The German Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The German - Essay Example German cities are characterized by beautiful forests that purify the environment, which would otherwise be stuffy due to the high level of industrialization. The trees sequester the green house gases emitted by industries and automobiles while on the other hand give cities such as Frankfurt fabulous scenery (Tomalin, 59). On the contrary, cities in America are characterized by sprawling sky scrappers with no forest cover in their neighborhood. Besides the lack of attractiveness that would be derived from forests surrounding cities like New Yolk, the green house gases emitted from the industries and automobiles are released in to the environment, thereby posing imminent danger associated with climate change (Mendelsohn, 66). In Germany, Christmas is a special day for a person to meet with members of the immediate family. This helps in maintaining strong bonds between members of a nuclear family by meeting to address their common needs. In contrast, Christmas in America is thought to be an occasion for the extended family, which leaves little room for the immediate family members who might have common problems (Tomalin, 60). The mandatory church tax in Germany is remarkable because it promotes the involvement of churches in charitable activities that are meant to meat to provide humanitarian services. This ensures that the needs of the populace are taken care of by each person who associates him/herself with religion. On the other hand, such practices are uncommon in America and hence the government has a difficult task of meeting all the humanitarian needs during crisis (Tomalin, 62). Germans are good at building strong friendships that last long. They value friendship than the Americans and are able separate friendship matters from work related issues. The Germans value private life while on the other hand they are hard working, which is the reason that

How does William Shakespeare create tension Essay Example for Free

How does William Shakespeare create tension Essay From the minute the play starts the audience are aware that the star crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet are going to die, this makes it clear that the play is a tragedy. A Tragedy is a traditional form of theatre where the main characters in the play die as a result of their tragic flaw, for example in the tragedy play Macbeth, Macbeths vaulting ambition leads him to his death. Romeo and Juliets flaw is the powerful love between them and it means their relationship has to be secret and this leads to Mercutio being killed by Tybalt and Romeo then killing Tybalt. The consequences of Romeo revenging Mercutios death by killing Tybalt means he is banished upon death. When the play was written Romeo and Juliet was already a well known story but the version that William Shakespeare borrowed did not include the love theme William Shakespeare added the love theme into the story. The play Romeo and Juliet was written in 1594, and in this time women particularly were under their parents influence and there was no free choice on who you could marry. Teenage Rebellion was unthinkable because your parents would kick you out and in this time a woman was unable to get a job and with no money it would be hard to find a husband; this is why Romeo and Juliets marriage was secret. How a play is structured is an important way of creating tension for the audience like in Act 1 of Romeo and Juliet it introduces the theme of love and hate between the two families Montague and Capulet. There is also a fight between the two familys servants because they hate each other but Tybalt (Capulet) turns up and the fight becomes even bigger than before. The reason Shakespeare kills off Mercutio and Tybalt in Act 3 is that now all the action can focus on Romeo and Juliet. In the scene were Mercutio is slain, this point is often looked at as the points were the play becomes a tragedy. If Romeo hadnt avenged Mercutios death the outcome would have been very different and Romeo and Juliets actions from this point are due to this scene. Having themes run throughout a play is another way of creating tension for the audience. This scene (Act3 scene 1) contains the theme of passion, when Benvolio is advising Mercutio to leave the area where the Capulets are  going to arrive but Mercutio is ready for a fight and is going to stay no matter what. Benvolio says for now these hot-days is the mad blood stirring. This means that the hot weather has shortened peoples tempers including Mercutios. When Tybalt arrives and Tybalt and Mercutio start to fighting. Romeo accidentally gets in the way and Mercutio is struck by Tybalts sword, it is a mortal wound which kills him. As Mercutio is dying he says A plague on both your houses. After Mercutio dies and Romeo kills Tybalt, Romeo starts crying and this is a passionate cry emphasises the way he is losing the control of his destiny and is subject to fate. This creates tension because the audience know the final outcome from the start. Shakespeare was a master of characterisation, the characters in this scene have been skilfully created previously and act exactly how the audience expect them to, based on their previous behaviour, such as at the party Mercutio is showing off, he is loud full of himself and hot tempered this shows that it is Mercutios nature to fight and not back down. Also Mercutio cannot stand Romeos capitulation towards the Capulets and this angers him even more Mercutio also says O calm, dis honourable, vile, submission and this creates tension because Mercutio forces the fight on Tybalt. In a play which would be performed to an audience who could barely read and write, it was important for Shakespeare to include rich metaphors and poetry which would entertain and stimulate them; his language is littered with deeper meanings and puns. For example when Benvolio says for now these hot days the mad blood stirring this means that the hot weather has shortened peoples tempers and they are more likely to snap and start a fight, this line adds tension as well because there is going to be a big fight but Mercutios short snappy sentences show that he is ready to fight and it creates tension and anticipation to see Tybalt and Mercutio fight. The stage craft is a vital part of the tension in this scene where Shakespeare keeps the weather hot so it gets people irritable. Mercutio is in the mood for a fight because of the weather and he wants to cause to  cause trouble. Shakespeare makes Tybalt arrive before Romeo so he has a chance to tangle and mix with Mercutio. Shakespeare only makes the reasons why Romeo wont fight Tybalt to make Mercutio angry about Romeos capitulation towards the Capulet Family. To conclude, I feel that Shakespeare created tension in this scene through Mercutios anger towards Romeos capitulation and his hatred for the Capulet Family. Although if Mercutio had known about Romeo and Juliet his anger would not be so great. I found the play sad because two innocent characters had to die because of their flaw which was the powerful love between them which could not be broken and I also feel that another reason Romeo and Juliet died was the feud between the two families which was ended only when there children had died.

Venus Essay -- essays research papers

Venus, the second planet from the Sun, is the hottest world in the solar system. It is blanketed by a thick atmosphere that heats its surface like the inside of a greenhouse. But with a surface temperature of almost 900 degrees Fahrenheit (480 C), this place is no garden! Other than its atmosphere, Venus is so similar to Earth that it is sometimes called Earth's sister planet. Its diameter and mass are almost identical to Earth's. Why, then, is it so hot? The "greenhouse effect" on Venus is caused by its atmosphere. Energy from the Sun passes through the atmosphere to the planet's surface, where it is absorbed and reradiated at longer wavelengths (as heat). Venus' atmosphere traps these longer wavelengths so they cannot escape into space. The trapped heat builds up, so the planet grows hotter and hotter. The same thing happens in an automobile on a hot day. Sunlight comes through the windows and warms the inside of the car, but the heat is trapped. Even though Venus' orbit brings it closer to Earth than any other planet, its blanket of clouds kept much of Venus a mystery. But space probes sent by the Soviet Union and the United States, as well as studies with ground-based radar, have allowed astronomers to "see" the surface of Venus for the first time. The first exploration of Venus by radar was in 1962. It revealed that Venus spins backward on its axis. If you could stand on the surface of Venus, and if you could see the Sun through the cloud cover, i...

Laws and Rules of the Road Essay

Create a car saying (Bumper Sticker) or a Road Sign (Billboard) that would describe one main point you learned in Module 5. This is an example of a bumper sticker from a former student: â€Å"â€Å"Driving the right speed is always a good deed. Enjoy your ride and don’t collide!† 1. What would yours say? When you speed it causes more collisions so remember always be safe and wear a seat belt. 2. How would it look? It would be a billboard and it would have a picture of a had collision that happened because of speeding 3. Now, write at least one paragraph (5 sentences or more) which explains why you thought this would make a great bumper sticker or billboard, and how it summarizes the information you learned in Module Five. Remember to use complete sentence answers and proper spelling and grammar. I thought this would make a good bumper sticker because most collisions are caused because of speeding and people should not take advantage of the roads. This bumper sticker summarizes what I learned in module 5. That is because In this module I learned about driver licenses and what you need to do if you are new to the state or if you are a new comer. Also in this module I learned that excessive speeding is the cause of many collisions. Module 6 Effects of Alcohol and Drugs Some day you might find yourself in a dangerous driving situation because of drugs, alcohol, or extreme drowsiness due to medication. Talk to a parent or guardian about what they would like for you to do if you find yourself in this situation. Answer the following questions in one or more complete sentences. 1. Explain three ways you can get home safely, without getting behind the wheel, if there are drugs or alcohol in your system. A. Call a friend B. Call a taxi C. Call a parent or relative 2. Explain three ways you can get home safely if the friend you rode with has drugs or alcohol in his system and you prevent him from getting behind the wheel. A. You can drive B. Call a taxi C. Tell your parents to pick you up 3. What would your parent/guardian want you to do? They would want me to contact them and tell them I need a ride home. 4. Look up and list the number of a local taxi or car service in your community. Include the company name and telephone number.

Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare Essay

â€Å"I am always directed by you† – Mariana â€Å"I am directed by you† – Isabella. Both these lines are addressed to the Duke. What do they suggest about women status in this play? What other evidence can you find to support your view? Measure for Measure is a play written by William Shakespeare in the seventeenth century which crucially presents the role of women. Women were viewed as pure and were not expected to be promiscuous, but dependent on men with few options or choices. Shakespeare’s interpretation of women in Measure for Measure very much reflects society’s opinion of women at the time, where men had more freedom and should be given more respect than women. The society at that time was a patriarchal one, where a male was a considered a God like figure and ultimately the leader, and below him was the king and then the nobles. However, although the society gave men more rights than women, Measure for Measure demonstrates that men also had more responsibilities. This is shown through the situation with Claudio and Juliet, as although they are both equally to blame for Juliet’s pregnancy, it is Claudio facing the death penalty. The women of Measure for Measure are generally quite low in the ranks of importance and respect; they are not spoken of with any importance. Juliet is the object of Claudio’s sexual release and Mariana is the long lost forgotten fiancee of Angelo, who was abandoned by him when she lost her dowry in a shipwreck. The only woman who kind of breaks the trend of the lowly women is Isabella, who has the courage to stand up to Angelo for her chastity. In the first half she is pushed between Angelo and Claudio while she decides what to do and refuses to respond Angelo’s advances, then in the second half, she takes her orders from the Duke which shows that on the other hand she is still obedient toward the Duke, following all of his instructions. In Act V, Scene 1, the Duke shows his opinion of women when talking to Mariana, he says: â€Å"Why, you are nothing then: neither maid, widow nor wife†. According to the Duke’s point of view, the other woman who truly is free is Mistress Overdone as she earns her own money and is able to get some freedom; at least she doesn’t have to stay at home cooking. The main female character in Measure for Measure is Isabella; she represents a very pure female character. This is first seen at the start of the play by the fact that she is training to become a nun and by the strong Christian values she appears to have. This is then emphasized later when she is told her brother’s life will be saved if  she agrees to sleep with Angelo. She refuses this offer, placing her chastity and her Christian values above her own life. This illustrates that a woman’s purity is highly valued, while a woman being promiscuous is not accepted. Mariana is another female character in the play and she is quite different to Isabella. None of these three men, Angelo, Claudio or the Duke, seem to think that her CHOICE matters- her body is to be bargained for whether for lust, life or love. When the duke asks Mariana to allow him a private discussion with Isabella, she replies, â€Å"I am always bound to you†, as if she is speaking to an old friend. And again, when the duke tells her he respects her, she answers that she knows it and has found it to be true, suggesting a long-term relationship. This statement also shows that she is his subject. The adjective ‘bound’ means that she is obliged to do as he wishes and also compelled to do so. She uses the adverb ‘always’ to him which shows that she will always follow his example and will do his will in any condition. Her absolute trust is manifested when she agrees to entrust her chastity as the Friar asks. In the Jacobean society Shakespeare lived in, women would have always done as they were bid by order of men, but especially if the order was given by a man of religion. These words show the absolute compliance that the Duke is able to gain through becoming a disguise (pseudo-)friar. The Duke abuses this religious power to gain insight into people’s souls for his own ends. He knows that Angelo wishes Isabella to ‘give up the treasures’ of her body and uses the two women to gain more power over Angelo. The same applies to when Isabella says to the Duke, â€Å"I am directed by you†, this statement also shows how women respected men and how men were above in authority. As mentioned above, there are no independent women in Measure for Measure, this is not strange, considering the setting and Shakespeare’s own era; there are prostitutes and nuns who are given no chance to control their own lives most of all they seem to have no choice in any matter.

How is the relationship between Juliet and her parents presented in the play Romeo and Juliet Essays

How is the relationship between Juliet and her parents presented in the play Romeo and Juliet Essays How is the relationship between Juliet and her parents presented in the play Romeo and Juliet Paper How is the relationship between Juliet and her parents presented in the play Romeo and Juliet Paper Friar Lawrence chides Romeo for his fickleness in love. But, the Friar agrees to marry them in hope that the ancient feud of the Montague’s and Capulet’s will end. Later in Act 2 Scene 6 Romeo and Juliet get wed by the Friar, this is dangerous because if Juliet’s family finds out they probably would disown her, so this shows how much Romeo and Juliet ‘love’ each other, but it also shows how appalling Juliet’s relationship is with her family if they are willing to abandon her. While the nurse is telling Juliet of Romeo’s request, Tybalt sends a challenge for Romeo to the House of Montague. In Act 3 Scene 1 Benvolio and Mercutio are in a public place, Benvolio is apprehensive that the Capulet’s are going to arrive and a fight will definitely follow. Tybalt states that he is seeking Romeo but, Romeo will not accept his challenge as he has only just married his cousin, Juliet. In the end it is Tybalt and Mercutio that fight, Mercutio gets stabbed under Romero’s arm, obviously Romeo blames himself for Mercutio’s injuries. Romeo then vindictively chases after Tybalt, when the organised fight actually happens it is Tybalt that falls, because of this Romeo flees. The brutal violence that occurs in Act 3 Scene 1, as well as the expectation of the fight, acts as reminder that, for all Shakespeare’s emphasis on love and romance, the play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ still takes place in a world ruled by men, with their beliefs of respect and status that are bound to explode in a conflict. This scene is the turning point of the play. Later on in Act 3 Scene 1 Lady Capulet demands that Romeo must die, her demand for Montague blood reveals the level of hatred between the two families. But, because Tybalt had slain Mercutio, Romeo’s sentence was only that of exile, rather than death. This scene makes the reader feel sympathy towards Romeo and Juliet as they only just got married, they didn’t even have a chance to celebrate this marriage before Romeo was banished from Verona. When Juliet learns of this news she doesn’t know what emotion she should feel, but, in the end decides to stay loyal to her husband. Act 3 Scene 5 is the most crucial scene in the change in relationship between Juliet and her parents. This scene is full of tension dramatic irony and ambiguousness. Juliet has just spent her first and last night with Romeo, the nurse warns them that her mother is approaching. When Juliet’s mother enters she misreads Juliet’s emotions, she believes her sadness is from mourning her cousin, Tybalt. Her sorrow is actually because of Romeo’s exile. Lady Capulet asks â€Å"Evermore Weeping for you cousin’s death? What, wilt thou wash him from his grave with tears† These are all rhetorical questions, Lady Capulet wishes Juliet to stop crying as too much grief is not wise. Lady Capulet seems cruel in what she says here, but she could be trying to enliven Juliet. However, she adds that to show so much grief shows â€Å"some want of wit† this implies that Juliet is stupid which displays how insensitive Lady Capulet is towards her daughter. Then she also makes an incorrect assumption â€Å"Well, girl, thou weep’st not so much for his death / As that the villain lives which slaughtered him†. Lady Capulet is more resentful than mournful, she only wishes for revenge on the Montague that killed a precious Capulet, she assumes Juliet feels the same way. Obviously Juliet doesn’t feel this way, she says to herself â€Å"Villain and he be many miles asunder â€Å", she proceeds to say to her mother â€Å"God pardon him, I do with all my heart: And yet no man like he doth grieve my heart† these are the first ambiguous lines in this act, it is ambiguous because it has two meanings. To herself she is saying that Romeo could never be a villain, to Lady Capulet she is saying â€Å"God pardon him† as though God is the only one who could grant Romeo forgiveness. These lines reinforce how much Juliet loves Romeo; this has the effect of building up the tension throughout the scene. But, she heavily suggests to her mother that Romeo grieves her heart because he is not with her, but Lady Capulet misinterprets this â€Å"That is because the traitor murderer lives†. Lady Capulet goes on to express her hatred for Romeo, revealing how she wishes to poison him so he can lie next to Tybalt, she then says she hopes this notion satisfies Juliet. Juliet replies, â€Å"Indeed I never shall be satisfied / With Romeo, till I behold him – dead / Is my poor heart, so for a kinsman vexed. † This is also ambiguous, Juliet is misleading her mother. Lady Capulet thinks that Juliet will never be satisfied until Romeo is dead, however, what Juliet really means is that her heart is dead and she shall never be satisfied until her husband is with her again. Lady Capulet proceeds to tell her daughter of â€Å"joyful tidings†, she informs Juliet that Lord Capulet has arranged for her to marry Paris next Thursday, this heightens the dramatic tension as they audience already know Juliet is married. Juliet, appalled, refuses to do so, â€Å"He shall not make me there a joyful bride. Lady Capulet replies â€Å"Here comes your father, tell him so yourself; And see how he will take it at your hands† These lines are very malicious as Juliet has seen Capulet’s reaction and argument with Tybalt, and Lady Capulet is reminding Juliet of that. When Capulet enters he also misunderstands Juliet’s sadness, but he appears more sympathetic; he creates an extended metaphor, just one of the techniques Shakespeare uses, by comparing Juliet to a boat, the sea and wind â€Å"Thou counterfeits a bark, a sea, a wind†. Juliet’s body is the boat, her eyes are the sea and her sighs are the wind. He then asks Lady Capulet if she has told Juliet about their command, she replies bitterly â€Å"Ay, sir, but she will none, she gives you thanks. I would the fool were married to her grave. † This was an extremely harsh, inconsiderate thing to say, which illustrates how little Lady Capulet cared for Juliet and how vindictive she was towards her. But, she might have said it because Juliet was disobeying her father’s orders; this was forbidden in the 150 hundreds. Wives also had to obey their husbands, so she could not agree with Juliet as she couldn’t even contemplate being disloyal. Shakespeare develops tension in this scene with the arrival of Lord Capulet and through her arranged marriage. Shakespeare uses many language techniques including pathetic fallacy and the use of metaphors, these enhance the tension. Also Capulet alters from a caring to an enraged father as his style of language and tone change. He starts by comforting Juliet as she cries. But, when he discovers Juliet does not wish to marry Paris, the language he uses completely changes; he speaks to her in the third person, using â€Å"she† and â€Å"her†. I think he is distancing himself from Juliet as she done something inexcusable in his eyes, in his words that follow he explodes in rage. â€Å"Out, you green-sickness carrion! out, you baggage! † He is threatening to disown Juliet, this shows a previously unknown side to Capulet as he insults Juliet, â€Å"You tallow-face! † Shakespeare emphasises the force of these insults by the use of exclamation marks, this has the effect of increasing the tension when delivered in a play. Lord Capulet also uses imperatives in his terrorising rants, â€Å"thank† â€Å"look†. Also Capulet is shown as very childish and petty when he mimics Juliet. I personally think Capulet should have asked Juliet why she did not want to marry, rather than trying to bully her into it by threatening and raging at her. But, this wouldn’t have been expected in those times as fathers commands was law. Also in this scene a lot of irony is created; Juliet has no other option but to marry Paris or else she will be homeless. I thought that Lady Capulet would be more sympathetic toward her daughter, but in fact it was the nurse who came to Juliet’s defence; â€Å"God in heaven bless her! You are to blame, my lord, to rate her so. † But, Lady Capulet also had to obey Capulet’s commands, she wasn’t able to agree with her daughter or she would be in the same position, â€Å"I’ll give to you my friend; And you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets†. Capulet had to show his authority as he thought Juliet was disobeying him and being ungrateful. Before Lady Capulet departs Juliet pleads for her to delay the marriage, if not she will kill herself, â€Å"Delay this marriage for a month, a week, or if you do not, make the bridal bed in that dim monument where Tybalt lies. Lady Capulet shows not the slightest hint of compassion towards her daughter as she refuses to help her, â€Å"Talk not to me, for I’ll not speak a word. Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee. † This shows she cares nothing for Juliet, or she could have thought that Juliet’s threat was empty. When her mother leaves Juliet turns to the Nurse with her problems, hoping to find comfort. This shows that Juliet thinks more of the Nurse than her mother, the audience already knows this as Juliet confided in the Nurse when she was considering marrying Romeo not her mother. But, the Nurse agrees with her father, urging Juliet to marry Paris. I think the Nurse was only trying to help Juliet by finding a solution, seeing that Juliet had no future with Romeo as he had been exiled, whereas Paris had money and a respectable status, â€Å"I think it is best you married with the County. O, he’s a lovely gentleman! Romeo’s a dishclout to him. † The Nurse could have been more empathetic, realising Juliet was ‘in love’ and that she was being forced into an unwanted marriage. This scene ends dramatically as Juliet has a dilemma; marry Paris and remain Verona or find Romeo and never see her family again. In Act 3 Scene 5 the audience gets to learn a great deal about the characters, Lord Capulet is shown as a demanding father, who cannot deal with disobedience. Shakespeare portrays Lady Capulet as caring but also loyal. You also see a different side to the Nurse; she is very protective of Juliet but yet, she is not afraid to disappoint her. Shakespeare would have wanted the audience to feel remorse for Juliet in this scene. In Act 4 Scene 2 Juliet begs for her father’s forgiveness, which he willingly accepts as she promises to obey him in the future. Capulet is delighted, he pushes the wedding to the next day. This makes this situation extremely worse for Juliet, she now has only one day to decide what she is going to do. Finally, in Act 4 Scene 5 the Nurse discovers Juliet, thinking she is dead, awakens the house with her exclamations. Lady Capulet enters Juliet’s bedroom, realising Juliet is dead she pleads for her to return alive, â€Å"O me, O me, my child, my only life! Revive, look up, or I will die with thee†. LadyCapulet reveals some previously unseen emotions about her daughter in this scene. Discovering a child dead would be hard on any parent, but the Capulet’s had presumably lost other children before Juliet. But, it’s difficult to feel sympathy for them, since Juliet’s apparent death is essentially their fault. It is surprising that Lady Capulet said this, not long ago she declared that she wanted nothing more to do with Juliet, but now, she wishes to die with her! Lord Capulet’s attitude towards Juliet also changes throughout the play. At first he was very protective and caring, then he was threatening to disown her, and in this scene he shows a lot of sorrow, â€Å"Death lies on her like an untimely frost upon the sweetest flower of all the field. Later he also says â€Å"Death that hath tane her hence to make me wail ties up my tongue and will not let me speak. † All the Capulet’s and the Nurse appear heartbroken in this scene, I believe that if Juliet was to revive herself Lord Capulet might have been open to the idea of Romeo and Juliet. Overall I think the relationship between Juliet and her parents is presented as being a typical relationship at that time. I think Lady Capulet could not physically show hardly any emotion towards Juliet because of the fear of losing her, like her other children. Lady Capulet and her daughter had a standard, modern teenage daughter – mother relationship. Obviously, Juliet would be more inclined to her father if her mother was incapable of showing any care or love towards her. Also I believe the cause of Juliet’s death was being forced into an arranged marriage. At first, Capulet was willing to let Juliet make her own decision in the matter. The cause of change was Tybalt’s death. Capulet believed Juliet to be mourning Tybalt too much; he wanted to lift her out of her sadness. Who, raging with thy tears and they with them, without a sudden calm, will oversetthy tempest -tossed body. Basically, Juliet will quickly drown in the storm of her tears, unless there is a sudden calm, and Capulet believes this calm will come from her marriage to the man he has chosen for her. I personally do not think Romeo and Juliet’s death was anybody’s fault, I believe it was the sense of fate that hangs over the play, Romeo’s cry, â€Å"O, I am fortune’s fool! † refers to his unfortunate actions in being forced to kill his new wife’s cousin, thus becoming exiled. As a result of this Juliet was forced into an unwanted marriage. Lady Capulet had an awful relationship with her daughter, to me they appeared more like strangers. Although, this is understandable because of the fear in Lady Capulet, which made her an incompetent mother. Lord Capulet was thoughtful and compassionate toward his daughter, up to the point of Tybalt’s death, where he became demanding and detached. Shakespeare uses figurative language in this play to achieve a particularly vivid, expressive, and imaginative image. Also his thoughtful choice of dramatic devices, for example, tone, dramatic irony and characterization make this play exciting and fascinating.

Metallic Character Properties and Trends

Metallic Character Properties and Trends Not all metallic elements are alike, but all share certain qualities. Here youll find what is meant by the metallic character of an element and how metallic character changes as you move across a period or down a group in the periodic table. What Is Metallic Character? Metallic character is the name given to the set of chemical properties associated with elements that are metals. These chemical properties result from how readily metals lose their electrons to form cations (positively charged ions). Physical properties associated with metallic character include metallic luster, shiny appearance, high density, high thermal conductivity, and high electrical conductivity. Most metals are malleable and ductile and can be deformed without breaking. Although many metals are hard and dense, there is actually a wide range of values for these properties, even for elements that are considered highly metallic. Metallic Character and Periodic Table Trends There are trends in metallic character as you move across and down the periodic table. Metallic character decreases as you move across a period in the periodic table from left to right. This occurs as atoms more readily accept electrons to fill a valence shell than lose them to remove the unfilled shell. Metallic character increases as you move down an element group in the periodic table. This is because electrons become easier to lose as the atomic radius increases, where there is less attraction between the nucleus and the valence electrons because of the increased distance between them. Recognizing Elements With Metallic Character You can use the periodic table to predict whether or not an element will display metallic character, even if you dont know anything about it. Heres what you need to know: Metallic character is displayed by metals, which are all on the left-hand side of the periodic table. The exception is hydrogen, which is a nonmetal under ordinary conditions. Even hydrogen behaves as a metal when its a liquid or solid, but you should consider it nonmetallic for most purposes.Elements with metallic character occur in certain groups or columns of elements, including the alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, transition metals (including the lanthanide and actinides below the main body of the periodic table), and the basic metals. Other categories of metals include base metals, noble metals, ferrous metals, heavy metals,  and precious metals.  The metalloids display some metallic character, but this group of elements also has nonmetallic properties. Examples of Elements With Metallic Character Metals that display their character well include: francium (element with highest metallic character)cesium (next highest level of metallic character)sodiumcoppersilverirongoldaluminum Alloys and Metallic Character Although the term metallic character is typically applied to pure elements, alloys may also display metallic character. For example, bronze and most alloys of copper, magnesium, aluminum, and titanium typically display a high level of metallicity. Some metallic alloys consist purely of metals, but most also contain metalloids and nonmetals yet retain the properties of metals.

Facts About the Olympian God Hermes

Facts About the Olympian God Hermes There are 12 canonical Olympian gods  in Greek mythology. ​Hermes  is one of the gods who live on Mount Olympus and ruled over parts of the mortal world. Lets delve into the role of Hermes in Greek mythology regarding his relationships with other gods and what he was a god of. To learn more about the other 11 Greek gods,  check out  Fast Facts About the Olympians. Name Hermes is the name of a god in Greek mythology. When the Romans adopted aspects of the Ancient Greek belief system, Hermess was renamed, Mercury.   Family Zeus and Maia are the parents of Hermes. All the children of Zeus are his siblings, but Hermes has a special younger-brotherly relationship with Apollo. Greek gods were far from perfect. In fact, they were known to be flawed and to have many sexual affairs with gods, nymphs, and mortals alike. The list of Hermess mates include Agraulos, Akalle, Antianeira, Alkidameia, Aphrodite, Aptale, Carmentis, Chthonophyle, Creusa, Daeira, Erytheia, Eupolemeia, Khione, Iphthime, Libya, Okyrrhoe, Penelopeia, Phylodameia, Polymele, Rhene, Sose, Theoboula, and  Thronia. Hermes fathered many children, who are Angelia, Eleusis, Hermaphroditos, Oreiades, Palaistra, Pan, Agreus, Nomios, Priapos, Pherespondos, Lykos, Pronomos, Abderos, Aithalides, Arabos, Autolycus, Bounos, Daphnis, Ekhion, Eleusis, Euandros, Eudoros, Eurestos, Eurytos, Kaikos, Kephalos, Keryx, Kydon, Libys, Myrtilos, Norax, Orion, Pharis, Phaunos, Polybos, and Saon. Role of Hermes For human mortals, Hermes is the god of eloquence, commerce, cunning, astronomy, music, and the art of fighting. As a god of commerce, Hermes is also known as the inventor of the alphabet, numbers, measures, and weights. As the god of the art of fighting, Hermes is a patron of gymnastics. According to Greek mythology, Hermes also cultivated the olive tree and provides refreshing sleep as well as dreams. Additionally, he is the herdsman of the dead, the protector of travelers, the giver of wealth and luck, and he protector of sacrificial animals, among other things. For gods, Hermes is credited with inventing divine worship and sacrifice. Hermes is the herald of the gods.

Modern and Avant-garde art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Modern and Avant-garde art - Essay Example The term avant-garde is refers to vanguard or advance guard, meaning works that are innovative or experimental or innovative with respect to politics, art and culture. Avant-garde involves going beyond the boundaries of what is generally accepted as a norm in a society or the status quo mainly in the cultural realm. Since the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, performance and art have undergone significant transformations as a result of the avant-garde practice. The term modern in respect to the avant-garde practice in art and performance around these times denotes the activities, and visible and transformational results of people who felt that traditional forms of art and performance were becoming outdated. In the 1980s, there was an assertion that it was relevant to entirely reject previous norms. The society was supposed to desist from revisiting the past knowledge by relating them to current techniques. Like other aspects of like physics, art and performance als o witnessed growing movement in line with this ideology. The result of this is that in the first fifteen years of the 20th century, many artists, thinkers and, writers managed to break with the traditional ways of organizing painting, music, literature and painting. Cranestates that Avant-garde writers who saw themselves as being modernized abandoned bourgeois values and begun bothering their readers with new styles and forms that were difficult and complex in nature. Modernization also led to a change in the continuity.

Buying School Clunkers Make More Sense than a Brand New Car Essay

Buying School Clunkers Make More Sense than a Brand New Car - Essay Example Clunkers may look like they should be retired because they need somebody work or does not have the latest bells and whistles but with proper maintenance, it gets the kid from point A to point B. That is all that should matter to them at their ages. † That is sound advice coming from a man who makes his living selling cars. A new car will the owners back by at least $20,000 while a clunker can easily be had for around $2,000 and up, there truly does seem to be an economic advantage to owning a clunker. Provided the new owner of the car will not mind shelling out some extra dollars for whatever repairs the car might need. He still comes out ahead in the long run than if he had bought a new car. While most teenage kids of driving age look forward to waking up to a brand new car being delivered to their doorstep on the morning of their birthday, the economics of our times have changed that pattern. Since a brand new car loses approximately 20 percent of its value the minute it is d riven off the car lot, buying your teenage kid a â€Å"teaching car† which is what some parents and mechanics prefer to call the clunkers, turns out to be a big bargain. Buying a car that is more than ten years old often is often seen as a waste of money because of the cost of repairs that are involved in whipping the car into shape. Wise buyers though know that is not the case. In fact, the old clunkers can help you save money in the long run even with the cost of repairs thrown in.  ... He still comes out ahead in the long run than if he had bought a new car. While most teenage kids of driving age look forward to waking up to a brand new car being delivered at their doorstep on the morning of their birthday, the economics of our times have changed that pattern. Since a brand new car loses approximately 20 percent of its value the minute it is driven off the car lot, buying you teenage kid a â€Å"teaching car† which is what some parents and mechanics prefer to call the clunkers, turns out to be a big bargain. Buying a car that is more than ten years old often is often seen as a waste of money because of the cost of repairs that are involved in whipping the car into shape. Wise buyers though know that is not the case. In fact, the old clunkers can help you save money in the long run even with the cost of repairs thrown in. People like Joel Berry (Why I Drive a 13-Year-Old Car, 2009) understand that economics plays an important role in car buying decisions. In his case, he has been driving the same second hand 1995 Geo Prizm for a number of years now and far as he is concerned, the car is far from being the old clunker that his friends think his car to be. Joel explains; â€Å"I bought my Geo Prizm in 1995 with 5,000 miles on it. It now has 140,000 miles on it and still runs fine. I paid off the car in 1999. It is now 2008.I haven’t had a car payment in nine years. How much has this saved? Our payments for this car were $250 a month. Over nine years, I’ve gone 108 months without making a payment. At $250 a month, that’s a savings of $27,000. Over the lifetime of the car, I’ve spent less than $2000 in repairs. Subtracting this from my savings still leaves me with $25,000 extra over buying a new car right

Opposing Electronic Medical Records Research Paper

Opposing Electronic Medical Records - Research Paper Example The costs of procuring EMRs are relatively high when compared to the cost for using the paper health records. The startup cost of procuring the EMRs is rather high and this means that organizations with low budgets would have to pay through their noses in order to make it their primary source of keeping medical records. Instead of procuring these rather expensive EHRs, these organizations would definitely prefer the option of using the paper health records and would have more money to use for other projects. The ease of entering the data in the paper health records when compared with the difficulties faced by health personnel in making entries on the EHRs has made the use of EHRs to be unpopular in the area of medical records. â€Å"Technology has continued to move forward at a rapid pace, but many organizational and human issues have slowed the pace of implementation of automated systems for an electronic documentation record† (Young, 2000, p. 106). Different organizations and health personnel have issues with the use of the EMRs in keeping medical records and would rather prefer the use of paper health records considering the ease of use. The technicalities involved in the use of the EHRs have also made physicians to opt for the use of paper health records. One of the problems with the EMR technology is the â€Å"physician resistance to emerging and often unfamiliar technology.† (Iyer, Levin, & Shea, 2006, p.314). It is necessary for the users of the EHRs to have some form of technical knowledge as this would guarantee that they would not make errors that would hamper the documentation process. The fear of errors and the other technical problems that are associated with the use of the EHRs is a problem that is making physicians to prefer the paper health records. Most EHRs are not user-friendly and these would definitely affect the implementation of the information system (Young,

Attila the Hun Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Attila the Hun - Term Paper Example Very little is known about Attila’s childhood except that, at the young age of twelve, he was sent to the Roman Court as a child hostage (Matyszak 14). A child of the Romans was sent to the Huns in Attila’s place. When he was twenty-seven years old, Attila’s uncle, Rugila, died and left Attila and Attila’s brother, Breda, the Empire of the Huns. Prior to Rugila’s death, to prevent the Huns from invading, Rugila made it a requirement of the Romans to annually pay the Huns money. When Attila and Breda took over the empire after Rugila’s death, the Romans ceased paying the money, prompting Attila to invade the Eastern Roman Empire. Attila’s fierceness motivated the Romans to never miss a payment again, though they had to start paying double the original amount. After Attila’s success in making it clear to the Romans that he was the man in charge, he then decided that the same should also apply to his brother. Tired of sharing his rule, Attila and his allies murder Breda. With nobody standing in his way of being the emperor, Attila had no problem taking complete charge of his empire and the surrounding areas. To make his strength known among others, Attila raided the Eastern Roman Empire once again, in 447 AD and conquered the Thermopylae. After his success, Theodosius II, the ruler of the Roman Empire, resigned the peace treaty, though now Attila was expecting him to pay four times the original amount to prevent being invaded again. Attila had a winning streak, one that was successful more out of evilness and threat than actual luck, but it was not meant to last. Though he instilled his terror throughout the hearts of everyone who knew him, he still met his downfall in 450 AD during a war against the Western Roman Empire. Earlier that year, Attila had received a letter from Princess Honoria of the Western Roman Empire asking for his hand in marriage so that she could escape an unwanted impending marriage. Attila declared war against

Legalization of marijuana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Legalization of marijuana - Essay Example This research will begin with the definition of marijuana as a dry, shredded combination of stems, seeds, leaves, and flowers of the hemp plant called Cannabis Sativa. Marijuana is generally smoked in a pipe or as a cigarette. It is the most common illegal drug abused in the United States. Marijuana abuse can lead to problems with learning, memory, and social behavior. The drug can interfere with activities linked with school, work, family, etc. Several scientific studies are testing the usefulness and safety of cannabis compounds for the treatment of certain ailments. Marijuana is a popular recreational drug in the United States, and it ranks third in popularity behind alcohol and tobacco. It is estimated that approximately 100 million Americans have used marijuana. According to the surveys conducted by the government, approximately 25 million of Americans have used marijuana in the last 12 months. It also estimated that nearly 14 million of people smoke it regularly despite the har sh laws prohibiting the use of marijuana. According to NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws), marijuana is not as dangerous as tobacco or alcohol. Approximately 50,000 individuals die every year due to alcohol poisoning and more than 400,000 individuals die each year from tobacco smoking. In comparison with tobacco and alcohol, marijuana is not toxic and cannot cause death due to overdose. (NORML 1). History of Marijuana Use Human beings have used marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) for a long time. However, in the wake of the 20th century, it was classified by many countries as an illegal drug. In the past twenty years, there has been a continuous debate as to whether legalize marijuana specifically for medical purposes. The use of medical marijuana has increased in the District of Columbia and 16 states that have permitted its use. However, those who oppose the legalization of marijuana question its importance in the medical field (The New York Times 1). As stated above, the use of marijuana extends back over thousands of years (approximately 10,000 years). There is archaeological evidence that the Chinese used Cannabis Sativa. Archaeological evidence indicates that the first physical human requirements to be fulfilled by marijuana plant were the cloth making practice to offer protection from environmental hazards and climatic changes. Marijuana plant had other beneficial uses, such as important medicines (medicinal plant) and foods. Current Debate on Legalization of Marijuana Proponents of Marijuana Legalization Among the major proponents of marijuana legalization is the state of California. California has been at the forefront of marijuana policy reform (Kilmer et al. 1). The proponents of marijuana legalization state that the aim of legalization is not to make marijuana easily accessible, but rather to make the communities safer through the regulation of the substance. In other words, to take marijuana out of the underground markets, cont rol it and keep it away from the young people. In Colorado, medical marijuana is legal, and it has more than 88,000 Colorado residents who seek medical marijuana therapy (The New York Tim

Attila the Hun Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Attila the Hun - Term Paper Example Very little is known about Attila’s childhood except that, at the young age of twelve, he was sent to the Roman Court as a child hostage (Matyszak 14). A child of the Romans was sent to the Huns in Attila’s place. When he was twenty-seven years old, Attila’s uncle, Rugila, died and left Attila and Attila’s brother, Breda, the Empire of the Huns. Prior to Rugila’s death, to prevent the Huns from invading, Rugila made it a requirement of the Romans to annually pay the Huns money. When Attila and Breda took over the empire after Rugila’s death, the Romans ceased paying the money, prompting Attila to invade the Eastern Roman Empire. Attila’s fierceness motivated the Romans to never miss a payment again, though they had to start paying double the original amount. After Attila’s success in making it clear to the Romans that he was the man in charge, he then decided that the same should also apply to his brother. Tired of sharing his rule, Attila and his allies murder Breda. With nobody standing in his way of being the emperor, Attila had no problem taking complete charge of his empire and the surrounding areas. To make his strength known among others, Attila raided the Eastern Roman Empire once again, in 447 AD and conquered the Thermopylae. After his success, Theodosius II, the ruler of the Roman Empire, resigned the peace treaty, though now Attila was expecting him to pay four times the original amount to prevent being invaded again. Attila had a winning streak, one that was successful more out of evilness and threat than actual luck, but it was not meant to last. Though he instilled his terror throughout the hearts of everyone who knew him, he still met his downfall in 450 AD during a war against the Western Roman Empire. Earlier that year, Attila had received a letter from Princess Honoria of the Western Roman Empire asking for his hand in marriage so that she could escape an unwanted impending marriage. Attila declared war against

Career Development Plan Part 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Career Development Plan Part 4 - Essay Example This paper analyses the new compensation plan at InterClean Corporation. A well structure compensation plan reduces employee turnover and increases corporate profits since it provides adequate incentive for an employee to increase their productivity. The old InterClean had a sales staff that got awarded a sales commission for the sales an employee obtained. This system force the employee to think about individual results, since the salesperson pay would increment based on his/hers achievements. Since the company offered simple product this was a viable strategy. This no longer applies to the new business model the company is implementing. Teamwork is now more important than ever and long term satisfaction of the customer is a strategic focus that must be pursed in order to achieve customer retention. In the solution based business follow up contracts with the clients generated a lot of income for the enterprise. There are two types of rewards systems that cam be used by a company. These two types of rewards are intrinsic rewards and extrinsic rewards. Intrinsic rewards are positively valued work outcomes that the individual receives as a result of work outcomes, while extrinsic rewards are positively valued work outcomes that are given to an individual or group by some other person or source in the setting (Schermerhorn & Hunt & Osborn, 2003). The total compensation plan the company will offer has to satisfy the needs of both the employee and the firm. The firm does not want to establish a plan that does not encourage professional development and teamwork. The new compensation plan the company will offer to its salespeople will be profit sharing plan with a group merit pay element as well as other individual incentives. In a profit sharing plan a company contributes a portion of its pre-tax profits to a pool that will be distributed among the eligible employees (Hr-guide, 2008). The profit sharing at InterClean will be calculated

Summarize the Positive and Negative Aspects of Offshoring Essay Example for Free

Summarize the Positive and Negative Aspects of Offshoring Essay Offspring means is moving the production to other countries. Currently this is happening in most of the countries where they find other countries are cheaper to produce their products. Weighing advantages and disadvantages of off shoring is always debate. I want to summarize the advantages and disadvantages off shoring in point of view and then I will put my strategy on this. Advantages Off shoring helps in reduce the total costs of a product by getting cheaper labor and core stuff for the product. This way company can focus on its administration operations like sales and marketing. It definitely reduces overhead costs like resource management. Many companies hire to do non technical recourses to do their work. This is the main reason that India has set up so many call centers to help their customers for USA companies. Off shoring helps companies when their operations come operationally uncontrollable. IT can increase the company efficiency and productivity so that it can be successful and better for marketing of its products in highly competitive market. Off shoring also makes an organization free from investments in technology, infrastructure to reduce the capital expenditure. It gives the business flexibility to increase the new skills that can be used as competitive advantage. Disadvantages Off shoring does not suit for all companies and if company does estimate its necessity, the company would unsuccessful. One of the risks it has is losing sensitive data and the loss of confidentiality. Off shoring may lose management control of business and it may no longer be able to control operations and deliverables. In Off shoring, if that foreign country does not have proper product processes, the quality may be bad and it might affect the company business in market. Source Company will lose jobs as it does not require many numbers of resources as they hire in other countries. It will lead to local unemployment and political pressure. We recently have seen lots of places these kinds of issues where local people fight for their jobs and demand for cutting offshore processes. In some firms, there are so many legal issues in off shoring process and there are so many hidden costs that may lead to company loss in long run. There is another issue about communication when off shoring relationship is with completely different culture nations. Support of off shoring Off shoring can be acknowledged that its success comes with some pain, though it may have job cuts but, organizations that take a planned approach to off shoring succeed in managing this situation. The greatest advantage of off shoring is the cost advantage, which affects the companys success. Any savings in operating costs will help toward the companys financial status and growth. Companies in recession may sustain themselves and grow through innovation. By lowering its operating costs they will have more money to invest in innovation and technology which results in a domestic workforce. Success Story of off shoring The best example of a company that has cost savings by off shoring to India is General Electric (GE). After off shoring its business process operations to India, it found a reduction of 25% percent on its labor cost. This decision made them to gain 150% in the earnings. There is a big difference in the labor costs in US/Europe and India in the IT industry as well. A software professional with 1-2 years of experience in the US and Europe charges USD 60,000 to 80,000 per year. On the other hand, a professional with same experience level costs about USD 10,000 per year in India, about 11 to 16 percent of that in the US and Europe.

A Generic Supervisory Of ICT Agriculture Information Technology Essay

A Generic Supervisory Of ICT Agriculture Information Technology Essay Agriculture is the most assured engine of development and a reliable key to industrialisation (Ajibola, 2007). It is the basis of development, especially in Africa and other developing countries. Increased in agricultural production is the best way of assessing that development. However, adoption of agricultural technologies is the tool of measuring the levels of achievement and production potentials. Thus, reliable means of improving the living conditions of the farmers. Priorities are therefore attached to the ways of exposing the farmers to current agricultural practices (Mando, 2002). High population increase and excessive competition on limited agricultural and related technologies, mandated various stakeholders to devise the ways of utilising agricultural resources effectively. The appropriate means of achieving that and increase productivity are through involving farmers to various decision making processes, and make them realise the ways of manipulating and combining various techniques that involved both scientific and indigenous knowledge. The use of desirable information technology that enhance horizontal and vertical exchange of ideas among farmers and other related components becomes instrumental towards increased agricultural production and improve the living conditions of the rural people. (Michiels, 2001) have defined ICT as a range of electronic technologies which when converged in new configurations are flexible, adaptable, enabling and capable of transforming organisations and redefining social relations. In related development, (Greenidge, 2003) defined ICT as those technologies that can be used to interlink information technology devices, such as personal computers with communication technologies, such as telephones and their communications . The definitions above, stresses on the need for integrating modern communication technologies with conventional ones, aimed at devising more diversified means of exchanging and sharing of ideas among individuals. However, failed to consider the printed materials, group meetings and workshops, and question and answer service as ICTs that are used frequently, conveniently filled the gaps of impersonal communication and enhances the feedback mechanisms. According to Joseph Schumpter, innovation is simply the doing of new things or the doing of things that are already being done in a new way. A definition that is more appropriate is the application of technological, institutional and human resources and discoveries to productive processes, resulting in new practices, products, markets, institutions and organisation that are improved and efficiency enhancing. (Nigel, 2006).The two generic sources of innovation in agriculture are informal system of experimentation and selection, and formal systems of research and development. These two systems are connected to national and international sector organisations. The bottom line is how to consider the two (2) approaches to innovations, i.e. central and multiple source models. The central source model emphasise on the theoretical and rhetoric concepts of formal agricultural research and extension institutions, where major technical, institutional and social innovations evolved from the syste matic work of international research centres. While the multiple sources of innovation model embrace natural and farmer selections, and considered agricultural research and diffusion processes within various political, economical, institutional and historical context through which technological changes occur. Thus, innovations evolved from various sources of farmers, international centres, extension staff, national research system and non-governmental organisations (Biggs, ). Information and communication technology is an example of private sector innovation of high priority. Agricultural extension/education considered ICT issues as the most important topics for quite a long time. (Poole, 2000) examined the conventional ICTs like radio and television as the most important means of establishing a strong link between the farmers and their respective market demands, which are their major area of interest. And the information gap among the farmers and other beneficiaries are bridged up through providing additional sources by the modern ICTs like satellite, computer, internet service providers and telephone systems. Both ICTs are used for addressing developmental issues and reducing poverty, and are adopted by target audience. Agricultural knowledge sharing created by information flow helps in developing different agricultural sectors. However, there is a significant difference in sharing of information between rural areas and agricultural knowledge centres. Accessibility of information by the targeted audiences are the responsibilities of some stakeholders and intermediary organisations(Stienen, 2007). In earlier and closely related observations by (Kenny, 2000)the accessibility of ICTs by rural people assist in devising a multi-dimensional approaches to technological uptake, poverty eradication and other related developmental issues. While (Skuse, 2001)argued that the use of ICT in addressing such issues, especially poverty eradication, depends to a greater extent on the desirable information content and infrastructural facilities. It is important to appreciate the earlier perceptions of (Chambers, 1997), that, individuals use of information and the reasons for using that information supercedes the infor mation context. He further emphasised that, in rural areas, priorities are attached to policy and decision makers than the end users. Rural areas are therefore deprived by appropriate information, which is important for initiating developmental activities. There is the need to bridge the gap in knowledge and solve some problems through information acquisition. In considering the roles of ICTs in adoption of innovation, it is absolutely necessary to examine the differences in the needs of the rural and urban people, and the benefits derived. ICT uses could be more inclined to rural areas, mainly because of the contributions they provide towards agricultural developments. The roles therefore, provided by ICT in rural areas towards improving their livelihoods are unparallel to other areas. The roles of ICT in adoption of innovation in Nigeria is related to provision of agricultural support services, improving market efficiency and weather forecast, through the use of internet and Global Service Mobile (GSM) phones, which improve farmers production potentials successfully, and reduces social isolation(Pickernell, 2004). Modern ICTs like internet, computer and mobile phones that improves rural banking systems and accessibility to credit facilities were encouraged and approved in Nigeria by the World Summit Information Society (WSIS), 2003 2005 as tools for developing rural communities (Stienen et al., 2007). The applications of ICT in Nigeria are considered vital for revolutionary role in diversification of scientific and indigenous technology. ICT abridged the gap created by geographical and cultural barriers, which are detrimental to agricultural production. Thus, information are shared effectively in post harvest technology, databases, market prices and other related information for immediate and future use, which is achieved by internet, email and world wide web to facilitate communication (Obayelu, 2010). The roles of ICT in adoption of innovation are suppose to first be considered from the integrated point of view, before addressing the roles of individual ICTs. This is particularly important due to the differences in the socio-economic status of the rural people, and the need for encouraging the participatory action community approach, which is user-driven in nature. It is important however, to appreciate the uses of combination of conventional and modern ICTs in adoption processes. To this effect, therefore, the benefits derived from the Telecentres in Nigeria and other developing countries towards exposing the rural people to more diversified ICTs need to be discussed. Kiplang at 2001, defined Telecentre as community-based centre that accommodate ICTs, including fax, telephone, computer based system with internet connection and photocopying. A few telecentres provide additional services such as postal facilities, selling of telephone cards, newspaper and refreshment. The main objectives of establishing telecentres in the rural areas is to eradicate poverty and capacity building among the rural people. Telecentres are used for sharing knowledge among the rural people. It expose the farmers to various agricultural technologies and makes them to adopt the most desirable innovation. Telecentres are widely used in Africa and other developing countries. According to Synman, 2002, South Africa established fifty-six (56) telecentres in the year, 2002 out of the projected one hundred (100) through Universal Service Agency. The average visiting clients were 140 per day, and the clients are from different areas of community-based services, like agricultural extension workers, farmers, teachers and students and health workers. Telecentres are widespread in Uganda, Senegal and Kenya, owned by Governmental and Non-governmental organisations. While some are managed by agricultural research institute, like Ugunja Communication Research Centres in Kenya (Oguya, 2001). Oke-Ogun community development network (OCDN), located in Oyo-State -Nigeria and Fantsuan Foundation ICT in North-Central are two telecentres established in the years, 2003 and 2000 respectively, by the people of those communities, provided only four (40) computers to Ago-Are town, mainly used for training rural people, without telephone services. With the intervention of Pam Mclean from the United Kingdom, internet service provider was installed through internet connection in 2004. Information about agricultural innovations becomes readily available to the farmers in the area. Pam Mclean and Carole utilised the centres, with extensive web site on solar cooking information, which is rich information source, and introduced solar cooking video project which was widely adopted in the area. Participatory action research approach was the research method used. The technology is particularly relevant in minimising deforestation and other environmental problems caused by mining, and excessiv e farming activities on forested lands in Nigeria (Carole, 2005). As earlier emphasised, agricultural information in Nigeria and other developing countries are targeted to rural areas where the farmers lives, so that, their social and economic conditions are favourably improved. To achieve this, Emerald Publishing Group of the United Kingdom established a broad band service knowledge centre in Nigeria in Ihala village of Anambra State, which had a projected population of 20,000 people. The project took up in 2007 mainly for exchange of agricultural ideas among the farmers, aided by volunteer students. Computers with internet services and customised website were installed and monitored. Social interactions, mutual exchange of ideas and information retrieval were enhanced in the village. The project was successful, with up to 61% of the participants utilising the knowledge centre website for socialisation and discussions with farmers. Participatory community approach was effectively used(Ha, 2008). The serious problem facing all the telecentres in Nigeria is poor electricity supply and lack of stability in internet services. This problem is particularly not only in the rural areas, but in the urban counterparts. The unreliable internet connection reduces the efficiency of such telecentres, especially when users are eagerly anticipating urgent response to the ways of combating a disease/pest infestation and immediate call for directions of use for newly introduced package. Farmers in Nigeria have different backgrounds, speak various languages. Standardised ICT usage cannot be applicable to all of them. The variation in the language of communication, coupled with low understanding of English, inhibits effective utilisation of ICTs. It is therefore, recommended that, software translators should be developed for proper ICT use. Linkages of such centre with universities and research institutions are not highly intensified. Only one of the available telecentre in Nigeria (OCDN) is linked through ICT with International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the university of Ibadan for certain project implementations. Combining socialisation and research activities in the same spot, makes the people to inclined more to social related activities than research. Radio is still the frequently used ICTs for adoption of innovation in Nigeria. This can be attributed to its availability than any other conventional or modern ICTs. Various adoption of innovation were successful in Nigeria through the use of radio. Combination of radio, posters, video and global system mobile (GSM) were used, with core extension programs for extending Purdue Improved Cowpea Storage (PICS) technology in Nigeria and other West African countries. The project realised that, accessibility of the rural people in Nigeria to television was very low, mainly due to inadequate supply of electricity. Radio messages were used during various events of sensitisation, demonstration, follow-up and open the bag. There was a great difference in the adoption rates between villages with and without PICS radio messages. Thus, radio messages had significantly influenced the adoption of PICS sacks in Kano and other Northern states of Nigeria (Moussa, 2009). Posters were also distributed to various stakeholders that are involved in the adoption of PICS technology, which revealed the various stages that can be used for optimal utilisation of PICS technology . A video sketch on the use of the technology in the languages that are easily comprehended by rural people in Nigeria, Niger and Burkina Faso (Hausa and French ) were transferred to the GSM phones through Bluetooth to augment the demonstrations performed in various villages. The use of GSM phones was due to the realisation of the project of the expanded use of those phones in rural areas of Nigeria and other African countries (Moussa, 2009). Integrated ICTs (Radio, posters, video and mobile phones) were used in this project and tremendously increased the rate of adoption of this technology (PICS), thereby increase in the income level of the adopters, when sold the cowpea during lean period, and more importantly improved the health conditions of the people. Radio is the most persistently used conventional/traditional communication medium that is capable of transmitting various information to different set of people(FAO., 2004). According to (Chapman, 2003), radio has the capabilities of reaching farmers, regardless of their educational status and provide relevant information in the language they can understand. They emphasised that, radio is the cheapest means of providing information with exceptional power of linking the modern and conventional technologies for improving the livelihoods of the rural people. (Okwu, 2007) argued that, radio is the most widely appropriate medium used by all research and extension systems to extend messages to rural people, with little intellectualism to reach the remote places that could not be reach by the extension workers. The sensitive assessment of great impact of radio in Nigeria is related to the findings of Iro, 2006 that, radio is the most preferred means of educating pastoral Fulani, which they found portable, even when herding. The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) utilises radio and television to introduce educational and enlighten programmes to Fulani. Educational status of Fulani is still low, despite the programmes aired for educating them, the enrolment pattern of their children in Nomadic schools is very low when compared with children of farmers in the same schools. The possible explanation to this is the nature of their movements from one place to another, which could affect the reception of the radio in some areas. It can also be attributed to lack of clear information about the time when the programmes are to be broadcasted and the content of the language. With all little things taken care of, and increasing level of awareness, educational and enlighten programmes would reduce the Fulani/farmer conflict that is persistently affect agricultural production in Nigeria. However, with all the benefits of radio as conventional ICT in Nigeria, the current status of telecommunication system after the sector has been reformed, is the emergence of many private radio stations. Those radio stations are profit-oriented, attached exorbitant charges to programmes sponsored by Non-governmental organisations, with little or no consideration to agricultural related programmes. While the public radio stations are producer-driven, inclined more to programmes that are satisfying the interest of the government. Television and Video: Are important communication tools, ideals for demonstration of various techniques for easily understanding. They have an additional value of displaying motion pictures, essential for teaching and learning processes. Many farmers are reached and stimulated about the new ideas(Ifran, 2006). When appropriately used, it is a source of reliable information, but most people considered it more as entertainment tools (Kari, 2007). According to (Omotayo, 2005), video has the potentials of using undistorted messages to reach large number of farmers, since it doesnt depend on any reception/coverage patterns. Video could be use to inspire individuals to involve in various planning and implementation stages of agricultural activities. It allows farmers and extension agents to edit and document important events like agricultural shows. Telephone: There was remarkable increased in telephone lines in Nigeria when GSM was introduced in 2001. GSM lines were then 450,000, raised to over 38 million lines in 2007. The teledensity increased accordingly from 0.4 to 24 g/cm3 (Adeyinka, 2009). Telephones are available in either fixed or mobile form. Telephones are the rapidly spread ICT that cover large area in exchange of messages across various agricultural components of farmers, research and extension. According to (Shaibu, 2008) telephones are used by famers to access the agricultural markets conveniently. This helps in having knowledge about real situations in various markets, so as to enhance market efficiency and consistency. It can be integrated with computer for internet connectivity. Telephones are used by farmers to seek for immediate attention of extension agents during disease outbreak or other consultations which are prevented by geographical barriers. Nomadic Fulani are relating efficiently with veterinary assistants through mobile phones as long as there are network coverage. Computers : For agricultural information to be sufficient through web technology, established connection is needed between computers and internet service providers. Such connection is useful for generation, compilation, dissemination and exchange of agricultural information (Zaman, 2002). Internet is therefore used by farmers to realise appropriate agricultural information that can be useful to adopt and utilise various innovations.(Munyau, 2000) explained that, world wide web (www) is used as important tool for creating awareness and providing agricultural information to farmers, while email services complements the www function , through establishing interactive linkages and effective feedback mechanism. High cost of computer hard and soft wares and lack of computer literacy prevent rural people from using computer and other internet services effectively in evaluating relevant information about current technological advancements. THE WAYS ICT HELP RESEARCH AND EXTENSION IN OVERCOMING THE CONSTRAINTS OF ADOPTION OF INNOVATION IN NIGERIA: The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has divided its agricultural research institutes into five (5) agro-ecological zones, and these zones are liable for effective linkages between research and extension components. There are various senders and receivers of agricultural innovations and ideas that are involved in the communication of agricultural technologies to rural communities. Such communication sources are considered obnoxious when sent to the farmers at a later stage of agricultural production (Obayelu, 2010). There are eighteen (18) agricultural research centres in Nigeria that are solely responsible for improving the local crop varieties and developing new ones that are conducive to the existing farming situations, like rice, sugarcane, cassava, banana, soyabean to mentioned but a few.(Faturoti, 2006). Research and extension components have distinctive functions in agricultural development. The research component is responsible for providing science-based innovations, which is significant for creating the much needed change to agricultural productivity. While the extension components conveyed the innovations to the farmers for adoption, and in turn communicate the results, expectations and problems of the farmers to research component. For the roles of these components to be effective, there should be well coordinated linkage between them, which will enable each component to realise its potentials. In an effort to develop and strengthen these linkages, the FGN established various systems, like On-Farm Adaptive Research (OFAR), Farming System Research (FSR), Small Plot Adoption Techniques (SPAT) and Research- Extension Farmer- Input Linkage system (REFILS). Although, the systems are relevant in providing much needed interaction, the FGN failed to support the linkages financially. There is the need to provide effective means with less cost and highly satisfactory result. This could only be achieved through integrating ICT for reinforcing the linkages (Lawal-Adebowale, 2008). The roles of ICT in augmenting the services of agricultural research are considered significant in adoption of innovation. This can be achieved through ways in which the results of some findings generated by research institutions can be extended to farmers, which is associated with changing agricultural information systems, such that the information about new agricultural innovations can be assessed by farmers through the web-based information systems. This helps in providing access to relevant publications directly. Efficiency of agricultural research could be enhanced by making soft wares that are related to agriculture more readily available. Accessibility of research soft ware is highly intensified in International Agricultural Research Centres. It is particularly important to involve various stakeholders, so that high interactive sessions for improving information generation and utilisation among farmers can be achieved successfully. Agricultural development and improving the quality of peoples life in Nigeria and other developing countries depends to a greater extent on the viability of the nations agricultural research and extension systems (NARES). Investment in NAREs, by the FGN becomes necessary for achieving the much needed progress in agricultural development. World Bank provides sufficient loans to Nigerias agriculture, specifically to Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) and research institutions for effective performance. Nigerian Agricultural extension system passed through various stages of development from commodity focus to professional services which have vision for farmers production potentials. ADPs are available in all States, still the most dignified extension service delivery in Nigeria, involving Local Government staff for carrying out various tasks. REFILS provides the desirable linkages for various stakeholders to interact in generating appropriate technology, assigning responsibilities to the actors involved and strategise the effectiveness of the modified training and visit extension system. Farmers and private sector involvement is still low in technological development and planning of the programme, with strengthen linkage mechanism. NARES and private sector (commercial and NGOs) provides specialised roles in the linkages, while the former is responsible for technological development, the later is engaged in the provision of essential inputs and supply services of credit and marketing. The major partners in REFILS are the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS) of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and the project coordinating unit (PCU). Non-Governmental organisations i.e. profit and non-profit oriented, joined extension services in Nigeria. The non profit oriented are providing extension services in a participatory inclined approach and weak linkages to NARS and public extension services. (NAERLS., 2002) ascertained that, in Nigeria, extension agents are the most effective means through which farmers have information about innovation. Until the intervention of State-wide ADP in 1980, the ratio of extension agent to farmer was 1: 2000, sometimes 1: 3000. They further realised that, the ratio ranges from 1: 848 in South Western zone to 1: 1,650 in North Western zone, with more wider range when it involves women extension agents. The ratio failed to meet the recommendation of FAO of 1:500. This therefore calls of integrating ICTs for cost effective and wider coverage of extension services that can complement the existing usage of ICTs in research and extension to overcome the problems of adoption of innovation. The inclusion of modern ICTs to complement the existing conventional ICTs becomes imperative for making the farmers more knowledgeable about the current agricultural practices for increased in productivity. According to (Arokoyo, 2002), the roles of ICT in research and extension is traced after the establishment of ADP as World Bank assisted project. The strategy utilised the T V extension services in developing effective communication system. It was achieved through the use of mobile cinema vans, moving from one rural area to another, with extension publications that are printed in the languages easily understood by the people. Successful implementation of which led to additional ICTs like radio, video and television in the mobile vans, when the bank increased the assistance. ADPs in various states extends its extension messages through radio and television programmes. National Agricultural Technology Support Project (NATSP) was established by ADP, as one of its second developmental phase in 1996, with Development Support Commission (DSC) units, which increased the viewing facilities. Through NATSP, more radio listening clubs were formed. (NAERLS., 2002) examined that, in the year, 2002, 70% of the states ADPs utilised one or more radio programs to broadcast agricultural information to farmers in their local languages that enhance proper understanding. The findings further revealed that, more than 48% of the ADPs broadcasts are relevant agricultural programmes in the television. The CTA-supported Questions and Answers service in Nigeria used by NAERLS and nine (9) collaborative institution popularly known as Nigerian Question and Answer Service (NAQAS) has revolutionalised the ICT in research and extension. Users of NAQAS are provided with information required through references, factional information referral and advisory services. In a similar development, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in partnership with International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Communication for Change (CFC), NAERLS and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, established the Information and Communication Support (ICS) for agricultural growth in Nigeria, with aim of strengthen capacity of farmer assistance organisations to package and disseminate information to farmers, thus, enhancing information flow(Ogunyinka, 2002). The project was started in eight ADPs states. (Ogunyinka, 2002) emphasised that, the networking in the project involves all the stakeholders and farmer association. The major activity of ICS is establishment of farmer resource centre in each of the eight states. The centres are supposed to have and utilised the following ICTs; Radio and Television, Camera and Video, Computer with internet facilities, Telephone and Fax, Scanner, Photocopier and Printer, Cassette recorder/player, Generator and Lamination and Spiral binding machine. The NAQAS and ICS are established to use ICTs in improve horizontal exchange of ideas among the farmers, thus improving extension services. The information flow focus on the end-users (user-driven), in order to satisfy their needs. Establishing integrated ICTs like NAQAS, ICS and other telecentres are exceptionally significant towards providing a relevant and reliable information to the farmers living in rural areas. It is important to note that, any sustainable information development that entails using modern and conventional ICTs that is not encouraging a strong linkage between research/extension and the farmers should not have a significant impact in agricultural development. In Nigeria, the linkages between extension and farmers is highly intensified, while that, between research and farmers is relatively weak. This can be attributed to the low level of literacy for assessing information easily, on part of the farmers and weak contacts to the farmers, depending on extension component to disseminate information and more emphasis on the managerial activities. The constraints the NAQAS and ICS may likely face is the domination of accessibility of such centres by researchers and other literate individuals in t he communities. The centres are supposed to provide intensive trainings to farmers for proper utilisation of the resources. The sustainability of this and other related projects that are funded by international organisations, tend to terminates if such funding terminates. The Local, State and Federal Governments are expected to consistently monitor and evaluate the activities of such centres for achieving the desired objectives. The status of ICT in agricultural research and extension organisations in South Western Nigeria was assessed by Lawal-A., 2008, analysed that, all the eight agricultural research institutes and six extension organisations except, Osun State ADP, had computers, internet facilities and telephone system. Telex/fax machines were available in four research institutes, and two extension organisations. The result however, shows that, the ICTs were only found in some offices at the headquarters. The research and extension personnel with whom the field works are assigned have little access to such facilities. Adequate ICT infrastructure is necessary for agricultural development and the effect of such development could not be felt with the marginal improvement in ICTs infrastructural facilities (Institute., 2005). Kano State ADP is currently using mobile telephones to call for meetings, workshops and other important information to farmer groups. More than 12,000 farmer groups were formed, each group comprises of 25 members. Focus group discussion and use of existing traditional groups were the techniques used in forming the groups. Each group has a leader possessing a functional mobile phone through which the head of extension unit of the ADP contact them for important messages that deserve immediate attention. Thus, the use of mobile phones facilitates communication and established reliable linkages between the extension and rural farmers. From the discussions, it was observed that, research and extension in Nigeria are currently using integrated ICTs in motivating farmers to adopt various innovations. However, the use of effective individual ICTs are relevant for extending messages to fa

Integrating Anthropogenic Pollutants to Hard Red Wheat for Analysis of

Within the last century society’s reliance on petroleum and petroleum based products increased drastically. Currently the United States, the planet’s largest petroleum consumer, consumes twenty-five percent of the planet’s total petroleum, while only holding two percent of the natural resource (Banerjee, 2012). This has led to environmental catastrophes and cultural dependencies. Environmental catastrophes, which include the British Petroleum (BP) Deepwater Horizon Gulf spill, have demonstrated how a society dependent on petroleum can negatively affect the environment. Currently the Gulf is still undergoing heavy renovation to restore the once naturally rich environment. Oil spills, like the Deepwater Horizon, have led to growing concern about the chemicals society as a whole use and the effects they have on the environment. These catastrophes have led to hot topic debates, mainly due to the harmful anthropogenic pollutants entering the environment, which include global warming fresh water and soil quality. With these concerns arising, the need to protect the environment from anthropogenic pollutants entering the environment is in dire need. Anthropogenic pollutions can enter the soil directly or indirectly. This can originate from leaks, run-offs, mid-night dumping, improper discharge of chemical waste and a wide variety of other sources. Regulation to prevent pollution is in place by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States and the World Health Organization (WHO) in Europe. However, societies have become reliant on petroleum and petroleum based products, so the need to adapt and evolve becomes necessary in order to combat these pollutants. Adapting and evolving becomes a necessity if a society... ...cessed on March . 13, 2012. Banks K.M, and Schultz E. K. 2005. â€Å"Comparison of Plants for Germination Toxicity Test in Petroleum-Contaminated Soils.† Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 167: 211- 219. Dominguez-Rosado Elena, and John Pichtel. 2004. â€Å"Phytoremediation of Soil Contaminated with Used Motor Oil: II. Greenhouse Studies.† Environmental. Engineering Science 21:169-180. Gillian Adam, and Harry Duncan. 2002. â€Å"Influence of diesel fuel on seed .germination.† Environmental Pollution 120: 363.370. Scotts Miracle Gro. 2012. â€Å"Osmocote Potting Soil.† http://www.scotts.com/smg/catalog/productTemplate.jsp?proId=prod10650020&. itemId=cat10290002&tabs=general. Assessed on March 21, 2003. Tang Jingchun, Wang Min, Wang Fei, Qing Sun, and Qizing Zhou. 2011. â€Å"Eco-toxicity of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil.† Journal of Environmental Science 23: 845-85.1.

Pluto or Neptune Essay

   Dr. Derik Johnson is highly acclaimed for his knowledge and research in physics. He has done a lot of research on the force of gravitation, and has a very conclusive notion in his mind that if sun’s gravitational pull is so great that it can compel a system of 9 planets to rotate around itself, then objects on earth, which is relatively very near to the sun as compared to Pluto or Neptune, should also fall towards sun, and not down towards the centre of the planet. He defies Newtonian theory on gravitational pull. Years of concentrated research on this notion, enable him to make a device, which can reverse the gravitational pull on any object. His joy does not know any limits, on this achievement. This is a device, which has a flat surface and which can be held in ones hand. Once the flat surface is made to face the Sun for 5 minutes, it gathers enough energy to change the gravitational field acting on any body. So, if he points this device to a person walking on road, it would appear to him as if, the person is getting carried upwards. To a common person, this device appears as if it is a round mirror of 5 inches diameter, and nothing else. Dr.Derik’s close friend John Mathew, is a shrewd businessman with acute sense of business opportunities. It was because of this sense of turning innovations into business, that he was a very wealthy man today. As a close friend, he discusses Dr. Derik discusses his invention with John, who perceives a gigantic business opportunity in this device. Now, tons and tons of load can be lifted upwards, with this small device !!!!! No extra energy no extra efforts !!! His shrewd business mind tells him that cranes and lifting devices could be a thing of past, if this invention could be turned into a working, marketable product. Both work together, incessantly, to bring out a commercially viable product, which can make any object move upward, just by pointing towards it. This product creates as storm in the market, and becomes an outright success. It becomes a minting machine for this duo. This run for minting money through this product, did not last long. Barely within a few months of its existence, reports of varied misuse of the product started flowing in and making headlines in the news channels and papers. While it proved very beneficial to the industry which had real time applications, it became a nuisance for others. Mrs. Alice, the head of an NGO, filed a law suit against this company, on behalf of a young girl, Edwina. It so happened that a boy studying with Edwina was madly in love with her, and wanted to marry her. Edwina was in no mood to agree to his proposal, and had been rejecting this boy consistently. So, this boy, uses this device, to shoot a small clip, with her walking above the surface of the earth. Since she was wearing a skirt at that time, the camera was able to shoot her private parts also. This was obviously very embarrassing to Edwina. Her MMS clips started circulating around the campus, then the town and then to the whole world through the internet. Edwina reported this case to Mrs. Alice, who was very upset at knowing her story. She approached the courts, and filed a law suit against the manufacturers, demanding a very heavy penalty in favor of Edwina, and immediate withdrawal of all the products from the market, and closing down the manufacturing unit. The court, decides to withdraw all the products from the market, pay heavy compensation to Edwina, but does not order closing down of the manufacturing unit. Instead, it issues an order that the product could be marketed to genuine customers only, who have to obtain a license to buy this product. The court also orders Dr. Derik to improvise the design in such a way that only a person with very high technical skills can use it. ( Dear customer : the resemblances are as follows : Dr. Derik – Dr. Frankenstein, the product – the monster, Edwina- William who was the victim, John- Henry, and Mrs. Alice- Elizabeth). Reference: 1) Victor Frankenstein, Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, retrieved on 5 january 2008 from : < http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Victor_Frankenstein >

Labor Supply and Demand Scenario Custom Research

Area of Employment The area of employment that will be used for this analysis is the real estate industry; more precisely, the specific job function that will be the basis for the analysis is the real estate agent.   The hypothetical shift that will shape the subsequent sections of this scenario is a high job growth rate. Why Has the Shift Occurred? The shift has occurred due to an increased demand for real estate, which has led to an increased demand for real estate agents to serve the needs of potential buyers.   It should be noted, however, that this shift has emerged in the real estate industry due to the fact that real estate presents an environment of perfect competition, whereby there are many competitors who can freely pursue opportunities in a free market setting (Mankiw, 2004). Direction of Shift in Labor Supply and Demand In a scenario that represents increased numbers of real estate agents due to additional potential buyers of real estate, there are several economic factors at work.   First, as demand for the product of real estate increases, so will the price of real estate, given a limited supply.   Likewise, the demand for agents to sell the real estate will increase, and the cost of those agents (real wages) will increase while at the same time, the supply of agents will likely decrease. This is a demonstration of the neoclassical theory of distribution (Mankiw, 2004). Effect of the Scenario on Labor Market Equilibrium The effect that this scenario will have on labor market equilibrium is that as the supply of available real estate agents decreases, the price of those agents (wages) will increase. This in turn may slow the demand for agents overall if lower priced alternatives are sought, such as less employees taking on more responsibility.   This is a classic example of equilibrium in labor demand (Mankiw, 2004). References (Mankiw N G 2004 Principles of Economics)Mankiw, N. G. (2004). Principles of Economics (3rd ed.). Chicago: Thomson South-Western.      

Learning theorists Essay

In most cases, the more students use construction to understand new material-the more they use what they already know to help them understand and interpret the material-the more effectively they will store it in long-term-memory. Different people often construct different meanings from the same stimuli, in part because they each bring their own unique experiences and knowledge bases to the same situation. For example, when the â€Å"Rocky† passage on page 267 was used in an experiment with college students, physical education majors frequently interpreted it as a wrestling match, but music education majors (most of whom had little or no knowledge of wrestling) were more likely to think that it was about a prison break. Furthermore, people often interpret what they see and hear based on what they expect to see and hear. Prior knowledge and expectations are especially likely to influence learning when new information is ambiguous. As teachers, we will find our students constructing their own idiosyncratic meanings and interpretations for virtually all aspects of the classroom curriculum. For example, as the Rocky exercise illustrates, the activity of reading is often quite constructive in nature: Students combine the ideas that they read with their prior knowledge and then draw logical conclusions about what the text is trying to communicate. So, too, will we find constructive processes in subject areas like math, science, and social studies. When we want our students to interpret classroom subject matter in particular ways, we must be sure to communicate clearly and unambiguously, so that there is little room for misinterpretation. Retrieval isn’a always an all-or-nothing phenomenon. Sometimes we retrieve only certain parts of whatever information we are looking for in long-term memory. In such situations, we may construct our â€Å"memory† of an event by combining the tidbits we can retrieve with our general knowledge and assumptions about the world. Were you able to retrieve the missing letters from your long-term memory? If not, then you may have found yourself making reasonable guesses, using either your knowledge of how the words are pronounced or your knowledge of how words in the English language are typically spelled. For example, perhaps you used the I before e except after c rule for word 4; if so, then you reconstructed the correct spelling of retrieval. Perhaps you used your knowledge that ance is a common word ending. Unfortunately, if you used this knowledge for word 2, then you spelled existence incorrectly. Neither pronunciation nor typical English spelling patterns would have helped you with hors d’oeuvre, a term borrowed from French. When people fill in the gaps in what they’ve retrieved based on what seems â€Å"logical,† they often make mistakes-a form of forgetting called reconstruction error. Our own students sometimes will fall victim to reconstruction error, pulling together what they can recall in ways that we may hardly recognize. If important details are difficult to fill in logically, we must make sure our students learn them well enough that they can retrieve them directly from their long-term memories.