4 Tips for Writing Amazing Notre Dame Essays

4 Tips for Writing Amazing Notre Dame Essays SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The University of Notre Dame is one of the most prestigious universities in the United States. It attracts the best and brightest students from around the country- in fact, 38% of the student body ranked in the top 1% of their high school graduating classes! That means that most applicants will have exemplary academic records. Because most applicant have amazing grades and transcripts, your Notre Dame application essays will be one of the most important ways for you to stand out from the crowd! This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about writing Notre Dame’s application essays. We’ve broken it into a few major sections. First, we’ll give you an overview of the Notre Dame supplement. Then we’ll walk you through each essay individually and answer the following questions: What is the essay asking you to do? What makes for a good answer? What are some potential essay topics? Are there pitfalls you should avoid? And finally, we’ll give you four top tips for taking your Notre Dame essays to the next level.So let’s get started! Why Are the Notre Dame Application Essays Important? The hard truth is that getting into Notre Dame is tough. Only 17% of applicants in 2018 were accepted, which makes Notre Dame harder to get into than schools like Emory University and Vassar! And because Notre Dame attracts top talent, admitted students also boast excellent standardized test scores. In fact, the average Notre Dame student scored between a 1410–1540 on their SAT or a 33–35 on their ACT. So that begs the question: what kind of applicants get admitted? According to the Notre Dame Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Notre Dame is looking for well-rounded, passionate students who excel in the classroom and are involved in the community. Here’s how Notre Dame sums up the importance of the essay portion of your application: Your essays are the most enjoyable part of the application reading process. Why? Because we learn about important decisions you’ve made, adventures you’ve survived, and lessons you’ve learned, family traditions you’ve experience. In other words, admissions counselors want to know that if you’re admitted, you’ll make the most of your time at Notre Dame- both inside and outside the classroom The Notre Dame essays are your chance to show admissions counselors that you’re the whole package, especially since Notre Dame does not conduct admissions interviews. That means your essay responses will be one of your only opportunities to show admissions counselors that you’re an excellent fit for their university. An Overview of the Notre Dame Supplement The Notre Dame supplement is available through either the Common App or the Coalition App websites. The Common App and the Coalition App are online platforms that let you apply to multiple colleges at once. If you aren’t sure what they are or how to use them, check out our guides to filling out the Common App and the Coalition App, which include tips for tackling the personal essays! Here’s where things get a little bit tricky: the Notre Dame supplement is submitted in addition to the application you have already filled out. That means you will be submitting additional essays specific to Notre Dame on top of the essays you’ve written for your universal application package. That’s why it’s called the Notre Dame supplement! The 2 Parts of the Notre Dame Supplement The supplement itself asks you to write and submit three additional essays, which are split into two groups: First, there’s the mandatory essay. This is the prompt that everyone who applies to Notre Dame must answer. For your next two essays, you’re given the choice between four prompts and must answer two. The online portals give you between 150 and 200 words to respond to each prompt, but the Notre Dame admissions website asks that each essay is 150 words. We recommend that you keep your essay as close to 150 words as possible! We know that’s not a lot of space, but remember: your admissions essays are about quality, not quantity. Now that you have a general sense of the Notre Dame supplement, let’s take a closer look at each essay topic. Essay 1: â€Å"Why Notre Dame?† What excites you about the University of Notre Dame that makes it stand out from other institutions? Remember: this essay topic is mandatory, which means you must answer it to complete the supplement. But don’t worry...we’re going to walk you through the process! What Is the Essay Asking You to Do? This prompt is essentially the â€Å"Why This College?† question. This is a common supplemental essay question designed to help admissions counselors understand why Notre Dame- and literally no other university!- is the perfect school for you. The â€Å"Why Notre Dame† prompt also serves another purpose: it helps they want to get a sense of how you, as both a student and as a person, will contribute to the Notre Dame community. In answering this question, your job is to show admissions counselors that you’re the perfect fit for Notre Dame, and visa versa. What Makes for a Good Answer? Do your homework. The key to writing an amazing â€Å"Why Notre Dame?† essay is showing admissions counselors that you’ve really dug into the resources and opportunities available at the school. Doing this proves you’re more than interested- it shows you’re passionate and motivated, too. As you research, look at specific classes you might be interested in taking and/or professors you might want to research under. (Here’s a list of all the colleges and departments at Notre Dame to get you started!) For example, if you want to program the next Alexa, you’ll want to mention taking classes like Artificial Intelligence and Software Development Practices. Or if curing cancer is more your thing, you can mention working with Dr. Jessica Brown, who is researching RNA to better understand how cancer works. Not sure what you want to major in yet? No problem. This is a common question we get when it comes to the â€Å"Why This College?† essay. The simple answer is: it’s okay to not know! Admissions counselors know that your major isn’t set in stone, but they do want to see that you’re thinking about the future. Even if you’re not 100% certain about what you want to do in the future, pick a potential major for the sake of writing this prompt. Don’t overlook the Notre Dame community, either. Admissions counselors are looking for students who will do more than study- they want to find people who will become members of the community, too. For instance, if you were in theatre in high school, you might want to participate in Shakespeare at Notre Dame! Also, many departments have their own student organizations (like the American Studies Club or Beta Gamma Sigma, a business honors society). Make sure you check departmental pages for this information. One quick note about religion: Notre Dame is a Catholic university, so many of its community programs are religiously affiliated. Unless you’re serious about becoming a member of one of these groups, don’t mention it in your essay. Admissions counselors read thousands of applications every year, and they will know if you’re being sincere! Start narrowing things down. Now that you’ve done your research and have a list of classes, professors, programs, and extracurriculars, choose the two or three things that stand out most. You only have 150 words, so you need to give yourself space to talk about the items you’ve chosen! Relate your topics to your goals. Remember, your job is to show admissions counselors that Notre Dame is the only school for you. Explain how the classes, programs, and activities you’ve mentioned will put you on the path to achieve your goals. For example, if you want to study adolescent psychology, explain how your coursework and experience at Notre Dame will help you go on to research how social media affects adolescents’ brain development. By making it personal, you’ll be able to emphasize how Notre Dame is the only place that can set you on the path to success. What Are Some Potential Essay Topics? Along with the examples we mention earlier in this section, here are a few other topics you might consider for this essay: Talk about how you hope to contribute to a specific ongoing research project with professor in your department. Explain your future career goals and mention how joining specific campus organizations will help put you on the path to success. Discuss how you want to take classes in two departments in order to think about a problem in your future profession in new ways. Are There Pitfalls You Should Avoid? Avoid generalities. Make sure you’re being as specific as possible about what makes Notre Dame special. Don’t just say you’re excited to attend because of the school’s study abroad programs- most, if not all, major colleges in the United States offer study abroad. What specific programs does Notre Dame offer that you can’t find anywhere else? The same goes for talking about your career interests. Don’t say that you want to stop climate change. How do you want to do that? How will specific classes, professors, and research opportunities at Notre Dame help you save the world? Leave sports out of it. We know, we know: part of the appeal of Notre Dame is joining the legion of Fighting Irish. But unless you’re joining one of the athletic teams, focus on academics and career/service opportunities instead. Don’t sound bored. The question asks about what makes you excited to attend Notre Dame, so let your passion show through in your writing. Essays 2 and 3: Choose Your Prompts For this section of the Notre Dame essay supplement, you’re given four different essay prompts. Your job is to choose and answer two. Keep in mind that the word limit for these prompts is the same, which means you’ll only have 150 words for each answer. For some people, choosing the prompts is the hardest part! There are a few things you can do to make this easier: Choose prompts that let you share new information. Go through the list and rule out any prompts that you’ve already discussed as part of your Common App or Coalition App. Some of the Notre Dame supplement essays involve talking about similar topics to the Common App and Coalition App essay prompts. Make sure you choose Notre Dame essay prompts that let you talk about something fresh and new! Brainstorm every prompt. Take an afternoon and write down potential ideas for every prompt below. Don’t worry about whether the ideas are good or not- just write them down! Once you’re done, take a look at which prompts give you the opportunity to share something new that you haven’t already mentioned in your application. Read ahead. Take a minute to read through the Notre Dame essay example topics below. See if any of the ideas or strategies jump out to you! Now let’s take a closer look at each prompt and how to answer them. Option 1: The Community Question As a Catholic university, we strive to be a community in which the dignity of each person is respected and everyone can truly flourish. Notre Dame’s president, Rev. John Jenkins, C.S.C., challenged our community to reflect on the following statement: â€Å"Let us never do anything to make another member of our community feel unwelcome, and let us not stand by if we see others doing so. Either we walk together in mutual support, or we do not walk at all. Either we are all Notre Dame, or none of us are." Tell us about a time when you walked with others. What Is the Essay Asking You to Do? â€Å"Walking with others† is a very specific phrase, especially in a Christian context. Imagine you are hiking a trail and you see someone limping because they’ve sprained their ankle. To help them, you would help support their weight and walk beside them to get them to safety. That’s what â€Å"walking with others† means: it’s about supporting someone through a difficult time. With that in mind, this essay prompt is essentially asking you to talk about a time where you supported someone else when they were in need. Through this prompt, admissions counselors want to better understand how you view your role in your relationships and/or your community. What Makes for a Good Answer? Use a personal anecdote. The key to this answer is telling a story about a very specific moment where you supported someone who needed it. Take a minute and jot down as many details as you can remember about that experience. Where were you? How old were you? Who was there? What happened? What was the outcome? Don’t worry if this is longer than 150 words. You just want to capture the details- you can condense the story as you write your essay. Don’t be afraid to think small. Many times, the most powerful experiences in our life are small ones. If you’ve done something huge that made the news, that’s great! But if you haven’t, that doesn’t mean you can’t answer this question. For example, maybe you and your family helped someone stranded in a snowstorm by letting them stay the night with you. That’s a small action that probably taught you about generosity, trust, and opening your family to strangers. Explain the situation. Remember, the admissions counselor reading your essay wasn’t there to see what happened. Make sure you set the stage by explaining the important details of your story. Keep it short and sweet since you need to discuss the impact of your experience, too. Focus on what you learned. Keep in mind that the admissions board wants to learn about you more than the person you helped. That’s why it’s important that you discuss the long-term impact of your actions in this situation. What did you learn? How did this experience change you? For instance, if you helped your mom through her cancer treatment, you might talk about learning to emotionally support your parent after she’d supported you for eighteen years. You want the admissions counselors to understand that you’ve taken the experience- even if it’s a negative one- and applied it positively to your life. What Are Some Potential Essay Topics? Along with the examples we discuss earlier in this section, here are some other topics you could write about: Standing up for one of your classmates who was being bullied. Supporting a friend who lost her parent. Participating in a service project where you slept outside to raise awareness for homelessness. Are There Pitfalls You Should Avoid? Avoid stereotypes. Be thoughtful about the experience you share. Notre Dame values community and diversity, so don’t tell a story that reinforces negative racial, cultural, or social prejudices. Be humble. One of the dangers with this prompt is that it could accidentally turn into a â€Å"look how great I am† essay. To combat this, think about this prompt as telling a story about what you learned, not what you did. Focus instead on how the experience has changed you and/or shaped your life. Option 2: The Keepsake Question What is one thing you will definitely bring to college with you? What Is This Essay Asking You to Do? This question is pretty straight-forward: it wants you to discuss something you plan to bring with you to Notre Dame and why it’s important to you. The meaning of the object is more important than the object itself, so that’s what you should spend the most time talking about in your response. Having said that, this prompt also allows for you to be really creative, both in terms of the item you pick and how you explain what it means to you. What Makes for a Good Answer? Pick your item. This will be the backbone of your essay, so you’ll want to devote time to thinking about this. Also, there are two types of things you can pick: something physical or something philosophical. A physical item is something you can hold in your hand, put in a box, and unpack in your dorm room. It could be a family keepsake, a memento from your childhood, or even a gift that means something to you. On the other hand, a philosophical item is intangible, but equally as important. This can be an idea, belief, or value that you carry with you daily that shapes who you are. Some good examples of philosophical items can be a religious belief, a value instilled in you by your parents, or even an idea that inspires you to work for your goals. Make sure your item tells a story. Make a list of potential items, both physical and philosophical. Now, go through the list and pick an item with a compelling story. For example, maybe one of your most treasured possessions is your ticket stub from seeing Hamilton on Broadway. If all you talked about was what a fun trip you had, the story wouldn’t be very compelling. But maybe you’re planning to study stage performance, so seeing the musical inspired you to put in extra hours practicing for your school play...and now you keep the ticket by your bed to remind you to chase your dreams. That’s a more powerful story that shows admissions counselors your passion, drive, and work ethic! Put an emphasis on meaning. Admissions counselors don’t really care what your item is- they’re most interested in what that item reveals about you. What does this item show about your personality, values, or aspirations? Perhaps you’ve decided to take a philosophical approach and discuss one of your dad’s favorite sayings, â€Å"Cross that bridge when you come to it.† He said that to you when you were first learning to play the trumpet. You’d get frustrated when you made a mistake, which would make you worry about not getting first chair in the band, and then losing your marching privileges. Your dad comforted you and told you to worry about one thing at a time. You’ve held that philosophy close ever since then, and you use it to help you focus on the things you can control rather than the things you can’t. This story shows your will to succeed, how much you care about your dad, and how you’re able to take advice and appl y it to your life. It also shows that you’ve learned how to focus on the present as you work toward the future, which is a great skill! Connect the story to your college experience and goals. Save the last sentence or two of your essay to explain how the meaning of your item will translate to your study and/or success at Notre Dame. For instance, maybe you’re bringing your baby blanket that your grandmother made when you were born. She had arthritis, but because she loved you, she knitted the whole blanket even though it made her hands ache. Not only does the blanket remind you of her and her love for you, but it also reminds you that achieving your goals takes toughness, fortitude, and dedication. Your grandmother inspires you to tackle your studies at Notre Dame with the same grit and tenacity that she used in making your blanket.Connecting your anecdote to Notre Dame shows admissions counselors that you’re thinking about how to use your experience to become a positive member of the Notre Dame community. What Are Some Potential Essay Topics? In addition to the examples we just discussed, here are some other ideas that might inspire your essay: You plan on bringing a box of food from Taiwan with you to college. You’re an international student, and food connects you to your culture and your family, even though you’ll be far away from home. When you were little, your mom used to sing you a song she made up about working hard whenever you did your chores. You thought it was annoying at the time, but now you sing it when you study to remind yourself to focus and do a great job. You've already packed your baseball- the exact same one you dropped at the state tournament on a clutch play to seal the win. The other team would come back to win the game...and the title. You thought your teammates would hate you for your mistake, but they supported you instead. You're bringing it to remind yourself that mistakes happen, and when they do, you should give others the benefit of the doubt. Are There Pitfalls You Should Avoid? Keep your item appropriate. If you wouldn’t talk about it with your parents, don’t write about it in your essay. Pick something unique...or not. Unique items almost always have unique stories. Maybe you have a rare baseball card or one of the picture of your mother playing the piano at Carnegie Hall. But some of the most interesting essays take ordinary objects and tell interesting stories about them, too. Maybe you’re going to take a box of macaroni and cheese with you to college because it reminds you of going on camping trips with your family. It’s an ordinary object that most people wouldn’t think twice about, but it has special meaning for you. Option 3: The Accomplishment Question What is your proudest accomplishment for which you did not receive recognition? What Is This Essay Asking You to Do? This question is pretty straightforward in that it wants you to talk about an accomplishment, but it throws in a twist. Unlike most essays, which ask you to talk about your accolades, this essay wants to know about your unrecognized success. In other words, you should discuss a moment where you did something for the sake of doing it, not because you’re rewarded. This question is a lot like the first optional essay prompt above since it’s asking you to think about a time that you did something because you wanted to, not because you received a pat on the back. If you decide to write this essay as well as the first option, be careful to make sure that you’re not reiterating the same points again. Remember: you should use each essay to reveal a new aspect of your personality to your reader! What Makes for a Good Answer? Brainstorm small successes. Here’s what we mean- think of a time where you reached a goal that was important to you even if it would seem insignificant to someone else. A small success might look like finishing your first 5K. You’ve never been a fast runner, but you trained for months to be able to finish. You didn’t finish first- or even 50th- but you accomplished your goal anyway. Ultimately, you’re trying to show admissions counselors that you’re motivated by more than just an A on a paper, which is important when you’re attending a competitive college where high grades are harder to earn. Focus on the takeaway. What did you learn from your experience? What did this experience teach you about yourself? Going back to the 5K example, maybe it taught you that you can do things you put your mind to, even if they’re things you think you’ll be â€Å"bad† at doing. Also, perhaps it taught you something about not comparing yourself to other people. You’ve learned that you get to judge what â€Å"success† means- just because other people run marathons doesn’t mean your 5K is any less of an achievement. Think about your motivation. Why were you inspired to take on this challenge? Perhaps you ran this 5K because your grandmother is battling breast cancer and you wanted to support her in her battle while raising money for cancer research. Your motivations for taking on this task can be even more revealing than the experience itself! What Are Some Potential Essay Topics? Since we’ve already talked about a sports-related topic, let’s look at some different types of accomplishments you might write about: Helping your younger sibling practice for- and pass!- their driving test. Stopping to help every turtle you find in the road make it safely to the other side. (You’re a turtle’s personal Superman.) Emotionally supporting your best friend through her parents’ year-long divorce. Are There Pitfalls You Should Avoid? You actually do get recognized for your work. Maybe your parents gave you $50 for helping teach your sibling to drive. That might not be a reward on paper, but it’s still some kind of recognition. Make sure you pick something where the only reward you recieved was the internal satisfaction of meeting your goal. You reiterate your rà ©sumà ©. Try to avoid talking about your own coursework here. Instead, use this as an opportunity to talk about your experiences outside of school. This is a great time to highlight some of your hobbies and passions beyond what you’ve already mentioned in your application! Your story comes across as negative. Even if your story is sad, make sure you come up with a positive takeaway. Think of it this way: this essay prompt gives you the opportunity to show how to make good out of a bad situation. Also, be sure you don’t come across as bitter because your hard work wasn’t recognized. Option 4: The Free-For-All Question You have 150 words. Take a risk. What Is This Essay Asking You to Do? As the question says, this is a high risk, high reward prompt. Since there’s no specific ask, you can do (almost) whatever you want! Here’s your chance to demonstrate your ability to work with little direction while simultaneously showcasing your creativity. What Makes for a Good Answer? You lean into your creativity. If you’re a naturally creative person, this is a good space to let that shine. But remember: this is an optional prompt! If you’re not a poet, don’t try to become one for the sake of answering this question in a unique way. Instead, think of what you’re passionate about. Perhaps you’re an excellent cook. Why not share one of your family recipes, concluding with a sentence about why cooking is so important to you? In other words, you don’t have to be the next Hemingway to answer this prompt! Be specific. No matter how you choose to do this, your answer here- just like your other essays- should focus on a specific story. Don’t try to tackle a huge topic! Narrow your focus until you have one particular idea, event, or area you want to focus on. Focus on your personality. Admissions counselors are trying to get to know the â€Å"you† behind your grades and activities. Your goal here is to help them understand you, so don’t get too esoteric in your response. Don’t be afraid of humor. Let’s start by saying that these responses don’t have to be funny! But maybe you accidentally wandered into a wedding reception and ended up catching the bouquet, much to your mother’s horror. If you’re a naturally funny person, and there’s a hilarious experience that you think will help admissions counselors get to know you, this is the perfect place to share it. What Are Some Potential Essay Topics? This isn’t really a â€Å"topic† based prompt, but here are some ideas for how you can â€Å"take a risk†: Write a poem or a very short fictional story that embraces themes and experiences that are important to you. Dig into the french fry debate: which fast food joint has the best fries, and why? Share your little-known passions. Maybe you are a World War II buff and want to share the story of Winkie, the carrier pigeon that saved the crew of a Royal Air Force bomber that was shot down over the North Sea. Talk about why you love one of your guilty pleasures, like eating cookies in bed or watching Korean soap operas on YouTube! Are There Pitfalls You Should Avoid? Keep it appropriate. We know we’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. Make sure you’re choosing a G-rated topic. That means no sexual content, no drugs, and no illegal activities. Don’t forget to make a point. Just because the prompt is open-ended doesn’t mean your response should be random. For example, if you tell the story of Winkie, make sure to explain why it’s something you wanted to share. Maybe the story has taught you that even the smallest member of a team can have a huge impact! Spelling and grammar still count. Just because you can be more creative with this response doesn’t mean you can be less diligent. Grammatical mistakes and misspellings will count against you, so proofread carefully. Don’t blindly submit your essay. Some topics that might seem harmless to you could potentially be offensive to others, including your admissions counselor. Be sure you have a variety of other people read your essay to ensure you come across the way you intend. 4 Tips for Writing a Killer Notre Dame Essay Follow these four tips to write a great Notre Dame essay that'll show the school who you are and why they want to admit you. #1: Be Authentic You’re unique, with your own passions, experiences, and beliefs. Admissions counselors want to try to learn more about the â€Å"you† behind the transcript, so don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through in your essays. Even more importantly, don’t try to fabricate stories about yourself that you think will impress the admissions board. We guarantee that there are plenty of compelling things about you! Besides, admissions counselors have a finely tuned lie detector; they’ll know if you’re making things up. Admissions counselors look to your essays to learn more about you. That’s why it’s important to be yourself! Here’s what the Notre Dame Admissions website has to say about being authentic: â€Å"Your essays are the most enjoyable part of the application reading process. Why? Because we learn about important decisions you’ve made, adventures you’ve survived, lessons you’ve learned, family traditions you’ve experienced, challenges you’ve faced, embarrassing moments you’ve overcome.† #2: Deal With the Religion Question Not everyone who gets into Notre Dame is religious, but it’s important to know that some older demographic surveys show that the student body is up to 85% Catholic. Likewise, institutionally reported data indicates that a student’s religious affiliation and/or commitmentis considered in the admissions process. So if you are religious and haven’t already mentioned that elsewhere, you might consider discussing it in your Notre Dame application essays.But be careful! Make sure you review Notre Dame’s mission and commitments to make sure your answers align with the university’s beliefs. Additionally, don’t beat a dead horse. Every response shouldn’t revolve around religion- Notre Dame is looking for well-rounded students with a variety of interests and passions. And if you’re not religious, don’t lie to try and make yourself a more appealing candidate. Like we mentioned earlier, admissions counselors read thousands of applica tions every year. They’ll be able to tell if you’re being honest or not. #3: Jump Right In Abandon the long-winded introduction! You only have 150 words, so make every one count. To do that, get right into your topic from the very first sentence. If that feels weird, don’t worry: you can write a sentence or two of introduction to get you started, then delete it when you start revisions. #4: Show, Don't Tell Use descriptive words to paint a picture for your reader. Don’t say â€Å"I was so nervous to sing in the talent show.† Instead, say something like, â€Å"My palms were sweaty and I thought I might faint, but I walked on stage and sang anyway.† One tells the reader what you did, and the other gives the reader a glimpse at your experience. What's Next? Notre Dame is one of the top 20 colleges in the U.S., so you know admission is competitive. Using an acceptance calculator can help you better understand your chances of getting in. Notre Dame accepts both the Common App and the Coalition App. Not sure which one you should use? Don’t worry: we’ve got a handy-dandy guide to make your decision a breeze. Both the Common App and the Coalition App require additional essays beyond the ones we discussed in this post. (Yep, that means even more writing! Yay!) Thankfully, we have in-depth guides for both the Common App essays and the Coalition App essays, too. Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now:

How to Winterize Your Dormant Trees

How to Winterize Your Dormant Trees Trees in fall are in a state of serious change and reorganization. The tree is becoming dormant. A tree heading toward winter will sense the changing temperature and light and obey the dormancy controls built into the leaf. The mechanisms, called senescence, is what tells a tree to close down for coming winter. Tree Activity in Winter Trees may look inactive going into winter but the fact is they continue to regulate their metabolism and only slow down some physiological activities. This decrease in photosynthesis and transpiration begins a trees dormant phase. Trees still continue to slowly grow roots, respire and take in water and nutrients. Winter is a difficult time for a tree. A dormant tree still needs to be protected (winterized) to remain healthy and free from diseases and insects. The bad news is  winter weather encourages destructive pests to snuggle in and wait for spring to revive their destructive lifecycles. Small investments in properly caring for your trees can pay off big come spring. Pruning Prune dead, diseased and overlapping branches in late fall. This will form and strengthen the tree, encourages new strong growth in the spring, minimizes future storm damage and protects against overwintering disease and insects. Remember that dormant pruning has another benefit - it is easier to do during winter dormancy than in spring. Correct structurally weak branches and limbs. Remove all deadwood that is clearly visible. Properly prune branches that can touch the ground when loaded with rain and snow. Foliage and branches that are in contact with soil invite undesirable pests and other problems. Remove damaged and declining twigs, branches, and bark or any new sprouts that have grown at the tree base, or along stems and branches. Mulch and Aerate Young trees are especially vulnerable to fluctuations in temperature and moisture and need mulching protection. Mulch is good insurance that both conditions will be evenly managed during cold and drought. Mulching is a good practice for both dormant and full-growing, vegetative trees. Spread a thin layer of composted organic mulch to cover the soil several inches deep. Cover an area at least as large as the branch spread. In addition to protecting feeder roots, mulch also recycles nutrients directly to these roots. Aerate soils and compacted mulch if they are waterlogged or poorly drained. Saturated and dense soil can suffocate roots. It is critical not to damage tree roots in the soil as you do this, so work only on those few inches at the surface crust. so work only on those few inches at the surface crust. Fertilize and Water Fertilize by top dressing over the mulch with a balanced fertilizer if the essential elements are in short supply within the soil. Be sure to use nitrogen lightly, especially under large, mature trees and around newly planted trees. You do not want a vegetative flush of growth during late fall periods of warming. Large applications of nitrogen cause this growth. Dry spells in winter or hot daytime temperatures will desiccate a tree very quickly. Watering may be needed where soils are cool but not frozen, and there has been little precipitation. Winter droughts need treatment with water the same as summer droughts, except it is much easier to over-water in winter. Dormant Spray A dormant spray may be a good idea for deciduous trees, ornamentals, fruit trees, and shrubs. But remember not to spray until after you prune. Obviously, you will lose much of your effort and expense if you cut off treated limbs. Choice of chemicals is important. Dormant sprays include lime, copper and sulfur combinations to kill overwintering microorganisms. Dormant oil controls insects and their eggs. You just may need several types of sprays and oils to be effective. Avoid spraying any of this material in the hot sun as it can damage dormant buds. Get specific chemical recommendations from your local county extension agent.

IKEA Prices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

IKEA Prices - Essay Example If not, in which country is the product cheaper than it is in the United States. In which country is it more expensive? The prices of IKEA products are not identical and vary in different countries after converting the price in USD. For comparing the prices of IKEA 365 + Gnistra Bread Knife, three different countries have been chosen namely Australia, Canada and United States. Among these three countries, USA has the cheapest price which is 12.99 USD. After converting the price in USD, the price of 365 + Gnistra Bread knife of Canada has become 17.4532 USD and in Australia the figure is 18.2721 USD. So, Australia’s cost for this particular product is expensive compared to other two countries (IKEA Systems, 2011). Question 2 What might be the reason for the prices to differ even after conversion to U.S. dollars? Individual product costs differ from one country to another. The conventional reasons for difference in price level are the exchange rates and prices of labor. Wage dis tribution at mean level has significant negative effect on product prices. The high currency conversion rate of various countries is related with higher prices. The high income generating countries enjoy large productivity advantage (Lipse & Swedenborg, 2007). Trade cost can determine the cost of product.

ICS5 Extra Credit Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ICS5 Extra Credit - Assignment Example The New Year flower fair marks the beginning of a year and the end of past events of the past year. The event is mainly associated with welcoming new things. Some of the common flowers that are purchased during the New Year flower fair event include orchids, snap dragons and chrysanthemums amongst other varieties. These flowers are provided fresh by the flower vendors hence symbolizing the start of a new era. The flowers that are provided in the Chinese Flower fair at the beginning of a new year have different meanings. One of the meanings is that the flowers act as a symbol of prosperity and wealth amongst the Chinese people. The flowers act as a symbol of high positions in ones career. Apart from the flowers fruits are also incorporated in the Chinese flower fair. Tangerines with some of the leaves intact symbolize that an individual’s relationship with others will remain secure and intact. For people who are newlyweds, it symbolizes the branching of a couple into a huge fam ily with many children. The flower fair involves dancing and display of various Chinese arts. It is an event worth participating because it reveals the strong culture of the Chinese people. San Jose - November 23-25, 2012 The San Jose Harvest festival is an event that takes place every November 23 – 25 at the San Jose convention center. ... These people meet and a lot of cultural and social exchanges are seen. The event includes the provision of different forms of art for kids. This creates the impression that the event does not discriminate on the basis of gender and this is the reason why it always has a lot of people attending for every year. At the kidzone section, there is also the provision of eco friendly forms of art that are not harmful to the state of the environment. There is also a section for bags and parcels. These commodities are mainly a target to the middle aged clients. The items are of the latest designs and the level of demand is very high. This event ensures that a lot of marketing is done for people with unique and different structures. The event is also associated with providing free children’s ID kits. The benefits of the event can hence be clearly seen. The event is also associated with charity where there are collections of food and clothing for charity. It is therefore not all about the money which is being made but the benefits that the event gives to the society. Vicente Fernandez performance art Vicente Fernandez is a cultural icon in Mexico who performs traditional Ranchera music. He is widely recognized in Mexico being quite an influential person. He has made good sales in his concerts in Mexico and in the United States. He holds an admirable record through his nominations for Grammy awards including the fact that he has collected quite a number of honors a good example being in the year 2002 the Latin recording academy naming him as the person of the year. Â   Vicente’s Costumes on stage speaks volumes of the nature of his performance and the message he wants to deliver to the audience. His voice characterized by some emotional aspects brings

Emergency preparedness for Healthcare Professionals Article

Emergency preparedness for Healthcare Professionals - Article Example It is advisable that since a hospital is working as a team, then the fight and preparedness here should also be initiated as a team. To begin with, I will address the issues of someone coming in to attack the hospital with a weapon. Here, it is advisable that both patients and hospital officials should make a highway where some individuals can escape. In addition, the alarm system should be in place and in good condition, which will alarm the security officers on the attack immediately. Having put that across, it is also vital to raise concern over earthquake occurrence in the hospital. Earthquake is natural and often, hard to identify the direction to which it is originating from without machines assistance. Therefore, it is advisable for the hospital management to be well equipped with several kits that can last over seventy-two hours after the occurrence of the real incidence. Some of the kits are the ponchos, radios for communication and networking, food rations and flashlights j ust to sample but a few. Again, it is important for the hospital management to acknowledge the vitality of the emergency systems that will aid in notifications. Further, it will be awesome if the hospital is safe-guarded with earthquake safety measures, frames and foundations of the building should be reinforced to resist earthquake. Another unavoidable disaster is terrorism. Often, the increased potential of attacks by the terrorist directs the consequence and unique burden on Medicaid personnel. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the hospital management to prepare in advance for the fight against such act. Thus, the hospital officials have the mandate to implement policies that will protect health care personnel during the time when they will be attending to the victims. Therefore, it is pertinent to have ambulance in standby to evacuate some patients to other hospitals, order extra medicines and arrangements for security personnel. Again, alarming disaster is carbon Monoxide poisoning. In this regard, it is pertinent that the management team should ensure that there is proper installation of the carbon monoxide alarms, which can alert the concern authority audibly. The hospitals should have a professional checker of all burning appliances. It is not wise to be using oven or range to assist in heating the hospitals. Charcoal burning in hospital should be out of bounds. Another caution is that cars should not be left running since; this will not supply required air in the milieu. Lastly, hospital should develop extra decontamination rooms since it is not likely that pre-hospital personnel will manage to control all the contamination issues, the above will prevent hypothermia illness. Hurricane is another disaster that needs thorough preparedness. Here, for any hospitals to run effectively without worries of the severity of the hurricane, it is important that the following issues be put in place. Back-up generators are required to prevent black out conditi on. Hospital structures should be hardened and category five windows hurricane resistance put in place. Fuel tanks for the back-up generators should be available. Another natural disaster is the flood. It is worth to note that flood being a natural disaster calls for preparedness immediately when any sign shows up to avoid loss of life.

Ludwig Feuerbach The Essence Of Christianity Religion Essay

Ludwig Feuerbach The Essence Of Christianity Religion Essay Feuerbachs own introduction to the second print of his The Essence of Christianity is as good an exposà © as any of both his intentions and the content of his book. His own comments on the style of his writing are insightful both with regard to the content of the book as of the Young Hegelian movement as a whole. Forms, it seems, encapsulates the direction which Hegelian thought seem to have taken. This sense of style seems both as a device by which Feuerbach distances himself from the at times tiresome and elaborate musings of the German philosophical tradition and as a means by which to demonstrate the immediate and down-to-earth conclusion he himself has drawn from studying the Christian faith. In doing so Feuerbach claims to walk a path wholly of his own making, far removed from the obfuscation associated with Hegels work. Style, then, is as much content as it is on the surface of things. It tells us both to whom the message is addressed and the context in which it is written. F euerbach is, perhaps as a result of his awareness of the to be resolved Hegelian dichotomy between form and content, highly self-conscious of the form he is taking in addressing his audience: I have never held, surely, the scholars to be the measure of true learning and of the art of writing; not those abstract and particular academic philosophers, but universal man instead. (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) and I have made a law of the highest level of clarity, simplicity and determinacy to the extent to which the subject matter allows it. I have done so in all my writing, including this one, in order that every educated and thinking man can at the very least understand the main point of my work.  [2]   Feuerbachs style is inherently democratic and adverse to the prevalent mandarinism of the German intelligentsia. It is a statement in and by itself. The suggestion Feuerbach is making is that this is the language of science. These are not subjective utterances of a particular individual but irrefutable truth arrived at by virtue of strict application of a thoroughly rational methodology. Feuerbachs posture is one of a levelheaded thinker who aspires to the elementary truth. A truth that is, as we shall see, not shrouded in the abstract mysteries of abstract thought, but instead claims to be commonplace. One only needs to look clearly at the world in order for the ghosts of speculative idealism to dissipate. Feuerbach is practising the art of artlessness. Many of those influenced by Feuerbach have tried to emulate this posture and it is probable that a large part of the success of The Essence of Christianity is due to it tone. Its tone must have been seductive to an ever increasing contingent of thinkers barred from having a place within the established order. The author of The Essence, so it seems, took a certain pride in his lack of social stature. After all, such rogue thinkers might well be more inclined to think outside the box, not needing to adorn their truths in order to make them acceptable to all. This pathos is certainly recognizable in our present and practically an idiom in popular culture. At the time of its publication, however, the feeling was such that The Essence had cleared new grounds. It was frequently said that The Essence had a liberating effect. It expressed double entendre implied the spirit of the age. Or at least the very least the spirit of a particular segment within the 19th century German speaking coun tries of Central Europe. A segment of society that was repressed and excluded and had now, finally, found a voice to call its own. Feuerbachs aim was to clear away the alienating representations of Christianity in order to gain an empiricism that allowed to clearly state the nature of reality. Feuerbach: (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) weiter will meine Schrift nichts sein als eine sinngetreue ÃÅ"bersetzung bildlos ausgedrà ¼kt: eine empirisch- oder historisch-philosophische Analyse, Auflà ¶sung des Rà ¤tsels der christliche Religion.  [3]   (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) my book wants to nothing more than a translation that is true to the senses expressed without images: an empirical- or historical-philosophical analysis, resolution of the mystery of the Christian religion.  [4]   In the above Feuerbach makes clear his intent. He wants to strip bare the Hegelian dialectic into its most elementary form and overcome an idealism that is identified as being synonimous with the teachings of Christianity. The truth attained after decomposing Christianity will be immediate, sensual, and therefore without images. These words resemble those of an iconoclast, of someone wanting to empty the faith of all idolatry that stands in the way of truth. This is feeling is enhanced by Feuerbachs insistence that the Christianity which he shall tackle is not the same today as it was at the moment of its own genesis.  [5]  The original teachings of the Christian faith by Jesus have been steadily corrupted, according to Feuerbach, by subsequent interpretations and explanations of theologists. Theology has transformed Christianity into dogmas that are contradictory and unintelligible. The Essence is an attempt to retrieve the religion of Christianity from its theology, and Feuerbach makes a clear distinction between the two. Only after going back to this moment of authenticity within the Christian faith, that is, of the original myths surrounding the teachings of Jesus, can we hope to gain a new insight as to what these myths really imply. This explicit disapproval of theology in Feuerbachs writing is, as we shall see, consistent with a particular strand of anti-intellectualism expressed in The Essence. For Feuerbach believed that he had transcended not only the limitations of religion but those of philosophy as well. The Essence is itself therefore not a work of philosophy but of anthropology. In anthropology both religion and philosophy were superseded; it provided immediate, scientific, truths about human nature. By emphasizing that he was practicing another form of enquiry altogether Feuerbach tried to make more dramatic his break with both Christianity and the excesses of speculative philosophy as done by Hegel. Anthropology was believed to provide concrete results that could be empirically verified by basic human understanding, doing so in a commonsense language untainted by jargon. Anthropology dealt with humanity in general and had as a field of study, according to Feuerbach, something concrete and real. For humanity was undeniable since we ourselves were human. Feuerbach abhorred the tendency of idealist thought to reduce everything to the consciousness of the single mind. This, he thought, was an absurdity since much of what one calls ones own can be seen to be embodied by other human beings as well.  [6]  The human body was as a source of non-intellectual understanding, or feeling, shared by all members of the species.  [7]   So too was (historic) human culture a field for the creation of collective meaning by which those unalienable qualities of the human race could be represented. Feuerbach remained a Hegelian in seeing historical development of human culture in connection with the development of human consciousness. He too believed that the ideas and truths developed and represented in culture would, given time, be embodied by human consciousness. Feuerbach diverted from Hegel in seeing this development in terms of mans understanding of himself as member of a species. This understanding was expressed in highly naturalistic and empirical terms. With regard to Strauss, Feuerbach said not to be interested in the question of whether Jesus Christ had truly existed or not. Nor would Feuerbach critically interpret theology, a field in which he had no interest other than a feeling of disdain. What was of interest was the instantly recognizable myth told by the Biblical story of humanities redemption through Christ. This was the core around which the webs of mystification were spun. Just as the life and death of Christ was key in Hegels understanding of the Christian faith in being his philosophys other. So too was redemption, according to Feuerbach, the single most important event which had taken place in human history. Feuerbachs task was to take this myth and explain it in atheistic, anthropological, terms which directly reflected the hope and aspirations of humanity at large. This was not, however, to reduce or criticize the essence of faith. Rather, this methodology exhibited in The Essence was to scientifically explain the myth central to Christianity. In the understanding of the dialectic this meant that the content of the Bible, which was still marred by an excessive dependence on representation, could be brought on a higher plain of immediate understanding. In other words, although Christianity contained a truth, this truth was itself marred by Christianity. Christianity was in contradiction with itself, a contradiction that had to be resolved by its being superseded by anthropology. Feuerbach says of this: Ich (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) lasse die Religion sich selbst aussprechen; ich mache nur ihren Zuhà ¶rer und Dolmetscher, nicht ehren Souffleur.  [8]   I (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) let religion speak for it self; I am merely its audience and translator, not its critic.  [9]   Feuerbach, like Hegel, sees Christianity as a mirror of human consciousness. The qualities ascribed to Christianity are, in truth, the qualities of the human mind at a given time. Throughout The Essence the claim is repeated that faith is but an alienated manifestation of the self-as-species. The consciousness of God is the self-consciousness of mankind, the knowledge of God is the understanding of mankind. Religion is the first attempt towards self-consciousness. Yet it is in itself flawed; it remains an indirect self-consciousness through the manifestations of religion. Feuerbach writes in a sentence that could have been made by Hegel himself; Der Mensch verlegt sein Wesen zuerst außer sich, ehe er es in sich findet.  [10]   At first man misplaces his essence outside himself, before finding it within himself.  [11]   Everything that is to be found in religion can be found in actual human consciousness itself. Religion is constituted by reverence for alienated qualities of the self. Despite all its grandeur, religion has no content that is particular to its self. Religion is alienation itself and therefore made up around nothingness. This also explain the vague, indistinct, character of the omnipotent Christian God. God is said to embody all virtues of man, yet none in particular. God is everywhere, yet nowhere in particular. God knows everything, because he knows nothing in particular. According to Feuerbach the very notion of God is itself void: (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) weil alle Dinge, die der Vernunft imponieren, vor der Religion verschwinden, ihre Individualità ¤t verlieren, im Auge der gà ¶ttlichen Macht nichts sind. Die Nacht is die Mutter der Religion.  [12]   (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) because all things, that are impressive to the mind, vanish before religion, lose their individuality, are nothing in the eyes of God. The night is the mother of religion.  [13]   Religion is itself the very movement by which man loses his own essence. That which enriches our conception of God makes our understanding of ourselves all the more poorer.  [14]  The two are directly related in that what benefits one deprecates the other. In the mirror house of representation that is religion, a strange shift has occurred the puts the world upside-down. God, the representation, has replace man as representans, that is, as the very source from which the representation was brought forth. Der Mensch dies ist das Geheimnis der Religion vergegenstà ¤ndlicht sein Wesen und macht dann wieder sich zum Gegenstand dieses vergegenstà ¤ndlichten, in ein Subjekt, eine Person verwandelten Wesens; er denkt sich, ist sich Gegenstand, aber als Gegenstand eines Gegenstands, eines andern Wesens. So hier. Der Mensch ist ein Gegenstand Gottes.  [15]   Man this is the secret of religion objectifies his being and then again transforms himself into an object in relation to his own objectification, into a subject, a essence changed into a person; he thinks himself, is object to himself, but as object to an object, another being. There you have it. Man is an object of God.  [16]   As was hinted at in the above, however, Christianity carries within itself a contradiction. According to Feuerbach this contradiction means the end of Christianity itself and has to do with the notion of love. Love was crucial in the story of redemption. In this Biblical narrative man is redeemed in the eyes of God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Jesus had died for our sins in the name of mankind in an act of love and so had brought us into union with God. A harmony had been restored. A new holy light shone upon mankind in which all men were henceforth assured of the love of God. Feuerbach that this was the message and myth central to Christianity; a myth that was still clearly visible after ages of theological corruption. But Feuerbach believed that love did not unify mankind but, instead, divided it into those having Gods grace and those lacking it. The notion of love, central to Christianity, narrowed the conception of who was man and who was not. In practice love had gained a negative meaning; it served to denote the faithful from the heathen.  [17]  Love, then, determined who was to be fought and annihilated. Im Glauben liegt ein bà ¶ses Prinzip, that is, in faith there rests an evil principle.  [18]  Love is, according to Feuerbach, an completely natural and distinctly human instinct. Love is one of the most compassionate, benign, qualities of man. Love serves to bridge the gap between subject and subject; it is by virtue of itself inter-personal. Yet Christianity had managed to pervert love and make it not into a unifying notion, but a dividing one. Christian love, then, furthered particularity and subjectiveness, preventing a higher dialectical union in universal objectivity. Feuerbach had granted love a moral dimension. To love mankind is a moral type of love, to love a single individual is a personal, subjective love.  [19]  The former unifies, the latter divides. For to love a single person is to excluse others from your love. Only universal love of man-as-species is moral. Since love of God is love that is particular it shows itself to be immoral. The love of God deprives mankind from the love of both other human beings and himself as a member of mankind. Christian love is therefore intricately connected not only with the image of those who do not receive it and are the enemy but also with the notion of self-hate. To love God is to alienate that which make you human and thus reduce oneself to something underserving of that very love. This is why the concept of sin in a post-Christian era would not make any sense. Sin exists by virtue of God, a God whom we have granted our most valuable and essential qualities. We are sinfull because we have alienated our essence unto God. To deny God is to reclaim those qualities. Since I cannot be in contradiction with myself, there is not higher authority, I cannot live in sin.  [20]   Christianity is essentailly intolerant and adverse to any true understanding of love. It denies that which it claims is its essence. Christianity, then, in the end, denies itself. This is what Feuerbach meant with the idea that to let Christainity speak for it self is to end it. It is a negativity that negates itself. Love has to be made universal. We should not say, as Feuerbach would have it, God is love, but Love is god.  [21]  God is our own universal nature that we have alienated through religion. Love is synonimous with universality itself. Feuerbach: Die wahre Liebe ist sich selbst genug; sie bedarf keiner besondern Titel, keiner Autorità ¤t. Die Liebe ist das universale Gesetz der Intelligenz und Natur sie ist nichts andres als die Verwirklichung der Einheit der Gattung auf dem Wege der Gesinnung.  [22]   True love is enough by virtue of itself; it needs not special titel, no authority. Love is the universal law of intelligence and nature it is nothing else but the realization of the unity of the species on the road of natural inclination.  [23]   Love is only free when it is universal, unrestrained by particularity. Only then can it serve as the means by which man recognizes himself-as-species. The notion of species is not a cold intellectual thought; the very energy of love, our most human of inclinations, is that which constitues our species-being.  [24]  The historical figure Jesus Christ is therefore nothing else but our species-being represented in a singular image. Since we are all human, and therefore part of humanity, so too are all of us Christ.  [25]   (The emperorss new clothes by Hans Christian Andersson as a metaphor for Stirners Ego and Its own; The Emperor (Feuerbach) is not wearing any clothes!)

Spears or Mozart :: Music Compositions Composers Singers Essays

Spears or Mozart _"Consider, for instance, one of Mozart's compositions, one that is retained stably in our concert repertoire... The persistence with which a Mozart symphony reappears in our concert programmes is solely a consequence of its high selection value. In order for this to retain the effect, the work must be played again and again, the public must take note of it, and it must be continually re-evaluated in competition with other compositions." (Dennett, 348) _The first thought to develop in my mind after digesting the above passage was this: Mozart achieved notability and longevity in the field of music, and so did pop queen Britney Spears. The thought continued to plague me. Use of the phrase "concert repertoire" is easily applicable to Britney. She performs music in a concert to an audience that adores her. They may be twelve-year-old girls and infatuated boys, but she keeps them as fans as her career progresses. Is this "solely a consequence of high selection value?" Britney's public continues to "take note" of her, a requirement for "persistence." The radio ensures that the work is repeatedly played to obtain the desired effect of inebriation and subsequently enforced pleasure. _According to Dennett, permanency is acquired when "human conservators" prevent a piece of culture from a fate that means, "to dissolve in time." We all long for immortality, do we not? If a genie appeared and informed us we had three wishes, would not one of them be for something like fame, fortune, or immortality? Mozart has been conserved because of his selection value, because people have enjoyed his music and continue to enjoy it and deem it worthy of reputable celebrity. Britney Spears has achieved a similar preservation because her public has deemed her in possession of a high selection value, but does she warrant the reputable celebrity we give to Mozart? _Once her public turns away from her, Spears will dissolve in the mind's eye. The same could someday occur to Mozart. Can we study Mozart and Spears under the same lens with the same rules? Dennett believes we have "competitions that rage through a human mind (359)." Competitions take place to achieve a high selection value, to gain longevity. There are memes that fight to occupy our attention, and somewhere inside of us there is something pulling on us to decide what we like or do not like, what we strive for or do not strive for.

The Vampire Diaries: The Fury Chapter Seven

â€Å"To cooperate at what?† Meredith asked. â€Å"I'll explain about that later. But first I want to know what's been going on in town since I-left.† â€Å"Well, hysteria mostly,† Meredith said, raising an eyebrow. â€Å"Your Aunt Judith's been pretty badly off. She hallucinated that she saw you-only it wasn't a hallucination, was it? And she and Robert have sort of broken up.† â€Å"I know,† Elena said grimly. â€Å"Go on.† â€Å"Everybody at school is upset. I wanted to talk to Stefan, especially when I began to suspect you weren't really dead, but he hasn't been at school. Matt has been, but there's something wrong with him. He looks like a zombie, and he won't talk to anyone. I wanted to explain to him that there was a chance you might not be gone forever; I thought that would cheer him up. But he wouldn't listen. He was acting totally out of character, and at one point I thought he was going to hit me. He wouldn't listen to a word.† â€Å"Oh, God-Matt.† Something terrible was stirring at the bottom of Elena's mind, some memory too disturbing to be let loose. She couldn't cope with anything more just now, she couldn't, she thought, and slam dunked the memory back down. Meredith was going on. â€Å"It's clear, though, that some other people are suspicious about your ‘death.' That's why I said what I did in the memorial service; I was afraid if I said the real day and place that Alaric Saltzman would end up ambushing you outside the house. He's been asking all sorts of questions, and it's a good thing Bonnie didn't know anything she could blab.† â€Å"That isn't fair,† Bonnie protested. â€Å"Alaric's just interested, that's all, and he wants to help us through the trauma, like before. He's an Aquarius-â€Å" â€Å"He's a spy,† said Elena, â€Å"and maybe more than that. But we'll talk about that later. What about Tyler Smallwood? I didn't see him at the service.† Meredith looked nonplussed. â€Å"You mean you don't know?† â€Å"I don't know anything; I've been asleep for four days in an attic.† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Meredith paused uneasily. â€Å"Tyler just got back from the hospital. Same with Dick Carter and those four tough guys they had along with them on Founders' Day. They were attacked in the Quonset hut that evening and they lost a lot of blood.† â€Å"Oh.† The mystery of why Stefan's Powers had been so much stronger that night was explained. And why they'd been getting weaker ever since. He probably hadn't eaten since then. â€Å"Meredith, is Stefan a suspect?† â€Å"Well, Tyler's father tried to make him one, but the police couldn't make the times work out. They know approximately when Tyler was attacked because he was supposed to meet Mr. Smallwood, and he didn't show up. And Bonnie and I can alibi Stefan for that time because we'd just left him by the river with your body. So he couldn't have gotten back to the Quonset hut to attack Tyler-at least no normal human could. And so far the police aren't thinking about anything supernatural.† supposed to meet Mr. Smallwood, and he didn't show up. And Bonnie and I can alibi Stefan for that time because we'd just left him by the river with your body. So he couldn't have gotten back to the Quonset hut to attack Tyler-at least no normal human could. And so far the police aren't thinking about anything supernatural.† â€Å"Tyler and those guys can't identify the attacker because they can't remember a thing about that afternoon,† Meredith added. â€Å"Neither can Caroline.† â€Å"Caroline was in there?† â€Å"Yes, but she wasn't bitten. Just in shock. In spite of everything she's done, I almost feel sorry for her.† Meredith shrugged and added, â€Å"She looks pretty pathetic these days.† â€Å"And I don't think anyone will ever suspect Stefan after what happened with those dogs at church today,† Bonnie put in. â€Å"My dad says that a big dog could have broken the window in the Quonset hut, and the wounds in Tyler's throat looked sort of like animal wounds. I think a lot of people believe it was a dog or a pack of dogs that did it.† â€Å"It's a convenient explanation,† Meredith said dryly. â€Å"It means they don't have to think any more about it.† â€Å"But that's ridiculous,† said Elena. â€Å"Normal dogs don't behave that way. Aren't people wondering about why their dogs would suddenly go mad and turn on them?† â€Å"Lots of people are just getting rid of them. Oh, and I heard someone talk about mandatory rabies testing,† Meredith said. â€Å"But it's not just rabies, is it, Elena?† â€Å"No, I don't think so. And neither do Stefan or Damon. And that's what I came over to talk to you about.† Elena explained, as clearly as she could, what she had been thinking about the Other Power in Fell's Church. She told about the force that had chased her off the bridge and about the feeling she'd had with the dogs and about everything she and Stefan and Damon had discussed. She finished with, â€Å"And Bonnie said it herself in church today: ‘Something evil.' I think that's what's here in Fell's Church, something nobody knows about, something completely evil. I don't suppose you know what you meant by that, Bonnie.† But Bonnie's mind was running on another track. â€Å"So Damon didn't necessarily do all those awful things you said he did,† she said shrewdly. â€Å"Like killing Yangtze and hurting Vickie and murdering Mr. Tanner, and all. I told you nobody that gorgeous could be a psycho killer.† â€Å"I think,† said Meredith with a glance at Elena, â€Å"that you had better forget about Damon as a love interest.† â€Å"Yes,† said Elena emphatically. â€Å"He did kill Mr. Tanner, Bonnie. And it stands to reason he did the other attacks, too; I'll ask him about that. And I'm having enough trouble dealing with him myself. You don't want to mess with him, Bonnie, believe me.† â€Å"I'm supposed to leave Damon alone; I'm supposed to leave Alaric alone†¦ Are there any guys I'm not supposed to leave alone? And meanwhile Elena gets them all. It's not fair.† â€Å"I don't know. Something tremendously strong-but it could be shielding itself so that we can't sense it. It could look like an ordinary person. And that's why I came for your help, because it could be anybody in Fell's Church. It's like what Bonnie said during the service today: ‘Nobody is what they seem.' â€Å" Bonnie looked forlorn. â€Å"I don't remember saying that.† â€Å"You said it, all right. ‘Nobody is what they seem,' † Elena quoted again weightily. â€Å"Nobody.† She glanced at Meredith, but the dark eyes under the elegantly arched eyebrows were calm and distant. â€Å"Well, that would seem to make everybody a suspect,† Meredith said in her most unruffled voice. â€Å"Right?† â€Å"Right,† said Elena. â€Å"But we'd better get a note pad and pencil and make a list of the most important ones. Damon and Stefan have already agreed to help investigate, and if you'll help, too, we'll stand an even better chance of finding it.† She was hitting her stride with this; she'd always been good at organizing things, from schemes to get boys to fundraising events. This was just a more serious version of the old plan A and plan B. Meredith gave the pencil and paper to Bonnie, who looked at it. and then at Meredith, and then at Elena. â€Å"Fine,† she said, â€Å"but who goes on the list?† â€Å"Well, anyone we have reason to suspect of being the Other Power. Anyone who might have done the things we know it did: seal Stefan in the well, chase me, set those dogs on people. Anyone we've noticed behaving oddly.† â€Å"Matt,† said Bonnie, writing busily. â€Å"And Vickie. And Robert.† â€Å"Bonnie!† exclaimed Elena and Meredith simultaneously. Bonnie looked up. â€Å"Well, Matt has been acting oddly, and so has Vickie, for months now. And Robert was hanging around outside the church before the service, but he never came in-â€Å" â€Å"Oh, Bonnie, honestly,† Meredith said. â€Å"Vickie's a victim, not a suspect. And if Matt's an evil Power, I'm the hunchback of Notre Dame. And as for Robert-â€Å" â€Å"Fine, I've crossed it all out,† said Bonnie coldly. â€Å"Now let's hear your ideas.† â€Å"No, wait,† Elena said. â€Å"Bonnie, wait a moment.† She was thinking about something, something that had been nagging at her for quite a while, ever since- â€Å"Ever since the church,† she said aloud, remembering it. â€Å"Do you know, I saw Robert outside the church, too, when I was hidden in the choir loft. It was just before the dogs attacked, and he was sort of backing away like he knew what was going to happen.† â€Å"Oh, but Elena-â€Å" Soberly, after a moment's hesitation, Bonnie did. â€Å"Who else?† she said. â€Å"Well, Alaric, I'm afraid,† Elena said. â€Å"I'm sorry, Bonnie, but he's practically number one.† She told what she had overheard that morning between Alaric and the principal. â€Å"He isn't a normal history teacher; they called him here for some reason. He knows I'm a vampire, and he's looking for me. And today, while the dogs were attacking, he was standing there on the sidelines making some kind of weird gestures. He's definitely not what he seems, and the only question is: what is he? Are you listening, Meredith?† â€Å"Yes. You know, I think you should put Mrs. Flowers on that list. Remember the way she stood at the window of the boarding-house when we were bringing Stefan back from the well? But she wouldn't come downstairs to open the door for us? That's odd behavior.† Elena nodded. â€Å"Yes, and how she kept hanging up on me when I called him. And she certainly keeps to herself in that old house. She may just be a dotty old lady, but put her down anyway, Bonnie.† She ran a hand through her hair, lifting it off the back of her neck. She was hot. Or-not hot exactly, but uncomfortable in some way that was similar to being overheated. She felt parched. â€Å"All right, we'll go by the boardinghouse tomorrow before school,† Meredith said. â€Å"Meanwhile, what else can we be doing? Let's have a look at that list, Bonnie.† Bonnie held the list out so they could see it, and Elena and Meredith leaned forward and read: Matt Honeycutt Vickie Bennett Robert Maxwell-What was he doing at the church when the dogs attacked? And what was going on that night with Elena's aunt? Alaric Saltzman-Why does he ask so many questions? What was he called to Fell's Church to do? Mrs. Flowers-Why does she act so strange? Why didn't she let us in the night Stefan was wounded? â€Å"Good,† Elena said. â€Å"I guess we could also find out whose dogs were at the church today. And you can watch Alaric at school tomorrow.† â€Å"I'll watch Alaric,† Bonnie said firmly. â€Å"And I'll get him cleared of suspicion; you see if I don't.† â€Å"Fine, you do that. You can be assigned to him. And Meredith can investigate Mrs. Flowers, and I can take Robert. And as for Stefan and Damon-well, they can be assigned to everyone, because they can use their Powers to probe people's minds. Besides, that list is by no means complete. I'm going to ask them to scout around town searching for any signs of Power, or anything else weird going on. They're more likely than I am to recognize it.† â€Å"Fine, you do that. You can be assigned to him. And Meredith can investigate Mrs. Flowers, and I can take Robert. And as for Stefan and Damon-well, they can be assigned to everyone, because they can use their Powers to probe people's minds. Besides, that list is by no means complete. I'm going to ask them to scout around town searching for any signs of Power, or anything else weird going on. They're more likely than I am to recognize it.† â€Å"Elena. Elena!† Startled, Elena looked up, to see Meredith's wary dark eyes and Bonnie's alarmed expression. It was only then that she realized she was crouched close to Bonnie's wrist, rubbing the biggest vein with her finger. â€Å"Sorry,† she murmured, sitting back. But she could feel the extra length and sharpness of her canine teeth. It was something like wearing braces; she could clearly feel the difference in weight. She realized her reassuring smile at Bonnie was not having the desired effect. Bonnie was looking scared, which was silly. Bonnie ought to know that Elena would never hurt her. And Elena wasn't very hungry tonight; Elena had always been a light eater. She could get all she needed from this tiny vein here in the wrist†¦ Elena jumped to her feet and spun toward the window, leaning against the casing, feeling the cool night air blowing on her skin. She felt dizzy, and she couldn't seem to get her breath. What had she been doing? She turned around to see Bonnie huddled close to Meredith, both of them looking sick with fear. She hated having them look at her that way. â€Å"I'm sorry,† she said. â€Å"I didn't mean to, Bonnie. Look, I'm not coming any closer. I should have eaten before I came here. Damon said I'd get hungry later.† Bonnie swallowed, looking even sicker. â€Å"Eaten?† â€Å"Yes, of course,† Elena said tartly. Her veins were burning; that was what this feeling was. Stefan had described it before, but she'd never really understood; she'd never realized what he was going through when the need for blood was on him. It was terrible, irresistible. â€Å"What do you think I eat these days, air?† she added defiantly. â€Å"I'm a hunter now, and I'd better go out hunting.† Bonnie and Meredith were trying to cope; she could tell they were, but she could also see the revulsion in their eyes. She concentrated on using her new senses, in opening herself to the night and searching for Stefan's or Damon's presence. It was difficult, because neither of them was projecting with his mind as he had been the night they'd been fighting in the woods, but she thought she could sense a glimmer of Power out there in the town. When the bulb was finally screwed back in, it revealed Damon sitting casually but precariously on the sill of the open window, one knee up. He was smiling one of his wildest smiles. â€Å"Do you mind?† he said. â€Å"This is uncomfortable.† Elena glanced back at Bonnie and Meredith, who were braced against the closet, looking horrified and hypnotized at once. She herself shook her head, exasperated. â€Å"And I thought I liked to make a dramatic entrance,† she said. â€Å"Very funny, Damon. Now let's go.† â€Å"With two such beautiful friends of yours right here?† Damon smiled again at Bonnie and Meredith. â€Å"Besides, I only just got here. Won't somebody be polite and ask me in?† Bonnie's brown eyes, fixed helplessly on his face, softened a bit. Her lips, which had been parted in horror, parted further. Elena recognized the signs of imminent meltdown. â€Å"No, they won't,† she said. She put herself directly between Damon and the other girls. â€Å"Nobody here is for you, Damon-not now, not ever.† Seeing the flare of challenge in his eyes, she added archly, â€Å"And anyway, I'm leaving. I don't know about you, but I'm going hunting.† She was reassured to sense Stefan's presence nearby, on the roof probably, and to hear his instant amendment: We're going hunting, Damon. You can sit there all night if you want. Damon gave in with good grace, shooting one last amused glance toward Bonnie before disappearing from the window. Bonnie and Meredith both started forward in alarm as he did, obviously concerned that he had just fallen to his death. â€Å"He's fine,† said Elena, shaking her head again. â€Å"And don't worry, I won't let him come back. I'll meet you at the same time tomorrow. Good-bye.† â€Å"But-Elena-† Meredith stopped. â€Å"I mean, I was going to ask you if you wanted to change your clothes.† Elena regarded herself. The nineteenth-century heirloom dress was tattered and bedraggled, the thin white muslin shredded in some places. But there was no time to change it; she had to feed now. â€Å"It'll have to wait,† she said. â€Å"See you tomorrow.† And she boosted herself out of the window the way Damon had. The last she saw of them, Meredith and Bonnie were staring after her dazedly. â€Å"Your cloak,† she said, pleased. For a moment they smiled at each other, remembering the first time he had given her the cloak, after he'd saved her from Tyler in the graveyard and taken her back to his room to clean up. He'd been afraid to touch her then. But, Elena thought, smiling up into his eyes, she had taken care of that fear rather quickly. â€Å"I thought we were hunting,† Damon said. Elena turned the smile on him, without unlinking her hand from Stefan's. â€Å"We are,† she said. â€Å"Where should we go?† â€Å"Any house on this street,† Damon suggested. â€Å"The woods,† Stefan said. â€Å"The woods,† Elena decided. â€Å"We don't touch humans, and we don't kill. Isn't that how it goes, Stefan?† He returned the pressure of her fingers. â€Å"That's how it goes,† he said quietly. Damon's lip curled fastidiously. â€Å"And just what are we looking for in the woods, or don't I want to know? Muskrat? Skunk? Termites?† His eyes moved to Elena and his voice dropped. â€Å"Come with me, and I'll show you some real hunting.† â€Å"We can go through the graveyard,† Elena said, ignoring him. â€Å"White-tailed deer feed all night in the open areas,† Stefan told her, â€Å"but we'll have to be careful stalking them; they can hear almost as well as we can.† Another time, then, Damon's voice said in Elena's mind.

Yanomamo Tribe Essays - Yanomami, Hei T Bebi, Hedu K Misi, War

Yanomamo Tribe Essays - Yanomami, Hei T Bebi, Hedu K Misi, War Yanomamo Tribe The Yanomamo My name is Eric Dunning and this is my proposal to go and study the Yanomamo tribe in the rain forests of Brazil. I have compiled a historical outline of the Yanomamo tribe and some of their religion and culture, ranging from marital status to the type of food they eat. I have chosen this tribe because according to many anthropologists the Yanomamo are perhaps the last culture to have come in contact with the modern world. The Yanomamo people of Central Brazil are one of the oldest examples of the classic pre-Columbian forest footmen. The Yanomamo live in almost complete seclusion in the Amazon rain forests of South America. The Yanomamo live in small bands or tribes and live in round communal huts called shabonos, which are actually made up of individual living quarters. The Yanomamo language consists of a variety of dialect, but no real written language. Clothes are minimal, and much of their daily life revolves around gardening, hunting, gathering, making crafts and visiting with one another. These small tribes hold their men in high ranks. Chiefs are always men who are held responsible for the general knowledge and safety of the group's women. The men are able to beat their wives if they feel the need to and are able to marry more than one woman at a time. This loose form of polygamy is a way of increasing the population of the tribe. Yanomamo people rely heavily on a system of political alliances based upon relationship. As part of that system, they have incorporated a complex feasting and trading system into their culture. One of these methods of forming political alliances is feasting. Feasting is when one village invites another village for a feast or dinner. During the feast there is a lot of social activity. The Yanomamo dance and mingle with each other along with eating a different variety of foods. The only catch is the other village must reciprocate a feast by one village. This feast is more like an American dinner party in which members of family or social group invite others to attend. A feast however can be dangerous and or fatal for those who attend. The Yanomamo can be very conniving and deceiving. They pretend to be loyal friends and invite the other village for a feast. The other very village very trustfully attends the feast not knowing that this might be their last meal. After the feast when the guests are helplessly resting in their hammocks they are attack ed and brutally beaten to death. The Yanomamo live in a constant state of warfare with other tribes and even within their own groups. Marriages are often arranged according to performances of one's relatives in battles. Ideal marriages are thought to consist of cross cousin marriages and the males of the family and the religious leaders of the tribe perform all marriages. In addition to their strong kinship ties, political alliances and thirst for revenge, the Yanomamo have a detailed religion, based on the use of hallucinogenic drugs and the telling of mythical tales. The religious beliefs of the Yanomamo are quite complex. According to Yanomamo wise men, there are four levels of reality. Through them, the Yanomamo believe that things tend to fall or descend downward to a lower layer is demonstrated. The uppermost layer of the four is thought to be pristine and tender. It is called duku ka misi and the Yanomamo believe that many things originated in this area. This layer does not play much of a role in the everyday life of the Yanomamo. It is considered to be just there, once having some vague function. The next layer down is called hedu ka misi and is known as the sky layer. The top surface is supposedly invisible, but is believed to be similar to earth. It has trees, gardens, villages, animals, plants and most importantly, the souls of the deceased. These souls are said to be similar to mortals because they garden, eat and sleep. Everything that exists on earth is said to have a counterpart on this level. The bottom surface of the layer is said to be what the Yanomamo on earth actually see:

Genie Wiley, the Feral Child

Genie Wiley, the Feral Child Genie Wiley (born April 1957) was a severely neglected and abused child who was discovered and taken into custody by authorities when she was 13 years old. While her circumstances until that point were undeniably tragic, they also presented an opportunity for psychologists, linguists, and other researchers to study psychosocial, emotional, and cognitive development in an individual who had suffered from severe social isolation and deprivation. In particular, the discovery of Genie presented an opportunity to study whether a child who was past the so-called critical period for language acquisition could learn to speak a first language. Key Takeaways: Genie Wiley Genie Wiley was abused and neglected for over a decade until she was discovered in 1970 when she was 13 years old.Known as the feral child, Genie became an important subject of research. Of special interest was whether she could acquire language, as she was no longer within the critical period for language development.Genies case presented an ethical dilemma between prioritizing her care or prioritizing research on her development. Early Life and Discovery The case of Genie Wiley came to light on November 4, 1970. Genie was discovered by a social worker when her mother, who was partially blind, went to apply for social services. Genie had been isolated in a small room starting at the age of 20 months until her discovery at 13 years and 9 months old. She spent most of her time naked and tied to a potty chair where she was given limited use of her hands and feet. She was completely cut off from any kind of stimulation. The windows were curtained and the door was kept closed. She was only fed cereal and baby food and wasn’t spoken to. Although she lived with her father, mother, and brother, her father and brother would only bark or growl at her and her mother was only permitted very brief interactions. Genie’s father was intolerant of noise, so no TV or radio was played in the house. If Genie made any noise, she was physically beaten. Portrait of Genie Wiley. Bettmann / Getty Images Upon her discovery, Genie was admitted to Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles for evaluation. She was severely underdeveloped. She was thin and looked like a child of six or seven. She couldn’t stand up straight and could only walk with a hunched â€Å"bunny walk.† She was unable to chew, had trouble swallowing, and spat frequently. She was incontinent and mute. At first, the only words she recognized were her name and â€Å"sorry.† Testing shortly after she came to the hospital revealed that her social maturity and mental abilities were at the level of a one-year-old. Genie didn’t walk at a normal age, so her father came to believe she was developmentally disabled. However, the researchers brought onto the case after Genie’s discovery found little evidence of this in her early history. It appeared she never suffered from brain damage, mental disability, or autism. Therefore, the impairments and developmental delays Genie exhibited upon being assessed were the result of the isolation and deprivation she was subjected to. Both of Genie’s parents were charged with abuse, but Genie’s 70-year-old father committed suicide the day he was supposed to appear in court. The note he left said, â€Å"The world will never understand.† The Rush to Research Genie’s case drew media attention as well as great interest from the research community, which considered it a rare opportunity to discover whether it was possible for Genie to mentally develop after such severe deprivation. Researchers would never deliberately conduct deprivation experiments with people on moral grounds. So, Genie’s sad case was ripe for study. Genie was not the child’s real name, but the name given to the case in order to protect her privacy. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) provided funding for research and a team was assembled whose goal was to rehabilitate and study Genie’s progress. Genie soon learned basic social skills like using the toilet and dressing herself. She was fascinated by her environment and would study it intensely. She especially enjoyed visiting places outside the hospital. She was talented at nonverbal communication, but her ability to use language did not proceed rapidly. As a result, psychologist David Rigler decided to focus the research on Genies language acquisition. Language Acquisition The discovery of Genie coincided with a debate about language acquisition in the scholarly community. Linguist Noam Chomsky, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, claimed humans are born with an innate ability to develop language. He believed language isn’t acquired because we learn it, but because it’s part of our genetic inheritance. Then, neuropsychologist Eric Lenneberg added a caveat to Chomsky’s ideas. Lenneberg agreed that humans are born with the ability to develop language, but suggested that if a language wasn’t acquired by puberty, it might never be. Lenneberg’s proposal was called the â€Å"critical period hypothesis.† Yet, there was no ability to test the theory until Genie came along. Within the first seven months after her discovery, Genie learned many new words. She had even begun to speak but only in single words. By July 1971, Genie could put two words together and by November she could put together three. Despite  signs of progress, Genie never learned to ask questions and she didn’t seem to understand the rules of grammar. After beginning to speak in two-word phrases, normal children experience a language â€Å"explosion† a few weeks later in which speech develops quickly. Genie never experienced such an explosion. Her speech seemed to plateau at creating two to three-word strings, despite four years of additional work and research with her. Genie demonstrated that it’s possible for an individual to learn some language after the critical period. Yet, her inability to learn grammar, which Chomsky believed was key to human language, indicated that passing the critical period was detrimental to the complete acquisition of a first language. Arguments and Ethical Considerations During Genie’s treatment, there  were disputes amongst the members of her team. In the early days after her discovery, she entered her first foster home with her teacher Jean Butler. Butler claimed she felt that Genie was being subject to too many tests and attempted to make changes to Genie’s treatment. She wouldn’t allow the linguist Susan Curtiss or the psychologist James Kent into her house to see Genie. Other team members claimed Butler thought she could become famous through her work with Genie and didn’t want anyone else to get credit. Butler’s application to become Genie’s permanent foster parent was rejected about a month later. Psychologist David Rigler and his wife Marilyn stepped in and fostered Genie for the next four years. They continued to work with her and let others continue their research throughout that time. However, Genie left the Riglers’ home after NIMH stopped funding the project due to problems with data collection. Throughout the four years in which Genie was being tested and studied, there was debate about whether she could be a research subject and a rehabilitation patient at the same time. The ethics of the situation were murky. In 1975, Genie’s mother regained custody after being acquitted of all charges of child abuse. Genie’s care quickly became too much for her to handle, though, so Genie began to bounce from foster home to foster home. She was once again subjected to abuse in those homes. Soon, she stopped talking and refused to open her mouth entirely. Meanwhile, Genie’s mother filed a lawsuit against Genie’s team and the Childrens Hospital alleging that the researchers prioritized testing Genie over her welfare. She contended that they pushed Genie to the point of exhaustion. The case was eventually settled but the debate continues. Some believe the researchers exploited Genie, and therefore, didn’t help her as much as they could have. However, the researchers say they treated Genie to the best of their ability. Historian and psychologist Harlan Lane points out that â€Å"theres an ethical dilemma in this kind of research. If you want to do rigorous science, then Genies interests are going to come second some of the time. If you only care about helping Genie, then you wouldnt do a lot of the scientific research. So, what are you going to do?† Genie Today Genie is believed to be alive and living in an adult foster home as a ward of the state of California. While the linguist who worked with Genie, Susan Curtiss, has attempted to get in touch with her, she’s been repeatedly rebuffed. However, she said that when she calls the authorities, they inform her that Genie is well. Yet, when journalist Russ Rymer saw Genie at her 27th birthday party, he painted a much bleaker picture. Similarly, psychiatrist Jay Shurley, who was at Genie’s 27th and 29th birthdays, claimed Genie was depressed and had withdrawn into herself. Sources Cherry, Kendra. â€Å"Overview of Feral Child Genie Wiley.† Verywell Mind, 9 March 2019. https://www.verywellmind.com/genie-the-story-of-the-wild-child-2795241Pines, Maya. The Civilizing of Genie. Teaching English Through the Disciplines: Psychology, edited by Loretta F. Kasper. Whittier Publications, 1997. http://kccesl.tripod.com/genie.htmlNOVA. Secret of the Wild Child. PBS, 4 March, 1997. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2112gchild.htmlFromkin, Victoria, Krashen, Stephen, Curtiss, Susan, Rigler, David, and Rigler, Marilyn. The Development of Language in Genie: A Case of Language Acquisition Beyond the Critical Period Brain and Language, vol. 1, no. 1, 1974, pp. 81-107. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0093-934X(74)90027-3Carroll, Rory. Starved, Tortured, Forgotten: Genie, the Feral Child Who Left a Mark on Researchers. The Guardian, 14 July 2016. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jul/14/genie-feral-child-los-angeles-researchers

Guest lecturer reports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Guest lecturer reports - Essay Example Thus engineers are part of the problem solving process and apply an analytical approach in providing solutions. The knowledge of social construction of technology aids in the comprehension of societal problems in relation to the existing economic needs of the people. Therefore engineers are able to device appropriate solutions technically to suit the changing economic trends. Engineers are social scientific practitioners who mainly link scientific discoveries and the commercial applications to meet the day today societal and consumer needs (Anastasia & Reshma, 2009). This is incredibly plausible through the ideas this clever bunch of professionals put forward to act as economic solutions to technical problems in relation to the application of scientific principles. Sociology of technology is a theory that argues on the basis of human action shaping technology. One of the distinctive characteristics of technology is that it’s socially shaped i.e. a new technology available at o ne time may be developed and implemented following consumer interests. Thus a working technology is rendered unsuccessful when it does not meet the prevailing standards of consumer interests (Bijker, Wiebe, Thomas, Hughes, Trevor, & Pinch, 1987). Engineering socio-technical system defines societal roles in determining what design should be used by engineers to construct a device that is generally accepted, at certain limits. It is this design that influences the implementation of a particular technology at a particular time. As a theory and a methodology, SCOT analyses the causes of success and failure to a particular technology through formalizing appropriate scientific procedures and principles. This argument is evident in the evolution of bicycle, innovating different designs. The first invention of the bicycle was the velocipede, which was difficult to mount, had a poor braking system and the front wheel tended to clean itself on the cyclist's trousers while negotiating bents. T his paved way for penny-farthing part of the developmental process to find an efficient form of personal transport. Similarly, it took a cyclist some practice to learn how to get into and off the high wheel. This, accompanied by risks of tumbling for longer distances when one lost control, called for a new invention. The bicyclette, also known as safety bicycle, is the first chain-drive with advantages over the other inventions. The bicycle invention may be summarized in an innovation model continuum, as shown below. The linear innovation model suggests that the technical change in bicycle occurs in a linear fashion as illustrated in the flow chart below. On the other hand, multi-directional model provides a wider view on the relationship of the subsequent designs (Sismondo, 1993). Illustration 1: Linear Model of Innovation Illustration 2: Multi-directional Model Social analytical approach spells out clearly the diverse problems that need corrections, thus, which are very fundamenta l for my understanding. The interpretive flexibility stage analyses the problems affecting the male, elderly and female cyclists. By this, understand the requirements of the elderly, male, and female cyclists. The ordinary bicycle contributed major to the development of bicycles albeit having limitations on the elderly cyclists and female cyclists. It was rendered for young and athletic men who were thought to withstand its tumbling menace when it suddenly hit a rough surface, and also the rider's position over the centre of the