Learning Expirience Essay

Experience can shape our behavior and personality. More over our experiences contribute to our development over time. Learning process occurs when we experience situation that have negative or positive effect on us. In this essay I will briefly describe my personal learning experience; I will also define the concept of learning, and will provide analysis of what I have learned from this experience. In addition my essay will include the analysis and application of classical and operant conditioning as well as cognitive- social learning. My Experience Every person’s identity is formed by the various roles that they perform in the world. In fact becoming a mother is one more such role and it has psychological implications. Four month ago I became a mother to a wonderful, my first baby boy. The experience of giving birth, as well as being home with a newborn for the first few weeks was overwhelming, painful, and emotionally tiring. I am 25 years old and was so exciting to becoming a mother, however when my son was born for the first few weeks I have experienced anxiety, stress, depression, fear and even anger. It has been almost 4 month and my baby is my life, I cannot imagine how I was getting frustrated and feeling all those things when my baby is my joy. Today I am still tired, and stressed, however anger and depression is gone. I have learned from this experience that I need to accept the change in my life, and avoid becoming frustrated. Being prepared for things to be different could have prepared me to deal with situation differently. Also positive attitude should have been my best ally instead of being afraid and having negative thoughts. At last I have learned from this experience that I need to try to develop a new and balanced lifestyle that takes into consideration all areas of my new life. Learning Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience (David A. Kolb, 1984). As we learn, we alter the way we perceive our environment, the way we interpret the incoming stimuli, and therefore the way we interact, or behave (Carpenter & Huffman, 2012). Learning through Classical Conditioning One of the best-known characteristics of behavioral learning theory is classical conditioning. Classical conditioning is a learning process that occurs through associations between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occurring stimulus (Carpenter & Huffman, 2012). There are basic principles of classical conditioning process. Such as the unconditioned stimulus (UC) and unconditioned response (UR), as well as conditioned stimulus (CS) and conditioned response (CR) (Carpenter & Huffman, 2012). The unconditioned stimulus is one that unconditionally, naturally, and automatically triggers a response (â€Å"The propositional nature of human associative learning,† 2009). For example, baby crying made me feel sad and frustrated, and baby smiling made me feel loved, happy and positive. For instance, when I saw my bay for the first time the feeling of pain was simply gone. As I spend those first weeks with my baby although I have had mood swings and feeling of anger sometimes, however every time I looked at my baby I naturally felt better and calmer. The unconditioned response is the unlearned response that occurs naturally in response to the unconditioned stimulus. For example, feel of love in response to my baby smile is unconditioned stimulus. The conditioned stimulus is previously neutral stimulus that, after becoming associated with the unconditioned stimulus, eventually comes to trigger a conditioned response (â€Å"The propositional nature of human associative learning,† 2009). For example, when my baby cried I felt frustration and in the same time my husband was trying to explain me something thus my husband voice would be conditioned stimulus. Although the sound of my husband voice is unrelated to my baby’s cry and feeling of frustration, if the sound of his voice was paired multiple times with the baby’s cry, the sound would eventually trigger the conditioned response. The conditioned response is the learned response to the previously neutral stimulus. For instance, feeling frustrated when I heard my husband talking to me. In my view classical conditioning is a useful technique that can be applied by creating a positive environment to help people to overcome anxiety, fear and frustration. For example, a situation like my baby’s crying with pleasant surroundings would have helped me to learn new associations. Instead of feeling anxious, frustrated and angry in that situation, I learn to stay relax and calm (Carpenter & Huffman, 2012). Operant Conditioning Operant conditioning is a technique of learning that happens through rewards and punishments for behavior. Through operant conditioning, an association is made between a behavior and a consequence for that behavior (â€Å"The propositional nature of human associative learning,† 2009). The elimination of an undesirable outcome can be used to decrease or prevent undesirable behavior. Feeling frustrated, being angry with situation simply led to more stress and created more problems for myself emotionally and physically. Positive reinforcement: Getting to know my baby, his first smile and lough created a positive and happy environment thus increasing my positive behavior. To conclude learning process revolves around human life. People learn something new every single day, thus creating new experiences and knowledge. Self-development and growth naturally occurs through learning.

Barack Obama’s Dreams From My Father: A Tale of Redemption

Barack Obama’s Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance is a well written essay about a singular search for identity across cities and continents, region and race. The autobiography focuses on Obama’s need for redemption driven by an uncompromising desire to know his biological father. Barack, the father, was a Kenyan native whose absence informed Obama’s dreams and whose marriage to his white mother, Ann, determined his daily reality.It is a compelling story about the meaning of family, nuclear and extended, and a young man’s pursuit of an authentic self in the complex nexus of race, class, and gender as historically represented in America. The book, written in lively prose, takes the reader on a journey from Obama’s origins in Hawaii, to Indonesia, Occidental College in Los, Angeles, Columbia University in New York, and to Chicago where he begins his public service career while learning a few painful lessons about politics. In Chicag o, Obama evolves into a mature, self-conscious politician.These years, it seems, prepare Obama to accept his bi-racial self and to receive his inheritance in Africa where his father and grandfather have been buried. In Kenya, Obama discovers his unfamiliar family and the spirits of his ancestors bundled in a series of letters and memories as shared by his African Granny. In the end, Obama finds a way to â€Å"affirm [his] common destiny without pretending to speak to, or for all our various struggles† (Obama, 2004, xvi). Both text and subtext are about â€Å"a boys search for his father, and through that search a workable meaning for his life as a Black American† (Obama, 2004, xvi).Barack Obama’s Dreams From My Father: A Tale of Redemption In recalling the deadly attack on September 11, 2001, Barack Obama confesses that for him â€Å"history returned that day with a vengeance† (Obama, 2001, x). Referencing William Falkner, Obama speaks of the past as neve r â€Å"dead or buried—it isn’t even past† because the collective past touches the individual in the present (Obama, 2001, x). His life, as presented in Dreams From My Father, is a reflexive and self-conscious memoir which facilitates Obama’s locating of a past that he did not know, one that he could not understand, and a history wanting in authenticity.From his earliest years, Obama’s thoughts and dreams had been interpreted through the prism of an absentee father whom he would never know. The book is organized into three sections consisting of nineteen chapters. Written in lively and description detail, it is a circuitous narrative with a clear beginning and end. In Part One, â€Å"Origins,† Obama provides a window into his formative years in Indonesia with Lolo, his mother’s second husband, with whom he learned how to fight, to â€Å"stay low [and] don’t give them a target† (p. 36).But it was at the Panahou Academy in Hawaii where issues of belonging or not, found its way into the innocence of his childhood. Obama confesses that during this time, his â€Å"sense that [he] did not belong continued to grow† (p. 60). As a teenager, Obama would escape by experimenting with various drugs. He would also, on occasion seek the advice of his grandfather’s friend, Frank, an eighty year old poet living in Waikiki. For example, when Frank learned that Obama was planning to attend Occidental College in Los Angeles, he made clear that Obama should understand that he would be â€Å"trained† and not educated there.He urged Obama to go to Occidental but to â€Å"keep [his] eyes open [and] stay awake† concerned that the experience would further separate him from his past (p. 97). Classmates at Occidental often took him to task for what appeared to have been self-indulgent and narcissistic tendencies. For example, Regina, another student involved in a campus protest, made it clear that Obama’s speech â€Å"was not about him† (p. 109). Her diatribe is worth noting: Well, let me tell you something, Mr. Obama. It’s not just about you. Its never just about you. It’s about people who need your help. Children who are depending on you.They’re not interested in your irony or your sophistication or your ego getting bruised. And neither am I. (p. 109) The confused Obama later decided to participate in an exchange program that allowed him to take classes at Columbia University in New York. Upon arriving in Manhattan, he experienced the fear and humiliation of homelessness until â€Å"redeemed† by Sadik, a friend with whom he later shared an apartment. It was while at Columbia, however, that Obama began to take his studies seriously and to explore his role as a reformer and a person who could create change. For these reasons, it appears, he decided to â€Å"[stop] getting high† (p. 120).In Part Two, â€Å"Chicago,† we fi nd Obama on the ground rallying for the poor, homeless, and unemployed. For example, critical to Obama’s success and instrumental to his moving to Chicago had been Marty Kaufman, a man of Jewish descent who had established the Calumet Community Religious Conference. This organization, encompassing twenty suburban churches and later joined by the Developing Communities Project affiliated with the city, brought blacks and whites together to discuss the â€Å"shame of unemployment, their fear of losing a house or of being cheated out of a pension – the common sense of having been betrayed† (p. 150).These organizations were a real time response to the alarming rate of unemployment due to layoffs and company closings on the Southside of Chicago. At the same time, Smitty’s Barbershop, a spot near Hyde Park where the men talked of â€Å"sports and women and yesterday’s headlines, conversation at once intimate and anonymous, among men who agreed to leave their troubles outside,† provided a space for Obama to test his rhetoric and his ability to assimilate without detection of his white heritage (p. 146).Obama’s encounters with Mary, a white single mother whose two children had been fathered by an absentee black man; his collaboration with organizers such as Angela, Shirley, Mona, and Will; as well as his ascendancy to the Presidency of the Harvard Law Review were an attempt to run from the past while constructing a future (pgs. 167-175). In spite of his successes, Obama remained distracted by an unexplained emptiness. In Part Three, â€Å"Kenya,† we find Obama acknowledging and acting on his need to connect with his past by traveling first to Europe and then Africa in search of his heritage.After Granny’s detailed story about the struggles of both his grandfather and father, Barack discovers a series of letters that answer many of his questions. At this point, the circle closes, the black hole is filled, a nd Obama realizes that he has been haunted by his father’s silence and shaped by his absence. Somewhere near their Kenyan graves, Obama purged himself of the past and departed his ancestral home a different person, a man who could face the truth of his past and future without fear of rejection. A memoir by definition is cathartic.Obama’s Dreams From My Father is worthy of analysis because rarely do we see so much of the realization of the American dream encompassed in the life of one person. The past returned with a vengeance while in Kenya where Obama and all of his fathers received the â€Å"promise of redemption† (p. 135). Relying on oral histories for the most part, Barack Obama’s story of race and inheritance may be one of the most honest and accurate autobiographical works in recent memory. References Obama, Barack. (2004). Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. New York: Crown Publishers.

Biodiversity Conservation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Biodiversity Conservation - Research Paper Example Biodiversity is very critical to the development of the human species due to food provision, ecological balance and other developmental benefits. However, there are continued threats posed on biodiversity leading to extinction of species. Due to this, scientists have emerged with various strategies to conserve biodiversity and reduce species extinction. This paper will analyze the major causes of biodiversity loss as well as the strategies for conservation based on current scientific and anthropogenic knowledge. Introduction Most scientists argue that the present immense deprivation of environment and extinction of many of the Earth’s species is unparalleled and is occurring on a terribly short timescale. They argue that loss of biological diversity is occurring at very high rate due to the many ecological disturbances affecting ecosystems functioning. Currently, there is a widespread massive degradation of rainforest ecosystem, which is posing a substantial threat to biodiver sity. In addition, there is rampant destruction and degradation of the marine ecosystem leading to extinction of the variety of marine species, which were once dominant and vital to such ecosystems. Scientists feel that if the present global extinction of species continues at the current rates, then it will drastically alter the species evolution in the future. It is due to this evidence of the massive biodiversity loss that scientists have embarked on a serious mission of conservation of the biodiversity1. In a global scale, there is increased action of conservation of biodiversity due to an increasing reality and evidence of species extinction. There are numerous global, national and local organizations trying to formulate policies and strategies to mitigate biodiversity loss. These organizations are both governmental and non-governmental. In audition, many scientists are currently undertaking extensive research in order to come up with winning measures for curbing species extinct ion2. Causes of biodiversity loss There are several causes of loss of biodiversity ranging from anthropogenic factors, genetic factors, to environmental factors. Anthropogenic factors are purely human-induced causes of biodiversity loss. These include overexploitation of the natural resources, industrial actions causing pollution, which poses a threat to the health of species as well as overharvesting of fish. On the other hand, environmental factors include climate change, habitat and ecosystem disturbance and invasion of alien species. Recently, there is increased evidence that emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are causing species extinction. There is a lot of concern among scientists regarding the multiplicity of EIDs afflicting wildlife, and the fear that an augmented occurrence of outbreaks will take place in the future. In fact, infectious diseases can mediate community dynamics of species, minimize host variety and extirpate local populations3. Amphibians comprise 30% of gr avely endangered species and over 75% of the gravely endangered species vulnerable to infectious disease. The infectious fungus chytridiomycosis is a causative factor for over 40% of these. Even though chytridiomycosis is the most noteworthy threat to gravely endangered amphibians, it only occurs as an assumed or possible future threat for the majority of these4. Destruction of habitat and habitat fragmentation are some of the most central causes of loss of biodiversity. Habitat fragmentation influences several aspects of species that may pose a threat to species hence increasing chances of their extinction. These aspects include rates of gene flow, migration and spreading of species and invasion by alien competitors. In the interim, because of fragmentation, species become more

Polymerase Chain Reaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Polymerase Chain Reaction - Essay Example Its name was coined from one of its key processes i.e. DNA polymerase. A DNA template is produced and the chain reaction that follows is the concluding part of the process. A major requirement of recombinant DNA techniques is the "availability of large quantities of specific DNA segment" (Bastianutto et al 2006). Cloning which was the preferred method involves transformation of a plasmid vector into bacteria that is then cultured. The cloning process is not as efficient as PCR in terms of amplification of DNA. In addition PCR can allow the generation of millions of copies of DNA from a single or few pieces. PCR occurs in stages, the Initialization, Denaturation, Annealing, Extension/elongation, Final elongation. The Initialization step involves heating to 94-96C. After the heating stage, Denaturation produces a single DNA strand. This is caused by breaking the hydrogen bonds between DNA strands, thus causing the melting of the DNA template and primers. Temperature is lowered during the annealing step. Here primers are bound to the single stranded DNA template by the polymerase. At the Extension/elongation the DNA polymerase produces a new DNA strand by adding dNTPs. The last PCR cycle is the Final elongation, the step is done to ensure that all single stranded DNA are fully extended.

The Ethical Aspects of the Nurses Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

The Ethical Aspects of the Nurses - Case Study Example Most of the time, I enjoyed my work as a nurse, loved my job, and did not encounter any difficulties. One day, I noticed an ethical dilemma brewing. A patient had been admitted on my floor that was dying of full-blown AIDS. He was housed in one of the two isolation rooms on the floor. I noticed that none of the nurses were going in the room on a regular basis to perform the normal nursing duties they should have been doing as they were doing with the other patients on the floor. That alone would have posed enough of an ethical dilemma, but what I noticed next placed the situation in a territory nowhere near where it should have been. The other nurses were sending Certified Nursing Aids and untrained student nurses into the room with the AIDS patient. This was clearly because they did not want to risk catching the disease themselves. I can say this with confidence because they were having these CNAs and student nurses do things to the patient that they simply were not qualified to do. Examples of what these workers were being sent into the room to do were to draw blood work, give shots, and work with other hazardous bodily fluids and materials. It was clear to me that not only was this ethical dilemma forming right in front of my eyes, but it was also very likely illegal. I was at a loss regarding what I should do at the time. It felt like I would be betraying my fellow nurses by turning them in. However, I knew it was wrong to send unqualified workers into the room with the patient to perform tasks that they were not trained to do. The primary ethical reasoning used in this case was deontological ethics. According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2009, pg. 1), â€Å"The word deontology derives from the Greek words for duty (done) and science (or study) of (logos). In contemporary moral philosophy, deontology is one of those kinds of normative theories regarding which choices are morally required, forbidden, or permitted.

The Book by Eric Weiner The Geography of Happiness Essay

The Book by Eric Weiner The Geography of Happiness - Essay Example It is interesting to see how Weiner tries to find explanations for these high happiness ratings. During the chapter discussing Switzerland, Weiner begins to discuss the reasons for Swiss happiness. He surmises that one of the major reasons behind the happiness of this neutral nation is that they experience their emotions in moderation, neither being very happy or very sad. This may seem like a strange suggestion to make when discussing happiness, as perhaps it may seem necessary to experience happiness at the extreme to feature highly on the Gross National Happiness scale. In this case, we can say that there may be a link between geographical location and happiness, as the neutrality of the country seems to have had an impact on the neutrality of the people, and this leads to happiness. Another thing that Weiner mentions in his discussions of Switzerland is that the Swiss feel a huge connection with nature, and the way that geography contributes to this source of happiness is that Switzerland has a beautiful natural environment. Many other things are mentioned in the discussion of Switzerland, such as their huge wealth (and thus surmising that the Swiss should feel less envy than those in other countries) and their tendency to vote often (thus surmising that democracy is the route to happiness) and these too can be linked geographically to the Gross National Happiness index. These latter two reasons Weiner are also associated with Iceland, a wealthy country with a well-established democratic government. Weiner also gives other reasons which may contribute to the happiness of the Icelandic people, one of which is a tendency towards the creative. Weiner even goes on to suggest that everyone in Iceland is a poet and a dreamer, and perhaps this leads to a large number of extremely happy people here.

Prader willi syndrome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Prader willi syndrome - Essay Example However it is believed that the disease occurs in the children whose family shows history of chromosomal aberrations (Kumar et al 2005). Signs and Symptoms The signs and symptoms of Prader Willi syndrome change over time as it is seen that toddlers and adolescents behave differently when suffering from it. The infants suffering from the syndrome have a poor muscle tone with poor reflexes such as the sucking reflex. They also suffer from lethargy and usually have a retarded growth. As these children grow up they show different signs and symptoms. The toddlers show delayed development of the body lacking language and walking skills. The toddlers also show behavioral problems such as high temper and rudeness. As the child further grows up he faces from other problems. The primary problem that these children face is obesity which is caused by the increasing urge to eat. The behavioral problems with the children have worsened by this time and they tend to be more inflexible. These childre n also face learning disabilities because of which they are not competitive enough. They also show loss of sexual functions which is because of the loss of hormones in these children (PubMed Health 2009; NYU Languone Medical Center). Diagnosis The diagnosis of children with Prader Willi would be done on the basis of the symptoms of the disease. Hypotonia and almond shaped eyes are some of the symptoms which can lead to the diagnosis of the disorder. In some male infants it is also seen that they have an undescended testis which is a characteristic feature of the Prader Willi syndrome. The laboratory tests can further help to confirm the onset of the syndrome in a child. The tests would confirm the level of obesity in the child. Abnormal glucose and insulin tests are used to confirm the level of obesity. The level of hormones is also checked in the child to confirm that he is suffering from the syndrome. Children with Prader Willi syndrome show decreased functionality of the sexual h ormones (Mayo Clinic 2011; Pub Med Health 2009). Treatment of the Prader Willi Syndrome Many researches are being carried out to find out the viability of the treatment options offered to treat the syndrome. It has been found that these treatment options help in improving the conditions of the children suffering from the syndrome. Children suffering from the syndrome usually suffer because of their low caloric diet and thus their diet should be maintained such that their body can grow with ease. Hormonal treatment is considered to be one of the most important in treating the Prader Willi syndrome. Research has shown that growth hormone is very effective in treating children with the Prader Willi syndrome. The treatment of the syndrome by growth hormone in United States was approved in the year of 2000 and ever since the treatment option is considered by many of the physicians. Growth hormone helps to decrease the bodily fat and increase the metabolic rate of the body. Hence in other words the hormone helps to decrease the level of obesity in the children. However on the other hand research has also shown that in some cases growth hormone may worsen the condition of these children. Sleep Apnea or difficulty in breathing while sleeping can be triggered because of growth hormone therapy. It is because of these side effects that in some cases it is recommended that a growth hormone therapy is not given to the child suffering from th

(OutLine) Biography Animal Rights ( Michael Dwayne Vic) Essay

(OutLine) Biography Animal Rights ( Michael Dwayne Vic) - Essay Example He ended up serving 21 months in prison and 2 months in house arrest. d.) After his release, he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles and basically his life returned to normal, although there are those who do not feel he has learned his lesson and dislike him for his actions. B. It illustrates that there is still a lot more to be done for animal rights since Vick was involved with the torture, abuse, and death of many dogs and was given less time in prison then some people involved with drugs receive. Plus, it shows that Vick was able to get his life back for the most part without too much difficulty. C. Discuss how animals are not really being protected by these laws as they are more about ensuring that humans behave in a certain civilized way. There needs to be more focus on the animals well being than the humans. A. Cases such as Michael Vick’s are important in that it shows how frequent abuse occurs and how widespread it is. It shows that animal abuse is not always perpetrated by the scuzzy lowlife with the beer belly who lives in poverty, but also by an affluent celebrity. B. Animals are beloved in America, but we still do not have enough legislation to protect these animals who many consider to be as important as a family member. If they are so important, why aren’t they receiving the rights and protection that they

Generation & people Essay Example for Free

Generation people Essay It is interesting to study what makes a generation, before we go into whether generational factors play a key role in making one more willing to do or successful. It is generally accepted that a generation does not necessarily mean the same age people. It is rather the set of influences that worked on them during their formative years that makes their generation distinct. What is more important is that they share the same formative experiences. The whole theme of ‘generation factor’ is based more on observation and theories than on any dependable evidence. Our common sense tells that it is not so much the person’s date of birth that defines them it is rather what influences they were exposed to during their formative years and some time thereafter that is important. According to Rhode and Platteel, formative experiences produce powerful symbols from which arises a sense of a new generation. The plasticity of our brains, besides responding to the people and training to which we expose it, also responds, for good or for bad, to the technology all around us: television, movies, mobile phones, e-mail, laptop computers and the Internet (The New Brain Dr Richard Restak. 2003) The strongest influences on the ‘generation –y’ are the well known world brands and their products. They have successfully created a generation which is prosperous, happy and well adjusted. (By David Plotz. 1999). These influences play a key role in making the minds of the generation. Undoubtedly, all these will create openness in their approach resulting in willingness to do what think right. They are quite different from the previous generations which were more skeptical lacking the much needed information and guidance, reserved and unwilling to take risks. Now, â€Å"the brand touches the mindset and the heartstrings of a large proportion of VG by offering the attitude for living: ‘Just do it†. (David Plotz. ) References David Plotz (1999). The American Teenager. Why Generation Y? http://slate. msn. com/id/34963/ Richard Restak. ( 2003) . The New Brain. Rodale Ltd Rhode Platteel. (1999). Symbol Soup, Thames Hudson, ,

The Analysis of the Escape by W.S. Maugham Essay Example for Free

The Analysis of the Escape by W.S. Maugham Essay What we call a Chicago accent is actually called the Inland North American dialect. This encompasses the major cities around the Great Lakes. The dialect used to be considered the standard American accent until the region experienced a vowel shift, now called the North Cities Vowel Shift. Who Speaks the Chicago Dialect? Or rather, who doesnt? The answer, of course, is African Americans in the Chicago region, who have their own (and infinitely more interesting) dialect. Though this may be obvious. African Americans are the largest population group in Chicago, and it would be irresponsible to overlook the fact that the Chicago dialect is not used by the largest sector of the citys population. The most salient feature of the Chicago dialect is that it is undergoing the Northern Cities Vowel Shift. This is most noticeable in words with the /ae/ vowel, which gets raised so that its close to /e/. Thus, bad sounds a bit like bed, or, beead. Another notable aspect of this vowel shift is that /o/ is fronted so that it is closer to /ah/. So hot sounds a lttle like hat. As an ongoing change, it is more prevalent and more pronounced among young people, middle-class people, and females, but it is quite widespread. nearly all white Chicagoans exhibit this vowel shift, at least to some extent. A more local vowel development is a monophthongization of /ow/ to /oh/, so that south becomes soth and down becomes don. This is more conservative and less widespread. Also we can notice that when a vowel sound moves into another vowel’s territory, the result may be a merger —as when the sound of caught comes to be pronounced with the tongue in the same region of the mouth as for cot. In a different pattern, the movement of one vowel spurs a reactive movement in a neighboring vowel. As with strangers in an elevator, one vowel shifts to keep its distance when another enters the space. These coordinated movements are heard in the Northern Cities Shift, which affects six different vowels, those appearing in caught, cot, cat, bit, bet and but. In this change, caught takes on a vowel similar to that originally used for cot. The cot vowel also shifts, becoming more like the vowel of cat. The vowel of cat takes a position closer to that ordinarily heard with bit and sometimes sounds like the â€Å"ea† in idea. Words like bit are pronounced with a vowel nearer to bet or even but whereas bet words have a vowel similar to that in cat or but, and the vowel but words comes to sound more like that of caught. When these changes are plotted according to the positioning of the tongue, the connections among them are clear and the shift resembles a clockwise rotation of the vowels in the mouth. The Northern Cities Shift: These guide words are positioned to represent where in the mouth the tongue is placed for those vowel sounds. The arrows indicate the directions of change affecting the sounds. Consonants The stereotype about Chicagoans is that they say dis instead of this, but thats not entirely accurate. The real pronunciation is somewhere in between. To approximate it, first pronounce /th/ the standard way, with the tip of your tongue between your teeth. Then, keeping your teeth apart, move the tip of your tongue to the back of your teeth. Thats the typical Chicago /th/. Contrast it with /d/, which is made with the teeth closed, and the tongue against the roof of the mouth. This is a conservative trait, and is more common among older people, working class people, and males. The unvoiced equivalent, that is, the /th/ of in the word thick is even more conservative. Vocabulary Chicago vocabulary is fairly unremarkable. As a cosmopolitan place, the vocabulary is more generalized than in rural areas, so that Chicagoans are at least familiar with words that were formerly used by dialectologists as markers of Southern dialect or Midland that is, the dialect in between Northern and Southern. Nevertheless, there are a few localisms which are worth mentioning: What other people call rubbernecking, Chicagoans call gaping thus an accident on the side of the road can cause a gapers delay or gapers block. Also, Chicagoans are more likely to use the term gym shoes. Grammar In Chicago, like in other American cities that had lots of German-speaking immigrants, with can be used more frequently as a verbal complement. Thus, while most Americans might say come with, Chicagoans can also say take with and have with. Consider the following bit of dialogue from Chicagoan David Mamets play American Buffalo,: Donny: (Talking about a gun) I dont want it with. Teach: Well, I want it with. In the 1996 film version, Donnys line sounds fine when delivered by Chicagoan Dennis Franz, but Angeleno Dustin Hoffman has trouble making Teachs line sound natural; hes clearly uncomfortable saying it.

Dominance Of The English Language Cultural Studies Essay

Dominance Of The English Language Cultural Studies Essay In the world were over seven thousand languages have exisisted, one language had become dominate. This dominant language is English. In the majority of countries throughout the world speak English as their second or first language, no longer just America or England. English has taken many forms, American English, the Queens English, Australian, Canadian English, and several others. Even American English has taken several types of English, Jersey English, East Coast English, West Coast English, Southern English, slang English, and Ebonics. All of these languages have major variants between them, but are all of them are still understood aboard. Without English the world couldnt operate, because there would be no one language that could be understands all over the world. Due to cultural and economic backgrounds English is slightly different in each area, therefore there no one exact English. American English is the most common and broad type of English. American English spreads widely throughout the world, because of the wide spread traveling that many American dos. American English itself breaks apart into almost fifty types of spoken English. Each type of spoken American English is changed depending on the type of music that area listens to, the life styles they live, and the background of that area. For example, southerners speak faster and more rapidly then most Idahodians do. As A result of this, many southerners slur their words together so that they can speak faster, creating such words as Yall, yunkto, and yesum. Yall is the two word you and all slurred together. Yunkto is three words slammed together. These words are you, want and to. It would be used in a sentence such as, Yall yunkto go to dinner? Meaning, do you all want to go to dinner? And yesum is a combination of yes and maam. All though, these words vary from what many other regions would use, most of other areas of English speaking people would understand what this person would have been saying. This difference between American English and the Queens (British) English is much more dramatic. Where American English vary in itself is just slurs, contractions, and different pronunciation of word, the difference between American and the Queens English is by entire words. British English would use words like Bobby, flat, petrol, and lorry. Bobby is what the British call the police. Flat is their homes or apartments; petrol is the British word for gasoline. In addition, lorry is their word for a truck. While their words are greatly differently then American words people from both countries would understand what the other was saying. While many of these of the types of English vary as much as American and British English, it is still understood around the world. Without there being English many of the Presidents, dictators, tyrants, and terrorist couldnt understand each other. At all of their meeting there would have to be someone that spoke all of the languages that the members of the meeting spoke, or several translators which would make the it even more difficult. Also, with all the types of ethnic groups that are in America, there was to be one common language that everybody can understand. If America didnt speak English, everybody in America, and around the world, would have to find one common language for the entire world to learn to speak. English was merely the easiest for everybody to pick up. English can be traced back as far as the early 1100s B.C. The Anglo-Saxons in England spread their language as many different enemies tried to take over England, but failed. They would force their prisoners to learn their language, and inter-grade themselves into society. The language grew even more steadily as the criminals of England were being sailed all the way around the world to Australia. The criminals would be dropped off there and forced to learn to survive on their own. With an increasingly large number of criminals being put on this vacant island, they learned and continued to speak English. As technology and other advances were made, these former English citizens left the island and visited the other Asian countries; they spread English to more people and areas. This was also just the beginning of the spread of English throughout the world. The major spread of English happened during World War I and World War II. After several years of fighting during World War I Germany finally decided to surrender. After they surrendered both Americans and British soldiers put to into Germany to help rebuild it as it paid the British and American debt from the war. Inter-grading English speaking citizens in with the Germans made it possible for Germans to pickup and accept more English words into their vocabulary. Next, after World War II Americans were put into more countries that didnt speak English. For example, American soldiers were put into Japan for six years after the war to help reconstruct the cities from the damage that the atomic bomb caused. With Japanese being forced to work so closely with Americans, they, as well as the Germans did, learned words and the language that the American reconstructors were using. With the Japanese and Germans picking up some of our language, they would have never understood half of what we were telling them. While they may have picked up some of what we were saying through osmosis, there wouldnt have been anyway for the citizens of two different nations to understand each other. English was also being took back to Japan by the Japanese that came to America and wrote they families and visited them back in Japan. While English has taken many forms and shapes, it is the most important language still in use. Without English, the world couldnt operate properly.

Free Handmaids Tale Essays: Men Will be Men :: Handmaids Tale Essays

Men Will be Men in The Handmaid's Tale Perhaps the most frightening aspect of Offred's world is not even its proximity, but its occasional attractiveness. The idea that women need strict protection from harm is not one espoused solely by the likes of Rush Limbaugh or Pat Buchanan, but also by women like Andrea Dworkin and Catharine MacKinnon. This protectionist variety of feminism is incorporated in the character of Offred's mother, and to a certain degree in Aunt Lydia. Offred's mother is just as harsh in her censorship of pornography as any James Dobson. By burning the works which offend her, she too is contributing to the notion that women's safety is contingent on squelching the Bill of Rights. The restriction of sexually explicit pictures places the blame for sex crimes on women, again -- the women in the photographs who supposedly drive men to rape. Where have we heard this before? Who else refuses to hold rapists responsible for their own actions, choosing instead to restrict the behavior of those they consider the catalysts? Aunt Lydia is depicted as being mildly psychotic, but the "freedom from" that she offers seems oftentimes almost soothing. To be free of fear of rape would be a wonderful thing. To force men to act respectful seems not too bad. We can observe this attitude on our own campus, where the student government holds a "nightwalk" every few years. On these walks, dangerous areas are marked out and reported to the Physical Plant and the campus police. In response, bushes and trees next to walkways are demolished to discourage possible attackers who might conceal themselves in them. More halogen lamps are installed. More foot patrol officers walk potential problem spots. Every year the campus looks less like a university and more like an armed camp, but we accept these ugly alterations on our environment in the name of safety. It doesn't seem like such a high price to pay. In a way, many women already live in a sort of Gilead. They would not dream of going out alone. They feel unfulfilled without children. They do not read (they don't have the time.) They occupy little more than a servant's position in their own homes. Their access to abortion is denied. They already live under so many unreasonable restrictions and expectations -- what's a little more, if it comes with a guarantee of safety?

Earth and Spirituality Essay -- Christianity Creation Ecology Papers

Earth and Spirituality For many people, spirituality and ecology may be separate disciplines, spirituality being the realm of clergy and ecology the realm of scientists. But we are living in a time of both ecological and spiritual crisis, one in which we are loosing species at unprecedented rates and in which masses of people are desperately seeking some spiritual direction in life. It is possible that the only way to restore wholeness may be to rediscover the vital connection between the two crises: a spirituality centered in Creation. Spirituality is a part of human existence which people have recognized as far back as we are able to discern, and yet it is a concept not easily defined in words. One way to define it may be to describe spirituality as the relationship between life and the spirit. The spirit is that part of ourselves which is at the core of our existence and of who we are as beings, that which extends beyond ourselves and gives life meaning beyond physical survival. Religion then is organized spirituality: the uplifting and nurturing of spirit by people uniting to go about the business of living. Throughout existence as we know it, religion has taken many forms, but as is the case with spirituality, it appears to be as ancient as human life itself. History of Spirituality in connection with Earth I will begin by discussing some of the history of spirituality as connected with Earth. So-called "primitive" religion, in what we are able to gather from cave drawings, fossils, and artifacts, centered around the interconnectedness of the human and non-human worlds, and also for many thousands of years, had a distinctly feminine or androgynous focus in its imagery. Integral to this spirituality were ritual a... ...ciety Publishers. "Shamanic Counseling and Ecopsychology". 1995. In Theodore Roszak, Mary Gomes, and Allen Kanner (Eds.), Ecopsychology: Restoring the Earth, Healing the Mind (p. 182). San Fransisco: Sierra club Books. Sjoo, Monica and Barabara Mor. 1987. The Great Cosmic Mother. San Francisco: Harper and Row. Soelle, Dorothee. 1990. The Window of Vulnerability: A Political Spirituality. Minneapolis: Fortress. Solutions Now: holistic problem solving. Availableat: http://www.solutions.com/soulu__spirita.html Tauli-Corpuz, Victoria. 1996. Reclaiming Earth-based spirituality. In Rosemary Radford Reuther (Ed.), Women Healing Earth (pp. 99-106). Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books. Toynbee, Arnold. 1974. The Religious Background of the Present Environmental Crisis. In David and Eileen Spring (Eds.), Ecology and Religion in History. New York: Harper and Row.

History of Table Tennis Essay

The sport got its start in England towards the end of the 19th century when, after dinner, some upper-middle class Victorians decided to turn their dining room tables into miniature versions of the traditional lawn tennis playing field. Several different every-day objects were employed in constructing the sport. They used a line of books as the net. Rackets were lids from empty cigar boxes, and a little later, parchment paper stretched around a frame. The ball would be either a ball of string, or perhaps more commonly, a champagne cork or rubber ball. Before â€Å"Table Tennis.† When the game first started it was called by a number of different names. â€Å"Whif whaf,† â€Å"gossamer,† and â€Å"flim flam† were commonly used to describe it. The words, as can be assumed, were derived from the sound that the ball made when hit back and forth on the table. In 1901 though, English manufacturer J. Jaques & Son Ltd registered one of the more popular names, Ping-Pong, as a copyright. He later sold the trademark to the Parker Brothers in the United States. Then in the 1920’s the name and the sport were revived in Europe as table tennis. Evolution The turn of the century brought many other refinements to the sport. Players started using celluloid balls after the English man James Gibb discovered them during a trip to the United States in 1901 and proved them to be perfect for Ping-Pong. In 1903, E.C Goode replaced parchment paper and cigar box lids with pimpled rubber on light wooden â€Å"blades† as rackets. And after the world championships in Prague in 1936, where two defensive players took over an hour to contest one point, the net was lowered to make the pace of the game-play faster. (In another effort to make the game more fast paced and entertaining, rules were again changed in 2001- see Rules). It Spreads Also around this time, the sport spread to other European countries and to the United States. Asian countries like China, Korea and Japan are understood to have learnt about it from British Army officers who held posts in those places. There was an unofficial world championship held in 1901, but the first official world championship was held in London in 1927 by the International Table Tennis Federation. The ITTF was founded in Berlin in 1926 by England, Sweden, Hungary, India, Denmark, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, and Wales. Asian Factor Although it may seem today that the sport, in the professional realm, is dominated by Asian countries like China and Korea, it wasn’t always that way. Before the late 1950’s and early 60’s, European players from Hungary especially, but also from France and Sweden seemed without competition. But in 1952, Japanese player Horoi Satoh introduced the foam rubber paddle. The paddle made the game faster and spinning the ball became an even greater factor. Japan became the main winner in the world competitions in 1960, and by the mid 1960’s China took over the reigns through to the early 1980’s. Their absolute domination of the sport was finally subdued with the entering of table tennis into the Olympic Games in 1988 and the participation of players from Korea and Sweden. Table Tennis and the Cold War On April 6th, 1971, the US table tennis team was invited on an all-expenses-paid trip to play in China. Four days later, nine players, four officials and two spouses crossed the bridge from Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland. They were the first group of Americans to be allowed into the country since the communist take-over in 1949. One of the first signs during the Cold war of improved relations between the United States and China, Time magazine called it â€Å"the pong heard throughout the world.† It was shortly followed with a visit to China by President Nixon. Facilities and Equipment The Table The playing surface, should be rectangular, 2.74m long and 1.525m wide, and shall lie in a horizontal plane 76cm above the floor .The playing surface should not include the vertical sides of the tabletop. The playing surface should yield a uniform bounce of about 23cm when a standard ball is dropped on to it from a height of 30cm. The playing surface shall be uniformly dark colored and matt, but with a white side line, 2cm wide, along each 2.74m edge and a white end line, 2cm wide, along each 1.525m edge. The playing surface shall be divided into 2 equal courts by a vertical net running parallel with the end lines, and shall be continuous over the whole area of each court. For doubles, each court shall be divided into 2 equal half-courts by a white center line, 3mm wide, running parallel with the side lines; the center line shall be regarded as part of each right half-court. The Net Assembly The net shall be suspended by a cord attached at each end to an upright post 15.25cm high, the outside limits of the post being 15.25cm outside the side line. The top of the net, along its whole length, shall be 15.25cm above the playing surface. The Ball The ball shall be spherical, with a diameter of 40mm.and weigh 2.7g. The ball shall be made of celluloid or similar plastics material and shall be white or orange, and matt. The Racket The racket may be of any size, shape or weight but the blade (wooden face) shall be flat and rigid. The covering material (rubber sheets) shall extend up to but not beyond the limits of the blade, except that the part nearest the handle and gripped by the fingers may be left uncovered or covered with any material. The surface of the covering material on a side of the blade, or of a side of the blade if it is left uncovered, shall be matt, bright red on one side and black on the other. Slight deviations from continuity of surface or uniformity of color due to accidental damage or wear may be allowed provided that they do not significantly change the characteristics of the surface. Rules of the game Serving The server shall project the ball near vertically upwards, without imparting spin, so that it rises at least 16cm and then falls without touching anything before being struck. The ball shall not be hidden from the receiver by any part of the body or clothing of the server or his doubles partner and as soon as the ball has been projected, the server’s free arm shall be removed from the space between the server’s body and the net. If the umpire is doubtful of the legality of a service he may, on the first occasion in a match, declare a let (see below) and warn the server. Any subsequent service of doubtful legality of that player or his doubles partner will result in a point to the receiver. Whenever there is a clear failure to comply with the requirements for a good service, no warning shall be given and the receiver shall score a point.

In Your Opinion What Is/Are The Main Theme(s) Of The Book?

Have you ever thought about death? Are you ready to die? If your answer is no, you can change it by reading Tuesday With Morrie . This book is filled with perfect aphorisms and life lessons that can change someone’s life. Tuesday classes with Morrie changed Mitch Albom’s life and thought him how to live. The issues that they talked about are big lessons for everyone. Personally, I have learned a great deal from the book and in this essay, I explain some important themes which, in my opinion, are offered in rejection of what culture is holds to be true, give love and let it come in, and do not think money is everything. First theme is rejecting what culture is saying. do not believe what people around you telling what is right or wrong. Try to develop your own culture by finding people whom you can trust . Every society has its own problems; therefore, you need to be strong and listen to your heart , do your work , and do not give up on things that you do not believe in . For example, in the book Morrie’s opinion is â€Å"we are teaching the wrong things. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn’t work, don’t buy it† (page 35). This quote means that if you listen to media, news, and your friends and do what they ARE saying, you will end up with an unhappy life. Likewise, Morrie, who loses his independence, is still accepted in society, because he has unique way for living, he has his own culture. He started project called Greenhouse, where poor people could receive mental health services. He visited by colleagues, kept in touch with his students, and wrote letter to his distant friends. All of this is signs of a fact that he was successful in developing his own culture. To sum up, do not waste your time to believe culture and do not lose your confidence. Believe yourself and trust your belief to have a happy life. The second theme is the fact that love can never die. If you have someone to love you, you will never disappear from his or her minds. Love between you and your family will take care of you at any time, even though you got terminal disease, like Morrie, and there is no hope for you to live. â€Å"The fact is there is no foundation, no secure ground, upon which people may stand today if it isn’t the family. (page91) For instance, in Morris’s opinion â€Å"love is A rational act† (page 134). It means if you give love, it will return to you. He quoted from W. H. Auden the thing that love is the essence of every person, and every relationship without it is nothing. We can see that the importance of love in Morrie’s life is clear for him because when he is going close to death without care of his family, he would pe rish. In conclusion, love brings happiness and meaning to life. Lastly, do not think money is everything. People who just work for money are always busy. They do not pay attention to people around them, they are alone, and everything is money for them. They think money gives them power, and it can sustain them at any time even when they face with death. However, Morrie knows better since when one encounters death, neither money nor power will give one the feeling that they are looking for. People, who think more money is better, do so because they did not find meaning in their lives, so to find out the meaning in their lives, they just run for new houses, new cars, and property. They seek meaning in appearance. The truth is, you don’t get satisfaction from those things. Only offering what you have to give, gives you satisfaction. †(page126) For example, if you have skill in computer, you can teach to the old people. They will be very grateful. This is how you start to get respect by offering your time and your talent. Lastly, money cannot give you everything you need; on the contrary, it can make you lonelier. In conclusi on, I really enjoyed the book and I have learned from it. It thought me that culture is not always right and most of people do not know this fact. They rather be brainwashed in their lives. Second theme is love people around you, enjoy your moment with them, and find someone to give your love uniquely. Have children to experience one of the most important feelings in life; a sense Of fullness and felicity which cannot be expressed in words. Additionally, the last thing is money. It is not something for which you would be supposed to work and spend all your time on. Instead, pay more attention to people around you, and put more essence of human being in your lifetime. Finally, I am seeing this book as a life reference, filled with perfect quotes and stories. I really recommend it to people to read and learn from it.

Why Tough Teachers Get Good Results

I had a teacher once who called his students â€Å"idiots† when they screwed up. He was our orchestra conductor, a fierce Ukrainian immigrant named Jerry Kupchynsky, and when someone played out of tune, he would stop the entire group to yell, â€Å"Who eez deaf in first violins!? † He made us rehearse until our fingers almost bled. He corrected our wayward hands and arms by poking at us with a pencil. Today, he'd be fired.But when he died a few years ago, he was celebrated: Forty years' worth of ormer students and colleagues flew back to my New Jersey hometown from every corner of the country, old instruments in tow, to play a concert in his memory. I was among them, toting my long-neglected viola. When the curtain rose on our concert that day, we had formed a symphony orchestra the size of the New York Philharmonic. I was stunned by the outpouring for the gruff old teacher we knew as Mr. K. But I was equally struck by the success of his former students.Some were musici ans, but most had distinguished themselves in other fields, like law, academia and medicine. Research tells us that there is a positive correlation between music education and academic achievement. But that alone didn't explain the belated surge of gratitude for a teacher who basically tortured us through adolescence. We're in the midst of a national wave of self-recrimination over the U. S. education system. Every day there is hand-wringing over our students falling behind the rest of the world. Fifteen-year-olds in the U. S. rail students in 12 other nations in science and 17 in math, bested by their counterparts not Just in Asia but in Finland, Estonia and the Netherlands, too. An entire industry of books and consultants has grown up that capitalizes on our collective fear that American education is inadequate and asks what American educators are doing wrong. I would ask a different question. What did Mr. K do right? What can we learn from a teacher whose methods fly in the face of everything we think we know about education today, but who was undeniably effective? As it turns out, quite a lot.Comparing Mr. K's methods with the latest findings in fields from music to math to medicine leads to a single, startling conclusion: It's time to revive old-fashioned education. Not Just traditional but old-fashioned in the sense that so many of us knew as kids, with strict discipline and unyielding demands. complain if a teacher called my kids names. But the latest evidence backs up my modest proposal. Studies have now shown, among other things, the benefits of moderate childhood stress; how praise kills kids' self-esteem; and why grit is a better predictor of success than SAT scores.All of which flies in the face of the kinder, gentler philosophy that has dominated American education over the past few decades. The conventional wisdom holds that teachers are supposed to tease nowledge out of students, rather than pound it into their heads. Projects and collaborative learning are applauded; traditional methods like lecturing and memorization†derided as â€Å"drill and kill†Ã¢â‚¬ are frowned upon, dismissed as a surefire way to suck young minds dry of creativity and motivation. But the conventional wisdom is wrong.And the following eight principles†a manifesto if you will, a battle cry inspired by my old teacher and buttressed by new research†explain why. 1. A little pain is good for you. Psychologist K. Anders Ericsson gained fame for his research showing that true xpertise requires about 10,000 hours of practice, a notion popularized by Malcolm Gladwell in his book â€Å"Outliers. † But an often-overlooked finding from the same study is equally important: True expertise requires teachers who give â€Å"constructive, even painful, feedback,† as Dr.Ericsson put it in a 2007 Harvard Business Review article. He assessed research on top performers in fields ranging from violin performance to surgery to compute r programming to chess. And he found that all of them â€Å"deliberately picked unsentimental coaches who would challenge them and drive them to higher levels of performance. † 2. Drill, baby, drill. Rote learning, long discredited, is now recognized as one reason that children whose families come from India (where memorization is still prized) are creaming their peers in the National Spelling Bee Championship.This cultural difference also helps to explain why students in China (and Chinese families in the U. S. ) are better at math. Meanwhile, American students struggle with complex math problems because, as research makes abundantly clear, they lack fluency in basic addition and subtraction†and few of them were made to memorize their times tables. William Klemm of Texas A;M University argues that the U. S. needs to reverse the bias gainst memorization. Even the U. S.Department of Education raised alarm bells, chastising American schools in a 2008 report that bemoaned the lack of math fluency (a notion it mentioned no fewer than 17 times). It concluded that schools need to embrace the dreaded â€Å"drill and practice. † 3. Failure is an option. Kids who understand that failure is a necessary aspect of learning actually perform better. In a 2012 study, 111 French sixth-graders were given anagram problems that were too difficult for them to solve. One group was then told that failure and trying again are part of the learning process.On subsequent tests, those children onsistently outperformed their peers. The fear, of course is that failure will Bowling Green State University graduate student followed 31 Ohio band students who were required to audition for placement and found that even students who placed lowest â€Å"did not decrease in their motivation and self-esteem in the long term. † The study concluded that educators need â€Å"not be as concerned about the negative effects† of picking winners and losers. 4. Strict is be tter than nice. What makes a teacher successful?To find out, starting in 2005 a team of researchers led by Claremont Graduate University education professor Mary Poplin spent five ears observing 31 of the most highly effective teachers (measured by student test scores) in the worst schools of Los Angeles, in neighborhoods like South Central and Watts. Their No. 1 finding: â€Å"They were strict,† she says. â€Å"None of us expected that. † The researchers had assumed that the most effective teachers would lead students to knowledge through collaborative learning and discussion. Instead, they found disciplinarians who relied on traditional methods of explicit instruction, like lectures. The core belief of these teachers was, ‘Every student in my room is underperforming ased on their potential, and it's my Job to do something about it†and I can do something about it,'† says Prof. Poplin. She reported her findings in a lengthy academic paper.But she says that a fourth-grader summarized her conclusions much more succinctly this way: â€Å"When I was in first grade and second grade and third grade, when I cried my teachers coddled me. When I got to Mrs. T's room, she told me to suck it up and get to work. I think she's right. I need to work harder. 5. Creativity can be learned. The rap on traditional education is that it kills children's' creativity. But Temple University psychology professor Robert W. Weisberg's research suggests Just the opposite. Prof. Weisberg has studied creative geniuses including Thomas Edison, Frank Lloyd Wright and Picasso†and has concluded that there is no such thing as a born genius. Most creative giants work ferociously hard and, through a series of incremental steps, achieve things that appear (to the outside world) like epiphanies and breakthroughs. Prof.Weisberg analyzed Picasso's 1937 masterpiece Guernica, for instance, which was painted after the Spanish city was bombed by the Germans. The pai nting is considered a fresh and original concept, but Prof. Weisberg found instead hat it was closely related to several of Picasso's earlier works and drew upon his study of paintings by Goya and then-prevalent Communist Party imagery. The bottom line, Prof. Weisberg told me, is that creativity goes back in many ways to the basics. â€Å"You have to immerse yourself in a discipline before you create in that discipline.It is built on a foundation of learning the discipline, which is what your music teacher was requiring of you. † 6. Grit trumps talent. In recent years, University of Pennsylvania psychology professor Angela Duckworth has studied spelling bee champs, IVO' League undergrads and cadets at the U. S. Military Academy in West Point, N. Y. †all together, over 2,800 subjects. In all of them, she found that grit†defined as passion and perseverance for long-term goals†is the correlated with talent. Close Arthur Montzka Tough on the podium, Mr. Kwas alw ays appreciative when he sat in the audience.Above, applauding his students in the mid-1970s. Prof. Duckworth, who started her career as a public school math teacher and Just won a 2013 MacArthur â€Å"genius grant,† developed a â€Å"Grit Scale† that asks people to rate themselves on a dozen statements, like â€Å"l finish whatever I begin† and â€Å"l become interested in new pursuits very few months. † When she applied the scale to incoming West Point cadets, she found that those who scored higher were less likely to drop out of the school's notoriously brutal summer boot camp known as â€Å"Beast Barracks. West Point's own measure†an index that includes SAT scores, class rank, leadership and physical aptitude†wasn't able to predict retention. Prof. Duckworth believes that grit can be taught. One surprisingly simple factor, she says, is optimism†the belief among both teachers and students that they have the ability to change and thus to improve. In a 009 study of newly minted teachers, she rated each for optimism (as measured by a questionnaire) before the school year began. At the end of the year, the students whose teachers were optimists had made greater academic gains. 7.Praise makes you weak†¦ My old teacher Mr. K seldom praised us. His highest compliment was â€Å"not bad. † It turns out he was onto something. Stanford psychology professor Carol Dweck has found that 10-year-olds praised for being â€Å"smart† became less confident. But kids told that they were â€Å"hard workers† became more confident and better performers. The whole point of intelligence praise is to boost confidence and motivation, but both were gone in a flash,† wrote Prof. Dweck in a 2007 article in the Journal Educational Leadership. â€Å"If success meant they were smart, then struggling meant they were not. 8†¦. while stress makes you strong. A 2011 University at Buffalo study found that a mode rate amount of stress in childhood promotes resilience. Psychology professor Mark D. Seery gave healthy undergraduates a stress assessment based on their exposure to 37 different kinds of significant negative events, such as death or illness of a family member. Then he plunged their hands into ice water.The students who had experienced a moderate number of stressful events actually felt less pain than those who had experienced no stress at all. Having this history of dealing with these negative things leads people to be more likely to have a propensity for general resilience,† Prof. Seery told me. â€Å"They are better equipped to deal with even mundane, everyday stressors. † Prof. Seery's findings build on research by University of Nebraska psychologist Richard Dienstbier, who pioneered the concept of â€Å"toughness†Ã¢â‚¬ the idea that dealing with even routine hings, like having a hardass kind of teacher,† Prof. Seery says. My tough old teacher Mr. K co uld have written the book on any one of these principles.Admittedly, individually, these are forbidding precepts: cold, unyielding, and kind of scary. But collectively, they convey something very different: confidence. At their core is the belief, the faith really, in students' ability to do better. There is something to be said about a teacher who is demanding and tough not because he thinks students will never learn but because he is so absolutely certain that they will. Decades later, Mr. K's former students finally figured it out, too. â€Å"He taught us discipline,† explained a violinist who went on to become an League-trained doctor. Self-motivation,† added a tech executive who once played the cello. â€Å"Resilience,† said a professional cellist. â€Å"He taught us how to fail†and how to pick ourselves up again. † Clearly, Mr. K's methods aren't for everyone. But you can't argue with his results. And that's a lesson we can all learn from. Ms. Lipman is co-author, with Melanie Kupchynsky, of â€Å"Strings Attached: One Tough Teacher and the Gift of Great Expectations,† to be published by Hyperion on Oct. 1. She is a former deputy managing editor of The Wall Street Journal and former editor-in-chief of Cond © Nast Portfolio.A version of this article appeared September 28, 2013, on page Cl in the U. S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: Tough Teachers Get Results. Copyright 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact.

Multiple Directorship

Issue of multiple directorships has recently came to public concern. It becomes more and more common that directors in listed companies retaining multiple directorships and even some legislators are involved. This situation is popular in Hong Kong and Singapore, however, many directors in United States are usually involved in one company only. There are serval problems in exercising multiple directorships to listed companies. First, director may not meet his function diligently. With regard to the Non-statutory Guidelines on Directors Duties Principle 4 , a director of a company must exercise the care, skill and diligence that would be exercised by a reasonable person with the knowledge, skill and experience reasonably expected of a director in his position. It doubts that one can dedicate enough time to read documents and attend meetings for each company if he has multiple directorships. If he made any decisions that harm the company given that he did not read sufficient information and understnad the situation of the company, he is not act due care and skill as a director. The Guidelines Principle 11 also sated that a director of a company must take all reasonable steps to ensure that proper books of account are kept so as to give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and explain its transactions. As many companies follow similar accounting schedules, most common are setting year-end date as 30 April or 31 December, during the end of the accounting period, they have to review all the financail statements of the listed companies they directed in order to ensure there are no fraud. It doubts that they can review all the financail statements if he has directored over 20 listed companies. If there are frauds and mistakes in financial statements, it would affect the investors and shareholders who rely on the annual reports of the companies to make investment decisions. Furthemore, directors may have conflicts of interests when he exercises multi corporate directorships. As more director roles will increase opportunity of represetning compainces which are related. In Bristol and West Building Society v Mothew (1998), the court explained that one of the fiduciary duties of directors is not to allow any conflict between their duties as directors and their personal interests. If the contract in which he has a personal interest adverse to that of company is voidable by the company and the profits made may be recovered by the company. In Transvaal Lands Co v New Belgium (Transvaal) Land and Development Co (1914) UK, defendant had a benefical inrerest in a company which sold shares to the company which he was a director, H took part in the decision to make the purchase. So, if the director of one company has business or transactions to other company that he has directorship, it will have higher chance for conflict of interests or transferring benefits between companies. Regarding to the legislators being multiple corporate directors, now seven legislators have hold total of 63 paid board positions. According to Cheung (2012), it will be difficult for the legislators to deal with livelihood issues if the they keep in touch with and work for the corporations. If legislators are the companies' directors, public will have a perception that they spoke for the buiness sectors rather than citizen. Moreover, it may prevent the functioning of Legislative Council (Legco), according to the editoiral of ming pao (2011), at least five Legco members have omitted to register such interests. Although these are not serious omissions, we can see that some legislators are not serious about registering their interests and have neglected that they have not followed the guidelines. It is important for them to disclose all their intersts including shareholdings, paid directorships, property and election donations of their directorships. By now the listed companies in Hong Kong need to have at least a third of independent directors who do not have business relationship with the company and do not manage the operation of the company. Before, companies are required to have at least three independent directors, but no restrictions on the ratio. It is believed that this new rule is to match the international practices such as United States and UK and protect shareholders’ interest. This new listing rules will make it difficult to find independent directors because not so much people are interested in the low remuneration role. It may indicate that some firms need to cut the size of the board. In conclusion, one especially a legislator should not take up too many directorships in order to advoid conflict of interest and act due deligent. The legislaors cannot avoid disclosing their interest to Legco. It is suggested that Legco should amend its Guidelines on Registration of Interests to require legislators not only register the remunerated directorships but also unmunerated so as to protect the shareholders and the companys’ interest.

Case 5 the Ken Griffey Jr. Negotiation Summary

Case Summary Ken Griffey Jr. was a professional baseball player for the United States. Griffey was known as one of the first professional baseball players in the two North American leagues who held the post as an outfielder and has proven to be an excellent hitter and outstanding fielder over several years. During negotiations, Griffey played for a Seattle Team called Seattle Mariners. His contract with Seattle was to end in the 2000 season. If Griffey stayed in Seattle for the 2000 season and allowed his contract to expire, he could have become a free agent who can possibly sell his services and talent to other baseball teams. However, if Seattle can trade him during the time of the case, they could get something for Griffey because he has supreme talent which can bring Seattle many great players in return. Seattle could have tried to sign Griffey into a new contract but knew that Griffey was very unhappy in Seattle for several reasons. Griffey expressed on numerous occasions a desire to live closer to his relatives. After the 1999 season, Griffey’s request was approved and he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for a couple players which involved Brett Tomko, Mike Cameron, Jake Meyer, and Antonio Perez. Originally, the expectations looked bright for Griffey in Cincinnati because the Reds had just come within one game of a playoff. Cincinnati was the city where Griffey grew up and he was very pleased to be playing on his father’s previous team. Ken Griffey, Jr. was a featured star of the Mariners and a fan favorite in Seattle throughout is tenure. The case involves negotiations that consist of professional baseball athlete Ken Griffey, Jr. which occurred during the winter of 2000.

Catholic domination in Ireland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words

Catholic domination in Ireland - Essay Example In general, such a powerful influence is closely associated with the Irish self-government principle ‘Home Rule as Rome Rule’3. However, it is often argued that this principle â€Å"ignores the reality of the power of the Catholic Church in Irish society and in relation to the body politic under previous British rule†4. Another control tool, implemented by the Church is linked with strict censorship. It was required for protecting traditional moral values. Since censorship of any kind is grounded on prejudices, it influences the shaping of people’s morals and manners, and impacts perspectives on the entire concept of the rule of law. â€Å"Censorship can be defined simply as the restriction, by proper authorities, of intellectual, literary, artistic materials in any format†5. Moreover, censorship by the Catholic Church is best understood in the context of community. Hence, such concepts as teachings, or social behaviour, which are inconsistent with t he rule of faith, should be censored in order to preserve the life of the community. Hagstrom6 outlines censorship within the church among the believers as ‘in-house censorship’. ... ules for editing materials and ideas of the social life sphere, making â€Å"judgments on ideas, philosophies, behaviours and books that were contrary to Christian faith and morals†7. An example of such an early censorship implementation is known as the Index of Forbidden Books, or Index Librorum Probibitorum. This was issued in 1557 by Pope Paul IV, though, it had a historical precedence dated AD 496 â€Å"in a Decree issued by Gelasius, listing heretical and apocryphal books banned by preceding councils and popes†8 . This Index included a list of titles, which Catholics were not permitted to read and to own without ecclesiastical permission. Harold Gardiner conveys the Catholic Church’s censorship standards, accepted after achieving the independence, wee closely linked with the notion that church is the cradle of love, which is intended for directing various parts of society towards the common harmony and enrichment9. In accordance with the clerical philosophy, the state is regarded as a ‘natural’ institution, where a human being forms a community with his fellow man, as a part of the social unity. Furthermore, Gardiner10 emphasizes that the human origin as the God’s offshoot presupposes the necessity for the communal living, hence this need is also God-given, while the endeavour for the individuality leads to coercion, and its further development into tyranny and injustice. Since the government and its authority are ‘natural’, the institutions such as the Censorship Board are also regarded as ‘natural’, â€Å"and as such, legitimate guardians and assessors of the norms towards which one must strive†11. Hence, â€Å"the statement that authority is natural is a mistaken analysis of how authority in such circumstances functions†12 because according to the

CRJ 422 Week 1 discussions 1 and 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CRJ 422 Week 1 discussions 1 and 2 - Essay Example Analysis of the traditional cultural versus the interpersonal interest conflict from the angle of social justice, it is important to understand the implication of same-sex marriage to the society that is opposed to the arrangement. Equally, it would be significant to understand the implication of prohibiting same-sex marriage as it will lead to infringing the rights of the minority in the society. In the approach of social justice, Therefore, the main question in the application of the law is whether it is just to protect the minority in the community or to safeguard the rights of the majority in the community. The constitution of the United States through the chapter on the bill of rights stipulates the rights freedoms and privileges that are enjoyed by the American citizens. Nevertheless, in as much as the citizens have their rights stipulated in the Constitution, which is the principle law of the country, the rights at some point, could be seen to interfere with the free operations of the criminal justice system. The fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth amendments of the constitutions are particularly of concern to the criminal justice. Individuals are protected from unreasonable search and seizure of property unless with warrant for a probable cause according to the fourth amendment. This amendment may hinder the operation of criminal justice. An example when the police suspect that evidence of robbery are hidden in a particular location and could be relocated any time, it would take the police time to process the warrant which might be ready after the relocation. In the Fifth Amendment, individuals are protected from self-incriminating and double jeopardy. This amendment prevents the criminal justice from benefiting from the evidence that a criminal may be willing to present (Deborah, 2013). The sixth amendment requires individual proceeds in a court to

Proposal for Exec Hotels for Business Improvement Essay

Proposal for Exec Hotels for Business Improvement - Essay Example However, the costs associated with a new focus on tourism business are currently beyond the company’s capabilities. It has been determined that renewed local marketing is the best methodology to ensure revenue growth outside of the London centre of operations. 2. The business case Occupancy rates at hotels in Europe have seen stability in the last few years, with an average rate of 63 percent in London (Carlson Wagonlit, 2011). However, many European capitals are being hit hard currently with the economic global downturn, therefore the business should focus on its local business and presence (brand reputation) in the United Kingdom rather than expanding abroad. The company staff and executive leadership team are currently well-versed in local UK cultures, values and systems and by remaining in the UK for expansion, it will avoid the high costs of training and human resources restructuring for other European countries. The goal is to improve occupancy rates during the weekend where business is the most incapacitated, however the challenge to Exec Hotels is ensuring a method to fill weekend rooms without focusing on the new tourism market. This can be accomplished by staying true to the current values and operational know-how that currently exists in the UK marketplace. 3. The methodology for revenue improvements Competitive advantage for medium-sized hotels lays specifically in market innovation practices (Lin & Wu, 2008).

SHORT LISTENING ASSIGNMENT FORMAT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SHORT LISTENING ASSIGNMENT FORMAT - Essay Example group of musicians like the group of three trumpeters, saxophonists, and trombone players and the soloists like the pianist or cellist or the drummer take turns to improvise the piece based on what was performed by the musician(s) before him. Riff refers to short relaxed phrases being repeated over varied melodies. In this piece the complex riff structure in the head arrangements or collaborative arrangement that was memorized and not written down. The visual appeal in the video is remarkable. The video displays the musicians’ prowess and their rhythmic motions to the music mark the beginning of the swing era. The swing music was gaining popularity at the time and the Jazz Big Bands were a reflection of the times. The trumpet solo was very significant. The musician starts from low tone and displays a wide range in tone during his solo. He is preceded by the saxophone soloist and succeeded by the piano solo. The trumpet lends to the bouncy beat and light mood of the music piece and is very well placed in the sequence. The visual elements as discussed previously is enhanced with the lighting effects where the lights fall on each sectional as they play out their piece starting with saxophone players, the trombones and their head motions imitating the music and then the section of trumpet players. The One O’Clock Jump ends with all the players playing a repetitive phrase with variations in tone and melody and the catchy beat almost like a dance beat lends to the charm of the song. Why this jazz song became so popular is not difficult to understand. The overall performance is quite astounding. The light and fluffy rhythm has an energetic feel that is easy to swing to and uplifts the mood instantly. The complex riffs played out by the ensemble is very melodious and the sequences played out all seem to fit in perfectly and hence it is no wonder why it has come to be considered as one of the best songs of the

The Pictorial Presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Pictorial Presentation - Essay Example As the paper highlights because of these reasons, Darren was feeling that it is highly unethical to change the artwork of a country, change the tradition (involving men whereas traditionally it’s being done by the females) and satisfy them by just paying a handsome amount. Traditions and artifacts mostly represent the people of country, their rituals, history, important events etc. Changing the artifacts and traditions means changing the base of the country. This study outlines that generally, ethics are considered important for the success of any business. Basically ethics and seven step model recommends the concept of righteous of action. Righteous of action means that any task you do for any one it should be trustful. It should meet all required obligations. Every thing or deal made should be crystal clear.   One should make decisions regardless of differences of religion, age, sex and position. Ethics highly recommend the fair decisions, sense of responsibility of each other. Thus, ethical decisions should be made by keeping these all facts in mind. According to the seven step model, an organization should be trustful with its customers, internal and external members of the organization. If the company does not do this; it would be ethically wrong. Here, Darren should be trustful with Puna Native American’s. He should tell them the pros and cons of doing this commitment with the Artifacts, LTD i.e. tell Puna Native Americanà ¢â‚¬â„¢s that societies, countries became weak when their basic cultural symbols are change. Whereas, he did not did that as his boss wanted him to do so for the Fredrick and the profit of the company. According to the model Darren should motivate Fredrick and her boss to think on some other idea or plan.

Performance Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Performance Evaluation - Essay Example Thirdly, there are strong evidences found which represent the inclusion of an element of biasness and partiality in evaluating the performance of the personnel, which in turn may lead to significant deviations from the actual performance of the personnel. Traits are defined as the properties and characteristics of any given person’s personality. Every person always keeps and carries all personality traits with him/her such that these traits become inseparable from the personality of the person. In evaluating the performance of an employee, the personality traits do have their importance as they actually demonstrate what the personality of the employee is all about (Dessler 2010). Is he/she charming, extrovert, sharp, lazy, or arrogant etc? Behaviors are the particular course of action that a person demonstrates in a particular situation. Behaviors are more concerned with the physical activities and dealings that a person displays given the overall theme or mood of a particular environment. These behaviors are also affected by the mood and emotions of the person as well. For instance, the employee may reflect a careless behavior in the work environment which would be referred to as his behavior, but what actually is causing him to behave in such a weird manner, might be the family issues, financial issues or any other issue (Dessler 2010). Job results are the actual outcomes that are achieved as a result of performing a specific task or duty. Whatever task or duty assigned to the worker, is judged by the ultimate outcome or result of that particular task (Dessler 2010). For example, if an employee is assigned to draft a particular report, the ultimate outcome or result of that task would be the final draft report to be handed over to the supervisor. What actually matters to any organization are the results obtained by the employees. Only those organizations prosper and remain successful in developing a result-oriented culture in their

Clashes over Muslim minorities in Europe throughout the past ten years Research Paper

Clashes over Muslim minorities in Europe throughout the past ten years - Research Paper Example This has happened because of world developments relating to Muslims such as the Arab revolution, Afghanistan war, uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia and the revolution in Iran. Additionally, Europeans countries have recently seen an increasing number of Muslim immigrants to their countries. This has led to reactions by some of those governments to the differences in the religions and the political system of Muslims. Furthermore, the case of September 11th has led to fear of Muslim individuals in most European countries. More of this has also been accelerated by the laws which European government enacted relating to terrorist activities. Clashes by Muslim minorities are an expression of fury because of perceived insults expressed to them by secular European communities. European nations have seen increasing number of immigrants for the past four decades. The immigrants are mainly driven by economic changes in their countries of origin. For example, the immigrants are in search of jobs and better living standards as compared to their countries. With this increasing number of movement to European countries, the Islamic population has so far increased in percentage in comparison to the majority population. Consider the case of France, according to Islam in France (1), the number of Muslims in France are about 3.5 to 5 million which is approximately 6 to 8% of the whole population. With these figures it is clear that the number of Muslims in European countries is large. Most of those Muslims are immigrants from North African countries like Algeria, Tunisia. Others are from Middle East and Turkey. The Muslims in France have settled in most parts of the country. In addition, Taras (54) shows that approximately 70% of the Muslims in France are from Algeria and Tunisia respectively. The author points out that since 1950, there has been an increase in the number of Islamic communities in Europe. The approximation provided by the author is 800,000 to 15 million from the 1950s to 2000. The number has so far risen and by year 2008 there were 20 million Muslims in Europe. The high growth of the Islamic population in Europe has increased the attention from Europeans because the population is more and increasing as compared to other minorities. The reproduction rate caused by the previous settled Muslim contributes to the increasing population including the immigration flows. Tara (55) presented statistics showing that in 2011, the number of Muslims throughout Europe were 44 million in all parts of Europe. This increasing number has caused questions from some of the prominent people especially journalists. One of the journalist blogged about the increasing number of Muslims throughout Europe, with the explanation given being that the growth is high in big cities like London, Paris and Berlin. Most bloggers have been talking about the increasing number, according to the research conducted by US Department of State; the percentage of people talking about incre asing number of Muslims in their country has risen. The statistic of the research showed that 61 percent of people in Hungary agree that there is an increase in the number of Muslims in the country. Other European countries have had the same talk, Italy, Poland, Germany and Britain have falling percentages respectively. The research showed

Ap Biology Notes Cellular Communication Essay Example for Free

Ap Biology Notes Cellular Communication Essay Cell-to-cell communication is essential in multicellular organisms. They must communicate to coordinate activities such as growth and development, and reproduction. In addition unicellular organisms communicate with each other. Signals may use light, or touch but we will focus on chemical signals. 1. External signals are converted to responses within the cell a. Evolution of cell signaling i. In yeast a cells and ÃŽ ±cells both secrete chemicals, which can only be received by the alternate type yeast. This signals the two cells to join via fusion 1. The process by which the signal on the surface of the cell is converted to a series of steps by the cell in response is called a signal transduction pathway ii. Signal transduction pathways are very similar in yeast and in complex multicellular organisms 2. This leads scientists to believe that this pathway evolved first in ancient prokaryotes b. Local and long distance signaling iii. Local signaling 3. Adjacent cells of plants and animals may communicate through cell junctions a. Signaling substances dissolved in the cytoplasm travel between cells i. Plants = plasmodesmata ii. Animals = gap junctions 4. Animal cells may use the following b. Cell-to-cell recognition iii. Direct contact between membrane-bound cell-surface molecules iv. Important in embryonic development and immune response c. Paracrine signaling v. Uses local regulators which are released and travel only a short distance to nearby cells vi. Ex. Growth factors target nearby cells to grow and divide d. Synaptic signaling vii. Electrical signal along a nerve cell triggers a chemical release across a synapse to trigger response in target cell viii. Ex. Nerve cells iv. Long- distance signaling 5. Both plants and animals use hormones e. Animals (endocrine signaling) cells release hormones which travel in the circulatory system to target cells f. Plants hormones travel in vessels or by diffusion through the air as gas g. Hormones vary in size and shape 6. Nervous system signals can also be long distance c. The three stages of cell signaling: A preview v. Reception: when the target cell detects a signaling molecule. The signaling molecule binds to a receptor protein on the target cell’s surface vi. Transduction: After binding the receptor protein is changed in some way, this converts the signal to a form that will bring about a specific cellular response 7. May occur in a single step or a series of changes vii. Response: The transduced signal triggers a specific cellular response. 8. Catalysis of an enzyme, rearrangement of the cytoskeleton, activation of a specific gene 2. Reception: A signaling molecule binds to a receptor protein, causing it to change shape d. To ensure signals are sent to the correct cell signaling molecules act as a ligand. viii. Ligand- molecule that specifically binds to another (usually larger) molecule ix. The receptor protein then usually changes shape x. May be located on the membrane or inside the cell e. Receptors in the plasma membrane xi. Water-soluble signaling molecule binds to receptor on the membrane causing it to change shape or aggregate. f. Intracellular Receptors xii. Found in cytoplasm or nucleus of target cells 9. Signaling molecule must be hydrophobic enough or small enough to pass through the plasma membrane h. Steroid hormones, thyroid hormones, nitric oxide | Examples| Pathway| Other| G-Protein Coupled Receptors| Yeast mating factors, epinephrine, hormones, neurotransmitters| 1. signaling molecule binds to the g-protein receptor 2. receptor changes shape and the cytoplasmic side binds to the inactive G protein 3. GTP then displaces to form GDP and activates the protein 4. Activated G protein diffuses along the membrane to an enzyme altering the enzyme to trigger the next step| Bacteria such as whooping cough, botulism and cholera disrupt this pathway| Receptor Tyrosine Kinases| Enzymes that catalyze the transfer of phosphate groups| 1. binding of two signaling molecules to two tyrosine chains causes the two to associate with each other forming a dimer 2. dimerization activates the tyrosine kinase region to add a phosphate from and ATP to each tyrosine in the polypeptide 3. each tail can now bind to and activate a different specific relay protein within the cell| One receptor may activate ten+ pathways. Absence can result in cancer| Ion Channel Receptors| Nervous system| 1. signaling molecule binds to the ion channel in the membrane 2. protein changes shape creating a channel through the membrane 3. specific ions can now flow through the membrane which may cause a change in the cell or trigger another pathway| Some ion gated channels are controlled by change in voltage rather than binding of a ligand| g. Intracellular Receptors xiii. Ex. Testosterone 10. Hormone passes through the plasma membrane 11. Testosterone binds to a receptor protein in the cytoplasm activating it 12. The hormone-receptor complex enters the nucleus and binds to a specific gene 13. The bound protein acts as a transcription factor, stimulating the transcription of the gene into mRNA 14. The mRNA is translated into a specific protein 3. Transduction: cascades of molecular interactions relay signals from receptor to target molecules in the cell h. Protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation xiv. Proteins can be activated by the addition of a phosphate group (often broken off of ATP or GTP) 15. Phosphates are transferred from ATP to a protein by a general group of enzymes known as protein kinases i. Phosphorylation often causes the protein to change shape j. This happens because the added phosphate group interacts with polar or charged amino acids within the protein xv. Protein phosphatases are enzymes that remove phosphate groups from a protein 16. Mechanism for turning off signal transduction 17. These also allow for turning off and reusing pathways i. Small molecules and ions as second messengers xvi. Molecules other than proteins act as second messengers 18. Small and water soluble such as ions k. This allows them to rapidly spread throughout the cell via diffusion 19. Second messenger refers to anything after the first messenger which is the extracellular signaling molecule that binds to the membrane 20. Most common second messengers are cyclic AMP and Ca+2 xvii. Cyclic AMP as a second messenger in response to the hormone epinephrine 21. Epinephrine binds to receptor molecule protein activates adenylyl cyclase which can catalyze the synthesis of many molecules of cAMP l. Adenylyl cyclase catalyzes the conversion of ATP into cAMP ix. cAMP usually activates a serine/threonine kinase known as protein kinase A which phosphorylates many other proteins m. cAMP is converted back to AMP by phosphodiesterase xviii. Calcium ions and inositol tripohosphate 22. Increasing calcium concentration causes responses such as muscle contraction, secretion of substances, and cell division in animals, and greening in response to light in plants 23. Calcium is usually in high concentrations outside of the cell and in the ER but in low concentrations in the cytosol 24. Pathway n. Signaling molecule binds to receptor   o. Phospholipid pinches off membrane IP3 is released as second messenger p. IP3 binds to receptor on ER causing protein channel to open q. Ca+2 is released into cytosol 4. Response: Cell signaling leads to regulation of transcription or cytoplasmic activities j. Nuclear and cytoplasmic responses xix. Pathways lead to the regulation of one or more cellular activities 25. Regulate protein synthesis r. Turning specific genes on or off (calls for the synthesis of mRNA from DNA) 26. Regulate protein activity s. Cause a shape change to turn a protein on or off 27. Regulate overall shape change of cell 28. Release of mating factors 29. Cell division k. Fine-tuning of the response xx. Signal amplification 30. Enzyme cascades amplify effects by increasing the product at each step t. Enzymes stay active long enough to work on multiple products before becoming inactive xxi. The specificity of cell signaling and coordination of the response 31. Different types of cells are programmed to respond to only certain types of signals u. Some cells will respond to the same signals but in different ways v. This is because different cells have different collections of proteins xxii. Signaling efficiency: scaffolding proteins and signaling complexes 32. Scaffolding proteins increase the efficiency of the response w. A large protein with multiple protein kinases attached x. Decreases the time of the response because diffusion between proteins is not needed 33. Pathways are not linear, in fact the same protein may act in multiple pathways 34. Relay proteins serve as branch points where the signal may go in one of two directions xxiii. Termination of the signal 35. Each step in the pathway lasts only a short time, this makes the proteins ready for a new signal 36. When the signaling molecule leaves leave the receptor it reverts to its inactive form and the relay molecules follow