Agricultural Production in Ancient Civilizations Essay

During the period of 500 C. E – 1000 C. E. ancient civilizations in North and South America and China cultivated and gradually moved from the hunting and gathering lifestyles. These civilizations drifted towards food collection and then farming. This approach, crops and attitudes toward agriculture varied with culture. With the Native Americans and the Ancient Chinese during 500 C. E – 1000 C. E. have both differences and similarities towards agricultural production. Document 1, tells of a story about how Maria Manuela de Cora (an Inca Author) passes along ancient legends. One that is called â€Å"Seeds† that says that one day the son of the sun kills a child that was made by the sun. The son of the sun got scared of the anger of his father and scattered about the world the pieces of his murdered brother. It tells that his body parts like his teeth grew corn. This would be a story about the creation of corn, why it was there and how. However, document 7 talks of an Ancient Chinese Legend. This talks more about that fact that if you took the weeds you could fertilize the farmer’s crops. With each story tells something to do with farming. How that one, thing is made or how to make their crops better. Document 5, is a diagram of a hunting scene and peasants working in a field in Ancient China. This illustration gave a reason for historians to track the development of tool- and weapon making in organization in agrarian and artisan production as well as the leisure activities of officials and the landed elites. With document 3 talks about Mesoamerican origins. Historians talk about that current archaeological evidence cannot pinpoint a single location where Indian agriculture began or determine precisely why the Indians became agriculturists. They did though have records that suggested that the cultivation and domestication of plants. With the painting and the records gave historians a better view of each hunting scene and peasants working in fields. During the period of 500 C. E – 1000 C. E. ancient civilizations in North and South America and China cultivated and gradually moved from the hunting and gathering lifestyles. These civilizations drifted towards food collection and then farming. With this approach, crops and attitudes toward agriculture varied with culture. With the Native Americans and the Ancient Chinese during 500 C. E – 1000 C. E. have both differences and similarities towards agricultural production. Showing that China was more into the facts then stories like Mesoamerica to explain the reasoning of agricultural in both of China and Native Americans.

Managing quality customer servise in a gaming webste company

Working in the assumption that I am managing a team that provides content for a gaming website whose ultimate goal is to land a spot in Alexa Ranking’s Top Ten (preferably to take over the number one slot; and the company is currently playing around the 1,500 position), this paper will draft the customer service and complaint image that my company must adapt to attract more page hits and views that will result to the company ultimately achieving its goal. Although website readers may be violently contested as not being strictly customers, they are the ones that click on links and generate Google ads – therefore, it is their support that keeps a website afloat. With that reason, readers can be classified as customers. As the content of a website is the product that this kind of customers ‘purchase’, it is necessary that everything that goes up on a website – the articles, the advertisements, and the layout – is of high quality. Keeping in my mind the truth that readers are the lifeline of a website, my company should live with the following vision/mission: Mission: Provide the readers around the globe necessary information on the latest generation of gaming consoles: Microsoft’s Xbox 360, Sony’s PlayStation 3, and Nintendo’s Wii for home consoles and Sony PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS/DS Lite for hand consoles. This we should do by updating the website 24/7 with fresh news gathered from each console-maker’s press kits and websites and from other reliable sources and websites. â€Å"Necessary† will be defined by the readers themselves through a number of steps with the sole purpose of getting pertinent opinion from them. After all, â€Å"Customer service is meeting the needs and expectations of the customer as defined by the customer.† (Directory Journal, 2007) Vision: The above mission, if executed properly, will create for the company a certain image that will make it more appealing to readers and, ultimately, sponsors. It is therefore inevitable that with the mission goes the following vision: 1.The website will be known as the most up-to-date websites around. 2. It will be in the top ten of Alexa’s Top Sites. 3. It will be known that the website is reader-oriented and always keeps the readers’ opinions into consideration, making changes according to popular demand. 4.It will, by page views and hits alone, generate enough income to keep the company afloat. 5.It will, through additional income from advertisements, expand to covering other issues and or stories that may or may not be gaming-related but still caters to what the present and future readers want. To be able to achieve the company’s mission/vision, it will be essential to create a great customer service plan that will improve the current service, leading to maintaining the present readers and expanding the website’s reach. According to Martin (1989), there are five steps a company must undergo to make that leap from â€Å"where the customer service is now† to â€Å"where you want it to be†: 1. Understand your customers. 2. Set superior service standards. 3.Build a winning team. 4.Check up regularly. 5.Provide proactive problem solving. These steps will roughly be the basis for the company’s building of a better customer service management. First and foremost, the company should be able to get the demographics of the readers and then gather the reasons why these readers support the website. Currently, the website can be accessed by anybody – members and non-members alike. This works to the site’s advantage because it lets anybody else view the content, encouraging more readers to visit the site and possibly bookmark it for future viewing. But this will make it hard for the company to outline who the readers are (‘understanding customers’). While it is in the best interest of the company to make it open, it will also be wise to ‘force’ the visitors of the site to register, hence making it easier to track the audience. To go about this, the company should create content that will be exclusive only to members – example are reviews to high-profile games are exclusive downloads of trailers and demos. To make this move popular with the viewers of the site, the following steps should be undertaken: Put up an article announcing that members will now start getting more for their continued support. The article should highlight that aside being able to post comments, which is the only privilege they are currently enjoying, they will now be able to access exclusive content. It should be emphasized that membership is totally free. Make the sign-up box more prominent and place a visible link to the article explaining why they should become a member. Place a ‘testimonials’ corner where members can rave about the advantages of being a member. In short, make the non-members realize that they are indeed missing out on a lot of exciting materials. Of course, aside from making it easier for the company to note the demographics of its readers, the move to make exclusive content will also give the website an air of excitement that is sure to buzz through the Internet pipeline, and this is sure to attract more readers. To ensure that the website delivers exactly what the readers want, the company should undergo a three-fold process of knowing reader preferences. The first fold involves a team focused on mapping out customer trends. The team will concentrate on checking out which articles of the company’s website – which we’ll now dub as GamingWebsite.com – actually generate more page views and positive comments. This will also go hand-in-hand with determining what the readers’ complaints are by sifting through the comments. Going out of GamingWebsite.com and scanning the worldwide web for any comments on the site will be tasked to another team. Since not everybody deem it necessary to leave a comment on the actual website and are sometimes taken to spreading their opinions via other means (Ilett, 2007), this team will have to actively scan forums plus blogs and check out what the people are saying about GamingWebsite.com and try to thank the people for any praises posted. If utterly necessary, the members of this particular team will also rectify any damage a detrimental comment may cause; this will be done through a polite and apologizing manner so as not to make the commenter feel attacked. Having this team is not only useful in knowing what the people are saying about the company but can also boost the company’s website. GamingWebsite.com’s constant presence on readers’ personal forums and blogs can make the readers feel important making them keener to spread word that the company’s website is not just another website because is aims to build a more personal connection. Also a must for getting reader preference is the installation of chat support, implementation of an â€Å"e-mail us† campaign, and dissemination of e-mail surveys. Right now, the only way a reader can communicate to a writer or administrator of the site is via article comment, making general comments, complaints, and commendations lost in article-related comments. Having a chat support and an â€Å"e-mail us† campaign will provide a venue for all these, making it easier for the company to address any issues brought about by the readers. And to be able to acquire the exact information the company wants from its readers, it may opt to send out a quarterly survey e-mail to all members. This tracking of the audience will now make it possible to put up articles that are less a result of whim and more of reason (MacGregor). Therefore, all information gathered from the measures mentioned above – demographics, customer trends, persistent positive and negative feedbacks from non-GamingWebsite.com sites, constant chat and e-mail support issues, and results of surveys – will have to be forwarded to the team leaders of the writing team. The team leaders would then have to map out what kind of articles should and should not be put up on the site. With a number of new processes, the company structure would definitely have to change – but not that drastically. New teams assigned to the new processes would just have to be created under a new roof called â€Å"Customer Research†. The greatest impact of this to the existing teams will be the enforcement of a more evidence-based editing of articles. With information straight from the readers themselves, the researchers will now know exactly which leads to forward to the writers and editors will have a more definitive reason for denying an article. Because of this, the writing team will now not have to â€Å"make their way in the dark† but instead would have enhanced professionalism due to the fact that everybody is unified in having a clear view of the path the company is supposed to tread. As have been mentioned above, this new customer service management plan will create this image that GamingWebsite.com creates a personal relationship with its readers and its primary aim is to please the readers. With the clearly drafted survey e-mail that communicates that the website is aimed at delivering exactly what the readers want to read, it will be hard for the readers to deny that GamingWebsite.com is serous about publishing only articles that matters. This image will surely raise the bar as to customer expectations but with the continuing exercise of the new customer service management, the website will be able to meet these expectations. Indeed, catering to an online audience is hard, especially since the product is also hard to gauge. There are a lot of websites out there and a lot of them will also cater to the same audience, but keeping a scientific approach will definitely give one an edge. But it cannot all be science; there should also be just the right amount of personalization that will make the readers feel that the website is not just about business and generating page views and ads but is also about making a connection. This is the formula that the new image and the set of actions detailed are trying to aim for. And with people naturally wanting attention, the formula is a cinch to succeed. List of References Directory Journal. 2007. How to Create a Customer Service Plan 2007. [online]. [Accessed 11 August 2007]. Available from World Wide Web: . Ilett, D. 2007. How to find out what’s being said about you. [online]. [Accessed 11 August 2007]. Available from World Wide Web: . MacGregor, P. 2007. Tracking the Online Audience. Journalism Studies, 8 (2), pp. 280-298. Martin, W.B. 1989. Managing Quality Customer Service: A Crisp Fifty-Minute Series Book. Boston, MA: Course Technology. WIKIPEDIA. N.d. Customer service [online]. [Accessed 11 August 2007]. Available from World Wide Web: .

Synthesizing two books regarding business Essay

Synthesizing two books regarding business - Essay Example I prove not be a very good team member, may be because I am an introvert. Hence, my introversion is the basic reason why I cannot work in teams, and hence, my practical projects suffer. 2. As I already said, introversion and inability communicate well are the basic factors that make me unable to work in teams and groups. I am shy, get nervous at times, and lack leadership qualities. Collaborating with other team members and making them understand my viewpoint becomes difficult for me. When I do not convey my messages properly, they do not understand, and hence, my queries remain unsolved, due to which I do not understand a part of or many parts of the project at hand. This is how all of these factors interrelate to make me lag behind in practical work. 4. Holistic tradition persuades students to work in groups and engage in vigorous group activities to discuss and experiment with their topic while focusing on the practical illustrations. The team leader serves as a facilitator rather than an instructing boss, and this aids other team members in better communicating with the leader and with other members of the group, and in getting an improved understanding of complicated problems related to the project. To narrow down the performance gap I identified earlier, I need to learn to better communicate with peers and get to know them better along with achieving a clearer concept about the topic in hand. I need to feel empowered and make others feel the same when we are given the chance to have the classroom all by ourselves, where we can sit in whichever manner we want and engage in healthy discussions full of enthusiasm. I need to take training classes to overcome my introversion and shyness. I need to attend seminars and training ses sions regarding communication. Hence, I plan to overcome my personal flaws through sessions and classes. I also plan to do research on the internet regarding brain exercises that can help

Mitigation and Response Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Mitigation and Response Plan - Research Paper Example The first priority of this program is to protect the America from terrorist attacks and coercion. Second on the list is to ensure secure national borders both the south and the North. Moreover it ensures laws governing immigration are followed to later. This department prosecutes those who go against the country laws. And finally, it assists communities to plan, respond and recuperate from disasters.DHS believes in the homeland security enterprise. This refers to the collective responsibility of Federal, state, local, tribal, private sector entities, non-governmental organizations, individuals and communities to beef up security abilities. These parties share a common interest in safeguarding and assuring security to the American population. Existence of sophisticated communication network between these parties and agencies provides crucial information that step up security measures across the country’s borders (Jean, 2003). Essentially, the ultimate goal of DHS is to ensure a safe homeland where citizens are assured of their liberties and protection of their privacy.DHS is among the most crucial element of the national enterprise. This department possesses unique abilities and responsibilities in securing and managing borders and systems of immigration.DHS undertakes leadership and stewardship roles in areas relating to critical infrastructure protection and emergency management On the other hand, DHS in liaison with other departments and agencies have key roles and responsibilities to undertake on areas like defense, diplomacy and counterterrorism. Some of these departments or agencies include justice, Defense and state, the National Counterterrorism Center and Federal Bureau of Investigation. On policy making, the white house plays a key role in giving direction and helps in coordinating (Jean, 2003). This plan intends to explicitly outline mitigation and response actions towards averting a terrorist crime on borders and the possible measures and effe ctive strategic plan to be embraced to manage risks on the national borders. It is notable that chapter 2, subsection 6 of the USA constitution provides that, the main responsibility is to defend the United States of America and its territories. Some of the risks that face the United States today, include Al-Qaeda and global terrorism, wide-scale cyber attacks, pandemics and major accidents, illicit trafficking and smaller scale terrorist attacks (Jean, 2003). This plan intends to use Al-Qaeda and Taliban global terrorist attack as an example of a crisis in this case study. Terrorist attack has become a major shock wave in the United States of America. Focus on the plan‘s suitability and efficiency on mitigating and responding to the crisis shall be considered. There has been several Al-Qaeda and Taliban attempted attacks on America before and after 11 2001.For instance, on 12 October 2000. Al-Qaeda attacked the USS Cole in Yemen. This incident occurred on the port of Aden. On e year Later this al-Qaeda directed a very serious attack on several buildings in America, which left many people dead. This remains memorable and listed among the worst terrorist attack in the world. After the 2001 terrorist attack, al-Qaeda has since then directed attacks

Facebook. What is the real true of founding Facebook Essay

Facebook. What is the real true of founding Facebook - Essay Example Facebook is one of the biggest web sites in the world and is visited by 400 million people a month.It made Mark Zuckerberg,its founder,one of the richest young men in the world.In the book â€Å"The Accidental Billionaires† and the movie â€Å"Social Network†,the story of how Zuckerberg gained five hundred million friends through Facebook but lost his best friend Edurado Saverin is portrayed. The story has many ups and downs, but is a truly fascinating one. Facebook has revolutionized the way that people communicate and interact in a social manner. In many ways, it has brought the world closer together. The fact that it destroyed so many friendships among those who created it is a very ironic fact. A great deal of attention has been paid to this issue, and for good reason: it is a highly dramatic one. In both the â€Å"Accidental Billionaires† and the â€Å"Social Network† the story is dramatized and presented for all to see. The reader and viewer comes to see how money got between friends and how ruthless business practices destroyed relationships. As Facebook got bigger, things became more complicated. Eduardo began trying to implement new business ideas without telling Mark. In one email exchange that has become public Mark wrote to Eduardo as follows: â€Å"You developed Joboozle knowing that at some point Facebook would probably want to do something with jobs. This was pretty surprising to us, because you basically made something on the side that will end up competing with Facebook and that's pretty bad by itself.

Spanish Film Review Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Spanish Film - Movie Review Example Ignacio approaches the priest at the Catholic School where he attended as a boy and confronts Father Manolo, who molested Ignacio when he was a boy at the school. Ignacio threatens Manolo with publishing a fictionalized account of the molestation. Enrique is intrigued with this script because it accurately represented what happened to the real Ignacio, however, he suspects that the man who presented the script was not really Ignacio. His suspicions prove correct, and it turns out that Father Manolo, with the help of Ignacio’s brother Juan (who is now posing as Ignacio), murdered Ignacio by giving Ignacio pure heroin which caused an overdose. This was ironic, because, at Enrique’s urging, the ending to the script was changed to where the priest had Ignacio killed. This film is reflective of Spanish culture, in that the culture has become more liberalized with regards to homosexuality and homosexual themes. Therefore, the protagonist, Enrique, can be portrayed sympathetically, even though he is a homosexual. It also is timely, in that it’s focus is on priestly pedophilia, and this is a topic which is currently in the news on a regular basis. The sexual issues in the film enhance the story because these issues show the problems created by pedophiliac priests. One has the suspicion that perhaps Ignacio would not have the problems that he had in life- the drug problem, the sexual identity problems, etc. – if the priest did not molest him. Therefore, the sexual issues in the film give clarity and focus to the central themes.

Solving problems and making decisions Coursework

Solving problems and making decisions - Coursework Example For instance, a while ago we in the business-planning department observed that the companies have fallen out there track in one of the major business elements. Therefore, we start digging the facts to try to rectify the problems to enable reinstatement in the right path. After we identify the problems, we escalated the solutions to the management to take the decision for the problem solving. We are currently undergoing various challenges regarding our attempts to manage the flow of oil and gas production especially after the collapse in oil prices. The greatest challenge is that the business continuity, the nature and effectiveness of the staffs will help the organization in overcoming any problems. As a member of the organization, we face significant workforce challenges because of collapse in oil prices. This calls for a reevaluation of our problem cycle regime specifically as it appertains to an economic recession. The report offers a guidepost for identifying and solving problems in my organization; I sought out various guideposts to effective problem identification and compiled various solutions drawn from the best practices The falling out of the company in one of the major business elements requires a managerial team that who gather data and analyze the business element as the first step in finding the solution to the problem. Additionally, the team needs to identify some possible solutions while weighing up the advantages, disadvantages and risks of the business element in within the organization. Finally, the team needs to decide the most appropriate action to bring back the business element on track. The solutions to the problems of bringing back the business element need to gain acceptance among the administrative team through theproper analysis of the advantages, disadvantages and risks of the business element.Moreover, the team must follow the appropriate model in developing the solutions as going through various stages such as

Summary of Book Chapter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary of Book Chapter - Essay Example Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin led the Black women in the call for a national club movement that articulates their issues in political life. The organizers defined the main function of the club was to voice their concern on the issue of racism. At the convection, the Black mad a declaration that their movement was open to all unlike the white woman society marred with racist issues. According to Ashburn, â€Å"the national women movement has its directorship and leadership by women to benefit both men and women, ensuring the entire society has liberation from racist notions. The national movement requests the active participation of all men in the society. The movement will also request the participation of American women. The national movement will not alienate or withdraw any other group from joining us. We cordially invite likeminded clubs to join in the quest of freedom. Some of the predominant white clubs refused to come to meetings or the demonstrations since they did not have in terest in women studies. The process of intensifying white, Afro American, Asian, Latina, and Native American women must voice the issue of color as one of their prime agendas. Another issue of Afro-American women is the issue of unemployment that can empower them to earn a decent living in the society. The current economic strata classify the Afro American women as the last in employment. The Regan administration has a high unemployment where the issue affects mostly the black people that whites. A large number of the unemployed are Afro-American women that face utter frustration since unemployment insurance has expired. The current administration depicts an impoverished status of the Afro American women that boasts of a high population close to 14 million that face homelessness. The national movement will also discuss the issue of homelessness in one of its core agendas in an enthusiastic way since it relates to daily life experience. In 1987, United Nations makes a

Consumer Behavior phenomenon analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Consumer Behavior phenomenon analysis - Essay Example Through such analysis, it is the hope of this author that the reader will gain a more definitive and firm understanding with regards to the taxi application market and the way in which new startups are seeking to rapidly integrate and provide needed services for consumers within a given market. By utilizing this particular market as a microcosm of the way in which consumer interaction with given good service takes place in the way through which consumer demands as a two-way street upon the way in which marketers engage consumers, the reader will be able to come away with a more profound and delineated understanding of the way through which the process take place in a new and expansive market. The first question that will be discussed is with regards to the ultimate benefit that the consumer retains from integrating with the given service. Both articles references the fact that taxi apps have come to be a way through which the consumer’s life is greatly simplified and the proce ss of ordering a cab to a specific geographic location does not require an individual to be physically present upon the telephone with a dispatcher. In this way, the different start up firms that have sought to provide services via a web enabled and mobile platform have sought to fulfill the consumer’s needs through decreasing the barriers that had traditionally existed for people to call taxis. Similarly, with regards to why consumers ultimately consume the product/service offered, this can be understood with regards to the inelastic demand for transportation services. Whereas it is true that there is somewhat of an inelastic demand with regards to taxi service within various parts of the world, the social and cultural determinants of a particular region are the most powerful factors in helping to delineate whether or not taxi demand is considered a luxury item or standard expense. For instance, within the United States, taxi fare, depending on the city, is not considered as an essential complement of transportation; however, within various parts of Europe and Asia, transportation is very much something that individuals integrate with on a daily basis and come to rely upon as a fundamental service (Mance 1). In this way, the young startups that have been discussed within the articles in question focus upon the means through which marketers can seek to interact with the consumer in order to maximize the level of integration with the service. This is of course done via a number of mechanisms to include aggressive online advertising, sleek and streamlined interaction with the web interface, benefits of service and specific discounts based upon region, and a rapid push to dominate specific markets. Due to the fact that these young startups are ultimately enable, at least at the current juncture, to integrate with the broader market as a whole, and instead focus upon regional and geographic focus in order to engage the highest market share. The process itse lf is indicative of many of the processes that more established firms within the market currently make. However, what is unique about analyzing the competition and growth/development of the taxi applications is the fact that the nascent level of the current market allows for a clear delineation in the strategic approach and level of market outreach that each firm seeks to employ. As past business interaction has proven, the

The Stereotypical Male Character and Masculinity Essay Example for Free

The Stereotypical Male Character and Masculinity Essay Social pressure often compels people to do things against their own will. The role of the male in a society is based on a stereotypical figure which represents what all real men should be like. In Romeo and Juliet, the protagonist is an effeminate version of the males in his society. As a result, he is depressed and feels left out. Contrarily, Mercutio is a manlier and more provocative male which portrays the alpha male and all his obligations and responsibility that comes along in his society. In Brokeback Mountain, Jack and Ennis portray the image of American cowboys, but ultimately are unable to maintain this image due to their desire for each other. In Romeo and Juliet and Brokeback Mountain, the term masculinity differs depending on the time frame and restrains the role of the male in the society in which they live in. Masculinity works differently in Romeo and Juliet and Brokeback Mountain as it can be represented as an obligation, a facade or a constraint due to social pressure. In Romeo and Juliet, masculinity is regarded as a role that the male is obligated to take in order to satisfy the social construct of his time. Romeo is forced into real society and he feels that he does not have any alternative in his life. Consequently, he is depressed and hopes for someone that could free him of this desperation. Juliet serves as a catalyst in Romeo’s life as she convinces him to be who he is. Unfortunately, his role of the alpha male takes priority as his best friend, Mercutio dies: â€Å"My very friend, hath got this mortal hurt O sweet Juliet, / Thy beauty hath made me effeminate, / And in my temper softened valour’s steel† (Shakespeare act 3. 1, 110-15). Even though Romeo does not want to fight, he is forced to do so or else he would be seen as a coward who let his best friend die in vain. To mask his own weakness, he finds the excuse that Juliet’s beauty blinded his judgement. Furthermore, the harsh reality of the social construct is directly reflected through the family feud between the Capulets and the Montagues. For instance, Tybalt is portrayed as a ruthless thug powered only by his hatred of the Montagues. As such, he is convinced that â€Å"[Romeo] art a villain† (Shakespeare act 3. 1, 60). Romeo represents the complete opposite of the role of the male in his society. He is portrayed as an effeminate man driven by poetry and romance. In contrast, Tybalt plays the role of the straight forward stereotypical male of his time and shows that Romeo’s world is strictly based on duty. Shakespeare shows that masculinity reflects all males in a particular society and that it is displayed differently depending on social construct. In Brokeback Mountain, Jack and Ennis use a masculine facade to repress their own sexuality, but ultimately, their love for each other prove to be stronger. The story takes place in the Bible Belt, a place where sexuality and races are oppressed. Due to this setting, the two lovers are unable to express their affection for each other with normal means. In fact, the fake identities that they create ultimately lead them to destruction. Jack and Ennis are unable to express their true feelings and this restricts them to reach the happiness that they strive. For instance, after their separation, â€Å"Within a mile Ennis fe[els] like someone [is] pulling his guts out [Ennis] fe[els] about as bad as he ever had† (Proulx 18). Unconsciously, Ennis pours his feelings out for Jack and feels that he has lost someone very important. Even though their reality does not allow their union, the desire that they have for each other is real and their bond cannot be broken easily. Furthermore, the relationship between them is special; they are unconditionally attracted to each other and express this attachment with contact. In fact after four years not seeing each other, Jack and Ennis â€Å"seiz[e] each other by the shoulders, hug[s] mightily their mouths came together, and hard† (Proulx 21). As they do not know how else to express their feelings, the best way for them to show their love is by actions. Jack and Ennis’ forbidden love prove to be difficult, but their strong desire for each other proves to be stronger than the image of masculinity that they forged. In both works, masculinity is an insurmountable wall that constrains the characters to move out of their comfort zones. In Romeo and Juliet, the role of the alpha male plays an important part in the story mainly because it is a stimulant which makes the story progress. For instance, Mercutio’s mouth cannot rest and this often puts him into difficult situations. Mercutio’s ego is bigger than he can wield and this reflects in his actions in the dispute between him and Tybalt: â€Å"Men’s eyes were made to look, and let them gaze / I will not budge for no man’s pleasure† (Shakespeare act 3. 1, 53-4). Mercutio is ready to fight till the very end for his own beliefs; he is obstinate and never backs down. This show how little options the alpha male or males in general in this society have as they have to fight every moment for their beliefs since it is the only way for them to feel that they are free. In Brokeback Mountain, Jack and Ennis are engulfed in a world where males are judged by their sexuality. Jack and Ennis are engulfed in a world where love is one dimensional. The forbidden love that the two experience is something that they cannot understand and as such, they try to hide its very existence. In fact, even after many sexual intercourses, Ennis still claims that: â€Å"‘I’m no queer,’ and Jack [also adds] in with ‘Me neither. A one-shot thing. Nobody’s business but ours’ † (Proulx 15). By living in this oppressing environment, the two lovers are unable to express their true feelings as there are no words to express what they really feel for each other. Jack and Ennis are afraid of the boundary that exceeds what they already know as such, they want to stay inside what they already know about love and refuses to believe that their relationship is more than physical. In both works, the stereotypical male role dictates the men’ responsibilities and thus creates a dystopia where men are unable to come across this boundary that they set for themselves. In conclusion, masculinity is an ever changing aspect of a society. It is something that defines the very being of the male in his environment. The man in a particular society holds responsibilities that he cannot escape nor hide from where violence and viciousness is at its peak. In Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio abides to his role as the alpha male, but only receive grief and misfortune. In Brokeback Mountain, Jack and Ennis try to hide their love by acting masculine, but ultimately cannot resist to their temptations. As masculinity evolves throughout societies, the term remains straightforward and stereotypical where there is no escape and where tragedy ensues.

Difference between Structured and Unstructured Observation

Difference between Structured and Unstructured Observation At the first step of this assessment I need to outline what is involved in structured observation. The two main strategies that researchers can usually use to record their observations of events are the structured and unstructured observation. The former involves the recording of events of predefined types occurring at particular points in time, or within particular intervals. Structured observation typically produces quantitative data (information about the frequency of different sorts of events or of the proportion of time spent on different types of activity). This form of observation typically involves different threats to validity. Among the dangers with structured observation is that the predefined categories used, will turn out not to be clearly defined, so that there is uncertainty in particular instances about which category is appropriate. There may also be relevant events that do not seem to fit into any of the categories. This, however, is only gained at the cost of the i nformation being collected on different cases or at different times often not being comparable (Research Methods in Education, Handbook, p. 44). Furthermore, structured observation is easy to be described but difficult to be appreciated without actually engaging in the process. Very simply, it involves placing an observer in a social setting to observe all activities defined as of interest to the research. In essence, the method is derived from participant observation in social anthropology and the distinction which is sometimes made between participant and non-participant observation does not fully hold in practice: some degree of participation is inevitable. As William Howard Russell, the Victorian war correspondent for the Times said I stand and look around, and say thus does it appear to me and thus I seem to see so does the structured observation. The structure of structured observation is imposed by the aims of the research in the same way as such aims impose structure upon any method of data-collection. Just as is the case when open questions are used in interviews or self-completed questionnaires the researcher using structured observation recognizes that not all of the structure can be determined in advance and that some structure must be imposed on the data after they have been collected (Roberts, 1975, p. 309). Researchers undertaking structured observational research usually look to use low-inference categories in other words, categories that can be applied to instances with a minimum of contestable judgement on the part of the observer in the hope of incurring only small elements of error and uncertainty. For example, low-inference categories for observing a meeting might include such things as Asks a question, Expresses agreement and Makes a proposal (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 145). Furthermore, it is almost sure that some data obtained from structured observation contain errors, especially if observation is carried out under considerable pressure of time, leading the candidate to make wrong judgement in wrong boxes. However structured observation as a quantitative research has also been guided by at least some of the assumptions of positivism from laboratory experiments, through structured observational studies of classroom teaching, to large-scale social surveys of t he attitudes of teachers, students, parents, education managers and others. Indeed, over the course of the twentieth century, a great deal of educational research was influenced by a positivist approach concerned, for example, with identifying the relative effectiveness of different teaching strategies and techniques (Dunkin, 1974, p. 6). Coming to the second part of the assignment, I will try to introduce according to the best of my knowledge, the methodological philosophy of positivism. In concern to the tenets of logical empiricism, scientific progress in any discipline begins with the untainted observation of reality. This fact is expected to provide the researcher with an image of the real world from which cognitively generates an a priori model of the process to be investigated. The word positivism is nowadays used in such a wide range of ways that it has become almost meaningless, except that it is usually employed desperately to dismiss views or forms of research of which the speaker disapproves. The original meaning of the term contained some important elements. Widely, positivism can be characterised historically as a way of thinking about knowledge and enquiry that takes natural science, as it developed after the seventeenth century, as the model, and which seeks to apply the scientific method to new fields . Even though the term positivism was not invented until the nineteenth century, this idea was a central strand of eighteenth-century Enlightenment thinking, although it was by no means the only one and was certainly not accepted by all Enlightenment thinkers (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 78). One of the main elements of positivism is the idea that it is the task of research to identify standard repeatable patterns between cause and effect, identifying particular pedagogical strategies that reliably bring about a desirable educational outcome. However, there are questions about whether such patterns exist, what character they have if they do, and how we can know them. Another feature of positivism is the idea that research must follow an explicit procedure, so that the idiosyncratic effects of who is doing the research can be eliminated and the replicability of the findings checked. Trying to build on this, the concept of evidence-based policy-making and practice is often promoted on the grounds that it is transparent, since it is guided by explicitly specified knowledge whose validity is open to inspection even though this idea is subjected to dispute. In contrast, the positivist philosophy, suffers from several limitations, especially when applied to social sciences. First, this approach, generalizes a universal statement of truth from observations of a certain number of positive instances. The strict inductionist approach is often inappropriate because speculation and creation of an a priori hypothesis are essential for a systematic procedure of theory building. Furthermore, the empiricist approach is based on the notion of pure observation, which is impossible in research, especially in social sciences, since observations are always subject to measurement errors. Finally, this approach assumes that knowledge is derived from an objective interpretation of assumptions, without any of the subjective biases or a priori knowledge of the scientist coming into play. Furthermore, positivists have tended to believe that the success of natural science in modern times has stemmed from scientists refusal to go beyond what can be supported by empirical evidence. It is easy to forget how radical an orientation this was in earlier centuries, and perhaps still is in some quarters. It challenges religious claims to knowledge about the world, various kinds of speculative philosophy that do not pay close attention to what is warranted by empirical evidence, and even any appeal to what is obvious to common sense. (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 79). The third component of my essay is the strengths and weaknesses of structured observation in concern of positivism. Although positivism has been a recurrent theme in the history of western thought from the Ancient Greeks to the present day, it is historically associated with the nineteenth-century French philosopher, Auguste Comte, who was the first thinker to use the word for a philosophical position. In his study of the history of the philosophy and methodology of science, Oldroyd (1986) says: It was Comte who consciously invented the new science of society and gave it the name to which we are accustomed. He thought that it would be possible to establish it on a positive basis, just like the other sciences, which served as necessary preliminaries to it. For social phenomena were to be viewed in the light of physiological (or biological) laws and theories and investigated empirically, just like physical phenomena. Likewise, biological phenomena were to be viewed in the light of chem ical laws and theories; and so on down the line (Silverman et al, (2000), p.18). Furthermore, Comtes position was to lead to a general doctrine of positivism which held that all genuine knowledge is based on sense experience and can only be advanced by means of observation and experiment. Firstly, Positivism here implies a particular stance concerning the social scientist as an observer of social reality and second the end-product of investigations by social scientists can be formulated in terms parallel to those of natural science. This means that their analyses must be expressed in laws or law-like generalizations of the same kind that have been established in relation to natural. Positivists often had high hopes that science, and especially a science of human social life, would pave the way for substantial social and political progress, by undermining beliefs and practices that were based solely on superstition or tradition, and replacing them wherever possible with ones founded on scientific evidence. To a large extent, positivists have, adopted experimental physics as their model. As a result to this, it has been a strong tendency for them to insist that it is essential to use the experimental method, and the forms of statistical analysis modelled on it, to engage in the careful measurement of phenomena, and to look for causal or statistical relationships among variables. These commitments strongly imply the use of quantitative data (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 89). Another characteristic of positivist philosophy is the view that, to develop knowledge, it is essential to follow special or transparent procedures or methods. The logic behind thi s is that it helps to eliminate the biases that can arise through the influence of the personal and social characteristics of the researcher. In addition, can achieve what is sometimes referred to as procedural objectivity. It also allows others to replicate the research, which in some regard is necessary in order to test whether the knowledge produced is sound, or whether it has been distorted by error or bias by the researcher. Furthermore, positivism is the idea that research should follow a set of explicit procedures, so that the idiosyncratic effects of who is doing the research can be eliminated and the replicability of the findings checked. Building on this, the concept of structured observation policy-making and practice is often promoted on the grounds that it is transparent, since it is guided by explicitly specified knowledge whose validity is open to inspection. The link between positivism and the notion of structured observation does not necessarily mean that the idea that educational research can and should be designed to make a significant contribution to educational policy-making and/or practice. Indeed, one sign that the positivists impose on this commitment is that positivism has influenced various forms of action research. This often requires enquiry to be integrated into educational practice, rather than being detached from it in the way that much ordinary research is (E891 Educational Enq uiry, Study Guide, p. 219). However, as in all methods so in this one strengths and weakness can be distinguished. Structured observation can provide good insights into how the different participants are behaving and interacting. In addition, may enable you to see things that are taken for granted by participants in the learning and teaching context. Their perceived lack of importance by participants may mean that they would not be picked up by other methods that explore participant perceptions. In addition to the above, the task of the educational investigator often explains the means by which an orderly social world is established and maintained in terms of its shared meanings and how do participant observation techniques assist the researcher in this task. As Bailey mention some inherent advantages in the participant observation approach: Observation studies are superior to experiments and surveys when data are being collected on non-verbal behaviour. In observation studies, investigators are able to discern ongoing behaviour as it occurs and are able to make appropriate notes about its salient features. Because case study observations take place over an extended period of time, researchers can develop more intimate and informal relationships with those they are observing, generally in more natural environments than those in which experiments and surveys are conducted. Case study observations are less reactive than other types of data-gathering methods. For example, in laboratory-based experiments and in surveys that depend upon verbal responses to structured questions, bias can be introduced in the very data that researchers are attempting to study. (Silverman et al, (2000), p.18). In contrast to the above, firstly, structured observation neglects the significance of contexts-temporal and spatial-thereby overlooking the fact those behaviours may be context specific. In their concern for the overt and the observable, researchers may overlook unintended outcomes which may have significance; they may be unable to show how significant are the behaviours of the participants being observed in their own terms. Furthermore, structured observations as a quantitative method in concern with positivism can be time consuming. Getting a representative picture of the implementation over the duration of a pilot or embedding phase of a change in learning and teaching will involve attending more than one learning and teaching activity or event. Continuing, its activities may affect the behaviour of those involved in it and hence what you observe. Participants may be concerned about what you are actually evaluating. Academic staff may be concerned the quality of their teaching is being evaluated and students may be concerned their academic performance is being assessed. The thinking that underlies participants observed actions cannot be observed. Finally, structured observations are therefore used with other methods that seek insight into this thinking. Being able to make sense of the context of evaluation in a limited amount of time with limited resources may require some knowledge of the academic discipline and its culture. At this part of my assignment, I will introduce the methodological philosophy of interpretivism. Interpretivism was introduced from German philosopher Max Weber. According to Max Weber from whom the interpretivist tradition is derived, the enterprise of social science could not be treated as similar to that of the natural science. He stressed on social action which means the study of meaning which the individual attaches to his/her actions. Interpretivisms starting point is its insistence on differentiating between the nature of the phenomena investigated by the natural sciences and the nature of those studied by historians, social scientists and educational researchers. Mainly, it argues that people in contrast atoms, chemicals or most non-human forms of life interpret their environment and themselves in ways that are shaped by the particular cultures in which they live. These distinctive cultural orientations shape what they do, and when and how they do it (E891 Educational Enquiry , Study Guide, p. 81). Interpretivist does not reject the idea of scientific or objective knowledge, but they question the notion that the methods employed by natural science used also in the study of society or social sciences. He stressed on social action which means the study of meaning which the individual attaches to his or her actions. Furthermore Interpretivist criticize Positivists for neglecting the fact that they are studying people who need to be explored in the ways they really think and act in different kinds of situations. Social institutions cannot be treated as separate entities or divorced from the subjective understanding or meaning that people have of them and society cannot be studied on the principle of causality as positivists stress, may make a great deal of sense in the natural world but according to the interpretivist, cannot be rigidly applied in the social world. People do not just react to external stimuli like biologically programmed living organisms. They actively interpret an d control the situation and control their behavior, acting on the basis of their interpretations of what is going on, what is the best course of action. Many different responses are possible. There are three different interpretations of a single event, e.g.; there is no consistent cause and effect relationship. Whatever the response, an observer cannot make sense of your response without interpreting the meaning you attributed to your teachers behavior, for it is this meaning that explains your response, not the observable event on its own. Interpretivists argue that all research methods involve complex forms of communication: therefore, coming to understand other people necessarily relies both on researchers background, cultural knowledge and skills, and on their willingness to suspend prior assumptions and allow understanding of other peoples orientations to emerge over the course of enquiry. Thus quite different ways of life and associated beliefs about the world can be located at different points in history and also coexist (peacefully or in conflict) at any time. Furthermore, this is not just a matter of differences between societies; there is also significant cultural variation within the large, complex societies in which most of us now live. Interpretivists argue that we cannot understand why people do what they do, why particular institutions exist and operate in characteristic ways, without grasping how people interpret and make sense of their world in other words, the distinctive nature of their beliefs, atti tudes and thoughts. Coming to this part of my assignment I need to mention the strengths and weaknesses of structured observation within the context of interpretivism. As we know, structured observation involves a researcher watching and listening to actions and events within a particular context over a period of time, and then making a record of what he or she has witnessed. A distinction is sometimes drawn between participant and non-participant structured observation, indicating that the role of an observer may vary a good deal. He or she may play a participant role in the setting or the events being observed, or may play no such role other than observer. The primary concern behind this distinction is reactivity in other words, the extent to which, and the ways in which, the behaviour of the people studied is shaped both by the fact that they are being studied in a given way and by the particular characteristics and participant role of the researcher (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 121). Generally speaking, qualitative researchers use relatively structured observation as a supplement to other sources of data. Furthermore, researchers undertaking structured observational research generally seek to use low-inference categories in other words, categories that can be applied to instances with a minimum of contestable judgement on the part of the observer in the hope of incurring only small elements of error and uncertainty. For example, low-inference categories for observing a meeting might include such things as Asks a question, Expresses agreement and Makes a proposal. As a result, this is one of the reasons why interpretivism has encouraged a shift towards qualitative method. Qualitative methods are usually taken to mean unstructured or structured observation, ethnography, focus groups, and etc. that involve researchers in actively listening to what the researched say. The popularity of the term paradigm is traceable to Kuhns work on The Structure of Scientific Revolutions; 7 it can be defined as a total matrix of beliefs about theories, research questions and research data (Oakley, 1999, p.155). These observations and experiences are one way of representing the conflict between different ways of achieving knowledge about the world that amongst social researchers are known as qualitative and quantitative methods. A commonly accepted alliance has developed between research method and research subject, according to which qualitative methods are often used to privilege the experiences of oppressed social groups. What I argue is that this division of methodological labour is, firstly, socially and historically constructed and secondly is problematic in terms of the potential of qualitative methods to produce an emancipator social science with trustworthy knowledge claims. However, this qualitative method as all the other research methods has strengths and weaknesses points. Taking the advantages strengths at the beginning, I can definitely mention that usually the data is based on the participants own categories of meaning and the research is only useful for studying a limited number of cases in depth. Not only that, another major advantage of the method is that the researcher can describe complex phenomena something that you can rarely find in any other method. Structured observation is one of the most straightforward ways to gather information via the school or classroom having a strong connection with the researcher of interpretivism and get a picture of what happens. It is often a good way to begin to explore a situation you want to know more about. It can also be useful to add information to other sources of data you may be collecting for your action enquiry. However, it is important to be aware that as an observer you can often affect the situation you are trying to observe. Generally the role of the observer can be pure (unnoticed, part of the wallpaper) or participatory (e.g. participate in what is going on in the situation observed). The latter use qualitative, structured approaches of observation; the former might use a mixture of both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Whilst the pure observer uses an instrument (e.g. proforma) for the observation, the participant-observer is the instrument. One very common example could be the finding of the class teacher in finding out how children solve a multiplication problem. As a pure observer she or he will use an observation checklist, ticking boxes as she or he observes the pupil on a pre-determined problem-solving activity. Then, as the instrument himself or herself, she or he may ask the pupil what he or she did, why he did it, and may even set him another, but similar, task, to see if he uses the same strategy. By doing so, the teacher will influence the outcome, but in the context of teaching and learning this may be a valid method of structured observation. Taking the above simple example into consideration someone can definitely determine not only the strengths but also the weaknesses of the method used. From the point of strength, the researcher Can conduct cross-case comparisons and analysis and provides understanding and description of peoples personal experiences of the phenomena. Furthermore, the researcher can study dynamic processes, and determine how participants interpret constructs. In addition, qualitative researchers are especially responsive to changes that occur during the conduct of a study and may shift the focus of their studies. In contrast, biases can be developed. Data analysis is often time consuming and the results are more easily influenced by the researchers personal biases and idiosyncrasies. Meaning that all perceptual processes involving the taking in of information by observation and its subsequent internal processing are subject to bias. Our own interests, experiences, and expectations are likely to influen ce what we pay attention to and do make a conscious effort to distribute your attention widely and evenly. Finally, It is more difficult to test hypotheses and theories with large participant pools but knowledge produced might not generalize to other people or other settings (i.e., findings might be unique to the relatively few people included in the research study. Part six, is the last part of my assignment. The searching question in this part has to do with all of the discussion done on the previous sections. Up to now, structured observation was the core of our assignment and the way researchers develop their task. As a result, I have discussed the structured observation from the point of positivism and the quantity method on the one hand and the structured observation from the point of interpretivism and the qualitative method on the other hand. However since Gage wrote his fictional history, what has actually happened is in fact quite complex and varies across countries. The trend against positivism continued, and what we have called constructionism emerged as an important influence alongside interpretivism and critical research. However, in the early years of the twenty-first century, there have been signs of a second phase, the re-emergence of positivist ideas, partly as a result of calls for practice to become evidence-based. Neverthele ss, at present, much educational research continues to take a qualitative approach. Alongside, the revival in support for quantitative methods in some quarters, there have also been increasing calls for mixed methods or triangulation research that is, research that combines quantitative and qualitative approaches and more methods. The justification for this is often the kind of pragmatism to which Gage appealed. It is suggested that, by combining quantitative and qualitative methods, it is possible to gain the benefits of both and avoid the weaknesses of each when used on its own (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 89). Coming to the point, the difference between positivism and interpretivism is rather subtle than a difference in focus, but it is still important. Examine the situation historically, the conflict between positivism and interpretivism dates from at least the middle of the nineteenth century, although it only arose clearly within the field of educational research during the second half of the twentieth century. Usually, positivists researchers have generally assumed that it is possible to document recurrent and standard patterns of relationship. At first between peoples background experiences and their attitudes, and then between their attitudes and their behaviour. On the other side of the coin, interpretivists researchers have suggested that these relationships are much more contingent and diverse, as the historians have emphasised the uncertain course of history and this is not simply the playing out of a set of universal laws. This is what Gage means when he says that interpretivist s reject the assumption of the uniformity of nature and linear causal models (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 81). It is worth to mention an example at this point to raise the difference among them. Positivists assume that it is possible to document attitudes by getting people to respond to a standard structured questionnaire. Interpretivists, however, argue that all research methods involve complex forms of communication: therefore, coming to understand other people necessarily relies both on researchers background cultural knowledge and skills, and on their willingness to suspend prior assumptions and allow understanding of other peoples orientations to emerge over the course of enquiry. Further to the point I have raised concerning the two other methods, i.e., the mixed method or triangulation, I have the feeling I need to elaborate on at least at one of them. The triangulation, in social science, is defined as the mixing of data or methods so that diverse viewpoints or standpoints cast light upon a topic. The mixing of data types, known as data triangulation, is often thought to help in validating the claims that might arise from an initial pilot study. The mixing of methodologies, e.g. mixing the use of survey data with interviews, is a more profound form of triangulation. Denzin wrote a justification for triangulation in 1970 and is credited by some with initiating the move toward integrated research that mixes methods. However other authors in other contexts have used mixed methods research both before and after Denzins summary was written. For instance, Lenin used a mixture of quantitative data tables along with a political-economy analysis of charged words use d in his classic research monograph, The Development of Capitalism in Russia (1898). We would today say that his work used methodological triangulation of discourse analysis (a qualitative methodology), and survey data (a quantitative methodology), to study the end of the Russian peasantry and the early beginnings of working class conflict with employers in Russia (Wendy O., 2004, p.3). Continuing the above and according to researchers from case studies to econometric analysis, educational research has a long tradition of employing both qualitative and quantitative methods, but the usual juxtaposition of qualitative research against quantitative research makes it easy to miss the fact that qualitative research itself encompasses a multitude of different approaches. Qualitative work can be positivist: It can attempt to document practices that lead consistently to one set of outcomes rather than another, to identify characteristics that commonly are related to some policy problem, or to find strategic patterns that hold across different venues and with different actors. Qualitative work also can be interpretivist: It attempts to understand what general concepts like poverty or race mean in their specific operation, to uncover the conscious and unconscious explanations people have for what they do or believe, or to capture and reproduce a particular time, culture, or p lace so that actions people take become intelligible. In conclusion, observation methods are powerful tools for gaining insight into situations. As with other data collection techniques, they are beset by issues of validity and reliability. Even low inference observation, perhaps the safest form of observation, is itself highly selective, just as perception is selective. Higher forms of inference, whilst moving towards establishing causality, rely on greater levels of interpretation by the observer, wherein the observer makes judgements about intentionality and motivation. In this respect it has been suggested that additional methods of gathering data might be employed, to provide corroboration and triangulation, in short, to ensure that reliable inferences are derived from reliable data. References Dunkin, M.J. and Biddle, B.J. (1974) The Study of Teaching, New York, Holt, Rinehart and Winston. E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, (2007), The Open University. Oakley, A., Peoples way of knowing: gender and methodology. In: Critical issues in social research, Hood, S, Mayall, B. Oliver, S., pp.154-170. Open University Press, 1999. Research Methods in Education, Handbook, (2003), The Open University. Silverman, David (2000). Doing Qualitative Research: A Practical Handbook. Sage Wendy, O. (2004) Triangulation in Social Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Methods Can Really Be Mixed, Causeway Press.

Importance of Family in the Short Story, Cakes Essay -- Salvatore La P

Confucius once said, â€Å"The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.† The majority of people across the world deem family as the uttermost important aspect of their life. Family is something that often teaches us moral values, and helps shape the individuals we become later in our lives. In the short story, â€Å"Cakes† Salvatore La Puma conveys the prominence of family in Italian-American immigrant culture in the 1940’s industrial era. La Puma utilizes the first paragraph as mini-ethnography to portray the unity of the Vitale family. The introduction states, That summer he sweated from the humidity which in 1940 everyone in Brooklyn sweated from; then he sweated from the hot ovens at Carlo Amato’s pastry shop in Bensonhurst four or five nights a week; then he sweated from the hot ovens at a pastry shop Downtown every day of the week except on Sunday, when he usually slept until noon. From Downtown, Giovanni Vitale came home at the end of the workday on the BMT subway to his wife, Lisa, to their three kids Anna, Steve, and Johnny. After dinner they would all listen to the Philco. Then Giovanni and the eldest kid, Johnny, eleven, walked three long blocks and two short blocks, past the old people who fanned themselves on the stoops, to Carlo’s shop on Seventeenth Avenue (4). The first paragraph evokes the normal and typical structure of the Italian-American immigrant family in the 1940’s industrial era. In the Vitale family, everyone has their own role. The father, Giovanni Vitale has the duty of working long hours to provide for his family, the mother, Lisa has the role of a homemaker, to make dinner for the family, and the eldest child, Johnny has the dutiful role of helping his father at the pastry shop.... ...ma further underscores the importance of family in Italian American culture. In the final scene in the story, when Carlo dies, Martina comforts Johnny, â€Å"Martina seated herself beside him, put her arms around him, and before he knew what happened his eyes closed and his face went down on her breast where he was held like that.† (6). Recognizing Johnny’s naivety, Martina hugs Johnny in a way that a mother would caress her newborn. An indirect reference is made, where the scene between Martina and Johnny parallels the image where mother Mary is holding baby Jesus. Although Martina is not related to Johnny, her caring and nurturing behavior towards Johnny illustrates the deep and close relationship between Italian Americans By illustrating Martina as a mother figure, La Puma is able to show the familial bond that exists between friends in Italian American culture.

Solar Heating Essay -- Solar Sun Energy Essays

Solar Heating It seems self-evident that, as a global society, we must transition eventually from the nonrenewable fossil fuels we currently rely on to renewable sources of energy such as biomass, wind, and particularly solar energy. The latter, though it involves some difficulties, which we will discuss shortly, is especially attractive, I think, because its source is the energy provided by the sun, which is so vast that, according to some, â€Å"if it could be effectively harnessed, two days’ worth of solar energy could provide more power than all known fossil fuel reserves.† (Duke Power) Because I will be getting a house of my own in just a few years, I decided that an interesting topic for study might be solar heating. There are two different kinds of solar heating, so I will briefly discuss them both: Active Solar Heating There are two different kinds of active solar heating systems: air and liquid. In both kinds of Active Solar Heating, flat plate solar energy collectors are installed on the roof or on the ground. Most often, the side that faces the sun has a glass or plastic cover and the inside space is a black absorbing material. Air systems use air to capture, transfer, and store heat produced by the collectors, while the liquid systems use water or an antifreeze solution. From there, fans or pumps deliver the heat to the house. Ultimately, I feel I would opt for the liquid system, because they cost less to operate and ta...

Evaluation of Dworkins and Habermass Approach to Civil Disobedience E

Evaluation of Dworkin's and Habermas's Approach to Civil Disobedience The following essay will attempt to evaluate the approach taken by Dworkin and Habermas on their views of civil disobedience. The two main pieces of literature referred to will be Dworkin?s paper on 'Civil Disobedience and Nuclear Protest?' and Habermas's paper on 'Civil Disobedience: Litmus Test for the Democratic Constitutional State.' An outline of both Dworkin's and Habermas's approach will be given , further discussion will then focus on a reflective evaluation of these approaches. Firstly though, it is worth commenting on civil disobedience in a more general context. Most would agree that civil disobedience is a 'vital and protected form of political communication in modern constitutional democracies' and further the 'civil disobedience has a legitimate if informal place in the political culture of the community.' Civil disobedience can basically be broken down into two methods, either intentionally violating the law and thus incurring arrest (persuasive), or using the power of the masses to make prosecution too costly to pursue (non persuasive). Dworkin takes a categorical approach to civil disobedience, by breaking it down into a number of different types then applying certain conditions to each type to assess wether the disobedience should be allowed or not. He states that there are three different types of disobedience based on the motivations behind the action. These are integrity based, justice based and policy based civil disobedience. Briefly, integrity based disobedience is motivated when the law requires people to do something that goes against their personal integrity and is usually a matter of urgency. Dworkin gives an example of this as the Northern American citizen who covertly harbours and shelters slaves from the Southern citizens in violation of the Fugitive Slave Act.# The second type of disobedience, justice based, is motivated by a peoples desire to oppose unjust policy in the hopes of reversing the policy, for example the civilian protest about the war in Iraq recently. Thirdly, policy based disobedience is somewhat different to the first two in that it is usually activated by minority groups who think a policy is dangerously unwise. As Dworkin puts it ?they think they know what is in the majority?s own interests.? Given these three types of disobedie... ...rity is not necessarily a clear majority and also that majority decisions are quite often made under the pressures of time and lack of resources. Both Dworkin and Habermas have the same general views on civil disobedience (they both believe it is an essential form of political communication in a democratic state) but when they begin to examine the issues more closely, the differences in justification begin to become apparent between the two writers as outlined above. Bibliography. 1. Articles/Books/Reports Ronald Dworkin, ?Civil Disobedience and Nuclear Protest? in A Matter of Principle (1985) 104-16. JÃ ¼rgen Habermas, ?Civil Disobedience: Litmus Test for the Democratic Constitutional State? (1985) 30 Berkeley Journal of Sociology 95-116. 2. Other Sources Andrew Calabrese, Virtual non-violence? Civil disobedience and political violence in the information age (2004) 6 Emerald Info 326 available at http://spot.colorado.edu/~calabres/Calabrese%20(civl%20dis).pdf William Smith, Democracy, Deliberation and Disobedience (Paper presented at the UK Association for Legal and Social Philosophy Annual Conference, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, April 2003).

Officer Selection

Because of the range of duties, officers should possess certain traits: hectically agility, the ability to cope with difficult situations, well-developed writing skills, good communication skills, sound Judgment, compassion, strong powers of observation, and the ability to both exert and respect commands of authority. Minimum Requirements Every department sets its own standards when considering candidates for police officers, however most departments require a series of minimum standards which perspective applicants must have.All applicants must be at least 21 years of age and have or be eligible to receive a driver's license because their primary duty Is patrol, ND they must be able to drive to respond to Incidents. Police officers must also be able to possess a firearm. In order to qualify to own a firearm, a person must be at least twenty-one years old. Applicants must also have no Felony convictions. Convicted felons also are prohibited from possessing a firearm, which thereby ba rs them from becoming police officers.Individuals with domestic violence convictions are no longer able to possess a firearm, thereby prohibiting them from becoming police officers as well (Grant & Terry, 2009). Finally many police departments now have educational standards for recruits. Nearly all departments require officers to have at least a high school diploma. And many require at least some college credits. Written Examination The written examination is the first step in becoming a police officer once a formal application has been submitted.The test varies by department, but It might be a civil service exam, an exam produced by the individual police department, or one produced by a private testing company. The exam does not test specific legal or criminal Justice knowledge, but rather evaluates the candidate's basic reading, writing, and comprehension skills. The exam will likely contain a number of different sections, whereby the candidate must be able to understand and write In English, write a sample essay, understand basic mathematics, memorize facts, show sound 1 OFF reasoning Ana logic, Ana analyze potential scenarios .For clamatorial ten written examination is developed by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and measures reading comprehension and writing abilities (caperers. Com, 2011). Departmental Interview Departmental Interview will evaluate the applicant's interpersonal skills, problem solving, oral communication and other abilities not tested by other examination components. The interview is not scored; however, the interview panel will make recommendations regarding who should proceed in the final hiring process.The interview can be structured, unstructured, or a combination or both. In a structured interview, the candidate is asked a series of questions regarding the Job and his or her specific abilities. Structured questions such as â€Å"Do you drink alcohol†, usually require specified answers direct answers. The alternative to this would be to conduct a semi structured interview with open ended questions on particular topics. Structured interviews allow for a better comparison of candidates on specific topics, pen-ended questions are likely to elicit more information.Though the candidate must pass all phases of the selection process in order to be hired as a police officer, the interview process is critical in the assessment of the candidate's attitudes, appearance, and demeanor. Physical Ability Examination The Physical Ability Examination will measure physical performance through a series of exercises that will be administered on a pass/fail basis. Measuring a police candidate's level of physical agility is a crucial part of the selection process, although the physical agility test has been controversial and has undergone significant hangs since its inception (Grant & Terry, 2009).The Physical Ability Examination has gone through many changes. Until the sass's the test required applicants to demonstrate substantial upper body strength which kept many women from completing the test successfully thereby eliminating them from the candidate pool. The introduction of Title VII in 1972 as well as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines on sex discrimination barred the refusal to hire a female applicant because of characteristics attributed to women as a class and thus the physical agility tests have changed considerably in the past few decades.Psychological and Polygraph Tests A Polygraph Examination is used to verify the veracity and accuracy of information submitted by candidates regarding, but not necessarily limited to: use of controlled substances; driving, criminal, medical and employment history; and other Job-related factors. The polygraph works by recording involuntary physiological changes in the body that occur when a person is partaking in conscious deceit.The purpose of the psychological screening process is to measur e intelligence and to identify personality characteristics and any mental disorders that may lead to problematic behavior in he future (Grant & Terry, 2009). Psychological screening, particularly those measuring conscientiousness, emotional stability, agreeableness, and integrity – have been shown to aid in the prediction of on-the-Job performance across a wide variety of occupations, including peace officers (POST. A. Gob, 2011) It is important to screen out individuals who may exhibit mental or personality deficits, because police officers interact with individuals on a daily basis and often in high-stress situations. Background Investigation I en employment, connecter Ana Docudrama Investigation consists AT a tongue duty of the candidate's history prior to appointment to determine fitness for this employment.Reasons for rejection include use of controlled substances, felony convictions, repeated or serious violations of the law, inability to work cooperatively with co-work ers, inability to accept supervision, or other relevant factors. Candidates who are disqualified during the background investigation process must wait two years from the date of disqualification before they may reapply to take the Police Officer examination.Candidates who are disqualified because of uncorrectable deiced problems, serious drug abuse or because of criminal records may possibly not be allowed to reapply. Training Once a police candidate has passed through the selection process, he or she is hired on probation, a trial period of one or two years during which the officer is evaluated. This probationary period begins with training at the police academy, a school where officers learn on-the-Job techniques prior to receiving full police powers.Officers must train at the academy for up to 1,100 hours, and they receive full pay and benefits from the time they enter the academy (Grant & Terry, 2009). Training is rigorous, demanding and exhausting. It is also a rewarding life-c hanging experience. New officers learn how much they are capable of by succeeding at seemingly impossible challenges, both physical and mental Mainland. Com, 2011). While in the academy, the officer receives educational as well as practical physical The Los Angles Police Department (LAPS) Academy Curriculum includes training.Academics, which encompasses arrest and booking procedures, preliminary investigation techniques, radio and communications, report writing, traffic investigation, and traffic enforcement, Driving, which includes emergency procedures ND defensive driving techniques, Firearms Training, which trains candidates in effective and safe use of police issued firearms, Law, which covers search and seizure, evidence, laws of arrest, crimes against persons and property, sex crimes, crimes against children, and other general criminal statutes falling under the California Penal Code, Los Angles Municipal Code, Welfare and Institutions Code, and Federal Laws, and finally physi cal training which builds strength and endurance through physical conditioning while promoting a positive attitude toward a fitness lifestyle. It also encompasses training in physical arrest techniques, controls, and weaponless defense Mainland. Com, 2011).Development Once a new police officer leaves the academy, they are assigned a field training officer (FOOT) who assists the new officer to acclimate into the police culture, or experience the solicitation process. Solicitation involves learning the values, social processes, and behaviors associated with the police institution. It involves the patterns of interaction that depend on the relations of individuals in particular settings (Grant & Terry, 2009). Foot can have a significant influence over new officers ND assist them in dealing with the inevitable stress and cynicism of the Job. Conclusion Selecting qualified police officers is a lengthy, competitive process, involving multiple phases. Candidates are exposed too battery of tests both physically and mentally to ascertain their overall qualifications and abilities.

Child and Young Person Development Essay

Physical Development birth-3years The physical development for this age group is described below: Baby raises head and chest when lying on stomach and supports its upper body with arms when lying on stomach they are able to stretch their legs out and kick when lying on their stomach or back. They are able to open and shut their hands, pushing down on their legs when their feet are placed on a firm surface. At this age sucking and grasping reflexes develop the baby is able to focus and follow objects with eyes and brings hand to mouth. They begin to take swipes at dangling objects with hands their movements become stronger. They learn to co-ordinate their movements. Most 18month olds usually walk by themselves (even though some of them might become quite wobbly or unsteady). At 3years most can use tricycle, jump, hop and climb A child grows and develops at an astonishing rate during their first 3years of growing stages. Therefore a child’s body grows stronger, in which they start to develop co-ordination movements, By the time a baby reaches their first birthday, they begin to support large amounts of weight and pulls themself up to their feet, standing this is the beginning of walking. As a result an 18months old child will be capable to walk by themselves even though some of them might become quite wobbly or unsteady, also by the age of 3 years a child might be able to run, jump, hop, climb a climbing frame with little support and pedal a tricycle to get around easily. By the age of 2years a child may master scribbling with a large piece of crayon also by 3 years old they develop the skill to thread a large beads and also try to build a tower with eight or more blocks depending on how balanced and flexible they might be. Babies do not start their walking breakthrough with perfect pace. There is much shuffling, toe walking. The leaning for the baby’s legs to bob out will usually correct itself by the age of 3 years old. Communication and Intellectual Development At this age they watch faces intently following moving objects recognises familiar objects and people at a distance, they start using hands and eyes in coordination smiling at the sound of familiar voice. They smiles and coo in response to others and begins to imitate movements and facial expressions e. g. Sticking out tongue and begin to babble, imitating sounds. They are able to turn their head towards the direction of sound. This stage of development children will make development in both communication and thinking skills. Generally some children might communicate by crying by expressing their feelings that rely on reflex behaviour and simple baby language to children who can speak full sentences, ask questions and use their mind to solve problems to workout things for themselves. A 5year old can communicate using simple sentences and usually understand simple language. Social, Behavioural and Emotional Development At this age they begin to develop a social smile enjoys playing with other people and may cry when playing stops. They become more communicative and expressive with face and body Imitating some movements and facial expressions. Throughout children’s first 3 years of life they will have advanced a lot. A baby will become totally depending on their careers or parents for all of their care. Children become confident and independent individuals by the age of 3years old. But at the age of 3 years old children will become upset when they are faced with separation situations, such as starting nursery or if left with someone else (stranger) other than family members such as a mother or a father. Physical development 3-5 years Children of this age are able to walk in a straight line, backwards, and up and down stairs. They hop on one foot and are able to use paints, scissors, pencils, and crayons to purposefully create shapes, faces, and letters. They are likely to have bladder and bowel control and are able to dresses and undress themselves, feed themselves and do simple chores with assistance and direction. Children start to carry out more body co-ordination movements and start growing in confidence as a result and learn to control their gross motor skills more skilfully. Between three and five years, children’s confidence grows as they start to explore and look for answers and reasons for everything in their world. They love being praised for trying and like to try everything themselves. Both three and four-year-olds are likely to be very active because they are trying to develop their running, climbing and balancing skills. They need plenty of time outdoors to be able to do this. Although many children at four are experts at climbing, they will generally only attempt what they can manage safely. They still need supervision, however, as they sometimes can climb up an object and then are not able to get down without help. Children will start to engage in imaginary play, and pretend to be animals or fairies, or adults like mums or dads, teachers or doctors. Children by the age of 5years develop their fine motor skills as they are learning how to use their controlling skills in order to complete more complex tasks. At the age of 5 years many children can hop, jump and skip as some 5year olds will use a leading hand (either right or left). Communication and intellectual development †¢ Always asks â€Å"Why? † †¢ Uses longer sentences. †¢ Grammar improves. †¢ Starts to understand the difference between real and imaginary. †¢ Listens to, and understands, short stories. †¢ Sings simple songs and recites rhymes from memory. †¢ Has a very active imagination. Children start to understand more challenging theory (like time) and will sense problem-solving skills to work things out for themselves. At this stage their language skills progress very rapidly as the child’s vocabulary expands and they constantly ask questions. Generally on the whole three year olds have wide vocabulary and they can communicate using complex sentences that are most grammatically correct. At this stage children have an active imagination; they listen to, and understand short stories and might tell you their own version of the story. Children can use proper grammar as they are developing and start to ask questions such as why, where and when. They will start to use long sentences to try and explain things, they will sing and dance along to music’s or even they will recites rhymes from memory. Social, emotional and behavioural development At this age the child is able to ever more identify and put a name to their own feelings. They are also able to use words instead of actions to express feelings. They may start to develop fears include real (the dark, animals, and thunderstorms) and imaginary (monsters, ghosts) subjects and may exaggerates and tells â€Å"tall tales†. They enjoy talking about body functions, a sense of humor develops as the begins to share and take turns. This stage of development they start to hit less but will use name calling more, will enjoy playing with other children more at this stage. Children use pretend play more and use their imaginative and theme based to play mamas and papas. Children like to talk and will talk none stop, children enjoy playing group activities and games with other children or by themselves. At the age of three or five years children might undergo numerous changes and for most children this is the stage where they will be starting nursery and then going on to school. Therefore they will have new experiences which is challenging for children but this helps them to learn about managing their feelings and behaviour and develop social skills like sharing and playing together. Between three and five years children are able to understand consequences of behaviour and also the concept of ‘getting in trouble’. Physical development 5-8 years At this age a child may begin to lose baby teeth is able to dress self with little assistance, they learns to skip, throws a ball overhead catches bounced balls rides a tricycle skilfully; may show interest in riding a bicycle with training wheels. This age group is able to balances on either foot for 5-10 seconds, they are able to use fork and knife well, can confidently cut with a scissors, at this stage left or right hand dominance is established. This child walks down stairs, alternating feet without using a handrail; they are able Jumps over low objects, run, gallop, and tumble. They can skip and run on tiptoe and jump rope. They are interested in performing tricks like standing on head, performing dance steps and are capable of learning complex body coordination skills like swimming, ice or roller skating, and riding bicycles. They may be able to tie shoelaces and are able to copy simple designs and shapes. Between five and eight years children develop better co-ordination and more stamina of their gross motor skills. At this stage children become more skilful with their controlling abilities, they also develop team games such as football as it is a very popular game with children especially with boys. This stage of development children are learning to ride a bike with stabiliser, they also have developed the sense of rhythm and enjoy dancing and movement activities. On the whole a 5 year old can tiptoe or run, they will understand time, they have mastered the alphabet, can use simple correct grammar really well and they play really with other children and they can put on their own shoes by themselves. Most five year olds can walk backward, walk heel-to-toe without losing balance, run on toes, hop proficiently, get up without using hands, balance on alternate feet (eyes open or closed), catch a ball using hands more than arms, jump rope and jump down several steps at a time. Communication and intellectual development At this age children are able to use 5-8 words in a sentence, they might like to argue and reason; use words like â€Å"because†. They would know basic colours like red, yellow, and blue, green, orange and are able to memorize their address and phone number. The child at this age understands that stories have a beginning, middle, and end and is able to remember stories and repeat them, they also enjoys creating and telling stories and develops an Understanding, that books are read from left to right, top to bottom. At this age a child enjoys riddles and jokes, draws pictures that represent animals, people, and objects. They enjoy tracing or copying letters and can place objects in order from shortest to tallest. They can understand and use comparative terms like big, bigger, or biggest and are able to Sorts objects by size. They can also identify some letters of the alphabet and a few numbers (if taught). They are able to understand â€Å"more,† â€Å"less,† and â€Å"same† and can count up to 10 objects. They recognises categories eg these toys are all animals, these are all toys and understand position of an object. Their dramatic play is much more elaborate and complex and they can maintain a good attention span concentrating well. They develop curiosity and are interested in cause and effect and can understand time concepts like yesterday, today and tomorrow. Children’s great deal of learning takes place in school, while children are in school they develop their skills in literacy such as (reading, writing, speaking and listening) and their understanding of problem solving and reasoning. By the age of eight years children use logical thought. Social, emotional and behavioural development At this stage of development children start to invent games of their own with friends with simple rules and they will organise toys and pretend play with the other children. Children this stage start to confuse between what is a fantasy and reality and might contracted themselves. Every now and then children have fears of loud noises, the dark, animals, and on occasions of some people. This stage children might start to develop ownership or taking control of things and might not want to take turns and share things with others but doesn’t always want to. Children express anger in many different ways; they might hit another child because they were not given the chance or choice to have a turn in playing the same games and sometimes will get jealousy. Occasionally children try to test their muscular strength and motor skills, but are not emotionally ready for competition. Children time and again might exclude other children in play only wanting to stick with best friends, children develop the use of swear words or from time to time â€Å"bathroom words† in order to gain attention from peers or teachers. They can sometimes be very bossy, likes to try new challenges and take risks, and carries on conversations with other children and adults. They want to make decisions for themselves of what they want to do or eat and dress as. They start to develop an understanding of others feelings and might become aware of another child becoming angry or sad. Children might choose company of 1 or 2 children at a time and might even become bossy or sulky when others join in. A child might like to feel grown up; boasts about self to younger, less capable children. They begin to have a very basic understanding of right and wrong. They start to play contentedly and independently without needing a constant supervision; sometimes they take turns or shares with others but might feel a little bit hesitant. A child might sometimes ask for permission, shows respect and understands rules, they understand and enjoys both giving and receiving, enjoys collecting things and at times needs to get away and be alone, children develop understanding of relationships and similarities and differences in other families, a child will seek an adults approval and sometimes be critical of other children and might be embarrassed by own mistakes. They are less fearful of the world than they are of toddlers because they understand the world better, has a good sense of humour, and enjoys jokes and laughter with adults and peers. Children are becoming much more mature and independent. Children are increasingly independent, undertaking most physical care needs for themselves. They enjoy group play and co-operative activities. By this age children have increase sense of personality and gender are developed. Through improved language skills, therefore children are much more of expressing their feelings and managing their behaviour. By this stage children have established friendship and they become much more confident in social situations. Physical development 8-12 By this stage children develop their puberty for both girls and boys from the around the age of 9 and for some girls they may even start to menstruate around the age of 10 or 11 years old. But for most boys puberty starts later at around 13 or 14 years old and this can lead to some self-consciousness between boys and girls. Boys starts get to develop a deepening of their voice and will start to build up apple in their throat. Boys will begin to have growth of their testicles and penis and start to grow pubic hair, most will have spontaneous erections and wet dreams. Communication and intellectual development At this stage children’s thinking skills is developing maturing and most ten years old can now understand abstracts ideas such as (like feelings). Consequently children’s reasoning and problem solving skills becomes more established and also most ten years old can complete quiet complicated calculations. By this stage children will start that enjoy conversing with each other and chatting in friendships groups. Social development †¢ Girls and boys that develop early are often self-conscious of their body and a target for teasing †¢ Your child may become interested in experimenting with holding hands, hugging and kissing other boys or girls Children at this stage may feel unsettled when making transition from primary school to secondary school and as puberty approaches. Most children may find the transition to secondary challenging and demanding might as well experience intense anxiety and real fear the transit to secondary school. Which therefore can leads to problems with self-esteem and as a result some children become victims of bullying. Most children become independent and might make decision more; also they may play unsupervised at times. At this stage children may travel to school by themselves towards and by the end of age band. As they hit teenage stage they develop mood swings. They will also have conflict with parents/careers due to desire for more independence such as why can’t I stay home alone. They also find that rules are unfair (but all my friends are allowed to do it), they will also start challenging rules to see what happens and may also refuse to go along with some decisions made by parents/careers. Physical development 12-19 years By fifteen or sixteen years of age for most girls the process of puberty is completed. On the other hand for boys puberty starts around the age of fourteen years. For both boys and girls their body changes rapidly throughout puberty, even though some boys grow very rapidly, this can lead to some degree of clumsiness and poor spatial awareness. At this stage some children might develop some talents in sport activities. They might even learn or refine controlling skills such as drawing, stitching, carpentry, woodwork and playing instrument. Communication and intellectual development Young people will be faced with challenges in school as they will preparing for examinations and start to think about their future. At this stage of development children’s academic knowledge stats to increase as exam curriculum is followed towards aged sixteen, as a result decisions are made about their future goals such as (college course and university careers). They might become reluctant to directly as adults for advice or information they need. Young people may prefer to access information or advice as anonymously. Young people might become stressful due to the pressure to achieve and succeed becomes a powerful force. Young people’s communication is carried out in number of through electronic means such as text message ia mobile phones, emails or social networking sites such as facebook, twitter and instagram. Social, emotional and behavioural development Young people desire to express understanding starts to develop while at the same time they form strong desire to fit in with peers become apparent and interest in the opposite sex, and also in own sexuality. They might express themselves through creatively such as art/music/dance/drama and even in creative writing. Young people may experience mood swings and they may disregard the opinions/values of parents/careers if they conflict with those of the peer group. As a result many young people experience their first romantic relationships at this stage and this can lead to some complicated emotions for them to manage. Consequently these stages of development young people become overly concerned about their appearances such as weight or body image. In some cases this leads to eating disorders, low self-esteem and depressions. Sometimes young people swing between acting maturely and saying/doing ‘childish things’. Young people are more likely to communicate their inner thoughts and feelings more frequently to friends than they are with adults.