Thursday, October 31, 2019

Dissertation about knowledge management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6500 words

Dissertation about knowledge management - Essay Example The underlying objective of this section is to give an overview concept of knowledge management this will be used as a basis for an understanding of PwC in Thailand. Also, the knowledge management processes and the role of information technology (IT) tools to support KM processes will be summarized and the detail will be further elaborated. The underlying objective of this section is to explain the available IT tools that are used in the organizations. This will be used to analyse the IT tools used by PwC Thailand. The next chapter will deal with the developing an analytical framework based on the existing literature. This will be focused on the factors that influence effective knowledge management. This will help better investigation of the limitation that is faced by the Knowledge Management Systems in the following chapters. The next Chapter will briefly present the methodology adopted in this dissertation. In particular a detailed explanation of the research method, the structure of the questionnaire and limitations of the research are presented. This chapter helps us understand the reasons why the questions are asked and how it helps answering the objective. Based on the research that is conducted, the findings and the analysis will be provided in the next chapter. This chapter included the data processing and analysis. This will be followed by the conclusion chapter. The part will conclude the content of the dissertation and provide recommendations to help the company overcome barriers of ineffective use of KMS. Furthermore, the dissertation ends with a suggestion for the further research. This dissertation aims at identifying the factors that create limitations for people to use KMS within the consultancy organization of PricewaterhouseCoopers in Thailand. The important of this research is to examine the effectiveness of using KMS and investigate the barriers preventing people to use Knowledge Management Systems effectively in

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Invictus Response Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Invictus Response Paper - Essay Example I knew a great deal about the man and personally regard him as one of my several role models. Not only did the man spend 27 years in prison for being sentenced as a result of standing up for his people through his political activities and his believes but his resolve was so firm that he later became one of South Africa’s most beloved Presidents in the year 1994. One thing that is undeniable throughout the movie is the open admiration and respect in the hearts of the viewers for Nelson Mendela. His tact, his firm determination for his anti-apartheid cause and his true desire to unify his country wins the hearts of the viewers and dominates every aspect of the film. For me this film is focused stringently on Nelson Mandela and for most of the part I believe it is a great depiction of the man. Invictus spins around a web of celebration for the political leader as a sage. His wisdom and insights surpass not just that of his associates but he is shown as someone who has the ability to be autocratic in the gentlest manner, guiding his country from the midst of a chaos resulting from racial segregation with a firm grasp. This can be seen in the way Mandela not only realizes the reason for his nation’s disunity was apartheid but he decides to step forward and do something about it. Of the numerous qualities of Nelson Mandela, his determination and resolve are key highlighting characteristics that research highlights. Similarly in the movie, despite having a limited knowledge of sport, the viewed the South African rugby team as a tool to unify the country by participating in the 1995 World Cup Championship and gathering all his people under one flag regardless of their differences. It was a wise tactical move, one born not for the intent to entertain but for the underlying genius to move a nation into one. Invictus manages to shift focus from portraying the life of Nelson Mandela not during his years in prison and concluding with his release but depicts th e immediately inspiring struggle of the genius and his breathtaking act of leadership in the course of his first year as President. It shows the ability of the man to unite a scarred, fractious country through sports and as a result become the real champion. Invictus is accurate in showing how the defensive Afrikaner were won over by the Nelson Mandela’s endorsement of what they perceived was their sport, and gradually succumbed to the man’s charm. Furthermore the collaboration which views between Mandela and Pienaar the rugby team captain was a risky move which was a result of remarkable vision and courage. It could have easily be viewed as a symbol of betrayal by the black voters who had elected him and supporting the rugby team could have easily backfired as in the minds of his many supports it seemed to qualify as a symbol of apartheid. Keeping this in mind any average political leader might have simply disbanded the team in order to retain the favor of his support ers. However as seen in Invictus the true genius of the man lied in his ability to fight the odds and recognize that the rugby team which was a symbol of division as well as hatred for the masses could be transformed into an effective instrument of national unity. His thoughts can be accurately seen from a quote in Invictus "The rainbow nation starts here. Reconciliation starts here. Forgiveness starts here" (The guardian, 2010). Nelson Mendela’

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Obstacles to Internationalization of Vietnamese SMEs

Obstacles to Internationalization of Vietnamese SMEs Major difficulties and obstacles to internationalization of Vietnamese SMEs Financing problems Lack of capital to expand production and business are considered as common phenomenon of SMEs. Despite of Vietnamese government’s effort to facilitate SMEs’ process of accessing capital and commercial banks have made great strides in the provision of credit to SMEs, surveyed about the difficulties, more than 60% of SMEs often have difficulty in financing, according to Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment (VMPI, 2009). SMEs usually mobilized capital from relatives, friends or bank loans. Clearly, the poor access and low speed to access to capital is main disadvantage of SMEs compared to large corporations because it stymies the expansion, especially foreign expansion, of SMEs. The fact that only 30% of the capital is borrowed from banks and credit institutions. The main reasons are, most business have insufficient collateral for the institution to borrow money, financial management is not really transparent, and creditors sometimes acquire reputations as credit worthy because of moral hazard and adverse selection problems (TD). Sometimes, in hurry and needing capital, SMEs have to pay for non-financial creditors with interest rates 3 to 6 times higher than common official rates (VMPI, 2009). Difficulties in land and production premises Another difficulties that SMEs have to face is land and production premises. To some extend, it is also another financial problems for them. Over half of SMEs have major operations in the field of trade and most of them use their house as office, or lease small offices (VGSO, 2009). Otherwise, many manufacturing SMEs have to rent the land or premises with high cost. Even when they want to have long-term investment, there still is hesitation due to lack of legal guarantee (TD). Recently, many places have carried out many planning and construction of industrial clusters of SMEs aimed at bringing together the business production business. Some provinces such as Ha Noi, Bac Ninh, Vinh Phuc, Hung Yen, Hai Duong, Ha Nam, Thai Binh, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Ho Chi Minh Cityhave built many industrial clusters for production and attracting foreign investment. However, due to rent land with inadequate financial capacity of businesses in small scale, so many SMEs st ill cannot access these zones. SME survey data in 30 northern provinces, showed that 42% of businesses having difficulty in land and production premises. Imperfect information Another disadvantage of SMEs’ entry is their information disadvantages about market such as labor market, materials market, and output market conditions. Besides, customers’ poor information about these new entrants also account for blockade new SMEs have to face in foreign expansion procedure. However, there is argument that steady entry might erode the information barriers because later entrants can learn from earlier entrants’ mistakes. The higher steady flow of new entrants, the less dependence of customers and even workers on established large corporations (TD) Corporate management is not high quality and low quality human resources Level of production and business management of SMEs which are almost private enterprises, is still limited and largely based on personal experiences of business owners, investment with little application of information technology into management. Skilled workers in SMEs are fewer compared to large corporations because of relatively lower and less stable salary. Especially, new market entrants also may find it difficult to attract good workers because employment and contracts with established large firms are seen as less risky. Low level of technology, weaknesses in RD Most SMEs have the backward technology, equipment. According to VMPI, results of survey for small and medium enterprises in 30 Northern provinces, in the nearly 11 thousand industrial enterprises surveyed, there are only 8% of businesses having advanced technology. Surprisingly, there are 50% of businesses said they could reach the average level of technology, and the remaining 42% of enterprises chose the answer of backward technology (VMPI, 2009). Moreover, skilled workers in SMEs are few, so the quality of products, goods and services is not high, thus they have weak competitiveness and difficult to dominate domestic and international market. The level of investment in technological renovation of enterprises is still low compared with development requirements. Most SMEs are lack of motivation on the research for technological innovation. Content of technology and knowledge in goods of Vietnam SMEs are low. In fact, the product is made mainly based on capital and unskilled labors. Only some small firms are innovators. Many smaller firms undertake no innovative activity. Some may be serving local niche markets relying on owner’s control. Still other small firms might be unsuccessful innovators (TD) Awareness and observance of the law is limited A number of SMEs have not followed strictly the provisions of law, especially provisions on taxation, financial management, labors management, quality of goods and intellectual property. The situation of complaint about the laws compliance of enterprises has been popular even in the period of deeper economic integration with various international commitments. This could even lead to conviction because of tax and financial violations. Therefore, limited awareness of law brings greater barriers to foreign expansion because SMEs need to work with not only domestic but also foreign legal system. Survey report The difficulties and benefits to the internationalization of SMEs 1. Difficulties To find out solutions to promote internationalization, research has to point out the obstacles from the environment inside and outside the enterprises. For SMEs, the main difficulties are often referred to as inside and outside difficulties. Inside difficulties of Vietnamese SMEs Inside difficulties: Lack of capital, Lack of quality human resources, Out of date Technology, Difficulties in acquiring land and facilities for manufacturing and trade activities, Lack of knowledge and experiences in international business environment, and Limitation in management capability. 1: Lack of capital 2: Lack of quality human resources 3: Out of date Technology 4: Difficulties in acquiring land and facilities for manufacturing and trade activities 5: Lack of knowledge and experiences in international business environment 6: Limitation in management capability 7: Others Data from our survey shows that Lack of capital, Lack of quality human resources and Lack of knowledge and experiences in international business environment are main difficulties of SMEs. Especially, there are about 50% of SMEs considering the lack of capital is most important reason inside SMEs, which is the obstacle to the internationalization. Other reasons such as Out of date Technology, Difficulties in acquiring land and facilities for manufacturing and trade activities, Limitation in management capability are not higher but each of them also account for more than 10%. Outside difficulties of Vietnamese SMEs Outside difficulties: Highly risky and competitive environment, Unattractive profit, Disadvantages from the Vietnamese Policies, Too many barriers and restrictions to market penetration in many foreign countries. 1: Highly risky and competitive environment 2: Unattractive profit 3: Disadvantages from the Vietnamese Policies 4: Too many barriers and restrictions to market penetration in many foreign countries 5: Others In terms of outside reasons, almost SMEs (nearly 70%) consider highly risky and competitive environment is the main obstacle to internationalization. One of the special features are drawn from the survey is, in addition to concerns about the risks and fierce competition in the business environment, many SMEs consider the inadequacies of government policies in Vietnam and barriers and restrictions to market penetration in many foreign countries are the main obstacles to their internationalization: 2. Benefits The main benefits: Helping innovation technology, Business experience gaining, Improving the qualification for employees and leadership skills for the management, Spreading enterprise’s image, brand and prestige, Providing opportunities to attract and accumulate more capital. Benefits from internationalization: 1: Help with innovation of technology 2: Help with business experience again 3: Improve the qualification for employees and leadership skills for management 4: Help spread your enterprise imagine, brand and prestige 5: Provide opportunities to attract and accumulate more capital 6: Others In terms of positive effects, according to our survey, most SMEs think that five positive effects mentioned above are the main positive impact on their business. Other positive impacts account only 1.13%. Especial thing is, there are nearly 70% of SMEs believe internationalization will help them with business experience gaining. Actually, in a volatile business environment with many risks and challenges, this is a positive and optimistic signal of SMEs. Furthermore, many of them believe that internationalization helps to expand their business, brand and prestige. Moreover, as discussed in obstacles part, lack of capital is significant obstacle to internationalization, but in the chart above, we can see that they also think internationalization as a way to providing opportunities to attract and accumulate more capital (with more than 50% of SMEs believe internationalization as a way to providing opportunities to attract and accumulate more capital). Recommendations The result of this research lead to some recommendations for policy makers and SMEs managers For policy makers Create a favorable business legal environment which is equal, transparent, Continue to further economic reform and open the economy policy; Continue to simplify the regulations to create favorable conditions for business registration, market entry and operations of the firms: Enterprise Law, Land Law (Facilitate access to land and production premises for SMEs), Tax Law, Trade Law (Promote the international economic integration through bilateral, regional and multilateral channels), etc. Create favorable conditions for SME access to finance: Credit guarantee fund, SME financial fund, venture investment fund, get loan from commercial banks, etc. (Ministry of Finance, State Bank of Vietnam, Provinces and central run cities) Support SMEs to improve their competitiveness: technique innovation, intellectual property protection, training on enterprise management and for human resource, market information (Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Education and Training) For SMEs managers In internationalization process, SMEs need take initiative in preparing the necessary â€Å"baggage†, creating a basic capacity of international economic integration and ready to grasp better the opportunities and confront challenges from this process Map out a strategy to internationalize SMEs need to carefully research the market, study the strengths and weaknesses, research opportunities and challenges; clearly define the objectives, benefits and risks of internationalization; find out the main factors and conditions deciding the success of internationalization; choose the suitable methods of internationalization. Take opportunities to attract more capital and innovating technology In terms of technology, SMEs need to promote its inherent flexibility to capture and take advantage of the opportunity to catch new technology. Besides financial aid from the government, SMEs should actively seek opportunities from other resources such as financial support from the joint venture partnership; establish feasible business projects to attract capital from banks, venture capital funds; conduct joint venture with other firms as needed. Apply international standards in production and business One of the challenges or obstacles for Vietnamese SMEs when enter the world market are the technical barriers to trade. Countries have different requirements related to goods and services. When international economic integrating, Vietnam SMEs must also acquiesce by these requirements. Therefore, it is necessary to apply international standards in production and business activities actively, depending on the requirements of markets and depending on the ability of each enterprise. Emphasis on improving human resources quality SMEs should be more emphasis on improving human resources quality, focused training and recruitment of talented and knowledgeable managers about the international market, skilled workers who have ability to grasp new technology. SMEs also need stronger links with educational institution for training and retraining of human resources. Moreover, to organize production and marketing in foreign market, managers need to work with new legal system and social customs. Therefore, sending out expatriate managers and experts is also necessary because managers with inexperienced in internationalization may not have necessary knowledge to be efficient international operators.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Neuromancer Essay -- Literature Review

The life of a human being is defined not only by their own definition by character or nature but also by external influences such as environment and development. It is only natural for a human being to be inter-connected with surroundings and to be a part of the actions and events around him /her. Due to the nature of the human mind in which we use to improvise upon existing methods of improving quality of life and comforts, the world has evolved into a place of complex technological development. The influence of technology and other developments in regard to artificially created luxuries has played an important role in shaping our world and continues to be our top priority of existence. The impact that the evolving world and ideologies has had its influence on most other fields, including literature, as authors attempt to envision the future that the evolution process holds for us, trying to imagine extreme possibilities that might take shape in the future, leading us into a world that would have seemed like a fantasy in the past. This paper studies in detail the use of technology for negative causes, contributing to the view that technology could mean destruction or negative implications when considered in the light of its negative applications. Another aspect that has been discussed is the fact that these negativities would seem plausible as it might be common in the future that we will have to face as the human race evolves further in terms of science. There have been several authors that have based their fictional works on the future of science, William Gibson being one such author who was successful in conveying to his readers the vision of a distant future that he held in his mind, a place that held c... ...nternet crimes. The novel gives a picture of the world that technology could lead us into, the main themes mentioned giving us an idea of the outcomes that would follow the extension of the technology that prevail currently. The base of the story may said to be "more accurate in an iconic sense than as a map of where we're going."(Gibson 55). However, the most interesting aspect is that these ideas were not entirely predictable in the year of the book’s publication, 1984 and yet has been successful in guessing the direction of the development of scie4nce and technology. This is perhaps the most disturbing aspect too, as it makes the readers wonder that if he was right about the direction that technological advances have taken, it could also be true that we will be lead into a world similar to that described by Gibson in his book.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Rice Cake Production

Rice cakes have only two critical ingredients—rice and water. The rice itself needs certain characteristics to produce the best quality cake and limit breakage. Sticky rice, whether white or brown, tends to work best, while long-grain varieties don't expand during cooking as vigorously. Water is important early in preparation. Other ingredients like salt (added before popping or sprayed on after) and various flavorings are important considerations to taste-and nutrition-conscious consumers but are not significant to the production process.Product ConceptEase of production and marketability are major concerns when a new type of rice cake is considered. The popping machines are expensive investments, so the product must be readily adaptable to the machine. Production trials have shown that additives greatly increase the likelihood of breakage, so spices, herbs, and seeds are not mixed with the rice before the cake is made although they may be added to the surface later.Similarly , salt and flavorings are now sprayed on; earlier methods of adding them to the rice were less than successful in the survival rate of whole rice cakes and in taste. Some manufacturers have also eliminated mini rice cakes from their product line. The novelty of the smaller cakes was more costly to produce than sales warranted. A constant stream of new flavor possibilities and other options are under consideration, but only careful assurance of a contented public and minimal production difficulties justifies a new product line.The Manufacturing Process1.The simple process of making rice cakes is based on the fact that rice subjected to the right combination of heat and pressure will expand to fill a given space.The rice cakes are sprayed and packaged.The manufacturer's specifically preferred type of raw rice (depending on stickiness, expansion potential, and taste) is soaked in water until the right moisture level is attained.2.The moist rice is fed into hoppers above popping machine s. A major producer of rice cakes may have 80 or 90 machines with one to three cooking heads, each of which produces one cake every 15 seconds.3.The rice is gravity-fed from the hopper into the  cast-iron mold or cooking head in the popping machine. The mold is heated to hundreds of degrees, and a slide plate opens to impose a vacuum on the moist rice mass. After 8 to 10 seconds of exposure to heat at this pressure, the lid of the mold expands, creating an even greater vacuum on the contents. In the last few seconds of heating, the mixture explodes to fill the given space. If the rice forms a large proportion of the exploded mass, it will be more satisfying, have a better texture, and be full of natural flavor. â€Å"Styrofoam†-or â€Å"hockey puck†-like rice cakes show that either too much air and not enough rice is in the mix (styrofoam) or that the moisturedensity relationship is wrong, causing solidity but no flavor (hockey puck). Given the proper chemistry, the bran and other components of the rice bond to each other so the popped mixture sticks together without gumming additives.4.After the cake has exploded in the popping machine, the cooking head opens and the cake falls gently on a conveyor belt. The belt carries the cake past one or more spraying heads where salt may be added or the cakes are flavor-enhanced. Natural flavors are preferred by consumers and include everything from strawberry, caramel, apple cinnamon, blueberry, and almond to salsa, nacho, taco, salt-only, or Tamari seaweed. Some rice cake manufacturers will accept orders for private-label flavors.5.The conveyor, now carrying flavored cakes, passes through a tunnel dryer where the moisture added by the flavor sprayers is driven off.6.The conveyor moves to the bagging area, where the rice cakes are removed from the conveyor by hand, inspected for any breakage, and stacked, sealed in shrinkwrap, and packaged in an overwrap bag printed with the product identification and se aled. The bags are then packed in cartons for bulk sale.Quality ControlQuality control at the rice cake plant is a labor-intensive process. Any breakage means lost revenue, and maintenance of moisture levels and popping machines are critical. Moisture throughout the process and the factory is monitored constantly. The ambient (naturally occurring) humidity may alter production; on a dry day, more moisture may have to be added to the rice. The finished cakes will absorb moisture, but this is avoided by completing the process from popping machine to bagging in a few minutes.The popping machines themselves are cleaned every few hours. If the molds collect  moisture or rice, the new cake will stick to the mold and become brittle and break. Because the cakes are individually hand-sorted prior to bagging, damaged rice cakes can be discarded before they reach a bag. Once they are ready for sale, the rice cakes have a remarkably long shelf life of over a year during which they retain tast e and texture. If rice cakes have lost their crispness, they can be quickly revived at home by reheating them in a toaster. Even the freshest cakes benefit from a little heat that tends to restore their flavor.Byproducts/WasteThere is essentially no waste in the process of making rice cakes except for breakage. Enterprising producers have created markets for the broken cakes by selling them as cold cereal and ingredients in candy bars as well as bags of broken rice cakes for snacking. Flavors that fall out of fashion are removed from the product line and replaced by new flavors that are in development constantly. Chips, crackers, and other snack foods often provide flavor guidelines for rice cake makers.The FutureIncreasing health consciousness bodes well for the future of rice cakes. As the treat has become popular as a snack, buyers have become more discriminating in rejecting Styrofoam/hockey puck products for those with better textures and flavors. The range of designer flavors offers something for every taste, and, of course, the consumer can top the rice cake of choice with fruit, peanut butter, or other enhancements to make an even more varied snack. In an age of energy, health, and time awareness, the 15-second rice cake seems to have harvested its long history.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Under the Influence Analysis

â€Å"Under the Influence† Rhetorical Analysis In â€Å"Under the Influence†, Scott Russell Sanders recreates his memories and feelings of loss, anger, and fear from his childhood inflicted by his alcoholic father. Sanders shares that growing up with a drunken parent can have a serious long-term effect on a child. He educes awareness and empathy for others by using similes, imaginary, and allusions to recreate battles against his father. Sanders writes to support other victims and to let them know they are not alone.Sanders opens his essay with a very direct fact: â€Å"My father drank†. Although this sentence is simple, his story is not. In the next sentence, he uses a simile to describe his father’s transformation with every alcoholic binge. Sanders wrote that his father â€Å" drank as a gut punched boxer gasps for breath, as a starving dog gobbles food compulsively, secretly, in pain and trembling†. He uses this simile to show that his father wa s not a social drinker, but a man who would drink just to drink.Sanders then uses imaginary to create a typical scene in his house while his father is drunk. He describes his father drinking from bottles of wine, cylinders of whisky, and cans of beer, then his father passes out in his recliner. Later, Sanders’s mother awakens him, which is when the fighting begins. This imaginary creates a sense of sadness and empathy for Sanders, for this was a daily issue for him. Sanders’s purpose for writing â€Å"Under the Influence† was to show that people do not act like themselves when consumed by alcohol.When alcohol takes over a person, they are to be feared. While continuing the story, Sanders begins to use different terms for the word â€Å"drunk†, such as tipsy, pickled, plowed, juiced, and looped. He points out that some of these words are meant to be funny, but the irony is that this is not a funny matter. The irony creates a sense of remorse for the people who suffer the way Sanders suffered growing up. As an adult, Sanders is able to accept the fact that his father suffered from a disease; however, this was not always easy for him to grasp.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Curriculum essay

Curriculum essay Curriculum essay Curriculum essayTeaching students with intellectual disabilities (ID) evokes considerable difficulties in face of educators, who have to develop effective methods and strategies that can facilitate the learning of students. However, students with ID often face difficulties with the adequate perception of instructions and proper response to them. This is why often educators should elaborate new methods, which are more sophisticated but more effective compared to conventional methods used in conventional classrooms.Interactive features and anchored instructions  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Interactive features and anchored instructions involve the use of the equipment and software, which allow students with ID respond to the stimulus used by educators in the course of instructions to evoke the target response from students. Interactive features and anchored instructions contribute to the better interaction between educators and students.   In addition, this method help s students to develop responsiveness to external stimuli and interact with their environment.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, this method may confront the problem of the poor response of students with ID in interactive features, if they have problems with the perception of those visual means or cannot focus their attention on those features.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nevertheless, this problem may be resolved through active physical and active prompting which will encourage students to stay focused on the interactive features and learning. Educators can help students with ID to focus on specific features and provide prompts that will help students to learn and understand instructions and respond to interactive features in the target way and, thus, learn instructions or develop target skills.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Costs of the implementation of interactive features and anchored instructions may be high since the modern equi pment and software are needed, but effects of using this method outweigh its costs.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The use of interactive features and anchored instructions can bring positive outcomes in terms of socialization as students with ID learn to interact with media and educators and develop skills, which can help them to develop their social interaction with other students, their peers and other people.Closed captioning  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Closed captioning is another method that can be used to teach students with ID. This method involves the use of closed captions to provide prompts, when students with ID are watching video, clips and other visual materials (Fey 531). Such visual prompts help them to catch main points and understand instructions and educator’s messages better that facilitate their learning.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, closed captions imply the presence of relatively well-develo ped reading skills, which is not always the case of students with ID. In addition, students with ID may have difficulties to focus their attention on closed captions, while they are watching some video, for example.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Costs of using closed captions are relatively low, if the equipment and software used for visual presentations and watching video materials in the course of instructions are already available to educators. In fact, they only need to add closed captions that require basic skills of using free software and media available to them. For example, even YouTube offers an opportunity to make closed captions. Therefore, educators will just need some time to make closed captions without investing substantial costs into the practical application of this method.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Outcomes of using this method are positive because closed captions help students with ID to focus on specific points and single out main points in video clips and other visual means, which they watch in the course of the instructions (Turnbull, Turnbull, Wehmeyer 118). In such a way, students learn to focus their attention on specific issues, make generalization and distinguish key points.Picture-based symbols  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The use of picture-based symbols method implies the use of pictures that back up textual information or other instructions by means of developing close associations between the studied item and the image on the picture. For example, a student with ID, who learns to write, can associate the letter ‘A’ with apple. Attaching the picture of the apple to the letter will develop close association in student and he/she will memorize the letter through association with the apple (Hunt Marshall 185). Therefore, this method develops associative thinking and helps students to learn new items through picture-based associations.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã ‚  Ã‚   However, the drawback of this method is its inapplicability to complex instructions, when educators are trying to teach students with ID complex issues. For example, it is quite difficult to depict an abstract concept like ‘love’ or ‘peace’ by means of pictures in such a way that a student with ID developed right associations.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Costs of this method are low since educators do not need much funds to create pictures to back up instructions, which they are going to deliver during the class to students with ID.Conclusion  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, the aforementioned methods have both strengths and weaknesses but educators should be able to apply them in their work with students with ID because, under certain conditions, they can be effective and facilitate the learning process for students. In addition, these methods match current standards aiming at the inclusion of all students in the le arning process because they make instructions comprehensible and available to students and open better educational opportunities for them.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Free Essays on Euripides’ Perspective

Euripides’ Perspective Hell hath no fury, like a woman scorned. Most people are familiar with this phrase, but often do not fully think about what this statement means. It means that a scorned woman’s actions aren’t comparable, even to what atrocities Hell has to offer. To say that a scorned woman’s vengefulness is to be more feared than anything in Hell is a pretty outlandish statement. It means that a woman who has been scorned is more powerful than the worst place imaginable. The theme of a â€Å"woman scorned† is definitely prevalent through out the story of Medea, which was written by Euripides, the legendary Greek playwright. Euripides voiced his opinions about Greek society, through his characters. By using the characters in his plays to comment on Greek society, Euripides was able to expose his audience to new perspectives on women’s roles in society, as well as new perspectives on religion. To summarize the story of Medea, Jason and Medea are living in Corinth with their two children. Having moved there, all of them are considered outsiders; thus they find no role for themselves in this new society. As a male of Greek heritage, Jason has a problem with this. To solve his problem, Jason plans to marry King Creon’s daughter, abandoning his family. King Creon then exiles Medea from Corinth. Needless to say, Medea is very upset about this situation. She conspires to kill King Creon’s daughter, along with her own children, just to make Jason suffer. She sends the princess a poisoned dress. Once the princess puts it on, she bursts into flames. The king then comes in, embraces his daughter’s body, which melts him to her, and then he himself dies. Then, upon hearing of their deaths, Medea puts her final action into place. She proceeds to kill her own children. She kills her own children because she knows that is the only thing that will avenge w hat Jason did to her. It is the only way to make him tr... Free Essays on Euripides’ Perspective Free Essays on Euripides’ Perspective Euripides’ Perspective Hell hath no fury, like a woman scorned. Most people are familiar with this phrase, but often do not fully think about what this statement means. It means that a scorned woman’s actions aren’t comparable, even to what atrocities Hell has to offer. To say that a scorned woman’s vengefulness is to be more feared than anything in Hell is a pretty outlandish statement. It means that a woman who has been scorned is more powerful than the worst place imaginable. The theme of a â€Å"woman scorned† is definitely prevalent through out the story of Medea, which was written by Euripides, the legendary Greek playwright. Euripides voiced his opinions about Greek society, through his characters. By using the characters in his plays to comment on Greek society, Euripides was able to expose his audience to new perspectives on women’s roles in society, as well as new perspectives on religion. To summarize the story of Medea, Jason and Medea are living in Corinth with their two children. Having moved there, all of them are considered outsiders; thus they find no role for themselves in this new society. As a male of Greek heritage, Jason has a problem with this. To solve his problem, Jason plans to marry King Creon’s daughter, abandoning his family. King Creon then exiles Medea from Corinth. Needless to say, Medea is very upset about this situation. She conspires to kill King Creon’s daughter, along with her own children, just to make Jason suffer. She sends the princess a poisoned dress. Once the princess puts it on, she bursts into flames. The king then comes in, embraces his daughter’s body, which melts him to her, and then he himself dies. Then, upon hearing of their deaths, Medea puts her final action into place. She proceeds to kill her own children. She kills her own children because she knows that is the only thing that will avenge w hat Jason did to her. It is the only way to make him tr...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Alternative solutions for internet censorship in Australia Essay Example for Free

Alternative solutions for internet censorship in Australia Essay Internet censorship (6) , Alternative solutions (2) company About StudyMoose Contact Careers Help Center Donate a Paper Legal Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Complaints This report was commissioned to elaborate other alternative methods that can be used to monitor internet information in Australia without incorporating internet filtration as the Australian government proposes. The future of Australian children has been compromised by the immoral vices that the use of the internet perpetuates. Moreover, organizations, customers and innovators have also suffered from this paradigm which advocates for phishing, on-line identity theft and piracy among others. Therefore, the report advocates for the use of technology, political power, moral ethics and civil libertarians. These methods are not liable to scrutiny and criticism as they do not impede the first amendment bill of the constitution which advocates for freedom of expression among other concerns explained in the report. Furthermore, the report evaluates this range of methods and concludes that it would be ideal to implement the technology method. Introduction Advancement in technology has increased the reliance of internet as a means of entertainment and education source. It has also encompassed the education curriculum, social, economic and political activities creating both a positive and a negative impact. We have been able to succeed and are actually grateful because most of the information and technological know how can be retrieved with ease. However, our children and business enterprises have been adversely affected by the increased internet sexual harassment, privacy invasion, cyber-bullying, on-line identity theft, piracy and phishing just to mention a few in the unending list. In the event our children have developed aggressive attitudes which advocates for delinquent behaviours. On the other hand children that have experienced internet sexual harassment and bullying among others become depressed and thus are cut out from social life and its benefits. This explains the increased rates of teenage suicidal attempts in Australia (Australian Government 2007). Therefore, the government has taken a further step in an attempt of curbing this predicament by introducing mandatory internet filtration to all internet services at home, in schools and public computers used by he Australian children. The government also plans to prepare the Australian children on strategies of being responsible cyber-citizens, protecting their identity while on-line, understanding the impact of their actions on others while using the internet, responding to cyber-bulling and invasion of their privacy among other negative internet vices. To achieve this the government plans to launch education curriculum that provides first rate cyber-safety education programs and educate parents on the negative vices prevailed by the internet thus ensuring their children use the internet responsibly. Furthermore, the government plans to use the blacklist formulated by the Australia Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to ensure harmful information is not availed to the children, establish a Youth Advisory Group (YAG) to easily access information affecting children on-line and to do further research on cyber- safety issues in Australia among others (Australian Government 2007). This initiative has been met with mixed reactions as some citizens support the idea while others reject the move critically analysing it. Critics view the move as a lash to the development and welfare of the citizens in terms of internet use because internet censorship will reduce the speed of the internet, the initiative is not effective because people will still be able to access the prohibited information through the use of proxy services and web services just to mention a few. The initiative will also violate the first amendment bill which advocates for freedom of expression. The country will waste a huge sum of its capital through the implementation of this impractical solution because approximately USD 22billion of tax payers’ money will be used to implement this initiative. Furthermore, the criteria that will be used to determine the appropriate age to use the internet, the appropriateness of information on the internet and determining a comprehensive blacklist are in question. Therefore, to anal the dilemma the government is facing this report will elaborate on alternative methods of internet censorship other than internet filtration that can be used (Harvey 2009b). Alternative solutions To end the conflicts that have arisen because of the proposal of incorporating compulsory Internet Service provider (ISP) filtering in the country the government should implement other alternatives such as use of technology, political power, moral ethics and civil libertarian to implement internet censorship as outlined below. Technology The government can utilize the available technology to help implement their strategies on internet censorship rather than using internet filtration. It can establish websites that teach and warn adults and children on the dangers prevailed by the internet and how to avoid them. Alternatively it can take the initiative of funding such programs that have already being established. This method will be effective as the probability of people using the internet to access such information is high. The method is also cost effective as such initiatives have been implemented in other countries for example USA and proved to be efficient. Also the government will easily be able to avail on-line safety rules to the vicinity of children such as using passwords, meeting people met through the internet with the consent or accompaniment of parents and avoiding giving out personal information. For instance the Business Software Alliance (BSA) has enable to alert and educate e-tailers and customers on the dangers of internet such as auction site frauds, counterfeiting, identity theft and phishing among others and effective ways of preventing being victims of the above vices. BSA has established a website were they offer their learning and safe guarding tips by displaying stories from victims and tips of avoiding such incidents (Lindroth 2008). Moreover, programs that allow parents to personally regulate internet information availed to their children should be used. This will prevent the government from formulating legislations that violated constitutional rights such as freedom of speech and expression. It will also allow the development of this technology thus benefiting the country and improving the welfare of the population at large. For example US citizens have been able to enjoy the benefits of using glubble a Firefox browser plug-in that has enabled parents to create a safe browsing environment for their kids. The technology is easy to use, fast to install, helps parents to manipulate internet information at the vicinity of their children and enable their children to have the appropriate on-line experience. Furthermore, it does not limit internet information that is important to adults but harmful to children such as family planning tips. Therefore, the government should capitalize on such mechanisms by offering their support either politically or economically (Gary 2009). Political power The government is politically empowered thus has the power to control legislations and policies that regulate this country. Therefore, it should use this opportunity to formulate policies that will enable attainment of cyber-security without contradicting on legislations that had been previously formulated. For instance use of plug-ins and programs that will allow parents and public utilities where children are predominate users of the internet will increase intellectual property infringement therefore, legislations that will protect owners innovation should be stipulated allowing effective use of trade marks, patents and copyright laws among others thus expand the rights of these intellectual property holders. This will encourage innovators thus increase the variety of the advanced technology to consumers. Furthermore, it will increase the competitive nature of the economy of Australia both locally and in the world market. The government should also stipulate mechanisms that will take stern action against culprits who are caught perpetuating cyber-bulling, internet sexual harassment and stealing peoples’ identity. The government should also avail easy mechanisms for reporting vices that curb cyber-safety. This will serve as a warning to prospective culprits and thus decrease the number of such incidents. Also children will grow up morally as they will avoid practising such vices because this initiative will effectively tame them. Victims of such vices, parents, and children will willingly surrender information concerning such culprits to the relevant authority because of the assurance that effective action will be taken (Harvey 2009a). Moral ethics Most of the activities and information in the internet are morally wrong as they violate ethics and human norms. Therefore, another mechanism that can be used to increase cyber-safety is educating and guiding the population and children in particular on moral vices that can be adopted, thus enabling the adherence and respect of business, religious, social and moral ethics. For example more incidents of school children participating in social networking sites that perpetuate immoral behaviour such as pornography and prostitution are evident therefore, learning institutions should formulate policies that will effectively deal with school children that participate in such incidents and break school rules. Parents on the other hand should develop engaging relationships with their children to be able to further instil the moral principles that they learn and adopt from their school environment. Therefore, the school administration should work hand in hand with the government to clearly outline guidelines that will discipline students in regards to information availed and collected from the internet. The collation that will be formed will also help parents and the general Australian population to access such guidelines thus further perpetuate adherence to moral ethics and human norms (Madson 2005). It is quite evident that teachers nowadays use social networking sites for education purposes. Therefore, teachers should ensure that they effectively elaborate to their students how they intend to communicate to them and the necessary instructions that they should follow when logged into such sites to prevent them from accessing information that is not related to education and perpetuates immorality. Alternatively the school administration should establish websites which should be regularly monitored where teachers and students can communicate. Moreover, the learning institutions should implement educative programs that will educate the students on issues related to on-line- safety and the responsible ways of using Facebook and MySpace among others. Furthermore, policies that will effectively deal with students that perpetuate and practice cyber-bullying should be enacted. This responsibility should not only be left to the school administration and the government, other bodies such as religious institutions, public conferences and gatherings, activists and ethicist should also advocate for the adherence of moral ethics and human norms through the use of mechanisms such as safety conversation (McMahon 2008). Civil libertarian The government should also not ignore the role played by civil libertarians rather they should work hand in hand with them. This will further help them to ensure cyber-safety in Australia is emanated and thus protect the innocence and rights of children. This is because civil libertarians fight for the rights and respect of computer and network users by encouraging those involved to register with them thus regulates their activities. Therefore when formulating new legislations or changing those that already exists the government should engage such organizations thus the policies that will be formulated will be at the best interest of all stakeholders. For instance the Electronic Frontier Foundation in US provides legal assistance to companies or organizations that have out rightly been denied their constitutional rights by implementation of impractical legislations. In the event the organization promotes the US laws and allows efficient incorporation of advanced technology into the country. However, it indirectly regulates the information in the internet by offering legal support to organizations that avail useful information which is not harmful to the social being and economic welfare of the community and the country. Therefore, Australia should implement this example and follow suit as cyber-security will be enhanced while protecting and respecting the constitutional and human rights of its citizens (Swidorski 2003). Conclusion From the above facts it is quite clear that all the above principles should be implemented to effectively implement internet censorship. Each principle covers a specific area of enhancing cyber-safety in the country and among the citizens. The role that the government and politicians in general can play in the attempt of protecting Australian children from internet immoral vices without developing conflicts is outlined. However, the government also needs to work hand in hand with the school administration, teachers, parents and civil libertarians to efficiently enhance on-line security and educate Australian children on mechanisms of being responsible cyber-citizens. Also as we aim to be a world class country we will have to incorporate more sophisticated technology which is mainly attained from the reliance of the internet therefore, this subject should be researched regularly to enable formulation of policies that are relevant to the current technology in the country. In the event the country will be able to attain the technology without restrictions that may curb its development. Therefore, from my own opinion it is ideal for the government to implement the technology method which will go hand in hand with the development objective of the country because it will be cheaper to incorporate, it will be easier to regulate internet information at the disclosure of children while still gaining access to information that will help in improving the welfare of the community and country at large and human rights will not be violated as a result of internet censorship which I do not support. Word Count: 2189 List of references Australian Government (2007), Attitudes and behaviour of young people on-line, Research Summary. Available at [Accessed on 28th, May, 2009]. Gary, J. (2009), â€Å"Short range plug-ins work best in US,† Automotive Engineer, 34(3), p. 49. Harvey, S. (2009a), Australian internet censorship in practice, Available at [Accessed on 28th, May, 2009] Harvey, S. (2009b), Issues with re-establishing identity after natural disasters, Available at < http://www. pingudownunder. com/blog/index. php> [Accessed on 28th, May, 2009] Lindroth, L. (2008), â€Å"How to improve on-line safety,† Teaching Pre K-8, 28(7), p20. Madson, W. (2005), Internet censorship, Available at [Accessed on 28th, May, 2009] McMahon, F. (2008), â€Å"Smooth operator,† Digital Content Producer, 34(11), pp. 30-33. Swidorski, C. (2003), â€Å"Political science, the Labour Movement, and the struggle for freedom of expression,† New Political Science, 22(3), pp. 319-340. Alternative solutions for internet censorship in Australia. (2016, Sep 25). We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you

Friday, October 18, 2019

The Tender Submission Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Tender Submission - Research Paper Example Once the team has completed, it should have a complete background of the engineering companies and their employment habits. The second team in the group will be involved in getting information about the criteria for accreditation by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. This will help the group assess the students and teachers satisfaction on the board. This will be conducted by holding interviews with teachers, students, and subordinate staff. This will give the interviewers an idea of the relationship between the students and staff. The bottom line is that there is a need to establish the relationship and level of satisfaction of the students and the staff. The third group will be involved in assessing the graduates’ level of knowledge and how much they understand in the field of engineering. Graduates mainly gain knowledge in one area and then they do not have much knowledge in other areas. This group will be tasked to find out the areas where the graduate s have much knowledge in and the areas that they do not have the knowledge. The research team will get information through the use of questionnaires and interviews. After getting the necessary information, they will generate a report showing the graduates’ areas of strength and the demand for these areas in the market. After the third group has delivered their report, the fourth group will find out about the skills needed by the engineering industry. They will visit companies and conduct interviews so as to know the kind of skills that these companies need. This will help the schools and graduates know the skills in demand and thus concentrate on them. This group will also try to find out if the graduates already employed usually possess these skills and if they meet the company’s expectations. The data analyst and the project manager will use the reports generated by the first four groups to come up with a solution to improve the graduates’ skills. The report w ill also include tips to improve the quality of education at the University of Glamorgan. It will also show the core qualities in demand by engineering companies and the qualities possessed by the graduates from the same University. All the groups in the team will come together and develop a report based on all the five reports from the various groups. The report will reflect the technical methods of improving engineering skills at the University of Glamorgan. It will also show the organizational structure of how these skills can be implemented to meet the market demands in the field of engineering. Finally it will also focus on the University’s academics and create great emphasis on the core skills that most companies are after. This will be used as a guideline that teachers and instructors can use to improve the students’ skills in those skills that most engineering companies are after. Risk Assessment Risk assessment is part of risk management. It involves determina tion of qualitative or quantitive risk values in a given situation. In this research, risk assessment will be applied in all stages to ensure the elimination of any threat or situation that might hamper the research. The risk assessment will be carried out before each task starts. The assessment will involve systematic analysis of the task and identify the possible hazards that the team members might face. This will enable the team to be ready for such problems and will have the means or ways to overcome them.

Customized Learning Theory Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Customized Learning Theory - Research Paper Example Moreover with the advancement in the work on educational grounds, Experiential Learning can be utilized to create a student centered class room setting. Learning Theory and its importance ELT provides a comprehensive learning process model as well as multi-linear representation of adult development that are mutually consistent with what is assumed of the learning, growth and development mechanism of individuals. It emphasizes on experience, which helps in distinguishing it from the behavioral and cognitive theories of learning. Another reason of being known as experiential theory is its origin from the works of philosophers like Piaget, Dewey and Lewin. It integrates the philosophical pragmatism of Dewey, social psychological aspects of Lewin’s work and the constructivist model of Piaget. Thus it can be said that it provides an inclusive model of learning in adults intended to explain the differences and complexities of adult learner’s abilities in a single framework. T he basis of this theory is experience which is the main motivating instinct in learning (Eickmann, Kolb & Kolb, 2004). Erikson indicated that teachers need to develop ways of approving the potentialities of students by giving close consideration to their activities and distinguishing and sharing with them the areas of their core competence. So an increase in the time of interaction of teacher and student is most likely to occur as the time spent by the teacher with student increases. The theory of Erickson proposed the impact of a teacher on the learning capability of adolescent students. This theory basically emphasizes on the role of teacher in the academic learning of students and is incorporated to understand... According to the research findings to develop a learning community based on inclusive setting and ensuring ability grouping, instructor needs to realize and consider the individual differences among the students within a classroom. The teacher needs to perform at its best level to ensure effective delivery of knowledge. Students should be encouraged by teachers to create personal discovering while actively communicating. In an ideal world, the teachers would be always focused on t he needs of students and they should have high motivation to increase their knowledge and there would be excessive resources to furnish the needs of a learning community. But in a real world nothing like this exists. The real world differs from an ideal world in many ways. So the teacher needs to analyze the real world situation and propose a strategy that may help in adjustment of the real world complications. Real world requires efforts from all side within the limited resources available. To effectively conceptualize the learning, a fusion is required between the construction of experts and students. By contrasting and comparing the construction of students with experts, an insight can be gained by the students into both and they may re- conceptualize themselves to attain similarity to that of the experts. Being faced by the constraints of real life, teacher need to split their attention amongst varying students of diverse origins, capabilities, and interests and learning styles.

Alternative Energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Alternative Energy - Essay Example Proven Alternative Energy Sources Several kinds of renewable and clean sources of energy such as wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, biomass energy are now available. Each alternative source has its own characteristic importance depending upon geographical possibilities for its production. It will be most appropriate to delve deeper into each one of these sources. Wind Energy Wind energy is available mostly at the coastal regions where wind velocity is higher. Kinetic energy of the wind is tapped using wind turbines and converted into mechanical or electrical energy. Mechanical energy can be used to produce either electricity or can be used directly to run wind mill. For an efficient use of wind turbines, wind velocity of 11 meters per second or higher is desirable. Wind velocity mapping is necessary while selecting a site for installation of a wind turbine because higher wind speeds will provide higher kilowatts of electricity (Renewable energy sources in the United States, 2011). Solar Energy Solar radiation provides continuous flow of clean and renewable energy and in that sense Sun is the most potential alternative source of energy that can always be relied upon. Earth's existence is linked with Sun. Thus, here is the source of energy that can never get exhausted at least theoretically. Though technologies are rapidly advancing to tap this source of energy yet certain impediments such as cost and space do pose certain difficulties. The state of California leads in solar power installations in the US. World over, many countries particularly those with strong solar radiations have been investing heavily in solar photovoltaic cells to harness this source of energy (Renewable energy sources in the United States, 2011). Hydropower This is a clean and renewable alternative source of energy which can be banked upon. Almost 7 percent of the total electricity produced in the US comes from hydropower sources. The Colorado River and the Tennessee Valley are the potential sources of hydropower production (Renewable energy sources in the United States, 2011). Large and small dams are the places to install turbines where the potential energy of water is used to produce electricity. As per the World Bank report, hydropower currently meets almost 18 percent of the total world electricity needs. Hydropower is considered the most affordable renewable energy source among all available energy sources (Hydropower 2012). Geothermal Energy When Earth's heat is tapped to produce electricity, it is known as geothermal source of energy. Temperature inside our earth remains more or less constant throughout the year. This energy is tapped using various technologies such as heat pumps, direct-use systems, and deep reservoirs. The heat is recovered from water or steam and converted into electricity. Many residential and commercial buildings are heated using heat pumps. Utah, Hawaii, California, Nevada are some of the places where geothermal energy plants are in operat ions (Renewable energy sources in the United States, 2011). Biomass Power or Biopower Food crops, organic municipal wastes, grassy and woody plants and farm residues are used to produce electricity and that falls in this category. Plant sources are used as major feedstock to produce Biopower and because they are available everywhere, Biomass power can be produced in any part of the world.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Poetry & Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Poetry & Response - Essay Example The third part is the animated segments which is the illustration of the poem itself. I appreciated how the movie was structured. At first I thought that it was just a simple biography of Ginsberg but after watching the movie, I realized it was not a biopic but it actually focused on the poem â€Å"Howl†. I find the film entertaining with its crossing of different time periods and animation techniques. I think the animation is quite traditional but very imaginative. I am impressed with the contrast presented by the monochrome flashbacks as against the colorful courtroom scenes. I admired the interesting courtroom scenes especially since I learned that the dialogue used was derived from the actual courtroom transcripts. That is important to me because I know that the movie was faithful to facts. However, I think that the courtroom scenes would have been more meaningful if Ginsberg was present Bravo to James Franco’s portrayal of the young Ginsberg which fits him to a â€Å"T†. I consider his performance as outstanding and convincing. I appreciate Franco’s intonation and inflection since it was an accurate depiction of Ginsberg’s way of speaking. Kudos too to Jon Hamm and David Strathairn who played their roles perfectly as warring lawyers. In conclusion, I think that â€Å"Howl† was effective in bringing a radical literary piece to the movies and making it come alive. The performance of the actors contributed much to the boldness and worthiness of this film. The movie’s value is in its innovativeness in interspersing the courtroom drama with the elaborate animation and the rendition of the key moments of Ginsberg’s youth. I would gladly watch this movie again and recommend it to my

Video Production Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Video Production - Essay Example could be defined as "a reconstruction or a re-enactment of another or place for a different audience, a graphing of history in and through the cinematic image and taped sound onto the present" (Rabinowitz 16) has proven useful a few years ago in reportage documentary but its usefulness has been superseded by other forms of documentary. For this reason, critics are of the view that reportage documentary has become obsolete while others argue its value still stands the test of time. In the following section, the researcher shall explore the challenges facing reportage documentary, and prove that reportage documentary has become obsolete in the face of changing mass media and depreciation of factual sustenance. Contemporary documentary practices are strived with the rhetoric of truth, and the strategies for authenticity. In modern environment, where reality TV, camcorder autobiography, and YouTube’s are prevalent, the value of documentaries has become lost within the amateur images of "real life" stories. The essence of documentary could only be found in certain segments of the media where authenticity and reportage are still appreciated, and necessary. According to Maria Lind documentary film production mechanisms has transferred from the hands of the professionals with focused goals to reconstruct reality, to the ambivalent amateur teenagers. While journalism continues to be a mainstream reportage mechanism, documentaries has waned in value and content due to the culture of "truth production" sponsored by reality TV production houses (Lind 15). Indeed, Rabinowitz (2) is of the view that the bizarre movements from reportage to reality documentary have degraded the value of true doc umentary works. Instead, documentaries are nowadays reserved for creating notorious video films. More simply, documentaries are being used as the means for creating commercial projects on reels. For example Bonny Kleins Not a Love Story is a documentary which has been designed to

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Alternative Energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Alternative Energy - Essay Example Proven Alternative Energy Sources Several kinds of renewable and clean sources of energy such as wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, biomass energy are now available. Each alternative source has its own characteristic importance depending upon geographical possibilities for its production. It will be most appropriate to delve deeper into each one of these sources. Wind Energy Wind energy is available mostly at the coastal regions where wind velocity is higher. Kinetic energy of the wind is tapped using wind turbines and converted into mechanical or electrical energy. Mechanical energy can be used to produce either electricity or can be used directly to run wind mill. For an efficient use of wind turbines, wind velocity of 11 meters per second or higher is desirable. Wind velocity mapping is necessary while selecting a site for installation of a wind turbine because higher wind speeds will provide higher kilowatts of electricity (Renewable energy sources in the United States, 2011). Solar Energy Solar radiation provides continuous flow of clean and renewable energy and in that sense Sun is the most potential alternative source of energy that can always be relied upon. Earth's existence is linked with Sun. Thus, here is the source of energy that can never get exhausted at least theoretically. Though technologies are rapidly advancing to tap this source of energy yet certain impediments such as cost and space do pose certain difficulties. The state of California leads in solar power installations in the US. World over, many countries particularly those with strong solar radiations have been investing heavily in solar photovoltaic cells to harness this source of energy (Renewable energy sources in the United States, 2011). Hydropower This is a clean and renewable alternative source of energy which can be banked upon. Almost 7 percent of the total electricity produced in the US comes from hydropower sources. The Colorado River and the Tennessee Valley are the potential sources of hydropower production (Renewable energy sources in the United States, 2011). Large and small dams are the places to install turbines where the potential energy of water is used to produce electricity. As per the World Bank report, hydropower currently meets almost 18 percent of the total world electricity needs. Hydropower is considered the most affordable renewable energy source among all available energy sources (Hydropower 2012). Geothermal Energy When Earth's heat is tapped to produce electricity, it is known as geothermal source of energy. Temperature inside our earth remains more or less constant throughout the year. This energy is tapped using various technologies such as heat pumps, direct-use systems, and deep reservoirs. The heat is recovered from water or steam and converted into electricity. Many residential and commercial buildings are heated using heat pumps. Utah, Hawaii, California, Nevada are some of the places where geothermal energy plants are in operat ions (Renewable energy sources in the United States, 2011). Biomass Power or Biopower Food crops, organic municipal wastes, grassy and woody plants and farm residues are used to produce electricity and that falls in this category. Plant sources are used as major feedstock to produce Biopower and because they are available everywhere, Biomass power can be produced in any part of the world.

Video Production Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Video Production - Essay Example could be defined as "a reconstruction or a re-enactment of another or place for a different audience, a graphing of history in and through the cinematic image and taped sound onto the present" (Rabinowitz 16) has proven useful a few years ago in reportage documentary but its usefulness has been superseded by other forms of documentary. For this reason, critics are of the view that reportage documentary has become obsolete while others argue its value still stands the test of time. In the following section, the researcher shall explore the challenges facing reportage documentary, and prove that reportage documentary has become obsolete in the face of changing mass media and depreciation of factual sustenance. Contemporary documentary practices are strived with the rhetoric of truth, and the strategies for authenticity. In modern environment, where reality TV, camcorder autobiography, and YouTube’s are prevalent, the value of documentaries has become lost within the amateur images of "real life" stories. The essence of documentary could only be found in certain segments of the media where authenticity and reportage are still appreciated, and necessary. According to Maria Lind documentary film production mechanisms has transferred from the hands of the professionals with focused goals to reconstruct reality, to the ambivalent amateur teenagers. While journalism continues to be a mainstream reportage mechanism, documentaries has waned in value and content due to the culture of "truth production" sponsored by reality TV production houses (Lind 15). Indeed, Rabinowitz (2) is of the view that the bizarre movements from reportage to reality documentary have degraded the value of true doc umentary works. Instead, documentaries are nowadays reserved for creating notorious video films. More simply, documentaries are being used as the means for creating commercial projects on reels. For example Bonny Kleins Not a Love Story is a documentary which has been designed to

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Elizabethan society Essay Example for Free

Elizabethan society Essay At the end of the novel there can be seen to be a change of attitude of society towards Grenouille. Due to his amazing gift, Grenouille is able to create a scent that powerfully manipulates human emotion through preserving the aroma of the 25 virgin girls. At Grenouilles execution he reveals this scent and the whole town is overwhelmed by emotion. It is at this point in time that the townsfolk admire Grenouilles gift and because of their state of delirium, disregard Grenouilles crimes. It is here when Grenouille can be seen to be accepted into society. However, regardless of this Grenouille still perceives himself as an outsider. Grenouille believes that he is not loved for himself but for the perfume he created, he states; I have always found gratification in hatred, in hating and being hated, not love. He then decides to return to Paris upon finding that the satisfaction that he initially felt has transformed itself into self-hatred and disgust. In comparison to Othello the novel Perfume can be seen to be both similar and different in their representations of the Outsider. Like Grenouille, Othello is seen as an outsider because of his background. He is outcaste because of his race and his differing values due to past experiences. Grenouille can be seen to reflect this idea, as he is an outsider initially because of his background that challenges the norm of society at the time the novel was set. Another similarity that can be made between these two texts is that the perception of the outsider is perceived from society and also from within the outsider itself. Othello, even though quite underestimating at times, believes that he is inferior to the Venetians, he states; Happily for I am black and do not possess the soft parts of conversation chamberers have. Grenouille also perceives himself as an outsider and is aware of the unwelcoming presence he bestows upon others. The fact that Grenouille devotes his life to creating a scent that will make him accepted and valued in society shows how he is aware if this. Another likeness between Othello and Grenouille is that both characters share a differing attitude to women that makes them outsiders in society. They are both somewhat oblivious to women as a sexual commodity, or do not show the affiliation to what would be expected of them. Othello shows an unusually lack of affection or infatuation towards his wife Desdemona. Othello has just been married to a young, and beautiful woman but does not seem to be besotted with her at all. This can be compared to Grenouilles differing attitude to women. Although Grenouille does not have a rightful relationship towards the women he comes across, he is still obsessed with them, unlike Othello. The way Grenouille expresses this obsession or feeling, however, is still different to what would be expected of most adolescent men. Grenouille is not attracted physically to the women but is enthralled by them because of their scent. Grenouille can also be compared to Iago in the play Othello, as both are dismissive towards the values and ideologies of their context. Loyalty, love, reputation and honesty were all values of great importance in Elizabethan society. Iagos actions, however, derive from hate, vengeance and deceit. Yet Iago is still considered an insider in Venice and only chooses to disregard the values of society. Grenouille on the other hand is completely isolated from society and struggles for any kind of acceptance. His brutal actions that go against the values of 18th century France may be partially influenced by the fact that he was not introduced to the morals of society in the first place, due to this isolation. Grenouille, having seen no human affection or experienced any of the values we inherit from human interaction such as love and compassion, find it difficult to distinguish right from wrong in his actions. Another text that has enhanced my understanding of how the concept of the outsider can be portrayed is the short film The Story of Bubbleboy. The film was produced in 2006 for the annual Australian tropfest short film festival. It was directed by Sean Ashcroft, produced by Kristy Fransen and stars Andrew Supanz. The Story of Bubbleboy is a film about a man named Bubbleboy who is trapped in the past and redeemed by the future. Bubbleboy is a sad outsider who lives alone due to a fanatic phobia of pointed and sharp objects. He is so afraid that he results to wrapping everything, including himself, in bubble-wrap. He never ventures from his house because the outside world is too terrifying and he cannot comprehend his fears. The film tells the story of his self-imposed exile from the world and how one day, driven by dwindling supplies he ventures out. Bubbleboy, while growing more confident as his adventure draws to an end, is ironically stabbed in an ally way. However, having been stripped from his protective bubbles in his last moments, Bubbleboy finds salvation and feels connected with the world. Because of Bubbleboys fear and self imposed isolation, he is regarded as an outsider by society. He completely avoids human contact and is scorned by the community. Bubbleboy longs for belonging but cannot comprehend his fears. A particular scene in the novel that conveys this idea is the beginning segment where we are introduced to Bubbleboys way of life and how it differs greatly from that of society. Here, filming techniques are used to show that Bubbleboy is an outsider. A flashing mirage of everyday pointy items is shown while a narrator explains Bubbleboys situation. There is then a long shot of Bubbleboy wrapped from head to toe in bubble-wrap huddling in a corner of his home. This initiates the idea that he is definitely an outsider and is uncomfortable with his surroundings. Close-ups are used to show the trepidation on Bubbleboys face to emphasize this point. A panning shot is then used to show how every household item has been covered in bubble-wrap, emphasizing the intensity of the problem. A birds eye view is also used here of Bubbleboy moving uncomfortably through his home; this suggests that he is a victim and is clearly suffering from his phobia. To show how Bubbleboys fears cause him to be perceived as an outsider by the community is the use of dramatic contrast between the outside world and his own. A view from the inside of the house looking out into the street brings a striking contrast of lively colors. When this is compared to the insides of Bubbleboys house, which is mostly colored in grays, the fact that he is an outsider is emphasized. Two young girls ride past the house and stop mocking Bubbleboys strange appearance from the window. Bubble boy then shuts his curtain and disappears. The use of the window here also symbolizes the physical barrier between himself and society. Contrast is used in a further scene in the film when illustrating the differences of Bubbleboys lifestyle to that of people his own age. Here, Bubbleboy is seen looking longingly into the window of a house where a lively and entertaining dinner party is taking place. A camera angle is used to show how Bubbleboy is looking up into the scene creating a sense of his inferiority and isolation. There are then a series of flashing images back and forth between the vibrant and colorful party life, with Bubbleboys lonesome isolation, again reinforcing this idea. When Bubbleboy finally faces his fears and leaves the house, more techniques are used to show how new and trepidating this is for him due to his experience as an outsider. For example when he opens the door into the outside world, a blinding and foggy light is emitted suggesting the unknown. Once outside the house, Bubbleboy again contrasts greatly with his surroundings as his general appearance is confronting and obviously very odd. Close-ups are used to show the looks of mockery and confusion on the towns peoples faces to convey this idea. The attitudes towards Bubbleboy as an outsider may be seen to change towards the end of the film. When he is ironically stabbed on his way home from his healing journey his is stripped of his bubble-wrap protection. It is here when society can accept him as his true self is revealed. This is shown by a woman rushing to the aid of injured Bubbleboy, truly concerned for his wellbeing. Bubbleboys perceptions of himself as an outsider can also be seen to change. A narrators voice is used to explain that at that point, Bubbleboy finds salvation, and for the first time feels connected to the world once outside his shell. There are not many similarities to the play Othello as the short film is such a vastly different text. Though it is clear that both characters; Bubbleboy and Othello are perceived as outsiders by society. However, it is Othellos unforeseen and irrational actions that confirm his status as an outsider. While it is Bubbleboys out of the ordinary actions that enable him to be accepted into society. Also, Bubbleboy is portrayed to be a victim of the imposing views of society, as he is a lonely and lost character, but on the other hand Othello victimizes society itself when he undergoes the actions that make him an outsider. Evidently, the three texts; Othello, Perfume and The Story of Bubbleboy have all increased my understanding of the outsider as they illustrate a vast use of techniques and concepts that make a person an outsider in society.

Monday, October 14, 2019

HR Problem In Cognizant Technology Solutions

HR Problem In Cognizant Technology Solutions Introduction This essay describes the recent HR problem faced by Cognizant Technology Solutions, Hyderabad, India one of the fastest growing IT Service Providing Companies a subsidiary of Cognizant Head Quarters, New Jersey as heard from one of the associates within the company. The Organization faced the problem of retaining their experienced associates during the economic down-turn period or so called Recession period when the other competing companies fired many of their employees who have worked for more than half-a decade because of posing financial problems on the company in regard to wages and maintenance during that period. Started with around 264 associates to 10,000+ members (till date), they have contributed a lot to the Organizations notable growth over a short period of 8 years at Hyderabad Off-shore Development Centre. [By Geeta Ramachandran, Sr. Executive HR, Global Workforce Management (GWFM), CTS(H), Feb, 2006-(till date).] Key Words: Associates, Off-shore Development Centre, Business Continuity Plan, Work Force Management, Incentive Approach, Two-in-a-Box Module. Background Cognizant Technology Solutions, one of the leading Multi-National Companies started its Off-shore Development Centre (ODC) at Hyderabad, India in 2002 as a part of Global Expansion. It serves more than 500 clients belonging to various fields such as Banking Financial Services, Health Care Insurance, Communications, Consumer Goods, Energy Utilities, Information, Media Entertainment, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Retail, Technology, Transportation Logistics, and Travel Hospitality. The Company has recorded its highest growth in the 4th quarter of 2010. And announced 200% hike for their top performers during this quarter recovering from the recession blows. They have crossed the 10M strength in the same quarter globally. [http://www.cognizant.com/aboutus/in news] Interventions Recession is more often can be termed as one of the phases for readjustment in disequilibrium of capital management. Whenever a resource from an organization is released from the declining activities, they will be immediately shifting to the expanding industries. Recession or recovery is the first phase of readjustment process in this world of non-homogenous capital and rigidities in adjustment processes begins with the realization of errors committed under the illusions projected by easy credit. Downturn period in the global markets is considered as bad by concerning the nominative judgments about the different phases of the cycle. [Capital in Disequilibrium: An Austrian Approach to Recession and Recovery by Noah Yetter ([emailprotected]) and John P. Cochran ([emailprotected]).] Multi-national companies are focused on getting the experienced staff which would allow them to have the feasibility of not spending additional investments on any other different training programs. Small scale organizations are more focused on fresher as they cannot bear huge pay to the experienced hires. By providing the well established environment to the employees so that the employees can work freely and can apply all thought process into reality. Because of this, there is a diversion among the managers whom to consider with high priority when financial matters are involved with the resource management techniques. [Resourcing in Business Logistics: The Art of Systematic Combining, by M. Jahre, L.E. Gadde H. Hà ¥kansson, D. Harrison, G. Persson, and G. Liber, Torkel Strà ¶msten, Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm, Sweden, Book Review, Page No. 411-414.] As there are financial prospects involved, it is always better to recruit fresh graduates and train them based on the requirements of business with the usage of proper forecasting techniques. If the resources belonging to an organization are homogenous in all aspects and all prices, wages, and interest rates are perfectly flexible in according to the organizational policies, then the recession or recovery process would be a single process which would be quick and practically painless. An experienced employee wages equal the 3-4 fresh graduates wages whose cost to company would be low when compared to former. It is always preferable to have those young minds which are innovative and creative at times and works smart in reaching the timely goals rather than being laborious for completion of tasks. And if the Organization thinks that an experienced employee needs to be retained with the organization, firm should assign them the multiple tasks up to the possible extent but not overloadin g them. By making the experienced resources responsible in some managerial positions and offering them the provision of consistent support and means for supervision from the top-level management to guide the new candidates in achieving service and delivery goals much to the satisfaction and delight of the customers. [Marketing Management by Philip Kotler, Prentice Hall, 2002, Chapter-III, Winning Markets through Strategic Management Planning, 47-64.] In order to retain the experienced employees from the organization, one needs to build the strong belief about the future prospects of the employee ensuring about their role in the organization and more importantly job-safety. Cognizant has employed the same strategy during that turmoil and with the same strategy they achieved the tag of fastest growing IT Services Provider around the globe. Cognizant trained the people irrespective of experienced or a fresh candidate in the sector during the period to grab the opportunities in future. By making sure that the employees would fit into the requirements accordingly, and providing them the different options like self-learning, e-learning courses to learn and understand the new technologies rather than sticking to the existing technology which they have already learnt during their graduation and the same has applied over the years for the routine deliverables thus not allowing themselves to reach the further levels in contributing to the success of the organization. [Leadership in the era of Economic Un-Certainty by Charan. R, McGrawhill, 2009.] Training and allowing them to understand, implement the new technologies might take some time initially but it makes the employee well-versed with the same. With the same strategy we can build the confidence in the people by spending whole-sum amount for training purpose as it helps in retaining the confidence of the employee on the management. After facing the initial phase of economic un-certainty, every Organization concentrated on cost-cuttings thus enabling the clients to trust the management with respect to the ROI and value of investments. This would reduce the revenue and profits to the company during that period and on a long-term basis, this result in maintaining the healthy relationship with the clients. [Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior to Explain Marketing Managers Perspectives on Sustainable Marketing by Ahmed Shahriar Ferdous.] Reallocation of the resources is another crucial factor which would create some distance between the employees and their families. Reallocation need to be carried out depending on the requirement and feasibility of the company. Depending on the designation, work-experience of a particular employee, he/she would be given the priority to serve the organization according not affecting the business continuity plan and meeting the deliverables in time. Regular Audits will be held at those which were shown to the clients at the start-up. Meeting the expectations of the customer in time is a technique which is possible only through dedicated resources for the organization. With the same approach, organizations build the reputation among the clients. [The influence of distance factors on New Zealand expatriates cross-cultural adjustment by Emma M. Jenkins; Audra I. Mockaitis, School of Marketing and International Business, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand] Resource Management within the organization should be considered as a high-priority issue which requires proper attention. Resource Planning and Resource Management according to the business needs to be scheduled. As Cognizant applies Two-In-A-Box Module, On-site/Offshore Delivery module, they tend to have more resource strength at off-shore than on-site as the CTC would be increasing if the on-boarded people are in large number. They do follow a policy of 1:3 ratios Onsite Offshore resource strength because of which Cognizant resources would like to stay with the organization rather than opting for other organizations. And another way to look at it, the company offers huge incentives and various other activities alongside the regular work. Cognizant recruited graduates during recession period from universities who will be completing their graduation in another 6-8 months of time and gear up to face the global environment instead of firing the experienced hires. Meanwhile the organi zation can avail the time to plan accordingly and train them the different technologies to meet the expectations from the customers and serve them with high efficiency. [By Rohit Eustachius, Executive HR, Campus Talent Manager, CTS(H), Aug, 2006-(tilldate).] Based on the above interventions for the problem, we can state that a mixture of fresh and experienced people is required in every industry and the same applies universally. With the help of experienced bunch, fresh employees into the company will learn key points and apply the same when it demands. Reduce the no. of experienced employees gradually and at the same time hire the fresh graduates to compensate work load and financial issues can be settled with less pay details. [HR and IT Capabilities and Complementarities in Knowledge-Intensive Services by Naresh Khatri*, Alok Baveja, Narendra M. Agrawal and Gordon D. Brown] Conclusion Thus we can derive that problems relating to human resource management involves so many factors and all those factors should be considered when a problem needs a necessary action to be implemented to resolve the problem. Human Resource Management involves with financial issues which plays key role in organizational structure and helps in progress of the organization. This also reveal us how to invest in those crucial times of the market forecasting the future prospects and demands in mind. Resource planning, resource management are two important areas which would contribute to organizations success in the long-run prospects. In the resource planning or resource management, monetary expansion puts inflationary pressure on prices, as more demand tries to be financed by the same pool of real resources, but this pressure isnt always felt by all prices. Fantastic returns on equity investments is possible, particularly compared to the low returns generally available under depressed interes t rates, which may draw excess monetary demand into the stock market, pushing prices go up further. If the inflationary pressure of the original monetary expansion resulted in a general rise in prices, the stock slump should be relatively mild, simply reflecting the markets realization that firms were over-valued. But if the economy also experienced asset price inflation with little or no commodity price inflation, the stock correction ought to be quite severe, as the prices of stocks fall to reflect not only more realistic valuations of firms but also drastically lower demand for stocks. Supra-normal demand for equity investments was propped up by easy credit and spurred on by its effects, now demand has declined by that excess amount plus a panic discount, as investors who would otherwise have kept their money in stocks pull it out due to an increased in perceived risk. Once the period of heightened risk accompanying mass liquidation passes, investors will begin to see that stocks are now undervalued, and buy in again. This post-panic resurgence of equity investment will be a signal that the readjustment process is essentially complete, and normal economic growth is resuming. Tax cuts are helpful to the extent that they stimulate savings investment and reduce the role of government in the economy, but implementing them as a means to stimulate consumption is a wrongheaded approach. Thus with the different approaches human resource management is a tough task as it involves multiple issues related enterprise resource planning, resource management, supply chain management etc. The research about the problem resulted in the following approaches to deal with the employees. Allowing the experienced employees to learn the new technologies by means of e-learning rather than attending the in-house training sessions separately thus reducing the cost to the company when the training programs are taken into consideration. Recruiting the fresher from the universities and train them in different technologies accordingly in place of the experienced resources when the cost to company matters as the fresher would be paid less wages compared to the experienced by forecasting the future demand much in advance. Reducing the cost to company by maintaining or retaining the productive resources who have contributed lot to the organizations growth ensuring the customer satisfaction to the most possible extent. Allocating senior resources to managerial positions to serve the newly hired resources to know in and out about the organization in detail and to gain expertise on the technologies they would apply.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

The Haunting of Mind :: The Haunting of Mind Essays

The Haunting of Mind The ghosts made their presence known at 9:36 p.m. the first evening. Later in life, when Rachel Fleischman thought back on the events at the house, she marveled that the exact time was so firmly set in her mind. She wasn't wearing a watch, and didn't recall asking anyone else the time. She remembered, almost as if the presences told her, wanting her to remember for their sake, and for the sake of posterity. The four of them sat around the table in the kitchen of the haunted house. Rachel sat in her own chair while Julie sat in Mark's lap. Brandon remained standing, leaning against an empty chair from behind. Mark's diary was open on the table and reached around Julie's body to record his first entry. He read aloud as he wrote. "Evening One: We have experienced no unusual events so far. Paranormal residents have not attempted to make contact. Morale is still high. Maybe our luck will increase later this evening." Brandon smiled at him. "We have almost three hours 'till midnight. Something might happen yet." Julie's arm was wrapped behind Mark's neck and her hand played distractedly with his dark, curly hair. "Happen? Like what? You really think dishes will start flying around and the furniture will rearrange itself? Come on." Brandon shrugged. His brown eyes were noncommittal. "I'm not saying anything, just that we shouldn't jump to conclusions." He began drumming his fingers on the back of the chair. "I hate feeling . . . anxious like this, like I'm waiting to see what I got for Christmas." Rachel nodded. "Or waiting to see what grades you received in Chemistry." Julie groaned. "Please don't mention homework." Rachel and the others laughed. Mark's eyes glinted. "Why don't we give the ghosts a call?" He looked at the others with a mischievous grin. Julie rolled her eyes. She immediately took her hand away from Mark's hair and got up off the chair. She turned to face Mark with both hands on her hips. "You brought a Ouija board, didn't you? Even after Mr. Olson told you not to bring it?" Mark simply laughed. "Are you ever going to grow up?" Julie asked, almost pleading. "It's all psychosomatic garbage. It's not real. You're just letting your unconscious do everything." "I doubt you've ever tried it, so how would you know?" Mark countered.