Ralph and Jack’s Conflict between Good and Evil in Lord of the Flies Essay

?Ralph and Jack’s Conflict between Good and Evil in Lord of the Flies Over the ages, human behavior has shown that purity of thought leads to a similar action and ultimately to an outcome that is consistent with the original thought. Conversely, the history of man is tainted with his inherent lust for power and greed causing great conflict. In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the author contrasts the moral thoughts and deeds of his flawed hero Ralph to the self gratifying motives and actions of his adversary Jack. The ebb and flow of good versus evil on the island is driven by the waves of positive and negative thoughts in the minds of the two main characters. Ralph and Jack’s continuous struggle of good versus evil is not only between the two of them, but is within their own minds as well. Jack shows his inclination towards selfishness and violence while Ralph keeps a caring and positive mind towards the group’s survival. The boys have a meeting on the top of the mountain to discuss what to do next concerning their survival, which gives jack the opportunity to bring up hunting: â€Å"’It broke away-‘ ‘Before I could kill it- but- next time! ’ Jack slammed his knife into a trunk and looked round challengingly† (31). Already Jack begins to reveal his aggressive and violent nature. Jack has the opinion that being dominant and seen as powerful is more important to his own survival, while Ralph thinks about the survival of the group as a whole. Jack’s hunting is more about a selfish need than about providing for others. During the first hunt, Jack goes to satisfy his craving for meat and power: â€Å"He swung his right arm and hurled the spear with all his strength. From the pig-run came the quick, hard patter of hoofs, a castanet sound, seductive, maddening- the promise of meat† (49). Jack’s hunt for meat has become an obsessive search for power and a way to demonstrate his strength to the boys. He believes that catching and killing a pig and bringing it back for the others is the ultimate way to show that he is dominant and better than them. Jack is now consciously embodying his evil thoughts into his physical appearance. After realizing his hunting methods are not adequate, Jack paints his face into a mask in order to hunt more successfully: â€Å"Jack planned his new face. He made one cheek and one eye-socket white, then rubbed red over the other half of his face and slashed a black bar of charcoal across from right ear to left jaw† (66). He is consciously using the colours black and red to demonstrate the darkness and thirst for blood inside of him. Jack also shows his evil and anger in the way he aggressively slashes the charcoal onto his face. Ralph’s deeper level of thinking leads him to take positive action towards improving conditions on the island. Ralph walks along the beach and come to realization just how badly things have deteriorated on the island: â€Å"With a convulsion of the mind, Ralph discovered dirt and decay; understood how much he disliked perpetually flicking the tangled hair out of his eyes, and at last, when the sun was gone, rolling noisily to rest among dry leaves† (82). Ralph’s thoughts, while not entirely good, have helped him to realize how bad the actually situation is on the island and what he needs to do to stop the situation from getting worse. Ralph’s world of order is pitted against Jack’s world of chaos. At the meeting, Ralph tries to reestablish the rules and Jack is openly challenging his authority: â€Å"Ralph summoned his wits. ‘Because the rules are the only thing we’ve got! ’ But Jack was shouting against him. ‘Bullocks to the rules! We’re strong- we hunt! If there’s a beast, we’ll hunt it down! We’ll close in and beat and beat and beat- ! ’† (99) Ralph expresses his good thoughts in a way to keep justice and order on the island, while Jack tries to destroy any trace of this with thoughts of rebellion and power over Ralph’s law. When Ralph realized that he cannot win, he gives into the bad thoughts that consume the island. Ralph is the last one left who still has a sense of order and is being hunted by the others for not agreeing with their ways: â€Å"But then the fatal unreasoning knowledge came to him again. The breaking of the conch and the deaths of Piggy and Simon lay over the island like a vapour. These painted savages would go further and further† (204). He experiences bad thoughts regarding his survival and develops a sense of hopelessness and futility. Ralph, slowly losing his own sanity and at the loss of Piggy and Simon there to induce good thoughts, is left to hide and attack the others for his own survival. Ralph is entirely overwhelmed by the thoughts of good and evil. He flees from the savages onto the beach where he finds, standing before him, a naval officer with a ship at his back. â€Å"†¦ Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall though the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy† (225). All of Ralph’s thoughts crash down on him at this moment and he is overwhelmed by the truth of man’s inner evil and by the death of his loyal and good friend Piggy. The conflict between the two characters, Ralph and Jack, is underlined by the good and evil thought patters that directly lead to the actions they each take. While good thoughts bear good fruit and bad thoughts bear bad fruit, the potential for good and evil lies within all of mankind. Works Cited Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. London: Faber and Faber Limited, 1958. Print.

Britain & Euro reivised

This paper looks at the definition euro, its origin, implications and reasons why it Britain should join it or not. There are benefits of Britain will gain by joining the euro rather greater than staying away. These include improved living standards, access to larger market, stabilization of prices, minimization of exchange risks and business risks, reduction of effect of investment loss and influence in the European Union. On the hand joining the euro may bring about difficulty in integrating to single currency, low flexibility in labor and migration movement as well as financial burden to be incurred when joining the euro.Thus it is better to join than to avoid. THE EURO AND BRITAIN The euro is the official name of the single currency which became operational from January 1, 1999. Then it became the official currency for thirteen countries in Europe referred as Euro zone or Euro Area. The name â€Å"euro† was adopted in December 1995 at the European Union Council of Minister s meeting in Madrid. The symbol for the euro was derived from the Greek letter epsilon. First letter E refers to Europe while Greece represents the origin of European civilization. The horizontal parallel lines in the euro symbol stands for stability.Banks started depositing cash in Euro currencies that is the euro time deposits of cash held outside the country of its origin in a banking system (Banking glossary 2006; European economic & monetary union, 2008 The introduction of the euro is of great significance to Europe because since the collapse of the Roman Empire there has been no common currency in Europe, trade with different currencies was difficult and travelers had additional fees when exchanging the currencies. There was a risk to the investors because there was unexpected profit that can turn into loss if the exchange rate fluctuated.Hence, the need for a common currency which will facilitate trade in Europe (Mitropolitski, 2003) Common currency makes EU foreign investors reduce risks for their investments. The market enlarges and the regional price imbalances are rectified. Consumers will have common currency to measure the different goods and services and the people from the Euro area feel closer and build a common identity. They have demonstrated that people can come together without foreign influence. The Euro is then counterweight to the US dollar in foreign exchange (Mitropolitski, 2003)The history of producing European currency as a financial pillar of EU is quite recent. In the Treaty of Rome (1957) that was the foundation of EU did not mention common currency. But subsequent Acts of 1986 and 1992 became the foundation of a single currency. From January 1, 1999 the Euro was introduced (Mitropolitski, 2003) The implication of changing to Euro is diverse as the benefits of joining it. By having a single currency, the European Economic Monetary Union (EMU) members aim at promoting a single European market, similar in the size to that of US mark et.By combing these countries like Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain under one European market the economy is capable of growing at a faster rate. This means increased job opportunities and a higher standard of living. Bowman 1999 The nationals in the countries had to shift their loyalties to the euro. Since people are usually emotionally attached to their money and feelings of nationalism being involved this would differ from country to country in varying degrees (Bowman, 1999)The businesses will have noticeable changes to the way they will conduct their business such that there should be transparent prices. Consumers will have easy choice to compare prices in different countries and businesses which used to exploit the difference in currency values through price discrimination will have to contend pricing in euros. Businesses will have to restructure their pricing policies for a much wider markets (Bowman 1 999). The euro will accelerate business efficiency; company costs will be reduced, consumers will enjoy low and stable price. Individual countries made specific adjustment in order to benefit e. g.adjusting their expenditure and taxes. Germany had to take economic measures by limiting their fiscal stimulatory policy when economic growth was slow while unemployment rate increased. These measures were taken in order to harmonize their economies and make it less risky to function under one currency (Bowman 1999). There were complex logistical problems which Europeans had to overcome in adjusting to the euro such as the financial institutions had to change their systems and train staff. Prices had to be adjusted in euros when national currencies were still circulating for three more years after introduction of virtual currencies.Parking meters, vending and cash machines had to be converted for the introduction of euro notes and coins (Bowman 1999). Other service sectors had changed thei r system operations e. g. Mail services printed new stamps and revenue collection and payment done new tax forms as well as in advertisement campaigns. However, it took more time before consumers and businesses had completely adjusted following their countries giving out authority on the exchange rate and monetary policies under one currency (Bowman 1999) For US companies doing business in Europe, the shift to euros brought many changes i.e. Business operation became easier and cost-effective, especially those with branches in Europe. They now have a larger market, consumers and customers billed in dollars were least affected by the change but as the euro's role grows internationally, pressure may be put on US companies to start pricing in euros. Then they would have to start absorbing the exchange rate costs and risks that their customers had experienced. Although doing business in Europe by American companies’ became easier competition increased as well (Bowman 1999). There are arguments for and against Britain joining the euro.We will first look at the reasons why the British should join. This is because in 1956 Britain failed to join the European Common Market and its economy failed to grow compared to other countries like France and Germany. When it later joined in 1973 the economy grew but did not close the gap between the Britain and those which entered earlier. The benefit of Britain joining the European market through the euro will be largely affected by the access in which it will enjoy of having large market and large economies of scale. In this case trade barriers are eliminated.The products of British companies will be able to reach a wide selection of clientele and operate in large scale. This will contribute to producing goods more efficiently as seen in United States. The companies will restructure and merge in order to benefit from single market and single currency. The large market will also make it easier for medium sized companies to get cheaper intermediate goods and raw materials from a wide range of suppliers (Layard et al. , 2002). Although Britain joined the free trade market it really did not make a single market because of different currencies used by those countries.Hence, prices of goods varied considerably between and within countries. For example, United Sates and Canada have a common language and culture but they have different currencies. Prices of goods vary significantly in US and Canada than between provinces in Canada. This makes the markets of these two countries significantly different mainly due to currencies (Layard et al. , 2002). When Britain joins the single currency market its nationals and companies will enjoy wide variety of goods and services at cheaper value. The living standards of consumers will improve.For an economy to grow of such nature like that of Britain there is need of single currency. This is because Britain has high tradable sector to European market. The single currenc y will have great effect on its economy. For example, before the introduction of euro in 1999, in the previous year, Britain had high percentage trading between countries of Euro Area. However, after the other counties joined the trade exchange of Britain decreased by -1% between 1998 and 2001 while those of countries in the Euro Area increased by 20%.See the table below (Layard et al. , 2002). Single currency is quite significant in trade and productivity because it leads to absence in currency fluctuation. Companies are able to restructure their systems so that they can achieve maximum efficiency and improve their productivity. Also single currency will ensure there is price transparency. Companies will have to change the price of their goods across all countries which may be relatively stable. Otherwise customers of business and consumers will cross the border for buying and shopping their merchandise.This will result in public outcry and a response will be inevitable. Thus, it w ill stimulate productivity of companies (Layard et al. , 2002). In joining the euro, capital market integration will occur and barriers between capital markets will breakdown. This is different from where previously companies within individual countries will hold their assets and liquidity in the same currency. But with the introduction of euro companies can invest across EU countries which will definitely stimulate productivity (Layard et al., 2002). The floating pound poses a disadvantage to British companies since the pound will fluctuate against the euro. This will make businesses lose profit and may later degenerate into bankruptcy. Their profitability will fluctuate with fluctuation of exchange rate thereby increasing business risk for exporters and importers. The companies cannot insure their companies against such risks in case they would want to invest in other EU countries where there is uncertainty in quantities and prices of goods to be sold.Therefore British companies w ill have to sell its goods in euro rather than in pounds (Layard et al. , 2002). The uncertainty in exchange rate deters the formation of unified market and investment. This is because of arbitrary fluctuation of exchange rates over a period of time against the allowable adjustment margin. This brings about economic shock where the independent exchange rate cannot offset. The dysfunctional movement of exchange rate will impact negatively on the economy because of large tradable sector compared to a large economy (Layard et al., 2002). The disadvantage of floating exchange rate may escalate making it unattractive of which it will continue to do so as a result of capital markets being integrated and more liquid. Optimal currency size is a reflection of balance between the benefit of independent interest rates and exchange rates in economic adjustment. But the danger lies in the flexibility of exchange rate which may induce economic shock or the larger financial markets integrating and becoming more liquid (Layard et al. , 2002).Britain has to join the euro because it trades more with it than any other country in the world. For example it trades three times more than in USA which is the second largest trading partner. See the table below showing trading shares in percentage for year 2000 It also necessary for Britain to join because of the currency for which goods and services traded is invoiced. For instance 44% are invoiced in pounds, 32% in US dollars and 20% in euros. Therefore to minimize exchange rate risks it will be important to join the euro rather than the dollar (Layard et al. , 2002).Britain stands to lose it investment from foreign investors who not only target sales in Britain but also Euro zone. Most companies will want to avoid currency risk associated with exchange rate e. g. Toyota and Nissan companies have intended to relocate to Euro area. The risk of London as a hub of business transaction associated with its dominance in bonds, mergers and a cquisition will be experienced if they do not join because the European Central Bank located in Frankfurt in which Finance ministers from Euro countries make decision that affect the whole of EU members can do so in their favor (Layard et al., 2002). Britain also stands to lose its influence in European economic decisions if it opts to stay out of the euro. This is because they view US influence to EU through Britain will be lost. But the fact remains that they can only influence more when they are inside than out. Layard et al (2002) explains a number of reasons for not joining the euro. These are; by joining euro, Britain will not fit well since its economy is more related to US than the rest of Europe. The single currency will require enormous European budget.The labor market will respond differently than the present because it will be less flexible and migration will be lower. Britain will lose the economic importance of exporting oil to European market. The euro will link Brita in to a failing economy because it will be surpassed by other countries. The tax policy of Britain will be altered and that the British financial system is different from the rest of Europe hence making single currency policy difficult. Lastly, Europe’s pension liabilities which are unfunded will be borne by Britain is unnecessary. CONCLUSIONThe above discussion gives elaborate reasons for which Britain will have to join rather than avoid. Since the world economy is going through transformation, the European Union economy has great impact to Britain economy. So it will be of best interest for Britain to join the euro. REFERENCES Banking glossary. Definition. 2006. 16 April 2008 Banking glossary. Euro currencies. 2006. 16 April 2008 Bowman, Jennifer J. Economic Implications. Ed. 1999. Western Pennsylvania International Business Newsletter. 16 April 2008 European economic & monetary union. Euro. 2008. 16 April 2008 Layard, Richard et al. Britain should join. 1 August 2002. 1 6 April 2008 Miltropolistski, Simeon. Euro is important. 26 July 2003. IRED. 16 April 2008

Fast Food Industry in U.S Essay

A variety of different regulations have been set for people that are concerned with tobacco either on a personal level or commercially. Tobacco is associated with damages and thus it has been attacked by medical authorities and social observers. The fast food industry is no exception since it has also contributed to different damages to people’s health. Obesity is just one of the many ailments caused by fast food joints. FDA has made sure that regulations are set and implemented to protect people from damages that tobacco cause. FDA and Tobacco Regulation have some policies that prevent the families from smoking (McGrew, 2008). There is a control act for Tobacco that requires changes to be made to the labeling and advertising of various tobacco products. This act regulates all the advertising to ensure that information passed to people through advertisements is controlled. I think strict regulations should be put in place for the fast food industry. All fast food joints should ensure that their menus have healthier diets. Through advertising, advice can be given to people about their eating so that people can make informed choices on healthy foods. Just like the Tobacco control act, fast foods should post their menus or readable signs of the contents of various foods in terms of how many calories, saturated fat and carbohydrate a diet contain (Tom Paulson, 2008). This menu board can be placed in a readable place inside the restaurant so that when a person makes a choice of food, he or she can be aware of what is being consumed. Tobacco has been subjected to a regulatory control on its production. King James expressed his opinion towards Tobacco production and consumption. He said that tobacco was loathsome to people eyes, it was hateful to people’s nose, it brought harm to the brain and it was a big danger to people’s lung. This statement explains the most specific damages that Tobacco causes to the entire body. The above statement by the King also applies to fast foods. Meat consumption is viewed just as dangerous as Tobacco is to the public health. The people that can be held accountable legally for unhealthy lifestyles are meat producers and the fast food outlets. The fast food industry should be legally accountable for obesity. Living longer does not mean leaving healthier. There has been a great shift between what people eat and where they get their food from. Economic and public health continues to suffer the consequences brought by obesity and a question is raised who can be held accountable. This question is similar to the issue related to illnesses caused by tobacco which is another public health problem. There are different lawsuits brought against fast food industries like McDonald just like tobacco industries was earlier faced by the same disparaging reaction (Michelle M. Mello, 2007). The responsibility of the harm smoking causes was squarely laid on the tobacco industry by the public. These claims were solved by some tight regulations which have ensured the control of tobacco products to date. Fast food offer bad foods but the biggest problem is that a number of people seem not to disregard this fact despite knowing it. The industry tends to do just fine because their unhealthy foods continue to be consumed. For this reason they do not find the need for implementing policies but on the contrary this should be a prime reason as to why they should regulate the industry in a similar way to tobacco industries. My suggestion would be if people must eat these fast foods then they should know the best and the worst so that the role of making the choice can be left on the customer not the vendor. Why fast food industries should have similar policies to tobacco industry is because it has the same damages to the public health. Fast foods have faced claims from different customers in regard to the products produced. Consumption of these products has caused: obesity which has lead to diabetes, heart diseases due to excess fats, high blood pressure, high cholesterol intake and other health effects. The public have claimed that some fast food industries have engaged in advertising that is deceiving, low quality sales and promotions. Fast food has also been accused of producing food that is unreasonably unsafe, and lacking to inform customers on the dangers of these products. There is a rising level of obesity in the world today and the cause is found in the way our food is being grown, processed and packaged (Brownell, 2009). Fast food industry should adapt the marketing and the tactics in lobbying that are used by the tobacco industries. The tobacco industry used legal, political and business strategies tactic due to the concern that the industry had to the public health. Fast foods should employ these same regulations that the tobacco giants employed. The public should be informed about the link that exists between various fast food products and diseases. The doubts that the public has regarding to fast food products should be cleared through intensive marketing especially to the target consumers and in the fast food case it’s the children, adolescents and young adults. Just like tobacco is addictive fast foods can also cause an addiction especially to people who dislike cooking at home or mostly live alone in their homes. The industry should embrace regulations since a great concern has been raised about fast food and how they are advertising their products and selling unhealthy food to school children. Food industry should take up only the good policies that the tobacco industry used and leave the deceptive path. References Brownell, K. (2009, April 8). Food Industry Pursues the strategy of Big Tobacco. anvironment 360 . McGrew, J. L. (2008). History of Tobacco Regulation. Washington D. C. Michelle M. Mello, E. B. (2007). The Fast Food Industry and Legal Accountability. The McLawsuit . Tom Paulson, P. R. (2008, December 31). Fast food chains must post fat, calories. Retrieved March 2012, 2012, from County’s new rules aim at healthier eating: http://www. seattlepi. com/local/article/Fast-food-chains-must-post-fat-calori.

Writer's choice in management of the information resource Research Proposal

Writer's choice in management of the information resource - Research Proposal Example Different social media like Face book, Twitter and Linked In and television have been the best informative site since technology has ever created. As per (Doctor) â€Å"Media is an instrument on communication, like a newspaper or a radio, so social media would be a social instrument of communication†. These social media site allow managing groups and contact lists with which information can be collected and shared which is essential in business world. Social media has the ability to impart news with credibility because it presents facts in raw form. The usability and accessibility makes social media an apt information resource in management area. Managerial people get an individual space to share information and articles. Also processing and refining information is easy by means of social media. And social media have more trust worth information due to its networking ,accessibility and interactivity.As per (Daniel) â€Å"People tend to trust social media users who provide statements based on actual facts and research and not those who merely share their biased opinions† Social media is a technologically advanced means of information system where management can share information and get many leads. Social media has given more creative and interactive platform for management function and given more opportunity for information system to grow. Burgess, Ian. "Facebook as a Collaborative Knowledge Management System ." http://www.ian burgess.m e.uk. Word Press, 2014. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.

Diversity in Canada Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Diversity in Canada - Research Paper Example The research paper "Diversity in Canada" analyzes the opportunities and challenges brought by the cultural diversity in Canada. The employment rate of the indigenous people in Canada that were aged between 25 and 54 years increased from 61.2 percent in the year 2001 to 65.8 per cent in the year 2006. On the other hand, 80.3 percent of the immigrants In Canada were employed in 2001 and in 2006, they employed population increased to 81.6 percent. The local Canadian market is quite diverse culturally just like the global market. Thus, businesses in Canada need to perceive and deal with the cultural diversity as well as the way it affects the economic behavior, market trends, and demands. To encourage the creation and sharing of Canadian stories, both at home and abroad, which reflect Canada's cultural mosaic, Canadian Heritage is pursuing a number of strategic objectives. One of the most cardinal strategic objectives is the realization of the significance of cultural diversity for Canada. There has been a huge debate about the usefulness of multiculturalism in Canada and the potential ways it is impacting the lifestyle of both the indigenous and the immigrant population in the country. The current state of cultural diversity in Canada can best be described as, â€Å"the best of times, it was the worst of times†. Canada has not only seen increased comparative advantage into the society but also has witnessed more evidence of the important role of the Canadian multiculturalism policy in the achievement of comparative success.

Adopting Lean Manufacturing System and Six Sigma Quality System Dissertation

Adopting Lean Manufacturing System and Six Sigma Quality System - Dissertation Example This dissertation demonstrate that management systems are very important to any company as it enables a firm to get better the quality of service and performance delivered. Continuous development programs go through constant adaptation and modification, which is dependent on the need to improve a firm's overall performance. A variety of methodologies and techniques have been initiated, most of which are usually used in private organizations. Such processes can be properly handled through the help of methodical systems or approaches that are considered to progress a company's processes. Two of the most popular and high-effective approaches are the Lean Manufacturing System and the Six Sigma Quality Management System. Both can actually be applied at the same instance, though implementing these methodologies entail a series of modifications that can be difficult for a company. Lean Six Sigma is a combination of Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma Productions. These two well-known approaches have been extensively used separately by several companies, but the integration of both present few published literature. ‘Adopting Lean Manufacturing System and Six Sigma Quality System’ has been conducted to analyze and evaluate the definition and implementation of Lean and Six Sigma in a manufacturing company. In evaluating both methods, the author demonstrate that Lean and Six Sigma have its similarities and differences, though the objective for both systems is to improve a firm's quality and performance rate. ... Continuous development projects and practices would generate a higher degree of success rate through Lean's waste reduction principle and Six Sigma's defects elimination principle. Glossary DMADV - A Six Sigma process that involves the following elements: Define, Measure, Analyse, Design, and Verify. DMAIC - A Six Sigma process that involves the following elements: Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, and Control. Flow - The sequential processes of an operation within a firm. Lean - A quality management system that focuses on the elimination of waste to increase value for continuous development. Sigma units - Measurement units or metrics that are used to assess quality and performance. Six Sigma - A strategic management system that evaluates and monitors sigma measurement units to reduce variation and attain company objectives through Six Sigma methodologies applicable to the conditions. Value - A product or service that customers purchase. Waste - Variables in the organization process es that increases the costs spent by the company that does not generate value. 1. Research Question â€Å"Recent high profile failures such as Toyota’s Brake fiasco have highlighted the need for more robust quality management systems and improved production tools in large organisations. From the perspective of an operations manager in a large manufacturing firm, present a case to the board of directors for adoption of Lean Production Systems and 6 Sigma Quality Management System.† 1.1. Project Aim This research aims to critically evaluate and present a business case for implementing Lean Production and Six Sigma systems into an organisation. 1.2. Project Objectives A. To critically evaluate the Lean Production and Six Sigma Quality

Education and Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Education and Technology - Essay Example chnology based learning in schools, to support literacy about newer technologies in students, to assist distance education, and to improve the teaching process by using latest techniques supported by ICT (Information and Communication Technology). For primary school children, that is, key stage 1 and 2, it should be the decision of teachers where to make use of ICT tools to support their teaching process. According to Harriet Price (2008), ICT in early years helps children enhance their independence in their use of ICT tools like digital cameras, digital images and role-play toys; develop creativity in areas like art, dance, writing and music; and, improve their outdoor learning experience using appropriate ICT tools. Students can be made familiar with computer aided simulations and educational games. For teaching math, teachers can download softwares like christmath which deal with making young children familiar with patterns, sequences, addition, subtraction, ordinal numbers and me mory games. Teachers can use spreadsheets and interactive whiteboards (IWB) to help children learn numeracy while interacting with one another. Math board games such as dice games, bingo and calculator games, geometry games with interactive layout can be used to help children take hold of main arithmetic and geometry skills together with times tables, word problems, ratio, percentage and mental addition. CD-ROMs are another important resource which teachers can use to store their math lessons. For teaching science, teachers can use activities like Animal Magic that are easily available online. This particular activity asks children to sort out and name animals. It uses animations to attract the interest of kids. Teachers can use interactive science games about life processes, living things and physical processes. Students at key stages 1 and 2 can be encouraged to use digital cameras and video cameras at zoo trips and then write their experiences with the help of videos they make.

Financial Reporting on Cement Roadstone Holdings Plc Dissertation

Financial Reporting on Cement Roadstone Holdings Plc - Dissertation Example In the year 2012, the operations of CRH Plc faced mixed economic conditions throughout all the countries in the world. For example, as on one hand the main markets in the United States faced improvement in its overall economic activity, while on the other side economic activity deteriorated in Europe, particularly in Netherlands due to a fall in the continued confidence of investors and consumers in Europe. As a result, the profit and earnings per share of the company in 2012 dropped by 5% and 7%, as compared to 2011. The profit and earnings per share of 2012 amounted to â‚ ¬674 million and 76.5c, whereas in 2011 it amounted to â‚ ¬711 million and 82.6c. The outcomes of 2012 resulted due to the progress in the operations of America helped by a strong recovery in residential construction which lead to an improvement in the overall economic activities in the United States. ... y components- Positive exchange effects of 2012 resulted due to the rise in the US dollar by 8% which lead to the rise sales and pre-tax profits by approximately 4%. Contributions by acquisitions made in 2011 and 2012 lead to a rise in sales revenue of â‚ ¬603million and operating profit of â‚ ¬33 million. Cost incurred in 2012 of â‚ ¬60million was similar to that of 2011(â‚ ¬61 million). Total impairment charges in 2012 were â‚ ¬174 million which was significantly higher than the previous year. In 2012, revenue generated from ongoing operations decreased by â‚ ¬384million. As compared to 2011, earnings per share declined by 7% (82.6c in 2011 to 76.5c in 2012) and cash earnings per share increased by 7% (194.0c in 2011 to 206.8c in 2012). In 2012 Operating profit margin declined to 4.5% and EBITDA margin by 0.4% as the selling price could not recover the increase in input costs. The price of the share of CRH Plc was â‚ ¬15.30 in 2012, as it showed a slight change as compared to 2011 (â‚ ¬15.36). But the dividend was 62.5c and the net return to the shareholders was positive 4%. The overall performance of CRH Plc. in 2012 shows a decline as compared to the performance in 2011. The decrease in the inventory turnover ratio and total assets turnover ratio as compared to 2011 also state the above. Total shareholders’ equity also remained unchanged in 2012 as the net comprehensive income for the year of â‚ ¬0.4 billion was balanced by dividends of â‚ ¬0.4 billion. The year-end net debt of â‚ ¬3 billion was only â‚ ¬0.5 billion lower than the previous year. This is reflected in the debt equity ratio, which also resulted in a decrease as to the previous year. The percentage of net debt to total equity reduced to 28%. But since assets were more as compared to the equity, proprietary ratio

Holocaust Memorial Visit Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Holocaust Memorial Visit - Assignment Example The exclusivity of commemorating the Jewish victims For a race that was almost annihilated and made extinct by Hitler’s genocide, it is only proper that their suffering is commemorated and such remembrance will only be exclusive to them. The purpose is not to dilute the message of how terrible a war crime is when the commemoration is remembered along with other circumstances during the Second World War. Their pain and suffering during the war cannot be compensated by any gesture but at least that by solely remembering them can mitigate the pain caused by the Holocaust. Eisenmann’s preference of No Ort. My stand. It is quite absurd as an idea for a Museum to be built underground because it defeats the very purpose of erecting that Museum. Museums are built to memorialize or remember something. To memorialize and remember it, the museum has to be seen by the most number of people possible. Constructing it underground not only defeats its purpose but it sends the message that it is concealing the atrocities that were done to the Jews during the Holocaust. Why the US taxpayers money should not be used to commemorate the Jewish victims It is the Germans who committed those war crimes against the Jews during the Second World War and not the Americans. And as such, it is only proper that German’s taxpayer should be used to build those monuments as a form of remuneration for what they have done to the Jews during the Holocaust. Americans should not pay to commemorate a crime they did not commit.

Child Safety Essay Example for Free

Child Safety Essay Safety is the condition of being protected against physical, social, emotional, financial or other types or consequences of failure, damage, harm or any other event which could be considered un-desirable. To me safety is the most important aspect of any environment because it affects a person mentally and for anyone to show his/her best performance it is necessary that their safety zone is intact. When we think about safety the first thing that comes to mind is protection, shelter, freedom etc. And, this starts from the moment a child is born till he/she is alive. All human beings want a secure and healthy environment which is utterly devoid of hazards and dangers. And, when we talk about children’s safety; it plays a vital role in their upbringing and development in ensuring they are enthusiastic, creative and confident because when they are provided with an environment that is relatively free from danger, risks and threats of harm then they feel relaxed, happy, free to explore. It is very important to provide safety to the children because sometimes some events, incidents or actions affect children a lot, whereas we adults feel that it will not matter to the child. Talking about myself as a teacher, I would take all the necessary steps to ensure that my learning environment is unhindered. Firstly, I would plan the physical appearance with material and ideas that are age appropriate. This will allow me to attract and inspire my pupils in a positive direction. The class should have a warm environment and the color schemes used should be inviting. Indisputably there will be material and some resources like scissors, glue, sockets, play dough etc. that might be dangerous or harmful to the child, these items though needed in the class should be kept out of reach and when required used under the guidance of the teacher. The furniture and seating arrangement in the class should have smooth edges and preferably be circular in shape. There should be just enough furn iture in accordance with the strength of the class. This will allow safe and free movement for the children in the class space. Physical safety is not only confined to the classroom. When the child is in the school premises every event that takes place is the responsibility of the adult. When the child leaves the classroom, it is important that the adult accompanies him/her to whatever place the child has to go. Be it the play area, the swimming pool, the playground or even the toilet; they should all have proper safety features such as flooring which in case of a toilet should be dry so as to avoid slipping, age appropriate equipment and infrastructure all safely installed with irrelevant material kept out of reach of the children. Another aspect of safety is the social-emotional effect on a child. To foster an emotionally safe classroom it is important for the adult to discuss how each child in the class is as an individual and that everyone is different. The classroom environment can detract from a student’s ability to learn if he/she does not feel safe. A safe environment means that there is respect between the child and the adult and amongst the children themselves. Hence students feel accepted and free to voice their opinions. It is important to teach children class room rules at the beginning of the year and the adult to be consistent in enforcing them. But when talking about rules, they should be realistic and not rigid. If adults overwhelm children with rules for everything, there could then be countless power struggles with children. The adult should speak to the child individually if he/she suspects any problem because when children are corrected in front of their peers they may get demotivated and feel a sense of insecurity. This insecurity can also take place when a child is faced with an obstacle such as bullies. In this case the children have no way of defending themselves. It is very important that the adult makes sure all pupils are comfortable in their learning environment. Discussing with the children about peer press ure and bullying and how it has a negative effect in the classroom by revising child friendly moral stories is a reasonable way out. To develop the children to be socially interactive the adult needs to build bonds by providing opportunities of group play, interaction and discussions. The adult can also train the children to look after each other and the environment of their classroom. This can be in the form of a daily clean-up routine in regards to toys, blocks, art work etc. The classroom can be messy due to different activities of the children which could present a safety hazard to all the children depending on the cleanup. For example: â€Å"If the children have just finished their free play activity, it can be possible that while the children were exploring the different items in front of them some of the toys could have broken or cracked. In this event the children can hurt themselves or hurt each other.† Now, the introduction to a clean-up routine after every activity allows the children under the guidance of the adult to dispose of broken toys or equipment that may cause injury or choking, immediately. This will secure the classroom and prevent any unforeseen event concerning the activity. The child will feel a sense of ownership and accomplishment; it will also develop the ability to work with others in different situations and bring about the pride of teamwork to create a friendlier environment. I feel that, creating a safe learning environment for children is a daunting prospect because children not only need physical safety but also need to feel emotionally and intellectually protected. It is important that the adult should pay attention and be vigilant of the children’s activities. When adults plan lessons and activities for children they should not only keep the academics in mind but also the safety needs that pertain to the lesson. The teacher should explain the children the rules by her actions because children respond faster to what they see rather than what they are simply told. In the end it all comes down to child protection and hence it is important to take care of them to allow for the development of their ideas and enthusiasm to explore their imagination allowing them to grow.

Religion and the media

Religion and the media Introduction: â€Å"These days politics, religion, media seem to get all mixed up. Television became the new religion a long time back and the media has taken over.† ~ Van Morrison (Inspires Today, 2007) With time, the media has attained great power, as they play a significant role in our everyday lives. The above quote by Irish singer-songwriter and musician, Van Morrison, would aptly describe how the media can be seen as the new religion for some people. People have begun to obliviously believe in what is presented to them and failed to criticize the world around us. Language, in fact, has gained a great influence on our lives. World renowned and long-serving British Linguist, Roger Fowler argued that â€Å"language influences thought, in the sense that its structure channels our mental experience of the world.† Language has become influential in our everyday lives, and media, especially television and the World Wide Web are the ones that have mastered this medium and greatly influence our perception of reality. This is because the way we think about the world around us is influenced by numerous factors, such as the society we live in, mass media, and the language itself. This in turn has influenced the manner in which we live, the politics that we preach and the way in which we practice the religions we follow. As we develop as a society and move further into the 21st, we can clearly see the trends that will govern our ideas of religious practices and society. These ‘challenges’ as I would like to call them, are the rebirth of religion as a national and global force. In contradiction with the past predictions that it would fade because of modern life and society, religion has instead gained a new identity and prominence throughout the world because it has been influencedby virtual religion and mass media. What is digital media? Digital media as defined by Microsoft Windows is â€Å"Digital media refers to audio, video, and photo content that has been encoded (digitally compressed) which can be easily manipulated, distributed, and rendered (played) by computers, and is easily transmitted over computer networks.† (Microsoft 2010). In layman terms it is any sort of storage device that can store digital data namely computers, smart phones, iPad’s etc. What is virtual religion? Virtual religion as opposed to digital media is difficult to define. Essentially it is religion in its electronic expression. Many religious leaders can argue at the point that it is simply a ‘copy and paste’ form of ‘old’ religion into a newer virtual world. Virtual religion goes beyond the physical boundaries of religious practices and brings religions into the immaterial territory of the web and Cyberspace. It aims to help explore the virtual realities made possible by new technologies. Popular Culture and Religion Popular culture as defined by urban dictionary, â€Å"simply denotes a group of practices or customs accepted by masses.† It is the form of culture where it is widespread and based on the ideas and tastes of ordinary people. Due to the rise of the realm of popular culture and media, technology has become convenient in this fast placed lifestyle. Media provides a platform for rich symbolism and visual pop culture, allowing space for ever changing identities. This fits the evolving patterns of the developing society we live in. The above, all dictate what is modern and what we accept culturally and socially. This is where the battle begins between religion, which is seen as ‘time-honoured’ and ‘authentic’ as compared to media which is ‘modern’ and ‘superficial’, as stated by Stewart M. Hoover in his thesis on media and religion. The question of ‘is new always better?’ is posed. The convergence of these two facets h as always been a topic for much debate but the eventual collaboration of these would lead to a mutualistic relationship as one would develop the other. It is said that through media, religion is slowly losing its authenticity and merely becoming a merely making scheme. It has slowly become a farce but on the other side of the coin, media has become far too etched in religion and religion in media. Online religion and religion-online Firstly, I would like to state a difference in diction between that of online/virtual religion and religion online. As stated above online/virtual religion is an electronic expression of religion, basically scriptures online or being able to practice rituals online while religion online as defined by Christopher Helland merely â€Å"presents information about religion.† (Helland 2000).Helland states that because of the difference between these two concepts there are different perceptions of how the Internet should be used for religious purposes. Religion online can be seen, in sporting terminology, as a golfer. He is solitary in is game and does not depend on his competitors and he lacks teammates. This is a rather solitary, one-to-many ideal. There lacks contribution between the members participating as they are unable to give feedback and share their views and beliefs. This notion is quite evident when visiting www.vatican.va, the official site of the Vatican. This one sided concept presents prayer and scriptures but lacks the sense of freedom of speech and belief, therefore restricting an external view. Many religious groups use professionally designed religious sites as a medium to merely convey information to their readers via religion online. This regulated space allows them to maintain institutional structure and control. They present the ‘chapter and verse’ of the religion. By keeping it as a one-to-many structure, they see this as a ‘tool’, as described by Helland, of not ‘losing control’ of their followers. In my opinion, this is a form of indoctrination as the readers only see what these religious groups want them to see. Is this any different from what Hitler and the Nazi’s were doing? They insist on such a manner because with the advancement of technology and the thinking of man, religious institutions have lost their prominence and their clerical authority has become less important in determining what people believe and the way in which they live their lives (Hoover 2008). This is a way of being subtle dictators trying to keep domination over their followers. Online religion can be viewed as if it is a team sport, a ‘many-to-many’ fashion, where you interactive and depend on one another. It allows the reader to interact and voice their opinion. This is permitted through opinions like hyperlinks, allowing activities like prayers online, meditation and chat rooms on sites like virtualreligion.net. The unofficial religious sites used for online religion are seen as far more accessible and user friendly. It caters to the needs of the reader rather than forcing religious material onto them. People now take responsibility for their own faith, spiritualities and religious identities. This non-domineering environment allows the expression of views and religious experiences. Online religion, unlike religion online, is not seen as a tool but rather a ‘place’ where you can find purely information but rather spiritual and religious enlightenment and liberation. This increased supply of mediated religion means that religion and spirituality are increasingly available outside the boundaries of ‘formal’ religions; such has world-charging implications for those institutions. (Hoover, 2008). An example would the 9/11Twin Tower bombing where online prayers and virtual candles were ignited in memory of the lives lost. Knowledge about Islam was also available to reader s and they were allowed to communicate those who follow the Islamic faith and in turn learn more about the religion and their beliefs. This prevented Islam form having stereotypical tags attached to them, as Osama Bin Laden gave the world the idea that it was a terrorist religion that killed for God. With this we can knowingly state that the internet itself cannot be seen as a medium that confines or liberates as the choice is ours to make. It also depends on religious leaders and webpage designers and whether they seen as a chance to enforce power and see it as a ‘tool’ or as a form of liberty and see it as a ‘place’. Therefore, it is fair to say that the internet can be described in a single quote by Frederick Langbridge: â€Å"Two men look through the same bars, one sees mud, the other sees stars.† Is Virtual Religion the answer to all our prayers After downloading an application on Google play called â€Å"Virtual Hindu Temple Worship†, I was rather surprised at the feeling of enlightenment experienced after participating in this online version of worship. I was able to turn a wicked lamp and ring a bell as if I were worshipping in a temple. A mantra, a Sanskrit word meaning sacred utterance, played in the background giving off this aura of calm and oneness with God. I was also able to choose a deity that I would like to pray to. This showed the convenience and ease of my access to this application. My initial opinion of this form of religion was one that was negative but with actually experiencing it first hand, the excitement of something unknown and different was what that captured my attention. I visited a blog by Dariush Nothaft on Yale Daily news; I was astonished to see the levels to which virtual religion had climbed. Here he spoke about stumbling uponsaranam.com, a virtual portal for ordering prayers at Hindu temples in India, for a fee, I might add. The founder ofsaranam.com, Mahesh Mohanan, had this eureka moment after the realization that post nuptial pilgrimages were becoming an arduous experience. These pilgrimages were customary as there had to be performed to further bless marriages and prevent the marriage from having ‘bad eyes’ or bad luck put upon the couple. The guru or ‘franchisees’ as they were called now perform this ritual; in your stead (Nothaft 2007). A ritual as defined by the Oxford dictionary is â€Å"A religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order†. The online version of these rituals was obviously shorter and avoided the inconvenience of attending a crowded temple. After participating on a similar ritual online, it was evident that I was done quicker and I could choose when and where I could do this prayer as well as fitting it into my schedule, rather than having to make time and then ending up complaining about something I should want to invest my time and effort in. As a person who is committed to the Hindu faith, I was astounded by this. My conscience would never allow me to participate in such practices. Even though it solved many problems and become an easier, more accessible route to those who lived fair away or were too busy, my thought would be that the sacrifice behind it all be it of your time or money was part of the ritual. The fact that you had made time for God was the important part. The question lies, ‘Are you really invested in this ritual?’ You are unaware of what is happening and this would result in it being conducted without reverence or much thought. In contention, we cannot blame Mohanan’s ingenuity as the demands of work, family and life make fulfilling all our religious obligations difficult. Nothaft concluded by stating that to participate in virtual religious activities one must be of ‘open, outward-looking mind’ and that he rather people invest in the religious processes in some respect than in no respect at all. An article posted on TechNews Daily (Fox 2010) recently stated that â€Å"Technology changes how people relate to each other, and that is what religion is concerned with†. With the introduction of applications such as Bible quotes and verse and Torah chanting practices on devices such as iPhones, it allows worshippers to mould a personal religious environment in this blasphemous society. Religious leaders argue that smart phones and their ‘attention-diverting’ nature result in worshippers being unable to engage in real time practices. They detected a vast change in the way worshippers process religion as a whole. They become disengaged from the communal society. The nervous, excitement now given off by them is quiteopposite to the usual calm and soothing nature that suppose to be surrounding a place of worship. Leaders fear that new followers will now see the ‘old’ religious ceremonies as strange and boring this will lead to their loss of prominence in our daily lives. Virtual religion and technological advances will lead to the end of familiar worship and begin a form that is unpredictable and uncontrollable.â€Å"The future is very bright, but we have yet to get our mind around a world were some people get their whole religious experience through a device.† said Dudley Rose, a Dean at Harvard University. Conclusion In the essay above, my focus was based on the practice of virtual/online religion with reference to media and religion. Firstly, the realm of popular culture was discussed showing how media and technology have become more culturally accepted in the 21st century. Secondly the differences between online religion and religion online were discussed in depth, concluding that religious leaders prefer the ‘religion-online’ format as they have far more structural control over their worshippers, while the worshippers themselves took a liking to online religion as it allowed them to express religious views and opinions and giving them the freedom of interaction. The positives of virtual religion were shown through its influence during the 9/11 attacks. Lastly, a blog and an online article were reference, highlighting views of real men and woman of how media, technology and virtual religion’s effect on ‘old’ religion and it is not merely a theory but a large part of reality. I would like to conclude by quoting Thomas Merton who once exclaimed: â€Å"Technology is not in itself opposed to spiritualityand to religion. But it presents a great temptation.† References: Inspires Today, 2007.Available from: http://www.inspirestoday.com/quote/41015.html [16 April 2014] Fowler, Roger. Language in the News : Discourse and Ideology in the British Press. New York: Routledge, 1991. Microsoft Windows 2010. What is Digital Media?Available from: [16 April 2014] Helland, Christopher 2000, â€Å"Surfing for Salvation†, Religion,Vol. 32, (4), 293-302. Available from: Google scholar citations[16 April 2014] Hoover, SM 2008, Media and Religion, University of Colorado at Boulder, USA, A White Paper from The Center for Media, Religion, and Culture. Nothaft, D 2007, ‘Virtual’ religion raises interesting questions. 9 February 2007. Yale Daily News. Available from [17 April 2014] Fox, S 2010, Technology changing the way we practice religion, smart phones allow religious practice in new times, spaces and ways, NBCNEWS.com, 7 July 2010. Available from: [17 April 2014]

Mountain Dew S Bad Cheetah Commercial Media Essay

Mountain Dew S Bad Cheetah Commercial Media Essay This is a campaign that has confined itself to barely three commercials. The common thing in all these commercials is the group of boys out on a safari. They are generally roaming about shouting   Do the Dew! The commercial shows a cheetah running in all its gusto, and one of our models following it on a bicycle. Finally, the lad jumps on the cheetah and traps him. Then he puts his hand inside the cheetahs mouthstraight down to his stomach, and pulls out a can of Mountain Dew. Bad Cheetah   he says. The other guys watching him say to each other Cheetah bhi peeta hain!  Then they show the cheetah with all the spots gone except for a few spots which spell out   Do the Dew. The commercial fails to follow some vital rules of advertising. There is absolutely no brand positioning. Which bracket of people is it targeting? What benefit is it giving  you? Secondly, their models seem possessed, running around jungles with colourful clothes, jumping on cheetahs and shouting at the top of their voices. The viewer shave no point of reference to identify themselves with either the product or the advertising tone. Thirdly, there is no advertising message at least nothing that makes any sense. Why would anyone want to drink something that a Cheetah allegedly drinks? How did the Cheetah get hold of the can of Mountain Dew in the first place? In fact, this advertisement has more environmental and wildlife ramifications than any connection with the product. Fourthly, it is a very paltry hand at humour. If the intention of the advertisers was to excite the audience and make them laugh, they have failed miserably. This advertisement has induced to people only to switch channels because of its senseless advertising message, theme and conception. Fifthly and most importantly, the advertisement says nothing at all about the drink, except, of course, to extol its endearing quality it to Cheetahs. What is the taste? Does it quench your thirst? Does it make you feel cool? Is it refreshing? If this advertisement is remembered at all, it is remembered for all the wrong reasons. From the very beginning of the Mountain Dews ad campaign, it has come under some very serious firing. When they launched their first ad featuring the infamous slogan Do the Dew, other aerated drink manufacturers immediately saw its potential by piggybacking on the fame and releasing a parody. The parody achieved what the original never did. Today, viewers instantly relate this slogan to No do here, go do  jhaadi ke peeche. The Mountain Dew advertisement failed at the ad mantra AIDA. Although it did catch the attention of the viewer the first time it was aired. It did not generate any interest or desire. It crashed so bad that not only was the ad campaign scrapped, sowas the product. Even if bottles of Mountain Dew line the shelves of stores today, itssales barely make a dent in the profits of the company. Advertisement 2 Kinetic Blaze Introductory Advertisement The Blaze is part of Kinetics Italiano series of scooters, comprises seven bestselling true-blue European scooter designs that Kinetic bought from Italian manufacturer Italjet. With its aggressive and glamorous Italian design, generous proportions and majestic presence, the very special Blaze makes an instant celebrity of its rider. The high-spec Blaze also has ample go to match the show with a powerful 165cc, 4valve engine that pumps out 11.6 bhp, coupled with automatic transmission. Kinetic Blaze was launched in 2006. The following is an analysis of the introductory advertisement. In this advertisement, a group of girls are seen going crazy in front of a house. A guy seeing the crowd of girls asks a nearby shopkeeper if Abhishek or John were around. The shopkeeper says it is Rohit Verma. He has Kinetics latest scooter and this is the source of all the commotion. This advertisement is clearly targeted towards the youth. Not only are the models used in the age group of 20-30, the entire look and feel of the advertisement is young and hep. This commercial scores on some points while it fails at others. First of all, the advertisement develops attention and generates interest. Viewers are kept in the dark as to the source of the commotion. Interest is heightened when the shopkeeper answers in the negative to the names of celebrities. When the name Rohit Verma is mentioned, viewers are all ears (and eyes) to find out more about  him. The presentation of the product, in this case the scooter, is also well done. It looks glamorous, and the difference in size and shape are also highlighted without words, heightening the impact. The product and the brand are not lost in the advertisement, and viewers not only identify the product, but also remember it. Its market targeting and brand positioning are clearly defined. The target is the middle income male youth. It is positioned as a scooter for men and the first in ushering in a new market segment for scooters with its innovative design and target  market. However, the advertisement itself fails to generate a desire for more information or for purchase. This desire is evoked by the fact that the scooter is new and innovative. If the same advertisement was broadcast for a scooter that had already been launched in the market, it would not have done well. So, in a way, this advertisement works for the product since it is new, but considered solely from the advertising point of view, it does not make a big impact. The advertisement also fails to answer some of the basic questions that consumer shave while watching the commercial. What sets this scooter apart from the other scooters in the market? It is obvious that the look and feel of the scooter is definitely innovative. However, all new products sport a new appearance, in fact, it is imperative that they do so. So in terms of performance, how does it differ? What is its USP? Why should the consumer choose to buy this product, when he can be sure of the performance of tried-and-tested scooters? From the advertising point of view, the commercial lacks originality and creativity. Showing a crowd of screaming girls to enhance the psychological value of a product is not new. Many advertisements for motorbikes, furniture, cars etc., showcase models to give the product an oomph factor and increase its appeal. Also, from a logical standpoint, why would the girls favour a guy based only on the fact that he has this scooter? How does it award him star status? The advertising message is vague and unappealing. It is understood that the product is being positioned as your Shortcut To Fame. But, how? Most motorbike advertisements try to project their product as one that will give the owner an edge with the ladies. The advertisement says much, but tells little. Advertisement 6 Surf Excels Advertisement (Brother Sister Duo) Hindustan Unilever Limited introduced Surf in 1959, introducing the first detergent powder into the country. At the time, housewives used laundry soap bars to wash clothes. Surf offered them significantly better clean, with much less effort. The promise of superlative whiteness the articulation of a great clean at the time, connected with consumers and helped to establish the brand. Surf was the first national detergent brand on TV; the brand used TV to effectively educate their consumers on how to use detergent powders in a bucket for a better  wash. Surf Excel made a big splash with their Daag Achhe Hain advertising campaign. The following is an analysis of the first such commercial. The advertisement features a brother and sister duo walking home from school, when the little girl falls into a puddle of mud. Crying, she looks to her brother for help. Her brother gets an idea and starts beating up the puddle of mud, demanding an apology. After a time and a lot of mud on his uniform, he stands up and says, Sorry bola. The narrator then removes all apprehensions of dirt and stains and says,Daag Acche Hain. This advertisement is universally well-loved. This is so because it does a lot of things right. It makes use of childrens appeal to get the advertising message across. The advertisement does what seldom others do cater to the emotions and sentiments of the viewers and succeeds with it. Not only do the children lower your guard to the advertisement, but the story, too, warms the heart of the viewers. The advertisement generates a sense of bonding. Viewers without siblings, too, can relate to the advertisement and the actions of the little boy. The advertisement also exudes certain warmth that reflects itself in the viewers. The advertising mantra, AIDA, is strictly adhered to. This is one of the reasons for its success. By showing a little boy and girl, the advertisement draws the attention of the viewers. When the little girl falls into the puddle and starts to cry, it creates interest in the minds of the viewers. When the tagline is spouted, it builds, in the viewers, a desire to know more. This desire often leads to action. Although there is no obvious targeting, it is done so through indirect means. Most mothers are concerned when their children come home in dirty and messy clothes. This advertisement, not only sends out the message that Surf Excel will help you was them out, but that also there is no need to fear stains. Although the advertisement does not centre on the product or brand, both are remembered. The product and brand are subtly introduced to the viewers such that it sub-consciously enters their minds without any jarring highlights on the product or  brand. This advertisement also does what the majority do not. It focuses on the people rather than the product. The sentiments, actions and emotions of the people are highlighted and showcased throughout the advertisement in one form or another. The product is kept discreetly tucked away and does not overpower the commercial. Although Surf Excel is a premium brand, this advertisement caters to all the income grades and all classes of people, across age groups. The brand and product are positioned as accessible to all people, whoever and however they may be. The brand image created through this advertisement is phenomenal. The advertisement leaves people with a warm feeling. This feeling also transfers to the product and brand. Thus, this advertisement can definitely be called and advertising success. Advertisement 4 Orbit White Chewing Gum Cow Advertisement Orbit is one of the worlds largest selling chewing gum brand. In India, the brand shares the market leadership with Center Fresh brand. Orbit was launched in India in2004. This was Indias first Sugarfree chewing gum and together with Perfettis Happydent, this brand has rejuvenated the chewing gum segment in India. Orbit can be termed as a functional chewing gum. The brand when launched differentiated itself from the existing chewing gums with its sugar free property. Globally the Orbit brand adopts the tagline For a good clean feeling no matter what in India, Orbit uses for healthy teeth and prevents tooth decay as its main message. Orbit White launched their most popular advertising campaign with the Cow series. The following is an analysis of the first advertisement in this series. The advertisement showcases a mad animal specialist, Dr. Bhatawdekar, who speaks in Butler-English. He expounds the special quality of Orbit White Chewing Gum that whitens the teeth of a cow that previously had yellow teeth. His conclusion is that if it works for the cow, itll work for you too. This commercial tries its hand at humour in drawing attention and generating interest. It succeeds to quite an extent in this intention, but also fails at few places. The caricature of the doctor succeeds exceedingly well. Viewers immediately recall the product, the brand and the entire advertisement on any reference to Dr.  Bhatawdekar. The product and brand are duly highlighted. They are not lost during the telecast of the advertisement. The commercials message is wound around the product, making the product and brand as much a part of the advertisement as the rest of the characters and the concept. The advertisement also successfully plays to the sense of humour of the viewers. Any reference to the product results in immediate association to the doctor and his cow volunteer.  This gives viewers a light-hearted view of the product. Nonetheless, there have been instances where the sentiments of viewers have been hurt. In such cases, it seems that the concept that starts out as funny, turns out to be a gross miscalculation of the sense of humour of the viewers. The characterization of the doctor and the way he speaks in English can be construed as offensive by many viewers. Since the doctor is a deliberate attempt at making fun of bad grammar, viewers who are insecure of their oral abilities may find the advertisement offensive. Overall, the advertisement has no class. Viewers can be put off by the commercial on grounds that it displays no sophistication. The attempt at humour can be seen as tending towards slapstick comedy and a very poor attempt at that. However, the advertisement does not fail completely. The product and brand are imprinted in the minds of the consumer. Any reference to the product brings remembrance of the humorous advertisement. And consumers purchase the product, even if only out of a sense of absurdity. Advertisement 5 VISAs Pierce Brosnan Advertisement Visa Inc. operates the worlds largest retail electronic payments network and is one of the most recognized global financial services brands. Visa facilitates global commerce through the transfer of value and information among financial institutions, merchants, consumers, businesses and government entities. Visa gained the attention of television viewers in 2003 with a Tuk Tuk, featuring Pierce Brosnan in Bangkok. The following is an analysis of the advertisement. A limousine drives through the streets of Bangkok, only to be thwarted by a trafficjam. Pierce Brosnan winds down his window and catches the eye of a tuk tuk driver.The driver, delighted to have James Bond in the back seat, revs the engine and pullsa wheelie, beginning a stunt-filled and effects-laden ride through the alleyways, restaurants and shops of Bangkok. The tuk tuk arrives at the hotel just as Brosnans dining partner pulls up in a limousine. Zhang Ziyi steps out and apologise for being late. The tuk tuk collapses, totally exhausted by the trip across town. Brosnan reaches for his jacket pocket and throws his VISA card to the driver.  Later in the evening, the tuk tuk driver pulls up with a brand new tuk tuk, revving his engine and beckoning for Brosnan and Zhang Ziyi to join him. The tagline: Visa: All it takes. This advertisement can be considered a success. It does a lot of things right and gains not only the attention and interest of the viewers, but also builds a strong brand image and remembrance. The product is clear and highlighted. The brand, too, is not lost during the course of the advertisement. The product and brand is the core of the advertising message. Any attempt to analyze the commercial otherwise would prove fruitless. The advertisement retains a dashing air, quite literally. The commercial successfully draws on the sophisticated action of James Bond and highlights it exceedingly well in the tuk tuk mad-dash through the city. The advertisement stays true to the image of James Bond. The commercial maintains the charm of James Bond. It also includes a lot of stunts that can be immediately associated to James Bond. This succeeds in drawing the attention and generating interest among the viewers. The brand, VISA, is associated with sophistication and quality. With this advertisement, they reinforce this image and add to it a certain panache and active participation. If the advertisement comes under any criticism at all, it is from a purely logical standpoint. When Brosnan hands over his VISA card to the tuk tuk driver, the driver returns with a new and better powered tuk tuk. However, there are those who argue that anyone would have disappeared with the card and spent all the money. Nevertheless, for those who appreciate honesty, this advertisement succeeds. The commercial generates good feelings in the minds of the viewers. The product and brand are remembered. Additionally, the brand image is improved and remembered.

The Control of Women in Early Modern Europe Essay -- female rights in

Do you believe in equal rights for women? During the sixteenth and seventeenth century, the rights of women were restricted when compared to the rights of men. Many of these rights were based upon the social and marital status of the woman, but regardless of her status, she had less rights than her husband. As I will argue in this paper, men controlled women and limited their rights with regard to guardianship, serving as a witness, and owning property. Women were viewed as inferior to men and often considered unable to make intellectual decisions. As Professor Byars stated in class, women at this time had illegitimate power rather than legitimate power. Anything they received, they received from someone or something else. Women only obtained wealth or power in a manner deemed appropriate by men. Women faced restrictions and lack of personal control their entire life and were under the authority of men. Men didn’t believe women could manage their personal affairs. Once a woman’s husband passed away, she was considered unable to manage her own life and was assigned a guardian to oversee her various affairs by a council or court system. This acting guardian was also assigned to her children and would oversee the affairs of the children until they turned legal age. Since the woman lost control of her children, it was the guardian who made decisions based upon what he thought was best for her children. The father of her deceased husband often had more to say about the children’s future than the mother. The only time the mother had full control of her children were if the children were illegitimate (Weisner 231). Guardianship was also another way for cities to control the inheritance of the widow. As Merry Weisner stated in her essa... ...erty was left to male heirs. Man was considered the head of the household and the master of women. It was the belief that by strengthening the power of the husband, you strengthen the power of the family (Scchneider 235). It is clear equal rights for men and women did not appear until well after the sixteenth and seventh centuries in early modern Europe. Women were under the control of men. Works Cited Schneider, Zoe. â€Å"Women Before the Bench: Female Litigants in Early Modern Normandy.† Early Modern Europe: Issues and Interpretations. Eds. James B. Collins and Karen L. Taylor. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing. 2006. 241-257. Weisner, Merry. â€Å"Political, Economic, and Legal Structures.† Early Modern Europe: Issues and Interpretations. Eds. James B. Collins and Karen L. Taylor. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing. 2006. 222-240.

Miguel De Cervantes :: essays research papers

Miguel de Cervantes Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, born September 29, 1547, was a Spanish novelist, dramatist, and poet. Cervantes was the author of the novel Don Quixote, a masterpiece of world literature that was a great influence to other renaissance writers. Cervantes was born to a poor family in a town called Alcala de Henares. His father was a surgeon who made little money to support the family . Without the means for much formal education, Cervantes became a soldier. On his return to Spain he worked at a series of government jobs that involved extensive travel in Andalucia. (Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia) . His career as a public servant was marked by as much misfortune as was his military career. Not till his later years did Cervantes find a patron. It was then that he had the time to devote to his writing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cervantes was a literary experimenter. In 1568, when Cervantes was a student, a number of his poems appeared in a volume published in Madrid to commemorate the death of the Spanish queen Elizabeth of Valois. In 1569 he went to Rome, where in the following year he entered the service of Cardinal Giulio Acquaviva. Soon afterward Cervantes joined a Spanish regiment in Naples. He fought in 1571 against the Turks in the naval battle in Lepanto, in which he lost the use of his left hand. While returning to Spain in 1575, Cervantes was captured by Barbary pirates. He was taken to Algeria as a slave and held there for ransom. (Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia). He did however make several unsuccessful escape attempts, but he was finally ransomed in 1580 by his family and friends. Returning to Spain at the age of 33, Cervantes, despite his wartime service and Algerian adventure, was unable to obtain employment with a noble family. This was usually the gift presented to military veterans for their distinguished courage. Deciding to become a writer, he turned out poems and plays at a prodigious rate between 1582 and 1585 (Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia). Few of these are still existent. His pastoral novel La Galatea (1585) gained him a reputation, but the proceeds from its sale were insufficient to support him. Cervantes then took government jobs, first furnishing goods to the fleet of the Armada and later collecting taxes. The government imprisoned him several times because he failed to give a satisfactory explanation of his tax-collecting activities. While in prison Cervantes conceived the idea for a story about a madman who imagines himself a knight-errant performing the splendid feats described in medieval tales of chivalry.

The Importance of Having Dreams

Dreams! Goals! Ideals! They all mean the same. These things are what fill every human alive. They are part of life and human nature. We all have the inbred desire for a good life. Dreams are vital to the life of every person. Without dreams, there is nothing to plan or look forward to; therefore, no reason to live. Dreams are what keep each and every one of us going. The definition of a dream is ‘hope’; an inspiration; an aim. Every human being dreams, the dreams differ greatly from person to person, some being small while others unrealistically large. But why is it important?Dreams keep us going – motivating us to never give up on life. You may say you don’t have a dream, however, that’s impossible – just by wanting to have something can also be considered as a chimera. Whenever you start to give up on life your dreams will become your energy drink that will keep you going. Living a life is like running a marathon. You run halfway and start t o feel your muscles tensing then after a few runs you start to give up – exactly how life works. Life isn’t just filled with rainbows and gumdrops; it will never be filled with just happiness.Like in a marathon you will experience some bumpy rounds that will pulls you down, the bumpy roads that will cause you to think of giving up. However, in running a long distance race there will always be a place to get some refreshments, refreshments that will give you a boost [ think of Popeye when he eats spinach, he becomes macho and starts to save the damsel in distress ]. If you relate it with life, those refreshments are represented by your dreams – chimeras that power you up to never be trampled down by despair and urge to give up.Dreams give meaning to our lives and making us who we are. Have you ever felt so lifeless as if nothing around you ever mattered? Or the feeling of boredom and uselessness that questions you at the back of your mind about your existence? We ll I did, and it wasn’t a pleasant feeling. I felt as if I was being sucked in a pit of emptiness. I felt so empty, alone and weak. I even questioned myself why I was alive and it even came to the point when it didn’t matter to me if I die. Fortunately, does days didn’t last long.When the thought of my dreams came to mind I realized what life actually means to me. It gave me a different view of life; telling me that I can’t die not until I achieve my dreams. Furthermore, our chimera makes us who we are. Everyone has a different dream and these dreams are what influence our whole lives. Without dreams a person has no motivation – there would be no point in going to school or getting a job, since no one would dream of having a career or family. Dreams are what motivates us and keeps us going through the hard times.We dream of something better than we presently have and it is a dream like having a successful job and a family; that motivate us to succe ed in achieving our goals. â€Å"Men are born to succeed, not fail. â€Å", said by Henry David Thoreau. Our chimeras are there to make sure that we succeed in life. We created them to give us hope and to aim for a better life in the future. We strive harder each day for the sake of fulfilling our dreams so that one day we can proudly tell ourselves that we have no more regrets in life. You wouldn’t want to die with regrets right?Since you might not be happy in your next life filled with regrets in not being able to achieve any of your dreams. Did you know that dreams can turn a lifeless criminal into one of the most hardworking man that you’ve ever met? Dreams are powerful things, especially when you believe and put your heart in them. Dreams change as we get older and some are less important than others, but no matter how trivial or small the dreams are, they are still important since it brings some sense into our lives, giving it some sort of purpose. Without thes e dreams our lives would be empty and meaningless.

Purpose of Education

John Travolta Earl Sullivan Writing 121 28 February 2013 The Right Path When I first started school I did not understand the purpose of my education. I saw it as another thing I was forced to do. All children are forced to go to school and I think that because we have no choice our childhood image of education ends up blurry. Generally when people are forced to do something against their will they develop a lack of motivation for the activity. I think this explains why many kids in elementary schools have decided that school is a waste of time and that they don’t enjoy it.Since children are required to attend school up until age 16 in the U. S. many kids don’t realize how lucky they are to be participating in a free education. Young people in other parts of the Earth have to pay thousands of dollars if they want to become educated. These people pay for their education because they understand how much it can positively benefit their lives. I wish I had learned earlier th at education is the most important tool for survival. In Earl Shorris’ article entitled â€Å"In the Hands of the Restless Poor† he explains that rich people have been educated by the humanities and the poor people in his class weren’t.Shorris believes that with education in the humanities the students in his class will begin to understand that learning is their best tool for survival, not guns or knives. The purpose of education is surrounded by the need for survival. Over the course of human history many new practices of medicine have been developed. It is essential that people be educated in how to stop bleeding from a wound or how to give someone the heimlich maneuver. If for whatever reason humans need to gather food in the wilderness it is important to know which food is okay to eat and which is poisonous.Many people who are not educated develop obesity because they don’t care about the information they might have heard about the risks of eating unh ealthy items like fast food and products containing high fructose corn syrup. Shorris believes that education is essential for helping people get out of poverty. Shorris explains that people who are educated in the humanities have gained leverage over the people who haven’t. I mean that with education in the humanities the people in his class were able to become political.Political in this context means understanding how to communicate with other people for mutual or singular benefit. The people with political minds know how to communicate during an interview so they have a much higher chance of receiving that job. Learning how to be political can help a students experience in school. These students are not embarrassed to ask questions when they don’t understand assignments. I think that Shorris is teaching his readers how to have the confidence to ask teachers, adults, and peers questions.With the ability to ask questions people are able to learn more from their educa tors because when people are first introduced to a new concept it is difficult to completely understand the idea. The only way to fully comprehend is by asking the right questions. Shorris teaches us that education should be the key to getting out of an impoverished lifestyle. From learning how to ask questions lifelong learners are able to learn even more from their education. Asking questions can clarify understanding and help people understand the full concept.I agree that education should be used as a way to escape from poverty. The only problem with education being an escape route from poverty is that it takes a lot of time and effort before people see any results. Some people in poverty might not see any changes in their lives, money wise, until much later after they graduate from college. Since many teenagers don’t want to wait ten or fifteen years until they graduate from college they turn to gang life. They see gang life as a way to be able to support themselves and their family quickly.The problem with gang life is that the members become trapped by a surround of force. This means that once they are a gang member they have a rough time quitting their gang and adjusting back to civilian life. This is unlike the force that Shorris speaks about relating to being poor because many gang members have lives of luxury. It is related to Shorris’ idea because I imagine that being in a gang is like being on another planet. The gang members see no alternative lifestyle to gangs because many of them will be killed if they try to leave.If gang members leave their gangs they don’t know any alternative to making money besides crime and they have trouble fitting back into society. If they managed to collect any profit from drug money they won’t be able to use most of it because it will be linked to a drug organization. Even though gang life may seem like a shortcut to a rich lifestyle, it will actually take much longer than an education be cause of the dirty money, chances of a prison sentence, and the high risk of death.With an education, people are able to learn about the world and what it takes to be wealthy without the risk of a person overdosing on heroin that you sold them. For example one might learn in school about non-profit organizations and devote their lives to helping other people get on the right path to success. Earl Shorris made an effort to recruit top notch teachers for his Clemente Classroom. His class was well organized but without great teachers he feared that his students would not benefit from the teaching.He was very fortunate that these teachers decided to volunteer their time. Carol Stevens talks very critically of educational institutions in her article entitled â€Å"Formulating new criteria for teacher candidate selection† because of their lack of teaching the correct methods that best help students. She complains that institutions develop requirements that makes them look better in the public eye, instead they need to develop curriculums that focus on proper techniques that can help individual students more than the collective group.Stevens is focusing on a rush of new teachers being hired in the year 2000, but her article can relate to any hiring process that teaching administrators go through. It is important that we have some of our brightest minds in our country being teachers. A sad fact is that a majority of our very intelligent citizens do not pursue a teaching career because of the low wages. Since we don’t have the smartest of smart being enrolled in teacher education programs at universities, Stevens writes that our programs need to be even more precise so that our incoming teachers fully understand how to positively change their student’s lives.When it boils down to the, basics it is the teacher’s responsibility to educate their students. Whether a teacher succeeds or fails at making a difference depends on the techniques they learned in college. An incorrect teaching method would be an educator who treats their students like they are fused together as one person. Educators like this don’t think about individual students and different methods of teaching. A poor educator will teach one method to the whole class and be surprised when numerous students don’t understand the concepts.Due to poor teacher training a teacher might believe that the problem lies in their student’s intelligence instead of their teaching methods. It t is an educators job to teach the students that education is a key part of survival. It should not be forgotten that no matter how great of an education a teacher has or the advanced teaching methods they use, students in their class will not learn anything if they don’t listen and work hard. It is also every individual’s responsibility to understand that we will not learn if we are not motivated to absorb information.Stevens argues that school distric ts hiring teachers, and institutions accepting people as education majors have different requirements for being accepted and she says this is a problem because they are viewed as dangers to the overall skill of teachers in America. If we have teachers that aren’t prepared to be teachers then no student will be able to see what education can do for them. Education is supposed to be a ticket to survival. That ticket will not help you if the pilot does not know the proper way to fly the plane.Education should be a key to survival for us and Stevens goes one step further into this theory by making the point that America needs more higher quality teachers if we want our educational system to play an even bigger role in helping our citizens find success. Stevens does not like how only forty-three states in America require potential teachers to take a licensing test. She wants all fifty states to require a test so incoming teachers can prove the knowledge they’ve learned. Ste vens believes that teachers are the main people who have the responsibility of educating us and that it is their duty to properly educate us.She believes that an important method of educating students is being able to communicate verbally with them. I think that verbal communication is important because face to face conversations gives students an opportunity to be more personal with their teachers and once a more personal relationship is created, a student will have ask more questions and become motivated to listen to what their teachers have to say. Stevens discusses the advantages of having an organized lesson plan. Without a termly lesson plan a teacher will not be able to properly educate their students because they didn’t plan their class time correctly.With a lack of time, the students will not have a chance to fully understand the more complicated ideas in the classroom. Stevens believes that education needs to be appropriate for age and grade level. This is a problem that many new educators encounter during their first few years of teaching especially if they have chosen to be an elementary teacher or middle school teacher. Proper teaching instruction must be developed by teachers so that the age level they are teaching is able to understand what is going on.If teachers know how to become more personal with their students, have organized lesson plans and use those lesson plans for the age group they are teaching, then education becomes a ticket to survival for their students. With these proper teaching methods the students will be able learn at a good rate and become successful productive members of society. Shorris had great teachers in his Clemente Class and I think if he accepted worse teachers half of the original sixteen people who graduated from the class would have failed the class.I think that recruiting great teachers into that field of employment will help our intelligence as a nation because I believe that a student can become motiva ted to learn with the help of an educator who invests their time in their students life. I remember in fourth grade I didn’t have very much motivation to excel but when I got to fifth grade a great teacher named Mrs. Kenyon helped me become a better student by being strict. She was strict meaning she cared if we didn’t do our work, she wanted us to excel.She brought out the best student in me by making me work really hard to get the good grades that I wanted. I carried this work ethic through middle school, and picked it back up in college when I began understanding how important my education was. Mrs. Kenyon taught me that education is my ticket to survival, my shot at a life with endless opportunities. If Mrs. Kenyon hadn’t been taught how to communicate with her fifth grade students so well over the course of her life I don’t think that I would have been able to pick up the pieces of my life that I broke during high school.When I had motivation to beco me educated, I was able to realize how much potential I had. She showed me how much potential I have as a student and as a person. Now in my college days I am learning many things from my new teachers. I don’t think I would understand these great college facts if I hadn’t learned about the knowledgeable rewards I receive when I work hard on my school work. Mrs. Kenyon taught me about the rewards because she learned how to be a great teacher in school. I believe Mrs. Kenyon is the teacher that Carol Stevens is drawing a picture of in her article. Purpose of Education John Travolta Earl Sullivan Writing 121 28 February 2013 The Right Path When I first started school I did not understand the purpose of my education. I saw it as another thing I was forced to do. All children are forced to go to school and I think that because we have no choice our childhood image of education ends up blurry. Generally when people are forced to do something against their will they develop a lack of motivation for the activity. I think this explains why many kids in elementary schools have decided that school is a waste of time and that they don’t enjoy it.Since children are required to attend school up until age 16 in the U. S. many kids don’t realize how lucky they are to be participating in a free education. Young people in other parts of the Earth have to pay thousands of dollars if they want to become educated. These people pay for their education because they understand how much it can positively benefit their lives. I wish I had learned earlier th at education is the most important tool for survival. In Earl Shorris’ article entitled â€Å"In the Hands of the Restless Poor† he explains that rich people have been educated by the humanities and the poor people in his class weren’t.Shorris believes that with education in the humanities the students in his class will begin to understand that learning is their best tool for survival, not guns or knives. The purpose of education is surrounded by the need for survival. Over the course of human history many new practices of medicine have been developed. It is essential that people be educated in how to stop bleeding from a wound or how to give someone the heimlich maneuver. If for whatever reason humans need to gather food in the wilderness it is important to know which food is okay to eat and which is poisonous.Many people who are not educated develop obesity because they don’t care about the information they might have heard about the risks of eating unh ealthy items like fast food and products containing high fructose corn syrup. Shorris believes that education is essential for helping people get out of poverty. Shorris explains that people who are educated in the humanities have gained leverage over the people who haven’t. I mean that with education in the humanities the people in his class were able to become political.Political in this context means understanding how to communicate with other people for mutual or singular benefit. The people with political minds know how to communicate during an interview so they have a much higher chance of receiving that job. Learning how to be political can help a students experience in school. These students are not embarrassed to ask questions when they don’t understand assignments. I think that Shorris is teaching his readers how to have the confidence to ask teachers, adults, and peers questions.With the ability to ask questions people are able to learn more from their educa tors because when people are first introduced to a new concept it is difficult to completely understand the idea. The only way to fully comprehend is by asking the right questions. Shorris teaches us that education should be the key to getting out of an impoverished lifestyle. From learning how to ask questions lifelong learners are able to learn even more from their education. Asking questions can clarify understanding and help people understand the full concept.I agree that education should be used as a way to escape from poverty. The only problem with education being an escape route from poverty is that it takes a lot of time and effort before people see any results. Some people in poverty might not see any changes in their lives, money wise, until much later after they graduate from college. Since many teenagers don’t want to wait ten or fifteen years until they graduate from college they turn to gang life. They see gang life as a way to be able to support themselves and their family quickly.The problem with gang life is that the members become trapped by a surround of force. This means that once they are a gang member they have a rough time quitting their gang and adjusting back to civilian life. This is unlike the force that Shorris speaks about relating to being poor because many gang members have lives of luxury. It is related to Shorris’ idea because I imagine that being in a gang is like being on another planet. The gang members see no alternative lifestyle to gangs because many of them will be killed if they try to leave.If gang members leave their gangs they don’t know any alternative to making money besides crime and they have trouble fitting back into society. If they managed to collect any profit from drug money they won’t be able to use most of it because it will be linked to a drug organization. Even though gang life may seem like a shortcut to a rich lifestyle, it will actually take much longer than an education be cause of the dirty money, chances of a prison sentence, and the high risk of death.With an education, people are able to learn about the world and what it takes to be wealthy without the risk of a person overdosing on heroin that you sold them. For example one might learn in school about non-profit organizations and devote their lives to helping other people get on the right path to success. Earl Shorris made an effort to recruit top notch teachers for his Clemente Classroom. His class was well organized but without great teachers he feared that his students would not benefit from the teaching.He was very fortunate that these teachers decided to volunteer their time. Carol Stevens talks very critically of educational institutions in her article entitled â€Å"Formulating new criteria for teacher candidate selection† because of their lack of teaching the correct methods that best help students. She complains that institutions develop requirements that makes them look better in the public eye, instead they need to develop curriculums that focus on proper techniques that can help individual students more than the collective group.Stevens is focusing on a rush of new teachers being hired in the year 2000, but her article can relate to any hiring process that teaching administrators go through. It is important that we have some of our brightest minds in our country being teachers. A sad fact is that a majority of our very intelligent citizens do not pursue a teaching career because of the low wages. Since we don’t have the smartest of smart being enrolled in teacher education programs at universities, Stevens writes that our programs need to be even more precise so that our incoming teachers fully understand how to positively change their student’s lives.When it boils down to the, basics it is the teacher’s responsibility to educate their students. Whether a teacher succeeds or fails at making a difference depends on the techniques they learned in college. An incorrect teaching method would be an educator who treats their students like they are fused together as one person. Educators like this don’t think about individual students and different methods of teaching. A poor educator will teach one method to the whole class and be surprised when numerous students don’t understand the concepts.Due to poor teacher training a teacher might believe that the problem lies in their student’s intelligence instead of their teaching methods. It t is an educators job to teach the students that education is a key part of survival. It should not be forgotten that no matter how great of an education a teacher has or the advanced teaching methods they use, students in their class will not learn anything if they don’t listen and work hard. It is also every individual’s responsibility to understand that we will not learn if we are not motivated to absorb information.Stevens argues that school distric ts hiring teachers, and institutions accepting people as education majors have different requirements for being accepted and she says this is a problem because they are viewed as dangers to the overall skill of teachers in America. If we have teachers that aren’t prepared to be teachers then no student will be able to see what education can do for them. Education is supposed to be a ticket to survival. That ticket will not help you if the pilot does not know the proper way to fly the plane.Education should be a key to survival for us and Stevens goes one step further into this theory by making the point that America needs more higher quality teachers if we want our educational system to play an even bigger role in helping our citizens find success. Stevens does not like how only forty-three states in America require potential teachers to take a licensing test. She wants all fifty states to require a test so incoming teachers can prove the knowledge they’ve learned. Ste vens believes that teachers are the main people who have the responsibility of educating us and that it is their duty to properly educate us.She believes that an important method of educating students is being able to communicate verbally with them. I think that verbal communication is important because face to face conversations gives students an opportunity to be more personal with their teachers and once a more personal relationship is created, a student will have ask more questions and become motivated to listen to what their teachers have to say. Stevens discusses the advantages of having an organized lesson plan. Without a termly lesson plan a teacher will not be able to properly educate their students because they didn’t plan their class time correctly.With a lack of time, the students will not have a chance to fully understand the more complicated ideas in the classroom. Stevens believes that education needs to be appropriate for age and grade level. This is a problem that many new educators encounter during their first few years of teaching especially if they have chosen to be an elementary teacher or middle school teacher. Proper teaching instruction must be developed by teachers so that the age level they are teaching is able to understand what is going on.If teachers know how to become more personal with their students, have organized lesson plans and use those lesson plans for the age group they are teaching, then education becomes a ticket to survival for their students. With these proper teaching methods the students will be able learn at a good rate and become successful productive members of society. Shorris had great teachers in his Clemente Class and I think if he accepted worse teachers half of the original sixteen people who graduated from the class would have failed the class.I think that recruiting great teachers into that field of employment will help our intelligence as a nation because I believe that a student can become motiva ted to learn with the help of an educator who invests their time in their students life. I remember in fourth grade I didn’t have very much motivation to excel but when I got to fifth grade a great teacher named Mrs. Kenyon helped me become a better student by being strict. She was strict meaning she cared if we didn’t do our work, she wanted us to excel.She brought out the best student in me by making me work really hard to get the good grades that I wanted. I carried this work ethic through middle school, and picked it back up in college when I began understanding how important my education was. Mrs. Kenyon taught me that education is my ticket to survival, my shot at a life with endless opportunities. If Mrs. Kenyon hadn’t been taught how to communicate with her fifth grade students so well over the course of her life I don’t think that I would have been able to pick up the pieces of my life that I broke during high school.When I had motivation to beco me educated, I was able to realize how much potential I had. She showed me how much potential I have as a student and as a person. Now in my college days I am learning many things from my new teachers. I don’t think I would understand these great college facts if I hadn’t learned about the knowledgeable rewards I receive when I work hard on my school work. Mrs. Kenyon taught me about the rewards because she learned how to be a great teacher in school. I believe Mrs. Kenyon is the teacher that Carol Stevens is drawing a picture of in her article.