A busy person Essays

A busy person Essays A busy person Essay A busy person Essay Priestley places his hope in the characters of Sheila and Eric, the next and younger generation, in his play. Sheila accepted her share of responsibility for contributing to the death of Eva Smith. At Milwards, a posh clothes store, Sheila had met Eva when she was trying a dress and it didnt suit her. Eva laughed at her and Sheila didnt like her laughing. And said to the manager of Milwards, if you will not get rid of that girl, Id never go near the place again and Id persuade mother to close our account with Milwards. When she was shown the photo of Eva Smith and told by Goole of the consequences of her actions she reacted by little, cry, a half shifted sob and ran out. She felt ashamed, emotional and responsible for Evas death. We sympathize with Sheila because she learned something, in Act three, page 71 that:- It was anything but a joke. You knew it then. You begun to learn something. And now you are stopped. By the end of the play she has clearly learned her lesson, and shown that unlike her parents, she cared for others and represented a socialist outlook on life. The character of Eric changes as the play progresses. In act one we initially find him to be shy, unconfident and squiffy. He then appears to grow in confidence especially when he stood instead of his father on a number of occasions. Gooles questioning provokes and encourages Eric to confront Mr. Birling. For example in Act one, page 15 Eric accuses his father of throwing out Eva Smith of the job. He could kept her instead of throwing her out, I call it tough luck. He also complains about Evas death because of his father. The part of the play highlights the fact that despite all of the money and wealth with in the Birling family household, they are not happy together and cannot understand or respect each others point of view. This is mainly because Erics view is that of a socialist and Mr. Birlings is that of a staunch capitalist. Eric, like Sheila, accepts their share of the blame A for their behavior that contributed to the death of Eva Smith. Gerald is an interesting character in the play. In the early stages of the play we learn that he is a busy person. He was very suspicious Eric was up to. Evidence to support this opinion is found in Act one, page 9, when Gerald Croft says:- Sounds a bit fishy to me. He is in a difficult position at this engagement party and is under pressure to marry Sheila of Mr. Birling because if he do something wrong it might affect to his marriage with Sheila. It might be fair to say that Gerald had socialist tendencies because when he met Eva Smith in the stalls bar at the palace. She was half drunk and goggle eyed and had wedged herself into a corner. He helped her by giving her money and place to live. But he didnt tell the truth to Sheila and he betrayed her trust. Gerald was very nai ve because after the discovery that Goole was hoax he still believed that he and Sheila would not break their engagement. Gerald thought it easy, just like Mr and Mrs Birling, to pretend that nothing had happened and that he could simply marry Sheila after all. He had not learnt his lesson, he was thinking that nothing had happened and he could still marry Sheila. It is clear that an inspector calls is an effective piece of social criticism because it makes us question how we should try to lead our own lives. Through the character role of Goole, Priestley encourages us to behave properly and respect and care for others unlike Arthur and Sybil Birling. In the bigger picture he is really saying that society can only live together in peace and harmony if people cooperate together and work and support each other. I feel that the play was a very enjoyable theatrical experience. A play is memorable if it keeps you thinking, exciting and to learn a new message. The play had a number of cliff hangings, exciting moments, for example, in Act one, page 10 when the door bell rings and Eric says:- Somebody at the front door. Then Edna says to Mr. Birling. Please, sir, an inspectors called. Also in act three, page 53. I was riveted by Eric when he told that he was going to be a father! And the next time or the time after that she told me she thought she was going to have a baby. She wasnt quite sure. And then she was. Every Act ended with suspense. This made the audience to continue seeing the play. An Inspector Calls also had many examples of dramatic irony. This is when the full meaning of a situation or a speech is understood by the audience but not by the characters on stage. There was also considerable dramatic irony the fact that each of the Birlings and Gerald all seemingly had a part to play in Evas death without even being aware of it, until Gooles arrival. Perhaps most dramatic of all was the ending of the play when the telephone rings and after answering the telephone Mr. Birling says:- That was the police. A girl has just died on her was to the infirmary after swallowing some disinfectant. And a police Inspector is on his way here to ask some questions. This leaves the audience feeling what will happen afterwards. In conclusion, reading and understanding the play made me reflect and think carefully about my own life. The play, the characters and Priestleys message has made me think that all of our lives are connected with one another. If we do something with others it will affect us as well because in reaction they can harm us as well. On the other hand if we do good to others their will be happiness all over the world.

When DIY Bites You in the Butt

When DIY Bites You in the Butt We are an industrious lot. We want to know how someone did what he did successfully, so we can do it, too . . . or do it better. Or do it ourselves instead of buying the other guys product. Or do it ourselves to save money . . . or to maintain creativity as our own instead of splitting its ownership. Its called DIY, or do-it-yourself, and we cant stand not to try doing it ourselves if it means more benefits for us. I love to bake. I hate recipes that have boxed mixes or tell me to save time As writers, we fight that battle uphill to publish a book. How hard can it be to format that manuscript in Word? How difficult can a cover be? Surely I can learn how to upload books. We read directions, study what others have done, then grit our teeth, determined to do it ourselves. Then invariably, after weve erred, redone and cursed our mistakes, we reach a point where we ask ourselves and our friends: It doesnt look bad for me doing it myself, does it? And right there youve compromised your storys future. Youve cobbled together what others do for a living. Youve decided to settle for less than professional. You think others wont notice, because they havent learned what youve learned, and tried what youve tried. When youve poured your soul into writing, you need to equally pour your soul into its proper publication. You have two choices when doing anything in life: 1) Take the time to become an expert at it, or 2) Hire the expert. Just know that anything in between is settling. When it comes to baking a cake, Ill settle for my Milky Way Cake from scratch. Its meant to be rustic, gooey and not exactly straight around the edges. But when I need a cake for someones 50th anniversary, believe me, Im hiring someone wholl give me the presentation needed to respect the grand auspiciousness of the occasion.

Social Media and the Affects on Personal Relationships Research Paper

Social Media and the Affects on Personal Relationships - Research Paper Example Such a framework of ethics is especially important in a scenario where there is a world where multiculturalism is an important part. In such an environment, it is important that there are many ways in which people from all over the world are able to understand the methods that are used by one another at least at the virtual plane that social media exists at. This is then an important part of the entire enterprise of social media and its use by people of a particular organization. The paper shall look at the ethics of politicization of media and the role of social media within this. It shall also look at how personal relationships are affected by all of this. Relationships between customers and sellers have been fast changing as a result of social media. In traditional approaches to the ways in which customers and the people who used to sell commodities and services interacted, there would often be a system that would enable consumers to talk to the managers of their companies and the managers would then be able to talk to the consumers. This would be different in a modern setup as the consumers are able to talk to each other through social networking sites (Mangold and Faulds, 2009). They are able to communicate with each other the problems that they may face in dealing with the managers of a company. This would alter the paradigms of the relationships between the consumers and the managers of the company. Apart from this, it would also alter the paradigms of the relationships between the different consumers of the same product. This would then need to adhere to certain norms of ethics to lead to a constructive process. Rules of professionalism need to be adhered to even in such circumstances. If not, there would... This report approves that relationships between customers and sellers have been fast changing as a result of social media. In traditional approaches to the ways in which customers and the people who used to sell commodities and services interacted, there would often be a system that would enable consumers to talk to the managers of their companies and the managers would then be able to talk to the consumers. This would be different in a modern setup as the consumers are able to talk to each other through social networking sites. There are plenty of such websites that are willing to provide information free of cost to people who wish to access it. This then becomes a point where several people from different parts of the globe can converge and possibly even, through an exchange of information regarding places, build persona relationships. This can then point towards a situation where people from different parts of the world can form bonds merely on the basis of knowledge. One then see s the importance of knowledge and an ethical and honest use of it within the space of social media for it to be constructive for it users across the world. This essay makes a conclusion that political relations between people too form a part of the matrix of personal relations that people form amongst themselves in the society. This then points to the role that social media plays in the creation of political relationships between people. Clay Shirky talks of the different roles that are played by forms of social media in creating new forms of political relationships in the world. Shirky attributes the development of political awareness to a certain extent to social media and the different forms of it

How could television be used to improve social and political life in Essay

How could television be used to improve social and political life in the United States - Essay Example Public Service Announcements (PSAs) are the leading methods of getting social and political information to a massive audience. These announcements exist on channels that are usually controlled by the city, and they cover current political information and other goings-on throughout America. â€Å"The best way to improve social life in the United States is to let the vast majority of the population know what is going on in America’s social life (Womack, 2009).† Most of these channels run 24/7, always updating their information so that those that watch these announcements stay up to date. While these announcements usually have their own designated television stations, there are some counties that prefer to air the announcements during news broadcasts or popular television shows - times when there is a good chance that there are already a massive number of people sitting in front of their televisions. Similarly, another popular method of using the television to improve social and political life is the news. A little more formal than Public Service Announcements, the news informs people of numerous goings-on in the world, influencing the social and political side of television viewers, especially the political side. People are able to view the different debates going on in politics and decide for themselves which side of the argument they are more in agreement with. They can also conclude their own argument if the ones on television do not please them. They are able to build a political opinion by watching the news on television. As a large majority of people do watch the news, many news companies make sure to feed the important, need-to-know information in the first half-hour (Calavita, 2005). A method that is used to guarantee a large audience when it comes to viewing either Public Service Announcements or a news broadcast is by placing the program immediately after a popular television show. This method is implemented with the belief that

Patient Care Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Patient Care Plan - Assignment Example Bumper migration to subcutaneous tissue was found to be one of the most common complications reported after PEG placement (Marks & Dunkin, 2013). Approximately 70% of 97 patients who have percutaneous endoscopic gastronomy (PEG) placement have hospital revisits with complications (Naik, Joshipura, Patel, Haribhakti, 2008). The purpose of this study is to explore the nursing treatment and management of a patient who has been diagnosed with the buried bumper syndrome in a clinical setting (Ramdass & Mann, 2013). It discusses the role of RN in managing the different needs of human beings as a consumer of health care in a patient-centered environment. The paper will base its in-depth exploration on previous healthcare literature and evidence from previous related cases. Currently, the patient has obesity, hypoventilation syndrome as well as obstructive sleep apnea. The woman has obstructive sleep apnea which is characterized by obesity. On 14th October 2014, the patient’s condition was critical because she had a respiratory failure that was requiring endotracheal intubation. Patient’s history revealed that the PEG tube was inserted. The placement of endotracheal tube was delayed leading to a bradycardia asystolic arrest. The respiratory failure that the patient experienced on 14th October 2014 required intubation. However, the CT scan shows signs indicating that the endotracheal tube was not correctly placed. This placement may be one of the causes of hospital revisits. The CT scan revealed a bumper migration to subcutaneous tissue. CT scan also showed purulent discharge at the site of PEG. No edema was found; the patient was alert and oriented. Although hospital policies and current nursing texts do not offer adequate recommendations for care of the patient with PEG tube (Simons & Remington, 2013), it is important not to neglect this area. It is important that care providers are aware of the complications that

History of Tet Offensive

History of Tet Offensive Jordan Dingle The Tet offensive was an operation that took place in 1968 from January 30th to mid-August and was the largest military campaign of the Vietnam war. It involved nearly 80,000 North Vietnamese attacking more than 100 towns and cities in South Vietnam simultaneously. The offensive was a complete surprise to the South Vietnamese and the Americans, as it was thought to be impossible for the NVA to carry out an operation this large and no fighting was expected to happen because of the Tet holiday (Willbanks, 2007). This operation became a turning point for the American-Vietnam war as the offensive caused the U.S. to lose control of some cities temporarily and it showed the American public that the U.S. was not winning the war as the government had previously claimed. Prior to the Tet offensive, the U.S. faced declining support from the public in its foreign policy methods in Vietnam. U.S. citizens faced rising taxes and increasing U.S. casualty numbers in Vietnam. Many people were starting to feel that it was a mistake to send soldiers to Vietnam and that it was a hopeless cause. Public opinion polls at the time showed that the percentage of Americans who believed that the U.S. had made a mistake by sending troops to Vietnam had risen from roughly 25 percent in 1965 to about 45 percent by December 1967 (Willbanks, 2007). The U.S. military and President Lyndon B. Johnsons administration attempted to alter the publics viewpoint on the war by feeding the media optimistic information about the war. On the North Vietnamese side, there were concerns about the direction of the war and the affect it was having the capability of North Vietnam being able to sustain itself as country. Constant U.S. aerial bombings had decimated North Vietnams economic capability and the government realized that at the current rate, North Vietnam would lack the ability to affect the war in South Vietnam. The operation went into its planning stages in the early months of 1967 and was decided to take place on the Tet holiday to surprise unsuspecting American and South Vietnamese forces.   The North Vietnamese believed that the widespread offensive would cause the people of South Vietnam to revolt against the South Vietnamese government. While the offensive did cause the tide of the war to change, it did not cause mass uprisings (Bradley, 2009). The first phase of the Tet offensive began in the early hours of January 30th when the NVA and Viet Cong initiated attacks on all major cities in central Vietnam including Nha Trang, Hoi An, Pleiku, and Da Nang. On January 31st, another major attack was initiated in various major cities and bases in Southern Vietnam. Much of the forces in the operation were focused on South Vietnams capital, Saigon. North Vietnamese forces, while not able to take control of the city, managed to attack critical strategic points around the city. At the same time, the north Vietnamese forces and Viet Cong successfully attacked and captured the city of Hue in central Vietnam. It took the U.S. 25 days to fight back the North Vietnamese and retake the city (Willbanks, 2007). The North Vietnamese initiated a second phase to the offensive on May 4th and attacked various targets across South Vietnam again. But this time the Americans and South Vietnamese were prepared and the offensive was considerably less successful. The 2nd phase ended in late May. The third and final phase of the Tet offensive began on August 17th and was easily repelled by the South Vietnamese and Americans. This last attack was considered a dismal failure as it had little effect on any South Vietnamese or American positions (Willbanks, 2007). Although the Tet offensive did not achieve its goal of initiating uprisings throughout South Vietnam, it did inflict heavy damage on American and South Vietnamese forces. It allowed the Viet Cong to take control of the rural areas of Vietnam, especially in the Mekong Delta. The offensive put South Vietnam into turmoil as it was the first time that the war had reached any urban areas in South Vietnam. It reduced confidence in the government in their ability to protect its citizens from the Viet Cong. The battles that took place destroyed thousands of homes, displaced, injured and killed thousands of people. The human and material cost to South Vietnam was staggering. The number of civilian casualties was estimated by the government to be over 14,000 with at least 20,000 wounded.The North Vietnamese had suffered incredible amounts of casualties. Some estimates place the number of casualties to be over 180,000 dead during 1968.The offensive was the largest number of casualties that the North Vietnamese had faced in the war. The situation was so dire, that many Viet Cong cadres had to be replaced partially by North Vietnamese Army regulars. Although the North Vietnamese lost many soldiers in the South, they acknowledged the benefits of the Tet offensive. General Tran Do, one of the commanders in the battle of Hue, stated In all honesty, we didnt achieve our main objective, which was to spur uprisings throughout the South. Still, we inflicted heavy casualties on the Americans and their puppets, and this was a big gain for us. As for making an impact in the United States, it had not been our intention-but it turned out to be a fortunate result (Karnow, 1988). The aftermath of the Tet offensive also brought about more international influence into the Vietnam conflict. The Paris peace talks, which took place in May of 1968 initiated negotiations between the U.S. and North Vietnam while allowing third-party influence into the politics of the region. In short, the Tet offensive changed both the DRV and the U.S.s goals of military and political victory against each other to negotiations and de-escalation (Bradley 2009). The results of the Tet offensive also spread the conflict into the border regions of Cambodia and Laos. Before and during the Tet offensive, the North Vietnamese used the Ho Chi Minh trail, which lead through southern Laos and Eastern Cambodia, to send supplies and reinforcements to Viet Cong cadres in South Vietnam. This supply route, was the main resource in preparing the Viet Cong for the Tet offensive After the offensive failed, the U.S. began bombing campaigns in Laos and Cambodia along the Ho Chi Minh trail. These bombings eliminated Laos and Cambodias neutrality and dragged them into conflict within their own borders (Kranow, 1988). In the U.S., the aftermath of the offensive created a crisis for the Johnson administration. Public opinion was now overwhelmingly against the war. The U.S. had suffered much casualties with over 16,000 soldiers killed by the end of 1968. A new draft was also called in 1968 calling for 48,000 men to be enlisted. These factors brewed heavy discontentment with the U.S. government and the Johnson administration. The Tet offensive certainly made an impact on the 1968 presidential election and Lyndon B. Johnsons decision to not run for re-election. The new administration of Richard Nixon oversaw the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam, allowing the North Vietnamese to capture Saigon and reunify Vietnam. Works Cited Bradley, Mark. Vietnam at War. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2009. Web. Bradley, Mark, and Marilyn Blatt. Young. Making Sense of the Vietnam Wars: Local, National, and Transnational Perspectives. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2008. Web. Karnow, Stanley. Vietnam, a History. Norwalk, CT: Easton, 1988. Web. Willbanks, James H. The Tet Offensive: A Concise History. New York: Columbia UP, 2007. Web.

Ernest Hemingway and Zelda Fitzgerald :: Biography Biographies Essays

Ernest Hemingway and Zelda Fitzgerald Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald was born July 24th, 1900 to Anthony Sayre, a judge of the Alabama Supreme Court, and Minnie, a once aspiring actress. She was considered a sought-after Southern belle who had a collection of soldiers' insignia pins by the time she met Scott Fitzgerald at the age of twenty. However, Zelda refused marriage until 1920 when the publication of This Side of Paradise gave Scott the wealth and economic stability, which she demanded. The first few years of their marriage were characterized by extravagant spending, but shortly after the birth of their only child, Frances Scott "Scottie" Fitzgerald, the couple began frequent arguments usually triggered by alcohol (http://www.sc.edu/fitzgerald/biography.html). In 1924, when the Fitzgeralds went to France, Zelda became smitten with a French naval aviator named Jozan, who unlike Scott was tall and athletic. Although it is not known whether the two consummated their affair, many suspect that it was Scott who demanded tha t the two stop seeing each other that summer (Milford 110). In Paris, Fitzgerald met Ernest Hemingway with whom he formed a friendship based largely on his admiration for Hemingway's personality and genius. The Fitzgeralds remained in France until the end of 1926, alternating between Paris and the Riviera. Although Scott and Ernest were very close at this time, they usually only included their wives, Zelda and Hadley, in social gatherings as "wives of writers" (Milford 116) rather than in their intellectual and literary discussions. Ernest became upset when Zelda said to Hadley at this time, "I notice in the Hemingway family you do what Ernest wants"(Milford 116). Thus, Ernest who always did things his way, was greatly disgusted over the amount of influence that Zelda had over her husband (Bruccoli 21). Legend also has it that at Ernest and Zelda's first encounter in the summer of 1926, Hemingway took Fitzgerald aside saying that Zelda was crazy when she asked "Ernest, don't you think Al Jolson is greater than Jesus"(Bruccoli 22). Zelda, on the other hand, thought Hemmingway was a "bogus," a "phony he-man," and a "pansy with hair on his chest". Scott was disappointed by their mutual dislike as he had hoped Zelda would admire Hemingway as much as he did. Hemingway recounts his 1921-1926 Paris years in A Movable Feast. In "Hawks Do Not Share," he introduces Zelda at "a very bad lunch" in the Fitzgerald's "gloomy" apartment.

Laptops replace textbook Essay

The initial reaction to this question by many people is, â€Å"What a ridiculous question!† However, there are many key issues to consider, like cost, ease of use (is the computer screen too hard on our eyes for extensive reading?), maintenance and repair (if students carry them from class to class, will they break?), but most importantly, student learning (what is the best way to help students learn?). In order to come to a conclusion on the subject, all of these issues must be explored. Cost First let’s look at cost. Publishers can create a CD of their textbooks, and at a greatly reduced price because there is no need for paper, printing and binding. However the costs can be spread to the purchasers in other ways. The need for the technology to use the CDs is the largest expense. However, most districts spend money on technology already, and with the purchase of a laptop for each student, the need for computer labs should eventually become minimal or obsolete as laptops are purchased. This should be considered when looking at costs of purchasing laptops and text CDs. Another side effect of giving, renting or requiring student purchase of laptops is that other computer functions like word processing and PowerPoint should be included with the initial purchase, and all students will have similar ability to access programs to complete homework assignments. Reading a computer screen can be difficult for long expanses of text, so I think that the cost of printing saved by the publishers will be passed on to the owner of the printer to which student computers are connected, though the cost will be considerably less than binding a textbook. Some students may not be organized in keeping pages in order, or throw away the chapters after they are finished, so if students want to refer to the book in the future, they may find a need to reprint parts of the book. Paper will inevitably be wasted. The actual cost difference may be hard to discern, but it is likely that a laptop with digital text combination, in the end, will be more expensive. The question is, what are the priorities of the school district? Should school districts sacrifice student learning in the interest of a cost savings? Some computer companies offer special programs, or quantity discounts. Some districts may require parents to purchase laptops. Henrico County Public Schools in ia, offers insurance on laptops, which the school system owns, to parents for $50. Tracy Unified School District in California at their charter school, Discovery Charter School, has implemented a laptop program, and replaced their textbooks with laptops for 20% more than the cost of textbooks. They expect the costs to decrease because, in the future, they will only need to replace laptops that are broken, and purchase new discs for their textbooks Ease of use Next, consider ease of use. If a school can hook up a wireless network, students should be able to access online sources from most places in the school, including study hall. Teachers should no longer hear that students could not get into the library or lab to complete assignments, and students will be free to explore the ability of the technology more completely. In fact, teachers may find themselves changing their method of teaching to best utilize the technology. Schools that implement a laptop program should employ technology people to teach students and teachers how to use them, to maintain the machines, as well as keep networks in order. This is very important to help minimize frustration on the part of students and teachers. It is very frustrating to have a lesson planned and not be able to go forward because things out of your control are not working properly. Student learning Student learning is the most important thing to consider when deciding teaching methods. Laptop computers allow for more interactivity with subjects by using multimedia methods. Publishers Holt, Rinehart and Winston show concepts like photosynthesis using animation which enhances printed words on the subject. Students can also reach WebQuests and other simulations such as frog dissections on the Internet. Students can create projects using PowerPoint and many other programs to illustrate what they have learned. All these things support a constructivist atmosphere which has been shown to enhance learning. Pros and cons A good way to analyze the question is to create a list of pros and cons on the subject. In the category of pros: The ability to replace outdated and incorrect information quickly and inexpensively. Computer literacy, which can be important in the job world, becomes second nature to students who have constant access to a computer. Interactivity is enhanced with laptops and a constructivist atmosphere is fostered. Use of laptops allow a student led atmosphere by instituting a more project-based method of learning, also promoting a constructivist atmosphere. Concepts are easier to grasp when presented in a multimedia way. A laptop for each student builds a bridge across the digital divide. Giving students an expensive piece of equipment encourages responsibility for the equipment. Many students and teachers who have been part of laptop programs in schools report increased organization capability. Students can â€Å"trade† places with teachers, offering new information that was not known to the teacher or class, fostering a sense of pride and self-esteem. Some texts offer students the ability to highlight and annotate while studying. Teachers in laptop schools report that students create longer and more well written assignments because they need not use resource books to locate spelling and grammar mistakes. Students report that they learn about writing styles better because of the instantaneous corrections. If the district uses digital texts, students will not need to carry huge and heavy textbooks from class to class. Backpacks will be lighter and damage to spines will be less likely. Students also may need to spend less time in their lockers. The cons are not as numerous, but contain more â€Å"weighty† items: The possibility of theft (will the laptops make students a target?) Breakage and maintenance are expensive and can cause students to lose time on projects. The laptops themselves are expensive, although some vendors offer huge discounts to schools and for quantities purchased. There is a need to have a good connection to the Internet, preferably a wireless one. The teachers must be on board, or they will not utilize the laptops and the resource will be wasted (and the money spent will be wasted). Plagiarism is a greater temptation with easier access to the Internet. Students may become distracted and get off task more easily. Technology failure, of all types. In fact, on a survey given to teachers at Piscataquis Community High School in Maine on their One-to-One Laptop Program, there were only three main complaints after two years of involvement in the program: 1) Laptops causing distractions, 2) inappropriate use of the computers, and 3) technology failure. One perspective to consider is that when school districts buy textbooks, students have a few activities they can accomplish using them. They can read and study to learn. They may find practice quizzes and further resources in textbooks but they must take the initiative to go to the library, or search for information, and grade their quizzes. The functions of a textbook are few, though important. When a school districts buys a laptop and digital information for a student, the student finds him/herself able to not only read and study to learn, but able to fully synthesize the information with interactive quizzes, and links for further information, as well as an ability to produce a paper or other end product. Students will not need to have a computer at home, or visit a public library or computer lab to complete their assignments. As well, all students will be using the same programs. The most useful places to find information about laptop programs is from schools that have implemented them for three years or more, so the Hawthorne affect has diminished, since most of them have been in the news, studied or scrutinized in some way. Also by then, the novelty of using new technology, which can inspire students to study more, has worn off. In Maine, standardized test scores for eighth graders have been only slightly elevated or the same over non-laptop schools. In an article by Andrew Speyer called â€Å"Technology in Schools: Why Laptops?†, Mr. Speyer states that â€Å"A laptop in a classroom will not result in students having higher SAT scores. It will not guarantee that students will have higher grades, better attention, or learn the daily material more completely. . . Control will shift from a teacher-based experience to a collaborative experience. If there is any single argument for the use of laptops in a classroom this would be it.† Even with no significant improvement in scores, laptops are still worth having because they support constructivist methods, which has been shown to improve learning. In fact, the question that arises in the newest literature is not â€Å"Should schools use laptop computers?†, but â€Å"Can hand helds replace laptops?† Conclusion Laptops can not only replace textbooks, but can enhance student learning overall. Using computers on a consistent basis can move a classroom toward a more collaborative method of learning. With laptops students would be  able to have access to the Internet for research, word processing, and PowerPoint programs anytime, even in study hall. If a school district can take the money they would normally spend on textbooks and add some of their technology money, they may be able to achieve a goal of providing a laptop computer for each student over time. Even if standardized test scores remain the same, there are still advantages to having a laptop for each student. Regular Ed students write longer, more complete assignments, possibly due to ease the of using word processing and better resource searching ability. Buying laptops and digital textbooks may be a huge step to take, but a district may be able to work their way into them slowly by introducing laptops a grade level at a time, or in various other ways. If the goal of the district is to maximize student learning, individual laptops may be a good way to do it. Laptop learning supports constructivist activities, which have been shown to improve learning. Activities which students have a say in choosing for themselves, and choosing their own methods to complete, allow them to become more enthusiastic and involved with their learning. They can become more like partners in their own learning, rather than fairly inactive absorbers. With a laptop a complete project can be accomplished, but with a textbook, only half of a project can be accomplished. AUTHOR: Alisa Humphrey References Curtis, D. (2003, December 16). The Maine Event. Edutopia Online. Retrieved October 10, 2004 from http://www.glef.org/php/article.php?id=Art_1119. Chapman, G. (1998, June 15). Push to trade class textbooks for laptop PCs is a misuse of technology. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 6, 2004 from http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/21cp/laptops.htm. Cook, G. (2002, July). Laptop Learning. ASJB.com. 189 (7). Retrieved October 9, 2004 from http://www.asbj.com/2002/07/0702coverstory.html. Harris, Walter J. & Smith, Lori. (February 2004). Laptop use by seventh grade students with disabilities: Perceptions of special education teachers. Maine Education P

Chinese Language Characters as Pictographs

Chinese Language Characters as Pictographs   A common misconception about Chinese characters is that they are pictures. I have met many people who dont study Chinese who think that the writing system works much like rebuses where pictures represent concepts and meaning is communicated by listing many such pictures next to each other. This is partly correct, there are a number of Chinese characters that are actually drawn from just looking at the world; these are called pictographs. The reason I say that its a misconception is that these characters make up a very small portion of the total number of characters (perhaps as little as 5%). Since they are so basic and easy to understand, some teachers give their students the false impression that this is the way characters are normally formed, which is not true. This makes Chinese feel much easier, but any learning or teaching method built on this will be limited. For other, more common ways of forming Chinese characters, please read this article. Still, it is important to know how pictographs work because they are the most basic kind of Chinese character and they appear frequently in compounds. Learning pictographs is relatively easy if you know what they represent. Drawing a Picture of Reality Pictographs were originally pictures of phenomena in the natural world. Over the centuries, some of these pictures have morphed beyond recognition, but some are still clear. Here are some examples: Ã¥ ­  child (zÇ ) mouth (kÇ’u)æÅ"ˆ moon (yuà ¨) mountain (shÄ n)æÅ" ¨ tree (mà ¹)ç” ° field (tin) While it might be hard to guess what these characters mean the first time you see them, its relatively easy to recognize the drawn objects once you know which they are. This makes them easier to remember as well. If you want to see how some common pictographs have evolved, please check the pictures here. The Importance of Knowing Pictographs Even though its true that only a small proportion of Chinese characters are pictographs, that doesnt mean that they arent important. First, they represent some very basic concepts that students need to learn early on. They arent necessarily the most common characters (those are usually grammatical in nature), but they are still common. Second, and more importantly, pictographs are very common as components of other characters. If you want to learn to read and write Chinese, you have to break characters down and understand both the structure and the components themselves. Just to give you a few examples, the character Ã¥  £ (kÇ’u) mouth appears in hundreds of characters related to speaking or sounds of different kinds! Not knowing what this character means would make learning all those characters much harder. Likewise, the character æÅ" ¨ (mà ¹) tree above is used in characters that represent plants and trees, so if you see this character in a compound next to (usually to the left) of a character you have never seen before, you can be reasonably sure that its a plant of some sort. To get a more complete picture of how Chinese characters work, though, pictographs arent enough, you need to understand how they are combined in different ways: Character type 1: PictographsCharacter type 2: Simple ideogramsCharacter type 3: Combined ideographsCharacter type 4: Semantic-phonetic compounds

European Warefare essays

European Warefare essays In the 16th and 17th century, the art of war in Angola, Africa changed immensely. The word art is used to describe the way in which soldiers fought and the strategies and items used in fighting. The changes in the art of war were both reactions to opponents and adjustments based on new weapons and strategies. Africa was a less developed nation than many of the countries in Europe at this time. Europeans created their own advantages during this time to become a heavy-weight in the department of war. This extremely affected the changes in Angolan strategy and warfare. Before the inventions of heavy artillery and weapons of mass destruction, armies were said to win wars based on heart and strength of mind. That theory began to change in the 16th century when Europeans entered Africa. The Europeans entered Africa as allies to many African groups like the Kingdom of Kongo. Europeans aided the Kingdom of Kongo in the defeat of rebels in 1491. This war was followed by three other wars where Europeans aided the Africans in defeating rebels and invaders. However, it was not long before the Europeans began to want power over their once allies. For so many years, the Europeans felt that they were not a powerhouse when it came to war because the Spanish had dominated for so many years. The Europeans were tired of being second rate so they decided to form new techniques for war not based on strength and skill, which is what the Spaniards excelled in, but on weapons and new strategies. Even thought the Europeans were not a dominant world figure at this time, with the increasing success of their new form of war, the spread of these new techniques, and the spread of their success, they gradually became someone to reckon with. There is inadequate documentation about the effects European warfare had on the African armies. Because they had been allies before, it is easy to believe that the Europeans had shared some ide...

See assignment criteria Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

See assignment criteria - Essay Example In case of Ruritania, the potential of e-commerce is unlimited and will be very beneficial; however, it brings with it a number of legal issues regarding intellectual property, privacy, customer protection, copyright, etc that the government should focus on to ensure continuous growth of e-commerce in the country. However, this process of introducing and implementing new laws and strategies related to e-commerce will not be easy, and thus, the government should prepare itself to confront different challenges in this process due to the international nature of the internet and e-commerce. In this regard, the foremost requisite to ensure e-commerce growth will be to take global and diversified perspective while creating new strategies and regulations (Wimmer, 2003). It has been an observation that regulations and laws focusing only local stakeholders often result in negative outcomes, which the government of Ruritania will have to avoid during the process of alteration of laws and regul ations related to e-commerce. One of the most important concerns that the government of Ruritania should focus on is the application of copyright on digital content, as well as application of national regulations in the cyberspace. Additionally, some other issues are privacy of customers and consumers on the internet and level of security in the electronic commerce. Most importantly, taxation on the cyber trade has been one of the most crucial concerns related to e-commerce globally. Studies (Wimmer, 2003) have indicated that while creating laws and regulations related to the e-commerce, one of the major confrontations is the application of regulations in cyberspace environment, which creates the process a very complex one. In this regard, it will be very imperative for the government of Ruritania to consider broadest range of possibilities. For this reason, in order to consider every perspective, it is advisable that the government should share the proposed legislations and strateg ies with local, as well as international stakeholders, as their approval will be crucial to encourage e-commerce activities in the country, and their discontent may result in adverse outcomes. In other words, consensus of the government officials, as well as the other stakeholders will ensure effectiveness and success of the legalization process that many countries avoid and face adverse results. To begin the process, the Electronic Transaction Act (Smith, 2007) will be the basic and essential regulation to resolve existing legal issues in Ruritania and it will be an efficient way of authenticating electronic transactions in the country. Specifically, this act will enable contractual transactions, such as offers and acceptances in the cyberspace. Additionally, the act will enable customers to fulfill the legal requirements by using their electronic signatures that will resolve a number of legal issues in the e-commerce arena of Ruritania. Consequently, it is anticipation that the El ectronic Transaction Act (Smith, 2007) will increase electronic commerce activities in Ruritania by ensuring efficiency in the cyberspace. Moreover, business organizations will also be benefiting from this act due to reduction in managerial duties and operational costs after its introduction. Besides the act, another suggestion is to ensure compliance of laws and regulations by all the service providers and stakeholders involved in the

How successful is neo-liberalism in explaining why states cooperate Essay

How successful is neo-liberalism in explaining why states cooperate - Essay Example The concept of neoliberalism has been used in order to interpret the behaviour of people or states under specific conditions. It is even expanded in the area of organizational behaviour and planning. Regarding this issue, it is noticed by Bourdieu (2008, online article) that ‘the neoliberal programme draws its social power from the political and economic power of those whose interests it expresses: stockholders, financial operators, industrialists, conservative or social-democratic politicians; high-level financial officials eager to impose policies and so on’. Current paper focuses on the role of neoliberalism when having to explain the reasons for which states cooperate. The various aspects of neo-liberalism as a social and political concept will be analyzed in order to identify their role in the formulation of specific political behaviour with a special reference to the cooperation among states within the international community. Neoliberalism is a significant concept related with a variety of social and political fields; in the economic sector also the above concept can be effectively applied. In this paper neoliberalism is used under its form of an important criterion for the development of strategic cooperations among states; in other words the political ‘dimension’ of neoliberalism is likely to be employed for the development of this study. However, it is necessary to refer primarily to the various aspects and forms of neoliberalism in order to justify its presence in the evaluation of specific political behaviour – cooperation – by states internationally. In this context, we could refer to the study of Kilmister (2004, online article) who noticed that ‘neo-liberal economics is based around three main elements; firstly, there is a re-conceptualisation of the role of government expenditure; state spending is explicitly seen as justified only by the need to make domestic ca pital more