The Nightmare Essay -- India Indian Politics Essays

The Nightmare Dreams are often visions of the conscience that hold the most truth. In the novel, Cracking India, by Bapsi Sidhwa, the narrator Lenny, has a reoccurring nightmare that contains much truth about the state of India. In Lenny’s nightmare, Children lie in a warehouse. Mother and Ayah move about solicitously. The atmosphere is businesslike and relaxed. Godmother sits by my bed smiling indulgently as men in uniforms quietly slice off a child’s arm here, a leg there. She strokes my head as they dismember me. I feel no pain. Only an abysmal sense of loss- and a chilling horror that no one is concerned by what’s happening (Sidhwa 31). Lenny’s childhood nightmare is symbolic of the condition of India prior to and during the time of Partition. The future of India is being dismembered by British rule while Indians remain passive and impartial to the destruction of their country. This portrayal of India is comparable to Gandhi’s view that the British have not taken India; India has have given their country to them. In Hind Swaraj, Gandhi suggests that India is in a state of unrest and that it will take some time for an actual awakening. Lenny’s vision of children lying in a warehouse with their guardians remaining indifferent to the suffering taking place is representative of India’s state of unrest. This suggestive state of unrest also refers to India’s tolerance of British rule. In Cracking India, the Ice-candy Man is adamant about Indians awakening from this restive state. He says, â€Å"If we want India back we must take pride in our customs, our clothes, our languages†¦And not go mouthing the got-pit-sot-pit of the English!† (Sidhwa 38) Similarly, Gandhi suggests that in order to take back India from ... ...orm (Gandhi 206). According to Gandhi, the discontent that these tortured children in Lenny’s nightmare experience will force India as a nation to awaken and provide reform to stop the cries of their youth. If the leaders of India (Ayah and Godmother) can put an end to their passive behavior and answer the insistent cries of the future of their nation (Lenny), then there is hope that despite its dismembered limbs and deep cracks, India will be able to thrive once again. Sadly enough, a nightmare is only revealed in the slumber of the conscience and once the mind awakens it is readily forgotten. Works Cited Gandhi, Mahatma. â€Å"Hind Swaraj, Modern Civilization, and Moral Progress.† The Moral and Political Writings of Mahatma Gandhi. Vol. 1. London: Oxford University Press, 1986. Sidhwa, Bapsi. Cracking India. Minneapolis: Milkweed Editions, 1991.

Positive Behavior Interventions

Positive Behavior Interventions Managing classroom behavior is one of the tasks most challenging for beginning teachers and even some veteran teachers. A national survey revealed that 20% of first- year teachers did not feel adequately prepared to maintain order and discipline in their classroom (Faul, Stepensky & Simonsen, 2011). I struggle with controlling individuals’ behavior that interrupts the other students learning. A research was designed to show how a specific management strategy helped decrease inappropriate behavior and increase appropriate behavior.The research combined with my experience in the classroom helped me come to the conclusion of how to promote positive behavior. The study was looking at the effects of teachers prompting appropriate behavior on the off task behavior of two middle school students. Prompts are used as reminders and they can be verbal, visual, gestural, and physical but they should be specific and frequent for them to be effective. The stu dy took place in an urban middle school with 1000 students across grades 5-8.The two participants in the study was Owen, an 11 year old male in the fifth grade and Tom, a 12 year old male in sixth grade. They were in general education classes and both were academically able to complete the work when not engaging in off task behaviors. Their off task behaviors included getting out of their seat, talking out, making disruptive noises, and talking to peers. Data was collected in the classes where problem behaviors were most likely to occur for each student.The dependent variable in the research was direct observation to document students’ on-and off-task behavior and the independent variable is the verbal prompt addressed to each student. The verbal prompt was given only one time at the beginning of class and was alternated every other day and it was â€Å"Be respectful, be responsible, and have pride. Do your best! † The results showed that both students engaged in less off-task behavior when they were prompted than when they were not.The teachers also commented that they saw an improvement in academic performance during classes when the student was prompted. They believed that prompting increases appropriate behavior and decreases inappropriate behavior. This study shows that prompting is a simple and effective strategy that may be implemented successfully with students who engage in off-task behavior in a general education classroom setting. I would use prompting in my classroom because prompting requires minimal training and effort to implement so it would be an ideal strategy for me to use for managing student behavior.In my classroom now I have many behavior problems in my last period class. They will talk over me and disrupt me when I was giving directions or trying to explain something to the class. One day I decided to use prompting and I did it at the beginning of class and at the end of class by saying â€Å"Today we will not be disrupti ve and we will be respectful and raise our hands if we have a comment or question† I was very surprised to see how much this improved classroom behavior as a whole.The students then were able to be on task and actual learn more when they were not disruptive. In conclusion, prompting is shown to increase appropriate behavior and decrease inappropriate behavior. Prompts can be effective even in different settings and not just in the classroom. The article stated that prompts delivered over the phone to encourage people to exercise where effective at increasing exercise behavior (Faul, Stepensky & Simonsen, 2011).Prompting should be used inside and outside the classroom to improve positive behaviors. Classroom management can become much easier for first year teachers if they use the strategy of prompting combined with other strategies. Reference Faul, A. , Stepensky, K. , & Simonsen, B. (2011). The effects of prompting appropriate behavior on the off-task behavior of two middle s chool students. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 14(1), 47-55. doi: 10. 1177/1098300711410702 Positive Behavior Interventions Positive Behavior Interventions Managing classroom behavior is one of the tasks most challenging for beginning teachers and even some veteran teachers. A national survey revealed that 20% of first- year teachers did not feel adequately prepared to maintain order and discipline in their classroom (Faul, Stepensky & Simonsen, 2011). I struggle with controlling individuals’ behavior that interrupts the other students learning. A research was designed to show how a specific management strategy helped decrease inappropriate behavior and increase appropriate behavior.The research combined with my experience in the classroom helped me come to the conclusion of how to promote positive behavior. The study was looking at the effects of teachers prompting appropriate behavior on the off task behavior of two middle school students. Prompts are used as reminders and they can be verbal, visual, gestural, and physical but they should be specific and frequent for them to be effective. The stu dy took place in an urban middle school with 1000 students across grades 5-8.The two participants in the study was Owen, an 11 year old male in the fifth grade and Tom, a 12 year old male in sixth grade. They were in general education classes and both were academically able to complete the work when not engaging in off task behaviors. Their off task behaviors included getting out of their seat, talking out, making disruptive noises, and talking to peers. Data was collected in the classes where problem behaviors were most likely to occur for each student.The dependent variable in the research was direct observation to document students’ on-and off-task behavior and the independent variable is the verbal prompt addressed to each student. The verbal prompt was given only one time at the beginning of class and was alternated every other day and it was â€Å"Be respectful, be responsible, and have pride. Do your best! † The results showed that both students engaged in less off-task behavior when they were prompted than when they were not.The teachers also commented that they saw an improvement in academic performance during classes when the student was prompted. They believed that prompting increases appropriate behavior and decreases inappropriate behavior. This study shows that prompting is a simple and effective strategy that may be implemented successfully with students who engage in off-task behavior in a general education classroom setting. I would use prompting in my classroom because prompting requires minimal training and effort to implement so it would be an ideal strategy for me to use for managing student behavior.In my classroom now I have many behavior problems in my last period class. They will talk over me and disrupt me when I was giving directions or trying to explain something to the class. One day I decided to use prompting and I did it at the beginning of class and at the end of class by saying â€Å"Today we will not be disrupti ve and we will be respectful and raise our hands if we have a comment or question† I was very surprised to see how much this improved classroom behavior as a whole.The students then were able to be on task and actual learn more when they were not disruptive. In conclusion, prompting is shown to increase appropriate behavior and decrease inappropriate behavior. Prompts can be effective even in different settings and not just in the classroom. The article stated that prompts delivered over the phone to encourage people to exercise where effective at increasing exercise behavior (Faul, Stepensky & Simonsen, 2011).Prompting should be used inside and outside the classroom to improve positive behaviors. Classroom management can become much easier for first year teachers if they use the strategy of prompting combined with other strategies. Reference Faul, A. , Stepensky, K. , & Simonsen, B. (2011). The effects of prompting appropriate behavior on the off-task behavior of two middle s chool students. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 14(1), 47-55. doi: 10. 1177/1098300711410702

Essay about Autumn Rhythm by Jackson Pollock - 558 Words

Essay Critique on Autumn Rhythm By Jackson Pollock I have chosen to critique the art masterpiece, Autumn Rhythm. Autumn Rhythm is oil on canvas, 8 9 x 17 3. It is my opinion, before you can critique Autumn Rhythm; you must try to understand the artist and his/her background. Artist Jackson Pollock was from a working class family who lived and worked in Wyoming, Arizona, and southern California. He studied at two different art schools; Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles and the Art Students League in New York, he also studied with several other great artists during his time. However the artist experienced some dark days in his life. The artist fought the demon of alcoholism, and came face to face with his addiction.†¦show more content†¦Thus, the masterpiece, Autumn Rhythm, is easier for us to understand why Jackson Pollock became a leading Abstract Expressionist in the early 1950s. Pollock used the technique of action painting or gesturalism. In October of 1950 Pollock produced this non-objected artwork by strange ly pouring and dripping paint on an unscratched canvas that was lying on a flat floor in a barn he used as his studio. With its colors of black, white, and turquoise all forming webs and lines, Autumn Rhythm is a action work of art that causes your eyes to never stop moving over the canvas. The elements that I see in Autumn Rhythm are line becomes shape, which the shape would be called scribbling in toddler talk. Webbing is another description I would use to describe the technique of design. The elements of texture and color are powerful, with the strong black, brown, touches white and turquoise you can almost feel the paints jumping out at you. The elements of value and space in also seen in the way the colors go from dark, light, thick to thin; I get the feeling the lines are moving out of control in motion and want to move off the canvas into the unknown. An uncontrolled and controlled process was one of principles that Jackson Pollock used to acquire balance in Autumn Rhythm. In other words, he did have aShow MoreRelatedAutumn Rhythm, By Robert Rauschenberg, And Marilyn Diptych1243 Words   |  5 Pagesthat makes us all humans. Through the discussion of Autumn Rhythm (Number 30) by Jackson Pollock, I will define Abstract Expression and why this work is part of this movement. Then, through the discussion of Canyon by Robert Rauschenberg, Target with Plaster Casts by Jasper Johns, and Marilyn Diptych by Andy Warhol, I will explain Assemblage and Pop Art and why each of these works belong to those movements. Autumn Rhythm (Number 30) is Jackson Pollock’s most famous piece that shows action paintingRead MoreArt As A Driving Force For The Abstract Of Art940 Words   |  4 Pagesneed to be representational. Jackson Pollock was an influential American painter who became a driving force for the abstract expression movement. His belief that his art comes from within was an impetrative idea behind his style. His beliefs have a huge impact on how I view art, create art, and inspired me for my final piece. Pollock was born in Cody, Wyoming in 1912. His father, LeRoy Pollock, was a farmer who raised his children in Arizona and Chico, California. Pollock was heavily influenced byRead MoreInterpretive Essay : Art Museum Essay1087 Words   |  5 Pagesunderstanding about abstraction is quite limited. However, after our discussion and lecture about Abstract Expressionism, I found myself drawn to the picture of the Sea Change by Jackson Pollock that presented at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) and have learned more about abstraction aspect through his paintings. Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) is one of the most famous American abstract expressionist painters from the 1940s and 1950s. He s also known as the Jack the Dripper for his unique style of dripRead MoreJackson Pollock Essay2268 Words   |  10 PagesThe dominant figure that steered the course of the Abstract Expressionist movement was the infamous painter Jackson Pollock. He was born Paul Jackson Pollock in Cody, Wyoming on January 28, 1912. He was the fifth and youngest son and grew up in Arizona and California after his family left him when he was a little over one year old. Pollocks artistic journey began at the Manual Arts School in Los Angeles, California where he joined two of his brothers. From there, he went on to New York to attendRead MoreMy Study Of Landscapes And Landscape Theory1637 Words   |  7 Pagesunpredictability of nature over a landscape. In my previous project I began my study of landscapes by focussing on our everyday surrounding and variances in landscapes being dependant on individuals social and cultural differences. In Landscape Theory, Jackson suggests landscapes are ‘embedded in the practical uses of the physical world’ and that they ‘emerge from specific geographical, social and cultural circumstances’ (DeLue and Elkins, 2008). This led me to assess how I can develop and focus my studyRead MoreArt And Abstract Art : Renaissance Art1113 Words   |  5 Pagesnor action. Yet surrealism obtains subjects based on reality structure unusually. Hannah Höch displays example of surrealism with his work â€Å"The Multi-Millionaire† (Art Forms 11th Edition pg. 413). In addition, Jackson demonstrates Abstract expressionism with his work Pollock Autumn Rhythm† (Art Forms 11th Edition pg. 434). Although abstract expressionism and surrealism share qualities they are different sty les. Question #8, 15 points Earthworks is relevant work concerning society in relation

Persuasive Essay About College - 2099 Words

When I first stepped foot onto the grounds of college I was a literal mess. I didn’t even bother to get ready or have the motivation to explore because I was so nervous and my anxiety levels were through the roof. This wasn’t even the first day of class, that was just orientation, so I knew that college overall was going to take a lot from me. That’s probably how you expect it to go as well and you’re also probably dreading when the day comes and envisioning every horrible scenario, believe me I know. Actually, most of us know because I guarantee mostly every college student has had the similar experience. I was so afraid of what college had to offer and most importantly, what I had to offer to college. This is reasonably how most†¦show more content†¦In his essay he states, â€Å"Anyone who has read a great deal can imagine the new world that opened.†, which can be easily said about college as a whole. To have motivation and value in knowl edge helps you prosper and opens up a new world where the tools you have learned will help you. Without a sense of incentive or inspiration, college will not be beneficial. When I applied to college I was astounded with how easy it was, it seemed as if the things teachers would say about applications were lies. However, when I registered for college I was dumbfounded by how clueless I really was. As a high school student I focused on getting acceptance letters and dreading everything else but I never twice-thought about what I really wanted as a whole especially my major. That is one expectation that leads you on your path, knowing what you want for your future, and to do that you must understand what major you would like to fulfill. To put it into perspective, it’s the key that opens the first of many doors but it’s this key that will decide the future doors. And the future doors could have different expectations and standards, but of course you make the decision to c hoose your path. I neglected to think about this particular aspect and ended up choosing a major that I didn’t want to continue. I’d wish that I had more assistance and researched on my own, but it eventually I cameShow MoreRelatedminimum wage1601 Words   |  7 Pagesneed to look at the reasons for minimum wage. We must look at the amount of time the current minimum wage has been in effect. The affect on the economy needs to be well...Premium 892 Words 4 Pages Persuasive Research on Minimum Wage ï » ¿Lee Prutsman Sarah Hannaway Expository 200 April 1, 2013 All About the Dollar Many Americans have very different beliefs on how our country should be ran, and one of the most important and most frequently asked questions ties along with money. Our dollar allows us toRead MoreWhy I Learned For Writing An Essay1123 Words   |  5 PagesI learned a very broad variety of English skills in my English 101 class. From the time of doing research before writing an essay, I wrote from the reader’s perspective, considering first what the reader would benefit from hearing. I discovered methods of writing so that the reader would be able to easily follow my ideas and notice the connection between them. Along with that, I learned to actively read what others wrote, alter my writing based off it, and courageously participate in the academicRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of A Quick Lesson On What Trigger Warnings Always Do Essay1444 Words   |  6 P agesLesson On What Trigger Warnings Actually Do† is a persuasive piece written in response to the backlash that The University of Chicago received against implementing trigger warnings for their students. Likewise, Holmes sets up her argument in the hopes of persuading the general population the importance of creating safe zones and use trigger warnings for those who need them. In order to do this, Holmes uses a series of rhetorical devices throughout her essay to develop her argument for the use of triggerRead MoreMany students do not know what rhetoric means. Students know how to be persuasive when they are700 Words   |  3 PagesStudents know how to be persuasive when they are writing. They also know how to write to a specific audience and purpose. However, students do not know how to give their writing a persona. In addition, students do not know their rhetorical choices and context can affect their writing. Therefore, college students should learn about rhetoric, becaus e it will help them with their writing. Rhetoric is college students using language effectively and persuasively. When students are persuasive they have to convinceRead MoreThe Importance Of Writing781 Words   |  4 PagesAll throughout my public school education, the majority of my writing consisted of persuasive essays. While I have grown to become confident in my ability to produce this type of writing, when I started college, I felt lost writing research papers. The steps to writing a persuasive essay is so ingrained in my mind that it was hard to break out of that habit when my assignments required a different method. The only significant research paper that I wrote was during junior year of highschool. HoweverRead MoreGraduation Speech - Original Writing893 Words   |  4 Pagesmy junior year of high school, my intentions were to obtain the experience and knowledge I would need for college next year. I wanted to be as prepared as possible to face the new challenges coming my way. I did not want to find myself struggling to write multiple papers for multiple classes in a limited amount of time. I decided Dual Enrollment would be my best bet; and obtaining some college credit wouldn’t hurt either. I strongly believe I have achieved the goals I set for myself. The evidenceRead MoreMy Writing : A High School Student994 Words   |  4 Pagesstudent, all my writing projects, or essays seemed meaningless. Always following the five-paragraph format, as well as the cheesy â€Å"hook† sentence that I was never good at. Throughout my four years of high school, I never felt my writing was getting any better. Fortunately, in just my first three weeks of college, I feel I have grown more than ever. Receiving more help with my writing, and more feedback than ever before, I’ve grown more confident in my essays, and expressed my appreciation towardsRead MoreReflection About My Writing Process925 Words   |  4 PagesEnglish 100 level class at Arizona Western College. I feel more confident with my writing style. At the beginning of the class I was very confused with the writing process and the steps to make an essay. I had a difficult time developing an outline and putting tog ether my ideas, so I was not able to write an essay with a good structure. In addition, my grammar was not the best, and some of my sentences were incomplete. During the class period I learned about grammar, how to write complete sentencesRead MoreA Brief Note On The Dual Enrollment English1248 Words   |  5 PagesSmarthinking help me edit better, but it was also very helpful to have another person’s opinion on my essays. Having a random tutor was perfect because I do not like having my friends read my writing. Overall, without revising my editing process, all of the other writing skills I have learned this year would not have shown in my essays. In addition to learning how to become a better editor, I also learned about APA format this year. At first it was pretty frustrating because I was so used to using MLA formatRead MoreGraduation Speech : A Year Of Writing902 Words   |  4 PagesAfter a year of writing: college entrance essays, scholarship essays, SAT essays, and AP essays I learned to hate writing essays. They were the death of me! During my first semester I avoided them at all costs. I would make an hour long presentation or a scrapbook to express myself so I didn’t have to sit at the computer for an hour and look at that dreaded blank page with the flashing cursor telling me I didn’t have a single word written. My second semester at U of A is when that started to shift

The Glue That Makes All The Good Grades - 847 Words

Think Back to high school, when you were in class with 30 other students. You do all the work, make all the good grades and someone else gets all the credit. In my high school days, we called these people â€Å"teachers pets†. These people made it seem like everything was about them. They wanted to control everything and most of the students wanted to tell this student off but couldn’t because the teacher would always take their side. Now, in this play we have a mother named Amanda and like the teacher’s pet, Amanda wants to control every aspect of her children’s life. May I add, that the children that she tried to control are well above the legal adult age. The children, like the other students in the classroom, wanted to tell her off but it wouldn’t be of any value because they had no backing. Amanda is truly the glue that makes this play what it is today. Amanda is the most important character in this play because she wants to live her life throu gh her kids, everything that went wrong was because of her, and because of her nagging ways. Amanda truly wants to live her life though her children life at any cost. Just like any parent Amanda wants to have her children succeed in life. She truly wants her children to go on and enjoy their life and I believe that she feels disappointed because she can’t give them what they need to survive the rest of their life’s because she isn’t financially stable enough for this. Since she can’t give them what they need, she pushes them toShow MoreRelatedEssay on Irregular Spelling Lesson Activity1668 Words   |  7 Pagesamp; Subject(s): Expository Writing Lesson / Language Arts Topic or Unit of Study: Expository Writing Lesson: Informing the reader of a topic that would include facts, such as book reports or research reports. Grade/Level: Third Instructional Setting: Third grade classroom will be seated at their individual desks for presentation of expository writing, guided practice, and independent practice. STANDARDS, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES | Your State Core Curriculum/Student AchievementRead MorePolymers And Their Monomer Units1444 Words   |  6 Pagestheir monomer units. Polymers are substances containing a large number of structural units joined by the same type of linkage. The small molecules that make up these polymer chains are called monomers. Polymers in the natural world have been around since the beginning of time and are found many places in nature. Starch, cellulose, and rubber all possess polymeric properties. Cellulose and starch are actually polymers of glucose which is a monosaccharide. Man-made polymers (also known as syntheticRead MoreJust The Way It Was By Anne W. Viewpoint Of Poverty Essay896 Words   |  4 Pageshigher in rural areas. Growing up Anne admitted to not knowing she was â€Å"poor†. She thought her family did the things they did because that is what all the families in her town were doing. Her family had a box that the community would put their hand-me downs in for Anne and her ten siblings. They got to take a bath once and week and shared water with all of her siblings. Wearing the same socks for multiple days was common as long as they turned their socks on inside-out. Anne and her sister’s madeRead MoreA Brief Note On Marine Plywood : 1.6 External1812 Words   |  8 Pagesplywood uses a premium selected wood species that are usually A-grade like tropical hard woods that are able to create varying densities core plies with usually no defects such as voids, bending, and gaps. These woods are also resistant to impact. The bonding quality is also another factor which decides the quality of the marine plywood. The adhesive used in marine plywood is also different; it is a special exterior/marine adhesive. All marine plywood is created by thermo-setting resins with veryRead MoreUsing Sei Strategies in a Siop Lesson Plan Essay1494 Words   |  6 Pagesa SIOP Lesson Plan Mandy Wynne Grand Canyon University: ESL-434 Advanced Principles of SEI Instruction and Assessment Sep 24, 2012 (O101) October 21, 2012 Using SEI Strategies in a SIOP Lesson Plan This lesson should be taught in a sixth grade class. The students do not have to be English Language Learners, (ELL) in order to benefit from this lesson and meet state standards. It is an interactive way to learn about different geographic regions of students in the class. The lesson shouldRead MoreQuestions On The Lesson Plan852 Words   |  4 PagesLesson Plan (Pathwise-based) 10-6-2015 Teacher candidate: Deborah Dorse Grade: 1st Subject(s): Math Topic(s): One half of a whole List the Domains that apply: Cognitive Psychomotor Arkansas Frameworks (complete SLE’s): CCSS.Math.Content.1.G.A.3 Partition circles and rectangles into two and four equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, fourths, and quarters, and use the phrases halfRead MoreH.B. Fuller Case Glue Sniffing Essay1867 Words   |  8 PagesH.B. Fuller’s moral obligations in this case are to do everything they can to prevent illegal distribution and use of their products. Being the leading manufacturer of industrial glues worldwide, it is impossible for the company to get rid of products that kids are misusing. Yes, the company can take steps to stop it, which they are by not selling it to retailors and small business owners in Honduras and Guatemala where the biggest abuse problem is. However, this company cannot be morally responsibleRead MoreReflection Paper On Childhood748 Words   |  3 Pagesuntil adulthood. It could be a good experience or not that great experience. Personally my lesson wasn’t so great and has caused me to get in trouble with my parents. In first grade at Anthony Elementary School, I was compelled by a friend to steal. Because of this experience, I learned to listen to what my â€Å"gut† tells me about people, that some people might not be good to have as a friend. It all started just when I was between six or seven years old in first grade at St. Anthony Elementary SchoolRead MoreThe Contributions Of Plato s The Apology1676 Words   |  7 Pagesthe environment. Before attending Introduction to Ethics I thought I had a good grasp on the definition of the word virtue. I knew that it meant doing what was morally right, but what was sometimes missing from my definition and my practice of virtue was the sincerity behind my actions. After reading the teachings of Plato, Aristotle, and Epictetus I have learned that more often than not I teeter towards the â€Å"seeming good† aspect of virtue rather than genuinely practicing a virtue for the sake ofRead More Educational Goals and Philosophy Essay example1400 Words   |  6 Pagesit to be. I want them to feel the intrinsic reward of making an A or B, for that feeling is quite addictive to most. Once they believe in themselves as an A/B student, they will strive to stay that way and they will be proud of that. These are all characteristics of idealism, but there is one area of existentialism that I will adopt. I feel that it is very important to emphasize individual choice in the class room. This encourages independence in the students, helping them to succeed as an adult

Bay Area Architecture Free Essays

When talking about California architecture one would surely imagine low red-tiled roofs with white stucco arches, but, in fact, Californian architecture is much more complex and diverse. A strong impact on the building up of the area had Spanish and Mexican occupation that brought in presidios, pueblos, and ranchos. In addition, Victorian tastes were introduced at the arrival of gold-seeking Easterners. We will write a custom essay sample on Bay Area Architecture or any similar topic only for you Order Now In the course of time other factors influenced the landscape of the Bay area and more and more new styles found their embodiment in this ‘alfresco museum of architecture history ’. Namely the turn of the twentieth century was marked by Morris’s idea concerning prevalence of handmade things over those machine-made and return to the Nature, as well as key principles of the Bauhaus school, which said that ‘beautiful’ stands for simple and functional. These trends left traces on the Californian land in the form of bungalows, one- or two-storied houses with gently pitched broad gables, one large gable covering the major part of the house and often a second, lower gable, covering a porch (1). During the first half of the 20th century, many professionals left their imprint in California in form of amazing collection and mixture of different styles and designs. Among them is perhaps the most influential and mysterious architect of the last century Frank Lloyd Wright. Remarkably, that he introduced his own commonly known as the Usonian style (named after the United States), which reflected his social ideas: â€Å"the buildings were designed for economical construction and to be energy efficient within their specific climate zone† as well as well as shows a dramatic impact of the Japanese culture (open floor plans, flowing interiors with movable screen partitions, an abundance of natural light, overhanging eaves and shallow pitch roofs, etc. ) (2). The Usonian Style is based on the concept that any architectural project should â€Å"naturally† combine its functions and stay in harmony with the site of its location. Therefore, the Usonian style integrated some elements of the International style architecture of volume, flat roofs, etc. but unlike its prototype, the Usonian style utilizes not industrial but natural materials peculiar for each site such as stone and wood siding (3). In general, the most characteristic features of the Usonian style are: – Open plan – Large overhanging flat roofs, on occasion, low pitched gable roofs were used – Concealed front entrances – Board and Batten siding – Large floor to ceiling windows – Brick used as accent material – Banding of windows Moreover, windows had typically individual casements, doors were simple panel and house were not typically painted but for an accent color (3). Notably that the architect experimented not only with shapes and forms of the buildings but also with colors, namely he employed purple (maroon) color and the success of such innovation can be seen on the example of his Californian work under the name of Hanna Honeycomb House. Such name is not accidental but due to the specific construction of the building. The house is patterned after the bee honeycomb and incorporates a number of six-sided figures. The author himself gave the following comments on his work: â€Å"The dominant feeling was of wonderful, secluded shelter, with the kind of aura I knew in the big old houses of my childhood†¦ In view of the fact that no house of my childhood was ever so casually joined to the outdoors, so profusely fenestrated and skylighted, or so varied in levels and ceiling heights, I was surprised that I was so emotionally familiar with the place. To feel so secure without the dark and gloom of restricting walls, yet I felt free. Not the kind of airiness associated with open, glass walls, which makes me feel as though I might fall out the windows, but a feeling of having space to move around in and somewhere to go. The hexagon has been conservatively treated, however. It is allowed to appear in plan only and in the furniture, which literally rises from †¦ the floor slab upon which the whole rests. To me, here is a lead into a new, fascinating realm of form—although it is somewhat repressed on the side of dignity and repose in this first expression of the idea† (4:32-33). To see the realized Wright’s architectural design all you have to do is just to come to Stanford campus. The reason for such location is simple – it was designed specially for the Hannas (Paul R. and Jean), a couple of well known Stanford tutors. A first the building was intended for two of them only but as the family widens, so did the house, which was quite easy because of its honeycomb design. In general, the Hanna-Honeycomb house is a one-story building with a central wall adjoining the roof (a clerestory) and made of widespread here redwood, San Jose brick, glass and cement. The whole design of the site comprises not only the main house, but also a guesthouse, storage, garage, as well as a garden house with a pool and a miniature artificial; waterfall. Though seriously damaged during the earthquake of 1989 Wright’s masterpiece was restored and reopened in 1999. Moreover, it is included into the list of National Historic Landmarks and what is more, the American Institute of Architects named it as one of 17 best Frank Lloyd Wright’s buildings worth seeing and being preserved as a cultural legacy for next generations. To cut the long story short, the Bay Area may be rightfully regarded the best showroom of various styles and designs, brought in by Spanish and Mexican invaders first, then left as traces of the gold-seekers, and last but not the least, owing to the fact that Californian marvelous landscapes have always attracted famous and not very architects and designers to test their knowledge and skills and to cast their names in the form of beautiful buildings which are so numerous in California. One of them is Frank Lloyd Wright whose first trial on the Californian land proved to be successful and hence we can rest our eyes on of his Hanna-Honeycomb house, which is placed among National Historic Landmarks of the United States. Bibliography 1. Bay Area Architecture. Retrieved on December 3, 2005 from: http://www. cr. nps. gov/nr/travel/santaclara/bayareaarchitecture. htm 2. Frank Lloyd Wright. Retrieved on December 3, 2005 from: http://www. greatbuildings. com/gbc. html 3. The Usonian Style. Retrieved on December 3, 2005 from: http://www. arapahoeacres. org/usonian_style. htm 4. John Sergeant. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian Houses: The Case for Organic Architecture. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications, 1976. ISBN 0-8230-7178-2. How to cite Bay Area Architecture, Papers

How Technology Has Changed Our Lives Essay Example For Students

How Technology Has Changed Our Lives Essay Technology has traditionally evolved as the result ofhuman needs. Invention, when prized andrewarded, will invariably rise-up to meet the freemarket demands of society. It is in this realm thatArtificial Intelligence research and the resultantexpert systems have been forged. Much of the materialthat relates to the field of Artificial Intelligencedeals with human psychology and the nature ofconsciousness. Exhaustive debate on consciousness andthe possibilities of consciousnessness in machines hasadequately, in my opinion, revealed that it is mostunlikely that we will ever converse or interract witha machine of artificial consciousness. In JohnSearles collection of lectures, Minds, Brains andScience, arguments centering around the mind-bodyproblem alone is sufficient to convince a reasonableperson that there is no way science will ever unravelthe mysteries of consciousness. Key to Searlesanalysis of consciousness in the context of ArtificialIntelligence machines are refutations of stro ng andweak AI theses. Strong AI Theorists (SATs) believethat in the future, mankind will forge machines thatwill think as well as, if not better than humans. Tothem, pesent technology constrains this achievement. The Weak AI Theorists (WATs), almost converse to theSATs, believe that if a machine performs functionsthat resemble a humans, then there mustbe a correlation between it and consciousness. Tothem, there is no technological impediment to thinkingmachines, because our most advanced machines alreadythink. It is important to review Searles refutationsof these respective theorists proposition toestablish a foundation (for the purpose of this essay)for discussing the applications of ArtificialIntelligence, both now and in the future. Strong AI Thesis Strong AI Thesis, according to Searle,can be described in four basic propositions. Proposition one categorizes human thought as theresult of computational processes. Given enoughcomputational power, memory, inputs, etc., machineswill be able to think, if you believe thisproposition. Proposition two, in essence, relegatesthe human mind to the software bin. Proponents of thisproposition believe that humans just happen to havebiological computers that run wetware as opposed tosoftware. Proposition three, the Turing proposition,holds that if a conscious being can be convinced that,through context-input manipulation, a machine isintelligent, then it is. proposition four is where theends will meet the means. It purports that when we areable to finally understand the brain, we will be ableto duplicate its functions. Thus, if we replicate thecomputational power of the mind, we will thenunderstand it. Through argument and experimentation,Searle is able to refute or severely diminish these propositions. Searle argues that machines may wellbe able to understand syntax, but not thesemantics, or meaning communicated thereby. Essentially, he makes his point by citing the famousChinese Room Thought Experiment. It is here hedemonstrates that a computer (a non-chinese speaker,a book of rules and the chinese symbols) can fool anative speaker, but have no idea what he is saying. Byproving that entities dont have to understand whatthey are p rocessing to appear as understanding refutesproposition one. Proposition two is refuted by thesimple fact that there are no artificial minds ormind-like devices. Proposition two is thus a matter ofscience fiction rather than a plausible theory A goodchess program, like my (as yet undefeated) Chessmaster4000 Trubo refutes proposition three by passing aTuring test. It appears to be intelligent, but I knowit beats me through number crunching and symbolmanipulation. The Chessmaster 4000 example is also anadequate refutation of Professor Simons fourthproposition: you can understand a process if you canreproduce it. Because the Software Toolworkscompany created a program for my computer thatsimulates the behavior of a grandmasterin the game, doesnt mean that the computer is indeedintelligent. Weak AI Thesis There are five basic propositions thatfall in the Weak AI Thesis (WAT) camp. The first ofthese states that the brain, due to its complexity ofoperation, must function something like a computer,the most sophisticated of human invention. The secondWAT propositionstates that if a machines output, ifit were compared to that of a human counterpartappeared to be the result ofintelligence, then the machine must be so. Propositionthreeconcerns itself with the similaritybetween how humans solve problems and howcomputers do so. By solving problemsbased on information gathered from their respectivesurroundings and memory and by obeyingrules of logic, it is proven that machines canindeed think. The fourth WATproposition deals with the fact that brains are knownto havecomputational abilities and that aprogram therein can be inferred. Therefore, the mindisjust a big program (wetware). Thefifth and final WAT proposition states that, since themind appears to be wetware, dualismis valid. Proposition one of the Weak AI Thesisis refuted by gazing into the past. People havehistorically associated the state ofthe art technology of the time to have elements ofintelligence and consciou sness. Anexample of this is shown in the telegraph system ofthelatter part of the last century. Acid Rain (3433 words) EssayModern neural network systemproperties include a greatly enhanced computationalabilitydue to the parallelism of theircircuitry. They have also proven themselves in fieldssuch asmapping, where minor errors aretolerable, there is alot of example-data, and whererulesare generally hard to nail-down. Educating neural networks begins byprogramming a backpropigation of error, which isthe foundational operating systemsthat defines the inputs and outputs of the system. Thebest example I can cite is the Windowsoperating system from Microsoft. Of-course,personal computers dont learn byexample, but Windows-based software will not runoutside (or in the absence) ofWindows. One negative feature of educatingneural networks by backpropigation of error is aphenomena known as, overfitting. Overfitting errors occur when conflictinginformationis memorized, so the neural networkexhibits a degraded state of function as a result. Atthe worst, the expert system maylock-up, but it is more common to see an impeded stateof operation. By running programs inthe operating shell that review data against a database, these problems have beenminimalized. In the real world, we are seeing anincreasing prevalence of neural networks. To fullyrealize the potential benefits ofneural networks our lives, research must be intenseandglobal in nature. In the course of myresearch on this essay, I was privy to severalinstitutions and organizationsdedicated to the collaborative development of neuralnetworkexpert systems. To be a success, research anddevelopment of neural networking must address societalproblems of high interest andintrigue. Motivating the talents of the computingindustry willbe the only way we will fully realizethe benefits and potential power of neural networks. There would be no support, naturally,if there was no short-term progress. Research anddevelopment of neural networks must beintensive enough to show results before interestwanes. New technology must be developedthrough basic research to enhance the capabilities ofneural net expert systems. It isgenerally acknowledged that the future of neuralnetworks depends on overcoming manytechnological challenges, such as datacross-talk (caused by radio frequency generation ofrapid data transfer) and limited databandwidth. Real-world applications of theseintelligent neural network expert systems include,according to the ArtificialIntelligence Center, Knowbots/Infobots and intelligentHelp desks. These are primarily easily accessibleentities that will host a wealth of data and adviceforprospective users. Autonomous vehiclesare another future application of intelligent neuralnetworks. There may come a time in thefuture where planes will fly themselves and taxiswill deliver passengers without humanintervention. Translation is a wonderful possibilityof these expert systems. Imagine theability to have a device translate your English spokenwords into Mandarin Chinese! This goesbeyond simple languages and syntacticalmanipulation. Cultural gulfs inlanguage would also be the focus of such devices. Through the course of Mind andMachine, we have established that artificialintelligencesfunction will not be to replicate theconscious state of man, but to act as an auxiliary tohim. Proponents of Strong AI Thesisand Weak AI Thesis may hold out, but the inevitablewill manifest itself in the end. It may be easy to ridicule thoseproponents, but I submit that in their research intomakingconscio us machines, they are doing thefield a favor in the innovations and discoveriesthey make. In conclusion, technology will prevailin the field of expert systems only if the philosophybehind them is clear and strong. Weshould not strive to make machines that may supplantour causal powers, but rather onesthat complement them. To me, these expert systemswill not replace man they shouldnt. We will see a future where we shall increasingly findourselves working beside intelligentsystems.