Intangible Heritage. Why is the idea of 'intangible heritage' so Essay

Intangible Heritage. Why is the idea of 'intangible heritage' so important - Essay Example Initially, cultural heritage only comprised materialistic artefacts, tangible heritage sites and relic objects that hold religious or cultural significance for certain localities. However, subsequently the definition broadened to include intangible events, rituals and practices that reflected ancient traditions and revived the spirits of sacred beliefs.1 This can include anthems, heroic stories, oral arts, rituals, celebrations and skillful tactics that all relate back to historical traditions inherited from ancestral generations. Various authors have conducted comprehensive studies about national heritage practices and historical artefacts. Most of them have varying opinions regarding the preservation of ancient rituals and some claim that it requires significant level of professionalism and expertise to safeguard or revive the fading cultural heritage as any alteration to originality and spirit of it might enrage societies that pay high regard to such customs.2 Intangible heritage plays a significant part in preserving cultural fortitude in today’s modern world of technology. This phenomenon assists the newer generations to develop an understanding of intercultural differences, familial histories and need for paying homage to all types of ethnicities. Such heritage is also valuable as it enables a society to roll over acquired technical expertise and learnt knowledge to upcoming generations.3 Thus, it is evident that each cultural heritage event has its own significance and needs to be preserved for subsequent generations. This paper focuses on following intangible heritage objects and discusses their respective cultural significance. Music / Performing Arts a) The arts of the Meddah, public storytellers, Turkey This ritual originated from Turkish theatrical event namely Meddahlik, called after meddah who was the storyteller performing this act. It was initially conducted in Turkish language and later was supported in many other languages as it gained popularity in other regions of Asia, including the Middle East and Caucasus. The theme and content of this act was wholly arranged by the meddah who handpicked various legendary songs and historical fables, varying according to the nature and size of audience and context of the event. He would carry out various short entertaining acts, funny parodies and satirical comedy stunts, all influenced by recent political events and tailored according to interests of spectators. This heritage was highly educational and provided a platform for different performers to demonstrate their talents. Turkish people always held high regards for this artistic masterpiece of work as they find it very amusing and creative. The event itself was one of the most anticipated events by the Turkish ancestors as there was no other form of entertainment back then. It was a significant event as it enabled people to meet and socialize with other citizens in nearby localities. Moreover, the rhetorical comedy relat ed to latest series of events happening around the nation was helpful in developing a sense of skepticism towards credibility of political leaders and national government bodies. Overall, the event was a true source of education, entertainment and face-to-face social networking for thousands of people under a single roof. However, in recent years, the pure form of meddah storyteller ritual has faded away and been replaced largely by mass media including television broadcasting, standup comedy shows and movie cinemas. b) The polyphonic singing of the Aka Pygmies, Central Africa The

Obama and Romney Essay Example for Free

Obama and Romney Essay In the midst of a heated presidential race two great leaders are vying for the affection of all of America. On the left side we have our current president Mr. Barrack Obama and on the right side his opponent Mr. Mitt Romney. On paper both are outstandingly qualified candidates and both have been trusted to hold a position of leadership over large numbers of people. Mitt Romney built his foundation through a strong career in business before becoming a politician, while President Obama stuck to the legal side of things building up his reputation as a civil rights lawyer and activist. In this review of both candidates I will attempt to unbiasedly inform the reader of their qualifications as powerful leaders including their foundations and backgrounds, their accomplishments, and their leadership capabilities. It seems justifiable to start with educational backgrounds as that is where both candidates began to really assume leadership positions. In the next section of this essay I will try to identify their earlier careers and how those experiences may qualify them to hold office as the President of the United States. Both candidates come from very prestigious educational backgrounds. Obama moved from Honolulu Hawaii to Los Angeles in 1979 to attend the Occidental College. It was there that he made his first ever public speech vocalizing his disdain for the Occidental College’s policy of apartheid pertaining to South Africa. In 1981 he transferred to Columbia University in New York City, where he majored in political science and with a focus on international relations, he graduated with a bachelor of arts in 1983. After some years of work at two corporations and a couple more as a community organizer which I will get into later Barack began to attend Harvard Law School in 1988, where he was selected as an editor of the Harvard Law Review and later became its president, being the first African American to ever do so. In 1991 he graduated with a J. D. magna cum laude. Mitt Romney’s education began at Stanford University in the year of 1965. It was there that he perhaps took his first political stance in his participation in the staging of a counter protest against a group staging a sit in at the university administration building in opposition to draft status tests. Romney left the country to stay in France as a Mormon missionary in 1966; his stay would last for 30 months fulfilling a traditional rite of passage in his family. Though it is not traditional education I feel obligated to state that during this stay in France Romney showed true leadership skills in becoming co-president of his mission where he oversaw the work of 175 others. Upon his return to the States he began attending Brigham Young University in 1969. Due to the culturally conservative nature of BYU Romney naturally managed to stay out of the radical turmoil that came along with the 60’s and 70’s and became president of the all male cougars club booster organization and it was in these years that he showed a new found discipline in his studies that he somewhat lacked before. In 1971 he earned a bachelor of arts in English with highest honors and gave a commencement speech to the whole of BYU. Wanting to pursue a path in business Mitt heeded his father’s advice and put off a career to attend a Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration four year program coordinated between Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School. He graduated cum laude from this program in 1975. He was named a baker scholar for graduating in the top five percent of his class. Both of these men have incredibly impressive educational accomplishments and worked hard to earn a good social standing and in doing so gained advantageous leads amongst their competitors on their career paths. Our current president began his career In between his attendance at Columbia University and Harvard at the Business International Corporation and then at the New York Public Interest Research Group. Just before entering Harvard he worked as a community organizer in Chicago. During his summers at Harvard he worked in the law offices of Sidley Austin as well as Hopkins Sutter. After his graduation he accepted a position as Visiting Law and Government Fellow at the University of Chicago Law School to work on his first book Dreams Of my Father which was published in 1995. From 1992 through 1996 he was a lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School, and from 1996 through 2004 he served as senior lecturer teaching constitutional law. Obama continues to show his comfort in a leadership role as he directed Illinois’s Project Vote, which was a voter registration campaign where he oversaw ten staffers and seven hundred volunteer registrars. This project achieved its goal of registering 1500,000 unregistered African American Citizens. In 1993 e also joined the Davis, Miner, Barnhill Galland law firm where he specialized in civil rights litigation and neighborhood economic development. Obama served on board of directors for the Woods Fund of Chicago, and of the Joyce Foundation, which helped to fund the development of underprivileged communities in Chicago. To add to this already astounding list of accomplishments the young Obama would serve as founding president and chairman of the board of directors for the Chicago Annenberg Challenge 1995 to 1999. I would like to note that thus far Barack Obama has proved to show a real sincere care for the development of his community and his race. From 1991 to 2002 he has fought for what he believes is right and through his career choices and political actions has shown himself to be a credible and intelligent young leader. Romney’s early career which is also quite impressive holds just as much esteem as Obama’s and though it follows a different path his accomplishments should also be very highly regarded and held to an esteem just as high as his running mates. Upon his graduation from Harvard in 1975, Romney was recruited by several firms but chose to join the Boston Consulting Group, working as a management consultant for a variety of companies better preparing him for his later roles as a chief executive and further leadership positions. In 1977, he was hired by a management consulting firm in Boston name Bain Company. The more admirable thing about Bain Company that should be accredited to Romney’s decision to work there is that instead of just providing quick consulting to a company and then parting soon after he could now completely submerge himself into his clients business and continue to work with them until changes actually began to materialize. This really shows a concern for his clients well being and for the passion of Romney to better the lives of those that surround him. Within just a few years Romney was considered by the firm one their best consultants, and Romney assumed the position of vice president of this firm in 1978. In 1984 Romney left Bain Company to start the spin off private equity investment firm called Bain Capital. AS CEO of this company he managed to become personally responsible for their success by investing in companies like Staples Inc, Dominoes Pizza, Sealy Corporation, and Sports Authority. Overall both of these men have proven themselves to be outstanding leaders, and in comparison it would seem that Obama is in a mindset that deals with his community and the well being of his race and all of the people he oversees. Romney’s mindset is that of a businessman and he exudes the qualities that a great leader should possess. Both have served terms in office, and before becoming our president Obama was elected an Illinois state senator in 1996. While in office he gained support for legislation that reformed ethics and health care laws. He sponsored a law that increased tax credits for low income workers, negotiated welfare reform, and promoted increased subsidies for childcare. In 2005 Barack Obama was sworn in as a U. S. Senator. And in 2008 he became the President of the United States of America. Romney has held office as the 70th governor of Massachusetts in 2003. In conclusion both men are great candidates for presidency and have proven themselves time after time to be successful leaders. It is up to you to decide which one holds a better plan for our future America. Whether you think that we need to focus on our nation’s financial crisis which might be right up Mitt Romney’s ally having done so for states and other businesses so many times before, or if you want America to focus on the well being of minorities, workers, women, and education, which is where Obama might take the reins. It is up to you to decide which would make the better leader when you cast your vote in November.

Study of cognitive linguistics

Study of cognitive linguistics Before we go to cognitive linguistics, we should answer some questions, which are very important to those who make a study of linguistics. Everybody knows that there are many rules in language. à ¥Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ «, for example, is used to show our warmth to people: à ¥Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ «Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ ¯Ã‚ ·Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ ¿Ã¢â‚¬ º, à ¥Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ «Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ ¯Ã‚ ·Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ , à ¥Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ «Ãƒ ¥- Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ °Ã‚ ´, à ¥Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ «Ãƒ ¥- Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ ¨Ã…’ ¶, à ¥Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ «Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã†â€™Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ªÃƒ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ ¦Ã… ¾Ã…“à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ However, à ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¢is used to indicate goodbye: à ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ µÃ‚ °, à ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã†â€™, à ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ ¥- , à ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ Ã…  , à ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ ¥Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¾(Cantonese), à ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ ¥Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ ¹(Cantonese, said to someone who goes cycling), etc. Because these rules in Chinese do not exist in English, we cannot say *Come in quickly, *Sit down quickly, or *Walk s lowly. Rules like this are concerned with use of words. At the same time, there are rules in grammar. In English, for example, I is followed by am, and you by are, and he by is. 1) Are such rules in language formed gradually through everyday use or prescribed by linguists? (It is very important for us to answer such questions correctly before we are engaged in making a study of linguistics.) 2) All language users can speak their mother tongue correctly, fluently and appropriately. An illiterate woman in Guangzhou, for example, can speak Cantonese correctly, fluently and appropriately. Do you think she knows Cantonese grammar? 3) Some people, even some university teachers say that many great scholars have made a lot of research and published many books on linguistics and grammar. These people think that the famous scholars have solved all language problems and theres nothing left for us to make a study. Whats your opinion about this? 4) Language is always changing. It is one of the properties of language. Do you think it is possible to avoid its change or it is necessary to do so? 5) There are many linguistic schools studying language in the world. Can you explain why there are so many schools? (Cognitive linguistics is one of the so many schools. I dont know if you are interested in it or not. For me, I firmly believe it and also interested in it, because it can explain many phenomena in language. The explanations from the perspective of cognitive linguistics help us know about how language is formed and why it is formed in this way instead of the other way. Most importantly, such explanations can help both teachers teach foreign languages and learners learn them effectively.) 6) Where is meaning? In order to understand these sentences we must call upon our knowledge about the world, which does not reside in the sentences or in any of the words of the sentences. (Scollon Scollon 2000: 7) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦we tend to look for meaning in words themselves, but we are incorrect if we think that words possess meaning. It is more accurate to say that people possess meaning and that words elicit these meanings. (Samovar et al 2000: 123) Language does not itself do the cognitive building-it just give us minimal, but sufficient, clues for finding the domains and principles appropriate for building in a given situation. Once these clues are combined with already existing configurations, available cognitive principles, and background framing, the appropriate construction can take place, and the result far exceeds any overt explicit information. This fundamental property of language is counterintuitive: In our folk theory, it is the words that carry the meaning: We say what we mean, we put meaning into words, and so on. The difference between the folk-theoretic conception and the actual (backstage) reality goes unnoticed for very interesting reasons. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ We notice only the tip of the iceberg-the words-and we attribute all the rest to common sense. (Fauconnier 1994: xviii) Language does not carry meaning, it guides it. As Mark Turner felicitously put it: Expressions do not mean; they are prompts for us to construct meanings by working with processes we already know. In no sense is the meaning of (an) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ utterance right there in the words. When we understand an utterance, we in no sense are understanding just what the words say; the words themselves say nothing independent of the richly detailed knowledge and powerful cognitive processes we bring to bear (Turner 1991: 206) Language, as we use it, is but the tip of the iceberg of cognitive construction. As discourse unfolds, much is going on behind the scenes: New domains appear, links are forged, abstract mappings operate, internal structure emerges and spreads, viewpoint and focus keep shifting. Everyday talk and commonsense reasoning are supported by invisible, highly (p. xxii) abstract, mental creations, which grammar helps to guide, but does not by itself define. (Fauconnier 1994: xxiii) On this view, words do not really have meanings, nor do sentences have meanings: meanings are something that we construe, using the properties of linguistic elements as partial clues, alongside non-linguistic knowledge, information available from context, knowledge and conjectures regarding the state of mind of hearers and so on. (Croft Cruse 2004: 98) The core idea in Cognitive Linguistics is that meanings are mental entities in conceptual space. Meanings are in peoples minds. They are not independent entities in the external world, as is the case in objectivist models. The external world is only indirectly relevant in that meanings are constrained by how human beings perceive of the world. The second question concerns the relation between lexical items and meaning. Lexical items map on to concepts, and meaning is the relation between the lexical item and the domain matrix that it activates. Lexical meaning is constrained by encyclopaedic knowledge, conventionalized mappings between lexical items and concepts, conventional modes of thought in different contexts and situational frames. (à ¥Ã… ½Ã… ¸Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ ³Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¼Ã… ¡In cognitive approaches to meaning, all linguistic expressions are profiled according to a base (Langacker 1987a), or a frame (Fillmore (1982), an idealized cognitive model of a situation (Lakoff 1987) or a cycle of contextualization and decontextualization of word meaning based on linguistic and encyclopaedic knowledge (Warren 1999). All these constructs represent presupposed information in an expression that the speaker infers in situations. In my model the appropriate construal is employed on the basis of such knowledge. See also Croft (forthcoming) for a similar approach to verbs.) Meanings are thus not inherent in the lexical items as such, but they are evoked by lexical items. Moreover, there is no purely linguistic level of representation that is intermediate between concepts and lexical items, and there is no static one-to-one relationship between lexical items and meanings. (à ¥Ã… ½Ã… ¸Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ ³Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¼Ã… ¡This is the case in approaches to meaning that assume a lexicon consisting of formal features, e.g. Bierwich Schreuder (1992), Levelt (1989), Pustejovsky (1998), Borschev Partee (2001), Jackendoff (2002).) Multiple readings are natural and expected in a dynamic usage-based model. The components of the framework are shown in Figure 1. The third question concerns the dynamics of language in terms of synchronic flexibility and diachronic change. Different readings in different contexts emerge from the intention that activates the expression or the wish to interpret the expression in a relevant way in order to obtain socially viable (capable of working, functioning, or developing adequately; capable of existence and development as an independent unit) mappings between words and concepts. In other words, cognitive processes (construals) operate on the conceptual structures on all occasions of use. These operations are the source of all readings, conventional as well as ad hoc (used for specific or immediate needs) contextual readings, and possible lexical change takes place through new conventional, entrenched links between linguistic expressions and conceptual structures (Paradis 2003b). (Paradis, 2004: 53) The precise semantic contribution of any word is a function of the utterance context in which it is embedded, and, moreover, the sorts of (conceptual) knowledge these lexical entities provide access to. In other words, words dont have meanings in and of themselves. Rather meaning is a function of the utterance in which a word is embedded, and the complex processes of lexical concept integration. (Evans, 2006:492) More recently, a number of scholars have suggested that in fact word-meaning is less a discrete body of circumscribed knowledge. Rather, words serve as points of access to larger-scale encyclopaedic knowledge structures, which are potentially vast in scope as argued in detail below. On this view, words provide access to what I will refer to as a semantic potential, with different sorts of knowledge being potentially activated. (Evans, 2006: 493) One way of thinking about the meaning of words is to see them as tools for causing speakers to access specific parts of their knowledge base (Moore Carling 1982:11, quoted in Lee, 2001:5). At any given moment, individuals have a huge store of knowledge available to them (Lee, 2001:5). Meaning is not a property of utterances but a product of the interaction between an utterance and a human beings knowledge base (Lee, 2001:12). The function of the noun cat in the utterance The cat wants something to eat is to cause the addressee to home in on (meaning to find) a very specific region of that knowledge base-specifically on those neural structures that constitute her store of knowledge concerning cats in general and the family cat in particular. (Lee, 2001:5) Meaning in language can be summarized as: 1) To understand words or sentences is to call upon the knowledge about the world. 2) The knowledge does not reside in the sentences or in any of the words of the sentences. That is, words do not possess meaning. 3) People possess meaning and words as tools elicit meanings. 2. What is cognitive linguistics? 2.1 The importance of cognitive linguistics Cognitive linguistics is expected to be one of the most important approaches in the field of linguistics in the 21 century. Some linguists even say that the 21 century will belong to cognitive linguistics. Cognitive linguistics originated from America in 1970s the last century. Many linguists in China have turned to cognitive linguistics. Papers about cognitive linguistics, papers introducing cognitive linguistics and papers analyzing language structures with cognitive approaches can be found in almost every academic journal or magazine related to language study in China in recent years. If we pay little attention to this approach, we are sure to lag behind. That is why we offer you the course of cognitive linguistics. 2.2 The definition of cognitive linguistics As you know, each linguistic school has its own attitudes towards language and its own approach to language. So does cognitive linguistics. According to this textbook, cognitive linguistics is an approach to language that is based on our experience of the world and the way we perceive and conceptualize our experience of the world (p.F36). (Who would like to explain conceptualize our experience? When we say conceptualize our experience, we mean that we have the idea for our experience or that we form concepts of our experience.) 2.3 The objective of cognitive linguistics The objective of cognitive linguistics is to investigate and to study cognitive or mental structure and organization by analyzing cognitive strategies used by humans in thinking, storing information, comprehending, and producing language. (Bussmann, Hadumod. 2000. Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics. p.80. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press Routledge) 2.4 Two different meanings of the term cognitive linguistics It is very important to notice that cognitive linguistics has two different meanings, which come from the word cognitive. It has the following two meanings: 1) cognitive related to knowledge (This is the logical view. This view accepts logical rules and objective definitions.) 2) cognitive related to human experience based on practical and empirical knowledge.(This is the cognitive linguistics we mean. Such cognitive linguistics includes three views or approaches: the experiential view, the prominence view and the attentional view.) 3. Experiential view: Different explanations of Our car has broken down 3.1 Traditional explanation Traditionally, most teachers use the following methods in class: 1) paraphrasing the meanings of words 2) analyzing the clause pattern 3) discussing the use of the present perfect tense How do you help your students with this sentence? Talk about your teaching, please? If someone does not know the word car, the teacher just tells him that it means 4-wheeled motor vehicle. Usually the teacher takes into consideration the so-called difficult points. In this sentence, the difficult point may be the phrasal verb break down, which has at least as many as 35 meanings according to a dictionary. The first four meanings are: 1) to become separated into pieces or fragments 2) to become cracked or split 3) to give way; collapse 4) to become unusable or inoperative/stop operating or functioning e.g. The television broke down. The 4th meaning is suitable to explain the phrasal verb break down, so the teacher chooses stop operating or functioning to replace the original phrase, such as Our car has stopped operating or Our car has stopped functioning. 3.2 Explanation with the logical view (of modern linguistics) In the logical view, some objective semantic features must be found. The following are a set of objective semantic features of car: 1) inanimate 2) concrete 3) movable 4) self-propelled The meaning of car in this explanation equates objective features. This explanation seems to be cognitive, because it is related to knowledge. But it is not the cognitive linguistics we are studying. The cognitive linguistics we mean is not based on logical knowledge, but on practical and empirical knowledge. The logical view cannot explain the phrasal verb break down, because the phrase is used as a metaphor, which is excluded from the study of the logical view. 3.3 Explanation with the experiential view 1) Meaning is in our experience. a. attribute Before we explain this sentences with the experiential view, we must first pay special attention to the term attribute, which is frequently used in cognitive linguistics so it is a very important term in cognitive linguistics, especially when we explain language with the experiential view. Simply to say, attribute is characteristic of an entity (Word Web) What are the attributes of car? The answer is on P. F37, where you can see that the concept car has 9 attributes in all. Both our communal experience and personal or subjective experience are related to the word car. Of the 9 attributes, some are shared by most peoples experience and some others are very personal and subjective. The attributes of first love affair and injury are very personal and subjective. The meaning of car in this explanation is communal experience + personal (subjective) experience. These two types of experience equate attributes in all. b. Two important aspects of attributes a) Attributes are from laypersons We should notice that such attributes are collected from laypersons (common people/ persons who are not trained in linguistics) instead of dictionaries or scholars. So to a great extent, these attributes can reflect the way every language user perceives the world and interacts with it. b) Attributes help identify similar objects To every word dictionaries give definitions which are sometimes not helpful. The word car, for example, is defined as 4-wheeled motor vehicle. This definition cannot help people identify a 3-wheeled motor vehicle when they see such a vehicle for the first time. But it is obvious that attributes from laypersons can do that. People can identify it as a car because it agrees with some of the attributes. That is why the experiential view is superior to the logical view. 2) Meaning in figurative language. The original meaning for break down is fall apart, collapse. When it is used to express the event that the car suddenly stops working, it is a metaphorical use because the car does not become separated into pieces or fragments. Metaphor is no longer regarded as just a rhetorical device. In logical view, metaphor is excluded from the study of linguistics. But the fact is that metaphor is frequently used by everyone in their utterances every day. It goes without saying that heart as in Beijing is the heart of China is a metaphor. So is the eye of heaven in Sonnet 18 by Shakespeare. Everybody can identify this kind of metaphor. But metaphor in cognitive linguistics is in a much broader sense. The following are also examples of metaphor: (1) You appear at the head of the list. (2) the leg of a table (3) He got into trouble yesterday. In literature, get into trouble is no metaphor at all, but in cognitive linguistics it is because trouble is regarded as a container. Actually, people tend to make use of metaphor. In a metaphorical way it is easier to express abstract ideas or unfamiliar things. So concrete concepts are used to express abstract concepts and familiar things are used to indicate unfamiliar things. We can say, metaphor is pervasive in language, that is to say, figurative language is everywhere in language. If a linguistic theory pays no attention to metaphor or figurative language, such a theory can be said not to be immature. A good linguistic theory should explain every phenomenon in language. Cognitive linguistics is such a linguistic theory which makes a study of every aspect of meanings in language. 4. Prominence view The prominence view concerns the selection and arrangement of the information that is expressed. It is actually an explanation of how the information in a clause is selected and arranged. Compare the following pairs of examples: (4) a. The garden is swarming with bees. b. Bees are swarming in the garden. In traditional grammar, the two sentences are regarded as the same in meaning. But in fact they do not mean the same because prominence in the sentences are different. (4a) means that there are bees everywhere in the garden, but (4b) means that there are bees in part of the garden. 5. Attentional view The attentional view is an approach based on the assumption that what we actually express reflects which parts of an event attract our attention (p. F39). That is, an utterance reflects what is paid attention to. In language the same event can be expressed in different ways because of our different attentions. Take learn and teach for example: (5) a. Xiao Li learned English from Mr. Smith. b. Mr. Smith taught Xiao Li English. When the speakers attention is on Xiao Li, he uses the first sentence, but when his attention is on Mr. Smith, he uses the second one. In paraphrase, we usually tell the students that the two sentences are in the same meaning, but in the attentional view, their meanings are in fact different. 6. The contents of this book 1) This book contains six chapters, with Chapters 1, 2, 3 introducing the experiential view, Chapter 4 dealing with the prominence view, Chapter 5 discussing the attentional view and Chapter 6 briefing iconicity, grammaticalization, lexical change and language teaching. 2) This book talks chiefly about the three views of cognitive linguistics. It is important for you to make clear the three views first, because they are initiated by cognitive linguistics and therefore they are basic theories of cognitive linguistics. And then you should also go on to study iconicity, grammaticalization, lexical change and language teaching. Though iconicity and grammaticalization are not initiated by cognitive linguistics, many scholars are working at them because the two approaches can also explain many language problems. The last section of this book also talks about foreign language learning and teaching. For us, this section may be helpful. But until now, few people have discussed this topic, so what is presented in the last section of this book is just the potential of cognitive approach to foreign language teaching. We can benefit from the discussion about foreign language learning and teaching in this book so as to begin with our own researches of English teaching and learning. Exercises: What is cognitive linguistics? Whats the difference between the logical view and the experiential view? How do you understand the term attribute in cognitive linguistics? Talk about attributes of bicycle.

My Big Sister :: College Admissions Essays

My Big Sister She was so concentrated on her task that at first she did not hear the quiet voice behind her. In one hand she held an enormous clear plastic bag, and with the other she was picking scarves off a display rack and haphazardly stuffing them into the bag. She worked quickly because after an hour in the town hall, she was ready to head home. An hour of speeches read in a passionate monotone had left her feeling a strange apathy. She usually enjoyed the annual Homeless Vigil, and had worked very hard to collect the hats and scarves she now treated with such indifference. Standing alone on the now empty stage and gazing out into the rows of decaying wooden chairs, she tried to imagine the people her work would help, but found she didn't really care. All she could think about was getting out of that old building and going somewhere with central heating. With a sudden clarity, she realized that she didn't want to be a part of this farce anymore. What did it mean if a few middle class families got together once a year to be preached at by a bunch of tired social service workers? They listened patiently for an hour, then donated a few bucks to assuage their consciences. They drove home in their foreign cars to their nice two story houses and ate a hot meal, confident that they had paid their dues to humanity. If they could be so easily satisfied, so could she. "Excuse me, ma'am?" Finally the voice got her attention, and she turned around. The small voice belonged to an equally small boy shifting nervously from foot to foot. "What is it, Hon?" she managed a tired smile. "I heard your speech tonight, about all those kids who don't have anywhere to live. You said that you were collecting clothes and stuff to keep them warm." "That's right. This time of year it is especially hard for them.

My Society

There Is no perfect society In the world, and there will never be any perfect society. People can have their Imagination on what they would prefer as their Ideal society and everyone varied from person to person. If I had the opportunity to create what I thought would be the Ideal society our world would be a completely different place. There would be so many changes to the world that we live in today. The idea behind my society is to bring people together and understand other cultures and what their beliefs, ideas, and norms are.These changes will be explained in full details in the allowing paragraphs. We will begin with the physical features and geographical location of this place. My ideal world would take place on an island called La Islam Diverse. It would be located somewhere between west coast of the United States and the coast of Asia. The name would come from the word diverse, which would suit the inhabitants of the island. La Islam Diverse would be made up of sand, palm tr ees, plants, mountains and houses made from the wood/leafs from the palm trees themselves.The Island would be about the same size of Texas and would be made up of about 100-150 Inhabitants. Much of the land would be unexplored and be available for the Inhabitants to go out and explore. The temperature on the La Islam Diverse would be the same year-round. During the day the temperature would vary between 80-90 degrees, and at night the temperature would drop to the ass's. There would be days when it's cloudy and rainy but the temperature would remain the same. The sun rises every morning at am and it will go down at pm.La Islam Diverse would be such a beautiful place with beautiful weather, features, and also the people abroad the island. Up to now you may have questions and wonder what's so different bout this Island than any other Island. The secret behind this Island is that it is an island where marijuana Is grown and cultivated by the Inhabitants as their Job. With Marijuana beg inning to legalize in the United States, the Inhabitants live on this island rent free to work growing marijuana for the government. The Inhabitants have previously received training and certifications for the cultivation of this plant.These people live abroad La Islam Diverse along with their families to grow marijuana that will later be sold in the united States. The island is ruled by the united States overspent and these inhabitants are paid extremely good money for what they do. The Island is protected by the united States Marine Corps, with absolutely no problems abroad the island. The people work form Imam-pm at various and specific locations spread across the island. La Islam Diverse is an island that only selected people may live abroad.These people are selected by the government to travel to this island for up to a year with their family and where everything is provided. The families aboard this Island are fed, and taken care by through deferent institutions set up by the government. Nothing is paid for out of pocket by any of the Inhabitants, everything Is provided to them. One of the requirements before leaving the states and traveling to La Islam Delvers Is that you leave all monetary values home; any money found aboard the island will be confiscated. There are many rules and in that person and their family being sent back to the states.Some of these rules include things such as: No reproduction will take place on La Islam Diverse, People found smuggling or smoking Marijuana aboard the island will be automatically be kicked off the island, and if any person is accused of committing a crime this will be enough to kick the person off the island. There are no doctors or hospitals aboard the island therefore any person who gets sick and is unable to perform the daily functions of the Job will be sent back to the states for proper medical attention. As far as the economy on La Islam Diverse, there isn't one.The people come onto this island under contra ct to work for a year and eligibility for an extension depending on their work quality. Everything is paid for while you and your family live on the island food, clothes, and any other necessity. At the end of your year the government will advise you of your eligibility to return for another year, it's up to inhabitant to decide if he was to continue to work for another year. If he does not want to return or is simply not eligible to return they along with the family will be returned back to their lives in the states.Upon leaving the island the government cuts the family a check for a significant amount for their labor aboard the island. The island is not dominated by one race or culture. The name of the island reflects the people of the island. Diversity is the most important and key behind this society. The goal of the overspent is to bring people from as many different cultures and races with many different beliefs, ideas, and norms to this island to integrate and see how people are able to adapt and work with each other.With nowhere to go and having to live on an island with many people you are forced to adapt and get to know how other people work and are required to be able to work with these individuals. Any act of racism or hate crime towards any other inhabitant of the island automatically gets you kicked off and banned off the island with no pay. Of course there will be problems on the island because people with different views will have conflicts as their ideas will clash but the idea is being able to come together and work as one. After a serious offense is when people will be punished and even kicked off the island.There is a process that must be gone through to be eligible to live on La Islam Diverse. First, a person must apply through a website after filling out a lengthy application the person is given an aptitude test based on diversity. The government will base the test results and choose people that are qualified for the position, and bring t hem in for a face to ace interview. During the interview they will find out more about the applicant and ask further questions regarding cultures and race. If the applicant is qualified after the interview he will be given a background package that needs to be returned within two weeks.When the background check comes back and if the applicant has no prior criminal charges and no history that would disqualify him/her they get added to a list. The person if not certified to grow and cultivate marijuana must take and complete a seminar within a month of being accepted. Since the island is only able to eave a maximum occupancy of 150 inhabitants, the people that are hired and go through the process are put on a list that. As people's years are up on the island these people are replaced by the qualified people on the list.The process is lengthy but the right steps are taken to choose the right people to work on La Islam Diverse with no problems. Once on La Islam Diverse there are many th ings to do besides sightseeing. There are many boats, and Jet skis that families are able to reserve and rent for fun. There are many parks for families to bring their kids and integrate them with other different cultures and races. On the weekends no one works so it is used as time to come together with the other inhabitants and their families and become educated on diversity.The island is always safe as no intruders are allowed onto the island and the coasts are patrolled by the Marine Corps. Any problems aboard the island are also handled and situated by the Marine Corps. This island is not Just created for people to come and work, the main focus of the island is that families use it as a tool and also an eye opening experience to learn about other cultures, beliefs, and norms of the other inhabitants on this island. In conclusion, my society and ideal world would be an experiment focused on the idea of integrating people and having them come together to work together.Our world t oday is not aware of the millions of other people and beliefs of these people that exist today. La Islam Diverse is a form of education for people to understand cultures, beliefs, and norms of other people in the world today. When people are hired they are not told that they will be living with people from different backgrounds with different beliefs than them. It is the Job of the person to be able to adapt to the changes and having to open up and earn about the other people aboard the island.The ideal situation is that people are able to adapt and work with other people at the same time learning and being open to changes and understanding that not everyone functions the same way. My society would be an experiment but a way for people to integrate while growing and working together to produce a drug that has been known to be able to bring people together. The best part of this whole experiment is that you make a significant amount of money if you're able to adapt and come together and fulfill your requirement of at least on year.

Psychology Assignment: Perception Essay

Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sensation and perception are mental processes that are sometimes mistaken for each other.   A fine distinction, however, can be drawn between them. Sensation is defined as, â€Å"the conscious experience that follows immediately upon the stimulation of a sense organ or a sensory nerve.† The first result of a stimulus situation is sensation and an elaboration of beyond this first result is perception (Halonen & Santrock, 1996).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A factor influencing man’s behavior and his adjustment is how he looks at places, persons, objects, things, and situations. His interpretation about affect greatly his business and everyday life. If, for example, he looks at a store lay-out and says that it is conducive to increased sales volume, then that is how he perceives the store’s lay-out. The same is true for an employer who evaluates job applicants. He interviews and gives tests to them. The final decision depends upon his awareness of the different traits or qualifications expected of the applicants. This is what is termed as perception (Halonen & Santrock, 1996). Discussion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The dictionary of education defines perception in its most limited sense as â€Å"awareness of external objects, conditions, relationship as a result of sensory stimulation† (McKenna, 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Beach and Clark (1959) define it as â€Å"the process which involves the receiving and organizing or interpreting of stimuli, by the individual (McKenna, 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From the aforementioned definitions, one thing is common and that is the awareness of a stimulus. This awareness is achieved through our sense organs, muscles and glands, and connectors (McKenna, 2000). Characteristics of the Perception Process   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Perception as the action by which the mind refers its sensations to external object has certain characteristics. Beach and Clark enumerated and discussed the characteristics of perception as follows (McKenna, 2000; Clement, 1981):   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is Selective   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When one walks down the street, he is not aware of everything in his environment. Eh pays attention to specific or particular stimuli only and not to all sounds, sight and other types of stimuli about him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Through our sense organs, in other words, we select only those things we are interested in. there is but a particular thing that may attract, maintain, or distract the attention of the individual (McKenna, 2000; Clement, 1981)..   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is Structuring or Patterning Process   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What a person perceives as common to him is a form or structure. This is what is called configuration or wholeness in Gestalt psychology. A person perceives a real thing when it comes in the correct pattern or structure. A complete pattern of an object means that it has all the attributes of the object: (1) it must have shape, (2) it must have a color, (3) it must have a smell; (4) it must have a taste (McKenna, 2000; Clement, 1981).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It Contains Meaning   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The particular sensations experienced by a person are interpreted in a way that will give them meaning in terms of the person’s experience. For a person it is difficult to perceive or understand a thing or stimulus if he does not know it. Before one perceives a thing, he must be familiar with it first. A person attaches meaning to a thing he has knowledge of or is familiar with (McKenna, 2000; Clement, 1981)..   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is Adaptive or Subjective   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When a person perceives a thing, he sees it according to his likes, desires, ambitions or beliefs. In other words, he suits his perception according to his likes, his feelings, his desires, and his beliefs (McKenna, 2000; Clement, 1981).. Factors Affecting or Influencing Perception   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are several factors to be considered to understand perception. These are the sense organs, intelligence, the emotions and feelings, culture, training, social factors, interests, attitudes and motives (Landy, 1985; Baron, 1983; Clement, 1981). The Role of the Senses   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   How a person interprets things or situations depends primarily upon his sense organs. Some senses are stronger than others. There are those who have a keen sense of smell; there are those with very poor eyesight. This may result in different perceptions of objects (Landy, 1985; Baron, 1983; Clement, 1981).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Apparel to a person’s sense makes perception effective. This is illustrated in advertizing. The more senses advertizing appeals to the more lasting the impression is (Landy, 1985; Baron, 1983; Clement, 1981). Culture   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Culture influences our perception both directly and indirectly. Indirectly, because culture influences our personal needs and motives. Directly, because a person’s habits of looking at and interpreting things, objects, persons, and situations depend partly on his culture (Landy, 1985; Baron, 1983; Clement, 1981). Training   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another factor of perception is training and conditioning. Training means the education and experience the individual gains in his life. It involves observing others and/or following instructions. The point is, what will happen in any particular situation and what will done by the people involved, will depend upon the past conditioning and training of the various individuals involved (Landy, 1985; Baron, 1983; Clement, 1981). Social Factors   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A person’s social experiences exert a strong influence on how he sees or interprets a situation, specially a social situation. In his contact with his family, friend, school or business associates his responses to situations are influenced by experiences with these social groups. In other words, his perception of situation depends upon his social interactions with people and society (Landy, 1985; Baron, 1983; Clement, 1981). Emotions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Emotions influence one’s perception. A situation which appears â€Å"very bad† during a negative emotional moment often turns out to be â€Å"not bad after all† in a calmer moment. Our behavior is not only due to physiological causes but also to psychological causes. These psychological causes are partly due to an individual’s emotion (Landy, 1985; Baron, 1983; Clement, 1981). Intelligence   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When a person is intelligent, he does not only see objects as they are but interprets them in terms of beauty, uniqueness, and the efforts made behind the construction, in other words, he sees things in several dimensions (Landy, 1985; Baron, 1983; Clement, 1981). Motives or Drives   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A person’s motives, needs, desires and drives condition our perception. A salesman displays wares in his counter with the bodily or psychological needs or desires of the customers in mind. The customers’ attention will be attracted because of their personal motives (Landy, 1985; Baron, 1983; Clement, 1981). Interests   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Different individuals perceive the same object in varying ways influenced by their interests. A high school graduate may perceive a city as a place where he can further his studies. A businessman on the other hand, would see it as a good place for business, while an employee from a rural place would see as the place where he can get better play or salary (Landy, 1985; Baron, 1983; Clement, 1981). Attitudes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The attitude of a person is a determining factor of perception. A favorable attitude toward an object or thing will make him see the object as a desirable thing (Landy, 1985; Baron, 1983; Clement, 1981). Reference: Baron, R. 1983. Behavior in Organizations: Understanding and Managing the Human Side of Work, Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Clement, R.W. 1981. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Management Training. Human Resources Management. Vol. 20, pp.8-13. Halonen, Jane S., and John Santrock. Psychology: Contexts of behavior. 1996. Brown & Benchmark, USA, p. 280. Landy, F.J. 1985. Psychology of Work behavior. 3rd Ed. Dorsey Press. McKenna, Eugene, 2000. Business Psychology and Organizational Behavior: A Student’s Handbook. 3rd Ed. Psychology press: Taylor and Francis Group.      

January Writing Prompts for Student Journals

January Writing Prompts for Student Journals Students return from the winter break during the first week of January. With the new year comes resolutions and a desire to do better. January is a great time to start students on daily writing assignments. These can be in the form of warmups or journal entries. The ideas provide writing prompts for each day of the month. Daily Writing Prompts Having a writing prompt handy for each day of the month can ease teacher planning. The numeral before each prompt represents the date in January. New Years resolutions: Many people begin the new year with a list of resolutions. Write about three of your New Years resolutions and explain what steps you need to take to make them come true.Goal setting: Goal setting is an important part of creating an ideal future for yourself. Come up with a one-year goal, a three-year goal and a 10-year goal for yourself. Then write about three steps that you will take to accomplish each of these goals.J.R.R. Tolkiens birthday: Discuss your feelings on fantasy and science fiction. Do you enjoy these types of books? Explain why or why not.Isaac Newtons birthday: Explain what Newton meant by the following quote: If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.National Bird Day: When the United States was founded, Benjamin Franklin argued that the national bird should be the turkey. Instead, the bald eagle was selected. Was this a good choice or should the Founding Fathers have gone with the turkey instead? Give reasons for your answer. Sherlock Holmes birthday: Today is the birthday of fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. Do you like mysteries? If so, tell about your favorite mystery book, television series, or movie. If not, explain why you dont like them. Alternatively, write about Little Christmas or the Epiphany. Many cultures celebrate a second Christmas on this date. What celebrations would you like to see twice a year?Winter break: Describe the best thing that happened to you over winter break.Elvis Presleys birthday: What is your favorite type of music? Your least favorite? Explain your reasons for each.Seasons: What is your favorite season? Why?United Nations Day: What is your opinion about Americas participation in the U.N.? Or, what  is your opinion on the effectiveness of the U.N. in negotiating world peace?Death of Francis Scott Key: On this day in 1843, Francis Scott Key died. He penned the lyrics of the Star-Spangled Banner. What is your opinion about the use of this song as a political protest (su ch as NFL Players kneeling)? Do you put your hand over your heart and stand in respect when the national anthem is played? Should athletes be required to do so? National Pharmacist Day: Meat producers around the nation typically put low levels of antibiotics in the animals food to help promote growth. However, some people are concerned that this leads to antibiotic-resistant bacteria in humans. The meat industry argues that if it were unable to include antibiotics, the cost of meat would dramatically increase. Do you think that the meat industry should be forced to stop using these antibiotics? Defend your answer.Make Your Dreams Come True Day: What is a dream that you have for your future? Describe this dream and explain the steps you can take right away to help make it come true.Benedict Arnolds birthday: React to the following statement: One mans traitor is another mans hero.Super Bowl hype: Do you watch the Super Bowl for the game, the ads or both? Explain your answer.Passage of the 18th Amendment: This amendment  to the U.S. Constitution prohibited â€Å"the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors† but not the consumption, private possession, or production for one’s own consumption. Currently, a large number of states and the District of Columbia have laws broadly legalizing marijuana in some form, but marijuana is still against federal law. Should states have the right  to allow  marijuana be regulated like alcohol? Benjamin Franklins birthday: What was Franklins most important contribution to America?Winnie-the-Pooh Day: Which character from Winnie-the-Pooh do you think is most like you? Explain your answer.Popcorn Day: What is your favorite movie? Or, who is your favorite film director? Why?Presidential Inauguration Day: What qualities does it take to be an effective president of the United States? Or, what makes a president of the United States ineffective? What evidence do you have to support your answer?Martin Luther Kings birthday: King stated in his famous I Have a Dream speech: I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. What is your opinion on how close America has come to fulfilling  Kings dream? What evidence do you have to support your opinion?National Hobby Month: What is your favorite hobby? What makes it your favorite?National Blood Donors Month: Should b lood donors be paid to donate blood? Explain your answer. California Gold Rush: If you had lived in the 1840s when gold was discovered in California, do you think that you would have traveled West to take part? Why or why not?National Opposite Day: What would you do differently if you were the teacher in this class? Or, what is the opposite reaction that you have from your family on a topic (politics, music, technology)? Why do you react differently?Australia Day: Have you ever traveled out of the country? If so, describe the similarities and differences between the country you visited and America. If not, explain which countries youd like to visit and why.Lewis Carrolls birthday: Which character from Alice in Wonderland would you most want to meet? Which would you least like to meet? Why?Jackson Pollocks birthday: What is your opinion of modern art? Do you like it or hate it? Why?Thomas Paines birthday: Do you agree with the following statement by Thomas Paine: Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state , an intolerable one. Explain your answer. Franklin Roosevelts birthday: Franklin Roosevelt was elected to four terms as president. After this, the 22nd Amendment was passed limiting the president to two terms or 10 years. Do you think that there should be term limits for presidents? What about for senators and representatives? Explain your answer.Jackie Robinsons birthday: Robinson was the first African-American to play baseball in the Major Leagues. Many praised him for his courage. How do you define courage? Give examples of people who you think are courageous.

Free Essays on Legalization Of Marijauna

Legalization of marijuana I choose this topic basically because we as citizens of the United States have a basic right to make choices for ourselves as long as their actions do not harm others. Responsible individuals (Possibly at the age of 18) should be allowed to choose whether or not they use marijuana. We place a high value on the principles of individuality, liberty, and freedoms of thought and are government should stand by that. The government is wasting our time and money by prohibiting marijuana. Taxpayers are forced to pay billions of dollars to persecute, prosecute, and incarcerate individuals while the government ignores more important issues like fighting the war on terror and the war in Iraq. Prohibiting marijuana is not an effective solution to the problems associated with marijuana use because just like when alcohol was prohibited before it caused more problems like the organized crime that supported it. We understand that marijuana, like tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, can be abused. But the harms associated with marijuana are less than those associated with tobacco and alcohol, and they are not sufficient reason to justify making marijuana illegal. In conclusion I think we should take a lesson from what we have learned from our history. Alcohol prohibition did not work, and there is no logical reason to believe that marijuana prohibition is a better idea. My final comment is that our government should stop taxing us for the â€Å"War on Weed† and tax the people who buy marijuana and use it for the greater cause of our country.... Free Essays on Legalization Of Marijauna Free Essays on Legalization Of Marijauna Legalization of marijuana I choose this topic basically because we as citizens of the United States have a basic right to make choices for ourselves as long as their actions do not harm others. Responsible individuals (Possibly at the age of 18) should be allowed to choose whether or not they use marijuana. We place a high value on the principles of individuality, liberty, and freedoms of thought and are government should stand by that. The government is wasting our time and money by prohibiting marijuana. Taxpayers are forced to pay billions of dollars to persecute, prosecute, and incarcerate individuals while the government ignores more important issues like fighting the war on terror and the war in Iraq. Prohibiting marijuana is not an effective solution to the problems associated with marijuana use because just like when alcohol was prohibited before it caused more problems like the organized crime that supported it. We understand that marijuana, like tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, can be abused. But the harms associated with marijuana are less than those associated with tobacco and alcohol, and they are not sufficient reason to justify making marijuana illegal. In conclusion I think we should take a lesson from what we have learned from our history. Alcohol prohibition did not work, and there is no logical reason to believe that marijuana prohibition is a better idea. My final comment is that our government should stop taxing us for the â€Å"War on Weed† and tax the people who buy marijuana and use it for the greater cause of our country....

The Effect of Capital Structure on Share Prices based on the FTSE 100 Essay

The Effect of Capital Structure on Share Prices based on the FTSE 100 - Essay Example Further analysis of the literature has revealed that besides Market Value, the debt levels of the firm as well as the earnings offered to investors are other influential factors that determine the stock price. This paper aims to construct a regression model for the stock price of most FTSE 100 firms by accommodating these three parameters as variables. Further, the paper contains an elaborate statistical analysis to improve the model and remove any inconsistencies. Studies on Corporate Finance by researchers like Kevin (2006) have debated over the consequences of examining the fragmentation of the firm’s capital structure into various organizational parameters and have expressed the possibilities of analyzing their individual and collective influences on the movement of related share prices and their ultimate impact on returns to shareholders. A company’s capital structure consists of a multitude of assets in the form of equity, debt and other securities, each of which are included into the structure in proportions deemed necessary and sufficient by the firm. Studies by Modigliani and Miller (1958) conducted studies which demonstrate that in scenarios where the investment decisions are fairly stable, the market value of the firm stands invariant to its capital structure composition assuming that the financial markets are perfect in nature (i.e., markets comprising perfect competition and no friction) and provide tax-free returns. Further, Kleinbaum (2008) has shown that in cases where there is an additional component of protective debt covenants, the market value of the firm’s securities is not influenced by any changes in the capital structure. However, the value of the firm and the invariance of the security values can be vulnerable to taxation both at the firm as well as individual levels. This is also true in the case of debt covenants that are

Popular Culture(2-1) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Popular Culture(2-1) - Assignment Example According to the 2009documentary film Tyson, the young man frequently engaged in petty crimes and took to street fighting on frequent occasions. However it was under the guidance of D’Amato that Tyson started performing well at amateur boxing matches and was admitted to the 1982 Junior Olympic Games. Although it was the case that Tyson only won a silver medal, according to the 2009 documentary Tyson became a phenomenon after he scored the fastest knockout in an Olympic bout at approximately 8 seconds. It was upon this foundation that Tyson made his professional debut in 1985 where according to Cyber Boxing Zone (2010) Tyson won twenty six of his first twenty eight bouts by either knockout or technical knockout, most of which ended in the first round. The man became a powerhouse the likes of which the boxing community had not seen for a long time and quickly became known to most athletics fans across the world. However this career which brought great heights ended up hitting rock bottom. Tyson stood accused of sexually and physically abusing his wife Robin Givens during his marriage in the late eighties. After the divorce Tyson was accused and convicted of raping a young woman in Indiana and according to Berkow (1995) served three years of a ten year sentence. As pop cultural consumers I think it is natural that we are fascinated with te rise and fall of celebrity. It is the case that during the height of his career, Mike Tyson was an unstoppable force and a near perfect boxing machine. However in his personal life he brought about a type of ruin that the man self described in the 2009 documentary about his life as being â€Å"A tragedy†. As with many pop cultural phenomenon’s we tend to view. As far as my analysis is concerned, very few people remember Tyson for his boxing career anymore and simply focus on his failed personal life which is a trend we have seen spread across many different pop

What was the Western new imperialism, and how did it develop Essay

What was the Western new imperialism, and how did it develop - Essay Example The western countries depended upon African and Asian countries for raw material and colonization was a means to access and exploit the rare and precious commodities of the colonies. Apart from this, for some imperialists, the motive behind imperialism was to spread Christianity, or Western ethics, laws and culture around the world; for others, it was the precious commodities of Asian and African countries and golden chances for investment. For some, it was merely for personal or national glory or a strategic advancement. 1 â€Å"In short, British and French motives were characteristic of the medley of motives that constituted late nineteenth- and early twentieth century European imperialism.† (Fieldhouse 341) The three leading imperialists: Great Britain, France and Germany had their respective motives and interests in establishing their imperialism. Germany wished to defeat the rising socialism in the country and to prove that it was equal to the British by acquiring its own empire. Great Britain had the most advanced maritime technology that enabled it to expand its empire. France, having defeated by Germany in 1871 needed to restore its international standing, which was achieved by imperial expansion in Africa and Southeast Asia.2 In February 1885, the main European powers who were actively vying for control of large parts of Africa signed the Berlin Act which formalized the process for the partition of Africa. France, Germany, Britain and Portugal all had interests in West Africa and the Act provided the guidelines by which each then proceeded to define their territories.3 Thus western new imperialism was greatly facilitated by the technological advancement in the development of machinery, railways, roads, steam-ships, factories and global trade. The weak political structures and their internal conflicts in Asian and African countries made them vulnerable to the new imperialism. The long term

Macroeconomic convergence, economic growth and financial development Dissertation

Macroeconomic convergence, economic growth and financial development of India - Dissertation Example India is an emerging country that has developed into an open market economy. In 2010, CIA World Fact Book ranks India as 5th in the world economy having $4.06 trillion gross domestic product (GDP.). However, same source indicates there are still traces of its past autarkic policies because of the social democratic policies that have governed the country since 1947 to 1991. At that time, the economy was characterized by extensive regulation, slow growth, protectionism, and corruption. Reforms introduced in early 1990s that included trade and industry liberalization, removal of government control from the industries, and transfer of control of government resource to private business sector accelerated economic growth. Vernani (n.d.) estimated India’s economic growth since 1951 up to 1971 stayed at 3%, and in 1995 went up to 5%. Since 1997, India’s expansion has been more than 7%. India’s growth comes from farming, cultivation, craft, new industries and other ser vices (CIA). Total labor force is 478 million; 52% is in agriculture, 34% is in services and 14% for other industries. India boasts of a large educated English-speaking population that becomes its asset for its export of information technology and software workers. The economic growth slowed down to 6.7% in 2008-2009 but has improved to 7.4% for the rest of 2009 to 2010 (Virnani) Due to big local demand  in 2010, the country recovered strongly from the economic meltdown and has charted over 9% growth. (Virmani,) At this time too, investment growth rate doubled as well as private consumption and imports accelerated; however, government consumption slowed down. Vernani explained that in 2007, investments were over 35%; demands were much higher than previous years; investment rate grew to 18%; domestic demands climbed to 60.1% and a negative rate for exports. However, despite the pronounced growths, CIA showed problems of India that include extensive privation, insufficient infra structures, limited employment opportunities in non-agriculture sector, inadequate way in to quality education, and accommodation of â€Å"rural-to-urban migration†. Financial development in India The process of financial system in India according to Sandhya (2009) †is an interaction of financial institutions, financial markets, financial instruments/assets/securities and financial services which are controlled by the government† . The Indian financial system is also parallel in the role of other governments in the financial markets. Cihak (2011) said the role of governments in finance was less before the global crisis because empirical studies showed harmful effects of government interventions. The crisis changed the minds of the people and thought that it is time for the government to adopt policies to maintain stability, drive growth and create jobs. As such, clearer roles emerged for the government to adopt direct interventions such as ownership, credit gua rantees and liability guarantees. Government has to regulate and supervise economic activities and to promote competition, infrastructure and technology, Cihak said. Empirical results of macroeconomic convergence theories. Economic convergence starts with simple cooperation on agreed upon aspects from among member countries that often lead to integration or merger of these countries. Maruping (2005) defines macroeconomic convergence as a local assimilation that requires joining of two or more states, basically thru a Privileged Agreement, sometimes done thru Bilateral Trade Agreeements.  He describes economic convergence as an organized plan intended for the easy access of service and goods as well as coordination of foreign economic policies of these states in the same region. According to the Dictionary of Trade Policy Terms of WTO, regionalism is described as â€Å"actions by governments to liberalize or facilitate trade on a regional basis, sometimes through free-trade are as or

Chapter 24 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Chapter 24 - Essay Example Whereas the aromatic compounds are those compounds which have a cyclic carbon chain with alternating double bonds. A very important group of aromatic compounds includes benzene which is a cyclic compound with 6 carbon atoms and alternate double bonds. 24.3 The hydrocarbons in which the adjacent carbon atoms have only one carbon-carbon bond are called saturated hydrocarbons. These are called saturated compounds because all the four carbon valences are satisfied and no more hydrogen can be attached to the carbon atom. These hydrocarbons are represented by the formula CnH2n+2. Example of saturated hydrocarbon is ethane (C2H6). The hydrocarbons which contain one or more a double or triple bond in the compound are called unsaturated hydrocarbons. These compounds are called unsaturated because all the carbon valences are not satisfied by hydrogen atoms. The alkenes and alkynes are the examples of unsaturated compounds represented by the formula CnH2n and CnH2n-2. Example of unsaturated hydrocarbon is ethane (C2H4). 24.9 A carbon atom in a compound is called chiral, if the mirror image of this compound cannot be superimposed on itself. In a simplified way, if all the four substituent of a carbon atom are different, then such a carbon atom will be chiral. An example of such a compound is bromochlorofluoromethane. 24.25 CH3CH(NH2)COOH and CH2(OH)CH(NH2)COOH are chiral amino acids as all the four substituent of the central carbon atom are different, so the... 24.27 Structural formula of: a) 3-methylhexane b) 1,3,5-trichloro-cyclohexane c) 2,3-dimethylpentane d) 2-bromo-4-phenylpentane e) 3,4,5-trimethyloctane 24.31 Structures are: a) 1-bromo-3-methylbenzene b) 1-chloro-2-propylbenzene c) 1,2,4,5-tetramethylbenzene 24.34 Lewis Structure: a) Alcohol: b) Ether c) Aldehyde d) Ketone e) Carboxylic acid f) Ester g) Amine 24.41 The products are: a) CH3-CH2-COOH + H2O b) H2-C=CH-CH3 c) Not Clear 24.43 The possible isomers of C7H7Cl with a benzene ring are: a) b). c) d) 24.49 Given: Density of octane = 0.70 g/ml Volume of octane = 1 lt = 1000 ml Therefore; mass of octane is 700 g As the molecular weight of octane is 114.23 g/mole; so the total moles of octane burnt are (700/114) = 6.13 moles We know each mole of octane requires 12.5 moles of oxygen for complete combustion. Therefore for the combustion of 1 lt of octane, the oxygen required will be (12.5*6.13 =) 77.875 moles. It is known that volume of 1 mole of a gas at 20oC is 24.04 lt. So the volume of oxygen required would be (77.875*24.04 =) 1872.2 lt. Given that oxygen is 22% of the air. So the total volume of air required is (1872.2*100/22 =) 8510 lt. Answer: 8510 lt. of air is required for complete combustion of 1 lt. of octane. 24.53 The structural isomers of C4H8Cl2 are: 1. 1,1-dichlorobutane 2. 1,2-dichlorobutane This is a chiral structure. 3. 1,3-dichlorobutane This structure has a chiral carbon. 4. 1,4-dichlorobutane 5. 2,3-dichlorobutane This structure is chiral. 6. 1,1-dichloro-2-methyl-propane 7. 1,3-dichloro-2-methyl-propane 8. 1,2-dichloro-2-methyl-propane 24.59 The structure of: a) Cyclopentane b)

MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING QUIZ 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING QUIZ 2 - Essay Example Thompson will not carry an inventory of these items. When pricing products, many companies use target costing and/or cost-plus pricing methods. A. Briefly explain how target costing is applied to new products. B. How does target costing differ from cost-plus pricing? A. When using target pricing for new products, a market research is conducted to preferred price the customers are willing to pay for a product and the top list of preferred features in the product. Based on this price and a standard profit markup, the total cost on the product is arrived at. An analysis is made on the features that can be added to the product at the specified cost. The features are then finalized by adjusting the price of the product to meet the customer preferences. B. In the traditional cost plus pricing, fixed and variable costs are applied and then a profit markup is added to arrive at the final selling price. In the target pricing method, the selling price is fixed for a product and then a desired profit markup is subtracted from this price to arrive at the cost of the

Macroeconomic convergence, economic growth and financial development Dissertation

Macroeconomic convergence, economic growth and financial development of India - Dissertation Example India is an emerging country that has developed into an open market economy. In 2010, CIA World Fact Book ranks India as 5th in the world economy having $4.06 trillion gross domestic product (GDP.). However, same source indicates there are still traces of its past autarkic policies because of the social democratic policies that have governed the country since 1947 to 1991. At that time, the economy was characterized by extensive regulation, slow growth, protectionism, and corruption. Reforms introduced in early 1990s that included trade and industry liberalization, removal of government control from the industries, and transfer of control of government resource to private business sector accelerated economic growth. Vernani (n.d.) estimated India’s economic growth since 1951 up to 1971 stayed at 3%, and in 1995 went up to 5%. Since 1997, India’s expansion has been more than 7%. India’s growth comes from farming, cultivation, craft, new industries and other ser vices (CIA). Total labor force is 478 million; 52% is in agriculture, 34% is in services and 14% for other industries. India boasts of a large educated English-speaking population that becomes its asset for its export of information technology and software workers. The economic growth slowed down to 6.7% in 2008-2009 but has improved to 7.4% for the rest of 2009 to 2010 (Virnani) Due to big local demand  in 2010, the country recovered strongly from the economic meltdown and has charted over 9% growth. (Virmani,) At this time too, investment growth rate doubled as well as private consumption and imports accelerated; however, government consumption slowed down. Vernani explained that in 2007, investments were over 35%; demands were much higher than previous years; investment rate grew to 18%; domestic demands climbed to 60.1% and a negative rate for exports. However, despite the pronounced growths, CIA showed problems of India that include extensive privation, insufficient infra structures, limited employment opportunities in non-agriculture sector, inadequate way in to quality education, and accommodation of â€Å"rural-to-urban migration†. Financial development in India The process of financial system in India according to Sandhya (2009) †is an interaction of financial institutions, financial markets, financial instruments/assets/securities and financial services which are controlled by the government† . The Indian financial system is also parallel in the role of other governments in the financial markets. Cihak (2011) said the role of governments in finance was less before the global crisis because empirical studies showed harmful effects of government interventions. The crisis changed the minds of the people and thought that it is time for the government to adopt policies to maintain stability, drive growth and create jobs. As such, clearer roles emerged for the government to adopt direct interventions such as ownership, credit gua rantees and liability guarantees. Government has to regulate and supervise economic activities and to promote competition, infrastructure and technology, Cihak said. Empirical results of macroeconomic convergence theories. Economic convergence starts with simple cooperation on agreed upon aspects from among member countries that often lead to integration or merger of these countries. Maruping (2005) defines macroeconomic convergence as a local assimilation that requires joining of two or more states, basically thru a Privileged Agreement, sometimes done thru Bilateral Trade Agreeements.  He describes economic convergence as an organized plan intended for the easy access of service and goods as well as coordination of foreign economic policies of these states in the same region. According to the Dictionary of Trade Policy Terms of WTO, regionalism is described as â€Å"actions by governments to liberalize or facilitate trade on a regional basis, sometimes through free-trade are as or

MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING QUIZ 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING QUIZ 2 - Essay Example Thompson will not carry an inventory of these items. When pricing products, many companies use target costing and/or cost-plus pricing methods. A. Briefly explain how target costing is applied to new products. B. How does target costing differ from cost-plus pricing? A. When using target pricing for new products, a market research is conducted to preferred price the customers are willing to pay for a product and the top list of preferred features in the product. Based on this price and a standard profit markup, the total cost on the product is arrived at. An analysis is made on the features that can be added to the product at the specified cost. The features are then finalized by adjusting the price of the product to meet the customer preferences. B. In the traditional cost plus pricing, fixed and variable costs are applied and then a profit markup is added to arrive at the final selling price. In the target pricing method, the selling price is fixed for a product and then a desired profit markup is subtracted from this price to arrive at the cost of the

Bruce Lee’s Passion in Martial Arts and Entertainment Essay Example for Free

Bruce Lee’s Passion in Martial Arts and Entertainment Essay Bruce Lee is a man who acted upon his destiny and was very famous for all his achievements in America and China. His determination as an actor and martial artist made him a legend throughout the world even though he died from cerebral brain swelling at the age of 32. He is considered to be the â€Å"Greatest Martial Artist of the 20th Century† because his philosophies and insightful teachings have influenced many, including myself. Since Lee was a man who made his dreams a reality he began his film career when he was six years old, brought the art of martial arts and film to America, and he also created his own style of martial arts called Jeet Kune Do. Bruce lee His first screen appearance was at three months old in his fathers movie (Roensch 15-18). This was the beginning, leading to over twenty motion picture roles and steadily increasing popularity among Hong Kong audiences (The Bruce Lee Story 1). Some of the movies he had made were Enter the Dragon, Fists of Fury and The Return of the Dragon. Even though Bruce Lee died so young, he still had the acting experience because he started acting when he was young. What is Jeet Kune Do? Simply put, its English translation is way of the intercepting fist. Bruce studies all types of fighting from American Boxing to Thai Kickboxing. His simple philosophy was rather than block a punch and hit back with two distinct motions, why not intercept and hit in one, fluid stroke. Fluidity was the ideal. Try and obtain a nicely-tied package of water, Bruce would taunt. Just like water, we must keep moving on, Inosanto reitterates. For once water stops, it becomes stagnant. Water, Bruce would always give as an example, is the toughtest thing on Earth. It is virtually indestructable; it is soft, yet it can tear rocks apart. Move like water. Bruce dissected rigid classical disciplines and rebuilt them with fluid, po-mo improvements. Its good but it needs restructuring, he would say. Classical techniques did not take into account the reality of street fighting. Jeet Kune Do did. It was pragmatic, reality-based, empirical- not a bunch of stances, postures and mumbo jumbo handed down from antiquity. Second, he brought the art of martial arts and film to America. The martial arts that he brought influenced many people in the U. S (Roensch 7). He also influenced many other Asians to act these days such as Jet Li and Jackie Chan (Roensch 9). When Bruce Lee auditioned for upcoming movies, he was turned down and was rejected because he was too oriental (The Bruce Lee Story 2 3). Even though he was rejected in American movies, he was still able to make movies in Hong Kong. His goal was to make five movies in Hong Kong but he ended up making four and a half movies because he died during the fifth movie (The Bruce Lee Story 2 3). The movie that he didnt finish was called Game of Death. Bruce Lee practiced the nunchaku with Mr. Dan Inosanto and this also made him famous. The nunchaku is made up of two short wooden or metal rods that are connected by a short chain. Mr. Dan Inosanto was one of Bruce Lees closest friends that taught him the art of the nunchaku (The Bruce Lee Story 2 1-2). Before he made the movies in Hong Kong, he made a series of shows in America called The Green Hornet starring Van Williams and Bruce Lee (The Bruce Lee Story 2 1). Despite popularity, he wanted to be known as an actor rather than a superstar. Bruce Lee had many famous quotes in various movies and interviews. One of them was ? The word ? superstar really turns me off, and Ill tell you why because the word ? star, is an illusion, it is something-what the public calls you. You should look upon [yourself] as an actor. I mean you would be very pleased if somebody said, ? Hey man, youre a super actor! It is much better than ? superstar' (Little 132).

Fayols Four Functions Of Management Management Essay

Fayols Four Functions Of Management Management Essay The first of Fayols functions is planning. The definition of planning is defining goals, establishing strategies for achieving goals and developing plans to coordinate activities. (Robbins, et al., 2008). Planning is to assess the future and make provision for it. (Fayol, 1949). It is taking the initiative for the plan of action that managers carry out the managerial function. Mr.Seets job involves planning function. Understandably, he is the top level manager, so he has to get involved in all the manufacturing process like designing, process planning and material planning. The purposes of planning is to provide directions, so that employees can coordinate activities and corporate with each other when they know where the organisation is going and what they have to contribute to reach the goals. Hence, Mr. Seets plan is operational plans that specify details of how the overall goals are to be achieved. Apparently, it is a short term plans that covering of one year or less, but it is a specific plan which all the plans are clearly defined. He set goals of the organisation and then broken down into sub goals of each level of the organisation. In addition, planning reduces uncertainly by forcing managers to look ahead, anticipate and consider the impact of change. Managers plan to anticipate changes and develop the most effective response to them. Other than that, planning also minimize waste and redundancy, when work activities are coordinated around established plans, wasted time and resources can be minimize. Inefficiency become obvious and can be corrected or eliminated. Thus, SMART (Specific, Measurable and quantifiable, Attainable, Realistic, Time frame) goals are to be enforce by the managers. Consequently, Fayol (1949) describes the general features of a product plan and the advantages and shortcomings of forecasts, noting that the best plans, make allowances for contingencies. Fayol (1949) asserts that it would be useful for those whose concern is manageme nt to know how experienced managers go about drawing up their plans and proceeds to identify the planning process. (Lamond, 2003). The next Fayols functions would be organising. According to Robbins, Bergman, Stagg Coulter (2008), organising is defined as determining what tasks are to be done, who is to do them, how the tasks are to be grouped, who reports to whom and where decisions are to be made. Organising is arranging and structuring work to accomplish the organisations goal. Mr.Seets job also involves organising function. He needs to manage and divide all the tasks equally to his workers in order to save time and increase efficiency. Mr. Seet divides all the work activities into separate jobs task to different department like functional department, product department, process department and customer department. He also holds meeting for every week to discuss current problems, motivate employees and appoint a team at committees. On top of that, if managers change the organisations strategy, the structure should change to support the new strategy. Structure is adapted based on increasing level of complexity and sophistication. The more routine the technology, the more mechanistic the structure can be. Hence, Fayol (1949) argues that to create an organisation it is not enough to group people and distribute duties, there must be knowledge of how to adapt the organic whole to requirement and how to find essential personnel. Thus, Fayol (1949) states that organising is to provide the undertaking with everything useful to its functioning. The other Fayols functions is leading. Based on Robbins, Bergman, Stagg Coulter (2008), leading is defined as motivating subordinates, influencing individuals or teams as they work, selecting the most effective communication channels, or dealing in any way with employee behaviour issues. The mission of leading is to set the organisation going. (Fayol, 1949). The objective of leading is to get the optimum return from all employees, while the art of leading rests on certain personal qualities and knowledge of general principles of management. (Fayol, 1949). Mr.Seets job includes leading function. He ensures all his workers are in a friendly and comfortable work environment. He also gives training and guidance to employees by counseling whenever necessary. This can relate to the Katzs human skills and Mintzbergs interpersonal skills. (Lamond, 2003). Mr.Seet has motivates his employees by offering sales commission and bonus. According to Katzs human skills, all level of management need human skills in order to interact and communicate with other people successfully. (Peterson Van Fleet, 2004). Thus, Mr.Seet reflects the requirement of leading functions and human skills needed as a top manager. The last Fayols functions is controlling. Controlling is defined as monitoring actual performance, comparing actual to standard, and taking action if necessary. (Robbins, et al., 2008). Controlling is verifying whether everything occurs in conformity with the plan adopted, the instructions issued and principles established. (Fayol, 1949). Mr.Seets job also includes controlling function. He has to make sure that the transportation or delivery of goods is safe and fast. Orders must also be taken correctly and accurately. Besides that, he also has to make sure that the monthly targeted sales are achieved and the company continues to make profit. In addition, he has to ensure the whole process is effective and efficient and also perfect product quality to satisfy customers. Thus, the objective of controlling is to point out weaknesses and errors in order to resolve them and prevent recurrence. Besides, the other objective is to contribute the smooth working of each department in particul ar and of the concern in general. (Fayol, 1949). Mr.Seet is involved in job like trouble shooting for rejected goods and work force shortage. He needs to think of a way to solve rejected goods by finding out the problems, minimize the loss and maintain customers trust towards the organisation. When there is work force shortage, he needs to make decision whether to hire more employee or working over time. This also can be relates to Mintzbergs decisional skills where he must have ideas to make the right decisions. (Mintzberg, 1975). Management is about opinions and view points that may vary among different individuals. This interview has shown that Fayols four functions were needed by a top manager. There are some exemptions on his theory depending on what type of organisation is the manager managing. As a matter of fact, Katzs theory stated that human skill is needed at all level of management. His theory is further explained by Mintzbergs 10 roles of management under the interpersonal role category. Hence, one theory cannot work without the other. Indeed, Fayols characterisation of management still represents the most useful way of conceptualizing the managers job. (Carroll and Gillen, 1987). References list: Carroll, S. Gillen, D., (1987). Are the Classical Management Functions Useful in Describing Managerial Work? The Academy of Management Review, 12(1), 38-51. Fayol, H. (1949). General and Industrial Management. London: Routledge. Lamond, D. (2003). Henry Mintzberg vs Henri Fayol: Of Lighthouses, Cubists and the Emperors New Clothes. Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship, 8(4), 5-23. Mintzberg, H. (1975). The managers job: Folklore and fact, Harvard Business Review, 53(4), July August 49-61. Peterson, T. O. Van Fleet (2004). The ongoing legacy of R.L. Katz: An updated topology of management skills. Management Decision, 42(10), 1297-1308 Robbins, S., Bergman, R., Stagg, I., Coulter, M. (2008). Management (5th ed.). Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson Education Australia.

Vaccinations: A Clear Benefit Essay -- essays research papers

A clear definition of a vaccination is, â€Å"the generic term for immunization procedures. Immunization is a procedure whereby living or nonliving materials are introduced into the body†¦:† (Nosal, 1999) The concept that people who survive an infectious disease do not get the same disease again is the basis for the administering of vaccinations. Vaccines are normally given to healthy individuals for the prevention of diseases. Vaccines work by using a human host to provide a stimulus to the immune system. Immunization is used for viral and bacterial diseases. Rappuolli reports and predicts, â€Å"Vaccines will not only be used to prevent infections, but also to cure chronic infectious diseases, tumors, diseases and allergies.† (1999) Even though there are risks involved with being vaccinated, there is no doubt that vaccines have been the most effective means of combating deadly infectious diseases throughout the twentieth century. Vaccinations were developed or discovered in 1796 when Edward Jenner, a doctor in England, noted that the farmers infected with materials from cows did not develop small pox, but instead were immune to the disease. Today, vaccinations are available for a variety of life threatening or life altering diseases such as; smallpox, rabies, salmonella, tuberculosis, diphtheria, yellow fever, tetanus, pertussis, polio, influenza, cholera, measles, mumps, rubella, meningococcus, tick-borne encephalitis, pneumococcus, hepatitis B, hepatitis A, varicella, lyme disease, and rotavirus. Vaccines are more commonly given to infants today to immunize early. Already there are more vaccines in development for infectious diseases such as cancer, hepatitis C, papillomavirus, and helicobacter pylori. With these vaccines, tumors will be dramatically decreased. So instead of regarding vaccinations as a painful childhood experience, they should be perceived as tools used in the prevention and cure of disease s. Therefore, the hazards of vaccinations have to be weighed against the benefits of immunization. Immunization has lowered the reported cases of diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, (DPT), measles, mumps, rubella, (MMR), tuberculosis, and meningitis. A notable decrease in the number of cases of measles, hepatitis B, and polio were noticed after vaccinations started being administered. The hepatitis B vaccine was introduced in 1989. Before the vaccine was availabl... ...2, 2005, from Info Track database. Makela, J., Nuorti, P., Peltola, H. (2002). Neurologic disorders after measles-mumps-rubella Vaccination. 110 (5), 957-972. Retrieved March 12, 2005 from Info Trac database. Nossal, Gustav (July 1999) Vaccination. In: Nature Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. London: Nature Publishing Group. http://www/els.net [doi:10.1038/npg.els.0000489] Rappuoli, Rino (August 1999) Vaccinations of Humans. In: Nature Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. London: Nature Publishing Group. http:www.els.net [doi:10.1038/npg.els.0000961] Richards, S. (2004). An update on childhood vaccinations. Primary Health Care, 14(10), 22-25. Retrieved March 12, 2005, from Info Traci database. US nurses oppose smallpox vaccinations (2003). Australian Nursing Journal, 10(8), 13. Retrieved March 12, 2005, from Info Trac database. Zepf, B. (2005) Do childhood vaccinations cause type 1 diabetes? American Family Physician, 71 (3), 583. Retrieved March 12, 2005 from Info Trac database. Zimmerman, R. (2000). Child vaccination, part 1:routine vaccinations. Journal of Family Practice, 49,(9), 22-33. Retrieved March 12, 2005, from EBSCOhost database.

Essay --

Simon Bolivar is one of the most powerful and influential figures in the history of Latin America, a hero who led the movement for independence for several Latin American nations, a military and political leader with his own personal story full of tragic and dramatic moments. During his lifetime he helped to liberate people of Venezuela, Colombia, Perà º, Ecuador and Bolivia from Spanish domination, played a big role in foundation of Gran Colombia and setting the principles of democracy. Even though Bolivar was not very well-known around the world, he was always held in respect among people in Latin America and remembered as a man who had an authority and power. Bolivar’s integrity, high moral standards, and perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds made him a role model to many people. Simon Bolivar is a brave character whose leadership and risks turn against him when he least expects it. Bolà ­var's dream had always been to cause an American Revolution-style federation among all the newly independent republics in Latin America, where with a new government set up solely to recognize and support the rights of the individual. Gabriel Garcia Marquez in his book â€Å"The General in His Labyrinth† changes or â€Å"twists† a little the representation of the Latin American hero. First of all, Marquez never really references Simon Bolivar by his name, but only as â€Å"The Liberator†. His idea behind the book was to change the traditional heroic portrayal of Simon Bolivar and show an old man who is suffering through his illness and mental exhaustion. This dark brooding story covers the last 7 month of Simon Bolivar’s life. South American Liberator has spent many years in opposition to Spanish presence, he swept the Spaniards from their former colonie... ...the nations, commits actions that he regrets about later in his life. His whole life he is haunted by the guilt of ordering summary executions of former comrades, his fall from power, and the depression of perceived failure. And in the final and most significant scene of the story, just before he dies, Bolivar finally sees the truth: â€Å"The headlong race between his misfortunes and his dreams was at that moment reaching the finish line. The rest was darkness.† It’s a book that lends itself to a lot of contemplation – about history and the men who make it and what happens to every man when their glory is past. This story about Bolivar is about one way in which such men live the last days – things which are not easily recorded in history since we like to remember our heroes unblemished and perfect. This story is about when each one of us becomes human and all too mortal.