Dogs as Pets

Dogs, simply put, are man’s best friend. These fantastic creatures are extremely loving and undeniably loyal. Both dogs and humans are happier if we are around each other. A great deal of dog owners make their dogs a significant part of their family. Having a dog in your life awards you with numerous benefits. Dogs provide their owners with companionship and relief from loneliness, mental health benefits, physical health benefits and exercise options, built in home security, pleasure in knowing you’re caring for a living creature, and complete unconditional love. Companionship is probably the number one reason people adopt a dog. You know when you come home everyday you will always have a happy soul there to greet you. Whether you need someone to accompany you on a ride in the car, if you’re craving a little cuddling in your bed or company on the couch watching television your dog will always be there for you. When you own a dog you are never alone. In fact, just walking from room to room in your home you’ll be followed. When human beings disappoint you and you feel as you have no one you can spend time with you can always count on your canine. The loyalty of dogs is amazing and they always want to be by your side. There are many other benefits to owning a dog but for sure your dog will become your side kick. Dog ownership can have a very concrete effect on your mental and emotional well being. Just the fact that with a dog you never feel alone is totally beneficial to your mental state. Being alone can often lead to depression, and owning a dog can cure or reduce those feelings. It is reported that dogs elevate serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain which control pleasure and calming feelings. With these feelings comes a happier existence and lower stress levels. Besides the mental health benefits, having a low stress life can lead to physical benefits as well. Dogs can also be profitable to your physical body. Many studies show that dog owners have lower levels of cholesterol. Other studies reveal people who own dogs have lower blood pressure levels than someone that does not own a dog. Possibly this could be do to dog’s stress reducing capabilities. Also, studies have shown that people who own dogs have lower levels of anxiety during stressful situations than pet free people. Another added plus to owning a dog is a reason to exercise. If you are a responsible owner walking your dog is a necessity. While exercising your dog you are also exercising yourself, which is obviously beneficial. For many years people have studied the physical influence dogs have over people. All studies conclude that dog ownership has solid and substantial impact on the human body. Besides biological benefits, home security is another factor dogs play a part in. A dog can hear things that we as humans cannot hear. Anyone who owns a dog knows that no one or nothing can get five feet from their house without their dog alerting them to that fact. If a potential burglar is considering your home for a break in and they hear a dog barking, they will most definitely not go through with it. While a professional alarm system is subject to electrical and programming failures, a dog’s innate sense to protect their territory will never fail. A dog’s need to defend their home and owners is an integral part of their being. Owning a dog can make you sleep good at night and you can always rely on this failure safe means of security. People need security for their homes, but also need security for their souls. It is possible that human beings have a distinct need to care for living beings. Especially people without children, a dog can be like a son or daughter to its owner. Providing for and taking care of something that completely depends on you can create great comfort. Owning a dog can give someone great purpose and meaning in their life. In payment for taking care of your dog, he will give you complete unconditional love. No matter what your circumstances are your dog will always love you to the bitter end. Their love for you is automatic and definite. From the moment you pick them up and decide they are to become yours, they love you. As our life goes on our needs constantly evolve and change. However, love is something we need from the moment we are born until the die we die. And dogs will provide you much love as though that is their purpose on this earth. Dogs award human beings with many things. You will always have a friend you can count on. While human friends may come and go, your canine buddy will stand by your side forever. With this constant companionship comes a new mental state. Dog ownership can help you overcome depression, anxiety and stressful situations. While your mind is being soothed, your physical body can be assisted as well. By committing to physical exercise with your canine companion, you are living a healthier lifestyle. With added benefits of lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure, owning a dog can make your quality of life much better. The fact that your home is more secure because your dog will be protecting it will give anyone peace. Great purpose can be felt knowing your dog is completely relying on you. Just the feeling of total love your dog bestows on you will make your world a happier place. A dog can make your life complete. One cannot completely understand this statement if they don’t own a dog. A dog can and will make your life fuller, happier, safer, meaningful, and full of love. No wonder they call them man’s best friend.

Export Import

Import and export of goods play a vital role in all the economy. That too, India is a developing country, the role of export and import are of greater emphasis. There must be a free flow of exports and imports in order to improve the economy. But, the free flow should not affect the economy. So, the control over import and export of goods become the need of the hour.Regulation mandated by a state attempts to produce outcome which might not otherwise occur, produce or prevent outcomes in different places to what might otherwise occur, or produce or prevent outcomes in ifferent timescales than would otherwise occur. In this way, regulations can be seen as implementations artifacts of policy statements. The economics of imposing or removing regulations relating to markets is analyzed in regulatory economics. [Development of economic legislation is of comparatively recent origin.Reserve Bank of India was established in 1935 to exercise control over banking and fiscal activities. Need to control economic activities through legislation arose during the Second World War to face shortages. Price and distribution controls were established on arious essential commodities under the Defense of India Act, 1939 (later converted into Essential Supplies (Temporary Powers) Act of 1946 and Essential commodities Act in 1955). Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947 was passed to control the difficult position of foreign exchange. Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951 provided for industrial licensing and registration.MRTP Act was passed in 1969 to exercise control over monopolies, unfair trade practices and restrictive trade practices. Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Act, 1985 was passed as a solution to growing sickness in industries. Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 was passed to establish a statutory body (SEBI) to exercise control over rapidly growing capital market. Earlier, capital issues (control) Act, 1947 was used to exercise cont rol over capital issues. This Act was scrapped after the formation of SEBI. As international business is growing, importance of controls over foreign transactions is growing.The main purpose of economic legislation is to support the economic policies of the Government. b. to exercise control over economic activities. to protect consumers from unscrupulous persons. d. To prevent bad side effects of the development. India decided to follow Russian model of ‘controlled economy and ‘leading role to public sector'. Various Acts were passed atter 1947 to suppo t rt nese ideals. T envisaged various controls, licensing etc†¦ Some Acts like Essential Commodities Act. FERA was designed to support ‘shortage economy, where supply was less compared to demand. These economic policies were totally changed in July 1991.It is ironical that through the policies have changrd, the old Acts still continue. Though some amendments to FERA, MRTP Act etc†¦ have been made, the bas ic philosophy of these Acts (i. e) controls and licensing continues. Luckily, the Acts provided so much flexibility in framing policies that these old Acts provided so much flexibility in framing policies that these old Acts designed for different purposes and with entirely different concepts can be in fact are being used to implement new policies. Indeed the new policies are against basic philosophy of the old economic legislation.The country which is purchasing the goods is known as the importing country and the country which is selling the goods known as exporting country. The traders involved in such transaction are importers and exporters respectively. In India, exports and imports are regulated by Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992, which replaced the Imports and Exports (control) Act, 1947, and gave the Government of India enormous powers to control it. Besides the FTDR Act, there are some other laws which control the export and import of goods. These includ e :- a. -rea Act, 1953 b.Coffee Act, 1942 The Rubber Act, 1947 The Marine Products Export Development Authority Act, 1972 e. The Enemy Property Act, 1968 The Export (Quality Control and Inspection) Act, 1963. g. The tobacco Board Act, 197513] IMPORT RESTRICTIONS Control over the import ot the goods in to India is exercised by the Import Trade Control Oragnisation, which functions under the ministry of commerce. This rganisation is supervised by the director General of foreign trade station at New Delhi, who is assisted by Additional and Joint director general and by other licensing authorities at various centers.Current import policy is embodied in the export and import policy book out by the DGFT. CUSTOMS ACT, 1962 Section 12(1) of the customs Act is the charging section which provides for imposition of a duty called Customs duty levied as per the customs Tariff act 1975, or any other law for the time being in force on the goods imported in to India or exported out of India. The ob jects of Customs Act are i) To regulate imports and exports. To protect domestic industries from dumping. iii) revenue in the form of customs duty and indirect tax. iv) legislations such as FTDR and FEMA.To collect To assist allied By virtue of the power conferred under Secl 56 of the Customs Act 1962 Central Govt is empowered to make rules consistent with the provisions of the Act. Similarly by virtue of its powers conferred under Sec157 of the Act , the Central Board of Excise and Customs(CBEC) has been empowered to frame regulations( Customs House Agent Regulations) EXPORT & IMPORT PROHIBITIONS Secl 1 of the Customs Act 1962 gives powers to central government to prohibit import or export of goods . Such a prohibition can be absolute or conditional.Absolute prohibition means an importer is totally prohibited in importing/exporting the subject goods. Some of the goods prohibited from time to time are narcotic drugs, explosives, live or dead animals [birds, arms and ammunition, coun terfeit currency notes. On the other hand, conditional prohibition would mean that the prohibition would mean that the prohibition would mean that the prohibition is subject to certain conditions imposed. A conditional prohibition would attract in a case where the importer is prohibited in selling/trading the imported goods but can only use the ame as a raw material for manufacture.Some item like wool, turmeric, onion, black pepper, tea, etc†¦ are allowed to be exported only after they are graded by designated authorities. In terms of Sec. ll (2) of the Customs Act, 1962, the prohibition may among other things relate to the following: i) Maintenance of security of India. Prevention of smuggling Conservation of foreign exchange and safeguarding balance of payments. Prevention of serious injury to domestic production of goods. v) Protection of national treasures. Maintenance of public order and standards of decency and morality. vii)Protection of IPR (Patent/Trademark/Copyright) viii) Any other matter conducive to the interest of general public. Sec. 2 (33) of the act defines prohibited goods means any goods the import or export of which is subject to any prohibition under this act or any other law for time being in force but doesn't include any such goods in respect of which the conditions subject to which the goods are permitted to be imported or exported, have been complied with. Therefore, the prohibition under Customs Act applies to prohibition under any other law in India. ) Ancient Monument Prevention Act prohibits/ restricts antiquities e imported or exported without licence. b) Arms and ammunition cannot c) Wildlife Act prohibits certain exports- ‘red sandal wood ‘(which are used in Middle East countries for making musical instruments) d) Environment Protection Act prohibits export of some items. At the time of import of goods the customs authorities will first check whether the items imported is prohibited / restricted or subject to co nditional import, before allowing clearance of the goods.Similarly at the time export also the goods are given ‘let export order' only after they are checked with the reference to restrictions/ rohibitions. If such goods are attempted to be smuggled the goods are liable to seizure/confiscation and the offender liable to penal action including arrest / prosecution under the Customs Act. The word ‘confiscation' implies appropriation consequential to seizure. The essence and concept of the confiscation is that after confiscation the property of the confiscated goods vest with the central govt.Secl 1 1 of the Act provides for confiscation of improperly imported goods. The goods brought from a place outside India shall be liable for confiscation. Sec. 111 (d) says â€Å"any goods hich are imported or attempted to be imported or are brought within the Indian Customs waters for the purpose of being imported, contrary to any prohibition imposed by or under this act or any other law for the time being in force. Secl 13 of the Act deals with confiscation of goods attempted to be improperly exported .The export goods shall be liable for confiscation under sec 113 (d) says â€Å"any goods attempted to be exported or brought within the limits of any customs area for the purpose of being exported contrary to any prohibition imposed by or under this Act or any other law for time being in force. COFEPOSA, 1974 Conservation of Foreign Exchange and prevention of smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA) was passed in 1974 when foreign exchange position in India was bleak and smuggling was beyond control.In view of recent liberalisation, the Act has lost its significance. The Act gives wide powers to executive to detain a person on mere Suspicion of smuggling (the draconian provisions of the act can be compared with provisions of TADA, where a person can be incarnated in Jail merely for possessing a illegal weapon and having acquaintances with some underworld elements, w ithout any proof of direct involvement in terrorist activities). The acts like COFEPOSA, TADA, etc†¦ are criticized on the ground that they violate basic human rights.Freedom of a man can be taken away under such Acts, without Judicial scrutiny and safeguards. The act has been given special protection by including the same in the 9th schedule to constitution. The validity of COFEPOSA particularly section 5A and SAFEMA smugglers and foreign Exchange Manipulators (forfeiture of property) Act 1976, have been upheld in Attorney General of India Vs. Amaratlal PraJivandas[4]. A 9 member bench SC order. Thus, individual civil liberties can be curtailed for national security and in national interest.Under provisions of the act, a Government officer, not below the rank of Joint Secretary in case of central Government and Secretary in case of State Government, who is specifically authorized by central or state government for that purpose, is authorised to order detention of a person (inc luding a foreigner) with a view to prevent him from acting in any manner prejudicial to conservation or augmentation of foreign exchange, or to prevent him from smuggling or abetting smuggling of goods, or transporting, keeping conceling or dealing in smuggling goods or harbouring persons engaged in smuggling ot goods. section. ). where an order ot detention is made by state government officer, it should be reported to central government within 10 days. (Section. 3 (2)). When detention is ordered by central government, central govt. is appropriate government. When detention is ordered by state government, that govt. is appropriate government. The significance of this definition is that the ‘Appropriate government' has to make a reference to advisory board formed for the purpose of COFEPOSA and take action as per decision of advisory board.Appropriate government also has powers to revoke a detention, release a person temporarily, etc†¦ SAFEMA, 1976 Another act relevant to COEPOSA is SAFEMA – smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of property) Act, 1976. The act applies to persons convicted under customs Act, FERA and to those detained under COFEPOSA. The purpose of the act is to forfeit the illegally acquired properties of the smugglers and foreign exchange manipulators. Property can be forfeited merely on the ground that he is detained under COFEPOSA.However, in case of customs and FERA, property can be forfeited only if a person is convicted under these Acts. An appellate tribunal has also been formed for this purpose. COFEPOSA is dreaded Act similar to TADA. It permits detention of a person even without a charge. Since the powers are extraordinary, generally courts are strict about the conditions prescribed in respect of detention. FOREIGN TRADE (DEVELOPMENT AND REGULATION) ACT, 1992. The FTDR Act is designed to develop and regulate foreign trade by facilitating imports in to India, and augmenting exports from India, and fo r matters connected therewith.The salient features of the Act are as follows; 0 It has empowered the Central Government to make provisions for development and regulation of foreign trade by acilitating imports into, and augmenting exports from India and for all matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. 0 The Central Government can prohibit, restrict and regulate exports and imports, in all or specified cases as well as subject them to exemptions. 0 It authorizes the Central Government to formulate and announce an Export and Import (EXIM) Policy and also amend the same from time to time, by notification in the Official Gazette. It provides for the appointment of a Director General of Foreign Trade by the Central Government for the purpose of the Act. He shall advise Central Government in formulating export and import policy and implementing the policy. 01Jnder the Act, every importer and exporter must obtain a ‘Importer Exporter Code Number' (‘EC) from Director G eneral of Foreign Trade or from the officer so authorised. The Director General or any other officer so authorised can suspend or cancel a licence issued for export or import of goods in accordance with the Act.But he does it after giving the licence holder a reasonable opportunity of being heard. PENALTY Export or import in violation of provisions of the act, rules or policy is an offence. Penalty up to five times the value of goods can be imposed. The contravening goods and conveyance carrying the goods are liable to confiscation. The goods and conveyances confiscated can be released by paying redemption charges equal to market value of such goods or conveyance.Conveyance will not be confiscated if it is owner proves that the conveyance was used without his knowledge or ne took reasonable precautions against its misuse. Penalty and confiscation can be ordered by ‘Adjudicatory authority. APPEAL Appeal against the order of DGFT for refusing of suspending or cancelling code umb er or licence or imposing penalty can be filed within 45 days with prescribed authority. Appeal can be filed only on payment of penalty imposed, unless appellate authority dispense with such pre deposit (Section. 5 of FTDR). Central Government can call and examine any records and pass revision orders in some cases (section. 16 of the act). SETTLEMENT A person can opt for settlement by admitting contravention in the following Contravention was without willful mistake or without any circumstances. a. collusion, fraud or without intention to cause loss of foreign exchange. b. Person mporting has not misutilised the imported goods, but condition of ‘Actual user' or ‘Export obligation' have not been satisfied.

Meeting the psychological needs of teaching staff Essay

Meeting the psychological needs of teaching staff - Essay Example In April 2000, Pamela Relf, a teacher with over 36 year’s experience, took her life after an Ofsted inspector criticised her teaching at Middlefield Primary School in Eynesbury, Cambridgeshire. For a teacher of her experience to be criticised like this, was more than a rebuke. Pamela, the school’s senior most teachers left behind a note echoing the sentiments of many teachers, saying "I am now finding the stress of my job too much. The pace of work and the long days are more than I can do." Similarly, three other teachers have also been linked to stress, bullying and Ofsted inspections. They are Janet Watson (33) of Northwick, Cheshire, Jenny Knibb (47) of Exeter, and James Patton (29) of Birmingham. Though the numbers of casualties are unknown and definitely much more, the above cases alone characterise the heat teachers undergo in the face of prolonged stress and bullying. Though these teachers took their lives because of the workload and pressure to perform, it is ar gued that their suicide was because of mental health problem. But this can also come about due to the result of psychiatric injury caused by prolonged negative stress. Psychiatric injury is not the same as mental illness (Tim Field, 2006). The cases of stress and strain are numerous and would go beyond many, many pages. In order to understand the impact of stress and strain on teachers, the above cases were quoted. To overcome the negative thoughts of leaving the profession, teachers had to be offered perks and cordial work environment for retention.

Western European superiority - better than Indians, the Chinese and Term Paper

Western European superiority - better than Indians, the Chinese and European neighbors- imperialist conquests and World War I - Term Paper Example The western part involved the N.E part of Belgium and France, whilst Netherlands opted to remain neutral throughout the war, and the British Empire as well, battling out with the then Prussia (Perry, et al 365). Scholars indicate that Western Europe forged ahead of other parts of Europe, and the world, including Asia. The western front had a b added advantage over the other parts as the part was better off in terms of use of artillery, firearms, armed ships and fortifications (Perry, et al 365). By the year 1800, the western front had managed to conquer numerous states as well as control major trade routes in Asia, particularly taking over Americans. Western Europe was well placed before the 1800, as opposed to China, Japan and the Ottoman Empire, as these countries had not had the expertise to use firearms to their advantage and the gun power technology (Bulliet, et al 268). The Ottoman cannons are indicated to be of poor quality and had to be re-melted for use (Bulliet , et al 268) . The military weapons for instance in Vietnam by 1572, were not worth re-using (Bulliet, et al 743). This fact places the Western empire at a better place than her counterparts, to an extent that the empire was exporting weapons to the Ottoman. In the case of Asia, Adas indicates that Asia was no exceptional, as they hired Western European militants to help them in the tactics of gun making and military organization (137). Among these military expertises include Napoleonic officers and the gun founders of the time (Perry et al 366). This is a clear evidence of the Western Front superiority that they were enjoying at the time- early 1800s. Despite the fact that China was more economically able as contrasted to the Western Front, its military prowess placed her at a better stance over other states (Adas 138). Though, at a later stage other countries outside the Western Empire began to develop in terms of military technology, for instance Japan and the volley fire, all these tactics a ccording to Selin lagged behind that of Western Front (2276). The military competition caused a lot of tension and instability in Europe. Adas also indicates that the able powers also become competitive economically (133). The ‘military able’ countries sustained productivity; thus, competition in Europe. Adas indicates that India joined in the arms race, and wanted to adopt the modern and sophisticated weapons and military tactics. This competition for arms led to clear warfare in the world, as all countries wanted to be prepared to deal with both local and foreign rivals (165). In a nutshell, one would argue that war was visualized as the path to prowess and prowess; thus, almost all countries globally flexed their muscles towards the arms race. Almost all leaders wanted to be likened to kings of military ability, notable example Louis XIV at Versailles, all in the battle to join in a ‘royal sport’ –war (Louis-XIV & Sonnino 173). Western Europe conq uered small states into her territory, and was continually on the move to outdo their military counterparts. Adas indicates that the efforts by Western Europe to advance in military technology, the move led to countries funding their armies, navies, all in an endeavor to improve it logistics and military techniques (134). Since the move to upgrade their military technique by various states did not last a day, Western Europe retained her position at the top of the world’s military league. However, it is important to note that Western Europeans considered themselves better than Indians, the Chinese and European neighbors, as the Western Empire did not face some of the challenges that the other countries were facing.

Bioinformatics and molecular modelling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Bioinformatics and molecular modelling - Essay Example Plant lipases are often considered to be involved in regulating certain plant growths and developments (Bos and Laxminarayan, 2011; 42). They are mainly found in seeds where triglycerides are stored in the form of intracellular structures or the oil bodies. Lipases usually hydrolyze triglycerides to fatty acids and glycerol that produces energy needed for seed germination. The plant lapses are usually classified into three main groups with the first group consisting of the triacylglycerol hydrolases that are mainly found in seeds. Their study is vital since they are responsible for seed alteration especially during storage. The second group is the acylhydrolases that are found in various plant tissues. They often exhibit limited specificity for their substrates; therefore, they are unable to hydrolyze triglycerides. However, they are cable to catalyze some esterification processes or reactions (Appel and Feytmans, 2009; p. 68). The profound acylhydrolases include phospholipases A and B, sulfolipases, glycolipases, and monoglyceride lipases. The last group in this category is the phosphorlipases that involve plant metabolism, degradation, and rearrangement. Other than the above classification, the recent studies have led to different classification of lipases based on comparison of the sequences of their amino acid among other fundamental biological and physicochemical properties (Gupta, 2007; 34). This modern classification led to eleven subfamilies. Despite being a member of many protein families, the lipases often have similar architecture that is described by the ?-hydrolase fold. The activities of all lipases often rely on the catalytic triad that is usually fromed by the Asp, Ser, and His residues. In the sequence of the amino acid especially involving ?/? hydrolases, these three residues often follow the user-Asp-His order. Additionally, lipases often share the consensus sequence defined by the Gly-Xaa-Ser-Xaa-Gly where X may be a residue of an amino acid (Bos and Laxminarayan, 2011; p. 33). The three dimensional structure of any protein molecule often provides valuable insight into the molecular function, organization, docking stimulation, and the effective designing of drug experiments. The lack of an experimentally determined crystal structure, the homology modeling may be used to provide an opportunity in obtaining a reasonable 3D model. Currently, the 3D models often provide a perfect means of predicting the structure of biomolecules since it yields models that are suitable for a wide application spectrum that are structurally based thereby providing molecular design for mechanism investigation. The 3D approach is capable of providing a reasonable structure model that is often related to template that shares more than 25 percent sequence identity. An Arabidopsis thaliana lipase model is greatly proposed to investigate the model organism mainly in the plant biology since it is relatively small and and it is genetically tractable genome. Methods The Target and Template Proteins The model is perfect in determining adequate template for the homology modeling for the Arabidopsis thaliana. This sequence allows the alignment of amino acid sequence against the protein data bank (PDB) and this is performed by means of BLAST algorithm. According to the sequence algorithm, both the template (1HLG) and the target share 31 percent of the sequence identity.

English Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

English Language - Essay Example English acts as a binding force and has been doing so for quite some time, apart from the United States, in countries like India and Australia too. India is a land of diverse cultures and myriad languages and in spite of the fact, has remained remarkably united. Some of its credit goes to the English language which was unanimously elected as the official language of the country. As for Australia, it is like America one huge melting pot of culturally and linguistically diverse people. English is the only unifying factor among the different immigrants of Australia. The Australian government has recently made it very clear that the acquisition of English is mandatory to people applying for its citizenship. Krauthammer C clearly points out in his article that "One of the major reasons for America's great success as the world's first "universal nation," for its astonishing and unmatched capacity for assimilating immigrants, has been that an automatic part of acculturation was the acquisition of English." Even though we may dismiss the intrinsic-power hypothesis that English possesses certain linguistic characteristics, which would make it the most preferred language on Earth as a racial claim, it nevertheless has to be considered. The simplicity of inflections in English and the flexibility of functions, which has grown over the last five centuries as a result of the loss of inflections, have greatly contributed to its dominance and popularity. One other inherent nature of English is the openness of its vocabulary which implies the free admission of words from other languages and the ready creation of compounds and derivatives. America therefore, is endowed with a unifying language which is indeed a blessing, as Krauthammer C points out But it has also blessed us, because of the accident of our origins, with a linguistic unity that brings a critically needed cohesion to a nation as diverse, multiracial and multiethnic as America." Though English spread all over the world because of exploitation and colonization, more than a billion people around the world today speak English. It is well on its way to becoming the world's language. Its cohesive powers to unite people from different countries, cultures and languages cannot be disputed. If America intends to successfully assimilate its diverse immigrants it cannot but expect the English language to give it a helping hand. Krauthammer C could not put it in a stronger way "English is the U.S.'s national and common language. But that may change over time unless we change our assimilation norms. Making English the official language is the first step toward establishing those norms."English has borrowed words and phrases from almost three-fourths of the world's languages and has both the genius and flexibility to make them its own. Every known language therefore, has something in common with English. What other world language has the same bonding and binding powers and also the right to be elected the "official" language of the US1 Euphemisms are words used to underplay the ugly. They are one of the ways through which we get a secret glance into a particular society's hypocrisy. If we observe them carefully in relation to the circumstances that give birth to them, it will be

ME Portfolio Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

ME Portfolio Project - Essay Example In addition to this, the article examines three specific countries that were not within Europe during the historic transformation and how the business cycle performed compared to the ones within the European region. The outcome expectations of the study were that there would be an avenue that arises due to the changes made. This will therefore create new opportunities for the business cycle. This paper however is a critical analysis of the article. The paper looks at the economic principles that are found in the article and their overall significance on the entire business cycle. Five microeconomic indices are identified and each is defined and explained in detail giving out its economic impact on this scenario. After all this, the paper finally gives a conclusion on all the information and how it has affected the overall business cycle in the region. Economic principles related to the article There are many economic principles applied in this article, however for this particular pap er, only three will be discussed to come to a conclusion about the overall economic impact of these principles. The first economic principle seen here is the principle that people face trade off’s meaning that every action has an economic cost. This means that when one thing is implemented, then there is another that has been shorter down. So if one moves from selling tomatoes to selling onions then the economic benefits of selling tomatoes is gone. From the article, euro was adopted as a single currency to serve 17 different countries. This was a good move to enable trade to develop in the 17 countries and lead to a lot of opportunities. However before the introduction of the euro as a single currency to serve the entire region, each of the 17 countries had banks and other stakeholders who traded in force to make a living. This means that after the adoption of the euro, several of these opportunities were lost hence leading to a slight change in the overall business cycle es pecially for banks that play a major role in the economy of a particular country. This transition will also mean that most of the money exchange businesses will have to either face out or reduce due to the use of one currency over the entire region (Eichner, 2011). This makes the region harder to economically compare themselves with great economic giants like the US which has a lot of money exchange businesses. The second most prevalent economic principle is that the cost of something is what you give up to get it. This principle means that whenever we want something new, we do some changes, and then we have to undergo some costs that are exactly the same as what we are losing. This means that before the implementation of anything, we have to be sure that the cost of the new product is much more than the cost of the older product. In the article, the entire European region set up a common central bank to serve the entire region. This means that if before this each country had its ow n central bank then there functionalities were either removed or completely minimized. This will in fact have a direct impact on the entire entire region. The cost of having a single central bank comes at the cost of having to do away with some of

Security Policy for McBride Financial Services Essay

Security Policy for McBride Financial Services - Essay Example We can access the information only when you click the Submit Application button on the Mortgage Application page (http://finishcollege.tripod.com/id4.html) of our web-site. You can use our mortgage service only when you submit the application form; however, you can continue to browse our web-site and find out about our services without submitting any personal information. Security policy applies differently to our customers, potential customers and non-customers. A customer is a person who has gone through the procedure of furnishing personal information, either online or in person, to acquire a loan from McBride Financial Services. A potential customer is someone who has submitted personal information and is in process of acquiring a loan from McBride Financial Services. A person who does not want to use our services is a non-customer. Of the three above-mentioned categories of people, we have the authority to access the information relating to customers and potential customers. Both customers and potential customer, at the time of applying for loan, can choose the information that they intend to provide. Certain fields in the application form are marked with an asterisk '*' sign and are mandatory.

Links between Taste, Consumption and Social Class Essay

Links between Taste, Consumption and Social Class - Essay Example In fact, it is clear that the views and the preferences of people in a particular social framework are aligned with the trends that the media have promoted within the specific area. It is in this context that the relationship between taste, consumption and social class would be evaluated. In the literature, different approaches have been used for highlighting the interaction between taste, consumption and social class. The views of Bourdieu on this issue are analytically presented in this paper. Emphasis is given on the perception of Bourdieu that taste and consumption are closely related to social class. The review of the literature referring to the specific subject reveals that taste and consumption are indispensable elements of human behaviour. Their relationship with social class can be strong no matter the existing social and political conditions; however, each one of these elements cannot be exist outside a consumption society, since it is only within such society that the cons umption needs of individuals can be addressed. 2. Taste, consumption and social class in theory and practice 2.1 Bourdieu on taste, consumption and class In order to understand the views of Bourdieu on key sociological objects, such as taste, consumption and class, it would be necessary to identify the methodology of his work. Bourdieu avoided using the views of a specific sociologist for explaining human behaviour. Rather, he used to employ common sociological rules. From this point of view, it would be a mistake to use the views of well-known sociologists, for instance Marx or Durkheim, in order to understand the thoughts of Bourdieu on key sociological objects (Wright 2005, p.82). Moreover, Bourdieu preferred to combine theory and research. In other words, it was necessary for his views to be tested in real conditions. In this way, the effects of the views of Bourdieu on society and human behaviour have been checked as of their relevance to real life. At the next level, the views of Bourdieu are checked using qualitative and quantitative data; this type of research methodology increases the credibility of the assumptions produced, highlighting the appropriateness of these views for the explanation of daily social phenomena. The above issues are quite important in order to explain the methodology of work in this paper: the views of Bourdieu on social class, taste and consumption are presented and evaluated, as of their relationship to many aspects of social life. At the next level, these views are tested as of their relevance to current social conditions. Examples are used for indicating the value of the theories of Bourdieu in practice, with reference especially to the social trends that characterize the modern societies. At a first level, reference should be made to the views of Bourdieu on social class. Then, its relationship with taste and consumption, as justified through the views of Bourdieu, can be understood. In opposition with other theorists who s tudied the specific issue, Bourdieu avoided making a clear distinction between classes in society (Wright 2005, p.85). This practice is explained as follows: Bourdieu did not want to relate his theory with politics, a risk which would be clear if the differentiation among classes would be used as the basis of the theory of Bourdieu. Moreover,

Speculating about causes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Speculating about causes - Essay Example Employees may get retrenched for example when a firm no longer needs the services of the employees or if the company itself shuts down its operations. It is usually not easy to find to find an appropriate job immediately after being laid off. A company would not desire to appoint somebody recently laid off for bad reasons such as failure to do a good job, absence from work, theft or drunkenness in work. It makes someone sacked to find alternative employment immediately. In some cases, the economy of a country might be undergoing turmoil making job hunting difficult. Other individuals are unable to get employed because they lack the required level of qualification and experience for a particular job. Some organizations will not hire someone without getting a good reference and remark concerning the prospective employee. Employers all the time appoint the best-qualified individuals for its vacant positions available. Many individuals are in no position to come across jobs because they are disabled or have health issues. For example, if one gets injured in an accident or gets ill for a prolonged time the person may be unable to do work hence remain jobless (Greenhalgh 103) . Each act comes with an outcome. However, the effects and causes and of joblessness are very powerful the life of the affected individuals. For instance, an employee lacking the suitable and appropriate skills required for a task will get retrenched or fired from a company. An individual may be jobless or get sacked from their job when a company wishes to cut on its budget. Similarly, in a case where there are plenty of workforces but not enough work to match them, their number will be reduced to ensure the company does not waste resources. On the other hand, if there is an abundance of jobs, but the employees lack the correct experience or skills to work then the their replaced will occur. Job losses are beginning to rise steadily, and

The Secret Life of Bees Essay Example for Free

The Secret Life of Bees Essay The Secret Life of Bees Monk Kidd  «The Secret Life of Bees » is a historical novel by American author Sue Monk Kidd. It is a story of coming-of-age, of the ability of love to transform our lifes. Adressing the wounds of loss, betrayal and the scarcity of love, Kidd demonstratesthe power of women, coming together to heal those wounds, to mother each other and themselves, to create a new holy place – true family and home. The novel received much critical acclaim and was a New York Times bestseller. In 2005 it was adopted into a film by Ginn Prince-Bythewood. The Secret Life of Bees » is the story of Lily, a fourteen-year-old girl who runs away from her unloving father to search for secrets of her dead mother`s past. The setting of the novel is South Carolina in 1964, a time when racial tensions were inflamed by civil rights movement and white racists`frequently violent responses to it. Against this backdrop, Lily and her house-keeper, Rosalin, find shelter in the home of the eccentric Boatwright sisters, three African American beekeepers who worship before the statue of a Black Madonna they call  «Our Lady in Chains ». There Lily finds love and acceptance and begins to come n terms with the quilt she feels over her mother`s death. Lily has a special relationship with bees. At night, they squeeze through the cracks of her bedroom wall by the hundreds and fly circles around her room until the air itself pulsating with wings. They seem to indicate to Lily where is her right path. Every chapter opens with a short description of he life of bees which is always has a connection with the plot. In the climax of the story the sisters Boatright, the beekeepers, empart to Lily the sectets of the Black Madonna, mother to thousands. T. Ray Owens is the hateful, peach-farming antagonist of the novel, is feeling particularly meen towards Lily. He is a monstrous and abusive father. There is not apparent love in his heart for Lily whatsoever, and living with him only deepens the ubiquitous pain of her motherless existence. Deborah Owens`death is a source of great anguish and mystery for the confused adolescent, a memory from when she was four that she still can`t quite get her head around. Lily`s only true friend is Rosalin, a large black peach-worker who T. Ray brought to the house to care for Lily when her mother died.  «The Secret Life of Bees » is growing-up tale wrapped into a search for one`s mother, plunked down into the racially – charged South Carolina during the Civil rights movement, set alight with feminine spirituality. It is an inspirational feminist tale with strong female characters. And while it has already proven its` mettle as a best-selling novel with universal appeal, it will particularly enchant the female reader.

Fire Hazards And Precautions

Fire Hazards And Precautions A first line support technician must be aware of the potential risks in an environment that uses computers and their peripherals. The technician should also be aware of safe working practices. This includes not only taking care of the human element within a workplace but also the proper care and handling of equipment. Health and safety issues range from the straightforward, e.g. common sense placement of a single computer, to the complex, e.g. hundreds of computers and other devices that have to be networked together. Generally, computers are regarded as being safe devices that do not suddenly blow up or burst into flames. However, because all devices that use electricity have a potential to become dangerous coupled with the rapid strides in technology that has made computers faster and more powerful there are components within a computer system that can get very hot. In most instances, the safety devices built within the computer system should prove adequate, e.g. fuses and circuit breakers but there may be cases when, due to unforeseen circumstances, a fire happens. In the case of a fire there are steps that can be taken that will minimise human injury and computer damage. Fire Awareness Tips Due to the serious nature of fire and its consequence it is vital that you are aware of what is best to do if you discover a fire. Every workplace is legally bound to provide its staff with details of fire exits, meeting points, and other guidelines about what to do in the event of a fire. It is the employees responsibility to familiarise themselves with this information. The following are a general list of advice that you should follow if you discover a fire: You should try to put a fire out only if you discover it in its early stages and you are completely confident that you can put it out. Be aware, however, that even a small fire can spread quickly and soon become out of control. You safety and your fellow workers safety comes first. If you do decide to tackle the fire, make sure that if you cant control it that you can still escape and that your exit is not blocked. Also be aware that fire extinguishers are only designed to fight fires in their very early stages and that the extinguisher may not be adequate if the fire spreads and the room becomes filled with smoke or fumes. If you believe that the fire cannot be easily dealt with you should immediately set off the nearest fire alarm by breaking the glass and then leave through the appropriate fire exit. The fire brigade should be contacted immediately. Fire Prevention Tips There are many common sense approaches with regards to cutting down the risk of fire with relation to computer equipment, including: Regular cleaning and maintenance of equipment, e.g. to cut down the build up of dust in a system. Taking care not to expose computer equipment to water or other possibly damaging liquids, e.g. refraining from placing potted plants that have to be watered on top of computing equipment. Making sure that ventilation ducts are clear and free from obstruction. Making sure that cables are not frayed or damaged in any way. Fire Extinguishers It is vital that first line support technicians have an awareness of the different types of fire extinguishers that are available, the purpose of each and how to use them. The first thing to note regarding fire extinguishers is that they are only designed to fight fire in its early stages. There are many types of fire extinguisher that are designed to suit different situations in which a fire may occur and it is important that the correct extinguisher is used for the type of fire being fought. Classes of Fire Depending on the country you are in there are slightly different categorisations of fire, .e.g. USA and Europe. We will examine the European classifications. In Europe, fires can be divided into six classes: Class A: These are fires involving flammable solids, e.g. wood, cloth, rubber, paper, and some types of plastics. An example of this type of fire would be a campsite fire. Class B: These are fires involving flammable liquids or liquefiable solids, e.g. petrol, oil, paint and also some waxes plastics, but not cooking fats or oils. Class C: These are fires involving flammable gases, e.g. natural gas, hydrogen, propane, butane. Class D: These are fires involving combustible metals, e.g. sodium, magnesium, and potassium. Class E: These are fires involving any of the materials found in Class A and B fires, but including electrical appliances, wiring, or other electrically energized objects in the vicinity of the fire, with a resultant electrical shock risk if a conductive agent is used to control the fire. Class F: These are fires involving cooking fats and oils. The high temperature of these types of fats and oil when on fire far exceeds that of other flammable liquids which means that normal fire extinguishers should not be used. Extinguisher Maintenance Al fire extinguishers should be regularly checked to make sure that they are fully functional and ready to use if required. In the UK, there are three types of maintenance required: Basic Service All extinguishers require this service annually and it includes checking pressure, weight and any other indication of damage. Extended Service Water, wet chemical, foam and powder extinguishers have to be serviced every five years and the examination is more detailed than the basic service and includes a test discharge. Overhaul CO2 extinguishers require a thorough service every ten years. Each of the services includes the examiner signing and date stamping that the service has taken place. There are other items that can be used to fight fire such as fire blankets and hose reels but these are outside the remit of the course. Types of Extinguisher We will look at the following types of fire extinguisher: Water and Foam Carbon Dioxide Dry and Wet Chemical Powder Water and Foam Water extinguishers work by quickly removing the heat from the fire. Water extinguishers are only suitable for fighting Class A fires that involve materials such as wood, paper and textiles. Water should not be used to fight Class B fires because flammable liquids could be spread by the steam from the water, neither should they be used for Class E electrical fires because water conducts electricity there is a risk of electrocution. Foam extinguishers work by quickly removing heat and oxygen from the fire. Foam extinguishers are suitable for Class A and Class B fires. They are especially suited for controlling Class B flammable liquid fires because the foam has a blanketing effect that smothers the flames without spreading the fire. Carbon Dioxide Carbon Dioxide (CO2) extinguishers work by removing the oxygen element from the fire. Carbon Dioxide extinguishers are suitable for Class B and Class E fires, i.e. involving flammable liquids and electricity respectively Carbon dioxide extinguishers should not be used in confined spaces because they reduce the oxygen in the air. Also, do not hold the nozzle while using because this may lead to injuries such as cold burns because the CO2 is released at extremely low temperatures. Wet and Dry Chemical Wet chemical extinguishers work by removing the heat from the fire and by creating a barrier between the fuel and oxygen. Wet chemical extinguishers are suitable for Class F fires, i.e. cooking oil and fats, which can reach extremely high temperatures. Dry chemical extinguishers work by removing the chemical reaction of the fire. Dry chemical extinguishers are suitable for Class A, Class B and Class C fires, i.e. involving flammable liquids and electricity respectively Powder Powder extinguishers work by removing the heat from the fire or by separating the fuel and oxygen. Powder extinguishers are suitable for Class A, Class B and Class E fires. Fire Extinguishers Task Go to this website and have a look through this resource on Fire Extinguishers. Have a go at the quiz at the end of it to see how much you have learned. Good Luck. Click on this link for a useful flash tutorial on fire extinguishers. Electrical Hazards Anything that uses electricity to work contains a risk that if it is faulty then it could lead to an electric shock. There are certain devices that are considered more dangerous than others and users should be warned that trying to fix these would be best left to professional electronic engineers, e.g. a computer monitor should not be opened even after mains power has been switched off because a dangerous electrical charge remains. Computers and their associated peripheral, such as printers, scanners are powered from the mains and as such are a potential hazard. Therefore, the risk of electric shocks applies to all users and not just technicians who have the systems opened while they are working with them. Greater care must be exercised when a technician is working with an open system. It is advised that all of the equipment under repair or modification is disconnected from the mains supply during the entire process. Hazard Protection There are different hardware devices that can be used to guard against human injury and damage to expensive equipment. These include: Fuses Circuit Breakers Residual Current Devices These devices are designed to carry out one or more of the following: Reduce the risk of fire Reduce the risk of electrical shock Reduce the risk of equipment damage Fuses Fuses and circuit breakers are devices that protect an electrical system from overload and short circuits. These devices are designed to protect equipment rather than users. These devices are current sensitive which are designed to cut power if the current rises above a preset limit. Fuses are a very common way of protecting equipment from power overloads and can be found in many places including the home. Any device, e.g. TV and Video, which connects to the mains, will have a fuse in the plug. If you open a fuse you would see a thin wire or foil which will vaporise quickly if an overload of current goes through it. The fuse must then be replaced in order for the device to work again. Circuit Breakers A circuit breaker is an electromechanical device that carries out a very similar job as a fuse. They are designed to make circuits under normal conditions and to break circuits in the event of an overload, .e.g. a short circuit. The key difference between a fuse and a circuit breaker is that once a fuse has performed it duty it needs to be replaced, whereas a circuit breaker can be reset. Modern electricity supplies use circuit breakers rather than fuses and these will be located at different locations in a building. In the event of a circuit breaker tripping and cutting power, then this will allow an engineer to check the equipment for any faults before the circuit breaker can be safely reset. Another advantage of circuit breakers is that they can be switched off manually to allow safe repair and maintenance. Residual Current Devices (RCD) This is a device for human safety rather than solely protecting computer equipment and its function is to minimise the possibly of injury through electric shock. An RCD works by detecting if electricity is leaking from a circuit and if so it breaks the circuit. Most RDCs are combined with a circuit breaker and so will protect equipment in the case of an overload. Typically, RCDs can be tested by pressing a testing button with should cause the device to operate as if a dangerous leakage had occurred. If the device operates properly, it can be used in a live environment and will perform its function. RCDs should be checked on a regular basis to make sure that they are still functioning properly. PAT Regulations Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is part of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 legislation. This legislation places legal implications on employers to ensure the safety of electrical devices in the workplace and the person most likely to carry out this kind of testing the first line support technician. The portable refers to any electrical item that can be moved from one location to another and therefore includes PCs, printers, scanners and many other electrical objects that can be found in the workplace. There are three parts to PAT: Visual inspection Earth continuity test Insulation test PAT testing should be carried out a regular intervals, however, a common time frame is every 12 months. Electro Static Discharge (ESD) Electro Static Discharge (ESD) can cause a lot of damage to electronic components, such as those found in computer systems, e.g. the processor and RAM. The amount of ESD required to destroy or damage a computer component would not register with a human and at most a person would feel a little shock. Many of the semiconductor chips (integrated circuits) and other components in a computer system operate at a low voltage and can be irreparably damaged by ESD2-5 volts and can be damaged by as little as 40 volts ESD. The causes of ESD include: People moving about normally Equipment being moved Low humidity Poor connections Unshielded cables Improper grounding Minimising ESD Steps should be taken to minimise ESD, particularly by technicians working with components that are most susceptible to damage by it. Example solutions could include: Installation of humidifiers to cut down on low humidity conditions Changing the work environment, e.g. removing carpets Training of staff to make them aware of the problem The use of devices or equipment to minimise ESD Anti-Static Precautions and Safety Hazards Probably the most common guard against ESD when working with computer components is an anti static wrist strap. This is a conductive strap that has a wire attached. The wire is typically attached to the computers casing or could be connected to a special plug inserted into an ordinary mains socket or to an anti static work mat. An alternative to a wrist strap is an anti static heel strap which performs the same function but will be connected to a anti static floor mat. Warning: an important safety issue when using an antistatic device is not to work on any equipment where there is a possibility of touching a live or high voltage component. The anti static device will form an excellent path for the electricity to flow to ground through your body, and that would be extremely dangerous. It is also important that when touching components, such as processors and LSZH Sheathing Cable Protection Low Smoke Zero Halogen is a special type of cable sheath used by manufactures for a variety of types of cable, including network cables. Unlike the normal PVC cable covering used that can produce toxic and corrosive gases when it burns, this type of cable covering does not release dangerous gases when it burns. Many organisations structured cabling schemes require that several cables be run together. This can be extremely dangerous in the event of a fire because of the greater amount of PVC burning result in an increase in life threatening fumes. Generally, when this is the case, organisations will choose to install LSZH cabling.

Facebook As A Learning Tool

Facebook As A Learning Tool Many teachers believe that students using laptops during class are not always taking notes or doing research related to their class discussion. If students are wondering then chances are they are using Facebook. Statistics show that students spend most of their time on Facebook. Most of the teachers believe that Facebook is a disturbance in the classroom, but Facebook has the potential to be a learning tool when it`s used strategically and creatively. I assert that Facebook can be a reliable and a popular medium through which both educators and students can interact appropriately. I will review findings by some researchers to understand the relationship between Facebook and education, and will show how it could be a reliable and popular mean to be used as a learning tool by focusing on three main points: (1) Facebook promotes knowledge and maintains effective and efficient student interaction with educators. (2) Facebook open doors to new opportunities for ubiquitous learning. (3) Fa cebook as a medium to develop communication skills and encourage participation and social commitment. Develop communication skills and encourage participation and social commitment: Communication through Facebook is different from traditional face-to-face communication. First, friendships through Facebook are explicit, where traditional friendships usually tend to be implicit. Secondly, conversations through Facebook are persistent. They are permanently stored and easily retrieved at any point in time. Finally, Facebook conversations share with all friends who can access someones profile (Siegle 15). Facebook is used as a primary communication activity through which young adults post, comment, and share information with each other. Facebook can provide a window into anyones life. Given that fact, it is the responsibility of the parents to monitor and provide guidelines to their children once they start using Facebook. The use of Facebook by students entails education-related interactions, while some use it to obtain information on a missed class, others may use Facebook to engage in humorous comments about their own and their teachers actions. No one can deny the fact that Facebook broke down the barriers between students and educators because the informal learning that occurs in the context of sharing media offers important opportunities for increased student involvement in formal learning settings (Fewkes and McCabe 2012). Fewkes and McCabe have argued that a learning community would perform its best if the characteristics of connectedness and trust have been established amongst the learners (Fewkes and McCabe 2012). For this reason, education remains one of the areas most heavily impacted by technology. Promotes knowledge and maintaining effective and efficient student interaction with educators: Various studies have been conducted on teachers, university professors, and young adults to understand and assess the usage of social networks in the light of education and its effect on students academic achievements as well as fulfilling the desire of promoting knowledge and maintaining effective and efficient student interaction with educators. Aaron M. Fewkes and Mike McCabe conducted a survey on a sample of students at Waterloo Regional District School Board after the latter had made a decision to embrace the growing popularity of Facebook to verify if their vision of using Facebook in schools aligns with the actual behavior of the students. The results show that 48% of students do log on to Facebook at least once during class time, moreover, the research exposed a possible disconnect between school board and students due to improper implementation of this policy. Educators who relied on Facebook to follow professional organizations were more knowledgeable than those who did not (Pilgrim and Bledsoe 38-39). We live in an age in which we are fully dependent on instant updates and information, the rationale behind using Facebook as a tool for professional learning adopts the idea that the internet is this generations defining technology for literacy (Pilgrim and Bledsoe 39). Facebook is indeed an important source of information for educators who seek to continue their learning. According to a study conducted on university instructors in Turkey, all instructors who participated in the survey somehow use Facebook in their courses; even the instructor with the lowest frequency had used Facebook to make announcements about the course by creating a group. The study concludes that instructors have adopted Facebook and they are using it intensively, with a greater tendency toward its use for educational purposes. According to my cited sources, the studies recognized Facebook as a reliable source for academicians because it is flexible and user friendly, in addition, the sources emphasized on the role of Facebook as a medium between students and instructors and argued that Facebook can neither be solely dependable for conducting courses nor can it be ignored. Open doors to new opportunities for ubiquitous learning: Educators respond the use of technology in their classrooms in five ways: (1) Ban it: This has been deemed ineffective due to the fact that technology is becoming a part of our life that we constantly use. Typical workarounds are hiding devices behind books and texting from pockets. (2) Do business as usual: I disagree with this behavior of educators as it is the educators responsibility to engage the students in their classrooms (3) limit the use of Technology: a clear guideline indicating what is to be tolerated and what would be unacceptable. (4) Enhance traditional practice: Technology is dependent on users. (5) Use the technology to restructure the educational process: encourage students to use technology for inquiry, problem solving and/or instruction. (Siegle ) If I was an instructor, my choice would be the fifth option, as it is the most effective and efficient according to the studies conducted by Pilgrim, Beldsoe, and Siegle, who all have concluded in their studies the importance of learning how to incorporate Facebook into the education process. The use of technology allows students to use social media websites like Facebook to engage in formal or informal discussions with their instructor as well as their fellow students. There are many ways educators and students can connect using Facebook. For instance, teachers can post comments for the students, students can post their final work for their peers to review and provide feedback, and also students can use the wall feature to ask questions and respond to each other. In addition, teachers set up a central page where all classroom mates can join to participate at any time of their choice to exchange knowledge and understanding of the subject being studied. Using social media should be, however, accompanied by some important precautions which educators should adhere to when using Facebook as a tool for educating students: (1) Teachers should consider setting up a separate Facebook account. (2) Educators should obtain signed parental consent prior to interacting with young students on Facebook. (3) Teachers should refrain from installing any applications on their page that would negatively affect their professional image. (4) Educators should remind students that they need to transfer the respectful tone teachers expect in class to their online interactions with them and ensure that students are aware that a teachers ethical responsibility will continue online. After I have explored the usage of Facebook by educators as well as students and identified the benefits of such usage by each party, I can say that Facebook is a reliable and a popular medium through which both educators and students can interact appropriately. In order for this medium of communication to work in its most effective and efficient way, students need to be trustful and self-regulated, that is, to refrain from the over- use of Facebook. In conclusion, Educators and students use Facebook; the education process should be focused on the interaction of each party with the other and not the technology itself. Facebook opens new doors to students and allows their knowledge to grow. Facebook also allows them to learn about themselves from their peers. It is my belief that social networks like Facebook will continue to evolve and optimize the education channels in the context of human communication. Educators should consider Facebook as a mean of enhanced communication that provides traceability to what has been discussed and a source of feedback and/or evaluation on whether the discussion has fulfilled what it is mandated for or not.

Captain Picard as A Noble Warrior :: Star Trek Essays Papers

Captain Picard as A Noble Warrior Captain Picard is a good leader because of his ability to think clearly and objectively in all situations. He does not have pride blocking his ability to think rationally and see all sides of an issue. Also, he is not easily swayed by his emotions and does not allow them to cloud his judgment. Picard's ability to act quickly leads to effective delegating and exemplary leadership. A good leader is one who brings out the best in his people while being a servant to them. Pride often seems to come between a leader and his decisions. Picard never makes mention of what would be best for him, but instead is always thinking about his crew and what is in their best interest. In "The Defector" he repeatedly make comments to his desire for his crew to have a noble and honorable cause for war. He does not want their deaths to be in vain. As Henry V acted compassionately towards his men, Picard too wants to display the same sensitivity Henry did when his men were about to enter battle. Picard wants to know how his crew is feeling and what their needs might be. Picard and Henry are good leaders because they continue to look past their own wants and onto their troops needs. In the Henry V scene, Data is playing the role of King Henry. While Henry is undercover, he is quoted as saying, "The King is but a mere man". He is mortal just like his men. Picard is able to clearly se e the King's internal struggle with allowing himself to get close to his men while not weakening his position as their leader. Captain Picard knows his limits and is not ashamed or to proud to admit them, he just does not want to appear incapable to his men. He must be remain an assertive leader, while allowing himself to be human and approachable. Picard is constantly having his crew involved and helping him make a good clear judgment about Jarok. This shows he is not over confident in his leadership position. "Picard is supposed to be calm and calculating because well, he's the captain. If he bought everyone's emotional appeal he wouldn't be a very good leader" (Reyer Jan 30, 1996). Picard knows how to balance his gut feeling with the facts. As Visor pointed out, we do not always have all the facts, and this is where your "gut feeling" must come in, to fill in the missing details.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr - Dr. King and the Dream :: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essays

Dr. King and the Dream The world saw him as a marching protest leader, an activist, spokesman, civil rights leader, and the conscience of a nation. With keen and sensitive insight, he so eloquently proclaimed that a profound social and human predicament faced our nation and the world. However, some of his greatest messages to us were not preached from a "mountaintop" before millions, but from a little pulpit back home at the Ebeneezer Baptist Church. Dr. King once said, "before I was a civil rights leader, I was a preacher of the gospel. This was my first calling and it still remains my greatest commitment. Just one month before an assassin's bullet found him, Dr. King went back home. For so long, he had lectured and preached to others about the magnificent dreams of unity, brotherhood, hope, and justice. He had taken his messages to the uttermost parts of the world and met with kings, queens, popes, rabbis, and archbishops. But now he was home for a time of reflection, reunion, and rest. This sermon was different. In this sermon, "Unfulfilled Dreams," he preached from the eighth chapter of first Kings and talked about its "cosmic significance because it says so much in so few words about life." It tells the story of King David, who had a dream to build a great temple to honor the Lord, God of Israel. Although the temple was never completed, God blessed David because the dream was in his heart. In this sermon, Dr. King talked about the shattered dreams of Mahatma Gandhi who dreamed about the independence and unity of India as one great nation moving toward a higher destiny. Gandhi labored for years through nonviolent revolution hoping to realize his dream. But the dream was shattered because the nation that Gandhi wanted so badly to unite was riddled with conflict between the Hindus and Moslems. President Woodrow Wilson dreamed of a League of Nations but died before the promise was delivered. The Apostle Paul dreamed of carrying the gospel to Spain but instead ended up in a prison cell in Rome. While reading this sermon, I remembered my own dream, that my children would never see the inhumanity I saw, would never feel the injustice I felt, nor would they taste the bitterness of bigotry that consumed this nation when I was a child.

GRENDEL & FRANKENSTEIN Essay -- essays research papers

GRENDEL & FRANKENSTEIN AN ANALYSIS OF THE TWO "MONSTERS" AND THEIR SUPERIORITY TO MANKIND GRENDEL & FRANKENSTEIN AN ANALYSIS OF THE TWO "MONSTERS" AND THEIR SUPERIORITY TO MANKIND In the desert I saw a creature, naked, bestial, Who, squatting upon the ground, Held his heart in his hands, And ate of it. I said, "Is it good friend?" "It is bitter-bitter," he answered; "But I like it Because it is bitter And because it is my heart." -Stephen Crane This reflects how both Grendel and Frankenstein must have felt during their lonely lives. "Seeking friends, the fiends found enemies; seeking hope, they found hate"(Neilson back page). The monsters simply want to live as the rest of us live. But, in our prejudice of their kind, we banish them from our elite society. Who gave society the right to judge who is acceptable and who is not? A better question might be, who is going to stop them? The answer, no one. Therefore, society continues to alienate the undesirables of our community. Some of the greatest minds of all time have been socially unacceptable. Albert Einstein lived alone and rarely wore the same color socks. Van Gogh found comfort only in his art, and the woman who consistently denied his passion. Edgar Allen Poe was "different" to say the least. Just like these great men, Grendel and Frankenstein do not conform to the societal model. Also like these men, Grendel and Frankenstein are uniquely superior to the rest of mankind. Their superiority is seen through their guile to live in a society that ostracizes their kind, their true heroism in place of society's romantic view, and the ignorance on which society's opinion of them is formed. Grendel, though he needs to kill to do so, functions very well in his own sphere. Grendel survives in a hostile climate where he is hated and feared by all. He lives in a cave protected by firesnakes so as to physically, as well as spiritually, separate himself from the society that detests, yet admires, him. Grendel is "the brute existent by which [humankind] learns to define itself"(Gardner 73). Hrothgar's thanes continually try to extinguish Grendel's infernal rage, while he simply wishes to live in harmony with them. Like Grendel, Frankenstein also learns to live in a society that despises his kind. Frankenstein also must kill... ...evil, he was forced into his way of life by the society that rejected him. After this rejection, Frankenstein "like the arch-fiend, bore a hell within him"(Shelley 136). To each man his own god, and to each man his own devil as well. Frankenstein, "like Coleridge's wedding guest, leaves 'a sadder and wiser man'"(Scott 201). He now better understands his existence and how society wrongfully rejects it. Frankenstein simply wants society to have the "knowledge that might enable [him] to make them overlook the deformity of [his] figure"(Shelley 114). "Man†¦ how ignorant art thou in thy pride of wisdom!"(Shelley 201). Grendel's and Frankenstein's superiority to humankind is made obvious by their ability to live in a society that has ostracized them, the monsters' true heroism in place of humankind's romantic view, and the ignorance on which society's opinion of the monsters is based. "The monsters not only embody our fears of the way certain entities can artificially pervert nature in ourselves and our society, they also speak to us knowledgeably of nature and in a human voice, to tell us we need not be afraid [of them]"(Scott 201).

Effective Teaching and Learning Environments Essay

This assignment will discuss effective teaching and learning environments. According to Brophy (2004) there are twelve principles contributing to effective teaching; a supportive classroom environment, the opportunity to learn, curricular alignment, establishing learning orientations, coherent content, thoughtful discourse, practice and application activities, scaffolding students, strategy teaching, co-operative learning, goal orientated assessment and achievement expectations. All these principles contribute to the active involvement of the student and attaining effective learning environments. For this assignment we will focus on three of the main principles and discuss its effectiveness in my own learning and influences it will have on my own teaching. Supportive learning environment Teachers modelling personal attributes such as approachability, friendliness, emotional maturity and sincerity towards individuals as well as learners create an environment of cohesiveness and support. Educational content can be developed to connect and build on students’ prior knowledge and experiences whilst also encouraging understanding of learning outcomes in a positive collaborative environment. As a tertiary student I find these qualities very encouraging in allowing me to pursue my education without fearing to contribute and asking questions without being chastised or frown upon. An example of a non-supportive environment was observed at a high school where a teacher humiliated a student for failing a math test. The teacher made the student stand in front of the class and then called him ‘stupid’ leaving the student distraught and traumatised. Needless to say this was an extremely negative experience and could have detrimental effects on the student or all the students’ motivation for learning. A supportive environment is one where the students can be interactive with the teacher, other peers and lesson content. A recent excursion to the Attadale foreshore with the aides of workbooks and precise teacher instructions allowed the students to engage and explore the lesson by utilising their senses and the natural environment. This effective teaching method succeeded in building and supporting group collaboration and expanding their knowledge. Opportunity to learn The opportunity to learn greatly depends on the how much time is spent on participating in lessons and learning activities. Being an effective teacher is to be prepared and organised, using allocated class time efficiently for accomplishing activities and achieving instructional goals. Teachers need to articulate clear expectations and a sense of purpose that can be processed easily by the students in regards to general behaviour and engagement especially during lessons. Teachers can give clear and consistent expectations through modelling or direct instructions. Effective teachers instruct strategies and procedures for students to manage their own learning, elaborating content allowing students to respond and form their own interpretations. An example observed in a classroom setting lead to unenthusiastic results. A student needed clarification of an assessment, the teacher had instructed the whole class although as an observer I noticed that not many students understood what was required. The teacher approached the one student and admonishes him with a â€Å"why don’t you know anything!† statement. The students in the class have since stopped asking clarifying questions and continue to struggle in their lessons. The learning opportunities for students in this setting were limited. A more positive approach to teaching is to allow all students at different abilities a chance e.g. a grade 5 class spelling test had the teacher separating students into small literacy groups according to their abilities. Attention was focused on the struggling students whilst the more capable students had clear instructional goals to work towards. Curricular alignment The curriculum components are used as assistance in creating constant instructions and learner outcomes from K-12. The curriculum has been designed to assist students in their attainment of knowledge, understanding, appreciation and life applications in preparation for students to participate in adult roles within society. Teachers need to instil appreciation for learning into students, the why and because of learning and knowing that there are good reasons for learning that leads to life applications where what they have learned can be used when needed in other contexts. When I was in high school (Brunei Darussalam) I was taught using textbooks and to memorize random information available in the texts. Assessments were based on the amount of information memorized. This type of learning was not productive to me or the local society as it did not allow for the development for curiosity beyond textbooks. Students were passive and were not permitted to query anything other than content of lesson. Information was not related to daily matters in life. The difference in the education system here is that teachers motivate and encourage analytical thinking with questions and guidance. I was found lacking in understanding curricular concepts involving thinking ‘beyond’ the textbook although the push to ‘think outside the box’ was something that I relearned and appreciated over time. Finally, although these three main ideas; a supportive classroom climate, opportunity to learn and circular alignment have been highlighted individually, each idea should be applied in conjunction with the other nine principles mentioned by Brophy for attaining effective teaching and learning environments. All twelve principles are meant to be aligned as a measure of assisting students in accomplishing intended curricular outcomes. These main ideas influence my teaching by motivating the creation of an understanding and cohesive classroom by modelling and being supportive to the personal, social and academic well being of all students; by being prepared and ensure that lesson plans are stimulating, challenging and that the diverse learning abilities of the students have been taken into account to further maximise their opportunities to learn; and with curriculum guidance be able to achieve specific outcomes geared towards students being able to function socially and adapt to the adult world.

Assignment Questions Chapters 5-7 Psychology Essay

1. Most current studies aimed at understanding human memory are conducted within a framework known as information-processing theory. This approach makes use of modern computer science and related fields to provide models that help psychologists understand the processes involved in memory. The general principles of the information processing approach to memory include the notion that memory involves three distinct processes. The first process, encoding, is the process of transforming information into a form that can be stored in memory. The second process, storage, is the process of keeping or maintaining information in memory. The final process, retrieval, is the process of bringing to mind information that has been stored in the memory (p.168). Two influential theorists concerning the information-processing theory are Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin. They characterized memory as three different, interacting memory systems: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memor y. Sensory memory is the memory system that holds information from the senses for a period of time ranging from only a fraction of a second to about 2 seconds. Sensory memory can take in an enormous amount of information, but it can only hold on to it for a very brief period of time (p.169). Short-term memory is the component of the memory system that holds about seven (from five to nine) items for less than 30 seconds without rehearsal; also called the working memory. When short-term memory is filled to capacity, displacement can occur. In displacement, each new incoming item pushes out an existing item, which is then forgotten (p.170). Long-term memory (LTM) is the memory system with a virtually unlimited capacity that contains vast stores of a person’s permanent or relatively permanent memories. There are no known limits to the storage capacity of this memory system, and long-term memories can persist for years, some of them for a lifetime. Information in long-term memory is usually stored in semantic form, although visual images, sounds, and odors can be stored there as well (p.174). 2. The analogy heuristic involves comparing a problem to others you have experienced in the past. The idea is that if a particular strategy worked with similar problems in the past, it will be effective for solving a new one. Another heuristic that is effective for solving some problems is working backward, sometimes called the backward search. This approach starts with the solution, a known condition, and works back through the problem. Once the backward search has revealed the steps to be taken and their order, the problem can be solved (p.207). Another popular heuristic strategy is means-end analysis, in which the current position is compared with a desired goal, and a series of steps are formulated and then taken to close the gap between the two. When you adopt a heuristic strategy, it may or may not lead to a correct solution. By contrast, the algorithm is a problem-solving strategy that always lead to a correct solution if it is applied appropriately (p.208). 3.Research suggests that there are both advantages and disadvantages to learning two languages early in life. One of the pluses is that, among preschool and school-age children, bilingualism, fluency in at least two languages, is associated with better executive control skills on language tasks. Executive control skills enable bilingual children to suppress impulsive responses to verbal tasks and, as a result, think more carefully about them. Thus, executive control skills are important in learning to read and write. On the downside, even in adulthood, bilingualism is sometimes associated with decreased efficiency in memory tasks involving words. However, bilinguals appear to develop compensatory strategies that allow them to make up these inefficiencies. Consequently, they often perform such tasks as accurately as monolinguals, though they may respond more slowly. Researchers have found that there is no age at which it is impossible to learn a new language. While it is true that those who begin earlier reach higher levels of proficiency, age is not the only determining factor (p.214). There is one clear advantage to learning two languages earlier in life, however. People who are younger when they learn a new language are far more likely to be able to speak with an appropriate accent. One reason for this difference between early and late language learners may have to do with slight variations in neural processing in Broca’s area, the area of the brain that controls speech production. Research suggests that bilinguals who learned a second language early rely on the same patch of tissue in Broca’s area for both of the languages they speak. In those who learned a second language at an older age, two different sections of Broca’s are are active while they are performing language tasks (p.215). 4. Charles Spearman observed that people who are bright in one area are usually bright in other areas as well. In other words, they tend to be generally intelligent. Spearman came to believe that intelligence is composed of a general ability that underlies all intellectual functions. Spearman concluded that intelligence tests tap this g factor, or general intelligence, and a number of s factors, or specific intellectual abilities. Spearman’s influence can be seen in those intelligence tests, such as the Stanford-Binet, that yield one IQ score to indicate the level of general intelligence. Howard Gardner also denies the existence of a g factor. Instead, he proposes a theory of multiple intelligences that includes eight important forms of intelligence, or frames of mind. The eight frames of mind are linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic. In recent years, he has proposed a ninth type of intelligence, one that he calls existential intelligence, deals with the spiritual realm and enables us to contemplate the meaning of life. He first developed his theory by studying patients with different types of brain damage that affect some forms of intelligence but leaves other intact. The most controversial aspect of Gardner’s theory is his view that all forms of intelligence are of equal importance. In fact, different cultures assign varying degrees of importance to the types of intelligence (p.216-217). 5. I would perform a fixed-ratio (FR) schedule, in which a reinforcer is given after a fixed number of correct, non reinforced responses. So, if my dog knew that after rolling over correctly ten times without getting reinforced meant that she would get a reinforced after those ten times, she would then learn that after rolling over ten times correctly, she would be reinforced (p.147). In fixed-rate schedules response rates are very high, and the higher the ratio, the more resistant to extinction (p.148). 6. Psycholinguistics is the study of how language is acquired, produced, and used and how the sounds and symbols of language are translated into meaning. Psycholinguists use specific terms for each of the five basic components of language. The smaller units of sound in a spoken language-such as b or s in English-are known as phonemes. Three phonemes together form the sound of the word cat: c (which sounds like k), a, and t. Combinations of letters that form particular sounds are also phonemes, such as the th in the and the ch in child. The same phoneme may be represented by different letters in different words; this occurs with the a in stay and the ei in sleigh. And the same letter can serve as different phonemes. This letter a, for example, is sounded as four different phonemes in day, cap, watch, and law. Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning in a language. A few single phonemes serve as morphemes, such as the article a and the personal pronoun I. The ending -s gives a plural meaning to a word and is thus a morpheme in English. Many words in English are single morphemes-book, word, learn, reason, and so on. In addition to root words, morphemes may be prefixes (such as re- in relearn) or suffixes (such as -ed to show past tense, as in learned). The single morpheme reason becomes a dual morpheme in reasonable. The morpheme book (singular) become two morphemes in books (plural). Syntax is the aspect of grammar that specifies the rules for arranging and combining words to form phrases and sentences. The rules of word order, syntax, differ from one language to another. For example, an important rule of syntax in English is that adjectives usually come before nouns. So English speakers refer to the residence of the U.S. president as â€Å"the White House.† In Spanish, in contrast, the noun usually comes before the advective, and Spanish speakers say â€Å"la Casa Blanca,† or â€Å"the House White.† Semantics refers to the meaning derived from morphemes, words, and sentences. The same word can have different meanings depending on how it is used in sentences: â€Å"I don’t mind.† â€Å"Mind your manners.† â€Å"He has lost his mind.† Or consider another example: â€Å"Loving to read, the young girl read three books last week.† Here, the word read is pronounced two different ways, and in one case, is the past tense. Pragmatics, is the term psycholinguists use to refer to aspects of language such as intonation, the rising and falling patterns that are used to express meaning. For example, think about how you would say the single word cookie to express each of the following meanings: â€Å"Do you want a cookie?† or â€Å"What a delicious looking cookie!† or â€Å"That’s a cookie.† The subtle differences reflect your knowledge of the pragmatic rules of English (P.210-211). 7. An intelligence test is a measure of general intellectual ability. An individual’s score is determined by how his responses compare to others of his or her age. Thus, intelligence tests are norm-referenced. All psychological tests, including all the various types of tests that measure cognitive ability, are judged according to the same criteria.They must provide consistent results. An intelligence test must have reliability; the test must consistently yield nearly the same score when the same person is tested and then retested on the same test or an alternative form of the test. The higher the correlation between the two scores, the more reliable the test. Tests can be highly reliable but worthless if they are not valid. Validity is the ability or power of a test to measure what it is intended to measure. Once a test is proven to be valid or reliable, the next requirement is norm-referenced standardization. There must be standard procedures for administering and scoring the test. Exactly the same directions must be given, whether written or oral, and the same amount of time must be allowed for every test taker. But even more important, standardization means establishing norms, age-based averages, by which all scores are interpreted. A test is standardized by administering it to a large sample of people who are representative of those who will be taking the test in the future. The group’s score are analyzed, and then the average score, standard deviation, percentile rankings, and other measures are computed. These comparative scores become the norms used as the standard against which all other scores on that test are measured. Reliability, validity, and standardization are especially important with regard to intelligence tests because the kinds of decisions that are sometimes based on intelligence test scores can have grave consequences. For example, a few years ago the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that is unconstitutional to execute individuals who have mental retardation. Thus, a psychologist who is charged with the responsibility of administering an intelligence test to a person who will or will not be subject to the death penalty at least partly on the basis of his or her intelligence test score must ensure that the test given is reliable and valid and has been properly standardized. Likewise, children’s scores on these tests are often used to place them in special school programs that, in a very real sense, change the course of their lives for years to come. In fact, such a goal was the impetus for the development of the first standardized intelligence test (p.219). 8. In memory loss there are two broad categories that involves this kind of memory loss, amnesia and dementia. Amnesia is a partial or complete loss of memory due to loss of consciousness, brain damage, or some psychological cause. Unlike the memory disorders that are experienced by some older adults, amnesia can be experienced at any age. In some cases, amnesia takes the form of an inability to store new information. This kind of amnesia is known as anterograde amnesia. Anterograde amnesia is the inability to form long-term memories of events occurring after a brain injury or brain surgery, although memories formed before the trauma are usually intact and short-term memory is unaffected. Some individuals with amnesia can form new memories, but they cannot remember the past, a disorder known as retrograde amnesia. Retrograde amnesia is a loss of memory for experiences that occurred shortly before a loss of consciousness. These people often lack knowledge of themselves and/or the events surrounding the development of their memory loss. It is not unusual for a person to have both retrograde and anterograde amnesia with regard to the events that immediately preceded and followed a serious car crash or other traumatic event (p. 189). Another form of memory loss is dementia. Dementia is a state of mental deterioration characterized by impaired memory and intellect and by altered personality and behavior. Dementia can result from such conditions as cerebral arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries in the brain), chronic alcoholism, and irreversible damage by a small series of strokes. Dementia is most common among older adults. However, diseases such as HIV/AIDS can cause dementia to develop in a younger person as well. About 50 to 60% of all cases of dementia result from Alzheimer’s disease. This is a progressive deterioration of intellect and personality that results from widespread degeneration of brain cells (p.190). 9. People reconstruct memories, piecing them together using schemas to organize fragments of information, a process that has both advantages and disadvantages. Information that fits with preexisting schemas can be efficiently remembered, but schemas can also introduce distortions into memory. Sir Frederick Bartlett’s research demonstrated how reconstructive processing changes memory over time (p.178). Most memories do not include source information, so memories for sources must be reconstructed. Source monitoring results in encoding of source memories. Flashbulb memories are different from others in that they always include source information, although the source information is subject to reconstruction changes over time (p.179). Autobiographical memories are reconstructed memories that include factual, emotional, and interpretive elements. They are subject to positive bias (p.180). 10. Bandura suspected that aggression and violence on television programs, including cartoons, tend to increase aggressive behavior in children. In several classic experiments, Bandura demonstrated how children are influenced by exposure to aggressive models. One study involved three groups of preschoolers. Children in one group individually observed an adult model punching, kicking, and hitting a 5-foot, inflated plastic â€Å"Bobo Doll† with a mallet, while uttering aggressive phrases. Children in the second group observed a nonaggressive model who ignored the Bobo Doll and sat quietly assembling Tinker Toys. The children in the control group were placed in the same setting with no adult present. Later, each child was observed through a one-way mirror. Those children exposed to the aggressive model imitated much of the aggression and also engaged in significantly more nonimitative aggression than did children in either of the other groups. The group that observed the nonaggressive model showed less aggressive behavior than the control group. The researchers concluded that â€Å"of the three experimental conditions, exposure to humans on film portraying aggression was the most influential in eliciting and shaping aggressive behavior (p. 158-159). 11. Experiencing hunger pangs when you smell your favorite food is an example of classic conditioning.Your stomach rumbles when you smell your favorite food because smell and taste are so closely linked that food odors, functioning as conditioned stimuli, can actually make you think you are hungry even if you have just finished a large meal. The conditioned stimulus (CS) would be the presence of the smell of your favorite food which brings about the unconditioned stimulus (US) hunger pangs. Because humans do not need to be taught to be hungry for food, the act of feeling hungry would be the unconditioned response (UR). The conditioned response (CR) would be knowing that you will get hungry when you smell your favorite food (p.143). 12. Critics argue that therapists using hypnosis and guided imagery to help their patients recover repressed memories of childhood sexual abuse are actually implanting false memories in those patients. They are especially critical of claims of recovered memories in the first three years of life, because the hippocampus and areas of the cortex are not well developed enough to store long-term memories. Therapists who use these techniques believe that a number of psychological problems can be treated successfully by helping patients recover repressed memories of sexual abuse. These therapists believe that a process called repression, a form of motivated forgetting, can cause traumatic memories to be so deeply buried in an individual’s unconscious mind that he or she has lost all awareness of them (p.192-193). 13. Writing notes, making lists, writing on a calendar, or keeping an appointment book is often more reliable and accurate than trusting to memory. But if you need information at some unpredictable moment when you don’t have aids handy, several mnemonics, or memory devices, and study strategies have developed over the years to aid memory. Mnemonics, or rhymes are a common aid to remembering material that otherwise might be difficult to recall. As a child, learning to recite â€Å"i over e except after c† when you were trying to spell a word containing that vowel combination is an example of a mnemonic. The method of loci is a mnemonic device that be used to when you want to remember a list of items such as a grocery list. Select a familiar place – your home, for example – and simply associate the items to be remembered with locations there. For example, visualize the first item you want to remember in its place on the driveway, the second in the garage, and the third at the front door, and so on until you have associated the item you want to remember with a specific location. Overlearning is another method of improving memory. Overlearning is practicing or studying material beyond the point where it can be repeated once without error. It makes material more resistant to forgetting (p.173). 14. Bandura proposed that four processed determine whether observational learning will occur: Attention: The observer must attend to the model. Retention: The observer must store information about the model’s behavior in memory. Reproduction: The observer must be physically and cognitively capable of performing the behavior to learn it. In other words, no matter how much time you devote to watching Serena Williams play tennis or listening to Beyonce sing, you won’t be able to acquire skills like these unless you possess talents that are equal to theirs. Reinforcement: Ultimately, to exhibit a behavior learned through observation, an observer must be motivated to practice and perform the behavior on his own (p.156). 15. In some cases, we are hampered in our efforts to solve problems in daily life because of functional fixedness, the failure to use familiar objects in novel ways to solve problems. Objects you use everyday such as, tools, utensils, and other equipment are what help you perform certain functions. Although, you probably do not think to use the normal functions of such objects in new and creative ways. Suppose you wanted a cup of coffee, but the glass pot for you coffeemaker was broken. If you suffered from functional fixedness, you might come to the conclusion that there was nothing you could do to solve the problem at that moment. But, rather than thinking about the object you don’t have, think about the function that it needs to perform. Another impediment to problem solving is mental set, the tendency to continue to use the same old method even though another approach might be better. Perhaps you hit on a way to solve a problem once in the past and continue to use the same technique in similar situations, even though it it not highly effective of efficient. The cognitive process that underlies both functional fixedness and mental set is confirmation bias, the tendency to selectively pay attention to information that concerns preexisting beliefs and ignore data that contradict them. For example, when faced with an operating system â€Å"crash,† most computer users know that the first line of defense is to reboot. Every time rebooting solve the problem, confirmation bias in favor of rebooting as a solution for computer problems becomes stronger. As a result, when a problem arises that proves resistant to rebooting, most of us try rebooting a few more times before we confront the reality that rebooting isn’t going to solve the problem (p.209).