have been saying these last five years. Since Atheist ethics are of a higher caliber than religious morals, it stands to reason that our families would be dedicated more to each other than to some invisible monitor in the sky. With Atheism, women and men are equally responsible for a healthy marriage. There is no room in Atheist ethics for the type of ‘submissive’ nonsense preached by Baptists and other Christian and/or Jewish groups. Atheists reject, and rightly so, the primitive patriarchal attitudes so prevalent in many religions with respect to marriage. StopTheReligiousRight.org also commented: We hear an awful lot from conservatives in the Bible Belt and on the TV about how we all should be living. Certainly a culture that teaches the conservative religious values of the Christian right must have clean living written all over it. And lots of ripe fruit from their morally superior lives abounding. It doesn’t. Far from it. People that talk the loudest may be the ones walking the slowest. Joining its history of Biblically correct bigotry and discrimination, it is an area with the highest divorce, murder, STD/HIV/AIDS, teen pregnancy, single parent homes, infant mortality, and obesity rates in the nation. As a region, the Bible Belt has the poorest health care systems and the lowest rates of high school graduation. So, before theists say something about secularists growing up in broken families, they should look at the statistics and see the reality about what’s happening in the religious community. Copyright  © 2000 to 2009 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance Originally written: 2000-APR-27 Latest update: 2009-JUL-20 Author: B.A. Robinson Youngblood One broken family By Joyce Raboca Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 00:51:00 12/18/2008 Filed Under: Social Issues, Charter change, Graft Corruption Jose Rizal wrote a chapter in ?El Filibusterismo? ironically titled ?Maligayang Pasko? [Merry Christmas]. Basically, it narrates the fate of the Family De Dios, who had something other than a merry Christmas. The daughter, Juli, became a maid; the grandfather, Tata Selo, went mute; and the father, Tales, was kidnapped by rebels. All this while the Spanish priests went merrymaking over the ill fortune of this family. While I do love this lesson in Filipino, I can?t help but feel sadness, even bitter resentment, over how our fate has never really changed from that time. We Filipinos are still a broken family, especially this Christmas. Before I continue, let me first give a Merry Christmas greeting to every uncorrupted politician, tooth fairy, reindeer, principled Philippine president, and elf out there. As a teenager in her senior year in high school, I have definitely felt the Christmas spirit from such characters. As I was scanning the news with my dad the other day, I read about an ?uncorrupted politician? whose case was dismissed because he was not put on trial early enough. They used this fancy label for it too: ?clear transgression of the constitutional rights of the accused.? I was a little confused and asked my lawyer father to explain it to me. I had to digest his answer for a while and, being naà ¯ve, I had to ask for some clarification. ?So the court said that because the trial took too long to process, he can go free asked my father. ?Does that mean all the thousands of cases that have been sitting around with the Sandiganbayan for more than five years are being dismissed as well Apparently not. Just when I thought it was never too late for justice to be served (especially in the Philippines, where the justice system is always 10 years too late), connections once again overpowered justice. But the wrongly accused and impatient defendants have to be friends with the ombudsman first, I believe. So thanks to the uncorrupted politician, I have finally realized what  Christmas is all about. The tooth fairy has also decided to visit and spread the Christmas spirit in the form of plundered money. Hooray for those who put morality under their pillow! In recent weeks, another former top official decided that lying, stealing and making a run for it should merit him freedom and a gift. Perhaps he wants his teeth back? But teeth cannot be grown back once you?ve put them under your pillow, and toothless is the man whose honesty has been bought by hundreds of millions of pesos from the tooth fairy. I will definitely bear that in mind this season. Maybe the tooth fairy will come and leave me a few billion pesos in exchange for my honesty as well. Our painfully principled President has decided to steal Santa?s reindeer this year and ride him across the country. I believe his name is Cha-cha. Although she says that the reindeer is bringing Santa?s big bag of solutions to the country?s problems, I now have doubts that Cha-cha the reindeer ever belonged to Santa. After all, the song never mentions a reindeer named Cha-cha. Hmm ? that seems a little bit suspicious. I just hope she won?t be riding that reindeer in 2010. That would be a heavier weight on all of us (and not just on Cha-cha) come next Christmas. As for my own life, college is around the corner, and I?m waiting for Santa?s elf to come ask me what I want for Christmas. Other than a box of transparent candies to send to the government, I would like to get into the top two colleges to which I applied for admission. January 2009 is acceptance month and I am hoping at least that Christmas stays bearable ? maybe even enjoyable ? until the results of the exams come out. And when those results come out, I hope I won?t come down with a case of ?senioritis,? a sickness common to high school seniors after being accepted to a college. The symptoms include lazing around, slacking off, and developing grade apathy. That would not be a good thing, especially since our parents are Santas (shh, don?t tell them I know). As for all of you, be happy with the shallow merry-making for now, because we Filipinos are not going to find merriment in having Spanish priests running the country this Christmas. Maybe next year we won?t lose our voice amid the injustices, like Tata Selo in ?El Filibusterismo.? Like Juli and Tales, maybe next year we will be free from injustice and the craziness of our politics. Maybe next Christmas, the reindeer, the elf, and the tooth fairy will bring nationalism, honesty and justice back to our country. In the meantime, Merry Christmas!

Saturday, October 26, 2019

History of Iron Smelting Technology in Sub-Saharan Africa

History of Iron Smelting Technology in Sub-Saharan Africa Introduction: The arrival of iron smelting technology in sub-Saharan Africa played a significant role in shaping the historical record of the area by bringing profound changes to the lives and societies of its inhabitants (Haaland Shinnie 7). In the parts of Africa south of the Sahara and south of the Ethiopian highlands, there has been no archaeological evidence supporting a Bronze Age (Van Der Merwe 463; Alpern ; Holl 6) and the evidence archaeologists do have point to iron being the first metal used to replace stone tools (Fagan 1). One area of intense debate regarding the African Iron Age is the process in which the technology of iron smelting arrived in sub-Saharan Africa. Over the past half-century, the interpretations and reconstructions of the origins of iron smelting in sub-Saharan Africa have changed considerably. The initial theory was based on an unquestioned belief of the superiority of Ancient Egypt over sub-Saharan Africa (Kense 12). Based on this framework, the site of Meroe was pr oposed by Arkell as an important link and the general belief was that the collapse of the Kingdom of Kush precipitated the spread of technology and Meroitic culture into the southwest (Kense 13). However excavations conducted in the 1960s determined that the iron smelting furnaces found at Meroe mostly dated to the first few centuries B.C.E (Shinnie 30) and its pivotal role in the spread of iron smelting technology was shown to be increasingly hard to defend (Kense 13). Three theories regarding the origins of iron smelting in sub-Saharan Africa have emerged and are currently disputed amongst scholars (Holl 7). Two of the theories are diffusionist meaning these theories claim the technology originated elsewhere and was transported into the region. These theories are based on the premise that iron smelting originated somewhere in Anatolia and from there the technology was adopted by other populations and spread throughout the Mediterranean and into Africa. The main diffusionist theory was first proposed by Raymond Muany in 1952. He argues that since the Phoenicians had iron by about 1100 B.C. and that they started colonizing Northern Africa at around the same time; it was possible that the knowledge of iron smelting was transmitted into sub-Saharan Africa with the Berber tribes living in the Saharan Desert as a medium (Alpern 46). The other diffusionist hypothesis arose as a counter to early iron smelting furnaces found west of Lake Victoria in Tanzania. This hypothesis proposes that the technology came from Arabia via the Horn of Africa (Alpern 80). The theory that has gained the most acceptance recently is the one arguing for the independent invention of iron smelting in sub-Saharan Africa (Alpern 41). A slew of archaeological discoveries in the past twenty years have strengthened the case for independent invention. Some people have even gone as far as arguing that, based on controversial discoveries made in 2008, inhabitants of sub-Saharan Africa were the first to smelt iron, preceding Anatolia by about 700 years (Pringle ). The strongest case against independent invention is the complexity of iron smelting. Iron requires specialized knowledge in order to transform iron ore into usable iron (Kense 19) and it has long been held that people without prior knowledge of smelting techniques would not be able to smelt iron successfully (Sassoon 5). Two areas of sub-Saharan Africa have emerged as candidates for areas where iron smelting could have developed, the Western Africa region around the Niger-Nigeria border or north-western Ta nzania. This essay will argue for the independent discovery of iron smelting technology in sub-Saharan Africa based on discoveries made in Western Africa. Background: To understand why there has been such a strong opposition to the idea of sub-Saharan Africa independently inventing iron smelting technology, it is necessary to consider the difficulty and skill required to smelt iron. It is hypothesized that iron was first used as a flux, a substance that is smelted together with the desired ore in order to make the slag, or waste rock, more liquid, in the smelting of copper (Wheeler Madden 114). The iron mixed with slag would have been spongy at the temperatures inside a copper smelting furnace. It could only then be shaped into something usable through repeated hammering and heating (Wheeler Madden 114). The difficulty in creating iron objects is testament in the value iron objects had during the early and mid Bronze Age. In Egypt, for example, Tutankhamen was wrapped in with a golden dagger and a matching iron dagger with a gold hilt (van der Merwe 466). So although ancient smiths, masters of smelting bronze and copper, knew about iron, the diffi culties in smelting the metal took a long time to overcome. The smelting of iron occurs when iron ore is heated together with a charcoal fuel. This causes the iron in the ore to fuse chemically with the carbon from the charcoal. The more carbon dissolved in the iron, the lower its melting point. The amount of ore to fuel, and the supply of combustion air determine whether cast iron, steel, wrought iron, or a useless lump of metal will form (Alpern 82). Copper on the other hand melts readily at 1084ÂÂ °, temperatures that can be reached in a charcoal fire or during ceramic firing (Holl 6). In sum, the reduction of iron ore requires much more sophisticated expertise than does the smelting of other metal ores. Without pre-existing furnace technology, the likelihood of stumbling upon the process required is slim (Sassoon 5). Due to these foundations and a lack of archaeological evidence supporting very early iron smelting in sub-Saharan Africa at the time, Mauny proposed the most plausible scenario for the diffusion of iron metallurgy (Alpern 45). He speculated that when the Phoenicians settled in North Africa, the Berbers living in the region, being from a nomadic warrior culture, would have been keen to acquire improved weapons made from iron metal. These Berbers living near the coast would then pass on this technology to their fellow Berbers living in the Sahara (Kense 24). He then suggested that the technology could have been taken south into the sub-Saharan savannah by fleeing slaves, or deliberately transmitted to the lands of black farmers where both iron ore and the wood to fuel smelting furnaces were relatively abundant. The farmers would in turn supply the Berbers with raw metal for ironworking in exchange (Alpern 46). Mauny offered some linguistic evidence for his model. Derivatives of the Phoenician word for iron, barzel, are found in Berber vocabularies throughout the Sahara and also in the Teda (Tubu) language of Tibesti and the Fezzan.20 Mauny also saw affiliations with the terms for iron among several savanna-dwelling black peoples, including the Bariba, Jukun, and Kanuri.21 He might have added that Carthaginian influence on the Berbers may be attested to this day by the Tifinagh alphabet of the Tuareg, which is thought by some scholars to derive ultimately from a Punic script. There is a strong case that Africa independently invented ceramics, however there does seem to be evidence for Berber transfer of metallurgy across the Sahara, but it comes not from Niger but from Mauritania in the far west. Ancient copper artifacts began to be noticed in that region in the early twentieth century. By 1951 enough had been found for Mauny to wonder, in print, whether Mauritania had experienced a Copper Age.70 An answer came in 1968, when French archeologist Nicole Lambert began excavating what was known as the Grotte aux Chauves-souris (Bat Cave) on a hill called the Guelb Moghrein near Akjoujt in western Mauritania. It was not a cave at all, but an ancient mining gallery dug by humans following a rich vein of malachite ore. The ore was not only extracted, but locally smelted, as furnace remains and slag attest. Four other ancient exploitation sites were found later on the Guelb Moghrein. Ra-diocarbon datings, eventually calibrated, are nearly all in the range 800 to 200 cal BCE. Subsequently at least three other metallurgical centers from the same period were discovered in the Akjoujt region. The number of ancient copper objects found in the western Sahara and attributed to the Akjoujt industry exceeded 160 at last count. The great majority are weapons: arrowheads, lance points, and daggers. Tools include hatchets, pins, awls, burins, and hooks. There are the inevitable personal ornaments-rings, earrings, pendants-and some ingots. All the items are very small and very light; when the number reached about 140, the total weight barely topped two kilograms. They were produced in a Neolithic context in which stone tools vastly outnumbered the metal ones, so one can hardly speak of a Copper Age on the basis of present evidence. How did copper mining and working get started at Akjoujt? It is possible the industry was indigenous, but no one yet seems to have made a real case for that. Lambert saw a resemblance between the Akjoujt products and those of the El Argar culture in southeastern Spain, where copper was being manufactured by at least 1700 BCE and bronze some 200 years later. She thought the few ancient brass and bronze artifacts also found in Mauritania might have been imported from the western Maghreb. She noted that chariot engravings had been found on rocks in three places near Akjoujt and thought they might be road signs indicating an early traffic between Morocco and Mauritania.71 Mauny discerned Phoenician or Carthaginian initiatives behind the Akjoujt industry, with Berbers actually importing the technology, but Lamberts idea of an Iberian connection might have some merit.72 In the late 1960s and early 1970s, British archeologist Colin Renfrew, in a sweeping challenge to the then-reigning diffusionist orthodoxy, suggested that copper metallurgy was independently invented on the Iberian Peninsula long before Phoenicians or Greeks reached the western Mediterranean. 73 Since then much evidence has accumulated that he was right, and that Iberian copper metallurgy dates back at least to 3000 BCE.74 It also seems that the technology crossed from Spain to Morocco before the Phoenicians set foot on the Moroccan coast. Until the mid-twentieth century, it was thought the western Maghreb had not experienced a Copper or Bronze Age. Finds of metal objects, ancient mines, and, especially, rock engravings have undercut that notion: copper in Morocco may date all the way back to the third millennium BCE, according to some leading researchers.75 Rock art in the High Atlas shows weapons typical of the El Argar culture, especially daggers, halberds, and axes.76 Conceivably, cuprous objects reached Morocco in exchange for two North African products, ivory and ostrich eggshells, that have been found in third- and second- millennium-BCE graves in southeast Spain.77 But no certain proof of early copper smelting has yet turned up in the Maghreb. Did the Akjoujt copper industry, whatever its origins, lead to an independent invention of iron metallurgy? The malachite of Bat Cave occurred in a matrix of hematite and magnetite that was discarded in the smelting process. There is no evidence that the coppersmiths ever produced iron, although the raw material was at hand. However, proof of ironworking from the same period has recently been found some 250 miles south of Akjoujt in the middle Senegal river valley. At a site called Walalde, iron artifacts dating to somewhere between 800 and 550 cal BCE have been found, and in a second phase of occupation, from ca. 550 to 200 cal BCE, clear evidence of iron smelting has been excavated. The latter phase also yielded three copper artifacts with a telltale chemical signature of the Akjoujt ores-more than 1% of arsenic and a smaller amount of nickel. Further excavation and study are required to evaluate the find, but it is clearly an important contribution to the history of metallurgy in sub-Saharan Africa.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Fanon and de Beauvoir: Opposing Discrimination Essay example -- Psycho

Fanon and de Beauvoir: Opposing Discrimination All modern (i.e. post-paleolithic) religions contain the "Gnostic trace" of distrust or even outright hostility to the body and the "created" world. Contemporary "primitive" tribes and even peasant-pagans have a concept of immortality and of going-outside-the-body (ec-stasy) without necessarily exhibiting any excessive body-hatred. The Gnostic Trace accumulates very gradually (like mercury poisoning) till eventually it turns pathological. Gnostic dualism exemplifies the extreme position of this disgust by shifting all value from body to "spirit". This idea characterizes what we call "civilization". -Hakim Bey, â€Å"Information War†, c-theory a022 Struggles against ‘injustice’ in the 20th century tend to take a drearily similar form. First the advocate recognizes that not all people are equal, next demands that some irrelevant differences are ignored, and finally tries to make all people people again. This method has become so popular it has been applied â€Å"all the way down† the ladder of inferiority, to declare politically-irrelevant unequal treatment on ‘every possible’ basis. The effort is, in a sense, a drive to move from the â€Å"created† world outside the ‘body’ to a cheery world of equality in the mind. This hostility to the body and exoneration of a universal subject, unfortunately, is also precisely the basic cause of the discrimination one must condemn in step one of struggles for equality. The subject is a problem for many reasons, but the explicit proclamation of the inferiority of some to others relies purely on an ability to say what a person is or sho uld be, and what not. If some are treated as less than human, it may well be because of the category of human itself.... ...attempt to initiate some oppressed groups into the class of oppressors. What may well be needed instead of trading places in the system of constructed identities centered around one ideal subject is a rethinking of the subject itself, a problematization of the role of self that Fanon and de Beauvoir are so anxious to expand just enough to allow in their chosen group. The analogy to Moses is apt, the Gnostic impulse here can be seen in both thinkers as they rescue their people from the servitude in one land, take them through a long initiation process to the promised land, which is disappointing, and then allow them free reign as stable subjects to wage war against their own enemies and dominate the Canaanites as they had been dominated. There is a perverse specter of the golden rule being obeyed: discriminate against others as you were once discriminated against.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Tiger Mom Essay

In reading â€Å"Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom† by Amy Chua, I was surprised how Chua shared in detail about her life journey as a parent and raising two children. This is a book about Amy Chua’s experiences in raising her two daughters, Sophia and Luisa (Lulu), in what she believes is the â€Å"Chinese mother† style of parenting. She is quick to point out in the first chapter, entitled â€Å"The Chinese Mother,† that she uses the term â€Å"loosely† as it would be ridiculous to try to assume that every mother from China is a like a tiger mom.Just as â€Å"Western parents† would not be an appropriate label to place on every parent from Western countries. In this same chapter she references a study where â€Å"50 Western American mothers and 48 Chinese immigrant mothers† were polled on the role of parents in children’s academic success; with â€Å"70% of Western mothers believed ‘stressing academic success is not good for t he children’ or ‘parents need to foster the idea that learning is fun’† versus nearly â€Å"0% of the Chinese mothers felt the same way.† Although she states there are several studies that support this theory, I would not put too much credence in this particular study since the pool is too small and there are a lot of â€Å"Western American mothers† with different style of parenting. A â€Å"Western American mother† can be from as far west as Hawaii or from as northeast as Maine; then there is everyone in between.She also gives us a list of what a Chinese mother’s belief system entails: â€Å"schoolwork always comes first; an A-minus is a bad grade; your children must be two years ahead of their classmates in math; you must never compliment your children in public; if your child ever disagrees with a teacher or coach, you must always take the side of the teacher or coach; (6) the only activities your children should be permitted to do are those in which they can eventually medal; and that medal must be gold. † This list seems a little extreme to me, but I guess it just depends on what you are brought up to believe is the norm.When you do not know anything different, this is normal, expected and accepted. As I began to read the book, I quickly realized Amy Chua is very pro â€Å"Chinese† parenting style. In chapter four, â€Å"The Chuas,† she described how her and her sisters were to speak only in Chinese in the home; â€Å"drilled math and piano everyday;† and they were not allowed to attend sleepovers at friends’ homes. Yet, she also tells of the time when she forged her father signature in order to apply to a school in the East Coast after her father had already said she was going to attend the University of California at Berkeley, where he was a professor.Here I saw a bit of a rebellion, which she will come to see later in the book with her daughter Lulu. Throughout the book, I saw many examples of how Chua compared â€Å"Chinese† parenting to â€Å"Western† parenting. This is especially true in chapter 10, â€Å"Teeth Marks and Bubbles. † She tells the story of how she had called her eldest daughter, Sophia, garbage for something Chua believed to be â€Å"extremely disrespectful†, although she never mentioned the offense. She says her father had called her the same thing when she was disrespectful to her mother. However, according to her, it did not damage her self-esteem.However, when she retold this story at friend’s dinner party, she was immediately looked upon with disdain and felt shunned by those around her. She goes on stating the three big differences between the mindsets of Chinese and Western parents. First, Western parents worry about a child’s self-esteem and are more concerned with the child’s psyche, whereas Chinese parents don’t. Chinese parents â€Å"assume strength, not fra gility, and as a result they behave very differently. † Second, Chinese parents feel their children should be indebted to them for the sacrifices the parents made on their children’s behalf.Therefore, they â€Å"must spend their lives repaying their parents by obeying them and making them proud. † Most Western parents do not feel the need to apply that same pressure on their children. Third, Chua claims Chinese parents believe they know what is best for their children and feel entitled to supersede all of their children’s choices and/or decisions. In this particular instance, I believe a most parents, not only Chinese parents, believe they know what is best for their children. Chinese parents take it a step further and do not allow choices for their children, whereas Western parents do allow their child to have choices.Although Chua argues in favor of the Chinese parenting style, she is merely stating the differences between the two approaches and the one she prefers. She lets us into her world and walks us through her trials and tribulations with the â€Å"Chinese mother† approach she elected to follow. Where this style of parenting had worked with her and her sisters and to some extent her eldest daughter, Sophia, however Lulu was not so accepting. Near the end of the book, specifically in Chapter 31 â€Å"Red Square,† everything comes to a boil as she has, yet, another fight with Lulu at the GUM cafe.After the fight, Chua runs away into the Red Square to be with her thoughts, then has an epiphany and realizes that Lulu was rebelling against her and her â€Å"Chinese mother† style of parenting. When she returns to the cafe, she informs Lulu that she had won and she would be allowed to make her own choices and quit the violin. Do I favor this type of parenting? The style of parenting Chua describes in her memoir is that of an authoritarian parenting style, which â€Å"emphasizes high standards and a tendency to control kids through shaming, the withdrawal of love, or punishments† (http://www.parentingscience. com/chinese-parenting. html).This style I do not agree with. In fact, according to Dr. Gwen Dewar, â€Å"authoritarian parenting is linked with lower levels of self-control, more emotional problems, and lower academic performance. † Dr. Dewar is more in favor of an authoritative parenting that involves the same emphasizes of high standards, but also involves â€Å"parental warmth and a commitment to reason with children† (http://www. parentingscience. com/chinese-parenting. html).There is nothing wrong with wanting the best for your children, wanting them to succeed and instilling a hard-work ethic and providing guidance, however it should not be at the expense of the child’s psychological well being. Even though it looks like Chua’s daughter, Sophia, had benefited from this style of parenting, they may just begin to realize they could have possibly achieved the same results without the extreme harassment. Only time will tell if Chua’s daughters will end up resenting her as her father ended up resenting and detaching himself from his family after disagreeing with his authoritarian mother.Especially Lulu, who was the most difficult one. As stated in the beginning, this is a book on how a â€Å"Chinese mother† style of parenting was used by Amy Chua and the results she had with this style. Although, I may not agree with all of the aspects of this style, it does have its pros; such as wanting your child to the best that they can be and its cons; such as the belittling of a child can never be good. This was never intended to be a â€Å"How to Guide† to parent your children, as Chua stated in an interview after the book was released (http://abcnews. go.com/US/tiger-mother-amy-chua-death-threats-parenting-essay/story? id=12628830).Chua has received a lot criticism from many people, but I agree with her, this is n ot a guide to parent a child. The reason being is that each child is unique in its own way. What may be a good approach for one, it not necessarily good for another. As she acknowledged in her book, â€Å"When Chinese parenting succeeds, there’s nothing like it. But it doesn’t always succeed. † However, at the end of the day you make the decision you feel is right for you and your family and adjust, as needed, as you go along.