Various Security Examples Example

Various Security Examples Example Various Security Examples – Coursework Example Telecommunications based on intrusion, firewalls, routers protection or detection systems. Examples of these networking models are the Open Systems Interconnect and the Transmission Control Protocol models (Lambo, 2006). The Transmission Control Protocol entails a core internet protocol which ensures reliable delivery mechanisms through the internet. Application security entails the approaches utilized in the code’s life cycle in order to prevent security gaps in security policy of applications, and the underlying system, through errors in design, development, upgrade, maintenance and deployment of the application. Application controls mind of the resources given to them. Therefore, they determine the utilization of the resources by application’s users through application security. Web Application Security Consortium and Open Web Application Security Project; provide updates concerning the latest threat which negatively affects the web based applications. This guides t he developers, security architects and testers; in focusing on mitigation strategy and superior design (Allen, 2001). Operations security ensures security of information assets found in the computer or directly related to the computing environment. Operations security is seen as the heart of the information security. This is because it controls the approaches of controlling and processing data (Dhillon, 2007). Information security programs which are complete must have adequate controls designed to ensure adequate levels of security. Hardware control, resource protection and privileged entity controls are significant aspects of operations controls. The operations control must provide consistency throughout the entire processes and applications. References Allen, H. (2001). The CERT Guide to System and Network Security Practices. Boston, MA: Addison-Wesley.Dhillon, G. (2007). Principles of Information Systems Security: text and cases. NY: John Wiley & Sons.Lambo, T. (November, 2006) , "ISO/IEC 27001: The future of infosec certification", ISSA Journal.William, S. (2007). Network security essentials: applications and standards. London: Prentice Hall.

Mandarin Chinese Christmas Vocabulary

Mandarin Chinese Christmas Vocabulary Christmas  is not an official holiday in China, so most offices, schools, and shops remain open. Nonetheless, many  people still get into the holiday spirit during the Yuletide, and all the trappings of Christmas can be found in China,  Hong  Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.   Additionally, many people in recent years have begun celebrating Christmas in China. You can see Christmas decorations in department stores, and the custom of exchanging gifts is becoming more popular- especially with the younger generation. Many also decorate their homes with Christmas trees and ornaments. So, learning Mandarine Chinese Christmas vocabulary can be helpful if you plan to visit the region. Two Ways to Say Christmas There are two ways to say â€Å"Christmas† in Mandarin Chinese. The links provide a transliteration of the word or phrase (called  pinyin), followed the word or phrase written in  traditional Chinese  characters, followed by the same word or phrase printed in simplified Chinese characters. Click on the links to bring up an audio file and hear how to pronounce the words. The two ways to say Christmas in Mandarin Chinese are  shà ¨ng dn jià © (è â€"è ªâ€¢Ã§ ¯â‚¬ traditional Ã¥Å" £Ã¨ ¯Å¾Ã¨Å â€š simplified) or  yÄ“ dn jià © (è€ ¶Ã¨ ªâ€¢Ã§ ¯â‚¬ trad è€ ¶Ã¨ ¯Å¾Ã¨Å â€š simplified). In each of the phrases, the final two characters (dn jià ©) are the same. Dn refers to birth, and jià © means â€Å"holiday.† The first character of Christmas can be either shà ¨ng or yÄ“. Shà ¨ng translates as â€Å"saint† and yÄ“ is a phonetic, which is used for Jesus yÄ“ sÃ… « (è€ ¶Ã§ ©Å' traditional è€ ¶Ã§ ¨ £ simplified). Shà ¨ng dn jià © means â€Å"the birth of a saint holiday† and yÄ“ dn jià © means â€Å"the birth of Jesus holiday.† Shà ¨ng dn jià © is the more popular of the two phrases. Whenever you see shà ¨ng dn, though, remember that you can also use yÄ“ dn instead. Mandarin Chinese Christmas Vocabulary There are many other Christmas-related words and phrases in Mandarin Chinese, from Merry Christmas to poinsettia and even gingerbread house. In the table, the English word is given first, followed by the pinyan (transliteration), and then the traditional and simplified spellings in Chinese. Click the pinyan  listings to hear how each word or phrase is pronounced. English Pinyin Traditional Simplified Christmas shng dn ji Christmas y dn ji Christmas eve shng dn y Christmas eve ping n y Merry Christmas shng dn kui l Christmas tree shng dn sh Candy Cane gui zhng tng Christmas presents shng dn l w Stocking shng dn w Poinsettia shng dn hng Gingerbread house jing bng w Christmas card shng dn k Santa Claus shng dn lo rn Sleigh xu qio Reindeer m l Christmas carol shng dn g Caroling bo ji yn Angel tin sh Snowman xu rn Celebrating Christmas in China and the Region While most Chinese opt to overlook Christmas’s religious roots, a sizable minority do head to church for services in a variety of languages, including Chinese, English, and French. There are  approximately 70 million practicing Christians in China as of December 2017, according to  the Beijinger, a monthly entertainment guide and website based in Chinas capital. The figure represents only 5 percent of the countrys total population of 1.3 billion, but its still large enough to make an impact. Christmas services are held at an array of state-run churches in China and at houses of worship throughout Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. International schools and some embassies and consulates are also closed on Dec. 25 in China. Christmas Day (Dec. 25) and Boxing Day (Dec. 26) are public holidays in Hong Kong, so government offices and businesses are closed. Macau recognizes Christmas as a holiday and most businesses are closed. In Taiwan, Christmas coincides with Constitution Day (è ¡Å'æ† ²Ã§ ´â‚¬Ã¥ ¿ µÃ¦â€" ¥). Taiwan used to observe Dec. 25 as a day off, but currently, as of March 2018, Dec. 25 is a regular working day in Taiwan.

Greek philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Greek philosophy - Essay Example Those performing exceedingly well receive ten years of mathematical education, the successful will move onto five years of training in dialectic and then a final fifteen year period of apprenticeship in managing the polis.† (Philosopher King). Plato developed the concept of â€Å"forms† which he said can be understood only by a well trained and knowledgeable person. The understanding of forms cannot be achieved through human senses and it is something beyond the normal existence of an individual which an average person will fail to understand. Plato also asserts that the mathematical knowledge is substantial for a philosopher king to know forms. It can be seen that, Plato give primary importance to education so that the philosopher is well groomed to be a king. Understanding the political climate of any state is important for its rulers. Plato gives a 15 year duration concentrating only on political concepts and ideas to make a philosopher fit to be king. Here, Polis not only includes the individuals in a state but the geographical peculiarities of the state are also taken into consideration. Plato does not support the idea of democracy as it does put the right person at the helm for making decisions in public, social or political affairs. He point out that such people will not be properly trained in knowledge and practical application of ideas. According to Plato, all individuals in a society are equal in a democratic setting which can lead to problems of great measure. Then he points out that every individual in a society cannot be equally trained to perform well with regard to matters of political concern and in a democratic setup of people with no capabilities contribute to political matters which can destabilize the peace of the society. In a democratic situation, people may select representatives who can be totally incapable of handling political

Classroom Management In The Early Childhood Setting Research Paper

Classroom Management In The Early Childhood Setting - Research Paper Example The topic of Classroom Management In The Early Childhood Setting covers the issues of dealing with behavior problems of preschoolers. This topic is relevant to the author, being a preschool teacher of four and five year old children. With only two years of teaching experience, the author believes this paper will be able to help her, as well as other new teachers in their challenges in managing their early childhood classes. It will derive wisdom from the thorough literature review as well as surveying other more experienced teachers on their classroom management styles. Statement of Problem This paper will deal with factors that contribute to an effective classroom management plan. Specifically, the problem is stated as thus: â€Å"How do beginning teachers achieve a well-managed class in an early childhood education setting?† Purpose of the Study This study purports to study various factors that contribute to effective classroom management techniques that early childhood educators should consider in order to manage their classes better. It hopes to educate new teachers with the possible reasons why children may misbehave in classrooms and what can be done to dispel such misbehavior and encourage a smoother flow of activities in the early childhood classroom. This would result in a more conducive learning environment where the children ‘s learning potentials are maximized.... Importance of the study Knowledge and eventually, mastery of effective classroom management strategies are essential skills teachers need to be successful in their careers. Hence, this study will prove relevant in helping teachers, especially those with little experience, in handling very young children. Empowering teachers with information from this study is believed to derive positive outcomes which will benefit their young students, as they will be more able to learn from and with each other. Definition of Terms Classroom Management- management of the class during class hours including preparation for the class day and what transpires during the day and even up to when the students leave (Crosser, 2002). Positive Student-Teacher Relationships- warm, nurturing relationships between students and teachers that positively influence the discipline and education of children (Maddox & Prinz, 2003). Physical environment- the place where children learn, equipped with furnishings, equipment and learning materials Routines- activities that usually happen within the school day scheduled in a predictable manner. Procedure Aside from learning from research done on classroom management from previous studies, this study will be using a portion of the Evaluation of Quality Teaching taken from Shalaway (1998) (see Appendix 1), specifically on Classroom Management. The instrument proposed for evaluation of teacher effectiveness is based on a general philosophy of how effective teaching should be. It has three main components: classroom management, active teaching and instructional techniques and teacher-student interaction. This study will only take the component on classroom management. However, the survey will include

Management Accounting Essay Example for Free

Management Accounting Essay Economists and accountants have diametrically opposite views of cost-volume profit (CVP) behaviour but only accountants have a CVP model that is appropriate for assisting management with decision making Ryan Bebbington Word Count 1796 Economists and accountants have diametrically opposite views of cost-volume profit (CVP) behaviour but only accountants have a CVP model that is appropriate for assisting management with decision making Cost volume profit analysis looks into the relationship between a firms fixed and variable costs and total revenues across a varying level of production. The model will give a predicted level of profit at a given level of production. There are many ways that CVP analysis can be useful for decision making, it is important to distinguish between the different applications of the Economists and Accountants interpretations, as well as other factors involved in decision making. CVP analysis is used in management decisions when forecasting production levels. To use this model effectively, Management will look at different scenarios of output, prices and costs, and see where the model predicts the firms revenues will cover its total costs. This point is known as the breakeven point. Management can investigate the effects of price increases, changing costs from fixed to variable such as salaries to commission based pay. Managers can also investigate the outcomes from decisions such as making components in house or buying in, retaining or replacing equipment and marketing decisions. They can also investigate the sales mix. By having a prediction of the effects of these variables, managers will be able to make better decisions, as they have more information. CVP is a simplified model and thus has limitations to its analysis and predictions. When managers are aware of the limitations and how to correctly use CVP analysis it can be a powerful tool. Managers must be aware that there are assumptions that are made to simplify the CVP tool, as it cannot truly model the real business, as it would be far too complicated. The economists interpretation of the CVP graph, Figure 1, is based on two main assumptions, which explain the shape of the cost and revenue curves. The first assumption, which affects the revenue curve is that the firm is competing on price competition, this means that in order to increase sales, the firm must reduce the marginal selling price of the product. This causes the firms revenue curve to level off, as the marginal revenue falls to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0, as in figure 1b. After this point the firm is selling at a negative price, causing the firms total revenue to fall. The second assumption is based on the firms cost curve, is based on economies and diseconomies of scale. The firms economies of scale cause the variable cost per unit to decrease as production increases, as in figure 1b. This can be due to any of the economies of scale, such as purchasing, where a discount for bulk buying is received, managerial, where managers can become more specialised, financial where the firm is offered lower interest rates as there is a lower risk of lending. The Total cost curve will level off as these increasing returns to scale cause the production to reach a level of most efficient output. After this the firm will experience decreasing returns to scale, as the plant is operating at a higher production level than it was designed for, causing problems in production, such as bottlenecks in the production line. This causes the average unit cost to increase again, giving the curve its shape. It is important to understand that Economists are trying to most accurately model real world situations, rather than create a tool for management decisions. The accountants CVP model, figure 2, is based on a simpler interpretation of the cost and revenue functions, this is because Accountants are not concerned with provided an accurate representation of the cost and revenue functions, instead they wish to display the relevant ranges, figure 3, of production for the firm. As this is the information that is used for short-run decision making, as this is the time frame where the information is most useful for management decision making, information for longer term decision making is required for board level decisions, to do with the long term objectives of the company. The information that the firm uses to produce its cost and revenue curves is extracted from previous operating costs and revenues, this ensures that the information is reliable. The Accountants cost function, is a straight line, which assumes that for each additional unit produced, a standard variable cost is incurred, the assumption that production will only be occurring in a relevant range means that the firms production will not alter enough to cause increasing or decreasing returns to scale. The Accountants interpretation of the fixed cost curve is different to the Economists view because it meets the Y axis at a higher point, which indicates that the Accountants believe that firms are committed to a higher minimum level of fixed costs. This is because although a firm may reduce its fixed costs to a lower level, as in the Economists interpretation, the firm can only do this by redundancies and shutting down plants. As the Accountants model only represents a relevant range, the fixed costs cannot be reduced to this level in the short run, when this interpretation is extended outside of the relevant range, a stepped fixed cost and total function will be seen, as in figure 3. The other difference is that the revenue function is linear. This is because in the short run, firms cannot change the price of their products easily; it may also be because of firms competing on non-price, rather than price competition. As Accountants make no attempt to extend the revenue function outside of the relevant range, there is no need to model the firms decrease in product price to increase demand. The Accountants interpretation of the Cost Volume Profit model is more appropriate for Management decisions, as management decisions are not concerned with long term information. This is because the Board of Directors will be making the firms long term decisions. The information that the Economists model provides, includes a lot of information outside of this relevant range, this will affect the reliability of the data in the model. The data in the model will be less reliable as it is more difficult to accurately predict the behaviour of the cost and revenue functions, outside of the relevant range, as it is not based on past sales data. It will also be more expensive to compile the information needed as it is a more complex model. It can also be argued that some managers will find it difficult to interpret the Economists model, as the information will be more complex. Managers may wish to extend the CVP model to cover longer term decisions, will need to be aware of the long term behaviour of fixed costs. In the long term, firms will have a greater control over fixed costs, they can expand capacity by increasing floor space, hiring more supervisors and upgrading or purchasing new machinery. Which will give the firms fixed cost line a step function. Other factors will also affect the firms revenue and cost curves, such as advertising strategies, changes in political, environmental, social, economical, and legal factors, such as a change in VAT rate. These factors cannot easily be planned for and are not easily shown in long term CVP analysis, which is the main reason that CVP cannot accurately model long term production. One of the features useful for decision making, is the ability to display the information in different methods, one of these is the Margin of safety. This is the difference between the expected sales and break even sales, expressed as a percentage of the expected sales. It shows management the level that sales can fall by before the companys revenue falls below the breakeven point. The information can also be displayed as two other charts. The first is a contribution chart, figure 4, in this chart, the fixed costs are shown as the difference between the variable cost line and the total cost line. The total contribution is displayed as the difference between the revenue line and the variable cost line. It is useful for showing a total contribution level at any level of output. The other presentation is the Profit volume graph, figure 5; this graph is useful because the other two charts to not directly display the profit at any given level of production as it must be calculated. The P-V graph simply displays the firms profit or loss at any given level of production. These two graphs will be useful for management decisions concerned with contribution or profits at a given level of production. Once again, the economists version of these two graphs would be far too complicated, and the information will not be reliable enough to base management decisions on. In the real world, firms will be producing multi products, and spreading the overhead costs across each of these products. A firm may wish to alter the CVP analysis to reflect their product mix. This is done by grouping production into batches. The batches revenue and variable costs will be defined as the total of the products in the batch. The values for the batch are then applied to the CVP chart in the same way as a single product. For the CVP model to be used effectively by managers, they must be aware of the assumptions made whilst preparing and gathering the information. If management are not aware of the assumptions made in the data, then they will be unable to draw relevant conclusions from the information. The assumptions i are that all other variables remain constant; there is a constant sales mix, total costs and revenues are linear functions of output, profits are calculated using variable costing, the analysis only applies to the relevant range, costs can be divided into fixed and variable elements, it only applies to the short term, and fixed costs do not change. In conclusion, the Accountants interpretation of the CVP analysis, as shown by the underlying assumptions, will allow managers to develop a more relevant understanding of the information, so that it can be used more effectively in decision making. If managers tried to use the economists CVP graph, the cost of gathering and interpreting the data would be high, as well as making the information more difficult to understand and less reliable. In the real world, the Accountants model may be considered too simplistic, as it relies on many assumptions and conditions, which are often not met. This is why it important to understand that the Accountants CVP model may not be applicable. For the CVP analysis to be effective, managers must be aware of the limitations of the model, otherwise they will be unprepared for any deviations from the outputs of the model.

Justification of Choices of Polemic Arguments Essay -- Homosexuality

Supporting Legal Gay Marriage There are two texts being considered for inclusion in the ‘should gay marriage be legal’ arguments section. Both texts support the argument for gay marriage to be legal with specific attention towards children and parenting in gay couples. The texts analysed are ‘Gay couples: A close look at this modern family, parenting’ by Sharon Jayson for USA Today and Children of Same-Sex Couples Do as Well as Other Children by Linda Little for Medscape News. The article published in Medscape news hold more grounds and would be a more valuable asset for inclusion in the web page then that of the article in USA today. The Medscape article incorporates logical arguments with data and statistics from reliable scientific sources making the article over all a more valuable and informative source. The current article (Parenting and Child Development in Adoptive Families: Does Parental Sexual Orientation Matter? By R. Farr, S. Forssell and C. Patterson) used as a supporting so urce for argument 6 in support of gay marriage is not user friendly for site patrons; the Medscape article would provide just as credible a source for the argument whilst maintaining a user-friendly resource for further investigation of the topic. An analysis into the evaluated texts was conducted in relation to their over all linguistic merit and communicatory strengths in relation to there inclusion in the site. Both articles that were analysed used the principles of argument in communicating and persuading an audience. As the Medscape article is published in a scientific news journal there was very little appeal to pathos and an over whelming use of logos in communicating the message. USA Today utilised mainly ethos in appealing to thei... ...lable: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-11-05-gayparents05_ST_N.htm?csp=34&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+UsatodaycomHealth. Last accessed 31/3/2012. Linda Little. (2005). Children of Same-Sex Couples Do as Well as Other Children. Available: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/514477. Last accessed 31/3/2012. Rachel H. Farr, Forssell George, Charlotte J. Patterson. (2010). Parenting and Child Development in Adoptive Families: Does Parental Sexual Orientation Matter?. Psychology Press. 14 (3), p164 - p178. NA (2012). Using the Toulmin Model. Brisbane: University Queensland, Communications faculty . p1-p6. Daniel Kies. (2001). Ethical Appeal: Ethos, Rational Appeal: Logos , Emotional Appeal: Pathos . Available: ttp://acct.tamu.edu/loudder/private/BLC%20Readings/Ethos,%20Logos,%20and%20Pathos.htm. Last accessed 31/3/2012. Justification of Choices of Polemic Arguments Essay -- Homosexuality Supporting Legal Gay Marriage There are two texts being considered for inclusion in the ‘should gay marriage be legal’ arguments section. Both texts support the argument for gay marriage to be legal with specific attention towards children and parenting in gay couples. The texts analysed are ‘Gay couples: A close look at this modern family, parenting’ by Sharon Jayson for USA Today and Children of Same-Sex Couples Do as Well as Other Children by Linda Little for Medscape News. The article published in Medscape news hold more grounds and would be a more valuable asset for inclusion in the web page then that of the article in USA today. The Medscape article incorporates logical arguments with data and statistics from reliable scientific sources making the article over all a more valuable and informative source. The current article (Parenting and Child Development in Adoptive Families: Does Parental Sexual Orientation Matter? By R. Farr, S. Forssell and C. Patterson) used as a supporting so urce for argument 6 in support of gay marriage is not user friendly for site patrons; the Medscape article would provide just as credible a source for the argument whilst maintaining a user-friendly resource for further investigation of the topic. An analysis into the evaluated texts was conducted in relation to their over all linguistic merit and communicatory strengths in relation to there inclusion in the site. Both articles that were analysed used the principles of argument in communicating and persuading an audience. As the Medscape article is published in a scientific news journal there was very little appeal to pathos and an over whelming use of logos in communicating the message. USA Today utilised mainly ethos in appealing to thei... ...lable: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-11-05-gayparents05_ST_N.htm?csp=34&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+UsatodaycomHealth. Last accessed 31/3/2012. Linda Little. (2005). Children of Same-Sex Couples Do as Well as Other Children. Available: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/514477. Last accessed 31/3/2012. Rachel H. Farr, Forssell George, Charlotte J. Patterson. (2010). Parenting and Child Development in Adoptive Families: Does Parental Sexual Orientation Matter?. Psychology Press. 14 (3), p164 - p178. NA (2012). Using the Toulmin Model. Brisbane: University Queensland, Communications faculty . p1-p6. Daniel Kies. (2001). Ethical Appeal: Ethos, Rational Appeal: Logos , Emotional Appeal: Pathos . Available: ttp://acct.tamu.edu/loudder/private/BLC%20Readings/Ethos,%20Logos,%20and%20Pathos.htm. Last accessed 31/3/2012.

Community Windshield Survey Essay

Purpose The purpose of this assignment is to complete a direct observational assessment of a community in your area. This windshield survey will be the initial step in uncovering a community health problem in your area and identifying community dynamics. This problem will be further assessed in the following two assignments. Course Outcomes This assignment enables the student to meet the following course outcomes. CO #2. Integrate clinical judgment in professional decision-making and implementation of the nursing process through analysis of community health nursing practice. (PO #4) CO #5. Analyze the nursing roles in the community health setting. (PO #7) CO #7. Accept accountability for personal and professional development as part of the life-long learning process. (PO #5) Due Date Submit to the appropriate basket in the Dropbox by 11:59 p.m. MT Sunday of Week 2. Points: 150 points Directions 1. Download the NR443 Community Windshield Survey Form from Doc Sharing. You will type your name and answers directly onto this Word document. Your form does NOT need to follow APA formatting; however, you are expected to use correct grammar, spelling, syntax and write in complete sentences. 2. Save the file by clicking â€Å"Save as† and adding your last name to the file name, e.g., â€Å"NR443 Windshield Survey Form_Smith† 3. Submit the completed form to the â€Å"Caring for Populations: Community Windshield Survey† Dropbox by Sunday, 11:59 p.m. MT at the end of Week 2. 4. Length: The completed form should be no more than three pages in length (not including any optional references). Guidelines Below are the requirements needed for successful completion of the Windshield Survey Form: 1. Introduction to the Community: Identify the community you will be using for this assignment and provide a brief one to two paragraph description of the community. Your community should be the area where you  live or the area surrounding your work setting. 2. Windshield Survey: Assess your community by doing an informal windshield survey. Information about the components of a windshield survey is located in your textbook, Nies & McEwen (2011) on page 97 (Box 6-2). Drive through the area and report your observations by describing each of the following six areas using the questions in the text as your guide (one to two paragraphs each): a. Community vitality b. Indicators of social and economic conditions c. Health resources d. Environmental conditions related to health e. Social functioning f. Attitude toward healthcare It is helpful to conduct this assessment at least two different times: during the day or evening, on a weekday and/or on the weekend. If possible, plan on asking someone to drive during your survey so that you can take notes. 3. Conclusion: Provide a summary of your findings. The information gathered during the windshield survey should assist you to identify a community health problem that will be further assessed in the next assignment. 4. References: The purpose of this assignment is to document your observations of your community. Outside sources are not required. However, if sources are used, these sources must be cited within the form and listed in the Reference section. Best Practices in Preparing the Form The following are best practices in preparing this project: Make sure all elements of the form are included. Review directions and grading rubric below thoroughly. Cite any outside references as above (these are optional). Proofread prior to final submission. Check for spelling and grammar errors prior to final submission. Abide by the CCN academic integrity policy, which may be found in the Policies under the Course Home tab.

Living in a Violent Culture

Most violent acts committed in modern times are seen as unthinkable and heinous. Today’s culture appears to be at its most serene and peaceful. However, this may not be true. Today’s culture is still one of extreme violence and is comparable to some of history’s most horrific times. Over the course of history, violence in culture has been in fluctuation but has always been considerably aggressive. Modern violent culture is comparable to history’s as society’s forms of entertainment are still violent, racial, domestic, and religious. Disputes still occur and lastly, war and cruel punishments still exist in the world. Fortunately, there is hope as violence, although still existing, seems to be improving and slowly diminishing. Over time, modern forms of entertainment appear to have changed. However; it can be disturbing the similarities in which violence appears to be a common factor throughout history. Rome is said to be the birthplace of violent entertainment. Some historians suggest that we should not be surprised by their violent games and competitions because the Romans were at war throughout their history. Ancient Rome is infamous for their gladiatorial battles; battles in which men were forced to fight one another to the death. Many gladiators were prisoners of war, criminals or slaves. Thousands of people would watch as these men were thrown into the fight against their will. Women would even attend these events and watch men fight to the death. This would first appear to us as shocking, but today’s society is attracted to films indicating this exact behavior. The film Gladiator is about a general whose family is murdered by a prince and this man becomes a gladiator to seek revenge. This movie won 5 Oscars as well as numerous other awards. This is undeniable evidence that society has not changed when it comes to these sorts of things. They still watch the same forms of violence. In Medieval times, crowds would come to watch the public executions of heretics and traitors. The crowds would chant and yell awaiting the death of the accused. The movie Kill Bill follows the story of a woman who was almost killed by a group of people working for her husband. This woman learns to fight and the only thing on her mind is to have revenge on the assassination team that betrayed her. The entire point of the movie is supporting the woman in killing off each and every person involved in her attack. Just like the support given by crowds against deserving criminals, audiences support the character against the deserving criminals in her case. This movie was played worldwide and was top grossing during its time. This is even more evidence supporting the fact that culture has not changed a lot. In sixteenth-century Paris, a popular form of entertainment was cat-burning, in which a cat was hoisted in a sling on a stage and slowly lowered into a fire. This of course seems repulsive to think of now, but today there are still cock fights, dog fights and bullfights. Bull fighting is a traditional spectacle of Spain, Portugal, some cities in southern France and in several Latin American countries. This form of entertainment involves one or more bulls being ritually killed in a bullring as a public spectacle. It can be considered a blood sport. Bull fighting is now becoming more controversial but is still seen as very respectable. Many people come to bullfighting arenas simply to watch animals being killed as a means of entertainment. This is not very different from cat burning. Both are violent and should be unacceptable. In some ways, today’s culture is worse than the past. Even in history, murder was still wrong under the wrong circumstances. Other actions such as rape and abuse were still regarded as bad and could be punished. Today, the world has video games in which young boys and girls are exposed to this violence in a whole new way. They are given the opportunity to play the bad guy without actually committing the crime. This not only teaches these children that perhaps violence is okay, but what if one day, playing the game is not enough for them. For example, there is a game called Phantasmagoria that was banned in various countries for â€Å"sexualized violence†. In no way should rape ever be drawn and put into a game. This is a new kind of violent entertainment that promotes violence in today’s culture. To use violence as a means of entertainment also promotes violence as okay in certain situations. Racial, religious and domestic disputes occur today all over the world and have been forever. Anti-Semitism has been in the world since Earth’s earliest civilizations and it continued extensively until the 1940s and resulted in the death of over 6 million Jews. Violence occurred during the Crusades in the medieval times; during which religiously sanctioned military campaigns forcefully and violently fought to abolish other religions through violence and torture. These two events are similar in that they fought to abolish another group of human beings because one group thought they were more superior. Rwanda is filled with genocide and child soldiers. A child soldier lives their entire life violently. They are forced to murder and therefore grow up knowing nothing but that. The Muslims and the Jewish people in the Middle East still fight over land. Today even in Canada there are ethnic disputes. Canada has two â€Å"founding nations†: the French and the English. Disputes occur between the French wanting to separate from Canada. It is only a matter of time before this dispute ends in violence. Slavery among cultures had always existed. The targets of slavery were minority groups. This had always been the case. It was not until 1834 that slavery was abolished in Canada and it would not be until 1863 that it was abolished in the USA. Today, southern states still experience extreme racism towards African Americans simply because they are a ‘minority’. Although ethnic conflict may be inevitable in the modern world, prevention techniques such as understanding other cultures, recognizing warning signs of ethnic violence and developing a plan of action can lead to diplomatic settlements and can help to contain violent outbursts. There is hope to end the racial violence that still exists today. Education for all cultures is now abundant as well as human rights laws that work to prevent the harm of anyone due to their race. Another form of practiced violence in the world is domestic violence. Women seem to always be a target for violence. In ancient Greece, women were practically prisoners in their own homes. They had no rights and they were owned by either their father or their husband. Thus, these men had the right to abuse them. In Medieval times, if a woman got pregnant and decided to attempt an abortion, they were subject to horrible methods of torture and eventual death. Today, the extent of violence slowly diminishes. However, women are generally still targets for abuse in relationships. Domestic violence occurs everywhere in Canada and in the States. Honour killings are still performed to this day in the Middle East. An honour killing is when a woman is suspected of being unfaithful to their husbands, dressing inappropriately, engaging in homosexuality or wanting to be out of an arranged marriage. Women can be stoned to death or buried alive as well as other methods. Clearly this is a culture of violence when all of these things are still occurring. From racial disputes, to religious disagreements; from fights over territory to the abuse of women, violence occurs everywhere. In fact, violence will most likely survive until the end of human civilization. The most extreme form of violence and dispute is war. It is almost as if the world is addicted to war; it is the ultimate power struggle. War is something that can influence an entire nation. It can turn people against another group of people and is the ultimate act of violence. Violence is inevitable in any culture. War however, is not. History is flooded with war. In fact, war continuously existed from Egyptian times until medieval times. There was no escape from that. A shred of hope for our future would include the fact that war did not exist in today’s culture. However, it still does. From land rights, to religious disputes to rivalries, war has always existed. And today, the world continues to fight. The US led war to continue to exist in Iraq. The aim has been the destruction of Iraqi society enabling the US and Britain to gain control of Iraq's huge oil reserves. In five thousand years of hosting empires, the fertile valley between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers has endured many tyrannical regimes. Sumerians, Chaldeans, Hittites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes, Persians, Macedonian Greeks, Seleucid Greeks, Romans, Parthians, Arabs, Mongols, Ottoman Turks, and the British have all passed through and left their mark, for good or ill. Some, like the Assyrians, have come â€Å"like a wolf on the fold†; others have stayed long enough to build more than they destroyed. The Americans, are coming like the Assyrians. Currently, the war is not solving any problems. It’s a continual battle in hopes for some sort of end. Men are dying from Canada, the USA and from Iraq. Money that could be spent to better each of these countries is being used on the war. People back home are listening and waiting to hear about the next soldier that has died. Today, war is still an issue. War is what seemed to have made previous civilizations so unstable. This culture may never truly be civilized until it learns that violence is a short term means to an end of a problem. As Bertrand Russell says, â€Å"War does not determine who is right, it determines who is left†. War is a similar factor in each of the civilizations prior to this one, and in this one. If war is eliminated, perhaps violence as a whole would be on its way out. Until then, today’s culture will be one of violence. Looking back at the past, mankind may take pride in the supposed lack of violence in the world today when comparing it to the past. However, violence still exists almost as vividly and as evil as it once did. It will not be until mankind desires to rid itself of the unnecessary violence in its entertainment. It will not be until religious, racial and domestic disputes are abolished and everyone is equal that violence will be eliminated. And lastly, it will not be until war is no longer an option for solving problems and people come to diplomatic solutions will the world be rid of violence. Until that time, today’s culture and all the future ones to come will be ones of violence.

Full Review PowerScore SAT Reading Bible by Victoria Wood

Full Review PowerScore SAT Reading Bible by Victoria Wood SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips PowerScore is a test prep company with fingers in many pies, including the SAT prep pie (the most standardized of pies?). They have published a trilogy of SAT Prep books: SAT Math Bible, SAT Writing Bible, and SAT Reading Bible (which is what I'll be reviewing today). Like most prep books, the SAT Reading Bible has some positive and some negative aspects. Read on to figure out whether or not this book is appropriate for you and if you should add it into your own test prep. Why trust this review? When you're evaluating advice (both in life in general and on the Internet in particular), it’s v. important to know why that advice is trustworthy and believable. And as you probably already know if you're reading this blog, your SAT score is important (we even have an infographic to that effect), and following the wrong advice might lead to a bad score and loss of chance to improve it. So why is this review worthy of your trust? Because I know what I’m talking about. I took the (current) SAT twice in high school and scored a perfect 800 on the Critical Reading section both times. I've also been doing in-depth analysis of the SAT questions by skill set and writing articles on each skill. Other reviewers don’t necessarily have the expertise to be able to differentiate between books, so they end up recommending books as a sort of afterthought (and it’s pretty obvious). In addition, I'm not getting paid for this recommendation, and don’t get paid if you end up buying the book (unlike other sites like about.com and reviews.com, which get paid for featuring books and if you click on their link to buy it). I do have one disclaimer, however. Disclaimer I work at PrepScholar, an education company that produces online SAT and ACT prep programs. PrepScholar diagnoses your strengths and weaknesses and customizes a test prep program to suit your needs. My primary job consists of writing and editing articles (like this one) for the associated blog and grading the essays of students taking practice tests through the program. While I think that PrepScholar provides the best prep platform currently available, you don’t necessarily need a prep program to do well on the SAT. Writing this review might actually lost us some customers, since you might decide you don’t need a program after all. But if you decide you don’t want to have to deal with 5 different books and want an integrated program that customizes to your learning, however, you should give PrepScholar a test run (that was a totally unintentional "test" pun, but now I noticed it and there is no going back). PowerScore SAT Reading Bible Book Review When thinking about any (test prep) book with a review in mind, I tend to focus in on the following three points: tend to go with three important questions to evaluate it Who’s the author and what’s her experience/background? How effective is this book overall? What are the pros and what are the cons of this book? About the author Victoria, or Vicki, Wood specializes in GMAT, GRE, and SAT prep. She is the Senior Curriculum Developer (according to her book bio) slash Director of SAT Development (according to her LinkedIn page) at PowerScore, a test prep company that’s been around since 1997. She attended Michigan State University for her undergraduate education, has experience as an educator as well as a test prep specialist, and currently writes for PowerScore's SAT blog. How effective is this book? As I know from my own experience tutoring, SAT Reading is the most difficult score to improve, because the skills you need to master it (logical/critical reasoning skills) are not as easily taught as the content on the Writing and Math sections. To prepare for SAT Reading, you have to focus in on different question types and the skills they’re asking for in order to approach the questions in a systematic way. While the PowerScore SAT Reading Bible does divide up question types, but I didn’t find their approach to learning how to deal with them all that helpful. On the other hand, the PowerScore Reading Bible was the #1 about.com best SAT prep book of 2014, and is also a top-ranking test prep book on amazon.com, which means some people find it useful. Screen shot taken 2015-07-02 at 2.37.20 PM by Laura Staffaroni. All rights reserved. It’s so popular that it ranks higher for ACT prep than for SAT prep on Amazon, despite being an SAT prep book. Wait, what? Amazon, what are you doing. Pros and Cons of PowerScore SAT Reading Bible Pros 1. Accurate categorization of sentence types. For sentence completion, the general categories (contrast, similarity, definition, and cause and effect) seem at least somewhat accurate and useful. After all, knowing what kind of sentence a sentence completion question is might make it easier for you to figure out how the missing word relates to the rest of the words in the sentence. 2. Novel and useful suggestions for studying vocab. On page 150, there is an interesting list of strategies for studying vocab words that I think might be helpful (even if some of the items are awkwardly worded) because it addresses non-verbal learners, with strategies for visual learners and audio (sic; I think they meant aural) learners. For example, instead of just reading a vocabulary word in a sentence, Wood suggests reading it aloud (for aural learners) and drawing a picture to represent the word (for visual learners). If learning vocab (and knowing how to use it) is the main area in which you are struggling, I think this particular list of strategies would be very useful - it might even stimulate you to come up with new ways to learn vocab that work well for you! 3. Accessible. There are fun quotes, tips, vocabulary, and more in the margins of this book. The layout also has a little variety, with even the occasional picture thrown in! 4. Key words for passage based questions. Starting on page 178, Wood lists a variety of key words that are helpful to page attention to when reading the passage. These include change-of-direction words and phrases like "however" and "rather than" as well as comparison words and phrases like "similarly" and "just as." If you struggle with extracting meaning from passages, learning to spot these words is extremely helpful. That being said, there are some serious downsides to the SAT Reading Bible. Cons 1. There can only be one...way to approach the passage. Wood claims there is only one way to attack the passages, which is to read the entire passage. She is quite adamant that you must read the entire passage to score in the 95th percentile or higher, which I have an issue with because what if that's not what you're aiming for and where is she getting those numbers? (I was doing some critical reading of my own there) Saying that there's only way to take the test and that you must follow these steps is unnecessarily restrictive. I find that the best way to read the passage is to be flexible - sometimes skimming is the right answer, sometimes looking at the question first helps, and sometimes you just want to power through the passage and answer the questions after. To figure out which strategy is right for you, click here. 2. Way too much focus on sentence completion questions. This tends to be a problem with a lot of prep (books and otherwise), because vocab is easier to pinpoint as an area of weakness, and you get an (artificial) feeling of satisfaction from learning lists and roots and suffixes.Even taking that into consideration, however, the proportions are way off for the SAT Reading Bible: pages 36-154, 395-455 (190 pages, give or take) are all on sentence completion or vocab; out of a 458 page book, that seems a huge proportion, particularly considering only pages 162-385 (234 pages, give or take) are devoted to passage-based questions. The relative amount of pages/time spent on vocab in this book is not proportional to the amount of space the questions take up on even the current SAT (190:234 ≠  19:48. For those of you really wishing there was some bonus math in this book review: you're welcome). Unless your ONLY weakness is vocab, you are wasting your time spending it as this book sugges ts. 3. The sentence completion advice isn’t relevant to most students. All the strategies given seem like they would be pointless if you didn't know the vocab word, and pointless if you did; basically, the advice is only relevant to a certain subset of students. For example, take "The PowerScore Four-Step Solution" (starting with the strategies on p. 41). If you don’t know any of the answer choices/don’t know the vocab, going through the trouble to cross out irrelevant info, rephrase the sentence, read only parts of the sentence, and then try to relate the sentence to your own life is way more time than this question is worth. Sentence completion questions are not worth any more than other SAT Reading questions – why spend so much time? If you do know the word, then adding on extra strategy is extraneous and will just take away time from the passage-based questions. Perhaps these strategies are aimed at those students who "sort of" know what the word means, or can guess by process of elimination, yet do this all really quickly so as not to lose too much time. This not only seems to be a very narrow group of people, but the fact that the strategies are targeted at that demographic is never explicitly stated (at least not as far as I saw). 4. Explanations are convoluted, and the vocabulary used in explanations is unnecessarily complicated. For instance, Wood consistently uses the phrase "question stem" to refer to questions on the SAT. I suppose I can kind of see where she's coming from (if you just call the question part "questions," then what do you call the question + answer? My answer: the question and its answer choices, but I guess that could get clunk), but that's not the only instance of overly complicate vocabulary in this book. Take this quotation from page 55 regarding sentence completion questions: "For example, subordinating conjunctions are often the first word of a Contrast Sentence containing a dependent clause and independent clause." (p. 55) My immediate response: what. If someone needs help with these questions, she probably won't appreciate phrases like "subordinating conjunctions" being thrown into the explanations. Yes, it’s correct terminology, but that is NOT something you will be tested on – why take up extra time learning grammar terms that aren’t even tested on SAT Writing when you could be using that time better elsewhere? You're studying for the SAT, not for your own personal grammar education. See my recommendations for the best way to approach sentence completion questions for an alterative approach. 5. Breakdown of question type is too broad for passage-based reading. While Wood does break down types of passage based questions, the categories (except for vocab in context) are so big as to be meaningless (literal comprehension and extended reasoning). The types of questions are not necessarily grouped by skill – main idea questions are lumped in with facts and details. There are also some unnecessary categories, like cause and effect (the skills you use to answer these questions are not meaningfully different from those you use to answer "facts and details" questions). I know from experience what a pain it is to categorize SAT questions by skill type, so I do understand why Wood chose to emphasize the categories she did; I, however, believe that the most useful way to study passage-based questions is by taking into account both the skill being tested AND the way it is tested. Yes, main point questions and detail questions require core literal comprehension skills, but the way you go about answering main point questions is likely going to be different than the way you answer little picture/detail questions. This mindset also underlies the SAT Reading skills articles that are already up and coming soon on the PrepScholar blog. 6. Questions and examples are of...questionable quality. While no material other than the Official SAT Study Guide (and free official SATs) will have actual SAT questions on them, it's important that any supplemental questions/examples you use to prepare for the SAT are of comparable quality. Frankly, I did not find that to be the case with the SAT Reading Bible. Here's an example of a sentence completion question I found fishy: "Carmine was proud of his ____, intelligent daughter whose sound judgement was admired by her teachers and peers alike. A. irritable B. brave c. sensible D. artistic E. pampered." (p. 60) First of all, the vocab is way too easy. Here's the easiest official single-blank sentence completion question I've been able to find, for comparison: Unable to discover how the fire started, the inspectors filed a tentative report stating that the cause was ______.(A) noteworthy(B) definitive(C) fundamental (D) conclusive(E) indeterminate I think that the difference in the level of vocab is probably very slight, but it is there. For a look into the words most often found on the SAT, check out this free resource. Second of all, I feel like an alternate answer could be argued for that practice question: if you take the meaning of "sound" to be "relating to things you hear," rather than "reliable," and think that musicians are artistic, then I feel like "Carmine was proud of his artistic, intelligent daughter whose sound judgement was admired by her teachers and peers alike" is totally arguable (sound judgement sounds like it's something musicians would have to me, and I have a master's degree in music!). If it were just the sentence completion questions that had quality lapses, I wouldn't be so concerned (since those are going away in Spring 2016 anyway), but the passages used for passage-based reading questions in this book also struck me as problematic. There are no references in the intro or at the back of the book to reprints or licensing that would indicate the passages are taken from works of literature, which makes me think that they were written by Wood herself (or others at PowerScore). This is in no way meant as a slam at Wood's writing - I quite enjoyed her passage warning residents of Naples about the dangers of volcanic activity - but it does make me wonder how comparable the passages in this book are to passages that appear on the SAT. It's the classic "more practice isn't better when the questions aren't what you'll encounter on the actual test" problem. Overall Rating So...I don't know that I would really recommend using this book for prep. Aside from the fact that it’s not particularly recent (published in 2012), and that (this edition) will be obsolete by Spring 2016, its cons outweigh its pros. My general sense is that it has good strategies for learning vocab and for reading in general†¦but not great strategies for SAT Reading. If you’re being extremely thorough and want to make sure you leave no stone unturned in prep, this could be helpful. As I said, it does present some concepts in ways I hadn’t seen (like ways to learn vocab or read passages). If you’re trying to improve a very low score, this book also might be able to help you with improving some core strengths (not the actual strength of your core, that would require doing sit-ups while doing test prep). When it comes to SAT strategies, however, I think that this book goes into way too much (unhelpful) detail, and if you’re scoring at a 500 or above, I don’t see this really boosting your score that much. Overall rating: 51/100 Other Options For SAT Reading Prep? If the words "free online resources for SAT Reading prep" are music to your ears, then I have got some good news for you! In addition to general strategy articles for low and high scorers, the PrepScholar blog also breaks down questions by skill type with focused suggestions. Most of the articles (on sentence completion, vocab in context, analogy, author technique, and paired passage questions) are live; the others will be posted in the next week or so. What’s Next? Read our detailed guide to the best SAT books for Critical Reading, the best SAT prep books, and our list of the best SAT Prep Websites to pull together your own study program. What’s a good SAT score for you? Figure it out using our step-by-step guide based around the colleges you’re applying to. Aiming for a high score? Read our guide to scoring a perfect 800 on SAT Reading or a perfect 1600 on the SAT, written by our resident perfect scorer (and PrepScholar co-founder) Allen Cheng. And don’t forget to check out our top-of-the-class SAT prep program! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Reading lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Profile of Toyo Ito, 2013 Pritzker Laureate

Profile of Toyo Ito, 2013 Pritzker Laureate Toyo Ito was the sixth Japanese architect to become a Pritzker Laureate. Throughout his long career, Ito has designed residential homes, libraries, theaters, pavilions, stadia, and commercial buildings. Since Japans ruinous tsunamis, Toyo Ito has become an architect-humanitarian known for his Home-for-All initiative. Background: Born: June 1, 1941 in Seoul, Korea to Japanese parents; family moved back to Japan in 1943 Education and Career Highlights: 1965: University of Tokyo, Department of Architecture1965-1969: Kiyonori Kikutake Architects and Associates (Kikutake is associated with the Metabolism Movement)1971: Founded Urban Robot (URBOT), renamed Toyo Ito Associates, Architects in 1979, Tokyo, Japan Selected Works by Ito: 1971: Aluminum House, Tokyo, Japan1976: White U House, Nakano-ku, Tokyo, Japan1984: Silver Hut House, Nakano-ku, Tokyo, Japan (1986 Architecture Institute of Japan award)1986: Tower of Winds, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa, Japan1991: Yatsushiro Municipal Museum, Yatsushiro-shi, Kumamoto, Japan1997: Dome in Odate, Odate-shi, Akita, Japan (Ministry of Education Award; Encouragement of Arts Aware; Japan Art Academy Prize)2000: Sendai Mediatheque, Sendai-shi, Miyagi, Japan (2001 Grand Prize of Good Design Award from Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization; 2003 Architectural Institute of Japan Prize; 2006 Public Building Award)2002: Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, London, UK2004: Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre, Matsumoto-shi, Nagano, Japan2004: TODS Omotesando, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan2005: Mikimoto Ginza, Tokyo, Japan2006: Meiso no Mori Municipal Funeral Hall, Kakamigahara-shi, Gifu, Japan2007: Tama Art University Library, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, Japan2008: Za-Koenji Public Theatre, Suginam i-ku, Tokyo, Japan 2009: Main Stadium for the World Games 2009, Kaohsiung, Republic of China (Taiwan)2010: Hotel Porta Fira, Barcelona, Spain2011: Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture, Imabari-shi, Ehime, Japan2012: Yaoko Kawagoe Museum, Saitama, Japan The Taichung Metropolitan Opera House, Taichung City, Republic of China (Taiwan) was begun in 2005 and is under construction. Selected Awards: 2000: Arnold W. Brunner Memorial Prize, American Academy of Arts and Letters2006: Royal Gold Medal, Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)2013: Pritzker Architecture Prize Ito, in His Own Words: Architecture is bound by various social constraints. I have been designing architecture bearing in mind that it would be possible to realize more comfortable spaces if we are freed from all the restrictions even for a little bit. However, when one building is completed, I become painfully aware of my own inadequacy, and it turns into energy to challenge the next project. Probably this process must keep repeating itself in the future. Therefore, I will never fix my architectural style and never be satisfied with my works.- Pritzker Prize Comment About the Home-for-All Project: After the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011, Ito organized a group of architects to develop humane, communal, public spaces for survivors of natural disasters. The Sendai Mediatheque had been partially damaged during the 3.11 earthquake, Ito told Maria Cristina Didero of domus magazine. To the citizens of Sendai, this piece of architecture had been a beloved cultural salon....Even without a specific program, people would nonetheless gather around this place to exchange information and interact with one another....This led me to realize the importance of a small space like the Sendai Mediatheque for people to gather and communicate within disaster areas. This is the starting point of Home-for-All. Every community has its own needs. For Rikuzentakata, an area devastated by the 2011 tsunami, a design based on natural wooden poles with attached modules, similar to ancient pole or pile dwellings, was exhibited at the Japan Pavilion of the 2012 Venice Architecture Biennale. A full-scale prototype was built onsite in early 2013. Itos public service work with the Home-for-All initiative was cited by the 2013 Pritzker Jury as a direct expression of his sense of social responsibility. Learn More About Home-for-All:Toyo Ito: Re-building from disaster, an interview with Maria Cristina Didero in domus online magazine, January 26, 2012Toyo Ito: Home-for-All, an interview with Gonzalo Herrero Delicado, Marà ­a Josà © Marcos in domus online magazine, September 3, 2012Home-for-All, 13th Venice Biennale of Architecture Learn More: Toyo Ito: Forces of Nature by Jessie Turnbull, Princeton Architectural Press, 2012Toyo Ito: Sendai Mediatheque by Gary Hume, Actar, 2002Toyo Ito Works Projects Writings by Andrea Maffei, 2002Toyo Ito: Blurring Architecture 1971-2005 by Ulrich Schneider, 1999Toyo Ito by Toyo Ito, Riken Yamamoto, Dana Buntrock, Taro Igarashi, Phaidon, 2014 Sources: Toyo Ito Associates, Architects, website at www.toyo-ito.co.jp; Biography, the Pritzker Architecture Prize website; Pritzker Prize Media Kit, p. 2 (at www.pritzkerprize.com/sites/default/files/file_fields/field_files_inline/2013-Pritzker-Prize-Media-Kit-Toyo-Ito.pdf)  ©2013 The Hyatt Foundation [websites accessed March 17, 2013]

(managing human capital) Traditional performance appraisal methods and Essay

(managing human capital) Traditional performance appraisal methods and why it leads dysfunctional behaviour - Essay Example Performance appraisals are undertaken to assess the individual, a team, or an organisational unit's progress as far as its function is concerned. They can be based on personal assessment of the ratee based on a prepared rating scale depending on the systems preferred by the management. In the general context, performance evaluation is a good tool to reward and recognise outstanding performances and correct or counsel employees with poor accomplishments (US Department of the Interior, n. d) Traditional methods of performance appraisal methods may differ in usability between private and public organisations. But they have similarities as far as the rating systems are concerned. Old systems use review processes in which the supervisor writes his ratings and opinions of the performance of a subordinate based on a form. In some organisations, the staff member is asked to fill out a self-review to share with the supervisor. In most cases, the appraisal reflects what the rater can remember and not a comprehensive evaluation. It is based on feelings and can be judgmental in nature (Dulewicz, 1989) Considering that humans have emotions, traditional assessment techniques and even some present methods are mostly ceremonial rather than a thorough assessment of the personnel's o

Depends on what culture is going to be choosed Essay

Depends on what culture is going to be choosed - Essay Example Becker (2000, par. 1) has defined astronomy as â€Å"the science which investigates all the matter-energy in the universe: its distribution, composition, physical states, movements, and evolution†. The University of Oregon (UO, n.d.) identified the origins of astronomy from the earliest written records of the Babylonians in 1600 B.C. The Greeks inherited the records from the Babylonians and used them to design cosmological framework in determining the movements of heavenly bodies. The first Greek philosopher found to have profound interest in space is Thales. One of his propositions is that â€Å"the earth is a flat disc which floats on water† (UO, n.d., par. 3). Eratosthenes used the concept of eclipses in measuring the circumference of the Earth, as shown below: Another Greek philosopher, Hipparchus â€Å"made position measurements of 1080 stars plus sun, moon, and planets which remained the best in existence until the late 1500s† (Astronomy, 2000, par. 8). Heraclides, on the other hand, developed the geocentric solar system model placing the earth in the center of the universe and designing orbits in perfect spheres. (UO, n.d.) The Greek philosopher and astronomer who was credited for the heliocentric solar system model was Aristarchus. He argued that the sun is the center of the universe and everything else revolves around it. The contributions of Ptolemy, considered the most influential â€Å"Greek astronomers and geographer of his time propounded the geocentric theory that prevailed for 1400 years† (St. Andrews, 1999, par. 1). Ptolemy â€Å"compiled a 13-volume summary of Greek astronomy, including star charts, texts on trigonometry, complete information on the Sun and moon (motion, sizes, distances), and, most significantly for later astronomy, an elaborate model for predicting the positions of the planets (using deferents and epicycles) for any time in the future†