Year of Wonders Essay Example for Free

Year of Wonders Essay Geraldine Brooks work of historical fiction, Year of Wonders, concentrates on emotional and physical conflict and the innate response of the villagers of Eyam at a time of crisis. The novel reflects on Anna Frith, an ordinary resident of the village, highlighting her profound mental and emotional development as the events unfold. With the guidance of Elinor Mompellion, Anna endeavoured to support her community throughout the plague, establishing the archetype of hero. Although the central female characters of the novel, Anna and Elinor, were conveyed as heroic, the majority of women struggled to have any notable positive impact, largely due to the oppression of their dominant husbands. Furthermore, there were a number of male characters who strived to do good, contrary to their generalisation of being characterised as negative and destructive. However, the focus of heroism is drawn towards the female characters. Annas efforts throughout the plague were transcendent, surpassing that of any other villager. The novel encompassed Annas journey throughout the course of events, having significantly more importance to the plot than the plague itself. However, it was Elinor that begun Anna on her journey, helping her see that the good she could do, no matter how trivial, could help others profoundly. It was through Elinor that Anna discovered hope, which fuelled her desire to step up as the compassionate hero of Eyam. She was able to accomplish this by detaching herself from religious ideology, which was the cause of humanity seeing the world in dark and light [which] was how [she] was taught to view the world. Anna was able to fully embrace life, which enabled her to develop a passion for midwifing, fulfilling her characterisation as a hero. Elinors endeavours concerning the crisis, too, was of a benevolent nature. When juxtaposing the two heroines, it is made clear they are extraordinarily similar in personality; they both had an intimate relationship with nature. Although both Anna and Elinor carried incredible emotional burdens, neither relinquished their duties as carers of the village. There had been so much futile effort expended since the coming of the Plague, and yet they continued to support thers, displaying the characteristics of a true hero. There were a number of male characters in the novel who were committed to relieving the burden the plague had put on the villagers, but none more so than Michael Mompellion, the Anglican rector of Eyam. He was a man distinguished by exceptional courage, nobility and strength the ideal hero. This was evident in his efforts as the intrinsic leader of the village, reassuring them that the plague was an act of God, and that [they] must trust in God to perform His wonders. Michaels actions throughout the novel was continually justified as being a part of Gods will maintaining his namesake as being a soldier of God; he was able to embrace what God had given them. With his persuasive aural techniques, Michael was able to convince the community to quarantine themselves for the sake of humanity: Let us carry [the burden] in Gods Holy Name! There was no malevolent intention with this sacrifice; the sole purpose was to help save the souls of the people, directing them on a path of salvation. Tending to those who lay dying from the ill-effects of the plague, Michael sought to help those atone from their sins, helping them escape from the world cruelly desecrated by the plague. Although his pledge that none should die alone had become a heavy burden upon him, Michael continued to do so, proving that, beyond doubt, his communal deeds were protagonistic. The overwhelming majority of women were unable to develop an independent understanding of the plague, due to being fettered by their male kin; they did not make any positive contribution to plague efforts. However, this was not uncommon in the seventeenth century; women were made to be a mans chattel. Anna and Elinor are two female characters who were able to involve themselves in plague affairs: As a widow, Anna is truly independent; Elinor is not constrained by her husband, Michael, when there is potential for a positive outcome to her actions. On the other hand, every other female character in the novel (omitting Anys and Mem Gowdie) is shackled by their husbands or fathers, being unable to claim independence. Women were forced to follow the master of the house in their ideas and values. A notable example is Colonel Bradfords treatment of Mrs. Bradford, who seemed to take a perverse amusement in belittling his wife. Oppressed women were unable to establish their own methods of supporting others through the plague; they were forced to do what they are told. It appears Brooks intended to omit any account of any other woman in the village stepping up as a hero, possibly to further highlight Anys independence and Annas journey to become self-sufficient. In a general sense, it is blatant that the female characters cannot claim to be more heroic than the male characters. Year of Wonders focuses on human response to pandemonium. In particular, the novel highlights how certain characters have the potential to take charge during a crisis, becoming heroes. Anna, Elinor and Michael are among those who were able to accomplish this. Neither gender could be generalised as being more heroic than the other when the plague encapsulated Eyam, though. However, other female characters had the potential to fill the shoes of a hero; their role in society made this impossible. It was only the women who claimed independence who were able to demonstrate a sound attempt in supporting plague efforts.

The Current Trends In Computer Hardware Platforms Computer Science Essay

The Current Trends In Computer Hardware Platforms Computer Science Essay Mobile platform: more and more business computing is moving from PCs and desktop machines to mobile devices like cell phones and smartphones. Data transmissions, Web surfing, e-mail and instant messaging, digital content displays, and data exchanges with internal corporate systems are all available through a mobile digital platform. Netbooks, small low-cost lightweight subnotebooks that are optimized for wireless communication and Internet access, are included. The current version is called Windows Mobile 6.5. It is based on the Windows CE 5.2 kernel, and features a suite of basic applications developed using the Microsoft Windows API. It is designed to be somewhat similar to desktop versions of Windows, feature-wise and aesthetically. Additionally, third-party software development is available for Windows Mobile, and software applications can be purchased via the Windows Marketplace for Mobile. Originally appearing as the Pocket PC 2000 operating system, most Windows Mobile devices come with a stylus pen, which is used to enter commands by tapping it on the screen.[3] Microsoft announced a completely new phone platform, Windows Phone 7, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on February 15, 2010. Phones running Windows Mobile 6.x will not be upgradeable to version 7.[4] Windows Mobiles share of the Smartphone market has fallen year-on-year,[5] decreasing 20% in Q3 2009.[6] It is the 5th most popular smartphone operating system, with a 5% share of the worldwide smartphone market (after Symbian, BlackBerry OS, Android and iPhone).[7] In the United States, it is the 3rd most popular smartphone operating system for business use (after BlackBerry OS and iPhone), with a 24% share among enterprise users.[8] Microsoft is phasing out Windows Mobile to specialized markets, such as rugged devices, and focusing on its new mobile platform, Windows Phone 7.[2] Common features Windows Mobile for Pocket PC carries these standard features in most of its versions: Today Screen shows the current date, owner information, upcoming appointments, e-mail messages, and tasks. (Is now Home screen in later WM6.5 builds) The taskbar shows the current time and the volume. Office Mobile a suite of Mobile versions of Microsoft Office applications Outlook Mobile comes with Windows Mobile. Internet Explorer Mobile is an Internet browser developed by Microsoft for Pocket PC and Handheld PC that comes loaded by default with Windows Mobile and Windows CE for Handheld PC. Windows Media Player for Windows Mobile. Client for PPTP VPNs. Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) which in mobile phones allows attached computers to share internet connections via USB and Bluetooth. Coherent file system similar to that of Windows 9x/Windows NT and support for many of the same file types. Ability to multitask. Hardware See also: List of Windows Mobile devices There are three versions of Windows Mobile for various hardware devices:[9] Windows Mobile Professional runs on (smartphones) with touchscreens Windows Mobile Standard runs on phones with regular screens Windows Mobile Classic which runs on Windows Mobile Classic devices (Pocket PCs). An O2 Pocket PC phone A Smartphone (T-Mobile Dash) Windows Mobile Classic devices (Pocket PC) A Windows Mobile Classic device is a Windows Mobile personal digital assistant (PDA) that does not have telephone functionality. It was formerly known as the Pocket PC. It was the original intended platform for the Windows Mobile operating system. These devices consisted of both standalone Pocket PC devices without mobile phone capabilities, and those that included mobile phone capabilities. The most current name of Windows Mobile intended for use on Pocket PCs is officially Windows Mobile 6 Professional for devices with mobile phone capabilities and Windows Mobile 6 Classic for devices without mobile phone capabilities. Windows Mobile Smartphones The Windows Mobile (Microsofts term for its range of smartphones) became the next hardware platform after the Pocket PC to run Windows Mobile, and debuted with the release of Pocket PC 2002. Although in the broad sense of the term Smartphone, both Pocket PC phones and Microsoft branded Smartphones each fit into this category, it should be noted that Microsofts use of the term Smartphone includes only more specific hardware devices that differ from Pocket PC phones. Such Smartphones were originally designed without touchscreens, intended to be operated more efficiently with only one hand, and typically had lower display resolution than Pocket PCs. Microsofts focus for the Smartphone platform was to create a device that functioned well as a phone and data device in a more integrated manner.[10] Version history Pocket PC 2000 Grid computing: connects geographically remote computers into a single network to create a virtual supercomputer by combining the computational power of all computers on the grid. Grid computing is a term referring to the combination of computer resources from multiple administrative domains to reach a common goal. The Grid can be thought of as a distributed system with non-interactive workloads that involve a large number of files. What distinguishes grid computing from conventional high performance computing systems such as cluster computing is that grids tend to be more loosely coupled, heterogeneous, and geographically dispersed. Although a grid can be dedicated to a specialized application, it is more common that a single grid will be used for a variety of different purposes. Grids are often constructed with the aid of general-purpose grid software libraries known as middleware. Grid size can vary by a considerable amount. Grids are a form of distributed computing whereby a super virtual computer is composed of many networked loosely coupled computers acting together to perform very large tasks. Furthermore, Distributed or grid computing in general is a special type of parallel computing that relies on complete computers (with onboard CPUs, storage, power supplies, network interfaces, etc.) connected to a network (private, public or the Internet) by a conventional network interface, such as Ethernet. This is in contrast to the traditional notion of a supercomputer, which has many processors connected by a local high-speed computer bus. Overview Grid computing combines computers from multiple administrative domains to reach common goal.[1] to solve a single task and may then disappear just as quickly. One of the main strategies of grid computing is to use middleware to divide and apportion pieces of a program among several computers, sometimes up to many thousands. Grid computing involves computation in a distributed fashion, which may also involve the aggregation of large-scale cluster computing-based systems. The size of a grid may vary from small-confined to a network of computer workstations within a corporation, for example-to large, public collaborations across many companies and networks. The notion of a confined grid may also be known as an intra-nodes cooperation whilst the notion of a larger, wider grid may thus refer to an inter-nodes cooperation.[2] Grids are a form of distributed computing whereby a super virtual computer is composed of many networked loosely coupled computers acting together to perform very large tasks. This technology has been applied to computationally intensive scientific, mathematical, and academic problems through volunteer computing, and it is used in commercial enterprises for such diverse applications as drug discovery, economic forecasting, seismic analysis, and back office data processing in support for e-commerce and Web servic Cloud computing is a technology that uses the internet and central remote servers to maintain data and applications. Cloud computing allows consumers and businesses to use applications without installation and access their personal files at any computer with internet access. This technology allows for much more efficient computing by centralizing storage, memory, processing and bandwidth. A simple example of cloud computing is Yahoo email or Gmail etc. You dont need a software or a server to use them. All a consumer would need is just an internet connection and you can start sending emails. The server and email management software is all on the cloud ( internet) and is totally managed by the cloud service provider Yahoo , Google etc. The consumer gets to use the software alone and enjoy the benefits. The analogy is , If you only need milk , would you buy a cow  ? All the users or consumers need is to get the benefits of using the software or hardware of the computer like sending emails etc. Just to get this benefit (milk) why should a consumer buy a (cow) software /hardware  ? Cloud computing is broken down into three segments: applications, platforms, and infrastructure. Each segment serves a different purpose and offers different products for businesses and individuals around the world. In June 2009, a study conducted by VersionOne found that 41% of senior IT professionals actually dont know what cloud computing is and two-thirds of senior finance professionals are confused by the concept,[1] highlighting the young nature of the technology. In Sept 2009, an Aberdeen Group study found that disciplined companies achieved on average an 18% reduction in their IT budget from cloud computing and a 16% reduction in data center power costs.[2] Cloud Computing Segments Applications: Its all On Demand So far the applications segment of cloud computing is the only segment that has proven useful as a business model.The Cloud Wars: $100 Billion at Stake, Published by Merrill Lynch, May 7, 2008 By running business applications over the internet from centralized servers rather than from on-site servers, companies can cut some serious costs. Furthermore, while avoiding maintenance costs, licensing costs and the costs of the hardware required to run servers on-site, companies are able to run applications much more efficiently from a computing standpoint. Who is Offering On Demand Software? The companies below are already established in the On-Demand software or SaaS business. These companies charge their customers a subscription fee and in return host software on central servers that are accessed by the end user via the internet. Salesforce.com (CRM) Google (GOOG) NetSuite (N) Cordys Taleo (TLEO) Concur Technologies (CNQR) Who is Offering Traditional Software? The following companies have established themselves as traditional software providers. These companies sell licenses to their users, who then run the software from on premise servers. SAP AG (SAP) Oracle (ORCL) Blackbaud (BLKB) Lawson Software (LWSN) Blackboard (BBBB) Platforms: Many of the companies that started out providing On Demand application services have developed platform services as well. The platform segment of cloud computing refers to products that are used to deploy internet. NetSuite, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have also developed platforms that allow users to access applications from centralized servers. In July 2008, HP, Yahoo! (YHOO), and Intel (INTC) announced a joint cloud computing research project called the Cloud Computing Test Bed. The companies are jointly designing and producing the internet based testing utilizing HP hardware and Intel processors.[3] Active platforms The following companies are some that have developed platforms that allow end users to access applications from centralized servers using the internet. Next to each company is the name of their platform. Google (GOOG) Apps Engine Amazon.com (AMZN) EC2 Microsoft (MSFT) Windows Azure SAVVIS (SVVS) Symphony VPDC Terremark Worldwide (TMRK) The Enterprise Cloud Salesforce.com (CRM) Force.com NetSuite (N) Suiteflex Rackspace Cloud cloudservers, cloudsites, cloudfiles Metrisoft Metrisoft SaaS Platform [1] SUN Oracle direct link Cordys Process Factory The Enterprise Cloud Platform Infrastructure: The final segment in cloud computing, known as the infrastructure, is very much the backbone of the entire concept. Infrastructure vendors environments (such as Google gears) that allow users to build applications. Cloud storage, such as Amazons S3, is also considered to be part of the infrastructure segment. Major Infrastructure Vendors Below are companies that provide infrastructure services: Google (GOOG) Managed hosting, development environment International Business Machines (IBM) Managed hosting SAVVIS (SVVS) Managed hosting cloud computing Terremark Worldwide (TMRK) Managed hosting Amazon.com (AMZN) Cloud storage Rackspace Hosting (RAX) Managed hosting cloud computing Explain how businesses can benefit from autonomic computing, virtualization, and multicore processors. Autonomic computing Benefits of autonomic computing include systems that automatically do the following: Configure themselves Optimize and tune themselves Heal themselves when broken Protect themselves from outside intruders and self-destruction Reduces maintenance costs Reduces downtime from system crashes Virtualization Benefits of server virtualization include: Run more than one operating system at the same time on a single machine. Increase server utilization rates to 70 percent or higher. Reduce hardware expenditures. Higher utilization rates translate into fewer computers required to process the same amount of work. Mask server resources from server users. Reduce power expenditures. Run legacy applications on older versions of an operating system on the same server as newer applications. Facilitates centralization of hardware administration. Multicore processors Benefits of multi-core processors: Cost savings by reducing power requirements and hardware sprawl Less costly to maintain as fewer systems need to be monitored. Performance and productivity benefits beyond the capabilities of todays single-core processors. Able to handle the exponential growth of digital data and the globalization of the Internet. Able to meet the demands of sophisticated software applications under development. Run applications more efficiently than single-core processors giving users the ability to keep working even while running the most processor intensive task in the background. Able to increase performance in areas such as data mining, mathematical analysis, and Web serving. What are the current trends in software platforms? Define and describe open source software and Linux and explain their business benefits. Open-source software provides all computer users with free access to the program code so they can modify the code, fix errors in it, or to make improvements. Open-source software is not owned by any company or individual. A global network of programmers and users manage and modify the software. By definition, open-source software is not restricted to any specific operating system or hardware technology. Several large software companies are converting some of their commercial programs to open source. Linux is the most well-known open-source software. Its a UNIX-like operating system that can be downloaded from the Internet, free of charge, or purchased for a small fee from companies that provide additional tools for the software. It is reliable, compactly designed, and capable of running on many different hardware platforms, including servers, handheld computers, and consumer electronics. Linux has become popular during the past few years as a robust low-cost alternative to UNIX and the Windows operating system. Thousands of open-source programs are available from hundreds of Web sites. Businesses can choose from a range of open-source software including operating systems, office suites, Web browsers, and games. Open-source software allows businesses to reduce the total cost of ownership. It provides more robust software thats often more secure than proprietary software. Define and describe Web services and the role played by XML. Web services offer a standardized alternative for dealing with integration across various computer platforms. Web services are loosely coupled software components based on XML and open Web standards that are not product specific and can work with any application software and operating system. They can be used as components of Web-based applications linking the systems of two different organizations or to link disparate systems of a single company. Web services are not tied to a particular operating system or programming language. Different applications can use them to communicate with each other in a standard way without time-consuming custom coding. XML provides a standard format for data exchange, enabling Web services to pass data from one process to another Businesses use Web services to tie their Web sites with external Web sites creating an apparently seamless experience for users. The benefit derives from not having to re-create applications for each business partner or specific functions within a single compan Name and describe the three external sources for software. Software packages from a commercial software vendor: prewritten commercially available set of software programs that eliminates the need for a firm to write its own software program for certain functions, such as payroll processing or order handling. Software-as-a-service: a business that delivers and manages applications and computer services from remote computer centers to multiple users using the Internet or a private network. Instead of buying and installing software programs, subscribing companies can rent the same functions from these services. Users pay for the use of this software either on a subscription or a per-transaction basis. The business must carefully assess the costs and benefits of the service, weighing all people, organizational, and technology issues. It must ensure it can integrate the software with its existing systems and deliver a level of service and performance that is acceptable for the business. Outsourcing custom application development: an organization contracts its custom software development or maintenance of existing legacy programs to outside firms, frequently firms that operate offshore in low-wage areas of the world An outsourcer often has the technical and management skills to do the job better, faster, and more efficiently. Even though its often cheaper to outsource the maintenance of an IT infrastructure and the development of new systems to external vendors, a business must weight the pros and cons carefully. Service level agreements are formal contracts between customers and service providers that define the specific responsibilities of the service provider and the level of service expected by the customer. QNO:5(B) Network economics refers to business economics that benefit from the network effect. This is when the value of a good or service increases when others buy the same good or service. Examples are website such as EBay, or iVillage where the community comes together and shares thoughts to help the website become a better business organization. In sustainability, network economics refers to multiple professionals (architects, designers, or related businesses) all working together to develop sustainable products and technologies. The more companies are involved in environmentally friendly production, the easier and cheaper it becomes to produce new sustainable products. For instance, if no one produces sustainable products, it is difficult and expensive to design a sustainable house with custom materials and technology. But due to network economics, the more industries are involved in creating such products, the easier it is to design an environmentally sustainable building. Another benefit of network economics in a certain field is improvement that results from competition and networking within an industry. Network Interactions Clearly, one of the principal facets of the Network Econ- omy is the interaction among the networks themselves. For example, the increasing use of e-commerce espe- cially in business to business transactions is changing not only the utilization and structure of the underlying logistical networks but is also revolutionizing how busi- ness itself is transacted and the structure of _rms and industries. Cellular phones are being using as vehicles move dynam- ically over transportation networks resulting in dynamic evolutions of the topologies themselves. This course also, under advanced topics explores the network interactions among such networks as transporta- tion networks and telecommunication networks, as well as _nancial networks

Importance Of Critical Thinking In Higher Institutions Education Essay

Importance Of Critical Thinking In Higher Institutions Education Essay The term critical thinking began in the mid 20th century. It is an idea that has continuously developed for the past 2500 years. Critical thinking is a type of reflective thinking that helps someone in deciding what to do and how do it without any misconception. Developing the ability to read and understand critically is a very important aspect of education in university study.Critical thinking is a very important aspect in most professions. This essay is designed to help boost your knowledge on the ability to read, understand and evaluate texts critically. It will also help to develop and examine your thinking possibly to the fullest extent. B.K Beyer has defined who a critical thinker is. His own definition of critical thinkers is that, critical thinkers are skeptical, open-minded, respect evidence and reasoning, respect clarity and precision, look at different points of view and will change positions when reason leads them to do so(Beyer 12). Researches conducted so far, one can define critical thinking as the process of gathering, interpreting, evaluating and analyzing gathered information, skillfully and actively . It can also be seen as an aspect of someones life that helps him to go beyond just thinking so as to improve and clarify and improve it. Critical thinking helps someone to think clearly and rationally. It is also the ability of thinking clearly, independently and reflectively. It is lugubrious that most people misunderstand critical thinking and normal thinking. There is a great difference between critical and normal thinking. Below are some of the qualities of a good critical thinker. People with good critical thinking skills should be able to: Think actively and open mindedly Explores situations with questions Think Independently Raise important questions and formulate them clearly Views situations from different aspects of life Identify the relevance and advantages of ideas Supporting his views with evidence Critical thinking is not all about accumulating ideas. Not all people with good memory, who also have lot of facts are very good in critical thinking. A critical thinker should be able to make good use of what he/she knows to solve various problems, and seek various sources of information in order to inform himself. Critical thinking should not be compared or mistaken to being argumentative or being able to criticize other people. Though critical thinking skills can be used to expose false information and rumors, it can also play a very important role in cooperative and constructive tasks. Critical thinking helps people to acquire knowledge and strengthen ones arguments. Critical thinking skills can be used to improve social institutions and enhance work processes. In academics, critical thinking allows people to understand and apply things instead of just remembering and maybe later forgetting them. Being a good student requires thinking critically about what is going on in your school and other institutions. It can be argued that being a good human requires you to learn actively and make choices rationally. Critical thinking in education also helps people to analyze interpret, observe and explain concepts. Critical thinking also has deep effect to all the learning processes. In our lives, critical thinking is advantageous because it helps us to overcome any form of deception. Every successful university student is expected to be a very good critical thinker. Critical thinker can be seen as someone who has the ability and capacity to think at a higher level. Students are expected to think critically in such a way that their ideas would provide better life for themselves and the people around them. Lots of people take thinking for granted but it is very important. However, people tend to develop their thinking when they find out their weakness and strengths. When people think actively in schools, they are not just required to wait for something to happen. It can be said that people are engaging themselves in process of achieving your goal making their decision wisely and solving or finding possible solutions to their problems. Critical thinking also comes in when someone is talking about school environment. The school environment is different in terms of physical facilities, opportunities for pursuing academically enriched programs and classroom atmosphere. Students are required to know how to use their critical thinking skills to adapt to their environmental changes. Critical thinking also comes in because young people who really want to succeed are impeded not only by lack of talent or Clichà ©s, but by an academic environment that makes academic success vitally impossible. Students can also use their skills of critical thinking in examining their results. Examining ones result is a very important aspect in assessing students plans or ideas. This helps to tell people how particular method of learning has been so far. It also helps to tell if there is need for improving ones learning method, or to introduce a new one. Critical thinking also applies when someone is in search of competent school mate or class mate. People often find it difficult to search for a reasonable course mate while some others find it difficult in taking care of some academic challenges. This can be improved by attacking the complex course of studying and sharing of ideas between one another and charting each other understands to bring out best results. When people read textbooks and some other vital materials like legal method, government, history and so on, they are expected to use their skill in critical thinking to consider some notable events and dates as some of these courses like history as mentioned above deals with date and making precise description of the events that is being taught. In some academic writings specifically English, students are expected to get used to spellings correctly as English language is often seen as the universal language used nationwide for communicating and writings. Students in the university also use critical thinking when writing of notes and learning actively. People who take and make good note for themselves often success in universities. Some strategies a good college student can use when writing is jotting down main points when a lecturer or a tutor is presenting lectures. These main points mainly serve as a support when someone is trying to read what he must have learnt during the lectures. College students are also required to use their skills in critical thinking when writing assignments. Most students often plagiarise their assignments from friends, internet or sometimes books which is not advisable. Students often see plagiarism as a minor offence which is not true. Other people refer to plagiarism to as an academic fraud which am sure is true. Plagiarism is really not acceptable for someone to successfully pass and make good grades in the university. In absence of critical thinking, most university students will not be able to do anything reasonable in their academic environment. Thinking is very crucial to learning. Thinking requires entire personality in peoples learning process. As Kabilan rightly observes, To become proficient in a language learners need to use creative and critical thinking through the target language. Teaching students how to think rather than what to think is a way of assessing their ways of thinking, researching and learning independently. Critical thinking can therefore help in motivating students to learn and application of their knowledge. Most lecturers or tutors see students as empty vessels that needs refilling. They mostly focus on drilling students to memorise notes and make answers readily available. At times, they tend to ignore students personality. As a result of this, students critical thinking skill is never fully developed. Most students come into class silent minded and do not participate in the interactive academic sections. This teaching approach is highly criticised by a writer named Paulo Friere who sees it as the banking approach. Paulo rather suggested a dialogical approach method of teaching because he thinks that would be the best. From the essay above, critical thinking can simply be described as a desirable skill in ALL aspects of university work because it is the only skill that will allow someones knowledge and skill to develop and evolve. Its necessary for ones: Reading, Note making, Assignment writing, Presentations, And lastly, for students whose studies involve a practical component.

Ann Hopkins Essay -- essays research papers fc

Legal Analysis Model The relevant facts According to the case, Ann Hopkins had worked successfully for Price Waterhouse since 1978 and was â€Å"nominated for partnership at Price Waterhouse in 1982.† (p. 1) Out of 88 candidates she was the only woman. In the admissions process, forms were sent out to all Price Waterhouse partners of whom there were 662. These partners then submitted their comments about the candidates. . Only â€Å"thirty-two partners, all male, responded about Hopkins.† (p. 5) The forms were then tabulated to achieve a statistical rating in order to determine if the candidate should be admitted to the partnership. Of the 88 candidates â€Å"Price Waterhouse offered partnerships to 47 of them, rejected 21, and placed 20, including Hopkins, on hold.† (p. 1) â€Å"Some candidates had been held because of concerns about their interpersonal skills.† â€Å"the Policy Board takes evaluations or a negative reaction on this basis very seriously,† even if the negative commen ts on short form evaluations were based upon less contact with the candidate than glowing reports on long forms evaluations based on more extensive contact. The policy board had however, recommended and elected two candidates "criticized for their interpersonal skills†. (p. 4) Approximately 1% of the 662 partners were women. Price Waterhouse â€Å"gave two explanations for this. One was the relatively recent entry of large numbers of women into accounting and related fields. The other was the success of clients and rival accounting firms in hiring away female potential partners.† (p. 4). After hearing that it was unlikely that she would ever make partner, Ann Hopkins decided to â€Å"initiate a lawsuit charging Price Waterhouse with sex discrimination†. She had been a valuable and productive member of the organization and it appears that she was denied admission as a partner since she did not fit the feminine stereotype. Critical issues – Legal There is evidence of Intentional Discrimination by Price Waterhouse and its employees based on sexual stereotype. Appropriate legal rules According to Corley, Reed, Shedd, and Morehead, (2001) â€Å"the most important statue eliminating discriminatory employment practices, however, is the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Equal Employment Opportunity Act o 1972 and the Civil Rights Act of 1991.† The appropriation section o... ... order to examine and evaluate the ethical questions? The assumption that needs to be made in analyzing the case are that discriminating against an individual based on a deviation from the accepted stereotype for their gender is morally unacceptable. Ethically, what should be done? Price Waterhouse should educate its partners and employees about accepted work practices and should institute diversity training in order to educate members that stereotyping is unacceptable. Ann Hopkins should be admitted as partner to the firm and welcomed as a valuable addition to senior management. Works Cited Civil Rights Act of 1964. 2 July 1964. U.S. Department of State. 12 Sept. 2004. http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/laws/majorlaw/civilr19.htm Civil Rights Act of 1991. 8 March 1991. U.S. Department of State. 12 Sept. 2004. http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/laws/majorlaw/civil91.htm Harvard Business School. Ann Hopkins (A). Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing, 1991. Velasquez, Manuel G. (2002) Owen, C., (5th Ed.). Business Ethics Concepts and Cases. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall

Wedding Speech for a Maid of Honor or Best Woman :: Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches

Wedding Speech for a Maid of Honor or Best Woman My role of today is that of a Maid of Honor, and my name is Popen. Alison and I have known each other since tenth grade, eight years, which quite frankly, seems just like yesterday on one hand†¦and like a million years ago on the other! Have you ever really thought about what friendship truly means to you? Well, I have especially when it comes to Alison and I. My friendship with her has been special to me, because she was a great person to go through the trauma of our teenage years with! No matter how much we have been through, we have always been there for each other through thick and thin. We support each other and stick up for one another when the other needs us most. We have gotten a lot closer over the years. We have seen other through the good, the bad and the ugly. I have loved watching this romance bloom. Nanen is a great guy! He’s funny, friendly, really easy to get along with and really talkative especially once you get him going. Alison has just blossomed since Nanen came into her life. When Alison met Nanen it was obvious from the very beginning that he was the one. There was something different about him. She seemed to sparkle more than ever before. She’s become happier and has a better outlook on life in general. I look so forward to the future for these two. I know that Alison and Nanen will last a lifetime with each other. They just seem to have that certain something about them, and I know that theirs will truly be – a match made in heaven.

President of the United States of America Essay

The year 2008 saw the growth and emergence of various cultures around the world. This progression was however affected and sometimes hampered by the various global economic and political occurrences that defined the year 2008. The beginning of 2008 witnessed elections and consequent political instability in Zimbabwe which defined the global political system tremendously. This elections, which were characterized by allegations of rigging and foul-play caused global cries against the incumbent president in Zimbabwe, sanctions were imposed on the country thereby sending the country deeper into economic turmoil. These actions affected the global interaction of cultures in the sense that many Zimbabweans and Africans felt that the Western world was trying to impose its political culture on Africans who enjoy their culture to a great extent. This feeling of culture imposition from the Western world brought into Africa rejection of the Western culture irrespective of the goodness of the culture(David, K. 72-75) The middle of 2008 witnessed the ‘heating up’ of the most dramatic elections in the United States of America. This American election had an immense effect on culture around the world because the favorite candidate in the election, Senator Barrack Obama, had various ethnic backgrounds. Born to a Kenyan father and an American mother, Barrack has been viewed as the ideal world representative. His background and connection to the Asian ethnic community, to a great extent, complements his worldly representation. Consequently, this favorite candidate for the United States presidency, who represented various cultures around the world, emerged victorious because in him, Americans and the world felt represented in the affairs of the world politics. This election and the subsequent win of Barrack Obama for the White House cemented the cultural diversity of the American people and brought other foreign cultures to fame and scrutiny. This American election and the subsequent win for Barrack Obama as President of the United States of America, went a long way to encourage and promote inter-cultural integration around the world through marriage and lifestyle(David, K. 80-82) The end of the year 2008 witnessed a most devastating slump in the global economy as the world faced the credit crunch instigated by the mortgage crisis in the United States of America. This global economic melt-down led to a decrease in travel and purchasing power of individuals. Therefore, there was a significant reduction in global interaction thereby causing a reduction in inter-cultural interaction. The reduction in the purchasing power caused a slump in global trade which is a key component of global interaction. This also therefore reduced cultural interaction on the global stage. The closing of 2008 witnessed the biggest political crisis of the year, the Middle East Crisis. This crisis has had a devastating effect on the global cultural integration due to its ever changing form of violence. Many times, the violence is political with the Palestinians and the Israelites being the two aggressors. Sometimes, the crisis takes a religious angle with the Palestinians representing the Muslim faction while the Israelites represent the Jews. This Middle East crisis has therefore slowed down cultural interaction from the political and the religious angles(David, K. 93-96) Analysis of Arts and Culture in 2008 The year 2008 showed the different effects on arts and culture by the political, economic and religious happenings around the world. The year just showed us how vulnerable global arts and culture is to extinction, and at the same time prosperity, thanks to the global economic, political and religious dispensation. Through political, economic and religious development, global arts and culture flourished and sometimes reduced to a very low point. This fact therefore poses a challenge to every human around the world to ensure the flourishing of global arts and culture by allowing and maintaining political, economic and religious stability. The future of global arts and culture as defined by 2008 is uncertain. The future lies in the choices of men. The right choices will lead to the positive development of arts and culture while the wrong choices will lead to negative developments. The future is unpredictable and uncertain†¦it lies in our choices(David, K. 100-103) Arts in Global Interaction Arts can play a huge role in global interaction. Through arts, experiences are shared throughout the world. For instance, tourists travel all over the world and are welcomed by different cultures which they end up assimilating with. They are attracted by the unique nature of the different cultures and styles and some end up purchasing commodities from those cultures which they take back home. This art work gives the tourists a story to tell to their loved ones back in their homes. Therefore, through the making and selling of art work, one individual from one global destination earns a living, while others from various other destinations get entertained and have a story to share(David, K. 109-114). Indigenous Development of Talent In the current global village, local talent has great potential of developing into independent industries. Different culture and art forms are always appealing. If the local talent can be given space to develop and grow, the global market always has room for accommodating new art works thereby creating employment and income for millions of people around the world who represent the various art and cultural backgrounds. This arts and cultural talent can be developed through national arts and cultural exhibitions where the arts and cultures are showcased to the rest of the world. These exhibitions should also develop business systems that can support trade and therefore enable the artistes to earn a decent living. This is the only way to ensure sustenance of the various arts represented by people around the world(David, K. 112-118). Survey into the Main Global Initiatives on Arts, Culture and Society A small survey can be carried out to give a deeper understanding into matters affecting arts and culture with the following specifics: Purpose Statement: – the world at large need to take up the responsibility of promoting arts and culture through ensuring political, economical and religious stability. Hypothesis: – arts and culture thrive in a world of political, economical and religious stability. Objective: – To study the effect of politics, economics and religion on arts and culture. The findings of the survey can then be recorded and analyzed to give a comprehensive conclusion to the survey. Work cited David, Kilcullen. (2007). â€Å"Ethics, Politics, and Non-State Warfare: A Response to Gonzalez. † Anthropology Today vol. 23, no. 3. pg 56-120

17 Words That Changed My Life Forever

I remember several years back I heard something that changed my life forever. Up until that point I had been struggling through life ? doing everything the hard way. I couldn? figure out why my life wasn? going the way I felt it should be. I saw some people going through life effortlessly and seemingly with less tension and frustration while I was wondering if I could ever straighten out the mess my life had turned out to be. I was behind on my dreams, my promises, and my bills. Then one day I was listening to a tape and the lady was talking about the power of having dreams and goals and all of the other stuff that those motivational speakers talk about. By that point I had listened to hundreds of such tapes, but it seemed as if nothing worked for me. Probably the only reason I was listening to that one was because I had developed a habit of listening to cassette tapes while driving my car. The statement the lady said was simple and I think I had even heard it somewhere before but this time a light bulb went on in my head. I remember stopping the tape and rewinding it over and over again to hear the 17 words she said. I couldn? believe it was so basic and simple. I was looking for something sophisticated and complicated. I thought I had to attend a $10,000 seminar. I didn? know I could find it on a $10 tape program. I? taking the time to tell you all of this preliminary information because when I tell you the 17 words, I really want you to get it and get it NOW! Because if you get it NOW, your life will never be the same. You will be using the same principle that all who have became wealthy before you have used. Even those who became wealthy and can? tell you how they did use this same principle without even being aware of what they are doing. Well, are you ready for the 17 words that made a powerful and positive impact on my life and on the life of tens of thousands of individuals who have achieved unimaginable success? Of course you are? Well, here they are? For things to change, you must get a picture of what you want them to change to. Yes, it? as simple as it sounds and as easy as it seems? Don? try to make it any complicated than this because it will only frustrate you. You must know exactly what you want and the more specific and clear you can get, the better. This is important because Human Beings are Teleological in nature? In other words, we move towards the pictures we constantly hold in our minds. Let me give you an example? Suppose you went to the store and bought a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle but it didn? have a picture on the box of what the end result should look like. Would you have a much harder time putting the picture together? Of course. You may eventually figure it out; however, the person who has a clear picture of what the end result should look like will be more than 100 times ahead of you. The question is are they 100 times ahead of you because their IQ is 100 times greater? Is it because they are 100 times better looking than you? Maybe it? because they live 100 times closer to the person who created the puzzle? Ohh, I know ? they were one of the first students to take the Evelyn Woods mind-expanding speed-reading and comprehension course right? If none of this is true then what it? Yes, the person who had the clear and specific picture of what the outcome was supposed to be was simply operating in accordance to how our brain works. It moves towards the pictures we hold in our mind. It? interesting because once you know exactly what it is you are moving towards, you seem to automatically know the steps to take or the necessary steps will soon become noticeable. Your brain, operating similar to a magnet, will start to attract in your direction the conditions, people, and circumstances that will help you move loser to the mental picture you maintain in your mind and it will repel all of those things that do not correlate to the picture you have in your mind. Therefore, the people who are clear and specific about what they want are using the powers of the Universe to assist them. This is, indeed, an awesome power. A person who knows how and uses this awesome power of the Universe to his or her advantage is a person who is working smart. A person who struggles every day trying to move closer to the success that they have no idea how it? upposed to look is a person who is working hard. Based on your observations over the years, do you think that most people are working hard or working smart? People who just work hard day in and day out without a clear picture of what they are moving towards are about as exciting as a tulip. Even though they may seem to be willing to work hard and put in the hours, they don? seem to have much life in them. And people want to follow people who seem to have some life in them. If they want to find people who don? eem to have much life in them, all they have to do is go to their job. People will follow people who look like they know where they are going and look like they are excited about the journey. You must understand that your strength comes from knowing what you want. This will ignite the fire inside of you and enable you to borrow from the promise of the future so you can engage in the activities today that w ill move you closer and closer to what you want. It will enable you to go through the trials and tribulations that may be necessary so you can arrive at your destination. But remember the journey will be more important than the destination because in the journey you will become the person you require to become to finally arrive at your destination. So when you reach your destination, look at the person you have become and set a new destination so you can continue to grow and develop. Whatever you do, just always remember that for things to change, you must get a picture of what you want them to change to. These are the 17 Words that Changed My Life Forever? Why not allow them to change yours too? Until Next time? Go, Go, Go!!!