Military Dolphin Research essays

Military Dolphin Research essays As intelligent and beautiful creatures of the sea, dolphins long ago captured the imaginations of human beings. Ancient artists in Crete (2500 B.C.) painted frescoes on the walls of the Minoan palace at Knossis of dolphins jumping in the blue Mediterranean waters. Today, we see dolphins depicted on T-shirts, jewelry, posters, and tattoos. During the 1950s, the television program Flipper (played by a dolphin named Mitzi) made dolphin intelligence widely known. For many years, Mitzi was also the star of a dolphin show in the Florida Keys in which she did amazing tricks and pulled children around in a little boat. Moreover, dolphins are friendly and seem to like human beings. Areas where people live close to the water are replete with dolphin stories about the helpfulness and protectiveness of dolphins. They are said to kill sharks, for example, and to nudge little kids back toward shore when they go out too deep in the ocean. Perhaps because there is such affection for these an imals, much controversy has arisen over their use by the military in waging war. This essay will argue, however, that military research on dolphins is humane and safe, the animals are not being harmed, and the research is of tremendous benefit both to dolphins and to humans. The Navy Marine Mammal Program began in 1960 when the Navy acquired a Pacific White-sided dolphin and began experimenting to improve torpedo performance. The goal was to see if dolphins had a sophisticated drag-reduction system, but the technology of the day was not equal to the study, so it was not considered successful. By 1964, however, more sophisticated animal research was done to study their senses and capabilities such as sonar and deep diving. In 1965 a dolphin named Tuffy learned to carry tools to workers 200 feet down and to locate and guide lost divers to safety (Wikipedia U. S. Navy marine Mammal Program web site). According to LeVasseur (Whales on the Net &...

20 Best Christmas Gifts Ideas for College Students

20 Best Christmas Gifts Ideas for College Students It all comes down to this, a legendary list of the 20 best Christmas gifts for college students that will make you a seasonal rock of Gibraltar; a Christmas hero! 1. A Really Cool Tetris Light These are probably the coolest door room lights to hit the world since the Lava Lamp. Stackable, colorful and cool the Tetris Desk Light is an awesome choice. Boys and girls will love them. We sure do! 2. A Pair of Quality Headphones College roommates often have different sleeping patterns because theyve got different classes and different class schedules. Time in the room is usually accompanied by video, gaming or noisy internet browsing. A pair a quality headphones is a college student’s best tech-friend. 3. Gift Cards This is universal. Don’t give college kids money because it will almost never be spent on what it should be. Gift cards direct their focus and they’re far more likely to buy necessities like food and toiletries. 4. Dorm Room TV (Space Saver) Flat space saving digital TV’s that can sync with gaming consoles and computers are awesome! Plus, they’re not bulky at all. If the model you choose can be wall-mounted, then there’s nothing better. Furthermore, these days the prices are ridiculously low. Not long ago even buying a smaller quality TV for college kids was spendy. 5. Someone Else’s Wallet? This is a neat idea, and a great way to buy a new wallet for the guys. Get a nice new wallet and then fill it with things like gift cards, new photographs, perhaps sporting event or movie tickets etc. Just a neat way to give a bundle of gifts at the same time in a small package that’s super easy to send in the mail. 6. Gourmet Coffee College kids are the only people on earth who drink more coffee than corporate office bees. The problem is that 99.9% of the time it’s cheap and not so tasty. A nice big bag of gourmet coffee is that understanding and supportive gift that all students appreciate (if they drink coffee that is). 7. Study Abroad Money Most students who study abroad are even more broke while they’re away in some exciting new place than when they’re back in their dorm room. If you can give them some extra spending money for the trip, they’ll never forget it, ever. 8. One-Stop-Shop Bathroom Kit These really are appreciate and used extensively. Don’t think this kit will go to waste because it won’t. Well, maybe some of the little accessories might not get used but the major components never fail. Razors, shaving cream, cologne, soap etc. Mainly because the stuff in the campus store is horrible. 9. An Assortment of Great Sauces College students aren’t known for being good cooks. They just put any old thing together and call it food. That being said, a box of assorted and tasty sauces will be used within a month. Maybe before New Years†¦imagine the flavors of Top Ramen they could conjure up. 10. Shower Slippers The kind that you can wear into the shower to protect your feet and then they dry off super quick so you don’t track water down the hall. Nobody wants athletes foot or to step into someone elses bodily fluids, whatever kind that may be. 11. A Traditional Popcorn Serving Set Seriously, who eats more popcorn than college students? You can survive on the stuff! It would be neat to have a quality serving set that looks just like the kind you get at the movies. How cool is that? 12. High-Brow Bedding Goes without saying†¦ 13. New Laptop Again, an incredible tool that will be used (and abused) and every penny will be squeezed out of it. No college students neglects a new laptop. It’s almost the equivalent to buying them a new used car (except the laptop should be new). You get the idea. 14. Beer Pong Table and Set Yeah, really. Everyone loves the game, but very few students have the table and set. Your kid could be THAT kid in the hall. Hey, college is about networking. 15. DVD Set of Favorite TV Series Are they a crazed Walking Dead fan? Sure, they probably know how to watch every episode online for free, but having their own set they can watch whenever is actually really handy. 16. Clean (Actually White) Socks and Undies Always needed†¦ 17. A Laundry Hamper with Style It needs to have some flare or it will go unnoticed and blend into the disaster area of clothes around it. 18. Good Food Baskets! Can’t go wrong here. A sure winner 100% of the time without fail. 19. Subscription to Netflix All the kids are getting them. That’s the rumor anyways. Beware! Some students become addicted to Netflix in no time. 20. Set Them Up with a Classy Interview! What a novel idea right? Perhaps the ultimate gift you can get a college student this year is to pull some string and set them up with a quality interview. With so many options to choose from it was hard to narrow down the list into a top 20 type presentation. Therefore, we updated the list adding 20 more Christmas gifts ideas for college students. Check them out! Well, here’s your chance students. What would be the perfect Christmas gift for you?

Economic Growth and Economic Fluctuations Essay

Economic Growth and Economic Fluctuations - Essay Example The economic theories and models examined would be the Solow Model, the human capital theory and screening model. The effects of governmental policies on the openness of the economy will also be examined here. The data given will serve as guiding force in the determination of the ability of our study country to achieve rapid short-term economic growth and long-term sustenance of a steady rate of growth. When charged with the responsibility of determining the best policy to foster long-term economic growth, it is vital to analyze many economic factors and trends. These factors include the impact of productivity, savings and depreciation on the economy as well as the economy's ability to sustain long-term growth under the given circumstances. In so doing, the Solow Model can serve as a general guidance in determining whether an economy can sustain long-term growth given the present combination of factors. In order to examine this it is vital to offer an operational definition of Solow's model. Solow's model is a model the increase in the capacity of a country's economy to produce goods and services over time. This increase theoretically implies that the well-being of the citizens will improve over time. According to Solow the increase can be determined utilizing a formula whereby the GDP is determined by combinations of inputs. Solow simplifies this very intricate function by presumi ng certain factors are held constant. One of the most fundamental simplifications is the assumption that a single good is produced by the economy in question. In so doing, the GDP is greatly simplified and its implications are clearly depicted. The other assumptions of the Solow model include the assumption that all data is collected on a time continuum, a single good is produced with a constant technology, there is no governmental or international trade, all factors of production are utilized to their full capacity, the growth within the labor force is constant. Utilizing the relationship existent between the savings and the investment and extending the Solow model further, we can assume that the depreciation rate, the amount of capital depreciation and the change in capital over time are held constant. The implications of this are such that in the long-run, we are able to yield a production function whereby Y = AF(K, L). Essentially, it establishes a relationship between capital stock and the economic output. Taking this one step further and assuming that labor input is held constant and there is a positive correlation between changes in capital and output we can see that in time additions to capital stock will yield additions in output. This relationship can be expressed in terms of labor and economic output. In so doing, we can determine the economic output for each individual in the society. The pertinent equation is y=Y/L and can be graphically depicted as follows: The Impact of Savings Rate on Long-term Economic Growth After having examined the production function, we need to examine a prudent question-Is it possible for our country of study to catch up with richer countries and at what rate will it occur In examining that question, we need to realize that according

Hip Hop vs Country & Western Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hip Hop vs Country & Western - Essay Example Out of these modernized creations, hip hop and country and western were born. Hip hop and country and western music, both of which have become increasingly popular in the past few decades, are two very distinct genres. Reaching out to different crowds, each genre contains unique messages and remarkable ways of representing them. Despite their differences, the two distinguishable genres also have their similarities. Hip hop and country and western touch upon various aspects of life, ranging from love to death and everything in between. While both genres can show the negative and heartbreaking characteristics of love, hip hop might take a harsher perspective while country and western tends to take a more uplifting, positive point of view. Some music critics, including the musicians themselves, argue that hip hop shows the reality of life situations and country and western music reveals what people wish would take place instead in those situations (Palmer, 2005). Hip hop might explain w hat went wrong in a failed relationship, yet country and western will explain the good that might come of the relationship ending. This concept is due to the fact that it is believed that those that listen to hip hop are more seasoned to the hardships of life and those that listen to country and western are more optimistic for things to improve in the future (Palmer). Though each genre has their own unique way of expressing these life events, they both focus on sharing similar stories. Whether it involves a hip hop artist growing up in a tough city or a country and western singer being brought up in a rural area, the songs of these artists reveal what life was like having to deal with social or economic situations, growing up in their varying neighborhoods, love and death, and just simply getting through life in one piece. The sole purpose of the music that these musicians put out is to share with others what life was like for them, and how life continues to be. Similarly, the artis ts of both hip hop and country and western vary with the point of view of their songs. In some songs, the singer may be narrating their own stories, putting themselves at the center of a tale that happened to them or else placing themselves in a scenario that happened to someone that they knew. Yet in other songs, the singers are narrating stories that involved other people in their lives, or even putting into song an event that they obtained from the news. A common occurrence in regard to point of view in both of the genres is the narration of fictional events that happened to fictional characters, which serves the purpose of most fiction stories - to teach a life lesson to the listeners or to reveal something about life to the audience. No matter the story that is being told, how it is being told, or the genre that the story is being told in, hip hop and country and western exist to share these compelling stories and make them known to their audience. Another likeness between hip hop and country and western is that the singers usually have damaged personas (Rausch, 2011; Cusic, 2008). A hip hop artist and a country and western star may have come from completely different backgrounds, but they both could have faced identical issues with violent family members or personal drug and alcohol abuse. Oftentimes, these characteristics are why the musicians chose music as their expressive outlet to begin with, which is usually the basis for many of their songs. Since these musicians, regardless of their genre, sing about events that they struggled through in life, connections are going to be found between the two genres. Hip hop and country

Implant of Radio-frequency identification tags in human body has more pros than cons Essay Example for Free

Implant of Radio-frequency identification tags in human body has more pros than cons Essay 1.0 Introduction RFID is the wireless non-contact use of radio-frequency electromagnetic fields to transfer data. The purposes of automatically identifying and tracking tags attached to objects. Since RFID tags can be attached to clothing, possessions, or even implanted within people the possibility of reading personally-linked information without consent has raised privacy concerns. There are three types of RFID such as passive, semi-passive and active. For the passive RFID tags does not contain a battery, the power is supplied by the reader. When radio waves from the reader are encountered by passive RFID tag, the coiled antenna within the tag forms a magnetic field. For the semi-passive RFID tags are very similar to passive tags except for the addition of a small battery. This battery allows the tag IC to be constantly powered. Semi-passive RFID tags are faster in response and therefore stronger in reading ratio compared to passive tags. Therefore, the active RFID tag when it is equipped with a battery that can be used as a partial or complete source of power for the tag’s circuitry and antenna It may have longer range and larger memories than passive tags as well as the ability to store additional information sent by the transceiver. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for human implants and investigates the technological feasibility of such implants for locating and tracking persons or for remotely controlling human biological functions. A human microchip implant is an identifying integrated circuit device or RFID transponder encased in silicate glass and implanted in the body of a human being. A subdermal implant typically contains a unique ID number that can be linked to information contained in an external database, such as personal identification, physiological characteristics, health, medical history, medications, allergies, and contact information. A classical example of human identification based on RFID-implant is given by the VeriChip tag (11 mm long and about 1mm in diameter) which contains numerical code (identifiers) readable at 10 centimeters or less using a handheld reader. When illuminating by the low-frequency magnetic field (134 KHz) generated by the reader, the RFID tag powers itself up and transmits a 16-digit code that is unique to the tag. Recent developments in RFID technology have opened up new potential applications, where RFID devices are implanted in the human body for locating and tracking persons or for remotely controlling human biological functions. 2.0Content 2.1Medical field The primary goal of applying RFID technology in healthcare is to improve patient safety. First, RFID is a valuable tool for quickly retrieving patient information, allergies, and medication the patient is currently taking or medication a doctor will prescribe to the patient and monitoring patient location in hospitals so as to improve the accuracy of patient identification. Besides, microchip contains a unique identification number that emergency personnel may scan to immediately identify the patient and access his or her personal health information, thus facilitating appropriate treatment without delay. This is especially important for patients who suffer from conditions that may render them unconscious, confused, or unable to communicate. Doctors would also be able to decide the needed equipment and medication with minimal delay in an emergency case where every second is decisive. With the implanted chip, a RFID reader, and a wireless connection, a doctor or nurse can pull up the patient’s information, or even update the patient information in real time. Some benefits of this include less patient mix-up, being able to access the patient information in real time, and fewer mistakes due to human error during data recording. Productivity would increase since the doctors and nurses would not have to go to a computer to enter in the updated information. This would allow doctors and nurses to focus more on their professional duties Alzheimer disease, the most common form of dementia which has no cure till date, the most common symptoms is difficult to remember recent events. This has place great burden on caregivers as they have to constantly look after the patient, worrying them lose track in middle of nowhere. By implanting RFID tags in those patients, it is easy to identify and monitor the location and keep track of those patients with Alzheimer disease for their safety purposes. Alerting services can identify possible human errors and warn care providers in case of danger. For example, automatic sponge counting by RFID can avoid sponge left inside the patient body. 2.1.1Evidence 1) VeriChip, the company that hold the rights and patents to the implantable chip for humans, has sold 7,000 chips with 2,000 of which have been placed in people, according to Scott Silverman, chairman of Applied Digital, which owns VeriChip. The company’s present focus is tagging â€Å"high-risk† patients, such as those with diabetes, heart conditions or Alzheimer’s. (July 30, 2007) 2) According to a survey on employed professional and semi-professional people done in Pittsburgh, US, 62.5% of the total respondents (comprises of both sexes with equal votes) were willing to accept implants for medical reason 3) A number of RFID-related software applications were developed in Taiwan. Some of these applications focused on the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to prevent spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) disease. These applications include computerized systems for monitoring the body temperature of healthcare personnel and patients with implanted RFID tag in the hospital, track potential virus carriers and, when necessary, map their movements throughout hospitals and keeping track of people under quarantine in facilities separate from hospitals. 4) Don Mackechnie, the chairman of the British Medical Associations Accident and Emergency committee, and a consultant at the Rochdale Infirmary, said: Such a device (RFID tag implantation) could prove very useful in a situation where we have an unconscious patient with an unknown medical history. 5) Twenty-five Alzheimers patients were implanted with radio frequency identification chips that can be linked to their medical records and be tracked if they are lost. The patients were implanted at the 2007 Alzheimers Educational Conference in West Palm Beach, Florida. The chips, from VeriChip Corp., Delray Beach, Calif., work with the vendors VeriMed Patient Identification System. Each chip contains a 16-digit identification number that is linked to a patients medical records in a database at the medical facility. Waving the vendors RFID reader over a patient implanted with a chip can capture the number. Emergency personnel can also use the scanner to identify patients. The event was sponsored by Alzheimers Community Care, a local provider organization. Those who elected to receive the chip are not part of VeriChips recently announced study with the organization, which will implant 200 Alzheimers patients and their caregivers with the chips. In the study, the patients medical record will include their Alzheimers diagnosis, related medications, caregiver contact information, and other information. 2.2Human Tracking A tracking function could aid authorities in locating missing people such as kidnapping victim. As the numbers of abduction are surging nowadays, RFID implant in human body become the most effective way to fight against this crime. RFID implant in human body can help the authorities to identify their location if they were kidnapped. In fact, RFID implants in children are gaining popularity in Latin American and Russian markets, where parents fear that their children may be kidnapped and are therefore willing to brand them electronically in the hope that it will make it easier to trace kidnapped victims. One of the current issues of the world is the escalating numbers of crime. Because of this, authorities may use RFID tracking chips to track fugitives, terrorists, criminals and more. For example, by implanting the RFID tag into the criminal body, it would be easy to track them if they escape by any means. This chip allows the authority to track back the fugitives easily as the tag will locate the location of the criminal. This implantation will certainly help to ensure the safety of citizens from escaped felons at all time. Besides, these tags are incredibly versatile and may help the lives of countless people with chronic medical problems as well as keeping track of the vulnerable members (extremely young and old) of our society. A vulnerable elderly need this tags because of disability to remember the way back home, age or illness, and may be unable to take care or protect themselves against significant harm or exploitation. So a tag on old people can let the authorities find back them easily. Furthermore, schools are taking advantage of biometrics and RFID technology, as they are cognizant of the increasingly more complex responsibility of keeping children accounted for and safe from arrival through after school programs to transport home. 2.2.1Evidence 1) A real case of implantation of RFID happened in Mexico. According to the 2011 Mexican congressional report, kidnappings have jumped 317 percent in the past five years. Surprisingly, one fifth of instances have involved police officers or soldiers, which leads to a mistrust of these authority figures. Thus, some of the Mexicans pay for the implantation of RFID to protect themselves, so that they could be tracked in the case of being kidnapped. They are now having themselves implanted with RFID tracking chips which can help them to be rescued. Xega, the Mexican company that sells the chips and performs the implants, says its sales have increased 40 percent in the past two years. The company says it has successfully helped rescue 178 clients in the past decade. 2) In Brazil, where Applied Digital has already signed a deal on 2004 to supply RFID tracking chips to distributors in Brazil to help them to fight against kidnapping. Government official says that the chips could be used to t rack down victims via satellite. 2.3Convenience With an RFID implant in the human body, shopping could be as easy as waving your hand and such routine tasks would take less time. The customer can automate the process by simply scanning their implanted chip and the business could match the customer and shipment numbers with the barcode number on the item that is to be returned. They would no longer need a receipt to do so and prevent unnecessary arguments. This new technology makes the purchasing function faster and more convenient. If a bank account or credit card account is linked to an implanted microchip, making a purchase would be extremely fast and safe. Consumers can also enjoy the peace of mind knowing that there is a greatly reduced change of having their â€Å"card† stolen because it would be imbedded in their hand. Perhaps by utilizing microchip implants banking/credit card applications, females would not have to carry a purse everywhere they go and in turn reduce the risk of theft and, thus, reducing identity theft and fraud, which also appeared to be an important issue to women. Moreover, employers are exploring the advantages of utilizing these technologies to ensure only those employees authorized can enter buildings, turn on lights, access computers, change office thermostat settings and operate specialized machinery safely and according to set standards based on a system that can authenticate those employees who meet the re-determined levels of permission. With the implantation of RFID chips, people could stop worrying about keys for their house and cars, the lock code of doors, computers, and much more. Kevin Warwick, a professor had a microelectrode array implanted in the median nerve fibers of his left arm that allowed him to develop a system that could connect his nervous system and a computer (Foster and Jaeger 45). Some people who had RFID chips implanted in their bodies have developed circuits that will allow them to start their cars by waving their hands near a reader (Foster and Jaeger 45). It would certainly reduce the cases of car stolen as the cars cannot be accessed by people other than the specified person. People can access all of their things with the single micro chips that they have implanted inside their body. 2.3.1Statistics Based on a survey done in Pittsburgh, USA, it was found that working professionals between the ages of 25 and 36 years will be more adaptable to the microchips implant technologies than other age groups. Numerous studies have also shown that younger people are more likely to adapt to this new technology, particularly those who fall in the age category of 25 to 36, since they are most likely representative of the younger well-educated professionals. 2.3.2Evidence 1) Baja Beach Club in Barcelona, Spain Launches Microchip Implantation for VIP members (first discotheque in the world to offer the VIP VeriChip) on 7 April, 2004 * Using an integrated (imbedded) microchip, the VIPS can identify themselves and pay for their food and drinks without the need for any kind of document (ID). Special zone at Baja beach Club where only VIPs are allowed contains various exclusive services for these members. Therefore, they wont have to carry a wallet. By simply passing by our reader, the Baja beach Club will know who you are and what your credit balance is. From the moment of their implantation they will also have free entry and access to the VIP area The customers like the fact that they do not have to carry a credit card or ID card with them and with the VeriPay system, they no longer have to worry about their credit cards getting lost or stolen. 2) 18 staff members of the Mexican Attorney Generals office have been implanted with the Verichip to control access to a data room * Mexicos top federal prosecutors and investigators began receiving chip implants in their arms in November 2003 in order to get access to restricted areas inside the attorney generals headquarters, said Antonio Aceves, general director of Solusat, the company that distributes the microchips in Mexico.† Although the technology can be out there to duplicate (a chip), but what can’t be stolen is the unique identification number and the information that is tied to that number†, said by director of RFID analysis at ABI Research Inc. based on theory that the chips could be as secure as existing RFID-based access control systems such as the contactless employee badges widely used in corporate and government facilities. Silverman said his companys system is nevertheless safe because its chips can only be read by the companys proprietary scanne rs. 2.4Customers Relationship Management Companies could track customers’ personal purchases and send promotional items personally tailored to their customers. This has the potential to be a safe and cost-effective way to improve marketing and customer services of companies. Hence, improving customer services is where the benefits are more apparent for implant. The second improvement to CRM identified is the improvement of dispute resolution through reverse logistics. With this technology, any purchases that are made in a store can be database and store for later recollection. For example, this may mean that if a customer needs to return an item they would no longer need a receipt to do so. The customer can automate the process by simply scanning their implanted chip and the business could match the customer and shipment numbers with the barcode number on the item that to be returned. This application of relatively inexpensive technology could stop the countless hours and aggravation that customer service managers spend on trying to accommodate consumer’s disputes. It would also get a great distance on stopping fraud and other scams that cost stores millions of dollars each year. If it is more difficult to forge documentation of a purchase then potential thieves would seek easier prey for customer fraud and theft. Besides, purchasing made by customers is faster by using RFID which will help companies work more efficiently and effectively. This will help company to reduce time and cost and improve company performances. Another important improvement that is identified in the conceptual model is the ability of this new technology to make the purchasing function faster and more convenient. If widespread acceptance could be achieved, there is a distinct possibility that credit and banking cards may become obsolete in the near future. If a bank account or credit card account is linked to an implanted microchip, making a purchase would be extremely fast and safe. This implication would serve credit card companies in its ability to stop credit card theft, since a relatively simple precaution may be used that invalidates the microchip if tampered with and forcibly removed. Huge savings may be realized if even small reductions in credit card and identity theft were possible. This enhanced security would allow credit card companies’ capital to increase the credit lines of their consumers and also potentially lower interest rates. 3.0Conclusion In conclusion, RFID applications can provide significant benefits to the healthcare industry to ensure patient safety, avoid medical errors as well as improve efficiency. In fact, healthcare is predicted to be one of the major growth areas for RFID. Besides, RFID can keep track of elderly, children and fugitives. This will help to prevent happening of crimes. Moreover, this new technology makes the purchasing function to be faster and more convenient. Lastly, service marketing indicatives could use standard CRM principles to properly track, treat, and order required products and services that personally identify the customer, the needed services, and the proper billing information for such services.

To Speak or Not To Speak Essay -- essays papers

To Speak or Not To Speak Imagine, you have just given birth to your first child. Emotions of happiness, love, and excitement surround you and your partner as you adore the newborn baby lying in your arms. You are so relieved that the labor went smoothly and to know that your baby was born completely normal, or so the doctors say. However, a couple years later, you are having premonitions that your child is not developing normally. He is not responding to your voice, nor does he react to loud noises, crashing and banging sounds, sirens, etc. In addition, it is clearly apparent that he is not developing language. After meeting with the pediatrician, you are faced with the harsh reality that your son is deaf. Now what are you going to do? Parents of deaf children have many options to work with the child’s deafness; the two most common approaches being the oral approach and the manual approach (ASL). Choosing which approach is a highly controversial issue. Utilizing the oral method of communication (oralism) is an efficient way to help bridge the communication gap between the deaf and hearing worlds. When they first learn that their child is deaf, parents, especially those who are hearing, go through a typical mourning process. This process includes shock, denial, grief, confusion, devastation, and recognition of the problem. Progressing through each of these reactions and acknowledging them is important before the parents can accept the situation and take action to be come involved in early intervention work with their child (Ling, 6). Daniel Ling states that the most powerful intervention is that the parents learn to effectively interact with their child who has special needs. The parents are with the child all day and all n... ...t the process is long. They should expect miracles, but not right away. It takes time. Total dedication from teachers, parents, and most importantly, the child, is crucial for maximizing the child’s ability to communicate with the hearing world. Again, the method of communication to choose is the most important and difficult decision the parents of a deaf child will have to make. These parents need to follow what they believe in their hearts, what they believe is right, and disregard what others may think or feel is right. This child is their own, so they need to do what is best for them. Parents of deaf children must remember that there will always be opposing views pertaining to the oral vs. manual method debate and that people will not always agree with them or support them 100%, but they need to stand firm on one decision and believe in that decision, regardless. To Speak or Not To Speak Essay -- essays papers To Speak or Not To Speak Imagine, you have just given birth to your first child. Emotions of happiness, love, and excitement surround you and your partner as you adore the newborn baby lying in your arms. You are so relieved that the labor went smoothly and to know that your baby was born completely normal, or so the doctors say. However, a couple years later, you are having premonitions that your child is not developing normally. He is not responding to your voice, nor does he react to loud noises, crashing and banging sounds, sirens, etc. In addition, it is clearly apparent that he is not developing language. After meeting with the pediatrician, you are faced with the harsh reality that your son is deaf. Now what are you going to do? Parents of deaf children have many options to work with the child’s deafness; the two most common approaches being the oral approach and the manual approach (ASL). Choosing which approach is a highly controversial issue. Utilizing the oral method of communication (oralism) is an efficient way to help bridge the communication gap between the deaf and hearing worlds. When they first learn that their child is deaf, parents, especially those who are hearing, go through a typical mourning process. This process includes shock, denial, grief, confusion, devastation, and recognition of the problem. Progressing through each of these reactions and acknowledging them is important before the parents can accept the situation and take action to be come involved in early intervention work with their child (Ling, 6). Daniel Ling states that the most powerful intervention is that the parents learn to effectively interact with their child who has special needs. The parents are with the child all day and all n... ...t the process is long. They should expect miracles, but not right away. It takes time. Total dedication from teachers, parents, and most importantly, the child, is crucial for maximizing the child’s ability to communicate with the hearing world. Again, the method of communication to choose is the most important and difficult decision the parents of a deaf child will have to make. These parents need to follow what they believe in their hearts, what they believe is right, and disregard what others may think or feel is right. This child is their own, so they need to do what is best for them. Parents of deaf children must remember that there will always be opposing views pertaining to the oral vs. manual method debate and that people will not always agree with them or support them 100%, but they need to stand firm on one decision and believe in that decision, regardless.

Precis: Graphic Design Theory “Design and Reflexivity”

Precis: Graphic Design Theory â€Å"Design and Reflexivity† by Jan van Toorn, 1994. Verbal and Visual Rhetoric, University of Baltimore Publication Design Master's Program, Spring, 2011 Dutch graphic designer Jan van Toorn is known for his radical ideas about what the function of design should be, and what qualities designers should possess and promote with their designs. Van Toorn’s distinctive style is messy, peculiar, and deeply interwoven with political and cultural messages, unapologetic with their intent to force critical thinking upon viewers.Van Toorn advocates design which encourages the viewer to reach their own conclusions, insisting that designers shouldn’t function as objective bystanders, but instead, designers have an important contribution to make. Design is a form of visual journalism and van Toorn urges designers to take responsibility for their role as â€Å"journalists. † Van Toorn begins his argument by stating that all professions con tain a certain level of schizophrenia––inescapable contradictions, including graphic design, which must balance the interest of the public with the interests of the client and the general expectations of the media profession.To survive, design must â€Å"strive to neutralize these inherent conflicts of interest by developing a mediating concept aimed at consensus [†¦. ] to accepting the world image of the established order as the context for its own action. † (Page 102, first paragraph) By reconciling the differences of various ideals and opinions, and establishing a cultural norm, design develops a â€Å"practical and conceptual coherence† in mass media, thereby legitimizing itself––legitimized â€Å"in the eyes of the social order, which, in turn is confirmed and legitimized by the contributions that design make to symbolic production. (Page 102, second paragraph) The cultural industry, comprised of corporations, the wealthy, the edu cated, and the powerful elite, dictate to the rest of society what is popular, distasteful, and overall socially acceptable, imprisoning design in a false sense of reality. Design becomes stagnant as it conforms to the ideals put forth by the ruling class. Van Toorn refers to this stagnation as â€Å"intellectual impotence† and designers tend to deal with it in two ways.Designers either resist the assimilation into popular culture by attempting to redefine or â€Å"renew the vocabulary† or they integrate smoothly into the â€Å"existing symbolic and social order. † (Page 103, first paragraph) The lines separating these two approaches have become blurred with the rise of post-modernism and proliferation of niche marketing, as competitors try to distinguish themselves. Van Toorn observes that â€Å"official design continues to be characterized by aesthetic compulsiveness and/or by a patriarchal fixation or reproductive ordering. (Page 103, second paragraph) Van T oorn then begins to examine what he refers to as â€Å"symbolic productions,† specifically ads, commercials, etc. , which misrepresent reality. These symbolic productions are ideological instruments, serving private interest in the guise of a universal one. (Page 103, last paragraph) The so-called â€Å"dominant culture† doesn’t serve to integrate different social classes; rather, it contributes to the facade of an integrated society, by forcing all other cultures to define themselves by an established set of rules, fostering a â€Å"communicative dependency. (Page 104, first paragraph) Van Toorn argues that everyday life is falsely represented and causes tension between ethics and symbolism. In order to make what van Toorn refers to as an â€Å"oppositional cultural production,† the designer must take care not to create a specific alternative to an established convention, but to simply present it in a creative and new way, while keeping the universally accepted concept intact.A designer’s opportunity to upset the status quote can only be sought when a political or ideological shift is underway, which results in â€Å"creating new public polarities,† usually targeting real social problems. (Page 104, last paragraph) Now the designer can encourage an oppositional stance, one that goes against the communicative order. The ultimate goal of this approach is to evoke questions and reflection among the public and encourage a more pragmatic view of reality, forcing them to identify their own needs and desires.Van Toorn cautions that despite the ever-changing nature of culture, design has to be â€Å"realistic in its social ambitions. † (Page 105, paragraph 3) The awareness of the unstable relationship between the symbolic and the real world requires a high level of discernment and critical thinking ability. Design must recognize â€Å"substance, program, and style as ideological constructions, as expressions of restr icted choices that only show a small sliver of reality in mediation. † (Bottom of page 105, to top of page 106)