Saturday, December 28, 2019

Electrochemistry Calculations Using the Nernst Equation

The Nernst equation is used to calculate the voltage of an electrochemical cell or to find the concentration of one of the components of the cell. The Nernst Equation The Nernst equation relates the equilibrium cell potential (also called the Nernst potential) to its concentration gradient across a membrane. An electric potential will form if there is a concentration gradient for the ion across the membrane and if selective ions channels exist so that the ion can cross the membrane. The relation is affected by temperature and whether the membrane is more permeable to one ion over others. The equation may be written: Ecell E0cell - (RT/nF)lnQ Ecell cell potential under nonstandard conditions (V)E0cell cell potential under standard conditionsR gas constant, which is 8.31 (volt-coulomb)/(mol-K)T temperature (K)n number of moles of electrons exchanged in the electrochemical reaction (mol)F Faradays constant, 96500 coulombs/molQ reaction quotient, which is the equilibrium expression with initial concentrations rather than equilibrium concentrations Sometimes it is helpful to express the Nernst equation differently: Ecell E0cell - (2.303*RT/nF)logQ at 298K, Ecell E0cell - (0.0591 V/n)log Q Nernst Equation Example A zinc electrode is submerged in an acidic 0.80 M Zn2 solution which is connected by a salt bridge to a 1.30 M Ag solution containing a silver electrode. Determine the initial voltage of the cell at 298K. Unless youve done some serious memorizing, youll need to consult the standard reduction potential table, which will give you the following information: E0red: Zn2aq 2e- → Zns -0.76 V E0red: Agaq e- → Ags 0.80 V Ecell E0cell - (0.0591 V/n)log Q Q [Zn2]/[Ag]2 The reaction proceeds spontaneously so E0 is positive. The only way for that to occur is if Zn is oxidized (0.76 V) and silver is reduced (0.80 V). Once you realize that, you can write the balanced chemical equation for the cell reaction and can calculate E0: Zns → Zn2aq 2e- and E0ox 0.76 V 2Agaq 2e- → 2Ags and E0red 0.80 V which are added together to yield: Zns 2Agaq → Zn2a 2Ags with E0 1.56 V Now, applying the Nernst equation: Q (0.80)/(1.30)2 Q (0.80)/(1.69) Q 0.47 E 1.56 V - (0.0591 / 2)log(0.47) E 1.57 V

Friday, December 20, 2019

Econ - 1874 Words

1. Amos McCoy is currently raising corn on his 100-acre farm and earning an accounting profit of $100 per acre. However, if he raised soybeans, he could earn $200 per acre. Is he currently earning an economic profit? Why or why not? -By raising corn instead of soybeans Amos is missing out on an economic profit of $100. Therefore Amos should start growing Soybeans to maximize his profit. 2. Determine whether each of the following is an explicit cost or an implicit cost: a) Payments for labor purchased in the labor market EXPLICIT COST b) A firm’suse of a warehouse that it owns and could rent to another firm IMPLICIT COST c) The wages that owners could earn if they did not work for themselves IMPLICIT COST 3. What are†¦show more content†¦10. Please read an article about productivity online at http://ccs.mit.edu/papers/ccswp202/ What is the expected long-run impact of information technology on productivity and cost? Chapter 9 questions: 11. (Demand Under Perfect Competition) What type of demand curve does a perfectly competitive firm face? Why? * Perfect Elastic Demand function 12. Explain the different options a firm has to minimize losses in the short run. - in order to know the the short run it depend s on the size and the product of your firm 13. (The Short-Run Firm Supply Curve) Each of the following situations could exist for a firm in the short run. In each case, indicate whether the firm should produce in the short run or shut down in the short run, or whether additional information is needed to determine what it should do in the short run a. Total cost exceeds total revenue at all output levels. SHUT RUN b. Total variable cost exceeds total revenue at all output levels. SHUT DOWN 14. (The Long-Run Industry Supply Curve) A normal good is being produced in a constant-cost, perfectly competitive industry. Initially, each firm is in long-run equilibrium. Briefly explain the short-run adjustments for the market and the firm to a decrease in consumer incomes. What happens to output levels, prices, profits, and the number of firms? - IN THE SHORT RUN , THE QUANITY OF VARIABLKE RESOURCES CAN CHANGE, BUT OTHER RESOURCES,Show MoreRelatedEcon984 Words   |  4 PagesMaximum four per group, all students must be registered in the same section of the same course. Names must be in alphabetical order on the cover page. †¢ Graded work will be available for pick-up beginning on the afternoon of Friday March 14 in the Econ Distribution Center, Dunning Hall Room 334. You will require your student card. †¢ This assignment covers material from Chapters 20-24 of the text. True, False, or Uncertain [48 marks - 6 marks each] Explain why each of the followingRead MoreEcon1249 Words   |  5 PagesECON 410.502 Macroeconomic Theory Spring 2010 Instructor: Guangyi Ma Extra Problems #1 Suggested Answers and Comments Notice: (1) This set of extra problems contains 25 multiple-choice problems and 6 analytic (short-answer) problems. These problems are not homework and will not be graded. The aim of these problems is to provide you with additional exercises. (2) I will give solutions of the assignment and the â€Å"extra-problem† set after the due date. Page 1 Problem 1~25: MultipleRead MoreEcon Ans975 Words   |  4 PagesECON2103 – Problem Set (1) Multiple Choice Questions: 1. Understanding opportunity cost You work as an assistant coach on the university basketball team and earn $12 per hour. One day, you decide to skip the hour-long practice and go to the local carnival instead, which has an admission fee of $7. The opportunity cost of skipping practice and going to the carnival, valued in dollars is _________. 1) 2) 3) 4) $20 $12 $19 $7 2. Determining opportunity cost Winona is deciding whether to buy a suitRead MoreEcon2406 Words   |  10 Pagesï » ¿Homework Assignments Problems Applications Chapter 1 Homework 4. You win $100 in a basketball pool. You have a choice between spending the money now or putting it away for a year in a bank account that pays 5% interest. What is the opportunity cost of spending the $100 now? 5. The company that you manage has invested $5 million in developing a new product, but the product is not quite finished. At a recent meeting, your salespeople report that the introduction of competing productsRead MoreEcon5686 Words   |  23 Pagesï » ¿[Q#2020] If buyers’ value for bicycles increase, the demand for bicycles will ______.a. Increase [Q#2053] A supply shortage in the market for lettuce will _______ the equlibrium price of lettuce. a. Increase [Q#2057] At any moment the equilibrium price in the market for tablet computers will be determined by ________ . c. Buyers and the sellers of tablet computers [Q#2059] The equilibrium price is also known as c. the market-clearing price. [Q#4021] Along a demand curve with a constant slopeRead MoreEcon4429 Words   |  18 PagesECON 11026 Assignment Item 1 . S0183732 Part A Q1ai) Article can be found in the following website : http://www.skynews.com.au/businessnews/article.aspx?id=738928amp;vId= The article ‘ Strong jobs figures put rate cut in doubt’ described that there is an increase in employment in the last one month which might help in putting hold to rate cut by Reserve Bank of Australia. There are positive signs in Australian job market with increase in 44000 employed peopleRead MoreEcon754 Words   |  4 PagesAssume that a cargo ship carrying the merchandise of a cloth merchant has been wrecked. Such a setback will be accounted as the merchant’s: Part I: Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. (1 Point each) 1. Which of the following is a positive statement? a. Heavy snowfall drives up the demand for heaters. b. Fiscal expenditures should be increased to combat recession. c. Government should encourage foreign direct investments to generate employmentRead MoreEcon634 Words   |  3 PagesQuestion Results Question 1: In our  macro  Circular Flow, the Businesses are choosing to  borrow  Ã‚  _____________ billion dollars. Your Answer(s): * 5000 Correct Answer(s) (in green): * 5000 * 3500 * 1000 * 500 Question 2: In the Private Sector, there are many  choices  to be made by Business managers regarding which â€Å"projects† to borrow for and which â€Å"projects† to invest in.  Ã‚  These choices often contain a great deal of ______________________  as well as  the potential for benefitsRead MoreEcon1039 Words   |  5 PagesPreface In our data analysis we do some univariate analysis before proceeding to models. In survival analysis it is highly recommended to look at the Kaplan-Meier curves for all the categorical predictors. This will provide insight into the shape of the survival function for each group and give an idea of whether or not the groups are proportional. We also consider the tests of equality across strata to explore whether or not to include the predictor in the final model. For the categorical variablesRead MoreEcon1239 Words   |  5 PagesQuestions based on â€Å"Too Big to Fail† movie Watch the movie and answer the following questions briefly. Upload your answers on Moodle using the Link â€Å"Submit Assignment on Too Big to Fail here† 1. When Lehman brothers was in trouble, Henry Paulson called the other banks’ CEOs on a meeting to find a solution to Lehman Brothers’s problem? Why did Henry Paulson think that a private sector solution, instead of government bailout, was needed? 2. (Up to about 43:00 of the movie) Why did the Lehman

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Debut Albums and Ms. Levine English free essay sample

After you left me all I was left with Is shock and great grief I lost you, best friend. I lust seem to cant take in the fact that you left me all alone In this cold hard world and you are not by my side anymore. After you made become a walking zombie. I was too sad and depressed to eat or sleep; or even function right. You were my other half, my twin, but most importantly we were more then sisters.Our friendship could never ampere to anything, we were thicker then a peanut butter and Jelly sandwich. We did EVERYTHING together. The love I have for you no one could ever replace That. I would tell you that I love you more then Sponge loves Jelly fishing. Sandy loves karate. Mr.. Grabs loves money. sluggard loves his clarinet I need her Like Plankton needs the Crabby Patty Secret Formula. We will write a custom essay sample on Debut Albums and Ms. Levine English or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I miss you so much I need you back in my life. I want to tell you that our memories will never fade; it will always be locked up tight n my heart and I will forever cherish those memories. She always been there for me, because you were my best friend, and I was always there for her until the very end. Even though that I will miss you, and Ill think about you everyday youll always be my best friend, and thats all I have to say. I hope youre in a better and happier place and I hope youre always by my side guiding me through hard times because even thought you not with me youll always live inside of me. [pica Always and Forever!

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Debates Abraham Lincoln and Slavery Extension Issue free essay sample

Lincoln and Douglas debated the slavery extension issue in 1 858, therefore, they were addressing the problem that had divided the nation into two hostile camps. The issue that threatened the continued existence of the nation. Lincoln spoke out against the union. Say that the country wont survive long if it is split. Douglas took this as an opportunity, and referred to Lincoln as a radical. Lincoln then challenged Douglas to a series of debates, and the two eventually agreed to have seven debates in the state of Illinois.The debates, each three hours long, were convened in Ottawa held August 1 , Freeport held August 27, Joneses held September 15, Charleston held September 18, Eagleburger held October 7, Quince held October 13, and Alton held October 15. Douglas repeatedly tried to brand Lincoln as a dangerous radical who stood for racial equality and disruption of the Union. Lincoln emphasized the moral iniquity of slavery and attacked popular sovereignty for the blood it had spilled in Kansas. We will write a custom essay sample on Debates: Abraham Lincoln and Slavery Extension Issue or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In the first debate in Ottawa, Douglas accused Lincoln of trying to get rid of the Whig and democratic party.He also said that Lincoln was taking the side f the common enemy in the Mexican War. He even decided to say that Lincoln wanted to make Illinois a free negro colony. Which then was not a normal view. At the debate in Freeport Lincoln challenged Douglas to reconcile popular sovereignty with the Dried Scott decision. Douglas replied that settlers could make the decision by not establishing the local police regulations that protected a masters property. Without that protection, no one with slaves would move into that territory.In the third debate, in Joneses, Illinois, Douglas tried to make Lincoln me unreliable. Saying that Locoing said something new, or took a new stance on an issue in the different parts of Illinois. He again repeated that Lincoln stood for racial equality. Lincoln denied all of the accusations except for the racial equality. In the fourth debate, in Charleston, Illinois, Lincoln accused that Douglas was plotting to create a constitution for Kansas allowing it to be voted upon by the people of Kansas. Lincoln gave a detailed history of the Kansas Nebraska Act and explained a conspiracy to nationalize slavery. Douglas ended the conspiracy, and restated again, that Lincoln wanted equality of the races. In the fifth debate, in Eagleburger, Illinois, Douglas explained how he opposed the Locomotion Constitution as well as an compromise on the issue. He made a statement on how the Declaration of Independence was written by white men, and was only mean to apply to white men. Lincoln stated how he believed that the Declaration of Independence was meant to apply to all men. In the sixth debate, in Quince, Illinois, Lincoln again denied that he said different things at different debates.He emphasized how slavery was morally wrong, and promised that Republicans would attack slavery where the constitution allowed them to. Douglas refused to argue whether or not slavery was right or wrong, he insisted that each local area should have the right to decide for themselves. In the seventh debate, in Alton, Illinois, Lincoln stated that the Kansas Nebraska Act repealed Henry Clays Missouri Compromise. Lincoln used Clays statements that slavery was evil and Lincoln charged that by excluding the other races from the Declaration of Independence Douglas euthanized ND tool away from their rights to strive and be free.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Assisted Suicide Essays - Euthanasia, Medical Ethics,

Assisted Suicide Physician assisted suicide presents one of the greatest dilemmas to the medical profession. Should someone who is mentally competent, but deemed terminally ill, be allowed to engage in physician-assisted suicide? According to the First Amendment of The Constitution of The United States, one has the freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances. The Fourteenth Amendment states, The State cannot deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. The group believes that a terminally ill patient has the Constitutional right to decide whether or not to end his or her life with the help of a licensed medical doctor. There have been many cases over the years where a terminally ill patient who is mentally competent has made the choice to either partake in physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia. Physician-assisted suicide occurs when the physician provides the patient with the means and/or knowledge to commit suicide(Death and Dying,91). Euthanasia is when the physician administers the death causing drug or agent(Death and Dying,92). The most recent case is that of The State of Florida v. Charles Hall. Charles Hall is dying of AIDS and challenged the State of Florida to let him die by a self-administered lethal injection without fear of prosecution(http://www.rights.org/ deathnet/open.html). On January 31, 1997, a Judge ruled that Charles Hall could take his own life with the aid of a doctor. Senior Judge S. Joseph Davis, brought in from Seminole County, found that Florida's strict privacy law and the equal protection clause in the U.S. Constitution entitled Hall, 35, and Dr. McIver to carry out an assisted death without fear of prosecution (Sun-Sentinel, 1A). On February 11, 1997, Charles Hall's ruling was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court: he no longer has the right to end his own life. He will have to wait until May 9, 1997 until new arguments will be heard. Hall, who has been deemed mentally competent, contracted the virus in 1981 through a blood transfusion. Some of the complications he is encountering from the AIDS virus are arthritis, hepatitis, pneumonia and a brain cyst (http://www.rights.org/deathnet/ open.html). The Oregon Death with Dignity Act allows terminally ill adults who are mentally competent to ask for a prescription for medication for the purpose of ending his or her life in a humane and dignified manner(http://www.rights.org/deathnet/ open.html). This act, Measure 16, was approved by the voters in 1994. Renewed efforts at the Legislative level to overturn Measure 16 may now be anticipated to prevent the law from being used(http://www.rights.org/deathnet/open. html). In June, 1990, the Supreme Court decided that the parents of 32 year old Nancy Beth Cruzan, who had been in a car accident and in what Doctor's called a vegetative state for seven years, could not end her treatment. Later that same year, a Missouri Court ruled that the feeding tube could be removed after evidence that Cruzan would wish to terminate the treatment was proven. Nancy Beth Cruzan died twelve days later(Death and Dying,26). The First Amendment gives one the right to demand the correction of an injustice. Would one not consider a terminal illness an injustice? Charles Hall contracted this deadly disease from a blood transfusion not from shooting drugs or having unprotected sex. So wouldn't Hall be entitled to have this injustice corrected? The Fourteenth Amendment gives one the right to life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. However, is living with complications from a terminal illness, so severe that one is unable to function dependently, life? The government says that it is. Liberty is freedom, but is having complications which do not allow one to be free and independent, freedom? The government says once again that it is. Freedom is also having the ability to make choices. These choices should include the ability to decide to end one's own life when such complications exist. In conclusion, evidence has shown that the First and Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution entitles citizens of the United States of America the right to die. The government was setup to govern, not to rule with absolute power. If the people were to keep silent about what

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Earth First vs. Headwaters essays

Earth First vs. Headwaters essays Earth First! is characterized as a radical environmental group by its enemies and as a necessary and militant group seeking to protect the environment from illegal use and predatory actions by big business by its supporters. The group has raised objections to one project in particular, the Headwaters project in Humboldt County in Northern California, bringing it into conflict not only with the Maxxam Corporation that is pushing this project and with various employees or potential employees of that company but also with the FBI, lading to several court cases either directed at Earth First! or undertaken by Earth First! in order to challenge the actions of Maxxam. A number of legal issues are raised in these court actions by both sides in the dispute. Headwaters Forest was acquired by Maxxam Corporation in 1986 in a leveraged buyout. Maxxam Corporation is headed by Texas financier Charles Hurwitz, and he greatly increased logging of ancient redwoods to reduce his takeover debt, which started a ten-year battle with Earth First! over what would happen to the forest. The forest in question includes six ancient groves of old-growth coastal redwoods covering approximately 6,000 acres. Also included is another 12,000 acres of old-growth trees. These have been selectively logged but are surrounded by a mixture of young forest, stream zones, and cut-over lands targeted by environmentalists for restoration. Groups like Earth First! became interested because there are good reasons The old-growth redwoods of Headwaters provide critical habitat for the endangered marbled murrelet, coho salmon, and other species. Only 150 years ago the redwood forests of Oregon and California covered two million acres; now less than four percent remain. The Clinton administration and the State of California have agreed to purchase two of ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Speaker responce on sport markting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Speaker responce on sport markting - Essay Example She has travelled the world so I am sure that she understands the cultural aspect of sports marketing particularly when the market is international in scope. The requirements for this had been outlined by Blanchard et al., (2012), underpinning a degree of market heterogeneity that sports marketers should understand. The speaker’s expertise is on television and she offered really helpful insights with regards to producing marketable content. What made her relevant for me in this respect was that despite her generation in terms of the length of her career, she immediately identified mobile communication as the development that would make sports television exciting and very viable today and in the future. I believe that this is the most important part of her presentation. According to her, there is a lot of opportunities and they are within the platform where content could be accessed anytime, regardless of location. She also cited the role of emerging players in the sports telev ision industry brought about by the new capabilities allowed by technology. Based from what she has talked about, it seems to me that there will be a lot of diversity in terms of marketing. This is where I believe I could apply what I have learned in the presentation to my career. She provided the details with how I would be able to maximize marketing opportunities and engage the target market by using the new media such as mobile communication and technologies such as streaming technology. I see several insights that are applicable to marketing events such as the Qatar Olympics. In learning the tools and strategies as told by the speaker, I think that I could create or build a sound marketing strategy for it, one that maximizes its potential as a sporting event. While the speaker began the presentation with an outline of opportunities, she also gave enough materials that allowed the audience to determine that despite the technological

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Short Answer Responses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Short Answer Responses - Essay Example speech, privacy and the right to a fair hearing and the opportunity to counter the allegations of incompetence and inappropriate remarks are the substantive rights that require protection. 2. Due process under the 5th and 14th Amendment apply in Situation B because the teacher is tenured and property rights are at stake. To this end the dismissal essential deprives the teacher of his property rights and to do so requires that the authorities take certain fair procedural steps as provided for under the US Constitution. The mode of action taken must commensurate with the interest the interest protected. To this end, deprivation of job security should entail an opportunity to respond to the allegations giving rise to the action plan and the dismissal, an opportunity to be heard on the issues and right to appeal any decision. These procedural rights are measured against the school’s interest and the welfare of the students and will only be protected to such an extent that they do not compromise school policy and the welfare of the students. 3. Virginia Code SS 63.2-1503, 63.2-1505 and 63.2-1516.1 apply to situation B. Virginia Code SS 63.2.1503 requires investigation by School officials of suspected incidents of child neglect and abuse. In this case the teacher has been accused of Child neglect with respect to his method of teaching and making inappropriate comments to the children. This invokes Virginia Code SS 63.2.1502. Virginia Code 63.2-1505 requires that the person/teacher investigated be notified of the complaint investigation. In other words a fair protocol regarding employment greivances is required to be followed. If the matter goes to court, the codes may be invoked by the plaintiff to counter any claims by the defendant that he was denied procedural due process. 4. Title VI and IX of the Civil Rights Act 1964 as amended does not arise in the case in Situation B. Title VI arises in instances where the application of public funds is

Monday, November 18, 2019

English Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

English Literature - Essay Example ‘Browsing’ no longer connotes rifling through the pages of a book, but the surfing of the net. The very word ‘reading’ is no longer confined to print, but to the perusal of text on the monitor of a computer. Everything, from dictionaries to atlases, has been usurped by the net. After all, who wants an atlas, when one can have ‘Google Earth?’ When books themselves seem well on the way to surviving only as bound exhibits in museums, or fashion statements on coffee tables, does the study of Literature remain relevant today? However, anyone who has curled up on a sofa with a detective yarn, sighed over a tale of unrequited love, or laughed out loud over the antics of a comic hero, can shrug aside such cynicism. Anyone who has ever experienced the magic of books can hold fast to the certainty that Literature will always remain an integral part of a cultured, fulfilled human life. Literature is the expression of the highest human thought. Yes, scientific knowledge exhibits mans’ intellectual achievement and its’ manifestation in the mastery of the physical world. But, it is Literature which satisfies the soul, along with music and art. After all, it is this striving for more than the mere satisfaction of basic physical needs which distinguishes man from the animals. The beauty of the written word transcends that of Nature, and it is Literature which gives expression to this beauty. Life is shaped by Literature. From Aesop’s fable of The Fox and the Grapes to the nursery rhyme of The Little Engine Which Could, from the adventures of the Hardy Boys to tales of Sinbad the Sailor, from Greek and Indian mythology to Shakespeare and Steinbeck, Literature gives expression to the lessons learnt from the past and serves as a guide to the future. It is Literature which showcases the strongest and purest of human emotions,

Friday, November 15, 2019

Importance of Effective Communication in Nursery Environment

Importance of Effective Communication in Nursery Environment Explain why it is important to maintain effective communication within the nursery environment mentioning the barriers that may be experienced by some staff members Maintaining effective communication? I believe that it is important to maintain effective communication as this is the channels in which the nursery will be run. Effective communication is a two way process which can be verbal or written. Managers must firstly know their staff and what type of communication works best for them, for example do they prefer a more direct approach or are they the sort of person who prefers a team briefing that allows them to communicate with other staff around them or do they prefer to have all the communication written down for them and then given a chance to write their reply. Barriers to communication could be caused by the environment as it could be too noisy or too much information to take in at any one time as a person can loose concentration if they are being over loaded with info or the actual language being used is too hard to understand, keep it simple which again comes back to knowing your staff or audience. Also the time of day should be considered before communicating with staff as they may have their own appointments to keep or other personal business to attend to so they could become distracted with the time and not hear what is being said to them. Noise within the nursery environment could also be a barrier as again if it is too noisy only partial communication may occur so the area in which the communication is to take place should also be considered. Sometimes the office itself can be the barrier because if you as the manager do not make yourself available but instead hide away in the office for the majority of the day then this would not help. Phones can also be a barrier as not everyone likes to talk on the phone but prefers a more personal approach but also things can be misheard on the phone. As well as these physical barriers there can be perceptual barriers too because you think the person doesn’t understand you before you even speak to them and that can come across in your body language as well. There are emotional barriers too which some people don’t like to speak out etc. As managers we must consider the cultural and language barriers as the society that we work and live in is much more culturally diverse than ever. A barrier to communication is also the manager’s inability to actually listen as well!!! To me the bottom line to effective communication is to know your staff on a personal level, know what makes them tick therefore you can adapt your style of communication to suit the individual staff member. Also to be approachable to your staff and to listen to verbal and non verbal communication Discuss the importance of the appraisal process for staff and managers and how it can be carried out The performance appraisal provides employees with the recognition of their work efforts. It shows that bosses are interested in the development of their staff and not just getting their ‘monies worth’ that it is more that just a job. The appraisal process for staff and managers is a period of time out from the daily tasks of the running of the nursery in order to focus on work related activities and to correct any existing problems and encourage better performance. Managers should make an appointment with the staff member at a time which suits both and there will be no distractions. A blank appraisal form should be issued to the staff member for them to complete and comment on how they have performed throughout the year, this is then discussed with the Manager. The Manager and staff member will then discuss the information written on the form and what areas need to be improved upon and agree on what training is required. It’s also a good time to discuss any other outstanding issues not necessarily related to the appraisal itself. When setting the goals, managers should be specific at what is to be achieved. The goals should be measured against what is to be achieved. Set a time frame in which to achieve the goal, make sure the time frame is realistic. The goals should also be relevant to the role in which the staff member is working. Make sure the goal that is being set has a purpose and not just for the sake of it. It is best to carry this out on the anniversary of when the staff member has joined and then goals can be set for the coming year. Managers should get behind the appraisal process and sell it to their staff. Explain the disciplinary and grievance procedure, paying particular attention to how the manager should conduct the process The policy documentation for this process should be made accessible for all staff. The processes are necessary to ensure that all staff are treated fairly and are protected. If there are good procedures in place and good communication then the risk of tribunals are minimised. If possible managers should try and resolve the issues first and a disciplinary and grievance procedure should be the last resort. A letter should be issued to the employee at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting. Additional staff should be present in the meeting to take notes. Time should be given for an appeal if necessary. All records, emails, telephone calls should be kept in order to act as a reference and evidence to what steps the manager has taken to try and resolve the issue from the beginning. A meeting should be set up to include additional staff for note taking. Managers should remain impartial and if necessary can call witnesses to strengthen the evidence. Enough time should be given in the meeting for the employee to put their case forward. Should new evidence come to light in the course of the meeting then it should be adjourned. When a decision is reached it should be given in writing and include information on the appeals process. The outcomes from the meeting can be no action, warning or dismissal. There can be a verbal warning administered, a first written warning or a final written warning. The informal grievance procedure should be displayed and available to all staff, to be honest early intervention limits the need for a disciplinary procedure. Evaluate the recruitment and selection process making reference to policies nurseries are required to hold The recruitment and selection process within the nursery setting is straight forward; vacancies should be advertised at the same time in various locations making sure under-represented groups within the community also have an equal chance of applying. Completed applications should be scored by the manager and another person either the deputy or the new employees line manager this gives a fairer approach to the scoring process. It is then up to the manager how many persons should be interviewed. The scoring sheets should be kept a minimum of three months after the application process should any unsuccessful applicants contact the manager for feedback it also shows transparency in the process. All persons involved in this process should be equal opportunity trained prior to the commencement of the process again this is a fairer why to carry out the process. Once the interviewing stage is completed and the new employee chosen then it is a good idea that prior to them starting they should be given a copy of the nursery policies and sign to say they have received them. They should also be made aware of the Health and Safety policy, fire safety and child protection issues and the policy on arrival and departure. It is important that they are made aware of whatever medication the children may be taking and what allergies they may have. This can be done in the staff induction morning and then they should spend the rest of their time shadowing a staff member who can show them the daily running of the nursery. This shadowing will ensure that the new employee sees first hand what is expected of them on a daily basis and what standards they are to achieve. I think this is a much better way of settling anyone in and they can take much more in during this â€Å"hands on† approach then they could just being told about it. It also gives the ne w employee a chance to ask questions which may not arise during interview. Barbara Gamble

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The ENIAC Project: Its Significance in Computer Science and Society Ess

The ENIAC Project: Its Significance in Computer Science and Society â€Å"†¦With the advent of everyday use of elaborate calculations, speed has become paramount to such a high degree that there is no machine on the market today capable of satisfying the full demand of modern computational methods. The most advanced machines have greatly reduced the time required for arriving at solutions to problems which might have required months or days by older procedures. This advance, however, is not adequate for many problems encountered in modern scientific work and the present invention is intended to reduce to seconds such lengthy computations†¦Ã¢â‚¬  From the ENIAC patent (No. 3,120,606), filed 26 June 1947. When World War II broke out in 1939 the United States was severely technologically disabled. There existed almost nothing in the way of mathematical innovations that had been integrated into military use. Therefore, the government placed great emphasis on the development of electronic technology that could be used in battle. Although it began as a simple computer that would aid the army in computing firing tables for artillery, what eventually was the result was the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer). Before the ENIAC it took over 20 hours for a skilled mathematician to complete a single computation for a firing situation. When the ENIAC was completed and unveiled to the public on Valentine’s Day in 1946 it could complete such a complex problem in 30 seconds. The ENIAC was used quite often by the military but never contributed any spectacular or necessary data. The main significance of the ENIAC was that it was an incredible achievement in the field of comput er science and can be considered the first digital and per... ...) - â€Å"John W. Mauchly and the Development of the ENIAC Computer.† Penn Library Exhibitions. http://www.library.upenn.edu/exhibits/rbm/maucly/jwm6.html (7) - Soulliere, Cynthia. The Women of ENIAC. http://www.gecdsb.on.ca/d&g/women/women.htm (8) - Soulliere, Cynthia. The Women of ENIAC. http://www.gecdsb.on.ca/d&g/women/women.htm Other Sources Used: Moye, William T. ENIAC: The Army-Sponsored Revolution. ARL Historian, January 1996 Goldstine, Herman H. "Computers at the University of Pennsylvania's Moore School." The Jayne Lecture. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, Vol 136, No.1. January 24, 1991 "Past Notable Women of Computing." http://www.cs.yale.edu/homes/tap/past-women-cs.html "WITI Hall of Fame." http://www.witi.com/center/witimuseum/halloffame/1997/eniac/php "Why Build Computers?" The Military Role in Computer Research

Sunday, November 10, 2019

“Beowulf”, “The Odyssey” and Other Related Epics Essay

An epic is best described by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as a long narrative poem in elevated style recounting the deeds of a legendary or historical hero. Epics like â€Å"Beowulf† and â€Å"The Odyssey† are perfect examples of this definition; they are each centered on the deeds and triumphs of their heroes, Beowulf and Odysseus. All epics are similar in a way that they are made up of elements. One major element of the epic is its themes. In all epics, the themes are what make and mold these narrative poems, they descriptively outline the story. Most epics, like â€Å"Beowulf† and â€Å"The Odyssey†, have themes like battles, homecoming, identity, recognition etc. Through themes like these, morals, values and traditions relating to the main characters’ customs and culture can be introduced to the reader. The setup and purpose of the story, through the theme(s), can also be introduced. Not only are the themes identity, battles, recognition and h omecoming related to â€Å"Beowulf† and â€Å"The Odyssey†, but they are also linked to other epics as well. â€Å"The Odyssey† is best described as â€Å"a guide to the Greeks, a guide to literature and a guide to the complexities of society, identity, and home†. There were many themes, both universal and timeless that thoroughly revealed the main ideas and issues of this legendary epic. The first and more stressed theme in â€Å"The Odyssey† is identity. â€Å"In Grecian times, the identities of human beings were associated with their properties, their name and their heritage or past†. A Greeks’ household was the foundation of his or her identity. Being that Odysseus was lost in search of his seized home, until he found it, he was considered a â€Å"nobody†, or as he called himself, a â€Å"no-man†. Like his home, Odysseus has to reclaim his great name as well. Without a name a man has no meaning or value. Not only does Odysseus search for his identity, but his son, Telemachus searches as well. Without knowing anything about his past (his father, Odysseus) Telemachus feels that he doesn’t know who he is or what he’s truly worth. Odysseus and Telemachus battle with their identities for the majo rity of the epic, which further explains why â€Å"identity† is one of the main themes. Next, the theme that relates to the theme of identity is homecoming. This theme supports Odysseus’s long journey home. â€Å"In Greek, the tales of returning home were called Nostoi†. To the Greeks, homecoming meant â€Å"reclaiming heritage, identity and loved ones† . There were many obstacles (Gods, people etc.) in the epic that tried to deter Odysseus from reaching his home once again. In the epic, Homer shows the reader how Odysseus feels by saying this, â€Å"sitting on the seashore and his eyes were never wiped dry of tears, and the sweet lifetime was draining out of him, as he wept for a way home†. By including the ideas of loneliness and longing to be home, Homer creates the theme of homecoming. Another important theme in â€Å"The Odyssey† is battles. As well as searching for his identity and home all throughout the epic, Odysseus also had to defend himself throughout the epic. The battles in epics help build the character. They almost always result in victories and turn the main character(s) into legendary heroes. In â€Å"The Odyssey† there was not a battle that Odysseus lost, he even defeated the almighty Poseidon, god of the sea, by returning home. He had a lot of help from the goddess of wisdom, Athena. Without the main idea of â€Å"heroes† along with battles and villains, epics would be undefined. Battles, as a major theme in all epics, are needed to keep the story moving. Like all the themes in â€Å"The Odyssey† each is linked to the other. The theme that is linked to the most important one in this epic, identity, is recognition. Recognition in this epic focuses on Odysseus and his disguise (an old man) that is given to him by Athena to help him reclaim his kingdom and his wife. Homer shows how Odysseus plots and schemes to take back everything he once owned. The whole idea of this theme is as he goes about with his disguise, only several of those closest to him recognize something familiar about him and see that he, the old man, is Odysseus. Although, his wife Penelope did not know until he turns back to his original being. Also, recognition is gained when Telemachus doubts that Odysseus is his father. But, Odysseus eventually persuades Telemachus to accept him as his father. As stated before, in Homer’s epic, â€Å"an identity cannot be claimed until recognition of that identity from others is claimed first†. Like â€Å"The Odyssey†, â€Å"Beowulf† is also a legendary epic that includes the themes identity, homecoming, battles and recognition as its primary focus. In â€Å"Beowulf†, the themes homecoming and recognition are very closely related. When Beowulf returns to Geatland, he is greatly rewarded for his works. He reunites with King Hygelac and tells of his great adventures. Recognition is shown by Beowulf giving most of his treasure received to the King, and in return is awarded with treasure of his home from King Hygelac. Beowulf was praised and glorified for his homecoming(s) to Geatland and his return from his victories over Grendel and his mother. He wasrecognized as a â€Å"true hero†, an Anglo-Saxon hero to be exact. In â€Å"Beowulf†, Kingdoms acknowledged Beowulf by showering him with treasures, feasts and celebrations. Like God, to the Geats and Danes, he was worthy of all praises. He earned his recognition. That’s what the homecomi ng of a hero is all about, heroes being rewarded for their works and receiving the uttermost respect. Recognition is the actual reward received from the heroine act, whether its treasures or shouts and chants of the heroes’ name. Just as the themes homecoming and recognition in â€Å"Beowulf† are related, the themes battles and identity relate as well. The battles that Beowulf fight, in a way, reveals the person he really is and what he’s all about. His triumph in each battle shows the reader that he is a true hero and that he’s willing to fight to be recognized and to gain a sense of self and national pride. â€Å"Beowulf† begins with a battle and ends with a final battle against the dragon. Being that he fights for the majority of the epic, and his adventures are molded from his battles, this must be included as one of the main themes. Yes, â€Å"Beowulf† and â€Å"The Odyssey† do share similar themes but each theme has a different significance for each epic. Each theme stands for something different between the two. The significance of the theme identity in â€Å"Beowulf† is that his battles help to reveal who he is all throughout the epic. Beowulf knows that he’s a hero and that he’s brave. He defeats all of the villains and saves the day, he just wants other to realize this too. But, in â€Å"The Odyssey†, Odysseus and his son Telemachus have to search for their identi ty. The theme recognition in â€Å"Beowulf† has the significance of Beowulf being rewarded and recognized for his great works. On the other hand, the significance of recognition in â€Å"The Odyssey† is for Odysseus to keep himself hidden as a tool to help him reclaim his kingdom. The significance of the theme battles is very similar in each epic except Beowulf fights because he wants to be the hero (and he is), but Odysseus fights because he has to, although he too becomes a hero like Beowulf. Odysseus is trying to return home to his family and regain his identity but Beowulf is trying to gain recognition. As far as the theme homecoming, they each get the same response upon their return. The people that respect and love them are happy to see them once again. Both Beowulf and Odysseus return home with adventures and stories to tell. Likewise they each receive treasures. Beowulf receives gifts and Odysseus receives a gift that’s more precious than gold or treasures to him, his family and his kingdom are once again in his arms. During the course of my research, I realized that the themes of â€Å"Beowulf† and â€Å"The Odyssey† relates to other epics also. These epics are â€Å"The Iliad† by Homer, â€Å"The Aeneid† by Virgil, â€Å"Gilgamesh† by an anonymous author and â€Å"The Rape of the Lock† by Alexander Pope. These epics are noteworthy as of proving my thesis because first, they are all epics and second, they all share at least one theme with â€Å"Beowulf† and â€Å"The â€Å"Odyssey†. â€Å"The Iliad†, a Homeric epic like â€Å"The Odyssey† is very popular and well known by many. Also it is very similar to â€Å"The Odyssey†. It has most, if not all the same themes and was written by Homer as well so it basically has the same setup as â€Å"The Odyssey† but more so focuses on war. This epic can best be described as a story within a story. Along with â€Å"the Iliad†, â€Å"The Aeneid†, an epic by Virgil, greatly focuses on identity and homecoming. this too is also a popular epic. Next, â€Å"The Rape of the Lock† is a mock epic by Alexander Pope intended to â€Å"lampoon† or make fun of epics. He presents the whole idea of battles, homecoming, recognition and identity like the â€Å"usual† epics but in a comic al way. And last but not least, â€Å"Gilgamesh†, an epic by an anonymous author is one that takes the reader through a world of adventure. Although all four pieces of literature I selected are epics containing more than one theme, my focus is on one specific theme for each that relates to â€Å"Beowulf† and â€Å"The Odyssey†. The theme that I’ll most focus on for â€Å"The Iliad† is the theme recognition. This theme in â€Å"The Iliad† is closely related to the glory and celebration of war and is † the predominance of military glory over family†. As far as recognition goes, the characters more so recognize the pursuit of glory and honor than anything else. True, like every normal person the characters love their families but â€Å"they honor the pursuit of â€Å"kleos†, â€Å"glory† or â€Å"renown† that one gains in the eyes of others by performing great deeds†. War and recognition are the key factors in this piece of literature. The characters in this story focus so much on war and recognition because Homer wants the reader to see that he sugg ests that the characters (mortals) try to live their lives as horribly as possible so that they can be remembered well. â€Å"For if mortals’ physical bodies and material creations cannot survive them, perhaps their words and deeds can†. Homer is trying to stress the fact that the mortals should make a huge impact on their life, something that no one will forget and what better way to do it than with recognition and glory. In this epic, the characters usually end up in a situation where they have to choose between their family and their glory. And of course by most, glory is chosen. Hector, one of the great warriors in the Trojan army chooses to win the great glory of his father no matter the cost, even though he could orphan his only son. Hector knows that if he fights among the front ranks then he will end his quest for kleos and receive great recognition from all. Hector willingly sacrifices his life. No other theme can best describe the entire epic, â€Å"The Iliad†, like recognition. Homer put so much emphasis on it that it’s very obvious to see that recognition honor and glory (kleos) are â€Å"The Iliad’s† main themes that overshadows all the others. Although it’s not one of the main themes, identity still is considered a theme in â€Å"The Aeneid†. The theme identity in â€Å"The Aeneid† is very similar to the theme identity in â€Å"The Odyssey†. In this epic, the first part discusses the wanderings of the Trojans from Troy to Italy. While traveling, the â€Å"wanders† were considered homeless. Ancient culture suggests that â€Å"a homeland is one’s source of identity†. So being that they did not have a permanent home, like Odysseus, they were † no-men†. Being homeless means that one is not stable with his or her situation as well as identity, in this epic this caused the men to suffer. Like Odysseus, the Trojans were in search of their identity and for them alone, a place where they belonged. But Odysseus knew where he belonged, at home with his family. Each time they landed on a different island they would get frustrated because they were not sure if it was their place (which was Italy) . The only reason why identity is considered a theme in this epic is because the Trojans were unsure of themselves. It took them some time to reach their desired destination. It is also considered a theme because again as a part of ancient culture, to have a home is to have an identity. Another theme that is related to â€Å"Beowulf† and â€Å"The Odysseyà ¢â‚¬  and other epics is battles. The theme battles agrees with the epic â€Å"The Rape of the Lock†. This narrative piece of literature is not the â€Å"usual epic†; it is considered a mock epic because it lampoons the themes and oral traditions of the usual epics. Being that â€Å"The Rape of the Lock† is a mockery of the usual epics, everything about it is silly and strange, yet still makes sense. For example, Cosmetics, clothing and jewelry substitute for armor and weapons. One of the battles is an intense game of cards, which of course results in the victory of the protagonist, but even still that isn’t the point. The point is to take the usual themes from the usual epics and twist them around to show mockery. â€Å"The majority of the great battles of this epic are related to gambling and flirtatious tiffs†. Although the characters in this epic fight over silly things, Alexander Pope still gets his point across to the reader. Finally, the last epic that has a theme that relates to those of â€Å"Beowulf† and â€Å"The Odyssey† is â€Å"Gilgamesh†. Homecoming is the theme that best defines this epic more than the others do. Like in most epics, Gilgamesh went on a journey and like Odysseus, on his wa y home a goddess propositions him. When he refuses her proposition, the goddess delays his homecoming by sending enemies out to destroy him. But of course Gilgamesh defeats them and returns to his homeland Uruk. When he gets there he praises the town walls and worships the land as he walks. This epic is a bit different as far as homecoming than â€Å"Beowulf† or â€Å"The Odyssey† because once Gilgamesh finally reaches his home, he doesn’t care about honor, glory or recognition, he’s just glad to be alive, glad to see something as simple as the walls of his town once again. But of course like the other epics he does reunite with his loved ones and friends. The only problem is that this theme (homecoming) for this epic isn’t as solid as it could have been, there was no big feast or treasures waiting for him at home, just his precious town walls and loved ones. In conclusion, not only are the themes identity, battles, recognition and homecoming related to â€Å"Beowulf† and â€Å"The Odyssey†, but they are also linked to other epics as well. â€Å"The Iliad†, â€Å"The Aeneid†, â€Å"The Rape of the Lock† and â€Å"Gilgamesh† each contain one of the themes that their stories concentrate on the most. â€Å"The Iliad† is mostly related to recognition because the characters recognize the pursuit of glory and recognition more than anything else in their lives. â€Å"The Aeneid† mostly relates to identity because the Trojan soldiers are homeless which leaves them searching for an identity due to their culture. â€Å"The Rape of the Lock† concentrates on the mockery of the â€Å"usual battles† of an epic as well as other themes and â€Å"Gilgamesh† somewhat focuses on the theme homecoming because of his eagerness to return home and all of the obstacles and villains he has to face to get there. Although each epic was surely different, they all still had something in common, they all had themes that related to those of â€Å"The Odyssey and â€Å"Beowulf†.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Native American Inventions

Native American Inventions Native Americans retain a strong influence on American living- and the majority of Native American inventions came long before European settlers arrived on North American land. Just as an example of Native Americans impact, where would the world be without gum, chocolate, syringes, popcorn, and peanuts? Lets take a look at just a few of the many Native American inventions and cultivations. Totem Pole West Coast First Peoples believe that the first totem pole was a gift from Raven. It was named Kalakuyuwish, the pole that holds up the sky. The totem poles were often used as family crests denoting the tribes descent from an animal such as the bear, raven, wolf, salmon, or killer whale. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, there are several different types of totem poles, among them, for example, the memorial, or heraldic, poles, erected when a house changes hands to commemorate the past owner and to identify the present one; grave markers, house posts, which support the roof; portal poles, which have a hole through which a person enters the house; and welcoming poles, placed at the edge of a body of water to identify the owner of the waterfront. Toboggan The word toboggan  is a French mispronunciation of the Chippewa word nobugidaban, which is  a combination of two words meaning â€Å"flat† and â€Å"drag.† The toboggan is an invention of the First Nations Peoples of northeastern Canada, and the sleds were critical tools of survival in the long, harsh, far-north winters. Indian hunters first built toboggans made of bark to carry game over the snow. The Inuit (sometimes called Eskimos) used to make toboggans of whalebone; otherwise, a toboggan is made of strips of hickory, ash, or maple with the front ends curved back. The Cree word for toboggan is utabaan. Tipi and Other Housing Tipis, or tepees, are adaptations of wigwams that were invented by the Great Plains First Peoples, who were constantly migrating. The seven main styles of housing that Native Americans invented include the wickiup, wigwam, longhouse,  tipi,  hogan, dugout, and pueblo. These nomadic Native Americans needed sturdy dwellings that could stand up against the severe prairie winds and yet be dismantled at a moments notice to follow the drifting herds. The Plains Indians used buffalo hides to cover their tepees and as bedding. Kayak The word kayak means hunters boat. This transportation tool was invented by the Inuit Peoples for hunting seals and walruses in the frigid Arctic water and for general use. First used by Inuits, Aleuts, and Yupiks, whalebone or driftwood was used to frame the boat itself, and then seal bladders filled with air were stretched over the frame- and themselves. Whale fat was used to waterproof the boat and skins. Birch Bark Canoe The birch bark canoe was invented by Northeast Woodlands tribes and was their main mode of transportation, allowing them to travel long distances. The boats were made of whatever natural resources were available to the tribes, but mainly consisted of birch trees found in the forests and woodlands of their lands. The word canoe originates from the word kenu meaning dugout. Some of the tribes that built and traveled in birch bark canoes include the Chippewa, Huron, Pennacook, and Abenaki. Lacrosse Lacrosse was invented and spread by the Iroquois and Huron Peoples- Eastern Woodlands Native American tribes living around the St. Lawrence River in New York and Ontario. The Cherokees called the sport the little brother of war because it was considered excellent military training. The Six Tribes of the Iroquois, in what is now southern Ontario and upstate New York, called their version of the game baggataway or tewaraathon. The game had traditional purposes in addition to sport, such as combat, religion, bets, and to keep the Six Nations (or Tribes) of Iroquois together. Moccasins Moccasins- shoes made of deerskin or other soft leather- originated with the Eastern North American tribes. The word moccasin derives from the  Algonquian language  Powhatan  word makasin; however, most Indian tribes have their own native words for them. Chiefly used for running and exploring outdoors, tribes could generally identify each other by the patterns of their moccasins, including the bead work, the quill work, and painted designs.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

German Language and Culture

German Language and Culture This article is the direct result of a thread (of related messages) in one of our forums. The discussion centered around the supposedly simple concept of being nice, as in smiling or wishing someone a nice day. It soon became apparent that just because you CAN say something in German does not mean you SHOULD. The phrase Ich wà ¼nsche Ihnen einen schà ¶nen Tag! sounds rather odd. (But see the comment below.) Trying to say Have a nice day! in German is a good example of language that is culturally inappropriate- and a good illustration of how learning German (or any language) is more than learning just words and grammar. It is becoming more common in Germany to hear the phrase Schà ¶nen Tag noch! from sales people and food servers. In an earlier feature, Language and Culture, I discussed some of the connections between   Sprache  and  Kultur  in the broadest sense. This time well look at a specific aspect of the connection, and why it is vital for language learners to be aware of more than just the vocabulary and structure of German. For example, if you dont understand the German/European approach to strangers and casual acquaintances, youre a prime candidate for cultural misunderstanding. Take smiling (das Lcheln). Nobodys saying you should be a grouch, but smiling at a German for no particular reason (as in passing on the street) will generally get the (silent) reaction that you must be a little simple-minded or not quite all there. (Or if theyre used to seeing Americans, maybe youre just another one of those weird smiling  Amis.) On the other hand, if there is some apparent, genuine reason to smile, then Germans can and do exercise their facial muscles. But what I may consider nice in my culture may mean something else to a European. (This smiling thing applies to most of northern Europe.) Ironically, a scowl may be better understood and accepted than a smile. Beyond smiling, most Germans  consider the phrase have a nice day an insincere and superficial bit of nonsense. To an American, its something normal and expected, but the more I hear this, the less I appreciate it. After all, if Im at the supermarket to buy anti-nausea medicine for a sick child, I may have a nice day after all, but at that point, the checkers polite have-a-nice-day comment seems even more inappropriate than usual. (Did she not notice I was buying nausea medicine, rather than, say, a six-pack of beer?) This is a true story, and a German friend who was with me that day happens to have a good sense of humor and was mildly amused by this strange American custom. We smiled about that because there was a real reason to do so. I personally prefer the custom of German shopkeepers who rarely let you out the door without saying Auf Wiedersehen!- even if you didnt buy anything. To which the customer replies with the same farewell, just a simple good-bye without any dubious wishes for a nice day. Its one reason many Germans would rather patronize a smaller shop than a big department store. Any language learner should always keep in mind the saying: Andere Lnder, andere Sitten (roughly, When in Rome...). Just because somethings done in one culture doesnt mean we should assume it will automatically transfer to another. Another country does indeed mean other, different customs. The ethnocentric attitude that my cultures way is the best wayor equally unfortunate, not even giving culture a serious thoughtcan lead to a language learner who knows just enough German to be dangerous in a real-life situation.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Personal and professional development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6750 words

Personal and professional development - Essay Example Life is a journey of a self-discovery. I can’t believe how far I’ve come considering my childhood on the tiny Japanese island of Okinawa. After spending much of young adult life in the United States, however, my recent return to Okinawa brought me to terms with the importance of my heritage. Okinawa consistently ranked as a number-one popular destination for the Japanese domestic tourist. In 2009, the prefecture recorded nearly 6 million visitors, close to that of Hawaii’s number. Surprisingly, during my tenure at the Okinawa Convention and Visitors Bureau (OCVB), public destination marketing organization, however, only 3 percent of tourists were international visitors. It is not understatement to say that Okinawa’s beauty is virtually unknown to the outside world. I began to understand that Okinawa needed more people with sophisticated business acumen to effectively aid in municipal development on many occasions especially during promotional activities such as tradeshows and conferences. Fierce competition led by foreign investment resulted in the buyout of major hotel properties in Okinawa. I was fortunate to be able to sit in on meetings with highly energetic and extremely bright executives. They consistently demonstrated excellent entrepreneurship and I recognized that my college education had not prepared me to conduct business on the senior level. Small island economies such as Okinawa, tourism industry becomes the most important business, accounting for 20-70% of the current external receipts. In an effort to strengthen the industry and with new policies known as â€Å" Visit Okinawa Program† in fiscal year of 2010, the prefecture set a goal of attracting 10 million tourists and generating

Friday, November 1, 2019

The Art of Steal Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

The Art of Steal - Movie Review Example Some of the collections were works of artists like Renoirs; 181, CÃ ©zannes; 69, Matisses; 59, Monets and Picassos. The story begins with the institution’s guardian Albert Barnes allowing generous donation to dwindle to a point that the arts collection became a target for the rest of the art institutions, some of them having coveted the paintings since the demise of Barnes in the year 1951. These institutions stepped in a claim to ‘save’ the Barnes Foundation, with the assist of its former president. It was scheduled to be moved this year (2012) from Barnes mansion, which was in Merion, to a new museum building in Philadelphia. However, this relocation was breaking the provision of trust, established in the will of Albert Barnes to keep his collections intact. The film director, Don Argott, could not photograph the inside of the mansion or the spectacular arboretum, the documentary, therefore, depends on the archival materials if not some brilliant visual effects; for instance, redlining. Barnes, a medical doctor, made his wealth from drugs that treated gonorrhea, and he subsequently gathered impressionists’ canvases just like other men who collected champagne corks or tin solders. The film has few living heroes. Every person in this movie was attracted to the power and the money attached to these paintings; to be precise, they all want some. The legal issue is, however, simple; Barnes trust had been wrongfully dismantled when his wishes were ignored. The cultural issue seems more complex, why had the funds that were used to build a new Barnes, not been used in the renovation of the old one? What is the matter with keeping an Eden for art, which requires a pilgrimage to the environs? Anybody who visited the Barnes collection while still in Merion, and preferred the creaky staircases with the insufficiently lit interiors, or less ambitious but lovingly organized portrays of cats and cat lovers, the white wall

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Infra Red Spectroscopy in Chemistry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Infra Red Spectroscopy in Chemistry - Essay Example The absorbed radiation is converted into energy of molecular vibration by the sample molecules. The frequency of absorption of radiation depends on the masses of the atoms in the molecule, the force constants of the bonds, and the geometric structure of the molecule. Hence, the resulting spectrum is an exact replica of sample contents and its molecular structure as supported by Beer-Lambert Law (Duckworth, 1998) which states that there is a linear relationship between how much light is absorbed by a sample and the product of the concentration of the absorbing species and its path length. A close examination of infra-red spectrum fingerprints reveals that absorption peaks correspond to the frequency of vibration between the bonds of the atoms of sample material while the magnitude of peaks corresponds to the amount of material present. Since each sample has a unique molecular structure just like a fingerprint so no two unique molecular structures produce the same infra-red spectrum (l eaving few exceptions). Hence the information provided by infra-red spectra about the composition as well as the structure of a molecule of a sample material clearly paves a way for both qualitative a â€Å"positive identification† and (with an aid of modern software algorithms) quantitative i. e. â€Å"amount† (Introduction to Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry, 2001, p.3) analysis of material, an invaluable tool for QA/QC or contamination analysis applications. For example, Ethanol content is the single most important parameter in alcoholic beverage industries. ‘For many economic and regulatory reasons, convenient, accurate, and fast quantitative determination of ethanol in mixtures is important. With the increased importance of quality assurance in industries, Near-IR spectroscopy has become an important quantitative tool for solvent characterization’.

Monday, October 28, 2019

Ruby Tuesday’s Code of Conduct Essay Example for Free

Ruby Tuesday’s Code of Conduct Essay For each business due to the human aspect of ethics and the connection to business success corporate leaders take different steps to establish a code of conduct not only for employees but directors and officers of a major company. The code of conduct has different key areas that have significant importance to the business. Ruby Tuesday has specific guidelines that they set for their employees. Preventing harassment and discrimination including race, color, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran or marital status, and rudeness towards guests or vendors could result to disciplinary actions including the termination of employment. Having this in the policy shows that the company does care for the rights and respect given to the people that are apart of their company. It provides employees to feel they are given fair treatment. Another key area is inside trading. It is against policy for an employee, officer, or director to profit from material that is nonpublic. Material can include unannounced sales or estimate of sales, unannounced changes in earnings estimates or actual earnings, and changes in management. Any employee, director, or officer withholding any information may not buy or sell any securities or exercise any options to buy securities until 48 hours after material information has been released publicly. With this being included in the policy it is important to establish trust between an employee and the employer. It shows significance to the business that they are all about honesty. They don’t allow information to be leaked early. If a sale was being given at a specific time well it wouldn’t be fair if anybody knew a couple days before or a week before. Employees should prevent the payment of bribes or kickbacks. They are unable to offer, give, solicit, receive, or authorize any bribe or kickback. It’s unacceptable to accept improper inducement payment or gift in connection with Ruby Tuesday. The significance  of preventing the payment of bribes is to not cheat the business out of its sale. If a customer was purchasing something for full price but did not want to pay full price, instead the customer bribed the employee with a really good gift or payment. It would be cheating the company out of its profit for that specific merchandise. Employees are able to eliminate hazards from the workplace and provide a safe and healthy work environment. They are told to dispose of any hazardous material and toxins. Establishing a safe and healthy work area is very important in a business. Not everybody can be comfortable with working around something that isn’t safe to them physically or health wise. It is important that not only employees are safe but customers are as well. There are antitrust laws in business. Employees are never allowed to discuss or make agreements with competitors. These type of discussions can include past, present, or future pricing, pricing policies, bids, discounts, promotions or similar items or conditions regarding sales. Trust is important in business you have to know whether or not your employees can be trusted with top secret information. You wouldn’t want your competition a couple steps ahead of you and knowing all your plans and tactics. Also included in the policy is the proper use of assets. The theft, misuse or waste of any property or services by an employee, officer or director can result in disciplinary actions including termination of your employment. It also can include possible civil and criminal penalties. The proper way of handling property and services are important. If you didn’t follow the safety guidelines of equipment things could go wrong. You could end up damaging the property or getting hurt from not using it properly. Companies’ take steps to ensure that the policy and guidelines are being followed properly. The board of Ruby Tuesday oversees, advises and monitors the performance of the management team. They do this by having frequent meetings discussing the management and the release of the company’s quarterly earnings. The directors are expected to spend time to review and understand the materials being distributed to them in advance of meetings of the Board and of the committees on which they serve. Three ways Ruby Tuesday can engage in socially responsive activities within the community is creating a webpage on a social network. They could also have surveys given out to each customer that walks in. And last but not least a fundraiser they can do to help raise money for either their company benefit or community’s  benefit.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Never The Twain Shall Meet Book Report :: essays research papers

Throughout the ITP program and the lower level ASL classes the name Gallaudet is driven into our heads. We know of the University named after him and how he was the man to bring education to the Deaf in America. What was not before mentioned is that there were two Gallaudets. The first thing I learned from this book is the importance of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and his son Edward Miner Gallaudet. I fact I had believed for some time now that E.M. Gallaudet was this extraordinary man that everyone loved and the named a university after him. It is unfortunate that this was not made clearer in the past. Now all I see is a man who took the only path that he knew how to take. E.M. Gallaudet had very little choice but to instruct in the way that he did. It is true that it was ultimately his choice but I believe that nurture is much more powerful than nature. E.M.’s mother was taught sign and communicated in sign to her husband and child. Naturally E.M. would think this is the best method of instruction. To think other wisely would be to say that his mother was inadequate. In turn this would mean that his upbringing was inadequate which would lead to the conclusion that he himself was an inadequate person. For his own salvation and peace of mind E.M. was given his path at birth. For him to have strayed from this would have ended up being a long and lonely road cutting all ties with the past. So E.M. like any normal man of that time chose to follow the path that was set out for him. T.H. Gallaudet was himself a teacher and I am sure passed on many of these traits to his son if not genetically then in his upbringing. It was no surprise to me after finding out that T.H. was himself a teacher that E.M. would be a teacher. This was further specializing in that T.H. was a teacher of the Deaf, which was to be the life long profession for E.M. In the beginning E.M. wanted to be a business man and make lots of money. This is probably attributed to the life he must have had with his father living the lifestyle of a minister. His dreams were of course cut short when his father died.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Essay example --

Free radicals play an important role in several biological processes such as cell signaling and redox regulation. However, prolonged exposure to free radicals leads to oxidative damage. Subsequently, it has been implicated in the progression of several diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurological disease, pulmonary disease, rheumatoid arthritis, nephropathy, ocular disease and pre-eclampsia. The antioxidant defense system within the body may confer protection to oxidative damage by scavenging free radicals. Antioxidants also may be obtained from dietary sources/ supplements. The efficacy of antioxidant intake on initiation and progression of chronic diseases will be reviewed. Introduction Oxygen is an element that is crucial for the sustenance of life on earth. It is paradoxical that this indispensable element can cause harmful effects in humans under certain circumstances. Much of the detrimental consequences of oxygen are attributed to its ability to form free radicals (1) . A free radical is a reactive molecule that contains at least one unpaired electron in its outer orbit, and is capable of independent existence (2).Accumulation of these molecules in the body results in oxidative stress, a process by which physiologically important molecules such as carbohydrates, proteins and lipids are damaged (3). However, the body can employ antioxidants to impede the threat of free radical attack (4).Antioxidants are potent scavengers of free radicals (1). They function by donating an electron to a free radical or by eliminating initiators of free radicals (5). Antioxidants may be classified as endogenous or exogenous depending on their mode of acquisition by the body (1). E ndogenous antioxidants are naturally produced by t... ...ment dosage and duration of treatment. Moreover, a host of lifestyle behaviors are responsible for determining the health of individuals. Antioxidant intake in combination with physical activity, and alcohol and tobacco moderation may yield profound benefits in disease management. Thus, multifactorial interventions may serve as alternative strategies in disease management. Finally, investigations on the effects of nutrients in isolation may provide valuable information regarding its mode of action, but do not elucidate the phenomenon of total diet. The intrinsic nature of diet is characterized by several interactions between bioactive dietary components, some of which still remain unexplained. Hence, antioxidant supplements must be prescribed with caution and the use of antioxidant rich foods as disease prevention agents may hold promise in future clinical trials.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Judaism and the Chosen People of God Essay

Judaism is one of the first monotheistic religions currently surviving. It followers, the Jews, believe that there is only one God who is Almighty and Everlasting. Inscribed in the Torah is the name of God, with four consonants and no vowels. They have high respect for the Lord that they consider his name â€Å"too holy to be pronounced† (Buchanan and Halliwell, 2008). In their daily conversations and prayers, the Jews use different words pertaining to God. Everyday speech include â€Å"the Holy One† and â€Å"Blessed be He† while prayers include Adonal, or the Lord, and shomer Yisrael, or Israel’s guardian. These demonstrate how the Jewish perception of the Lord, as seen in the book of Genesis where the stories of the Patriarchs are written (Buchanan and Halliwell, 2008). The Jewish understanding towards their relationship with the Lord the worship is in accordance to their Covenant. God gives His promise to be their God who guides and protects them, while requiring them to follow the Mitzvot or His commandments. God chose the Jews as His chosen people. This is not because He favors them with privileges, but because He endowed them with a responsibility of being the priest people. It is actually a difficult task and the literal translation of the word Israel is â€Å"one who struggles with God† (Buchanan and Halliwell, 2008). One of their most basic beliefs is that they have the responsibility to worship God and recite prayers, which is called Tefillah. They should also express their gratitude and thanks to the Lord for his love and greatness, which is shown through the Amidah or the prayer of18 blessings in praise of God recited while standing. They also see themselves to have the task of responding to God through both repentance and search of social justice (Buchanan and Halliwell, 2008). History of Key Sacred Texts The Torah, or Law, is the commandment given by God to His chosen people. It was originally pertained to the Ten Commandments, and eventually became the Pentateuch. The Torah is the most important text in the Jewish religious life, as it contains the revelation from God. It is God’s gift to His people given to Moses at Mount Sinai. However, the original texts given by God to Moses did not survive the raid of Jerusalem during 6 BC. Also destroyed were the other Scriptures written by different Prophets, with high relevance to the Jewish faith. But after the release of Israel from Babylon in 5 BC, the Prophet Ezra revived the accounts on the life of the Patriarchs and the history of God’s chosen people. And between 4 and 2 BC, other authors wrote down the different Scriptures of other Prophets that existed long before. Prophet Jonah, who lived during the 8th century BC, was found to have his scriptures written during this period while the Psalms were written after five centuries. The sources of these authors are however unknown (Mirza, . Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments contain the fundamental laws that God requires His people to abide. These state the different religious and moral obligations of men, revealing God’s will on man’s duties to Him and to the rest of His creation. God’s commandments are written in the Pentateuch twice, as it is found both in the Books of Exodus and Deuteronomy. God himself carved the words on two stone tablets as sacred texts handed to Moses (Bellaflore, 2007). The Ten Commandments are God’s covenant with the Israelites. The first three laws concern man’s relationship with God, as it states what man’s responsibilities are to his Lord. While the remaining seven laws are about how man should live with others, as they should not transgress each other’s rights as human beings and equal children of God. The first commandments directly state that there is only one God, the monotheistic notion of an Almighty Creator. The people should not worship other Gods, and therefore should not commit idolatry and other forms of polytheistic practices. The other two commandments teach the people to not commit blasphemy, or take the name of the Lord in vain, and to always observe the Sabbath day. The rest relates the basic commandment that one must not wrong his neighbor, that he must not commit murder, adultery, thievery, and bear false witness. Children are also expected by God to always honor their parents (Bellaflore, 2007). Jerusalem This city is the most important city to the Jews. Upon their migration to the Palestine, many other tribes and populations have already occupied area and cities have already risen. King David seized one of the cities in 1005 BCE and converted it into his capital city Jerusalem. This is where both religious and political affairs were concentrated, where the Temple of God was built. But the Temple and most of its contents perished during the conquest of the city by other empires. The Romans destroyed the last Temple and only a single wall survived until today. It is now known as the Wailing Wall and is one of the holiest Jewish places both in Jerusalem and the entire world (Imhoof, 2008). The Nation of Israel The State of Israel is a country found in southwestern Asia established on May 14, 1948 with David Ben Gurion as its first prime minister. The land was formerly part of Palestine conquered British, and was handed to the Jews and marked the success of the Zionism movement. This movement campaigned for providing the Jews their own place at the land of their ancestors. As sanctioned by the United Nations, this sovereign nation was created and gave home to many Jews from all over the world. But because displaced Palestinians formerly occupy Israel, there rose an Arab-Israeli conflict. The Muslims protested against the handing of the land to the Jews while the Arabs were left landless (Davison 375; Grobman, no page; Israel, no page). Different Sects of Judaism There were numerous Jewish sects during the first century AD, each primarily in search of the messiah. To them, the messiah is both a religious and political leader who would save them from Roman captivity. These sects include the Pharisees, the Zealots, the Sadducees, the Essenes, and even the Christians. In 70 CE, the Second Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed along with these sects. However, Christianity survived this disaster and separated itself from Judaism as a different religion. The Pharisees, on the other hand, is now the remaining form of Judaism called Rabbinic Judaism (Jewish sects and denominations, no date). A fraction of the Jewish population of the 8th century rejected the oral law included in the Mishnah as followed by the Pharisees, as done by the Sadducees. But eventually, they themselves developed their unique oral traditions that greatly varied from those of the Rabbinic Jews. They are called the Karaite sect, and are still in existence but in a less population number (Jewish sects and denominations, no date). The Holocaust The Holocaust is also known as the Shoah in Hebrew, or the destruction of the Jewish people by Nazi Germany. During the German conquest of Europe, an approximately six million Jews died as they were systematically killed by the fascist and anti-Semite regime of Hitler. The casualties represent the destruction of two-thirds of the entire population of Jews in Europe and one-third of the world. They were deliberately and methodically exterminated through the gas chamber, the crematory ovens, forced labor, hunger, and poor sanitary conditions. This is Hitler’s plan as his answer and â€Å"Final Solution to the Jewish Question† (History of the Holocaust – An Introduction, 2008). Sacred Practices and/or Holidays Two of the most important Jewish holidays are the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah is known as the Jewish New Year while Yom Kippur is known as the Day of Atonement. Both of these holidays are expression of the Jewish belief on the judgment of God and that they need to both repent and forgive. Yom Kippur is an entire day where Jews contemplate and reflect, making amends to their sins, and ask God for His forgiveness by fasting (Buchanan and Halliwell, 2008). Customs and practices of the Jews include circumcising the boys during their eighth day. When the boy reaches age 13, he takes participation in a ceremonial rite where he becomes bar mitzvah. From here on, he is considered an adult who will take on his religious responsibilities. Other religious congregations perform a similar ceremony for girls of age 12, called the bat mitzvah. Jews also recite different kinds of prayers in the morning, afternoon and evening. They perform these either at home or the synagogue. Once every week, the Jews celebrate the holy day of Sabbath, from Friday sundown until Saturday sundown. They also observe strict dietary laws called the Kosher and their spiritual leader is called the rabbi (Grobman, no page; Wenner, no page). Judaism Today Due to the constant changes in human life, there is a tremendous technological advancement in the modern world, prompting people to adapt. These changes bring about questions on the Jewish laws, and whether they should be retained. It is therefore the responsibility of the spiritual leaders to adapt and reinterpret the Jewish laws according to the call of times. In our modern world, there are three main divisions among the Jews – the Orthodox, the Conservative, and the Reform Jews. Orthodox Jews are still abiding by the strictest Jewish laws, and are confined within tradition. The conservative Jews consider the orthodox Jews as too Jewish while they do not consider reform Jews as practicing Judaism. Reform Jews, on the other hand, are very liberal and recognizes their religion as progressive. (Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, 2008). References Buchanan, J. , and Halliwell, K. (2008). Judaism. Slamnet. Retrieved March 5, 2008 from http://www.slamnet. org. uk/re/judaism. htm. Bellaflore, M. L. (2007). â€Å"The Ten Commandments. â€Å" New Advent. Retrieved March 5, 2008 from http://www. newadvent. org/cathen/04153a. htm. Davison, Michael Worth. When, Where, Why, and How it Happened. London: Reader’s Digest Association Far East Limited, 1993. Grobman, Gary M. â€Å"Who are the Jews. † 1990. Remember. Retrieved 25 February 2008 from http://www. remember. org/guide/Facts. root. whoare. html â€Å"History of the Holocaust – An Introduction. † 2008. Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved March 5, 2008 from http://www. jewishvirtuallibrary. org/jsource/Holocaust/history. html. Imhoof, D. â€Å"Judaism. † February 23, 2008. Susquehanna University. Retrieved March 5, 2008 http://www. susqu. edu/history/medtrav/jerusalem/jewish. htm. â€Å"Israel. † 2007. Information Please [Database]. Retrieved 25 February 2008 from http://www. infoplease. com/ipa/A0107652. html. â€Å"Judaism. † One Little Angel. Retrieved March 5, 2008 from http://www. onelittleangel. com/wisdom/quotes/judaism. asp? level=4#. Mirza, M. â€Å"History of the Torah. â€Å"Ummah. Retrieved March 5, 2008 from http://www. ummah. net/what-is-islam/scriptur/scriptt. htm

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Nicaragua and Terrorism essays

Nicaragua and Terrorism essays Nicaragua The following is the definition of terrorism as defined by the FBI: "the unlawful use of force against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population or any segment thereof, in the furtherance of political or social objectives" (FBI, 2003). It is the aim of this essay to determine whether the actions of the United States in Nicaragua in the early 1980s fit this American definition of terrorism, and to compare those actions with the actions of regimes that the United States government has been critical of in recent months to establish if such criticism may be seen to be hypocritical. Nicaragua gained independence from Spain in 1821, along with the rest of Central America. It was a part of Mexico for a brief time, then part of the then Central American Federation. Nicaragua finally achieved complete independence in 1838. Soon after, Britain and the USA both became extremely interested in Nicaragua and the strategically important RÃÆ'Â ­o San Juan navigable passage from Lago de Nicaragua to the Caribbean. In 1848, the British seized the port at the mouth of the RÃÆ'Â ­o San Juan on the Caribbean coast and renamed it Greytown. This became a major transit point for hordes of hopefuls looking for the quickest route to Californian gold. In 1855, the liberals from the city of Leon invited William Walker, an American intent on taking over Latin American territory, to help seize power from the conservatives based in Granada. Aided by a band of mercenaries, Walker and his fellows took Granada easily and he proclaimed himself president, one of his first moves being to institutionalize slavery. He was soon ejected from power and the country, but showed almost absurd tenacity as he repeatedly tried to invade the country. This was the first American intervention in the affairs of Nicaragua, and in many ways set the preced...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Innovative Ways to Teach Math

Innovative Ways to Teach Math Believe it or not, math can be taught in some very innovative ways, and private schools are some of the top educational institutions pioneering new ways to master a traditional subject. A case study in this unique approach to teaching math can be found at one of the top boarding schools in the US, the Phillips Exeter Academy. Years ago, teachers at Exeter developed a series of math books containing problems, techniques, and strategies that are now being used at other private day and boarding schools. This technique has become known as Exeter Math.   The Process of Exeter Math What makes Exeter Math truly innovative, is that the traditional classes and course progression of Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, etc., is done away with in favor of students learning the skills and computations necessary to solve problems. Every homework assignment contains elements of each traditional math course, rather than separating them out into segmented annual learning.  The math courses at Exeter are centered on the math problems  written by the teachers. The entire course is different from traditional math classes in that it is problem-centered rather than topic-centered. For many, the traditional middle or high school math class generally presents a topic within the class time with the teacher and then asks students to complete lengthy assignments at home that consist of repetitive problem-solving exercises, intended to help students better master the procedures for homework. However, the process is altered in Exeters math classes, which involve little direct instruction drills. Instead, students are given a small number of word problems to complete each night independently. There is little direct instruction about how to complete the problems, but there is a glossary to help students, and the problems tend to build on each other. The students direct the learning process themselves. Each night, students work on the problems, doing the best they can, and log their work. In these problems, the learning  process  is just as important as the answer, and teachers want to see all of the students’ work, even if it is done on their calculators. What If a Student Struggles With Math? Teachers suggest that if students are stuck on a problem, they make an educated guess and then check their work. They do this by making up an easier problem with the same principle as the given problem. Since Exeter is a boarding school, students can visit their teachers, other students, or the math help center if they are stuck while doing their homework in their dorms at night. They are expected to carry out 50 minutes of concentrated work per night and to work persistently, even if the work is very difficult for them. The next day, students bring their work to class where they discuss it in a seminar-like style around a Harkness table, an oval-shaped table that was designed at Exeter and is used in most of their classes to facilitate conversation. The idea is not to just present the right answer but for each student to have a turn presenting his or her work to facilitate conversation, share methods, work out problems, communicate about ideas, and support other students. What Is the Purpose of the Exeter Method? While traditional math courses emphasize rote learning that does not connect to everyday issues, the purpose of the Exeter word problems is to help students really understand math by working out the equations and algorithms themselves rather than just being given them. They also come to understand the applications of the problems. While this process can be very difficult, particularly for students new to the program, students learn traditional math areas such as algebra, geometry, and others by working out the ideas themselves. As a result, they really understand them and how they relate to mathematical issues and problems they could encounter outside of the classroom. Many private schools across the country are adopting the Exeter math class materials and procedures, particularly for honors math class. Teachers at schools using Exeter math state that the program helps students own their work and take responsibility for learning it- rather than simply having it handed to them. Perhaps the most important aspect of Exeter math is that it teaches students that being stuck on a problem is acceptable. Instead, students realize that it’s all right not to know the answers right away and that discovery and even frustration are in fact essential to real learning. Updated by Stacy Jagodowski.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Heres the One of the Oldest Peace Treaties from the Ancient World

Here's the One of the Oldest Peace Treaties from the Ancient World columbia.edu/cu/arthistory/faculty/Bahrani.htmlLets head back to the Early Dynastic Period in ancient Mesopotamia: more specifically, the southern part, a.k.a. Sumer. Around 2500 B.C., the predominant polities, resulting from consolidation of power in small areas, were city-states; they began compete for domination of local resources and influence. Two in particular, Umma and Lagash, battled particularly hard, resulting in the Stele of the Vultures, one of the oldest historiographical monuments. Pretty epic.   There are seven remaining fragments of the Stele of Vultures, now in the Louvre. Found on what was once the town of Girsu, part of Lagashs sphere of influence, it was erected by one Eannatum, ruler of Lagash, around 2460 B.C. The stele depicts Eannatums version of his conflict with the neighboring city-state of Umma over a tract of land bordering both territories. The inscription on the stele is quite long, longer than most votive plaques, indicating that this is a new type of monument. One of the first monuments we know to be intended for public view, its also one the first example historians have of ancient rules of war. The stele has two sides: one historical and one mythological. The first features several different registers, most of which depict the military campaign waged by Lagash against Umma. A chronological narrative is divided into an easily readable tripartite story. One register depicts Eannatum, clad in a fleecy garment worn by kings (here, we see the development of the image of the warrior-king), and marches with tons of fierce soldiers with pikes. Lagash tramples its enemies into the ground. The second register shows a victory parade, soldiers marching behind their king, the next register brings to life funerary proceedings, in which the men of Lagash bury their massacred enemies. On the reverse of the stele, we get the mythological story of how the divine forces intervened on behalf of Lagash. Its in direct contrast to the historiographic narrative featured on the previous side of the stele. According to Eannatum, he was the son of his citys patron god, Ningirsu. Its on behalf of Ningursu that Eannatum claims he went to war; after all, the city of Lagash and its boundaries belonged to the god himself, and it was sacrilege to transgress upon his land. Vultures swarm around the bodies, giving the stele its name. Depicted most prominently on this side is Ningursu, holding the enemy soldiers of Umma in a giant net, the ​shushgal  net.  In one hand he holds the net; in the other is a mace, with which he smacks nude soldiers  in  the net. On top of the net sits a symbol of Ningursu, the mythical  imdugud  bird. Made up of an eagle body and a lion head, the hybrid creature personified the power of rainstorms. As Ningursu, shown as bigger than any human, single-handedly dominates these soldiers, we see the god as a wielder of power on his own; the king served the god of his city (and his putative father), not the other way around. So this imagery is great, but what about the actual treaty between the kings of Lagash and Umma? Placed on the boundary between the two cities, this monument involved oaths to half a dozen really important Sumerian deities, who were always invoked in treaties as witnesses. The men of Umma were supposed to swear by Enlil, another important god, that theyd respect the boundary and the stele. In exchange for Umma giving up its claim to Lagashs land, though, Eannatum promised to rent another tract of territory to Umma. Later, though, it was revealed that Umma never paid rent, so the cities went to war again. Eannatums successor, Enmetena, had to push his enemies back again. In addition to creating a new treaty, Eannatum showed himself a restorer of old monuments, reaffirming himself as a builder-king in the vein of his predecessors, as he rebuilt a stele put up there by King Mesalim of Kish years earlier.   Sources include Zainab Bahranis classes at Columbia University.