What a Foolish Hare I Am free essay sample

In 8th grade, I tried out for the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony. At the time, I was the first chair flutist in my school band and had thought I was already better than everyone else. A friend of mine, who was in a lower seat than me, had already been accepted into the symphony. Compared to her, I felt confident that I could get in. I picked up my favorite song, the same one I used to make 1st chair in my band, and on the day of the audition, I pretty much walked into the room with my nose in the air. To my surprise, I received a rejection letter in the mail. I didn’t understand what went wrong or how there were so many others who were better than me. I cried for days and complained the audition hadn’t been fair. Weeks later, this failure had gradually subsided until one day, I was helping my mom do some cleaning around the house. We will write a custom essay sample on What a Foolish Hare I Am or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As I was restacking our bookshelves, I came across a worn book, The Tortoise and the Hare. I remembered reading the story a long time ago, but I had never thought much of it back then. As I flipped through the yellowed pages, I recalled how a hare, who had ridiculed a slow-moving tortoise, was challenged by him to a race. The hare, confident of winning, quickly left the tortoise behind and decided to take a nap halfway through the course; when he awoke, however, he found that the tortoise had already finished the race. I chuckled at the foolishness of the rabbit, and all of a sudden, I realized that the old fable exactly described my own situation. I had overlooked everyone else before my audition. I had failed to work as hard as I could because of my overconfidence. I had been that foolish rabbit. I realize now that I had let arrogance cloud my eyes, and in the end, just like the rabbit, when I finally awoke from my slumber and entered reality, I saw that I had paid the price for it. From my experience, I have learned to never again compare myself to others, but instead, only to myself, and to challenge myself to do the best that I can possibly do. So instead of giving up and moping over my failure, I decided to pick myself up from my fall, challenging myself with more difficult pieces and practicing for hours on end. This time, I would push myself to my own limits, not to anyone else’s. The next year, I auditioned again and was not only accepted into the group, but was chosen to serve as the principal flutist for the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony. My performance skills were improved immensely; soon after the audition, I achieved the highest ranking in the Ohio Solo and Ensemble Contest. What I had once regarded as my failure has in the end served as a pivotal point in my journey to success.

Free Essays on Race

or offensive jokes. The fancy racism is openly declared and hostile.† (Schuman 155) I think that Cahill makes a legit argument. People experience racism everyday, whether it is noticed, unnoticed, intentional, unintentional, personal, or impersonal. Stereotypes are given to each race, and you cannot help but believe them at times. I think plain racism occurs more on a daily basis than fancy racism does. People do not even realize that when they shy away or avoid talking to someone of a different race, that they are committing plain racism. You would think it is because of who that person actually is, but you really do not even know them and are judging them by their outer image. I experience plain racism quite often, whether it is acted towards me or I act it upon others. People will meet me for the first time, and they assume I am a mathematician or computer engineer. The person is automatically using plain racism, but they would never use the word racism with their assumption. I will admit that I will avoid talking to a certain race, because I think that they may harm me in some way. I know that it is awful to think that, but that is how I was brought up. There were people you would look out for and others would be okay to talk to. People are raised with different beliefs, and may share or differ in their thoughts of other races. Plain racism occurs even when you are growing up, and your parents are steering you towards a certain group of people to be friends with. â€Å"Plain racism is still racism, but it is not openly proclaimed and openly confrontational.† (Schuman 162) I hear more about fancy racism occurring than actually witnessing it. I do not know whether it is because I live in this sheltered little world, or because New England just does not have as many fanc... Free Essays on Race Free Essays on Race Race – a sense of identity What is the definition of race? We divide people into groups by their skin color - black, yellow and whites. Maybe it is time to change this. The Swedish population and other populations as well, are nowadays a mixed group of people. White people are black people's neighbors, doctors and friends. With a growing unity between the all races, why does racism continue? The answer is because of prejudices. Racism and stereotyping are issues that date back to many years ago. Some prejudices come from experience, such as unpleasant or baffling encounter with someone from another ethnic group. Many prejudices are passed along from parents to children, sometimes without either generation having ever met the object of their dislike. Some come from the images that the media convey. In fact we are not different, instead we are judgmental and we discriminate and segregate. Racism is a word that means a lot of things to many people. To some, that word is the descr iption of a way of life, to others it is a repulsive term that represents closed-mindedness. What is race? The biologically answer is easy, the other answers are not. You can be black in your heart or mind even though your skin color is white or yellow, or the other way around. You do not necessarily have to act white because that is the color of your skin. You can choose how you want to be viewed and who you are in a sense of identity. On the other hand people can not choose their background or culture, what you have inherited is there to stay. This is important to remember. We are all unique individuals among races and we are also equal.... Free Essays on Race Race Today Whether one believes it or not, they are bound by the ties of race. Biological and social interactions are the two undermining factors of our place in society. We must â€Å"define race according to its social history† and these social factors in turn, form the boundaries that we have been calling race. Race being continuous and dynamic in nature, helps determine different cultures and classifications in America. Race is not a thing but rather a cultural context within groups, that reflect ones being or perhaps who they are in society. The way we make decisions in our life reflect our upbringing as well as the environment we reside. Racial classifications are communally and politically determined, but race by way of racism is a determinant of social class, economic status and health outcomes. Race had to be formed by someone who created different classifications. â€Å"How do you make the point that it is real but doesn't exist (Harold P. Freeman )?† Indeed, we a re socially constructed but I feel that there are biological attractions - an involuntarily force that brings people together which determines their race. For example, does the involuntary love expressed between two people stem from historical interactions or our social groups or perhaps from a feeling that unconsciously brings the two together? I would like to explain assimilation and how two examples show assimilation resulting in positive and negative outcomes. No matter how â€Å"race† is present, there’s no choice but to assimilate or to resist assimilation relative to a social environment or group. Assimilating to particular environments can be defined by the borrowing of an idea, style or perhaps the borrowing of that idea and eventually becoming part of that particular idea - because one is continuously exposed they have more tendency to change. Assimilation is the process by which minorities gradually adopt patterns of the dominant culture. Dif... Free Essays on Race In The Importance of Being Earnest, Pride and Prejudice, and â€Å"The Rape of the Lock†, they are all told from different prospectives and social classes, but in contrast all share the same viewsmarriage to a man of great wealth and well established standing would raise a woman’s social ranking in society. This overview of marriage shows in the attitudes of women during this time period. Batting eyelashes and making oneself wanted without seeming trampy or coquettish was the acceptable flirting technique of the early 1900’s. This instillment of thought was put into the women’s minds as young children, which grew and developed as the young lady matured and approached to the direction of marriage. In The Importance of Being Earnest, initially, Lady Bracknell is in control over Jack/Earnest and Gwendolen’s relationship. In Gwendolen’s opinion, her mother watches over her and treats her like a young child, trying to protect her from everything negative. Lady Bracknell says, â€Å"Pardon me, you are not engaged to anyone. When you become engage to someone, I, or your father, should his health permit, will inform you of the fact...† (p.720-Act1) Here, she justifies that not only is she in control of her daughter’s life, but eventually the outcome of Jack’s love life. Then, after Lady Bracknell established who was in charge of the situation, it is up to Jack/Earnest to convince her to let him marry Gwendolen. Gwendolen says, â€Å"Earnest, we may never be married. From the expression on Mama’s face I fear we never shall...† (p.742-Act1) Thus, Gwendolen makes it clear to Jack that although they want to take their relationship to the next level, her mother is the main obstacle between them that prevents this from happening. Last, Jack fights to save his relationship with the love of his life by following all of the rules of Lady Bracknell, in hopes that she would change her mind about him. Jack says, â€Å"May I ask ... Free Essays on Race I believe that â€Å"Race" is an arbitrary and meaningless concept because race among humans does not exist. As we come together and break apart according to the movement of human populations, we create a variety of differences among the human species. Racism, racial stereo types, race and cultural prejudices, and anti-Semitism, cultural and racial bigotry result in people being attacked, abused, oppressed, or enslaved. I feel that affinity groups should be allowed in school systems and else where. It is simply human nature to feel a natural connection towards others that look like them, come from similar environments or share a common past. I have noticed that people are becoming less understanding and less empathetic towards people that are â€Å"not like them†. While there seem to be genuine relationships between blacks and whites, some whites, including myself, hesitate to talk about race for fear of being taken the wrong way. I sometimes find myself being overly ca utious with some things I say because I am afraid it may be taken out of context and called racist. I believe that affinity groups are not "reverse racism† or "segregation." I think everyone should be allowed the right to form these groups. It is a place to come together and share experiences and express opinions, prejudice, or not, for mutual support or simply to just meet new people. People need some time and space apart from the central group just to let go and be themselves. If people coming together for group support makes someone feel excluded then possibly there is something missing from their life life or cultural associations.... Free Essays on Race Race Robert Cahill claims that there are two parts to racism: plain and fancy. â€Å"The plain racism consists of small everyday incidents, such as insulting words or offensive jokes. The fancy racism is openly declared and hostile.† (Schuman 155) I think that Cahill makes a legit argument. People experience racism everyday, whether it is noticed, unnoticed, intentional, unintentional, personal, or impersonal. Stereotypes are given to each race, and you cannot help but believe them at times. I think plain racism occurs more on a daily basis than fancy racism does. People do not even realize that when they shy away or avoid talking to someone of a different race, that they are committing plain racism. You would think it is because of who that person actually is, but you really do not even know them and are judging them by their outer image. I experience plain racism quite often, whether it is acted towards me or I act it upon others. People will meet me for the first time, and they assume I am a mathematician or computer engineer. The person is automatically using plain racism, but they would never use the word racism with their assumption. I will admit that I will avoid talking to a certain race, because I think that they may harm me in some way. I know that it is awful to think that, but that is how I was brought up. There were people you would look out for and others would be okay to talk to. People are raised with different beliefs, and may share or differ in their thoughts of other races. Plain racism occurs even when you are growing up, and your parents are steering you towards a certain group of people to be friends with. â€Å"Plain racism is still racism, but it is not openly proclaimed and openly confrontational.† (Schuman 162) I hear more about fancy racism occurring than actually witnessing it. I do not know whether it is because I live in this sheltered little world, or because New England just does not have as many fanc...

Wellbeing in college Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wellbeing in college - Essay Example A great sense of well being does not just come but it is earned, it is not something natural but rather something earned. Students who want the best out of themselves have to develop te great sense of well-being through learning and developing it. If a student feels that life is no on their side, it is a high time to realize that lack of sense of well being must have contributed to the miseries that befallen them. And the failures to fix things rights by the students should be their wake up call to quickly sprung into action by looking for ways to improve their sense of well-being. It’s not just about students feeling well about themselves but also their friends, families, study places and the communities they live in all benefit from them having a healthy, proactive approach to managing their wellbeing. Any wellbeing should be seen from a broader perspective. Good emotional and physical health can turn into the unprecedented serious mental health conditions if wellbeing is no t given due considerations.

Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Research Paper - Essay Example I was interested in knowing the progress China is making that could see it become a super power nation and the reasons that were behind its progress. It was due to this reason that I carried out the internet research to get more detailed information on China’s economy and its rise that could see it become one of the super power nations. I carried out some research on the internet using Google as my search engine. I also followed the United States news about the implication of the coming power shifts and how they could have impacts on the U.S policy. During my extensive reading through the various articles and web pages, I found some names and phone numbers and so I contacted those leads in order to gather more information on the topic. The National Intelligence Council argues that by 2030 the global balance of power will shift significantly. China will likely become the largest economy in the world. In terms of military spending, Gross Domestic Product, population size and tec hnological investment, Asia will surpass Europe and North America. The United States is expected to become first among equals rather than a superpower nation due to the coming diffusion of powers. ... The initiation of this economic reform has made china become one of the world’s fastest growing economies. The rise of China economies has surprised many people and its progress seems even more praiseworthy. The article by Professor James states that the rise of modern China to become the second largest economy in the world has become possible due to the success of the Chinese communist revolution during the mid-20th century. The invading Japanese imperial army was defeated by the People’s Liberation Army. They also defeated the US imperialist-back comprador led Kuomintang â€Å"Nationalist† army. The reunification of China as an independent sovereign state was made possible as a result. The extraterritorial privileges of the Western imperialist were abolished by the Communist government. This resulted in territorial freedoms of the regional warlords and the gangsters driving away women and drug traffickers as well those who were providing services to Euro-Americ an Empire. Economic reform on a large scale in a country as large as china was seen to be impossible. However, China has been incrementally transformed into a market economy from a control. This has been made possible due to Deng and his reform coalition. Due to the continued rise of economic aspects of China it is soon becoming a superpower nation. Due to various measures taken by the government of China, its economy has greatly risen. Colin Carter explains that today China produces 18% of the world cereal grains, fifty percent of the world’s vegetables and twenty nine percent of the world’s meat. This has made China one of the world’s largest agricultural economy and it has been ranked as the largest producer of wheat, cotton, rice, tea and

Diplomatic history of the us since 1914 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Diplomatic history of the us since 1914 - Essay Example In other words, cold-war tension was palpable during the war as a result of the United States support of Israel and the U.S.S.R.’s support of its rivals. Richard Nixon (the President) and Henry Kissinger (a senior member of the Nixon Administration) have had significant roles to play in the manner in which the war eventually played out. Both Nixon and Kissinger dealt with the situation in a cautious and diplomatic manner. The Middle-east region offered economic advantages to its trading partners due to the abundant energy resources available in its terrain. More importantly, it is of strategic importance to both the super-powers, as maintaining dominance over the world order is not possible without controlling the region. By the end of the military conflict the cold-war power alignments had been altered. Egypt’s pre-war leaning toward the Soviet Union had weakened as a result of the war. The war also brought to light Syria’s support for Arabs. By the end of the w ar, popular cynicism of the Israel government reached its peak both domestically and internationally, leading to the resignation of top leaders. On a more positive note, it had become the United States’ responsibility to ensure peace in the region; as a result of its increased dependency of resources in the Middle-east. The Nixon Doctrine was presented to the American public on 25th July, 1969 by the then President Richard Nixon. The doctrine had two important components to it – one pertaining to relationship with allies and the other regarding achieving world peace. Nixon stated in his address to the nation that the traditional allies of the United States should defend themselves without the latter’s military involvement. He also set an agenda for achieving world peace through a process of diplomacy. Later in the year Nixon’s explicated his doctrine thus: â€Å"First, the

International marketing management

International marketing management Understanding the culture in a country or region in which we are doing business is a critical skill for the international business person. Without this knowledge, a successful outcome to the business venture can be in jeopardy. Culture is the quality in a person or society is regard to excellent in art, manners etc. Definition of culture: culture is the identity of a nation; culture is the achievement deposit of general knowledge, religion, hierarchies, belief, values, and experience by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving. Culture is a perception. Its not something that physically touched or seen. Culture is the environment and relation between one with other. Culture is communication and communication is culture. Different culture: we can describe the culture differentiation by related cultures, Psychology and culture. Culture differences vary on people behaviour, attitude, religion and experience. Related culture refers to that different nation management based on its cultural attitude; Cultural system makes management its own differentiation between others. Psychology and culture is the behaviour or thinking differences between others, for example, village cultural people normally their profession is farming and when they try to do any business or something their thinking starts from farming that how to grow more crops because its their main profession culture and the other hand the people who buy the crops they will try to improved the business and their thinking will get more crops in cheap price or they can sell that in high price in the market. Culture and business behaviour, Business policy or style are based on culture, business works run their own cultural way. Without the cultural attitude a good business run is impossible. In different culture business behaviour is vary on its cultural attitude. How the affect of culture on marketing policy: differences of culture is important to know for a multinational firms, its provide the knowledge of innovation and the policy of marketing. Marketing based on cultural equality with the good quality of brand that can fulfil the cultural demand, cultural needs its important to know for marketing without gaining the knowledge marketing will unimpeachable. The brand loyalty is important for marketing if brand loyalty does not stay longer the marketing will unaffectable. High quality of brand is the key of marketing and culture helps to learn to take brand on the desire position. Brand loyalty reflects its cultural differentional value. Cultural knowledge helps marketing to get the relation with the consumer. Consumer satisfaction is the important part of marketing by providing good brand and keeping brand loyalty is the result of customer in return. In different culture there is different way of marketing in western marketing like such as l eafleting, advertising etc. Marketing is important to keep the customer informed about the new brand and upgrading quality and also new offers that helps to keep the relation with the customer. Good marketing is also the key of good business. According to Nakata and Sivakumar (2001) suggest that the implement of marketing concepts can be expressed in the generation, dissemination, and national culture. International marketing affect on culture: culture nature assess to managers is essential for international market. We explain the affectedness in eight categories is below. Language is very important for communication and communication is the important part for marketing. In global marketing the languages may vary use difference languages. In marketing it is very important to make customer understand that what the product we are trying to sell. In this case language is very important, customer will not talk on my language, I have to talk on customer language to explain them the features of the product. Religion is another nature of culture. Organization needs to make sure that the products and services are not unlawful; distasteful to local nation otherwise it will lose its market position and the demand. For an example, In Arabic countries if we try to marketing wine, beer or any kind of alcohol, the market value will very poor and it might get the cultural reaction. Religion is people believed, that people respect and no one wants to go beyond their religion. So in international marketing a marketer must have to be careful about the religion on his marketing process. Values and attitude vary between nations, so before to take a product to other culture or nation we have make sure that it does not make affect on their tradition and dignity. For example in china Nike TV was manufactured by US was banned because to advertise the TV they animated a cartoon of kung fu masters and dragons and Chinese people didnt except that because they thought it was insult on their nation dignity. Education in international market will vary. In international marketing is important to know the nations education level and the percentiles of educated people. Where the literacy level is low there advertising on the news paper or on magazine will not that affect able. To marketing on that nations radio or TV advertising will be much affect able. Media plays an important role on this ground and in high literacy culture newspaper or paper leaflet plays royal role. Social organizations are how a nation is organized. For example, whats the position of women in this society, how is the country governed or civilized. Technology and Material Culture are also important for international Marketing. The value and the power are use for the product that must be affordable, using developed technology the cost can be reduce and also the quality can improved. The product or service has to be in low cost that all classes people are able to buy that. Law and politics will vary in different nations. For an example, in some countries the society based on democratic marketing and on the other hand in Arabic country the marketing is based on Islam and shariah tradition. A marketer has to follow the law and politics to be the gainer or otherwise it will lose its interest. Aesthetics will vary in our sense, taste etc. For example, if something taste good or smell feels good or looks beautiful consumer will go for it again, but all the feature of the product must have to be good, if the one good and not the other it will not be success. International marketer is usually known to do marketing in more than one country. Now a days international marketer plays a important role in the globalization market and better marketing makes better demand. Marketing plays an important role in business and a marketer plays the lead role on this position and thats why experienced and knowledgeable marketer is demandable in the global market. Marketers use different techniques, different policy to get the brand in demandable stage in the market. According to Robert Guang Tian â€Å"It is important for the marketers know that there is no room for ethnocentrism in the 21st Century marketing practice.† Marketers will need to know how to translate an understanding of cultural differences into effective cross-cultural marketing strategies turning them into a direct plan of action. Cultural illusion is natural but to avoid the illusion a marketer must have to be experienced and knowledge about the culture differences. Illusion process in marketing: We can say a better marketing increased the product demand. As we know culture is the identity of a nation and marketing success is based on this identity. Global market has global nature. For an example, if we do marketing for wine in Arabic country it will not worked because all kind of alcohol is forbidden there because of those country are based on their religion Islam. Similarly if we think about marketing of any brand of cloths it also vary on different culture, different cultural people wear their traditional cloths like most of Asian women they would like to wear sharies rather than skirt or other dresses because of its their culture and they feel comfortable by wearing this on the other hand most of the western women even dont know how to wear a sharee they feel more comfortable by wearing jeans, skirt etc because of their culture. Global environment is global trade culture and organization has been trading with each other for centuries and thi s trade without marketing is unthinkable. How illusion creates on marketer: A marketer must focus on getting attention of customer because marketing is for customer without customer there is no marketing. Customers good relationship and keep them return is the marketer responsibility. Marketer have to make the customer understand that the features of the product, advantage and what the specialty on the product that helps the customer to buy the product but have to be able to reduce cost on customer demand -sometimes some of the environmentally preferred materials are more expensive but the firm have to finding ways through scaling the usage of some of these materials to reduce the cost and save money. Every decision start with a problem, a discrepancy between an existing and a desired condition and a smart marketer should know how to treat with those situations. Cultures are not converging. The prediction of a convergence of culturally different markets into a â€Å"one-world† culture that would facilitate standardization of global marketing activities has turned out to be an illusion. Culture does not support for marketing, the marketer have to do the marketing as the environment nature is. To marketing in a different culture a marketer must know the currency, the way of business, customer demand, how to keep the customer satisfaction, how developed service will better for this new environment, whats the different and special feature need to put on the product or services to make differences between others. A marketer has to be careful about customer demand and also the product quality because once it lost the customer demand and satisfaction; the product will be out market. Marketer has to gain customer trust by providing good quality. Cultural differences make marketer to take different strategy or policy. A smart marketer got thei r own policy or strategy to face the different culture. For an example, Recently Nike demands new rules on valuing business, the global chief executive of Nike, one of the most powerful retail brands in the world, has said that companies will have to find more sophisticated ways of judging value and impact on the environment if they are to resist being pushed around by short-term investors seeking a quick profit. The big challenges are twofold. First, moving more Nike business in to direct retail to the customer rather than wholesale supply. Second, tackling shareholder short-termism, which drive a focus on profit margins and bottom lines to the detriment of other considerations of social value post the 2008 crash. People prefer local brands. Typically home product and service is more affect able to the consumer than the foreign product. So some smart marketer does much advertizing and marketing about their product to get their local consumer keep in touch. Local brand is more cheap and reachable for the customer. For an example, Asian countries are famous for spices because of their weather support their cultivation thats why the spices so cheap and consumer reachable but in western countries the weather is not good enough for their cultivation, so most of the spices the import from other counties and this is expensive than the Asian countries and they are capable or expert to use the spices. Accordingly, not only does culture influence marketing; but marketing also influences culture. Marketers can act as agents of changes within a culture. For an example, Wang cares an American computer company was refused in united Kingdom to use their motto because of its name is sound too close of the word ‘wankers which is not good for a company image. A company name and product quality is the key of consumer response. Good quality always gets good response and off course to get the good response marketer plays an important role in marketing but marketer must have to respect the culture or the tradition and laws, without obeying that marketer will not get any space in the market so each marketer have to follow the rules of culture. To marketing a product in to a different culture marketer have to identify the needs of the culture, for an example, In Rajasthan is the one part of India which is full of desert most of the time the land is dry but if we think to marketing their for Umbrella or winter cloths like jacket the marketing will not that much profitable because this nature does not need this product. Marketing research method also creates illusion on marketer. A marketer has to research on the nations marketing strategy; marketing strategy will vary in different nations. Conclusion: In my point of view everyone like their products from their own perspective but the marketer have to make consumer understand how is the product and it going to be useful for them or not and a marketer have to be much smart to face all kind of situation.. So international marketing is very important for the global trade and to achieve the goal international marketing have the culture. Reference: 1. Chris Phillips, Isobel Doole, Robin Lowe, 1994, International marketing strategy: analysis, development, and implementation, p-90, published by routledge. 2. Retrieved 12th February 2010 from: http://www.tamu.edu/classes/cosc/choudhury/culture.html 3. Retrieved 16th February 2010 from: http://www.marketingteacher.com/Lessons/lesson_international_marketing_culture.htm 4. Retrieved 22th February 2010 from: Defining Cross-Cultural Marketing 5. Stanley J. Paliwoda, John K. Ryans, 2008, International marketing, p-582, published by Edward Elgar Publishing Limited. Bibliography: 1. Andrew Bard Schmookler, 2003, The illusion of choice: how the market economy shapes our destiny, published by state University of New York.. 2. George Silverman, The secret of word-of-mouth marketing: how to trigger exponential sales, 2001, Published by AMA publication. 3. Hans Muhlbacher, Helmuth Leihs, Lee Dahringer, 2006, International marketing: a global perspective, 3rd ed, published by Thomson learning. 4. Prof Jean-Claude Usunier and Julie Lee, 2005, Marketing across culture, 4th ed, published by Prentice Hall 5. Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, Veronica Wong, John Saunders, 2008, Principles of marketing, 5th European ed, published by Pearson Education Limited. 6. Robert Guang Tian, Ph. D, Associate Professor of Business Administration http://www.studyoverseas.com/america/usaed/crosscultural.htm [access 8th February 2010]

M252 81mm Mortar :: essays research papers

M252 81mm Mortar INTRODUCTION: Good morning, my name is your name and my period of instruction is on the M252 81mm Mortar. We will cover some basic mortar knowledge including nomenclatures, rates of fire, and weight. We will also cover the mission of an 81mm mortar platoon and how that platoon is configured. The purpose of this period of instruction is to provide you with basic information and working knowledge of the 81mm mortar. LEARNING OBJECTIVES:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  a. TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVE: To familiarize you with the main   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  components and characteristics of the 81mm mortar.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  b. ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVES:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  a. State the three main components of the mortar and their nomenclature.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  b. State the weights of the three main components of the mortar.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  c. State the maximum range of an 81mm mortar. METHOD / MEDIA: I will use the lecture method and the mortar you see in front of you. There will be no posttest after this period of instruction. Are there any questions about your learning objectives or the method and media? TRANSITION: Now if there are no questions for me let’s get into the nuts and bolts of this period of instruction. BODY:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  MISSION:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The 81mm mortar platoon is commonly called the battalion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  commander’s hip pocket artillery. It is called this because 81’s are foot   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  mobile, are on target faster, and more accurate than artillery. The   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  mission of the 81mm mortar platoon is to provide continuous indirect   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  fire support to the infantry battalion and it’s subordinate elements in the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  offense and defense.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   CHARACTERISTICS: The M252 81mm mortar is a smooth bore, muzzle loaded, high angle of fire weapon. Smooth bore meaning it has no lands and grooves like a rifle barrel. Muzzle loaded, because you insert a round into the muzzle of the cannon, allowing gravity to pull the round down, striking the firing pin. High angle of fire because it is capable of firing from within defilade, over hills, and other obstructions. COMPONENTS: The M252 81mm mortar consists of three main components, and a dovetail slot sight. They are: M253 Cannon (barrel): The M253 cannon consists of the barrel, sealed at the lower end with a removable breech plug that houses a removable firing pin. At the muzzle end is a cone-shaped Blast Attenuator Device (BAD) that is fitted to reduce noise.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   M177 Mount (bipod): The M177 mount is composed of 3 main assemblies. They are: the leg assembly, the traversing gear assembly, and the barrel clamp assembly.

An Academic Narrative

Behind every work there is a story. Often, the story can better explain why a work looks the way it does than can any formal academic argument. The present work started as a Doctoral thesis. So here is its much abbreviated story. Choosing the topic I have been fascinated by what monuments mean to people ever since my Hamburg M. A. thesis of 1993, in which I investigated empirically the contemporaneous meanings of three selected megaliths and menhirs in Germany. Having come to Lampeter later the same year, I wrote a second M. A. thesis also about the various meanings of megaliths, but this time focussing on the theoretical background of Radical Constructivism and Reception Theory as well as on prehistoric and historic case-studies. As I had to make a decision about my Ph. D. research topic early in 1994, this topic seemed to be interesting and promising to pursue further. I chose later prehistory as a time period, since I was mainly interested in working with evidence of material cult ure. In excluding earlier periods as well as the Medieval age, I hoped to avoid dealing with possible continuities of burial traditions and ancestor cults during the Neolithic up until the early Bronze Age on the one hand, and with the quite complex problem of using written sources in arguments about historic periods on the other. Since I started my work in 1994, the basic theme proved feasible and has stayed virtually the same; however, I modified my exact line of argument on several occasions. These changes are reflected in various outlines and abstracts which I wrote at different points in time. Although empirical detail has a certain irresistible attraction to me (as well as a considerable rhetorical power), the theoretical aspects of my work, such as thoughts about past and present, have always (and perhaps over the years increasingly) been more important to me than the details of the archaeology of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern provided an almost ideal study area, not only because of the excellent state of research on megaliths there (largely due to the work of Ewald Schuldt), but also because I felt very attracted to the beautiful coastal landscape. My research in the area was greatly helped by virtually all the local archaeologists, who patiently answered my questions and gave further suggestions. On several occasions, however, one senior archaeologist tried effectively to stop my research (I don't know why). This seemed at first to threaten the entire project, but as time went on, this person's activities proved to be less critical for my work than I had feared. Finding material to work with One of my biggest challenges from the start was to find enough relevant material evidence on which to build a larger argument. I was already confident after having looked at the regional literature in the library of the Institute of Archaeology in London, and undertaking an explorative visit to the sites and monuments record (Ortsaktenarchiv) of the Landesamt fur Bodendenkmalpflege in Lubstorf, both early in 1995. I became entirely convinced of the feasibility of my project during an extended visit of the study area during the summer of 1995. After just over two weeks of concentrated work with the records, I provided the basis for my later analysis by documenting on specially designed forms, the evidence for later prehistoric receptions at almost 1200 megaliths. That summer, I also visited several libraries and photocopied many relevant texts, which were not otherwise available to me at Lampeter. During a second visit to Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in the late summer of 1996 I visited even more sites, consulted libraries again and discussed various issues with local archaeologists. I closed gaps in my reading by using the very efficient interlibrary loan service at Lampeter, spending two weeks in the libraries of Cambridge and in the British Library in March 1996, and consulting the British Library for another few days in September 1997. Interpreting the evidence in wider terms On the basis of the promising evidence I had collected, and the associated archaeological literature I had read, it was always clear that for interesting interpretations I would need exciting ideas, rather than additional evidence or access to even more archaeological literature. My interest was, after all, first and foremost in the meanings of ancient monuments, and not in any particular archaeological period or area. I decided early on to combine my archaeological work with references to various other related themes and topics. Later prehistory would be supplemented by evidence from later historic periods as well from the present. The actual receptions of megaliths, which I could see in the record, would be put in the context of wider meanings of monuments. Ancient monuments and conceptions of the past in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern would be associated with completely different archaeological and anthropological contexts. All this was to be put into practice by using hypermedia technology. My original application document and further discussions about my plan to submit my work on the Internet, and then on CD-Rom, led me to think more about the characteristics and significance of hypermedia links in the text. As a consequence, the idea of making sense by making connections became more and more important to me, and developed perhaps into one of the most important arguments of my work. Originally, I constructed the thesis on many small cards each representing one ‘page'; they were ordered by a systematic number code but this was more a way of structuring my writing process than a hidden linear structure in my argument! Coming up with results What I now present is colourful, diverse, empirically rich and (hopefully) intellectually stimulating. I have produced a work that takes a decisively interpretive approach and rejects the metaphor of the law court, according to which the task of the archaeologist is to establish the truth about the past, or to construct a story plausible beyond reasonable doubt, in order for the judge or jury to reach a verdict about what actually happened (Shanks 1992: 54–56). What really happened in the past does not matter much to me. This work is not about the past, but rather about certain parts of the present, although it deals with the past and refers to archaeological evidence. I hope to show that there are a great number of possible meanings of ancient monuments, and that we can reach interpretations and make sense of something by making connections. Perhaps more importantly, I hope to demonstrate in my work that past and present are united and cannot be separated from each other. In saying this I do not argue that different archaeological and historical contexts could not be distinguished from one another. My point is much broader: the past is only meaningful within the particular history culture and as a contribution to the cultural memory of each present. I do not know if there could be a present without a past (except perhaps for small babies and some animals as well as in certain medical conditions? ), but there can certainly be no past without a present. Ancient monuments in our landscapes intrigue me. Perhaps this is the beauty of my approach, and of my work: people in later prehistory and today, including myself, find themselves in very much the same situation. They make sense in one way or another of the ancient monuments they come across in the landscape. The object of study in this work is, therefore, also the studying subject, and the results of my study describe its approach too.

Government and Media in Cuba Essay

In between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean lies the island of Cuba. It is a small island with a total land area of 110,860 square km, yet it is so powerful enough to catch the attention of United States and to strengthen its security measures. The country was first ruled by the Spanish government and its history was marked by revolutions and uprising. Finally, in 1902, through the intervention of the US government, Cuba achieved its independence from the Spanish rule. However, the proclamation of independence did not end the uprising and rebellious activities because the country was not freed from leadership of corruption and military-rule. The real independence, as recognized and celebrated by Cubans, was achieved when Fidel Castro took office. Fidel Castro was the leader of rebel army that has been fighting the corrupt government and established a communist form of government. At present, Cuba is under the rule of Castro and the state remains to be a communist government having three branches namely; the chief of state, legislative and judiciary. General Raul Castro currently holds the chief of state which is comprised of Council of State and Council of Ministers (â€Å"The World Factbook†). On the economic aspect, the embargo that has been imposed upon the country has not yet been lifted. Currently, Venezuela is the main partner of the country and the main source of its petroleum needs. The living standard also remained low as a result of the embargo and discontinuance of foreign aids from several countries (â€Å"The World Factbook†). However, it has agricultural, trading, industrial and manufacturing enterprises where it sources out its economic and financial needs. As of July of the present year, the country is occupied by an estimate of 11,451,652 people having different racial descent including Africans, Spanish, Westerns and Asians (â€Å"The World Factbook†). Despite changes that have been introduced in the country, there are still issues that have been bothering the nation and even its citizens. Through its communist form of government, many activities were hardly exercised by the citizens because of government suppression. The most suppressed and monitored activity is the expression of one’s thoughts and ideas. The right to express one’s self is being curtailed by the government especially when it contains ideas that are against the government. The role of media is to protect the government as it is founded only to voice out words that the government desires to hear. In contrary to the role played by media in many countries, the Cuban media does not serve as the voice and protector of the people from the government but as an ally of the state. The treatment of the media people is also despicable in the eyes of the international community and of the journalists themselves. Hence, this paper will present the relationship of the media and government as well as the role it plays in the country. Concomitant to that is the life of journalists under the communist government of Cuba. Role of Media Media has been recognized as indispensable tool in communication. Mass media, as defined, is â€Å"the technological means of sending information, ideas, opinion, etc. through the mass communication device to a diverse audience† (â€Å"Impact of Media on Culture†). Various means used by mass media in transmitting information effectively and swiftly includes television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and internet. Notably, internet has been the most preferred and ideal means of mass media because of its ability of reaching a wider audience and is laxly monitored. In addition, internet is most preferred because it does not require profession to enable any individual to express his or her ideas. Among other nations, mass media is recognized as the fourth department of the government because of the role it plays in the political and social aspect. The mass media usually fills in the gap between the government and the people. It voices out the sentiments or thoughts of the people to the government while it also brings to the people the sentiments and plans of the government for the country. In some instances, mass media becomes a watchdog against government abuses and activities that are definitely out of reason. Furthermore, mass media has continually become the source of information about things, persons, places, and events, among others. Due to the indispensable role of mass media in the society, it need to be free and not controlled by any person or agency nor can be regulated by the government. Instead, it should be free in order to properly carry out its objective. Apart from that, it should not be controlled to ensure its impartiality and neutral role. Historical Background of Media in Cuba The epoch of mass media in Cuba can be traced back during the Spanish regime. The history also of the country’s press has undergone five periods (Browning). The Colonial period which stated from 1723 to 1868 is recognized as the first period. During that period, the first newspaper entitled Gazeta de la Habana was released in 1782 and become the nation’s publication (Browning). In 1790, the newspaper was followed by the very first magazine entitled Papel Periodico de la Habana (Browning). Both were regulated by the Spanish government but enjoyed less restriction because of the French Revolution affecting the government power of Spain over Cuba. The second period began in 1869 when Independence was first craved for and ended in 1902. The period is also called the Independence Revolution (Browning). During that period, press was given full freedom purposely to win the support of the reformists. Eventually periodicals containing ideas about reform began to evolve which includes El Cubano Libre, Estrella Solitaria, El Mambi, and El Boletin de la Guerra (Browning). Notably, during the second period, more revolutionaries were inspired to fight for their independence through the influence of Jose Marti who writes in several newspapers such as Patria, La Nacion, and New York Sun (Browning). The second period was marked by independent exercise of expression through publications that is direct, immediate and constant (Browning). The third period started when called the Republican period which started from 1902 and ended in 1930. The third period was ruled under the dictatorship of Gerardo Machado (Browning). During his era, freedom of expression was enjoyed by journalists. Newspapers, publications and other dailies thrived in the city of Cuba, Havana. This period was also marked by prosperity because political parties sponsored lots of publications and added to the benefit of the country’s economy. However, the exercise of the freedom was shaken by the plan of Machado to assimilate and provide government subsidies in exchange for support in 1928 (Browning). The following years was marked by economic downturn and political unrest that further led to the end of freedom enjoyed by the Cuban journalists. The fourth period started after Machado was overthrown in 1930 until 1959 (Browning). For 29 years, Batista ruled the nation. During the reign of Batista, the freedom of expression was experiencing threat of extinction. Though, technological innovations in journalism were introduced in the country. Among these includes increased commercial sophistication and steam-powered printing presses (Browning). However, at the latter part of Batista’s reign, the freedom of expression has finally faded because the government took control of the press. The fifth period started when Batista was overthrown by the communist group led by Castro in 1959 and continues at the present era (Browning). Since the beginning of Castro era, the freedom of expression was already curtailed. Eventually, the press and media were finally controlled by the government and journalists were not given freedom to voice out their thoughts against the government. The government’s strict control over media started in 1930. No independent journalists were freed to release publications which have the effect of criticizing the government. During that period, journalists tried to oppose the move of the government but to no avail. Finally, in 1990’s through the introduction of Internet, independent journalists have found new medium to castigate the government’s control of information (Browning). However, the media, private and public, are still under the control of the government. Information dissemination is still suffering strict regulation. Independent journalists also continue to struggle and risk their lives for an independent journalism. It can be observed that since the evolution of media, the government already held control of it. The changes in phases under several governments have made media limited and restricted. Some of the actions that the government had done in curtailing free press and flow of information were censorship and closure of newspapers (Browning). Until now, the freedom of information remains evasive and independence of journalists is still obscure to be enjoyed. Current Status of Media in Cuba In Art. 53 of the 1976 Cuban constitution, freedom of press and expression have been explicitly stated. However, such freedom is subjected to limitations as contained in Art. 62 Art. 5, further, contains that all communication should be controlled by the Communist Party for the benefit of the country (Browning). As an effect, information was regulated and controlled by the government. Journalists were also restrained from publicizing without the knowledge of the state. Apart from that, journalists were arbitrarily imprisoned for exercising their freedom of expression. Mass media in Cuba is definitely not free. In the field of print media, the nation maintains three newspapers which are fully regulated by the government. These nation’s newspapers are Granma, Juventud Rebelde and Trabajadores (Browning). Granma is the official publication of the Communist Party which was founded in 1965 (Browning). Juventud Rebelde usually contains the same youth-oriented stories covered in Granma but in simplified and summarized manner. The Trabajadores, on the other hand, is more politically inclined publication as it contains Marxist principles (Browning). Notably, Granma’s circulation has widened in some other parts of the world through the power of internet. The website is called Digital Granma Internacional (Browning). It is also noteworthy that during the recognition of the press, the Union de Periodistas de Cuba (Union of Cuban Journalists) was founded in July 15, 1963 (Browning). It is a nongovernment organization which engages the membership of professional journalists in order to work in distinguished media in the country. However, such organization has already been controlled by the government and its constitution also dictates that editorial line of journalists must follow that of government. On this era of technological innovations, independent journalists found internet as a means of voicing out their cries and redress against the Cuban government. However, the control of the government in curtailing unwanted information has also reached the World Wide Web and several independent journalists have been imprisoned for such exercise of expression. It is noteworthy that 21 journalists have been recorded to have been imprisoned after a closed-door trial (â€Å"Attacks on the Press in 2008†). Among the journalists that suffered the harshness of the state is Yoani Sanchez, 33-year old blogger (â€Å"Attacks on the Press in 2008†). Sanchez, at first, found freedom through her blog called Generation Y which contained observations about hurricane devastation, politically motivated arrest, and food shortages (â€Å"Attacks on the Press in 2008†). Her blog has been read abroad but has also been made known by the government. Thereafter, her passport was confiscated and was not allowed to leave the country. Today, state authorities has started to regulate internet cafes to track down individuals with the purpose of publishing dissent against the government through internet. Another independent journalist that has experienced the government’s cruelty is Victor Rolando Arroyo (â€Å"Cuban Journalist in Second Week of Hunger Strike†). Arroyo, who writes in Union de Periodistas y Escritores de Cuba, was arrested during the fight for independence press in March 2003 (â€Å"Cuban Journalist in Second Week of Hunger Strike†). He caught the world’s attention when he took hunger strike for almost two weeks because of the maltreatment and indecent treatment of prisoners like him.

Biographical Analysis of John Mcwhorter Essays

Biographical Analysis of John Mcwhorter Essays Biographical Analysis of John Mcwhorter Paper Biographical Analysis of John Mcwhorter Paper Han Bin Kim Comp II, Class B Assignment 2, Draft 1 February 23, 2013 John McWhorter Interview Over the years I have interviewed a good number of people, but there has never been anyone quite like John McWhorter. Upon reading the article â€Å"The Cosmopolitan Tongue: The Universality of English† as published in the 2009 Fall edition of World Affairs, I found myself delighted by the mellow but powerful tone and the writer who could use it with such ease. Here was a man with brains, consideration, and humor. Lost in my reveries about what McWhorter would be like, I didn’t quite realize that I had somehow dialed his office number until a deep voice filtered through the receiver. â€Å"Yes? McWhorter speaking. † With a tingling sense of nervousness I had forgotten since my rookie days, I introduced myself and asked if he could spare time for a brief interview. He replied, â€Å"Interviews, my dear sir, are rarely brief,† and I could almost hear his smile. There was that brilliant wit which had inspired him to state that there were â€Å"no feminine-gendered tables that talk like Penelope Cruz. (McWhorter, 251) After a turn or two of friendly wrangling, he gently suggested meeting Saturday afternoon at a quiet cafe we both knew. I agreed to the designated rendezvous and, unable to control the temptation, asked, â€Å"How long have you said cafe like that? † The way McWhorter pronounced the word was this: the ‘c’ was sweeter and lighter, in the way I talians and Spaniards speak, and the ‘f’ was said like a soft ‘p’- sounding simply foreign. He said simply, â€Å"Since I was very young. I already knew that he had â€Å"taught himself languages as a hobby since childhood† (McWhorter, 247), and unsatisfied as I was with his answer, I vowed that Saturday would be a new day. On Saturday afternoon I drove down a peaceful country road and walked silently into the cafe. A tall man stood with his back to me, gazing out the large French window, and without prologue asked, â€Å"Isn’t that a beautiful poem right in front of us? Anne Shirley said it a century ago, but I’ll take the liberty to repeat it. The lines and verses are only the outward garments of the poem; the real poem is the soul within them†¦ and that beautiful scene is the soul of an unwritten poem. † I smiled quietly at his analytical but sensitive analogy, reminded immediately of his description of the word ‘al- â€Å"an evergreen branch, a word whose final sound is a whistling past the sides of the tongue that sounds like wind passing through just such a branch. † (McWhorter, 247) I later asked him what his childhood nickname had been, and laughing, he confessed that he had most often been called â€Å"poet†. Small wonder for a man who could condense a long, everyday sentence- say, for example, â€Å"there are an innumerable number of books that could have summed up to no mean weight†- into three pithy, creative, imagery-filled words: â€Å"Bookstore shelves groan. † (McWhorter, 247) He folded his long self into the armchair, crossing his legs, and leaning slightly forward he told me to sit down. As I sat, I remarked, â€Å"You look a great deal like I imagined you to be. † His quiet question and intelligent gaze compelled me to elucidate. I had gathered much of the premises from his writing. The contrasting thoughts â€Å"I hardly rejoice when a language dies† (McWhorter, 247) and â€Å"Would it be inherently evil if there were not 6,000 spoken languages but one? † (McWhorter, 252) could hardly have revealed themselves in a single piece of writing unless the writer was a man of exceptionally precise, cold logic. Thus I had already envisioned the deep-set, handsome eyes that flashed fire from under his brow, and the firmly set mouth. I had also imagined him to be a handsome man, and he was that, too. Humor saved the chin from tapering too sharply, the mouth from being dour: â€Å"Spanish speakers do not go about routinely imagining tables as cooing in feminine tones. † (McWhorter, 249) McWhorter laughed at my analysis, wryly telling me that I should have gone out for professional work in physiognomy, and handed me the menu which the waitress had left by his side. These little considerate actions which I had noticed during the phone call and the three minutes I had met him, inspired me to ask if he had always been so considerate. He looked surprised. I have never thought myself considerate,† he said slowly, â€Å"I am often told that I am too frank with my words. Before I make my opinion on something, I look at it from all perspectives to check that it is perfectly reasonable and logical. But once I make it, I say it without stopping to think if people who think otherwise will be hurt by my words. † I protested. I had already known that he was a considerate per son just by reading his article; namely, the welcoming way with which he drew his readers in: â€Å"Most Americans pronounce disgusting as â€Å"diss-kusting† with a k sound. Try it- you probably do too. )† (McWhorter, 248) The tall man leaned back in the armchair and laughed. â€Å"My dear friend, every writer is obligated to welcome his readers. Readers are the laziest species that ever drew breath, and if they don’t feel welcomed, they won’t read. As for being patient in littler things- well, I don’t know if this is very relevant or not, but I read five versions of the Talmud, each one progressively harder, when I was in middle school. I’m pretty sure junior high was when my interest in Hebrew peaked. The Talmud was a pretty good source of linguistic and cultural knowledge, and some of the moral standards made pretty logical sense, so I adopted them as my own. † It was relevant. Being considerate in a gentlemanly way, however, was different from the deferential attitude that McWhorter always took on when dealing with other cultures. More curious was how completely he seemed to understand each language, from its origin to how the people felt about it- â€Å"Native American groups would bristle at the idea that they are no longer meaningfully â€Å"Indian† simply because they no longer speak their ancestral language. (McWhorter, 249) McWhorter looked a trifle annoyed at first, but gradually his well-shaped face took on more complacent, amused lines. â€Å"I am a writer, and I am a linguist,† he said. â€Å"Both have to do with words- their denotation, connotation, nuance, and power. Knowing the power each word can wield automatically inspires you to feel a cert ain reverence for the English vocabulary in general- I’m sure you’ll agree with me there, sir- and knowing the power each language can wield brings you on your knees before the altar of all languages. † â€Å"But you don’t worship something you know absolutely nothing about,† he aid, gazing out at the sunlit scene again. â€Å"You first make sure that whatever it is, it is something that deserves to be worshipped. So you study the language. From then on, it’s rather like jumping into a river. Jump into the heart of the current, and you will be swept away like a stray autumn leaf. If you give yourself wholeheartedly up for the language to mold, the culture starts to mold you too. And as for the fact that I feel this way towards all languages,† and here a small frown creased his brow as he turned to me again, â€Å"well, it is a shame that this should be surprising, that is all. Each language has a rich legacy, albeit a legacy very different from our own, and they should be respected. † McWhorter’s eloquence touched me, and we talked for two more hours, vacillating from common everyday things I caught glimpses of from his article to fascinating facts I had never dreamed about him. I learned that he had mastered Socrates’ syllogisms at the age of six and Hegelian dialectics at the age of twelve, and that the value he respected most in humanity was its reason. Judging by the cold shoulder he gave his so beloved minority languages in his concluding paragraph- â€Å"We must consider the question in its pure, logical essence† (McWhorter, 252)- it was hardly surprising. More interesting was the fact that he had no less than four dogs at home, each named after a rare language he had specially enjoyed. The latest addition to the family was a darling slender little Chihuahua named Ket, with triple the uncertain grace of awkwardness found in dogs of his species. In the middle of hearing about Ket’s antics, I asked rather abruptly, â€Å"What art form is your favorite? Modernist? † McWhorter looked at me, surprised. â€Å"How did you guess? † I laughed. McWhorter, for a man of such clear-cut logic, enjoyed impossibilities as far as reality allowed- â€Å"The Ket language of Siberia is so awesomely irregular as to seem a work of art. † (McWhorter, 250) It was only natural that he should enjoy Picasso, whose pictures showed sharper intellectual insight, over David or Michelangelo, whose works were but excellent facsimiles of life’s appearance copied onto canvas and marble. Four hours passed by in the blink of an eye and time came for McWhorter to leave. He stood up and cordially shook my hand. â€Å"It was an honor meeting you, sir, though I dare say the interview was not short. † I shook my head. â€Å"No, it was an excellent interview. Thank you very much, Mr. McWhorter. † â€Å"Please, John,† McWhorter smilingly said. â€Å"If there’s one thing I learned from studying languages, it is that names are the essence of culture. I’ve seen many languages that are creative and fiendishly difficult and random- but no language is ever simpler than the other. Each has rich names for the things they treasure most. Native Americans sometimes have odd names; did you know that they have to earn it? But in our culture, we place identification foremost- and thanks be, my name is John McWhorter; John for friends and Mr. McWhorter for editors who don’t like my articles. † â€Å"Aren’t there many Johns here? † I teased, laughing, as I pulled on my coat. McWhorter shook his head. â€Å"None like me, John McWhorter,† he smiled, and treaded lightly out the door.

Synesthesia and language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Synesthesia and language - Essay Example alphabetic writing, hindered knowledge-making into everlasting signs in rows on flat faces, signs someone could come back to and still they had not changed (Slattery, 2005). These signs set up increasingly much deeper disconnections between space and time and between emotion and reason. Slattery (2005) argues that the alphabet is the cybernetic technology, which transformed everything. Synaesthesia, in this viewpoint, promises of reconnection of noesis, recovery of long-lost unity, in ourselves, amongst ourselves and also within the world. Psychedelics create synaesthesias with a noetic eminence, at intense, supersaturated and high-bandwidth release rates, in addition to bringing tales of fresh forms of language, which both develop and express these articulated states of consciousness (Slattery, 2005). They might appeal to some profound yearning for knowledge not offered as information organized in hierarchical structures, cautiously classified, but arriving live and lively, zany, ge sturing, maybe, even alien. Slattery’s (2005) tales of the DMT self-transforming machine pixies made of language providing insufferably high-speed, reduced blasts of pure and extremely alien gnosis, as well as the mushroom experiences deep with the logos, observed and heard in synaesthetic harmony, strange as they are, have been found, in differed forms, by many

Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 22

Communication - Essay Example Paralanguage is a major factor in non-verbal communication. This is how the speaker’s voice comes out as he delivers the speech. The way the speaker delivers is believed to be as important as the actual message. This takes into consideration a number of factors involving tone, volume, emphasis, voice qualities, speech, and inflexion among others. Even though the message conveyed to the crowed is the same, the receiver understands and concentration is greatly improved when such items are well stressed. Kinesics is the body language of the narrator. Body movements are important concept in non-verbal communication. The viewer’s perception on eye contact, gesture and posture brings added concentration to the listeners. Experts in non-verbal communication field explained that people can pause up to 250,000 different facial expressions. Through this, we can understand intended message from the sender that number of times. A narrative was presented to the audience regarding a certain young man who went to the hospital with a problem in his leg and he needed an operation to enable him walk properly again. On getting to the hospital bed, the doctor starts surgery, unfortunately for him, the surgeon chopped off the wrong leg. The patient on waking up found the doctor surprised and did not know what was going on. He asked, â€Å"Doctor, what is going on?† the doctor replied to him, I have both good news and bad news for you. What is the bad news? The patient asked. I chopped off the wrong leg, but the good news is that the other leg is doing well, replied the doctor. This narrative uses a variety of non-verbal communication and the message was delivered appropriately. Observation is one of the major techniques of collecting data. A person attends any given function with only intention of collecting information on non-verbal communication which is used in those events. Questionnaires may also be formulated and distributed to practices