Monday, September 30, 2019

The Life and Survival Made by the Nile

Egypt, one of the world’s greatest and longest surviving civilizations, all came to be by one thing, the Nile River. Ancient Egypt started in about 5,000 years ago, and lasted about 3000 years. The resource that helped structure the Ancient Egypt through that time was the Nile River. An ideal to wonder about is: In what ways did the Nile River shape (change) Ancient Egypt’s society? From the info obtained, it explains that the Nile River shaped Ancient Egypt’s society though religion, transportation, and geography. There are multiple ways the Nile helped within religion. Stated in document D, people believed that when they died, the Nile would go with them. In Document E, people were so happy of the flood that happened; almost all Egyptians believed the Nile was a gift to them from the gods. Due to people wishing the Nile will be with them forever and everybody worshiping it, the Nile resided deeply in Egypt’s religion. Along with religion, the Nile affected transportation to other areas as well. That was one of the only ways to get though the area. Document C tells about how movement worked using the Nile’s currents, and Document D visualized the way of currents and irrigation canals as borders. Document A also visualized the whole Nile in Egypt, showing that there was only one way of trade. Because of the Nile the only way around using currents and a way of irrigation, it seems that the Nile is very valuable in transportation. Another pretty important area to think about happens to be agriculture. With agriculture, you would be able to survive. With document A, the Nile showed that most cities were near water. Document B explained the seasons of agriculture caused by the Nile and Document E praised those seasons for food and good health (no famine). From what is seen with most Egyptians living near water and seasons used to tell about floods that allowed plants to grow, the Nile was vital for survival in Egypt. From what all info looks like, the Nile created survival for the Egyptians. People believed it was a god due to the Nile feeding them. The Nile was the only way to get around and trade. Also, the Nile brought in fertile soil for agriculture to happen. From all of these ideals combined together, it’s easy to say that the Nile helped create Egypt’s society and helped it survive.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Restaurant and Bar Essay

Work Plan Statement of Problem We are pitching an idea for an all you can eat all-inclusive Asian style cuisine. The restaurant will be located in Bellevue, Washington near Bellevue Square and within walking distance of the Microsoft and Expedia towers. The restaurant will offer a variety of Asian cuisines such as sushi, dim sum, teriyaki, and other popular foods sought by young adults and small families. We are asking for $750,000 from venture capitalists to finance our project. Schedule/Division of the work -May| Bao Tu| Find detailed information for project and needs in Bellevue| 2-May| Peter Calimlim| Composition: List benefits and features of products and services related to business| 4-May| Timofey Khval| Research costs, other financial information completed| | Linh Ninh| Organization: Pick the important and related things to investors’ needs| | My Tran| Research, develop market strategy| 10-May| Bao Tu| Set the target market and find their tastes. Find competitors and r esearch them| | Linh Ninh| Develop ideas for opening| Peter Calimlim| Execution/Evaluation: Revise presentation for 3-4 minute speech. Practice Individually| 16-May| Group| Group meeting to share research and other ideas| 18-May| My Tran| Develop ideas for closing| | Timofey Khval| Compile information into tables, financial statements, graphs| 23-May| Bao Tu| Finish research and preparation for presentation| 25-May| Timofey Khval| Analysis of information completed| | My Tran| Completion of rough draft for opening and offering| | Linh Ninh| Compete rough draft of marketing strategy, closing ideas| 27-May| Group| Finish research and individual portions. Meeting to develop presentation| 1-Jun| Group| Meeting to rehearse presentation, make final revisions| 4-Jun| Group| Meetings to continue rehearsal, work on visual aids (if necessary)| 6-Jun| Group| Presentation date| 1-May| Bao Tu| Find detailed information for project and needs in Bellevue| 2-May| Peter Calimlim| Composition: List benefits and features of products and services related to business| 4-May| Timofey Khval| Research costs, other financial information completed| | Linh Ninh| Organization: Pick the important and related things to investors’ needs| | My Tran| Research, develop market strategy| 0-May| Bao Tu| Set the target market and find their tastes. Find competitors and research them| | Linh Ninh| Develop ideas for opening| | Peter Calimlim| Execution/Evaluation: Revise presentation for 3-4 minute speech. Practice Individually| 16-May| Group| Group meeting to share research and other ideas| 18-May| My Tran| Develop ideas for closing| Timofey Khval| Compile inform ation into tables, financial statements, graphs| 23-May| Bao Tu| Finish research and preparation for presentation| 25-May| Timofey Khval| Analysis of information completed| | My Tran| Completion of rough draft for opening and offering| | Linh Ninh| Compete rough draft of marketing strategy, closing ideas| 27-May| Group| Finish research and individual portions. Meeting to develop presentation| 1-Jun| Group| Meeting to rehearse presentation, make final revisions| 4-Jun| Group| Meetings to continue rehearsal, work on visual aids (if necessary)| 6-Jun| Group| Presentation date|

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Academia and Text Matching Software Essay Example for Free

Academia and Text Matching Software Essay ? Critically evaluate the use of text matching software as an aid to developing good scholarship practice Introduction Academic dishonesty such as plagiarism has been a major factor in education that has affected students’ success and academic achievements in recent years. Plagiarism according to Park (2003) is the act of appropriating or copying another person’s work and passing them on as one’s idea without acknowledging the original source. Park (2003) noted that plagiarism is a growing problem and has been a misuse of the writings of another author, their ideas, hypothesis, theories, research findings and interpretations. Furthermore studies by Chao, Wilhelm and Neureuther (2009) emphasised that the rising trend of plagiarism among students can be attributed to several factors such as academic literacy, language competence and the technological advancements in the world today in terms of high speed internet facility available in hostels and computer labs. These factors according to Chao, Wilhelm and Neureuther (2009) has enhanced the ability of students to plagiarise a whole assignment by obtaining papers on the internet relating to their assignments which is as easy as copying and pasting. Park (2003) stated that students have different perceptions towards plagiarism. He noted that students view plagiarism as a minor offence which is different from cheating in exams. He further discovered that plagiarism could be unintentional (ibid). This is because some students possess a mental illusion in which they believe they have produced something from their own perspective while infact they are reproducing something which they have read from another author. The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate the effect of text matching software as an aid to developing good scholarship practice. This paper will begin by briefly describing what good scholarship practise is. In addition the use of text matching software for detecting good scholarship practice will be critically discussed and a conclusion will be made based on the evaluation. Good scholarship practice can be referred to as a formal study which involves academic learning and achievement. It involves acknowledging where information used to support ideas in a particular context is gotten and citing the sources (Locke and Latham, 2009). Britag and Mahmud (2009) pointed out that different strategies whichinclude the use of electronic software tools such as turnitin have been derived for detecting plagiarism with the intent of allowing students’ take responsibility of their learning and also work hand in hand with their tutors in the drafting stages of their assignments. According to Britag and Mahmud (2009) manual detection of plagiarism is difficult because it is time consuming and this is the reason why some tutors are reluctant in pursuing potential cases of plagiarism. However both the manual method of plagiarism detection and the electronic text matching method should be employed (Britag and Mahmud, 2009). Scaife (2007) argued that the electronic text matching software is not the solution to eliminating plagiarism because the software only focuses on text matching of paper under review with documents (journals, articles, e-books and conference papers) found on the internet or which has been previously submitted and this is a limitation because the only detection are focused on electronic materials without considering some non-electronic paper based documents which could still be plagiarised. Walker (2010) stated that with the development of text matching software such as the turnitin plagiarism detection was made easier, however he emphasised that the turnitin detection software is not 100 per cent efficient, it merely identifies and matches materials present in a document uploaded to turnitin website to materials available on the internet. Walker (2010) describes the electronic text matching software as a tool only suitable for detecting word for word or direct plagiarism in electronic form and the refined ones from the paper based sources are not easily detected. Moreover Carroll and Appleton (2001) argued that the turnitin is just an option for measuring plagiarism and that alone cannot be used as a basis for judging good scholarship practice. In addition Carroll and Appleton (2001) insist that the use of electronic software for detecting plagiarism requires human application and interpretation and that using turnitin alone as a medium for plagiarism detection is not proficient. According to Barrett and Malcolm (2006) the electronic text matching software (turnitin) only indicates possible plagiarism without any certainty, it is left to the tutor to determine the extent to which the writer has plagiarised or included some sources in the paper without acknowledging where they were acquired. In conclusion the concept of plagiarism cannot be overemphasised. It has become a factor that has affected good academic scholarship practice and has  created an avenue for educators to develop methods for detecting and dealing with plagiarism. The development of the electronic detection software such as the turnitin has enhanced the detection of plagiarism however it cannot be relied upon completely because it is not effective. In addition it is important to understand that the best way to detect plagiarism is to use both the manual method which involves educators and the use of electronic text matching software such as turnitin. Students could also be assisted in understanding the criteria for academic writing such as the code of conducts which requires them to acknowledge any source from where data is derived when writing academically. References Barrett, R. & Malcolm, J. (2006) ‘Embedding plagiarism education in the assessment process’, International Journal for Educational Integrity, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 38-45. Bretag, T. and Mahmud, S. (2009) ‘A model for determining student plagiarism: Electronic detection and academic judgement. ‘, Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 50-60. Chao, C. , Wilhelm, W. J. , Neureuther, B. D. (2009. ) ‘A Study of Electronic Detection and Pedagogical Approaches for Reducing Plagiarism’, The Delta Pi Epsilon Journal, Vol. 51, No. 1, pp. 31-42. Carroll, J. and Appleton, J. (2001), Plagiarism: A good practice guide, Oxford: Oxford Brookes University. Locke, E. A, Latham, G. P (2009) ‘Has Goal Setting Gone Wild, or Have Its Attackers Abandoned Good Scholarship? ‘, The Academy of Management Perspectives, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp.  17-23. Park, C. (2003). ‘In Other (People’s) Words: plagiarism by university students—literature and lessons’, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, Vol. 28, No. 5, pp. 472-488. Scaife, B (2007) IT Consultancy Plagiarism Detection Software Report for JISC Advisory Service. [Online].

Friday, September 27, 2019

Potencial investors Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Potencial investors - Assignment Example At the input site, there is an installed automatic camera and a point for placing the thumb. It is then connected to a computer, a bell and alarm system at the output. The input system is placed outside the gate. The system will enhance security in that when one place his/her thumb at the input system, the automatic camera records the image and the fingerprints. The image of the person at the gate can then remain transmitted to the computer located in either the house or the security personnel office. In case the bio-data is of the family member, the computer controlled bell system automatically rings. However, in case the bio-data is for a non-family member, there is activation of the alarm system to alert the family member of the presence of a stranger in the gate. The concerned member can then alert the security through contacts available in the system in case the stranger raises suspicion. The whole process of developing the idea to certification by the national Security Council requires an estimate of 400, 000 US dollars whereas the advertisement and testing fee will cost another 150,000 US dollars. The cost of installation to the first 500 customers will cost an estimate of 100,000 US dollars. The business idea therefore requires a total of approximately 700,000 US dollars to start. The business has a prospect of engaging the federal government in case of success, making huge profits to the investors. With the ease of availability of the computers, the company will develop the software, the alarm and bell system. The company will as well attract investors from the National Security Council who will partly help in the development of the system and sell the idea to the government more easily. I interviewed three prominent potential ICT investors including Miller Collen, Pearson Todd, and Sander Preston. The three investors I had contacted and interviewed showed lots of optimism and

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Contract Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Contract - Essay Example Generally, advertisements are considered to be invitations for deals rather than contracts (Miller and Jentz 216). However, advertisements can be considered as offers in certain cases. An advertisement qualifies to be an offer when it is definite in its terms and the publication shows intent of the advertiser to enter into a binding contract (Miller and Jentz 216). Effective communication of an offer to the offeree confers to him the power to transform an offer into a contract through acceptance (Miller and Jentz 216). However, the action of either the offerer or the offeree can terminate an offer. The termination can be done through revocation, rejection or by giving a counteroffer and in some case through operating law (Miller and Jentz 216). Seven Inch Android Tablets In the case of The Tech Revolution, the company advertised Seven Inch Android Tablets selling at ?229. The tablets as claimed in the advertisement are available in all colours. Alan made a written order for a tablet in silver. TTR wrote back to Alan informing him that the company only had green or pink Tablets. Afterwards, TTR found a silver Tablet and wrote back to Alan informing him that they had accepted his offer. However, Alan is no longer interested in the Tablet. The main question that arises out of this scenario is: does a valid contract exist between Alan and TTR? Reviewing the scenario, TTR’s advisement is an invitation made to the public to buy its Tablets. Alan acts the company’s invitation by sending a written order to TTR. Unfortunately, TTR does not accept Alan’s order because they have no silver Tablets in their stock consequently rejecting the offer. As it emerges, TTR has no legal case against Alan. By writing back to Alan and confirming that they could not supply him with silver Tablet, the company revoked the offer. Moreover, the company’s advertisement was made to the general public and does not constitute a binding contract with anyone willing t o buy the Tablets. In the case of Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain v Boot Cash Chemists (1953), it was held that display of goods did not amount to an offer (Stone, Devenney and Cunnington 36). In Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co, it was held that Mrs. Carlill, the plaintiff, entitled to receive the reward mentioned in the advertisement. The unanimous decision was based on the fact that the advert was definite in its terms and unilateral. However, TTR’s advertisement of the â€Å"Seven Inch Android Tablets† does do provide definite terms besides price. Therefore, the advert is a mere invitation for a deal rather than a binding contract. Soniz Netbooks TTR advertised Soniz Netbook as a special offer going for ?100 for all orders received by 15th November. Betty wrote and posted an acceptance letter for the Soniz Netbook and posted the letter on 14th November. However, the letter arrived on 16th November, prompting TTR to consider it late following their 15th Nove mber deadline. Clearly, the advertisement of Soniz Netbooks qualifies to be an offer because it contains definite terms. The main issue is to determine whether TTR is legally liable Betty. Can Betty file a valid legal case against TTR? According to Mailbox Rule under common law, acceptance becomes effective on dispatch and the date on which the offerer receives the letter is immaterial provided that the letter is properly addressed (Tepper 61). In the case, Betty mailed her acceptance letter on 24th

Strategic Management of Human Resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Strategic Management of Human Resources - Essay Example On the other hand many enlightened businesses undertook the same to provide an enhanced experience to their employees which in turn greatly added their contribution to the organisation. The next level of change in the role and functions of personnel departments occurred with automation. Thus computerisation of functions such as pay roll and record keeping relieved personnel managers to focus on larger issues enhancing their contribution to strategic value addition to the organization as a whole. Personnel departments are also becoming more aware of the roles and responsibilities of line managers so that there is greater integration between the two for attaining strategic value. The delivery of greater quality of services by personnel departments is thus providing impetus to development in other functions of management. Personnel departments thus increasingly came to be seen not as boundary managers but value builders The traditional role of the personnel department has been seen as recruitment, defining job roles, training, structuring of pay and allowances, measuring performance and finally relieve those who are not performing satisfactorily. In many organisations these were also dealing with labour relations. However over the years, this role has been enlarged within the scope of general functions stated above to include induction of the best talent, providing effective training as per needs of the organization, designing and measuring job roles and performance, compensation management to include not just remuneration but also employee stock options based on performance and as a form of incentive and providing feedback to the management on the state of human resources in the organisation. During this stage, the term, human resources manager was being increasingly used in the management lexicon to represent the functions carried out by personnel managers. (Bersin, 2006) Induction of information technology into management and personnel functions had a lasting impact on its role and functions. Information technology systems automated routine and repetitive tasks which were so far engaging personnel managers such as pay rolls, performance reporting and incentive management. (Bersin, 2006). Systems such as recruitment and application tracking, total compensation packages build around cost to company, e learning and organizational development resulted in freeing the human resources manager to focus his attention on achieving key organizational goals by becoming a business partner in strategy implementation. Thus gradually personnel departments provided critical inputs for organizational growth. The emergence of the information and knowledge economy has also provided a critical role to personnel departments in what is being called as talent management. (Bersin, 2006). This implies personnel strategies which can identify best talent critical to organizational growth, retain and motivate it. The various strategies used for this purpose include management of competencies, measurement of performance, aligning these with the compensation package; assess overall contribution to the organization and so on. The overall aim is to limit job hopping, a trend

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

LOCATING SCHOLARLY INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET Research Paper

LOCATING SCHOLARLY INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET - Research Paper Example of credibility lingering in mind, it is important to explore some of the possible criteria that can be used to qualify internet information as credible. Information credibility is heavily dependent a number of factors such as currency and citation presence among others. Credible information should be up to date thereby reflecting relevance and conformity with the changing times. Current information concurs with issues happening in the modern world. Research on different subjects is always being carried out implying that some of the earlier conclusions may be disputed. This is especially with technological advancements thereby creating greater room for improvements. For example, information on diseases is prone to change since as time advances there is likelihood of new discoveries. This implies that relying on relatively old sources may give information with omissions of advancements made. As such, conclusions drawn from such information may be deemed incomplete hence cannot be considered credible. Secondly, presence of source citations symbolizes information credibility since it shows that the topic in play has been researched upon. However, it is also important to check citations used to ensure that they are from trustworthy sources. In relation to citations, sources being used should also use credible references. This implies that use of information sources is seemingly interdependent. Additionally, information on sources should correspond to information on external trustworthy sources and conclusions. For example, internet users should ensure that a source corresponds to known facts about a given subject. Therefore, citation presence may be used to determine information credibility. Internet users can determine information credibility by concentrating on the website’s outlook. Scholarly sites have a consistent page design that is attractive yet maintaining professionalism. This implies that there is no irrelevant information on scholarly sources such as

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Developing a Teaching Capacity Enhancement Plan Essay

Developing a Teaching Capacity Enhancement Plan - Essay Example They will also be based on my choice of my aspired career as a long distance teacher. The choice of goal selection as an adult is further reinforced by the fact that Malcolm Knowles has identified that adults are goal oriented (Knowles, 1970) and therefore I will prefer to have clear goals for myself and then construct a clear set of goals for my adult students so that surety of transference and development of cognitive interest is assured. Goals For the teaching capacity enhancement plan, I have selected four basic goals which I plan to achieve in the next 12 months. The first and the foremost goal is to develop a capacity for learner centered teaching. This will be achieved by developing not only empathy but also detailed study and application of the theory of cognitivism. This theory will give me precise knowledge of the thought process behind behaviors and what goes on in the learners mind. (Schuman, 1996) Thus ultimately this goal will enhance my capabilities as a cognitive thin ker and teacher. The second is to enhance my capacities as a distance learning teacher and to develop ideas and processes around it. This goal also includes development of a plan and program which will ensure captivation of the students thus learners interest even when they are learning online and not directly. The third goal is also centered on the second goal and includes actions for modification and development of online degrees to provide life-long grounding for individuals who pursue them. Last but not the least, my final goal is to imbibe flexibility in myself as a long distance teacher and create a program which is flexible to ensure optimum learning for all those who value learning but cannot achieve it due to their commitments. This last goal will include both a personal development and grooming as an individual and will also include designing and implementation of a negotiated learning contract and program of study. Justification of selection and significance of goals (T-D EPLOY) Theory Multiple theories support my selection of goals and they are extremely significant for all educators, particularly those who wish to enter the adult education and distant learning dimension. Learner centered teaching is has been defined as the form of teaching which removes emphasis from the teacher and directs it towards the learner and the process of learning. As for developing my capabilities as a long distance teacher many theorists have encouraged the fact that lifelong learning opportunities must be encouraged and supported and Reushle in his doctoral thesis has been particularly vocal about the importance of both learning and its easy availability throughout life. (Reushle, 2005). He also believed that a transformative approach should be available for all online educators and my goal is to get that transformative approach to transform the lives of individuals I teach. The topic of distance-learning has been frequently debated by theorists and researchers. Marsha ll McLuhan (McLuhan, 1964) has described media as the carrier of the message from the transmitting source to the receiver. Thus media is often regarded as the extension of humans that allow for convenient affecting of people in the absence of a face to face contact. Therefore internet and video learning is a very strong medium to teach

Monday, September 23, 2019

Positive impact of workplace diversity in the UAE Essay

Positive impact of workplace diversity in the UAE - Essay Example In enhancing the employment of workplace diversity, organizations manage to enjoy benefits such as: Existence of good communication between employees increases the productivity of an organization. However, good communication between employers and employees is as a result of diversification of practices in the workplace. Workplace diversity means the coming together of staff from different cultures and backgrounds. Diversity is important because of many reasons. It promotes equality among people in questing for opportunities. In supporting equal opportunities, make institutions increase their benefits. â€Å"Sharing work and working in teams from different cultures can help to overcome cultural differences through shared experiences when working within a team† (Al-Jenaibi, 2012). Additionally, it is evident that â€Å"managing diversity is about more than equal employment opportunity and affirmative action† (Green, Kepner, Lopez & Wysocki, 2002). Al-Jenaibi B. (2012). ‘The scope and impact of workplace diversity in the United Arab Emirates – An initial study’, Malaysis Journal of Society and Space. Retrieved October 21, 2014, from http://www.ukm.my/geografia/images/upload/14.Geografia-2012_Badreya%20Al-Jenaibi_EDITED-azlan-nn-1.doc.pdf Green, K., Kepner, K., Lopez, M. & Wysocki, A. (2002). Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges, and the Required Managerial Tools. Retrieved October 21, 2014, from

Sunday, September 22, 2019

External Analysis of the Telecommunication Industry Essay Example for Free

External Analysis of the Telecommunication Industry Essay Economic †¢ Market analysis by Insight Research predicts that telecommunications-industry revenue will reach $1.2 trillion by the end of next year, and grow by a compounded rate of 5.9 percent to $1.6 trillion by 2010. †¢ Telecommunication remains an important part of the world economy and the telecommunication industrys revenue has been placed at just under 3% of the gross world product. †¢ Mobile phones have had a significant impact on telephone networks. Mobile phone subscriptions now outnumber fixed-line subscriptions in many markets. Sales of mobile phones in 2005 totaled 816. 6 million with that figure being almost equally shared amongst the markets of Asia/Pacific (204 m), Western Europe (164 m), CEMEA (Central Europe, the Middle East and Africa) (153.5 m), North America (148 m) and Latin America (102 m) †¢ In terms of new subscriptions over the five years from 1999, Africa has outpaced other markets with 58.2% growth †¢ Size matters in telecom. It is an expensive business; contenders need to be large enough and produce sufficient cash flow to absorb the costs of expanding networks and services that become obsolete seemingly overnight. Transmission systems need to be replaced as frequently as every two years. Big companies that own extensive networks especially local networks that stretch directly into customers homes and businesses are less reliant on interconnecting with other companies to get calls and data to their final destinations. By contrast, smaller players must pay for interconnect more often to finish the job. For little operators hoping to grow big some day, the financial challenges of keeping up with rapid technological change and depreciation can be monumental. †¢ During the late 1990s, the telecommunications industry experienced very rapid growth and massive investment in transmission capacity. Eventually this caused supply to significantly exceed demand, resulting in much lower prices for transmission capacity. The excess capacity and additional competition led to either declining revenues or slowing revenue growth, which has led to consolidation within the industry, as many companies merged or left the industry. Socio-Cultural †¢ Telecommunication is an important part of many modern societies. Good telecommunication infrastructure is widely acknowledged as important for economic success in the modern world on micro- and macroeconomic scale. †¢ On the microeconomic scale, companies have used telecommunication to help build global empires, this is self-evident in the business of online retailer Amazon.com but even the conventional retailer Wal-Mart has benefited from superior telecommunication infrastructure compared to its competitors. In modern Western society, home owners often use their telephone to organize many home services ranging from pizza deliveries to electricians. Even relatively poor communities have been noted to use telecommunication to their advantage. In Bangladeshs Narshingdi district, isolated villagers use cell phones to speak directly to wholesalers and arrange a better price for their goods. In Cote dIvoire coffee growers share mobile phones to follow hourly variations in cof fee prices and sell at the best price. †¢ On the macroeconomic scale, in 2001, Lars-Hendrik Rà ¶ller and Leonard Waverman suggested a causal link between good telecommunication infrastructure and economic growth. Few dispute the existence of a correlation although some argue it is wrong to view the relationship as causal. †¢ However from any perspective the economic benefits of good telecommunication infrastructure are undeniable and, for this reason, there is increasing worry about the digital divide. A 2003 survey by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) revealed that roughly one-third of countries have less than 1 mobile subscription for every 20 people and one-third of countries have less than 1 fixed line subscription for every 20 people. In terms of Internet access, roughly half of countries have less than 1 in 20 people with Internet access. †¢ The September 11 attack reinforces the need for robust, interconnected networks that have a high probability of survival in the event of natural or man-made disaster. That argues for a consolidated base of carriers operating with agreed-upon disaster protocols Technological †¢ The largest sector of the telecommunications industry continues to be made up of wired telecommunications carriers. Establishments in this sector mainly provide telephone service via wires and cables that connect customers’ premises to central offices maintained by telecommunications companies. The central offices contain switching equipment that routes content to its final destination or to another switching center that determines the most efficient route for the content to take. While voice used to be the main type of data transmitted over the wires, wired telecommunications service now includes the transmission of all types of graphic, video, and electronic data mainly over the Internet. †¢ These new services have been made possible through the use of digital technologies that provide much more efficient use of the telecommunications networks. One major technology breaks digital signals into packets during transmission. Networks of computerized switching equipment, called packet switched networks, route the packets. Packets may take separate paths to their destination and may share the paths with packets from other users. At the destination, the packets are reassembled, and the transmission is complete. Because packet switching considers alternate routes, and allows multiple transmissions to share the same route, it results in a more efficient use of telecommunications capacity as packets are routed along less congested routes. †¢ One way wired carriers are expanding their bandwidth is by replacing copper wires with fiber optic cable. Fiber optic cable, which transmits light signals along glass strands, permits faster, higher capacity transmissions than tra ditional copper wire lines. In some areas, carriers are extending fiber optic cable to residential customers, enabling them to offer cable television, video-on-demand, high-speed Internet, and conventional telephone communications over a single line. However, the high cost of extending fiber to homes has slowed deployment. In most areas, wired carriers are instead leveraging existing copper lines that connect most residential customers with a central office, to provide digital subscriber lines (DSL) Internet service. Technologies in development will further boost the speeds available through a DSL connection. †¢ Wireless telecommunications carriers, many of which are subsidiaries of the wired carriers, transmit voice, graphics, data, and Internet access through the transmission of signals over networks of radio towers. The signal is transmitted through an antenna into the wire line network. Other wireless services include beeper and paging services. Because wireless devices require no wire line connection, they are popular with customers who need to communicate as they travel residents of areas with inadequate wire line service, and those who simply desire the convenience of portable communications. Increasing numbers of con sumers are choosing to replace their home landlines with wireless phones. †¢ Wireless telecommunications carriers are deploying several new technologies to allow faster data transmission and better Internet access that should make them competitive with wire line carriers. One technology is called third generation (3G) wireless access. With this technology, wireless carriers plan to sell music, videos, and other exclusive content that can be downloaded and played on phones designed for 3G technologies. Wireless carriers are developing the next generation of technologies that will surpass 3G with even faster data transmission. Another technology is called â€Å"fixed wireless service,† which involves connecting the telephone and/or Internet wiring system in a home or business to an antenna, instead of a telephone line. The replacement of landlines with cellular service should become increasingly common because advances in wireless systems will provide data transmission speeds comparable to broadband landline systems. †¢ Changes in technology and regulation now allow cable television providers to compete directly with telephone companies. An important change has been the rapid increase in two-way communications capacity. Conventional pay television services provided communications only from the distributor to the customer. These services could not provide effective communications from the customer back to other points in the system, due to signal interference and the limited capacity of conventional cable systems. As cable operators implement new technologies to reduce signal interference and increase the capacity of their distribution systems by installing fiber optic cables and improved data compression, some pay television systems now offer two-way telecommunications services, such as video-on-demand and high-speed Internet access. Cable companies are also increasing their share of the telephone communications market both through their network of conventional phone lines in some areas and their growing ability to use high-speed Internet access to provide VoIP (voice over Internet protocol). †¢ VoIP is sometimes called Internet telephony, because it uses the Internet to transmit phone calls. While conventional phone networks use packet switching to break up a call onto multiple shared lines between central offices, VoIP extends this process to the phone. A VoIP phone will break the conversation into digital packets and transmit those packets over a high-speed Internet connection. Cable companies are using the technology to offer phone services without building a conventional phone network. Wireline providers’ high-speed Internet connections also can be used for VoIP and cellular phones are being developed that use VoIP to make calls using local wireless Internet connections. All of the major sectors of the telecommunications industry are or will increasingly use VoIP. Demographic †¢ The telecommunications industry offers steady, year-round employment. Overtime sometimes is required, especially during emergencies such as floods or hurricanes when employees may need to report to work with little notice. †¢ Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations account for 1 in 4 telecommunications jobs. Telecommunications line installers and repairers, one of the largest occupations, work in a variety of places, both indoors and outdoors, and in all kinds of weather. Their work involves lifting, climbing, reaching, stooping, crouching, and crawling. They must work in high places such as rooftops and telephone poles, or below ground when working with buried lines. Their jobs bring them into proximity with electrical wires and circuits, so they must take precautions to avoid shocks. These workers must wear safety equipment when entering manholes, and test for the presence of gas before going underground. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers, generally work indoors—most often in a telecommunication company’s central office or a customer’s place of business. They may have to stand for long periods; climb ladders; and do some reaching, stooping, and light lifting. Adherence to safety precautions is essential to guard against work injuries such as minor burns and electrical shock. †¢ Most communications equipment operators, such as telephone operators, work at video display terminals in pleasant, well-lighted, air-conditioned surroundings. If the worksite is not well designed, however, operators may experience eye strain and back discomfort. The rapid pace of the job and close supervision may cause stress. Some workplaces have introduced innovative practices among their operators to reduce job-related stress. †¢ The number of disabling injuries in telephone communications, the principal sector of the telecommunications industry, has been well below the average for all industries in past years. †¢ The telecommunications industry offers employment in jobs requiring a variety of skills and training. Many jobs require at least a high school diploma or an associate degree in addition to on-the-job training. Other jobs require particular skills that may take several years of experience to learn completely. For some managerial and professional jobs, employers require a college education. †¢ Due to the rapid introduction of new technologies and services, the telecommunications industry is among the most rapidly changing in the economy. This means workers must keep their job skills up to date. From managers to communications equipment operators, increased knowledge of both computer hardware and software is of paramount importance. Several major companies and the telecommunications unions have created a Web site that provides free training for employees, enabling them to keep their knowledge current and helping them to advance. Telecommunications industry employers now look for workers with knowledge of and skills in computer programming and software design; voice telephone technology, known as telephony; laser and fiber optic technology; wireless technology; and data compression. Political/Legal †¢ Telecommunications Act: Enacted by the U.S. Congress on February 1, 1996, and signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996, the laws main purpose was to stimulate competition in the United States telecom sector. †¢ FCC controls the wireless spectrum allocations among the various broadcasters and service providers. This allocation is through a competitive auction at high cost to service providers, which result in an increase of debt burden of these companies, eventually trickling down to consumers. †¢ FCC as a watchdog regulates that there be no monopoly of a single player in the telecom market. Mergers and consolidation among companies is closely watched and evaluated before being allowed Porters 5 Forces Analysis 1. Threat of New Entrants No surprise, in the capital-intensive telecom industry the biggest barrier-to-entry is access to finance. To cover high fixed costs, serious contenders typically require a lot of cash. When capital markets are generous, the threat of competitive entrants escalates. When financing opportunities are less readily available, the pace of entry slows. Meanwhile, ownership of a telecom license can represent a huge barrier to entry. In the US, for instance, fledgling telecom operators must still apply to the Federal Communications Commission to receive regulatory approval and licensing. There is also a finite amount of good radio spectrum that lends itself to mobile voice and data applications. In addition, it is important to remember that solid operating skills and management experience is fairly scarce, making entry even more difficult. 2. Power of Suppliers At first glance, it might look like telecom equipment suppliers have considerable bargaining power over telecom operators. Indeed, without high-tech broadband switching equipment, fiber-optic cables, mobile handsets and billing software, telecom operators would not be able to do the job of transmitting voice and data from place to place. But there are actually a large number of large equipment makers around. Nortel, Lucent, Cisco, Nokia, Alcatel, Ericsson, Tellabs are just a few of the supplier names. There are enough vendors, arguably, to dilute bargaining power. The limited pool of talented managers and engineers, especially those well versed in the latest technologies, places companies in a weak position in terms of hiring and salaries. 3. Power of Buyers With increased choice of telecom products and services, the bargaining power of buyers is rising. Lets face it; telephone and data services do not much vary regardless of which companies are selling them. For the most part, basic services are treated as a commodity. This translates into customers seeking low prices from companies that offer reliable service. At the same time, buyer power can vary somewhat among market segments. Customers can be as small as individual residential users like you or me, or be as big as an ISP like America Online or a large university. While switching costs are relatively low for residential telecom customers, they can get higher for larger business customers, especially those that rely more on customized products and services. 4. Availability of Substitutes Products and services from non-traditional telecom industries pose serious substitution threats. Cable TV and satellite operators now compete for buyers. The cable guys, with their own direct lines into homes, offer broadband Internet services, and satellite links can substitute for high-speed business networking needs. Railways and energy utility companies are laying miles of high-capacity telecom network alongside their own track and pipeline assets. Just as worrying for telecom operators is the Internet: it is becoming a viable vehicle for cut-rate voice calls. Delivered by ISPs not telecom operators Internet telephony could take a big bite out of telecom companies core voice revenues. 5. Competitive Rivalry Competition is cut throat. The wave of industry de-regulation together with the receptive capital markets of the late 1990s paved the way for a rush of new entrants. New technology is prompting a raft of substitute services. Nearly everybody already pays for phone services, so all competitors now must lure customers with lower prices and more exciting services. This tends to drive industry profitability down. In addition to low profits, the telecom industry suffers from high exit barriers, mainly due to its specialized equipment. Networks and billing systems cannot really be used for much else, and their swift obsolescence makes liquidation pretty difficult.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Virgin And The Gypsy, D.H. Lawrence

The Virgin And The Gypsy, D.H. Lawrence The novel The Virgin and the Gypsy was found in France after David Herbert Lawrences death in 1930. Immediately recognized as a masterpiece in which Lawrence had distilled and purified his ideas about sexuality and morality, The Virgin and the Gypsy has become a classic and is one of Lawrences most electrifying short novels. It has been published as it was found, which was probably incomplete. The story has some rough edges that undoubtedly would have been smoothed with more rewriting. The book raises interesting questions about what love, proper behavior, and life are all about. In this book, Lawrence is in usual top form in describing the longing of a young girl, a virgin, for the slightly unconventional. Her vision of her future being a stayed and commonplace marriage to one of the local boys of character and money, she longs for something else before that fate befalls her. She does find that love, very much by accident. She comes across a Gypsy and she falls deeply and viscerally in love with him. Yet, she is coy and she is proper about it. Although she badly wishes to be with him, she understands the potential scandal of such a union. Her father being one that is a non-believer, despite his position as the rector; she sees his revulsion for those things of the body. The rectors wife had left him for an impoverished boy. She sought something the rector just could not provide to her. Even though she was his everything, he was not able to make her feel the love she wished deeply even to her bones. Her daughter too felt that there was more than just the future she envisioned. She felt that it was not a matter that could be ignored. It was a matter that had to be satisfied and soon. But how to do so, without being seen as a prostitute by her own family; that was the mystery and the beauty of the book. Finally, amongst a great flood and terror that is more frightful than can be imagined, she finds herself with the Gypsy in her own bedroom, safe from the outside world of people because of the isolation and protection afforded by an unanticipated flood. Here she makes the passionate love to him that she had heretofore only dreamed about. Here she becomes a woman, and becomes a lover at the same time. As always, Lawrence fills the text with serious metaphor and memory. He uses symbolism, systematically revealing the undercurrents of his characters huge love and anticipation with thinly veiled double entendres and images. This book is specifically recommended for Lawrence readers, but in addition, the book is highly recommended to those seeking love and those fulfilled in love. The gypsy represents her free-born will, which separates her from the rest of the Saywells. He is an outsider, on an old, old war-path against such as herself . . . Yes, if she belonged to any side, and to any clan, it was to his. Under the influence of the absent mother, an adulterous couple she encounters, and the defiant gypsy who endures in opposition, Yvette is forced into a confrontation with her sneering father-a confrontation that brings out his hidden evil and self-righteousness. Both The Virgin and the Gypsy and That Evening Sun deal with characters who are social outsiders living under social restrictions. The Virgin and the Gypsy is a picture of the social climate in England. Characters like Cynthia, the Eastwoods and the gipsies are affected by social snobbery. That Evening Sun is the portrayal of Nancy, a black woman, who struggles against racism. The outsiders from these selections are physically, emotionally, and socially isolated. Social isolation affects the characters in The Virgin and the Gypsy and That Evening Sun. Nancy experiences social rejection from both society and from the family she works for. She is discriminated for being black and is shown no respect in society. There is also the factor of generational prejudice in the family Nancy works for. The mother is passing on their racial prejudice to their children who will carry on a racist attitude forever. The children uses phrases like scairder than niggers(199) as an insult conveying their disrespect of the black culture. The gipsies are isolated from society because they are different. They lead a different lifestyle and act as individuals. Society describes gipsies as pagan pariahs(36), non-Christians and outcasts. Restrictions are placed on people like the gipsies that create a social scale and rank people accordingly. This novel is very intriguing and teaches lessons of morality, religion, and of life and death intended for those with imagination and insight. The authors style contributes deeply to the intrigue and true meaning to this novel. The authors use of imagery makes tensions in the story vivid and emphatic. In this story there is a re-occurring tension between religion and desire. The tension between religion and desire is most clearly demonstrated between the characters of Yvette and the rector. Yvette was brought up in a world of religious conventions and beliefs, an environment of forgiveness, love, and morality. This world is later realized to truly be a world of repression towards all feelings of passion and desire; not the environment of forgiveness, love, and morality Yvette and the readers are lead to believe. This starts the conflict between religion and desire, and confuses Yvette greatly because her religious upbringing denies and contradicts all her natural instincts of love, passion, and sexuality. The rector and Yvette do not share the same understanding of love. They are both very different in their thoughts and ex pressions, of what love is. The narrator in the story tells us what the rector thinks of Cynthia, his lost wife. He describes her as the pure white snow-flower (p.6) and expresses that her husband thought of her on inaccessible heightsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦that she was throned in lone splendor aloft their lives, never to be touched (p.7) This would have the reader believe that Cynthia is considered in the rectors eyes to be like god not bodily in his life. At another point in the novel the narrator informs the reader that the rector believes Cynthia to be sacred and that she was enshrined in his heart, as if she were a religious idol, never simply expressing any love or desire for his lost wife. Its like the rector has moral religious love for his lost wife, and not passion or desire, like

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Livin’ On the Edge :: Term Papers Research

Livin’ On the Edge There was less than a foot between life and death and it was all because they were trying to cheat the system. This is what I learned from two fellow college students I met while waiting in line for my hot chocolate at Late for the Train. Good thing there was a long line because they had quite the story to tell. What I got out of their story is that some people choose to live on the edge to get more fulfillment out of life, but many times that extra fulfillment just isn’t worth it. Two young college students were going home for Christmas break to visit their families in St. Louis, Illinois. Dan is a guy who spends so much time in the outdoors that the critters know him by name. He lives in the back of his pick-up unless it is so cold that his drool freezes down the side of his face. In that case he finds a friend who will let him roll out his camping pad and crash on the floor, and if he is lucky they will let him use the shower. Dan’s shoulder length hair is so curly that it looks as if he got a perm but left the curling rods in for an extra day. You could probably call him a â€Å"hippy† even though he would never refer to himself as one. Dan told me most of their story while Matt stood there and nodded every once in awhile. Matt seemed more laidback than Dan and didn’t seem to have a care in the world. He’d like to let himself think that he is adventurous, but in reality his biggest adventure is finding a gas station that’s open at 3:00am so he can pick up a bag of Cheetos. Dan and Matt decided to be adventurous so they planned to drive from Flagstaff, AZ up through Utah, and then make their way towards Illinois. They would stay in the back of Dan’s white Toyota Tacoma because he was blessed with the luxury of having a topper. This topper allowed Dan to create a home in the back of his pick-up filled with sleeping bags, a camping pad, hiking gear, dirty clothes, and old garbage from McDonald’s. Dan seemed to be very proud of his topper, because he even gave me a tour of it as I left the coffee shop.

The Effects of Tobacco :: Papers

The Effects of Tobacco The smoking of tobacco became prevalent early in this century. The production of flue-cured tobacco, the development of cigarette rolling machines, and a public health concern over tuberculosis germs being spread through the cuspidors associated with snuff and chewing tobacco, all contributed to an increase in cigarette smoking. As smoking became more common, health problems emerged which seemed to be related to smoking. In the 1950’s, sir Richard Doll, a British researcher, studied the smoking habits of more than 34,000 physicians and found a strong correlation between smoking and disease. Throughout the 1950’s, research data on the effects of tobacco on human health hazard of sufficient importance in the United States to warrant appropriate remedial action." Since then, each Surgeon General has spoken out against smoking; the current Surgeon General proclaims smoking to be the number one preventable cause of disease and death. Medical science is in general agreement that use of tobacco endangers one’s health. Lung Cancer was the first health effect to be linked to smoking. Subsequent research has linked tobacco usage to heart disease, emphysema, and several other forms of cancer. Recent research has even suggested harmful effects to unborn children of smokers and to those non-smokers exposed to the side-smoke of smokers. One of the benefits of a free society is the freedom of choice for adults, so long as this freedom does not deprive other persons of their freedom The decision to smoke might appear to be one of those choices, since it is usually through that the health risks of smoking are borne largely by the individuals making the choice. Factors that complicate the simplicity of this argument are: 1) Smoking is a social custom and when one person smokes, other persons in the area are exposed to the smoke. 2) Adult smoking habits provide a powerful modeling which affects the habits of children and youth. 3) Society must bear some of the social cost (increased insurance premiums and various tax burdens) of death and disability brought about by the use of tobacco. The tobacco plant is believed to have originated in the Western Hemisphere. The cultivated species most often grown for North American and European tobacco products is Nicotiana tabacum. The leaves of the plant are prepared for smoking, chewing, or sniffing. In addition nicotine tobacco contains over 19 known carcinogens (most collectively known as "tar") and more than 2,000 chemicals. Prior to European influence in the Americas, tobacco was used by the Indians of Mexico and Peru for ceremonies, medicinal purposes, and to alleviate Error! Bookmark not defined.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Digression in Nikolai Gogols Dead Souls Essay -- Nikolai Gogol Dead S

Nikolai Gogol's masterpiece novel, Dead Souls, remains faithful to the Gogolian tradition in terms of absurdity, lavish detail, and abundant digressions. Although these three literary techniques coexist, interact, and augment each other-the focus of this analysis is to examine how Gogol (or the narrator) deviates from the plotline, the significance of it, and what aesthetic purpose comes from the digression. Although Gogol's marriage to elaboration is at times strenuous-in fact, it is the underlying reason why impatient readers dislike his work-it serves as a function of tone. The author's excruciating amount of detail is a quirk of the narrator. "They turn up when least expected, and by means of their complete departure from the them, they produce a skillful retardation in the flow of the narrative (Setchkarev, 190)." Considering other characters and situations from the Gogolian tradition, it is not unusual that the author/narrator's voice is somewhat like that of a madman. The syntax and attention to detail in the following passage from Dead Souls is exemplary of Gogol's eccentric style and tone: "As soon as the lady agreeable in all respects learnt of the arrival of the agreeable lady, she at once came running into the hall. The ladies clutched each other by the hands, exchanged kisses and cried out as do girls from a boarding-school who happen to meet soon after their schooldays are over but before their mothers have had time to explain to them that the father of one is poorer and of lower rank than that of the other. The kisses had a smack to them and made the dogs bark again, and for this they were spanked with a handkerchief (192)." Arguably, the inclusion of the sound of kisses and the barking of the dog... ...ry Russian Literature. Having such signature literary techniques also makes him either easily loved or hated by audiences. Regardless of whether the reader enjoys Dead Souls, Gogol's digressions create an intended tone, aestheticism, humor, intimate narration, social criticism, and entertainment. Works Cited and Consulted: Gogol, Nikolai. Dead Souls. 1842. Trans. George Reavey. Ed. George Gibian. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1985. Jones, Malcolm V. and Robin Feuer Miller, ed. The Cambridge Companion to the Classic Russian Novel. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1998. Popkin, Cathy. The Pragmatics of Insignificance. Stanford: Stanford UP, 1993. Setchkarev, Vsevolod. Gogol: His Life and Works. Trans. Robert Kramer. New York: New York UP, 1965. Woodward, James B. The Symbolic Art of Gogol. Columbus: Slavica Publishers, Inc., 1981

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Compare-and-Contrast Research Paper Essay

Introduction Present essay seeks to provide the comparative analysis of two artworks – Hoffmann’s Boston Twilight, 1957, belonging to Proto-Abstract Expressionism and Rauschenberg’s Retroactive 1, 1964, which may be attributed to the art movement of Pop-Art. The comparative analysis of these paintings will focus on two crucial aspects – structural and positive. Structural analysis addresses cultural, historical context, which influenced the discussed artworks, political climate, art movements’ stylistic characteristics, which informed individual work of artists, their subjective motives, influences and inclinations. Secondly, positive analysis of the artworks focuses on the themes depicted, colors and techniques used, formal and stylistic elements, the reflection of cultural and historical context in the artworks etc. The thesis, present paper defends, may be formulated as follows: Hoffmann’s and Rauschenberg’s artworks were significantly influenced by historical, cultural, social and artistic context. The artistic response to these contexts was different and reflected through opposite art movements. The discussed images belong to different artistic traditions and, hence have many differences. Similarities, however, may be attributed to the similar artistic influences, and utilization of sometimes similar formal and color techniques of composition. Structural context: art movements, history, politics and subjective perspectives. The general socio-economic and historical context of both artworks (as they were created very close in time – 1957 and 1964) may be characterized by the gradual assault of mass consumption postmodernist society, which influenced the rapid development of popular culture in music, entertainment and cinema. Commoditization has reached almost every sphere of social life and closely approached art through mass media. The increasing role of mass culture was immediately seen in the new sphere of advertisement, which conflated the elements of ‘high and low’ culture, which became central to the new postmodernist cultural logic (Jameson, 59). Political situation in the United States and Europe was characterized by the intensification of resistance and leftist movements, which, however, abandoned communist platform and focused on new postmodernist tactics, such as situationism, counter-culturalism, influenced by new discoveries in psychoanalysis, philosophy etc. Politics also became the element of mass culture, as its reproduction was extended from closed couloirs of high cabinets to ordinary population. The response of art movements to the assault of the postindustrial society was irregular and significantly varied from one art movement to another. The dominance of non-objective abstraction in 1940s and 50s was the response to vulgarization of social life, and the manifest of the absence of valuable objective themes in de-humanized world. Abstractionism, hence was an artistic expression of de-humanization and the search for lost subjectivity (Herskovic, 13-17). However, other extremes also came to existence. That is particularly true of the Pop-Art, which positively responded to the modern developments in economy and culture, synthesizing popular culture in the new form of art. Pop-Art was characterized by ‘externalization’ of art, as the objects of ordinary life and advertisement were widely utilized. The later was particularly evident in the works of Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and James Rosenquist. The similar response to changing conditions in society was made by photorealism, which exemplifies the assault of hyperrealism as the new form of cultural affirmation. Such elements of modern society as standardization, de-subjectivization was immediately seen in Pop-Art , which appeared as the resistance to self-revelation, artistic creativity and originality and focuses on the widely acknowledge cultural codes and images (Harrison 2001) . Robert Rauschenberg’s and Hans Hoffmann’s artistic trajectories were significantly influenced by the discussed developments in politics and ideology. Rauschenberg was, for instance, one of the forerunners of pop-art movement, as he was among the first to use hand-made or found objects in his artworks, combining the elements of high and low culture, using mass-media sources etc (Livingstone, 1990). Such experiments were influenced by Rauschenberg’s strong belief that the genuine artwork should exist between art and life. The technique of ‘combines’ used by Rauschenberg may be described as immediate precursor to postmodernist collage, used in installation art. Rauschenberg’s mindset position deeply opposed Abstract Expressionism’s argument that the self may be expressed through art. Instead, Rauschenberg focused on representation of reality in its absence of structure, sense and single interpretation. Abstract-Expressionism, which was influenced by Hans Hoffman, in contrast focused on gesture paintings and color field painting techniques. Abstract Expressionism should be understood as a historical consequence of the conflation between European and American artists due to World War 2, which forced may French, German and other artists to immigrate in the United States. Hans Hoffmann belongs to this group of artists and his destiny significantly influenced his style and ideological orientations (Herskovic, 2003). Hoffman’s style was influenced by cubist tension between depth and surface, expressionistic flamboyance of color and surrealist technique of automatism, which is based on following subconscious drivers of creativity and libidinal forces. The latter influences were synthesized by Hoffmann in his ‘push-pull’ method, which included the use of expressive colors and paint slashes in the view of creating contradiction between cool and warm colors. Comparative analysis of Hoffmann’s and Rauschenberg’s artworks Both artworks are obviously affected by different artistic movements and styles. Hoffmann’s composition may be posited within abstract expressionism tradition, while Rauschenberg’s painting belongs to Pop-Art movement. On the surface level the similarities between these artistic may be traced in the color usage – in each painting we see the utilization of yellow, green, black, white, red, white and blue colors. Moreover, the presence of grid-like rectangular layout is evident. Apart from this, both paintings are characterized by the sense of distortion. The distortion in Hoffmann’s artwork Boston Twilight is due to the use of abstract expressionist style, which distorts the contours of objective reality, so that we can not find correspondence between the image and reality (Boston Twilight) that it signifies. However, in Rauschenberg’s composition the distortion is reflected in the plurality of meaning and signification. The interpretation is difficult to realize due to the combination of images inserted in the painting: J. F. Kennedy at the center, pointing with his finger, cosmonaut with parachute, the duplication of Kennedy’s hand in the right corner and evidently abstract images in other parts. There is no denying the importance of the fact, that such a ‘combine’ creates difficulties for interpretation and distorts it. Furthermore, it should be pointed to the fact that both artworks have the elements of abstraction, contrasting color tones and are influenced by Cubism in using facets of the color. Both paintings create the feeling of collage and it was noted that Rauschenberg’s ‘combine’ technique is very close to it. Moreover, creating certain color relationships is in important in both images, however, it serves different functions, depending on style and thematic unity. Differences between images are evident in many respects. First of all, art schools are opposite with pop-art, focusing on unification of art and reality, and abstract expressionism, focusing on expressing contradictory being of individual self. Hoffman’s painting is abstract in essence, while Rauschenberg’s refers to widely known political and social images of American President, cosmonaut, which immediately signify objective reality. The social and political thematic of Rauschenberg’s image immediately points to his belonging to Pop-Art tradition. As far as formal and color structure of the analyzed paintings are concerned blue is dominant in Rauschenberg’s image, while green is dominant in Hoffman’s paintings; the first artist uses vertical stress, while Hoffmann is evidently using horizontal stress. Due to stylistic differences between artworjs, colors mix into one another in Hoffmann’s painting and are separated in Rauschenberg’s one. Rauschenberg utilizes much more contrast, than Hoffmann, however the image of the latter is much more organic in contrast to geometric structure of Rauschenberg’s composition. Conclusion To sum it up, present analysis proved the initial thesis that both artworks were significantly influenced by historical, social and cultural developments in Western societies in the middle of 20-th century. These developments provoked different responses on the part of art movements, resulting in creation of different styles and techniques. The latter are reflected in Hoffmann’s and Rauschenberg’s compositions, which are different in many important stylistic respects, however, have much in common due to the same artistic influences. My interest to the discussed paintings is explained by the fact that they are picturesque representations of Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art. Main features, peculiar to each of these styles, may be found in these paintings both in complex and in separate elements. The techniques used by both artists help us better understand other artworks created in these traditions and inform our own artistic endeavors. Hoffman’s image advantage is in its direct appeal to aesthetic taste and sensibility, while Rauschenberg artwork represents a challenge for viewers in terms of interpreting its political and social content. Works Cited Herskovic, Marika. American Abstract Expressionism of the 1950s An Illustrated Survey, New York School Press, 2003. Harrison, Sylvia. Pop Art and the Origins of Post-Modernism. Cambridge University Press, 2001. Jameson, Fredric. ‘Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism’. New Left Review, 146, (53-92), 1991. Livingstone, M. Pop Art: A Continuing History, New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. , 1990

Monday, September 16, 2019

Historical documen Essay

Do you believe every historical document or book was true? Before, we consider if the historical documents or books are true; first, we have to look at the historical event with a different point of view because it is easy to get biased information; if we only focus on one side of the event. In the book After The Fact â€Å"The View from the Bottom Rail† by James West Davidson and Mark Hamilton Lytle, the authors demonstrate that discovering the historical story of the freed people is difficult because histories deal with â€Å"top rail† rather than the â€Å"bottom rail† of the lower social classes. Therefore, the freed people’s history has become flawed. Writing about a historical event is exceedingly difficult, because we have to consider different points of view. Thus, if a historian focused on only one side of the story, the historical event will remain biased. For example, the history of slavery was biased and was not accurate. According to the authors, the black slaves could not read or write during that time; even if someone could read, they had to hide this skill from their masters. Then, almost of the written books or documents about slavery were written by the white masters. Therefore, the information was not only accurate but also biased because the information came from white masters rather than slaves who actually know the truth. Moreover, although the interviews came from slaves, almost every interviewee experienced slavery by his or her childhood; therefore, the interviews were also biased because they focused on those who survived slavery. As the author explains, â€Å"the average life expectancy of a slave in 1850 was less than fifty years†(Davison and Lytle 180). Thus, when they were interviewed by someone, they were old. Two-thirds of them were over 80 years old; that could lead us to assume that they were treated less harsh than other people who died early because of harsher treatment in earlier years. Moreover, as interviewees get older, their memories could fade, and they could not certainly remember the details. This is common sense that if the event occurred a long time ago, the person could not remember every detail. In addition, the interviewees couldn’t answer honestly because they were scared. One interviewee says,† I’ve told you too much. How come they want all this stuff from the colored people anyway? Do you take any stories from the white people?† (Davison and Lytle 183). Like the interviewee, other interviewees were also scared to speak out about what they really experienced because they thought speaking out frankly would put them in a trouble. Therefore, they could not answer honestly. In retrospect, the slave interviews become flawed, and it was biased, because the interviews were not considering different points of view. Additionally, there was no voice recorder, which could provide us with what the interviewees truly said to the interviewer. Therefore, when we look at historical events, we have to consider different points of view; thus, we do not accept everything we just find out or read. As the authors state, we cannot believe everything at â€Å"face value† before we carefully discover.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Advantage of science Essay

Science gives us safe food, free from harmful bacteria, in clean containers or hygienic tins. It also teaches us to eat properly, indicating a diet balanced in protein and carbohydrate and containing vitamins. The results is freedom from disease and prolonged life. In pre-scientific days, food was monotonous and sometimes dangerous; today it is safe and varied. It is varied because through improved sea, land and air transport food can now be freely imported and exported. Science has also improved clothing and made it more appropriate for climatic and working conditions. Man-made fibers and versatile spinning machines, today enable us to dress in clothes both comfortable and smart without being expensive. Home, school and office all bear witness to the progress and application of science. Nowadays, most homes possess electric lighting and cooking, but many also have washing machines, vacuum cleaners and kitchen appliances, all designed to increase comfort and cleanliness and reduce dr udgery. Science produces the fan which cools the air, the machinery which makes the furniture and fabrics, and hundred and one other features for good living. The books and papers are at school, and again everything from the piece of chalk to the closed-circuit television of instruction are the direct or indirect results of scientific progress. Learning is therefore easier. And clerical work is made far more speedy and efficient by the office typewriter, quite apart from the hundreds of different machines which relieve the manual worker of so much slow and monotonous toil in the factories. The first and the major advantage is that medical science is very progressive and vastly available. Without the needed technology a lot of people would struggle with their health. More complicated treatments are being carried out successfully, by means of science and technology. These include surgeries, heart and kidney transplant, artificial inseminations and many others. These treatments are saving many innocent lives. The point is to spread it, and reach with medicine help to the poor nations of the Third World. Again, advanced technology improves industry by making it more effective and, what is vital today, safer for environment. Modern technology has introduced various sophisticated machines into our industries which is increasing productivity at a very fast rate. Work that required technological advancements have made the world a smaller place to live in Dissemination : whether spreading  information, broadcasting news, or sharing knowledge, technology has made it faster, easier, and smarter. Education Disadvantage  with the new science and technology developments most people underestimate the damage it gives us. First of all, I would like to say, that with these new science and technical appliances people became to be lazy. They rarely go out to work on foot or by a bicycle. Now there are a lot of modern cars in the cities, which are said to be emitting less gas. But still their emitted gasses damage the environment, so to my mind, that is why pollution of our environment is increasing. Secondly, it seems to me, that technologies are throwing away our free time. For example, these new laptop computer or those touch-screen devices are full of entertaining programs, which are attracting people effectively. Then people forget how to communicate with others in real life, not through international communication systems like â€Å"Skype† or â€Å"Facebook†.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Mundell-Fleming Model and RMB

Generally, Mundell-Fleming model states the impossibility an economy to sustain a fixed exchange rate system, liberalized trade and self-sufficient monetary regime altogether (cited in Cardona, unknown).   Also known as impossible trinity, this implication of the model assumes that domestic and international interest rates are equal.   Aside from the model, it should be noted that there are political and economic influences such as maintaining a strong currency ideology that motivates an economy to adapt a certain exchange rate system. Bolivia is a small and open economy that is recovering from a debt crisis in 1980s (cited in Cardona, unknown).   Under the crawling peg exchange rate system that the country adopts at that time, the model explains the inability of money supply to be moved because it has to follow dollars.   The role of Central Bank is limited to auctioning of dollars in a daily basis to devaluate the boliviano.   To prevent unemployment and slowdown in economic growth, the boliviano must follow the semi-fixed exchange rate system. On the revise side, Mexico experienced crisis under fixed exchange rate system (cited in Cardona, unknown).   The model predicts the inability of the currency to survive in the long-run under such system.   The Mexican currency aimed at appreciation but ended in overvaluation.   In this reason, Mexico should adopt flexible exchange rate system as increase in money supply (e.g. the cause of revaluation) can lead to lower domestic interest rate than global interest rate.   As a result, devaluation and normalization of the currency can happen. The implication of the model which is the impossible trinity of fixed exchange rate system, liberalized trade and self-sufficient monetary is relevant between US and China currencies (Stockman, 2000).   Both economies are large which enables them to capture the characteristics of IS-LM model (e.g. autarky) and Mundell-Fleming model (e.g. small open economy).   This makes them independent and very flexible on what exchange rate system would be employed.   For example, with pressures of revaluation of RMB from US authorities, the Chinese Government refused to do so in the grounds that it can cause lack of confidence and impression of conceding to the US from Chinese citizens. The RMB, especially in the pre-floating system, has captured a fixed rate system, exponential global trade intervention and autocratic monetary authorities at the same time.   This shows how the impossibility of trinity is relevant to the discussion of RMB especially when China assumes a conservative position regarding external trade to its economy.   On the other hand, the US Dollars would not dare to assume a fixed rate stance simply because virtually all currencies are pegged to it. Government ideology can serve as ultimate answer of Chinese authorities in their action to introduce fixed exchange rate system from 1995-2005 (Stockman, 2000). However, economic ends also motivated Chinese authorities to use fixed system.   It is meant to allow increasing trade (e.g. export and import) that the country houses from 1998-2003 and the aim to stabilize the current account balance throughout those years.   China is aware that beyond 1995 expels promising economic improvements particularly in trade liberalization efforts. In a study about the period1995-2005, it is proved that the fixed exchange rate system aided in the increase of Chinese income and price export elasticity (Garcia-Herrero & Koivu, 2007).   This means that any change in income of Chinese workers as well as prices of export commodities can lead to substitution effect from importing countries. The significance of these findings is that through the fixed exchange rate system Chinese economy resisted the influx of foreign direct investments that are made to modify the country’s balance of payments in risky terms.   To avoid dissolution of Chinese power in the minds of the population, the Government opt to fixed its exchange rate to prevent bowing to other currencies in the event of excessive trade and volatile net economic results. U.S. Mortgage Crisis Virtually all economic actors in the US mortgage industry contributed to its collapse in 2006 (Dupuis, 2007).   The increasing value of homes lured non-owners to borrow excessively beyond their capabilities while existing owners borrowed by using their properties as collaterals.   On the other end, lenders saw this scenario as opportunity to profit making them insensitive to creditworthiness of debtors.   Wall Street is also blamed for its contribution in carrying trade with outsiders (e.g. Japan) through ripping-off loans in foreign markets to finance the needs of mortgage companies, banks and lender. Lastly, and obviously the obvious conduit of mortgage crisis, is the lack of government intervention in housing sector.   As a result of these actions, sub-prime mortgage financial crisis inflamed that led to home foreclosures as interest rate rise and impacting reduction of supposedly rising house values.   The buyers of home did not have sufficient liquidity to solve their credit to lenders.   In effect, the lenders run to investment funds which in turn run to foreign markets and back to the US financial sector to address the credit problem. There are ways to mitigate the crisis.   First, the Central Bank can conduct open market operations to increase the chance of banks to access liquidity particularly short-term borrowing.   Second, homeowners and lenders can settle win-win terms in which the original contract can be modified based on the preference of one another.   Third, as prevention scheme, credit rating agencies can aid in creating an environment of transparency in the mortgage industry to prevent the same crisis in the future.   Lastly, authorities can contribute favorable legislations in lending methods, bankruptcy security and tax rate plans. The White House can intervene by improving the legal environment of which the mortgage industry can reduce substantial risk.   It can legitimize and support the media role in making the industry reports and practices more transparent.   This will not only create a less risky mortgage environment but also make it more competitive in the global business. The argument of President Bush is somewhat disciplinary as the profit-orientation of lenders is a clear manifestation of lack of public responsibility.   In effect, the Government may have the option to disregard the plea of the lenders as they are faced with bankruptcy and non-performing loans.   However, such argument does not mean to disregard the role of the Government in the mortgage industry and the White House should do its best to help lenders. The Fed, as mentioned earlier can execute open market operations to increase liquidity in the banking sector which in turn will provide liquidity to lenders to ease the credit difficulty in the mortgage industry (Andrews, 2007).   They can also affect money supply to affect interest rates and redeem the confidence of existing and potential homeowners about their abilities to pay their debts.   However, this should be done gradually in order to make economic entities responsible for the crises remember the tragic cause of their risky actions. The statement of the Fed Chairman is also coinciding with that of President Bush.   He too is a disciplinary authority that lenders and investors in the mortgage industry may not appreciate in these difficult times.   However, the penetrating open market operations may not seem a direct intervention to ease the needs but the effects will trickle down to small entities in the long-run. The mortgage crisis must be applied with active policy in the short-run particularly in addressing the liquidity needs of bigger banks that ensures the solvency of smaller banks that serve as lenders to homeowners.   The crisis is made by lack of experience of the sector in doing excessive speculation and craves for high priced assets. This excuse should be considered by authorities if it wish to minimize economic problems that the mortgage sector can further apply.   This act should be conducted through discretion and not by rule because the rule sometimes misinterprets the real world.   Discretion from monetary authorities (e.g. by involving in open market operations) and fiscal authorities (e.g. by legislating pro-crisis preventive laws) should be initiate to save not only the sector but the whole economy as well. References Andrews, E. (2007). US Congress split on solution to sub-prime crisis. New York Times. Cited in Cardona, R. (unknown). Aggregate demand in the short-run: The Mundell-Fleming Model. Dupuis, F. (2007). Impacts of the US Mortgage Crisis. Available in www.desjardins.com/economics Garcia-Herrero, Alicia and Tuuli Koivu, 2007, â€Å"Can the Chinese Trade Surplus Be Reduced through Exchange Rate Policy?† BOFIT Discussion Papers No. 2007-6 (Helsinki: Bank of Finland, March). Stockman, A. (2000). Exchange rate systems in perspective. Cato Journal, vol. 20, no. 1.            

Friday, September 13, 2019

Chinese family businesses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chinese family businesses - Essay Example As a direct consequence of Confucianism, Chinese culture therefore places collective interests over individual interests. Their "socialistic philosophy teaches that the good of all is everyone's concern" (Ralston, Holt, and Terpstra, 1997, p.7). This is in contrast with the Western concept of individual achievement and self-worth. This collective orientation is also evident in the manner that Confucian ideals place emphasis on the importance of family, such that most Chinese businesses are also family businesses. This collective orientation, however, is rooted not on the basis of emotional attachment to a group, but rather on "the web of reciprocal or moral relations in which one finds oneself, [and] defines oneself", apart from which "one can have no real identity" (De Bary, 1991, p.3). Thus, for the Chinese, "the virtue of humanity is meaningless unless it is involved in actual human relationships" (Chan, 1963, p.104). This focus on collective interests, bound by interpersonal relationships, is a crucial focal point businessmen must take into consideration for a successful business relationship with the Chinese. It implies that the collective group given emphasis is not exclusive, such that non-Chinese can penetrate it, provided that they build good interpersonal relationships, or 'guanxi'.

Thursday, September 12, 2019

American Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

American Government - Essay Example This is because the minority party can have powers to control the interests of the majority party in doing as they wish and desire. In addition, another reason for filibuster in the senate is to keep the senate from becoming a House, which may be succumbed to the passions of the day. In my view, I think filibuster should not be eliminated since it is a remarkably crucial and unique issue in the U.S. government. The filibuster should not be eliminated since it is a strong tool to the minority party. The minority can use the filibuster in making a point or trying to get their way. In the senate, a senator or his minority party can block a full nomination or senate consideration of a certain bill through unlimited debate of a proposal. The use of the filibuster by the minority ensures representation of the minority party in the senate, which creates a balance in the senate. Hence, the filibuster in the senate should not be eliminated since its withdrawal in the senate would threaten fre e speech and debate in the senate. List and explain some of the various roles (constitutional and extraconstitutional) that a president must play. Of these roles, which role do you believe is most important for a president, and why? The American president has both constitutional and extra constitutional roles with which he is associated. One of the constitutional roles of the American president is assuming the role of chief of state. Through this role, the president acts as a symbolic leader of America and abroad. When assuming this role, the president should be above politics. Another constitutional role assumed by the president is that of the chief administrator. In playing this role, the president is responsible for executing all rules and overseeing the bureaucracy. Another constitutional role is being the chief commander. In assuming this role, the president does not play a symbolic role; he decides what to do in times of conflict. The president is given a superior ability in a ssessing and reacting to situations. In addition, the president plays a constitutional role in assuming the role of a chief diplomat. In this role, the president determines countries to negotiate foreign policies and the ones to recognize officially. On the other hand, the president plays the role of a party leader as one of the extra constitutional roles. Another extra constitutional role played by the president is that of an economy manager. In taking this responsibility, the president directs the economy. In addition, another extra constitutional role of the president is being the voice of the people. The president represents all the people for the entire nation since it is the only position, which the whole nation has to decide who will be the leader. Of these roles, I think being the chief commander is the most vital role. This stems from the fact that the president is capable of analyzing situations and coming up with strategies to protect the nation. Describe the process wher eby the Supreme Court sets its agenda, makes its decisions, and delivers them to the public. The process of Supreme Court’s agenda-setting commences when a party loses a case in a lower court, desires the Supreme Court to evaluate the verdict of the lower court, and files a petition for an appeal with the court or a writ of certiorari. After the petition for certiorari and entire accompanying briefs are recorded, the office of the Supreme

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Killing vs. Letting Die Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Killing vs. Letting Die - Essay Example Death is inevitable and every man is mortal. However, killing a man at a point shows crudity and shall not be supported at length because there are many reasons for which people die. The reason of death can vary from natural disaster to epidemics. Nonetheless, killing someone might evoke a sense of guilt or a feeling of being a murderer which is more crucial at times. Letting someone die is more inherent and complying with the law of natural order than forcibly taking away someone’s life. It might happen as well in cases of certain patients that they suddenly start reacting positively to a medical treatment or a medicine which requires a certain time span. In fact, there are even cases recorded in medical science where patients have revived from comma after many years. Lastly and most importantly, the duty of a doctor or a nurse or anyone associated with the medical profession is to save the life of a dying. Therefore, under such circumstances, if a person practicing medicine takes away the life of a dying patient, it somewhere indicates the defeat of medical science and methodologies (Rachels,

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

MANAGEMENT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

MANAGEMENT - Assignment Example Their human resources make them the best company by making sure they deliver the results as anticipated and with the best motivation to meet their required targets (Leavitt, 280). On their product development, they pay much attention to their shapes to attract more customers, the company is concerned with customer satisfaction as their driving factor in order to thrive in their business. These current assets are fast moving, and they avoid holding of stock to deter their development. In this case, their products are manufactured at a cost effective strategy and in return are sold at reasonable prices hence their success. The company has a very stable and straightforward thinking management which makes their plans and aims at achieving these strategic plans. Their management is set in a manner that they can coordinate their function globally hence making them meet the desired company outcome in the market. Their services are well planned, and it helps them to enjoy the competitive advantage in their operations. Lastly, the company has strategic plans which coordinate their functions. These plans are very vital in managing their progress (Leavitt, 280). They consistently use their swot analysis to meet their marketing needs according to the data obtained. This boosts their performance hence enjoying their competitive

Monday, September 9, 2019

Changes in attitudes towards sex Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Changes in attitudes towards sex - Assignment Example As a result of the growing influence of media on the society, American family system has been affected in a variety of negative ways. The collective effect of changing attitudes toward sex has been of weakening the family as the building block of the society. American society is becoming increasingly approving of the gay rights. For every man who gets married to a man, at least two otherwise heterosexual couples, and the whole families associated with them are destroyed. A positive effect of these changing attitudes toward sex is that sex education today has become more of a need than a choice. More people can be educated on the risks of unhealthy sexual behaviors. A negative effect, however, is that more educated people advocate in favor of abortion associating it with women’s liberty and freedom, thus increasing the rate of abortions in the country (Aulette, 2010, p. 215). Overall, circumstances have become conducive for increase in the premarital sex amongst

Marketing of Dairy Products Made Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Marketing of Dairy Products Made - Essay Example Further, yak milk has a distinct flavor and caters only to a niche market, therefore; marketing, the category of yak milk will be more important than marketing this particular brand. Any marketing campaign will need to set the groundwork for yak milk benefits rather than Land ‘o Lake branded yak milk features. i. The team of professionals working on the project is experienced and has the expertise required. Simultaneously, the local Chinese team of Dr. Wu and Mr. Dongzhou is a very suitable partner, as they have the government contracts; the local perspective and the experience of working in the country that the team can count on to formulate a successful and far-reaching campaign. Further to the fact that Dr. Wu and Mr. Dongzhou have good government contracts, the political structure of the country is such that if the right officials are on board and are agreeable to the project, the campaign has better chances of success. ii. The government is interested in developing the Tibetan region and has been working on developing the infrastructure to empower the impoverished herdsmen. Thus the team will have the government’s support on its side if the team and the local partners lobby it with the officials as being a tool to improve the lives of the poor in that region. The team can promote the idea to the government that by selling their cattle’s milk, the herdsmen will be provided a viable opportunity for conducting business and raising the standard of living in the region. i. Even though the team from Land ‘ o Lakes has local partners, the team itself has relatively little experience of working in developing countries and therefore it will be difficult for them to truly grasp the nuances of local culture. ii. The advertising campaigns currently being undertaken are well developed and sophisticated, given this context, the yak milk project will have a very slight to nil margin of error in depicting local tastes.

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Television Plug-In Drug Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Television Plug-In Drug - Essay Example It is the opposite of how the author thinks that people should be, and she blames television directly. Winn also accuses television of damaging family relationships. Before television, families would gather around the dinner table and talk about their day. Now, they take their meals in front of the TV, and don’t talk to each other at all. Winn claims that viewing television acts like a narcotic that numbs us to life, which is going on around us. We lose touch with first hand experience, and do not bond with real human beings. Marie Winn, wrote article â€Å"Television: The Plug-In Drug,† and as mentioned above, she tells about a negative perception of television on families. She sees families as failing to communicate and interact in an authentic way, because of television. Winn’s thesis is that television is an addictive drug, like a narcotic, that keeps people passive. In this article author applies the â€Å"Pathos† style of writing, introduces themes that are detailed and definite, and also presents a lot of examples. To me, it was a very convincing argument overall. I also watch television a lot, and I realize that it is a total distraction from life. Marie Winn writes for the outer world, trying to affect people through the use of emotions and playing on people’s emotions. Questions as well as proximate answers, which were found in the text, encourage the reader to think not wisely using reason, but on the spot, using emotions. Wordplay likewise helps the author convince people about her way of thinking. The author gives the example where parents accept a television-dominated family life so completely that they don’t give enough attention to their children. Or for example: â€Å"Mealtime rituals, going-to-bed rituals, illness rituals, holiday rituals and holiday rituals – how many of these survived the inroads of the television set?† (Winn, 2002). It is a