Home School versus Public Education in Society Essay

Are we aware of what social environment your child thrives in daily? Are the teachers who are educating our children, the right person to get the job done? What are the success rates of our children in the coming future? Are there similarities between public school and home school? Do you know the answers to these questions? There are similarities between public education and home schooled children, but let’s face it, there are differences in who will be educating our children, how much school will cost out of our pockets, whether our children will develop healthy relationships with other children their age, and whether or not our children will become successful human beings in society. This essay examines all your concerns as parents with school-aged children, and what education method may be better for your child’s future. To many parents in society, it always has been a worry that socialization may become jeopardized in a home school bound child. Many people believe that public educated children learn about socialization from â€Å"the school of hard knocks† in a public setting because they have to learn socialization skills on how to act around other children, and teachers, by a trial and error process. Truth is many teachers just do not have enough time in the day to teach every child the correct way to interact with others socially. The good side of social interaction in public schools is that our children do make close friendships in school, and they usually last outside of the classroom walls. On the other hand, in a homeschool setting, each parent has the ability, and time, to teach their own children the correct way to act properly, socially. As long as the parent takes the time to interact with their child and take them to other social events in the community, with other children and adults, the child has an upper-hand to get the best socialization that a parent could teach them. Is this a real life scenario? A study done in 2003, conducted by the Home School Legal Defense Association, discovered that homeschooled children were either as equally, or involved more, in community activities, voting, and employment, than those educated from a public school. The downside to home schooling your child is that they do not get the constant interaction with children throughout their day, and maybe making it harder for your child to make friends near their home. One question to ask yourself, â€Å"Is your home located near other children close to your child’s age?† Public education offers college educated teachers to teach the students, while home school offers the students’ parents to become the educators. For instance, in a public school environment, the teachers are college educated, and very fluent in the area of study that they are teaching their students, so it may be easier to come up with ways to teach the students how to learn and retain the information they are taught. But does every student learn the same? No! Some students need more attention than others, and sometimes one teacher is just not enough for all the students present in their classroom. Whereas, in a homeschool setting, children are given homework and tested by their parents at their discretion of what they may think their child needs to learn more of and test to show they have the knowledge needed on the subject or material. If the parents don’t quite know how to teach all the curriculum materials on each subject, then home schooling your child may not work for you. As long as the student is learning the material, and the parent is not helping the child by giving them the answers, then homeschool is an excellent way for your child to learn. The parent has the full opportunity to teach their child the way they want them to learn, and be proud of them when they succeed in their studies. Success Rates may also vary from both education backgrounds. Boys generally have a higher rate of drop-outs than girls, in every state in the U.S. The National Center for Education Statistics did a study on the classes of 2010, in the United States, and found that 78% percent of students had earned their degree, on time, within the four years they had begun high school. That statistic was an all-time high of the past forty years, however, 1974 was the last year that those graduation rates were actually charted. More importantly, major cities generally have a higher drop-out rate than students from suburb schools. Generally, because of the changes in the economy, students can be seen dropping out to help out their family when times are tough. When the economy gets weak, high school students have a tendency to drop-out of school faster than they might otherwise have done. In 2005, the Education Department started publishing an official estimate of high school graduation rates, and, surprisingly, all 50 states agreed to a standard method of calculating those rates by this year, 2013. Currently there are only 4% of school-aged children home schooled in America. That number may seem quite small to hear, but it has risen up 75%, since 1999, to make that four percent, today. The number of kids, whose parents are not enrolling their children into public schools, is growing seven times faster than students seem to be enrolling in the k-12 school years in public schools, year by year. Although it is harder for non-traditional students, like homeschoolers, to receive scholarships for schools, due to the lack of recognition in their education background, they do, however, enroll and attain their four-year degree at a much higher rate than a public educated student. In conclusion, it does matter where you send your children to become an educated young adult. We need to all consider the positive and negative aspect of the education path we send our children down. There are some questions to ponder when doing so. Think about what environment you want your child to be involved in daily. Decide whether you want to be the educator, or someone from a school. Think about what social environment you think you will see your child truly blossom in. Lastly, decide whether or not it is the right decision for your child, not just yourself and the family. References: Michigan Department of Education (2012). â€Å"Home Schooling in Michigan†. www.michigan.gov Beverly Hernandez. â€Å"Is Homeschool for You?† www.homeschooling.about.com Ellen, Mary. (2012). â€Å"Homeschool vs. Public School: Who’s Better Socialized.† Off The Grid News. www.offthegridnews.com Layton, Lyndsey. â€Å"National public high school graduation rate at a four-decade high.† The Washington Post. www.washingtonpost.com Lawrence, Julia. (2012). â€Å"Number of Homeschoolers Growing Nationwide.† Education News. www.educationnews.org

Cold Mountain

The effect created in the passage from Cold Mountain leaves a profound effect on the reader. The author uses a multitude of connotative diction and specific word choices to describe setting, characters and moods. The mood is set off from the start and flows well into the end. Charles Frazier uses detailed imagery when describing the house, the 3-legged dog, the knapsack and the smokehouse. When describing the house, he mentions that it is slanted, indicating that things are out of balance. The 3-legged dog also signifies an unbalance in the setting.He gives the home â€Å"toadlike† characteristics, describing that it is nasty, slimy and unpleasant. From this description, it gives the reader a mysterious and timid feeling from the beginning of the passage. To further emphasize this feeling, when describing the dog, Frazier explains that’s it comes out of its den like a wild animal and â€Å"snatches† its bone like a wolf. He further elucidates that it is a wild pl ace with savage creatures that dwell within it. Further in the passage, Frazier tells how Inman follows the dog to the back of the house onto the porch.Immediately, Inman begins to rummage around for a gun. He â€Å"thrusts† his arm through a wood stack to find the LeMat pistol. This gives the reader the impression that Inman is very angry, and wants to do something with the gun, such as seeking revenge. While the gun was in Inman’s hand, Frazier explains that it was like a tonic to feel the weight of the pistol. This also gives us an insight to how furious and angrily unstable Inman is. The author proceeds to describe the smokehouse, where Inman in headed to.He describes the bayonet â€Å"stobbed† into the dirt floor, how packed the room was and how there was so much grease everywhere that the flame cast glints off it. This could easily be depicted as a parallel to describing hell in another fashion. Frazier details every action in this scene. For example, he e xplains how Inman steps into the light to be seen purposely, but how Junior doesn’t fully recognize him. The mood given to the reader in this section of the passage is suspenseful, as we know that Inman is furious and has a gun, unknowing of what will happen next.Frazier then tells how Inman instead of shooting and killing Junior, hits him repeatedly with the butt of the gun until he lay motionless. This has a profound effect on the reader giving insight that Inman was so enraged, that he felt the need to physically kill Junior to satisfy his revenge. The mood quickly changes to brutality and malicious. The reader feels a sense of shock due to the viciousness of the murder. Frazier wraps up the passage by describing how the blood gathers in a pool around Junior on the â€Å"black earth† of the smokehouse floor.What can clearly be identified within the text is that Charles Frazier does just about everything perfectly to create the effect that the reader experiences. Fro m the use of connotative diction to the vivid imagery created, Frazier excels in setting the tone of the passage to the reader. The sentence structure that the author chooses sets up the passage by separating up the three main events. Each event leads to the other cleanly and flows seamlessly. Charles Frazier’s style of writing not only leaves an intense effect on the reader, but also manages to illustrate his work using words to make a clear visualization. Cold Mountain On the surface, Cold Mountain is the tale of a man trying to find his way home. However, once looked at in more detail, it is seen as a story of a man looking for faith. From the very first step, Inman’s journey is one of faith, a faith that he has lost in the Civil War and is on the road to recovering. We know little of Inman's life prior to his journey, but what we do learn tells us that he was at one point a Christian. In his youth he had been taught, and he believed in, the basics of the Christian faith. Specifically, he believed in heaven, the immortality of soul, and that we are all children of God. Cold Mountain is the story of a man who has undergone a traumatic experience, the likes of which has stolen away from him all optimism and hope for a better tomorrow. However, as Inman plans to step out the window of the hospital and begin his journey home, his faith in God seems to wither away. The horrors of what he has experienced in the war have â€Å"burned away† (page 36) his Christian faith. He no longer believes in the easy answers to the problems of life given by Christians. His faith is further questioned when he meets Veasey, the preacher who has impregnated his lover and who attempts to murder her in order to cover it up. Even after Veasey is discovered and thrown out of town, claiming to be a changed man through God, his life does not show evidence of this. He goes on to rob a store and sleep with a prostitute. Upon these activities, Inman states that many preachers are just like Veasey. They claim to be able to save the worst of sinners, and yet can’t save themselves. This hypocritical lifestyle was a major contributing factor to Inman losing his faith. Inman's spiritual struggle is not merely a battle with his own inner demons. Inman's main struggle is with God himself, claiming to feel like an abused child of God. In a conversation with a blind man, he was stunned to discover that no person had put out the man's eyes. He had been born that way. He then asked himself, â€Å"How did you find someone to hate for a thing that just was? â€Å". (page 82) Throughout this story, we learn that when faced with situations like this Inman blames God. He holds God responsible for the way things are. For example, when Inman travels through the woods and sees a meteor shower, he is convinced that it has been aimed at him. He looks at any unfortunate situation as a deliberate attempt by God to bring him pain. Throughout Cold Mountain, Inman faces many obstacles that question his faith. Having lost it from the beginning, these obstacles only further convince him that God is not now or ever looking out for him. Only after facing all of these obstacles does he finally find redemption in his faith through the trials of life. Cold Mountain On the surface, Cold Mountain is the tale of a man trying to find his way home. However, once looked at in more detail, it is seen as a story of a man looking for faith. From the very first step, Inman’s journey is one of faith, a faith that he has lost in the Civil War and is on the road to recovering. We know little of Inman's life prior to his journey, but what we do learn tells us that he was at one point a Christian. In his youth he had been taught, and he believed in, the basics of the Christian faith. Specifically, he believed in heaven, the immortality of soul, and that we are all children of God. Cold Mountain is the story of a man who has undergone a traumatic experience, the likes of which has stolen away from him all optimism and hope for a better tomorrow. However, as Inman plans to step out the window of the hospital and begin his journey home, his faith in God seems to wither away. The horrors of what he has experienced in the war have â€Å"burned away† (page 36) his Christian faith. He no longer believes in the easy answers to the problems of life given by Christians. His faith is further questioned when he meets Veasey, the preacher who has impregnated his lover and who attempts to murder her in order to cover it up. Even after Veasey is discovered and thrown out of town, claiming to be a changed man through God, his life does not show evidence of this. He goes on to rob a store and sleep with a prostitute. Upon these activities, Inman states that many preachers are just like Veasey. They claim to be able to save the worst of sinners, and yet can’t save themselves. This hypocritical lifestyle was a major contributing factor to Inman losing his faith. Inman's spiritual struggle is not merely a battle with his own inner demons. Inman's main struggle is with God himself, claiming to feel like an abused child of God. In a conversation with a blind man, he was stunned to discover that no person had put out the man's eyes. He had been born that way. He then asked himself, â€Å"How did you find someone to hate for a thing that just was? â€Å". (page 82) Throughout this story, we learn that when faced with situations like this Inman blames God. He holds God responsible for the way things are. For example, when Inman travels through the woods and sees a meteor shower, he is convinced that it has been aimed at him. He looks at any unfortunate situation as a deliberate attempt by God to bring him pain. Throughout Cold Mountain, Inman faces many obstacles that question his faith. Having lost it from the beginning, these obstacles only further convince him that God is not now or ever looking out for him. Only after facing all of these obstacles does he finally find redemption in his faith through the trials of life.

E mail response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

E mail response - Essay Example Doe’s policy, the issuance of instructional handouts takes place during lectures, where I usually avail extra directives regarding on how to tackle assigned tasks using materials already provided. Therefore, in exercising fairness in class while Prof. Doe is away, I will try being lenient and offer makeup quizzes where necessary though with a lot of caution. This is to ensure when Prof. Doe resumes, there are no pending assignments or tasks that will disorient her while waiting for prolonged submissions, which may interfere with her program. I will also avail adequate and timely instructional handouts to the students so that each has the necessary materials meant to tackle the assigned tasks during lectures. Hence, ensure both timely submissions of assignments and fewer excuses for makeup quizzes. However, discouraging the latter entails clear explanations besides motivating students to inquire where they may need assistance both in class confinements and even outside. This is via email or telephone (though within the day) such that they are able to receive quick responses instead of waiting for physical interaction with them. Hence, make them feel supported, whereby they wil l tackle varied tasks with ease and in time. I look forward to a healthy interaction with students who will be under my care for this extremely short time, while Pro. Doe will be away at a conference. This encompasses resolving cordially other issues that may arise in the process between me and the

Attendant Propelled Wheelchairs and the Forces on the Attendant whilst Essay

Attendant Propelled Wheelchairs and the Forces on the Attendant whilst Manoeuvring - Essay Example Temporarily used at home and commonly found in commercial medical facilities like hospitals and nursing homes, standard wheelchairs weighs approximately more than 18kg with limited Ð °djustÐ °bility in its components. Similar to the standard wheelchair, lightweight whÐ µÃ µlchÐ °irs are made with folding frames. Likewise, lightweight wheelchairs have many Ð °djuÃ'•tÐ °blÐ µ components and are Ð °vÐ °ilÐ °blÐ µ with many fÐ µÃ °turÐ µs. Since lightweight wheelchairs are mÐ °nufÐ °cturÐ µd using aluminum, its gross weight would range between 13 to 18kg. Therefore, the lightweight wheelchair is lighter than standard whÐ µÃ µlchÐ °irs.Ultra lightweight whÐ µÃ µlchÐ °irs have the best pÐ µrformÐ °ncÐ µ chÐ °rÐ °ctÐ µriÃ'•ticÃ'• of the thrÐ µÃ µ weight cÐ °tÐ µgoriÐ µs. Typically less than 13kg, ultra lightweight wheelchairs are the lightest-weight whÐ µÃ µlchÐ °irs bÐ µcÐ °usÐ µ it is mÐ °nufÐ °cturÐ µd using aluminum, high-pÐ µrformÐ °n cÐ µ stÐ µÃ µl, or titanium. Besides the weight, the key diffÐ µrÐ µncÐ µ bÐ µtwÐ µÃ µn lightweight and ultra lightweight whÐ µÃ µlchÐ °irs are that ultra lightweight has a Ð °djuÃ'•tÐ °blÐ µ rÐ µÃ °r whÐ µÃ µl axle. This option increases the mechanical efficiency of the wheelchair by making it Ð µÃ °Ã'•iÐ µr for the user to rÐ µÃ °ch the rÐ µÃ °r whÐ µÃ µls during propulsion. Thus, reducing stress and strain on the upper Ð µxtrÐ µmitiÐ µs. Basically, it is the horizontally Ð °djuÃ'•tÐ °blÐ µ rÐ µÃ °r whÐ µÃ µl that allows the end-users to enjoy the benefits of having an optimal plÐ °cÐ µmÐ µnt of the rÐ µÃ °r whÐ µÃ µl on the frame.

Biopsychology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Biopsychology - Assignment Example Another reason for sleep is that it serves as physiological maintenence. During sleep, muscles and other damaged cellular components use the time to repair and regenerate. Another important feature of sleep physiology is the notion of an internal clock, or our natural circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are observed in almost all living things. This internal clock serves as regulating when to be active and using energy compared when the organism should be resting to conserve energy. The cycle occurs once per day. In particular, the effect can be seen with the impact of the changing between daylight and nighttime. This can be seen by the effects of sleep and light on the secretion of certain neurochemicals and hormones such as melatonin. Sleep occurs in distinct phases, which is characterized by a change in brain wave activity as well as some physiological changes. There are 2 main phases of sleep: non- rapid eye movement and rapid eye movement. Stage 1 is characterized as the light sleep that is predominated by theta waves that lasts between 5-10 minutes. The second stage lasts around 20 minutes and sleep spindles begin to form, which are rapid bursts in brain activity. The third stage is characterized by delta waves and is in between light and heavy sleep. Stage four is deep sleep, which is again characterized by an increase in delta waves. Stage 5 is the deepest stage of sleep and this is where REM occurs. REM stands for rapid eye movement. The most vivid dreaming occurs during this stage of sleep because it is the deepest stage of sleep. REM usually occurs between 4 and 5 times throughout the entire night. The mind is extremely active during this period with levels of neurological activity being similar to that of being awake. Theories show that REM is important in not only maintaining neurological activity, but also for memory processing. Sleep disorders can be caused by a majority of cases and there are a variety of them. Sleep apnea is a disorder in whic h a person physically stops breathing during sleep. Insomnia is where a person cannot fall asleep easily, therefore feels the effects of sleep deprivation. Too little and too much sleep can result in some diseases and conditions. These can range from diabetes to certain types of cancers. Stress One of the most important topics in health psychology, stress is a multidisciplinary topic that goes into not only the cognitive effects of stress, but also the physiological effects of stress. Principally there are two main chemicals, which are mediated in stress responses. Cortisol and norepinephrine release are triggered when a person is experiencing a stressful situation. These chemicals function as a stimulus, which heightens physiological response to handle the incoming threat or danger. Stress has been linked to a multitude of physiological problems. Prolonged stress can lead to sleep deprivation and insomnia, which leads to a host of its own physiological problems. Increases in blood pressure and pulse can lead to heart disease and cancers. Stress can also affect the endocrine system because too much stress leads to over activity in this system, which can lead to certain types of cancers as well as certain types of diabetes. Increased stress can also lead to compromising the immune system, which can make a person more susceptible to developing infection and illnesses. It has also been shown that stress has a physiological

Germany 1866-1945 by Gordon A. Craig Book Analysis Essay

Germany 1866-1945 by Gordon A. Craig Book Analysis - Essay Example One of main obstacles that stood against the Nazi agenda was the conservative-militaristic order that prevailed during the Wilhelmine era. So Hitler was hell bent on destroying this institutional resistance. Adopting means that were not entirely ethical Hitler was able to wrest power in 1933. The six years that followed was devoted to elaborate social engineering whereby, Hitler’s policies moulded Germany into a perpetual war-ready state. This aggressive military posturing was not lost on major neighbouring powers. It was only a matter of time for the inevitable expansion to commence, and it promptly did with the invasion of Poland in September 1939. The unfolding of the Second World Wars saw the worst human casualties in human history. The most painful episode is that of the Holocaust, where 6 million innocent Jews were systematically exterminated as part of the Nazi party’s Final Solution program. Gordon Craig handles the subject with sensitivity and factual accuracy. Gordon Craig presents in detail the portraits of two major political leaders of the period. The fist is Otto van Bismarck and the second is Adolf Hitler. He describes the former as a ‘great star’, duly acknowledging the tremendous impact his personality had on German nationalism. But Craig is not shy of highlighting the failings of this great character as well. For example, he notes how the stubborn trait in the Iron Chancellor held back Republican values in the polity.

Depressive Disorders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Depressive Disorders - Essay Example This paper discusses the case of Tina, a girl in her early twenties suffering from mental disorder. Tina’s case teaches us that it is high time that people consider depression as a wake up call and realize that the real meaning of life is found not in ‘reaching the top quickly’, but in unconditional life, happiness, contentment and healthy nourishing relationships. The Multiaxial System Depression is a condition which is very difficult to diagnose. People suffering from depression usually think that it is a ‘low phase’ and they will become normal once the phase is over. However, they fail to realize that the ‘low phase’ is ‘depression’ and it has a tendency of periodic relapse if not treated properly. In Tina’s case, one can see that people around Tina failed to realize that Tina was suffering from mental disorder. Even her friends and people at work failed to realize that Tina needed a professional help. For a mental disorder from getting severe, it is extremely important to understand the symptoms of the mental disorder and to plan a proper prognosis. However, for a proper prognosis, what is most important is accurate diagnosis of the disorder. The tool that has got recognition as an effective tool for making thorough diagnosis possible is ‘The Multiracial System’. ... ntroduced in DSM-III when people working in the mental health field realized that the diagnosis of mental disorder is difficult and complex as it is interrelated with many internal and external factors of the patient’s life (Munson, 2001, p.69). Hence, to make the diagnosis easy, the multiaxial system was designed with every level in the system handling different factors of patient’s condition (Munson, 2001, p.69). Generally, Axis I and Axis II are used to record 340 mental disorders which were classified in the past as ‘neuroses’, ‘psychosis’ and ‘character’ disorders (Munson, 2001, p.71). Axis III is used to record the co-existing physical disorder (Munson, 2001, p.71). Axis IV is used to record environmental and social aspects of the disorder (p.85) and Axis V is used to record the functioning ability of patient in different areas of life (Dziegielewski, 2010, p. 86). The five levels are discussed ahead. Axis I Axis I is used to record the mental disorders which causes impairment of all areas of functioning in a person’s life (Munson, 2001, p.71). However, the disorders which are recorded in Axis I are those disorders which are the result of deficiency and limitations in psychological aspect of patient and hence, can be relieved with timely intervention (Munson, 2001, p.71). Hence, the clinical disorders which can be cured with the help of intervention are recorded in Axis I (Munson, 2001, p.71). The symptoms of the disorder recorded in Axis I are evident in the behavior and thinking pattern of person and hence, are easy to assess. In case of Tina, the symptoms were visible in sudden change in her behavior, lifestyle and thinking pattern. Tina is an active 23 year old female from Black ethnic background. She is separated from her husband of five

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

Assignment - Essay Example They used multinational corporations, and their technology to identify whoever they thought did not belong (Black, 2001). They wanted to impose their rule on everyone that was present at the time, who did not believe in what they believed. This meant that Jews had to run and live in fear of the prosecution they faced in their land. The Nazi generals wanted to ensure that their reign was felt, and this resulted in the death of more than 2000 thousand Jews. One such empire was the Akkadian Empire. A symbiotic relationship existed between the Akkadian groups at the time, and the Semitic and the Sumerian groups. In the 22nd and 24th centuries, the Empire reached its political pinnacle after some of their conquests. The administrative powers of the kingdom came in the form of Sargon. He was the leader and had the power to declare war and any conquest went in his honour. To ensure that the administrative duties went according to plan, he ensured that the people working under him were close . This meant that relatives and family, for example his sons and daughters were appointed the chiefs in many of the kingdoms administrative posts. This is similar to what was present in the Nazi regime. Fathers and their sons were generals in the army against the Jews (Black, 2001). They ensured that everything done under Sargon was documented and relayed to the leader in their meetings. In Babylonian texts, towards the end of Sargon’s reign, there is an indicator that vast armies tried to besiege the kingdom that he had conquered. However, even in his old age, he still took to battle and won the war. The use of scrolls made out of papyrus was the initial documentation process of the happenings in the reign of the empires present. It is during this time that hieroglyphics was used to implement decrees and laws across the land. This is because, the Mediterranean people were famous for their knowledge of the land, and they were keen to assist in the growth of the Akkadian Empir e. In the Nazi regime, all generals reported to the one commander who had authority over all others. During that time, Hitler was considered the head (Black, 2001). He knew of everything that was being done, and at the exact time. Another Empire in the 6th century was the Achaemenid Empire. This was also the First Empire of Persia or Iranian Empire. The pinnacle of the Empire’s conquest was symbolised by the vast land they had conquered, which extended from Europe down to Africa, and Asia. The large army and civil services ensured the emancipation of the many held captive, for example, the Jews from Babylonian captivity. It is this empire that insisted on the growth and industrialisation of societies in the regions they set up shop. During the reign of the Achaemenid Empire, the administrative roles were similar to any other empire that proclaimed war on any region. It is through documentation from the royal scribes in the empire that the information on what was happening tha t modern day societies know of their true origins. Scribes in the empire were given the task of writing down whatever was being said. This is because there was to be proof of what was to be done among all the servants in the Emperor’s service. There was the delegation of power among the empire might have been its undoing through the cultural diversity present in the lands they conquered. The king’s authority was weakened and the documentation in the local governments proves the empire’

Geology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Geology - Essay Example This then resulted to the formation of the sun and planets that make up the solar system (Seeds 80). This has been supported by the ratio of the aluminum isotopes found in the meteorites that were formed when the molecular cloud collapsed. The scientists came up with a model that explains the unusual levels that the isotope contained (Seeds 79). They stated that the levels could have been because the isotopes were being fed in the molecular cloud at the time the supernova event was occurring. The seismic waves caused by the supernova event were hot in nature thus when they collided with the cold molecular cloud of gas resulted to it colliding. This consequently led to the formation of the solar system. As it is seen the death of the star that was caused by the seismic waves that were a result of the supernova event made way for the solar system to be formed. This helps us to understand the fact that the solar system came into existence as a result of the death of a star (Seeds

An Elephant Vanishes Essay Example for Free

An Elephant Vanishes Essay Explain the role of the kitchen in â€Å"Like Water For Chocolate† by Laura Esquivel and â€Å"The Elephant Vanishes† by Murakami. In Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel, food and the kitchen is a means of expressing a range of human emotions. Like Water for Chocolate opens with its most important central setting, the kitchen. Onion-induced weeping quite literally sweeps the protagonist, Tita, into the world, as she is born in the kitchen, crying, amidst of flood of her mothers tears. Her mother, Mama Elena, is unable to produce milk (due to shock at the recent death of her husband) and Mama Elena gives Tita almost immediately to the house cook, Nacha, who rears the child in the kitchen. Surrounded by the colours, smells, and routines of Nachas kitchen, Tita grows up understanding the world in terms of food. She enjoys her isolation in the domain of the kitchen. â€Å"Thanks to her unusual birth, Tita felt a deep love for the kitchen where she spent most of her life from the day she was born† page 10, paragraph two. The story of Titas entry into the world marks the first fantastical image of Like Water for Chocolate, initiating the reader into the novels magical realism and illustrating the intensity and improbability that characterise the events of the story. The image of Tita flowing into the world in a flood of tears prefigures the sadness and longing that will pervade her life. After Titas birth, the flood of tears dries to leave ten pounds of salt to be collected and used for cooking. The practical attitude with which the characters greet this surreal happening helps to establish the supernatural as an accepted part of the characters lives. â€Å"Nacha swept aside the residue the tears had left on the red stone floor, There was enough salt to fill a ten-pound-sack- it was used for cooking and lasted a long time† page 10, paragraph two. Outside the kitchen, Tita follows the demanding regime that Mama Elena sets for her daughters. Life is full of cooking, cleaning, sewing, and prayer. This routine is interrupted one day by Titas timid announcement that a suitor, Pedro Muzquiz, would like to pay her a visit. Mama Elena greets this announcement with indignation, invoking the De La Garza family tradition that the youngest daughter is to remain unmarried so that she can care for the matriarch in the matriarchs old age. Tita is dismayed by this rigid tradition. Outwardly, she submits to Mama Elenas wishes, but privately she questions the family tradition and maintains her feelings for Pedro. â€Å" you don’t have an opinion Tita and thats all I want to hear about it. For generations, not a single in my family has ever questioned this tradition and no daughter of mine is going to be the one to start† page 15, paragraph 3 This cold hearted appraoch to Titas yearning for marriage is what makes Tita retreat into the safe realm of the ktichen, I think the reason why magic realism was applied to food is because of how universal it is. Whereas music and art only apply to some of us, food is in all of our lives. Since magic realism is all about mixing the magic with what’s real, food is the ideal choice. We’ve all heard of metaphors exaggerating the taste of food, but Laura Esquivel’s descriptions of the effects of food are much more elaborate. It’s so descriptive that sometimes we doubt our ideals of what’s real by reading the effects of the recipes. By using food as the medium the author was able to smoothly meld together the magical and real aspects of each chapter. Her isolated childhood in the kitchen gives Tita an outlook on life different from that of her sisters, Gertrudis and Rosaura, and she comes to develop different ideals for herself as she matures. As a young woman, Tita rebels against the family tradition that confines her to a life without love. Her insistent questioning (even though she does not petition Mama Elena directly) of her lot in life can be identified as one of the feminist impulses in the novel. This refusal to accept an assigned and undesirable social role marks the beginning of Titas path to self-assertion and freedom. Her love for the kitchen and cooking is a rebelious action against her mother, her realm of the kitchen is the only thing that her mother can not control or do, the kitchen is what keeps her sane from the depressing sitution on the other side of the door. it wasn’t easy for a person whose knowledge of life was based on the kitchen to comprehend the outside world. That world was an endless expanse that began atthe door between the kitchen and the rest of the house, whereas everything on the kitchen side of that door, on through the door leading to the patio and the kitchen and herb gardens was completely hers-it was Tita’s realm. † This quotes proves my point above, the kitchen door acts as a safe guard to the oppressive realm of her mother’s. In an Elephant vanishes one of the major themes of the story is the idea of things being out of balance. This theme is introduced when the narrator tells the editor about the importance of unity in kitchen design, as he states, Even the most beautifully designed item dies if it is out of balance with its surroundings. The narrator later emphasizes the importance of balance between a creature and its environment when he talks about witnessing the change in the elephants size in relation to the keepers size. He states that the balance in size between the two has become more equal, because the elephant has shrunk or the keeper has gotten bigger, or both. Following the disappearance of the elephant and the keeper, the narrator again expresses the idea that things around me have lost their proper balance. He is no longer able to take action on his own behalf, as he is haunted by this sense that the urban world is out of balance, and he feels that a kind of natural balance has broken down inside him. The imbalance between Tita’s kitchen and outside the kitchen can relate to the elephant vanishes. Tita fells safe in the kitchen and at peace with the â€Å"old† kitchen keeps her in balance. Related to the theme of imbalance is the difference between appearances and reality. The narrator points out that the article covering the story of the elephants disappearance is strange, because the reporter tries so hard to maintain that the elephant escaped, when the facts indicate that the elephant had to have almost magically vanished. The characters in the story try to maintain an appearance of normality in the face of an event that defies logic, leading to pointless acts that do not address the nature of the situation. The discrepancy between reality and appearances also arises in the narrators job as he basically just goes through the motions, trying to maintain a professional, pragmatic approach although he does not personally believe that a kitchen has to have unity or any of the other maxims his company invokes to sell its products. The narrator finds that he cannot reconcile the differences between appearances and reality, and as he questions his own perceptions, he experiences a sense of disorientation and confusion. Throughout the story, Murakami subtly reveals how the vanishing of the old ways leaves people feeling disoriented and how the new ways of being create a sense of disconnection and unease. This can be said about Mama in â€Å" Like water for chocolate† as she is does not like the idea of Tita marrying . She is scared of modern society perhaps, and is insecure about her future. Mamas death The narrator, for example, performs his job as a public relations executive successfully by espousing the commercial viewpoint that things you cant sell dont count for much. Because in truth he does not necessarily believe this statement, saying it and operating from this pragmatic mode seem to confound the narrator, confusing him about his purpose in life. Like other Murakami characters, he is also a loner, a single person, living alone with no apparent ties to family or friends also this can be said to Mama Elena, she has distanced herself from her loved ones through the death of her grand c hild and of the cruelty committed to Tita . The narrator watches the elephant and the keeper and marvels at their closeness, their special bond. In the wake of the elephants disappearance, the narrator feels despondent, more isolated and alone than ever. As is Tita at the end of the novel after Pedro dies. â€Å" Now it would never again be possible to see that light, because she could no longer feel anything. She would but wander through the shadows for eternity, alone, all alone. †

Trends in Innovative Technology

Trends in Innovative Technology Guide To Creative Industries Khalid Khan Digital Arts Kk356 What are creative industries? The creative industry refers to those that have their own individual skills and talent. The creative industry has the potential to create jobs for certain individuals and to create wealth for the economic through the development, production and exploitation of intellectual property (law). The way this has been achieved is through the development of culture and technology connecting people through images, sound, text and symbols. The creative industry consists of 13 sectors which include, Advertising Architecture Arts and antiques Crafts Design Designer fashion Film Interactive leisure software Music Performing arts Publishing Software and computer services TV and radio Who are the key players? What did you find out about them? The key players in the creative industries are the individuals that think outside the box and use their intuition to form their personal understanding on how one sector works in the creative industry. The way on how one individual is successful is through finding a weak gap in the sector and then improving its core values. In other words, originality and creativity. Let’s take the software and computer services sector. A great example of this would be Apple. The main reason why Apply is successful is because they’re not just selling electronics, they’re trying to sell a lifestyle and friendship to consumers who are otherwise without it. Another reason why Apple is successful is because of their marketing. The ‘brand’ is what stands out to the public. Some consumers are well aware that they can buy Microsoft brands who are the competitors for half the price however because of Apples marketing, the consumers are prepared to pay a premium price for ‘Apple’. Consumers buy Apple products because they automatically assume more expensive products mean better products. A similar brand has also approached this method. If we look at Monsters products we can also argue that it’s done very well in the music industry. To a lot of consumers, the Apple products and the Monsters Beats brand is a fashion acce ssory and status symbol. What are the current trends? Hologram Hologram is becoming popular trend as it allows images to be recorded in three dimensions and to be displayed in different angles which can be perceived as a real object being displayed in the real world. However this being said, hologram was first technologized by Dennis Gabor. In 1948 Dennis Gabor wrote a paper that has become the foundation of modern holograms. Unfortunately Dennis could not pursue his idea further due to the lack of apparatus and instruments used at the time. Musion is a global creative company which specialize in Hologram developments. Musion are best known for working with Madonna Louise, Gorillaz, Tupac Shakur, David Beckham and many more. Musion’s aims are to present 3D holographic images in real time so they are indistinguishable from real live performance and presenters appearing alongside them. Another popular trend in the creative industry is the ability to work as a freelancer or being self-employed. This gives them the flexibility to organise and work on their own pace and the freedom to work where they want. Another reason why being self-employed is a popular trend in the creative industry is having the flexibility over the payment rates and terms applied. You can negotiate your prices with the clients depending on how confident you are with yourself however one major downside to being self-employed that you’re challenged with a certain level of financial instability. Timeline of Holography: 1947: Dennis Gabor developed the theory of holography 1960: Pulsed ruby laser was developed. 1962: White light reflection hologram was invented. 1983: MasterCard first credit card to use holograms. 2009: Interactive holographic displays developed. 2010: Development of moving 3D holograms. What important projects and/or productions happened in the last five years? Touch Screen Technology Ultimately, the main project that has been successful in the last five years is the ability to use touch screen. Touch screen technology has allowed users to interact directly with what is being displayed rather than using keyboard or mouse. This has been used in many projects such as smartphones, video games, navigation systems and computer systems. The main company that revolutionized touchscreens was Apple. With their innovative designs and technology, the IPhone was far more superior than any other telecommunication system out at the time. In 2007, Apple revealed the iPhone which changed the face of telecommunication and screen technology. Not only was it touch screen, the device was revolutionary because it incorporated the ability to record and take photos, play games, take notes, watch YouTube videos, connect to WiFi and more. Following the success of this device, Apple released their next generation of other devices such as iPod and iPad. Their market research lead them into making the iPod and iPad very similar to the iPhone, expect for the difference that it doesn’t have the cell phone capabilities. Both systems relied on the same touch screen technology and using the same user-interface. Leap Motion Technology Leap motion is a technology that is in the process of being developed by companies such as Samsung. The technology allows the user to use hands in motion instead of using the conventional keyboard or mouse. The technology is a way of interaction. The technology uses motion detection in order to process detecting changes in the position of an object relative to its surrounding. History of Leap Motion The technology was first developed in 2008. The initial investment was from David Holz who started the company (LEAP MOTION) along with his childhood friend Michael Buckwald. ‘The company raised a $1.3M seed financing round in June 2011 with investments from venture capital firmsAndreessen Horowitz,Founders Fund, andSOSventures, as well as severalangel investors. In May 2012, Leap Motion announced a $12.75MSeries. A funding roundled byHighland Capital Partners.In January 2013, Leap Motion announced a further series B round of funding for $30M’. Currently, Leap Motion are trying to implement their technology into gaming, where some users may find gaming experience more intuitive compared to mouse and keyboard however this being said, there are consoles such as the Nintendo Wii that imitate this process. What innovative technology is used and how? 3D printing 3D printing is an innovative technology being used in many of the creative industries as the technology allows an object to be printed by three dimension. 3D printers build objects by depositing a material such as metal or plastic to be printed out in layer by layer until the final product is complete. The process of this is called rapid prototyping or 3D printing. The main benefit of using 3D printing is prototypes can be printed in hours. This means the user can obtain feedbacks from the prototypes or any refine designs that needs to be changed and can be repeated until the final design is perfect. One major company that is using the aid of 3D printing is Nike. Nike falls into the designer fashion sector and with the aid of 3D printing, Nike has successfully managed to present 3D items such as football boots and their new duffle bags which are aimed at the very high end luxury market. This is a clever way of integrating 3D printing into sports product designs. This demonstrates that the performance of 3D printing is starting to be getting recognised by famous brands across the world. Virtual Reality Provides 3D reality experiences mostly for gaming and video entertainment purposes. Virtual Reality is a computer simulated environment that gives the user the feeling of being generated in a virtual environment instead of the one that they’re actually in. A lot of video gaming companies have developed the technology to put the user in an interactive world, for example, in a driver’s seat of a car or in a battle field first person shooter however the users perception of reality is not altered, the user is simply a spectator overseeing the events that are happening in that world. In order for our brains to perceive a virtual environment, there are a few key factors that are vital for the creation of an immersion experience necessary for virtual reality. While there are different display methods, one of the most popular ways to experience virtual reality is through a head set. Head set devices use stereoscopic displays, to make what you see three dimensional, and to give depth to the image that you’re looking at. The ability to tack a user’s motion such as their head and eye movement, allows the images displayed in that headset to actually change, your perspective, so if you turn to the left, the display will render whatever is on your left environment. Besides visions, certain VR experience, will also include, other sensors stimulations like, sounds and even tactical feedback for touch. Virtual reality has a lot of practical outside of gaming. It has been used for training simulations, for shoulders, pilots, and doctors. Drives such as Oculus has advance the VR experience by including, superior graphics, improved latency and wider range of motion. Reduce costs of components, also allowing virtual reality devices to become affordable, for consumers. What future projects/technologies are being developed? Smart glasses i.e Google Glasses Smart Glass is a future development project being planned by various companies such as Google to create free displaying information on a user’s perspective. It is a device that is worn in front of the eye that acts as if the information is being displayed in the front of your eyes. The video displays a pop up hands free information. Another feature that smart glasses are implementing are EyeTap technology. The technology allows the user to record the scene available right in front of the user’s perspective. The video camera takes photos and can take videos too. Another feature is having speakers built in. The speaker is designed for the user to make or receive calls. Another feature that is on board is a microphone. Not only does this allow the user to make telephonic communications but it also acts as a voice recognition. This allows the user to take voice commands from the user without having to touch the display. http://www.slideshare.net/aprzezdziek/10-trends-in-technologies-for-2014?qid=ad14da99-a491-4d3d-a68d-047aa6ddd68cv=defaultb=from_search=4 http://www.arctron.de/uploads/media/Zcorporation-3DPrinting-Info.pdf http://www.slideshare.net/godhanisarkar/google-glass-glasses-presentation-ppt

Using Computers as Effective Teaching Tools :: Technology Education Educational Papers

Using Computers as Effective Teaching Tools How can I implement technology to improve my effectiveness as a teacher? I know that students, in general, enjoy using computers in the classroom. So how can we, as teachers, take advantage of the computer as a tool to instruct? Computers are used as teaching tools often to teach through the interactive mode. Students enjoy interactive learning because they can apply the learning to the real world. I know that computers have their pitfalls in the classroom. How do I avoid these? I realize that my students will enter with various levels of knowledge and experience for computers. This can be a great challenge for instructors to incorporate into their daily lesson plans. I assume computer based learning is highly effective and should improve test scores. I assume students are more likely to be motivate with computer designed instruction. Students have the opportunity to be creative with computer-assisted learning. I assume the computer has some downfalls to the critical thinking exercises necessary for Science courses. I also assume that computers can hinder critical thinking processes--something mentioned by Todd Oppenheimer’s article, â€Å"The Computer Delusion.† Are there methods to avoid these hindrances? I imagine that there are more effective approaches to using computers as interactive learning tools. How do I get this information? I imagine the Internet has various resources for integrating computer based instruction into the classroom. As a Health Science teacher, I set high standards in the process of challenging my students. Critical thinking by inductive and deductive reasoning, analyzing, synthesizing, and applying information to realia--or real world context--is crucial in preparing students for college and beyond. I imagine that computers can enable my students to display these forms of learning through the utilization of computer based interactive curriculum. The Search Prior to my search, I was curious to why computers were not as effective as the general public assumed, as Oppenheimer had concluded. Dr. Herr, a professor of Education at California State Univerisity, Northridge, and my Methods of Teaching Science instructor, provides his seminars with ample uses for computers in education. This gave me the desire to further pursue the value of computers in the classroom on a larger scale; incorporating views and opinions nationwide. My search for answers came from Internet resources. Using the Google search engine, I decided to inquire information expounding on Oppenheimer’s article, â€Å"The Digital Rights War.† The topic of this article centered on the pros and cons of computers in the classroom.

Costa Rica Essay -- essays research papers

General Information Within it's 51,100 square kilometers there is a wider variety of species of birds than in all of Europe or North America. With a relatively small population of roughly three million inhabitants, Costa Rica also boast of one of the oldest and more consolidated democracies in Latin America. In 1869 the primary education for both sexes was declared obligatory and free of cost, defrayed by the State. In 1882 the death sentence was abolished. In the year 1949 the armed forces were abolished and in 1983 Perpetual Neutrality was proclaimed. Prestigious international human rights organizations have their headquarters in Costa Rica.. Beacause of this, of its lush 1500 kilometers of tropical sun-bathed beaches and the wild diversity of flora and fauna to be found in it's wide array of microclimates Costa Rica has justifiably earned it's reputation of paradise regained. Being located within the tropics, seasonal changes in Costa Rica are not as drastic as they are in countries on other latitude s. There is a 'dry" season (equivalent to summer and spring) during which temperatures pleasantly in the high 20’s (Degrees Celsius), which goes from December to May, and a "wet" season from June till November during which mornings are usually sunny and showers might be expected after noon. On areas near the coasts temperatures may be as much as ten degrees higher, where as in the Chirripo Peak, the highest mountain of Costa Rica (3800 meters) temperature may drop down to freezing point although snow is unheard of, even at the Chirripo. Costa Rica's official language is Spanish. On the Caribbean Coast a small minority of Jamaican descendants speak a local version of English, and most Costa Rican can understand and speak a bit of English. Quite recently all public schools made mandatory the learning of a second language. The main religion, as in the rest of Latin America is the Roman Catholic, but there is a very wide margin of tolerance.The national currency is the colon. All air traffic to and from Costa Rica is handled through the Juan Santamarà ­a Airport, located 29 minutes from San Josà ©, in the city of Alajuela. Government Costa Rica is a democratic republic, as stated by the 1949 Constitution, which guarantees all citizens and foreigners equality before the law, the right to own property, the right of petition and assembly, freedom o... ...nts are required to pass tests on all subjects studied during those years. The most notorious of these tests are the Bachillerato Tests, which are required to get the high school diploma needed for admission to Universities. Although the country lacked a university until 1940, Costa Rica now has four state-funded universities and a score of small private ones, whose number has increased dramatically in the last decade, due to the difficulty of being admitted to state-funded, more prestigious universities. Opportunities abound for adults to earn the primary or secondary diplomas they failed to gain as children. The University of Costa Rica (UCR), the largest and oldest university, enrolls some 35,000 students, mostly on scholarships, but even paying full tuition is not hard as it rarely surpasses $200 a semester. The main campus is in the northeastern San Jose community of San Pedro but the UCR also has regional centers in Alajuela, Turrialba, Puntarenas and Cartago. In addition t here are many private institutions like, the Autonomous University of Central America, the University for Peace, sponsored by the United Nations offering a master’s degree in communications for Peace.

Paul Muldoon: Biography and Essay :: essays research papers

Oxford and Princeton University professor Paul Muldoon was born in County Armagh, Northern Ireland in 1951 and has been touted as â€Å"the most significant English-language poet born since the second World War† by The Times Literary Supplement. He has also won numerous and prestigious national awards. Therefore, it may come as a surprise to learn that Muldoon grew up in a home with very few books. â€Å"Believe it or not,† he writes, â€Å"the only reading material we had in the house was The Junior World Encyclopedia, which I read and reread as a child. Other books must have come from the local lending library†¦ but the Encyclopedia was my text of texts.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Muldoon, who is married with two children, has written eight volumes of poetry in addition to many chapbooks, plays and children’s books. His first collection of poems, New Weather, was published in 1973 and his most recent book, Hay, was published in 1998.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As a child, Muldoon began writing poems to get around a teacher’s weekly essay assignment. From there, he says, he just kept on writing. Of the process of writing, he says, â€Å"I do absolutely think of it as a mystical experience.† Muldoon is a poet who is obsessed with the details of the world, and this is evident in his poetry, particularly in the poems of his that I read. I chose to research Paul Muldoon for no particular reason. I don’t particularly like poetry; I can recognize a good and a bad poem, but I can’t for the life of me write one. I prefer to say what I mean, mean what I say, and leave little room for interpretation. Sometimes I think that poets take the easy way out by writing ambiguously about dinosaurs, and then people read and think that the poet is really talking about social injustice or sending their child off to the first day of school, when in fact, the poet just really likes dinosaurs. Sometimes I think that if I wrote a simple sentence about, say, a red wheelbarrow, and chopped it up into lines and told people it was very deep, they’d be impressed. And so that’s why I chose Paul Muldoon. I read a few poems of his, could understand pretty well what they were about, liked how they sounded, and enjoyed that a respectable poet ended a line with â€Å"the.† Plus, I was running short on time.

Explain the significance of Marco Essay

In the play, Marco is very important. After all, he was the one person who killed Eddie Carbone which is the main event in the play. When Marco comes into the play for the first time, he is proven to be the most mature brother who has a quality life worth living. â€Å"What can I do? The older one is sick in chest. My wife – she feeds them from her own mouth. I tell you the truth; if I stay there they will never grow up. They eat the sunshine.† Having children, Marco might feel they are a motivation to earn money to keep them alive as well as himself. The reason Marco came to Brooklyn, America to help and pay for food for his family as he would send money back to his wife in Italy to care for them. â€Å"My wife – I want to send right away maybe twenty dollars †¦ because I could send them a little more if I stay.† Marco knows he has an obligation to Eddie and is trying to be good so he can stay in America in the house to earn money for his family. So to make sure he can stay, he is trying not to let Rodolph ruin his chances either by doing ridiculous tasks like singing which Marco thinks is inappropriate at the time so tells him, â€Å"No – no! †¦ You’ll be quiet †¦ You’ll be quiet. He also thinks Rodolph should tame himself down. ‘’They paid for your courage. The English like courage. But once is enough.’’ He is loyal and strong. He thinks before he acts which gives the impression that he is focused. He only punished Eddie by killing him as he felt threatened which is not a selfish action. He is the antagonist in the play and the Sicilian avenging angel that Alfieri hints at his comment to the audience. â€Å"A man works, raises his family, goes bowling, eats, gets old and then dies. Now, as the weeks passed there was a future, there was a trouble that would not go away.† Marco is also very important to the play as he is very respectful towards Eddie to begin with. Marco is willing to do any work to support his family as he is very proud of his wife and he is grateful to Eddie for his help and for giving him the opportunity to live in his home and work down the docks. Marco is realistic and tries to control Rodolpho’s exaggerations to keep them out of trouble. Even though during the play, Marco is furious and vengeful to some of the things Eddie does like snitching on them to the immigration officers; He is responsible, respectful, strong but silent towards his family, Eddie, Beatrice and even Catherine. Marco tries to bridge the increasing gap between Rodolpho and Eddie however as soon as Marco feels offended by Eddie he feels he needs to prove his strength and authority to him by lifting a chair up by one leg by one arm which is he successful in whereas Eddie cannot lift the chair. Marco if a family man because even though Marco cannot understand American justice when Alfieri tried to explain it and promised Eddie he will not betray or harm him if he promised the same, he did not apologise to Eddie as his honour means everything to him. As Marco will probably get deported back to Italy for immigration and killing Eddie, he is happy that Rodolpho has a chance of a green card a family with Catherine.

Heritage Project Essay

To me heritage is something that should be of vital of importance, something that has played a part in history and contributed to why I am where I am today. For heritage to be important to me, it must have had an impact on the lives of my ancestors and the choices they made as well as the things which they fought to uphold. Heritage defines who we are, with the different types of foods, buildings and ways of life between the different cultures that bring us together. The stories and memories passed on from generation to generation, bringing us together and giving us a sense of direction. It is the foundation that we are built upon and allows us to lay new grounds for the future. Debate around the public representation of Juma Masjid. Juma Masjid represents the Muslim community, being one of the most glamorous and extravagant mosques in the country people tend to take it for granted and not take into account its unique architecture and design. With the Muslim population annually increasing, space is not a problem as Juma Masjid is the most spacious Mosque in the southern hemisphere. It represents the Muslim community as it is greeted with great numbers of Muslims on the days of Eid as well as a number of tourists who make the trip into town to marvel at its beauty. Although Indian and Muslim people always having a strong bond and togetherness, they aren’t allowed into the Masjid. This is for any non- Muslim for that matter. In Islam, which has strict rules that one has to abide by and comply too. When you are a Muslim, you believe in the One and Only Allah, all other heritage and cultures are of no effect and are said to be false. There is no place for other religions in Islam, a Muslim should not become derailed from Islam and weaken his faith by giving into the western temptations and ways of life. Juma Masjid has never caused uproar or been part of anything controversial regarding its structure. Muslim people should be grateful as South African is a very understanding and accommodating place, with the government allowing Minarets to be built on Mosques. Muslims in Switzerland aren’t so lucky however, as existing Minarets stand and new ones cannot be built, the Muslim people came out saying that instead of trying to make life hard for them and drive them out of the country the Swiss government should rather ‘integrate rather than exclude†. Throughout history people have been oppressed upon, some more than others of course. Because of this people would always remember the past and the way that they were treated and try to turn the oppression around. Our divided past still has an impact on the lives we live today, with sport for instance. White people are highly regarded as cricket and rugby players while Black African people are associated with Soccer and form most part of the support system in the sport locally. We should ask ourselves, how do we sort this out? One should remember that common interests bring people together, so instead of carrying on with the old bring in the new and expose people to different environments, taking them out their comfort zones and creating a better future for our country moving forward. As much as we can say that apartheid is over, there is still the lingering after effects of stereotypes and racism in different aspects of life. Therefore, we cannot just forget about it and move on, we should learn from it and educate about it, so it does not deter this country again. The Juma Masjid. The first bit of history surrounding Juma Masjid may be only from the early 1880’s but for Islam, it was introduced a lot earlier in South Africa, most people believe it to be brought into the country in around 1667 by the Cape Malays. It wasn’t until 1863 though when Aboobaker Amod Jhaveri and Hajee Mahomed Hajee Dada arrived in Durban did Islam really take off and open up to them; the people at the time. It is accepted that they were aboard the SS Truro, one of the passenger liners that brought down labourers from India and other areas. Aboobaker Amod Jhaveri together with Hajee Mahomed Hajee Dada then purchased a plot of land in 1881 from K. Moonsamy for a sum of ? 115 with the intention of building a Masjid for the Muslim people of the Durban area. There was not much of a structure on the site, but none the less they turned this small piece into what would become the largest and most visited Masjid in the southern hemisphere in the century to come. This however still wasn’t the Masjid to be; rather it was a Jamaat Khana. A Jamaat Khana is simple structure in which people could go into and perform their daily prayers. A Jamaat Khana is not even nearly big enough to accommodate the number of Musallees that a Masjid can. A Masjid is much more elaborate in terms of the architecture and minarets, domes and craftsmanship’s. It wasn’t until 1884 when the two founders had the structure rebuilt to make room for the ever growing numbers of Muslim people in the area. This was now the first Masjid ever to be built in the Natal region. This Masjid could now capacitate up to 200 Muslims. Aboobaker being a businessman and knowing the trade, went ahead and purchased land surrounding the Mosque. This proved a smart and important buy as in the following years he would pass away in India from cholera while on a business. This land that had been bought paid dividend as it was used to expand the Masjid even more. As the last surviving trustee and care taker of the Masjid, Hajee Mahomed had to take action as again space for worshippers was becoming an issue because of the influence of Aboobaker’s business transactions and dealings. It is said that he was an honest and fair man, who attracted many non-Muslims to the path of Islam by the way he went about with his dealings and mannerisms. Hajee Mahomed then acquired more land from John Stanger for a sum of ? 300 in 1889 for the Masjid to expand a little more and comfort the Muslims from. Then in 1893 the British Empire abolished slavery and the Indian population wasting no time formed the Natal Indian Congress. With the freedom now granted to people, the first minaret was built on the extensions of the Masjid; this caused a chain reaction as in the same year two shops were built alongside the Masjid providing some money for the caretaking and maintenance of the Masjid. Then in 1905 during the time in which the Masjid was in full flow, the second minaret was built together with a number of rooms, it also facilitated visitors and travellers by establishing toilets and showers for the people at the back of the Masjid. A living area was also built for the Muazzin; the Muazzin is someone who gives the call to prayer for Muslims all around, the call for prayer is called the Azaan. With the Muazzin now in place, it was about time a group of trustees took control of the Masjid and in 1916; which proved a rather important and significant time in this Masjids history. A board of trustees were elected; they included. Hajee Mahomed Dada, Moosa Hajee Cassim, Abdoola Hajee Cassim, Omar Amod, Joosab Jan Mahomed Tayob Hajee Khan Mahomed. These Muslim men made up the first batch that took the realms and pressure off Hajee Mahomed as they worked with him on continuously allowing this Masjid to flourish. These two minarets were the tallest structures in the area of Durban at the time. In 1927 it was decided that it was time to expand and rebuild Juma Masjid, this contract was given to Payne and Payne architectures. A great part of the Masjid was demolished as the second minaret was brought down as construction was completed in 1928; it was also planned that the minaret would be rebuilt. Many parts and mediums of the Masjid changed then after but the greatest and most significant took place 15 years later when the Masjid went under construction again. This time in 1943, the entire building rather than just part of it that was demolished; everything was brought to the ground except the first minaret. Everything else was rebuilt with the exception of the first minaret as the rest of the Masjid was built and fitted into the Masjid. Juma Masjid is not only a place of worship but also a place of education and learning for people. A school for young Muslim girls was also established in 1957, this school has a roll of approximately 400 learners and 300 Madressah students. A Madressah is an institute put in place for children to learn about their religion of Islam and become law abiding citizens, teaching their students morals, values and etiquette. Being in the heart of the bustling Durban central it is convenient for people working in the area. Established as a girl’s school it is now a co-ed school. The Masjid itself is very beautiful Juma Masjid is of major importance in the Muslim community of Durban, as it is occupied daily by hundreds of Muslim men who attend prayers daily. On Fridays in particular, Grey Street will always be busier than usual as all roads lead to Juma Masjid. Friday is the day of most important after Eid prayers in a Muslims life. Thousands of Muslim men close their shops, leave work early and make their way to Juma Masjid in prayer. Women at home prepare lunch as they get ready for their prayers as well. Two other days are also busier than usual; the days of Eid. As thousands of Muslims take the day off from work as everything apart from religion comes to a stop. Everyone in the household is awake early as they ready themselves for the day that lies ahead. Muslim men all flock to Eid Prayers early in the morning as there are large gatherings all around the city. The day is then spent with family, great functions are held as people come together to celebrate this auspicious day of Eid. Juma Masjid has a distinct Islamic architecture style to, with its golden minaret which glistens in the rays of the sun many people often forget it’s majestic and eye popping beauty. I for one am yet to come across a Masjid that has shops, offices, a school and still a beautifully designed Masjid; all in one structure. When you enter this Masjid you are greeted with an archway, which is just underneath one of the golden minarets. Leaving your shoes outside your feet are met by the soft and warm red cushioning carpet as they sink into the carpeted floor as you enter this century old marvel. Once inside, it is realised Juma Masjid is amazing inside as well, built in a baronial style. Juma Masjid is truly something to be admired. With a Corinthian type walls on each of its high rise levels. Being Muslim I have visited many different Masjids around the country but not once have I ever come across another Masjid that has a pond in its Wudhu area. Wudhu being commonly known as ablution, simply cleansing oneself of impurities and keeping yourself clean and respectable as you prepare to stand before Allah in prayer. With the Wudhu area being a square with ablution stations all around it, all comes together with a pond in the middle and topping it off fish swimming inside is just the wonders of this spiritual sanctuary.

John Donne as an Innovative Poet

John Donne's position as a revered and respected poet is not unjustified. The depth and breath of literary works written about him along with the esteemed position he held among his comtemporaries is evidence of his popularity. As a metaohysical poet his poetry was frequently abstract and theoritical and he utilised poetry to display his learning and above all his wit. He was most certainly an innovative love poet who moved away from the Shakespearian focus on form intensely literary style. He was an expert in argument and often used exr=tended conceits to put forward these arguments.The drama in his poetry and his use of language all serve to highlight his skills as an innovative and creative poet. In order to examine Donne's innovative style I will discuss five of his poems, A Nocturnal Upon St. Lucy's Day, The Flea, A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning, The Sunne Rising and The Anniversarie. Donne was frequently classed as the first and greatest of the metaphysical poets. This group of writers were classed together, not because of any historical connection, but largely due to their similiarity of style. The term metaphysical could be classed in a number of ways the work of these poets was both celebrated and criticised.For many metaphysics was a branch of philosophical speculation concerned with questions of our being and existence. It was often characterised by the se of inventive conceits and speculation on topics such as love or religion. For Samuel Johnson, who coined the term the metaphysical poets, they were overly comcerned with style and the demonstration of learning. He believed these poets, who included George Herbert and Andrew Marvel as well as Donne, were simply using this style of poetry to show off their intelligence, ‘The metaphysical poets were men of learning and to show their learning was their whole endeavour'. Johnson, 1876: 48]. The impact Donne and his innovative style made on his contemporaries is evidenced further when we look at the reaction of his contemporaries to his death. Such was their grief at his passing that a book of elegies dedicated to his was published two years after his death. Among these was Thomas Carew's An Elegie Upon the Death of the Deane of Paul's Dr John Donne. In this Carew laments the passing of Donne and believes that his death will hinder other poets as he was their inspiration. For Carew, Donne's inovation ay in his use of the English llanguage and he described him as having freed the English language from the ‘weeds' which had grown all over it. Carew also suggests that other poets are indebted to Donne as he created a style that was a source of inspoiration for many other poets. This stance in reaction to his death further reinforces the idea that Donne was an innovative love poet and not one who writes with an awareness of tradition of earlier love poetry. William Shakespeare was the Elizabethan era's most prolific love poet. He employed a highly literary style in his w riting and a rigid structure in much of his poetry.A comparison between Donne's work and Shakespeare's traditional love poetry effectively highlights Donne's innovation in the field. Shakespeare's poem Venus and Adonis and Donne's poem A Nocturnal Upon St Lucy's Day are love poems that employ similiar arguments to advance their themes. Donne's innovation becomes obvious however in the style and diffuculty of his argument. In Shakespeares's verse his heroine refuses to believe that her lover has died based on the argument that if he was dead then the whole world would be in chaos and she too would be dead, ‘to wail his death who lives and must not die/ Till mutual overthrow of mortal kind! [Shakespeare 1015 – 1020]. Once the point has been made the poem moves on. In Donne's poem on the other hand his argument on the liklihood of proving his death continues for many lines and utilises comparisons to many scientific points. For Donne it is not the logic of the argument tha t counts but the argument itself and he continues to press the argument until he can go no further. This poem is also evidence of Donne's focus on metaphysics. He uses the unfeeling language of philosophy and science to advance his arguments. Intellectual argument and attempts to persuade are a frequent feature of Donne's poetry.Many of them are exercises in the use and abuse of logic. His poem The Flea contains twenty seven lines of witty closely-knit argument on the significance for two lovers of a flea bite. The poem contains three connecteded arguments; the first it that the flea, who has bitten both the speaker and his lover, now contains the blood of each and so they are mingled withing the body of the flea in which they have effectively made their marriage bed. The second is that by killing the flea, she will be committing murder (killing him), suicide (killing herself) and sacrilege (destroying the ‘temple' which was their marriage bed).The final segment of the argumen t takes place after his lover has killed the flea. The speaker reasons that as neither he nor she has suffered from the death of the flea, if she yields to him, she will lose no more honour than when ‘this flea's death took life from her'. [Donne line 27]. Donne pursues his argument in a reasoned logical fashion and in this poem in particular the argument carries an irreverent tone and through its ludicrousness and wit Donne demonstrates both his intellect and ingenuity.Another of Donne's poem which employs a reasoned argument is Valediction: Forbidding Mourning. Unlike the irreverent tones of The Flea however this poem's argument is filled with emotional intensity as Donne assures his wife that the physical distance between them as he undertakes a long journey to Europe with his patron Sir Robert Drury will not alter their relationship. He makes the unusual argument that their separation is not only unimportant but in fact impossible. In the poem

New Orleans’ economy is very dependant on the tourism and lodging industry

New Orleans' economy is very dependant on the tourism and lodging industry. In the past couple of years this industry in New Orleans has declined. In 1996 the city hosted 12 million tourists and conventioneers and they spent close to $4 billion. The average daily room rate was $105. The September 11 attacks had a huge affect on the tourism industry. Although the economy in New Orleans is rising, the number of tourist each year has dropped dramatically. This past year New Orleans hosted an estimated 7.995 million visitors. This is approximately the same number as they hosted in 1991, meaning the increase in visitors throughout the nineties has been abolished. On the positive side, these 8 million visitors spent an approximate $4.5 billion on hotel rooms, food, drinks, entertainment, and shopping. This figure is actually higher than that spent by the 12 million visitors in 1996. This $4.5 billion created 2.9 billion in revenue and helped support more than 138,000 are jobs. New Orleans has done a great job in compensating for the decline in the tourism industry. Because of the lack of visitors they have simply made it more expensive for the guests they do receive. The current average daily room rate for New Orleans' hotels is about $170. Average airfare from Denver to New Orleans is $400. Even though these prices are so high, the great thing about New Orleans is that no matter what day of the year visitors can always find free events. All of this contributes to what should be a very profitable 2004.

Network Trend II - Report on Japan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Network Trend II - Report on Japan - Essay Example pp 58). With passage of time Japan endowed unwavering focus has been able to achieve this dream through nation based programs. Japan tailors its own employees during their college and schooling ways so that the curriculum they pursue is relevant to the job market so that some of the skills taught during schooling don't go to waste. Japanese people capitalize on specializing in the area of labor which comes with multiple advantages such as:-minimizing time wastage which results to more efficiency and productivity (Arlington, 2002. pp 66). As a result there is duty simplification as employees become more and more effective due to exposure and repetition of the same task. Concentration on one recurring task equips workers with expertise in their little time is spent moving between tasks so overall time wasted is reduced. The overall goal attained is quality productivity (Arlington, 2002. pp 72). Japan brings forth motivated hardworking labor force, in the working culture of Japan employees are given many incentives in order to stick to one job. Japanese unlike many other nations do not hop fro job to job they tend to stay in one company and as a result employees attain expertise and built up that company the culture of innovation and advancement in companies is that built making Japan a big economy. Japan's success in information technology is accrued largely to its commitment and support of industries in the linked technologies (Arlington, 2002. pp 85).It has hence put a lot concentration producing superior semiconductors, chip-making skill, and records storage devices, amongst others Information related technologies(Arlington, 2002. pp 88). Japan's success in the computer industries has led to significant market share; the profits have been further reinvested and Japanese capital expenditures have remained high. Though Japan was somewhat frail in software industry this weakness is checked by the industries who took the initiative to train fresh graduates (Arlington, 2002. pp 93) Employer-sponsored programs continuing education in Japan was rigorous and efficient as a result of employee mobility. Some of key ideas in Japan were going global in pursuit of new markets and opportunities, outsourcing outdated technologies and relocating some of it is companies to the suitable markets. Japanese companies were using the proceeds from their success in end user electronics and other information industries to launch themselves other places around the globe (Arlington, 2002. pp 128). The Japanese were experimenting with a vast number of computer structural designs (Arlington, 2002. pp 66). Although their projects were based on American structures, the gap amid the U.S roots and the initial Japanese scheme had narrowed from over a decade and Japan was furiously catching up with the U.S at a very impressive speed. Strategically Japan advanced in computer architectural designing. Hardware making, prototype designing, vector developing and in the area pipeline design, keen hardware replication arc, multimedia workstations, and technology transfer formed their basic areas of strength. Japanese people are detail

Teaching and learning strategies integration Research Paper

Teaching and learning strategies integration - Research Paper Example These strategies are classified under two categories: (1) Activity Based Strategies and (2) Cooperative Based Strategies. Furthermore, the last few sections of the paper will give an overview of the different learning style theories discussed by Jonnassen & Gabrowski (1993). This research hopes to gather information that will be instrumental for curriculum design and lesson delivery at USASMA. Field Trips/ Staff rides. One of the methods used to develop leadership among military officers involves visiting a historical site and applying the theoretical understanding of the technical lessons in class. The process is able to link a historical event, preliminary studies and actual terrain so students can construct battle analysis. â€Å"Revisiting battlefields in a thoughtful and structured way helps connect today’s officers to military history† (Stofft, 1998, p. 16). Prior to the trip, participants are given all the necessary information through lectures and classroom discussions. This is the preliminary study phase. In the field study phase, the participants relive what took place by following the course of action based on what they have learned. At certain points, selected individuals may be asked to play out some roles. The last phase is the integration phase where the facilitator contextualizes the battlefield at the present day issues and problems. Everyday, at least one staff ride is taking place signifying its importance as a teaching technique. Staff rides place the participants in the shoes of the decision makers in the past so they learn from historical data and use it as a guide for future reference. It is also considered as a legitimate preparatory training experience in national defense. Commanders who have undergone staff ride trainings reiterate the value of military history â€Å"in supplementing current doctrinal, operational, and technical

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Postmodernism in animation - Research Paper Example Baudrillard and Frederic Jameson to popular animation series such as Beavis and Butt-head, Drawn Together and Harvey Birdman that aimed to target adult audiences with their content and themes. The first part of the paper intends to explore the specific theories presented by commentators on postmodernism, in order to apply the elements of the concepts with regards to the animated television series under discussion thereby concluding that aspects of postmodernism and its cultural components are visible in the animated representations of popular culture. Lyotard’s description and assessment of the world, in his essay titled â€Å"The Postmodern Condition† puts forward the limitations of believing in the positivity associated with a social and cultural agreement, thereby, postulating that postmodernism should in fact strive to work against the foundations of this widespread consensus which is an unattainable or utopian state due to the aspects related to the emergence and progress of popular culture which preaches plurality rather than singularity, this assertion led to the development of the concept of metanarratives and recognized the need to promote knowledge that is held by the general population rather than what is advocated by dominant cultural and political forces through the means of Grand narratives (til B.A-prà ³fs and Bjà ¶rnsson 2006). However, for Baudrillard (1994) the notions of postmodernism are associated with the representation of what he terms as hyperreality, such that in the society of today symbols or signs are no longer associable to their existence in reality but due to the emergence of a simulacrum can be traced to the subsistence of other elements. Perhaps, the most viable link of Baudrillard’s theory of hyperreality can be traced to the projections of media such as film and television which create the hyperreality and then propogate it (til B.A-prà ³fs and Bjà ¶rnsson 2006). With its comprehensions of society and culture, postmodernism has

Philosophy and Math Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Philosophy and Math - Essay Example The issues, data and assumptions raised by the mathematics are deeply analyzed by philosophy to create an articulate understanding. This combination of mathematics and philosophy provide a formidable foundation upon which to build in the course of career development and pursuit. Historically, the two have a strong link, as the logic is a strong branch of both the subjects. The work of logic in mathematics-symbolic logic- and the applied logic in philosophy provides a natural bridge with which the two subjects closely link. The other area of similarity is the fact that those undertake courses in either of two can pursue their career in a wide range of areas. Such fields of career pursuit include the computer science, journalism, financial and investment analysts, civil and diplomatic services among others. In addition, the similarity between mathematics and philosophy is what they present at the end of their argument, that is, conclusion. The major concerns are the being, existence and the truth of the presented solution. In order to establish the truth of the final solution and settlement of an argument, whether philosophical or mathematical, highly relies on the connectedness of the sense, reference and the ‘name’ of the phenomenon or the object. The sense and reference in the philosophy establish a relation between objects or names or names of the objects (Zalta 42). Philosophy for instance distinguishes the meaning of ‘a=b’ and ‘a=a’ in its conclusion. Philosophy establishes that ‘a=a’ is analytic in its nature while ‘a=b’ has a valuable extension, which must be explored, and the meaning established. Mathematics, on the other hand, does not go further to offer explanations, if any, about the cognitive meaning and val ue of the two statements. In a bid to reach a satisfactory statement   through computation, mathematics employs a

DLA Piper Business Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

DLA Piper Business - Case Study Example Miller respectively. Moreover, in the international who’s who of business lawyers legal awards, Edward J Levin, Elliot M Surkin, Charles l Edwards, Robert H Goldman and David Glickstein are among those who happened to be recognized internationally. There is a plethora of competitively experienced individuals and a truthful national mode of networking. Over the past year, the exceptional large team has been preoccupied with a varied range of contentious issues as work related fatalities and explosions (Lorsch & Chernak, 2006). In addition, the company is also expanding to the non-contentious issues as giving sufficient advice to companies on compliance related matters. For instance, Paul Burnley, client focused, has a good reputation in health and safety cases and many clients profess satisfaction with his service. The company has a customer approach to offering its services. In legal advice, a majority of the client are informed in the language they can best comprehend for sat isfaction and an emphasis and unlimited synthesis to matter pertaining to the law. To the court cases, proper documented evidence is given with prior filing of documents at the clerks’ offices. ... The competent lawyers who come to the root the law undertake detailed case proceedings. In addition, the company was the second largest supporter of president Barrack Obama re-election campaign (Lorsch & Chernak, 2006). This is to unveil the loopholes that may not have been underscored in the search for justice. There are opportunities to thrive into new countries and give legal advice, to absorb new graduates in the bar into the firm and also expand the scope of operations of the company to other areas in law. The challenges that abound the firm are: to start with is the navigation into a multi jurisdictional environment. This is where legal suits happen in a country albeit the lawyers do not understand the jurisdictional customs, or a transfer of suit to other jurisdictions. Secondly, the process of mastering the European market for competent arbitrage opportunities turns out to be a drawback to the firm. Thirdly, the company is trying to make prior up to date preparations for cons olidation and ensure there is greater competition to competitors. Consequently, less complex legal services should be offered to clients and DLA piper is obliged to be customer- focused. The long-term leadership of the firm is also a challenge that needs to be addressed. It is prudent a decision to address the challenges faced by the company so as to come up with better management methods of legal entities. In the event, better services and organizations will come up. In the Adler and Gunderson case, the company should be well able to transcend the national boundaries and impart new knowledge to others. An example of the company is that it should traverse other boundaries to establish new operations there. In the event, it will become a

Suicide Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Suicide - Research Paper Example Sociologists have been trying to calculate the suicide rates for over a hundred years. Unfortunately the â€Å"shock-wave† that a single suicide generates is so powerful that the statistical rarity becomes disproportionate (Baudelot & Establet 2008). In countries like the United States, suicide is not as frequent amongst the civilians as it is amongst the people belonging to the military. Hence, the social stigma of suicide in the United States and the European countries remains a matter of fear and disgust combined with feelings of contempt and lack of compassion (Joiner 2010). Suicide may be rationally defined as a voluntary act chosen by an individual who wants to die because the situation he has caught himself in is irretrievable and cannot be transformed (Diekstra & WHO 1989). The disgrace it carries with it for the communities especially in the United States is due to the fact that it indicates not only immoral behavior on the part of that individual but also the family who falls victim of this crime. Most of the cases in the U.S. have been connected with wartimes and the percentage of suicide committed amongst the soldiers and the army men is higher than ordinary civilians. Suicide usually has a history in the family. There are several generations in the family who have been indulged in this course of action and hence it becomes rather difficult for the sociologist to come up with a sensible reason for such an act. Modern therapists and thinkers have however come to believe that suicide may be acceptable at some point in a person’s life. Survivors of suicide end up in alcoholism and other lethal activities which becomes a threat for the community. The rate of depression is extremely high in the United States. Researches associate the suicide rates to the ethnic groups that exist simultaneously among the natives. This is surprisingly one of the main reasons of suicide especially among adults or elderly people who have gone through traumas in their life which they cannot share with anyone. War, loss of a family member, depression, broken families and crashing businesses are some of the risk factors which influence suicide among this age group (Retterstol 1993). In places where there are broken families, a person wanting to commit suicide is disheartened by his own situation and position in the family. He is likely to compare himself with privileged people around him and ends up having a very low self-esteem like in many other cases. Broken families are usually a result of some tragic or tabooed incident in the past which give rise to feelings of anxiety and hopelessness. Similarly a person whose business is crashing is likely to be affected with the downfall more severely than his team of people. If he has a depressing personality he would shut himself from the rest of the world and let the feeling of failure grow inside him. Eventually he would grow tired of his life and end it himself (Retterstol 1993). As opposed to the causes of suicide seen in the United States, other countries which are categorized as the third world countries such as Pakistan are confronted with altogether separate sets of causes of suicide. Pakistan is a nation which never recovered from the trauma of partition in 1947. A series of events caused the citizens to believe that they are doomed for life. With the

Exploring Human Eyes Conversion of Visible Light Into Neural Activity Essay

Exploring Human Eyes Conversion of Visible Light Into Neural Activity and Conveying of Visual Information into Visual Cortex - Essay Example Light rays first come in contact with cornea which helps in maintaining the anterior chamber of the eye. The light rays travel via small hole known as a pupil , it contains iris muscles in its surrounding which later pass on to the lens, it aids in converging the beam of light to focus the object depending on the distance. (SK277 Course Team, 2004, p.63) This phenomenon is also known as accommodation reflex. Human eye comprises of two chambers namely the anterior chamber and posterior chamber. ... The diameter of the aperture is enhanced by the activity of radial muscle, whereas as the diameter is decreased when circular muscles act. The image is finally produced on the retina which is made up of several distinct layers, it also possesses receptors for light known as photoreceptors. (SK277 Course Team, 2004, p.63) Before the formation of the image, the light has to pass through the several layers and receptors present in the retina. These photoreceptors can be categorized as rods and cones. Both rods and cons have a distinct function. Data gathered from the rods play a vital role in night vision.These receptors are highly sensitive to the low level of light and are unable to give the details of the object at night. Due to this fact, we can see objects more clearly during daytime as compared to the night. Whereas, cons are responsible for viewing the object during the daytime. The photopigment that is present within rods and cons are capable of absorbing light in them. These pi gments are 125 million in numbers and are made up of a protein known as opsin; they also carry a chemical named as retinene (SK277 Course Team, 2004, p.64) The role of this photoreceptor is to convert the energy generated from the light into biochemical signals via electrical activity which in the end reaches retinal ganglion cells. These cells take the information to the brain for final processing. Now axons present in retinal ganglion cells leads to the production of the optic nerve and optic chiasm, it has overlapping fibers forming optic tract, they end up as a lateral geniculate nucleus in the area of the thalamus. (SK277 Course Team, 2004, p.68) Later, the signals are transferred to the primary visual cortex and secondary visual area. The processing of visual