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Team Development Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Group Development - Coursework Example The team suggested that a little gathering goes through five phases to get completely developed (T...

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

The 5 Best AP World History Books for Practice and Review

The 5 Best AP World History Books for Practice and Review SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips It's hard to know where to begin when studying for AP World History. Though the exam mainly covers broad themes and trends, there's so much information to sift through that it can be easy to get lost in the weeds. Review books can help guide your study plan, ensure that you revisit the most important concepts, and provide critical test-taking strategies. In this article, I'll go through the best books to use for studying AP World History and how you can choose one that will give you the tools you need to ace this test. What’s in This Guide? This is a list of the most helpful review books that you can use to study for the AP World History exam and other assessments in class throughout the year.These books are meant to be used in conjunction with a high-quality textbook, so most of them are not stand-alone resources for self-studying.However, some are more thorough than others. For world history, review books can make the choice to either focus exclusively on the content you need to know for the AP exam (which is what most of them do), or go more in-depth and market themselves as in-class study aids as well.I’ll list the books that are the most reliable resources for long-term and short-term studying as well as a few that you might consider buying as supplemental resources.I’ll also give you specific pros and cons for each book so you can make a more informed decision about which one fits your needs best. Best Overall Review Book Cracking the AP World History Exam (Princeton Review) Price: about $15 Pros Focuses on larger trends and themes rather than small superfluous details; it only tells you about the essential stuff you need to know for the test Easy to follow and written in a conversational style Two full-length AP practice tests with analytical multiple-choice questions that closely model College Board materials Timeline of events at the end of every section to help you organize the information you’ve learned chronologically Good tips for designing your study plan and for taking the actual test Cons Could improve on essay-writing advice/practice, and doesn’t contain sample essays Not quite detailed enough to use for self-studying Summary I’d consider this book to be the best overall resource because you can make it work for you no matter what your study timeline or score goals happen to be.It doesn’t go overboard in the information it provides, but it also isn’t so sparse that it’s only useful for a quick review before the test.The practice tests are good quality with questions that accurately reflect the difficulty level of the AP exam.Its engaging writing style combined with a focus on key themes and overall chronology of events make this a great resource for almost any student. Best Book for Short-Term Review AP World History Crash Course Price: about $13 Pros Really good for a quick content review in the weeks before the test Great test-taking tips Contains only the information you need to know for the exam Chapters are written in easy-to-digest outline form Cons No practice exams Can’t be used to review for in-class tests and assignments or self-study without supplementing with a textbook Summary This book is called â€Å"Crash Course† for a reason; it’s made for those of you who’ve waited until the last minute to start studying.This book covers everything you need to know for the test and doesn’t mess around with any extra unnecessary details.Students find this book to be a helpful refresher that can be useful even as late as a week before the AP test.Just be warned that you’ll need to get your practice tests elsewhere if you want to estimate your AP score! Best Book for Long-Term Review Barron’s AP World History, 7th Edition Price: about $15 Pros Good tips for free-response questions (and sample essays!) Very thorough in its coverage of information Connects all the themes of the course to the events in each historical era Two full-length exams with answer explanations Cons Too much material to use for short-term AP review; it's more textbook than review book Overall dry, academic writing style that might make it hard to engage with the material No shorter practice tests at the end of each section for review Practice questions may be more challenging than exam questions Summary As is the norm with Barron’s books, this is a dense, highly detailed look at the course material that goes a bit overboard in its capacity as a â€Å"review book.†If you get it a couple of weeks before the AP test in hopes of quickly going over everything you need to know, you’re going to be overwhelmed.You should only buy this book if you plan to use it for a couple of months to prepare for the AP test or as a self-study resource that will accompany you throughout the course. I’d say this book is also for intense students who are genuinely very interested in the subject and would like to review content in more depth.If you have trouble paying attention to textbooks because of their dull writing style and are looking for something more student-friendly to keep you awake, you should probably get one of the first two books on this list instead. Best Supplemental Books 5 Steps to a 5 AP World History Price: about $18 Pros Comes with access to McGraw-Hill Education’s interactive AP Planner app, which gives you a customizable study schedule on your mobile device Four complete practice exams A few different sample study plans to choose from to guide your studying accompanied by a calendar so you can see everything laid out Helpful charts and short quizzes for each unit Short and more digestible than other review books Cons Not detailed enough to use to study for assignments throughout the year Two practice tests are on the computer, which isn't how you'll take the real AP exam Summary This book falls between the Princeton Review and Crash Course regarding its level of detail.It’s easy to grasp, and it has a decent amount of practice materials.If you need more sample questions and want a book that gives you a straightforward, step-by-step study process, this is a nice resource to have. AP World History Study Guide Price: about $11 Pros High-quality 50-question practice quiz with answer explanations Strong section on test-taking strategies In-depth summaries for key concepts Short and sweet - doesn’t give you more information than you need Cons Format could use some work - there’s a lot of text and not a lot of graphics No DBQ prompt Not good for long-term studying because it’s tailored to cover only the material on the AP exam Summary This book is sparse on practice questions and graphics, so if you zone out easily, it could be tough getting through the walls of text.Still, it’s very short, and it is good at going through only what you need to know.This is a book that you could buy if you’re a week or two away from the test and want a way to review all the information quickly and learn good test-taking strategies. Which AP World HistoryBook Should You Get? All of these books are helpful in their own ways. I'd recommend starting with one of the first three, ideally whichever one aligns best with your time limits and style of learning. The Princeton Review book should be a good fit for a wide variety of students. If you have a month or two to study and are looking for a one-size-fits-all accessible guide to the test, you should go with that one. The Crash Course book is better if you're short on time and just need a way to review all the concepts quickly and efficiently. This is the best option if you only have a week or two until the exam or are looking for a book that just outlines the most essential concepts. Barron's is best for self-study throughout the year or review over the course of a few months. If you're an intense student and want a book that you can use throughout the year to study for both in-class assessments and the AP test, Barron's isa good option for you. If you get one of the first three books and run out of practice materials or aren't a fan of the way the information is presented, you can go ahead and try one of the supplementary resources! Five Steps to a 5 is more suited to long-term study, and the AP World History Study Guide is better for a quick review. What's Next? Need more practice materials? Check out this article with links to every AP World History practice test available onlineand this article with links to the best DBQ examples. You don't necessarily need to buy a review book to get some great study tips. Read our list of six key strategies for doing well on the AP World History exam. When do you actually have to get yourself in gear and start studying?Find out when you should begin studying for your AP exams based on your goals. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Friday, November 22, 2019

Energy From Wavelength Example Problem

Energy From Wavelength Example Problem This example problem demonstrates how to find the energy of a photon from its wavelength. Key Takeaways: Find Photon Energy From Wavelength The energy of a photo is related to its frequency and its wavelength. It is directly proportional to frequency and inversely proportional to wavelength.To find energy from wavelength, use the wave equation to get the frequency and then plug it into Plancks equation to solve for energy.This type of problem, while simple, is a good way to practice rearranging and combining equations (an essential skill in physics and chemistry).Its also important to report final values using the correct number of significant digits. Energy from Wavelength Problem - Laser Beam Energy The red light from a helium-neon laser has a wavelength of 633 nm. What is the energy of one photon? You need to use two equations to solve this problem: The first is Plancks equation, which was proposed by Max Planck to describe how energy is transferred in quanta or packets. Plancks equation makes it possible to understand blackbody radiation and the photoelectric effect. The equation is:E hÃŽ ½ whereE energyh Plancks constant 6.626 x 10-34 J ·sÃŽ ½ frequency The second equation is the wave equation, which describes the speed of light in terms of wavelength and frequency. You use this equation to solve for frequency to plug into the first equation. The wave equation is:c ÃŽ »ÃŽ ½ wherec speed of light 3 x 108 m/secÃŽ » wavelengthÃŽ ½ frequency Rearrange the equation to solve for frequency:ÃŽ ½ c/ÃŽ » Next, replace frequency in the first equation with c/ÃŽ » to get a formula you can use:E hÃŽ ½E hc/ÃŽ » In other words, the energy of a photo is directly proportional to its frequency and inversely proportional to its wavelength. All that remains is to plug in the values and get the answer:E 6.626 x 10-34 J ·s x 3 x 108 m/sec/ (633 nm x 10-9 m/1 nm)E 1.988 x 10-25 J ·m/6.33 x 10-7 m E 3.14 x -19 JAnswer:The energy of a single photon of red light from a helium-neon laser is 3.14 x -19 J. Energy of One Mole of Photons While the first example showed how to find the energy of a single photon, the same method may be used to find the energy of a mole of photons. Basically, what you do is find the energy of one photon and multiply it by Avogadros number. A light source emits radiation with a wavelength of 500.0 nm. Find the energy of one mole of photons of this radiation. Express the answer in units of kJ. Its typical to need to perform a unit conversion on the wavelength value in order to get it to work in the equation. First, convert nm to m. Nano- is 10-9, so all you need to do is move the decimal place over 9 spots or divide by 109. 500.0 nm 500.0 x 10-9 m 5.000 x 10-7 m The last value is the wavelength expressed using scientific notation and the correct number of significant figures. Remember how Plancks equation and the wave equation were combined to give: E hc/ÃŽ » E (6.626 x 10-34 J ·s)(3.000 x 108 m/s) / (5.000 x 10-17 m)E 3.9756 x 10-19 J However, this is the energy of a single photon. Multiply the value by Avogadros number for the energy of a mole of photons: energy of a mole of photons (energy of a single photon) x (Avogadros number) energy of a mole of photons (3.9756 x 10-19 J)(6.022 x 1023 mol-1) [hint: multiply the decimal numbers and then subtract the denominator exponent from the numerator exponent to get the power of 10) energy 2.394 x 105 J/mol for one mole, the energy is 2.394 x 105 J Note how the value retains the correct number of significant figures. It still needs to be converted from J to kJ for the final answer: energy (2.394 x 105 J)(1 kJ / 1000 J)energy 2.394 x 102 kJ or 239.4 kJ Remember, if you need to do additional unit conversions, watch your significant digits. Sources French, A.P., Taylor, E.F. (1978). An Introduction to Quantum Physics. Van Nostrand Reinhold. London. ISBN 0-442-30770-5.Griffiths, D.J. (1995). Introduction to Quantum Mechanics. Prentice Hall. Upper Saddle River NJ. ISBN 0-13-124405-1.Landsberg, P.T. (1978). Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics. Oxford University Press. Oxford UK. ISBN 0-19-851142-6.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Deconstructivism and Bilbao museum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Deconstructivism and Bilbao museum - Essay Example The new Guggenheim Museum designed by Frank Gehry which currently stands in Bilbao, Spain, is found to be an incredible piece of proof that exhibits how the theory of Deconstructivism may be exemplified at its finest, at least to the sensible findings of The Times’ critic Herbert Muschamp. It could well be an exact concretization of the core substance of Deconstructivism as many would expect based on the fundamental working definition. What Muschamp has come to discover as ‘The Miracle of Bilbao’, being the new Guggenheim Museum, is the reason behind the frequency of pilgrimage to the town at the Basque country’s northeast corner. Muschamp further expresses â€Å"Those who visit Bilbao, however, may come away thinking that art is not entirely remote from matters of life and death.† According to him, it is not Gehry’s structure nor the physical sight of it that causes the miracle to happen but that which bears the capacity of attracting pilgrim s is the â€Å"extravagant optimism† – a positive consequence in the attitude of watching the museum take shape then having a sort of perception that is bound to make an audience pass on a promising impression. Hence, among art intellectuals, a querying testimony of magnificence emerges where one is led to promote with conviction asking â€Å"Have you been to Bilbao?† and equivalently, â€Å"Have you seen the light? Have you seen the future?† Through Gehry’s creation in Bilbao, as featured in Muschamp’s discourse, the concept of Destructivism has been materialized via major work which turned out. to be an architectural entity capable of projecting a â€Å"broad range of meanings† that may serve to embody â€Å"contemporary social and cultural norms.† By theoretical endeavour, Destructivism challenges the typical objective of methodologists in art who are mostly concerned and accustomed to rely upon the established idea of certa inty or unified thoughts which would necessarily systematize the process of constructing the intended object or piece for which a fixed identity is given (Germizaj 1). Correspondingly, Guggenheim Museum speaks of such truth as Gehry employs â€Å"social fragmentation†, a sense of fashion in artistry that may seem strange to those who lack poststructuralist orientation or view of exploring socio-cultural meanings by which broad associations occur and criticisms naturally develop out of rich perspectives since ‘fragments’ are brought across instead of ‘unity’ or ‘wholeness’ which singularizes interpretation thereof. One looks into Gehry’s work in detail, exterior and interior-wise alike, with a possibility of confessing that while an aspect of his craft reminds of something, the rest entails something else as well, when thorough examination reveals that the parts are actually independent of each other in the context of culture or so ciety being conveyed within

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Coursework 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Coursework 6 - Essay Example For instance, the physicist Hans Bethe was briefed on SDI in 1983 and his reaction was doubtful that it would work to defend the U.S. (â€Å"Strategic...†). Apparently Soviet scientists had the same reaction. Compared to the U.S., which still spends 4 billion dollars a year on Star Wars, the Soviet Union spent very little on it. The largest cause of the end of the Cold War was Gorbachev, and his dedication to reform. Gorbachev was not afraid to make economic reforms such as glasnost (liberalization), perestroika (reconstruction) and uskoreniye (acceleration of economic reform), even though these reforms were considered radical by apparatchiks (bureaucrats of the Communist Party) in the Soviet government(â€Å"Mikhail...†). Gorbachev democratized much of the Soviet Union and went so far with reforms and freedoms that an unintended wave of nationalism and call for independence was created within the Soviet republics. Eventually Gorbachev was put under house arrest by hard-line apparatchiks and the Soviet Union collapsed, effectively ending the Cold War. The Colombian government has been involved in a civil conflict for four decades with the left-wing rebel group Farc, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Farc rebels recently killed several police with a roadside bomb (â€Å"Colombian Rebels...†). The police were attempting to destroy coca bushes, which are the source of cocaine that finances Farc. Another left-wing rebel group active in Colombia is the ELN, or National Liberation Army. The left-wing groups are blamed for kidnappings, assassinations and extortion. The rebel groups are fought by right-wing paramilitaries such as the AUC, or United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia. Paramilitaries were supported by rich landowners who descend from the Spanish settlers. These right-wing groups are involved in drug-trafficking as well. They are blamed for massacres and torture. The Colombian conflict

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Chinese Philosophies Essay Essay Example for Free

Chinese Philosophies Essay Essay From 1027-221 BCE, the Zhou era, Chinese philosophers â€Å"offered insights into how humans should behave in regard to their families, the state, and nature. † Different philosophers tried to achieve a similar goal of having a well-ordered Chinese society, but they all had vastly different methods of achieving this goal. There were three different schools of Chinese thought that all tried to achieve the goal of having a peaceful society that lived in harmony. All of these ideas were exceptionally diverse and they all varied in different ideas. â€Å"Daoism emphasized harmony with nature; Confucianism emphasized the harmony of relationships; and Legalism emphasized the harmony of a well-regulated state. † The Three Schools of Chinese thought, Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism had major impact on Chinese History both politically and socially for they each promoted a different approach to achieve a well-ordered society. Confucianism is a philosophy that pushed for a well-ordered society by emphasizing human relationships, a righteous leader, and a good education. The discoverer of this idea was Confucius, a philosopher and teacher. He grew up in the period of Eastern Zhou, the age of a hundred schools. His goal was to transform the Chinese society into a state of coherence and righteous. He planned this goal was to be achieved by something called filial piety, devotion and service to parents, ancestors, and superiors. He found filial piety important because he believed it would make the people act moral. Another way he planned to achieve this goal was having a wise and moral leader that was able to set good examples for his people. The Analects state that Confucius said â€Å"If you preside over them with dignity, they will be reverent; if you are filial and loving, they will be loyal; if you promote the good and instruct the incapable, they will be mutually encouraging. † This proves that he believed the ruler should often set a good example for his people in order for them to be moral and show goodness. Another factor that played a huge role in Confucianism was the human relationships. The emphasized relationships were ruler-people; parent-child; husband-wife; elder sibling- younger sibling and friend to friend. These relationships were crucially important because Confucius believed each person had obligations to fulfill and a certain stance in society. And to fulfill those duties each person was expected to behave. Also the goodness of the people was expected to start at the home. He said, â€Å" Only when the roots are well planted will the Way grow â€Å" This reveals that the longer moral ways have appeared the more moral the person is likely to be. But if you juxtaposed the other two philosophies compared to Confucianism you would realize that are extremely different. In the contrary one of the other philosophies, Legalism, is much different than Confucianism and is a lot harsher. Legalism also had the goal of well-ordered society but had different idea of achieving this common goal. The dynasties that used the idea of Legalism were the Qin Dynasty and the Han Dynasty. The Qin Dynasty used Legalism to the full extent while the Han Dynasty infused Confucianism and Legalism together. Han Feizi, the prince of the Han dynasty, through his writings outlined how to maintain a stable society through laws, punishments and other factors. He believed that one way to reach a well-ordered society was to have a strict and strong ruler. Quoted from The Writings Of Master Han Fei, Fei said, â€Å" If conformers to law are strong, the country is strong; if conformers to law are weak, the country is weak †¦Ã¢â‚¬ . From this you can conclude that Han Fei truly believed that a harsh ruler was the key to a successful society. Another aspects that contributed to the success of the community were to have enforced laws. As stated from The Writings of Master Han Fei â€Å" To govern the state by law is to praise the right and blame the wrong. † This reveals that Han Fei also thought that through praising the good people and punishing the bad the society would be â€Å"well-ordered†. Which also shows that Han Fei believed in harsh punishments to tame the people of his country. A final belief of Legalism was a strong base of realism opposed to idealism. Realism was encouraged because Fei thought â€Å" †¦a strong dose of realism was needed to bring his present-day world out of the chaos that beset it† In other words means idealism was not a strict enough way to achieve a well-ordered society. But the idea of Daoism would strongly disagree with the previous concepts. Daoism, also known as â€Å" The Way That Is and Is Not â€Å", enormously differs from the other two philosophies. Daoism was used in the time period of the Eastern Zhou. The originator of this philosophy was Laozi, an â€Å"old master†, who was supposedly immortal. Laozi was against Confucianism and its concepts and perceived things from a diverse view. The goal of Daoism was to maintain a common goal of a well-ordered society. But he planned to attain this goal by following The Law of The Dao is it’s being what it is. Which simply means things are the way they are and you should not interfere. He wanted the people to follow their Dao, their destiny, something you’re naturally good at that doesn’t take any effort. And he believed by just doing that the society would be in harmony with nature. An additional way to achieve his goal was to have hands off government and ruler that were not strict or influential to the society. This is proven in The Dao Dejing; it says, â€Å" I will do nothing, and the people will be transformed of themselves; I will be fond of keeping still, and the people will of themselves become correct†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In other words Laozi expected the ruler to let the people govern themselves and learn from their own mistakes as opposed to having laws to obey. Which also relates to a concept that is well known to most Daosist called Nonaction. In summary in Daoism to achieve the goal of having a well-ordered society you must follow your dao and be in harmony with nature. In conclusion The Three Schools of Chinese thought, Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism had major impact on Chinese History both politically and socially for they each promoted a different approach to achieve a well-ordered society. They also still have an impact on today’s modern society. Each one of these philosophies have some how branched off to religions or philosophes that are still encouraged today. For example Daoism also helped mold the religion of Buddhism. Legalism appears in several of countries around the world where the rulers of a society give there people strict laws with cruel punishments. And for Confucianism Chinese society’s still focus on having relationships with people closest to them. Therefore it was extremely important that these philosophies were studied and discovered.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Equality :: essays research papers

Equality In 1890, less then one half of one percent of women were employed gainfully outside of the home. Over the next hundred years, women have not only gained access to jobs outside of the home, but also fought for equality in the work place. These struggles have not been easy by any means. Women have overcome many obstacles in there journey into the work force, none grater then the views of their male piers. Many males thought and continue to think that there is no place for women in the work place. Women made there strides into the work force by not only following examples of their courageous pioneers, but also by banding together to show their strength. During the mid 1800's a small number of women begin their assault on, what were at the time considered, male-only jobs. Fields such as teaching, preaching, medicine, and law were all jobs domenated by men. Women had made some progress in the work force before the 1850's. In the mid nineteenth century women were the majority for grade school teachers, up from the ten percent of elementary teachers, that were teachers in the colonial period. This can be largely attributed not to the fact that men were more accepting of the idea that women belonged in the work place, but rather men were drown to the higher paying and more socially appreciated managerial jobs brought on by the industrial revolution. School boards did not mind these talented leaving because they could higher a "less qualified women" for as low as one fifth of males salary for the same job. Susan B. Anthony was the first women to publicly speak out against this gross injustice towards women. After being fired to "replace a male teacher fired for incompetence,she was paid one third of the salary he had received,"(Reifert 74)she went to the state teachers convention of 1853 to register a protest. After being hushed once and a half hour of debate she was finally allowed to speak her peace. Although nothing became of her first encounter with the women's movement, she quit teaching and went on to become one of the great leaders of the women's movement. Antoinette Brown was anther women that was not happy with the status quo of women in society. She started, in 1846, by attending Oberlin college, which only nine years before had become the first co-educational college. Oberlin, although being very receptive of women in their women's department, they did not let women take any courses besides the ones offered in the women department. This lead to a conflict when Brown made her intentions of obtaining

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Euthanasia Should Be Legalized

Euthanasia should be legalized The gift of life is the most precious gift of god to us. but all the good things have some gray shades. If our loved one is suffering from a long lasting illness, sans any hope of recovery, should we take the easy way out and go with euthanasia, or should one allow the patient to suffer in hope of a miracle. Nowadays,how often we see a person’s life being wasted away on the hospital beds after being through a terrible accident or health problem, when there is no scope of improvement. They go through a terrible ordeal not only physically but also emotionally And they are not the sole sufferers. Along with them suffer their loved ones. The life of such patients become living hell. Therefore, euthanasia should be legalized. Mercy killing of such people will be like doing them kindness, after their content lives and saving them from going through living torture. As it is better to have a short,happy and content life as opposed to a long one full of sufferings. Today is the era of cut throat competition. As the professionalism increases, people find less and less time for their family. When their family member is terribly ill without any hope of recovery, he becomes a burden on them. According to them, he has now not only become incapable and dependent on others, but also demand their time, money and care. As people have become sagacious, they see euthanasia as an easy option to get rid of their ‘burden’ as well as responsibility. Making euthanasia legal will give such people open license to murder and move on with their lives. in my opinion, euthanasia should not be legalised, but it should be an available option for those whose chances of recovery are way to bleak. If the case is genuine, that is, the patient is alive only on ventilators and shows no sign of improvement for some years, then euthanasia would be a better option. But if the family of the patient are only looking for an easy way out, then it should not be granted. It all depends on the nature of the case as well as the circumstances. Making euthanasia legal will always be a debatable issue. Humans by nature are strongly bonded to their loved ones, and in general will only go for euthanasia,if all the doors close and even the last ray of hope has been extinguished. But when the time comes in life to make this decision, it is essential for ourselves to use not only our minds but also our hearts.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Chinese culture Essay

William Faulkner once said that â€Å"The past is not dead. In fact, it’s not even past† and he could have speaking about the history of porcelain painting in China. The history of this ancient art lives and breathes in every porcelain plate we touch and eat off of. It lives and breathes in the small villages in China which cling to the past as much as they want to move into the future. We reach the beautiful of city of Yi-xing in the early morning hours. Early enough that the streets were empty and the sun was just peaking through the rows and rows of tea leaves. The blend of organic green and sandy orange reminded me of the beaches of California I had visited at a child. The city of Yi-ing is the home of several tea plantations which stretch as far as the eye can see. During the day the rows of teas are cluttered with the presence of severals humans which look out of place in the purely green surroundings. If you head south through the beautiful mountains, which look more like hills to me, you reach a deep and clear lake. This lake, Lake Taihu, is where Lu Yu once lived when he wrote his now infamous book about the magic of tea and it’s role in Chinese culture. Tea porcelain are intimately linked in Chinese culture. Each competing with the other to see which is older and more valued. Upon a close examination of the history it is hard to separate the two. The Chinese Porcelain factory sits on the far edge of the city of Yi-ing and is a striking contrast to the hills and valleys that lay in front of it and beyond it. It is interesting to see the coupling of industrialization and farming in a country which in some places seems oddly untouched by civilization and in other devastated by the pollution from manufacturers and cars. The story of Chinese Porcelain is one of perseverance and beyond that of innovation. Chinese ceramic and porcelain reveal the resourcefulness of Chinese artisans. They demonstrate in their pieces, which are found enclosed in glass in the ‘lobby’ area of the factory, how they utilized the materials that they had and turned them into pieces of pottery that have with stood the test of time. In the Yuan and Mind dynasties, Chinese porcelain makers combined porcelain stone with kaolin however kaolin was extremely hard to work with. It was then that Chinese porcelain makers discovered that if you ground kaolin and then added water a malleable substance was created with could be kneaded into porcelain stone. This could easily be formed into pots and vases on the potter’s wheel. During the drying processes a knife is used to slice excess porcelain from the pottery which accounts for the delicate thinness of Chinese Porcelain. To my surprise once we went into the factory the very same techniques were being used. Centuries later modern Chinese artisans were paying homage to their centuries old mentors by building pottery in the same fashion. The twist is that the new pottery produced in these factories are brightly colored by hand with a small paint brush. The craftsmanship is perfect and the people here, who are obviously under paid and living in less then optimal condition, absolutely enjoy what they do. They take pride in every piece they make and are more then willing to share their skills with you. Our tour guide informed us that many of the kilns in use at the factory were hundreds of years old. Apparently once a large kiln is established it can be used for hundreds of years. The art of preparing clay and the process which follows is a craft which is passed down again and again from generation to generation. This is why visitors can find subtle differences in glazing processes as well as firing processes throughout the villages and cities in China. Porcelain is more then just a container used for tea or food stuff. The art displayed on pieces of Chinese Porcelain reveal the entire history of the Chinese people. From myths to fears, historic battles and even home comings. Pottery and porcelain pieces exported during these periods are an excellent source of research materials on the history of China’s communications, trade, and economic relations with other countries. My trip to city of Yi-ing was memorable for several reasons but most importantly I was reminded of the value of craft within a society. I will never forget the feel of Chinese Porcelain on my fingertips. The knowledge that something that delicate could last for centuries was truly symbolic of the struggle and political strife that the Chinese people have dealt with since it’s birth. Art is not merely for decoration, entertainment, or even functionality. It serves a much more important purpose. Through art we can see the evolution and development of not just a country like China but the spirit and souls of the people who make their homes and keep their families in those counties.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Conjugation of Empezar and Comenzar

Conjugation of Empezar and Comenzar Empezar is a verb that usually means to begin. As with many other stem-changing verbs, the e in the stem changes to ie when stressed. In addition, to maintain the correct pronunciation, the z in the ending changes to c when it is followed by an e or i. The most common verb conjugated in the same way is comenzar, a synonym. Other verbs using the same pattern include tropezar (to bump or run into) and recomenzar (to begin again). Irregular forms are shown below in boldface. Translations are given as a guide and in real life may vary with context. Infinitive of Empezar Empezar (to begin) Gerund of Empezar empezando (beginning) Participle of Empezar empezado (begun) Present Indicative of Empezar yo empiezo, tà º empiezas, usted/à ©l/ella empieza, nosotros/as empezamos, vosotros/as empezis, ustedes/ellos/ellas empiezan (I begin, you begin, he begins, etc.) Preterite of Empezar yo empecà ©, tà º empezaste, usted/à ©l/ella empezà ³, nosotros/as empezamos, vosotros/as empezasteis, ustedes/ellos/ellas empezaron (I began, you began, she began, etc.) Imperfect Indicative of Empezar yo empezaba, tà º empezabas, usted/à ©l/ella empezaba, nosotros/as empezbamos, vosotros/as empezabais, ustedes/ellos/ellas empezaban (I used to begin, you used to begin, he used to begin, etc.) Future Indicative of Empezar yo empezarà ©, tà º empezars, usted/à ©l/ella empezar, nosotros/as empezaremos, vosotros/as empezarà ©is, ustedes/ellos/ellas empezarn (I will begin, you will begin, he will begin, etc.) Conditional of Empezar que yo empezarà ­a, que tà º empezarà ­as, que usted/à ©l/ella empezarà ­a, que nosotros/as empezarà ­amos, que vosotros/as empezarà ­ais, que ustedes/ellos/ellas empezarà ­an (I would begin, you would begin, she would begin, etc.) Present Subjunctive of Empezar que yo empiece, que tà º empieces, que usted/à ©l/ella empiece, que nosotros/as empecemos, que vosotros/as empecà ©is, que ustedes/ellos/ellas empiecen (that I begin, that you begin, that she begin, etc.) Imperfect Subjunctive of Empezar que yo empezara (empezase), que tà º empezaras (empezases), que usted/à ©l/ella empezara (empezase), que nosotros/as empezramos empezsemos), que vosotros/as empezarais (empezaseis), que ustedes/ellos/ellas empezaran (empezasen) (that I began, that you began, that he began, etc.) Imperative of Empezar empieza tà º, no empieces tà º, empiece usted, empecemos nosotros/as, empezad vosotros/as, no empecà ©is vosotros/as, empiecen ustedes (begin, dont begin, begin, lets begin, etc.) Compound Tenses of Empezar The perfect tenses are made by using the appropriate form of haber and the past participle, empezado. The progressive tenses use estar with the gerund, empezando. Sample Sentences Showing Conjugation of Empezar and Similar Verbs Vamos a comenzar a establecer nuestra presencia en là ­nea. (Were going to begin to establish our presence online. Infinitive.) Yo habà ­a empezado a leer la novela unos dà ­as antes. (I had begun to read the novel a few days earlier. Pluperfect.) Maà ±ana empiezo la dieta. (Tomorrow I begin my diet. Present indicative.) Me tropecà © con ella una vez por accidente (I ran into her one time by accident. Preterite.)  ¡Feliz cumpleaà ±os! Espero que empieces un nuevo aà ±o lleno de alegrà ­as y buenos momentos. (Happy birthday! I hope you begin a year full of happiness and good times. Present subjunctive.) Empieza pronto tu bà ºsqueda de trabajo. (Begin your job search soon. Imperative.)

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The Decline of Union Power and Organized Labor

The Decline of Union Power and Organized Labor When the Industrial Revolution swept the United States up in a flurry of new innovations and employment opportunities, no regulations existed yet to govern how employees were treated in the factories or mines but organized labor unions began popping up across the country in order to protect these unrepresented working class citizens. However, the according to the  U.S. Department of State, the changing conditions of the 1980s and 1990s undermined the position of organized labor, which now represented a shrinking share of the workforce. Between 1945 and 1998, union membership fell from just over one-third of the workforce to 13.9 percent. Still, powerful union contributions to political campaigns and members voter-turnout efforts have kept unions interests represented in government to this day. This has recently, however, been mitigated by legislation allowing workers to withhold the portion of their union dues used to oppose or support political candidates. Competition and the Need to Continue Operations Corporations began shutting down work unions resistance movements around the late 1970s when international and domestic competition drove the need to continue operations in order to survive in the cutthroat marketplace that was developing in the 1980s. Automation also played a key role in breaking up union efforts by developing labor-saving automated processes including state of the art machinery, replacing the role of swathes of workers at every factory. Unions still fought back though, with limited success, demanding guaranteed annual incomes, shorter workweeks with shared hours, and free retraining to take on new roles associated with the upkeep of machinery. Strikes have also notably declined in the 1980s and 90s, especially after President Ronald Reagan fired Federal Aviation Administration  air traffic controllers who issued an illegal strike. Corporations have since been more willing to hire strikebreakers when unions walk out, too. A Shift in Workforce and Declining Memberships With the rise of automation and the decline of strike success and means for employees to express their demands effectively, the workforce of the United States shifted to a service industry focus, which has traditionally been a sector unions have been weaker in recruiting and retaining members from. According to the U.S. Department of State, Women, young people, temporary and part-time workers - all less receptive to union membership - hold a large proportion of the new jobs created in recent years. And much American industry has migrated to the southern and western parts of the United States, regions that have a weaker union tradition than do the northern or the eastern regions. Negative publicity about corruption within high-ranking union members has also sullied their reputation and resulted in lower labor involved in their membership. Young workers, perhaps due to a perceived entitlement to the past victories of labor unions for better working conditions and benefits, have also shied away from joining unions. The biggest reason these unions have seen a decline in membership, though, may be due to the strength of the economy in the late 1990s and again from 2011 through 2017. Just between October and November 1999 alone, the unemployment rate fell 4.1 percent, meaning an abundance of jobs made people feel like workers no longer needed unions to maintain their jobs.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Analysis of the Critical Theorists View on Domination Term Paper

Analysis of the Critical Theorists View on Domination - Term Paper Example The Concept of Domination Due to the radical perspective of the critical theorists, the social notions presented had effects that can be attributed to the concept of domination. Domination is defined as a form of influence to an individual that results in the confirmation of goals, purposes, and actions to what had been prescribed or dictated (Held, p.149). This can affect the society in terms of different aspects that comprise the social institutions such as the culture industry aspect, the technology and consumption aspect, the nature of corporate capitalism, and the authoritarian personality. Each of these components can affect the manner by which a society functions, thus, these are included in the essential factors within the critical theory (Craib, 1992; Miles, 2006). Domination is the main concept that links the different points of views of the different advocates of the critical theory but is considered as the uniting factor in the critical theory. ...210). Due to the differe nt views of the critical theorists, the whole perspective of the group regarding domination is composed of the different components. Domination and the Culture Industry The view of domination in relation to the culture industry is the main perspective of Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno. It explores the role the nature of the culture which according to them is a ‘capitalist industry.’ This can be attributed to the fact that what is termed as enlightenment can be considered as mass deception. This is due to the fact that capitalist industry dominates the culture. Thus, instead of triggering a check and balance effect to the dominating effect of the capital, the interactions within the society such as work and even leisure is completely controlled (Szeman and Kaposy, 2010, p.40). The theory perceives the society dominated by the capitalist industry to be in a vicious cycle. Upon looking at the said perspective, it is clear that it is one of the reasons that the critical theory is considered radical because it questions the whole social structure.