Education and obesity Essay

Although many have studied the association between educational attainment and obesity, studies to date have not fully examined prior common causes and possible interactions by race/ethnicity or gender. It is also not clear if the relationship between actual educational attainment and obesity is independent of the role of aspired educational attainment or expected educational attainment. The authors use generalized linear log link models to examine the association between educational attainment at age 25 and obesity (BMI ≠¥ 30) at age 40 in the USA’s National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 cohort, adjusting for demographics, confounders, and mediators. Race/ethnicity but not gender interacted with educational attainment. In a complete case analysis, after adjusting for socioeconomic covariates from childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, among whites only, college graduates were less likely than high school graduates to be obese (RR = 0.69, 95%CI: 0.57, 0.83). The risk ratio remained similar in two sensitivity analyses when the authors adjusted for educational aspirations and educational expectations and analyzed a multiply imputed dataset to address missingness. This more nuanced understanding of the role of education after controlling for a thorough set of confounders and mediators helps advance the study of social determinants of health and risk factors for obesity. Nutrition in pregnancy and early childhood and associations with obesity in developing countries. Concerns about the increasing rates of obesity in developing countries have led many policy makers to question the impacts of maternal and early child nutrition on risk of later obesity. The purposes of the review are to summarise the studies on the associations between nutrition during pregnancy and infant feeding practices with later obesity from childhood through adulthood and to identify potential ways for preventing obesity in developing countries. As few studies were ident ified in developing countries, key studies in developed countries were included in the review. Poor prenatal dietary intakes of energy, protein and micronutrients were shown to be associated with increased risk of adult obesity in offspring. Female offspring seem to be more vulnerable than male offspring when their mothers receive insufficient energy during pregnancy. By influencing birthweight, optimal prenatal nutrition might reduce the risk of obesity in adults. While normal birthweights (2500-3999 g) were associated with higher body mass index (BMI) as adults, they generally were associated with higher fat-free mass and lower fat mass compared with low birthweights (

Kindergarten Chats – Architecture

This reading has introduced me to various factors in architecture regarding what it represents and should be in society through Louis Sullivan words. A Terminal Station: The Masculine Implies forceful, direct, clear and straightforward, The Feminine Implies intuitive sympathy, suavity, grace, and qualities of soothe, elevate, and refined. Should be easy to get in and out (efficiency) Outward aspect of the style takes on the ambulance of architecture. I agree, a terminal station should be able to tell us what it is and from the outside, where are the entrances, exists, etc†¦This is a public figure and needs to be clear. The Key: Each buildings external aspect represents character and it's up to us to unlock the architecture behind the building. The Architect represents or misrepresents society at large; what his plain duty is, if any what society has demanded and expect. There is a particular trust between the society and the Architects. Whichever way our architecture goes, so wi ll our country go However the architecture is rotten to the core, according to Sullivan, the illusion of American architecture.I agree how the public in large is not heavily involved in how their architecture is designed, thus we are putting trust on architect's hands. Nature: Is visible, objective forms, contains aspects of beauty of form and color. The elements of earth and air shaped by delicate hand of time A creative impulse of origin In conclusion, buildings are made of materials, but the elements of the earth are removed from the matrix of nature, and reorganized and reshaped by force; mechanical, muscular, mental, emotional, moral, and spiritual.Character: Not confined to the individual, it is also defined by the municipality, the nation, rent trends, and qualities that we the people are demanding in the marketplace. Values: We recognize values in medals, diplomas, or monuments. Brings a sense of community Curtain values in which money cannot measure. Take for example a buil ding, any builder can tell you the estimated value of the property in money terms. However, the value of the building is based on subjective value and Dollar value.Sullivan recommends that both come into play. Human nature determines the subjective value, which is more permanent, but money value is inseparable from the a Roman temple: affairs of life. Sullivan talked about how roman temples are place in great modern cities, at the same time having a strenuous sight, sound, that remind the people of their god. Such a holy precinct shall be doubly sacred to us in our reverence for this union of old and new. An example of how a building can be highly subjective, take for example a bank.Just as we discussed in class, a Bank wants their building to seem powerful with strong values. Sullivan disagrees that banks in America should not resemble a Roman Temple. He believes that it should belong to ancient Romans and that banks an make as much money in any kind of bank. Thus no need for imita tions . It was a part of Roman life and their culture, and that goes along with the Roman glory, thus building temples all over resemble a roman death. Taste: It expresses a familiarity with current persons of the culture, or trends. Ђ When an architect loses trust from the people at large, this is called weak taste. I always consider taste as what the market demands, for example having garages in suburban houses because of the demand for car and storage area. A Department Store: Sullivan describes a department stores as a structure that is logical, though, and states directly its purpose, and unmistakable though not wholly gratifying index of the business conducted within its walls. It's directness of statement is its chief virtue.Expanse of glass and light and displays In other words, it stands to reason that a thing looks like what it is and outward appearances resemble inner purposes. This is a great example of Function and Form. Function and Form: Every form we see there is a vital something or other which we do not see, which makes itself visible to us in that very form. A state of nature the form exists because of the function and behind the form is neither more nor less than a manifestation of what you call the infinite creative spirit, called God. Ђ A building is properly designed when you are able to read through and know the reason for that building. The details are not the same as the parts and the mass. Logical vs.. Organic growth Logical is scholarship, or taste, or all of them combined, cannot make organic architecture Logical is common sense, a thoroughly disciplined mind, a perfect quinine, and a gracious gift of expression. Logical can not deal with creativity process, for the creating function is vital, as its name is pure-reason. Ђ Organic correlates to organism, structure, growth, development, and form. Organic implies the pressure of a living force and a resultant structure or mechanism. The pressure is Function and the result ant is Form. Ornaments in Architecture: Sullivan explains ornaments as a decorative application of enhanced beauty of our structures. It's what gives charm to a building. I agree with Sullivan that it's a luxury, to a necessary, because of the great value of the masses.Take for example a garage; to me it does not need ornaments, because Just the building itself provides the required beauty. However I agree that a certain type of ornaments mixes well with certain buildings, examples: retail, industrial, residential, office, etc. Beautiful building may be designed that shall bear no ornaments A decorated structure, harmoniously conceived, well considered, cannot be stripped of its system of ornament without destroying its individuality. The luxury of this inquiry becomes necessary; our architecture shall have neared its final development. Ђ Ornament design will be more beautiful if it seems a part of the surface or substance that receives it than if it looks â€Å"struck on. â₠¬  Both the structure and ornament obviously benefit by this sympathy; each enhancing the value of the other. Also a curtain kind of ornament should appear on a certain kind of structure. Buildings should posses an individuality as marked as that which exists among men, making them distinctly separable from each other, however a strong the racial or family semblance may be.If I stare at my house, I will see all types of Ornaments that have been chosen because of my Hispanic culture, Ecuadorian family, sports, hobbies, and each room has a certain type of style. Thoughts about this Reading I personally did not like this reading as a narrative, because there were many parts filled with a lot of fluff. I prefer to read a reading that is more straightforward and provides real examples and has pictures. Overall, my favorite parts talking about we the people have trust and give total control to developers and architects of designing our lives.

Billy Joel

Billy Joel is a well known musician who has sold millions of albums across the world. Billy Joel has also won multiple grammys and several other awards. He has worked with many other artists and is affectionately known as â€Å"The Piano Man.† Billy Joel was born on May 9, 1949. He was born as William Martin Joel in Bronx, New York. He grew up in Levittown, New York. He had two siblings a sister named Judith, and his half-brother Alexander Joel. He started his career at a very early stage in his life. At the age of four he began taking piano lessons. He took lessons on piano until he was sixteen. He was in three bands before he could even drive and he was a veteran of all of them. Billy Joel decided to start his music career after watching a famous band called â€Å"The Beatles† on The Ed Sullivan Show. In 1971 he came out with his first album after dropping out of high school to pursue his career in music. The solo album was called â€Å"Cold Spring Harbor.† Billy Joel then decided to move to Los Angeles. Soon after he job a job as a lounge pianist. Billy Joel married his first wife Elizabeth Weber Small in 1973. They had been partners for years before they married. In 1982 they separated from each other and both moved on. He then went on to marry famous supermodel named Christie Brinkley. They then had a daughter named Alexa Ray on December 29, 1985. He then split from Christie Brinkley in 1993 and then met and married television star and journalist Katie Lee. The two divorced after being married for fives years. Billy Joel then went on to meet his current wife Alexis Roderick. They then married in 2015, and went on to have a baby named Della Rose. She was born on August 12, 2015. Billy Joel sold over 150 million successful albums and has won multiple awards. Throughout his career his singles hit the top charts almost every time. His singles hit the Top 40 thirty-three times through the 1970's, 1980's, and 1990's. He received a Grammy Legend Award in 1990 and a Billboard Century Award in 1994 for his outstanding music. Later in Billy Joel's career he suffered from an alcohol addiction and was continuously in rehab. He then recovered going on to make more music throughout the early 2000's. Joel then released â€Å"All My Life† in 2007. The single was his first in thirteen years with original lyrics. Billy Joel performed multiple times at Madison Square Garden and broke records, selling out his concerts monthly. Billy Joel is one of successful artists of all time topping the charts numbers of time throughout the years. He has won several awards and sold out many shows at popular venues such as Madison Square Garden. Billy Joel has continued to perform and tour throughout the world and break records.

News Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

News Article - Essay Example He did not like to sacrifice the lives of his militants. President Bashar al-Assad can preserve and foster his power all well. He does not want to lose. In spite of the UN attempts to stop 13 months bloodshed in Syria, a cruel and a stubborn leader continues his policy. This point of view is often promoted in the media. In reality, a current position of Syria presents an international hazard and the most powerful countries of the world try to cease fire in that country. There are oppressed masses of people in Syria and the international community insists on tyrannical power. The President has already sacrificed 9,000 of Syrian lives (Coughlin, 2012). Assad is concerned about preservation of his power only, because he has been kept it for the past 40 years. Assad has obtained too much rivals, which are very strong and diplomatic relationships may be a great challenge for Assad. Syria is involved in the complex relationships with Iran and at this point it is appropriate for Assad to adopt a bold strategy of Alexander the Great, when he implemented the ideas of his rivals. Regime in Damascus is an intimidating factor for the international community. Therefore, Assad has global intentions and tries to implement his policy in order to extend the limits of his country. A global way of thinking was relevant to Alexander the Great too. Both of these leaders implemented their military plans as soon as possible. An establishment of the great empire has always been the main aim for Alexander as it is for Assad. There is no doubt, that Alexander the Great was a perfect leader, but he was much worried about the territory of his country and he did not care much about its inhabitants. People were like means, which he used to reach his goals. Unlike previous rulers from the Assad family, Bashar is unable to provide the country with the political stability. Mass protests are not scaring for the

Home Retail Group plc Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Home Retail Group plc - Coursework Example It was incorporated in 1973 and has over 1000 stores spread over the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. It has the two leading retail brands in United Kingdom Argos and Home-base. Their source for their product both locally and globally (Home retail group 2014). Argos deals with general merchandise, and it is the most popular. It has 40 retail stores spread over the United Kingdom. Some of the products that one can be able to shop for at Argos are toys, electronics, jewelry and housewares. Home base is the largest DIY store the people who frequent the store are home decorators and constructors. Financial services deal with offering financial advice to customers; it also operates as an insurance company (Home retail group 2014). Argos and Home base have variety of 80,000 goods provided under a portfolio of brands like Habitat, Bush, Alba, Chad Valley and Odina. Over 47,450 competent and efficient employees work in Home Retail Group plc. The establishment is directed by a panel of directors whose chairman is Mr. John Coombe. The Chief executive officer is currently Mr. John Waiden, and he leads a team of abled managers who manage the daily operations of the company. The establishment’s dream is to become the unsurpassed merchandising shop in Europe, and its mission is to answer quickly and satisfy the needs of their clients. The financial position of the company has grown over the years registering a net profit of 5.7 billion in 2013 and a market share of 190.40.The following is a detailed research on its market position using the SWOT analysis, Porters five forces model and the PESTEL analysis of the company (Home retail group 2014). The company continues to focus on operational excellence and further investment in multi-channel leadership that has delivered a solid performance that has enabled the hold of the market share in the business. Although still cautious about the consumer outlook over the short term, the company continues to

ENVIORNMENTAL REGULATIONS Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ENVIORNMENTAL REGULATIONS - Coursework Example The absence of minimum wage rate in Singapore is a matter of concern especially for migrant workers. Due to increasing problems of environmental pollution caused by several industries and by industrialization policies pursued since the late 1960s, Malaysia developed its first framework environmental legislation called the Environmental Quality Act 1974. During the start of its life, the act took major steps to curb the ever increasing pollution in the country and it was not until 1987 that the environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedures were introduced to undertake preventative measures as well. Section 34A of the Environmental Quality (Amendment) Act 1985 makes it obligatory for anyone who wishes to undertake some activity to conduct a study to weigh the environmental impacts that the activity will have and the measures to be undertaken. The Malaysian EIA procedures are comparable to the National Environmental Policy Act 1969 (NEPA) model of the USA (Memon, n.d.). The number of environmental laws has grown rapidly and may be sufficient in number but not in quality. These laws have been unable to curb the ever increasing pollution in Malaysia. One of the reasons is that the legislation was mainly passed to cover and address situations as they arose with time, not to address the core environmental issues. There are also a significant number of breaches of environmental law but enforcement action is extremely low: to date only 5 cases are reported in the law reports of Malaysia under the heading of environmental law (Bt. Maidin, 2005). Singapore’s environmental issues are typical of an urbanized city. The issues relate to pollution from industrialization and urbanization and the protection of nature areas. The overall environmental management lies with the Ministry of Environment (ENV) established in 1970 which has become a full-fledged ministry and is responsible for a number of areas such as providing infrastructure for waste management, and

Mathematics and Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mathematics and Technology - Essay Example Following adoption of technology in the classrooms, the curriculum has changed learning experiences, rigor with suitable emphasis on process. Similarly, technology has played a key role in enhancing the delivery of learning activities and improved the understanding capabilities of the students. In the unforgiving competition within the global economy, the need to develop new strategies to keep up with the market is certain. Such strategies include the understanding and application of new technologies in most fields with the nation’s economy. This is more so in the education sector to aid in improvement of skills with regard to mathematics and science. Incorporation of technology within educational institutions has seen a dramatic change of perception and increased level of innovation to the benefit of the students (Nguyen, Hsieh and Donald 2006, p.252). In this regard, technology has found a home in classrooms where active educators use it as a means of improving their present ation of concepts. The use of modern flash animations and videos as learning tools to illustrate concepts in various subjects, which is facilitated by use of unique software and projectors. Computers in education engage students making the learning more powerful and relatively easy to follow through simulated computations of scientific and mathematical problems. Laptops among students assist in delivery of assignments and reading materials. The application of technology in teaching mathematics demands new interpretations of the instructional process, with those who embrace it undergoing vigorous evaluation in a bid to keep up its evolution. A key feature of mathematics is in its use of physical and intellectual tools. The use of technology during the learning process has its application limited by the user’s imagination. Its generic nature leaves room for improvement in its application especially in mathematics. Mathematical activities that involve the application of computer technology include communication, mathematical modeling, manipulation of numbers, symbols and shapes, and investigation of patterns and problems. Calculators and Mathematics A learning environment enriched by technology should be characterized by collaborative and investigative approaches to learning, which increases content integration across the curriculum. In this regard, subjects being taught in a classroom are applied before the end of the day. This plays a critical role in the development of the learning basic concepts, which in turn facilitate understanding. The use of technology such as computers and calculators during mathematics lessons has seen an increase in efficiency especially in the delivery of content by teachers. The use of calculators in Australian schools received wide endorsements from the education system as it was seen as a new way of enhancing learning. Its endorsement has seen the development of significant technologies complement the use of calculators. On e of the key benefits for the use of calculators in mathematics classes is the improvement of conceptual understanding and visualization of mathematical concepts. A mathematics class incorporating calculators in their coursework tend to have an improved sense of grasping concepts as there are taught to them. Moreover, efficiency is enhanced as students move along the coursework with much easy. The use of calculators and other technologies within a mathematics course improve the procedural skills and knowledge in a student. This is as evidenced in studies conducted to examine the benefits of technology in classrooms. Therefore, in order to achieve successful application in the classroom, technology is based on a

Testosterone's direct effect on adult males diagnosed with depression Research Paper

Testosterone's direct effect on adult males diagnosed with depression - Research Paper Example Almost all vital organ systems in the human body need testosterone to work efficiently hence their functioning is also affected by a decrease in testosterone levels. The overall health of men, especially their psychological or emotional wellbeing, largely depends on testosterone levels. Because testosterone’s serum level lowers as men become older, sexual fervor and strength also lowers, resulting in a higher risk for depressive symptoms. Decrease in testosterone levels can also cause impotence in mean, and this is usually another cause of depression (Grant & Potenza, 2007). Luckily testosterone levels can be diagnosed and treated. Relationship between Testosterone Levels and Depression in Men Some empirical findings substantiate the assumption that testosterone is related to depression. Primarily, cross-sectional research has studied the connection between testosterone levels and development of depressive symptoms. In addition, the levels of gonadotropin in non-depressed and depressed groups have been studied. Moreover, there are quite a few longitudinal studies looking at the testosterone levels throughout occurrences of depression in men (Kaplan, 2012). Basically, one way to understand the effect of testosterone levels on male depression is to study the correlation between testosterone levels and depression in elderly males. Sternbach (1998) examined empirical studies on the natural decrease of testosterone in adult males and discovered an apparent correlation between low testosterone levels and different symptoms of mood disorders, such as bad temper, sexual problems, anxiety, and depression. These natural outcomes of the decrease of testosterone may resemble a mood disturbance in elderly males. This correlation offers indirect substantiation for a relationship between testosterone levels and male depression (Heidelbaugh, 2007). Studies that focus on the effect of testosterone levels on the development of depressive symptoms among adult males have pr oduced varied findings. Yesavage and colleagues (1985) studied levels of testosterone in depressed males and discovered a moderate inverse correlation between levels of testosterone and the degree of depression when the latter was controlled. The hypothesized correlation between degree of depression and testosterone levels was discovered. Another set of studies that substantiates the effect of testosterone on male depression is derived from the application of the testosterone replacement therapy in the treatment of depressive symptoms in men. A number of studies have supported the effectiveness of testosterone replacement therapy in the treatment of depressive symptoms in men with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (Heidelbaugh, 2007). Wagner and colleagues (1996) reported that testosterone replacement therapy had a greater positive outcome compared to standard antidepressant treatments in treating depressive symptoms in males with HIV. Even though it may be tempting to search for a hormone-based biological substrate to demonstrate the severity and prevalence of male depression, there are no sufficient or strong indications that testosterone affects the prevalence and degree of depression in males. Treatment research supporting this is carried out with clinically vulnerable males, several of whom also display acute depressive sympto

Means of Company's Driving Superior Shareholder Value Coursework

Means of Company's Driving Superior Shareholder Value - Coursework Example I introduced the balanced scorecard which is a performance report based on a broad set of both financial and non-financial performance measures as the best strategic management accounting tool to be employed in the current business environment today. I also focused a bit on how shareholders could align their interests with those of shareholders since present compensation plans such as the granting of stock options to CEOs have been unable to motivate managers to create value for shareholders. I therefore recommended that managers should be compensated based on the amount of shareholder value that they generate and that it is also necessary for managers to be evaluated based on the amount of long-term economic value that they generate since evaluating them based on short-term performance measures can make them be myopic and as a result engage in short-term activities to generate higher short-term results for the short-term financial performance measures.Today, the current business env ironment has become characterized by the importance of the investor and the drive for shareholder value. Shareholder value is the value of a firm minus future claims (debt). Shareholder value is given by taking the net present value (NPV) of all future free cash flows to the firm plus value of non-operating assets minus future claims (debt). Non-operating assets include marketable securities, excess real estate and over-funded pension plans, whereas future claims include interest bearing long-term and short-term debt, capital lease obligations, under-funded pension plans and contingent liabilities. Only when a firm earns a return on invested capital (ROIC) above the cost of capital can that firm be said to be creating economic shareholder value.  Ã‚  

Recently economic issue about Wall Street Journal Essay

Recently economic issue about Wall Street Journal - Essay Example The country will highly need assistance from foreign countries in order to grow effectively. Apart from the challenges being posed by Europe and China, United States also face other economical crises such as decrease of commodity prices, the current instability in stock markets, and decline in demand and output in big developing markets such as Brazil. Another aspect affecting world’s economic status is the political tension in many countries resulting from the current Ebola virus outbreak (2). Although United States is the world’s economic growth engine, with many countries not performing may negatively affect the country’s economic growth. Another factor that affects the U.S. economic growth is the rigid economy that has being affected by years of uneven growth. According to estimates made by Goldman Sachs economists, tight conditions of financial market can shave approximately 0.3 percent from American’s economic growth before the end of next year. However, if the bonds and stocks’ weakness proves to be temporary, this hit would decrease by approximately half. The global financial crisis has resulted in a decrease in revenues of the big business organizations in the United States such as McDonald’s Corp. both the internal and external factors affecting the country’s economic growth have proved to be more severe and formidable than it was expected. The author of this article, Josh and Nick, try to discuss the global financial issues that are currently affecting the economy of the world. According to the content of the article, global economic crisis started to affect the world’s economy in the year 2008. The increase of global financial crisis, have resulted to decrease in world stock. In addition, big financial organizations are collapsing, and rich countries’ governments have started to come up with a rescue package that will aid in overcoming these crises. Some impacts of global financial issues

How are derechos detected by weather satellites Research Paper

How are derechos detected by weather satellites - Research Paper Example Weather satellites have particular equipments that after scanning the earths surface form images. Interpretation of visible infrared images from satellites can be the beginnings of derecho detection. The infrared images that are recorded by scanning radiometer sensors allow trained forecaster to verify cloud type and height. Tropical cyclones utilize satellite imagery caused by infrared lasers. Infrared lasers are not affected by light or darkness (Norris, 67). Derechos are determined by the cloud alignment, the patterns and progression of successive images. Google maps enable the analyst to identify derechos in that they give a specific location of the storm. Google looks to the earth from orbiting satellites, where general perspective projection enables this effect to be achieved. Googles LatLong blogs announce all imagery updates to detect derechos. The digitalGlobe coverage helps to view image

Joseph Stalin Essay Example for Free

Joseph Stalin Essay World leaders are leaders with high governmental power in the world. Every leader, not just world leaders, is either great or corrupt; they are rarely both. Most of Russia’s history is filled with corrupt leaders. Joseph was one of those leaders. Stalin killed millions of people during his rule. But Stalin also led the Soviet Union almost to the top in world power. Stalin had many influences that led him to his Soviet Leadership in which gave him many admirers but even more non-supporters. At the age of 10, Joseph â€Å"Stalin† Djugashvili attended Gori’s religious elementary school. His mother, Yekaterina, wanted him to be a priest and would usually beat her son if he son whenever he misbehaved. These beatings were never as bad as those received from his father, Vissarion. Vissarion would frequently beat Stalin and his mother until they finally had enough and Yekaterina kicked Vissarion out. In 1894, at the age of 16, Stalin attended the Tiflis Seminary on a full scholarship. At the school, in 1899, he joined an underground Marxist revolutionary group. Because of his membership in this group, him and other revolutionaries were arrested and sent to Siberia. Two years later, Stalin escaped from Siberia. On his return, he joined the RSDLP or Russian Social Democratic Labor Party. Later, when the RSDLP split because of differences, he joined the Bolsheviks half under the control of Vladimir Lenin. With the Bolsheviks, Stalin helped with many revolutions. The first was the take down of Tsar Nicholas II and the Russian Tsarist government. With the tsarist takedown, Russia set up a new provisional government. It worked at first but then it started going downhill. Since fleeing the country in fear of arrest, Lenin put Stalin in charge of the central committee of the Bolsheviks Party. Unimpressed by Stalin’s compromising with the Provisional government, Lenin started writing hate letters to the provisional government. Most, if not all, of these letters were published in Stalin’s communist newspaper, Pravda. The Pravda was one of the ways the Bolsheviks spread the communist revolt. The Russian’s loss in the Russo-Japanese war was the another way that they got the public to turn against the provisional government and strengthen the communist revolt. The revolt got stronger and stronger until the Bolsheviks finally revolted and took down the Russian Provisional Government. Because of this, civil war erupted all over the country. At the end of this war, in 1920, the Bolsheviks set up the USSR, or Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, under control of Vladimir Lenin. When Lenin died, Stalin aggressively worked his way up until he was the leader of the USSR. In his control, Stalin set up a â€Å"5 year plan† to advance the Russian economy from just farming to also having industry. In this plan, he would also advance the military and â€Å"cleanse the country of villains† or those he saw as villains. To â€Å"cleanse the country†, Stalin would have unfair trials that would have many on trial at once. These were called his â€Å"Show Trials†. The majority, if not all, of these people were found guilty and sent for execution. They were executed all at once, and the executions were called the Purges. To advance the Russian economy, Stalin would work the farmers to death†¦ literally. When the farmers revolted, Stalin stopped sending them food and even more died from starvation. On the last of the purges, 16 men were put on trial and accused of acts of terrorism towards Stalin and the Soviet government. Two of them were Stalin’s allies after Lenin’s death, Zinovyev and Kamenev. All 16 of them confessed although none they were innocent. One of the accused that wasn’t sent to execution was Robert Eikhe. Eikhe wrote a letter to Stalin saying that Stalin was wrong and shouldn’t have executed those men. Furious, Stalin demanded that Eikhe was shot to death. Not too long after, Stalin’s wife died. With that, Stalin will never truly trust anyone or ever be the same. In Europe, there was another leader rising to power, Germany’s Adolf Hitler. Stalin admired Hitler and, in WW2, hoped they wouldn’t have to fight, so the USSR and Germany signed a Nonaggression Pact to avoid battle between them. It wasn’t too long until Hitler broke the Pact and attacked Ukraine. During the invasion, the Soviet air force was wiped out. Feeling surprised and betrayed, Stalin had a mental breakdown. Stalin finally pulled himself together and set up a â€Å"Scorched Earth† policy. He had both soldier and citizen initiate this scorched earth policy by destroying everything the Germans needed in their area and push out the invading Germans from Ukraine, which was taken under German control. Many were killed in the invasion; the Germans captured four million and killed three million people. Then the Soviets started fighting back. In that winter, many Germans died because of harsh weather and lack of supplies. Towards the end, Roosevelt sent weapons, equipment, and food to the Soviet Union. Stalin launched his final attack on the Germans in Stalingrad. At the end of WW2, Germany was left with nothing and no one in control. The â€Å"big three† (The United States’ Franklin D. Roosevelt, Joseph Stalin, and Britain’s Winston Churchill) met in Yalta, Ukraine. In Yalta, they discussed many topics. One of them was about Germany. They split Germany into four parts. The four parts were under control of the USSR, USA, Britain, and France. They also talked about Roosevelt’s preposition and set up the United Nations. The effects WW2 had on the Soviet Union were drastic. People would have their houses destroyed and had to live in their caves. The food rationings for the poor would continue for a while. Stalin knew nothing about it. It got worse when the United States stopped sending supplies. Because of this, Stalin declared war on the United States and its allies. This war would was called the Cold War. At that, the Soviet Union started developing nuclear technology and tension escaladed. Not too long after, United States President Harry Truman set up the â€Å"Marshal Plan† which had no trade sent to the Soviet Union or any other communist country. A little after that, Germany was officially split into two parts, East and West. East Germany and East Berlin was under Soviet Control. West Germany and West Berlin was under United States, British, and French control. Stalin blockaded East Berlin from the West. Knowing the end of this life was near, Stalin did many things to make sure he would be remembered. He wrote a 16 volume set of books, and he built canals and bridges to â€Å"show his control over nature†. Many of the projects were unfinished, though. Not too long before his death, Stalin accused seven doctors of planning to kill him and other governmental officials that were their patients, and put all seven on trial. On March 1st, 1952, Stalin suffered a stroke caused by a burst blood vessel in his brain in his mansion outside Moscow. He died four days later. After his death, Stalin still had many supporters. The Supporters mourned the loss of their great leader. They disregarded the millions of murders or say that they were for the better of the country. They also believed that some of the negative information was fake and still remain loyal to him. Other people that were non-loyal to Stalin were glad that he’s gone. The non-supporters renamed the bridges and streets he named after himself. They also renamed Stalingrad to Volgograd. The propaganda Stalin used didn’t completely work. He tried having history books rewritten to make him look peaceful because despite the terror, he wanted peace to be part of his remembrance. Stalin would have picture taken and paintings made of him doing good or kind things. He would also say things to make it look like his murders were okay. In one of his speeches, he said â€Å"A great danger hangs over our country. † (â€Å"Stalin, Joseph 1878-1952† 205) He says this for his multiple 5 Year Plans and his Purges. Joseph Stalin will always be known as the man who changed Russia. He evolved the working class country into an industrial, Military-strong country. His goals for Russia and the Union were good, but the ways he reached those goals weren’t so good and that’s why many people didn’t like him. The opinion of Stalin that I had was that he was a terrible ruler and that he thought for the worst; that changed. I learned that he wanted to advance Russian economy from farming to more industrial factories and that gave me more respect towards him, but I still think he could have done better.

Managing The Learning Environment Education Essay

Managing The Learning Environment Education Essay In terming behaviour as above one could imply that there is a wide variation in how learners conduct themselves in lessons; behaviour may be positive towards achieving learning goals, or as many teachers might fear behaviours negative towards the outcomes the teacher wants to achieve, (Cowley, 2010). Behaviour itself can be indicative of the environment that the learners are in. This can be interpreted as the physical classroom in which the learners are in, so one should consider the layout as an importance: a seating plan can ensure that the more talkative learners are spread out away from one another but may alienate others who need friendship groups to gain the confidence to speak out in lesson. Having plenty of light, preferably natural light through the windows, and colour, possibly in the form of posters, can create a feeling of positivity in the classroom and thus motivate learners to work, (Wallace, 2007). The learning environment can also be the culture of behaviour within the classroom. A classroom of talkative learners can be a noisy environment whereas a silent classroom may be an oppressive environment. Positive behaviours are at the root of a positive environment. Effective strategies for positive behaviours can be negotiated ground rules; getting the learners to agree on what is a reasonable rule means that they are much more likely to adhere to them Positive behaviours within the classroom such as participation in discussions, arriving on time or listening attentively all stem from the learners motivation to learn. Different learners are motivated in differing ways; however, one may draw parallel of a learner basic motivation to the first levels of Maslows hierarchy of needs. Learners will value their security so that they might survive in the classroom situation, (Petty, 2004). Therefore to encourage positive behaviours in the classroom these initial stages of motivation need to be catered for. Simple things such as having access to bottled water, being able to open the windows if too hot can easily meet the physiological needs of learners whilst knowing all the fire exit routes can meet the lower security needs. In considering what might be thought of as misbehaviour, McLean suggests that most are a function of poor or inappropriately directed motivation and that most problems result from self-determination, not self-esteem. He further suggests that in approach to misbehaviour one should recognise learners actively seek control and responsibility and that it is best to offer them an opportunity to achieve this, (McLean, 2009). Common forms of misbehaviour reported include: off-topic discussions during activities; talking when the instructor is talking; aggression such as responding to the teacher by cursing or learners may act out making jokes or trying to get the teacher off-task by asking leading questions, (Steward, 2008). It is suggested by strategists such as Wallace that these behaviours are rooted in underlying factors which vary from learner to learner but all link into the learners need for security, (Wallace, 2007). Wallace states that there are four big demotivators which can lead to disruption within the classroom, (Wallace, p11-16, 2007). She suggests that the first, fear, can be the root of behaviours such as refusal to participate in group discussion or in fact acting out as a class clown so as to move off-topic and away from what they could believe they are not clever enough to do. With these learners it is proposed that we should be approachable, and challenge the idea that smart isnt cool. These learners might feel that they could be set up to fail; we should avoid this and start where the learners are, (Wallace, p11-16, 2007). Fear may link to a further demotivator, previous negative experience. Here learners see the teacher as the enemy and find that winding up that teacher is easier than doing some work. To tackle this, an instructor might want to discourage passive learning and make the experience enjoyable. It is better to break down the tasks into attainable goals and aim to get th e learners thinking that they can be successful at learning, (Wallace, p11-16, 2007). Other learners can experience boredom as a demotivator causing them to move into off-topic discussions, often when the teacher is trying to hold a group discussion or give an explanation. Often this can be because the work is too easy for the learner or the lesson lack activity. With so many learners to cater for in a class, differentiation and strategies such as individual learning plans can be used to tackle boredom. Surprising the learners with frequent change in focus or activity can keep them engaged, whilst discovering their interests and building them into the sessions can further reduce the possibility of disruption, (Wallace, p11-16, 2007). Finally in the four demotivators discussed by Wallace learners may experience a loss of hope. These learners commonly will not want to participate in the lesson as they do not receive praise for their efforts or feel that the teacher has no interest in them; therefore a teacher may decide to praise the learner where ever possible in an attempt to demonstrate that they enjoy teaching the learner so that the learners confidence is boosted and lead them to participate more in the classroom, (Wallace, p11-16, 2007). It is often said that a noisy teacher has a noisy classroom; when one does not manage the behaviours of a class effectively misbehaviour can spread and positive behaviours can become extinct. It is a responsibility of the teacher to model the behaviours that they expect from their learners; it is in fact the teachers behaviours that can impact most on the resulting environment that they teach in, (Steward, 2008). Cowley suggests that behaviour management is about the building and sustaining of relationships with learners even when a learner has no interest in relating to you in return, (Cowley, 2010). One might imply that this is a humanist approach following Mayos (1933) theory of management; being aware of social needs and catering for them to ensure that learners collaborate with the class rules rather than work against them. Using the names of learners is much more likely to focus their attentions on what they are doing and understand you are aware of their misbehaviours. It has also been suggested that a behaviourist approach by teachers, such as methods promoted by Skinner in operant conditioning, can cause a greater impact on the learning environment. When one reinforces positive behaviours by using praise or rewards you demonstrate what is acceptable. Reinforcement can simply be the teacher giving a nod of the head in agreement. Frequent reinforcement in the early stages of learning, then at random or fixed intervals can aid the learning process significantly, (Reece and Walker, 2006). When approaching the management of behaviour certain guidelines are in place to help teachers make appropriate decisions. These range from legislation laid out by governing bodies to policies of the individual organisations. Legislation to consider in the management of behaviour within the learning environment, in relation to punishment of behaviours includes acts such as the Equality Act (2006). The Equality Act (2006), which has 9 areas protected by law, (age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; and sexual orientation), requires one to eliminate unlawful discrimination and harassment as well as promote inclusivity, (Ashmore et al., 2010). This means that should a teacher choose to use punishments in managing behaviour it must be done on an equal ground for every learner. Further to this the Department for Education states: In determining whether a punishment is reasonable, section 91 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 says the penalty must be reasonable in all the circumstances and that account must be taken of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ requirements affecting them. (Department for Education, p5, 2012). Whilst one needs to manage behaviours in the classroom it is important to consider that issues are addressed to all learners which display the behaviour in the same manner. One rule for one, one rule for another will only re-enforce insecurity of a learner in your classroom. Learners can attribute punishment of their behaviour as discrimination in these areas; they may see challenges as a negative attitude towards them being an external, stable factor outside of their control and thus not change the behaviour but continue them as a manner of keeping their control of the situation and in their mind stay secure, (Steward, 2008). It is therefore apt to ensure one maintains discipline of smaller misbehaviours rather than letting them escalate to larger ones requiring further sanctions. Organisations will often layout their own guidelines for teachers in dealing with misbehaviour. Blackpool and the Fylde College requires learners to abide by a Code of Conduct which covers areas of behaviour such as respecting their fellow leaners and those working in the college environment to being committed to their choice of course and taking responsibility for their own learning, (Blackpool and the Fylde College, 2012). The college literature defines misconduct as: inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour which breaches the code of conduct whilst being a student attending this College (Blackpool and the Fylde College, p2, 2012) This may include minor breaches of the Code of Conduct such as lateness to sessions or failure to meet deadlines which are written on a Cause for Concern form and incorporated by the learners tutor into an action plan. Further breaches are escalated to a senior tutor who works in a second action plan and inform the learner further breaches will result in a formal procedure being implemented. The policy states that it is the responsibility of a learners tutor to meet with them should they breach the Code of Conduct and to agree a way forward. They are to create together an Action Plan to list the specific behaviours to be introduced/avoided. The policy encourages staff to support and encourage any student in changing their behaviour pattern towards one which co-operates with the Code of Conduct, (Blackpool and the Fylde College, 2012). The policy also states: Where a teacher feels that a students behaviour is detrimental to the work being carried out by the class, the teacher may exclude the student from the duration of the class. The teacher will report this action to the Head of School and record the decision on an appropriate form (SMP1). This temporary exclusion is meant to deal with minor student behaviour problems which require an immediate response (Blackpool and the Fylde College, 2012) Whilst one can appreciate that in an extreme circumstance you may feel that you have to ask a learner to leave, one should remember that there is the responsibility of safeguarding learners. If you ask them to leave, you cannot be sure where they will go to and with FE learners, a majority being between 16-19 years, there is a responsibility of being in loco parentis. The management of behaviour is key skill for any effective teacher so that their learners can get on with learning. A teacher is in the environment to teach but unless the behaviours that occur are dealt with effectively on cannot fulfil this role, (Cowley, 2010). One should remember that whilst behaviour management is something that teachers do have to deal with it is not what the entire focus of their practice should be.

Financing Higher Education Literature Review

Financing Higher Education Literature Review REVIEW OF LITERATURE Dunn and Sullins (1982) conducted a study on cost-benefit analysis and its applicability in Higher Education. The main objective of the paper was to discuss whether cost-benefit analysis can be applied to higher education institutions. This paper examines the problems which arise while performing cost-benefit analysis for evaluating Higher Education. The problems include, selecting the productivity index to use with a cost-benefit analysis, determining the discount rate to be used in the analysis, identifying and measuring the costs of higher education, identifying and measuring the benefits of higher education, and defining the time horizon for investments.So cost-effectiveness analysis and cost benefit analysis can be differentiated and to further highlight why cost-effective analysis may be a more useful tool to evaluate higher education. The major finding of the study was that the use of cost-effectiveness analysis could eliminate certain problems associated with cost-benefit ana lysis. Still the problems of identifying and quantifying relevant cost and defining the social discount rate remains. Eicher (1998) studied the Costs and Financing of Higher Education in Europe. The major objective of the study was to analyse optimal financing. For this the study compared Modes of Financing Higher Education in OECD Countries 1993. Evolution of student numbers in Europe from 1955-1994 and public expenditure per student between 1975 and 1992. The major findings of the study were that the financing of higher education in Europe is going through a period of confusion and change. But based on observations and economic studies, the following views were strained: Student involvement in the funding of their educations is still lower than the optimal appears to explain in many European countries; Tuition fees are growing in different forms and procedures and this trend will remain. In relation to the evolution of fees, there is a need that in most nations the students aid systems be reconsidered and modified. A harmonisation of fees and student aid systems is highly necessary if one needs to continue to shape a unified Europe. Singh and Venkataramani (2012) studied Institutes of Higher Education as delivery channels. They discuss its effect on the financial welfare of the people and highlights the steps taken by numerous participants to deliver financial education with an objective of increasing the knowledge of consumers about financial services. Less than desired results have been acquired from these interventions. As it is a gigantic task to provide financial education in a country like India to a large section of the population, a necessity arises aimed at the dedicated contribution of every stakeholder and a sustainable strategy in place. The findings of the study are that it would be a sustainable and cost effective approach to engage institutions of higher education in the financial education drive. Gupta (2006) conducted a study on Positive Action in Higher Education in India and the US. The study makes an effort to comprehend the fine distinctions of a caste-based reservation policy that exists in higher education with respect to the controversies, court judgments, a consequent amendment to the constitution in India; and positive action policies, court verdicts, and substitutes to affirmative action in some universities in the US. The major objective of the study is to make apparent the commonness and differences among India and the US in relation to legal, political, socio-cultural, economic, and psychological viewpoints. Chakrabarti (2009) investigated Determining factors of Participation in Higher Education and the selection of Disciplines. The major emphasis of this paper was to study the part played by economic, social and demographic features in determining the possibility of the rural and urban youths in India participating in higher education. The study used data available with National Sample Survey (NSS), the major findings of the study were that youth from schedule caste (SC) and schedule tribe (ST) upbringing have significantly lower chances of going to a higher educational institution when compared with other social groups in rural region. A significant effect on the higher educational attendance is exerted by the educational profile of the households head. The increasing cost of higher education has a harmful impact when it comes to the participation in higher education. As compared to their male counterparts, female youths have a significantly greater likelihoods of attending a Higher Ed ucation institutions for Arts or Humanities course in urban India. However, it is found that for other streams like Science, Commerce, Medicine, Engineering and professional courses, gender bias against female is strong even after adjusting for social and economic background of the family. Sharmila and Dhas (2010) studied Progress of Females Education in India. The major objective of the study was to examine the trends in females education, the investments in education and infrastructural provisions in India. The findings of the study were that from the female literacy levels and its variation over time revealed a noteworthy progress in the performance of womens education. Another finding was that the gaps among rural and urban literacy rates for women re coming down. Rather than being a hindrance to women’s education poverty in rural India acts as a thrust factor for females’ education. Urbanization improved attainment of females’ education in India. It showed that the decrease in girls’ drop-out rates is essential for realizing women’s education. The study further calls for an increase in women centered educational infrastructure so that womens dropout rates can be studied and female literacy levels can be improved in India Rani (2014) studied Fairness in the circulation of government subsidies on education in India. The main objective of the paper was to estimate how uniformly the public expenditure is dispersed by levels of education throughout different states in India, by means of the benefit incidence analysis. The study found out that there exists a difference between the circulation of government subsidies at elementary levels of schooling and higher levels of education. At elementary levels the subsidies are pro-poor, but as they go to higher levels of education the benefit to them decreases. The study suggested a two-way approach of guaranteeing the quality of learning outcomes amid government financed schools and differential user fees at greater levels of education. Pilkington and Nair (2013) examined Global tendencies in higher education and an unanticipated convergence among France and India. The major objective of the study was to inspect an unanticipated convergence among the higher education systems of two diverse countries, to be specific France and India. The study addresses the matter of the commodification of higher education in order to ascertain if the later progression has been accepted, stimulated or opposed by governments. This is done after making a brief comparative survey. The study found that it is the GATS rules that regulate the global trade in higher education services partially determine the modern settings in which the higher education organizations function, through the improvement of new modes of transfer such as e-learning and distance education. The investigators then spread their focus to reduce the gap between France and India. They say that the convergence of academic, economic and institutional factors helps push t he new idea of an Indo-French knowledge-based triangle. Kaul (2006) conducted a study on Higher Education in India and about seizing the available opportunity. The paper analyses the current policy environment to assess its competence in ensuring that India remains ahead of the curve in the information segment which in recent year is growing exponentially. In the delivery of higher education and technical training the part of the private sector has been highlighted.The study found that in order to sustain the trend of increased technical manpower and the big boom in the BPO/KPO sector it is necessary that India continue to produce greatly skilled manpower at a speeded pace. The suggestions made in the paper is that India requires to have a active demand based strategy in the direction of private higher education comprising foreign institutions/universities eager to set up a campus in India or engaging into joint-ventures. Gupta (2005) studied Global Trends in Higher Education and the Indian Situation. This paper focused the political, economic, socio-cultural, ethical, philosophical, legal, and practical facets of the widespread subject of worldwide trends in private higher education, overall. The further focus is on the driving forces, reasons and consequences of the rise of private higher education in India throughout the last three decades. The paper further discusses the role of courts in private higher education in India. Mamoon (2005) explored planning a creative approach towards Safeguarding Economic Efficiency of Higher Education Improvements in Pakistan. The paper proposes that the government of Pakistan’s policy of current higher education is being followed at the cost of elementary education. This paper also points out that the bias in higher education is shared among countries that are developing, since the growth and processes of growth are much more receptive to higher education than elementary or secondary education. The major cause as to why disparities are growing into one of the fastest growing economies of the world, specifically India and China are the unequal education policies of these governments. Mishra (2003) examined self-financing of establishments of higher education in India. The paper discusses the possibility of self-financing institutions of higher education the higher education system which is mostly government supported and funded is in deep financial strain as the costs are increasing and the budgetary resources being limited with increasing needs. The paper suggests that it is necessary to devise means to self-finance the institutions of higher education. The study further found that as long as the government funds higher education the private costs will be low. If the government stops funding, then it will have an adverse effect on the demand for higher education. This paper recommends that there is a need to restructure India’s higher education system from academic to a more of professional and technical. Upadhyay (2008) conducted a study on the Economics of Higher Education in India, while keeping women as the prime focus of the study. The paper examines the part played by the economic aspects in the enrollment choice at the higher education level in India. The major finding of the study was that the degree of participation of female in the post reforms period is in a disadvantaged position.As a determining factor of economic progress, the women’s education has started to lose its importance. The determinant factors in women’s enrollment decision in the post reform period were considered to be the relatively low probability of getting jobs, the unfavorable prospect for lifetime earnings of different female degree holders at higher education levels. Sethi et al. (2011) examined Higher Education and Economic Development within a Globalist Era in India. The paper focuses on the in’s and out’s of higher education in India in the context of India’s education system and why India is still a developing country. They said that education which is the basic for any economies development is in a bad shape in India. So, there must be some changes. These changes primarily include the change in the education system. They further suggested certain changes, these changes primarily include changes in India’s education system. Joshi (2012) studied Sustainable Development of the Higher Education Sector in India. They say, given that higher education is important, economic progress of India in current years is driven by mainly the services sector especially by IT and ITES the sustainable improvement of higher education becomes crucial. The paper raises the question as to where India’s higher education stands today and further the challenges that are confronting this sector. It also studies the proposed reform measures in this sector. The study found that the demand and supply in higher education sector is seriously mismatched. It is therefore crucial to reform higher education system and enhance Indian talent pool so as to maximize the potential of IT and ITES on the one hand and to catalyze the countries growth which is driven by the services sector on the other hand. The extension of the higher education sector and enhancement in its quality can assist India in avoiding the unemployability of gradua tes on the one hand and the phenomenon of ‘missing teachers’ on the other. Further it can make higher education affordable. Basant and Sen (2014) looked into the Parental Education as a Criterion for Affirmative Action in Higher Education. Use of reservation policies as affirmative actions, to address the issues of inclusion has been in place in India for a long time. With inclusion of new social groups, the policies scope has increased, but the efficacy can be debated. The paper inspects if parental education is a suitable measure for positive action. The study used three rounds of National Sample Survey data. Empirical results suggest that parental education as a determinant of participation in higher education not only transcends the impact of caste, religious, and economic status, it is also very attractive for the ease of implementation. Agarwal (2006) examines funding needs in higher education in India. The paper relates the growth of higher education in India to the changing funding pattern. Further the paper suggests ways to ensure that higher education remains affordable and accessible to all. The author stresses the need for greater adaptability in the higher education system so that it continues to provide the needed skills and trained workforce to the economy as it integrates with the world economy. Policy measures required to promote, sustain, and enhance world-class research are also included. Considering the weaknesses in the prevailing regulatory and quality assurance environment, the paper provides a roadmap for reforms towards improved accountability of the system. Nair and Kumar (2005) talked about financing of higher education. The article also talks about the development of higher education in India. They discussed current educational system in the country and the concentration by the State on higher and technical education is looked at. The article further says that the financing of Higher Education in the country by the State, is a drain on its exchequer and that more methods have to be found out to move the financial obligations outside the State coffers. The experience of other countries is looked at briefly. For better money flow to this sector, it is very important, to look at providing adequate legislative protection to these self-financed universities, which attract funds from sponsors, financing agencies and corporates. The need for adaptability to the job market and the synchronization between job creation and higher education has been explained in detail. Various development models are hinted at with concentration on specific para meters. The article suggests that once the ground rules are clearly laid down, it may become possible to develop several models, which may be accepted by the financial agencies, for funding higher education in India. Patel (2009) examined Private higher education in India. He says Education is one of the dominant sectors of the Indian economy in terms of enrolment of children, employment of adults and investment of financial resources. While school education has a broad base, higher education suffers from a narrow base covering only about 7% of the relevant age group population. With the expansion of school education, the pressure on the higher education system to expand is expected to continue in India. In this context, two criteria of efficiency and mobilisation of resources are put forward in justification of privatization of higher education. When higher education is left to the market forces, it results in elitisation of a basic need; it puts higher education firmly out of reach of the millions of under-privileged of India who dream of going to the university one day.

The Advantage Of Commercials :: essays research papers

The Advantage of Commercials It began in the early 1940's and to this day still is in many of our lives, even more so then before. It's the TV that I'm referring to. The TV started only as only musicals on it,. But eventually proceeded up to today's oriented world, with movies, sports, and violence. Today more than 98% of all households have a TV. Over 75,000,000 of TV sets are color. To how haw our lives depend on TV; according to A.C. Nielsen, America watches more than 7 hours per day. Many people say TV has many disadvantaged, like expensive commercials. For example, on 30 second commercials in the 1984 Super Bowl cost approximately 450,000 dollars. If you just look at the price it sounds costly, but in reality TV is one of the most cost-efficient media there is. Not only is cost an advantage of TV commercials, so are TV's impact credibility, selectivity, and flexibility. Television is powerful in may ways, mostly by having the ability to combine all major medial into one media called commercials. TV commercials are like direct mail because it comes directly to the consumer in his or her house. It is like the radio because TV has to have sound to make it powerful impact. It is also similar to print or newspapers because TV is able to show the product alone, in a setting, or in use. Finally, unlike any other advertising vehicle, TV can portray the object in motion while the other forms of media cannot. TV is believable mostly because of the old of "seeing is believing" an that is what TV does. Commercials have an unbelievable capacity to induce belief because of this old saying. The other major print that make TV commercial believable is that the actors make the commercials and A or the A+. What is meant by this is that when and actor uses a product on TV and has a satisfying look on his or her face, that's implying that the product is doing it's job effectively. Also the actors can demonstrate the product tooo The most common way to prove a product worthyness, is to test it against a well known competitor. All of these ways make TV commercials not only very believing, but also very persuading. The next quality that TV commercials have is that the commercials are selective. Commercials can reach any target audience. For example, if a commercial is toward children, the commercial will be played in between after school programs that the children like. If commercial is directed toward housewives, they will be played mostly during the midmorning and afternoon.

Flannery O Conner :: essays papers

Flannery O Conner If you try to get more from a writer than what you seen on the page , usually depends on the writer and their ability to make you see, and of course your own imagination. When the writers stories are so different and the characters are so clear, you sometimes think you know something about that writer and who they were. People say that a writer can be found in their words. However, some writers are good writers not only because of their words and works. One writer that goes beyond words is a writer that we have recently read a story on. Flannery O’ Connor. The contradictions of violence and faith in her fiction distinguishes her among Southern writers and make one wonder who she was and where she was from. O’ Connor’s life greatly influenced her work. Born in Savannah, Georgia, O’ Connor was educated at the Georgia State College for Women and the State University of Iowa (now called the University of Iowa). Most of her life was spent in Milledgeville, Georgia, where she raised peacocks and wrote. O’Connor’s work , of two novels and two volumes of short stories, has been described as an unlikely mixture of southern Gothic , prophecy and evangelistic Roman Catholicism. In many of her stories she included rural settings from her homeland. For example â€Å"Good Country People† takes place in rural Georgia. Flannery used her well-known writing styles of grotesque humor in the stories she wrote , including â€Å"Good Country People†. Unlike most of the writers from the South Flannery probably would not have wanted to be found. She was rather quiet in her lifetime and enjoyed the solitude of her home in Milledgeville, Georgia. It seemed as if there were a part of her that wanted to remain mysterious and unfound. After reading some of her fiction like â€Å"Good Country People† you can see the humorous side she pokes at the world and herself. Her writing , often deep, dark and violent has a flip side it is also humorous. Flannery O’ Connor remains a powerful voice in literature today. Before her tragic death which claimed her young life at the age of 39, she had written two novels and thirty-two short stories. as well as commentaries and reviews. She died from Lupus, the same disease which shortened the life of her father. O’ Connor’s work has not always been understood completely and appreciated for her unique and powerful themes. Many critics did not like her first novel, Wise Blood , positively because of its seemingly strange themes and characters.

Glastonbury Festival Essay

Glastonbury festival (officially The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts) is biggest and one of the most important music festivals in the world, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts. It takes place in south west England. The festival organiser Michael Eavis, a farmer in a Somerset decided to host the first festival, )then called Pilton Festival) as he saw open air Led Zeppelin concert in 1970. Fourteen people, including John Hoare, invested everything they had to build the stage on Michaels own farm. The first festivals in the 70‘s were influenced by hippie ethics and the free festival movement. After the 1970s the festival took place almost every year and grew in size, with the number of attendees and it becomes one of the most important events of the summer. Nowadays in Glastonbury perform bands such as U2, Colplay, Queens of the Stone Age, Pendulum but also less known (so called indie) bands. The only czech representative in this festival was Gipsy.cz in 2007. Altough festival is affected by barrages of rain and floods, the interest for tickets is enormous. For example in 2007, 137 tousand tickets was sold in only 90 minutes! It’s best not to come to Glastonbury with notebook full of plans of what you want to see. If there are one or two particular bands a day you really want to see, then let your day revolve around them and go with the flow! This festival is fill with the great summer atmosphere that only rock festivals can offer.

Adolescent Psychology midterm

Identity formation is a complex and multifaceted process for adolescents, particularly during middle school and early high school. Therefore, it is far more likely that students who appear disengaged to school faculty and administrators are actually navigating the multiple pathways to finding their own unique identities. It is simply unfair to assume that a student is not personally motivated when he or she is constructing an identity that reflects diverse social and/or cultural backgrounds.Manila's Squad Nanas writes about a student named Amanda in her article regarding detent identities in learning contexts. Amanda is a highly achieving student â€Å"who spent her time In class appearing ‘disengaged†. Although Amanda performed near the top of her class, her academic success did not seem to reflect her classroom behavior. However, Manta's identity was shaped by the people she interacted with, particularly her peers. Nanas states, â€Å"People act in accordance with the ir local settings, and†¦ E cannot assume the meaning of those behaviors or determine which ones are identity relevant, and in which ways, without a perspective on what they mean In the local 2010). Therefore, it is a detriment to students eke Amanda and the ones at the tutoring program to suggest that their own lack of motivation Is at the root of their apparent disengagement. Rather, It Is relative to the context they live in. In Nanas†s article, Amanda self-identified as smart, and her peers looked to her for academic help.However, researcher field notes described Manta's apparent disengagement, involving the passing of notes and answering her cell phone, which seemed â€Å"incongruous with [her] perception of herself and others' perceptions of her as an exceptionally competent 2010). However, Nanas later explains that the school Amanda attended â€Å"had nonstandard norms for detent attendance, engagement. And conduct†(Nasal, 2010) that made Manta's behaviors n ot an indication of disengagement or low performance.Nazi's article suggests that students' level of perceived engagement depends on the norms and standards of the school they attend. Another identity-related factor to take into account is that students are finding a safe group to identify with and are simultaneously negotiating â€Å"the persistent adolescent endeavor to define, overdriven, and redefine themselves and each other In often ruthless and Brown). Students must grapple with various social groups and the labels that accompany them, like â€Å"socks† and â€Å"brains†.Particularly in middle school, â€Å"younger students, like those in 7th grade, prefer' to be normal, while more mature brains felt more comfortable with being brainy†. Therefore, it seems logical that the students at this tutoring program appear disengaged because they are managing their own identities, and therefore not acting overly enthused about learning so as not to appear â€Å"t oo brainy'. Dwellings students as unmotivated Ignores their searches for a â€Å"safe group identity' to belong to, and acting too enthusiastic about schoolwork may hearten their place in a social group with which theft like to identify.It's also feasible that students appear disengaged not due to lack of motivation, but because a key aspect of identity formation is questioning authority as they find their unique and authentic selves. â€Å"When adolescents express unpopular opinions, revolutionary normative expectations, they are trying on possible selves and testing the boundaries of their environment as part of their psychosocial moratorium†¦ In fact, that is part of their developmental Job. To dismiss such experimentation†¦ Is to devalue the unique opening this developmental era represents†.In short, students are investigating potential selves, attempting to find a peer group to which they belong, and Jumping over the hurdles of adolescence. When tutors at this middle school in Longboat dismiss their students as disengaged due to decreased motivation, they are assuming a deficit view of students and not taking identity formation into account. In the 1999 article by Cooper et al regarding being brokers for students, they explain that the transition from elementary to middle school is a crucial time in which students begin to define their own goals and look up to adults, including teachers ND tutors.

Chinas one child policy

In the mid-twentieth century, the Chinese government believed that a large population would turn China into a strong nation. The people were encouraged to have large families. However, this resulted in a population increase of 55 million every three years. With the massive population increase, the state realised that it might lead to famine as the food demand would exceed supply. To avoid a Malthusian disaster, the government decided to control the population growth by introducing the one-child policy. The limits each couple to bear only one child (with the exception of identical twins). In addition, the marriageable age for men was raised to 22, and for women to 20. This meant couples would bear a child later than it used to be. Couples who conformed were allowed free education for their child, priority housing and other benefits. On the other hand, those who did not were fined heavily. Unfortunately after the policy was introduced, infanticide occurred. From tradition, male decedents were always preferred as they carry their family names from generation to generation. As couples were only allowed one child, girls were quite often abandoned, or even killed so they could have another chance of getting a boy. This occurred more often in rural areas, where there were less control from the government, and also where traditions held stronger. The preference of getting a male child also meant a higher male to female ratio. As a result the population growth rate would decrease. Although it can be seen as a good thing and is the whole point of the policy, the fertility rate might lower to a point where reproduction occurred very rarely. Another problem the Chinese government faced was that it was quite easy for couples to hide their child. Many people had more than one child without the government knowing. These children were not registered and could not receive any benefits which were available for all other children – not even medical care or education. Later in life, there would be difficulty in obtaining permission from the government to marry as they were not registered. Having only one child per couple, parents could easily indulge their child. As a result, â€Å"little emperors were emerged†. It was also speculated that it would result in poor communication and cooperative skills amongst the younger generation due to the lack of siblings. Lastly, many people from the Western society criticised the policy as an assault on human rights. Women were often forced to abort the child if she already had one. Many people saw this as murder and violation in human right. Despite all these problems, the one child policy did reduce the population and a â€Å"Malthusian disaster† was avoided. In 2007, China's population was roughly 1.3 billion; it was predicted to be 25% higher if not for the one-child policy. Population structure of China in 2000. The base of the pyramid is expected to be wider if the one-child policy was not in place. The decrease in population growth rate seems to have a positive effect on economic growth. There was less demand on natural resources to support the needs of the population, which in turn reduced the strains on the natural environment. There was less unemployment due to labour surplus. The individual saving rate was increased since the introduction of the policy. This was due to less money being spent on children, and in turn allows people more money to invest. It is also reported that women received better health care services. The number of women who died from pregnancy and the infant mortality rate had decreased. In conclusion, the one-child policy was not a perfect solution, but it was almost inevitable as China's population was growing so fast that famine was bound to occur if it was not controlled. However, perhaps a more relaxed policy could have achieved the same results. I personally think that a two-child policy might have been better. It would stabilise the population, as well giving the people more freedom and possibly solve the problem of imbalance sex ratio. Chinas one child policy In the mid-twentieth century, the Chinese government believed that a large population would turn China into a strong nation. The people were encouraged to have large families. However, this resulted in a population increase of 55 million every three years. With the massive population increase, the state realised that it might lead to famine as the food demand would exceed supply. To avoid a Malthusian disaster, the government decided to control the population growth by introducing the one-child policy. The limits each couple to bear only one child (with the exception of identical twins). In addition, the marriageable age for men was raised to 22, and for women to 20. This meant couples would bear a child later than it used to be. Couples who conformed were allowed free education for their child, priority housing and other benefits. On the other hand, those who did not were fined heavily. Unfortunately after the policy was introduced, infanticide occurred. From tradition, male decedents were always preferred as they carry their family names from generation to generation. As couples were only allowed one child, girls were quite often abandoned, or even killed so they could have another chance of getting a boy. This occurred more often in rural areas, where there were less control from the government, and also where traditions held stronger. The preference of getting a male child also meant a higher male to female ratio. As a result the population growth rate would decrease. Although it can be seen as a good thing and is the whole point of the policy, the fertility rate might lower to a point where reproduction occurred very rarely. Another problem the Chinese government faced was that it was quite easy for couples to hide their child. Many people had more than one child without the government knowing. These children were not registered and could not receive any benefits which were available for all other children – not even medical care or education. Later in life, there would be difficulty in obtaining permission from the government to marry as they were not registered. Having only one child per couple, parents could easily indulge their child. As a result, â€Å"little emperors were emerged†. It was also speculated that it would result in poor communication and cooperative skills amongst the younger generation due to the lack of siblings. Lastly, many people from the Western society criticised the policy as an assault on human rights. Women were often forced to abort the child if she already had one. Many people saw this as murder and violation in human right. Despite all these problems, the one child policy did reduce the population and a â€Å"Malthusian disaster† was avoided. In 2007, China's population was roughly 1.3 billion; it was predicted to be 25% higher if not for the one-child policy. Population structure of China in 2000. The base of the pyramid is expected to be wider if the one-child policy was not in place. The decrease in population growth rate seems to have a positive effect on economic growth. There was less demand on natural resources to support the needs of the population, which in turn reduced the strains on the natural environment. There was less unemployment due to labour surplus. The individual saving rate was increased since the introduction of the policy. This was due to less money being spent on children, and in turn allows people more money to invest. It is also reported that women received better health care services. The number of women who died from pregnancy and the infant mortality rate had decreased. In conclusion, the one-child policy was not a perfect solution, but it was almost inevitable as China's population was growing so fast that famine was bound to occur if it was not controlled. However, perhaps a more relaxed policy could have achieved the same results. I personally think that a two-child policy might have been better. It would stabilise the population, as well giving the people more freedom and possibly solve the problem of imbalance sex ratio.

Skepticism †the Foundation of Epistemology

How can we know anything for sure? What’s out there? How can we know that what we   know is â€Å"knowledge† and not just â€Å"belief†? Many mystics and metaphysicians have reported experiencing the world directly – utterly bypassing the senses. But barring such drastic transcendental experiences, the truth of which cannot be objectively ascertained, we are totally bound to experience the world via the medium of our senses and the mind. As a consequence of which, the great epistemological question arises — what is really out there, what is there all around us in reality? Can we know the objective ‘world around us’ at all? The simple definition of the ‘world around us’ is the world that may exist independent of our senses, perception, mind, and our very existence. If human beings did not exist, and no living creatures with sensory perception existed, would the world be still the same? How can we ever know? From whose perspective would we ‘see’ such a world? The ‘world around us’ is an intractably complex concept.   But the approach to it is simple enough. Not to automatically believe whatever we see around is at the heart of the quintessential epistemological enquiry of â€Å"Skepticism.† †Since at least the time of Descartes (First Meditation) in the seventeenth century there has been a philosophical problem about our knowledge of the world around us. Put most simply, the problem is to show how we can have any knowledge of the world at all. The conclusion that we cannot, that no one knows anything about the world around us, is what I call â€Å"scepticism about the external world.† (Stroud 1984 : 1) In a way it was Francis Bacon who started modern philosophical thinking, in a way it was Rene Descartes, and yet in another way it was Immanuel Kant. The three of them marked the beginning of modern skepticism, modern epistemological thinking and modern philosophy as well. Their thought signified a profound break with the dogmatic religious, theological and metaphysical thinking that dominated Western approach to the understanding of the world for numerous dark centuries before them. Truth is not a given thing, which should be accepted on the basis of faith, anymore. It has to be searched. Human enquiry is paramount. Nothing can be taken for granted. Bacon, Descartes, Kant, the three of them were into systematic demolition of traditional beliefs, paving the way to a new kind of thinking that would characterize the modern way of understanding the world. Perhaps Socrates can be regarded as the first skeptical philosopher, since he began from the premise that he knew nothing. Though at one period there was a special school of skeptical philosophers called â€Å"skeptikoi† (among whom Pyrrho of Elis, Arcesilaus, Carneades), skepticism influenced in a pervasive way all Greek and Roman philosophies. With the advent of Christianity however, skepticism and openness of enquiry gave way to fundamentalism and dogmatism (Hooker 1996). But during the ages of Renaissance and Enlightenment (16 – 18 centuries), skepticism was once again in full force. It had to be. Without it, there cannot be any true philosophy or even science, not to mention epistemology. Our beliefs about the external world can possess the certainty of knowledge only when they can be justified by irrefutable evidence. As it is, our knowledge of the external world is purely â€Å"inferential,† derived through our senses and mind. All supposed evidence we have about the external world is provided by our perceptual experience: that is to say, by how things look, sounds, smell, taste and feel to us. Our experiential beliefs, however, can never logically entail anything about the external world, because no intrinsic logical necessity exists for there to be an exact correspondence between our perceptions of the external world and the real world around us. There seems to be no feasible logical inference possible, which can bridge the gap between the world around us and ourselves either. As a result, there is no logical way to justify our core beliefs about the external world. We are not even in a position to assert the existence of an external world, as separate from our own minds. Hence skepticism. The crux of skepticism, which is in fact not just some school of thought but a fundamental reflection about human existence in the universe, is well presented by Descartes in his First Meditation.   Descartes starts with exploring the various grounds of skepticism, in order to arrive at some point of certainty, if possible. Descartes says what if we were all living in a dream? We all must have dreamed dreams that we thought were so absolutely real that not even the faintest suspicion of doubt arose in us as to the reality of our dream experiences until we awoke.   This single argument in itself is enough to cast a heavy shadow of doubt on the reality of our existence. Yet Descartes attacks from various angles the seemingly unshakeable certainty we have in our own existence and the existence of the world around us. Dream, hallucination, illusion, delusion – the very possibility of these things undermines the certainty of our individual existence, and the existence of our world as we perceive it. Descartes goes on even further to refute the certainty of mathematical equations such as two plus two equals four. What if, Descartes asks, the whole world is run by an omnipotent evil Deity who could be having fun deliberately misleading our logic? (Descartes) Thus ultimately even mathematical certainty is ruled out. Dreams are everyday experience to us, as are simple mathematical facts. To Descartes, one could be as illusory, a mere product of mind, as other. Nothing is left. Is there anything at all we can be indubitably certain about? Is any thing that the human mind can know reliable in the ultimate sense of the word? A large part of Kant's work too moves around the question â€Å"What can human mind know?† The answer, according to Kant, is that our knowledge is inherently restricted to mathematics and the science of the natural, empirical world. It is not logically possible to extend the scope of our thinking to comprehend supersensible realm, as it used to be done in speculative metaphysics. There are limits to human knowledge, human perception, and the reach of human mind. Yet it is with this mind we have to unrelentingly seek, to know and comprehend about our world. Kant lived in an age when the scientific spirit of man was freshly abloom. It is impossible to understand modern philosophy without considering the scientific revolution. Kant had to evolve a philosophical framework for newly emerging scientific attitudes. He focused attention on the way scientific theories are shaped by man’s creative investigations into nature. The rational reorientation in Western thinking was introduced by Copernicus (the so-called Copernican revolution), and was developed by Galileo, Bacon, Descartes, Kant, and Hume into a systematic and comprehensive framework to the new, scientific, rational and empirical way of thinking. Though skepticism may be most commonly associated with Cartesian Skepticism, or to the thought of this philosopher or that, just like in the ancient Greece the influence of philosophical and scientific skepticism permeates wide and deep into much of modern thought. The skepticism about the external world is an inevitable consequence of human experience, and perhaps is by its very nature insurmountable. Further, it is not only a question of what is out there – it is also a question of what is in here. We cannot be sure of the outside world, but equally, we cannot be sure of who we are ourselves; the nature of our own existence remains in dark. Rene Descartes asserts â€Å"I think therefore I am,† but on second thoughts he may be only thinking he is. References: Descartes, Rene. Meditations on First Philosophy. Retrieved May 3, 2007 from http://www.classicallibrary.org/descartes/meditations/4.htm Hooker, R. (1996). Skepticism. Retrieved May 3, 2007 Stewart, D. ; Blocker, H. G. (2005). Fundamentals of Philosophy (6th Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ : Prentice Hall. Stroud, B. (1984). The Significance of Philosophical Scepticism. New York : Oxford Univesity Press ;

Difference of Drama and Prose fiction

Often times, drama has been confused with prose fiction by several people. As a student of literature, I have seen so many people confuse the two together. Sometimes they say; â€Å"it’s all the same†. The question is this true? If not, what are the differences between them? These are the question that I will attempt to answer in this essay. For the purpose of clarity and precision, It will suffice to make an overview at what literature itself is.Literature can be seen as the collection of written works of a specific language, at a particular time, in a given culture which might be imaginative or creative in nature and is usually of specific artistic worth. Every society has its own literature but they are in different levels. Some are advanced while some are not. The basic genres of literature are drama, poetry, prose but in this essay, restriction will be on drama and prose fiction. Drama as a genre of literature is the detailed style of fiction characterized by acts. The etymology is from a Greek work which means â€Å"action† or â€Å"to do†.On the other hand, prose fiction is also a genre of literature that deals with writings that differ in meter and rhyme to poetry. It is a form of writing that has a lot of similarity to our everyday speech. The question here is what differentiates these two genres of literature? How can we separate both when we see them? The answers to these questions are enumerated below in the following paragraphs. The first difference between drama and literature likes in the fact that drama is meant for a live performance which is directed at a live audience.This is better portrayed in some words associated with drama such as words like play and show. On the other hand, a prose fiction is directed by the author to a single person at a time- the person reading the work. Another difference is that drama communicates in the present while prose does not. Also, in drama, the personality of the playwright is mo stly hidden in the sense that there are several characters in the work while in the case of prose fiction, the author selects the character and therefore, this personality might reflect in his work.Furthermore, in drama the actor impersonates a role while in prose fiction the character imitates the person. In the case of drama, the entire thing the playwright has in presenting the story is the dialogue while in prose fiction the dialogue is imitated language that does not carry the plot forward. Another difference in drama and prose fiction lies in the fact that in drama, in order to make the audience understand the play better, gestures are used. On the other hand, in the case of prose fiction, what the author manipulates the text in order for the reader to better understand the work.In addition, in drama, the audience decides what mode they will be although the dramatists have an influence over the mode but they can not alter the mode. In prose fiction, the author decides the mode , setting, the character and what he wants the reader to know. Summarily, it should be noted that although these two genres of literature have sharp differences, they both come from the same family and they both serve as means of entertainment and means of communication.

Organization development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Organization development - Essay Example 1. Improve the mode of communication to help the management understand better the needs of the junior staff. When there is streamlined communication between the management and the employees, no party feels side-lined resulting in a morale boost 2. Create a platform where the outsiders who were helping in retreat training can make reports and give recommendations on their observations so as to help iron out any arising issues affecting the teams. 3. Eliminate slothfulness through the introduction of performance contracts where individuals take responsibilities of their work, hence avoid such scenarios where the manager can joke around with the other workers instead of working with his team. Improvement of the channels of communication where every employee stands equal chance as the management in contributions of ideas will help create a serene environment for both the management and employees. This also will create a good will-power from the management that in turn will help improve the performance of both the managers and also employees. Having well-defined retreat structures where all teams are involved in team building exercises will help in ironing out any differences between workers and fellow and even managers. This will also help instructors feel free and give their best without having the fear of