Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Five Things You Dont Know About Africa

Five Things You Don't Know About Africa 1. Africa isn't a nation OK. You do know this, however individuals habitually allude to Africa as if it were a nation. Here and there, individuals will really say, â€Å"Countries like India and Africa†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , however more frequently they essentially allude to Africa just as the whole landmass confronted comparative issues or had comparative societies or narratives. There are, be that as it may, 54 sovereign states in Africa in addition to the contested region of Western Sahara. 2. Africa isn't all poor, country, or overpopulated Africa is a unimaginably differing mainland strategically, socially, and monetarily. To get a thought of how people’s lives and openings vary across Africa, think about that in 2013: Future went from 45 (Sierra Leone) to 75 (Libya Tunisia)Children per family ran from 1.4 (Mauritius) to 7.6 (Niger)Population thickness (individuals per square mile) ran from 3 (Namibia) to 639 (Mauritius)GDP per capita in current US dollars extended from 226 (Malawi) to 11,965 (Libya)Cell telephones per 1000 individuals ran from 35 (Eritrea) to 1359 (Seychelles) (Every above datum from the World Bank) 3. There were domains and realms in Africa well before the cutting edge time The most well known antiquated realm, obviously, is Egypt, which existed in some structure, from approximately 3,150 to 332 B.C.E. Carthage is likewise notable because of its wars with Rome, yet there were various other old realms and domains, incorporating Kush-Meroe in present-day Sudan and Axum in Ethiopia, every one of which went on for more than 1,000 years. Two of the more celebrated conditions of what is here and there alluded to as the medieval time in African history are the Kingdoms of Mali (c.1230-1600) and Great Zimbabwe (c. 1200-1450). These were both rich states engaged with intercontinental exchange. Archeological burrows at Zimbabwe have uncovered coins and items from as distant as China, and these are nevertheless a couple of instances of the rich and incredible states that thrived in Africa before European colonization. 4. With the special case of Ethiopia, each African nation has English, French, Portuguese, or Arabic as one of their official dialects Arabic has for quite some time been spoken broadly in northern and western Africa. At that point, somewhere in the range of 1885 and 1914, Europe colonized all of Africa except for Ethiopia and Liberia. One result of this colonization was that after freedom, the previous provinces kept the language of their colonizer as one of their official dialects, regardless of whether it was a second language for some citizens.The Republic of Liberia was not in fact colonized, however it had been established by African-American pilgrims in 1847 thus previously had English as its authority language.This left the Kingdom of Ethiopia as the main African realm not to be colonized, however it was quickly vanquished by Italy in the number one spot up to World War II. Its official language is Amharic, however numerous understudies study English as an unknown dialect in school. 5. There are as of now two female Presidents in Africa Another regular misinterpretation is that ladies are mistreated across Africa. There are societies and nations where ladies don't have equivalent rights or get regard equivalent to that of men, however there are different states where ladies are legitimately equivalent to men and have broken the biased based impediment of legislative issues †an accomplishment the United States of America still can't seem to coordinate. In Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has filled in as president since 2006, and in the Central African Republic, Catherine Samba-Panza was chosen the Acting President driving into the 2015 races. Past female heads of state incorporate, Joyce Banda (President, Malawi), Sylvie Kinigi (Acting President, Burundi), and Rose Francine Ragombã © (Acting President, Gabon).

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Dynamic Leadership Applied Leadership Development

Question: Depict about the Report for Dynamic Leadership of Applied Leadership Development. Answer: Presentation: Initiative is among the prime factors that help associations to accomplish supportable development in this serious market (Zepeda, 2012). I accept compelling execution of authority style is critical for the association to stay serious in the market. Therefore, I feel that an individual need to experience a precise strategy so as to increase all the qualities of the administration style. In this way, I feel that use of expert and self-awareness plan is essential for the ID of the considerable number of qualities and shortcomings as a pioneer. Presently, I accept that self-assessment is vital for building viable individual and expert advancement plan. Presently, I have just referenced that I truly appreciate the job of a pioneer, as I feel that I have capacity to impact others adequately. I likewise was fruitful as an innovator in my schools soccer group. I feel that it has helped me a great deal to perceive my potential as a pioneer. By and by, I am driving a startup association that gives cleaning administrations to the individuals of my area. Presently, I have just referenced that I like utilize majority rule administration style. In any case, I feel that administration is an incredibly tremendous idea that requires proceeds up-degree. In this way, I additionally need to create individual and expert advancement intend to improve as a pioneer. Individual and expert advancement plan (PPDP): According to the article by Waite et al. (2014), advancement of objectives is significant so as to improve persistently as a pioneer. From the individual evaluation and criticism from my companion Dora, I have distinguished numerous qualities and shortcomings as a pioneer. Accordingly, my PPDP additionally should create on explicit objectives that are portrayed as follows: S-Specific I need to distinguish the most ideal approach to manage the pessimism M-Measurable I will have increment my administrative viability by up to 20% as a pioneer An Attainable I should concentrate more on creating systems that could inspire all the representatives R-Realistic I should create solid relationship with all the partners T-Timely I should allow myself 5 years time to grow up as a pioneer Table 1: SMART objectives (Source: As made by the creator) So as to build up my abilities as a pioneer, I should create plan that could assist me with fulfilling all the objectives. As referenced by my companion Dora, I have not ready to manage the pessimism issue viably. In this way, I should concentrate on the advancement of aptitudes that could manage the cynicism in the association. Thus, I should converse with my subordinates so as to distinguish the prime explanation that is making antagonism in the workplace. Moreover, I will likewise need to concentrate on the improvement of inspirational disposition paying little heed to the circumstance. From Doras input, I have recognized that managing the antagonism in the association is one of the prime administration hole. Therefore, it likewise has made unfavorable effect on the viability of my administrative dynamic style. So as to manage the antagonism issue in the association, I have built up an activity plan that is portrayed as follows. Activity plan Managing the cynicism issue Start date End date Achievement 1: Identification of prime factors that is making cynicism 2016 2017 Stage 1: I should use past information from the hierarchical history Stage 2: I should direct a study for the workers Achievement: 2 improvement of plan for diminishing pessimism 2018 2019 Stage 1: I should concentrate more on expanding the persuasive degree of the workers Stage 2: I should make air where all the workers can make solid holding among one another Achievement: 3 dispense with cynicism 2019 2020 Stage 1: My vote based administration style should urge all the representatives to share their considerations and viewpoints Stage 2: I should create positive workplace for the representatives Table 2: Action plan (Source: As made by the creator) Subsequently, it very well may be surveyed that my initiative style needs to improve in a powerful way so as to make positive effect on my new companies. In this manner, my PPDP should concentrate on covering all the holes in my authority style. For example, Dora has referenced that I have ready to keep up differentiated workforce successfully. In any case, I feel that my authority style should concentrate more on the upkeep of workforce enhancement adequately. Accordingly, I need to remember assessments of the considerable number of workers for the dynamic style (Leung, 2015). Notwithstanding, I additionally need to consider that my association has ready to satisfy every one of its goals viably. Hence, I accept that it important to incorporate model and structures with respect to the initiative style, as it will assist me with growing up as a pioneer. Presently, I additionally accept that my PPDP plan should concentrate more on the correct assessment of national and authoritative cu lture. I have recognized that culture assumes an essential job in the viability of the administration style. Presently, as I am related with a new company, my prime center is to build up the association in the Australian market as it were. Along these lines, my PPDP should incorporate appropriate examination of Australian culture just as culture of the associations present in the Australian market. Model and structure for administration improvement: As referenced by Zuber-Skerritt Louw (2014) execution of administration style assumes a pivotal job in giving associations upper hand in the market. Consequently, I trust it is vital for the associations to assess all the models and system so as to actualize powerful initiative style. I additionally need to concentrate on the usage of administration models and structure so to conceal all the holes in my authority style in a suitable way. Moreover, I feel that administration style is significantly increasingly critical for the startup associations, as they are relied upon to confront more difficulties in appropriate use of the operational procedures. I have concentrated on three models so as to use my PPDP adequately. The use procedure of initiative models are as per the following: Initiative or Managerial matrices: As referenced in the article by Lussier Achua (2015) administrative lattice centers around the authority abilities so as to assess the adequacy of the pioneers. Right off the bat, it centers around two factors specifically thought and starting structure. Presently, I have distinguished that thought assists with recognizing relationship conduct among the representatives and furthermore the sort of trust they have on one another. Presently, as I have distinguished that I have to take a shot at dispense with the cynicism issue from the association to upgrade my administrative viability. I should use these elements intentionally to improve the trust level among the representatives. Then again, starting structure centers around the booking and sorting out the operational procedure (Matthews, 2015). Presently, Dora has referenced that I was very proficient in using my various aptitudes workers viably. Along these lines, it really is mirroring my qualities as a pioneer (McNamara et al., 201 4). Presently, other two lattices are representative direction and creation direction. I have just referenced that I have confidence in the vote based authority style. In this manner, my PPDP should concentrate more on the worker direction points of view, as it will assist me with improving relationship among the representatives, which in the long run make positive effect on the upgrading my capacity to diminish cynicism from the working environment. Four-structure approach: As referenced by Forde et al. (2013) four-system approach depicts four structure including political, auxiliary, human asset and emblematic. It additionally has referenced that each pioneer works in one of these four classifications. Presently, as I am related with a startup association, I don't have face a lot of political, basic or emblematic difficulties. Accordingly, it featured the way that my authority style should concentrate more on the human asset classes so as to give upper hand to the associations. Human asset system pioneers sees that representatives convey with respect to their points of view and accepts (Heaton, 2016). Presently, as my PPDP is centers towards the upgrade of the administrative viability, legitimate use of human asset initiative structure will assist me with improving my aptitude as a vote based pioneer. Moreover, I feel that it will likewise assist me with utilizing recommendations of the representatives in a powerful way, which will make positive effect on the satisfaction of my initiative improvement plan destinations. I likewise feel that it will assist me with enhancing the persuasive degree of the representatives. In this manner, it will to accomplish achievable destinations of my own and expert improvement plan. Situational initiative system: According to the article by Huffman et al. (2014) situational initiative depends on two continuums to be specific excitement and management. In this way, I trust it will assist me with identifying the most ideal approach to blend these two factors in my administration style so it can ready to satisfy my initiative holes. For example, I should assess the information and ability level of the considerable number of representatives. I trust it will assist me with determining the necessary measure of oversight is required to improve the adequacy of the operational procedure at the ideal level. In this way, it will assist me with reducing the chance of miscommunication and absence of coordination at the work environment. Theref

Sunday, August 16, 2020

Clinical Psychology Research Topics

Clinical Psychology Research Topics Student Resources Print Clinical Psychology Research Topics By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on September 17, 2019 Emma Innocenti / Getty Images More in Student Resources APA Style and Writing Study Guides and Tips Careers Clinical psychology is one of the most popular subfields in psychology. With such a large topic to cover, figuring out a specific subject for a research paper, presentation, or experiment can be tricky. Clinical Psychology Research Topic Ideas Here are just a few ideas that you might want to explore: Compare two different psychological disorders. What are the symptoms of each disorder? How are these disorders diagnosed and treated?Compare and contrast two different types of therapy. When is each type best used? Are there any disorders that are best treated with one of these particular forms of therapy? What are the possible limitations of each type of treatment?What are some of the risk factors for depression? Explore the potential risks as well as any preventative strategies that can be used.Explore the factors that influence adolescent mental health. Self-esteem and peer pressure are just a couple of the topics you might investigate in greater depth.Look at how peoples lives are affected by anxiety disorders. What impact do these disorders have on daily functioning? How do symptoms affect a persons family, social life, school, and work?What are the long-term effects of childhood trauma? Do children who have suffered from an emotional or physical or trauma continue to experience the effects later in adulthood?Investigate the current research on the impact of media violence on childrens behavior. What do researchers have to say about the effects of violence portrayed in television, movies, and video games?Do pro-ana and pro-mia websites contribute to eating disorders? What can people do to help overcome the influence of these sites??Are people getting addicted to Facebook and social media? How do these social websites influence how people interact and behave?Explore the use and effectiveness of online therapy. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of this type of therapy? Are there any special concerns that clients and therapists must observe?What types of therapy are most effective in treating childhood behavioral disorders?What impact does drug use have on other members of the family unit? What role can family members play in the treatment of alcohol and substance abuse?Explore how the aging process influences mental illness. What special conc erns are there for aging individuals suffering from mental illness? Things to Consider Before You Pick a Clinical Psychology Topic Picking a good topic is one of the most important steps of the research process. You dont want to pick a topic that is so general that you feel overwhelmed, but you also dont want to select a topic that is so specific that you feel limited or unable to find information about it. Spend a little time reading online or exploring your school library to make sure that there are plenty of available sources to support your paper, presentation, or experiment. Once you have chosen a topic that interests you, run the idea past your course instructor. In some cases, this might be a requirement before you go any further. Even if you are not required to get permission from the instructor, it is always a good idea to get feedback before you delve into the research process. Your instructor can offer some good suggestions that you might not have thought of previously. If you are doing an experiment, checking with your instructor is an absolute must. In many cases, you might have to put together a proposal to be submitted and approved by your schools human subjects committee. Next Step to Start Your Clinical Psychology Research Once youve finalized the topic for your clinical psychology project, the next step is to start researching. This often involves both library and online research, so its a good idea to be familiar with the resources available at your school. If you are not sure where to begin, ask your school librarian who will be able to point you toward books, databases, and online journals that are available.

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Biography of Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne was one of the most admired American authors of the 19th century, and his reputation has endured to the present day. His novels, including The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables, are widely read in schools. A native of Salem, Massachusetts, Hawthorne often incorporated the history of New England, and some lore related to his own ancestors, into his writings. And by focusing on themes such as corruption and hypocrisy he dealt with serious issues in his fiction. Often struggling to survive financially, Hawthorne worked at various times as a government clerk, and during the election of 1852 he wrote a campaign biography for a college friend, Franklin Pierce. During Pierces presidency Hawthorne secured a posting in Europe, working for the State Department. Another college friend was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. And Hawthorne was also friendly with other  prominent writers, including Ralph Waldo Emerson and Herman Melville. While writing Moby Dick, Melville felt the influence of Hawthorne so profoundly that he changed his approach and eventually dedicated the novel to him. When he died in 1864, the New York Times described him as the most charming of American novelists, and one of the foremost descriptive writers in the language. Early Life Nathaniel Hawthorne was born July 4, 1804, in Salem, Massachusetts. His father was a sea captain who died while on a voyage to the Pacific in 1808, and Nathaniel was raised by his mother, with the help of relatives. A leg injury sustained during a game of ball caused young Hawthorne to restrict his activities, and he became an avid reader as a child. In his teens he worked in the office of his uncle, who ran a stagecoach, and in his spare time he dabbled with trying to publish his own small newspaper. Hawthorne entered Bowdoin College in Maine in 1821 and began writing short stories and a novel. Returning to Salem, Massachusetts, and his family, in 1825, he finished a novel he had started in college, Fanshawe. Unable to get a publisher for the book, he published it himself. He later disavowed the novel and tried to stop it from circulating, but some copies did survive. Literary Career During the decade after college Hawthorne submitted stories such as Young Goodman Brown to magazines and journals. He was often frustrated in his attempts to get published, but eventually a local publisher and bookseller, Elizabeth Palmer Peabody began to promote him. Peabodys patronage introduced Hawthorne to prominent figures such as Ralph Waldo Emerson. And Hawthorne would eventually marry Peabodys sister. As his literary career began to show promise, he secured, through political friends, an appointment to a patronage job in the Boston custom house. The job provided an income, but was fairly boring work. After a change in political administrations cost him the job, he spent about six months at Brook Farm, a Utopian community near West Roxbury, Massachusetts.   Hawthorne married his wife, Sophia, in 1842, and moved to Concord, Massachusetts, a hotbed of literary activity and home to Emerson, Margaret Fuller, and Henry David Thoreau. Living in the Old Manse, the house of Emersons grandfather, Hawthorne entered a very productive phase and he wrote sketches and tales. With a son and a daughter, Hawthorne moved back to Salem and took another government post, this time at the Salem custom house. The job mostly required his time in the mornings and he was able to write in the afternoons. After the Whig candidate Zachary Taylor was elected president in 1848, Democrats like Hawthorne could be dismissed, and in 1848 he lost his posting at the custom house. He threw himself into the writing of what would be considered his masterpiece, The Scarlet Letter. Fame and Influence Seeking an economical place to live, Hawthorne moved his family to Stockbridge, in the Berkshires. He then entered the most productive phase of his career. He finished The Scarlet Letter, and also wrote The House of the Seven Gables. While living in Stockbridge, Hawthorne befriended Herman Melville, who was struggling with the book that became Moby Dick. Hawthornes encouragement and influence was very important to Melville, who openly acknowledged his debt by dedicating the novel to his friend and neighbor. The Hawthorne family was happy in Stockbridge, and Hawthorne began to be acknowledged as one of Americas greatest authors. Campaign Biographer In 1852 Hawthornes college friend, Franklin Pierce, received the Democratic Partys nomination for president as a dark horse candidate. In an era when Americans often did not know much about the presidential candidates, campaign biographies were a potent political tool. And Hawthorne offered to help his old friend by quickly writing a campaign biography. Hawthornes book on Pierce was published a few months before the November 1852 election, and it was considered very helpful in getting Pierce elected. After he became president, Pierce paid back the favor by offering Hawthorne as diplomatic post as the American consul in Liverpool, England, a thriving port city. In the summer of 1853 Hawthorne sailed for England. He worked for the U.S. government until 1858, and while he kept a journal he didnt focus on writing. Following his diplomatic work he and his family toured Italy and returned to Concord in 1860. Back in America, Hawthorne wrote articles but did not publish another novel. He began to suffer ill health, and on May 19, 1864, while on a trip with Franklin Pierce in New Hampshire, he died in his sleep.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Sociology as a Science Free Essays

More†¦ The case for sociology as a science * 1. The Case for Sociology as a Science 1. Introduction In this paper, I try to put forward several points in favor of sociology as a science. We will write a custom essay sample on Sociology as a Science or any similar topic only for you Order Now In the course of argument, I will also discuss the problems of † value free† sociology and scope of sociology. 2. What is science? To answer the question if sociology is a science or not, first we need to know what is science, otherwise the question does not make much sense. Actually current philosophical views on the nature of science are diverse, and largely liberalized from previous views. First, they no longer accept strong criteria of falsification as a scientific method. There are several ways to formulate falsification, but her e I mean something like this: scientific theories should make observable predictions and we should discard a theory if we find only one discrepancy between a prediction of the theory and an observation. Because even physics cannot meet such a strong criteria, now philosophers like Lakatos (1970) admit tolerance to such failure to some extent. Another new movement in philosophy is the attack on the universal laws. Cartwright (1983) argued that seemingly universal physical laws are not really universal, from logical point of view. This and other reasons (note1), Cartwright (1983) and Hacking (1983) presented a new view of science in which piecemeal â€Å"models†, instead of universal laws and theories, play the central role of scientific investigation . Here, â€Å"models† means oversimplified mental pictures of structure. For example, planetary model of atoms is long known as an oversimplification, but still it is widely used by chemists as a convenient way for thinking about chemical reactions. Feature Article –  Sociology Test I do not have enough space to give a definition of science, but these considerations will be enough to help our judgment on the status of sociology. 3. Is sociology a science? With the analysis of science in the previous section in mind, let us turn to sociology. Early sociologists tried to establish sociology as a science, and their arguments are mainly on the methodology of sociology. Comte claimed that sociology uses four different kinds of methodologies, namely observation, experiment, comparison and historical research as a special case of comparison (CST pp. 9-90, SCS pp. 42-54). These are the methodology used in several other scientific fields, especially in biology. So if his sociology had really followed these methods, it would have been a strong case for sociology as a science. But actually he never did empirical research (CST p. 110), so we cannot take his argument at the face value. But his argument influenced on other sociologists, especially Durkheim. For Durkheim, soci ology is a study o f social facts (CST p. 185). A social fact is † a thing that is external to, and coercive of, the actor† (ibid. emphasis original). Because they are external, social facts cannot be investigated by introspection (ibid. ). We should use empirical research. A typical use of this methodology is in his analysis of suicide (CST p. 195). Durkheim used statistics on suicide rate to establish his argument that suicide is a social phenomenon. He refused alternative hypotheses because their predictions did not agree with the actual statistical data. This is an admirable attempt of empirical research of society, but there are several problems. Durkheim applied too strict criteria of falsification to rival accounts. Adoption of these strict criteria is suicidal for sociology, because it is hard for a sociological theory to make a precise prediction, let alone to make a precise and correct prediction (and without this, the falsification criteria do not work). Another related problem is in his reject ion of introspection as a sociological method. This restricts the scope of sociology too narrowly, and in fact even Durkheim’s own study becomes impossible. For example, Durkheim’s definition of suicide is â€Å"any case of death ‘resulting directly of indirectly from a positive or negative act of an individual against himself, which he knows must produce this result'† (ED p. 32). But, without using introspection, how can we decide if ‘he knows’ the result or not, from external evidence only? I think that Weber’s methodology provides an answer to these problems. His key word in this point is â€Å"Verstehen,† a German word for â€Å"understanding† or â€Å"interpretation† (CST pp. 222 -224, FMW pp. 55-56). According to him, we can â€Å"understand† other people’s motivation through introspection of our own intentions, and this kind of knowledge is necessary for sociology. This is exactly what Durkheim denied as a method of sociology, but as we saw above even Durkheim himself used this â€Å"understanding† in his actual work. But, o f course, the problem is if this is permissible as a scientific method. Strong falsification of a theory is almost impossible by such â€Å"interpreted† facts, because if an interpreted fact runs counter to the theory we can just change the interpretation. But, as we saw in the last section, such strong falsification is given up by philosophers of science as too strict a criteria. Moreover, the arbitrariness of interpretation is not as great as one might worry. For example, Comte’s three stage theory (the detail of the theory does not matter here) has no follower today because there is no way we can reasonably interpret the evolution of society as obeying such a law. In this case we can say that Comte’s theory was falsified. As far as we have this minimal possibility of falsification, we can admit â€Å"Verstehen† as a scientific method of sociology, thus † interpretive† sociology as a science. Before we proceed to next section, I would like to make a brief remark on the use of models in sociology. One of the reason people may argue against sociology as a science is the lack of the sociological theory. We have Marx’s theory, Durkheim’s theory, Weber’s theory and so on, but none of them are shared by all sociologists. This seems to make a strong contrast with other fields of science where scientists agree on the basic theories. But, as we saw in the last section, some philosophers think that even in other scientific field what scientists are working on are piecemeal models, not a universal theory. And as f or such models, we can find abundant models shared by many sociologists. Actually, this is what Weber called â€Å"ideal types† (CST pp225-228). Ideal types are constructed through exaggerating some features of real cases. By comparing with ideal types we can find characteristics of each real case. These ideal types are useful conceptual tools for sociology just in the same sense as the planetary model of atoms is a useful conceptual tool for chemists. So, in this point, the difference between sociology and other scientific fields is not so great as it seems to be. 4. On â€Å"value free† sociology. To talk about â€Å"value free† sociology, I introduce a distinction made by philosophers recently (e. g. Laudan 1984). This is the distinction between â€Å"epistemic values† and non-epistemic values. Epistemic values are related to a special type of question â€Å"what should we accept as knowledge (or a fact)? Logical consistency, empirical adequacy, simplicity etc. are the criteria to answer such a question, and they ar e called epistemic values. On the other hand, other values are supposed to be used to answer the broader question â€Å"what should we do? † These are non-epistemic values. With this distinction, we will find that the claims of † value free† sociology made by ea rly sociologists were actually the claims for independence of epistemic values from other values in sociology (even though they are not conscious about this distinction). First, let us see the case of Spencer. Spencer distinguished several kind s of emotional biases, and claimed that we should exclude these biases from sociological research (CST pp. 124-125). None of these biases are epistemic value as characterized above. Moreover, the Spencer’s claim that we should exclude these biases is a value judgment, but this is an epistemic value judgment, and as far as this claim itself is not affected emotional biases, to apply such a value to sociology should be O. K. So Spencer’s argument agrees with my definition of â€Å"value free† sociology. The same argument applies to Weber. Weber says that teachers should not exploit the circumstances in a lecture room to imprint upon the students his personal political views (FMW pp. 146-147), because the task of teacher is to teach his students to recognize† facts that are inconvenient for their party opinions† (FMW p. 147). Again this is a value judgment, but epistemic one. Apparently sociology (or any other science) cannot be free from all values (because the ideal of â€Å"value free† sociology itself is a value), but at least it can be free from non-epistemic kinds of values, when we decide what is a fact and what is not. I guess even Marx can agree this notion of â€Å"value free† sociology to some extent. Of course in Marx’s theory the value judgment and the theory are inseparably related, but his actual arguments show that he distinguished these two things. For example, Marx criticizes Ricardo in â€Å"Theory of Surplus Value,† but the primary reason he criticizes Ricardo is not that Ricardo is capitalist, but that Ricardo’s conceptual scheme is insufficient because it cannot deal with certain cases (KM pp. 398-409). Thus the criteria for this judgment is pistemic values, not other kinds of value. I think that this way of argument gives Marx’s theory its persuasiveness. Of course I admit non-epistemic values and sociology have many interrelationships. For example, the choice of research topic is influenced the sociologist’s personal values, and sometimes a result of sociological research has immediate normative implications (e. g. Marx’s analysis on alienated labor; KM pp. 77-87). But still, I think, at the point of accepting something as a fact, we should be free from non-epistemic values. 5. On the scope of sociology Comte thought that sociology is the study of social statics (social structure) and social dynamics (social change) (CST p. 94). Durkheim thought that sociology should deal with social facts. Simmel claimed that â€Å"everything which was not science of external nature must be science of society† (SCS p. 29). Does any of them have the right answer? I don’t think that there is anything right or wrong on this topic, but my own preference is Simmel’s answer quoted here. I think that Comte’s and Durkheim’s answers tried to restrict the subject fie ld of sociology to establish sociology as a independent scientific field. But now no one would doubt sociology is an independent field (even though someone might object that it is not a â€Å"scientific† field). In this situation, such a conscious self restriction of subject matter is nothing but an obstacle to interdisciplinary cooperations with psychology and other neighbor fields. This is why I like Simmel’s answer. 6. Conclusion According to the liberalized philosophical view on science, there is nothing wrong with admitting Weber’s â€Å"Verstehen† and â€Å"ideal types† as scientific method, thus admitting sociology using these methods as a science. Recent distinction between epistemic and non-epistemic values makes the claim of â€Å"value free† sociology intelligible, and I think it is a reasonable position if taken in the sense I defined. I also briefly talked about the scope of sociology, and argued that we should not be restrictive on the subject matter of sociology. For example, even in physics, the scientists in closely related fields sometimes accept mutually inconsistent theories in each field and have no problem. This shows that How to cite Sociology as a Science, Essay examples

Monday, May 4, 2020

Getting Rid of the Sloppy Assistant Principal free essay sample

Key Issues The key issue in the case study is leadership and leadership styles. While it appears that the assistant principal was reassigned due to his appearance, the assistant principal’s appearance reflected a leadership style that the superintendents felt was not in the best interest of the school and chose not to support. In addition, the reassignment of the assistant principal sends a message to the school principal to pay closer attention to the leadership messages of his staff as they are a reflection on the school and its leadership including the principal and superintendents. Clawson (2009) notes that going through the day without really observing or thinking about what’s taking place around them is a common habit that people lapse into. In this case the principal appeared to â€Å"go with the flow† in regards to the assistant principal, which in the superintendents minds may have signaled a laissez-faire leadership style toward the assistant principal. We will write a custom essay sample on Getting Rid of the Sloppy Assistant Principal or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Northouse (2009) explains that some have labeled that style â€Å"nonleadership. More, under laissez-faire leadership, subordinates have freedom to do pretty much what they want to do whenever they want to do it. The major effect is that very little is accomplished because people are directionless, find the atmosphere chaotic, and are at a loss to know what to do. So, they tend to do nothing. While in some situations, people will thrive on this direction-less freedom, laissez-faire leadership will be unsuccessful and unproductive (pp. 45). Challenging the status quo is an important leadership skill (Kouzes Posner, 2007). † In their action, the superintendents were alerting the principal that he was leading a group of people, not just himself, and should have greater concern about what those who are following are doing. Furthermore, people are not only watching the leader. They are watching everyone in the organization, and so should the leader. Consistency between word and deed is not just created through the leader’s actions.

Saturday, March 28, 2020

Product Pricing Ginger Ice Cream Essay Example

Product Pricing Ginger Ice Cream Essay Brief – Cool Cream Pvt Ltd owned by Somesh Sharma innovated a ginger ice cream and named it Adrak Ice cream. The concept of a ginger ice cream which would protect the throats of those who relish ice cream was well received during the market test. Current Pricing suggestions – GM Finance and R D chief– The price should be cost plus 100% profit Sales Team – Low price at the time of introduction so that the product is accepted in the market Othe concerns relating to pricing – Manufacturing manager was not willing to compromise quality to cut cost Purchase manager – cost for buying and storing ginger R D chief – the product will be copied and cool cream will loose the advantages and investments in developing the idea Recommendation on Pricing Strategy – 1. Value Pricing Approach – Value Pricing Thermometer – Objective value Perceived Value Product Price Cost of Goods Sold Product Price should be as much or lower than the perceived value of the product. It should also take care of the firms incentive to sell i. generate decent profits over the cost. Ice cream is not a very high end product where a small percentage change in the pricing will have a drastic effect on the the product price. Customer will still buy the product increasing the profitability of the company. In case of ginger ice cream, it’s an innovation and was well accepted in the test market. We will write a custom essay sample on Product Pricing Ginger Ice Cream specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Product Pricing Ginger Ice Cream specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Product Pricing Ginger Ice Cream specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Hence the customers will be willing to pay a premium for the same vis a vis the regular ice cream flavours in the market. Keeping up the good quality and the additional cost for the ginger storage, Cool cream should keep prodcut rice higher then the regular ice cream to take care of the increase cost and also the marketing cost to create awareness of the new product It will also have the first mover advantage to earn high profits and gain market share before the innovation is duplicated. A high profit margin will enable them to cover the cost of innovation and RD at the launch phase only. A low price startegy at the launch phase will result in low profits as the cost of production and marketing will be high. This will not cover the RD cost as well as the additional storage cost. Also the marketing expenditure to create awareness of the innovation will also wont get covered. After the product is duplicated even the market share will be diluted. Low pricing will not be a smart move at the launch phase. ntegrating Price with Other Marketing Mix Elements – Since the product is superior and well accepted in test market, cool cream should invest in marketing efforts to communicate the superiority / uniqueness to the potential customers. This will raise the perceived value of the ginger ice cream vis a vis normal ice cream. In turn, the high margins generated by the premium pricing funded that marketign effort.

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Animals in Native American Myt essays

Animals in Native American Myt essays In Native American myths, animals are used to represent many things. Primarily, I feel that the use of animals in these myths are to teach us lessons. They act as humans while still dwelling in the animal world. They speak and interact with each other while thinking as a human would. The Native Americans had a great respect for animals. This is why it is animals that are the main characters in their stories and not humans. In the myth Rabbit Fools Alligator, the lesson is the struggle between strength versus intelligence. It shows us that being deceived can come at any cost no matter how innocent they may seem. The rabbit represents the smaller, seemingly weaker of the two, but shows the alligator trouble by surrounding him with fire and burning him. Native Americans told these myths so that humans could learn through them and relate to the issues at hand. In another story, The Underground Panthers, the idea of animal-human interaction plays a very important role. The panther tells the hunter that they are both looking for the same thing and that they should do it together. The hunter begins to understand the panthers life and when he is put back into human society, he dies. He could only survive living with the panthers. In these stories, animals symbolize human nature and are there to teach lessons and prove points. They also show that animals and humans can come together and strive for the same needs. We are all similar creatures and all come from nature. Humans can learn valuable lessons from observing how the animals live and flourish. The conclusions about Native American Culture based on their animal myths are that the Native Americans have a great respect for animals, that they share common threads, possess similar traits and are a part of human nature in how we work and live our everyday lives. Humans can learn from them in that we can see ourselves through these stori...

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Minorities and culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Minorities and culture - Essay Example A concept of whiteness often comes up in different contexts. Â   Social sciences, linguistic studies, psychology, social work, gender studies and many others are focused on the ideas of whiteness. There is no doubt that the concept of "whiteness" is an integrative element of the modern social context. It is often claimed that dark color of skin is similar to peoples inability of a high-level performance. A modern society is well known for the presence of full kaleidoscope of skin colors. The scientists have often agreed upon the existence of a certain biological and genealogical basis, which identifies peoples performance in the global society. A concept of whiteness includes knowledge of body language, ideologies, behavioral norms and some practices, which have been developed for many centuries. The American colonies and the history of European white roots have been often considered as the dominant in development of the concept of "whiteness" (Barrett, 1977). We think about race in a different way and whiteness is based on different social insti tutions, such as legal, economic, educational, political and religious etc. Rothenberg underlined that a concept of whiteness and a rigid differentiation between a concept of "blackness" and "whiteness" are deeply rooted in America. On the one hand, the Europeans were focused on the differences in skin color, but on the other hand, they did not emphasize theirs. White people have often been ruling. The European monarchs have reigned for ages and it should come as no surprise that a stereotype of white dominance became a wide spread one. A power of control often belonged to white-skinned people. Only a small part of elite gains its power because of the color of their skin. It can be often argued that white race is not the greatest benefit, but the inner contents. W.E.B. Du Bois claimed that a "white blindspot" was the name of interests, which related to some white people. A concept of whiteness has a

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Employment training Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Employment training - Essay Example In contrast to this, both government and employers are still faced with several challenges on the level of expertise of such staff and the total contributions achieved by the children from such experiences (Buchen 2005, Tassoni; et al.2002). While there is still need to adjust staff to children ratio, the government still maintains its policy that, the training staffs must be holders of either Certificate grade III or Diploma after completing the preliminary training in childcare practices. This has created a lot of challenges to the employers on a continual demand for trained teachers (Reitz 2004). Currently, the Australian government policy has generated much concern about the impact of insufficient number of childcare staffs and the trainers of young children. The main point of concern is that, in future if this trend continues then there would be a very big deficit of workers needed to provide education to the young children. Besides, the potential demand in institutions for trai ners, consequence is being felt by the institutional owners who have resorted to sourcing for childcare staffs internationally as stiff policy by the Australian government bites to underplay the education industry for young children (OECD 2001). Considering some of the initiatives by the Australian government, for the early child development staffs to either, attain Diploma levels or source for more expatriates from other countries has been touted. However, less significant impact has been received because other countries are also in dire need of such people and being a competitive industry, most skilled personnel’s only seek opportunity in places where good rewards in terms of remunerations can be achieved certainly, in places such as Asia or the United States. Furthermore, the demand for early childhood education teachers may have also been created in their countries of origin (McKenzie and Santiago 2005). According to ABC news report, the new requirements, which have been put in place by the Australian government on the childhood graduate trainees, has forced most of institutional owners to consider staffs oversees. Mr. Colbert childhood education staff from Majura Children Park Canberra explains that, the policy has interfered with the recruitment locally since, most of the graduates still miss to have the additional requirements of the Diploma requirements subjecting the organizations to consider international staffs. Another point of concern has been noted by Ranstad education recruiter, who has given observation that in several vacancy advertisements, most of the potential applicants would be found to have come from the Diaspora (ABC News 2013). Some of the organizations allied to the government have embraced the reforms to have all childhood education teachers to advance the level of training inline line with the current policy. However, most of the teachers who are currently working see it as wastage of time because the syllabus being taught at those levels had actually been covered at the undergraduate. In addition, the training is not meant for free as it comes at an additional cost impacting unnecessary expenses on what is perceived to have been learnt earlier on at the university by teachers in practice (OECD 2006). Some of the national requirements considered to be of greeter challenge to this education industry are amongst: Half the staffs at every daycare center must be a holder of diploma in early childhood e

Monday, January 27, 2020

Difficult Obstacle In Learning English English Language Essay

Difficult Obstacle In Learning English English Language Essay Vocabulary is the most difficult obstacle in learning English. However, English word formation is an effective way to learn English, because it can help us to correctly identify the word form, part of speech, and to understand the meaning of the word, and to rapidly expand our vocabulary. Among them, affixation is the strongest one, and it forms the largest number of words, and it is considered to be one of the best ways to learn English. Besides, compounding, conversion, blending, clipping, acronymy, back-formation are also the efficient ways of learning English. In the paper, the ways and characteristics of word formation are analyzed in affixation, compounding and conversion. Keywords: English word formation, affixation, compounding, conversion 1. Introduction Learning a language must to learn the speech, grammar and vocabulary. In these three elements, vocabulary occupies a pivotal position. Well-known scholar Wilkins said, without grammar, very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary, nothing can be conveyed. Vocabulary scientist McCarthy said more simply, no matter how well the student learns grammar, no matter how successfully he masters the sounds of a L2, without words to express a wide range of meanings, communication in that language cannot happen in any meaningful way. So many teachers and students pay a lot attention to the vocabulary learning. And the expansion of vocabulary in modern English depends chiefly on word formation. There is a variety of means being at work now. The most productive are affixation, compounding and conversion. Talking about word-forming patterns means dealing with rules. But not all words which are produced by applying the rule are acceptable. The acceptability is gained only when the words have gain ed an institutional currency in the language. Therefore, rules only provide a constant set of models from which new words are created from day to day. Rules themselves are not fixed but undergo changes to a certain extent. For instance, affixes and compounding processes may become productive at one time or lose their productivity. By word formation processes, we concentrate on productive or on productive rules. While applying the rules, we should keep in mind that there are always exceptions. Then I will analyze the ways and characteristics of word formation in affixation, compounding and conversion. 2. Affixation Affixation is generally defined as the formation of words by adding word-forming or derivational affixes to bases. This process is also known as derivation, by which new words are derived from old or base forms. The words that are created in this way are called derivatives. According to the positions affixes occupy in words, affixation falls into two subcategories: prefixation and suffixation. Prefixation is a way of forming new words by adding prefixes to stems. Usually, prefixes do not change the word-class of the stem but only modify its meaning. Prefixes can be divided, based on their meanings, into: negative prefixes, reversative prefixes, pejorative prefixes, prefixes of degree or size, prefixes of orientation and attitude, locative prefixes, prefixes of time and order, number prefixes, conversion prefixes, miscellaneous prefixes. For instance, negative prefixes include: 1) a-, apolitical, asexual, atypical; 2) dis-, disobey, discredit, disloyal; 3) in-, il-, ir-, im-, inaudible, illegitimate, irresistible, improbable; 4) non-, non-classical, non-smoker, non-violence; 5) un-, undemocratic, unwillingly, unbuilt. Suffixation is the process of forming new words by adding suffixes to the end of stems. Suffixes have primary function being to change the word class with a slight modification of meaning. Suffixes can be divided into noun suffixes, adjective suffixes, adverb suffixes and verb suffixes. For instance, noun suffixes include: 1) denominal nouns, -eer, -er, -age, profiteer, teenager, mileage; 2) deverbal nouns, -ant, -ent, -ing, assistant, respondent, christening; 3) de-adjective nouns, -ity, -ness, productivity, youthfulness; 4) noun and adjective suffixes, -ese, -an, -ist, Chinese, Australian, Methodist. Affixation is the strongest word formation, and it forms the largest number of words, and it is considered to be one of the best ways to learn English. Linguist David Crystal said, no matter how big your vocabulary is, only you know the range of prefixes and suffixes, and you know the main limitation of using them, your vocabulary will sharp increase soon. Famous author Lord Chesterfield said, the shortest and best way of learning a language is to know the roots of it, that is, those original primitive words of which other words are formed. Etymology scientists John Kennedy said, the stem and its value are the basis of the English language. 3. Compounding Compounding or composition is a process of word formation by which two or more stems are put together to make a new word. Words formed in this way are called compounds. So a compound is a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"lexical unit consisting of more than one base and functioning both grammatically and semantically as a single wordà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, Quirk et al said that. Compounds can be divided into noun compounds, adjective compounds and verb compounds. For instance, noun compounds include: 1) noun+ noun: moon cake, end product; 2) noun+ verb: toothache, frostbite; 3) verb+ noun: crybaby, tell-tale; 4) adjective+ noun: deadline, blueprint; 5) noun+ verb-ing: brainwashing, air-conditioning; 6) verb-ing+ noun: cleaning lady, wading bird; 7) noun+ verb-er: stockholder, crime reporter; 8) adverb+ verb: outbreak, downfall; 9) verb+ adverb: sit-in, have-not; 10)verb-ing+ adverb: going-over, carryings-on; 11) adverb+ verb-ing: up-bringing. And compounds have noticeable characteristics, such as phonolog ical features, semantic features, grammatical features and orthographical features. 4. Conversion Conversion is the formation of new words by converting words of one class to another class, without changes in morphological structures. New words are new only in a grammatical sense. For instance, the word paper as a noun has four senses: 1) material in thin sheets made from wood or cloth, 2) a newspaper, 3) a piece of writing for specialists, and 4) wallpaper. When turned into a transitive verb, it is related only to 4) as in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"She papered the room greenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. 5. Conclusion English words are difficult to learn and hard to remember, but there are internal rules can be found. If we start from word formation, we can make vocabulary learning become simple and efficient, and make it possible for the rapid expansion of vocabulary. Word formation is an efficient way and powerful weapon for English study. We should grasp the three main ways, affixation, compounding and conversion, especially for our English major students.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Binge Drinking on College Campuses

Alcohol on American campuses has become a serious issue.   According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, drinking among college students leads to about 1,400 deaths, 500,000 injuries and 600,000 assaults each year (Coin).In 2000, the total number of alcohol related deaths on college campuses was nearly 5,600, while in 1979 the total was more than 2,500 (McClintock), and the number of students who reported that they had driven while intoxicated rose from 2.3 million to 2.8 million (Hingson 260).   This statistic includes all college students, ages 18-24.   That means some of the people involved in these incidents were underage.   1 out of every 4 students drinks at a binge level (Simons 24).This reflects the direction that the youth of America, as a whole, has taken.   Part of the reason for this is that many college students do not know about the harmful effects of alcohol.   Although college drinking, historically, has been viewed by many as a rela tively innocent rite of passage, there is evidence that it is a rite that too often results in negative consequences for drinkers such as poor academic performance, public misconduct, and health problems.Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks for men, and for or more drinks for women (Jennison 660).   After putting these numbers in a blood alcohol estimator, the average male, about 165 lbs, would have a BAC of approximately .09.   This is legally intoxicated in all states.   These numbers were achieved using beer as the type of alcohol.   Had it been hard liquor, the number would have been higher.   At this level of intoxication, all motor skills and judgment are affected adversely, leading to bad decisions as well as the physical inability to handle oneself.The negative short term affects of excessive drinking are numerous.   Impaired vision, judgment, and speech are among the first and most obvious symptoms of drunkenness.   Also, nausea, vomiting, d ehydration, and headaches are among the most common symptoms the next day, commonly referred to as a â€Å"hang over.†The main problem with these short term affects is the impaired judgment and motor skills.   When people are drunk, they can get very emotional, and this often leads to physical altercations.   More than 600,000 students reported being assaulted by someone who was under the influence of alcohol and more than 500,000 reported being injured while intoxicated (Hingson 261).   It is a fact: people have trouble controlling both their words and their actions while they are drunk, and this often leads to injuring themselves or the people around them.There are also many long term affects.   Liver disease, brain damage, and ulcers are the most common among the many effects that slowly tear away at the human body (Jennison 672).   It can also lead to impotence in men, birthing problems in women, added risk of breast cancer, and muscle deterioration (Hingson 268 ).   These are all very serious problems, and for the most part, most college students have no clue about the long term consequences of their binge drinking (Donahue 20).Next, we must understand the reason students drink in college.   Much of the drinking occurs at parties and revolves around drinking games.   These are social games designed to bring different groups of people together, and the rules of participation ensure heavy drinking (Simons 24).   Various games include beer-pong, Beirut, F**k the dealer, asshole, and quarters, among others.The general rules in these games ensure that both winners and losers will drink, with the losers drinking dangerous amounts.   Most people engage in these games as a way to meet new people, while some get involved just to drink.   Another reason many males start these games is to get girls involved.They know that alcohol makes people make decisions they wouldn’t usually make and they hope this leads to the girls being easi er.   It is a fact that alcohol loosens ones inhibitions, so many new friends can be met in one night at a party by a typically shy person if he/she decides to drink.   Also, many students are pressured into drinking by friends, but as they have never drank alcohol before, they do not know their limits, and this is often what leads to the biggest problems.Many first time drinkers have wound up â€Å"passed out† somewhere due to involvement in drinking games (Simons 27).

Saturday, January 11, 2020

MediaCorp’s “Police and Thief” Essay

1. Short summary of my understanding of the question and my thesis statement 2. State some obvious similarities and differences between the 2 case studies. 3. Dissect each case study with the following categories in mind: a. Narratives b. Genres c. Representation d. Ideology e. Scenes 4. Conclusion 5. Some other things to think about: a. Give concrete examples. b. Aspects of styles. These two shows are very Singaporean. By this I mean that they contain many elements which are unique to my country, elements which only within the paradigm of our society will resonate with local viewers. Homerun, an Asian remake of the internationally acclaimed Iranian movie Children of Heaven is a movie directed by Jack Neo, who is a local celebrity best known for his comedic prowess and the many comedy shows under his name. Police and Thief is a relatively new weekly half-hour sitcom shown on Channel 5 which has yet to set a foothold in the heart of local audiences. These locally produced shows use, essentially different techniques in many areas to present the story to us while making use of our experiences as Singaporeans to help us understand and appreciate the shows from their story/plot to the surprises and nuances contained within. I will proceed to show you how the techniques used are also more different than similar. A distinction between the two shows is the element of narration. Cause and effect is employed to effectively present the story or stories in the shows. It is not uncommon to find secondary stories in an episode of a situation comedy or sitcom. These are often inserted into the plot and often come together in conclusion at the end of the episode. In Police and Thief, the show starts off on this episode with Lee Tok Kong the main character of the show wanting to get under the blanket with his wife and due to common reasons of tiredness and falling asleep quickly, has his pleas ignored. This scene is related to how Tok Kong later reacts to the wiles of a less than archetypical femme fatale. There is another story inserted in between, which shows how the neighbour’s sons, Rudy and Rafi having an unspoken conflict over a common love interest. This plot development has no explicit and implicit impact on the main story mentioned earlier. It almost feels like tokenism has taken place, either to fill up the half hour of screen time or to give emphasis to the other characters in the sitcom. In Homerun, it is quickly established that poverty leads to a lack of options and hence with the losing of shoes early into the movie, we see the main ’cause’ in the show that explains later effects. The show revolves around how the main characters are thwarted at every attempt to obtain a new pair of shoes or retrieve the old pair. We do not see scenes that have no relation to any other. In fact the entire narration of Homerun is about a search for a cause-shoes. Both the shows have different range of stories. There is less suspense buildup in Police and Thief and this is probably due to restricted narration where both the audience and the characters in the show know the same information at relatively equal times. The only example of unrestricted narration in the recent episode was when Rudy cheated on his promise to his brother Rafi behind his back to get a chance to go out with the girl, Cecilia, they both like. Rafi only found it out in another scene when Cecilia whom similarly does not know of the conflict called their home. In this case, we know more than several characters in the show at a particular time. In Homerun, during the opening sequence of Chew Kiat Kun running errands for his family, it is quickly established that a rag-and-bone man had taken away the pair of shoes which Kiat Kun had put down. Kiat Kun has no idea how the shoes had mysteriously disappeared and hence his sister Seow Fang too. In this scene alone, a beautiful play on camera angle suffices to keep us in suspense till much later in the show. This seemingly passing top down close up scene of the gnarled hands removing the shoes helps to tug hard at our heart strings when we later realize the rag-and-bone man is blind. The above is a good example of how both restricted and unrestricted narration can be developed from one scene. We know who had taken away the shoes (unrestricted narration) but like the characters in the show we have no idea he was blind (restricted narration). These two shows belong to the 2 commonest genres in Singapore. Police and Thief can be classified as belonging to the â€Å"HDB† genre. In fact this plot of this particular sitcom revolves around the conflict faced by two men who live in close proximity. It has an appeal particular to local viewers who are able to appreciate the familiar settings. One example which we can relate to is the scene of Lily, Tok Kong’s wife who repeats a punch line in a scene where her face is framed in the center of our common older HDB window panes. It is common to see neighbours walking and talking from the same angle for those who have lived in HDB flats. Homerun is a social commentary and even as it is based in 1965, the year Singapore became independent, it reflects on socio-political situations which were prevalent during the time of filming i.e. the water issue between Malaysia and Singapore. Another genre which is mixed into both these shows is the coffee shop genre, featuring many scenes of meeting and interactions at local coffee shops. We see this in Police and Thief where Tok Kong was being interviewed by a lady near the beginning of the show and in Homerun, Kiat Kun helps out his teacher from school who is close to collapsing from shortness of breath at a roadside coffee shop. There is obvious stereotyping in Police and Thief. Tok Kong is your typical gangster or â€Å"Ah Beng† in colloquial terms. He has wild, pointy gelled hair and wears colourful clothing, even for sleeping attire (Opening scenes). His heavily accented Singapore Colloquial English (SCE) (â€Å"Don’t play with my heart†) and his love for techno music scream â€Å"Ah Beng†. He is put in direct contrast with his neighbour and antagonist in the show Sergeant Dollah who is a policeman. Dollah is characterized with short hair, very neat and righteous. These stereotypes alone set the premise for tension and conflict as neighbours. It is akin to Phua Chu Kang versus his sister-in-law Margaret. The stereotypes in Homerun broadly differentiate the rich and the poor. A simple comparison can be made between Beng Soon and Kiat Kun, friends of opposite ends of the economic spectrum whose relationship sours then mends in the course of the show. Beng Soon is cast in shirts, clean with well-gelled hair (in school) and stands at a good head taller than Kiat Kun. His friend however is almost always dirty, with smudges on his singlet and/or face. Even during a game of soccer, Beng Soon provides the soccer boots and he is the only one on the field with soccer socks. Tok Kong as the gangster also becomes an icon easily associated with local shows of similar genres. There is no obvious icon in Homerun. It uses a motif rather, to play out the story. There were multiple scenes of close ups of your ‘Bata’ white or dirty shoes (in the shops or in the background with Seow Fang’s face in the focus). Many scenes of tension started because of shoes e.g. the shoes slipping off and into a canal full of rushing water and even in the scene where Seow Fang’s teacher paces as the children are exercising). These scenes feature changes in music, close ups with dialogue in the background, all to draw attention to the motif in the show. During the scene at the well with the confrontation between the two groups of boys, we see wealth being equated with power, that Beng Soon who was the rich one could actually decide who got to use the well. This is perhaps the director’s ideology portraying the way Malaysia hordes over us in the water issue. The premise of Homerun revolved around three things: shoes, intelligence and power being associated with wealth. Jack Neo parodies the socio-political situation between Singapore and Malaysia using the three elements with shoes being the water, Singapore being the more intelligent country and power that Malaysia holds over us due to their superior water resource. The two shows end differently too. The end of the sitcom is close without answered questions while the cryptic ending of Homerun leaves us pondering what the director would have us think as we leave the cinema. There is no element of suspense left in Police and Thief to entice the audience to look out for the next episode, unlike a soap opera. Even as both shows make use of our experience to enhance our appreciation and understanding of the shows, they obviously use several different techniques and some similar ones to bring forth the essence of each individual story. These different methods highlight certain elements essential to the plot of the stories and ultimately help us to enjoy the shows as Singaporeans.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

The Jewish Community in Italy Essay - 2754 Words

The Jewish Community in Italy Problems with format For centuries, there has been a Jewish community in parts of present-day Italy, dating back to the Roman Empire. In addition to religious differences, Jews were faced with political challenges as well. The Emperor was included in the pantheon of Roman tradition, which added a political obligation to religious, and thus Roman citizens were required to ?conciliate the gods.? For Jews, this requirement created many consequences.[1] According to estimates, there were five to seven million Jews in the Roman Empire during this time. The relations between the Jews and the Romans have always been complicated. For in 186 B.C. measures were taken against the Bacchanalia, but in 161 B.C., a†¦show more content†¦In addition to those geographically in Italy, many Jews were subject to Roman rule. After the tyrannical emperor Nero committed suicide and violent civil war, Vespasian, of the Flavian dynasty, gained control. In Judea, Roman rule seemingly contradicted the common Jewish re ligious-nationalist sentiments, but Roman rulers established various privileges for those with Hebraic religious beliefs. Jews, throughout the Empire, were not required to engage in emperor worship, since it was directly contrary to their monotheistic beliefs. Yet, the Jews and the Romans did clash on various issues; one example took place during the reign of Caligula, when he ?ordered that a golden statue of himself be placed in Jerusalem?s temple.?[5] After the Jews firmly resisted, Caligula rescinded his order. ?In 66 A.D., as a result of the encouragement of militant Jews, the Jewish community initiated a war of liberation. A five-month siege during 70 A.D., by the Romans, significantly hurt the Jews, and soon after, the Romans captured and destroyed the Jerusalem temple.? Then, the Romans transported approximately ten thousand Jews to Rome in order to build the Coliseum.? There was another Hebrew revolt in Judea under the rule of Hadrian, but the Romans were victorious again.? Most Palestinian Jews were sold into slavery, exiled to other lands, or killed.? Though the Jews in Rome were enslaved, their cultureShow MoreRelatedMussolini s Main Goals For Italy1177 Words   |  5 Pagesthou shalt not be a bystander† (A), these wise words were spoken by Yehuda Bauer, 65 years after the start of the Holocaust. Italy, under the rule of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, was one of the many countries who turned her back on the Jewish people. Because of political, social and economic rea sons, Italy was a bystander to the heinous crimes inflicted on the Jewish population. Benito Mussolini took control of the Italian government in 1922, and ruled until 1943. Under Mussolini’s rule, democraticRead MoreAntisemitism in the Middle Ages1616 Words   |  7 PagesWorld. The Spanish Inquisition was one of the darkest periods of time in Jewish history. 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There he had been studying chemistryRead MoreWhat Type Of Governments Promoted An Exclusive Notion Of The National Community1211 Words   |  5 Pageselection and the want for constitutions, led to every government with a constitutional monarchy except for a few. In this paper, I will discuss what type of governments promoted an exclusive notion of the national community. The first government we run into is led by Benito Mussolini in Italy. The Fascists, like Mussolini and Hitler, focused on the unity of the nation, which â€Å"glorified war and military.† â€Å"The nation was the highest embodiment of the people, and the powerful leader was the materializationRead MoreThe Ashkenazim, the Sephardim and the Mizrahim Jews Essay924 Words   |  4 PagesAfter the Romans conquered Jerusalem and caused the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD many Jewish people fled to Europe and other countries. The two main groups that emerged during this time were the Ashkenazim and the Sephardim. Both these groups set up new lives in foreign countries and had to grow accustomed to their traditions and beliefs. The Ashkenazim settled mainly in Germany and spoke Yiddish while the Sephardim settled mainly in Spain and spoke their own distinct language, a combinationRead MoreThe War Of The World War I914 Words   |  4 Pagesinstigation of WW2 is highly controversi al; A few propose it was a mere furtherance of the First World War, while others believe it began when Japan apprehended the region of Manchuria from China in 1931. The infiltration and overpowering of Ethiopia by Italy in 1935, and Germany’s takeover of Czechoslovakia in 1938 are often mentioned. Involving 113 countries across a span of six continents, it was deemed the largest war in the history of humanity. The two opposing powers were the Allied forces; predominantlyRead MoreGhettos Description in Night by Elie Wiesel Essay781 Words   |  4 PagesThe term ghetto, originally derived from Venetian dialect in Italy during the sixteenth century, has multiple variations of meaning. The primary perception of the word is â€Å"synonymous with segregation† (Bassi). The first defining moment of the ghetto as a Jewish neighborhood was in sixteenth century Italy; however, the term directly correlates with the beginning of the horror that the Jewish population faced during Adolph Hitler’s reign. â€Å"No ancient ghetto knew the terror and suffering of the ghettosRead MoreThe Plague Of Europe And Asia1165 Words   |  5 Pagesand other northern passages into Northern Africa, Italy, and Western Europe . The Bubonic plague first infiltrated Europe through a group of Genoese merchants trading in the Mediterranean Sea . The group of traders brought their merchandise to the small island of the coast of Italy named Sicily. The disease spread at a never before seen rapid pace due to the proximity of over populated cities . In less than a year the disease had swept through Italy and into southern France. Once in France the diseaseRead MoreAnti Semitism By Jacob Von Konigshofen1196 Words   |  5 PagesSince the beginning of Jewish history, there has always been an underlying feeling of anti-Semitism. The most well-known acts of anti-Semitism was the atrocities of the 20th century obliteration of the Jewish population within Nazi Germany. While this is the most commercialized, it certainly was not the first and only acts of anti-Semitism. From the sack of Jerusalem to the Crusades and later Hitler’s Final Solution, anti-Semitism has been a far reaching and invasive opinion of the m asses. The â€Å"CremationRead MoreAnalysis Of 97 Orchard By Jane Ziegelman1562 Words   |  7 Pagesshe explores and paints the history of five different immigrant families. The book goes into great detail sharing stories of daily life for these five families who are of all different backgrounds. None of the families are the same, some are German, Jewish, Italian etc.Although present day United States includes more ethnicities than one can imagine the book does an excellent job at detailing life in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Ziegelman includes their hardships and success stories