A Study On Addiction As A Learned Behavior - 879 Words

This chapter focused on addiction as a learned behaviour. The two major theories discussed, where learning theory and social learning theory. Learning theory focuses on behaviour that is learned through either reinforcements or punishments. Social learning theory expands on the former theory, by taking into account the effects a person has on their environment and not only the environmental effects on a person. An important concept for learning theory is operant conditioning. According to this, the likelihood of a behaviour being expressed again is influenced by punishment or reinforcement. Positive reinforcements are things that act as rewards for certain behaviours and increase the likelihood of the behaviours being performed again. Negative reinforcements take away an unpleasant stimulus and through this again increase the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated. An example of this is withdrawal. Withdrawal is unpleasant and the consumption of the drug that caused the withdrawal leads to the withdrawal symptoms disappearing. Therefore, reinforcing the consumption of the drug. While punishments typically decrease the likelihood of a behaviour occurring, in cases of addiction the punishment often happens a long time after the behaviour, leading people to not make the immediate connection between the behaviour and punishment, and therefore punishment loses its effectiveness (Moss Dyer, 20 10). Another important part of learning theory is classical conditioning. DuringShow MoreRelatedPhobias1174 Words   |  5 PagesAND ADDICTIONS Phobias and Addictions PSY/300 Abstract This essay examines phobias and addictions, how phobias can be developed through operant conditioning and how addictions can be developed through operant conditioning. This essay also examines the distinctions between classical and operant condition and examines â€Å"extinction† as it relates to psychological theory and how extinction is achieved in classical and operant conditioning. Phobias and Addictions Read MoreAversion Therapy Essays663 Words   |  3 Pagesclassical conditioning; using classical conditioning to get rid of addictions or unwanted behaviours. Patient’s unwanted addiction is paired with a drug that makes them sick. â€Å"Aversion therapy can be used with alcoholics. Alcohol is paired with an emetic drug (a drug which causes nausea and vomiting). Over time the alcoholic associate’s alcohol with being sick and does not want to drink alcohol anymore (Dufresne, 2010).† The Little Albert study showed that classical conditioning principles can be usedRead MoreFactors Influencing the Prevelence of Addiction Essay1275 Words   |  6 Pages Addiction Everyday we see and hear news articles and reviews that say: â€Å"I cannot put down Twilight†¦ it’s addicting!† or â€Å"I’m a Breaking Bad addict!† The way the term addiction is used in the media these days, many would overlook its actual significance and the trouble it causes for millions across the globe. Recently, many individuals have referred to addiction as anything that is a compulsive need or habit-forming, which could involve everything from substances, like nicotine or alcohol, toRead MoreContemporary Approaches Of Psychology And How They Interpret Drug Use897 Words   |  4 Pagesinterpret the behavior of individuals. Each perspective makes certain assumptions about human behavior. For this analysis we will review the behavioral and sociocultural approaches in psychology and compare how they interpret drug use. THe Behavioral perspective believes that our behavior is the result of the environment we are in. Behaviorists believe that psychologists should rely on the stimuli in the environment and our response to the stimuli. There perspective was that our behaviors are the resultRead MoreIntervention Studies on Forgiveness Journal Article 1 Essay example1190 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Intervention Studies on Forgiveness Daulphinia Glover Liberty University Summary In the journal article titled â€Å"Intervention Studies on Forgiveness† by Thomas W. Baskin and Robert D. Enright is a meta-analysis study on interventions that are conducted to determine if the interventions that are being utilized are effective when it comes to forgiveness. In the early case studies it was â€Å"suggested that forgiveness might be helpful for people who have experienced deepRead MoreSubstance Of Substance Abuse Among Teenagers1362 Words   |  6 PagesABUSE AMONGST TEENAGERS Abstract Addictive behavior may lead to addiction and when we see people with addictive substances; sometimes it is easy to emulate that behavior. According to learning theory, addictions is basically a learned behavior. For example, people learn many of their addictive behaviors through what is called classical conditioning. Furthermore, people always pair up environmental cues with addictive substances. Fortunately, many addictions can be â€Å"unlearned† and we can do this byRead MoreComputer Addiction1293 Words   |  6 PagesComputer addiction   A disorder in which the individual turns to the Internet or plays computer games in an attempt to change moods, overcome anxiety, deal with  depression, reduce isolation or loneliness, or distract themselves from overwhelming problems. The elderly, as well as children and adolescents, are particularly vulnerable because they may not realize the extent of their dependency. In many instances, individuals with computer addiction may seek help for another condition, suchRead MoreThe Effects Of Heroin On A Pregnant Women999 Words   |  4 Pagespregnant women is two fold it was noted in this study that that use of heroin decreased from the first trimester until three months after the birth of their baby as demonstrated by this graph. Figure 1. Reductions in heroin and crack use during and after most recent pregnancy. Best, D., Segal, J., Day, E., ( 2009), Changing patterns of heroin and crack use during pregnancy and beyond. Journal Of Substance Use, 14(2), 124-132 9p. Another study that showed a positive result that occurred whenRead MoreBenefits Of Self Efficacy High While Recovery From An Addiction1479 Words   |  6 PagesThis is why it is important that people keep their self-efficacy high while recovery from an addiction. Commitment to abstinence, a motivational construct, is a strong predictor of reductions in drug and alcohol use. Level of commitment to abstinence at treatment end predicts sustained abstinence, a requirement for recovery ( Laudet, A. B., Stanick). Abstinence is the best way to avoid drug addiction. According to Hart Ksir, a person who understands all this information about all these drugsRead MoreNegative Impact Of Postpartum Depression1413 Words   |  6 PagesThe Negative Impact of Postpartum Depression on Child Abuse Introduction: This psychological and behavioral study will analyze the impact of postpartum depression on women and the problem of child abuse related to this condition. Case studies find the circumstances of postpartum depression in women is directly related to the issue of previous child abuse and PTSD that have a negative impact on the newborn child. These factors define a significant correlation with postpartum depression in 1 out

Is All Rap Music Promoting And Glorifying Crime And Degrading

Is all rap music promoting and glorifying crime and degrading women? This is a question that is asked often and the general consensus is that, yes, it does. Is there any evidence however to back up these claims and are the rappers intending their music to be seen in a negative aggressive way. I don’t necessarily think that rap music does anything but give the musician an outlet for their talent and use topics like women and crime in their songs for commercialization and to create an image that rappers need in order to succeed in that genre. We will come to an overall conclusion at the end of this essay after we source different arguments on the topic. A popular argument used on this topic is that rap music promotes crime including the†¦show more content†¦It s said that some rap music has tapped into feelings of male powerlessness as a result of poverty, racism and fractured families and made it not only fashionable but also empowering for young men to demean women in this way (the guardian, 2004) Not only do they rap about women in a negative way but their music videos feature women semi naked and at times fully naked. There was even a paper published by Tipper Gore named HATE, RAPE AND RAP which directly linked sexual assaults to rap music, there was clear links made that rap encourages violence towards women. The public has even tried to involve Michelle Obama hoping that she could convince rappers to tone down their lyrics from being so depraved towards women. Women in hip-hop are portrayed, in songs or videos, as either silent, willing strippers or complaining, troublesome meddlers. Female rappers are either boy toys or tomboys, both of which are personalities constructed around a masculine norm rather than a female norm. Another argument used is that rap promotes violent behavior towards women as it is influential in the behavior of men. In published journals they define misogyny as the â€Å"hatred or disdain of women† and â€Å"an ideology that reduces women to objects for men’s ownership, use, or abuse† (Adam and Fuller p. 939). They carried out research that showed many rappers continuouslyShow MoreRelatedPopular Culture and Violent Behavior Essay11795 Words   |  48 Pagesrevenue. Low culture is what is sold to the masses, ergo, low culture equals mass culture. All these terms refer to popular culture, defined in the Oxford Dictionary of Sociology as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦accessible to everyone. Popular culture is far more widespread than high culture and in the United Statesand in Europe, for example, it is dominated by television, films and recorded popular music. [2] I have chosen to study popular culture and its influence on violent behaviour

The Benefit of Music Essay Sample free essay sample

The Advantages and Disadvantages when Playing A Musical Instrument. I. IntroductionThere are several advantages and disadvantages when playing a musical instrument. ( Thesis Statement ) BodyII. The first advantage of playing musical instrument is increase the capacity of your memory. A. Stimulate your encephalon and can increase your memory. 1. The portion of the encephalon that control motor accomplishments such as utilizing your custodies. running and swimming will go more active. 2. Help your IQ addition in seven points. in both kids and grownups. ( Alleyne. 2009 ) B. Changes the form power of the encephalon 1. As a therapy to better cognitive accomplishments.2. Musicians show betterments in audile verbal memory and audile attending. but non in ocular memory or ocular attending. III. Next. the advantage of playing musical instrument is expose to cultural history of an instrument. A. Music has their ain history and background that can foster your grasp of other civilizations. 1. Learn a assortment of music types such as classical traditions. We will write a custom essay sample on The Benefit of Music Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page common people music and other genres 2. Certain musical instruments have represented the individuality of community such as gambus. B. Care about the remain of ascendants such as classical music so that it will non vanish by the oversight of the clip. 1. Expose the younger coevals on to classical music. 2. Political campaign for the saving of classical music instrument. IV. Besides that. hike your squad accomplishments besides one of the advantage of playing musical instrument. A. Playing an instrument requires you to work with others to do music. 1. Band an orchestra scene you must larn how to collaborate with the people around you. 2. Playing music as a group builds a sense of community and enables you to experience as if you belong to something bigger than yourself B. To do beautiful and organize music. 1. Each participant and subdivision learns how to listen to each other and play together. 2. To execute in a group you must hold tolerance for each others V. There besides have some disadvantages of playing musical instrument. A. Firstly. for pupil. it can consequence on surveies if they non cognize how to pull off clip good. 1. Students will acquire tired to manage both undertakings. 2. It will interrupt the acquisition procedure and causes instruction declined B. Secondly. it can blow the clip and money.1. Musical instrument such as guitar. piano and fiddle are expensive so it such a waste if you don’t utilize on a regular basis. 2. To play musical instrument demand clip committedness. C. Third. it can impact wellness hazard for illustration can impact tympanum. 1. Harmonizing scientific surveies. loud sounds can do the tympanum damaged because of quiver and deposition that occurs in tympanum. 2. The rate to acquire disease if the musical instruments are shared is high. DecisionWell. it is hoped that as people become more active affecting to play musical instrument so that they will appreciate of the instrument from familial. Other than that. playing musical instrument has many advantages that they can accomplish from it. In add-on. with this exposure can pull many people. particularly pupil because it can increase the capacity of the memory. Mentions Kamien. R. ( 2004 ) . Music an Appreciation. ( 8th ed. ) . New York: McGraw Hill Alleyne. R. ( 2009. October 27 ) . Playing a musical instrument makes you brainier. The Telegraph. Retrieved August 7. 2012. from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. telegraph. co. uk/sciene-news Matthews. M. ( Ed. ) . ( 2011 ) . Effective music instruction. Retrieved August 5. 2012. from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. effectivemusicteaching. com Bennet. A. and Bennet. D. ( 2008 ) . The human cognition system: music andencephalon coherency. 38. 277-295. Department of the Interior: 10. 1108/03055720810904817

The Tale of Kieu

The Tale of Kieu is full of characters, producing long-lasting impressions upon the reader and Dam Tien is one of them, even despite the fact that its role is only supplementary. Dam Tien is an apparition or a ghost that tells the fortune of other people; it represents itself in the form of a young woman.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Tale of Kieu specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nguyá »â€¦n Du first mentions this character when Kieu finds her grave. This ghost appears to her and makes a prophecy about the course of major character’s life. In particular, she says that Kieu will have to undergo a great number of hardships and miseries before she eventually finds happiness and love. It should be noted that the author provided us with biographical details about this character. In the past, she was a singer, â€Å"renowned for looks and gifts† (Nguyá »â€¦n Huá » ³nh, p 35, line 63). The writer also tells us that Dam Tien enjoyed considerable success among man who virtually â€Å"jostled at her door† (Nguyá »â€¦n Huá » ³nh, p 35, line 64). We also know that this character died in the prime of her life and to some extent, she became a symbol of youth and beauty and ,most importantly, their brevity. Kieu learned about her life from the story told by Vuong Quan. In this respect, Dam Tien is very reminiscent to Kieu; they are both beautiful and well-educated but their lives are tied with misfortunes (Teo, 352). We do not know whether Dam Tien is sympathetic of the main character or not. She manifests itself only to mark important moments of Kieu’s life but she does not act a guide. However, she appears at those times, when the main heroine needs some consolation (Stickney, 206). We should also mention that in the past Dam Tien was a songwriter and she is able to appreciate poetry and lyrics. So, when she reads Dam Tien’s lyrics, she praised them and in a way this is also consolation. By praising Kieu’s lyrics this ghost indicated to the main character that she is not alone in her sufferings and that there might be some other people who may understand her or at least try to do it. This is one of its major contributions to the Tale of Kieu. This character plays an important part in the development of the plot, since the memories of Dam Tien’s prophecy drive Kieu into the depth of despair and she attempts suicide, yet she was saved by Giac Duyen. This ghost becomes the only creature to whom the main character can tell about her misfortunes and grieves. Yet, one should regard this ghost only as an ill omen since in later parts of the poem Dam Tien finally tells Kieu that she will eventually find her love. She says â€Å"with many days ahead, you shall fulfill/your great past love, reap future happiness† (Nguyá »â€¦n Huá » ³nh, line 141).Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Again, one has to emphasize the idea that this ghost is observed only by Kieu; other characters do no notice it. Thus, one can argue that it might be a figment of Kieu’s imagination. As it has been said before, Dam Tien is a secondary character but it does help the reader to better understand the inner world of Kieu and her feelings. This is one of the reasons why it is so important for this poem. Works Cited Nguyá »â€¦n Du and Sanh Thà ´ng Huá » ³nh. The tale of Kieu. Randon House, 1973. Print. Stickney Mary. River of Pearls. iUniverse, 2004. Print Teo Hsu-Ming. Behind the Moon. Soho Press 2007. Print. This essay on The Tale of Kieu was written and submitted by user Izaiah Burch to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here. The Tale of Kieu â€Å"The Tale of Kieu† is a Vietnamese epic poem written by, Nguyá »â€¦n Du  (1766–1820). It is one of the most important pieces of Vietnamese literature. It is a moving story about a young Vietnamese girl named Kieu who attempts to undo the wrongs of her past life, by enduring hardships.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Tale of Kieu specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Through the story, we are drawn into the world of Vietnamese culture and way of life. The writer depicts injustice within the feudal system, after the dethroning of the Le Dynasty, and the status of women then. Even though the story is about 200 years old, it still holds true, as the plight of many young Vietnamese women is almost the same in today’s world. One of the main issues and controversies surrounding the story of the protagonist is morality. Many people consider this an immoral story, as it depicts the life of a pr ostitute. On the contrary, this story lends a voice to millions of women across the globe that human trafficking is a horrendous crime that exists even in this sophisticated world. â€Å"The Tale of Kieu† is a moral work as it depicts the hardship of a woman, who is forced into prostitution, to save her family from poverty, and betrayed by the men she loved. It exemplifies the plight of many young women who are trapped in slavery. The main protagonist Kieu is sold into prostitution and is constantly deceived by the men in her life. Despite this, she tries to maintain her dignity, and face her problems with determination. The author of the story focuses on the good as well as the bad aspects in the life of the protagonist. On many occasions in the story, we can see that Kieu is not an innocent character. But, this may be because of the fact that she has been wronged so many times in life, that she did what she thought right for her. She realized from her early day that she can not trust anyone in her life and that she has to look after herself for her survival. Many of her acts reveal that originally she is not a morally degraded woman. One cannot deny the moral act, when she refused Kim’s lustful designs on her, when they first met. As they were not married yet, she found it wrong to sleep with him, as maintaining chastity till marriage was the right, moral action for any woman. They were deeply in love with and initially when each other, kim professes his love for her, she replies, â€Å"ll etch your word, our troth, in stone and bronze† (Du). But, at the same time, she goes back on her vows, as she bends to the circumstance of her life rather than upholding her vows. Even though she fails to keep her promise to her true love, she is dutiful to her father, and she sacrifices herself to save her family from poverty and prison. Her sacrifice to save her family from hardship and poverty is nerve wrecking. Throughout her ordeals, she is used a nd abused by men. Yet she remains duty found, and responsible to her family. When she is visited by a ghost who reminds her about her bad â€Å"karma† and when she foresees her doom, she says,Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More â€Å"How sorrowful is woman’s lot! How sternly fate will deal with all of us!† (Du par. 2). We can see that her fall is not her doing. It is the pressure of circumstances that make her immoral. Many people could relate this to their surroundings, as there are many in the same circumstance as Kieu. Through Kieu’s story the author reveals the hard realities of life. Life has its own course as it is already scripted. Kieu represents those who are born to sacrifice everything in life, for their family. Even though, the protagonist tries to be virtuous, her circumstances in life do not allow her to be the person she wants to be. Fate has other things in store for her. Kieu is not an immoral woman, but just a victim of her fate. Works Cited Du, Nguyen. The Tale of Kieu. Paper Masters. A Division of E World Publishing, Inc. Web. This essay on The Tale of Kieu was written and submitted by user Kyan Knox to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Physics Field of Fluid Statics

The Physics Field of Fluid Statics Fluid statics is the field of physics that involves the study of fluids at rest. Because these fluids are not in motion, that means they have achieved a stable equilibrium state, so fluid statics is largely about understanding these fluid equilibrium conditions. When focusing on incompressible fluids (such as liquids) as opposed to compressible fluids (such as most gases), it is sometimes referred to as hydrostatics. A fluid at rest does not undergo any sheer stress, and only experiences the influence of the normal force of the surrounding fluid (and walls, if in a container), which is the pressure. (More on this below.) This form of equilibrium condition of a fluid is said to be a hydrostatic condition. Fluids that are not in a hydrostatic condition or at rest, and are therefore in some sort of motion, fall under the other field of fluid mechanics, fluid dynamics. Major Concepts of Fluid Statics Sheer stress vs. Normal stress Consider a cross-sectional slice of a fluid. It is said to experience a sheer stress if it is experiencing a stress that is coplanar, or a stress that points in a direction within the plane. Such a sheer stress, in a liquid, will cause motion within the liquid. Normal stress, on the other hand, is a push into that cross sectional area. If the area is against a wall, such as the side of a beaker, then the cross sectional area of the liquid will exert a force against the wall (perpendicular to the cross section - therefore, not coplanar to it). The liquid exerts a force against the wall and the wall exerts a force back, so there is net force and therefore no change in motion. The concept of a normal force may be familiar from early in studying physics, because it shows up a lot in working with and analyzing free-body diagrams. When something is sitting still on the ground, it pushes down toward the ground with a force equal to its weight. The ground, in turn, exerts a normal force back on the bottom of the object. It experiences the normal force, but the normal force doesnt result in any motion. A sheer force would be if someone shoved on the object from the side, which would cause the object to move so long that it can overcome the resistance of friction. A force coplanar within a liquid, though, isnt going to be subject to friction, because there isnt friction between molecules of a fluid. Thats part of what makes it a fluid rather than two solids. But, you say, wouldnt that mean that the cross section is being shoved back into the rest of the fluid? And wouldnt that mean that it moves? This is an excellent point. That cross-sectional sliver of fluid is being pushed back into the rest of the liquid, but when it does so the rest of the fluid pushes back. If the fluid is incompressible, then this pushing isnt going to move anything anywhere. The fluid is going to push back and everything will stay still. (If compressible, there are other considerations, but lets keep it simple for now.) Pressure All of these tiny cross sections of liquid pushing against each other, and against the walls of the container, represent tiny bits of force, and all of this force results in another important physical property of the fluid: the pressure. Instead of cross sectional areas, consider the fluid divided up into tiny cubes. Each side of the cube is being pushed on by the surrounding liquid (or the surface of the container, if along the edge) and all of these are normal stresses against those sides. The incompressible fluid within the tiny cube cannot compress (thats what incompressible means, after all), so there is no change of pressure within these tiny cubes. The force pressing on one of these tiny cubes will be normal forces that precisely cancel out the forces from the adjacent cube surfaces. This cancellation of forces in various directions is of the key discoveries in relation to hydrostatic pressure, known as Pascals Law after the brilliant French physicist and mathematician Blaise Pascal (1623-1662). This means that the pressure at any point is the same in all horizontal directions, and therefore that the change in pressure between two points will be proportional to the difference in height. Density Another key concept in understanding fluid statics is the density of the fluid. It figures into the Pascals Law equation, and each fluid (as well as solids and gases) have densities that can be determined experimentally. Here are a handful of common densities. Density is the mass per unit volume. Now think about various liquids, all split up into those tiny cubes I mentioned earlier. If each tiny cube is the same size, then differences in density means that tiny cubes with different densities will have different amount of mass in them. A higher-density tiny cube will have more stuff in it than a lower-density tiny cube. The higher-density cube will be heavier than the lower-density tiny cube, and will therefore sink in comparison to the lower-density tiny cube. So if you mix two fluids (or even non-fluids) together, the denser parts will sink that the less dense parts will rise. This is also evident in the principle of buoyancy, that explains how displacement of liquid results in an upward force, if you remember your Archimedes. If you pay attention to the mixing of two fluids while its happening, such as when you mix oil and water, therell be a lot of fluid motion, and that would covered by fluid dynamics. But once the fluid reaches equilibrium, youll have fluids of different densities that have settled into layers, with the highest density fluid forming the bottom layer, up until you reach the lowest density fluid on the top layer. An example of this is shown on the graphic on this page, where fluids of different types have differentiated themselves into stratified layers based on their relative densities.

Seven learning styles and how to teach them

Seven learning styles and how to teach them Attention teachers- are you making the most of your time in the classroom? The truth is, if you’re applying a â€Å"one size fits all† approach to teaching then you’re probably not making the most effective use of your abilities. Today’s most effective teachers realize that their classrooms are actually microcosms of students with a range of learning styles- and each student has a specific way of absorbing and processing new information that they respond to best. It can be challenging, but teachers who make a real effort to reach each student by taking their individual learning style into account are best positioned to have a positive and lasting impact in their classrooms.In general, there are seven recognized learning styles- and a range of useful strategies for engaging learners who respond best to each. If you want to maximize learning in your classroom and help your students achieve their goals, consider devoting some time to figuring out which of the following learning styles works best for each and build a program that takes this important information into account.Visual/SpatialA visual learner responds well to seeing new concepts and ideas in visual form- things like charts, tables, figures, and diagrams that incorporate helpful colors and shapes- and learn best by seeing things laid out in front of them. Visual learners are typically observant, creative, and well-organized people who are focused and enjoy carefully laid out plans.If you’re eager to engage a visual learner, make sure your learning program incorporates helpful visual aids and cues and encourage students to use visual tools themselves during the learning process- including sketching out ideas and using note taking and drawing (think flowcharts and mind maps). Also, consider placing them at or near the front of your classroom and decorate your classroom with lots of visual aids.Solitary/IntrapersonalThese students typically straddle a range of learning st yles (including logical, physical, verbal, auditory, and visual learning). How can you spot this type of learner? These are typically private, independent, and introspective students who are driven by self-motivation and self-determination. They often seem like they’re well-suited for tasks like programming, coding, researching, and writing.The truth is, although it can be challenging to fully engage a solitary learner in a crowded classroom, do your best to guide them through the use of visual learning tools, books, designated quiet areas for self-study, and clearly defined sharing/solitary time in the classroom- it will be time well spent.VerbalIf you’re working with a verbal learner, don’t forget that words matter most to them- in all of their many written and spoken forms. These learners are typically intellectual and bookish sorts who show a clear preference for writing and reading, so incorporating things like text-based lessons, vocabulary and word activi ties, and poems are good ideas. It shouldn’t be a surprise that many of these learners wind up in careers involving law, journalism, politics, and writing and administration.If you’re working with a verbal learner be sure to have verbal and written discussions of new concepts and ideas. Take into account if they’re naturally introverted or extroverted- the more outgoing they are, the more they’ll benefit from presentations and interactive talking, while introverted verbal learners will likely respond well to things written down. Be sure to use this information to your teaching advantage.Physical/KinestheticThese energetic learners enjoy the â€Å"hands-on approach,† and enjoy physical and tactile activities to support their learning. They typically gravitate towards athletic pursuits. Look for ways to incorporate learning tools that engage their senses and include movement when possible. Role-playing tends to work particularly well with physical le arners- although this can be a challenge in a classroom full of students. If you can find a way to make use of these strategies you’ll tend to be more successful at engaging these learners.Logical/MathematicalThese data-driven, number-focused learners typically are logical and successful in the classroom and veer towards careers in research, science, accounting, and programming. They respond well to puzzles, brain teasers, and tasks involving pattern recognition, classification and grouping, statistics, and numerical and hierarchical information. Aim to incorporate these in your lesson plans whenever possible.Social/InterpersonalThese types of learners are typically easy to spot- they have a natural predilection for teamwork and interacting and collaborating with their classmates. Although social learners tend to be natural leaders, extroverts, and good communicators, this isn’t a hard a fast rule and can really vary. Another thing worth noting is that social learners can respond well to other learning styles, usually set in a collaborative/interpersonal backdrop. Try incorporating a variety of group activities within your lesson plans to benefit these learners.Auditory/MusicalThese learners tend to respond really well to audio-based lessons, cues, and stimuli. They often prefer to have things explained to them out loud, and really do well with activities that incorporate talking, audio recordings, and music. Your voice and the voices of others in the classroom are great tools when working with auditory learners. Although maintaining a quiet and orderly classroom can be important, your best bet when trying to engage these learners is to incorporate some well-placed sound into your lessons.If you’re looking to better engage your students and maximize learning in your classroom, consider factoring in the diverse learning styles covered here when developing your lesson plans.

Ratio analysis and the applications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ratio analysis and the applications - Essay Example The first one is that valuation must be done in a prudent way. This means that when valuing assets on should make sound decisions in order to value the assets in question correctly the second principle states that; profits that are made in the balance sheet are the only profits that should be included in financial statements. The third principle stipulates that depreciation should be considered when reporting for a financial year regardless of whether it causes a gain or a loss. An example of where the prudence concept is normally used in accounting is when calculating profit or loss. For example, some liabilities are based on the possibility of an event occurring in the future and is expected to generate a profit or loss. If the likeliness of it happening is more than 50% it should be recorded depending on whether it results in a profit or loss. An example of such an event is a law suit. b) The Matching Concept This is a principle in accounting that stipulates that charges and incom es which relate to a financial year must be recorded regardless of the date when the payment of the charges or income was receipted. According to (Hoque, 2006), it is the accounting approach of allocating expenses to their respective incomes. The matching principle of accounting is governed by a number of principles. ... This means that account policies adapted by a business organization should follow a particular principle. This concept aims at allowing comparability of the business organizations’ financial positions and the results of their business activities. The concept puts forward the standardization of financial statements in terms of recording and valuation. An example is when a business institution is calculating depreciation on its assets, for example, a staff van. If the company chooses to use a method in calculating depreciation of the van for instance, the strait line method; it should stick with the method when calculating future depreciation of the van and other assets. This will help in comparing the depreciation of the van and other assets. d) The going concern concept. This is a concept that stipulates that any business establishment is expected to grow in its corporate life irrespective of the shareholders or owners lifespan. The going concern concept is the main idea behin d the costing concepts. However, it is important to note that the going concern should be explained at the end of very financial statement if it has been deemed invalid. A business establishment is regarded as a going concern when there is no intention to wind up the business.  An example of where this concept is used is when a business institution acquires an asset, in the profit and loss account the asset is not recorded at its present market value. However, it is recorded minus its depreciation since it will be used for a long period of time. e) The Concept of Double Entry This is a concept in book keeping which stipulates that all changes in accounting information must reflect in at least two ledger

Museum visit report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Museum visit report - Essay Example 2). The painting is currently located in gallery 305 with accession number 49.4. The artist is considered one of the most influential French painters whose works were classified under the romantic period (Pioch, 2002, par. 1). The painting is a realistic depiction of a panoramic view of Tangier, a city in northern Morocco, from the view points of people on the shore. The focal point of the art work is the wooden boat being steered to shore by seven people while three others were viewing them. The colors are symmetrical with clear shades of white and blue manifesting the sky and clouds from afar provided the backdrop for mountains as landscape with a magnificent spectacle of the city on top. The dark shades of brown and gold provided shadows and the perspective of nearness to the viewer. Shades and diverse hues of green and blue separate the depth and nearness of the sea. The illustration of the figures of people was well defined providing volume and enhanced with colors. Overall, the painting is a magnificent portrayal of a realistic painting enticing the viewer to the intricate details of the forms, shapes, colors and shades that give life and meaning to the art work. Works Cited Minneapolis Institute of the Arts. Collections. N.d. Web. 21 March 2011. Pioch, Nicolas. Delacroix, Eugene. 04 August 2002. Web.

Uniformitarianism & Catastrophism Essay Example for Free

Uniformitarianism Catastrophism Essay Catastrophism refers to the idea that the features on the surface of the earth have been formed by natural disasters that occurred in the past. Contrary to this, uniformitarianism explains how geological processes taking place today in like ways, explain all geological processes on the earth, hence today‘s activities determine yesterday’s activities. It overlooks any chances of past occurrences impacting on the earth surface. Catastrophism seems to have tangible, empirical evidence in which case the sedimentary layers of fossils and rocks piling on the earth surface tend to suggest past activities. Also, eruption of mountains such as Mt. St. Helens (1980) presently supports the catastrophic notion. The issue of rock record entails an area going through change as a result of geologic processes where original rocks transform physically as well as chemically before the rocks are laid down. Mt. St. Helens erupted in 1980 and according to the uniformitarianism view; such eruptions are as a result of rock transformation activities within the earth crust or due to water contained within the rocks, changing course. Also, the 2005 Pakistan earthquake which took life of more than eighty thousand citizens is thought to be as a result of rocks in the earth crust and the mantle sedimenting after long periods of activities in the past. The Indian Ocean tsunami which occurred in 2004 is attributable to rocks in the ocean undergoing physical as well chemical changes hence in the process; the surface of the ocean experienced the forces, in form of huge, powerful waves (Craig, 1983). Reference Craig, C. (1983). Uniformitarianistic linguistics, Stonington: Benjamins.

Pragmatic Literary Criticism :: Literature Essays Literary Criticism

Pragmatic Literary Criticism      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pragmatic criticism is concerned, first and foremost, with the ethical impact any literary text has upon an audience. Regardless of art's other merits or failings, the primary responsibility or function of art is social in nature. Assessing, fulfilling, and shaping the needs, wants, and desires of an audience should be the first task of an artist. Art does not exist in isolation; it is a potent tool for individual as well as communal change. Though pragmatic critics believe that art houses the potential for massive societal transformation, art is conspicuously ambivalent in its ability to promote good or evil. The critical project of pragmatic criticism is to establish a moral standard of quality for art. By establishing artistic boundaries based upon moral/ethical guidelines, art which enriches and entertains, inspires and instructs a reader with knowledge of truth and goodness will be preserved and celebrated, and art which does not will be judged inferior, caution ed against, and (if necessary) destroyed. Moral outrage as well as logical argument have been the motivating forces behind pragmatic criticism throughout history. The tension created between this emotional and intellectual reaction to literature has created a wealth of criticism with varying degrees of success. Ironically, much like art's capacity to inspire diligence or decadence in a reader, pragmatic criticism encompasses both redemptive and destructive qualities.  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Plato provides a foundational and absolute argument for pragmatic criticism. Excluding poetry from his ideal Republic, Plato attempts to completely undermine the power and authority of art. He justifies his position by claiming that "the power which poetry has of harming even the good (and there are very few who are not harmed) is surely an awful thing" (28). Because artists claim their imitations can speak to the true nature of things, circumventing the need for serious, calmly considered intellectual inquiry, art should not be pursued as a valuable endeavor. Art widens the gap between truth and the world of appearances, ironically by claiming to breach it. The artist promotes false images of truth and goodness by appealing to basic human passions, indulging "the irrational nature which has no discernment of greater and less, but thinks the same thing at one time great and at another small" (27). Art manufactures moral ambiguity, and to P lato this is unacceptable. Because it is deceptive and essentially superficial, all art must be controlled and delegitmized for all time.

Green Computing Research Essay

Operations, Natalie, is the program sponsor. Ito is the program manager, and there is a steering committee made up of ten senior executives, including Natalie, overseeing the program. There are several projects underneath this program, one being the Green Computing Research Project. The CIO and project sponsor, Ben, has given this project high priority and plans to hold special interview s to hand – pick the project manager and team. Ben is also a member of the program steer ing committee. Before coming to We A re Big, Inc., Ben sponsored a project at a large computer firm to improve data centerefficiency. This project, however, is much broader than that one was. The main purpose of the Green Computing Research Project is to research possible applications of gre en computing including: Data center and overall energy efficiency The disposal of electronic waste and recycling Telecommuting Virtualization of server resources Thin client solutions Use of open source software, and Development of new software to addres s green computing for internal use and potential sale to other organizations The budget for the project was $500, 000, and the goal was to provide an extensive report, including detailed financial analysis and recommendations on what green computing technologies to implement. Official project request forms for the recommended solutions would also be created as part of the project. Ben decided to have a small group of people, five to be exact, dedicated to working on this six – month project full – time and to call on people inoth er areason an as – needed basis. He wanted to personally be involved in selecting the proje ct manager and have that person help him to select the rest of the project team. Ben wanted to find people already working inside the company, but he was also open to reviewing applications for potential new employees to work specifically on this project as long asthey could start quickly. Since many good people were located in different parts of the world, Ben thought it made sense to select the best people he could find and allow them to wor k virtually on the project. Ben also wanted the project manager to do more than just mana ge the project. He or she would also do some of the research, writing, editing, and the like required to produce the desi red results. He was also open to paying expert consultants for their advice and purchasing books and related articles, as needed. Tasks 1. Research green computing and projects that have been done or are being done by large organizations such as IBM, Dell, H P, and Google. See www.greener – computing.com and similar sites provided on the companion Web site or that you find yourself. Include your definition of green computing to include all of the topics listed in the background scenario. Describe each of these areas of

Discrimination Against Females in Sport

Discrimination against Females in Sports Gender difference has always been an issue in many shapes and forms and throughout many circumstances in the past, present and still will be in the future. This paper focuses on the issue of discrimination against women in sports. Either being an athlete or a coach, women have always been looked upon as not as talented sports wise as men, even though in reality, they are. This issue is articulated in many ways.The news paper Green Leaf Weekly reports from the past that sports editors and journalists think that women’s sport is not â€Å"newsworthy† (Brown, 1993). Just that quote says a whole lot about the lack of respect people have for women who play sports who work just as hard as men to contend in their sport. Research by Eileen McDonagh and Laura Pappana demonstrates that sex segregation in sports does not simply reflect biology, but it actively constructs and reinforces social ideas of female inferiority (McDonagh & Pappana, 2010).For example, it has been a known fact that women have better physiological endurance compared to men, but yet in the Olympics some of the racing events are actually shorter compared to the men because the women are perceived as not being able to handle the same distance men run. In May of 2004 the sports world was flipped upside down when Title IX was put in place. This title should have been put in place a long time ago, but with all the discriminatory gender issues, it took this long to come to be. Title IX prohibits discrimination against girls and women in federally funded education and athletic programs.The law states that schools who do not follow Title IX, will lose their federal funding. This was a huge step in the beginning of discriminatory actions towards females in sport to be diminished. There are many resources available for exploring this subject area. Finding data and charts is hard to find, but there are many news paper articles on discrimination against wome n in sports. Also a few websites as well to help you get informed on how and why there is discrimination towards women in sports in the first place. There is a website called Women’s Sports Foundation that has a lot of information about women in sports.The good thing about this website is that though it focuses on the negative aspects like discrimination, it also focuses on the positive aspects and what women have achieved in sport and what future goals for women’s sports are. A fact the website states that by 2010, 53 athletic opportunities were offered to every 100 high school boys, and 41 athletic opportunities were offered to every hundred high school girls. Though the number is lower than that of the males, it still is much better than 20 years before this time when it was seldom that 7 athletic opportunities were offered to every 100 high school girl.This statistical research shows that discrimination in sports towards women is improving, slowly, but surely. Wome n are the most affected by this issue because they are being discriminated against in sports. More so than just women, younger women have an even harder time as when you are a young girl there are no girl’s leagues, just mixed leagues with boys. When females play with males, a lot of people say discriminatory things about girls and how they are incapable of playing with males.Likely problems that could come out of this for Canadian society would be that the discrimination problem against women will never be fixed, or it could also get worse. Women need to realize their worth and do something about the issues that are being brought towards them in sports. They have the right to play sports and enjoy them just as much as males do, and they are just as talented as males are. There are many solutions to this problem. A few solutions have already been created in order to better the sports world for women.The Title IX was definitely an important time in history when the document wa s put in place that discrimination against women is strictly prohibited in federally funded sports (Steven, 2004). Women’s sports being in the Olympics also play a very important part in helping this problem. Over the years as more women’s sports were added into the Olympics, it got more media coverage and more attention. With this attention, more young females joined the sports world and the female sports world vastly grew. I feel more women’s sports need to be added into the Olympics, and maybe even create a professional women’s sports league, like the NHL or NBA.Creating a professional women’s sports league would definitely capture enough attention to possibly make the discrimination simmer down. Another option is to possibly create women’s sports centers all over the world for women to come together who play sports and possibly make a change and realize there are a lot of other females all around the world who feel just as they feel. Mak ing people aware of the problems of discrimination in sports could open the eyes of a lot of people to see that it actually is a huge problem. In conclusion, sports are meant to be an activity to demonstrate teamwork, hard work, pain, courage and most of all belief.Belief is hard to achieve when you are being discriminated against, and a lot of people turn to sports to gain confidence. Gender in sports shouldn’t matter, sports teach to you the lessons no matter what gender you are. Many people use sports as a getaway from the crazy world now days and they should feel comfortable. Females need to realize their worth to the sports world, and if more people become aware of the problem and try and solve it, many younger females will be inspired in the future society to take sports to a whole new level, without discrimination against females.The problem will never be completely solved, but with determination anything is possible. References Brown, C. , (1993). Green Leaf Weekly. A rticle, 121. Retrieved from http://web. ebscohost. com. library. smu. ca:2048/ehost/detail? vid=3&hid=11&sid=66b0d127-bc37-4ca5-a903-ef2cab3580af%40sessionmgr11&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=fyh&AN=MRB-WRI0271980 McDonagh, E. , Pappana, K. , (2010). In Brief. Women’s Studies, 39(1), 67. Retrieved from http://web. bscohost. com. library. smu. ca:2048/ehost/detail? vid=3&hid=11&sid=66b0d127-bc37-4ca5-a903-ef2cab3580af%40sessionmgr11&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=fyh&AN=46837840 Steven, L. Y. , (2004). The Sport Of Numbers: Manipulating Title IX To Rationalize Discrimination Against Women. Brigham Young University Education & Law Journal, 1, 155. Retrieved from http://web. ebscohost. com. library. smu. ca:2048/ehost/detail? vid=3&hid=

Predynastic Egypt Timeline and Definition

Predynastic Egypt Timeline and Definition The Predynastic period in Egypt is the name archaeologists have given to the three thousand years before the emergence of the first unified Egyptian state society. Scholars mark the beginning of the predynastic period somewhere between 6500 and 5000 BC when farmers first moved into the Nile valley from Western Asia, and the ending at approximately 3050 BC, when the dynastic rule of Egypt began. Already present in northeastern Africa were cattle pastoralists; the emigrant farmers brought sheep, goats, pigs, wheat and barley. Together they domesticated the donkey and developed simple farming communities. Chronology of the Predynastic Early Predynastic (Badarian) (ca 5000-3900 BC)Middle Predynastic (Nagada I or Amratian) (ca 3900-3650 BC)Late Predynastic (Nagada II or Gerzean) (ca 3650-3300 BC)Terminal Predynastic (Nagada III or Proto-Dynastic) (ca 3300-3050 BC) Scholars typically divide the predynastic period, as with most of Egyptian history, into upper (southern) and lower (northern) Egypt. Lower Egypt (Maadi culture) appears to have developed farming communities first, with the spread of farming from the Lower Egypt (north) to the Upper Egypt (south). Thus, the Badarian communities predate the Nagada in Upper Egypt. Current evidence as to the origin of the rise of the Egyptian state is under debate, but some evidence points to Upper Egypt, specifically Nagada, as the focus of the original complexity. Some of the evidence for the complexity of the Maadi may be hidden beneath the Nile deltas alluvium. The Rise of the Egyptian State That development of complexity within the predynastic period led to the emergence of the Egyptian state is inarguable. But, the impetus for that development has been the focus of much debate among scholars. There appears to have been active trade relationships with Mesopotamia, Syro-Palestine (Canaan), and Nubia, and evidence in the form of shared architectural forms, artistic motifs, and imported pottery attests to these connections. Whatever specifics were in play, Stephen Savage summarizes it as a gradual, indigenous process, stimulated by intraregional and interregional conflict, shifting political and economic strategies, political alliances and competition over trade routes. (2001:134). The end of the predynastic (ca 3050 BC) is marked by the first unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, called Dynasty 1. Although the precise way in which a centralized state emerged in Egypt is still under debate; some historical evidence is recorded in glowing political terms on the Narmer Palette. Archaeology and the Predynastic Investigations into the Predynastic had their start in the 19th century by William Flinders-Petrie. The most recent studies have revealed the extensive regional diversity, not just between Upper and Lower Egypt, but within Upper Egypt. Three principal regions are identified in Upper Egypt, centered on Hierakonpolis, Nagada (also spelled Naqada) and Abydos. Predynastic Sites    Adaà ¯ma   Hierakonpolis   Abydos  Gebel Manzal el-Seyl Herbal Wines of Ancient Egypt illustrates trade connections between predynastic Egypt and the Levant region of the near east. Sources On Michael Brasss The Antiquity of Man site, youll find the complete text of Kathryn Bards 1994 paper in the JFA cited below. Bard, Kathryn A. 1994 The Egyptian Predynastic: A Review of the Evidence. Journal of Field Archaeology 21(3):265-288. Hassan, Fekri 1988 The Predynastic of Egypt. Journal of World Prehistory  2(2):135-185. Savage, Stephen H. 2001 Some Recent Trends in the Archaeology of Predynastic Egypt. Journal of Archaeological Research 9(2):101-155. Tutundzic, Sava P. 1993 A Consideration of Differences between the Pottery Showing Palestinian Characteristics in the Maadian and Gerzean Cultures. The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 79:33-55. Wenke, Robert J. 1989 Egypt: Origins of Complex Societies. Annual Review of Anthropology 18:129-155.

How to Be Become a Rock Collector

How to Be Become a Rock Collector I like to collect rocks, and so do many other people I know. While you can purchase rock collecting starter kits, rock collecting is a great free activity. Its a fun excuse to go out into nature, many rock collectors like to travel to different places in order to collect different types of rocks. Some rock collectors like to learn all about the rocks they collect, while some base their collection on looks. What kind of collector are you? The Rock Collecting Types I think of a rock collector as someone who compiles rock and mineral specimens as an end in itself. Rock collectors come in a couple of  models: The rockhound is the most familiar: someone who enjoys hunting for unusual, rare or valuable minerals in organized group trips to mines. Rockhounds swap specimens with other collectors and may sell small amounts of material. Some tend to acquire piles of bulk rough that they may process later, but others may maintain exquisite cabinets of fine mounted minerals. They are hobbyists who may graduate to become dealers.The lapidary collects rocks to make things with them. I would include jewelers  in this category too: people who cut crystals and gemstones into jewelry making. They are hobbyists who may graduate to become artisans. That said, some people collect rocks as a means to an end. I dont call them rock collectors, although they certainly care about rocks: Geologists do study and collect rocks, but they arent rock collectors. Their collections have scientific or professional, not personal purposes.Mineral dealers arent rock collectors, even if they dig up their own material. Their collections are for sale, not for pleasure. Starting a Rock Collection You dont need to have been a coin (or stamp) collector to become a rock collector. But I was, and one personal rule I kept was to collect only rocks that Ive found myself. To me, the virtue in this is that Ive documented each stone and its context. It means that each of my stones is connected to an experience in the field. Each rock represents something I learned and stands as a reminder of somewhere Ive been. Building a Rock Collection My collection stays relatively small. Thats because Im a careful selector. You might call my practice, seeking a type specimen for each place I visit a single rock that displays the geological features of the site in miniature. There are other ways I can expand my collection as well. I could trade rocks with other collectors like many people do. But then I would need to take more rock back from my trips. This can have negative effects on the environment. Ive visited more than one outcrop that has been harvested out of existence, and I dont want to contribute to that problem. Besides, if no trading partner is interested the collecting has been a waste. In some locations, rock collecting is forbidden. Ive learned I can collect the forbidden or unfeasible, thanks to the camera. Photographing a rock and then leaving it behind allows me to collect without collecting. Photography protects the environment and gives me ample room at home to display the rocks I truly love. A word about the rock and mineral photos on the Web and on my site: Rock photos are generally good examples of the rock types youll see in the field. The same is not true for minerals, however. Mineral photos tend to favor spectacular specimens. I try as much as possible to avoid that approach in my mineral galleries because for me the point is to learn minerals from typical specimens, the way that students of rocks encounter them. Rock Collectors versus Mineral Collectors Rock collectors and mineral collectors are two different kinds of rockhound. Although both seek specimens that are good examples of their type, good rocks and good minerals never occur together. A good rock specimen contains all the right minerals in due proportion, but a good mineral specimen is always out of proportion for its rock type. Rock collectors are generally limited to whatever they can find or trade for because there is no market for rock specimens (except for educational starter collections). Little more is involved than trimming a hand specimen and recording where it was found. Mineral collectors, however, can shop for all kinds of rarities in rock shops and mineral shows; indeed, you can amass a great mineral collection without getting your hands dirty at all. And a major part of the hobby happens at home in the cleaning, mounting and displaying of mineral specimens.

Biology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Biology - Essay Example t is taking place however, is that the overabundance of harmful gases which are a byproduct of fossil fuels, are causing a latticing effect to take place in the ozone layer. The earth’s ozone layer is necessary in order to filter out the sun’s excessive and destructive ultra violet rays. As the ozone layer becomes more and more compromised, the areas of the globe governed by cold temperatures (such as the arctic) are literally rising in temperature causing the melting of polar ice caps. As these ice caps melt and merge into the ocean, warm water oceanic areas are being cooled down to unnaturally low temperatures. This results in a drastic rise in natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes and tornadoes. On a short term level, the animals that inhabit the arctic are finding their environment less and less suitable. Fish are dying due to the drastic oceanic temperature changes while animals like penguins and polar bears are finding less and less available fish. When discussing global warming, the topic of precautionary principle becomes extremely relevant as well. The precautionary principle is essentially a moral principle with political ramifications, which allows for necessary action in the face of possible danger to public health or the environment even without scientific confirmation or agreed substantiation of the threat from the scientific community. In other words, global warming is certainly a global issue and an obvious threat, regardless of the fact that many with conservative view points, argue its validity. Because of this, it is in the world’s best interest to act in a manner which is airing on the side of precaution, in the best interest of pandemic survival. Normal proof policies would indicate that proof rooted in scientific fact is necessary but without exiting the confines of science. The precautionary principle allows for a lack of scientific proof and more of a suspicion with some confirmation based on observati on or

Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Entrepreneurship - Essay Example and urge to start a new business is not as difficult and important as sustaining the business through the full lifespan of the business lifecycle (Nowak, 1996). This essay therefore uses Zaarly as a case study of a startup business to understand from the perspective of Scott and Bruce (1987) and other scholars, what makes or unmake businesses in the first five years after they have been set up. Set up in February 2011, Zaarly is a private company founded by Eric Koester, Bo Fishback and Ian Hunter. The company is in the online retail industry with some unique dynamism that focuses on the creation of platform for users or anyone to hire a minion or sell whatever they have to sell to neighbours. Proximity is a central business idea for the founders, making Zaarly a proximity-based, real-time, and buyer-powered market platform (Steiner, 2011). Through the use of online platform, anyone can find people around them who offer services they are looking for, or products they are seeking to buy. In effect, Zaarly is a local marketplace that operates from an electronic basis. As serial entrepreneurs, each of the founders of Zaarly already has several start-ups that they personally manage. Zaarly has however been confirmed to be something different as it was set up with the objective of becoming the turning point in the online retail marketplace business (Swartz, 2011). Because of this objective, the three founders seem to have given Zaarly a lot more attention and focus, given the existing competition in the industry. Into the next five years, the company has been tagged to be a common household name for all who want to find the closest place around them where they can have their services and products provided. Shontell (2011) reports a seed capital of $1 million was raised for the official opening of Zaarly. This start-up capital however received a major investment boost when the company received Series A financing that amounted to $14.1 million. The main financiers of

Buildings on the roman forum or the imperial forum Research Paper

Buildings on the roman forum or the imperial forum - Research Paper Example It is positioned between Capitoline and palatine hills (Watkin 1). The coliseum was initially referred to as the Flavian Amphitheatre. It portends an egg-shaped shape and is situated in the middle of the metropolis of Rome and east of the Roman forum. It is the most gigantic building ever constructed in the history of Rome in additionally to being one of the most aesthetic and remarkable works in Roman engineering and architecture history. It was christened after the emperor administrating in the first century. Its construction was conducted between 73 and 75 AD and was completed in 79 AD (DuTemple 88). It is oval in shape and can house approximately 80000 spectators or audience. It occupies a total area of 6 acres and has 76 grand entrances. It is 50 meters high and 189 meters long. It is 156 meters wide and has an outer circumference of 545 meters. The center arena is approximately 287 feet long and 180 feet in width with a covering of 15 cm of sand. The arena walls are 15 feet high and the vaults are erected to span the 80 radial walls to support to the stairways and the spectators’ seats. It has 36 trapdoors and a series of subterranean tunnels that underlie 32 animal pens. 8 meters beneath the structure, the drainage pipes are constructed. Inside foundations were erected 4 meters under while the outer ones were erected 13 meters beneath the ground level (Beard and Hopkins 21). Travertine Limestone was employed in the erection of the main pillars, external walls and the entire ground of the coliseum. Tuff, a consolidated and porous stone obtained from vulcanicity was utilized in the crafting of the radial walls and pillars used to support the entire structure. Roman cement, which was an instrumental binding addition in the concrete mixture, was utilized in the creation of the pillars and walls. Tiles covered the floor and cement on vaults. It served as an arena to host entertainment for the ancient Romans as a gift. It was meant to be an eye

Air Asia Marketing Analysis

Air Asia Marketing Analysis Airlines offer air transport services for passengers or cargo, normally with a recognized operating license. Airlines have leased or owned aircraft with which to supply these services. Airlines may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for common benefit. Airlines differ from those with a single aircraft carrying mail or freight, through full-service international airlines operating hundreds of aircraft. Airlines can be classified as being intercontinental, intra continental, domestic, or international and may be operated as planned services or charters. Many countries have national airlines that are owned and operated by the government. Private airlines are under government regulation for economic, political, and safety issues. For example, governments often interfere to stop airline labor actions in order to guard the free flow of people, communications, and goods between different regions without compromising safety. Some countries have deregulated or start deregulating their Airlines, for example The United States, Australia, and to a smaller extent Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Japan. Because of deregulation, airlines have been largely free to negotiate their own operating arrangements with different airports, enter and exit routes easily, and to levy airfares and supply flights according to market demand. In a deregulated market, the entry barriers for new airlines are lower, so it creates greater competition and average fares tend to drop 20% or more. The competition, together with pricing freedom, means that new entrants often take market share with highly cheap rates that, to a limited degree, full service airlines must match. This is a main limitation on profitability for established carriers, which tend to have a higher cost base. Consequently profitability in a deregulated market is irregular for most airlines. These factors have caused some key airlines to go out of business, in addition to most of the poorly established new entrants. INTRODUCTION TO AIRASIA The world leading low fare airline in the Asia, Air Asia has been growing rapidly since 2001, to become an award winning and the major low cost carrier in Asia. AirAsia was founded by a government-owned conglomerate DRB-Hicom in 1993. On 2 December 2001, former Time Warner executive Tony Fernandess company Tune Air Sdn Bhd purchased the heavily-indebted airline for the token sum of one ringgit. Fernandes advanced to engineer an outstanding spin, turning a profit in 2002 and introducing new routes from its hub in Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Air Asia believes in the no-frills, hassle-free, low fare business idea and feels that keeping costs low needs high efficiency in every part of the business. Efficiency generates savings which are then passed on to customers so that inexpensive air travel can become a reality. Through its idea of Now Everyone Can Fly, Air Asia has introduced a revolution in air travel with more and more people around the region choosing Air Asia as their preferred choice of transport. The total AirAsia fleet (including Thai AirAsia, AirAsia X and Indonesia AirAsia) consists of the following aircraft as of 14 July 2010 STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENTS AirAsia opened a 2nd hub in 2003 at Senai International Airport in Johor Bahru near Singapore and started its 1st international flight to Bangkok . In January 2004, airasia began its first international service from KL to Phuket in Thailand. In 2006 A new budget terminals, the 1st of its kind in Asia was opened in Kuala Lumpur International Airport. AirAsia is presently the largest customer of the Airbus A320.[4] The company has placed an order of 175 units of the Airbus A320 plane to service its routes and at least 50 of these will be ready by 2013. Tony Fernandes (CEO) announced a five-year plan on 27 December 2006, to further improve its existence in Asia.[5] In the plan, AirAsia will build up and improve its route network by linking all the existing cities in the region and expanding further into Indochina, Indonesia, Southern China (Kun Ming, Xiamen, Shenzen) and India. AirAsia declared a three-year partnership on 5 April 2007, with the British Formula One team ATT Williams. The airline brand is displayed on the helmets of Nico Rosberg and Alexander Wurz, and on the bargeboards and nose of the cars.[6] On 27 September 2008, AirAsia has on its list 106 new routes to be added to its current list of 60 over the next few years [7] SUBSIDIARIES Notes Thai AirAsia Established on 8 December 2003 as joint venture with Shin Corporation Indonesia AirAsia AirAsia acquired the then Non-operational Awair in 2004 with a 49% stake in the airline. Full rebranding to Indonesia AirAsia was completed on 1 December 2005. VietJet AirAsia AirAsia announced On February 2010 that it has purchased a 30% stake in VietJet and changed the name to VietJet AirAsia. AirAsia RetTix AirAsia launched their new event ticketing system called AirAsia RedTix On March 20, 2010, targeting on non-airline flight tickets such as events, sports, and music. Associate Companies AirAsia X: It is a service operated by AirAsia X Sdn. Bhd. as a franchise of AirAsia. It offers long-haul services from Kuala Lumpur to Australia and China using an Airbus A330-300. Tune Hotels: Tune Hotels.com is a hotel chain established by AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes. Presently it has hotels in operation in Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Penang, Sepang and Bali. Tune Money: It is Asias first no-frills online financial services portal. Same as Virgin Money, it includes life, home and motor vehicle insurance as well as prepaid credit cards. PORTERS FIVE FORCES To asses the attractiveness and identifying the sources of competition for Airline industry we use porters five forces model. 1. Threat of new Entrants in Airline Industry The extent of barriers to entry depends on following factors:- Deregulation: Some countries have deregulated or start deregulating their Airlines, for example The United States, Australia, and to a smaller extent Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Japan. In a deregulated market the entry barriers for new entrants are lower. Capital Requirement: Setting up airline business requires huge investment. The cost of setting up of offices, leasing or buying aircraft, hiring pilots and other staffs incur a high cost. Thus, the threat is low for the industry. Switching costs: In airline industry customers do not need to spend more on switching to another airline. The price would not be extremely significant in differences, which it depends on the accessibility of competitors services and suitability of the flight time that prompts them to switch. So low switching cost attracts new entrants. 2. Rivalry among existing firms Fixed cost: In airline industry fixed cost are high, for example finance cost, lease cost, and staff costs. To cover these fixed costs airline companies have to gain more market share. In doing that, constant price reduction is done by them to compete with others. Thus, the rivalry is strong. Customers easily switch: In airline industry customers priority is to look at price and flight schedule that suits them the best when buying air tickets. The main purpose of using the services is to get to the destination planned. Customers can switch to other airline easily that makes the industry competitive. Similar Products: As discussed earlier, the main purpose of using airline services is to reach the destination. Every airline is providing similar services to customers. So it makes the industry highly competitive. Excess Capacity: presently there has been excess capacity on many routes; as a result, airlines have to participate in price wars in order to attract customers at all costs. 3. Threat of Substitute products No doubt Airline is the fastest way to travel from one destination to another thus there is no Perfect Substitute available. However, taking into consideration Domestic Airlines, there are options available to the customers like by-road and train arrangements but again time consumption and convenience are the reasons which discourage customers to adopt any one of these two options. Price of Air Travel however is a hurdle which let customers to think to take other available options. International Airlines have a very less or no threat regarding other options. 4. Bargaining power of buyers Internet technology resulted in increasing the bargaining power of buyer. Because the buyers are now able to compare the prices more easily and in view of no switching costs, they could choose whichever airline offers a low price. Thus the buyers may be able to influence the airlines to reduce their prices. 5. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Number of suppliers: The suppliers for airlines are fuel suppliers, foods suppliers, merchandise suppliers, and aircraft suppliers. There are few suppliers in the market for aircrafts; the companies are either Airbus or Boeing. So the power of supplier is strong. High switching costs: AirAsia use Airbus models aircraft. In the past it was using Boeing models, which they lease it and later they replaced Boeing models with Airbus. If Airasia change to Boeing again, then the cost will be high, because training cost for staff to go well with the aircraft features must be offered. Other than that, the technology used by Airbus is the most advanced, so Airasia have to rely on the Airbus model. Thus, bargaining power of suppliers is strong. SWOT ANALYSIS The purpose of this analysis is identifying external factors (opportunities and threats) and internal factors (strengths and weakness) that AirAsia needs to consider in achieving its goals and objectives to be low cost carrier in the airline industry. The strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats for AirAsia are as follow: Strengths Single aircraft type: AirAsia operates a single type of aircraft, the airbus model. (It switched from Boeing 737s in 2005) A single aircraft type offers economies in purchasing, pilot training, maintenance and aircraft utilization. Direct Sales: AirAsia engages in direct sales through its web site and call center. As a result it avoids paying commissions to middlemen. A direct sale has reduced AirAsias dependency on outside resources for its revenue. Direct contact with customers provides an opportunity to keep up to date of their expectations and solve their problems on time. Strong management team: This is the strength of AirAsia that it has a very strong management team that consists of industry experts and ex-government officials. For example, Shin Corporation (formerly owned by the family of former Thai Prime Minister- Thaksin Shinawatra) holds a 50% stake in Thai AirAsia. This has facilitated AirAsia to start up and capture significant market share in Thailand. Well established Brand: AirAsias partnership with other service providers such as hotels, hospitals (medical tourism), car rental firms, Citibank (AirAsia Citibank card) has created a very unique picture among travelers. AirAsias local presence in countries such as Indonesia (Indonesia AirAsia) and Thailand (Thai AirAsia) has effectively elevated the brand to become a regional brand. Their links with ATT Williams Formula One team and Manchester United (one of the worlds most famous football teams) have further improved their image to a greater extend beyond just Asia. Weaknesses At start, it may be a good strategy for AirAsia not to have its own maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities. But now with hubs in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia and 97 planes currently owned and over 100 planes to be received in the next few years, AirAsia have to make sure proper and continuous maintenance of the planes which will also help to keep the overall costs low. It is becoming disadvantage not to have its own repair maintenance facilities. Opportunities Increase in oil price: Increase in oil price may become an opportunity for AirAsia, being a low cost carrier; AirAsia has an upper hand because its cost will be still the lowest among others. Thus it has a great opportunity to capture some of the existing customers of full service and other low cost airlines customers. Partnership with other LCC: AirAsia can partnership with other low cost operators such as virgin to tap into their existing strengths or competitive advantages like brand name, landing rights and landing slots. Population: Population of Asian middle class is increasing. It will be 700 million by the end of 2010. This creates an excellent opportunity and huge market for all low cost carriers in this region including AirAsia. New destinations: AirAsia has strong presence in Asian region. Currently they are operating from three countries Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and covering several destinations in China, India, Sri-lanka etc. but still most parts of these countries are under served. So AirAsia can add more destinations. Threats Uncontrollable costs: Certain charges like landing charges, security charges and departure charges are beyond the control of airline operators. This is a threat to all airlines especially low cost airlines that tries to keep their cost as low as possible. New entrants: AirAsias profit margin has attracted many competitors. A good number of the full service airlines have or planning to create a low cost subsidiary to compete with AirAsia and other low cost carriers. For example, Singapore Airlines has created a low cost carrier Tiger Airways. Terrorism: Terrorism is affecting tourism and confidence in the airlines. It might happen in many ways of terrorism either in certain countries or it might happen in the plane itself. If there is terrorism happen in the area where AirAsia operates, it results in stopping their flights to ensure safety of passengers as well as the plane. Negative perceptions: Passengers have some negative perception about low cost carriers. One common perception is that they may compromise safety to keep costs low. AVAILABLE STRATEGIES FOR AIRASIA There are three strategies that Air Asia can follow in order to be a major player in the Low Cost Carrier market. These strategies are Diversification (substantive growth strategy), market penetration and market development (limited growth strategies). Diversification There are kinds of diversification such as horizontal, vertical integration, and conglomeration. Ansoff Matrix source: wikipedia.com In horizontal diversification, the company developed activities that are directly complementary to a companys present activities. AirAsia has done horizontal diversification when entering into Indonesian market by partnering with Awair, which is an Indonesian airline. The partnering with Awair helps AirAsia to understand the condition of local market, so the company will have direction on how to enter and survive in the market by the help of an experienced partner (Awair). AirAsia has done vertical diversification as well, for example it is selling flight tickets without the help of agents through its own website and call centre. Through unrelated diversification (conglomeration), AirAsia might spread risk if suddenly airline industry is having difficulties and have elevated profit opportunity from the new business. But, to establish new business, open up a new company, strong management and financial ability is required to make it successful, but if it is not successful, it might create unbalanced circumstances for Air Asia because of loss of money and resources. Market Penetration In Market Penetration company will not introduce new products. It will go with the same products in the same market. The way to gain more market share with the same product is to attract competitors customers and get more loyal customers by marketing. Market Penetration will not cost as much as Diversification. AirAsia can peruse this strategy by using marketing budget and using the existing marketing department. Market Development Another strategy that AirAsia can pursue is Market Development. Market development is the strategy to sell the same product in new market. For example Air Asia can open up new routes to other places than the existing routes. Opening up more routes is going to be advantages, but it costs more than doing market penetration because more aircrafts and pilots will be needed. AIRASIA RESOURCES EVALUATION In order to implement a strategy AirAsia has to evaluate the resources because if the resources are not enough, the implementation will not be maximized and there will be possibility that the strategy will fail. There are resources to be evaluated before choosing a strategy, such as budgets, human resources, and network analysis. For diversification huge investment is required, because the company might have to build a factory or buy/rent new premises. The company might have to recruit new employees who have knowledge about the new business. Market penetration and market development strategies require less money as compared to diversification strategy. Market penetration and market development strategies only grow existing resources to get more profit or bigger market share, and usually the budget for these strategies are mostly taken from marketing budget. Now a days LCC market is becoming very competitive. Its profit margins attract many new competitors. As I discussed above, a good number of the full service airlines have or planning to create a low cost subsidiary to compete with Air Asia. In this situation AirAsia should not think about diversification. It should only focus on airline business. So strategies like market development and market penetration will be preferred at the moment. POSSIBLE FUTURE STRATEGIES FOR AIRASIA AirAsia have to pursue limited growth strategies such as market penetration and market development in the future. These strategies work a lot for AirAsia in order stay competitive in LCC market. Many new competitors like Tiger Airways directly threatening its market share. So at present AirAsia needs to increase its brand image and get more loyal customers. Air Asia can increase its brand image by promoting low-priced, on time and safe traveling experience campaign. As I discussed above people have negative perception about LCC. People think that LCC may compromise safety to keep cost low. So in promotions AirAsia should try to change these negative perceptions. Advertisements on television are expensive but effective to increase the brand image, so Air Asia may advertise on the television. Ads on Channels like BBC, National Geographic will work a lot. To help reduce the cost, advertisement time may be made shorter and advertisements may not be aired very frequently. The best time for AirAsia Ads is during holidays when people are thinking to go on traveling. There are upcoming sports events like 2011 Cricket World Cup in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and 2012 Olympics in London. By sponsoring these events AirAsia can further improve its image. AirAsia has strong presence in Asian region as compared to other low cost carriers. Currently they are operating from three countries Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia and covering several destinations in China, India, Sri-Lanka etc. but still most parts of these countries are under served. AirAsia alone dont have capacity to cover this whole region. So partnership with some other airlines is required at this stage. Partnership with Virgin Airline will provide great opportunity to expand its business in Asia as well as in other parts of the world. RECOMMENATIONS AirAsia has strong position in Asian market. Now a day Asian low cost carrier market is becoming very competitive. To keep stronger position in the market AirAsia has to adopt combination of market penetration and market development strategies. As we know AirAsia has strong management team, which will surly make these strategies successful. AirAsia has some weaknesses but these do not seem to be very dangerous. Rising fuel prices have made operational costs high for the whole industry. However these high operational costs means companies with fewer profit margins than AirAsia may become unneeded in the future thus, opening up customer bases previously not available to AirAsia. Middle income earners are increasing specially in china and India; there is much talent for AirAsia to expand its routes. AirAsia engages in direct sale through web site and call center. It should be very careful that problems with internet can seriously damage their business. REFERENCES Orders, Deliveries and Operational Asia Pacific. January 2010. http://www.airbus.com/fileadmin/backstage/documents/od/January_2010.xls. Retrieved 9 February 2010. http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/7/9/business/4284964sec=business http://www.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/09_06_16_a350xwb_airasiax.html http://www.tiags.com.vn:8080/?idx=newsdetailmod=newsact=detailid=92type=2 Leong Hung Yee (27 December 2006). AirAsia embarks on 2nd chapter. The Star. http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/12/27/business/16419327sec=business AirAsia sponsors the Formula One team Williams AirAsia unleashes its X-factor

Art on Brown vs. Board Education Supreme Court decision :: Art Exhibit Race

Fifty years ago the state of our beautiful nation was quite different. The United States were not very united at all. Fifty years ago a court decision marked a change in society that Americans will experience forever. The Brown vs. Board Supreme Court decision gave the old ?separate but equal? laws the boot. It marked the start of integration of public schools and universities. The process was not a smooth one to say the least, yet American society as it stands today is a far more equal because of it. However close we may be to equal it still is not yet equal. Artists of late have been expressing their view of American culture in many different ways. A particular group of artists calls themselves Social Studies more than likely referring to their portrayal of American social issues. At Krannert Art Museum this year Social Studies put out their third exhibit featuring eight artists? works that provoke viewers to reflect on issues of identity, tolerance, equal rights, and integration as they apply to education now. When I walked in to the exhibit I noticed a very interesting portrait to begin with. It was five separate portraits of two women, one white, one black, both attempting to sit in the same chair. The title of the work was Plessy vs. Ferguson, in memory of the Supreme Court decision that made segregation legal. The separate part seemed to hold true but the equal part was far more than lacking. Most cases seemed to be that there wasn?t enough to separate hence the reason for the two women struggling over the same chair. This art took me awhile to understand because my brain had not been geared to what I was actually witnessing. It wasn?t until I sat down on a retro style couch resting on a beige shag carpet rug facing a silent movie projection. The obvious use of perspective in this art form helped me understand the side by side projection of two different family videos. One was footage from a Jewish family and the other was an African American family?s footage. Both of the videos depicted family gatherings for celebrations such as barbeques, birthday parties, trips to Disney World and religious holidays.

Humor in American Literature Essay

American society is unique, and the first of its kind. When Charles Dickens visited the United States he was astounded to see how informal American society was, as is recorded in his travelogue, American Notes For General Circulation. Besides this, it is often said by non-Americans that Americans have coarse senses of humor, or senses of humor that are low-class. The American sense of humor is said to clash with a polarized British one. The informality of American humor is utterly logical based on a theory that American society developed in response to Old-World British and European society. This theme often manifests itself in humorous American literature. Humor in American literature frequently bases itself on a sense of entitlement within the lower class, their flawed and ignorant moral senses, and a caricaturing of American exceptionalism, a theory of American superiority among other nations. American humor hasn’t changed extremely, but rather has maintained the common denominator of the humor of American exceptionalism and has parodied a feeling of individual self-worth that is seemingly intrinsic to Americans of all classes. This subject matter can be found in such works as Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Sut Lovingood: Yarns Spun by a â€Å"Nat’ral Born Durn’d Fool†, by George Washington Harris, and Stephen Colbert’s I am America (and So Can You). Most of George Washington Harris’s work was done in the middle of the nineteenth century. His most famous character is the stereotypical rural farmer, Sut Lovingood. Harris’s Sut Lovingood stories were told from the character’s perspective and were defined by Sut’s heavy â€Å"Appalachian English† accent. His stories were initially published separately in multiple newspapers until Harris compiled the stories in his 1867 book Sut Lovingood: Yarns Spun by a â€Å"Nat’ral Born Durn’d Fool. The book mostly pokes fun at the ignorance and simplicity of the title character. Sut Lovingood dictates the book to a writer. He is unable to write it himself because he is illiterate. He is uneasy about this though. Sut says: â€Å"I don’t like the idear ove yu writin a perduckshun, an’ me a-findin the brains.† (Harris 2) Sut is an immensely simple character, but does not see himself as such. He thinks he has important things to say and that anyone who doesn’t read his book will simply be worse-off for having done so, but in reality his stories mostly consist of folderol. Sut states that he wanted his dedication page to read as such: â€Å"Dedercated wif the symperhtys ove the orthur, to the man ur ‘oman, huever they be, what don’t read this yere book.† (Harris 5) Despite his coming after George Washington Harris, Mark Twain is often hailed as the father of American Humor. Twain’s tales of life on the Mississippi River became the definitive stories of his era. His stories are often about naivetà © and the innocence of childhood, on a superficial level , but on a deeper level they are about ignorance and other shortcomings of adults. Twain’s stories were simultaneously entertaining and critical of society. One of his most famous works of this classification is The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Tom Sawyer is set in a small Missouri town, where the standards for luxury are quite low, and the people easily impressed. The townspeople are awed by the county-Judge Thatcher, a relatively low figure in the governmental hierarchy. When he pays a visit to the town church everyone there bends over backwards to â€Å"show off† and impress him (Twain 38). The people are especially impressed by the fact that there exists a tin roof atop one of the buildings in Judge Thatcher’s town. Tom Sawyer’s Aunt Polly is an excellent caricature of American humor. Despite being the voice of discipline in Tom’s life, Aunt Polly is constantly being fooled by the boy. Among the most well known of the Tom Sawyer stories is the anecdote about doing the chore of whitewashing a fence. Because of his indolent nature, Tom cozens his peers into completing his task for him, unbeknownst to his aunt. After Tom returns from his supposed labor after only a short time, Polly commends him saying, â€Å"Well, I never! There’s no getting round it, you can work when you’re a mind to, Tom†. And she goes on to give Tom a â€Å"lecture upon the added value and flavor a treat took to itself when it came without sin through virtuous effort. And while she closed with a scriptural flourish, he ‘hooked’ a doughnut.† (Twain 26) Not only is Tom able to totally fool his aunt, but he is confident enough in her incompetence that he even snatches an additional snack. She and all of the adults in the story go on to fall for Tom’s wiles on numerous occasions. The more modern Stephen Colbert wrote a book entitled I Am America (and So Can You), which bears many similarities to George Washington Harris’s book. Colbert’s work is written from the character on his satirical news show’s extremely traditional, right wing perspective. He spoofs the idea of a traditional American family, going so far as to say that anything falling short of his expectations is simply wrong. He remarks on the role of a good, traditional mother: â€Å"A good mother cooks, cleans, drives, organizes charity events so her children earn community service points for college, and expects nothing in return except love and breakfast in bed one day a year.† (Colbert 9), and he lambasts the idea of one-parent families saying, â€Å"â€Å"If you ask me, from time immemorial, the word ‘family’ has meant only one thing: a Mom married to a Pop and raising 2.3 rambunctious little scamps.† (Colbert 5) Colbert is joking of course, but his implications are that the traditional American standards have room for adjustment and that many conservative Americans are overly hidebound. He goes on to lampoon the institution of religion. â€Å"Religion is the cornerstone of civilization. Without it, we would have no laws, no morality, no social structure, and no guidelines for furnishing our tabernacles.† Many people have tried to pinpoint exactly what it is so distinctive between American and British humor. British comedian Simon Pegg wrote about in the UK Guardian in his 2007 article, â€Å"What Are You Laughing At?†: Americans can fully appreciate irony. They just don’t feel entirely comfortable using it on each other, in case it causes damage. A bit like how we feel about guns. It’s not so much about having a different sense of humour as a different approach to life. More demonstrative than we are, Americans are not embarrassed by their emotions. They clap louder, cheer harder and empathise more unconditionally. It’s an openness that always leaves me feeling slightly guilty and apologetic when American personalities appear on British chat shows and find their jokes and stories met with titters, not guffaws, or their achievements met with silent appreciation, rather than claps and yelps. We don’t like them any less, we just aren’t inclined to give that much of ourselves away. Meanwhile, as a Brit on an American chat show, it’s difficult to endure prolonged whooping without intense, red-faced smirking. It isn’t that one culture is funnier per se, just that comparing the two would be like comparing apples and oranges. In former Vanderbilt English professor Nancy A. Walker’s book, What’s So Funny? Humor in American Culture, Walker expounds upon the origin of the distinctive American â€Å"tall tale†, citing the American pioneers of the Western frontier who would write back to the East Coast telling tales of exaggeration in an attempt to impress the readers of their tales. Edward J. Piacentino wrote that the purview of classic American humor still reaches us through mediums such as The Beverly Hillbillies, or the work of comedian Jeff Foxworthy. America’s unique face of humor stems from multiple factors of American history. Firstly, American humor developed intentionally and in stark contrast to that of the British, just like much of American society. Because of the revolutionary nature of the founding of America, certain values have been instilled in the country’s inhabitants. American culture developed as a volte-face from British culture. Additionally, as Walker presented, the development of American humor and exaggerated â€Å"tall-tales† derives from the geography of the country and the frontier development of it. Those elements of the country’s history laid the groundwork for the America that we know today. That is why we still have much of the same face of humor in America after all these years. Works Cited Colbert, Stephen, and Michael C. Brumm. I Am America (and so Can You!). [New York]: Grand Central Pub., 2007. Print. Harris, George Washington. Sut Lovingood. Yarns Spun by a â€Å"nat’ral Born Durn’d Fool.† Warped and Wove for Public Wear. New York: Dick & Fitzgerald, 1867. Print. Pegg, Simon. â€Å"What Are You Laughing At?† The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 02 Sept. 2007. Web. 08 Nov. 2012. Piacentino, Edward J. The Enduring Legacy of Old Southwest Humor. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State UP, 2006. Print. Twain, Mark, and Deidre S. Laiken. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. New York, NY: Baronet /Playmore, 1989. Print. Walker, Nancy A. What’s so Funny?: Humor in American Culture. Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources, 1998. Print.