Tuesday, November 26, 2019

The Best AP US History Quizzes You Should Be Taking

The Best AP US History Quizzes You Should Be Taking SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Looking for AP US History quizzes? You're in luck. We have a long list of quizzes you can use throughout the year, or in the spring when you’re studying for the APUSH test. Read on to get an AP US History workout! How to Use These Quizzes We chose the most comprehensive, detailed quizzes we could find online – some from teachers’ websites, others from general study resources, and many from textbook websites. All of these quizzes test specific eras of American history, for example the Gilded Age or the Cold War. By using quizzes that test certain time periods, you can figure out which eras of US history you know well, and which ones you need to do extra work on. If you want a mix of questions from different eras, hang tight for our post on AP US history practice tests – these contain multiple-choice sections with a mix of questions about each era of US History. So how should you use the quizzes? We recommend the following two strategies for studying for AP US History. Quiz As You Go Throughout the year, as your class covers certain time periods, find quizzes that match up and take them. For example, as your class wraps up a unit about the Revolutionary War, go through some of the quizzes that test the same time period. This will help you retain the information better and learn throughout the year. (Not to mention this will help you study for in-class tests and get better grades in your AP US History class!) Furthermore, learning the material well the first time will reduce the need for frantic spring cramming. Yeah, you'll still probably need to brush up on some dates and names before the AP test (when was the French and Indian War again?), but having a solid understanding of the different major eras and events in US History, like the events that led to the Revolutionary War, will save you a lot of study time. If you work to retain information throughout the year, you won't have to cram so hard in the spring. Use the Quizzes for Targeted Spring Studying You'll probably do your most intense studying in the spring, in the run-up to the AP exam in May. You can use the quizzes to review material you learned earlier in the year, like information on the colonies or the War of 1812. It can be hard to remember details you learned in September before the AP test in May, so definitely take advantage of these quizzes to jog your memory and review material from early in the year. You can also use the quizzes to target time periods you didn’t learn very well or are having a hard time remembering. Civil War not your thing? Hit the Civil War quizzes. Can’t get the Cold War years straight in your head? Quiz them! Taking the Quizzes There may be some highly-specific questions that you’ll have trouble with since many of these questions come from textbooks. However, if you know the era well enough you should be able to work through most of the questions using process of elimination. In fact, it’s actually quite helpful to go through these quizzes since the APUSH test is written by a different team of writers than your textbook was, so you need to be prepared to think about questions from a slightly different point of view. If you can do well on quizzes written by multiple authors, you will be well-prepared to tackle multiple choice on the real AP US history test. One final word of caution: note that if your class’s textbook website is linked here, chances are your teacher will use these quizzes in class. So don’t use the quizzes from your own book unless your teacher doesn’t use them! You wouldn’t want to duplicate work doing in class, or worse, get accused of cheating. Use quizzes from the other sources instead. AP US History Quizzes Here are the quizzes, organized by website. Click on each one to explore quiz format. The majority are multiple choice, though there are some true/false quizzes sprinkled in as well. Since each site has about 30 quizzes, there are more than 400 quizzes here! So don't attempt them all in one sitting! Many of the textbook web pages are for editions of the books that are a few years old. For example, the American Pageant website below is from the 12th edition, even though that book is now up to the 16th edition. However, the changes between editions aren't dramatic, since history textbooks mainly add information or in some cases change the focus or point of view when they're revised. You can still get excellent quizzes on the main events of each era using these quizzes. For some of the textbook web pages, you'll have to do a bit of navigating to get to the quizzes. While most websites list all of their chapter quizzes all on one page, others separate them out. For example, the first website, American Passages, put their quizzes in separate chapter pages. It's a bit cumbersome, but a few clicks can lead to hundreds of free quiz questions. First, select the relevant chapter to get to the quiz questions. For the ones that are just numbered, not named, that will take some guess work, but you can find them. To take an example, in the pictures below, I'm trying to find a quiz on the Civil War. In the "Navigate By Chapter" drop-down menu, I select "Chapter 15." Success! Chapter 15 is about the Civil War years (as well as the immediate aftermath). Next I click on the "ACE the Test" link in the blue sidebar. I click on "ACE Practice Tests," which opens up a new window with the quiz. Voila! The quiz. Note that most of the websites are more straightforward than this one. Check them out below and start studying! American Passages Making America The Enduring Vision The American Pageant American History: Connecting with the Past The Unfinished Nation Experience America Give Me Liberty! The American Experiment A People and a Nation America: A Narrative History Other Quiz Sites AP US History Quizzesat Albert.io APUSH Quizzes at Raleigh Charter High School US History Quizzes at HistoryTeacher.net What’s Next? Did you know many colleges require SAT Subject Tests in addition to AP tests? Get a complete list of schools that require SAT Subject Tests, and learn the best time to fit Subject Tests into your schedule (hint: if you’re taking AP US History, you should strongly consider the US History subject test). Have you taken the SAT or ACT yet? Thinking about a retake? Learn if your score will improve on a retake, and start studying with the best SAT prep books around (ACT version here). Want to improve your SAT score by 240 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:

Friday, November 22, 2019

Top 11 Writing Apps for iOS (iPhone and iPad)

Top 11 Writing Apps for iOS (iPhone and iPad) Top 11 Writing Apps for iOS (iPhone and iPad) Top 11 Writing Apps for iOS (iPhone and iPad) By Daniel Scocco Finding the best writing apps for iOS can be challenging. Arguably the best word processor in existence, Microsoft Word, was designed with Windows in mind. Still, developers have answered the call and diehard Apple fans can still find several high-quality writing apps to help them write down their ideas. Whether you need a full-scale word processor or a simple notetaking app, there are several great options for iOS users. 1. Byword If you are writing on mobile or tablet, Byword is one of the best markdown editors out there. It isn’t flashy, it won’t cure cancer, but it will help you write down words. By default, it supports TXT, TEXT, MD, MMD, MARKDOWN, MARKDN, MDOWN, MKDN, MARKD, and Fountain file formats. Another added bonus of Byword is that you can export your finished products as PDFs and HTML documents. 2. Editorial Editorial comes with a little more functionality than Byword. What makes Editorial a great app is the fact that it has features like a built-in multi-tab web browser, Dropbox integration, and more. It also comes with inline preview for taskpaper, markdown, and foundation documents. 3. 1Writer 1Writer is one of the best notetaking apps for iOS. It can easily be downloaded from the App Store for either iPhone or iPad. The app can be used to write down ideas, for research, or to revise past ideas. 4. iA Writer Pro If you are looking for a great, free word processor, iA Writer Pro is the right app for you. This app provides you with all the tools and features you expect from a word processor without the price. By default, it is compatible with both the iPad and iPhone. 5. Pages Pages is Apple’s response to Microsoft Word. Like any app developed by a major company, Pages works as you would expect to. It is also completely compatible with iOS because it was designed specifically for it. Pages is great because it comes with every feature you will need as a writer. If you require a more professional-grade word processor, Pages is exactly what you need. 6. Ulysses What more could you expect from a program that was named after one of the greatest novels ever written? This word processor is compatible with most devices that run on iOS. Ulysses is considered to be one of the best writing apps on the App Store and is used by many professional writers who work on iOS. Why is Ulysses so good? It boasts a simple, yet effective design, is easy to use, has workflow options, a slew of export options, and syncs across the various iOS devices. 7. Werdsmith Werdsmith is another great option for aspiring writers who use iOS. This free app is compatible with both the iPhone and iPad. What makes Werdsmith great is the fact that it is loaded with features, has a great UI, Dropbox integration, and it can even be used on the iPod touch. 8. Bear Bear is another example of a barebones, markdown notetaking app. It won’t blow you away with features, but it does what it does well. This notetaking app is best used for taking notes and writing prose. You can also input your notes into Bear, making it a great app to use to study while you are transiting to and from school. Bear is very easy to use and a great option if you want a free notetaking app. 9. Microsoft Word for iOS Alright, you may be thinking, why are you suggesting Microsoft Word for iOS? One simple reason, because it exists. If you are comfortable with Microsoft Word and all of its features, why change? Microsoft has created an iOS version of their flagship word processor and it works flawlessly. A lot of iOS users make use of Pages because they think it is the go-to word processor for iOS. But, if Microsoft Word is available, why not use arguably the best word processor on the market? 10. Grammarly Sometimes Grammar is hard. Even the best writers will tell you this. Grammarly isn’t an official writing app like the other ones previously listed. Grammarly is a free grammar-checking app that is available on iOS. The free version will help you make basic corrections and improve your grammar, while the paid version comes with even more features. With Grammarly, you will never struggle with spelling, syntax, and sentence structure. 11. Dictionary.com App No one has perfect spelling. We all misspell words and rely on that wavy red line to tell us when we make mistakes. The official Dicitonary.com app is a great choice for writers who want to bolster their vocabulary, check the meanings of new words, and help find synonyms for words that they use too much. What makes this app even better is that it is free and it comes in a lite version. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to Use â€Å"That,† â€Å"Which,† and â€Å"Who†Yay, Hooray, Woos)

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Are women full citizens If not, what might they require in order to Essay

Are women full citizens If not, what might they require in order to become so - Essay Example Feminist women scholars have been time and again pointed out by fuming mass of religious men as heretic and rebels who need to be stopped before they overtake the society with their cunning charms. An example of this is the unusual act of Dr. Amina Wadud who in an attempt to garner the Muslim women’s rights to full citizenship and to be an active participant in the ritual of public player, made the decision to lead men and women during prayer in New York City causing huge uproar from the Muslim scholars. She was labeled as a highly hostile and controversial scholar by Muslim men around the world which suggests that access to rights equivalent to men is an ongoing battle for women. However, this is not an issue confined to the Muslim society because many Jewish women holding Tefillah groups and eager to play the role of active participants in the formal ritual of Jewish prayers have also been vigorously criticized and unappreciated in the Jewish world. This shows that constitut ional culture in the US has encouraged the Muslim and Jewish women to explore their religious law and â€Å"open it to principles of gender equality†.... However, this is not an issue confined to the Muslim society because many Jewish women holding Tefillah groups and eager to play the role of active participants in the formal ritual of Jewish prayers have also been vigorously criticized and unappreciated in the Jewish world. This shows that constitutional culture in the US has encouraged the Muslim and Jewish women to explore their religious law and â€Å"open it to principles of gender equality† (Lahav 2009). It is absolutely horrid that many acts of these women who anxiously struggle for full citizenship are met with giant waves of mercilessness and evil plots both in the religious communities and contemporary settings. Women’s liberation and citizenship is not just an issue of the conservative states because research also cites that â€Å"contemporary American cities actually contain many injustices† (Young 2011: 13). Research literature suggests that throughout most of human history, women from different clas ses, ethnicities, races, and religions were and continue to be denied state citizenship due to multiple reasons. Within UK, â€Å"the dominance of a Catholic ideology firmly placing women in the home† (Thane & Breitenbach 2010: 3) led to male dominance and exclusion of women as full citizens until the 1960s. However, movements like the right-to-work movement beginning in the twentieth century coupled with changes in the Western capitalism and the trends of multinational corporations have effectively worked to bring down many formal barriers and have ended this exclusion in many societies. Still, citizenship is one of many social practices in which gender segregation is â€Å"ancient and stubbornly persistent† (Friedman 2005: 4). Not only the political rights

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Computer Technology and the Networked Organization Assignment

Computer Technology and the Networked Organization - Assignment Example This paper outlines that many businesses employ a specialist to launch their computer surrounding and then depend on internal staff to keep it running.   An Enterprise networks have thousands of end-users and comprises of wide-area network links, mainframe systems, complex array of servers and the like. An enterprise network serves various geographical settings and numerous buildings at each site. It is typical of an enterprise network comprising of numerous networking devices. An enterprise network depends on a backbone network that canals data between sites and local area networks at each location. According to the paper an enterprise network uses refined equipment that must be handled by highly skilled network administrators. Smaller businesses have more uncertain computing and networking specification depending with the clients. The business will purchase a couple of computers and a laser printer. The network for the medium-sized food store must permit its employees to share in formation, resources such as printers and other peripherals. The networking requires a single LAN with one server, using off-the-shelf components. Network structure design is compulsory for any computer network, whether it is small business or home network. The network structure is designed earlier prior linking and installing the software and hardware components. We collect supplies and make a strategy to evade from imminent problems and outline a safe and dependable computer network.  

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Determination of the molar volume of hydrogen gas Essay Example for Free

Determination of the molar volume of hydrogen gas Essay Introduction We are going to determine the molar volume of hydrogen gas by letting known amount of magnesium react with dilute hydrochloric acid and carefully collecting the gas formed. Materials Gas syringe Hydrochloric acid, 2-molar 8 cm of magnesium ribbon Ruler Emery cloth For details see instruction form Methods We connect the equipment according to the diagram and make sure we follow the instructions carefully, and then we weigh the 8 cm of magnesium ribbon and pour the HCl into the test tube. As we are ready to start the experiment we fold the mg ribbon on the hook and put the stopper into the test tube so that when we tilt the test tube the mg ribbon can easily fall into the acid. It is important to wait for the reaction to finish completely so that the equipment returns back to room temperature. For details see instruction form. Results: Measured weigh of 8 cm mg ribbon: 0.068 g (uncertainty is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 0.0001) Room temperature: 21.9 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C (uncertainty is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 0.1) Room pressure: 742.5 mmHg Vapour pressure of water: 19.587 and 19.827 Vapour pressure: 19.587 + 19.827 / 2 = 19.707 1.333 x 102 x (mmHg) = Pa Convert the room pressure in mmHg into Pa: 742.5 x 1.333 x 102 = 98975.25 Pa Convert the vapour pressure of water into Pa: 19707 x 1.333 x 102 = 2626.9431 p(H2O) = 2626.9431 Pa Room pressure (Pa) Vapour pressure of water (Pa) 98975.25 Pa 2626.9431 Pa = 96348.3069 Pa p(H2) = 96348.3069 Pa p(H2) + p(H2O) = p(room) 2626.9431 + 96348.3069 = 98975.25 p(room) Calculation of molar volume for hydrogen gas at 0 C and 1 atmosphere P1 x V1 / T1 = P2 + V2 / T2 1 atm = 1.013 x 105 P1 = 96348.3069 P2 = 1 atm = 101300 V1 = 70 cm3 (uncertainty is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1) V2 = 59cm3 (uncertainty is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.5) T1 = 21.9 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C = 294.9 K (uncertainty is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.3466 ) T2 = 0 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C = 273 K 96348.3069 x 70 x 1 / 294.9 = 101300 x 59 x 0.5 / 273 Conclusion Evaluation: Our conclusion is that the molar volume of hydrogen gas at 0 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C and 1 atmosphere is -. We reached the conclusion by first checking the room temperature and barometer pressure. Then we looked up the values for vapour pressure of water at the actual temperature from the Hand book of Chemistry and Physics. The full reference is: Chemistry for the IB diploloma G. Neuss. Oxford UP, 2001 p.28.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Understanding and Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect Essay -- Preventi

â€Å"Childhood should be carefree, playing in the sun; not living a nightmare in the darkness of the soul.† -- Dave Pelzer, A Child Called "It"   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Child abuse, the physical and/or emotional abuse of a child by a parent, guardian, or other person, is a major problem in the United States. Child abuse, including sexual abuse, beating, and murder have increased and it is believed that many cases go unreported. Another for of child abuse is child neglect, which includes malnutrition, desertion, and inadequate care for a child.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Efforts have increased on the primary prevention of child abuse. This must be started on many different levels before it can be successful. Prevention plans on a social level include increasing the economic self-sufficiency of families, preventing the birth of unwanted children, making health care more accessible, expanding and improving coordination of social services, improving the identification and treatment of psychological problems, and alcohol and drug abuse, and providing more affordable child care. Prevention plans on the family level include helping parents meet their basic needs, identifying problems of substance abuse and spousal abuse, and educating parents about child behavior, discipline, safety, and development. Primary prevention is to prevent the disease before it happens and reduce the chances of child abuse or negligence from happening.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Between 1995 and today child abuse cases have increased by more than fifty percent. More than thirty-five percent of which were confirmed. Each year one hundred and sixty thousand children are abused severely, even to life threatening extents. One thousand to two thousand children are killed resulting form child abuse. One of twenty murder victims is a child. Murder is the fourth leading cause of death in children from ages five to fourteen. The murder of a baby within the first twenty-four hours of life, Neonaticide, accounts for forty-five percent of children’s death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most child abuse occurs in the home and is started by someone who is known and trusted by the child. Abuse in day care center and foster car settings are only a small part of confirmed cases, but are more widely publicized. In a household where spousal abuse takes place, child abuse is fifteen percent more likely to occur also. Children are three times more likely to be abused by father rather than mot... ...education   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Number of children -Identify families with problems of:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Substance abuse   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Domestic Violence   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mental health -Offer new parents   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Services of a social worker   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Long-term home visitation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Parenting classes -Educate new parents regarding   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Developmental tasks of children Age-appropriate anticipatory guidance Nutrition and feeding problems Safety Discipline -Discourage corporal punishment -Survey parents to identity health issues that are of interest to them -Support universal health care for children -Advocate for community respite care for parents -Advocate for community alcohol and drug treatment, mental health, and spouse and child abuse centers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Child abuse is a complex problem with many causes, it is important that people do not take a negative attitude toward its prevention. Although the absence of strong evidence to guide preventive efforts, society can do things to try to prevent abuse. Showing concern for the parents or care givers and increasing attempts to enhance their skills as parents or care givers may be able to help save our most vulnerable people, the children, from the nightmare of abuse and neglect.

Monday, November 11, 2019

My Father in heaven is Reading out loud Essay

Faith gives us the strength to pursue what we have in our lives. What we perceive in our lives should give us the drive to carry on things which will have an effect in our lifetime in the long run. Essence of love and its intensity would transpire a huge sense of longing at times most especially if we loose a person so dear to us, then the saying which goes like we will just contemplate the importance of a person when he’s gone would truly give weight on this. The poem â€Å"My Father in heaven is Reading out loud† connotes the central theme of death. The realization of a person who is far away circling in the poem, however, being gone does not mean that the love’s gone as well. In view of the poem, it has been epitomize how love can move things and awaken a person to do things efficiently. Though the sad part of the thing called death is at hand, the positive side which would be the element of hope which enable a person to pursue things given the inspiration of his loved one. The character in the poem is simply a loving father who’s gone but his love remains. There is also the child who misses things around as his father’s already gone. A strong character is present in this poem which gives a manly vibe through out the entire deliverance of the poem. The word Father per se exemplifies a huge sincerity of weight to a strong personality. This figurative word that has been used in the entire poem leave a remarkable air of an almighty figure, one which possess strength of power and a role model to everyone. Moreover, this also connote a certain level of consistency of decision – and in this case, a decision to stay around regardless of what faith could give us, â€Å"My Father in Heaven is Reading out loud to himself Psalms or news† (stanza 1, line 1-2, p. 257). The father still makes his role seemingly possible even if he’s away from home and can never have a grip on him in this lifetime. Perhaps, the character has a deep sense of protection power and his views on things contribute a lot to the people sop dear to him. Upon visualizing the varieties of the poem â€Å"My Father in Heaven is Reading out loud†, the setting of a peaceful place is present. A sacred place like that of heaven would be a possible setting for this poem. Heaven which is a good place to oversee things down the earth and monitor what is happening to his loved one, if he is doing the right things in life. Perhaps, this peaceful environment is beneficial in making available the air of tranquillity and peaceful arena. Scrutinizing some main points of the poem will give us a huge sense of understanding towards life and what it entails to realize a lost loved one, or for that matter, a father. â€Å"Now he ponders what he’s read, No. he is listening for the sound of children in the yard. Was that laughing or crying? So much depends upon the answer, for either he will go on reading, or he’ll run to save a child’s day from grief. As it is in heaven, so it was on earth† (stanza 1, line 2-8, p. 257), this goes to say that the father might have some news at hand as he manage to protect his child albeit the fact that he’s gone and so much away. His spirit is still present as he monitors what is happening with his child and maybe he felt the longingness of his child now that he’s gone. Furthermore, he still feels the caress of his child as he plays around. As the father, he enjoys the scenery of his child innocently roaming around tackling his own life. Perhaps, he’s still bothered during those times which he knows that his child misses him and that at the back of what seems to be laughter lays a tears which is continuously flowing. He might have the feeling of longing and parallel to this, there might be some sorrows within as the child looks for a father at a moment. The father was a bit afraid as well because he may no longer give the protection which his child needed since he’s too far to reach and the only thing which he can do is to make his spirit always available showered with love. By means of his affection, heaven could possibly put on earth. Looking at his child feels like heaven to him and all he wants is to make his child happy even if it takes him to just stare at his child and be that far from him. In view of the child’s perspective, his father does a lot of remarkable things for him that he should be proud of for the rest of his life, â€Å"Because my father walked the earth with a grave, determined rhythm, my shoulders ached from his gaze, because my father’s shoulders ached from pulling of oars, my life now moves with a powerful back-and-forth rhythm† (stanza 2, line 1-5, p. 257). At some point the child’s not as good before neglecting the things which his father did to him and now he regrets the past circumstances in his life and wondering if he could turn back those times that he can be at his best – a good son to his good father who truly loves him, â€Å"A remarkable disappointment to him, I am like anyone who arrives late in the millennium and is unable to stay to the end of days† (stanza 3, line 1-4, p. 257). In consonance to this, the child has become confused at some point towards what life is giving him, the challenges that he has as he starts questioning, is it too late for him to change for the reason that he can no longer grab his father. Now that everything is too late for him and his dad, he wants to go back and show how he loves his father and that he can be a better person most especially to his father, â€Å"the world’s beginnings are obscure to me, its outcomes inaccessible, I don’t understand the source of starlight or starlight’s destination† (stanza 3, line 4-7, p. 257). A two way of presentation has been present in this poem, the father figure and a child who looks at things differently based on his father’s showered love. Clearly, the spirit of hope resembles at the end of the poem as the child aspire to get better grasping what his father has taught him. Life mat give us a certain role in this world and albeit with that role lays a challenge which we can surely surpass at a given time. Reference: My Father, in Heaven, Is Reading out loud, Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers, Fourth Edition page 257

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Italo Calvino

Saad Ahmed Prof. Frank Meola EN-2013W Assignment 3 Italo Calvino’s deceptively easy style of writing gives captivates the interest of the readers. He makes one simple tale interesting and well anchored. His writings are very well-constructed; it’s like the soft cotton inside the seed: Even if the topic is hard to think about, the writer makes it warm and soft and makes his point very clear to the reader. Italo Calvino not only writes short well-crafted tails but also focuses on real life and relates them to scientific aspects.An example of this can be Cosmicomics; one of his very popular books where the appearance of the characters were very simple. The writer synthesized the characters with his great scientific vision and humanized writing; also he was able to show how scientists might reflect their ability to work and handle science in order to have a great impact on human life. â€Å"It narrates the war adventures of a young street urchin, a boy of about twelve of t hirteen, mischievously wicked and at the same time native.Their mother is dead and their father has long abandoned them. Pin, who has no friends of his own age, fends for himself, working as a cobbler’s apprentice, stealing and getting free drinks from the men at the local taven†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pp 10-11). Siegel, Kristi explained the humanizing characteristics of Italo Calvino’s Cosmicomics in the above way. She pointed out how in Cosmicomics, Italo Calvino not only has focused on well-constructed science and its importance but also how it affects daily lives and how the affects can be improved and be made useful for human. Calvino modulates the novel on two distinct tones† (pp 14). â€Å"With this story Calvino dramatizes the ills of our society where all our values can be booth and sold and everything is valued in terms of production and consumption† (pp 35); The writer shows the great sight Calvino’s way of humanizing stories integrated by not onl y science but also by economics. Martin L. McLaughlin also described Calvino’s way of attaching science with human life. Alongside these scientific thematic, this early dialogue also evinces Calvino’s admiration for the two Italian writers for whom the moon and space had a special resonance, and who would become key literary models for the new Cosmicomics genre, Galileo and Leopardi. † (pp 82: Chapter 6). From the writers opinion on Italo Calvino, it can be recognized that he (I. C) was passionate about science and its huge domain of covering up the whole universe, but again he focused more on how these kind of scientific ideas are actually helping human and improving their abilities.In his book, â€Å"The Castle of Crossed Destinies†, Italo Calvino has attached fiction with great art and his aim was to improvise thinking skills. According to Great Science-Fiction & Fantasy Works, â€Å"In The Castle, the tarots that make up each story are arranged in a d ouble file, horizontal or vertical, and are crossed by three further double files of tarots (horizontal or vertical) which make up other stories.The result is a general pattern in which you can â€Å"read† three stories horizontally and three stories vertically, and in addition, each of these sequences of cards can also be read: in reverse, as another tale. Thus we have a total of twelve stories. † In his book t-zero, Italo Calvino showed how to humanize science again. He described his characters out of a mathematical formula and simple cellular structures. â€Å"Orbit? Oh, elliptical, of course† for a while it would huddle against us and then it would take flight for a while.The tides, when the Moon swung closer, rose so high nobody could hold them back. There were nights when the Moon was full and very, very low, and the tide was so high that the Moon missed a ducking in the sea by a hair’s-breadth; well, let’s say a few yards anyway. Climb up on the Moon? Of course we did. All you had to do was row our to it in a boat and, when you were underneath, prop a ladder against her and scramble up. † This couple of lines shows his great sense of organizing thoughts regarding fiction including human life.Robert M. Philmus has talked about Italo Calvino’s writing style and his ability to connect two separate items in one point. In his (Robert) book â€Å"Visions and re-visions: re-constructing science fiction, he mentioned, â€Å"Calvino’s habitual solemnity in addressing the public in propria persona as a critic confirms his comic vocation a fiction writer not just because these two Calvinos appear to be at odds with one another, but more because they together fit the usual psychological profile of the comedian. †In â€Å"Mapping complexity: literature and science in the works of Italo Calvino†, the writer Kerstin Pils showed another great example of Italo Calvinos way of conjugating science and hu manity together in his (I. C) book â€Å"Qfwfq†. In writer’s (K. P) own voice, â€Å"Qfwfq’s fear of disorder is mirrored by the Khan’s melancholic reflection that the feeling of pride that accompanies the conquest of vast territories is only a short-lived emotion that is quickly superseded by, What distresses him in the insight that the Second Law of Thermodynamics has pushed the universe and empire down a path of dissipation and disintegration.It is a destructive force that escapes the scepter of conquest and reason. † Italo Calvino has used science as a very common part of his stories. The way one character goes along, the writer has also improved science, economics and fiction the same way. His aim was to identify one bullet point in his stories and explain it to the readers in the simplest tale possible; also by adding his humorous approach and fiction based intense words. His support was towards the good deeds; but throughout his writings, he has left the final decision upon every mind after raising the question.Works Cited Siegel, Kristi. Italo Calvino’s Cosmicomics: Qfwfg’s Postmodern Autobiography. Robert M. Philmus. Visions and re-visions: (re)constructing science fiction. 10: ‘Elsewhere Elsewhen Otherwise’: Italo Calvino’s ‘Cosmicomics’ Tales, pp 190-223. Martin L. McLaughlin. Italo Calvino. Chapter 6: Experimental Space; The Cosmicomics Stories, pp 82-98. Kerstin Pilz. Mapping complexity: literature and science in the works of Italo Calvino, pp 80-120, pp 150-176. Beno Weiss. Italo CALVINO. University of South Carolina Press, 1933, pp 123-168.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The Philosophy of Avenue Q Lyrics - An Analysis

The Philosophy of Avenue Q Lyrics - An Analysis Avenue Q Lyrics - The Philosophy of Avenue Q Lyrics During a recent visit to London, I wandered through Covent Garden on my way to watch a West End production of Avenue Q. While passing various shops and street performers I spotted a large plaque placed on the walls outside of St. Pauls church. It was here, said the sign, that the famous Punch and Judy Shows were performed during the 1600s. Thats right, Shakespeares plays had to compete with puppet shows. In traditional Punch and Judy shows, the anti-hero Punch insults, pesters, and beats his fellow characters, much to the delight of the audience. The Punch and Judy shows were a glorious display of political incorrectness. Today, the tradition of puppets delivering obnoxiousness and social commentary continues with Avenue Q. The Origin of Avenue Q Avenue Qs music and lyrics were created by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx. The two young composers met in the late 90s while involved in the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop. Together they have written songs for Nickelodeon and The Disney Channel. However, they wanted to create a puppet-friendly show that was strictly for adults. With the help of playwright Jeff Whitty and director Jason Moore, Avenue Q was born - and has been a hit Broadway show since 2003. Sesame Street for Grown Ups Avenue Q could not exist without Sesame Street, the long running childrens show that teaches kids letters, numbers, and practical life-lessons. The premise of Avenue Q is that adolescents grow up without learning the truth of adult life. Like the puppet protagonist Princeton, many new grown-ups experience anxiety and confusion when entering the Real World. Here are some of the lessons offered by Avenue Q: School / College Does Not Prepare You for Real Life With songs like What Do You Do with a B. A. in English? and I Wish I Could Go Back to College, Avenue Q lyrics portray higher education as an extended stay in the carefree Land of Adolescence. Princetons main conflict is that he is drifting through life, trying to discover his true purpose. One would hope that college would establish this sense of purpose (or at least a sense of self-sufficiency), but the puppet croons to the contrary: I cant pay the bills yet / Cause I have no skills yet. / The world is a big scary place. The ensemble of characters, both human and monster, wistfully recall the days when they lived in a dormitory with a meal plan, a time when if things got too difficult they could just drop a class or seek an academic advisors guidance. This criticism of the education system is nothing new. Philosopher John Dewey believed that public education should proactively prepare students with useful critical thinking skills rather than just facts from books. Modern day critics such as John Taylor Gatto further explore the failures of compulsory learning; his book Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling explains why many people feel the same social / intellectual impotence expressed within Avenue Qs lyrics. The Freedom to Find Our Own Purpose Princeton decides that he should seek his purpose in life. At first his quest for meaning is guided by superstition. He finds a penny from the year he was born and considers it a supernatural sign. However, after a couple a false-start relationships and a dead-end job or two, he realizes that discovering ones purpose and identity is a difficult, never-ending process (but an invigorating process if one chooses to make it so). Steering away from lucky pennies and mystical signs, he becomes more self-reliant by the musicals conclusion. Princetons resolution to find his own path would be smiled upon by existential philosophers. The main component of existentialism is the assumption that humans are free to determine their own sense of personal fulfillment. They are not bound by Gods, destiny, or biology. When Princeton laments, I dont even know why Im alive, his girlfriend Kate Monster replies, Who does, really? A rather existential response. There Are No Selfless Deeds Perhaps there are good deeds, according to Avenue Q, but there seem to be no purely selfless deeds. When Princeton decides to generate money for Kates School for Monsters, he does so because it feels good to help others†¦ and he also hopes to win her back, thereby rewarding himself. The lyrics from Avenue Qs Money Song explain, Every time you do good deeds / Youre also serving your own needs. / When you help others / You cant help helping yourself. This bit of wisdom would please Ayn Rand, author of controversial classics such as Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. Rands concept of objectivism which specifies that ones purpose should be the pursuit of happiness and self-interest. Therefore, Princeton and the other characters are morally justified in performing good deeds, so long as they do so for their own benefit. Schadenfreude: Happiness at the Misfortune of Others If youve ever felt better about your life after watching the miserable guests on a Jerry Springer re-run, then youve probably experienced schadenfreude. One of the Avenue Q characters is Gary Coleman, a real-life child star whose millions were squandered by his irresponsible family. In the show, Coleman explains that his personal tragedies make others feel good. Ironically, it becomes a virtue (or at least a public service) to be a wretched failure or a victim of calamity. (This by the way would would be frowned upon by Ayn Rand). Characters such as Coleman and the recently homeless puppet, Nicky, improve the self-esteem of the mediocre masses. Basically, these lyrics make you feel better about being a loser! Tolerance and Racism Avenue Q Heterosexual puppet Nicky tries to help the sexually repressed puppet Rod come out of the closet. He sings, â€Å"If you were queer / I’d still be here / Year after year / Because You’re Dear To Me.† A bit more devious (in a good way) is the song â€Å"Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist.† During this number, the characters proclaim that â€Å"everyone makes judgments based on race,† and that if we accepted this â€Å"sad but true† premise society could â€Å"live in harmony.† The song’s argument might be specious, but the audience’s self-deprecating laughter throughout the musical number is very telling. Everything in Life Is Only For Now Recently, â€Å"spiritual† books such as Eckhart Tolle’s have been asking readers to focus on the present, to embrace â€Å"The Power of Now.† (I wonder†¦ Does this message anger historians?) In any case, this currently popular concept stems from ancient times. Buddhists have long since explained the impermanence of existence. Avenue Q follows the Buddhist path in its final song, â€Å"For Now.† These cheerful Avenue Q lyrics remind the audience that all things must pass: â€Å"Each time you smile / It’ll only last a while.† â€Å"Life may be scary / But it’s only temporary.† In the end, despite its zaniness and crude jokes, Avenue Q delivers a sincere philosophy: We must appreciate the joys and endure the sadness we currently experience, and acknowledge that all is fleeting, a lesson that makes life seem all the more precious. Why Puppets? Why use puppets to deliver the message? Robert Lopez explained in a New York Times interview, â€Å"Theres something about our generation that resists actors bursting into song on the stage. But when puppets do it, we believe it.† Whether it’s Punch and Judy, Kermit the Frog, the cast of Avenue Q, puppets make us laugh. And while we are laughing, we usually wind up learning at the same time. If a regular human were on stage singing a preachy song, many folks would probably ignore the message. But when a muppet talks, people listen. The creators of Mystery Science Theater 3000 once explained that, â€Å"You can say things as a puppet that you can’t get away with as a human.† That was true for MST3K. It was true for the Muppets. It was true for the bombastically cruel Punch, and it is eloquently true for the ever-insightful show Avenue Q.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Basic Guide to Creating Arrays in Ruby

Basic Guide to Creating Arrays in Ruby Storing variables within variables is a common thing in Ruby and is often referred to as a data structure. There are many varieties of data structures, the most simple of which is the array. Programs often have to manage collections of variables. For example, a program that manages your calendar must have a list of the days of the week. Each day must be stored in a variable, and a list of them can be stored together in an array variable. Through that one array variable, you can access each of the days. Creating Empty Arrays You can create an empty array by creating a new Array object and storing it in a variable. This array will be empty; you must fill it with other variables to use it. This is a common way to create variables if you were to read a list of things from the keyboard or from a file. In the following example program, an empty array is created using the array command and the assignment operator. Three strings  (ordered sequences of characters) are read from the keyboard and pushed, or added to the end, of the array. #!/usr/bin/env rubyarray Array.new3.times dostr gets.chomparray.push strend Use an Array Literal to Store Known Information Another use of arrays is to store a list of things you already know when you write the program, such as the days of the week. To store the days of the week in an array, you could create an empty array and append them one by one to the array as in the previous example, but there is an easier way. You can use an array literal. In programming, a literal is a type of variable thats built into the language itself and has a special syntax to create it. For example, 3 is a numeric literal and Ruby is a string literal. An array literal is a list of variables enclosed in square brackets and separated by commas, like [ 1, 2, 3 ]. Note that any type of variables can be stored in an array, including variables of different types in the same array. The following example program creates an array containing the days of the week and prints them out. An array literal is used, and the each loop is used to print them. Note that each is not built into the Ruby language, rather its a function of the array variable. #!/usr/bin/env rubydays [ Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday,Saturday,Sunday]days.each do|d|puts dend Use the Index Operator to Access Individual Variables Beyond simple looping over an arrayexamining each individual variable in orderyou can also access individual variables from an array using the index operator. The index operator will take a number and retrieve a variable from the array whose position in the array matches that number. Index numbers start at zero, so the first variable in an array has an index of zero. So, for example, to retrieve the first variable from an array you can use array[0], and to retrieve the second you can use array[1]. In the following example, a list of names are stored in an array and are retrieved and printed using the index operator. The index operator can also be combined with the assignment operator to change the value of a variable in an array. #!/usr/bin/env rubynames [ Bob, Jim,Joe, Susan ]puts names[0] # Bobputs names[2] # Joe# Change Jim to Billynames[1] Billy

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Quantitative Communication Research Variable Essay

Quantitative Communication Research Variable - Essay Example After alteration to "experience working as an engineer" it acts as contingent condition in the hypothesis: "If a majority of people in the audience has experience working as an engineer, a speaker presenting a technology-related topic gets less open-ended questions than a speaker who is delivering a presentation on a topic which is not technological in nature." Independent variable in the following statement: "If a speaker extensively utilizes logical appeals, a person from the audience, when asked to do so, will be more likely to depict the content of the speech in the form of a diagram than if logical appeals were not used." Dependent variable: "Both students and professors, whose personality type according to the Myer-Briggs test classification is characterized by T (thinking) and J (judging), are more likely to use logical appeals when persuading someone than students and professors who have other personality types." Contingent condition: "If logical appeals are used in the message, more unfavorable change announced to the student body at least two weeks in advance will be perceived better than a less significant change students were not informed about in advance." Independent variable: "Students, who have high grade point average in the undergraduate school, perform worse i