Friday, December 27, 2019

My Trip to Amsterdam - 1435 Words

I am lucky enough to say that my dad took me to Amsterdam. I was seventeen at the time and a junior in high school. To a seventeen year-old, Amsterdam is known as the party capital of the world, or the Las Vegas a Europe (minus the billionaire casinos). In other words, Amsterdam is known as the place to go if you want to â€Å"party, party, party,† with the minimal fear of consequences. Amsterdam is a city on water in the Netherlands. There, the consumption of marijuana is legal as long as the person consuming it is at least eighteen. The drinking age for beer is sixteen, for liquor is eighteen, and to buy tobacco there, the person has to be at least sixteen. Prostitution is also legal there, which the Red Light District is quite famous for.†¦show more content†¦They are establishments created for buying and smoking pot. After stepping through the door with a large and bold â€Å"eighteen years and older only† sign, I saw a counter with a rather extensive list of pot names and matching prices. Even though I was seventeen, I disregarded the sign I saw on the door. I don’t think anyone there cared anyway. Behind the counter were couches with short tables in front of them. We sat at a couch and thirty minutes and a few tries, we managed to roll up a marijuana cigarette from the weed we had just purchased. This was epic to me. Hawaiian Haze is what our pot was called. It had a citrus, skunk-like odor and was lime green buds dressed with millions of tiny luminescent crystals. We smoked the Hawaiian Haze marijuana cigarette and both agreed that its potency was insane. I felt as if I was in another world and everything was slightly humorous. I wasn’t used to this feeling but it was fun and interesting to me. I spent my time the first day at various coffee shops, meeting new people and striking up conversations at any opportune moment. Luckily for me, English is a well known language there. My second night there, I visited a sports bar whom the owner of my hotel also owned. It was quite nice and had numerous, comfortable couches and multiple large flat-screen televisions displaying soccer. There was also darts, slot machines, pool tables, and even computer with free internet access. I drank a couple of Amstel beers while I wasShow MoreRelatedEssay On Preparing Around The World Trip998 Words   |  4 PagesFor An Around The World Trip This is my first time preparing for an around the world trip and I thought I’d write a little about my experience and what I’m trying to do to be prepared both mentally and physically. I’ve been to Europe once and have traveled extensively around the United States since I was a child. 4 Week Central Europe Experience For this trip I plan on spending 4 weeks in Europe then fly from a city there to Bangkok, Thailand. I’m starting in Amsterdam, staying at a hostel andRead MoreThe Fault In Our Stars by John Green Essay696 Words   |  3 Pageswas a cloudy day, typical Indiana: the kind of weather that boxes you in.† In the second half of the story, the setting switches to Amsterdam, which is the complete opposite of Indiana. Augustus and Hazel both confess a feeling of freedom, describing how they feel that anything is possible. I chose to use a jar filled with water to represent the setting. Because Amsterdam is 2m below sea level and is at constant risk of flooding, it’s like a â€Å"drowning city†, and similarly Hazel could be called a â€Å"drowningRead MoreAnalysis Of The Fault In Our Stars1321 Words   |  6 Pageswith her. Gus asks if they could know the plotline following the end of the book, but unfortunately the duo will only inform them in person for copyright reasons. Lidewij and Peter invite Hazel and Augustus to come to their house if they ever visit Amsterdam. Hazel flawlessly describes her pain at multiple points in the book. One definition is, â€Å"Even then, it hurt. The pain was always there, pulling me inside of myself, demanding to be felt† (Green 142). Pain is an underlying condition that damagesRead MoreBook Report: Fault in Our Stars1243 Words   |  5 Pagesreally wanted Hazel to feel loved so he used his Genie Foundation Wish, a organization that helps cancer patients wishes comes true, to take her to Amsterdam to meet Peter Van Houten. Hazel agreed to go because this was her favorite writer in the world, she wasn’t about to turn this trip down; so Augustus, Hazel, and Hazel’s mother are on the way Amsterdam. Hazel does one last thing before she goes, she goes to the Support Group. She then see her friend Isaac, who is still trying to learn how to operateRead MoreThe Fault Of Our Stars By John Green1023 Words   |  5 PagesHouten, the man who wrote the book that Augustus and Hazel could not stop reading, An Imperial Affliction. They loved the book so much that Augustus spent his cancer wish, a wish that kids with cancer made to do what they wished to do, to go to Amsterdam with Hazel and meet Peter Van Houten. The next main character is Augustus’s best friend, Isaac. Isaac is the whole reason that Augustus and Hazel met, Isaac dragged Augustus to support group with him, and at support group, Hazel and Augustus couldRead MoreThe Fault In Our Stars Theme Essay1394 Words   |  6 Pageswhatever, you know?’ ‘Okay. I’ll have fun tonight, okay? I’ll go do crazy mom stuff while you and Augustus go to dinner.’†. These lines are the dialogue between Hazel and her mom when they were together in Amsterdam. Hazel is demonstrating that she really wants her mom to have fun during their trip instead of wasting this opportunity because of her. Her mom, however, appears to be secretly worried. Her parents should be, but simply saying what Hazel wou ld want to hear to have her ease on her plans.Read MoreDear My Not A Diary1240 Words   |  5 PagesDear my Not-A-Diary, The world is one cruel place to be in. At all times. There is never an exception, not even for the good people of the world. And in this world I met the most wonderful girl. Of course, she has cancer in her, because screw her and her happiness in this messed up world. Of course, it could be worse for her. She could’ve died a long time ago from what she has. But then again, what has being alive gotten her? To meet me. And meeting me is quite lovely. But I do feel likeRead MoreNigerian Diaspora And The African Diaspora1256 Words   |  6 PagesStates, I have struggled with understanding my identity as a Nigerian-American. I did not realize how much my culture and I have adapted to mainstream American culture until I went back to Nigeria and found myself as an outsider. I would like to explore how other Nigerians have been able to hold on different aspects of their culture, which cultural aspects they are able to hold onto, while adapting to the dominant culture of their new countries. During my time here at Carolina, I did not have theRead More Personal Narrative Sociological Concepts in My Trip to Europe947 Words   |  4 PagesPersonal Narrative Sociological Concepts in My Trip to Europe My trip to Europe was an eye opening experience. It awakened my senses to so many different aspects of life I had not already been introduced to. It was almost like watching a movie, from the minute I stepped of the plane everything was different. When I think about the trip and what experiences I had many sociological concepts come to mind, such as culture shock, ethnocentrism, culture, social locators, cultural transmission, normsRead MoreThe Jewish Concentration Camp On The Camp1460 Words   |  6 Pagesactually took place. I never knew all of the symbols each prisoner wore and had no clue there was a different symbol for everyone in the camp. Seeing the original prisoner suits was amazing yet sad. The status of the mangled bodies will be imbedded in my memory and I will never forget what the wall stated which was â€Å"Never again.† The solidarity jail cells was eye opening. The different places for each religion were a great way to bring togetherness. After tour was over we got fries and napped Went to

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Firstly, Antidiva Is An Autobiography, By Carole Pope

Firstly, Antidiva is an autobiography, written by Carole Pope. Note: this book is not a biography. The key difference between a biography and an autobiography is that, in an autobiography, the author is telling a story about themselves, their own life. As opposed to a biography, where someone write an account of another’s life. Being aware this book is an autobiography is incredibly important if you consider the concepts of â€Å"truth† and reliable narrators. Antidiva is Pope’s account, memories, and research of her own life as she sees it and sees fit to tell (or is allowed to tell). Censorship, rights, lack of knowledge or simply not wishing to disclose certain things are all factors which may take some of the â€Å"truth† out of a story. Pope’s†¦show more content†¦beginning, middle, and end. Of course, being an autobiography, one would not expect a grandiose fictionalized story, but a borrowing the structure of narrative stories can ma ke an onslaught of facts and figures much easier to comprehend (Corrigan, 2012). Pope jumps from point to point in her life, making it very difficult to follow for a reader who is not extensively or obsessively familiar with her life. Even the indication of some form of timeline would add some clarification. Pope will explain the success of her band Rough Trade and hit songs and the aftermath of it all, then, much later in the book, explain how the songs were written and the band was formed. As the book stands, there is no sense of a coherent timeline. It is written in an almost volatile way: an expulsion of words and thoughts, attempted to be strung together on a page. The style of Antidiva seems as though Pope has narrated off the top of her head and haphazardly wrote it down. The tenses in the book shift with no discernable reason as to why, as everything Pope discusses is a past event. Noticeably the shift to present tense happens in the chapter â€Å"The Me Decade† and c ontinues to fluctuate for the remainder of the book between present and past tense (Pope, 2000). Although the structure of the book is akin to Pope’s character, chaotic and against the grain, it makes the book difficult to follow and comes across as sloppy writing and editing. That observation is strictly from a classical

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Depreciation of Business RandD Capital †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Depreciation of Business RandD Capital. Answer: Introduction: Depreciation is the amount which is charged as an expense in the statement of profit and loss. It is the amount which is charged for the loss of wear and tear of the assets of the company. This loss of wear and tear is generally caused by few factors which include the method of usage by the company, the change in fashion and obsolescence and so on. Depreciation is the non cash item and it usually provides the material effect. Cost of the Asset Cost of the asset is the amount equivalent to the amount paid for the acquisition of that asset and bringing that asset to the present location and condition. The cost includes the purchase price of the asset which is paid to the vendor, the amount of taxes, duties and other similar levies paid to the government authorities and the amount of freight and insurance incurred to bring the asset to the location where the assets are required to be placed and from that place the asset is put to use (Li, 2016). Useful Life of the Asset The useful life of the asset is defined as the life which the asset will have for the coming future years. The useful life is generally expressed in the number of years. The Corporations Act, 2001 read with the accounting standards have prescribed the useful lives of the asset which every company has to follow. The management of the company is required to decide the useful life of an asset keeping in consideration with the provisions of the accounting standard and in case any deviation is there then the company is required to disclose the same fact of the depreciation with the reasons for adopting the different useful life for that particular asset. On the basis of this useful life only the rate of depreciation or the amount of depreciation is calculated and written off during the year so as to arrive at the net carrying amount as per the requirements of the accounting standards. Scrap Value of the Asset - The scarp value of the asset is defined as the value which the company will receive at the time of expiry of the useful life of the asset and is equivalent to the amount which the asset will fetch in the open market at the time of the end of the useful life of the asset (Rus, 2016). The scrap value is the third and last needs which are considered as the integral part for calculating the depreciation of the first year. The determination of the scrap value totally depends upon the discretion of the management and the management of the company shall make the judgment with professional care. In this way, the afore said three requirements are the basic requirements for the calculation of the depreciation for the first year and subsequently the depreciation will be calculated with the available figures. References Li, W.C., (2016),Depreciation of business RD capital. National Bureau of Economic Research (No. w22473). Rus, L., (2016), Accounting, analysis and auditing of information regarding tangible assets in the romanian economic entities.Annales Universitatis Apulensis: Series Oeconomica,18(2), p.86.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Lahore City in Pakistan

Lahore, which is the capital city of the Punjan province of Pakistan, is a major business hub. Indeed, it stands out as the second largest city in the nation. The politics and government of the city are shaped around a strong and long cultural history that dates back to about a millennium.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Lahore City in Pakistan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The organization of the city is remarkably strategic since it caters for the five main principle functions set for the city. It serves as an outstanding political, educational, economic, entertainment, and transportation base. These integrated obligations of Lahore make the city not only attractive to entrepreneurs but also one of the most highly populated in the world. In fact, for continued performance of the city, government and political issues that are necessary for paying attention to in relation to the 2030 outlook need also to be organized around the five main functions of the city. With regard to Asher and Talbot (2006), Lahore city is also called â€Å"Mughal city of gardens due to the historic presence of gardens in and around it dating back to the Mughal period† (p.27). This appealing outlook underpins the need to protect the rich cultural heritages presented by Lahore within the postulations of the 2030 outlook. One of the dominant challenges of Lahore city is to design effective governance approaches that would ensure that the negative implications emanating from the large population size are addressed effectively.Advertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This anticipated strategy is perhaps an important political and governance issue since Lahore is the home to more than 6 million people as per the 1998 statistics derived from the national census with the 2010 government approximations pu tting the population size of the nation as 4 million higher than the 1998 census figures. Although the current population of Lahore is approximated to be even higher than 10 million, the city remains a major tourist attraction center in Pakistan. Hence, it stands out as an epicenter for the foreign policies enacted by Pakistan in relation to how the Muslim-dominated nation deserves to treat people from diverse denominational backgrounds arriving at the city annually from all across the globe. Based on the Pakistan’s 2001 revision for administrative structures, Lahore was rated among the city districts. Although it remains a single city under this administrative structure, Lahore was further subdivided into nine towns. Every town is then further subdivided into union council to ease the administrative work. The nine towns are â€Å"Ravi, Nishter, Shalimar, Iqbal, Wagah, Samanabad, Aziz Bhati, Gulberg, and Data Ganj Bakhsh† (Asher Talbot, 2006). As a major economic and governance hub in Pakistan, Lahore is the home of several Pakistani government-run corporations including WAPDA and WASA. Economically, Lahore city has a GDP of about 40 billion US dollars as per the 2008 statistics. The projected growth of the economy was 5.6% then. According to Price Water House Coopers â€Å"†¦as a whole, Punjab has a 115 billion$ economy making it the first Pakistani Subdivision of economy scooping more than 100 billion$ at the rank 144† (p.8).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Lahore City in Pakistan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These figures have the implication of putting Lahore’s contribution to the overall economic development of Pakistan to about 13.5 %. In line with the 2030 outlook, the GDP of the city of Lahore is anticipated to reach the one billion US dollar mark by 2025. This expected outcome is accompanied by an economic growth rate of more than 5.6 % annually. Reference List Asher, C., Talbot, C. (2006).The History of Pakistan’s Cities. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Price Water House Coopers. (2010). Global city GDP rankings 2008-2025. Pakistan: Price Water House Coopers. This research paper on Lahore City in Pakistan was written and submitted by user Aiyana Hurst to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

An Evaluation of Extra Sensory Perception free essay sample

This paper evaluates the paranormal phenomena of people being able to read minds or as it is more scientific called: Extra sensory perception (ESP), precognition, controlled remote viewing and anomalous cognition. This paper states that, to date, parapsychology research has only been able to demonstrate the likelihood of the ability to read minds. The author reviews the SCAI experiments but believes that science has not been able to explain clearly and definitively the phenomena. He concludes that currently science believes the probability of people being able to read minds is low though evidence in the future may indicate otherwise. Recent premises for the above claim by parapsychologists are the results of the ganzfeld, the random-number generator, and the famous SRI and SAIC experiments. Prima facie, it would appear that there is a great deal of empirical evidence to indicate that mind reading can and does happen. However, a closer look will reveal that all the cited examples of scientifically approached experiments suffered from certain limitations. We will write a custom essay sample on An Evaluation of Extra Sensory Perception or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The SAIC experiments on anomalous mental phenomena have been acknowledged by a large body of respected scientists to be methodologically and statistically superior to the earlier SRI research as well as to previous parapsychological studies, since they avoided all the major flaws such as non-independent trials and the problems of multiple statistical testing that was characteristic of much of the previous work.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Huey P. Newton And The Black Panther Party Essays - Black Power

Huey P. Newton And The Black Panther Party Essays - Black Power Huey P. Newton And The Black Panther Party During the late 1960's and early '70's posters of the Black Panther Party's co-founder, Huey P. Newton were plastered on walls of college dorm rooms across the country. Wearing a black beret and a leather jacket, sitting on a wicker chair, a spear in one hand and a rifle in the other, the poster depicted Huey Newton as a symbol of his generation's anger and courage in the face of racism and imperialism (Albert and Hoffman 4, 45). His intellectual capacity and community leadership abilities helped to founded the Black Panther Party (BPP). Newton played an instrumental role in refocusing civil rights activists to the problems of urban Black communities. He also tapped the rage and frustration of urban Blacks in order to address social injustice. However, the FBI's significant fear of the Party's aggressive actions would not only drive the party apart but also create false information regarding the Panther's programs and accomplishments. In recent years, historians have devoted much attention of the early 1960's, to Malcolm X and Martin Luther King and have ignored the Black Panthers. The Panthers and Huey P. Newton's leadership of the Party are as significant to the Black freedom struggle as more widely known leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. A typical American history high school textbook not only neglects to mention Huey Newton but also disregards the existence of the Black Panthers altogether. Therefore, we must open this missed chapter in American history and discover the legacy and story of Huey P. Newton. Huey's experiences growing up were centered in his conception of the Black Panthers. Unlike King and many other civil rights leaders who were religious Southerners, from middle class and well-educated families, Huey P. Newton was a working class man from a poor urban black neighborhood. Born February 17, 1942, in Oak Grove Louisiana, Huey moved to Oakland, California when he was just two years old. During childhood, his baby face, light complexion, medium height, squeaky voice and his name Huey, forced him to learn how to fight early on in life. Huey's remarkable quick wit and strength earned him the respect of his peers and the reputation of being a tough guy (Seale 40). Upon his enrollment at Merrit College Huey's academic achievements quickly began to surpass other students, while at the same time he was still able to relate to those he grew up with on the streets of Oakland. Autobiographer, Hugh Pearson in Shadow of the Panther reports that Huey remained comfortable on the street corners with young Negro men who drank wine all dayand fought one another - young men whom most college-bound Negroes shied away from (Pearson 115). Huey's ability and desire to develop his intellect and receive a college education while still identifying with his peers on the street played an influential role in his effective leadership in the Black Panther Party. Early in life Huey experienced regular hostility from local police. He recalled going to the movies as a child where the police would often force him out of the theatre and call him a nigger. Huey reflected upon the mis-treatment in his book To Die for the People; The police were very brutal to us even at that age (Newton 53). Police harassment and physical abuse of Black people became part of every day life for many Blacks across the country. Although the Civil Rights movement was mainly a Southern phenomenon, the non-violent ideology and integrationist focus of the movement became according to historians Floyd W. Hayes and Francis A. C. Kiene as sources of increasing frustration and disillusionment for many Blacks in Northern and Western cities (Hayes and Kiene 159) . As the Civil Rights Movement approached the end of the 1960's northern Blacks became angered by the television coverage of police beatings, incarcerations of Southern non-violent Blacks, employment discrimination along with the police brutalities in Northern Black neighborhoods (Brooks 136). Huey Newton recalls in his autobiography Revolutionary Suicide, We had seen Martin Luther King come to Watts in an effort to calm the people and we have seen his philosophy of nonviolence rejected. Black people had been taught nonviolence; it was deep in us. What good,

Thursday, November 21, 2019

A Conceptual Model of E-Business Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 22500 words

A Conceptual Model of E-Business - Coursework Example Considerable confusion exists in the literature concerning the various terminologies used to describe E-Business. Terms abound with vague descriptions having loose connections to existing management literature and even more cryptic relationships to evolving technology. Despite this, however, there is the relative consensus that the core components of E-Business are Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Supply Chain Management (SCM) and e-commerce. It is important to note that a business may not deploy every component or even attempt to link the three components. Some texts use the term 'enterprise Resource Management" or ERM as a comprehensive term meant to include all E-Business systems in one conceptual entity. It may, thus, be argued that these systems are distinctly different, serve specific functions and may or may not "add up" to a comprehensive organizational capability. Some texts use the term 'enterprise Resource Management" or ERM as a comprehensive term meant to include all E-Business systems in one conceptual entity. It may, thus, be argued that these systems are distinctly different, serve specific functions and may or may not "add up" to a comprehensive organizational capability. The objective of this research is to distinguish and develop a conceptual model of E-Business, on the one hand, and determine, or try to evaluate the potential social impact of e-business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Within the context of the stated, it need be noted that legal strictures have inhibited the development of e-business in KSA but, these restrictions are gradually being lifted. It remains, however, important to emphasize that lack of an e-business presence in Saudi Arabia implies that, rather than evaluate the actual effect within the country of focus, the study will look towards theoretical and empirical studies on the social impact of e-business for the determination of potential, and probable, effect. The Internet has emerged as a key business medium for both large and small firms. Firms are increasingly using the Internet, the World Wide Web (WWW), and other web technologies1 to expand their markets, to conduct business transactions with customers and suppliers, and to enhance their competitive position.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Principles of Economics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Principles of Economics - Research Paper Example sgruntling customers, suppose that the company may introduce a different type of programming that is cheaper for the company to provide yet is equally appealing to customers. Explain what would be the effects of this action. The law of demand states that, ceteris paribas, the higher the price of a commodity, the less the demand will be. On the other hand, the law of supply states that, all factors being constant, sellers are more willing to supply goods at a higher price than at a lower price. This theoretical point at which sellers are willing to supply goods and buyers are getting all the commodities they are demanding is referred to as the equilibrium. The equilibrium is depicted in the figure below: Figure 1: Market equilibrium chart (â€Å"Economics Basics: Demand and Supply,† 2011) If the government make a price ceiling law on cable TV that sets the price below the current equilibrium price two things will happen immediately: (1) cable TV sellers will find the business less attractive because of increased possibility of lower revenues and thus they will lower their supply. (2) Consumers will find the lower prices attractive and thus they will increase their consumption and demand for cable TV. After some duration, the huge consumer demand and low supply will cause consumers to compete for the few cable TVs available. This is depicted below: Figure 2: Effect of price ceiling (Taylor, 2006) In a free market economy, the consumer competition for cable TVs will push the prices up, which will make sellers want to supply more and hence bring the price closer to its equilibrium. However, in this case, the price ceiling prevents suppliers from increasing the supply because of the low marginal benefits compared to marginal cost of supplying cable TVs. This eventually... The rationale for releasing the new guidelines to be used by the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission for evaluating proposed mergers is to provide more clarity and transparency to businesses seeking to engage in mergers and acquisitions. This way business can tell beforehand whether they will be successful with their application or not. Additionally, the new Guidelines take into account changes that have taken place in the legal and economic arenas since the last revision in 1992. From the guidelines one thing that stands out is the Department of Justice’s and the Federal Trade Commission’s focus on protecting competition and innovation within the American business sector. Mergers and acquisitions that may substantially lower competition, or to tend to create a monopoly will be rejected. So too will those M&As that are viewed as done to kill innovation. Some of the major implications of these guidelines are that: (1) it will enable companies save on r esources that they may have wasted on a merger or acquisition that ends up being disapproved; and (2) it provides the legal fraternity with more clear guidelines for those who would like to seek legal redress

Sunday, November 17, 2019

E-Logistics and International supply Chain Management Essay

E-Logistics and International supply Chain Management - Essay Example The international supply chain is a medium which initiates the global trade. The information technology relies heavily on the use of internet. Integrating the technological advancements will lead to the development of e-logistics (Stank, Keller, & Daugherty, 2001). The activities which describe the key logistic functions includes the following The chart shown above explains that logistics deals with the order processing, inventory management, transportation, facilitation networks and warehousing which includes material handling and packaging. The management of all the components and elements for supporting logistics and supply chain function is essential for smooth running of the system (Flint et al., 2005). The details of the elements are shown below. The logistic management is the connection between the suppliers and customers. This includes management of raw materials, in-process inventory and management of the finished goods. The management is responsible for planning, implementing and controlling which include customer satisfaction, demand forecasting, inventory management, procurement, packaging and warehousing etc. The inputs into the logistics include natural resources, human resources, financial resources and information resources (Flint et al., 2005). The outputs of logistics include the competitive advantage, time utility, efficient supply or movement to the customers and inclusion of the proprietary assets. The overall goals associated with logistics management are ensuring that the customers are satisfied and cost can be minimized. Managing the quantities, goods, places, time, condition and cost are the features why logistics is managed (Fugate, Mentzer, and Stank, 2010). Information flow within the system is the tool which makes it dynamic. This requires that the information, communication, cooperation and trust of the individuals are synchronized. With the application of the internet and

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Hindu Temples Architecture And Style Theology Religion Essay

The Hindu Temples Architecture And Style Theology Religion Essay The temples in India have always taken an important place in their cultural and spiritual life of its people, from the early times and till nowadays. In fact the whole cultural and spiritual life of Indian people is built around the temple. The overall purpose of the Hindu temple can be presented in such a way: like the Himalayas, the temple points to the heavens, the abode of the gods. The Hindu temple, step by step, shape-by-shape reverses this primeval descent and places man back on the path toward heaven. Temples were usually built in places marked by special holiness.  The legends associated them with the acts of Vishnu, Shiva, Durga and other gods.  In the 4-5 centuries, when Hinduism during the reign of Gupta dynasty, became the state religion, the main structural elements of the temples were plinth, sanctuary and superstructure.  The stone base of a Hindu temple symbolized the altar, on which the temple itself was sacrificed to a deity.  With the modular characteristics of the proportions of the temple measure cap not taken into account.  The temple was conceived as a structural unit, resting on the altar.   In some early temples the wall of the sanctuary served as main walls of the building, in others the sanctuary was surrounded by a second ring of walls, which created a special gallery to circumvent.  In any case, the churches were dark inside.   Module for Hindu temples and their center was a sculpture of a deity his idol.  Temple priests were called guardians of the idol and the servants of God, whose dwelling was in the temple. Modern scientific analysis of a temple shows that temple-space is surcharged with great positive energy and the visitors can feel physical welfare and mental well-being. This fact rises a lot of questions: how could a structure built of stone or of brick have that kind of energy? What makes the temple so powerful? There is a scientific view that a temple is not a home of God but it is the form of God that means that the temple structure itself is worthy of worship . (Michell , p. 68.) The temple architecture is a scientific phenomenon. The basic concept that determines worthiness of the structure and form of temple is The layout adopted for temple form is synonymous with the layout of the Cosmos. The plan of the layout of a temple is technically called Mandala or Vaastu Pada with a grid of 8x 8 =64 spaces or 9x 9 = 81 spaces of equal dimensions. In modern architectural terminology this can be addressed as energy-grid. Those two layouts are the geometrical formulae to replicate the subtle substance of the universe into visual material form. (Volwahsen, p 44) The important aspect of Hindu temple is that it serves as a cosmic intersection of man, God, and the Universe. But it also is the Universe, reflected in its repeating architectural forms. The careful mathematical measurements that lie in the basic construction of a Hindu temple express the structure of the Universe. For example, in order for the temple to face east, its width must be a perfect multiple of the fraction three-eighths. The outer dimensions of the temple must also satisfy five other equations relating to stars, planets and the passage of time. (Kramrisch, p.132) Another important analogy is between the temple and the mountain that can help to understand the divine purpose of the temple-to serve as a meeting place between man and the gods. It means that the gods could descend to be in the presence of man, like human souls rising up to meet the gods. (Rao, p. 126) The piece of land upon which the temple stands is itself a sacred location a tirtha, a Sanskrit word literally meaning crossing place is a site favored by the gods where water, shade and seclusion are plentiful. Temples must be built on tirthas in order to serve their true purpose as crossing places, and this site selection is only the first step in building a temple. Another important aspect is the vastu-purusa-mandala , that is a rough architectural blueprint for the foundation of the temple, that serves both a practical and a highly symbolic purpose, becoming the architectural and spiritual foundation of the Hindu temple. (Rao, p. 135.) As suggested earlier, the temple is also a microcosm of the Universe, the mandala reflects this aspect of the temple as well: the center square of the mandala stands for the mythical mountain of Meru, the geographic center of the cosmos. Around Mount Meru is arranged a symbolic pantheon of gods, and each god occupies its own square and is ranked in importance by its proximity to the center. (Rao, p. 135.) The next part of this essay analyzes separate elements of the temple, both interior and exterior, and places these elements within the context of the temples divine purpose: to serve as a cosmic meeting place for devotee and deity. The garbhagrha, the sanctum sanctorum of the Hindu temple, presents itself as a point of departure: if the temple is a mountain, the garbhagrha is the cave inside the mountain. The garbhagrha is dark, and its walls are largely undecorated, that contrasts the exterior of the temple, which is often highly ornate and replete with thousands of sculpted images. The simple darkness of the sanctum reflects its function as a womb house, one of the meanings of garbhagrha. (Kramrisch, p. 169) Analysis of Hindu temples in Nagara and Dravida styles The two temples described here, one at Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh), the other at Angkor Wat, give the best possible idea of how the contrasting Nagara and Dravida styles had developed by the 11 century and present aesthetic achievements of the Hindu architectural tradition. Style Nagara, which developed during the 5h century, is characterized by a tower-type hive (called shikhara) made up of several words of architectural elements, such as kapotas and gavaksas, culminating in a large round cushion like element, named amalaka, and  parlance Drum.  The plan of the temple is based on the square, but the walls are often broken down decorative elements in creating the impression that the tower is round.  In more recent temples the central mandapa was surrounded by several small temple buildings, creating a visual effect of a fountain. From the 7th century Dravida , or southern style, has formed a pyramidal tower consisting of progressively diminishing tiers, bottleneck, and the dome on top, also called shikhara (in the southern terminology).  Repeated horizontal tiers visually impart the southern temples squat. Less obvious differences between the two main temple types Nagara and Dravida include the plan area, the selection and arrangement of stone, from which the cut shapes on the external walls and the interior, the range of decorative elements. In spite of their obvious stylistic differences, the temples at Khajuraho and Angkor Wat have basic principles connected with Hindu beliefs and practices. Kandariya Mahadeva temple, Khajuraho This temple was built in the middle of the 11th century by one of the kings of the Chandella dynasty, this great Shiva temple represents the Nagara style ad is one of the best achievements. Kandariya Mahadeva temple is the tallest monument at Khajuraho, its spire rising more than 30.5 metres above the plinth on which the temple is elevated. The temple has 30.5 metres in length and 20 metres in width. Like other fully developed Chandella temples at Khajuraho, it consists of a linear east-west sequence of access steps, entrance porch, columned hall with side balconies, and linga shrine with encircling passageway, off which open three additional balconies, that bring porches. The porches serve as balconies with high seating, bringing ventilation and light to the interior. What distinguishes the Kandariya Mahadeva temple from the other monuments a Khajuraho is its grand scale and elaboration of design and ornamentation. Undoubtedly, the glory of the temple is its lofty curving tower, crowned by an amalaka ( ribbed circular motif). Very significant in the temple is the sculptural treatment of its outer walls, which are covered with images of the god Shiva, to whom the monument is dedicated, with consorts, attendants and lesser divinities. Important among the images here are the aspect of the god, including those who subdues the blind demon, the cosmic dancer, and the destroyer of the triple demon cities. The sculptures are arranged in three tiers on the outside, amounting to no less than 646 figures in all, not counting the 226 figures of the interior. The temple is well known for its erotic groups which are placed on the juncture of the walls of the mandapa and the passageway surrounding the sanctuary, marking one of the most ritually vulnerable parts of the monument. Among the other images are those of female deities, such as the seven mothers, let alone the countless apsaras, or heavenly maidens that attend on the gods, and who are shown in alluring postures that reveal the mastery of the Khajuraho artists in rendering female contours with conscious sophistication and exuberant grace. Angkor Wat in Cambodia, is the second Hindu temple described in the paper, that refers to the Dravida style. This temple was dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, the preserver of the world. Angkor Wat is a gigantic threeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ step pyramid adorned by nine slender towers of enormous height, the steps of the pyramid are capped by galleries. Framed by an enclosure wall and a majestic moat, the temple covers 2.5 square kilometres. The pyramid is raised on a vast terrace of 2 m high, and surrounded by naga balustrades. It opens to the cardinal points by entrance pavilions and stairways. The steps are crowned by surrounding galleries: the first step, containing the gallery of the basreliefs, is 203 m large and 3 m high. Pavilions mark the corners, at the corners of the second tier are four towers, their superstructure is partly missing. The outer gallery of the pyramid, including the western corner pavilions, shelters the most precious treasures of Angkor Wat, reliefs in a total length of more than 600 m. They depict narrative scenes from mythology and history. Reliefs do not simply embellish a temple; they make it a sacred space. In the images which depict the gods and their deeds, the gods themselves are present, and figures and parts of the body are either shown frontally or in profile. Reliefs were always carved in situ, after the walls had been finished; they were cut into the stone. It is important to mention twelve stairways rise to the third level of the pyramid. All five towers open to the cardinal directions, giving open views along the galleries, and the overall picture was a wide and airy hall, full of light. The third level, where are the finest reliefs of Devata, was the throne room of God Vishnu. As for the symbolism of the temple, Angkor Wat is an unsurpassed image of the Mount Meru, the abode of the Gods in the centre of the world. Corresponding to the five peaks of this mountain, at Angkor Wat five towers were visible from every cardinal direction. The enclosure wall symbolizes the mountains surrounding and hiding the Mount Meru; the moat symbolizes the cosmic ocean. The temple complex is a microcosm, an image of a perfect world, stable and in geometrical harmony. We can see that Angkor Wat, as well as Kandariya Mahadeva temple, as all Hindu temples serves as a cosmic intersection of man, God, and the Universe, and also the Universe is reflected in its repeating architectural forms.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Twilight 14. MIND OVER MATTER

14. MIND OVER MATTER He could drive well, when he kept the speed reasonable, I had to admit. Like so many things, it seemed to be effortless to him. He barely looked at the road, yet the tires never deviated so much as a centimeter from the center of the lane. He drove one-handed, holding my hand on the seat. Sometimes he gazed into the setting sun, sometimes he glanced at me – my face, my hair blowing out the open window, our hands twined together. He had turned the radio to an oldies station, and he sang along with a song I'd never heard. He knew every line. â€Å"You like fifties music?† I asked. â€Å"Music in the fifties was good. Much better than the sixties, or the seventies, ugh!† He shuddered. â€Å"The eighties were bearable.† â€Å"Are you ever going to tell me how old you are?† I asked, tentative, not wanting to upset his buoyant humor. â€Å"Does it matter much?† His smile, to my relief, remained unclouded. â€Å"No, but I still wonder†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I grimaced. â€Å"There's nothing like an unsolved mystery to keep you up at night.† â€Å"I wonder if it will upset you,† he reflected to himself. He gazed into the sun; the minutes passed. â€Å"Try me,† I finally said. He sighed, and then looked into my eyes, seeming to forget the road completely for a time. Whatever he saw there must have encouraged him. He looked into the sun – the light of the setting orb glittered off his skin in ruby-tinged sparkles – and spoke. â€Å"I was born in Chicago in 1901.† He paused and glanced at me from the corner of his eyes. My face was carefully unsurprised, patient for the rest. He smiled a tiny smile and continued. â€Å"Carlisle found me in a hospital in the summer of 1918. I was seventeen, and dying of the Spanish influenza.† He heard my intake of breath, though it was barely audible to my own ears. He looked down into my eyes again. â€Å"I don't remember it well – it was a very long time ago, and human memories fade.† He was lost in his thoughts for a short time before he went on. â€Å"I do remember how it felt, when Carlisle saved me. It's not an easy thing, not something you could forget.† â€Å"Your parents?† â€Å"They had already died from the disease. I was alone. That was why he chose me. In all the chaos of the epidemic, no one would ever realize I was gone.† â€Å"How did he†¦ save you?† A few seconds passed before he answered. He seemed to choose his words carefully. â€Å"It was difficult. Not many of us have the restraint necessary to accomplish it. But Carlisle has always been the most humane, the most compassionate of us†¦ I don't think you could find his equal throughout all of history.† He paused. â€Å"For me, it was merely very, very painful.† I could tell from the set of his lips, he would say no more on this subject. I suppressed my curiosity, though it was far from idle. There were many things I needed to think through on this particular issue, things that were only beginning to occur to me. No doubt his quick mind had already comprehended every aspect that eluded me. His soft voice interrupted my thoughts. â€Å"He acted from loneliness. That's usually the reason behind the choice. I was the first in Carlisle's family, though he found Esme soon after. She fell from a cliff. They brought her straight to the hospital morgue, though, somehow, her heart was still beating.† â€Å"So you must be dying, then, to become†¦Ã¢â‚¬  We never said the word, and I couldn't frame it now. â€Å"No, that's just Carlisle. He would never do that to someone who had another choice.† The respect in his voice was profound whenever he spoke of his father figure. â€Å"It is easier he says, though,† he continued, â€Å"if the blood is weak.† He looked at the now-dark road, and I could feel the subject closing again. â€Å"And Emmett and Rosalie?† â€Å"Carlisle brought Rosalie to our family next. I didn't realize till much later that he was hoping she would be to me what Esme was to him – he was careful with his thoughts around me.† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"But she was never more than a sister. It was only two years later that she found Emmett. She was hunting – we were in Appalachia at the time – and found a bear about to finish him off. She carried him back to Carlisle, more than a hundred miles, afraid she wouldn't be able to do it herself. I'm only beginning to guess how difficult that journey was for her.† He threw a pointed glance in my direction, and raised our hands, still folded together, to brush my cheek with the back of his hand. â€Å"But she made it,† I encouraged, looking away from the unbearable beauty of his eyes. â€Å"Yes,† he murmured. â€Å"She saw something in his face that made her strong enough. And they've been together ever since. Sometimes they live separately from us, as a married couple. But the younger we pretend to be, the longer we can stay in any given place. Forks seemed perfect, so we all enrolled in high school.† He laughed. â€Å"I suppose we'll have to go to their wedding in a few years, again.† â€Å"Alice and Jasper?† â€Å"Alice and Jasper are two very rare creatures. They both developed a conscience, as we refer to it, with no outside guidance. Jasper belonged to another†¦ family, a very different kind of family. He became depressed, and he wandered on his own. Alice found him. Like me, she has certain gifts above and beyond the norm for our kind.† â€Å"Really?† I interrupted, fascinated. â€Å"But you said you were the only one who could hear people's thoughts.† â€Å"That's true. She knows other things. She sees things – things that might happen, things that are coming. But it's very subjective. The future isn't set in stone. Things change.† His jaw set when he said that, and his eyes darted to my face and away so quickly that I wasn't sure if I only imagined it. â€Å"What kinds of things does she see?† â€Å"She saw Jasper and knew that he was looking for her before he knew it himself. She saw Carlisle and our family, and they came together to find us. She's most sensitive to non-humans. She always sees, for example, when another group of our kind is coming near. And any threat they may pose.† â€Å"Are there a lot of†¦ your kind?† I was surprised. How many of them could walk among us undetected? â€Å"No, not many. But most won't settle in any one place. Only those like us, who've given up hunting you people† – a sly glance in my direction – â€Å"can live together with humans for any length of time. We've only found one other family like ours, in a small village in Alaska. We lived together for a time, but there were so many of us that we became too noticeable. Those of us who live†¦ differently tend to band together.† â€Å"And the others?† â€Å"Nomads, for the most part. We've all lived that way at times. It gets tedious, like anything else. But we run across the others now and then, because most of us prefer the North.† â€Å"Why is that?† We were parked in front of my house now, and he'd turned off the truck. It was very quiet and dark; there was no moon. The porch light was off so I knew my father wasn't home yet. â€Å"Did you have your eyes open this afternoon?† he teased. â€Å"Do you think I could walk down the street in the sunlight without causing traffic accidents? There's a reason why we chose the Olympic Peninsula, one of the most sunless places in the world. It's nice to be able to go outside in the day. You wouldn't believe how tired you can get of nighttime in eighty-odd years.† â€Å"So that's where the legends came from?† â€Å"Probably.† â€Å"And Alice came from another family, like Jasper?† â€Å"No, and that is a mystery. Alice doesn't remember her human life at all. And she doesn't know who created her. She awoke alone. Whoever made her walked away, and none of us understand why, or how, he could. If she hadn't had that other sense, if she hadn't seen Jasper and Carlisle and known that she would someday become one of us, she probably would have turned into a total savage.† There was so much to think through, so much I still wanted to ask. But, to my great embarrassment, my stomach growled. I'd been so intrigued, I hadn't even noticed I was hungry. I realized now that I was ravenous. â€Å"I'm sorry, I'm keeping you from dinner.† â€Å"I'm fine, really.† â€Å"I've never spent much time around anyone who eats food. I forget.† â€Å"I want to stay with you.† It was easier to say in the darkness, knowing as I spoke how my voice would betray me, my hopeless addiction to him. â€Å"Can't I come in?† he asked. â€Å"Would you like to?† I couldn't picture it, this godlike creature sitting in my father's shabby kitchen chair. â€Å"Yes, if it's all right.† I heard the door close quietly, and almost simultaneously he was outside my door, opening it for me. â€Å"Very human,† I complimented him. â€Å"It's definitely resurfacing.† He walked beside me in the night, so quietly I had to peek at him constantly to be sure he was still there. In the darkness he looked much more normal. Still pale, still dreamlike in his beauty, but no longer the fantastic sparkling creature of our sunlit afternoon. He reached the door ahead of me and opened it for me. I paused halfway through the frame. â€Å"The door was unlocked?† â€Å"No, I used the key from under the eave.† I stepped inside, flicked on the porch light, and turned to look at him with my eyebrows raised. I was sure I'd never used that key in front of him. â€Å"I was curious about you.† â€Å"You spied on me?† But somehow I couldn't infuse my voice with the proper outrage. I was flattered. He was unrepentant. â€Å"What else is there to do at night?† I let it go for the moment and went down the hall to the kitchen. He was there before me, needing no guide. He sat in the very chair I'd tried to picture him in. His beauty lit up the kitchen. It was a moment before I could look away. I concentrated on getting my dinner, taking last night's lasagna from the fridge, placing a square on a plate, heating it in the microwave. It revolved, filling the kitchen with the smell of tomatoes and oregano. I didn't take my eyes from the plate of food as I spoke. â€Å"How often?† I asked casually. â€Å"Hmmm?† He sounded as if I had pulled him from some other train of thought. I still didn't turn around. â€Å"How often did you come here?† â€Å"I come here almost every night.† I whirled, stunned. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"You're interesting when you sleep.† He spoke matter-of-factly. â€Å"You talk.† â€Å"No!† I gasped, heat flooding my face all the way to my hairline. I gripped the kitchen counter for support. I knew I talked in my sleep, of course; my mother teased me about it. I hadn't thought it was something I needed to worry about here, though. His expression shifted instantly to chagrin. â€Å"Are you very angry with me?† â€Å"That depends!† I felt and sounded like I'd had the breath knocked out of me. He waited. â€Å"On?† he urged. â€Å"What you heard!† I wailed. Instantly, silently, he was at my side, taking my hands carefully in his. â€Å"Don't be upset!† he pleaded. He dropped his face to the level of my eyes, holding my gaze. I was embarrassed. I tried to look away. â€Å"You miss your mother,† he whispered. â€Å"You worry about her. And when it rains, the sound makes you restless. You used to talk about home a lot, but it's less often now. Once you said, ‘It's too green.'† He laughed softly, hoping, I could see, not to offend me further. â€Å"Anything else?† I demanded. He knew what I was getting at. â€Å"You did say my name,† he admitted. I sighed in defeat. â€Å"A lot?† â€Å"How much do you mean by ‘a lot,' exactly?† â€Å"Oh no!† I hung my head. He pulled me against his chest, softly, naturally. â€Å"Don't be self-conscious,† he whispered in my ear. â€Å"If I could dream at all, it would be about you. And I'm not ashamed of it.† Then we both heard the sound of tires on the brick driveway, saw the headlights flash through the front windows, down the hall to us. I stiffened in his arms. â€Å"Should your father know I'm here?† he asked. â€Å"I'm not sure†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I tried to think it through quickly. â€Å"Another time then†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And I was alone. â€Å"Edward!† I hissed. I heard a ghostly chuckle, then nothing else. My father's key turned in the door. â€Å"Bella?† he called. It had bothered me before; who else would it be? Suddenly he didn't seem so far off base. â€Å"In here.† I hoped he couldn't hear the hysterical edge to my voice. I grabbed my dinner from the microwave and sat at the table as he walked in. His footsteps sounded so noisy after my day with Edward. â€Å"Can you get me some of that? I'm bushed.† He stepped on the heels of his boots to take them off, holding the back of Edward's chair for support. I took my food with me, scarfing it down as I got his dinner. It burned my tongue. I filled two glasses with milk while his lasagna was heating, and gulped mine to put out the fire. As I set the glass down, I noticed the milk trembling and realized my hand was shaking. Charlie sat in the chair, and the contrast between him and its former occupant was comical. â€Å"Thanks,† he said as I placed his food on the table. â€Å"How was your day?† I asked. The words were rushed; I was dying to escape to my room. â€Å"Good. The fish were biting†¦ how about you? Did you get everything done that you wanted to?† â€Å"Not really – it was too nice out to stay indoors.† I took another big bite. â€Å"It was a nice day,† he agreed. What an understatement, I thought to myself. Finished with the last bite of lasagna, I lifted my glass and chugged the remains of my milk. Charlie surprised me by being observant. â€Å"In a hurry?† â€Å"Yeah, I'm tired. I'm going to bed early.† â€Å"You look kinda keyed up,† he noted. Why, oh why, did this have to be his night to pay attention? â€Å"Do I?† was all I could manage in response. I quickly scrubbed my dishes clean in the sink, and placed them upside down on a dish towel to dry. â€Å"It's Saturday,† he mused. I didn't respond. â€Å"No plans tonight?† he asked suddenly. â€Å"No, Dad, I just want to get some sleep.† â€Å"None of the boys in town your type, eh?† He was suspicious, but trying to play it cool. â€Å"No, none of the boys have caught my eye yet.† I was careful not to over-emphasize the word boys in my quest to be truthful with Charlie. â€Å"I thought maybe that Mike Newton†¦ you said he was friendly.† â€Å"He's Just a friend, Dad.† â€Å"Well, you're too good for them all, anyway. Wait till you get to college to start looking.† Every father's dream, that his daughter will be out of the house before the hormones kick in. â€Å"Sounds like a good idea to me,† I agreed as I headed up the stairs. â€Å"‘Night, honey,† he called after me. No doubt he would be listening carefully all evening, waiting for me to try to sneak out. â€Å"See you in the morning, Dad.† See you creeping into my room tonight at midnight to check on me. I worked to make my tread sound slow and tired as I walked up the stairs to my room. I shut the door loud enough for him to hear, and then sprinted on my tiptoes to the window. I threw it open and leaned out into the night. My eyes scanned the darkness, the impenetrable shadows of the trees. â€Å"Edward?† I whispered, feeling completely idiotic. The quiet, laughing response came from behind me. â€Å"Yes?† I whirled, one hand flying to my throat in surprise. He lay, smiling hugely, across my bed, his hands behind his head, his feet dangling off the end, the picture of ease. â€Å"Oh!† I breathed, sinking unsteadily to the floor. â€Å"I'm sorry.† He pressed his lips together, trying to hide his amusement. â€Å"Just give me a minute to restart my heart.† He sat up slowly, so as not to startle me again. Then he leaned forward and reached out with his long arms to pick me up, gripping the tops of my arms like I was a toddler. He sat me on the bed beside him. â€Å"Why don't you sit with me,† he suggested, putting a cold hand on mine. â€Å"How's the heart?† â€Å"You tell me – I'm sure you hear it better than I do.† I felt his quiet laughter shake the bed. We sat there for a moment in silence, both listening to my heartbeat slow. I thought about having Edward in my room, with my father in the house. â€Å"Can I have a minute to be human?† I asked. â€Å"Certainly.† He gestured with one hand that I should proceed. â€Å"Stay,† I said, trying to look severe. â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† And he made a show of becoming a statue on the edge of my bed. I hopped up, grabbing my pajamas from off the floor, my bag of toiletries off the desk. I left the light off and slipped out, closing the door. I could hear the sound from the TV rising up the stairs. I banged the bathroom door loudly, so Charlie wouldn't come up to bother me. I meant to hurry. I brushed my teeth fiercely, trying to be thorough and speedy, removing all traces of lasagna. But the hot water of the shower couldn't be rushed. It unknotted the muscles in my back, calmed my pulse. The familiar smell of my shampoo made me feel like I might be the same person I had been this morning. I tried not to think of Edward, sitting in my room, waiting, because then I had to start all over with the calming process. Finally, I couldn't delay anymore. I shut off the water, toweling hastily, rushing again. I pulled on my holey t-shirt and gray sweatpants. Too late to regret not packing the Victoria's Secret silk pajamas my mother got me two birthdays ago, which still had the tags on them in a drawer somewhere back home. I rubbed the towel through my hair again, and then yanked the brush through it quickly. I threw the towel in the hamper, flung my brush and toothpaste into my bag. Then I dashed down the stairs so Charlie could see that I was in my pajamas, with wet hair. â€Å"‘Night, Dad.† â€Å"‘Night, Bella.† He did look startled by my appearance. Maybe that would keep him from checking on me tonight. I took the stairs two at a time, trying to be quiet, and flew into my room, closing the door tightly behind me. Edward hadn't moved a fraction of an inch, a carving of Adonis perched on my faded quilt. I smiled, and his lips twitched, the statue coming to life. His eyes appraised me, taking in the damp hair, the tattered shirt. He raised one eyebrow. â€Å"Nice.† I grimaced. â€Å"No, it looks good on you.† â€Å"Thanks,† I whispered. I went back to his side, sitting cross-legged beside him. I looked at the lines in the wooden floor. â€Å"What was all that for?† â€Å"Charlie thinks I'm sneaking out.† â€Å"Oh.† He contemplated that. â€Å"Why?† As if he couldn't know Charlie's mind much more clearly than I could guess. â€Å"Apparently, I look a little overexcited.† He lifted my chin, examining my face. â€Å"You look very warm, actually.† He bent his face slowly to mine, laying his cool cheek against my skin. I held perfectly still. â€Å"Mmmmmm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he breathed. It was very difficult, while he was touching me, to frame a coherent question. It took me a minute of scattered concentration to begin. â€Å"It seems to be†¦ much easier for you, now, to be close to me.† â€Å"Does it seem that way to you?† he murmured, his nose gliding to the corner of my jaw. I felt his hand, lighter than a moth's wing, brushing my damp hair back, so that his lips could touch the hollow beneath my ear. â€Å"Much, much easier,† I said, trying to exhale. â€Å"Hmm.† â€Å"So I was wondering†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I began again, but his fingers were slowly tracing my collarbone, and I lost my train of thought. â€Å"Yes?† he breathed. â€Å"Why is that,† my voice shook, embarrassing me, â€Å"do you think?† I felt the tremor of his breath on my neck as he laughed. â€Å"Mind over matter.† I pulled back; as I moved, he froze – and I could no longer hear the sound of his breathing. We stared cautiously at each other for a moment, and then, as his clenched jaw gradually relaxed, his expression became puzzled. â€Å"Did I do something wrong?† â€Å"No – the opposite. You're driving me crazy,† I explained. He considered that briefly, and when he spoke, he sounded pleased. â€Å"Really?† A triumphant smile slowly lit his face. â€Å"Would you like a round of applause?† I asked sarcastically. He grinned. â€Å"I'm just pleasantly surprised,† he clarified. â€Å"In the last hundred years or so,† his voice was teasing, â€Å"I never imagined anything like this. I didn't believe I would ever find someone I wanted to be with†¦ in another way than my brothers and sisters. And then to find, even though it's all new to me, that I'm good at it†¦ at being with you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You're good at everything,† I pointed out. He shrugged, allowing that, and we both laughed in whispers. â€Å"But how can it be so easy now?† I pressed. â€Å"This afternoon†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It's not easy,† he sighed. â€Å"But this afternoon, I was still†¦ undecided. I am sorry about that, it was unforgivable for me to behave so.† â€Å"Not unforgivable,† I disagreed. â€Å"Thank you.† He smiled. â€Å"You see,† he continued, looking down now, â€Å"I wasn't sure if I was strong enough†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He picked up one of my hands and pressed it lightly to his face. â€Å"And while there was still that possibility that I might be†¦ overcome† – he breathed in the scent at my wrist – â€Å"I was†¦ susceptible. Until I made up my mind that I was strong enough, that there was no possibility at all that I would†¦ that I ever could†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I'd never seen him struggle so hard for words. It was so†¦ human. â€Å"So there's no possibility now?† â€Å"Mind over matter,† he repeated, smiling, his teeth bright even in the darkness. â€Å"Wow, that was easy,† I said. He threw back his head and laughed, quietly as a whisper, but still exuberantly. â€Å"Easy for you!† he amended, touching my nose with his fingertip. And then his face was abruptly serious. â€Å"I'm trying,† he whispered, his voice pained. â€Å"If it gets to be†¦ too much, I'm fairly sure I'll be able to leave.† I scowled. I didn't like the talk of leaving. â€Å"And it will be harder tomorrow,† he continued. â€Å"I've had the scent of you in my head all day, and I've grown amazingly desensitized. If I'm away from you for any length of time, I'll have to start over again. Not quite from scratch, though, I think.† â€Å"Don't go away, then,† I responded, unable to hide the longing in my voice. â€Å"That suits me,† he replied, his face relaxing into a gentle smile. â€Å"Bring on the shackles – I'm your prisoner.† But his long hands formed manacles around my wrists as he spoke. He laughed his quiet, musical laugh. He'd laughed more tonight than I'd ever heard in all the time I'd spent with him. â€Å"You seem more†¦ optimistic than usual,† I observed. â€Å"I haven't seen you like this before.† â€Å"Isn't it supposed to be like this?† He smiled. â€Å"The glory of first love, and all that. It's incredible, isn't it, the difference between reading about something, seeing it in the pictures, and experiencing it?† â€Å"Very different,† I agreed. â€Å"More forceful than I'd imagined.† â€Å"For example† – his words flowed swiftly now, I had to concentrate to catch it all – â€Å"the emotion of jealousy. I've read about it a hundred thousand times, seen actors portray it in a thousand different plays and movies. I believed I understood that one pretty clearly. But it shocked me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He grimaced. â€Å"Do you remember the day that Mike asked you to the dance?† I nodded, though I remembered that day for a different reason. â€Å"The day you started talking to me again.† â€Å"I was surprised by the flare of resentment, almost fury, that I felt – I didn't recognize what it was at first. I was even more aggravated than usual that I couldn't know what you were thinking, why you refused him. Was it simply for your friend's sake? Was there someone else? I knew I had no right to care either way. I tried not to care. â€Å"And then the line started forming,† he chuckled. I scowled in the darkness. â€Å"I waited, unreasonably anxious to hear what you would say to them, to watch your expressions. I couldn't deny the relief I felt, watching the annoyance on your face. But I couldn't be sure. â€Å"That was the first night I came here. I wrestled all night, while watching you sleep, with the chasm between what I knew was right, moral, ethical, and what I wanted. I knew that if I continued to ignore you as I should, or if I left for a few years, till you were gone, that someday you would say yes to Mike, or someone like him. It made me angry. â€Å"And then,† he whispered, â€Å"as you were sleeping, you said my name. You spoke so clearly, at first I thought you'd woken. But you rolled over restlessly and mumbled my name once more, and sighed. The feeling that coursed through me then was unnerving, staggering. And I knew I couldn't ignore you any longer.† He was silent for a moment, probably listening to the suddenly uneven pounding of my heart. â€Å"But jealousy†¦ it's a strange thing. So much more powerful than I would have thought. And irrational! Just now, when Charlie asked you about that vile Mike Newton†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shook his head angrily. â€Å"I should have known you'd be listening,† I groaned. â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"That made you feel jealous, though, really?† â€Å"I'm new at this; you're resurrecting the human in me, and everything feels stronger because it's fresh.† â€Å"But honestly,† I teased, â€Å"for that to bother you, after I have to hear that Rosalie – Rosalie, the incarnation of pure beauty, Rosalie – was meant for you. Emmett or no Emmett, how can I compete with that?† â€Å"There's no competition.† His teeth gleamed. He drew my trapped hands around his back, holding me to his chest. I kept as still as I could, even breathing with caution. â€Å"I know there's no competition,† I mumbled into his cold skin. â€Å"That's the problem.† â€Å"Of course Rosalie is beautiful in her way, but even if she wasn't like a sister to me, even if Emmett didn't belong with her, she could never have one tenth, no, one hundredth of the attraction you hold for me.† He was serious now, thoughtful. â€Å"For almost ninety years I've walked among my kind, and yours†¦ all the time thinking I was complete in myself, not realizing what I was seeking. And not finding anything, because you weren't alive yet.† â€Å"It hardly seems fair,† I whispered, my face still resting on his chest, listening to his breath come and go. â€Å"I haven't had to wait at all. Why should I get off so easily?† â€Å"You're right,† he agreed with amusement. â€Å"I should make this harder for you, definitely.† He freed one of his hands, released my wrist, only to gather it carefully into his other hand. He stroked my wet hair softly, from the top of my head to my waist. â€Å"You only have to risk your life every second you spend with me, that's surely not much. You only have to turn your back on nature, on humanity†¦ what's that worth?† â€Å"Very little – I don't feel deprived of anything.† â€Å"Not yet.† And his voice was abruptly full of ancient grief. I tried to pull back, to look in his face, but his hand locked my wrists in an unbreakable hold. â€Å"What -† I started to ask, when his body became alert. I froze, but he suddenly released my hands, and disappeared. I narrowly avoided falling on my face. â€Å"Lie down!† he hissed. I couldn't tell where he spoke from in the darkness. I rolled under my quilt, balling up on my side, the way I usually slept. I heard the door crack open, as Charlie peeked in to make sure I was where I was supposed to be. I breathed evenly, exaggerating the movement. A long minute passed. I listened, not sure if I'd heard the door close. Then Edward's cool arm was around me, under the covers, his lips at my ear. â€Å"You are a terrible actress – I'd say that career path is out for you.† â€Å"Darn it,† I muttered. My heart was crashing in my chest. He hummed a melody I didn't recognize; it sounded like a lullaby. He paused. â€Å"Should I sing you to sleep?† â€Å"Right,† I laughed. â€Å"Like I could sleep with you here!† â€Å"You do it all the time,† he reminded me. â€Å"But I didn't know you were here,† I replied icily. â€Å"So if you don't want to sleep†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he suggested, ignoring my tone. My breath caught. â€Å"If I don't want to sleep†¦ ?† He chuckled. â€Å"What do you want to do then?† I couldn't answer at first. â€Å"I'm not sure,† I finally said. â€Å"Tell me when you decide.† I could feel his cool breath on my neck, feel his nose sliding along my jaw, inhaling. â€Å"I thought you were desensitized.† â€Å"Just because I'm resisting the wine doesn't mean I can't appreciate the bouquet,† he whispered. â€Å"You have a very floral smell, like lavender†¦ or freesia,† he noted. â€Å"It's mouthwatering.† â€Å"Yeah, it's an off day when I don't get somebody telling me how edible I smell.† He chuckled, and then sighed. â€Å"I've decided what I want to do,† I told him. â€Å"I want to hear more about you.† â€Å"Ask me anything.† I sifted through my questions for the most vital. â€Å"Why do you do it?† I said. â€Å"I still don't understand how you can work so hard to resist what you†¦ are. Please don't misunderstand, of course I'm glad that you do. I just don't see why you would bother in the first place.† He hesitated before answering. â€Å"That's a good question, and you are not the first one to ask it. The others – the majority of our kind who are quite content with our lot – they, too, wonder at how we live. But you see, just because we've been†¦ dealt a certain hand†¦ it doesn't mean that we can't choose to rise above – to conquer the boundaries of a destiny that none of us wanted. To try to retain whatever essential humanity we can.† I lay unmoving, locked in awed silence. â€Å"Did you fall asleep?† he whispered after a few minutes. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Is that all you were curious about?† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"Not quite.† â€Å"What else do you want to know?† â€Å"Why can you read minds – why only you? And Alice, seeing the future†¦ why does that happen?† I felt him shrug in the darkness. â€Å"We don't really know. Carlisle has a theory†¦ he believes that we all bring something of our strongest human traits with us into the next life, where they are intensified – like our minds, and our senses. He thinks that I must have already been very sensitive to the thoughts of those around me. And that Alice had some precognition, wherever she was.† â€Å"What did he bring into the next life, and the others?† â€Å"Carlisle brought his compassion. Esme brought her ability to love passionately. Emmett brought his strength, Rosalie her†¦ tenacity. Or you could call it pigheadedness.† he chuckled. â€Å"Jasper is very interesting. He was quite charismatic in his first life, able to influence those around him to see things his way. Now he is able to manipulate the emotions of those around him – calm down a room of angry people, for example, or excite a lethargic crowd, conversely. It's a very subtle gift.† I considered the impossibilities he described, trying to take it in. He waited patiently while I thought. â€Å"So where did it all start? I mean, Carlisle changed you, and then someone must have changed him, and so on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Well, where did you come from? Evolution? Creation? Couldn't we have evolved in the same way as other species, predator and prey? Or, if you don't believe that all this world could have just happened on its own, which is hard for me to accept myself, is it so hard to believe that the same force that created the delicate angelfish with the shark, the baby seal and the killer whale, could create both our kinds together?† â€Å"Let me get this straight – I'm the baby seal, right?† â€Å"Right.† He laughed, and something touched my hair – his lips? I wanted to turn toward him, to see if it was really his lips against my hair. But I had to be good; I didn't want to make this any harder for him than it already was. â€Å"Are you ready to sleep?† he asked, interrupting the short silence. â€Å"Or do you have any more questions?† â€Å"Only a million or two.† â€Å"We have tomorrow, and the next day, and the next†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he reminded me. I smiled, euphoric at the thought. â€Å"Are you sure you won't vanish in the morning?† I wanted this to be certain. â€Å"You are mythical, after all.† â€Å"I won't leave you.† His voice had the seal of a promise in it. â€Å"One more, then, tonight†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And I blushed. The darkness was no help – I'm sure he could feel the sudden warmth under my skin. â€Å"What is it?† â€Å"No, forget it. I changed my mind.† â€Å"Bella, you can ask me anything.† I didn't answer, and he groaned. â€Å"I keep thinking it will get less frustrating, not hearing your thoughts. But it just gets worse and worse.† â€Å"I'm glad you can't read my thoughts. It's bad enough that you eavesdrop on my sleep-talking.† â€Å"Please?† His voice was so persuasive, so impossible to resist. I shook my head. â€Å"If you don't tell me, I'll just assume it's something much worse than it is,† he threatened darkly. â€Å"Please?† Again, that pleading voice. â€Å"Well,† I began, glad that he couldn't see my face. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"You said that Rosalie and Emmett will get married soon†¦ Is that†¦ marriage†¦ the same as it is for humans?† He laughed in earnest now, understanding. â€Å"Is that what you're getting at?† I fidgeted, unable to answer. â€Å"Yes, I suppose it is much the same,† he said. â€Å"I told you, most of those human desires are there, just hidden behind more powerful desires.† â€Å"Oh,† was all I could say. â€Å"Was there a purpose behind your curiosity?† â€Å"Well, I did wonder†¦ about you and me†¦ someday†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He was instantly serious, I could tell by the sudden stillness of his body. I froze, too, reacting automatically. â€Å"I don't think that†¦ that†¦ would be possible for us.† â€Å"Because it would be too hard for you, if I were that†¦ close?† â€Å"That's certainly a problem. But that's not what I was thinking of. It's just that you are so soft, so fragile. I have to mind my actions every moment that we're together so that I don't hurt you. I could kill you quite easily, Bella, simply by accident.† His voice had become just a soft murmur. He moved his icy palm to rest it against my cheek. â€Å"If I was too hasty†¦ if for one second I wasn't paying enough attention, I could reach out, meaning to touch your face, and crush your skull by mistake. You don't realize how incredibly breakable you are. I can never, never afford to lose any kind of control when I'm with you.† He waited for me to respond, growing anxious when I didn't. â€Å"Are you scared?† he asked. I waited for a minute to answer, so the words would be true. â€Å"No. I'm fine.† He seemed to deliberate for a moment. â€Å"I'm curious now, though,† he said, his voice light again. â€Å"Have you ever†¦ ?† He trailed off suggestively. â€Å"Of course not.† I flushed. â€Å"I told you I've never felt like this about anyone before, not even close.† â€Å"I know. It's just that I know other people's thoughts. I know love and lust don't always keep the same company.† â€Å"They do for me. Now, anyway, that they exist for me at all,† I sighed. â€Å"That's nice. We have that one thing in common, at least.† He sounded satisfied. â€Å"Your human instincts†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I began. He waited. â€Å"Well, do you find me attractive, in that way, at all?† He laughed and lightly rumpled my nearly dry hair. â€Å"I may not be a human, but I am a man,† he assured me. I yawned involuntarily. â€Å"I've answered your questions, now you should sleep,† he insisted. â€Å"I'm not sure if I can.† â€Å"Do you want me to leave?† â€Å"No!† I said too loudly. He laughed, and then began to hum that same, unfamiliar lullaby; the voice of an archangel, soft in my ear. More tired than I realized, exhausted from the long day of mental and emotional stress like I'd never felt before, I drifted to sleep in his cold arms.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Language Acquisition and Development

A huge variation in the rate of vocabulary and language development can be observed   in children , and parents/caretakers should not expect all children to develop at the same rate .The development of speech is dependent on the environment that the child is brought up in especially the social interactions the child has with the members of the household. A child who is spoken to often and is exposed to the daily routine of the house/ neighborhood develops its own interpretation and relation between words and actions. Kids typically try to use the type of communication conventional in their community for example a child brought up in a active Spanish household may start waving its arms to communicate before actually forming the words when it sees the people in its orbit doing so. A child brought up in a silent household may not speak early as it has negligible exposure to the use of verbal or non verbal communication. The Motor function development in the child also impacts the rate of speech development. Children who are read to often or encouraged to speak are seen to make better effort at communication rather than those children left to their own devices. It is also found that children of working parents, who are left in day care, adopt the speech mannerisms they are exposed to in the day care center. There are instances when children develop speech when they find they are not getting what they want or need and vice versa. There also needs to be allowances made such as the health of the child and its behavior patterns.   The development of speech is also dependent on the interest displayed by the child in learning and participating in activities like play or reading.   Therefore we can see that children develop at different rates depending on their environment and internal biological development. The exposure that a child is given compounded with the pace of motor functions impact the age of speech for different children. References Wegner, Lynn (2007).Screening for Speech and Language Delay in Preschool Children: More Answers Are Needed. Pediatrics. 533-534. Nelson, Heidi D., Nygren, Peggy, Walker, Miranda, & Panoscha, Rita (2007). Screening for Speech and Language Delay in Preschool Children: Systematic Evidence Review for the US Preventive Services Task Force. Pediatrics, 298-319. Wertsch, James 1985. Vygotsky and the Social Formation of Mind. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.   

Friday, November 8, 2019

My Teaching Philosophy essays

My Teaching Philosophy essays Opinions are like rear ends, everybody has one. I believe the same to be true of philosophies, if we are all honest with ourselves. Our personal philosophy affects how we carry out our everyday tasks, and influences our reactions to different situations accordingly. The atmosphere in which we are raised is a primary factor in formulating our beliefs and attitudes, or philosophy. Role models have some bearing on the way we perceive life, and the way in which we express ourselves. The beliefs outlined in the remainder of this paper give the backbone needed for my personal philosophy. I believe my role in career and technical education shall be ethical and fair in every situation. I will solemnly do my best to uphold this belief as I embark on my journey into agricultural education. It seems like there is always an exception to the rule, but I want to be unwavering with my decisions and feel confident that they are right. I know my parents did an excellent job raising me, and I can distinguish right from wrong. Circumstances always vary, but I will be impartial in my judgments. I will always reflect on previous situations, and learn from my mistakes. Adaptations will be made to my philosophy as it is shaped and molded into a better more effective version. There will be times when I shall set a new precedence for a unique state of affairs previously un-encountered; however, I will still do what is right and just after effectively analyzing both sides of every ordeal. I believe education is an essential part in personal development. It is mandatory for students to grow as individuals by learning about different aspects of the world in which they live. I am quite fond of the never stop learning approach and will apply it in my classroom. The benefits from education are endless. One of the most dynamic benefits is the ability to improve an individuals self-esteem as well as others per...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Who Invented Homework and Why †Top Facts You Should Know

Who Invented Homework and Why – Top Facts You Should Know Homework is today an integral part of the educational process; it makes learning easier and more effective. We have been involved with doing tasks since school years. And very less of us were thinking about who invented homework. What is the name of that smart person to believe in a magic of homework; when was homework invented; when was the invention made? What was the initial purpose of homework? Let’s find answer to who invented homework and why in this post and discuss the practical value of at-home task a teacher puts behind it. I NEED MY HOMEWORK DONE Historical Facts Mentions of the term refer to the era of ancient Rome. In I century AD, Pliny the Younger, the teacher on the oratory who invented homework, asked his followers in Quintilian to participate in at-home activities. The practice was aimed at developing speaking skills of a person in a more informal atmosphere. Results of  homework assignments were just impressive; such teaching approach was used by other tutors moving forward. An Italian pedagog Roberto Nevilis is considered the real â€Å"inventor† of homework. He was the person who invented homework in far 1905 and made it a punishment to his students. Since time when was homework invented, this practice has become popular around the world. The end of the 19th century is notable due to significant changes in the education system. Great developments were associated with some changes in terms how frequently and what kind of homework was given by a tutor. This all affected education quality. Teachers following the approach of a tutor who invented the homework considered the fulfillment of homework as a necessary type of training; it was a compulsory part of training. From that point of view, teaching can hardly move forward without home lessons. Homework was defined as one of forms of independent work. Attaching great importance to the ability of the student to learn independently. In order for an at-home task to perform functions set by a tutor, it should meet the following criteria: it must be feasible; it should not be large and complex; it is not to be set at the beginning of training until students learn how to work independently. Learning at home can contribute to the general studying process. One of important tasks the modern school is facing is to improve quality of teaching. And homework is a great tool; a person who invented homework is a real hero in this regard. You can gain a lot of knowledge with a professional helper. ORDER HOMEWORK When Was Homework Invented? Owing to Roberto Nevilis, an Italian pedagog who invented the homework, we can notice obvious improvement in the education system and its efficiency since 1905. Since time when was homework invented, there is a real improvement in the education sector. Educators who adhere to traditional views on the learning process believe that home learning is an essential condition for efficient educational activities. According to a person who invented homework, it is a way to develop students' initiative, independence, individuality, and creative imagination. Apart from the above points, the need for home teaching is determined by following factors: During the in-school learning, a concentrated assimilation of the studied material takes place. Afterwards, the gained knowledge is forgotten. To prevent this forgetting, homework is needed; Mastery of scientific concepts requires their repeated comprehension and assimilation; The thoroughness and strength of the material assimilation being studied is achieved only when its memorization is dispersed; Home learning is important for the development of students' creative talents and abilities. The success of the teaching depends on the success of homework preparing. This aspect has been considered since time when was homework invented; organization of homework is the most difficult thing in the teaching and educational process. Many aspects of this problem require the closest attention from the tutor. When elaborating an assignment for children, teachers should realize that the process of educational material assimilation passes through obligatory stages: perception comprehension fastening the formulation of the formation of skills application of new knowledge and skills in practice If you wonder who invented homework and why, read further to know even more. What Are the Main Purposes of Homework? The role of homework has always been discussed not just by those who invented school and homework. Many people today believe that homework is not obligatory for mastering the studied material. But recent scientific research proves the opposite. According to the study, homework plays an important role in improving quality of students' knowledge. This is true about elementary school. Who invented homework and why? According to Roberto Nevilis, who invented school and homework, this academic task provides the student with the opportunity: to work without haste; to study with no outside estimation; to choose the optimal rhythm (hours) of work; to independently plan the course of work; to involve all necessary sources of information. Based on above points, the value of the academic assignment is in: fixing in memory the material disassembled in the classroom; repetition of previously passed material; consolidation and expansion of various skills necessary for independent work. The main purpose of the homework:   education of strong-willed efforts of the child, responsibility and independence; mastering the skills of educational work, expressed in various ways of teaching; formation of the ability to extract necessary information from various directories, manuals, dictionaries; the formation of student's research skills (comparison, comparison, assumption, hypothesis construction, etc.). A suitable system of homework assignments in each class and the totality of all classes is a prerequisite for the students to successfully master the program material. It necessitates to apply different types of homework. The main goal of the tutor is the rationale for the type of homework depending on material being studied. The tutor should be able to correctly combine different variants of homework in each class and in all classes. A good option would be to get students out of the box with outdoor learning. ORDER NOW - RECEIVE YOUR A-GRADE PAPER Types of Homework Since the time when was homework invented, there were not many types of individual tasks. Since the person who invented school and homework didn’t have a chance to do enough â€Å"testing† in this regards, it was difficult to him to create a formula of effective at-home studying. Nowadays, teachers involve the following types of homework in the studying process. Mastering material under study according to the textbook; Performance of oral exercises; Performance of written exercises; Performance of creative works (essay writing, etc.); Preparation of reports on the studied material (coursework writing, etc.); Conducting observations and experiments. With a balanced combination of above homework types, it is possible to help students easily perceive information. Click here to get more info about writing an A-grade argumentative essay. Become a guru of case study writing with our  guide. What’s the Role of Homework in Improving the Education Quality? One way to ease the learning process is to improve the content and organization of at-home tasks on the subject. The variety of homework variants is vast. Each is aimed at improving the quality of students' knowledge, enhancing studying process, and systemizing acquired knowledge. Psychologists have found that the assimilation of knowledge and methods of activity is critical. The primary perception and consolidation of knowledge during the lesson with any arbitrarily effective organization of the study process must necessarily be supported by subsequent thinking and applying new knowledge. And if the primary perception and consolidation of knowledge can be frontal, the subsequent work is to be individual and independent. Homework is not a means of controlling a student. It is an opportunity to devote time to the studied subject. In such a way, you can systematize knowledge gained in the class and sharpen your skills on a particular topic. Without completing at-home tasks, the student deprives himself of additional time in studying. The goal of such an assignment is to consolidate knowledge and practice the skills acquired in the lesson. If you have other ideas and questions about who invented homework and why feel free to share your comments in a below section.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

California budget cuts Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

California budget cuts - Assignment Example These are results articulated to the witnessed economic crisis with more students reported to access admission into the system. The facilities in the CSU and UC need maintenance, and without the right funding value, the university will be prompted to increase their accommodation value to compete with the changes. This value is expected to stay on the high with limited change expected with the forced budget cuts. The proposed cuts by brown will be witnessed to limit the constraints witnessed by the Californians with the unemployment doubling and further constraints witnessed in the health services. The revenues recorded have fallen to a record low of 2.2 billion dollars, and an added $1 billion dollars has to be reduced to level the budget for the financial year. This value will include a recorded $328 million deducted from the K-12 program (Baron, K. & Baron, J.). This value affects the system with the state claiming that it would not include spending of a value that it lacks, and there needs to be an accommodation to balance the resources. The economic crisis will dampen the efforts to sustain the budget cuts with minimal progress realized in reducing the tuition

Friday, November 1, 2019

Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 30

Discussion - Assignment Example The main question is whether the borrower will be able to repay the debt. There are numerous financial measures that can be used to establish a borrower’s capacity including liquidity and debt ratios (Graham and Smart 56). The third aspect is capital. The lender takes into consideration any capital the borrower contributes towards the investment. This is owing to the fact that a larger contribution reduces chances of default. The fourth element is collateral. Borrowers may apply for credit cards, lines of credit or loans that secured or unsecured. Secured products including a home equity loan or an auto is considered as collateral (Graham and Smart 56). The value of the collateral is determined and plays an important role in lending decisions. Finally, the conditions including interest rates, principal play a huge part in lending decisions. Mail float contributes to the time delay between when a particular payment is made and when it is received and leads to a delay in the cash collection process. Processing float refers to the time between the recipe of a specific payment into a company’s account and results into a holdup in the cash collection process (Graham and Smart 523). Finally, the availability float is defined as the time between when the payment is received and deposited into a company’s account and more time is taken in cash

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Cyber Strategies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cyber Strategies - Assignment Example Both strategies are formed/ adopted with the aim of maximizing opportunities with respect to limited resources; with an increase in state-sponsored and independent cyber threats, both governments and respective departments have seen the need to lead strong and secure presence in the cyberspace but constrained by the constraints of budget allocation and stricter financial oversights forcing them to acquire transformative ways to acquire, maintain and operate the information technology so as to achieve efficiency, effectiveness and security. Both Strategies are information and technology designed with which detection, alerts and response are convenient to the user. This rules out the duplicative, cumbersome and costly application silos to an end state/ organization; which is cost-effective, agile and convenient as the environment of exchange is rapid and accommodative to changing missions or strategy at an organization level. The strategies perpetuate scientific, technical, industrial and human capabilities in that in order to bar unintended intrusions and ensure security and operations advancement features, they are based on the mastery technology and know-how in areas of cryptology and formal methods, and extensive research and development to catch up with technologically advanced nations/organizations (Jacobs, 2010). They are designed to protect/ secure the information and data of states/organizations and operators of critical infrastructure through robust authentication systems base.

Monday, October 28, 2019

Education - Gymnasium Essay Example for Free

Education Gymnasium Essay Title Education is everywhere in the world. Individuals are learning here and there. Everyone would agree that education is a fundamental way of life. Education is obtained learning from multiple people such as parents, friends, teachers and even other surroundings. Every individual is educated and taught differently. Education should be built not only on the text that lies within a book, but should also be base with everyday life. Agree on McCullough and Oliphant perspectives because grades and how life is not revolved around grades. | Grades should not be based on how smart an individual is. Although Oliphant â€Å"Letter to a B Student† wrote â€Å"Your performance is generally assumed to correspond to the knowledge you have acquired and will retain (137). † They could be really intelligent or ignorant, but the letter grade they receive defines who they are. The letter grade that most individuals want to receive is an A, but others settle for the best they can receive. In McCullough speech â€Å"You’re Not Special† he says â€Å"Where good is no longer good enough, where a B is the new C, and where the midlevel curriculum is called Advanced College Placement (McCullough). † Even the ones that try their hardest on something might have a difficult time trying to comprehend the material. They worry about the grade they might receive and it stresses them out. There are individuals that just brush off or brag about the grade they received to make the others feel bad about themselves. For example, one student might have taken an exam that they studied for and failed; the other student did not study and passed. Individuals like to brag about their grades that they probably do not deserve. | How life is not revolved around grades because it is more than that to life. Oliphant said â€Å"Your grade does not represent a judgment of your basic ability or of your character (137). † People think that individuals such as students that do not make a high grade that they are not trying their best at what they are doing. There are a lot of wealthy people that are wealthy without grades defining them. Some of them could have made low grades when they were younger and people said they would not be successful it because they are failing everything. There are a handful of successful individuals that did not make it far in school, but is doing something good with their life. Individuals should not judge people because of several failing grades they could be more intelligent than everyone thinks they are. McCullough talks about â€Å"You’re not special, because everyone is (McCullough). †In conclusion, grades should not define a person on what they make on a paper. People should not judge a person by a low grade or high grade. Agreeing with McCullough and Oliphant perspectives. People are more intelligent than individuals think they are. | Works CitedMcCullough, David. â€Å"You’re Not Special. † Myfoxboston. com. Fox Television Stations, Inc. 6 June 2012. Web. 22 Feb. 2013. Oliphant, Robert. â€Å"Letter to a B Student. † Writing on the River: An Anthology. 3rd ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2012. 136-142. Print.