Swimming pool policy evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Swimming pool policy evaluation - Essay Example The regulation states that I am sure that the other users of the facility will agree with me when I say that shutting down the facilities for 15 minutes 4 times a day takes away from the enjoyment that we expect to get when we come to the pool. In fact, the facilities are closed up to 6 times a day, depending upon the number of babies and children present at the pool on that day. This is not to say that we do not appreciate the concern of management towards the health safety of the pool users. It is after all, a well known fact that water borne illnesses are most often transferred through ingested pool water. With the prevalence of cryptosporidosis, the water borne diarrhea in most swimming water facilities, one can never be too cautious. Our community would of course, hate to see the facility shut down together with the other 12.1% of pools that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) shut down for health safety violations ( Spivey, 2). Closing the pool 4 times a day for cleaning is obviously part of the zeal and protectiveness that the pool administrators feel for the bathers. However, closing the pool 4 times a day to add chemicals and disinfectants to the water may not be the proper way to insure the cleanliness of the general pools. It may instead, be removing from the enjoyment of the swimmers and their family members. Even the Hyperchlorinization of the pool once a week does not improve the water enjoyment of the members. Instead, it poses a different kind of water borne health threat due to the Chloramine levels in the pool which cause mild to severe eye and respiratory inflammation among those exposed to it. As concerned members of this facility, we would like to suggest that certain changes be undertaken be in the cleaning policy in order to add instead of hinder the water enjoyment of the bathers. We would like

Jenny Holzers Untitled | Analysis

Jenny Holzers Untitled | Analysis Erin Brubaker Fig. 1. Jenny Holzer, Untitled. 1989,16 x 162 x 6 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York.   Untitled is a piece of art by Jenny Holzer that was located in the main lobby of the Solomon R. Guggenheim museum in 1989. Selections of phrases are presented in LED lights that follow the spiral ramp, drawing the eye gradually upwards. Constantly moving and changing, the sentences are presented in a variety of colors and fonts in all capital letters. On the floor below are marble benches arranged in a circle which have additional phrases etched into them. From every angle, the viewer is given a new statement to read. The phrases Holzer included make stances about several areas of interest, for example political, social, and personal. In figure 1, the top level of electronic text reads PRIVATE PROPERTY CREATED CRIME. This sentence exemplifies her style of writing, which involves making bold claims that are a matter of opinion. Holzers writings, as well as the materials she uses to present them, are designed to make the viewer react strongly, causing them to call into question what is presented to them as truth on a daily basis. Holzer uses her materials to make a comparison to the media. By using LED lights as her method of expressing her writing, Holzer shows that her message is for the public. LEDs are familiar to most people because we see them in everyday life. In cities they are used to display the names of hotels, restaurants, casinos, and other businesses. They can also be found on buildings to inform breaking news, or advertise products. Viewers can react to her phrases similarly to the way they would react to a headline news story. Underneath the LEDs are seventeen marble benches with her texts etched on the tops and sides of them. The benches contrast the LED boards because instead constantly changing; they are static and have a sense of permanence. While the physical structures Holzer uses are important, the messages written on them are what Holzer uses to provoke further thought. The content of Holzers work is significant because it provokes thought. Her piece in the Guggenheim included texts from several of her past collections of writings. The collections she chose from were Truisms, Inflammatory Essays, The Living Series, The Survival Series, Under a Rock, and Laments. Truisms, which she wrote in the late 1970s, is a body of one-liners, slogans, and aphorisms. The stances they take are difficult to categorize because it seems like they come from a variety of perspectives. The intentions of the Truisms are not clear, but they all act to surprise the reader. For example, MONEY CREATES TASTE and AN ELITE IS INEVITABLE are thought provoking, but do not demand action from the reader. This aspect of her work will change in later writings. Holzers next body of writing was called Inflammatory Essays. In this series, her phrases were more forceful and assertive than Truisms. The essays are aggressive from beginning to end, and are sequences of private thought. At times her statements contradict each other, for example the beginning of one of her essays reads DONT TALK DOWN TO ME. DONT BE POLITE TO ME. According to Terry Barrett, The essays show how language, truth, force, and power can pervert each other (Barrett 1994, 60). In other words, this way of writing serves to confuse the reader, and possibly make them question what is presented to them as truth. The difference between Truisms and her later collections Living and Survival is that the intentions of her work become clearer. Although the texts in these series do not have a unifying purpose, many of them act to advertise, instruct, or cause emotional reactions. Several phrases in Survival provoke fear and uncertainty. For instance, THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR WILL BE SECRET, and YOU ARE TRAPPED ON THIS EARTH SO YOU WILL EXPLODE suggest that the future will be dangerous. Under a rock is written from the perspective of someone who has experienced or witnessed dark crimes, such as murder and terrorism. The collection is made up of gory and disturbing descriptions that involve pain. This is a similar theme to her other collection, Laments. Laments is Holzers most political collection of phrases. For this series, she uses her imagination to create voices for innocent lives lost in the AIDS epidemic happening at the time. According to Paula Geyh, In Laments, Holzer sought to give voice to the final thoughts of the dead, to give them a chance to say what they couldnt say(Geyh 2002, 178). It is significant that this is her first series in which she uses the pronoun I. Instead of writing from an outsiders perspective, this series is much more based on an individual. She used her anger about the death toll of the disease to make a political statement that there was no good reason for that many people to die. Untitled at the Guggenheim was a display of language that publicized Holzers private thought. She demonstrates a variety of perspectives in her writing that details the human condition. Her materials she used to present her writing gave her work a sense of importance to the public. The exhibit was designed to provoke thought and emotions. The unifying theme in all of the texts that are a part of Holzers exhibit is that they impose reactions on the viewer, making them rethink what they believe to be truth. Word count: 893 References Barrett, Terry. 1994. Criticizing Art: Understanding the Contemporary. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Company. Geyh, Paula. 2002. Postmodernism: The Key Figures. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers Ltd. Holzer, Jenny. 1989. Untitled. Reproduced in Davies, Penelope J.E., Denny, Walter B., Hofrichter, Frima F., Jacobs, Joseph F., Roberts, Ann S., Simon, David L. 2014. Jansons History of Art, 8th Edition, Volume 2. Pearson.

Pride And Prejudice :: essays research papers

Elizabeth’s Pride and Darcy’s Prejudice?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is a timeless social comedy which is both satirical and full of sentiment. The title refers to the personalities of the two main characters and cues the reader to Austen’s broader thematic purpose: to satirize nineteenth century manners and morals, especially as they relate to courtship and manners. Although both characters contain both these traits, it is mainly Mr. Darcy who exemplifies ‘pride’ while Elizabeth Bennet exemplifies ‘prejudice.’ However, one of the book’s many ironies is that the prejudiced Elizabeth thinks it is Mr. Darcy who has the overall prejudiced disposition. Likewise, proud Darcy thinks it is Elizabeth who is most often proud. Through the course of the novel, these characters grow and through each other, discover their own foibles-- Elizabeth is indeed prejudiced and Darcy is indeed proud. Armed with this growth and heightened moral insight, the couple is rewarded wi th happiness and fulfillment at the end of the novel. But what if their initial beliefs were correct? Let’s say that Mr. Darcy’s pride and Elizabeth’s prejudice were switched within the context of Austen’s plot and narrative structure. Could a proud Elizabeth and a prejudice Darcy grow in self-awareness through the circumstances of the novel and gain a better understanding of human condition? Before Austen allows her characters to have a ‘fairy-tale’ ending, they must undergo self-growth. Given Austen’s overall view of English class structure and her empathy towards independent and spirited young women, it would be unlikely that Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy would resolve their differences and grow as human beings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is Mary, Elizabeth Bennet’s younger sister who seems to pinpoint a working definition of “pride'; as it is portrayed in the novel. She says: “Pride is a very common failing I believe. By all that I have ever read, I am convinced that it is very common indeed, that human nature is particularly prone to it, and that there are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling of self-complacency on the score of some quality or other, real or imaginary... Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves...'; (67) Both Elizabeth and Darcy’s characters show evidence of pride, yet Austen clearly takes Darcy’s pride to an extreme. His character is first introduced at Netherfield Ball-- he quietly keeps to himself, occasionally speaks to one of the upper class, and declines all introductions to any young ladies.

Psychology 300 Final Exam

Final Exam 1 PSY/300 Final Exam: PSY/300 (Weeks 1-5) Multiple Choice1. Erik Erikson argues that an understanding of an individual's behavior requires consideration of: A) Biological events B) Psychological experience C) Cultural and historical context D) all of the above 2.The aim of biopsychology (also referred to as behavioral neuroscience) is to: A) Link soma and somette in order to understand how emotions manifest themselves behaviorally B) Investigate the physical basis of psychological phenomena such as motivation, emotion, and stress C) Understand the complex interactions of the nervous system D) Study how thoughts and feelings influence an individual’s biological reactions 3.The first laboratory in Psychology was founded in Leipzig, Germany, in 1879 by: A) Sigmund Freud B) Wilhelm Wundt C) William James D) Rene Descartes 4. The approach to psychology which involved devising a method for uncovering the basic elements of consciousness and the way they combine with each o ther into ideas was known as A) Structuralism B) Behaviorialism Final Exam 2 PSY/300 C) Functionalism D) Elementarism 5. Which field of psychology argues that one's perception of the pieces will be influenced when seeing them as parts of the whole?A) Evolutionary B) Perceptual C) Empirical D) Gestalt 6. A hypothesis is best characterized as: A) A procedure that precedes a theoretical framework B) Any phenomenon that can change from one situation to another C) A systematic way of organizing and explaining observations D) A tentative belief about the relationship between two or more variables 7. To ensure that I am a good researcher, I gave the same questionnaire to the same participants at three different points in time. I hope to get ssentially the same answers. If I do, then I can conclude that my experiment has: A) Internal validity B) External validity C) Inter-rater reliability D) test-retest reliability 8. When it comes to the ethics of animal research, which one of the followi ng is NOT an issue? A) Some animals are cuter than others B) Whether animals have rights Final Exam 3 PSY/300 C) To what extent humans can use other creatures to solve human problems D) That animals cannot give informed consent 9.Information is sent to the brain via the sensory or _____ neurons. A) Afferent B) Motor C) Transient D) Inter 10. Axons are responsible for A) Receiving information from other cells B) Transmitting information to other neurons C) Increasing the transmission speed of messages D) Determining how that particular neuron will manipulate input 11. There are two types of neurotransmitters. They are: A) Inhibitory and synaptic B) Modulating and excitatory C) Inhibitory and excitatory D) Modulating and synaptic 12.The part of the cerebral cortex that is involved in the sense of touch and feeling one’s own body in space is the: A) Parietal lobe B) Occipital lobe C) Temporal lobe D) Frontal lobe Final Exam 4 PSY/300 13. Which of the following is NOT a basic pri nciple of sensation and perception? A) Sensation and perception require strong enough impulses to surpass minimal thresholds B) Sensation and perception are active processes C) There is no one-to-one correspondence between physical and psychological reality D) Sensation and perception are adaptive 4. What kind of learning can be achieved through classical conditioning? A) Learning that an event occurred B) Learning that people have certain patterns of behavior C) Learning that two events are related D) Learning that a behavior produces a particular result 15. As you drive down the street, a leaf hits your windshield. You know that it is not going to break the windshield and yet you blink anyway. In classical conditioning, blinking to an object that is about to hit you in the face is a/an: A) CS B) CR C) UCS D) UCR 16.You recently noticed that eating sour candy causes extra salivation as your body reacts to the sour taste. You love sour candy and eat it often. The other day you purch ased a new bag of sour candy and as you were looking at the bag, you noticed that you were salivating. The sour candy is a: A) CS B) CR C) UCS Final Exam 5 PSY/300 D) UCR 17. The purpose of Watson's experiment involving little Albert was to determine if: A) Infants are innately capable of learning fear B) Phobias do exist C) Babies are just as susceptible as adults to fears D) Emotional responses can be learned 8. An important distinction between operant and classical conditioning is that: A) Classical conditioning can be used to extinguish an undesirable response while operant conditioning tends to be incapable of doing so B) In classical conditioning responses are elicited while in operant conditioning they are emitted C) Classical conditioning works best with mammals and operant conditioning works best with birds and rodents D) Classical conditioning requires an experimenter and operant conditioning does not 9. The theory of motivation that states that people are motivated by wis hes and fears is A) The cognitive approach B) The psychodynamic approach C) The biological approach D) None of the above 20. ERG theory condenses Maslow's hierarchy of needs into three distinct levels: A) Elementary, reproductive and goal realization B) Elementary, relatedness, and growth C) Existence, relatedness, and growth D) Existence, reproductive, and goal realization Final Exam 6 PSY/300 21.The part of the brain that is responsible for registering the emotional significance of objects is the A) Hypothalamus B) Limbic system C) Cortex D) Amygdala 22. Which one of the following describes a person who is fixated in the latent stage? A) person with problems committing to a relationship B) Person who is uninterested in sex C) A smoker D) Person over 40 who has never moved out of their parents' home 23. Which of the following refers to setting goals, evaluating performance, and adjusting behavior to achieve these goals in the context of ongoing feedback?A) goal-establishment B) out come-management C) potential-realization D) Self-regulation 24. Which of the following factors in the Five Factor Model is believed to be the least heritable? A) Agreeableness B) Neuroticism C) Extraversion D) Openness Final Exam 7 PSY/300 25. The very last developmental crisis adult’s face, according to Erikson at least, is: A) Intimacy versus isolation B) Integrity versus despair C) Generativity versus stagnation D) Acceptance versus despondence 26.Piaget argued all of the following EXCEPT: A) Children’s thought processes are creative but constrained by physical realities and brain development B) Children experience the same stages in the same order C) Children are motivated to make sense of what they experience, integrating what they know D) Cognitive efficiency is influenced by children’s knowledge base 27. According to the psychodynamic viewpoint on moral development, children initially are relatively: A) Evil B) Narcissistic C) good D) Saintly 8. When dete rmining a diagnosis for treating mental disorders, the different axes refer to: A) The symptoms, personality disturbances, medical conditions, and environmental stressors B) The severity of the disorder and the extent to which it will interfere with daily life C) The domain of life which will be most disrupted by the disorder, such as work, school, or relationships D) The types of emotional, physical, or social disruption that can be expected from a particular disorder Final Exam 8 PSY/300 29.Which of the following is an umbrella term for a number of psychotic disorders that involve disturbances in nearly every dimension of human physiology, including thought, perception, behavior, language, communication, and emotion? A) Schizophrenia B) Personality disorder C) Mood disorder D) Dissociative disorder 30. Which personality disorder is marked by extremely unstable interpersonal relationships, dramatic mood swings, an unstable sense of identity, intense fears of separation and abandonm ent, manipulativeness, and impulsive behavior?A) Narcissistic B) Antisocial C) Borderline D) Histrionic 31. Systematic desensitization is based on the idea that A) Relaxation training can aid people with schizophrenia B) Physical contact with other people is essential for contact comfort C) Through early experiences people learn to fear social interactions D) Through classical conditioning people have associated fear with previously neutral stimuli 32. Antipsychotic medications reduce symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations by _____ activity within the brain. A) Increasing epinephrine B) Inhibiting serotonin C) Inhibiting dopamineFinal Exam 9 PSY/300 D) Increasing glutamate 33. The goal of antidepressant medications such as SSRIs is to: A) Keep serotonin acting longer in the synapses of the brain? B) Keep people from making irrational associations between ideas C) Reduce body weight and make people feel better about them D) Reduce anxiety that leads to depression 34. Character istics that are attributed to people based on their membership in a specific group, and that are often over-generalized, inaccurate, and resistant to new information are called: A) Prejudices B) Biases C) Stereotypes D) Discrimination 5. Cognitive bias in social cognition is thought to be the result of: A) Heuristics that can lead people awry B) Schemas and attributions being influenced by wishes, needs, and desires C) People frequently lacking the time to make accurate attributions D) all of the above 36. The relationship between personality and self-schemas can be seen in a number of ways. Which one of the following is NOT true of that relationship?A) People who feel disappointment, dissatisfaction, shame, and embarrassment have a discrepancy between actual and ideal selves B) People who feel anxiety, fear, resentment, guilt, self-contempt, or uneasiness have a discrepancy between actual and ought selves C) People who experience feelings of failure, social rejection, isolation, an d a lack of Final Exam 10 PSY/300 accomplishment have a discrepancy between ideal and ought selves D) All of the above are true of the relationship between personality and self-schemas 37.Companionate love involves: A) Wild emotions, intense physiological arousal, and absorption in another person B) Deep affection, friendship, and emotional intimacy C) Acquaintance cordiality, friendship, and societal responsibility D) Selflessness, altruism, and reciprocal giving 38. Behaving in a way that helps another person with no apparent gain, or with potential cost, to oneself is known as: A) Selfless gratification B) Ego protection C) Ethical hedonism D) Altruism 39. Which of the following is a drawback of antianxiety medications?A) They can cause physiological dependence. B) There is a high relapse rate when the drugs are discontinued. C) They can cause psychological dependence. D) All of the above. 40. The three broad classes of psychopathology distinguished by psychodynamic theorists are : A) anxiety disorders, personality disorders, somatoform disorders B) organic disorders, developmental disorders, experiential disorders C) cognitive dysfunctions, behavioral abnormalities, interpersonal maladies D) personality disorders, neuroses, psychoses Final Exam 11 PSY/300

Bowman Strategy Essay

1.0 Introduction Strategy is a long term directions for companies. Bennett (1996, cited by Cousins 2000) describes strategy as: â€Å"The word strategy is used to describe the direction that the organisation chooses to follow in order to fulfil its mission†. Today, strategies are vital for businesses, in many cases it helps to achieve a competitive advantage. Increasing competition in most sectors and technological development has led to accelerated changes in the global economy. In order to meet the market needs, strategies encourage and enable the adaptation of companies in a changing environment (Tribe, 2010). The aim of the report is to conduct a research on Bowman’s Strategy Clock which will demonstrate a rational, reflective and critical evaluation of the concept. To do so, the report is going to be divided in three parts. The first or the report part is going to give an overview of the Bowman’s strategy with its background. The second part will analyse the model and its different strategies by using example from companies. Then some authors’ opinions about the model will be analysed. 2.0 Bowman’s Strategy Clock 2.1 Strategy Overview In 1980 Michael Porter published his seminal book wherein he identified three generic strategies for a business to gain competitive advantage: cost leadership, product differentiation and market segmentation (Johnson et al., 2008). Basically, Porter analysed that business compete either on price (cost), on perceived value (differentiation), or by focusing on a very precise customer (market segmentation). Source: Eldring (2009) With his model, Porter (1980- cited in Eldring, 2009) explained that a company must choose between one of the three generic strategies otherwise it will be â€Å"stuck in the middle† and suffer from below-average performance. In 1996, Cliff Bowman and David Faulkner developed Bowman’s Strategy Clock Looking at Porter’s Generic strategies in a different way. This model extends Porter’s three strategic positions to eight. Figure 1 below, represents Bowman’s eight different strategies that are identified by varying levels of price and value. Figure 2: Bowman’s Strategy Clock Source: Johnson et al (2008) 2.2 Model explanation Bowman strategy is a competitive strategy. Competitive strategies are tools that businesses use to achieve competitive advantages (Johnson et al. 2005). The Bowman’s clock strategy is a more sophisticated approach, which recognizes and deals with certain criticisms of Porter’s model (Tiwari, 2009). For instance, as it has already been said, according to Porter generic model, a business has to choose one generic strategy are it means that the company is place in the middle which means being â€Å"dead†. However what Bowman believes is that a business can be both low cost and differentiated and still be successful over the long term, such as the companies Swatch, IKEA, Sainsbury and many others. In Bowman model, these companies are situated at the hybrid position, also known as combined strategy (Dobson et al. 2004). Figure 3 demonstrates that there are eight approaches on the clock in total. Meanwhile, these strategic positions can be grouped into three- risk strategies, low price strategies and differentiation strategies (Thomson & Banden-Fuller 2010, 184). Figure 3: Bowman’s Strategy Clock companies examples Source: (Thomson and Baden-Fuller, 2010: 184) To have a clear understanding of the eight different positions of Bowman’s Strategy clock, the author has decided to illustrate them with some companies’ examples. 2.2.1 Low Price Strategies Number 1 and 2 (No frills and Low price) on the clock are organisations who are going to position themselves in a part of the market which is looking for reasonable prices. The examples given are Ryanair and Easyjet. Indeed these two companies have managed to cut their costs by only focusing on their core service (every extras have to be paid by customers), also by using online bookings, and using secondary airports. The advantages of these two strategies are that the expectations of the customers who are choosing their services are very low because of the costs of the service/ products; they are more likely to be satisfied as figure 4 demonstrate it. Figure 4: Customers’ expectations Source: Cook (2008: 17) However the drawbacks of these two positions are that the only way to succeed here is through cost effectively selling quantity, and by constantly attracting new clients. These businesses will not be winning any customer loyalty contests, but they may be able to sustain themselves as long as they stay one step ahead of the consumer (Mindtools, 2012) 2.2.2 Differentiation Strategies From number 3 through number 5 (hybrid, differentiation and focused differentiation) are companies that are offering a customised product or service. The service or product is designed separately for each individual customer, and therefore customers are prepared to pay a price premium for that. The examples given is British Airways whose goal is to present better-quality service to its customers, stakeholders and employees alike (British Airways, 2010). A lot of companies in hospitality industry (such as 3 to 5 star hotels) would not try to compete on price; they would try to position themselves near position 4 or 5 on the model by offering something better, or improve a service. However in order to choose focused differentiation as strategy, businesses need to have a strong branding to make sure their customers are willing to pay a higher price for it. Strong brand have the power to capture consumer preference and loyalty (Armstrong, 2009). This is the reason why this strategy often takes place in the luxury segment. But it can also takes place in other segment such as technology, where for instance with the brand Apple. The company Apple has such strong brand images that according to a recent survey cited in Hughes (2011) consumers are extremely interested in the prospect of an Apple-branded television, that they are willing to pay a twenty percent premium over existing TV prices for such a device. Although it can be difficult for businesses to carry on the successful hybrid strategy due to the lower level of margins caused by the low costs products. As it has been mentioned earlier, companies that have both low cost and differentiated can sometimes be successful because they are quite difficult to compete against The value and quality is good and consumers are assured of reasonable prices. This combination builds customer fidelity. 2.2.3 Risk Strategies The strategies 6, 7 and 8 are called risk strategies because there is a high risk for failure when applying them within a business. For instance number 7, increasing price and keeping a low value product or service is only possible in a monopoly market situation and the customers have no choice else than to pay high price for poor value (Thomson and Baden-Fuller, 2010). However, in a competitive market, this approach remains unsustainable for long. Generally the companies arbitrarily increasing prices soon lose market share, as consumers migrate to competitors that offer the same value at lower prices. An example of a company in hospitality industry that was using high Increased price and standard values is the previous national airline of Belgium from 1923 to 2001 before its bankrupt (Castle, 2001). Regarding low value and increased price suggests Dwyer et al. (2010) that the night club cover charges as example. 2. 3 Model criticisms Although most of the researchers agree that it is an excellent model for companies to understand how to compete in the market place. Some remains sceptical regarding the position number 3 (hybrid). Simister (2011) believes that a differentiated, low cost hybrid position may be an achievable position only under certain conditions and that therefore it is not it is not applicable for every sector. The strategy clock can also lead to negative thinking and almost justify doing nothing for companies. The model’s strength is to consider competitive actions to possible moves in the clock but all of them could be damaging to business’ profit. Sometimes companies have to be ready to take a risk and make a decisive move because if they do not, another competitor will. . Conclusion The strategy clock represents a set of eight generic strategies for achieving competitive advantage: It is a very useful model to help understand how businesses compete in the market place. This is a powerful way of looking at how to establish and sustain a competitive position in a market driven economy. A competitive advantage is an advantage gained over competition by offering consumers superior value, either through lower prices or by providing additional benefits and service that justify similar, or higher, prices. By looking at the different combinations of price and perceived value, companies can begin to choose a position of competitive advantage that makes sense for them.

Bella Abzug - Activist and Member of Congress

Bella Abzug - Activist and Member of Congress Bella Abzug Facts: Known for: feminism, peace activism, first Jewish Congresswoman (1971-1976), organization founder, instituted Womens Equality Day. Her large hats and fiery personality brought her considerable public attention. Occupation: member of the US House of Representatives, lawyer, writer, news commentatorDates: July 24, 1920 - March 31, 1998Education:  Hunter College: B.A., 1942. Columbia University Law School: L.L.B., 1947.Honors:  Editor of Columbia Law Review; National Womens Hall of Fame, 1994Also known as: Bella Savitsky Abzug; Bella S. Abzug; Battling Bella; Hurricane Bella; Mother Courage Bella Abzug Biography: Born Bella Savitsky in the Bronx, New York, she attended public school and then Hunger College.   There she became active in Zionist activism. She started Columbia University Law School in 1942, then interrupted her education for a wartime shipyard job. After marriage to Martin Abzug, then a writer, and she returned to Columbia Law School and graduated in 1947. She was editor of the Columbia Law Review.admitted to the New York Bar in 1947. In her legal career, she worked in labor law and for civil rights. In the 1950s she defended some accused by Senator Joseph McCarthy of Communist associations. While pregnant, she went to Mississippi to try to stave off a death sentence for  Willie McGee.   He was a black man accused of raping a white woman. She continued her work on his case despite death threats, and was able to win stays of execution twice, though he was put to death in 1951. While working against Willie McGees death sentence, Bella Abzug adopted her custom of wearing hats with wide brims, as a way of signaling that she was a working lawyer and should be taken seriously. In the 1960s, Bella Abzug helped to found Women Strike for Peace, and she worked as a legislative director, organizing protests and lobbying for disarmament and against the Vietnam War.   In Democratic politics she was part of the Dump Johnson movement in 1968, working for alternative peace candidates to challenge Lyndon B. Johnsons renomination. In 1970, Bella Abzug was elected to the U.S. Congress from New York, with support from the reformers within the Democratic Party. Her slogan was This womans place is in the House. She won the primary, though she was not expected to, and then defeated an incumbent who had held the seat for many years, despite his accusations she was anti-Israel. In Congress, she was especially noted for her work for the Equal Rights Amendment  (ERA), national day care centers, ending sex discrimination, and working mothers priorities.   Her outspoken defense of the ERA, and her work for peace, as well as her trademark hats and her voice, brought her widespread recognition. Bella Abzug also worked against American involvement in the Vietnam War and against the Selective Service System, as a junior member of the Armed Services Committee. She challenged the seniority system, ending up as chair of the House subcommittee on government information and individual rights. She advocated for separate statehood for New York City and helped to win the Sunshine Law and the Freedom of Information Act. She lost the primary in 1972, with her district redrawn so she would compete with a strong incumbent Democrat.   She then won an election for the seat when the candidate who had defeated her died before the fall election. Bella Abzug ran for the Senate in 1976, losing to Daniel P. Moynihan, and in 1977 was defeated in a primary bid for the office of mayor of New York City. In 1978 she again ran for Congress, in a special election, and was not elected In 1977-1978 Bella Abzug served as co-chair of the National Advisory Committee on Women. She was fired by President Jimmy Carter, who had originally appointed her, when the committee openly criticized Carters budget for cutting womens programs. Bella Abzug returned to private practice as a lawyer until 1980, and served for a time as a television news commentator and magazine columnist. She continued her activism work, particularly in feminist causes.   She attended international womens caucuses at Mexico City in 1975, Copenhagen in 1980, Nairobi in 1985, and her last major contribution was at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China. Bella Abzugs husband died in 1986.   Her health failing for several years, she died in 1996. Family: Parents: Emanuel Savitsky  and Esther Tanklefsky  Savitsky. Husband: Maurice M. (Martin) Abzug (1944). Children: Eve Gail, Isobel Jo.Places: New York Organizations/Religion: Russian-Jewish heritageFounder, Women Strike for Peace (1961)Co-founder, National Womens Political CaucusCo-chair, Presidents National Advisory Committee for Women, 1978-79President: Women-USAWomens Foreign Policy CouncilNational Commission on the Observance of International Womens YearCommentator, Cable News Network (CNN)Also: National Organization for Women, National Urban League, American Civil Liberties Union, Hadassah, Bnai Brith Bibliography: Bella Abzug and Mim Kleber. Gender Gap: Bella Abzugs Guide to Political Power for American Women. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1984.  Paperback.   Hardcover. Bella Abzug and Mel Ziegler. Bella!: Ms. Abzug Goes to Washington. New York: Saturday Review Press, 1972.Doris Faber. Bella Abzug. Childrens book.  Hardcover.   Illustrated.

Listening to Podcasts in German

Listening to Podcasts in German We discovered Annik Rubens and her five-minute Schlaflos in Mà ¼nchen podcasts first, and then it was about an hour with a Swiss-German dee-jay at jradio.ch in Zurich. (Cool to hear Schwytzerdytsch, the musics cool, but in English.) The variety of topics and sheer numbers of podcasts in German is amazing for such a relatively new phenomenon! People all around the world- including Austria, Germany, and Switzerland- are producing their own mini-radio shows on topics from art culture to porn, from daily life to rock, or world news politics. There are podcasts in German dialects and even kidspods for young listeners (Hà ¶rkultur fà ¼r Kinder). Youll find pro versions and podcasts by just plain folks. PodcastenaufDeutsch What is podcasting? Heres a definition in German: Der Begriff Podcasting meint das automatische Herunterladen von Audio-Dateien aus dem Internet. Meistens handelt es sich dabei um private Radio-Shows, die sich einem bestimmten Thema widmen. - podster.de (See the English explanation in the next paragraph.) Audio on the web is nothing new. However, das Podcasten is a new way of approaching online audio (and video). It really seems to be a good thing for language-learners. The term podcast is a play on words that mixes broadcast and iPod to come up with podcast. A podcast is a lot like a radio broadcast, but with some crucial differences. First of all, a podcaster doesnt need a real radio station. Anyone with basic recording and computer skills can produce a podcast. Second, unlike radio, you can listen to a podcast at any time and in any place. You can click on a podcast and listen to it immediately (just like streaming audio), or you can save it to your computer (and/or iPod) for later. Some podcasts require a free subscription and/or special podcast software (i.e., iTunes, iPodder, Podcatcher, etc.), but most podcasts can be heard using a normal Web browser set up for MP3 audio. The advantage of subscribing is that youll get your chosen podcast on a regular basis, just like a newsletter.  A lot of the podcasting software and services are free. You dont have to pay for anything unless you want to. The free iTunes software from Apple (for Mac or Windows) has support for podcasts and is perhaps the easiest way to subscribe to podcasts in German or other languages. How to Find German Podcasts The best way is to use iTunes or some other podcast directory. Podcast.net lists over 20 podcasts in German. Thats where I found Annik and Schlaflos in Mà ¼nchen, but shes also listed in iTunes and other directories. (Some podcasts listed under Deutsch may actually be in English, because its up to the podcaster to select the category.) Of course, there are also German podcast directories, including das deutsche Podcasting Portal - German podcasts. The iPodder.org site has a page for podster.de, but you need to download the free Juicer client (Mac, Win, Linux) to use it. You can also use Google.de or other search engines to find podcasts in German. Some Selected Podcast Sites in German Most podcasters have a Web site related to their podcasts, often with a forum for feedback and comments. Most will let you stream their MP3 podcasts, but if you want to subscribe, try one of the podcast clients such as iPodder. Annik Rubens: Schlaflos in Mà ¼nchen 3-5 minute daily podcasts1st Intergalactic Podcast Ralfs tgliche handvoll Minà ¼tchen à ¼ber einfach allesAudibleBlog.de Topics: Large variety (business, Kinder, usw.) DIE ZEIT and audio highlights (3-12 min.) from audible.deGnak Podcast Verschiedenes von Nicole Simone in Là ¼beck

Conundrums, Puzzles, and Quizzes

Conundrums, Puzzles, and Quizzes Conundrums, Puzzles, and Quizzes Conundrums, Puzzles, and Quizzes By Mark Nichol What do the three nouns in this post’s title have in common? Yes, they all refer to questions or problems to be answered or solved, but there’s a more interesting commonality: Their very existence is a conundrum, puzzle, or quiz, because they have no etymological paper trail, and no one is quite certain how they came to be. That’s true of a surprising number of words, including flabbergast and flummox, both of which describe the feeling one has when one is puzzled. Many of these terms inhabit a linguistic ghetto reserved for words used informally or humorously; they often started out as slang, as in the case of dogie, a cowboy’s term for a calf, or the verb peter, meaning â€Å"become tired† (as in the phrase â€Å"petered out†), which originated with miners during the mid-nineteenth-century gold rush in western North America. Other slang words with no known origin include fuddy-duddy (meaning â€Å"a conservative or old-fashioned person†), humbug (â€Å"nonsense† or â€Å"someone or something deceptive†), and persnickety (â€Å"obsessed with trivial details†); that last word is a variation of the now-obsolete form pernickety, but the etymological origin of that latter word is unknown. More respectable orphan words include dingy (â€Å"dirty† or â€Å"shabby†), plod (â€Å"proceed slowly and heavily†), and stubborn (â€Å"difficult,† or â€Å"resistant to change or direction†). Many other words are once removed from unknown origin; for example, huge, pivot, and trifle are three of many words borrowed into English from French even though the parentage of those words is unknown. We may not know where these and other words come from, but most orphan words share a common quality: They tend to be vivid and vigorous words writers are encouraged to employ to produce energetic and evocative writing. 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 Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Regarding Re:Expanded and ExtendedMood vs. Tense

Note card assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Target market Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Target market - Article Example een various audiences it becomes simple for them to establish what consumer segments to accurately support their business and whether they are going to be converted into return-customers. A restaurant that has identified a target market will also have a clear focus of what it wants to do and avoid a general approach in an extremely differentiated market place. This means that such a restaurant will take into consideration such factors as gender, age, technological sophistication and lifestyle. Thus making out a target market offers a clear focus to the restaurant on the possible niche of the audience that they want to serve. Lastly identifying a target market will help the restaurants in evaluating the specific segments of their consumers that are most likely to purchase their products, thus assisting them in prioritizing their resources accordingly. In addition the restaurants will also precisely plan and pinpoint their consumers’ wants and needs. One such technique is generational marketing that defines potential consumers by economic, demographic, age, and social

Applied ethics ( ethics in marketing) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Applied ethics ( ethics in marketing) - Essay Example The theory emphasizes the need for people to learn how to break bad habits of character for example greed or anger (Chonko, & Hunt, 1985). The advertisement I choose from the news is on the Embassy Cigarettes. On the theory of deontological, the company marketing has the obligation to adhering to the moral rules. This implies that when marketing this brand of cigarettes, they should not give any misleading information about the product. Marketers must clearly indicate the contents that have been used to make the cigarettes on the packet. The contents indicated must genuine, only those that were used without any additional materials or omitting some of the ingredients. This a moral ethic as the consumer gets to know what was used in the making of that product and based on that information, consumers will make decisions. When all the content is genuinely on the packet, the user will read through that information and based on it, they will be able to decide whether to buy it or not. Marketers must ensure that the information they display is not misleading to the product consumer (Gibson, 2000). The marketers of the Embassy Cigarettes must focus on the second theory of marketing ethics, the teleology theory. Based on their advertisement, the marketers should consider what action their decision might have to the consumer after using the product. The teleology theory emphasizes that the company has the obligation of taking care of the customer. The product should not affect the user after using it, due to the false information given to it. For example, if the marketers omit to include an ingredient used in the manufacture of the cigarette on the packet, it is not ethically correct. This because a consumer will make a wrong decision in case the product consist an ingredient that causes complications to their health. When they buy and use the product, they are sure

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How can each of the five SLEPT macro-environment factors directly drive the content and services provided by a website - Essay Example It is through use of electronic means of communication that a lot of information reaches the target group not only in a local region but all over the world. SLEPT which stands for Social, legal, Economic, Political and Technological factors can directly propel the services and content provided by website (Tajes & Ortiz 2005). These factors are the micro-environment factors that influence any type of business. The business organization must conform to the changing trends of these factors to survive the harsh and competitive market. For instance when website owners develop keen interest in these micro-environmental factors they will definitely win the attention and trust of the many online customers they come across the internet. Each SLAPT factor drives the website services and content differently. Social factors such carry a lot of weight when it comes to the customer trend of purchasing products and utilizing services. In most cases social factors refer to alterations in society that can either promote or hinder a certain business. These changes include population, age and customer lifestyles. These demographic factors affect the buying design. Aware of these vital considerations, the website owners can take advantage of the type of customers using the internet services by advertising services and goods that draw the attention of these special users of internet (Tajes & Ortiz 2005). Legal factors form the second category of micro-environmental elements that boost website content and services. These factors relate to alterations in policies and regulations that surround commercial activities. Any business enterprise must carefully consider current laws and ordinances that must be practiced to keep the business legal (Tajes & Ortiz 2005). For example website owners must consider paying tax to smoothly run their businesses. Strict observation of taxation laws will always strengthen the image of the website content and services. Most

Find a good website containing information about Louis XIV, the Sun Essay

Find a good website containing information about Louis XIV, the Sun King as a Dancer. (Middle Ages and Renaissance) - Essay Example also started and sponsored many schools and academies during his reign, to teach court dancers, who practiced this dance form under the tutelage of some of the best dancers and composers of those time. One particular thing about court ballet was that they were danced solely by men, without any participation of women dancers. This webpage is published by Maxine Mahon, the Director of California Ballet. California Ballet is a San Diego based ballet company, that promotes performances affiliated to the classical ballet art form. Thereby, the information given on this web page is credible and authentic. The intended purpose of the information given on this web page is to introduce the ballet lovers to the history of ballet art form. This web page being published on 24 May 2010, the information given on it could be deemed to be up to date. All the information regarding the role played by Louis XIV in popularizing court ballet is presented in an illustrative and objective manner. Overall, this webpage makes an interesting

Quality Management Plan Executive Summary Essay

Quality Management Plan Executive Summary - Essay Example Quality verification is going take place from a number of outlooks. For instance there is going to be a different quality verification checklist for the project management as a whole. Such as a checklist includes among other thins the ability of the project team to stick to quality standards, work within time frame, spending within given budget and ability to use required resources. There is also going to be a quality verification checklist for the engine to be built. This will include the compartments of the engine, functioning of the engine, durability of the engine and cost of production. As stated in the definition, the project scope spans on the production of an engine with an extra valve. The project shall be limited to the advancement of engines that are already in the market and that have already been produced by the company. This means that the new compartment is going to come in only as an improved feature and not the invention of a new system of engine. The project is also limited to the production of engine for use in smaller cars and not heavy duty cars. At the end of the project, there is going to be both a new project type and a service type. This calls for the drafting of both a product description and a service description. Having talked a lot about the product as an engine with a new value compartment to handle more pressure, the attention will now go to service description. It is expected that the service that the product will produce shall be one that can judged as high quality engine service to product users. This should be a feature that should assure more distance, less repair, durability, resistance to weather, anti-theft features and user friendly features. Having stated the service that the product is expected to serve, it is clear that the standard of the project is one that is expected to be very high. It is for this reason that there shall be special quality assurance systems to monitor the quality and standard of the product at dif ferent times of its production. As part of the regulations that guide the construction of the project, there shall be quality assessment at each stage of the system implementation. This will ensure that all defects and sub-standards will be detected as early as possible and flashed out. Finally, the project process outputs shall be made up of two major components, which are project outcome and project impact. The outcome refers to the end product, which shall be a multi-functional engine that is built on the principle of extra power. The impact refers to the advantages that the project is going to create for users. Very outstanding among these is the fact that users will not need to replace engines as quickly as possible. This means that there will be financial benefit for users. Due to environmental considerations made in the construction also, the environment is going to be spared of all forms of pollution that are commonly caused by bad engines. REFERENCE LIST Luther T. A (2009). Economic Mastery in times of Global Crisis. Multimedia Press Limited: Chicago Project Management Documents (2012) Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Template. Accessed April 11, 2012 from http://www.projectmanagementdocs.com/templates/work-breakdown-structure-wbs.html Tomhill R. (2008). Innovation for new Economic Dispensation. Ultimate Press Limited:

Find a good website containing information about Louis XIV, the Sun Essay

Find a good website containing information about Louis XIV, the Sun King as a Dancer. (Middle Ages and Renaissance) - Essay Example also started and sponsored many schools and academies during his reign, to teach court dancers, who practiced this dance form under the tutelage of some of the best dancers and composers of those time. One particular thing about court ballet was that they were danced solely by men, without any participation of women dancers. This webpage is published by Maxine Mahon, the Director of California Ballet. California Ballet is a San Diego based ballet company, that promotes performances affiliated to the classical ballet art form. Thereby, the information given on this web page is credible and authentic. The intended purpose of the information given on this web page is to introduce the ballet lovers to the history of ballet art form. This web page being published on 24 May 2010, the information given on it could be deemed to be up to date. All the information regarding the role played by Louis XIV in popularizing court ballet is presented in an illustrative and objective manner. Overall, this webpage makes an interesting

The United Nations and Colombia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The United Nations and Colombia - Essay Example The Republic of Colombia, which achieved independence from Spain in 1810 and became recognized in 1819, joined the UN on 5th October 1945 (Borda & Castillo 3). It is among the present member states and is located on South America’s northwestern coast. The country has Ambassador Maria Emma Mejia as its permanent representative to the UN. This paper will research on how Colombia started in the UN, how it has maintained itself over the years as a member, its relations with the organization, and the past and current projects it has had with it. Briefly describing the UN, its system is basically structured on five key organs which include the General Assembly, the International Court of Justice, the Security Council, the Secretariat and the Economic and Social Council (Fasulo 14). The General Assembly resolves non-compulsory recommendations to countries and makes decisions on the admission of new member states after the Security Council’s proposal. The Secretariat, chaired by the UN Secretary General, provides administrative support to the other bodies, while the International Court of Justice decides and settles disputes between countries that acknowledge its opinions and jurisdiction. The Security Council’s key responsibility is maintaining international security and peace, and the Economic and Social Council coordinates social and economic affairs globally (Fasulo 15). To become a member state of the UN as well as a member of the UN General Assembly, the organization’s main deliberative assembly of w hich all member states are, Colombia fulfilled the obligations stipulated by the Charter. Part of the requirements state that although membership is open to all states, such states must be sovereign, peace-loving and willing to observe all obligations as contained in the Charter. Further, in conformity with the provisions of Article 4, Chapter 2 of the UN Charter, Colombia was subjected to the General Assembly’s decision after the

Role of a Teacher in English Language Learning

Role of a Teacher in English Language Learning Chapter I Introduction The Problem and Importance This investigation is fundamentally based on the situation that the students live every day in Public High Schools students live everyday, such a case is Liceo Diurno de Esparza within the process of learning English for Oral Communication. As part of Academic Education, learning English has become of primary importance in a globalized world. The creation and the advance of the massive mass media as well as the means of transportation have contributed for people to be able to communicate more quickly. However, despite the fast advancement of communications, an idiomatic barrier exists, and it is imposed among all the communities in the world and that impedes to communicate more efficiently. The study of a foreign language was set in order to improve communication among different countries; those countries establish a universal language as an international way of communication. English is that language; it has become a worldwide language due to the great number of countries that use it as a native or foreign language. English has become mandatory in all public educational institutions in our nation. In the same way, the introduction of transnational companies during the first years of XXI, has brought to the country not only the aperture of more and bigger companies, hence opportunities to Costa Ricans, but also the demand on English speakers in terms of quality and quantity. In our country is very important that at least the basis of English are known in order to communicate in simple phrases, in our daily life routines, also because Costa Rica is a paradise for tourists and it demands a fullness in the way we manage this universal language as part of cultural and social diversity. The intervention of the state in the design of English programs for the public sector was given a little late. According to Cordova, (1994), cited by Miranda (1997): It was not unitl 1925, when the Costa Rican Government through the Department of Public Education decreed an internal regulation that permitted the teaching of foreign languages such as Latin, French, and English in Casa de Estudio Santo Tomà ¡s. English programs were not a success because of the lack of materials and English Teachers; for that reason, the programs were given by people who spoke that language and they had materials brought from other countries (p.3). That is to say, the Department of Education did not have as a priority the learning of foreign languages for the students. Despite the effort made by the Department, the quality of teaching was worse. English teaching continued being developed without qualified professionals, methodology, and material. English teaching and learning changed significantly in 1991, when the National Advisor decided to give a new course to the programs. It was in that year when a specific curriculum for English learning was created in High Schools and it covered Tercer Ciclo and Educacià ³n Diversificada (Senior High). Those programs were based on students needs. As a result advisors established in 1994 a program called Children of Costa Rica, in a modern and integrated world and decided English should be a subject inside the curriculum of schools. (Cabrera, 2005 p.3) Despite all the efforts, English had be taken as common subject inside the national test and covered only the written skill and it did not take into account the oral skills. Cabrera (2005) said that English had become a written test that included only reading comprehension, and the professors were limited only to teach how to read, but they excluded the other linguistic abilities. (p.1) After almost 70 years of English teaching in Costa Rica and multiple attempts to improve the English programs, it was only during the Government of Josà © Maria Figueres Olsen in 1996, when they really began to evaluate the quality of the programs, and it was determined that students from public schools needed to be orally proficient in English. Some years later, the Department of Public Education presented the first program of Conversational English for public schools which is part of the technological Education. The program of Conversational English covered listening and conversational skills to give students the capacity to use any given situation. Since the year 2001, the Conversational English Program has been implemented in the Public High Schools of Costa Rica that want to enter Conversational English as an optional subject in Technical Education. The Advisors of Technical Education are conscious of the responsibility that the High Schools represent in terms of English learning and the quality of the graduated students for they will face the dynamics of the business sector. Thus our current students should respond to the demands of the world in a near future. Yet, and during the last six years, the Department of Education has tried to change English Curriculum to give more emphasis on the oral and listening skills in the quality of English teaching and learning. Despite all the efforts, it is pitiful to know that after five or six years of English lessons, with three weekly lessons in the Tercer Ciclo (seventh, eighth and ninth grades), five weekly lessons in the Ciclo Diversificado (10th and 11th grades) and the development of a Conversational English Program with six weekly lessons, our graduates are still incapable of speaking English fluently. (Al Dà ­a, 2005). Badilla (2003), in his study A proposal of improvement of the applicability of the conversational English program of Public Education expresses that: The Costa Rican curriculum has suffered changes to be adapted to globalization and the programs should be analyzed to guarantee their quality(p.lO). Today, there are few existent studies related to the Conversational English Program and its applicability in different contexts. In the same way, it is important to mention that human beings suffer changes through life, and these changes possess some specific characteristics in the social and cultural aspects. In addition, all societies or communities present different characteristics from others. Those differences produce on any program the necessity of a contextualization because it is impossible to develop a program in the same way. All those aspects are very important to take into account in a program evaluation or study. Due to the little existence of research about the social factors and a good teacher as a facilitator and the way the curriculum of the MEP is applied, the research is considered of importance to contribute with the needs of the students learning. The main focus in this investigation is placed in determination of the topic in theoretical and social frames, according to the Costa Rican context. The investigation is build, as a main source, which analyzes the main factors that have their influence on the learning process of English for oral communication, with a hypothetical supposing that there are many factors which are motivators and barriers for the process of learning English for oral communication. The research considers the individual social characteristics as factors for participation in the process as well. A special emphasis in the investigation is directed about the students achievements toward the skills and capabilities which are required for successfully coping with the everyday job tasks and rapid changes in the students environment and society. Research is also giving the answers about the Teachers role and investment in the process of learning of the students. All of the factors if treating in positive manner will give an impetus to the learning process of individuals while have a negative impact on learning process if acting in a negative manner. But for this investigation we are taking into account three specific elements only, social factors, role of the teacher and curriculum designed by the MEP. The preceding situation justifies the importance of the present study. Justification Todays society demands more active and dynamic communication by the used of efficient ways focused on the learning of foreign languages in order to improved the universal the development not only in terms of economics but also culture and society. Therefore, in the last decade many countries have entered different programs for learning a second language. English learning as a second language requires the developing of a very complex learning process. It has become a need above all in the Costa Rican context because English becomes a language that offers opportunities to find employment. This is one of the greater demands that require the Costa Rican young population. It is important to emphasize that English is currently very important as an international language, and it is the main-reason to justify its teaching and learning to contribute to the student integral education. The students deficiencies to speak English are the result of some aspects such as teaching methodologies, teachers proficiency, short time for the development of the program, the program design, and the students social factors. There are many reasons and needs to learn a second language such as English; some of them are the bilingual personnel that the Job market, business and productive sectors demand. To cover those needs. Costa Rican government has established English teaching in private and public institutions. The authorities of the Department of Education, different businesses and the press have expressed concern because of the poor English fluency that students of secondary schools have after graduating. Umaà ±a (2005), a journalist of Al Dà ­a newspaper, States: English is increasingly necessary to opt for a position of work and it is a great worry in the country because people have very limited preparation to meet the demands of this language. (p.13) Besides the imposed needs by the companies and Jobs, other factors exist which contribute to different personal development of individuals periods; above all, in the social, intellectual, emotional, and psychological aspects. It is important to emphasize that the purpose of the different English programs is not to teach a foreign tongue, it is to teach people to be able to communicate with it. (Cabrera, 2006). In our country, Educational System has advanced by the introduction of the Conversational English Courses in High Schools, yet, there is a need for improving. Learning a second language, in our case English, requires of a process followed by steps that influence drastically the development of the students academically. In the last years, and in an overall way, it is clearly perceived the evidence that the graduating students have suffered the consequences of a poor efficiency level of oral communication in English received during their years in High School. Due to these effects, it is imperative to determine and analyze the relationship among the different factors that influence and provoke whether a positive or negative result in the students oral performance. This case of study focuses on the investigation of the relationship among the main internal elements that influence the process the learning English for Oral communication according to the current profile proposed by the M.E.P. in the 11th graders. Communication is many ways transferring information (Wikipedia.org). Our educational system places more emphasis in other areas of writing and reading. These two skills are important and part of a whole spectrum, however, there must by a greater emphasis and reinforcement on the listening as the input and oral communication as the output. The students that represent the case of study, are teenagers who have being exposed through out all the years to the Educational System. These students carry 10 years of studying English, and still unable to communicate orally in an efficient way. In addition to this, the profile proposed by the M.E.P. within the Communicative Framework attempts that all graduating students reach a certain level of oral communication which sufficient enough will give the future labour sector, the tools to find well remunerated jobs in a competitive world in which the use of a foreign language is mandatory as in the case of English. Yet, the intention of fulfilling the expectations need to be analyzed in order to find better methods and techniques in the process of learning English for oral communication. There is not doubt that the accurate development of the process of learning English through the Conversational English arises as way of given students a new opportunity to develop oral skills that will result into a successful tool for the future. It becomes of primary importance that students fulfill a series of standards imposed by a continuous changing and demanding society in which having a backup of a second language represents a key for progress in all aspects. While many discussions about learning a second language focus on teaching methodologies, little emphasis is given to the internal factors that influence the process such as the role of the teacher, students social factors, and the appropriate use of the curricula of the system. Therefore, this research considers that the study of the internal elements that affect the learning process comes to contribute with the improvement of the pedagogical practice. State the Problem Based on the premonition that the process of learning oral communication is influenced by a series of factors, it is imperative to identify and determine the main questioning as follow: Which Basic Internal Elements Influence the Process of Learning English in a Conversational Course for Oral Communication based on the Profile Proposed by the MEP in the 11th graders of the Liceo Diurno de Esparza in Puntarenas? Hypothesis The basic internal elements in the process for learning English in a conversational course for oral communication to be considered the main influence for the 11th graders are: The role of the teacher as a facilitator The students as the social center of the class The appropriate use of the communicative approach proposed by the MEP. The effect of the internal factors in the English Conversational Class at the Liceo Diurno de Esparza. General Objective Investigate how the role of the teacher as a facilitator, the students as the social center of the class and the appropriate use the communicative approach proposed by the MEP, influence the performance of the students during the process of learning English for oral communication. Specific Objectives Analyze the students as the social center of the class through the process of learning English for oral communication. Demonstrate the role of the teacher as facilitator in the process of teaching specifically listening and speaking. Relate the appropriate use of the communicate approach as part of students ´ achievement of the profile proposed by the MEP. Determine the internal factors effect on the 11th graders oral performance in the English Conversational Class at the Liceo Diurno de Esparza. Scope and Limitations As the major scope of this study, there is the attempt of making a relationship between the internal elements that affect the process for oral communication in the 11th graders. The achievements of this research are: This is centered on the Liceo Diurno de Esparza; therefore, its results to other high schools or institutions of the country cannot be generalized. The expectation for this case of study is to find and prove the effect whether negatively or positively that the role of the teacher as facilitator, the student as a center of the class and the communicative approach working together will launch. The main objective is to compile data that launches important facts about the main elements influencing the process of learning oral communication in the last year of Public High School. The study may be of interest for all English teachers around the country as a diagnose about the importance of teaching a second language using the Curricula (CLT) imposed by the MEP and under the stipulations of the Public Ministry of Education as well as any individual interested in having a view on the basic elements that influence the process of leaning oral communication. In the same way, the study may be a starting point for investigation that in the attempt to look for further information may use this case as the based for their investigation. Finally, in regards of the limitations that may be presented in the investigation are: It is imperative to mention that the Communicative Language Teaching used by Public Education in Costa Rica involves all four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) as a whole spectrum in an integrated way; however, this study focuses only in Oral communication, in other words, in the speaking including the listening skill as the input. The little existence of investigations and studies that can serve of guide for the present investigation. The little existence of theoretical sources about the social factors and its influence on learning English for oral communication. The lack of confidence that the teacher and students can offer about the development of the program in its institutions. The validity or truth of the answers that the students offer in the different instruments. CHAPTER II Literature Review Role of the Teacher as a Facilitator within a humanist and constructivist point of view Today, teachers have to face the incorporation of new principles taken from educational psychology, such as humanism and constructivism. New beliefs, values and assumptions of the teacher about teaching encouraged the emergence of the view of the teacher as a facilitator rather than a transmitter of knowledge (Brown, 2001, 1991; Cook, 2003, 1991; Grasha 1996; Richards Lockhart 1994). According to Grasha (1996), a facilitator is a supporter, a guide, and feedback provider; a facilitator is a monitor and observer of students progress and an aide while learners are building and appropriating their knowledge.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Grashas (1996) description of a facilitator certainly reflects the influence of the humanistic view of education in which the learner is seen as a whole person, not just as a cognitive being whose thoughts, feelings and emotions should be considered by the teacher who makes learning meaningful and engaging (William Burden, 1997). In fact, according to these authors, making learning meaningful and engaging requires a facilitator who can:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ..create a sense of belonging, make the subject relevant to the learner, involve the whole person, encourage knowledge of self, minimize criticism, encourage creativity, develop knowledge of the process of learning, encourage self-initiation, allow for choice , and encourage self-evaluation. (p.38) Furthermore, the description of Grasha (1996) of the facilitator also reflects the principles of constructivism which integrates two branches, the cognitive and social (Brown, 2007, p.12) on learners. Several authors (Mitchell Myles, 1998; Williams Burden, 1997) describe a constructivist teacher as a mediator who encourages students to discover principles by themselves, engages in collaborative dialog with their students to help them connect their prior knowledge with the new knowledge being acquired and presents information in a format appropriate to the learners level of understanding. The humanistic and constructivist influence on the teaching-learning process of second languages is clear. In fact, in order for Communicative Language Teaching to reach its objectives, it requires of a teacher who perform a wide range of roles. According to Gebhard (1996, p.55), teaching is multifaceted, and much of the complexity involves how to assume roles that capitalize on our abilities in English while we at the same time take on roles that contribute to creating interaction in the classroom that is meaningful for both teachers and students, as promoted by constructivism. This explains why several authors agree that teachers perform different roles in the teaching-learning process according to the lesson stage (Harmer, 1991; Nunan Lamb, 1996, Richards Rodgers, 2001). Consequently, the teacher will be a controller when the group must be attentive to the topic being discussed at the moment; an adviser (when the teacher corrects or gives feedback to the students); organizer (when the teacher gives instructions or keeps the students working so the lesson goes on smoothly); encourager (when the teacher needs to encourage students to participate); participant (when the teacher participates in the class activities and respects the ideas, thoughts, and opinions given by students); resource (when the teacher provides information and assists students); tutor (when he/she helps to clarify ideas); researcher (when he/she observes and does some research on the teaching-learning procedures in the classroom), and facilitator (when the teacher creates a pleasant atmosphere for language learning). At first, it might seem that these roles are not consistent with the description of the facilitator, it should be remembered that the facilitator would adapt its teachi ng to suit the learners needs (Gebhard, 1996; Mitcherll Myles, 1997). On the other hand, the humanistic influence on todays teachers is further noticed in what Underhill (as cited in Arnorld, 1999) calls the holistic nature of facilitation. According to this author, every personal feature feelings, attitudes, thoughts, physical, presence, movements, quality of attention, degree of openness and so on (p132) of the instructor can influence the learning environment in which the learners are involved in every lesson. This holistic nature of facilitation also enhances the sensitiveness of teachers toward students reactions to class activities. In this sense, (OHara, 2003, as cite in Brown, 2007), focuses on the process of learning- teaching as a transformative pedagogy. He states that the goal of education is the facilitation of change and learning, where the teacher lowers to the level of student. Moreover, Rodgers (as cited in Brown, 2007) supports this idea by stating that the chance is established by the interpersonal relationships among facilitator and learners. According to this author, for the teacher to be facilitators, fist they must be real and genuine, discarding masks of superiority and omniscience; second have genuine trust, acceptance, and a prizing of the other person as a worthy, valuable individual and third need to communicate openly and empathetically with their students and vice versa. Teachers are challenged in fulfilling the wide range of roles somehow to be balanced in order to create harmony, positive atmosphere and guidance for the students. Yet, in order to be facilitative teachers, Krishnamurty (2001) points out they have to be enthusiastic participants in the classroom   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ..who facilitate personal growth in students, are unique, extraordinary, worthy of the dedicationIt [Facilitation] requires a self assurance, a willingness to share self, to care, to begin a journey, then launch the student on a personal quest when we find the teacher who is facilitator, we find a classroom where personal growth is flourishing. (p.1) Satir (2001) says that the facilitator promotes effective listening, genuine understanding, respect, and teacher-students-students effective communication in the classroom. Moreover, an effective facilitator makes as many inquiries as possible in order to detect the strengths and weaknesses of students. Grasha (1996) points out that a facilitator is an instructor who guides the students by asking questions, seeking alternatives, and pushing them to have independent criteria. For him, one of the main goals of a facilitator is to encourage the students autonomy. Authors such as (Harmer, 1991; Richards Rodgers, 2001; Underhill, 1999) discuss different traits that an effective facilitator shares. They state that the facilitator keep a low profile so that students can come up with their own ideas about the learning situation. Teachers must not intervene when the students are having communicative activity but must always be ready to help students as necessary. The facilitator does not only understand the subject matter and has the ability to use methods and techniques; the effective facilitator also studies and pays attention to the psychological environment and the learning processes in order to let students take responsibility for their own learning. Importance of Students as the Center of the Social Factor As part of a society, community, school community and consequently of a classroom, the student has an active performance. It is at the core of every day class, thus, of the teaching-learning process. For many years, traditional education has viewed teacher as authority figures Oxford (1990.p10), thus, the center of the class. In these classrooms, the students are objects rather than the subjects. In our country, it is very likely to occur that students have magisterial class even thought our educational system is based on the Communicative Language Approach since many years ago already and consequently, on student-centered classroom. The interaction and exchange of information in language learning of the students is affected by variant social factors. Indeed, students are part of this social community in which students are social beings that communicate in many different ways, are as well a social factor that influence the process of teaching-learning at the internal. The responsibility for learning and progressing is characteristic of the students: Learners must individually discover and transform complex information if they are to make their own, [suggesting] a more active role for students in their own learning than is typical in many classroom (Slavin, 2003, pp.257-258, as cited in Brow, 2007, p.12) Students must control the way they manage themselves within the teaching-learning process, the teacher is just a guide and facilitator (Brown, 2007) who gives them the tools, but it is up to them what the results would be. The whole process focuses on the communicative competence of the students who are at the center of the classroom and the real protagonists. Understanding Fundamental Principles on Learners For understanding the role of students and their development within the process of language learning, Brown (2001.p.54), reflects three fundamental principles for understanding practices for the student to develop a communicative language process. Brown demonstrates by three main principles, the conceptions to be considered: Cognitive Principles Affective Principles Linguistic Principles Cognitive Principles According to Brown (2001.p.55) cognitive is related to mental and intellectual functions. In other words, it refers to what is inner the students mind that influences their development within the teaching-learning process. Automaticity This principle relates to the learning of the language subconsciously, in other words, students exposed to language input that later have the opportunity to experience output, will learn the language without thinking about it, as in an automatic way. In order for students to accomplish this principle it is important that they experience (Brown2001): Subconscious absorption of language through meaningful use Efficient and rapid movement away from a focus on the forms of language to a focus on the purposes, to which language is put, Efficient and rapid movement away from a capacity-limited control a few bits and pieces to a relatively unlimited automatic mode of processing language forms, and Resistance to the temptation to analyze language forms Yet, the principle of automaticity is stated as follow:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Efficient second language learning involves a timely movement of the control of a few language forms into the automatic processing of a relatively unlimited number of language forms. Overanalyzing language, thinking too much about its forms, and consciously lingering on rules of language all tent to impede this graduation to automaticity. (Brown, 2001 p.56) In order for students to built automaticity more efficiently, students should use language in authentic contexts for meaningful purposes. Moreover, students must be aimed at employing functional purposes (Brown, 2001) for gaining more language competence. Meaningful Learning This principle is closely related to the principle of automaticity. Brown enhances the strength of meaningful learning opposed to rote learning- taking isolated bits and pieces of information that are not connected with ones existing cognitive structures(Ausubel 1963, as cited in Brown,2001). On the other hand, meaningful learning (Brown, 2001) incorporates new information into existing structures and memory systems. The fact that students associate sounds, words, structures and discourse elements with what is relevant and important in their every day life use for knowledge or survival is more likely to (Brown, 2001) lead toward better long-term retention. Then, this principle emphasis on students to: Capitalize on the power of meaningful leaning by appealing to students interests, academic goals and career goals. When a new topic or concept is introduced, attempt to anchor it in students existing knowledge and background to associate with something already known, also referred as schemata activation On the other hand, students should avoid rote learning: Too much grammar explanation, abstract principles and theories, drilling and memorization. Activities whose purposes are not clear Activities that do not contribute to the accomplish of the goals of the lesson, unit or course Mechanical techniques, instead, the use of language and meanings. The Anticipation Reward Skinner (as cited in Brown, 2001p 58) states that:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Human beings are universally driven to act, or behave by the anticipation of some sort of reward -tangible or intangible, short term or long term-that will ensue as result of behaviour. It is understood that people are somehow inspired and moved by a goal or purpose and according to this author; the anticipation of reward is the most powerful factor in directing ones behaviour. Within the classroom application and more specifically with the students, it is important that they receive for example rewards for having a good performance that indicate their success. At the same, Brown (2001) agrees that it helps students to see that what students are doing has relevance to their long- term goals in learning English. Yet, it has to be clear stated that this practices must be regulated in order not to create (Brown,2001) dependence over the rewardsto look only over rewards and the development of own internalsystem of rewards by the students side. Instead, students have to be aimed to receive according to Browns constructive classroom implications: An optimal degree of immediate verbal praise and encouragement. Reward each other [students] with compliments and supportive action Short-tem reminders of pro

Jimi Hendrix :: essays research papers

Jimi Hendrix Jimi Hendrix, possibly the greatest guitarist in rock history changed the sound of rock. In 1967 The Jimi Hendrix Experience rocked the nation with their first album Are You Experienced?. Hendrix had a short life because of drugs in 1970 when he was only 27 years old. In a few years, rock and roll changed a lot and Jimi’s guitar playing was a big influence. Jimi Hendrix was born in Seattle Washington on November 27, 1942. When he was just a kid he would play along with his R&B records whenever he could. He didn’t always like to play music though, he always had wanted to be in the army. In the late 1950’s Jimi joined the 101st airborne division, but he had a back injury doing a jump and got a medical discharge. That’s when he decided to have a musical career. By this time he had already become a pretty good guitar player, And is now the greatest known guitar player ever. Jimi started out playing backup for smalltime R&B groups. Soon some of the best known artists, such as BB king, Ike and Turner, and Little Richard wanted him. After a few months of touring with R&B groups he wanted to try singing. A guy heard him singing at a club and talked him into moving to England, where he met the rest of his band members. In 1966 Jimi Hendrix debuted. One year later their club shows were overcrowded. The Monkees heard them and liked them, and asked them to tour with them. But not many Monkees fans liked his lyrics and his style, so they kicked him off the tour. After this he was invited to pop festivals and eventually came out with his first

Use of Diction and Imagery in Richard Wright’s Black Boy Essay

Use of Diction and Imagery in Richard Wright’s Black Boy Black Boy, which was written by Richard Wright, is an autobiography of his upbringing and of all of the trouble he encountered while growing up. Black Boy is full of drama that will sometimes make the reader laugh and other times make the reader cry. Black Boy is most known for its appeals to emotions, which will keep the reader on the edge of his/her seat. In Black Boy Richard talks about his social acceptance and identity and how it affected him. In Black Boy, Richard’s diction showed his social acceptance and his imagery showed his identity. First, the diction that Richard Wright uses in this passage of him in the library shows his social acceptance. An example of this is when Mr. Faulk, the librarian, lets Richard borrow his library card to check out books from the library. Richard writes, a note saying, â€Å"Dear Madam; Will you please let this nigger boy have some books by H.L Mencken. † Richard uses, â€Å"nigger boy,† on the card so the other librarian would think that Mr. Faulk had written the note, not him. Richard having to write the word â€Å"nigger† on the library shows that if Richard would have written â€Å"black boy† instead, the librarian would have known he would have written the note. The fact that Richard has to lie and write a note to just be able to get the books from the library is an example of his social acceptance. Another example of diction showing Richard’s social acceptance is when Mr. Faulk gives Richard the library card and he tells Richard not to mention this to any other â€Å"white man.† By reading this statement by Mr. Faulk, it clearly shows how unaccepted blacks were and how afraid people were to be connected to them, even if it only involved giving the... ...mple of imagery is when Richard’s friends run up to him with his article in their hands and a baffled look on their faces. This shows that Richard is a very talented writer for his age and that Richard is a very ambitious person because his school never taught him to write the way he does. This also shows that Richard took it upon himself to become a talented author and wants to be a writer when he grows up. In conclusion, an author’s writing can tell a lot about himself. The writer will tell the reader something about themselves, either through diction, syntax or by other methods. In Black Boy, Richard writes in a way that allows the reader to learn information about his life. Learning about the author through his/her writing is the best way to learn about them because this way you get to learn what author thinks about the topics that he/she are talking about.

Mechanism of Vitamin D Action

Introduction Once absorbed, active elements of vitamin D, such as calcitriol, attach themselves to intracellular receptors and then act as transcription factors so as to modulate gene expression (Holick, 2010). The vitamin D receptors are similar to thyroid hormones and steroid hormones receptors and contain DNA- binding and hormone-binding domains. According to Holick (2010), these receptors bind with the retinoid-X receptors, another intracellular receptor, forming a complex bond. This heterodimer is what binds to cellular DNA and activates a biological reaction. The biological reaction can either be the stimulation of proteins that perpetuate intestinal absorption of calcium or providing the appropriate balance of elements crucial for bone function and growth (Holick, 2010). Vitamin D and Bone Health. Numerous studies have demonstrated that vitamin D has important ramifications on bone health, not only in life, but even in the course of fetal development. For instance, DeLuca & Schnoes (1976) cite Dr. Cooper’s research that studied the key factors associated with normal patterns of skeletal growth and established that maternal vitamin D deficiency, coupled with other dynamics, inhibited bone mineral absorption during intrauterine life, and was linked to stunted childhood growth and weak bones in adulthood (DeLuca & Schnoes, 1976). Lack of vitamin D has insidious consequences on the skeleton since it inhibits the accumulation of optimal levels of calcium that is genetically prearranged for the skeleton (Holick, 2010). Watson (2013) also retaliates that once peak bone mass is reached, adults lacking vitamin D in their system will annually loose approximately 0.5% of their skeletal mass if they lack sufficient vitamin D and calcium in their systems (p.18). In addition, vitamin D deficiency can also lead to osteomalacia (DeLuca & Schnoes, 1976); a mineralization defect of the collagen matrix. This condition is often accompanied by throbbing bone pain and aching (DeLuc a & Schnoes, 1976). Holick (2010) points out another research at the University of Pittsburgh that also established a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and increased susceptibility to bone fractures. The study measured the vitamin D levels of 400 participants with hip fractures and compared the results with the vitamin D levels of 400 other healthy women. The outcome demonstrated that individuals with the lowest levels of Vitamin D were 71 percent susceptible to bone fractures compared to those with the highest levels of vitamin D. Consequently, the role played by vitamin D in sustaining bone health can never be overemphasized. Not only does it aid in mineral absorption and bone development in intrauterine growth and childhood, but is also responsible for strong bones in adults as well. References DeLuca, H, F., and Schnoes K.K., (1976). Metabolism and Mechanism of Action of Vitamin D. Annual Review of Biochemistry. Vol. 45: 631- 637 Holick, M.F., (2010). Vitamin D: Physiology, Molecular Biology, and Clinical Applications. New York: Springer Science & Business Media Watson, R.S., (2013). Handbook of Vitamin D in Human Health: Prevention, Treatment and Toxicity, Chicago: Wageningen Academic Pub.

The Patriot Film Analysis

The Patriot Film Analysis The Patriot is an American historical film starring Mel Gibson and directed by Roland Emmerich. It is set in South Carolina, one of the thirteen British colonies set in America. The film follows the story of a â€Å"Patriot† named Benjamin Martin. This character is a portrayal of American Revolution War hero Francis Marion. In the film Benjamin, is recognized as a war hero from the French and Indian War. However he has retired from a life of battle and is attempting to follow the virtues of pacifism, until his family becomes the target of war.After the death of Benjamin’s son and capture of another, he is thrown back into the life he thought he has left behind. The rest of the film portrays the drama and action that leads up to the climactic battle depiction of Battle of Cowpens and the victory of South Carolina in the Siege of Yorktown. Although the story of Benjamin is compelling and inspirational, it is based off of inaccurate historical ass umptions. The American Revolution portrayed in The Patriot was more about the war America wanted it be rather than what it was.The film glorifies American victories as well as American war heroes, while portraying â€Å"the redcoats† as sadistic, brutal, and abominable creatures. A perfect example of such bias is the film’s antagonist, Colonel William Tavington, who is a fictional representation of General Sir Banastre Tarleton. The film uses misconception and inaccuracy to portray the victory of America over the British, as a representation of a sanctified glory of angels over demons.The film starts with simple inaccuracies that can be excused, however these simple inaccuracies domino into great blunders that cannot be ignored: Some minor mistakes made by the film involve errors such as the materials used during the time period, do not actually belong to that time. For example in several action sequences of the film, weapons such as exploding projectiles or bombs are presented. Although canons were invented in this time period, none of the projectiles ever exploded (Canon link).Another flaw involves a major societal misunderstanding, when Benjamin goes to war, he sends his children to a slave colony for shelter, for which the slaves are honoured. In the Colonial Era, slave colonies, like the ones portrayed in the film, were secluded and protective from the â€Å"White colonists†. Therefore it was highly unlikely that a character such as Benjamin would send his children to a slave colony, let alone being treated kindly for doing so. One of the major inaccuracies is the slave and owner relationship portrayed by the film.For example during the colonists’ stand against the British Army the Continental Congress states an order. For any slave that serves â€Å"12 months† in the Colonial Army, will gain freedom and â€Å"5 schillings† per month served. When comparing this claim with other sources, it was discovered that no s uch claims were extended by the Continental Congress. Infact, The Patriot ignores slavery in total. Director Spike Lee was one of the many critics that were disappointed with the films inaccuracies. â€Å"For three hours The Patriot dodged around, skirted about or completely ignored slavery,† he wrote in a letter to The Hollywood Reporter. The Patriot is pure, blatant American Hollywood propaganda. A complete whitewashing of history. † (http://www. guardian. co. uk/film/2000/jul/06/news. spikelee) The director of the film, Roland Emmerich, misguides his audience into thinking that the British troops are monsters sent from hell. The film portrays the character of William Tavington as a merciless villain who commits intolerable atrocities. For example, a scene in the film depicts the redcoats gathering the entire village including women, children and unarmed men.They force all of them into a church for an interrogation about Benjamin, after which they lock the church from the outside and set the building on fire. Looking back into the American Revolution, such atrocities were never committed. Although the Sir Banastre Tarleton, portrayed by, William Tavington, is no saint, he wasn’t as evil as the film potrays him. A film critic and a historian, Stephen Hunter, told the Telegraph (magazine) that â€Å"Any image of the American Revolution which represents you Brits as Nazis and us as gentle folk is almost certainly wrong† (Cite this).The German director relates the actions committed by the Nazis in World War II, to those of British in the film. Another major flaw of the film is the protagonist, Benjamin Martin. The movie depicts Benjamin as symbol of goodness, a beacon of hope and a human vessel for an angel. However the character Benjamin Martin tries to portray Francis â€Å"Swamp Fox† Marion, a militia leader during the Revolution, from South Carolina. According to The Guardian, there were records of Marion persecuting and kil ling many Cherokee Indians.He hunted them as a source of entertainment and he raped many of his female slaves. However the movie simply depicts Benjamin Martin as the untainted hero. Finally the movie’s greatest flaw lies in its climatic battle, Battle of Cowpens. Where the tactics used by the militia were similar to that of the movie, however the results were nowhere in comparison of reality. During the Battle of Cowpens, militia was asked to play decoy. Although the film portrays General Nathanael Greene giving the orders, he was never present at this battle.The militia charged the battle, and after firing two shots retreated back to the hill, where the British troops were overwhelmed by the American Army. However the film portrays the militia firing more than two rounds before retrieval. Lieutenant-General Charles, Lord Cornwallis, commands his men to fire at the crowd of both British and American soldiers as a last resort to defeat America. However in reality Cornwallis n ever took such actions against his soldiers†¦ By: Ratna Emani