Essay on Family Supper

A Family Supper The Japanese fighter pilots in WWII committed suicide attacks on allied forces aka kamikaze; it was considered an honorable service to the Empire of Japan. Death instead of defeat and shame is the primary tradition in the Japanese samurai culture. They lived with the bushido code: â€Å"Loyalty and Honor before death†. The short story in discussion is â€Å"A Family Supper† written by Kazuo Ishigoru.This story tells us about an evening when the son-the protagonist and the narrator of this story, returns to Japan to meet his family after spending two years in United States, and the unsaid tension between him and his father. This story is about loss; Loss of family, friends, love and hope. The author shows the father as lost, hopeless and desperate. The loss of his wife, firm and children and the hopelessness leads him to consider suicide. The setting of the story symbolises the father’s worries and disappointments.The dusk, dimly lit rooms, the gar den and the ghost story is a major part of the setting that the author wants the reader to imagine in order to predict how the story will unfold. The narrator’s state of mind is never really told directly, but the readers can judge it by the way he behaves with his family. The repetition of death and loss; the mother’s death, the fathers loss of firm, his friend’s mass family suicide, the loss of his son and his daughter which he probably foresees, results in father’s depressed and disappointed state of mind.The author starts the story with death of the mother by fish poisoning, usually if death is mentioned in the beginning, the reader braces himself for a story involving death, and the way the story unfolds there had to be at least a death if not a mass suicide. The setting of the story symbolises the father’s worries and disappointments. The narrator describes his father as a â€Å"formidable-looking man with a large stony jaw and furious black eyebrows† (338) tells the reader about the generation gap between the father and son.The story is set in dark and dimly lit backgrounds; the sun was setting by the time they reach home. The Garden in which Kikuko, the sister and the narrator take a stroll is probably the darkest part of the setting, they discuss their childhood memories of the ghost in the garden; at that time he casually finds out about his sister’s plans to leave Japan to be with her boyfriend, perhaps the father foresees her intensions, it is not conclusive. The dark garden symbolises the anxiety of the sister, the mother’s beliefs in ghosts and her disappointment to the narrator’s actions.She blamed herself as she thought she was not a good parent, though this matter was not elaborated by the siblings as they thought it was useless to bring it up and won’t change anything. The narrator says â€Å"My relationship with my parents had become somewhat strained around the period of time. †(338). Later, when the narrator looks around the house, the large dark empty rooms, or overly cramped room shows how the father has acted all these years by keeping off his emotions and secluding himself from the rest of the family.The awkward long pauses between him and the father, the father’s inquisitiveness about his (sons) future plans, demonstrates the unsaid tension between the father and son. By this setting, the author wants the reader to feel the menacing effect of the story. The narrator’s character can be judged by his thoughts. By his conversations it can be said that he does not feel the love and emotions that one should feel for family.The battleship shows that the father had a lot of time in his hands, but when he says: â€Å"these little gunboats here could have been better glued, don’t you think†(342), he is perhaps comparing the battleship to his broken family , and asking if it could have been better, but the son did not realize this or perhaps he may have understood what his father was asking and answered â€Å"it looks fine†(342), Later in the story he looks at his mother’s photograph but he cannot recognize his mother and asks, â€Å"who is the old women in the white kimono? (343), first he mentions that his mother looks a lot older, later he says, â€Å"it’s dark. I can’t see well† (343). These incidents show that he has truly been an irresponsible son, nobody talks about their dead mother like he just did; he does not care about his family, their love that his parents expect from him and he fails to see the misery of the father.Moreover, the father looks like he is willing to forgive his son, though the story does not give any hint of his compromise on the Japanese values and traditions, it does show that he wants his children to be a part of his life. Death was mentioned repeatedly in the story. Starting with the mother’s death by fugu, the partner Wa tanabe’s suicide was mentioned three times at different scenes in the story. The father acknowledges that he likes Watanabe’s ethics in general; he calls him â€Å"a man of principle and honor† (339).The father says he wishes to be a pilot because â€Å"in an airplane there is always the final weapon†, this shows that the father’s state of mind was no different from that of his partners, the father thought dying in an airplane by kamikaze was a better way to go, this shows that his father is considers death as a means to unite the family. The Japanese traditions do not look down upon suicide. In the Japanese culture people don’t live in shame and dishonor. It’s far honorable die then to live in shame. The dead business partner has been glorified by the father in more than one occasion. A family supper† is not a story of just one family, it is a story that separates two generations, and it is a story of the father who was once a hero to his children. This story tells us about the older generation’s honor and sacrifice to their values, culture and traditions on the other hand it demonstrates how the world today has changed to be practical and not tied up with relations; how the younger generation sees today’s seniors as empty and dimly lit rooms. In this story the father was lonely, he lost his wife, his firm, his son and very soon he will be losing his daughter.The father always wanted his children to be with him, he offers the narrator to stay with him, he is desperate to see his family united, and is afraid that his family can never be happy as he wanted. This desperation mixed with the Japanese philosophy of pure blood samurai; leave the father an option of suicide. This way he can be with his family and leave this disgraceful life. The need for love and bonding is demonstrated in this story. Japanese traditions like many Asian traditions dictate that you satisfy the elders with respect and happiness and never leave them to be alone.

The Military in Art

The word propaganda has come to have sinister overtones though this was not always the case. Propaganda today evokes images of sinister lies and obfuscations told by enemies of the state to sway the minds of the citizens. Yet in a larger sense all art is propaganda to some degree and military art is propaganda on a grand scale. Art is designed to cause an emotional response in the viewer. Throughout history artists have served the state, willingly or not so willingly, in an effort to further the aims of the government, be it republic or clan of elders.   Those works of art that are most effective are those that hit the viewer viscerally and cause a response that is near equal to the actual event being depicted in the art work. The works mentioned here are like that. I served in the United States Air Force for six years as a military policeman. I have traveled to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Korea. I have seen artwork that has evoked emotion in me and I have seen art that was truly representational of the events I have seen. James Dietz’ work, I Shall Defeat Them on the Battlefield, can be found as a limited edition print from the online gallery of the artist. The image size is 36† x 21.5 â€Å". It depicts the United States Army 75th Ranger Unit on the ground. This unit remains the Army’s premier special operations force capable of conducting a full spectrum of operations to include direct action raids and forced entry operations (JamesDietz.com). Dietz depicts an action scene in a dim setting. In the background is the skyline of a city that was ancient in the days when Christ walked the lands of the Middle East. The modern warriors, carrying firearms and dressed in body armor seem incongruent beneath the palms and the domed edifices creating the negative space in the lower portion of the sky. An automobile is in the streets where camels would seem more at home, juxtaposed in contrast to the ancient city and the modern warriors, signifying a delivery system of enemy fire. First Boots on the Ground, by William Phillips, is now available as a limited edition print, measuring 31† x 19 â€Å". It is a classic scene from the Viet Nam era, featuring a sky filled with helicopters and reminiscent of Apocalypse Now. The work depicts the 1965 battle of La Drang Valley, famous for its intensity.   â€Å"At 10:48 the helicopter touches down, and Lt. Col. Moore, Sgt. Major Plumley, Capt. Metsker, Bob Ovellette, Al Bosse and Vietnamese translator Mr. Nik become the first boots on the ground at La Drang† (OzarkAirFieldsArtworks 2005). This art is compelling and personal to me for it depicts the ultimate in warfare, that time when the soldier commits and becomes a weapon aimed at the heart of the enemy. He has left the relative safety of the helicopter. He no longer is behind the line depending on artillery or mortar fire, but rather advances, putting his life on the line as he moves inexorably toward the opposing warrior. Charlene Cooper’s moving artwork, titled with the acronym B.O.M.B., signifying Blood of My Brothers, is a drawing in graphite and colored pencil. The intense blue of the flag is complimented by the red of the tear streaming down the face of the warrior. It appeals to me for reasons that would be clear to most combat veterans, as it shows the side of a soldier seldom seen or discussed openly. The man holds a folded American Flag as that single tear, executed in the red of blood, is seen to escape his eye. He shows the pent up emotion which soldiers rarely display and gives the viewer the understanding that he is a flesh and blood creature, endowed with all the sentiment and feeling of any other man. He is proud of the job he has done, but keenly aware of the price that was ultimately paid by so many of his friends and compatriots. I find Cooper’s work the most compelling of these three, for it appeals to a side of me that is most often hidden from the view of others. It touches me in a place where I am alone with my feelings and appeals to me on a spiritual level. Even her choice of title is compelling, bringing to the piece a thought-provoking message that transcends the art and gives the viewer ideas that there is more to the piece than what appears on the surface, making it multi-leveled and multi-dimensional. Works Cited Artwanted.com  Ã‚  Ã‚   2007 B.O.M.B. (Blood of My Brothers) Retrieved 10-8-2007 From: http://www.artwanted.com/imageview.cfm?id=458010  Ã‚  Ã‚   JamesDietz.com 2007 I Shall Defeat Them on the Battlefield Retrieved 10-8-2007 OzarkAirFieldArtworks.com  Ã‚   2005   First Boots on the Ground Retrieved 10-8- 2007 from: http://www.ozarkairfieldartworks.com/firstbootsontheground.html                      .

Ideo: the Organization and Management Innovation in a Design Firm and the Role of Alliances and Collaboration

Introduction Schumpeter (1949) wrote of the individual and collective embodiment of the â€Å"entrepreneurial spirit† – the â€Å"Unternehmergeist†. One company that channels this â€Å"geist† is the Sillicon Valley, California-based design and consultancy firm, IDEO. Founded in 1991, this self-styled innovation and design firm balances process and product innovations grounded in a human-centred design philosophy. Through this approach IDEO elided the pitfalls of the technology push versus demand-led innovation dichotomy to produce products and services that feel just as good as they work. In the latest rankings IDEO was listed at no. 10 on Fast Company's Top 25 Most Innovative Companies (2009) and no. 15 on Fortune's 100 most-favored employers by MBA students (Universum 2009). This paper attempts to analyse the principles and practices at IDEO using two frameworks namely: 1. the organisation and management of innovation and research and development (R&D) and 2. strategic alliances and collaboration. The discussion on organisation and management would be focused primarily on innovation since R&D as a portfolio at IDEO is still emergent. As a consequence also, its alliances and collaboration strategies and activities are described in the context of IDEO as a highly sought-after development partner. Analysis of the responses of senior business managers to what they considered to be the top three challenges of innovation management revealed that creating an innovative culture, attracting and maintaining diverse talents and finding the right balance of the incremental and the radical were uppermost (Tidd and Bessant 2009). Smith (2008) identified nine key factors that impact on an organisation’s ability to manage innovation: management style and leadership, resources, organisational structure, corporate strategy, technology, knowledge management, employees and the innovation process. The Oslo Manual defines †Innovation† as â€Å"the implementation of a new or significantly improved product (good or service), or process, a new marketing method, or a new organisational method in business practices, workplace organisation or external relations. † (OECD 2007). This definition encompasses the common elements of innovation as proposed by arlier authors such as Schumpeter, Freeman, Rothwell and Gardiner, Drucker, Porter, Schumann, Merrifield etc. (Tidd and Bessant 2009; Innovation Zen 2006) Organisation and management of Innovation Since the introduction of ‘creative destruction' Schumpeter (1942), there has been a growing confidence that the basic elements of successful innova tion can be distilled through careful observation, and that they can be adopted and managed by firms to create and sustain competitive advantage. A number of authors (Abernathy and Utterback 1978; Teece 1986; Henderson and Clark 1990; Tushman and Anderson 1990; Christensen 1997 etc. have proposed various bivariate frameworks for assesing possible innovation types (incremental, radical, modular, architectural, product, process, market, organizational, complementary, disruptive etc). See Figure 1. Despite the variety, a basic conclusion however is that this mode of analysis can adequately inform strategic and organizational decisions and that different kinds of innovation require different kinds of organizational environments and managerial skills (Tushman and Anderson 1986). Figure 1: Component and architectural innovation (Henderson and Clark 1990) Source: Tidd and Bessant (2009) Models of the Innovation process and the dynamics of its articulating phases have been proposed by a number of authors (Myers and Marquis 1969; Von Hippel 1976; Tidd et al 2001 etc. ). Tidd and Bessant (2009) detailed a linear model with four phases (search, select, implement and capture). The authors made the distinction that innovation management is essentially about creating conditions within an organization to increase the likelihood of a successful resolution of multiple challenges under high levels of uncertainty (Ibid, p. 70). This view reinforces Tushman's (1977) assertion that organization and management of the process is characterized by different types of decisions, coordination challenges and patterns of communication. It is important to note here that though the innovation process is commonly depicted as a linear unidirectional sequence, in practice, the activities are inherently iterative and often occur in parallel (Rothwell 1992; Weiss 2002; and Brown 2008). Innovation and R at IDEO IDEO's approach to the organization and management of innovation and R&D can be summarized by the phrase: â€Å"design thinking†. Tim Brown (2008), CEO of IDEO, explained that it is centred on meeting people’s needs in a technologically feasible and commercially viable way. Design thinking is an example of the systemic and integrative approach to innovation highlighted in Hughes (1983) and Rothwell (1992). The model attempts to understand the innovation challenge as a dynamic interplay of human, business and technology factors. See Figure 2. Figure 2: Designing thinking at IDEO Source: adapted from Weiss 2002. IDEO's variation of the innovation process (cf. Tidd and Bessant 2009 etc. ) comprises five phases: Understand the market, the users, the technology, the constraints; observe people in reallife situations; visualize new-to-the-world concepts and the potential users; evaluate and refine the prototypes; and implement for commercialization (Kelley 2001). Empathetic research, brainstorming and rapid prototyping are core routines developed in the execution of the IDEO innovation process. Brainstorming is the idea engine of IDEO's culture. It is used to generate multiple and varied ideas about possible solutions to the innovation challenge. A session lasting no more than sixty minutes is conducted under the following rules: defer judgment; build on others' ideas; one conversation at a time; stay on topic; encourage wild ideas; go for quantity; be visual (Kelley 2001). Rapid Prototyping involves early development of a wide range of low-fidelity prototypes from which to learn. Teams evolve and refine ideas, answering multiple detailed questions through rounds of successively higher-fidelity prototypes. This routine permeates the company's design practices in all spheres (Coughlan et al 2007) and is universally codified in two IDEO mantras â€Å"build to learn,† and â€Å"fail forward† (Kelley 2001). The company organizes its R&D portfolio into 19 Focus Areas supported by 13 teams as shown in Table 1. Teamwork is an imperative at IDEO. For each project a number or relevant teams would be assembled from persons within the company, or externally from persons within their ‘talent ecosystem'. The teams meet regularly to exchange information on progress and to make sure each other's activities remain focused and complimentary (Hawthorne 2002). Table 2 summarizes some of the human-centred research work undertaken at IDEO. The popular Method Cards is result of this kind of research and development work at the company. The collection of 51 cards is used to evaluate and select the empathic research methods that best inform specific design initiatives. How and when the methods are best used are explained together with demonstration of how they have been applied to real design projects (www. ideo. com). Table 1: IDEO Focus Areas and Teams Source: Adapted from www. ideo. com Table 2: A sample of research at IDEO Source: Adapted from Venkatraman 2005 The ten personas shown in Table 3 were developed by Tom Kelley for enhancing innovation at IDEO. Consideration of these personas influences the company's policy of recruitment of T-shaped people †with at least one deep area of expertise and a broad reach of other skills and experiences. † (www. ideo. com). â€Å"We've found that adopting one or more of these roles can help teams express a different point of view and create a broader range of innovative solutions† (Kelley 2001, p. 7). Table 3: IDEO's innovation personas Source: Adapted from Kelley 2001 At IDEO the Ways to Grow tool (Figure 3) is a framework used to a) identify the type of growth intended, b) scope the challenge and deploy an appropriate innovation process, and c) assess the effectiveness of the portfolio of innovation efforts. It identifies four possibilities for growth and three basic archetypes of innovation outcomes: Incremental, evolutionary, revolutionary (Jacoby and Rodriguez 2007). Cf. Henderson and Clark 1990 etc. Figure 3: IDEO's Ways to Grow and Innovation Outcomes cf. Figure 1. Source: Jacoby and Rodriguez 2007 The model suggests that an incremental project requires execution-focused process and people while a revolutionary project would require exploration-focused processes and people (Jacoby and Rodriquez 2007). Ways to Grow is employed in this manner by IDEO to track, understand, and assess its in-progress portfolio of innovation projects using measures of innovation effectiveness. The projects can be mapped onto this tool creating a dashboard of initiatives that can be updated and referenced. All these organizational and management approaches mean little without a way of integrating them in a creative and sustainable organizational culture. Culture is difficult to define, but for IDEO it's probably: the not infrequent managers' informal chats with their carefully selected T-shaped employees (Brown 2007); the company-wide Monday morning meetings and Friday afternoons show and tell; the playful open layout of the workspaces decorated with personal eccentricities (Kelley 2001); the formal and informal reward systems where some compensation decisions are based largely on reputation among fellow designers and formal peer reviews (Hargadon and Sutton 1997); or just the personal satisfaction of the team members knowing that they are part of something big and exciting and creative. Strategic Alliances and Collaboration Gulati (1998) defines strategic alliances as voluntary arrangements between firms involving exchange, sharing, or co-development of products, technologies, or services. They can†¦ take a variety of forms, and occurring across vertical and horizontal boundaries. The fundamental imperative for strategic alliances and collaboration as suggested by authors like Teece (1986) is that it is extremely difficult for one company to possess all the requisite skills and competencies to implement all the phases of the innovation process. Among the motives for the formation of alliances and collaborations are reduction of cost, uncertainty, and time of R, response to changing customer and market need, lack of internal resources and knowledge transfer (Kogut 1988, Gulati 1998; Littler 1993 in Tidd and Bessant 2009). IDEO is not a R-intensive firm, its motivations for participation in strategic alliances and collaboration are not necessarily those of an active seeker. However, IDEO has benefited from its role as consultant and a highly ought-after collaborator. â€Å"What's unique about IDEO is that we straddle both sides of the innovation business, as both practitioners and advisers. † (Kelley 2001, p. 4). IDEO's 5000+ employees in more than 20 studios on three continents do work for clients in multiple industries across the globe. The company's website lists an astonishing diversity of products and services created in collaboration with some 300 clients in 28 different industries. Hargadon and Sutton (1997) aggregated qualitative data which indicate that IDEO's employees learn about potentially useful technologies through their extensive work and incorporate that knowledge into the creation of new products and services for industries where there is little or no prior knowledge of these technologies. This movement of technologies between industries is a form of technology transfer and diffusion (Rosenberg 1982; Hughes 1989). The company recognises the potential of its network position (Conway and Steward (1998) and instructs its employees in the Methodology Handbook to â€Å"Look for opportunities to expand network and/or industry knowledge. † (Hargadon and Sutton 1997). These integrative activities according to Hargadon and Sutton are an example of technology brokering. IDEO's brokers in effect act as technology ‘gatekeepers' as described in Allen (1977) and Rothwell (1992). IDEO is uniquely positioned to facilitate R&D-intensive firms in the completion of their innovation process through to commercialization. The company's positioning is validated not only by its rapidly expanding client portfolio but by industry outlook. Ferguson and Taylor (2004) affirmed that many innovation-focused organizations, including those with extensive R programs, are looking outside for assistance, especially in the early stages of searching for promising technologies and developing a vision based on working models. For established firms with strong technology-focused research, the services of design firms, with expertise in user knowledge, is useful in balancing exploration and exploitation of their technical knowledge (Venkatraman 2005). Eastman Chemical, HP, Intel, P and Samsung initially sought IDEO as an exploration alliance partner. P have extended the collaboration to joint product development with product ideas mainly generated by IDEO (Ventkatraman 2005). As IDEO continues to deliver award winning products and services to clients firms along the entire value chain it may soon have to think about if and how it should reposition itself for example mass production and marketing of high quality innovative consumer goods. Issues like these lead to considerations about the possible alternative opportunities available for leveraging a company's resources, position and linkages to create sustainable value. In the light of global challenges such as poverty, health, water, energy, and economic empowerment what is the role of innovation and research and their management and what sort of alliances and collaboration would be needed to deliver adequate responses? What is the future of social entrepreneurship? To deepen understanding of these challenging questions, Paul Bennett, chief creative officer at IDEO, visited Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus of Grameen Bank fame to get an immersive experience of this maturing entrepreneurial spirit. Reflecting on his encounter in the Financial Times Bennett (2009) asserted that sustainability and growth for the organisations of the future demands accepting responsibility for the †bank accounts† of purpose, people and learning. Bennett summarizes his own thinking with a quote from one of his clients: â€Å"The future isn't going to be designed on an Excel spreadsheet. † Whatever new tools emerge for future planning, its not hard to imagine that some of those would emerge from the studios of IDEO.

Research Analysis Opinion Paper ( government class)

Analysis Opinion ( government class) - Research Paper Example Texas had its ideals and overall goals aligned with those of the unionist until the Republican party leaders started criticizing most of the southern institutionsi. Some of the issues that the north and the south did not see eye to eye on included; slave trade, trade with England and export tariffs. Most Texas inhabitants did not own slaves but did have the same view as their southerners of non-abolition of the slave trade by the federal congressii. They believed that that was a privy of the state and not of Congress. During this time, the Union states were considering between staying in the union or secession and joining the Confederacy of the South. Texas was not the 1st state to pull out, but its pull out led to the actual break of the four-year war. During the time of Texas secession, President Abraham Lincoln had been inaugurated in office (February 15, 1861). The union government under President Lincoln said that the southern states did not have a right to leave the union in a manner that they leftiii. Most of the states in the south had left to confederate as shown by image 1. The federal government maintained that the union had authority over them. Texas on the other hand wanted the union military out of Texas and took the step of raiding the union’s military bases, and this was the beginning of the war. There were significant differences between the southern states (Texas) and their northern counterparts that made the initial attempts of unification a non-smooth sail. The first and the most important was their different economic structures. The northern states were industrialists; they had developed textile industries among others, while the lower states were agriculturalists, farmed cash crops and kept livestockiv. This was the primary reason as to why the Texans were opposed to the abolishing of the slave trade. Though as indicated earlier most families did not own slaves, but they depended on the slaves to till their land and heard the

Enrons Collapse and Ethical Framework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Enrons Collapse and Ethical Framework - Essay Example This essay discusses the collapse of Enron company, that presented the social scientists, media and business professionals with several other ethical issues that are prevailing in the business world. The collapse of Enron meant that many employees who were working really hard would also lose their job. The investors or the owners of the company were faced with the ethical dilemma of whether to hold on to the stock and lose their money or to support the company for the sake of hardworking employees who had nothing to do with these frauds. The increase in power of auditors was another source of concern. The Laws that were legislated in response to the corporate failure were a fair attempt to institutionalize the ethical behavior. The harsh laws were implemented for executives trying to mislead using wrong or far-fetched financial figures. It also increased the terms jail sentences for executives that were found to have been involved in any abuse of their power. Auditors can now blackma il the accountants or people working in finance and abuse their power. This will lead to further problem for the companies and create further ethical issues. Both of these issues are related to truthfulness. The employees who are being fair in their work are losing their job despite being truthful and that is something iron. Similarly, auditors require to be truthful the shareholder and the committee that oversees their work. If they are loyal to them then no ethical issues will occur from the increase in power of auditors.

Article Review of Terrorism, Airport Security, and the Private Sector Essay

Article Review of Terrorism, Airport Security, and the Private Sector - Essay Example However, subsequent to the attack, the government instituted a federalized security system. The present system characterized by tightened security is, however, more expensive and must be assessed in terms of its overall cost effectiveness compared to a public-private approach to security. This paper will provide a succinct review of Seidenstat’s article â€Å"Terrorism, Airport and the Private Sector†. The September 11, 2001 tragedy occurred when hijacked airplanes were smashed into massive buildings in the US. This attack elicited great concern for airport security, which had long been a joint initiative between the private and public sector in the US. The attack laid emphasis on pubic operations within the country’s airports, causing the reassessment of best practices with regard to airport security in order to deter terrorist attacks. The process of the airport security system included screening of passengers and luggage for explosives and weapons, checking of baggage and cargo for explosives, management of admission to secure air operations regions, clearing, as well as badging of personnel with admission to restricted areas in the aircraft of airport and deployment of air marshals on domestic flights (Seidenstat, 2004). However, these security functions were marred by major glitches that deterred effectiveness. Areas of weaknesses included controls for airport access and passenger and carry-on luggage screening. For instance, in 1987, FAA tests showed that screeners missed at least 20% of the potentially perilous objects it utilized in the tests. Some of the reasons behind the ineffective airport security system included the limitations of the stakeholders; the FAA, airports and the airlines, which made the events of September 11 quite easy. For instance, the laws were ineffectively managed deterring effective oversight of airport security. The fragmented system also failed to assign responsibility, thereby giving way for gaps in effec tive security management, for instance, enabling passengers smuggle weapons on board. Moreover, the erratic nature of communication between the FAA and the institutions under its mandate also worsened the security crisis. According to Seidenstat (2004) underinvestment in security was also to blame for the inconsistency experienced in airport security; for instance, airlines and airports considered the added costs of tightened security as unjustifiable in the business milieu. Their profit considerations hampered their adoption of tightened airport security. Even private firms that contracted airport security services were forced to keep their costs low in order to be awarded contracts; consequently, the services provided were also insufficient since tightened security typically requires hefty expenditures, which airlines and airports were unwilling to cover. However, after 9/11, the face of airport security has improved as the legislative and executive arms of the government moved sp eedily to revamp airport security systems to heighten their security level. This involved upgrading the existing system by requiring airlines to improve their security contracts with private security firms and requiring the FAA to enforce stringent screening standards. A major recommendation was altering the focal point of security control to airport managers so as to achieve a fully integrated system, but this system may not

Health care Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Health care Management - Essay Example According to the study it is very important to evaluate whether the suggested strategies and action plans fall within the SMART category or not. It is one of the most common and efficient test for evaluating the feasibility and efficiency of any strategy or plan. In the current report, the strategies and outcomes are specific so that they pass every criteria of SMART test. The strategies identified after literature surveys are simple, easy to understand and very detailed, where a step by step approach is used for identification of the underlying issue to implementation of the appropriate solution.  From this paper it is clear that  there can be many definitions for healthcare. However, the characteristics differ with respect to its various stakeholders as well as its application in various perspectives. Health care can be described as the treatment, diagnosis as well as prevention of illness, disease, injury or other mental and physical impairments occurring in human beings. It i s practiced and offered by professionals and practitioners in optometry, medicine, pharmacy, nursing, allied health as well as other health care services.  Other important attributes which can be associated with quality healthcare are ensuring support and safety in the environment, reducing morbidity and mortality and overall improvement in the value of life as well as functional health condition of patients.... Health care can be described as the treatment, diagnosis as well as prevention of illness, disease, injury or other mental and physical impairments occurring in human beings. It is practiced and offered by professionals and practitioners in optometry, medicine, pharmacy, nursing, allied health as well as other health care services (Bacon, 2001). Other important attributes which can be associated with quality healthcare are ensuring support and safety in the environment, reducing morbidity and mortality and overall improvement in the value of life as well as functional heal th condition of patients (Senge and Kaeufer, 2001). Figure 1 Matrix for Healthcare (Source: Schofield, 2009). The above diagram very aptly represents healthcare management at its best. Few of the basic questions like, what and how, provide the health professionals with exact answers to their issues. In order to describe an appropriate and effective health care system, the entire process can be divided into three stages; structure, process and outcome. Structure involves features like, determining number and type of healthcare personnel, type and age of equipments as well as other facilities required for service delivery and organisational aspects such as, committee structures (Mullins, 2010). Characteristics like, safety and coverage, can also be related to structure. The next stage is process which includes activities involving receiving and providing care. It might include aspects of process indicators such as, continuity, timeliness as well as patient compliance. The third stage is outcome which includes the result of the structure and process.

Challenges and Solutions for Long-Term Care in Aging Populations Assignment

Challenges and Solutions for Long-Term Care in Aging Populations - Assignment Example According to the latest statistics carried out around 40 million people in the United States are aged more than 65 years of age and the country is projected to have 89 million citizens above 65 years by the year 2050. This raises a concern for the help the elderly will be given and by whom. Will the facilities like Medicare and Medicaid provide the service or will they have to depend on their families for support? The above issues show the urgency and the need for the health sector and the government to look into this problem and tackle it as a matter of urgency (the United States, 1986). The long-term care services both in-house and in the healthcare facilities are associated with medical care but they have an emphasis on helping the elderly with their daily chores which include bathing and preparing meals on the condition that they need this assistance. The Medicare is headed by a health professional through a health aid (normal person) will also help the elderly. The issuing of the special equipment that they require which include wheelchairs and grab bars is also a responsibility of the long-term care service providers. The long-term care services are however not only needed by the elderly, but research shows that only a small percentage of the people who require the service are of the younger age (Wilson Company,2014). The challenges they face come from the day to day duties that they are supposed to perform and may face a lot of challenges which may range from the lack of finances. The government and other healthcare providers in the United States have not put a lot of emphasis on the long-term care services and as a result, the nurses and the administrators find themselves overstretched by the resources they have at their disposal. The other challenge is the lack of expertise in dealing with the elderly in the community, and they are not aware of what to do or how to treat people who are elder than them. There should be some training that should be provided to help the nurses and the administrators have the right knowledge of dealing with the elderly cases (Nyce, 2005).

Revolutionary War and Saratoga Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Revolutionary War and Saratoga - Essay Example One might try to counter such a claim by stating that the British forces have a far superior level of combat training, readiness, and the possession of a professional army. However, it should be remembered by individuals that might espouse such a view that the colonial army, although not in existence for long, has had many years of experience fighting in the French Indian War as well as nearly constant practice in marksmanship and operations within difficult terrain as a function of the way of American life.2 In this way, although the Continental Army has not long been a formalized group, it is ultimately made up of a very hardened and experienced core that can and will continue to deal powerful and painful blows to the British forces until such a time that they can realize that control over the American colonies is no longer possible. Part 2: One of the most fundamental things that the reader back home should understand about the ongoing war within the colonies is the complete lack of respect and gentlemanly regard that the colonial forces apply in battle. No better a case can be seen with regard to this than what happened during the two battles that are collectively called the Battle of Saratoga. Whereas the traditional continental way of warfare has typically been for opposing armies to face off and seek to gain the upper hand, the Continental Army employed what can only be described as an organized assassination program that was specifically targeted towards killing any and all officers that could be caught in the crosshairs of the sharpshooters. Naturally officers of the British Imperial Army can and should expect that they are placing their lives at risk and it is not the intent of this newspaper article to establish that these men are off limits in the scope of warfare; however, what is more important is the fact that the tactics employed by the colonists were to specifically target these men as means of reducing leadership and spreading chaos and disord er through the ranks of our forces. Such a plan ultimately worked; although it is a new low with regard to the way in which the British Army has fought any of its former battles with a civilized group of people. As a result of such a tactic, the second battle of Saratoga was nearly a foregone conclusion as the level of boldness of the British officers, as well as the overall number of British officers available to lead and direct their men into combat, were lessened. This marked a turning point due to the fact that it was clear that the colonists were willing and able to go to any particular lengths necessary in order to win the conflict. Moreover, the particular tactic that was employed at Saratoga marked a turning point in the way that the colonists chose to fight the British. Where asymmetrical warfare has been something that these revolutionaries have employed all along, the manner in which they were ultimately willing to engage in a pitched battle where both sides faced off tog ether was tempered by the asymmetrics of employing sharpshooters to specifically target the eyes and ears of the British general.3 As a function of understanding the importance of such a battle, the reader can come to the general conclusion that even if and when the British Army is forced to engage with these rebels upon a battlefield, there is little if any guarantee that they will abide by the

Comparison of the Early Civilizations Essay Example for Free

Comparison of the Early Civilizations Essay Paleolithic and Neolithic communities differed from each other in many ways, including their use of tools, their hunting of animals and gathering of food. First of all, the Paleolithic people were the most rudimentary in their use of tools. They did not manipulate them in any way. A rock was just used as it was for pounding or cutting a surface. In addition, the Paleolithic people were nomadic; they traveled around hunting and gathering food. When the supply was exhausted in one place, they moved on to the next in small groups of about twenty or thirty people (Spielvogel, 2003). For this reason, the Paleolithic people were not able to form stable communities. Their family and extended family made up their group, which could eventually die out if the conditions grew too harsh. Especially problematic was the Ice Age. Consequently, the Paleolithic people were very adaptable. They learned how to make fire, shelter and crude tools to hunt. They survived in this way until the end of the Ice Age in 8000 B. C. where cave drawings have survived them to reveal their existence to modern man (Spielvogel, 2003). Unfortunately, population issues forced the Paleolithic man into a new way of life. Hunting and gathering societies required huge areas of land, so as the population grew, so did the demand for land. In fact, Krieger (1994) estimates that for every 25 people the community needed at least 250 acres of land to sustain them. At the time, the population was about 10,000,000 people. Clearly a change was needed. However, the Neolithic people were named so because of the changes made in the style of living. The Neolithic people moved from crude tools to more sophisticated ones. They were able to take that rock from the Paleolithic era and manipulate it so that it formed a sharp edge, making that more of a tool for cutting. Later, toward the end of the era, the people discovered ways to melt certain rocks to form metals. In this way the Neolithic society developed more sophisticated knives, axes and hammers (Spielvogel, 2003). The Neolithic people changed from hunting animals to raising animals for food and from gathering food to growing food. They became agricultural and thus were able to stay in the same place for a long time. This permanence allowed the Neolithic people to form communities and villages. As a result, they could develop products of their own and trade with neighboring communities. Art existed in the Neolithic as well, with some artisans even trading jewelry to other communities. As society progressed, the Neolithic age gave way to the Bronze age about 3000 B. C (Spielvogel, 2003). The civilizations that grew in the river valleys of the Nile and of the Tigris and Euphrates bore some resemblance to the earlier periods of man, but they also are characterized by some marked differences. For example, geography played a role in these developments. First of all, the people were less nomadic than the Paleolithic people. They wanted to stay in the fertile areas mentioned above and to take advantage of its soil. However, because the rivers would sometimes flood, they were forced to develop methods of water control and irrigation in order to remain there (Spielvogel, 2003). The first known society was that of the Sumerians in the Tigris and Euphrates river valley, otherwise known as Mesopotamia. They, like the earlier peoples, learned to build shelters, not with wood or stone, which the Paleolithic and Neolithic people used, but with the limited resources they had, namely mud and clay ((Krieger et al, 1994). Using these bricks, they erected buildings and even walls around their cities. They became the leaders of the countryside, forming political city-states. The dominant form of rule here was a theocracy. The Sumerians built temples and believed that gods ruled the cities and divinely chose the kings to do their biddings. Some people were thus noble, and other people were made slaves. However, the economy was similar to that of the Neolithic people in that it was based on agriculture and trade (Spielvogel, 2003). The Sumerians developed a form of writing called cuneiform, which is a form of picture writing. However, few people learned to write (Krieger et al, 1994). Unfortunately, other communities in the area noticed the power of the Sumerians and wanted what they had. The areas was not very well protected by any natural land forms or waterways, so attacking each other was easy and constant (Krieger, et al, 1994). Thus, war was perpetuated in the world of early man. The Mesopotamian area was in a period of empire building and warring states for over thousands of years. The Nile river valley also provided the same geographic necessities as the Tigris and Euphrates did for the Sumerians. Where the Nile divides (called the Delta) is a very similar geographically as the people’s to the north. The flooding of the river provided very fertile lands, thus encouraging agricultural communities. The Nile was the main mode of transportation, so trade was relatively easy for these people. Unlike the people of the Mesopotamian communities, the Egyptians were secluded by deserts, the Nile, and the Red and Mediterranean Seas. Their lifestyle was not marred or changed by continual warfare. Like the people of the Mesopotamia, religion was also very important. Again, the rulers were determined by divine prophecy, creating dynasties of ruling families. One of the most memorable and interesting aspects of Egyptian religions is the use of pyramids and grave goods for burial. The architecture of these pyramids was so sound that many of them still stand today (Spielvogel, 2003). Art was also popular among the Egyptians as it was among the Sumerians and even earlier people. From the Egyptians, come many modern standards of living. Craftsmen used wood and metals to create sculptures, furniture and drawings. The Egyptians also developed a system of writing and began the basis of an educational system, especially writing and mathematics. These people are credited with inventing the calendar and the process of embalming the dead (Krieger, et al, 1994) The lives of the early civilizations were undoubtedly difficult. Our modern society owes a debt to these people for beginning the seeds of society that has become now a convenient and fulfilling way of life. References Krieger, et al. (1994). World History: Perspectives on the Past. Massachusetts: Heath. Ohio: McGraw Hill. pp. 16-37 Spielvogel, Ph. D. , Jackson. (2003). World History. Ohio: McGraw Hill. pp. 19-53

Looking At The Rocking Horse Winner Essay

Looking At The Rocking Horse Winner Essay Growing up in a capitalist society and living with his mother who showed no affection were only a few of the tasks David Herbert Lawrence mentions in his story The Rocking-Horse Winner. Did these negative aspects influence him or did they break him? We are sure of one thing: the characters included in this short story symbolize and show relation to the life of this particular author. The nostalgia for a mothers love and acceptance was what brought this story to its peak of interest through the character of Paul, a child. For example, Lawrence states, That [when] you fight is only a sign that you want in yourself, the child knows that; your own soul is deficient, so it fights for the love of the child( qtd. in Davies 124). Lawrences tragic and obsessive relationship with his mother led to neglect, along with money-dominated capitalism which he presents in his story The Rocking-Horse Winner, and Lawrence enforces the harmful impact that money can have on a family household. Lawrence uses a wide description of irony in The Rocking-Horse Winner. For instance, Lawrences wondrous feeling towards Pauls prediction of horse races and making money is dampened by Hester being ungrateful and wanting more money. The author furthers a sorrowful resolution for the cause of Pauls death. Furthermore, tragic irony is used in this story when Paul predicted so many winning horses, but ended up losing his life in the end of the story. Furthermore, Pauls death of course makes the story a tragic one; but just as tragic is the death of innocence and love, symbolized by Paul, in his unfortunate mother (Koban 396). In addition, situational irony occurs when we as the readers thought the outcome of the story will end with Paul and his family being affluent, but they end up with a loss that could not be brought back. Furthermore, another problem that Lawrence portrayed in The Rocking-Horse Winner is that capitalism dominates within the society. On the other hand, Lawrence links The Nature and Logic of Capitalism written by Robert L. Heilbroner in The Rocking-Horse Winner. Heilbroners view of capitalism is that, Capital is not a material thing but a process that uses material things as moments in its continuously dynamic existence (qtd. in Watkins 296). Capitalism initiated the obsession, tragedy, and neglect money caused within the household. For instance, The desire for money pervades the home, the withdrawal of the child into his private fantasy world (Watkins 296), and also the power relations of a capitalistic society. D.H. Lawrences use of capitalism within The Rocking-Horse Winner is portrayed through the characters in his story: [Paul] is a laborer for his mother, to whom he gives all of his money, only to find that the more he gives the more she needs (Watkins 297). To sum up, the capital istic society that Lawrence was brought up in as a young child and how it causes financial burdens is applied within this story. In addition, money was the powerful force which cause Hester to become such an greedy and ungrateful soul. For example, money is an issue with Hester because she tried to live on a social scale that she couldnt afford to be on. As a result, There must be more money! (Lawrence 366) signifies the insecurity that Paul and his sisters experience due to the withered love between Hester and her husband. Money, on the other hand, must be kept in perspective and not romanticized into a substitute for love, as it is in The Rocking-Horse Winner. Money initiates obsession and neglect; for example, Hester shows more significance and love for materialistic objects than showing it for her own children. Furthermore, Lawrence used his personal relationship with Lady Cynthia Asquith to influence the role of Hester in The Rocking-Horse Winner. Asquith was a longtime friend of Lawrence and influenced his stories: Biographical materials will show the striking similarities between the Asquith family and the family in the story (Davies 123). For instance, Lady Cynthia lost her capacity to love her son, although she struggled not to do so (Davies 125). In addition, Lawrence also changed the age and sex of the children; Lady Cynthia had three boys, in which Hester having two girls and one boy instead There were a boy and two little girls (Lawrence 365). Moreover, it was the poor social and personal situations in Lady Cynthias life including the other associates that D.H. Lawrence met in England that influenced the blatant and blithe moral in The Rocking-Horse Winner. Through the life influences of D.H. Lawrence comparison to The Rocking-Horse Winner, from growing up in a money-dominated society and dealing with a neglectful mother, Lawrence portrays his life through Paul. Lawrences childhood as an unloved young man and his own personal fantasies are portrayed in a short story in which riding the horse is what the author had in his possession, but the magnificent supernatural gifts were not present in reality. These supernatural gifts were given to the character Paul. Lastly, the contemporary life situations of D.H. Lawrences life gave The Rocking-Horse Winner morality, theme, and most of all the tragic events that money can bring.

Interactive Whiteboard: Benefits in the Classroom

Interactive Whiteboard: Benefits in the Classroom Introduction The issues surrounding the use of interactive whiteboards (IWB) and creativity forms the focus of this essay. This area provides an opportunity to look at the interaction between new technologies and classroom reality in the Primary school setting, both in theory and practice. The essay starts with a brief overview of interactive whiteboards within the classroom setting before looking more closely at encouraging creativity both in teaching and learning. Teachernet (online) credits interactive whiteboards with the benefits of: Improving understanding of new concepts Increasing pupil motivation and involvement Improving planning, pace and flow of lessons Teachernet online, Interactive Whiteboards As Cogill (2003, p. 52) points out in her research report for Bects/DfES on IWBs in primary schools, the uniqueness of IWBs lies in its design to be used by teachers for teaching at whole class level. Yet in order to achieve the goals quoted above it is clear that certain other systems need to be put in place, especially professional development and teacher training. For example, as Barber et al. (2007) point out, it is vitally important for teachers to be confident and familiar with IWBs in order to use them to best effect. They also need to have a solid understanding of how to work with, and inspire, creativity and why (e.g. see Loveless 2002). To this end, and in agreement with official policy, there has been an upsurge in texts designed to help teachers work with IWBs. For example, Cooper et al. (2006) give a pragmatic description of how one can use IWBs within all teaching areas, from Maths to Reading. Craft (2000) also argues for the potential to use new technology with creativ ity rather than following the view expressed by some teachers that ‘†¦computers, far from stimulating or fostering creativity, both represent and do the exact opposite of this’ (Craft 200, p. 88). In creating space to use technology creatively it would seem that the first stage is to support their classroom use through training teachers both at pre-service level and through ongoing professional development. However, there is room for debate as to the depth of learning some of these formats inspire, seeming as occasionally do to seek to add entertainment rather than enrichment to learning. Whilst the funding made available through official initiatives, such as the National Grid for Learning (DfES 2003: DfES 2001) has encouraged schools to invest in new technologies, there is a need for systemic support to get the best out of it. For example Machin et al. found correlations between schools success with ICT and a ‘fertile background for making use of it’ (2006 p. 12). More pragmatically, Yelland (2007, p. 163) is one who warns that ‘not all software is positive for learning outcomes’ but then goes on to argue, in common with Machin et al. that it is the pedagogies generated by these new technologies that can create issues. Likewise Sutherland et al. (2004) warn that embedded use of ICT in the classroom can affect how knowledge is constructed. It is bearing this in mind that the following essay seeks to differentiate between, and concentrate on, creativity and not on the range of pedagogies that fall between poor practice and what has been referred to as edutainment. It seems clear that IWBs can provide a fantastic support, especially for visual learners, and posses the potential to be used to support and encourage highly creative interactive and educational learning environments through a wide range of curriculum areas. The ability for both students and teachers to manipulate visual materials (e.g. numbers, words, pitures etc) via the IWB and interact with the information displayed has been credited with: †¦increased pupil engagement, motivation and enjoyment, all potentially leading to improvements in pupil attainments Jones Vincent 2006, p. 2 However, research shows there is still considerable unfulfilled potential with the creative use of IWBs (Jones Vincent 2006: Smith et al. 2005). Creativity in itself has been viewed as essential for the progress of society (Cropley 2001, p. 133) and the next section of this essay looks more closely at how IWBs can be used in a variety of creative contexts starting theory and exemplifying with practice. Learning, or cognitive, styles are traditionally divided into visual, aural and kinesthetic and, in common with Gardner’s (1983) Theory of Multiple Intelligences, recognize what Craft (2000, p. 10) called a pluralist approach. This means catering for the various ways in which individual’s best absorb information and make meaning of it which in turn affects levels of student motivation. From the teaching perspective, creative planning is a means of overcoming individual barriers to learning and requires presenting information in a number of different ways. Cropley (2000, p. 148) saw this application of variety as encouraging creativity in students. IWBs ability to operate as a computer means that audio and video tracks, live websites and multimedia applications can be used to appeal to a range of students learning styles. Ideally, this engages their attention, thereby impacting on their motivation and encouraging creative thinking. IWBs provide an opportunity to link or encourage student interests in a very visual and interactive way. The following takes an aspect of geography as an example of the ways that IWBs can enhance and allow creativity of teaching methods. When teaching the water cycle, the IWB can be linked to any number of live weather cams and channels both in the locality and internationally and show real time weather. Diagrammatic representations of the water cycle can involve the students moving the pictures or labels into the right order using the IWBs touch sensitive capability. Graphic representations of rainfall data or ‘what if’ questions connected with changes in rainfall can all be presented on the IWB. The IWB allows questions to be investigated and extra dimensions to be added, such as a 3 dimensional view of a rain drop or the response to a question regarding the different forms of water – solid (e.g. show ice cubes to glaciers), gas (e.g. show animated kettle boilin g or a steam train running) or liquid (show rivers, seas etc). Notes can be added as the subject is discussed and saved for review the next time. It has been commented that, even as early as Key Stage 1, science can be taught in too theoretical a manner (Charlesworth 2008). Yet in the Ofsted Success in Science report (2008), from which this information apparently derived, the use of an IWB is described as an effective component in a science lesson demonstrating how light works. The teaching strategies included whole class to small group work, role plays and investigative questioning with the IWB used make notes of the students ideas and ‘aid learning’ (Ofsted 2008, Sec. 18, p. 16). Although how the IWB was used to aid learning was not actually described, the suggestion is that it was a valued means of contributing to lesson management, flow and effectiveness. Likewise in maths, the IWB can be used to easily display mathematical representations, be they numeric or conceptual, such as numbers or blocks on a clearly visible scale to the whole class. IWBs provide an excellent support to lesson modeling. This issue of visibility is clearly important and to be able to demonstrate things such as small blocks or coins to a whole class so all can see has been mentioned frequently, such as one of the teachers in Cogill’s research into IWB use in primary schools (2002, p. 25). The DfES has produced – and continues to do so – Interactive Teaching Programs (ITPs) within the Primary National Strategy. For numeracy, these provide curriculum linked interactive programs designed to contribute, not take over, the lesson. Other methods include those demonstrated by Cooper et al.(2006) who show simple ways to add to the dynamics of the lesson, for example using games with clipart to play number line football on the IWB and so on. The imp ortant point is that the IWB works in combination with other teaching strategies, not at the expense of, or to the exclusion of, a balanced well-rounded teaching approach. Equally, the IWB is available to literacy and has an increasing array of supporting software (e.g. DfES ITPs). Cooper et al. (2006) exemplify the IWBs ability to provide students with focus through managing the amount of text visible and the method of presentation – font size and type, highlighted, shaded, hidden, revealed, coloured etc. This adds a dimension to focusing on text formats, from punctuation to spelling and can be very useful in identifying difference for students and helping the retention of information. At the same time, the IWB allows for connection to external media, for PowerPoint’s, video and audio clips, all of which add a dimension to the intended learning if used carefully. IWBs can also be used to create an inclusive environment for students with special needs. As with the font, size and colour changes mentioned above, for students who may have issues with eyesight or problems interpreting words, IWBs can be used to add a dimension of size and impact. For students who find it hard to concentrate, the use of interactive, highly visible materials within their range of interest can easily be projected through IWBs, for example using cars as counters or horses as cursors. The ability to use the IWB to gather notes may also enhance assessment opportunities for the teacher and the savable nature of IWB notes means these are accessible when required in an easily usable format. All these elements not only add to the pace of the lesson and appear to add to the pace of the learning, they also add to the teachers resource bank both for teaching and evaluating progress. In essence, it is perhaps in the area of ongoing professional development that the creative use of new technologies, such as IWBs, needs to focus. When the teacher is motivated and confident, then that comes through in the teaching tools. Indeed the research looked at for this essay has generally agreed with Wood and Ashfield (2008) that new technologies such as IWBs can provide excellent formats for creating and inspiring creative teaching and learning, yet these depend on the teacher’s knowledge and ability to use the technology to achieve this. Becta supports this in its assessment of research and comes to the conclusion that: In some subjects, the more experience the teacher has of using the interactive whiteboard the greater the likelihood of positive attainment gains for pupils Becta 2007, online Cropley (2001) argued that creativity is dependent on a wide range of factors, from cognition to personality, and this has to be considered within the context of the whole classroom environment. IWBs provide teachers with another means of teaching creatively through presentation in altered formats, especially when it comes to communicating with the class as a whole. However it is not alone in encouraging the creative skills of divergent (broad concept connections) and convergent thinking (focused concept connections) or in developing meta-cognitive thinking and accommodation, rather than assimilation, of information. In conclusion, IWBs have the potential to be used extremely creatively for both teachers and students. However, as with many new technologies, their use needs to be supported both by school policy and professional development. As it is likely that these technologies will continue to develop considerably during the near future, it is not enough to teach the usage of specific technologies and think that is where it ends. Perhaps an ongoing mentoring program or collaborative approach to planning with a high IT content may help compliment continued professional development. The same criteria apply to pre-service teacher training whereby familiarity with current IT needs to be support by an ongoing ability to develop IT capacity. From the students’ perspective, well planned and imaginatively used IWBs provide a stimulating, engaging and motivating means of learning. It is clearly just as important to use this interface as a part of a holistic, well rounded curriculum as well as an area in itself and not enough to assume familiarity with contemporary technology without teaching it. References Audain, J., David, A., Flute, M., Fielder, S. Cogill, J (2006) You can use an interactive whiteboard for ages 7-11, Scholastic Barber, D., Cooper, L. Meeson, G (2007) Learning and Teaching with Interactive Whiteboards : Primary and Early Years, Learning Matters Becta (2007) ‘Becta response to the evaluation of the Primary Schools Whiteboard Expansion project, accessed 11th January 2009, http://www.becta.org.uk Becta (2004) ‘Getting the most from your Interactive Whiteboard: A guide for Primary Schools, accessed 10th January 2009, http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/15090.pdf Charlseworth, (2008) ‘Science teaching ‘too theoretical’, online article accessed 12th January 2009, http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2219313/science-teaching-theoretical-ofsted Cogill, J (2003) ‘The use of interactive whiteboards in the primary school: effects on pedagogy’, in ICT Research Bursaries: A Compendium of Research Reports, ICT in Schools Research and Evaluation Series – No, 16, Norwich: HMSO, available online at http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/DfES-0791-2003.pdf#page=54 Cooper, A., J., Botham, K. Cromie, H (2006) You can use an interactive whiteboard for ages 4-7, Scholastic Craft, A (2000) Creativity across the primary curriculum: framing and developing practice, London: Routledge Cropley, A. J. (2001) Creativity in education learning: a guide for teachers and educators, Kogan Page DfES (no date) Interactive Teaching Programs (ITPs), accessed 12th January 2009, http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primary/frameworks/library/Mathematics.ICTResources/itps/ DfES (2003) Fulfilling the Potential: Transforming Teaching and Learning through ICT in Schools, Norwich: HMSO DfES (2001) Survey of ICT in Schools 2001, Norwich: HMSO Gardner, H (1983) Frames of Mind: The theory of multiple intelligences, Basic Books: New York Jones, A. Vincent, J (2006) ‘Introducing interactive whiteboards into school practice: one school’s model of teachers mentoring colleagues’ online article accessed 12th January 2009, http://www.aare.edu.au/06pap/jon06333.pdf Loveless, A (2002) ‘Literature Review in Creativity, New Technologies and Learning’ Report 4, Futurelab Series, Bristol: Futurelab, available online at http://www.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/lit_reviews/Creativity_Reveiw.pdf Machin, S., McNally, S. Silva, O (2006) ‘Summary of articles: New technology in schools: is there a payoff? Discussion Paper No 55’, Centre for the Economics of Education at CEP, accessed 12th January 2009, http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs.download.CP199.pdf Ofsted (2008) Success in Science, Ref. No.070195, accessed 12th January 2009, www.ofsted.gov.uk Smith, H J., Higgins, S., Wall, K. Miller, J (2005) ‘Interactive whiteboards: boon or bandwagon? A critical review of the literature’ in Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, Vol. 21, pp. 21-101 Sutherland, R., Armstrong, V., Varnes, S., Brawn, R., Breeze, N., Gall, M., Matthewman, S., Olivero, F., Taylor, A., Triggs, P., Wishart, J. John, P (2004) ‘Transforming teaching and learning: embedding ICT into everyday classroom practices’ in Journal of computer Assisted Learning, Vol. 20 (6), pp. 413-425 Teachernet (online) ‘Interactive Whiteboards’, accessed 10th January 2009, http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/ictis/infrastructure/iwb Wood, R. Ashfield, J (2008) ‘The use of the interactive whiteboard for creative teaching and learning in literacy and mathematics: a case study’ in British Journal of Educational Technology, Vol. 39 (1), Jan, pp. 84-96 Yelland, N (2007) Shift to the Future, Abingdon: Routledge

The Hon. Dr :: essays research papers

Among the gay press's responses to my 1993 book A Place at the Table was the charge by some critics that I'm "sex-negative." Frank Browning griped that I want to "to have everyone put on 30 pounds, buy a Brooks Brothers suit, and wander off on the golf links, becoming [an] upper-class version of Ozzie and Harry. Those who don't want to take risks should join Mr. Bawer on the golf course. Those who want to feel alive will benefit from the exploration of our bodies and what our bodies can grant." Golf? Ozzie and Harry? Brooks Brothers? What, I wondered, does any of this have to do with what I've written? I've never been on a golf course. Or worn a Brooks Brothers suit. And when did I join the upper class? Of course I want gay people to enjoy what their bodies can grant. I also want them to have equal rights under the law, the love and respect of their friends and families, and a meaningful life beyond their orgasms. I want gay kids to grow up knowing that, as wonderful as sex can be, gay identity amounts to more than belonging to a "culture of desire." Browning and others mocked me for being "serious." Well, isn't discovering oneself as a gay individual in this society a serious challenge? Isn't gay rights a serious issue? Being serious about gay rights in public discourse doesn't preclude being able to have fun in one's personal life. Yet if some right-wing critics can't write about homosexuality without smirking, some gay writers seem unable to address the subject without prattling frivolously about their own sex lives and longings. Which is a shame, because it's vitally important for us to recognize that at the heart of homophobia lies an inability to see that gays can love each other as deeply and as seriously as straights can. Explaining why he'd refused to print my review of the film Longtime Companion, an American Spectator editor told a New York Observer reporter, "Bawer was striking a total equivalence between a heterosexual couple in love and a homosexual couple in love. To me, that wasn't convincing." That editor isn't alone in rejecting the idea of the moral equivalence of gays and straights. It's not only heterosexuals who draw these sex-related distinctions. "The defining thing about being gay," a gay man tells Susan Bergman in her new memoir, Anonymity, "is that you like to have sex a lot.

Nikola Tesla Essay -- biographies biography bio

Tesla was born in Smiljan, Austria-Hungary (now Croatia) on July 9, 1856. He studied engineering at two institutions in Austria-Hungary--Graz Technical University (now in Austria) and the University of Prague (now in the Czech Republic). Tesla left the University of Prague in 1880, without a degree, after his father died. He then worked for a short time for Austria-Hungary's telephone system in Budapest (now in Hungary). In 1882, Tesla moved to Paris, where he worked for the Continental Edison Company. While at Graz Technical University, Tesla had seen a demonstration of a generator run as a direct-current (DC) motor. Direct current is electric current that flows in only one direction. During the demonstration, the brushes and the commutator of the motor sparked violently. The brushes are devices that conduct the current in a DC motor. The commutator continually reverses the current so that the motor continues to rotate in one direction. Tesla believed a motor without a commutator could be devised. In 1881, while walking in a park, Tesla suddenly got an idea for a simple way to produce such a device. In 1883, while on assignment for Continental Edison in Strasbourg, France, Tesla used his spare time to build his first polyphase (out-of-step) AC motor. In such a motor, coils are arranged so that when out-of-step alternating currents energize them, the resulting magnetic field rotates at a predetermined speed. In 1884, Tesla left Europe for the United States and went to work for the inventor Thomas Edison. Edison respected the young engineer but the American inventor was a strong supporter of direct current (DC), and so he had little interest in Tesla's alternating current (AC) generation, transmission, and motor ... ... creation of fluorescent lighting. During his later years he led a secluded, eccentric, and penniless life, nearly forgotten by the world he believed would someday honor him. Tesla died on Jan. 7, 1943, in New York City. It is rather sad that a man who gave the world so much, received so little for his efforts. History books have been unkind as well. Even today, many texts still credit Marconi with the invention of radio, despite the Supreme Court decision which overruled Marconi and awarded it to Tesla. In many parts of this country, people still refer to the electric utility as the 'Edison Company', even though they use the Tesla-Westinghouse alternating current system. The Tesla Museum in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, was dedicated to the inventor after his death and in 1956 the tesla, a unit of magnetic flux density in the metric system, was named in his honor.

Advanced Physical And Intellectual Competence

I recognize the advancing children physical and intellectual competence by creating learning experiences that stimulates physical, cognitive, communicative and creative growth. To advance physical and intellectual competence it is essential to the growth and development of every child to advance their physical and intellectual needs. There are numerous ways to encourage this type of development. Children are encouraged to participate in daily large motor activities to enhance physical development. One activity that they enjoy is dance children naturally love music and there’s nothing better to get their little bodies moving and shaking.One easiest ways to incorporate physically activity into both you lives is pick a few random songs at intervals throughout the day and just dance like crazy. Even just two or three song quickly add up a 10 minutes session, which is just right for your preschool aged children’s attention span. If you’re looking for more ways to expl ore dance which your preschool aged children, think back to silly songs and nursery rhymes of your own childhood and share those. I help children develop cognitive skills by encouraging them to hypothesize and think things out.For example the main aspects for cognitive growth can be fostered with daily activities such as stacking, sorting, observing and learning cause and effect. Coming up with cognitive activities is very easy. You can sort blocks, arranging them by size and color. You can stack object – books are great for this, you can have a treasure hunt too! For this all you need is a short and easy set of objects and a magnifying glass. I allow exploration to your children’s cognitive development. In my center I help children learn, understand, and use words to communicate. One lesson that is especially effective in developing communication skill is music.Music is a great way to encourage language development. You can find a sort of preschool age songs online ca n help you in this area. You can also use I spy, and question and answer games. Anything that involves word development is good activities since children love to ask you questions. A strength of this lesson is that it incorporate children who are English as second language learners and need a good mix of repetition and new material. By incorporating songs, asking daily short conversation, quick simple things repeated daily and practice basic vocabulary every day, children will understand the lessons.Creativity is fostered throughout our classroom. Children have access to, an area and are encouraged to use various art supplies to create their own artwork. Paint, markers, pencils, crayons, oil pastels, and paper are readily available for children to freely explore. An activity I love to do where children use their imagination is designing butterflies. They combine different bodies and wings to design their own butterflies; then animate them in one of several beautiful scenes. Another example is drawing a mural. They explore line, shape, and space while arranging decorative tiles into an abstract picture. Advanced physical and intellectual competence I recognize the advancing children physical and intellectual competence by creating learning experiences that stimulates physical, cognitive, communicative and creative growth. To advance physical and intellectual competence it is essential to the growth and development of every child to advance their physical and intellectual needs. There are numerous ways to encourage this type of development. Children are encouraged to participate in daily large motor activities to enhance physical development. One activity that they enjoy is dance children naturally love music and there’s nothing better to get their little bodies moving and shaking.One easiest ways to incorporate physically activity into both you lives is pick a few random songs at intervals throughout the day and just dance like crazy. Even just two or three song quickly add up a 10 minutes session, which is just right for your preschool aged children’s attention span. If you’re looking for more ways to expl ore dance which your preschool aged children, think back to silly songs and nursery rhymes of your own childhood and share those. I help children develop cognitive skills by encouraging them to hypothesize and think things out.For example the main aspects for cognitive growth can be fostered with daily activities such as stacking, sorting, observing and learning cause and effect. Coming up with cognitive activities is very easy. You can sort blocks, arranging them by size and color. You can stack object – books are great for this, you can have a treasure hunt too! For this all you need is a short and easy set of objects and a magnifying glass. I allow exploration to your children’s cognitive development. In my center I help children learn, understand, and use words to communicate. One lesson that is especially effective in developing communication skill is music.Music is a great way to encourage language development. You can find a sort of preschool age songs online ca n help you in this area. You can also use I spy, and question and answer games. Anything that involves word development is good activities since children love to ask you questions. A strength of this lesson is that it incorporate children who are English as second language learners and need a good mix of repetition and new material. By incorporating songs, asking daily short conversation, quick simple things repeated daily and practice basic vocabulary every day, children will understand the lessons.Creativity is fostered throughout our classroom. Children have access to, an area and are encouraged to use various art supplies to create their own artwork. Paint, markers, pencils, crayons, oil pastels, and paper are readily available for children to freely explore. An activity I love to do where children use their imagination is designing butterflies. They combine different bodies and wings to design their own butterflies; then animate them in one of several beautiful scenes. Another example is drawing a mural. They explore line, shape, and space while arranging decorative tiles into an abstract picture.

Security Council

Security Council The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is the organ of the United Nations charged with maintaining peace and security among nations. While other organs of the United Nations only make recommendations to member governments, the Security Council has the power to make decisions which member governments must carry out under the United Nations Charter. The decisions of the Council are known as United Nations Security Council Resolutions. The Security Council is made up of 15 member states, consisting of five permanent seats and ten temporary seats.The permanent five are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. These members hold veto power over substantive but not procedural resolutions allowing a permanent member to block adoption but not debate of a resolution unacceptable to it. The ten temporary seats are held for two-year terms with member states voted in by the UN General Assembly on a regional basis. The Presidency of the Security Counci l is rotated alphabetically each month. Members. Security Council members must always be present at UN headquarters in New York so that the Security Council can meet at any time.This requirement of the United Nations Charter was adopted to address a weakness of the League of Nations since that organization was often unable to respond quickly to crises. The role of president of the Security Council involves setting the agenda, presiding at its meetings and overseeing any crisis. It rotates in alphabetical order of the members' names in English. There are two categories of membership in the UN Security Council: Permanent Members and Elected Members. Permanent membersThe Council seated five permanent members who were originally drawn from the victorious powers after World War II: 1. The Republic of China 2. The French Republic 3. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 4. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland   5. The United States of America The five permanent mem bers of the Security Council are the only nations recognized as possessing nuclear weapons under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, although it lacks universal validity, as some nuclear nations have not signed the treaty.This nuclear status is not the result of their Security Council membership, though it is sometimes used as a modern-day justification for their continued presence on the body. India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel possess nuclear weapons outside of the anti-proliferation framework established by the Treaty. In 2004, four of the five permanent members were also the world's top four weapons exporters when measured by arms value; China was seventh. Each permanent member state has veto powers, which can be used to void any substantive resolution. A single veto from a permanent member outweighs any majority.This is not technically a veto, rather just a â€Å"nay† vote; however a â€Å"nay† vote from a permanent member blocks the passage of the resolut ion in question. Elected members Ten other members are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms starting on 1 January, with five replaced each year. The members are chosen by regional groups and confirmed by the United Nations General Assembly. The African bloc chooses three members; the Latin America and the Caribbean, Asian, and Western European and Others blocs choose two members each; and the Eastern European bloc chooses one member.Also, one of these members is an Arab country, alternately from the Asian or African bloc. The current (2007) elected members, with the regions they were elected to represent and their Permanent Representatives are: 1. Belgium (Western Europe): Amb. Johan C. Verbeke 2. Republic of the Congo (Africa): Amb. Basile Ikouebe 3. Ghana (Africa): Amb. Nana Effah-Apenteng 4. Indonesia (Asia): Amb. Rezlan Ishar Jenie 5. Italy (Western Europe); Amb. Marcello Spatafora 6. Panama (Latin America and Caribbean): Amb. Ricardo Alberto Arias   7. Peru (Lat in America and Caribbean) – Amb.Oswaldo de Rivero   8. Qatar (Asia, Arab): Amb. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser 9. Slovakia (Eastern Europe): Amb. Peter Burian 10. South Africa (Africa): Amb. Dumisani Kumalo Veto power Under article 27 of the UN Charter decisions in the 15-member Security Council on all substantive matters—for example, a decision calling for direct measures related to the settlement of a dispute— require the affirmative votes of nine members. A negative vote—a veto—by a permanent member prevents adoption of a proposal, even if it has received the required number of affirmative votes.Abstention is not regarded as a veto despite the wording of the Charter. Since the Security Council's inception, China (ROC/PRC) has used five vetoes; France, 18; Russia/USSR, 122; the United Kingdom, 32; and the United States, 81. The majority of Russian/Soviet vetoes were in the first ten years of the Council's existence. Since 1984, the numbers have bee n: China, two; France, three; Russia/USSR, four; the United Kingdom, 10; and the United States, 43. Procedural matters are not subject to a Security Council veto.This provision is important because it prevents the veto from being used to avoid discussion of an issue. Status of non-members A state that is a member of the UN, but not of the Security Council, may participate in Security Council discussions in matters that the Council agrees that the country's interests are particularly affected. In recent years, the Council has interpreted this loosely, enabling many countries to take part in its discussions or not depending on how they interpret the validity of the country's interest.Non-members are routinely invited to take part when they are parties to disputes being considered by the Council. Role of the Security Council Under Chapter Six of the Charter, â€Å"Pacific Settlement of Disputes†, the Security Council â€Å"may investigate any dispute, or any situation which mig ht lead to international friction or give rise to a dispute†. The Council may â€Å"recommend appropriate procedures or methods of adjustment† if it determines that the situation might endanger international peace and security. These recommendations are not binding on UN members.Under Chapter Seven, the Council has broader power to decide what measures are to be taken in situations involving â€Å"threats to the peace, breaches of the peace, or acts of aggression†. In such situations, the Council is not limited to recommendations but may take action, including the use of armed force â€Å"to maintain or restore international peace and security†. This was the basis for UN armed action in Korea in 1950 during the Korean War and the use of coalition forces in Iraq and Kuwait in 1991. Decisions taken under Chapter Seven, such as economic sanctions, are binding on UN members.The UN's role in international collective security is defined by the UN Charter, which gives the Security Council the power to: * Investigate any situation threatening international peace; * Recommend procedures for peaceful resolution of a dispute; * Call upon other member nations to completely or partially interrupt economic relations as well as sea, air, postal, and radio communications, or to sever diplomatic relations; and * Enforce its decisions militarily, if necessary. The United Nations has helped prevent many outbreaks of international violence from growing into wider conflicts.It has opened the way to negotiated settlements through its service as a center of debate and negotiation, as well as through UN-sponsored fact-finding missions, mediators, and truce observers. UN Peacekeeping forces, comprised of troops and equipment supplied by member nations, have usually been able to limit or prevent conflict, although sometimes not. Some conflicts, however, have proven to be beyond the capacity of the UN to influence. Key to the success of UN peacekeeping efforts is the willingness of the parties to a conflict to come to terms peacefully through a viable political process.

Why should I be considered for the Education for Children with Diabetes Foundation Scholarship?

I believe that I am an ideal candidate to be considered for the Education for Children with Diabetes Foundation scholarship as I possess the necessary skills, knowledge, experience, and most of all the desire to overcome my disease, which would help me become successful in my future career. Basically, any disease, sickness, or debilitation can be disadvantageous to anyone. In my case, I was diagnosed with type I diabetes when I was a child. However, instead of allowing my condition to bring me down and discourage me, I used it as a springboard to accomplish my goals in life.While many people pitied me and felt sorry for me because of my illness, I did not feel the same way for myself. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, I used my sickness as my motivation and inspiration to prove to everyone that despite my condition, I could do anything I want if I just work hard for it. Initially, it was very difficult to adjust to the effects of type I diabetes as I had to watch the food eat and I had to be constantly injected with insulin.However, as I grew up, I eventually got used to my disease, and as time passed, my condition became a part of my everyday life, which I barely paid any attention to. As I battle with diabetes, I always conditioned my mind and my body to focus on the task at hand, which is to finish high school and move to a higher level of education. Instead of focusing on the negative aspect of my condition, I focused on the positive side of it and as a result, I was able to live a relatively normal life.Basically, even when the complications of my condition were causing me a lot pain, my motto was â€Å"Keep your eyes on the prize,† which exactly what I have been doing all my life. I maintained my focus on the â€Å"prize,† which is to finish school and as a result, I was able to get good grades in my class despite my disease and I was able to reach the senior year of my high school with ease. I was also able to participate in various school activities such as basketball, swimming, and jogging, among others.In addition, my condition was able to instill in me discipline in achieving my goals and aspirations. Although there were a lot of temptations such as smoking and heavy drinking, I was able to resist them as I know it could worsen my illness, one way or the other. In a way, my diabetes was able to shield me from bad influences and prevent me from being distracted from my goal. In other words, I saw my disease as more of an opportunity rather than a disadvantage and as a blessing rather than a curse.I have never felt ashamed of my disease as I know it would make me a better person and teach me a lot lessons in life. My diabetes is basically an opportunity for me to prove to others that I can still live a normal life and still excel in the things I do despite my condition. In addition, it is also an opportunity for me to show to other young people who are afflicted with the disease that their diabetes should never be a hindrance to reaching their dreams.In other words, the disease enabled me to set a good example to other people who have diabetes or other illnesses. Moreover, I saw it as a blessing since now I have a chance to get a scholarship because of my disease and help lessen my parents’ expenses for my education. In addition, the disease made me value my parents more as they were the ones who always cared for me as I battled with diabetes and ensured that I get a good education. In this regard, I believe that my attitude towards my diabetes would greatly help me as I enter college.As I coped with my disease, I have learned a lot of lessons such as commitment, the value of hard work, sacrifice, patience, and humility, which I believe I would be able to apply when I go to college and when I grow up and face the real world. In short, my diabetes as taught me a lot of realities in this world and as a result I have emerged a stronger person who is ready to combat all the difficulties an d obstacles I would be facing in real life. However, what sets me apart from the other applicants is my passion to become better every day even if I have a disease.Ever since I discovered that I have type I diabetes, I have dedicated myself to becoming better each day while making sure that I watch my health. In addition, I have also shown great enthusiasm in knowing more about my disease through reading and researching as I know this would help me prevent complications as I grow up. If I am blessed and fortunate enough to be given the Education for Children with Diabetes Foundation Scholarship, I will work hard so that I would achieve my dreams of becoming highly skilled and highly competent in my profession and prove to everyone that I am worthy of the scholarship.In addition, if I am admitted to the scholarship program, I would also encourage people diagnosed with the disease to never lose hope and keep moving forward to reach their goals. In short, my attitude towards my disease , my dedication to my goals, and, more importantly my passion and desire to accomplish my dreams despite my disease, makes me more than qualified to be given the Education for Children with Diabetes Foundation Scholarship.

Journal Entry Week One

The culture goes back through time. Assayer (2013) stated, â€Å"Egypt continuous cultural tradition?lasting over 3,000 years? Is history's clearest example of how peace and prosperity go hand in hand with cultural stability† (p. 28). There are many fascinating facets from the way Egyptians lived from the building of the pyramids to the burial of their leaders.It amazes me to know a society can build such structures without the modern day machinery that we have today. The passion they had for life and displaying that In the way they lived as written on the walls of heir pyramids. One of the Inaccuracies of these Images Is they are exactly the same. All the figures have the same body structure and build. Male and female resemble each other In such a way that the only way to tell them apart Is by their facial hair.All of the Images are depicted facing to the right or left and having the same size. This Is still a mystery as to why their depiction of their people Is of this natur e. The Egyptians went through droughts with the water system and developed and depended on an irrigation system that provided their society with water. This is just en of the many important aspects of the Egyptians that help to make them unique. The Egyptians also found uses for metals and were able to manipulate these metals into jewelry and amour.Their leaders were buried in tombs and the organs separated into jars made out of precious metals and Jewels. The heart was weighed as a part off balance system during the burial. The sun was an important part of their lives and even treated as a god. All these different aspects of the Egyptian culture made up who they were as a society thousands of years ago.

Gambling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Gambling - Essay Example Regardless of the consciousness, the practice involves some form of potential gain to the involved parties. Gambling defines a game or a bet with uncertain result that aims at deriving a benefit. It involves parties that make a bet over an unpredictable outcome, at a sacrifice, and the person who is favored by the game’s outcome benefits from the sacrifices at the expense of the other parties (Johnson, 2011). The first element of gambling is therefore existence of a game whose results are not known at the time of the parties’ entry into the gamble. The game either may involve the parties or may be independent in such a way that the parties are just but observers. An example of a game that involves the parties is a dice throwing game by the parties with a defined outcome as a win. The parties may also engage in a sport in which the winner of the sports becomes the winner of the gamble. Alternatively, it may involve a game that is being played by different parties. An example is a competitive football match or tournament such the United States premier league or a game in the premier league. In either of the cases, the result of the game that determines the winner and the looser in the gamble is uncertain at the time the parties enters into the gamble and is determinate later (Johnson, 2011). Another essential element that defines a gamble is the associated reward that it involves. This is because its basis involves a bet in which a party relinquishes rights over a property. The property is then put under custody with its possession determined by the outcome of the subject game. If the results favor a party’s position in the gamble then he or she becomes the owner of the property that was put on the particular gamble. Any other party who is not favored by the results of the game therefore loses their property in the game. This is the general rule of gambling that depends on lack to benefit a party based on taken chances (Johnson,

Rebecca Walker Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Rebecca Walker - Essay Example The anthology may have given ‘Third Wave Foundation’1, the multicultural network of young feminist activists co ­-founded by Rebecca Walker. In this paper, I examine Walker's Black, White and Jewish: Autobiography of a Shifting Self. In this mixed race fictional autobiography, Walker develops her multiracial identity, as she explores and expresses her experience growing up racially mixed in the United States in the 1970s and 1980s. I read Walker and identify a historical experience, thematic thread, and expression to show that it differs from received conceptions and descriptions of race and mixed race that have been understood in society and portrayed in the canons of American and American Ethnic literature in the categorical, dichotomous, and hierarchical terms of the binary racial idiom. The binary racial idiom has worked to suppress and distort mixed race bodies and lived realities in the culture at large insofar as it designates Americans as either white or black, white or other, and maintains, in conjunction with the social and legal rule of hypodescent (also known as the one-drop rule), the hierarchical valuation of whiteness over blackness by defining as black any racially mixed person with a quantum of African ancestry. Hence, following American racial common sense, the sum of black, white, and Jewish has been black. Nonetheless, Walker attempts to expose into view suppressed and silenced multiracial experience, complexity, and possibility. Body There have always been mixed race people in American history who have attempted to resist and circumvent the binary racial system. For a countless number of mixed race people "of a more European American phenotype and cultural orientation" (Daniel 49), the strategy of passing has been the most common form of resistance. In addition, sociologists and historians have identified groups of tri-racial isolates, mixed race people of black, white, and American Indian ancestry, who lived in rural communi ties in the mountains and in the backwoods apart from blacks and whites. There are also the Louisiana Creoles of Color who emerged as a community when Louisiana was a territory of Spain and then of France. In the US state of Louisiana, they resisted social and legal designation as black for more than a century to protect the rights and opportunities that had been granted to them under French rule. Furthermore, there existed blue-vein societies of mixed race people in the major Northern cities such as Washington D.C. and New York. Nevertheless, in nearly all cases, the mixed race people who attempted to resist the binary racial system nevertheless accepted the dichotomization between European Americans and blacks, as well as the hierarchical valuation of whiteness over blackness. For instance, tri-racial isolate communities accepted their status on the outskirts of organized society and tended to identify as Native American (Daniel 71). Blue-vein elites privileged and sought European culture, education, and somatic features, and the primary concern of Louisiana Creoles of Color was the preservation of the rights and privileges that had been allotted them because of their European heritage and education. It is an historical irony that a