Public Relation Campaign for Big Brother Big Sister Assignment

Open Relation Campaign for Big Brother Big Sister - Assignment Example You can be guaranteed that his Big Brother or Big Sister has experienced a broad individual verification since we esteem your child’s wellbeing. Moreover, all coaching connections are firmly checked and have the sponsorship of expertly prepared match facilitator. The Big Brother or Big Sister will help your youngster in making progress in school and keeping him from going to medications or liquor. Most children who select at Big Brothers Big Sisters become increasingly certain and perform better in school. Their associations with their families and companions enormously improve. All the more significantly, they rest easy thinking about themselves (Big Brothers Big Sisters of America , standard 2). In the event that you are focused on letting your kid investigate his tremendous possibilities and need to create him to turn into a develop, capable and a balanced individual, this is the open door you have been hanging tight for. You may reach us at phone number ____________ and we will happily examine with you about our projects. Older siblings Big Sisters Australia Limited. Worldwide associations. 2009. bigbrothersbigsisters.org. Web. 22 October 2012

How much IT involved in Auditing to (reduce Duration, Cost and Dissertation

The amount IT associated with Auditing to (lessen Duration, Cost and increment Efficiency and Effectiveness), thoroughly analyze stud - Dissertation Example To examine the genuine situation, this examination work has embraced subjective review strategy for gathering information about the exploration situation. Information have been gathered from twelve unique associations that have actualized IT based reviewing apparatuses. The information gathered were deciphered appropriately and exposed to Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) investigation to get the consequences of the examination. It has been discovered that IT based reviewing instruments decrease the hour of investigation and information recovery. They give great accessibility of information. They are increasingly precise, proficient and compelling in leading review strategies. The cost associated with executing and keep up them is impressively more. Contrasting United Kingdom and Kurdistan, United Kingdom is more broadly utilizing IT based review devices than Kurdistan. List of chapters Chapter 1 - Research Introduction 1.1. Presentation 1.2. Research Scenario 1. 3. Explanation of the examination Problem 1.4. Point of the Research 1.5. Principle Research Question and Hypotheses 1.6. Extension and Significance of this Research 1.7. Approach of Research 1.8. Subjective study strategy 1.9. Information gathering instrument 1.10. ... Section Summary Chapter 3 â€Research Methodology 3.1. Research Methods 3.2. Subjective study strategy 3.3. Subjective Sampling 3.4. Subjective Data Collection 3.5. The Qualitative Questionnaire 3.6. Legitimacy and Limitations of the information 3.7. Part Summary Chapter 4 - Research Data Analysis 4.1. Subjective Data portrayal 4.2. General Qualitative Data Analysis 4.3. SWOT investigation 4.4. SWOT examination of subjective information 4.5. SWOT examination of Research information 4.6. Section rundown Chapter 5 †Discussion of Results 5.1. Conversation of Results 5.2. Speculations testing with SWOT factors 5.3. Proposals Chapter 6 †Research Conclusion References List of tables Table4.1. SWOT factors in table structure List of figures Figure. 2.1. IT in various phases of examining Fig.4.1. The SWOT grid portrayal of the components. Section 1 - Research Introduction 1.1. Presentation: This section gives a presentation about this exploration work with the examination issue p roclamation, point of the exploration, fundamental research question and the strategy of research to be received. 1.2. Research Scenario: The strategies for evaluating have changed fundamentally in the ongoing past because of the progressions in IT. Striking principles for the adequacy in examining have developed. The nature of examining is basic for money related revealing and evaluating (FRC, 2008). Evaluating includes the introduction and conversation of fiscal summaries of an association. The conversation might be among the review group and the top level administration. Examining is viewed as basic action taking into account the general capital resources and market certainty. Present examining rehearses are very sufficient yet their information realness is less. This might be unfavorable to an association as they experience the ill effects of

Self Efficacy and Why Believing in Yourself Matters

Self Efficacy and Why Believing in Yourself Matters Theories Personality Psychology Print Self Efficacy and Why Believing in Yourself Matters 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 October 07, 2019 Studio Firma/Stocksy United More in Theories Personality Psychology Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Behavioral Psychology Cognitive Psychology Developmental Psychology Social Psychology Biological Psychology Psychosocial Psychology In This Article Table of Contents Expand Overview Role Sources Examples Strength of Self-Efficacy Building Self-Efficacy View All Back To Top When facing a challenge, do you feel like you can rise up and accomplish your goal or do you give up in defeat? Are you like the famous little train engine from the classic childrens book (I think I can, I think I can!), or do you doubt your own abilities to rise up and overcome the difficulties that life throws your way? Self-efficacy, or your belief in your own abilities to deal with various situations, can play a role in not only how you feel about yourself, but whether or not you successfully achieve your goals in life. The concept of self-efficacy is central to psychologist Albert Bandura’s  social cognitive theory, which emphasizes the role of  observational learning, social experience, and  reciprocal determinism  in developing a personality. According to Bandura, a person’s attitudes, abilities, and cognitive skills comprise what is known as the self-system. This system plays a major role in how we perceive situations and how we behave in response to different situations. Self-efficacy is an essential part of this self-system. Overview According to  Albert Bandura, self-efficacy is the belief in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations. In other words, self-efficacy is a person’s belief in his or her ability to succeed in a particular situation. Bandura described these beliefs as determinants of how people think, behave, and feel.?? Since Bandura published his seminal 1977 paper, Self-Efficacy: Toward a Unifying Theory of Behavioral Change, the subject has become one of the most studied topics in psychology. Why has self-efficacy become such an important topic among psychologists and educators? As Bandura and other researchers have demonstrated, self-efficacy can have an impact on everything from psychological states to behavior to motivation.?? Our belief in our own ability to succeed plays a role in how we think, how we act, and how we feel about our place in the world. Self-efficacy also determines what goals we choose to pursue, how we go about accomplishing those goals, and how we reflect upon our own performance. Role Virtually all people can identify goals they want to accomplish, things they would like to  change, and things they would like to achieve. However, most people also realize that putting these plans into action is not quite so simple. Bandura and others have found that an individual’s self-efficacy plays a major role in how goals, tasks, and challenges are approached.?? People with a strong sense of self-efficacy: View challenging problems as tasks to be masteredDevelop a deeper interest in the activities in which they participateForm a stronger sense of commitment to their interests and activitiesRecover quickly from setbacks and disappointments People with a weak sense of self-efficacy: Avoid challenging tasksBelieve that difficult tasks and situations are beyond their capabilitiesFocus on personal failings and negative outcomesQuickly lose confidence in personal abilities Sources How does self-efficacy develop? These beliefs begin to form in  early childhood  as children deal with a wide variety of experiences, tasks, and situations. However, the growth of self-efficacy does not end during youth  but continues to evolve throughout life as people acquire new skills, experiences, and understanding.?? According to Bandura, there are four major sources of self-efficacy: 1. Mastery Experiences The most effective way of developing a strong sense of efficacy is through mastery experiences, Bandura explained. Performing a task successfully strengthens our sense of self-efficacy. However, failing to adequately deal with a task or challenge can undermine and weaken self-efficacy.?? 2. Social Modeling Witnessing other people successfully completing a task is another important source of self-efficacy.?? According to Bandura, Seeing people similar to oneself succeed by sustained effort raises observers beliefs that they too possess the capabilities to master comparable activities to succeed. 3.  Social Persuasion Bandura also asserted that people could be persuaded to believe that they have the skills and capabilities to succeed. Consider a time when someone said something positive and encouraging that helped you achieve a goal. Getting verbal encouragement from others helps people overcome self-doubt and instead focus on giving their best effort to the task at hand.?? 4. Psychological Responses Our own responses and emotional reactions to situations also play an important role in self-efficacy. Moods,  emotional states, physical reactions, and stress levels can all impact how a person feels about their personal abilities in a particular situation. A person who becomes extremely nervous before speaking in public may develop a weak sense of self-efficacy in these situations.?? However, Bandura also notes it is not the sheer intensity of emotional and physical reactions that is important but rather how they are perceived and interpreted.?? By learning how to minimize stress and elevate mood when facing difficult or challenging tasks, people can improve their sense of self-efficacy. Examples So what exactly does high self-efficacy look like? You can probably think of some examples from your own life including areas where you feel a great deal of efficacy. People may possess a general sense of self-efficacy or in a specific domain where they believe they can do well such as school, work, friendships, parenting, sports, hobbies, and other areas. Some examples of strong self-efficacy include: A student who feels confident that she will be able to learn the information and do well on a test.A woman who has just accepted a job position in a role she has never performed before but feels that she has the ability to learn and perform her job well.A man who is struggling to manage his chronic illness but feels confident that he can get back on track and improve his health by working hard and following his doctors recommendations. Self-efficacy can play an important role in health psychology and how people manage their health, nutrition, and illness. For example, having a strong sense of self-efficacy can help people who are trying to quit smoking stick to their goals. Maintaining a weight loss plan, managing chronic pain, giving up alcohol, sticking to an exercise schedule, and following an eating plan can all be influenced by a persons levels of self-efficacy.?? Bandura suggests that self-efficacy can benefit a persons sense of well-being in a number of ways. Because individuals with high self-efficacy look at difficulties as challenges rather than threats, they tend to be more intrinsically interested in the tasks they pursue. Difficulty and failure dont mean defeat; instead, these individuals redouble their efforts and look for new ways to overcome. They remain optimistic and confident in their abilities, even when things become difficult. People who are low in self-efficacy tend to see difficult tasks as threats they should avoid. Because of this, they also tend to avoid setting goals and have low levels of commitment to the ones they do make. When setbacks happen, they tend to give up quickly. Because they dont have much confidence in their ability to achieve, they are more likely to experience feelings of failure and depression. Stressful situations can also be very hard to deal with and those with low self-efficacy are less resilient and less likely to bounce back.?? Strength of Self-Efficacy There are a number of different scales that are used to evaluate levels of self-efficacy including the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) and the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. For a quick, informal assessment of your own self-efficacy levels, consider the following questions: Do you feel like you can handle problems if you are willing to work hard?Are you confident in your ability to achieve your goals?Do you feel like you can manage unexpected events that come up?Are you able to bounce back fairly quickly after stressful events?Do you feel like you can come up with solutions when you are facing a problem?Do you keep trying even when things seem difficult?Are you good at staying calm even in the face of chaos?Do you perform well even under pressure?Do you tend to focus on your progress rather than getting overwhelmed by all you still have to do?Do you believe that hard work will eventually pay off? If you can answer yes to many or most of these questions, then chances are good that you have a fairly strong sense of self-efficacy.?? If you feel like your self-efficacy could use a boost, consider some of the following strategies for improving your sense of efficacy. Building Self-Efficacy Fortunately, self-efficacy is a psychological skill that you can foster and strengthen. Start by looking for ways that you can incorporate Banduras sources of self-efficacy into your own life. Celebrate Your Success Mastery experiences play a critical role in the establishment of self-efficacy. Bandura actually identified this as the single most effective way to create a strong sense of self-belief. When you succeed at something, you are able to build a powerful belief in your ability. Failure, on the other hand, can undermine these feelings, particularly if you are still in the early phases of building a sense of personal efficacy.?? The ideal sorts of successes, however, are not necessarily those that come easily. If you experience a lot of easy success, you may find yourself giving up more readily when you finally do encounter failure. So work on setting goals that are achievable, but not necessarily easy. They will take work and perseverance, but you will emerge with a stronger belief in your own abilities once you achieve them. Observe Others Bandura also identified vicarious experiences obtained through peer modeling as another important means of establishing and strengthening self-efficacy. Seeing others putting in effort and succeeding, as a result, can increase your belief in your own ability to succeed. One factor that plays a key role in the effectiveness of this approach is how similar the model is to yourself. The more alike you feel you are, the more likely it is that your observations will increase your sense of self-efficacy.?? Seek Positive Affirmations Hearing positive feedback from others can also help improve your sense of self-efficacy. By that same token, try to avoid asking for feedback from people who you know are more likely to have a negative or critical view of your performance. For example, your doctor telling you that you are doing a good job sticking to your diet plan can be encouraging. Feedback from friends, mentors, health practitioners, and people who you respect can help you feel greater confidence in your own abilities. Positive social feedback can be helpful for strengthening your already existing sense of efficacy, but negative comments can often have a powerful undermining effect. Bandura suggested that social feedback alone is not enough to build your self-belief, but it can be a useful tool when you need a little extra encouragement.?? Pay Attention to Your Thoughts and Emotions If you find yourself getting stressed out or nervous before a challenging event, you might feel less sure of your ability to cope with the task at hand. Another way to boost your self-efficacy is to look for ways to manage your thoughts and emotions about what you are trying to accomplish. Do you feel anxious? Looking for ways to ease your stress levels can help you feel more confident in your capabilities. Do you find yourself dwelling on negative thoughts? Look for ways to replace negativity with positive self-talk that promotes self-belief.?? A Word From Verywell Developing a strong sense of self-efficacy can play an important role in almost every aspect of your life. Life is full of challenges and high levels of self-efficacy can help you better deal with these difficulties more effectively. Your belief in your abilities can predict how motivated you feel, how you feel about yourself, and the amount of effort you put into achieving your goals.

Political and Emotional Dictatorship within Junot Diazs...

Political and Emotional Dictatorship within Junot Diazs Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Works Cited Missing Junot Dà ­az published his first novel and second book The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao in 2006, forty-five years after the 1930-1961 rule of Trujillo over the Dominican Republic collapsed. Thats the central theme of the novel: dictatorship. It concerns not only political, man-over-man, Trujillo-brutal dictatorship (though that is a haunting image throughout), but also psychological despots: the dictatorship of fear, of orphanage, of blighted love, of displacement, of cancer, of nerdiness, of ostracization, of obesity, of unrequited love, of male sexual hunger (both under- and over-supplemented), and, above all, of†¦show more content†¦Thus, for practical as well as literary reasons, Dà ­az focuses on the psychological and emotional despots stemming from one political dictatorship?that of Trujillo . But Dà ­az, again, is disciplined: He structures the plights of the Cabral-Wao lineage as the history of fukà º: Fukà º began with Colombuss step onto the sand of the We st Indies and, as a V, expanded to the crushing poverty and political unrest abounding in Latin America today, the plights of the Cabral-Wao lineage began with Trujillo and expanded with each generation, culminating in the doomed-to-sorrow, dictatorship-riddled life of Oscar Wao. Because of this structure, it suits to begin with the earliest generation chronicled: thus, Oscar Waos grandfather, Abelard Luis Cabral. Abelard is a member of the Fortunate People(213)?read wealthy people?which of course means not much dictatorship affected his life before Trujillo, but Trujillo, remember, is the beginning of the Cabral-Wao V. When the brutal Trujillo seizes power, however, Abelard must maintain the outward appearance of the enthusiastic Trujillista (215), which he wasnt. So he has to deal with keeping the household conversation off politics, but that is the only strong despot of his life. Thus marks the bottom of the V, both for the entire Cabral-Wao lineage recorded in

The Little-Known Secrets to How to Right an Essay about Yourself

The Little-Known Secrets to How to Right an Essay about Yourself In order to comprehend how a personal essay appears like, you should go through few successful samples. You're able to find samples of private essay online. There are sources that can provide you sample essays to use directly from their websites while some give room for downloads so that you may use the example at your own moment. Among the points to take into account when trying to find a sample essay about yourself is the caliber of the paper. How to Right an Essay about Yourself Ideas For example, you can begin your essay with an anecdote. Again, you don't have to include whatever you write here, in your primary essay. A superb essay is interesting irrespective of the chosen topic. Therefore, if you take advantage of an essay example strictly for its structure and to be certain you stay focused, then you'll be OK. After reading this kind of essay, readers should feel your essay differs from a personal essay that's written and published on a blog. By reading personal essays of different writers, you will know what's common in different writers. Make certain you read your essay aloud and you have a minumum of one friend do the exact same. Do not depart from your readers guessing your essay is all about to end. Today, there are numerous sources a student can depend on for an illustration of a personal essay. There's no ideal solution on the best way to compose an effective essay. As you are writing an essay about yourself, there are lots of things you can tell your readers. The entire essay writing procedure is made even more difficult once the subject of the essay is personal and about yourself! There isn't ever a smooth sailing in college are on the job. It can be disastrous to skip a lifetime opportunity due to a poorly done personal essay. The essays function as a glimpse into how your mind works, how you see the world and gives perspective. Your essay will provide the admission officers a glimpse into the way that your mind operates and the manner in which you perceive the world. The One Thing to Do for How to Right an Essay about Yourself You may also think about an ending that mirrors the start of your essay. Always make sure that you revise your essay so as to do away wit h the demand for use of pronouns in sentences thus developing a formal fashion of writing that is more appropriate. If your essay is describing a process, like how to make a huge chocolate cake, make sure your paragraphs fall in the proper order. Naturally, writing an essay requires not just significant command over the language but in addition dollops of creativity. If you've got a lot of things to include in the essay, begin by telling your readers the most fascinating and vital things about you. Instead, pick a topic which you find unique, interesting and captivating to offer a description of your nature and life to your readers. Theoretically, you may select any topic but what determines the success of your private essay is the way you demonstrate your thinking, logic and the capacity to hold the interest of your readers. Nobody would like to read a boring piece whenever there are dozens and dozens of essays to experience. A superb anecdote can be pivotal in engaging the officers from the start of your essay. Your essay will just have so much time to stick out among the crowd. Write a proper ending for your private essay To some individuals, ending a personal essay has become the most challenging bit. Be certain to inspect the course out so that you may write the greatest personal essay possible. The program Explain why you wish to join a specific course. Colleges care about the quantities of acceptances deeply, so it can help to understand you're a sure thing. The major question of all students who must compose a reflective or private essay is whether it's possible to produce such sort of academic paper without sounding too egotistical. An introduction is the surface of the applicant. The details that you include in your own personal essay should be decided by the instructions or guidelines supplied by the instructor or the college that you're applying for. A well written example needs to be concentrated on the subject, clear in points and simple to read.

Themes of Modern Terrorism Bakunin’s God and the State Free Essays

string(134) " As a global community, we express daily outrage when acts of terror be they car bombings, hijackings, kidnappings and murders occur\." Mohit Mulani Prof. James Gilligan 22/12/12 â€Å"God and the State† The idea of malevolent terrorism is fundamentally rooted in an extremist interpretation of religion enabled and to a great extent encouraged by priests and political figures. To examine this closely with reference to historical situations and ideas, we can apply the notions bought forward by the Russian 19th century philosopher and nihilist Bakunin in his seminal book, â€Å"God and State. We will write a custom essay sample on Themes of Modern Terrorism Bakunin’s God and the State or any similar topic only for you Order Now † In the book, doctinaires are critiqued quite heavily for their relentless imposition of impractical ideals upon the world. With regards to the, Bakunin states, â€Å"They are so jealous of the glory of their God and of the triumph of their idea that they have no heart left for the liberty or the dignity or even the sufferings of living men, of real men. Divine zeal, preoccupation with the idea, finally dry up the tenderest souls, the most compassionate hearts, the sources of human love. God the State, 65)† Comparing these 19th century doctinaires with modern day terrorists we see a group of people so completely enthralled by the superiority of their belief systems that they are more than willing to compromise the lives of non-believers to ‘persuade’ others. This follows in the line of a traditional process that requires the destruction and absolute overhaul of a current system and its institutions in order for a new one to establish itself and thrive. Referred to in the line, â€Å"Every development necessarily implies a negation,† the idea is the basis of aggressive and violent terrorism globally (God the State, 9). The September 11th attacks for instance were planned to include bombings of the Pentagon and White House, both symbolic locations representing the centers of Western imperialism and sources of resentment for the jihadis. This is particularly important given how modern day authors, journalists and thinkers have emphasized the peaceful nature of Islam when interpreted by its scriptures. Looking at the sheer organization and potency of terrorist rganizations, it seems as though the hyper-violent aspect of this otherwise ‘peaceful’ religion must have arisen from an understanding of this dogma. There must prevail the idea that without the destruction of certain reviled Western ideals, their preferred value systems cannot be secured across the world. Another aspect bought up in Bakunin’s statemen t about doctrinaires was the erasure of love and sympathy towards the victims of terrorist acts. The perpetrators here have been blinded by the aggressive, nationalistic rivalry between ideologies towards the pain and suffering of others. In some cases, the real or imagined suffering of their own people, often at the hands of the West is used as a tool to harden their emotional facilities towards demonized groups of people. Several recruitment communications and propaganda display in explicit detail the torture practices, prison camp conditions and drone attacks the Western nations have inflicted upon suspected terrorists. This intensifies the unbridled hatred that ultimately fuels the metaphorical terror machine-churning out thousands of graduates armed with suicide vests and destructive ideals that they wish to impose upon the world. An important point here is that the origin of such behaviour isn’t singularly caused by hate or resentment; it is rather the amalgamation of several factors including socio-political ones that in their totality create this belligerent section of the world. Bakunin speaks of, â€Å"the whole history of humanity, intellectual and moral, political and social, [being] but a reflection of its economic history (God the State, 9). † The fiscal nature of countries and their people often have direct consequences on the views and positions adopted by them. The effect of poverty on the terrorist world-view most directly can be two fold. In the first case, people join jihadist factions for direct monetary recompense to themselves or their family; a significant factor in desperately poor nations and villages. An instance of this was seen after the Mumbai train bombings of 2008 in which the prime suspect Ajmal Kassab confessed to expecting approximately US$3,352 after succeeding in his mission. According to police sources, he was unaware of any Islamic tenets or verses from the Quran but had a virulent message to send nonetheless. The other effect of a poor economic state is an increased susceptibility to false priests and their version of religion. Lower socio-economic groups when faced with inconsequential lives resort to belief systems that give them comfort, solace and often a sense of superiority with respect to ideology held. This often translates to more suicide bombers by means of greater anticipation for the afterlife. A fair amount of terrorists that go onto perform suicide missions do so after comparing their current lives with the ones they expect to lead in heaven or jannah. They see poverty, distress, debt and suffering as something they can leave behind to reach a land of fountains, gardens, angels and virgins if they do the right thing. Here is where opportunistic priests and politicians swoop in employing, â€Å"base and criminal means †¦ to keep the nations in perpetual slavery. (God the State, 11)† These self-proclaimed, â€Å"guardians and the fathers of the people,† clearly do not have their best interests at heart and see them rather as tools by which they can achieve their respective political and religious agendas. A preacher who sermonizes on the value of taking lives, leveling cities and particularly in Iran- the use of nuclear weapons, cannot possibly be representing to the people any interpretation of religious texts. Instead of performing his duties as the spiritual head of a community, he uses incendiary rhetoric to stir people who are repeatedly manipulated by their governments into believing serious propaganda against Western nations. Bakunin expresses particular outrage at such figures referring to their acts as, â€Å" this crime of treason against humanity committed daily, in broad day, over the whole surface of the civilized world. This is interesting mostly because it alters our perspective on ideas of terrorism and makes us look intensely at what goes into the formation of one. As a global community, we express daily outrage when acts of terror be they car bombings, hijackings, kidnappings and murders occur. You read "Themes of Modern Terrorism Bakunin’s God and the State" in category "Essay examples" Caught up in these, it gets difficult to see the simultaneous crime being carried out throughout large tracts of the Middle East where the populace is systematically denied a real education in lieu of religious madrasas and indoctrination. Though vastly different, we can examine Bakunin’s analysis of 19th century education and modern day madrasas. â€Å"Such are the absurd tales that are told and the monstrous doctrines that are taught, in the full light of the nineteenth century, in all the public schools of Europe, at the express command of the government. They call this civilizing the people! Is it not plain that all these governments are systematic poisoners, interested stupefies of the masses? † ( God ; the State, 11) There is quite certainly a reason for the establishment of such schools. We can posit that due to a certain moral vacuum, created by the influx of Western/European morality which itself was a consequence of the Scientific Revolution, there exists a motive to enforce conservative and restrictive moral systems. These motives when taken to their extreme engender resentment towards other forms of thinking and see them as counterproductive or directly hostile to their own. In the case of Islamic theology, the teachings have been co-opted by a small, but active militant and extremist sector. This group opposes in principle all people who do not share their belief systems calling them indicatively; non-believers, infidels and heretics. Much like how in post war Europe this very moral vacuum was filled with branches of Totalitarianism and Fascism, the radical Middle East has adopted a similarly authoritarian system. This system is firstly authoritarian in the literal sense as most nations like Saudi Arabia have no free press, democratic governments or political parties. Secondly on a more abstract level, its religious tenets when exercised by extremists or the Mutaween are highly prohibitory and insular. An example of this sprung to international attention when in March of 2002, a girl’s school in Mecca caught on fire. Members of the Mutaween or the religious police were on hand to prevent improperly dressed girls from leaving the burning building. As school was in session with an entirely female population, for the sake of comfort most girls had seen fit to take of their confining abayas and headdresses. When attempting to escape, According to a civil defense officer, the girls were forced to return by use of force. This is one of many examples of religious confinement and how it is inherently parochial and inhibitory. The masses must indeed be stupefied, as Bakunin says if they consider it God’s will that girls burn to death for not being dressed appropriately. Though applicable to a wide range of scenarios, this example gives us insight into the aggressions of terrorist groups. It is clearly not enough that they follow the rigid principles set in the scriptures and interpreted by their mullahs, virtually everyone must do so as well. Some priests go so far as to imply that forcing or â€Å"converting† non-believers to the jihad proffers to them a place in heaven. With this tendency to make the world follow the teachings of Allah, it seems natural that they would resort to the means made popular by tradition and used quite frequently in history for such purposes; violence. Bakunin reprimands this agenda harshly in a letter to S. Nechayev: â€Å"You said that all men should be such, that a complete renunciation of self, of all personal wishes, pleasures, feelings affections and ties, should be a normal, natural, everyday condition to everybody without exception. You wished and still with to make your own selfless cruelty, your own truly extreme fanaticism, into a rule of common life. You wish for an absurdity, an impossibility, a total negation of nature, man and society†¦ no society however perfect its discipline and however powerful its organization can conquer nature(On Violence, 9). † This is precisely what the terrorists seem intent on doing, enforcing by means of violence their way of life upon the world. The term ‘nature’ is used here to reference the progress and advancement of society, morals and behaviour. The Scientific revolution occurred some 300 years ago and since then we have evolved, developing new systems of morality and using the social sciences to fill in the gaps left by religious dogma. These â€Å"science[s] of the future† like psychology and sociology are tools we use to fashion a new way of thinking and living(God ; the State, 61). Though they exist popular and normative definitions of good and evil, we have to a great extent outgrown them as new, more ethically complex situations arise and we approach them differently. Observing moral gray areas that we face everyday like bioethics in legislation for instance gives us an idea as to how we have been forced to evolve our moral ideas to keep up with out lifestyles. Though significant, bioethics is representative of a much larger and more pervasive phenomenon due to which we approach virtually all situations differently. For one, we refrain from moralizing a lot of issues that we would have historically used an ethical framework to describe. Our collective moral psychology as a whole has become more imaginative and we have a much larger scope to use morality in out lives. This broad, nonconservative approach has been interpreted as an empty, decadent and immoral (rather ironically) philosophy that is engendered by liberal Western culture and extends through its rather large sphere of influence. This perceived emptiness or moral vacuum is then filled by priests, zealots and a restrictive culture that is almost reactionary in its principles, formed so diametrically opposed to the ones it aims to eliminate. Bakunin explains to Nechayev that regardless of a particular society’s moral system, it is impossible to â€Å"conquer nature† or stop progress. This evolving of moral systems is the progress we’ve made in a past few centuries and various terrorist movements are largely the backlash experienced as a result of it. The abandonment of traditional value systems is understandably frightening and this very fear has been molded into a consequential, aggressive and parochial movement that uses undiscerning violence to erase centuries of moral advancement and replace it with a very specific, scripture-based morality that is reassuring in its decisiveness. Of note is the attempt made thereafter to brutally enforce this morality upon to world, to ensure that every woman, man and child follows the distinctive set of rules that govern radical Islamic morality. To see how truly regressive such a system is, we can examine the treatment of women in particular. The advance of feminism, especially at the turn of the century, led a revolution of ideas and social norms. The roles previously dictated by a predominantly patriarchal tradition changed and the restrictions placed on women were more or less eliminated. All terrorist groups share a contempt for women’s rights and this can be explained by their aversion to change and the reversal of traditional roles. Though this discomfort with feminism also involves an element of insecurity as male roles in these societies are so dependent and inverse to female roles, it cannot possibly by itself cause men to go around in trucks shooting schoolgirls; that requires priestly or political influence. What the terrorists fail to account is the nature of advancement and how it cannot be prevented from happening by beating people into submission. Everyday there is resistance in the ranks. Malala Yousafzai, an activist from Pakistan was shot on the 9th of October, 2012 while on a school-bus. This sort of advancement is likely to perpetuate itself amidst a large portion of the world and even killing everyone who noticeably advocates it will not prevent its growth. In Somalia, at the age of five, Ayaan Hirsi Ali underwent the torturous procedure of female circumcision (of genital mutilation as it is commonly and aptly called). This was one amongst several regressive traditions of her tribe and yet she emerged from the harshest of circumstances as an adamant feminist and atheist thinker. Man has emancipated himself; he has separated himself from animality and constituted himself a man; he has begun his distinctively human history and development by an act of disobedience and science-that is, by rebellion and by thought. (God the State, 12)† Herein lies the key to our humanity, the very feature that is being suppressed by terrorists in favour of a more convenient, s traightforward and primitive form of thinking. It is inherent in out nature to seek change, to ask questions and to doubt the dogmas we have been handed down. The fact that this leads to a complete social overhaul and the creation of multiple cognitive vacuums does not deter us from repeatedly being skeptical and thinking. The quote mentioned above refers to the Creation story of Genesis which showcases the act of disobedience, questioning of rules and the disastrous results that follow. At the end of it however, as humans we wouldn’t have it any other way. Doubting the doctrines we were brought up with reduces the strangle-hold religion has upon out society and the amount of influence clergymen can exert. This is an important motivation for the priests of the Middle East to carry on with their rabble-rousing diatribes. Doing so can maintain the last vestiges of power they have over people who no longer believe in their divine capacity anymore. By diverting attention from the actual tenets of Islam and bringing to the forefront firebrand phrases from other scriptures to spur people on, they engage in self-preservation rather than the progress of the human race. The key to our development has always been in thought and rebellion, by preventing it combatively, the terrorists hold back the world nd regress us to an age before we challenged conventions. In another section of the letter to S. Nechayev, Bakunin refers to what he observes as, â€Å"an enormous lack of critical sense without which it is impossible to evaluate people and situations, and to reconcile means with ends. (On Violence, 9)† These shortcomings of Russian nihilistic revolutionaries are now echoed by Islamic terro rists. Despite their explicable beliefs, what is truly terrifying about them is the raw violence and destruction jihadis seek to force upon the world. Their defensiveness towards tradition and resentment over past wars has been channeled into a form of nondiscriminatory havoc ceases to differentiate between military personnel and innocent citizens. This method is what is somewhat irreconcilable with the, â€Å"ends† it seeks to achieve. Though a destruction of the current system is required for any meaningful change to occur, it does not have to be gruesome and violent. It is however much harder for priests and politicians to spur their populace on towards peaceful goals than it is to make them favour blind violence. Speaking then about how to deal with an opposing civilization, Bakunin stats, â€Å"Societies which are inimical or positively harmful must be dissolved, and finally the government must be destroyed. All this cannot be achieved only by propagating the truth; cunning, diplomacy and deceit are necessary. (On Violence, 34)† Nowhere in the aforementioned advise does he mention violence as a useful way to achieve success. This is particularly important as there hasn’t as of yet been a noticeable conversion to the Islamic cause. Efficacy is a factor that the terrorists seem not to have consider seeking only to assuage their manufactured rage. â€Å"Hate, the negative side alone, does not create anything, does not even create the power necessary for destruction and thus destroys nothing. (On Violence, 29)† When four homegrown terrorists from London attacked the underground system, their primary motive was to avenge their fellow Muslims who had previously suffered as a result of actions undertaken by the Western governments. A large amount of bombings are becoming more about revenge and hatred than actually changing the status quo. This achieves nothing while a great deal is simultaneously sacrificed. Distinct from revenge, another cause for hatred is how the terrorists perceive the world. Bakunin refers to the source of our progress as, â€Å"Satan, the eternal rebel, the first freethinker and the emancipator of worlds. He makes man ashamed of his bestial ignorance and obedience; he emancipates him, stamps upon his brow the seal of liberty and humanity, in urging him to disobey and eat of the fruit of knowledge. God the State, 10)† It is fair to assume that they see the West and people such as Malala as Satanic and a corruptive influence. Both of these try to upend traditional thought and how we think about morality. By objecting to blind deference to a book or set of purportedly divine rules, democracies seek to alter people’s moral psychology. This procedure has seen a backlash even in Western countries themselves in the form of radical Christianity. Ironically though this branch of religion despises Islam and the jihadis, it seeks to achieve incredibly similar goals. Every time a pastor in some midwestern state pushes for the inscription of the Hebrew commandments in front of court-houses, as a species, we take a collective step backwards into the Middle Ages where people believed in a fixed set of dogmas that seemed more interested in who they worshipped than in how they behaved. Similarly with the feminist movements, with the objectives of terrorism being so inherently misogynistic, we risk living in a world where women don’t have the civil liberties we spent a good couple of centuries achieving. Though things in the past were straightforward and idealistic, they were also horrendously underdeveloped in modern concepts of liberty, freedom, thought, science and society. Reverting back to those circumstances involves necessarily having to deal with all its downfalls as well as the clarity of ethics it provides. We do not get to cherry-pick which part of the Middle Ages we’d like to being with us into this century as the terrorists have made amply clear. We will need to accept the oppression of women, religious minorities, homosexuals, transgenders and scientific thought as though we were actually living in the 16th century. This regression must be avoided at all costs. â€Å"Thus we come back to the essence of all religion–in other words, to the disparagement of humanity for the greater glory of divinity. (God the State, 37)† With this statement Bakunin sums up the thrust of the religious terrorist movements around the world. They seek to avenge a perceived disrespect of a divine being and are willing to kill for it. Though they wouldn’t do so spontaneously, this hatred ad murderous instinct has to be carefully cultivated from childhood by mullahs and other authoritative sources. These children then become people who are capable of leveling entire buildings for the glory of God whose existence they cannot be sure of and an afterlife they might never get to experience. Such is the power of, â€Å"collective insanity,† that drives a movement like this. (God the State, 68) Since the 200,000 years we’ve existed, we’ve spent quite a lot of it questioning, developing and doubting. Attempts to prevent this are shameful in that they send us hurtling back hundreds of years to less enlightened times of dogma and religious persecution. We’ve outgrown the juvenile need for extremely strict religious guidance and have as a society agreed upon a set of common sense laws that don’t vary significantly across national borders. We’ve developed social sciences to deal with the moral vacuum left after the removal of dogmas and are can deal with them without resorting to driving airplanes into skyscrapers. The existence of terrorism proves that for every collective step forward we take, there are elements that will be rendered irrelevant and have thus felt the need to make the loudest clamor possible. Though we cannot obviously devise a straightforward solution to a complex and varying problem, we can however seek to understand it. Bibliography Bakunin, Mikhail, â€Å"God and the State. † Dover Publications, Inc. , New York. 1970 Bakunin, Mikhail, â€Å"On Violence-letter to S Nechayev. † New York: Unity Press, [19–] How to cite Themes of Modern Terrorism Bakunin’s God and the State, Essay examples

Living on my Own free essay sample

When I turned 19, my parents allowed me to move off campus from my small, liberal college into a spacious one room apartment above a popular boutique. I had just finished unpacking the last of my possessions and was envisioning what the place would look like with proper interior design (heavy curtains, burgundy furniture), when the phone rang. It was my mother, anxiously pleading with me to turn on the radio or the television or something, because there were urgent news reports about an upcoming flood. I sighed, exasperated, and cordially informed her that had she paid for my electricity or cable, I would have been delighted to. â€Å"Well, never mind about that, then. You’re high up in that apartment, just stay inside.† I hung up on her, annoyed. I had already been planning to spend a relaxing evening in bed (red wine, Vogue), but felt it was prudent to assert her lack of authority over whether I stayed in or not. We will write a custom essay sample on Living on my Own or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It was already starting to pour- heavy raindrops exploded on my roof, and although it was 5 o’clock in the afternoon, the world outside my window was a dark shade of grey. I curled up in bed with the aforementioned necessities. The pattering on my roof made my eyelids heavy, and thirty minutes later, the half-drunk bottle of wine lulled me into a deep sleep. I awoke to what sounded like a million shattering chandeliers. The world outside my window was pitch-black, and thanks to my parents’ negligence regarding the electricity bill, my apartment was as well. The raindrops were violent now, and the air was permeated with a splintering symphony of screams. I wrapped myself in the overstuffed comforter my mother had insisted on buying and crept toward the window. The water must have been three feet high; I had never seen such a flood before, and I was voraciously grateful for the altitude at which my apartment stood. People were wading through the streets, up to their waists in black water. There was no power in any house or building for what seemed like miles. Amorphous figures floated past alligators, sharks, dead bodies, courtesy of my cruel imagination. I realized that the splintering sounds I had woken to were coming from the strip mall down the street. There was a crowd of people running from the mall through water and debris, carrying illicit treasures above their heads. Every few minutes another window would break. The people would rush in, trickle out, then rush back for more. I watched with fascination as entire stores were gutted. First came the home improvement store, where middle-aged townies worked, all flannel shirts and friendly smiles. After they had cleared it out, the window looked like a gaping black hole. Lightning reflected off the remaining shards of glass and illuminated the devestation. Next door was a giant department store, generally inhabited by bubblegum teens and staffed by single mothers with premature wrinkles, all of whom wore fake gold jewelry and sensible pumps. Pristine window displays were tumbling out of the windows now- manikins maimed by broken glass, stripped of their brand new clothes. I watched this grisly parade for hours, cocooned in my precious comforter, a thin piece of plexiglass protecting me from the vicious world. The riotous procession slowly moved down the b lock, coming closer with every broken window. Soon they were next door, at old Mr. Parson’s comic book shop. I liked Mr. Parson because he sold single pieces of candy for 2 cents each and looked away when the after school crowd came in to filch them. I hoped the mob wouldn’t find much of interest in his store, but they stayed for nearly an hour. I looked away when they ran with Mr. Parson’s treasures. I couldn’t help but imagine his heart breaking harder and harder as the damage got worse. I turned away from the window and climbed back into bed. Clutching the phone to my chest, I wrapped the warm, secure comforter around my arms and over my ears to block out the cruel noise. I stayed in that position all night, shaking as the mob raided the boutique downstairs. I tried to sleep, but the cacophony of destruction was unrelenting. As the sun rose, I pressed the phone to my ear. She picked up on the first ring. I tried to speak, but found myself sobbing instead. â€Å"I’m coming†, she said. â€Å"Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’ll be right there.† I nodded, dropped the phone onto the bed, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Pal Ideas for Beginning Readers K Essay Example

Pal Ideas for Beginning Readers K Essay Example Pal Ideas for Beginning Readers K Essay Pal Ideas for Beginning Readers K Essay Directions: Go through each section of the module, starting with the challenge section. 1. Watch Opening (Challenge) 2. Record your initial thoughts (briefly) to the following question (Thoughts): What characteristics might Mrs. Doris and Ms. Chandler look for in a reading approach? What types of activities can she use to increase her students’ reading skills? How can Mrs. Doris and Ms. Chandler implement these activities? Some characteristics to look for in a reading approach are engaging strategies for low, middle, and high achieving students that provide meaningful experiences and develop literacy skills. Some activities that can be used to increase students’ reading skills is repeated readings, concepts of print, comprehension strategies like predicting and asking questions, and building vocabulary by creating word walls. These activities can be implemented in small groups or partnered work and as a whole group. 3. Go through Perspectives and Resources Section (The answers to the following assessment section will be contained in the section). 4. Complete the following questions in the Assessment section of the Module: ; ; ; ; ; ; List five benefits of PALS. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Highly structured activities that have been demonstrated to improve students learning. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Frequent verbal interaction and corrective feedback between the Coach and Reader ; ; ; ; ; ; ; PALS is effective for students with learning disabilities, low-performing students without learning disabilities, average- and high-achieving readers, and English learners (ELs). ; ; ; ; ; ; PALS is an effective means of differentiating reading instruction. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Promotes collaboration and positive social interaction between students. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Compare and contrast the specific reading skills addressed by K-PALS and first grade pals. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; PALS for kindergarten students (K-PALS) targets more advanced reading skills than typically taught at this level. PALS for first-grade is highly structured: The lessons are sequential, and the skills learned are cumulative. Additionally, it picks up where K-PALS leaves off. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Compare the recommended method of grouping students to the method suggested for the first-grade students. Five minutes of whole group instruction and peer pairs work on 2 main activities after the introduction. The teacher divides the rank-ordered list in half and pairs the top high-performing student with the top low-performing one (and this might include pairing a student with a disability [e. g. , learning disability in reading, intellectual disability] with one without a disability). The process continues until all of the students have been paired. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Imagine you are Mrs. Miselem, a first-grade teacher, and you are planning to implement PALS for the first time. What two steps might you take to promote a healthy team environment? Prepare materials for her students such as the PALS rules, pairs and teams assignments chart, and score board. She also should monitor the student pairs, providing feedback and correction procedures and provide friendly classroom competition. 5. Wrap-Up: Think back to your initial responses to the following questions. After working through the resources in this module, do you agree with your Initial Thoughts? If not, what aspects of your answers would you change? I agree with my initial thoughts. I think the PALS is a great reading strategy model that revolves around reciprocal peer tutoring, allowing students the opportunity to practice reading and to receive immediate corrective feedback. Not only does PALS address that standards, but it works with the students who are struggling or need a different way of instruction and addresses their learning needs.

5 Great Healthcare Jobs That Dont Need a Degree

5 Great Healthcare Jobs That Dont Need a Degree for some people, spending years (and many thousands of dollars) in school to become a doctor or a nurse is a great option. but that isn’t the only way to find a rewarding job in healthcare. there are plenty of job opportunities across the industry for people who don’t have a bachelor’s degree. here are five of the most lucrative occupations for healthcare professionals who took a different route into this ever-growing industry.1. ultrasound technicianultrasound techs operate important diagnostic equipment in hospitals and outpatient facilities. we’re all familiar with the image of a technician presenting soon-to-be parents  with a sonogram image of their baby (and identifying which black-and-white smudge on the screen is junior), but the role is actually much broader: helping doctors to diagnose and treat a variety of conditions. it’s pretty lucrative, too: the median salary is $66,410, with the field growing at a breakneck pace of 46% by 2022.2. occupational health and safety technicianthese occupational techs aren’t necessarily involved in patient care, but rather evaluating health and safety risks in places like offices and public areas. you may not see them, but they serve a very important public health need and perform tests and analysis to make sure we’re all safer in our workplaces. the median salary is $44,470, with average growth of 11% by 2022.3. licensed practical nurse (lpn)/licensed vocational nurse (lvn)lpns and lvns provide crucial nursing support to registered nurses and doctors. these roles typically require a training program, but not a four-year degree (as is the case for most registered nurses). lpns and lvns can also be found in a large range of environments, from hospitals to home care to eldercare facilities, opening many opportunities.the median salary is $41,450, with speedy growth of 25% expected by 2022.4. surgical technologistsurgical technologists perform an essential non-doctor fun ction in operating rooms: setting up equipment, making sure all necessary elements are in place, and assisting or doctors and nurses during procedures. with a median salary of $41,000 and growth of 30% expected, this field is a great bet for the future if you have incredible attention to detail and aren’t squeamish!5. dispensing opticiando you have a knack for knowing when glasses just look right on someone’s face? this field might be for you. dispensing opticians take glasses and contact lenses prescribed by an ophthalmologist and work with the patients to ensure proper fit and arrange follow up care. with a median salary of $33,330 and 23% growth predicted (thanks to all of us staring at small screens 24 hours a day), this is a patient care area you might not realize is under the healthcare career umbrella.it’s worth noting here that many (if not all) of these jobs may require special licensing or training programs, depending on your state’s rules. youà ¢â‚¬â„¢ll want to do some research legwork before committing to any of these paths- but these occupations are a great way to get your foot in the door in one of the fastest-growing industries in the country.

Ontological argument - Rene Descartes Research Paper

Ontological argument - Rene Descartes - Research Paper Example The researcher is determined to critically analyze Descartes’ Ontological Argument in the light of the doctrines articulated by Avicenna, St. Anselm and Nietzsche by the authors including Roger Ariew, John Hawthorne, John M. DePoe and Oppenheimer & Zalta. Since it is a basic research in nature and scope, the researcher will seek support from the material discussing the philosophy of the Medieval and Classical Eras, where the paper will examine the existence of Ontological Argument in ancient times and influence of the Descartes’ doctrine on the future philosophers. One of the most astonishing points raised by Descartes, which invited anger and displeasure of his contemporary religious circles, is his determination to reject believing in such God, existence of Whom could not be proved through intellect, evidence and observation. The notion not only brought opposition of the religious dogmatism of his time, but also the philosophy kept on enjoying the status of a highly c ontroversial treatise for the future centuries to come. Consequently, Descartes was aptly declared as rebel, pervert and rejecter of true Christian faith. However, he stuck to the validity of his argument, and laid stress upon the significance of empiricism for having faith in various spiritual, natural, physical and social phenomena. The present study will look into the influence of Descartes’ notion on the future scientific developments too, which vehemently emphasize upon the presence of sound proofs in order to examine the validity of a hypothesis. Descartes, in his works, argues that religious sets of faith should not be taken as mere imitation of the ideas which have blindly been adopted by a large number of one’ community members without applying one’s intellect. Rather, human brain contains the powers to prove the legality of God’s existence. He refutes the very idea of accepting some presumptions and propositions without analyzing their validity through intellectual capabilities and sound examinations. It is therefore, he lays stress upon the significance of

Communication ethics policy and law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Communication ethics policy and law - Essay Example Pornography is a controversial issue in many spheres, be it of law or morality. As the world became more globlized with the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), the reach of pornography too has increased. Pornographic materials, at present, are freely available in both developed and developing countries. Along with the world wide spread of pornography, the debate on the legal validity and social acceptability of pornography has intensified. The present study aims to assess the arguments and concerns on the phenomenon of pornography. It would examine the strengths, weaknesses and influences of liberalism, feminism and moral perspectives on the discourses on pornography. Many a theorist has come up with compelling arguments supporting the ban of pornography from varying and often antagonistic standpoints. The paper would examine the merits and demerits of the arguments in favor of banning pornography from the standpoint of its internal theoretical validity. The pornography debate itself is started with the invention of mass production, distribution and consumption of pornography. As the effects of pornography spread across the social sections, it was natural for such a debate on pornography to materialize. There were strange combinations and alliances on both side of the spectrum. Curiously, most of the feminists in 1960s even were ready to align with ultra conservatives for the cause of banning pornography. On the other hand, liberals aligned with the new leftists to support the spread of pornography in the name of freedom of expression. The pornography debate is enriched by various currents of liberalism, feminism and conservatism. However, neither liberalism nor feminism or conservatism has a single standpoint on the issue of banning pornography. The liberal and feminist positions concerning the legitimacy of pornography are essentially heterogeneous and articulated from multiple standpoints. The liberal idea of feminism is

Effects of Violent Video Games | Essay

Effects of Violent Video Games | Essay Violent computer games, and their possible effect on players. Introduction The Problems Social Effects of Playing Computer Games Conclusion Bibliography Introduction Feeding childrens passion for computers, billions of dollars in both public and private funds are being spent to give children access in school, at home, and in the community. Nearly every school is now equipped with computers, (Fisch, 2004, p. 2) and over two-thirds of our nations children have access at home. (Fisch, 2004, p. 4) But is computer technology actually improving their lives? Computer technology has transformed society in a number of profound ways. For better or worse, the increasing pervasiveness of computer technology is a reality no one can ignore or stop, not that one would. Computers are fast becoming integrated into nearly every aspect of daily living, from school to work, to banking and shopping, to paying taxes and even voting. They provide access to a wide range of information without a trip to the library. They convey personal messages in place of the post office or telephone. And they compete with newspapers, radio, and television in providing entertainment an d news of the day. Computer technology also has a profound effect on our economy. Not only are computers changing the way goods and services are manufactured, distributed, and purchased, but they are also changing the skills workers need to be productive and earn a living. This climate sets the stage whereby we encourage our children to utilize a computer, as such represents not the world of tomorrow, but the world of today, and thus they need to be computer literate. The public generally agrees that for children to participate socially, economically, and politically in this new and different world, they must acquire a certain level of comfort and competence in using computers. National polls indicate widespread support for providing children with access to computers to enable them to learn adequate computer skills and improve their education (Trotter, 1998, pp. 6-9). In surveys, most parents and children report that they view computers and the Internet as a positive force in their lives, despite conce rns about exposure to inappropriate commercial, sexual, and violent content (National School Boards Foundation, 2000). Most parents believe that the Internet can help children with their homework and allow them to discover fascinating, useful things, and that children without access are disadvantaged compared to those with access. The scenario’s described above represent the current generation of parents, as opposed to their children. A generation that grew up on computer and video games that their parents had no idea of what they were playing, or even what the technology was. Thus, there was a real understanding and involvement gap (Brougere et al, 2004, p. 1-4). Those basically unsupervised children are now adults. Adults that grew up selecting their own video and computer games while developing their own culture without guidance to determination as to what was good for them or bad, as they were just interested in the experience of a new technology changing the world of play and relaxation. Thus it was the game, almost regardless of what it was, and not the content that ruled (Brougere et al, 2004, p. 1-4). When discussing violence in computer games, as a result of this foundational background understanding, there are three standards from which to choose, the children of parents who grew up playing games and basically picking them out themselves, those whose parents supervised what they played and purchased, which is a small minority, and lastly, those adults who either didn’t have either video games or computers in their home. The assumption is, that almost all of today’s adults played video and or computer games when they were children, if not their own, then on a friends console or computer. Children of a generation whose parents were maybe exposed somewhat to computers at work, but more often than not, were not. Thus, the problem of violence becomes one that rests on the shoulders of game developers, manufacturers and designers based upon industry research, educational and emotional findings, as well as studies concerning the effects of violence on children. The parents of today’s adults knew about the creeping violence on TV, that they grew up with and which was publicized when they were children and teenagers. But, the circumstances are different today, as there is no television standards board making noise about PC and video game content. Thus, the level of acceptable violence as well as the controls, industry oversight and general standards as to what is and is not acceptable comes into play. If you question the underlying foundation, think about the popularity of Madden football. Like it our not, that U.S. sport tops boxing for all out mayhem, violence, competitive spirit and aggression. Thus, the dilemma as represented by attempting to equate the level of violence and their effe ct is based upon a generation that really had no boundaries. The jury is still out on the subject of the effects of computer games on children, teenagers, and young adults, and it is seemingly hopelessly divided. There are â€Å"an overwhelming number of parents†, pegged at 96 percent, based upon a survey conducted by the Interactive Digital Software Association who indicate that they pay attention to video and computer game content that their children play (Business Wire, 2003). That same survey indicated that 44 percent of the parents in homes that own either video game consoles and or computers stated that they themselves used to play interactive games and that they play with their children either on a daily or weekly basis (Business Wire, 2003). The returns from that survey found that all in all over 60% of the responding parents play interactive games with their children at least once in the month (Business Wire, 2003). The parents responding at a rate of 89 percent stated that they were there when the games were purchased for chil dren under the age of 18. The survey revealed some interesting trends, as well as revealed that the children who are playing computer and or video games are the offspring of former and present players themselves. This brings to mind if these parents acceptance level of violence in computer and video games is slightly jaded in terms of what constitutes violence. In fact, the majority of gamers, as they are termed, are in fact adults, according to the Interactive Digital Software Association survey (Business Wire, 2003). The survey revealed that the entire universe of game players is getting older. The percentage of players who were under the age of 18 made up just 30 percent of the gamer population, which is down from the 34 percent recorded in 2002 (Business Wire, 2003). However, the survey avoided the critical issue, the extent of violence in the games the parents indicated that they were supervising the buying for, as well as playing with their children. The survey did state that 36 percent of the games pla yed on computer were action oriented, which tied with puzzle, board, and card games for the top spot (Business Wire, 2003). In fact, the preferences were almost evenly divided across the four categories, with driving and racing games scoring at 36 percent, and sports at 32 percent. Excessive, unmonitored use of computers, especially when combined with use of other screen technologies, such as television, can place children at risk for harmful effects on their physical, social, and psychological development. Children need physical activity, social interaction, and the love and guidance of caring adults to be healthy, happy, and productive. (Hartmann and Brougere, 2004, p. 37- 41) Too much time in front of a screen can deprive children of time for organized sports and other social activities that are beneficial to child development. (Hartmann and Brougere, 2004, p. 37- 41) In addition, children may be exposed to violent, sexual, or commercial content beyond their years, with long-term negative effects (Brougere et al, 2004, pp. 8). At present, excessive use of computers among children, especially younger children, is not typical. National survey data gathered in spring of 2000 indicated that children ages 2 to 17 spent about 34 minutes per day, on average, using computers at home, with use increasing with age (Preschoolers ages 2 to 5 averaged 27 minutes per day, school-age children ages 6 to 11 averaged 49 minutes per day, and teens ages 12 to 17 averaged 63 minutes per day) (Brougere et al, 2004, pp. 9). Available data on computer use at school suggest that exposure in the early primary grades, at least, is relatively modest. A spring 1999 survey of 26 elementary schools in the heart of Silicon Valley, where computer use might be expected to be high, found that although 70% of teachers in kindergarten through third grade had their students do some work on computers, the students computer time averaged less than 10 minutes per day (Brougere et al, 2004, pp. 11). This data suggest that younger children in particular are not currently using computers for excessive amounts of time. In the case of video games, even their critics acknowledge that they are instructing our children. The critics just dont like the form and the sometimes violent and sexually explicit content of the instruction, which they believe teaches children aggressive behaviors (Suellentrop, 2006). Yet if such games are nothing more than murder simulators, as one critic has called them, why is it, as gaming enthusiasts never tire of pointing out, that the murder rate has declined in recent years, there are more video games, and more violent ones, than ever (Suellentrop, 2006). The important thing to find out about video games isnt whether they are teachers; The question is, as game designer Ralph Koster writes in A Theory of Fun for Game Design (2004), what do they teach? (Suellentrop, 2006). The marketing strategies of game companies links closely to Hollywood action movies as a means to reach more gamers. The Cinema has emerged as the most prominent influence on games. Both cinema and games are superficially alike, in that they are relatively modern media that deliver audio-visual content to paying audiences. The similarities that the media share have meant that some artistic strategies can be transferred between the two. However, there is a limit to the extent that artistic techniques can be taken from one and used in the other. Game designers are increasingly using unsuitable cinematic conventions in the creation of their games. Activision, a Santa Monica based game manufacturer generated the Fantastic 4 game in agreement with its studio, whereby you can â€Å"assume the persona of Mir. Fantastic/Reed Richards, Invisible Woman/Sue Storm, Human Torch/Johnny Storm, or Thing/Ben Grimm and master their individual attributes and unique powers to solve puzzles, overcome obstacles, and defeat enemies. Another option is to control the Fantastic 4 together as a team and dynamically switch b etween characters during their adventures, and combine super powers in order to level more devastating attacks and accomplish missions† (Society for the Advancement of Education, 2005). And the trend includes almost any Hollywood movie that can be converted to action, with the Fantastic 4 representing a mild version of what the industry has to offer. The basic theme is the ‘good guys, against the ‘bad guys’ in such re-creations as â€Å"X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse, the rival X-Men and Brotherhood† where you are â€Å"†¦ bonded by a common enemy, fight side by side for the first time, allowing players to switch instantly between super-power wielding teammates as they overcome obstacles, solve puzzles, and defeat more than 100 types of enemies† (Society for the Advancement of Education, 2005). Violence is a popular form of entertainment â€Å"a crowd of onlookers enjoys a street fight just as the Romans enjoyed the gladiators, and wrestling is a popular spectator sport not only in the United States, but in many countries in the Middle East (Centerwall, 1989, p. 23). Local news shows provide extensive coverage of violent crimes in order to increase their ratings. Technological advances have dramatically increased the availability of violent entertainment. The introduction of television was critical, particularly in making violent entertainment more available to children. More recently, cable systems, videocassette recorders, and video games have increased exposure. Hand-held cameras and video monitors now permit filming of actual crimes in progress. Economic competition for viewers, particularly young viewers, has placed a premium on media depictions of violence, as their attention translates into store sales. The Problems The level of acceptable violence of computer games, as well as violence in itself thus represents the question, as the top selling computer and video games all were violence based. And while the non-violent ‘Sims’ simulation game proved to be the top seller at 16 million copies, the next four games totaled 32 million (Wikipedia, 2007). Of those games Starcraft, 9.5 million copies sold, is a strategy war game played in space, whereby one can get a good idea of its content by the name on its expansion pack, ‘StarCraft: Brood War’ (Blizzard Entertainment, 2007). Half-Life (Planet Half-Life, 2007), 8 million copies, is a first person shooter game featuring blood spatters and other effects. Of the top ten computer games four are violence based, and of the next ten, 11 through 20, 5 are violence-based games (Wikipedia, 2007). Thus the ethics are sales, as well as creative foundation and premise from which the games are fashioned. The differing themes represent dir ections in terms of game development, what the manufacturer has build their reputation on, and the gamer profile they appeal to. Based upon the preceding the industry is split down the middle, with half gong for violence, and the other utilizing non-violent content. There is considerable evidence that violence on television, in video as well as computer games is harmful to children (Hope, 2005). And just as the current parents became adjusted to certain levels of violence in their exposures decades ago, such has magnified for their offspring according to lecturer Lesley Murphy of Robert Gordon University (Grant, 2006). The preceding calls for a scientific psychology concerning the effects violence games had on the parents to understand the level their children are being exposed to. Such should not only help us to understand our own the parent’s violence level, it should help to determine where this all stands in the realm of what is normal, speaking in relative terms. Playing computer games can be an important building block to computer literacy because it enhances childrens ability to read and visualize images in three-dimensional space and track multiple images simultaneously and there is also limited evidence available also indicates t hat home computer use is linked to slightly better academic performance. (Alington et al (1992, pp. 539-553). Dominick (1984, pp. 136-147) expresses concern there are the findings that playing violent computer games may increase aggressiveness and desensitize a child to suffering, and that the use of computers may blur a childs ability to distinguish real life from simulation. Compared to girls, boys spend more than twice as much time per week playing computer games (Funk, 1993, pp. 86-89) and are five times more likely to own a computer game system (Griffiths and Hunt, 1995, pp. 189-193). In a study of self-reported leisure time activities of 2,200 third and fourth graders, computer games topped the list of activities among boys: 33% of boys reported playing computer games, compared with fewer than 10% of girls (Harrel et al, 1997, 246-253). Initially it was thought that this disparity was the result of the games violent themes and lack of female protagonists (Malone, 1981, pp. 333-370). A more likely reason, however, is the difference between the genders in their play preferences: boys ten d to prefer pretend play based on fantasy, whereas girls tend to prefer pretend play based on reality, a rare theme for computer games, even those designed specifically for girls. Social Effects of Playing Computer Games As mentioned earlier, game playing has long been the predominant use of home computers among childrenespecially among younger boys. Although the available research indicates that moderate game playing has little social impact on children, concerns nonetheless have been raised about excessive game playing, especially when the games contain violence. Research suggests that playing violent computer games can increase childrens aggressive behavior in other situations. Existing research indicates that moderate game playing does not significantly impact childrens social skills and relationships with friends and family either positively or negatively. Studies often found no differences in the sociability and social interactions of computer game players versus non-players, (Phillips et al, 1995, pp. 687-691) but a few studies found some mildly positive effects. For example, one study found that frequent game players met friends outside school more often than less frequent players. (Colwell et al, 1995, pp. 195-206) Another study of 20 families with new home computer game sets explored the benefits and dangers of playing games and found that computer games tended to bring family members together for shared play and interaction. (Mitchell, 1998, pp. 121-135) Less is known, however, about the long-term effects of excessive computer use among the 7% to 9% of children who play computer games for 30 hours per week or more. (Griffiths and Hunt, 1995, pp. 189-193). It has been suggested that spending a disproportionate amount of time on any one leisure activity at the expense of others will hamper social and educational development. (Griffiths and Hunt, 1995, pp. 189-193) Indeed, one study of fourth- to twelfth-grade students found that those who reported playing arcade video games or programming their home computer for more than an hour per day, on average, tended to believe they had less control over their lives compared with their peers. (Wiggins, 1997) In addition, some evidence suggests that repeated playing of violent computer games may lead to increased aggressiveness and hostility and desensitize children to violence. (Provenzo, 2001, pp. 231-234) Although educational software for home computer use includes many games that encourage positive, pro-social behaviors by rewarding players who cooperate or share, the most popular entertainment software often involves games with competition and aggression, and the amount of aggression and violence has increased with each new generation of games. A content analysis of recent popular Nintendo and Sega Genesis computer games found that nearly 80% of the games had aggression or violence as an objective. (Dietz, 1998, pp. 425-442) One survey of seventh- and eighth-grade students found that half of their favorite games had violent themes. (Funk, 1993, pp. 86-89) Yet parents often are unaware of even the most popular violent titles, despite the rating system from the Entertainment In a 1998 survey, 80% of junior high students said they were familiar with Duke Nukema violent computer game rated mature (containing animated blood, gore, and violence and strong sexual Content), but fewer than 5% of parents had heard of it. (Oldberg, 1998) Numerous studies have shown that watching violent television programs and films increases children and adults aggression and hostility (Friedrich-Cofer and Huston, 2000, pp. 364-371) thus, it is plausible that playing violent computer games would have similar effects. The research on violent computer games suggests that there is, indeed, an association between playing such games and increased aggression, and that the critical variable is a preference for playing aggressive games, rather than the amount of time spent playing. (Friedrich-Cofer and Huston, 2000, pp. 364-371). Several experimental studies suggest that playing a violent game, even for brief periods, has short-term transfer effects, such as increased aggression in childrens free play, (Friedrich-Cofer and Huston, 2000, pp. 364-371) hostility to ambiguous questions, and aggressive thoughts. For example, one study of third and fourth graders found that those children who played a violent game (Mortal Kombat II) responded more violently to three of six open-ended questions than did children who played a nonviolent computer game (basketball) (Friedrich-Cofer and Huston, 2000, pp. 364-371). Furthermore, it has been found that children who have a preference for and play aggressive computer games demonstrate less pro-social behavior, such as donating money or helping someone. (Friedrich-Cofer and Huston, 2000, pp. 364-371). Studies of television have found that continued exposure to violence and aggression desensitizes children to others suffering, (Rule and Ferguson, 2001, pp. 29-50) but studies of computer games have not yet explored such a link. At least since the 1980s, however, both the U.S. and British military have used violent video games for training, reportedly to desensitize soldiers to the suffering of their targets and to make them more willing to kill. (Kiddoo, 2000, pp. 80-82). Conclusion The foundation of violence in computer games stems from the fascination with violence as spawned by the movies as well as television. These mediums have become an overbearing influence in game development and its expressive methods are being applied in game context. A look at the graphics of any video game reveals the similarities as well as attempt to capture as much realism as possible. Such is a natural evolution of the product and technology, but such also is continually blurring the fantasy atmosphere that used to be clearly delineated. The violence that exists in over 50 percent of computer as well as video games is not so much a product of the designers and manufacturers; it is a product of society in that the function of their businesses is to fulfill a need. And since the foundation for that need is there, they continue to create the games to fill it. The problem starts and exists with the consumer market, one that is a product of television and cinema culture that has been at work long before computer and video games arrived. There is now a sincere understanding that the effects have become deeply rooted facets of industrialized cultures, and games can not be blamed, yet they, along with other entertainment medium are contributing to the problem. Youth violence affects us all, and thus a reversal of the process is going to be a difficult undertaking as a result of the historical context from which it came. A look at the top selling video game categories reveals the extent of the problem: Table – Top Games Genres (Wikipedia, 2007) Rank Genre 1 Strategy / RPG 2 Action 3 Sport Games 4 Racing 5 All Shooter Games 6 Simulations 7 Family Entertainment 8 Children’s Entertainment 9 Fighting 10 Other Games 11 Edutainment With the following games rated as all time favorites, based on violent content: Donkey Kong, 1981, Nintendo Co. Ltd, Nintendo of America, Inc., Arcade. Doom, 1993, id Software, id Software, P.C. DOS. Dragon’s Lair, 1983. Magicom Multimedia, Cinematronics, Arcade. Duke Nukem, 1991, Apogee Software Ltd., Apogee Software Ltd., PC DOS. E.T.: The Extraterrestrial, 1983, Atari, Inc., Atari Inc., Atari 2600. Final Fantasy series I – IX, 1990 2003, Square Enix Co., Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc., Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, PlayStation, PlayStation 2. Final Fantasy VII, 1996, Square Co., Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc., PlayStation. Grand Theft Auto III, DMA Design Ltd., Rockstar Games, PlayStation2 Half-Life, 1998, Valve Software, Sierra On-Line, Inc., P.C. Win. ’95. Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, 2003, Nintendo Co. Ltd, Nintendo of Europe, Inc., GameCube. Mario Bros I-VII, 1983 –2003, Nintendo Co. Ltd, Nintendo of America, Inc., Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, GameCube. Max Payne, 2001, Remedy Entertainment Ltd., GodGames, Win. ’95. Metal Gear Solid, 1998, Konami Computer Entertainment Japan Co., Ltd., Konami of America, Inc., PlayStation. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, 1998, Konami Computer Entertainment Japan Co., Ltd., Konami of America, Inc., PlayStation 2. Myst, 1994, Broderbund Software, Keyboard Mouse, Macintosh. Pac-Man, 1980, Namco Ltd., Midway Mfg. Co., Arcade. Perfect Dark, 2000, Rare Ltd., Rare Ltd., Nintendo 64. Pokemon, 1998, Game Freak, Inc., Nintendo of America, Inc., Game Boy. Pong, 1973, Atari, Inc., Atari Inc., Arcade. Resident Evil, 2002, Capcom Co., Ltd., Capcom U.S.A., Inc., GameCube. Rogue Leader, 2001, Factor 5, Lucas Arts, GameCube. Silent Hill, 1999, Konami Computer Entertainment Kobe (KCEK), Konami of America, Inc., PlayStation. Space Invaders, 1978, Taito Corporation, Taito America Corp., Arcade. Spacewar, 1962, Russell, S. Street Fighter II, 1991, Capcom Co., Ltd., Capcom U.S.A., Inc., Arcade. Super Mario Bros., 1985, Nintendo Co. Ltd, Nintendo of America, Inc., Nintendo Entertainment System. Tekken 3, 1998, Namco Ltd., Namco Hometek, Inc., PlayStation. Tennis for Two, 1958. Higinbotham, W. Tetris, 1989, Pajitnov, A., Nintendo of America, Inc., Game Boy. Tomb Raider, Core Design Ltd., Eidos Interactive, PlayStation. Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, 2003, Core Design Ltd., Eidos Interactive, PlayStation 2. Winning Eleven 6: Final Evolution, 2003, Konami Computer Entertainment Kobe (KCEK), Konami Computer Entertainment Japan Co., Ltd., GameCube. Wolfenstein 3D, 1991, Apogee Software Ltd., Apogee Software Ltd., PC DOS Zelda I –VI, 1987-2003, Nintendo Co. Ltd, Nintendo of America, Inc., Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, GameCube. As a business, the economics of a return on investment figures importantly into the reasons as to why so many violent games are produced. Simply speaking there is a market for them! The high cost of producing games engenders a desire within the companies financing games production to ensure a return on their investment. In most popular mass culture, this has seen a cautious approach to creating content. There has been a streamlining of the creation of content, be it music, films or games, that has seen the removal of as many variables as possible in order to produce content that can be easily quantified and accounted for. Companies are reluctant to take risks and the simplest way of avoiding them is to repeat previously profitable formulae, or in the case of a developing medium, such as games, to adopt the techniques of the more developed and superficially similar medium of cinema. Designers are reliant upon the finance provided by publishing companies to create games. This has seen the production of numerous games based on Hollywood films and characters, or the construction of games that can be marketed and sold on the strength of their cinematic aesthetics and sensibilities. Computer and video game companies base their strategies of what to produce based upon careful market research and raw numbers, and the fact is, since 50% of the market has been and continues to be buying violent game content, they will continue to design and market these types of games! And while the problem is deep seated, there is a logical and easy solution, if only the adults will play along. The survey conducted by the Interactive Digital Software Association (2001), indicated the following statistics: adults purchase 90% of all games sold And that is the only statistic that will be utilized to make the point. As the controlling variable in the purchase, it is the adults that need to be reached. The problem is how? Educating Adults to the problem is the logical answer. But as the primary buyers of games overall, they are also heavy buyers of violent game content themselves. The preceding is more than an ethical dilemma, it is a cultural one. One whereby the cycle needs to be broken with the same vigor and force that instilled it in the first place. But, that took decades and billions in advertising and marketing dollars to put into place. Thus it seems that the only force large enough to impact upon this situation are governments. Therein lies the ethical problem, for this speaks of another regulation is a world that is fast becoming over regulated in order to save ourselves from ourselves! The solution that the preceding is leading up to is the same as has been done in the instance of cigarette smoking, warning labels on each box as a mandated action. Could the foundation for this approach be similar to the health risk utilized in the instance of cigarettes, only in this instance as a societal risk? That represents an extremely touchy subject as it seemingly broaches upon freedom of choice. The warning labels and legislation to curtail smoking has achieved success as a result of the non-smokers who did not wish to inhale second hand smoke in restaurants, offices and other public indoor locales. These restrictions did not and do not restrict smokers for smoking. Thus, why would it curtail violent game players from playing. Thus, could a violent game tax be the solution. This would or might represent a choice in that the extra money so charged would be put into a victims and marketing fund to fuel additional education on the dangers of violence. Seemingly, that might create an outcry as well, however, as is the case with any type of social change, the majority wins out, thus the non-violent lobby would have to organize itself for a long

Personal Attitude Speech FAA Medication Essay

Thesis Statement: I believe all pilots should avoid any type of medications that may slow the thinking process or reaction times before they fly. Introduction I. Many common medications are known to slow the thinking process and slow reaction times. II. I believe all pilots should avoid any type of medications that may slow the thinking process or reaction times before they fly. Body I. Slowness caused by medication can have a substantial negative impact on critical times of flight. a. When encountering bad weather, an unfamiliar area, or even just an unexpected flight event, the slowness caused by some medication could be the final determining factor that causes an accident. b. When encountering these types of conditions, a pilots mind must be clear to make split second decisions. II. Pilots have a great amount of responsibility placed on them with each and every flight. a. Some pilots may have the lives of several passengers behind their every move. b. Other pilots may be flying solo, but in a mishap can still cause danger to themselves or innocent bystanders on the ground. III. The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has compiled a list of prohibited medications, recognizing that some medications are valid for concern. a. In 12% of all fatal accidents in General Aviation prohibited medications were found to be a contributing factor (According to analysis of data by the FAA from the past decade). b. A valid point for concern that many pilots are still using impairing medications while operating aircraft, maybe unknowingly. i. Many OTC medications have a ubiquitous presence of sedating antihistamines. Conclusion I. A safe pilot should utilize the IMSAFE (which stands for Illness, Medications, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, and Emotions) to ensure they are safe prior to every flight, paying particular attention to the medications part of the checklist. II. I believe all pilots should avoid any type of medications that may slow the thinking process or reaction times before they fly.

Sentence Definition and Examples in English Grammar

A sentence is the largest independent unit of grammar: it begins with a capital letter and ends with a period, question mark, or exclamation point. The word sentence is from the Latin for to feel. The adjective form of the word is sentential. The sentence is traditionally (and inadequately) defined as a word or group of words that expresses a complete idea and that includes a subject and a verb. Types of Sentence Structures The four basic sentence structures are the: Simple: A  sentence  with only one  independent clause.Compound: Two (or more)  simple sentences  joined by a  conjunction  or an appropriate  mark of punctuation.Complex: A sentence that contains an  independent clause  (or  main clause) and at least one  dependent clause.Compound-complex: A  sentence  with two or more  independent clauses  and at least one  dependent clause. Functional Types of Sentences Declarative: Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.  (Mark Twain)Interrogative:  But what is the difference between literature and journalism? Journalism is unreadable and literature is not read. (Oscar Wilde)Imperative:  Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint. (Mark Twain)Exclamatory:  To die for an idea; it is unquestionably noble. But how much nobler it would be if men died for ideas that were true!  (H. L. Mencken) Definitions and Observations on Sentences I am trying to say it all in one sentence, between one Cap and one period. (William Faulkner in a letter to Malcolm Cowley) The term sentence is widely used to refer to quite different types of unit. Grammatically, it is the highest unit and consists of one independent clause, or two or more related clauses. Orthographically and rhetorically, it is that unit which starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark. (Angela Downing, English Grammar: A University Course, 2nd ed. Routledge, 2006) I have taken as my definition of a sentence any combination of words whatsoever, beyond the simple naming of an object of sense. (Kathleen Carter Moore, The Mental Development of a Child, 1896) [A sentence is a] unit of speech constructed according to language-dependent rules, which is relatively complete and independent in respect to content, grammatical structure, and intonation. (Hadumo Bussmann, Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics. Trans. by Lee Forester et al. Routledge, 1996) A written sentence is a word or group of words that conveys meaning to the listener, can be responded to or is part of a response, and is punctuated. (Andrew S. Rothstein and Evelyn Rothstein, English Grammar Instruction That Works! Corwin Press, 2009) None of the usual definitions of a sentence really says much, but every sentence ought somehow to organize a pattern of thought, even if it does not always reduce that thought to bite-sized pieces. (Richard Lanham, Revising Prose. Scribners, 1979) The sentence has been defined as the largest unit for which there are rules of grammar. (Christian Lehmann, Theoretical Implications of Grammaticalization Phenomena, Published in The Role of Theory in Language Description, ed. by William A. Foley. Mouton de Gruyter, 1993) The Notional Definition of a Sentence Sidney Greenbaum and Gerald Nelson give a different take in explaining what a sentence is and does: It is sometimes said that a sentence expresses a complete thought. This is a notional definition: it defines a term by the notion or idea it conveys. The difficulty with this definition lies in fixing what is meant by a complete thought. There are notices, for example, that seem to be complete in themselves but are not generally regarded as sentences: Exit, Danger, 50 mph speed limit...On the other hand, there are sentences that clearly consist of more than one thought. Here is one relatively simple example: This week marks the 300th anniversary of the publication of Sir Isaac Newtons Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, a fundamental work for the whole of modern science and a key influence on the philosophy of the European Enlightenment. How many complete thoughts are there in this sentence? We should at least recognize that the part after the comma introduces two additional points about Newtons book: (1) that it is a fundamental work for the whole of modern science, and (2) that it was a key influence on the philosophy of the European Enlightenment. Yet this example would be acknowledged by all as a single sentence, and it is written as a single sentence. (Sidney Greenbaum and Gerald Nelson, An Introduction to English Grammar, 2nd ed. Pearson, 2002) Another Definition of a Sentence D.J. Allerton provides an alternative definition of a sentence: Traditional attempts to define the sentence were generally either psychological or logical-analytic in nature: the former type spoke of a complete thought or some other inaccessible psychological phenomenon; the latter type, following Aristotle, expected to find every sentence made up of a logical subject and logical predicate, units that themselves rely on the sentence for their definition. A more fruitful approach is that of [Otto] Jespersen (1924: 307), who suggests testing the completeness and independence of a sentence, by assessing its potential for standing alone, as a complete utterance. (D. J. Allerton. Essentials of Grammatical Theory. Routledge, 1979) Two-Part Definition of a Sentence Stanley Fish felt that a sentence can only be defined in two parts: A sentence is a structure of logical relationships. In its bare form, this proposition is hardly edifying, which is why I immediately supplement it with a simple exercise. Here, I say, are five words randomly chosen; turn them into a sentence. (The first time I did this the words were coffee, should, book, garbage and quickly.) In no time at all I am presented with 20 sentences, all perfectly coherent and all quite different. Then comes the hard part. What is it, I ask, that you did? What did it take to turn a random list of words into a sentence? A lot of fumbling and stumbling and false starts follow, but finally someone says, I put the words into a relationship with one another....Well, my bottom line can be summarized in two statements: (1) a sentence is an organization of items in the world; and (2) a sentence is a structure of logical relationships. (Stanley Fish, Devoid of Content. The New York Times, May 31, 2005. Also How to Write a Sentence and How to Read One. HarperCollins, 2011) The Lighter Side of Sentences Some authors a humorous view of a sentence: One day the Nouns were clustered in the street.An adjective walked by, with her dark beauty.The Nouns were struck, moved, changed.The next day a Verb drove up, and created the Sentence... (Kenneth Koch, Permanently. Published in The Collected Poems of Kenneth Koch. Borzoi Books, 2005)