Wednesday, October 30, 2019

NASAs Space Infrared Telescope Exploring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

NASAs Space Infrared Telescope Exploring - Essay Example I also read about how supernovas, also known as exploding stars, combine with other materials floating in space to form planets and new galaxies ("Life and Death", 2004). These concepts kept dancing around my head and made me wonder about finding life on one or more of these planets or galaxies. Earth was created in much the same way. Scientists are theorizing that the same icy organic materials visible for the first time with the assistance of Spitzer was how our planet came to have so much water and the beginning of biogenic materials from which to begin the process of life here on earth ("Spotting Life", 2004). Spitzer found an interesting clean gap behind a star called CoKu Tau 4, which is 1million years old, only 3 billion years younger than Earth. A planet orbiting CoKu Tau 4 could cause this gap. A planet Spitzer is not able to discern this planet, however, what if this is a younger version of Earth What if all of the carbon-based, life-enabling materials are available for this planet circling CoKu Tau 4 to create life from What if future manned explorations travel to this star system and encounter life What would life be like How would NASA and the world respond What if instead of being carbon-based, these life forms were methane based A recent article on Universe Today, that spoke of lake on Titan, Sa

Monday, October 28, 2019

American Literature Questions Essay Example for Free

American Literature Questions Essay 21. The leader of the Irish National Theater Movement in the early 20th century was ______. A. W. B. Yeats B. Lady Gregory C. J. M. Synge D. John Galworthy 22. T. S. Eliots most popular verse play is ______. A. Murder in the Cathedral B. The Cocktail Party C. The Family Reunion D. The Waste Land 23. The American writer ______ was awarded the Nobel Prize for the anti-racist In- truder in the Dust in 1950. A. Ernest Hemingway B. Gertrude Stein C. William Faulkner D. T. S. Eliot 24. Hemingways second big success is ______ , which wrote the epitaph to a decade and to the whole generation in the 1920s, in order to tell us a story about the tragic love affair of a wounded American soldier with a British nurse. A. For Whom the Bell Tolls B. A Farewell to Arms C. The Sun Also Rises D. The Old Man and the Sea 25. With the publication of ______ , Dreiser was launching himself upon a long career that would ultimately make him one of the most significant American writers of the school later known as literary naturalism. A. Sister Carrie B. The Titan C. The Genius D. The Stoic. 26. Henry James is generally regarded as the forerunner of the 20th -century â€Å"stream -of-consciousness†novels and the founder of ______. A. neoclassicism B. psychological realism C. psychoanalytical criticism D. surrealism 27. In 1849, Herman Melville published ______ ,a semi-autobiographical novel, con- cerning the sufferings of a genteel youth among brutal sailors. A. Omoo B. Mardi C. Redburn D. Typee 28. As a sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,______ marks the climax of Mark Twains literary activity. A. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn B. Life on the Mississippi C. The Gilded Age D. Roughing It 29. Realism was a reaction against ______ or a move away from the bias towards romance and self- creating fictions, and paved the way to Modernism. A. Romanticism B. Rationalism C. Post-modernism D. Cynicism 30. When World War II broke out,______ began working for the Italian government, engaged in some radio broadcasts of anti- Semitism and pro- Fascism. A. Ezra Pound B. T. S. Eliot C. Henry James D. Robert Frost 31. In 1915 ______ became a naturalized British citizen, largely in protest against Americas failure to join England in the First World War. A. Henry James B. T. S. Eliot. C. W. D. Howells D. Ezra Pound 32. What Whitman prefers for his new subject and new poetic feelings is â€Å"______ ,† that is, poetry without a fixed beat or regular rhyme scheme. A. blank verse B. free rhythm C. balanced structure D. free verse 33. The American woman poet ______ wanted to live simply as a complete independent being, and so she did, as a spinster. A. Emily Shaw B. Anna Dickinson C. Emily Dickinson D. Anne Bret 34. The Birthmark drives home symbolically ______ point that evil is a mans birthmark, something he was born with. A. Whitmans B. Melvilles C. Hawthornes D. Emersons 35. The Financier ,The Titan and The Stoic written by ______ are called his â€Å"Trilogy of Desire†. A. Henry James B. Theodore Dreiser C. Mark Twain D. Herman Melville 36. Disregarding grammar and punctuation,______ always used â€Å"i† instead of â€Å"I† in his poems to show his protest against self-importance. A. Wallace Stevens B. Ezra Pound C. Robert Frost D. E. E. Cummings 37. Though Robert Frost is generally considered a regional poet whose subject matters mainly focus on the landscape and people in ______ , he wrote many poems that investigate the basic themes of mans life in his long poetic career. A. the west B. the south C. New England D. Alaska 38. Most critics have agreed that Fitzgerald is both an insider and an outsider of ______ with a double vision. A. the Gilded Age B. the Rational Age C. the Jazz Age D. the Magic Age 39. In the American Romantic writings,______ came to function almost as a dramatic character that symbolized moral law. A. fire B. water C. trees D. wilderness 40. The desire for an escape from society and a return to ______ became a permanent convention of the American literature. A. the family life B. nature C. the ancient time D. fantasy of love 21. The Renaissance marks a transition from ______ to the modern world. A. the old English B. the medieval C. the feudalist D. the capitalist 22. The great political and social events in the English society of neoclassical period were the following EXCEPT ______. A. the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660 B. the Great Plague of 1665 C. the Great London Fire in 1666 D. the Wars of Roses in 1689 23. With the scarlet letter A as the biggest symbol of all, ______ proves himself to be one of the best symbolists. A. Hawthorne B. Dreiser C. James D. Faulkner 24. The author of Leaves of Grass , a giant of American letters, is ______. A. Faulkner B. Dreiser C. James D. Whitman 25. In Tender is the Night, ______ traces the decline of a young American psychiatrist whose marriage to a beautiful and wealthy patient drains his personal energies and corrodes his professional career. A. Dreiser B. Faulkner C. Fitzgerald D. Jack London 26. Melville is best known as the author of his mighty book, ________, which is one of the world’ s greatest masterpieces. A. Song of Myself B. Moby Dick C. The Marble Faun D. Mosses from an Old Manse 27. The theme of Henry James’ essay â€Å"______† clearly indicates that the aim of the novel is to present life, so it is not surprising to find in his writings human experiences explored in every possible form. A. The American B. The Europeans C. The Art of Fiction D. The Golden Bowl 28. During WWI, ______ served as an honorable junior officer in the American Red Cross Ambulance Corps and in 1918 was severely wounded in both legs. A. Anderson B. Faulkner C. Hemingway D. Dreiser 29. In order to protest against America’ s failure to join England in WWI, ______ became a naturalized British citizen in 1915. A. William Faulkner B. Henry James C. Earnest Hemingway D. Ezra Pound 30. Robert Frost described ______as â€Å"a book of people,† which shows a brilliant insight into New England character and the background that formed it. A. North of Boston B. A Boy’s Will C. A Witness Tree D. A Further Range 31. We can easily find in Dreiser’ s fiction a world of jungle, and ______ found expression in almost every book he wrote. A. naturalism B. romanticism C. transcendentalism D. cubism 32. As an active participant of his age, Fitzgerald is often acclaimed literary spokesman of the ______. A. Jazz Age B. Age of Reason C. Lost Generation D. Beat Generation 33. From the first novel Sister Carrie on, Dreiser set himself to project the American values for what he had found them to be: ______ to the core. A. altruistic B. political C. religious D. materialistic 34. The 20th -century stream- of- consciousness technique was frequently and skillfully used by ______ to emphasize the reactions and inner musings of the narrator. A. Hemingway B. Frost C. Faulkner D. Whitman 35. With the help of his friends Phil Stone and Sherwood Anderson, ______ published a volume of poetry The Marble Faun and his first novel Soldiers’ Pay. A. Faulkner B. Hemingway C. Ezra Pound D. Fitzgerald 36. The Sun Also Rises casts light on a whole generation after WWI and the effects of the war by way of a vivid portrait of â€Å"______. † A. the Beat Generation B. the Lost Generation C. the Babybooming Age D. the Jazz Age 37. Within her little lyrics Dickinson addresses those issues that concern ______, which include religion, death, immorality, love and nature. A. the whole human beings B. the frontiers C. the African Americans D. her relatives 38. H. L. Mencken, a famous American critic, considered ______ â€Å"the true father of our national literature. † A. Hamlin Garland B. Joseph Kirkland C. Mark Twain D. Henry James 39. In his poetry, Whitman shows concern for ______ and the burgeoning life of cities. A. the colonists B. the capitalists C. the whole hard -working people D. the intellectuals 40. In 1837, ______ published Twice Told Tales, a collection of short stories which attracted critical attention. A. Emerson B. Melville C. Whitman D. Hawthorne 21. The work ________ by William Blake is a lovely volume of poems, presenting a happy world, though not without its evils and sufferings. A. Songs of Innocence B. Songs of Experience C. Poetical Sketches D. Lyrical Ballads 22. The plays known as â€Å"the Lawrence trilogy† are all the following EXCEPT ________. A. A Collier’ s Friday Night B. Lady Chatterley’ s Lover C. The Daughter in Law D. The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyed 23. Greatly and permanently affected by the ________ experiences, Hemingway formed his own writing style, together with his theme and hero. A. mining B. farming C. war D. sailing 24. â€Å"The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one -eighth of it being above water. † This â€Å"iceberg† analogy about prose style was put forward by ________. A. William Faulkner B. Henry James C. Ernest Hemingway D. F ·Scott Fitzgerald. 25. In Go Down, Moses, ________ illuminates the problem of black and white in Southern society as a close- knit destiny of blood brotherhood. A. William Faulkner B. Jack London C. Herman Melville D. Nathaniel Hawthorne 26. In Death in the Afternoon ________ presents his philosophy about life and death through the depiction of the bullfight as a kind of microcosmic tragedy. A. William Faulkner B. Jack London C. Ernest Hemingway D. Mark Twain 27. William Faulkner once said that ________ is a story of â€Å"lost innocence,† which proves itself to be an intensification of the theme of imprisonment in the past. A. The Great Gatsby B. The Sound and the Fury C. Absalom, Absalom! D. Go Down, Moses 28. Walt Whitman believed, by means of â€Å"________,† he has turned poetry into an open field, an area of vital possibility where the reader can allow his own imagination to play. A. free verse B. strict verse C. regular rhyming D. standardized rhyming 29. Herman Melville’s second famous work, ________, was not published until 1924, 33 years after his death. A. Pierre B. Redburn C. Moby-Dick D. Billy Budd 30. In 1920, ________ published his first novel This Side of Paradise which was, to some extent, his own story. A. F ·Scott Fitzgerald B. Ernest Hemingway C. William Faulkner D. Emily Dickinson 31. Unlike his contemporaries in the early 20th century, ________ did not break up with the poetic tradition nor made any experiment on form. A. Walt Whitman B. Robert Frost C. Ezra Pound D. T. S. Eliot 32. While Mark Twain seemed to have paid more attention to the â€Å"life† of the Americans, ________ had apparently laid a greater emphasis on the â€Å"inner world† of man. A. William Howells B. Henry James C. Bret Harte D. Hamlin Garland 33. At the age of eighty -seven, ________ read his poetry at the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy in 1961. A. Robert Frost B. Walt Whitman C. Ezra Pound D. T. S. Eliot 34. Of all Herman Melville’s sea adventure stories, ________ proves to be the best. A. Typee B. Redburn C. Moby – DickD. Omoo 35. Man is a â€Å"victim of forces over which he has no control. † This is a notion held strongly by ________. A. Robert Frost B. Theodore Dreiser C. Henry James D. Hamlin Garland 36. With the publication of ________, Theodore Dreiser was launching himself upon a long career that would ultimately make him one of the most significant American writers of the school later known as literary naturalism. A. Sister Carrie B. The Titan C. An American Tragedy D. The Stoic 37. Nathaniel Hawthorne was affected by ________’s transcendentalist theory and struck up a very intimate relationship with him. A. H. W. Longfellow B. Walt Whitman C. R. W. Emerson D. Washington Irving 38. Among the following writers ________ is generally regarded as the forerunner of the 20th -century â€Å"stream of consciousness† novels and the founder of psychological realism. A. T. S. Eliot B. James Joyce C. William Faulkner D. Henry James 39. Walt Whitman wrote down a great many poems to air his sorrow for the death of President ______, and one of the famous is â€Å"When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’ d. † A. Washington B. Lincoln C. Franklin D. Kennedy 40. The Marble Faun by Nathaniel Hawthorne, a romance set in______, is concerned about the dark aberrations of the human spirit. A. France B. Spain C. England D. Italy [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic]

Saturday, October 26, 2019

A Tibetan Perspective on Birth and Death Essay -- Death Religion

Many religions and philosophies attempt to answer the question, what happens after a person dies? Some religions such as Christianity and Islam believe there is an afterlife. They believe that good and moral people enter Heaven or paradise and that bad and immoral people go to Hell. Other religions and cultures believe that death is final, and that nothing happens after a person dies. Buddhism and Hinduism have a different idea about death. Both of these religions originated in India. Buddhists and Hindus believe that death is not final. They believe that a person comes back after he or she dies. This process is known as reincarnation, and it provides opportunities for people to enter the world multiple times in different forms. Buddhists and Hindus want to reenter the world as humans, and they want to improve their status through reincarnation. In ancient India, many members of lower casts wanted to come back as members of higher casts. While this is an important goal of reincarnati on, the main goal is to reach either moksha (Hinduism) or nirvana (Buddhism). In other words, the goal is to reach a point of spiritual enlightenment that removes the person from the reincarnation process. Geoff Childs, an anthropologist examines the views of the Buddhist religion by studying the lives of the people in Tibetan villages. He looks at issues that adversely affect these people such as infant mortality. He carefully looks at the lives of people who have been left behind by deceased loved ones, and he pays careful attention to customs and traditions surrounding death. Tibetan Buddhists view death as a means of reaching spiritual perfection, and they seek to reach this level of spiritual perfection through living spiritually meaningful lives.... ...eath is is not a cessation in Buddhism. Death can be seen as a new beginning. A new opportunity to reach spiritual perfection. Infant mortality is a difficult subject to talk about for many Tibetan parents. Survivors are often faced with poverty and other extreme hardships after the loss of a loved one. However, Buddhism provides great comfort to survivors by teaching that Earthly bodies are impermanent. Tibetan cremation procedures place great emphasis on reincarnation. Tibetan views about death are focused on nirvana and spiritual perfection. These practices are spiritually meaningful for both the living survivors and the dead. Works Cited 1 Geoff Childs Tibetan Diary From Birth to Death and Beyond in a Himalayan Valley of Nepal (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2004) 41.  2 Ibid., 54.  3Ibid., 54.  4 Ibid., 54  5 Ibid., 146.  6 Ibid., 147.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Creativity in Literacy Practices

Creativity in Literacy Practices: A TEXTUAL AND CONTEXTUAL APPROACH by Agatha Xaris Villa INTRODUCTION AT PRESENT, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF LINGUISTIC CREATIVITY. THEY DIFFER IN THE WAY THE WAY THAT THEY CONCEPTUALIZE WHAT COUNTS AS CREATIVENESS OR ‘LITERARINESS’ IN LANGUAGE AS WELL AS IN THE METHODS THEY USE TO IDENTIFY AND ANALYZE CREATIVITY IN EVERYDAY LANGUAGE.This essay begins by discussing and exploring the premises of an analysis of creativity at text level following a textual approach to literacy and creativity; assessing the extent to which it is effective in identify creativity in literacy practices such as diaries, letters and graffiti.However, I would like to continue by presenting the argument that while literacy practices do offer opportunities for creativity at text level, the study and identification of creativity in literacy practices may be more productive when studied with a broader perspective – one that goes beyond the limits of the text and considers the influence of context in the production, reception and processing of texts, literary practices and creativity. Creativity in literacy practices at text level LITERACY IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF EVERYDAY LIFE AND IS A PART OF EVEN OUR MOST MUNDANE SOCIAL PRACTICES.WHILE THE ROLE WHICH LITERACY PLAYS IN SITUATIONS MAY VARY IN IMPORTANCE, IN THE CONTEXT OF LITERACY EVENTS WHERE LITERACY PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE, INDIVIDUALS DEVELOP CHARACTERISTIC AND PATTERNED WAYS OF USING AND INTERACTING WITH TEXTS. THESE HABITUAL PATTERNS HOLD DIFFERENT MEANING AND VALUES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND ARE WHAT WE REFER TO AS LITERACY PRACTICES. Creativity in literacy practices at the level of the text may be identified by focusing on special linguistic forms that stand out in texts. This pproach is modeled after what Carter (1999) called an inherency perspective which perceives creativity as being ‘inherent’ in the creative uses of language intrinsic in text. Th e focus is on the writer’s skill in the manipulation of linguistic forms that constitute text on the phonological, grammatical and semantic level. Roman Jakobson (1960), one of the well-known advocates of this approach, was concerned with the ‘poetic function of language’ which was believed to be in close relation to literariness in text.He argued that the poetic function of language involves the ‘foregrounding’ of language forms which have the ability to draw attention to themselves – making a noticeable impact on the reader. Foregrounding results from stylistic choices which may come as (1) deviations from the norms of everyday language (e. g. the use of different writing systems, lexis and ‘figurative language’ such as metaphor and simile or (2) prominent patterns of parallelisms in phonology, grammar and semantics (e. g. meter, rhyme, etc. (Maybin and Pearce, 2006, p. 6 – 9). By highlighting the ‘poetic usages of language’, we can identify creativity in diaries at the text level. The metaphoric descriptions and dramatic portrayal of entities and events in diaries are ways in which individuals attempt to explore their feelings regarding their experience of the ‘real world’ that are often difficult to describe. In addition, repeated structures and rhythms are commonly used in diaries as a form of emphasizing points in the writer’s diary entry.Such examples of ‘poetic language’ may also be identified in letters. In Margaretta Jolly’s (1997) study of war letters, she states that letters are probably ‘the most common form of creative writing. ’ Her examples point out the creative way in which letter-writers are able to use language forms such as imagery, metaphoric and rhetorical devices as well as parallelism (more commonly related to literature) for the purpose increasing the text’s emotional and persuasive impact and highlighti ng contrast and subtleties of meaning (Maybin, 2006, p. 72). The â€Å"art of graffiti† is a long-standing tradition with the ability to exhibit creativity at text level both in its traditional and embellished form. Creativity is seen in the use of rhythmic repetition, puns and contradictory voices (as in parody and irony), the use of non-standard spelling and punctuation (usually in line with a particular artistic style) and the use of text and decoration for aesthetic and communicative purposes.While it is possible to be able to identify creativity in literacy practices at text level, this approach is somewhat limited because it fails to take into account: (1) the interactive features and functions of literacy practice, (2) the influence of its socio-cultural and historical context and more importantly (3) the creativity in language practices that is inherent and emergent from social practices in particular contexts.Therefore, I suggest that a better and more efficient way to identify and evaluate creativity in literacy practices, is one that approaches literacy from a more contextual approach, more specifically from an ethnographic perspective. Creativity and literacy practices from an ethnographic approach According to the ethnographic approach defined by Papen and Tusting (2006, p. 312-359), creativity refers the production of something ‘new’ and ‘original’. In written language, creativeness should not be perceived as a decontextualised, individual activity or as being entirely shaped by context.It should be seen as being dependent on and emergent from the creative literacy practices through which texts are constructed because they are shaped by people, who in pursuit of their own goals and purposes, actively draw on the interactional, contextual and socio-cultural possibilities available in the particular social situation they are embedded. Literacy practices are inherently creative in and of themselves. The ethnographic perspective takes into account the broader social-political context within which creativity is located and through their examination of iteracy practices and texts, advocates of the ethnographic approach found three major characteristics of creativity in writing. To begin, by focusing on people’s literacy practices rather than just texts, they noted that creative texts are produced as a result of interactive collaboration. Diaries, although written by a single person, emerge from an individual’s account and reflection of events and various conversations and interactions with people.Diaries and journals are dialogic practices wherein the writer addresses and responds to a ‘reader’ and have the potential to be re-contextualized in different publications to address a wider readership (Maybin, 2006, p. 269) This dialogical aspect is more evident in web blogs or online journals in which people often (1) write in response to the entries of others, (2) write entr ies addressed to others and (3) write with the expectation and even the goal to get as much response from others. Maybin (2006, p. 73) tells us that letters are even more intensely dialogic in nature. I believe that letters are best viewed as mediums of ‘correspondence’ wherein we present written versions of our personal experience, relationships and identities in relation to an assumed reader who then responds by confirming or questioning. Letters are shaped by and inspire collaborative practices An interesting characteristic of graffiti that I believe exemplifies the collaborative nature of creativity is the way that graffiti attracts graffiti (Macdonald, 2006).A graffiti-covered wall may look like vandalism to law-enforcers or a rather threatening cacophony of ‘names’ to the common passerby but it constitutes a symbolic exchange between members of a sub-group. In the world of graffiti, tags located on the same space are often interpreted in relation to t heir positioning and proximity to each other. They may be viewed as a sign of respect, acknowledgement or outright disregard – a reflection of the intensely competitive nature of this practice.In addition to the collaborative nature of creative literary practices, the ethnographic approach pays careful attention to the influence of the context of reading and writing in the development of creative practices (Papen and Tusting, 2006, p. 320). They argued that in any given opportunity, there is particular set of possibilities and constraints that provides the opportunity for creativity. This involves affordances (i. e. properties of the environment, arising from its material characteristics which may be positive or negative depending on the individual) from new forms of technology, discourse conventions as well as inter-textual and material resources available to producers of text. An important thing to note is while possibilities may determine what is possible in any given cont ext, the possibilities associated with a setting do not determine what is created.For example, while people may be able to describe events, sights and even people through the practice of diaries and letters, there are abstractions such as feelings and intensely traumatic situations (such as in war) that are far more difficult to describe and articulate. In order to overcome this type of ‘constraint’ on expression, writers make use of metaphoric language and parallelisms, enabling them to represent their feelings and experiences in ‘words’ that their readers may be able to relate to. Creativity may also emerge from socially-constrained situations.Graffiti emerged from the same socially and economically impoverished areas in America where gangs are notoriously prominent. Because graffiti is an act of illegitimacy and opposition, graffiti artists face the constant risk of being caught by the police or by rival gangs each time they make a ‘tag’ or do a ‘piece’. But this high-risk and intensely competitive literacy practice is a stage on which young men may choose an identity of their own making, present it in the style of their choice and regain control of their own ‘fate’ – free from the constraints of their socio-economic backgrounds (Mcdonald, 2006).Social, economic or technological changes may result in the introduction of new affordance and constraints to any given context (Papen and Tusting, 2006, p. 325). For example, the popularization of the internet brought about the development of Computer Mediated Communication (CMC), resulting in the creation of new literary genres and changes in literacy practices. According to Kress (2003), creativity may be perceived as inherent in CMC using the two concepts of ‘transformation’ and ‘transduction’.Transformation is the way that the text producers manipulate the forms of signs within a mode to suit their needs and intere sts. Transduction, on the other hand, refers to the movement of ‘semiotic material’ between modes where meaning configured in one mode is moved to another. Online diaries, known as online ‘blogs, perform the same function as traditional diaries and even employ the same linguistic forms. However, bloggers now have access to a greater degree of interactive, inter-textual and multi-modal resources.Whereas in the past, writers creatively used language to express their thoughts and feelings through metaphors and similes, bloggers can now make use of pictures, videos, music, emoticons, avatars and (through hyper-linking) other texts to represent themselves and their lives online. Similarly, the literacy practice of letter-writing is far from extinct in today’s modern ear but has taken up a new form – that is, electronic mail (e-mail). As a medium of communication, email has enabled cross-cultural communication and the creation of online relationships and à ¢â‚¬Ëœnetworking’ communities.Finally, the ethnographic perspective sees creative literacy practices in everyday life as being embedded in socio-cultural practices situated in institutional, political and economic structures. These structures are in a constant state of movement and change therefore taking on a historical perspective towards literacy practices is a necessity. Based on observation and study, changes in socio-economic conditions are often accompanied by changes in the linguistic and semiotic means available to a community as in the case of the following account of changes to a Nepali rural community Papen and Tusting, 2006, p. 328). The 1980s was a time of great social and economic change in Junigau, Nepal. In 1983, the village set up its first high school, providing greater access to education for men and women – resulting in great changes to the literacy practices used by the young. A new form of ‘prolonged courtship’ (i. e. , love-letter w riting) had become increasingly popular among the youth, improving gender relations and changing marriage practices (as the young were becoming more resistant towards arranged marriages).The way in which these love-letters encapsulated new ideas on personal identity and individual agency which held no cultural precedent in their village is an example of how social and cultural change is closely related to the creation of new literacy practices (Papen and Tusting, 2006, p. 328) Conclusion ANALYZING CREATIVITY AT TEXT LEVEL, ALLOWED US TO IDENTIFY CREATIVENESS IN TEXTS AS IS REVEALED BY THE USE OF POETIC LANGUAGE OR LINGUISTIC FORMS COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH LITERATURE.THIS APPROACH HOWEVER WAS VERY MUCH LIMITED DUE MAINLY BY THE NARROWNESS OF THE INHERENCY MODEL’S DEFINITION OF WHAT CONSTITUTES AS CREATIVITY AS WELL AS TO ITS LACK OF CONSIDERATION OF CONTEXTUAL FACTORS AND THE INHERENCY OF CREATIVITY IN LITERACY PRACTICES. In taking an ethnographic/historical perspective, chara cteristics of creativity that are inherent in literacy practices become more salient. Through our understanding of the three characteristics of creativity in literacy practices, we’ve identified creativity beyond the level of the text.This contextual approach showed us how creativity is exhibited in literacy practices in the way that (1) texts are read and used, how the writer interacts with other individuals;(2) how people are able to creatively use language in relation to the possibilities and constraints available in particular contexts and finally, (3) individuals are able to adapt and respond to changes in discourse practices and socio-cultural conditions. References CARTER, R. (1999). ‘COMMON LANGUAGE: CORPUS, CREATIVITY AND COGNITION’, LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE, 8(3), P. 196-216 Jakobson, J. (1960). Closing statement: linguistics and poetics’, in T. A. Sebeok (ed. ) Style in Language, MIT Press. Jolly, M. (1997). ‘Everyday Letters and Literary F orm: Coresspondence from the Second World War’, unpublished MPhil, University of Sussex. Kress, G. (2003). Literacy in the new Media Age. London and New York, Routledge. Macdonald, N. (2006). Chapter 6. Reading B: ‘The spray-can is mighteier than the sword: graffiti writing and the construction of masculine identity’ in Maybin, J. and Swann, J. (eds) The art of English: everyday creativity. Palgrave Macmillan/The Open University, p. 293 – 302. Maybin, J. 2006)(Ed. ) Chapter 6 ‘Writing the self’, in Maybin, J. and Swann, J. (eds) The art of English: everyday creativity. Palgrave Macmillan/The Open University, p. 261 – 279. Maybin, J. and Pearce, M. (2006). Chapter 1 ‘Literature and creativity in English’ in Goodman, S. and O’Halloran, K. (eds) The art of English: literary creativity. Palgrave Macmillan/The Open University, p. 6-9. Papen, U. and Tusting, K. (2006). Chapter 7 ‘Literacies, collaboration and context ’ in Maybin, J. and Swann, J. (eds) The art of English: everyday creativity. Palgrave Macmillan/The Open University, p. 312 – 331.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Growth and Development of Characters: Gustad Noble and Elaine Risley Essay

In order to adapt in an ever-changing society, teeming with benevolence and intrigue, an individual must be able to adapt to differentiating surroundings. The human mind and body must grapple with disturbing memories or enthralling dramas of life. These thoughts are channelled through various emotions. Emotions are physical or mental expressions, often involuntary, related to feelings, perceptions or beliefs about elements, objects or relations between them, in reality or in the imagination. The growth and transformation of any entity cannot be justly physical, but also mental strength and wisdom. Past experience of any manner colours the human being for future of constant change. Gustad Noble of Rohinton Mistry’s Such A Long Journey and Elaine Risley of Margaret Atwood’s Cat’s Eye demonstrate the pattern of the â€Å"circle of life†: karma, religion, family and friends. The readers can visualize modest lifestyles maturing in the wake of sudden changes. These modifications have the characters questioning their moral heart as their life charts towards uncharted waters. The authors’ interpretations of these realistic situations construct a model for the readers to judge their lifestyles by. Mistry and Atwood use literary devices, diction, and clever wordplay to enhance the reading experience for the audience. The readers witness the protagonists becoming better individuals through adversity, as they overcome unforeseen challenges. Eastern and Western societies are so different in so many ways, and yet there are some elements that are universal: betrayal, love, compassion, family, and friendship. The emphasis of Elaine and Gustad’s struggles creates an illusion that their tragedies are the readers’ tragedies as well. The central theme of both novels is the need to embrace emotions, especially sadness, and not to run from them and also their different perspectives of change and isolation. It depicts that life has its fair share of bumps in the road, but with persistence and determination, they can be overcome. In the storylines of both novels, friendship and betrayal become quite evident and explicit. In Cat’s Eye, Elaine Risley allows her body and mind to be abused by her so-called â€Å"friends† and to question her sense of identity. This teasing by the girls, Cordelia, Grace, and Carol, shatters Risley’s self-esteem and leads her to adopt disturbed habits, such as peeling her skin, biting her nails, and chewing her hair. In the aftermath of the bridge incident, Elaine stands up for herself and takes a step forward for freedom the girls’ torment and torture. Realization comes crashing down on her, of how she had fallen for the illusion of false friendship. Her childhood was scarred from all the emotional pain she endured. Similarly, in Such A Long Journey, Gustad Noble had also believed he had been betrayed by his closest friend, Major Jimmy Bilimoria. The Major had sent him a large sum of money to be deposited in the bank, however it was money supposedly to be used to aid rebels in East Pakistan in its war effort. Gustad first thought it would be a heroic mission, aiding the army, but he soon realizes the danger he is bringing to his family and career. Unlike Elaine, who was emotionally attached to her â€Å"best friends†, Bilimoria’s actions came as a sudden shock. Jimmy was like family to the Nobles, the children respected and loved him, and provided so much enjoyment to all. First, he departed without a goodbye and then left the Noble family into a trap of deception. Gaustad has his suspicions, but sees this as a test of loyalty to his old friend. His entire family was against it, and for the most part, so was he. However, Gustad would not let his friend’s call go unanswered, but needed a little persuasion. In both situations, the readers want to reach out and help, and make the ordeal seem less complicated, but both characters are emotionally attached to their friends. When it comes to whether friendship was of importance, Elaine and Gustad stand on opposite sides. Gustad was the more open-minded of the two, even showing respect to the mentally unstable Tehmul, while Elaine shunned Cordelia physical, but was still shaken by her past traumas. Gustad does not prefer change as his life in the past is described as paradise to him. It is with change, comes problems. He blames the theme of change of causing his son not to go to IIT, as his son has changed into a different person from before who does not respect him. He also blames the theme of change on Jimmy’s betrayal as Jimmy in the past was seen as the â€Å"loving brother† but now, he focuses on deceiving Gustad to gain his own selfish goals. Gustad’s reluctance to change is further emphasized by the black wall which represents his life in the past during the war, and by leaving those on his windows he emphasizes that he wants things to be just as how they were back then. The black wall is another symbolist element used to represent change, although Gustad is disgusted by its pungent odour, he doesn’t want the wall to be demolished as it is the source of his isolation and separates himself from the rest of the world. On the contrary, with Elaine, change is almost constant throughout the novel. Her suffering in the hands of Cordelia, Grace, and Carol have left her scrambling for answers and questioning her sense of identity. As she matures into an adult, her haunting memories of her childhood continue to stay with her. Constant flashbacks remind her of the past, and how she overcame it. The marble of the cat’s eye is used to represent change, as it was like a talisman that protected Elaine from her past hardships. Before, it was Cordelia who held the upper hand in their relationship, but as they became adults, Elaine realized how both their lives ended in completely contradictory paths. Since everything did not go her way in her past, everything must be perfect in the future, and thus constant change. Both Elaine and Gustad explore the nature of memory and identity, and how experience of the present is coloured by past events. Spirituality and religion also impact the growth and development, as it plays a crucial theme in the lives of Elaine and Gustad. As the world seemed to crash down on him, such as Roshan’s illness, Sohab’s attitude towards going to IIT, Major Jimmy’s issue and his quarrel with a neighbour, Gustad would always turn to his prayers to solve these problems. In Hinduism and Christianity/Catholicism, a person of pure heart is always commended with good fortune, and this was displayed with both Gustad and Elaine. Elaine can be depicted as an immigrant from the start of her arrival in Toronto, different physically and mentally. She was raised as a boy, growing up with her brother Stephen, and was interested in different things than what â€Å"normal† girls would like. The other girls used Elaine like a lower being, in order to feel good about their sub-par appearance. The emotional pain Elaine felt was cured with the aid of the Virgin Mary. One can imagine the Virgin Mary speaking through Elaine as she rejected Cordelias’ demands, freeing her from her prison of unjust treatment. Likewise, Gaustad and his kusti allowed him too overcome the various obstacles in his life. For example, his sacrifice to save an elder’s life left him only with a minor limp, as his friend Major Bilimoria saved him from extensive damages. Also, as the stress began to mount to its peak on Gustad, the readers can easily identify his Gustad’s misfortunes began turning the other way; Roshan recovering, Sohab returning, and learning of Jimmy’s true motifs of the money. One can imagine the wall of divine beings, an idea of Gustad himself, helped alleviate these burdens. This wall became a temple itself, as provided a diverse mental comfort to those to look at it. Gustad would always praise the street artist who brought this monument to life, as it depicted the spiritual beings that the mortals worshipped to prosper in various aspects of life. Faith is almost always the first thing people turn to in times of need and quite different in both Elaine and Gustad’s cases. Elaine did not even believe in any superior beings, until Grace invited her to attend church. It’s peculiar because afterwards, as she prays to Jesus, that she is demanding her prayers are granted. She imagined God as someone who would answer all her problems in a heartbeat. In reality, sometimes life doesn’t turn your way all the time, and Elaine did not know that. This may be why she converted into a Catholic and worshipped the Virgin Mary. Gustad, on the contrary, seems to have been a religious man since his childhood. His childhood memories were fantasizing about protecting a castle and fighting off dragons with his sacred kusti. In the current timeframe of the novel, the readers learn countless people made it theirs. The wall had a certain calming aura about it, and that it is his morning ritual to pray before he commences anything else. Although both Gustad and Elaine’s thoughts upon faith and religion are quite different, one can say that it was divine intervention that aided them throughout all their hardships and suffering. Individuality or independence can be defined as the state or quality of being free from subjection or from the influence, control, or guidance of individuals, things, or situations. Gustad and Elaine feel the necessity of isolation, and confining themselves in their minds, without expressing inner emotions for a majority of the novels. The readers can witness the evolution of Gustad’s character as the novel progresses, before problem after problem began to amount. One can only imagine the internal pain he feels as Roshan falls ill, Sohrab defying his father’s ambitions, and Bilimoria’s apparent betrayal, it is hard not to wonder how he manages to cover his emotions. Gustad is one who does not like to express his emotions publicly, but is very open with his wife Dilnavaz. They both share a special bond, where they continuously support one another through the rough times. Again, the black wall comes into significance again. Gustad covers the windows of Khohad Building to isolate it from the atrocities of the world. The wall can be symbolism to support, protect, or guard something; similarly this is the same idea in the confines of Gustad’s mind as the wall represents the congested emotions trapped in his head. By demolishing the wall, it is as though he is letting himself become vulnerable and open. This represents the theme of isolation, as Gustad locks his emotions and only releases them when he cannot bear it anymore, especially when Tehmul dies and Sohrab returns towards the end. Elaine can also relate to isolation as well. As the other girls were tormenting her, she was always alone, no one to turn to. Her parents were completely oblivious to what was going on with their daughter. For example, after Elaine fell into the river and returned home, her mother did not accuse the other girls at all, even though Elaine covered up for their sake. She kept all her thoughts and feelings to herself, not knowing the load she had put on herself. Even as an adult, she continued to hide things from her closest family; another example being hiding her relationship with Josef from Jon after they were married. The readers understand Elaine’s behaviour; she cannot trust another person because of her past experiences. She hasn’t fully recovered from the entire ordeal. However, the one true difference between the two is that Gustad always turns to his family, while Elaine keeps to herself. When analyzing Mistry’s Such a Long Journey and Atwood’s Cat’s Eye one can clearly distinguish the significant components of both novels that the protagonists evolving as an individual and adapting tot their changing societies with a fair amount of struggle. Gustad Noble and Elaine Risley share many similarities, and also a variety of differences. They have both been through tough situations, and recovered in an assortment of ways. The readers witness the protagonists becoming better individuals through adversity, as they overcome unforeseen challenges. Eastern and Western societies are so different in so many ways, and yet there are some elements that are universal: betrayal, love, compassion, family, and friendship. Gustad had to let go of a simple lifestyle and found himself innocently drawn into a dangerous network of lies and deception. Elaine on the other hand found herself not being able to let go of a horrific childhood where a trio of other girls torment ed her. This impact on her life caused her to become more cautious in the future and also developing an obsession over those who caused her the misery. Family, friendship, karma, religion along with change and isolation affected how both Gustad and Elaine solved their problems. Gustad was amounted with family problems, with is daughter falling ill and his eldest son defying his ambitions. Gustad turned to his faith in order to find some sort of compassion and sympathy in his darkest hours. He did not express his emotions publicly, only releasing them to Dilnavaz when he could not bear them anymore. Change was not an option for Gustad, as he was not ready to accept them all; one example being the apparent betrayal for Major Jimmy Bilimoria. Unlike Gustad however, Elaine had no one to turn to discuss her issues. Due to the traumatic ordeal with Cordelia, Grace and Carol, Elaine had her self-esteem and body image shattered as she scrambled for answers. These events lead her to living a very conservative life, almost turning into the person she very well hated. As both she and Cordelia became adults, it is almost as if there fortunes had turned tables, on opposite ends of life. The same with Gustad, his good-natured character allowed his suffering to be minimal. Religion and spirituality had different affects and meanings with both protagonists. Gustad believed all his problems would be answered if he prayed with the right mindset. Elaine thought that her troubles would just disappear because of the abilities of superior begins, and the reason why she began attending church. Material objects also play important roles, Gustad’s black wall and Elaine’s marble. The black wall represented isolation and protection from the horrors and filth of the outside world. Even though it was treated without value, it provided Gustad with a special comfort, and probably the reason he turned it into a shrine. Elaine used the cat’s eye marble was used as a talisman, protecting her from her dilemmas. Even as she grew, one of her most influential paintings was the image of her marble, showing how she recovered from her horrific past. Thus, both Gustad Noble and Elaine Risley were impacted differently by family and friends, the themes of change and isolation, and most importantly, their understanding of their past experiences allowed them to mature as individuals.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Santa Barbara Song Sparrow Facts

Santa Barbara Song Sparrow Facts The Santa Barbara Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia graminea, sensu) is a now-extinct subspecies of song sparrow that lived on Santa Barbara Island in California and was most closely related to the Channel Island Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia graminea). It was one of the smallest of the 23 subspecies of song sparrows and had a perky short tail. Fast Facts: Santa Barbara Song Sparrow Scientific Name: Melospiza melodia graminea, sensuCommon Name: Santa Barbara Song SparrowBasic Animal Group: BirdSize: 4.7–6.7 inches; wingspan 7.1–9.4 inchesWeight: 0.4–1.9 ouncesLifespan: 4 yearsDiet:  OmnivoreHabitat: On Santa Barbara Island, Channel Islands, CaliforniaPopulation: 0Conservation Status: Extinct Description There are 34 subspecies of song sparrows in the world: It is one of the most polytypic birds in North America, with a good deal of variation, especially in geographically restricted species. The Santa Barbara Song Sparrow resembled other similar subspecies  and is described as most closely resembling the Heermanns Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia heermanni). It was one of the smallest song sparrow subspecies and was characterized by a particularly gray back with dark streaks. Most song sparrows are browner in color with dark streaks. In general, a song sparrows breast and belly are white with dark streaking and a dark brown spot in the middle of the breast. It has a brown-capped head and a long, brown tail that is rounded on the end. The sparrows face is gray and streaked. The Santa Barbara song sparrows were distinguished from other song sparrows by a smaller, more slender bill, and a tail which was shorter than the wing. Habitat and Range The Santa Barbara Song Sparrow was known to exist only on 639-acre Santa Barbara Island (the smallest of the Channel Islands) in Los Angeles County, California. The sparrows natural habitat on the island was much like the habitat of other species of the song sparrow, which are generally abundant and adaptable on the mainland United States. Habitat components on the island that the sparrow relied on included: Thickets of shrubs like sagebrush, dense grasslands, and other scrubby vegetation for nesting and shelter (cover)Food resources such as giant coreopsis (Coreopsis gigantean, also called the tree sunflower), the Santa Barbara Island live-forever, shrubby buckwheat, and chicoryStanding or running fresh water or a consistent source of moisture from fog or dew Diet and Behavior In general, song sparrows are known to frequently forage on the ground and also in low vegetation where they are protected from predators by thickets and shrubs. Like other song sparrow species, the Santa Barbara Song Sparrow ate a variety of plant seeds and insects (including beetles, caterpillars, bees, ants and wasps, and flies). In spring, during the periods of nesting and rearing of young, insects increased in terms of the important components of the sparrows diet. The year-round diet of song sparrows in California is 21 percent insects and 79 percent plants; the song sparrow also eats crustaceans and mollusks on the coasts. Reproduction and Offspring Based on extant species of song sparrows on San Miguel, Santa Rosa, and Anacapa islands in the Channels, the Santa Barbara song sparrow built compact, open nests of twigs and other plant material, which were optionally lined with grass. The female laid three broods per season, each between two to six red-brown marked, pale green eggs. Incubation ranged from 12–14 days and was tended to by the female. Both parents were involved in the feeding until the sparrows were fledged 9–12 days later.   The birds were serially and simultaneously polygamous, and DNA studies showed that 15 percent or more of the young were sired outside the social pair. Extinction Process During the first half of the 20th century, sparrow nesting habitat (scrub vegetation) on Santa Barbara Island began disappearing as a result of clearing land for farming and from browsing by introduced goats, European rabbits, and New Zealand red rabbits. Unnatural predation also threatened sparrows during this time, after the introduction of domestic cats to the island. The sparrows natural predators included the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius), Common Raven (Corvus corax), and Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus). Even with these new challenges to its survival, the song sparrows maintained a viable population through the summer of 1958. Unfortunately, a large fire in 1959 destroyed most of the sparrows remaining habitat. The birds are thought to have been extirpated from the island during the 1960s because years of intensive surveys and monitoring throughout the 1990s did not reveal any resident song sparrows on the island. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officially determined that the Santa Barbara Song Sparrow was extinct and removed it from the endangered species list on October 12, 1983, citing a loss of habitat and predation by feral cats. Sources Arcese, Peter et al. Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia. Birds of North America: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, January 1, 2002.  BirdLife International 2016. Melospiza melodia. The IUCN Red List of Threatened: e.T22721058A94696727, 2016. Santa Barbara song sparrow (Melospiza melodia . ECOS Environmental Conservation Online System, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  graminea: Delisted due to ExtinctionVan Rossem, A. J. â€Å"A Survey of the Song Sparrows of the Santa Barbara Islands.† The Condor 26.6 (1924): 217–220.Zink, Robert M., and Donna L. Dittmann. Gene Flow, Refugia, and Evolution of Geographic Variation in the Song Sparrow (Melospiza Melodia). Evolution 47.3 (1993): 717–29.

Monday, October 21, 2019

buy custom Age of McCarthyism essay

buy custom Age of McCarthyism essay McCarthyism was a disgustful period in the United States where accusations of betrayal, subversion, or treachery were made against people with no sound evidence. The re-established tolerance for communism ideologies in the United States had originated from the cold war alliances. During this time, the fight against a strong Soviet Union allowed anticommunism to take a fundamental part in shaping American politics. The war brought a transformation in domestic communism from being just a political inclination to that of overall national security. As the United States grew more aggressive towards the Soviet Union, those people who were inclined to communist ideologies were taken to be possible rival agents (Schrecker, 2002). This paper focuses on the differences as well as the similarities between three arguments presented by the respective authors during the period of McCarthyism. McCarthyism was conducted through speeches and hearings which were led by Senator McCarthy himself. Other bodies that carried out the investigations include the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). The aftermath of these activities were dehumanization that affected the all levels of the society and became a very great source of conflicts and nauseating debates in the U.S (Schrecker, 2002). Although the investigators finally achieved their objective since they found people who had plots to overthrow the government, there were so many persecutions of the innocent people. According to J. Edgar Hoover, he is totally opposed to communists points of view. He suggests that communists were never contented with the way American politics were carried out and that they had the intension of gaining their dominance through a bloody revolution. They are known for infiltrating into the political dynasties of most of the states in the world and plantin their communist seed in them. Hoover was concerned over the way in which the national security of the United States was at stake due to its encroachment by communist ideologies (Schrecker, 2002). He suggested that they applied schemes such as appealing for the will and pity of the masses. They choose to use military support and supply plenty of guns and ammunition. They are also known to push for extermination of the police which is a government organ that is considered as the most significant rival. These communists further seize communication channels and infrastructure to gain control of all communication systems in the country. The speeches from communists were regarded as friendly witnesses following the fact they disclosed a considerate number of people who were allegedly accused of holding views of the left-wing group (Schrecker, 2002). It is however believed that before the accusations were accepted, some kind of torture was inflicted to them. As a follow up, the nineteen named communists were arrested. During the period of the Second World War, from 1939 to 1945, Sidney Hook was inclined to politics of liberal anti-communism. His belief could be easily bought by the masses especially following the anti-communist movement after the war which contributed to his prominence. Since McCarthyism was an effort by Joseph McCarthy to influence the government to react even if the information he provided was sometimes baseless, the practice was regarded as some kind of bullying in politics. It is at this critical period that the senator injected excessive fear to his fellow politicians which made them fear him. Taking into consideration the verity that politicians chief purpose is to speak up for the rights of the people they represent, the nature of the panicky life they lived during this era diminished their audacity to play their role effectively. A hefty number of senators were afraid to talk against thee man due to the fear that he might attack them and give false allegations against them as being communist (Schrecker, 2002). This followed the fact that the senators were afraid of losing their jobs as well as being punished. Despite the fact that all the senators could perceive all that was happening around them and witness the unjust punishments and torture inflicted on their people, they had no ability to stop the activities because of the dread imposed by McCarthy. Other detrimental effects on the politicians were more psychological oriented and they had a feeling of inadequacy since they could not perform their stipulated duties. This was in some way some sort of dictatorship which seemed very difficult to control. What killed the hopes of many is the notion that the dignitaries could not stop the inhuman treatments that the public received and therefore gave up and were set for anything that would have cropped up in the near future (Schrecker, 2002). It can therefore be said that both Hook and Hoover were opposed to the concept of communism. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas had realized that fear had made most people from all walks of life not to respond to the demands of the orthodox. Most of the people who were inclined to liberal movements after the Second World War were opposed to communism (Schrecker, 2002). He was therefore still opposed to communism just like his other two counterparts. Though this was the period that the term was eminently used, it has been carried on up to date with its usage being evident in the modern society to refer to all fake disloyalty accusations made against people without any feasible evidence. During this critical period, the lives of many Americans were affected and there were mainly very negative impacts on not only the prominent dignitaries and the working class, but also on the peasant non-working people and children. Buy custom Age of McCarthyism essay

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Excited ABOUT, not for

Excited ABOUT, not for Excited ABOUT, not for Excited ABOUT, not for By Maeve Maddox Reader Alex has called my attention to a strange new usage with the word excited: People say excited for instead of excited about: Im excited for Avatar. It sounds clearly wrong to me. It sounds wrong to me as well. The phrase is being spread at a furious rate by entertainment writers. Anyone getting excited for Dan Browns new novel The Lost Symbol (gaming site) Lions fans at Ford Field excited for Ndamukong Suh (sports site) Kirstie Alley Excited for 17-Year-Old Sons Wedding (celebrity gossip site) A gaming site called NeoGAF seems especially determined to spread the abomination. Google tracks 8,190 examples from that site. I can think of one context in which for instead of about following excited could be justified: when one is sharing a friends excitement. On the pattern of I am happy for you, one could say Im excited for you. Otherwise, standard usage calls for excited about, as in these examples in which the writers (including entertainment writers) got it right: Why I Am Excited About the  iPad Rube Goldberg competition gets teens excited about STEM Why you need to be excited about SpyParty Rivers excited about RB prospects Rolling Stone’s Reasons To Be Excited About Music 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 Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Words with More Than One SpellingStory Writing 101â€Å"Least,† â€Å"Less,† â€Å"More,† and â€Å"Most†

Saturday, October 19, 2019

CONTEMPORARY BRAND MANAGEMENT REPORT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

CONTEMPORARY BRAND MANAGEMENT REPORT - Essay Example Other brands too are making a foray in the market. (Interbrand 2006; Milward Brown 2006). While Harley Davidson (HD) has been seeing growth and profits for 19 consecutive years, it is not complacent in view of the growing competition. It has therefore set its eyes on the emerging markets with their predictably booming consumer market. If this takes off, the huge customer base of millions could open new doors for HD. However a carefully crafted marketing plan needs to be drawn for the purpose. HD has had a dream run for several years. The HD Brand carries weight and enjoys a special place. It has banked largely on its Macho Image which was aided by fun loving and beer guzzling characters in the classic film Easy Rider. Lately it has toned down this bad boy image but it retains the adventurous image it has built up. HD has made bikes for several segments and is most popular in the 18-21 and 36-55 age groups. Whoever has had a taste of HD power and performance in his teens has returned in later years to revive the feeling of machismo that invariably goes along with the brand. It is indeed irresistible as a person ages and is able to afford the premium brand that he could only admire at a younger age. The Harley Owners Group (HOG) was created in 1983 in response to a growing demanded by HD owners to share their beliefs, passion and pride and it has gained worldwide popularity since then, has over one million members and is still growing. HOG benefits include organized group rides, exclusive products and product discounts, insurance premium discounts, and the Hog Tales newsletter and the HOG is the largest factory sponsored group in the world. The HD shares on NYSE have HOG as their ticker symbol since 2006. (HOG) HD has unique engineering of its products. Made entirely in-house, the engines are entirely vestigial from an engineering standpoint, but have been sustained because of the strong connection between the distinctive sound

Friday, October 18, 2019

Practice with Enterprise Architecture (EA) Principles Assignment

Practice with Enterprise Architecture (EA) Principles - Assignment Example Because the business principle is focusing on customers then the data sub-architecture is affected. Changing the business principle to elimination of channel barriers in distribution is essential because it affects not only the front end activities like shopping options but also back-end systems that allow order execution while controlling inventory flow. The data sub-architectures in the retail store’s EA would be influenced by the rationale as well as the implications of the principle. The information offered by the principle facilitates its acceptance and supports its application in data-substructures through justification of the rationale within the principle. Data sub-architectures in the retail store are influenced by the new principle because architectural principles in EA aim at capturing the fundamental truth regarding the way the enterprise uses and deploys information technology resources (Minoli, 2008). Because the business principle changed to focus on elimination of channel barriers in distribution, then data sub-architecture would need to

Women and poverty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Women and poverty - Research Paper Example The United Nations in its recent measurement of poverty levels in societies has defined poverty as a condition in which people live in less than one dollar in a day. Coulter (24) defined poverty as the nature in which certain individuals or groups of people in the society are deprived of resources and are denied opportunities to improve their lives. Poverty is the lack of basic needs by people such as food, clothing, and shelter. Poverty in women therefore, is the lack of the basic needs by women that are essential for them to live good lives. The lack of opportunities as well as women’s inability to live long, healthy and creative lives indicates that they face a poverty problem. They do not have the choice to live according to their own wish and standards since they cannot afford the necessities. Additionally, the lack of freedom and failure to live according to their desires takes away their dignity, making the society down look upon them. The biological and sociological pr ocesses that affect both men and women have varying effects on the two genders, affecting each one of them in their own unique way. While these differences positively affect men, women on the other hand are negatively affected. The gap even becomes bigger in areas with minimal legislations that focus on women development. Social structures and roles assigned to women and men by the society too affect their poverty levels. The cultural expectation of men to be the providers of their families makes the society give them more opportunities. Paper Outline 1. Feminization of poverty 2. Nature and extent of poverty in women 3. Causes of poverty among women (a) Wage gap between men and women (b) Low salaries among women (c) Lack of job opportunities for women (d) Inequality in distribution of resources (e) Social exclusion of women by the society (f) Lack of credit and loan facilities for women (g) Negative effects of credit (h) Traditional beliefs and practices (i) Poor farming methods (j ) Poor legislations 4. Conclusion and Recommendations In conclusion, poverty in women is real and women are suffering from lack of opportunities and enough income to sustain decent lifestyles. This has resulted to feminization of poverty, which is an association of women with poverty. The factors that contribute to the high poverty levels among women are both social and legislative related. High wage gaps between men and women, low salaries, lack of job opportunities, inequality in distribution of resources, social exclusion of women by the society, lack of credit and loan facilities for women, negative effects of credit, traditional beliefs and practices, poor farming methods for women, working in agriculture and poor legislations all contribute to the women’s poverty levels. Annotated bibliography Townson, Monica. A Report Card on Women and Poverty, The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 2000. Web. 29 May 2013 In the paper, â€Å"A Report Card on Women and Povertyâ⠂¬ , Townson gives a clear analysis of the different causal factors of escalated levels of poverty among Canadian women. Feminization of poverty as she points out is by its construction a societal and legislative concern. From her study, she explores the various contributing factors to the high poverty levels among women in the Canadian society. Townson believes that women have unjustly been associated with poverty, tracing the issue of women poverty to a historical point of view. This problem as she observes has been around the society for a long time. According to her, the biggest contributing factor to escalating poverty levels among women in Canada is the huge wage gap between me

Thursday, October 17, 2019

LEARNING THROUGH WORK- Compare and contrast Essay

LEARNING THROUGH WORK- Compare and contrast - Essay Example Given the benefits of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in saving lives of people suffering from heart attacks, it has been introduced in different nations. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation was introduced in the autumn of 1983 (Parekh 2005, 20). This essay compares and contrasts nursing roles in the Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for Adult in two countries, Saudi Arabia and Scotland CPR is most effective on as quickly as possible delivery and often should be the last alternative after a patient has not positively responded to all the other first aid measures. Furthermore, the patient should be unconscious, unresponsive, not breathing and not moving. Performing CPR varies from adults, children and infants. These steps guided by drawn rules updated in 2010 to ease the application of these steps. These guidelines are just there to guide the trained officers and further training is required in their application (Tang 2012, 64). In this article however, I emphasize on the role of a nurse in all the steps of administration of CPR. Furthermore, I will make comparison of these roles in two countries believed to offer the CPR method of life (Gordon 1967, 12). Other important factors that might relate to the subject too are aboard. Nurses beat all odds in their professions in preserving life. In CPR administration, there are teams formed to facilitate the easy administration of this process. One of the teams is the Nursing Roles. In the nursing roles, nurses break up responsibilities from head to Nursing Team Leader (habitually senior ward nurse) identifies self as Nursing Team Leader, accountable for co-coordinating and directing evolving nursing care of the patient (Field 209, 95). The leader checks suitable emergency call has been placed and starts regulator as soon as the Emergency trolley rolls in. he delegates accessible staff to roles apposite to their echelon of practice:

Japanese manga censorship Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Japanese manga censorship - Research Paper Example Sometimes the word â€Å"air† is used to describe manga in Japanese which implies its possibility to penetrate everywhere: people buy manga on trains, in local supermarkets and small shops, in cinemas and read it in parks, luxurious apartments and shopping malls (Kinsella 4). Why has manga become so widespread and demanded in Japan? In post-war period it became linked to political events of the country and was perceived as counter-cultural experimentation. Most manga nevertheless concentrated on depiction of daily life events. Beginning from the 1970s manga adapted to the tastes of the population and concentrated on the topics popular among men: science fiction, robots, heroic events, however he group of women who appeared in the end of the 1970s adapted manga to female auditory making manga about love and romantic relationships (Gravet 24) The beginning of the 1980s coincided with the growth of the initial manga auditory and the economic rise of the country that is why publishers decided to widen the scope of genres and started looking for explicitly sexual and violent images in manga that were supposed to provide popularity. But the success on the territory of Japan was only a first step because manga has even won its special place in hearts of American readers with the help of exotic heroes, unique style of depiction, and unpredictable plot twists. Manga offered a fresh look on heroic epos: wide-eyed superheroes, latex-booted heroines and wild-haired supervillains have become extremely popular in a faraway America (Wood 14). For a long time manga and anime managed to avoid the attention of censors until an unfortunate case in 1989 when in a house of a serial killer a number of explicitly sexual content was found and he himself turned out to be a member in Comiket, the biggest convention for manga fans in the country. Since then the debates regarding the necessity of censorship for manga do not cease. Though some

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

LEARNING THROUGH WORK- Compare and contrast Essay

LEARNING THROUGH WORK- Compare and contrast - Essay Example Given the benefits of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in saving lives of people suffering from heart attacks, it has been introduced in different nations. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation was introduced in the autumn of 1983 (Parekh 2005, 20). This essay compares and contrasts nursing roles in the Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for Adult in two countries, Saudi Arabia and Scotland CPR is most effective on as quickly as possible delivery and often should be the last alternative after a patient has not positively responded to all the other first aid measures. Furthermore, the patient should be unconscious, unresponsive, not breathing and not moving. Performing CPR varies from adults, children and infants. These steps guided by drawn rules updated in 2010 to ease the application of these steps. These guidelines are just there to guide the trained officers and further training is required in their application (Tang 2012, 64). In this article however, I emphasize on the role of a nurse in all the steps of administration of CPR. Furthermore, I will make comparison of these roles in two countries believed to offer the CPR method of life (Gordon 1967, 12). Other important factors that might relate to the subject too are aboard. Nurses beat all odds in their professions in preserving life. In CPR administration, there are teams formed to facilitate the easy administration of this process. One of the teams is the Nursing Roles. In the nursing roles, nurses break up responsibilities from head to Nursing Team Leader (habitually senior ward nurse) identifies self as Nursing Team Leader, accountable for co-coordinating and directing evolving nursing care of the patient (Field 209, 95). The leader checks suitable emergency call has been placed and starts regulator as soon as the Emergency trolley rolls in. he delegates accessible staff to roles apposite to their echelon of practice:

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Michigan history-Oldsmobile Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Michigan history-Oldsmobile - Research Paper Example In 1901, Oldsmobile got recognition in the United States as first car builder of the country that had sourced the components from external suppliers. Consequently, Ransom E. Old was began to be dubbed as the father of auto industry of America which Ransom had denied himself as he was out of country at that particular time (Mccleland). Later it was revealed that John De Lorean was the real father of auto industry of America who was executive engineer of General Motors and founder of John De Lorean Motors Company. Especially the matter related to assembly lines that were claimed to be made by General Motors. The trip taken in the Oldsmobile to attract buyers was also failed badly and the car was severely damaged (Michael). Ransom E. Olds died in 1950 and his last words also settle in the controversy as he said, â€Å"If Oldsmobile croak today, then Buicks a goner a week from Monday or "Pursue utes† (Phillips). As a consequence it can be inferred that Ransom E. Olds was not obviously the father of auto industry of the United States. In fact there were many other contributors of the industry including John De

Fate Verses Free

Fate Verses Free Will Essay The theological issue of the predetermined fate of man verses man’s free will has long been a source of debate. Churches have split, and new denominations have emerged because of this one controversy. Predetermined Fate of Man During the Protestant Reformation of the 1500’s, a French theologian named John Calvin had an indelible influence on the religious community of his day with his doctrine of predestination and election. The foundation of Calvin’s beliefs (known as Calvinism) was the complete and total sovereignty of God and predestination of man. According to Calvin, since God is sovereign, He has made all choices and man is, therefore, without choice and free will. Calvin held to the belief that every man, woman, and child are chosen to be saved or lost before time began. He used scriptures such as Romans 8: 29 to support his position: â€Å"For whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren† (The Open Bible, New King James Version). To bring about mans salvation, according to Calvin, the Holy Spirit moves the chosen few toward God, thereby condemning the rest to eternity in hell. ( â€Å"An Introduction to Calvinism: Calvinism in a Nutshell†. 16 Oct. 2008 ). Free Will The issue of the free will of man continues to be discussed in modern times. One opinion is offered by Jon W. Quinn, author of numerous Bible correspondence courses and video Bible studies for the Bradley Church of Christ in Bradley, Illinois. He believes that the Bible does not deny human free will, but affirms it. He refers to Ephesians 1:3-6: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will (The Open Bible, New King James Version). Quinn’s commentary on this passage supports his belief that reference is being made to a group that has been predestined by God to be saved—not any particular individual. He continues his argument by stating: â€Å"It is up to you and me as to whether we will choose to be in that number or not. God has not predestined our individual choices† (Quinn, Jon W. , The Expository Files. â€Å"Were You Predestined to Read This Article? † Apr. 2005 ). Another opinion on the free will of man is offered by Lisa Yates, Ed. D. , a long-time member of the Trinity Baptist Church in Manchester, Tennessee. In her opinion, Dr. Yates believes that God, in His infinite wisdom, already knows who will reject or accept His Son, Jesus Christ. Simultaneously, He pleads for all to call upon Him and to receive His gift of eternal life in heaven. She holds to the belief that God knows all things, and He desires to save all people. She cites I Timothy 2:4 from The Open Bible, The New King James Version: â€Å"who (God) desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. † She concedes that the conflict between fate and free will is beyond her human comprehension. That is where her faith takes over (Personal interview, 17 Oct. 2008). Conclusion The debate over fate verses free will continues today. Legitimate support for both views exists and continues to be subject to individual interpretation. WORKS CITED â€Å"An Introduction to Calvinism: Calvinism in a Nutshell†. 16 Oct. 2008 Quinn, Jon W. , The Expository Files. â€Å"Were You Predestined to Read This Article? † Apr. 2005 The Open Bible, New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997. Yates, Lisa, Ed. D. Personal interview. 17 Oct. 2008.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

The North American Free Trade Agreement And Canada Politics Essay

The North American Free Trade Agreement And Canada Politics Essay The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was ceremonially signed by the leaders of Canada, the United States, and Mexico on December 17st, 1992. After deliberations in each countrys democratic hall of power, it officially came into effect on January 1st, 1994. NAFTA is first and foremost an economic agreement between its three member countries. Its primary goal is to remove trade barriers and subsidies for national industries in order to create a truly free North American market which would better foster competition, thus increasing wealth and productivity. With those changes in effect, its effect was expected to be an increase income and a higher standard of living for the citizens of each country. At the same time, NAFTA would theoretically allow the member nations to leverage the advantages of a large free trade bloc in order to become more powerful internationally. Essentially, NAFTA was created with the vision of making Canada, the United States, and Mexico, more competitive internationally and within their borders, for the benefit of their governments and citizens. Looking specifically at the United States and Canada, there was previously an economic precursor to NAFTA a bilateral agreement simply called the Free Trade Agreement (FTA). This agreement came into force approximately 5 years before NAFTA, on October 4th, 1988. It shared the same principle vision as the future NAFTA agreement; to reduce trade barriers such as government barriers to competition, and liberalize the climate for investment thus allowing the easier facilitation of trade between the two countries. Reading economic reports and the opinions of pundits, youll find a lot of different opinions regarding NAFTA. One thing is known there is still a large amount of uncertainty and a lack of consensus as to whether NAFTA has been, in sum, a positive thing for Canada. Famous economists such as Nobel Winner Paul Krugman have stated that NAFTA has had a near zero effect on the Canadian economy, whereas economic reports such as one by Martin A. Anderson come out in contrary to Krugmans belief, supporting its enactment. Further in this summary, we will explore the central issues of NAFTA and its effect on Canada and its people. NAFTA and Economic Growth As previously mentioned, NAFTA remains a divisive issue. In truth, it is extremely difficult to isolate NAFTA as a variable in economic growth and other key metrics of society due to the interwoven nature of our economy. With the plethora of variables considered, it is challenging to prove NAFTA as a cause for improving economic conditions. However, it does seem that the a large amount of papers come out in support of NAFTA as an engine of economic growth, citing its positive effect on the Canadian economy by highlighting the general trend in lower unemployment rates and higher income from trade. Cited is an entry into the Journal of Economic Development with an article concerning which NAFTA member country has benefitted most from the treaty. It states that its effect on US Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has been minimal, whereas Canadas GDP has experienced a statistically significant increase due to the agreement. The paper goes on to theorize that this may be due to Canadas reliance on trade for its economy especially trade between NAFTA members. It goes on to say that the lack of effect on the US GDP may be due to the fact that its economy is much larger than our own, and that changes are not as clearly visible due to its scale. To put the scale of Canadian trade with the United States in perspective, in 1999, 82% of Canadian trade was trade between NAFTA nations. More recently, in 2009, 73% of Canadian exports went to the United States. The effect on such large parts of our economy being export dependent will be discussed later in this summary. Some more key metrics of changes in the Canadian economy, comparing 1995 to 2005: The unemployment rate decreased from 8.3% (1995) to 6.8%(2005). Canadian GDP was $721.26 billion in 1995 and $1024.92 billion in 2005 (values adjusted for inflation), a 42% increase. Interprovincial trade has increased 15.29% due to NAFTA since 1994. Notably, interprovincial trade increased in Alberta by 30.1%, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland by ~24%. Interestingly, British Columbias interprovincial trade share decreased by 30.39%. Trade with the United States increased by 20.41% in Saskatchewan, and 17.77% in Manitoba. Most notably, Prince Edward Island increased trade with the United States by 67.07%. In contrast, British Columbias share of trade to the United States increased by only about 1%. Some of these values may have changed due to the changing economic climate of the past 5 years. For example, the unemployment rate has since increased to a current value of 7.9%. However, when interpreting these results, a trend becomes visible the Maritimes seem to have enjoyed a much larger share of trade than prior to NAFTA. The secondary sector of the Canadian economy concerns itself with manufacturing and general industry. Following the enactment of the FTA and NAFTA, the Canadian manufacturing industry had started to experience drastic changes. Because they were no longer as insulated to international competition, labour intensive industries such as Quebecs textile industry started to decline as cheap goods from other countries began to enter the market. Though many labour intensive jobs have shifted away to cheaper outsourced locations, there are large sections of Canadian industry that are more resilient to such shifts. One of these is the high-tech sector, which employs a large amount of skilled labour and creates advanced goods such as aircraft, new types of metal alloys, and intellectual property such as software. Industries such as biotechnology are much harder to outsource given their advanced nature, allowing Canadas relatively educated populace to contribute to the growth of these sectors res ulting in a net gain of employment. Most of these high-tech firms are located in Canadas industrial core Southern Ontario and Quebec. Ontarios location is greatly conducive to creating a good environment for trade. Northern Ontario produces many primary resources, such as forest products and minerals. Exports from Ontario to the United States were about the same value as its exports within Canada. By 1998, Ontarios exports to the United States increased to 2.5x the value of trade to the rest of Canada. The automobile industry is often cited as Ontarios most important export industry as it accounts for a large share of its trade, creating an environment of dependence upon that industry. Quebec is also heavily trade dependent, with exports of 25% of Canadas information technologies, 55% of aerospace production, 30% of pharmaceuticals, 40% of biotechnology, and 45% of high tech exports. Prior to 1989, about half of Quebecs trade went to other parts of Canada, and the other half was exported. By 2002, approximately 65% of Quebecs trade leaves Canada. NAFTAs Controversies Though NAFTA has clearly influenced our economy, most visibly with an increase in our exports and GDP, many believe that his trend presents a double-edged sword. The basic question put forward is to what length do we want our exports to increase?. A more globalized, or north-Americanized, economy also increases the risk of encountering economic repercussions due to recessions or the booms and busts of other countries. The most notable example of this would be the current economic recession, which many argue is only affecting Canada because of lower demand stemming from the economic uncertainty in the United States. With increasing globalization, it is becoming apparent that the intertwining of economies will continue and that our ability to insulate ourselves from global economic conditions will continue to decrease. It can be argued that NAFTA intertwines more than our economies. A controversial statute of the agreement Chapter 11 grants corporations the right to sue the signatory countries for compensation if their investments are adversely affected through regulatory means, especially if those regulations favour local businesses or constituents. One notable case of Chapter 11 use: Ethyl Corporation (USA) v. Government of Canada. Sued over Canadas federal ban over the gas additive MMT, which some studies have linked with neurotoxic effects. Canada was forced to overturn the ban and pay Ethyl Corporation in excess of $19million in compensation. Sun Belt Water, Inc (USA) v. Government of Canada. Sun Belt Water filed a claim for $105 million arguing that Canadian legislation thwarted its plans to export bulk quantities of fresh water from Canada. This claim has yet to be settled. Another important issue of concern is the so-called softwood lumber dispute between the United States and Canada. The dispute has carried significant implications for British Columbia, as the province accounts for over half of the total logging output of Canada. In 1982 the US lumber industry logged its first complaint. Tariffs have been fluctuating since 1986, and in 2001 duties on softwood lumber imported into the United States have reached as high as 27%. Both a NAFTA panel and the World Trade Organization have issued non-binding resolutions siding with Canada against the United States. Unfortunately, the tariffs remain despite these rulings and it appears that NAFTAs ruling against the United States has not influenced its policy. As recently as 2006 a new agreement has been reached in which import duties of $4billion that were charged will be returned (a total of $5billion in duties has been collected), however, Canada will be forced to increase export taxes on its own lumber if its price falls below US $355 per thousand board feet, in order to protect US companies. NAFTA has presented several environmental concerns to Canadians. As having one of the worlds largest capacities of freshwater, Canada has been under pressure to commoditize the resource in order to allow for its trade. The case mentioned above (Sun Belt Water, Inc v. Canada) goes to show this pressure. For the time being, legislation and political will has generally opposed the bulk sale of Canadian freshwater. Final Notes In the end, it can be said with some confidence that the North American Free Trade agreement has significantly altered the Canadian trade landscape. Though trade between NAFTA nations appears to have become more pervasive, questions remain about whether the continuing integration of other national economies is truly a good thing for Canada. Some believe that our very democracy is at stake now that foreign corporations have the power to overturn Canadian policy; which at a basic level is overturning the decisions of our elected politicians the only representatives of the Canadian people.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Beauty of Numbers :: Graduate Admissions Essays

The Beauty of Numbers "There are three kinds of lies-lies, damned lies, and statistics."-Mark Twain Well, perhaps Mr. Twain didn't see the beauty of numbers the way that I do. Because ever since grade school, mathematics has been my favorite subject. And once I was in college and could focus on many areas of math, I realized that I had a genuine interest to applying mathematical and statistical theories to real-world concerns. Hey, even Twain the skeptic realized the importance of balancing the cargo on shallow, difficult-to-navigate riverboats so that the port and starboardsides were equally laden-he even advised the captains to part their hair down the middle so that the weight was perfectly distributed! I find a similar pleasure in seeing the numbers "come out right." When I first entered the work force, starting out in the actuarial area, the areas of my day-to-day work that I most enjoyed were researching and analyzing data so that I could logically apply the information to the business opportunity at hand. Consequently, I realized that the most prudent path to accomplishing this would be to further my education in the advanced studies of statistics and I have been preparing myself by taking a year of higher-level math and statistics courses at Ohio State. I've maintained a 4.0 GPA, and am confident that pursuing a Ph.D. and later entering a career in statistical consulting or teaching is the right step for me. I'd like to focus on two qualities that I know will help me to succeed in graduate school and in my chosen field. First, I go after what I want and don't stop until I get it. And second, I quite genuinely find research and analysis fascinating and enjoy doing that kind of work. My strategy in attaining success is to identify my goal, figure out the best way to attain it, and then do it. When I was an undergraduate, I wanted to start my own business. I assessed my skills and founded CalcWizards, a mathematics tutorial service. I developed and marketed the service to other students and taught all disciplines of mathematics, from beginning through advanced. Not only was my business a financial success, but I really enjoyed the time I spent teaching others. This go-get-it attitude served me well in my career at Cigna Life Insurance as well.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Telecommunication Industry Analysis

The domestic telecommunication industry offers a broad range of services through four primary product segments: radio, television, voice communications, and broadband services, the two largest being voice communications and broadband services (Industry). These services are offered to businesses and personal consumers, and are the industry’s primary user segments. Companies in the telecommunication industry are the primary means by which communication is provided, whether it is by telephone, Internet, or television. Using transmissions of signals over networks of radio towers, data is transferred to customers using devices, such as a phone (Telecommunications). Determining which segment to market to and who drives the market is integral for companies in the telecommunication industry to understand. User Segments The telecommunication industry markets to two segments: business and personal consumers. The business segment utilizes the services of the telecom industry for better communication, higher efficiency, and better distribution of data (Telecommunications and Business). As businesses require communication devices for email, phone, teleconferencing, and data transferring, companies are marketing to businesses offering the most advanced and efficient products. Businesses also allow for a larger budget for spending, and consequently telecommunication companies are refining their product to fit their needs on a larger scale. AT&T and Verizon Communications are the leading providers in the business segment, offering services such as videoconferencing, networking, Internet, and voice communications. Personal consumers are the other segment the telecommunication industry markets to. With over 290 million subscribers in the United States (U.S.), companies in the telecommunication industry are on a very competitive playing field. AT&T and Verizion, again the leading providers in the personal consumer segment, spend a large amount each year on advertising trying to reach their markets (The Account). Consumers want products with the most speed and reliability, which forces companies to update constantly. With new products and features coming out regularly, it is imperative these companies stay current with the latest technology. Product Segments The two product segments that define the telecommunication industry are voice communications and broadband services. Voice communications entail phone services such as phone calls and voice messaging. Businesses and personal users rely heavily on this service, as people are requiring reliable and efficient phone service in their everyday lives. Features play an integral role in defining the product, so companies must have feedback from consumers to know how to improve their product (Cell Phone). Broadband services offer Internet access to its users. This technology is improving constantly, becoming faster and more efficient. Integrating into phones, television, and DSL, broadband services are becoming increasingly important to having a reliable product and reaching customers (Industry). Over the past decade, Internet subscribers have doubled, reaching over 266 million customers (World), which shows the prevalence of broadband services in the United States. As many of the telecommunication companies have merged in recent years, they are able to offer a larger product as well as â€Å"bundled media packages†, which brings in new revenue sources and opportunities for growth (Industry). In the telecommunication industry, the consumer is driving the market. As technology is advancing and more features are becoming available, companies must customize their products to fit the consumers’ needs. Many consumers require different features and options, which require the companies to stay current with recent trends. Customer service has also played a large role in the satisfaction of customers, and the companies take a lot of feedback to improve their products (Industry). Trends in the Telecommunication Industry As the telecommunication industry evolves, so do the trends that drive it. Demographics have become less important, although age and occupation does play a major role (Market). Teens are becoming a target for companies, as well as business professionals (Teens). Consumer trends are driving adoption of phones in the market, as social networking, jobs, and personal use are becoming parts of everyday life (Consumer). Technological advancements are playing a major role in the development of the telecommunication industry. Products are becoming faster, cheaper, and of higher quality, as well as including features and applications for consumers so they can communicate and work more efficiently (Top). Competitors One of the top competitors in the telecommunications industry is AT&T. With over $124 billion in total revenue (T), AT&T is one of the largest providers of telecommunication services in the United States. Their main products are for businesses as well as the consumer, including wireless, broadband, phone, and data solution services. AT&T’s strategy involves working with its suppliers and customers to improve their efficiencies and form a positive, long-lasting relationship with them. They improve their company by becoming more sustainable, in hopes of promoting a positive impact on the communities it serves (AT&T Corporate). Verizon Communications is also a leading competitor in the telecommunications industry. With $106.5 billion in total revenue last year (VZ), Verizon is another leading provider of telecommunication services in the United States. Verizon offers products similar to AT&T, which enables them to compete closely with AT&T. Their basic strategy involves being proactive in improving their services to satisfy customers. Verizon continually adapts to new technology and brings innovation to all its products. Their goal is to improve the quality of life for its customers by offering innovative products (Verizon). Sprint Nextel Communications, totaling $32 billion in total revenue in 2010 (S), is a smaller competitor but is still among the top companies in the domestic telecommunication industry. Sprint offers phones for business and personal use, as well as business solutions to help the company operate its communications with more ease. Part of their strategy is to foster and develop relationships with organizations to form alliances and deliver integrated products and services. Sprint is also involved in becoming more responsible, in regards to its products, the environment, and its customers (About).

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Working in teams

When working in teams there are many factors that can lead to success or failure to achieving the goals of the team. Understanding the objective, having the proper resources, and trust within the team are some. Having trust is one of the most important factors in team success. Trust within the team can lead to everyone being comfortable knowing the project will be accomplished and knowing assigned parts will be completed. Distrust within the team can lead to personal problems and can hinder the project not being completed. Working on teams can be very stressful. A team member has to meet the team, discuss the project, figure out who will do what part of the project, and manage your normal tasks at work while completing the new work that is associated with the team project. Stress is added automatically because a team member would naturally want to do a good job on the team project and that people are going to rely on you to complete your part but you also have to worry that the others on the team are going to do their part. Distrust on a team can lead to many problems. Not having trust in your team can lead to arguments within the team and not being able to work with that person or even the entire group. Distrust can lead to a person doing his part of the assigned project and can also lead to that person doing other parts of the project not assigned to them causing friction. Another possible result from having distrust in the team dynamic is the ability to influence others. A person with influence can bring doubt in the group or persuade others to have doubt in one or more people on the team that could result in the team turning a person or even getting a person or persons thrown out of the group. To answer the question is trust assumed or is it earned within a team. Ruth H. Axelrod answered the question by researching various philosophers and professors and they all noted a person has to have the following traits to garner trust. Ruth’s discoveries say trust has to be earned. She noted one has to show good character, honesty, integrity, must be dependable, and must be reliable. These findings were published in her paper Deciding To Trust a Stranger. I agree that trust has to be earned. It is good to come to a team project with an open mind and no preconceived thoughts but everyone in the team will still have to show they can pull his or her weight and work as a team. Trust can lost be lost while working on a team very easily. One simple mishap like not showing up for a scheduled meeting or not being prepared can cause the team to lose trust within an individual. Always being present to a scheduled meeting is very important. Missing a meeting could lead to missing an important update or new deadline for the project. Not being prepared shows the team you are not engaged in the project, the work assigned to you is too much for you to handle, or you simply do not care for the project or the others on your team. It is easy to keep trust among your team. If you do you what is asked and expected of you the team will have trust in you. If you treat everyone with respect and provide support the team will trust you. Taken from the paper again, if a person shows the qualities of being dependable, being reliable, and having integrity trust will be maintained within the team.