FreeBSD OS essays

FreeBSD OS essays There are many operating systems out in the world at the current time, however as youve probably realized or would guess some are better than others. For example windows is the most well known and most used Operating System out on the market today and for the last few years. However just because its the one that is most known and used doesnt mean its the best. In fact there are many other Operating Systems that are much better. However each Operating System is better for its own section, though some are overall better. Windows is one of the best for user friendliness but isnt very powerful. However FreeBSD is user friendly (assuming that the person knows something about computers) and is extremely powerful and very stable. Two things that Windows does not have. Some things that make FreeBSD a better Operating System than others out on the market, well the first and most important is the ports tree FreeBSD has, it is Unix based, and has a very customizable kernel for the core of the system. The first thing that makes FreeBSD different from many other Operating Systems is its file system. Its somewhat the same as most other Unix file systems such as on Linux systems. (The FreeBSD Project) Though it has its own commands that allow it to do specific things only unique to FreeBSD. And a very large difference between the file system on a FreeBSD machine rather than a Windows machine is that the navigation of a FreeBSD consists of a hierarchy type system. Much different that a Windows machine has. With a different navigation system than on a Windows machine, this means that there is more control for a user inside their own computer. Also there are many different ways to show and list what files are in a folder and what folders are inside a directory, you can even find out what files are in a different directory without having to be inside it ...

Singapore Facts, History, and Description

Singapore Facts, History, and Description A bustling city-state in the heart of Southeast Asia, Singapore is famous for its booming economy and its strict regime of law and order. Long an important port of call on the monsoonal Indian Ocean trade circuit, today Singapore boasts one of the worlds busiest ports, as well as thriving finance and services sectors. How did this tiny nation become one of the worlds wealthiest? What makes Singapore tick? Government According to its constitution, the Republic of Singapore is a representative democracy with a parliamentary system. In practice, its politics have been completely dominated by a single party, the Peoples Action Party (PAP), since 1959. The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party in Parliament and also heads the executive branch of government; the President plays a mostly ceremonial role as the head of state, although he or she can veto the appointment of top-level judges. Currently, the Prime Minister is Lee Hsien Loong, and the President is Tony Tan Keng Yam. The president serves a six-year term, while legislators serve five-year terms. The unicameral parliament has 87 seats and has been dominated by PAP members for decades. Interestingly, there are also as many as nine nominated members, who are the losing candidates from opposition parties who came closest to winning their elections. Singapore has a relatively simple judicial system, made up of a High Court, a Court of Appeals, and several types of Commercial Courts. The judges are appointed by the President upon the advice of the Prime Minister. Population The city-state of Singapore boasts a population of about 5,354,000, packed in at a density of more than 7,000 people per square kilometer (almost 19,000 per square mile). In fact, it is the third-most densely populated country in the world, following only the Chinese territory of Macau and Monaco. Singapores population is highly diverse, and many of its residents are foreign-born. Just 63% of the population are actually citizens of Singapore, while 37% are guest workers or permanent residents. Ethnically, 74% of Singapores residents are Chinese, 13.4% are Malay, 9.2% are Indian, and about 3% are of mixed ethnicity or belong to other groups. Census figures are somewhat skewed because until recently the government only allowed residents to select a single race on their census forms. Languages Although English is the most commonly used language in Singapore, the nation has four official languages: Chinese, Malay, English, and Tamil. The most common mother tongue is Chinese, with about 50% of the population. Approximately 32% speak English as their first language, 12% Malay, and 3% Tamil. Obviously, written language in Singapore is also complex, given the variety of official languages. Commonly-used writing systems include the Latin alphabet, Chinese characters and the Tamil script, which is derived from Indias Southern Brahmi system. Religion in Singapore The largest religion in Singapore is Buddhism, at about 43% of the population. The majority are Mahayana Buddhists, with roots in China, but Theravada and Vajrayana Buddhism also have numerous adherents. Almost 15% of Singaporeans are Muslim, 8.5% are Taoist, about 5% Catholic, and 4% Hindu. Other Christian denominations total almost 10%, while approximately 15% of Singapores people have no religious preference. Geography Singapore is located in Southeast Asia, off the southern tip of Malaysia, north of Indonesia. It is made up of 63 separate islands, with a total area of 704 kilometers square (272 miles square). The largest island is Pulau Ujong, commonly called Singapore Island. Singapore is connected to the mainland via the Johor-Singapore Causeway and the Tuas Second Link. Its lowest point is sea-level, while the highest point is Bukit Timah at the lofty elevation of 166 meters (545 feet). Climate Singapores climate is tropical, so temperatures do not vary much throughout the year. Average temperatures range between about 23 and 32 °C (73 to 90 °F). The weather is generally hot and humid. There are two monsoonal rainy seasons- June to September, and December to March. However, even during the inter-monsoon months, it rains frequently in the afternoon. Economy Singapore is one of the most successful Asian tiger economies, with a per capita GDP of $60,500 US, fifth in the world. Its unemployment rate as of 2011 was an enviable 2%, with 80% of workers employed in the services and 19.6% in industry. Singapore exports electronics, telecommunications equipment, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and refined petroleum. It imports food and consumer goods  but has a substantial trade surplus. History of Singapore Humans settled the islands that now form Singapore at least as early as the 2nd century CE, but little is known about the early history of the area. Claudius Ptolemaeus, a Greek cartographer, identified an island in Singapores location  and noted that it was an important international trading port. Chinese sources note the existence of the main island in the third century  but provide no details. In 1320, the Mongol Empire sent emissaries to a place called Long Ya Men, or Dragons Tooth Strait, believed to be on Singapore Island. The Mongols were seeking elephants. A decade later, the Chinese explorer Wang Dayuan described a pirate fortress with mixed Chinese and Malay population called Dan Ma Xi, his rendering of the Malay name Tamasik (meaning Sea Port). As for Singapore itself, its founding legend states that in the thirteenth century, a prince of Srivijaya, called Sang Nila Utama or Sri Tri Buana, was shipwrecked on the island. He saw a lion there for the first time in his life  and took this as a sign that he should found a new city, which he named Lion City- Singapura. Unless the big cat was also shipwrecked there, it is unlikely that the story is literally true, since the island was home to tigers but not lions. For the next three hundred years, Singapore changed hands between the Java-based Majapahit Empire and the Ayutthaya Kingdom in Siam (now Thailand). In the 16th century, Singapore became an important trading depot for the Sultanate of Johor, based on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. However, in 1613 Portuguese pirates burned the city to the ground, and Singapore vanished from international notice for two hundred years. In 1819, Britains Stamford Raffles founded the modern city of Singapore as a British trading post in Southeast Asia. It became known as the Straits Settlements in 1826  and then was claimed as an official Crown Colony of Britain in 1867. Britain retained control of Singapore until 1942  when the Imperial Japanese Army launched a bloody invasion of the island as part of its Southern Expansion drive in World War II. The Japanese Occupation lasted until 1945. Following the Second World War, Singapore took a circuitous route to independence. The British believed that the former Crown Colony was too small to function as an independent state. Nonetheless, between 1945 and 1962, Singapore received increasing measures of autonomy, culminating in self-government from 1955 to 1962. In 1962, after a public referendum, Singapore joined the Malaysian Federation. However, deadly race riots broke out between ethnic Chinese and Malay citizens of Singapore in 1964, and the island voted in 1965 to break away from the Federation of Malaysia once more. In 1965, the Republic of Singapore became a fully self-governing, autonomous state. Although it has faced difficulties, including more race riots in 1969 and the East Asian financial crisis of 1997, it has proved overall a very stable and prosperous little nation.

Report market sells product internationally Essay

Report market sells product internationally - Essay Example The report would also include an analysis of the market segments and the beer market in the nation. The report would also showcase the market entry strategies and a specific product mix for the new market and would also include an analysis of the integrated marketing communication and other market strategies for entering the market successfully. Finally a set of plausible recommendations would be prepared that would be framed on the basis of the study conducted in the course of research. The present era of business environment is largely stated by various circles as the age of turbulence and intense competition. The entry of globalisation has made the world turn into a boundary less structure with firms expanding beyond political and geographic boundaries to reach out to new markets. This has also triggered a wave of competition among the organizations to establish their organizations in the market. The present study would deal with the international expansion of a beer company in the UK market. The choice of the market assumes significance considering the presence of a strong demand and favourable future opportunities in the nation. Background According to a report published by Nielsen the total beer industry in UK is valued at 3.48 billion pounds with volumes expected to be around 18.7 million hl. This shows a considerable scope for business in the market. However the market is also characterised by intense levels of competition as the market is dotted with a large number of players with highly established brand image and formidable brand positioning (Nielsen, 2009, p.6). Aim The main aim of this study would be to frame a business report that would try to uncover the business potential of UK as a beer market. The report would try to analyse the business market of the nation and would frame up a market entry plan that would also include formulating a product mix specifically designed for the UK market. The report would also cover the aspect of positioning and integrated marketing communication as well as an entry strategy for the company in the UK market. Scope The business report would analyse the business attractiveness of a new market in the context of the beer market in UK. The report would analyse the appropriateness in choosing the UK market as a destination for investment for foreign market players in the beer industry. Country Information Geographies UK is one of the most developed economies of the world with its importance being that of one of the pioneer nations of the industrial revolution. Geographically the nation is located in Western Europe with a total area of 243,610 square kilometres. The nation has a long coastline in the Atlantic Ocean that serves as its sea link with the USA. London the capital city of the nation is also known as the commercial and financial hubs of the world with

Personal Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Personal Philosophy - Essay Example It is an imperative effort to ensure a keen and meticulous understanding of the behaviour and inclinations of infants and toddlers in order to come up with more effective and profound methods and approaches of providing learning and care to infants and toddlers. This piece of article shall present a personal philosophy that will concentrate more on the different topics related to infant and toddler learning and care. It shall provide relatively intended recommendations on how to improve the existing methods of training up infants and toddlers. This shall discuss on the manifold factors that affect and influence the learning process and care involving infants and toddlers. Also, an elaboration on child’s important participation in carrying out the steps drawn out from the personal philosophy will be provided as well. It is my ardent belief that early childhood development learning and care should be provided at places wherein these young individuals will be given the ability to hook up with the world and would trigger their earliest possible environmental consciousness that will help them to grow and improve their learning process. It is highly important that while infants and toddlers need to make a connection with the natural world most on their own, it is likewise important to make sure that training centers for infants and toddlers should provide an environment that is safe, amicable and full of love and care. They should be exposed in an environment where they can feel that they are loved and cared. The eventual or future personality and attitude of our children is heavily contingent to how they were trained when they were still young. Seen this way, it would be a significant step to employ a type of teaching that would help them develop their self-confidence that will surely help them beco me active learners. It is my

Science and Math Is More Important Essay Example for Free

Science and Math Is More Important Essay Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? It is more important for students to study history and literature than it is for them to study science and mathematics. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. (250-300 words) ESSAY History, literature, science and mathematics are all classic and very important subject in their own sense. No subject can be given more or less importance in life. However, in my opinion, studying science and mathematics are more important than studying history and literature. Firstly, science and mathematics are essential to most subjects. In other words, No matter which subject you want to learn, economics, finance or mechanics, you must have sufficient science and mathematics knowledge to understand it. For example, if person after studying science in secondary school, it is still possible to change lanes towards law at university, but if one only does the art subjects in school, one has no possibility of becoming an engineer later. My second reason is, studying science contributes abundantly to the human life. What I’m trying to say is, without science or mathematics, there won’t be any technology, which we will still be in our prehistoric days without it. Electricity is a typical example. How will we survive if the magical power vanished? Not only it’s used for lighting but to make most machines work. We need electricity like we need air to breathe. Although Shakespeare or Charles Dickens’s work are all very fascinating, but so are Newton’s laws of gravity and movement. And actually, without the creation of paper or pen, which is science, William Shakespeare wouldn’t exist. In conclusion, it is clear that the importance of science and mathematics have to be learnt is much more than studying history and literature. Science and mathematics should be the two most necessary and impotent subjects in our modern life.

Whos The Boss? Essay -- essays research papers fc

Who’s The Boss?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A typical relationship between an employee and an employer exists on the acknowledgment of who is in charge; an employee must accept the employer as an authority. A worker should address the employer with a certain amount of respect and professionalism. An employer should have control of their employees and make it clear that they are the boss.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In David Mamet’s play Glengarry Glen Ross, however the relationship between the employees and the employer is extremely atypical. There is no correlation to what is believed to be the norm. The language Mamet uses in the play makes the peculiar relationship believable. The arguing and resentment can be felt be the reader. The employees in this particular office have â€Å"forgotten† who the boss is; they do not speak to him with any respect or dignity. The employer accepts the way he is treated and does not stand his ground; he allows his employees to walk all over him. This office is not the kind of work place where the boss has the last word; there are numerous times throughout the play where the boss and his employees actually fight. The relationship between one of the employees, Shelly Levene, and his employer, John Williamson, reflects this abnormal relationship. Williamson is the boss, or manager of this particular branch of a real estate company, he does however have two bosses, Mitch and Murray. The play begins with Williamson making an announcement regarding the jobs of all of the employees in the office. There is a contest beginning to see who could close the most deals. Whoever won would win a car and whoever lost would be fired. In the following conversation between Williamson and Levene, the two are discussing whom the good leads are going to. Levene has told Williamson that without the good leads he will not be able to close, in which case, he will be fired. Williamson has said that he has to give the leads to the closers and that Levene has not been a closer. I pick up the conversation after many pages of arguments, Williamson agreeing to Shelly’s bribe and right when Shelly is asking for two l eads.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"WILLIAMSON. I’m not sure I have two.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  LEVENE. I saw the board. You’ve got four†¦   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  WILLIAMSON. I’ve got Roma. Then I’ve got Moss†¦ LEVENE. Bullshit. Th... ...n’t agree with this and believes that it is Williamson giving the orders and that if Williamson were to call up Mitch or Murray they would tell him to follow whatever Levene says. Williamson is a timid man. He does not like confrontation. Whenever Shelly or anyone began to yell at him he would just walk away. Shelly is an older and somewhat outspoken man; he knows that Williamson is timid and therefore talks the way he does to him. Shelly is feeling the pressure of the younger men taking his role as the best. All of the stress and pressure in the office causes everyone to be on edge. I think that Williamson is a bit more understanding because he realizes that Shelly’s job is being threatened. All of these pressures and feelings cause Williamson and Levene to resent each other. The language used by Mamet to portray all of this really makes the reader feel the stress and tension in the office. The reader can hear the arguing and disagreeing. The extreme language helps the reader understand the lack of control in the office as well as the atypical behavior between an employee and employer. Works Cited 1. Mamet, David. Glengarry Glen Ross. New York: Samuel French, Inc., 1982. Whos The Boss? Essay -- essays research papers fc Who’s The Boss?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A typical relationship between an employee and an employer exists on the acknowledgment of who is in charge; an employee must accept the employer as an authority. A worker should address the employer with a certain amount of respect and professionalism. An employer should have control of their employees and make it clear that they are the boss.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In David Mamet’s play Glengarry Glen Ross, however the relationship between the employees and the employer is extremely atypical. There is no correlation to what is believed to be the norm. The language Mamet uses in the play makes the peculiar relationship believable. The arguing and resentment can be felt be the reader. The employees in this particular office have â€Å"forgotten† who the boss is; they do not speak to him with any respect or dignity. The employer accepts the way he is treated and does not stand his ground; he allows his employees to walk all over him. This office is not the kind of work place where the boss has the last word; there are numerous times throughout the play where the boss and his employees actually fight. The relationship between one of the employees, Shelly Levene, and his employer, John Williamson, reflects this abnormal relationship. Williamson is the boss, or manager of this particular branch of a real estate company, he does however have two bosses, Mitch and Murray. The play begins with Williamson making an announcement regarding the jobs of all of the employees in the office. There is a contest beginning to see who could close the most deals. Whoever won would win a car and whoever lost would be fired. In the following conversation between Williamson and Levene, the two are discussing whom the good leads are going to. Levene has told Williamson that without the good leads he will not be able to close, in which case, he will be fired. Williamson has said that he has to give the leads to the closers and that Levene has not been a closer. I pick up the conversation after many pages of arguments, Williamson agreeing to Shelly’s bribe and right when Shelly is asking for two l eads.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"WILLIAMSON. I’m not sure I have two.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  LEVENE. I saw the board. You’ve got four†¦   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  WILLIAMSON. I’ve got Roma. Then I’ve got Moss†¦ LEVENE. Bullshit. Th... ...n’t agree with this and believes that it is Williamson giving the orders and that if Williamson were to call up Mitch or Murray they would tell him to follow whatever Levene says. Williamson is a timid man. He does not like confrontation. Whenever Shelly or anyone began to yell at him he would just walk away. Shelly is an older and somewhat outspoken man; he knows that Williamson is timid and therefore talks the way he does to him. Shelly is feeling the pressure of the younger men taking his role as the best. All of the stress and pressure in the office causes everyone to be on edge. I think that Williamson is a bit more understanding because he realizes that Shelly’s job is being threatened. All of these pressures and feelings cause Williamson and Levene to resent each other. The language used by Mamet to portray all of this really makes the reader feel the stress and tension in the office. The reader can hear the arguing and disagreeing. The extreme language helps the reader understand the lack of control in the office as well as the atypical behavior between an employee and employer. Works Cited 1. Mamet, David. Glengarry Glen Ross. New York: Samuel French, Inc., 1982.

Metacognition Student Achievement Essay

Metacognition has generally been described as thinking about one’s own thoughts. The realization that a human being cannot exist in isolation of his inner self, that he is constantly probing that dam of his very essence to evaluate situations and resolve the never-ending puzzles that daily confront him. Kornell (2009), has described metacognition as self-reflection and conscious awareness. An even more elaborate definition is that given by Serendip (2009). He defines it as â€Å"a reflective practice that helps one discern general patterns in one’s own views and abilities†. Whichever definition one feels comfortable with, it cannot be said to be superior to the other, because metacognition deals with the intangible and cannot be weighed on a scale. It has, however, been the subject of widespread research all over the world. Psychologists are now asking themselves, what causes that tip of the tongue experience, when you are sure you know someone’s name but cannot recall it? Or what is at play when one conveys a feeling of uncertainty? Why is it that humans are able to have certain cognitive abilities that animals apparently do not have? For example, if asked what year America gained independence, one may readily recall with certainty, or one may say with complete uncertainty that he does not know. The answer may also lie in between, showing a certain degree of uncertainty by replying, for example, I think it was 1776. Whatever answer one gives, it demonstrates an ability to question one’s memory and experience. According to studies that have been done, this ability can be improved. Thus, the science of metacognition is now rampant, with studies being carried out on the cognitive abilities of monkeys, children, students, and ways in which they can be improved. Metacognition 2 One study which was carried out to test the cognitive abilities of rhesus monkeys, was that conducted by Kornell, Son & Terrace (2007). In this trial, the monkeys were initially trained to select a given picture from a sample of six pictures by touching the image on a touch-screen monitor. After this training period, they were shown six sample pictures which were then simultaneously removed and replaced with nine, one of the previous six being among them. As soon as they selected the sample they thought was among the previous six, they were required to bet on their choice by depressing an icon on the screen for certainty, with a reward of redeemable food tokens, or loss of tokens, if wrong. A further icon for a low risk bet was also there. After carrying out this experiment for a suitable period of time, they concluded that the monkeys would invariably only bet when they were sure that they knew the correct answer. The researchers were therefore of the opinion that the monkeys were guided by a cognitive ability. They also tested two monkeys on metacognitive control. This is the ability to use metacognitive ability to influence behavior. An example would be requesting for a hint when one is unsure of an answer, a common trait with humans. In this trial, two monkeys were presented with a few sample pictures to place in a certain order. They were also availed of onscreen visual hints if they needed. The penalty for using the hints was a less appetizing banana flavored pellet, instead of the more attractive M&M candy. As the test progressed, it became apparent that the monkeys were using the hints less and less, and would only resort to them when they were sure that they did not know the right answer. This ability to have control over one’s metacognitive ability had been tested on humans for many years, and it was only now that it was becoming clear that it was also present in animals. However, how prevalent this is among them, cannot be clear and it cannot be generalized from this study that only involved rhesus monkeys. Metacognition 3 Smith & Washbum (2005) have taken animal research a notch higher and carried out trials that probe the memory, referred to as monitoring the memory. In the test, animals which were given various tasks to do based on what they had done before, declined to engage in the more difficult tasks, a result that was the same as similar tests carried out on humans. The animals were selective and seemed to have the same analogous capacity as human. There was no doubt that they were using their metacognitive abilities to seek in their memories, and when they remembered that the task was arduous, they declined to take the test. Kornell & Terrace (2007) also carried out some trials seeking to find out if monkeys benefited from learning. They did this with two rhesus monkeys which were given two problem sets to solve. In one difficult set, they were given hints to assist them after a suitable training period. In the other set, they were given no hints. The number of hints they used to solve the problem set steadily declined over time, the performance, however, did not change, it stayed the same. The monkeys were solving the problem with skills they had acquired from the hints and were using them less and less because they had â€Å"learned†. This is fascinating and opens up very interesting questions about the training of animals. There are other areas of animal metacognitive behavior which have been studied. Hampton, R (2009), carried out studies on rhesus monkeys to determine if they made decisions when they had information, or sought information when ignorant and immediately made a decision. The results were quite revealing. They carried out two sets of tests. In one test, the monkeys witnessed food being inserted into some opaque test tubes. These tests were referred to as the seen trials. In the other test, the food was inserted into test tubes without their knowledge. Metacognition 4 The monkeys were then required to identify the tubes which had food in them. In trial after trial, they would first look down the tubes to ascertain if the food was there and if it was, they selected the tube. What was evident from these tests is that the monkeys sought information first, by peering down the tubes, when ignorant, and only immediately selected the correct tubes without investigating, when they knew the food was there. That means they knew when they knew and only sought information when they knew that they did not know. This is a characteristic which is prevalent among human children, orangutans and rhesus monkeys. It is, however, not clear with capuchin monkeys when they were exposed to a similar trial about a decade before. There is room for more research on animals. According to Smith & Washbum, a lot needs to be investigated regarding the gifts different animals have. For example, monkeys and dolphins seem to exhibit more cognitive abilities than pigeons, whose reactions appear to be more stimulus based. Further research in this area can yield very important information which may stimulate a whole spectrum of research into cognitive abilities of different animal specie. Additionally, there is a lot of room into studies on the ability or lack of ability of animals to make quantitative judgements, for example, their mood. Metacognitive abilities is also a subject of importance in developing learning capabilities for children. Loh, A (2009), has made suggestions on methods to use to improve metacognition learning for children as young as two year olds. Since parents spend the most amount time with children of this age, they are best placed to practice the techniques recommended by Loh. He says that children should be encouraged to think about their thinking process in order to develop their intellect and intelligence. Children should be engaged, soon after an activity, to gauge their Metacognition 5 thinking process and the techniques they used for a task. Immediately after this activity, they should be asked certain questions, for example : 1. They should be asked about the process they used to achieve the result. This way, they will recall the steps and learn the process. 2. What strategies did they use? This will engage them actively in the thinking process by beginning to adopt strategic thinking of alternative techniques they can use to achieve better results. 3. What do they think about the end result? Is it good or bad? This will help them to evaluate their work. 4. Offer them puzzling tasks that have more than one solution. This exposes them to cognitive conflicts 5. Engage them in debates and discussions with other children 6. Allow them to practice reciprocal teaching where they form groups and one child teaches members of his group. 7. Once they engage on a task, allow them to continue undisturbed. Help them with clues if they get stuck. Further, they can be assisted with questions that will incline them to probe their mind even more, for example, what they learned from the task and what they found difficult. Additionally, they can be probed to find out if they have a next goal and what will help them to achieve it. Metacognition 6 There has been more research in the field of metacognitive abilities of children. Young children’s understanding of mental life, or â€Å"theory of mind†, is an area that is currently being explored by various scientists. According to science daily (2008), a new study had made a link between theory of mind as assessed in kindergarten children and their metacognitive abilities in elementary school. Early theory of mind competencies positively influenced metacognitive abilities acquired later. 174 children between the ages of three and four were used as study subjects to investigate this relationship. Wolfgang Schneider, P. H. D. , of the University of Wurzburg, who carried out the trial, said that knowledge from this research can be used to develop training programs for young children. For all the progress that has been done on metacognition in animals and children, none can rival that of learners. The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (2009), says that students with metacognitive needs have difficulties in setting priorities and planning their tasks. Additionally: 1. They are poor at strategizing in order to accomplish a task methodically 2. They procrastinate and are unable to start their work. 3. They are inattentive and make careless mistakes. 4. They are not able to identify their faults or know how to seek help. With these type of students they recommend the following teaching strategies : 1. Teachers should tutor them on how to plan and show them the scoring rubric for the assignment. 2. They should be taught on estimation of time needed to complete a task. 3. They should be assisted with think-aloud strategies. Metacognition 7 4. They should be cajoled to get engaged actively in their work by asking them how they are doing the work and how they will remember to solve the problem. 5. Teachers should be specific in their assignments to students by providing scoring rubrics for each question and how they have been calculated. However, Pierce (2004), dealt even deeper in metacognition for students. He was of the opinion that study strategies were generalized and teachers did not teach them in class. They assumed that students had already learned them. When they taught a strategy, students used the same strategy taught for all subjects. According to him, students needed to acquire three types of knowledge in order to improve their metacognitive abilities. These are : 1. Declarative knowledge which is having at their grasp factual information, for example, speed is distance divided by time taken. 2. Procedural knowledge which is knowing how to do something. Using the previous example of speed, they should know the formula for speed and the steps required in its calculation. 3. Conditional knowledge – This is knowing when to use a certain procedure and why one strategy is better than another. In applying the three types of knowledge for study strategies for example, students need declarative knowledge to know that a high school history textbook is different from an article analyzing the same textbook. They need procedural knowledge to take notes from such a textbook and conditional knowledge to know when such notes should be taken. According to Pierce, study techniques improve learning but are hardly ever taught. Additionally, many students do not internalize success as caused by ability and effort. Metacognition 8 Lippman, Danielsson & Linder (2005), differed slightly with some researchers of metacognition. They claimed that most studies taught metacognitive skills and then measured the effects of training. Instead, they should quantify the use of metacognition. In a study that they carried out at an American university, their aim was to find out how much metacognition is used in a laboratory and how the setup encourages the use of metacognition. Three groups of students were used and their proceedings videotaped and their verbal comments recorded. In one group, students were given a set of instructions to follow. The same was done for the second group and in addition, they were expected to explain their reason. The third group was given a question to answer and expected to explain, in a presentation, the method they had used to get results. In analyzing the results, Lippman et al (2005) saw no difference in the amount of metacognition in the different groups. However, the most important finding was that there was a difference in how metacognition made students change their behavior in tackling the lab assignments. For example, in the third group, the verbal exchanges revealed that the use of metacognition made the students more creative. This was a different approach as was the one used by Mevarech & Kramarski (2003). In this study, 100 eighth graders, studying algebra in four classrooms, were divided into two groups. One group was exposed to cooperative learning and also given metacognitive training. The other group was given cooperative learning but without metacognitive training. At issue was mathematical modeling and problem solving skills. After tasks to perform were given, the results showed that the group which had been given metacognitive training did outperformed the other that only had a cooperative setting. There was significant difference with the two groups with regard to planning, processing and reflection. They concluded that the cooperative Metacognition 9 setting is not enough to enhance modeling skills. Metacognitive skills are important in how to approach a problem, how to control and monitor the solution and how to reflect on the final answer. As a result of such studies, Mevarech & Kramarski (2003) designed the learning tool called IMPROVE, whose letters stand for : Introducing the new material Metacognitive questioning Practicing Reviewing Obtaining mastery on higher and lower cognitive processes Verification Enrichment and remedial The important thing in IMPROVE is the approach in problem solving. Students are able to approach a scenario with a systematic method which first and foremost addresses the question of what is the issue at hand. They then investigate to find out how different the problem is from others and what the best strategies are to solve it. As can be seen from all the studies mentioned, metacognition is an area of development that has a lot of room for growth. Animals which have been shown to have metacognitive abilities can be researched further in order to discover if this is something widespread within the animal kingdom, and if not, then what actually determines metacognition of a species. With children too, the theory of the mind is interesting and further studies should be carried out to determine if there are other areas of their lives that can benefit from improved research on Metacognition 10 metacognition. For example, are high levels of metacognition genetic? Does diet affect levels of metacognition? What role does disease play in metacognition? It would also be interesting to see new research in the study techniques of students. More than anyone else, their place in society is critical because they take over reins in business, government and the civil society within only a few years after leaving college. Their overall performance in school is therefore a top priority. Of serious concern should be when study techniques should begin to be taught and how they would be standardized. Additionally, quantifying the use of metacognition as advocated for by Lippman (2005), needs to generate more study. If his research is anything to go by, then the approach to metacognition training must also address, not just the amount of metacognition ability gained, but also how it is channeled to productive use. This is an area that can prove very challenging and rewarding because teaching metacognition techniques is one thing, but being able to teach the type of techniques that can produce quantifiable measures cannot be easy. However, it is possible that the same metacognition graduates will discover new methods and strategies to impart more abilities in metacognition. Metacognition 11 References Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (2009). Metacognitive Skills. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www. etfo. ca/Multimedia/Webcasts/SpecialEducation/Pages/Metacognitive%20Skills. aspx Hampton, R (2009). Multiple demonstrations of metacognition in nonhumans: Converging evidence or multiple mechanisms? Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://psyc. queensu. ca/ccbr/Vol4/Hampton.pdf. Kornell, Nate (2009, February). Metacognition in Humans and Animals. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www3. interscience. wiley. com/cgi-bin/fulltext/122212734/HTMLSTART Lippmann, K. , Danielsson, A. & Linder, C. (2005, August). Metacognition in the student Laboratory : Is increased metacognition necessarily better? Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www. anst. uu. se/rekun676/meta. pdf Loh, A (2009, July). Using Metacognition Learning to Make Children Smarter. Retrieved on July 29, 209 from http://www. brainy-child. com/articles/metacognition-learning.shtml Mevarech Z. & Kramarski, B. ( 2003). Mathematical Modeling and Meta-cognitive Instruction. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www. icme-organisers. dk/tsg18/S32MevarechKramarski. pdf Metacognition 12 Mevarech, Z. & Kramarski, B. (2003). Metacognitive Questioning and the use of Worked Examples. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www. memory-key. com/StudySkills/IMPROVE. htm Peirce, W (2004, November). METACOGNITION: Study Strategies, Monitoring, and Motivation. Retrieved on July 29, 2009, from http://academic. pgcc. edu/~wpeirce/MCCCTR/metacognition.htm ScienceDaily (2008, August). Young Children’s ‘Theory Of Mind’ Linked To Subsequent Metacognitive Development In Adolescence. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www. sciencedaily. com/releases/2008/08/080814154429. htm Serendip (2009). Metacognition. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://serendip. brynmawr. edu/exchange/wfrankli/ii09/metacognition Smith, D & Washbum, D. (2005, February). Uncertainty Monitoring and Metacognition by Animals. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www3. interscience. wiley. com/cgi-bin/fulltext/118706297/HTMLSTART

Marlow Lie Essay

Victorian  viewpoint,  and  often  paints  them  as being  the  embodiment  of  the  more  pure  and  gentle  aspects  of  human  nature. Conrad  makes many  references  to  a  belief  that  women  live  in  an  ideal  world  which  is  separated  from  the  evil side  of  human  nature  explored  in  the  story,  emphasizing  that  they  must  be  protected  from  this darkness  at  all  costs. This  theme  can  be  justified  by  many  details  within  {em  The  Heart  of Darkness},  but  at  the  same  time  there  are  a  number  of  points  in  the  story  which  stand  in  stark contrast  to  this  portrayal  of  women  as  noble  and  exalted  creatures. One  of  the  first  incident  where  Conrad  discusses  women  in  an  idealized  manner  occurs  in  the very  beginning  of  {em  The  Heart  of  Darkness},  as  Marlow  is  about  to  depart  for  Africa. During his  final  meeting  with  his  aunt,  she  talks  to  him  of  how  noble  she  feels  the  Company’s  attempts to  civilize  the  African  natives  are:  an  opinion  which  makes  her  nephew  rather  uncomfortable. â€Å"It’s  queer,†Ã‚  he  says,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"how  out  of  touch  with  truth  women  are. They  live  in  a  world  of  their  own, and  there  has  never  been  anything  like  it,  and  never  can  be. It  is  too  beautiful  altogether,  and  if they  were  to  set  it  up  it  would  go  to  pieces  before  the  first  sunset. †Ã‚  Marlow  believes  that  women cannot  perceive  the  horrors  that  men  are  capable  of  because  they  are  so  distant  from  them  by virtue  of  their  sex. Another  graphic  example  of  this  attitude  comes  when  Marlow  makes  a reference  to  Kurtz’s  fiancee,  known  as  his  Intended. He  says  of  her:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Oh,  she  is  out  of it ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­completely. They ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­the  women,  I  mean ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­are  out  of  it ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­should  be  out  of  it. We  must  help  them

The burden of Hitlers legacy

The burden of Hitlers legacy Alfons Heck was born around 1927 in Rhineland near the Morsel River Region. He was brought up by his grandmother and a number of uncles and aunts. His parents and twin brother occasionally paid him visits in the farm where he lived. Hitler ascended to power when Alfons Heck was just six years old; that was in the year 1933. His teacher at that time was a full blown follower of the Nazi (Heck 2).Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on The burden of Hitler’s legacy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Even at his young age, Alfons somewhat had a sense of admiration for his teacher and the ideals he stood for. Hitler’s regime had successfully turned him into a fanatic who was willing to lay down his life for a cause he believed was both just and achievable. For the following five or so years, Alfons attended school normally like other children and served as an altar boy in his local church. Germany had remained in turmoil in the years following World War 1 and this offered an ideal setting for the emergence of firebrand political leadership who would establish and enforce extremist ideologies (Heck 6). At this time in Germany’s history, citizens were under immense pressure to make payments to the victors of war and the country was grappling with a serious economic crisis. This was when Adolf Hitler came to be known since he offered easy explanations to the problems that the people were facing and he went ahead to offer quick fix solutions. In his opinion, the Jews were to be blamed for Germany’s downfall in World War 1 and the subsequent peace treaty that was a source of embarrassment to the nation. The Nazis cunningly capitalized on the political and economic distrust of the middle class and made up lies about the Jews (Heck 11).The party enjoyed a significant rise in popularity and this saw Hitler ascend to the post of Chancellor in the year 1933. Some people thought he co uld have been instrumental in dealing with communists proponents. Hitler began forming structures of the Nazi State that were based on authoritarian principles and racism. Individuals’ rights and freedoms were revoked while rights entrenched in the Weimar Constitution were renounced. Jews suffered persecution and discrimination, and in the year 1933, they were expelled from the civil service. This year also saw the abolishing of all trade unions. All elements of government were ‘harmonized’ to completely fit into Nazi control while all other political parties were outlawed. Germans were made to believe that their destiny was to grow and enlarge a superior population that would rule the Soviet Union. A policy was put in place to encourage the bearing of racially pure Aryan children (Heck 12). Other groups of people like Gypsies and the Jews were classified as racially inferior and were set to be eliminated.Advertising Looking for book review on history? Le t's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In that year, Nazi groups started the indiscriminate killing, molesting and maiming of Jews. Their businesses were forcefully shut while others were destroyed. Those that remained open were boycotted by the larger German population. More racist decrees and laws were formulated and enforced. The Jews were accused by the Nazis of being responsible for socialism, communism and revolutions and their positions both economically and politically placed them strategically for involvement in conspiracy theories. Thousands of Jews were confined in concentration camps while their property and synagogues were torched (Heck 13). In schools, the Nazi regime ensured that messages against Jews were relayed to children as little as four years old. This was a deliberate step by the Nazi to ensure that from a tender age, the children would be programmed to believe that Jews and other minority groups were a threat to them and that they were criminal and inferior to them(Heck 15). The teachers were instructed to ensure that their pupils forever remained to be enemies of minority groups. This indoctrination went a long way in molding the thinking and actions of Alfons Heck plus a huge number of boys who were later recruited into Nazi groups. A majority of the teachers were also ardent believers in the cause of the Nazi regime and worked to ensure they influenced their students to identify with the Nazi ideology. The author was just a young boy at the time the war commenced, but by the time it came to an end, he was an officer who was highly ranked in the group known as the Hitler Youth. The recruitment of Alfons and very many people into this group was done through carefully executed brainwashing of citizens by the flash and power of Adolf Hitler and his numerous promises for a new world order in Germany(Heck 28). He was an eager participant in a number of youth rallies that took place all over Germany and was chosen to be the leader of a large group of young boys who had been recruited to join in fighting the war. As the forces in the war began facing depletion, Hitler started depending more and more on this group (the Hitler youth). At the tender age of fifteen, Alfons had risen to become a high ranking glider pilot. When he was sixteen years old, he had already become a Bannfuhrer which is an equivalent to the present day’s rank of a Major General in the United States Army and was put in charge of more than sixty thousand troops.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on The burden of Hitler’s legacy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He stayed in Luftawaffe for some time when a loss of the war started becoming imminent. After his short stint in Luftawaffe, he was transferred back to the war front; specifically to a wall that was along the western border post of Germany (Heck 32).It was there h e got to personally meet and talk to Adolf Hitler. Hitler conveyed a sense of interest in Alfons and honored him with the Iron Cross for his exemplary service. When the war ended, the Allied Troops arrived to his town and since he could not communicate in fluent English and the soldiers were not conversant with German, they used him to capture all the Nazis who had now gone into hiding. When his identity was discovered, he was thrown in jail together with others. By the time the war drew to a close, the author had lost almost all his friends and the town where he was born had been reduced to mere rubble (Heck 48). While in jail, there were times when he thought that he would be executed. This was because during the war, the death of one German was avenged by killing thirty French soldiers. He was among those who sought the French soldiers that were used for the revenge missions. After spending some time in confinement, quite a number of inmates still defended the cause of the Nazis and saw nothing wrong with what they had done. Until Alfons saw the ruins that had become of Germany, he had not begun to question their fanaticism of the Nazi. During his trial, it was revealed that by December 1939, it had become compulsory for every German child above the age of ten years to join one of the two factions of the Hitler Youth group. He used this as one of his lines of defense. However, this did not aid in clearing his name at the tribunal since it was argued that with the passing of time, he had become an adult and was fully accountable for his words and actions. Amnesty did not also help acquit him because at the time he stood before the tribunal, he was already an adult. Up to this time, some of his fellow inmates still did not understand why they were being imprisoned while all they had done is serve their country and obey the orders they had received from their superiors. In prison, life was harsh due to the hard labor the inmates were subjected to and starvatio n (Heck 70). They were once given a task to dig up mass graves of French prisoners who had succumbed to injuries they got in a fighter bomber assault. After seven months in jail, he was permitted to return to school and go home during the nights. It was after going back to school and seeing his wrecked home that Alfons truly began to brood about his life under Hitler’s reign. The promises that had been made had turned to a nightmare. This period in time was marked by a serious economic crisis with large numbers of German women turning to prostitution as a means to earn money while most men were in captivity. People had given up their dignity in search for food and basic items; this was a great contradiction to what had been expected to be the ‘new Germany’.Advertising Looking for book review on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More When the author saw the destruction and suffering of the Germans, it dawned on him that he had done his utmost best fighting for the wrong cause (Heck 82). It is worth noting that even though a majority of teachers and civil servants had been quick to embrace the new ideology, there was still a number that resisted the pressure, clung on to their principles and refused to be members of the Nazi. The Allied troops sometimes acted unjustly as in the case where Alfons’ twin brother came to visit him and his grandmother and was seized by the troops, locked up, sodomized, then released. Within the confines of the school, a new crop of Germans was emerging; one that was fed up with threats from the French. They threw out books that were written in French without fear of the consequences had they been caught. An intervention by the principal helped quiet the boys and got them to cooperate with the teachers including those who had originated from France. Seven months after Alfons had faced the tribunal, he sought permission from the liaison officer for matters concerning education from the French Military Government to visit Nuremburg. The trial was coming to an end and he wanted to catch a glimpse of the proceedings. He was granted a two week pass and allowed to travel (Heck 102). Nuremberg was a significant place because it had witnessed many domestic triumphs by Hitler and the Nazi. It was a place that synonymous with the Nazi regime however, to many German Jews and minority groups it was a place of terror and fear. It was from there that the Nazi regime made public the Racial Laws in the year 1935 that automatically revoked the citizenship of Jews. Due to brainwashing, most Germans had applauded that move and thought it would work towards enhancing the country. The mainstream churches did not do much to oppose this violation of civil rights probably due to fear of reproach from a regime that had dealt ruthlessly with opposition. At the beginning of the twen ty one trials, most Germans viewed the proceedings with complete indifference. They interpreted the trials as their victor’s way of exerting revenge upon them. There was no sign that the nation was prepared to come to terms with the real events or dealing with their feelings of guilt. Alfons was able to listen to the trials via some loud speakers that had been placed outside the trial chambers and heard the entire evidence of the charges that were leveled against the Nazi leadership. There were confessions by a number of the leaders including the man who was in charge of training the young boys who were members of Hitler Youth. He was found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to a jail term of not less than twenty years. This was a major turning point for Alfons Heck who now fully realized that the men he had adored and served under had betrayed him and other Germans (Heck 108). That was the moment he discovered the scale of murder, child abuse and the countless a trocities that had been unleashed on innocent people. That was when he started to dissociate himself with the Nazi ideology he had once revered. He began his long journey of ‘rehabilitation’ that took many years. Like Alfons, so many young Germans had been duped into believing that they were doing their country great service by joining these groups. The way in which the Nuremberg trials were carried out elicited criticism since some argued that it imposed ex post- facto kind of justice which means; that the rules were created after the crimes were committed. Some said that it served as a catharsis for those who ‘won’ the war and needed to put people on trial to quench their hatred. Despite the limitations of the process, the trials achieved some significant objectives which included; preventing a blood bath which would have been witnessed had the Nazis been tried in courts that would have afforded them very able defenses (Heck 262). The accused parties were given more justice than they would have given if the tables were to be turned. The concept of individual accountability and personal responsibility was introduced and it helped dispel the notion that orders from superiors were to be followed at all costs (Heck 270). After the trials, waging aggressive war was criminalized and a declaration of human rights was drafted and adopted. Despite a number of confusing sentences and acquittals, it could be concluded that justice was served. The messages that had been relayed through the media about certain groups of people being inferior to others had been rubbished. In comparison to the heavier sentences of those tried by the tribunal in Nuremberg, Alfons’ sentence looked like a slap on the wrist even though a chunk of his youth had been used negatively. Heck, Alfons. The burden of Hitlers legacy.New York: American Travellers Press, 1988.print.

Quotes from Philippine President Corazon Aquino

Quotes from Philippine President Corazon Aquino Corazon Aquino was the first woman to run for President in the Philippines. Corazon Aquino was attending law school when she met her future husband, Benigno Aquino, who was assassinated in 1983 when he returned to the Philippines to renew his opposition to President Ferdinand Marcos. Corazon Aquino ran for President against Marcos, and she won the seat despite Marcos attempt to portray himself the winner. Selected Corazon Aquino Quotations Politics must not remain a bastion of male dominance, for there is much that women can bring into politics that would make our world a kinder, gentler place for humanity to thrive in. It is true you cannot eat freedom and you cannot power machinery with democracy. But then neither can political prisoners turn on the light in the cells of a dictatorship. Reconciliation should be accompanied by justice, otherwise it will not last. While we all hope for peace it shouldnt be peace at any cost but peace based on principle, on justice. As I came to power peacefully, so shall I keep it. Freedom of expression - in particular, freedom of the press - guarantees popular participation in the decisions and actions of government, and popular participation is the essence of our democracy. One must be frank to be relevant. It has often been said that Marcos was the first male chauvinist to underestimate me. National leaders who find themselves wilting under the withering criticisms by members of the media, would do well not to take such criticism personally but to regard the media as their allies in keeping the government clean and honest, its services efficient and timely, and its commitment to democracy strong and unwavering. The medias power is frail. Without the peoples support, it can be shut off with the ease of turning a light switch. I would rather die a meaningful death than to live a meaningless life. Prime Ministers and Presidents About These Quotes Quote collection assembled by Jone Johnson Lewis. Each quotation page in this collection and the entire collection  © Jone Johnson Lewis. This is an informal collection assembled over many years. I regret that I am not be able to provide the original source if it is not listed with the quote.

How Laws Have Impacted Commercial Lending Essay

How Laws Have Impacted Commercial Lending - Essay Example In relation to this paper, the introduction of The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA-REG BB) and Regulation B (Equal Credit Opportunity Act) altered commercial activities landscape for lending institutions. Brown (3) indicates that Acts have had impacts on business and commercial related activities for the past thirty years since they were established. Part 1 CRA was an Act put to place to ensure equity in access to financial services regardless of individual’s background. This Act lays outs steps necessary when settling commercial lending legal issues. EOA was established to provide guidelines and enforce civil liability on lending institutions that offered services in segregation. This law has ensured accessibility of financial services to all legible citizens (Brown 42). Over the 30 years the introductions of commercial lending laws have altered the business environment. This paper evaluates the impacts of CRA and ECOA on commercial lending institutions and society. CRA and E COA acts have achieved more positive benefits as opposed to the challenges they have brought. Before these Acts were in place lending institutions targeted the high income market for their services, preferably big business and white collar companies. This shift was realized when policies forced them to provide their services in line with societal demands for their financial rights (Brown 11). CRA and ECOA have also impacted on businesses negatively by reducing their owner’s authority in dealing with fiscal policy matters. There have been conflicts involving the government and lending institution on what is considered ethical when conducting businesses. Imperfect information is obtained by lending institutions from borrowers due to restrictions interfering with record keeping by financial institutions. There was a backlog of legal issues concerning lending institutions and the new clients of commercial banks. According to Brown (10), laws facilitate effective running of busine ss whereby client’s interests are safeguarded when seeking commercial services. These Acts provide clear channels for use when sorting financial disputes.CRA made financial institutions put measures in place that correspond with community’s interests. Institutions have delved on markets initially neglected thus increasing their customer base resulting in healthy business competition. The Acts have led to societal well being by catering for its clients needs. Commercial institutions that tapped on new markets such as the marginalized communities realized growth in their profit margin. Good ethical practices by commercial banks adhering to CRA and ECOA acts have promoted fairness and equity to the world of business. Financial institutions have altered their mode of obtaining information from people of different social backgrounds. Unfortunately prejudices have led to collapse of businesses where clients boycott discriminatory organizations. In the current years commercia l banks are being forced to respect the rights of minorities when transacting businesses with them. Banks have expanded the operations venturing into neglected territories when capturing the untapped markets. Part 2 The five essential elements of credit include character, capital, collateral, cash-flow and capacity (Larson & Harms 38). As a commercial lender I will minimize the risks involved safeguarding my business. Banks should seek expertise from other professionals like