The preface reading of Seven Kinds of Smart Essay Example for Free

The preface reading of Seven Kinds of Smart Essay The preface of Seven Kinds of Smart begins with the question, â€Å"How intelligent are you?† (1) I immediately thought that the book is probably a step-by-step guide to improve my grades. I flipped to the next page, where the book quickly runs down what it isn’t. Among them: â€Å"This book won’t help you raise your IQ score† (2). What it claims to be is a â€Å"personal cognitive self-renewal kit† (2). What does that mean? Judging from the simple overview, this book intends to make the reader understand that being smart does not have to do with grades alone. Its premise is: â€Å"(Y)ou already have enough active brain cells inside you to accomplish many great things in life† (2). The next step then is to educate readers that the brain has different intelligence ‘departments,’ which they can develop and exercise simultaneously. The book does not promise to produce geniuses, but offers ways to help readers achieve their cognitive potential. It is a â€Å"self-renewal kit† in that it contains insights, exercises, assessment activities and practical tips for self-improvement, all at the reader’s disposal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I am a fresh graduate currently seeking a job. This book, I believe, would help me know myself better—the things I am good at, the things I am capable of doing, and the things I could work on.   The book discusses multiple intelligences based on well-established research—added knowledge that I will definitely learn from. Assessing myself by filling out checklist and performing the exercises would hopefully prepare me for any kind of job interview. This book of self-assessment would hopefully boost my confidence and self-assurance. These attitudes are especially important since I am an infant crawling on all fours in the world of work. Having just enough confidence prepares the brain’s alertness and the volatile ego should circumstances in the course of my job search do not work in my favor. For the long-term, I am certain this is a good resource that I can pick up time and again to guide me in developing a modest career.

Merger between Air India and Indian Airlines

Merger between Air India and Indian Airlines INDIAN AIRLINES The erstwhile Indian Airlines Limited or currently known as Indian, was Indias first state owned domestic airline. Indian Airlines was set up under the aegis of federal Union Ministry of Civil Aviation and based in New Delhi. Its main bases were the international airports in Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata and New Delhi. It has now been merged with Air India for corporate purposes, though for now, continues to issue its own tickets. .Indian Airlines came into being with the enactment of the Air Corporations Act, 1953. It was renamed Indian on December 7, 2005. Indian Airlines started its operations from 1st August, 1953, with a fleet of 99 aircraft and was the outcome of the merger of seven former independent airlines, namely Deccan Airways, Airways-India, Bharat Airways, Himalayan Aviation, Kalinga Air Lines, Indian National Airways and Air Services of India. The year 1964 saw the Indian Airlines moving into the jet era with the introduction of Caravelle aircraft into its fleet followed by Boeing 737-200 in the early 1970. Along with its wholly owned subsidiary Alliance Air, it flies a fleet of 70 aircraft including Airbus A300, Airbus A320, Airbus A319, Boeing 737, Dornier Do-228, ATR-4, Airbus A319, A320 A321. Along with Indian cities, it flies to many foreign destinations which include Kuwait, Singapore, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Myanmar besides Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nep al, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives. Indian Airlines Flight free run over the Indian skies ended with the entry of private carriers after the liberalization of the Indian economy in the early 1990s when many private airlines like Jet Airways, Air Sahara, East-West Airlines and ModiLuft entered the fray. The entry of low-cost airlines like Air Deccan, Kingfisher Airlines and Spice Jet has revolutionized the Indian aviation scenario. Indian has been a pioneer in the aviation scene in India. It was the first airline in India to introduce the wide-bodied A300 aircraft on the domestic network, the fly-by-wire A320, walk in flights and easy fares. It flies to 76 destinations 58 within India and 18 abroad. It has a total employee strength of around 19,300 employees along with Alliance Air and carries over 7.5 million passengers annually, along with Alliance Air. The main base of the Indian airlines are Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai; Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi; Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata; Chennai International Airport, Chenna i. After being granted permission from the Government of India, on 15 July 2007, Indian Airlines and Air India merged and started to operate as a single entity. Post-merger the new airline will be renamed as Air India. This new airline is also a member of the Star Alliance, the largest airline alliance. The government allowed the formation of a few new limited service airlines in the 1970s: Air Works India, Huns Air, and Golden sun Aviation. None of them had long life spans. Around 1979, IAC dropped the word Corporation from its name. Britains Financial Times described Indian Airlines as the worlds third largest domestic carrier in the mid-1980s. With business growing at better than ten percent a year, it was increasing its capacity as part of a plan to merge Indian Airlines with Air-India, the states international carrier, two leading young industrialists were appointed to chair the boards of the two companies in autumn 1986. Neither these plans nor the new chairmen lasted very long. In 1987, Indian Airlines carried 10 million passengers and earned a profit of Rs630 million ($48 million). However, the quality of its service was facing criticism, to be heightened by the coming entry of new carriers into the market. Amalgamation of Air India Limited and Indian Airlines Limited with National Aviation Company of India Limited The Government of India, on 1 March 2007, approved the merger of Air India and Indian Airlines. Consequent to the above, a new Company viz National Aviation Company of India Limited (NACIL) was incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956 on 30 March 2007 with its Registered Office at Airlines House, 113 Gurudwara Rakabganj Road, New Delhi. The Certificate to Commence Business was obtained on 14 May 2007. SCHEME OF AMALGAMATION UNDER SECTIONS 391-394 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 1956 For the amalgamation of AIR INDIA Ltd. (Transferor No 1 Company) and INDIAN AIRLINES Ltd. (Transferor No 2 Company) with NATIONAL AVIATION COMPANY of India ltd. (Transferee Company) whereas, National Aviation Company of India Limited (the Transferee Company) is a Company incorporated under the Companies Act 1956, having its registered office at Airlines House, 113 Gurudwara Rakabganj Road, New Delhi 110 001. National Aviation Company of India Limited is a Government Company within the meaning of Section 617 of the Companies Act, 1956 and is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. National Aviation Company of India Limited has been established as a Government Company to be engaged in the business as an airline for providing air transport and allied services. This Scheme proposes the amalgamation of AI and IA in the Transferee Company, which would result in consolidation of the business of all in one entity (i.e. National Aviation Company of India Limited, the Transferee Company). (a) The Scheme proposes to amalgamate each of the Transferor Companies (viz AI and IA ) with the Transferee Company (viz. National Aviation Company of India Limited). SHARE CAPITAL 2.1.1 As per the latest audited accounts on March 31, 2006 the capital structure of the Transferor Companies is as under: A. Transferor Company No 1 AIR INDIA AUTHORIZED SHARE CAPITAL AMOUNT 42, 56, 36,820 Equity Shares of Rs. 10 each Rs. 425, 66, 38,200/- 74, 36,318 Redeemable Preference Shares Rs. 100 each Rs. 74, 36, 31,800/- Total Rs. 500, 00, 00,000/- ISSUED, SUBSCRIBED PAID-UP SHARE CAPITAL AMOUNT 15, 38, 36,427 Equity shares of Rs. 10 each fully paid Rs. 153, 83, 64,270/- As on April 1, 2007 the Authorized Capital, the Issued, Subscribed and Paid up Share Capital of AI remains the same. B. Transferor Company No 2 INDIAN AIRLINES AUTHORIZED SHARE CAPITAL AMOUNT 94, 99, 58,200 Equity Shares of Rs. 10 each Rs. 949, 95, 82,000/- 50, 04,180 Redeemable Preference Shares Rs.100 each Rs. 50, 04, 18,000/- Total Rs. 1000, 00, 00,000/- ISSUED, SUBSCRIBED PAID-UP SHARE CAPITAL AMOUNT 43, 21, 36,489 Equity shares of Rs. 10 each fully paid Rs. 432, 13, 64,890/- As on April 1, 2007 the Authorized Capital, the Issued Subscribed and Paid up Share Capital of IA remains the same As on April 1, 2007 the capital structure of the Transferee Company is as under: Transferee Company National Aviation Company of India Limited (NACIL) AUTHORIZED SHARE CAPITAL AMOUNT 50,000 Equity Shares of Rs. 10 each Rs. 5, 00,000/- ISSUED, SUBSCRIBED PAID-UP SHARE CAPITAL AMOUNT 50,000 Equity Shares of Rs. 10 each Rs. 5, 00,000/- Transfer of Assets With effect from the Appointed Date and upon the Scheme becoming effective, the Transferor Companies shall be transferred to and be vested in and/or be deemed to have been transferred to and be vested in and managed by the Transferee Company, as a going concern, without any further deed or act, together with all its properties, assets, rights, benefits and interest therein, subject to existing charges thereon in favor of banks and financial institutions or otherwise, as the case may be and as may be modified by them, subject to the provisions of this Scheme, in accordance with Sections 391-394 of the Act and all other applicable provisions of law, if any. Without prejudice to Clause 3.1 above in respect of such of the assets of the Transferor Companies as are movable in nature or intangible property or are otherwise capable of transfer by manual delivery or by endorsement and delivery including plant, aircraft, machinery and equipments, the same shall be so transferred or shall be deemed to be so transferred to the Transferee Company and shall upon such transfer become the property and an integral part of the Transferee Company. In respect of such of the said assets other than those referred hereinabove, the same shall, without any further act, instrument or deed, be vested in and/ or be deemed to be vested in the Transferee Company in accordance with the provisions of Section 394 of the Act. Transfer of Liabilities (a) With effect from the Appointed Date and upon the Scheme becoming effective, all debts, liabilities, duties and obligations, secured or unsecured, and whether or not provided for in the books of accounts of the Transferor Companies, whether disclosed or undisclosed in the balance sheet, shall be the debts, liabilities, duties and obligations of the Transferee Company and the Transferee Company undertakes to meet, discharge and satisfy the same. (b) Where any of the liabilities and obligations attributed to the Transferor Companies on the Appointed Date has been discharged by the Transferor Companies after the Appointed Date and prior to the Effective Date, such discharge shall be deemed to have been for and on behalf of the Transferee Company. All loans raised and used and liabilities incurred by the Transferor Companies after the Appointed Date but before the Effective Date for operations of the Transferor Companies shall be loans and liabilities of the Transferee Company. Any guarantee/letter of comfort/commitment letter given by the Government or any agency or bank in favor of the Transferor Companies with regard to any loan or lease finance shall continue to be operative in relation to the Transferee Company Contracts, Deeds, Approvals, Exemptions etc (a) With effect from the Appointed Date and upon the Scheme becoming effective, all contracts, deeds, bonds, agreements, schemes arrangements, insurance policies, indemnities, guarantees and other instruments of whatsoever nature in relation to the Transferor Companies, or to the benefit of which the Transferor Companies may be eligible, and which are subsisting or having effect immediately before the Effective Date, shall be in full force and effect on or against or in favor of the Transferee Company and may be enforced as fully and effectually as if, instead of the Transferor Companies, the Transferee Company had been a party or beneficiary or oblige thereto. (b) With effect from the Appointed Date and upon the Scheme becoming effective, all rights and licenses relating to trademarks, know-how, technical know-how, trade names, descriptions, trading style, franchises, labels, label designs, logos, emblems, and items of such nature, color schemes, utility models, holograms, bar codes, designs, patents, copyrights, privileges and any rights, title or interest in intellectual property rights in relation to the Transferor Companies to which the Transferor Companies are a party or to the benefit of which the Transferor Companies may be entitled /eligible shall be in full force and effect on, or against, or in favor of, the Transferee Company as the case may be, and may be enforced as fully and effectually as if, instead of the Transferor Companies, the Transferee Company had been a party or beneficiary or oblige thereto. (c)The Transferee Company shall be entitled to the benefit of all insurance policies which have been issued in respect of the Transferor Companies and the name of the Transferee Company shall be substituted as Insured in the policies as if the Transferee Company was initially a party (d) With effect from the Appointed Date and upon the Scheme becoming effective the Transferee Company shall replace the Transferor Companies in the respective Air Services Agreements as the designated carrier of India. With effect from the Appointed Date and upon the Scheme becoming effective, all permits including operating permits, quotas, rights, entitlements, licenses including those relating to tenancies, time slots (including those at foreign airports trademarks, patents, copy rights, privileges, powers, facilities of every kind and description of whatsoever nature in relation to the Transferor Companies, including specifically ,licenses and permits for operating as airlines and carriers of passengers, cargo and mail ,and all rights relating thereto to the benefit of which the Transferor Companies may be eligible and which are subsisting or having effect immediately before the Effective Date, shall be and remain in full force and effect in favor of or against the Transferee Company, and may be enforced fully and effectually as if, instead of the Transferor Companies, the Transferee Company had been a beneficiary or oblige thereto. With effect from the Appointed Date and upon the Scheme becoming effective, any statutory licenses, permissions, approvals, exemption schemes, or consents required to carry on operations in the Transferor Companies, respectively, shall stand vested in or transferred to the Transferee Company without any further act or deed, and shall be appropriately mutated by the statutory authorities concerned therewith in favor of the Transferee Company. The benefit of all statutory and regulatory permissions, licenses, environmental approvals and consents including the statutory licenses, permissions or approvals or consents required to carry on the operations of the Transferor Companies shall vest in and become available to the Transferee Company pursuant to the Scheme. The Transferee Company, at any time after the Scheme becoming effective in accordance with the provisions hereof, if so required under any law or otherwise, will execute deeds of confirmation or other writings or arrangements with any party to any contract or arrangement in relation to the Transferor Companies to which the Transferor Companies are a party in order to give formal effect to the above provisions. The Transferee Company shall, under the provisions of this Scheme, be deemed to be authorized to execute any such writings on behalf of the Transferor Companies and to carry out or perform all such formalities or compliances, referred to above, on behalf of the Transferor Companies. Reasons of Merger Merger of the Transferor Companies with the Transferee Company, along with a comprehensive transformation program, is imperative to improve competitiveness. It will provide an opportunity to leverage combined assets and capital better and build a stronger sustainable business. Specifically, the merger will Create the largest airline in India and comparable to other airlines in Asia. The merger between the two state-run carriers will see the beginning of the process of consolidation in the Indian aviation space the fastest growing in the world followed by China, Indonesia and Thailand. Provide an Integrated international/ domestic footprint which will significantly enhance customer proposition and allow easy entry into one of the three global airline alliances, mostly Star Alliance with global consortium of 21 airlines. Enable optimal utilization of existing resources through improvement in load factors and yields on commonly serviced routes as well as deploy freed up aircraft capacity on alternate routes. The merger had created a mega company with combined revenue of Rs 150 billion ($3.7billion) and an estimated fleet size of 150. It had a diverse mix of aircraft for short and long haul resulting in better fleet utilization. Provide an opportunity to fully leverage strong assets, capabilities and infrastructure. Provide an opportunity to leverage skilled and experienced manpower available with both  the Transferor Companies to the optimum potential. Provide a larger and growth oriented company for the people and the same shall be in  larger public interest. Potential to launch high growth profitability businesses (Ground Handling Services,  Maintenance Repair and Overhaul etc.) Provide maximum flexibility to achieve financial and capital restructuring through  revaluation of assets. Provide an increased thrust and focus on airline support businesses. Economies of scale enabled routes rationalization and elimination of route duplication. This resulted in a saving of Rs1.86 billion, ($0.04 billion) and the new airlines will be offering more competitive fares, flying seven different types of aircraft and thus being more versatile and utilizing assets like real estate, human resources and aircraft better. However the merger had also brought close to $10 billion (Rs 440 billion) of debt. The new entity was in a better position to bargain while buying fuel, spares and other materials. There were also major operational benefits as between the two they occupied a large number of parking bays and hangers, facilities which were usually in acute short supply, at several large airports in the country. This worked out to be a major advantage to plan new flights at most convenient times. Traffic rights The protectionism enjoyed by the national carriers with regard to the traffic right entitlements is likely to continue even after the merger. This will ensure that the merged Airlines will have enough scope for continued expansion, necessitated due to their combined fleet strength. The protectionism on traffic rights have another angle, which is aimed at ensuring higher intrinsic value , since the Government is likely to divest certain percentage of its holding in the near future. Revenue synergies will be driven by integration of the complementary networks of the Transferor Companies. Cost and capital productivity synergies will be driven by opportunities for leveraging economies of scale and opportunities for rationalizing overlapping facilities and infrastructure. In addition to these synergies, the amalgamation will also provide an opportunity to initiate a comprehensive transformation program to improve the overall competitiveness of the merged airline i.e. the Transferee Company. This, while improving the financial position would help position and equip the merged entity to better face the current and future challenges arising out of intense competition and declining industry profitability. In furtherance of the aforesaid, this Scheme of amalgamation provides for the transfer and vesting of all the undertakings, properties, assets and liabilities of each of the Transferor Companies to and in the Transferee Company. Post-Merger Scenario -Revenue performance of NACIL (Source: Magic Carpet Official Magazine of AIR INDIA) Integration is incomplete Accenture, the consultant that inked the blueprint of Air India-Indian merger in 2006, had advised the Centre to integrate 748 officials up to the level of deputy general manager (DGM) within nine months of the Cabinet clearance, to ensure that the merger pays off. Twenty-five months later, NACIL has been able to integrate 44 officials up to the level of executive director (ED), according to two board members of NACIL. Hit by recession NACIL, like other air carriers, is hit hard by the slowdown crimping passenger and cargo traffic. Air passenger traffic fell for the seventh month in a row by 11 per cent year-on-year in January 2009. In that month, NACILs load factor, the number of tickets sold in proportion to the total number of available seats, was the lowest (domestically) at 60.2 per cent. The core cost drivers including line maintenance, ground handling, terminal services, flight operations/ dispatches and ticket sales should have been merged first for synergies to translate into actual benefits. NACILs employee-to-aircraft ratio, a gauge of efficiency, is the highest among its peers at 222:1 (the global average is 150:1), resulting in a surplus employee strength of almost 10,000. The wage bill of the merged company, which was 23 per cent of total expenditure at the time of incorporation, is expected to rise sharply due to a grade re-alignment. Fleet Expansion NACILs fleet expansion seems out of sync with the times, as most airlines are actually rounding their fleet and cancelling orders for new planes. While other Indian airlines have withdrawn over a third of their aircraft orders slated for delivery in 2009, NACIL plans to induct 30 aircraft in this fiscal and another 45 by March-end 2012. This means NACIL would face a wall of debt going forward. A NACIL board member informed that the companys total debt in the medium term is estimated at Rs 79,000 crore. It will need Rs 44,000 crore for plane purchases. It has Rs 22,000 crore in long term loans and another Rs 13,000 crore as working capital loans, he said. Mutual Distrust and strong unions The distrust between the two sides of Air India and Indian Airlines is almost palpable. For sure, many jobs will become redundant when functions are unified. Many of those appointed are from Indian Airlines, fuelling resentment among Air India employees. Integration has become a tightrope walk for the management. Strong opposition from unions against managements cost- cutting decisions through their salaries have led to strikes by the employees/ Increased Competition The flux at the top has led to delays in decision-making at a time when demand for air travel has dropped around 8-10% over the last year and competition has heated up in the sector. The national carriers domestic market share has been under pressure ever since budget carriers and new private airlines took wing. Air Indias domestic market share dropped from 19.8% in August 2007, when the merger took place, to 13.9% in January 2008 before rising to 17.2% in February 2009. Lower load factor Though the overall operating performance has been steady, Air India passenger load factor of 63.2%, which was the companys record, lags the industry average of 75% in 2006-07.The load factor difference is even greater when compared to other low fares carriers such as Air Deccan. The companys load factor is decreasing year by year, in 2005- 06 load factor is 66.2% which is more than present load factor. Air India load factor is likely to be low because of the much higher frequency operated on each route. Lower load factor could decrease the companys margins. Conclusion The merger of Air India and Indian is the most significant recent development for Indias aviation sector. Managed correctly, the combined entity has huge potential as the largest airline in one of the worlds largest and fastest growing economies. Global alliances will be attracted by its extensive network in an untapped part of the world (and indeed Star Alliance is due to vote on Air Indias membership later this week). However, the complexity of overseeing a merger taking place against such a challenging environment cannot be overstated, albeit there was no other option. Ultimately, Air India will need to be privatized over the next 3-5 years to introduce commercial disciplines. A partial IPO, scheduled for 2008/09 would be the first step, although the value that can be achieved will be highly dependent on the results from the integration process over the next 12-18 months. A Heavily debt-laden ledger will not make that process easy, unless profitability is strong. Introducing a strategic partner would ideally precede this first step, but would probably follow. Yet an Indian partner might raise competition concerns, and an overseas partner would require changes in the regulations which currently prohibit foreign airlines from holding a stake in Indian carriers. If Air India can successfully navigate through the next couple of years, it has the potential to become a major Asian airline, but 2008 will be critical.

Conspiracy Theories Explained

Conspiracy Theories Explained Introduction â€Å"Conspiracy theory† is a subject that awakens our sense of interest and curiosity. Knowing that what we are told may not be true, makes us want to know more about that subject and, sometimes, any other theory that comfort us, seems more legit. These theories are like a darker side of some huge events, that the government and/or other secret facilities want to hide from the society, and the society tends to be suspicious, leading to an uncertainty about the official statements. This subject is very exciting for our group because it’s something that makes us curious and it has to do with our possible future job as part of the media. We also chose this theme because we think it’s a very good way to develop the interest of our school mates, to be more curious and develop their sense of investigation. A person who’s curious about something like theories of conspiracy is a person that is curious about everything and that’s very important in social communication students like us. Furthermore, curiosity has always been one of the most important characteristic of human beings, because if we weren’t curious, we wouldn’t have discovered how to make fire yet. Ana Rita Rebelo What are Conspiracy Theories and why do people tend to believe them? The word â€Å"conspiracy† comes from Latin, con (with) and spirare (breathe). By joining â€Å"breathing† and â€Å"with†, we get whispering, which presuppose a secret. So, conspiracy is a group of people who act in secret. Conspiracy theories are non-proven alternative explanations for facts or events, usually created by someone or a group who has an opinion that goes against the official version of the same episode. The creators and fans of those theories that are supported and confirmed by respectable institutions or highly credible people, are usually sceptics about the explanations that is given to the society, so they come up with theories that reveal an â€Å"alleged secret plan, led by a secret alliance of powerful organizations and individuals† (Freedman 2000)[1]. The majority of people, who believe on these kinds of theories, have lost their faith in politics, or on the hierarchical power that rules the country. Those leaders in charge are considered to be double-crossers and ruthless people, so any official explanations that come from them are immediately declined or causes a lot of uncertainty within society. This leads to an increased reliability in any other unofficial explanation. Other common feature in believers of conspiracy theories is fear. If, for example, it had occurred a terrorist attack or a natural disaster, we would feel powerless and panicking, so we would more easily believe in any theory that can comfort us, even if it goes against the official explanation and if it can’t be proved. Ana Rita Rebelo How do people create theories of conspiracy? 1- Define your Conspiracy subject matter Choosesomething people find puzzling,conspiracy theories develop where people are mystified, confused and curious. People have the in need to feel that there is sense in what happens in the world, thats why when we dont understand them we’ll make a story/theory for why events happen. 2 Make sure what you choose to explain is significant to enough readers. If your subject isnt significant to other people they wont even give you the time to explain your theory cause theyre not into it, so if you want your theory to spread, be known and have followers/supporters youll have to choose an interesting subject, not just for you bur for others, something with a big impact in society and the world. 3 Identify the agents responsible for the Conspiracy You always have to find someone to put the blame on, normally people dont easily accept the fact that things happened because it was supposed to, like when a natural disaster occurs some people accept that it wasnt our fault, others have to find someone to put the blame on and accuse as the culprit. 4 Connect the Dots Make the links between the subject you chose and the actors (those responsible for the conspiracy), revealing what has been industriously hidden by the conspirators until now. Some examples of the conspiracy theories are the Escape of Adolf Hitler and the planning of 11th September. Ana Rita Loureiro Examples of Conspiracy Theories There are documents that â€Å"prove† that Hitler didn’t committed suicide in 1945, after knowing that Nazis didn’t won the war. Moreover, it’s believed that he escaped in a submarine to Argentina. Two journalists, Simon Dunstan and Gerrard Williams, wrote Grey Wolf: The Escape Of Adolf Hitler that talks about the journey till his arrival, and the life he had in Argentina. Some people even believed that the famous skull that have the bullet hole of Hitler’s suicide is not his head, but â€Å"RochusMisch, Hitler’s former radio operator and the last survivor of the Berlin bunker, says he saw the bodies of ‘the boss’ and Eva Braun with his_own_eyes.†[2] About 11th September, many people refuse the official story. Many of them believe that the attack was generated by the US government, to provide political benefits to the country. Supposedly, the plan was explained to terrorists so that they could prepare the attack because, f or the society, is almost impossible to believe that 19 terrorists managed to cause all that chaos and destruction for themselves. In the Internet, there is a theory that says that if we write in the Word â€Å"Q33 NY† in the font â€Å"wingdings†, we obtainà ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ³Ãƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ³Ãƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ Ã… ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â€ž ¢, which reminds us of the attack that caused the crash of the twin towers and the death of a lot of US citizens. People who are fan of the theories of conspiracy begin to make some associations. Catarina Pereira How the Government mutes the Social Media? Sometimes, a few journalists tend to investigate by their own something that they think it has to be investigated, even when their superiors stop that investigation. When they try to find out the truth about something that the government doesn’t want them to find, what does the Government do? Conspiracy theories begin when journalists try to find the truth and try to tell the people what they’ve discovered, but when the government doesn’t want that truth to come out, it’s quite easy to just mute the journalists that tried to speak to the society. A journalist is powerless compared to the government, so the government just speaks to the people and say â€Å"that’s not true†, even when the journalists have a lot of evidences. The government has a lot more influence on the society because we all know the power they have. Even if we consider believing that the conspiracy is true, the government can easily change our minds with the influence they have over the society, even over the social media. Some people can’t even consider to believe in what the media say because of the influence that the government as over them. In the other hand, people that believe in the conspiracy theories don’t listen to the government. Those people feel powerless about something and don’t trust the political power and, sometimes, people that have evidence on their own, who saw or had experienced something, made them believe that conspiracy theories are actually true. Ana Margarida Dinis Conclusion In one hand, we all know that Conspiracy theories are not easy to believe because it lacks of evidence and sustainable proves. But in the other hand, it’s a fact the people always tend to believe in theories and convictions that can comfort us, and sometimes, all the mystery involving some events, makes us a little bit more curious, wary and open minded to this speculations. As Dan Brown says in Da Vinci Code, â€Å"Everyone loves a conspiracy.† Television, but mostly Internet, are the greatest boosters to make people believe in conspiracy theories. We found an article about this subject in a famous Portuguese magazine, that says that â€Å"World Wide Web gives voice to a lot of crazy and scary conspiracy theories about everything people can imagine. To more depressing to the funnier, going through the absurd (†¦)†[3]. There are some sceptical people who despite this theories, and also people who consider them ridiculous. But we, as a bio, psico, socio and cultural beings, believe that even if we aren’t sure about something, we have to keep an open mind and we can’t reject it without knowing at least a little bit about the subject. Ana Rita Rebelo Webgraphy BRAIN, Marshall (n.d.). How Conspiracy Theories Work. How stuff Works?.  Available inhttp://people.howstuffworks.com/conspiracy-theory.htm [Consulted  in 19th May, 2014] DEWSBURY, Rick; HALL, Allan HARDING, Eleanor (18th October, 2011).  Did Hitler and Eva Braun flee Berlin and die (divorced) of old age in   Argentina?. Daily Mail. Available in http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2050137/Did-Hitler-Eva-Braun-flee-Berlin-die-old-age-Argentina.html  [Consulted in 19th May, 2014] ScienceDaily (28th November, 2012); Porque as pessoas acreditam em teorias  da conspiraà §Ãƒ £o?. Hypescience. Available in http://hypescience.com/porque-as-pessoas-acreditam-em-teorias-da-conspiracao/ [Consulted in 19th May,  2014] SILVA, Sandra (2010). Teorias da Conspiraà §Ãƒ £o: Seduà §Ãƒ £o e Resistà ªncia a partir   da Literacia Medià ¡tica. Tese de Mestrado, Faculdade de Letras da  Universidade do Porto. Available in http://repositorio-aberto.up.pt/bitstream /10216/55681/2/TESEMESSANDRASILVA000126278.pdf [Consulted in 19th  May, 2014] Teorias da conspiraà §Ãƒ £o que correm na Internet (29th April, 2014). Visà £o.  Available in http://visao.sapo.pt/teorias-da-conspiracao-que-correm-na-internet=f778634 [Consulted in 21th May, 2014] [1]Available in SILVA, Sandra (2010). Teorias da Conspiraà §Ãƒ £o: Seduà §Ãƒ £o e Resistà ªncia a partir da Literacia Medià ¡tica. Tese de Mestrado, Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do Porto. Available in http://repositorio- aberto.up.pt/bitstream /10216/55681/2/TESEMESSANDRASILVA000126278.pdf [Consulted in 19th May, 2014] [2]Available in DEWSBURY, Rick; HALL, Allan HARDING, Eleanor (18th October, 2011). Did Hitler and Eva Braun flee Berlin and die (divorced) of old age in Argentina?.Daily Mail. Available in http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article- 2050137/Did-Hitler-Eva-Braun-flee-Berlin-die-old-age-Argentina.html[Consulted in 19th May, 2014] [3]AddaptedfromTeorias da conspiraà §Ãƒ £o que correm na Internet (29th April, 2014). Visà £o. Available in http://visao.sapo.pt/teorias-da-conspiracao-que-correm-na-internet=f778634 [Consulted in 21th May, 2014]

William James Essay -- philosophy of pragmatism

William James was a philosopher and psychologist but was most well known in the field of Psychology for developing the philosophy of pragmatism, or the Functionalist theory: "Theory of mental life and behavior that is concerned with how an organism uses its perceptual abilities to function in its environment." He was also the first Psychologist to be born in America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  William James was born on January 11, 1842 in New York City. His father, Henry James Sr. was a Swednborgian theologian, and one of his brothers was the great novelist Henry James. Throughout his youth, William attended private schools in the United States and Europe. He later attended the Lawrence Scientific School at Harvard University and then Harvard Medical School, where he received his degree in 1869 in the field of Physiology. The way that William got into the field of Psychology was that he got his degree in physiology and also enjoyed studying philosophy in his spare time, in psychology, he found, linked the two together. Before finishing his medical studies, he went on an exploring expedition in Brazil with the Swiss-American naturalist Louis Agassiz and also studied psychology in Germany. During this time, William retired due to illness but that didn’t stop his from excelling in the field. Three years later, in 1872, at the age of thirty, William become an instructor in physiology at Harvard University. In 1875, William started teaching Psychology at Harvard and after 1880 he was teaching both cl...

Bernoulli Principle Essay -- essays research papers

Airflow over an airfoil Flight is one of the most important achievements of mankind. We owe this achievement to the invention of the airfoil and understanding the physics that allow it to lift enormous weights into the sky. All flight is the result of forces acting upon the wings of an airplane that allow it to counteract gravity. Contrary to popular belief, the Bernoulli principle is not responsible for most of the lift generated by an airplanes wings. Rather, the lift is created by air being deflected off the wings and transferring an upward force to those wings. The most important factor in determining the lift generated by an airplane is the angle of attack. The angle of attack is the degree measure from the horizontal that a wing is elevated or declined. When the angle of attack is between 1 and 20 degrees, the most lift is generated. To find the lift generated by a particular area of wing in a standard airfoil shape, a teardrop with the fat end facing forward, the equation L=Cl 1/2 (pV2)S. Cl is the lift coeficent, which is determined by the shape of the airfoil and the angle of attack. P stands for the air mass density, V for the velocity of the air passing over the wing, and S for the area of the wing when viewed from above or below. As the air flows over the wing producing lift, it grabs onto the wings surface and causes drag. Drag can be measured by the equation D=Cd 1/2 (pV2)S, much like the lift equation. The drag coeficent Cd is found, again, by determining ...

Foreign Language Requirement

In the persuasive argument All Students Should be Required to Study a Foreign Language, posted on 123helpme. com the writer makes the argument that all Americans should have some type of formal education in a foreign language. The writer gives a few good reasons supporting his claim. The benefits given are better race relations for the country as well as an improved foreign interest. The writer is basing his claim on the solid assumption that language is the most fundamental aspect of a culture and when doing business abroad language barriers can be a burden.The argument even goes on to say that incorporating foreign language into the American society will create a more well-rounded society. â€Å"Foreign language skills can have a positive impact on race relations in America. † stated in the second paragraph of the argument. It is a known fact that the number of minorities in America are continually increasing. American students that study a foreign language of the predominat e minority group in their region of the county have a better insight to the minority’s culture.Understanding a minority’s language can help natives understand their neighbors culturally and on a personal level. â€Å"If we take these bits of insight and understanding and couple them with compassion, fertile ground for multicultural harmony in America will be sown. † says the writer. Foreign language skill can definitely improve domestic affairs. America is a part of the global economy which involves American and foreign interaction. Having language barriers can be a burden when it comes to foreign interest.Most foreign businessmen speak English for the benefit of making money in American businesses. It is assumed that if American businessmen had foreign language skills they should be more successful at the bargaining table. Foreign language skill can also improve foreign relations. â€Å"If American ambassadors, envoys, diplomats and representatives were able t o speak the language of their counterparts, conflicts could be resolved more easily. † the writer states. Foreign language can surely prove useful for foreign interest.All American students should be required to study a foreign language. This argument is valid and convincing due to its sufficient facts on the matter. The author gives 2 very reasonable claims towards the argument. Each point happens to be logical. The author evens points out counter arguments, which seem a bit closed minded and a bit unreasonable. Therefore the argument has certainly been made. . â€Å"All Students Should be Required to Sudy a Foreign Language. † 123HelpMe. com. 11 Oct. 2012 http://www. 123HelpMe. com/view. asp? id=20601. Foreign Language Requirement Foreign Language High School Requirement A survey done by the Center for Applied Linguistics in 2008 found that â€Å"The findings indicate a serious disconnect between the national call to educate world citizens with high-level language skills and the current state of foreign language instruction in schools across the country†(Cal:Research). This is concerning as all of the competition for the U. S. is gaining a step and we're doing nothing . If the U. S. expects to continue to be competitive in the global market we need to have bilingual citizens.In order to ensure this, we must require a foreign language be learned in high school. To fully master a language by the end of high school, a student's education of it needs to begin in Kindergarten. Studies have shown that the best time frame to learn a foreign language is from Kindergarten to 3rd Grade. It would be better, though, to start in Kindergarten so there is a consistent education throughout elementary school. The brain learns better at a young age so the language will be learned faster and more easily in lower grades. Not only this, but extended exposure is need to become fluent in a language (Porter).By the time the students reached high school they could speak the language outside of class to become even more fluent. By the end of high school these students would be bilingual. If the U. S. requires a foreign language be learned in high school, it's education should start in Kindergarten. Bilingual students receive additional benefits outside of simply knowing another language. Bilinguals, superior to their monolingual peers, are better at critical thinking, pattern recognition, divergent thinking, and creativity (â€Å"Foreign Language A Must†¦ â€Å").These advanced cognitive abilities are shown on tests as after 3-4 years of taking a language students show improved standardized test scores (Porter). This means that students will have better math and English test scores without even taki ng the classes. Also, bilingual students are more sensitive to other cultures. They can compare and contrast languages and know how what certain words mean in different contexts (â€Å"Make Foreign Language a High School Requirement†). This is something that is sorely needed in the U. S. because the majority of our citizens are unknowledgeable of different cultures.It would serve as a wake-up call. New bilingual citizens would bring new perspectives to problems that face our society today. Another benefit to learning a foreign language the brain â€Å"ages† slower and neurologists say learning a foreign language delays the onset of Dementia (Porter). In learning a foreign language, one enjoys many indirect benefits. Just knowing English isn't enough for exchanges in diplomatic, military, professional, or commercial contexts with other countries. When in a different country, monolinguals are at a disadvantage compared to bilinguals because they have to hire an interpret er.Monolinguals have trouble picking up both verbal and non-verbal clues of a different language (Porter). They could violate social taboo and can't follow side conversations. This is a huge risk as one could be thrown out of a country and by violating the unwritten rules. This could set an unwanted reputation for Americans. Having been bilingual, students have cultural knowledge and understanding. This helps with the daily interactions required in living in another country (â€Å"Make Foreign Language A High School Requirement†). Clearly having more bilingual citizens would help America in communication and interactions with other countries.Having many bilingual citizens also helps in diplomatic and economic interactions with a foreign nation as it establishes a good relationship by knowing their culture. â€Å"Thomas L. Friedman cited a businessman, Todd Martin, who said that ‘our education failure is the largest contributing factor to the decline of the American wor kers' global effectiveness† (Porter). By requiring a foreign language be learned in high school, the U. S. will increase its workers ability to compete in the global market and their ability to interact with foreign workers.With society becoming more and more global, it will become a necessity to know a foreign language. Export business's are growing in double digits every year and foreign business's are expanding at a rapid rate (Porter). Obviously there is a growing need for bilinguals(Porter). At this point, there are more internet users in Asia than in North America (â€Å"Foreign Language a Must for High School Graduation†). The global economy is diversifying and if the U. S. expects to dominate the market we must follow the trend of our competition. In countries like Japan knowing two languages is the standard(â€Å"Make Foreign Language a High School Requirement†).How can we expect to compete with Japan if their workers have a big advantage over U. S. work ers in knowing multiple languages. In terms of foreign language, the U. S. is lagging behind its competition and to keep up we need to follow the trend of requiring a foreign language. The opposition to requiring a foreign language in High School argue that it violates the right of students to choose some classes. They say it restricts the number of electives a student can take but a foreign language is far more important than some elective.A foreign language class is something that will benefit the student for the rest of their life. Students already have required classes for math, science, English, history, and a fine art, but a language is a fine art. In a foreign language class a student learns about the art of a different culture. For example, on Day of the Dead in Spanish class I learned about Hispanic culture. In creating art similar to what is used in Spain and Mexico on Day of the Dead, I expressed my creativity which is the purpose of an art class. Clearly, foreign languag e is a fine art, and therefore should be required.The opponents to requiring a foreign language in High School say that everyone else is learning English so why should we learn foreign languages. This is ignorant because we can't expect everyone to learn English. By not knowing a different countries language, we have no insight into their culture and could never fully understand them. It makes sense to require a foreign language to understand foreign countries and to compete with them. Learning a foreign language needs to be a requirement in High School. The education of foreign language should begin in kindergarten because that is when a child learns best.By learning another language that child benefits through better test scores and improved cognitive abilities. Americans going to other countries would benefit through better understanding that countries culture and not needing an interpreter everywhere they go. The U. S. needs bilingual citizens to interact with other nations (Por ter). If we want to be more marketable and compete on a global-scale we must become bilingual. By requiring a foreign language be learned in High School, we are creating a brighter and more prosperous future for the United States of America.

Barbara Baynton †Squeaker’s Mate Essay

The marginalisation of the female protagonist begins with the title of the story and stays true until the end. For the majority of the story she is referred to as â€Å"Squeaker’s Mate†, â€Å"she†, â€Å"her†, and â€Å"his mate†. When she becomes gravely injured the men of the small outback Australian settlement caution Squeaker against informing her the injury is permanent, because it might to damage to her feminine sensibilities. A page later and Squeaker says to his prostrate partner when she says she will be up soon to help around the home again: †Yer won’t. Yer back’s broke,’ said Squeaker laconically. That’s wot’s wrong er yer; injoory t’ th’ spine. Doctor says that means back’s broke, and yer won’t never walk no more. No good not t’ tell yer, cos I can’t be doin’ everything’. † The Australian brush, always harsh, was particularly dangerous during the late nineteenth century, when Barbara Baynton’s story, Squeaker’s Mate, is set, and doubly or triply so for the women. It was a hard life, and if you survived the first few years, you were aged before your time. Squeaker’s days are filled with building his home and staking his claim on the land, and his nights are a swill of brandy and cheap(er) liquor from the store. His mate – who provided themoney to set up the property – is a burden except when she is working, and when she works, she works hard. The accident, which leaves her crippled, is a tough economic blow. Squeaker compensates by hiring a woman to assist around the place, which is short-hand, for those times as well as (too often) our own, for securing a new â€Å"mate†. At first, this new woman – who remains, it is important to note, unnamed throughout the text – is a help, but she soon becomes a rival. Too soon for the original mate’s liking, who doesn’t care much for the new girl: She was not much to look at. Her red hair hung in an uncurled bang over her forehead, the lower part of her face had robbed the upper, and her figure evinced imminent motherhood, though it is doubtful if the barren woman, noting this, knew by by calculation the paternity was not Squeaker’s. She was not learned in these matters, though she understood all about a ewe and a lamb. Squeaker is an unpleasant fellow, clearly unintelligent, clearly imperceptive to his mate’s needs. He is the prototypical stoic male, calm and selfish in the face of another’s adversity. In a noteworthy paragraph immediately following his mate’s crippling, upon asking for her pipe to calm her nerves, Squeaker retrieves, fills, lights and puffs on his own pipe before attending to her, all while she lies bleeding and paralysed on the ground. Moments later, he is annoyed when she refrains from moving her (again, paralysed) arm from the fire when her sleeve catches alight. Squeaker’s mate’s name is Mary, which is itself a reductive name as it carries little individuality, and there’s no last name attached to it. Mary is like John or Bob, it’s a featureless name, imprecise in its characterisation. Externally, she remains indistinct, with neither her hair colour, her body shape, her fashion sense, her physical mannerisms, ever described. She is quite simply Squeaker’s mate, and deserves no more or less than that. Or does she? In the world Baynton is describing, this is exactly how she would have been perceived. Many woman during that period in that area were considered to be factories for producing babies, and on top of that they were machines for cleaning and cooking. They were not an equal companion, and there was little expectation that a man or a woman had much to share with one another. It was not uncommon, as an example, for the man to leave for days and even weeks at a time, herding sheep and chasing down livestock, or following the weather in search of jobs on other farms both near and far. A healthy woman could take this opportunity to become quite entrepreneurial with the family home, haggling over prices and selling the farm’s commodities at a good price. But a crippled mate was a serious liability, virtually useless, and it is not surprising when Squeaker neglects to call the doctor until his hand is forced. While the outer life of a woman in the brush was not much, their inner lives could be very great indeed. The journals of Fanny and Bessie Bussell, to take one of many examples, were an account of their lives during mid nineteenth century Western Australia, and reveal these women as funny, creative, clever, playful, anxious, forthright, honest and open. Their journals were for them conversations with family back home, a way to connect with people they love. For us, they are historical artefacts and useful for their account of rural life during that period, but they are something more, too – they are living documents, pulsing with freshness and energy, marvelling at the wonder of the strange new land to which they had arrived. Squeaker’s mate – Mary – may not have written any letters, but her thoughts as described by Baynton show her to be resourceful and tough, and astonishingly perceptive in regards to the emotions and motives of others. She is a strong woman, undaunted by her injury though naturally affected by it, and she is aware that her fate is grim should the new mate be accepted wholly by Squeaker. Mary does what she can to turn the situation to her advantage, with surprising, violent and elemental results. Squeaker’s Mate comes from, I will freely admit, a literary lineage of which I am not particularly fond. The dusty, dry, poverty-striken, dialect speaking, naturalistic nineteenth and early twentieth century literature is an anathema to my tastes, and is, for the most part, terribly unreadable today. Far from just being unfashionable many of these stories are impenetrable, relying too heavily on the expectation that the reader will fully grasp the physical realities of the story and relying on local colour and descriptions of animals and dirt to carry the story along. Squeaker’s Mate rises above the muck thanks to its incisive examination of the gender issues surrounding this tumultuous period of Australian history, when men were forging new paths into the nation, discovering resources and establishing cities and towns and women, equally responsible, equally culpable, equally capable, and equally proficient, were dragged thanklessly behind, forgotten too often, their stories lost, lives vanished.