Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Commonly Confused Words for ESL Students and Classes

Commonly Confused Words for ESL Students and Classes Here are some of the most commonly confused English word pairs. They have been chosen especially for ESL learners. beside / besides beside: preposition meaning next to, at the side of Examples: I sit beside John in class.Could you get me that book? Its beside the lamp. besides: adverb meaning also, as well; preposition meaning in addition to Examples: (adverb) Hes responsible for sales, and a lot more besides.(preposition) Besides tennis, I play soccer and basketball. clothes / cloths clothes: something you wear - jeans, shirts, blouses, etc. Examples: Just a moment, let me change my clothes.Tommy, get your clothes on! cloths: pieces of material used for cleaning or other purposes. Examples: There are some cloths in the closet. Use those to clean the kitchen.I have a few pieces of cloth that I use. dead / died dead: adjective meaning not alive Examples: Unfortunately, our dog has been dead for a few months.Dont touch that bird. Its dead. died: past tense and past participle of the verb to die Examples: His grandfather died two years ago.A number of people have died in the accident. experience / experiment experience: noun meaning something that a person lives through, i.e. something that someone experiences. - also used as an uncountable noun meaning knowledge gained by doing something Examples: (first meaning)His experiences in Germany were rather depressing.(second meaning) Im afraid I dont have much sales experience. experiment: noun meaning something that you do to see the result. Often used when speaking about scientists and their studies. Examples: They did a number of experiments last week.Dont worry its just an experiment. Im not going to keep my beard. felt / fell felt: past tense and past participle of the verb to feel Examples: I felt better after I had a good dinner.He hasnt felt this well for a long time. fell: past tense of the verb to fall Examples: He fell from a tree and broke his leg.Unfortunately, I fell down and hurt myself. female / feminine female: the sex of a woman or animal Examples: The female of the species is very aggressive.The question female or male means are you a woman or a man. feminine: adjective describing a quality or type of behavior that is considered typical for a woman Examples: Hes an excellent boss with a feminine intuition.The house was decorated in a very feminine manner. its / its its: possessive determiner similar to my or your Examples: Its color is red.The dog didnt eat all of its food. its: Short form of it is or it has Examples: (it is) Its difficult to understand him.(it has) Its been a long time since I had a beer. last / latest last: adjective usually meaning final Examples: I took the last train to Memphis.This is the last test of the semester! latest:  adjective  meaning most recent or new Examples: His latest book is excellent.Have you seen his latest painting? lay / lie lay: verb meaning to put down flat - past tense - laid, past participle - laid Examples: He laid his pencil down and listened to the teacher.I usually lay my pies on the shelf to cool. lie: verb meaning to be down - past tense -lay (be careful!), past participle - lain Examples: The girl lay on the bed asleep.At the moment, hes lying on the bed. lose / loose lose: verb meaning to misplace Examples: I lost my watch!Have you ever lost anything valuable? loose: adjective meaning the opposite of tight Examples: Your trousers are very loose!I need to tighten this screw. Its loose. male / masculine male: the sex of a man or animal Examples: The male of the species is very lazy.The question female or male means are you a woman or a man. masculine:  adjective  describing a quality or type of  behavior  that is considered typical for a man Examples: Shes a very masculine woman.His opinions are just too masculine for me. price / prize price: noun - what you pay for something. Examples: The price was very cheap.Whats the price of this book? prize: noun - an award Examples: He won a prize as best actor.Have you ever won a prize in a competition? principal / principle principal: adjective meaning the most important Examples: The principal reason for my decision was the money.What are the principal  irregular verbs? principle: a rule (usually in science but also concerning morals) Examples: Its the first principle of aerodynamics.He has very loose principles. quite / quiet quite:  adverb  of degree meaning very or rather Examples: This test is quite difficult.He was quite exhausted after the long journey. quiet:  adjective  meaning the opposite of loud or noisy Examples: Could you please be quiet?!Shes a very quiet girl. sensible / sensitive sensible: adjective meaning having common sense i.e. not stupid Examples: I wish you would be more sensible about things.Im afraid you arent being very sensible. sensitive: adjective meaning to feel very deeply or to hurt easily Examples: You should be careful with David. Hes very sensitive.Mary is a very sensitive woman. shade / shadow shade: protection from the sun, a dark area outside on a sunny day. Examples: You should sit in the shade for a while.Its too hot. Im going to find some shade. shadow: the dark area created by something else on a sunny day. Examples: That tree casts a large shadow.Have you  every  noticed your shadow getting longer as it gets later in the day? some time / sometimes some time: refers to an indefinite time in the future Examples: Lets meet for coffee some time.I dont know when Ill do it - but I will do it some time. sometimes:  adverb of frequency  meaning occasionally Examples: He sometimes works late.Sometimes, I like eating Chinese food.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

President Theodore Roosevelt Fast Facts

President Theodore Roosevelt Fast Facts Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) served as Americas 26th  president. Nicknamed the Trust Buster for fighting corruption in the industry, and more affectionately known as  Teddy, Roosevelt was a larger-than-life personality. He is remembered not only as a statesman but also as an author, soldier, naturalist, and reformer.  Roosevelt was Vice President of William McKinley  and became President after McKinley was assassinated in 1901. Fast Facts Birth: October 27, 1858 Death: January 6, 1919 Term of Office: September 14, 1901–March 3, 1909 Number of Terms Elected: 1 term First Lady: Edith Kermit Carow Theodore Roosevelt Quote The first requisite of a good citizen in this Republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing to pull his weight. Major Events While In Office Panama Canal Rights Acquired (1904): The U.S. earned the right to occupy the Canal Zone in Panama, leading the way to the construction of the Panama Canal, which it would control until 1979.  Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine (1904-1905): The Monroe Doctrine declared that foreign encroachment into the Western Hemisphere would not be tolerated. As President, Roosevelt added that the U.S. was responsible for enforcing the Monroe Doctrine  in Latin America, with force if necessary.Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905): Japans campaign to claim Port Arthur on the coast of Manchuria from the Russians began a brief but devastating war. The heavy artillery and battle methods used foreshadowed the conditions of modern warfare that would come of age in World War I.  Nobel Peace Prize (1906): Roosevelt was one of a handful of presidents to win the Nobel Peace Prize. This award honored his efforts to resolve the Russo-Japanese War and his work for international arbitration.  Ã‚  San F rancisco Earthquake (1906): San Fransiscos massive earthquake destroyed almost 30,000 buildings and left many of the citizens homeless.   States Entering Union While in Office Oklahoma (1907) Related Theodore Roosevelt Resources These additional resources on Theodore Roosevelt can provide you with further information about the president and his times. Theodore Roosevelt Biography: An in-depth look at the 26th  president of the United States, including his childhood, family and early career, and the major events of his administration.Progressive Era: The Gilded Age, a term coined by Mark Twain, referred to the overt opulence exhibited by the wealthy in the industrial era. The Progressive Era was partly a response to the disparity between rich and poor. Individuals at this time were campaigning for economic, political, and social reform.Top 10 Influential Presidents: Theodore Roosevelt is considered one of the most influential presidents in American History.Bull Moose Party: When Theodore Roosevelt was not nominated by the Republican Party to run for president again in 1912, he broke away and created a new party which was nicknamed the Bull Moose Party. Other Presidential Fast Facts William McKinley: McKinley was assassinated shortly after winning re-election and beginning the second term of his presidency. During his time in office, American officially established itself as a world colonial power.  William Howard Taft: The president who succeeded Roosevelt may be best known for his policies of Dollar Diplomacy, aimed at promoting security and influence abroad in the interest of American commercial ventures.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Critically examine the claim that THE key to being an innovative Essay

Critically examine the claim that THE key to being an innovative organisation is R & D more expenditure equals more innovation - Essay Example e constantly engaging in research and development in order to come up with new approaches of doing things, design new products for the market, acquire new market for the products and expand business capacity to meet the current and future market demand (United Nations, 2012, p. 11). Innovation is a role of all workers in an organization. In order for an organization to be competitive in the market, it has to promote and nurture a culture of creativity among the workers and provide the necessary resources to support innovation. The organizations should have the capacity to recognize the need for innovation and support the ideas that can lead to competence of the organizations. The ideas could be small or big and they follow a particular process. Innovation requires resources including time and finances (Mazzucato, 2013, p. 84). Organizations must be willing to devote the required resources in order to achieve the expected goals. They should engage in research and development in order to explore various approaches to improving products, processes or market and implement the new ideas as their core competences for future growth. Innovation may imply the organization developed their knowledge or acquired the knowledge from another organization. Irrespective of the method, the business, used to innovate, the organization has to incur some cost in order to gain that knowledge. Innovation is an entrepreneurial role of creating a new product or processes for the market. Entrepreneurs earn profit from their innovations by establishing a monopoly (Unit 1: Lecture 1). They acquire patent rights to limit other competitors from producing and selling similar products in the same market. However, the entrepreneurs cannot prohibit the entry of competitors in the market for a long. Competitors start offering similar products with those of the entrepreneur thus limiting the potential for expansion of the business. The entrepreneurs should develop a culture of innovation in order to

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

CONSUMER PSYCHOLOGY AND BUYING BEHAVIOR Research Paper

CONSUMER PSYCHOLOGY AND BUYING BEHAVIOR - Research Paper Example Research shows that the congruity between product image and self-image affects the product preference of a consumer and their intentions to buy an item. This congruence with self-image could also facilitate positive attitudes and behaviour towards products. The study conducted in â€Å"Consumers and brands a study of the impact of self-image congruence on brand preference and satisfaction†, was seeking to understand the consequences of congruity of self-image on brand preference and the consumer satisfaction in the UK’s precious jewellery sector. Results indicated that congruity of self-image acted as a vitally powerful predictor of brand preferences of consumers as well as acting as a suitable predictor for satisfaction of the consumer. The respondents with above average self-image, congruity levels were found to be more likely to enjoy higher satisfaction levels, as well as increased likelihood to buy the brand. This was when compared to those who had below average se lf-image congruity levels (Gordon, 2006 p140). For this case study, the consumers were found to be dissonance-reducing buyers (Gordon, 2006 p141). They were highly involved in the jewellery purchase since the product was expensive. There was minimal difference between the brands of jewelry that existed. The consumers were also found to be complex buyers as they were buying highly valued products, and they looked for detailed information before making the purchase.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Conscious Awareness and Brain Processes Essay Example for Free

Conscious Awareness and Brain Processes Essay A number of scholarly studies on human consciousness identify a close relationship between human consciousness and the brain processes of a human being. This study is an examination of the literature existing on these two areas with an aim of establishing whether there exists a relationship. To achieve this, the study will evaluate consciousness and its functions in a human being, evaluate brain processes and their functions and from the two analyses, make efforts at establishing either a similarity or a distinction exist between them. An evaluation of consciousness Questions about consciousness have been with humans for a long time. According to Pearson (1999), traces of the questioning on the nature of human consciousness were there as early as during the Neolithic period, when burial practices expressed some spiritual belief which had some connotations on some reflections or thought on the nature and existence of human consciousness. The earliest forms of cultures and intimation into human consciousness are therefore only available through historical connotations on the then existing people’s reflection on some aspects of human consciousness. There are those scholars who argue that consciousness, as it is known today’ is a phenomena that arose much later in the development of humans, as late as after the Homeric era as postulated by Jaynes (1974). In this view of the development of consciousness knowledge, earlier humans acted without necessarily correlating their actions and thoughts. As such, they were unconscious of their actions and acted primarily on a response to physical threats as opposed to awareness of need. Earlier scholars who attempted to define consciousness included Rene Descartes in the 17th century and John Locke, in the period of late 17th century (Stanford Encyclopedia, 2006). Their efforts to define consciousness have formed a basis upon which modern human consciousness is constructed from. In Descartes, ‘Principles of Philosophy’, written in 1640, he defined human consciousness as self-awareness. Locke, in 1988 correlated consciousness to both thought and personal identity (Stanford Encyclopedia, 2006). Modern attempts to define consciousness have been attempted by scholars (Gennaro, 1995 and Carruthers, 2000) who postulate that the word consciousness is a broad umbrella term covering a broad range of metal phenomena. In its wide range, consciousness can refer to a state of an organism in its wholeness, also referred to as creature consciousness or to a certain mental process or state also referred to as state consciousness. Since consciousness is a broad term, this section will highlight the meaning of consciousness in different contexts. A person, or a cognitive system, may can be said to be conscious in a number of ways; the first sense is what Armstrong (1981) referred to as sentience. A sentient creature is one that is able to sense its environment and respond to it. In this sense, the ability to sense and respond to an environmental stimulus is equivalent to being conscious. The challenge in this definition lies in making a distinction between the responsiveness portrayed by living and animate creatures such as animals and humans and the responsiveness inherent in inanimate objects such as flowers and trees. This is because a flower responds to physical environmental as evident in withering during the dry season. The other sense of defining consciousness is wakefulness (Cole, 2002). In this sense, an organism is considered conscious not only by possessing inherent ability to respond to the environment but by being in a state or a disposition to actually respond to it. Consciousness in this sense refers to being normally alert or awake. In this definition, an organism would be considered unconscious if it were in a deep state of comma or sleep. In this definition too, there also lies some blurred explanation since by defining consciousness as so, one may need to define it further in terms of levels of consciousness. For instance, it is possible for a creature to be half-asleep, implying that it requires a slight arousal for it to be conscious, as in the definition. Another form of consciousness, identified by Carruthers (2000) is self-consciousness. This is a high level order of consciousness in which the creature is not only aware but also having the correct understanding of the state of its awareness. Among humans, self-consciousness may denote ones ability to differentiate himself from others, in aspects such as language, hierarchy, status etc. One who is unable to make such a distinction would invariably be referred to as self-unconscious. In philosophy, self consciousness is equivalent to self-knowledge, which is used to commonly refer one’s knowledge of particular mental states including beliefs, sensations and desires (Stanford, 2003). A challenge that lies in this definition is that it disregards conscious forms of life, which may still be undergoing growth and development. For instance, a young child may be unaware of his status or privileges and as such, when consciousness is defined in this manner, it may assume that such is not conscious. Features of consciousness As mentioned earlier, consciousness is an umbrella term enveloping a broad range of issues. To distinguish consciousness, it becomes imperative to assess the features that combine to bring out the conscious phenomena. By analyzing these features and later analyzing the features of the brain processes, it will be possible to assess the existence of a relation between the two. The characters of consciousness as identified in literature include; A qualitative character- Siewert (1998) had suggested that there exist some experienced desires or thoughts in all forms of consciousness. These are the ones that form the qualitative character of consciousness but they do not necessarily refer to sensory states. In essence, consciousness embodies some kind of feelings, though it is itself higher than normal physical feeling. When an individual is conscious of something, there is a ‘feel’ attached to it, which happens beyond the physical human feelings. Phenomenal structure- phenomena as applied in both psychology and philosophy denotes how things in the world or the world in general appear to an individual. For consciousness to be complete, this feature ought to be present, that is, there should be an effort deep within oneself that attempts to interpret a certain event or knowledge of the world around an individual. The phenomenal structure of consciousness, as portrayed in theory shows that consciousness is made up not only of sensory ideas but also by complex representations of space, time, body, self and the world (Siewert, 1998). Representational theories of consciousness as published in the Stanford philosophy encyclopedia shows that representation of the world as it is has evolved slowly to become an important theme in the study of consciousness (Stanford Encyclopedia, 2006). Subjectivity- Consciousness is subjective in the sense that what is conscious can only be experienced by that creature in the prevailing condition. Creatures with similar capabilities are the only ones that can understand the’ what-it is like’, a common phrase used to define consciousness (Nagel, 1974). In this sense, consciousness is subjective, that is, it is understood from the creature’s point of view as opposed to being objective where facts would be understandable based on available evidence. Self perspective- According to Searle (1992), conscious experiences exist not as isolated events but as states or modes of a conscious subject to self. For instance, the consciousness of pain is a happening experienced by a conscious subject. The appearance of the sky as blue is a phenomena that appears as so to a subject. This implies that for consciousness to exist, the ‘self’ subject which can be identified by, ‘I think’ needs to be there. The self perspective is a crucial feature in consciousness since for any event to be reflected to the level of awareness; there is need for the intellectual participation of the self through past experience. The requirement for this intellectual part in the subject is an important aspect of this study since intelligence forms one of the brain processes and therefore serves to suggest that there is a close link between consciousness and brain processes. Unity- a conscious system involves some form of unity. Cleeremans (2003) postulate that consciousness has a unity characteristic; this unity is that which arises from the subject’s ability to connect varied information’s and representations and make a coherent judgment. It is this unity in consciousness that can enable an individual to make a relation between past and present interpretations and therefore direct consciousness in a focused direction. Other features that are associated with consciousness include intentionality and transparency, a feature that recognizes the arousal of consciousness about an event due to an individual’s intent to do so (Cole, 2002). For instance, one’s consciousness about the 9/11 attack comes to an individual through an intentional thought. Once the intention matures, the inner self becomes conscious of the event and the individual is said to be ‘aware’. There is also a dynamic flow of information in the conscious state. This dynamic flow is also referred to as a stream of consciousness in which the subject conscious state is active and visualizes events in a dynamic manner, just as in real live (Stanford Encyclopedia, 2003). Through these features, consciousness in a subject performs some functions/ processes, most of which may borrow from both sensory and cognitive aspects. Consciousness plays the first role of flexible control of the physical actions of a subject (Anderson, 1983). When consciousness is defined as self-awareness, it implies that an individual measures and weighs options concerning an issue and as such, all actions are controlled in a state of awareness. In addition, consciousness enhances capacity for social coordination. Humphreys (1982) argues that a subject that is conscious is not only aware of itself and therefore its immediate needs but is also able to extend the awareness to other similar creatures. In a human context, being conscious therefore enables an individual to be conscious of others surrounding him which results to responsiveness to the events occurring in the social arena. Participation and responsiveness to the social environment leads to an integration of the like-subjects so that the social system develops values, beliefs, structures, intentions and perceptions. In addition to social coordination, consciousness presents a subject with an integrated representation of reality. By combining experiential organization and dynamism inherent in consciousness, it presents the world in an easy to understand frame. According to Campbell (1994), the features of consciousness help to constitute a meaningful structure of the world. Additionally, consciousness plays the following functions, all of which are additions, either to physical or cognitive processes; it enhances informational access, enhances freedom of will and intrinsic motivation (Wegner, 2002). Going by these explanations, it is evident that the realm of consciousness is made up of both sensory functions and intellectual processes, implying that a significant part of consciousness is dependent on brain processes. In the section below, a brief outline will be made of what constitutes brain processes and make efforts to establish a correlation between them and the features and functions of consciousness discussed above.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Lsd And Mainstream 1960s Media :: essays research papers

Despite the negative portrayal in mainstream 1960s media, justifications expressed by counterculture activists for further investigation, education and experimentation under government control of LSD were rational and valid arguments. Sex, drugs, protests, war, political upheaval, cultural chaos, and social rebellion; the many comforts TV dinner eating, republican voting, church going, suburbia conformists tried to escape through conservative ideals, town meetings, and The Andy Williams Family Hour. National consciousness in 1960s United States was alive, but existed differently in every mind it dwelled, and stirred uninterrupted in every life to which it was introduced. A dream of money, success, and a house with a white picket fence still existed within the pandemonium of the nation and many still relished in the idea of â€Å"Americanism.† Television was a base for a magnitude of world news and national information. Television situation comedies created ideal families and c ontenting distractions from unsettling national realities. Mainstream media, both fact and fiction, influenced the nation’s minds resulting in the effect of political change and further media influence over the government. The new decade, along with the effects of the Vietnam War and the strong influence of television, began to leak from the cracks of the nation a new counterculture of rebellious teenagers, unfamiliar narcotics, and a wave of promiscuity. Among the many issues and events molding our nation into a new decade, came the question of government and mind control. For some it was the next step into human evolution, a potential tool for mind control, a liberator of human kind, but for most LSD helped define 1960s counterculture, in which it was deeply rooted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  LSD has proved that the mind contains much higher powers and energies, beyond the average10% of the brain that a typical human uses. These powers and energies, under the right circumstances, can be taken advantage of to benefit human kind spiritually, creatively, therapeutically, and intellectually. LSD has given human kind the option to chemically trigger mental energies and powers. Arguments that LSD is potentially a dangerous discovery and mind control should be strictly prohibited by the government holds much validity, although there are benefits and arguments of personal freedom of neurology to consider. Whether LSD reflects negativity as a weapon and mind control drug, or radiates euphoria as a mind-expanding chemical and sacrament, the choice to engage in such an experience should be through personal reasoning. It is not the states and other bureaucracies’ duties to take control of the human brain and body.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Overcoming: Human and Fate Essay

As human beings, we are made imperfect, and do not have total control over events that affect our lives, thoughts and emotions. We may be implied to feel anger and do things we never thought we were capable of. We may enter into sadness, and experience a kind of sadness that couldn’t be cured. The beauty of life is learning how to overcome these emotions, these thoughts, and emotions. To be able to pull through from the worst times is the most rewarding experience of life. Every day, we as human beings experience how life can easily be influenced by changes that cannot be controlled. The Assault and Paradise of the Blind are novels in which these changes or events can unleash the worst characteristics of people, and a battle for control ensues, between the mind and the forces of nature. Ultimately, all the realities of misfortune and tragedy combine with the emotions of inner will power to overcome everything and move on to the future and forget the past. In The Assault, Anton Steenwijk selfishly believes that it he can change what Fate has regrettably bestowed upon him. However, no matter how much he tries to forget the events of his past and move on fate will not allow it. He does not realize that the only way to ever rid himself of the past is to accept it what has happened. Try he does, but one thing fate does not allow is the truth. Not until Anton has lived a whole life does he ever really find the truth of how his whole family was mercilessly slaughtered. Fate is what the world has planned for you, fate is everything you can’t change, the actions of people around you, and the events that affect everything around you. For Anton fate was just an element of the past, to him nothing but Anton himself could affect the events of his future. The battle between Anton and the past, was eventually won by Anton as he stands in the crowd realizing, â€Å"Everything is forgotten in the end. (185)† Yet, the battle was lost easily. Fate never allows Anton to forget, when he runs into Fake Jr, unexpectedly meets Takes, and lastly bumps into Karin Korteweg. Fate will always come with unexpected events, â€Å"It’s no coincidence†¦ (89),† its fate. In the end Anton proves to be the larger power, with the help of the realization of the past and the ability to accept everything as it is Anton moves on from the fate of the past, Anton lives his own life. Paradise of the Blind is a tale about a young woman overwhelmed by her misfortune. The novel tells a story of Hang, who from the very beginning in plagued with bad luck, when she first receives news of her ill uncle. Hang’s fate was not written by herself, but by the hand of her parents, who first encountered the area of misfortune. Fate chose the ____ family to bestow so much misfortune upon. With the reoccurrence of parental losses, sickness and poverty, fate does its best to set up a eventual fail for Hang’s life. Throughout the novel Aunt Tam also is a target of fates’ misfortune, but she is also the only example for Hang of overcoming such bad luck. Aunt Tam has such natural will power; she is such a hard worker that luck no longer becomes an issue. Aunt Tam learns to make her own luck, she fights the hard times, and wrestles with failure to become a wealthy renowned woman of her village. In going against the status quo she becomes an example to Hang, an example of overcoming the bad, to take matters into your own hands when everything is lost. Hang’s last bit of misfortune occurs as Aunt Tam passes away. With the realization that Aunt Tam built a life up from the ground with nothing and from where she was to how she died, Hang realizes that she also has those same characteristics. The novel does not go into detail on how she reached her potential, but the reader is led to believe she overcame the bad to finally reach a life led by her own self, opposed to all of fates’ misfortune. In both novels the characters attempt to combat fate, emotions and destiny; ultimately overcoming them all too become someone far better than they thought they could be. Hang and Anton can very easily be compared, as both relive their past and do their best to change or forget it. Hang similarly to Anton loses her father, and this impacts her life almost as much as Anton’s life was affected by the loss of both his parents. An influential character takes the place of the lost parental, Anton his Uncle and Aunt, Hang her Aunt Tam. The fight for the win over destiny ensues throughout the novel and as both Hang and Anton fight to rid their past they find out more about themselves than they ever knew possible. The battle of emotions is finally won by the two unfortunate souls, and the journey to the finish proves to pay off. Anton gets to live free from the wonders of his past, and Hang begins her life as herself not being held back by anything or anyone. Mankind has tried to conquer its hidden demons because it is afraid of them. But despite all of the technological advances that have been made, they are still being undermined by fates emotions like jealousy, hatred, and arrogance. The human race fears fate for it unleashes the worst qualities in people, and can not be conquered by the machines that are revered so much. It is naà ¯ve of humans to believe that they can ever vanquish the bad events of time, but they are intent on driving out any memories of times of imperfect. Yet they do not realize that imperfection is humanity’s greatest trait and weakness at the same time, and that these fate exist to make this fact obvious to all.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

The sculpture Bodhisattva

The sculpture Bodhisattva had the strongest impact upon me for various reasons. This piece, found in the Silk Road Chicago collection at the Art Institute of Chicago, is a cross-cultural work with obvious Eastern and Western influences. This sculpture is a beautiful 2nd to 3rd century A. D. piece that depicts a man standing in obvious deep meditation. This model was created in the region of Gandhara, which is modern-day Pakistan and Afghanistan. This early representation of a Buddha-like figure is a unique and powerful image. The title, Bodhisattva, can be directly translated from Sanskrit as meaning a â€Å"spiritual essence or being.†This figure is an interpretation of a sacred being that has delayed its own nirvana in order to help others reach the spiritual plane. The adornments that this figure wears are representative of its delay to the spiritual realm. Wearing material and worldly items means that it has not transcended yet. This type of commitment is impressive and th e figure is blessed with the incredible ability to be in a state between both worlds. The figure in the sculpture has an awe-like power over the viewer. It makes you feel as if you are looking at an object that attains holy attributes.Although, the sculpture has divine qualities, it also makes the viewer feel able to relate to it. It is humanized in a way that differs from other Buddha representations. This makes the impact of the work even stronger. An inner strength is portrayed that varies from the traditional at rest Buddha that is found in most artwork. This figure has power, but it is not menacing. It is serene and this serenity is transferred to the viewer of the piece. It is easy to see how these types of figures transcended into what is now modern-day Buddhism. The bodhisattvas were ancient spiritual beings that were worshipped.The collective group of these became the Buddha figure that is widely known today. The detail of this sculpture is incredible. Despite its age, the particulars of the piece have remained blissfully intact. The hands are missing, but it is possible to guess at how they were placed in the sculpture. The right hand was most likely raised and assuming a gesture of reassurance. An object found in the left hand would determine the type of bodhisattva. There is realism in the depiction that makes the viewer feel that they are gazing upon an actual interpretation. Unlike other bodhisattva pieces, this work feels more based on a real person.Despite the Eastern subject matter, there is little doubt that there is Western influence apparent in this piece. â€Å"The art of this region experienced a type of merger with Greek influences after Alexander the Great conquered the region in the 4th century B. C. † (Rowland, 1960, 8). An example of this found in the Bodhisattva is clear in the figure’s intricate robes. These types of folds are traditionally found in Greek and Roman artistic depictions. The drapery reminds the viewer o f the togas worn by the figures in the sculptures of Roman imperials. The chest of the figure is also reminiscent of the merger of these two cultures.It is a more realistic portrayal with the muscular indentations found upon the figure’s chest. Eastern portrayals had less defined bodies in their works. The Indian traditions of the sculpture are displayed in the figure’s mustache and the dhori that he wears. The dual influences of this work made the most significant impact upon me. It is rare to see a piece that has such obvious Eastern and Western elements found in the manifestation. This cross-cultural work is a harmonious interpretation of a strong spiritual figure. Additionally, it has a strong religious impact.It is a documentation of how Buddhism made it way from India into China. When looking at the sculpture, it is unavoidable that you are not moved at how this is exposing a historical occurrence. The stone material of the piece lends power to the idea that this is a strong figure that is tied to the material world, but has the ability to guide people to their own nirvana. The lasting material makes the viewer feel as though they are looking at a spiritual piece that has transcended through the ages. Buddha is an important figure in artwork and it is essential to know how this form came into being.

Friday, November 8, 2019

When It Was Legal to Mail a Baby

When It Was Legal to Mail a Baby Once-upon-a-time, it was legal to mail a baby in the United States. It happened more than once and by all accounts, the mailed tots arrived no worse for wear. Yes, baby mail was a real thing. On January 1, 1913, the then Cabinet-level U.S. Post Office Department - now the U.S. Postal Service  - first started delivering packages. Americans instantly fell in love with the new service and were soon mailing each other all sorts of items, like parasols, pitchforks and, yes, babies. Smithsonian Confirms Birth of Baby Mail As documented in the article, â€Å"Very Special Deliveries,† by curator of the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum Nancy Pope, several children, including one â€Å"14-pound baby† were stamped, mailed and dutifully delivered by the U.S. Post Office between 1914 and 1915. The practice, noted Pope, became affectionately known by letter carriers of the day as baby mail. According to Pope, with  postal regulations, being few and far between in 1913, they failed to specify exactly â€Å"what† could and could not be mailed via the still very new parcel post service. So in mid-January 1913, an unnamed baby boy in Batavia, Ohio was delivered by a Rural Free Delivery carrier to its grandmother about a mile away. â€Å"The boy’s parents paid 15-cents for the stamps and even insured their son for $50,† wrote Pope. Despite a â€Å"no humans† declaration by the Postmaster General, at least five more children were officially mailed and delivered between 1914 and 1915. Baby Mail Often Got Very Special Handling If the very idea of mailing babies sounds sort of reckless to you,  don’t worry. Long before the then-Post Office Department had created its â€Å"special handling† guidelines for packages, children delivered via â€Å"baby-mail† got it anyway. According to Pope, the children were â€Å"mailed† by traveling with trusted postal workers, often designated by the child’s parents. And fortunately, there are no heartbreaking cases of babies being lost in transit or stamped â€Å"Return to Sender† on record. The longest trip taken by a â€Å"mailed† child took place in 1915  when a six-year-old girl traveled from her mother’s home in Pensacola, Florida, to her father’s home in Christiansburg, Virginia. According to Pope, the nearly 50-pound little girl made the 721-mile trip on a mail train for just 15 cents in parcel post stamps. According to the Smithsonian, its â€Å"baby mail† episode pointed out Postal Service’s importance at a time when traveling long distances was becoming more important  but remained difficult and largely unaffordable for many Americans. Perhaps even more importantly, noted Ms. Pope, the practice indicated how the Postal Service in general, and especially its letter carriers had become â€Å"a touchstone with family and friends far away from each other, a bearer of important news and goods. In some ways, Americans trusted their postmen with their lives.† Certainly, mailing your baby took a lot of​ plain old  trust. The End of Baby Mail The Post Office Department officially put a stop to â€Å"baby mail† in 1915, after postal regulations barring the mailing of human beings enacted the year before were finally enforced. Even today, postal regulations allow the  mailing of live animals, including poultry, reptiles, and bees, under certain conditions. But no more babies, please. About the Photographs As you can imagine, the practice of â€Å"mailing† children, usually at costs far lower than regular train fare, drew considerable notoriety, leading to the taking of the two photographs shown here. According to Pope, both photos were staged for publicity purposes and there are no records of a child actually being delivered in a mail pouch. The photos are two of the most popular among the extensive Smithsonian Photographs on Flicker photo collection.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The eNotes Blog Ten Summer Reading Picks Whats On YOURList

Ten Summer Reading Picks Whats On YOURList We should read to give our souls a chance to luxuriate.   ~Henry Miller Ahhh†¦ summer. I do a lot of heavy reading during the year and I love it. But when summer comes and I spend hours and hours in the Texas heat at the local pools, I often want something lighter to read.   I still demand good writing, no matter what the topic, however.   Here are some of my favorite choices and a few from friends for you to stick in your beach bag. 10. Enslaved by Ducks by Bob Tarte I found this wry and touching book at a used bookstore a few years ago, and have bought it again for at least four people. Tarte’s true tale of moving from the city to the country and acquiring more and more animals is unforgettable, especially if you are an animal lover or have ever dreamed of living a quieter life.   Publisher’s Weekly says: â€Å"With dead-on character portraits, Tarte keeps readers laughing about unreliable pet store proprietors, a duck named Hector who doesn’t like water, an amorous dove named Howard, a foster-mother goose, patient veterinarians and increasingly bewildered friends. Tarte has an ordinary-Joe voice that makes each chapter a true pleasure, while revealing a sophisticated vision of animals and their relationship to humans.† 9.   Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris At first, I was disappointed that Sedaris’s new book would not be a collection of essays from his real life and family.   But the humor works here in this anthropomorphized series of human foibles and vanities. Remember, however, that despite the adorable illustration, this is in no way a children’s book. Some of the animal stories include a dying lab rat, a cat who goes to AA meetings, cheating dogs, and a mouse with a pet snake. Christopher Muther of the Boston Globe says Sedaris is a â€Å"connoisseur of human nature at its worst.† Enjoy! 8. Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell Going on a road trip? Take along Sarah Vowell’s delightfully funny and informative look at the places, people, and situations involved in the assassinations of three American presidents: Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley. Bruce Handy of the New York Times aptly notes that Vowell â€Å"made the commercially courageous decision to avoid the catnip that is the Kennedy name† and says Assassination Vacation is â€Å"a learned, engagingly discursive, funny, sometimes even jolly ramble - literally - through the landscape of American presidential assassinations.† 7.   Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs This is a recommendation from a friend who says, â€Å"The book series inspired the television series ‘Bones† but the books are different. The protagonist (like the author) is a forensic anthropologist who works between Montreal and North Carolina. I get murder, travel and fun filled macabre facts. 6.   American Gods by Neil Gaiman Another recommendation from a friend, who says, â€Å"I have read it several times, but the first time I read it I finished it on a trip to Orlando. Anything Gaiman is an excellent read.†Ã‚   Laura Miller of Salon.com praises American Gods, saying it   â€Å"is a juicily original melding of archaic myth with the slangy, gritty, melancholy voice of one of America’s great cultural inventions - the hard-boiled detective; call it Wagnerian noir. The melting pot has produced stranger cocktails, but few that are as tasty.† 5.   Life by Keith Richards Lots of rock musicians have gone on to that Great Gig in the Sky, many of them Richard’s contemporaries: Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, and dozens of others. Betting people probably thought the odds of Richards being among their numbers a good pay off. But Richards has survived, and his tales of writing and working with the other members of the Rolling Stones is fascinating. Listen to his interview about the book with NPR’s Terry Gross on Fresh Air here.   Particularly interesting is the story of how both the music and lyrics to the classic song â€Å"Satisfaction† came to him in a dream. 4.   The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt Another recommendation from a friend who finds this novel engrossing. Michael Christy  reviewed the novel in his â€Å"Afterword† column in the National Post. He writes: This novel follows two brothers, Eli and Charlie Sisters, infamous assassins sent on an errand to kill Hermann Kermit Warm, an ingenious (and, as it turns out, extremely likable) man, who is accused of stealing from their boss, a fearsome figure named the Commodore. Luckily for us, the genre permits deWitt to turn his considerable powers loose, allowing him to rummage the treasure chest of English with much less constraint than a story staged in the contemporary world†¦ There is a delightful irony generated between this over-formal, old-timey way in which the characters speak, and the horrific subject matter they are often aiming to relate. 3.   The Silent Twins by Marjorie Wallace I read this book years and years ago (on a beach, in Jamaica†¦don’t hate).   The tale of these two twins who never spoke to anyone as children, not even their parents, but developed their own language, intelligible only to themselves, fascinated me as did their joint arson attacks in their later years. Library Journal says: This true story focuses on the young adult years of identical twin girls. June and Jennifer isolate themselves from family and society, sinking into a world of interdependency, fantasy, and obsessive game-playing, until an arson spree lands them in a hospital for the criminally insane. The fascination of this tale lies in the discrepancy between the twins’ silent, emotionless facade and the rich creativity and passion that spills out endlessly in their writing. The author has reconstructed their story from their extensive diaries, in which they compulsively explore their lives and the condition of the world as they perceive it. Again and again, they express both their love and hatred for each other and their desire yet inability to become separate individuals. This book is written by a sympathetic journalist for a general audience. 2.   The Colour of Magic (The First Discworld Novel) by Terry Pratchett Want to really lose yourself to a completely different world this summer? Get hooked on Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. If you are totally unfamiliar with the 26 novels, here is a brief overview and review of the first book from Fantasy Book Review: The Colour Of Magic is set on a world sitting on the backs of four elephants hurtling through space. Rincewind, the wizard and Twoflower, the Discworld’s first tourist encounter DEATH and Hrun the Barbarian on their journey through the Discworld. †¦ This novel is very different from most fantasy novels and a is breath of fresh air. A beautifully imagined world and wonderfully described characters, when added to the mix, make this a must read novel. This book can stop you from taking life too seriously. 1.   Bossypants by Tina Fey I don’t often recommend books by comedians. Too often, they are just re-hashed versions of their stage shows, television bits, or information you’ve heard in interviews a million times. You probably have heard the accolades about Fey’s book and they are deserved. Fey is funny and revealing, recounting stories about her life (yes, she tells about how she got that scar, something she is very reluctant to do) and her career (much harder and longer than most people think) and is honest about her relationships with fellow actors like Amy Poehler and Alec Baldwin and her former boss at Saturday Night Live, Loren Michaels. If you have been looking for something to read this summer, I hope these suggestions help. Please do leave your own suggestions for others to enjoy. Happy reading!

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Metabolite Processing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Metabolite Processing - Essay Example According to the paper the scientists have identified many metabolites related to cancer. Some of the most important molecules are phosphocholine, glycine, glutamate, aspartate and essential aminoacids. Metabolic reprogramming alters the nutrient intake and excretion. The study of the metabolic pathways involved in the transformed cells is required for the study and treatment of cancer. There are about 60 human cancer cell lines producing nine types of tumors. The metabolic pathways present in these cell lines must be studied for the treatment of cancer in the humans. The quantitative analysis of the metabolites in the given cancer cell line are done using different biotechnological techniques. Some of the analysis methods like gas chromatography time- of – flight mass spectrophotometry, orthogonal partial least squares discriminate analysis, and acquity ultra performance liquid chromatography – quadrupole time – of – flight mass spectrphotometry, Liquid c hromatography – tandem mass spectrometry and micro array data analysis. These methods are used for the analysis of the spent medium and the base line medium of the tissue. From this study it is clear that   219 metabolites were analyzed from the cancer cell lines. Out of them, 111 metabolites were found in the spent medium and baseline medium. The major metabolites that are utilized from the medium are analyzed and the data were compared with the existing microarray pooled data. The studies have found that the rapid proliferation requires rapid utilization and synthesis of the metabolites in the medium.   Glycine is a non-essential amino acid and they are not synthesized directly in the body. Glycine is produced by the conversion of L-serine into glycine by the mitochondrial serine hydroxymethyltransferase. The analysis of the glycine concentration for the rapid cell proliferation and the effect of glycine in cancer cell proliferation were analysed in this technique. The Gene silencing technique was used for the analysis of the enzyme mitochondrial serine hydroxymethyltransferase. It was observed that the glycine consumption was very less in the absence of this enzyme and the cell proliferation was very less in the glycine depriving medium. When glycine was supplied externally, the cell showed rapid cell

Friday, November 1, 2019

Apple vs. Samsung Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Apple vs. Samsung - Essay Example Apple and Samsung are world leaders in smartphones and tablets, the two fastest growing consumer electronics market across the globe. For this reason, the success of Apple’s law suit could potentially have global ramifications even though the ruling only applies to the American market. A possible scenario that could play out is for Apple to pursue other competitors in the US – with many analysts seeing the Android Operating System as the main target. However, given that we do not see Apple’s lawsuit succeeding in other jurisdictions, this would segment the global consumer electronics industry into the US and the rest of the world. This would isolate the US consumer electronics industry from global competition. This could be beneficial for the Apple in the short-run but in the long-run the lack of competition could eventually make the US consumer electronics industry to go the way of the US auto-industry. There are three questions that I see arising from this article. First, interaction design is a fundamental component of consumer electronics. Is it ethical to grant proprietary rights to fundamental components that advance the growth of the industry? Secondly, when looking at such patent-infringement battles is the effect on consumers weighed in or only the interests of corporations are taken into account? What is the greater good? Banks, T. (2012, August 28). Apple vs. Samsung - what does it mean for design? Design Week. Retrieved September 11, 2012, from