Tarot Card Use In The US Essay free essay sample

Tarot Card Use In The U.S Essay, Research Paper Dial 1-800-99-Tarot, expression familiar? From Kenny Kingston and his group of psychics to Dionne Warwicks psychic friends, we have all seen or heard of the ill-famed psychic hotlines. Palm readers, to Psychic Advisors, to Tarot readers, they are taking the state by storm. At this point in clip, the bulk of the urban population have either consulted a psychic adviser, or cognize of person who has. The inquiry is, why? . Why has this subdivision of star divination reached this degree of popularity in the United States? To reply the inquiry, many facets and subdivisions of star divination and luck relation must be examined. Fortune Telling is the pattern of foretelling the hereafter through psychic agencies, such as the reading of marks and/or communicating with supernatural forces. Many people use star divination as a method of luck relation. Other methods include palm reading, the pattern of construing the lines in custodies ; cartomancy, the anticipation of the hereafter utilizing particular cards such as Tarot cards: and sorcery, in which people predict the hereafter through communicating with the liquors of the deceased. We will write a custom essay sample on Tarot Card Use In The US Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Some methods of luck stating involve second sight, the ability to perceive events or objects beyond the scope of the senses. Although luck relation has small support in scientific discipline, it remains popular in many states, including the United States. Peoples have practiced assorted signifiers of luck stating for 1000s of old ages. It became a widespread pattern in many ancient societies, peculiarly among swayers, who frequently sought advice from fortune Tellers. In ancient China, for illustration, emperors had tribunal astrologists and particular diviners who predicted the hereafter utilizing a set of sticks called the I Ching, which are used in a manner similar to Tarot cards. Tarot card is the name given to the oldest playing cards still in common usage, both for card games and as the footing of a subdivision of the luck stating art. The tarot was brought from the E to Italy in the fourteenth century by itinerants or returning reformers. The beginning of the cards is vague, and theories that the tarot is based on the Hebrew alphabet or on Egyptian or Hindu mythology have non been once and for all proved. The Tarot deck consists of 78 cards, which are divided into two distinguishable groups. The Minor, or lesser, Arcana, the precursor of the modern deck, is made up of 56 cards divided into four suits. The suit corresponds with the modern nines suit ; cups with Black Marias ; blades with spades ; and pentagrams ( or sometimes coins in certain decks ) with diamonds. Each suit has 14 cards, with numbered cards from one to ten and four countless face cards: male monarch, queen, knight, and knave. ( the four knight cards have been eliminated in the modern deck. ) The Major, or Greater, Arcana consists of 22 cards, each bearing a rubric and a image. The symbolism of the Major Arcana has fascinated authors and psychologists, who assume that such images as the Hanged Man, the Wheel of Fortune, Judgment, and the Moon are mediaeval allegorical representations of virtuousnesss and frailties, and life-or-death covering forces.Twenty-one of the cards are numbered, the Twenty-second card is the Fool. The Fool is correspondent to the modern jokester. In luck relation, either the full battalion or the Major Arcana entirely is used, neer the Minor Arcana entirely. The relationship of one card to another, as laid out in a figure of different constellations, is every bit of import as the significance of each single card. Today, increasing Numberss of people use tarot cards as a tool for ego geographic expedition and personal growing. When local high school pupil Julie Casner was asked why she decided to acquire a tarot card reading, and how she felt afterwards, she replied I ab initio set out to acquire a reading because of wonder, but was amazed afterwards, its like she read my head. She told me things about myself, that I had antecedently forgotten. She was subsequently asked if she felt comfy in the state of affairs and if she had planned to return for another card reading, to that the answer was: I felt highly comfy, the milieus were instead eerie, like that of a film, but other than that, its was all right. I would decidedly travel back once more, its an experience I d like to portion with my friends every bit good, I learned more about myself which I didn t know existed until the reading. I recommend that everyone gets at least one Tarot card reading in their life-time, its decidedly something deserving seeking. While everyone has their ain grounds for seeing a Tarot card reader, their answe R to the inquiry, how did it do you experience afterwards? , are by and large the same. Out of the 15 people asked this inquiry, 10 of them gave the general response I feel more enlightened and/or It set me in the right way. While two others claimed it had perfectly no consequence in their life manner, and would non see seeing another tarot card reader. As for the other two ( a brother and sister group ) were instead speechless and merely had the obscure remark It was cool. Esmerelda, as she prefers to be called, is presently practising the art of Tarot in the metropolis of Laguna Hills, California, away of Raymond and El Toro Road. Her fees are $ 78.00 for one tarot reading. A instead dearly-won reading, but from experience, is decidedly deserving a attempt. The money is placed on the tabular array, and from there the readee is instructed to scuffle the cards three times or until comfy, the cards are so cut and placed aside. The first card is placed on the tabular array, the reader so concentrates on the card in such a manner, it appears the reader is trying to levitate the card utilizing psychokinesis. The significance of the card is so told to the readee, and incorporated into the readee s life, to see where the job or solution can be fit. Afterwards, 2 other cards are placed on top of the first card and the same thing is applied. The reader so takes the staying cards that are drawn and lays them down in a round mode around the first 3 cards. When asked why she chose the round method as opposed to other methods, her response was simple, tradition. How does the Tarot card reader herself view the art of luck relation and what she does? Here it is, directly from the Equus caballuss mouth If person had told me several old ages ago that I would be utilizing tarot cards today, I would non hold believed them. Having been raised in a tradition that taught that such things were # 8220 ; evil, # 8221 ; I tried to remain as far off from them as I could. Even after I learned to open my head and non populate in fright, I still didn Ts have much involvement in them. I merely didn t believe that a deck of cards could foretell the hereafter or see into the psychic. Actually I STILL wear # 8217 ; t. Yet I use them on occasion for myself, and often to help others. I am certain many of you are now inquiring why? Well the ground is because the # 8220 ; magic # 8221 ; # 8230 ; .themiracles # 8230 ; are in the individual, both the reader and the individual having the reading. The cards themselves are merely pieces of paper. But when spirit is involved # 8230 ; they guide the custodies to scuffle and put the cards, and to feel what each card # 8217 ; s message is. It is true that each card has a # 8220 ; standard # 8221 ; significance, nevertheless there can be different facets to the significance harmonizing to the state of affairs at manus. Besides a card can take on a wholly different significance at times, and it is the reader # 8217 ; s ability to feel when that is the state of affairs that makes it charming. It is besides my sentiment that NO READING # 8230 ; even with the power of the mind, can foretell the hereafter. Why? Because the hereafter is non set in rock. Situations, energies, etc. can all be strongly forcing things in a certain way, but it CAN be changed. This is portion of the value of a reading to me. To assist you see the obstructions, AND the picks in a state of affairs. Now about the deck itself. Tarot decks are divided into two subdivisions, the Major Arcana, which consist of the first 22 cards. Each card represents a major measure in the way of life ; things that we all face at one clip or another during our journey. These cards have a strong accent in a reading. Pulling a Major card should be looked at with excess attending. The minor secret are the 4 suits, and represent twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours lessons, state of affairss, etc. In decision, its rather obvious that tarot card usage and other signifiers of star divination have become intensely popular, from the Internet, to Television, to street corners, it seems like they re everyplace you go. The inquiry still remains, why? . We live in a nerve-racking clip period, full of uncertainness, tribunal instances, domestic differences, employment problems, jobs with our loves lives, and a figure of other instances. In such a clip, the population starts looking for replies and ways to work out their jobs. While many of the jobs are non as easy solvable as one wants, he/she is lead astray with no way and unanswerable inquiries, this is where the Tarot card reader stairss in. While non precisely being the most scientific and accurate reply, it feeds on the hope and hungriness for replies and way of the individual seeking the Tarot card reading. Then once more, there s still no logical account to merely kick out wonder.

Jackie Robinsons Impact on a Cruel Society Professor Ramos Blog

Jackie Robinsons Impact on a Cruel Society Jackie Robinson, the first Black man to play in the MLB was such a big part of American History. He highly influenced so many people especially white people (who were extremely racist at the time). As a kid Jackie and his family were constantly getting treated terribly because of his race and he certainly learned how to deal with the criticism, and it only made him stronger and it prepared him later on in life with his career. Jackie united America through the use of sports, which America found tremendously inspiring. Playing sports consisted of teamwork, being united, helping and encouraging each other to do our best, so when everyone started to notice how Jackie Robinson was there for his team even after all the hardships they put him through, they respected him as well as other people of color so much more and made a huge impact on the cruel racist society.                                                                                        Robinsons Early Life Jackie Robinson was born in Georgia the year of 1919. When his father left him and his family at only 6 months old, his mother was forced to move to Pasadena, California in a white based neighborhood(Maury). They grew up in poverty and in a place where society was very ruthless towards African Americans. Jackie Robinsons mother worked various jobs as a single parent in order to support herself and her children. While living in a white neighborhood Robinson’s mother encountered a series of events with people who were extremely racist towards her and her family. Growing up as a child Jackie Robinson was highly influenced by his mother , because of the way she carried herself when dealing with racial discrimination. Robinson’s mother was a very strong and independent women even through all the obstacles she has ran into because of racism. As a teen, Jackie Robinson was involved in several sports at a varsity level and was the first athlete at UCLA to earn varsity letters i n all of four sports he played in college(Maury). Although he was extremely talented at many of these sports he was discouraged by the fact that so many African Americans that he knew with a college degree weren’t able to find a job due to the extreme racial society. Unmotivated by the fact that he came to believe that due to racism he was not going to be able to succeed in school and he dropped out of college and decided to find another job to help his family financially. Between all this, Jackie was playing baseball on the side, he didn’t take it serious it was more of something he was doing for fun, little did he know that he was going to be playing with an All white MLB team.                                                                                          Robinsons Career Before Jackie Robinson had entered the MLB, he was playing for an baseball league that was specifically for African Americans called a negro league team where, Branch Rickey, [who was the president of the Brooklyn dodgers], sent out scouts to look for a perfect candidate to draft into the MLB† (Gates). Although there were better players in the negro league, the scouts had their eyes on Jackie Robinson because of the way he carried himself during the games, he gave this impression of being unbothered by what other people had to say about him because he was very self motivated which was exactly what they needed. Eventually Rickey had Offered Jackie Robinson a chance to play in the MLB with an all white team. â€Å"In October 1945, the Brooklyn Dodgers had announced that Jackie Robinson was officially signed to their team†(Gates). It’s insane to even think about a black man playing in the all white MLB Team, all this happening right after WW2 and just a decade before Martin Luther King, Jackie Robinson was up for making history. In order to prepare Jackie Robinson for the MLB Rickey sent Robinson to play for a minor league team, the Montreal Royals. Jackies first game with the Royals was played in April 1946, throughout his first game many people shouted out racial things but Jackie did not let it get to him(Nack). â€Å"The Royals won their first game with Robinson, Robinson making 4 hits and 1 home run†(Nack). Robinson had started his baseball career great and because he had such a successful season he got promoted to officially start playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. During the process of drafting Jackie Robinson, Rickey knew it was going to be a difficult journey for Robinson, but Rickey knew that Robinson would be able to handle the struggle of the racial discrimination, because the first impression he had got when scouts seen him playing for a negro league. Rickey had seen extreme braveness in Robinson when he took the offer to pla y in the all white MLB team, because during this time frame racial discrimination was highly intense for every African American. That following year in April 1947, Jackie Robinson finally made it on the major league team with the Brooklyn Dodgers, breaking the color barrier (www.biography.com/people/Jackie-Robinson-9460813). It opened so many peoples eyes of all ethnicities, many white people even started to join civil rights movement because of it. Throughout Robinson’s first season was the most intensified, it had gotten so awful that Robinson would get kicked out of stadiums during his own baseball games. Traveling as a team was even worse, the entire team was not welcomed to certain places only because they had a teammate African American on the team (Gates). During games Robinson would get harassed and yelled at, he found himself having a hard time coping with the harsh racial comments and discrimination. People didnt care at all for anyone who was African American and i t was a very stressful situation for Jackie Robinson to be the only African American on an all white baseball team, but he pushed through it and showed everyone all the good things that can happen when uniting together not only in sports but in many other aspects in life for the future.                                                                                          Robinsons Impact Jackie Robinson made a huge impact for all athletes and for America which was extremely segregated at the time. Jackie Robinsons being the first black man in an all white MLB team was one of the most challenging things that could ever happen at that time. There were so many people in this country who did not want African Americans to even be near them, sadly, society was so brutal towards African Americans. Robinson dealt with racism throughout his whole life, as a kid, and as an adult. Dealing with furious Dodger fans, uncooperative teammates and many white people who had so much control over African Americans at the time and who were against his race. Jackie Robinson opened many peoples eyes and changed their views on other ethnicities, which had brought everyone closer together even through all the unpleasant reactions of others who weren’t as opened minded as others about an African American teaming up with white men.   Jackie stood his ground and when people would try t o put him down and discriminate him, this influenced many African Americans as well to stay strong and not let anyone treat them less than their worth, Jackie brought so much hope and enlightenment to the America that was dreadfully segregated. Jackie made it look very easy for him to brush off all the disrespectful comments and actions towards him and about his ethnicity which inspired many other African Americans to continue to fight for their rights. He had such an amazing effect on everyone at the time, it brought so many people together throughout the country, because of the fact that white men and a black man were coming together to team up as one. As seasons went by Jackie Robinson became so influential he had got innumerable people to follow in his steps of becoming united in this country no matter what ethnicity you might be. Jackie was such a strong person to even deal with a situation like this at the time, Jackie knew what he was getting himself into and he still decided to push through it and showed everyone the importance of being together especially through hard times of segregation. As he got more into his career as a professional MLB player he got more and more people to join the civil rights movement and they learned that treating people so crucial because of a skin color or race was very immoral. Slowly but surely Jackie was definitely showing people a different mindset than they were used to and many people looked up to him because of the strong and respectful choices he made for himself and for other African Americans who were fighting for their rights, this impact was so significant that even today many people ares still inspired by all his hard work he did and how he was able to make a big difference for America at the time and how it has affected America.                                                                                           AE Television Networks. â€Å"Jackie Robinson Biography.† Jan. 2018,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.biography.com/people/Jackie-Robinson-9460813    Gates, Henry. â€Å"Was Jackie Robinson Court Martialed?† 2013   pbs.org/wnet/african-americans-many-rivers-to-cross/history/was-jackie-robinson-court-martialed/. Maury Allen . Jackie Robinson. Eves Magazine. Web. 26 Jan. 2012. evesmag.com/robinson.htm Nack, William. â€Å"The Breakthrough† April 2015 https://www.si.com/mlb/2015/04/15/jackie-robinson-day-william-nack-si-vault. Obias, Rudie. â€Å"42 facts about Jackie Robinson.† April 2018, http://mentalfloss.com/article/50059/42-facts-about-jackie-robinson

Improving Interactions between Meeting Planners and Hotel Employees Research Paper

Improving Interactions between Meeting Planners and Hotel Employees - Research Paper Example The results of the primary research will be compared with that of the secondary research, in this case, the results of the surveys conducted by Rutherford and Umbreit, as embodied in the literature review. Literature Review Meeting planners can provide hotels with substantial revenue. Yet little empirical research has examined how hotel sales personnel might facilitate generating this business from meeting planners. (Lee et al, 2005) However, some have made these studies, and one of them is the study conducted by Zeithaml, Parasuraman, and Berry who developed an instrument for measuring customers' perceptions of service quality. The instrument includes dimensions of assurance, empathy, tangibles, reliability, and responsiveness. The most critical dimension was reliability. There is the performance of promised services. The next most critical was responsiveness, or the willingness to help customers and provide prompt service. The SERVQUAL method from Zeithaml, Parasuman, and Berry is a technique that can be used for performing a gap analysis of an organization's service quality performance against customer service quality needs. SERVQUAL is an empirically derived method that may bed used by a services organization to improve service quality. The method involves the development of an understanding of the perceived service needs of target customers (12 Manage Management Communities, 2007). These measured perceptions of service quality for the organization in question, are then compared against an organization that is "excellent". The resulting gap analysis may then be used as a driver for service quality improvement. SERVQUAL takes into account the perceptions of... Meeting planners can provide hotels with substantial revenue. Yet little empirical research has examined how hotel sales personnel might facilitate generating this business from meeting planners. (Lee et al, 2005) However, some have made these studies, and one of them is the study conducted by Zeithaml, Parasuraman, and Berry who developed an instrument for measuring customers’ perceptions of service quality. The instrument includes dimensions of assurance, empathy, tangibles, reliability, and responsiveness. The most critical dimension was reliability. There is the performance of promised services. The next most critical were responsiveness, or the willingness to help customers and provide prompt service. The SERVQUAL method from Zeithaml, Parahuman, and Berry is a technique that can be used for performing a gap analysis of an organization’s service quality performance against customer service quality needs. SERVQUAL is an empirically derived method that may be used by a services organization to improve service quality. The method involves the development of an understanding of the perceived service needs of target customers (12 Manage Management Communities, 2007). These measured perceptions of service quality for the organization in question, are then compared against an organization that is â€Å"excellent†. The resulting gap analysis may then be used as a driver for service quality improvement. SERVQUAL takes into account the perceptions of customers of the relative importance of service attributes.

Children cartoons Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Children cartoons - Case Study Example The fact that children are highly influenced during their formative years makes cartoons both a blessing and a threat. On a physical level, recent research has shown that watching cartoons can help to reduce pain in children facing medical procedures (Jenkins). It is theorized that cartoons cause a change in brain chemistry and may also be able to improve the child's sense of well-being. However, critics contend that the young viewer may copy behavior seen in cartoons. Research has found a "positive, though weak, relation between exposure to television violence and aggressive behaviour" (Research on the Effects of Media Violence). Cartoons have the ability to influence either for the good or the detriment of the child. In conclusion, cartoons are the most fundamental introduction that many children have to our culture. It has been shown that television, and cartoons, do have an effect on young viewers. It is important to consider that the program content may work to improve the child's sense of self and well being, or elicit the negative attitudes, such as aggression, that parents work hard to control.

Field study parts 3 and 4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Field study parts 3 and 4 - Assignment Example These children were then asked to be involved in the use of the technology game free rice online. This aspect of learning was selected to know the impact of gaming technology on the learning process of learners, whether it could be an avenue for them to acquire educational concepts at a faster rate. Based on the procedure used, it was possible to measure the attitude of learners to the acquiring of educational concepts before and after the innovative technology was implemented. This means as an action research, the innovative technology that was introduced was the intervention used (Yin, 2009). There were two major reasons for using the procedure that was selected. The first is that it gave the group the opportunity testing the effectiveness of the innovative technology as the learning attitude of the children were compared before and after the intervention was implemented. Secondly, the procedure used promoted the authenticity of data collected because data were collected at first hand without having to rely on any third parties in knowing the effectiveness of the innovative technology. The potential benefit of applying this technology is that it will make the whole learning process realistic and interactive. This is because at the early ages of learning, children require that concepts that are taught will be more tangible than abstract (Eisenberg, 2008). The technology will therefore solve the problem of abstract learning and promote rational thinking among students. A major challenge that has been associated with the use of gaming technology among children is how to control the learning process to be focused on what the educator trying to deliver (Fletcher, 2013). This is because the attention of children could be taken away from what the teacher is trying to make them learn into just enjoying the fan aspect of the game. The technology is meant to meet the language acquisition needs of children, especially when it comes to the meaning of

The problems autistic children face in mainstream schools

The problems autistic children face in mainstream schools Autism is a disorder with the brain which affects the learning developmental process of a person. It is a nuerodevelopmental disorder condition that affects the functioning of the brain as stated by the American Psychiatric Association (in Mulligan, Steel, Macculloch Nicholas, 2010 p.114). This can affect a persons social interaction and communication ability to a point where they are deemed unsuited to work in a mainstream environment. Symptoms of Autism can be discovered from a very young age. Autism can be diagnosed according to an autistic spectrum which determines the severity of the persons condition. This includes a list of disorders ranging from mild to major. The Autistic Society categorises Autism into three different types of disability (Batten, Corbett, Rosenblatt, Withers Yuille, 2006). One type is a very limited range of thought and behaviour with very limited scope for imagination where the individual may carry out repetitive or ritual-like actions which become a way of life. This may include focusing on minor details rather than focusing on the main object. For example the individual might focus on a piece of clothing rather than focus on the person wearing it or focusing on a particular part of an object rather than the whole object. Another characteristic is limited verbal and non-verbal communication with very impaired two-way conversational skills. An autistic person may also fail to understand another persons emotions, gestures, or way of thinking and will treat these differences as alien compared to their own character. This may also lead to over-literalness when interpreting something. The final category is a difficulty with social relationships, with an expression of solitude and detachment from reality. I aim to try and find out if and why it is difficult for children, suffering from autism, to study within in a mainstream environment. I have wondered whether children with autism are able to enter mainstream education with their handicaps. One has to take into account the comfort zone of the child, how the child is able to cope socially with his surroundings and their ability to cope with peer pressure or bullying. The symptoms of autism are such that it has great effects on how children with autism learn. Each individual will have their own reaction to the learning they are exposed to. Therefore it is necessary that schools take time to accommodate those with disadvantages such as autism and manage each childs necessities. Even if schools and classes for children with autism have managed to devise a particular method of teaching specifically implemented to complement the childrens autism, it may not be as easy to achieve in classes where there is only one child with autism or in classes that also include children with a range of different disabilities (not just mental). Without mainstream education, does this mean that children with autism are doomed to never be able to attain a high-position job in the future? I shall start by analysing from the point of view from teachers about possible mainstream education from a research carried out by Helps, Newsom-Davis Callias (1999). They make a point in highlighting the increasing significance of the teachers role in helping children to learn. They mention that teachers work very closely with children and also work under ever-changing conditions; different children each year and the problems they individually or collectively pose. They highlight the importance of the teachers ability to enrich their social and communication skills. An early intervention into the education of a child who suffers from autism is best in order for their benefit. Most importantly, they highlight an integrated education in autism (Helps, Newsom-Davis Callias, 1999 p.288). Riddel and Brown (in Helps, Newsom-Davis Callias, 1999 p.288) states that there are increasing cases of children with autism undertaking education in a mainstream environment. It is not sufficient enough to rely on the skills of a good teacher alone, but some prior and extensive knowledge and preparation should be undertaken in order to deal with autism. Powell and Jordan (in Helps, Newsom-Davis Callias, 1999 p.288) also state that the normal intuitions of good teachers are likely to mislead when applied to autism. This implies that normal methods of teaching cannot be applied in the same way and have the same effect it would over normal children. They supplement the argument that specific knowledge of the range of disabilities is crucial in achieving the best out of education for those with autism (p.289). The research itself was conducted in order to find out what the teachers perceptions of autism were and what training they had received and how it was being applied in the appropriate setting. It turned out that 70% of mainstream teachers that had been researched had experiences of handling children with autism. Amazingly 5% of the 70% had any sort of specific training to deal with children with autism (p.290-291). The research came to the conclusion that the majority of the teaching staff did not have a strong understanding or knowledge of the basic theoretical understanding of autism. Many remained unaware of the bigger implications of the condition and many believed in outdated beliefs that were either inaccurate or very superficial. I believe that this inadequate understanding and lack of attention to children with autism makes it extremely challenging for these children to have any chance of an equal footing with normal children in the mainstream environment. Although it should be noted that the survey research sample was only a handful of schools and teaching institutions in England, this cannot possibly labelled as a research to represent the whole of England. The research itself was published in 1999 and with modernisation of technology and evolution in society; a change in these statistics is possible. But based on these results, those with autism face a challenge integrating themselves mainly due to lack of awareness on the teachers behalf and this problem must be rectified. These days there is a growing demand for special assistance for those with special needs in education. A BBC article about this issue highlighted the fact that a couple of decades ago, those in mainstream schools would consider a child with special needs as an alien subject as placing special needs children into mainstream education was not common in the past (BBC Website, 2006). However these days, integration of children with physical and learning difficulties into mainstream schools has started increasing with more awareness towards their difficulties. The BBC also goes onto mention that many special needs schools were gradually closed down in the 1980s, in order to promote integrated education amongst children with special needs or those without any. Yet the report also goes on to question whether integration is such a good idea for autistic children. According to opinions of parents with autistic children collected by the National Autistic Society, one third of the parents would favour their children being educated in mainstream education, one third would prefer their children to attend a special needs school where they could receive sole attention and the remaining third preferred a mix between the two situations. According to the National Autistic Society, within a research compiled by Barten, Corbett, Roseblatt, Wither Yullie, parents now want a range of provision including mainstream schools with more emphasis in resources and more schools which cater especially for special needs (Barten, Corbett, Roseblatt, Wither Yullie, 2006, p.3). The report discusses whether parents had a choice whether they sent their children to mainstream or special schools. Over half of the parents who were surveyed by the National Autistic Society stated that they were not given a choice. 33% of parents felt that they were given an opportunity to choose for their children to be in mainstream schools. 59% felt that that once they their children had reached secondary school, their options of choosing school became a lot narrower. They suggest that help for children diagnosed with levels of autism at a secondary school level is lacking. Race and ethnicity apparently plays a role in having a choice or not. Races bar white British families were less likely to have a choice in choosing schools which suggests unfair discrimination. Half of the parents in the survey felt that they were not satisfied with the schools their children were enrolled in. The majority of parents stated that they felt autism-specific special schools were the most beneficial for their children. 43% of parents whose children were in mainstream schools thought that an autism-specific special school would better support their child. The report highlights examples with quotes from various parents including Mainstream school dismissed any intention of educating my son when they discovered he had autism (Batten, Corbett, Rosenblatt, Withers Yuille, 2006, p.9). The article also defines the word inclusion not merely just the act of placing an autistic child within a mainstream environment but also it is about making appropriate provision to meet each childs needs and reasonable adjustments to enable each child to access the whole life of the school (Batten, Corbett, Rosenblatt, Withers Yuille, 2006, p.4). A child with autism is not necessarily a child without some kind of talent. A child with autism can suddenly excel in a discipline or have talent to make up for its disadvantages. A school must identify the individual needs that should lay a marker for identifying what type of school they should attend and the support they will need to receive in order to complete their education. The theory of inclusion according to Harmon Jones (2005 p187), à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. when special education students are included in the regular classrooms, they have greater achievement, better self concepts, and more appropriate social skills than those special education students who are plac ed together in one classroom. Another example of the encouragement for mainstream education is highlighted with Rogers report (2004) where she highlights a school in Japan, the Boston Massachusetts Higashi School, which takes in only children with learning difficulties. They have come up with a curriculum with a teacher delivery that is based upon the common age rather than by developmental level (2004, p.49). This shows that mainstream methods have spread across the world. In a journal report by Philip Whitaker (2007), he conducts a research experiment using surveys for parents asking for their opinions on their satisfaction of their childrens education. The majority of the children and young people in the research were educated in mainstream schools and had not been to special needs schools to receive supplementary help. Less than half the parents who were given the questionnaire returned with responses. This was very similar to the response rate of parents whose children were catered for in special schools. The outcome showed that more than half of the participants were either satisfied or very satisfied with the educational support their children receive (Whitaker, 2007, p.173-174). However the report also notes the possible problems that could distort the research findings. For example, the parents may not have the experience to judge whether the education and autistic resources are being beneficial towards their children. The parents who described themselves as dissatisfied appear to have concerns regarding many aspects of the provision made for their children as well as concerns relating to their childrens experiences and progress (p.174). The most common response was that of disagreement by parents. All but one of the rating items recorded only a very modest measure of agreement with the item referring to their relationship with the school in the results. Parents placed particular importance in gradual confidence in social skills, a clear understanding between teacher and child, and a broad capacity to enable to handle all types of children behaviour, a decent structure for children to be able to follow and to ensure that the child is happy within the study environment. Later in the report, it states that parents were worried overall about their childrens social experiences at school. Across all respondents, only half of all children and young people were said to have friends and only one in five of the parents felt that t heir children were accepted by their fellow peers (p.175). Issues during recess or break times seemed to be a particular issue for parents with 70% of them indicating this was a cause for concern. One in ten parents spontaneously mentioned bullying in their response to the open-ended questions and this was an issue that aroused understandably strong feelings. In this context it is perhaps not surprising that their childrens happiness was such a prominent issue for so many of the parents. Comparing these statistics with the idea of inclusion, it appears that a potential barrier that could prevent children from integrating themselves is an unfriendly environment. A developed understanding with the teachers was also considered important in order to maintain the best results from education. However Whitakers report placed more importance on the social aspect and surroundings unlike previous examples which placed importance on the increasing role of the teacher. Another report by Humphrey (2008) states that research indicates that students with an autistic handicap are more susceptible to bullying at school. Furthermore, students with autism are more than 20 times more likely to be excluded from school than those without special educational needs (Humphrey, 2008 p.24). Children with autism constantly have to fight stereotypes and unfair treatment simply because they are not normal. Humphreys report seems to ally itself with Whitakers point of view in that the social aspect is the most crucial in determining whether an autistic child settles or not. Singer (in Humphrey, 2008 p.32) argues the autistic spectrum is often associated in the public mind with images of rocking, emotionally cut-off, intellectually impaired children and RainMan-like savants. The relationships students with autism have with their peers could be both a barrier and an enabler to their successful inclusion in school. In a recent study according to the report, nearly all s tudents reported being bullied at different levels of severity and frequency. Humphreys research includes a dialogue during an interview with a student in which the student was reported to say: People in my class know about my autism at school thats why they likely pick on me. If incidents of name-calling and physical violence were one-off events, then they might not be considered unusual. Chan and Smith (in Humphrey, 2008) suggest that many students will experience either petty name-calling or physical violence or in worse case scenarios both at some point during their schooling. Subsequently bullying and aggression towards these students turned out with more frequency than anticipated. This can lead to the unfortunate scenario of social exclusion. This can lead to a serious problem when an autistic childs behaviour impacts upon another child, such as irritation from the childs constant talking and consequently disrupts the learning environment which creates more unnecessary pressu re for teachers and therefore the inclusion technique fails. It appears to be necessary to create a friendly atmosphere and somehow integrate these children together in a positive manner and avoid conflicts or ostracizing. I shall now try to expand on the idea of inclusion of autistic children together into mainstream schools. An inclusive education brings all children together without highlighting differences. Those with disabilities will be grouped with normal children and be educated together. A research undertaken (in Reed, Osborne Waddington, 2009) observed the performance rate of children with autism in mainstream settings and to determine their performances within the education system. The abstract reveals that there was actually no significance whether students were enrolled in mainstream or special needs schools (Reed et al. 2009 p.1), although special schools did emphasise the importance of social and emotional behaviours. Although they note the upcoming progress of the inclusion process of children of all abilities, they question whether the actual inclusion policy will end up being beneficial to the students on a whole (p.4-5). Harris and Handleman (in Reed et al. 2009 p.5) suggested that the social behaviour aspect may have more bearing in the investigation than the academic performances to achieve the most ideal inclusive settings. After concluding their research, the report discusses the potential difference between mainstream and special schools. It revealed that special schools made a stronger impression in aiming to improve social and behavioural aspects of the children. Although they hint that the results are not very strong indicators to advocate for a strong conclusion, they suggest that children are probably going to benefit more emotionally and socially by going to a special school (p.12). Judging by this mini conclusion, I believe that the social integration is the biggest issue into helping a child settle. This report appears to suggest that children are going to benefit less by going to a mainstream school as they appear to have less focus on trying to improve a child emotionally and socially. Yet the report also explores other possibilities such as the provisions children receive at school and the parents influence. Humphrey Lewis (2008) compiled a report on the actual experiences of students, who have autism, who attended mainstream secondary schools. They reveal that there is a significant impetus to have more students who require special needs attention integrated into mainstream schools. They give two reasons as to why this sudden increase in integration is the case. First, Farrell and Ainscow reveal (in Humphrey Lewis, 2008) that there is growing momentum for mainstream inclusion for children and adolescents with special needs (p.23-24). The second is provided by Connor (in Humphrey Lewis, 2008) who states that with the current increasing realisation that by grouping children who have autism together into one class may not be the most beneficial for the children. They analysed 20 students across 4 secondary schools in the North-West of England through interviews. Teachers, Assistants, Parents and classroom/break time observations were also used in the investigation. The listed objectives included: exploring the perspectives of some autistic students within a mainstream environment, to log everyday experiences of the students, to identify their immersion into a school culture to see if it is being beneficial or hindering to a student. A total of 20 students with Autism (age ranging from 11-17 years old) participated in the study. The student sample was taken from the four chosen mainstream secondary schools from the North-Western region of England. As standard procedures, consent needed to be granted by each schools management consultants including written consents from each students parents accepting the purpose of the research. Then to question the students, the team of researchers would be accompanied by a member of staff (a person whom the student will have most likely studied under or whom would recognise). During the research they introduced diaries for students to keep record of their experiences; this was seen as a useful way of getting information which wo uld have otherwise might have been extremely difficult to get hold of, a way to avoid potentially embarrassing or pressuring the students into forcing out their emotions. The diary method can gain access to personal and intimate thoughts that may not emerge in an interview context. However, if this method of using diaries were to become an actual part of the curriculum, I would suspect that some of the children would have no interest in using it independently and will rather rely on instruction to use it. Nevertheless, the diaries provide a less intrusive alternative to performing a series of interviews that would still produce rich and meaningful data as the individual is under no pressure and can fill out the diary in their own way and time (Humphrey Lewis, 2008 p.27). Ethical considerations were observed for the study. The results were separated into different analytical themes. The first topic to appear was the concept of what autism meant to the individual. The responses were negative and the individuals responded with responses such as Oh my God Im a freak, one particular response from a student after being told that he had Aspergers Syndrome (p.31). It is believed that the students formulated their own view of themselves and how they deal with Autism through the feedback they receive from others. One student recounts of his frustrations that staff at his school had been notified of his Aspergers syndrome which prompted an uncomfortable and embarrassed response: Id prefer they didnt know because everyone treats me differently and I dont like being treated differently (p.31). An interesting contrast to the previous response was seen in a subset of students for whom their Autism was simply a part of their own identity. They had grown to accept and even be proud of their differences. As one student commented, Sometimes I think I am normal, Im treating this autism very well. Im top of the class and doing very well and Ive got a good future ahead of me and Ive got a vocabulary, Ive got very good friends (p.32). The mention of friends shows how far this particular student has come to overcome differences and integrate himself into the mainstream environment and make a social connection. Another set of results concentrated on the particular traits of Autism and how it was reacted to within the classroom at school. One example shows a student gaining confidence due to his particular strong and precise interest in certain elements of sporting talents, with his classmates asking him questions on how he is able to maintain strong interest on such a topic. Unfortunately aside from curiosity, it also inevitably leads to incidents of bullying due to the social naivety of the autistic students, making them very vulnerable targets (p.33). An example shows how a student took a joke literally and frustrated the individual who started the joke who resorted to verbal bullying which in turn upset the student who had been the original victim of the bullying. A students relationship with his/her classmates proved to be a make-or-break factor in his/her attempt to integrate into the school community. Nearly all of the autistic children were victims of bullying and teasing which can h ave a drastic effect on the childrens moral and overall satisfaction of being at school. Samples of diary entries revealed that bullying occurred often. Inevitably those with special needs are most likely to be targeted by bullies simply because they are different. Depending on the individual, he or she may not possess the character or resilience to shrug off or confront the bullying. However there were instances where it would be counteracted by support from (and often enduring friendships with) fellow peers. There are examples of students who have expressed their feelings through crude drawings (p.36). Undoubtedly this type of situation will lower any students self-esteem and confidence, let alone students with special needs. The report goes onto talk about the levels of anxiety and stress in school. The school environment itself was a considerable source of anxiety. Students thrived off order and predictability which composed their everyday school life, implying any kind of chang e to a routine would throw off the students and potentially bring about a negative reaction. This also possibly shows that these children crave structure or something to follow, especially during the younger years. There were some who were able to deal with distractions but for others, it was not as easy to ignore and they felt upset and could not concentrate and therefore could not progress. Finally the theme of working in conjunction with the teachers also came up in the report. Students reacted differently once again to teachers assistance. Most welcomed that there was somebody looking out for them, reassured to know that they could turn to someone for help. However, students also felt pressure due to the lack of discretion from teachers. It was obvious for everyone to see that they were receiving extra support which only served to highlight further the differences between themselves and their peers. This made them more uncomfortable and resentful to the fact that this difference in ability was exposed. The presence of a teacher only helped to impede their attempts to integrate and make friends in the classroom. It seems apparent that a teachers understanding is important, as highlighted earlier in the essay. The teacher must also have confidence in dealing with children. A lack of understanding of individual students needs resulted in the teachers, in this report, dep ending on assistant staff members to prepare work for a student. The final key theme to emerge from the study was how the way in which students with autism attempt to understand and assimilate themselves successfully into the mainstream school environment, set against contexts in which they feel both very different from others but also the same, and experience both acceptance and rejection. In conclusion the argument that autism poses within an educational setting will be inevitably different for every child. Some children are capable of handling general education classes with assistance, while others would possibly benefit better from a self-contained classroom where they are not mixed with mainstream. Students were experiencing adaptations to common ways of working and interacting that seemed to lead to a more positive experience of schooling. It is important to acknowledge though that whilst useful, the childrens views and experiences themselves are a part (albeit a significant one) of a larger picture, and any full account of the inclusion process must also be explored deeper. It is a mistake to assume that because a student with an autistic disability is still academically able, he or she should be able to cope in mainstream school. On the contrary, as demonstrated in the current research, difficulties in social communication and interaction experienced by such stu dents are likely to increase their exposure and vulnerability to bullying and social isolation which can lead to depression and feelings of not belonging. These are one of the most obvious reasons why autistic children have to overcome so much. Having teachers that are aware and are able to integrate the children with autism has a huge bearing on whether the children are able to settle themselves amongst their peers. The parents must also be vigilant in order to choose the correct schools and to also detect when their child is unhappy and is not benefiting from the learning environment. Family influence counts a lot when it comes down to children. Regardless of the type of school they attend, those with Aspergers syndrome must be taught in an environment that understands and caters for autistic children. It requires schools to be responsive to the needs of individual children by teachers and also provide support to staff that should have ideally some sufficient background and traini ng in identifying the different aspects of autism and how to respond to given situations. Although many of these research articles claimed that their survey samples were too small to be considered a nationwide survey, the recurring themes help to certainly give an idea of the possible reasons of difficulty autistic children face when placed in a mainstream education. Word Count: 4482

An Analysis of Roland Barthes’ Death of the Author Essay -- Death of th

An Analysis of Roland Barthes’ Death of the Author â€Å"The birth of the reader must be at the cost of the death of the Author.† – Roland Barthes Must the Author be dead to make way for the birth of the reader? In Roland Barthes’ essay â€Å"The Death of the Author,† Barthes asserts that the Author is dead because the latter is no longer a part of the deep structure in a particular text. To him, the Author does not create meaning in the text: one cannot explain a text by knowing about the person who wrote it. A text, however, cannot physically exist disconnected from the Author who writes it. Even if the role of the Author is to mix pre-existing signs, it does not follow that the Author-function is dead. Moreover, Barthes attributes â€Å"authorship† to the reader who forms meaning and understanding. The reader is, however, an abstraction â€Å"without history, biography, psychology†(Barthes 1469). These contexts – history, biography, and psychology – can only be set by the Author. Thus, the Author is alive and well because the text cannot exist without the Author, the mix ing of signs is the Author’s art, and the reader’s meanings forming abilities are nourished by the Author. According to Barthes’ notion of the â€Å"cut-off hand,† a text’s origin is language itself (Barthes 1468). Moreover, â€Å"linguistically, the author is never more than the instance writing, just as I is nothing other than the instance saying I: language knows a ‘subject’, not a ‘person’† (Barthes 1467). What about the Author’s physical presence? Certainly, language itself does not know its physical creator, but it is akin to shutting one’s eyes on reality to not acknowledge the Author who is â€Å"out there.† Because his texts were considered â€Å"da... ...r-Response Criticism.† October 1998. The College of New Rochelle. March 27, 2004 . O’Brien, John. Milan Kundera and feminism: Dangerous intersections. Minnesota: University of Minnesota, 1995. Project Gutenberg. â€Å"What books will I find in Project Gutenberg?† March 28, 2004 . Zilcosky, John. â€Å"The Revenge of the Author: Paul Auster’s Challenge to Theory.† Studies in Contemporary Fiction 39, 3 (Spring 1998): 195-207. 1 â€Å"Himself†, â€Å"him†, â€Å"his†, and â€Å"he† are used for brevity in expressing pronouns of both the male and female genders. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1][1] â€Å"Himself†, â€Å"him†, â€Å"his†, and â€Å"he† are used for brevity in expressing pronouns of both the male and female genders.

African American Leadership: Two Voices, One Vision

Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois, two distinct figures, whom both found the latter part of the 1800’s, in need of leadership from within a segmented group of American Society were placed in odds over a single issue†¦successful racial â€Å"up lift† for the African American population. As in any case when the attention of the masses is at stake, the titanic collision of honed minds was inevitable.The two men, sought to position their respective plans as the predominate solution to solve racial inequality and achieve racial uplift for population of former slaves and born free citizens in the United States.Booker T. Washington, born into slavery, 1856, for the first nine years of his life, held that the black community must exercise patience. Any abrupt aggressive action by African Americans would be interpreted as threatening by the Caucasian majority therefore inviting justifiable increased discrimination against blacks. Washington’s philosophy put f orth the notion that blacks should be willing to sacrifice social and political equality, in exchange for economic liberty.The path to â€Å"up lifting† would be achieved through fidelity, being trusty worthy and industrial. Born free in 1868, W. E. B. Du Bois was the product of a respectable family that held position in the community of Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Du Bois believed the top ten percent or as he dubbed it â€Å"the talented tenth† of the African American population should focus all their energy on higher education. The African American intellectuals would then lead the masses to a higher social rung.Protest, challenge, provocation were the watch words for Du Bois’ method. He clearly felt immediate political, social and racial equality was warranted. As stated by Jacqueline M. Moore, author and educator, Booker T. Washington, W. E. B. Du Bois, and the Struggle for Racial Uplift, â€Å"the debate recognized that there were more than two method s of racial uplift† (Moore, p. 89) Washington’s views, was somewhat misconstrued to believe he was â€Å"selling out† to the majority of American Society.While he felt that African Americans should not push themselves into unwelcome arenas, he knew that political accomplishments were short lived and whimsical. His confidence was in the economical and financial gains that were long term and wielded tangible influence. Washington was clever enough to quietly lobby majority law makers and civic organizations in behind scene efforts to garner support for African American enfranchisement. Even more astute by Washington was his ability to fund his educational agenda from wealthy financial supporters.Du Bois took the position that Caucasian America should be held at an arms distance, neither rejecting nor embracing. He felt the way to eliminate tension between the races was to create a synergy between being African Americans and the rest of America by utilizing the tale nts of the so called â€Å"Talented Tenth† to spearhead the struggle for national racial equality. Thru Du bois’ multiple initiatives to further promote his cause, â€Å"encouraging action and open protest to challenge racism and discrimination† (Moore, p. 78) were standard in his approach.Washington was convinced through hard work and the financial success of entrepreneurial enterprises, respect and equality would be gained for African Americans and â€Å"up lifting† of the race would be a natural evolutionary process. Clearly because of his experiences as a former slave, Washington’s philosophy was shaped by determination and work ethic. Educated at Hampton Institute, a vocational institution, described as â€Å"progressive, training people for skilled work. † (Moore, 21), was the capstone of Washington’s desire to continue educating African Americans in skilled trades.In direct opposition to Washington’s vision of an industr ial educated populace that would improve thru commerce, Du Bois’ selected â€Å"Talented Tenth† would â€Å"help others to fight for the rights for the race†(Moore, 62) with their knowledge of modern society. This type of comparison epitomizes the differences of the two visionaries, however Washington’s approach is accurate as well as brilliant, â€Å"Under the guise of maintaining the social hierarchy, [he] was able to create a strong, independent, black-run institution† (Moore, 28).While outwardly going along with the status quo, Washington tacitly used his economic prowess to build a tangible independent entity capable of choosing its own destiny and purpose. All the while Du Bois relied solely on rhetoric and the intellectual elite to build his constituency to improve the status of African Americans. Judging from racial attitudes in seemly integrated Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Du Bois was denied community sponsored scholarship to Harvard University. Further acknowledgement of the less than ideal racial setting, Du Bois attended integrated schools, â€Å"adult blacks and whites did not mingle socially,†(Moore, 39).Historically African American college Fisk University did offer him a scholarship. Author Jacqueline M. Moore was injudicious in her conclusion, â€Å"he (Washington) was the only one capable of negotiating with both the white North and the white South and that outspoken protest would simply make matters worse† (Moore, 68). Mistaking his silence for weakness overlooks effective lobbying in politics and underlying influence in advancing the African American race. Du Bois’ stance towards racial equality is the central criticism of Washington.Du Bois felt that Washington was allowing Caucasian America â€Å"off the hook† of responsibility. While they both agreed institutional segregation had to end, Du bois felt strongly that African Americans were owed assistance from the general s ociety. â€Å"Solving the race problem required everyone’s involvement (Moore, 72). † Washington chose self â€Å"up lift† from the collective boot straps. Clearly Washington’s experience as an ex-slave impacted his work ethic and decision making process and shaped his views of how African Americans should advance the struggle for equality.Comparatively Du Bois argued that Washington was subservient toward the majority rule and racial discrimination. Racial discrimination and violence was at an all time high, however Du Bois’ model for protest, higher education, and a demand for immediate social and political equality was hollow without effective means. The establishment of several civic and social organizations by Du Bois could only voice outrage and indignation. There was no real force behind the effort to motivate people to change on both sides of the racial divide.Washington was widely accused of pandering and compromising by contemporaries as well as scholars of today. What is clearly overlooked is Washington uncanny foresight of recognizing the importance of financial and economic gains over social gains, â€Å"Blacks would agree not to push for social and political equality if whites would agree not to exclude them from economic progress† (Moore, 33). This statement alone underscores his ability to correctly comprehend what drives a capitalistic society, even in the early 1900’s, and to predict the necessary tool for the future is clearly defined as economic progress.Another popular misconception was that Washington focused on presenting African Americans as well dressed, polite educated puppets that could â€Å"discuss† the plight of their people with out offending the listening audience. The message would be a softer, more acceptable presentation for the gentile surrounding. While that may have been an actual tactic used by Washington, it was only a well thought maneuver to fund his educational i nstitution, Tuskegee Institute, by well heeled benefactors. He now favored influence as well as philanthropic support that would educate the next generation of resourceful, independent entrepreneurs.If his vision had been realized, financially successful enterprises started in 1900’s possibly could have survived today or subsidiaries that would be in existence to hire the today’s African American professionals at all levels. Once could only imagine the business knowledge gained and economic success of competitive entities started during the industrial age. Washington may have sacrificed some short lived dignity, but he realized that un-restrain economic growth is tangible and sustains while intellectual accomplishments does not protect or shelter.In the final analysis, the examination of how Du Bois and Washington sought out a collective political, social and economical agenda in the midst of national racial turmoil during the turn of the century is an interesting anal ogy of today’s civil rights leadership agenda. Washington’s method was clearly the most beneficial for the improvement of African Americans for then as well as today. Promoting economic success was the most fundamental element in the struggle for racial uplift.Understanding and able to recognize the changing economic conditions would allow the national objective of racial equality to be the sole issue versus both combined as they are today. As an active participant in the industrial revolution, Washington recognized success as access to business opportunities with a foundation in industrial education. Compared to modern day choices, ground floor Internet opportunity or NAACP internship? Washington’s was option was clearly the proper path, noted by the number of successful African American business that flourished during segregation, i.e. Johnson Publishing, A. G. Gaston Insurance, Motown, etc compared full to racial integration era business successes they remain in African American control. Even though African Americans had limited political power and remained segregated socially, pure economic growth would have accelerated true racial uplift and the issue of economical inequality would have been an issue of the past. Booker T. Washington, W. E. B. Du Bois, and the Struggle for Racial Uplift, Jacqueline M. Moore â€Å"Wilmington , Delaware : Scholarly Resources, 2003.

Orientalism Essay Example

Orientalism Essay Example Orientalism Paper Orientalism Paper Essay Topic: Literature Orientalism is a field of study which is at style of thought based upon an ontological and epistemological distinction made between the Orient and the Occident. It invokes a flexible positioning superiority in which Europe is put into a number of positions of superiority. It is part of an overall campaign of self-affirmation, belligerency, and outright war, (Said xix) however, and in this we see the religious implications. For much of its history Orientalism carries within it the stamp of a problematic European attitude toward Islam. (Said 73) Islam was a threat to a Christian Europe the Ottoman Empire lay geographically close to Christian lands, so there was not only the threat of different religious ideas but also the treat of a mighty military and political power. It resulted in a historical fear of Islam. Orientalism was essentially an attempt to domesticate that threat, but the Orient needed first to be known, then invaded and possessed, then re-created by scholars, soldiers, and judges who disinterred forgotten languages, histories, races, and cultures in order to posit them as the true classical Orient that could be used to judge and rule the modern Orient. (91-92) The Occident responded with the creation of an imaginative geography within which Islam could be confined. Orientalism legitimates a vocabulary, a universe of representative discourse peculiar to the discussion and understanding of the Orient (Said 71) and it consisted of a set of representative figures, or tropes. (Said 71) This does not go to say that Orientalism formed the cornerstone of truth of the Orient, but rather that it was Western ignorance which becomes more refined and complex, not some body of positive Western knowledge which increases in size and accuracy. (Said 62) As a field of knowledge it is a closed body of knowledge in which objects are what they are because they are what they are, for once, for all time, for ontological reasons that no empirical material can either dislodge or alter. (Said 70) The fact that Orientalism derived its authentic from its unchanging nature would cause problems with the emergence of the 19th century. Orientalism would have to change to survive with the times. There was disillusionment when it was realized that the classical Orient did not properly represent the actual Orient. It became what was known as the betrayed dream. What was realized was that one could only really use generalities to describe the Orient in order not to conflict with the specific actualities; it was almost as if a bin called Oriental existed into which all the authoritative, anonymous, and traditional Western attitudes to the East were dumped unthinkingly. (Said 102) These generalities created an aura of eccentricity surrounding the Orient, by which the Orient becomes a living tableau of queerness. (Said 103) This tableau was designated as a disciplined way from which the Orientalist could approach it; essentially, its foreignness [could] be translated, its meanings decoded, its hostility tamed. (Said 103) From this arose the tactics of modern Orientalism. Orientalism was reconstituted, redeployed, redistributed and in the secular framework. (Said 121) There were four components to this process, the end product being naturalized supernaturalism. The first component was due to the Orient expanding past the Islamic lands. This simply goes to say that there were more lands under scrutiny and a binary opposition between Islam and Christianity was no longer possible; there were too many cultures and religions that could come into interaction. All such widening horizons had Europe firmly in the privileged center, as main observer. (Said 117) Secondly, there was the component of historical confrontation that no longer was viable; the Orient was simply not viewed in a confrontational light. Rather, it was viewed as an (inferior) object of study. It involved a greater involvement with source material and confronting the Orients peculiarities with objective detachment. The third component deals with the notion of historicism. This idea promoted the belief that the Occident could penetrate the Orient on the precedent that all cultures are presumably organically and internally coherent historicism encourages such an intellectual penetration. This was done by sympathetic identification by which the Orientalist saw the elements of kinship between himself and the Orient, and this supposedly gave him access to the Orient. Lastly, the core of modern Orientalism rested in the practice of classification. This process involved reducing vast numbers of objects to a smaller number of orderable and describable types [that] belonged to a system, a network of related generalizations. (Said 119) Thus, when an Oriental was referred to, it was in terms of such generic universals as his primitive state, his primary characteristics, his particular spiritual background. (Said 120) Also, this process was carried out in the name of objectivity and claimed its authority from such scientific procedures, rather than on religious superiority as the classical Orientalism did. This was the essence of naturalized supernaturalism, by which religious structures were recast in the secular. From this it is very evident that Orientalism is a man-made field and not a universal or pure truth. Orientalist disciplines were changing (even as Orientalism claimed the values of an unchanging, classical Orient) into their modern form, in which power welt in the new, scientifically advanced techniques of philology and anthropological generalization. (Said 121) Silvestre de Sacy was the forerunner of modern Orientalism: his work virtually put before the profession an entire systematic body of texts, a pedagogic practice, a scholarly tradition, and an important link between Oriental scholarship and public policy. (Said 124) He was responsible for his revisionist projects: all of his work was presented as a revised extract of the best that had already been done, said, or written. (Said 125) He was reproducing the Orient for the Occident, but only those parts that he deemed useful or important; these were carefully selected and arranged topics from the greater body of Oriental knowledge. He believed that the vastly rich (in space, time, and cultures) Orient cannot be totally exposed, only its most reprehensive parts need be. (Said 125) Sacy was thus in a position of authority that modern Orientalism so proudly touts he was the one that chose what was important from the Orient and his choices gave semiotic power to the topics that would now represent the entire Orient.

How to Pick a Blade Length for Your Chainsaw

How to Pick a Blade Length for Your Chainsaw When selecting a blade length for your chainsaw, it is important to take into consideration the nature of your work and the size of your work area. For most simple jobs, such as backyard pruning, a chainsaw with a saw bar or blade that can cut through an average tree limb will be adequate. For other work, consider several factors before selecting a chainsaw: blade length and the power of the saws engine displacement, which is measured in cubic centimeters (cc). It takes substantial power to drive a chain on a longer, heavier bar through dense wood. The length of your blade should ultimately be determined by the horsepower of your saw. You should also take into account the type of work you will be doing with your chainsaw. A saw that would be perfect for a sawyer on a logging deck might be very awkward in the hands of someone working in a tree. Possibly the most important safety issues to keep in mind are your experience, physical condition, and health. The blade size and power of your chainsaw should match your experience and ability. Small saws can still be dangerous but are more forgiving to new chainsaw users. Electric Chainsaws Electric chainsaws attach to a power outlet using a length of cord or are powered by a strong battery. If you are using a chainsaw for the first time, you should start with an electric chainsaw to gain some practical experience. The standard blade sizes are relatively small, at 8 to 12 inches. Electric chainsaws are perfect for yard work such as limb thinning, trimming and pruning. They are also adequate for larger limb removal and cutting down smaller trees. This type of chainsaw should not be used for storm damage cleanup, felling larger trees, or cutting firewood. Light-Duty Chainsaws Light-duty chainsaws are also good tools for beginning chainsaw users looking to gain some practical experience. For many users, they are all you will ever need. The standard blade sizes are 10 to 14 inches, with engine displacements of 30 to 45 ccs. Like electric chainsaws, these tools are great for yard work, and they come with greater power than their plug-in counterparts. They are also adequate for the removal of larger limbs and smaller trees.  As with electrics, these tools should not be used for storm damage cleanup, felling larger trees, or cutting firewood. Medium- to Heavy-Duty Chainsaws Here is where things start to get more complicated. Larger saws should only be operated by people who have experience using chainsaws. In the wrong hands, these tools can be very dangerous, so newcomers should train with smaller saws before handling them. The standard blade sizes for medium- to heavy-duty chainsaws are 14 to 18 inches, with engine displacements of 40 to 50 cc. Heavy-duty saws with long blades are adequate for heavy yard work, though in many cases they tend to be overkill and can actually hinder you on a small job. Large saws are best for cutting larger limbs, bucking medium tree trunks for removal, and working on storm damage. Chainsaws with longer blades (18 to 20 inches) are workhorses best reserved for  felling larger trees  or cutting firewood. Professional Chainsaws Professional chainsaws are mainly for people who use a chainsaw every day, usually in the process of a regular work routine. If you depend upon a chainsaw for your livelihood, this is the tool for you. Most professional saws will range from 60 cc-sized engines on up to more than 120 ccs. Sometimes property owners choose a professional chainsaw to meet the demands of constant heavy work or if the cutting jobs on the property require a larger powered saw. These tools are also used as the power and saw for portable chainsaw mills.

Cyberspace Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cyberspace Communication - Essay Example These metaphors acquire meaning because we are able to connect and associate even disparate things. For example we can say: 'he was turned off by the behaviour of his boss.' The title of George Orwell's famous book Down and Out in Paris is another good example of an orientational metaphor. We do not have words to describe everything. The first ray of the sun does not have a word and the first kiss of the lover is still just a kiss. These lapses of language create dents in the perception of reality. Personifying metaphors are used to lend spectacle as well as intensity to an act of communication. Abstract entities can be conceived metaphorically in terms of human life and expressed as capable of living and growing. 'Life' of a government, lifeblood, 'economic' growth are good examples. When one says that qualities reside in someone or something lives in memory, the human tendency to equate the inequitable is brought to the fore. When someone gives me the ghost of a smile, I am compelled to marvel at how the brain googles and establishes links. The word 'etheral' could be a good substitute since it combines 'ether' and 'all'. It is relevant because it makes one remember the aspect of the Universe - that vast domain which we all inhabit and our email address is a strong reminder of where we actually belong. After all, where is this gmail.com John Seely Brown

Marketing plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Marketing plan - Essay Example Mass-marketing approach thus considers the market to be one homogenous market segment. When it comes to Pizza Restaurant, its goods, that are pizza-and other food items, may be with different quality, and services are almost similar in nature and therefore a mass-marketing strategy of segmentation will be more appropriate. The other two major strategies, namely differentiated (target marketing) and concentrated (niche or product differentiated marketing) (Sandhusen, 2008, 298) are not chosen for Pizza restaurant due to that they are more less likely to be appropriate for a service business like restaurant or hotel. Though consumers are segmented based on their preferences, they all visit the restaurant and they are served or food or other products are delivered to them when they are in restaurant, which is very different from all other industries. Answer to Question 2 The food products and dining services that Pizza Restaurant aims to provide to its customers, who are rich hippies fr om Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will be able to provide excellent quality of taste and a mere satisfaction for their needs and will be branded as a very unique in the market.