African Literature Essay Example for Free

African Literature Essay Despite the ignorance of most so called literati to the domain of African literature, African literature in fact is one of the main currents of world literature, stretching continuously and directly back to ancient history. Achebe did not invent African Literature, because he himself was inundated with it as an African. He simply made more people aware of it. The Beginnings of African Literature The first African literature is circa 2300-2100, when ancient Egyptians begin using burial texts to accompany their dead. These include the first written accounts of creation the Memphite Declaration of Deities. Not only that, but papyrus, from which we originate our word for paper, was invented by the Egyptians, and writing flourished. In contrast, Sub-Saharan Africa feature a vibrant and varied oral culture. To take into account written literary culture without considering literary culture is definitely a mistake, because they two interplay heavily with each other. African oral arts are arts for lifes sake (Mukere) not European arts for arts sake, and so may be considered foreign and strange by European readers. However, they provide useful knowledge, historical knowledge, ethical wisdom, and creative stimuli in a direct fashion. Oral culture takes many forms: proverbs and riddles, epic narratives, oration and personal testimony, praise poetry and songs, chants and rituals, stories, legends and folk tales. This is present in the many proverbs told in Things Fall Apart, and the rich cultural emphasis of that book also is typically African. The earliest written Sub-Saharan Literature (1520) is heavily influenced by Islamic literature. The earliest example of this is the anonymous history of the city-state of Kilwa Kisiwani. The first African history, History of the Sudan, is written by Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi in Arabic style. Traveling performers, called griots, kept the oral tradition alive, especially the legends of the Empire of Mali. In 1728 the earliest written Swahili work,Utendi wa Tambuka borrows heavily from Muslim tradition. However, there are little to no Islamic presence in Things Fall Apart. The Period of Colonization With the period of Colonization, African oral traditions and written works came under a serious outside threat. Europeans, justifying themselves with the Christian ethics, tried to destroy the pagan and primitive culture of the Africans, to make them more pliable slaves. However, African Literature survived this concerted attack. In 1789, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustava Vassa was the first slave narrative to be published. Kidnapped from Nigeria, this Ibo man wrote his autobiography in Great Britain in English, and like Achebe used his narrative as a platform to attack the injustices of slavery and cultural destruction. Back in Africa, Swahili poetry threw off the dominating influence of Islam and reverted back to native Bantu forms. One exemplar of this was Utendi wa Inkishafi (Souls Awakening), a poem detailing the vanity of earthly life. The Europeans, by bringing journalism and government schools to Africa, helped further the development of literature. Local newspapers abounded, and often they featured sections of local African poetry and short stories. While originally these fell close to the European form, slowly they broke away and became more and more African in nature. One of these writers was Oliver Schreiner, whose novel Story of an African Farm (1883) is considered the first African classic analysis of racial and sexual issues. Other notable writers, such as Samuel Mqhayi and Thomas Mofolo begin portraying Africans as complex and human characters. Achebe was highly influenced by these writers in their human portrayal of both sides of colonization. Emerging from Paris in the 1920s and 1930s, the negritude movement established itself as one of the premiere literary movements of its time. It was a French-speaking African search for identity, which ofcourse took them back to their roots in Africa. Africa was made into a metaphorical antipode to Europe, a golden age utopia, and was often represented allegorically as a woman. In a 1967 interview, Cesaire explained: We lived in an atmosphere of rejection, and we developed an inferiority complex. The desire to establish an identity begins with a concrete consciousness of what we are†¦that we are black . . . and have a history. . . [that] there have been beautiful and important black civilizations†¦that its values were values that could still make an important contribution to the world. Leopold Sedar Senghor, one of the prime thinkers of this movement, eventually became president of the country of Senegal, creating a tradition of African writers becoming active political figures. Achebe was doubtless familiar with the negritude movement, although he preferred to less surrealistic and more realistic writing. In 1948, African literature came to the forefront of the world stage with Alan Patons publishing of Cry the Beloved Country. However, this book was a somewhat paternalistic and sentimental portrayal of Africa. Another African writer, Fraz Fanon, also a psychiatrist, becomes famous in 1967 through a powerful analysis of racism from the African viewpoint Black Skin, White Masks. Camara Laye explored the deep psychological ramification of being African in his masterpiece, The Dark Child (1953), and African satire is popularized by Mongo Beti and Ferdinand Oyono. Respected African literary critic Kofi Awoonor systematically collects and translates into English much of African oral culture and art forms, preserving native African culture. Chinua Achebe then presents this native African culture in his stunning work, Things Fall Apart. This is probably the most read work of African Literature ever written, and provides a level of deep cultural detail rarely found in European literature. Achebes psychological insight combined with his stark realism make his novel a classic. Post-Achebe African Literature Achebe simply opened the door for many other African literati to attain international recognition. East Africans produce important autobiographical works, such as Kenyans Josiah Kariuki’s Mau Mau Detainee (1963), and R. Mugo Gatheru’s Child of Two Worlds (1964). African women begin to let their voice be heard. Writers such as Flora Nwapa give the feminine African perspective on colonization and other African issues. Wole Soyinka writes her satire of the conflict between modern Nigeria and its traditional culture in her book The Interpreters (1965). A prolific writer, she later produces famous plays such as Death and The Kings Horseman. Later, in 1986, she is awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. African Literature gains more and more momentum, and Professor James Ngugi even calls for the abolition of the English Department in the University of Nairobi, to be replaced by a Department of African Literature and Languages. African writers J. M. Coetzee, in his Life and Times of Michael K. written in both Afrikaans and English for his South African audience, confronts in literature the oppressive regime of apartheid. Chinua Achebe helps reunite African Literature as a whole by publishing in 1985 African Short Stories, a collection of African short stories from all over the continent. Another African writer, Naguib Mahfouz, wins the Nobel Prize in literature in 1988. In 1990 African poetry experiences a vital comeback through the work I is a Long-Memoried Woman by Frances Anne Soloman. African Literature is only gaining momentum as time marches onwards.

HOVENSA: Economic Boost and Environmental Disaster Essay -- Environmen

By far the largest private employer in the Virgin Islands, HOVENSA has decided to cease operations, despite the ongoing economic crisis plaguing the territory which desperately relies on the refinery’s vital tax revenues. Nevertheless, the company cites its present fiscal woes as the primary reason behind such a brash decision. In so far as, fluctuating oil prices brought on by various world events, in concert with other minor details including the manner in which the plant is run and the amount of expenditures incurred, have caused the oil giant to generate about $1.3 billion dollars in losses. What seems odd are the events is the surrounding environmental issues which have plagued the plant during 2010 and 2011, which caused the Environmental Protection Agency to sanction the company with a $700 million dollar mandate. Such legal action taken was the result of a series of mis-steps with the refinery’s engineering/environmental protection practices, resulting in one of the worst environmental disasters to hit the territory. HOVENSA came about as a new joint venture in the region between parent company, Hess Oil, and state owned oil company, Venezuela National Oil Company. Beginning in 1966 however, we notice that the precursor to HOVENSA, Hess Oil Virgin Islands Corporation, was seen as more of an economic miracle rather than a disaster in the making. Years subsequent to 1966 witnessed a continued expansion of the oil refinery petroleum producing capacity, essentially elevating it from what was known as humble operation to what would be considered to be a monolithic organization. Whether that included the refineries increased capacity from 45,000 barrels a day to well over 500,000 barrels a day, or the company’s innovative te... ...vironment is once again held paramount. Works Cited 1) Blackburn, Joy. 2011. "EPA launches HOVENSA air quality study." Virgin Islands Daily News, The (St. Thomas), February 16. 2) "Nation's Second Largest Refinery to Pay More Than $5.3 Million Penalty for Clean Air Act Violations." Allvoices. Web. 02 Mar. 2012. . 3) "Government De Jongh Seeks Federal Assistance in Aftermath of HOVENSAClosure." Governor John P. DeJongh. Web. 02 Mar. 2012. . 4) "HOVENSASt. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. Web. 02 Mar. 2012. .

Effects of the Vietnam War

Abstract While it takes societies to start wars, war changes societies. Whether it be the loss of life, wealth or influence, war determines what a society becomes. This paper will look at some of the effects on U. S. society following the war in Viet Nam. The Effects of the Vietnam War on American Society The Conflict in Southeast Asia had lasting effects on the United States society. It was sold to the American people as necessary to stop the spread of Communism and quickly become one of the longest and costliest wars in U. S. history.Looking at the war strictly from the point-of-view of society, the after effects of the war were staggering. There was weakened public faith in the government and a change in the public image of the American soldier. The loss of national pride was deep. America had effectively lost a war to what Secretary of State Henry Kissinger had called â€Å"a fourth-rate power. † The U. S. was no longer looked at as an invincible giant. Because President J ohnson wanted to fund the war without raising taxes, the government deficit skyrocketed. Additionally, troops returning home could not find jobs in the private sector.These factors together caused double digit inflation and unemployment rates. The people felt that the government was not taking care of them like it used to. These factors led to a change in the country's role around the world. Congress was worried that the world was viewing the U. S. as the planet's policeman, ready to jump in anytime another country seemed ready to fall victim to Communism. In 1973, the mostly Democratic Congress enacted the War Powers Resolution, which limited the president's powers. The Commander-in-Chief could only send U. S. troops into combat for less than ninety days without congressional approval.Besides the lack of jobs, returning soldiers were not given parades and hailed by the people as conquering heroes as they were following previous conflicts. Instead, they were viewed with disdain, bot h for losing the war and for the vicious actions taken by a few soldiers. The hero gave way to the villain, the soldier became the baby-killer. The American sensibilities had changed as well. While soldiers were fighting and dying in Viet Nam, the United States had a few other conflicts within its own borders. Race riots and anti-war protests were shown side by side with battlefield reports on the nightly news.National Guard intervention and the shooting of students at Kent State and Jackson State universities did little to gain support for the government. According to Sen. Frank Church, Viet Nam â€Å"has already stretched the generation gap so wide that it threatens to pull the country apart. † (â€Å"Vietnam War Quotations†, para. 13) Whether the outcome of the war was beneficial or detrimental depends entirely on your point of view. On one hand, the more liberal attitude of government towards foreign intervention, the redefining of the right to protest and the skep ticism toward the government can be looked at as positive effects of an unpopular war.On the other hand, the image of the country in the eyes of the world, the loss of traditional values and the blow to the economy can be viewed as negative. No matter what personal stance one has on the Viet Nam Conflict, there is one truth; The War in Southeast Asia definitely changed the United States as a world power, as a country and as a people. References Frey-Wouters, E. , & Laufer, R. S. (1986). The Vietnam Generation's Views of the Combatants. In Legacy of a war: the American soldier in Vietnam. (pp. 108-109). M. E. Sharpe. Sitikoff, H. (n. d. ). The Postwar Impact of Vietnam.Universtiy of Illinois. Retrieved February 18, 2012, from http://www. english. illinois. edu/maps/vietnam/postwar. htm The Vietnam War: An Overview. (n. d. ). The Wars for Viet Nam: 1945 to 1975. Retrieved February 18, 2012, from http://vietnam. vassar. edu/overview/index. html Vietnam War and the American Economy. (n. d. ). History Central. Retrieved February 18, 2012, from http://www. historycentral. com/sixty/Economics/Vietnam. html Vietnam War Quotations. (n. d. ). VietnamWar. net. Retrieved February 18, 2012, from http://www. vietnamwar. net/quotations/quotations. htm

Analyzing Sherman Alexie’s “Superman and me” Essay

Can reading save a man’s way of life? Can reading save an entire culture? Sherman Alexie, an Indian creative writer writes an essay of which he acquaints us of his means in learning how to read, that is, through a Superman comic book. The essay was written in an alternating first person and third person style of telling. The first person way of telling was for his reflection. Those sentences that were written in the first person were Alexie’s own sentiments. The third person style was for his people. Probably it was meant as an insult since people who normally speak in a third person style are often deemed unintelligent since they cannot follow the rules of language. As the essays retells the experience of the author of how he learned how to read, there is one topic of which he focused, and that is how reading (and how it is connected to education) made a different impact in his way of life which can be very significant or relevant to the modern world today whose kids are taking education for granted. Reading and education Reading is a cognitive process of connecting meaning to a group of words, sentences, and letters. Not many can take the time to discipline themselves into liking and having reading as a habit but over the years reading has become a standard of calling a person or treating a person literate. It has become a mean to elevate one’s status. However, based on Sherman Alexie’s essay, knowing how to read downgrades the status of an Indian person. Indians are treated as the Native Americans. They weren’t treated kindly as the natives of the new world as history tells. They were often treated as the group of people who struggles with the advancement of life. People who are not social. If Indians were compared to animals, the Indians were the wild animals. And according to Alexie’s essay, the ones who stays wild, are the ones who’s status are high in the Indian world. In the modern world today, education has been treated as one of the major concerns of nations. More and more, the value and the quality of education have gone low and people in advance nations and culture are taking it for granted. On the other hand, Alexie and his dad are examples of people who defy the norms of their own society. People who counteracts their culture thus forming a kind a heroic act or in times a crime for/to their own people. â€Å"I am trying to save our lives. † (Alexie 2). Alexie expressed his sentiment of saving their lives in two styles. One was personal and the other was towards the children he was teaching. While he defied the accustomed treatment of Indians to non-Indian education (i. e. how he had man arguments with his classmates to shut up his mouth towards the questions of the non-Indian teacher), he was hopeful that his people might change their attitude towards education (the reason why he ought to be a teacher among his people). In some ways, education defines how a person hopes for his worth. It is more than the status, it also creating an opportunity for one’s self and knowing how to use education in helping one feel fulfilled.

Ap Economics Essay Example

Ap Economics Essay Example Ap Economics Essay Ap Economics Essay Essay Topic: Economics The basic economic problem that arises because people have unlimited wants but resources are limited. Americans in recent years had to cut back on lavish goods because of the scarcity of money. Economics- The science that deals with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, or the material welfare of humankind. Economics involves many issues in the economy of the country and world, from politics to money. Efficiency-A broad term that implies an economic state in which every resource is optimally allocated to serve each person in the best way while minimizing waste and inefficiency.Economic efficiency can be used in microeconomics when discussing product. Equity- The property of distributing economic prosperity fairly among the members of society. If the rich contribute more in taxes, there would be a bigger distribution of equity. Opportunity Cost- The money or other benefits lost when pursuing a particular course of action instead of a mutually-exclusive a lternative. Our companies 3rd quarter opportunity costs were extensive and will take awhile to recover. Incentive-A cost or benefit that motivates a decision or action by consumers, businesses, or other participants in the economy.The incentive for a new CEO turned out to be quite beneficial. Productivity-A measure relating a quantity or quality of output to the inputs required to produce it. If productivity continues to fall, our profits will soon follow. Inflation-The rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services is rising, and, subsequently, purchasing power is falling. The current low interest rates for bank loans risks inflation of the dollar. Business Cycle- A cycle or series of cycles of economic expansion and contraction. The current business cycle is bad, leading the CEO to make a few cutbacksMicroeconomics-The part of economics about single factors and the effects of individual decisions. Microeconomics can be applied in budgets, businesses, politics, an d finances to determine trends of individual consumers. Macroeconomics-The part of economics concerned with large-scale or general economic factors, such as interest rates and national productivity. When seen on a macroeconomic point of view, high productivity can boost, rather than reduce, economic growth. Demand-An economic principle that describes a consumers desire and willingness to pay a price for a specific good or service.As Apple moves forward in revolutionizing electronics, the demand for their products rises. Supply-A fundamental economic concept that describes the total amount of a specific good or service that is available to consumers. The high supply of oil was beneficial to the economy due to the sudden decrease of foreign oil imports. Component #2: Problems 1) Describe some trade-offs faced by each of the following: a) A family deciding whether to buy a new car. A family that is deciding to buy a car might have to face, depending on the expense of the car and financ ial status of the family, major cut backs on money to afford it.These cutbacks might affect unnecessary things like: dining out, doing expensive activities, vacations, etc. This all deals with scarcity; the family wants a new car, but might not have the financial means to do so. b) A member of Congress deciding how much to spend on national parks. A member of congress deciding how much to spend on national parks has plenty of trade offs. The funding of the park is determined by many things including incentives, demand, and opportunity cost.If congress were to fund national parks more they may have to cut funding to other causes, but if they cut funding to the parks, then the money gained could go into a better cause. c) A company president deciding whether to open a new factory. If a company president were to open a new factory, the demand for that companies product would have to be high. However, for the president to open up a different facility, he may have to make cut backs on em ployees in the current facility for budget purposes. If the president decides not to open a new factory, this might lead to low efficiency and slow down the expansion of productivity. )A teacher deciding how much to prepare for class. If a teacher were to prepare minimally for class, he/she may run into a very busy schedule somewhere down the road. However, if the teacher were to plan accordingly and periodically, he/she would be able to be properly prepared for the class. If this were to happen, the teacher would have less pressure for assignments. This all has to deal with efficiency, productivity, and incentive. The teachers incentive is to not be flooded with class preparations, so he/she would have to work efficiently to reach the optimum productivity. ) Discuss each of the following statements from the standpoints of equity and efficiency. a) â€Å"Everyone in society should be guaranteed the best healthcare possible. † If everyone were to be guaranteed the best healthc are possible, efficiency would have to be very high to have the capability to divide healthcare among the population. Right now it would be hard to do because we dont have high economic prosperity to spread. This could very well never happen because equity and efficiency clash when it comes to government policies.The reason they clash is because when the government tries to spread wealth evenly, efficiency shrinks. b) â€Å"When workers are laid off, they should be able to collect unemployment benefits until they find a new job. † When workers receive unemployment, they are getting a cut of the economic pie which is equity. During these times when unemployment is high, the size of the economic pie, efficiency, is small because the government is distributing a large amount money to the unemployed. If the government were to issue unemployment until they find a job it would cause an economic down fall.People are sitting around getting paid, why would they go out and get a job, i t is something else that people will just take advantage of, like welfare. So, in essence, it would end up hurting the government more than it would help. 3) In what ways is your standard of living different from that of your parents or grandparents when they were you age? Why have these changes occurred? There has been a big change in the standard of living even from my parents time to now let alone when my grandparents were my age. We are now living in a technological age where everything is documented, sent, communicated, and even surveyed on electronics.People in the 70’s (when my parents were my age) were lucky to have their own television let alone a cell phone or car. Nowadays, teens have cars, tv’s laptops, smartphones, etc. at their fingertips to use at their command. Back then not very many people had the resources or means to obtain electronic devices. Many of the things we have now, my grandparents didn’t. My grandmother didn’t even have an el ectric oven, she had a coal one to cook on. When my grandfather came here off of the boat, he got a job paying 23 cents an hour. So, its not only material things that have changed in the standard of living, but wages too.People are paid so much more now than in the 30’s, but with the raise of wages, brought along inflation. These changes have occurred because of the changes in education and regulations. People now more than ever are going to college to get a degree in whatever it is they want to pursue. With knowledge comes better products that are more efficient and easier to use. With the change in regulations came changes in minimum wage, laws, and codes that have to be kept up with. Component #3: Applications (See next full page for article) This article posted by The New York Times states that although unemployment s lowering, it is doing it in a rather slow and steady pace. Stocks prices have risen and are staying high along with mortgage loans and many others. Since th e job market is growing at a slow rate, banks are now going to start raising interest and lengthening loan terms. As anticipated, the economy is expanding in the right ways. If as many jobs are created in July and August as they were in June, then the economy is on the road to recovery. The Principal of Economics in which this would apply most to would be number 10 (Society Faces a Short-run Trade-off between Inflation and Unemployment.The reason that this article applies specifically to this principle is because in the article it is explained that unemployment is lowering and because of that, interest rates are rising. This explains the short-run trade-offs. Also, since unemployment is lowering, inflation will occur because they will now have the money to buy goods and services. nytimes. com/2013/07/06/business/economy-adds-195000-jobs-as-unemployment-rate-remains-at-7-6. html? ref=todayspaper_r=0 Steady Growth As U. S. Gains 195,000 Jobs __________________________________________ ___________________________________ By NELSON D. SCHWARTZ New jobs data on Friday offered hope for this elusive middle ground in the economy, as the Federal Reserve wrestles with when to ease its stimulus efforts without endangering the recovery and the markets. The pace of job creation in June was sufficient to please investors and keep the central bank on course to slowly begin pulling back on its major bond-buying program this fall. But the job gains were muted enough to calm worries of an abrupt exit by the Fed, a fear that has weighed on the markets lately.The employment report, which showed the economy added 195,000 jobs, was the first since the Fed chairman, Ben S. Bernanke, said in June that policy makers were ready to begin tapering the stimulus later this year if the labor market continued to improve. The jobless rate was unchanged, at 7. 6 percent. The timing of the Fed action is critical. The central bank’s program of buying $85 billion a month in Treasury securit ies and mortgage-backed bonds has not only kept long-term interest rates low for borrowers, including big companies as well as individual home buyers, it has lso helped prop up Wall Street. The possibility that the Fed might move more quickly than expected to dial back the program has prompted investors to sell both stocks and bonds in the last six weeks and has raised rates on mortgages and other loans. Buoyed by the promise of moderate economic growth and a slow but steady tapering on the part of the Fed, traders pushed the stock market higher on Friday, with major indexes gaining about 1 percent. The 195,000 jobs added in June was significantly above the 165,000 monthly pace analysts had been expecting.And the government sharply revised upward figures for job gains in April and May, increasing the average monthly gain in the first half of 2013 to 202,000 jobs. But the picture painted by the data hardly reflected a booming economy. The unemployment rate, which is based on a differ ent survey from the one that tracks job creation, remained stuck at 7. 6 percent, far higher than the historical pattern for this stage of a recovery. Other measures of joblessness actually rose, with the broadest one that includes workers forced to accept part-time positions jumping to 14. 3 percent, from 13. percent. â€Å"Beyond the headline numbers for job growth, it gets a little more mixed,† said Jan Hatzius, chief economist at Goldman Sachs. â€Å"There is still a lot of slack in the labor market. † Although the economy has held up better than some analysts expected in the face of tax increases and automatic cuts in federal spending this year, overall growth in economic output has also been tepid. The economy grew at an annual rate of 1. 8 percent in the first quarter, short of what’s needed to quickly lower the unemployment rate. Still, the job figures for June were enough to prompt Mr.Hatzius and other leading economists on Wall Street to predict that t he Fed could announce a shift in policy in September, rather than waiting until December. â€Å"This was a solid report and it will be seen by the Fed as fully consistent with tapering in September,† said Dean Maki, chief United States economist at Barclays. In addition, Mr. Maki noted, average hourly earnings rose 2. 2 percent year-over-year, a pace that is near a high for this recovery. Before setting a firm date, Fed policy makers will be closely watching to see if the job market maintains momentum through July and August. It’s not a done deal in September, just more likely,† Mr. Hatzius said. That was benign enough for traders on Friday. The Standard Poor’s 500-stock index rose 16. 48, or 1. 02 percent, to 1,631. 89, while the Dow Jones industrial average jumped 147. 29, or 0. 98 percent, to 15,135. 84, and the Nasdaq gained 35. 71, or 1. 04 percent, to finish the day at 3,479. 38. In the bond market, interest rates moved higher, as investors dumped d ebt on anticipation of faster growth and quicker Fed action. The 10-year Treasury note fell 1 30/32, to 91 17/32, while its yield jumped to 2. 74 percent, from 2. 0 percent late Wednesday. The Fed’s stance has bolstered long-term rates, but the central bank is expected to keep short-term rates low at least until 2015. Component #4: Journal Entry 1: Uh-oh: Americans favor cash over stocks for long-term investments http://money. cnn. com/2013/07/29/investing/cash-investments/index. html? iid=HP_LN answers. com/ (definitions) Even Though we are on a slow track to an economic recovery, people still have a mind-set that the economy is in recession. So, instead of people investing in long term investments, gold, stocks, real estate, etc. hey are keeping it away in savings with very low interest rates. In a 2013 Bankrate survey, over 26% of Americans prefer cash for long term investments. Getting cash for long term investments might not be such a good idea seeing as how you might c ome up short in the long run when it comes to education, children, and even retirement. Interest rate is a widely used term but many might not know the true definition of the word. The percentage of a sum of money charged for its use is the definition of interest rate. An investment is something you put time or money into to hopefully get something out of it in the future.This article is pretty much all about investments. Entry 2: The Senate on Wednesday approved a bipartisan deal that ensures lower interest rates on loans for students heading to college this fall. http://money. cnn. com/2013/07/24/news/economy/senate-student-loans/index. html answers. com/ (definitions) On July 24th the senate decided that bringing down interest rates on student loans was something they needed to do. On July 1st of this year, a new interest rate was set a 6. 8%, but was cut in half now at 3. 86%. This 3. 6% interest is not going to hold over the years anticipating the growth of the economy. Studen ts are to expect a 1% interest increase every year reaching 7% in the year of 2017. Although, there are requirements and provisions to applying for these low interest rates many people qualify for them. The students loan can not be a private loan but instead a stafford loan. In these improving economic times many things are changing, for example interest rates for students. After reading this article I gained the knowledge of knowing that the senate passed on lowering the rates to 3. 86.I am attending college the following year after I graduate and it is important that I know these things so I can plan accordingly. There were some words that I didn’t know and one of them was provisions. A provision is an arrangement or preparation beforehand. Another word I was unsure of was subsidize, meaning pay part of the cost of producing (something) to reduce prices for the buyer. Another term I was unsure was a Stafford Loan; this is a student loan offered to eligible students enrolled in accredited American institutions of higher education. Entry 3: http://money. cnn. om/2013/07/15/investing/stocks-markets/index. html www. answers. com (definitions) Stocks gain as earnings come into focus For this week in the economy world the DOW and NASDAQ closed at record highs in over a decade. Both stocks bumped up about 0. 2%, just enough to set a new record. However, the companies in SP 500 are expected to have a lower than ever growth. Coming in at less than 0. 1% for the quarter. Although companies under SP 500 are optimistic to beat the low expectations to come. Along with the growth in the DOW and NASDAQ comes the New York Federal Reserve which rose 1. % in the region of manufacturing. Some stocks are projected to better in the coming quarters of the year; but some others, not so much. Since economics is mostly about stocks, government, and economy, I decided to pick this article to get a better idea on all of those perspectives. I learned particularly from this artic le that stocks for this quarter in the year are better than expected, but others are projected to have little growth. I also learned some new vocabulary words. Federal Reserve is a word that was not so much new to me, but not fully understood.The Federal Reserve is the banking authority in the US that implements functions of the central banking system. The next next term I learned isnt so much a word, but a department. The Census Bureau, something that gives demographic information to the people of the United States. There weren’t many new words or phrases learned from this particular article, rather information on the current stock situations. Entry 4: http://management. fortune. cnn. com/2013/07/03/4-reasons-to-stay-in-your-current-job-for-now/ www. answers. com/ 4 reasons to stay in your current job (for now)For those who are looking to quit their job and find a new one, hang in there a little longer. In this article, it is stated that although the economy is growing, stoc k are rising, and interest rates are higher, you should stay in your current job for now. The article is backed up with reliable statistics that shows unemployment dropping (at a slow rate). A survey says that about 64% of Americans have gotten a job offer from a different company in the last year. The quitting rate for jobs in april was 39% when the unemployment was a little higher than usual.The first of the four reasons to keep the current job you are in is â€Å"It is still a buyers market and competition is fierce. † The next reasoning is â€Å"New hires are under pressure. † The third reason, a rather good one, â€Å"Last hired, first fired. † And lastly, â€Å"Different isnt always better. † This article was a rather large one, packed with good information on the condition of the economy and projections on the economy. I learned that the unemployed are more optimistic than they were two years ago when applying for a job. I also learned why people s hould wait to switch jobs until the economy is growing at a faster rate.The word â€Å"feeler† was new to me, meaning a proposal intended to ascertain an attitude or opinion. Another term that I wasnt familiar with was compensation package. This is the combination of salary and benefits that a company is will to offer to applicants and employees. Entry 5: http://money. cnn. com/2013/06/18/pf/healthcare-costs/index. html www. answers. com/ Health care costs to slow in 2014 Many people in the US are going on without healthcare. This is a serious risk financially and physically to themselves and their family. Although, health care wont save everyone from the rise in doctor visits, drugs, and surgeries.When the ACA (Affordable Care Act) fully kicks in during the year of 2014, insurance rates for health care providers will raise 6. 5%. This spike in the rate is typically used by insurers to set premiums. Treatments for MS and cancer are expected to jump the most at 22% in 2014. Th is news is making consumers change their behavior. Many people have switched to less-expensive health care services such as walk in clinics and urgent care units. I gained awareness in this article that the cost for insurance will rise along with the cost of the actual drugs and services.There were no new terms that were learned, it was mostly things happening in the health care system that are changing. I learned also that many people have switched from hospitals to clinics because of the cost. Along with that, people are limiting doctor visits and delaying procedures. Many people are outraged at the spike in rates, and aren’t sure its a good plan. Entry 6: http://money. cnn. com/2013/07/16/news/economy/cpi-inflation/index. html? iid=E_Econ www. answers. com Prices climb in June, but annual inflation still tame In the month of June inflation rose 0. %, this has been the biggest rise in inflation since Feb. of this year. Economists took this as a surprise seeing as how they p redicted a somewhat lower rise at 0. 3%. Economists say that other indicators show that inflation remains docile of the long run. Prices of goods and services are up only 1. 8% since last year, that increase is considered consistent for a slow economic growth. The core inflation for food and gas was up only 1. 6%, the smallest it has been since June 2011. In this article I learned that in the month of June, inflation was at a low rate, but higher than expected.I also learned that the inflation rate right now is very good because that means the country is on track to a slow economic recovery. Some words that I didn’t know or was not too sure of were : Federal Reserve, Hyperinflation, and manifest. The Federal Reserve is a word that I know of, but the true definition is a System is composed of a central governmental agency in Washington, D. C. and twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks in major cities throughout the United States. Hyperinflation is just what it sounds like, infl ation at a rather fast paced rate. And lastly the work manifest, this word means clearly or known. Component #6: Paper

Linguistic and Metaphorical Synesthesia

Linguistic and Metaphorical Synesthesia Definition In semantics,  cognitive linguistics, and literary studies, synesthesia is  a metaphorical process by which one sense modality is described or characterized in terms of another, such as a bright sound or a quiet color. Adjective: synesthetic or synaesthetic. Also known as linguistic synesthesia and metaphorical synesthesia. This literary and linguistic sense of the term is derived from the neurological  phenomenon of synesthesia, which has been described as any abnormal extra sensation, often occurring across sense modality boundaries (Oxford Handbook of Synesthesia, 2013). As Kevin Dann says in Bright Colors Falsely Seen (1998), Synaesthetic perception, which is forever inventing the world anew, militates against conventionalism. EtymologyFrom the Greek, perceive together Examples and Observations An expression such as warm color is a classic example of a synesthetic expression. It involves the mapping from the tactile sense referred to by the adjective warm onto the visual referred to by the noun color. On the other hand, warm breeze is not a synesthetic expression, because both warm and breeze refer to the tactile sense, and there is no sensory mismatch in this expression as one sees in warm color.(Yoshikata Shibuya et al., Understanding Synesthetic Expressions: Vision and Olfaction With the PhysiologicalPsychological Model. Speaking of Colors and Odors, ed. by Martina Plà ¼macher and Peter Holz. John Benjamins, 2007)I am hearing the shape of the rainTake the shape of the tent  . . ..(James Dickey, opening lines of The Mountain Tent)Nabokovs Colored Alphabet[T]he color sensation seems to be produced by the very act of my orally forming a given letter while I imagine its outline. The long a of the English alphabet . . . has for me the tint of weathered wood, but a French a   evokes polished ebony. This black group [of letters] also includes hard g (vulcanized rubber) and r  (a sooty rag being ripped). Oatmeal n, noodle-limp l, and the ivory-backed hand mirror of an o,  take care of the whites. . . . Passing on to the blue group there is  steely x, thundercloud z, and huckleberry h. Since a subtle interaction exists between sound and shape, I see q as browner than k, while s is not the light blue of c, but a curious mixture of azure and mother pearl. . . .My wife has this gift of seeing letters in color, too, but her colors are completely different.(Vladimir Nabokov, Speak Memory: An Autobiography Revisited, 1966) I see a sound. KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK. It looks like KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK. It looks like gravity ripping. It looks like the jets on a spaceship.I catch the sound and it takes me into the cold.(Emily Raboteau, The Professors Daughter. Henry Holt, 2005)James Joyces Use of SynesthesiaStephen stared at nothing in particular. He could hear, of course, all kinds of words  changing colour like those crabs  about Ringsend in the morning burrowing quickly into all colours of different sorts of the same sand where they had a home somewhere beneath or seemed to.(James Joyce,  Ulysses, 1922)Dylan Thomass Use of  SynesthesiaI hear the bouncing hillsGrow larked and greener at berry brownFall and the dew larks singTaller this thunderclap spring, and howMore spanned with angles rideThe mansouled fiery islands! Oh,Holier then their eyes,And my shining men no more aloneAs I sail out to die.(Dylan Thomas, final verse of Poem on His Birthday)Clear Sounding and Loud ColorsMeaning may be transferred from one sensory faculty to another (synesthesia), as when we apply clear, with principal reference to sight, to hearing, as in clear-sounding. Loud is transferred from hearing to sight when we speak of loud colors. Sweet, with primary reference to taste, may be extended to hearing (sweet music), smell (The rose smells sweet), and to all senses at once (a sweet person). Sharp may be transferred from feeling to taste, and so may smooth. Warm may shift its usual reference from feeling to sight, as in warm colors, and along with cold may refer in a general way to all senses, as in a warm (cold) welcome.(John Algeo and Thomas Pyles, The Origins and Development of the English Language, 5th ed. Thompson, 2005) Synesthetic Metaphors- Many of the metaphors we use every day are synesthetic, describing one sensory experience with vocabulary that belongs to another. Silence is sweet, facial expressions are sour. Sexually attractive people are hot; sexually unattractive people leave us cold. A salesmans patter is smooth; a day at the office is rough. Sneezes are bright; coughs are dark. Along with pattern recognition, synesthesia may be one of the neurological building blocks of metaphor.(James Geary, I Is an Other: The Secret Life of Metaphor and How It Shapes the Way We See. HarperCollins, 2011)- Synesthetic metaphors are very common. For instance, colors are subdivided into warm and cold colors or provided with acoustic and tactile qualities, such as in the following expressions: loud red, soft blue, heavy dark green, etc.(Martina Plà ¼macher, Color Perception, Color Description, and Metaphor.  Speaking of Colors and Odors. John Benjamins, 2007)

Eduaction Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Eduaction - Assignment Example However, the data system is not a threat to traditional teaching styles. Traditional teachers have to be won over by impressing upon them the need to change over to the new system involving data which complements the traditional style by taking care of the important aspects of teaching that may not have been addressed by the traditional teacher. Involving digital data system enables getting hold of vast information on students in very short time without undue stress to the teacher and helps her arrange her teaching techniques in such a way that the less intelligent student is able to grasp the contents of what is being taught (McLeod, Dr Scott). Over a period of time, which may be quite short, the teaching community begins to settle down with the feelings that they are all right with their students. The good performance of the majority of the students in the periodical tests lull the teachers with the feelings that things are normal and they can continue teaching in their usual styles the students have become accustomed to. The current No Child Left Behind (NCLB) policy, however, demands stringent changes in the teaching standards to ensure no child gets left behind. The teachers have no option to update their skills with the latest standards and get whatever help available to ensure they get all the necessary assistance whenever needed to keep abreast the latest techniques. There are chances that teachers may not be able to keep in mind all the features of the latest techniques. Hence, it is essential that they have access to the digital data system for which they have to be initially trained (McLeod, Dr Scott). The data system demands a change in the entire method of teaching. It is result-oriented. "Schools and districts across the country are seeing substantial improvements in student learning and achievement as they incorporate data-driven practices. Teachers in these schools are finding that intelligent and pervasive use of data can improve their instructional interventions for students, re-energize their enthusiasm for teaching, and increase their feelings of professional fulfillment and job satisfaction" (McLeod, Dr Scott). Data-driven system of teaching is not optional. It is becoming mandatory quite fast. Therefore, it is necessary for teachers seriously contemplating to continue as teachers to get accustomed to this system of teaching. Actually, data-driven style of teaching is quite simple if teachers get accustomed to it. The problem is in the mind that anything other than teaching in the traditional way is cumbersome and difficult to comprehend. Initiates procedures and influences teachers to improve instruction inter-visitation and self-analysis techniques Educational institutions now initiate procedures to improve instructions, inter-visitations and self-analysis