Short Essays on Reading

Inquiry Question: Does an online bachelors degree have the same quality as a bachelors degree at a physical university/ college? I am considering a few different professionals when it comes to interviews. One person that interest me is Professor Leonard Albright. This is because he teaches a wide variety of classes, all of which are in education. The other person I cam interested in interviewing is Dan Robinson the director of the education department at CSU.He would be acceptable candidate because he deals with not only students within the department but branches out to other institutions of higher learning. I am also considering talking to a worker at the administration office. This is because they deal with not only incoming students from high school, but also graduate students seeking different types of education. I may also try to find a graduate of both a bachelors degree from an institution and a graduate from an online university. This is because they have first hand experien ces with the programs.The final person I am interested in interviewing is someone who works for an online education program. They have experience with their online programs, and can give a well detailed input to how their students earn a degree. This list of professionals are stakeholders because they are the ones dealing with higher education, and weather or not they can have enough eligible students that can take on the real word. To get in contact with these professionals I am going to send out emails of my inquiry question.I will also explain the project and why it is worth their time to answer a few question I have. Some of the online institutions also have numbers where you can reach their workers, professors, and directors. So i will be able to call them asking for an interview. Some of my questions will include the following: 1. How many classes/ and or credits does one need to complete to earn a bachelors degree at your institution? 2. Do you notice any positive or negative effects from any of the classes offered to your students? . Was there any outside factors that drove students to come to this institution? (money, family background ect.. ) 4. Do you believe that the education today in too challenging, just right, or too easy for todays graduates? 5. What credits can transfer equally to your university? (i. e online to an actual institution or an institution to online. ) 6. Do you recommend taking college credits online? 7. How many of your alumni with bachelors degrees have an income, or decently paying job in their degree?

Response to Journeys End Essay

In the novel Stanhope has the most physical status, not just because of his rank but also because people look up to him. Stanhope may rank the social hierarchy level amongst his fellow comrades but inside he is emotionally distraught, he does not show this and somehow stays head strong, on the other hand there is Hilbert who is tired and has lost all hope and hates the war and then decides he would like to pull out claiming that he has neuralgia but he is just trying to find ways to get home. To create a dugout like entrance we set up a few plinths on top of each other and the lined chairs up behind it creating a walkway which was on the width of our shoulders, this helped us to show great emphasis in our gestus as we clambered in and out of the trench. Workshop Two – Lighting/ Staging Our stage set was very minimalistic so that we could re-create what it would be like to be in a trench, to help us adapt and realise this we set up chairs as a border and them established a rule stating that venturing outside the border was ‘forbidden’. For our play we had only a few lights on stage, we did this to try and achieve the same amount of minimal lighting just as it would be in the trench. In one of our lesson we even used live candles to help build the low lit and damp surrounding of a trench and we also cramped all of the furniture together to make ourselves adjust to such a small so space just as the soldiers would have had to in journeys end. Workshop Three – Crosscutting In our third work shop we focused on the dramatic explorative strategy of cross-cutting, first we assembled ourselves into groups with sizes of 2-4 people and then we had to take a scene from the book and re-enact it using the dramatic strategy of cross-cutting. My group chose the scene where Riley dies from a battle wound. To add the element of cross cutting we showed a small part of the scene where riley dies and then we had 2 other scenes which showed his arrival to the regiment, and an argument with Stanhope. The final scene which was a vital part to our short performance included an extended, and more detailed version of riley’s death. The way that we used cross cutting helped us to raise tension in the audience and also made the audience assume a conclusion to our piece or build assumptions on what it was about, but the catch of cross cutting is that no matter what the audience may think the actors always have the ability to twist the last scene and maybe even end the performance on a cliff-hanger. Workshop Four- Hot seating In our fourth workshop we used the D.E.S ‘Hot seating’ so that we could have a better understanding and wider knowledge of the characters in journeys end, the vital part of hot seating is that you do not just pretend to be your chosen character but to put yourself in the characters shoes and wield the characters personality, habits and lifestyle. In the work shop we split ourselves into groups of four and then took on characters in the book that we did not know a lot of information about so that we could gain a greater insight into what that character is like. After that we asked our characters questions in which they would have to answer just as their character would as if they were in the same setting as in the book, this gave the other members of the group a chance to note down information on what the character’s personality is like and what their thoughts are in the book. After we had hot seated each member on their chosen character we reformed with the rest of the class and did the same thing. I think that reforming the class and having a bigger audience was a very clever idea as it widened the variety of questions that could be asked about the character and also gave us a larger insight into the characters lives in the book. I feel this workshop went very well because it benefited all in the room and we all shared and therefore gained information on the personalities of the characters. Workshop Five – Forum Theatre/Still image/ Thought Tracking For our fifth workshop we used the D.E.S ‘forum theatre’, by using this strategy it enabled us to receive feedback from the audience live on how we could better our performance. Once we had received this feed back we put it into practise straight away. Our teacher also created a stage set using chairs which enclosed around the actors all around apart from the back of the stage this made us feel very exposed due to the claustrophobic effect of the stage. Our task was to perform a small part of the book so that we could receive feedback on how to better our performance, as each group performed their piece our teacher changed the positioning of the stage set too create a different effect on the actors. As we received feedback our peers changed the theme of our piece at one point from a sad and solemn piece to a comedic and vibrant one. Due to the sudden change in the theme it enabled us to improvise our lines and tint the tone and accent of our voices so that it would match with the theme. Another advantage of the change in them is that we all changed our levels and status when the comedic twist was incorporated. Overall I think forum theatre is a great, successful technique. It enhances your performance because you receive ideas and use them to improve your performance. Workshop Six – Still image/ Thought Tracking We used thought tracking because it helped us fully explain the particular theme of whatever still image we were trying to express, it also helps because there is a lot of unnoticed emotional tension within the atmosphere. By using this technique we gave our characters a chance to expresses themselves in a way that they are too afraid to in front of their fellow comrades. Emily Davison: Protests Workshop One – Narration This workshop was focused on Emily Davison who was a famous suffragette, who gave her life to stand up for women’s rights. In our workshop we worked together as a whole class so that we could introduce many different characters that held different views on the thoughts and actions of Emily Davison. Our teacher gave us some information on the history of Emily Davison and her struggle for equal rights amongst the women and men of Britain. We were then to act out a small scene by improvising with the information that we had received, sir picked two people to start the scene and gradually assigned people to join them but first he gave each person a role. As we were all eventually in the scene he started to narrate and tell us what we were to do by telling a story, this helped give us an understanding of each character which helped us to produce the scene with ease although we had no formal script. Next we were all split into two groups and then we had to act out a key event in Emily Davison’s life with my group which consisted of four others. Our group had decided to recreate the time when Emily Davison was sent to prison for the second time and was almost drowned in her cell, one member of our group became the narrator and the rest of us acted out the scene but we also included still images and thought tracking to equally express the emotions flowing through the character at the time. Workshop Two – Devised Piece/ Role-play In the second workshop we had to devise a piece using the information we had received on Emily Davison’s history. We were split into groups of four and then we had to plan on what we intended to do, we decided on having 4 scenes in our performance which explained a mass sum of Emily Davison’s life in a short amount of time I think that as a group we acted smartly as to only include vital events in her life as it was paramount to the last scene which was very tense; 1. The school classroom that Emily taught in. This included a monologue where a member of our group played as Emily who was talking about her aspirations for the future. 2. A demonstration march to campaign for women’s rights. This is after she gains followers who believe in equal rights for women as she does. 3. The prison where Emily was horribly mistreated in. This scene shows the pure brutality of the struggle that Emily Davison went through. 4. The race track where she died through an act of marty rdom. This scene shows how far Emily Davison went to stand up for what she believed in and unfortunately she paid the ultimate price for it. All of these scenes we included the vital key parts that were needed to help the audience to understand the life, death & history of Emily Davison. To develop our piece we used dramatic explorative strategies like chorus were we all joined in when shouting at another member of our group during the performance this helps to express the characters emotions or the theme of that particular moment in the play. At one point we also used thought tracking so that we could express the characters inner feelings i.e. when Natalia (Emily) is arrested by the police and taken to court she uses the thought track as an opportunity to make the audience aware of her emotion at the time. By developing our own piece based on the history of Emily Davison it allowed us to build our own perspective of her personality and the many troubles that she faced throughout her life. Workshop Three – The Race Track – Contrast In this workshop we had to explore the aspects of each characters physical/emotional level by using contrast, our teacher also gave us some rope as a stimulus and we were asked to incorporate it into our piece. As a class we decided to use the rope as a way to split the characters in a social aspect i.e. on one side of the rope we had the women and on the other we had the men. To show mass contrast within the group of women we had Emily Davison and two of her fellow campaigners placed away from the large group of housewives. Over on the boys’ side most of the men who were betting on the race standings were focusing on a member of our group who used physical theatre to interpret that she was a horse by using a mask and using incorporating the element of gestus and physical theatre. The rope is a very strong stimulus because its shows highlights the ability and how easy it is to divide relationships, emotions and even society, this was strongly shown in our performance when Emily ran in front of the horse and both sides stopped in awe and then in chorus whispered ‘the woman†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.the horse’ eventually this whispers grew into shouts and then everyone rushed over to tend to the horses needs. This particular moment shows how in those times society was a lot different and women were seen as second class citizen. Although Emily Davison wanted equality for all women, not all women agreed with her and some were very comfortable with their life at the time we showed this in our performance by having a member of our group who played the role of a housewife do a thought track which expressed her hate for what Emily Davison was doing. I think that the rope as a stimulus helped us greatly to bring across our point society’s clear line between how women and men were respected and seen at the time. The rope also represented how divide society’s thoughts were at the time and that only material things such as horse racing we greatly prioritised over the life of a woman who stood up for what she believed in. Rosa Parks: Ride to Freedom Workshop One – Bus Boycott – Marking the moment/ Still Image/ Thought Tracking In this workshop we watched a short part of the film ‘Ride to Freedom’ its about the moment when Rosa Parks was arrested for standing up against being prejudiced for refusing to give up her seat on a bus for a white person. Our class was split into half and then we worked in groups to recreate the scene that we had watched. Although we had ample opportunities to use many elements of D.E.S we went too far and tried to cram too many things in our performance. Unfortunately the fact that we had so many D.E.S strategies conflicted with the fact that we all had to remember our cues, due to lack of organisation our performance was very slow and robot-like because everyone was trying to do too much that even when improvisation was attempted it greatly lacked in co-ordination which also led to the mass confusion within our minds when on stage. There were some good moments in our performance i.e. we used split staging well when I left the scene to get the police officer and everyone on the bus was still carrying on trying to get Rosa off the bus, but other wise I was not very happy with the way our performance went and I have also learnt a lesson and that is not to over complicate things. Workshop Two – Devised piece/ Chorus/ Levels / Signs In this workshop we worked in groups of fours and were given a poem to use as a stimulus, the poem was made by a famous author called Maya Angelou. We incorporated the theme of the Rosa parks story with our stimulus and created a short performance. First we read the poem and decided as a group to only use lines than empowered the mental status of our characters as it would help us greatly in our use of physical levels we also had many elements of D.E.S Within our performance we decided to use chorus so that we could help the audience realise the passion that our characters had for what they believe in, as a group we had also decided to do our best to maintain a simple bold and stern voice when saying our lines so that we increased the depth of anger that we were portraying to the audience. At the end of the performance we all stood at different levels on plinths which gave the impression that we were physically and emotionally rising higher and higher by the end of the play all of us were standing at attention showing great power through the since of our bodies. Through the positive feedback we received from the audience we could tell that the way in which we had used DES was very successful and that it was a great help to us as many of the audiences feedback pointed out to us whilst being briefed about our performance. I think that by us using a stimulus it helped us to build a story around it in a way that we felt comfortable and therefore I feel that is why this was success. Workshop Three – Physical Levels/ For this workshop our class was split into two and were given a stage to use as a stimulus as we continued to explore our ideas on the theme of Rosa Parks, our teacher also gave us a set of plinths that were all on different levels, he also said that we were only allowed to stand on the plinths throughout the whole performance limiting our movement on stage. Our main objective was to create a piece that used all the themes and aspects from our other two workshops on Rosa parks. Before we started to build our story we assigned characters according to our own strengths so that we would be able to achieve the best we could when it came to developing lines that our character would say. To gain the most out of our performance and to use as many useful D.E.S and different drama techniques so that we could enhance the quality of our performance. Our group decided to use thought tracking and still image to play out the scene of when Rosa Parks challenged the bus driver and was arrested and as our space on stage was limited we had decided to use thought tracking and split staging to make our performance effective. All the characters voiced their opinion on Rosa parks refusal to move out of her seat and then one member of our group narrated a scene so that we could add the element of split staging to performance. When we had received feed back from our peers they had greatly expressed their positive views on our use of staging and that having a narrator helped to tell what was going on due to there being a lack of conversation within our performance between our characters. I feel that due to the great organisation of our group and selected role assignment that we were able to pull off the performance well. Pitmen Painters Plot The Pitmen Painters was a spectacular historical/ cultural play about a group of miners in the 1930’s that lived in Ashington which is a small town by the cost in Newcastle, it is about 5 men and an unemployed teenager who through art classes explore their own hidden talents using their emotions to express themselves through painting. Through the play they also develop mentally as people and eventually start thinking g a lot more positively and see the world as a place full of opportunity. Sub – Plot Out of the whole group of miners Oliver Kilbourn is the main character as he is quick to become a pawn to the appreciation of real art. His talent in painting and interest also increases due to their raise in public awareness and eventually he meets a rich collector called Helen Sutherland who is a dear fan of his work, they grow to become good friends but hit a bombshell when Mrs Sutherland ask Oliver to come out of his life-long job of being a miner down in the pits to becoming an artist and working when he wants. Angered by the arrogance that Mrs Sunderland is posing although she is unaware of it at the time he declines the offer and loses his temper, but then apologises at a later date and then sets up a union for the miners to help better not just his future but his new found friends and the rest of the pitmen in Ashington. Staging The stage that we watched the performance on was simplistic and very small compared to the size of others that I have seen at other performances. The scene had only two entrances and exits through which the actors walked through they were placed at the back of the centre stage and on the stage left. Although there was a great shortage of space all of the actors did use the stage appropriately and to their advantage i.e. during a scene where they are all assessing each others art work the way that the chairs are positioned and the strict border lines that the actors stuck to when moving clearly suggested the length and width of the room. Lighting I feel that the lighting used in the performance was excellent because it did not just have the house lights on to show where the actors were, they also had spotlights of many colours which were used in certain scenes which helped set a range of different atmospheres on stage and in the audience. For instance during the scene where all of the miners go to see an exhibition on traditional Chinese art a white spotlight immediately shone on the faces of the whole group, and then they all froze and listened to Oliver’s monologue which described the piece of art in a very intense way this also empowered the audience to feel the same passion for the piece as the character did on stage. An overhead projector was also used throughout the play to show the audience the name of the each scene before it started. It was mostly used though to show the pieces of art that the pitmen had drawn, this was very smart because due to the size of the paintings the audience were unable to see the art , but this small setback was obviously countered by the stage crew with the use of a projector. Costuming Throughout the play most of the characters show a very clear line of division that suggest the difference of wealth between them all for instance the Leader of the mine George brown always attendee the art appreciation group in a nice suit and decent polished shoes with his hair slicked back, this tells me that although he works down in the mines he either is very wealthy or is a man with great pride who likes to look good. Professor Robert Lyon who comes down to run the art group in Ashington wears a variety of suits throughout the performance suggesting that he is wealthy and has a golden pocket watch on display at all times. Now although these two characters dress very well you can clearly notice the difference between them due to the way that they speak and how their body language is. Sound/Voice The performance did not have a lot of sound effects due to the fat that they purely didn’t need them and that due to the constant conversation that happened throughout the play it wasn’t appreciated, but neither was it missed. The characters voices included many different ranges of pitch and expression such as Helen Sutherland who is a rich middle aged art collector who is very wealthy; she speaks with a very sharp, squeaky but strong english accent which suggests that she was taught at a school and wealthy enough to afford an education. Oliver Kilbourn who is another pitman from the Ashington art group speaks with a heavy northern English accent and also spits his words and mumbles them a lot of the time, this infers to me that he may not be from a good background where the pronunciation of English is paramount in life and education. Just from the way that all of the characters speak I am able to build my own personality file on every one of them and develop my own ide as on what their characters are like.

Ap European History Renaissance Education Dbq Exercise Essay

During the Renaissance, scholars became more interested in the humanistic features of society, and humanistic educators based their teaching models on Greek and Latin classics. Renaissance education was One apparent purpose of a Renaissance education was to praise the value of useful education, through the teaching of the classics, mainly Greek literature that was written by Greek philosophers, mathematicians and other important figures. Some criticised the Renaissance education, however, because they felt as if it was absurd, as it didn’t teach true values of learning, and didn’t teach one how to behave, but rather how to dictate Latin. Despite these criticisms, other humanists believed Renaissance learning brought great profits, higher positions, and more honors later in life, and was successful in the task of teaching young people to fear god, have good virtue, and to be disciplined. One apparent purpose of a Renaissance education was to praise the value of useful education, through the teaching of the classics, mainly Greek literature that was written by Greek philosophers, mathematicians and other important figures. Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini, stated on his book, On the Education of Free Men, 1450, that the study of the Philosophy and of Letters was the guide to the meaning of the past, present, and even future. There may be some bias to this statement, for Piccolomini was an Italian humanist who later became pope, and may have been using his knowledge of the classics, being a humanist, to justify his religious and political power. Battista Guarino, an Italian humanist educator, also supports the classics, by simply explaining that mankind must learn and train in Virtue, or as the ancients called the â€Å"Humanities. † There is also a bit of point of view, however, because being an Italian humanist educator, Guarino would value the teaching of the classics to his students and would want to influence his opinion on others. Baldassare Castiglione, Italian diplomat and author, said that a courtier, or a king’s assistant or servant, should be educated in the humanities, and the Latin poets, orators, and historians, because women value that knowledge in a man, and he will be able to judge the writing of others. Erasmus also stated that the student must delve into the literatures of ancient Greece and Rome, to gain the knowledge in the classics. Erasmus has a particular point of view, because he practiced a humble religion, and tried to live the way Jesus lived, which would make him value things the ancients valued. Some criticised the Renaissance education, however, because they felt as if it was absurd, as it didn’t teach true values of learning, and didn’t teach one how to behave, but rather how to dictate Latin. Juan Luis Vives, a Spanish humanist, supported the idea that women should not learn much, but rather just enough to teach her good manners and literature from biblical scholars. There is a great deal of bias in this idea, because being Spanish, Christian, and male, Vives would not agree with women being educated, due to the fact that Spain was very conservative, especially after the Reconquista. Michel de Montaigne argued that the â€Å"absurd† educational system taught students the wrong values, by teaching them that writing the best Greek and Latin was more important the which books contain the best opinions. Montaigne’s point of view comes from the fact that he is a skeptic and criticizes numerous things, so it is likely that he would criticize the educational system. John Brinsley, an English schoolmaster objected that scholars at fifteen or sixteen years of age due not understand true knowledge, but instead the can only wrote Latin that means little. Brinsley had an interesting perspective, because he was a schoolmaster himself and saw these actions firsthand, from his young scholars. Another criticism of the school system was that such study weakens the body, and prevents people from obtaining jobs necessary to society, such as farming jobs, soldiers, and merchants. John Amos Comenius, and educational reformer, also said supported the idea that learning did not assist people enough in life, because students learned much grammar, rhetoric, and logic, instead of things that would prepare them for action later in life. Despite these criticisms, other humanists believed Renaissance learning brought great profits, higher positions, and more honors later in life, and was successful in the task of teaching young people to fear god, have good virtue, and to be disciplined. Francesco Guicciardini stated that things that seem more decorative than substantial to man, such as skills like the arts, led to a good reputation of men and open the way to favor a princess. These skills also led to great profits and honors. The perspective in this statement comes from the fact that he was a politician, and witnessed how his education in these arts helped him to improve his rank in society, gain a larger profit, and other benefits. Some also supported the Renaissance education from a religious side by explaining that children who go to school learned virtue, discipline, and to fear God, which were important Christian values. In an analysis of the percentage of justices of the Peace who attended university, around 1562, in Kent, only two percent of justices had attended university. This number increased dramatically in 1636, when an astonishing sixty eight percent of justices had attended university. This clearly demonstrated the value of a Renaissance education, and how it led to higher ranks, for instance, justices.

Video games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Video games - Essay Example Video games are the most prevalent form of entertainment among children as many of them spent most of their free time in front of computers and large screens indulging in these games for hours on end without even a break (Price). The widespread coverage of the internet and personal computers all over the world in the modern day information technology age enables children to easily access, play and even share video games with their peers in other places through the online gaming cyber space. The pervasiveness of video games and video gaming as the preferred form of entertainment for children and young adults all over the world has been a major cause of concern over the possible impacts of this phenomenon on the behavior of children in the long term; precisely, the perceived adverse effects of video games on the behavior of children have raised numerous concerns over this novel invention of the present day century. Sociological studies have been concerned with the effects of media violence on behavior from the 1950s onwards and a particular focus of these studies has been on video games since the 1980s given the ubiquity of this phenomenon among the American children, especially boys (Carey, 2013). The debate regarding the impact of video gaming on children has been highly polarized with two antagonistic arguments dominating the discourse; one school of thought holds that video gaming does not result to any significant effects on the behavior of participants. Contrariwise, the opposing school of thought refutes this perspective by insisting that video games often result to significant effects on the behavior of participants; this perspective draws evidence from a vast body of research from empirical studies conducted by developmental and social psychologists on the effects of video games on behavior. This essay will contribute to the ongoing debate by examining

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

Essays - Essay Example e, the inventions in the scientific era yielded no fruits till later years in subsequent revolutions; however, some inventions owe more to the revolutions than the vice-versa. The invention of the steam engine owes more to science than what science the steam engine. The correlation and dependency of the revolutions explain that the French revolution could be termed as the greatest in world history. Today, democracy can be regarded as the most appreciated system of governance. Democracy traces its foundation to the French revolution. Monarchism, aristocracy, and religious privileges were overthrown and in their place came democracy, liberalism, secularism and declaration of human rights and freedom. Enlightened absolutism can be defined as a form of absolute monarchism surviving on the foundation of enlightenment ideas. The Russian empress, Catherine the Great, governed on the ideals of enlightenment philosophers by the names of Beccaria, Montesquieu, and de Gouges. She depicted the characters of a monarch by imprisoning many of her opponents, declined the principle of a social contract and facilitated religious tolerance by advocacy of the Russian Orthodox Church to tolerate outsiders (Foran 23). Enlightenment could be termed as the world major intellectual revolution. It spread across boundaries but never affected all. People affected were primarily under monarchies, and thus those aristocrats were free from the effects of enlightenment. The aftereffects of enlightenment were both negative and positive. The positive ones included, advances in literacy levels among the citizenry and promoted open mindedness in regard to intellectual matters. The people, however, fell into the trap of intellectual frauds. For instance, physiognomists claimed to be able to forecast psychological characteristics, people got themselves gullible to such quack fields of knowledge primarily based on superstition. Other major, effects of enlightenment include, the invention of that the

Market Solution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 2

Market Solution - Essay Example The morale of employees is the least in the organization because of the huge scrutiny and investigation by the investment companies, especially the media, public, and most prominently Wall Street. Furthermore, the customer confidence in Classic Airlines is decreasing along with the Rewards program, which saw a nineteen percent reduction in Classic Rewards members and also a twenty one percent reduction in the flights per each member. The rising costs of labor and fuel have jeopardized the success of Classic Airlines as it is unable to compete for the most efficient valued numerous flier miles. The aftermath of 9/11 has led Classic Airlines to see a restrained structure of costs unlike the younger airline companies. Adding to the problems is a fifteen percent decline in the board cost over a period of eighteen months (Classic Airlines, 2007). Most of the best opportunities are a result of dilemmas. Such is the case of Classic Airlines. It has the power to change its problems into profitable opportunities via meticulous changes to the whole scenario; therefore the situation is handled carefully. Classic Airlines should keep in mind all the travelers who need a higher level of personal service as compared to the ones they might expect to get from competitors. The customers can greatly help the airlines to enhance the confidence of the general public. This can easily be done without letting additional costs come in the path of Classic Airlines. Contended customers are the best type of advertisement for each and every organization and is also a base to gain attention of the new customers (Classic Airlines, 2007). Classic Airlines should look into the aspect of refurbishing their Classic Rewards Program by coming into partnership with an airline company to enhance the experience of customers on flight. Such a trail would improve the frequent flyer mile partnership and also the opportunities for purchase, which would then make Classic

Theology of Immigration Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Theology of Immigration - Assignment Example While Congress is making new laws evangelical Christians, on the other hand, are protesting and trying to make sure that these laws are in accordance with the teachings of the bible regarding immigration and how immigrants should be treated. An immigration law that ensures justice, values an individual’s self-esteem and does not affect the country’s image as a welcoming country. A fair immigration law will help in making the country’s economy and society stronger. Immigrants have played a significant role both in American history and bequest, due to this American’s should encourage immigrants to take part as American citizens who pay taxes, vote in elections and work legally (Staver, 2013). Immigration laws should consist of suitable fines, timings to wait for their hearings, a proper background check should be done, confirmation regarding honorable character and loyalty towards America by learning their native language. The Bible regarding the issue of im migration states that people need to make to make a choice between greeting the immigrants which will direct them towards endless paradise and not greeting the immigrants will direct them towards endless penalty. (Staver, 2013) In this paper, we will discuss what the Bible says regarding the issue of immigration and will also put light on the issue of Iraqi immigrants and what the Christians have to say about it.   The topic of immigration usually creates a gap between devoted parishioners and denominational ministers, a number of Catholic bishops believe that illegal immigrants should be given official pardon. They are constantly working in the favor of open borders. The codes of conduct stated by their religion are the basis for many American policies and their politics. The Christians who form the policies and the Christian citizens of the United States may perhaps want to take into account how the Bible looks at the issue of immigration. The United States has an extensive rela tionship with Christianity and its effect on the process of policymaking. The Bible clearly states rules about some issues of public policy making, however on a few issues nothing is said clearly so people themselves have to interpret what the Bible is saying.   (Edwards, 2009) The Bible has told its people the role God has determined for the Civil Government of the country. It specifies that those with power need to maintain law and order in the country, look after the citizens and penalize those who commit a crime.   (Edwards, 2009) In 1 Peter 2:13-14 NIV it is said: â€Å"Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.† This tells us that those who are making the laws have a very serious responsibility given to them.  

The business environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

The business environment - Essay Example Charities under this category One of the most frequently used route for running a non-for-profit business is to establish it as a company limited by guarantee as these companies will not have either shareholders or shares but is has members. Under this, members consent in the eve of liquidation or winding up, to guarantee a certain sum of money that may be needed to cater the demands of any creditors. Such amount of guarantee will be illustrated in the Memorandum of Association of such companies. Further, companies whether they are limited by guarantee or by shares have to adhere the requirements under the Companies Act of 2006 in UK. Charities under this category have to register their Memorandum and Articles with the Charity Commission at the time of incorporation (Bloomsbury 2013: 60). Nominet UK is an UK based company limited by guarantee, and it is carrying on UK domain registry business in UK. Its members cannot have the right participate in its profit, and anybody can become the member of Nominet UK and majority of its members are Internet service providers in UK (Lambert 2012:44). A private company limited by shares can be incorporated under the laws of Scotland, Wales and England.† Limited by shares â€Å"connotes that the capital of the company is contributed by the shareholders of the company, and creditors can have access to the shareholders’ share capital amount in the event of winding up only up to the amount invested by them in the share capital of the company. It connotes that shareholder’s personal assets cannot be attached by the creditors in the event of insolvency or winding up of the company. A limited company may be either private or public as the private limited company disclosure norms are less flexible than the public company. Due to this reason, a private company is not allowed to issue shares to the general public and hence, it is not entitled to be listed or traded on a

United States v. Wade Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

United States v. Wade - Case Study Example During the trial, Wade's legal counsel tried to get an acquittal for their client based upon their belief that the Fifth Amendment Rights of their client was violated as the line up was done without any legal counsel present to advise the accused of his rights. The courts denied the motion, resulting in the conviction of Wade in the end (n.d., â€Å"United States v. Wade). This led the defense to file a motion before the Supreme Court in order to request that they resolve the issue of allowing courtroom identifications of an accused to be excluded from evidence since the events surrounding the identification process was done without the presence of counsel. The events before the trial at the post indictment line up was therefore illegally conducted and was violation of his client's Fifth Amendment Rights (n.d., â€Å"United States v. Wade†). They requested that the Supreme Court overturn the decision of the lower court in the process. The Supreme Court however, did not find a ny reason to dismiss the case against Wade. It was the opinion of the court that the lack of counsel at the line up proceedings could not be seen as a violation of the accused Fifth Amendment Right against self incrimination. ... That is, provided that the prosecution would be able to support the pretrial line up identification the accused with a solid and valid court identification of the accused as well (n.d., â€Å"The United State v. Wade†). Therefore, it was the opinion of the court that the Fifth Amendment Right to self incrimination was not violated in this case as the line up identification did not show that there was any testimonial or communicative evidence that needed to be suppressed. On the other hand, the Sixth Amendment Right to counsel was violated in the pretrial proceedings since the accused had a right to legal representation during critical stages of the pretrial proceedings, specially during the identification stages. Proper witness identification can easily be influenced during an investigation due to the nervousness and trauma that the witness had to endure during the incident. Therefore their memory recall of the perpetrators and the events as it unfolded may have a cloud of dou bt about it. That is why the police rely on certain variables in order to ensure that the eyewitness accounts are as accurate and court admissible as possible. The key factors relating to the accuracy of witness identification, that can easily offset the suggestiveness and bias of show ups include (Moses, â€Å"Misidentification: the Caprices of Eye Witness Testimony in Criminal Cases†): â€Å"(1) Perception; (2) Memory; (3) Communication; and (4) Candor. â€Å" However, these traits are not easily acquired by people and therefore affects the way that a witness gives an account of the things that happened during the incident, thereby making the witness prone to suggestive questioning. Let us remember that perception is created by the events as the witness wants to

The Impact Of Gender Bias On The Court Sentence Research Paper

The Impact Of Gender Bias On The Court Sentence - Research Paper Example Court systems all over the world face relative similar accusations of being biased against one side, while passing judgments in the judicial systems. Gender bias is not something new, although it is a fact that most of the judicial executives and staff would try to avoid being identified as associated with. Whether it is in the line of duty in the judicial system or inside the court executions, it is possible to realize strain of an issue being concerned and expended towards one group and not the other, for some reasons without enough weight to lead to the order given. Sometimes people wonder why some decisions are made so quickly, despite the matter being radical, yet there are other crucial aspects to consider. Is it ignorance on the part of the judicial conduct committee, the Judges, lawyers, inability of the offender or the offender to follow up their cases, or intervention by other interested third parties? These are some of the questions that concerned parties keep asking thems elves at an occurrence of an unexpected outcome in court hearings. Court systems are there to listen to the cases brought forward, consider evidence and reasons of an action taken, then evaluate to provide a fair principle of directives to the concerned parties after consultation. Honestly, most cases have been handled with integrity, but there are few of those that have been appealed due to the dissatisfaction of clients, soon after their final court hearing. Why do many individuals especially in cases related to domestic affairs rush back for a petition? Different nations may have different ways in how they conduct their legal affairs, and so do the justice functions and methods tend to differ.

Part1_ interpreting curriculum doc & their use. Part2_using Curriculum Assignment

Part1_ interpreting curriculum doc & their use. Part2_using Curriculum doc& school knowledge.Part3_Explaing&justifying your curriculum plan - Assignment Example given scenario of early childhood curricula of making a seesaw on a twin tree, both the learning intentions and class experiences chosen by the teacher were on point. In the teaching and learning process, it is advisable that teachers should start from known concepts to unknown concepts. This means that the teacher should start teaching the learners right from prior knowledge the learners know before introducing them to new knowledge and experiences (Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), 2014). This is exactly what the teacher did; he wanted the learners to apply the skills they have on playground seesaws and make their own from natural materials outside the school playground. Thus, the learners just transferred the knowledge and skills they use on playground seesaw to make another seesaw. These experiences promoted the spirit of creativity and confidence in the learners; the two are vital components of the learning process. The learning outcomes are the real results that emerge from the learning process, on the other hand, the learning principles are the guideline that guides teachers to provide an effective learning (Susan, 2004). Indeed the learning outcomes were appropriate to the learning experiences since the learners started to develop a sense of autonomy and inter-dependence. EYLF, (2014) states that autonomy helps learners to work with little assistance from the teacher on the other hand inter-dependence aids in sharing their ideas of one another hence, collective teaching. The two skills lead to faster learning unlike where the learners are over-dependent on the teacher. However, for these skills to develop fully, the teacher should have used various scenarios that would expose these learners to a variety of experiences. The curriculum designer should be more practical than being theoretical during the learning process (EYLF, 2014). Young learners need to be exposed to learning experiences that are more practical in nature for them to understand

The Unvanquished Essay Example for Free

The Unvanquished Essay Two of the women from this novel deserve utmost respect. Granny and Drusilla took matters into their own hands, and are an inspiration to many women who read this novel. Strong women like them were unusual during this time period. Granny and Drusilla are in no way â€Å"picture-perfect southern belles†, yet they took what they had at the time and the experience that was given to them and represented true southern women. Granny was a strong woman of this period; she understood how things worked, and was smart enough to know how to manipulate things to her advantage. â€Å"’Bayard Sartoris, what did you say’? We killed him Granny! ’ †¦Then she said, ‘Quick! Here! ’†¦ and then Ringo and I were squatted with our knees under our chins, on either side of her against her knees†¦her skirts spread over us like a tent†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢You are mistaken,’ she said, ‘There are no children here. ’†) [Faulkner 30-31] This is a shorten version of the quote. The scenario is when Bayard and Ringo shoot at the Yankee soldier on a horse. They hit the horse instead of the man, though they are unaware of this fact. They run home shrieking at Granny to help them, so she has them hide underneath her skirt. The soldier comes in; then the Colonel comes in. The whole situation puts Granny in a bad position, because she’s a good, southern, God fearing woman, and the only way out of this predicament is to lie to the Yankee Colonel who comes in after Bayard and Ringo. Both Granny and the Colonel know there Bayard and Ringo are, but a gentleman doesn’t ask a lady to get up like that without good cause. Granny knew she could play this to her advantage. Granny sits there completely poker-faced and flat out tells him there are no children. The coronel simply jokes about the children and leaves. This is just one example of how Granny took a problem into her own hands and took care of it, with no man needed. She didn’t know who was going to be coming through those doors, it could have been dangerous; however, she handled the situation with grace and elegance, never skipping a beat. Granny showed great responsibility and courage when she had the idea to use the money and slaves to get mules from the Yankees. She turned the original mix-up into a smuggling business: she showed true genius in a time of real need. â€Å"’Ten chests tied with hemp rope,’†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢a hundred and ten mules’†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Get what we got. Hurry’. He turned to Granny. ‘The general said to give you another hundred with his compliments’† [Faulkner 88-89] Again, another abbreviated lengthy quote. What’s happening here is Granny never got her exact box of silver back, but she was reimbursed for the silver. The Yankee in command gave her a slip with an order for a large amount of mules. When Granny and Ringo go to get them, the soldier they speak to doesn’t understand, and gets the entire transaction mixed up. Granny turned this unexpected occurrence into a blessing and opportunity to turn a profit and give the mules to the townspeople. Most of what originally occurred was a miscommunication; however, Granny and Ringo simultaneously recognized what was happening and took advantage of it. â€Å"The man counted the mules; we didn’t hardly move†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Forty-seven will do,† said Ringo†¦ and then all of a sudden she took her hand away from her chest; it had the paper in it; she held it out to the lieutenant without saying a word. † [Faulkner 91-93] Granny had the courage to risk getting caught, and continued to play the same con numerous times after, forging the note each time. She was a woman; an older woman at that, but she desperately wanted to somehow make a contribution to the war effort and also help out the community as best she could. The war devastated the south, and changed many things. If she could somehow right some of the wrongs that had been done to the people, while at the same time hindering the Yankees, it could be a step toward putting things back the way they were. Because Granny had been around as long as she had, she was a huge believer in tradition. She was stubbornly trying to preserve a community and take care of them, much like a mother takes care of her family. Many people enjoy discussing Drusilla, due to her unusual behavior and intrigue of the character. Drusilla wasn’t the average run-of-the-mill housewife; she had hopes and aspirations; goals and a set agenda. She didn’t wait around for a man to help her; if she wanted something done, she did it herself. â€Å"’This horse? ’ Cousin Denny said. ‘Ain’t no damn Yankee going to fool with Dru’s horse no more. ’ He didn’t holler now, but pretty soon he began again: ‘When they come to burn the house, Dru grabbed the pistol and rum out here-she had on her Sunday dress-and them right behind her. She run in here and she jumped on Bobolink bareback, without even waiting for the bridle, and one of them right there in the doorway hollering, ‘Stop’, and Dru said, ‘get away, or I’ll ride you down too’ †¦and Dru leaned down into Bobolinks ear and said, ‘Kill him, Bob’ [Faulkner 74] Drusilla didn’t stop to think of her own safety, or to wait for a man to step forward and assist; she acted out of courage and loyalty and attacked the men head on, knowing they were men and most likely stronger and better fighters. Drusilla portrays a strong, independent woman, with feministic qualities. Drusilla is a symbol of what is to come; she symbolizes strong women fighting for themselves, equality, and recognition. â€Å"She had on pants like a man† [Faulkner 73] â€Å"Her hair was cut short; it looked like father’s would†¦ She was sunburned and her hands were hard and scratched like a man’s that works would†. [Faulkner 75] It is apparent in other parts of the book that Drusilla didn’t always dress in a masculine fashion; when she was engaged to Gavin Breckbridge, she wore dresses and would have most likely lived out a stereotypical â€Å"southern bell† life, unworthy of remembrance. By this point in the book; however, we find Drusilla to be dressing like a man and attempting to take on more responsibilities and be more useful to the war effort. She commissioned herself to engage in manual labor, causing one sign of being a southern belle (soft smooth hands) to fade. Working hard was also a part of her own unique chivalric code of honor she took on, further distancing herself from her old life. High society women could afford to be shaded from the sun at all times; thus never resulting in sunburn. Poor whites were generally associated with having tan skin, while rich white women had fair porcelain skin-also a showing the segregation between poor people and wealthy people, as well as slaves. In the case of Drusilla being sunburned, it’s another segregating aspect allowing her to create a more equal atmosphere at which to fit into. Her unintentional idea was to appear less feminine; also creating a physical freeness at which she can move around and work more easily. Indirectly she also wanted to draw less attention to herself. She got the opposite effect: her change in appearance caused her to stand out as a new kind of person: a strong woman, purposefully surviving without a man. In this exquisite novel, so many different interpretations can be read from its intricately woven plot. These two women, Granny and Drusilla, went through quite a few trials and tribulations to become the much-respected women they were in the end. (Word count: 1,393)

Subcultural Theories of Youth Culture

Subcultural Theories of Youth Culture Subcultural theories of youth culture owe much to the pioneering work of the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies (CCCS) during the 1970s and early 1980s. The CCCS make use of the term subculture from US sociologists at Chicago University, and applied it to visually distinctive post-World War II British working class youth cultures, such as teddy boys, mods, and skinheads. Sociologists today employ three primary theoretical perspectives: the functionalist perspective, the Marxist perspective and the post-modernist perspective. These perspectives offer sociologists theoretical paradigms for explaining how society influences people, and vice versa. Each perspective uniquely conceptualises society, social forces, and human behaviour. FUNCTIONALISM Functionalism is the oldest, and still the dominant, theoretical perspective in sociology and many other social sciences. According to the functionalist perspective each aspect of society is interdependent and contributes to societys functioning as a whole. Functionalists see society as having a structure, with key institutions performing vital functions, and roles directing people in how to behave. They identify the functions of each part of the structure. For example, the state, or the government, provides education for the children of the family, which in turn pays taxes on which the state depends to keep itself running. This means that the family is dependent upon the school to help children grow up to have good jobs so that they can raise and support their own families. In the process, the children become law-abiding, taxpaying citizens, who in turn support the state. If the process succeeds the parts of society produce order, stability and productivity. On the other hand, if th e process does not go well, the parts of society then must adapt to recapture a new order, stability, and productivity. For example, as we are presently experiencing, during a financial recession with its high rates of unemployment and inflation, profit and salary reduction, social programs are trimmed or cut. Families tighten their budgets while employers offer fewer business programs, and a new social order, stability and productivity occur. Functionalists believe that society is held together by social consensus, or cohesion, in which society members agree upon, and work together to achieve, what is best for society as a whole. Emile Durkheim suggested that social consensus takes one of two forms: Mechanical Solidarity: This is a form of social cohesion that arises when people in a society maintain similar values and beliefs and engage in similar types of work. Mechanical solidarity most commonly occurs in traditional, simple societies such as those in which everyone herds cattle or farms. Amish society exemplifies mechanical solidarity. Organic Solidarity: This is a form of social cohesion that arises when people in a society are interdependent, but hold to varying values and beliefs and engage in varying types of work. Organic solidarity most commonly occurs in industrialised, complex societies such as those in large American cities like New York in the 2000s. Leading functionalists include Emile Durkheim and Talcott Parsons. Robert Merton (1910), who was a functionalist as well, developed his theory of deviance which is derived from Durkheims idea of anomie. It is central in explaining how internal changes can occur in a system. For Merton, anomie means a discontinuity between cultural goals and that accepted methods available for reaching them. Merton (1968) has proposed a number of important distinctions to avoid potential weaknesses and clarify ambiguities in the basic functionalist perspective. First, he distinguishes between manifest and latent functions. Manifest functions are recognised, intentional and obvious, while latent functions are unrecognised, unintentional, and thus not obvious. Merton used the example of the Hopi rain dance to show that sometimes an individuals understanding of their motive for an action may not fully explain why that action continues to be performed. Sometimes actions fulfil a function of which the acto r is unaware, and this is the latent function of an action. Second, he distinguishes between consequences which are positively functional for a society, those which are dysfunctional for the society, and those which neither. Third, he also distinguishes between levels of society, that is, the specific social units for which regularised patterns of behaviour are functional or dysfunctional. Finally, he maintains that the particular social structures which satisfy functional needs of society are not indispensable, but that structural alternatives may exist which can also satisfy the same functional needs. Merton expanded on the idea that anomie is the alienation of the self from society due to conflicting norms and interests by describing five different types of actions that occur when personal goals and legitimate means come into conflict with each other. Conformity is the typical successful hardworking person who both accepts the goals of the society and has the means for obtaining those goals. This is an example of non-anomie. Innovation refers to the pursuit of culturally approved goals by disapproved, including illegal means, in other words, they must use innovation in order to achieve cultural goals. (Example: Drug dealer who sells drugs to support a family.) Ritualism refers to excessively rigid conformity to approved goals and means, even to the neglect of the actual results; inefficient bureaucrats who adhere rigidly to the rules are the classic example of ritualism. The person who ignores and rejects the means and the goals of the society is said to be retreating from society. (For example a drug addict who has stopped caring about the social goals and chooses a drug induced reality in favour of the socially accepted lifestyle.) Finally, there is a fifth type of adaptation which is that of rebellion which refers to the rejection of approved goals and means in favor of new ones. Functionalism has received criticism as it has a conservative bias. Critics claim that the perspective justifies the status quo and complacency on the part of societys members. Functionalism does not encourage people to take an active role in changing their social environment, even when such change may benefit them. Instead, functionalism sees active social change as undesirable because the various parts of society will compensate naturally for any problems that may arise. MARXIST NEW-SUBCULTURAL THEORY Marx argues that societies result from humans getting together to produce food. The forces of production shape social relationships. In Marxist theory, class is the most important social group in the capitalist society and the mayor social configurations are class cultures. The classes are organised depending on the mode of production that determine a concrete set of relations of production: the capitalists (bourgeoisie) and the workers (proletariat). These classes are all the time in conflict and negotiation because one of them is dominant and the other is subordinate. This conflict perspective originated primarily out of Karl Marxs writings on class struggles and it presents society in a different light than do the functionalist perspective. While the latter perspective focus on the positive aspects of society that contribute to its stability, the conflict perspective focuses on the negative, conflicted, and ever-changing nature of society. Unlike functionalists who defend the status quo, avoid social change, and believe people cooperate to effect social order, conflict theorists challenge the status quo, encourage social change (even when this means social revolution), and believe rich and powerful people force social order on the poor and the weak. As we can see, most societies are based upon exploitation of some groups by others. Those who own the means of production, such as factories, land, raw material or capital, exploit those who work for them, who lack the means to produce things themselves. Thus, capitalists accumulate profits and get ri cher and richer. Eventually workers will come to realise that they are being exoploited and will overthrow capitalism and create a communist society. In communism the means of production will be communally owened, so there will be no ruling class, no exploitation and much less inequality than in capitalism. Today, conflict theorists find social conflict between any groups in which potential for inequality exists, such as, racial, gender, religious, political, economic and so on. These theorists note that unequal groups usually have conflicting values and agendas, causing them to compete against one another. This constant competition between groups forms the basis for the ever-changing nature of society. Critics of the conflict perspective point to its extremely negative view of society. The theorys ultimately central problems are: it has difficulty explaining the more orderly and stable elements of social life, it neglects or downplays the cultural and symbolic aspects of social life because it emphasises on economics and class, conflict theorists tend to assume the power differences lead to conflict but differences do not necessarily provoke conflict. POST MODERNISM Post modernist perspectives have developed since the 1980s. Some versions see important changes taking place in society, while other versions question the ability of conventional sociology to produce worthwhile theories of society. Some postmodernists argue that social behaviour is no longer shaped by factors such as class, gender, ethnicity and different types of socialisation. It is now simply a question of lifestyle choice. Finally, Post-Structuralism and Postmodernism, perspectives developed on the French intellectual scene, have had considerable influence on American sociologists in recent years (as well as on scholars in many other fields, especially literary studies). Derived from (but largely rejecting) both the Marxist tradition and the works of anthropologist Claude LÃ ©vi-Strausswho developed a structuralist theory of culturethese theoretical schools seek to account for the apparent disintegration of modern culture over the past several decades. Among the traditions major figures, such as Jacques Derrida and Jean Baudrillard, perhaps the best known is Michel Foucault, a historian and philosopher. Tracing the historical changes in societal attitudes toward punishment, mental illness, and sexuality, among other topics, he argued that knowledge and power have become inextricably entwined. Foucault stressed the disciplinary nature of power, and argued that (social) scientific discourse as one such discipline may itself need to be questioned. Sociologists in this tradition seek not only to study the world differently, but to make the production of sociological knowledge, and thus our own situatedness within structures of knowledge and power, part of the study. American sociologists influenced by this tradition sometimes call their work Discourse Analysis or Cultural Studies.

The Convergence Of Television Networking Media Essay

The Convergence Of Television Networking Media Essay The long-indicated convergence of broadcast TV and internet is reaching a tipping point. Viewing TV text via internet has changed PC savvy TV viewers expectation dramatically. The rise in synchronized use of internet and TV has resulted in a unique off screen and on screen relationship of users with TV content (Grady, 2010). Gradys view of Television describes onscreen engagement of audience with online TV content and off screen interaction amidst peers and friends that Jenkins (2006) terms as water cooler conversations. The onscreen and off screen experience together brings the sociability factor among viewers that supports the water cooler conversation. TV cultivates sociability in many ways (Lull: 1990) for instance, TV plays a vital role in constructing and maintaining interpersonal relationship amongst family and social units. Likewise, when TV content is viewed on websites and other networking sites, it sparks sociability amongst users that influence users to react in numerous ways. For instance, Spoiler fandom of TV shows Survivors was one of the forms of users that used sociability to spoil the show. Although, fandom is not the only form practiced on networking sites, but many more that influences users to build a community around a specific TV content. Online TV content cultivates sociability in networked communities and gives a platform to practice Mc Luhans (1874) living room experience. But online sociability has charted changes in traditional concept of TV and audience. As Fiske (1987: 63-4) states revaluation of viewer requires a revaluation of text. Hence such a convergence needs to be studied in context to dramatic changes in TV industry such as changes in production, distribution and content management. This section of my literature review highlights dramatic changes in TV and TV entry in a post network era. The section also makes a general understanding about TV culture and TV (content) flow. A separate section discusses proliferation of TV text across social networking sites and social use of technology with relevance to online viewing. 1.3.1 Television Concepts Fiske (1987:1) defines TV, a bearer/provoker of meanings and pleasures, and of culture as the generations and circulation of variety of meanings and pleasures within the society. TV as culture is deeply interwoven in our society that it persistently produces and reproduces; meanings and pleasures and their distribution influences audience to behave in a desired way. Meanings are interpreted differently by audience and are part of flow of TV that are experienced by viewers ( Fiske: 1987,15). Audiences are makers of meaning; consume TV text as readers that are capable of producing meanings and pleasure with respect to socio-cultural frameworks ( Fiske: 1987,17). Therefore, to understand audience, TV needs to be understood as culture and a flow that extends meanings and pleasures to meaning makers in social structures. TV as Culture Culture is complex and difficult to understand, it signifies set of values acquired by set of social groups that results in patterned behavior. Theorist like Richard Hoggart (1957), Raymond William (1958) and EP Thompson (1968) has contributed much to the concept of culture. Hall Jefferson (1976, hall.et.al) states, culture is multi-faceted and plural that contains element from past and layers within it. A culture is a culmination of past and present that shapes existing ideas and insights in a society. Culture is diverse, versatile and contains popular forms of dominant culture in a society (Matthew, 1869). As Turner, explains culture is part of our lives that are so powerful and unquestioned that it almost goes invisible and unnoticed (Turner, 1990). Similarly TV and its text has become integral part of our culture that induces viewers to become readers. Television, its content and the industry forms significant aspects of our culture that affects social structures in many ways. TV has become one of the primary forms of culture in most industrialized society (Kompare, 2002). TV as flow Williams (1958) determines flow; a technology and a cultural form. Flow in context to TV, refers to the movement from one program to other or from one segment to the other. Network channels (producers) hold audience via flow of TV text from one interesting segment to another interesting segment making flow continuous. Kompare (2002) explains flow, a broadcasting property that constitutes the overall experience of broadcasting on the minds of audience. Network channels use flow as a strategy to overcome gaps created by commercials and public message; to grab the attention of audience to fill up those gaps and breaks by moving to another program or a segment of a program making viewing experience as effortless endless experience. Gaps are the visible characteristics that define television experience. Williams (1958) believed gaps are not mere gaps but are planned breaks that happens because of interaction between television and audience, he termed it as planned flow. Flow relates to th e appointment based television that involves audience to experience, TV as an endless narrative flow that intensify their continuity. Continuity engages and sustains audience that results in economic exchange, gratifying needs of network channels (advertisers) and audience. Engagement with TV results in cultural capital where as financial front releases economic capital that is necessary for TV to function as culture good andeconomic good. Flow is an essential concept for the growth and survival of TV as culture in a social structure. John Ellis, John Fiske, Jane Feuer, Richard Dinest, John corner and many others have challenged the operations that Williams described in the process of contributing to the formation of discursive field of flow (Urichho, 2004). Corner (2003) argues flow is a pessimistic discourse of TV culture that disregards television characteristics as a diverse medium. Ellis (1982) discusses the scheduling of different genres of programs that are organized in a TV network should be focus of study. His argument focuses on schedule (time) other than programs (flow) as determined by Williams and emphasizes how a different genre of programs gets fit into scheduling of television by organization of time is more relevant than movement from program to program. His way of determining flow underlines the concept of audience that engage themselves in different ways, provided what has been offered to them. This signifies not only how time handles text but how time passage in the text has imbrications on the life who viewed a particular content. Thus, time is an important factor in the study of TV flow. Flow to be understood in present TV culture, it needs to be studied in relation to current advancement in technologies and new digital systems that has converged different mediums at a single platforms. With introduction of converging technologies, so called mass communication mediums , including TV does not always flow ( Kompare : 2002). TV has come long way from traditional form of viewing TV text that was time based and continuous. New media offers content as flexible package than continuous narrative wiping away factors such as when, where and how that has charted changes in the identity of television as culture. Urichho (2004) sketches flow, a fundamental shift in the interface between television and viewer and so in the viewing experience. He describes flow as an interface and explains how the introduction of metadata system and filter technologies has resulted into a new kind of interaction that suggests TV has entered to a new phase. New devices have provided tools to capture television text and produce ways of asynchronous viewing that has altered the interaction of medium with the culture in many ways (Lotz: 2007:35). New mechanism to view varied TV text has charted changes in the concept of flow making it flexible and malleable. The current phase shows us deepening convergence of technologies at single platform and TVs shift from broadcasting to other modes of carriage like VOD, cable, satellite has given an opportunity to distribute content to wider platforms that reaches beyond the audience of broadcast TV. Recent BARB figures of 2009 indicated that most of the people in UK, recorded the first episode of fifth series of Lost (Guardian, 2009). The distribution of TV text to various alternative carriers has affected TV, its identity and TV as a cultural form. TV as culture is transformed by recurring changes in its components such as TV text, changing preferences of audience, advancement in technologies and network channels stance to produce relevant content in accordance with socio-cultural frameworks. For instance, a popular broadcasting network like BBC or CBS when started uploading programs on their websites, audience discussion rise from dinning room to virtual communities, effecting culture in a different way. As discussed, Television is still evolving; its identity is unstable (not fixed). Its difficult to define what television is and what it will be in near future and what changes it will pose to the culture. Urichho (2004) discusses the difficulties approaching TV as he cites Heath (1998; Urichho : 2004,165) who states increasing inadequacy of existing terms and standards of analysis bounds TV with a specific bound of representation, a certain coherence of object and understanding TV in a complex social-political-individual meaning. TV as flow has been transformed by everyday technologies, economy and by network channels posing specific bearing on culture. To conclude, flow is an essential concept for the growth of television as a culture in a society. Although, many scholars has interpreted flow in different ways, but the concept of flow remains vital to the critical understanding of the medium. . 1.3.2 The changing television The convergence of broadcast model and broadband has defeated traditional appointment based television and has produced a new avatar of the medium. The series of transformation in the medium has changed television over the time, changes in terms of distribution of TV content across different media platforms due to technological convergence and changes in TV content to gratify entertainment needs of varied niche social sets of audience. The broadcasting model in no terms can be stated as single technological medium, thereby affecting social and cultural practices that have grown around the medium over the time (Askwith: 2003). Mc Luhans( 1978) living room experience refers to the culmination of social experiences among family members (audience) lasting an evening. When TV became a product of convergence culture, TV audience discovered new ways to engage with TV content via internet, mobile phones and I phones. Personal computers when added to techno mix convergence; TV audience got a platform to expand their social experiences across variety of channels and engaged themselves with TV content as never before. Loyal viewers used these platforms to contemplate about and discuss varied things about TV content such as characters, plots, locations etc resulting in a never ending collective intelligence (Jenkins: 2000) that engage users in different ways across different social platforms. The distribution of TV text to different channels (mediums) and platforms has designed content as malleable packages in accordance to varied media outlets. Jenkins (2000: 95) describes such a phenomenon as transmedia storytelling, as he explains TV content in the present era is more of a story telling experience involving viewers in different ways. He discusses about popular media franchises such as the matrix, Harry potter, Star Wars and states that such media content are entertainment for convergence age that integrates multiple texts to form a single narrative where each text lays its own individuality and originality. In other words, a transmedia content when unfolds to different media outlet, each text (medium) should be able to contribute solely to respective media franchise, for instance in Matrix a film offers a more immediate rapport with audience where as matrix game would involve players in much different way as experienced in film. Thus it reveals that each medium has got different characteristics and engage audience in different ways. Distribution of TV text across different channels gives rise to new experiences and new ways of engagement with the medium. Not only changes in modes of distribution have contributed much to the changed broadcast model of TV, but also its content has transformed over the years. Mapplebleck (1998) describes a general shift from general formats of TV shows such as current affairs, daily show to a more factually based light entertainment programs. This shift was a direct result of changes in culture -media and popular culture, and the space shared by media and social publics. Although, network channels produce TV text in accordance with the entertainment needs of the audience, but experiments on new ideas and concepts play a vital role in gratifying entertainment needs of existent audience and grabbing new audience. The biggest implication of convergence has been the distribution of national identity content to global media markets thereby removing the boundaries of exclusivity and availing content on multiple channels has resulted in cross-cultural interaction ( Jenkins : 2000). Indian Idol much on the lines of American Idol (reality show on Sony TV India) has become a hybrid format in many countries, with a tint of socio-cultural frameworks practiced at each place. Such experiments with the broadcast model have lifted audience from the monotonous everyday routine soap operas to range of interesting formats that are completely new to them. This phenomena has been described as a shift towards first person media (Dovey: 2000) and a post documentary culture (Corner: 2000). With changes in content, there have been major changes in the production techniques to engage audience at different levels of pre production, production and post production. New production practices with TV literate fans have fo stered changes in the way fiction series construct story world (Scones: 2008:67). Sometime various textual strategies are employed for a direct interaction between producers and audience to build rapport with audience. Network channels apply strategies like distribution of content to various platforms, content management and changes in production techniques to engage audience in different ways at different levels, for instance, CBS has become the most viewable network by telecasting some formulaic crime and drama series like survivors and early days of CSI (Lotz: 2007:215). Jenkins (2000:25) adds Survivor is a TV for internet age-designed to be discussed dissected, debated, predicted and critiqued. Survivors (reality show on CBS) brings a new lively format where contestants competes in side the show and show lovers (audience/fandom) competes outside as spoilers to leak the information inside out. The transformation in TV content has affected audience activities and engagement with the medium in numerous ways, moving to a lean forward approach other than sit back approach as practiced by passive audience (Urichho: 2004). Fiske (1987:73) confronts the concept of TV audience as passive consumers and states; television audience might be incapable of influencing the content of TV programs, but the involvement with medium requires significant forms of audience engagement, such as individual viewer interpret TV text in accordance with socio-cultural frameworks to construct meanings to the text, social viewers (set of social group ex family, friends) that discuss TV text with friends and peers to find shared meanings and insights of cultural significance. Corner (1999) explains the pleasure of para-sociability, the enjoyment and excitement we derive from discussing TV content, Jenkins (2000) terms those discussion as water cooler conversation, a natural desire to discuss, express and exchange ideas. However, varied content appears on living room screen and all must not be relevant to an individual or a set of social group. Content must do more than to appear on TV to distinguish itself for better cultural relevance. ( Lotz, 2007:35). She suggests phenomenal TV that lays on the foundation of selected themes and topics that appears on multiple or varied outlet. Programs that achieve special conversation and break the cluttered media are relevant; they gain attention by word of mouth and resonates culture in many ways. As discussed in this section TV has come long way from traditional broadcast model and activities such as distribution, malleable content and changes in production techniques has changed the medium and has produced a new avatar. Transmedia storytelling has distributed content at different platforms with varying technology (specific medium with specific technology ex matrix film {different technology} book {different technology}) and national identity content to be transformed and adjusted in accordance with socio-cultural framework (American Idol in US Indian Idol in India). 1.3.3 TV in the post network era L.A. Times cites post network era as age of fast food TV.(Times, 2005).As Amanda describes, Television as a medium to be organized around networks(Amanda D lotz,2007:5)Lynn spigel cites a more comprehensive phase of TV in the post network era, ( Spigel, Lynn and Olsson,2004:2) indeed, if TV refers to the technologies, industrial information, government policies and practices of looking that were associated with the medium in its classical public service and three network age, it appears we are now entering the phase that comes after TV. Lynn Spigel notes TV to be reinventing in numerous ways, new platforms, channels; multiplicity of visual text at alternative medium has given many ways to think, what TV will be? The way we are experiencing TV needs to be addressed and how we will perceive TV in future needs to be defined. The social aspects clubs with the cultural, economic and institutional aspect to define the broadcast model which vary from place to place. TV cultivates sociability in many ways, Lull (J.Lull:1990) described TV as a vital force in constructing and maintaining interpersonal relationship between family and social units interacting normatively. Antonio(2008) adds audience decodes message on the basis of their identity and background, he adds Media are hegemonic institutions that work to secure social consensus by incorporating dissent and conflict(Antonio Gramsci,2008) Lull and Antonios argument can be seen with reference to the potential social and cultural environment within the medium context, that facilitate sociability among the viewers in the post network era. Technological innovations and society as a whole have been affecting the ways and means viewers experience TV and entertainment in general. As Amanda D lotz cites websters (Amanda D lotz,2007:15) who argues programming multiplicity resulting in audience fragmentation and polarization as new media make content available at different mediums. Cable networks creat es audience loyalty by associating themselves with a kind of genre combining with old genres to niche demographics of TV(Turner, 2001:4-6). Necessary modification and adjustment in digital transition technologies has shifted TV in to a new horizon. Henry Jenkins (Henry Jenkins: 2000, Amanda D lotz :2007:7) calls it a post network era where convergence is intersecting the broadcast model and revolutionizing the society. But I argue TV is certainly not loosing its grab, but the ways and means which are employed by the viewer as in how and where to view has convoluted, how we think and understand TV. I would rather call it a hybrid medium, whose offerings are becoming unique and platforms to showcase those offerings are versatile. Though many contemporary TV scholars tried to figure out TV in the post network era, many relates it to a cultural experience others technology. William Urichhio, maps broad changes in TV technology from old TV console to smart TVsystem. (Urichhio,2008:163) . Michael Curtin relates TV on more cultural grounds and argues that TV needs to be studied cross culturally to understand how TV has evolved in different cultural, economical, and industrial and regulatory conditions.( Michael Curtin,2008:272-275). The entire culture to view TV has been transformed. During the network era (before post network), sources were scarce and no alternative ways were available to receive TV content other than the network channels. With the emergence of the post network era, the restricted access reduced and more options got available to choose from. Technical innovations ranging from recording programs on DVD to downloading videos has brought up a change, with new ways of distribution. Networks delivered content irrespective of what, when and where at a minimal cost resulted a revolutionized way to view content. Lynn Spigel notes changes in programming and sponsorship are met with similar changes in the entire culture of watching TV.(lynn Spigel,2008:5).Jenkins transmedia storytelling, explains TV content is so designed that appear on various media outlet subjects for a flexible consumption (Henry Jenkins,2000:25). Convergence among TV, phones , social platforms offered at internet, presents a limitles s expansion of television presence by enabling reception of TV content almost anywhere. (Amanda D lotz,2007:50). Social platforms such as daily motion and you tube has redefined the role of networks by harnessing online video content. You Tube, when launched streamed about 35 millions video a day and drew the double size of audience (Los angles times.com:2006). As Amnda T Lotz cites Adam Berry, VP of bright cove, who explains online videos as treasures, its not only meant to watch your favorite shows, but to watch whole bunch of stuff which you havent seen. (Amanda D lotz,2007:137). Convergence culture(2000) proposed by Henry Jenkins offers distribution of national identity content for global distribution limiting the boundaries of exclusivity resulting in availability of visual text on multiple platforms and resultant trans media culture. TV in the post network era has offered flexibility in what, when and where to view and has opened up a vast arena to the audience, to practice TV viewing in different ways. TV text fuels a dominant way of thinking among its viewers; it communicates social beliefs and value of the society. I argue TV reincarnates with every technology, with every effort of Network/TV channel content to present diverse text across globe; making it available at different medium and viewers to make sense of visual text within the context of social, economic and cultural condition. The three elements which I described above; technology, Producers and viewers, moves in a cycle and has set the conditions for POST NETWORK era. 1.3.4Network/TV channel content on social network Social element might not be new to TV as J. Lull says, TV cultivates sociability in many ways (J.Lull:1990). But the concept of watching network/TV channel content online on social platforms has added a new social paradigm to television studies. Experiencing TV text with other functional tools embedded in social software like voice chat, peer ratings and integration with social media (networking sites) has engaged viewers in a unique innovative way. In past, many ethnographic researches have shown that people enjoy watching television as a part of socializing in groups. According to an ethnographic research conducted by Lora Oehlberg, Nicolas Ducheneaut, James D. Thornton, Robert J. Moore, Eric Nickell (2006), TV can foster multiple forms of sociability. To analyze the patterns of interaction of TV text, they categorized TV sociability as : direct (e.g. when chatting with friends and family while watching network channel content) or indirect (e.g. when discussing previously viewed programs). Mc luhans (1874) global village conveys the sense of synchronicity created by the electronic medium(TV radio) and the living room,he depicts an event where Television is ON, so as the sharing and continuous participation of members of living room, who discuss, debate and experience TV text in many ways. Mc Luhans(1874) global village highlights two factors that has formed the basis for communication in the current age: sociability in groups and simultaneity between the group and the medium. The idea of sociability and simultaneity in the internet age is same, what has changed is the positioning of participants and members, which has introduced complexities in the current communication process. Castells(2000) visionary idea of culture of real virtuality, explains this phenomenon better in which he explains we are not living in a global village, but in customized cottages globally produced and locally distributed. (Castells 2000: 370). Kitchen(1998) cites that one of the major outcome of internet is the interactivity of online relations based on reception of TV text. (Kitchen,1998:15). Henry Jenkins(2006) explains in convergence culture television provides fodder for so called water cooler conversations and online forums offer an opportunity for participants to share knowledge and expression (as original;Henry Jenkins, 2006:21). TV content leverage and integrate the wisdom of social networking, the combination of duo has resulted into a new type of interactive, participative and user-directed environment. Jenkins cites young people, forming communities using popular (social) media to expand their collective wisdom and from many types of publics (groups) to interact in an innovative unpredictable ways. For instance, in his very first chapter he takes us to the secret world of spoiling survivors, where he outlines the impact of reception of TV show survivors. He analyzes survivors fandom interaction with spoilers of the show calling it collective intelligence in practice.(Henry Jenkins, 2006:28).As he cites Pierre Levy who argues that one person might not know everything, everyone knows something that can bring some relevance to the discussion and leads to participation. (Henry Jenkins, 2006:26). In another case study, Jenkins(2006) discuss American Idol (a reality TV show made for audience participation). He cites participation in such communities not only leads to brand affiliation but empowers a control to assert their demands, which influences the show to move forward.( Henry jenkins:2006:80). American Idol popularity shows us the diversified context adopted by the network/TV channel producers to shape the programming and distribution to suit the consumption patterns of consumers. This reminds me of Derek Compare(2002) who says media content comes as malleable packages other than a seamless continuous narratives. The kind of changes introduced in programming gives a platform for interactivi ty and participation. Analyzing interactivity and participation jenkins writes, Interactivity refers to the ways that new technologies have been designed to be more responsive to consumer feedbackParticipation, on the other hand, is shaped by the cultural and social protocols (Henry Jenkins, 2006:137). So, the creators (content producers) decide interactivity, and users (content consumers) may interact with what is given where as participation allows users to become creators and consumers of the content. In this way both network operators and non network players create and capture value while dramatically changing how consumers interact about TV text on social platforms. With the rise of social platforms and new technological innovation, TV is changing. How we are experiencing TV is also transforming with introduction of online virtual communities (social publics) accessed by personal devices like mobile phone, I phones etc. Social publics form communities that extend beyond friends and peers, neighborhood, cities, countries, and across the continents. As Natalie Klym and Marie Jose Montpetit(2008:2) cites Robet putman(2000), who explains the phenomenon of social as a function of consuming and engaging in amusing activities in public spaces experiencing TV as Mc Luhans(1874) living room experience. Personalization of media device leads to granulation of media space where publics practice Mc Luhans(1874) living room experience on castells(2000) social morphology of networks. Putmans(2000) idea of social engagement contributes well to the TV experience on social networks and explains how individualization of technology enables contacts on social media. Emerging social platforms like joost , Hulu and many other embeds functional features like blogs, discussion forum , chat session and program rating to make online videos more meaningful and interactive. Facebook, orkut and Myspace has recently added video applications to adjust and adapt with more user generated environment. As Natalie Klym and Marie Jose Montpetit(2008:7) adds social network becomes a virtual operator performing a customized and personalized programming habits based on what a user or a community may like. For example, you tube automatically share an individual ratings, favorites, and more on Face book, Twitter, and Google Reader with YouTube Autoshare. (You tube). You Tube, a user generated social platform has grown accustomed to watch video on personal devices. Personal devices are paired and networked and results in a global virtual community, where every individual is interacting with every other. In this sense, personal devices (PC, laptop, I phone) etc and its personalization can be viewed as the foundation of new way to access TV content. Though still at early stage, but this new frontier of TV is evolving at a very faster pace and needs to be researched more. 1.3.5 Technology and social framework Technology has transformed the way, TV is today. Not only the structure, but TV as a medium, culture, industry has lot been changed since its inception. Though, TV has a long standing history with reference to technology; but my area of study concentrates on contemporary social technological innovations and models appropriate for understanding Tv text in relation to social media. Technology in simple terms: is by the people and for the people. As, Liela Green (2002:3) suggests that society is responsible for the development and deployment of particular technologies. Social determinism counters the notion of technology determinism and states society develops technology for the benefit and progress of human kind. I agree to Liela greens view and present an account Mc luhans technological determinism theory to mark the flaws that disturbs the ways in which society and technology interact. The appeal and problems can be viewed in light of a technological determinism theory by Mcluhan(Mc,luhans,1964) where he attempted to explore how culture is affected through various types of media? McLuhan believed that advances in technology of a medium will lead to change in a culture (Mc luhan,1964). From this, McLuhan states that a culture is affected by a kind of medium are being employed, that can be TV, radio, newspapers and magazines. Each medium defines, it own kind of standards like, in order to get information one can turn on TV, which is the most dominant form and can easily be absorbed by ear and eyes where as obtaining news over the Internet on the other hand can make the process complicated for those who are not computer literate. And in that case, if a person cannot translate experiences into the conscious then those experiences will be repressed and the message will be lost. Such was the case with, Alltop, which launched its Personalized Feed Reader. Alltop is an online magazine rack that

Microsurgery: Sewing Blood Vessels and Nerves Back Together :: Health Medicine

Microsurgery: Sewing Blood Vessels and Nerves Back Together A man came into the emergency ward at one o'clock. His thumb came in an hour later. The surgeon's job: get them back together. The successful re-attaching of fingers to hand requires long hours of painstaking work in microsurgery. In the operating room , the surgeon doesn't stand, but sits in a chair that supports her body. Her arm is cradled by a pillow. Scalpels are present as are other standard surgical tools, but the suture threads are almost invisible, the needle thinner than a human hair. And all the surgical activity revolves around the most important instument, the microscope. The surgeon will spend the next few hours looking through the microscope at broken blood vessels and nerves and sewing them back together again. The needles are so thin that they have to be held with needlenosed jeweller's forceps and will sew together nerves that are as wide as the thickness of a penny. To make such a stitch, the surgeon's hands will move no more than the width of the folded side of a piece of paper seen end on! Imagine trying to sew two pieces of spaghetti together and you'll have some idea of what microsurgery involves. Twenty-five years ago, this man's thumb would have been lost. But in the 1960s, surgeon's began using microscopes to sew what previously had been almost invisible blood vessels and nerves in limbs. Their sewing technique had been developed on large blood vessels over a half century earlier but could not be used in microsurgery until the needles and sutures became small enough. The surgical technique, still widely used today, had taken the frustrating unreliability out of sewing slippery, round-ended blood vessels by ingeniously turning them into triangles. To do this, a cut end of a blood vessel was stitched at three equidistant points and pulled slightly apart to give an anchored, triangular shape. This now lent itself to easier, more dependable stitching and paved the way for microsurgery where as many as twenty stitches will have to be made in a blood vessel three millimetres thick. The needle used for this can be just 70 millimetres wide, only ten times the width of a human blood cell. All this technology is focused on getting body parts back together again successfully. The more blood vessels reattached, the better the survival chances for a toe or a finger. The finer the nerve resection, the better the feeling in a damaged part of the face, or control in a previously useless arm. But the wounded and severed body part must be treated