The History Boys

â€Å"The History Boys† is about eight boys of high academic abilities who are preparing to sit the Oxbridge entry exam. They are taught by two homosexual teachers, Hector and Irwin, who have total different teaching strategies. Hector is an older man with strong feelings towards poetry and has no particular teaching program and gropes his students and it seems that the boys don't really enjoy it though at the end it shows that they are quite ok with that. Irwin, a much younger man, is more sensible about teaching. He is the new teacher that has been taken in to teach the students about how to stand out between their competitors with getting into Oxford. There is quite some competition between both the teachers with Hector being older and Irwin being more attractive and being very close in age with the boys. â€Å"He does, depressingly so† Hector seems very jealous and depressed at the fact that the new teacher Irwin is clever. This means that there is even more competition for Hector and that if he wants to impress the boys, he needs to work harder. Irwin is obviously younger and even more attractive than Hector which could make things even more complicated for Hector. Hector is clearly gay and gropes his students, but what the students do not know is that Irwin too is gay. Hector obviously has realised that the students don't really mind him groping them as they are not objecting in any way. He could be scared that Irwin would do the same as he does and therefore because of his attractiveness the boys would like Irwin more than they like Hector. The fact that their teaching strategies are so different makes it even more interesting to compare the two together. At one point in the story, both teachers teach the boys at the same time. â€Å"We don't know who we are, sir. Your class or Mr. Irwin's.† At Irwin's lessons, the boys are more serious, as Irwin has a programme. At Hector's lessons they are more thoughtful and they decide how to start the lessons. So when both teachers are teaching at the same time it gets a little difficult and they boys don't really know how to behave. Mrs. Lintott is not very surprised at the fact that Irwin is intelligent. Read also History Quizzes â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye is a 1951 novel by J. D. Salinger. Originally published for adults, the novel has become a common part of high school and college curricula throughout the English-speaking world†7 It's quite strange that the book was originally published for adults and now is used widely in schools and colleges. â€Å"Let each child that's in your care have as much neurosis as the child can bear.† This is a section from Auden's poem Letter to Lord Byron. He could be meaning that it's no harm if you bring up your children in a hard way as it will be good as long as it does not go too far. So really, the books that are not liked by the children and yet are forced upon them won't harm them and it will be useful to them one day. In the next section of the play, Irwin and the boys are talking about the Second World War and the reasons for why it really happened. Irwin starts off and lets the boys come to a conclusion. â€Å"Which, sir, since Wilfred Owen says men were dying like cattle, is the appropriate word.† Hector finds it important that they know poems by heart as it will be understood by them one day, and that is what really happens here. They use their knowledge that's given over by Hector not just in English but in their other lessons meaning that learning these poems by heart really is useful. The poem describes how so many men were dying during the war that they looked like masses of animal. â€Å"First Class†¦I am asleep.† The fact that he is asleep is because he has read exactly the same story for 8 times and he had rather read something what would be outside people's comfort zone. Especially when that essay can guarantee you a place in on of the top universities you need to think for yourself and try to stand out within the crowd, your competitors. â€Å"What has that got to do with anything?† Writing an essay on history should not per se be about the truth. History is truth as far as the writers are concerned and is usually written by those that were victorious (in a war for example). History is history for those who want to believe it is history from the victorious perspectives. If you read it from the perspective of the conquered you will hear another story and the other would be blamed. â€Å"We still don't like to admit the war was even partly our fault because so many of our people died. According to Irwin, the Second world lead to many people dying which is why people are sensitive about it but what they do not know is that there were people that actually enjoyed the war. According to him, and he is referring the poets, â€Å"most of them seem to have enjoyed the war.†13 Because of the war the poets had something to write about, that's where they got their inspiration from. If there was no war, they would not have been able to write such powerful poems without a lot of difficulty. When you have experienced something yourself it is much easier to write about it. Poems are the words of the poet and you can interpret it in any way you like yet you cannot exactly know what the poet meant with his words. â€Å"In other words†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Again, this is something they have learned in Hector's lessons. Irwin thinks the lessons of Hector are more fun than educational but this clearly says that they do learn things in his lesson. At schools teachers spoon-feed their students all the way through. When Rudge asks Irwin; â€Å"What do I write down?†15 Irwin responds with; â€Å"I must not write down every word that teacher says.†16 Irwin clearly wants them to think for themselves. He's happy to help them along and tell them what direction they need to go to, but at the end of the day, it has to be them that think it through and they should come to an own conclusion on their own. The History Boys â€Å"The History Boys† is about eight boys of high academic abilities who are preparing to sit the Oxbridge entry exam. They are taught by two homosexual teachers, Hector and Irwin, who have total different teaching strategies. Hector is an older man with strong feelings towards poetry and has no particular teaching program and gropes his students and it seems that the boys don't really enjoy it though at the end it shows that they are quite ok with that. Irwin, a much younger man, is more sensible about teaching. He is the new teacher that has been taken in to teach the students about how to stand out between their competitors with getting into Oxford. There is quite some competition between both the teachers with Hector being older and Irwin being more attractive and being very close in age with the boys. â€Å"He does, depressingly so† Hector seems very jealous and depressed at the fact that the new teacher Irwin is clever. This means that there is even more competition for Hector and that if he wants to impress the boys, he needs to work harder. Irwin is obviously younger and even more attractive than Hector which could make things even more complicated for Hector. Hector is clearly gay and gropes his students, but what the students do not know is that Irwin too is gay. Hector obviously has realised that the students don't really mind him groping them as they are not objecting in any way. He could be scared that Irwin would do the same as he does and therefore because of his attractiveness the boys would like Irwin more than they like Hector. The fact that their teaching strategies are so different makes it even more interesting to compare the two together. At one point in the story, both teachers teach the boys at the same time. â€Å"We don't know who we are, sir. Your class or Mr. Irwin's.† At Irwin's lessons, the boys are more serious, as Irwin has a programme. At Hector's lessons they are more thoughtful and they decide how to start the lessons. So when both teachers are teaching at the same time it gets a little difficult and they boys don't really know how to behave. Mrs. Lintott is not very surprised at the fact that Irwin is intelligent. Read also History Quizzes â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye is a 1951 novel by J. D. Salinger. Originally published for adults, the novel has become a common part of high school and college curricula throughout the English-speaking world†7 It's quite strange that the book was originally published for adults and now is used widely in schools and colleges. â€Å"Let each child that's in your care have as much neurosis as the child can bear.† This is a section from Auden's poem Letter to Lord Byron. He could be meaning that it's no harm if you bring up your children in a hard way as it will be good as long as it does not go too far. So really, the books that are not liked by the children and yet are forced upon them won't harm them and it will be useful to them one day. In the next section of the play, Irwin and the boys are talking about the Second World War and the reasons for why it really happened. Irwin starts off and lets the boys come to a conclusion. â€Å"Which, sir, since Wilfred Owen says men were dying like cattle, is the appropriate word.† Hector finds it important that they know poems by heart as it will be understood by them one day, and that is what really happens here. They use their knowledge that's given over by Hector not just in English but in their other lessons meaning that learning these poems by heart really is useful. The poem describes how so many men were dying during the war that they looked like masses of animal. â€Å"First Class†¦I am asleep.† The fact that he is asleep is because he has read exactly the same story for 8 times and he had rather read something what would be outside people's comfort zone. Especially when that essay can guarantee you a place in on of the top universities you need to think for yourself and try to stand out within the crowd, your competitors. â€Å"What has that got to do with anything?† Writing an essay on history should not per se be about the truth. History is truth as far as the writers are concerned and is usually written by those that were victorious (in a war for example). History is history for those who want to believe it is history from the victorious perspectives. If you read it from the perspective of the conquered you will hear another story and the other would be blamed. â€Å"We still don't like to admit the war was even partly our fault because so many of our people died. According to Irwin, the Second world lead to many people dying which is why people are sensitive about it but what they do not know is that there were people that actually enjoyed the war. According to him, and he is referring the poets, â€Å"most of them seem to have enjoyed the war.†13 Because of the war the poets had something to write about, that's where they got their inspiration from. If there was no war, they would not have been able to write such powerful poems without a lot of difficulty. When you have experienced something yourself it is much easier to write about it. Poems are the words of the poet and you can interpret it in any way you like yet you cannot exactly know what the poet meant with his words. â€Å"In other words†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Again, this is something they have learned in Hector's lessons. Irwin thinks the lessons of Hector are more fun than educational but this clearly says that they do learn things in his lesson. At schools teachers spoon-feed their students all the way through. When Rudge asks Irwin; â€Å"What do I write down?†15 Irwin responds with; â€Å"I must not write down every word that teacher says.†16 Irwin clearly wants them to think for themselves. He's happy to help them along and tell them what direction they need to go to, but at the end of the day, it has to be them that think it through and they should come to an own conclusion on their own. The History Boys How does Bennet use dramatic comedy to offer criticism of contemporary attitudes to education in The History Boys? In this essay I am going to explain how Alan Bennet uses dramatic comedy to criticise the contemporary attitudes towards education in the History Boys. The contemporary attitudes that are criticised are Utilitarianism, Humanism and Pragmatism. He does this by using a range of satirical devices. Satire is the use of humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.It is usually used to comment on society by observing their way of thinking and they way they behave. The History Boys is a satire because throughout the book each attitude is being criticised through the characters; The Headmaster, Hector, Irwin and The Boys. All attitudes are shown to be in disagreement with each other as they all have a different view on education. The first attitude towa rds education Bennet presents us with is the Utilitarian attitude. This is where you only consider what will be best for a group of people and not just the individual.At the start of the novel Bennet introduces us to the character of the Headmaster who criticises the utilitarian attitude towards education in Thatcher’s Britain. This is shown to us in the opening scene of the play which was set in the staff room and he headmaster was discussing the boy’s A Level results with their history teacher, Mrs Lintott (Dorothy). â€Å"Their A Levels are very good†. The fact that ‘very good’ is in italics and is emphasised upon by the headmaster suggests to the readers that he is taking pleasure for himself from what the boys have achieved.By showing this Bennet has led the audience to acknowledge that the headmaster takes pleasure in others success even though he appears utilitarian. As we continue into the scene with Mrs Lintott and the Headmaster, we are sh own that the headmaster praises her for her part in helping the boys to pass however it could be argued that he is patronising her at the same time by talking down to her. This is shown when he says â€Å"Thanks to you Dorothy†.Mrs Lintott suggests that they should continue with the way they are teaching in order to achieve better results however the Headmaster interrupts her by saying â€Å"yes yes† and continues to listing what he would like to happen. This is shown when he says â€Å"I am thinking league tables, open scholarships and reports to the Governors†. The fact that the headmaster lists what he wants portrays him, to the audience, as being a selfish character, he does not want what’s good for the boys but he wants things that will make him look good. The constant use of â€Å"I want† also backs up the idea of him being selfish.However he also talks about the boys doing themselves justice, this could make us as readers question whether he does genuinely care about the boys future or whether it is an act. This is shown when he says â€Å"I want them to do themselves justice I want them to do you justice†. Overall the audience could argue that in this scene, because there are differences between both the headmaster and Mrs Lintott there is a form of juxtaposition between them as the headmaster mocks Mrs Lintott’s attitude towards education which shows us that he does not care about what the boys achieve as individuals, he cares about what they achieve as a group.This therefore represents how Bennet has shown the Headmaster to criticise the Utilitarian view towards education. The second attitude towards education Bennet presents us with is the Humanism attitude. This is system of thought that centres on humans and their values, capacities, and worth. Bennet introduces us to the character of Hector. Within the very first page, Hector’s impression of education is set, where he refers to his subject a s â€Å"useless knowledge† and â€Å"A waste of time†.This immediately suggests to the reader Hector’s general apathy towards the subject, and, seeming to mock Houseman goes on to quote, â€Å"all knowledge is useful whether or not it serves the slightest human use†. However, as we learn that Hector is a man of â€Å"studied eccentricity†, and Bennett later goes on to write in the stage directions, â€Å"an elaborate pantomime, all this† it could be assumed that Hector’s views of education differ from those he presents within the first scene.It is soon revealed that Hector’s idea of education is â€Å"the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake† –showing that he is not opposed to teaching; he instead wishes to, as Timms puts it, make the boys â€Å"more rounded human beings†. This, then, gives context to Hector’s referring to General studies as â€Å"bread eaten in secret†: his teachings are not to help the boys’ progressive school careers (â€Å"forget about Oxford and Cambridge†), but to provide the boys with something more personal and lifelong.For instance, when Timms tells Hector that he doesn’t understand  poetry, Hector calms him by saying that he, himself, doesn’t always understand poetry, but to â€Å"know it now and understand it whenever†, going on to say, â€Å"We’re making your deathbeds here, boys†. Hector’s approach is a clear substitute and â€Å"antidote† to Irwin’s direct and driven approach. The third and final attitude towards education Bennet presents us with is the Pragmatism attitude. This is basically where things are dealt with realistically rather than theoretically. Irwin first arrives at the school as the boys are about to start studying for their entrance exams to Oxford and Cambridge University.He is immediately give the important job of teaching the boys just because he s ays he went to Oxford University. This is shown when the Headmaster says to Irwin â€Å"Well you were at Cambridge† and Irwin replies saying â€Å"Oxford, Jesus. † At this point it could be argued that this is Bennett’s way of demonstrating how where you learn can sometimes be worth more than what you learn, which supports the Pragmatic view towards education it The History Boys. The first time we see Irwin it is in the future when he is acting as a spin doctor for the Government, he is in a wheelchair which acts as a narrative hook to the end of the play.He is telling the members of government how to act and what their attitude should be like and he is trying to convince them to agree with the idea of getting rid of the system of trial by jury. This leads on to Bennet showing us that Irwin has a different style of teaching to hectors, he does not educate the boys, but he teaches them how to write essays and how to pass their exams. This is how Bennett shows tha t the education system has change so that young people are not being educated as well as they should be, they’re just being taught how to pass and nothing the might find useful later on in life.â€Å"You can write down, Rudge that I must not write down every word that teacher says. † This quotation is said by Irwin and it shows us that Irwin is saying to the boys until they don’t write down what they have learnt in their own words then they won’t understand anything and they won’t be able to be independent and do as well when it comes to doing their exams. This clearly shows that Irwin’s method of educating the boys is clearly different to the other teachers.However other characters such as Hector seem to feel that Irwin is trying to replace his as the boys favourite teacher as they become fonder of Irwin they don’t seem to be as fond of Hector as they were before Irwin arrived. In contradiction to Hector, the Headmaster is fond of Ir win as he seems to think that Irwin will be the best thing for the boys and the school’s position on the League Tables. This is shown when the headmaster says â€Å"Get me scholarships, Irwin, pull us up the table. † The boys as a group show a suitably irrelevant attitude towards education. The History Boys â€Å"The History Boys† is about eight boys of high academic abilities who are preparing to sit the Oxbridge entry exam. They are taught by two homosexual teachers, Hector and Irwin, who have total different teaching strategies. Hector is an older man with strong feelings towards poetry and has no particular teaching program and gropes his students and it seems that the boys don't really enjoy it though at the end it shows that they are quite ok with that. Irwin, a much younger man, is more sensible about teaching. He is the new teacher that has been taken in to teach the students about how to stand out between their competitors with getting into Oxford. There is quite some competition between both the teachers with Hector being older and Irwin being more attractive and being very close in age with the boys. â€Å"He does, depressingly so† Hector seems very jealous and depressed at the fact that the new teacher Irwin is clever. This means that there is even more competition for Hector and that if he wants to impress the boys, he needs to work harder. Irwin is obviously younger and even more attractive than Hector which could make things even more complicated for Hector. Hector is clearly gay and gropes his students, but what the students do not know is that Irwin too is gay. Hector obviously has realised that the students don't really mind him groping them as they are not objecting in any way. He could be scared that Irwin would do the same as he does and therefore because of his attractiveness the boys would like Irwin more than they like Hector. The fact that their teaching strategies are so different makes it even more interesting to compare the two together. At one point in the story, both teachers teach the boys at the same time. â€Å"We don't know who we are, sir. Your class or Mr. Irwin's.† At Irwin's lessons, the boys are more serious, as Irwin has a programme. At Hector's lessons they are more thoughtful and they decide how to start the lessons. So when both teachers are teaching at the same time it gets a little difficult and they boys don't really know how to behave. Mrs. Lintott is not very surprised at the fact that Irwin is intelligent. Read also History Quizzes â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye is a 1951 novel by J. D. Salinger. Originally published for adults, the novel has become a common part of high school and college curricula throughout the English-speaking world†7 It's quite strange that the book was originally published for adults and now is used widely in schools and colleges. â€Å"Let each child that's in your care have as much neurosis as the child can bear.† This is a section from Auden's poem Letter to Lord Byron. He could be meaning that it's no harm if you bring up your children in a hard way as it will be good as long as it does not go too far. So really, the books that are not liked by the children and yet are forced upon them won't harm them and it will be useful to them one day. In the next section of the play, Irwin and the boys are talking about the Second World War and the reasons for why it really happened. Irwin starts off and lets the boys come to a conclusion. â€Å"Which, sir, since Wilfred Owen says men were dying like cattle, is the appropriate word.† Hector finds it important that they know poems by heart as it will be understood by them one day, and that is what really happens here. They use their knowledge that's given over by Hector not just in English but in their other lessons meaning that learning these poems by heart really is useful. The poem describes how so many men were dying during the war that they looked like masses of animal. â€Å"First Class†¦I am asleep.† The fact that he is asleep is because he has read exactly the same story for 8 times and he had rather read something what would be outside people's comfort zone. Especially when that essay can guarantee you a place in on of the top universities you need to think for yourself and try to stand out within the crowd, your competitors. â€Å"What has that got to do with anything?† Writing an essay on history should not per se be about the truth. History is truth as far as the writers are concerned and is usually written by those that were victorious (in a war for example). History is history for those who want to believe it is history from the victorious perspectives. If you read it from the perspective of the conquered you will hear another story and the other would be blamed. â€Å"We still don't like to admit the war was even partly our fault because so many of our people died. According to Irwin, the Second world lead to many people dying which is why people are sensitive about it but what they do not know is that there were people that actually enjoyed the war. According to him, and he is referring the poets, â€Å"most of them seem to have enjoyed the war.†13 Because of the war the poets had something to write about, that's where they got their inspiration from. If there was no war, they would not have been able to write such powerful poems without a lot of difficulty. When you have experienced something yourself it is much easier to write about it. Poems are the words of the poet and you can interpret it in any way you like yet you cannot exactly know what the poet meant with his words. â€Å"In other words†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Again, this is something they have learned in Hector's lessons. Irwin thinks the lessons of Hector are more fun than educational but this clearly says that they do learn things in his lesson. At schools teachers spoon-feed their students all the way through. When Rudge asks Irwin; â€Å"What do I write down?†15 Irwin responds with; â€Å"I must not write down every word that teacher says.†16 Irwin clearly wants them to think for themselves. He's happy to help them along and tell them what direction they need to go to, but at the end of the day, it has to be them that think it through and they should come to an own conclusion on their own.

Philosophy Rhetoric Essay

For those politicians who find themselves faced with a question whose answer may be distressing to their audience, there is no substitute for the power of rhetoric   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The light-as-air rhetoric politicians tend to give in response to any question regarding national identity is a fine example. Asked what it is to be an American, most politicians will appeal to emotion with reflexes so skilled and precise that a kung-fu master would be hard-pressed to imitate them. Where logic is concerned, the rhetorical replies to this sort of question often begs many others. The politician will surely answer using words such as â€Å"hope†, â€Å"values†, â€Å"family† and â€Å"faith† but are those words even useful as descriptions? Do they speak to the actual experience of being an American or do they speak to some of the notions in which many find great comfort? How much of any politicians answer to this question is ritual and how much actual response? And, most importantly, are those things really characteristic of Americans or are they things Americans like to think about themselves, reality notwithstanding?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Where a reasonable, logical answer to the question of   what it means to be American may be pages long and the subject of spirited debate–not to mention heavily influenced by the time in which the question was posed–a rhetorical answer provides an easy dodge that leaves the politician with a faint glow of patriotism, the great persuader who is so often summoned by way of such simple rhetoric.

Poem “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe Essay

This is a magnificent piece of poetry. The hypnotic monotony of rhythm reflected the speaker’s frame of mind. The poem is clearly about the sorrow he experienced over the death of his wife and her ideal, spiritual love. The raven, being a symbol of death, and the lines, â€Å"Other friends have flown before-On the morrow he will leave me as my hopes have flown before,† meant that he was afraid death might abandon him, leaving him comfortless. Then he sits in front of the bird wondering why the raven croaked â€Å"Nevermore†. The raven is trying to tell him â€Å"she shall press, ah, nevermore†, but he thinks the bird is lying because his grief is so great, and he doesn’t believe that Lenore’s death is final. When he realized that the raven is trying to tell him that her death is final, he becomes angry and upset. He begs the raven to tell him if she is in heaven, whill the angels love her and take care of her the way she should be. In the last four lines of the poemwhere â€Å"the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting,† and the shadows that â€Å"shall be lifted-nevermore,† mean that the raven is a symbol of the wisdom and knowledge that he will always have memories of Lenore, but that her death is final. He will always mourn her.

LEGAL ISSUES FOR MANAGERS - Ethics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

LEGAL ISSUES FOR MANAGERS - Ethics - Assignment Example The manager also would be exercising breach of code as stated in clause 4 relating to the company’s competition and fair dealing As relates to Beal’s concerns, the parties involved are; the manager of the accounting department who is aware of the discrepancies in the accounts created in the accounting department and those presented to the board of directors. A few of the accountants are spending the company’s property and working time in running of their own businesses. The manager is aware that someone is responsible for breaching clause 6 of the code. Furthermore, such records amounts up to $100million fraud through overvaluing of assets could most likely lead to harsh disciplinary action like loss of employment or even criminal prosecution. The accountants on the other hand, are not only using the company’s time to conduct their own private businesses; but they also using the company’s assets as well. The accounts are in breach of almost all sub-clauses of clause 5. For instance, they use their business time for their own private work. In addition, as relates to clause 3, the ac countants are engaged in using the company’s computers. The Japanese company, which a major supplier extending an invitation to Linda Plant, the RH purchaser and her husband for a two-day trip to Sydney and Rolling stone’s band concert in Australia. This would mean a breach of sub-clause 5.3 of the conflict of interest clause. That is, Linda Plant as a purchaser was not to be involved in any form of acceptance (recipient) of gifts from a supplier; which would act towards the interests of the Japanese company benefiting; if Linda would be involved direct or indirectly in the purchase. In addition, any money or services extended to an employee, family member or to any company RH is involved in a transaction with is not

MLA Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MLA Research Paper - Essay Example ut the story, the readers do not expect that the Jefferson town people will locate Homer’s body lying in bed where it has been for the last forty years. Faulkner poses questions to the readers; â€Å" How would you judge Emily; as a murderer, or as a sufferer?† Townspeople, though characterizes Miss Emily as a very mean and stubborn, but always maintains a curiosity around her. The same is with the readers; liking or disliking Miss Emily is a matter of choice of individual readers; however, no one would be apathetic to this personage. From another perspective William Faulkner uses intrigue and irony to describe the South as he saw during the post-Reconstruction age. Thus, from a societal viewpoint, â€Å"A rose for Emily† describes the dark corner of the southern society. It reveals to the audience how south is rotting from inside out. The same is observed by Michael Bolin (1) in his analysis â€Å"The decay of the south: Duality and containment in â€Å"A rose for Emily†. Any literary analysis of â€Å"A Rose for Emily† will be incomplete without analyzing the protagonist of the story – Miss Emily Grierson; her physical and mental images. Changes of Emily’s mental and physical image present the allegory of the story; decay of the old south culture. Xie Qun (66-69), the associate professor of the School of Foreign Languages of the Zhongnan University of China in his work analyzes Emily’s internal and external changes through the change of her physical appearance. Faulkner describes her physical image through sarcastic comparison. He writes, â€Å"She looked bloated, like a body long submerged in motionless water. Her eyes, lost in the fatty ridges of her face, looked like two small pieces of coal pressed into a lump of dough (Faulkner 1).† It is perhaps Faulkner’s ironic way of describing physical transformation of a slender woman from a young age to an older age. Miss Emily’s mental image is an ironic contribution of her father’s influence over her. Xie

Relationships in Second Life and how they can affect Real Life Essay

Relationships in Second Life and how they can affect Real Life - Essay Example These immersive 3D environments, also known as Multi User Virtual Environments (MUVE) (Mennecke et al. 373) or Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs), allow large numbers of users from diverse backgrounds and locales to interact via the Internet (Ducheneaut, Wen, Yee, and Wadley 1151). However, for many inhabitants of Second Life, it is not just a 3D online game, but another world that â€Å"†¦has its own economy and millions of residents who own and create property, make friends and even get married† (CNN Living, 2008). These virtual worlds (VWs) have become conduits for socialization, collaboration, entertainment, social networking, and business development (Mennecke et al. 371). Second Life vs. Real Life In VWs like Second Life, users must build virtual representations of themselves through creation of customizable avatars, which gives them a 3D body that they control and provides a â€Å"tangible embodiment of their identity† (Ducheneaut, Wen, Yee, and Wadl ey 1151). Through the avatars, users can discover an ever-growing assortment of virtual sites, fabricate all sorts of items, from clothing to buildings, and create businesses to sell their goods or services, forge relationships with other players through their interactions with their avatars, and buy virtual property (Hayes 154). According to Dell, as many as 13 million people have logged on to Second Life at least one time and about 450,000 subscribers are from more than 50 countries are online in any given week, ranging in age from 18 – 72, 27% of which are female (Hayes 154). Researchers have begun to conduct studies to analyze the way self-perception formed through interactions in VWs affects behaviors in the real world (Dell). According to Ducheneaut, Wen, Yee, and Wadley, "the choices users make when creating and customizing their avatar will have repercussions on their interactions with other users† (1151), which can cause users to create online personas that are sometimes the complete opposite of who they are in real life. The ability to â€Å"†¦do, create or become just about anything you can imagine† (Hayes 154) in the VW can result in people adapting qualities that spill over and change their demeanor in the real world (Dell). This reaction frequently occurs without the person being aware of the shift and research has determined that as little as 90 seconds spent interacting with avatars online is sufficient to bring forth behavioral changes offline due to augmentation to the individual’s self-perception and self-confidence (Dell). Additionally, researchers have determined that physical characteristics, like height and appearance, can have significant effects on the online behavior of the person as well as how they interact with others offline (Dell). Studies conducted regarding behaviors determined that individuals that used avatars considered to be physically attractive tended to display a higher degree of self-assu rance than they normally did after inhabiting the avatar (Dell). This was also true for people that used tall avatars, with these individuals displaying behaviors more aggressive than their usual demeanor and the converse being true for people using short avatars (Dell). VWs can potentially be used to improve health for some adults by allowing them to watch avatars that closely resemble their own likeness exercise, which, in studies, resulted in the individuals also exercising within 24-hours of the interaction (Dell). More recently,

How can scarcity be a problem in the capitalist economy when the shops Essay

How can scarcity be a problem in the capitalist economy when the shops are well stocked, there are over 2.5 million people unemp - Essay Example Thus the concept of exchange arises here. The capitalist countries on one hand have enough amount of capital but they have scarcity of labour which the socialist or the developing economies have. Thus there arises a concept of exchange that would ensure that the production takes place in both the economies in a successful manner. There have been paradoxical evidences however which shows that even in the capitalist countries there is excess supply of labour and the level of unemployment is quite high. This essay is an analysis of this paradox that arises in the context of capitalist economies and the level of scarcity. Discussion of the position In order to proceed with the main problem of the essay it is important to look into the different theories that are necessary to build up the argument. The economic system is a method of the allocation of limited resources of the necessary goods like grain and butter to the economic agents that make up the society. There are various types of e conomic systems like the socialist system, the capitalist system as well as the mixed economy system. In the socialist system the entire decision regarding the allocation of the resources lies with the government existing in the economy. The government acts as the owner of the means of production in such a case (Snooks, 1999, pp. 393-399). Thus the distribution of the grain and butter is mainly done by the government of the country to the people of the country. The production of even the basic grain and butter is done by the factories that are under the ownership of the government. Erstwhile China as well as Cuba and North Korea are examples of such economics where the principles of communism are being practised. The government in such countries is the sole decision maker regarding the level of production and the allocation of resources (Conklin, 1991, p. 427). Alternatively, in case of the capitalist economies the process of production is undertaken by the private players. In almos t all the capitalist economies there is a government but the function of the government is restricted to the regulatory aspects of the country and to ensure that the laws are obeyed. The main function is limited to the collection of the taxes and the protection of the citizens (Stephen, 1998, pp. 31-49). The market power lies mainly with the players that are dominant in the market. The UK, the US as well as the German economies constitute the capitalist nations (Slater and Tonkiss, 2001, pp. 31-40). The characteristics of these nations are that free market is allowed to operate and the prices in the economy are determined by the forces of the demand and supply. The prices of grain and butter would be determined by the market forces of demand and supply. Thus the optimal production would take place at the point where the quantity demanded would be equal to the quantity supplied. Therefore the intervention of the government is this context is almost zero. Source: Winch, 1984, p. 14 Th e optimal price of bread in this economy would be $2.50. However the buyers would be able to buy 2 breads at $3. But this would be subject to the budget constraint of the consumers who buy the product. Alternatively a developed country is one in which the major part of the GDP is contributed by the industry or the services sector rather than the agricultural sector. Thus the developed countries are those which have passed through the various stages of development

The influence of Hip Hop culture on middle eastern youth Essay

The influence of Hip Hop culture on middle eastern youth - Essay Example The consequent influence of hip hop culture on Middle East youth seeps into religion and society through the music. The hip hop culture offers a harmonious contradiction of values for Middle East youth through dress code, music, image, hip hop artistes, militarism and sexuality.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From the debut of hip hop in the 1960's through the Civil Rights Movement, proponents of Afro-centric culture were either sworn Muslims or had Muslim sympathies. Malcolm X aka el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz, Amiri Baraka, Muhammad Ali, Elijah Muhammad, Talib Kweli, Oshea Jackson aka Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg Brad Terrence Jordan aka Scarface, Mos Def, Q-Tip aka Fareed Kamal, Akhenaton, Busta Rhymes, Nas ne Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones and Queen Latifah are a few widely known names. "The best place for a young Black male or female is in the Nation of Islam. (As) soon as we as a people use our knowledge of self to our advantage, we will then be able to be called Blacks" (Decker 53). Here, popular rapper, hip hop representative and professed Muslim, Ice Cube observes the link between cultural identity through Black Nationalism and hip hop. Hip hop is well-known for its violent tendencies and some sects of Islam are notorious for their militancy. The predisposition toward violence and holy war or jihad conveniently fits hip hip within the framework of Islam. Although, hip hop does not belong solely to Blacks, the majority of hip hoppers are of African American origin. â€Å"Hip hop and rap cannot be viewed simply as an expression of African American culture; it has become a vehicle for global youth affiliations and a tool for reworking local identities all over the world" (Mitchell 1). The all-encompassing effect of globalization can be felt in all countries, absorbing all cultures. The phenomenon of the entry of hip hop into Middle East mainstream music is as a result of Black Muslims who proudly celebrated their identities and waged their wars of words both on the stage and the world stage. One of the pioneers of Black Muslim hip hop is the group, Soldiers of Allah, lyrical jihadis who declare, 'The mic is our weapon, our words are our ammunition, and the stage is our battle field.' This is the objective of Muslim hip-hop group, M-Team, which is short for Mujahideen Team (Miah 26). Again the Muslim word warriors highlight the themes of violence, jihadism and holy warfare. The Muslim holy warfare agrees with the hip hop gangster culture which applauds shootings, turf conflicts, and gang wars in urban neighborhoods. Unfortunately, globalization has brought in its trail mostly American hip hop culture; therefore the hip hop dress, the hip hop slang, drug dependency, partying, liberal sex culture, and some the hip hop doctrines become endorsed by the world of listeners. At the same time, hip hop has been frequently used as an open arena to voice social subjects such as  racial identity, racial discrimination, politics, history and religion. Turkey, Saud i Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Yemen are all Middle East countries which shelters an underground hip hop culture. Censorships muffle hip hoppers and rappers to a certain extent; however, the technological breakthrough of the internet broke down and continues to erode walls which block the internet audience from hearing Muslim hip hop lyrics. Owing to the heterogeneous mixture of both the religious and the secular in Muslim hip hop, a new genre of music emerged.   Ã‚   "Youths use hip hop as a cultural repertoire from

Changes in Intercollegiate Athletic Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Changes in Intercollegiate Athletic - Assignment Example The participation of gaming at colleges has to lead to the formation of national teams taking part in Olympics, tournaments, and creation of professional leagues. The paper dwells on the discussion on changes that have taken place in the intercollegiate athletic. Introduction of athletic scholarship among universities has seen many students discover and nurture their talents besides seeking education. The opportunity has improved sports activities among students, encouraging more female scholars to take up athletic practices. Arianne & Zullo estimates that 78 percent of athletics in universities enroll on scholarship from research done in Penn State. School sports help in achieving education mission as the team such as basketball, hockey development innovative programs that aid in instilling discipline and hard work among scholars. Provision of incentives to athletics and distribution of funds to institutions belonging to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has resulted in the commercialization of sporting activities. Lavish spending is among the main problems facing college sports because many universities pour a large amount of money on types of equipment and facilities in order to produce excellent players in soccer, basket ball forgetting to adhere to the institution’s budget. Failure to plan sports’ events has seen colleges run in sports deficit because funds are to cater for scholarship as well as support sporting, forcing the state and donor to offset the debts even worse use fee levied from all students. In the recent past, athletic achievement has been recognized in the job market thus creating an opportunity for the participants rather than dwell on academics performance alone. The experience both educational and athletic earned during the tenure is essential in the everyday life.

Involvement of the U.S Military in Border Protection and the Drug Essay

Involvement of the U.S Military in Border Protection and the Drug Policy Since 1960s - Essay Example Involvement of the U S Military in Border Protection and the Drug Policy Since 1960s Introduction The United States’ borders are extensively guarded following effective legislations that target safeguarding Americans. The U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) present the federal enforcement agency in the department of homeland security that regulates foreign trade, trade customs, immigration, import duty collections, and external regulations enforcement (Guerette & Clarke, 2005). The agency has a good number of officers, over 4600 well-trained officers who guard the borders of the U.S to ensure border security. However, the United States military strongly claim involvement in the border security and international security maintenance in the country. With the changes in the drug policy in the United States, the body stands at the pole position to ensure that illegal drugs do not get into the country easily. Enforcement of the immigration rules solely falls in the docket of th e United States military. The immigration rules in the United States contribute much on the security of the people. Since 1900s, the U.S government has adopted strict regulations on immigration that has led to incorporation of the state’s military to stiffen security at the border. Ceasar (2008) argues that tougher rules led to growth of the illegal market especially drugs and narcotics trade. The border patrol thus was adopted to boost security at the border and prevent further turmoil. Later in the 1920s, the United States feared that the countries ravaged with war threatened their position thus adopting tighter immigration rules. For example, the adopted legislations ensured that foreigners could not get into the country without being cleared at the border. Particularly, current policies on immigration state that people should not enter the United States unless they get clearance at the border. Consequently, the United States military assumes the role of ensuring that no p erson gets into the country illegally, and curtailing black market at the borders by conducting constant patrols. The United States military takes part in border protection to prevent entry of illegal drugs in the country. The war against illegal drugs dates back to the 1920s when the congress passed the drugs act that blocked importation of drugs from outside the country. Many people perceived this as a move to protect the people, but there existed certainty as to who could oversee the same. The American government tightened drug policy in 1960s thus the military came into force to ensure that the prohibited drugs do not enter the country. However, the black market expanded because the people found no other way to get to the illegal drugs. In this sense, it is apparent that activities of the military officers at the borders related directly with the prevalence of the black market. Rising concerns on the health of the United States plant and animal resources heightened level of invo lvement of the United States military in border protection in the country (Ceasar, 2008). Many people in the country raised concerns that their plants and animals got infections from foreign countries, which threatened human health. Any concerns about the health of plants and animals meant that the level of involvement for the military increased to enhance a safer environment. In this respect, the U S military embanked on undertaking passenger operations, targeting and analysis, and

Factors That Influence Exchange Rates Essay Example for Free

Factors That Influence Exchange Rates Essay Aside from factors such as interest rates and inflation, the exchange rate is one of the most important determinants of a countrys relative level of economic health. Exchange rates play a vital role in a countrys level of trade, which is critical to most every free market economy in the world. For this reason, exchange rates are among the most watched, analyzed and governmentally manipulated economic measures. But exchange rates matter on a smaller scale as well: they impact the real return of an investors portfolio. Here we look at some of the major forces behind exchange rate movements. A higher currency makes a countrys exports more expensive and imports cheaper in foreign markets; a lower currency makes a countrys exports cheaper and its imports more expensive in foreign markets. A higher exchange rate can be expected to lower the countrys balance of trade, while a lower exchange rate would increase it. Determinants of Exchange Rates Numerous factors determine exchange rates, and all are related to the trading relationship between two countries. Remember, exchange rates are relative, and are expressed as a comparison of the currencies of two countries. The following are some of the principal determinants of the exchange rate between two countries. Note that these factors are in no particular order; like many aspects of economics, the relative importance of these factors is subject to much debate. 1. Differentials in Inflation;-As a general rule, a country with a consistently lower inflation rate exhibits a rising currency value, as its purchasing power increases relative to other currencies. During the last half of the twentieth century, the countries with low inflation included Japan, Germany and Switzerland, while the U.S. and Canada achieved low inflation only later. Those countries with higher inflation typically see depreciation in their currency in relation to the currencies of their trading partners. This is also usually accompanied by higher interest rates. 2. Differentials in Interest Rates;-Interest rates, inflation and exchange rates are all highly correlated. By manipulating interest rates, central banks exert influence over both inflation and exchange rates, and changing interest rates impact inflation and currency values. Higher interest rates offer lenders in an economy a higher return relative to other countries. Therefore, higher interest rates attract foreign capital and cause the exchange rate to rise. The impact of higher interest rates is mitigated, however, if inflation in the country is much higher than in others, or if additional factors serve to drive the currency down. The opposite relationship exists for decreasing interest rates that is, lower interest rates tend to decrease exchange rates. 3. Current-Account Deficits;-The current account is the balance of trade between a country and its trading partners, reflecting all payments between countries for goods, services, interest and dividends. A deficit in the current account shows the country is spending more on foreign trade than it is earning, and that it is borrowing capital from foreign sources to make up the deficit. In other words, the country requires more foreign currency than it receives through sales of exports, and it supplies more of its own currency than foreigners demand for its products. The excess demand for foreign currency lowers the countrys exchange rate until domestic goods and services are cheap enough for foreigners, and foreign assets are too expensive to generate sales for domestic interests. 4. Public Debt;-Countries will engage in large-scale deficit financing to pay for public sector projects and governmental funding. While such activity stimulates the domestic economy, nations with large public deficits and debts are less attractive to foreign investors. The reason? A large debt encourages inflation, and if inflation is high, the debt will be serviced and ultimately paid off with cheaper real dollars in the future. In the worst case scenario, a government may print money to pay part of a large debt, but increasing the money supply inevitably causes inflation. Moreover, if a government is not able to service its deficit through domestic means (selling domestic bonds, increasing the money supply), then it must increase the supply of securities for sale to foreigners, thereby lowering their prices. Finally, a large debt may prove worrisome to foreigners if they believe the country risks defaulting on its obligations. Foreigners will be less willing to own securities denominated in that currency if the risk of default is great. For this reason, the countrys debt rating (as determined by Moodys or Standard Poors, for example) is a crucial determinant of its exchange rate. 5. Terms of Trade;-A ratio comparing export prices to import prices, the terms of trade is related to current accounts and the balance of payments. If the price of a countrys exports rises by a greater rate than that of its imports, its terms of trade have favorably improved. Increasing terms of trade shows greater demand for the countrys exports. This, in turn, results in rising revenues from exports, which provides increased demand for the countrys currency (and an increase in the currencys value). If the price of exports rises by a smaller rate than that of its imports, the currencys value will decrease in relation to its trading partners. 6. Political Stability and Economic Performance;-Foreign investors inevitably seek out stable countries with strong economic performance in which to invest their capital. A country with such positive attributes will draw investment funds away from other countries perceived to have more political and economic risk. Political turmoil, for example, can cause a loss of confidence in a currency and a movement of capital to the currencies of more stable countries. Conclusion The exchange rate of the currency in which a portfolio holds the bulk of its investments determines that portfolios real return. A declining exchange rate obviously decreases the purchasing power of income and capital gains derived from any returns. Moreover, the exchange rate influences other income factors such as interest rates, inflation and even capital gains from domestic securities. While exchange rates are determined by numerous complex factors that often leave even the most experienced economists flummoxed, investors should still have some understanding of how currency values and exchange rates play an important role in the rate of return on their investments.

Social interaction and the Internet in Asia Essay Example for Free

Social interaction and the Internet in Asia Essay The abstract is excellently presented, and sheds the light onto the study purpose. The author used the abstract to briefly justify the choice of the research country (Singapore). Introduction In the introduction, the author justified the need for such research by the fact that â€Å"little empirical research had been done outside of Europe and the USA†. The author has clearly identified the aim of the research in the form of a question: â€Å"what is the Internet usage pattern of young Singaporeans and what is the extent of its impact on their social lives? † Literature review The author did not perform a detailed literature review due to the absence of sufficient relevant literary sources related to the topic of research. The author summarised the results of the previous studies to create the relevant theoretical basis for her research. Research question The author was not very specific in determining the research question. She limited her study by investigating the social interactions between young Singaporeans and the impact of Internet upon their socialisation. Trying to be very specific, the author suggested that it would be interesting to research, whether young Singaporeans preferred Internet socialisation to traditional means of social interaction. Methodology The author did not create any clear hypotheses, and did not predict any possible research outcomes. The choice of respondents was mainly based on their age (between 15 and 30), without any specific attention to their gender or social position. However, it was important that all of them studied in Universities and were provided with individual Internet accounts. The author used questionnaires which are traditional methods of qualitative analysis. Findings Research findings were presented in qualitative and quantitative form. The author did not mention any significant problems encountered in analysing and evaluating the research findings. The author did not perform profound statistical analysis, but used simple mathematical interpretations of her results as the basis for qualitative research. By quoting interviews with several research participants, the author of the article significantly increased the relevance of the research results. References All in-text citations were referenced in bibliography. The reference list mainly included primary sources, among which previous researches in the area of Internet and communication prevailed. Summary The analysed study is the excellent basis for the further research in the area of communication and social sciences. The article determines the future directions in investigating the socialisation processes under the impact of Internet technologies. New for old? Converging media and e-mail practices in the workplace Abstract The aim of the discussed research was to investigate the impact of e-mail applications on the workplace practices through the three different perspectives: â€Å"e-mail as a medium, e-mail as a set of practices, and e-mail as speech versus writing† (Yell, 2003). The author used the abstract to create the system of questions, which had to be answered during the research process. Introduction The topic of the research was excellently specified in the introduction, and was not too broad. The author also delineated specific theories, on which the research had to be based (Bourdieu’s concepts of dispositions and the habitus, and Schirato and Yell’s concept of cultural literacy). Literature review The author did not use any formal framework for literature review. Moreover, the article lacked any theoretical justification of the study. A separate â€Å"background† chapter provided the reader only with a surface understanding of the research topic, and was not referred to any significant theoretical perspectives. Research question The researcher sought to identify, what means research participants would choose to fulfill a range of tasks and to communicate at workplace. The author has clearly determined the research question and narrowed her research as determined in the article’s abstract. Methodology The methods of the research were clearly identified in the background section of the article: the use of interviews had to ensure validity of research findings, but could potentially decrease the generalisability of research results. The age of participants was between 30 and 65, and they were asked to describe their communication and work preferences in terms of emails or other communication strategies. The author did not conceal statistical insignificance of the research sample, and has concentrated upon determining qualitative tendencies and validity of the communication choices made by participants. Findings Yell (2003) presented research findings in the form of qualitative assessment. The use of tables was called for increasing the generalisability of interviews, but the author did not specify whether she had encountered any significant problems in evaluating the research results. The discussion section of the research was presented in the form of several small chapters, with each devoted to a separate research perspective. There is no reason to doubt the validity and reliability of research findings due to the fact that interviews are relatively unbiased tools of qualitative research. The author constantly linked research findings to the theoretical perspectives identified in the introduction, which made the discussion relevant and theoretically justified. References All in-text citations were included into the list of references at the end of the article. Summary Despite the lack of theoretical basis, the author performed profound research of the communication preferences among workers. The results of the study can be further refined by linking them to certain theoretical perspective. The researcher has generalised the research findings and pointed out the most important aspects of the study, without shedding the light onto potential applications of the research results. The author has identified important contradictions in describing e-mail as homogeneous medium, and has suggested that e-mail had to be analysed from multiple perspectives. Organisational communication satisfaction in the virtual workplace Abstract The abstract was excellently structured. It served a brief summary of the research, research findings, implications, and controversies. Introduction The authors did not elaborate on theoretical or practical research implications in the introduction; the introduction served a brief summary of the similar research works. The potential challenges of the virtual workplace were identified and analysed in a separate section of the paper. Literature review The author did not perform any formal literature review. The authors did not make any predictions or suggestions towards the future research outcomes, but identified the set of variables drawn from the previous surveys. That set of variables was later used to analyse and interpret the research findings. Research question The authors determined the research question in the article’s abstract: â€Å"to compare the levels of communication satisfaction between virtual workplace and traditional employers in a single firm. † This research question was later analysed through the pre-determined set of variables. Methodology Akkirman and Harris used the set of hypotheses based on the previous studies and the research survey conducted â€Å"in the Turkish subsidiary of an international company based in Germany†. The distinguishing feature of the research article was in that the authors had identified the exact set of variables closely tied to their hypotheses: communication climate, organisational integration, etc. (Akkirman Harris, 2005). Findings The research findings were presented in quantitative form, in the form of tables, and statistical analysis. The results were assessed in a concise and organised manner, with each variable discussed and evaluated separately. In this manner, the researchers have explained each variable identified in the research methodology section. References The reference list included all in-text citations, as well as the Appendix with the research survey questionnaire. This questionnaire helped objectively evaluate the relevance and validity of survey results. Summary The advantageous feature of the article is in the fact that the researchers discussed and evaluated the research results in the structured form: implications and limitations of the research were also analysed. As the results of the research were contrary to the majority of previous studies, the authors emphasised the most important variables to be researched in the future studies (the role of transition and support in the level of satisfaction among virtual office workers). The authors of the article summarised their findings in conclusion, but did not identify any problems or biases they faced during the research and evaluation process. Intercultural communication competence and managerial functions within the Australian hospitality industry Abstract The abstract was brief and written in concise manner. The authors briefly delineated major theoretical foundations of the future research. Introduction The aim of the research was very clearly identified in the introductory section of the article. The authors defined the major terms to be used in the study, making the research clear and understandable to the reader. Literature review The theoretical perspectives constituted the significant portion of the article, and initially made it difficult to identify the major theoretical directions which were used in the research. It seems that the authors have gathered all information available on the topic, without specifying the most important data, and the exact theoretical basis of research. Theoretical background of intercultural communication was presented from different perspectives (cultural, psychological, anthropological, etc. ), which have created a confused theoretical image of the study. Ultimately, the researchers neither made theoretical predictions, nor drew hypotheses from previous studies. Research question The authors of the research sought to consider the nature of intercultural communication competence in the Australian hospitality industry. Methodology The authors have limited their research methodology to in-depth analysis of interviews and organisational documentation, ethnomethodology, and historical analysis. In addition, the authors did not inform the readers about the number and characteristics of the research sample. A number of important research variables were identified only in the section devoted to the discussion of interpretive findings. Findings The research findings were interpreted through the prism of qualitative analysis, but as no data on the research sample was available, it was difficult to evaluate the validity and reliability of the research results. It should be pointed out that the authors have discussed implications of their research for management training. Those implications could make their research results applicable, if their validity could be objectively assessed. The conclusion of the article was aimed at summarising the major research findings, and emphasising the limitations of the study: â€Å"the Australian hospitality managers in this study were found to have shortcomings in their ability to apply intercultural communication competence to key managerial functions† (Saunders Sauee, 2000). References All in-text citations were referenced in bibliography. The authors listed all literature sources in alphabetical order. Summary The research could create solid basis for future practical investigations if the theoretical perspectives were clearer. Research findings suggested that intercultural communication in the hospitality industry should be linked to a single theoretical perspective, that could make future researches more transparent and theoretically justified. Organisational websites. How and how well do they communicate? Abstract The author of the research used the abstract to determine the aim of the study, and to briefly justify the need for such research. The author also suggested the need to perform further sophisticated analysis of Websites and communication challenges they face. Introduction The particularity of the discussed research is in the fact that it has appeared too personalised from the very beginning: The author initially turned it into a form of narration, which could be understandable even to a non-professional reader. Literature review The author did not perform any literature review; consequentially, the research findings could hardly be tied to any theoretical perspectives. Research question The author has expressed the research purpose in the form of a question: â€Å"how are websites currently being described and analysed, particularly by researchers? † The author has clearly underlined the criteria for choosing the research information, which ultimately served the research sample. That search was limited to formal business and general websites (Durham, 2000). Methodology The article did not have any separate section devoted to the discussion of the research methodology. As a result, the reader (either professional or non-professional) could not clearly understand how the research was conducted. It is implied that the author of the article used qualitative analysis. However, as the exact methodology of the research was not explained, it was impossible to draw any conclusions as for the validity and reliability of the research findings. Findings The research findings lacked relevant theoretical basis and could hardly be systematised. Later in the article, the author recognised the lack of theoretical frameworks, but the research could significantly benefit of a separate section devoted to literature review. References The author has included the long list of literary sources, used in the research. The author utilised both primary and secondary sources of scientific information related to the research topic. Summary The research conclusion was brief, and was also written in the simple (and rather vague) form, which is not characteristic of the majority of scientific works in the area of communication strategies. â€Å"The overview of current work suggests rich areas for future research: site macrostructure, navigation and issues of intertextuality via the linkages made, etc† – the list of those suggestions was useful for the future studies. Due to the evident lack of theoretical basis, the discussed research looked as a system of practical suggestions, which might become the starting point in the creation of the valid theoretical structure in the area of communicational strategies. References Akkirman, AD Harris, DL 2005, Organisational communication satisfaction in the virtual workplace, Journal of Management Development, vol. 24, no. 5, pp. 397-409. Durham, M 2000, Organisational websites. How and how well do they communicate? Australian Journal of Communication, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 1-14. Frey, LR, Bolan, Carl H, Fredman, PG Krep, GL 1992, Interpreting communication research: a case study approach, Prentice Hall, pp. 15-19. Goby, VP 2000, Social interaction and the Internet in Asia, A study of young Singaporeans, Australian Journal of Communication, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 79-90. Saunders, S Saee, J 2000, Intercultural communication competence and managerial functions within the Australian hospitality industry, Australian Journal of Communication, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 111-128. Yell, S 2003, New for old? Converging media and e-mail practices in the workplace, Australian Journal of Communication, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 93-107.

Characteristics and Gambling Habits of Bingo Players

Characteristics and Gambling Habits of Bingo Players An Investigation into the Characteristics and Gambling Habits of Bingo Players in the UK Introduction Bingo is a popular pastime in the UK, and has grown as an industry over recent years, moving away from local community centres to dedicated bingo halls and numerous online sites. As with all industries, to ensure that there is a continual renewal of customers, those in the bingo industry must be able to target their marketing strategies effectively. This means that they need to be able to identify who their target audience is for them to be able to deliver an effective marketing campaign which is aimed predominantly at those people (Aaker et al., 2000). Studies in the past have suggested that bingo is considered to be a rather low-level leisure activity. As a result, it has also been previously associated heavily with being a pastime of predominantly working class women (Dixey, 1987). In addition, it is generally associated with pensioners, largely due to the sedentary but social nature of the game (Cousins Witcher, 2007). Although this may have been the case a number of years ago, there is little recent empirical evidence to determine whether this is still the main market for bingo. Given the changing nature of the game and its delivery, it is plausible that changes in the main demographic of players may also be in a process of change. This study therefore uses pre-collected data to evaluate whether this may be the case. Rationale of Study Gathering information on the demographics of people who play bingo, or are interested in playing bingo, is likely to be useful to bingo halls for targeting their marketing campaigns. In addition, with the advent of online gambling, understanding whether current online gamblers would be likely to participate in bingo games if they were available may be important in design of online gaming sites. Marketing opportunities online may also be improved if evidence is available of the demographics of the target audience. Consideration will also be given to the expenditure of different demographic groups on bingo, as this information may be useful in the industry for determining customer value. Study Hypothesis Based on the previous literature, it is hypothesised that the main demographic of bingo players will be predominantly women, but that there will be a substantial number of younger players. It is also expected that there will be an association between those gaming online and those playing bingo. Finally, it is expected that there will be no difference in the expenditure on bingo between age groups. Methodology Origins of the Data The data which is used in this study was taken from the British Gambling Prevalence Study 2007, which was the largest study of its kind to be conducted in the UK to the present date. The study was commissioned by the National Centre for Social Research and aimed to collect information on gambling habits and demographics in order to assess the prevalence of problem gambling within the UK. Study Population The study was designed to be representative of all adults in the UK aged 16 years and older who were living within private households. Study Sample All residences in the UK were separated into Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) and 317 of these were randomly selected for the study. The probability of selecting each was apportioned according to the number of addresses within them, but no other demographics were taken into account. For each PSU which was selected, 32 addresses were selected randomly, and this gave a total of 10,144 addresses. After non-completion, the total sample available in the data-set was 9003. Study Instrument The study was conducted using a multiple-choice questionnaire. This clearly explained at the beginning the goal of the study, and explained clearly how the survey form should be completed. A coding document was then compiled to code the answers into statistical software packages, and this was included alongside the data-set. A copy of the questionnaire which was used is available from http://www.data-archive.ac.uk/findingData/snDescription.asp?sn=5836. The data which was included in the data-set was already weighted to account for non-response and bias, and this was completed by the researchers who completed the data collection and original analysis. Results Proportion of Bingo Players in the Sample The results of the analysis indicate that only a small minority of the population sampled had played bingo in the last twelve months, with a total of 7.5% of the sample. This is shown graphically in Figure 1. Table 2 then details the frequency with which that small group had played bingo. It may be seen that 45% of those who had played bingo in the last twelve months had done so less than once a month. A total of 36.4% of those who played bingo in the last twelve months had done so once a week or more, and a further 15.6% reported playing at least once a month. This information is then presented graphically in Figure 2. Table 1. The frequency with which respondents reported playing bingo in the last twelve months. For those who had played bingo in the last twelve months, the mean age was 47.78 with a standard deviation of 18.08, while it was 47.75 for those who had not played bingo in the last twelve months, with a standard deviation of 18.33. Performing an independent two-sample t-test on the data produced a p-value of 0.963, which indicates that the null hypothesis may not be rejected. This means that there is no significant difference between the mean age of the two groups at the 95% confidence level. Age of Bingo Players Table 2 displays the mean age of each group when those playing bingo within the last twelve months were grouped according to frequency of playing. Alongside the mean, the standard deviation is also given. This information is presented in the box-plot in Figure 3. This shows that the mean age of the players appears to increase as the frequency of playing increases. In addition, it would also appear that the variation in age is smallest in the group who play at least twice a week. Performing a one-way ANOVA analysis indicates that there is an association between age and the frequency of playing bingo and that the null hypothesis of no association may be rejected at the 5% level (p Table 2. Mean and standard deviation of the age of players grouped according to the frequency with which they play bingo. Gender of Bingo Players Of those who had played bingo in the last twelve months, 71.4% were female, and this percentage is show graphically in Figure 4. A chi-squared analysis indicates that there is evidence that the null hypothesis may be rejected at the 5% level (p Player Expenditure on Bingo Expenditure and Gender Analysis of the data shows that females who had played bingo in the last twelve months lost a mean of  £319 over the previous 7 days, with standard deviation 506. In contrast, males lost a mean of  £60.50 over the 7 days, with a standard deviation of 4.95. An independent samples t-test revealed that there is evidence at the 0.95 significance level against the null hypothesis of no association. This therefore indicates that there is a significant difference between the amount lost by males and females (p = 0.045). Expenditure and Age Figure 5 shows a scatter-plot of the total amount which each respondent reported losing at bingo in the last seven days plotted against their age. The black dots represent female participants while red dots represent males. It would appear from this plot that there is no association between the amount of money lost at bingo and the age of the player, for either males or females. A bivariate regression analysis of this data confirms this. It indicated that there was no evidence against the null hypothesis of no association, and so age was not found to be a significant predictor of the amount lost at bingo over the seven day period (p = .489). Figure 6 presents a scatter-plot of age against expenditure on bingo over the previous seven days when winnings are also taken into account in addition to losses. There was far more data available for this analysis, but it would still appear that there is no particular association between age and expenditure on bingo, for either males or females. This was confirmed by regression analysis, which indicated there was no evidence against the null hypothesis of no association (p = .187). Therefore it was concluded that there was no association between age and overall expenditure on bingo over the previous week. Expenditure and Frequency of Playing Bingo Figure 7 presents a box-plot of the amounts lost at bingo according to the frequency of playing bingo in the last twelve months. It would appear from this graph that those playing twice a week lost less than those who played less often, as the mean is lower and the variation is less. An ANOVA analysis however indicated that there was no evidence against the null hypothesis of association. This indicates that there is therefore no association between the frequency of playing bingo over the last twelve months and the amount lost at bingo (p = .925). Figure 8 presents a similar box-plot analysis which takes account of the winnings of players in addition to losses. When comparing the different frequency of playing groups it would appear that overall expenditure appears to be relatively consistent. The variation in expenditure does however appear to be somewhat larger in the group which play two times or more a week. One-way ANOVA analysis of this data confirms that there is no evidence against the null hypothesis of no association (p = .731). Therefore it may be concluded that frequency of playing bingo over the last twelve months did not impact on the overall expenditure of the player on bingo over the last week. Online Gamblers and Bingo Table 3 presents a cross-tabulation of the number of participants who reported having played bingo over the previous twelve months and those who reported having gambled online over the previous twelve months. This shows that of those who had reported playing bingo in the last twelve months, only 8% reported gambling online during that time (Figure 9). In contrast, 26.3% of those who had gambled online over the last twelve months reported that they had also played bingo during that period (Figure 10). A chi-squared analysis of this data indicates that there is strong evidence against the null hypothesis of no association (p Table 3. The number of respondents who had gambled online over the previous twelve months and the number who had played bingo over the previous twelve months. Figure 11 presents a scatter-plot of the net expenditure on bingo in comparison to the net expenditure on online gambling, both over the previous seven day period. From this chart it would appear that there is no association between the two. A regression analysis confirms that there is no evidence against the null hypothesis of no association (p = .882). Therefore it must be concluded that there is no significant association between the total expenditure of the respondents on online gambling and their total expenditure on bingo over the same time period. Discussion From this study it may be seen that there are certain demographic characteristics which are associated with playing bingo. It would appear from the results that bingo players are in the minority, with only 7.5% of the population estimated to have played in 2007, and only 2.7% of the population playing once a week or more. As hypothesised at the beginning, there was no particular age group which was associated with playing bingo. There is however evidence that it is an older age group which is associated with playing bingo regularly, with the mean age being in the mid- to late-fifties for those playing once a week or more. Despite this, there was no association between age and the amount spent on bingo in a week. This indicates that older people are still the main demographic for the industry but that they are not particularly more valuable than younger people. They may however be more valuable if their spend is consistent week after week, when compared to younger players who may play only once a month or less. There was also no association between frequency of playing and expenditure within the week. This is an important implication as it suggests that customers who can be attracted to regularly play bingo will be consistent with their spending, and not reduce spending as they play more over the year. Almost three quarters of players were female, and it was also females who were associated with much larger expenditure on bingo. This finding is however somewhat limited, as only information on the expenditure of two males was available for analysis. Therefore this finding may not have a high statistical power. Finally, there is evidence that there is an association between bingo players and those gambling online. This is important as it suggests that there is potential in both advertising for bingo online and also in online bingo rooms. The extent to which an individual gambles online does not however appear to be associated with how much they spend on bingo. Therefore online players may not be more valuable than those attracted through offline methods. Although this study has provided some useful insights for those interested in the demographics of bingo players, there are some limitations. One of the main limitations is that there was little social information available in the study which related to income and social status of the respondents. It is possible that this may impact on gambling habits, including playing bingo (Barry et al., 2007). This may be important in areas where there are either large levels of population in higher or lower social classes. Therefore further market research in particular areas may be useful in determining the potential for marketing in that particular area. References Aaker, J.L., Brumbaugh, A.M. Grier, S.A. (2000) Nontarget markets and viewer distinctiveness: The impact of target marketing on advertising. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 9(3), 127-140. Barry, D.T., Maciejewski, P.K., Desai, R.A. Potenza, M.N. (2007) Income differences and recreational gambling. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 1(3), 145-153. Cousins, S.O. Witcher, C.S.G. (2007) Who plays bingo in later life? The sedentary lifestyles of ‘little old ladies’. Journal of Gambling Studies, 23(1), 95-112. Dixey, R. (1987) It’s a great feeling when you win: Women and bingo. Leisure Studies, 6(2), 199-214. National Centre for Social Research (2007) British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2007. Available [online] from: http://www.data-archive.ac.uk/findingData/snDescription.asp?sn=5836 [Accessed 12/12/2008].

Virtual Reality - What It Is And How It Works :: essays research papers

Virtual Reality - What it is and How it Works Imagine being able to point into the sky and fly. Or perhaps walk through space and connect molecules together. These are some of the dreams that have come with the invention of virtual reality. With the introduction of computers, numerous applications have been enhanced or created. The newest technology that is being tapped is that of artificial reality, or "virtual reality" (VR). When Morton Heilig first got a patent for his "Sensorama Simulator" in 1962, he had no idea that 30 years later people would still be trying to simulate reality and that they would be doing it so effectively. Jaron Lanier first coined the phrase "virtual reality" around 1989, and it has stuck ever since. Unfortunately, this catchy name has caused people to dream up incredible uses for this technology including using it as a sort of drug. This became evident when, among other people, Timothy Leary became interested in VR. This has also worried some of the researchers who are trying to create very real applications for medical, space, physical, chemical, and entertainment uses among other things. In order to create this alternate reality, however, you need to find ways to create the illusion of reality with a piece of machinery known as the computer. This is done with several computer-user interfaces used to simulate the senses. Among these, are stereoscopic glasses to make the simulated world look real, a 3D auditory display to give depth to sound, sensor lined gloves to simulate tactile feedback, and head-trackers to follow the orientation of the head. Since the technology is fairly young, these interfaces have not been perfected, making for a somewhat cartoonish simulated reality. Stereoscopic vision is probably the most important feature of VR because in real life, people rely mainly on vision to get places and do things. The eyes are approximately 6.5 centimeters apart, and allow you to have a full-colour, three-dimensional view of the world. Stereoscopy, in itself, is not a very new idea, but the new twist is trying to generate completely new images in real- time. In 1933, Sir Charles Wheatstone invented the first stereoscope with the same basic principle being used in today's head-mounted displays. Presenting different views to each eye gives the illusion of three dimensions. The glasses that are used today work by using what is called an "electronic shutter". The lenses of the glasses interleave inflating air bladders in a glove, arrays of tiny pins moved by shape memory wires, and even fingertip piezoelectric vibrotactile actuators. The latter method uses tiny crystals that vibrate when

Essay on The Glass Menagerie and the Life of Tennessee Williams

The Glass Menagerie and the Life of Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie closely parallels the life of the author. From the very job Tennessee held early in his life to the apartment he and his family lived in. Each of the characters presented, their actions taken and even the setting have been based on the past of Thomas Lanier Williams, better known as Tennessee Williams. Donald Spoto described the new apartment building that Williams and his family relocated to in St. Louis, Missouri as having only two small windows, one window in the front of the apartment and another in the rear.   A fire escape blocked the smoky light that might have come in from the window facing the back alley (16).  Ã‚   In The Glass Menagerie, the apartment was described as facing an alley. Meyer brought to my attention that the entrance to the apartment was actually a fire escape. There was no front door in the apartment of The Glass Menagerie, only a fire escape to enter and exit through (1865).  Ã‚   This omission of a front door represents the feeling that Tennessee Williams had that he could not leave his family and strike out on his own in a normal fashion as most children do. Tennessee Williams felt that he had to literally escape in order to follow his own dream of writing as Tom too felt in the play. John Fritscher points out in his dissertation that Tennessee a nd Tom both were torn between their mother's interpretation of responsibility and their own instinct (5). Tom Wingfield, the narrator of the play, is representative of Tennessee Williams himself, down to them sharing the same first name. Tennessee Williams did not earn his nickname until his college days at the University of Missouri (Meyer 1864).  Ã‚   Both Tom and Tennessee William... ...ed his world and his experiences of it in whatever form seemed suitable to the material. (Kahn)    Works Cited: Cook, Sharon. "Permission to Quote Me." E-mail to author. 2 Apr. 1999 Fritscher Ph.D., John J. Love And Death In Tennessee Williams Diss.1967: Loyola University Library. Internet 1999. Available: jackfritscher.com/tennessee Kahn, Sy. Modern American Drama: Essays in Criticism. Edited by Willima E. Taylor. Deland, Florida. Everette/Edwards Inc., 1968. 71-88 Spoto, Donald. The Kindness of Strangers: The Life of Tennessee Williams. Boston: Little, Brown and Co.,1985 Tischler, Nancy M. Tennessee Williams: Rebellious Puritan. New York: The Citadel Press, 1965. Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Writing, Thinking. 5th ed. Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford, 1999. 1865-190

The Ages Of Poetry Essay -- essays research papers

The English Romantic poets of the 19th Century had a conception about nature that, over a century later, appears in the poetry of today. These poets have had a significant influence on the attitude and vocabulary a contemporary poet uses. Among the contemporary poets, Dana Gioia, in his two poems, "Becoming a Redwood," and "Rough Country," has drawn on the idea of the innocence and untainted part of nature that parallels the Romantic poetry of William Wordsworth and William Blake in their poems "Nutting," and "The Tyger." Also, Gioia has captured the wild-like and untamable demeanor of nature that many English Romantics have similarly captured. Finally, Gioia uses the concept of the sublime in his poetry to the extent that nature becomes dangerous to humans. Many English Romantic poets have written about the innocent and purity that can be found in nature. In Wordsworth's "Nutting," he comments on the beauty of the innocence of an "unvisited" nook his character discovers. Wordsworth writes, "Unvisited, where not a broken bough / Drooped with its withered leaves, ungracious sign / Of devastation; but the hazels rose / tall and erect, with tempting clusters hung, / A virgin scene!" (Ln17-31) Wordsworth is commenting on the innocence and beauty of nature without human intrusion. This Romantic conception of innocence parallels Gioia in his poem "Rough Country." He writes, " a spot so hard to reach that no one comes-- / a hiding place, a shrine for dragonflies / and nesting jays, a sign that there is still / one piece of property that won't be owned." (17-20) This last line implies that this part of nature will remain untouched, this part of nature will remain pure and innocent, and a Rom antic conception of nature that even Gioia has adopted in his poetry. Another conception that the English Romantics held about nature was that nature is wild and untamable. This wild-like aspect of nature is described in William Blake's "The Tyger." Blake writes, "Tyger, Tyger / Burning bright / In the forests of the night / What immortal hand or eye / Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?" (1-4) Blake creates this image of the Tyger as a wild beast, an untamable creature of the for... ... no silence but when danger comes." (25-27) This English Romantic concept of sublime that Gioia uses, makes humans to not only fear nature such as the Tyger or the mountains, but also to hold high respect for its beauty and magnificence. It is interesting to see how much of our history actually does repeat itself. It is amazing that even today, we are asking the same questions about nature and coming to similar conclusions as people did in the 19th century. Its not that nature hasn't changed, but the attitudes toward nature still build on many general English Romantic ideas. Dana Gioia, in particular, has taken some of the same attitudes toward nature as the Romantics have; he has developed the untamable and wildness of nature, the innocent and virgin, as well as the sublime in his two poems, "Becoming a Redwood," and "Rough Country." English Romantic poets such as William Wordsworth and William Blake influence each of his poems. Because of their strong influence on contemporary poets today, it would not be surprising to see their influence carry on in yet another century, and have the influence on poets for years to come.

American Education

American Education is provided mainly by the government, with control and funding coming from three levels: federal, state, and local. At the primary and secondary school levels, curricula, funding, teaching, and other policies are set through locally elected school boards with jurisdiction over school districts. School districts can be (but are not always) coextensive with counties or municipalities. Educational standards and standardized testing decisions are usually made by the states through acts of the state legislature and governor, and decisions of the state departments of education.Education of the learning disabled, blind, deaf, and emotionally disturbed is structured to adhere as closely as possible to the same experience received by normal students. Blind and deaf students usually have separate classes in which they spend most of their day, but may sit in on normal classes with guides or interpreters. The learning disabled often attend for the same amount of time as other students; however, they also usually spend most of their day in separate classrooms, commonly known as special education or special ed; here they often receive extra instruction or perform easier work.The goal of these programs, however, is to try and bring everyone up to the same standard and provide equal opportunity to those students who are challenged. Some students are identified early on as having dyslexia or being significantly slower learners than other students. The federal government supports the standards developed in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. The law mandates that schools must accommodate students with disabilities as defined by the act, and specifies methods for funding the sometimes large costs of providing them with the necessary facilities.Larger districts are often able to provide more adequate and quality care for those with special needs. It was noted that the country has a low literacy rate as compared with other develop ed countries, with a reading literacy rate at 86-98% of the population over age 15, while ranking below average in science and mathematics understanding. The poor performance has pushed public and private efforts such as the No Child Left Behind Act.In addition, the ratio of college-educated adults entering the workforce to general population (33%) is slightly below the mean of other developed countries (35%) and rate of participation of the labor force in continuing education is high. Under the No Child Left Behind Act, all American states must test students in public schools statewide to ensure that they are achieving the desired level of minimum education, such as on the Regents Examinations in New York or the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA); students being educated at home or in private schools are not included.The Act also requires that students and schools show â€Å"adequate yearly progress. † This means they must show some improvement each year. Althou gh these tests may have revealed the results of student learning, they may have little value to help strengthen the students' academic weakness. For example, in most states, the results of the testing would not be known until six months later. At that time, the students have been promoted to the next grade or entering a new school.The students are not given a chance to review the questions and their own answers but their percentile of the test results as compare to their own peers. There are several undesirable phenomena seen in the administration of the testing. In Illinois, for example, the state government delegates the printing and distribution of the test questions and booklets to private companies . There are questions about the security of the tests through this management.In 2006, some school districts did not receive the test questions until after other school districts had finished the tests weeks later. During high school, students, usually in their junior (That is, third ) year (11th grade), may take one or more standardized tests depending on their postsecondary education preferences and their local graduation requirements. In theory, these tests evaluate the overall level of knowledge and learning aptitude of the students. The SAT and ACT are the most common standardized tests that students take when applying to college.A student may take the SAT, ACT, or both depending upon the college the student plans to apply to for admission. Most competitive schools also require two or three SAT Subject Tests, (formerly known as SAT IIs), which are shorter exams that focus strictly on a particular subject matter. However, all these tests serve little to no purpose for students who do not move on to postsecondary education, so they can usually be skipped without affecting one's ability to graduateHowever, many conservatives believe that American public education is in poor shape today because of cultural and social trends, most beginning in the 1960s, which d estroyed classroom discipline, the moral basis for education, and a national consensus on what students should learn. There is some truth in this proposition, but ultimately it fails to explain why American students do not possess the communication and computational skills they need today to succeed in college or in the working world. By any standard, California students are observed to be not performing up to their full abilities.While some within the public school system claim that poor performance is due to inadequate government spending on education, more in-depth research demonstrates that such is not the case. The Pacific Research Institute’s California Index of Leading Education Indicators compiles data on the performance of students in California’s public education system. The findings in the Index reveal that poor student performance is the result not of too few taxpayer dollars, but of poor policy decisions by government education officials.Reform blockers of the American political system advantages those who prefer the status quo, which is why so little has changed in American education Twenty years ago â€Å"A Nation at Risk† set off alarms about the quality of America's schools, and ever since our country has been caught up in a frenzy of education reform. But the frenzy hasn't produced much, After untold billions of dollars and lofty reform packages too numerous to list, very little has been accomplished. Why such disappointing results?Many factors are no doubt responsible, but much of the answer rests with the politics of education. The problem is that, with rare exceptions, reforms that make it through the political process tend to be those that are acceptable to establish. Terry M. Moe , Mar 22, 2003 Further more he stated that â€Å"the teachers unions have more influence over the public schools than any other group in American society. They influence schools from the bottom up, through collective bargaining activities t hat shape virtually every aspect of school organization.And they influence schools from the top down, through political activities that shape government policy. They are the 800-pound gorillas of public education. Yet the American public is largely unaware of how influential they are–and how much they impede efforts to improve public schools. The problem is not that the unions are somehow bad or ill-intentioned. They aren't. The problem is that when they simply do what all organizations do–pursue their own interests–they are inevitably led to do things that are not in the best interests of children.To appreciate why this is so, consider the parallel to business firms. No one claims that these organizations are in business to promote the public interest. They are in business to make money, and this is the fundamental interest that drives their behavior†. Terry M. Moe | Jan 22, 2005. The Wall Street Journal, Jan. 13 On the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) math test (last administered in 1996), 54 percent of California fourth graders scored below a basic ability level.The average test score of those taking the fourth-grade math surpassed only the average scores of students in Louisiana and Mississippi. While the 1994 NAEP reading test, the average test score of California fourth graders ranked at the very bottom of all states, tied for last with Louisiana. Not only did 59 percent of all California fourth graders score â€Å"below basic,† an even more appalling 71 percent of African American fourth graders and 81 percent of Hispanic fourth graders scored below basic.Interesting performance indicator is the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) scores of public versus private high school students. From 1987 to 1995, the average verbal score of public high school SAT takers in California dropped from 421 to 412 (with a low of 408) in 1994, while public school SAT math scores stayed constant at 485. Over that same time p eriod, however, the average verbal score of parochial high school SAT takers increased from 432 to 442, while parochial school math scores increased from 464 to 484.Similarly, both the average verbal and math scores of independent private school SAT takers increased during that period. (See Figure 1. ) The public and private school systems seem to be headed in opposite directions, which is why school vouchers are becoming a more attractive option. The rhetoric of school reform often ignores the crucial role of individual decisions (by students, by parents, by business owners, by educators) in determining educational outcomes. You can lead a horse to water, the old adage goes, but you can't make him drink.It's a folksy way of imparting an important individualist truth. Providing students opportunities at school does not guarantee success if students watch television rather than do their homework – and parents let them. By assuming that any set of reform ideas can magically cre ate a well-educated citizenry, we oversell the role of policy-making. Education requires initiative, a trait notoriously difficult to create or impose. American business leaders began to see a decentralized, â€Å"patchwork† education system as a liability in international competition. U. S.manufacturers, especially, saw the rise of Germany as a significant economic threat and sought to imitate that country's new system of state-run trade schools. In 1905, the National Association of Manufacturers editorialized that â€Å"the nation that wins success in competition with other nations must train its youths in the arts of production and distribution. † German education, it concluded, was â€Å"at once the admiration and fear of all countries. † American business, together with the growing labor movement, pressed Congress to dramatically expand federal spending on education, especially for vocational instruction.Also, business and education leaders began to apply n ew principles of industrial organization to education, such as top-down organization and a â€Å"factory-floor† model in which administrators, teachers, and students all had a place in producing a standardized â€Å"final product. † These leaders created professional bureaucracies to devise and implement policy. Perhaps the most important boosters of America's new public education system were what we might today call â€Å"cultural conservatives. † The turn of the century, after all, was a time of tremendous immigration.As more and more immigrants arrived in America, bringing with them a plethora of languages, cultural traditions, and religious beliefs, American political leaders foresaw the potential dangers of Balkanization. The public education system, once designed primarily to impart skills and knowledge, took on a far more political and social role. It was to provide a common culture and a means of inculcating new Americans with democratic values. Public s chools, in other words, were to be a high-pressure â€Å"melting pot† to help America avoid the dismal fate of other multi-national polities.American political leaders were all too familiar with the Balkan Wars of the early 1900s, and were intent on avoiding a similar fate. Educators today lack the tools for dealing with unruly children thanks to two supreme court decisions of the late 1960's and 1970's. The bureaucratic lament that curriculums need to be revised, salaries should be raised, money should be poured into the system, teachers are not qualified, teachers salaries should be tied to students' performances, are not the reasons for students not learning. Rather it is a lack of discipline in the classroom.One decision declared that schools do not have ‘absolute authority' over their students and the other that a school had violated students' ‘free speech' by suspending them for not adhering to the school's dress code. To compound the situation students have learned quickly that if a school official does something they do not like they can sue or just threaten to sue with sometimes very telling results. More importantly, the ever-present threat of lawsuits transforms a teacher from an active, authority figure into a fearful, hapless, down-trodden passive public servant.Discipline is key to learning and acquiring skills to be prepared for the rigorous task of facing the world. It certainly was in place and largely effective before the tumultuous '60's came along and â€Å"discipline† became sinister in connotation. Today classroom disruption is no longer of the mundane sort – feet on the desk, loud talking, noise-making and fighting. Schools are now dealing with sex offenders, pistol packing students, cursing, students and/or parents fighting with teachers and litigation, all of which undermine the teaching profession.When discipline goes out of the window, the pillars of civility get pushed aside. The universal moral valu es of self-control, self- respect, and respect for others and for property cease to exist. The door is flung wide open for all types of self-serving stress. Counselors, psychologists, psychoanalysts, television commentators, lawyers and many charlatans too, first on the scene of every school tragedy, screaming the blindingly obvious, blaming one parent, two parents, dysfunctional and functional, poor and not so poor families for the troubles of society's young, and creating more chaos than calm in the lives of the young.The Solution There was a time when schools were counted always for stability, discipline, knowledge, caring and shaping the minds of young people. In addition, schools forged cohesive societies with very clear-shared values that conferred a sense of worth on all. That sense of worth could be revisited by a restoration of discipline; by teachers and parents working together, to make educating children their number one priority in life; by a system that instills charac ter and spirituality and equips each student with cultural skills.The quest for social improvement and for making societies better rests with the future generation and if students are to have a sense of social responsibility and desire to live up to social obligations, then they must be armed with a real education premised on discipline. The alternative is not to be savoured. References Judy Gelbrich, OSU . 1999 – School of Education. Section II – American Education Part 1. Colonial America Patricia Caton (562) Technical Contact: [email  protected] edu 951- 4807 Peter Sacks, Standardized Minds: The High Price of America's Testing Culture