CDs reviwe essays

CDs reviwe essays Dont worry, be happy was by Played by Bobby Mcferrin in the seventies . The in this piece the texture changes a lot as the work progresses. Every time the music would take a slower beat the texture would become thicker and the dynamic or the volume becomes lower. When the dynamic slows, one instrument would only be playing, and all at once when the tempo picks up more, and than three or more instrument would be playing. It seemed that when there are more than one instrument playing, they would all have a solo part to contribute. For example, the violin would play a fast tempo and the clarinet would play a slower tempo. The instrument that I most noticed in this piece is the violin. Throughout the piece the violin keeps on changing tempo and dynamic. What I liked most about this piece this how the instruments answer each other with a different beat, and dynamics. The piece called "All I want" was written by Bobby Mcferrin.. In this piece I would say that the texture stayed the same most of the time. It starts out with a very slow tempo. It is like walking in a desert without water. The tempo keeps on dragging you to a faster and more dynamic sound. When that happens it is like taking the first taste of water after a long walk in the desert. The violin plays as the main instrument when it comes to the faster tempo and dynamic part. The clarinet on the other hand takes the slower mood in the piece. The volume would get louder as the tempo picks up. What I liked about this particular piece is the way it changed its tempo from vary slow to vary fast. What I did not like is that their are not enough instruments involved. The only instrument that stood out I would have to say is the violin. ...

How to Alphabetize a List in Microsoft Word

How to Alphabetize a List in Microsoft Word Any list of items presented in either an ordered (i.e., numbered) or unordered (i.e., bulleted) manner within Microsoft Word may be sorted in alphabetical order, in either ascending or descending sequence. Word allows sorts by text, by number, and by date, and even permits three levels of sorting that either includes or ignores a header row, if the first item in the list is a header. Alphabetize a List in Word 2007 to Word 2019 Microsoft support provides these instructions, which are essentially identical to Word 2007: Select the text in a bulleted or numbered list.On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click Sort.In the Sort Text dialog box, under Sort by, click Paragraphs and then Text, and then click either Ascending or Descending. Modify these drop-downs and radio buttons to sort as you intend. In addition to sorting by text, you can sort by date and number. Paragraphs Within Lists Even though youre working with either a numbered or bulleted list, Word assumes that every item in the list is a paragraph and it will sort according to that logic. More Organizational Options in Word Word offers a range of possibilities for organizing your text. In addition to ordinary alphabetizing from A-Z, you can also: Alphabetize from Z-AOrganize numerically in ascending or descending orderOrganize by ascending or descending dateSort by fieldsSort by headersSort in one way and then in another (by number and then letter, for example, or by paragraph and then by header)

Physiological and psychological traits of two primates Assignment

Physiological and psychological traits of two primates - Assignment Example Physiological and psychological traits of two primates This observational activity was conducted in Fort Worth Zoo in Texas during which physiological and psychological traits of two primates were studied and compared. However, body hairs were not visible on the face, hands and feet of this animal. He also had silver grey hair as well on his bak which showed that this gorilla was in his late 20s. Same hair color was visible on its thighs and chest as well. The weight mentioned on the board was 40 kg which is fairly regular for this genus. Average height was supposed to be around 65 inches. There were three more gorillas kept in the same setting however major focus of this session was on the male Gorilla who appeared to be the leader of the herd and had a silver back. An interesting fact about the outlook of this gorilla was his lower jaw protruding the upper one. This particular primate was kept in an open area which had concrete floor as well as grassy area. However, the animal appeared more comfortable on the grassy land. He was being fed with bananas and other fruits whereas he was also occasionally picking grass and chewing it. There were some big insects visible on the grassy land which were picked by Gorilla and taken into his mouth. The Gorilla had its arms longer than legs and was moving on four limbs with major support given by the hands with curled digits. The male Gorilla did not appeared to be interested in interacting with the visitors and was showing less receptiveness to the food given or noises made by them. Throughout the observation, a single instance of low growling sound made towards the visitors was witnessed. The gorilla had made a small nest of plants and shrubs which he was using for occasional sitting. The weather on the day of visit was sunny and subject being studied appeared to enjoy sunlight. However, he kept on moving between shadows made by artificial rocky walls and open ground. Another interesting observation made was about little interest shown by Silver back gorilla regarding acti vities taking place in its habitat. Rest of the gorillas who appeared as female due to their smaller height and weight were roaming around freely towards food provided by zoo employees however they were just interested in food supply and not the individual feeding them. Unlike them, male gorilla only moved towards food once other gorillas had taken their share. Furthermore, he was picking up fruits thrown by some children. Some of the edible items were removed by zoo members and they were also told not to throw food inside gorilla’s habitat. The male Gorilla also appeared a little offended due to noise made by visitors to attract a smaller gorilla that seem to be attracted by the food offered by visitors. Therefore, when the smaller gorilla tried to move towards walls of its living arena in order to get closer to the visitors, the male Gorilla who was the subject of this activity quickly made a forceful growl in order to warn him. This production of sound was further followed by few quick leaps as well. Later on, the smaller Gorilla was taken to the nest of shoots where it was handed over to other female Gorillas. It was also noticed that the male Gorilla was paying relatively no attention to the water reservoir present in its living area. Although he moved towards it several times but did not touch the container with its mouth. On the contrary, he dipped his hands in the container and then put them in his mouth which quenched his thirst for the time being apparently. Perhaps, the reason for such low consumption of water is high use of vegetation which already has sufficient percentage of water. Male Mandrill Another subject

(Can the writer help me decide) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

(Can the writer help me decide) - Essay Example ls of counterinsurgency in two articles, â€Å"The New (and Old) Classics of Counterinsurgency† and â€Å"Scholar, Pope, Soldier, Spy.† She depicts the idea of counterinsurgency that militarizes â€Å"social work† in other countries. Counterinsurgency is â€Å"armed social work† that merges military and media-rich storytelling that can undermine nationalist endeavors and control women and other local sectors through specific social and economic programs and projects and America-as-savior media narrative. Counterinsurgency is â€Å"armed social work† because it has the usual armed component that employs brutal strategies and tactics against local guerillas (Khalili â€Å"The New†16). Khalili narrates that counterinsurgency has its roots in colonization. She explains that many people naturally oppose foreign forces that intend to control their local political, social, and economic systems, and when this happens, one of the past counterinsurgent strategy is â€Å"butcher-and-bolt† (Khalili â€Å"Scholar† 427). It pertains to the swift and violent destroying of villages, crops, and livestock for the â€Å"infractions† of the locals, such as leading revolts or supporting insurgents (Khalili â€Å"Scholar† 427). Though not directly illustrated, this strategy is common in the counterinsurgency against Native Americans, whose lands were burned and whose people were nearly decimated. The â€Å"race† factor is clear because those who were not w hites were easily slaughtered, while their lands and remaining human and natural resources were taken away. Counterinsurgency, nevertheless, is more â€Å"social work† than armed warfare because the military and related personnel are trained to influence the hearts and minds of the local people, especially women and other marginalized sectors, through social programs and the media. By social work, this includes outright colonial administration. General David Petraeus acted as a colonial administrator in Mosul, Iraq, where he rebuilt some of the

Adoption of Information and Communication Technology Essay Example for Free

Adoption of Information and Communication Technology Essay Abstract Nigerian banking industry has become highly ICT-based and is reaping the benefits of technological revolution as evidenced by its application in most of its operations. The objective of this paper was to determine if the Nigerian banks have failed or succeeded in the adoption and use of ICT (see table 2.1). An evaluation of the adoption and use of ICT infrastructures from the periods between years 2000 to 2008 indicated steady growth. It is presumed that as of today, the Nigerian banks may have attained their ICT potentials in their operations, though with some challenges. The paper concludes that the adoption of ICT has influenced the content and quality of banking operations. This paper recommends that investment in information and communication technology should form an important component in the overall strategy of banking operators to ensure effective operations. Keywords: Information, Communication, Technology, Banking Industry. INTRODUCTION Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is the automation of processes, controls, and information production using computers, telecommunications, software and other gadget that ensure smooth and efficient running of activities. It is a term that largely covers the coupling of electronic technology for the information needs of a business at all levels. ICT has surpassed the role of support services or only electronic data processing; its fields of applications are slightly global and unlimited. Its devices especially the Internet and modern computer email facilities have further strengthened early modernizations like the telephone and fax. Other ICT devices include data recognition equipment, factory automation hardware and services, telecomputing and teleconferences using real time and online system (Adeoti, 2005). The application of information and communication technology concepts, techniques, policies and implementation strategies to banking services has become a subject of fundamental importance and concerns to all banks and indeed a prerequisite for local and global competitiveness. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) directly affects how managers decide, how they plan and what products and services are offered in the banking industry. It has continued to change the way banks and their corporate relationships are organized worldwide and the variety of innovative devices available to enhance the speed and quality of service delivery. Harold and Jeff (1995) contend that financial service providers should modify their traditional operating practices to remain viable in the 1990s and the decades that follow. They claim that the most significant shortcoming in the banking industry today is a wide spread failure on the part of senior management in banks to grasp the importance of technology and incorporate it into their strategic plans accordingly. Considering ICT to ensure banks survival, Woherem (2000) claimed that only banks that overhaul the whole of their payment and delivery systems and apply ICT to their operations are likely to survive and prosper in the new millennium. He advices banks to re-examine their service and delivery systems in order to properly position them within the framework of the dictates of the dynamism of information and communication technology. The banking industry has witnessed tremendous changes linked with the developments in ICT over the years. Nigerian banks have undergone changes in their operations since the consolidation process of 2005, when some banks were forced to merge with others to meet Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) recapitalisation fund necessary for operation. Until then, most of the banks operated paper based systems at inception and later adjusted at the dawn of ICT revolution. In recent times, ICT, which basically involves the use of electronic gadgets especially computers for storing, analyzing and distributing data, is having a dramatic influence on almost all aspects of individual lives and that of the national economy the banking sector inclusive. The increasing use of ICT has allowed for integration of different economic units in a spectacular way. This phenomenon is not only applicable to Nigeria but other economies of the world, though the level of their usage may differ. In Nigeria, ICT usage especially in the banking sector, has considerably improved, even though it may not have been as high as those observed for advanced countries (Adeoti, 2005; Adeyemi, 2006). The use of ICT in the banking sector became of interest to this study due to the significant role it plays in the economy. It helps in stimulating economic growth by directing funds to economic agents that need them for productive activities. This function is very vital for any economy that intends to experience meaningful growth because it makes arrangements that bring borrowers and lenders of financial resource together and more efficiently too than if they had to relate directly with one another (Adam, 2005; Ojo, 2007). In essence, the banking sector acts as a bridge that connects lenders and investors in the economy. The bank reforms (especially the recapitalization that specifies a minimum capital base of 25 billion naira for commercial banks), are pursued with a view to making the sector realize its objectives in advancing the economy (CBN, 2006). It is expected that the impact of these reforms will be enhanced with the use of ICT because it will create some form of competitive advantage and improve banking services through accuracy and efficiency in their transactions. In other words, it will change the nature of banks’ services in terms of quality which will culminate in greater service delivery and productivity. This is in tandem with the findings made by Adeoti (2005) that the use of information technology has the ability of improving the competitiveness of Nigerian manufacturing industries. In fact, ICT has had an impact on the Banking Industry as its emergence allows banks to apply credit-scoring techniques to consumer credits, mortgages or credit cards. Hence, products that used to be highly dependent on the banks ´ evaluation of its customers have now become more standardized. Other examples of ICT impact on the Banking Industry include the increased process efficiency, which can reduce costs in banks. This has also produced changes in the structure of bank income. As a result of increased competition that has lowered margins in lending operations (the banks’ traditional business), banks have diversified their sources of income and rely increasingly on income from fees services rather than interest rate spreads. Fees charged for services include typical banking activities like payment transactions, safe custody and account administration. Data storage and retrieval is another wonderful innovation brought into the Banking Industry, where specialized software is engaged to create database to be manipulated by Database Management Software (DBMS). A single database created could be used for several purposes within the system in order to eliminate data redundancy. From the above discourse, this paper seeks to determine whether or not the adoption of ICT enhances the operations of Nigerian banks. To achieve this, the introductory part of this paper after defining what ICT is, clearly established that to remain viable in the current age as financial concerns, banks must adopt ICT. In the succeeding sections, the paper will review relevant literature and identify the types of ICT infrastructures used in Banks; the benefits and effects of ICT on banking industry will be discussed, after which an evaluation of its success or failure will be done; then, the conclusion and recommendations will be made. LITERATURE REVIEW The Concept of ICT and a Perspective in Nigerian Banks Technology can be referred to as the application of knowledge for the execution of a given task. It entails skills and processes necessary for carrying out activities (works) in a given context, while ICT encompasses computer systems, telecommunication, networks, and multimedia applications (Frenzel, 1996). It came into use in the late 1980’s replacing earlier terms like Electronic Data Processing (EDP), Management Information System (MIS), although the latter terms are still in use (Frenzel, 1996). ICT has transcended the role of support services or only electronic data processing; its fields of applications are somewhat global and unlimited. Its devices especially the Internet through the World Wide Web (www) and modern computer email facilities have further strengthened early innovations like the telephone and fax. Other ICT devices include data recognition equipment, factory automation hardware and services, tele-computing and teleconferences using real time and online system (Adeoti, 2005). It is a concept that is having a remarkable effect on almost entire aspects of the human endeavours. This connotes that it involves the application of principles to engage physical component in achieving an intended goal. The convergence of computer and telecommunication after about four decades of applying computers to routine data processing, mainly in information storage and retrieval, has created a new development where information has become the engine of growth around the world. This development has created catch-up opportunities for developing countries such as Nigeria to attain desired levels of development without necessarily ‘reinventing the wheels’ of economic growth. This new technology has brought far-reaching revolution in societies, which has tremendously transformed most business (banking) scenes (Ovia, 2005). With respects to the banks in Nigeria, the first established bank was in 1892 (then African Banking Corporation). However, there was no banking legislation until 1952 when three foreign banks (Bank of British West Africa, Barclays Bank, and British and French Bank) and two indigenous banks (National Bank of Nigeria and African Continental Bank) were established, with a total number of 40 branches (Iganiga, 1998). As at 1988, the Nigerian banking system consisted of the CBN, 42 commercial banks and 24 merchant banks (Iganiga, 1998; Adam, 2005). From 1970, the banking sector grew significantly in terms of number and coverage as a result of increase in economic activities. However, between 1970 and 1985, the growth of the sector was relatively slow due to predominant government regulations but the period 1986-2000 witnessed a phenomenal growth of the sector as a result of the financial deregulation policy, that is the Structural Adjustment Program-SAP of 1986 (Iganiga, 1998). This brought about the liberalization of bank licence leading to a rapid change in the sector. Some of the banks were characterized by paper oriented methods, rather than technological based systems and this resulted to slow pace of their operations vis-à  -vis their employees’ productivity cum general performance. The use of computers and other ICT gadgets in their operations were limited. This was one of the reasons adduced by Ojo (2007) as factors responsible for the Nigerian financial sector malaise. To mitigate the shocks experienced in the system, the Federal Government of Nigeria came up with the financial sector reforms through the CBN. The policy thrust on bank reforms encompasses the sum of the variations that occur in the direction of a comprehensive banking system. The bank reforms agenda, among others, specified a minimum capital base of 25 billion naira for the commercial banks that took effect in December, 2005 (Diamond Bank, 2005; CBN, 2006). This has reduced the number of commercial banks in Nigeria from 89 to 25, which was done via the processes of mergers, acquisition and the stock market (CBN, 2006; Ige, 2007). The major aim was to make Nigerian banks vibrant and resilient, clothed with efficiency and financial strength to absorb possible shocks, thereby instilling public confidence as well as global relevance (Soludo, 2004). ICT and Nigerian Banking Sector The revolution in ICT has made the banking sector changed from the traditional mode of operations to presumably better ways with technological innovation that improves efficiency. ICT can enhance efficiency via its use and in recent times banks have been encouraged by the rapid decline in the price of ICT gadgets. This has perhaps increased the bank level of ICT usage (Ovia, 2005).The increase might have also be attributable to business environment that became relatively flexible to accommodate new forms of technological change as a result of reforms in the country. Banking is becoming highly ICT-based and because of its inter-sectoral link, it appears to be reaping most of the benefits of revolution in technology, as can be seen by its application to almost all areas of its activities (Akinuli, 1999). It has broadened the scope of banking practices and changed the nature of banking as well as the competitive environment in which they operate. A broad opening has been experienced around the world for banks and they are currently taking due advantage of these innovations to provide improved customer services in the face of competition and faster services that enhance productivity (Akinuli, 1999; Ovia,2005). Technological advancement facilitates payments and creates convenient alternatives to cash and cheque for making transactions. Such new practices have led to the development of a truly global, seamless and Internet enabled 24-hour business of banking. ICT revolution both in terms of innovation rate, speedy operation, and cost per unit (portraying reduction in average total and marginal costs) has made a good number of banks embrace the use of ICT infrastructure in their operations (Akinuli, 1999). The technological innovation that is being witnessed currently in the Nigerian banking sector is possible of impacting on the banks’ mode of transactions especially in their payment systems. The payment systems are made feasible by ICT gadgets such as Automated Teller Machine (ATM), Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT), Clearing House Automated Payments (CHAPs), Electronic Purse (E-PURSE), Automated Cheque Sorter (ACS) and Electronic and Transfer at Point of Sale (EFTPOS), which have made transactions easy and convenient. This phenomenon is capable of bringing about speedy operations and enhanced productivity (Adeoti, 2005; Ovia, 2005). Though there may be little interruptions at times due to network failures, which may make customers unable to carry out transactions at that point in time. This little shortcoming is not in any way comparable to the days when banking halls were characterized by long queues mainly as a result of delays in the traditional banking operations. Now banks can provide comprehensive services to their customers by making them access their accounts via online services. These instruments have an edge over the traditional payment instruments because it is safer, more efficient, convenient and cost effective. Before the introduction of these ICT services in the banking industry, manual processing of documents were in use. The bankers were made to cope with this onerous task, and the process made business transactions minimal. Besides several hectic procedures, people had to contend with, banks’ customers were inevitably made to spend several hours in the congested banking halls in carrying out their transactions (Ovia, 2005). The present situation The ICT culture in Nigerian economy can be said to be on the increase. Nigeria is the largest Internet subscriber in Africa with about 100,000 Internet users as at 2000, which was estimated to have grossly increased (Balancing Act, 2007). It has also been observed that Nigeria’s telecommunication density had remarkably increased by more than 2,550% from 0.35% in 1992 to 9.3% in 2004, thereby greatly exceeding the International Telephone Union’s (ITU) benchmark of 1% (Ndukwe, 2005). This phenomenon has helped banks keep substantial information on-line which reduces the cost of marketing their products. Being a competitive tool, it enhances the creation of customized services, reduces the cost of operation, and improves productivity as well as profitability. More interestingly, almost all the banks in Nigeria have internet and on-line real time banking facilities which has improved the scope of Nigerian banking. It has aided transfer of funds from one location to another without any involvement of facial transactions thereby reducing the incidence of loss of funds to stealing and the likes. Another recent one is the telephone banking technology that allows customers to have transactions on their accounts by calling a particular telephone number, through voice activation, and using a tone pad. All of these improve the comfort of banking transactions. THE TYPES OF ICT SUBSTRUCTURES USED IN BANKS Ovia (2005) opined that ICT adoption will improves three critical domains which are efficiency, quality, and transparency in any organisation. Agboola (2001) discussed the dimensions in which automation in the banking industry manifest in Nigeria. They include: Bankers Automated Clearing Services: Automated Payment Systems, Automated Delivery Channels. In the analysis done by Alawode and Kaka (2008) on ICT infrastructures used in Nigerian banks between the periods of 2000 to 2008, found a proportionate increase in adoption and use. The specific ICT infrastructural use within year 2000 to year 2008 include Internet Access; Internal Network; SMS Alert; Substitution of Postal Mail; ICT Security Measures; Authentication and Automated Payment System. The tabular presentation of the ICT structures and the analysis are presented below. This analysis and other recent literature will form the basis for evaluation of ICT adoption success or otherwise, and informs its inclusion in this seminar paper. TABLE 2.1:SURVEY DATA OF SOME SELECTED BANKS IN NIGERIA AND THEIR UPTAKE IN SOME ICT INFRASTRUCTURES Serialnumbers| ICT infrastructures| Percentage of Nigeria Banks that use a particular ICT infrastructure within year2000 to year 2008.| | | 2000 – 2002| 2003 – 2005| 2006 – 2008| 1| Internet Access | 27%| 88%| 91%| 2| Internal Network| Wire based| 68%| 82%| 92%| | | Wireless| 08%| 19%| 28%| 3| SMS Alert| NIL| 22%| 98%| 4| Substitution of Postal mail | 18%| 38%| 88%| 5| ICT Security measures| 62%| 81%| 94%| 6| Authentication| 33%| 76%| 85%| 7| Automated PaymentSystem| 1%| 28%| 87%| Source: Alawode and Kaka (2008) Internet Access: An important indicator of the general uptake of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Banking Industry relates to the use and availability of Internet. Internet access is a precondition for e-Business, as this is the main channel for e-banking. The general availability of Internet allows for the analysis of overall ICT-readiness in the Banking Industry. The Table shows that 91% of Banks studied in Nigeria have access to the internet within year 2006 and 2008, While 27% and 88% from year 2000 to 2002 and from year 2003 to 2005 respectively. The drastic change that occurred from 27% to 88% from year 2000 to 2002 and from year 2003 to 2005 respectively was as the result of ICT awareness competitive products introduced by some the so called â€Å"new generation banks†. Virtually all other banks also braced up to satisfy their customers and there was general improvement in the services and products of Banking Industry. Use of Internal Network: The application of networks is a vital part of an effective ICT-enabled system, which is especially true in the case of banks with a branch network. Local Area Network (LAN) may also be seen as a basic indicator of the minimum infrastructure required to enable companies to conduct e-banking at a substantial level. Wire-based LAN is currently the dominating technology. The survey shows that 92% banks surveyed use wire-based LAN from year 2006 to 2008. The fact that LAN is a relatively low-tech and easily attainable ICT solution, would to some extent explain the wide coverage of this technology from year 2000 to 2008. Wireless LAN is a relatively new technology in the Banking Industry, and is used to permit bank employees to access network resources from nearly any convenient location. The fact that, wireless LAN is relatively new technology accounts for its low percentage uptake in Banking Industry. Use of SMS alert: Instant notification of transactions made was another innovation brought by ICT through the use of smart phone in conjunction with the internet facility in the Banking Industry. Virtually all banks studied in Nigeria use SMS-Alert, except some of the Micro-finance Banks. It was an ICT infrastructure that recorded no patronage between year 2000 and 2002. Substitution of postal mail: The Banking Industry is currently being renewed in many areas. One of these areas relate to the digitalization of formerly paper-based processes. Electronic mail is increasingly being applied for especially non-legal correspondence like account statements, marketing and sales. More than 80% banks surveyed have substituted electronic mail with old postal mail within year 2006 to 2008. This outcome shows that, efficiency gains from electronic mail are yet to be reaped and indicates that the Industry is a bit fragmented in its uptake of electronic mail as means of communication. ICT security measures: The security issue is of special concern in the Banking Industry, as banking is highly based on trust from its customers. Hence, the risk of hackers, denial of service attacks, technological failures, breach of privacy of customer information, and opportunities for fraud created by the anonymity of the parties to electronic transactions all have to be managed. Depending upon its nature and scope, a breach in security can seriously damage public confidence in the stability of a financial institution or of a nations entire banking system. Hence, by introducing the appropriate security measures and putting security concerns at ease, the BI might be able to attract the segments among consumers who previously were not inclined to use e-banking. Furthermore, it is also in the banks’ own interest to improve security, as digital fraud can be costly both in financial losses, and in terms of the damage it does to the brand of the bank in question. Authentication: The common concern among users of e-banking is related to the authentication of users and data connections. The use of digital signatures is not as common as PIN codes or encryption, and reason is the fact that digital signature is relatively new technology. The research even shows that none of the studied banks uses digital signature as the form of authentication, but the up-take in other types of authentication is generally high, up to 85% within the year 2006 and year 2008. Automated Payment System: Devices used in Automated Payment Systems include Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) and Electronic Funds Transfer. ATM still ranked higher in its spread than Electronic Funds Transfer, Low rate of spread of this technology might be due to cost, fear of fraudulent practices and lack of facilities necessary for their operation. But generally speaking, the adoption of Automated Payment System increased dramatically. The table shows the increase from 28% to 87% within the range of 3-years. BENEFITS OF ICT ADOPTION ON BANKING INDUSTRY Many researchers have agreed on some benefits that accrue to ICT adoption and use in the banking industry. These include among others: Enhanced operational efficiency. The use of ICT in the banking industry enhances the operational efficiency of the banks (Madueme, 2009). For example, the use of SMS alert, an ICT infrastructure that recorded no patronage among Nigerian banks between year 2000 and 2002, has presently aided instant notification of transactions. Improved quality of service delivery. Many researchers (Ikechukwu, 2000; Madueme, 2009; Fenuga Oladejo, 2010) confirm that the application of ICT to banking operations has undoubtedly enhances the quality of customer service delivery in the banks. The uses of ICT-based payment systems such as Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) and Electronic Funds Transfer have actually improved the service delivery of Nigerian banks to its customers. For example, a money transfer transaction that used to take me days to transact has been reduced to a matter of few minutes. For a case in point, last week, I sent money to my brother through UBA bank and before I got to the gate after the transaction, I got a call from him confirming that his account was credited through a message alert. Increase in customer satisfaction. This benefit derives from the one above. According to Fenuga and Oladejo (2010), the adoption and use of ICT in the banking industry has increased customers’ satisfaction due to improved quality of banking services. Referring to the above case of personal experience, it is unequivocal that customer satisfaction has markedly increased as a result of adoption and application of ICT in Nigerian banks. Improved profit performance. Another important benefit of the adoption and use of ICT in the banking industry has to do with improved profit margin. Many studies (Baba Harker, 1997; Ikechukwu. 2000; Madueme, 2009; and Oladejo Adereti, 2010) have shown significant and positive correlation between ICT adoption and profitability of organisations. Increase in market shares. When ICT is successfully adopted and applied to banking operations, the overall performance of the banks is improved and this manifest in the corresponding increase in market shares, profitability and other indicators of performance (Oladejo Adereti, 2010). Enhanced competitive advantage. Researches by Ikechukwu (2000) and Oladejo and Adereti, 2010 have lent credence to the fact that application of ICT to the operations of the banks has boosted their operational efficiency and brought about greater competitive advantage in the industry. EFFECTS OF ICT ON BANKING INDUSTRY Agboola (2001) studied the impact of computer automation on the banking services in Lagos and discovered that Electronic Banking has tremendously improved the services of some banks to their customers in Lagos. The study was however restricted to the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria and concentrated on only six banks. He made a comparative analysis between the old and new generation banks and discovered variation in the rate of adoption of the automated devices. Aragba-Akpore (1998) wrote on the application of information technology in Nigerian banks and pointed out that ICT is becoming the backbone of banks’ services regeneration in Nigeria. He cited the Diamond Integrated Banking Services (DIBS) of Diamond Bank Limited and Electronic Smart Card Account (ESCA) of All States Bank Limited as efforts geared towards creating sophistication in the banking sector. Ovia (2000) discovered that banking in Nigeria has increasingly depended on the deployment of Information Communication Technology and that the ICT budget for banking is by far larger than that of any other industry in Nigeria. He contended that On-line system has facilitated Internet banking in Nigeria as evidenced in some of them launching websites. He found also that banks now offer customers the flexibility of operating an account in any branch irrespective of which branch the account is domiciled. Cashless transactions were made possible in our society of today. The mover of the economy (Banking Industry) is now well positioned to meet-up with the new challenges from the costumers, competitors and even from the nation’s economy with right tool in their hand to reach limitless point of success. The Industry is now growing on daily basis with respect to new innovations that are coming out in the world of technology. Evaluation The banking business in Nigeria today can be assessed as being highly ICT based. The analysis of Alawode and Kaka (2008) ICT infrastructures used in some selected banks between year 2000 to year 2008 as earlier presented in table 2.1 clearly indicate the steady growth of ICT application in Nigerian Banks. Internet access usage, for example, rose from 27% between years 2000-2002 to 91% between years 2006-2008. SMS Alert that was nonexistent between the periods of 2000-2002 rose from nowhere to 98% between years 2006-2008. Similarly, Automated Payment System that was barely 1% between years 2000-2002 rose dramatically to 28% in years 2003-2005 and sky rocketed to 87% between years 2006-2008. The research, which provided the above analysis, is over 5 years old now. Considering the rate of growth reported in the analysis, it is obvious that most of the infrastructures may have reached their full potential. Drawing from above background, one could reasonably accept Akinuli’s (1999) viewpoint when he observed then that it appears Nigerian banks were reaping most of the benefits of revolution in technology, as can be seen by its application to almost all areas of its activities. Adeoti (2005), Ovia (2005) and Osabuohein (2008) in separate remarks affirmed the fact that the technological innovation witnessed in Nigerian banking sector is possible of impacting on the bank’s mode of operations especially in their payment systems. It is indeed unequivocal to state that ICT adoption in Nigerian banks has broadened the scope of banking practices and changed the nature of banking as well as the competitive environment in which they operate. Such new practices have led to the development of a truly global, seamless and Internet enabled 24-hour business of banking. In summary, the adoption of ICT in Nigerian banks can be said to be a success though not without some challenges. Challenges The automation of banking operations is really posing challenges to the Consumers, the banks themselves and Regulatory/Supervisory authorities in Nigeria. Among the issues concerned are: Infrastructural deficiencies: It is obvious that the use of ICT in the banking industry require minimum level or basic infrastructure such as electricity, telecommunication and motorable roads. Yet all these remain great challenges even as they feature as manifestos in all political campaigns. Ineffectiveness of telecommunication service providers and epileptic supply of electricity have often times cost people to spend days suffering to recover trapped cards in ATMs. For example, there was a day my friend’s card got trapped for only God knows the reason, but on a Saturday when the banks staff could not be accessed to recover neither the card nor alternatively withdraws money at UBA Aliade road branch. He had to wait until Monday morning to recover his card. Whatever his purpose for wanting to access money must have been defeated. Consumer Awareness and capacity: A major challenge of ICT banking to many illiterate and semi-literate population of the country who reside in rural areas is lack of awareness of how the systems work and their inability to access the services which mostly exist in cities and high populated work areas or institutions. Access to ATM and GSM Telephones: There are inadequate banking facilities to cover for the growing population of Nigerians who can access the services. Many households are unable to afford terminals and all accessories required for operating in today’s banking system. The recent Federal government’s 60 billion naira telephone project for 10 million farmers (Olatunji, 2013) is one exemplification that majority of Nigerians are too poor to afford a telephone, a necessary accessory for accessing ICT banking services. Consumer Protection: Another major challenge of adoption of ICT is the absence of statutory or regulatory provisions to protect the consumer of the products/services. Fraud: So much fraud has been reported within and outside banks due to ICT adoption. The high exposure of the system to fraudsters, hackers and other criminally minded persons who could access, retrieve and utilize confidential information from the system if security measures are weak; to checkmate unauthorized intrusion is another challenge to the authorities. Systems Operational Risks: Bank IT rests on computers and telecommunications which could be susceptible to system failure, internal manipulations and inconsistent regulatory policies (Etim, 2000). Conclusion Concerns about ICT role in attaining effectiveness, efficiency and productivity were raised in the late 1980s. Since then a large number of studies have emerged both at the industry and firm level that have substantially improved our understanding of the relationship between ICT and firm performance. This paper has clearly defined what ICT is and presented a review of relevant literature to aid understanding of the historical antecedents or reforms that necessitated its adoption in Nigerian banks by assessing the benefits and effects, and the journey so far. The paper further evaluated the success of ICT adoption as well as addresses the challenges it has posed to banks, consumers of services and supervising authorities. The paper concludes that the adoption of ICT has influenced the content and quality of banking operations positively. From all indications, ICT presents great potential for business process reengineering of Nigerian Banks. It is imperative for bank management to intensify investment in ICT products to facilitate speed, convenience, and accurate services, or otherwise lose out to their competitors. Recommendation This paper recommends that investment in information and communication technology should form an important component in the overall strategy of banking operators to ensure effective performance. References Adam, J.A. (2005). Banking Sector Reforms: The Policy Challenges of Banks Consolidation in Nigeria. Selected Papers for 46th Annual Conference, Nigerian Economic Society, August 23-25. Adeoti, J.O (2005). Information Technology Investment in Nigerian Manufacturing Industry: The Progress So Far. Selected Papers for the 2004 Annual Conference, Ibadan: Nigerian Economic Society, 213-244. Adeyemi, K.S (2006). Banking Sector Consolidation in Nigeria: Issues and Challenges. Union Digest, 9(34) June (http://www.unionbankng.com/adeyemi.pdf). Agboola, A. A. (2006). Electronic payment systems and Tele-banking services in Nigeria. Journal of Internet Banking and Commerce, 11(3), 112-124. Agboola, A. A. (2001). Impact of Electronic Banking on Customer Services in Lagos, Nigeria. Journal of Economics and Financ, 5(12), 45-73. Akinuli, O.M. (1999). Information Technology in Nigeria’s Banking Industry: Operational Applications, Problems and Future Challenges. CBN Bullion, 23(3), 71-75. Alawode, A. J. and Kaka, E. U. (2008). Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Banking Industry. Proceedings of the 1st International Technology, Education and Environment Conference, African Society for Scientific Research (ASSR) 673-677. Aragba-Akpore, S. (1998). The Backbone of Banks’ Service Regeneration. Moneywatch, July 22, p23. Baba, P. and Harker, P. (1997). Examining the Contributions of Information Technology towards Productivity in United States Retail Banks. Pennsylvania: Wharton School. Balancing Act, (2007). Balancing Act News Update (http://www.balancingact- africa.com/country_profile.php?id=24). CBN, (2006). Press Release. The Guardian, Vol.22 (9902), January 3, p.11. Diamond Bank, (2005). Banking Industry Report, Strategic Planning Unit, December (http://www.diamondbank.com/public/Banking%20Industry%20Report%20December%202005.pdf). Etim, S. O. (2000). Electronic Banking: The Risks in the Insurance. A Paper Presented at Centre for Insurance Research Luncheon, Lagos, May 23. Fenuga, O. J. and Oladejo, R. K. (2010). The Effect of Electronic Payment on Customer Service Delivery in Nigerian Banks. International Journal of Economic Development Research and Investment, 1(1), 5-16. Frenzel, C.W. (1996). Information Technology Management, Cambridge: Thomson Publishing Company. Harold, B. and Jeff, L. (1995). Don’t Let Technology Pass You By. ABA Banking Journal, 73-81. Iganiga, B.O (1998). Contemporary Issues in Money and the Nigerian Financial System, Lagos: Amfitop Books. Ige, C.S (2007). Reforms in Development. The Reformers, 2(1), 4-16. Ikechukwu, G. (2000). Enhancing the Performance of Banking Operations through Appropriate Information Technology in Nigerian Banking Industry. Ibadan: Spectrum Books. Madueme, I. S. (2009). Impact of information technology on the ptofitability of commercial banks in Nigeria. International Journal of Business and Common Market Studies, 6(12), 112-121. Ojo, J.A.T. (2007). Financial Sector Maladaptation, Resource Curse and Nigeria’s Development Dilemma. Public Lecture, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, January 25. Oladejo, M. O. and Adereti, A. S. (2010). Impact of information technology on the performance of microfinance institutions in Ogun state, Nigeria. International Journal of Economic Development Research and Investment, 1(1), 44-55. Olatunji, S. (2013). FG to give rural farmers N60bn cell phones. Punch, January 3, www.punching.com/business/business economy/fg-to-give rural-farmers-n60bn-cell-phones/ O sabuoheien, E. S. C. (2008). ICT and Nigerian Banks Reforms: Analysis of Anticipated Impacts in Selected Banks. Global Journal of Business Research, 2(2), 67-76. Ovia, J. (2000). From Banking Hall to E-Platform. Financial Standard, January 15. P. 6. Ovia, J. (2005), Enhancing the Efficiency of the Payment System in Nigeria. CBN Bullion, 29(1), 8-18. Soludo, C.C. (2004). Consolidating the Nigerian Banking Industry to Meet the Development Challenges of the 21st Century. An Address Delivered to the Special Meeting of the Bankers’ Committee, Abuja, July 6. Woherem, E. W. (2000). Information Technology in the Nigerian Banking Industry. Ibadan: Spectrum.

Media Essay - It’s Time to Ban the Advertising of Alcoholic Beverages

Media Essay - It’s Time to Ban the Advertising of Alcoholic Beverages Everywhere we go, we're bombarded by all sorts of advertisements. We can seldom go through one day without receiving at least one phone call from a telemarketer. Turn on the TV for 15 or 20 minutes and you'll see at least one 5-minute commercial break. Advertisements are abundant everywhere we go: alongside roads, at airports, and at train stations. Why is advertising so popular, why do so many companies pump millions of dollars each year into advertising? The answer is simple: ads inform people of products they otherwise wouldn't have heard of, they make products look appealing to so that people will buy them, and they allow advertisers to influence the general public to purchase their product. Generally speaking, this isn't a problem – companies make money and people get the products they need and want. What about products, though, that hurt, rather than help, people, products such as alcohol? Should advertising of such products, products that give way to so much harm, be al lowed? The biggest argument for the banning of advertising for alcoholic beverages points out the strong negative effects of alcohol on our society and the problems associated with alcohol. Alcoholism is a disease. According to the government-run NIAAA, or the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcoholism has a few easy to recognize symptoms. First of all, alcoholics have an addiction to alcohol. They constantly have a desire to consume more alcohol. This strong desire for alcohol leads to a loss of control. Rather than choosing when to drink and limiting the amount of alcohol consumption, alcoholics are controlled by their alcoholism. This desire is often overwhel... ... is no longer the popular thing; people are often looked down upon for it. We can accomplish the same with alcohol abuse. Works Cited "Alcoholism is a Family Disease." FamilyFun. (Online). Available http://family.go.com/yourtime/relationships/feature/kypa107alcohol/kypa107alcohol.html, February 25, 2003. "Frequently Asked Questions – Alcohol." National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (Online). Available http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/faq/q-a-text.htm, February 25, 2003. Hanson, Prof. David J., Ph.D. "Alcohol Advertising." Alcohol: Problems and Solutions. (Online). Available http://www2.potsdam.edu/alcohol-info/Advertising/Advertising.html, February 25, 2003. Youth-Oriented Alcohol Advertising . 1997. Issue Briefs. Studio City, Calif.: Mediascope Press. Also available online at http://mediascope.org/pubs/ibriefs/yoaa.htm, February 25, 2003.

Explain What Aristotle Meant by the Final Cause. 25 Marks

Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher and empiricist, he believed in sense experience, as well as student to Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. Aristotle understood that the world around us is transient, impermanent. He believed that everything can be explained with his four causes and in order for humanity to understand the world we needed to use them. The four causes are Aristotle’s way of explaining the existence of an object, with the ‘final cause’ being the most important aspect of his theory as it gave the best explanation of an object.The final cause is the theory that all objects have an ultimate purpose for their existence, an important part of what it is. The route to the final cause is as follows, the first cause is the material cause, it refers to the matter of an object, it’s substance and room for change, so the material cause of a chair would be plastic and metal. The next cause is the efficient cause, this is what caused it, the agent that brought it about, for a chair this would be the manufacturer.Then there is the formal cause, the characteristics of an object, therefore the formal cause of a chair would be curved plastic seat with metal legs. Finally Aristotle stated the final cause, the purpose of something, it’s ultimate reasoning, and the chair’s purpose would be to allow someone to sit on it. Aristotle suggested that humans had the greatest potential of all things as part of their telos is to understand the world, learning the form and purpose of everything in the world. In addition, Aristotle brings in the concept of actuality and potentiality into his argument.Aristotle believed everything has potential and when it reached it’s potential end becomes something different it reaches it’s actuality. This then applies to the concept of the final cause, if everything has a purpose and, in the case of animate objects, realises it’s purpose, it will inspire itself to rea ch it’s potential and fulfill it’s function. Therefore the final cause was not only meant as an explanation that everything had a purpose, but an aspiration to create the thought that everything needs to accomplish it’s purpose and reach it’s potential.Where humans are concerned the final cause questions the telos of humanity. If humanity has not yet understood and realised it’s true purpose then how is it going to reach it’s full potential, according the Bible, humanity’s purpose is to follow the teachings of God and reach goodness yet science teaches us our purpose is survival. With these conflicting views it shows that Aristotle’s final cause can lead to many interpretations. The philosopher also said that when the purpose of an object is fully realised then full perfection is reached and it has achieved goodness, it has reached eudamonia.This means that the final cause is the ultimate cause, the cause of causes. As he was a student of Plato his concepts tend to link well to Plato’s, and in this case the idea that the purpose of an object is to reach perfection ties in with Plato’s theory of Forms and the Form of the good, with both philosophers acknowledging that everything has potentiality. Plato’s theory of Forms stated that there were two worlds, the world of appearances in which we live, and the world of Forms, and it is in this world of Forms where the all perfect Forms and Form of the good resides.Plato believed the Form of good is the perfect Form, it is eternal and all Forms in the world of appearances aim to achieve perfection and the Form of good. Aristotle acknowledged that all things in our universe are always trying to achieve perfection but he disagreed in the sense that these forms, that Plato said resided in another world, were what we see around us and substance and matter are what forms are made of.This links to the meaning of the final Cause as both Aristotle an d Plato believe and agree that everything in the physical world is striving to achieve perfection and this is it’s purpose, an example of this is of how technology is constantly advancing, each product progressing to achieve it’s purpose in new ways. Aristotle also understood that everything physical is transient, therefore if something was to move then another thing must have caused it to move.With the final cause he tried to figure out for what purpose was the movement was caused, and what was the actual cause of movement, when does potential become actual. Because if everything has a purpose and function, then this purpose and function had to be thought out and caused by something else, and this is what led Aristotle to the theory of the Prime Mover, with it’s purpose being the creator of the universe.Therefore the final cause also means the existence of God, it was another concept Aristotle used to not only explain the key factors of an object, but the objec t’s cause. If everything has a purpose then it must have a cause, and with Aristotle creating the idea of a Prime Mover, disregarding the theory of infinite regression, the only logical explanation for the cause of the universe is a God. Aristotle claimed the Prime Mover is eternal, actual and perfect, and only God could fit these characteristics.The final cause also ‘proves’ the existence of God as within the Bible it states that God has given humanity a purpose, and through the final cause we realise this purpose it true and therefore there must be a God or Prime Mover who caused this purpose. In conclusion there are many possible things that Aristotle meant by the final cause. It could be an explanation for each object and why it was created by ‘God’, but it could just as easily be an inspirational concept for humanity, by making sure we achieved our purpose by doing good and reaching our potential.Although the world is currently dominated by scie nce and it is seen as the only acceptable explanation and justification for everything’s purpose, the final cause offers deeper insights into everything’s purpose, especially humanity’s. Therefore I believe what Aristotle mainly meant by the final cause was just simple the explanation that everything had a purpose and that if humanity realised it’s true purpose and interpreted it as they would, then we would reach Eudamonia and full goodness.

Biology of Mind Essay

* Everything psychological is simultaneously biological   * Plato correctly located the mind in the spherical head * Aristotle believed mind was in the heart   * Although heart is the symbol for love, psychology has proven that you fall in love using your brain * 1800s Franz Gall (German psychologist) invented phrenology theory that claims that bumps on our skull could reveal our mental ability and character traits * Biological Psychology – the branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behaviour * Biological psychologists sometimes called Behavioural neuroscientist, neuropsychologist, behaviour geneticist, psychological psychologist, bio psychologist †¦ * We are a system of substances, that are composed of even smaller substances (tiny cells make up body organs) * Body’s information system is built from billions of tiny interconnected system of neurones * Sensory Neurones – neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptor the brain and the spinal cord for processing – â€Å"afferent† * Motor Neurons – the neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain to the muscles and the glands – â€Å"efferent† * Interneurons – neurons within the brain and the spinal corf that that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and the motor outputs * Each neuron consists of a: * Cell body and branching fibres (the cell’s life support center) * Dendrite fibres – receive information and conduct it toward the cell body * Axon – passes messages away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles and glands * Can be very long projecting several feet into the body * Myelin sheath – a layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibres of many neurons * Allows for fast impulse transmission among neurons * If myelin sheath degenerates, communication to muscles slow with eventual loss of muscle control * Action potential – brief electric charge that travels down a neuron’s axon (neural impulse) * Generally an axon is in a negative state, while the fluid outside an axon is in a positive state * Resting potential – the positive outside/ negative inside state of an inert neuron * K+ [ ] in axon < Na+ [ ] outside axon (-70mv) * Axon membrane is Selectively Permeable – does not allow everything inside (selective) * When a neuron fires, the first bit of the axon opens up allowing positively charged sodium ions to enter * That section of the ion becomes depolarized, making the axon’s next channel to open up * During resting period(refractory period) the neurons pump the positively charged sodium ions back outside * Each neuron receives signals from hundreds of other neurons * Excitatory signals – like pushing a neuron accelerator * Inhibitory signals – like pushing its breaks * Threshold – the level of stimulation required to trigger a natural impulse * If the excitatory signal minus inhibitory signal exceeds a min intensity (-60mv) * How neurons communicate: Before thought that axon of one cell fused with dendrites of another, but Sir Charles Sherrington noticed that it takes a long time for the signal to travel. Therefore concluded that there is a gap * Synapse – the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite of the receiving cell * Synapse gap (synaptic cleft) – the tiny gap at the junction (less than a millionth inch wide) * When action potential reaches the terminal’s at the axon, release of chemical messenger is triggered (neurotransmitters) * Soon the neurotransmitters cross the synapse gap and bind to the receptor site on the receiving neuron * For an instant the receptors unlock the channels at the receiving site and electrically changed atoms flow in , exciting or inhibiting the receiving neu ron readiness to fire * Then reuptake occurs (a process when the sending neuron reabsorbs the neurotransmitters) * How neurotransmitters Influence Us : there is a particular path way in the brain for certain neurotransmitters and particular neurotransmitters may have particular effect on behaviour and emotion * Example: Acetylcholine (ACh) – one of the best understood neurotransmitters * Has to do with learning and memory * At every junction between motor neurons and skeletal muscles * Muscles contract, but when pathway is blocked we are paralyzed * Drugs like artificial opiates (like heroin and morphine) lessen pain and boost mood, may cause brain to stop producing its natural opiates (may cause discomfort) * Drugs and other chemical affect brain chemistry at synapses by either amplifying or blocking a neurotransmitter’s activity * Agonist – a molecule similar to a neurotransmitter that can mimic its effect or block the reuptake * Black widow spider venom floods synapses with Ach cause muscle contractions †¦ and possibly death * Antagonists – block neurotransmitter’s functioning * May occupy receptor sites – but not similar enough to stimulate receptor * Nervous system – body’s electrochemical communication network consisting of nerve cells from peripheral and central nervous systems * Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) – sensory and motor nervous system that connects the CNS to the rest of the body. Has 2 components: * Somatic Nervous System – part of the PNS that controls skeletal muscles * Automatic Nervous System – part of the PNS that controls the glands and muscles of the internal organs (ie the heart) * Sympathetic nervous System – arouses the body and gives energy * Accelerate heartbeat, raise blood pressure, slow digestion †¦ when something alarms, enrages or challenges you making you alert and ready for action * Parasympathetic Nervous System – calms the body down, conserving energy (opposite of sympathetic) The two work together to keep you in steady internal state * Central Nervous System (CNS) – the brain and the spinal cord * Neural networks– groups of brain neurons cluster into work groups * Neurons network with near-by neurons with which they can make fast connection * Spinal cord – information way connecting PNS to the Brain * Reflex – an automatic response to a sensory stimulus – spinal cord’s work * Simple reflex pathway is composed of single sensory & motor neurons * Communicate through interneurons * Below pt of injury on spinal cord – loses connection w/ brain – lose all sensation and voluntary movement in body regions with sensory & motor connections * The Endocrine System – body’s slow chemical communication system; a set of glands that produce hormones into your bloodstream * Hormones – chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues * Slower than neural massages, but last longer * Adrenal Gland – a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body at time of stress * Increase heart rate, blood sugar levels, blood pressure †¦ * Pituitary Gland – endocrine system’s most influential gland. When under hypothalamus influence, the pituitary gland regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands * Pea sized structure located in the core of the brain * Example pituitary gland influences the sex glands to release sex hormones * (brain pituitary other hormone brain ) – connection b/w endocrine + nervous Module 5 * Lesion – tissue destruction   * Brain lesion -Naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue * Used in Experiments: tiny clusters of normal/defective brain cells would be destroyed w/ surrounding unharmed – which part influences what Scientists electrically/chemically/magnetically stimulate various parts of the brain – note effects * Neuroscientists study the working brain by: recording brain’s electrical activity * Electroencephalogram (EEG) – amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain’s surface (measured by electrodes places on scalp) * PET (positron emission tomography) Scan – visual display that shows brain activity that detects where radioactive glucose (gamma rays) goes in the brain while it performs a certain task * Active neurons are glucose hogs * MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) – technique that uses magnetic field and radio waves to produce computer generated images of the soft tissue – show brain anatomy * Align spinning atoms of the brain molecules, then radio wave pulse temporarily disorients atoms return to normal spin; formed detailed pic of the brain tissue b/c released signals * fMRI (functional MRI) – a technique revealing blood flow (brain activity), by comparing successive MRIs – show brain function and structure * Brainstem – the oldest part of the central core of the brain * Starts where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull * Responsible for automatic survival functions   * Medulla – base of brainstem * Responsible for heartbeat and breathing * Right above the medulla are the pons help coordinate movement Brainstem is where most nerves to and from each side of the brain connects to the opposite side of the body – crossover pt * Reticular formation – located inside brainstem b/w ears – extends from spinal cord thalamus * A nerve network – plays an important role in controlling arousal * Filters incoming stimuli and relays important info to other parts of brain * Thalamus – brain’s sensory switchboard receives sensory info – except smell – from all senses, then directs messages to the sensory receiving area in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla * Located on top of the brainstem * Cerebellum – functions include processing sensory input and coordinating voluntary movement output and balance – located at the back of the brainstem * Enables nonverbal learning + memory – judge time, modulate emotions, discriminate sounds/textures Limbic System – neural system associated with emotions and drive * Located below cerebral hemisphere – 2 halves of brain (brain hemisphere) * Hippocampus – process memory * Amygdala – two neural clusters linked to emotion (influences aggression and fear) * Hypothalamus – located below the thalamus – keep body’s internal environment in a steady state * Directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature) * Helps govern endocrine system via pituitary glands * Linked to emotions and reward Module 6 * Older brain networks sustain basic functions and enable emotion, memory and basic derives * Newer brain networks (within the cerebrum the two hemispheres that make up 85% of our brain mass) are responsible for more advanced things like speaking and thinking and perceiving Cerebral cortex – thin layer of interconnected neural cells covers the brain(cerebral) hemispheres. – body’s ultimate control + info-processing center (thinking mostly occurs) * As we move up the animal ladder, cerebral cortex expands, genetic control decreases, and adaptation increases * small cerebral cortex (ie frogs) operate mostly on programed genetic instructions (instinct); larger cortex – larger capacity for learning & thinking more adaptable * Humans have a very complex functioning cortex Structure: Has lots of wrinkles and if expanded, triples the area * brain hemispheres filled w/ axons connecting cerebral cortex to all other brain regions * Glial cells – cells in the nervous system that protect, nourish and support neurons * Provide nutrients, insulating myelin, guide neural connection and mop up ions and neurotransmitters to neurons * May also participate in information transmission and memory * Moving up animal chain proportion of glial cells to neurons increases * Each hemispheres (there are 2) are divided into 4 lobes separated by fissures (folds) * Frontal lobe (behind the forehead) – involved in speaking and muscle movement also controls making plans and judgments * Parietal lobe (at the top to rear) – receives sensory input for touch & body position * Occipital lobe (at the back of the head) – receives information from visual fields * Temporal lobe (above the ear) – includes auditory areas (receives info from opposite ear) Functions: * German physician Gustav Fritsch and Eduard Hitzing applied mild electric stimulation to a dog’s cortex caused parts of the dog’s body to move * Worked only when stimulating the arch shaped regions on the back of the frontal lobe * Stimulating parts of this region in the left/right hemisphere caused movements on opposite side of certain body parts Motor cortex – area at the rear of the frontal lobe that controls voluntary movement * Areas of body that require most control (like fingers and mouth) have largest area * Sensory cortex – area at front of parietal lobe that process sensory touch &movement sensations * The more sensitive the body region, the larger area for sensory cortex is developed for it * Association area – areas of the cerebral cortex not involved in primary motor control function or sensory functions: they are involved in more complex functions like learning, memory, thinking and speaking * Not dormant areas – rather interpr et, integrate & act on info processed by sensory areas * found in all four lobes * Front lobe enable judging, processing of new memories and planning * Damage to frontal lobe may cause personality change (Ex Gage, damaged frontal lobe, but still had all memories and skills intact.. just became more irritable and dishonest) * Parietal lobe enable mathematical and three-dimensional reasoning * Underside of the right temporal lobe allows us to recognize faces * Memory, language & attention results from synchronized activity among brain areas * Brain’s Plasticity – brain’s ability to change, during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or building new paths based on experience * Severed neurons do not regenerate and some specific brain functions are reassigned to certain areas * Some neural tissue can be reorganized if the person is still young * Constraint-induced therapy – aims to rewire the brain by warning a fully functioning limb and forcing the used of the disfunctioning limb * Losing a finger may cause the sensory area responsible for that finger to input adjacent figures (making them more sensitive) * Neurogenesis – formation of new neurons * The fact that brain`s two sides serve different functions is seen when there is damage * 1961, Philip Vogel and Joseph Bogen thought that major epileptic seizures were caused by increase in brain activity bouncing back and forth between the cerebral hemispheres * Tried cutting the corpus callosum – the large band of axon fibre connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying massages between them * Split brain – condition resulting from the surgery that isolates the brain`s two hemispheres by cutting the fibres (mainly those in corpus callosum) connecting them * Normal personality and intellect hardly affected * Right hemisphere – used when a person preforms perceptual tasks * Makes inferences to languages * Left hemisphere – increase activity when a person speaks or calculates * Makes quick, literal interpretations of language * Also responsible for sign language in deaf people * 90% of people are right handed and 10% of people are left handed ( a bit more male left handed people and a bit less female) * 96% of right handed people process speech in left hemisphere * 70% of left handed people process speech in left hemisphere, and everyone else either left or both * Bias of right hand is unique to humans (and other primates like chimpanzees and baboons) * Either genes or parental factor indicates handedness

Witty Mothers Day Quotes

Witty Mothers Day Quotes A chuckle and good humor- that could be your gift to your mother on Mothers Day. Use these witty Mothers Day quotes to crack her up. Pin up posters with witty Mothers Day quotes to pack a punch. She will appreciate your sense of humor and your tactful expression. Roseanne BarrI know how to do anything- Im a mom. Rodney DangerfieldMy mother never breast-fed me; she told me she only liked me as a friend. Erma BombeckWhen your mother asks, Do you want a piece of advice? it is a mere formality. It doesnt matter if you answer yes or no. Youre going to get it anyway. Larisa OleynikIf my mom reads that I am grammatically incorrect, I will have hell to pay. Phyllis DillerI want my children to have all the things I could not afford. Then I want to move in with them. Milton BerleIf evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands? Bob MonkhouseMy mother tried to kill me when I was a baby. She denied it. She said she thought the plastic bag would keep me fresh. Peter De VriesA suburban mothers role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car for ever after. Buddy HackettMy mothers menu consisted of two choices: Take it or leave it. Nora EphronWhat my mother believed about cooking is that if you worked hard and prospered, someone else would do it for you.

Chinas Examination Hell essays

China's Examination Hell essays The Civil Service Examination System of Imperial China served as a qualification system for scholars who wanted to become officials in the Chinese government. Many young men spent their entire lives studying the Four Books, the Five Classics, and memorizing Chinese characters in order to attempt to pass these examinations. The book, Chinas Examination Hell, written by Ichisada Miyazaki and translated by Conrad Schirokauer, describes the lengthy, and often rigorous process of taking Civil Service Examinations. The book begins by giving an account of how a young boy prepares for the examinations, learning his first Chinese characters at the age of three. Girls could not take the Civil Service Examinations, and from birth were treated in a way such that they would learn to be submissive. Boys began their formal education at age seven. From that point on, they spent every moment memorizing the Four Books, which included the Analects, Mencius, the Great Learning, and the Doctrine of the Mean, and the Five Classics, which included the Book of Changes, the Book of Documents, the Book of Poetry, the Book of Rites, and the Tso Chuan. Young men had the opportunity to take their first Civil Service Examination around the age of fourteen or fifteen, and particularly bright males would most likely continue taking different levels of examinations for the rest of their lives. Also described in the book are the hardships endured by both the candidates for examination and the examiners themselves. The test-taking compounds were not very conductive to rational thinking, as each man was assigned a small, door-less cubicle in which he had to spend three days and two nights at a time. The examiners, by the end of an examination session, had thousands of papers needing to be graded. As a result, even the smallest mistake, such as a stain on the paper or a misprinted character would lead to failure of the examination. The book des...

Booker T. Washington and Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Booker T. Washington and Education - Essay Example For instance, Washington accepted segregation of the races, his outward humility, and his opposition to black militancy (Rutkoff and Scott). For this reason, many black intellectuals from Washington’s time were shy about placing him as the spokesperson for the struggle for social recognition. Regardless, Washington’s thoughts on education have remained within the public’s consideration for a number of years, opening the question of how does our current world evaluate, and utilize, what Washington had to contribute to the field of education. Washington was born a Virginian slave in either 1858 or 1859 and, although freed by the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, sought employment at age nine in coalmines and salt works. Washington was entirely self-educated: finding the value of knowledge after his first experience with a spelling book. In 1872, Washington moved a few hundred miles to Virginia’s Hampton Institute in Virginia to enhance his education. Washin gton took employment as a janitor in Hampton so that he could pay his tuition, room, and board. Similar to his peers at Hampton, Washington received a lesson in the value of hard work for moral and economic strength. â€Å"He worked his way through school and taught for two years at Hampton after graduating† (Hine, Hine and Harrold 339). Afterward, Washington took up a position as headmaster at a school in Tuskegee, Alabama. Understanding how Washington found himself as the head of a school is crucially important for contextualizing his contributions to the philosophy of education in the early parts of black freedom within the United States. Because Washington employed personal initiative and hard work in reaching a place of dignity, he wanted to share that experience with all black people. His take on education was representative of the fact that he was not an intellectual; rather he was a man that employed action to achieve the means of survival (Rutkoff and Scott). He want ed black people in the south to value the need for industrial education from the perspective as both American and African. Washington emphasized the industrial curriculum as a means of a stepping-stone toward race independence; however, this emphasis does not represent an inherent belief in the incapacity of blacks to master scholarly subjects as well. Rather, â€Å"one man may go into a community prepared to supply the people there an analysis of Greek sentences. The community may or may not at that time be prepared for, or feel the need of, Greek analysis, but it may feel the need of bricks and houses and wagons† (Washington 156-157). Washington’s intent by advocating the industrial curriculum was to grant these blacks the ability to break cycles of perpetual debt brought on by a lack of independence from the sharecropping system, which kept individuals from learning the tools and competences necessary for work that is more skilled. As a man of action, who achieved a high status by working hard and taking the extra step, Washington saw the production of value with one’

Servant Leadership for Minorities Research Paper

Servant Leadership for Minorities - Research Paper Example Diversity has two dimensions that are primary and secondary. There are some aspects of an individual’s personality that cannot be changed. Besides, such aspects of the human personality are mostly obvious and known to the people because of their being visible and easily discernable. Such aspects of diversity are called primary dimensions and they include within their ambit, attributes like age, race, gender, ethnicity, physical abilities and disabilities and sexual orientation. A gross stereotyping of the people based on their primary dimensions can cause tremendous hurt and does have the potential to give way to a conflict. Secondary dimensions are the aspects of human personality over which individuals have some control. People mostly do have the power to alter the secondary dimensions of their existence. Besides, secondary dimensions are the aspects of human personality, which they can conceal or reveal as per their convenience. Secondary dimensions usually consist of attributes like work background, economic status, marital status, functional specialty, job level, religious beliefs, thinking style, geographic location, parental status, education, communication style etc. Diverse leadership teams always accrue multiple benefits to organizations. Recognition of and acceptance of diversity by the leadership in any organization improve organizational performance. Once people get assured that their diversity is acceptable and normal, they tend to spend less time in reacting to unlawful or perceived discrimination. ... Such aspects of diversity are called primary dimensions and they include within their ambit, attributes like age, race, gender, ethnicity, physical abilities and disabilities and sexual orientation. A gross stereotyping of the people based on their primary dimensions can cause tremendous hurt and does have the potential to give way to a conflict. Secondary dimensions are the aspects of human personality over which individuals have some control. People mostly do have the power to alter the secondary dimensions of their existence and are usually less sensitive about them. Besides, secondary dimensions are the aspects of human personality, which they can conceal or reveal as per their convenience. Secondary dimensions usually consist of attributes like work background, economic status, marital status, functional specialty, job level, religious beliefs, thinking style, geographic location, parental status, education, communication style etc. (Loden & Rosener 25).Diverse leadership teams always accrue multiple benefits to organizations. Recognition of and acceptance of diversity by the leadership in any organization improves organizational performance. Once people get assured that their diversity is acceptable and normal, they tend to spend less time in reacting to or worrying about unlawful or perceived discrimination and harass ment (Parrillo 27). Acceptance of diversity enhances people's self-esteem and leads to better work place relations. A leadership sensitive to the diversity of the employees serving in an organization encourages people to bring out the best in them. This leads to a positive and favorable self-image. Acceptance and proper management of diversity tremendously improves the problem solving abilities of