Verb Tenses in English - ESL Overview

In English grammar, verb tenses or forms indicate the moment when something happens, such as the past, present, or future. These three primary forms can be subdivided further to add detail and specificity, such as whether the action is ongoing or to describe the order in which events occurred. For example, the present simple verb tense concerns actions that happen every day, while the past simple verb tense refers to something that happens in the past. In all, there are 13 tenses. Verb Tense Chart Here are simple explanations of the tenses in English that give the most common use of each tense in English. There are a number of exceptions to the rules, other uses for certain tenses in English and so on. Each tense has examples, a link to a page that goes into detail for each tense in English, as well as a visual tense chart and a quiz to check your understanding. Simple present: things that happen every day. He usually goes for a walk every afternoon. Petra doesnt work in the city. Where do you live? Simple past:  something that happened at some time in the past. Jeff bought a new car last week. Peter didnt go to the meeting yesterday. When did you leave for work? Simple future: paired with will  to express a future act. She will come to the meeting tomorrow. They wont help you. Will you come to the party? Simple future: paired with going to to indicate future plans. Im going to visit my parents in Chicago next week. Alice isnt going to attend the conference. When are you going to leave? Present perfect: something that began in the past and continues into the present. Tim has lived in that house for 10  years. She hasnt played golf for long. How long have you been married? Past perfect: what happened before something else in the past. Jack had already eaten when he arrived. I hadnt finished the report when my boss asked for it. Had you spent all your money? Future perfect: what will have happened up to a point in the future. Brian will have finished the report by five oclock. Susan wont have driven far by the end of the evening. How many years will you have studied by the time you get your degree? Present continuous:  what is happening at the moment. Im working at the computer at the moment. He isnt sleeping now. Are you working? Past continuous: what was happening at a specific moment in the past. I was playing tennis at 7 p.m. She wasnt watching TV when he called. What were you doing at that time? Future continuous: what will be happening at a specific moment in the future. I will be lying on the beach this time next week. She wont be having any fun this time tomorrow. Will you be working this time tomorrow? Present perfect continuous: what has been happening up to the present moment in time. Ive been working for three hours. She hasnt been working in the garden for long. How long have you been cooking? Past perfect continuous: what had been happening up to a specific moment in the past. They had been working for three hours by the time he arrived. We hadnt been playing golf for long. Had you been working hard when he asked for it? Future perfect continuous: what will be happening up to a specific moment in the future. They will have been working for eight hours by the end of the day. She wont have been studying for very long when she takes the test. How long will you have been playing that game by the time you finish? More Resources If you want to continue your studies, this  tense table  will help you learn more about verb tenses. Educators can find activities and lesson plans in this guide to teaching tenses.

The Castle Of My Skin - 994 Words

Title In the Castle of My Skin is by its very nature a novel which is difficult to label as its episodic nature underlines the diverse nature of the Caribbean experience. The Antilles were, and are to this day, a region defined by its ethnic and cultural diversity. Due to the multiplicity of experiences which define the region, any singular narrative attempting to portray even one village would be overly simplistic as a result of the singular narrative which define most traditional novel. As such, Lamming utilizing different narrative and form to reflect the always changing diversity of the Barbados. As such, it is impossible for a critique of the novel to address its multifaceted nature, even when dealing with a single theme. In practice, this effectively deconstructs the traditional form of identity within the village in which it is set, while being part of an intellectual movement in Caribbean literature and culture of constructing an identity centered on race, and the unity of historic al hardships facing all individuals of African descent in the Americas. Lamming consistently emphasizes human perception, and its inability to properly gauge phenomena’s of nature at first – or in other words, the difficult to see on a different level than the one that an individual or a community is occupying. An instance of this is when Boy Blue accidentally picked up a pair of copulating frogs having first thought they were rocks (p. 170-171). The mistaken perception of Boy Blue madeShow MoreRelatedThe Castle Of My Skin By George Lamming1758 Words   |  8 PagesThe story, In the Castle of My Skin by George Lamming, is about a young boy’s life events that take place in a village that has gone through the dramatic changes of colonialism. The changes that the characters’ experience influences both the village and the society. The setting and time of the novel allow the reader to understand the circumstances and struggles that were present in the Caribbean. There are so many themes that are present in In the Castle of My Skin such as race, coming of age, andRead MoreIn the Castle of My Skin Essay example1758 Words   |  8 PagesThe novel In The Castle Of My Skin by Barbadian novelist George Lamming and Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys, a native of Dominica both deal in-depth with the lives of their characters during colonialism. 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A study of his poetry and its reflection Essay Example For Students

A study of his poetry and its reflection Essay This will be done by utilizing a wide selection of Wordsmiths poetry spanning the poets lifetime. HIS experiences are certainly mirrored In the subject matter of his creations and because of the Inextricable link between Wordsmith the man and Wordsmith the poet, the poems discussed in this paper have been separated into three sections. The first section will deal with poems from the Lyrical Ballads. The second section explores Wordsmiths Sonnets. While the last section will deal with the Ecclesiastical Sketches, as they have been referred to by critics and poets the like. In his famous poem The Rainbow, Wordsmith grandly proclaims that, the Child Is the Father of the Man (line 7). If we are to consider this claim on the basis not of its philosophical merit but rather of its personal relevance to the poet, this statement must be considered an absolute truth. For Wordsmith, through his poetry, explores himself: his thoughts, motives and feelings; in short Wordsmith poetry is in essence an exploration of the soul not of the mind and it is because of this that his poetry is so profound, so fluid and so Romantic In nature. Thus Wordsmiths poetry reflects him the man and hence the subject matter of his poems changes throughout the years as he goes through different experiences. In he poem Lines written a few miles above Tinder Abbey, Wordsmith discerns that there are three main stages of development: childhood, youth and manhood. Indeed these stages can be likened to Wordsmiths poetical development. The publication of Lyrical Ballads marked Wordsmiths birth and early childhood while the Sonnets of 1 802 and beyond definitely reflect a wiser, worldlier Wordsmith. However it is in his Ecclesiastical Sketches that Wordsmith the poet reaches the pinnacle of his development: his manhood in the world of poetry. Hence the separation of this paper into the three stages of his development. Wrought his life experiences, many of which are recounted in his poetry. There is, undoubtedly, a direct correlation between his life and his poetical works and a thorough knowledge of his background is necessary to understand his poetry and the stages that it undergoes. For example, the poetry of the Lyrical Ballads is light and carefree in tone and ambiance while that of the Sonnets is somber and reflective. This is because Wordsmith suffers a period of political disillusionment with the defeat of the French Revolution which is heavily reflected in his poetry of the time. It follows naturally that if the subject matter and ambiance are affected by Wordsmiths life then so would the themes and images of the poems. For these reasons, the poems have been separated into three distinct groupings to be explored separately. However while these poems may differ in content, they reflect the same elements of Romanticism seen in Wordsmiths poetry. In fact, the differences in content only serve to highlight Romanticism as a poetic style applicable to all genres of verse. BACKGROUND AND ContraindicationWilliam wordsmith north of England. He homebodies the yeoman of England with its sturdy constitution and independence of mind (11). So says R. S. Thomas in his introduction to A Choice of Wordsmiths Verse. His poetry is very reflective of his disposition and throughout his life the main constant in his poetry is its reverent response to and appreciation of nature. If we are to return to the line, The Child is the Father of the Man, then Wordsmiths poetry becomes as pure and as clear to us as the Cuckoos song was to him. For Wordsmiths childhood, described at length in his epic poem the Prelude, was idyllic. In the Prelude book I he describes life as a baby in his nurses arms, hearing and being drawn to the music of the river Deterrent. His childhood follows along a similar theme of communion with nature. Indeed natures influence on the spirit is the underlying theme of his poems in Lyrical Ballads. Then at the age of seventeen, after the deaths of his parents in 1778 and 1783, Wordsmith was separated from his five siblings and sent away to school at SST. Johns College in Cambridge. There his life was simple and unencumbered. Vacations were spent in walking tours around England and on the continent with friends. It was on these excursions that many of the ideas expressed in Wordsmiths poetry began to take shape. His deep appreciation of nature developed into a more sublime, spiritual communion. The Revolutionary Years 1791, Wordsmiths poetic life began in earnest. He revisited France where he came into brief contact with a Frenchman, Annette Balloon, by whom he had a child. His reunion with his daughter is beautifully depicted in his sonnet, It is a beauteous evening, calm and free. On this visit to France, Wordsmith became engrossed in the literary work and philosophies of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Because of this influence, he developed strong republican sympathies and French people. In 1793 he returned to England where the excitement of the revolution quickly descended into disillusionment with the beginning of the Reign of Terror in September 1793. Wordsmiths actions during the French Revolution have been alternatively praised and criticized by critics. Those who praise his actions claim that Wordsmith showed himself to be a morally sound individual, who, sympathetic to the plight of a people, was moved into action. Others view Wordsmiths timely departure before the war as form of escapism. Whatever the case, the French Revolution heavily impacted upon him and his poetry, and after the death of the revolution Wordsmith became depressed and angered with his fellow man. As Graham Hough, Professor of English at Cambridge University states,let is customary to reproach Wordsmith for abandoning it (the revolution), which is absurd; even Romantic poets must be permitted to grow up. What we can legitimately regret is that he abandoned so much with it, so many of the ideals that should have been immune to historical disappointment. (53)This abandonment of deals is found in the Sonnets which tell of Wordsmiths worldly disillusionment and later embitterment. The abandonment becomes even more apparent in the later Ecclesiastical Sketches which showcase Wordsmiths seldom seen cynical side where biting remarks with a distinctly fatalistic tone reign. Then in the winter of 1794, he fled England to avoid military conscription and went with his sister, Dorothy, to Germany. That winter was indeed a revolutionary one for it was here that Wordsmiths and Samuel Taylor Coleridge friendship blossomed. The winter spent in each others company precipitated the publication of the Lyrical Ballads in 1798 and marked in earnest the popularization of Romanticism in Britain. The Reclusive Hearst years 1802 and 1803 were busy ones for Wordsmith. 1802 saw him married to a childhood friend, Mary Hutchinson. Before the wedding, Wordsmith revisited France for a settling of affairs between him and Annette. While in France he spent some time with his illegitimate daughter, Caroline. However following this, Wordsmith and his wife installed themselves at their new home from which he seldom vacated. But more importantly, these years saw a revival in Wordsmiths political interests which are reflected in his sonnets, composed around this time. For in 1802 the Peace of Amines was concluded with France formalizing Britains recognition of the newly formed French Republic, a move which was welcomed by liberal sympathizers. This political revival elevated Wordsmiths verse to new heights and his sonnets are profound in their expressions of disappointment, tempered with newfound hope. The Declined again Wordsmiths political hopes came crashing to the ground when the unstable period of peace ended in the beginning of a personal despotism This was all too much for Wordsmith to bear and his later work shows his defeatist attitude and the lack of hope with which he became imbibed. WORDSMITH THE Reinterpretations, as succinctly defined by wisped. Org, is a complex artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Western Europe. The Romantic Period ushered in a period of literary revolution where old fashion neoclassical ideals were permanently abolished. Before the advent of Romanticism, emphasis in poetry was placed on the order and balance of reasoned thoughts. Poets had to adhere to strict rules of form and diction and the higher the level of elevation of language, the greater the substance of the poetry created. Furthermore, the subject matter of the poem was also a matter of tacit understanding amongst most poets. For poems depicted Kings, Queens and Gods and described major historical, social and political events. Hence why Wordsmiths poetry has been hailed by many as revolutionary; for it was only with the birth of Romanticism that ideas such as nature, human imagination, childhood, and the ability to recall emotional memories of both happiness and arrow were able to be discussed and dissected in poetry. Compare and contrast 'The Man He Killed' by Thomas Hardy and the 'The Charge Of The Light Brigade' by Alfred, Lord Tennyson EssayTherefore the effect of nature on the poet is still seen as it is almost as if the Leech- Gatherer is sent by Nature herself to rouse Wordsmiths spirits, such is the link teens the old man and the surroundings. Thus through these distinctly Workstations concepts, the undercurrent of Romanticism is evidently seen. For while Wordsmith uses personal experience to fortify his stance on nature, the Romantic idea of appreciating natures beauty for not only its aesthetic greatness but also for the emotional healing it offers those willing to look. THE LANGUAGE OF COMMON Northwesters thoughts on language are best described in his own words. In the Preface of the second edition of Lyrical Ballads, Wordsmith expresses his view of poetry, the role of the Poet and his stance on engage and poetic ornament. Wordsmiths expression of poetry as, the spontaneous overflow of powerful emotions recollected in tranquility became a benchmark of Romanticism and with it came his views on language:The principal object, then, proposed in these Poems was to choose incidents and situations from common life, and to relate or describe them, throughout, as far as was possible in a vanity, they convey their feelings and notions in simple and unallocated expressions. Accordingly, such a language, arising out of repeated experience and regular feelings, is a more permanent, and a far more philosophical language, than hat which is frequently substituted for it by Poets. This quotation, while rather long, is extremely important for it expresses Wordsmiths purpose as a writer and completely separates him from neoclassical poets. For here we have Wordsmith boldly proclaiming that his poetry is for everyone! It is a reflection of ordinary life he says; poetic ornament is necessary he cries and poets who pride their poetry on this are not poets. So why does Wordsmith embark on such a grand literary revolution? Let us not forget where he came from. Wordsmith was a highlander; a yeoman. He grew up eating poetry that was unrelated perhaps even at times incomprehensible to a young man from a background such as his. Hence it was his responsibility to create a whole new genre of poetry that could be read and enjoyed by the masses. This is really what Romanticism was all about: changing the rules to create a new level playing field where everyone had a voice. Throughout Wordsmiths literary career, he remains true to his thoughts as intimated in the preface. Poems such as Lucy Gray, The Rainbow and the Solitary Reaper published in 1799, 1802 and 1807 respectively are all testament to Wordsmiths view of language. In his preface however, Wordsmith states his opinions as fact which is where my opinion seems to differ from his. For Wordsmiths feelings about language as being more profound in its simplicity are more personal opinion than absolute truth. Indeed the poems where he does not adhere strictly to his rule on language are some of his most profound. Tinder Abbey, Mutability and Intimations on Immortality are some of his most widely praised poems and they all violate his golden rule. This is not to undermine Wordsmiths edict but rather to show that it is not an absolute one for he was able to confer the same profundity into all his poems, no tater the diction used. WORKSTATIONS PHILOSOPHIESWordsworth has been known to refer to himself as a philosopher however I am not of the opinion that he was ever truly one. In his poems though, many aspects of other peoples philosophies are dissected and given a Workstations twist. While the discussion of philosophy featured prominently in neoclassical poetry, what is different about Romantic poetry is that emphasis was placed on thoughts and feelings over reasoned thought. In Wordsmiths poetry he was able to combine these two elements of emotion and philosophy to create ideas that were truly unique Thoughts and Feelings expressed in the Lyrical Bailsman of Wordsmiths lyrics are deceptively simple poems, not only because of his diction but also because of his simple rhyme scheme. One such poem Lines written in Early Spring expresses two extremely essential ideas: Heartless philosophy of Associations and Darnings theory of the Sensibility of Plants. Associations is a complex psychological theory that gives insight into the human personality. Many critics of Hartley claim that his description of the emotional and moral process is coldly mechanical in that he saw human development as bound by environment and necessity. Hartley thought that the human mind linked similar situations together until we developed sensibilities from these associations. However Wordsmith was not concerned with the root of Associations but rather the grand idea of it all as expressed in the poem: To her fair works did Nature link/ The human soul that through me ran. Only Wordsmith the nature poet could take such a scientific theory and manage to convey a spiritual association between the divinity of nature and the human soul. But this was a central Workstations belief as we have already seen and in the preface Wordsmith says that man and nature are essentially adapted to each other. Another great Workstations concept was the belief in Darnings theory of the sensibility of plants, I. E. That plants have the natural capacity for conscious thought. Th is belief is clearly seen the poem: The birds around me hopped and played The budding twigs spread out their fan/ To catch the breezy air/ And I must think do all I can/ That there was pleasure there (13, 17-20). While these thoughts or concepts are expressions of the poets moral wanderings, the soul of Wordsmiths poetry is in the emotion or feeling he conveys to the reader. In this poem, Wordsmiths feelings of lost revolutionary zeal are expressed. He grieves for what man has made of man (8) and plaintively appeals to mankind: have I not reason to lament what man has made of man? (23-4)Thoughts and feelings expressed in the Syntheses sentiments of lamentation are echoed in Wordsmiths sonnets. In his London 1802, he expresses his general dissatisfaction and disillusionment with England. The poem opens with an apostrophe (direct address) to the great British poet John Milton. With this cry of desperation, Wordsmith launches into a heated description of present England and why the entry is in need of a savior:She is a fen/Of stagnant waters: altar, sword, a nd pen, [Fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower/Have forfeited their ancient English dower/Of inward happiness. We are selfish men; / Oh! Raise us up, return to us again; [And give us manners, virtue, freedom and power. (2-8)Len this quote, Wordsmith denounces the church, state, literary world, the home and the throne. Here he is strong and direct in his placement of blame for he says we are selfish men. The whole country is to blame for the erosion of the moral values that Thoughts and Feelings expressed in the Ecclesiastical Sketches poem Ode: Intimations on Immortality is almost a philosophical discourse. In this poem ideas are all interconnected, so much so that readers are distantly reminded of Heartless theory. However this poem is a very important one historically as it is Wordsmiths own explanation to the line the Child is the Father of the Man:Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting: / The Soul that rises with us, our lifes Star/ Hath had elsewhere its setting, / And cometh from afar: / Not in entire forgetfulness, / And not in utter nakedness/ But trailing clouds of glory do we come Heaven lies about us in our infancy! / Shares of the prison-house begin to close/ Upon the growing Boy/ But He/ Beholds the light, and whence it flows The Youth who daily farther from the east/ Must travel, still is Natures Priest At length the Man perceives it die away, / And fade into the light of common day. (59-64, 66-70, 71-2, 76-7)Wordsmiths explanation of his famous line in this metaphysical exultation is only one of the two ideas so beautifully expressed in the passage above. For Wordsmiths cynical view of the world is also seen. However to first discuss the metaphysical, Wordsmith lives that the Child is born trailing clouds of immortality in that the child is born with some knowledge of the divine home from which we were all brought. However as time passes and especially with adolescence, the child loses the ability to recall the divine until, in adulthood, the ability is completely lost. This idea in itself is not a new one; the idea of losing ones childhood innocence to the conventions and routines of daily adult life is an ancient one. However it is the sadness and anger with which Wordsmith expresses these sentiments that makes them so profound. The first line of the passage sets the tone as a rather cynical proclamation of defeat. We are born to die, Wordsmith says as he goes on to elucidate his view.

Western Political thought Machiavelli Essay Example

Western Political thought: Machiavelli Essay Nicollo Machiavelli is one of the political thinkers that have contributed immensely to the development of the political thought. However, his thoughts and principles were a radical departure from those of his contemporaries. One of the political thoughts that were different from that of the past thinkers was on the morality of power. According to him morals cannot be used to judge the legitimate and illegitimate application of power. He claims that power and authority are equal variables and anyone that has power gains the right to give commands. He claimed that being good does not give one a moral authority and goodness does not give power to anyone. This view conflicts with the moralistic political theory that associated morality with authority (Nelson, 1995). Machiavelli criticizes the moralistic concept of authority saying that it does not add any value to power.The other political thought that was distant from the past thinkers was on the subject of law and force. Machiavelli f irst agreed with the past thinkers saying that good laws are important for an orderly political system. However he claimed that good people do not like following laws which means that for the good laws to work, there must be coercion. He wanted to imply that good laws have their legitimacy founded on the use of force. This thought appeared to be cruel, but in reality, laws cannot be legitimate if they are not accompanied by coercive force (Sydney, 2005).The last extreme thought by Machiavelli was on his treatment of politics. In opposition to the definition of the past thinkers who saw politics pragmatically. Machiavelli dismissed politics and an entity that could only be seen from the supremacy of powers that are coercive. The authority in politics according to him cannot exist independently and politics is all about gaining supremacy for personal interests (Nelson, 1995).Though Machiavellian political thoughts were different from those of the past thinkers, modern political theory is based on Machiavellian principles and thoughts. His eccentric thoughts have provided a foundation for the modern political theory.ReferenceNelson, B.R. (1995). Western Political Thought from Socrates to the Age of Ideology. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.Sydney, A. (2005) .Machiavelli the First Century: Studies in Enthusiasm, Hostility, and Irrelevance. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Writing with Speech Recognition Software

Writing with Speech Recognition Software Writing with Speech Recognition Software Writing with Speech Recognition Software By Michael A professional writer might add a thousand words a day to their rough draft. With speech recognition software, some writers can add several thousand. Thats one reason why more writers are choosing to dictate their books. Today the error rate of speech recognition software has improved to within a percentage point of a human being. According to IBM, even a human transcriptionist hears the wrong word 4 or 5 percent of the time. IBM reached 5.5 percent in 2017. Google claims even lower than that 4.9 percent in 2017. Speech recognition can be found in Google Docs, Windows 10, your smartphone and in various home devices. Dragon Naturally Speaking is the only commercially-available speech recognition software for consumers, mostly because they bought all their competitors. According to their website, Dragon is 3x faster than typing and its 99% accurate. For higher accuracy, Dragon can be trained to recognize your own voice and vocabulary. Tips for writing with speech recognition Dictate in complete phrases or sentences. Recent advances in accuracy have come not so much from speech recognition (thats a buh not a duh) as from language recognition (after the words eat or peel the sounds buh nah nuh are probably banana). I can sometimes see my software rewrite a sentence once Ive completed it, because it now has more of the context and so can recognize more of the words. Pause between phrases, not words. Thats mostly what I just said, but it bears repeating. Separating parts of speech with pauses (It was the best of times) can really confuse the software. It likes to sense the sentence structure as you speak. Pausing between phrases is also a good habit for public speaking, or for speaking in general, for that matter. Yes, you need to pause while you think, but you dont need to keep talking while you do it. Watch the screen. If there are any errors or omissions, you want to make sure theyre not so serious that you cant remember what you really meant to say. I can handle Dragon spelling to instead of too or member instead of remembering. But sometimes the software provides a perfectly spelled word that would make no sense later. In that case, I can usually dictate the correct word again, perhaps preceding it with or rather as a newscaster might. Or you may be able to train Dragon (and yourself) that you pronounce to as tu and too as te-yoo. Or restate your sentence in different words. Dont worry about polluting your masterpiece with synonyms its probably faster than hemming and hawing for the perfect word. You can perfect it when you edit it. Keep a consistent tone, speed, and volume. Shouting, whispering or pretending youre Robin Williams will make the software work harder. It doesnt appreciate or even recognize histronics. I did a stint as a professional voice transcriptionist, repeating the speech of another person more clearly so that Dragon could understand it better. We maintained a cheerful tone as we worked, but we werent dramatic. Dont stop for mistakes. Keep a consistent flow, where words come out of your mouth at approximately the same speed they come into your mind. Your mind will appreciate that. Dont stop to fix typos or punctuation errors. Talk around any blatant mistakes restate anything thats unclear but keep dictating. Your first transcription may not be smooth or free of mistakes. But mistakes inspire creativity, because they beg you to fix them. So dont worry about making mistakes when dictating. Dont try to speak the keyboard. Youre better off just dictating words and not trying to operate your computer with your voice. Yes, Dragon has many editing commands: Scratch that, Scratch that n times, Go back, Go to top, Stop listening, Search eBay for text (NOTE TO SELF: DO NOT TRY TO WRITE NOVEL AND SHOP ON EBAY AT THE SAME TIME.) But the main commands I use are Period and New line Im supposed to be writing not editing remember? and Ive turned off my internal editor. Dragons commands are great for people who cant use a keyboard they can say Open Google Chrome or Post to Facebook but the extra learning curve can sour other people on trying the software. Hands-free editing I keep Dragon in Dictation Mode, which ignores commands as long as Im dictating quickly. Otherwise, if one of my paranoid characters shouts, Stop listening, Dragon might take me literally and not transcribe anything else. So how do you edit without using editing commands? Dictate the section again, without the mistakes. Really. Its probably faster than using the commands. It may be faster than using a keyboard. Many writers with repetitive stress injuries say that what hurt their wrists was not the typing, it was the constant cutting, pasting and mousing. With dictation, the only movement is your mouth and your eyeballs. Dictation lets you hear your words again, which lets you decide if you really like them. It even lets you combine several versions. You could have both versions open on your computer and switch your eyes between them as you read your favorite paragraph with each. Or you could print out both versions, lay the pages all over the floor, rearrange them as you like, edit them with a fat marker pen, and then smoothly read them back into your microphone. When I first tried this technique, though, the new version wasnt much better than the old. I hoped that as I reread the passage, my mind would naturally find things to correct, as a storyteller does. But seeing the text in front of me made it harder to see areas of improvement. A better strategy might be to silently read both versions again, then close my eyes and retell the story into the microphone. Dictation software works better for some writers than others, and for some types of writing than others. At first you may miss the feel of the keyboard or the pen, or you may be distracted by the sound of your voice. But for many writers, speech recognition software can set their creative process free. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:75 Contronyms (Words with Contradictory Meanings)Among vs. AmongstOppose and Opposed To

Friedrich Wilhelm August Frobel essays

Friedrich Wilhelm August Frobel essays Friedrich Frbel, or Froebel, is best known as the pioneer of the kindergarten system. Radical in his day, he highlighted the significance of play, theorizing that it is the elementary engagement with the world that provides understanding. Strongly influenced by Pestolazzi, Froebels ideas blossomed out of a kindness and desire to teach children by enhancing their natural tendencies, and focusing on their developmental stage as opposed to the traditional methods of the day which treated young children as small adults. Born in 1782, Friedrich Froebel was the youngest of several brothers. His mothers passing at the very tender age of nine months . . . influenced the whole environment and development of my being: I consider that my mother's death decided more or less the external circumstances of my whole life (Froebel 3). Froebel was basically raised by his older brothers because his father, a pastor, well known in his own right, was focused on the development of his parish while the servants charged with Froebels education were largely unavailable to him. Of course his fathers faith, as well as his work in botanicals, permeated the home and Froebel grew up with a strong sense of religion, spirituality, and its connection with Nature, which would later influence his work in education. After the death of one of his elder brothers, Froebel became commissioned with this brothers young sons. Heavily influenced by Pestalozzian philosophies, Froebel spent a fair amount of time observing these boys and their interaction with the world through play. Fascinated with the auto-didactic nature of this play, Froebel began to develop teaching methods of his own based on his observations and his personal views of the interconnectedness, or Universal Harmony of creatures with God and with nature. These methods were aimed at providing a warm environment that encouraged the ...

Leadership Course Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Course - Assignment Example It should be noted that all these posts are about leadership. Patti Besuner notes that the leadership course reinforced ethical responsibilities especially in line with moral leadership (Cameron, 2012). It is a fact that leaders should be morally upright and responsible since they usually tend to be role models to numerous personalities in the society. Therefore, according to Besuner, â€Å"A leader must care about and demonstrate concern for employees if optimal organizational productivity is to be achieved†. It is worth noting that Besuner leadership knowledge was geared to reflect how an organization, employees, society, and a nation should relate (Brammer, Jackson, & Mattens, 2012). Notably, this concern is vital since each of these groups must be answerable to another for effective, efficient, and smooth coexistence. From this post, it is apparent the leader acknowledged the roles of effective leadership as being effective for the coexistence of human being within a socie tal setup. Jones’ first post concentrated on the understanding of different aspects of leadership. He notes that leadership has ever been described in different concepts that lead to different types of leadership. For instance, Susan D. DeVore’s to leadership skills in the healthcare industry and to the same effect she is the current premier healthcare alliance CEO and president. Jones noted that DeVore has effective leadership skills that include transformation, system thinking, and collaborative techniques.

NJ state police and blacks on the NJ turnpike Essay

NJ state police and blacks on the NJ turnpike - Essay Example There are at least two operative definitions of the practice knows as racial profiling: The first is what is termed as ‘hard profiling’, which puts an individuals race as the only consideration in the minds eye of the officer in making a preliminary assessment of suspicious criminality. When a police officer views a black person or other minority, and the officer does not have anything else to substantiate criminality, he pulls the black person over for a pat down on the hope that he may either Find a weapon or drugs in his possession. The second form is referred too as ‘soft racial profiling’, where the police officer uses race as one of the reasons, among others which have been previously detailed to him as stereotypical of drug dealers or couriers. The New Jersey State Troopers for example, have intelligence that Jamaican drug posses have a fondness for Nissan Pathfinders as their vehicles of choice when transporting marijuana along the Northeast Corridor. The controversy surrounds racial profiling on the New Jersey Turnpike as practiced by New Jersey State Troopers was focused almost exclusively on highway stops. Where the police were stopping a disproportionate share of black and other minority drivers for traffic violations, but the prevailing argument states that the stops were specifically carried out as a means of drug interdiction. Of course in many instances, the driver may have committed an infraction, but there might, and usually were others within the specific cluster in which he was traveling, who also committed a similar violation. But it was their lucky day for the others, because a minority was in the vicinity. 2 New Jersey State Police and Blacks on the New Jersey Turnpike We will take a look into a court case which led a Superior Court judge to conclude in 1996 that the New Jersey State Police had a policy of 'selective enforcement' by targeting blacks for investigation and arrest. Some of the finding were as follows; "The ruling followed one of the states longest evidentry hearings-six months of testimony and 200 exhibits, many of them statistical surveys of drivers and traffic stops on the southern most 26-mile stretch of the New Jersey Turnpike. Judge Robert Francis found that troopers looking for drug suspects had pulled over an inordinate number of black drivers over a three year period simply because of their race. The survey determined that some 98 per cent of all the drivers along the stretch of the turnpike were going over the speed limit of 55 miles per hour, giving the police latitude to stop virtually anybody. The survey found that while 13.5 per cent of the drivers on the stretch of the highway were black, 46 per cent of those halted by the police over a 40- month period were black" According to the public defender, Fred Last, who helped design the survey, said, "They were pulling over blacks out of proportion to the population of the turnpike" (Last). Judge Francis agreed, saying, "The statistical disparities are indeed stark", the judge added, "utter failure" of police commanders to monitor the arrests or investigate the many claims of institutional discrimination, manifests its indifference if not acceptance" (Francis) One striking result of the survey, which the judge noted, was that the troopers using 3 radar tended to stop black drivers at near their rate in the highway population, while the

Websites Essay Example for Free

Websites Essay Websites are an integral element in ensuring proper electronic communications between various entities bearing in mind that the world is rapidly going high-tech. Websites may thus be categorized into 3 groups namely: bad; good; or ugly. Good sites ensure fast maneuverability besides offering accurate and relevant information. Ugly sites are those that appear plain silly owing to various omissions or unnecessary additions. Conversely, bad sites have the characteristics of being inefficient to use owing to poor design. The Department of Homeland Security website is an example of a good site because it is both interactive besides providing original and credible content. Regarding interactivity, the website has provisions for visitors to subscribe to electronic mail alerts (Department of Homeland Security, 2010). This aspect ensures that visitors are up-to-date regarding the organization’s activities. Concerning credibility, the website provides current news about activities that have been carried out by known homeland security officials. This aspect makes the site credible with regard to information. Conversely, the Space Is the Place website appears ugly owing to its awful color combination. For example, the colors blue and yellow are placed side-to-side (Harman, 2007). The contrasting nature of these colors makes the site quite off-putting especially to color-sensitive visitor. To rectify the site’s appearance, the designers should do several things. For example, they should modify the color scheme to incorporate more complementary colors. Moreover, they should adjust the appearance of the suspended saint to show that he is comfortable. This will make the appearance plausible by changing the current appearance whereby the saint is controversially happy while hanging in space. Moreover, by making the website’s content less crowded, the designers will make the website more acceptable. Conversely, the Ling’s Cars website is poorly designed. To begin with, the advertised cars are barely visible due to obstruction by huge adverts. Further, numerous eerie images litter the site, making it unintelligible. To cap it all, the websites’ arrangement of various elements is simply outrageous (Biz/ed). To improve the site, the cars should dominate it since it is meant to sell them. Moreover, the images on the site should be systemized, perhaps, providing them in slide form, so as to enhance readability. To improve overall quality, the haphazard arrangement of the site’s many features should be overhauled by creating definite sections that hold specific elements.

Night Out On The Ritz :: essays research papers

In the short story â€Å"Babylon Revisited†, written by F.Scott Fitzgerald there are many different settings in the story. One of the main settings in the story is the bar at the beginning. The bar it self represents the jazz era, where everyone wore fancy clothes, partied all the time and tipped well. The bar is also a cold reminder how the Americans used to live in the 20’s, since they have almost no money in the 30’s. It also represents the old Charlie Wales and it serves as a reminder to the new Charlie Wales about his past. â€Å"We were sort of royalty, almost infallible, with a sort of magic around us†(89). The old Charlie Wales lived during the economic boom of the 20’s, or other wise known as the jazz era. He lived a good life. During that time, he spent a lot of time drinking and throwing away money: â€Å" he remembered thousand-franc notes given to an orchestra for playing a single number, hundred-franc notes tossed to a doorman for calling a cab†(90). Sometimes just acting childish with his friends Duncan Schaeffer and Lorraine Quarrles: â€Å"We did have such good times that crazy spring, like that night you and I stole that butcher’s tricycle†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (98). Nevertheless, he spent a lot of time in a bar called the Ritz. When he first got there, it was instinctive to give the head barman his numbers were he was staying as if it was his second home. â€Å"If you see Mr.Schaeffer, give him this†¦It’s my brother-inlaw’s address. I haven’t settled on a hotel yet†(86).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the rolling 20’s came the economic depression of the 30’s. Everyone was affected, even the high and mighty that thought they were even royalties were affected.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Charlie Wales asked the bartender â€Å" By the way, what’s become of Claude Fessenden?† Alix lowered his voice confidentially: â€Å"He’s in Paris, but he doesn’t come here any more. Paul doesn’t allow it. He ran up a bill of thirty thousand francs, charging all his drinks, his lunches, and usually his dinner, for more than a year. And when Paul finally told him he had to pay, he gave him a bad check.†(87) When Charlie Wales first came to Paris his first stop was an old bar he used to go to, the Ritz. Much had changed since he had left. â€Å"It was not an American bar any more-he felt polite in it, and not as if he owned it†(86).

Case Study of Negligence

Duty of care Issue: Does defendant (David or the Bright Smiles Dental Surgery) owned duty of care to plaintiff (Tony)? Rules: * The neighbour principle: In Donoghue v Stevenson1, Lord Atkin concluded that we all owe a duty of care to our â€Å"neighbors†, meaning those persons who we should have in mind when we are contemplating actions that we take as we go about our business and private lives. * Neighbour Defined: â€Å"My neighbors are persons who are so closely and directly affected by my act that I ought reasonably to have them in contemplation as being so affected when directing my mind to the acts or omissions which are called in question†. Foreseeability: For an action in negligence to succeed, it must be foreseeable that the act (or omission) of the defendant could cause harm to the plaintiff. The test is one of â€Å"reasonable foreseeability†, which is an â€Å"objective†. * Proximity: There must be some relationship between the parties for the duty to exist. In other words, proximity that requires care to be taken must exist. Application: As Tony was having the surgery in the Bright Smiles Dental Surgery, therefore, whatever will happen based on the surgery, it should be the duty of care of the Bright Smiles Dental Surgery.Be more specific, David is employed there as a full-time dentist and he was the one who attached the artificial teeth by strong dental glue instead of the way which recommended by leading dentists. If David did not change the way of attach the teeth, Tony would never get a severe infection caused by the method of fitting of the artificial teeth. Conclusion Applying the neighbour principle and reasonable foreseeability, David or the Bright Smiles Dental Surgery do owed the duty of care of Tony.And it is foreseeable that the act of the defendant, which may be David or the Bright Smiles Dental Surgery, could cause harm to the plaintiff, which is Tony. Breaching that duty of care Issue: Does the defendant ( David or the Bright Smiles Dental Surgery) breach his duty of care? Rule: * Reasonable person-Standard of care: the standard person would have foreseen harm in the circumstances and would have taken steps to prevent it. The defendant will be in breach of their duty if reasonable steps are not taken to prevent foreseeable harm.The test is an objective one –what a reasonable person thinks. * Weighting test: 1. The likelihood of injury: If the risk of injury is minimal, there will be no breach of the duty of care. 2. Gravity of injury if occurring: The seriousness of any resulting injury 3. Steps needed to remove the risk: The steps required to eliminate the risk 4. Benefit (social utility) of the defendant’s conduct: The social utility of the defendant’s conduct must be weighed against the gravity of the risk. ApplicationAs David’s conduct is measured against the reasonable person who should told Tony there was a risk to use the dental glue . It is possible that David get hurt from the dental glue and the surgery. The gravity of injury is quite serious as his teeth fell out of the new desk while he was on TV presenting the evening news. After he got home his whole mouth was aching and he complained of severe pain in the gap left by extraction. For the steps to eliminate the risk, David should foresee the harm which caused by the dental glue and the possible consequence might cause.Last but not least, there is no benefit (social utility) of the defendant’s conduct. In fact, David could transfer Tony to his other workmate if he is not familiar with the way which suggested by the leading dentist. However, David chose to do it by using the strong glue which causes all the damage. Conclusion Hence, David did breach the duty of care of Tony as he was the reasonable person who should foresee the damage and it is easy to eliminate the damage. LOSS OR DAMAGE FOLLOING FROM BREACH OF DUTY IssueWas Plaintiff (Tony)’s damage the dire ct result of defendant (David or the Bright Smiles Dental Surgery)’ breach? Rules * Causation (but for test): But for the conduct of defendant, would the damage have been suffered? The test was explained well by Lord Denning in Cork v. Kirby Maclean Ltd (1952) 2 ALL ER 402 at 407 , as follows: If you can say that the damage would not have happened but for a particular fault, then that fault is in fact a cause of the damage; but if you can say that the damage would have happened just the same fault or no fault, then the fault is not a cause of the damage.If there is more than one cause of the damage the â€Å"but for† test will have limited application. In such case the courts will use a â€Å"balance of probabilities’ test in determining causation. * Remoteness of damage (reasonable foreseeable test, the test is objective) would a reasonable person have foreseen the damage? * Assessment of damages: the aim of damages is to compensate the plaintiff for the loss or damage that flowed from the defendant’s breach of duty of care owed.Such loss or damages is quantified by the judge hearing the case to compensate the plaintiff not only for their actual loss but for their future potential loss as well. Application After diagnosing of Tony’s mouth, it was certified that there was a severe infection in Tony’s gum that was shown in tests to be caused by the method of fitting of the artificial teeth. In fact, as David decided to use the dental glue, instead of the traditional method that was recommended by the leading dentist.And David, who is the reasonable person, owned the duty of care of Tony. According to the fact, Tony not only suffers variety of physical damage but also physiological damage. He became depressed due to his appearance and loss of work, and is seeing a counsellor for therapy who suggested him to go for a holiday. Therefore, he had suffered the medical and dental expense total $ 14, 000, loss of wages $ 12,00 0, and counselling$1,800. And the cost of trip is $ 5,000. Conclusion: Therefore, Tony’s damage directly resulted from David’ breach of duty of care.If He in civil proceedings is successful, a remedy will be rewarded as compensation of dental expense $ 14, 000, loss of wages $ 12,000, and counselling$1,800. And the cost of trip is $ 5,000. What is more, he could DEFENCES TO AN ACTION IN NEGLIGENCE Issue Are there any defences available to defendant (David or the Bright Smiles Dental Surgery)? Rules Defences to an action in negligence: * Contributory negligence: It occurs where the plaintiff can be held partly to blame for the loss sustained as result of a failure to take reasonable care against a foreseeable risk of injury.This rule has been modified by statue in Section 26 of the Wrong Act 1958 3(Vic. ): Where any person suffers damages as the result partly of his own fault and partly of the fault of any other person or persons, a claim in respect of that damage shall not be defeated by reason of the fault of the person suffering the damage, but the damage recoverable in respect thereof shall be reduced to such extent as the court thinks just and equitable having regard to the claimant’s share in the responsibility for the damage. Voluntary assumption of risk: if a person assumes the risk of injury voluntarily, this is complete defence to a claim of negligence. It is difficult defence to rise as it must be proved that the plaintiff was aware of the risk and accepted that risk freely. Application After checking Tony’s x-rays, David extracted the teeth and put the artificial teeth in place. However, David was not familiar with the accepted method of attaching artificial teeth recommended by leading dentists and instead attached them by way of strong dental glue.However, it was David determined to use the strong dental glue instead of the method recommended by the leading dentist. On the other side, Tony should figure out that his met hod is different from the one which recommended by the leading dentist, and he should do some more consulting of the new method which was going to be used in his surgery. Conclusion Therefore, Tony did contribute to his damage as he did not check his new method which causes the inflection and further damage.

Public Finance Entitlement Essay

Entitlement is said to be corrupting us according to the article written by Nicholas Ebertadt. According to him, as each day passes, the government focuses more attention to the pubic transfers of money, goods and services to individual citizens than any other goals. They spend more on the individual than the rest of other issues combined. In 2010 alone, the government spent over $2.2 trillion in money, goods and services. According to the article, two-thirds of resources and money goes into entitlement. This is what is causing people not to be hardworking citizens. People are depending too much on government spending rather than working hard for themselves. The American way of life has become the mentality of taking not working. On the article written by Willaim A. Gaslton, Entitlement is not corrupting but rather they are part of the civic compact. That is, entitlement is meant for future generations and those who cannot take care of themselves and not those who can do something for themselves but refuse to do so. The article suggest that it is ok for low wage income earners who are working hard but cannot afford certain amenities to seek for aid from the government. These groups of people can be described as interdependency. Well, for my point of view, I would not say Entitlement is corrupting us but rather it is an issue that needs to be looked at critically. My reasons being, first, many people are giving birth at age of 18 and 16 years that just completed high school or might still be in high school, and they believe is ok to be in that situation because after all the government will help. There a lot of people that I know that are about 18 years old and already has 2 kids plus one more on the way. What is she going to do to support her kids other than take form the rich and give to her, thus Medicaid, food stamps, etc. There are a lot of people who will give birth to a child they cannot support but just for the sake of getting tax money from the government. It is alright to help the ones that are working hard but still struggle taking care of some amenities and also the ones that cannot work due to reasonable factors. However, I think it is wrong for people to ask for government help when they are physically strong and capable of working but refuse not to. That is where the problem lies and needs to be fixed.

Free Essays on In Praise Of Censure

The Power of Censure In the essay, â€Å"In Praise of Censure,† Garry Wills, the Henry r. Luce Professor of American Culture and Public Policy at Northwestern University, defines censure, as oppose to censorship. Wills also strives to persuade the reader that censure, the open expression of moral disapproval, can strongly and effectively hold certain ideas up for critical analysis without suppressing them or hindering the rights protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, as toleration or censorship does. Wills supports this claim with the use of factual evidence, authorative testimony, and rhetorical questions. Wills uses factual evidence to back his declarations. In the first paragraph of his essay, Wills strives to introduce examples of censorship against censure to the reader. He does this with accounts of several different instances in which censure has been used. He speaks of feminists joining â€Å"reactionaries to denounce pornography.† He narrates of how the rock musician Frank Zappa accused Tipper Gore, the wife of Al Gore, of launching an â€Å"conspiracy to exhort† when she asked that sexually explicit materials be labeled with warnings and of how Penthouse magazine charges Terry Rakolta, a house wife who withdrew her support from the sitcom, â€Å"Married†¦With Children,† with â€Å" yelling fire in a crowded theater.† Further along in â€Å"In Praise of Censure,† Wills makes an assertion concerning the First Amendment, â€Å"Belief in the First Amendment does not pre-empt other beliefs, making one eunuch to the interplay of opinions. It is a distortion to turn ‘You can express any views’ into the proposition ‘I don’t care what views you express.’ If liberals keep equating equality with approval, they will be repeatedly forced into weak positions.† To verify his contention, Wills goes to the situation in which an art gallery had cancelled an exhibit of the photographer, Robert Maplethorpe, because th... Free Essays on In Praise Of Censure Free Essays on In Praise Of Censure The Power of Censure In the essay, â€Å"In Praise of Censure,† Garry Wills, the Henry r. Luce Professor of American Culture and Public Policy at Northwestern University, defines censure, as oppose to censorship. Wills also strives to persuade the reader that censure, the open expression of moral disapproval, can strongly and effectively hold certain ideas up for critical analysis without suppressing them or hindering the rights protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, as toleration or censorship does. Wills supports this claim with the use of factual evidence, authorative testimony, and rhetorical questions. Wills uses factual evidence to back his declarations. In the first paragraph of his essay, Wills strives to introduce examples of censorship against censure to the reader. He does this with accounts of several different instances in which censure has been used. He speaks of feminists joining â€Å"reactionaries to denounce pornography.† He narrates of how the rock musician Frank Zappa accused Tipper Gore, the wife of Al Gore, of launching an â€Å"conspiracy to exhort† when she asked that sexually explicit materials be labeled with warnings and of how Penthouse magazine charges Terry Rakolta, a house wife who withdrew her support from the sitcom, â€Å"Married†¦With Children,† with â€Å" yelling fire in a crowded theater.† Further along in â€Å"In Praise of Censure,† Wills makes an assertion concerning the First Amendment, â€Å"Belief in the First Amendment does not pre-empt other beliefs, making one eunuch to the interplay of opinions. It is a distortion to turn ‘You can express any views’ into the proposition ‘I don’t care what views you express.’ If liberals keep equating equality with approval, they will be repeatedly forced into weak positions.† To verify his contention, Wills goes to the situation in which an art gallery had cancelled an exhibit of the photographer, Robert Maplethorpe, because th...

Holophrases in Language Acquisition

Holophrases in Language Acquisition A holophrase is a single word (such as OK) that is used to express a complete, meaningful thought. In studies of  language acquisition, the term holophrase refers more specifically to  an utterance produced by a child in which a single word expresses the type of meaning typically conveyed in adult speech by an entire sentence. Adjective: holophrastic. Rowe and Levine note that some holophrases are utterances that are more than one word, but are perceived by children as one word: I love you, thank you, Jingle Bells, there it is (A Concise Introduction to Linguistics, 2015). Holophrases in Language Acquisition [A]round six months children begin babbling and eventually imitating the linguistic sounds they hear in the immediate environment. . . . By the end of the first year, the first true words emerge (mama, dada, etc.). In the 1960s, the psycholinguist Martin Braine (1963, 1971) noticed that these single words gradually embodied the communicative functions of entire phrases: e.g. the childs word dada could mean Where is daddy? I want daddy, etc. according to situation. He called them holophrastic, or one-word, utterances. In situations of normal upbringing, holophrases reveal that a vast amount of neuro-physiological and conceptual development has taken place in the child by the end of the first year of life. During the holophrastic stage, in fact, children can name objects, express actions or the desire to carry out actions, and transmit emotional states rather effectively. (M. Danesi, Second Language Teaching. Springer, 2003) Many of childrens early  holophrases are  relatively idiosyncratic and their uses can change and evolve over time in a somewhat unstable manner. . . . In addition, however, some of childrens holophrases are a bit more conventional and stable. . . . In English, most beginning language learners acquire a number of so-called relational words such as more, gone, up, down, on, and off, presumably because adults use these words in salient ways to talk about salient events (Bloom, Tinker, and Margulis, 1993; McCune, 1992). Many of these words are verb particles in adult English, so the child at some point must learn to talk about the same events with phrasal verbs such as pick up, get down, put on, and take off. (Michael Tomasello,  Constructing a Language: A Usage-Based Theory of Language Acquisition. Harvard University Press, 2003) Problems and Qualifications The problem of the holophrase [is] that we have no clear evidence that the child intends more than he can express at the one-word stage. (J. De Villiers and P. De Villiers, Language Acquisition. Harvard University Press, 1979)The single word in conjunction with the gestures and facial expressions is the equivalent of the whole sentence. By this account, the single word is not a holophrase, but one element in a complex of communications that includes nonverbal actions. (M. Cole et al., The Development of Children. Macmillan, 2004) Holophrases in Adult Language Holophrases are  of course a significant factor in modern adult language, for example, in idioms. But by and large, these have historical compositional origins (including by and large). In any specific example, words came first, then the composition, then the holophrase . . .. (Jerry R. Hobbs, The Origin and Evolution of Language: A Plausible Strong-AI Account.)

Managing the United Kingdom Health Service Essay

Managing the United Kingdom Health Service - Essay Example This has been totally missing from the management at NHS. Management is can be defined both as art and science. It is the art of bringing out efficiency of people and making them more effective than they would have been with you. There are four basic pillars: plan, organize, direct, and monitor. The basic role of a manager is to make the staff more effective. Making them do work more efficiently than they are doing presently. If you add value to your staff's work, you are a successful manager. However, in NHS, managers are mere implementers who have no active decision making power. They merely implement the rules and regulations dictated by the Government. There is no way that they can add value to their or their staff's work. The managers at NHS feel that their role is unrecognised by patients, colleagues, the public and the government. Managers at NHS have less autonomy and less involvement in key decision making than their staff assume. And they are subjected to increasing control. Without a plan you will never succeed. If you happen to make it to the goal, it will have been by luck or chance and is not repeatable. You may make it as a flash-in-the-pan, an overnight sensation, but you will never have the record of accomplishment of accomplishments of which success is made. This important element of effective management is missing at NHS. Infact the organisation lacks serious planning and focus. As a result, the quality of services has been detortiating and ultimately the managers are planned by both government as well as public for inefficient services even though they have no power to run the organisation with a vision of their own. A study reveal that the notion of management had become divorced from clinical practice, even though many managers were doctors or nurses who had taken on the role to try to make a difference. To them, what was now called management was just an extension of the profession. Organize Organising and priortising work to ensure smooth, timely as well as quality deliveries and services form the core of good management. The lack of proper management results in poor organisation and prioritisation of work at NHS. Direct Directing your subordinates not as you are directing them but as if you are guiding them how to perform their specific job role. I like to think of this part like conducting an orchestra. Everyone in the orchestra has the music in front of them. They know which section is playing which piece and when. Now you need only to tap the podium lightly with your

Do you believe tht the incresing power of dvertising tht these uthors Essay

Do you believe tht the incresing power of dvertising tht these uthors points to is hrmful to mericn culture - Essay Example widely red nd generlly pprecited nlysis of mening in dvertisements is discussed by Glori Steinem where she wlks the reder through gllery of dvertisements nd discusses their ideologicl content. Her own criticl perspective is informed by vriety of theorists, including Ferdinnd de Sussure, Krl Mrx, Louis lthusser, Rymond Willims, Sigmund Freud, nd Jcques Lcn. Steinem's pedgogic objective is to tech the nive reder how to interpret dvertisements long the lines of these theorists, nd mny reders do find tht their criticl bilities re gretly developed by pplying Steinem's theories: dvertisements lose whtever simple qulities they my hve hd nd become insted texts bout production nd consumption in the consumer society, bout the plce of commodities in socil life, nd bout the cretion of needs to service n economic system tht must sell wht hs been produced. In ddition to teching the interprettion of dvertisements, Steinem explins how dvertising constructs the ideologicl principles tht re embedded in it. For exmple, mny dvertisements borrow ides from externl sources ("referent systems") such s culturl history or concepts of nture. In the process of ppropriting, reworking, nd using them, dvertising trnsforms the borrowed ides. The dvertisements for Virgini Slims cigrettes, which frequently refer to the history of women's, struggle for socil nd economic equlity in meric, illustrte this process. Selected events from this struggle re retold nd edited in selected wys, nd progress is depicted s contemporry women's hving gined the right to smoke. Similrly, hundreds of products tht proclim their "nturl" qulities re in relity highly ltered through complex mnufcturing processes. Instnces like these, Steinem clims, illustrte the construction of ideology through dvertisements. The resulting distortions over the long run lter our understndings of th e originl ides tht were borrowed nd (mis)used within dvertising. Steinem's pproch to the interprettion of dvertisements is founded on her gol of trnsforming the reder's skills. She does not tret s problemtic tht uninstructed reders mke whtever sense they do of the thousnds of dvertisements populting their dily lives. Neither does she tke ny gret interest in how the copywriters who produced the dvertisements thought bout their work. Insted, she ssumes tht nive reder's filure to see the issues she uncovers is flse consciousness of their mening, flseness on which dvertising depends to do its work. The pproch hinges fundmentlly on Steinem's own skill in pplying the vrious theoreticl perspectives to the dvertisements. From the outset she bedzzles the reder by observing detils nd ptterns in dvertisements tht ordinrily slip by n udience. She repetedly points out the contrdictions between wht dvertisements seem to sy nd wht they relly men ccording to the vrious perspectives. lthough Steinem considers dvertising's udience nive, she does not ssume tht its members re merely receivers of pckged messges tht emnte from dvertisers. Rther, she rgues, the udience is implicted in the production of mening, collbortion tht dvertising continully invites: [] crucil feture of these odds nd ends of thought used by ds is tht they do not exist "independently" but in our thought: it is we, s subjects, who re ppeled to s providers of these

Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 10

Article - Essay Example The article notes that Just-in case distribution helps companies to reduce the cost of keeping large stock by ensuring just in time supplies. In addition, the just-in case distribution also aids in reducing the cost of transportation since shipping of goods is on demand. The article asserts that the just-in-case plan was a response to the vulnerable just-in-time supply chains. The article notes that just-in-time management exposes companies to a greater risk of running out of merchandise in case of disruptions. Indeed, the article reckons that combining the just in case with just-in-time strategy was a means of seeking to a balance between holding the minimum inventory possible and yet never running out of stock. The just-in case just-in time distribution strategy expands and increases the network of distribution centers hence reducing the distance by moving the inventory more close to the customers. Apparently, the article shows that companies can achieve greater efficiency upon transporting its goods to the customers immediately. As such, many companies seek competitive advantage amidst stiff competition arising in market by offering excellent customer service. Multiple and strategically place distribution channels help in minimizing the time, money and distant spent in delivering merchandise to the customers. However, the article observes that retailers often avoid transporting merchandise to the last miles by directing the nearby customers to collect their merchandise from the nearby shop. From the content of the article, I feel that the Just-in-case  is an effective strategy in supply chain management. Indeed, the just-in-time management exposes companies to a greater risk of running out of merchandise in case of disruptions. I therefore relate the article with the benefits of the just-in case management that allows retailers to enjoy a lot of stability since there is efficient distribution of goods and they do not have to rely on one

Standardized Testing Essay Example for Free

Standardized Testing Essay Are you one of the many students who cram in hours upon hours of studying the night before an exam that has been stressing you out all week? You wake up the next morning nervous and full of anxiety, just to take the same test as everyone else, under the same conditions as everyone else. Sounds fair right? Well I don’t believe it is, and here’s why. Standardized tests were made to test the knowledge of a student over a particular course or subject. The ACT and SAT, for example, are composed of four multiple choice sections usually including math, english, science and reading. Well here’s the funny thing, everyone is different. Some students thrive at written tests where some students fail. Some students are better at presentations where other students are not. Because of the differences in student’s ability to learn and retain information caused by many different teaching methods and criteria covered, standardized testing has become an unreliable way to measure a student’s knowledge and should be replaced by other means such as using e-portfolios or performance based assessment. Some of the main problems with standardized tests such as the ACT or the SAT include trying to accurately measure a students knowledge over a particular set of subjects and a phenomenon involving teachers called â€Å"teaching the test†. In a 2013 speech to the American Educational Research Association, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said â€Å"State assessments in mathematics and English often fail to capture the full spectrum of what students know and can do,† he said. â€Å"Students, parents, and educators know there is much more to a sound education than picking the right answer on a multiple-choice question† (Evans). I completely agree with Arne Duncan on this matter. On a typical standardized test you have about a twenty five percent chance of getting the answer right. Potentially, you could have a student who does not know the material at all, but could guess right on more than half the answers and get credit for it. Being a student who has taken the ACT more than once, I can honestly say I feel like the ACT was a poor representation of my knowledge over the subjects tested on. Now with the phenomenon called â€Å"teaching the test† which is where teachers center their curricula around state tests, students become subject only to material that will be found on the test. This not only causes teachers to lack creativity within the teaching of the course, but also causes students to become limited to learning test taking skills. Even though standardized testing can be harmful to student’s creativity, there are some alternatives to this problem. One alternative to standardized testing, relating to the SAT and ACT, would be the use of electronic portfolios or e-portfolios. Terrel Rhodes, vice president for quality, curriculum, and assessment at the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC;U) says that â€Å"E-portfolios provide a means for collecting assigned work, as well as students accomplishments in non-classroom settings, so that faculty, internship supervisors, and others can assess it and aggregate or disaggregate the results, depending on the purposes of the assessment† (1). Basically e-portfolios would be a collection of student’s individual work throughout the year, organized into a folder that the teacher would have access to at all times. This folder would help the teacher view how each and every student learns and give an overview on how much each student took away from the course, what not to teach in the following years and what to cover more heavily. This alternative is more effective and personal than a standardized multiple choice test because it gives the teacher a chance to personally view how each individual student is progressing throughout the year. In terms of college admissions, if your portfolio was shared with the colleges of your choice, it would allow college admissions to see your progress throughout the year. So instead of just seeing an ACT test score that a student could have potentially guessed on for more than half the answers, they would be able to see a portfolio showing how well equipped and prepared for college the student is. It would be a great way of telling if the student would be a good fit for their program or not. Given the knowledge at hand, I believe e-portfolios would be a great alternative to standardized testing. Another alternative to standardized testing is performance based assessment. â€Å"Performance assessments measure skills such as the ability to integrate knowledge across disciplines, contribute to the work of a group, and develop a plan of action when confronted with a new situation† (Brudali). This differs from standardized testing in the fact that teachers focus more on the process of learning, where standardized testing focuses on the product. Instead of using tests that are multiple choice that require a student to choose the one correct answer, performance based assessment often times uses group projects, hands-on projects, essays and verbal presentations to determine a student’s knowledge and skills over a particular set of subjects. Another advantage to performance assessment is that â€Å"Performance assessments provide teachers with more information about the learning needs of their students and enable them to modify their methods to meet these needs† (Wren). Teachers actually try to assess each and every students learning process and direct the class accordingly, letting students take away more from lectures. Having this type of assessment in high school would benefit students tremendously in college. Having experience with verbal presentations and hands on projects will provide the student a head start with skills you need for college. These skills would be used for interviews, group projects in labs and speeches given throughout the years. Performance based assessment would tremendously benefit and prepare students for college and would be a great alternative to standardized testing. Knowing that there are already proven solutions to standardized testing, let me ask you why you are still taking them? Studies have clearly proven that standardized testing is an inaccurate and unreliable way to display the knowledge of students. Not only that, studies have also proven that different methods such as e-portfolios and the performance based assessments are a more accurate and effective way of displaying a students knowledge over various subjects. So why don’t you take initiative? Join a club like student council, a club where you have a say with what goes on with your school and the decisions being made. Start a petition against standardized testing and let students get involved. Not only that, let your community get involved. Tell your family and friends about the disadvantages of standardized testing and its inability to measure students’ knowledge. There are many ways you can get involved in your school and community to have a say in the decisions being made with problems such as standardized testing. All you have to do is take initiative and act upon it. With all the knowledge at hand, I truly believe standardized testing is a terrible way to reflect a student’s knowledge and there are many alternatives that can be provided in place of it.

Combining Environmental Groups in Order to Preserve Wildlife :: Environment Environmental Pollution Preservation

Combining Environmental Groups in Order to Preserve Wildlife Environmental issues have been a problem all over the world.   Some species are constantly being declared endangered and on the verge of extinction.   A group of concerned people join together to raise funds in order to improve the habitat or produce more of   the endangered species.   These organizations have proved to be successful.   Many have even removed plants and animals from the long list of endangered species.   A problem that persists within the environment groups is the use of funding.   The organizations bring in a great deal of money from contributors, but all of the donations are not going toward the groups certain goal to save the endangered.   Some of the money is spent on paying employees, organization expenses, and most of all on advertising (Belt 2).   It is absolutely unnecessary for donated money to be spent just to get more contributors.   If that money went toward the use of scientific work or habitat repair, the environment groups would be and even greater success and so much more could be done to preserve the planets endangered.   I propose that we combine all environmental groups into one.   If they were to all join together, so much more could be done to save the plants and animals that are becoming extinct.   Environment groups have already done so much to help better the wildlife.   Many have raised enough money to improve the habitat of and endangered species or even encourage the reproduction of almost extinct animals.   This is what they should be doing with all of the money that is donated toward the certain organizations, but it is not (Short 1).   The groups have to spend a great deal of their money for a numerous amount of unnecessary reasons.   They have to pay for traveling, promotions, and advertising, which in no way benefits the endangered plants and animals.   One of the main reasons for combining all of the groups, is that it would be more beneficial for   the spending of funds.   The amount of money that environmental groups bring in is outrageous.   One of the larger groups has an annual budget of $64 million dollars.   They turn around and spend $54 million dollars of that for advertising in order to get more contributors (Belt 1).   So much of the money donated to environmental groups is spent on frivolous activities.   $12 million dollars is being spent to keep a killer wale happy.

Organization “in the News” Analysis Paper Essay

Company Overview Research in Motion, (RIM), is â€Å"a global leader in wireless innovation, (which) revolutionized the mobile industry with the introduction of the BlackBerry solution in 1999† [ (Research In Motion, 2011) ]. While RIM has no publically available mission statement [ (missionstudy, 2009) ], we can deduct the following: 1) From the aforementioned description, they are committed to innovation. 2) From the article we will discuss later on, they are seeking to strengthen relationships with developers 3) From past history, reputation, and numerous achieved certification; they wish to provide a highly secure means of communication through mobile devices While it is not possibly to quantify most of RIM’s operational goals we can try to establish what they may entail. A recent interview with new CEO Thorsten Heins points towards having their operative goals built around having an innovative culture that involves employees and develops them and having a top 3 market share globall y in the mobile market [ (BlackBerry, 2012) ]. Furthermore, they are also very focused on reducing their costs which is demonstrated by their announcement of a core optimization program and CORE on June 16, 2011. These programs were meant to analyze the companies’ procedures and cut out overhead and redundancy [ (Research In Motion, 2011) ]. RIM’s competitors have been highly publicized and are listed by Yahoo Finance to be Nokia, Google, and Apple [ (Yahoo! Inc., 2012) ]. With RIM being in the mobile market, their consumer base is very broad selling to the general market. With such an advanced device the list of suppliers is vast as they need to provide all the parts from glass to processing chips and these suppliers are located around the world. Lastly, their key partners  are mobile companies large and small such as Verizon, Sprint, Vodafone, and Orange. Having previously worked at RIM for a year I know these statements to be fact. Article Importance and Recap RIM is currently going through relatively tough times exemplified by, â€Å"collapsing market share† [ (Isaac, 2012) ] and their declining stock value. RIM’s shares were being traded mostly between the $14 and $17 range per share in the month of February to date compared to $144 a share in the summer of 2008 [ (Google, 2012) ]. As recently as 2009, RIM accounted for half of the US smartphone market share [ (Gardner, 2009) ], but latest reports have them only accounting for 6.5% of the US market [ (Miller, 2011) ]. This fall from grace from the once dominant organization of the mobile space creates interest from a wide range of stakeholders. Consumers are interested as many have used RIM products in the past and investors are interested as they have gained and lost many dollars from the organization. As the mobile space is a very broad market it means that there is going to be many opinionated individuals for very different reasons. Because of RIM’s high profile and past and present penetration in the general population, a new business strategy is very newsworthy and is something people will talk about. Mike Isaac’s article, â€Å"RIM Claws Back Against Apple and Google With Free Tablets,† covers RIM’s decision to give android app developers free playbook tablets so long as they make their app available on the Playbook ecosystem [ (Isaac, 2012) ]. The article starts with a quote from Nokia CEO Stephen Elop who describes the importance of a platform’s ecosystem or in layman’s terms the amount of apps built for a platform. It further describes the relative lack of apps RIM has compared to Android, the Google platform, and iOS, the Apple platform. After stating the previously mentioned new strategy being employed by RIM, the article describes the reason for such aggressive tactics. The article lists the sales of RIM’s Blackberry playbook tablet being very disappointing, calling it a flop, as the main reason. The article lastly lists the other strategies that RIM has been employing to encourage app development citing extreme price cuts and Playbook’s virtual android environment which allows android apps to be easily transferred over to the Playbook. This is only possible due to the Android platform being an open OS meaning anyone can develop on it including  competitors. With an organizational theory perspective, this article best articulates a manifestation of 2 important concepts in the mobile market: 1) A resource based approach of assessing organizational effectives with apps and app developers being the scarce resource of note 2) A description of the organizational ecosystem being that of ‘population ecology’. This is demonstrated by the possible compatibility of Android and RIM platforms and the selection process of the market that is still happening most notably with the abandonment of HP’s webOS Resource Based Approach of Organizational Effectiveness The resource based approach to measuring organizational effectiveness focuses solely on an organizations ability to obtain scarce or key resources. The key measures of this approach are: * Ability to perceive and interpret the external environment * Ability to respond to environmental change * Bargaining position While RIM’s ability to obtain manufacturing resources is not being questioned, its ability to lure app developers and garner app creation is being put to the test. The tablet market itself is still maturing only having 19% penetration rate in the US and it is growing rapidly [ (Kopp, 2012) ]. RIM entered the market much later then their competitors with apple having released 2 iterations of their iPad before playbook had their initial launch. Currently, the iPad accounts for 57% of the market much due to the early release dates it had over competitors [ (Warner, 2012) ]. The rather quick emergence of the market may have exploited RIM to have a relatively slow response rate to changes in the environment as even when they did launch, the common perception of the playbook was that it was an unfinished product [ (Stevens, 2011) ]. Such offers as cutting their prices dramatically, and giving away playbooks to developers also proves that RIM currently has very little bargaining posi tion with those developers and they have to go to extremes in order to get traction on their development. By all definitions, this means that RIM is proving to be an ineffective organization by a resource based approach of assessments. If these aggressive measures are effective, the need for them will shrink as time goes on. The tactics are geared towards both increasing consumer bases to  create higher earning potential for developers and to encourage more app development with one time offers. More app development will mean higher adoption rates for consumers and the cycle goes on like this. This is in essence what RIM is trying to create; a snowball to roll down a mountain hoping momentum will take over at one point to create an avalanche. Although RIM currently stands as ineffective at collecting these resources, it is clear that they are trying hard to overcome their current shortcoming in assembling an ecosystem. Although a resource based approach still has the weakness of assuming a stable environment, which is far from the truth in the technological markets, it is actually a much more relevant measure to this situation then it would be to others. Usually a resource based approach lacks the consideration of consumer needs; in this case the scarce resource is created because of consumer needs. The ecosystem of the device became as important as the device itself in the tablet market. As an ecosystem doesn’t directly reflect internal processes or goal oriented approaches of assessment, a resource based approach is very effective in evaluating the creation of a value proposition to consumers in the tablet market. As the article stated, â€Å"a tablet is only as good as the apps it runs† [ (Isaac, 2012) ]. The Organizational Ecosystem An organizational ecosystem can be described by the nature of the interactions between organizations with the environment and each other [ (Daft & Armstrong, 2009) ]. The ecosystem can be described by its interorganizational framework which is defined by how similar the organizations are to each other and whether they act competitively or cooperatively with each other [ (Daft & Armstrong, 2009) ]. Analyzing the current mobile market, it is apparent that the functions each of the platforms have are very similar some apps being available across all platforms and each having very similar functions. The only differentiation there is within the market is the platform they are on, and the form factor of the tablets. Because of the similarity in the tablets across the platforms, it can safely be assumed that the organizations are similar to each other. However, since the differentiation involves different platforms, it also means that they are acting competitively towards each other. While some platforms are very proprietary like iOS and Blackberry, Android is open  source allowing for anyone to develop on it. Certain apps are only available on one device or another and they do not generally share their apps with each other. This is much different if everyone was on one platform and they were being differentiated solely on the tablet hardware. In this circumstance they are pooling their scarce resources of app development and creation in the effort to create a much greater app library and stronger ecosystem. Currently they are each trying to produce their own ecosystems. Since this is the case, it can also be concluded that the companies are competitive towards each other. With both factors being determined, we can refer to the organizational framework know that the current tablet market is that of ‘population ecology’. ‘Population ecology’ market is defined by: * The emergence of new models to meet consumer needs * The process of ecological change including variation, the appearance of a new population of organization; selection, whether an organization can survive in the environment; and retention, the preservation and institutionalization of organizational forms * The choice of pursuing the general market or a niche within that market meaning being a generalist or specialist respectively The iPad was the first mainstream tablet to have emerged with a market launch date of April 3, 2010 [ (Apple, 2010) ]. This was the first emergence of a tablet business model which was very much an extension of the mobile model but with a new class of product. The tablet is a device that is small in design but has similar functionalities then a laptop. This more portable form factor was the identification of consumer needs. However, since this launch almost 2 years ago, 4 new OS’s of note have emerged being that of Blackberry OS, Android, WebOS and Windows OS. The key question to ask is how many OS’s can survive in the tablet market. If it is anything like the smartphone market, it is closer to 3 or 4 as demonstrated by market share [ (Smith, 2012) ]. With the emergence of 4 new OS’s and the original iOS this means that eventually one of these would have to default. On August 18th 2011 it was confirmed that WebOS would be the ill fated platform [ (Kumparak, 2011) ]. As WebOS was selected out by the market, it provided a little breathing room for RIM with the quickly expanding market and less competition. To avoid the same fate as WebOS, RIM is actively trying to work on creating their ecosystem as described in the  last section. The emergence of an open OS platform as Android also provided it opportunity to adapt their platform to try and include Android apps as well. Both of these tactics are described in the article. What’s Missing? While the article extensively covers a resource based approach of assessing an organizational effectiveness and describes the organizational ecosystem, it fails to well define the environmental uncertainty. It doesn’t consider the broader picture of the market and it could be made more in depth with the addition of an analysis of the environmental framework. Furthermore, it has a very micro approach focusing only on the struggles of RIM with app developers. The environment is a huge factor in technological companies and it could illustrate how important the right decisions are to future success and the wrong decisions to complete failure. To analyze the environmental framework we have to see two key factors: * The stability of the environment meaning the speed of change * The complexity of the environment As previously described, the tablet market is rapidly expanding and it is only 2 years old. Combine this with RIM’s dramatic change in market share over the past 3 years it strongly indicated that the environment is quick changing. The complexity of the environment can also be defined as complex one. This can be proven by RIM having to worry about not only manufacturing resources, and app development, but also the extensive testing they must complete in order for their devices to be compliant with regulations. With many different radio bands, Bluetooth compatibilities, wifi bands, java compliance, throughput testing, and active pursuit in both hardware and software, RIM has to deal with an endless amount of variables. The hardware alone would contain a list of suppliers that are wide but then they must further ensure that all the radio frequencies are properly calibrated and the software works seamlessly amidst the global demands of their products. The article called them a flop even though they had shipped in the hundreds of thousands of devices in 2011 [ (Isaac, 2012) ]. What this means to RIM is that even though they may be down on market share, the market can easily turn in their favor. However, this also means that the market can select them out. The high uncertainty described of the environment is the sword  that decides whether RIM will prosper or die. The article does briefly describe the release of BB10, which is RIM’s new OS to be released later this year. However, it doesn’t emphasize that it would be the newest OS on the market and it was able to create the OS in a year and a half years [ (BlackBerry, 2012) ]. With the unstable environment, this means that it could very well be the basis for which their future will be decided upon. The article has a gloomy outlook on RIM’s future but also concludes with â€Å"perhaps it can find its way back to a seat at the mobile ecosystem table.† Thi s last statement would be better reinforced with an environmental analysis. Bibliography Apple. (2010, March 5). iPad Available in US on April 3. Retrieved from Apple Press Info: http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/03/05iPad-Available-in-US-on-April-3.html BlackBerry. (2012, January 22). Meet Thorsten Heins the New President and CEO of Research In Motion. Retrieved from Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUFwhpcrCTw Daft, R. L., & Armstrong, A. (2009). Organization Theory & Design. Toronto: Nelson Education Ltd. Gardner, W. D. (2009, August 19). RIM Owns Half Of U.S. Smartphone Market. Retrieved from InformationWeek: http://www.informationweek.com/news/personal-tech/smart-phones/219400707 Google. (2012, February 14). Research In Motion Limited (USA). Retrieved from Google Finance: https://www.google.com/finance?client=ob&q=NASDAQ:RIMM Isaac, M. (2012, February 3). RIM Claws Back Against Apple and Google With Free Tablets. Retrieved from Wired: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/02/rim-ecosystems-blackberry-playbook/ Kopp, C. (2012, January 24). Tablets, E-Readers Double Market Penetration, Says Report. Retrieved from minyanville: http://www.minyanville.com/businessmarkets/articles/megaupload-anonymous-kim-dotcom-filesonic-tablets/1/24/2012/id/38996 Kumparak, G. (2011, August 18). It’s Official: HP Kills Off w