Nobel Prize Winner’s Talk

REPORT Nobel Prize Winner's Talk (A New Kilogram Next Year) Main Speaker: Nobel Laureate Professor Klaus von Klitzing Lecture Topic: â€Å"A New Kilogram Next Year – How my Nobel Prize Contributed to this Development Date: Tuesday 2nd October, 2018 TIME: 6pm VENUE: JFK Lecture Theatre, UWI Immediately upon being invited to the event I was unbelievably excited. It made me feel like this vast world suddenly became smaller and things that seemed unreachable became all the more possible and all the dreams that could ever be dreamt could be truly actualized. Of course getting credit for attending was just a plus, but having such a once in a lifetime opportunity, to hear from one of the Rock stars of the scientific world definitely could not be missed. They say that great leaders once had great mentors and that to be the best, you have to learn from the best. As such, hearing from one of the greatest minds in the world could not be passed. I had to know the secrets of his lifetime adventure. As I proceeded to the JFK Lecture Theatre, the surreal sunset and cool breezes brought an air of expectancy and anticipation. Located outside was a distribution table where we received additional reading resources. Upon receiving them, I walked inside not knowing what lay in the minutes ahead. The seminar, I found out, was hosted by CARISCIENCE (The network of Research and Development Institutions in the Basic Sciences in the Caribbean), in conjunction with the German Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation, The Faculty of Science and Technology of the UWI, the University of Trinidad and Tobago and the University of the Southern Caribbean. This, I believed to be very commendable, having all the collegiate institutions coming together for a common purpose. This should be the goal of every individual, organization and the global community as a whole. The event launched the annual CARISCIENCE Nobel Laureate Lecture Series and this year they invited Noble Laureate Professor Klaus von Klitzing, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1985, for his discovery that under the appropriate conditions the resistance offered by an electrical conductor is quantized; that is, it varies by discrete steps rather than smoothly and continuously. The lecture was moderated by Dr. Richard Taylor, while the opening remarks were given by Professor Dyer Narinesingh; the President of CARISCIENCE. He did elaborate on the goals and vision of the organization which included; a singular Caribbean intellectual space which encourages problem solving and converting knowledge into wealth creation. He also mentioned that they set out to foster collaboration with international affiliates which would expose stakeholders to relevant equipment, methods and technologies and henceforth be a voice for the Caribbean region. He also drew reference to Loreal's vision : Diversity + Inclusion = Innovation The objectives of the organization seemed relevant and highly necessary to facilitate the ongoing progress being made within the region. To create a competitive, highly innovative, critically minded workforce to create a name and competitive edge for our Caribbean citizenry. He ended with the notion that â€Å"it cannot be business as usual† if we are to continue to harness the potential of young minds in this time. The Welcome Address was then presented by Professor Indar Ramnarine, who encouraged â€Å"impactful research that should reshape the boundaries of your fields.† I found this highly motivating as we seek to be world changers in this age. Not only to occupy space but to make a distinct dent in our respective fields and make full use of the time allotted us, to better humanity. He also stated that, â€Å"It is not only possible to understand the intricacies of the world but also to improve it.† Ah yes, our vision should indeed be: to identify the problem, gauge the solution, implement the solution and continue to improve the solution. The Introduction of the Speaker was performed by Dr. Brian Cockburn, who articulated a summary of the career paths and accomplishments of Professor Klitzing. This only sought to inspire me more on this journey to think bigger and dream larger. As soon as the Nobel Laureate Professor Klaus von Klitzing commandeered the stage, instantly the fires of passion that burnt ever so brightly oh so many years ago, was distinctly evident, burning just as intensely even at this age. This jovial character, was clearly thrilled to be speaking about his life's work and the opportunities it still presented him today, in being able to visit the Caribbean. I immediately could not help thinking, wow, I hope at the closing end of my life, I still feel such passion, fervor and irradiate such vibrancy about the things that excite my soul. Not only was he surprisingly pleasant but his speaking skills were far from boring, as he carried us on the journey with him through the process of the discovery day, to giving us the information that we could indeed buy ourselves our own Noble Prize, however, in so doing not be privy to the elaborate â€Å"Hogwart-esque† feast they had to attend. It definitely seemed like something out of a storybook. He also mentioned the ages of the new Noble Prize winners for Physics this year, with Arthur Ashkin being 97 years and Gà ©rard Mourou being 76 years. Absolutely incredible! This just proves that age is just a number and that we should never let something like age stop us from achieving our full potential. This is a continuous learning process and Life is indeed the teacher. It demonstrates perseverance, diligence and discipline to the highest degree and there is lot to be learnt from their immense persistence to the task. (#whatisretirement?) As he proceeded to his topic â€Å"A New Kilogram Next Year – How My Noble Prize Contributed to this Development†, he explained how the initial constant was acquired. The Kilogram (kg), the basic unit off mass in the metric system and was considered equal to the mass of the international prototype of the kilogram, a platinum-iridium cylinder (Big K), kept at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures laboratory at Sà ¨vres, France. The accuracy of every measurement of mass or weight worldwide, whether in pounds and ounces or milligrams and metric tons, depends on how closely the reference masses used in those measurements can be linked to the mass of the International Prototype of the Kilogram (IPK). The most minuscule of accuracy discrepancies would have tremendous impact in fields such as medicine, engineering and electronics, which are dependent on precise measurements. Consequently, it effects other phenomena like force, energy and luminous energy, which use it as fundamental building blocks for measurement. It has been identified that the cylinder is indeed changing in measurement due to gas initially used in its creation and is now slowly seeping out of the cylinder, consequently changing its dimensions making it an unreliable standard for measurement. To facilitate this, a drastic change had to be made and as such in November 2018, the international scientific community plans to redefine the kilogram by basing it instead on a constant of nature, making it a profound moment in the history of measurement. Thus, since the kilogram remains the only SI unit represented by an unstable artifact, the redefinition included expressing the kilogram in terms of Planck's constant, which would aid in avoiding future problems. Firstly, physicists required an accurate measure of Planck's constant which is the quantum-mechanical number that relates how a particle's energy relates to its frequency and through E = mc^2, to its mass. Thus once a fixed value is achieved to Planck's constant, a new definition of the kilogram can be derived. In order to measure Planck's constant precisely, two experiments are being conducted. One known as the Avogadro Project, involves counting the number of atoms in two spheres of silicon that each have the same weight as the Big K. Having obtained this number, the precise number of atoms comprising a particular substance, researchers can calculate Avogadro's constant, convert it for a value for Planck's constant and relate the kilogram to atomic mass. The second experiment uses an instrument called a watt (or Kibble) balance, which is a type of scale, that produces a value for Planck's constant by measuring a one-kilogram test mass, which is calibrated by using Big K, against electromagnetic forces. Planck's constant is proportional to the amount of electromagnetic energy required to balance the mass. Two differing universal constants are used in order to calculate the current and voltage that make up the electromagnetic force. The Josephson constant and von Klitzing constant are used. (Yes I got to meet one of the only two living remaining constants!!! I felt truly blessed.) The discovery of the von Klitzing constant, is part of the Quantum Hall Effect, which earned Professor von Klitzing, his Nobel Prize. While he worked at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, experiments conducted led to observations of the effect of magnetic fields applied to semiconductors allowed to cool to extremely low temperatures. This led to the discovery that electrical resistance rose stepwise, rather than smoothly and continuously, indicating an integer fraction of a specific number, 25,812.807 ohms, now identified as the von Klitzing constant. Thus, the Quantum Hall Effect is now used worldwide for calibrating electrical resistances and the von Klitzing constant is utilized by the scientific community to measure current in a watt balance. Essentially, the fundamental constants can aid in establishing possible units that can retain their significance for lifetimes and species to come, through the Quantum Hall Effect. Additionally, we were rest assured that the new kilogram will be defined in such a way that nothing will change in our daily life. It will be indeed more stable and more universal. Granted that as Henry Marks stated, â€Å"Science is measurement. Everything you measure is expressed in units,† this was definitely a plus. He continued by explaining who decides the best definition of the SI Unit, which comprises of diplomats from sixty member states and forty-four associate states, at the General Conference on Weights and Measurements. The most recent having occurred in August 2018, based discussions to adapt a resolution that would replace the current SI, with the revised SI, provided the amount of data uncertainties pertaining to the current standard. The precondition for the new kilogram must be reliable, as well as have an uncertainty smaller than fifty micrometers. This stipulation was fulfilled in July 2017, and as such would be finalized at the next conference which is to take place in November 2018. Finally, he noted that the best values of fundamental constants, (h, e, c Kb, Na) creates the most stable basis for the new system of units and hopefully by the next General Conference on Weights and Measures in November 2018, will be the replacement for the present SI System. The Professor, was also sure to reinforce the need as scientists to question continuously. Question nature and the way things work. Question the problems posed to you. Question what you understand and what you want to solve. He emphasized the need to always stay curious and always gain inspiration from other subject matter, which would bring new perspectives and ideas to trains of thought. He also asked several questions that he left up to us to solve. They included:Are fundamental constants really constant?How do they change due to cosmic radiation, global warming, with time?Are there other fundamental constants in the universe?What happens if you combine other fundamental constants? (with regard to velocity of sound/gases and temperature)What impact does the Quantum Hall Effect have on living cells?Opinion of the role and future of physics in life Physics is the cornerstone of life and everything surrounding it. Every basic principle rests on the foundation of Physics (of course this is me being highly biased). It involves the study of matter, energy and their interactions and other sciences are dependent on its theories to further develop their own and improve the quality of life. I do believe we have the upper hand as physicists and a greater responsibility to society to find answers to the most fundamental questions in life. To explain why the world work as it does and to provide adequate, substantial, mathematically correct evidence to question the bases of such thought. Physicists perceive beyond the normal realm and consider factors outside regular streams of thinking and are then conditioned to think outside the non-existent box. This will prove ideal to the future of Physics in this society, as we break down to the fundamental backbone of structures and understand how they function, how they can be improved and how they can be manipulated by variables. This skill is essential for countless applications and is necessary for continued development in any sector. Technological advances can occur due to the discovery of new particles, forces and structures in the subatomic world. There would also be enhanced computational and calculation power causing extraordinary leaps and bounds unfathomable before. With this would also bring the onslaught of artificial intelligence integrated lifestyles to the common man, allowing multipurpose use. Not to mention the development of quantum artificial intelligence if large-scale computing is actualized. Vast use of computers and electronics would lead to even more advanced medical breakthroughs with prosthetics, which would enhance the human experience and even possible come to define consciousness in terms of nature's fundamental forces. Additionally with the exponential advancement in space technology, conditioning for studying and visiting the cosmos would seem closer to realization, even as space transport is made more readily accessible. Physics is indeed a driving force into a very futuristic ideal, expanding space and time, and blazing the trail for the reorientation of the human mind. Cheers to the future of Physics!

Post Modern Society Essay

Social change is the central focus in most of the founding thinkers of sociology’s work. This social change is based on the conceptualization of history as an evolution. According to these sociologists, a modern society arises as a result of the inevitable consequence of the growth of knowledge and understanding especially in the field of science and rationality. However, there are no clear indications on when a society can be viewed as having moved from one stage of modernity to the next. A characteristic of the present society which is astonishing does not lie in its level of industrialization but on its level of integration across various cultures. (Holmes, Hughes & Julian 34) Social integration is a phenomenon that has received much popularity in the last decade. The entire human race has achieved a level of cultural cohesion that has not been realized before. The traditional cultural boundaries are slowly dissolving and a new universal culture is emerging. The differences in religion, color, ideology, tradition and perception are slowly merging. The society is adopting a general culture which is characterized by a uniformity in norms, values and beliefs. In all the six continents, there is a growing trend in information technology which perpetuates cultural diffusion. Today, individuals of diverse cultural background can easily interact through such mediums like the internet. Efficiency in the transport system has resulted in more people coming into contact with each other. However, it has been difficult to classify this current trend owing to its multifaceted nature. Such terms like modern, postmodern, global and cosmopolitan have been used frequently to describe this current trend. Even though all these terms may be used to describe some of its characteristics, in most cases, their use is normally interchanged. We may not be very far from the truth should we adopt to refer to the current human population as belonging to the same society and cultural orientation. In its actual definition, society can be termed as an interacting group of people with a common sense of identity and culture, living within a particular geographical region. Giddens 2)With this regard, I will consider the planet earth a geographical region. Sociologist have drawn together a number of elements that characterize a modern society. These elements are dominant in the contemporary world and they include the rise of science, the decline of religion, industrialization, mass communication, bureaucracy, division of labor, urbanization and an increasing comprehension of the various aspects of the human life. However, these characteristics fail to capture the complete picture this time. Bureaucracy was a 17th Century invention. Industrialization even though a characteristic of this society does not really distinguish it from the 18th Century ages and therefore cannot be a distinct factor in classifying this society. We also cannot say that we are experiencing the rise of science. We are actually in the midst of science. In other words, this society cannot be described by these elements that sociologists stated. Thus, we are living at a time of transition mainly characterized by a change of perception towards life. This change of perception is a universal element which has passed through every society consciously or unconsciously. The human society is living at the age of post modernism. (Hall and McGrew 13) In the present society, there is a general belief that no single universally agreed upon principle of belief and organization exists. Even though there is remarkable progress in science, there is a general position that it has failed to give explanation and control to various aspects of the society. Another characteristic of this time which is an element of post modernism is the fragmentation of academic disciplines. There is no single paradigm which explains the human condition in the society. Post modernism itself means different things to different thinkers. Being a relatively current theory of society, various sociologists remark that it is an attempt to falsify sociology’s founding father’s work. As a theory of society, its basic premise is that social history has progressed in a way that the founders of sociology did not conceptualize. The founders of sociology held the view that history may end with industrialization while actually it has progressed by it. However, this progress has led to confusion about the nature and the subsequent direction of the society. The founding fathers could not conceptualize the current system which is characterized by the rise of relativity and the decline of absolute truth. With an increase in interactions coupled with the breaking of cultural and social barriers, the present society has lost purpose and direction. Post modernity best describe this time because the society has developed an attitude in which there are no certain truths about the world. This has led to modification and subsequent incorporation of various ideologies across all cultures. With regard to art, there exists a universality in appreciation and expression across all cultures. Different artistic styles are coordinated and incorporated in a single element thereby building a unique cultural system which integrates different elements in various cultural practices into one. For instance, music is a blend of various tunes from different regions, the construction of buildings follow popular designs and more different races work towards the same goals. The society has moved from state characterized by industrialization and urbanization to a state of human integration and purpose. The representation of society through multifaceted and diverse cultures has made the world to be a powerful yet confused in its understanding of life. This is the society that we live in today. The concept of post modernity is a recent one which was introduced in the arts and architecture. Today, it has spread across the various aspects of life and is yet to be accepted as the general name for this period in the history of the human society. The development of the post modern society traces its roots on the historical processes of the great transformation and modernity. Its existence in our world today cannot be denied. The period which was marked by the processes of industrialization and the expansion of capitalism saw the beginning of an era of modernity. (Krieken, Habibis, Smith, Hutchins, Haralambos, & Holborn 65). This era continued through the last century and today, we are experiencing a change in the human society. The accumulation of the process of change has resulted into this period which can justifiably be termed post modernism. The society has evolved to the extent that new conceptions and structures are developing that are bound to replace the existing ones. As much as we may refer to it as global, cosmopolitan or multicultural society, one apparent thing is that it has evolved from the society that existed prior to the invention of advanced information technology. This can only be referred to as a post modern society.

Professional Aspirations and Personal Statement

T Professional Aspirations and Personal Statement I truly believe that every individual on-this earth is called to help one another. It may be something so-simple- as to-tell a-friend that they matter when they're having a-bad day, or something huge as in dedicating your life-to tell people- that they matter. The latter is my goal. The-Christian faith has been a-passion- of mine since I was young, and now a senior in highschool I have-come- to the-condusion that the faith I have-must be shared with others.To-love when love-is needed, to care when-care is needed, to give a-sense of hope when life seems hopeless, and to-inspire when inspiration is no more. That is why I am choosing the-career of Christian Ministries. Yes, it is broad, but I believe- the-broadness to be-extremely inspiring and motivating for I can love, care, motivate, inspire, listen, teach, and-help humanity in a vast amount of ways. I believe that often- ministry is not necessarily â€Å"preaching† but just se tting themereexampleof love, For actions speak louder than words.I-am attending Azusa Pacific University next fall with a-major of Christian Ministries. I also-am considering of studying Intercultural Studies and Theatre; for theatre is a passion of mine, and-I believe- that Intercultural Studies with guide-me in my Ministry major, Azusa- is aprivate- Christian University that will give me-the education, and tools I need to-go-out a-helpothers. I also- plan on-doing mission trips in the summers, and study abroad for a semester so I can reach other cultures and countries. By the-word â€Å"reach' I mean to-simply love.I have- a passion to simply serve-other people, for I believe it to be the-most rewarding experience- on this earth. A Christian Ministries major will provide me with the-essentials needed to-go out into the world- with a sincere love-and passion for people, my goal is to serve, and I believe this major is one of the best for serving. Philanthropic Aspirations: My prof essional aspirations completely co inside' with my philanthropic aspirations for career aspirations is to increase' the well being of humankind in everyway.It is hard for me to specifically address one-humanitarian issue' for I want to impact all kinds of people- in diverseplaces; One-issue that I believe to-be increasing is the shallow idea of beauty. Women today are often driven to-make themselves on the outside lookbeautiftd; when inside they are hurting,and feel terribly insignificant and ugly, Now of days beauty is ali about the outside. The-media has a way of promoting theperf. ect hair,skin, body-type, etc in a way that women who do not have theperfect skin, hair, or body feel useless;I would like-to dedicate- my time-to showing these women the beauty inside them; beauty that doesn't come from anyone else; but a beauty that makes them who they are; I want topremote the-idea that women are-truly and-significantly beautiful the way they are. For this confidence will help many w omen with serious problems such as depression, anorexia/bulimia, lack of self confidence, and so many other problems women deal with. For by women knowing the-beauty they have they will be able-to embrace- who they are; and make-a direct impact on so many other women around them.I want to give-women the oopportunity 10 choose- a life of innerself, a life of love, hope; and happiness because- they love-who they are; I believe- that through my educational plans that I will be able to have-a direct impact on many women. For Christian Ministries is' all about people, so therefore- I . can be able to encourage- women at not only my University, hut through my church, missions; outreaches; and in everyday life. For life-should be about telling others that they matter,and let's face it women matter. And they matter not because of their outer appearance, but because of their inner goals, desires, and passions. ——

Children's literature - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Essay

Children's literature - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll Short story - Essay Example to be following a white rabbit to a hole, which is a doorway to the wonderland where Alice meets with different creatures and experiences a completely new realm in her life. From getting big to small, making friends to nemesis and from saving to being subjected to execution, Alice finds that all that had happened was just a dream and not reality. Henceforth, we will examine three aspects of the novel which are, the notions about and standpoint towards children of that era, how are literary techniques employed to present the children of the Victorian period and how does this literature provide a look on the characteristics of world and the quintessence established. Published in 1865, Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland was set in the late eighteen hundred, Victorian period in Britain. The author, though, illustrates a child who is curious, observant and stubborn, but possesses a good heart, has not specifically pointed out anything that may represent the children of those times and what were the concepts about children during the Victorian period. Hence, with the help of the historical and geographical background of the novella, we will expound and propound the theories that concern a child of that era and what kind of attitude they were subjected to. There are numerous sources available that give us an insight on the topic under scrutiny and we have availed some of those resources. Starting with the book by (Pollock), the author claims that the attitude towards children during the eighteenth century in Britain was not very different from the rest of the world. The children were not allowed to indulge in their curiosity like in the book of Carroll. Instead the upbringings of the children were excessively harsh and if not harsh, then they were not likable or appreciable. From physical to emotional, abuse was common enough in the Victorian era and parents expected unshakable obedience and respect from their children all the time, either by the nature itself or with the

San Francisco estuary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

San Francisco estuary - Essay Example Therefore, the bay is very important to the people since it also contains marshes and mudflats that act as a source of food to fish in the area(Edmund,  2012). Therefore, this makes fishing a key economic activity in the area. The estuary has been found to support over a hundred species of fish that inhabit both the salty and fresh water. Apart from fish, the estuary also supports wildlife such as birds. Therefore, the estuary indeed contributes significantly to human welfare around the area. However, with time different human activities have posed a key threat to the bay. This is due to the negative effects that industrial, agricultural and mining activities have on the organisms that have inhabited the estuary. In addition, both birds and fish have been forced to migrate due to destruction of 80% of its marshes. Therefore, indeed different ways of restoring the estuary need to be developed (Edmund,  2012). The population of growth rate of San Francisco was reported to be very h igh after the population number clocked 825, 900 people in 2012 census. The number of children born each year keeps on increasing and yet, the corresponding death rate remains very low. Therefore, with this high population growth, the number of persons demanding food also keeps on increasing each year. ... Destruction of the wetlands affects the overall balance of the ecosystem since; it affects the flora and fauna in the estuary. Different food chains also become broken since; degradation of the wetlands also forces some birds and mammals to migrate the area (San Francisco Bay Joint Venture, 2001). Dredging is also an issue that has been raised by the increasing population (Cohen & Laws, 2012). Dredging leads to increased dumping of the dredged sediments thus, causes pollution of the estuary. Increased industrial activity also causes increased level of pollutants from the industrial wastes. Pollution has been found to be a key problem to the estuary since the year 1879. For instance, mining activities bring a large number of pollutants such as mercury to the estuary. Urban runoff is also a key source of pollution to the estuary. This is because; it carries with it chemicals and metals washed from the streets. On the other hand, petroleum products also enter the estuary through spillag e from motor vehicle engines and other accidental spills such as from boats and ships. Pesticides used in agriculturemay also be washed to the water thus contributing to the pollution (Cohen & Laws, 2012). On the other hand, some of the pesticides used to control weeds in the water may also pollute the estuary despite being helpful. Therefore, it is indeed essential that the authorities focus on controlling pollution since; it has many detrimental effects on the bay. Human behavior indeed increases the habitat fracture because; most of the reasons leading to the fracture arise from human activities (Edmund,  2012). For instance, mining, agriculture, construction and industrial activities are all activities that are caused by humans. Therefore,

1995 Oklahoma City Bombing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

1995 Oklahoma City Bombing - Case Study Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that investigations into the attack led to the apprehension of Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols as those responsible for the bombing. Initial suspicion wrongfully inclined to Middle Eastern terrorist organizations. However, it did not take long before the investigations narrowed down to McVeigh, who had been arrested soon after the detonation for violating traffic regulations, and his compatriot Nichols. Both of them once served in U.S. Army and were linked to radical militant Patriot movement. Before his release for the traffic violation, McVeigh was named and charged as a suspect. Nichols surrendered himself to the authorities shortly afterward. McVeigh was found guilty on 11 counts of murder, conspiracy and using a weapon of mass destruction. He was executed in 2001 becoming the first person since 1963 to be executed for a federal crime in the U.S. Nichols, on the other hand, avoided the death penalty and was convicted for unintentional m anslaughter and conspiracy. So what is the reason that inspired McVeigh to plant the bomb? This was a retribution attack that was a retaliation to Waco tragedy. On April 19, 1993, the confrontation between the FBI and the Branch Davidian cult in Waco, Texas ended in tragedy when fire engulfed the entire Davidian compound following FBI’s decision to gas the complex. 75 lives of the cult followers, including many young children, lost their lives in the unintentional tragedy. The death toll was staggering and many people laid their blame on the U.S. government.

Book Report Mythologies by Roland Barthes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Book Report Mythologies by Roland Barthes - Essay Example He says that "All the toys one commonly sees are essentially a microcosm of the adult world" (Barthes, 1972, p.53), and that for instance, a girls doll is "meant to...'condition' her to her future role as mother" (Barthes, 1972, p.53). If we apply this to videogames, we can immediately see that semiotics, especially as applied to ideology, might shed more light on the role that games play in our globalised society. According to Barthes, French toys are an illustration of the belief that children are a miniature reflection of adults -toys offer too much direction - they do not allow children to engage in their own imaginative play. By providing children with "artificial" materials and toys are we, in turn, providing them with an "artificial" view of the world Mythologies is a text which is not one but plural. It contains fifty-four (only twenty-eight in the Annette Lavers's English translation) short journalistic articles on a variety of subjects. These texts were written between 1954 and 1956 for the left-wing magazine Les Lettres nouvelles and very clearly belong to Barthes's priode "journalistique"' (Calvet: 1973 p.37). They all show a topicality, typical of good journalism. Because of their very topicality they provide the contemporary reader with a panorama of the events and trends that took place in the France of the 1950s. Although the texts are very much of and about their times, many still have an unsettling contemporary relevance to us today. The majority of the fifty-four texts focus on various manifestations of mass culture, la culture de masse: films, advertizing, newspapers and magazines, photographs, cars, children's toys, popular pastimes and the like. Mythologies, however, includes an important theoretical essay entitled Le Mythe aujourd'hui' (Barthes: 1970 pp.193-247). In Le Mythe aujourd'hui', Barthes is at the barber's and is handed a copy of the Paris-Match. As he sees a photograph of a black soldier saluting the French flag, the arrangement of coloured dots on a white background, he understood it to be embedded with a signifier and a signified, constituting the idea of French imperialism and that France's empire treats all its subjects equally. It is a retrospectively imposed where its position after the journalistic articles is also significant. This expressed not simply the chronological order in which they were written, but also to make more explicit some of the concerns that underpin the fifty-four essays. There is, then, a certain amount of continuity between the two parts' of Mythologies. If there is a certain amount of thematic continuity between the two parts' of Mythologies then it is here, where Barthes claimed that he wanted to challenge the innocence' and naturalness' of cultural texts and practices. Although objects, gestures and practices have a certain utilitarian function, they are not resistant to the imposition of meaning. There is no such thing, to take but one example, as a car which is a purely functional object devoid of connotations and resistant to the imposition of meaning. A BMW and a Citron 2CV share the same functional utility, they do essentially the same job but connote different things about their owners: thrusting,

Team Building Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Team Building - Essay Example But a basic disadvantage in this type of functioning is that the employee doesn't feel the belonging to the organization and therefore may not go for value addition and creativity to the task. An individual is least bothered about the final product, once he/ she has done his/ her share of task. A team on the other hand helps in networking of the individuals, with exchange of ideas and suggestions. This not only helps in regular updation of the knowledge level of the team members but also enriches the final product and service. When the customer feels the advantage of value addition, he'll naturally be attracted towards the product/ service. The figure below depicts the difference between these two types of systems. Teams in general are committed for common goals as they are accountable for them. Teams can pool there resources, synergize their acts and the team members can complement and supplement each other's efforts to come out with the final product. Contribution from the concerned team members helps in widening the thoughts, assigning responsibilities, helps in implementing and constantly monitoring the results and feedback helps in devising a still better strategy. Structure and composition of a team forms the basis of its working. ... But the core characteristic is the commitment to a common goal. The team structure determines how to maximize the common efforts. If any one members of the team works in a manner adversely affecting the final outcome, then it acts as a de-motivating factor for other members in the team, which in turn affects the quality of the final product. Therefore an efficient team structure also takes care of such eventualities. A well designed team structures helps in polishing the abilities of the individual team members. A person's strengths may not always be visible; it might be overshadowed by something that he has done in the past. Sometimes it requires a personal trigger from the team leader. When the team members find that the team is behind them and the leader has enough confidence in them they come out of their shell with readiness to take initiatives. The trigger has to be the right one, because squeezing the wrong one might lead to further detachment. Strategies must be in place to s upport such initiates and experiments. Answer-2 Part-I: Contribution of leadership towards strategy implementation Howard Good (2006), the former president of Highland Central School Board in Highland, N.Y., says, "Being board president brings power and prestige, but you must inspire and help others to be successful". A team leader therefore plays the central role in making or breaking the team. It is the team leader who can synergize the efforts or just wither away the advantage, with his actions. A team leader is supposed to delegate the powers and responsibilities amongst his/ her team mates, inspire the team members by being an example and motivate his team with appropriate motivating factors. A leader

MHE510, Occupational Health and Safety, Mod 4 Case Assignment Essay

MHE510, Occupational Health and Safety, Mod 4 Case Assignment - Essay Example In this case, the patient sued the company he is working for because he has mesothelioma and has been exposed to asbestos. He admits that he has had several positions and all of them exposed him to asbestos. The UK courts have determined that the exposure is work related and now must determine how much of the cost of the workmans compensation each of the companies are responsible for (OSullivan, 2010). Before this writer could take a position, there are some things that must be known? Does or has this employee actually worked in a company where he might have been exposed to asbestos? What kind of lung cancer does he presently have and is he a smoker? Have there been any tests to assure that this lung cancer is coming from exposure to asbestos? If the answer to number one is true and number three is positive, the answer has to be that this is a workmans comp case. Workmans compensation is meant to cover a disabled worker who has been injured on the job with a fixed income in an effort to avoid litigation because of the injury. These awards are awarded for disability or to the family in the case of death (cornell.edu, 2010). It was the first critical legislation that was provided in liability. It has changed quite a lot since that original ruling and there is more onus on the boards to determine whether an exposure was from work or personnel. In the case of asbestos, there are now very specific things, including small particle masks that an employer is supposed to use. If they do not and the employee is exposed, it is not difficult to determine where the exposure happened. There are other more difficult cases however (Anderson, 2000). An example of this is the firefighter that gets lung cancer and is also a smoker. It is known from studies (Guidotti, 2007) that firefighters are exposed to many carcinogens therefore the suggestion for those exposures is as follows. "There is presumption justified for the following cancers: bladder, kidney, testicular and brain

What Are the Humanities and Why Do We Study It Essay Example for Free

What Are the Humanities and Why Do We Study It Essay I went around asking multiple people what they thought Humanities was. Most of them kind of hesitated before they would come to a conclusion. I asked my friend, Gabe, what he thought humanities was. His response was, The study of humans and where they come from? He asked it in a question like he wasnt quite sure. Another person I asked was my friend, Amberly. She thought it was the study of humans health. She was also very hesitant when she responded to my question. My friend, David, response was, The study of cultures and how they express themselves. He was very quick to respond when I asked him. It didnt even take him a second to think about it. I finally looked up the word Humanities in the dictionary to find out the correct definition and this is what it read: a.the study of classical languages and classical literature. b.the Latin and Greek classics as a field of study. c.literature, philosophy, art, etc., as distinguished from the natural sciences. d.the study of literature, philosophy, art, etc.  Studying Humanities is important because individuals should be aware of the differnt cultures around them and be open to how people express themselves. There is a lot of judgemental people out in the world. I dont believe anyone should be given dirty looks for having piercings/ tattoos, dressing differently, being over/ under weight, etc. Everyone is unique and beautiful in their own way. Individuals should not have to change themselves because someone has made fun of them or looked at them differently.

Stereotyping German Turks Cultural Studies Essay

Stereotyping German Turks Cultural Studies Essay An American, a Chinese a German and a Turk are in a plane. Because of a technical fault the plane is about to crash if not immediately some ballast is thrown out. The Chinese opens the door and gets rid of the rice in his bag explaining: it doesnt matter, we have too much rice at home. Then the American stands up and throws greenbacks out of the window: we have way too many of them back home. After a short silence the Turk turns to the German and says: Bruder (buddy), dont get any silly ideas!. by pointing out their representation as victims and unwelcome guest-workers. Meanwhile, wrapped in a humorous aspect this joke clearly hints at the fact that prejudices and stereotypes have an immense influence in our daily life. Now the following question arises: To what extent do stereotypes affect intercommunal relations? With the intention of answering the question this work will focus on stereotypes, Turks in Germany are confronted with, by analyzing the representation of both immigrants with Turkish heritage and native born Germans in literature as well as in cinema. In order to support the theses it will refer to authors like Arlene Akiko Teroka, Rob Burns, Gà ¶kà §e Yurdakuli Y. Michal Bodemann, Johanna Watzginer Tharp and to their works. In addition, it will discuss the social consequences of stereotyping and show how much prejudices and labeling affect our actions towards and treatment of other groups. In order to be able to understand the labeling process the emergence of specific stereotypes one should be well informed about the historical background of the aforesaid nations and their international relationships. In the case of Germany and Turkey the era after World War II plays a decisive role. Aiming to rebuild the country and reconstruct its ruined economy the German government decided to import labor from nearby countries like Turkey. (Yurdakul, 2006) These so called guest-workers were unskilled peasants in search of income, which they were unable to gain in their homeland. This immigration policy of the German government is inextricably linked with the perception of Turkish immigrants in the eyes of German citizens. To be precise, the first stereotype Turks have to cope with is the image of unskilled guest-workers. In order to make this labeling clear a connection with literature and cinema seems adequate at this point. Migrant writings and films between 1970s and 1980s were called guest-worker literature or the literature of the effected. (Burns, 2007) They mostly tended to foreground two thematic concerns; the reality of the exploited, discriminated and socially excluded Turkish guest-worker experience and the problems of living between two cultures. (Burns, 2007) One example underlying the above mentioned image and experience of the uneducated and socially excluded Turkish guest-workerr is the novel and film Ganz Unten (Lowest of the Low),. In the film, the writer Gà ¼nter Wallraff borrows the identity of a real immigrant, the guest-worker Ali Levent Sinirlioglu and records his experiences in a variety of dangerous, unsanitary and badly paid jobs. Devoid of both a personal history and a private sphere, Wallraffs Ali has no individual identity, no life beyond the workplace.(Burns, 2007) In the film the immigrant Ali is defined purely in relation to his economic function as a worker. According to the Turkish writer Aysel ÃÆ'-zakin, Walraff presents a patronising clichà ©d portrait of the Turk as uneducated, unskilled and basically ignorant, as well as naive [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] oppressed and, hence, ultimately pitiful. (Burns, 2007) Thus Ganz Unten reinforces the stereotype of the Turks as merely unskilled and suppressed guest-workers. This example additionally shows that the stereotype of guest-worker goes hand in hand with the portrayal of German Turks as victims,oppressed by the superior, the German employer. One narrative example that underlies the image of the exploited, helpless guest-worker is the story about the laboratory assistant Kadir, who falls victim to a nefarious employer a German manager, who supplies him with hormone pills for the stomach cramps that continually afflict him.(Burns, 2007) At the end when Kadir grows breasts after the excessive supply of hormone pills he cuts his own breasts with a kitchen knife. This act of self-mutilation serves as a [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] metaphor for German treatment of guest-workers, especially Turks as subhuman beings and for the helpless and self-destructive response of a man, who falls victim to the bewildering complexities of urban technological society.(Burns, 2007) Beside the portrayal of being a victim the fact of being regarded as a guest-worker also leads to another stereotype: the image of being an outsider. The film 40 m2 Deutschland (40 Square Meters of Germany, 1986), is a very well example to show the Turk, isolated between two cultures. The films location is a flat in Hamburg, the new home of Turna, who has been brought over from rural Anatolia to live with her husband, Dursun. Turnas task is to transform this space into a little enclave of Turkish culture, offering Dursun refuge after his work at the factory and safeguarding his wife from the moral depravity he sees pervading German society. (Burns, 2007) This film demonstrates that Turks tend to distance themselves from the German society and their rules, in order to save their own cultural values. This kind of behavior contributes to the labeling process as an outsider. The Turk is seen as someone, who wants only minimal contact with German life and deliberately deprives him/herself of social intercourse. This limited contact with the German society and culture even led to the development of a new language-the so-called Gastarbeiterdeutsch (Guest-worker German), a simplified form of German to meet only basic communicative needs (Watzinger Tharp, 2004); a form of German which leads to reduced or even incorrect input. (Watzinger Tharp, 2004) A new arising form of language among the second and third generation Turks in Germany, the so called Tà ¼rkendeutsch, introduces a new stereotype: the fact that German Turks are stuck between two cultures, even unable to speak one language properly. This stereotype is clearly reflected in Geierbachs choice of his novels title: Bruder, muss Zwiebel und Wasser essen! (Brother, have to eat onion and water!). This sentence is neither German nor Turkish: The content reflects behaviour peculiar to lower class Turks whereas the sentence is completely written in German. Thus, it appears to be rather a mix of two languages, two cultures, and therefore ser ves as an example to demonstrate the fact that the German Turk, has positioned him/herself between two cultures remaining culturally torn. However, these are only some of the stereotypes Turks in Germany are confronted with. Still, they can be seen as the main ones. The following abstract will now shortly focus on the social consequences of stereotyping and show their effects,which mainly cause social tension and even racial violence. The bad image of the Turks created through stereotyping connected with increasing unemployment rates in Germany led to an atmosphere of open anti Turkism among Germans. Some even say that former anti Semitism was transformed into open anti Turkism. In short stereotyping led to animosity and aggressive tendencies and increasing violence towards Turks. The Solingen arson attack of 1993 serves as an example of anti foreigner violence in modern Germany, when Neo Nazis set fire to a Turkish familys home. On the Turkish side, however, being constantly stereotyped and mocked resulted in anger and hostility among German Turks. A cartoon published in the German magazine Stern shows a heavily mustached man crawling through a cat hole in a door named European Union, trying to gain entry into Europe. Some imitation Arabic writing appears on top of the cat hole, and a suitcase with a Turkish flag stands next to the man.(Yurdakul, 2006) Some claim that the nose of the Jew is now replaced by the mustache of the Turk and consequently accuse Germans of anti Turkish racism. As a response, associating Turkish concerns with those of the Jews and comparing the Holocaust to the bombings of Turkish houses, the Turkish society has openly begun to attack the Germans, where they are most vulnerable, creating even more hostility between both nations. In conclusion, by analyzing the representation of Turks and Germans in literature and cinema, this paper has tried to highlight the stereotypes directed against Turks-mainly German Turks, dominating Turkish-German relationships, even until today. After, explaining the historical evolution of stereotypes and the emergence of specific prejudices against Turks, the essay has illustrated the social consequences of labeling. As seen in literature and cinema stereotyping is an element, which dominates relationships between different nations. In a nutshell, the main aim of this paper is to show that stereotyping and labeling are very serious and dangerous social traits, which can have drastic consequences on intercommunal relations fueling emotions like hostility, dislike, anger and even racism, all being traits which should have no place in an enlightened, modern society.