Design of a New Generator

1. INTRODUCTION : Gas Turbine-Generator system has proximity to zero level due to absence of condenser. Therefore, Generator should have Terminal Bushings at the top of the Stator Frame. This avoids digging of tunnel / trench for routing Bus Duct and also avoids accumulation of gases from safety point of view. It was decided to develop a module THRI 108/44 for application with Gas Turbine. 2. DESIGN CHALLENGES : Since, bar type design of THRI 108/44 module for GTG application is not available. Hence the same had to be designed afresh taking the following major design challenges into consideration: . 1. Shifting Terminal bushings for tapping power from bottom to top. 2. 2. Location, number and size of coolers and cooler ducts in stator Frame to accommodate connections between Bus Bar and Terminal Bushings. 2. 3. Proven ventilation scheme inside stator frame for cooling of stator core, windings and its overhangs. 2. 4. Provision of static excitation system by providing slip ring shaft. 2. 5. Position of Barring Gear on Exciter End (non drive end) requiring Slip Ring shaft rotor having a matching coupling with generator rotor on one side and barring gear on other side. 2. 6. Provision of routing of piping emanating from bottom of stator and end shield in the foundation. 2. 7. Routing of connections between bus bar and terminal bushings maintaining required electrical connections 2. 8. Use of existing components as far as possible for inventory and variety reduction. 2. 9. Mechanical and Electrical calculations for soundness of design. 3. ACTION PLAN : 3. 1. Identification of assemblies for fresh designing – 34 numbers design groups out of 125 groups were identified to be designed afresh. (Annexure-1) 3. 2. Carrying out Exhaustive Electromagnetic, Mechanical, Ventilation & Heat Transfer calculations. . 3. Development of detailed design documents, scrutiny by technology, incorporating the changes suggested and release of documents (drawings and CBOM). 3. 4. Verification of design by Internal design groups – Internal design groups of experts were formed and Changes suggested by different groups were incorporated in the documents. 3. 5. Strengt h of stator frame under various load conditions, its natural frequency and rotor dynamics to be carried out by Corporate R & D to validate the design. 4. INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS AND ITS DETAILS : 4. 1. Electromagnetic calculations were carried out and design data sheet issued for preparation of design documents. 4. 2. Since the Terminal Bushings are to be mounted at the top, there was no space available to accommodate 4 Nos. Hydrogen cooler ducts (400 x 570 mm), as provided in conventional THRI design (ref. Fig. 1). Therefore, it was decided to use two nos Twin-coolers (ref Fig. 2&3). This concept has 2 nos. twin coolers placed in two separate cooler ducts. Operating conditions of one cooler out of operation apply here also as in case of conventional 4 Nos. separate coolers. 4. 3. Changes in size of cooler and cooler ducts (550 x 650 mm) and duct location resulted in increase of width of stator body to 4200 mm from 4000 mm and height 4550 mm. Accordingly, stator body was redesigned completely maintaining routings of ribs, plates etc to follow the ventilation scheme of existing machine. Full length Foundation Support has been provided on stator in line with conventional GTGs. 4. 4. Due to the above mentioned increased dimensions of stator body, the generator is not suitable for rail transport (limit up to 4040 mm). Thus the generator stator shall have to be transported by road only. A dragging fixture has been designed and shall be welded to the bottom of stator frame to place it directly on the road trailer without requiring any additional fixture. It will also help placing the stator at any location without any support or can be dragged at power station for erection, if required. 4. 5. It was proposed to use common Core Assembly for GTG as well as STG for standardization and variety reduction. STG design required a power output of 261 MW. To enhance the MCR rating it was decided to optimize the ventilation flow paths in the stator core. Number of ventilation ducts has been increased from 85 to 98 without any increase in the total core length. Width of the ventilation ducts was earlier a combination of 5 mm & 10 mm, which has now been changed to 5 mm, 8 mm & 10 mm (refer Fig. 4). In order to optimize electromagnetic performance of the machine, net iron length of core is maintained same. Modified ventilation circuit vis-a-vis existing one is depicted in Figs. 5 & 6. 4. 6. Thickness of core ETS segments (Electro Technical Steel segments) has been increased from 0. 5 mm to 0. 65 mm without any loss in quality. This will enhance the rigidity of core end zone packets. It will also increase the productivity and reduce core assembly time in shop by about 30%. 4. 3. Shifting of Terminal Bushings to the top of Stator Frame, required redesign of Connecting Bus-bars and Arrangement of Terminal Bushing Connection Assemblies maintaining the air gap clearances(Fig-7). 4. 4. End Ring is introduced in this design for providing better rigidity in stator winding overhang. 4. 5. To make the generator suitable for static excitation system, new Slip Ring Shaft has been designed. Couplings of Slip Ring Shaft have been redesigned to suit TG rotor (EE) at one end and Barring gear at the other end. 4. 6. In view of relocation of terminal bushings, drawings related to temperature and pressure monitoring circuits were prepared afresh. 4. 7. There is no availability of overhead cranes in Gas Turbine hall over Turbogenerator due to low ceiling of the building. This poses a major challenge for insertion of rotor into stator. Rotor weighs around 42 tons. So, a new Trailer with Prime-Mover has been designed for Rotor Insertion in to Generator for GTG application. 4. 8. Design Documents (drawings and CBOMs) were sent to Corporate R & D for to carry out following calculations :- (1)Static Analysis – (a) Lifting of stator with 4 lugs b) Short Circuit Torque (c) Hydraulic test at 10 bar (2) Dynamic and Harmonic Analysis of Stator Frame with Core, Windings and rotor (3) Rotor Dynamics 4. 9. Generator Outline diagram for GTG is enclosed as Fig. 8. 5. RESULTS OF MECHANICAL CALCULATIONS : 5. 1. Static Analysis – Load ConditionsMaximum Stresses(N/mm? )Reference Lifting of Stator with 4 lugs110 Fig-9 Short Circuit Torque with 3. 5 bar internal pressure of Hydrogen238 Fig-10 Deformations of side wall due to Hydraulic Pressure of 10 bar (fig-11) Locations on side wallDeformations (mm) TEEE 1700 mm above centerline1. 040. 46 1700 mm below centerline0. 460. 40 5. 2. Dynamic and Harmonic Analysis of stator with core & windings DirectionFrequency PeakReference Axial32. 3 HzFig-12,13 Vertical82 HzFig-14 Horizontal136 HzFig-15 6. TECHNOLOGICAL GAINS : 8. 1. THRI bar type Turbogenerator has been developed for the first time for application with Gas Turbine. 8. 2. New design Stator can be placed directly on the trailer during transportation by road. It can be dragged at site during erection, if required. 8. 3. The new design of core is suitable for THRI STG design also due to improved ventilation. This will result in lower temperature rise leading to more reliable operation and enhanced life of the machine. . 4. Rationalisation and standardization of components has been taken into consideration to develop this design. Assemblies like Rotor, End Shield, Winding bars, Terminal Bushings, Shaft Seals, Oil Catchers etc will be used from that of existing design variant. 8. 5. Existing major tooling like those for fabrication & machining of Stator Frame, ass embly of core, Hydraulic and Pneumatic testing of Stator Frame will be used. 7. CONCLUSION : THRI bar type Turbogenerator has been developed in-house for the application with Gas Turbine. With the concerted efforts of the team the design work was completed by 31st August, 2005. This new design has been approved by an external review team comprising of experts from IIT- Roorkee, Corp. R&D and RC Puram besides Haridwar experts from Technology, Quality & Engineering. Discussions were also held at PEM Delhi along with R. C. Puram for erection and maintenance of various Generator components like coolers, End Shields, Insert Covers, Rotor, Slip Ring Shaft Assembly and Bearings etc. New design features were explained and these were taken in to account for development of Power Plant layout.

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce

The story Portrait of the Artist as Young Man is set in the Ireland at the beginning of the 20th century. Readers are introduced to the character of Stephen Dedalus, a young Irish boy from a Catholic family. The family is impoverished because of his father is incompetent. The family constantly moves from one place to another because of their poverty.Mary Dedalus, Stephen’s mother is a pious Catholic. The Dedalus children were taught by Mrs. Riordan (or Dante) their governess, also a devout Catholic. Their Uncle Charles stays with them. The opening paragraphs start out with a stream of consciousness by Stephen as a young boy.The next time Stephen appears is during his stay at a boarding school in Clangowes. He suffers from homesickness, and bullying because of his measly frame and basically just unable to fit in the society of the boarding school. He is pushed by a bully into a cesspool that caused him to be sick but does not tell his teachers about it.During Christmas, he join s the adult table for the first time. The dinner turns ugly when a heated debate about politics among the adults started. Back at the boarding school, Stephen is hit by Father Dolan, the prefect of the boarding school. He tells this incident to Father Conmee, the rector of the boarding of the boarding school. His classmates admired this act.His family’s continued financial woes took its toll on Stephen. He was unable to return to the boarding school in Clangowes. Stephen, along with the rest of the family moves to Blackrock. Stephen enjoyed walks with his Uncle Charles in their new place. He plays imaginary adventures with Aubrey Mills, their neighbor in Blackrock.Yet again, just a few years after their move to Blackrock, they move again, this time to Dublin. This is where he meets Emma Clere, the girl that would greatly enthral Stephen throughout the story. Somehow his father managed to enrol Stephen into Belvedere College.It was only in Belvedere where Stephen comes out of his shell, he became a leader and is active in theatre and literature. Stephen still feels alone even if he excels in those fields.As an adolescent young man, he got exposed to sex and is greatly fascinated by it, until finally he loses his virginity to prostitute.Stephen becomes addicted to sex. Although he knows that what he is doing is wrong he can’t control himself or rather he does not want to. After some time, he hears a sermon from Father Arnall, his former Latin teacher back in Clongowes. The priests talks about how terrible hell is. Stephen is horrified. He suddenly changes from a sex addict person to a religious person.

Important Advice †Do Not Deceive Essay

Humanity is facing many problems like poverty, diseases, violence, homicide, economic recession, and many other miseries, which cause fear in a blissful soul. Since money buys the means that give comfort and happiness to a human, the people are striving either to sustain the basic needs of livelihood, or to expand their existing financial kingdom. However, during their struggle for earning money, some people try to deceive others, and cause sorrow to the bereaved persons. In doing so, although they might have gained more money, but their act of deceit reverts to them, and they also suffer some kind of loss- money, health, happiness, or peace of mind. It is the law of nature that we reap what we sow. If somebody causes pain to a fellow human, then the same pain will return to the miscreant. Can anybody get happiness by snatching happiness from others? Can anybody prosper by cheating somebody through cunning means? It can be seen from the ongoing economic recession that big businesses, who had committed fraud and deception, collapsed eventually. It is true that deceptive acts lead to disaster, foreclosures, layoffs, and suffering. The manipulations in the account statements, which were done by well-paid executives, not only deceived the investors, but also caused grief to the fraudsters, who lost billions of dollars during the slump. Hence, my advice to humanity is that one should never deceive somebody. Relations and economy prosper on mutual faith, and they perish if deception becomes the means of attaining them. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba preaches â€Å"Love all, serve all,† and â€Å"Help ever, hurt never. † Since we all are humans, and we are liable to commit errors, we should forgive others for their unintentional mistakes, and always encourage them to improve their performances. In a positive work environment, workers are motivated to produce the best results, and they try to excel through their sincerity and diligence. Please do not deceive anybody for your own benefit.

Preparing Research Questions and Hypotheses Assignment

Preparing Research Questions and Hypotheses - Assignment Example Alvesson and Sandberg (2011) suggest that identifying and constructing gaps in existing theories is one way of generating research questions. Additionally, Toledo, Flikkema, and Toledo-Pereyra (2011) suggest that a necessary ingredient of a well-developed and sound research study is a research hypothesis since it contributes to solving the research problem. Variables requiring full-value assessment and close correlation leads to the formulation of a complex hypothesis. On the other hand, the hypothesis can be very simple hypothesis is formulated depending on the undertaken protocol.   Bansal and Corley (2012) state that in quantitative research, careful and adequate preparation is vital to the plan that is laid down at the commencement of the research can be faithfully executed. In qualitative research, idea exploration is the main activity. Bahà §ekapili, et al., (2013) say that scientific research, which is a quantitative research, is a process that usually starts with a problem and the willingness to solve that problem before generating a research report on a particular topic. This explains why it is inappropriate to formulate hypotheses for a qualitative study.   In conclusion, appropriate research questions generation together hypotheses formulation in relation to topic scope is the starting point of an effective research study. It is also important to remember that hypothesis formulation is appropriate for a quantitative research study.   

Dance assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Dance assignment - Essay Example He uses such common terms as â€Å"Yankee† to refer to Americans. This portrays the use of slang in the society at the time, a feature that has persisted to date as well. He describes New York as an ideal society where he once had fan especially at the junction of Broadway and 42nd. The intersection was a famous entertainment hub and a social center for the time. The use of ships as the main means of transport at the time makes the song antique thereby succeeding in placing it strategically in the time (Carter 67). Robert Louis "Bob" Fosse was yet another successful choreographer who influenced the development of the art not only in America but also internationally. He was an innovative and the most successful choreographer of the time. He for example won eight Tony Awards for choreography, an unprecedented achievement at the time. Key among his innovations was Redhead in which he fuses more than five dances to come up with a unique piece. The five included a ballet sequence, a gypsy dance and a cancan among other popular moves of the time. Infusing the more than five dance styles is a complicated process that requires dancers to adopt varying positions at various times during the dance. Dancers move sequentially and in rhythmic patterns. At other times, they move freely as they cover the stage space only to pair up once again. They change to sequential slow moves making twists and turns with their bodies depending with the varying crescendos of the song (Beddow 91). Bob Fosse did not only rep resent the life in the American society at the time but also influenced the cultural norms. His creations were both artistic and innovative. He, therefore, portrays the United States as a liberal society, one that fosters innovations. Bob Fosse and George M. Cohan are two distinct individuals who lived in different times. The differences in the social structure influence the differences in the works of the two. They

Identity in Trying to Find Chinatown and Death of a Salesman Essay

Identity in Trying to Find Chinatown and Death of a Salesman - Essay Example Reflecting about his desperate situation, his wife Linda informs: â€Å"Willy Loman never made a lot of money. His name was never in the paper. He’s not the finest character that ever lived. But he’s a human being, and a terrible thing is happening to him† (Miller). His material failure as salesman has a negative impact on his own life but also on his relationship with his family. However, instead of confronting his problems and trying to resolve them, he gets angry at his family and denies the love they have for him. Talking about his son Biff, he claims: â€Å"How can he find himself on a farm? Is that a life? A farmhand? In the beginning, when he was young, I thought, well, a young man, it’s good for him to tramp around, take a lot of different jobs. But it’s more than ten years now and he has yet to make thirty-five dollars a week!† (Miller) This lack of satisfaction about his son reflects his own insecurities he attempts to cover up. Des pite their similarities in treating identity issues, the two plays use different approaches. Indeed, Hwang’s play foregrounds the importance of family ties and the recognition of roots. Even though his is white, Benjamin values the Asian background of his adopted parents and proudly claims his ethnicity. His presence in New York in an attempt to pay homage to his deceased father at latter’s birth place reflects his deep understanding of family values and gratefulness to his adopted parents. He reflects: â€Å"And when I finally saw the number 13, I nearly wept at my good fortune. An old tenement, paint peeling, inside walls no doubt thick with a century of grease and broken dreams—and yet, to me, a temple—the house where my father was born†(Hwang). This pilgrimage... Identity in â€Å"Trying to Find Chinatown† and â€Å"Death of a Salesman† David Henry Hwang’s play raises a crucial issue of identity that stems from the different perspective that his two protagonists have about what it means to be Asian American. Indeed, Benjamin and Ronnie’s arguments about identity pose the problem about culture and ethnicity. When Ronnie questions Benjamin’s Asian roots he only takes into consideration his racial identity as a white man but ignores his ethnic background as the adopted child of Asian parents: â€Å"I don’t know what kind of bullshit ethnic studies program they’re running over in Wisconsin, but did they teach you that in order to find your Asian ‘roots,’ it’s good idea first to be Asian? (Hwang) Ronnie denies Benjamin’s Asian roots based on the color of his skin and does not take into consideration his parents’ ethnic background. This denial hurts Benjamin who deeply feels Asian and faces rejection because of his physical traits. He complains: â€Å" I forget that a society wedded to racial constructs constantly forces me to explain my very existence† (Hwang). This painful observation expresses the plight Benjamin has to undergo in a society that judges people according to their racial identity. Even though both authors portray the same issue, they employ different approaches that foreground the conflict between culture and ethnicity but also the lack of self-realization. The setting of the plays participates in providing more understanding and identifying the tragic and comic heroes.

Distributed Electrical Generation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 22500 words

Distributed Electrical Generation - Essay Example Cost and price of electricity has been taken as the moderating factor. Thus all of the independent factors will be considered in accordance with the cost and price of electricity. The black out of electricity in the northeastern parts of USA have been studied in great detail and has been taken as an example of which to base the blackout portion of the study. A questionnaire has been developed in this regard and face-to-face interviews have been conducted in order to gather primary data. The aim of this study is to define how electricity can be generated and distributed with regards to each of the independent factors mentioned. The aim of this research is to study in detail the system of electricity distribution in the United States. Blackouts are a problem that modern day American will have to contend with on a regular basis, unless the system of electricity distribution is reformed and enhanced. As more and more of our lives revolve around electricity, a modern and newer system of distribution is required. Otherwise an overload on the electrical system will result in a black out such as that occurred on16th August (a detailed analysis and description of the blackout has been given in the literature review portion of the report). In addition, the concept of privatization in the utility business has also been taken as an independent variable and has been thoroughly studied in the report. As long as an institute is a state owned enterprise, it is not likely to prosper. One of the main reasons is that governments operate on a basis of cost efficiency; their main aim is to provide a service to the general population by charging the consumers the minimum amount of money possible. Due to this factor, it is difficult for governments to buy state-of-the-art equipments in order to update

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 45

Assignment Example A person can verify the authority of the biblical canons using internal protocols of authorization. A good example of this is Isaiahs prophecy found in Isaiah 8:16, which talks about how the Messiah would bind testimonies and seal the laws and teachings of the bible among His disciples. The proof of this is in the New Testament where the founders of the early church believed this prophecy would bind them to their death. Further authorization of biblical canons comes from the persons who wrote the books. For example, history proves that Peter started the process of canonization very early in the church history. Therefore, all his books in the bible have authority, e.g. his epistles and the fourth gospel in the bible, Mark, which he personally directed. In conclusion, authorship of the books of the bible is another best way of determining the authoritative nature of biblical canons. This leaves questionable doubts on books without direct authorship such as Jude, James, and the gospel a ccording to Matthew. Furthermore, the general acceptance of these books by the church also proves their authority (Plummer 17). Based on the principles and tools for interpreting the Bible given in and the discussion of Hebrew history, explain how you would go about â€Å"exegeting† or getting the meaning out of the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. Be sure to explain briefly how the different principles might help you understand the story, and be sure to give what you believe to be the appropriate application of the text. The process of interpreting the bible follows several laid out principles. These principles help one in understanding the bible verses and relating them to their daily personal life. While exegeting the story of David and Goliath, we first have to read the entire prose. David was a shepherd who killed Goliath, the largest and the strongest warrior of the

Thomas Merton biography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Thomas Merton biography - Essay Example On December 10th, 1941, he joined the Abbey of Gethsemani. He was active in the life of the abbey as a writer for many years, but from 1965 to 1968, he lived as a hermit in its precincts. His writings would take up controversial issues and developing concerns. Many people thought his political attitudes were unbecoming of a monk. Before his death, he became deeply familiar with Eastern philosophy such as Zen Buddhism. He actively promoted East-West dialogue during the 1960s, and during a trip to a conference on East-West dialogue, Merton died. In Bangkok on December 10, 1968, he was accidentally electrocuted. His legacy is still felt today. He was one of the few Christians who commended the Eastern philosophies. Many people see Thomas Merton as a spiritual leader, a great writer, and a man who exemplified the quest for God in human solidarity. In 1969 donations from his aunts, Agnes and Beatrice Merton began a special collection of his work kept by Christchurch City Libraries. Some of his work is still being published

Sonia Sanchez Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sonia Sanchez - Essay Example She started with Homecoming in 1969 and with the passage of time, created a wonderful collection of child books, dramas and essays. In her sixties, Sanchez, together with her colleagues, actively participated in the black studies movement after black studies were banned in the San Francisco State College. She served as the head of the Afro-American Studies Program in the Amherst College. Sanchez did not ever try to be just an essayist or a dramatist or a poet. She has served as an excellent teacher in addition to these. She made several trips to China, Cuba and Scandinavia. Sanchez is known for a dazzling performative manner. Instead of reading her works like a slow-paced British professor, Sanchez would inculcate the African and African American cadence into the performance. In 1984, her volume, homegirls & handgrenades emerged (Gates, 2004). One year later, Sanchez’s literary skills were appreciated with the American Book Award. She has written 16 books in her lifetime (soni asanchez.net, n.d.). The topics of Sanchez’s poems originated in the societal worries and her articulate manner made them a fundamental source of instigation and tenderization of the Black Arts movement. References: AALBC.com (2011). When one reads Sonia Sanchez, one knows the state of black America. Retrieved from http://aalbc.com/authors/sonia.htm. Gates, H. (2004).

Assisted Suicide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assisted Suicide - Essay Example A suitable way to deal with the matter is increased participation and involvement of the government in the cases of assisted suicide, to discourage the patient and the families from going for assisted suicide and provide them with medical help and resources to reduce the load on the patient and the family. Why Assisted Suicide should be Illegalized There are innumerable justifiable and reasonable arguments against assisted suicide. Firstly, it is a murder from the religious perspective. Secondly, there are many past cases in which the family members regret having led the patient to assisted suicide. Thirdly, there are always chances of recovery. Proponents of the assisted suicide criticize the illegalization of assisted suicide considering it driven by the religious beliefs of the people in power. However, â€Å"the most current opposition coalitions include many people and organizations whose opposition is based on their progressive politics. Among those are disability rights group s; many nationally prominent disability rights organizations oppose the legalization of assisted suicide† (â€Å"Why Assisted Suicide†). We live in a democratic society where everybody has a right to live. In this context, assisted suicide is subjugation of the rights of the person who is being killed. Even if the consent of the patient is involved, it mostly happens because of the family pressure upon the patient. In an attempt to get free from their responsibility, family members tend to induce negative feelings and emotions in the patient that lead him/her to opting for the assisted suicide. Brian Johnston is an anti-euthanasia activist. In his book, he writes, â€Å"In addition to their own emotional needs, it is the family and friends, more than anyone else, who will influence the mood and mindset of the patient. They may, even unwittingly, reinforce negative thoughts and attitudes.† (Johnston 17). In a vast majority of cases, assisted suicide of a family me mber leaves the rest of the family particularly the parents with a life-long trauma and guilt. They are not able to forgive themselves for being so selfish at a point in time back in their life when they got rid of their loved one when even the personal consent and will of the deceased was not involved. In certain cases, assisted suicide of one family members leads to subsequent suicides committed by the guilty conscious family members. According to a research conducted by the UK Voluntary Euthanasia Society (VES) in 2003, at least 30 per cent of the suspects of assisted suicide commit suicide. Deborah Annetts, the chief executive of VES says that the number of sufferers is much greater than the 30 per cent statistic of the suicide committers (â€Å"Impact of Euthanasia†). Proposal to Reduce the Cases of Assisted Suicide The government should form a committee to look after the cases of assisted suicide to make sure that most of the patients are saved from being killed. The go vernment should deem all such cases of assisted suicide illegal in which the consent of the patient is not involved. In cases where the consent of the patient is involved, once the family as well as the patient have given their consent to go for the assisted suicide, the case should be referred to the committee. The committee should extend help to the patient to make him/her aware of the possible effects of assisted s

Assessment Of Learning Essay Example for Free

Assessment Of Learning Essay Assessment of learning refers to strategies designed to confirm what students know, demonstrate whether or not they have met curriculum outcomes or the goals of their individualized programs, or to certify proficiency and make decisions about students’ future programs or placements. It is designed to provide evidence of achievement to parents, other educators, the students themselves, and sometimes to outside groups (e. g. , employers, other educational institutions). Assessment of learning is the assessment that becomes public and results in statements or symbols about how well students are learning. It often  contributes to pivotal decisions that will affect students’ futures. It is important, then, that the underlying logic and measurement of assessment of learning be credible and defensible. TEACHERS’ ROLES IN ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING Because the consequences of assessment of learning are often far-reaching and affect students seriously, teachers have the responsibility of reporting student learning accurately and fairly, based on evidence obtained from a variety of contexts and applications. Effective assessment of learning requires that teachers provide †¢ a rationale for undertaking a particular assessment of learning at a particular  point in time †¢ clear descriptions of the intended learning †¢ processes that make it possible for students to demonstrate their competence and skill †¢ a range of alternative mechanisms for assessing the same outcomes †¢ public and defensible reference points for making judgements Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind †¢ 55. The purpose of assessment that typically comes at the end of a course or unit of instruction is to determine the extent to which the instructional goals have been achieved and for grading or certification of student achievement. (Linn and Gronlund, Measurement and Assessment in Teaching ) Reflection: Think about an example of assessment of learning in your own teaching and try to develop it further as you read this chapter. 56 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind Chapter 5 †¢ transparent approaches to interpretation †¢ descriptions of the assessment process †¢ strategies for recourse in the event of disagreement about the decisions. With the help of their teachers, students can look forward to assessment of learning tasks as occasions to show their competence, as well as the depth and breadth of their learning. PLANNING ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING The purpose of assessment of learning is to measure, certify, and report the level  of students’ learning, so that reasonable decisions can be made about students. There are many potential users of the information:†¢ teachers (who can use the information to communicate with parents about their children’s proficiency and progress) †¢ parents and students (who can use the results for making educational and vocational decisions) †¢ potential employers and post-secondary institutions (who can use the information to make decisions about hiring or acceptance) †¢ principals, district or divisional administrators, and teachers (who can use the information to review and revise programming). Assessment of learning requires the collection and interpretation of information about students’ accomplishments in important curricular areas, in ways that represent the nature and complexity of the intended learning. Because genuine learning for understanding is much more than just recognition or recall of facts or algorithms, assessment of learning tasks need to enable students to show the complexity of their understanding. Students need to be able to apply key concepts, knowledge, skills, and attitudes in ways that are authentic and consistent with current thinking in the knowledge domain. What am I  assessing? Why am I assessing? Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind †¢ 57 Assessment of Learning In assessment of learning, the methods chosen need to address the intended curriculum outcomes and the continuum of learning that is required to reach the outcomes. The methods must allow all students to show their understanding and produce sufficient information to support credible and defensible statements about the nature and quality of their learning, so that others can use the results in appropriate ways. Assessment of learning methods include not only tests and examinations, but  also a rich variety of products and demonstrations of learning—portfolios, exhibitions, performances, presentations, simulations, multimedia projects, and a variety of other written, oral, and visual methods (see Fig. 2. 2, Assessment Tool Kit, page 17). What assessment method should I use? Graduation Portfolios Graduation portfolios are a requirement for graduation from British Columbia and Yukon Senior Years schools. These portfolios comprise collections (electronic or printed) of evidence of students’ accomplishments at school, home, and in the community, including demonstrations of  their competence in skills that are not measured in examinations. Worth four credits toward graduation, the portfolios begin in Grade 10 and are completed by the end of Grade 12. The following are some goals of graduation portfolios: †¢ Students will adopt an active and reflective role in planning, managing, and assessing their learning. †¢ Students will demonstrate learning that complements intellectual development and course-based learning. †¢ Students will plan for successful transitions beyond Grade 12. Graduation portfolios are prepared at the school level and are based on specific Ministry criteria and standards. Students use the criteria and standards as guides for planning, collecting, and presenting their evidence, and for self-assessing. Teachers use the criteria and standards to assess student evidence and assign marks. There are three major components of a graduation portfolio: 1. Portfolio Core (30 percent of the mark). Students must complete requirements in the following six portfolio organizers: arts and design (respond to an art, performance, or design work); community involvement and responsibility (participate co-operatively and respectfully in a  service activity); education and career planning (complete a graduation transition plan); Employability skills (complete 30 hours of work or volunteer experience); information technology (use information technology skills); personal health (complete 80 hours of moderate to intense physical activity). 2. Portfolio Choice (50 percent of the mark). Students expand on the above areas, choosing additional evidence of their achievements. 3. Portfolio Presentation (20 percent of the mark). Students celebrate their learning and reflect at the end of the portfolio process. ( Portfolio Assessment and Focus Areas: A Program Guide) 58 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind Chapter 5 Assessment of learning needs to be very carefully constructed so that the information upon which decisions are made is of the highest quality. Assessment of learning is designed to be summative, and to produce defensible and accurate descriptions of student competence in relation to defined outcomes and, occasionally, in relation to other students’ assessment results. Certification of students’ proficiency should be based on a rigorous, reliable, valid, and equitable process of assessment and evaluation. Reliability  Reliability in assessment of learning depends on how accurate, consistent, fair, and free from bias and distortion the assessment is. Teachers might ask themselves: †¢ Do I have enough information about the learning of this particular student to make a definitive statement? †¢ Was the information collected in a way that gives all students an equal chance to show their learning? †¢ Would another teacher arrive at the same conclusion? †¢ Would I make the same decision if I considered this information at another time or in another way? Reference Points Typically, the reference points for assessment of learning are the learning  outcomes as identified in the curriculum that make up the course of study. Assessment tasks include measures of these learning outcomes, and a student’s performance is interpreted and reported in relation to these learning outcomes. In some situations where selection decisions need to be made for limited positions (e. g. , university entrance, scholarships, employment opportunities), assessment of learning results are used to rank students. In such norm-referenced situations, what is being measured needs to be clear, and the way it is being measured needs to be transparent to anyone who might use the assessment  results. Validity Because assessment of learning results in statements about students’ proficiency in wide areas of study, assessment of learning tasks must reflect the key knowledge, concepts, skills, and dispositions set out in the curriculum, and the statements and inferences that emerge must be upheld by the evidence collected. How can I ensure quality in this assessment process? Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind †¢ 59 Assessment of Learning Record-Keeping Whichever approaches teachers choose for assessment of learning, it is their records that provide details about the quality of the measurement. Detailed records of the various components of the assessment of learning are essential, with a description of what each component measures, with what accuracy and against what criteria and reference points, and should include supporting evidence related to the outcomes as justification. When teachers keep records that are detailed and descriptive, they are in an excellent position to provide meaningful reports to parents and others. Merely a symbolic representation of a student’s accomplishments (e. g. , a letter grade or percentage) is inadequate. Reports to parents and others should identify the  intended learning that the report covers, the assessment methods used to gather the supporting information, and the criteria used to make the judgement. Feedback to Students Because assessment of learning comes most often at the end of a unit or learning cycle, feedback to students has a less obvious effect on student learning than assessment for learning and assessment as learning. Nevertheless, students do Ho w can I use the information from this assessment? Guidelines for Grading 1. Use curriculum learning outcomes or some clustering of these (e. g. , strands) as the basis for grading. 2.  Make sure that the meaning of grades comes from clear descriptions of curriculum outcomes and standards. If students achieve the outcome, they get the grade. (NO bell curves! ) 3. Base grades only on individual achievement of the targeted learning outcomes. Report effort, participation, and attitude, for example, separately, unless they are a stated curriculum outcome. Any penalties (e. g. , for late work, absences), if used, should not distort achievement or motivation. 4. Sample student performance using a variety of methods. Do not include all assessments in grades. Provide ongoing feedback on formative  performance using words, rubrics, or checklists, not grades. 5. Keep records in pencil so they can be updated easily to take into consideration more recent achievement. Provide second-chance assessment opportunities (or more). Students should receive the highest, most consistent mark, not an average mark for multiple opportunities. 6. Crunch numbers carefully, if at all. Consider using the median, mode, or statistical measures other than the mean. Weight components within the final grade to ensure that the intended importance is given to each learning outcome. 7. Make sure that each assessment meets quality standards (e.g. , there should be clear targets, clear purpose, appropriate target-method match, appropriate sampling, and absence of bias and distortion) and is properly recorded and maintained (e. g. , in portfolios, at conferences, on tracking sheets). 8. Discuss and involve students in grading at the beginning and throughout the teaching and learning process. (Adapted from O’Connor, How to Grade for Learning ) Resource: Marzano, Transforming Classroom Grading 60 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind Chapter 5 rely on their marks and on teachers’ comments as indicators of their level of  success, and to make decisions about their future learning endeavours. Differentiating Learning In assessment of learning, differentiation occurs in the assessment itself. It would make little sense to ask a near-sighted person to demonstrate driving proficiency without glasses. When the driver uses glasses, it is possible for the examiner to get an accurate picture of the driver’s ability, and to certify him or her as proficient. In much the same way, differentiation in assessment of learning requires that the necessary accommodations be in place that allow students to make the particular learning visible. Multiple forms of assessment offer multiple pathways for making student learning transparent to the teacher. A particular curriculum outcome requirement, such as an understanding of the social studies notion of conflict, for example, might be demonstrated through visual, oral, dramatic, or written representations. As long as writing were not an explicit component of the outcome, students who have difficulties with written language, for example, would then have the same opportunity to demonstrate their learning as other students. Although assessment of learning does not always lead teachers to differentiate  instruction or resources, it has a profound effect on the placement and promotion of students and, consequently, on the nature and differentiation of the future instruction and programming that students receive. Therefore, assessment results need to be accurate and detailed enough to allow for wise recommendations. Reporting There are many possible approaches to reporting student proficiency. Reporting assessment of learning needs to be appropriate for the audiences for whom it is intended, and should provide all of the information necessary for them to make reasoned decisions. Regardless of the form of the reporting,  however, it should be honest, fair, and provide sufficient detail and contextual information so that it can be clearly understood. Traditional reporting, which relies only on a student’s average score, provides little information about that student’s skill development or knowledge. One alternate mechanism, which recognizes many forms of success and provides a profile of a student’s level of performance on an emergent-proficient continuum, is the parent- student-teacher conference. This forum provides parents with a great deal of information, and reinforces students’ responsibility for their learning. The Communication System Continuum: From Symbols to Conversations (O’Connor, How to Grade for Learning ) Grades Report cards (grades and brief comments) Infrequent informal communications Parent-teacher interviews Report cards with expanded comments Frequent informal communication Student-involved conferencing Student-led conferencing Reflection: What forms do your reports of student proficiency take? How do these differ according to audience? Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind †¢ 61 Assessment of Learning An Example of Assessment of Learning. Elijah was interested in assessing student mastery of both the modern and the traditional skills required for survival in the Nunavut environment where he teaches. The overarching theme of survival is taught in the early grades and culminates at the senior level in a course delivered in Inuktitut. Students learn how to take care of themselves and others, and how to adapt what they know to the situation at hand. Survival requires not only skills and knowledge, but also a concept the Inuit people call qumiutit, or the ability in an emergency situation to pull out of stored memory information that will enable a person to cope, not panic. Traditionally, this was learned in a holistic manner, grounded in Inuit traditional guiding principles that were nurtured and developed from birth, and taught and reinforced in daily living. Throughout the term, Elijah took his students to an outdoor area to practise on-the-land survival activities, using both traditional and modern methods. He always took with him a knowledgeable Elder who could give the students the information they needed to store away in case of emergency. The students watched demonstrations of a skill a number of times. Each student then practised on his or her own, as Elijah and the Elder observed and assisted. Elijah knew that students need to have a high level of expertise in the survival skills appropriate for the northern natural environment. Elijah assessed each student on each survival skill (e. g. , making fire the traditional way, tying the knots required for the qamutik cross-pieces on a sled). What am I assessing? I am assessing each student’s performance of traditional and modern survival skills. Why am I assessing? I want to know which survival skills each s tudent has mastered and their readiness to s urvive in the natural environment. 62 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind. Chapter 5 Elijah knew that the best way to determine if students have mastered the skills is to have them perform them. When students believed they were ready, Elijah created an opportunity for them to demonstrate the mastered skill to a group of Elders, who then (individually, then in consensus) determined if the performance was satisfactory. A student’s competence in a survival skill is often demonstrated by an end product. For example, competence in knot tying is demonstrated by a knot that serves its purpose, and competence in fire building is demonstrated by a fire that is robust. As the Elders judged each student’s performance of the skills, Elijah recorded the results. He shared the information with each student and his or her parents in a final report, as shown here. Ho w can I use the informatio n from this assessment? Now that I know which skills each of the students has mastered, I can report this information to the s tudents and their parents. I can use this information to identify a learning path for each s tudent. How can I ensure quality in this assessment process? Ensuring quality with this approach involves clear criteria: either the student performs the skill s uccessfully or does not. I need to provide adequate opportunities for the s tudent to demonstrate the skills under various conditions and at various times. What assessment method should I use? I need an approach in which students can demonstrate the traditional survival skills that they learned. The method I choose should also allow me to identify which skills they did not master. Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind †¢ 63 Assessment of Learning Shelters: †¢ emergency shelters †¢ igloo building4 †¢ qamaq5 †¢ tents Transportation needs: †¢ making the knots required for the qamutik cross pieces on a sled †¢ building a kayak/umiak. †¢ fixing a snowmobile (spark plugs, repairing track, drive belt) †¢ keeping a boat seaworthy Navigational issues: †¢ reading the land †¢ reading the sky †¢ understanding seasonal variations †¢ reading inuksuit †¢ using GPS †¢ map reading Preparation for land travel: †¢ packing a qamutiq (sled) †¢ load, balance †¢ necessities: snow knife, rope, food, water, heat source †¢ letting others know where you are going †¢ necessary tools, supplies, snowmobile parts, fuel †¢ using communication devices Food sources: †¢ plants and their nutritional properties †¢ hunting, skinning, and cutting up seal, caribou, etc. †¢ kinds of food to take on the land,  and their nutritional properties ____________________ 4. Expertise in igloo building includes understanding of types of snow, the shape and fit of blocks, and the use of a snow- knife. 5. A qamaq is a rounded house, built of scrap wood or bones, and covered with skins, cardboard, or canvas. Report on Survival Skills Student: _______________________________________________ Date: _______________________ Traditional Survival Skills Modern Survival Skills Adaptability to the Seasons Attitude Success Next Steps 1) Skills Building a fire / means of keeping warm: †¢ fuel sources †¢ getting a spark †¢ propane heaters, stoves †¢ clothing. 2) Relationship to the Seasons Assessing conditions / recognizing danger signs: †¢ seasonal changes †¢ land changes †¢ water changes †¢ wind changes †¢ weather changes Climatic changes: †¢ weather changes and how this affects the land and water †¢ knowledge of animals and their characteristics and behaviours 3) Attitudinal Influences (Having the right attitude to learn) †¢ respect for the environment (cleaning up a campsite upon leaving, dealing with the remains of an animal, not over-hunting/fishing) †¢ respect for Elders and their knowledge †¢ ability to learn from Elders 64 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind Chapter 5. Elijah’s report identified which of the students had mastered the specified skills required to survive in the Nunavut environment. It outlined other areas (such as adaptability to the seasons and attitudinal influences) about which peers, parents, and family members would need to provide input before a comprehensive assessment could be made. The assessment also identified those students not yet ready to survive in the natural environment. But the Elders did not stop working with the students who did not reach mastery. Elders see learning as an individual path in which skills, knowledge, and attitudes are acquired along the way. If a particular skill was beyond the capability of a student, the Elders identified other areas where that person could contribute to the common good of the community, and was accepted for the gifts he or she brought to the group. In this way, the Elders helped Elijah differentiate the learning path for each of his students. SUMMARY OF PLANNING ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING Assessment for Learning Assessment as Learning Assessment of Learning Why Assess? To enable teachers to determine next steps in advancing student learning to guide and provide opportunities for each student to monitor and critically reflect on his or her learning, and  identify next steps Assess What? each student’s progress and learning needs in relation to the curricular outcomes each student’s thinking about his or her learning, what strategies he or she uses to support or challenge that learning, and the mechanisms he or she uses to adjust and advance his or her learning. What Methods? a range of methods in different modes that make students’ skills and understanding visible a range of methods in different modes that elicit students’ learning and metacognitive processes Ensuring Quality †¢ accuracy and consistency of observations and interpretations of student learning  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ clear, detailed learning expectations †¢ accurate, detailed notes for descriptive feedback to each student †¢ accuracy and consistency of student’s self-reflection, self-monitoring, and self-adjustment. †¢ engagement of the student in considering and challenging his or her thinking †¢ students record their own learning Using the Information †¢ provide each student with accurate descriptive feedback to further his or her learning †¢ differentiate instruction by continually checking where each student is in relation to the curricular outcomes †¢ provide parents or guardians with descriptive feedback about student  learning and ideas for support. †¢ provide each student with accurate descriptive feedback that will help him or her develop independent learning habits †¢ have each student focus on the task and his or her learning (not on getting the right answer) †¢ provide each student with ideas for adjusting, rethinking, and articulating his or her learning †¢ provide the conditions for the teacher and student to discuss alternatives †¢ students report about their learning Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind. †¢ 65 Assessment of Learning to certify or inform parents or others of student’s proficiency in  relation to curriculum learning outcomes the extent to which students can apply the key concepts, knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to the curricular outcomes a range of methods in different modes that assess both product and process †¢ accuracy, consistency, and fairness of judgements based on high-quality information †¢ clear, detailed learning expectations †¢ fair and accurate summative reporting †¢ indicate each student’s level of learning †¢ provide the foundation for discussions on placement or promotion †¢ report fair, accurate, and detailed information that can be used to decide the next steps in a student’s learning.

A Study On Ancient Egyptian Religion History Essay

A Study On Ancient Egyptian Religion History Essay Religion played a very significant role in Ancient Egypt. Their religion was greatly inspired by custom and tradition. The Ancient Egyptians possessed a complex and intricate religion. Their main aim throughout their history was to emulate the conditions which they believed has existed at the dawn of creation. (Rosalie, 1988) Ancient Egyptian includes many religious beliefs and rituals performed in Ancient Egypt beyond 3,000 years. The religious beliefs centered on the worship of numerous deities who signified various features of ideas, nature and purposes of power, articulated by the ways of complicated and many archetypes. Ancient Egyptians were polytheists and worshipped literally hundreds of different gods, including their pharaohs, all of whom were believed to be gods in the form of men. The deities were worshipped with offerings and prayers, in family and home shrines including in temples which are administered by priests. Egypt never had a rational hierarchy because different gods were superior at different periods of time in Egyptian history and also the myths related with them changed over time. Nevertheless, religion of Ancient Egypt is recognized or learned prominently by people around the globe. Egyptians believed that the temple with premises as the actual home of the god. They performed their daily rituals by preparing a statue which they considered as their actual deity. The most important ritual was performed during the sunrise. They perform another ritual during the mid-day and the last one when the sun goes down. Before the dawn the temple area is filled with priests, temple servants are seen preparing offerings of food, drinks and flowers. Everyone who was to come into the attendance of the ritual had to be purified. Meanwhile in a room outside of the sanctum, only pharaoh and high priests were allowed where the offerings were set out. The offerings included incense burning and chanting of prayers by priests and priestess. At the same moment as the sun reaches above the horizon, the face of the god was to unseal. This represented the rebirth of the sun as incarnated in the statue. The statue was to wash, perfume, apply make-up and dress in clean clothing. The conclusi on of the ritual includes the high priest anointing the forehead of the statue with scented oil which affirms that the statue has been instilled with existence of the deity. The high priest seals the door of the sanctum and sweeps away his foot prints leaving no trace. Through their ritual and purifying of god, it was said that that the god will protect the two lands which were Upper and Lower Egypt. Religion has been described as a belief in and an admiration for supernatural powers regarded as creator and ruler of the universe. Egyptian religion encompasses their ancient gods, the mythology and other aspects of the religion such as creation, death and the afterlife. However, there are undoubtedly more complications to the religion, such as how the king played into this structure of religion, and ethical beliefs concerning what the god are expected of humans. The Egyptians had many tales regarding how the world started. According to one legend, it started with an ocean in darkness. Then a mound of dry land rose up and the sun god Re appeared. He created light and all things. Another version has the sun God emerging from a sacred blue lotus that grew out of the mud, while a third version has him as part animal and part human. (Heller, 1999) The Egyptian Book of the Dead covers the main thoughts and views in the Ancient Egyptian religion. Egyptians dedicated much time and wealth o n preparing for survival in the next world because of their peculiar belief on afterlife. Egyptians saw death as a temporary phase in the progress to gain a healthier life in the afterlife. They believed that they could only attain their full ability after death. Each person was to possess three souls, the ka, the ba, and the akh. The whole civilization of Ancient Egypt was grounded on religion which made their beliefs very significant to them. Their belief in being born again after death became their influential strength behind their funeral practices. Egyptian religion was complex and complicate, as well as vital to many Egyptians, but their polytheistic beliefs certainly caused problems. In the role of god-kings, a lot of burden was placed on the pharaohs. They were accused for when the land did not produce well, when there were problems with other countries. The Egyptian gods were never considered by them to be personal. Egypt was governed by pharaohs and the pharaohs were given the authority at the command of the Egyptian gods. This belief was so powerful in ancient Egypt that all through the nations chaotic history various pharaohs discontinue his reign to assure the public that they has obtained the power to reign from the ancient Egyptian gods. One pharaoh, a female nonetheless, even went so far as to concoct a wild story to insure her subjects saw her as divinely appointed by Hatshepsut. (The World of the Ancient Egyptian Gods, 2008) Apart from a short period of time when pharaoh Akhenaten tried to establish a monotheistic devotion to one god but the nation was ruled by numerous different Egyptian gods and goddess. Egyptian religion was so interconnected that more focus was provided to their family members and the names of the ancient Egyptian gods name. Throughout the three thousand year period of the polytheistic religion of Egypt was encompassed of a very complicated system of Egyptian gods a nd goddesses. They were the one who studied the knowledge of both the scared mystery teachings and the religious philosophies of the times. Pharaoh appointed different high priests to perform the sacred rituals at different temple because he could not carry out ceremonies at all the temples all over Egypt. Priests often give his throne down their positions from father to son. The priests responsibilities were to supervise the gods and listen to their needs. They also carry out funeral rites, teaching school, administrating the artists and works, and counselling people on problems. The priesthood of ancient Egypt has an extensive and profound history, entrenched within the traditions of Ancient Egypt. While the pharaohs were seen as gods, the priests and priestesses were perceived as replacement for the pharaoh. The job of the priests and priestesses were considered very high in Egyptian society, as is the situation with most ideally based societies. The spiritual characteristics of the priests and priestesses take on a minor role because the aspect of attaining the ethical and basic needs of the Egyptians. Though there work on society served as a method to order society, to establish a hierarchy, and to conserve the culture for future generations. The role of the priests and priestesses were both practical and spiritual on both levels. A priest or priestess in ancient Egypt was normally selected by either the pharaoh, or they accomplished their position by hereditary means. The priests and priestesses who received their positions hereditarily and through the king were allowed to continue their ordinary life. As a matter of fact, such priests were made to comprise the ordinary life to keep Egyptian society working properly. However the priesthood had begun out modestly, with moderately few temples, in the following reigns the temples increased into the hundreds. For such development, a large government was required to keep the temples in good position; and ther eafter, the establishment of small priesthoods of the Egyptians grew from an estimated hundred priests into the thousands later with it came a priestly hierarchy. Priests were often alternated from position to position within the hierarchy and were combined in and out of ordinary society. This alternation method normally went that a priest would enter into temple life one month, at three times a year. This alternation system had a straight association to the often severe purity rites of the priests. Irrespective of what position the priest was, there were numerous restrictions and traditions a priest had to or could not participate in. Ancient Egyptian religion was similar to current times. Everyone does not believe in the same way, or of the same god. Ancient Egyptian followed the same rule of not following the same god. Egyptian pharaoh worshipped their own gods so did the workers, priests, merchants and farmers of Ancient Egypt. Pre-dynastic Egypt had their own way of thinking and viewpoint of a god, which was articulated in symbols and pictures; writing was invented in order to convey spiritual thoughts to the people of ancient Egypt. Egyptians influenced many people regarding religion and Egyptians are known for their devotion towards their religion and gods.

State Funding for California State University

State Funding for California State University Sherry Pickering The state legislators in California play a key role in the funding for the California State University (university). They may also impose new reporting requirements, change the laws and set new rules that directly affect the university at any time. As a university administrator the system-wide conferences that I attend typically feature a speaker from the California State Universitys advocacy team whom will outline the political landscape and discuss content and status of current legislation. A key point that has routinely been made in these presentations in the last several years is that term limits are detrimental to the university. Specifically we are told that term limits mean that the state legislators are constantly campaigning so they cannot be bothered with key issues that are important to the university or, if theyve just entered office, they are too new to be of much help. This leads to the question, are term limited state legislators more or less likely to be responsive to the requests of bureaucratic interests? Term limits were enacted for the California state legislature with the passage of proposition 140 in 1990. â€Å"The law limited state Assembly members to three two-year terms and state senators to two four-year terms.† (California_Term_Limits,_Proposition_140_(1990), 2015) It also imposed â€Å"a lifelong ban against seeking the same office once a member† was termed out and prevented â€Å"new legislators from earning pension benefits.† (California_Term_Limits,_Proposition_140_(1990), 2015) California was among the first in a series of states to adopt term limits. This trend begun in the 1980s and continued throughout the 1990s to the early 2000s that ended with to up to 21 states adopting some term limits. Six states have since repealed these changes in the wake of a 1995 ruling that congressional term limits were unconstitutional, in that states could not place limits on a federal office. The push for term limits in the 1990s seemed to be a grassroots effort. Throughout the 1980s in California incumbents seemed to be impossible to unseat. This was in part due to advantages of name recognition enjoyed by all incumbents. However that effect was reinforced by several redistricting efforts that made it increasingly difficult for the predominantly Democratic members to be challenged by Republicans. These results for the legislative bodies were in stark contrast to the results in the three gubernatorial contests that occurred during this period where a Republican was chosen. The proposition was backed by Republicans whom were interested in the passage of these laws in two way. Ideologically Republicans are in favor of a more limited government. Term limits are generally seen as a way to weaken a legislative body which is alternately used as an argument for or against term limits laws. More importantly in the early 1990s Republicans were in favor of term limits as a way to create more competitive races for seats. Given the make-up of the legislative membership it seemed that the Republicans stood to gain the most with the passage of term limits. Main stakeholders involved with this issue are state legislators. In California there are two legislative bodies, the state assembly and the state senate. Unlike other states such as Texas where legislative appointments are part-time, California legislators have a full time or professional appointment. In the assembly there are 80 members while in the state senate there are 40 members. While several political parties exist, these legislative bodies only have representatives from the Democrat and Republican parties. Presently Democrats hold a majority of the seats in both the assembly and senate. The staffs of these legislative bodies represent another group that would be deeply interested in this issue. This staff is made up of partisan staff, usually represented by those that work for individual legislators, and non-partisan staff such as those that work for the administrative arm of these bodies. For example, non-partisan staffers in the Legislative Analyst’s Office provide analysis for each bill presented in each house. While the non-partisan staff may seem to have more secure positions regardless of the passage of term limits they would be impacted by an increase or decrease in the amount of bills generated by the legislators. Lobbyists and special interests have a stake in the outcomes wrought by term limits. These lobbyists may represent bureaucratic interests like those of other state agencies such as university, prisons and health and human services or external parties such as business and issues groups. These groups would be keenly interested in how term limits have strengthened or weakened their influence on these legislative bodies. Citizens of the state play a key role in shaping law in California. In 1849 referendums or initiatives, which are changes to the state constitution or laws, were referred to the electorate for a popular vote. This law was expanded in 1911 to allow externally sponsored initiatives to be brought to vote. The initiatives process means that the voters are asked to decide if either tiny or sweeping changes to laws should be adopted. While this should result in a more direct style of government as a voter it gives the impression that the legislative bodies aren’t working to come to consensus on decisions that they should be more informed than the average voter to make. Legislators, legislative staff and lobbyists largely opposed the proposed term limits law because of the seemingly detrimental effect that it would have from each of their perspectives. Prior to term limits some legislators served in the same seat for decades. In the face of term limits these legislators had to reimagine how they could perform in office under these new rules. Legislative staff tied to a particular legislator or party faced an uncertain future where they may need to find a new job every few years. Finally, lobbyists could no longer rely on their long relationships with a particular legislator nor could they influence affiliated committees with these relationships. Beyond the rhetoric published as the term limits law was up a vote, there is ample evidence that legislators dislike these laws. For example, in the majority of the states without these laws each state’s legislative house law would have to be passed on a vote to be adopted. Yet these laws have never gained enough support. In the U.S. Congress term limits could only be imposed on senators and representatives by passing a vote in those legislative bodies, but term limits proposals have been brought to vote several times and failed to gain enough support to pass. Therefore the electorate seemed to have the most to gain from adoption of term limits. The expected positive outcomes most frequently citied during the campaign to pass the law were that term limits would lead to a more diverse, citizen legislature that represents the electorate’s interests, and balanced power the between the executive and legislative bodies. While all of these aims may not have materialized, overall likely voters in California seem to be pleased with the results in the last several years. One area where it could be argued that term limits has succeeded is related to the diversity or make up of the legislators. Supporters of the law claimed that it would create new opportunities for women and minorities to become representatives. Generally the number of women in the legislature rose statewide and adjusting for other factors â€Å"term limits opened up nine Assembly seats for women† between 1990 to 2001 (Cain Kousser, 2004). Nationwide the effect of term limits on participation rates for women seems to be virtually flat. (Institutional Change in American Politics: The Case of Term Limits, 2007) California had a long history of electing minority representatives. In the period after term limits laws went into effect minorities were elected to the state legislature in greater numbers. This was in part to seats that became available due to term limits. However, term limits removed long serving minority members such as Willie Brown. So the overall effect of term limits on the make-up of the state legislature in California did show an uptick in the election of minority legislators, specifically Latinos. (Cain Kousser, 2004) One area where term limits seems to have had no effect is on the careerism of legislators. Proponents of the term limits laws were certain that the career politicians would be phased out due to term limits and seats would become available to ‘citizen’ candidates. Instead since term limits have been put into place legislators seem to map out a series of jobs that begin in local government, rise to state legislature and go onto elected state office or back to local government. (Cain Kousser, 2004) Research found that in 1980 â€Å"the share of Senators who had been Assembly members had risen to 65 percent. By 2001, that figure rose to 90 percent.† (Cain Kousser, 2004) Legislative staff concerns about term limits came to pass in a couple of ways. With the downturn and subsequent shortfalls in the state budget non-partisan legislative staffs, namely the staff of the Legislative Analyst’s Office, were cut dramatically. The staff of the Assembly also suffered cuts related to budget shortfalls. So the staff has experienced a greater amount of work, not because of a change in the amount of legislation, but rather from a reduced number of staff to perform the work. Partisan staff also experienced a shift in their jobs in the wake of the adoption of term limits laws in California. As expected with the loss of some job security, the tenure of this staff has decreased. Along with fewer years of service the expectations of the staff in these positions has changed. For example, prior to term limits staff were expected to analyze legislation. After term limits staff must also provide recommendations with their analysis. (Robinson, 2011) An alarming outcome of term limits for the university is that it seems to have strengthened executive branch in certain ways. One key way this has materialized that directly impacts the university is that the legislature is less likely to be effective in altering the governor’s budget. Researchers observed this effect by comparing budgets for certain categories in the budget in years before term limits and after the laws went into effect where economically the state was experiencing similar circumstances. (Cain Kousser, 2004) In a less studied way this effect has been noticeable in the last few years has been on time budgets which is helpful to the university in creating more stability for the transition from one fiscal year to the next. However, this means that there have been fewer objections to the governor’s budget proposal by the legislators. For the university system the governor’s budget has fallen short of the budget requests that were submitted. Additionally, while there have been some increases for the university between the governor’s budget and the May revise that takes tax collections into account, these have only made some progress in replacing the state support that the university lost in the financial downturn. This virtual lockdown in the budget process and insistence by the Governor that tuition fees remain level over the last few years has made it difficult for the university to grow system-wide enrollment. The Governor has also expressed his view that the university should cut cost of course delivery by adopting an online model more rapidly. While this is a fine opinion to have, it does seem that his budget allocations for the university reflect an unwillingness to recognize that making such a drastic change in a large system does not happen overnight. The overall lack of legislative voices disagreeing with the Governor on these points has been very noticeable. One expected outcome of instituting term limits was that the influence of lobbyists would be diminished. This was supposed to occur because the lobbyist would have less time to develop long relationships with any one legislator so lobbyists would have less success in influencing the political process. While if this were true it could mean that the university’s lobbyist’s claims are true, there is some evidence that this outcome has not been realized. When surveyed lobbyists responded with term limits in place the influence of the Governor increased quite dramatically. Additionally, the influence for their firms specifically stayed about the same or increased slightly with the implementation of term limits. (Moncrief Thompson, 2001) In the years after the term limits were enacted under proposition 140 there were four attempts to remove or change the law. The first three attempts, a lawsuit and two ballot propositions, failed. Proposition 28 was passed in a June 2012 election. With this amendment legislators may now serve in either house in any combination of terms up to 12 years. This doubles the time that a member of the Assembly could serve under proposition 140 rules. While the effects of this recent change remain to be seen, it is possible that it will return some balance to the political process and reign in the executive branch. While I can see that the university’s lobbyists are likely working harder than they did in the past, I see no evidence that they have less influence under term limits. Given that the budget is a key issue for the university what may also be the case is that they are putting their efforts into influencing the members of the legislature that worked well under pre-term limits conditions when their efforts would be better spent demonstrating that the university system has value to the executive branch. In light of this analysis, I believe the university’s lobbying group should: Assess their current program to determine how much of their time is allocated to committee support, specific contacts with legislators and the executive branch. Then evaluate the effectiveness of the meetings with specific legislators. If this leads to more effective committee support then they should likely leave their time allocation as it is currently. However, if their meetings yield little results they should assess how that time could be better utilized to up their contact with the executive branch. It is well known that this governor is no fan of higher education; however any improvements that could be made as a result of the renewed efforts on the part of the lobbyists would be helpful. It seems likely that they are well aware of the research underpinning this analysis, but I have been surprised in the past how frequently people do not read about their own professions. So going through this assessment could do them well. Bibliography Basham, P. (2003). Defining Democracy Down: Explaining the Capaign to Repeal Term Limits. Washington D.C.: Cato Institute. Cain, B., Kousser, T. (2004). Adapting to term limits: recent experiences and new directions. San Francisco: Public Policy Institute of California. California_Term_Limits,_Proposition_140_(1990). (2015, 03 07). Retrieved from ballotpedia.org: http://ballotpedia.org/California_Term_Limits,_Proposition_140_(1990) Donovan, T., Snipp, J. (1994). Support for Legislative Term Limitations in California: Group Representation, Partisanship, and Campaign Information. The Journal of Politics, 492-501. Institutional Change in American Politics: The Case of Term Limits. (2007). Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. Moncrief, G., Thompson, J. (2001). On the outside Looking in: Lobbyists Perspectives on the Effects of State Legislative Term Limits. State Politics Policy Quarterly, 394-411. Robinson, K. (2011). Shifting Power in Sacramento: The Effects of Term Limits on Legislative Staff. California Journal of Politics and Policy 3(1). Walters, D. (2012, 03 30). Changing Term Limits isnt the Answer. Monterey Herald, pp. http://www.montereyherald.com/general-news/20120330/dan-walters-changing-term-limits-isnt-the-answer.

NORTH KOREA :: essays research papers

In a discussion with the United States and China in Beijing on April 24, 2003, North Korean officials admitted for the first time that they possessed nuclear weapons. North Korean officials claim to have reprocessed and reproduced spent fuel rods and have threatened to begin exporting nuclear materials, unless the United States agrees to one-on-one talks with North Korea. Tension between the United States and North Korea have been running pretty stiff and high since early October of 2002. Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly informed North Korean officials that the United States was aware that North Korea had a program that was allowing them to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons. Initially North Korea denied this, but later confirmed the veracity of the US claim.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In confirming that they had an active nuclear weapons program, they also declared the Agreed Framework agreement. The Agreed Framework signed by the United States and North Korea on October 21, 1994 in Geneva agreed that: 1.) North Korea would freeze its existing nuclear program and agree to enhanced International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. 2.) Both sides would cooperate to replace the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K.) graphite-moderated reactors for related facilities with light-water (LWR) power plants. 3.) Both countries would move toward full normalization of political and economic relations. 4.) Both sides will work together for peace and security on a nuclear-free Korean peninsula. 5.) Both sides would work to strengthen the international nuclear non-proliferation regime.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Beginning in the 1960s, the Soviet Union supplied various types of missiles, nuclear power technology, and training to North Korea. China began supplying North Korea with missile technology in the 1970s. The North Korean nuclear weapons program was officially up and running with full force in the 1980s.

Anxiety and Athletic Perfomance Essays -- Athletics Athletes Sports An

Anxiety and Athletic Performance Introduction Athletes today need to be able to cope with the anxiety and pressure that is placed on them in the competitive world of sports. A large deal of research has been done on examining the relationship between anxiety and performance within the field of athletics. This paper is going to show that the mind in an athlete has a lot to do with the result of the particular event. In order to show that anxiety in athletes is a significant problem this paper is going to be set up in three different areas in order to explain exactly how anxiety affects the athlete. The first section of the paper is going to explain the history and terminology on the study of anxiety in athletes. Next, this paper will show the results of numerous testing that has gone on in order to see the effects of anxiety in athletes. And the third and final section of this paper is going to explain what treatments that can help the athlete cope with the anxiety issues. History and Terminology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The reasons that previous research on this subject has been hard to synthesize is because of numerous reasons, those including ‘methodological flaws’ such as lack of clear definitions and also lack of clear ‘theoretical construct.’ In the following section terms will be established for words that will be throughout this paper. Also, this section will provide an overview of theories that have been used to clarify the relationship between anxiety and performance in athletes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Edward’s and Hardy’s opinion the main problem that research on the relationship between anxiety and performance has encountered is that researchers have not defined all the specific terminology that is required to understand with this subject. The following operational definitions will be used for the terms anxiety and stress. â€Å"Stress is a state that results from the demands that are placed on the individual which require that person to engage in some coping behavior.† Arousal is going to be considered to be a signal to the athlete that he/ she has entered into a stressful situation and is characterized buy physiological signs. Anxiety results from the athlete’s perception that he/ she is not good enough for the particular situation, which will cause stress (Edward and Hardy).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An early model that attempted to explain the relationship between arousal and performan... ...athletes. And because of the obvious problems with anxiety there have been a few key ways that show how treatment helps athletes out. So in final, after years of research on the effects of anxiety and treatment it is imperative that athletes get help from a professional in order to obtain maximum performance. Bibliography Bird, Anne Marie and Horn, Melanie. â€Å"Cognitive Anxiety and Mental Errors in Sport.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology 12.3 (Sept 1990): 217-222 Edwards, Tara and Hardy, Lew. â€Å"The Interactive Effects of Intensity and Direction of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety and Self- Confidence Upon Performance.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology18.4 (Sept 1996): 296-312 Ferraro, Tom. A Psychoanalytic Perspective on Anxiety in Athletes. April 2002. Athletic   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Insight: Online Journal of Sports Psychology. 29 May 2002 http://www.athleticinsight.com.vol1iss2/Psychoanalytic_Anxiety.htm Stress Management: Behavioral Psychotherapy for Performance Enhancement. (no   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  updated date). Penn State University Division of Sport Psychology. 29 May   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2002 < http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/s/m/sms18/kines321/stress.html>.

Native American Heritage Essay

I have re-read this book in a relatively new edition. It is a mixture of Kiowa myths, family stories, history sketches, and personal experiences. For me it evokes a sense of community unknown in modern U. S. society. It also conveys, however dimly to the modern scientific mind, a deep sense of a peoples’ experience of the sacred where that term is entirely outside of modern theology and is steeped in the land and the memory of a people. It one opens ones mind and emotions the book can connect in a powerful way. However, a modern can never penetrate to the full depth of Kiowa sensibility. This was harshly expressed in an art object in the IAIA in Santa Fe, New Mexico some years ago. The object included the words: â€Å"Just because you stick a feather in your hat doen’t make you a Indian. † of another edition It seems enough to alert the reader this book exists, in case anybody is tired of consumer infatuation. These 90 page wonders full of meditation and forethought. It has to be his best, meaning simplest, clearest, but it is probably anthropology too. It ought to be read before or after viewing his http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=rbqzm6†¦ but to take it on its own it is about the alien and the unknown as feet in old age and death, that is to say that even though he calls himself Rock Tree Boy he i†¦ moreIt seems enough to alert the reader this book exists, in case anybody is tired of consumer infatuation. These 90 page wonders full of meditation and forethought. It has to be his best, meaning simplest, clearest, but it is probably anthropology too. It ought to be read before or after viewing his http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=rbqzm6†¦ but to take it on its own it is about the alien and the unknown as feet in old age and death, that is to say that even though he calls himself Rock Tree Boy he is A Man Without Fantasy. That’s the difference between being a bear and wearing a Jordan t-shirt with Hanes underwear. Nobody is Jordaned or Meadow Lark Lemoned from a laying on of their hands, but bear will move you. Dress in any of these masks or be naked as yourself as He Who Wears Only His Name. Either you stand naked in The Name or you hide in a mask. Groups function as masks to prevent nakedness, as if there were something other than The Name to stand in, but for the human there isn’t. It might be the landscape and the racial memory of landscape that â€Å"my parents and grandparents knew† (Schubnell, Conversations, 46). â€Å"I feel deeply about the landscape and I mean that literally. I think it is important for a person to come to terms with landscape. I think that’s important; it is a means to knowing oneself† (45). So it comes down to the meaning of landscape too, but this is intellectualized. The real question is, what is the meaning of wilderness? Superficial Existence in the Modern World Much of this is foreign today, Bear, landscape, even ancestry have been substituted with identities of no purpose to examine. The annihilation of the traditional in tribal societies and every assimilated subgroup is a negative. Assimilation is never good, although to say it that bald is offensive. This is also the point in that First Convocation of Indian Scholars (Ed.by Rupert Costo, 1970). In answering Hopi Charles Loloma about how to assume the traditional identity Momaday says, â€Å"I think that each of us who realizes that the native traditional values are important has a great obligation to convince the young of that, who may be wavering with alternatives†¦ [of] the dominant society which is destroying the world in which it lives† (9). â€Å"It’s really up to the older people†(10) to identify â€Å"the danger of superficial existence in the modern world† (10). To counter superficial existence he says â€Å"they have a primary obligation to tell their children and grandchildren about the traditional world, and try to show them by example and tell them explicitly that there is an option available to them, and that they’re damn fools if they don’t avail themselves of it† (10). Acculturation Thus acculturation is â€Å"a kind of one-way process in which the Indian ceases to be an Indian and becomes white man† (10). It is broader than that too, the PA German ceased to be himself and became an English-American. Acculturation to the modern translated means to steal the birth rite identity of the traditional, its language and customs and make the native a mascot of the modern. There is a continual excavation of the Caucasoid in every subgroup that assimilates, whether Pennsylvania German, Hispanic, black, Indian. The anthropologists should excavate themselves to give them something to do, since they otherwise are the inventors and stalking horse for the modern against the traditional, looking for power by stealing it. Modern here is not the pejorative it seems if the native takes his tradition into it to return what is stolen, or as Momaday says, that â€Å"it is good to go into the enemy’s camp† (12). Steal his horses! But he has stolen the children! Pull Out the Light Poles That said, it remains to learn tradition from the elder. In the face of radical destruction this takes more than effort, it takes surrender. Without surrender the traditional dies. Take your pick, you can think like Katie Couric and all the like spokespersons for the modern on Charlie Rose, or like grandfather. Momaday says it is a duty to teach the young. He addresses the elder’s reluctance: â€Å"I wonder if you have any idea of why they shut up at a certain point like that, why they won’t talk to you† (15)? Charles Loloma, the Hopi, had said that when the power company installed electric poles by force â€Å"the people came out and pulled the poles all back out. These people didn’t want the electricity'†(15). This is symbolic of the whole transmission of culture of the modern against the traditional. When the enemy enters the native camp it is called deliverance, but is really theft of the child. It is destruction of the tradition, which is obvious when white missionaries go to New Guinea but apparently not when the Internet sells social network. You have to live it, not be curious of it. Fight Against Electricity! Ben Barney, a Navajo, says he had a grandfather who taught him until the age of eight, but when he died he couldn’t find a replacement. Another says, â€Å"my grandfather died, and he was one of the last men in the village who knew the whole ritual cycle of songs. He died without letting me or my father, or any of us record any of it. I think he felt that this thing that he had was too precious to just give out, and have it exposed to someone whom he never knew well. And he’d rather die with it than have that happen to it. It seems to me he was saying, you’re not going to to live it. You’re one of these people that’s fighting for the electricity. (I am not, in fact)† (17). So the ticket to the traditional, the universal (! ) is that you have to live it, not be curious of it. Surrender to the traditional! If you will not surrender, and the elders have any pride, they take it to the grave in sorrow. But it is not to be studied by post docs. It is to be lived. How many young think their elders outweigh the modern? Lifeway That you have to live it goes a long way toward knowing both wilderness and identity. Living is not an intellectual function. â€Å"But he was saying, you’re one of these people who are fighting for this. My people never had electricity. We never lived that way. And if I give you my lifeway, if I tell you my lifeway, you’re going to sit and laugh at me, because you’re laughing anyhow just by your behavior† (17). Only among the remnants of American tribes does anyone dare thus to challenge the modern. Other subgroups embrace it like a drug. The life way is an iPhone. The elders won’t speak to this, â€Å"naturally they are not going to tell you. I mean, they can’t. I can see why he felt there is no way to communicate experience; the essence of it, the reality of it. I believe he was saying: I could give you words, and you could put them down, but that wouldn’t mean the same thing† (17). Is this reality versus the virtual? The track of a bear versus a video game? These things are important if you want to have anything left on the earth that isn’t homogeneous and interchangeable. Like babies. Everything said here of the American tribes transfers to every family and subculture. 2. Momaday avoids the satiric in his work, but it is a satiric haunt like a ghost river in every meadow, grove and stream the summer nights after the predators came. Then a foam appeared at the exit pipes of plants along the upper Allegheny. It is hard enough to name Bear and Wilderness when those subsequent masks upon masks cover up naked being. Surrender. Stand up and strip, confess, then kneel! Wilderness trees, canyons, streams and things under and in them, screeches in the night, wheat, bear, porcupine are symbols to show what they are standing for, something else, life mirrors that open doors and close the way we live. Only the sun has escaped our dominion. The sun escaped the nano tales that seine the atmosphere in a net, to take earth away. How To Know and Recognize the Alien These image masks are the ultimate reality that deny we are predators or aliens. If you want to know the alien go and be one. Sit in the Mogollon. Do you belong? Find a bear. Is he your friend? People wander out all the time, light fires to be found, but the ones that aren’t found bone up. Coyote Wound Dresser had a talk with Walt Whitman, Wound Dresser, but things did not turn out well for Whitman. The alien cannot be modeled, but it is knowable if Unknown. I’m going to tell you what it is. Talking to the Unknown we try to understand synergies of it in the anthropology of Edward Dorn http://osnapper. typepad. com/snappersj†¦ He says the alien is a crucifying self-consciousness of doubt at the root of his own being when he sees the Shoshone. Does he, Dorn, belong? His doubts serve against the Unknown. They are a mirror of loss and lack. The filth on the chair that gets on his pants is an image of it†¦ â€Å" I had a great desire to be off, to not take any more, or give any more†¦for I will say it, at the risk of blunder: It is impossible for myself and my people to offer themselves in any but the standard senses† (14). At least he knows of the surrender, that you have to live it. In some freak of Methodism he wants to wash this old man’s feet to tame him, this 102 year old who stands for all of Idaho, Utah, Nevada and the Great Basin before electricity, † a volume of Yaa-Aaa-Aaa† (14). â€Å"I was aware of the presumption of my thinking he would be relieved or made happy by having his feet washed† (13). Now Here is the Alien: If you want to confront the Unknown you must to do it in the feet of your old age and death. If we want to confront the Unknown we must to do it in the feet of our old age and death. â€Å"The place was intensely neglected, I gradually saw, and not just filthy as it looked to be at first glance. It was simply the remains of a life† (12). The comfort of the Unknown in Dorn’s account is that there are two that serve each other in it, but we don’t know why. One Unknown is the wife, ust like all our mothers and wives, who â€Å"should have died, by the rules of our biology, thirty years ago. But it was evident that she would stay on, the weaker of the two, until he smelled the summary message in his nostrils, then she would be free† (12). Is death that freedom? The alien doesn’t think in known terms, but makes Dorn harbor such thoughts as, â€Å"this man and woman were the most profoundly beautiful ancestors I’ve witnessed go before me’ (12,13). â€Å"He is the spirit that lies at the bottom, where we have our feet. The feet which step between the domains, the visible sign, the real evidence of the coming event†¦ where this man’s low, incantatory verbs spill down across the plateau and basin† (13)†¦not more Indian than man, still as much the flower as the fruit. â€Å" Wash his feet! Wash his hands, heart and head! Lay in the dust like a penitent Barry Lopez, close to the flagellate, and weep for the human lost. This Shoshone’s name is Willie Dorsey. We don’t get his real name, Alien. â€Å"I saw, the heat, the vociferous mosquitoes in the building’s shade, the slightly moist filth at the back door. † Alien old age and death look like â€Å"very old animals [that] have such coats over the eyes, a privacy impenetrable from the outside† (11). Cataracts, the blind, the lame, the sick, the living I know treated by some Doctor of the Alien. She operates her office practically as a charity, complete with science, intuition and healing to the â€Å"grim weight of bad condition, not especially outlined, more heavy with despair than one could possibly arrange with rubble† (11). This is not Ed Dorn. He is a spectator. This Doctor holds the hand, cuts the hair, absorbs the breast, the tear, weeping and praying within, but praising and thanking for the chance that comes out of the â€Å"wooden clapboard structures† (10) of lives that they could be so treated and revived. So that’s the alien, it’s human and knowable even if Unknown. Poetry Analysis Sherman Alexie is Spokane/Coeur d’Alene Indian. Alexie wrote a poem called â€Å"The Reservation Cab Driver†. The title contributes to understand the poem and understand who the cab driver was. In this poem, Alexie uses a symbolism he also uses some metaphor, irony and imagery. By examining the life portrayal in the reservation, the poem’s casual diction, the magic appearance of Crazy Horse, I will show how Alexie’s critique of the status of Indians on the reservation. The life in the reservation was hard. When anyone wanted to get out of the reservation the only choice the reservation had was hiring the cab driver who drives a ’65 Malibu with no windshield. The description of this cab driver car is an example of Imagery taking place you can see the car all beat up with no windshield. This particular cab driver waits outside the breakaway bar. He charges his costumers a beer a mile with no exception. This cab driver is not looking for money. The other people have to get this cab to take them places especially during the powwow. Also in stanza 8 during powwow, some imagery takes place. The imagery you see is people paying him with quilts, beads and fry bread and firewood. Imagery in this section is important because you can see what’s going on. In this stanza the imagery is very clear that it seems as if you are there in person watching everything. Also in stanza 7 you see use of metaphor also irony but the cab driver did not understand Seymour because the cab driver answers â€Å"Ain’t no pony, it’s a car†. Alexie shows us how hard it is for the reservation to have to take the cab and pay in a form that you do not see in other places of America. Alexie shows us an example of two different economies. Within the same country but how life in the reservation is completely different to the rest of the life outside the reservation. The reservation has many problems like having only one cab driver who charges a beer and a cigarette a mile. Another problem†¦ â€Å"The Man to Send Rain Clouds† The theme of Leslie Marmon Silko’s The Man to Send Rain Clouds revolves around the idea of maintaining your culture in the opposition of the â€Å"religious right. † Leon is faced with strong opposition about his tribe’s rituals in regard to the burying of one of their dead. That opposition comes from the Christian priest and his ideas of what is sacred. Cultures around the world embrace death in different ways. Some mourn and fear death; others accept it and find hope when the time comes. Unfortunately not all of those cultures are able to be open to the idea that they could be wrong, or that different methods could lead to the same ends. The Christian church of coarse has a history of killing, burning, and condemning things that disagree with their ideologies. Even today we see extremists in many religions that fight wars over their beliefs. In this story a man had to fight with himself regarding the decision. He has to wrestle with the pleas of the priest and the idea that his culture taught him regarding death. He believed as his tribe did that the ritual would bring rain and new life to the crops. The battle between cultures moves on when the priest is actually asked to be a part of the ritual and bless the body. At this point the priest enters his own battle with the things that he was taught and the opposition that he faces. He had to decide what would be the Christian thing to do. When all these battle are over both men learn a little about each other’s world as the wind starts to come in, it is a wind of change. They wait to see if the storm will come to begin the circle of life anew. The Man to Send Rain Clouds Readers Reaction This was quite an interesting story. There were three sections to the story which broke the story in three different times in one day. The characters were all very nonchalant except for the priest who showed some emotion when he found out that old Teofilo died. The story kept our interest, however, it did not lead a very clear trail to the end, and there was no real climax where we felt there was a good peak. The story needs to be read more than once to really be appreciated. Plot Summary One ? Teofilo is at the sheep camp in the arroyo when he rests in the shade under a cotton tree and dies. ? After Teofilo missing for a few days, Leon and Ken come looking for him and find that he â€Å"had been dead for a day or more, and the sheep had wandered and scattered up and down the arroyo. † ? They gather the sheep and then come back to wrap Teofilo up in a red blanket. ? They paint his face with different colors and ask him to send them rain. ? On Leon and Ken’s way back into pueblow (town) they see Father Paul, who asked if they found their missing grandfather yet, and they tell him where they found him, but not that he’s dead. â€Å"Good Morning, father. We were just out to the sheep camp. Everything is o. k. now. † Two ? Louise and Teresa are waiting for them to get back with any news about Teofilo. ? Leon tells the girls that they found Teofilo died near â€Å"a cottonwood tree in the big arroyo near sheep camp. † ? Leon and Ken carry in red blanket with teofilo’s body, dress him in new clothes to be buried in. ? After a quiet lunch, Ken went to see when the gravediggers could have the grave ready, â€Å"I think it can be ready before dark. † ? Neighbors and clans people come by their house to console Teofilo’s family and leave food for the gravediggers. Three ? After the funeral, Louise tells her brother Leon that she wants the priest to sprinkle â€Å"holy water for grandpa. So he won’t be thirsty. † ? Leon gets in the truck†¦ Burial Rituals of Native American Culture At some point in our lives, we all come to realize that death is a part of life. Cultural diversity provides a wide variety of lifestyles and traditions for each of the unique groups of people in our world. Within these different cultures, the rituals associated with death and burial can also be uniquely diverse. Many consider ritualistic traditions that differ from their own to be somewhat strange and often perceive them as unnatural. A prime example would be the burial rituals of the Native American people. Leslie Marmon Silko’s story entitled The Man to Send Rain Clouds describes a funeral service carried out by a Native American Pueblo family. Though many perceive the funeral service narrated in this story to be lacking in emotion and also lacking respect for the passing of their loved one, it portrays a ceremony that is quite common for the Native American communities. There is also a hint of conflict occurring between the characters in the story that are carrying out their traditions while including an outside religious figure in the ceremony. The death of an old man sets the stage for this story and tells of the way his family goes about preparing him for his journey into the afterlife. A feather is tied into the old man’s hair, his face was painted with blue, yellow, green and white paint, pinches of corn meal and pollen were tossed into the wind and finally his body was wrapped in a red blanket prior to being transported. According to Releasing the Spirit: A Lesson in Native American Funeral Rituals by Gary F. Santillanes, â€Å"Pueblo Indians care for their own dead with no funeral director involved. The family will take the deceased, usually in their truck, back to the home of the deceased and place him or her on the floor facing east to west, on a native blanket. Depending on the deceased’s stature in the tribe, his face may be painted in the traditional nature. A powdery substance is placed†¦ AK English 217 – Reading Journal (The Way To Rainy Mountain) Scott Momaday uses nature to dictate the passage of life. He personifies the landscape as a person, he says the there is ‘perfect in the mountains but it belongs to the eagle and the elk, the badger and the bear. ’ To me, this tells me the mountains have a feeling of openness, but it is the home of many – not just humans. The mountain holds importance to the Kiowa’s because it is pure wilderness. The landscape that is described helps the reader recognize what the Kiowa’s were thinking upon reaching rainy mountain. The beautiful sights of the land made the Kiowa’s recognize a new passage of life. Their curiosity of the land’s landscape created legends in their tribe. The legends helped them escape through the wilderness by becoming part of it – through kinsmen in the sky and a boy turned into a bear at Devil’s Tower. Momaday describes the curiosity of the wilderness throughout the landscape. In order to build the larger idea of the tribe, the curiosity makes the landscape act as a character. The writer, Scott Momaday, describes the grandmother through details of her life. My favorite line was at the end when he wrote, â€Å"There, we it ought to be at the end of a long and legendary way, was my grandmother’sgrave. † This line sums up her entire life in a single sentence. She lived a long life and saw many things, her life was filled of legends that the tribe created. She had a reverence for the sun because she saw the Sun Dances when she was younger. In 1887, the grandmother was at the last sun dance; she bore a vision of deicide without any bitterness. At an old age, she began praying frequently. Momaday could not understand what she was saying but describes the tone of her voice as ‘sad in sound, some merest hesitation upon the syllables of sorrow. ’ No matter what the language, people inherently understand the sounds of sadness. It really brought the grandmother to life. Then finally, at the end, he†¦ Many Americans today believe that all students –no matter what race or ethnicity- have an easy path with our education and that all students are able to get a higher education without any problems. Yet this belief is not true for all students. However it’s a whole different story for the working class students. The working class student that goes for a higher education in life, in search for a better life and, a brighter future are faced with many obstacles and challenges on their path to achieve their goals and dreams. The working class students are put with many different challenges. As they the working class students goes forward with their education, there maybe people that will try to put them down in many forms. But you should know that you will survive and at the end you be a stronger, prepare student with the tools to overcome any obstacles in life. In the article â€Å"Indian Education† by Sherman Alexie, we read how being working class students we have obstacles to overcome. Some of this obstacles come from the people we less expected just like the example in Alexie Sherman Article â€Å"Indian Education†, how his own second grade teacher Miss Betty Towle try to put him down as many times as possible. She the teacher tries to put him down for being Indian, and for having working class parents. The Teacher Miss. Betty seems to not care for Alexie at all. The teacher ask Alexie to give a letter to his parents in which she ask for his parents to come to school so that they could have a conversation on what she calls his bad behavior in class. The teacher seems to not want to talk about his bad behavior. Instead, she wanted to insult Alexie in front of his parents by calling him Indian without any compassion or respect. â€Å"Indians, indians, indians, she said it without capitalization, she called me Indian, indian, Indian† (p. 1). Base on this citation we see that the teacher was trying to put him down for being Indian and for having parents that weren’t educated. By†¦