Friday, October 25, 2019

Who is Responsible for Military Robots’ Lethal Actions? Essay

I) Introduction Robotic technology has enabled the US military to use autonomous robots (or unmanned systems, UMS) in modern warfare. In the war with Iraq, the US military sent 12000 ground robots at the end of 2008 (P. W. Singer). One of the most popular robots used in Iraq is the iRobot Packbot, an unmanned ground vehicle, which is capable of detecting and destroying improvised explosive devices. Exploiting robots in warfare can save lives of many human soldiers. Moreover, robots are faster, have longer endurance, high precision and immunity to chemical and biological weapons (Ronald Arkin).In the National Defense Act of 2001 the U.S. Congress, obviously impressed by the potential of robots saving lives on the battlefield, established the requirement for one-third of the ground vehicles and one-third of the deep-strike aircraft in the military to be robotic within the decade. Consequently, in the â€Å"Fiscal Year 2009-2034 Unmanned Systems Integrated Roadmap† of the office of the secretary of defense showed the four categories that will be focused on are reconnaissance and surveillance, target identification and designation, counter-mine and explosive ordnance disposal, and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear detection (Stew Magnuson). As for now, most of the robot soldiers in the field are not fully autonomy. They are controlled by human soldier operators. However, the pressure of wars and the superior advantage of robots which can make decisions on their own will shift the interest in developing autonomous robots. In battle field, the time to decide whether or not to take action is too short that it would be impractical that a robot must send a signal to an operator and wait for the permission to fire (Ronald Arkin)... ...gner, A.R., and Duncan, B., â€Å"Responsibility and Lethality for Unmanned Systems: Ethical Pre-Mission Responsibility Advisement†. GVU Technical Report GIT-GVU-09-01, GVU Center, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009. Asaro, P. M., â€Å"Robots and Responsibility from a Legal Perspective†. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. Roma, Italy. April 2007. Magnuson, S., â€Å" Robo Ethics†. National Defense (Volume 94, Issue 672, Nov 2009), 28-29. Singer, P. W., â€Å"Military Robots and the Laws of War†. New Atlantic: A Journal of Technology & Society (Volume 23, Winter 2009), 25-45. Sparrow, R., â€Å"Building a Better WarBot: Ethical Issues in the Design of Unmanned Systems for Military Applications†. Science and Engineering Ethics (Volume 15, Number 2 / June, 2009), 169-187. Sparrow, R., â€Å"Killer Robots†. Journal of Applied Philosophy , Vol. 24, No. 1, 2006.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Up in Arms: Nuclear Weapons and North Korea

Nuclear weapons are not merely explosive devices that release an enormous amount of energy through the fusion or fission of atomic nuclei, but the issue of producing and researching it involves a more complex threat. Originally developed for use in World War II (1939-45), these nuclear weapons are among modern warfare's most lethal and destructive weapons. These could decimate cities in seconds and the destruction would advance throughout many years as people affected by it will suffer various diseases. Thus, the issue of nuclear weapons indeed encompass strategic, political and cultural dimensions as these are instruments that pose a global threat. Around the world, there exists a growing clamor that it is not enough merely to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the world. People call for the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Members of the peace movement have long opposed nuclear weapons on the moral grounds that they have the potential to destroy mankind. For that obvious reason, nuclear arms should not be manufactured, tested or used, and those remaining should be destroyed. Surprisingly, calls for the complete abolition of nuclear arms have come from different quarters, even from a group of former high-ranking military officers. Just recently, North Korea had been embroiled in this controversy when it insisted that they would never dismantle its nuclear program, while the United States maintained a â€Å"hostile† policy toward the country this year. If we look into its history, nuclear weapons and Korea have been entwined for more than 50 years. During the Korean War (1950-1953), the United States threatened several times to use nuclear weapons. This is the reason why the U.S. military forces remained in South Korea (the Republic of Korea). The United States began deploying several types of nuclear weapons to the South in January 1958, a time of extensive worldwide U.S. nuclear deployments. Initially, four different kinds of nuclear weapons were introduced with U.S. Army forces in South Korea: the Honest John surface-to-surface missile, the massive 280-millimeter gun, the 8-inch artillery shell, and atomic demolition munitions (ADMs) (Mack, 1994). However, North Korea is widely believed to have produced and separated enough plutonium for a small number of nuclear warheads. Most or all of the plutonium came from the 5-MWe reactor at Yongbyon, which went critical on August 14, 1985, and became operational the following January. The U.S. intelligence community believes that during a 70-day shutdown in 1989, North Korea secretly removed fuel from the reactor and separated the plutonium. Estimates vary as to how much plutonium was obtained. The State Department believes about 6-8 kilograms; the CIA and Defense Intelligence Agency say 8-9 kilograms, an estimate consistent with the careful analysis of the Institute for Science and International Security. South Korean, Japanese, and Russian analysts have made much higher estimates, ranging up to 24 kilograms (Albright and Higgins, 2002). What is incredible with this issue is that North Korea never admitted it possessed nuclear weapons, but it appears likely that it does. NBC Nightly News reported in 1993 that reprocessed plutonium had already been converted from a liquid form to metal, and several U.S. officials concluded that Pyongyang had made it into a bomb. In November 2002, the CIA went further than its previous estimates, stating, â€Å"The United States has been concerned about North Korea's desire for nuclear weapons and has assessed since the early 1990s that the North has one or possibly two weapons using plutonium it produced prior to 1992† (Norris, Kristensen and Handler, March/April 2003). By August 2005, the issue of nuclear proliferation on the Korean peninsula continued to dominate the political landscape. Talks between North Korea and the United States had met with little success, with no narrowing of the gap between those two countries on North Korea’s peaceful use of nuclear energy. The United States continued to insist that all of North Korea’s nuclear facilities had to be dismantled while North Koreans insisted that they had the right to conduct peaceful nuclear activities.   Indeed, North Korean chief delegate Kim Kye-gwan rhetorically asked, â€Å"We are not a defeated nation in war, and we have committed no crime, so why should we not be able to conduct peaceful nuclear activities?† (BBC News, 5 August 2006). With this, several countries warned North Korea that launching a missile would yield undesirable results.   Notably, Japanese Prime Minister  Junichiro Koizumi advised North Korea against test-firing the missile saying, â€Å"Japan has been urging North Korea to stop the attempt to launch a missile. We are making efforts to urge North Korea to act rationally and with self-restraint†.   He went on to warn, â€Å"If it does not listen to us and fires a missile, we have to consult with the United States and take stern measures â€Å". Moreover, the United States Department of State reacted to the launch of the North Korea’s missile Taepodon-2 as a â€Å"provocative† and attention-seeking act.   White House press secretary, Tony Snow, said that President George W. Bush was consulting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on the matter.   Secretary Rice called on North Korea to return to the multilateral discussion table (Associated Press, 19 June 2006). For its part, North Korea confirmed that it had test-fired a series of missiles and that further missile tests would be launched.   North Korean officials also warned that they would react strongly to punitive pressures from the international community. Furthermore, North Korea defiantly defended its right to launch the missiles, saying that it was a matter of national sovereignty.   That said, geopolitical analysts observed that North Korea’s latest moves may have been made for strategic reasons rather than simply as an act of national sovereignty. With the seemingly stubborn stance of North Korea, the United Nations Security Council unanimously approved Resolution 1718 on October 14, 2006. The resolution called for the inspections on cargo going to and from North Korea to search for weapons, a ban on the sale or transfer of materials related to North Korea’s unconventional weapons program, and a freeze on the transfer of funds connected with North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs (The Economist 21 October 2006).   Absent from Resolution 1718 was the Chapter Seven [of the United Nations charter] provision, which would enforce the sanctions via military force . Even though the resolution was approved by the United Nations Security Council and welcomed by the international community, total agreement on the matter of North Korea remained distant (Arms Control Today Magazine, November 2006). With these turn of events, we could clearly point out how nuclear weapons became a strategic instrument of North Korea to defy the will of the international community. North Korea is flexing its military capabilities by showing off its nuclear weapons. This underscored the need for the nations to begin disarming as soon as possible. North Korea may have felt an ominous threat that they decided they must acquire nuclear weapons in order to â€Å"catch up† to and achieve equal status with a military giant like the United States. However, their intentions were not well-received by their neighbours because North Korea became a â€Å"threat† itself when it decided to push with their nuclear missile tests. Moreover, the international community is frowning upon the real intentions of these â€Å"tests†, whether North Korea is just out to protect itself or is it a tactical plan to scare off their neighbours by virtually stating â€Å"Don’t mess up with us, or else†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thus, these strategic moves by North Korea effectively served to further isolate the country and confirm its pariah status within the international community. As we all know, the effect of nuclear weapons is not limited to political and social relations. According to Frey (2003), it is undeniable that nuclear weapons cause destruction in a number of different ways. They create temperatures upon explosion that are, at least initially, millions of degrees hot. Some of their first effects are heat effects, and materials are often incinerated on contact. The heat from the blast also causes rapid expansion of air, resulting in very high winds that can blow over buildings and other structures. A weapon blast also releases high levels of radiation, such as neutrons, x-rays, and gamma rays. Humans and other animals close to the centre of the blast suffer illness and death from radiation exposure. The set of symptoms associated with such exposure is known as radiation sickness. Many individuals who survive radiation sickness eventually develop cancer and their offspring frequently suffer genetic damage. Finally, a weapon’s blast releases huge amounts of radioactive materials. Some of these materials settle out of the atmosphere almost immediately, creating widespread contamination. Others remain in the atmosphere for weeks or months, resulting in long-term radioactive fallout. In the final analysis, the impending danger of the nuclear testing that North Korea is undertaking could be an ominous phenomenon for all of us. As the scenarios above have explained, nuclear weapons encompass strategic, political and cultural dimensions of whether these harmful military arsenals need to be maintained. Experts have already cited that the continued production of nuclear weapons must be halted soon or civilization itself will be imperilled. On the contrary, some military experts disagree, arguing that the existence of sophisticated nuclear weapons is a deterrent to nuclear war, even urging that nations should be ready to use nuclear weapons first, if necessary. In studying the complex issue of nuclear weapons, people should take a closer look at the extent of the nuclear danger facing the world today and debate the best methods for enhancing nuclear security. A â€Å"win-win† solution should be drafted so that the greater good of humanity comes in first, before any strategic or political agenda of any organization or nation. Works Cited Albright, David and Higgins, Holly. North Korea: It’s Taking Too Long: Inspections in North Korea Are Tied to the Reactor Deal, Which Is Far Behind Schedule, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, January/February 2002. Arms Control Today Magazine. US Security Council resolution 1718 on North Korea.36.9  (Nov 2006):  30(2) Associated Press. North Korea Warned of Possible Retaliation, June 19, 2006. Accessed online 14 December 2006 at http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2006-06/19/content_620814.htm BBC News. North Korea Talks ‘Near to Deadlock', August 5, 2006 . Accessed online 14 December 2006 at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4748671.stm Frey, R. J. Nuclear Weapons. M. In Bortman, P. Brimblecombe and MA. Cunningham (eds.), Environmental Encyclopedia, 3rd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Kura, Alexandra. Rogue Countries: Background and Current Issues. Huntington, NY: Nova Science, 2001. Mack, Andrew. Nuclear Endgame on the Korean Peninsula. Canberra, Australia: Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University, 1994. Norris, Robert S., Kristensen, Hans M.   and Handler, Joshua. North Korea's nuclear program, 2003. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 59.2 (March/April 2003): 74-77. Accessed online 14 December 2006 at http://www.thebulletin.org/article_nn.php?art_ofn=ma03norris The Economist. Going Critical, Defying the World; Nuclear-Weapons Proliferation. 381.8500: (Oct 21, 2006): 79.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Business in China

Would US companies be better suited trying to â€Å"go it alone† in China or to partner with a company that will provide tangible assets and other services for the US-based MNC? What stumbling blocks might exist when partnering with a company in China? After reading the article I believe that a US company will partner up with a company that will provide them with tangible assets and other services. As the fastest-growing major economy in the world, China continues to offer global companies attractive investment and business opportunities.However, doing business in China also means navigating the complexities that arise from China’s unique historical, political, and cultural contexts (Burkitt, 2012). Establishing a company in China can be a trying and tedious task requiring elaborate approval and registration procedures. Despite the challenges, leading US companies are succeeding in China by developing collaborative relationships with Chinese stakeholders and demonstrati ng the agility to continuously adapt their strategies to the country’s dynamic environment. Applying for approvals from various authorities is common in China.Navigating China's complex business and regulatory environment to submit the applications to the right channels is an extremely tedious process that the enlightened businessman would rather leave to a partner in China. These companies are positioning themselves for long-term success by embracing the Chinese proverb qiu tong cun yi, which means â€Å"seeking similarities while respecting differences. † In doing so, they are co-opting China’s long-term interest in stability and prosperity into their business strategies, China investment regulations and compliance issues (Chu, nd).China is doing business more and more the American way, but non-Chinese executives still must work hard at building trust in relationships with their Chinese business partners. Chinese business strategy has changed a lot, and they a dopt western practices (Chau, 2012). Cultural misunderstandings and stereotypes are one of the main causes of business failures, when doing business overseas. You should be able to share your vision and enthusiasm, with a good partner, who can bring expertise in the areas in which you are inexperienced.Having a partner from China with a good reputation and should be someone who understands the legal and financial responsibilities endemic to sharing a business, most importantly, it should be someone who has a good relationship base business culture of China; it might be advantageous to learn about some basics of the Chinese language, culture, history, and geography (Csanad, nd). If done so, your Chinese potential business partners will take you much more seriously, and you will have more chance of being able to get the business with whom you get along and also to keep up with frequent regulatory changes can prove daunting for businesses.There are some barriers in doing business in Ch ina, because we must learn the cultural and religious differences. One con is that most Chinese business activities and deals are made through face to face interactions. To successfully launch a business in China you will need to travel to china and meet with your partners and employers unlike in the US they will do meetings on the phone and via webcam.A pro, which can still be part of barriers, is that having a Chinese company as a partner they can help you with land and buildings, because they know the country and where the best place would be the con to that is that you have to rely on someone else, to do the leg work with you. Another barrier is that the US likes to work direct and have upfront communication while the Chinese are the opposite; they are indirect and try to avoid accountability for making business decisions, the US always like to take accountability and deal with things head on.A barrier that must be overcome is that American’s tend to be overly friendly, p atting each other on the back and saying good job, whereas in China that is not done, patting someone in the back can be construed as aggressive and insulting. I have to say that the barriers can be overcome, but it will take time, it’s just a matter of getting use to the cultural differences. This will take time, but it can be achieved. Business in China Would US companies be better suited trying to â€Å"go it alone† in China or to partner with a company that will provide tangible assets and other services for the US-based MNC? What stumbling blocks might exist when partnering with a company in China? After reading the article I believe that a US company will partner up with a company that will provide them with tangible assets and other services. As the fastest-growing major economy in the world, China continues to offer global companies attractive investment and business opportunities.However, doing business in China also means navigating the complexities that arise from China’s unique historical, political, and cultural contexts (Burkitt, 2012). Establishing a company in China can be a trying and tedious task requiring elaborate approval and registration procedures. Despite the challenges, leading US companies are succeeding in China by developing collaborative relationships with Chinese stakeholders and demonstrati ng the agility to continuously adapt their strategies to the country’s dynamic environment. Applying for approvals from various authorities is common in China.Navigating China's complex business and regulatory environment to submit the applications to the right channels is an extremely tedious process that the enlightened businessman would rather leave to a partner in China. These companies are positioning themselves for long-term success by embracing the Chinese proverb qiu tong cun yi, which means â€Å"seeking similarities while respecting differences. † In doing so, they are co-opting China’s long-term interest in stability and prosperity into their business strategies, China investment regulations and compliance issues (Chu, nd).China is doing business more and more the American way, but non-Chinese executives still must work hard at building trust in relationships with their Chinese business partners. Chinese business strategy has changed a lot, and they a dopt western practices (Chau, 2012). Cultural misunderstandings and stereotypes are one of the main causes of business failures, when doing business overseas. You should be able to share your vision and enthusiasm, with a good partner, who can bring expertise in the areas in which you are inexperienced.Having a partner from China with a good reputation and should be someone who understands the legal and financial responsibilities endemic to sharing a business, most importantly, it should be someone who has a good relationship base business culture of China; it might be advantageous to learn about some basics of the Chinese language, culture, history, and geography (Csanad, nd). If done so, your Chinese potential business partners will take you much more seriously, and you will have more chance of being able to get the business with whom you get along and also to keep up with frequent regulatory changes can prove daunting for businesses.There are some barriers in doing business in Ch ina, because we must learn the cultural and religious differences. One con is that most Chinese business activities and deals are made through face to face interactions. To successfully launch a business in China you will need to travel to china and meet with your partners and employers unlike in the US they will do meetings on the phone and via webcam.A pro, which can still be part of barriers, is that having a Chinese company as a partner they can help you with land and buildings, because they know the country and where the best place would be the con to that is that you have to rely on someone else, to do the leg work with you. Another barrier is that the US likes to work direct and have upfront communication while the Chinese are the opposite; they are indirect and try to avoid accountability for making business decisions, the US always like to take accountability and deal with things head on.A barrier that must be overcome is that American’s tend to be overly friendly, p atting each other on the back and saying good job, whereas in China that is not done, patting someone in the back can be construed as aggressive and insulting. I have to say that the barriers can be overcome, but it will take time, it’s just a matter of getting use to the cultural differences. This will take time, but it can be achieved.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Definition and Examples of Common Case in English

Definition and Examples of Common Case in English In English grammar, common case is the ordinary base form of a noun- such as a cat, moon, house. Nouns in English have only one case inflection: the possessive (or genitive). The case of nouns other than the possessive is regarded as the common case. (In English, the forms of the subjective [or nominative] case and the objective [or accusative] case are identical.) See Examples and Observations below. Also, see: CaseInflectionNotes on Nouns Examples and Observations The one thing that doesnt abide by majority rule is a persons conscience.(Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, 1960)A mans character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation.(Mark Twain)Peoples backyards are much more interesting than their front gardens, and houses that back on to railways are public benefactors.(John Betjeman)Common Case and Possessive CaseNouns such as man inflect not only for number but also for the distinction between genitive case and common case. The uninflected form man is in the common case. By contrast, in the mans hat, mans is said to be in the genitive (or possessive) case. The term case is a traditional term in the description of classical languages, where it is a topic of much greater complexity than it is in English. For instance, in Latin, there are as many as six different case distinctions for nouns. English nouns have very little variability of this kind; we must guard against attributing to English nouns as many ca ses as there are for Latin ones.(David J. Young, Introducing English Grammar. Hutchinson Education, 1984) The Vanished Case[A]ll nouns are said to be in the common case- the grammarians way of pronouncing them caseless. His common means that the one form serves every possible use- subject, object of verb, indirect object, object of preposition, predicate complement, appositive, vocative, and even interjection. The grammarian is in effect asserting that case, except as it survives vestigially in a few pronouns, has disappeared from English. . . .Common case describes nothing and analyzes nothing. But grammar is essentially analytic; it names things not for the fun of having a nomenclature but so as to understand the relations of working parts. One can analyze an English sentence without using the word case; what matters is to know that a given word is subject or object, and of what it is the one or the other.(Wilson Follett, Modern American Usage, revised by Erik Wensberg. Hill and Wang, 1998)

Monday, October 21, 2019

Focused Preschool Observation Essays - Child Development, Learning

Focused Preschool Observation Essays - Child Development, Learning Focused Preschool Observation Part 1 Child A lives with both her dad and mom. She is an only child. She has blonde hair and blue eyes. She is very energetic and happy. She is three years old and will be four in October. She does very well in her classroom and seems to mind her teachers for the most part. She carries around one of her moms night gowns for comfort. She eats very well. She ate most of the food on her plate and kept to herself while she was eating. She loves to read to her class and interact with her friends. Part 2 I observed at Parkway Child Care in Sevierville. The daycare is fairly big. There are two teachers present. The main teacher and the assistant teacher are both present. They were great with the children. You could tell they were very patient, passionate, and understanding with the children. They helped aid in the childrens education as well as showing love and nurture. When I walked in the children were sitting in front of the television watching a movie and eating popcorn. It was on a Friday so the children were very anxious and hyper. When their movie went off they went to the gym and played with all of the toys in the gym and ran around. After they played in the gym they went to the bathroom and washed their hands for lunch. Next they went to the lunch room and ate chicken and rice, carrots, and pineapples. Finally they went on back to their classroom to get ready for nap. They read books while their teachers got all of their mats together and laid down and read before nap. The cl assroom was average size with many toys that promote the three domains of development. Part 3 Focused Preschooler Observation Observers Name: Kayla Cardwell Date(s) of Observation: 04-10-15 Name, gender and exact age of Infant: Sydney, Female, 3 years and 6 months Time observation(s) began: 10:30 Time observation(s) ended: 1:30 Setting: Include the following questions/answers in the focused observation report. Attach this sheet and any other notes to the observation. a.1.Describe the gross and fine motor development of the preschooler. What was the preschooler doing to demonstrate this development? What did the teacher do to stimulate movement? The child rolled, threw, and caught a ball. The teacher played with the ball with the child. a.2.Describe the symbolic play (pretend play) in which the child engaged. What objects were used? Were other children involved? The child used her stuffed mouse and used pretend play with the mouse. No other children were involved. a.3.Describe if this child chose to play with same sex children, opposite sex children, or both sexes equally. Did the preschool child engage in non-stereotyped play? Describe completely. The child played with both sexes easily. The child did not seem to mind who she played with. a.4.What behaviors did the preschooler show that demonstrated growing mental (cognitive) development? What did the teacher do to stimulate these behaviors? The child found her paper shoe attached to the floor with her name on it when it was time to exit the classroom. The teacher encouraged the children to find the right shoe. a.5.Describe any teacher actions that support language and literacy development. The teacher pointed out certain things on the movie they were watching and encouraged the children to say what they saw. a.6.What behaviors did the child exhibit that showed their developmental level according to Eriksons stages of development? How did the child show initiative? The child got along with friends and teachers, loves make-believe play, used motor skills, and very ambitious. The child shows initiative by wanting to try new things and activities. Developmental Milestones Checklist Preschool: Three Years Dates of Observation: Age(in years and months): List one example for items checked Yes or Emerging. Physical/Motor Development TaskYesNoEmergingExample Swings arms when walkingX Jumps with both feetX Rides three-wheeled toysX Walks on a balance beam or line (wide low beam or curved or straight line on the floor)XPlastic balance beam in gym Balances or hops on one foot brieflyX Climbs a small slide and slides down without assistanceXClimbs up hill outside then goes down slide Throws a ball or other object overhandX Bounces a ball and catches itX Runs consistently without fallingX Builds and stacks with several small blocks XMostly with legos Pounds pegs with mallet Copies and draws simple shapesX Practices zipping, snapping, fastening, and

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Good Pandora Stations for Homework and Studying

Good Pandora Stations for Homework and Studying Almost everyone has a smartphone these days, and with it comes the ability to rock out to music whenever the mood strikes. Since Pandora Internet Radio is probably the most well-known place to grab free music on the go, and tons of students love to listen to music while they study, it only stands to reason that people might need some advice about choosing the best Pandora stations for studying and homework. Genre Pandora Stations When you log in to Pandora, you can choose an artist, a genre, or a song to get started. A musical genre is simply a style of music. Rock is a genre. So is punk. So is jazz. Pandoras site does have genres such as country and classical and hip-hop, and it also has a set of genres that have more to do with the overall emotional flavor of a collection of music rather than a particular genre. Pandora has a comprehensive and frequently updated genre list that you can browse to get started. Since researchers are at least agreed that quieter music without lyrics is the most conducive music to study to (barring no music at all), here are a few genre Pandora stations that may be ideal for you to study by. Some are instrumental only, and they cover a wide range of musical styles. Instrumentals Fifteen million listeners cant be all wrong: in Pandoras Instrumentals genre youll find everything from Dr. Dre to bluegrass to techno to jazz. These instrumentals are basically tracks from some of the top names in the business without the words to mess with your brain space; theres even a specific station called Instrumentals for studying. Quiet Tracks Willing to risk some lyrics? Pandora has three muted genres that might work for you. Pandoras Wind Down genre includes a collection of stations such as the Buddha Bar, with surreal lyrics, modal harmonies, and a slow-moving bass line. The Chill genre contains stations that are mostly acoustic playlists, with an emphasis on calm, sedate music. Styles range from coffeehouse-style folk music to pop music versions to classics, country, and indie channels. Pandoras Easy Listening channels include the light side of movie soundtracks, show tunes, cool jazz, solo piano, and light rock. New Age and Classical Pandoras New Age genre has several channels perfect for taking your anxiety over that deadline down a notch or two. Here youll find music suitable for relaxation, spa, ambient, and a whole range of subareas of New Age music types: instrumental, acoustic, solo piano, and beats. Just dont fall asleep. The Classical genre has a number of good channels that might trip your studying trigger: classical guitar, symphonies, renaissance, baroque. A  Classical for Studying Radio  channel promises a New Age aesthetic and an overall meditative sound. and a channel for Work might also do the ticket. In the End, Its All Between the Ears Its quite possible that some people do better with background music: people have different tastes, different study habits, and different ways of handling noise and distraction. Surveys of students themselves often say music helps them concentrate, keeps them company, alleviates boredom, and helps them learn faster. With free music sources like Pandora and Spotify, selecting the exact music you need might actually be a distraction in itself. Is Music While Studying Even a Good Idea? A few scientific studies have been conducted on the effect of music or other background noise on maintaining concentration. Most report that the best studying environment of all is silence. Since all music processing uses cognitive capacity, the theory goes, listening to music could impair task performance involving your brain. Most of the studies, however, have been relatively unsystematic and somewhat inconclusive, because so much depends on an individual students preferences and study habits, and the enormous number of musical genres available. If students study with music playing, they seem to perform better when the music is calm and they dont engage with the music. In other words, dont sing along, for example, or dont pick music that you either dont like or like too much. Your emotional response to music does add to the distraction value: music that is too stimulating or too sleep-inducing will also be a distraction. So: if you are the kind of student who needs music as a background to study, to act as white noise to keep other peoples voices or the radiators banging or personal worries out of your head, keep it low enough that you wont actually pay much attention to it. If you find yourself singing along, change the station. Sources Cassidy, Gianna, and Raymond A.R. MacDonald. The Effect of Background Music and Background Noise on the Task Performance of Introverts and Extraverts. Psychology of Music 35.3 (2007): 517-37. Print.Furnham, Adrian, and Lisa Strbac. Music Is as Distracting as Noise: The Differential Distraction of Background Music and Noise on the Cognitive Test Performance of Introverts and Extraverts. Ergonomics 45.3 (2002): 203-17. Print.Hallam, Susan, John Price, and Georgia Katsarou. The Effects of Background Music on Primary School Pupils Task Performance. Educational Studies 28.2 (2002): 111-22. Print.Kotsopoulou, Anastasia, and Susan Hallam. Age Differences in Listening to Music While Studying. 9th International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition. University of Bologna, 2006. Print.Kotsopoulou, Anastasia, and Susan Hallam. The Perceived Impact of Playing Music While Studying: Age and Cultural Differences. Educational Studies 36.4 (2010): 431-40. Print.Umzdas, Serpil. An Analysis of t he Academic Achievement of the Students Who Listen to Music While Studying. Educational Research and Reviews 10.6 (2015): 728-32. Print.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Juvenile Death Penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Juvenile Death Penalty - Essay Example Rehabilitation of juveniles is the main aim of the juvenile justice system not imprisoning and punishing them as majority of us think. Juvenile courts are closed to the public unlike the normal proceedings that are open to the public. Juvenile court proceedings are sealed hence no one see them and they are later on destroyed when the juvenile reaches between the age of eighteen and twenty one years. In law, the news media are not usually supposed to report the name of the minor involved in a criminal proceedings. Unlike the adults' status, the minors' status has special penalties, restrictions and protection. In many western countries, the rights and status of minors is compared to the state of women and racial minorities before they acquired equal right. United States and Somalia have not ratified the United Nations Convection on the rights of the child like all other members states of the United Nations. The News Hour with Jim Lehrer presented a debate on the decision of the Supreme Court ruling to ban death penalty of murderers of under the age of eighteen years. The debate was held on March 1, 2005 the same day the ruling was made. It was presented by Gwen Ifill as she hosted Jan Crawford Greenburg - The Chicago Tribune.