Communication skills Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Communication skills - Research Paper Example The media like television and newspaper has the ability to reach the public in a strong way and communication is the foundation to it. Good communicators are not born but they are made with the help of proper training and knowledge. It is not just easy to thrive in today’s a competitive and demanding world and communication is one factor which is under our control. If one can be best at its communication skill, then he can make things work at his will and favor. The importance of communication in this business world is so great that the success of a company and employee solely depend on it. To become a successful employee in any field, apt communication skill is of utmost importance. Good communication skill is immensely important to work jointly with employees of an organization. To be a good communicator one need to also be a good listener. In his books (Guffey,23)â€Å"Communication does not take place unless the sender encode meaningful message that can be decoded and und erstood by the receivers†. The Importance of Communication Skills The importance of communication skill is highest when it comes to any sphere of human life. When it comes to career, communication stands as a key factor in employee’s job placement, career advancement, performance and organizational success. In hiring a candidate, communication skill is considered as the most needed competency. ... It is very important for people to understand the skills and techniques required to communicate effectively to each other. According to (Wilhelm)â€Å"Communication has two parts. The first is the communicator and how effectively she can convey her message to the listener. The second is how well the listener of the communication receives the message. If there is misunderstanding, misinterpretation or confusion – then the communication is not successful†. The success can be achieved by the communicator only if he is well versed with communication skills and techniques. Communication skill is completely beneficial as it creates effective flow of thoughts and information from one party to another as well as minimizes the chances of confusion and misunderstanding. If a person lack in communication skill, then he cannot promote himself and also the organization he is working for. In communication there is exchange of information, thoughts and ideas with the help of dialogues and conversation. It is always a two way process which included gesticulation and vocalization. The importance and value of communication skill never can be disregarded. In all walks of life, good communication skill is extremely important. A poor communication skill can have a negative effect on both the professional and personal life of a person. A good communication skill is very essential in fields like medicine, teaching and media where in the main focus is on the understanding of patients, students and the mass population respectively. Even for a salesperson, communication is of key importance as his profession is entirely depended on his verbal skills. In the same way verbal communication is vital,

Luxury Good and Gucci Essay Example for Free

Luxury Good and Gucci Essay Gucci‘s overall strategy was to vertically integrate to strengthen its overall brand image. After vertically integrating they acquired other luxury retailers to continue to grow horizontally and to increase economies of scope. The economics of the luxury goods industry changed forcing Gucci to modify its strategy. Consumers demand shifted from classic style buyers to style conscious buyers. Gucci not only had to change due to the economics of the industry but they also had several problems with their existing structure. Hence Gucci made the following moves to reposition it to compete in the new economics of the luxury goods industry. Gucci The partnership between DeSole and Ford addresses the company’s inability to have streamlined decision making and consistent branding throughout the company. By partnering product design and strategy, Gucci can now make product and business decisions that deliver a consistent message externally. All products and communications will support the brand image of a luxury goods retailer that Gucci wants to deliver to the marketplace. The cost cutting and targeted layoffs address Gucci’s poor cost structure. While profit margins were healthy, the extravagant spending by the former CEO was reducing profitability. The company had excess headcount in some areas and less in others. The layoffs improved Gucci’s cost structure and streamline the organization. Secondly, Gucci lacked the management talent to run a high end luxury company. By laying off underperforming managers and hiring experienced business executives, Gucci significantly improved the quality of its management team. The cash investment by PPR protects Gucci from hostile takeovers by competitors. The improvement in Gucci’s capital structure enables Gucci to move from an acquisition target to a potential acquirer of substitutes and new entrants. This is critical because in the fashion industry, new brands are always emerging in the market. The $3 billion dollar cash investment enables Gucci to protect its core market better. Additionally, the acquisition of YSL through the merger diversifies Gucci’s product portfolio and creates high barriers to entry. Buyers Due to changing consumer demands, Gucci started to focus on fashion in particular the â€Å"glamorous edge. † Since switching cost for consumers are low and consumers are now demanding new fashions every season focusing on seasonal trends competitively positioned Gucci against its rivals and impeded consumers from finding substitutes. Gucci changed its target consumer from an older more conservative buyer to a modern, youthful, fashion conscious one. Since all of Gucci’s competitors had the same target (30-50 year affluent women) going after a modern, youthful spirited consumer allows Gucci to focus on a different segment of the luxury market, capturing a different slice of the pie. To create loyalty, give consumers options, and to prevent consumers from switching and buying a substitute product Gucci decided to revolutionize their product assortments to correspond with the seasonal trends. In addition they increased the quality of their products comparable to Hermes and offered these products at a value to meet the consumer’s needs. Furthermore, Gucci tailored their product assortment in each DOS to local customers to attract more consumers in the local markets. To better forecast product demand for seasonal goods and to keep inventory costs down Gucci added customer intelligence to the decision making process to better understanding consumers buying behavior. In order to obtain higher profit margins and offer a comprehensive line of products it was necessary for Gucci to diversify its portfolio. Hence Gucci introduced items from scarves to fur coats. To remain focused and maintain its â€Å"luxury status†, Gucci did not introduce diffusion product lines. Gucci had initially set its prices too high hence reducing their retail prices by 30% was necessary to attract and maintain customer loyalty. In order to generate demand for the product Gucci doubled their advertising and turned Tom Ford into a celebrity hoping to attract media and attention from around the world. To restore Gucci’s image as a high end luxury goods retailer they renovated all of their stores to support this new image. In addition all internal and external communications had the same look and feel to convey a consistent brand identity. Furthermore, they reduced distribution through retail stores that didn’t support the new brand image regardless of sales. Gucci launched an official web site to create awareness and exhibit new product lines and to position themselves against their competitors. Suppliers Suppliers are a key driver of profitability—a key competitive force. Suppliers are responsible for delivering a premium product that satisfies the company’s standards in quality and that reflects Tom Ford’s creative vision. Without fast turnover to meet fashion forward trend demands and a quality product, the repositioning of the Gucci brand could not have taken place. To fulfill this vision Gucci created an incentive program to keep suppliers loyal to ensure a quality product was manufactured, on time delivery, and it would prevent the suppliers from forging relationships with Gucci’s competitors. In addition, Gucci made suppliers more efficient through technology and logistics investments, provided training for suppliers and built an EDI network allowing Gucci to efficiently communicate with partner suppliers through the production process. As more fashion products will be produced every season along with the classic products, delivery and meeting demand could become an issue if production processes are not efficient. Investing in suppliers ensures that supplier threat, which is high, is controlled and suppliers have incentives to stay with Gucci. Supplier threat is high because of there is an absence of substitutes suppliers. Switching costs are high for Gucci other suppliers may be producing for their rivals. Other suppliers may not deliver the quality and craftsmanship Gucci is expecting. In addition, other suppliers do not have experience in producing Gucci products (current suppliers have been with Gucci for long time). Hence they will have a longer learning curve slowing down the production process. There are few suppliers in specific regions: Gucci suppliers had production capacity to meet Gucci’s growth (20-30% a year). However, finding new suppliers would be going into Prada’s territory. With more growth, suppliers gained bargaining power with sub-suppliers and with Gucci. Initially, Gucci had power because suppliers worried that Gucci would go overseas for suppliers. Complementors Complementors are a not a high threat to Gucci because there only a few of them, media and advertising. Competition There are many firms in this industry because profit margins are high. However with the number and volume of MA activity on the rise, consolidation is imminent with a few big players left in the market. Consolidation among competition has given competitors lower cost structure resulting in a competitive advantage such as ad purchasing discounts and supplier negotiating power. The competitors have a diversified product portfolio to target multiple segments of the market. They dominate in particular segments, for example Hermes and leather bags. Since there is slow industry growth precipitating fights for market share is certain to occur. This may result in a high threat from competitors such as LVMH and Prada. Threat of Entry The threat of entry is low because brand identity and product differentiation has been well established in this industry. In addition, access to distribution channels is limited and the new entrant would be competing with already established channels of distribution for Gucci and others firms. Gucci and other competitors have substantial resources to fight back because they of their monetary resources and could obstruct the new entrant or buy them out.

Negative Schizotypy Reflect A Continuously Deficit Psychology Essay

Negative Schizotypy Reflect A Continuously Deficit Psychology Essay The DSM-IV: APA, diagnosiss schizophrenia based on reoccurring symptoms, including hallucinations delusions, disorganised speech, disorganised or catatonic behaviour and negative. One reason for cognitive impairments observed in schizophrenia is the processing of context. Cohen (1999) states context processing is used in general to mean the functioning of mental effort or cognitive control. It is referred to actively holding information to be used to mediate task appropriate behaviour. Buchanan et al (1994) states negative symptoms of schizophrenia are connected with deficits involving executive functioning memory. Further evidence from Dibben, et al (2009) explains executive dysfunction shows difficulty in maintaining contextual information, therefore may be an endophenotype of the schizophrenia spectrum of disorders. Research has found there are certain negative schizotypy traits, associated with schizophrenia. Lenzenweger (2010) defines schizoptypy as an underlying personality construct rather than a set of explicit behaviours, which may indicate a concealed risk of future schizophrenia. Schizotypy traits which parallel symptoms of schizophrenia vary from low to pathological, suggesting schizophrenia as a spectrum disorder. Schizotypal Personality Disorder (SPD) presents as similar symptoms to schizophrenia but are explained as a border line state in DSM-III (APA, 1980) SPD not severe enough to meet the criteria to be diagnosed as schizophrenic. Therefore signifying schizophrenia corresponds to the severe end of the spectrum. Additional support from OFlynn et al (2007) shows individuals with high schizotypy scores are cognitively linked to schizophrenia as part of a schizophrenia spectrum. Furthermore Diforio (2000) found SPD patients exhibit cognitive impairment in numerous areas, such as execu tive functioning, dual task information processing and working memory. These are similar to those seen in schizophrenia, although less severe. Studies by Barch (2004) also found individuals expressing schizotypal characteristics express deficits in attention and working memory. Studying individuals with schizotypy traits or SPD can help towards understanding systems and psychological processes contributing to schizophrenia, without confounding factors such as medication effects intervening, which is problematic when researching schizophrenia. The O-LIFE was developed to focus on traits rather than symptoms. It measures four sub-scales associated with schizotypal traits, all have been recognized to have high internal consistency. These are unusual experiences = 0.89, cognitive disorganisation = 0.87, introvertive anhedonia = 0.82 and impulse nonconformity = 0.77. (Mason et al 1995) Evidence from Burch et al (1998) found O-LIFEs test-retest reliability to be very high. However this investigation just measures introvertive anhedonia commonly referred to as a negative schizotypy trait. Meehl (1962) states Anhedonia is the reduced ability to experience social and physical sources of pleasure, as well as avoidance of intimacy, it is an important characteristic of negative symptoms describing it as one of the most consistent and dramatic behavioural signs of the disease. Additionally high social anhedonia as suggested by Blanchard et al (2000) may indicate schizotypy, relating it to a taxon amongst an undergraduate population. A study by Kwapil (1998) suggests higher scores of social anhedonia have been correlated to a greater probability of being diagnosed with future schizophrenia. This investigates uses the O-LIFE questionnaire to measure scores on the introvertive anhedonia subscale and to observe if higher scorers have difficulty with contextual processing. Haddon et al (2011) claim biconditional discrimination in the form of a contextual processing task may be used to measure the way in which task-setting cues control performance. Participants are required to learn relationships by trial-and-error between random pairs of stimuli and feedback responses. Cohen Servan-Schreiber (1992) propose task-setting cues are essential in resolving conflict which opposing stimulus-response pathways create. A study by Mason et al (1995) examined performance of participants with high and low schizotypy scores, using biconditional discrimination and a control discrimination which did not use task-setting cues. Findings showed those who scored highly on the introvertive anhedonia subscale performed weakly on the biconditional. Therefore Liddle (1987) suggests deficits in bic onditional discrimination are directly related to the introvertive anhedonia schizotypy subscale. Furthermore Burch et al (1998) states high schizotypy scores are related to impairments on cognitive tasks, similar to those with schizophrenia. Looking at previous research this investigation aims to replicate (using a related discrimination procedure) and generalise findings of Haddon et al (2011), also to contribute to developing projects on schizotypy which looks to understand effects of core cognitive deficits on severe mental illness. The investigation hypothesises the high schizotypy group will find completion of biconditional discrimination more difficult than lower groups. Method Design An experimental design was used in this study. The independent variables were the schizotypy groups 1, 2, 3 and 4. The dependent variable was the biconditional discrimination score. Participants 92 undergraduates (75 females and 17 males) participated in return for course credit and were undiagnosed as schizophrenic or taking psychotropic medication. Materials Materials included the O-life (The Oxford and Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences) questionnaire and a contextual processing task. (O-LIFE; Mason 1995) This was chosen as it is a reliable and valid measure that was specifically designed for use with sub-clinical populations. A desktop computer running windows and visual basic was used for displaying the stimuli and recording the participants responses. The contextual processing task programme was designed specifically for the investigation. Procedure Participants were tested individually in a quiet environment. The 160-item O-LIFE questionnaire used for measuring schizotypal characteristics within the normal population was shown on a projector screen and participants had to circle yes or no to the corresponding question on an answer sheet. Participants were allocated to schizotypy groups of 20 based on their introvertive anhedonia score relative to the distribution of this trait in participants of similar age and gender. They carried out a contextual processes task which tested biconditional discrimination. Participants assumed the role of a stockbroker and advised clients on stock profitability. In total of 80 training trials presented the participant with pairs of hypothetical stocks including chemicals and paper or metal and wood. Participants then discriminated on a 9 point scale which pairs of stocks would result in profit (positive outcome) and which would result in losses (negative outcome). Participants were instructed to provide a confidence rating of 1 if certain there would be a loss a rating of 5 if uncertain and a rating of 9 if certain of a profit, feedback was provided on the outcome. All four types of trial (AX, BX, AY, BY) (see fig 2) were presented randomly once within each cycle, 20 trials of each compound in total. Biconditional training AX+ AY- BY+ BX- Fig 2 Table of contingences. Completing the task involves attending to both cues consecutively to predict important events. When processing one cue (X) participants have to consider the context in which it is displayed (A or B). Data Analysis As there were multiple levels of the independent variable a one way between ANOVA was used to test for a difference. This analysis decreases chance of a type 1 error. The dependent variable biconditional discrimination was measured by taking the average difference between profit (AX BY) and loss (AY BX) trials in the final 40 trials of learning. Analysis was carried out this way because as Haddon et al (2011) show the effects between the groups emerge as learning progresses. A single score ranging from -8 and +8 was therefore produced reflecting each participants contextual learning ability. The higher the participants score the more context learning ability they have. As ANOVA only states whether there is an overall significant effect Bonferroni post hoc tests were carried out to find which means were significantly different from each other. Results Levenes test of homogeneity of variance is used to report whether variance is significantly different between groups. We cannot use the ANOVA model if there is a significant difference, although for this study Levenes test of homogeneity of variance was non-significant, (p>0.05) therefore ANOVA data can be interpreted. One way between ANOVA shows an overall significant difference between introvertive anhedonia score and contextual processing. (F (3, 88) = 6.019, p Pairwise comparisons using post hoc test bonferroni showed scores for group 1 were significantly higher than those in group 4 (p0.05). As figure 1 shows a linear association was found. (See figure 1). Figure 1. Mean discrimination score by group (s.e shown as error bars) Discussion The aim of this investigation was to further examine and replicate the findings of Haddon (2011). Findings have provided evidence consistent with this aim and hypothesis that high schizotypy groups have difficulty completing biconditional discrimination compared to lower groups. Specifically participants with higher introvertive anhedonia scores (group 4) displayed more impaired biconditional performance compared with those with low scores (group 1). The connection found between high Introvertive Anhedonia scores and impaired biconditional performance is consistent with Liddles (1987) research linking cognitive dysfunction to negative symptoms of schizophrenia and schizotypy characteristics. However it is essential to note anhedonia is not an exclusive feature of schizophrenia, having also been found in bipolar disorder. These results not only give further support to Haddon et als (2011) findings but also maintains the theory from Cohen and Servan-Schreiber (1992) that high schizotypy individuals, should be impaired on biconditional discrimination tasks since contextual information is essential for resolving conflict between opposing stimulus-response. Futhermore the statistical test ANOVA only shows there is a difference between groups scores, not stating exact cause and effect. Variation within groups could be due to individual differences or other factors that were not controlled (tiredness or mood) could affect concentration. Participants could have found the task uninteresting therefore not engaging fully; also participants different approaches to answering biconditional discrimination task can have an impact upon results. The O-LIFE questionnaire has good test-retest reliability and is useful in studying a nonclinical population. Although O-LIFE is not a diagnostic test for risk of mental illness, testing only personality traits. However there are limitations in the investigation, the sample had a clear gender bias with a larger female to male ratio. Another drawback being a young age bias as it used undergraduate students, although sampling from younger age groups produces groups with comparable distributions of introvertive anhedonia scores. Further research is needed to determine the significance of these results and their implications for the relationship between negative schizotypy traits and context processing. Researchers looking for objective indicators for causes of decline into schizophrenia could use further research using these results. Additionally larger understanding of negative symptoms could motivate research into producing therapies effective for negative symptoms. References Association, A. P. (1980). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (thrid ed.). Washington: Author. Association, A. P. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (fourth ed.). Washington: Author. Barch, D. M., Mitropoulou, V., Harvey, P. D., New, A. S., Silverman, J. M., Siever, L. J. (2004). Context-processing deficits in schizotypal personality disorder. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 113, 556-568. Blanchard, J. J., Gangestad, S. W., Brown, S. A., Horan, W. P. (2000). Hedonic capacity and schizotypy revisited: A taxometric analysis of social anhedonia. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 109(1), 87-95. Buchanan, R. W., Strauss, M. E., Kirkpatrick, B., Holstein, C., Breier, A., Carpenter, W.T. (1994). Neuropsychological Impairments in Deficit Vs Nondeficit Forms of Schizophrenia. Archives of General Psychiatry, 51(10), 804-811. Burch, G. S. J., Steel, C., Hemsley, D. R. (1998). Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences: Reliability in an experimental population. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 37, 107-108. Cohen, J. D., Barch, D. M., Carter, C., Servan-Schreiber, D. (1999). Context-processing deficits in schizophrenia: Converging evidence from three theoretically motivated cognitive tasks. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 108(1), 120-133. Cohen, J. D., Servan-Schreiber, D. (1992). Context, Cortex, and Dopamine a Connectionist Approach to Behavior and Biology in Schizophrenia. Psychological Review, 99(1), 45-77. Dibben, C. R. M., Rice, C., Laws, K., McKenna, P. J. (2009). Is executive impairment associated with schizophrenic syndromes? A meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine, 39(3), 381-392. Diforio, D., Walker, E. F., Kestler, L. P. (2000). Executive functions in adolescents with schizotypal personality disorder. Schizophrenia Research, 42(2), 125-134. Haddon, J. E., George, D. N., Grayson, L., McGowan, C., Honey, R. C., Killcross, S. (2011). Impaired conditional task performance in a high schizotypy population: Relation to cognitive deficits. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 64(1), 1-9. Kwapil, T. R. (1998). Social anhedonia as a predictor of the development of schizophreniaspectrum disorders. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 107(4), 558-565. Lenzenweger, M. F. (2010). Schizotypy and schizophrenia: The view from experimental psychopathology. New York: Guilford Press. Liddle, P. F. (1987). The Symptoms of Chronic-Schizophrenia a Reexamination of the Positive-Negative Dichotomy. British Journal of Psychiatry, 151, 145-151. Mason, O., Claridge, G., Jackson, M. (1995). New scale for the assessment of schizotypy, Personality and Individual Differences 18(1), 7-13. Meehl, P. E. (1962). Schizotaxia, schizotypy, schizophrenia. American Psychologist, 17, 827-838. OFlynn, K., Gruzelier, J., Bergman, A. and Siever, L.J. (2007) The Schizophrenia Spectrum Personality Disorders, in Schizophrenia, Second Edition (eds S. R. Hirsch and D. R. Weinberger), Blackwell Science Ltd, Oxford, UK.

Deist Pantheism in Tintern Abbey :: William Wordsworth Poetry

"Tintern Abbey" typifies William Wordsworth's desire to demonstrate what he sees as the oneness of the human psyche with that of the universal mind of the cosmos. It is his pantheistic attempt to unfurl the essence of nature's sublime mystery that often evades understanding, marking his progression as a young writer firmly rooted within the revolutionary tradition to one caught in perplexity about which way to proceed socially and morally, and further, to define for himself a new personal socio-political vision. Moreover, "Tintern Abbey" exhibits Wordsworth's eclipsing of the Cartesian belief in a supernatural creator who stands beyond the universe, echoing the ideas of Burach Spinoza, and redefining late eighteenth century deism into a more personal, pantheist revision of nature. The poem's portrayal of the intimate connection with nature implicitly underscores Wordsworth's view on conventional religious belief as one surpassing commonly held interpretations of the supernatural. It conveys Wordsworth's ideal of the universe as bound inextricably within the essence of all that is harmonious and natural -- a "Oneness." It sympathetically depicts the inseparability of "God" from nature, the "material-spirit" of energy that, as Wordsworth portrays it, imbues the life force with . . . a sense sublime Of something far more deeply interfused, Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns, And the round ocean and the living air, And the blue sky, and in the mind of man; A motion and a spirit, that impels All thinking things, all objects of all thought, And rolls through all things. (96-103) In terms of "Tintern Abbey"'s naturalistic depiction of nature's interconnection with the universe and humanity, the poem reveals Samuel Taylor Coleridge and John Thelwall's implicit influence upon Wordsworth's development as both a writer and naturalist poet. Similar to Wordsworth, for instance, John Thelwall illuminates the organic spur of the human frame and other life forms in his scientific prose, such as found in his celebrated medical essay, Towards A Definition of Animal Vitality (1793). Thelwall's "cosmic-monism" fuses the workings of the human body to the movements of heaven and earth -- a holistic interconnection of the organic to the inorganic. His connection to Wordsworth through Coleridge serves to partially explain the inherent pantheistic vision in "Tintern Abbey"'s 1798 composition.

Instructional strategies exam essay Essay

Teachers are constantly challenged to ensure that teaching strategies employed in the classroom are appropriate the learning styles and experiences of the learners. As far as possible instructional strategies should be modified to take into consideration the unique characteristics of individual learners and aim to discover the best way forward when dealing with specific learning styles. Cooperative learning strategies are useful in teaching learners who function best in learning sessions that take into concern their individual needs, interests and abilities as well as provide opportunities for interaction and discussion with and among other learners. Constructivists have long established that learning cannot be separated from real-life experiences as both share a symbiotic relationship (Huang, 2002, p. 28). Bringing real-life situations into the learning environment will facilitate and enhance learning while knowledge, skills and attitudes gained in learning provide opportunities for additional life experiences. Cooperative learning strategies have a great amount of flexibility in the classroom and make it possible for the teacher to effectively match learning style to teaching strategy. Cooperative learning strategies are therefore quite attractive for adult learners as there is a multiplicity of activities and tasks that can be brought into any one learning experience to make learning not only effective but meaningful. These strategies are also useful in ensuring that learners have some amount of freedom and independence, as well as participate actively in their own learning. In a learning session using cooperative learning strategies individuals can be assigned to interest groups at the beginning of the session. Interest groups are individuals who may share either the same background or viewpoint. Interest groups are assigned either based on the particular task to be covered in the lesson or based on previously defined characteristics such as favorite type of food, music, TV shows etcetera. This is simply to ensure that all learners feel a sense of belonging by being able to identify with at least one other person in the group and therefore all will be motivated to actively participate in the lesson. Countless authors have pointed to the merits of using small groups as an effective teaching strategy to ensure participation and involvement (see Slavin, 2000). At the beginning of the lesson students are presented with the objectives and given precise guidelines of what they will be required to do throughout the lesson. Each group, that would have been identified previously, is given a particular aspect of the lesson to report or focus on and even within the group each member is assigned a specific responsibility and, of course, made aware how his/her role fits into the group task and the general lesson. In this way students will be accountable, not only for their own learning but also for the learning of the rest of the members who will be dependent upon him/her to correctly complete what is required. Kounin is famous for stressing this concept of accountability in learning. He also argues that it is essential to maintain the involvement of all students in all aspects of the lesson (as cited in Slavin, 2000, p. 373). Direct instruction often cannot be avoided in delivering lesson content depending on the material to be covered and may be essential in some cases. Thus in this setting direct instruction has its place but is supplemented with other strategies to ensure its effectiveness in meeting lesson objectives. To make a topic more meaningful and of immediate interest to the learners suggestions are gathered as to possible topics to explore, that can be aligned well with the overall curricular goals. By using the direct teaching method the teacher delivers the content to the entire class but each group is at that time paying particular attention to the aspect that is most relevant to the task they had been previously assigned. Visual aids and demonstrations, as appropriate, are used to enhance the impact of the lesson. A PowerPoint ® presentation would be particularly attractive to learners incorporating computer graphics, animation and even sound so that learners are able to interact with the lesson on a variety of levels. An alternative to the direct teacher or a supplemental to it would be to invite an outside speaker to deliver the specified topic. This guest speaker could be someone that the class nominates or someone that has expertise as well as being able to gain the interest and attention of the learners. Using either direct teaching, the PowerPoint ® or the guest speaker the group function is still maintained. At the end of these sessions groups meet to collaborate on completing the task assigned. In completing this task learners use problem solving skills to ensure that objectives are met. Working collaboratively group members have to explore alternatives for solving the problem or accomplishing the task that has been assigned. Included in the discussion is a decision on what aspect of the presentation is relevant or irrelevant to the task they have been assigned and the most appropriate way of organizing their work. They will also have to choose the most appropriate form in which to present their information. Each group is required, whether as a part of the session or in a subsequent session, to present their task to the rest of the class. As a part of the task description the teacher allows each group the flexibility of choosing whatever approach they feel will best be suited to presenting their information to the entire class. Role-play, simulation, demonstration, presentation or any other method could be adopted by the learners based on their individual preference. Alternatively all groups could role-play their particular scenario. Role-playing can be used to develop problem solving skills and to assess how much and how well learning has occurred. There is still a considerable amount of flexibility in that the groups use their own styles and ideas to come up with an appropriate situation to depict the problem they were assigned to. All members of the group will be required to roll-play ensuring that group activities are not manipulated by a specific set of learners and so that some learners do not opt out. Feedback of course, in any learning context is essential. Peer evaluation in this situation is useful. A discussion can ensue after each group role-plays or presents. Other classmates give feedback on the same issues and present possible alternatives to the solution that was taken or discuss why the option taken was the most appropriate for the particular issue at hand. Additionally comments relevant to the lesson could also be made. Learners in the small-group and large-group context are therefore able to cooperatively learn from each other by sharing ideas and making suggestions. Evidently learners are given a lot of independence within the specific guidelines and a lot of self-directed learning takes place. All these are essential for learners to make the most out of learning sessions and are preferable to techniques that are teacher-centered rather than learner-centered. In this way learners are actively participating in learning not just being passive listeners and observers. Throughout the lesson the teacher plays the role of facilitator or guide but the learners are the ones actively involved in the learning experiences and thus they would reap much more benefit. References Huang, H. (2002). Toward constructivism for adult learners in online learning environments. British Journal of Educational Technology, 33(1), 27-37. Slavin, R. E. (2000). Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice. (6th ed. ). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

A Significant Symbol in U.S. Contemporary History Essay

The statement above is just one of the several famous and affecting quotes from a former president of the United States of America, Dwight David Eisenhower. In this short and concise statement, his general principles, beliefs, and ideologies may be observed. This man with a huge heart for peace and humanity has been perceived by millions of Americans as a tough yet upright and high-profiled symbol of the government over the decades. However, this man who has been looked up to by the whole of America may be discovered to have humble beginnings—brought up from a simple family, he was an average boy who grew up to fulfill great dreams and great aspirations for the United States of America. On the 14th day of October in 1890, Dwight David Eisenhower, of David Eisenhower, a mechanic, and Ida Elizabeth Stover, a religious pacifist, was born (Kelly). As a child, he had to help his family and work with extra effort in order to suffice their everyday necessities. He was brought up in a simple yet very religious environment where people are exposed to real-life plain-living (The Eisenhower Foundation). He was born in Denison, Texas, but they eventually moved to Abilene in Kansas where he spent his early education in humble community schools. During this stage of his life, he was raised to be a fun loving youth who was fascinated with the Western American history and had always dreamed of getting into college and obtaining a degree which was considered an extravagance for families like his during that time (The Eisenhower Foundation). It was in Abilene where he had his early foundations, and it was also the place where he acquired his early values which eventually molded him to what people know him for—a noble and principled individual. Eisenhower joined the U. S. Military at West Point, New York on the 14th day of June in 1911 (â€Å"Dwight David Eisenhower†). Here, he was made into a principled and trained fighter which helped him to reach the rank of Second Lieutenant on September 1915. This was the start of his career in the military which have been a difficult battle and a rich learning experience as well for the fighter Eisenhower. In his entire military career, he has been blessed with the might of an ultimate warrior and a fair mind of a just leader. He has been part of several historical events such as McArthur’s venture to the Philippine Islands and the First and Second World War (â€Å"Dwight David Eisenhower†). Eventually, he was able to receive several recognitions due to his selfless and self-sacrificing service for the United States. On the 4th day of November in 1952, he was awarded with the greatest authority an American citizen could ever have; he became the 34th president of the Unites States of America (The Eisenhower Foundation). As it appears, the presidents of the world are given this special privilege of being immortalized through their works and principles. However, people may still question why a person such as Dwight Eisenhower should be remembered when all the other presidents seem to have done the same thing: to serve the country. As Eisenhower ventured in the greatest challenge to rule America, he was faced with serious challenges through the problems and obstacles in the political and economic sectors. The American values and the national security have been put in great risk by the powerful Europe and Asia which vexed the newly appointed president (Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission). Yet, despite these challenges, he maintained his aim on his strategies and game-plans on how he can win every battle that the country was facing at that time, such as the Cold War which he skillfully handled with utmost determination. In addition, as Eisenhower went through the most difficult and complex challenges as a president, he was able to maintain the balance in the national budget, the credibility of the country’s fiscal responsibility, and the public works that were significant in the lives of his people. He became remarkable in his efforts to establish sturdy innovations to the government as a whole and to his presidency in order to improve not just the country’s infrastructures but also the morale and dignity of the government (Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission). Eisenhower also had that incomparable heart for his people. He recognized the needs and the grievances of the less fortunate Americans which led him to establish agencies like the Department of Health and the Education and Welfare in 1953, while he also made improvements in the Social Security through increased benefits for millions of Americans (Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission). These were just some of his simple yet very significant efforts that will forever rest in Americans’ memories as he left them after a long heart ailment on the solemn day of March 28, 1969 uttering his last words, â€Å"I want to go; God take me. † (The Eisenhower Foundation). Among the many presidents that the United States has met, Dwight Eisenhower created a difference as inspired by his upbringing. It provided him enough courage and determination to reach greater heights. It may appear that the function and role of the American president is one of the hardest and most complicated in the world. Yet, to think that Eisenhower was able to go through it while maintaining a spiritual and fair heart is also commendable. A leader who does not allow his power and authority to rule his heart has also been attributed to Eisenhower by the people themselves. This is because while he was a man who was very well exposed to violence and wars, he spoke of peace and freedom from strife. Over his years of service, aside from literally fighting for his nation and helping to winning the wars, he was able to win the trust and confidence of his people through keeping his values and morale in his leadership strategy. Truly, it may be hard to find a perfect leader. Nevertheless, finding a leader like Eisenhower who had a sense of humor and integrity at the same time can also be one in a million chances. Considering the accounts of history which tell stories of Eisenhower as a hero of America, it may appear that he indeed played a significant role in the U. S. contemporary history. A man who led a simple life as a child and grew up to become the person with the highest authority in America but never abused his powers for wealth and personal interest is indeed worthy of remembrance. Indeed, no person must be judged according to his or her roots. Certainly, societal status does not in any way make a discerning factor to tell the worth and value of a person, because if there is any symbol and example who best represents a story of humble roots to the height of glory and honor in America, it would be undeniably someone like former President Dwight Eisenhower of the United States. Works Cited Bancroft, David G. â€Å"Dwight D. Eisenhower: 34th President (1953-1961). † USA Patriotism. 2002. 24 November 2008 . Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission. Why Memoralize Eisenhower?. 27 August 2008. 24 November 2008 . â€Å"Dwight David Eisenhower†. The Eisenhower Library Information Resources. September 2000. Ibiblio. 24 November 2008 . The Eisenhower Foundation. Biography: Dwight David Eisenhower October 14, 1890-March 28, 1969. 05 August 2008. Eisenhower. com. 24 November 2008 . Kelly, Martin. â€Å"Dwight D. Eisenhower- Thirty-Fourth President of the United States. † About. com: American History. 24 November 2008. .

Grapes of Wrath Quotes

Grapes of Wrath Quotes The Grapes of Wrath is a novel by Nobel-Prize winning author John Steinbeck that is considered a classic piece of American literature. Published in 1939, the plot centers around the Joads, a family of sharecroppers, who journey to California seeking a new life as they attempt to escape the devasting effects of the Oklahoma Dust Bowl and The Great Depression. Selected Quotes from The Grapes of Wrath Houses were shut tight, and cloth wedged around doors and windows, but the dust came in so thinly that it could not be seen in the air, and it settled like pollen on the chairs and tables, on the dishes. Before I knowed it, I was sayin out loud, The hell with it! There aint no sin and there aint no virtue. Theres just stuff people do. Its all part of the same thing.... I says, Whats this call, this sperit? An I says, Its love. I love people so much Im fit to bust, sometimes.... I figgered, Why do we got to hang it on God or Jesus? Maybe, I figgered, maybe its all men an all women we love; maybe thats the Holy Sperit-the human sperit-the whole shebang. Maybe all men got one big soul everbodys a part of. Now I sat there thinkin it, an all of a sudden- I knew it. I knew it so deep down that it was true, and I still know it. They breathe profits; they eat the interest on money. If they dont get it, they die the way you die without air, without side-meat. The bank is something more than men, I tell you. Its the monster. Men made it, but they cant control it. I got thinkin how we was holy when we was one thing, an mankin was holy when it was one thing. An it ony got unholy when one misable little fella got the bit in his teeth an run off his own way, kickin an draggin an fightin. Fella like that bust the holi-ness. But when theyre all workin together, not one fella for another fella, but one fella kind of harnessed to the whole shebang- thats right, thats holy. It aint that big. The whole United States aint that big. It aint that big. It aint big enough. There aint room enough for you an me, for your kind an my kind, for rich and poor together all in one country, for thieves and honest men. For hunger and fat. Man, unlike any other thing organic or inorganic in the universe, grows beyond his work, walks up the stairs of his concepts, emerges ahead of his accomplishments. Fear the time when the strikes stop while the great owners live- for every little beaten strike is proof that the step is being taken... fear the time when Manself will not suffer and die for a concept, for this one quality is the foundation of Manself, and this one quality is man, distinctive in the universe. Is a tractor bad? Is the power that turns the long furrows wrong? If this tractor were ours, it would be good- not mine, but ours. We could love that tractor then as we have loved this land when it was ours. But this tractor does two things- it turns the land and turns us off the land. There is little difference between this tractor and a tank. The people were driven, intimidated, hurt by both. We must think about this. Okie use ta mean you was from Oklahoma. Now it means youre a dirty son-of-a-bitch. Okie means youre scum. Dont mean nothing itself, its the way they say it. I know this... a man got to do what he got to do. Theys a time of change, an when that comes, dyin is a piece of all dyin, and bearin is a piece of all bearin, an bearin an dyin is two pieces of the same thing. An then things aint so lonely anymore. An then a hurt dont hurt so bad. And the great owners, who must lose their land in an upheaval, the great owners with access to history, with eyes to read history and to know the great fact: when property accumulates in too few hands it is taken away. And that companion fact: when a majority of the people are hungry and cold they will take by force what they need. And the little screaming fact that sounds through all history: repression works only to strengthen and knit the repressed. How can you frighten a man whose hunger is not only in his own cramped stomach but in the wretched bellies of his children? You cant scare him- he has known a fear beyond every other. Were Joads. We dont look up to nobody. Grampas grampa, he fit in the Revolution. We was farm people till the debt. And then- them people. They done somepin to us. Ever time they come seemed like they was a-whippin me- all of us. An in Needles, that police. He done somepin to me, made me feel mean. Made me feel ashamed. An now I aint ashamed. These folks is our folks- is our folks. An that manager, he come an set an drank coffee, an he says, Mrs. Joad this, an Mrs. Joad that- an How you getting on, Mrs. Joad? She stopped and sighed. Why, I feel like people again. The migrant people, scuttling for work, scrabbling to live, looked always for pleasure, dug for pleasure, manufactured pleasure, and they were hungry for amusement. In the souls of the people, the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage. Says one time he went out in the wilderness to find his own soul, an he foun he didnt have no soul that was hisn. Says he foun he jus got a little piece of a great big soul. Says a wilderness aint no good, cause his little piece of a soul wasnt no good less it was with the rest, an was whole. Whenever theys a fight so hungry people can eat, Ill be there. Whenever theys a cop beatin up a guy, Ill be there... Ill be in the way guys yell when theyre mad an Ill be in the way kids laugh when theyre hungry an they know suppers ready. An when our folks eat the stuff they raise an live in the houses they build- why, Ill be there.

Asian Brown Cloud essays

Asian Brown Cloud essays The report by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) on the three-kilometre brown cloud hanging over Asia zeroes in on this kind of fuel burning as the source of the cloud that is disrupting monsoons, lowering agricultural output and creating air pollution leading to respiratory diseases. "The big problem here could be cooking at home," says Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen of the Max-Planck Institute for Chemistry in Germany. Crutzen won the Nobel Prize for his work on discovering the ozone hole. It is a problem that will now have to be addressed by governments in South Asia, says Prof V. Ramanathan of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, one of the leading scientists involved in the study, conducted between 1995 and 1999 at a cost of about $40 million. "The sliver lining to this cloud is that it can be tackled relatively soon if the correct policy decisions are taken," he says. The Supreme Court of India took the lead in introducing compressed Natural gas (CNG) in buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws in the country. But the court had no idea of the magnitude of the cloud hanging overhead which its order could do nothing to remove. The cloud cannot be tackled at the level of handling pollution in New Delhi or some other cities. Ramantahan says: "We are seeing great variation in this cloud not just across Asia but over parts of India as well." The Asian Brown Cloud, as the scientists are calling it, "should not be seen as something static," he said. "It is moving about all the time." Scientists indicate a revolution of lifestyles will be needed across India, Pakistan and China acting together. This will mean common policies against burning of fossil fuels, of agricultural wastes, against emissions from industries and power stations, and above all, against emissions from the millions of inefficient cookers in homes using fuels like wood and cow dung. The brown clouds these fuels have created over Asia have ...

Alcohol Abuse And Substance Abuse

The Effects of Alcohol and Substance Abuse on Fetal Development Natalie Fontanella Liberty University Online Abstract This paper examined the effects of alcohol and substance abuse on fetal development in expecting mothers. The critical periods of fetal development during pregnancy are reviewed and discussed in order to determine the effects alcohol and substance can cause during certain stages. In order to gain a more efficient understanding of the effects different substances can have on fetal†¦ Substance Abuse Along with stress, family dysfunction, and social isolation, substance abuse has also been linked with an increased risk of child abuse and neglect. Aspects of the family environment can be a useful and vital assessment aspect for identifying child abuse and neglect. According to a study conducted by Shanta Dube, Robert Anda, Vincent Felitti, Janet Croft, Valerie Edwards, and Wayne Gills (2001), there was a strong relationship between parental alcohol abuse and each of the 10 adverse†¦ Alcohol Abuse Amber Wienberg Brown Mackie College- Lenexa, KS July 11, 2015 Alcohol Abuse Alcohol is the most abuse and widely used substance (Fortinash & Worret, 2012, pg. 333). According to Fortinash and Worret, 9.6% of American males and 3.2% of American females are alcohol dependent (2012, pg. 33). As stated by Psychology Today, alcohol abuse is defined by: failure to fulfill major school, work or home responsibilities, drink and driving, reoccurring legal issues related to alcohol†¦ policing, the use of alcohol and substance abuse has risen within the departments. Studies concerning the connection between alcohol and PTSD have shown that officers tend to turn to drugs and alcohol if they have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The use of drugs have led to addiction and even police corruption. This problem has become an epidemic for the police in today’s society. Citizens may argue that police are no different than an average citizen on substance abuse or that drugs actually†¦ Research Methodology There are very few studies on yoga intervention on alcohol and substance abuse. There ae several factors associated with substance abuse that prevents patients from relapse. Participants will be select based on the following criteria: the age, the employment status and the patient admitted for long-term inpatient treatment. The patient age 18 and over, who are currently employed in a firm and who are admitted in the facility as inpatient will be recruited for the research. The†¦ Alcohol may seem to be very innocent to people and a way to socialize with others even though that at times can be true it can also be very harmful and in some cases dangerous. Studies show that impulsivity has long been considered a risk factor for harmful alcohol use. Advances in neurocognitive models of impulse control have allowed substance abuse researchers to understand how dysfunction of specific cognitive mechanisms underlying behavioral control can contribute to substance use (Fillmore†¦ A main issue that is still occurring in the military is the many cases of the substance abuse. The USA Today news article, â€Å"Ex-soldier Returns to Fight Substance Abuse in Military† talks about Frank L. Greenagel Jr. who opened up his own counseling center for substance abuse. He also served in the military and agreed that there are many individuals who are dealing with substance addiction. These individuals need help before things could potentially become fatal. Greenagel discusses how one of†¦ Substance abuse and addiction has become so common that almost every individual has been or will be affected by its consequences. Substance abuse and addiction does not only affect the individual directly battling with it, but also impacts the lives of many others. Alcohol and substance abuse counseling is a career path that has interested me due to my personal experiences associated with alcohol and substance abuse. There are many different people battling with alcohol and substance abuse who†¦ Lauren’s alcohol consumption, especially in the form of binge drinking, is a form of substance abuse and is considered a health-risk behaviour (Buultjens & Buultjens, 2015). Therefore, it is important to note that active substance abuse correlates with poor adherence to prescribed treatments in adolescents (Costello et al., 2016). Furthermore, it is observed that adolescents who display one type of risk-taking behavior are more likely to engage in further forms of risk-taking in regard to their health†¦ People suffer from substance abuse such as; drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Most people mistakenly think that those who suffer from substance abuse do not have the willpower nor does that person want to stop using drugs. What those people don’t understand, drug abuse or some might call it drug addiction is a complex disease. (Signs and Symptoms of Substance Abuse, 2016). When a person is abusing drugs quitting it easier say, than done. Drugs can affect and change the brain and the body making the process†¦

Reaction paper (Greg Stahly) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reaction paper (Greg Stahly) - Essay Example He identified himself as a ceramic artist, a term that I had never heard of, and even though many of his products are displayed in museums, I still hold the opinion that his works are not artistic. Greg’s products however exhibit some elements of art. I consider his soda vapor glazing, a work that involved pottery, as his artistically richest work. Even though the product involved handwork creativity skills, its artistic elements are realized in its design process rather than implementation of the design to develop the product. Greg also associates himself more with creation of products for use. He for example creates bowls from which people can eat, watering ports for watering flowers and develop color schemes to capture people’s attention. His soda vapor without glazing was particularly outstanding and neat. It only applied a particular type of firewood with diversified natural colors that were derived from flames, parts of the wood and ash. Even though a distant glan ce of the work would not captivate, a closer approach to understanding the coloration identifies the quality in the product. Mixing of colors is the basis of this particular piece of work. Another identifiable feature of Greg’s work is that his products offer tangible utility. They are not merely commodities to be seen but are things that are applicable in daily life processes. His works therefore puts me in a dilemma as I fail to understand the precise difference between a person who makes products and a person who invent products towards development and sale. The concept of ceramic art also confuses me because even though I can comprehend aspect of art as implied in the works, I do not understand how the works can be generally considered art. This is because Greg develops his products without outlined motive. Examples involve his development of inflatable shapes and suspending them in a museum without a clear intent. Even though he later developed an understanding from his Cadaver bags that he tried to lift but fell down to six feet, such a theme of communicating aspects of death was not in his intentions at the time of developing the bags. I therefore hold the opinion that Greg is just an explorer who delights himself in making funny items and observing how his made items operate. This, in my opinion, is a development of products for physical utility and not art. ‘50 ways in’ is another of Greg’s works that appears to be controversial to me with respect to artistic consideration. The work only exhibits a few elements of artistic development and induces the dilemma of whether to consider it artistic or not. It was developed from ceramic, latex tubing, case rubber, aluminum, and 120 tubes and is identifiable with 50 eyeballs with tails that converge to a focal point on a wall. The work’s theme was to illustrate 50 of ways locating a particular point and even though the work’s title was captivating, the theory behind it , and the way in which Greg explained it is not. Greg for instance explained that every eye was the size of a grape fruit or one of the larger groups of fruits, a statement that identifies ambiguity. His other presumed art regarded construction of pipelines and aerial view of the city. He demonstrated diagrams of both pipelines and electrical line from an aerial view. The aim of such a development was to illustrate underground installations and even though he demonstrated an understanding of involved appliances, this work closely identifies with construction than it does with art.

Writing Assignment One Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Writing Assignment One - Essay Example This is because numerous people then cited the result of that occurrence was due to the state’s laxity of not ensuring tight laws meant to limit manufacture, importation and selling of 150 military-style weapons (Bowman, 2013). Therefore, this incidence could not have occurred if the current tight laws were in place because some prohibit the access of firearms by a third party (Bowman, 2013). The number of people killed in Connecticut’s school incidence could not have totaled more than 20 people, if Lanza used lesser capacity magazine weapons. Since, the current gun Legislations would have limited both the type and magazines’ high capacities, which citizens ought to possess. For instance, the current Legislations upon their implementation, would have shunned possession of 150 military-style guns by the citizens, which Lanza used to unleash terror on the innocent people (Bowman, 2013). According to the incidence’s investigators, Lanza was capable of termina ting lives of twenty plus people within an extremely short period due to his powerful assault weapons. Besides, the current legislation could have helped shun Connecticut’s shooting due to the increase of constant security patrol in education institutions (The white House, 2013).

The Major Issues and Difficulties Facing the European Union and Its Essay

The Major Issues and Difficulties Facing the European Union and Its Attempts to Effectively Fight Fraud Against Its Budget - Essay Example In 1992, the Treaty of Maastricht was signed which gave rise to the European Union (EU). A single market devoid of any boundaries was established where people could go from one country to another freely. The single currency concept came into being in 2002 with the introduction of Euro. The EU family is growing day by day and more countries are joining in. The European Parliament, the body governing the EU, takes care of all the activities of the member states. The member countries set up the parliament by giving their votes. The votes are directly proportional to an individual country’s size. The parliament consists of Commissioners of different countries led by a President. (History of European Union, n.d.) With the enlargement of EU, more countries came into its fold. The challenge for the EU was to induct these countries into its set up. The problem faced by EU in this regard was that the Parliament was influenced by the bigger countries as they had the lion’s share of commissioners. The treaty of Nice underlined that the small countries will get to cast a minimum amount of votes while the big countries would cast the bigger share. This means that the bigger countries will influence all the decisions taken in the EU. (The treaty of nice, n.d.) Perhaps, the main issue facing the EU right now is the fraud against their budget. The symptoms are widespread now and the EU is facing severe problems in controlling the frauds against the budget. Despite the measures taken by the EU in controlling the frauds, various scams, and frauds surfaced which has led to the decrease in public trust on EU. OLAF was set up to look after the corruption against the budgetary frauds. (EU budget fraud, 16th January 2010). With the introduction of new member countries in the EU fold the problem of the transition begins.

Shame by. Dick Gregory and the Professor is a Dropout'' by. Beth Assignment

Shame by. Dick Gregory and the Professor is a Dropout'' by. Beth Jonhson - Assignment Example as an encouragement account, which relays young girl’s chronicle that based on the author learnt to read by the aid of her grandfather from childhood (Johnson). This culture of reading would later lay a foundation for her when everyone thought she was retarded thus unable to read. The love for her children and desire to see them succeed in life pushed to go back and improve her English. This account demonstrates that, with motivation and reading skill, anyone can drive his life to great success. From Shame, Richard was from a poor background and attracted to her classmate Helene Tucker (Gregory). The respect he felt for her greatly motivated her continually go to school despite numerous hardships he then experienced. His determination’s was evident by unequaled willingness in continually attempting to please through emulating her cleanliness even though he had only one pair of cloths. He would even brush his hair, which clearly shows that through admiration and respect to the people we look up to we, can change positively and strive ahead. Richard shame was for having no dad, being in the relief program and for being poor. This was worsened by his teacher’s comments that he had no dad while the whole class was listening. The teacher’s irresponsibility of not caring to find out why he was not concentrating in class but just termed him as stupid made the situation even more worse. This clearly shows how some people teach others to feel shameful through their words. This shameful feeling made Richards to lack the motivation he initially had to go to school. Contrary to this, the professor is a dropout is a story of encouragement where Quadalupe Quintanilla strived to be successful in life even when people termed as retarded. When we are motivated to give a little push in life we can achieve whatever we want. Her motivation was her children and with the skills for reading she acquired at a young age really helped her a lot. Hard work is yet another aspect

Introduction&background part of three museums Essay

Introduction&background part of three museums - Essay Example regarded as a full permanent, Hirshorn operates on seasonal hours with the museum opening from 10am-5:30pm, the plaza opening from 7:30am-5:30pm, and the Garden operating from 7:30am to dusk. An international modern and contemporary art and culture center, Hirshorn’s target market includes sculpture enthusiasts, art students, and artists. Although primarily funded by the federal government, Joseph Hirshorn contributed $1 million to the Smithsonian Institution and the money was channeled towards the construction of the Hirshorn building. The museum does not charge any admission fee. Despite being located close to Smithsonian metro and National mall, the museum’s accessibility can be termed as poor as it has no parking facility while street parking outside the museum is limited (Hirshorn, 2014). The Smithsonian American Art is a museum owned by Smithsonian Institution and that features permanent collections including 19th century African American and Latin art works. The museum prides as the first federal art collection and includes a collection that captures the aspirations, character, and imagination of the American people. The museum’s collection is presented in six collections that include among others the ‘American experience’ and the ‘American art through 1940’ (Altshuler, 2007). The museum’s target market includes DC students, local artists, and families that visit the center. Funding for the museum was mainly from the Smithsonian trust funds obtained from both private sources and Smithsonian Enterprise. The museum is highly accessible with well-labeled elevators and stairs and adequate benches. Additionally, availability of enough research and street parking space coupled with close proximity to Metro Center and Gallery Place Metros makes it possible for the museum to accommodate large numbers of visitors. Similar to Hirshorn, admission to Smithsonian American Art is free (Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2014). Phillips Collection is a

The Major Issues and Difficulties Facing the European Union and Its Essay

The Major Issues and Difficulties Facing the European Union and Its Attempts to Effectively Fight Fraud Against Its Budget - Essay Example In 1992, the Treaty of Maastricht was signed which gave rise to the European Union (EU). A single market devoid of any boundaries was established where people could go from one country to another freely. The single currency concept came into being in 2002 with the introduction of Euro. The EU family is growing day by day and more countries are joining in. The European Parliament, the body governing the EU, takes care of all the activities of the member states. The member countries set up the parliament by giving their votes. The votes are directly proportional to an individual country’s size. The parliament consists of Commissioners of different countries led by a President. (History of European Union, n.d.) With the enlargement of EU, more countries came into its fold. The challenge for the EU was to induct these countries into its set up. The problem faced by EU in this regard was that the Parliament was influenced by the bigger countries as they had the lion’s share of commissioners. The treaty of Nice underlined that the small countries will get to cast a minimum amount of votes while the big countries would cast the bigger share. This means that the bigger countries will influence all the decisions taken in the EU. (The treaty of nice, n.d.) Perhaps, the main issue facing the EU right now is the fraud against their budget. The symptoms are widespread now and the EU is facing severe problems in controlling the frauds against the budget. Despite the measures taken by the EU in controlling the frauds, various scams, and frauds surfaced which has led to the decrease in public trust on EU. OLAF was set up to look after the corruption against the budgetary frauds. (EU budget fraud, 16th January 2010). With the introduction of new member countries in the EU fold the problem of the transition begins.

Introduction&background part of three museums Essay

Introduction&background part of three museums - Essay Example regarded as a full permanent, Hirshorn operates on seasonal hours with the museum opening from 10am-5:30pm, the plaza opening from 7:30am-5:30pm, and the Garden operating from 7:30am to dusk. An international modern and contemporary art and culture center, Hirshorn’s target market includes sculpture enthusiasts, art students, and artists. Although primarily funded by the federal government, Joseph Hirshorn contributed $1 million to the Smithsonian Institution and the money was channeled towards the construction of the Hirshorn building. The museum does not charge any admission fee. Despite being located close to Smithsonian metro and National mall, the museum’s accessibility can be termed as poor as it has no parking facility while street parking outside the museum is limited (Hirshorn, 2014). The Smithsonian American Art is a museum owned by Smithsonian Institution and that features permanent collections including 19th century African American and Latin art works. The museum prides as the first federal art collection and includes a collection that captures the aspirations, character, and imagination of the American people. The museum’s collection is presented in six collections that include among others the ‘American experience’ and the ‘American art through 1940’ (Altshuler, 2007). The museum’s target market includes DC students, local artists, and families that visit the center. Funding for the museum was mainly from the Smithsonian trust funds obtained from both private sources and Smithsonian Enterprise. The museum is highly accessible with well-labeled elevators and stairs and adequate benches. Additionally, availability of enough research and street parking space coupled with close proximity to Metro Center and Gallery Place Metros makes it possible for the museum to accommodate large numbers of visitors. Similar to Hirshorn, admission to Smithsonian American Art is free (Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2014). Phillips Collection is a

Quran Essay Essay Example for Free

Quran Essay Essay Among the innumerable facts, this writing will contribute two facts only: First, the Quran contains many scientific facts that are only being found out recently. The Quran’s linguistic style is far superior then any other form of writing. Without a doubt men have negated and contested the truth and revelation from God including the Quran revealed to prophet Mohamed (sallahu alahi wa salaam). For that reason, men in their objection and adamant behavior suggested that the Quran is word of Mohamed or the Quran is created by Mohamed; such statement is away from the truth. Undoubtedly there are other verses in the Quran related to human development that will be understood in the future as our knowledge increases. † In the Quran, Allah (subhanahu wa tala) also speaks about the Cerebrum: ( ) ( ) (Nay! If he (Abu Jahl) ceases not, We will catch him by the forelock (the front part of the brain also known as the prefrontal lobe) (15) A lying, sinful forelock! (96:15-16) Why does Allah describe the front part of the brain to be lying and sinful? In recent research scientists have found out that the prefrontal lobe actually controls a person’s decision making, cognitive behavior, personality expression, and moderating social behavior (Yang, Y Prefrontal structure†¦). This part of the brain also deals with the creation of thoughts and actions (Miller, Earl the prefrontal cortex†¦). This shows that the prefrontal lobe is the part of the brain that may engage in sinful behavior and entices someone to lie or not. This also shows that the Quran does confirm scientific facts and there is no way an unlettered nomadic Arab man[5] in the 7th century could have known these facts. The pagan Arabs of the 7th century were for the most part isolated from the two great empires[6] at that time. The two empires did not waste their time in conquering the vast Arabian deserts because of its plain and unattractive look. The Arabs had nothing, they didn’t have any monuments, and they didn’t have masterful pieces of art. Therefore the Arabs of Mecca[7] were not much of a concern to the two empires; as well the two empires were not willing to send their forces through the dangerous deserts. Thanks to this isolation, the Arabs were able to refine their language. After a few centuries, the Arabs had shaped their language into an eloquent language where everyman was known to be a poet. The Arabs prided themselves on their language. So much so, they would have tribal battles not with swords but rather their tongues and the losing tribe would be shamed. The pagan Arabs marveled at the amazing speech of the Quran. When a person speaks he is able to organize his thoughts, but a person is incapable of organizing their words based on what they are going to say later . For example, there are two ayahs that are very much the same one ayah states: â€Å"Say (O Muhammad): Allah is enough as a witness between me and you†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The other ayah states: â€Å"Say (O Muhammad): Allah is enough between me and you as a witness † The difference is sequence, in the first ayah Allah says â€Å"witness† first, and â€Å"me and you’ later. The Quran is very sensitive to context, at the end of the first ayah Allah says â€Å"†¦he is the ever all knower, all seer of his slaves†. The ayah ends speaking about Allah, the word â€Å"witness† for Allah is used first so therefore the ayah begins with Allah and ends with Allah. While the second ayah ends with speaking about people it uses â€Å"between me and you† first then â€Å"witness† second. So the ayah begins with speaking about people and ends with speaking with people. So what is about to be said in the future has a direct influence on how words are organized before. Humans are unable to do that. Prophet Muhammad (sallahu alahi wa salaam) was never known to be a composer of any types of poetry or any other forms of literature. So when they heard this literature they were amazed. â€Å"Umar bin Al-Khattab was a great enemy of the prophet. He planned to kill the prophet, but on his way he was informed that his sister had joined the religion. He immediately changed course. Upon arrival he hit his sister. He regretted what he did so asked for the paper she was reading (containing ayahs of the Quran). Once he read it he immediately went to prophet (sallahu alahi wa salaam) and accepted Islam†. Umar bin Al-Khattab was a man that was amazed by the Quran’s linguistic style and its strong meaning. This is one of the many men who accepted Islam because of the Quran’s amazing speech. The famous Arab grammarian H. Gibb had this to say about the Quran: â€Å"As a literary monument the Koran (referring to the Quran) thus stands by itself, a production unique to the Arabic literature, having neither forerunners nor successors in its own idiom. Muslims of all ages are united in proclaiming the inimitability not only of its contents but also of its style†¦ and in forcing the High Arabic idiom into the expression of new ranges of thought the Koran develops a bold and strikingly effective rhetorical prose in which all the resources of syntactical modulation are exploited with great freedom and originality. John Penrice stated: â€Å"That a competent knowledge of the Koran is indispensable as an introduction to the study of Arabic literature will be admitted by all who have advanced beyond the rudiments of the language. From the purity of its style and elegance of its diction it has come to be considered as the standard of Arabic † These two men have an understanding of the linguistic exc ellence of the Quran. Allah says: Do they not then consider the Quran carefully? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein many contradictions. (Quran 04:82). The Quran contains many palindromes; palindromes in many languages can only be done with one word. For example, in the English language the word Race Car can be written the same backward. In the Quran there are entire sentences that are palindromes. For example, in the Quran, Allah says: ( ) Magnify your Lord (Allah)! (Quran 74:3) In conclusion, the Quran has impacted the world in many ways. The Quran was not only sent to the desert Arabs but rather it was sent to all of mankind. Allah sends out a challenge, Allah (subhanahu wa tala) says: ( ) â€Å"And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christians) are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down (i. e. the Quran) to Our slave (Muhammad Peace be upon him), then produce a Surah of the like thereof and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers) besides Allah, if you are truthful. † (Quran 2:23) The Quran is a revelation from Allah and it was revealed upon the tongue of Muhammad (sallahu alahi wa salaam). The Quran contains many scientific facts ranging from embryology to the purpose of the frontal lobe. All of this presented in a beautiful linguistic form, so much so when the Quran is translated into English, the language’s primitive level is unable to display the Quran’s linguistic beauty. This renders the English native unable to appreciate the Quran in a way the pagan Arabs of the 7th century were able. The Quran reaches the top level of eloquence in the Arabic language as well as other languages. The idea of Muhammad (sallahu alahi wa salaam) being able to go from being a unlettered man to the top author in the Arabic language is impossible on all plains of reality. Therefore, the only logical reason to say is that Muhammad (sallahu alahi wa salaam) has received revelation from the Almighty. QURAN: A REVELATION? Name: Harun O. G Course: GLE20 Teacher: Ms. Vacar Date: April 09, 2011 1]sallahu alahi wasalm means peace be upon him [2] Allah is the Arabic word for God and is preferred(to Muslims) [3] subhanahu wa tala means glorified and exalted be he(Allah) [4] Ayat: this is the plural version of Ayah, this word does not have a direct translation in English but the closest one is verse. In other places in the Quran ayah means signs. [5] According to sources Prophet Muhammad (sallahu alahi wasalm) was a illiterate man [6] Persian and Roman empire [7] Is found in Saudi Arabia and is th e holiest city for Muslims

The role of culture in human society

The role of culture in human society Culture is the essential part of the humans society. Every person is spending his or her life within a certain cultural community. It frequently defines what kinds of person a man or woman is and what values will they have. Does the cultural environment have a direct effect on the values within a community for anthropology, psychology and sociology? Let us discuss this topic step by step. To understand it better, we can at first define what the cultural environment is and what influence it has on people within it. The very nature of the cultural environment is cultural and social aspects. It is could also be called a social context and sometimes milieu. It is a culture of a society or a group where a certain person is living or getting an education; it is institutions and people who interact with a certain human. By interaction we can mean not only different types of personal communication (like on a workplace, in class, with neighbors etc.); people could also communicate with each other by means of different communicational media (like phone, internet, newspapers, television etc). In spite of non personal type of the communication, people whom a man or a woman meets in internet can have an influence on his or her values and point of view. Also television and other mass media form our perception of life and other people little by little. This type of interaction we c an call one way or anonymous. It does not always imply the equality of the social status. Thus, the concept of a social environment is wider that the concept of a social circle or a social class. Nevertheless, it is common that those people who have the same social environment start having a sense of solidarity. They easily help and trust each other; also they tend to create a social group. As a result, those people will always have a similar way of thinking and similar patterns even if they make different conclusions. It shows us that people depend on society and culture around them very much whether they recognize this fact or not. Let us briefly define what culture itself is. It is going to help us understand what kind of effect it has on the values within a community for anthropology, psychology and sociology. There is plenty of information about culture and different consequences of it. It is impossible to transmit a culture through genealogy. Culture is not something innate; culture is something that everybody should learn. Different facets of it are interrelated; a culture is spread by those people within a group. Nowadays different cultures could easily exist within a country side by side (like it commonly happens in African countries). According to Hoebel (1960), the definition of a culture is following: The integrated sum total of learned behavioral traits that are manifest and shared by members of society. According Lawton (1975), culture includes age grading, religious rituals and athletic sport. According to Frow (1995) there are traditional differences in task and doing business were breaking down and this meant that standardization rather than adaptation is becoming increasingly prevalent. Probably, a culture is one of the most significant environmental variables that should be considered within a global marketing. Often a culture could not be freely overlooked; it often hiding from a view. Culture consists of some elements; they are language, aesthetics, religion, values and attitudes, education, social organization and material culture. It is necessary to discuss briefly every element of it. Material culture includes communications, power, transportations and others. Language is the next aspect of culture. It is a reflection of the values and nature of a certain society group. It could be sub-cultural languages, for example, dialects; in some countries it could be two or even more languages. Aesthetics includes art, dancing, arts-music. It concerns good taste, beauty, form and color of it. Education, as it is easy to see, includes the transmission of ideas, attitudes, skills and training in certain disciplines as well. Moreover, education serves as a transmitter of cultural and social values. Sometimes a child was introduced to the cultural value by school or later by university. Religion gives the humans behavior the best insight and as well it helps us to answer different questions, for example, why people behave n this way and not in another. We can see that culture is a complicate conception; it includes different aspects. What can we say about values conception? What is commonly meant by values? Shortly, by values a person may mean something that is really matter to him or her. It is beliefs and ideas somebody holds as special. Social and cultural environment forms ones values. Home, church school there are just some places where people could study values that are common for everybody within their cultural environment. Teachers, friends, parents are forming our personal system of values from day to day. As a result we have personal values. Arts et al. (2003) summarized that they consist of something that we accepted from people around as and that part that came with our own life experience. It is too compulsory to accept everything a person is hearing around him or her; nevertheless, values of cultural environment around us has its strong influence on our own system of values. Now, when we recognize what values, culture and cultural environment commonly mean we can examine the direct effect that the cultural environment has on the values within a community for anthropology, psychology and sociology. Before discussing the influence of a cultural environment on a person according to anthropology let us briefly mention the definition of the science. Saying shortly anthropology is the inquiry of humanity. Its origins throw back in the social sciences, natural science and humanities. The term itself is taken from the ancient Greek language and has two parts: man and study or discourse. The matters of anthropology are how do people behave, what are their physical traits, why we can see differences and variations between groups of people, and finally who was the ancestor of the modern humans. Anthropology is commonly divided in to four fields; they are cultural, or social, anthropology, linguistic anthropology, archaeology and biological, or physical, anthropology. We can see that anthropology itself is the science that studies social and cultural values, differences, origins, roots etc. Thus, it is important to talk about the influence of culture environment according to this certain science. According to anthropology, a culture could be seated deeply; unprepared person could take some type of a culture like something senseless, strange and even cruel. Let us give an example. According to the Muslim culture a woman must cover her face with yashmak and hide herself from any alien. Nilaweera Wijetunga (2005) emphasized that this custom could appear strange and senseless to any person from Europe, United States or numeral other countries where people flaunt a womans form openly. Here is another example of the opposite culture. In some African countries (like Congo, Kenya etc) women do not wear top cloths. Oyeshile (2004) explained this fact that according to their culture, their traditions and according to their hot climate they do not consider the top of the female body something that they should cover or hide. There are many other different examples of things and customs that are unacceptable and even criminal in one part of the world; at the same time at another part of it people consider it the culture and commonly do it. Summarizing this short extract we can see that cultural environment have a direct effect on the values within a community for anthropology. Continue the two examples above, a woman from the African country where there is not common or compulsory to cover her body with upper wear have values that are different from the values that are precious for a woman from a Muslim country. If those women could try to explain themselves their culture, values and reasons why they are keeping those culture values they would hardly understand each other. It is common that Muslim people condemn women from Europe and America. For them even the most modest and restrained American female seems to be a woman without culture values because she shows certain part of her body What can we say about the influence of the social environment on personal values for psychology? What is psychology? It is the science of the humans behavior and mind. This science is an attempt to understand humanity by exploring certain specific cases and by discovering some general principles as well. One of the main goals of psychology is to benefit the society. Scientists who involved in it we can divide in to some groups: cognitive scientists, social scientists and behavioral scientists. Among others, social behavior is among different subjects of psychology. The science of psychology explores following concepts: emotion, cognition, phenomenology, perception, attention, brain functioning, behavior, motivation, personality, unconscious mind and interpersonal relationships. As anthropology, the science of psychology is a social science and it has a strong connection with social environment. According to psychology, some type of behavior could be considered normal and other type c ould be considered abnormal. Commonly, humanity has the same nature. For example, murdering and cruelty is considered abnormal in every social group and community. Nevertheless, within some cultures the conception of cruelty may vary. Let us give an example. In American and European countries violation in any form is unacceptable even within a family. Thus people who keep doing it to others would consider psychologically abnormal. According to the culture of some eastern countries, especially countries with Muslim culture, a husband can beat his wife or punish her or in any other way if she does not satisfy him. What kind of misdeed could a wife do? She may cook a food that her husband does not like; she may say a word that her husband could consider unacceptable. People within the community with such culture are considered psychologically normal even if they commit violence every day. According to their culture cruelty is acceptable. A woman is expecting for it and she has no even right to complain. According to the example above we can see that psychological situation within a community could have a strong negative effect on personal values of a human. A person can look at low values of members of the community around him or her and subconsciously this person could understate those values that he or she had before. Psychologically people inclined to depend on society. That is why we can state that the cultural environment have a direct effect on the values within a community for psychology. Sociology is the last science that we are going to discuss. It studies the society using different methods of critical analysis and empirical investigations. This science refines and develops knowledge about the activity of human society. One of the aims of sociology is to achieve the social welfare with the mean of the knowledge. Mancheno-Smoak et al. (2009) stated that the field of interests in sociology varies from the micro level of interaction and agency to the macro level of social structures and systems. It is a very broad conception that is focused traditionally on social class, religion, social stratification, social mobility, secularization, deviance and law. It includes all spheres of peoples activity. It is interesting that sociology studies different types of interactions between people. We are living in the age of the world wide globalization when the whole planet is becoming one big house. Different cultural and social communities are not staying separate from each oth er like it was some hundreds years ago. People are moving, migrating and spreading their culture and different values among other societies. Why can we state that according to sociology, the cultural environment have a direct effect on the values within a community? First reason is that people like to communicate with each other. It means that they getting some new knowledge and values. Roniger (1995) declared that when representatives of different cultures are staying in contact for some time they will get used to new values. It will stop being new for them. New cultural values will become common and according to sociology people will start accepting it in their lives. In some time they would not remember that one or another culture or value was not imparted to them. And it is the second reason why the cultural environment has an effect on values of people for sociology. In other words, when people move from one place to another they create a new social group with mixed culture and values. In conclusion of all factors and aspects that we discussed above we can see that anthropology, sociology and psychology are connected between each other. These three sciences are all about the human nature, culture and community. They are examining interactions and cooperation between different people; we can state that the cultural environment have a direct effect on the values within a community for anthropology, psychology and sociology because according to these sciences it is up to peoples nature to take something new from others. According to religion, human society was created as one big family. Let us agree that this statement is right; thus, we need to accept that people within a social community have a direct effect on each other in the same way in which members within an ordinary family have. Every science that we discussed has one main aim to make our society better. We need to remember that it is up to everybody to help in achievement of this aim.

Comparing Edgar Allen Poes The Cask of Amontillado, The Black Cat, and

Comparing Edgar Allen Poe's The Cask of Amontillado, The Black Cat, and The Tell-tale Heart The short stories of Edgar Allen Poe demonstrate the author's ample gifts in the psychology of the mind, regardless of the fact he was decades ahead of Freud.   Poe's short stories are often from the deranged and murderous point-of-view of the narrator, who often illustrates the inner-workings of his own psychology and the disintegration of the self brought about by psychological disorders, aberrations, and other factors (anxiety, substance abuse, etc.).   Perhaps two main factors omnipresent in the Poe psychological realm are substance abuse (i.e. alcoholism) and taphophobia (exaggerated fear of being buried alive). In short stories like The Cask of Amontillado, The Black Cat, and The Tell-tale Heart, Poe constructs a psychological world where alcoholism and the fear of being buried alive are inextricably intertwined.   So, too, the combination of them has an impact on the narrators and characters in his stories.   Poe's own alcoholism and taphophobia are inextricably intertwined in the psyche of his narrators and/or characters. In all three of these short stories, the narrator an... ...xacerbates the psychological symptoms being manifested due to taphophobia.   Yet, these stories amply demonstrate Poe's own preoccupation with alcohol and drinking as well as his neurosis with respect to being buried alive.  Ã‚   References Anonymous.   (2001). Criteria for Substance Dependence Diagnosis.   DSM-II-R, NIDA, Available: http://www.nida.gov/DSR.html, 1-3. Anonymous.   (2001). Let's talk facts about phobias.   APA, Available: http://www.guggenheim.yourmd.com, 1-4. Poe, E. A.   (1966). Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe.   New York, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc.

Comparing Two Views of Gay Marriage in America Essay -- Compare Contra

Marriage, by definition, is the institution whereby men and women are joined in a special kind of social and legal dependence for the purpose of founding and maintaining a family. In today’s society however, things are changing. People of all genders are forming bonds with one another, and homosexuals are vying for the right to have their love established as marriage as well. Should men and men, and women and women, be allowed the right of marriage just like heterosexual couples in America? Andrew Sullivan and William Bennett have opposing opinions on this subject, however are more alike in opinion than they know. Their articles tell different stories, with the same general underlying tone. Gay people are people, just like everyone else. This is the argument that Andrew Sullivan is making in his essay titled â€Å"Let Gays Marry†. His argument is based mainly on logic and facts, and for the most part, it is strongly supported. Sullivan mentions in his article that gay people are citizens of our country and are entitled to the exact same rights as everyone else. He is not asking for any special treatment, just equal treatment. All that the gay community is asking for is the right to form a legally recognized union. He also points out that the definition of marriage has changed with the times. Women are no longer a man’s property through marriage. People of different races can get married today and it is highly accepted. He is not asking that America changes heterosexual marriage at all, he is simply requesting that they be more open and accept homosexual bonds as marriages as well. Speaking for the other side of the spectrum is William Bennett. Using a very emotional argument, it is his belief that marriage should ... ... It is obvious that there are many differences between the two articles. Sullivan is fighting for his rights as an American, and as a human being, to be able to legalize the love felt between two people of the same sex. Bennett believes that marriage is a crucial part of our society, and that it is so special and important that it should stay as it is. They differ in opinions simply because they are looking for different things. As you can see, the battle with homosexual marriage is one that is not going to be settled overnight. People will continue voicing their opinions on the topic until we can reach a middle ground. When you think about it though, are our ideas really that different? Both men are fighting for the same cause in a way. They are looking for the glorification of the loving bond of marriage; they are just going about it in different ways.

One Nation Under Corn?

A position paper done in fall of 2012 on the cause and affect of the industrialized corn crop. I decided on this subject after my own battle with illness. This battle, ended up changing my diet, and my life as it turns out. I have almost completely removed any corn derived product from my life (all-be-it difficult sometimes) and am a proponent of a purely organic vegetarian diet. One Nation Under Corn? Chad Cribb DeVry University One Nation Under Corn One of the many freedoms we enjoy in this great country is the freedom to choose what you will eat and when you will eat it.Pull up to your favorite fast food burger restaurant, and little thought goes into the entire process. From the drive there, to the ordering of your food, and the packaging they are contained in. When we think more about it, as Michael Pollan did in his book, â€Å"The Omnivore’s Dilemma†, there is a whole lot more going on. Pollan dives deep into the heart of our nation’s fascination with the corn crop and its many uses. Corn started out as a crop grown to feed its people. But in this day and age, very little is actually eaten. Corn has become a giant in the food industry, at a low price; thanks in part to the government help.We started this nation as one based in principle and in the pursuit of freedom†¦. and now it seems†¦ corn. But who is the real beneficiary of this corn crop? And just as important†¦who are the losers? Corn has been around since recorded history and has played a major role in trade and many complex social societies. Corn’s spread across the globe began after contact between the European colonial powers and indigenous peoples of North and South America. It continued on to Africa during the slave trades and was used to actually pay for them. What’s more, it was a source of power for the African middlemen involved in the slave trade.Fast forward now to the 1940’s and 1950’s as corn and corn based foods became c rucial in the agriculture market to sustain military troops during the war. It was after the war that America saw a huge surplus in corn yield partly due to the new hybrid seeds and fertilizers that had recently been manufactured. This surplus had a dramatic effect on the market and the market prices. It was these prices, over the years that caused unpredictable price swings (Wise 2005-9). As our population has increasingly grown thru the years, our need for more food has increased along with it.The polarity between the two was unbalanced and by using the free market approach, farmers regularly had booms and busts in the market. Making farmers the target of continued and increasing depressed prices in their crop. The government soon stepped in with â€Å"The New Deal†, in order to bring supply into line with demand, an approach known as â€Å"supply management† using conservation set-asides, a price floor guaranteeing a fair price (like having a minimum wage), and a gr ain reserve to deal with overproduction. What was not widely known, it appears, is the corporate-world began lobbying for a free market approach again.Beginning in the 1970’s, they used the World Food Crisis and the Russian Wheat Deal to validate their argument to government. Coupling that with the notion of â€Å"getting government out of agriculture†. The result of that was that prices collapsed by the late 1990’s and the government had to bail out farmers with millions in emergency subsidy payments. Prices completely collapsed shortly after the 1996 Freedom to Farm Act, causing expensive taxpayer bailouts. By 2000, subsidies provided 49% of farmers’ net income. This has helped the corn industry to comprise 95% of all food grain produced in America (USDA 2010).The government’s well-intended approach to help â€Å"prop up† the industry, in fact, created a market dependent on the very subsidies that were created to help it. Between 1995 and 2006, the government paid out $56 billion in corn subsidies (Wise 2005-12). What’s more, it helps create a market monopoly. With only 3 companies controlling 90% of the corn market, 2 companies controlling the corn seed market, and 4 companies controlling the high fructose corn syrup industry, the answer should be clear. But as Pollan points out, â€Å"It’s not about who is profiting, but rather who is suffering† (Pollan 2006).Most of what we see in the news is the emphasis placed in the trials and tribulations of the farmer, for the benefit of the consumer. But is it really the consumer who benefits? If the price of food per calorie is the magic calculation, then the answer is yes. But if the average weight per person is, then the answer is no. As the corn industry exploded and the number of companies shrank, corn began a new transformation into other parts of the food industry and more. This came in the form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), gasoline additiv es, plastics, and cattle feed to name a few.Cattle feed now encompasses over 50% of the industrialized corn produced in America (Wise 2005-11). The increase of this has helped create the perpetual cycle that has infested the industry, and moreover, the agricultural policy that affects it. The overproduction of corn has led to an overconsumption of corn; mostly in an indirect way. America’s agriculture and international trade policies have created an environment that breeds monopolies and corruption. Big business lobbyist has taken hold in an industry that believes in the â€Å"bottom line†.This philosophy has squeezed out the once popular sugar cane, and ushered in the cheaper, easily produced, HFCS for its products. Because the government has placed so many incentives on the production of corn, other more healthy crops have been left behind. Crops like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains have quickly become a thing of the past. The relationship between government and business has become as unhealthy as the population consuming the products they produce. At one point, it almost looks like the industry wanted the market to crash and the government to step in.One would ask why anyone would want that. Because subsidizing the industrial crop ensures it stays at a cheap price for one. Secondly, the corporations who buy corn to turn into high fructose corn syrup (used in almost every food product) or as feed for livestock, or ethanol for vehicles operations have profited by the billions. Thirdly, the corporate consolidation of our food system as whole. When you think about it, it reaches thru banks, seeds, fertilizers, grain traders, food processors, manufacturing plant, to retailing. Walsh says, â€Å"This kind f uncompetitive market squeezes the farmer on both sides† (Walsh-2009). This notion seems to place a lot of blame on the subsidies themselves. My contention is that subsidies are not the problem with our food system, but merely a produc t of a broken system. To fix the farm policy, legislators must first have a clear understanding of who wins and who loses under the current system and why. Also, the high tariffs placed on sugar cane need to be downsized to allow for balance in the market. But this is a prime example of how the government’s intention to help has unintentional consequences.I believe that the root of our problem today is the â€Å"clinging† to a free market food system. One that allows commodities like corn to be priced so low that would allow big business to develop monopolies over farmers and corn while reaping huge profits because of cheap corn. America now spends less of our income on food than any other generation in history (Pollan-2002). When you look at it in perspective, the agriculture our grandparents helped build was now growing fast food. This affecting our wallets, farmlands, and waistline.Some may say that our waistline and rate of disease are due to laziness and other fac tors. I disagree. I believe they are a direct relation to cheap, processed food made by cheap, industrialized corn. In order for us to decrease the consumption of corn, the government needs to cease its subsidizing of it. This will do two things. One, it let the markets adjust themselves at a rate that creates dependence on itself rather than assistance. Two, tighten the ability of lobbyist to affect change in agriculture and government policy that increase benefits to the very few.The bottom line here is this; big business reaps profits at the expense of the farmer. And the consumer? Well†¦. we are just scenery it seems in this great manipulation of industrialized food industry. And as I see it; in an economy where every dollar counts, doesn’t it make sense for the government to hang onto theirs? Pollan, Michael. The Omnivore’s Dilemma. â€Å"A Natural History of Four Meals†. April 2006 This well-known book has been called an â€Å"eater’s manifest o† by critics and peers alike. Pollan, Michael. What’s America Eating? Smithsonian, June 2006. Retrieved on October 4, 2012 http://michaelpollan. om/articles-archive/whats-eating-america/ An article, written with a chronological touch, that takes reader from â€Å"soup-to-nuts† on the history of corn and how it came to western America. Pollan, Michael. When Crop Becomes King. NY Times. July 2002. Retrieved on October 1, 2012 http://www. organicconsumers. org/toxic/toomuchcorn071902. cfm An article written in a way that is easily understood for most. This article describes Zea Mays (original term) from Central America to what we know today as corn Walsh, Bryan. â€Å"Getting Real About the High Price of Cheap Corn†.Time Magazine. August 21, 2009. http://www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1917726-2,00. html Walsh is a senior writer for Time Magazine and a correspondent for the last 8 years Health Journalism Fellowship from the Center for Disease Con trol Foundation. As part of this fellowship, he attended training at the U. S. Centers for Disease Control during summer 2010. Wise, Timothy. Identifying the Real Winners from US Agricultural Policies. Tufts University. December 2005. Retrieved October 1, 2012. http://www. ase. tufts. edu/gdae/Pubs/wp/05-07RealWinnersUSAg. pdf