The Most Appealing Things In Life Essays - Citrus, Kumquat

The Most Appealing Things In Life : It seems to me that the most appealing things in life are those which lie just beyond our reach. Whether they are there because they are appealing or appealing simply because they are there, I doubt I will ever know, but they are there and I for one feel the need to reach out for them periodically in the hopes of one day satisfying my hunger for the untouchable. Like Tantalus, standing neck high in a stream directly below a tree full of all varieties of fruit: apples, oranges, grapes, bananas, kiwis, and pineapples, watermelons, and kumquats. But every time we bend down to drink from the cool waters of the stream it lowers, and every time we reach up to pick a fruit, we fall short. But we try and try nonetheless. I remember when I was 8, living on Cannon Air Force Base got to be a little boring. Within the safe walls of the Base housing a child's life got to be routine, same people, same games, day after day. Finding myself bored and noncomplacent with the everyday routine, while all my friends were content to sit in the stream and never thought of jumping up for a fruit, I decided to look up into that tree. I needed something great, something magnificent, I needed to do something that would have those conformist peons groveling at my feet. I saw the fruit I was going to pick. It appeared to me in the form of fame. I knew what I wanted, but a problem presented itself. How was I to pick this magnificent fruit? A magic trick came to mind, one I had recently seen performed by a neighbor in her front yard. She had climbed into her tree, tied a noose around her neck and jumped. After dangling from her neck for a few seconds she magically came back to life. That's what I would do. It would be great. I made my noose, I climbed my tree and put the noose around my neck. With a crowd gathered around in my front yard I was ready to amaze my audience with my magical abilities. I jumped for that fruit, and jumped from the tree. I heard the air whiz by and the rope crackle as it tightened around the branch I had fastened it to. Half a second later I found myself two and a half feet short of fame and the ground. Had it not been for my inability to properly tie a noose, I would have remained dangling from my neck rather that come crashing back down to the cool waters of the stream with a rope burn around my neck and no fruit in my hand. When I had seen the trick done by my neighbor, I was so mystified by this magical feat that I didn't bother to look at her ?magical? feet, which were tip-toeing across the ground. A stupid oversight, which almost earned me death, but what's death to a boy? Nothing. when we are young we can do or try to do anything, and I would keep jumping for those fruits of different kinds and different shapes every time, and I would fall short again and again, and they would bring me scars and scabs and rope burns and near death, but I would not stop jumping and reaching. The most recent attempt at one of those enticing fruits began my sophomore year. I looked up into that big tree we know as Montwood High School and saw one kumquat bigger and brighter than the rest. She was 5'5, bright eyes, blonde hair, great skin, you know, perfect. I pointed up into the branches, and looking over to my friends said ?I'm going to get her.? They laughed and disregarded the thought. As far as they were concerned it was impossible, and I was beginning to doubt the possibility myself. One year passed and I found myself once again, in the graces of the Gifted and Talented class. I soon noticed my fears and doubts were being put to rest. When I walked passed her in the halls I could swear I saw her looking at me, I knew

How to Write a Speech in Film and Theater Studies The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need

How to Write a Speech in Film and Theater Studies The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need While speechwriting is not an integral part of most courses in film and theater studies, it still plays an important role, and professors often assign to their students to write and deliver speeches related to the subject. For example, it is a common form of discussing and analyzing films and plays in some classes. Alternatively, students may be asked to express their ideas in the form of speeches so that their peers can evaluate their views and their abilities to effectively express them. In other words, although you probably will not have to write and deliver speeches often, you are still likely to have to do it from time to time. The nature of the course to a large degree determines the typical characteristics of these speeches. Artistic perception of the subject material and creative approach to analyzing it are just as important as the knowledge of the theory. It is not easy to find guides dedicated specifically to writing speeches in film and theater studies; this is why we have prepared this manual. Here you will find everything you need to prepare your own speech, all neatly collected in one place. How to Write a Speech in Film and Theater Studies: Preliminary Work 1. Choose a Workable Topic The key to choosing a suitable topic is to stop trying to figure out a perfect course of action – you will just waste time and will be tempted to refuse perfectly viable topics in favor of an unattainable ideal one. Choose a topic that you can write a speech about and get going. Here are some tips on where to look for one: Your interests. If you are going to talk about something in front of an audience, it is better to pick something you are familiar with and can speak about with enthusiasm and without looking into your notes every second; Unusual juxtapositions. Some of the best topics come from setting seemingly unrelated things side by side. For example, ‘Religious Motives in Western and Japanese Horror Films’; Unusual viewpoints. Sometimes a choice of an unusual point of view on a well-known subject can define the direction the rest of your speech will take, effectively doing half of the work for you. For example, ‘The Role of Opera in the Development of Modern Cinematography’. Here are some examples you can use for reference: Shylock from The Merchant of Venice: a Villain or a Tragic Hero? The Role of Supernatural Elements in Drama across History: from Ancient Greek Drama to Modern Times; Korean Filmmaking: Western Influences and Original Discoveries; Akira Kurosawa and Cross-Cultural Influences between American and Japanese Cinematography; Reasons and Implications of Changes Modern Filmmaking Introduces into Old Literary Classics. 2. Research the Topic A speech, especially a speech delivered in front of a class, is usually very short, and you have to make sure each word you utter is backed up with facts. Do not make unfounded assumptions – always look for reliable sources supporting your assertions. The most trustworthy sources of information are articles from peer-reviewed magazines, books by recognized authorities on the subject, websites of reputable organizations and so on. Bestselling books, newspaper articles, websites of uncertain provenance are best avoided – you simply do not have enough space to dedicate to information you are not fully sure of. 3. Prepare an Outline An outline is a framework you build the rest of the speech around. Write down all the sections your speech will contain along with what you are going say in each of them and how you intend to connect them to each other. Usually a speech contains three basic parts: Opening – here you state your topic, clarify your intentions and try to grasp the attention of your audience; Main part – the ‘meat’ of your argument, your main idea and a few supporting points (usually 2 to 5); Conclusion – here you sum up what you have said and try to impress the audience with a particularly strong closing argument. How to Write a Speech in Film and Theater Studies: The Main Principles 1. Prepare the Hook A hook is an opening statement that immediately grabs the audience’s attention. If you start your speech with something line ‘Today I want to talk to you about Chinese film industry’, it is unlikely to excite your audience. Instead, you should begin with: A personal experience; A controversial or even shocking statement; An example that seemingly has nothing to do with the topic but leads up to it from an unexpected direction; A joke; Or anything else that introduces your topic in a witty and interesting manner. People pay the most attention in the first 10 seconds of a speech or so. By that time, they already form an opinion about the speaker, and it is incredibly hard to change it – so make sure you produce a positive impression the very first second. 2. Provide Background information But not too much. Even if you deliver a speech in front of your class, not everybody has sufficient background knowledge to appreciate what you are going to say. Make sure you give them enough data to follow you, but do not spend half of your speech doing it. 3. Introduce Your Points Logically and Keep Them Separate You will deliver your speech orally, which means that it is very important to keep it comprehensible and easy to understand. Your listeners will not have an opportunity to trace it back to check something they did not understand the first time around. Therefore, introduce your points one by one, provide supporting evidence, connect to the next point logically and do not go back to it anymore, lest you confuse your audience. 4. Connect Sections Using Proper Transitions Use words and expressions like ‘however’, ‘therefore’, ‘thus’, ‘then’, ‘the next day’, etc., to connect individual sections and make sure your speech flows naturally. You may not notice these transitions when you read a paper or listen to speech, but try taking them away, and any text immediately feels choppy and disjointed. 5. Use Short and Simple Words and Sentences It is a good practice to follow in writing in general and truly crucial when you prepare a speech. Big words and complex sentences make your speech sound overly formal, monotone and confusing. 6. Limit the Use of Statistics and Quotes Statistics and quotations can add a sting to your words, but they are only effective when used in moderation. It may seem that the more factual information and authoritative opinions you use, the more convincing and your argument is, but it can have exactly opposite results. If you scatter them across your speech, the audience will fill overwhelmed and will not be able to follow you anyway. Therefore, limit the use of statistics and quotes to one or two per point, and choose what you mention carefully. 7. Integrate Visual Aids Film and theater studies is a discipline that heavily deals with the visual aspects of its subject. To better demonstrate what you mean, you may want to introduce various visual elements: photographs, pictures, illustrations, graphs, charts and so on. It is usually not obligatory, but can greatly increase the appeal of your speech (although some speakers believe it to be distracting both for them and their audience). 8. End on a Powerful Note How you finish your speech is just as important as how you start it. While the opening defines the audience’s initial opinion of you and the degree of attention they will listen to you with, the conclusion crystallizes the overall impression your speech makes on them. Do not simply restate what you have said before – make the ending memorable, interesting and thought-provoking. The best way to do it depends on the purpose of the speech (e.g., a persuasive speech usually closes with a call to action). Some of the variants include: Tell a story. Human brains are extremely partial to narratives – they are much more likely to be impressed by and remember them than abstract information, even backed up with facts and statistics. So, just like with the opening, a relevant story is a powerful way to drive your point home and give the audience something to think about; Provide a relevant fact. Another way to give your audience some food for thought is to suddenly give them a fact or statistic illustrating your point; Introduce a quote. Everything you can say has already been said, and probably said better than you can. If you can quote a memorable and witty remark by an authority on the subject matter, do it. How to Write a Speech in Film and Theater Studies: Perfecting Your Speech Writing a speech is barely half the job. If you want to get a decent grade for it, you have to make sure you deliver it properly. 1. Practice Try to finish writing your speech at least a few days before the deadline so that you have enough time to practice it. Remember, it is not enough to memorize it the day before you have to deliver it – human brain works in such a way that you are likely to forget it overnight. To get the speech into your long-term memory you have to practice it for at least a few days in a row. 2. Keep an Eye on Fillers Inexperienced public speakers (especially in courses that do not normally deal with speechwriting, like film and theater studies) often unconsciously intersperse their delivery with fillers: ‘um’, ‘you know’, ‘well’, ‘so’, ‘like’. Pay attention to your speech and force yourself to omit them. 3. Record or Video Yourself Seeing and hearing yourself deliver a speech can give you valuable insights into what you can do to improve your delivery. You will be able to see many things you do not notice from inside, for example, your unconscious use of fillers or body language that betrays your uncertainty. 4. Try Delivering Your Speech Ask a friend or a relative (whom you can trust to give you honest feedback) to listen to you deliver your speech. Better yet, ask a few people – they can offer different insights and help you improve your speech in unexpected ways. Positive feedback is also useful – it helps you boost your confidence. 5. Slow Down Your speech has to fit in the allotted time span, and you have to check how long it takes you to deliver it and cut some fragments if necessary. You can get an approximate estimate of how long it will take you to deliver a speech using one of online tools designed for that purpose. What you should not do is deliver it at machinegun pace, which is a common practice both for those who try to cram a long speech into too little time and for those who simply get nervous and want to complete the job faster. If you have this tendency, keep it in mind and take effort to speak at your natural pace when you practice and calculate the length of the text. 6. Consider Pauses When you calculate the length of your speech, do not forget about pauses, silence and changes in volume. You can use them to great effect when delivering the speech, and if the speech is relatively short (as it is likely to be in your case), they can make enough difference in terms of length and make you cut certain elements. We hope that after reading this guide writing and preparing a speech in film and theater studies is no longer such a mystifying issue for you. Use it when working on your next assignment, and you will surely achieve success!

Legislative Activism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Legislative Activism - Research Paper Example icians use discriminations as platforms for change, sociologists and anthropologists look at culture based on interactions between people of different skin colors, and forms are filled out that consistently ask the question of skin color, the one belief that does not seem to be readily available to the American people is that skin color has no bearing on any display of differences between people who are born in the same region. The unfortunate consequence of believing that skin color is relevant to differences within the human species is that some people are subjugated while others gain a position of superiority that has no real basis. In researching this topic, the vision of a young child who saw people as ‘peach people’ and ‘brown people’ comes to mind his thoughts categorizing them in color groups, but without the insinuated ‘stereotypes’ that come from the concepts of ‘black’ and ‘white’. The consequence of categorization through false representations of color and implied attributes is that a perpetuation of ignorance influences the course of history within the Western world, and primarily within the United States. As a result, the United States has developed an arrogance about the rest of the world based upon the myth of the ‘average’ Caucasian in exchange for a frequent view from other cultures of the world that the United States has hubris and a false sense of superiority based upon prejudiced reactions to people of ethnicities that visually present differently than Caucasians. The issue of race is a persistent problem that invades every part of life that is associated with the legal system. Most, if not all, legal forms ask questions that pertain to race, despite the inaccuracy of the descriptions of skin color from which those forms categorize people. Race is merely a social grouping in which a culture has decided to divide people. That can be done through skin color as easily as it could be done through hair color or eye color.

Gasoline Prices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Gasoline Prices - Essay Example Increased fuel prices forces American society to find alternative energy sources and motivates the government to invest more into research and development of the cars with less fuel consumption and improving efficiency of the refinery sector. Crude oil prices have the major impact on gasoline prices. Other factors include refinery capacity in the country, gasoline inventories maintained by refiners which is going downward, regulatory environment (national air quality standards), and the structure of the gasoline market. It is important to note that mergers lead to anticompetitive effects because more power is given to merged companies who are able to increase prices above competitive level. The first wave of mergers has started in 1990s in US when several competing with each other companies have merged. More than 2,500 mergers have occurred at that time - since 2000 only 8 mergers have occurred involving different market segments (exploration, production, and transportation) (Energy Markets: Factors Contributing to Higher Gasoline Prices, 1). Refining capacity in the United States is not expanding at the same rate as demand for the gasoline. The American average refinery capacity is 92 percent - as the result, there is no room to expand production (Energy Markets: Factors Contributing to Higher Gasoline Prices, 1). ... Experts attribute higher prices to the expending demand (particularly for the electricity production) while supply is not expanding at the same rate. The balance of demand and supply is especially affected if demand or supply changes unexpectedly. For example, the prices went up at the end of year 2005 when two hurricanes hit the Gulf Coast region (Natural Gas: Factors Affecting Prices and Potential Impacts on Consumers, 1). As it was noted above, the domestic refineries are already working at their full capacity and the fact that the gasoline is imported leads to the shortage of supply. According to market structure principles, the shortage of supply results in increased cost - people will buy gasoline despite of the price they pay. In 2004 the United States citizens have consumed approximately 20.5 million barrels per day of crude oil accounting for as much as 25 percent of global production. Half of this crude oil was used for the production of gasoline. Data from the Energy Information Administration indicate that the capacity of American refineries is approximately 16.5 million barrels per day. Even though the refineries are upgraded, the majority of them have been built over 25 years ago. By year 2020 the demand for gasoline is projected to increase by 20 percent and the country will not be able to satisfy the domestic demand. As Karen Matusic has noted, since May 2005 the demand for gasoline has increased by 3.3 percent while the price increased by 35 percent. From supply side, she continues, those refineries that has been destroyed by hurricanes are operating now and the capacity utilization rate rose to 91.7 percent (Matusic, 1). Despite of the increased capacity, the price for gasoline is not

Self Awareness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Self Awareness - Essay Example In the modern society, being an effective team player boosts one’s ability to realize higher performance efficiency. My ability to work effectively with other team members offers a brighter future in regard to job prospect in the manufacturing company where I wish to join. Consistent participation in class discussions and tolerance towards cultural diversity among classmates has seen me create many friends and relate well with teaching staff. This has earned me a position as class representative which reflects my strong interpersonal skills and effective communication ability. Besides, being a class representative means I effectively work with members to achieve specific goals within the set deadline hence my exhibition of team player. Despite the aforementioned points of strengths, I have to improve on some areas of weakness that pose significant threat to my future job prospects. My intrapersonal skill is significantly poor in respect of emotional control. For instance, I fear failure and in the event of one of potential threat I get it difficult to manage stress. This is a great blow when it comes to internal motivation and drive to perform. The evident danger of this weakness a possible puncture on work values enshrined in my potential employer’s firm. Relentless efforts to manage this problem entail consistent sessions with guidance and counseling professional. Such psychotherapy sessions are likely to open up my unexploited potential as a lower level manager before I can rise up the ladder. Besides, I intend to engage in physical exercise after personal assignments and have private times to reflect on my life. This master plan would help me overcome the internal challenge of emotional stability. Work values are the driving force behind efficiency. I believe in honesty as it serves the general interest of the society. In workplace, I believe that honest disclosure of personal feeling and attendance of

characteristics of Thailand

characteristics of Thailand Culture has long been a topic of interest in the academic world and has been written extensively on by many sociologists and ethnographers. As individuals from different countries have their own cultural norms and values, there are bound to be some cultural conflicts that occur when people with different cultural background interact with one another. Thailand has long been regarded as one of the most attractive markets in Asia for foreign direct investments (FDI) due to its many advantages such as its infrastructure, strategic location, FDI policies, government support, etc. (Thailand BOI, 2009). Although there are literatures on about the Thai culture and suggestions, particularly to Westerners, about how to adapt to this unique country, little remains said about how foreign workers as a whole can adapt to the Thai working environment. In attempt to shed some light on the matter, the author shall combine data from past researches about how Westerners should react to the Thai culture, along with more literature that explain the Thai society in more specific details. Lastly, the author shall discuss and analyze his interview data set taken from foreign workers in Company X and present a conclusion. As this paper’s focus revolves around the field of culture, a common understanding about what the word actually entails should first be established. Some examples of definitions have been made by a number of anthropologists. However, selecting from the most popular definitions, the following best describes the meaning of this important concept: Triandis (1994) views culture as interplay of sameness and differences; whereby all cultures are simultaneously very similar and very different. Furthermore, he perceives that as human beings, people share many commonalties and universals, but as groups of people or societies, we exhibit many differences Triandis (1994). However, the author feels that Ogbu (1988) best defines the concept of culture, as he explains, â€Å"[It is] a way of life shared by members of a population, and that it is the social, technoeconomic, and psychological adaptation worked out in the course of a people’s history. Culture includes customs or institutionalized public behaviors, as well as thoughts and emotions that accompany and support those public behaviors. It includes artifacts-things people make or have made that have symbolic meaning. Particularly important is that the definition of culture includes people’s economic, political, religious, and social institutions – the imperatives of culture. These imperatives form a recognizable pattern requiring competencies that guide the behaviors of members of the culture fairly predictably.† (p.11). For foreign workers to enter into Thailand, it would be inevitable that they will come across cross cultural challenges and some culture shock. Culture can have effect on what may seem to be the simplest things in life, such as meetings, greeting, perception of time; but what may seem to be normal to Thais may not be as familiar to foreign workers. This subject is indeed, and has been for a long time, difficult to identify and analyze effectively, as one can dig deeper and deeper into the academic findings and come up with such a variety of opinions and analysis that has to do with culture and its effect in the business world. In this case the author shall choose to focus on the Thai culture, and attempt to aid and produce further explanation to foreign workers wishing to come to Thailand in order for them to be able to better adapt to the Thai working environment. The term culture shock, which was first popularized by Kalvero Oberg (1960), portrays to the feeling of anxiety and disorientation that people experience when living in another country and culture. In explaining this phenomenon, Jandt (1998) shows 4 stages of culture shock: Initial Euphoria: Everything seeming new and exciting. Irritation and hostility: All the focus at this stage is on the differences between one’s own home culture and the new culture that they are experiencing. Gradual adjustment: When one becomes more accustomed and more comfortable in the new culture. In other words, things become more predictable and there are less unpleasant surprises. Adaptation: The person has fully adjusted and can function in both their own culture and the culture they are currently living in. The first and second stages of culture shock have some correlations with companies that decide to expand their operations abroad, as each company must overcome cross-cultural boundaries – named â€Å"psychic distance† according to Johanson and Vahlne (1977). However, instead of companies, this paper wishes to look at human individuals who wish to work abroad in Thailand. Psychic distance has been defined as factors preventing or disturbing the flow of information between potential and actual suppliers and customers, in which examples are differences in language, education, business practices, culture, and industrial development Johanson and Vahlne (1977) (p.24). The connection between psychic distance and knowledge within a firm is that a firm’s mangers will tend to be more comfortable towards country markets that they can get to know most easily. Thus, they will avoid countries that are more difficult to get to know – the bigger the perceived psychic distance, the less likely a company will expand into that territory (Brewer 2007). Johanson and Vahlne (1977) and Brewer’s (2007) are analysis about companies entering new markets, but their notions are still applicable in the sense of foreign workers living and working in Thailand. Much of the problem of culture shock stems from the lack of understanding within a particular country. The more difference that is perceived between the Thai culture and the foreign worker, the more psychic distance he or she would tend to feel against the Thai people. This would inevitably lead to the feeling of isolation, loneliness, or even hostility perceived in stage two of Jandt’s (1998) culture shock phases. If the foreign worker is not integrated into the Thai organizational community, then any work that must be done together with Thai workers and foreign workers will not be at its most productive stage, as the best output comes when there is group cohesion and good synergy. The aim of the research is to help foreign workers in Thailand better understand Thai culture and lessen the third stage of culture shock, along with promoting a smoother transition and adaptation to the Thai working environment and working better with Thais. By understanding more about the Thai working environment, along with the norms and unique culture, foreign workers can be better suited and prepared to adjust themselves to a new working environment, and lessen the chances of any conflicts occurring in the Thai work place. 2. Literature Review 2.1 Barriers to effectively adjust to a national culture One main problem that prohibits understanding of another culture is an ethnocentric orientation, which is using one’s culture as the standard for judging other cultures (Cavusgil et al, 2008, p.128). As most people have been brought up in a single-world culture, they cannot help but have a one-sided view of the world – which is a result of an ethnocentric view that believes that one’s own race, religion, or ethic group is somehow better or superior than other cultures (Cavusgil et al, 2008). Therefore, in order to overcome this cross cultural barrier, foreign workers are suggested to have a Polycentric orientation, which is a host-country’s mindset where one has developed a great affinity with the country in which one is in – or the best option having a Geocentric orientation, which a global mindset where a person is able to understand any culture in the world and combines an openness and awareness to other cultures (Cavusgil et al, 2008). Understanding a new culture – in this case Thailand – essentially requires effort from the foreign workers if they wish to get a better grasp and understanding of the Thai culture. However, doing so may be easier said than done. Although in this paper we shall be focusing on foreign workers, some aspects that may help expatriates adjusting to Thailand may have some relations to what other foreign workers may have to deal with. Barsoux et al. (2002) states that the â€Å"interaction adjustment† is the most difficult for expatriates because it requires them to learn the host country’s behavior patterns and their ways of communication, along with how varieties of relationships are handled – which differs depending on the country, but, nonetheless, also applies to the situation of foreign workers coming to Thailand. This task would be particularly hard to achieve if the expatriate does not speak the local language, as the only way to fully understand a particular culture is through its language (Valdes, 1987). 2.2 Hofstedes Dimensions of Culture Geert Hofstede, a Dutch cultural anthropologist, has been considered to be one of the most acclaimed academic writers who throughout the years has been cited numerously in the field of cultural studies. Through a statistical analysis of questionnaire data sets conducted with several hundred IBM employees from 53 countries, he was able to discover a pattern that indicated national cultural differences and similarities among his subjects; and how such characteristics can be generalized and grouped together to graph different human behaviors and motives – best known as Hofstede’s theory of cultural dimensions. In a preliminary attempt to conceptualize the Thai culture and put it in writing, the author shall initially start with the findings of Hofstede and how he has identified his initial four cultural dimensions that explain each country’s national culture – in this case, Thailand. In doing so, it should help the reader slowly build up an understanding of the overall picture of different aspects of the Thai culture, which would later be complimented with more detailed explanations. Check again if the ranking of the data is from Hofstede 2005 or earlier Although still important, it should be noted that Hofstede’s research can only be used as a general guide to the understanding of the Thai culture. His research does not provide sufficient understanding on how to manage a multicultural organization or gain a deeper comprehension of any particular culture. Therefore, extra literature relating to Thailand and its people shall be integrated into the review of Hofstede’s theory in order to fill in more gaps and further explain some of the more specific characteristics of the Thai society. In his most recent book, co-authored with his son, Hofstede and Hofstede (2005) explain the cultural dimensions (see appendix for Thailand’s cultural rankings) as follows: 2.2.1. Power Distance (PD) High PD countries tend to exhibit a tall hierarchy in their organizations with large differences in salary and status. Subordinates highly respect their bosses and do what they are told. Inequality is expected, and may even be desired in some cases. An example given by McCann and Giles (2007) shows that young workers in an organization perceive their interactions with older workers to be more problematic compared to their interaction with their peers, as the older workers were seen as more â€Å"non-accommodative† and superior – making them feel obligated to be more polite and respectfully avoidant in their communication tactics (e.g. holding back their opinions). Moreover, in such scenarios communication is almost always one way (top to bottom), and the manager is always expected to know more than his subordinates; input or feedback from subordinates is seldom practiced and may in fact be seen as somewhat impolite or disloyal (Javidan House, 2001). As Thailand is ranked as a High PD country, the status differences are often large (Sriussadaporn and Jablin, 1999) compared to Low PD countries that have a flatter hierarchy system, in which subordinates and supervisors are viewed as closer together and more interchangeable, but not identical (Hofstede and Hofstede, 2005). 2.2.2. Individualism vs. Collectivism Thailand is characterized as a collectivist country in which people belong to a strong cohesive group that they believe will protect them in return for their loyalty to the group (Hofstede and Hofstede, 2005). This type of patronage, or kinship, system is based on relationships between people that revolve around favors and reciprocity that give great importance to kindness and sincerity, in which personal links and family connections are valued to be of extreme importance (Holmes and Tangtongtavy, 1995). Collectivism can also be seen in the Thai people’s belief of social harmony where everyone is always consciously, or even unconsciously, making the effort to avoid any personal conflict with others (Nakata and Dhiravgin 1989; Sriussadaporn and Jablin, 1999; Knutson et al., 2003), which also fosters and supports the concept of â€Å"kreng jai† – later explained. In his research, Hall (1976) made a distinction that characterized cultures to be either â€Å"low context† or â€Å"high context†. Low-context cultures rely heavily on verbalization and emphasis on the delivery of verbal messages – expressing one’s self clearly, logically, and as convincingly as possible (Hall, 1976). In other words, Low-context cultures tend to value expertise and performance, and tend not to beat around the bush (Cavusgil et. al, 2008). High-context cultures, such as Thailand, are the opposite. They tend to focus on non-verbal messages and prefer indirect and polite face-saving style that emphasizes a mutual sense of care and respect for others (Cavusgil et. al, 2008, p.136). Interestingly Hall’s approach is very closely related to Hofstede’s individualism and collectivism cultural dimension, which has been further explained by Gudykunst and Ting-Toomey (1988) that cultures that have been labeled by Hall as â€Å"High-context† are considered to be â€Å"Collectivists† in Hofstede’s theory, and vice versa. Hence, Thailand is considered to be a High-context and a Collectivist culture. This may also help explain why it is difficult for Thai people to say â€Å"no† when one may feels disagreement or is unable to carry out an order. Moreover, as maintaining harmony is the center focus of a Collectivist culture (Hofstede and Hofstede, 2005), showing bad emotions such as frustratio n, impatience, frustration, anger, or irritation is seen as disrupting the social harmony and is considered relatively rude and offensive (Sriussadaporn and Jablin, 1999; Knutson et al., 2003). Also part of the characteristics of Thailand’s high-context (Hall 1976) and collective culture (Hofstede and Hofstede 2005), it was found that young people seldom speak up – which may have stemmed from childhood as students do not express their opinions in class as much because quietness is also considered a virtue in the Thai culture (Knutson et al., 2003), which is also the case with younger people not disagreeing with older people in organizations (Boode, 2005; McCann and Giles, 2007; Javidan and Dastmalchian, 2009) – further supporting Smutkupt and Barna’s (1976) findings that any doubts or contradictive thinking in one’s mind are very rarely communicated openly in the Thai culture. 2.2.3. Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) Broadly defined, people in High UA countries tend to be more emotional than other countries, and are more motivated by their â€Å"inner nervous energy† (Hofstede and Hofstede, 2005). As Thais are ranked as having high UA, one of the ways they reduce their uncertainty in everyday life communication is through their proper use of pronouns and postures to show respect, deference, politeness, and closeness towards others (Sriussadaporn and Jablin, 1999). This can also be seen through their use of silence to avoid uncertain confrontations with other people – especially with the more senior people (McCann and Giles, 2007). Moreover, as a result of this high UA ranking characteristic, Thais generally tend not to readily accept change and are relatively against taking risks (Swierczek and Ha, 2003). 2.2.4. Masculinity vs. Femininity Thailand has the lowest Masculinity ranking among the Asian countries, which indicates that they show a low level of assertiveness and competiveness compared to other countries in the region (Hofstede and Hofstede, 2005). Sriussadaporn and Jablin’s (1999) research shows this with their observation that Thais do not truly express their own opinions as much as they deserve to due to their non-dominant and non-assertive characteristics. This may have derived from or have some indications to their Collectivist and confrontation avoidance nature in the findings of McCann and Giles (2007) attributed to the complex Thai hierchical system and their expected respect for the older generation. 2.3 The Thai workplace environment Words that could describe the Thai management style and its working environment, or business culture, are the following: compromise, slow, centralized, seniority-based, relationship-based, conservative, and family-based (Adams and Vernon, 2004). These terms seem very much to stress the maintenance of harmony in the company – being non confrontational and accepting the differences of inequality. As stated earlier, Thailand is traditionally a high power distance country (Hofstede and Hofstede, 2005), which makes Thai society a segregated one with distinct unofficial class groupings and little chance for mobility across the class lines – also applying to the workplace environment (Komin, 1995; Lawler et al., 1995). Interestingly this type of class system in Thailand, is very much reflected in the organization and management of family-owned companies and enterprises according to Lawler et al. (1995). In other words, the need for a formal or set of rules in management may not be as high of a priority as the environment produced by the Thai social system has a great influence in defining the interaction between peer-to-peer and worker-to-worker in a company setting YES ACCORDING TO THE INTERVIEWS. In the largest firms in Thailand, family connections has served as a foundation for building international trading companies and has been a very important aspect of understanding the Thai working environment, which has been characterized by Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya and Taira (1977) as â€Å"management by entourage†. In other words, it conveys the concept of the importance of knowing the right people to get the job done and having connections in the right places. However, this concept becomes less manageable as a company grows and requires being more responsible for its accountabilities, more professional managers are needed – creating a hybrid of Westernized practices in a traditional Thai family enterprise (Lawler and Atmiyanandana, 2003). In the aspects of companies that are family enterprises, HRM practices are very much influenced by traditional Thai values and their social practices compared to the everyday management theory (Bertrand et. al., 2008). In other words, professional managers in the HRM filed are found to be very rare in family enterprises, even ad hoc, along with HR planning and the systematic analysis of employment issues are found to be virtually absent in such organizations (Lawler et al.,1989). So how are the employees controlled? The answer is through a complex hierarchical class system that has been deeply rooted within the Thai culture (Adams and Vernon, 2004). – also conveying that employees with lower positions react to people with higher managerial levels out of a sense of duty rather than according to the rules and regulations set by the company (Knutson et al., 2003). Moreover, this can be seen through the use of the complex Thai language between superiors and subordinates. EXPLAIN SOME OF THE IMPORTANT â€Å"JAI† WORDS: KRENG JAI, NAM JAI, SBAI JAI. This emphasizes on the importance of social harmony can be seen with the proper linguistic uses that must be used in everyday life when addressing people of different status (Knutson et. al., 2003). Where English has one word, â€Å"I†, as the first person pronoun, and one other, â€Å"you†, for the second person pronoun, Thai speakers must choose from up to 9 commonly used forms for the first person pronouns, 8 second person pronouns, and 5 third person pronouns (Iwasaki and Preeya, 2005). In addition to these variety of words, Cooke (1968) has listed up to 27 first-person pronouns, 22 second-person pronouns, and 8 third person pronouns, which include language used with royalties and specialized tems used by specific people (i.g. Buddhist monks have specific terms to address themselves and others). This would all depend on the politeness or closeness the speaker wishes to convey, and depending on the status of the other person who is involved in the conversation. Specific uses of language and conflict avoidance are some very specific characteristics of the Thai culture that conveys to the collectivism and high context society explained thus far. If, however, a disagreement should arise, Thais will look for indirect means for their resolution – usually through third parties or by â€Å"intense† private talks (Lasserre and Probert 1996; Lawler and Atmiyanandana, 2003). Kreng jai, is one of the most difficult concepts of the Thai cultures for foreigners to understand (especially for Westerners), which has been defined by Komin (1991) as, The concept of time in Thailand is somewhat more lenient than in other countries. Foreign workers have sometimes found this aspect of the Thai culture to be the hardest to adjust to – unless the foreign worker himself has the same attitude towards time. Mainly speaking, punctuality can at times be seen as unimportant when going out or having socials with friends. However, foreign workers have found that Thai are very punctual when it comes to meetings and appointments with their superior. 2.4 The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis The notion that language and culture can be interlinked may not be obvious to us at first, as we, being native speakers, may not be conscious how we say things, and why we say it the way we do in our own languages. However, Jandt (2001) suggests that a person who has learned a second language, or has grown up speaking more than one language, may become aware of the different ways each language allows the speaker to describe and grasp the reality we live in. It is these different perceptions one has of reality that Jandt (2001) believes to be the same differences in culture – making the relationship between language and culture resembling mirrors to each other. This relates back to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis that says cultural elements can be seen in a language’s vocabulary and grammar (Whorf, 1956). Harley (2001) supports the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis in that it shows how a culture’s or country’s language determines the structure of the speaker’s thought process. That is to say, language affects the way humans remember and the way people perceive the world. If a language has a rich vocabulary for certain notions and concepts, then it makes it easier to describe those ideas in that particular language (Whorf, 1956). Thus, ideas, notions, or things that are easily described in a language must be important to the culture (Jandt, 2001). The two main ideas comprising the Sapire-Whorf hypotheses starts with the first being linguistic determinism, which is the idea that the form and characteristics of our language determine the way in which we think, remember and perceive; and the second, linguistic relativism, which is t he idea that as different languages map onto the world in different ways, different languages will generate different cognitive structures (Harley, 2001, p.81). Although there are studies relating to the intricate nature of the Thai language (Komin 1991; Chantornvong, 1992; Komin, 1995; Knutson, 1994; Knutson et al., 2003), there has yet to be an establishment between the numerous words that contain â€Å"jai† (heart) and the way Thais think and perceive others. It can seem a bit daunting or even a tedious endeavor for a foreign worker to deal with such vicissitudes of the different nuances of the Thai culture. However, the most important aspect to bear in mind is the relationships that Thais hold so dear towards one another, and the mutual understanding one has towards the other person (Komin, 1995; Knutson et al., 2003). For Thais, the heart shows sincerity, and thus so many words are derived from it to express the different feelings one has. In order to test whether or not this may be true, the author has conducted and compiled data set from his interviewees. Moreover, having to express oneself in another language means learning to adopt someone else’s reference frame (Hofestede and Hofstede, 2005, p.328). In other words, by understanding and speaking the local language, one is better able to understand the national culture. With no knowledge of Thai, a foreign worker is likely to miss out on a lot of hidden nuances and subtleties of the Thai culture, and may result in being left as a relative outsider. One of the examples given by Hofestede and Hofstede (2005) is the subtleties of humor, which varies amongst different culture and is very specific sometimes to one culture.

Regulatory Competition Among Accounting Standards Within and Across International Boundaries

Financial statements that are simple and comparable to the general public may not be in the best interest of the managers. Managers like to manipulate ?nancial reports to suit their own interests. Financial reporting would be easy to just report whatever is in the cash till. Despite the fact that financial reporting would be simplistic, it is better to have complex account than a simple financial reporting. There is no perfect standard for any corporations in the world. An ever changing corporate world makes it harder to ascertain for the prefect standard.However, experimentation with alternatives in a competitive regulatory environment generates data to help identify with the most wanted accounting standards. No single set of standards has been shown to be the best suited for all ?rms. The argument for regulatory monopoly in accounting is often based on the assumption that in the absence of such regulation, there will be no standards. Financial reporting standards act as a template to prevent managers from taking advantage of the shareholders cost of capital and fraudulent behaviour or thoughts.Despite being a set of rules, the financial reporting standards still has its leeway from country to country. With a centrally planned accounting standards, standards setters are susceptible to lobbying pressure especially when disagreement arises between varies interest party. On the contrary, with regulatory competition, standards setters can avoid the lobbying pressure. This is because those who do not like the standard can freely choose another one that is suitable. Analysis For the first claim above, I agree that a simple financial report is favourable to the public but not so to the managers.However, this may not always hold true as it may paint a biased picture favourable towards the managers. This is mainly attributed to the manipulations of the financial report for their own interest. In addition, a financial reporting that only reports the cash in the till wou ld eliminate all the complexity of financial reporting. However, I feel that a complex financial report that depicts the true situation of a company is better than a simple financial statement that just only accounts for whatever is in the till.Having guidelines may be easier for financial reporting but it may leave out certain â€Å"hard to count† assets and liabilities which are crucial in preparing an impartial financial report for the public. Therefore, I agree with the author that a complex financial report that may arise from regulatory competition is better and more precise compared to a guided and simple financial report. Secondly, my apprehension with the experimentations of alternatives is that in reality, corporation may not have the time or resources to try out different alternatives.A failed experimentation with an alternative accounting standard may negatively affect the capital that will be invested in the company by investors. However, I do agree with the auth or that experimentation with different standards through regulatory competition will eventually lead to the perfect accounting standard for every corporation. This is due to the ever changing rules selected in accounting standards through regulatory competition. 3 No single standard setter knows the perfect standards for different industries and circumstances.Hence, I believe that in order to have the perfect standards it is for the best to leave it to the market. Like I have mentioned above, accounting rules are always carefully chosen according to different regulatory competition. Just like the laissez faire concept. Hence, with regulatory competition, the market will decide which standards are the best by allowing corporations to experiment with alternatives. Subsequently, the main argument favouring the harmonisation of accounting tandards is the fear of having no standard with competitive regulations. However, better firms can engage the best quality of audit as an attempt to c onvey their quality over to investors. 2 Firms can convey such message by paying a price premium charged by audit ?rms, which are perceived to provide services of higher quality. This further proves that even without regulations there will still be standards; in fact the reports prepared will be better quality as better audit firms are employed.The up side of using accounting standards set by standard setters is that it is prescriptive. I agree with the writer that in this case, by having prescriptive standards are actually positive as it restricts managers from exploiting the cost of capital belonging to the shareholders. In addition, not all standards that are prescriptive lack flexibility which will hinder professional judgement. An example would be the flexibility between UK GAAP, US GAAP as well as International GAAP despite all coming under the same accounting standards.Finally, I disagree with the author to a certain extend that it will lessen the lobbying pressure. I believe that having regulatory competition may provide for more lobbying opportunities as pressure to conform to authorities who are usually the big corporations or political government are futile to resist. 4 Nevertheless, I agree with the author that regulatory competition will not eliminate lobbying pressure but lessen it. With regulatory competition, accounting standards are diversified hence reducing its vulnerability to lobbyist.Critical appreciation Throughout the whole paper, the author has a strong stand on the differentiation of accounting standards by putting more weight on discussing on the advantages of regulatory competition that arises from differentiated accounting standards. Even though there are discussions on the advantages of having standards towards the end of the paper, there is not much emphasis. However, I agree with the author that his arguments for regulatory competition are not for the elimination of accounting standards.I strongly believe in the Pareto efficient solution for setting accounting standards; for every accounting standards set it will not benefit everyone but as long as it benefits the majority it will be a considerably good standard. Overall, I love this article as it opens up my mind regarding the benefits we can get by adopting regulatory competition by having different accounting standards at the same time emphasised about the consequences of just having regulatory competition.

Improvements in Sri Lankan Logistics Industry

Sir Land's mission is to continue the momentum to become an integral part of South Sais's drive to position itself as one of the most important global economic areas. Given the limited size of Sir Land's International Ranking has improved domestic market, targets set by the from 137 to 81 in the World Bank government on export growth cannot Logistics Performance Index 2012. Be met without Land's Logistics Sector's significant improvement in export performance.Both export product categories and Sir Lankan has made progress in this index thanks to the improvements it has destinations need to be diversified. Made A concerted effort to plug into Asian infrastructure, international shipments, supply logistics Haines will also particularly important. Ata time when the global economic centre of gravity is shifting from West to East, Sir Lankan needs to address a situation where 60% of its exports in areas quality such and customs competence, tracking, tracing and timeliness.The rating, whic h is being conducted once in every two years is based on 6000 individual country assessments by nearly are directed to the sluggish markets 1 ,OHO international freight forwarders, of Europe and North America and who rates the eight foreign countries less than 10% to the dynamic their company serves most frequent markets in China and India In this context Logistics Performance index (LIP) plays an important role to measure the ease of doing business as well as the logistic friendliness of the country..The Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Sir Lankan (CBS) is taking the lead in bringing about a significant improvement of Sir Land's ranking on this index. The target is to take Sir Lankan into the top 30. 1 | Page China, India and Brazil – three of the so-called BRICE countries – remain the most dominant emerging markets for investors, exporters, producers of consumer goods, and logistics providers. For the second consecutive year, logistics and trade refashions ranked China, India, Brazil and Russia as the likely places to emerge as logistics hubs over the next five years.Sir Lankan Place Rank No 30th on † Agility Emerging Market Logistics Index 2013†³ The United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar are standouts among countries that are smaller markets with good economic prospects and easy market entry. Sir Lankan also was part of that group. The Alp's six components includes The efficiency of the clearance process(speed, simplicity, and predictability of formalities) by border control agencies, including customs. ; The quality of trade- and transport-related infrastructure (ports, railroads, roads, information technology).For â€Å"market compatibility' Sir Lankan scores higher than any Asian country except for China. Following a long, brutal civil war, the country has experienced strong economic growth and put security threats behind it. Even so, Sir Lankan has not yet been able to draw levels of foreign direct investment comparab le to those attracted by countries of similar size and potential. ; The ease of arranging competitively priced shipments. ; The competence and quality of logistics services (transport operators, brokers). ; The ability to track and trace consignments. The frequency with which shipments reach the consignee within the scheduled or expected delivery time. Source : Agility Emerging Market Logistics Out of six LIP index components we are Index 2013 going to consider the first two factors under the projects we are going to discuss. With the Sir Lankan government implementation and fast track programs on Information Technology ( series Lankan ) the connectivity and platforms were build across the public and private sectors to ease the processes and way of working . This has improved the efficiency of the Public sector greatly and also a way of making processes denaturized.Also the government has taken a leap step ahead to improve infrastructure relating to logistics not only in terms of Po rts & Airport , new Highways , rail road's as well as road matrices are coming up. 21 Page Two Key Projects we are going to consider are, 1 . Colombo Port Expansion Project 2. SAUCED – Automated System for Customs Data COLOMBO PORT EXPANSION PROJECT The Colombo Port Expansion Project provides for dredging and breakwater construction sufficient to accommodate three terminals, which will be constructed sequentially.The Project includes the establishment of a new marine operations enter, relocation of a submarine oil pipeline, provision of navigational aids, and construction of shore utilities. The Project will be developed on a public-private partnership basis. The harbor infrastructure works, I. E. , dredging, breakwater construction, and other works, will be implemented by the Sir Lankan Ports Authority (SLAP). The first two terminals will be operational in 2013 and 2015 respectively and constructed by operators chosen through open competitive bidding under build-operate-tran sfer (SOT) concession agreement.Colombo Port is the natural transshipment † This is a development that will definitely reduce freight rates, sake us more competitive, and attract more ships to call at Colombo. We are looking at this project to convert Colombo to the biggest transshipment hub in the region. † hub port for the South Asian region. – Primary B. Wisecrack However, in recent years Colombo Port lost Chairman , Sir Lankan Ports Authority market share of the regional transshipment market because the fundamentals of the market changed and Colombo Port did not adapt.Colombo Port cannot offer the additional operating capacity required to compete for the Indian subcontinent transshipment market or the depth required to berth the latest generation container ships. Colombo Port will have to develop additional container berths with the required depth to address these capacity and depth infrastructure 3 | Page The Making off Hub The last time Sir Lankan built a br eakwater to protect its fleet of ships, the teardrop- shaped island off the coast of India was called Ceylon, and was still under colonial rule.Today, this independent country of 21 million people is a regional rising star, and the government is capitalizing on the island's strategic location to promote it as an economic hub in South Asia. The new breakwater at Colombo Port is part of a $500 million port expansion supported in part y $300 million DAB loan – that is moving Sir Lankan toward this goal. Coulomb's breakwater has a depth Colombo Harbor 18 meters, compared to the previous 14 – 1880-1890 to 15 meters – a crucial difference in a world in which ever bigger cargo ships require ever deeper docking berths.Around 7 hectares of sea was reclaimed for the breakwater, which features 34,500 specially designed boulders – along Container handling capacity before the project 3. 3 million with an additional 5-meter-high wave wall – that can defend the p ort against Container handling capacity by 201 5 the most inclement weather. 8. 1 million The breakwater was completed in Container handling capacity by 2024 April 2012 and two 400-meter-long 12. 5 million terminals by July 2013. A third 400- meter terminal is also in the planning stages.These will make it possible for Colombo Port to 4 page accommodate the latest generation of mega-container ships, which carry 18,000 containers and more. According to officials the project will eventually increase the port's capacity to 12. 5 million containers per annum from a current 5 million. Direct to Market The main breakwater and access channel enable the development of the three container terminals. The first of these, the South Container Terminal, is being plopped under a public-private partnership.

List of Free Online Public Schools for Oregon Students

List of Free Online Public Schools for Oregon Students Oregon offers resident students the opportunity to take online public school courses for free. Below is a list of no-cost online schools currently serving elementary and high school students in Oregon. In order to qualify for inclusion on the list, schools must meet the following qualifications: classes are available completely online, they must offer services to state residents, and they have to be funded by the government. Insight School of Oregon- Painted Hills Students pay no tuition to attend Insight School of Oregon- Painted Hills, which bills itself as Oregon’s first online charter school for college and technical career-minded students. However, you will have to spring for school supplies like printer ink and paper, which the school does not provide. The school says its mission is: ... to build an online Career and Technical Education school that equips students with essential academic and technical skills, enabling them to pursue post-secondary education, achieve occupational certifications, or directly enter the work force. By providing Oregon businesses with educated, skilled students who are ready for employment, we aim to benefit individuals, families, industries, and the economy throughout our state.​ Insight School features: An individualized learning plan for each studentK12s winning, online academic curriculumHands-on materials, books, and a school computer on loanHighly qualified, Oregon-certified teachersAn advanced learner programWorld languagesStudent clubs, social events, and access to extracurricular activities and sports in participating school districtsA high school diploma for graduates who meet all state requirements Oregon Virtual Academy Oregon Virtual Academy (OVA) also uses an online K12 curriculum. (K12 is a national online program that offers virtual  schooling and curriculum in a variety of areas.) In general, the schools K-12 program includes: Core courses that are similar to the standard courses offered by many other programs. They meet all academic requirements for each course area both for graduation as well as for potential admission into a wide range of colleges.Comprehensive courses that are designed for students entering with strong foundational knowledge and aptitude in the subject area being covered, as well as solid study skills. OVA offers an online  K-6 curriculum  and an  online  Secondary School Curriculum  (7–12). The school is also completely tuition-free for Oregon public school students. Assessments are administered to ensure that each child will be matched to his or her level of proficiency, notes  Dr. Debbie Chrisop, the schools interim chief. The secondary school program is paced and requires class attendance. It is also accredited by NWAC, a division of AdvancEd. Oregon Connections Academy Connections Academy is a national online program used by school districts and states nationwide. In Oregon, this virtual program which was established in 2005 offers: A challenging K–12 curriculum developed by education expertsInstruction from state-certified teachers experienced in online instructionSupport from trained counselors, principals, and administrative staffFree textbooks and curriculum materials needed to participate in a dynamic online learning environmentComputers for families with students in grades K–8 In describing its success in virtual education over the years, the school notes: Some wonder whether a nontraditional school program like Oregon Connections Academy (ORCA) can truly provide a quality education. Thousands of personal success stories from ORCA graduates and parents prove that this form of nontraditional schooling provides a quality education for students of all ages. Still, as with the previously mentioned online school programs, parents and students will need to pay for all school supplies as well as field trips. Choosing an Online School When choosing an online public school, look for an established program that is  regionally accredited  and has a track record of success. Choosing an  online high school  or elementary school can be tricky. Be wary of new schools that are disorganized, are unaccredited, or have been the subject of public scrutiny.   In general, many states now offer tuition-free online schools for resident students under a certain age (often 21). Most virtual schools are charter schools; they receive government funding and are run by a private organization. Online charter schools are subject to fewer restrictions than traditional schools. However, they are reviewed regularly and must continue to meet state standards.

English as a Second Language Essays

English as a Second Language Essays English as a Second Language Essay English as a Second Language Essay I love to create, design and construct. Ten years ago I decided to attend to Architectural School in Peru and become an architect as most of my family members are. It was the best decision I have ever made but it was something else there, it was my interest for travelling and know more about the rest of the world. As soon as I finished my career and hopeless of being successful on my path , I decided to go for the American dream , but again it was something it will make this dream even harder to achieve : I didn’t know how to speak the language . Ten years since then ,being a foreigner and with so many frustrations of not having completed yet my dream of being an Architect in AMERICA , I decided to go back to school to pursue my professional goals. The class of English 92 , will help me not just to learn properly English but also I consider is the first step to be successful in this country.First of all , to my consideration the knowledge I have about English is very few but I am very confident of the few I know and very open to receive any corrections and criticism . I am a very persuasive learner. I educate myself learning English using tools such of tv, internet , radio and reading novels and books. I learned how to speak , read and hold conversations but my accent and my not very much extended vocabulary as long as my few grammar skills , can make my intent to express myself so much harder . Once I finished English 91 I would love to feel more confident on my English know lodgment which will make me sound and look more professional on my career path . I worked really hard to finally be able to go back to school and complete my studies . I was and I still am a very persuasive person. If don’t know something I will investigate and use any tools to get what I’m looking for . Being in a class and interact with the computers at the same time , learning about the links and tutorials was unusual and somehow overwhelming , but I tried hard to a dapt

Traditional china Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Traditional china - Essay Example None, therefore, could function independently. Secondly and most importantly was that energy flowed through the body following certain distinct channels found deep within the body (Zhao, 12). In traditional china, it was believed that one fell sick as a result of the very channels through which energy passes are blocked. Consequently, the body parts working together were the reason why an individual became well or sick. In the event that the body parts did not work in harmony, one thus became sick. Most of the medicines used in traditional China were basically herbs (Tsang, 78). The traditional healers mixed a variety of herbs to effect a healing. This was done for a variety of diseases and none of the herbs could be said to be of a specific nature. A number of diseases were thus treated and become well. Many as the best have described medicine and healing in traditional china in many years. Scientists have also used the traditional medicines to develop more sophisticated drugs. In different countries, especially in America, these forms of healing and even the medicine have been used as direct alternatives of the actual drugs

Statue of Liberty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Statue of Liberty - Essay Example The statue entitled "Liberty Enlightens the World" was shipped to America in 214 separate crates in 1886 and re-assembled on tiny Bedloe Island, which was soon renamed Liberty Island. (Schamel 299-302) For more than a century, the Statue f Liberty has stood as a symbol f the American ideals f freedom, equality, and opportunity, and has greeted millions f immigrants at the entrance to New York Harbor. Given by the people f France to the people f the United States to commemorate the friendship between the two countries during the American Revolution, the 151-foot-tall statue was shipped in pieces from France and assembled and dedicated in 1876. Over the years, world events have added new layers f meaning to the statue as a symbol. During two World Wars, it endured as a reminder f the sacrifices involved in maintaining freedom, and in 1989, Chinese students constructed a plaster "Goddess f Democracy" inspired by the Statue f Liberty during political protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. (Bender 60-62) The idea for a monument to commemorate the achievement f America's independence originated with the French scholar and abolitionist, Edouard de Laboulaye, in 1865. French intellectuals admired America's democratic ideals and its recent defeat f slavery, and aspired to create a French republican government modeled on the American constitution to replace the empire f Napoleon III. De Laboulaye suggested to F.A. Bartholdi, a 31-year old sculptor, that he travel to America to explore the possibility f a monument to French-American friendship. Bartholdi's vision for the Statue f Liberty solidified when he first saw New York Harbor. The tallest structure in the New York metropolitan area when it was dedicated, the Statue f Liberty rests on a granite and concrete pedestal to rise to a total height f over 300 feet. The statue's uplifted right arm raises a torch which is lit at night, and her left hand holds a tablet bearing the date "July 4, 1776." A broken shackle lies in front f her right foot as she strides forward, although it is difficult for visitors to see from the ground. A plaque with the words f a sonnet by Emma Lazarus titled "The New Colossus" was added to an interior wall f the pedestal in 1903. Lazarus had written the poem in 1883 to assist in fundraising for the pedestal, and her words, "...Give me your tired, your poor,/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free/The wretched refuse f your teeming shore./Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,/I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" have become inextricably linked with the Statue f Liberty. Body- Case study presentation and analysis Design and Construction The statue is constructed f copper sheets hand-hammered onto wooden molds, but over the years the originally shiny copper has acquired a light-green hue. The engineer Gustave Eiffel, who later built the Eiffel Tower, designed the iron framework supporting the statue. Each section f the framework, and the copper sheets covering it, is attached separately to the central tower, enabling the sheets to move independently in varying weather and temperatures. (Hansen 34-35) Funds to build and transport the statue to the United States were raised entirely by the French people, not by the French government. An organization, the Franco-American Union, was formed in 1875 to raise money and