Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Discussion Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Discussion - Dissertation Example More or less, the same preference patterns are noted among G8 students from both genders. In addition, the same pattern of preferences has been found for the overall sample. Academic achievement also comes into play, and has been emphasized by Nolting (2002) who said that it goes up when students are actually aware of what learning style suits them best, as well as by Bahar (2009) who further noted that achievers displayed the key traits of independence, competitiveness, competence and participation. Wallace, meanwhile, found that students benefited a lot more when they worked alone as compared to when they worked within a group – provided, of course, that these students actually knew how to work effectively on their own. Still another study by Yazicilar et al (2009) focused on 5th grade students in order to correlate academic achievement and retention based on whether or not they received varied educational intervention depending on their learning style preference. This study , in turn, found that said treatment would have a marked impact on academic achievement among students. ... tyle as part of cognitive style and stated that â€Å"learning style, as one aspect of cognitive style, refers to a person’s characteristic style of acquiring and using information in learning and /or solving problems† (p.145). The outcomes above suggest that the quad learning style is preferred by high achievers, whereas low achieving students are more inclined to use multi-learning styles. Research Question 2 Are their differences in reading achievement of students due to their learning style preference? To answer this question, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) analyses were carried out. This is to ascertain the influence of gender and each of the learning style types (VARK7G and multi-single) on the two dependent variables, RAAF and FT scores. The same procedure has also been carried out to determine the effect of grade level and learning styles category on reading achievement between males and females. Analyses of variance were carried out as a post hoc te st to MANOVA. To control for Type 1 error, the Least Significant Differences procedure was carried out. One finding from these is that there were significant differences for both gender and grade level on RAAF. No such differences were observed on VARK7G learning style categories in relation to the RAAF scores and FT scores. Moreover, there was a significant interaction between grade and gender on the reading achievement variables. A significant interaction between gender and learning styles VARK7G on the dependent variables. Moreover, the ANOVA outcomes indicate that there were significant gender differences on RAAF and FT scores. Moreover, there was a significant interaction effect between grade and gender on RAAF. Gender and learning style (VARK7G) likewise exerted a significant effect on RAAF. The

Monday, October 28, 2019

Watson and the Shark Painting Analysis

Watson and the Shark Painting Analysis John Singleton Copley (1738 1815), was an American painter born in Boston, Massachusetts. From the time Copley began to paint at the age of fifteen, many people throughout Massachusetts admired his paintings; also, people from other colonial cities recognized his portrait paintings. A big inspiration and benefit to him was his stepfather, Peter Pelham, a successful English engraver, painter, and teacher[1]. At the age of twenty-one Copley left Boston to travel around Europe to learn more about the art of painting. First, he went to London where he met Benjamin West, a respected painter around Europe and an established painter in the Royal Academy. While in London, he learned different techniques from West. These techniques seemed common in London, but were unknown in America. Copley wrote in a letter back home to his stepfather telling him about a simple technique he had learned â€Å"†¦Before painting, make drawings.†[2] From there Copley moved on to Paris where his confidence grew even more as he saw firsthand paintings from the best known painters in Europe at the time. As he got the chance to see works from his two favorite artists, Poussin and Rubens, Copley started sketching every time he saw something he thought was a beautiful form.3] When he arrived in Rome, Copley would rise early in the morning and sketch reliefs and antique statues at the French Academy. Although confident about his abilities to sketch and paint, he worked humbly on all the details of his painting projects. At the end of his stay in Rome, Copley faced a hard decision; return to America, the country he was born in and loved, or move to London where his art career would flourish. At this time, the American Revolution had started and he feared for the wellbeing of his family back in Boston. Although the fear for his family was strong, Copley decided that moving to London would be the only place where he could sell his historical paintings, for which he had been working on tirelessly around Europe. While he was trying to make this hard decision, his family was already on a ship to London unbeknownst to him.[4] This painting is the story of Brook Watson, which took place in Havana harbor, Cuba around 1749 when he was only fourteen years old. Watson, an orphan was working as a crewmember on a trading ship. While he was swimming alone out in the harbor early in the morning, a shark attacked him. His shipmates ran to his rescue, but not before the shark attacked him at least two times. According to tales, Watson and Copley met while they were traveling from Boston to England in 1774. However, history says that Watson never traveled that year. Copley must have heard the story and its details from Londoners who might have been Watsons political followers.[5] Watson and the Shark is a large oil painting on canvas measuring 183.51 x 229.55 cm (fig. 1). Copley decided to depict the dramatic scene where Watson was about to be attacked for the third time by a shark. This painting is a work during Copleys English period; it was such a great success from the beginning that it was put on display at the Royal Academy in 1778. Watson, who is naked in this painting and the shark attacking him are in the foreground (fig. 1). The shark has already devoured Watsons right leg, as we can see from figure 1 Watsons right leg is missing from the knee down. The shark is turning toward Watson, with its mouth wide-open and sharp teeth suggests that he is not satisfied, and is returning to finish what he has started.[6] Besides Watson, in a small boat, two of his shipmates are reaching to grab him and pull him on the boat. One of them is trying to fight off the shark by plunging a harpoon at the monster from the bow of the boat. A rope thrown at him is dangling useless in the water. This painting has captured a moment of fear and sadness in the faces and eyes of every man on that boat. The quiet waters of the harbor serve Copley in the composition of the painting to bring the viewers attention to the action. Copleys placements of elements in the painting allow the viewer to trace the action. The boat is coming from the harbor toward the shark. The movement of the shark that is taking a turn and a part of his body is outside the painting. We can clearly follow the movement of the harpoon that the sailor is plunging toward the shark. In addition, the movement of the men toward the boy makes the scene even more tragic. (Fig. 1). Watson and the Shark, even though off center, are the focal points in this painting. The artist has successfully made this a tragic scene, by making Watson appear as he is frozen in the moment, portraying him exactly the way he was in those moments struggling for his life. The shark with his mouth wide open and his sharp teeth painted in detail make the scene even more dramatic to the viewer. The artist has portrayed Watson naked in the water helpless on his back, which shows him as very vulnerable. His has a freighted look in his face, with his mouth and eyes wide open looking directly at the shark, which seems to represent the evil predator, and one hand up as if he is reaching for help from the heavens. The artist has painted the sun rising in contrast with the situation, but has also put the light on Watson the shark and the crewmembers trying to get him out of there. The predominant color is sea green with some brighter colors in the background. These somber colors contribute in depicting these tragic moments in this scene. Sadness is all over the faces of men in the boat. The composition is centered at the man in the middle of the boat. All around him there is action. Lines seem to be less important than shapes for the artist in this painting. The artist has been very careful in painting the men on the boat and depicting their actions, so that the story and individual actions of each man in this scene would be very clear to understand to the viewer. However, the most details have gone to portray the situation in which Watson is in, and to show his vulnerability. While most reviews around this painting describe it as a painting that is describing a historical event, Irma Jaffe mentions in her journal, John Singleton Copleys ‘Watson and the Shark,† that people have missed one very important aspect of Copleys life; his religious life. As Jaffe points out, Copley was a very religious man, he went to church every Sunday and religion had played an important role in Copleys view of himself as well as an artist. She says that this painting is about â€Å"resurrection and salvation†[7] In her journal, she takes on the symbolism of the shark as a monster as described in the Bible and the symbolism of water as a life-giver and a trial in the Bible. Jaffe then analyzes all the other elements. It is noticeable that Copley has taken poses from earlier sculptures and put them in his painting. He has taken them and put them in different positions to accomplish his final painting. Copley made the effort to paint every detail. The shark has very detailed features; his teeth and eyes were painted in detail to show the true nature of this evil creature. Watsons hair, his eyes, and his facial expression were painted in detail. Copley really wanted the viewer to get involved in the tragic story that had happened to his patron, Brook Watson. [1] Rebora, Carrie.John Singleton Copley in America. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1995. p. 79. [2] Plate, Robert.John Singleton Copley Americas First Great Artist. United States of America: David McKay Company, Inc., 1969. p. 100. [3] Plate, Robert.John Singleton Copley Americas First Great Artist. United State of America: David McKay Company, Inc., 1969. p. 101. [4] Plate, p. 105-109 [5] Jeffery, Margaret. A Painting of Copleys English Period.Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, New Series1.4 (1942): 148. Web. 03 Mar 2010. [6] Jeffery, p. 148 [7] Jaffe, Irma B. John Singleton Copleys Watson and the Shark.American Art Journal9.1 (1977): 15-25. Web. 03 Mar 2010.

Friday, October 25, 2019

The role of knowledge management in innovation Essay -- Analysis, Mari

This article has been written by Marina du Plessis in 2007. The author intends to make clear the role of knowledge management in innovation as an assist to addressing this complexity and clarify the role of knowledge management in innovation as an aid to addressing this complexity. This is a viewpoint paper which is based on literature research and personal experiences and interpretation from the author. She uses the simple sentences and easy to be understood even for the first timer reader. Furthermore, the arrangement of the content is such an empirical paper that may attract readers to read the article. As the other empirical paper, this study also provides abstract that summarises the whole content of this research paper. According to the author, Plessis (2007), the complexity of innovation has increased by growth in the amount of knowledge available to organizations as basis for innovation. This statement is agreed by other researchers, Adams and Lamont (2003); Cardinal et al., (2001); Darroch and McNaughton (2002); Pyka (2002) and Shani et al., (2003) who state that innovation is really dependent on the availability of knowledge and therefore the complexity created by the blast of richness and reach of knowledge has to be identified and managed to ensure successful innovation. Besides that, in a previous study that has been conducted by Ruggles, R. & Little R. (1997), they also have the positive opinion about knowledge management and innovation when they assert that innovation as one end to which knowledge management can be applied. Additionally, innovation has been demonstrated to be a key value creator for organizations, in both times of cost cutting and in times of growth. As such, it stands out as one excellent objectiv... ... teams or learning-by-doing capabilities, which leads to new product and process innovations. Besides that, explicit knowledge is also an important component of innovation. Rodan (2002) in his case study asserts that if one views the conï ¬â€šuence of tacit and explicit knowledge elements that create a new idea as probabilistic, increasing the opportunities for the said conï ¬â€šuence of knowledge elements should raise the frequency of new combinations occurring, thus positively impacting innovation. As a conclusion, it is clear that knowledge management plays a vital essential role in innovation. Therefore, it is very crucial for both knowledge management professional and innovation to understand the systematic relationship between these concepts and the value that it can generate in respect of creating and maintaining sustainable competitive advantage for organisation.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

History of Ergonomics Essay

Ergonomics refers to the study of the interaction between humans and the environment. This study is aimed at understanding mechanisms that are necessary in order to improve the working conditions of humans. Such working conditions include health, performance and comfort. The study is intended at enhancing strategies that optimize the performance of humans at work. This implies that it focuses on techniques that are required to restructure office etiquette and procedures in order to improve the overall productivity. However, ergonomics is not necessarily limited to office environment as it also encompasses other fields of human life. In a practical perspective, ergonomics is a science concerned with the design of office equipments and artifacts in order to improve the comfort of workers and improve the overall productivity and effectiveness (Gilmore et al. , 1998). An ergonomicist is interested in the study of the interaction between humans and the tools they use in their working environments. The study of ergonomic includes the design of office equipments and space, and the positioning of switches in control rooms. It additionally includes the study of the interaction of the human behavior and their surrounding. This study originated form Greece where the term ergonomics was derived from ergon meaning work and nomos meaning natural law in Greek. Later on a 19th century sociologist Fredrik Taylor invented the term ‘Scientific management’ to gain maximum results in the factory work. Since then, the practice of ergonomics has tremendously developed over time. As the age of space approaches, new factors continue to emerge such as weightlessness and gravitational force. As the modern world progresses into the future, the field of ergonomics continues to become more sophisticated. In the United States, an army personnel known as Alphonse Chapanis in 1943 explained that plane accidents caused by pilot errors could be significantly be reduced by using a more simple and rational cockpit instead of the common control layout (Jubel, 2007). Institutional ergonomics is concerned with the socio-technical aspects of the work environment which refers to the amalgamation of structure, process and organizational strategies. Cognitive ergonomics deals with the psychological perspectives of the workplace which involves the study of ideas, opinion and memory. In academic viewpoint, the study of ergonomics would comprise the knowledge of psychology, engineering and health science. It is therefore necessary for an ergonomicist to possess a bachelors or masters degree in these disciplines. The practice of ergonomics can find use in several aspects of human life such as workplace, home setting, education and sports. The practical study of ergonomics involves the design of working equipments such as computer chairs or keyboards. Other ergonomic discipline involves the study of the environment of the world as is referred to as quantum ergonomics (Gilmore et al. 1998). History of ergonomics In the United States, the field of ergonomic is believed to have originated during the period of the Second World War (Wickens & Hollands, 2000), even though developments that led to its inception can be traced back to the 20th century. Before the Second World War, the main focus of the work place was designing humans to adapt to the machines used at work basically referred to trial and error method as opposed to designing the machines used at work to match the requirements of humans. This can be observed form the study conducted by Taylor in which the selection criteria, time and motion studies, training and work rest programs were examined (Taylor, 1911). This study of time and motions was expounded by Frank and Lillian Gilbreth (Gilbreth & Gilbreth, 1917). Majority of the ergonomic developments were necessitated by military requirements. With the commencement of the First World War, which was the first conflict where airplane was used in combat, there emerged the need to adequately train pilots new mechanisms of war. This necessitated the development of new aviation technologies based on psychology. In addition these trends prompted the emergence of aeromedical research studies. Even though progress was made during this period, the momentum for developing and exploring the discipline further was no achieved since there was lack of vital technological advancements and personnel due to the ongoing Second World War (Meister, 1999). The period between the First World War and the Second World War recorded a significant decline in research, however, some success were realized during this period. Aeromedical research work did not stop during this time which realized advances in several laboratories built across the United States such as the Brooks Air Force Base located in the city of Texas and the Wright Field situated in Ohio. These laboratories were significant in the development of ergonomics. Their study was focused on identification of attributes of successful pilots and establishing the impacts of environment stressors on the performance and productivity of flights. Furthermore, the study of anthropometry which is a field concerned with the measurement of the human body was considerably employed in designing airplanes during this period. Other researches were also being done in the private sector such as the automobile behavioral studies (Forbes, 1939). The emergence of the Second World War, and its accompanied needs, formed the driving force behind the development of the field of ergonomics. First, the demand of mobilizing and recruiting substantial numbers of people both men and women made it very difficult for individuals to specialize in a particular job. Therefore, there was a shift in focus where individual’s capability was designed in order to reduce the negative impacts of their shortcomings. Secondly, the period of the Second World War witnessed the turning point in terms of technological advances. The rapid development of technology outpaced the capability of human to adapt and offset poor designs. This was particularly observed in airplane accidents experienced by vastly trained pilots as a result of problems witnessed with the configuration of the control systems and the instrument displays (Fitts & Jones, 1947). In addition, enemy targets were unfortunately missed by machine controlled radars (Wickens & Hollands, 2000). Psychologists were employed to experiment and study these emerging issues by employing laboratory mechanisms in order to solve these problems. As a result, the discipline was ergonomics emerged despite the fact that the people involved in its development failed to realize it during this period (Meister, 1999). The two subsequent decades immediate after the Second World War witnessed a growing military research catalyzed largely by the emergence of the cold war. Military research institutions developed during this war were enlarged and new ones created. The private sectors also continued to develop ergonomic groups mainly in aviation and communication, and digital Industry. The Human Factors Society, a professional body mandated to study ergonomics in the United States was established in 1957 and had an approximate of 90 members then who attended the first inaugural meeting. This name was later abolished in 1992 and replaced with the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. Currently, this society boasts of over 4500 people, majority of who are participants in the technical groups established under this society, student bodies and attend the yearly meetings. Beginning in the 1960s, the field of ergonomics continued to expand especially in the previously identified areas. This development expanded into new fields such as computer architecture and software, nuclear weaponry, internet technology among others. In the recent past, new areas of study have emerged which includes neuroergonomics and nanoergonomics (Jubel, 2007). Conclusion A persistent premise that has been developed over several decades is the ever increasing center of influence that ergonomics has attempted to encompass, as technological advances continue to emerge. What simply began as a mere detachment of experimental psychology focusing on the interaction and relationship of people with machines in the work place has tremendously expanded to cover almost all aspects of interaction of individuals and their environment. Several researchers have hypothesized about the future of human factors and ergonomics. With the speedy technological advances in such areas as biotechnology and nanotechnology, it would be very exciting to speculate the emerging problems that ergonomics would be called upon to solve in the future (Vicente, 2008). In the today’s modern world, as it was the case during its inception, human factors and ergonomics has still remained a multi disciplinary field of study. In the United States for instance, this discipline has expanded from behavioral sciences including empirical psychology, and some engineering fields of study. Among the countries in the European block, the discipline of human factors and ergonomics has found its stronghold in physical science disciplines such as human physiology. Currently, people from diverse educational backgrounds and disciplines varying from physiology, engineering and psychology have focused their exclusive skills and knowledge in the study of the interaction and relationship of people with systems.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Mecca Silk Conditioner a Research Paper

Abstract Generally, the study wanted to make a homemade conditioner from eggyolk, flour, malunggay oil extract, cucumber juice and calamansi juice and Shall be called â€Å" MECCA Silk Conditioner. † Specifically, it tries to find out if oregano leaves eggyolk, flour, malunggay oil extract, cucumber juice and calamansi juice be made into a conditioner. Among the treatments, which one are the best proportion for the homemade conditioner and if there is a difference between the newly produced MECCA Silk Conditioner and the commercial one in terms of smell, appearance and shining effect.The materials were gathered and prepared. Cucumber was peeled, cut and pounded to get its 20 ml. juice. Calamansi fruit was also cut and squeezed to extract the 20 ml. juice. Twenty ml. detergents were measured. Three grams of Malunggay Leaves was boiled in 50 ml. vegetable oil. The beaker was covered and removed only when boiling starts. It was boiled for 3 minutes. It was then cooled for 5 minut es and strained in clean containers. Thirty ml. water was poured in a 100 ml. flour and stirred until well- blended.Two medium-sized egg yolk were beaten until sticky. Measured Malunggay oil, detergents, cucumber and calamansi juice were added little by little and stirred continuously. The mixture was added to the flour and mixed thoroughly until it looks whipped. Poured in a clean container, label its name, use and expiry date. The contents of the chosen ingredients which are carefully studied by the researchers and the positive effects to the respondents made the newly produced product to be an alternative conditioner for the commercial one.Aside from the availability of materials in the environment, it is also easy to prepare. Treatment B, came out to the best proportion for the produced deodorant as a result of the series of experimentation and through the application and evaluation of the five respondents. MECCA Silk Conditioner appeared to have shining effect, smooth and manag eable in appearance . It last for a day therefore it is acceptable and comparable to the commercial one. IV. Research Plan a) Materials and Methods

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

questions for a government assignment essays

questions for a government assignment essays 1. During the period before the Constitution was ratified, the Articles of Confederation gave a 2. The Dual Court System works by splitting the courts into 2 distinct systems; the national judiciary system and the state judiciary system. The State Courts deal with most cases in the country. The national judiciary system deals with constitutional and national issues. 3. The 2 kinds of Federal Courts are Special and Constitutional Courts. The Special Courts deal with cases that come from some of the expressed powers given to Congress. The Constitutional Courts are the courts formed by Congress to properly exercise the judicial power of the U.S. The Constitutional Courts consist of The Supreme Court, the Courts of Appeals, the district courts, and the Court of International Trade. The special courts include the Tax Court, the territorial courts, and the Veterans Appeals Courts among others. 4. The Plaintiff is the party who initiates the suit. The defendant is the party who must defend against the complaint. 5. Jurisdiction is the authority of a court to hear and decide a case. 6. Exclusive jurisdiction is the power of federal courts alone to hear certain cases. Concurrent jurisdiction is the power shared by federal and state courts to hear certain cases. Original jurisdiction is the power to hear a case first (before any other court). Appellate jurisdiction is the authority of a court to review decisions of inferior courts. 7. Federal judges are selected by the President of the U.S. of A. on the basis of their political and moral ideals and views. The President usually selects someone who shares the same views as he does. The judges are paid $133,644 annually and they receive retirement benefits as well. The judges are assisted by court clerks, deputy clerks, stenographers, and bailiffs. 1. The inferior courts are ALL the lower federal courts (those below the...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Free Essays on Ferris Bueler And Todays Adolescent

The movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off deals with a 17 year old and his friends skipping school for a day and trying not to get caught. In this paper I plan to explain how the movie reflects real life teenagers by showing some of the problem they may face. I will also emphasize on the free spirit of teens and also their tendency to rebel. I will explain how the film deals with the subject of childhood. I will also note the reflection it makes on our society and the basic assumptions it makes about teenagers. I have chosen the film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off because it deals with childhood at the last possible stage, and that is the stage that I remember most†¦ high school! Overall this film gives a pretty accurate depiction of a typical teen, although at times it was a little exaggerated. The movie is about a high school senior, Ferris Bueller, who decides to skip school and head into the city for the day. If he gets caught he will not be able to graduate and he has brought his best friend Cameron and his girlfriend Sloane along for the ride. Overall the film shows what kind of fun and trouble a high school student is capable of getting into. This movie shows a pretty accurate description of what an American teen goes through on any typical day. First of all it shows the free spirit that many teenagers have. Ferris and his friends are free spirited and just going out to have fun. They are ditching school for the day and that is an example of a teenager’s tendency to rebel against authority. The bad guy in this movie is Principle Roony. It is fitting that the number one enemy of a student skipping school is his principle. This movie does a good job at pointing out a teenager’s tendency to rebel and strive for personal freedom. This movie also shows many things that a child will go through as they get ready to enter adulthood. These things are dealing with friendships, love, parents, future decisions and so on. I will now give so... Free Essays on Ferris Bueler And Todays Adolescent Free Essays on Ferris Bueler And Todays Adolescent The movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off deals with a 17 year old and his friends skipping school for a day and trying not to get caught. In this paper I plan to explain how the movie reflects real life teenagers by showing some of the problem they may face. I will also emphasize on the free spirit of teens and also their tendency to rebel. I will explain how the film deals with the subject of childhood. I will also note the reflection it makes on our society and the basic assumptions it makes about teenagers. I have chosen the film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off because it deals with childhood at the last possible stage, and that is the stage that I remember most†¦ high school! Overall this film gives a pretty accurate depiction of a typical teen, although at times it was a little exaggerated. The movie is about a high school senior, Ferris Bueller, who decides to skip school and head into the city for the day. If he gets caught he will not be able to graduate and he has brought his best friend Cameron and his girlfriend Sloane along for the ride. Overall the film shows what kind of fun and trouble a high school student is capable of getting into. This movie shows a pretty accurate description of what an American teen goes through on any typical day. First of all it shows the free spirit that many teenagers have. Ferris and his friends are free spirited and just going out to have fun. They are ditching school for the day and that is an example of a teenager’s tendency to rebel against authority. The bad guy in this movie is Principle Roony. It is fitting that the number one enemy of a student skipping school is his principle. This movie does a good job at pointing out a teenager’s tendency to rebel and strive for personal freedom. This movie also shows many things that a child will go through as they get ready to enter adulthood. These things are dealing with friendships, love, parents, future decisions and so on. I will now give so...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

International Slave Trade Outlawed In America in 1807

International Slave Trade Outlawed In America in 1807 The importation of African slaves was outlawed by an act of Congress passed in 1807, and signed into law by President Thomas Jefferson. The law was rooted in an obscure passage in the U.S. Constitution, which had stipulated that importing slaves could be prohibited 25 years after the ratification of the Constitution. Though the end of the international slave trade was a significant piece of legislation, it actually did not change much in a practical sense. The importation of slaves had already  been decreasing since the late 1700s. However, had the law had not gone into effect, the importation of slaves many have accelerated as the growth of the cotton industry accelerated following the widespread adoption of the cotton gin. Its important to note that the prohibition against importing African slaves did nothing to control the domestic traffic in slaves and the interstate slave trade. In some states, such as Virginia, changes in farming and the economy meant slave owners did not need great numbers of slaves. Meanwhile, planters of cotton and sugar in the Deep South needed a steady supply of new slaves. So a thriving slave-trading business developed in which slaves would typically sent southward. It was common for slaves to be shipped from Virginia ports to New Orleans, for instance. Solomon Northup, the author of the memoir Twelve Years a Slave, endured being sent from Virginia to bondage on Louisiana plantations. And, of course, an illegal traffic in slave trading across the Atlantic Ocean still continued. Ships of the U.S. Navy, sailing in what was called the African Squadron, were eventually dispatched to defeat the illegal trade. The 1807 Ban on Importing Slaves When the US Constitution was written in 1787, a generally overlooked and peculiar provision was included in Article I, the part of the document dealing with the duties of the legislative branch: Section 9. The migration or importation of such persons as any of the states now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a tax or duty may be imposed on such importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each person.   In other words, the government could not ban the importation of slaves for 20 years after the adoption of the Constitution. And as the designated year 1808 approached, those opposed to slavery began making plans for legislation that would outlaw the trans-Atlantic slave trade. A senator from Vermont first introduced a bill to ban the importation of slaves in late 1805, and President Thomas Jefferson recommended the same course of action in his annual address to Congress a year later, in December 1806. The law was finally passed by both houses of Congress on March 2, 1807, and Jefferson signed it into law on March 3, 1807. However, given the restriction imposed by Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution, the law would only become effective on January 1, 1808. The law had 10 sections. The first section specifically outlawed the importation of slaves: Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,That from and after the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and eight, it shall not be lawful to import or bring into the United States or the territories thereof from any foreign kingdom, place, or country, any negro, mulatto, or person of colour, with intent to hold, sell, or dispose of such negro, mulatto, or person of colour, as a slave, or to be held to service or labour. The following sections set penalties for violations of the law, specified that it would be illegal to fit out ships in American waters to transport slaves, and stated that the U.S. Navy would enforce the law on the high seas. In subsequent years the law was often enforced by the Navy, which dispatched vessels to seize suspected slave ships. The  African Squadron patrolled the west coast of Africa for decades, interdicting ships suspected of carrying slaves. The 1807 law ending the importation of slaves did nothing to stop the buying and selling of slaves within the United States. And, of course, the controversy over slavery would continue for decades, and would not be finally resolved until the end of the Civil War and the passage of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Multinational Corporation and State Relations in Emerging Markets Essay

Multinational Corporation and State Relations in Emerging Markets (there are lots of other possible topics) - Essay Example The situations suggest that a possible synergy exists between an MNC and an emerging state. There are strong advantages in multinationals setting up their operations, or at least part of it, in emerging countries, since this may establish a mutually beneficial arrangement. At the beginning, this is usually the case. Time passes, the country’s economy develops and the increasingly affluent population creates higher demand for the firm’s products. With the rising standard of living, the state finds the need to raise legislated wages, which usually works against the interests of the multinational corporation – because after all, MNCs seek to lower their costs. The MNC’s costs rise and their reason for setting up operations in a developing country slowly goes away. Other sources of disagreements emerge, such as the exploitation of natural resources, the repatriation of earnings out of the host economy and to the MNC’s headquarters in the home country, t he regulation of certain policies and processes considered standard by the MNC but unacceptable by the locality, and so forth. There is therefore a difference of roles and interests between the MNC and the host state, which may sometimes lead to conflicting goals; to maintain their working relationship, a balance of these interests must necessarily be achieved for the MNC to continue its productive and marketing activities in the country and for that country’s economy to continue to reap the benefits of the MNC’s presence. This study examines the dynamics and implications of the relationships between MNC and host countries. The purpose is to understand how these relationships are changing over time in response to the increasing globalization, and how problems about them may be addressed and resolved. Multinational corporation defined There is no formal definition of what a multinational corporation essentially is (Ajami, Cool, Goddard & Khambata, 2006, p. 6), and the t erm is often applied to a variety of business entities which have nothing in common except that they have some form of international participation or involvement. Some see multinationals loosely as companies that have parts of their production located in two or three different countries (Hoos, 2000), and some with markets in two or three different countries. Some see the MNC as â€Å"a number of affiliated business establishments† (Logar, 1980, p. 7), while others define it as â€Å"a single organization with a need to coordinate its operations across multiple environments† (Haghirian, 2010, p. 46). The presence of multinationals in a country need not be directly through wholly-owned subsidiaries. MNCs can operate through joint ventures with local firms, or by acquiring controlling interests in businesses already strategically located in a particular country. MNC interests with the least commitment to the country is in the form of exports where the products are shipped to the country in completion of orders from institutional customers, followed by franchises or licenses which the MNC may extend to established firms that would like to operate under the license and with the trade mark of the MNC. In these cases, the multinational corporation could extend their presence in another country without directly investing in it (Johnson & Turner, 2009, p. 247). An example of such MNC operation is seen in the Taiwanese market. Quanta Computers, Inc., a Taiwanese firm, served as contract

Friday, October 18, 2019

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Marketing - Essay Example Some customers are price sensitive whereby, an increase in price may cause the customers to buy from competitors. On the contrary product/service involves taking into consideration the needs and wants of a customer. Finally, promotion entails creating awareness about the product or service being offered by the company. This may involve taking into consideration the methods that the company will use to promote their product as well as determining the methods used by their competitors (Hoffmann, 2008). Therefore, this study aims to provide an insight of how the company achieves advantage of delivering value to the consumers and to what extent. 1. â€Å"A company achieves advantage by delivering superior value to its consumers in the marketplace†. To what extent do you agree with this statement and why? A company achieves advantage by delivering superior value to its consumers through utilization of value chain approach/model as proposed by Porters. Different companies tend to ha ve numerous activities that are being involved in the conversion of raw materials to finished goods so as to deliver superior value to their customers. Those activities may be broadly classified into two categories namely; primary activities and secondary activities /support activities within the value chain model. Primary activities comprises of five major activities/ operations namely; inbound logistics, outbound logistics, operations, marketing and sales, and services. On the contrary, support activities include; procurement, human resource management, technological development and infrastructure (Saha, 2011). The value chain creation model may be presented in the diagram below. Primary Activities The value Chain Support/secondary activities Source: The five primary activities involve all operations that are aimed at delivering superior value to the customers. Under this section there are activities such as; inbound logistics. Those are operation that is attributed to handling of goods and services within the company. Additionally, inbound logistics involves activities such as material inputs and acquisition, warehousing activities as well as inventory control. Material input and acquisition are those operations that are carried out to ensure that there is proper flow of all the necessary materials and equipments that might be required in order to come up with a finished product that can deliver superior value to the customers. Material input and acquisition further involves determining the most appropriate vendors to supply the company with the necessary raw material in a cost efficient manner. Therefore, procurement managers, operation managers and finance managers should carry out a prior assessment of the most appropriate vendor who can supply raw materials at a minimal cost. This may help to minimize the cost of material acquisition while at the same time ensures that materials obtain deliver superior value to the customers and further enables the comp any to make profits. Both procurement manager and finance manager should collaborate to ensure that materials available in the warehouse are in proper condition. Moreover, they should carry out inventory valuation to determine when to order new material (re-order point) and when to dispose the available stock. This may help to ensure there is efficiency in the flow of raw materials and finished goods within and outside the company

How Colinization affected the history of American Indians Research Paper

How Colinization affected the history of American Indians - Research Paper Example When the European colonizers came in, they grabbed land from the American Indians mercilessly thinking that they have more than enough land for themselves. There are too many instances of land grabbing by European Colonizers but we can cite two of the most blatant case of land grabbing. The first case is John Winthrop’s land grabbing whereby it also intersected with religion which also changed the American Indian’s way of life. John Winthrop was the leader of the Puritans that settled in Massachusetts Bay Colony whereby they settled and took the lands of the Indians. John Winthrop was very blatant in his quest to take lands from the Indians because he thought that it was the Will of God for them to have lands in the New World because they, the Puritans were the chosen people of God and that they were entitled to take Indian lands. Thus when the Puritans sail to the New World on their ship Arbelia, he thought that taking the lands of the Indian is like entering a covenan t with God whereby they â€Å"shall be a city upon a hill. The eies of all people are upon us (Winthrop 68). Winthrop believed that the Puritans had a duty to fulfill their covenant with God by serving as an example of an ideal Christian community to the world in erecting a community on Indian lands (Gleason). Another is the case of land grabbing is California Foragers case. The California Foragers may not have religious undertone in their quest to take lands from Indians but their method was brutal. This happened after the Gold Rush of 1849 whereby the American Indians were the first settlers in the gold mines. When the Europeans came into California in 1542, they took the lands of the American Indians by force and thousands were needlessly massacred (www.funsocialstudies.com). The extent of the massacre was so massive that much of the cultural identities of

Writing 2 pages paper After reding 'pdf' material Essay

Writing 2 pages paper After reding 'pdf' material - Essay Example It must be in a position to satisfy its customers by providing quality service of affordable prizes, which are the mostly sought out qualities by the market consumers. After achieving these qualities, a company is then in a position to improve its profits by the mode of operation as its gains popularity among its customer. These companies apply OE to gain favour over their rivals. The nature of duty completion and the overall policies applied to improve efficiency and further advance into customer satisfaction (Porter, 40). The nature of OE improves on the product’s overall quality or increasing the rate of production. Strategy in turn, enables differentiation in performance within companies. It means a company is able to perform its functions differently from its competitors but in an advanced way to improve its market position. The realized differences in performance are majorly determined by the measures the company employs to improve its profits. These may be involved in employing advanced technology in production or hiring experienced skilled personnel in production. There are also efforts to motivate its employees by offering incentives to generate added efforts that would accelerate overall production. These measures are added to implement strategy that promotes continuity and superiority in a company over its competitors that have an impact on its overall growth. The key driving force in strategy is being unique. The company’s ability to undertake functions differently greater than its adversaries dictates enhanced strategy implementation. Most companies who thrive in the market apply unique strategy measures that favour customer preferences. However, it is essential to constantly achieve the desired modifications and implement new strategies because developing companies have a tendency to imitate the policies of the successful

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Build A Team Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Build A Team - Essay Example From the West Coast Transit team member profiles, the following members have been selected to be part of the A team that will undertake the above mentioned project: Natalie, Elizabeth, Katelyn, Bob, Susan and William. In brief, these six members have good qualities that can positively yield in great team performance. Essentially, collaboration and coordination are basic tenets of teamwork in an organization (Schultz, 2007). In brief, Natalie is positive and has great communication skills; Elizabeth enjoys the collaborative aspect of the job and has a positive attitude; Katelyn’s mindset suits teamwork; Bob’s attitude is positive and he is a team player; Susan’s attitude is positive and she is an excellent team player and William is also positive and believes that he is a team player. When combined, the qualities of the selected six members are likely to contribute towards the formation of a strong and formidable team that can collaboratively work together to prod uce positive results for the organization. The other people have not been selected to become part of the A team as a result of their negative attitude. For instance, Ian is arrogant and he does not want to back down from his ideas. Doug is a bit of a temper and he is easily frustrated and is viewed as abrasive by his workmates. On the other hand, Michael is overconfident and at time battles with depression though he collaborates with others when the need arises. It can be observed that the qualities of the members left out of the A team are not consistent with the spirit and letter of teamwork. The attitudes of these members can impact negatively on the overall performance of the team since they can lead to conflicts. As indicated above, the A team is formed for a specific purpose. Given the diverse factors that may influence the behavior of your team members, the job characteristic model and goal setting will be

Application of E-Business in Saudi Arabia Research Paper

Application of E-Business in Saudi Arabia - Research Paper Example Factors that affect the adoption of the technology in Saudi Arabia include the financial position of the business, the nature or characteristics of the business organization and the employees’ acceptance and perception of e-business. Some of the recommendations for the research are that the governments should use standardized methods to implement ICT projects. Regular training and empowerment workshops should be conducted to ensure that there is no resistance to change. Table of Contents Application of E-Business in Saudi Arabia 1 Running head: E-BUSINESS 1 1 Abstract 1 E-Business 5 Rationale 5 Project Topics 6 Research Methods 7 Expected Findings and Implications 7 Annotated Bibliography 8 Introduction 12 Rationale 13 Specific Topic 13 Research Purpose 14 Hypotheses 14 Literature Review 14 History and Background 14 Exceptions 15 Solutions 16 Discussion 17 Barriers to E-Business 17 Motivators to Commerce 18 Methodology 19 Research Purpose 19 Data Collection Method 19 Survey In strument 20 Population, Sampling Strategy and Sample 20 Data Analysis 21 Results 21 Implications of the Findings 26 Limitations 27 Conclusion 27 Recommendations 28 Final Thoughts 28 Questionnaire 34 E-Business E-business (electronic business) describes the act of a business utilizing electronic network in the improvement of business processes or systems. ... The data collecting tool will be administration of questionnaires which will be conducted through various means such as e-mail, post and fax. However, face-to-face surveys will be conducted although reference will be made to questionnaires. The collected data from the tables will be analyzed through application of the Microsoft Excel and recommendations offered based on the results. The application of e-business among Saudi Arabian companies is expected to be low. Factors that affect the adoption of the technology in Saudi Arabia include the financial position of the business, the nature or characteristics of the business organization, and employees’ acceptance and perception of the of e-business. Some of the benefits of e-business include: promotes globalization, reduction in the costs involved in running of the business, improvement of the supply chain, portrays flexibility in operation hours, enhances procurement process and not subject to city laws and permits. Rationale A lthough e-business is currently applied globally, Saudi Arabia still lags behind in adoption of the technology. Although the country possesses the most advanced and the fastest growing ICT technology in the Arab region, the application of e-business has been adopted at a slow rate. Additionally, there is no detailed information on the adoption of E-commerce among most of the Saudi Arabians. According to Marcus, Wigham and Gould (2011), the Kingdom has registered a substantial population growth that can profitably adopt e-business and enhance the economic growth of the country. This research will rely on wide range of responses from employees in various organizations within Saudi Arabia. This will enable the identification of the

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Build A Team Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Build A Team - Essay Example From the West Coast Transit team member profiles, the following members have been selected to be part of the A team that will undertake the above mentioned project: Natalie, Elizabeth, Katelyn, Bob, Susan and William. In brief, these six members have good qualities that can positively yield in great team performance. Essentially, collaboration and coordination are basic tenets of teamwork in an organization (Schultz, 2007). In brief, Natalie is positive and has great communication skills; Elizabeth enjoys the collaborative aspect of the job and has a positive attitude; Katelyn’s mindset suits teamwork; Bob’s attitude is positive and he is a team player; Susan’s attitude is positive and she is an excellent team player and William is also positive and believes that he is a team player. When combined, the qualities of the selected six members are likely to contribute towards the formation of a strong and formidable team that can collaboratively work together to prod uce positive results for the organization. The other people have not been selected to become part of the A team as a result of their negative attitude. For instance, Ian is arrogant and he does not want to back down from his ideas. Doug is a bit of a temper and he is easily frustrated and is viewed as abrasive by his workmates. On the other hand, Michael is overconfident and at time battles with depression though he collaborates with others when the need arises. It can be observed that the qualities of the members left out of the A team are not consistent with the spirit and letter of teamwork. The attitudes of these members can impact negatively on the overall performance of the team since they can lead to conflicts. As indicated above, the A team is formed for a specific purpose. Given the diverse factors that may influence the behavior of your team members, the job characteristic model and goal setting will be

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Children's Language Acquisition - Nature vs Nurture Essay

Children's Language Acquisition - Nature vs Nurture - Essay Example vocabulary extends beyond the basics, they are able to think for themselves and further develop their language skills through expression (Unsworth, 2013). It has been found that nature gives children the ability to acquire language but it does not give them the language itself because the latter is an aspect of humanity which develops due to nurture. It is for this reason that most of the children who are born in one culture can easily adapt to another culture and language as long as they are still young enough to adjust to their new environment. It is normally the environment in which a child is raised that determines his or her rate of language acquisition, so that there are some who acquire it much earlier than others. Thus, one would suggest that nurture plays a more significant role in the language acquisition of children than nature because while the latter facilitates the development of the parts necessary for speech, it is nurture which enables the development and advancement of the skills required for the sake of language acquisition. While speech is a natural part of human beings, language is based on nurture and it is mainly the language that is spoken in the environment that children are raised in that they are able to acquire it. The influence of biological, social and cultural factors have been said to affect the shaping of the different aspects of language acquisition among children. It is a fact that both nature and nurture played a role in language acquisition, the latter hiving existed for almost as long as the human race has existed and it is quite possible that they will continue to exist in the foreseeable future. The acquisition of language among children is a basic part of their daily lives and is manifested within the society by observable factors within the environment that they grow. Thus, children are normally able to acquire language through their interaction with older members of their society and this is normally done in such a manner

Monday, October 14, 2019

The Persuading Effects In Political Media Politics Essay

The Persuading Effects In Political Media Politics Essay The mass media in the Philippines, being the universal source of information, contributes a great influence on our thinking and behavior. This term paper will focus about the impact of media coverage on elections and how it persuades the electorates behavior. My purpose is to explore the effects of mass media on political power in the Philippines and to show how the media simultaneously disrupt and defends the status quo including the advantages and disadvantages during election campaigns. The first part of this paper will provide and support the ideas of how a fair election is measured in a democratic country. It will also focus on the medias substantial role on the voting behavior that will contribute towards a greater understanding of mass media in our country. The second part deals about the past situation of the media which concerns the different election frauds, corruption, and violence. I will also add an overview about the medias monopoly and commercialism. But among these, t he most favorable part is the emergence of the new media through the use of the introduced technology. I will also discuss how the different forms of media campaigning using various campaign strategies through TV ads, polls, debates and others can persuade the voters. Furthermore, this term paper will also argue about the effect of money on election results, whether it is an advantage or a disadvantage to the political candidate. Lastly, I hope to show that communication and persuasion works between the media and the public, that we and others can also influence the media. How to measure a fair election In a democratic country like the Philippines, where universal and equal suffrage is a must, the media plays a significant and substantial role for the development of the society. The media is responsible for ensuring free, fair and equal elections. To make a democratic form of government possible, essential conditions are required. For a country to be democratic, they must secure universal and equal suffrage. The political system must entail recognition of protection of civil liberties and rights. The freedom of speech from candidates and political parties must not be restricted. Enforceable laws must be implemented to prevent election fraud and vote tampering. It must be ensured that an electorates choice of party or candidate cannot be used against him or her by secret ballot voting. (socyberty.com, 2009) But in general term, it can be said that the people must be the highest form of society. The role of media before, during and after elections The fact that the media plays a great role in lives is well known, but its role as a political tool is also well rooted in the political systems. During times of elections, which are seen by many as the hallmarks of democratic political system, the media are expected to undertake very specific roles. It is a clichà ©, but media as the voice of the public, in the course especially of elections, must be able to inform, educate, enlighten and involve the electorate. Brandt, Hughes, and Rasmussen (2006), have discussed the major tools needed by the media in a fair report and coverage of the elections. They have to provide a platform and forum for controversial societal debates. The news media play the vital role in a democracy of providing the public information on which they can base their decisions on public issues. They have the duty to criticize undemocratic behavior of politicians, to educate the general public in respect of democracy, and to secure a fair and balanced coverage of elections. The watchdog function of the media is especially crucial during times of electoral campaigns and elections themselves. More importantly, the medias role is to scrutinize the candidates and parties and expose on the same issues and to give voters enough information to compare their positions. The media must report what the parties and candidates are saying, even if it does not reflect issues the people want to address (pp. 14-19). If the media coverage in the press and television is not free, fair and equal, the results may be prejudiced. Political discussions cannot be avoided in the print media, political stories are aired on television every day, commercial radio airs political news every hour, and paid political announcements are encountered in all media during campaigns. Candidates use of the media can have a strong impact upon those who make up their minds about candidates during the campaign. It is within human nature to believe what is told to us. We tend to believ e the media because research is done by them and they are a main source of information. The media remains important since they are the means by which people obtain current affairs both inside and outside of the Philippines however bias it may be. Overall, the media are always present with new stories on political activities. The new media The entrance of the modern era meant the advent of modern technology accessible to the public. For the first time in history, the Philippines embraced technology and transformed greatly the electoral system of the country during the May 2010 elections. The Philippine elections have frequently been marked by allegations of widespread cheating and other electoral malpractice. It was a subject to criticism since the security of the electoral process and its capacity to preserve the sanctity of the ballot and the will of the electorate was put to question. It has always been a manual process from voting to the canvassing of results with the local and national positions. Consequently, we have had hurdled so much because of the slow and tedious process. But due to the advanced technology available in the modern era, the Filipinos most awaited election was taken to another level. Generally, the automated election fulfilled the promise of speed but complaints and controversies remained (Meis burger, 2010). Many Filipinos until now were not sure whether the new process worked well enough to hold credible elections. Even automated election provided high security, there were still computer experts that bombarded the whole system or hacked the computers and manipulated the results. And I think that it is actually possible that cheaters came from the people who developed the system. Unfortunately and ironically, the press, despite of the intense focus on the new voting machines, failed to highlight critical problems during Election Day. But in my own opinion, the main problem we encountered during the May 2010 automated election was transparency. People were not able to see the actual process of counting the votes and several doubted if the results are really correct. Reporting on the first automated election also posed new challenges to the media. The press had to be alert to new kinds of problems as well as to keep the coverage on the day itself interesting. But it was obv ious from the first hours of coverage that the television networks were clearly prepared to resort to the magic of technology to keep audiences tuned in. The media is intensely influential in the present days systems of domination. Because the majority of the public does not in fact hear political speeches, witness activities, or observe actions of leaders, they depend on the media to exhibit the news in an accessible form. It becomes easy to comprehend how vital the media is, and what will be the effects of the news on the society whenever it is presented. Even a little change of news has the potentials to greatly influence public opinion (people.virginia.edu). Dirty Politics: Bias Media and Corrupt Candidates On the further side of the media, television has been with us for more than thirty years (Del Mundo, 1986, p. 10). By any standard, thirty years is long enough to develop a meaningful mass medium. Although in the past, the role of media is not as great as it is today. During an election, it was not surprising to see the media being harnessed to serve the politicians who held media power. Rocamora, for instance, concluded that Cheating is a well-developed art in Philippine elections. Local Politicians are adept at manipulating the process from beginning to end. (Rocamora, 1998, p. 23). So having no doubt, the media with its own weaknesses, would most likely practice bias electoral processes. Corruption in the media industry is a fact, and it is worst during elections. There is a general feeling about the political bias of the media that it is too negative. They place an importance on finding out what is wrong, but do not tell the complete picture about what is being done. There are in deed media networks that are owned by families who are biased in favor of certain candidates. We can see this prejudicial act most often when the media had begun to be very one-sided in terms of reporting the news. The media should be obligated to tell the truth and not manufacture or elaborate stories, even if it does not sound as good. It has and will continue to destroy the careers of some and make the careers of others. Even though most of the television news stations are owned by wealthy individuals, they should not be so biased. The media and the politicians only want us to see what a perfect world we live in, so they tend to hide the truth or work their way around it. But that is not always the case; sometimes desperate politicians are simply exaggerating when they condemn the alleged bias of the media. They tend to highlight the critical views reported by the media but they overlook the balanced presentation of facts in news reports. Another unjust intervention was experienc ed by the media during the Marcos era. Independence of the media has always been viewed with admiration everywhere in the world. But in 1972 to 1981, when martial law was declared during the regime of President Marcos, media monopoly started. Not just one agency was organized to do the job. Thus, the media suppression of the Marcos era restored the powerful and influential appetite of the public for news. But unfortunately, until now, the medias authority, security and freedom was not completely fulfilled (Del Mundo, 1986, pp. 77-89). Moreover, the recent Maguindanao massacre would be the worst example of election-related violence, wherein many members of the press and media was killed and abducted. Therefore, these malpractices and bad connotations simply imply the common term dirty politics which I think is not fair because politics must always be understood in a larger context. And talking about the status quo, generally it is the media that is bias and the politicians that are c orrupt. Defining a CAMPAIGN In the course especially of elections, we cannot exclude the fact of the emergence of inevitable frauds and intense violence. Every now and then, the media conclusively reports about the most compelling issues and irregularities related to elections, especially during the campaign period. A campaign is the period right before citizens make a real political choice. Campaign activity is more likely to register on voters minds as the Election Day draws near (Brady, Johnston Sides, 2004, p.2). According to Brandt, Hughes, and Rasmussen (2006): Most parties make their leader the centre of attention so voters who like the leader will vote for the partys candidates. So the partys election campaign is composed of speeches, party rallies and press conferences featuring the party leader. But the medias job is not just to repeat all the words spoken by the leaders. There should also be information in the news story about where the speech was given and how many people were there and what was the reaction of people in the streets, and what did political opponents say. Voters deserve to know so they can compare and decide for themselves. (Brandt, Hughes, and Rasmussen, 2006, p. 16). Ultimately, political ads and campaigns can affect who will win the election. As is true of other types of human relationships, first impressions can be very important as voters form their opinions about political candidates. Research on election decisions suggests that candidates use of the media can have a strong impact upon those who make up their minds about candidates during the campaign. They can affect what the voters know, whether they will vote, whom they will vote for and why they will vote for that person. In general, people already have their own ideas when they view television, read newspapers, or log on to websites. To a man, the campaign staffs of politicians agree that the three requisites for a successful campaign are: media, machinery and money. (Coronel, Chua, De Castro, 2004, p. 123) The media as a form of campaign strategy Television campaigns come from various forms. It can be a form of commercial, debates, speech, press conference, polls or interviews which are aired on local television news broadcasts, talk shows and even game shows. The television commercial, the most powerful form of advertising is the most interesting and most complex kind of political advertisement. It is the main way that modern campaigns communicate with voters. It can give you as the electorate an idea of how trustworthy candidates are, how they communicate or connect with the people, how they behave under stress, how they sell their program and what do they stand for. According to a study made by Coronel, Chua and De Castro (2004), The Arroyo and Lacson campaigns were most successful than the others in getting their spins across. This was because they had more sophisticated media strategies and handlers. They had a clearer idea of the message they wanted to project and made sure that this message was successfully conveyed th rough the media. (p. 21). Through TV ads, the audiences who are watching their favorite television programs will have a chance to meet the candidates and there is a possibility that they can recall them since they are shown in every commercial break. The advertiser will create another image of the candidate to make them appreciated and accepted by the target audience. The use of informal words, the inclusion of popular song and dance, the color, social issues, and the representation of peoples age, gender, profession and religion are very useful for the ads recall (Encabo, 2010, pp.11-12). In a survey conducted by Fonbuena. Rufo and Tabunda (2008), during the campaign period itself, respondents were asked to name political advertisements on television that they could recall. An ad was considered correctly recalled by a respondent if the respondent was able to identify the candidates in the advertisements that they recalled. Political ads are effective in converting voter awareness i nto actual votes for the candidates to the extent only that these ads incredibly project an image of the candidate as one who will effectively address the issues and concerns of the electorate. Studies show that commercials and debates aired right before Election Day have the most effect on undecided viewers (pp. 27-28). Voters who have already formed their opinions are hardly influenced by the media to the point of changing their minds. But as defined by House, Ludwig and Stratmann (2009), advertising need not to be truthful in deceptive campaigns. Both types of candidates engage in campaign advertising claiming that they are of high quality. Hence, they define advertising as deceptive when a low-quality candidate advertises that he is high-quality (p. 6). Opinion polls, on the other hand, are mostly used by political parties to discover what issues a representative sample of voters think is important. As defined by Lange (1999), voting intention polls indicate the popularity of political parties/candidates, show ratings, and suggest the outcome of elections. Parties will sometimes change their campaign promises because opinion polls reveal what will be more popular (pp. 49-50). People always say in polls, they do not like negative campaigns but voting records seem to indicate that they are affected or influenced by them. Opinion polls also influence voters because voters like to know what their neighbors are thinking and may decide to vote the same way. As such, poll results could increasingly frame the coverage of the election campaign. Exposure to polls may serve to increase a general interest in voting in the public, but there is little to demonstrate a change in voter intention, which is what we call bandwagon effect. Opinion poll s are only a brief sample of peoples opinions at the time they were asked. Polls cannot predict how opinions and votes will change if voters learn new information. Polls should not become the lead story everyday because they may influence voters to follow popular opinion rather than think for themselves. Lange (1999) observed that debates have advantages and disadvantages, but on balance seem positive. On the negative side, it has been argued that mandatory debates would circumscribe the candidates freedom to run campaigns as they wish that it is not always possible to have all party leaders participating and that debates tend to spotlight the party leaders too intensely. On the positive side, debates allow the candidates to face the public directly, they have been shown to heighten citizens interest in elections and their levels of information, they are a means of enabling the public to make a direct comparison of the candidates, and as such are a useful supplement to the normal news coverage (pp. 28-29). Aside from the old traditions of advertising, the innovative transformation of the society was considered as a milestone in the electoral system. I am not just talking about the May 2010 automated elections, but it is about how social media is changing the face of democracy through the use of different social networking sites in campaigning for a political party or candidate. Generally, traditional media and new media worked together for a more comprehensive coverage of the 2010 Philippine Elections. Rafter (2009) for example, stated that, the internet has assumed an increasingly important role in political communications and has provided new ways of communicating political messages with the public. Traditional concerns about television and radio political advertising are equally applicable to the Internet but there is no debate about regulating political content on the web (p.29). TV news stations also marked a milestone in media history when they reported election updates in real t ime using the new media. They even used the Facebook and Twitter to post news updates and reports about the election. Most of the Social Media websites which have had a major worldwide impact on Internet usage and thus perceived international impact, like YouTube, Flickr, Blogger, WordPress, Google, Wikipedia, Myspace, Facebook and Twitter (eGovernment-Symposium, 2009, p. 7). As predicted by some experts and scholars, it is probably only a matter of time before everyone will be able to vote over the Internet. Still, for those who create and air ads, the bottom line is the bottom line. The intended effect of political advertising or paid media is to win political battles by creating and delivering biased messages. Informing and engaging the public outside of ones supporters, when and if it occurs, is a by-product or secondary effect of the effort to win political battles. Does money wins elections? But the most intriguing factor that affects the decision of the electorate is the presence of money. Rocamora (1998), observe that for a candidate to win Philippine elections, they have to spend three times: once to get nominated, second to garner votes, third to get his votes counted, added to, and those of his opponents subtracted (p. 27). According to political scientist Ciyde Wilcox, money matters most when the candidates are least known to the voters, when they do not receive a lot of news coverage, and when paid advertising, which, of course, is expensive, can bring recognition and enhance images (Wayne, 1992, p.52). As I have said, the ads play a big role in the entire campaign. The earlier the ad is aired, the earlier the candidates rating goes up and the earlier the candidate can shift to conversion. Indeed, this means paying a longer period for advertisement slots. The cost of political campaign is rising and rising fast. The use of other modern technology has also increase d expenditures. One 30-second ad can cost a candidate from P34,000 to P243,000, depending on the station and the time slot. These costs are already slashed by 30 percent, the legally mandated discount for candidates (Fonbuena, Rufo, Tabunda, 2008, p. 61). But because of factors such as popularity and acceptability, campaign budgets may still vary from candidate to candidate. If a candidate is already popular, a lesser amount can be allocated for election paraphernalia. The amount a candidate spends will largely depend on the style of his/her political strategies. Literally speaking, before a sensible person joins a political fray, he/she should check his/her wallet first. Elections are indeed expensive affairs. Radio and television appearance, newspaper advertising, travel for the candidate, mailings of campaign materials, maintaining a network of campaign offices, taking polls, and raising money itself all cost a great deal of money. The notion that the side with more money has a better chance of winning is very common. Lack of budget for the campaign can be solved through public and private funding. The ability to raise money is not only a matter of wealth but also of being able to attract funds from others. Way before the campaign period, funds can already be raised. It is obviously important for a financially challenged candidate to seek and accept whatever material support they can find. Sponsored activities like a ball, a concert, a movie premier, T-shirt sales, and bazaars can be organized. But most campaign donations would not come in until a candidates showing becomes strong during the campaign period. Their contributions serve as insurance money, an investment they hope to draw from in the future. Another source, though largely unreported for obvious reasons, would be gambling and smuggling operations that seek the protection of the politicians. According to Co, Lao, Sayo and Tigno (2005), potential candidates who do not have the financial resources and backing to undertake a campaign have a little chance of winning (p.98). But apparently, I beg to disagree that financial outlays can guarantee victory in elections. Although the money spent might still serve as a good index to electoral strength, the candidates and parties with the most money did not always win. Money however is only one factor. And even when relatively honest people do win, they have to spend so much money to campaign that they invariably become corrupt in order to recover their expenses or to return the favor of financial backers. Wayne (1992) stated that, theoretically, campaign spending should have a greater impact on the nomination process than on the general election, and on the beginning of the process than at the end (p. 51). Whether or not money determines campaign victors, it exerts an enormous influence on elections. Heard (1960), notes that the ef fect of money in politics is probably more certain in determining who the candidates will be than in determining the outcome of the elections. Although the main goal of those who sponsor political advertising is to win elections, advertising can also in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uence what citizens know about candidates and public policy and how engaged citizens are in their own governance. And, as discussed above, in in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uencing what voters know, ads can in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uence whom voter choose (Goldenstein, Ridout, 2004, p. 211). The impact of media on the electoral system The overwhelming power of the mass media is something that we accept as fact. We are dependent on media for information. Media have become our connection to the real world. Indeed, there have been a lot of contributions media has made in politics, particularly during elections. The availability of media coverage during elections from the nomination period to the canvassing of votes, keeps the public informed of all the crucial events that occur during the elections. In the present times, it has gained a greater importance than how it was in the past. Filipinos much more now than ever in the past, rely on the mass media in deciding whom to vote and which issues are important. There is a hunger for information and citizens are much more attentive to media reports during elections than in other times. It has thus gained more influence over the voting behavior of the electorate and greater power in altering the opinions of the people. During campaigns, bad publicity can mean almost certa in death to a promising political career to a politician. No matter what good things a person has done in the past, if the media decides to publish the bad, their chances are blown. Population as a whole also recognizes the large role the media plays in their lives. They are well aware that the press plays the most dominant role in determining which issues and events are considered significant (Brandt, Hughes, Rasmussen, 2006, pp. 15-17). Conclusion The medias role in politics is even more significant. They help shape the political culture, and have the power to make a candidate appealing or repulsive. The media can also lead the general public to misunderstand the actions of one particular political group, and as a result, other political parties have to face a difficult political situation. Encabo (2010) concluded that politicians and advertisement producers believe that advertising allows candidates to reach even the uninterested and unmotivated citizens like those who are not paying attention in news reports, debates, and other campaign event (p.20). The media is primarily needed to fix itself to reporting on politics, not shaping it. The media should not have the bias of the nation, but should offer information to allow ideas to form liberally and independently. The nature of the impact of the media coverage is perhaps most dramatically evident in peoples awareness of the candidates and the consequences for how they vote. I n the coverage of elections, media fulfills different roles. This includes informing, enlightening, and educating the electorate, providing a platform and forum for controversial social debates, forming public opinion, and serving as a watchdog on the side of the citizens. Among these roles, the duty of informing the electorate is the primary and the other roles are only ancillary and fall under this primary role. The media has also the ability of affecting the behavior and decision making of the electorate. Many factors are to consider in determining the voting behavior of the electorate; and though there is no certainty on the extent that media affects the decision making process of the electorate, media is one of the few things that can count heavily on affecting and changing the opinions and decisions of the electorate. Apart from persuading the electorate, the media can also persuade the political candidates. The media influence the decision and actions of politicians and offic ials, change their priorities and can reduce their ability to control events. Another thing to consider in the influence of media in elections is the campaign financing that is required of candidates in order to afford the media resources necessary for advancing the campaign. The costs on campaign financing have escalated primarily due to the fact that it is expensive to employ media resources. However, though it is expensive, but because it is believed to be the most effective medium of campaigning, it is the least likely expense in campaign financing to be cut. The high costs of campaign financing pose problems for less affluent candidates. It is a disadvantage for the poor candidate who does not have the necessary resources necessary to run a campaign which will be able to employ media as one of its medium of advertisement. Because of this, the integrity of the electoral system of a democratic nation such as the Philippines becomes flawed. People, based on democratic theory, shou ld have equal opportunity to run for office regardless of economic status. But because of the high costs imposed by media on running a campaign, this is hardly true. There is therefore a need for the strict implementation of campaign finance laws during elections so as not to put an advantage on the wealthy and a disadvantage on the less affluent candidates. The media plays a crucial role in the realization of this goal. Through these insights, it is therefore true that media persuasion does not only work between the media and the public, but logically speaking, we and others can also influence the media. Both positively and negatively, the mass media contributes a great factor in affecting the decisions of the electorate because it exercises a powerful role in the electoral processes by informing and educating the public. Bibliography (books and e-books): Brady, H.E., Johnston, R., Sides, J. (2006). The Study of Political Campaigns. United States: The University of Michigan Press. Brandt, T., Hughes, T. Rasmussen F. (2006). Coaching Manual for Media Support during Elections. Denmark: International Media Support. Co, E.E.A., Lao, M.E.J., Sayo, M.A., Tigno, J.V. (2005). Philippine Democracy Assessment. Manila: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES). Coronel, S.S., Chua, Y.T., De Castro I. (2004). Cockfight, horserace, boxing match (why elections are covered as sport): lessons learned from the 2004 campaign coverage. Quezon City : Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. Del Mundo C. (1986). Philippine Mass Media: A Book of Readings. Philippines: Communication Foundation for Asia. eGovernment-Symposium (2009). E-Society and E-Democracy. Berne, Switzerland: Amazee (www.amazee.com) and IDHEAP (www.idheap.ch). Encabo, E.A. (2010). The Filipino Language and Culture in Political Advertisement. San Diego State University: Language Acquisition Resource Center. Fonbuena, C., Rufo, A., Tabunda, A.M.L. (2008). Selling Candidates: Political Ads in the 2007 Senatorial Elections. Quezon City: Public trust Media Group Inc. Goldstein, K., Ridout, T.N. (2004). Measuring the Effects of Televised Political Advertising in the United States. Washington: arjournals.annualreviews.org. Houser, D., Ludwig, S., Stratmann, T. (2009). Does deceptive advertising reduce political participation? Theory and evidence. Washington: George Mason University, Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science. Hufilena, C.F. (2006). How to Win an Election. Quezon City: Ateneo School of Government Center for Social Policy. Lange, B.P. Ward, D. (2004). The Media and Elections: A Handbook and Comparative Study. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Lange, Y. (1999). Media and Elections. Europe: Council of Europe Publishing. Meisburger, T. (2010). Will Automated Elections in the Philippines Increase Public Confidence?. Asia: The Asia Foundation. Rafter, K. (2009). Political Advertising: The Regulatory Position and the Public View. Ireland: Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, Media Research Scheme. Rocamora, J. (1998). Philippine Political Parties, Electoral System and Political Reform. Quezon City: Philippines International Review. Wayne, S.J. (1992). The Road to the White House: The Politics of Presidential Elections. New York: St. Martins Press Internet sources: http://socyberty.com/organizations/the-responsibility-of-the-media-in-conducting-free-and-fair-elections/#ixzz1Do4Q79RP. Retrieved February 25, 2011, 01:53 am. http://www.people.virginia.edu/~lkr8v/politics.htm. Retrieved February 25, 2011, 02:33 am.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Loniless In Of Mice And Men :: essays research papers

â€Å"Friendship needs no words—it is a loneliness relieved of the anguish of loneliness.† - Dag Hammarskjold. Without friends, people begin to suffer loneliness and solitude. In Of Mice and Men, the characters of Crooks and Curley’s wife suffer loneliness stemmed from some form of rejection. Both of them are desperate to find an escape from their loneliness or some easy way to cope with their seclusion from the rest of the society. Crooks is a black man that experiences isolation because the society that he lives in is racist. â€Å" A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody †¦ I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an he gets sick.† Crooks’ loneliness is a result of rejection from everyone else on the ranch. He is forced to live alone in a barn, let to work only with the horses. Crooks spends most of his time reading. The only relationship he can find is with his books. When Lennie enters his room, Crooks is interested in Lennie’s relationship with George. â€Å"Well s’pose, jus’ s’pose he don’t come back.† Crooks wants to make people understand and maybe even have sympathy for his situation. Crooks becomes so desperate for a relationship that he offers his services to George and Lennie for free, just to escape his loneliness. Curley’s wife, Mae, is married to a man that gives her little attention and none of his time. Mae dresses and acts like a â€Å"tart† to gain attention on the ranch in order to soothe her loneliness. Because she is the only woman on the ranch, her flirting causes the men on the ranch to want to avoid her. â€Å"Wha’s the matter with me? Ain’t I got a right to talk to nobody?† The men don’t want any trouble from her husband. Mae struggles to find someone in her society to consult with. She finally seeks out someone who doesn’t know any better than to talk to her. Once she found that person, Lennie, her lonliness is sotthed permanently.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Purpose and Nature of Architecture Essay -- Design Architecture

The Purpose and Nature of Architecture What is it that we mean when we say ‘the architecture of the city’? What are cities planned to be? Why should we plan anything? When we plan ahead, we perhaps have a goal in mind. What is this goal, for an architect or an urban designer? Simply putting it, their goal is to make environments in which man can live in ways better than he could before. Right from the early times, when shelter meant only a roof over ones head, or when taking shelter meant seeking protection inside a cave or getting under the tree cover, man sought to improve his living conditions. He sought shelter that was more comfortable than the one he had before. From caves and trees, man moved to mud huts and animal skin tents. Constantly striving towards improvisation to suit his changing needs, he has today, shelter in the form of buildings in brick and concrete, that he has termed architecture; gardens and malls where he spends his leisure time, these along with the buildings and the spaces between, he calls urban fabric. There are road networks, that link buildings to each other, buildings to public plazas, that link living areas to work areas, or living areas to educational areas, or living areas to shopping areas. Man has first fragmented his lifestyle and living spaces, then attempted to join it with roads. What he fragments, often stays fragmented forever. Life for him is still a series of experiences which he sometimes can see as a whole but often not. What was once upon a time harmonious living, is divided up into neat compartments with supposedly greater efficiency. Today, we have intelligent buildings that have automated functions. But, what is the sequence of experiences one can have within these buildings? Does that matter or not at all? Are they experiences that satisfy human nature or is it a contrived environment that is far removed from the real world? Do experiences generated by this new architecture, by this new urban design, by this new city planning still inspire man to think and to feel? Does it make him grow, or does it strangulate his sense of being? As an architect or urban designer, must one know all about space and form and structure and nothing about life's experiences, about feeling, about nature? How does an architect or urban designer know about all of life's experiences? Is it... ... parts. I believe that research into the phenomenon of architectural experience and its possible objectification is the spring board towards a more vibrant and humane built environment. We must know if the design processes we employ are the same as the thought processes we undergo whilst experiencing these urban spaces that we design. We must know, which experiences we enjoy the most, how these experiences come about and if the designer must play a role in making these happen, where must he begin? . For example, in our country ,India, there is a lot that is fragmented and that comes together randomly to form a whole which is so much more rich in nature than a putting together in an orderly fashion, of uniform, standardized parts. The study of the experience of architecture I think is the spring board to the creation of more vibrant and humane environments. We must know if the design processes we employ are the same as the thought processes we undergo whilst experiencing these urban spaces that we design. We must know, which experiences we enjoy the most, and how these experiences come about and if the designer must play a role in making these happen, where must he begin?

Friday, October 11, 2019

Farmers see trouble as tomato prices nosedive Essay

The main problem outlined in the article is low price of tomatoes in Coimbatore market, Tamil nadu. This is a result of surplus of tomatoes in Coimbatore caused by high supply of tomatoes. The basic economic problem, that is, for whom to produce? (Distribution of goods) is being faced by the farmers. In this graph, we can see that supply has increased indicated by the rightward shift in the supply curve from Se to S 2. This shift has resulted in the price falling from Pe to p 2. There are several factors that has jointly caused this high increase in supply. First is the weather conditions, â€Å"good southwest monsoon†. The second factor is improvement in technology/ availability of advance machines, â€Å"better irrigation facilities†. And the last factor is â€Å"inadequate demand† in Kerala market that made the farmers in the western Tamil nadu to move their supply of tomatoes to the retail outlets of Coimbatore. It is believed that demand will remain low in Kerala until the national festival onam arrives and will gradually start increasing. This demand will make the western Tamil nadu farmers to shift focus back to the Kerala’s market. This will result in decrease in supply in the market of Coimbatore, which will lead to increase in price of tomatoes in Coimbatore market. This graph shows the decrease in supply in the market of Coimbatore represented by the leftward shift of the supply curve(s 2) to the new supply curve(s 3). This in turn increased the price from P 2 TO P 3. This graph shows demand and supply in the market of Kerala after the arrival of onam festival and before it. The equilibrium demand is De and equilibrium supply is Se. Firstly, the supply increases from Se to S2 because of a bumper harvest and to prevent from loses they move their that part of the market to Coimbatore represented by the reverse movement from S2 to Se. Later when the festival season arrives the demand increases indicated by the rightward shift of De and in respond the supply also increases from Se to S2. The outcome of the whole situation is very devastating on the farmers. They are not even being able to get back half of the total production cost and are facing huge losses. And if this continues they will be forced to let the tomatoes to rot. Which means that the factors of production used in the process of farming are wasted. Which has a huge cost to it as that factors(such as the farm land) could have been used for some other purpose. This problem of surplus of tomatoes in the market is seen every year and therefore a step should be taken by the government to tackle this issue, as the producers are a part of the society and it is a market failure if the producers don’t receive the right amount for their commodity, which is, also misallocation of resources as too much of a commodity is being produced at too low price. That means welfare loss to the society. Therefore, the government of India should take solid steps in order to stop the exploitation of the farmers and give them an incentive for continuing producing their commodity. This can be done in many ways. First is by fixing a minimum price or floor price for tomatoes to sell at which will help the producers get a appropriate profit and buy the surplus of the commodity and sell it elsewhere in the country. The government can also form an union for tomato farmers which will in times like one discussed in the article will buffer stock and regulate the supply to get the minimum price or sell tomato in the other local markets of the country and if possible and appropriate import it to other countries. This will help farmers get high profits as well as improves the trade balance of the country.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Analysis: Narrative and Story Essay

The stylistic analysis of Richard Gordon’s story â€Å"Doctor in the house† by Arailym Zharmukhamed from IN-11-2 â€Å"Doctor in the house† was written by Richard Gordon, a famous English writer. He was born in 1921. He had been a surgeon and anaesthetist, he wrote numerous novels, screenplays for film and television and accounts of popular history, mostly dealing with the practice of medicine. He was most famous for a long series of comic novels on a medical theme starting with â€Å"Doctor in the House†, and the subsequent film, television, radio and stage adaptations. Everything that author described in the story â€Å"Doctor in the house† was true to life, that is why it made this story so popular among people. The subject of the story is sitting for examinations. Well, now I’m going to analyze the story. The story is short. And narrative mode of the text are both narration and description. The author describes us what examination means for students and narrates about exam itself and his own experience when he was a student. The plot structure of the story is interesting one. The exposition of the text starts with the explanation what examination means for a medical student and what examination means in whole. After the explanation we come to the inciting moment when the narrator takes his exam. I slowly pass to the climax of the story when Richard is waiting for the results. And I come to the resolution when he has learnt that passed the examinations. Having analyzed the plot structure, I would like to give the summary of the extract. The story takes place during the examination for medical students. As the narrator mentions it’s something like a death. The exam is consists of two parts, they are written papers and oral examination. 3 hours are allowed for the paper. Students swott up the spot questions, because there is rarely any frank cheating in medical examinations. When the narrator is finished with the written papers, he meets Grimsdyke who knows that there’s a special system of marking the tripos and the narrator shouldn’t worry about it. As for the viva, it was a judgement day, because a false answer and the student is finished. There were 5 other students with the narrator who were passing the viva. When it was his turn to pass it he easily copes with the first question, but stumbles through the second, that is why the days after the viva are black ones. At last the day when students could learn their results comes. It’s the Secretary who simply should say â€Å"pass† or â€Å"failed†. The narrator worries so much that even doesn’t hear the  Secretary who named his number. So it turned out that the narrator passed his exam. His feelings are mixed. Now, I’m gradually passing to the main characters of the story. Here is only one main character – the narrator. The method of character drawing is indirect. He is round, dynamic, protagonist character. The narrator is a medical student. During the whole story we can see him passing through examinations. The day of the examination was the worst thing on the earth, something like death for all students. If you want to pass it you should be ready. So, I think he is well-read in medicine, hard-working person, because there is rarely any frank cheating in medical examinations, so a student should know the material and help himself. He managed with this. I also can say that he is very observant. The narrator notices different kind of emotions on people’s faces. For example he talks about porters who look dispassionately down at students, he sees an awkward expression of self-consciousness and superiority in students faces, he notices that the woman’s suit was neat but not smart, that her hair tidy but not striking, that she wore enough make-up to look attractive. The narrator is an interesting character, he likes to compare people with somebody. For examples, he compares porters with policemen, examination is something like death as he mentions, the Old Stager with a photographer at a wedding. He can easily find the right word to describe the person. So, I can say that he is smart. We also know he passed his exam, it means his knowledge of medicine are good enough and maybe one day he’ll become a doctor. On the whole, I can say that he creates an image of an ordinary student. I slowly come to the author’s style of the text. If to look at the text, we may notice that it is written in the first person narration: â€Å"I walked down the stairs feeling as if I had just finished an eight-round fight†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ,†I was shown to a tiny waiting-room†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or â€Å"I stood before table four. I didn’t recognize the examiners.† And so on. Speaking about vocabulary of the story, it is important to say that the language is expressive, emotional. Richard Gordon uses lots of thematic words such as â€Å"student, cheating, the examiners, to pass, tripos the viva, written papers†, etc. The author uses stylistic devices and expressive means to achieve desired effect in describing characters and examination itself. Well, on the whole the text is emotionally moving. Now I want to provide some examples of Stylistic devices. Richard Gordon uses simile, metaphor, hyperbole, allusion,  metonymy. By the simile â€Å"examinations are something like death†, the author shows what the students feel before it, their condition; â€Å"like a prize-fighter†, here Richard Gordon wants to show the atmosphere of contest between the student himself and the examiner; by using metaphor â€Å"well-trodden paths† the author shows the attitude to the medical textbooks; â€Å"frustrated brilliance† about a gone hope of a student; by using a hypebole â€Å"an examination is nothing more than an investigation of a manà ¢â‚¬â„¢s knowledge†, the author shows what the examination is. Or â€Å"But the viva is judgement day. A false answer, and the god’s brow threatens like imminent thunderstorm† to show the importance of examination for students; the author excellently uses the allusion referring to the Bible’s Judgment day. We discover that final exams are death and the Secretary as an archangel corresponds where they would go to the paradise or to hell. So, we can see that the text is rich in stylistic devices, it makes it vivid. It’s important to mention that the syntax of the story also helps to make the story vivid. Each sentence is complete. The structure of the sentences is characterized by a strict adherence to logic, the author uses parallels constructions which help to reflect the tense during anticipation of the narrator’s result: â€Å"The world stood still. The traffic stopped, the plants ceased growing, men were paralysed, the clouds hung in the air, the winds dropped, the tides disappeared, the sun halted in the s ky.† Having analyzed stylistic devises we can describe the atmosphere and tone of the story. In the beginning the atmosphere is strained, in the middle of the test when students start examination it becomes nervous, but in the end it’s relaxed because the narrator has known that he passed the exam. The tone is serious because the narrator describes the examination and shows the importance of it for students. Having realized the story we can easily find the theme and the main idea of it. The theme of the story is worries about examination. The main idea is that examination is a real challenge for students and a real testing of being ready for different difficulties. And now, I’m trying to conclude my thoughts. In our world, there are full of difficulties and various problems. I’m sure no one can say that he is free from spoiling his nerves and health in order to overcome some important destiny barriers. As a matter of fact, who can agree that life is more interesting, when it flows as a calm river of constantly and monotonously changing events? A person  becomes experienced and strong only having felt the whole disgrace of the world he has a chance to live in. And what an amazing quality our memory has; it specially chooses the worst recollections and with the sense cruelty reminds us our past mistakes and annoyances, making us feel that awful feelings again and again. The fact that nothing can be as memorable as our misfortunes was remarkably proved by Richard Gordon. Having a great medical practice, the author reveals his own recollections of the old days, when he was just a student, stumbling through the most scaring trial in his life – the finals. He colourfully describes all the sides of his extremely important event. Cheating is practically impossible, all the knowledge is an inseparable mass in the heads of young and full of hopes students. Oral and writing examinations become some kind of a â€Å"judgment day†. And not everyone becomes that lucky, who will take the diploma from the professor’s hands. With an irony the author gives us the description of students’ feelings and behaviour. Some of them have â€Å"superiosity in their faces†, others were trying to complete the last brilliant sentence, â€Å"dissatisfied with the period allowed for them to express themselves†. After years such event seems to be extremely funny. The author showed us the atmosphere people sometimes have to be in. Recollecting my own experience I can say that in many cases my feelings were the same. Everything, which happens to us sooner or later turns into the simple recollection. Of course it puts a trace in our mind, and not always pleasant one. Author gives us a way to understanding of such things. It is humour, the best â€Å"cure of the injures† the life gives us. Remembering this rule a person is able to overcome many life trials, becoming stronger and wiser. In this case even the best professor can’t be compared with the teacher we all have – our past. For me, every time the examinations require from me much effort and nerves for preparation and passing them. So, heaving read this story, I found that Richard Gordon is a master of witty descriptions of serious and important events in people’s life. Not many authors are able to achieve this effect in his or her works, but Richard Gordon made this perfectly.