Mis Development Essays - Information Technology Management

Mis Development MIS Development The term Management Information Systems (MIS) has come to refer to a wide range of applications of computers to data processing and analysis problems in the private and public sectors. The pace of developments in computing in general, and MIS in particular, is breathtaking. Traditional concepts of how computers can and should be integrated into businesses are being challenged by worldwide telecommunications and transmission of sound, graphics, and video alongside of text. Virtually all successful businesses use computers extensively. If you don't like computers, and want to have a career in business that involves little use of them?think again. You don't have to like them, but you will have to deal with them extensively. This is a fact of life along with the hole in the ozone, Oklahoma City, TWA 800, AIDS, and The Real World on MTV (now in its fifth season!). Computers can have a profound impact on the way that power is distributed in society. Those who ignore computers are apt to be left out of important decisions. You may even become the person in your firm who has responsibility for your firm's use of information technology. Nevertheless, many people have little understanding of what computers are and what they can do. There is a desperate need in our society for liberally educated people who are able to balance the enormous possibilities of computing with its potentially harmful consequences. In the business world, there has been a gap between those who are computer smart and those who speak the language of business. You need to know enough about computers to be able to: understand how computers support decision making and how they can be used to obtain strategic advantages; understand the challenges posed by the rise of the Internet; understand how the computer works in order to have a feel for the computer's limitations; understand how data is stored and managed; understand how to store and retrieve data yourself; understand the different types of computer systems and when one type or another is appropriate; understand how the overall parts of an MIS system work together and what some of the functions that they accomplish are; understand how to state computer system requirements and understand how computer systems are built; understand how computing is managed in the corporate environment; understand some of the social issues which computers raise. Achieving these objectives will give you the tools you will need to function effectively in the business environment. Bibliography www.gorgetown.com

Today, Linux is a very versatile Operating System. essays

Today, Linux is a very versatile Operating System. essays Today, Linux is a very versatile Operating System. It allows you to run many applications at the same time, also called "Multi Tasking" and also allows for simultaneous multi-user logins. Linux will also run on a large range of systems, from that old 386 sitting in your basement, to those top of the line dream machines. It also runs on Sun SPARCs, Digital Alphas, Motorola, MIPs, PowerPCs, HP/AP platforms as well as AMD and Cyrix CPUs. Linux is also known for being stable and can run for days, months or even years without needing a reboot. In most cases, if anything does happen to crash, you are able to kill that program and life goes on, instead of having to reboot the entire system. And when comparing Linux to Windows, don't forget that Linux is a better match for "commercial grade" Windows NT or 2000 than it is for "consumer grade" Windows 95, 98, ME or XP when it comes to stability and networking ability except that Linux is generally more stable than Windows, and will run on less expensive or older hardware than current Windows versions. Windows and Mac only have one or two current versions each. Linux is about freedom and choice, so you have plenty of freedom to choose and until you have some experience with Linux, it is almost impossible to decide which of the many Linux distributions best fits your needs. All we can do here is give you a basic list and some information based on Linux.com staff members' own experience with different Linux distributions. Will Linux replace Windows NT as the server OS of choice? "Linux is ready, or at least poised, to take on Windows NT for market dominance of server operating systems", said T. W. Burger Owner, Thomas Wolfgang Burger Consulting June 2000. It is the competitive choice for the user wanting a cheap, versatile, scalable, and reliable server solution. This article examines how Linux is ready to meet or exceed all user requirements that NT pro ...

Intercultural Communications assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Intercultural Communications - Assignment Example Multiculturalism in Canada is often seen in towns and cities when they hold festivals that celebrate their individual cultures. An example of such festival is Folk fest which shows different cultures that include heritage, cuisine, and dance. These kinds of festivals give Canadians a chance to understand and appreciate different cultures that make up Canada. Canadians are known for their friendly culture. They appreciate that the country is made up of so many cultures and respect each culture. Marriage is viewed differently in different cultures because arranged marriages are accepted in one community while in others, people are expected to choose their future life partners (Coontz, 2014). These behaviors are impacted by the historical background of a culture. This history moves from one generation to the next and is accepted by the group. The behaviors are also impacted by the religious background of a group. For example, in the Muslim community, parents are obligated to arrange for their children’s marriage. Different cultures also view love differently. Communities that support arranged marriages view love as infatuation. Countries that follow this culture have low divorce rates. On the other hand, communities that support individual arrangements view love as the basis of marriage. What an individual’s family might feel to be best for the individual may not be best for him or her. Communities exhibiting these behaviors can be classified in the cultural di mension model because the cultures are differentiated based on the difference in national cultures. Different communities have their own interpretation of public display of emotion. In some communities, public display is a norm and people believe that this helps other people understand a person. However, this is not the case in other communities who believe that the public display of emotions especially, from those who hold power

Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Entrepreneurship - Essay Example Individuals who qualify to be entrepreneurs must be creative with abilities to come up with solutions to curb the emerging challenges in the business atmosphere. As a result of their efforts to utilize the resources available and exploit the opportunities available, entrepreneurs enjoy rewards in the form of increased profits and strong customer loyalty. Leadership and creative characteristics of an entrepreneur One of the major leadership characteristics of an entrepreneur is the ability to form strong teams that are vital in the achievement of their own goals as well as those of the entire business. Additionally, management skills are essential for the success of any entrepreneur. For example, since most of the entrepreneurs are manage and control their employees without being accountable to the directors or other senior people, they should have excellent management skills. In this way, they are able to formulate effective policies that guide other employees in their responsibiliti es. In the same way, entrepreneur must have adequate marketing skills. In this way, they will be able to come up with innovative products that will effectively face off their competitors in the market. Skills in customer care and environment analysis are additional characteristics that assist an entrepreneur in maintaining high level of customer loyalty. Skills in environment analysis are fundamental in the sense that they helps an entrepreneur when undertaking a SWOT analysis especially when expanding his or her venture, while contemplating on going global or when forming merger with related firms. How to become a successful entrepreneur One of the major ways to become a successful entrepreneur is by doing what you enjoy most. By undertaking a business venture in the field that one enjoys, an individual will gain from personal satisfaction and financial gain. To ensure a successful business, an entrepreneur should adopt the culture of planning all his or her undertakings. Business planning is vital on the bases that it helps business owners in analyzing business situation thus making a viable conclusion. Additionally, business planning assists entrepreneurs in developing individual and corporate goals. Being used as a yardstick of raising the business to the next level, business plan is used by successful entrepreneurs, as an avenue of raising extra capital from the investors and financial institutions. Successful companies manage money wisely. In order to ensure that businesses meet the short-term and long-term liabilities it is fundamental to ensure that cash outflow is maintained at the minimum level while the inflows are maximized. A successful entrepreneur must be able to pay for the inventory and services as well as replace tools and equipments that are used in the production facility. One of the major ways of effective money management is to ensure that income generated from the exchange of goods and services is appropriately utilized. In this way, a b usiness is able to meet its goals. Secondly, an entrepreneur must ensure that adequate money is kept to cater for wages, supplies and inventory that are vital for the daily

Compensation Laws and Legislation Research Paper

Compensation Laws and Legislation - Research Paper Example Medical treatment requires that an employer or an employers insurer pay the medical bills and requirements, of an employee injured in the course of duty, or gets sick due to work related factors. Vocational rehabilitation requires an employer to offer rehabilitative services to an employee who gets disabled due to work related factors, and is unable to get employed due to that disability. All these requirements of the law are discussed giving examples of related court cases. The court cases illustrate different situations that arise in workers compensation laws, and provide guidance to employers on what they should do when faced with similar situations. Pieces of legislation relating to compensation are covered under Workers’ Compensation Act (WCA). This legislation ensures workers are paid their medical, disability, and other related benefits in case one gets ill or gets hurt on the job. The benefits are paid to an employee’s dependents if the employee gets killed on the job. The laws are designed to ensure employees who become injured or disabled are given financial support. These laws also guide employers to provide necessary compensation and avoid the need for litigation (Hwang & Kleiner 70). Some laws also protect the employers by getting rid of liability of co-workers in most accidents, and by limiting the amount an injured employee can be paid. Federal Employees’ Compensation Act is specific to federal employees only, but there are Workers’ Compensation Acts established by each State that guide employers in those States. This paper is focused on discussing the three critical pieces of legislation relating to compensation. Workers’ Compensation Act ensures employees get their benefits through three main programs; medical treatment, wage replacement, and vocational rehabilitation. These three programs are considered the most critical parts of the Workers’ Compensation Act (Hwang & Kleiner 70). These are payments made by a

Analysing Slavery in Mark Twains Writing

Analysing Slavery in Mark Twains Writing INTRODUCTION According to widely held view on slavery, it is has been acknowledged that it is ‘a virtually universal feature of human history that has preserved up to nowadays.   As absolute proof of old origins of slavery accounts to the fact that there are written documents survived from ancient times as written in e.g., the Code of Hammurabi and The Old Testament showing that slavery was established in the early civilizations. As to present days, the United Nations (hereafter UN) reports reveal a ‘huge   number of women, children and men being exploited and forced into slavery ranging from at least eight hundred- thousand to three million people trafficked annually. Therefore, globalization has brought not only positive cultural exchanges, but also endemic slavery around the world, raising a discussion of tackling and eliminating this painful issue. Concerning the term ‘slavery, it denotes much of negativism and violence e.g., torture, kidnap, murder, inferiority, punishment as well as ‘the wilful destruction of human mind and spirit (Bales, 2005:6). Nevertheless, the historians (Bales:2005;David:2004; Kopytoff:1977) describe that slaves throughout human history have been treated as inferior, uncivilized and bestialized e.g., Mark Twains story ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn portrays the Southerners vision of   a runaway slave who is perceived as superstitious, uneducated and perhaps violent thing: merely a human in their view. This helps to explain the hostile or negative feelings, attitudes and actions towards one ethnic group of people, in this case a white persons disdain and superiority overblack person. The superiority of white or Caucasian race derives from times of slavery as the historian Kevin Bales (2005:7) states slavery can damage peoples mind, namely, (1) slaves; (2) slaveholders and (3) members of society who live this system. As to Bales (ibid), such society accepts dehumanization of a person that allow prospering slavery around the globe. Thus, we can observe that slavery has remerged not only in many different times throughout human history, but also is present in our times. This research paper aims at illustrating a link between past and present displayed in Mark Twains literary works. They reveal that slavery in the South can be perceived as a ghost of the past, which has been equally haunting African Americans and Caucasian race. As a result, the past has widened a gap between those two races in America. William Faulkner has said that ‘only with Twain, Walt Whitman became a true indigenous American culture (quoted in Hutchinson, 1998:80). Mark Twain who was born and raised in the Americas South was the pioneer of displaying the spoken language, the very American language in literature that is characterized as   vivid, but with sardonic humour, neat aphorism. It has to be mentioned that Mark Twain is regarded as a complex personality; since he managed to contradict himself not only in a real life, but also in his writings. The subject of the bachelor thesis is institution of slavery in Mark Twains works.   In other words, the paper investigates aspects and issue of slavery described in Mark Twains writings, including ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884-85) and ‘A True Story, Repeated for Word, as I heard It (1874) which are set in the pre Civil War society of American South-West. The aim of the paper is to gain a comprehensive picture of slavery from Mark Twains works. The objectives of the research paper the task is to select and to review the most common images of slavery presented   in Twains writings by such   characters as   Aunt Rachel, Jim   and Huck Finn to make the use of a study of history i.e. Slavery in America , but   take into account   Mark Twains personal view on slavery to analyse the images of slavery using   the writers stories to test the results   i.e. to   compare those two different images of slavery i.e. literary works and official   history of slavery to draw the relevant conclusions taking into account both his   writings and the   historical context. Hypothesis: Mark Twains literary works imply personal responsibility and awareness on such complex issue as slavery, but problems of slavery cannot be viewed separately from historical context.   Methods of research case study: analysis of such   historical works on slavery   written by Suzzane Miers, Igor Kopytoff, Christine   Hatt,Robert McColley and others analysis of two Mark   Twains   stories Juxtaposition: to contrast and compare those two different images of slavery, namely, historical and literary description of slavery. The author of the paper has chosen the case study as a research method for a number of reasons. First of all, case study research allow us better understanding a complex issue or object and this method of study is especially useful for testing theory by using it in real world situations. Secondly, a case study is an in depth study of a particular situation. It is a method used to narrow down a very broad field of research into one easily researchable topic.   Finally, it provides a structural way of looking at events, collecting data, analyzing information, and reporting the results. As a result, the researcher may get a better understanding of why the event happened as it did, and what is important to look at more closely in the future. The first chapter deals with the history of racism and the concept of racism. The second chapter provides an insight into understanding of slavery and deals with the issue of institution of slavery in the USA. The third one and its subchapters deal with issues of   slavery, namely, they show how   slavery is depicted   in Twains literary work Huckleberry Finn and provide a brief insight into history of slavery in America and explores A True story and Aunts Rachel point of view of slavery. 1 THE HISTORY OF RACISM AND ITS CONCEPT This chapter deals with the history and the concept of racism. Racism is a subject that most people, at least in Western societies, have their own opinion on and it is as old as civilization, it continues to be an important factor in society today. Alana Lentin (2011) claims that racism is a political phenomenon rather than a mere set of ideas. To analyze racism it is necessary to go beyond the texts of racial scientists and to look at how certain political conditions during particular historical contexts led to some of the ideas proposed by racial theorists being integrated into political practices of nation-states. There are three aspects the political nature of racism, its modernity and its grounding in the history of the West that are fundamental to understanding racisms hold over contemporary Western societies. It is very important as well to look at the statements, what a race is. According to Ivan Hannaford (1996), the word race as used in Western languages is first found as late as the period 1200 1500. Only in the seventeenth century did it take on a separate meaning from the Latin word gens or clan and was related to the concept â€Å"ethnic group†. In other words the dispositions and presuppositions of race and ethnicity were introduced some would say â€Å"invented† or â€Å"fabricated† in modern times and in any case, were not given the meaning they have today until after the French and American revolutions. The reason why the notion of race became such a powerful and attractive idea is due to the â€Å"deliberate manipulation† of texts by scientists and historians to show that a racial order has always structured humanity (Hannaford 1996: 4). There was a definite division of the periods over which the idea of race developed. Hannaford divides it into three stages: 1684 1815, 1815 1870 and 1870 1914. The final period is known as the â€Å"Golden Age† of racism, it was a time when it was possible for the British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli to proclaim that race is all and there was no other truth. (ibid, 1996). As Alana Lentin (2011) states the word â€Å"race† was first used in its modern sense in 1684, when a Frenchman published his essay, where race stood for divisions among humans based on observable physical differences. At this stage race was used a simple descriptor and there was no intention of superiority meant by presenting humanity in this way (2011). Hannaford (1996) states that Western scholars later started to think about that it means to be human that fundamentally changed the way people thought about the origins of human life, the universe and society. It is the bases for the way we think about these things to this day. The most significant changes were in fact that theological explanations about life were replaced by logical description. (Hannaford, 1996: 187). Lentin Alan (2011) considers that many people do not ask nowadays why racism is apparently so important, despite the end of colonialism, slavery and the Holocaust, the answer is that it is natural. Racism has entered into everyday speech and therefore in our consciousness. The idea of racism is so widespread that we easily mistake it for something that is just there, a fact of life. Racism is associated with the fear and even hatred that human beings are commonly expected to have for each other. Fear based on racism is inherent and there is no need to ask why it exists (2011). As Neil Macmaster reminds us that racism is always a dynamic process, a set of beliefs and practices that is imbedded in a particular historical context, a particular social formation, and is thus continuously undergoing change, a plastic chameleon like phenomenon which constantly finds new forms of political, social, cultural or linguistic expression (2001: 2). Lentin (2011) refers to race in descriptive terms, it takes account of racionalization. Racionalization is the process through which the supposed inferiority of black, colonized and non-whites is constructed. Todays global racism divides the rich and the poor worlds and is no longer a simple black and white issue. Racionalization involves endowing the traditions and lifestyles that are attributed to groups of different â€Å"others† with negative signifiers (2011). According to Alan Lentin (2011), the development of a radicalized discourse about a group of people provides justification for their discrimination. It puts into words the very thing about a particular group that is said to disturb us and pose a threat to our way of life. The fact that racionalization and racism are repeated, affecting different groups over time, does not mean that racism is inevitable. Rather, it shows that considerable transformations of our political systems, our social and cultural infrastructur e, and our discourse the very way in which language is used needs to change if racism in Western societies is to be overcome (2011:10). Memmi (2000) investigates racism as social pathology a cultural disease that prevails because it allows one part of society to empower itself at the expense of another. For Memmi, racism emerges from within human situations, rather than simply as the enforcement of an ideology, or the â€Å"natural† belief some people have according their innate superiority. Racism is a charge, like a judicial accusation that is levied against somebody, who is indicated as being in some manner (racially) different. It implies that the other has, in being different, somehow broken certain assumed rules, and is thus not a good person. Thus the person is devalued and disparaged and he suffers from it. The indictment, however, is unfounded and unjust, and the accused is thus the victim of an injustice. As well Memmi (2000) states that in France, reference to â€Å"le raciste† in a   third person nominative mode, as to some unspecified person who behaves in a particular way, upholding cer tain ideas and attitude, would call up a more or less familiar picture, bur in the United States it would not really be as clear. It is a nation in which white racism is wholly generalized and integrated into political and social life. Though it may be invisible in everyday life, it can see by White people through accepting themselves without question as white. Thus racism moves beyond individual prejudice to engage broader questions of collective behaviour and social responsibility. As it can be seen, the topic of racism is very broad. Some people would say that racism is just based on prejudices but some would say that it is something that people are born into, and they are not able to fight against it, nor break out of their social status. People who are in such situations, are born into a situation where they do not have an unfair disadvantage when trying to move out of their social status and thus fall into a category that can make them more susceptible to racial prejudice and ideologies. The next subchapter will have a closer look at types of racism.    1.1 TYPES OF RACISM The current subchapter aims at giving additional conceptions   of   the term ‘racism as well as outlining   basic types of racism proposed by several authorities(Reilly, Kaufman, Bodino:2003)(Fredrickson:2002). The given section suggests that there is obvious correlation between racism and slavery. The website on racism ‘Anti-Defamation League defines racism as ‘the belief that a particular race is superior or inferior to another as well as that a persons social and moral traits are predetermined by his or her inborn biological characteristics. According to Reilly, Kaufman and Bodino (2003:9), race has no basic biological reality, because all we see is just a colour or different texture of hair or shape of eyes, but it does not have any decisive influence over a persons intelligence or other traits. As a result, ‘misconceptions about race have lead to forms of racism that have caused much social, psychological and social harm (Reilly et.al.2003:10). Additionally, Frederickson points out (2002:1) that ‘racism that is the antipathy of one group towards another that ‘can be expressed and acted upon with a single mindedness and brutality. Nevertheless, the same experts describe racism as prejudice or discrimination against other people because of their race, due to their biology or ancestry and physical appearance. This pattern is clearly visible in Twains work ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn when a slave named Jim runs away from his owner, whereas the whole city spreads out the rumours about him having killed Hucks father. Their assumption is based on prejudice that all black people are savages, violent and ca not be trusted. Thus, their attitude towards, slaves can be described as racism, because they judged those people, due to their ancestry and physical appearance. Although the term racism first came into common usage in 1930ies (as stated in the book ‘A Racism: a short history) (Fredercikson, 2002:5), the act of discrimination is still there i.e. while reading   Twains literary works we can perceive how coloured people were treated in the American South. This attitude or and approach of white superiority overwhelm the Southern society at the time when Huck Finn was embarking in his famous adventures on Mississippi river. A great deal of harm has been done to generations and in this particular case to Jim, Aunt Rachel and Huck Finn. The pain and burden of slavery of these characters are depicted in chapter three. As to types of racism, the website on American Research and Geography called ‘Amerigis provides detailed information on types of racism. The types are as follows: Historical, Scientific, New, Spatial, Institutional, Internalized and Individual. The online resource stated above claims that racism looks different today from it did thirty years ago. The author of the current paper finds important to mention that racism back in 19th century was blatant and caused so much pain and injustice to black race. Thus, the graduate proposes the idea that discrimination and injustice has derived from the time when slavery was acceptable even more it was the cornerstone of the Souths vision of sound social order.   The author of BA thesis asserts that such blatant discrimination has never been experienced in human history as it was back in early 19th century; it was the root of all evil caused to black race. The classification of racism is based on several resources such as the Internet resource mentioned above, and three publications on racism The types are as follows: Cultural racism According to Belgrave et al(2010:104)   cultural racism is expressed as assumed superiority of a language or dialect, values, beliefs, worldviews and cultural   heritage e.g., in the novel ‘Huckleberry Finn the slave named Jim is regarded as superstitious person whose beliefs and values are regarded as infantile   even compare to young white   lad like Tom Sawyer. Individual Racism The same scholar (ibid) explains that individual racism has the same meaning and features as of racial prejudice i.e. it assumes the superiority of ones own racial group and justifies its domination and power over other race. For example, when Pap Finn gets all furious about a ‘white shirted free nigger to right to vote, because he holds the view that black   race has no right to   freedom nor participate in elections.   As he states ‘they told me there was a State in this country where theyd let that nigger vote, [ thus he determines ] , ‘Ill never vote agin as long as I live. Institutional Racism The Internet source ‘American research and geographic information system point to „white privilege† that frequently is hidden, because it has become internalized and integrated as part of ones outlook on the world by custom, habit and tradition. For example,   concerning antebellum society in the South of America if a white person helps a runaway slave towards freedom, ‘and in doing so he violets the laws of man, and he believes the laws of God (Hutchinson, 1998:130). The fact of helping slave that according to the Southerner rules is a deadly sin that sends a sinner into flames of hell. This points out that the church played a great role in peoples lives whereas any person who would disobey the given rule would be perceived as danger to their moral social order in the South. As a result, the southern upbringing does not allow Huck Finn to show his sympathy towards Jim, a runaway slave. Slavery functioned as main social moral and religious issue in the South. The preceding sentences and extracts from Twains writings show that social order had a tremendous impact over members of the Southern society at the given time.   Nevertheless, at that time there were no subtle forms or hidden ways of showing ones hate towards other race, unlike today where many people express their hate via the Internet. On the contrary, it was impossible to show sympathy towards a slave e.g., the runway slave Jim who has abused the system and has sinned against the owner Miss Watson, arises the question to Huck whether he deserves his freedom. Additionally The psychologists Bhattacharya, Cross, Bhugra (2010:41) also give the classification racism based on the analysis of human behavior under certain circumstances, namely, being   exposed to people of other ethnicities in our global world. The author of the BA thesis will highlight the types which can be found in the following works ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and ‘A True Story, Repeated for Word, as I heard It dominative when a person acts out;   aversive when a person feels superior , but is unable to act; regressive when a personsdue to his or her view on racism behaves regressively; pre-reflecting when a person has fear of strangers; post reflecting when a person justifies his fear of strangers; The study on racism shows that it involves biased judgments on humans and their action e.g., racist determines what is good, correct, beautiful, sane, normal. Nevertheless, the historians and other experts of this field (Fredercikson, 2002), (Reilly, Kaufman, Bodino: 2003), (Carol: 1987) agree upon the view that   racism and the same slavery is seen as ideology, as practice as social structure. Whereas, Mark Twains writings reflect on slavery as doctrine, practice and social cornerstone of the America South in antebellum society that has brought so much injustice and pain, as well. The next subchapter will explore the ideology of racism. 1.2 IDEOLOGY OF RACISM The chapter gives an insight into the ideology of racism as it is an important matter discussed, portrayed in history books and literature. Ideology is a body of beliefs that drives the goals and expectations of an individual or a group. According to Martin N. Marger (2006) â€Å"As a belief system, or ideology, racism is structured around three basic ideas: Humans are divided naturally into different physical types. Such physical traits as people display are intrinsically related to their culture, personality, and intelligence. The differences among groups are innate, not subject to change, and in the basis of their genetic inheritance, some groups are innately superior to others† (Marger 2006:19). Thus, racism is a belief that people are divided into hereditary groups that are different in their social behaviour. Racist thinking states that differences among groups are innate.   Carol Brunson argues that â€Å"the ideology of racism prescribes the parameters for perceiving social reality thereby defining guidelines for â€Å"desirable† interracial behaviour. Once the members of society are imbued with racist thinking, they will not only perceive their institutions as natural, they will voluntarily carry out institutional mandates as of they are a function of their own individual choice† (Carol Brunson, 1987:17). According to the authors of the books on the ideology of race it can be seen that it is powerful and it persists in different forms of expression. Robert Miles work â€Å"Racism† is an essential reminder that racism is the object of ideological and discursive labouring. Robert Miles argues â€Å"Racism is best conceived primarily as an ideology for at least one other reason. Racism, qua ideology, was created historically and became interdependent with the ideology of nationalism. The argument that racism is a form of ideology is important and worth repeating† (Robert Miles, 2003:10). When it comes to ideological components assumptions of racism, Carol Brunson holds the following viewpoint: â€Å"Racist institutions not only create the structural conditions for racism, but also create a culturally sanctioned ideology that keeps the system operating. Racist ideology is a set of notions that ascribe central importance to real or presumed biological, cultural, and psychological differences among racial groups, attributing the arrangement of both historic and current social systems to these differences† (Carol Brunson, 1987:15). While ideological and cultural arguments are two pillars that support racism, one or other may be in the forefront at any given time. Stephen Gould states two assumptions of biologically based racist ideology: Humans are classifiable into discrete, hierarchically ranked biological groups (with whites at the top). Differences among the races reflect the natural and/or ordained order and therefore are eternally fixed (Gould, 1981:45). Besides this biological argument, there exists also cultural argument, explaining the realities of the lives of people of colour. William Ryan (1976) defined blaming the victim as an ideological stance that locates the origins of social problems. Ryan identified four steps in victim blaming process. Locating social problem and population affected by it, comparison of values and behaviour of people affected by the social problem, locating the source off the problem in how the affected people are different from the successful ones, initiation of treatment that would change the affected people (Ryan, 1976).Victim blaming therefore provides a framework for explaining the problems of people of colour. It is also a framework for strategies to ameliorate the position of people of colour in our society.   Many people learn about the ideology of racism and families, schools and media contribute to this education. They learn and behave according to the dictates of racist ideology. Carol Brun son argues that very early, children of all backgrounds learn stereotypes about other groups regardless of whether they have contact with actual people (Carol Brunson, 1987:18). These stereotypes later shape peoples reality and they start judging and interpreting ideas and behaviours by their learnt stereotypes. Each persons own judgement is not harmful but over time the prejudices may become poisonous and damaging.   As it can be seen, there appear new arguments of racism and its ideology, justifying institutional, cultural and individual racism. While these new faces and arguments of racism try to cover the problem, racism and racist ideology are alive and existent in America. Racism affects us as individuals and the choices that we make in responding to it. Anti-racism education should require an immediate focus on each individual. The goal of the anti-racism education should be generation of development of individual consciousness, enabling people to become active initiators of the change in perception of racism. All people should be responsible for transformation of racism ideology. However, the situation is difficult because, while groups keep racism alive, the responsibility is not equally positioned. Yet, racism has always gone hand in hand with slavery, and it is a precedent to slavery. Racism is evil. It is not a social problem that will gradually disappear through education and legislation. These alleviate the symptoms, but no more than that. The only cure is in understanding that evil is real. In the words of Jeffrey Burton Russell, The essence of evil is abuse of a sentient being, a being that can feel pain. It is the pain that matters. Evil is grasped by the mind immediately and immediately felt by the emotions; it is sensed as hurt deliberately inflicted. The existence of evil requires no further proof: I am; therefore I suffer evil. The definition implies two things: One, that every human being suffers evil. Two, every human being inflicts evil. Thus, the essence of the human condition is in how we live with evil. Of necessity, then, evil has two faces one is individual, the other is collective. That we as individuals will and do commit evil is unavoidable. Our efforts not to do evil, however, need the support of a collective, i.e. a society that not only recognizes evil but condemns it. In contemporary America, In her Gifford lectures, Hannah Arendt said: As citizens, we must prevent wrong-doing because the world in which we all live, wrong-doer, wrong-sufferer, and spectator, is at stake; the City has been wronged.We could almost define a crime as that transgression of the law that demands punishment regardless of the one who has been wronged.the law of the land permits no option because it is the community as a whole that has been violated. America is struggling to reach a consensus that racism violates the community as a whole. It cannot do so as long as blacks are still excluded from a sense of community. Blacks have no doubts or questions about their humanity and thus are made to suffer evil, an evil that is still not obvious to the white majority. Racism is an act of evil but white people do not hear the moaning of the wounded or the death rattles of the dying. The evil of slavery, the evil of the Holocaust are written large. So much so that many are in danger of thinking that these cataclysms are the only ways in which racist evil expresses itself. That is why it is both ironic and maddening that so many blacks equate anti-Semitism only with the Holocaust and thereby conclude that because they would never condone the extermination of Jews they are not and could not be anti-Semitic. Non-blacks are equally culpable when they equate racism solely with acts of violence. Because our perception of evil is limited to the dramatic, we have lost the capacity to recognize it. Evil has become so prosaic in appearance, manner and style that it is now woven into the fabric of the normal like smog, acid rain and K-mart. Hannah Arendt maintained that the horror of evil in the Third Reich was that it had lost the quality by which most people recognize it the quality of temptation. The racist evil of contemporary America is as charismatic as an empty can of cat food. In her Gifford lectures, Hannah Arendt attempted again to describe the figure of Adolf Eichmann and what had so horrified her about him: I was struck by a manifest shallowness in the doer that made it impossible to trace the incontestable evil of his deeds to any deeper level of roots or motives. The deeds were monstrous, but the doerwas quite ordinary, commonplace, and neither demonic nor monstrous. There was no sign in him of firm ideological convictions or of specific evil motives, and the only noble characteristic one could detect in his past behavior as well as his behavior during the trialwas something entirely negative: it was not stupidity but thoughtlessness.It was this absence of thinking which is so ordinary an experience in our everyday life, where we have hardly the time, let alone the inclination to stop and think that awakened my interest. Is evildoing (the sins of omission, as well as the sins of commission) possible in default of not just base motivesbut of any motives whatever, of any particular prompting of interest or volition? Is wickedness, however we may define itnot a necessary condition for evil- doing? What Arendt saw in Eichmann is true of American society. This is not a country of wicked white people imbued with a virulent racism based on some principle or other. What exists is far more distressing. Racism has become a psychological habit, a habit many wish to dislodge, but it is so ingrained that they do not know where to begin. It is imperative, however, that they look, for as Goethe wrote in Wilhem Meister, every sin avenges itself on earth. Where they must look is in themselves. Whites cannot feel the pain of blacks, Jews and women until they feel the pain they inflict on themselves by passively accepting a definition of Order that crowns whites as racially superior beings. I do not know why whites do not feel the evil they inflict on themselves because I see the evil of racism taking its revenge on a drug-addicted white society which did not care forty years ago when drugs appeared in black slums. If America had been able to feel then that black life is human, if America had been able to feel that racism is a silent evil inflicting pain as murderous to the human spirit as any weapon is to the body, it would have been alarmed and moved to alleviate the conditions that made drugs appear to be a viable alternative. If America had been able to conceive that black life is human life, thousands of white and black lives would not have been destroyed, literally and psychologically, since drugs entered white American society. I do not understand why white America cannot understand this simple principle: Everything white people do to black people, they will eventually do to each other.   The ultimate evil of racism is not in its effects, but in the inability of white people to recognize themselves in black people. This evil will continue until white people take responsibility for that which they wish was not within them, namely, evil. Ultimately, we must accept that evil is, that it is not something out there but something in here. It cannot be expunged because our humanity lies as much in our capacity to evil as

Red Pony :: Free Essay Writer

Red Pony The Red Pony has many examples of when hard work doesn’t always ensure success. Through out the four chapters of the novel Jody goes through many difficult times. He is helped through these times by Billy Buck-the cow hand, Carl Tifflin-his father, and his mother Ruth Tifflin. The book teaches people a good lesson on many different themes a few are, respect you elders, The chapter â€Å"The Gift† proves the point that hard work doesn’t always ensure success. This chapter is filled with hard time for Jody. Jody received a red pony from his father; he bought the pony from a local auction. The pony was too young to for Jody to ride, Jody was so anxious to ride it. Jody has to care for the pony everyday. He lets him out of the stable and into the coral everyday. One day Billy Buck tells Jody that he can let Gabilan out and leave him out while he goes to school. That day it rains and the pony was left out. Jody came home and the pony was very sick. It gets worse over a few days. After a few days go by the pny gets worse and gets strangles. This leads to his death. In the â€Å"Great Mountains† the event that matches my theme is Gitano and his life. Gitano worked hard all his life, and has nothing to show for his success. Gitano is and old man who used to live on the property that Jody lives on. Gitano had an old adobe house there. Gitano came to stay and die with the Tiffin’s since he used to live there, he calls it home. They let him stay the night and serve him dinner. Jody is very interested in the old man, and asks him many questions about the mountains. He leaves early in the morning, and no one in the family sees him leave. Jeff Taylor, the neighboring rancher, said he saw him on old Easter heading to the mountains. They never saw him again. In the chapter â€Å"The Promise†, the main example of hard work not ensuring success is when they are trying to birth a baby colt. Mr. Tifflin offers Jody the opportunity to get another horse. He is very excited about this. The only thing is he has to do chores, and lots of them. He also has to take care of the horse.

Elisa Ans Henry

Describe the relationship between Elisa and Henry at the start of the story, citing examples from the text, and then again at the end of the story. Did their relationship change? How? If not, what might this suggest about Elisa and Henry’s marriage? Based upon my understanding of the reading, Henry and Elisa seemed to have a great relationship. Elisa is portrayed as a rather stern, strong minded, and exacting– to a point type of person. However, Edward appeared to be more submissive and jovial. In essence, Elisa takes on a more masculine role, and she has a peculiar demeanor. † In her tone and on her face there was a little smugness†(Steinbeck, 2011, p. 375). She wanted to know the business that â€Å"those† men had on the ranch. Her reactions to certain situations personified her as very aggressive and masculine. The author signifies evidence of this tone by the way he scripted her response: â€Å"Henry, who were those men you were talking to?! † (Steinbeck, 2011, p. 375). She did not even give him a chance to tell her who they were. Why, sure, that’s what I came to tell you (Steinbeck, 2011, p. 375). At the end of the story, their relationship changed for the best. They actually grew closer despite the polar differences in their personalities. Edward gave Elisa more compliments. He even noticed that a suggestion of movie and dinner brought out the â€Å"feminine side† of his wife– something he had not seen much of. Earlier in the story, she was dress in a very manly hat that covered her eyes, a big corduroy apron, and heavy gardening gloves. As time progressed, Elisa began letting her guard down and became softer, even as soft as the delicate chrysanthemums she nurtured daily. â€Å"He took one hand from the wheel and patted her knee. â€Å"I ought to take you in to dinner oftener. It would be good for both of us. We get so heavy out on the ranch†(Steinbeck, 2011, p. 375). . References Steinbeck, J. (2011). The Chrystanthimums. In D. L. Pike, & A. M. Acosta, Literature: A world of writing stories, poems, plays and essays [VitalSource Digital Version] (pp. 375-380). Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solutions.

4 Tips for Writing a Stand-Out Why UChicago Essay

4 Tips for Writing a Stand-Out Why UChicago Essay SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips For students applying to the University of Chicago, the â€Å"Why UChicago† essay is more straightforward than most of the other essay prompts you’ll see, but it can still be intimidating to try to figure out how you should tackle this essay. What should you mention? What will impress the admissions team? What are they really looking for in your response? We break down the why UChicago essay, explain everything the University of Chicago is looking for in this essay, suggest topics to write about that’ll help you stand out, and give why UChicago essay examples to help get your creative juices flowing. The Why UChicago Essay Prompt The â€Å"Why the University of Chicago† essay is the only prompt that shows up every year on the UChicago application, and it’s also the only prompt that everyone must answer (for the other essay you’ll have multiple prompts to choose between). This alone should tell you that the University of Chicago takes this essay, and applicants’ responses to it, seriously. Here is the prompt: â€Å"How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.† There is no strict word limit to this essay, but UChicago suggests a response of around 250-500 words. What Is the Purpose of This Essay? Why does UChicago require applicants to answer this essay? What are they really looking for in your response? Let’s analyze this prompt. No matter which schools you’re applying to, "why our college?" is probably the most common prompt you’ll on college applications, and for good reason: colleges, including the University of Chicago, want to see that you really want to attend their school. Why? Applicants who love UChicago are more likely to accept an offer of admission, be committed to their studies, participate in extracurriculars, and give back after they graduate. Basically, schools are looking for students who will take advantage of all the unique opportunities they offer so they have the biggest impact at the school and when they’re alumni.If you show in your essay that you really love UChicago, it makes admissions officers feel more confident you’re going to have a significant and positive impact on their school. If you can’t give any compelling reasons for choosing UChicago and/or you don’t seem to have done much research on it, that makes UChicago worry that you’re not that invested and will only do the bare minimum in college, without having much of an impact at the school or afterwards. They may also think you don’t really care about getting into their school, which can make them less likely to admit you. Additionally, UChicago asks you to write this essay to ensure that you and their school are a good fit for each other. If you use the why UChicago essay to talk about how much you love D1 sports teams or how you want to be a famous researcher in geology, the admissions team may be hesitant to offer you a place at UChicago since their sports teams are Division III, and they don’t have a geology major. Basically the purpose of this essay is two part: UChicago wants to make sure you know and value what they offer, and they also want to see how you’re going to make use of these opportunities to reach your goals for the future. What Should You Write About in Your â€Å"Why UChicago† Essay? There are multiple ways you could approach this essay prompt; although since UChicago is best known for its academics (as opposed to killer sports teams, for example), most people will discuss the academic side for at least part of their response. Here's a list of possible topics you can write about: Majors or classes you’re especially interested in The UChicago Core curriculum Professors whose work you admire and whom you’d like to study with or conduct research with Extracurriculars that you’d be interesting in joining The school's intense academic atmosphere UChicago Scav Research opportunities you’d like to have Small class size/discussion-based classes University of Chicago students you’ve met who you admire Volunteer opportunities Financial aid opportunities UChicago offers that make it possible for you to attend In your response, you should choose about one to three reasons why you think the University of Chicago is the best school for you. For each reason, you should describe what UChicago offers and connect it back to your interest and skills to show how you’re a good match for the school. Remember to answer the prompt completely; this means talking about both the learning and community at UChicago, as well as your plans for the future and how UChicago can help you achieve them. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Tips for a Great Response to the Why UChicago Essay Regardless of how you decide to answer this prompt, there are four tips everyone should keep in mind to make sure they’re fully answering the question, giving the information UChicago wants to see, and making sure they stand out from other applicants. #1: Do Your Research Before you begin writing your response to this essay prompt, you should know exactly why you want to attend the University of Chicago. There are multiple ways to do this research: School website Course catalog School newspaper Campus visit Meeting with an alum or current student Meeting with a professor #2: Be Specific From your research, you should have come up with specific reasons why UChicago is a great school for you. The more specific you can be when answering this prompt, the better. Don’t say UChicago has great academics, caring professors, and an interesting student body. Most schools have that. Instead, try to mention opportunities only UChicago can provide, like specific professors, course names, extracurriculars, or research opportunities.The things you discuss should be things your other top schools don’t offer, things that really make UChicago stand out. #3: Show Your Passion UChicago wants students who care a lot about what their studies and their school, so make sure this comes across in their response. A bland statement like, â€Å"I am impressed by UChicago’s strong economics program† doesn’t tell the school anything about you or help you stand out from other applicants. You’ve done your research to mention specific qualities of UChicago that have enticed you, and now you need to discuss specific qualities about yourself as well. Why does the economics program make you so excited? What do you want to get out of it? Do you want to use your knowledge to study the economies of different developing countries and use that knowledge to fight global poverty? That's what you should write about. Showing a passion that’s unique to you will help differentiate you from other applicants and show UChicago that you’re going to take your studies seriously. #4: Discuss Your Vision for the Future It states right in the Why UChicago essay prompt that they want to know how UChicago relates to your goals for the future. So let them know your plans!Do you hope to use your time at UChicago as a launching pad for a career as a researcher at Fermilab? Do you want to major in Theater and Performance Studies and eventually open a drama school for underserved kids?UChicago wants students who dream big, so let them know what your dreams are. Why UChicago Essay Examples To help you get a better idea of what a great response to this prompt can look like, below are two Why UChicago essay examples. The first is an excerpt of an essay written by an admitted student, and the second is an essay we wrote. After the examples we explain what makes them excellent responses. Essay 1 As I prepare to leave my home for a university, I dream of joining the University of Chicago community. In all honesty, UChicago is probably the only university that will accept and even encourage my eclectic thinking and passion for finding adventure in everyday life. Although I hope to major in Computer Science, I also want to study political science and the Italian language to the extent that I can confidently debate Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan and copy Dante’s terza rima poetry. I want to learn about game theory and astrophysics not just in surface-level introductory classes, but through in-depth discussion and analysis. At UChicago, the Core curriculum will feed my hunger for a broad undergraduate education by guaranteeing that one-third of my studies will be dedicated to the exploration of the humanities, sciences, and arts. I yearn to engage in vibrant discussion with UChicago musicians who study neurosciences, business majors who star in theatrical productions, and psychology students who are learning Mandarin. At any other school, I would be an untraditional student, but at UChicago, I will fit right in. Traditional warrior princesses feel at home in castles; it is no surprise that UChicago’s campus is full of them. At UChicago, surrounded by diverse thinkers and unique personalities of every kind, I know that I will feel at home, too. -Samantha M. Essay 2 It was reading an issue of the Chicago Shady Dealer that made me know the University of Chicago was the right school for me. Any school that produced a satire paper that included hilarious and clever articles joking about students taking a math class in an abandoned parking garage or hysterical preaching and projectile vomiting during alumni weekend was a place where I knew I’d belong. After speaking with a current UChicago student, I felt even more strongly that this is the school for me.This student is a Creative Writing major, as I plan to be, and he mentioned so many opportunities for University of Chicago students to publish their writing, from the Shady Dealer, to the Chicago Maroon, to Sliced Bread. My only concern was having enough time to write for all these publications! I’m especially interested in the student magazine Diskord because of its focus on student opinions of national and global news. Many people dismiss young people as uninformed or naà ¯ve, but I’ve found many have my peers have extremely important things to say, and it’s important to hear each other. The student I spoke with on the phone also mentioned that he was able to combine his interests in poetry and French Literature, and I really like how interdisciplinary the major is. Theater and scriptwriting is something I’ve always been interested in learning more about, and I think University of Chicago’s theater workshops and groups like Court Theatre could help me gain more skills in this area. People joke the University of Chicago is where fun comes to die, but from what I’ve seen, it’s just the opposite. I’ve never met a group of students who were so funny, creative, and intent on making an impact, and I’d love to be a part of that. Why Do These Essays Work? Answer the entire prompt:Both of these responses answer every part of the Why UChicago essay prompt. They mention the type of learning the writers hope to receive, the type of community they want to be surrounded by, and what their plans for the future are. Give details:There are many details in both these responses, such as specific classes the authors want to take, what they want to major in, specific extracurriculars and school publications they want to join. Show where they fit in:It’s clear from reading these essays how the authors see themselves fitting in at the University of Chicago. The first hopes to major in Computer Science while also debating famous literary works with fellow classmates, while the second wants to become a writer for school papers, and possibly work on theater productions. They’ve shown the University of Chicago has opportunities they want to take part in and contribute to, and they tie this into their goals for the future. Summary The Why UChicago essay likely won’t be the make or break factor in your application, but it can help give the admissions teams a good idea of why UChicago is a great fit for you.The purpose of this essay prompt is for you to show UChicago that you’ve done research on their school, you feel it’s a good fit for you, and you already know some of the opportunities at the school you want to make the most of. In your UChicago essay, you can write about multiple topics, including academics, the student body, extracurriculars, and research opportunities.When writing your essay for this prompt, be sure to do lots of research on the school, be specific, show your passion, and mention plans you have for the future. Looking at Why UChicago essay examples can also help. What's Next? You'll need to write to essays when you apply to the University of Chicago. Check out our other guide to learn how to tackle both UChicago essays. (coming soon) The "Why This College?" is a common essay topic on college applications. Learn how to write a great "Why This College" essay for every school you're applying to by reading our guide on the topic. Want to see some more college essay examples? We have links to 101 great college essays that includes our expert analysis on how you can write a standout essay of your own. Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now:

The Most Unforgettable Person I Have Ever Met essays

The Most Unforgettable Person I Have Ever Met essays In my eyes , my grandmother will always be the most wonderful, patient, irreplaceable, and unforgettable person that I have ever met. Grandma, who was a unique person in all senses, also had a unique name. Her name was Visilia. We used to called her Mama Vashi because she was a caring, loving, and beautiful person, but Mama Vashi was not only beautiful on the outside, but also inside. She had the biggest heart that a person can have. I remember grandma was always willing to help everybody who needed her, even after having her hands full with twelve children and many, many grandchildren. She always found time to help and listen to others. She always said, There is a solution to every problem, and The only thing we can not do anything about is death. When a problem arises, we have to see all of our options to find the best solution for that problem, and never run from it. Grandma had a lot of sayings. One of her favorites was Do everything from your heart and dont expect anything in return. Grandma had a little store where she used to sell fruits, vegetables, eggs, milk, and other things. I remember the time when a woman walked into the store with her little son, and all she was doing was looking and looking around. The woman looked like she didnt know what she wanted; but grandma knew better, and she asked the woman if there was something she could help her with. The woman replied, What can I buy with this litt le bit of money? Grandma answered, not much, but take what ever your family needs, and just pay me later. I will write it on the payment plan book. And, with tears on her eyes, she said thank you many times to grandma. Then, the woman picked what she needed and left. Grandma with her kindness taught me a lot through out the years. Another of grandma sayings was, We always have to keep a smile in our face, for it will keep us young. ...

Swot Analysis of Elderly Phones Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Swot Analysis of Elderly Phones - Coursework Example The company will also have a wider market to sell these phones. Many companies in the modern world are keen in making products that satisfy the demand of the young generation. The company specializing with the manufacture of phones for elderly people will thus enjoy a large untapped market (Hm 2009, p.156). Though the company will have all the above mentioned competitive advantages, it will also face an enormous barrier in its attempt to advertise it new product. Most companies now days are using social media to advertise their product. It will be an ineffective channel to be used by a company dealing with products demanded by customers of +55 years and above. This is because the majority of curly users are youths (Lesley & Wing 2003, p. 189). It only a small proportion of the old generation that uses curly. In case the companies unknowingly select prices viewed as unfavorable by the customers, then their products will almost lose all its customers. Old people are price sensitive. In case they feel that the price set for a commodity is high, they will shift to other cheaper commodities (Lesley & Wing, 2003, p. 225).Elderly people are also too rigid. In case the company happens to make a mistake in its process of Being the first company to identify such a unique market gap, it will create a large market share. This is due to the fact that the company will gain customers trust before other companies’ entry. The trust created will give the company a cutting edge in the market (Lesley & Wing 2003, p. 421). This may scare away other companies willing to enter the market thus giving the initial company room to be the sole supplier of the brand to the market. The company also has a chance to expand its product to other technology. After capturing it initial target market, the company has a chance to develop other product line to serve

Engaging with the Media Product Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Engaging with the Media Product - Essay Example The first one, filtering, occurred when I decided to ignore some aspects of the show and processed the rest of it, depending on what I was interested in. Next came meaning matching, during which I matched the concepts about vampires shown in the show with the ones I already had knowledge about. Finally, when I encountered a message of which I had no knowledge of, or which went against my previous knowledge, I constructed a new meaning for it after evaluating what I watched on this show. While watching The Vampire Diaries, I was particularly interested in a vampire named Damon. Therefore, whenever there was a scene involving Damon, I would pay extra attention to his way of talking, and his attitude to others. As a result of processing all the scenes involving Damon, I can now recall the phrases used by him depending on the situations he faces. Moreover, my mind took in all the information-old and new-that I gained about vampires and other supernatural beings in general, perhaps due to my interest in them. On the other hand, there were messages that I unconsciously filtered out, such as the dates of previous centuries which the show’s characters would state when they would recall instances of the past. Another message which I filtered out was the words used by Bonnie (the name of a witch in the show) whenever she casted a spell. This is because the words used by her were part of a different language which I did not understand. Thus, during the scenes she caste d spells, my mind automatically tuned out and instead focused on the outcome of those spells. Once my mind filtered in all the scenes and messages which I paid attention to, I automatically matched them with what I already knew from before. For example, whenever I think about vampires, I imagine someone who looks like a normal human being, except that he/she has longer and sharper canines and has a thirst for blood. I have learnt this concept because I