The irrealis were can say hello to the Dodo

The irrealis were can say hello to the Dodo The irrealis were can say hello to the Dodo The irrealis were can say hello to the Dodo By Maeve Maddox Reader Mariana Blaser recently brought up the question of the subjunctive use of were. She gave the following examples: If she were younger, she would have enjoyed that trip. I wish I were stronger. or He wished he were stronger. Â   Somehow the second sentence feels odd to me. Using the verb flexed in the plural form with wish should also be used with he, she and (eventually) it? Before I could respond, she found her own answer in an article by Jan Freeman in the Boston Globe. I’m happy to say I anticipated this verdict in my post on subjunctive were: To a large extent, English speakers don’t pay much attention to the subjunctive. The upshot of the Globe article is that although sites like this one still offer guidelines for its use, the subjunctive use of were is is a non-issue. According to Geoffrey Pullum, co-author of the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language and a linguist at Edinburgh University, we can substitute was for subjunctive were in any context. Fade away: The slow retirement of a tricky subjunctive Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Wether, Weather, WhetherItalicizing Foreign WordsDouble Possessive

Preparing for the Revised GRE in One Month

Preparing for the Revised GRE in One Month Youre ready to go. Youve registered for the Revised GRE and now you have a month before you take the exam. What should you do first? How do you prepare for the GRE in one month when you dont want to hire a tutor or take a class? Listen. You dont have too much time, but thank goodness youre preparing for a test one month in advance and didnt wait until you only had a few weeks or even days. If youre preparing for a test of this kind of magnitude, read on for a study schedule to help you get a good GRE score! Preparing for the GRE in One Month: Week 1 Double Check: Make sure your GRE registration is 100% all set to be sure youre actually registered for the Revised GRE. Youd be amazed how many people think theyre taking the test when theyre not.Purchase A Test Prep Book: Buy a comprehensive GRE test prep book from a well-known test prep company like The Princeton Review, Kaplan, PowerScore, etc. GRE apps are great and all (here are some fabulous GRE apps!), but typically, they are not as comprehensive as a book. Heres a list of some of the best.Jump Into the Basics: Read the Revised GRE test basics like the length of time youll test, the GRE scores you can expect, and the test sections.Get a Baseline Score:Â  Take one of the full-length practice tests inside the book (or for free online through ETSs PowerPrep II Software) to see what score youd get if you took the test today. After testing, determine the weakest, middle, and strongest of the three sections (Verbal, Quantitative or Analytical Writing) according to your baseline tes t. Set Your Schedule: Map out your time with a time management chart to see where GRE test prep can fit in. Rearrange your schedule if necessary to accommodate test prep, because you must aim to study every day – you only have one month to prepare! Preparing for the GRE in One Month: Week 2 Start Where Youre Weak: Begin coursework with your weakest subject (#1) as demonstrated by the baseline score.Nab The Basics: Learn the basics of this section fully as you read, and take notes about the types of questions asked, the amount of time needed per question, skills required, and content knowledge tested.Dive In: Answer #1 practice questions, reviewing answers after each one. Determine where youre making mistakes. Highlight those areas to return to.Test Yourself: Take a practice test on #1 to determine your level of improvement from the baseline score.Tweak #1: Fine tune #1 by reviewing the areas you highlighted and questions missed on the practice test. Practice this section until you have the strategies cold. Preparing for the GRE in One Month: Week 3 Head to Middle Ground: Move on to your middle subject (#2) as demonstrated by the baseline score.Nab The Basics: Learn the basics of this section fully as you read, and take notes about the types of questions asked, the amount of time needed per question, skills required, and content knowledge tested.Dive In: Answer #2 practice questions, reviewing answers after each one. Determine where youre making mistakes. Highlight those areas to return to.Test Yourself: Take a practice test on #2 to determine your level of improvement from the baseline score.Tweak #2: Fine tune #2 by reviewing the areas you highlighted and questions missed on the practice test. Return to the areas in the text youre still struggling with.Strength Training: Move on to the strongest subject (#3). Learn the basics of this section fully as you read, and take notes about the types of questions asked, the amount of time needed per question, skills required, and content knowledge tested.Dive In: Answer practice questio ns on #3. Test Yourself: Take a practice test on #3 to determine the level of improvement from baseline.Tweak #3: Fine tune #3 if necessary. Preparing for the GRE in One Month: Week 4 Simulate The GRE: Take a full-length practice GRE test, simulating the testing environment as much as possible with time constraints, desk, limited breaks, etc.Score and Review: Grade your practice test and cross-check every wrong answer with the explanation for your wrong answer. Determine the types of questions youre missing and head back to the book to see what you need to do to improve.Test Again: Take one more full-length practice test and rescore. Review incorrect answers.Fuel Your Body: Eat some brain food – studies prove that if you take care of your body, you’ll test smarter!Rest: Get plenty of sleep this week.Relax: Plan a fun evening the night before the exam to reduce your testing anxiety.Prep Prior: Pack your testing supplies the night before: sharpened #2 pencils with a soft eraser, registration ticket, photo ID, watch, snacks or drinks for breaks.Breathe: You did it! You studied successfully for the Revised GRE exam, and youre as ready as youre going to b e!

What caused the surge in oil price during the period 2000-2005 Essay

What caused the surge in oil price during the period 2000-2005 - Essay Example This projection is mainly attributed to the changes in demand and supply by the non-OPEC and OPEC members. The oil price surge is a major economic issue as it slows down global economic recovery. This paper highlights the major issues that are behind the oil price surge during the 2000 – 2005 periods. In this essay we seek to address the question of the effects of additions to OPEC capacities and economic activities on oil prices (mostly in the future) and why oil prices are literally depend on the OPEC’s ability to maintain control over the marginal supplies of oil. Global oil demand had a slow increase in the year 2000 – 2005 periods than it did in the last five years. Each time when the demand growth accelerates annually, the prices are always seen to rise and vice versa. The yearly rate of demand growth has changed markedly over the last few years with this kind of growth dipping into a low of just about half a percent in the year 2001 and a then having a sha rp rise through 2004. During the year 2004, the oil demand had surged by 4% and this was the fastest rate since 1977. In the year 2005, the demand growth fell callously although its growth rate was maintained above 1%. A significant part of this growth was contributed by China and most of the rest of the developing Asia (Menecon Ltd. 2006, p1). The United States and other non-Asian developing countries accounted for the bigger share of the volume increase in demand during the 2000 – 2005 periods. With the supply capacity going high in the recent years, the rise in demand has squeezed spare capacity in pushing up prices. Causes of Oil Surge during the 2000 – 2005 Period During 2000 – 2005 period great oil surges was experienced, the possible causes of this surge in oil prices include: supply, monetary inflation and the value of the US dollar, demand and investment demand. Supply Lower supply of oil is considered to be a main lasting fundamental cause of the risin g prices during the period 2000 – 2005. The intermittent supply contributed majorly on the surges in oil prices and therefore, the oil price crises. Monetary Inflation and the Value of the US Dollar Price inflation develops from monetary increase and other economic policies. Wobbly monetary policy attained from the Federal Reserve and other central banks is listed as one of the major contributor to the increase in the oil prices. It therefore forms the main cause in the dollar devaluation and commodity speculation characteristic with changes in oil prices. The value of the US dollar also had some impact on the oil prices as oil is normally quoted and traded in US dollars. This means that the value of the dollar determines the rise or fall in the oil prices. Demand High demand for oil is also one of the main causes of the surge in the oil prices. The demand for the crude oil was seen to be growing at an average of 1.76% per year. This effective growth (in percentage) was recor ded from the year 1994 to 2006. Still, during this period (1994 to 2006), a higher rise of 3.4% was experienced in the year 2003 to 2004. As the demand for oil is on a high rise all over the world an increase in demand of 37% is expected by 2030 hence the demand for oil is projected to have an increase. Normally, increase in oil prices reflects on the global demand rise for oil. Prices usually affect the demand as the relationship between them is considered to be not a way street. If the demand gets a certain shift a direct impact on the oil prices will take place; when the oil prices get affected thy in general will lead to a (United Nations staff 2005, p6). Investment Demand Invest demand is also one of major issues to the surge in oil during the 2000 - 2005 period. Investment demand usually occurs when investors pay for future

Bulimia Nervosa Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bulimia Nervosa - Thesis Example People with bulimia nervosa are preoccupied by their body shape and weight. Their appreciation for food causes them to binge, but their guilt afterwards causes them to purge or turn to over exercising to make up for their binge. It is highly believed that bulimia nervosa contains psychopathological signs in its development processes in a person, meaning that mental illness and distress might play a role in the development of bulimia nervosa. Indeed, there is a correlation between people with bulimia nervosa and borderline personality disorder (Cooper, 2003). The characteristics of borderline personality bring about depression in people, as well as unstable self-image, identity, and behavior. The individual’s sense of self is also negatively affected. All of these aforementioned symptoms of borderline personality bring about negative emotions in regard to an individual’s self-image. They become uncomfortable being in their own skin, finding something wrong whenever they are presented with the opportunity. When a person develops a mental illness that causes them to reconsider their self-image and reevaluate their sense of self, other disorders can begin to be developed, especially those relating to their self-image. If an individual feels negatively about how they look, they tend to implement means that can make them feel better about themselves. Even if they remain unpleased about how they appear to themselves, they still feel better about the fact that they are at least trying to compensate for the damage that they believe they are doing to themselves. The symptoms that accompany bulimia nervosa are similar to those found in borderline personality disorder. The possibility of developing an eating disorder is also a symptom of borderline personality, displaying that the two disorders can go hand-in-hand with one another. Other mental illnesses that can be connected to bulimia nervosa are multiple personality disorder and

Ovulatory cycle effects on tip earnings by lap dancers Essay Example for Free

Ovulatory cycle effects on tip earnings by lap dancers Essay The empirical article â€Å"Ovulatory cycle effects on tip earnings by lap dancers: economic evidence for human estrus†, [Myler, Tybur and Jordan, Evolution and Human Behavior 28 (2007) 375 – 381] examines whether human estrus was really â€Å"lost† during evolution. The estrus refers to estrous (or oestrous) cycle that comprises the recurring physiologic changes induced by reproductive hormones in most of mammalian females with a placental reproductive system. Humans undergo a menstrual cycle instead and it is believed by many theorists that human estrus has been lost during evolution. The authors have used an economic model that analyzes the effects of estrus on tip earnings by lap dancers. Typically males of a mammalian species are more solicitous towards a female of the same species. The hypothesis of existence of human estrus is sought to be proved by higher earnings reported by lap dancers during the productive period corresponding to estrus in other placental mammalian species. Here the logical assumption is that an estrous lap dancer would receive more solicitations for private show increasing her tip earnings during estrus. Design of the experiment involved multiple observations (i. e. , tips per shift) for dancers who were nested within contraception use and crossed with cycle phase. The data gathered was used to analyze effects of cycle phase and contraception use on tip earnings using multilevel modeling. Result of the empirical work confirmed the authors’ prediction that pill using and normally cycling participants would demonstrate a similar difference in tip earnings between the menstrual and luteal phases. Second prediction that cycling participants would demonstrate a larger increase in the fertile phase relative to the other phases than pill-using participants was also confirmed by the findings. Experiment found strong ovulatory cycle effects on tip earnings moderated by whether the participants were normally cycling. This path breaking paper provides the first direct economic evidence for the existence of estrus in contemporary human females. Real consumer spending patterns reveal human preferences more reliably than verbally stated judgments do. This is particularly true for socially stigmatized products such as pornography or sex work. The experiment involved only 18 participants which can be considered a relatively small size for an experiment with such vast conclusions. But the small size was adequately offset by an observation period of three months and a sufficiently large number of shifts for which observations were recorded. Moreover, the tip earnings of lap dancers are a result of changes in behavior pattern of a much larger number of their clients who were influenced by the estrous state of the lap dancer. When women and men interact intimately over the course of several minutes through conversation and body contact, women apparently either â€Å"signal† or â€Å"leak† cues of their fertility status, and these cues influence spending patterns by male consumers. These results argue against the view that human estrus evolved to be lost or hidden from males. Logical next step, despite its difficulties, would be further research to clarify whether women have evolved special adaptations to signal estrus through such cues – or whether the cues are â€Å"leaking† to sexually discriminating men as unselected side effects of cycle physiology.

A COUNTRY BOY CAN SURVIVE :: essays research papers

When the question â€Å"what consitutes a redneck?† is asked the variety of answers is astonishing. People think of rednecks as drunkards, racist, trashy, or even Monticello people. I have lived in Monticello for sixteen years and even though most people are rednecks, not all. We chose Monticello to do our research because it was exactlly the atmosphere we were looking for. In order to be a redneck here, there are a few traits you must have, such as: a big truck, love the rebel flag, and dress the right way. A big truck doesn’t necessarily mean a nice truck. Most guys around here drive old, ragged, broke down trucks. The most common truck would be an older F-150’s, a Chevy Z-71, or a Toyota Tacoma. Most trucks will also have four wheel drive, this comes in handy when you go muddin and get stuck. Many of the newer nicer trucks have bigger tires, dual exhaust, a brush guard, and a lift kit. In Monticello, you are identified by your truck. Everyone knows who everybody else is by what they drive. Most rednecks are seen as racist and prejudice against african americans. People think this because rednecks are known for their love of the confederate flag. The confederate flag is a sign of heritage in the south. It stands for what we are and where we come from. On our survey of fiftty people 73 percent agreed that the confederate flag was a sign of heritage and not hate. Another trait that constitutes being a redneck would be the way that you dress. Rednecks can be identified by their tight wrangler jeans, Dixie Outfitter shirts usually sporting a hutin, fishin, muddin logo, boots and a cowboy hat. The majority of rednecks will drink, usually Natural (nasty) light or Bud Light. They also smoke or dip, usually Marlboro reds, or lights, and Copenhagen. Most people wonder what on earth is there to do in such a small town such as Monticello? Well, there are three main things: 1. Huntin’ 2. Fishin’ 3. Muddin’. Although the typical weekend would include Huntin in the morning, fishin in the afternoon and muddin at night we do manage to go to at least one movie every once in awhile. Most of the guys have just recently taken to shootin pool, I am terrible at the game therefore I sit and watch most of the time. Along about early November through late February every male above the age of 12 can be found in a deerstand at 5 a.m.. The idea of sitting on a wooden platform for

Ensuring People Support for Education and Training Programs Essay

A collaborative effort is a key to success in the field of continuing education.   That is to maintain partnership with the learners, the supervisors and, the managers.   To ensure support from each participant it is important that there is connectivity before, during, and after the training program.   After all, learning is effective when it is applied as well as teaching is assimilated when it is explained. In Cafarella’s book, the five primary purpose of education was explicitly stated that is; â€Å"to encourage growth, to assist with practical problems, to prepare people for current and future opportunities, to assist with change for desired results, and to examine community or social issues (Schultz, 2002).†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Educators are tasked to elaborate from the beginning the reason of the training program and if it is presented to learners as useful and not mandatory support from the learner is ensured even from the start of the program.   Key people or the supervisors can be invited in the planning process so that they can tell the planner or the educator actual experiences on how the knowledge will be applied.   Also it is best to include the supervisors in giving decisions on when is the training program be scheduled so that critical schedule in their operations will not be hampered.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During trainings learners should get involved in the discussion by inviting them to give examples and with those actual situations mentioned by the participants, trainers should help the learner to reflect on the subject and how it could be applied.   Supervisors at the same time can be asked to mentor or assist in the on-going program.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Training program does not end at the venue but probing whether the learning process is blocked after instruction was given ensures effectiveness of the course.   Learners should be encouraged to help one another and evaluate the learning process.   Supervisors should be asked on the feedback if the course has been effective by checking if what is learned was applied in each participants actual work situation.   To ensure continuous support and partnership, endings should be addressed whether it is positive or negative (Caffarella, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Managers are tasked to implement goals and objectives; they are the one who manage change.   To ensure their support from beginning to end, they should be asked to provide consultations before and after.   They should be convinced that the program is helping their organization to grow. References Schultz, J. D. (2002). Book Review: Planning Programs for Adult Learners, 2nd Edition by Rosemary A. Caffarella [Electronic Version]. Retrieved 12 February 2008 from http://www.exchangesjournal.org/reviews/review_1107.html. Caffarella, R.A. (2002).   Planning Programs for Adult Learners (Chapter 5), 2nd Edition, 403 pages ISBN: 0-7879-5225-7.

Multilingualism or Not? Essay

Today in America, there is a raging debate going on: should we promote multilingualism or accept a â€Å"melting pot† ideology? The melting pot ideology dictates assimilating into a common culture and language. Views on this issue are very polarized, which make a compromise seem hard to accomplish. Two articles that pertain to this topic are â€Å"American Multilingualism: A National Tragedy,† by Franklin Raff published on WND.com, and â€Å"English Only Laws Divide and Demean,† by Warren J. Blumenfeld published in The Huffington Post. Both articles are direct contradictions of each other with Raff saying languages other than English are unduly practiced and embraced in America while Blumenfeld argues that America should promote the practice of multiple languages. While I do not find myself agreeing completely with either one, there are points in both that appeal to me and give me a better understanding of multilingualism, and the influences of its wide reaching effects on society. In â€Å"American Multilingualism: A National Tragedy,† writer Franklin Raff introduces an ad broadcast on Super Bowl Sunday. It is a Toyota car ad, which is touted to be the first â€Å"bicultural, bilingual† advertisement. The spot compares the benefits of being bilingual to a hybrid car. Raff claims that the ad agency responsible for the ad has bluffed in equating bilingualism to anything good. He even goes as far as to say that the effects of promoting bilingualism can be fatal. To support his claim of fatality he uses the situation in where doctors are unable to  comprehend their patients. He also brings up the fact that workers who are unable to comprehend safety regulations at worksites meet untimely deaths. Raff speaks of the Chicago school system, which has an overwhelming population of Hispanics and is also the worst performing of all school systems. He then introduces a janitor, who cannot speak English and as such cannot get a better job despite his attention to detail, and a little Spanish speaking girl, who he encountered in the supermarket and cannot offer her help due to her not understanding English. Raff also provides statistics that portray Hispanics as unable to complete higher education courses due to their knowledge of Spanish and not English. He closes by saying it is a disservice to oneself to speak Spanish and as such it is a national tragedy. Raff’s article has a feeling of immense passion on something he feels is a great plague to the nation. He argues to great lengths on the extent of â€Å"damage† that speaking other languages causes to society. The Spanish language is his argument’s main adversary. He uses rhetorical strategies such as pathos and angle of vision to significant effect to support his claim. In his attempt to gain emotional support from his readers he makes impassioned pleas and relates personal experiences. He introduces the idea of being unable to comprehend languages as being detrimental to the point of even causing deaths. He uses examples of miscommunication in a health care facility and safety regulations at work sites. Death being the worst fate of mankind is a useful point for Raff as readers would be appalled that death is a possibility for some and that it could be avoided. He also speaks of the failing Chicago school system which is densely populated by Hispanics and he insinuates that their practice of language is what fails them. Others he says afflicted by speaking Spanish include a janitor he knows and a girl he encounters at the supermarket. Raff seeks to gain support by relating the troubles he perceives and leading  people to believe that Hispanics would be afforded a better quality of life and possibility of success by relinquishing the Spanish language and adopting the English language. Franklin Raff’s use of angle of vision lies in subtle inferences that readers have to make on their own. As it relates to the janitor he describes as a â€Å"fast, meticulous and good-natured worker,† Raff claims he can communicate with the janitor due to his knowledge of Italian, but Raff fails to write about the janitor’s feelings but rather what he believes the janitor should feel. Raff also speaks of high failure rates of Hispanics but he fails to account for any success of Hispanics in America, by doing this he can gain support from people who do not choose to consider more factors than the ones only stated by Raff. He makes it seem as though it is all doom and gloom because of knowing another language. In â€Å"English Only Laws Divide and Demean,† Warren Blumenfeld starts by relating an experience he had with his multilingual cousin, living in Belgium. His cousin poses a riddle to him, with the outcome saying that persons that can only speak one language are referred to as â€Å"US-American† as opposed to monolingual. Blumenfeld accepts this as a truth and goes on to lament that despite being so closely bordered by countries that speak other languages, Americans are stuck in their monolingual ways. He states that Americans’ lack of care for other languages has been endorsed by major political figures such as former President Theodore Roosevelt and Senator Rick Santorum. The ideas that there has been a campaign to make English the â€Å"official† language and that laws have been proposed to outlaw other languages are slammed by Blumenfeld, who states he has even started a petition against this movement. He also uses a personal experience of a friend of Mexican descent, who as a child was berated and punished for making an exclamation in Spanish at school. Blumenfeld states that this prejudice is a violation  of democracy and no true patriot could support it. He proclaims that America  should embrace its rich diversity and shed its â€Å"melting pot† ideology if it is to become a beacon to the world. Warren Blumenfeld in his attempt to gain the support of his readers employs the use of appeals to emotions and values. In his retelling of his encounter with his cousin he seeks to make Americans, including himself, feel as though they have not done enough to embrace linguistic diversity. By doing this he is able to make Americans feel t hat they should work assiduously to overcome this rather true stereotype. He also speaks of the extent American society will go to eliminate other languages, including campaigns by political leaders and proposition of laws. By highlighting these details and framing them in such a way that depicts them as promoting ignorance, Blumenfeld is able to gain the readers’ support. To show just how serious and credible his claim is, Blumenfeld then identifies that he has started a petition, which encourages readers to a call to action. To then gain the readers’ sympathy Blumenfeld uses an experience from a friend who as a child was castigated for speaking Spanish. This experience causes readers to be appalled that in their society, people, especially children are being chastised because of their cultural differences. The highpoint of Blumenfeld’s argument is introduced near the end when he begins to speak about the founding principles of America. He proclaims that the values of democracy and diversity are woven into the fabric of the nation and its people, and as such the people should work to protect and propagate these American values. True American patriots would then see the issue of multilingualism as an important part of the great nation’s future. In terms of a comparison between both articles, the only similarities lie in both writers’ use of rhetorical appeals and angle of vision. Both writers rely heavily on the emotional and value appeal of pathos to connect with their readers. The difference between both articles is the ideology of the authors. The authors directly contradict each other. Franklin Raff would have  Americans believe that the practice of languages other than English can lead  to death and failure. On the other hand, Warren Blumenfeld implores Americans to embrace learning and practicing other languages as it allows people to communicate across borders easily. After reading and analyzing both Franklin Raff’s and Warren Blumenfeld’s articles in detail I was able to gain new knowledge on the subject of multilingualism. From personal experiences I previously had opinions on the topic but from my newly attained knowledge I was able to strengthen my opinions. The basics of my ideology are that I believe that all government and other official documents should be printed in one language, most suitably English, for ease of communication. Though we should also encourage people to learn and practice multiple languages as that ability enhances a person’s effectiveness to themselves and to society as a whole. I was fortunate to be raised in a society that promoted learning multiple languages, though English was my native tongue. I learnt the fundamentals of both French and Spanish up until the 8th grade in Jamaica. Now I can read and write both languages at a level I perceive to be fair, which is something I am proud of. Though I lack in speaking fluency of these languages I plan to eventually become fluent. After 8th grade I moved to Florida. There I was surprised to know that my new peers had no foreign language course after the 5th grade and then they would only have a two-year crash course in high school. Having had that two-year crash course as well, I felt that it was more about getting a grade rather than learning to appreciate and comprehend the language. On the other hand, the peers I left in Jamaica went on to learn either one or both languages at a higher level. In America, I believe middle and high schools should operate a continuous curriculum for foreign languages as it will enhance students’ abilities. Franklin Raff in his article claims that Hispanics have a higher failure rate at school, particularly in Chicago, because of their knowledge of another language. Having had Hispanic classmates I am in complete disagreement with  Raff as it was apparent they were just as inclined for success and I believed that their ability to speak both English and Spanish gave them somewhat of an edge in being successful. As it pertains to the Chicago school system there is likely to be social factors other than language, including poverty in a densely populated area, that can lead to higher failure rates that Raff fails to account for. I also disagree with Warren Blumenfeld that English should not be made the official language of America and that government documents should be printed in multiple languages. Blumenfeld states that it is unnecessary to make English the official language but I believe not making English the official language is just as unnecessary. America unlike many other countries that promote multilingualism, does not have an official language. Having an official language does not mean that a country ignores other languages. In Jamaica, English is the official language but foreign languages are given great emphasis in the education system. For American governments to reduce spending, printing long documents in English only would be a good idea, but smaller statements such as safety information on airplanes can be printed in multiple languages, including French and Spanish. Though I have disagreements with the points the writers make, I do find some common ground with them. Franklin Raff’s claim that different languages make communication between people difficult is very understandable. There have been a few instances where I’ve heard people say they could not communicate with people at places such as the gas station as one person solely speaks English and the other solely Spanish. To achieve goals and make things happen require effective communication between people. I also agree with Blumenfeld that promoting Williams  multilingualism creates a better global society. I believe people should attempt to learn and appreciate other languages as it is a show of competence and facilitates good relations among different groups of people. America, in particular, has a few negative connotations around the world, and I believe if we as a people can embrace other cultures and languages America will gain a deserved mutual respect. As the topic of multilingualism holds great significance to me, I found it imperative to explore the writings of both Franklin Raff and Warren Blumenfeld. Both articles related interesting and contrasting ideas on the topic. As seen with my agreements and disagreements it is best to only consider the ideas rather than accepting any one as the truth. In my opinion, the importance of communication cannot be overstated, as it is a component of progress. While one language makes such communication easy, diversity among the world’s citizens cannot be eliminated and as such governments should encourage acceptance of other societies’ diversities and languages. It starts with education, to facilitate students to learn and gain appreciation for other languages and create a more connected world. Works Cited Blumenfeld, Warren J. â€Å"†English Only† Laws Divide and Demean.† The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc., 16 Nov. 2012. Web. 21 October 2013. Raff, Franklin. â€Å"American ‘multilingualism’: A National Tragedy.† WND. WND.com, 02 May 2006. Web. 16 November 2013.

Cognitive Dissonance Essays - Social Psychology, Psychology

Cognitive Dissonance Essays - Social Psychology, Psychology Cognitive Dissonance Cognitive Dissonance How do human beings make decisions? What triggers a person to take action at any given point? These are allquestions that I will attempt to answer with my theoretical research into Leon Festingers theory of cognitive dissonance, as well as many of the other related theories. We often do not realize the psychological events that take place in our everyday lives. It is important to take notice of theories, such as the balance theory, the congruency theory and the cognitive dissonance theory so that ones self-persuasion occurs knowingly. As psychologist and theorist gain a better understanding of Festingers cognitive dissonance theory manipulation could occur more easily than it already does in todays society. Leon Festingers cognitive dissonance theory is very closely related to many of the consistency theories. The first of the major consistency theories, the balance theory, was proposed by Fritz Heider (1946, 1958) and was later revised by Theodore Newcomb (1953) (Larson, 1995). Heider and Newcombs theory was mostly looking at the interaction between two people (interpersonally) and the conflicts that arose between them. When two people have conflicting opinions or tension is felt between another person, it is more likely persuasion will occur. Because if no tension was felt between the two parties, or there were no conflicting opinions there would be no need to persuade each other. If you think about it persuasion occurs only because there is tension between two facts, ideas or people. Charles Larson writes in his book, Persuasion, Reception and Responsibility, another approach to the consistency theory is congruency theory, by Charles Osgood and Percy Tennenbaum (1955) (p.82). This theory suggest that we want to have balance in our lives and there is a systematic way to numerically figure it out. When two attitudes collide we must strive to strike a balance between the two attitudes. The balance varies depending on the intensity we feel about each attitude and our pre-disposed positions concerning the attitude. We either have a favorable , neutral or unfavorable opinion concerning ideas. When two attitudes collide we will attempt to downgrade the favorable position and upgrade the unfavorable position so that we feel a balance. For example, suppose someone thought of Mel Gibson as a good role model. Later on they come to find out Mel Gibson does not like football. If the person was to like both football and Mel Gibson one of three things would happen: 1) The individual would downgrade their opinion of Mel Gibson, or 2)downgrade football, or 3) downgrade both. The action taken would create psychological consistency in ones mind. These theories are very interesting and have been quite researched, but none more so than Leon Festingers theory of cognitivedissonance. Leon Festingers theory, unlike the others I have described, deal with quantitative aspects, as well as qualitative. Thats what is so different and revolutionary about Festingers theory. Robert Wicklund and Jack Brehm (1976), in their book Perspectives on Cognitive Dissonance, write, Most notably, the original statement of dissonance theory include: propositions about the resistance-to-change of cognitions and about the proportion of cognitions that are dissonant, both of which allowed powerful and innovative analyses of psychological situations (p.1). The term dissonance refers to the relation between two elements. When two elements do not fit together they are considered dissonant. Cognitive dissonance can be broken down into a number of elements. As Brehm and Cohen (1962) write, A dissonant relationship exist between two cognitive elements when a person possesses one which follows the obverse of another that he possesses. A person experiences dissonance, that is, a motivational tension, when he (or she) has cognitions among which there are one or more dissonant relationships (p.4).Cognitive dissonance can occur intrapersonally as well as betweentwo or more people. With individual cognitive dissonance the individual longs for consistency within their own mind. Second, there exist dissonance between two or more people. This occurs when two people have differing opinions about a particular issue.This phenomenon may have something to do with varying degrees of knowledge about the issue or different belief systems being enacted. An example of this can be seen by taking a look at the cultures of the West versus cultures of the East. Cultures of the East value loyalty and honor. Cultures of the West have different value systems that often collide with those of the East. Between two parties, dissonance may arise from: (1) logical inconsistency; (2) because of cultural mores: (3) because of a specific opinion; and (4) because of past experience. To reduce cognitive dissonance a person

A Hyphenation Quiz

A Hyphenation Quiz A Hyphenation Quiz A Hyphenation Quiz By Mark Nichol Yes, I hype correct hyphenation, but proper treatment of the little line enables clear communication, so on this site, I repeatedly attach importance to the attachment tool. In the following sentences, excessive or insufficient use of hyphens clouds rather than clarifies. Correct the connective calamities below, then check my answer key at the bottom of the page: 1. â€Å"The program offers student-directed and student-initiated research- and discovery-based learning opportunities.† 2. â€Å"The plan includes accidental death and dismemberment coverage.† 3. â€Å"The businessman-turned-candidate spoke about his religious beliefs.† 4. â€Å"Maybe the country just doesn’t want a my way or the highway Texan in the White House again.† 5. â€Å"Travel to near-space in a 400-foot diameter balloon.† 6. â€Å"He all-but-lectured the lawmakers assembled.† 7. â€Å"The rainbow flag flew at half-staff to honor Elizabeth Taylor, the Hollywood-star-and icon to gays who died in March.† Answers 1. This hyphen-saturated sentence, though technically correct (though to be fair but awkward, the second mention of the word student should be elided), reads better when it is relaxed: â€Å"The program, based on research and discovery, allows students to direct and initiate their own learning opportunities.† â€Å"Student-directed and -initiated† and â€Å"research- and discovery-based† are proper examples of suspensive hyphenation, but the double-suspension string â€Å"student-directed and (student)-initiated research- and discovery-based† is excessive. 2. As written, this sentence implies that the coverage is accidental. But the coverage presumably protects against two possibilities: accidental death, and dismemberment, so the phrase â€Å"accidental death† should be hyphenated to signal that the constituent words combine to modify coverage, and because the insurance also applies to nondeliberate dismemberment, that word should be preceded by a suspended hyphenation. However, because no insurance company hyphenates this phrase in its literature, I’m inclined to request, as in the previous example, at least a relaxed rewrite that obviates hyphenation: â€Å"The plan includes coverage in case of accidental death and dismemberment.† 3. When the verb turned stands between a word describing a former state and one referring to a current state, unlike as is the case with the similarly employed conjunction cum (â€Å"with†), no hyphenation is necessary: â€Å"The businessman turned candidate spoke about his religious beliefs.† 4. The word string defining what kind of Texan the subject is must be corralled into one group, either with quotation marks that imply that the sentiment is literally or figuratively stated, or with multiple hyphens: â€Å"Maybe the country just doesn’t want a my-way-or-the-highway Texan in the White House again.† 5. This sentence manages two hyphenation errors within its ten-word length. Near is often erroneously attached to the following noun; hyphenation is correct only when near and the following word form a phrasal adjective modifying a third term, as in â€Å"near-space tourist travel† (where the open compound â€Å"tourist travel† is an noun phrase). Also, the half-hearted hyphenation that follows implies the existence of an odd item referred to as a diameter balloon; this one apparently has 400 five-toed appendages. The phrase should be revised to correctly reflect that the balloon is 400 feet in diameter: â€Å"Travel to near space in a 400-foot-diameter balloon.† 6. The modifying phrase â€Å"all but† needs not be attached to the verb, nor do the two words in that phrase require connection: â€Å"He all but lectured the lawmakers assembled.† 7. Half-staff, like its synonym half-mast (often erroneously used in nonmaritime contexts), is correctly hyphenated. The hyphenation error occurs later in the sentence, when the writer, confused about how to construct the gloss of Elizabeth Taylor, loses steam near the end. The phrase â€Å"Hollywood star and icon to gays,† however, requires no connective tissue: â€Å"The rainbow flag flew at half-staff to honor Elizabeth Taylor, the Hollywood star and icon to gays who died in March.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Direct and Indirect ObjectsAcronym vs. InitialismArtist vs. Artisan

Questions for thought Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Questions for thought - Assignment Example It defines the kind of content that should not appear in the messages and the rights of the recipients. However, these laws have only been partially effective. As such, users have resorted to alternative means of preventing spams with an example being the use of the anti-spamming techniques embedded in products and software. In the current business setting, it is common to find enterprises allowing their employees to use their personal devices in their places of work to carry out work related duties. This practice, however, raises two major concerns, which include the privacy of information and misuse of company data. In order to ensure that the practice benefits the company rather than having detrimental effects, there is a need to have standards of practice in place. These will define the kind of device that can be used, how they are to be used and who can use it (Heary and Woland 56). In addition to this, employees should have specific credentials that allow them to access information. Finally it is imperative to ensure that the devices are only used to access information and not for storage purpose. This will prevent the material from reaching the wrong hand should the devices get lost. Cloud computing is a technique whereby by a group of remote servers and networks are used to facilitate storage of data in a central location. The data can then be accessed online by the company using the services (Voorsluys, Broberg and Buyya 23). This technology allows an organization to use computer systems as a utility rather than building their own infrastructure. It has been incorporated in several business practices, with the outcome being that it has freed the IT team from the duty of building or maintaining a computing infrastructure for the company. In addition to this, it has allowed the end users to spin up the existing computing resources without requiring the intervention of the IT