Should the Death Penalty be Abolished Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Should the Death Penalty be Abolished - Essay Example Of late, therefore, advocates of the death penalty are relying on economic arguments to buttress their position that the death penalty is an appropriate and valid punishment by focusing mainly on the issue of deterrence. As the New York Times put it: â€Å"Does Death Penalty Save Lives?† (Liptak, 2007). Likewise, anti-death advocates are steering clear of emotive language and using hard statistics as well but to demonstrate non-deterrence, racial bias, judicial fallibility and the like. Analyzing the two competing positions on the death penalty, this paper’s thesis is that those arguing for capital punishment uses economics as lens of analysis and emphasises deterrence rather than retribution, and those who argue against capital punishment use an economic, legal and sociological frame. Death Penalty Advocates favour economics-based arguments In the fairly recent work of Dezhbakhsh, Rubin and Shepherd, econometrics was used to determine the deterrent effect of the death penalty and it was found that â€Å"the legal change allowing executions beginning in 1977 has been associated with significant reductions in homicide† (page 373). ... d economist, Naci Mocan, who admitted being â€Å"personally opposed† to the death penalty (Liptak, 2007) had found that â€Å"each additional execution decreases homicides by about five, and each additional commutation increases homicides by the same amount, while an additional removal from death row generates one additional murder.† (Mocan and Gittings 453). Death Penalty Opponents use a combination of economics and sociological arguments There is, however, no shortage of critics to the argument that death penalty deters crimes, specifically homicide, and therefore saves lives. According to a paper written by Jeffrey Fagan from the Columbia Law School – Most of the studies fail to account for incarceration rates or life sentences, factors that may drive down crime rates via deterrence or incapacitation; one study that does so finds no effects of execution and a significant effect of prison conditions on crime rates. Another report shows incarceration effects th at dwarf the deterrent effects of execution. Most fail to account for complex social factors such as drug epidemics that are reliable predictors of fluctuations in the murder rate over time. The studies don't look separately at the subset of murders that are eligible for the death penalty, instead lumping all homicides together. Those who are against the death penalty have also provided evidence demonstrating that racial bias has played a big role in execution sentences, with scholars like Zeisel for example demonstrating that the death penalty was administered unequally, discriminating against black offenders and against murderers of white victims. (456). Barry Scheck, who is the co-founder and co-director of the Innocence Project, notes the case of Claude Jones, who could have been saved from the death row

Personal Philosophy Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Personal Philosophy - Research Paper Example Finally, I share my view in my personal philosophy’s implications for contemporary and future nursing roles. Keywords: personal philosophy, nursing, patient care, health, Jean Watson Having been exposed to the nursing profession has empowered me to adopt a deeper life perspective in terms of this chosen career of mine. Like most people, I used to box nursing into a job for people who are knowledgeable about health care and applying such knowledge to patients. I also expected nurses to treat their patients kindly, short of patronizing their whims in order for them to recuperate soon. Tasks of nurses were limited to administering medication as ordered by the physician, monitoring patients’ vital signs, making sure that patients are comfortable and ensuring that their environments are clean and sanitary. Upon entering the field, I realized I was right, but what I knew was just the tip of the iceberg. Nursing is so much more than that! It involves a deeper meaning of care a nd understanding of the person being cared for. My philosophy about nursing broadened as time went by. For me, a nurse has multiple roles. More than a caregiver, she is an educator, an advocate, a counsellor, a manager and a researcher. She is a lifelong learner who tirelessly researches about the latest developments in health care and promotes health practices to her patients. She makes sure they understand what they are going through because in doing so, it gives them power over their illness. Providing them with all the support they need, the nurse involves with the patients’ families and even the community. Focusing on the patients entails the nurse being compassionate to their condition, loving, dependable, empathetic and comforting. The patients are made to feel special, like a beloved family member of the nurse, and not just a generic patient in need of treatment. Quality care is ensured resulting in overall positive outcomes for the patient. The patient is seen as a p erson with rights to excellent health care. This is not limited to medical care, but to other aspects that affect his health and well-being: physical, psychological, spiritual and cultural. Nurses should take all these in consideration when caring for the person. The patient should be accorded with utmost respect and not be made to feel like a burden because of his illness. His pain and suffering from the illness is not shared by anyone else so he is the expert in terms of how he feels and this should always be considered in his treatment. The environment where the patient is cared for, whether it is a hospital or clinic, is conducive to healing because it considers all the factors affecting the person’s health and well-being (physical, psychological, spiritual and cultural). It is the role of the nurse that the needs of the patient in all these areas are met. Health is the outcome of the interaction of a person with the environment and constantly changes over time. This impl ies that efficient nursing care achieves the health goals for the person being cared for adopting the most current and most effective interventions for his illness and customizing it to the person’s personal, family and cultural background. My nursing philosophy has been heavily influenced by Jean Watson, a nursing theorist who proposed the Theory of Human Caring. This

Problem of heroin addiction and its treatment

Problem of heroin addiction and its treatment Heroin is a highly addictive both physically and psychologically drug of an opiate group. Its usage has serious effects on body such as destruction of bone tissues and teeth, (opiates wash-out calcium), hepatocholecystitis (heroine is transformed into morphine in liver), acute hepatic failure, collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses and pneumonia. It also may lead to hepatitis and HIV due to usage of dirty syringes, tuberculosis and fetal effects. It changes persons perception of reality and might cause a destructive, violent and criminal behavior which have a devastating impact on society. When opiate drugs are taken they change into morphine which has a similar structure to endorphins which are normally used for reduction of pain. They stimulate the brain and are responsible for lifting a persons mood, helping that person feel motivated for everyday purposes by blocking receptors in synapses between neurons. When a drug is taken the receptors are blocke d with morphine instead, however it takes more time to decompose and an organism stops produce endorphins. As a result an addict dies within six months to one year after beginning to use the opiate. If a drug is not being taken, an addict feels a phantom pain which is very difficult to bear, this is an abstinence syndrome. At this time his or her organism goes through detoxication which includes diarrhea, muscles pain (cramp), headache, vomiting, fever and insomnia. Heroin is a relatively cheap drug and therefore can be easily obtained by young people and its usage often causes fatality from both physical effect and actions during altered consciousness. Treatment of heroin addiction is a difficult, lengthy and complex process, consisting of three main components: removal of physiological addiction, removal of psychological addiction and social rehabilitation. Nowadays there is no clear position on medical treatment of heroin addiction and scientists are trying to find a solution. 1.2 ab At present Opiate replacement therapy (ORT) is one of possible solutions for physiological removal. Essentially, the method is to provide a substance abuser with a drug with the similar biochemical effects on the body but having the lowest possible narcotic effect. A dose of replacement drug is slowly and gradually decreased. The therapy may take 5 8 years. At the expense of this metabolic state of physiological of non-drug users is achieved. The most common drug used as a replacement is methadone and a therapy is known as methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). Methadone is an agonist (substance or drug that can interact with receptors and initiate a physiological or pharmacological characteristics of the response of the receptor, triggering a chain of intracellular biochemical processes in the body) taken orally and rapidly absorbed to plasma within thirty minutes of being ingested. It is also stored in body tissues and gradually released when needed. It creates tolerance so a pati ent cannot feel a narcotic effect. A dose (25-150 mg to avoid tolerance) of methadone reduces withdrawal symptoms and at the same time and craving for a drug stabilizing rate of metabolism. The effect lasts for from 24 to 36 hours. The goal of methadone maintenance treatment is socialization of addicts, the abolition of their intravenous drug use, conducted strictly under the supervision of specialists. C:Usersà Ã‚ ¤Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ Ã‚ »Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ Ã‚ ²Ãƒ Ã‚ ° à Ã…“à Ã‚ °Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã‚ ¸Ãƒâ€˜Ã‚ Desktopissue report à Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ Ã‚ ¬!!!!methadone.gif The graph clearly shows that theoretically methadone detoxication is effective and fast. It shows best result when used in long-term. Studies show that methadone maintenance treatment drastically reduces illegal opiate use, criminal behavior, risky sexual practices, and the transmission of HIV. Methadone is not harmful for any major organs even when taken for many years. . However the skin becomes waxy or yellowish color because the methadone completely deprives the body of calcium (osteoporosis). A person feels pain in the bones, they become brittle and break easily In addition, every person has unique dosage needs. People metabolize methadone differently, and therefore doses should not be capped by maximum recommendations. To avoild overdose the healthcare provider should evaluate cessation of drug cravings and the reduction of withdrawal symptoms to determine the ideal methadone dosage. In 2005, more than 4,000 people fatally overdosed on methadone or methadone and other drugs together. Many of these people were using high doses of methadone in an unsupervised effort to treat pain, or were illicitly using methadone for recreational purposes. When methadone is used in complex with social rehabilitation it gives good results. Psychotherapy largely determines the stability of the effect of drug therapy, duration and quality of remissions. Psychotherapy will not be effective in the absence of an addict desires to get rid of drug addiction. 2.1 One of the implications to the problem is that patients are selected strictly to enter the program. In Sweden, for example, there are strict criteria for methadone treatment: a minimum of four years of opiate addiction confirmed by medical records, an indication of a history of unsuccessful passage of many other forms of therapy, presence of medical indications for methadone maintenance therapy, must be older than 20 and not have any other addictions except for opiate. It is very difficult to overcome the addiction and follow all of the rules without any support. As a result an intense social rehabilitation is a very important on a long way of getting better. However some countries where heroin addiction is common do not poses such social program. If a full complex is used 10-20% of people overcome the addiction, however 10-15% return to uncontrolled drug abuse. If the replacement therapy is used commonly as the only solution for treatment of all opiate dependencies, it would decrease efficiency of prophylactic actions and would be seen as an easy way to escape responsibilities and implications after using a drug by beginner drug abusers. This consequently would increase usage of drugs overall. In many countries methadone is forbidden due to its narcotic effect when used not for medical purposes. If Federal Drug Control service makes a mistake, it will raise illegal methadone traffic. For example while methadone maintenance therapy in Lithuania number of drug addicts increased 8 times. Furthermore, when methadone treatment became very popular in Belorussia in 2004, as a result 3.5times more of methadone was withdrawn by the police from illegal traffic and 2 times less of heroin. Recently, The Independent raised a question of drug addiction in Russia. It is forbidden to use replacement therapy especially methadone to treat addicts, the government is against this however the scientists are sure in the need to run the program. Researches state that the rate of HIV spread would decrease drastically (around 55% if the MMT is used). The treatment has advantages and disasvantages. MMT is relatively cheap ($13 per day) but effective at the same time. (Office of National Drug Control Policy, 1998a). MMT reduces the spread of HIV/AIDS infection, hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted diseases (COMPA, 1997). Heroin users are known to share needles and participate in at-risk sexual activity and prostitution, which are significant factors in the spread of many diseases. Research suggests that MMT significantly decreases the rate of HIV infection for those patients participating in MMT programs (Firshein, 1998). The patient remains physically dependent on the opioid, but is freed from the uncontrolled, compulsive, and disruptive behavior seen in heroin addicts. Withdrawal from methadone is much slower than that from heroin. As a result, it is possible to maintain an addict on methadone without harsh side effects. There is a huge risk if a person stays on methadone for longer than 14 days; there is an 80 percent chance that he or she will stay with their methadone maintenance treatment for six months or longer. A lot of patients need a treatment over a period of years. There are some alternative solutions which should be mentioned: Buprenorphine maintenance treatment. It has its advantages : Low likelihood of overdose. Relatively easier withdrawal Less side effects. Some patients may be taken every other day in an appropriate dosage. The optimal dose blocks the action of other opiates (but not for such a long period, such as methadone) because of which it becomes impossible to supplementation of illegal drugs However there are some disadvantages to consider: Withdrawal syndrome is not always eliminated, not all drug addicts, can occur when the transition from heroin and other opium derivatives. Enhances the side effects of tranquilizers, antipsychotics, which may lead to overdose if their joint application. High cost of medication. 2. Apomorphine treatment

Impact of the Internet on Business in the Middle East Essay -- Informa

New online consumer behavior in the Middle East and globally demands changes in corporate strategy Internet usage that involves online collaboration, networking between individual users, and user-created content - known as Web 2.0 - is growing rapidly and is changing the way companies in the Middle East operate, a new Booz Allen Hamilton study has found. Consumers no longer visit the Internet to passively take in content; rather, they are actively creating content themselves. 'In this new era of interactivity, corporations must be aware of what is taking place on the Internet and in social media spaces like MySpace, Wikipedia, and Second Life. They also must decide how to participate in this new world. They must develop a strategy to address the threats posed by Web 2.0 and seize the opportunities it offers. This is equally true for corporations operating in the Middle East, where Web 2.0 sites have a dedicated following,' said Jad Hajj, an associate with Booz Allen Hamilton, a global management consulting firm with offices throughout the MENA region. He added that companies also may need to change their business models to better fit the new online environment. 'Those that ignore the growing trend of Web 2.0 usage do so at their own peril,' he warned. To understand the full scale of Web 2.0 activity and learn how it might affect consumer behavior, Booz Allen conducted a first-of-its-kind study to investigate trends in Web 2.0 usage, including social behavior and networking, usage of communication and Internet services, and customer expenditure. As part of the study, 4,570 individuals in the Middle East, Germany, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and the United States were surveyed between August 2006 and January 2007... ... certain populations. For example, companies that want to target professionals may choose to advertise on LinkedIn, a business-oriented social networking site, whereas companies targeting the youth market may advertise on FunkySexyCool, a mobile-oriented social network run in cooperation with MTV. Customer service Web 2.0 platforms offer companies the ability to create very interactive high-quality customer service sites that network together customers, staff, and suppliers. In addition, companies can create customer service sites moderated by full-time employees that encourage end-user created content and wide participation among users - enhancing consumers' customer service experience and building loyalty. Branding There are increasing opportunities to brand companies on Web 2.0 sites, also at a much more favorable cost than through other media channels.

History of Great Depression Essay

Great depression affected the whole world catastrophically and is certainly the most severe depression ever experienced among industrialized western countries. Many economists and historians cite the crashing of stock market as the first and foremost reason for the Great Depression. However, the dispute among the economists is still continued on the exact causes for the Great Depression. The listing of causes may vary from economist to economist depending on the Keynesian view or Monetarist view, but one thing which is agreed upon by all the economists is that Great Depression is the result of combination of many factors, both monetary and economic. The Great Depression was started in US in the year, 1929 when the stock market was crashed and lasted till 1939 when US stepped into World War II Throughout the year 1929 – 1939, US economy has gone through many severe disasters that exacerbated the society colossally and it’s after effects were continued for several years (Nelson, n.d.). Great Depression causes over a timeline (1929-1942): None can name the single root cause of Great Depression because it is widely accepted that numerous factors were cited as responsible for this economic downturn. However, one of the main causes of this economic downturn (prior to 1929) was a combination of unbalanced allocation of income and the widespread stock market conjecture in the late 1920s. Money was used to be disseminated disproportionately between rich and the poor, between agriculture and the industry and US and Europe. The stock market was synthetically kept high leading to huge market crashes and unsound economy. This unequal distribution of wealth along with market crashes led to huge economic dip in America. Apart from this, some of the prominent causes of Great Depression, starting from 1929 are listed as follows: Â · Stock Market Crash (1929): In 1929, when Herbert Hoover became the president of US, the Great Depression hit the America badly leading the society towards economic downturn for almost a decade. The economists mistakenly consider stock market crash and Great Depression to be similar because stock market crashed prior to Great Depression on October 24, often called as Black Monday and on October 29, called as Black Tuesday. In actual, stock market crash was just one of the reasons responsible for Great Depression. In that crash, investors lost around $40 billion ($16 billion in a month), an exorbitant number! By 1930, stock market was able to recuperate its few losses but that were not adequate and unfortunately America entered into appalling stage of recession, called as Great Depression. Â · Bank Failures (1930): By 1930, almost 9000-11000 banks were shut. This was due to the failure of banks. The bank deposits were uninsured and due to the failure people lost their savings. The few still surviving banks stopped lending loans as they were unsure of their own stability and of economic conditions. This resulted in reduction of purchasing power of people leading to high unemployment rate. Â · Reduction in demand and supply (1930): The stock market crash and bank failures led to reduced purchasing power of people due to which inventory began to accrue, people stopped purchasing items so as to hoard money, liquidity preferences increased, etc. This all contributed towards reduced supply of items in the market, industries and factories which were either shut or stopped working, production was closed, etc. due to which unemployment increased. Â · Increment in unemployment (1930): Due to factories and industries being closed, people were fired from their jobs which increased the unemployment colossally. 6000 people started selling apples on the New York’s streets at 5cents per piece. As people were losing their jobs, they were unable to pay for the items obtained on installment basis and their items were retrieved. Gross National product (GNP) fell by 9.4%. The unemployment rate rose above 25% which meant, of course, even less spending that can help assuage the economic situation. Several grocery stores get raid and their items get stolen. Many foreign workers especially Mexican has to face the fury of Americans as they perceive them to be stealing their jobs (Kelly, 2010). Â · Smoot-Hawley Tariff (1930): To defend the American companies, the government signed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act in June 1930. According to this Act, tariffs were increased to a tax of 50% on the imported goods in the US. The real intention behind this was to increase the prices and wages but history shows that it further aggravated the depression because due to this Act, the trade was sharply decreased within the US as the US government in the pursuit of trying to protect their own industries, increased tariffs on imports that led to restricting the trade between the countries. According to economists, it was the wrong decision to initiate this Act at this phase when the economy was in the roar of downturn. About 1000 economists signed an appeal begging the government not enact it and 60 other countries passed penalizing tariffs in reaction to this. Â · Laissez-faire Policy (1932): The depression continued to deteriorate the US economy. The rebellions and discontent spread throughout the country, GNP continued to fall, this time it fell by 13.4%, stocks had lost 80% of their 1930 values, as the Government continued its non-interventionist, laissez-faire policy (Amatecon, 2007). Consequences of Great Depression: The consequences that arise as a result of the above declared causes curved the US economy into a large-scale economic slump. As a result, the Great Depression became the worldwide business downturn of 1930 as it affected almost all the countries of the world. International commerce declined quickly. The countries increased the tariffs on the imports to shield their own economies and industries due to which international trade declined sharply. The tax revenues, personal incomes and earnings started declining. This affected both, the countries that exported raw materials and industrialized countries. Government decreased their spending which led to decreased consumer demand resulting in decreased supply and increased unemployment. The construction came to a standstill in nations. The nations changed their heads and the type of administration. Germany was in the weakest condition because of the massive arrears the country was hampered by following WWI. The depression effects in Germany led to the rise to the authority of Adolf Hitler. Japanese invaded China and setup their mines and industries in Manchuria. China was of the opinion that this economic growth will reduce the depression. The depression had intense political effects as well. In Germany and Japan, as a result of depression militarist powers arose who implemented forceful foreign policies that led to the WW-II. The government intrusion in the US and the Britain ultimately resulted in the creation of welfare systems. Many investors lost their money and several were wiped out, losing everything. Banks, stores, industries and multinational companies came to an end leaving about 15million people jobless and impoverished. People came to depend on government and charities for money and food. All in all the Great Depression brought about a huge disaster and worldwide economic crises leaving the world immersed into terrible recession (Dinkins, 2002). The period of 1933-1939 proved to be fruitful for US economy. The president was replaced by Franklin Roosevelt. The government intervened and raised tax rates for highest earners in the country from 25% to 63% so as to ensure the fair division of wealth within the country. A new deal was signed to control unemployment by work-creation schemes such as painting of the post offices and street cleaning. Â  GNP started increasing, unemployment was decreased, tax rates were further increased to 79%, and retirement benefits were paid to senior citizens. The production raised by monstrous 50%, thus eradicating the depression completely from the economy. However, the move was little too late (Croft, 2010). Now economies should consider the recessions and depressions as the part and parcel of the life because even after applying all the cures and preventive measures we are still living in a period of recession. The implications for Great Depression demonstrate that it is obligatory and advisable to take timely decisions so as to completely get rid of such downward swings in business cycles. Although economists believe that it is not possible to completely eradicate the economic downturns from an economy because what goes around comes around, but government can take preventive measures so as to control such recessionary periods. In this way the effects of depression can be abridged so that society can be saved from being engulfed into the excessive stages of depression.

Cheat Sheet Finance Essay

One year ago, you purchased 1,200 shares of Berry, Mayell, and Wheeler (BMW) stock for $21.20 per share. You have received dividend payments equal to $0.60 per share. Today, you sold all of your shares for $22.20 per share. What is your total return (dollar and percent) on this investment? (4 points) [pic] Castella, Norwood, and Ngoc (CNN) stock had returns of 8%, -2%, 4%, and 16% over the past four years. What are the mean and standard deviation of this stock for the past four years? (6 points) The long term inflation rate average was 3.2% and you invested in long term corporate bonds over the same period which earned 6.1%. What was the average risk premium you earned? (3 points)[pic] Use the following information to answer questions 11 and 12. You purchased one of Fan, Igli, Sherrill, Harper, Evans, and Rashid (FISHER) Corp’s 8% coupon bonds one year ago for $1,028.50. These bonds make annual payments and mature six years for now. Suppose you decide to sell your bond today, when the required return on the bond is 7%. The inflation rate was 4.8% over the past year. What would be your total (i.e., nominal) rate of return on the investment? (7 points) To find the return on the coupon bond, you first need to find the price today. The bond now has six years to maturity, so the price today is: [pic] You received the coupon payments on the bond, so the nominal return was: [pic] What would be your real rate of return on the investment? (4 points) And using the Fisher equation to find the real return, we get [pic] Return and Risk: Statistics and CAPM (various points each) If the covariance of Caroline and Oberkrom (CO) Inc. stock with Van, Aleksandra, and Richter (VAR) Co. stock is0.0065, then what is the covariance of VAR Co. stock with CO Inc. stock? (3 points) Answer: -0.0065 Suppose the risk-free rate is 6.3% and the market risk premium is 8.5%. The market portfolio has a variance of 0.0498. Blagg, Elizabeth, Tendler, and April (BETA) Portfolio has a correlation coefficient with the market of 0.45 and a variance of 0.1783. According to the CAPM, what is the expected return on BETA Portfolio? (8 points) First, you need to find the standard deviation of the market and the portfolio, which are: [pic] [pic] Now, you can use the equation for beta to find the beta of the portfolio, which is:[pic]; or [pic] [pic] [pic] Assume that you are interested in acquiring the exclusive rights to market a new product. You estimate that it will cost you $500 million upfront. You also believe that the product will generate an NPV of -$165. You expect to operate without serious competition for the next five years. Use the following inputs to the Black-Scholes options pricing model: S, the current PV of the project’s E(CFs): $335 million ÏÆ'2, the variance of the project’s E(CFs):0.422 = 0.1764 X, the initial investment in the project:$500 million T, the period of exclusive rights to the project:5 years t, the number of years delayed:1 – 5 years rf, the 5-year risk-free rate:5% DY, the cost to delay [pic]:0.20

Robby Gamble Essays (1075 words) - Automation, Factory, Free Essays

Robby Gamble Essays (1075 words) - Automation, Factory, Free Essays Robby Gamble Professor Kelly EH1102-024 9 March, 2017 Is a robotic takeover upon us? Would you believe me if I told you in the near future 70 percent of the occupations American youth are aspiring to fill will be replaced by automation? As outlandish as this claim may sound, history has proven it to be true. In the early 19 th century the majority of the American workforce was centered around farms . As time progressed and the Industrial Revolution came along, a plethora of new jobs were generated in factories, and based around the machinery produced in theses factories. Thus , many Americans left their jobs on farms and flocked to factories . "Today automation has eliminated all but 1 percent of [farmer's] jobs, replacing them, (and their work animals) with machines (Kelly 299)." This concept is the premise of what Kevin Kelly, an author, founding member, and senior maverick at Wired , discusses in his article "Better than Human: Why Robots Will-and Must- Take Our Jobs". Kelly believes that an automation takeover is unavoi dable, and through this takeover , humans will be further advanced as a species. While I do believe Kelly ' s argument holds truth and validity, I do no t necessarily believe this takeover will be completely beneficial to the human race, the time period in which this takeover supposedly will happen is up for debate . Kelly begins his article by discussing the various methods by which automation and artificial intelligence has and is already being integrated into the American work force. He gives an example of an AI name d B axter. There are three things that separate Baxter from different forms of automation; Baxter has eyes, so he can sense his surroundings making him less hazardous than other machinery; Baxter can be easily programmed, so it does not take a higher level of education to program him , it does not take long to program him , and he will consistently preform whatever task he is assigned; a nd finally, Baxter is less costly than AI that is similar to him . As Kelly moves forward in his argument, he shifts his focus from different forms of automation to the actual relationship humans have with automation. Kelly uses a visual aid to convey the human robotic relationship. His visual aid can be broken down into four quadrants: Jobs today that humans do-but machines will eventually do better, Current jobs that humans can't do but machines can, Robots jobs that we can't even imagine yet, and Jobs that only huma ns will be able to do- at first. His visual aid serves as an excellent method to explain his idea that robots will take over the jobs we currently have, and they will force us to create new jobs. This continuous cycle will allow humans to focus on art, music, and other creative outlets that define the essence of being human. Finally, Kelly closes his argument by giving his readers something similar to the five stages of grief, but it is seven stages long and focus on accepting robots replacing humans in the workplace. While I do support Kelly's claims I do not do so whole heartedly. Kelly fails to i nclude the fact that people from every day citizens to the president of the United States are already arguing that jobs are being shipped across seas and taken over by robots. With that being said, I do not believe it will be easy to further integrate artificial intelligence into the workplace on a large scale swiftly. I truly believe that survival is something that comes natura l l y to humans, so its unlike ly that robots have the potential to wipe humans off the face of the planet, however I do question the human ability to maintain a high level of creativity and innovation. Kelly is very optimistic about this cycle of creation; however, it is hard to determine how long originality will last. An example is found in modern music. Major artists, such as Kanye West, are guilty of sampling music created in previous generations to create new music. While some may argue that looking to the past for inspiration can

Top-25 Chemistry Features and Articles

Top-25 Chemistry Features and Articles What are visitors reading? ThoughtCo. has you covered with this handy list of all of the top chemistry topics readers are perusing. Included in this top-25 listing are brief explanations of what youll find if you click the links. Using the periodic table  - The periodic table of the elements contains a wide variety of information. Most tables list element symbols, atomic number, and atomic mass at a minimum. The periodic table is organized so you can see trends in element properties at a glance.Chemical and physical changes  -  Chemical and physical changes are related to  chemical and physical properties.  Chemical changes take place on the molecular level. A chemical change produces a  new substance, as this article explains.Printable periodic tables  - Sometimes its nice to have a paper version of the periodic table of the elements that you can refer to when working problems or doing experiments in the lab. This is a collection of periodic tables that you can print and use. Additional specialty tables are also available.Chemistry glossary  - Find the definitions to terms in this ever-expanding glossary.  The comprehensive glossary offers definitions for terms which are commonly used in ch emistry and chemical engineering. Printable chemistry worksheets  - Print worksheets to practice chemistry problems.  The collection of chemistry worksheets is available in PDF format.Facts about acids and bases - Learn the essential about acids, bases and pH. The link provides the top 10 facts ranging from definitions to the  common test of whether an unknown is an acid or a base.Baking soda vs. baking powder  - Baking powder contains baking soda, but the two substances are used under different conditions.  Learn about the difference between the two and how to make substitutions while baking.Can you drink too much water?  - In a word, yes.  Learn whether its possible to drink too much water, how much it takes, and what happens.Chemistry problems  - Learn how to work problems by using examples.  This collection contains worked general chemistry and introductory chemistry problems, listed in alphabetical orderCrystal meth  - The chemical n-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-2-amine is called methamphetamine, m ethylamphetamine or desoxyephedrine. The shortened name is simply meth.  Learn about the chemistry of this well-known illegal drug. How to write a lab report  - Lab reports are an essential part of all laboratory courses and usually a significant part of your grade.  Here are step-by-step instructions on how to prepare a lab report for chemistry.List of elements  - This is a list of all the known chemical elements.  The names and  element symbols  are provided in this comprehensive list.How to calculate concentration  - Calculating the  concentration  of a chemical  solution is a basic skill all students of chemistry must develop early in their studies.  Learn how to determine the concentration of a chemical solution.Heterogeneous vs. homogeneous  - Heterogeneous  and  homogeneous  refer to mixtures of materials in chemistry.  Find out the difference between heterogeneous and homogeneous mixtures and get examples.How to balance equations  - A chemical equation describes what happens in a chemical  reaction.  Learn how to set up a balanced equation.Acid-base indicators  - An   acid-base indicator  is a weak acid or a weak base.  Information in this article includes common indicators, with a table showing pH ranges, quantities and colors. How to calculate theoretical yield  - Before performing chemical reactions, it is helpful to know how much product will be produced with given quantities of reactants.  Learn how to calculate the theoretical yield of a chemical reaction.What is borax?  - Borax is a natural mineral with a chemical formula Na2B4O7   10H2O.  Find out what borax is and how it cleans and kills bugs. Learn whether its safe to use.Independent vs. dependent variables  - The two main variables in an experiment are the independent and dependent variable. Learn to understand the difference between independent and dependent variables in a scientific experiment.Firework colors  - Creating firework colors is a complex endeavor, requiring considerable art and application of physical science.  Learn how the colors are formed with a table of common colorants.Periodic table quiz  - Use information about the elements found using a periodic table to answer the questions to this multiple-choice quiz.Nat ural mosquito repellents  -  You can avoid being bitten by making sure you arent attracting mosquitoes by using a repellent and avoiding actions that diminish the effectiveness of the repellent.  Find natural alternatives to help repel mosquitoes and other insects. Chemistry quizzes  - Look here for all of the quizzes and self-tests and for links to quizzes at other sites.  This collection of chemistry test questions is grouped according to subject.  Home experiments  - Whether you are homeschooling or simply looking for chemistry activities that you can do with everyday materials, this link will help. The link includes everything from holiday-themed experiments to steps for building a volcano.Science fair experiments  - Get instructions for setting up your own project.  This list of science fair project ideas is grouped according to topic and educational level. Learn how to make a poster and give a presentation judges will love.

SAT Historical Percentiles for 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011

SAT Historical Percentiles for 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you took the SAT from 2011-2015, you may be wondering what your percentile score is on the SAT. Is a 1500 on the SAT in 2011 the same percentile score as a 1500 in 2015? Do percentile scores change over time? In this article, I will explain SAT percentile scores, how they change, and I'll provide the percentile scores for SAT combined scores and section scores for 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011. Note: Go to this article instead if you're looking for historical percentiles for the new SAT (tests taken March 2016 and later). What Are Percentile Scores? Percentile scores reveal how well you did in relation to other people. If you scored in the 99th percentile, then you did better than 99% of the people who took the test. If you scored in the 50th percentile, then you scored higher than 50% of the people who took the test. The College Board determines its percentile scores annually from the scores of college-bound high school seniors who took the SAT. The higher your percentile score, the better you did relative to other high school seniors. Do Percentile Scores Change? Generally, percentile scores for equivalent SAT scores stay the same from year to year. For example, a combined SAT score of 2180 was the 98th percentile in2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. However, percentile scores for the same combined and section scores can change very slightly. A combined score of 1990 was the 92nd percentile for 2014, but it was the 93rd percentile in 2011-2013 and 2015. Similarly, a score of 630 on Critical Reading was the 86th percentile in 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2015, but it was the 87th percentile in 2012. The SAT does try to utilize its scoring system so that equivalent SAT scores are indicative of the same percentile scores and skill level, regardless of when the test was taken. The purpose of the SAT is to provide a valid way to compare students. A score of 1600 from March 2015 is supposed to be equivalent to a 1600 from April 2015 or April 2007. How Should You Use This Data and Why Is It Important? Your percentile score is the most straightforward way to determine if you got a good or badSAT score. If you scored higher than the majority of test-takers, then you did well. However, when you apply to a specific college, you're being compared to the other students who apply to that school. Most colleges publicize their 25th and 75th percentile SAT scores. If you want to be competitive for admission at a certain college, then your target score should be aroundthe school's 75th percentile score. Also, percentile scores help put your scores in context. There may not seem to be much difference between a 680 on the Critical Reading section and a 600 on Math, but the Critical Reading score is the 94th percentile while the Math score is the 75th (according to 2015 SAT percentiles). Raising each section score by 100 points would raise the Critical Reading percentile ranking by 5 points but the Math by 18. If you're considering retaking the SAT, your percentile scores can help you determine how you should prioritize your time. Similarly, a small composite score increase can have a huge impact on your percentile score if you received a middle score. For example, in 2015, a 1500 was the 52nd percentile but a 1750 was the 78th. Raising your score 250 points can raise your score from average to among the top 1/4 of test-takers. Finally, seeing the percentile scores for multiple years shows how little variance there is between percentile scores for the same SAT composite or section score in different years. If you're worried about how an older SAT score stacks up with more recent scores, take a look at these charts to get an idea of how it compares. Composite Score Percentiles, 2015 - 2011 Score 2015 Percentile 2014 Percentile 2013 Percentile 2012 Percentile 2011 Percentile 2400 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 2390 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 2380 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 2370 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 2360 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 2350 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 2340 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 2330 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 2320 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 2310 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 2300 99 99 99+ 99 99+ 2290 99 99 99 99 99+ 2280 99 99 99 99 99 2270 99 99 99 99 99 2260 99 99 99 99 99 2250 99 99 99 99 99 2240 99 99 99 99 99 2230 99 99 99 99 99 2220 99 99 99 99 99 2210 98 98 98 99 99 2200 98 98 98 98 98 2190 98 98 98 98 98 2180 98 98 98 98 98 2170 98 98 98 98 98 2160 98 98 98 98 98 2150 97 97 97 97 98 2140 97 97 97 97 97 2130 97 97 97 97 97 2120 97 97 97 97 97 2110 97 96 97 97 97 2100 96 96 96 96 96 2090 96 96 96 96 96 2080 96 96 96 96 96 2070 95 95 95 96 96 2060 95 95 95 95 95 2050 95 95 95 95 95 2040 94 94 94 95 95 2030 94 94 94 94 94 2020 94 94 94 94 94 2010 93 93 93 93 93 2000 93 93 93 93 93 1990 93 92 93 93 93 1980 92 92 92 92 92 1970 92 92 92 92 92 1960 91 91 91 91 91 1950 91 91 91 91 91 1940 90 90 90 90 90 1930 90 90 90 90 90 1920 89 89 89 89 89 1910 89 89 89 89 89 1900 88 88 88 88 88 1890 88 87 88 88 88 1880 87 87 87 87 87 1870 87 86 86 87 86 1860 86 86 86 86 86 1850 85 85 85 85 85 1840 85 84 84 85 84 1830 84 84 84 84 84 1820 83 83 83 83 83 1810 83 82 82 82 82 1800 82 81 82 82 82 1790 81 81 81 81 81 1780 80 80 80 80 80 1770 80 79 79 79 79 1760 79 78 78 79 78 1750 78 77 78 78 78 1740 77 77 77 77 77 1730 76 76 76 76 76 1720 75 75 75 75 75 1710 74 74 74 74 74 1700 74 73 73 73 73 1690 73 72 72 72 72 1680 72 71 71 71 71 1670 71 70 70 70 70 1660 70 69 69 69 69 1650 69 68 68 68 68 1640 68 67 67 67 67 1630 67 66 66 66 66 1620 66 65 65 65 65 1610 65 64 64 64 64 1600 64 63 63 63 63 1590 62 62 62 62 62 1580 61 61 61 61 61 1570 60 60 60 60 59 1560 59 59 58 59 58 1550 58 57 57 57 57 1540 57 56 56 56 56 1530 56 55 55 55 55 1520 55 54 54 54 53 1510 53 53 52 53 52 1500 52 52 51 51 51 1490 51 50 50 50 50 1480 50 49 49 49 49 1470 49 48 48 48 47 1460 48 47 46 47 46 1450 46 46 45 45 45 1440 45 44 44 44 44 1430 44 43 43 43 42 1420 43 42 42 42 41 1410 42 41 40 40 40 1400 40 40 39 39 39 1390 39 38 38 38 38 1380 38 37 37 37 36 1370 37 36 36 36 35 1360 36 35 34 34 34 1350 34 34 33 33 33 1340 33 32 32 32 32 1330 32 31 31 31 30 1320 31 30 30 30 29 1310 30 29 29 29 28 1300 29 28 27 27 27 1290 28 27 26 26 26 1280 27 26 25 25 25 1270 26 25 24 24 24 1260 25 24 23 23 23 1250 24 23 22 22 22 1240 22 22 21 21 21 1230 22 21 20 20 20 1220 21 20 19 19 19 1210 20 19 18 18 18 1200 19 18 17 17 17 1190 18 17 17 16 16 1180 17 16 16 16 15 1170 16 15 15 15 14 1160 15 14 14 14 14 1150 14 14 13 13 13 1140 14 13 13 12 12 1130 13 12 12 11 11 1120 12 11 11 10 11 1110 12 11 11 10 10 1100 11 10 10 9 9 1090 10 10 9 9 9 1080 10 9 9 9 8 1070 9 8 8 8 8 1060 9 8 8 7 7 1050 8 7 7 7 7 1040 7 7 7 7 6 1030 7 6 6 6 6 1020 7 6 6 6 5 1010 6 6 5 5 5 1000 6 5 5 5 5 990 5 5 5 5 4 980 5 5 4 4 4 970 5 4 4 4 4 960 4 4 4 4 3 950 4 4 3 3 3 940 4 3 3 3 3 930 3 3 3 3 3 920 3 3 3 3 2 910 3 3 3 2 2 900 3 2 2 2 2 890 2 2 2 2 2 880 2 2 2 2 2 870 2 2 2 2 2 860 2 2 2 1 1 850 2 2 1 1 1 840 2 1 1 1 1 830 1 1 1 1 1 820 1 1 1 1 1 810 1 1 1 1 1 800 1 1 1 1 1 790 1 1 1 1 1 780 1 1 1 1 1 770 1 1 1 1- 1- 760 1 1 1- 1- 1- 750 1 1 1- 1- 1- 740 1- 1- 1- 1- 1- 730 1- 1- 1- 1- 1- 720 1- 1- 1- 1- 1- 710 1- 1- 1- 1- 1- 700 1- 1- 1- 1- 1- 690 1- 1- 1- 1- 1- 680 1- 1- 1- 1- 1- 670 1- 1- 1- 1- 1- 660 1- 1- 1- 1- 1- 650 1- 1- 1- 1- 1- 640 1- 1- 1- 1- 1- 630 1- 1- 1- 1- 1- 620 1- 1- 1- 1- 1- 610 1- 1- 1- 1- 1- 600 Section Score Percentiles Critical Reading Score 2015 Percentile 2014 Percentile 2013 Percentile 2012 Percentile 2011 Percentile 800 99 99 99 99+ 99+ 790 99 99 99 99 99 780 99 99 99 99 99 770 99 99 99 99 99 760 99 99 99 99 99 750 98 98 98 98 98 740 98 98 98 98 98 730 97 97 97 97 97 720 96 97 97 97 97 710 96 96 96 96 96 700 96 95 95 95 95 690 95 94 94 94 94 680 94 93 94 93 93 670 92 92 92 92 92 660 91 91 91 91 91 650 90 90 90 90 90 640 89 88 88 88 88 630 86 86 86 87 86 620 84 84 84 84 84 610 82 82 82 83 82 600 80 80 80 81 80 590 78 77 77 78 78 580 75 75 75 76 75 570 73 72 73 73 73 560 70 70 70 71 70 550 67 66 67 67 67 540 64 64 64 64 64 530 61 60 61 61 60 520 57 57 57 58 58 510 54 54 54 55 54 500 51 50 51 51 51 490 48 47 48 48 47 480 44 44 44 44 44 470 41 40 41 41 40 460 37 37 37 37 37 450 35 34 34 34 34 440 31 31 31 31 30 430 28 27 27 27 27 420 25 25 24 25 24 410 22 21 21 21 21 400 19 19 18 19 18 390 17 16 16 16 16 380 15 14 14 14 14 370 13 12 12 12 11 360 11 10 10 10 10 350 9 9 8 9 8 340 8 7 7 7 7 330 7 6 6 6 6 320 5 5 5 5 5 310 5 4 4 4 4 300 4 4 4 3 3 290 3 3 3 3 3 280 3 3 3 2 2 270 2 2 2 2 2 260 2 2 2 2 2 250 2 2 2 1 1 240 1 1 1 1 1 230 1 1 1 1 1 220 1 1 1 1 1 210 1 1 1 1 1 200 Math Score 2015 Percentile 2014 Percentile 2013 Percentile 2012 Percentile 2011 Percentile 800 99 99 99 99 99 790 99 99 99 99 99 780 99 99 99 98 99 770 98 98 98 98 98 760 97 97 97 97 98 750 97 97 97 97 97 740 96 96 96 96 96 730 95 95 96 96 96 720 95 95 95 95 95 710 94 94 94 94 94 700 93 93 93 93 93 690 92 91 92 92 92 680 90 90 90 90 90 670 89 88 89 89 89 660 87 87 87 87 87 650 86 85 85 85 86 640 84 83 83 83 84 630 82 82 81 82 82 620 80 79 79 80 80 610 77 77 77 78 77 600 75 75 75 74 75 590 73 73 73 72 73 580 71 70 70 70 70 570 68 67 67 67 67 560 66 64 65 64 64 550 62 62 62 62 62 540 59 59 58 58 58 530 56 55 55 55 55 520 53 52 52 52 52 510 50 49 48 49 48 500 46 45 45 45 46 490 44 42 42 42 41 480 41 40 38 39 38 470 37 36 35 35 36 460 34 33 32 32 32 450 31 30 29 29 29 440 28 27 26 26 26 430 25 24 23 23 23 420 22 21 21 21 20 410 19 19 18 18 17 400 17 16 16 16 15 390 15 14 14 13 13 380 13 12 12 11 11 370 11 10 10 10 10 360 9 9 9 8 8 350 8 7 7 7 7 340 7 6 6 6 6 330 6 5 5 5 5 320 5 4 4 4 4 310 4 3 3 3 3 300 3 3 3 2 2 290 2 2 2 2 2 280 2 2 2 2 2 270 1 1 1 1 1 260 1 1 1 1 1 250 1 1 1 1 1 240 1 1 1 1 1 230 1 1 1 1 1 220 1- 1- 1- 1- 1- 210 1- 1- 1- 1- 1- 200 Writing Score 2015 Percentile 2014 Percentile 2013 Percentile 2012 Percentile 2011 Percentile 800 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+ 790 99 99 99 99 99 780 99 99 99 99 99 770 99 99 99 99 99 760 99 99 99 99 99 750 98 98 98 98 98 740 98 98 98 98 98 730 98 97 98 98 97 720 97 97 97 97 97 710 96 96 96 96 96 700 96 96 96 96 96 690 95 95 95 95 95 680 94 94 94 94 94 670 93 93 93 93 93 660 92 92 92 92 92 650 91 90 90 90 90 640 89 89 89 89 89 630 88 88 88 88 88 620 86 86 86 86 86 610 84 84 84 84 84 600 82 82 82 82 82 590 80 80 80 80 80 580 78 78 78 78 78 570 76 76 76 75 75 560 74 73 73 73 72 550 71 70 70 70 70 540 68 68 68 67 67 530 65 65 65 64 64 520 62 62 61 61 61 510 59 58 58 58 58 500 56 55 55 55 54 490 53 52 51 52 51 480 49 48 48 48 47 470 46 45 45 44 44 460 42 41 41 41 40 450 39 38 37 38 37 440 35 34 34 34 34 430 32 31 30 31 30 420 29 28 27 27 27 410 25 25 24 24 24 400 22 21 21 21 21 390 19 19 18 18 18 380 17 16 16 16 15 370 14 14 13 13 13 360 12 12 11 11 11 350 10 10 9 9 9 340 8 8 8 8 7 330 7 7 6 6 6 320 6 5 5 5 5 310 5 4 4 4 4 300 4 4 3 3 3 290 3 3 3 3 3 280 3 2 2 2 2 270 2 2 2 2 2 260 2 2 2 1 1 250 2 1 1 1 1 240 1 1 1 1 1 230 1 1 1 1 1 220 1 1 1 1 1 210 1 1 1 1 1- 200 What's Next? Check out these posts on what SAT scores measure and if you need SAT scores to transfer colleges. How do these compare to percentiles on the new SAT? Learn more about new SAT percentile ranks here. Finally, learn how to calculate your SAT score. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

Attraction in Interpersonal Relationships Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Attraction in Interpersonal Relationships - Essay Example I could say that it was her demure and reserved character, as well as her sharp mind and strong work ethic that attracted me most. She was my complete opposite when we first met, especially in terms of personality and outlook in life. She was more pragmatic, while I was more idealistic. Eventually we got used to each of our differences, but it also developed the way we were to adapt to each other. During the early years of our relationship, we had difficulty trying to understand or tolerate the polar differences between us. Some efforts led to one of us being either too distant or sensitive. I enjoyed the company of my companion a lot, but she did not feel the same level of likeness with my company, initially. As time went on, our personalities began to change towards each other’s differences. For example, my companion developed a softer and more caring personality, while I developed a more emotionally restrained and rational character. However, instead of swinging extremely to the opposite side, personality-wise, we developed a more balanced character between us. As a result, we get along better

Dualism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dualism - Essay Example One key feature about dualism also has to do with the fact that greater percentage of the commentators who have discusses or written about the subject before appreciate dualism from the mind-body perspective. There seem to be this uniformity of agreement among the commentators because the mind-body perspective of dualism is considered to be the basis or history behind dualism whereby â€Å"humans have (or seem to have) both physical properties and mental properties† (Howard, 2011). In the following sections, the subject of dualism as presented from selected view points is discussed. Platonic Dualism The perspective of Plato’s dualism is related to the human life as well but Plato tackles the entities of body and soul instead of mind and body. Generally, Plato’s points and arguments on dualism are considered as the oldest. In his opinion, the body and soul of humans are two different entities that live for two different purposes. As such, Plato asserts that when o ne of the entities departs or dies, the other lives on. The College of Letters, Arts & Social Sciences (2001) posits that Plato’s view on a separation of the body from the soul (in such a way that they are two different entiries) is perfectly backed by the Torah. The debate between Plato’s assertions that the soul lives after live is however challenged by the scholars of the Torah. This is because the latter argue that â€Å"when God communicates with the Hebrews in the Torah, his covenant explicitly references rewards in this life, not an afterlife† (College of Letters, Arts & Social Sciences, 2001). This means that contrary to Plato’s beliefs that the soul lives after the body dies and that the souls faces reward or punishment based on the actions it performed when the body lived, scholars of the Torah refute this Socrates’ perspective of Dualism Socrates also holds a dynamic view of dualism with a lot of similarities with the views shared by Pla to. Actually, Socrates confirms that the body and soul are two independent entities of live and those they are the central point of human dualism. Idealistically, Socrates may differ from Plato in the sense that whereas Plato advocates total independence of the body from the soul and sees them as two individuals who never depend on the other, Socrates argue that the soul has a lot of relation and dependence on the body and that the body actually imprisons the soul as long as the body lives. To this end, â€Å"Socrates argues that death is a good thing because it frees the soul from the body in which it was effectively imprisoned† (Clark, 2010). The implication that is got from this assertion is that the soul is a representation of truth and wisdom and thus as an entity living in the human being, that is all that the soul seeks to champion. However, the body, which is more directed towards evil and lies is too powerful that if often times overcomes the soul and so hardly allow s the soul to operate independently till death separates the two. St. Augustine’s Dualism St. Augustine takes the subject of dualism to a more religious perspective than just being philosophical. From St. Augustine’s perspective therefore, dualism is debated more as a doctrine than a philosophical

Learning new skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Learning new skills - Essay Example Developing good communication skills goes hand in hand with actively developing good listening skills. I have a self drive to improve some skills in my interpersonal relations. Such skills include but not limited to listening skills. Listening skills play a fundamental role towards establishing a mutual understanding in a conversation (Koprowska, 2005). By improving my listening skills, I will be able to respond to various situations intellectually; for example in responding to criticism and also accepting corrections. Developing good listening skills help me understand what is expected of me especially in the workplace and also to understand the hidden meanings of what others have to say. Other skills which are paramount in developing good interpersonal relationships which I plan to improve include coherence during speaking, being audible and maintaining good eye contact while addressing others. In everyday life we meet people of different race, culture, religion and beliefs; it is therefore very important to develop good communication skills to allow us to associate freely and share diverse ideas with them. By developing these skills; I will be able to interact freely with my co-workers, my boss and other staff members in the work place .In conclusion, communication skills play a very vital role by immensely contributing towards the success of our daily endeavours. Communication is an essential skill that people have to learn. Good communication skills help in upholding one’s dignity; a precursor of confidence and success (Koprowska,

Critical Perspectives on Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Critical Perspectives on Management - Essay Example Taking its roots from poststructuralism, which posits that there is "no central meaning in texts," deconstruction has been used as a new method to understand and interpret human resource changes and behavior in organisations today. Its usefulness stems from the fact that it generates multiple perspectives, or ways, in which the manager can best assess the nature of the organisation's human resources. The ability of deconstruction to look into a subject or object in different ways is useful not only in decision-making processes, but also in the implementation of these decisions within the organisation. This paper discusses the role that deconstruction plays in the contemporary organisation, influencing its very nature and processes. Drawing from both theoretical and practical applications of deconstruction as applied in the business perspective, specifically in business organisations, I discuss and analyze the presence of the "Other" in organisations when applied under the deconstructionist perspective. Moreover, in addition to identifying the presence of the Other, the development of the behavior of openness and uncertainty when the manager encounters a posstructuralist interpretation is also analyzed. Finally, the relevance and significance of deconstruction per se, and the application of deconstruction in the business organisation are integrated in the final part of the analysis, integrating both theory and application to understand the nature and dynamics of the contemporary organisation. II. The theoretical foundation of deconstruction To better understand the practical use of deconstruction in business organisations, its theoretical foundations must first be investigated. Deconstruction takes its root from poststructuralism. As a sociological thought, poststructuralism "deny that there is any central meaning in texts," a thesis that also adopts the assumption that there is no universal truth or way of interpreting objects or subjects that people experience in their everyday lives. Theoretically, deconstruction "shows that whatever meaning is derived is wrong. Since there is an unending set of possible meanings in any text, there can be no central or true meaning at all" (Littlejohn, 1999:223). These claims are developed from the increasing need of academicians and social scientists to know the limit at which knowledge-building and development have reached since the advent of modernism. Deconstruction as a new perspective in the schools of thought extant provides humanity with the opportunity to further improve and develop the knowledge that we have. The pursuit of "truth" is no longer achieved by gaining an in-depth knowledge of the phenomena that trigger humanity's curiosity, but rather, truth is now discovered by knowing the wide range of knowledge available to us humans, whether this knowledge is only at the most basic level. That is, knowledge production is no longer intensive, but rather extensive and diverse, as posited by deconstruction. Other theoretical explanations on deconstruction are, at best, descriptive in nature. Take as an example Bennington's elucidation of deconstru

Gender Studies about the family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gender Studies about the family - Essay Example tion, on the other hand, depends on the ability of the other to  acquire  the most  excellent  species  or the higher number of mates basing on the degree of  difference  in reproduction (Marlene 8).  Birds with longer tails  illustrate  sexual  selection  as they attract more females contrast to the ones with shorter tails despite their risk as an easy  target  prey  and  hardship  in flying.  Females tend to  differentiate  the  little  differences amongst the mates and they prefer to mate with individuals who posses exaggerated behavior. These characters also  aid  in their survival (Marlene 9). Biologically, people might  deny  the differences of structure composition and hormones among men and women; they differ on the significance for gender values and qualities regarding the differences. Organization in the brain has also been used to determine the sex difference as in the case where females are more  superior  in  their verbal skills than men, because woman are  dominant  in the left-brain while men are better in the  image  and spatial skills because of their right  brain  dominance.  The physical differences between males and females  bring  about the  division  whereby men are more aggressive than women and have stronger muscles while females have  a better adapted pelvis  for childbearing.  Men’s aggressiveness helps them in their social life because it acts as a defensive mechanism. Parenting  is profoundly based  on gender. This is because being a father, or a mother means different things to the parents. In the act of preference, gender  is illustrated  by the issue of how men treat their sons and daughters with difference. The importance of a man relating to a woman is  essential  because it helps both parties  evaluate  whether they are a family man or a  wife. In parenting, labor  division  is  dominant  because men engage in public  category  of working hard to  support  the family while women, on the other hand, fall in the category of child

OLS final exam Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

OLS final exam - Term Paper Example In addition, these labor management relations of today are quite different from the ones used 50 years ago. Besides, there are also some important legislative issues and laws that govern these labor relations in the U.S (Lewin, Keefe & Kochan, 2012). Therefore, this paper will discuss and analyze some of the labor relations in the U.S in contemporary society as compared to those that were administered in 50 years ago (Kuang & Moser, 2011). Again, the paper will address some of the legislative issues and laws that govern labor relations in the U.S. Furthermore, the paper will discuss the causes of declining union membership in U.S and the reasons that have led to decline in union membership (Flanagan, 2005). Lastly, the paper will address contract negotiation process and give important facts about contract negotiation process (Summary of the Major Laws of the Department of Labor, 2012). Labor Relations To begin with, a comparison research about the current labor relations and the past labor relation show that, current labor relations are more organized and more beneficial to most people in the U.S. This is because today there are many provisions in the law and legislative structure on issues dealing with labor relations such as Wages and Hours labor management laws that provide standard limits for wages given to the employees and the set of standard limits of hours that an employee should work. In the past 50 years, these laws were not there; hence, the current labor relations are far much better than they used to be 50 years ago. In addition, there are labor relations laws such as the Employee Retirement Income Security Act that provides and advocates for retirement benefits to employees such as health care provisions. Besides, today, there are various procedures, policies, and provisions in the laws, that energize labor management in the country. Therefore, it is clear that labor management and relations are far much better today than 50 years ago (Max, 2013). Legislative issues and laws in United States Various legislative issues and laws in the U.S govern labor relation, and are applicable to all workers, employees, businesses, and even contractors. First, one important law is about wages and hours that outline the standard limits for wages and hours of working, which apply to both private and public employment relations. This law requires that employers should cover employees’ pay for those who work overtime and normal hours, and for overtime work, the payment should be one and a half of the normal regular rates of payment. Again, the law states that in the non-agricultural jobs, children under the age of 16 can only work on the less dangerous jobs while children can only work or are employed during school holidays, as the law does not allow school-going children under the age of 16 to be employed when they are supposed to be in school. In addition, the law provides standard conditions and procedures under which immigrants in t he U.S can work, and states that they can only work under some immigrant and nonimmigrant visa policies and programs (Summary of the Major Laws of the Department of Labor, 2012). Secondly, the Occupational Safety and Health Act provides work place and health regulations in the workplace by stating that employees in both private and

Gender Studies about the family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gender Studies about the family - Essay Example tion, on the other hand, depends on the ability of the other to  acquire  the most  excellent  species  or the higher number of mates basing on the degree of  difference  in reproduction (Marlene 8).  Birds with longer tails  illustrate  sexual  selection  as they attract more females contrast to the ones with shorter tails despite their risk as an easy  target  prey  and  hardship  in flying.  Females tend to  differentiate  the  little  differences amongst the mates and they prefer to mate with individuals who posses exaggerated behavior. These characters also  aid  in their survival (Marlene 9). Biologically, people might  deny  the differences of structure composition and hormones among men and women; they differ on the significance for gender values and qualities regarding the differences. Organization in the brain has also been used to determine the sex difference as in the case where females are more  superior  in  their verbal skills than men, because woman are  dominant  in the left-brain while men are better in the  image  and spatial skills because of their right  brain  dominance.  The physical differences between males and females  bring  about the  division  whereby men are more aggressive than women and have stronger muscles while females have  a better adapted pelvis  for childbearing.  Men’s aggressiveness helps them in their social life because it acts as a defensive mechanism. Parenting  is profoundly based  on gender. This is because being a father, or a mother means different things to the parents. In the act of preference, gender  is illustrated  by the issue of how men treat their sons and daughters with difference. The importance of a man relating to a woman is  essential  because it helps both parties  evaluate  whether they are a family man or a  wife. In parenting, labor  division  is  dominant  because men engage in public  category  of working hard to  support  the family while women, on the other hand, fall in the category of child

Job Organization and Information Essay Example for Free

Job Organization and Information Essay The job description might be broadened to form a person specification or may be known as Terms Of Reference Roles and responsibilities A job description may include relationships with other people in the organization: Supervisory level, managerial requirements, and relationships with other colleagues. Goals A job description need not be limited to explaining the current situation, or work that is currently expected; it may also set out goals for what might be achieved in future. Limitations Job descriptions may not be suitable for some senior managers as they should have the freedom to take the initiative and find fruitful new directions; †¢Job descriptions may be too inflexible in a rapidly-changing organization, for instance in an area subject to rapid technological change; †¢Other changes in job content may lead to the job description being out of date; †¢The process that an organization uses to create job descriptions may not be optimal.

Should English Be The Global English Language Essay

Should English Be The Global English Language Essay Today, the world has shrunk to the size of a handheld electronic device. In nanoseconds we can stream through cyberspace and reach the other side of the earth. More and more, we are becoming a global economy, interdependent upon each other for trade and commerce. That means interacting with people in foreign lands we may never visit. It would only make sense that we all learn to communicate in one language to save time and effort, to reduce the possible miscommunication diluted through translation, and to streamline transactions. But is it feasible, and if so, is it really the best course of action? The concept of a global language is hardly new. Throughout the centuries, to the conquerors went the spoils, which means they became economically superior. In order to trade with those in power, one had to speak their language. Colonization became the norm, first by Rome, then Spain, then France, then England. That is how the US was settled. In the 19th and even into the 20th century, the English speaking powers of Great Britain and the United States ruled the world of commerce, power and trade. Both World Wars were won largely due to the efforts of these allies. Though communism was on the rise at the end of World War II, within forty years it was no longer deemed a threat. Capitalism ruled, and so did the language of the capitalists English. The fact is this: English is present worldwide and is spoken on every continent. As of 1995, it was deemed to be the official language in sixty countries and was prominent in twenty more  [i]  . Approximately 500 million to 1.8 billion people are estimated to speak English, or at least be able to successfully carry on a conversation in it according to an article by Debateopedia.  [ii]  David Crystal estimated in his Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language (1995) that the number of English as a second language speakers (i.e. people who lived in a country where English was the assumed official language but not their native tongue) in the world equaled close to 98 million while those who spoke it as a foreign language was estimated to be, as low as 100 million and as high as 1,000 million.  [iii]   So, the concept that English should become the new global and internet language seems logical to many people. But is it? Or is that an antiquated, narrow world view left over from the British colonization era that both globalization and Internet communication has begun to dissolve? In order to analyze this in a neutral light, it is necessary to look at both sides of the argument and weigh it against the global economic and population trends of today and for the next forty or fifty years. It is, however, necessary to note that this article is originally written in English Americanized English, which many website providers today prefer to use because of its universal appeal. That being said, it is hard to remain totally unbiased. The Argument For English as a Global Language One cannot argue that English has dominated many forms of literary expression in the last seventy years thanks to the silver screen, radio and television. In literary works, from poetry to scientific research papers, English continues to be dominant if the author wishes his or her work to get international recognition, according to MÃÆ' ¨litz (2004).  [iv]  He states, in an internet article published by the Center for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), If you want to reach a world audience, write in English those who strive to make a mark in their discipline strive to publish in English. By and large, the ones who stick to their home language English accepted of course have lower ambitions and do less significant work.  [v]   The article goes on to state that with the advances in telecommunications in the last thirty years, the dominance of English in auditory and audiovisual entertainment has become far greater than books. In 1960, English represented about a quarter of the world publishing market, yet translations into English equaled about 50%, according to the CEPR. Twenty years later, while the share of English publishing had dropped to only 17%, translations still remained at or over 50%. If their facts are accurate, it shows English was, at that time, still the academically preferred language. This was written long before the introduction of Kindle and I Pads which to date cannot yet handle the characters of Hebrew, Russian, Chinese, Japanese or Arabic and have limited downloadable options in French, Italian or Spanish. Whether or not these two inventions will increase English domination of the written word or not remains to be seen. Still, English appears to be the most dominant language into which others are translated. If you want to reach the world, even on the web, your website needs to be in English. After all, English has been the official language of the UNO since 1945 as well as NAFTA, NATO and other international trade and diplomatic organizations. It is the official language of the Council of Europe even though there are a total of eleven languages represented. In the Olympics, English shares dominance with French. Athletes are expected to know English in order to be interviewed by television reporters. English is the language of Microsoft, Coca-Cola, MacDonalds and Hollywood. English is the language of pop-culture, or tourism, of markets and trade, of the Internet.  [vi]   In a blog offered by Ronald Hilton of the Hoover Institution in Stanford, CA, Madhukar N. Goagte of India points out English is the language all pilots must use no matter what airport they are communicating with in which country. In international airports, in fact, all announcements are in three languages the universal picture symbols, the native tongue and in English if it is not the native tongue.  [vii]   Dr. Ali S.M. Al-lssa states that English language teaching (ELT) has been a global activity and a large business and industry for the past five decades or so. This has been concurrent with the international role English language has been playing on the world arena in the postcolonial/neocolonial age dominated by the USA.  [viii]   He goes on to reference his point by stating what Dua (1994) said, i.e. that British promotion of English as a second language was solely in an effort to protect and promote capitalism, an effort that the US took over in the postwar era.  [ix]  Despite the rise of manufacturing in China, Mexico and elsewhere, the majority of commercial buyers remain those from the USA and other English speaking countries. Therefore, it is only natural to speak, advertise and trade in that language. One could argue, therefore, since the trend to make English the universal internet language is already established out of popular demand and commercial dominance, it should be allowed to continue. But will this always be the case? Will the decline in recent years of the European and American economic markets versus the rise of the Chinese markets tip the scales in favor of everyone learning Mandarin? Is it arrogant to state that reading and speaking English is the only way to achieve economic success on a global level? Barbara Wallraff (What Global Language, 2000) reported what an international information technology expert she interviewed named Michael Dertouzos relayed about the mood at a conference he attended in Taipei. Chinese traders were grousing about the fact they had to use English in order to make money on the Internet. Ten years later, they still do. The Argument Against The Tower of Babel The ancient story of the Tower of Babel exists in the Torah, the Koran and the Bible. It tells of a time when all people spoke the same language and became so arrogant that they decided to build a tower up to God, in essence to become equals. As a result, the tower was sent tumbling to the ground. As a punishment for this audacity, the people began babbling in incomprehensible languages. Since they could not intercommunicate, they were rendered powerless. Is the same thing happening today? Goethe is quoted to have said, Wer keine andreren Sprachen kennt, weiss nichts von seiner eigenen. (He who knows no other languages, knows nothing of his own.) Just because an American business person or tourist is monolingual, to assume that everyone else he meets should speak English borders on the same arrogance as the people of Babel, does it not? Over 70% of Europeans are at least bilingual. In fact, most of the world outside of the USA speaks more than one tongue. It is not uncommon for a country to have several native languages within its borders. Throughout history, as tribes and villages were conquered, the dominating victors language become predominant, but native tongues were not eliminated. The predominance of one universal language was first proposed as far back as 1887 by L.L. Zamenhof in his treatise on Esperanto. This was a language he created to facilitate international trade communications. It is a blending of many European based languages and is supposedly designed to be learned quickly. Over 120 years later, it is a viable international language and is spoken by many people, but because it has no culture attached to it, it is lifeless. It hasnt really grown in vocabulary. There are few idioms or colloquialisms. It lacks color and culture, which language is designed to express. Does English domination thwart the creative development of other cultures? Language is one of the cornerstones of a civilizations culture. The more you use that tongue, the more you become absorbed into the societys mores and customs. Even MÃÆ' ¨litz does go onto argue that having English as the dominating factor, is as limiting as having all music written for a cello (English Language Dominance, 1999). Translations cannot pick up all the idioms, nuances and beauty of a language or the culture to which it belongs. Scholars such as Rasool (1999) agree. She sees language is a developmental feature of a culture. . . . people must be provided with the skills, knowledges and expertise to shape their own development priorities. Literacy defined within the framework of sustainable development would therefore include a broad and critical knowledge base, an understanding of how societies function. . .  [x]   Language is the fabric that interweaves a culture together. To take that away and make one language a universal one would be like diluting a teaspoon of sugar in a gallon of water. The hint of the sweetness may remain, but it is not very noticeable. The result is a watered down version that loses its heart and soul. The flavor of the culture is absorbed and almost disappears in the common denominator of a universal language. One may point out that is what the colonization mentality of the British empire was in essence all about, and American commerce has become the offspring of that concept. Alistair Pennycook would be the first to agree. In his article, Development, Culture and Language (1999), he showed how parental demand for learning English can backfire Hong Kong has been a good example of this: parental demand produced extensive schooling in English, which did not have an effect of giving people greater access to resources; rather, it gave people an inadequate education both of and through their first language.  [xi]   Parents want their children to succeed and have all the advantages they did not have. But, does that mean learning a new language and absorbing another culture? Along with English comes Western culture, which has not always been proven to be a wonderful improvement. Japan is evidence of this. Obesity, once rare, is now rampant among younger Japanese who have developed a taste for hamburgers, chocolate candy, pizza and fries. Smoking related diseases continues to be on the rise. Acne plague the faces of the youth. A generation is being lost as young Japanese in their twenties and thirties literally bow out of society unable to reconcile their thirst for Western ways with the traditions of their parents. Known as the dead children, they literally lock themselves away in their rooms for years on end. Depression and suicidal rates are escalating among this age group. Is English the Official Language in the US? Few people realize that the US federal government has never established an official language of the country, and only twenty-five out of the fifty states have.  [xii]  Perhaps because the Founding Fathers all spoke English it was never considered an issue. However, today, that is not the case. According to the United States Census Bureau, between 1980-1990 the number of Spanish speaking people residing in the US rose by 50% and Chinese speakers grew by 98%.  [xiii]  Hispanics make up almost 1/3 of that population, and where as English is becoming the preferred language of the younger generations born there, many still claim it as a second language. Spanish is still the primary one of the home among a majority of Hispanics living in the US. It is estimated that 2.4 million Chinese now live in the US and most speak their native tongue as a first language. Add to that Koreans, Vietnamese, Japanese and Arabic nation immigrants, and this melting pot becomes more like a mixed salad . Everything blends, but little cross culture is absorbed. It is just saturated by the dressing called Americanism. Whats more, the trend is world-wide. David Graddol, of the English Company, a British based firm that deals in international commerce, has written extensively on this subject of English and its decline as a global language. He states, . . . the globalization of English isnt going to happen the way people expect it to.  [xiv]  In another paper called Decline of the Native Speaker(1999), he explains that the percentage of native English speaking people in the world will shrink dramatically by the year 2050 to 5%. Chinese Mandarin will be the primary language with 1,384million speakers. Hindu and Urdu will be the next most popular as will Arabic. English will run fourth or fifth, followed closely by Spanish.  [xv]   However, others like linguist K David Harrison believe English will continue to rise globally as more and more people become literate through the internet despite the fact it is declining as the primary language.  [xvi]  Yale linguist, Stephen Anderson, in the same AP article, pointed out that all over the world, being multilingual is more of the norm than the exception. Therefore, learning is English easier for them? Will that make English as a global language more doable? David Crystal, in Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language(1995), states that two thirds of the worlds children are multilingual, yet only 98 million know English as a second language. That would include children in the USA. Graddol puts the estimate even higher to more than 350 million. It is hard to tell because census questions do not necessarily ask that, nor are they conducted worldwide. The point is, English as a language is becoming less and less dominant, even in English speaking countries like England and the US. It is only a matter of time before knowing English will become less and less a necessity in the world market. Today, it is estimated that over 1.6 billion people are non-English speaking. Commerce and trade are the main factors in establishing the universality of a language, as Pennycook and Dua have expounded, as well as the main factor in governmental and educational dominance. Pennycook (1994) states In some way, it might be said that the English language class may be less about the spread of English than the spread of certain forms of culture and knowledge. . . through the very practices of English language teaching. (pp.178-179)  [xvii]   Phillipson (1990,1992) concurs. He says ELT (English language training) was seen as a means towards a political and economic goals, a means of securing ties of all kinds with Third World Countries.   [xviii]   As those countries continue to become rich off American and European commerce, will the balance of power shift? And if so, will the need to speak English topple as well? Surely, anyone who listens to the evening news realizes how precarious the economy is in the US and Europe. The Federal government now owes trillions of dollars to China alone, especially after the recent bailouts of banks and mortgage companies. The US is now beginning to feel the full wake of the economic tsunami of 9/11 and the military response to that attack. The more we become economically dependent on Asian loans and Arabic oil, the more diluted our dollar and possibly our global influence will become. Couple that with the population decline of native English speakers juxtaposed with the rise in Hispanic, Chinese and Arabic ones in so called English countries, and it seems the future remains wide one for determining which language, if any, will reign supreme. Will History Be Repeated? In conclusion, it seems that man has an instinctual desire to communicate. Whomever dominates is the one who speaks while others listen. In order to listen, they must learn the language. If international commerce, fueled by the internet, is to continue, there must be a common economical language in order to buy, sell and trade. Pictures may be better than a thousand words, but words are an intricate part of deal making and economics, much less culture. If we are truly moving towards being a global culture, religion and society, then it follows that a global language is a natural development. At this point in our history, it is English. It is doubtful it will ever be Esperanto. Still, students of economics have longed learned that knowing a foreign language can be the key to higher salaries. Up until the mid1800s it was Latin, the language of science, medicine and culture. Then it became German. Next, especially after the world wars, it became popular to learn French. In the 1960s, particularly in the Southwestern US, Spanish became the language to learn. In the 1970s, it was Russian. When the USSR splintered, college and high school students began to clamor to learn Japanese. Today, Mandarin Chinese is on the rise as the language to master. Will visual pictures replace words? Will sign language become the universal, non verbal form of communication as more and more of us become visually orientated instead of literate? Whatever the future is, one thing is for certain. If history serves as an example, man will always strive to regain the elusive power he lost centuries ago at the Tower of Babel.

Capital Punishment Essay: Just Do It -- Argumentative Persuasive Topic

Capital Punishment: Just Do It Capital punishment is a justified form of punishment for murderers and is enforced by most states in the United States. The death penalty is a fitting punishment for murder because executions maximize the public safety through a form of incapacitation and deterrence. When a person kills another person, their common sense and mental reasoning is lost. As a result of this, the murderer is no longer capable of a mentally stable life not only to himself but also society as a whole. In contrast, moral issues question the accuracy and the benefits of the death penalty as well. Murder is defined as the crime of unlawfully killing a person with malice aforethought and to slaughter wantonly (Webster, 751). Capital punishment is the punishment by death involving execution (Webster, 162). Since ancient times it has been used to punish a wide variety of offenses. In the United States, the death penalty for murder was first abolished in Michigan (1847); Venezuela (1853) and Portugal (1867) were the first nations to abolish it altogether. Today, it is virtually abolished in all of Western Europe and most of Latin America. Elsewhere--in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East (except Israel)--most countries still authorize capital punishment for many crimes and use it with varying frequency (Academic American Encyclopedia, UT CAT). Methods of inflicting the death penalty have ranged from stoning in biblical times, crucifixion under the Romans, beheading in France, to those used in the United States today: hanging, electrocution, gas chamber, firing squad, and the lethal injection. Beginning in 1967, executions were suspended to allow the appellate courts to decide whether the death penalty was unconstitu... ...of criminal execution to set the limits of appropriate punishments. Not only is morality of the criminal an issue, what about the morality of the crime that the criminal committed? Premeditated and wanton murder is an immoral action. As was mentioned before, compassion is an admirable thing, but it need not blind us to the difference between right and wrong, or the desirability of deterring bad behavior. Bibliography "Capital Punishment." Academic American Encyclopedia. (UT CAT PLUS). 1991 ed. Hertzberg, Hendrick. "Premeditated Execution." Time 18 May 1992:49. Kramer, Michael. "Frying them isn't the Answer." Time 14 March 1994:32. Landsburg, Steven E. "Just do it." Forbes 21 Nov. 1994: 166. Shapiro, Walter. "What say should victims have?" Time 27 May 1991:61. Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary. Mass.: G& C. Merriam Company. 1981.

Herald :: Essays Papers

Herald The early Middle Ages were when Heraldry began. Knights needed a way to identify each other. The noble families developed different patterns and symbols that they would paint on their shields. These symbols served the purpose of representing their families and also, establishing who the enemy was and who the allies was in a battle. They termed these shields, coats of arms. Any family could have a coat of arms but for them to be considered official, they had to be recognized by The College of Arms. The College was where heralds trained to read and write and memorize the existing coats of arms. Therefore they were able to identify the enemies and the allies if needed to do so. A coat of arms, or blazon of arms, as they were sometimes called consisted of several parts. These components were the shield, the crest, the helm, the wreath and the mantle. The shield contained the symbols and their colors. The crest is what goes on top of the helmet. The helm or helmet varied in accordance with the rank of the knight, the time period, or the herald's preference. The wreath consisted of the metal and the primary color. And the design of the mantle also varied with the herald's preference. The herald's used a variety of colors like gold, silver, red, blue, green and black on the shields. But the colors were not there for decoration. They symbolized specific meanings. For example, silver stood for peace and sincerity, whereas black stood for consistency and grief. Red was considered to be the martyr's color and blue meant truth and loyalty. But along with the colors were objects or actual symbols that represented certain meanings. There were many more symbols than there were colors. There was a symbol starting with most of the letters of the alphabet. The meanings of the different symbols were even more specific than those of the colors. For example, a hawk stood for one who does not rest until he achieves his objective. Another symbol was a battle-axe, which stood for the execution of military duty. There were probably almost a hundred, if not more, of these symbols used.

Stylistic Analysis of Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on September 24, 1896 F. Scott Fitzgerald was the son of Edward Fitzgerald, who worked for Proctor and Gamble and brought his family to Buffalo and Syracuse, New York, for most of his son's first decade. Edward Fitzgerald's great-great-grandfather was the brother of the grandfather of Francis Scott Key, who wrote the poem â€Å"The Star-Spangled Banner. † This fact was of great significance to Mrs. Fitzgerald, Mollie McQuillan, and later to Scott.Mollie Fitzgerald's own family could offer no pretensions to aristocracy, but her father, an Irish immigrant who came to America in 1843, was a self-made businessman. Equally important was Fitzgerald's sense of having come from two widely different Celtic strains. He had early on developed an inferiority complex in a family where the â€Å"black Irish half †¦ had the money and looked down on the Maryland side of the family who had, and really had †¦ ‘breeding,’â €  according to Scott Donaldson in the Dictionary of Literary Biography.Out of this divergence of classes in his family background arose what critics called F. Scott's â€Å"double vision. † He had the ability to experience the lifestyle of the wealthy from an insider's perspective, yet never felt a part of this clique and always felt the outsider. As a youth, Fitzgerald revealed a flair for dramatics, first in St. Paul, where he wrote original plays for amateur production, and later at The Newman Academy in Hackensack, New Jersey. At Princeton, he composed lyrics for the university's famous Triangle Club productions.Fitzgerald was also a writer and actor with the Triangle Club at college. Before he could graduate, he volunteered for the army during World War I. He spent the weekends writing the earliest drafts of his first novel. The work was accepted for publication in 1919 by Charles Scribner's Sons. The popular and financial success that accompanied this event enabled Fitzgerald to marry Zelda Sayre, whom he met at training camp in Alabama. Zelda played a pivotal role in the writer's life, both in a tempestuous way and an inspirational one.Mostly, she shared his extravagant lifestyle and artistic interests. In the 1930s she was diagnosed as a schizophrenic and was hospitalized in Switzerland and then Maryland, where she died in a fire. For some time, Fitzgerald lived with his wife in Long Island. There, the setting for The Great Gatsby, he entertained in a manner similar to his characters, with expensive liquors and entertainment. He revealled in demonstrating the antics of the crazy, irresponsible rich, and carried this attitude wherever he went.Especially on the Riviera in France the Fitzgerald’s befriended the elite of the cultural world and wealthy classes, only to offend most of them in some way by their outrageous behavior. Self-absorbed, drunk, and eccentric, they sought and received attention of all kinds. The party ended with the hospitalization of Zelda for schizophrenia in Prangins, a Swiss clinic, and, coincidentally, with the Great Depression of 1929, which tolled the start of Scott's personal depression. In the decade before his death, Fitzgerald's troubles and the debilitating effects of his alcoholism limited the quality and amount of his writing.Nonetheless, it was also during this period that he attempted his most psychologically complex and aesthetically ambitious novel, Tender Is the Night (1934). After Zelda's breakdown, Fitzgerald became romantically involved with Sheila Graham, a gossip columnist in Hollywood, during the last years of his life. He also wrote but did not finish the novel The Last Tycoon, now considered to be one of his best works, about the Hollywood motion picture industry. Fitzgerald died suddenly of a heart attack, most likely induced by a long addiction to alcohol, on December 21, 1940.At the time of his death, he was virtually forgotten and unread. A growing Fitzgerald revi val, begun in the 1950s, led to the publication of numerous volumes of stories, letters, and notebooks. One of his literary critics, Stephen Vincent Benet, concluded in his review of The Last Tycoon, â€Å"You can take off your hats now, gentlemen, and I think perhaps you had better. This is not a legend, this is a reputation – and, seen in perspective, it may well be one of the most secure reputations of our time. † General characteristic 1.The text under consideration is a part of well-known novel â€Å"The Great Gatsby† by F. Scott Fitzgerald. F. Scott Fitzgerald is widely praised as the finest and most celebrated novelist of the twentieth century America. Fitzgerald's masterpiece The Great Gatsby, referred to as â€Å"The Great American Novel†, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. The Great Gatsby is the classic novel about the American Dream, one of the great novels of the 20th Century as it captures perfectly some essential quality of th e American myth and dream of the Jazz Age.The novel has profoundly portrayed the unsatisfied desire of the wealth and the success and displayed the theme of the novel— the disillusion of American dream. Meanwhile, it also shows Fitzgerald's outstanding talent and the writing technique incisively. His style is exquisite, and the plot is compelling. The splendid work establishes Fitzgerald as a great writer in American literature. Fitzgerald's novel reveals his poetic temperament and style. His observation to the world is exquisite. 2. The general slant of the text is a 1st person (sing. narration, which shows that we deal with narrative with the personage uttered monologue – so the whole narration sounds very subjective. Narrator clearly expresses his opinion, gives an extraordinary description for all the personages and events. 3. The text of the story is not homogeneous. The author’s narration is interrupted by the dialogues of the characters. Direct speech har moniously interrelates with narration. It leaves much for the reader's guesswork and helps the reader to realize all the events taking place in the story. 4. The linguo-stylistic analysis proper: I.Phonographic analysis The traditional text segmentation is observed in this story. It consists of paragraphs. Sometimes direct speech appears in the story. Also changes of the print present in the story, especially capitalization of some words. Author wants to underline some words and phrases with the help of this mean. That’s why he indicates the whole word by the capital letters. e. g. A momentary hush; the orchestra leader varies his rhythm obligingly for her, and there is a burst of chatter as the erroneous news goes around that she is Gilda Gray’s understudy from the FOLLIES. I don’t think it’s so much THAT,† argued Lucille sceptically; â€Å"it’s more that he was a German spy during the war. † â€Å"There’s something funny abou t a fellow that’ll do a thing like that,† said the other girl eagerly. â€Å"He doesn’t want any trouble with ANYbody. † As for rhythmical background of the text, there are alliteration and assonance for better reading and perception of the story. e. g. Every Friday five crates of oranges and lemons arrived from a fruiterer in New York†¦ Laughter is easier minute by minute, spilled with prodigality, tipped out at a cheerful word. II. Lexical analysis ) The words are stylistically neutral in the text. The communicative situation is highly informal. Narrator describes all events which take place at the Gatsby’ party. The communicative situation is highly informal. The vocabulary includes not only standard colloquial words and expressions, but also idioms, phrasal verbs, barbarisms, etc. e. g. The bar is in a full swing, and floating rounds of cocktail permeate the garden outside, until the air is alive with chatter and laughter†¦ â€Å"See! † he cried triumphantly. â€Å"It’s a bona-fide (real) piece of printed matter†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Also the colloquial words proper are observed here. . g. â€Å"†¦This fella’s a regular Belasco. It’s a triumph. What thoroughness! † The writer strong sense of place is revealed by the use of barbarism such as hors-d’oeure (snack), chauffeur, gayety (elegance), etc. Even some archaic phrases are in the text. e. g. †¦already there are wanderers, confident girls who weave here and there among the stouter and more stable, become for a sharp, joyous moment the centre of a group, and then, excited with triumph, glide on through the sea-change (a profound or notable transformation) of faces and voices and color under the constantly changing light. ) The analysis of the vocabulary shows that author uses extraordinary words and words combination to make reader complicit in the story. The most of the words are neutral but rich in connotations. III . Morphological analysis Past Indefinite Tense is frequently used in the chapter, because narrator speaks about past events. But in the third paragraph Past Indefinite Tense is changed for Present Indefinite and Present Continuous Tenses to transfer the reader into the atmosphere of celebration, it creates the effect of immediate presence. The change of tenses registers changes in the narrated events. IV. Syntactic analysis