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INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE STUDENT INFORMATION MEETING JANUARY 18, 2010, 6:45 P. M. THEATRE I. What is the International Baccalaureate (IB and Pre-IB) II. What is the Nature of the IB Programme? III. The Six Major Areas of Study in the IB and Pre-IB Programmes: Courses Offered at Richmond High IV. Details of the Curriculum V. Choosing and Selecting a Diploma VI. Possible Diploma Options: Examples VII. Why do IB? VIII. What do Students Learn, and What Leads to Success? IX. How do Colleges and Universities Recognize IB Courses and the IB Diploma X. Some Facts and Common Sense Ideas About the IB ProgrammeIBO mission statement The International Baccalaureate Organization aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the IBO works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigoro us assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right. RHS mission statementWe strive to do our best by creating an inclusive learning community through supporting and caring for one another. IB LEARNER PROFILE The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. IB learners strive to be: INQUIRERS: They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.KNOWLEDGEABLE:They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding acro ss a broad and balanced range of disciplines. THINKERS:They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions. COMMUNICATORS:They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with thers. PRINCIPLED:They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them. OPEN-MINDED:They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.CARING:Th ey show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment. RISK-TAKERS:They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs. BALANCED:They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.REFLECTIVE:They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development. I. What is the International Baccalaureate (IB)? †¢ The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) is a rigorous preuniversity programme leading to assessment in six subject areas. †¢ Established in 1968, the IB offers a challenging curriculum noted for its depth and international perspective. †¢ The two-year IB Diploma provides a coherent and demanding educational experience across the full curriculum. Beyond completing college-level courses and examinations, IB students are also required to engage in community service (CAS), individual research (EE), and inquiry into the nature of knowledge (TOK). †¢ The IB Diploma is accepted as an admission credential at universities in 106 countries. †¢ In addition, high scores on IB exams often entitle students to credit or placement at university. In some cases students will get first year credit. †¢ The International Baccalaureate (IB) offers high quality programmes of international education to a worldwide community of schools.There are more than 758,000 IB students at 2,750 schools in 138 countries. II. What is the nature of the IB programme? a. Has the strengths of a traditional and broad c urriculum. b. Three important additional features: 1. Theory of Knowledge (TOK): is an interdisciplinary requirement intended to stimulate critical reflection on the knowledge and experience gained inside and outside the classroom. The course challenges students to question the bases of knowledge, to be aware of subjective and ideological biases and to develop the ability to analyze evidence that is expressed in rational argument.TOK  is a key element in encouraging students to appreciate other cultural perspectives. 2. Creativity, action, service (CAS): The IBO’s goal is to educate the whole person and foster responsible, compassionate citizens. The CAS programme encourages students to share their energy and special talents with others. Students may, for example, participate in theatre or musical productions, sports and community service activities. 3. An extended essay of 4,000 words: Each student has the opportunity to investigate a topic of special interest.The essay re quirement acquaints diploma candidates with the kind of independent research and writing skills expected by universities. The IB Programme leads (to): †¢ interdisciplinary learning †¢ critical reflection †¢ questioning the bases of knowledge †¢ students to an appreciation of other cultural perspectives †¢ an education of the whole person (CAS) †¢ sharing energy and special talents with others †¢ independent research †¢ the demanding writing skills expected by universities III. SIX MAJOR AREAS OF STUDY IN THE IB PROGRAMME: COURSES OFFERED AT RICHMOND HIGH Group 1: Language A1 English A1 (HL) and English A1 (SL) †¢ Several Self-Taught (ST) Languages: Spanish, Yoruba, Chinese, Russian, etc. If a student is fluent (speaking and writing) in a language other than English, she may take a self-taught language. Group 2: Language B †¢ French B (SL) and French B (HL) †¢ Japanese B (SL) and Japanese B (HL) †¢ Mandarin B (SL) and Mandar in B (HL) †¢ Spanish B (SL) and Spanish B (HL) Group 3: Individuals and Societies †¢ Geography (HL) and Geography (SL) †¢ History (of the Americas) (HL) †¢Business and Management (HL and SL) †¢ ITGS (HL, SL) (Pre-requisite: IT 10)Group 4: Experimental Sciences †¢ Biology (HL) and Biology (SL) †¢ Chemistry (HL) and Chemistry (SL) †¢ Physics (SL) Group 5: Mathematics †¢ Mathematical Studies (SL) †¢ Mathematics (SL) †¢ Mathematics (HL) Group 6: The Arts and Electives †¢ Music (SL) and (HL) †¢ Theatre Arts (HL) and Theatre Arts (SL) †¢ Visual Arts (HL) and Visual Arts (SL) IV. DETAILS OF THE CURRICULUM The International Baccalaureate programme consists of courses in six major areas of study. Each course may be offered at the I. Standard level (SL), which involves approximately 200 hours of instruction, r at the II. Higher level (HL), which involves approximately 300 hours of instruction. Universities give credit and/o r placement for HL courses. An HL course is the equivalent of a first year university course. Many of our students get credit/placement for 3 HL courses. Each course credit is worth approximately $700-$800. Upon completion of any individual course the student receives a certificate from IBO and the course is recorded on the provincial graduation certificate with the special designation â€Å"IB†. V. CHOOSING/SELECTING A DIPLOMA In selecting a diploma a student must select a course from each of the six course groups. †¢ The only exception to this is that Group 6 may be skipped, and a second course from any of the other Groups may be chosen instead. †¢ A student may take as many as 4 HL courses, but no fewer than 3. †¢ A student may take as many as 3 SL courses, but no fewer than 2. VI. Programme Options: a. ONE DIPLOMA OPTION English A1 (HL) History (HL) Chemistry (HL) Math Methods (SL) French B (SL) Physics (SL) Extra: Biology (SL) b. ANOTHER DIPLOMA OPTION Man darin B (HL) History (HL) Chemistry (HL)English A1 (SL) Physics (SL) Math Methods (SL) c. ANOTHER DIPLOMA OPTION English A1 (HL) French B(HL) History (HL) Theatre (HL) Biology (SL) Math Studies (SL) d. ANOTHER DIPLOMA OPTION Geography (HL) Biology (HL) Visual Arts (HL) Spanish B (SL) Math Methods (SL) English A1 (SL) e. ANOTHER DIPLOMA OPTION English A1 (HL) Visual Arts (HL) Geography (HL) Spanish ST (SL) Math Studies (SL) Biology (SL) f. ANOTHER DIPLOMA OPTION Mandarin B (HL) Mathematics (HL) English A1 (HL) Geography (HL) Physics (SL) Biology (SL) Extra:ITGS (SL) VII. Why Do IB? A. A High Level of RecognitionUniversities in 102 countries welcome IB Diplomas as well as individual courses for admission, placement, and credit purposes. Individual IB courses are recognized as signifying a student’s rigorous preparation in an academic discipline; the IB Diploma signifies such preparation in all six academic disciplines, service to community, and development of an international p erspective. B. Fair and balance Assessment Using International Standards IB assessment is of many types, occurs several times over the usual two-year duration of IB courses, and includes the classroom teacher as a partner.IB students’ work is assessed by several examiners whose assessments are carefully moderated by an international examining board. IB teachers receive detailed formal feedback on every aspect of their students’ IB assessment each year. C. A Remarkable Degree of Flexibility IB curricula and examinations are available in IBO’s three official languages of English, Spanish, and French. The IB Diploma offers schools a wide variety of courses, teachers a wide choice of topics, and students a wide variety of assessments and areas of specialization. D. Commitment to Authorized SchoolsSchools must undergo an exhaustive application process for authorization to offer courses. Once authorized, schools are required to participate in IB professional developme nt on a regular basis and to be reviewed every five years by the appropriate regional IBO office. VIII. What do students learn, and what leads to success? †¢ self-awareness †¢ self-understanding †¢ self-regulation †¢ personal decision making †¢ managing feelings †¢ handling stress †¢ empathy †¢ communication/participation †¢ personal and social responsibility †¢ group dynamics †¢ conflict resolution individual growth †¢ world citizenship †¢ self-esteem †¢ moral responsibility †¢ self-reflection †¢ personal self-evaluation WHICH LEADS TO †¢ focus/concentration †¢ resourcefulness †¢ flexibility †¢ interest in process and results †¢ pace/steadiness †¢ responsibility/hard work AND †¢ writing skills †¢ thinking skills †¢ oral skills †¢ time-management skills AND †¢ marks IX. How do Colleges and Universities Recognize International Baccalaureate Courses an d the IB Diploma? †¢ IB has largely succeeded in its goal to be a universally recognized admissions credential. Specific agreements are in place with ministries of education and universities in 104 countries that recognize the IB Diploma as a valid means of earning entry to postsecondary study. †¢ The IB Diploma is increasingly being viewed as a strong indicator of academic promise and achievement. †¢ IB students often have an advantage in the admissions process at selective universities. †¢ In addition, IB courses and exams are recognized for the purpose of advanced credit and/or placement at over 900 North American colleges and universities. In fact, over a 100 postsecondary institutions now grant a full year of credit to students who have earned an IB Diploma. For a directory university recognition and policies, please use the following link: http://www. ibo. org/diploma/recognition/directory/index. cfm X. SOME FACTS/COMMON SENSE IDEAS ABOUT THE IB PROGRAMME à ¢â‚¬ ¢ There are three programmes, which are structured as follows: 1. Primary Years Programme:K-Grade 5 2. Middle Years Programme:Grade 6-Grade 10 3. Diploma Programme:Grade 11-Grade 12 †¢ Each of these programmes is an integrated programme. Thus the IB Diploma Programme is an integrated two year programme. A student taking the IB must complete the two years in it, if the student is to get IB credit for a course or for the complete programme. †¢ The IB programme is recognized by the vast majority of North American/world universities. †¢ The IB Diploma score is recognized for admission and entrance to all B. C. universities/most Canadian universities/most American universities. †¢ IB courses are evaluated on a 1-7 scale. Thus, a 7 represents the equivalent of a middle to a high A (90%-100%). †¢ A top score on a Diploma is 45 points.Last year, worldwide, there were well over 20000 diplomas. Approximately 50 of these achieved a perfect 45 points. †¢ A stu dent must achieve a minimum of 24 points to get a diploma. Also, a student must average a score of 4 in his HL courses. THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE AND UBC International Baccalaureate Diploma Students For students who complete the IB Diploma, admission to the university will require a minimum of 24 points, including bonus points. Students who are on a full Diploma programme will get early admission to UBC on the basis of predicted IB scores.IB Diploma students, and IB Certificate students will qualify for Government scholarships on the basis of IB Diploma/Certificate scores. UBC uses an equivalency scale to award a percentage grade based on IB scores. The following grid establishes the equivalency scale: IB Diploma Admission Average Scale Points% 2467 2570 2673 2776 2880 2984 3088 3190 3292 3393 3494 3595 3695 3796 3897 3998 4098 4199 4299. 9 4399. 9 4499. 9 4599. 9 A Diploma student with a predicted score of 30 points will get early admission to SFU. 32 points will provide earl y admission to UBC. International Baccalaureate Certificate StudentsFor students who present results for one or more Higher Level International Baccalaureate certificate courses, admission will be based on the higher of either the school grade or the IB score on equivalent courses. The grade conversion scale that will be used to determine admission is as follows: IBHL Grade% Equivalent 796 690 586 476 370 Credit for equivalent first-year UBC courses will be awarded to students who achieve a grade of at least 5 in Higher Level IB Arts courses, and 6 in Higher Level Science courses. UBC also grants credit for Physics SL. Details are provided in the Undergraduate Information Guide.EARLY ACCEPTANCE SFU, UBC, and UVic give early acceptance, to Diploma holders, on the following basis: 32 point Diploma:$3500 (SFU) 34 point Diploma: $5000 (SFU) UBC will be granting scholarships in 2010 when students get a letter of acceptance to the university. Scholarship money will begin to be offered (mo st likely) at the 33 point level. IBO mission statement The International Baccalaureate Organization aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.To this end the IBO works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right. RHS mission statement We strive to do our best by creating an inclusive learning community through supporting and caring for one another. RHS CORE VALUES These core values were developed through student and staff focus groups.At Richmond High, we endeavour to live by these values. Value 1We value the traditions that recognize, promote, and encourage all members of the RSS co mmunity to feel pride in what they do (e. g. ) academic excellence, artistic expression, technical excellence, athletic achievement, multiculturalism, community involvement, staff cohesiveness, school spirit, school logo and colours. Value 2We value communication among all members of the RSS community that is based on honesty, equality, integrity and mutual respect.Value 3We value an environment where all members of the RSS community feel safe physically, emotionally, intellectually and socially. Value 4We celebrate the differences among people and promote harmony and equality among members of the RSS community. Value 5We value opportunities for all students to be challenged, to excel and succeed at RSS. Value 6We value the diversity of student learning styles, and recognize that a positive environment enhances learning, and that course content must be made relevant to our students. SCHOOL GOALS These school goals were developed by our School Planning Council.Goal 1Social Responsibi lity To continue and further develop a school community where students are involved as leaders, motivators, and mentors and where they are openly looking after, being responsible for, and making positive connections with one another. Goal 2Literacy To improve and emphasize reading skills which are grade specific and applicable in all subjects. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF DOING AN IB DIPLOMA? †¢ IB diploma students qualify for early admission on the basis of IB Diploma points at both UBC (32 points) and SFU (30 points).They also qualify for early admission to other provincial, national, and international universities. †¢ IB Diploma students are in a strong position to get scholarships. A student with 36 points (actual points as confirmed by the exams) is guaranteed to get a scholarship at UBC ($4,000); 32 points gives the students $2000, and 30 points $500. At SFU, 34 points will ensure a $5000 scholarship. †¢ IB Diploma students can get B C Government scholarships on the basis of IB Diploma scores. †¢ IB Diploma applicants have their applications reviewed several times. Less tuition needs to be paid (as long as students meet faculty requirements). †¢ IB Diploma students are treated like scholarship students: they are fast tracked. †¢ Conversion/equivalency has not changed, eg. 32 points is the equivalent of 92% average. †¢ It is easier for a student to achieve 32 points than it is for her to achieve a 92% average. †¢ â€Å"I just hope that when people ask an IB student to explain the differences between the regular provincial program and the IB program, he/she can name the most important aspects: time management skills, analytical skills† (Ricky Pak). In addition to what Ricky says, all representatives mentioned the fact that IB Diploma students have superior research and writing skills, and oral skills. †¢ IB Diploma students have the highest retention rates (in other words, fewer students quit during first yea r) at university(in both the US and Canada). †¢ â€Å"IB students who registered directly into 2nd year courses scored an average of 7% to 12% higher than their classmates. † (From UBC brochure about the IB Diploma) †¢ IB Diploma students may qualify for Broadbased Admission (UBC)/Diverse Qualifications (SFU). GPA based on an IB Diploma is sounder because of the solid academic load; there is no â€Å"fluff† in IB. †¢ An IB Diploma recipient will be in the top 10% of his/her graduating class (High School percentile rank). †¢ Admission Officers at universities know of the high academic quality of IB Diploma graduates. †¢ IB’s examination requirements and assessment procedures validate the integrity of student’s performance; there is less of a need to rely on SAT scores. †¢ The Extended Essay and the TOK essays validate the writing and research skills of IB candidates. Participation in an IB Diploma demonstrates that students ac cept rigorous academic challenges. †¢ Participation in the IB strengthens a student’s confidence, social sophistication, grace, and poise. †¢ CAS provides evidence of the student’s commitment to physical activity, service to the community, and personal creativity. †¢ The IB Diploma assists the student in developing time management, goal setting, and other organizational skills. †¢ Diploma students can get first year credit for up to five courses (at $700 a course, a student could save up to $3500).UVic gives students credit for first year if a student has a 28 point Diploma. †¢ Beginning September 2009, SFU will be granting 30 credits to IB Diploma students who have achieved nothing lower than a 4 in their May IB exams. †¢ Achievement across a range is still thought to be a better indicator of longer term success than A grades in three or four chosen subjects. †¢ Oxford and Cambridge start making offers to IB Diplomas at 38 points. â € ¢ â€Å"I am glad that I chose to pursue and â€Å"stay† in IB diploma. I felt a bit proud for not giving up and writing countless BIG essays! † (IB Diploma Graduate, 2002) ———————–The English programme is international. The perspective of the curriculum is global rather than local. Consequently, students study literature from other continents and languages as they develop their understanding of a literary theme and analyze historical events from a broad geographical perspective. The intention is not only to broaden the student's base of knowledge but also to promote a sense of the universality of learning. This sense of the universality of learning is addressed, in as far as it is possible, in every single course, but particularly so in the TOK and the Language A (English) courses.

Why Do You Wish to Participate in the Dss Leader Ship Program?

Why do you wish to participate in the DSS Leader Ship program? I wish to participate in the DSS Leader Ship program to strengthen my leadership skills, to gain knowledge and skills in order to advance to a higher position within DaVita. The skills I will learn will allow me to encourage higher education and advancement in my teammates. In this essay, I will describe my interests, expectations, and goals to participate in this leadership program. First, I believe this program is an excellent opportunity to strengthen my leadership skills. The skills learned in this program will be used and applied in everyday job operations. Also, I hunger to learn how to lead my team according to DaVita’s Core Values; Integrity, Fun, Service Excellence, Accountability, Team, Continuous Improvement and Fulfillment. The skills obtained will also help me to carry out my job more proficiently and confidently. Being a good leader and role model is very important to me and I am very motivated to gain any skills that will assist in achieving those qualities. Secondly, the knowledge and skills gained in this program will assist me in advancement within DaVita. Currently, I work with a group of professionals which include the Medical Director, Facility Administrator, Nurses, Social Worker and Dietitian, together we are the Interdisciplinary Team, taking a holistic approach in assessing, evaluating, and implementing care for our patients. According to (http://medical-dictionary. thefreedictionary. com/_dict. aspx, 2011) Interdisciplinary Team means a group of health care professionals from diverse fields who work in a coordinated fashion toward a common goal for the patient. As one of the Interdisciplinary Team Members, I believe this program will broaden my critical thinking and problem solving skills to help me bring more to the Team for the benefit of our patients. In this ever changing field, I have a thirst for knowledge and feel the need to be challenged. In my opinion, obtaining knowledge and learning new things should always be on a continuous basis with this ever-changing world, and economy, as well as meeting the needs of my patients and teammates. Thirdly, encouraging higher education and advancement in my teammates is also a priority. I am a firm believer that education within a company means longevity. The goal of being a good leader entails encouraging others to exceed boundaries for success. My affirmation is leading by example. In addition, being a role model to my teammates is exemplified by my interest in this program. In conclusion, strengthening my leader ship skills, gaining skills and knowledge, and encouraging higher education amongst my teammates; are some of the major reasons I wish to participate in this program. I believe my role on the Interdisciplinary Team can also be enhanced by my participation in this program by broadening my critical thinking and problem solving skills. I feel this will be a great opportunity for me and my teammates to be accepted into this program to learn how to become a strong leader by using the DaVita’s Core Values; Integrity, Fun, Service Excellence, Accountability, Team, Continuous Improvement, and Fulfillment. Reference: (http://medical-dictionary. thefreedictionary. com/_dict. aspx, 2011)

Causes Effects And Solutions To Famine

Causes Effects And Solutions To Famine Famane can be caused for many different reasons, some, like floods, droughts are natural, and others, like lack of food and shortage in food distribution to specific parts of a region. Parts of the world that are difficult to reach. Famine has managed to spread around many parts of the world, from Ireland to sudan to Afghanistan and Ethiopia, and at different times. For every time famine stroke a region it would be as a result of many causes, and these causes differ from a period of time to another, and from a place to another. The main causes of famine as we see it are government policies, natural disasters, and malnutrition. Political issues , Government policies, and Civil Wars Specific governments around the world have put policies that unintentionally caused famine to spread in those regions. Bad government policies have once led China to one of the greatest famine in history, when Mao Zedong has planned to improve China’s industry and agriculture. In order for this to h appen, China was reformed into communes. Chinese citizens have worked for the commune and everything they had was owned by their commune. Workers were assigned to do work they were not capable of doing. A year later, machinery broke down, workers were injured, and buildings fell down because the steal produced and used in the buildings was week. Soon enough hunger was spreed all over china, around 9 million died from starvation in 1960, and other millions of Chineese workers suffered illness for the lack of food. This plan which led china to famine was called the Great Leap Forward. Similarly, unwise government policies has led North Korea to experience famine in the mid-1990s, and Zimbabwe in the early-2000s. in the early 1970s and 1980s,both Ethiopia and Sudan has suffered from famine due to their dictatorship governments, as food was shipped from Wollo in Ethiopia to its capital city in order to be sold with higher prices, Which led famine to strike Wollo. In the 1950s, chinaâ₠¬â„¢s resources depended greatly on government actions, as it was the governments responsibility to distribute food among provinces equally. As well as it is their responsibility to provide education and proper health care during the famine, with more education people the healthier their choices might be, as that might have decreased the resultant death rates in the Chinese famine. P24 Due to unequal distribution of food, as governments usually prefer suppling urban resadants over rural residants. The food accessibility was more devastating in the rural areas, which also led the severity of famine to vary from a region to another, as what happened to china in the 1950s. Natural disasters The reason why natural disasters cause famine is that they temporarily reduce the carrying capacity of the land. (also 2) Many natural disasters tend to hit countries and reduce the carrying capacity of the region sharply but temporarily. The most common natural disasters that encouraged famine to a rise are droughts, earthquakes, and floods. In 1845 to 1850, plague of fungi caused the large population of Ireland to drop down sharply, resulting in 500,000 deaths.

The ideal person Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The ideal person - Essay Example Shu represents Confucius’ golden rule, which warned against imposing on others what you did not want to be imposed upon you. The virtue refers to empathy whereby, an ideal person has the ability to view situations from other people’s perspectives without rendering harsh judgments from their personal appraisals of the situation. Closely related to this virtue is the concept of Zhong (loyalty), which implies that social roles define one’s moral duties. Confucius believed that an empathetic person possessed the ability to embrace people’s different perspectives, which resulted from their differing social roles (Riegel, 2008).Xiao referred to filial piety, which encompassed dimensions of social relations ordered in a hierarchy. These relations included ruler and the people, husband and wife, father and son, elder brother and younger brother, and older friend and younger friend. According to Confucius, an ideal person had the ability to respect those on the low er side of the hierarchy such as wife, younger friend or brother. In addition, proper functioning of the social relations constituted societal harmony (Riegel, 2008).Wen referred to leisurely activities undertaken by individuals; for example, music or arts. According to Confucius, individuals should embed moral themes in these activities, as it added societal value to these activities. He inferred that individuals should avoid engaging in creative pursuits that do not mirror any virtues (Riegel, 2008).

English literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

English literature - Essay Example both Oedipus from Oedipus the King by Sophocles and the character’s daughter Antigone from Antigone by Jean Anouilh are each protagonists driven by the passion of pride and how this largely contributes to their own downfall. The opening actions of both tragedies illustrate this pride. In Oedipus the King, Oedipus is approached by plague-stricken masses asking help from him. When he sees his people gathered around him like a god, his response to them is â€Å"What means this reek of incense everywhere, / From others, and am hither come, myself, / I Oedipus, your world-renowned king†1. Although the people of Oedipus’ day did turn to their kings to cure all societal ills, Oedipus here is taking on the persona of a god. His pride in his role is evident in the words he speaks. His last line, referring to himself as the â€Å"world-renowned king† helps to underscore that streak of pride. It is also obvious, with a touch of foreshadowing, that he is not secure in his position by his tendency to repeat his greatness. Personal experience has shown when people insist on being known by their title, they are not overly secure about its authority. Antigone, on the other hand, enters the scene in a rage after learning that the new king, Creon, has forbidden to allow one of her brothers to be buried. She decides to go against the king’s orders, arguing that burying the dead is the right thing to do. Her pride in family makes it impossible for her to drop the issue. It is clear she’s outraged that the king would tell her what to do when she is talking to her sister at the very beginning of the play: â€Å"That’s what people say the noble Creon / has announced to you and me – I mean to me†2 . The repetition of â€Å"I mean to me† indicates she cannot believe someone else would tell her what to do, showing excessive pride in her own judgment. As her sister reminds her, women do not have any power in their culture, but Antigone does not listen. In the end, it

Feasibility study of mobile pizza trucks Research Paper

Feasibility study of mobile pizza trucks - Research Paper Example The document also allows flexibility to change various project parameters to suit the needs of the entrepreneur. Feasibility study is very important for a business. It makes an analysis of all the aspects of a business- the external factors influencing it and also the internal factors. It also analyzes all the costs associated with the project and how the material would be sourced. On the other hand, it will also make an estimate of how much sales are to be expected and what profits would the project make. If the results of the feasibility study are favorable, it is logical to proceed with it. On the other hand, if the results are not favorable no businessman will take a risk on it. Executive Summary 1.1 Background It has always been the researcher’s dream to open his own business-but what type of business he wasn’t sure about. At the end of his years long study in Business Management and Innovations he finally made up his mind-he wanted to run a pizza parlor that would give Papa John’s and Dominos Pizza a run for their money. The pizza industry is a very competitive market. However, in 2010 he decided to go forward with an idea that was brought forward to him by a very close friend-mobile pizza trucks. At first, it sounded like a typical and stupid idea, but when he actually thought about it; it might be just what New York needs-its favorite fast food on wheels. New York has vast amount pizzeria outlets to choose from with 75% of the market being privately owned and the remaining 25% of the market remaining to the franchising pizza making moguls such as Pizza Hut, Papa John’s and Domino’s. The researcher then decided to go into a partnership with someone else who has had extensive amount of experience in the pizza making industry-Jacob Miller. Both researchers decided to call the enterprise Buck’s Mobile Pizzas and their main aim was to bring a twist to the pizza industry. There will be a definite market for a mobile p izza restaurant as there is none in New York and there is a definite demand for pizzas in New York. 1.2 Product and Service Buck’s Mobile Pizzas is a newly established company scheduled to start operations on the 23rd of September 2011 out of the Bronx, New York. As the name suggests ‘Buck’s Mobile Pizzas has no set physical location or space to conduct business and it requires no land. Instead Buck’s Mobile is a customized truck known as the ‘Buck’s Mobile’ that is making America’s favorite deliciously tasting pizzas daily with the most succulent toppings such as; pepperoni pizza, triple meat pizza, Greek style pizza, caramelized onion, Hawaiian pizza, Chicago style pizza, Californian and Mexican style pizzas. Buck’s Pizzas understand and believe in the habits of eating healthy as such our pizzas are being made fresh with wholesome products including; imported cheeses, organic vegetables, and top-shelf meats. The product will also be developed to enhance presentation. Customer service will be Buck’s Pizzas primary priority because considering its current competition it is important to attract new but keep repeat customers.  Buck’s Pizzas is appealing to a wide clientele through the use of its mobility, customer service and affordable pizzas. Buck’s mobility will sure give it an edge over its competitors. Buck’s mobility will make the possibilities endless when gaining market share. The Buck’s mobile will be there to take care of the burning

Final Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Final Project - Research Paper Example Phoenix Airport is expected to become a â€Å"strong financial partner committed to aviation, to help fund large capital items† (passenger terminals, parking garages) and those items that are not eligible to be funded by Passenger Facility Charges or Airport Improvement Program (for instance, roadway systems). Moreover, Phoenix representatives will participate in the meeting with the FAA for it to fund $200 million in capital projects with AIP grants based on the following plans: the Airport Master Plan, the Airport Capital Improvement Program, and the Airport Layout Plan (Amended and Restated Intergovernmental Agreement, 3). The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) is a program, providing grant for the planning and development of public-use airports, included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (Faa.gov, n.p.). AIP funding is generated by the Congressional appropriations of revenues paid by airport users (aviation fuel, airline tickets, aircraft registrations, etc) (Master Plan Executive Summary, 4). -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   AIP offers grants for reliever and general aviation airports (Gateway Airport), which covers a range of 90-95% of eligible costs and 75-80% of eligible costs for large and medium primary hub airports) (Phoenix Sky Harbour) (Faa.gov, n.p.) -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For being eligible for a grant, an airport should be included in the NPIAS. Based on the 2013-2017 years plan, both Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway are included to the NPIAS list (Appendix A – all NPIAS Airports 2013-2017, n.p.). -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the Appendix A (NPIAS, n.p.) current enplanement at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway is equal to 417  862 with 89 current based aircrafts (Appendix A – all NPIAS Airports 2013-2017, n.p.). According to the Airport Master Plan Executive summary of the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (2) number of Air Carrier

Models of Consumer Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Models of Consumer Behavior - Essay Example The economic situation of the consumer determines the washer or dryer one is going to purchase. The higher the disposable income, the more likely the individual will prefer a high-end Whirlpool washer and dryer and vice versa. Role of involvement in purchase decisions Consumers tends to illustrate high involvement with Whirlpool washers and dryers since these products form a crucial component of their lives. The consumers have to determine between various Whirlpool washers and dryers before reaching a purchase decision. The post-purchase behavior of these consumers involves a more critical evaluation of the different features and benefits offered by the various whirlpool washers and dryers. Due to the significant differences identified with the washers and dryers and the high involvement of consumers purchasing these products, the consumers display a complex buying behavior. The consumer has to determine between various product differences including the top loading or the front loadi ng and the different capacities for the washers and dryers. The high involvement and the complex buying behavior are associated with products that are infrequently purchased such as the Whirlpool washers and dryers. The consumer seeks all the relevant information before determining the specific Whirlpool washer or dryer they hope to purchase. Consumer decision-making process Whirlpool marketing strategies have to influence the eight steps associated with the consumer decision-making process when deciding to purchase a washer and dryer.

Stages of Unbelief. What is Skepticism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Stages of Unbelief. What is Skepticism - Essay Example What is Skepticism? Skepticism, in philosophical terms, is the point of view, which tackles the philosophical thesis with rational thought and doubtful criticism. According to Gary Gutting in Religious Belief and Religious Skepticism (87), this action leads to thinking and thought, which is based on logic and aimed towards dispute and criticism. Under a narrow view, religious skepticism is considered as that point of view which puts every organized belief or practice, commonly understood as religion, into doubt. This is done through a rational argument on the righteousness, value and ethics of that particular organized religion. Moreover, different philosophers, for example, like Kant, have talked highly about skepticism in their works. Kant has drawn much of his analysis from the works of David Hume, who is regarded as the most formidable skeptic in the history of Western philosophy. Much of Hume’s work on skepticism is drawn from the idea that he endorsed empirical science a nd considered founding the â€Å"science of man† as a heavy project (Thompson n.p.). One, therefore, should understand that when considering skepticism, science would come into debate at a number of times. Since metaphysics is broadly considered to be associated with supernatural, much of Kant’s skepticism draws on the work of metaphysical aspect of philosophy. According to Kant, there are three types of skepticism. These broadly include â€Å"veil of perception†, which seeks legitimacy by drawing inference of the external-mind world to one’s own mental representations. Hence, this concerns metaphysics. Humean skepticism elucidates upon the concepts that are not understood by sensible impressions and knowledge of certain ideas which are not proved by logical law nor known from experience. Therefore, again this concerns much of metaphysics, because the concepts that are not understood from the mind are discussed. Pyrrhonian skepticism establishes a balance between opposing arguments, hence having understanding of both the ideas of knowledge, for example, from the ones who believe in religion, and the ones who do not believe in religion (Forster 1). However, Kant and his approach were against skepticism and his Copernican Revolution tried to fight against skepticism. Kant propagated that religion was largely practice, not theory, and not based on facts, and was something private and subjective. Religion equaled ethics, put simply (Catholic Education n.p.). Christopher Scheitle in â€Å"Religious and Spiritual Change† (59) propagates that skepticism as a whole can be understood in the light of the insight into the way religious people believe blindly in different existing religions in the world. As argued, religious people never criticize their beliefs, because they have this idea that it is a great sin, a contradiction to their religion and that predominantly, it is a sacrilege (Gutting, pp. 93). This promotes the spread of rel igious dogma which leaves no room to doubt over a certain aspect or argue over a certain thing. Hence, followers of religion attempt to blindly follow religion and adopt the ideas of a particular religion as a supreme truth of which no violation can be done. However, they disregard the verity that their beliefs can be paradoxical, confusing, disastrous, unnatural and even antiscientific. This usually occurs because these people communicate with their supernatural being in the most irrational ways which makes their religious beliefs and, hence, religion highly questionable, even to themselves and the society (Zagzebski 212). This religious dogma also gives rise to the fervor of sacrificing their lives for the

League of Nations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

League of Nations - Essay Example This party rejected the collective League system. This was a product of Mosley's and it would serve as a historical debate later. The article is informative and interesting in light of the various aspects of the League of Nations. Henig, Ruth. "A League of its Own." History Today. 60.2 (2010): 3-4. This article focuses on the historical issues surrounding the League of Nations. The author points out that the League was a failure because they attempted to create a peace making organization at the close of WWI. The problem was that the League could not stop people from going into WWII. The author discussions both historical and contemporary ideas about the League and suggests some of the reasons why it may have been a failure in what it was attempting to do. The article looks at 80 years of history and gives a synopsis of why the League had the challenges that it did at that time. The author does explain how the League was a precursor to international collaboration and how it brought c ountries together. Leppanen, Katarina. "The Conflicting Interests of Women's Organizations and the League of Nations on the Question of Married Women's Nationality in the 1930s". NORA: Nordic Journal of Women's Studies. 17.4 (2009): 240-255. This article presents information on the inter-war years when the League of Nations was just beginning. The article talks about the first conference that happened in The Hague.

How Societies Depend on Computers Essay Example for Free

How Societies Depend on Computers Essay In the 21st Century, the society that we live in has become highly dependent upon computers. The computers have increased the efficiency of the human resource by many times. It not only saves the society from a lot of work, but also acts as a source of entertainment. It is not only helping professionals in their office work but also helping children in their initial development. Businesses have reduced their requirements of human resource as they have adopted the computers in their processes. Teachers and professors use computers today to aid in their lectures and activities with the students. The students are highly dependent upon the computers as they study online, word process their assignments, print their documents, study from e-books and search for anything that they do not understand in the lectures. The professionals in the workplace use computers to manage their work, to make schedules, take notes, for accounting practices and for getting assisted in decision making. Many corporations have implemented systems using computers as an alternative to the human resource. Systems such as Enterprise Resource Systems (ERPs), Customer Relationship Systems (CRMs) and Decision Support Systems (DSS) help the top level management as well as the lower level staff to engage in best practices. Through these systems, the corporations reduce their costs, reduce inventory holding and get rid of excessive labor. The use of computers is not limited to the business today as governments have also started to incorporate computer systems in every aspect of public systems. Computers help monitor the traffic and manage the traffic through traffic signal lights and fines system. The computers have made it into the kitchens of households as they control the microwave heaters, fridge, freezers etc. The computers are also now everyone’s pockets these days as smart phones are getting common and cheaper day by day. The traditional mails are replaced 95% by e-mails, which are free, and the access to internet has also enabled many other services. Computers are also replacing televisions in many homes as they include DVD players and are less costly. The general-purpose attribute of the computers are making them everyone’s favorite. Everyone has some or the other use of computer daily. The banks are shifted to computers and internet banking has thrived. Where the computers are helping so much, they are also causing a lot of distress for many people and pain. Internet has made hacking easier for the hackers with the criminal intent. These hackers can erase important data and cause losses over millions. The popularity of computers has also brought with it the popularity of porn over the internet. There is no one who can stop children of illegal age to watch porn over the internet. Some say that the new generation is getting spoiled because of the access to the internet and computers at home and at schools. With the advent of computers, the privacy of the people has been stolen from them as anyone anywhere can take photographs from digital cameras and make videos. However, the society would still have suffered if there were no computers. We would still be living in the middle ages if the use of computers would not have flourished in the society. It would not have been possible to have a video chat with your relative living in another continent for free if the computers would not have been invented.

Impact of Waterlogging on Plants

Impact of Waterlogging on Plants Abstract: This review will try to illustrate some of the impacts that waterlogging has on plants, in monocotyledons dicotyledons. The review includes, a general introduction into the impact of anaerobic/waterlogged soil condition on plants, quoting from different sources in this field. Then it focuses on five plant species of global interest or importance, Barley, Tomatoes, Soy Bean, Cotton and Rice, showing the effect of waterlogging on each, quoting journals and experiments done by fellow scientist .The topic of research into waterlogging is vast, with thousands of journals and experiments on countless plant species, so Im focusing on just five. Flooding and submergence are major abiotic stresses and rank alongside water shortage, salinity and extreme temperatures as major determinants of species distribution worldwide. Plants adapt to their ever-changing environment in many ways, leading to a wealth of growth forms of varying complexity (Visser et al, 2003). A major constraint resulting fr om excess water, at least for poorly adapted species, is an inadequate supply of oxygen to submerged tissues; diffusion of oxygen through water is 104-fold slower than in air (Armstrong Drew, 2002). In addition to the threat of oxygen deficiency, excess water also leads to other changes in the soil that influence plants; levels of the plant hormone ethylene (Smith Russell, 1969; Jackson, 1982), and products of anaerobic metabolism by soil micro-organisms (e.g. Mn2+, Fe2+, S2-, H2S and carboxylic acids) can accumulate (Ponnamperuma, 1984; McKee and McKevlin, 1993). It was suggested by (Zhou, Li, and Mendham, 2007), that Waterlogging tolerance is likely to be a complex trait which is related to many morphological and physiological traits that are under strong environmental influence. Introduction: Waterlogging can lead to countless physiological and developmental problems as mentioned in many publications, journals and experiments. It was suggested by setter co-workers, 1999 that, Stress on plants imposed by flooding of the soil and deeper submergence constitutes one of the major abiotic constraints on growth, species distribution and agricultural productivity. Waterlogging is estimated to reduce yields on average by 20 to 25%, but the loss may exceed 50% depending on the stage of plant development (Setter et al., 1999). 50 % loss in agricultural yield can be catastrophic in the future, especially for developing countries, which is why, research into waterlogging is crucial for agricultural sustainability and food security. The general effect of waterlogging on plants ranges from physiological, developmental and metabolic effects which are mentioned in a few publications. Waterlogging is a major problem restricting the plant growth by leading to oxygen deficiency around roots and rhizomes, and consequently it can be fatal because aerobic respiration ceases and levels of energy-rich adenylates drop rapidly resulting in dramatic decrease in ion uptake and transport (Huang et al, 2003; vartapetian et al, 2003) as quoted in (Changdee., et al, 2008). When soil is saturated with water, gas diffusion is reduced. Consequently one of the main effects of flooding is a lower pool of available O2 in submerged plant parts. This decline in O2 is heightened by aerobic processes taking place in the root zone of plants. Accordingly anoxic conditions develop, leading to reduction in ATP production and consequent decrease in root metabolism. The decline in available energy can subsequently reduce other active cellular processes such as nutrient uptake, osmotic adjustment or regulation of cytoplasmic pH (Probert Keating, 2000). Waterlogging resulted in visible yellowing and premature senescence of leaves, and greater decline in relative water content, chlorophyll content, and membrane stability (Sairam, et al, 2009). The majority of plants respond negatively to waterlogging whilst some plants respond positively. Discussion: Plants throughout the years have adapted different ways to minimize damage caused by waterlogging. All plants poses survival mechanisms which are of a complex nature, and differing between some species. Plants also differ in the way they respond to anaerobic or anoxia soil conditions, some are extremely tolerant, some very sensitive and some in between. Even species that are susceptible to poorly aerated conditions possess metabolic and molecular responses that lengthen survival time from a few hours to several days. All plant species synthesize so-called anaerobic proteins that enable an oxygen-independent energy-generating metabolism to proceed where fermentable substrates are available (Subbaiah Sachs, 2003). Prevention of the build-up of potential phytotoxins is another mechanism that enhances plant survival under flooded conditions. A specific type of hemoglobin (phytoglobin) may play such a role by detoxifying nitric oxide formed during hypoxia of root tissues. Alternatively, phytoglobin may also regenerate NAD+, thereby serving as an alternative to fermentation as a source (Dordas et al., 2003). Impact of waterlogging on five plant species Barley: In barley Waterlogging inhibits the uptake of N which leads to the decrease of N concentration in shoots of barley seedlings (Drew and Sisworo, 1977). Pang et al. (2005) found that both shoot and root growth was negatively affected by waterlogging. As waterlogging stress developed, chlorophyll content, CO2 assimilation rate, and maximal quantum efficiency of photosystem II (variable fluorescence/maximum fluorescence) decreased significantly, with cultivars showing less yellow leaf percentage having less adverse effects (Pang et al., 2005). A decrease in nitrogen uptake, fluorescence leads to decreased leaf area index (LAI) and decreased yields. Oxygen deficiency in the rooting zone occurs under waterlogging conditions, the lack of O2 can severely damage the root (Drew, 1997) . Soil waterlogging usually influences barley growth in a negative way, the inhibition of N uptake, and the consequent redistribution of N within the shoot, are important contributory factors in the early senescence of leaves and the retarded growth of shoots in flooded plants (Drew and Sisworo, 1977). A decrease in the N concentration in shoots of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) seedlings can occur rapidly after the onset of flooding and precede leaf chlorosis (Drew and Sisworo, 1977; Wang et al., 1996) and consequently reduces shoot and root growth, dry matter accumulation, and final yield (Kozlowski, 1984; Drew, 1991; Huang et al., 1994a,1994b; Malik et al., 2002). Roots are also injured by O2 deficiency and metabolic changes during acclimation to low concentrations of O2 (Drew, 1997). Tomatoes: in tomatoes it was reported that; Enhanced ethylene production and leaf epinasty are characteristic responses of tomato (Lycopersicon escukntum Mill.) to Waterlogging. It has been proposed by (Bradford Yang, 1980) that this results from the synthesis of the immediate precursor of ethylene, 1-aminocyclopropane-I-carboxylic acid (ACC), in the waterlogged roots, and its export in the transpiration stream to the shoot, and its rapid conversion to ethylene gas as stated in (Kent, et al, 1982). Soybean: It has been reported that cereals are generally more tolerant to flooding than legumes (Crawford, R.M.M, 1977) as quoted by (Russel, Wong Sachs, 1990). Cotton: Waterlogging of cotton has been reported to cause a reduction in root growth and nutrient uptake (Letey et al., 1962; Huck, 1970; Hocking et al., 1987), leaf area and photosynthesis (Hodgson, 1982; Meyer et al., 1987; Sahay, 1989) and dry matter accumulation and fruiting (Hodgson, 1982; Hocking et al., 1987). Rice: (Oryza sativa), is one of the most interesting monocotyledonous plants in my opinion, rice is one of the few plant species that can adapt too tolerate very low concentrations of oxygen in the soil and reacts positively to waterlogging without negative effects on plants growth and development. Rice grows better than any other plant in the same waterlogged conditions. In two experiments by Perata on rice seed germination showed interesting results.

Utilitarian Arguments For Thesis Statement

Utilitarian Arguments For Thesis Statement From our point of view, we agree that the procedures of women undergo scalpel is not morally justified. Therefore, people have no right to undergo scalpel even it is because of the beauty demanded by society. Utilitarian Arguments for Thesis Statement Utilitarian approach has proven that the procedures of women undergoing scalpel is not morally justified. This is because according to Act-Utilitarianism, an action is right only if the action produces more pleasure than pain for all parties. More important, it is not depending on the rules of morality that govern the action. We cannot deny that scalpel can make women prettier and more attractive. Therefore, it is definitely will produce more pleasure than pain for the women. However, this situation is only happen in the short run. Let look into the long run, if more and more women are undergoing scalpel, it will affect the perceptions about beauty in society. This is because everyone now is perfect like a doll and women who not undergoing scalpel will automatically considered as ugly. As a result, everyone will have a mindset that women must undergo scalpel then only can be considered a pretty woman. Moreover, scalpel may lead to several side effects and health issues in the future. The side effects and health issues caused by scalpel may become a burden to the women, her family as well as society. This is because the cost of these issues is mainly bear by the society. At that time, it is more pain than pleasure for everyone. This is because the consequences may not easily be recovered and it is impossible to return to the original state. Health Risks We begin with the most obvious of risks. Call it reconstructive, cosmetic, or plasticit is still surgery. People have risked and lost their lives and limbs, and suffered devastating disfigurement and scarring as a result of plastic surgery gone wrong. The worst outcomes are rare, but risk is nonetheless a reality. As quoted by (Natalie Kita, March 9,2009) By applying the Rule-utilitarianism, we have noticed that another point of view that supports our thesis statement. According to the Rule-utilitarianism, the action which means that follow the rules that general acceptance and produce the greatest balance of happiness is right. We all know that the outlook of one person is a present from God and we cannot overtake God to decide ones person outlook by undergoing scalpel. Although there are no rules and acts states that people undergo scalpel in search of beauty is prohibited and illegal. The rules of general acceptance are that no one can overtake God to decide our outlook by undergoing scalpel. Therefore, scalpel is not morally justified action. If the society continues this trend of scalpel, it may create several negative consequences from health risks to psychological and social. The health risk may include infection, tissue death, pneumonia, delayed healing and so on. The psychological and social risks may include the potential of inadequate of correction such as one may still feel ugly after scalpel. Based on the impacts, we can conclude that undergoing scalpel in search of beauty will create more harm than good. Utilitarian Arguments for Antithesis Statement Nowadays, social networks like Facebook has fundamentally changed the way people communicate and discover new things. Many people like to share their live with their friends or even a stranger. Therefore, these people start to demand a beauty appearance so that they can proudly share their photo or portrait online. In addition, people especially women start to level up their demand about beauty. They always want to become as pretty as some celebrity. Therefore, the only way for them to achieve this dream is by undergoing scalpel. For them, it is totally a moral justified behavior because they think that they have the right to decide their own appearance in order to fulfill the wants as well as the demand of beauty by the society. By virtue of hedonism, women undergoing scalpel is nothing wrong. Hedonism is the theory which emphasizes on pleasure and the absence of pain and therefore only the pleasure is ultimately good. For example, women can undergo scalpel in order to search for be auty appearance so that they can fulfill their dream and demand of the society. This is because a beauty appearance can brings pleasure to them. People from all over the world come to have their noses tweaked, chins thinned and fat removed and occasionally grafted onto another part of their face. Its not just a female thing males make up at least 30 percent of JK Plastic Surgery Clinics patients. JK Plastic Surgery Clinics foreign patients account for about 40 to 50 percent of the total number of patients. Of the foreign patients, Chinese make up about 70 percent. As quoted by (Violet Kim, August 9, 2012) This statement shows that it is morally justified and people have the right to undergo scalpel even a man. This is because scalpel is widely accepted all around the world and receive general acceptance from the society. In other words, nowadays, it is a pleasure to have a beautiful appearance after undergoing scalpel. Besides that, it is also legal for the doctor to help people undergo scalpel. Some countries like China and Korea even allowed doctor to advertise their profession and skills in scalpel and this mean it is legal and morally justified. According to Act-Utilitarianism, scalpel is right since it produces the greatest balance of pleasure over pain for the society. This is because beautiful appearance of one person can create happiness for themselves or even the people around them. Moreover, it also create job opportunities for doctor who running scalpel business. Finally, everyone is happy with this activity and thus it produces the greatest balance of pleasure over pain fo r all parties. First, there is no specific biblical prohibition against changing the appearance of our physical bodies. Second, we do not consider other means to improve our outward appearance unethical. For example, few would argue that all forms of makeup, grooming, and fashionable clothing are intrinsically immoral behaviors. In short, the freedom we have in Christ along with the guidance of our own conscience should lead us regarding behaviors that are not specifically prohibited. For this reason, I can find no reason to find cosmetic surgery intrinsically immoral. As quoted from (Richard J. Poupard, 2010) This statement explains that scalpel is as normal as grooming and fashionable clothing. Therefore, women undergo scalpel in order to search for beauty is a morally justified action. According to Rule-Utilitarianism, it is also right if it conform to a set of rules the general acceptances of which will produce the greatest balance of pleasure over pain for everyone. For example, there are people who undergo scalpel to correct their skin which damaged by fire is a pleasure for them and their family as well.

Essay --

Literature is our ancient form of a hard drive where we can read something from the past and connect with our present. The more we read, the more literate we become. Therefore, we have the opportunity to open our minds to more ideas and try to understand the way other human beings think. From the beginning of time human beings have developed methods to communicate with each other. Our ability to develop these methods have allowed us to pass our knowledge from one generation to another. This development has given us the opportunity to expand our knowledge to higher standards. Literate work is beneficial to all of us by allowing us to understand others way of thinking, the ability to analyze characters, learn about the authors experiences and stimulate our mind. Literature gives us an insight of what other people think, feel, know, understand and gives us a glimpse of their past to name a few. In â€Å"Fences† by August Wilson, we learn how African American people have struggled to have equality. Wilson is able paint a picture for us through his literary work. As we read this play, we can almost feel as if we are there with the characters. We are able to learn how they dealt with obstacles when segregation was still happening and what they did to overcome those obstacles. Without Wilson’s literary work, we would not be able to acquire the knowledge and understanding from the past. Literature allows us to be able to evaluate characters. We can analyze the character analytically and with an open mind. The more we are exposed literary works, the more we are able to omit the obvious in characters. We are able to create our own thoughts about them and use our critical thinking skills to connect with them on a more in depth level. A perfe... ...d dive into our imaginations allowing us to have a pleasant break from our everyday routine. Literature is often our sanity in a busy, hectic life. How about a good thriller or mystery? These works are exciting because we find ourselves playing detective and involved in situations we normally wouldn’t be immersed in. A good romance novel will keep that helpless romantic hopeful and full of joy believing in a life of love and happiness. It is important to expose children to literature. Their minds are vessels filling with information and expanding with knowledge every day. It’s important they read about history to learn where they came from. No matter how young our old we can all benefit from literature and even become kinder, smarter and happier beings. In short, Literature is an expression of individual thoughts and feelings achieved through our unique creativity.

The Importance of Emilia in Shakespeares Othello Essay -- GCSE Course

The Importance of Emilia in Shakespeare's Othello In Othello the Moor, Shakespeare combines destiny with a fatal character flaw and that flaw is jealousy.   Shakespeare's tragedy allows one character to hold the key to the entire web he has spun and that character is Emilia. Emilia is the lone character who garners the knowledge to all circumstances of the events surrounding the characters in Othello the Moor.   Although other characters in the play are privy to certain details of the unfolding events, Emilia is the character that uses this knowledge to the benefit of the play.   Emilia's character is minor yet necessary.   Without her character the play would have no means of unraveling the confusion created by the author.   Emilia, wife of Iago, should be questioned of her loyalty and commitment to both her husband and her dear friend, Desdemona.   The character of Emilia has only eight short parts in the play and of those parts only two are with the lead character of Othello.   Her character only interacts with Iago and Desdemona.   The first encounter between Othello and Emilia is in Act IV, Scene II.   Emilia assures Othello of Desdemona's true love and faithful manner.   Othello questioned Emilia "You have seen nothing, then?" "Nor ever heard, nor ever did suspect." (Shakespeare, Act IV, Scene II, page 1107) replied Emilia.   Emilia is telling the truth.   She knows for a fact that Desdemona has been faithful to her husband and that she loves him wholly.   But in Shakespeare's style of character development; Emilia is playing coy to the fact that her husband has lead Othello to believe differently.   Emilia is now the only character to have direct interaction with Othello, Desdemona and her husband and be knowledgeable of her hu... ... got to be assumed as a fateful event.   As Shakespeare said, ""It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves." Works Cited and Consulted Bayley, John. Shakespeare and Tragedy. Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd., 1981. Bradley, A. C.. Shakespearean Tragedy. New York: Penguin, 1991. Campbell, Lily B. Shakespeare’s Tragic Heroes. New York: Barnes and Noble, Inc., 1970. Di Yanni, Robert. â€Å"Emilia's Character Revealed Through Dialogue.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Literature. N. p.: Random House, 1986. Kermode, Frank. â€Å"Othello, the Moor of Venice.† The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1974. Mack, Maynard. Everybody’s Shakespeare: Reflections Chiefly on the Tragedies. Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press, 1993.

Lesson Planning and Teacher Chat Rooms :: Education Technology Internet Papers

Lesson Planning and Teacher Chat Rooms The nature of research and discovery of a topic at one time used to be complicated. Going to the library, searching through piles of cards that were categorized and confusing in itself. Trying to find the various sections of material and checking out the material (books, periodicals, etc.) I just thought, thank God for the library course offered through the University! How would I have ever found what I was looking for! I could brows through the high school, junior high school library, but when I got to college and saw the different library buildings. I thought to myself, "I hope I can get through this!" I did, but it took time and patience. Time and patience is one thing I always seem to run short of. This is the reason why I am in favor of technology and most of all, the Internet. I believe the age of information has brought a lot of good things and bad things, but we won't go into this because that is another topic in itself. When I began using the Internet I did not find it as difficult as going to the library and learning how to search for a book or a required material. Again, I was exposed to the computer and the Internet through my college classes. Therefore, I did not find it so complex when I got a computer of my own to use at home. As a matter of fact, the only problem that I had was waiting for the pages to load and for me to view the information. Throughout my life my only purpose for using the Internet was to communicate with friends through e-mail and find information for my well being and amusement. It was not until later that I found it a little more difficult in using the Internet. I was asked to do rese arch on the Internet in my English class, I thought, "Piece of cake!" Yeah, right! "Web sites are not organized like books in a library and it would be impossible to catalog all of its sites," Branham says. I knew that, but what I didn't know was that it would not be as simple as I thought, looking for a resource that pertained to my topic specifically. Garcia 2 I was excited when I first heard about doing research on the Internet. I thought to myself, "This is great! Now, I really get to spend the time and get the kind of information that I have been wanting to get for a long time.

Shadow Kiss Chapter 10

Ten THE NEXT DAY, MY guardian duties with Christian resumed. Once again, I found my own life put on hold for someone else's. â€Å"How was your penance?† he asked as we walked across campus from his dorm. I stifled a yawn. I hadn't been able to sleep well last night, both because of my feelings for Dimitri and because of what Father Andrew had told me. Nonetheless, I kept a sharp eye out. This was the location where Stan had attacked us twice before, and besides, the guardians were sick and twisted enough to come after me on a day when I was so exhausted. â€Å"It was okay. The priest let us go early.† â€Å"Us?† â€Å"Dimitri came and helped me. I think he felt bad about me being stuck with that work.† â€Å"Either that or he has nothing else to do now that he's not doing your extra sessions.† â€Å"Maybe, but I doubt it. All in all, I guess it wasn't that bad a day.† Unless you considered learning about spiteful ghosts bad. â€Å"I had a great day,† said Christian, the smallest amount of smugness in his voice. I repressed the urge to roll my eyes. â€Å"Yeah, I know.† He and Lissa had taken advantage of their guardianless day to take advantage of each other. I supposed I should be glad they'd held off until Eddie and I weren't around, but in a lot of ways, it didn't matter. True, when I was awake, I could block out all of the details, but I still knew what was going on. A bit of the jealousy and anger I'd felt from the last time they'd been together returned. It was the same problem all over again: Lissa doing all the things I couldn't do. I was dying to go eat breakfast. I could smell French toast and hot maple syrup. Carbs wrapped in more carbs. Yum. But Christian wanted blood before we ate solid food, and his needs trumped mine. They come first. He'd apparently skipped his daily blood dose yesterday – probably to maximize his romantic time. The feeder room wasn't crowded, but we still had to wait. â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"Do you know Brett Ozera? You're related, right?† After my encounter with Jill, I'd finally put some pieces together. Brett Ozera and Dane Zeklos had reminded me of how Brandon had looked the day of Stan's first attack. The disaster of that attack had made me completely forget about Brandon, but the coincidences here suddenly stirred my curiosity. All three had been beaten up. All three had been in denial. Christian nodded. â€Å"Yeah, in the way we're all kind of related. I don't know him that well – he's like a third or fourth cousin or something. His branch of the family hasn't had much to do with mine since †¦ well, you know.† â€Å"I heard something weird about him.† I then related what Jill had told me about Dane and Brett. â€Å"That's weird,† agreed Christian. â€Å"But people get in fights.† â€Å"Yeah, but there are some weird connections here. And royals aren't usually on the losing ends of fights – all three of these guys were.† â€Å"Well, maybe that's it. You know how it's been. A lot of royals are getting pissed off that non-royals want to change how guardians are assigned and learn to start fighting. That's the whole point of Jesse and Ralf's stupid little club. They want to make sure royals stay on top. Non-royals are probably getting just as pissed off and fighting back.† â€Å"So, what, some kind of vigilante is out making royals pay?† â€Å"Wouldn't be the weirdest thing that's happened around here,† he pointed out. â€Å"That's for damn sure,† I muttered. Christian's name was called, and he peered ahead. â€Å"Look at that,† he said happily. â€Å"Alice again.† â€Å"I don't get your fascination with her,† I observed as we approached the old feeder. â€Å"Lissa's always kind of excited to see her too. But Alice is nuts.† â€Å"I know,† he said. â€Å"That's what's so great.† Alice greeted us as Christian sat down beside her. I leaned against the wall, arms crossed over my chest. Feeling uppity, I said, â€Å"Alice, the scenery hasn't changed. It's exactly the same as last time.† She turned her dazed eyes on me. â€Å"Patience, Rose. You must be patient. And prepared. Are you prepared?† The switch in subject threw me a little. It was like talking to Jill, except less sane. â€Å"Um, prepared how? For the scenery?† In what had to be a prime moment of irony, she looked at me as though I were the one who was crazy. â€Å"Armed. Are you armed? You're going to protect us, aren't you?† I reached inside my coat and pulled out the practice stake I'd been given for the field experience. â€Å"Got you covered,† I said. She looked immensely relieved and apparently couldn't tell the difference between a real stake and a fake one. â€Å"Good,† she said. â€Å"Now we'll be safe.† â€Å"That's right,† said Christian. â€Å"With Rose armed, we have nothing to worry about. The Moroi world can rest easy.† Alice was oblivious to his sarcasm. â€Å"Yes. Well, nowhere is ever safe.† I concealed the stake again. â€Å"We're safe. We've got the best guardians in the world protecting us, not to mention the wards. Strigoi aren't getting in here.† I didn't add what I'd recently learned: that Strigoi could get humans to break the wards. Wards were invisible lines of power that were composed of all four elements. They were created when four Moroi, each one strong in a different element, walked around an area and laid the magic in a circle upon the ground, creating a protective border. Moroi magic was imbued with life, and a strong field of it kept out Strigoi, since they were devoid of life. So wards were frequently laid around Moroi dwellings. Tons of them were laid around this school. Since stakes were also imbued with all four elements, driving a stake through a ward line in the ground pierced the ward and canceled out the protective effect. This had never been much of a concern because Strigoi couldn't touch stakes. However, in some recent attacks, humans – who could touch stakes – had served Strigoi and broken some wards. We believed the Strigoi I'd killed had been the ringleaders in that group, but we still d idn't know for sure. Alice studied me closely with her cloudy eyes, almost as though she knew what I was thinking. â€Å"Nowhere is safe. Wards fade. Guardians die.† I glanced over at Christian, who shrugged in a sort of what did you expect from her? kind of way. â€Å"If you guys are done with your girl talk, can I eat now?† he asked. Alice was more than happy to comply; he was her first hit of the day. She soon forgot about wards or anything else and simply lost herself to the ecstasy of his bite. I forgot about wards too. I had a one-track mind, really: I still wanted to know if Mason had been real or not. The priest's frightening explanation aside, I had to admit Mason's visits hadn't been threatening, just scary. If he was out to get me, he was kind of doing a half-assed job of it. Once again, I started putting more stock in the stress-and-fatigue theory. â€Å"Now it's time for me to eat,† I said when Christian finished. I was pretty sure I could smell bacon now. That'd probably make Christian happy. He could wrap it around his French toast. We'd barely stepped out of the room when Lissa came running up to us, Eddie trailing behind. Excitement lit her face, though the feelings in the bond weren't exactly happy. â€Å"Did you hear?† she asked, a little breathless. â€Å"Hear what?† I asked. â€Å"You have to hurry – go pack your things. We're going to Victor's trial. Right now.† There'd been no warning at all about when Victor's trial would even occur, let alone that someone had apparently decided we could go. Christian and I exchanged brief, startled looks and then hurried off to his room to gather our things. Packing was a breeze. My bag was ready to go already, and Christian only took a minute to throw his together. In less than a half hour, we were out on the Academy's landing strip. Two private jets sat in attendance, one of which was fired up and waiting to go. A couple of Moroi hurried about, doing last-minute things with the plane and the runway. No one seemed to know what was going on. Lissa had simply been told that she, Christian, and I were going to testify and that Eddie could come along to continue his field experience. There'd been no explanation as to why things had changed, and a weird mix of eagerness and apprehension crackled around us. We all wanted to see Victor locked away for good, but now that we were actually faced with the reality of the trial and of seeing him – well, it was kind of scary. A few guardians lingered near the steps going up to the plane. I recognized them as the ones who had helped capture Victor. They were probably going to do double duty and serve as witnesses and as our protection. Dimitri hovered near the outskirts, and I hurried over to him. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I gulped out. â€Å"I'm so sorry.† He turned toward me, his face schooled to that perfect picture of neutrality that he was so good at. â€Å"Sorry for what?† â€Å"For all the horrible things I said yesterday. You did it – you really did it. You got them to let us go.† Despite my nervousness about seeing Victor, I was filled with elation. Dimitri had come through. I'd known all along that he really cared about me – this just proved it. If there hadn't been so many people around, I would have hugged him. Dimitri's face didn't change. â€Å"It wasn't me, Rose. I had nothing to do with it.† Alberta signaled that we could board, and he turned away to join the others. I stood frozen for a moment, watching him and trying to figure out what had happened. If he hadn't intervened, then why were we going? Lissa's diplomatic efforts had been shot down a while ago. Why the change of heart? My friends were already on board, so I hurried to catch up. As soon as I stepped into the cabin, a voice called to me. â€Å"Little dhampir! About time you got here.† I looked and saw Adrian waving, a drink in his hand. Great. We'd had to beg and plead to go along, yet Adrian had somehow just glided on in. Lissa and Christian were sitting together, so I joined Eddie in the hopes of staying away from Adrian. Eddie gave me the window seat. Adrian moved to the seat in front of us, though, and might as well have been sitting in our row, as often as he turned around to talk to me. His chatter and outrageous flirting indicated he'd been sipping cocktails long before the rest of us had come aboard. I kind of wished I'd had a few myself once we were airborne. A wicked headache set in almost immediately after liftoff, and I entertained a fantasy of vodka numbing the pain. â€Å"We're going to Court,† Adrian said. â€Å"Aren't you excited about it?† I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. â€Å"About which one? The royal one or the legal one?† â€Å"The royal one. Did you bring a dress?† â€Å"Nobody told me to.† â€Å"So †¦ that's a ‘no.'† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Yes? I thought you meant no.† I opened one eye and glared. â€Å"I did mean no, and you know it. No, I did not bring a dress.† â€Å"We'll get you one,† he said loftily. â€Å"You're going to take me shopping? I'm going to go out on a limb and guess they won't consider you a reliable chaperone.† â€Å"Shopping? As if. There are tailors that live there. We'll get you something custom-made.† â€Å"We're not staying that long. And do I really need a dress for what we're doing there?† â€Å"No, I'd just kind of like to see you in one.† I sighed and leaned my head against the window. The pain in my skull was still throbbing. It was like the air was pressing in on me. Something flashed in my peripheral vision, and I turned in surprise, but there was nothing but stars outside the window. â€Å"Something black,† he continued. â€Å"Satin, I think†¦ maybe with lace trim. Do you like lace? Some women think it itches.† â€Å"Adrian.† It was like a hammer, a hammer inside and outside my head. â€Å"You could get a nice velvet trim too, though. That wouldn't itch.† â€Å"Adrian.† Even my eye sockets seemed to hurt. â€Å"And then a slit up the side to show off what great legs you have. It could go nearly to the hip and have this cute little bow – â€Å" â€Å"Adrian!† Something inside of me burst. â€Å"Will you shut the hell up for five seconds?† I yelled so loud that the pilot had probably heard me. Adrian had that rare look of astonishment on his face. Alberta, sitting across the aisle from Adrian, shot up in her seat. â€Å"Rose,† she exclaimed. â€Å"What's going on?† I gritted my teeth and rubbed my forehead. â€Å"I have the worst fucking headache in the world, and he won't shut up.† I didn't even realize I'd sworn in front of an instructor until several seconds later. From the other side of my field of vision, I thought I saw something else – another shadow darting through the plane, reminding me of black wings. Like a bat or a raven. I covered my eyes. There was nothing flying through the plane. â€Å"God, why won't it go away?† I expected Alberta to chastise me for the outburst, but instead, Christian spoke: â€Å"She hasn't eaten today. She was really hungry earlier.† I uncovered my eyes. Alberta's face was filled with concern, and Dimitri now hovered behind her. More shadowy shapes flitted across my vision. Most were indistinct, but I could have sworn I saw something that looked like a skull mixed in with the darkness. I blinked rapidly, and it all disappeared. Alberta turned to one of the flight attendants. â€Å"Can you get her something to eat? And find a painkiller?† â€Å"Where's it at?† Dimitri asked me. â€Å"The pain?† With all of this attention, my explosion suddenly seemed excessive. â€Å"It's a headache†¦I'm sure it'll go away†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Seeing his stern look, I pointed to the center of my forehead. â€Å"It's like something pushing on my skull. And there's pain kind of behind my eyes. I keep feeling like†¦well, it's like I've got something in my eye. I think I'm seeing a shadow or something. Then I blink and it's gone.† â€Å"Ah,† said Alberta. â€Å"That's a migraine symptom – having vision problems. It's called an aura. People sometimes get it before the headache sets in.† â€Å"An aura?† I asked, startled. I glanced up at Adrian. He was looking at me over the top of his seat, his long arms hanging over the back of it. â€Å"Not that kind,† he said, a small smile turning up his lips. â€Å"Same name. Like Court and court. Migraine auras are images and light you see when a migraine's coming on. They have nothing to do with the auras around people I see. But I tell you †¦ the aura I can see †¦ the one around you †¦ wow.† â€Å"Black?† â€Å"And then some. It's obvious even after all the drinks I've had. Never seen anything like it.† I didn't exactly know what to make of that, but then the flight attendant returned with a banana, a granola bar, and some ibuprofen. It was a far cry from French toast, but it sounded good on my empty stomach. I consumed it all and then propped a pillow up against the window. Closing my eyes, I rested my head and hoped I could sleep the headache off before we landed. Mercifully, everyone else stayed quiet. I had drifted off a little when I felt a slight touch on my arm. â€Å"Rose?† Opening my eyes, I peered at Lissa as she sat in Eddie's seat. Those bat-winged shapes flitted behind her, and my head still hurt. In those swirling shadows, I again saw what looked like a face, this time with a wide gaping mouth and eyes like fire. I flinched. â€Å"You're still in pain?† Lissa asked, peering at me. I blinked, and the face was gone. â€Å"Yeah, I – oh no.† I realized what she was going to do. â€Å"Don't do it. Don't waste it on me.† â€Å"It's easy,† she said. â€Å"It hardly fazes me.† â€Å"Yeah, but the more you use it†¦ the more it hurts you in the long run. Even if it's easy now.† â€Å"I'll worry about that later. Here.† She clasped my hand between hers and closed her eyes. Through our bond, I felt the magic welling up in her as she drew upon spirit's healing power. To her, magic felt warm and golden. I'd been healed before, and it always came through to me as varying temperatures: hot, then cold, then hot, etc. But this time, when she released the magic and sent it into me, I didn't feel anything except a very faint tingle. Her eyelids fluttered open. â€Å"Wh – what happened?† she asked. â€Å"Nothing,† I said. â€Å"The headache's still going strong.† â€Å"But I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The confusion and shock on her face mirrored what I sensed in her. â€Å"I had it. I felt the magic. It worked.† â€Å"I don't know, Liss. It's okay, really. You haven't been off the meds that long, you know.† â€Å"Yeah, but I healed Eddie the other day without any problems. And Adrian,† she added dryly. He was hanging over the seat again, watching us intently. â€Å"Those were scrapes,† I said. â€Å"This is a five-alarm migraine we're talking about. Maybe you've got to build back up.† Lissa bit her lower lip. â€Å"You don't think the pills permanently hurt my magic, do you?† â€Å"Nah,† said Adrian, head tilted to the side. â€Å"You lit up like a supernova when you were summoning it. You had magic. I just don't think it had any effect on her.† â€Å"Why not?† she demanded. â€Å"Maybe she's got something you can't heal.† â€Å"A headache?† I asked in disbelief. He shrugged. â€Å"What do I look like, a doctor? I don't know. Just telling you what I saw.† I sighed and placed a hand on my forehead. â€Å"Well, I appreciate the help, Liss, and I appreciate your annoying commentary, Adrian. But I think sleep might be the best thing for now. Maybe it's stress or something.† Sure, why not? Stress was the answer to everything lately. Ghosts. Incurable headaches. Weird faces floating in the air. â€Å"Probably can't heal that.† â€Å"Maybe,† she said, sounding as though she took personal offense at me having something she couldn't fix. Inside her mind, though, her accusations were turned toward herself, not me. She worried she wasn't good enough. â€Å"It's okay,† I said soothingly. â€Å"You're just getting your stride back. Once you're up to full power, I'll go crack a rib or something so we can test it.† She groaned. â€Å"The horrible part is that I don't think you're joking.† After a quick squeeze of my hand, she stood up. â€Å"Sleep well.† She left, and I soon realized Eddie wasn't coming back. He'd taken a new seat so that I'd have more room. Appreciative, I fluffed and repositioned the pillow while stretching my legs out as best I could across the seats. A few more phantom clouds danced across my vision, and then I closed my eyes to sleep. I woke up later when the plane touched down, the sounds of its engines kicking into reverse startling me out of a deep sleep. To my relief, the headache was gone. So were the weird shapes floating around me. â€Å"Better?† Lissa asked when I stood up and yawned. I nodded. â€Å"Much. Better still if I can get some real food.† â€Å"Well,† she laughed, â€Å"somehow I doubt there's any shortage of food around here.† She was right. Glancing out the windows, I tried to get my first look at our surroundings. We'd made it. We were at the Moroi Royal Court.

A review: les misérables

It has been three years since I saw Les Misà ©rables. It was an experience that I won’t likely forget too soon for, not only was it an incredible musical performance, it was also the first Broadway production I had ever seen.And a big production it was, too. Les Miserables has a mosaic of characters – police, prostitutes and pragmatic students – woven onto an automatically dramatic backdrop of tragic revolution in France where there is glory in death for a cause.It is unfortunate, however, that I do not remember all the main cast members. I do, however, have three of them, whose performances I really loved, still in mind—Jean Valjean, Javert, and my favorite, Ma-Anne Dionisio as Eponine. Her real name stuck to my memory just as her performance did. Though I was a little surprised at the casting of an Asian for Eponine’s role, I realized that her ethnicity wasn’t important—her voice was. She was a truly amazing singer.This was the firs t time that Les Miz came to the Fisher Theater, and though regrettably seated at the $50 seats (way up in the balcony even for that price), it was worth it. Les Miz is one of those shows that doesn’t need to be reinvented to be successful. It has been running so long that people knew what to expect, even me.I had heard of this musical many times before I actually got to see it, but just seeing the1800s costuming, the spinning sets, the shadowy lighting, were confirmation that all the accolades this show had gathered through the years were well-deserved. It was a production that spared no expense, and took no prisoners.To give a short summary of the play from Online-Literature, Les Misà ©rables is set in the Parisian underworld. The protagonist, Jean Valjean, was sentenced to prison for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread.After his release, Valjean planned to rob monseigneur Myriel, a saint-like bishop, but cancelled his plan. However, he forfeited his parole by committing a minor crime, and for this crime Valjean was haunted by the police inspector Javert. Valjean eventually reformed and went under the name of M. Madeleine—a successful businessman, benefactor and mayor of a northern town.But to save an innocent man, Valjean gave himself up and was imprisoned in Toulon. In the end, Valjean had to reveal his past. It was definitely a sad story; made sadder by the songs sung in lament through most of the musical. The performances were, to my untrained ears, absolutely amazing. I’m sure there were critics who noticed so and so’s voice not being up to par, but to me, they all played their roles to perfection. The actor/singer who played Jean Valjean carried a huge part of the play’s success.He was the main character. His first appearance on stage sent chills through me because here was the famous Valjean, finally. His song that lamented the yellow ticket (proclaimed his former-convict status) he had to carry around with him was moving.You felt his sadness and pain. Javert, on the other hand, conveyed his feelings of justice and self-righteousness to the audience with no problem. His posture told the whole story: He stood stiff and upright, never slouching, never flinching. His voice was superb as well. But, really, it was Eponine’s song â€Å"On My Own† that just pulled me in. What a glorious rendition it was! Here was a woman in love.The fact that it was unrequited love made you all the more sympathize to her plight and make you want to shake the guy whose love she craved. How could he not love her?What made these performances so much more effective were the gestures and costumes that they employed. Sure, costumes play a somewhat unimportant role in any production, but in this case, the audience is looking for authenticity, for a vision to lose himself or herself in because the viewer wants to imagine how it is to be in 19th century France.I thought that the costume design was exemplary. Of course, the moving sets do not let you completely slide out into another world, but the appropriate raggedness of some of the characters’ costumes were all too real. One even feels like the nearer one gets to the stage, the greater chance it would be to get a noxious whiff of Paris’s poor folk. The gestures were evocative. I remember thinking how it must be to act and sing at the same time.

Early to Middle Childhood Essay

If you ever seen a preschooler rushing off to play with a neighborhood friend, you know the enjoyment that children derive from being with their peers. Aside from this enjoyment, peer relationship is significant to a child’s social development. At the beginning of early childhood up to the middle childhood, children become less dependent on their parents. At the age of 2, children play independently with their toys but later in this period, children will tend to play with interaction. This change in the mode of playing of children will be formalized in the start of school age. Other than enjoyment, play becomes a material for social improvements. It allows children to be more competent in their social interactions with others and serves as a way to develop self-control. They avoid hitting an opponent who outlasted them and they tend to develop control of emotions (Selman et al. , 1983; Feldman, 1982). Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development The theory of psychologist Jean Piaget is the most well known of all the theories in cognitive development. He suggested two stages during early childhood and middle childhood. The movement from one stage to another requires a proper amount of maturation and experiences. Preoperational Stage (2 to 7 years) The use of language is the major development during the preoperational stage. In this stage, children develop their sense of representation of the world that allows them to describe people, events, and feelings. They even use symbols in play to represent a particular object. For example, a book that was pushed across the floor is a car for them. Concrete Operational Stage (7 to 12 years) The mastery of the concept of conservation marked the beginning of the concrete operation stage. During this stage, children develop their ability to think in a more logical manner. The egocentrism characteristic of the preoperational period is slowly disappearing in this stage. One of the things that the children learn at this stage is the principle of reversibility, the idea that some changes can be undone by reversing the earlier action that result to the change. Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development In trying to trace the course of social development, Eric Erikson developed the most comprehensive theory of social development. He included two stages during childhood which include the initiative versus guilt stage and the industry versus inferiority stage. Initiative versus Guilt Stage (age 3 to 6) In this stage, the major conflict is the desire of a child to initiate an activity independently but feeling the guilt that bring by the consequences of such activity. Parents take a big part in helping their child to adapt with this stage. They should react positively and take time to resolve problems under this stage. Industry versus Inferiority Stage (age 6-12) During this period, successful psychosocial development is featured by increasing competency across all tasks, may it be social interactions or academic skills. Intelligence Intelligence can take on many different meanings. A person who reason logically and identify more solutions in a problem is considered intelligent. Another is verbal abilities which are also attributed as being intelligent. Intelligence in a more focused meaning is the capacity to understand the world, think critically and rationally and use resources in an effective manner when face with challenges. The first formal intelligent test was performed by Alfred Binet. He used this test to identify the dullest student in Paris school system in order to provide them with corrective assistance. However, theories of intelligence began to unravel the mysteries of our intellect. One of the first theory in intelligence assumed that there was a single factor contributing to mental ability, called the g-factor (Spearman, 1927). Consequently, psychologist L. L. Thurstone suggested that there are several primary mental abilities underlying general intelligence. By using innovative statistical technique, he classified a variety of subcomponents of intelligence which includes numerical ability, reasoning, verbal fluency, memory and verbal comprehension. Other than that, Howard Gardner proposed an idea that we have seven multiple intelligence. In these seven multiple intelligence, musical intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic, linguistic, and interpersonal intelligence can be seen during childhood years. Gender Identity Our society holds well-defined stereotypes about men and women, and they prevail regardless of age, economic status, and social and educational background. Although the difference in many studies about men and women may conclude large difference, still it is not the reality. In considering the differences that were documented, it can be seen that there are more similarity than difference between men and women. One of the most known differences between men and women is their degree of aggression. By the time they are 2 years old, boys tend to show more aggression than girls and this continues throughout their lifespan. Furthermore, during the middle childhood, children are quite different in the level of self-esteem. Girls, on the average, have lower self-esteem compared to boys. References Feldman, R. S. (1982). Development of non-verbal behavior in children. New York: Spriner-Verlag. Harder, A. F. â€Å"The Developmental Stages of Erik Erikson†. Learning Place Online. Retrieved April 3, 2009 @ http://www. support4change. com/stages/cycles/Erikson. html Selman, R. L. , Schorin, M. Z. , Stone, C. R. & Phelps, E. (1983). A naturalistic study of children’s social understanding. Developmental Psychology, 19, 82-102 Spearman, C. (1927). The Abilities of Man. London: Macmillan.