How to Get a Merit Scholarship 6-Step Guide

How to Get a Merit Scholarship 6-Step Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re looking for a way to fund your college education, you should definitely check out merit scholarships. They’re especially great options for high-achieving students who may not qualify for much need-based financial aid. The best part of getting a merit scholarship is, of course, that you’re essentially getting free money for school.But how to get a merit scholarship can still be confusing and overwhelming. In this post, I’ll explain what defines a merit scholarship before going into both where you can find them and how you can get them. At the end, you’ll find a list of some of the top merit awardsavailable - this way, you can get a head start on getting that cash. What's a Merit Scholarship? Merit scholarships are financial awards that are meant to help students pay for school. They’re one of the best forms of financial aid because they’re free money that you never have to pay back, often with few to no strings attached. Let's answer some of themost common questions that come up aboutthese awards. How Do Scholarship Organizations Define Merit? Many merit scholarships look for students with impressive academic achievements.Others focus on community service, sports prowess, professional/business experience, leadership skills, or artistic talent. The most prestigious scholarships tend to go to students who stand out in several different areas. It's important to note that, although mostmerit scholarships are awarded primarily based on merit, many take financial need into account. Financial need qualifications (if applicable) will vary based on the scholarship. If you don't think you'll qualify for much need-based aid, you'll want to focus your energy on pure merit-based awards. Are Merit Scholarships Hard to Get? This will obviously vary based on the scholarship. In general, the bigger the award, the more serious the competition for the money. Merit-based scholarships are often difficult to get in the sense that they require dedicated, long-term, impressive performance in order to stand out as an applicant. For example, if you want to apply for a scholarship based on GPA, you will have had tomaintain a high GPA since the beginning of high school in order to be a competitive applicant. In another sense, thesescholarships may be less difficult than other awards because you might not have to do anythingâ€Å"extra† in order to qualify (if you're already a meritorious student, that is). How to Find Merit Scholarships There are two major sources of merit scholarships: private organizations and colleges/universities themselves. The way you’d go about finding (and applying) for thesescholarships depends on their source. Step 1 of the scholarship app process: figuring out where all these awards are hiding Merit Scholarships Offered Through Private Organizations Some of the most well-known (and most generous) merit awardsare offered through private and nonprofit organizations. The mission of many of these organizations is to provide financial assistance to high-achieving students who also demonstrate financial need. As such, it may be tough to find pure merit-based awards from these sources. To look for merit-based awards, you might want to start with these guides to the country’s top scholarships. Then, you can move on to looking for less competitive local awards. You can also do your own research by Googling scholarships based on your specific interests, skills, or activities. If you're into debate, for example, you might search for "debate scholarships," "debate merit scholarships," or even "debate scholarship [specific school name]." Merit Scholarships Offered Through Schools It’s often easier to find pure merit-based scholarships through schools than it is to find them through private or nonprofit organizations. Schools sometimes offer merit-based awards in order to attract competitive applicants. In order to get your hands on these merit awards, often all you have to do is apply to the school. You’ll automatically be considered for awards once you submit your college application. Colleges and universities often look at the following criteria when awarding merit scholarships (keep in mind that the specifics of these criteria vary widely by school): High school GPA Standardized test scores (SAT and/or ACT) Class rank SportsScholarships Talented athletes can get a ton of merit scholarship money (regardless of financial need), but the process is usually more complicated than just submitting a college app.If you’re looking for merit awards based on your sports performance, you’ll have to go through the proper channels, i.e. you’ll have to be in touch with coaches and/or be formally recruited. Your award will depend on the school’s merit scholarship policies and how much they want you as an athlete.Learn more about how college recruitment works. A Small Caveat Not all schools offer merit scholarships - many top private schools, for example, only offer need-based financial aid.If you’re looking specifically for schools that offer generous merit awards that aren’t dependent on financial need, you should check out our guide to schools with top scholarship programsor our guide to schools that offer full-ride scholarships- just be mindful when it comes to discriminating between need-based and merit-based aid. Want to build the best possible college application and financial aid package? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. How to Geta Merit Scholarship Ready to get started seeking out your own scholarship money? Here are all thesteps you should take if you want to optimize your chances of winning a merit award. Step 1: Start Early AsI mentioned before, you have to be in it for the long haul if you hope to qualify for some of the more competitive merit awards. Many merit awards will ask for transcripts, records, ordocumentation going back to your freshman year of high school.You don’t have to be perfect - your later high school years will matter more than your freshman or even sophomore year - but you do needto demonstrate a pattern of consistent high-achievement or consistent improvement. This will be important if you hope to come across as a compelling applicant. Step 2: Choose Your Focus Even if you're a young high school student, it's prudent to start thinkingabout what sort of scholarships make the most sense for you.What kindof merit award are you most likely to qualify for? Are you gunning to be a top student, a star athlete, a community service expert, or some combination? Unless you’re a true stand-out performer in another space, I’d encourage you to focus on your academics before expending energy on other pursuits. It's relatively easy to qualify for merit-based awards at many collegesif you have a strong GPA and/or test scores. You can be a great debater or have hundreds of community service hours under your belt, but if your grades are underwhelming, you’ll likely hurt both your college admissions and scholarship chances. Merit awardsare pretty useless if you can’t use them at the schools you want. The more you can narrow in on a type of target scholarship, the more successful you'll be. Step 3: Be Proactive AsI mentioned earlier, it’s important for you to consistently demonstrate that you’re a high-achieving student (or athlete, or volunteer) in order to be competitive for a merit award. This means you’re responsible for tackling any weaknesses in your performance before they become bigger problems. To be proactive, you can: See teachers and coaches for extra help on assignments or problem areas. Meet with your guidance or college counselor regularly (perhaps once a quarter) to check in about college plans, grades, career goals, etc. This may also serve you well if you need letters of rec from your counselors later forscholarship applications. Step 4: Have an ACT/SAT Prep Plan Standardized test grades are often a big part of qualifying for merit scholarships. The earlier you start laying out a plan for preparing and taking either the ACT or the SAT, the better off you’ll be. To start formulating a plan, check out these guides: Should you take the ACT or the SAT? How long should you study for the ACT or theSAT? ACT/SAT test dates and study plans How to get a perfect score on the ACT or the SAT Step 5: Find "Good Fit" Scholarships Not all of the scholarships that you’ll be interested in will necessarily be good fits, even if you technically meet all of the eligibility criteria. Applying to scholarships won’t be the only thing on your mind when you're putting together these apps, so it’s important to use your time efficiently when selecting scholarships. You could technically submit an infinite number of apps, but you’d likely be wasting your time. You don't want to just apply for one or two awards - applying to scholarships is still a numbers game - so aim for 8-10 applications. Think of it like you think of applying to colleges: select a few â€Å"reach,† a few â€Å"safety,† and a few â€Å"target† scholarships.Use your strengths(e.g. academics, sports, community service) to select scholarships for fit (and eliminate scholarships that aren't worth your time). For example, if you’re top of your class but only played JV-level sports, you might not be the best applicant for a scholar-athlete award. If a scholarship isn't a natural fit, you'll likely be wasting your time. Step 6: Submit Polished Applications Just like with your college applications, you only have one chance to make a good impression when you apply for merit scholarships (especially when it comes to themost competitive awards, where scholarship committees have to process thousands of apps). If possible, start putting together a tentative list of scholarships as early as your freshman year. This may seem a little too proactive, but keep in mind that many of the top scholarships are due late junior-early senior year. This early research will also help you stay on track to meet eligibility qualifications. Start seriously thinking about your apps about four months before their due dates. This gives you time to ask forletters of recommendation(if applicable). It also gives you a chance to get feedback on drafts of essays. Finally, have 2-3 trusted people look over your apps before submission to check for clarity, typos, or missing information.Don’t wait until the actual deadline to submit your application - you never know when you might run into technical issues that could prevent submission. It's best to schedule submission 3-5 days before theofficial due date. What Are the Top Merit Scholarships? If you're eager tobegin researchingmerit awards, the following scholarshipsare a good place to start. You’ll find a list of some of the biggest pure merit scholarships, in addition to a list of merit + financial need-based scholarships. For more comprehensive lists of top scholarship programs, check out our guides to the best scholarships available for high school juniors and seniors. Pure Merit Awards National Merit Scholarship Coca-Cola Scholarship Ronald McDonald Scholarships Merit + Financial Need Awards Gates Millennium Horatio Alger Scholarship Program Jackie Robinson’s Foundation Scholarship Program Engebretson Foundation Scholarship Jack Kent Cook Foundation College Scholarship Program Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student Competition What's Next? One of the hardest parts of searching for scholarships is that there isn't one centralized, reliable source of information on available awards. To help make the search a bit easier, we've put together several guides on various types of award programs. If you're interested in other merit-based awards, read about guaranteed scholarships based on ACT/SAT scores. Looking for scholarship apps that won't interfere with school or extracurriculars? Check out our guide to the 12 easiest scholarship applications. Finally, if looming college bills are getting to be a bit overwhelming, read more about how to get a full ride scholarship and how to apply for financial aid. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Atomic Number 8 Element Facts

Atomic Number 8 Element Facts Oxygen, element symbol O, is the element that is atomic number 8 on the periodic table. This means every atom of oxygen has 8 protons. Varying the number of electrons forms ions, while altering the number of neutrons makes different isotopes of the element, but the number of protons remains constant. Here is a collection of interesting facts about atomic number 8. Atomic Number 8 Element Facts While oxygen is a colorless gas under ordinary conditions, element 8 is actually quite colorful! Liquid oxygen is blue, while the solid element may be blue, pink, orange, red, black, or even metallic.Oxygen is a nonmetal belonging to the chalcogen group. It is highly reactive and readily forms compounds with other elements. It is found as a pure element in nature as oxygen gas (O2) and ozone (O3). Tetraoxygen (O4) was discovered in 2001. Tetraoxygen is an even more potent oxidizer than dioxygen or trioxygen.Excited oxygen atoms produce the green and red colors of the aurora. Although air consists mainly of nitrogen, atomic number 8 is responsible for most of the colors that we see.Today, oxygen makes up about 21% of the Earths atmosphere. However, air was not always so highly oxygenated! A 2007 NASA-funded study determined oxygen has been present in air for about 2.3 billion to 2.4 billion years, with levels starting to rise 2.5 billion years ago. Photosynthetic organisms, such as pl ants and algae, are responsible for maintaining the high oxygen levels necessary for life. Without photosynthesis, oxygen levels in the atmosphere would fall. Although hydrogen atoms are the most numerous type of atom in the human body, oxygen accounts for about two-thirds of the mass of most living organisms, mainly because cells contain a lot of water. 88.9% of the weight of water comes from oxygen.Swedish pharmacist Carl Wilhelm Scheele, French chemist Antoine Laurent Lavoisier, and British scientists and clergyman Joseph Priestly researched and discovered oxygen between 1770 and 1780. Lavoisier first called element number 8 by the name oxygen in 1777.Oxygen is the third most abundant element in the universe. The element is made by stars around 5x more massive than the Sun when they reach the point where they burn carbon or a combination of helium in carbon in fusion reactions. Over time, the abundance of oxygen in the universe will increase.Until 1961, atomic number 8 was the standard for the atomic weight of the chemical elements. In 1961, the standard was switched over to carbon-12.Its a common misconception that hyperventilation is caused by breathing in too much oxygen. Actually, hyperventilating is caused by exhaling too much carbon dioxide. Although carbon dioxide can be toxic at high levels, its needed in the blood to prevent it from becoming too alkaline. Breathing too quickly causes blood pH to rise, which constricts blood vessels in the brain, leading to headache, slurred speech, dizziness, and other symptoms. Oxygen has many uses. It is used for oxygen therapy and life support systems. It is a common oxidizer and propellant for rockets, welding, cutting, and brazing. Oxygen is used in internal combustion engines. Ozone functions as a natural planetary radiation shield.Pure oxygen is not, in fact, flammable. It is an oxidizer, supporting combustion of flammable materials.Oxygen is paramagnetic. In order words, oxygen is only weakly attracted to a magnet and does not maintain permanent magnetism.Cold water can hold more dissolved oxygen than warm water. The polar oceans contain more dissolved oxygen than equatorial or mid-latitude oceans. Essential Element 8 Information Element Symbol: O State of Matter at Room Temperature: Gas Atomic Weight: 15.9994 Density: 0.001429 grams per cubic centimeter Isotopes: At least 11 isotopes of oxygen exist. 3 are stable. Most Common Isotope: Oxygen-16 (accounts for 99.757% of the natural abundance) Melting Point: -218.79  °C Boiling Point: -182.95  °C Triple Point:  54.361  K, ​0.1463  kPa Oxidation States: 2, 1, -1, 2 Electronegativity: 3.44 (Pauling scale) Ionization Energies: 1st:  1313.9  kJ/mol, 2nd:  3388.3  kJ/mol, 3rd:  5300.5  kJ/mol Covalent Radius: 66 /- 2 pm Van der Waals Radius: 152 pm Crystal Structure: Cubic Magnetic Ordering: Paramagnetic Discovery: Carl Wilhelm Scheele (1771) Named By: Antoine Lavoisier (1777) Further Reading Cacace, Fulvio; de Petris, Giulia; Troiani, Anna (2001). Experimental Detection of Tetraoxygen. Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 40 (21): 4062–65.Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann.Weast, Robert (1984).  CRC, Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Boca Raton, Florida: Chemical Rubber Company Publishing.

Women and careers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Women and careers - Essay Example Literature does not only show their differences in ideologies but it also reflects the similarities of such ideas among men and women in the past and present times. Today, the interest in the subject is becoming more and more intense as people seek to pursue all the happiness they can have in this world. One movie series that speaks about such especially concerning women is â€Å"Sex and the City†. It portrays the lives of four female friends who openly talk about sex and their relationship. It presents the concerns of women that men often ignore and disregard. Moreover, it also pictures how modern women value work and their womanhood in the pursuit of their happiness. The main characters, Carrie Bradshaw played by Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall as Samantha Jones, Kristin Davies as Charlotte York and Cynthia Nixon as Miranda Hobbes, in the movie series mentioned earlier perhaps reflects the modern women’s struggles that they often experience as they express themselves and assert their worth in the world. The four women who are all past the age of thirty try to live normal lives as all the others around them do. They work as professionals and compete with men in their work places but they also struggle with them when it comes to their relationships. They have different ideas about love and sex which portrays the different ideas of modern women. For instance, Miranda is presented as a successful corporate lawyer who worked so hard that she has forgotten all about marriage. In her mid-thirty, she was still unmarried. Jones on the other hand is an executive who tries to act like men do, having sex with them like the relationship is not about feelings and emotions or treating each other as lovers. In the first episode of season 1, the character of Jones is presented as the most liberated among the four friends and perhaps reflects many women in modern times who really think that they are competitive with men not only in terms of profession and achievemen ts but also in terms of sex. If men perceive women as sex objects, she believes that women could also do the same as evidenced by her advice to her friends. She even gives an example about how she goes about her relationships, mentioning Drew, an ex-lover whom she slept with for a time in her past and then left him matter-of-factly, forgetting about him just like when one changes her clothes and disposes them (youtube.com). On the other hand, York plays the romantic kind of character who thinks that sex should be expressed with love. She is quite the emotional kind among the friends and often brings about the other concerns, about the more important matters in the issues being raised among their discussions. In the example given above, she reacts with Bradshaw in clear bewilderment saying that they should consider love and romance also. Perhaps the attitude of women acting like men, thinking that they can be as unemotional when it comes to sex is just a facade to show their competit iveness. Although deep inside, women are hurting because they are treated like objects, they tend not to accept it but rather deny that they are really emotionally affected. In effect, they try to act as the men do and show that they can also hurt men. However, along the process, men are also hurt because they are also human beings who have feelings. Bradshaw verbally expressed her being a human being and asserted that she should be treated as such by her lovers like her long time lover, Big and still another lover, Alexander Petrovsky (youtube.com). Although men never show such concern or verbally express such feelings, they are not devoid of feelings so that they also need such attention. However, probably, what makes things

Corn-based Ethanol Production Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Corn-based Ethanol Production - Thesis Example Theoretical framework The study is conducted in the theoretical premise of macroeconomics among other sub-theoretical domains of significant proximity to the objectives and focus concept of this study. . The premise provides the theoretical components that illuminate an understanding of how economic and macroeconomic policies and factors affect the fuel, food production and distribution dynamics. The theoretical framework also presents macroeconomics analysis and inference tools that will help in the establishment of the 'real world' effects of the production of corn-based ethanol on the price of corn. Definitions of Terms Ethanol Ethanol; is also called ethyl alcohol or pure alcohol is a flammable and colorless liquid which is categorised as a psychoactive drug. In common organic chemistry notation ethanol is abbreviated as EtOh. Hayashi, Fumio (2007) states that ethanol is a pure-chain alcohol with molecular formula C2H5OH. Ethanol fuel is ethyl alcohol which constitutes the same kind of alcohol that is contained in alcoholic beverages. Ethanol can be used as fuel biofuel like gasoline. This kind can be produced from common crops such as corn and sugar cane. Ethanol is a growing source of renewable energy alterative to gasoline. Biofuels Biofuel is a term used to refer to solid, liquid or gas fuel that has been produced from biological or organic material. The kind is differentiated from the fossils fuels which are drawn from long metamorphosed biological material. "From a theoretical perspective Biofuels can be made from any biological carbon source" (Hayashi, Fumio 2007). The commonly used sources of biofuels nonetheless are photosynthetic plants. Commodity Markets Commodity... This research exercise is not being conducted in a vacuum. The research exercise fits into a broad body of knowledge which has had numerous contributions from various scholars, researchers, professionals and students who have carried similar or related research exercises. Also; the scope and objectives of this research endeavor occur within related and implied theoretical, ideological and philosophical frameworks which largely influence the disciplines of business. As such the researcher is spurred to consider the multiple contributions relevant and related to this research endeavor. The researcher will present a literature review conducted in locating the object of this study within the broader confines of the bodies of knowledge in focus. The thrust at accomplishing set goals in pursuing the ’green world’ philosophy and theory much based on the need to curtail the towering global climate upheavals has seen the emphasises shift in policy in various industry and agriculture fronts. President George W. Bush has had the production of corn-based ethanol as part of the core of his energy policy. This has brought in some merits and demerits. The resonating concern is that is that the emphasis on corn based ethanol production has adverse impact on the entirety of the national and international agriculture sector. More so the thrust on the production of corn-based ethanol has been the part of the root causes of the escalating food prices.

Justification of Humanities Essay Example for Free

Justification of Humanities Essay The humanities have been studied since ancient Grecian times as an academic discipline, examining human condition and including the arts, literature, philosophy, history and some social sciences. In 2008, nationally recognized and respected literary theorist Stanley Fish wrote a New York Times article in response to a New York State Commission on Higher Education report in which people posted complaints that the humanities are always the last to be financially funded. Fish sums up his argument with an insulting conclusive statement: â€Å"To the question ‘of what use are humanities? ’, the only honest answer is none whatsoever†. He backs up this claim by pointing out the lack of tangible evidence that is produced by humanities compared to science and other fields. I assert that Fish underestimates the power of the intangible benefits that the humanities have to offer. His overall argument against the value of humanities presents a point-of-view that is extreme, reductive, and insulting to anyone associated with the humanities and the study of them. An education involving the study of humanities enables readers with skills that are applicable in understanding and comprehending contemporary media and literature. Literature, for that matter, effects people morally and possibly behaviorally and that effect, positive or negative, is ‘of use’. Narrative literature and historical texts also allow readers to build a bridge and connect with the past and its people. The media has become an inevitable part of our society today and, unfortunately, media manipulation has as well. Public relations companies and the government have hidden agendas that the journalists blindly incorporate into their stories and columns. People are paid to make the American public perceive pictures and articles in a deceitful, false way in order to sell a war or downplay a disaster. In 1996 John Rendon, the founder of The Rendon Group, a public relations firm, admitted to U. S. Air Force cadets that the Gulf War in Iraq had been a big project for his company. He even talked about generating deceiving photographs! Looking back in history through other conflicts (i. e. , Vietnam, Iraq), or political issues or even stories of famous individuals, we can observe many situations similar to what Rendon explained that supports a recurring complaint in our culture, whether provable or not, that the press will print stories without evidence if they make more money in the process. Specifically, the media coverage after the 911 attacks were constant and focused on Osama bin Laden as the mastermind behind the attacks and on Iraq having ‘weapons of mass destruction’ as they were told by authorities. Pro-war sources were disproportionately focused on over anti-war sources which helped build misguided public support for our war on terrorism and on Iraq. But we now know WMDs were not in existence there, but this shows the power of media stories, no matter whether based on fact, and its ability to influence society and the power it can take away from us by eliminating fully-informed decision-making. By being exposed to manipulating and deceiving narrators such as Lolita’s Humbert Humbert and Holden Caulfield in The Catcher In the Rye, students gain experience in detecting this fraudulence or bias. Also, through involvement with this type of reading and writing, the ability to sense when they are being propagandized or manipulated. An education that includes humanities provides tools for people to consciously keep from falling for the bias and hidden slander that is involved, especially with politics. This awareness can cause better decision-making (voting especially) and affect a person’s opinion very greatly. Exposure to humanities can cause people to be less egocentric and can arm them with a point-of-view that will help them see through narrow-minded opinions and statements, like Fish’s, and develop their own sound, fact-based and well-rounded opinions. Fish also comments in his article, â€Å"What do they [humanities] do? They don’t do anything, if by ‘do’ is meant bring about effects in the world†. This claim is resting upon the questionable understanding that the ‘do’ is supposed to yield a tangible product, a constant misconception Fish seems to have. I am arguing that an effect on a person, positive or negative, implies that something was ‘done’ to have caused that effect. Fish himself names many examples of literature affecting its readers; he just chooses to discard them and remain skeptical. Countless examples have affected millions of people. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring is commonly credited for the launch of the environmental awareness movement. The Bible itself is a form of literature, and I am sure that Stanley Fish cannot argue that The Bible has not affected the world! Dr. Seuss books affect children and adults all over the world with their simple yet effective messages through the creative rhyming. The Food and Drug Administration was founded as a latter result to Sinclair’s The Jungle, and I believe that this would be considered an example of ‘doing’ something, even according to Fish. Books, and all forms of art, can cause people to reflect on the plot, the characters, or the ethical questions being pondered in the story. We can contemplate character attributes we appreciate or reject and watch scenarios unfold in books that can be comparable to situations in our own lives. Fish believes â€Å"it is not the business of the humanities to save us†, but I do believe an education in humanities can help us save us from the â€Å"worst of ourselves† by helping us become more well-rounded citizens with an understanding of the past so we can head effectively and productively into the future. I agree with Kronman who Fish quotes as saying â€Å"a college was above all a place for the training of character†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . This completely supports an intelligent quote by Martin Luther King Jr. King said, â€Å"Intelligence plus character—that is the true goal of education. † Without any humanities incorporated in a person’s education, can this goal be fully achieved? The renowned Spanish-American essayist George Santayana said, â€Å"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it†, and I cannot agree more with this claim. It highlights the importance of an education in history, another branch of the humanities discipline. Having a connection and understanding with the past allows us to gain appreciation for the world today and learn from the mistakes made through history, so those mistakes are not repeated. For example, the very foundation of America’s government was created through utilizing documentations of various governments implemented through history! The founding fathers sifted through accounts of different governments and how successful they were and used them to form the Constitution. For example, they applied the system of checks and balances in order balance power among the braches and stray from the way that Britain’s monarchy was established. Books and the arts used to be man’s sole form of entertainment and it is amazing to read the thoughts and see the creations of a person from so long ago! Narrative literature, especially from the past, allows us to delve into the mindset of someone from a different time, and that is something that no history book can teach. The readings assigned in humanities classes expand students’ knowledge of life and ethics from a different time period and examines why this ethical mindset existed in the historical context. We reflect and compare the morals of those in the past to our own, making connections with the past yet also seeing the development of ethics and moral behavior through time. Teachings in humanities can be directly applied to the commercial culture that is present in our society today, especially with the deceitful and biased influences in the media. Literature has direct effects on us on an emotional, ethical and logical level and the connection that is made through books with the past is undoubtedly one of the most helpful insights of the past. Fish’s argument was immature and was based merely on tangible products, a close-minded viewpoint that overlooks the power of thought and the mind! My contrasting opinion defends the impalpable and in that sense, suggests humanities can contribute to improving a reader personally and potentially benefit the future of society greatly.

Fidel Castro :: essays research papers

Fidel Castro Ruz was born on August 13, 1926 (some sources give 1927), on his family's sugar plantation near Biran, Oriente, Province. His father was an immigrant from Galcia, Spain. He attended good Catholic schools in Santiago de Cuba and Havana, where he took the sparten regime at a Jesuit boarding school, Colegio de Belen. In 1945 he enrolled at the University of Havana, graduating in 1950 with a law degree. In 1948, he married Mirta Diaz-Balart and divorced her in 1954. Their son, Fidel Castro Ruz Diaz-Balart, born in 1949, has served as head of Cuba's atomic energy commission. Fidel Castro Ruz, Cuba's enduring "maximum leader," has held power since 1959. He is president (since 1976; formerly prime minister), first secretary of the Cuban Communist party, and commander of the armed forces. His decisions are final on matters of domestic and foreign policy. A member of the social-democratic Orthodoxo party in the late 1940s and 1950s, Castro was an early and vocal opponent of the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. In 1952, he ran for election to the Cuban House of Representatives. But troops led by Batista halted the election and ended democracy in Cuba. As a result of Batista's actions, Castro tried to start a revolution against the Batista dictatorship. He eventually succeeded on January 1, 1959 and took control of the Cuban govenment. Castro, who has no rivals for power, demands the absolute loyalty of those around him. As a lawyer by training, Castro led the Cuban Revolution and transformed the island into the first Communist state in the Western Hemisphere. He has been less than successful as an economic policymaker: Cuba remains a poor country in debt whose livelihood depended on sugar production and Soviet economic aid -- which was cut off after the demise of the Soviet Union.

Critique of Artificial Intelligence Essay

Journalist John Markoff wrote the article â€Å"Computer Wins On ‘Jeopardy!’: Trivial, It’s Not†. He discusses how the super computer â€Å"Watson† defeated the all time champion of â€Å"Jeopardy!† Ken Jennings. The author, throughout the article, agrees that the supercomputer â€Å"Watson† was a fair match against Ken Jennings. I disagree with Markoff for multiple reasons. This was in no way a fair match because the computer had a remarkable ability to answer questions at super speeds. Also, the computer has access to all available questions and the ability to answer them. This was in no way a fair battle between the computer and Ken Jennings. The author’s main idea of this article is mainly to say how the supercomputer was a fair match between the two. The computer has ways to answer questions that humans have no way of doing. The computer can answer questions within seconds and even milliseconds when the question is asked. It has a super speed ability to answer these questions, which gives no time for the competitor to even have a chance to answer the questions given. So, when the competitor has no time to even have an attempt to answer the question, there is no way to win. â€Å"Watson† is so smart that almost every question that is asked, he answers correctly. Since I don’t agree with Markoff’s statement about â€Å"Watson†, I don’t think his argument is valid. The reason I don’t believe his argument and points are valid is that a computer that has remarkable and inhuman-like abilities is obviously going to win in a competition of speed and knowledge. Ken Jennings had no chance against this computer. So, if a human has no chance against a machine, how can anyone call this a fair fight? Now, Markoff did define his terms clearly and specifically describe his reasons for why he thinks what he thinks, so I do give him credit for that. Still, I disagree with his argument. I disagree with most of Markoff’s view about the competition between the computer and Jennings. His main point of the fair competition is totally undebatable. â€Å"Watson, on the other hand, does not anticipate the light, but has a weighted scheme that allows it, when it is highly confident, to hit  the buzzer in as little as 10 milliseconds, making it hard for humans to beat† (Markoff 212). This statement made by Markoff proves that this was in no way possible for Jennings to beat the super computer. The computer can buzz in at amazing speeds as little as 10 milliseconds, which is way faster than any other human could possibly buzz in. Plus, the computer is programmed with so much information, that it would most likely be able to defeat Jennings, just because of the intelligence of this machine that the creators programmed into it. Overall, I do not believe that this piece published by John Markoff is in anyway valid. Markoff does however succeed in persuading people his ideas and describing his ideas and arguments very specifically. He does a good job with his argument and stating what he thinks. I do not agree with his argument though. My reaction to this piece is actually astonished because I am not sure how anyone could think that a computer competing against a very intelligent human was fair at all. The weakness of this passage is probably how it can be hard for someone to understand how a computer can manage to accomplish all this, but the strengths are good description and expression of the passage. Although he argues very well of his points, I in no way agree with his argument that the battle between â€Å"Watson† and Ken Jennings was fair.

Paul the Spirit and the People of God Essay

Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God by Gordon Fee lays out a prescription for true spiritual success to cure what ails churches of all kinds. The main treatment is the Holy Spirit-led life. Fee’s major work â€Å"God’s Empowering Presence† is foundational in the area of Pauline pneumatology. This book successfully condenses the heavy exegesis of the larger work into an easily readable text. Fee has a lot of poignant and challenging things to say concerning modern-day evangelicalism’s understanding of the Holy Spirit. The difference between Christians today and Paul is staggering. The same spirit that lives in Paul and Jesus is the same spirit that is in Christians today. The western culture of Christians in today’s world live in very similar environment that the early Greco-Roman Western environment of Paul’s day. Disconnection has occurred because as Fee states â€Å"is in the large part to their experience of the reality of the Spirit’s presence.† This presents a very concerning issue with the church today who sometimes take the either/or approach to the Spirit between the gifts and the fruit of Spirit. The Spirit was an empowering force to Christian in the early church era. This power was not limited to signs and wonders, healings, or tongues but it was to empower the whole life of a Christian to grasp the beauty of being made in the image of God. The Spirit of God was the fulfillment of all the Jewish prophesies on how God would return His Presence to mankind again. The Trinitarian views became grounded because of Paul’s revelation on the very real true nature of God. The triune nature of God as one shows the vital importance that God is a relational being. He desires relationships and He has sent His Spirit for the church to be unified as one bride. Even though individual people experience salvation and become children of God, the goal is not a set of individuals for heaven but to create one people that lived a life of heaven in this day and age. A people for His name and glory. Just as important as Christians experiencing the Spirit of God is the understanding of the â€Å"already/not yet† aspect of heaven. The future of heaven has begun by the outpouring of His spirit and it guarantees a future consummation of a new heaven and earth. The Spirit is the key in worship for the people of God, as it gifts people with different diverse gifts might build up the church to live in this state of already/not there yet heaven on earth until the final coming of God. Throughout todays western culture the thought of God and spirituality are separate entities to everyday life. To be spiritual means to read the Bible, listen to worship music, or pray. These ideas are reinforced by the pastors every Sunday and as well as during the weekly men’s, women’s, teen, and children ministry times. After church services Christians go about their life and try to spread the gospel of Jesus because if people believe in God they don’t go to hell. The Spirit of God is a powerful force that is used to speak in tongues, prophesy, and heal people. Westernized Christians see the Spirit as a powerful unreliable tool. The problem with the way this Western mindset is we interpret and see the scripture that Paul speaks of with a tainted eye. Paul sees the Spirit as Gods fulfillment of promise to His people, the people that He adores, and gave His sons life for. The fulfillment to this promise is that Gods presence would once again be among His people but if they accepted Him, He would indwell them and bring them to life! Paul never writes about what Christians should do as a doctrine but he instead is describing a process in how to connect with God. When Paul describes in 2 Corinthians chapter four about him encountering the Spirit of God. Not only is he beholding the Glory of God but he is being transformed into Gods likeness. This love that rushes like a mighty stream to his heart causes him to cry out daddy because of his adoration to God. The children of God are designed to be in a vulnerable relationship with God. They are designed to hear His voice and understand that He is not an impersonal being. The only way is through experience. The western mindset makes it tough to swallow some of Paul’s revelations about life. Especially about the how everyone is part of one body. In a culture that is all about personal achievement and looking out for ones-self, people get trapped in this self-absorbed mentality that has poisoned the church. This imagery that Paul presents to all believers are part of one body. This shows that the spirit brings all people who are children of God together in unity. God is about unity in relationships and according to Paul it is the Spirit that draws us into unity as one body. The amazing part is that the sins that grieve the Holy Spirit are the sins of discord of one another. The Holy Spirit wants the relationships of people to be so vibrant and alive! The denominational churches of today’s age grieve the Holy Spirit. The discourses of beliefs have caused the body of Christ to be ripped apart. Paul does not see Jew or Gentile when he sees people but he sees sons and daughters of God. The church might not see that truth about who they are but through the revelation of the Spirit, he grasps who people really are. As children of God being in Christ through the Spirit all a part of one body. The church must begin to realize and grasp the revelation of the work that the Spirit is doing and not quench it. Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God by Gordon Fee gives the readers a glimpse into the revelation of Paul in the New Testament. Revelation only comes by experiencing the Spirit of God. A remarkable book on how children of God can live in the here/not yet concept of Heaven on earth. Fee will challenge the way the readers view and interact with God and others in order for heaven to be brought down more in every life.

Analysis of Shrek 2 essays

Analysis of Shrek 2 essays A fairy tale is a story, either intended for children or narrated to children, concerning the adventures of mythical characters. Nearly all fairy tales have magic and supernatural characters. They have good versus evil; a villain versus a hero and in the end the good always triumphs.Sometimes fairy tales are simply miraculous entertainment but often, fairy tales are disguised morality tales. Fairy tales appeal to children perhaps because of the magical element and children therefore, enjoy watching and listening to them. Younger children are affected by what happens and if they like a character they expect them to win. All fairy tales are made especially for young children and they exclude swearing or any disturbing scenes. This is what the audience would expect from a fairy tale. The Shrek story begins when a fairy tale book opens. The opening sentence of the story is Once upon a time. The music is quiet and classical and suits a fairy tale. The books pages turn until the last page where it closes with and they lived happily ever after. This is exactly what an audience would expect of a fairytale. While the audience are enjoying this quiet moment, the page is ripped unexpectedly and the toilet is flushed, followed by rock music. The scene is changed completely and it erases the fairy tale beginning. Obviously this crushes the audiences expectations for the opening. In the story, Shrek is a big ugly ogre who is hated by everyone and lives alone. In addition he has his own swamp. He seems to be everything you would expect of a fairytale ogre. Shrek lives at the out skirts of the city where there arent many people passing by. He eats what no one else wants to and seems to relish. Donkey takes the role of a noble steed, however he is not a magnificent stallion , but a short, rather quirky looking donkey. He is Shreks friend who gets to know him by accident. Shrek didnt want t...

How to answer Where do you see yourself in 5 yearsÂÂ

How to answer Where do you see yourself  in 5 years   There’s a question that seems to pop up all the time, and you can count on hearing it from inquiring bosses, curious colleagues, friends and family members, and perhaps most often- and most importantly- on job interviews. It’s ‘Where do you see yourself in five years?† How you answer this can say plenty about you. Want to learn how to best handle this question if you’re ever confronted with it and there’s a lot depending on your answer, like possibly getting a new job? Typically, this question arises on interviews in an effort to gauge your long-term career aspirations, as well as your ability to be self-reflective and think quickly on your feet. If you were faced with this question, would you be able to competently answer it in a way that would reflect positively on you? You certainly should be, because your answer may reveal a lot about you to the hiring personnel who are evaluating you as a potential candidate.If you’re starting to ge t anxious about whether or not your ability to answer this question effectively passes muster, don’t be- there are several strategies you can take advantage of in order to handle it well and improve your position during interviews. The Balance published an article  that covers some helpful strategies for letting the world know where you see yourself in 5 years. Make the most of the advice presented here to knock this question out of the park when it comes your way.Be honestThe first thing to do when confronted with this question is to take a deep breath and relax. Why? Because it’s not a trick question and it’s not designed to be. You shouldn’t feel pressured into making up a fantastical answer that demonstrates a desire to be on some unrealistic career trajectory. At its core, of your answer should reflect an honest but carefully considered and logical look at how you’d like to see your professional goals expand and evolve over time. It’s ok to reflect a level of ambition; in fact, your answer should show a desire for growth- no one fully respects a stagnant mindset. Just make sure that your answer shows a deep understanding of the industry you’re pursuing, reflects a level of growth that someone can reasonably hope to achieve in 5 years (going from the mailroom to the CEO’s desk may not be the best response, even if it’s what you’re aiming for), and includes a plan for making it all happen if pressed to elaborate.Don’t hop over the position in front of youYes, you want your answer to this question to highlight the fact that your ambitious and hope to achieve professional growth over the next 5 years, but you don’t want your answer to make it seem as if the current job in front of you is merely a brief stepping stone that you hope to leapfrog past quickly. Make sure your answer doesn’t come across that way.Mind your body languageAlways be sure that your delivery is ju st as strong as the content of your answer, because your audience will certainly be paying attention. Be sure to answer confidently and succinctly with impeccable body language and focus, and you’ll be doing you and your well-thought-out answer a real service.Highlight your giftsWhenever there’s a good opportunity to highlight your skill set and abilities on a job interview you should take it- it really doesn’t hurt to remind an interviewer what makes you a great candidate who potentially stands out from the crowd of applicants. So make sure that you back up your 5-year plan with reasons how and why your talents will help make it all possible.A few good answersUptowork published an article that highlights several well-crafted answers to the question â€Å"Where do you see yourself in 5 years?† Consider adapting these sample responses to fit your situation and goals.â€Å"In five years, I want to complete the internal training program for my position. Iâ €™ve read about it on your website, and I think it’s a fabulous program. Not only would I get all the training for my role, but I would be on the fast track to becoming a project manager. That’s my top career goal. Plus, my ideal path would include working abroad for a couple of years. I understand that it’s of value to you to find people prepared to do so.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"One of the reasons I want to work for PG is because I find your personalized approach to training attractive. I’m excited about the opportunity to work with a mentor and immerse myself in learning new skills. I’m also the type of employee that likes to hit the ground running and jump into projects as soon as possible. So, over the next five years, I see myself taking on as many complex assignments as the position would allow. By the end of that period, I want to say that I’ve built lasting client relationships. I want to say that I’m one of the best Salespeople on the team. I wouldn’t mind becoming someone who could train and mentor others when the time comes as well.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"As a marketing professional, I want to develop my skill set. At the end of the next five years, I want to know how to use software like Photoshop or InDesign. I want to have a better understanding of social media and video marketing. Plus I’d like to get into project management. I would like to learn on the job. Regardless, I want to look into online or evening courses. My hope is that I can apply my new skills to my job with you.†There’s no need to get nervous at the thought of having to tackle the (almost inevitable) question â€Å"Where do you see yourself in 5 years?† on interviews and other high-stakes situations. Use the strategies and advice presented here to put your best foot forward when answering this classic question. Good luck!Source: [zety.com]

Conducting Conversations in English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Conducting Conversations in English - Essay Example These expressions may also include tone variation. Hence people do not just speak in English; rather, they may use these facial antics. Daniel Allington points out that there is an emphasis in use of institutional, social, physical, interpersonal and cultural context when people are talking. Through this, there is an effect on how one interprets the meaning of the interaction. Interactive talks reveal how language in use every day reflects as well as influencing identities and relationships of the user. These factors lead to many actions that involve the use of English language all over the world. For people to control and organise their language flow, there is the use of poetic and rhetorical features when speak. This ensures that there is the infusion of human communication. In speech and writing, there are sounds and marks that make the words recognisable. Speech experiencing in regard to old people includes face to face expressions as well as screens, telephone, books and screens . In regard to the preservation of one’s own self during a conversation there is consideration of the facial expressions in use including gestures. This may also include tone variation, which is, a vital aspect in ensuring that a person’s tone maintains it originality. ... P.23-27). In the context of language use, the term appropriateness indicates the necessity of the language when conversing. For one to ensure that there is the appropriateness in the language, one should consider the people who they are conversing with, the situation that leads to the conversation as well as the media of conversation. Appropriateness is different from correctness because the former indicates how able is it to use a certain language, while the later indicates whether the language in use is acceptable. In the use of English, there is creativity each day. There is creativity and play in the use of English while speaking and writing. Through the use of these phenomena’s, there is persuasion to an audience in making a point and in the conceding of a point. In human communication, there is the infusion of rhetorical and poetic characteristics. This is in reference to the conversation between Yael, Etham and Nahla where they use persuasion. This is when Yael asks Eth an, â€Å"What are doing.† This ensures there is creativity in conversing in English (Matthews, 2010, p. 34-36). In making an English conversation, there is consideration of digital English and material English, as the technology advances, the wording changes. In making a conversation, there should be an opening and a closing statement to ensure that the conversation has no fragments. Through it, there is a distinction between the linguistics utterances and the action of uttering it. The utterances help perform many social functions. Most opening and closing utterances are effective in a telephone conversation where the subjects use English language to converse. For an

Design and planning of commercial and domestic buildings in the UK Essay

Design and planning of commercial and domestic buildings in the UK - Essay Example Precisely this report examines the designing and planning of commercial and domestic buildings in the UK. The UK has set aggressive national goals in the building industry meant to increase efficiency and safety of buildings. It has identified emission reduction targets for 2020 and 2050 to be 34 percent and at least 80 percent in that order (Willars 2011, p. 1). To ensure that buildings are playing their role in achieving these targets, regulations have been put in place to ensure that designing and planning is undertaken in a manner that will make buildings environmental friendly. DESIGNING AND PLANNING OF BUILDINGS IN THE UK Designing and planning of buildings take place in different phases. In all these phases there are procedures which ought to be followed. Basically as shown in the diagram below designing and planning of building projects is undertaken in four stages: prepare, design, construct and use. Table 1 (Different standards for planning and designing in the UK) It is ad visable that these phases are followed so that the construction work is completed to the set standards. Failure to follow regulations set is a violation of the law and is punishable. Importantly, such negligence will likely cost the public in one way or another. Building regulations are categorized into 14 sub-categories: Part A - structural safety Part B - fire safety Part C - site preparation Part D - toxic substances Part E - sound insulation Part F - ventilation Part G - hygiene Part H - drainage and waste disposal Part I - combustion appliances Part J - protection from falling and impact Part K - energy efficiency Part L - access to and use of land Part M - glazing Part N - electrical safety This report will utilize the RIBA Plan of Work 2007 in discussing the designing and planning of commercial and domestic building in the UK. The RIBA Plan of Work is chosen because it will enable the achievement of the objective of the report in the best manner possible since it has been the â€Å"definitive UK model for the building design and construction process since 1963† (RIBA 2013, para. 2). RIBA Plan of Work 2013 is due to be released mid this year therefore the 2007 is appropriate for this report. However, much care is taken to integrate the ideas from Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE), OGC Gateways (Scottish Government 2013), PFI procurement stages and National Audit Office Framework where necessary. The RIBA Plan of Work 2007 is divided into five phases with a total of eleven sections. The five phases are: preparation (A & B), design (C, D & E), pre-construction (F, G & H), construction (J & K) and use (L) (RIBA 2007, p. 1). The following sections examine each of these phases in great details, pointing out the technicalities involved and the expectations. Care is taken to ensure that each section addresses the requirements of domestic and commercial buildings as per the UK regulations. PREPARATION PHASE Under the prepare pha se, as categorized by CABE, the activities which cut across the board for RIBA plan of works, OGC Gateways and National Audit Office Framework are basically those involving getting ready to start off the project. They can basically be said to be feasibility tests to find out if the project can be completed. According to CABE (2011), a client needs to be very much engaged in running a building project especially in the very initial stages. It is important that the procurement process is understood well by the client. CABE has gone ahead to outline the skills that