Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Baby Talk Essays

Baby Talk Essays Baby Talk Essay Baby Talk Essay believes that baby talk is good for infants. She states that infants respond to the facial expressions, can differentiate between sounds better, and have enough to process already so baby talk is the best thing for them in the first few months of infants lives. Dry. Golfing stresses that talking baby talk to your children, right after birth through the first few months of their life, is DOD for the child because the child will respond better to the baby talk. Parents will open their eyes and over accentuate their mouth which will get the child interested. Researchers have also found that baby talk can help infants differentiate between sounds. While talking directly to the infant a parent will use a higher pitched voice. On the other hand, if the infant is in the room while the parents are talking to each other, they will probably be talking in a lower, more natural tone and the infant will be able to tell the difference between those. When baby talk is used by a parent, mailer words are usually spoken to the infant. IOW are such a pretty baby, is a common phrase that parents say to their children. This phrase is made up of smaller words, that arent too complex. Dry. T. Berry Beaverton believes that it is easier for infants to understand baby talk. Using less complex words and phrases makes it easier for the infant to process the information. At this stage in an infants life, everything is new. Adding complex words and phrases makes it ha rder for the child to understand and process what you are trying to tell them, because they are also ring to process everything else that is going on around them. A question of concern from a soon-to-be new parent sent in to this company about this article was, If you talk to your children with baby talk, wont they grow up talking like babies? Dry. Golfing believes that this will not happen. She responded with, Baby talk naturally stops as the child gets older and is able to better communicate with the parent, she explains. You Just naturally adjust. At age three, youre not doing it. This question is a big concern for new parents. They do not know if they should be talking to their new born babies this way because they do not want their children growing up and becoming illiterate. In the article, the author relies on the research done on the subject, and keeps her own personal biases out of the article. I think this makes the article better than if she would have included her personal bias. I think that she does this so that the article is strictly based on research. I believe she wanted to get the facts across and not Just what different people think about the subject. I also think he uses strictly research because as I mentioned before, this is a topic many parents are interested in. It is good for parents to know that it has been proven that using baby talk is good for your child. While I dont think this is a big controversial topic that every parent brings up, I do think it is a good fact for parents to know. With so many peoples opinions coming out about how using baby talk to your infant makes them illiterate, it is beneficial for a parent to know it is actually healthy for their child to be talked to in that way. It is also important for parents to know that not using

Friday, November 22, 2019

Ancient Olmec Culture

Ancient Olmec Culture The Olmec culture thrived along Mexico’s Gulf Coast from approximately 1200-400 B.C. The first great Mesoamerican culture, it had been in decline for centuries before the arrival of the first Europeans, therefore, much information about the Olmecs has been lost. We know the Olmecs primarily through their art, sculpture, and architecture. Although many mysteries remain, ongoing work by archaeologists, anthropologists, and other researchers has given us something of a glimpse into what Olmec life might have been like. Olmec Food, Crops, and Diet The Olmecs practiced basic agriculture using the slash-and-burn technique, in which overgrown plots of land are burned: this clears them for planting and the ashes act as fertilizer. They planted many of the same crops seen in the region today, such as squash, beans, manioc, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes. Maize was a staple of the Olmec diet, although it is possible that it was introduced late in the development of their culture. Whenever it was introduced, it soon became very important: one of the Olmec Gods is associated with maize. The Olmecs avidly fished from nearby lakes and rivers. Clams, alligators, and various types of fish were an important part of their diet. The Olmecs preferred to make settlements near water, as the floodplains were good for agriculture and fish and shellfish could be had more easily. For meat, they had domestic dogs and the occasional deer. A vital part of the Olmec diet was nixtamal, a special sort of corn meal ground with seashells, lime or ashes, the addition of which greatly enhances the nutritional value of the cornmeal. Olmec Tools In spite of only having Stone Age technology, the Olmecs were able to make several sorts of tools which made their life easier. They used whatever was at hand, such as clay, stone, bone, wood or deer antlers. They were skilled at making ​pottery: vessels and plates used for storing and cooking food. Clay pots and vessels were extremely common among the Olmec: literally, millions of potsherds have been discovered in and around Olmec sites. Tools were mostly made of stone and include basic items such as hammers, wedges, mortar-and-pestles and mano-and-metate grinders used for mashing corn and other grains. Obsidian was not native to the Olmec lands, but when it could be had, it made excellent knives. Olmec Homes The Olmec culture is remembered today in part because it was the first Mesoamerican culture to produce small cities, most notably San Lorenzo and La Venta (their original names are unknown). These cities, which have been extensively investigated by archaeologists, were indeed impressive centers for politics, religion, and culture, but most ordinary Olmecs did not live in them. Most common Olmecs were simple farmers and fishermen who lived in family groups or small villages. Olmec homes were simple affairs: generally, one large building made of earth packed around poles, which served as a sleeping area, dining room, and shelter. Most homes probably had a small garden of herbs and basic foods. Because the Olmecs preferred to live in or near flood plains, they built their homes on small mounds or platforms. They dug holes in their floors to store food. Olmec Towns and Villages Excavations show that smaller villages consisted of a handful of homes, most likely inhabited by family groups. Fruit trees such as zapote or papaya were common in villages. Larger excavated villages often have a central mound of greater size: this would be where the home of a prominent family or local chieftain was built, or perhaps a small shrine to a god whose name is now long-forgotten. The status of the families that made up the village could be discerned by the how far they lived from this town center. In larger towns, more remains of animals such as dog, alligator, and deer have been found than in smaller villages, suggesting that these foods were reserved for local elites. Olmec Religion and Gods The Olmec people had a well-developed religion. According to archaeologist Richard Diehl, there are five aspects of Olmec religion, including a well-defined cosmos, a shaman class, sacred places and sites, identifiable gods and specific rituals and ceremonies. Peter Joralemon, who has studied the Olmecs for years, has identified no fewer than eight gods from surviving Olmec art. Common Olmecs who worked the fields and caught fish in the rivers probably only participated in religious practices as observers, because there was an active priest class and the rulers and ruling family most likely had specific and important religious duties. Many of the Olmec gods, such as the Rain God and Feathered Serpent, would go on to form part of the pantheon of later Mesoamerican civilizations, such as the Aztec and Maya. The Olmec also played the ritualistic Mesoamerican ball game. Olmec Art Most of what we know about the Olmec today is due to surviving examples of Olmec art. The most easily recognizable pieces are the massive colossal heads, some of which are nearly ten feet tall. Other forms of Olmec art that have survived include statues, figurines, celts, thrones, wooden busts and cave paintings. The Olmec cities of San Lorenzo and La Venta most likely had an artisan class who worked on these sculptures. Common Olmecs likely produced only useful art such as pottery vessels. Thats not to say that the Olmec artistic output did not affect the common people, however: the boulders used to make the colossal heads and thrones were quarried many miles from the workshops, meaning that thousands of commoners would be pressed into service to move the stones on sledges, rafts, and rollers to where they were needed. Importance of Olmec Culture Understanding the Olmec culture is very important to modern-day researchers and archaeologists. First of all, the Olmec was the mother culture of Mesoamerica, and many aspects of Olmec culture, such as gods, glyphic writing, and artistic forms, became part of later civilizations such as the Maya and Aztecs. Even more importantly, the Olmec were one of only six primary or pristine civilizations in the world, the others being ancient China, Egypt, Sumeria, the Indus of India and the Chavin culture of Peru. Pristine civilizations are those that developed somewhere without any significant influence from previous civilizations. These primary civilizations were forced to develop on their own, and how they developed teaches us a lot about our distant ancestors. Not only are the Olmecs a pristine civilization, they were the only ones to develop in a humid forest environment, making them a special case indeed. The Olmec civilization had gone into decline by 400 B.C. and historians arent exactly sure why. Their decline probably had much to do with wars and climate change. After the Olmec, several clearly post-Olmec societies developed in the Veracruz region. There is much that is still unknown about the Olmecs, including some very important, basic things such as what they called themselves (Olmec is an Aztec word applied to sixteenth-century dwellers in the region). Dedicated researchers are constantly pushing the boundaries of what is known about this mysterious ancient culture, bringing new facts to light and correcting errors previously made. Sources Coe, Michael D. Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs. Ancient Peoples and Places, Rex Koontz, 7th Edition, Thames Hudson, June 14, 2013. Cyphers, Ann. Surgimiento y decadencia de San Lorenzo, Veracruz. Arqueologà ­a Mexicana Vol XV - Num. 87 (Sept-Oct 2007). P. 30-35. Diehl, Richard A. The Olmecs: Americas First Civilization. London: Thames and Hudson, 2004. Grove, David C. Cerros Sagradas Olmecas. Trans. Elisa Ramirez. Arqueologà ­a Mexicana Vol XV - Num. 87 (Sept-Oct 2007). P. 30-35. Miller, Mary and Karl Taube. An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya. New York: Thames Hudson, 1993.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Effects Of Adoption On Young Adoptees Assignment

Effects Of Adoption On Young Adoptees - Assignment Example Parents without adopted children think adoption is a simple process whereby the adopted child has only to seek truth about his or her true parentage. This is not the correct because the child experiences other emotional and psychological effects. In this article, the author outlines common feelings adopted kids have. They feelings include a sense of loss and grief over real parentage, lack of control over life, curiosity about family heritage, feels abandoned, guilt, and fear of rejection. In addition, the writer mentions that the adopted children thinks about how life would have been with the birth parents, feels angered by real parent or adoptive ones and feels unworthy of love and fear getting emotionally involved with other people. However, due to the difference in the adoption situation, some children do not experience the feelings since they are at peace with the adoptive parents. They are exceptional. Despite this, parents should work hard to help children learn and cope with the emotions accompanying adoption

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Talent leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Talent leadership - Essay Example gh performance talent leadership is attained by using the critical roles in talent leadership aiming at success, and in this part experience matters a lot. Members are skilled with the following attributes; good relations with other team members, able to compel clear vision and goals well coordinated roles and relationship, with good accountability. The team tends to have a positive atmosphere, effective methods of communications, good in making the decision, and leaders participate fully. The graph below represents the leadership performance on the y-axis and the leadership potential on the x-axis. Combination of both axis helps in explaining the high performance in an organization when following the leadership talents to maintain his performance. High performance model in an organization is talent leadership. They are much effective where the members have a set goal and knowing their purpose. Leadership talents form the basis of the high performance in an organization or a business . On the other hand, experience contributes a lot in maintaining the performance. In this model, it is a proper to state that, the level of talent leadership in the organization is high, and skills to this are also highly considered since the organization need to prosper and maintain the highest performance from its competitors. In my model, there are more skilled executives from the lower grounds as compared to other models. For instance, a model may only consider Performance of talent leadership in high levels and put less regard on the lower part of it.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Maya Angelou Essay Example for Free

Maya Angelou Essay As a woman you are created with a special gift, it’s like little extra ingredients that all women have within them. The poem â€Å"Phenomenal Woman† by Maya Angelou, she speaks about the elegance of a woman, her inner being the way she glow without saying a word Maya expressed how men are amazed by her presence â€Å"men themselves have wondered what they see in me† (line 31-32). It’s hard to put your finger on it all women were born with the power. In the poem â€Å"Still I rise† by Maya Angelou she described the struggles of life trials and tribulations you face in society and the way people may judge you. As if she was writing about a woman â€Å"does my sassiness upset you? †She also wrote in another stanza â€Å"does my sexiness upset you? †She used this comparison to show she is a sexy woman who demands respect. Maya’s attitude in this poem is portraying a confident black African American woman. She is really laughing at men challenging them. They cannot stop her from rising above all expectation. This poem gives you not only inspiration encouragement to be fearless; to the end of it all you must believe you still rise above it all. The title gives a sense of entity and power. This masterpiece the poem â€Å"phenomenal woman† has also empowered women to get more in touch with their inner beauty. Maya describes in great detail the mystery of women and the behavior of men and their reaction. It shows women to not only love your-self but to embrace every aspect of your mind, body and soul. Maya show that sexuality isn’t only related to outer beauty, or by the way you dress it more about how you feel within your own skin . she shows you instead of hating your body love it from the crown of your head to the sole of your feet. In society today women enhances their body by doing plastic surgery to feel accepted. She feels inferior clearly stating that every part of a woman is beauty. In comparisons to â€Å"Phenomenal Woman† and â€Å"Still I Rise† both poems Maya speaks about not bowing to the â€Å"oppressor†. You can feel her compassion in every word in Phenomenal Woman â€Å"now you understand why my head’s not bowed† (lines 47). Still I Rise forth stanza â€Å"with head bowed and eyes lowered? †Within these lines she stresses that she will not conform to what society made her out to be, that she will soar above and beyond everyone expectations. The little gives a sense of entity and power. In conclusion these two poems have few similarities; Maya characterized the strength of an African American woman. By using powerful words she described the emotional aspect of inner beauty, standing proud professing no one will ever bring her down not by the color of her skin nor the fact of being a woman that there’s more within.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Nudity and Sex in Advertising :: Advertising Advertisements Media Essays

Nudity and Sex in Advertising I have chosen to research and write about the controversy of nudity and sex in advertising in the United States of America. Many people oppose advertising that uses sex and nudity to sell products, while others believe that there is nothing wrong with sex or nudity displayed in adverting. For my final research paper I have chosen to argue with the side that believes it is okay to advertise usually nudity and sex. Countries in Europe use full frontal nudity and sex to sell products all the time and not as many people are offended by the advertisements compared to people in America. I will be discussing why Americans view these advertisements different than Europeans and why with out these advertisements they are making the situation worse. The topic of nudity and sex in advertising is important to all television viewers because if nudity and sex are banned from advertising, what will be banned next. Any thing could be banned with the support of a enough people, so we have to draw a line somewhere. I believe that hopefully my research and conclusions will help change the minds of at least a few people and maybe even start a revolution to allow nudity and sex in advertising. Maybe no one will read my paper or change there minds about the topic, but at least I can say that I tried and gave it my best. I hope though to become more knowledgeable about the topic for later encounters with this controversy. Virgin Mobile has decided to move away from nudity in their campaigns and move more to conservative advertisements. They believe that the change will indeed change them from â€Å"sinners to saints.† Their old ads had nude women wearing only a clear cell phone box where now the ads will contain teenagers talking to religious figures such as priests, monks, and rabbis. They decided to make the change with all the pressure advertising and the media has been getting from showing sex and nudity. I will be using this article in my paper that condemns using nudity and sex in advertising and the media. It will help me show even companies are actually listening to their viewers and in the end changing their advertisements. Word count: 123 Cuneo, Alice Z.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Describe the characteristics of the different types of schools in relation to educational stage(s) and school governance Essay

The two schools I shall be discussing are Parkstone Grammar School, and Canford Heath Infant School. I have chosen these schools, as they are very different, not only in their age ranges but also in the processes in which they admit their students. Parkstone Grammar School is a selective all girls academy school in Poole, Dorset. (Academy meaning â€Å"a school directly funded by the governments Department of Education, but independent of local government control.† â€Å"An academy may receive additional support from personal or corporate sponsors, but must meet the same National Curriculum core subject requirements as other state schools and be subject to inspection by Ofsted.† Source Wikipedia) The school provides for girls aged between 11 and 18, teaching key stages 3, 4 and 5. The selection process to determine which girls will be eligible to be considered for an admission place is formatted by means of three exams, one verbal reasoning and two non-verbal reasoning. The girls who meet the appropriate level of ability in these tests can then apply for a place at the school via the local borough. The places are then considered and decided by the schools Governors’ Admissions panel following the criteria shown below. a)Eligible girls who are classed as â€Å"looked after† or have previously been â€Å"looked after†. b)Eligible girls who live within the Borough of Poole. c)Eligible girls who live outside the Borough of Poole, in rank order of the entrance test scores, with those girls obtaining highest scores given higher priority. Parkstone Grammar School has a substantial governing body who describe their role as â€Å"A critical friend† to the school. The governing body, or school governors are responsible for the admissions to the school, as previously mentioned and the recruitment of staff. They also have control over the school funds in order to ensure the teachers and students have the resources they require. Parkstone Grammar School receives most of its funding from the local  authority, receiving  £15464 for 2011-2012. This money is then used to support learning in numerous ways, such as, curriculum support, work experience and SEN. The school also receives The school also receives funding from local companies who sponsor and support the school by providing equipment and help fund building projects such as a new sports hall, for example. In contrast to the Grammar school, Canford Heath Infant School is a state run primary school, providing education for ages 4-7, which covers the Early Years Foundation Stages (EYFS) and Key Stage 1 and 2. The admissions policy is very different to the Grammar, all admissions for the infant school are organised by Poole Borough. Poole admissions conduct and equal preference admissions system, where parents select 3 choices which are considered together, but the highest ranked preference is offered subject to availability. Similarly to the Grammar school though the admissions consider the following criteria when the school is over-subscribed. a)A child in care or who was previously a child in care. b) Pupils who live within the schools catchment area. c)Pupils who live outside the catchment area in the following order 1)Pupils who have sibling who’s already enrolled in the school 2)Pupils who have a significant medical or psychological condition 3)All other pupils As with the Grammar school, Canford Heath Infant School has a governing body which has certain legal duties and responsibilities to ensure that the school provides the correct services to parents and the children attending the school. Canford Heath Infant School governing body consists of five types of governor. 1)LEA – Appointed by the local authority 2)Parent – Elected by parents 3)Community Governor – Elected by the governing body 4)Staff governor – elected by the staff 5)Associate governor – elected by the governing body As with the Grammar school funding is a vital necessity. Canford Heath Infant School is mainly funded the local authority but also has a parent support group who work with the school to provide extra funds for school trips, discos, book bags and library books. Although these schools are very different in their admission procedures and the age of children attending, both schools follow similar structural criteria. For admissions, funding and academic, most importantly both have governing bodies that support the whole school and provide essential guidance, advice and ensuring schools provide equality of opportunity for everyone, by setting values, aims and objectives, agreeing school improvement strategy’s, which involves approving budgets and agreeing staffing. So therefore, in conclusion, despite the differences these schools are effectively run in the same manner, with the same goals and objectives.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

General Giap Essay

General Vo Nguyen Giap is perhaps the most important figure in the early history of communist Vietnam with the exception of Ho Chi Minh. General Giap’s skills and expertise of were an essential element of the French defeat in 1954. However General Giap cannot be held solely responsible, the political skills of Ho Chi Minh (the leader of the Viet Minh independence movement) cannot be underestimated. There were many reasons for the French defeat in Vietnam, abundant mistakes were made and the Viet Minh were lead by two of the greatest leaders of the 20th century. Giap rchestrated the defeat of the French and was particularly important in the battle of Dien Bien Phu. Ho Chi Minh was an experienced revolutionary and passionate nationalist infatuated by a single goal: independence for his country. He was a central fgure in the movement to free Asia from the restraints of colonialism. Ho Chi Minh was ultimately working towards the liberation of Vietnam from French colonial rule and â€Å"unity of views between the army and the people†. Ho Chi Minh was a founding member of the Indochinese Communist Party (ICP). The goals of the ICP included the overthrow of the French; establishment of an independent Vietnam uled by a peoples’ government; â€Å"help people in production, anti-literacy, sanitation and disease prevention†. General Giap was the Commander and Defence Minister of North Vietnam from 1944-1980 and was an integral component in the unravelling of French control in Vietnam. Previously, on the outbreak of World War II, Giap fled to China to Join Vietnamese Communist leader Ho Chi Minh, which led to the formation of the Vietnamese Independence League, abbreviated to Viet Minh. In 1945, armed propaganda teams under Giap’s command became the People’s Liberation Army. Subsequently in 1945, Giap served as interior minister in Ho Chi Minh’s revolutionary government created to defeat the French. Giap’s strength lay as a military commander and his scrupulous attention to organisation, which were vital elements in the French downfall. The Vietnamese opposition to the French began almost as soon as the French began to rule. The Vietnamese traditionally have resisted foreigners. Their defeat of China previously gave them a reputation of being one of the most feared nations in South East Asia, meaning that it took the French an extended amount of time to gain overall control. Prior to the 20th century, resistance to the French was constant and violent. The resistance was traditional and localised, involving isolated attacks which were easily contained by the French. Furthermore, World War One gave impetus and momentum to the growth of nationalism, the strong wish for growth, freedom and independence of one’s country and patriotism for Vietnam. Many Vietnamese men were forced to serve in France during WW1 and those who returned brought with them the revolutionary concept of nationalism and as a result the nature of the resistance changed to a more national approach rather than regionally focussed. Additionally, in 1905, Japan became the first Asian power in modern times to efeat a European power during a large naval battle. The Vietnamese determination and motivation were boosted, demonstrating that they could potentially defeat the French, one ot the most intluential European powers at the time. Following the reoccupation of Indochina by the French at the end of World War Two, the Viet Minh rebelled against the French and this became known as the first Indochinese war. French lack of knowledge of Vietnamese geography made it difficult for them to defend themselves. â€Å"The army trained the people in†¦ † guerrilla tactics that were highly successful as they were unlike any approach in the Western world. The unpredictable nature of the guerrilla tactics also minimised the losses of the Viet Minh’s army, making it stronger. The French army began to wear down, decreasing the men’s morale and eventually leading to an easier fght for the Viet Minh. Initially the French underestimated Vietnamese ability; unbeknown to the French they were numerically disadvantaged with 13000 Frenchmen fghting a 35000 strong Viet Minh People’s Army. Prior to the war it was acknowledged that Ho Chi Minh’s original name, Nguyen Tat Thanh, was widely known as many people had heard that he had been a ajor supporter of peasants and workers rights, who in turn supported him. This meant that if he needed a place to hide, the local peasants happily helped, making the Viet Minh virtually untraceable. The widespread support of Ho Chi Minh also meant that people trusted the movement towards independence and nationalism; giving the Viet Minh the political edge over the French. Back in France, the French public were beginning to realise that the conflict in Vietnam was not worth the effort; therefore support for the conflict was lessening. In addition, the Vietnamese determination and strength could not be matched by the French; the Viet Minh had ne thing that the French did not, a goal. The Viet Minh and Giap had learnt invaluable lessons from previous conflicts and mistakes, whereas the French had not. Dien Bien Phu was the longest confrontation and most furious battle of the French Expeditionary Corps. It was the final undoing of the French. In 1953, as both sides prepared for peace talks in the Indochina War, French military commanders selected Dien Bien Phu as the location for a fght with the Viet Minh. Viet Minh guerrillas and troops from the People’s Army of Vietnam surrounded Dien Bien Phu during the build up of the garrisons. The Viet Minh concealed artillery and supplies in camouflaged caves on the mountain face. The Viet Minh’s initial assault on the French almost immediately proved the vulnerability and flawed defence of the French. The French supplies and weapons were flown in by plane; however, this usually led to the shelling of the aircraft. The Viet Minh used local peasants to bring in supplies and weaponry, through dense forests, an entry the French had written off as impassable. As source A suggests â€Å"The Army established a good relationship with the people and relied on the people to fight and defeat the enemy’. Giap used the element of surprise by skilfully employing supporting operations which deceived the French. Giap easily identified the French’s critical vulnerability and used their mistakes to his own advantage. The work of a great strategist. One crucial decision that Giap made was when he moved his own headquarters to the Dien Bien Phu battle site. This allowed him to personally oversee the conflict, and clear up confusion or misunderstandings straight away. General Giap was able to carefully dictate time and place engagements throughout his meticulously planned operation. The heavy

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Information Retrieval Methods

Information Retrieval Methods Introduction The people attic trust is a complex storage and retrieval project featuring widely varying forms of media spanning several decades’ worth of information embedded in different forms of technological media.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Information Retrieval Methods specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some of them feature single modes of data storage while some contain many forms of media. Some of it is text, while a lot of it falls under the multimedia category. The challenge of organising it into retrievable formats and subsequently availing the information to a wide audience through an Information Retrieval mechanism is daunting. Fortunately, several tools already exist to tackle this kind of challenge. The primary goal of the project is to document the existence of the media, to describe them adequately and to make their future retrieval possible. This report focuses on the retrieval issues of t he project. It presents the range of options available for organising the retrieval system and, evaluates them, and finally recommends the most appropriate configuration for the system. Different types of IR systems Components of an Information Retrieval (IR) system An Information Retrieval system has four basic components. They are a database, a search mechanism, a language, and an interface to provide interaction between the user and the system. According to Chu (2005, p.15), databases â€Å"comprise information represented and organised in a certain manner†. In other words, a database is an organised storage system that allows for the searching of items in it using preset criteria. The search mechanism is the system that allows for the searching of the database for the retrieval of the information stored in it. The degrees of complexity of query methods applied vary depending on the technical capacity of the user accessing the database. The third component of an Informatio n Retrieval system is language, which can be either the â€Å"natural language or a controlled vocabulary† (Chu, 2005, p.16). Chu (2005, p.16) notes that, â€Å"information relies on language, spoken or written, when being processed, transferred, or communicated†. The final component of an Information Retrieval system is the user interface. This is the point of interaction between the user and the system. Its user friendliness will determine in many cases the propensity of users to apply it. More than anything else, it determines the usefulness and eventual success of an Information Retrieval system. Categorisation of items in attic Items in the attic are of various forms, which fall into four categories. There are text-based items, image based media, streamed media applications and multimedia applications. Text-based items use words as the basic mode of information storage. Text based media in this collection include poems, manuscripts for performance art, and newspap er clippings. Image based applications rely on picture elements to store information.Advertising Looking for report on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Each picture element, called a pixel, has a different identity describing its color and its intensity, which when collectively combined with other pixels, describes a given image. Image based applications in the collection include, photographic materials held in CD-ROMs and hard drives, and 35mm film negatives. Others are paintings and old maps. These will require digitisation if they will be retrieved from a computerized Information Retrieval system. Streamed media applications are those that have a time component, necessary for the correct interpretation of the data. Distorting the timeline distorts the information in them. Streamed media applications available in the collection include the audio recordings like the music and sound clips in .wav and .mp3 format. Speech and music on audio cassettes and vinyl records also exist in the collection. These forms will require digitisation if they are to be made available to a wide audience. Finally, multimedia applications use a combination of media to present information. In the collection, multimedia applications include video in digital format, and on tape, and the reels of film. Text Based Retrieval Systems A text-based retrieval system will aid the retrieval of the text-based media in the collection. Some of the media rely on analogue technologies, which complicate storage in the media storage available to the public, who are intended beneficiaries of the project. The text-based materials found in the collection will require digitisation. The key advantage of text-based retrieval is that the technology is mature, and hence enjoys a great degree of format standardisation. It presents fewer compatibility problems between different types of software. Where this problem arises, numerous options f or conversion exist to allow retrieval in a desired format. Its weakness lays in its use of letters and words as the basic data storage and retrieval unit. So far, many of the retrieval methods available for text retrieval do not take into account the semantic elements of a query. They rely on word match, and hence most search systems may not return relevant content based on their meaning, but will return content that closely matches the phrase used as search query. Advanced systems allow for contextual search, which employ thesauri to identify words with closely related meanings, thereby improving the semantic elements of a search. Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Information Retrieval Methods specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Figure 1: Multimedia information retrieval system architecture Multimedia Retrieval Systems On the other hand, multimedia retrieval systems use different means of identifying information that match a search query. A multimedia Information Retrieval system will comfortably handle search queries for image-based applications and for streamed media applications. Multimedia search queries employ elements usable for each of the image-based applications and streamed media applications. Multimedia Information Retrieval is still relatively young. It has many compatibility problems owing to the different formats used for presentation of media type of the same nature. For instance in the collection, there are .wav and .mp3 files, which are all audio formats. The reason for this is that there is greater functionality derived from each type of new format. The newer formats regularly lack backward compatibility. They main constraints that drive the use of different formats include maximisation of storage space, or preservation of media quality. However, the design of many media players for streamed media applications and for image-based applications takes into account these constrain ts. They regularly include capacity to handle different media types and a format inter-conversion facility. The crux remains having the latest version of a media player, which will be able to present the latest file formats. Requirements for an IR system Comparison of Requirements for Text Based IR Systems and Multimedia IR Systems Retrieval systems require a means to identify the information source, which a search mechanism can latch on to in order to identify the media from a database. This is about as far as the similarity between the two types of retrieval systems go. Text based Information Retrieval system rely on matching the text in the files to the search query in the database to identify a document, while multimedia Information Retrieval systems rely on a range of elements to identify relevant media carrying the required information. This includes text elements such as an assigned name for the media in the database. It is possible to search for a film from a database using the film name, on condition that the name is on the file carrying the film. Other locators for multimedia files include duration of media and file format of the media. These are useful in narrowing down a search query. Main Solutions Available to Designers of IR System The availability of searchable information from the attic trust is dependent on the digitisation of all records currently in the collection, and to some degree, the standardisation of formats to ease retrieval. There will be need to either type or by using scanning software, to digitise the text-based items in the collection. Typing will allow for a greater degree of freedom in the presentation of the information because it will make formatting possible to achieve the best possible output for users. It will however lead to a loss of authenticity since the items are antiques, and their appeal remains in appearing in their original format. For users seeking information for semantic purposes, reformatted presentation wil l meet their needs best because of better presentation.Advertising Looking for report on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Those who are seeking the information for sentimental purposes will best appreciate the original presentation. To retain the original look, a digitised image of the text will provide the best option. The quickest way to achieve this is through scanning without text recognition. This will actually transform the material into an ‘image’ presenting text, and not pictures. The implication is that text retrieval methods will not apply. Preservation of the rest of the information will also require digitisation. The most crucial factor is the format to use in the process. Conversion technologies from tape to digital data exist for both audio and video tapes. The storage of physical artifacts like the sculptures for mass presentation will require the taking digital pictures for storage in the database. Another option is the presentation of three-dimensional representations through animation of the photos, or making short films of the objects, which adds the possibility of addin g sound clips. Animation allows for greater user interaction while filming allows for the addition of details through voice, enriching the experience. Again, the format to apply depends on the nature of user. For the arts lover, an animated clip over which he can exercise control over the image to get desired views will be suitable. For the inquisitive semantic user, a video clip with a sound clip giving background information on the artifact will be ideal. As Jalal (2001, p.6) observes, â€Å"Speech can introduce, give summary, stimulate, and tell†. Audio data presents the fewest presentation challenges since the auditory experience does not vary much between users. Provided the data presentation takes on a widely accessible format, there should be no major technical challenges. Different Methods of Representation There are two key types of Information Retrieval systems. Belkin (n.d.) identifies them as, â€Å"retrospective or ad-hoc† and, the second type, â€Å"Info rmation filtering or routing†. Retrospective systems fulfill one time information needs which taper off after meeting the need. These include information from e-books, news articles, online magazines, or information websites. Information filtering includes those accessed regularly because they have high utility levels. These include websites with changing information such as weather patterns, stock prices and maps services. There are some key issues to consider when setting up the database based on the methods available for representation. The issue of what language to use across the database is critical. Two ways of approaching language exist. One of them is to use natural language of the users, which forms the basis for the search queries, while the second approach is to use a controlled vocabulary. If the trust adopts natural language for the Information Retrieval system, then users will have an easier time interacting with the database since they do not have to learn the c ontrolled vocabulary of the database. They will however be faced with ambiguity and irrelevance problems. If the trust adopts a controlled vocabulary, users will first have to learn the language after which they will have better results for their search queries. Tedd et al. (2005 p.39) stresses that, â€Å"it is necessary for users to have the requisite skills to obtain relevant information quickly and effectively†. There will be need to use indexing across the database. This involves assigning words or specific phrases to each item in the database. The trust may use descriptors of free indexing depending on whether the language adopted is the natural language of the users, or a controlled vocabulary. Categorisation will involve developing categories for all the items in the collection. Chu (2005) proposes that useful categories must be â€Å"exhaustive† (p.29) and â€Å"mutually exclusive† (p. 29). This means that all items in the collection must have an assign ed category and that no two categories should have an area of overlap. Techniques for summarisation improve the query function for text-based applications. It involves providing a user with brief information relating to a body of text. The techniques include the use of abstracts, summaries, or extracts. Abstracts provide the readers with a broad view of the text and can act as a substitute for the text. It only lacks in detail. A summary assumes that the reader will read the whole document so it excludes portions such as background, the methodology, and purpose. An extract on the other hand is an actual piece of the document, cut out to provide a snapshot of an actual portion of the document. Each of these methods has their advantages and their challenges and applies in different circumstances. Querying refers to the interrogation of a database using a language. Nordbotten (2008) says, â€Å"Query language will always provide specification of the selection criteria for the desired information for the remaining processes† in the information retrieval process. The key aspect for designing a query system is to determine the degree of semantic querying necessary for ideal user experience. Challenges include the management of synonyms, which might require processing of the query, hence reducing speed of the system, and increasing the design and management costs. A simplified query system that matches input to metadata and similar phrases provides large volumes of output giving the user a more difficult time in sifting through the data, which may compromise user experience. Use of metadata, can potentially improve search results as it expands the possible ways of accessing a document. Implications of Using IR systems The most appropriate system for the project will include two sections. One of them is preservation of the physical artifacts that contain the information that requires preservation in a museum. The second section is the development of a digital l ibrary or digital museum that will enable users from different parts of the world interested in the trust’s activities to interact with the materials. Arms (2001, p.4) points out that, â€Å"a digital library brings the information to the user’s desk, either at work or at home†. The most appropriate Information Retrieval system will be one that uses natural language, since the trust targets a worldwide audience, as opposed to a limited vocabulary system. Keywords in the process assist in refining queries. The trust should also prefer to use methods of storage that will present the artifacts in their natural condition since this is the main appeal in viewing artifacts. Later on, the trust may consider storage methods applicable to semantic users who are seeking meaning, especially for educational purposes out of the information. In particular, the trust needs to digitise its entire collection. This involves conversion of audio files to multiple digital formats.mp 3 format will be useful if the objective is to conserve storage space. It is also widely playable on most media players. Figure 2: Accessing a Digital library (Techweb, n.d). Discretion will be required for text-based media. Some of them will require preservation in digital format by scanning with text recognition, to allow formatting. This will apply to manuscripts and poems. Others may be stored as images though scanning without text recognition. These include the newspaper clippings and poems. Digital photographs of physical artifacts such as sculptures will aid the development of animated collections. This is easier to handle compared to multimedia items. The multimedia items in the collection will require widely varying file formats for effective retrieval. The option of developing a unique media player for the trust requires consideration. This will solve the compatibility problems in the interim because it will use a single format and will potentially reduce administration c osts. Reference List Arms, W. Y., 2000. Digital Libraries. USA: MIT Press. Belkin, J. N., n.d. User Modeling in Information Retrieval. New Jersey: Rutgers University. Web. Chu, H., 2003. Information Retrieval and Presentation in the Digital Age. NewJersey: Information Today, Inc. Jalal S.K., 2001. â€Å"Multimedia Database: content and structure†. Workshop on Multimedia and Internet Technologies. Documentation Research and Training Centre, Bangalore. Web. Kang, K., 1999. Development of a Multimedia Information Retrieval Architecture with Integrated Image Information Retrieval Technique, digital image, Multimedia Technical lab, Korea Telecom. Web. Nordbotten, J. C. 2008. Multimedia Information Retrieval Systems. Web. Techweb. n.d. Accessing a digital library. Digital image, R.V. College of Engineering. Web. Tedd L.A., Large A., Large J.A., 2005. Digital Libraries: principles and practice in a global environment. Mà ¼nchen: K.G.Saur Verlag GmbH.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Siege of Charleston in the American Revolution

Siege of Charleston in the American Revolution The Siege of Charleston took place from March 29 to May 12, 1780, during the American Revolution (1775-1783) and came about after a change in British strategy. Shifting their focus to the southern colonies, the British first captured Savannah, GA in 1778 before mounting a major expedition against Charleston, SC in 1780. Landing,  Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton conducted a brief campaign that drove American forces under Major General Benjamin Lincoln back into the Charleston. Conducting a siege of the city, Clinton compelled Lincoln to surrender. The defeat resulted in one of the largest single surrenders of American troops and created a strategic crisis in the South for the Continental Congress. Background In 1779, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton began making plans for an attack on the Southern colonies. This was largely encouraged by a belief that Loyalist support in the region was strong and would facilitate its recapture. Clinton had attempted to capture Charleston, SC in June 1776, however the mission failed when Admiral Sir Peter Parkers naval forces were repulsed by fire from Colonel William Moultries men at Fort Sullivan (later Fort Moultrie). The first move of the new British campaign was the capture of Savannah, GA. Arriving with a force of 3,500 men, Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Campbell took the city without a fight on December 29, 1778. French and American forces under Major General Benjamin Lincoln laid siege to the city on September 16, 1779. Assaulting the British works a month later, Lincolns men were repulsed and the siege failed. On December 26, 1779, Clinton left 15,000 men under General Wilhelm von Knyphausen in New York to hold General George Washingtons army at bay and sailed south with 14 warships and 90 transports for another attempt on Charleston. Overseen by Vice Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot, the fleet carried an expeditionary force of around 8,500 men. Armies Commanders Americans Major General Benjamin LincolnCommodore Abraham Whipple5,500 men British Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clintonrising to 10,000-14,000 men Coming Ashore Shortly after putting to sea, Clintons fleet was beset by a series of intense storms which scattered his ships. Regrouping off Tybee Roads, Clinton landed a small diversionary force in Georgia before sailing north with the bulk of the fleet to Edisto Inlet approximately 30 miles south of Charleston. This pause also saw Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton and Major Patrick Ferguson go ashore to secure new mounts for Clintons cavalry as many of the horses that had been loaded in New York had suffered injuries at sea. Unwilling to attempt forcing the harbor as in 1776, he ordered his army to begin landing on Simmons Island on February 11 and planned to approach the city by an overland route. Three days later British forces advanced on Stono Ferry but withdrew upon spotting American troops. Returning the next day, they found the ferry abandoned. Fortifying the area, they pressed on towards Charleston and crossed to James Island. In late February, Clintons men skirmished with American forces led by Chevalier Pierre-Franà §ois Vernier and Lieutenant Colonel Francis Marion. Through the rest of the month and into early March, the British wrested control of James Island and captured Fort Johnson which guarded the southern approaches to Charleston harbor. With control of the southern side of the harbor secured, on March 10, Clintons second in command, Major General Lord Charles Cornwallis, crossed to the mainland with British forces via Wappoo Cut (Map). American Preparations Advancing up the Ashley River, the British secured a series of plantations, such as Middleton Place and Drayton Hall, as American troops watched from the north bank. While Clintons army moved along the river, Lincoln worked to prepare Charleston to withstand a siege. He was aided in this by Governor John Rutledge who ordered 600 slaves to construct new fortifications across the neck between the Ashley and Cooper Rivers. This was fronted by a defensive canal. Only possessing 1,100 Continentals and 2,500 militia, Lincoln lacked the numbers to face Clinton in the field. Supporting the army were four Continental Navy ships under Commodore Abraham Whipple as well as four South Carolina Navy vessels and two French ships. Not believing he could defeat the Royal Navy in the harbor, Whipple first withdrew his squadron behind a log boom which protected the entrance to the Cooper River before later transferring their guns to the land defenses and scuttling his ships. Though Lincoln questioned these actions, Whipples decisions were backed by a naval board. In addition, the American commander would be reinforced on April 7 by the arrival of Brigadier General William Woodfords 750 Virginia Continentals which raised his total strength to 5,500. The arrival of these men was offset by British reinforcements under Lord Rawdon which increased Clintons army to between 10,000-14,000. The City Invested Having been reinforced, Clinton crossed the Ashley under the cover of fog on March 29. Advancing on the Charleston defenses, the British began constructing siege lines on April 2. Two days later, the British constructed redoubts to protect the flanks of their siege line while also working to pull a small warship across the neck to the Cooper River. On April 8, the British fleet ran past the guns of Fort Moultrie and entered the harbor. Despite these setbacks, Lincoln retained contact with the outside via the north shore of the Cooper River (Map). With the situation rapidly decaying, Rutledge escaped the city on April 13. Moving to completely isolate the city, Clinton ordered Tarleton to take a force to sweep away Brigadier General Isaac Hugers small command at Moncks Corner to the north. Attacking on at 3:00 AM on April 14, Tarleton surprised and routed the Americans. After the fighting, Vernier was killed by Tarletons men despite asking for quarter. It was the first of several brutal actions taken by Tarletons men during the campaign. With the loss of this crossroads, Clinton secured the north bank of the Cooper River when Tarleton joined with Lieutenant Colonel James Websters command. This combined force advanced down the river to within six miles of the city and cut off Lincolns line of retreat. Understanding the severity of the situation, Lincoln called a council of war. Though advised to continue defending the city, he instead elected to parley with Clinton on April 21. In the meeting, Lincoln offered to evacuate the city if his men were permitted to depart. With the enemy trapped, Clinton immediately refused this request. Tightening the Noose Following this meeting, a massive artillery exchange ensued. On April 24, American forces sortied against the British siege lines but to little effect. Five days later, the British began operations against the dam that held the water in the defensive canal. Heavy fighting began as the Americans sought to protect the dam. Despite their best efforts, it was nearly drained by May 6 opening the way for a British assault. Lincolns situation further worsened when Fort Moultrie fell to British forces under Colonel Robert Arbuthnot. On May 8, Clinton demanded that the Americans unconditionally surrender. Refusing, Lincoln again attempted to negotiate for an evacuation. Again denying this request, Clinton began a heavy bombardment the following day. Continuing into the night, the British pounded the American lines. This, coupled with the use of hot shot a few days later, which set several buildings on fire, broke the spirit of the citys civic leaders who began pressing Lincoln to surrender. Seeing no other option, Lincoln contacted Clinton on May 11 and marched out of the city to surrender the following day.   Aftermath The defeat at Charleston was a disaster for American forces in the South and saw the elimination of the Continental Army in the region. In the fighting, Lincoln lost 92 killed and 148 wounded, and 5,266 captured. The surrender at Charleston ranks as the US Armys third largest surrender behind the Fall of Bataan (1942) and Battle of Harpers Ferry (1862). British casualties before Charleston numbered 76 killed and 182 wounded. Departing Charleston for New York in June, Clinton turned over command at Charleston to Cornwallis who quickly began establishing outposts across the interior. In the wake of the citys loss, Tarleton inflicted another defeat on the Americans at Waxhaws on May 29. Scrambling to recover, Congress dispatched the victor of Saratoga, Major General Horatio Gates, south with fresh troops. Rashly advancing, he was routed by Cornwallis at Camden in August. The American situation in the southern colonies did not begin stabilize until the arrival of Major General Nathanael Greene that fall. Under Greene, American forces inflicted heavy losses on Cornwallis at Guilford Court House in March 1781 and worked to regain the interior from the British.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Sexual disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sexual disorder - Essay Example Applying the Axis I-V diagnoses, the husband’s condition can be adequately diagnosed as an effect or symptom resulting from an Axis I disorder, more specifically, an anxiety disorder-stress-not specifically specified (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). However, for this case, the husband may be experiencing erectile dysfunction as a result of work-related stress because, according to his spouse, he was apparently fired from work because of watching pornography. Additionally, the husband may be experiencing stress as a result of his academic commitments. According to DSM-IV-TR classification, erectile dysfunction (disorder)-the recurrent or persistent inability for a male to erect or be able to maintain an adequate, continuous erection-is classified as an arousal disorder. It causes interpersonal difficulty, anxiety, and distress. DSM-IV-TR codes the husband’s condition as a 607.84 Male Erectile Disorder resulting from psychological conditions including stress, and anxiety (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). This disorder is not as a result of a medical condition or any physiological effects resulting from a medication or drug abuse. Despite being attributed to Axis I disorders such as stress and anxiety, it may not be the case in many scenarios. This is because, in some instances, male erectile dysfunction can be attributed to factors such as guilt, indifference, or physical conditions such as problems with nerves or blood vessels (Hersen & Beidel, 2012). In order to make an accurate diagnosis, I will need to know, from the client-the husband and the wife-when the erectile dysfunction began. I would want to know how they handled the situation when it happened, especially, the wife. Did she think less of her husband? Did she encourage him? I will need the husband to explain why he watches pornographic