Language and its relation with apes Essay Example for Free

Language and its relation with apes Essay When we talk about language it means the language that we use for communication. Humans have used different types of language in past for communication and the language that we speak today has been eventually achieved after lots of changes. It has been said that using language for communication has differentiated humans from other animals on this earth. Talking about language includes sign language, spoken language and other languages used for communication. Language should be differentiated with speech because speech involves production of sound from the voice box whereas anguage means a way commonly used for communication and to express one with each other in society. All animals use some form of communication or other but researchers don’t classify it as language. But it has been seen that some of the animals like dolphins, apes, chimpanzees etc. can communicate using the language used by humans. Dolphins are even found calling each other by names. As far as apes are concerned great ape language has even evolved by the researchers while teaching gorillas, orangutans and chimpanzees. It is seen that they communicate with each other using sign language or physical tokens. These usages of different types of tools to communicate indicate their ability to use language. When we go back into the past we find that in the beginning the language was not related to speech and can be said to be a type of sign language. Many researchers have made studies and have come to the conclusion that apes can understand sign language and can easily communicate with humans if trained to do so. A chimpanzee was caught in the wild and was named Washoe. When she was ten months old, she was handed over to a husband and wife involved with the researcher’s team. It is a fact that chimpanzees are fully dependent till two years of age and semi dependent up to four years of age. They made the environment like a deaf parent would make for their child and then started experiment on Washoe. There was at least one of the researchers with her when she was awake and tried a lot of techniques in order to teach her sign language and how to communicate with humans. Before project Washoe, attempts to teach animals the voice language had failed so the researchers tried to teach her the American Sign language in which they succeeded to a far extent. While teaching Washoe, when she used to learn any language properly she was rewarded so that it encouraged her and initially she was even taught to bring her hands together and touch her fingertips. Then the couple started teaching her to be more precise with her hands’ movements. In the first couple of years the couple were not sure whether she was really catching the language or not because sometimes she did not react to that but when she was shown the object she would make the correct sign for that. It was also seen that some of the things she used to name in her own way and continuously did the same. This also shows that chimpanzees applied their own wish and brain and not just copied what they were taught. It was concluded by the researchers that when humans started to communicate with the help of speech, their vocal tract developed and it eventually brought changes in the human brain too. The language that we use today to communicate can be found back 200,000 years ago where we find similarities in the language. But it was almost 50,000 years back from when sophistication of language started. The first step must have been the use of grammar in the language and the basis of today’s language must have eveloped. But it is still a matter of debate whether it developed gradually or suddenly because researchers have no proof for any of the two. Language is said to be unique human quality and researchers have found evidence that suggests that a sudden change took place somewhere in Africa around 50,000 years back. This brought some changes in human brain and some of the scientists have concluded that a group of Africans left and proceeded to colonize other parts of the world. This way similar language pattern spread and is now found in most parts of the world. There are ome researchers who believe that the language of today has eventually been achieved and has gone through different stages and the modern linguistics must have evolved since late eighteenth century. It depends upon the circumstances and surroundings and it has been proved by the researchers that chimpanzees when kept in supporting environment can learn and communicate in sign language with humans. The richness of our language for communication is considered as distinctive achievement because it provides us with the ways to express our feelings and emotions to others. Each and every achievement of umans can be credited to language because without it nothing could have been possible in the field of science and technology, philosophy, art and culture or any of the fields. There is language diversity found in this world and even market of language technology is also growing. Language has helped a lot in expanding different types of businesses throughout the world. Exchange of ideas and views become very important when it comes to business or any field that is concerned with the whole world. The use of computer and Internet has also brought the whole world quite close and even the diversity f languages can be bridged with the help of latest technology. Translations are done with the help of software and although they are less accurate than the work done by humans, they are cheap and easily accessible. It can almost be considered as revolution and this has been spreading widely through the help of computer. Initially language was thought to be a unique human quality and that must be because it gave every human to articulate and communicate easily with each other. Understand each other in a better way, which was a great achievement for humans and this helped them to ravel and know about different cultures and livings. Language is the base of all the developments and achievements in this world. If there were no collectiveness due to common language, there would have been nothing possible. All the developments either technical or in the art world are seen and enjoyed today just because a group of people were able to communicate and discuss on some point and then after a lot of studies and experiments were able to reach where we are today. Communication has also helped to pass on the ideas of one generation to other and in this way development has eventually eached and is further heading in future. The most important thing needed for communication is language as it is the base and without which it would have not been possible to communicate. It happens at many levels and in various ways but need of language is must. Language becomes the means that helps to communicate within the working team and thus helps achieve targets and success. Man is a social animal and he needs to communicate in order to remain attached to the society and every member of the society has his or her share in its development. Many scholars have given instances and tried to explain the importance of communication and its relation with language. Just to prove the significance of language there had been so many projects to teach languages to animals and men have succeeded in it. Some of the animals can understand and communicate in sign languages if taught in perfect age like chimpanzees and some can even speak too like parrots if taught at an early age can communicate with vocal expressions. Dolphins are found to call each other by names and they also communicate with their human companions and understand their instructions. Dolphins are found to respond to music too. Language is an organized form of communication, which can be conveyed through voice, signals, and gestures or written symbols. But just communication or its ways are not considered as language and this is the reason why the communication of animals is not considered as language. Humans speak and write language as a system of symbols and grammars or rules with the help of which the symbols are manipulated. Most of humans use sounds or gestures as communication tools and language is considered to be exclusively as mode of communication for humans only.

The Importance of Measuring Enterprise Impact Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Measuring Enterprise Impact Essay One of the key assets of an enterprise is information. Huge amounts of raw data are produced during every operational transaction in the company. Processing raw data into valuable information allows an enterprise to take more accurate decisions into action. Information technologies give support in big business systems like (ERP) Enterprise Resource Planning, utilized in recognizing, extracting and analyzing business data, such as, sales revenue by product and/or department. Measuring data is difficult, and companies have to have complex systems for tracking ERP. Outsourcing Data With changing times, systems need to have data energy uses calculated into the core processes to retain more accurate data. Measuring impact is the recognized way in which you show the value your organization is delivering to its recipients and the general public as a whole. Often, companies feel the need to cut internal energy use; therefore, they outsource data processing duties. Businesses must be cautious when outsourcing data. This outsourcing can cause serious issues if the outsourced work is inaccurate or worse, manipulated to cause intentional damage to the company. It is difficult to have patience with outsourced companies that produce inaccurate work, as that is the main objective: they were hired to do the job proficiently and accurately. Having internal processes in place for data formulas can cut down significantly on misuse and incorrect data entry, as well as cut back on security breaches. Making sure that the data is properly reduced and not just passed on to another person. Data accuracy is essential, we must heed caution when reviewing others data, how do we know the information is accurate and correct. Unfortunately, there are unethical practices within data processing, and there are companies who are more into financial gain rather than upholding moral responsibilities. Conclusion In today’s competing business environment, companies should consider the competitive advantages of business information tools that provide more advanced analysis options for organizational data. Furthermore, organizations need to overcome the technical and organizational challenges of implementing more advanced information technologies in order to achieve  efficient utilization of it.

Creativity And Innovation In The Workplace Commerce Essay

Creativity And Innovation In The Workplace Commerce Essay So in this context, what is creativity and what is innovation? Often they are not distinguished. They are simply seen as part of the process by which knowledge is developed and transformed into business value. This is a perfectly acceptable definition, but again like the failure to differentiate between information and knowledge it is not very useful for the purpose of discussing the subject area.. . It is important to distinguish between creativity and innovation because the processes are different, the risks are different, the starting points are different, and the climates needed for achievement are different, and there are consequences of these differences. To support this argument, the author has divided this essay into three main parts. First of all creativity and innovation is defined according to different researchers. Then the some basic differences between them is discussed. At the end, the author has described process of creativity and innovation to support his arguments. Creative thinking, creativity and innovation are separate and distinct things. Creative thinking is a process that can be taught, creativity is a phenomenon about which can be taught, and innovation is more than creativity. Creativity is the production of novel and useful ideas in any domain whereas the innovation is the successful implementation of creative ideas within an organization.(stein 1974, woodman, sawyer and griffen 1993). West and Farr (1990) consider creativity as the ideation component of innovation and innovation as encompassing both the proposal and applications of the new ideas (p. 10). In this view, creativity by individuals and teams is a starting point for innovation; the first is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the second. Amabile and shermaine montefalco et al. (1996) Creativity is the production of novel and useful ideas in any domain whereas the innovation is the successful implementation of creative ideas within an organization.(stein 1974, woodman, sawyer and griffen 1993). West and Farr (1990) consider creativity as the ideation component of innovation and innovation as encompassing both the proposal and applications of the new ideas (p. 10). .Successful innovation does not only depends upon the idea coming from inside the organization but can also comes from outside the organization. Many researchers have argue that the innovation is not a linear process (Drazin and Schoonhoven, 1996; van de ven, 1986; Scgroeder et al 1986; Van de ven at al 1999) it may be conceived of as cyclical with periods of innovation initiation, implementation, adaptation and stabilization. Creativity is likely to be most evident in first stage of innovation. (iainchalmers  , 2007) from Human Motivation, 3rd ed., by Robert E. Franken: Creativity is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others. (page 396) Three reasons why people are motivated to be creative: need for novel, varied, and complex stimulation need to communicate ideas and values need to solve problems (page 396) Creativity is any act, idea, or product that changes an existing domain, or that transforms an existing domain into a new oneWhat counts is whether the novelty he or she produces is accepted for inclusion in the domain. Creativity is the ability to produce work that is both nove,(i.e, original, unexpected) abd appropriate(i.e, useful, adaptive concerning task constrains)(lubart, 1994: Ochse 1990; Sternberg 1988; Sternberg and lubart 1991, 1995, 1996) Components of creativity: Expertise encompasses everything that a person knows and can do in the broad domain of his or her work. Creative thinking, as noted above, refers to how people approaches problems and solutions- their capacity to put existing ideas together in new combinations. The skill itself depends quite a bit on personality and as well as on how a person thinks and works. Expertise and creative thinking are a individuals raw materials- his or her natural resources, if you will. But a third factor- motivation- determines what peoples will actually do. If an individual have outstanding educational credentials and a great facility in generating new prospective to do a particular job, but if he lacks the motivation to do that job, he will not do that; his expertise and creative thinking will not give him any advantage. People will be more creative when they feel motivated primarily by the interest, satisfaction, and challenge of the work itself- and not by external pressures. There also exists the enormous graveyard of innovations that have never been adopted and not necessarily because they are the results of repetitive, foolish, or simply reproductive processes(Paolo Legrenzi, Creativity and Innovation, http://www.iuav.it/Ricerca1/Dipartimen/dADI/Working-Pa/wp_2007_02.pdf) I believe that there is a difference between creativity and innovation and agree with Robinson and Sterns explanation:10 †¢ Creativity the results of creativity in companies are improvements or changes to what is already done. †¢ Innovation the results of innovation in companies are entirely new activities for the company The key words, improvements and new, help define the difference in these terms. However, creative thinking is part of the innovation process. Another way of explaining this comes from the late management consultant, Richard Byrd, who defined innovation as creativity times risktaking. Japan railway east is the largest rail carrier in the world. When they decided to construct a new bullet-train line through the mountains north of Tokyo, they never anticipated that this would open the doors of a new business horizon for them- the beverages. JR east have to construct many tunnels, and water causes problem there. The JR plans to drain this water away. But the crew inside the tunnel found a new solution of this problem; they were using to drink that. One of the workers liked it taste so much that he give suggestion to the JR to bottle this water and sale as premium mineral water instead of draining that into runoffs. His idea was implemented and soon the water was marketed with the brand name of OSHIMIZU. Within a short period of time it become so popular that JR plants vending machines at most of its platforms and establish a subsidiary company who only deals with this water. This idea turns so profitable that in 1994, sales of Oshimizu beverages were $ 47 million and its also started to sell juices as well as iced and hot teas and coffees.( Corporate creativity: how innovation and improvement actually happen   By Alan G. Robinson, Sam Stern) Most researchers and managers recognize that creativity at the individual level represents only part of the challenge. Organizations must create environments that allow and encourage employees to engage in creativity. Most organizations have developed layers of rules, procedures and bureaucratic processes that stifle creativity (MacKenzie, 1998).To be creative, the management has to tolerate the mistakes and accept the degree of risk involved with this. It also requires the long term commitment of time and resources whereas; the risk of failure is also there to be considered (Yukl, 2006). Creativity is the long term investment of any organization, which cant be start or stop any time. Firms commonly encourage employees to use their creativity and judgment through empowerment (Gandz and Bird, 1996). Hence, the management culture of an organization is the major factor which initiates the creativity in an organization. On the other hand, much lower degree of risk is involved in the innovation. In innovation the success is ascertain, so the process can be terminated at any desired stage. Innovation does not require a long term commitment of time and resources. Innovation is more likely to occur in groups where there is support for innovation, and where innovation attempts are rewarded rather than punished (Amabile, 1983; Kanter, 1983) In modern age, creativity is considered as a science which can be learnt. Several universities offer courses and degrees in the field of creativity and creative problem solving where as there are only a few offer coerces in the field of innovation. For organizations it is easy to train their employees more creative and effective in their work. On the other hand, innovation is much more informal field. No specific body of knowledge serve a basic of teaching and learning for innovation. Most of innovative techniques are derived from the basics of creativity. Conclusion: Chances are that the very successful leaders of the future will be more likely to make creativity and innovation a strategic priority in their organizations if they better understand the reality of what they really are rather than an unsubstantiated myth. How they are different. Why they are both needed, and how to make them both happen in the right way at the right time in the business cycle. Referances: (iainchalmers  , 2007) Creativity vs Innovation the ugly truth, http://blogs.holstgroup.co.uk/greenhat_thinking/2008/03/07/creativity-vs-innovation-the-ugly-truth/ The innovation process may be divided into three areas: the fuzzy front end (FFE), the new product development (NPD) process, and commercialization, as indicated in Figure 1-1.1 The first part-the FFE-is generally regarded as one of the greatest opportunities for improvement of the overall innovation process.2 Many companies have dramatically improved cycle time and efficiency by implementing a formal Stage-GateTM (Cooper 1993) or PACE_ (McGrath and Akiyama 1996) approach for managing projects in the NPD portion of the innovation process. Attention is increasingly being focused on the front-end activities that precede this formal and structured process in order to increase the value, amount, and success probability of high-profit concepts entering product development and commercialization. The comparison was complicated because there was a lack of common terms and definitions for key elements of the FFE. Without a common language and vocabulary, the ability to create new knowledge and make distinctions between different parts of the process may be impossible (Krough, Ichijo, and Nonaka 2000). Knowledge transfer is ineffective or unlikely if both parties mean different things, even when they are using the same terms. These insights led us to believe that we could improve understanding of the FFE by describing it using terms that mean the same thing to everyone. The front end of innovation, or what us often called fuzzy front end , presents one of the greatest opportunities for improving the overall innovation process. New concept development model: The NCD model, shown in figure below, compromises of three key elements: The inner area defines the five key elements compriseing the front end of innovation The engine or Bulls Eye portion which drives the five front-end ekements and is fuelled by the leadership and culture of the organisation. The influencing factors, or environment on the periphery . consists of organizational capabilities, business strategy, the outside world(i.e., distribution channels, customers and competitors), and the enabling science that will be utalized. FIVE FRONT END ELEMEENTS: OPPORTUNITY IDENTIFICATION. This is where the organization, by design or default, identifies the opportunities that the companu might want to pursue. Business and technological opportunities are explicitly considered so that resources will eventuallu be allocated to new areas of market growth and/pr operating effectiveness and efficienscy. This element is tupiucally driven by the goals of the business. The opportunity might be a totally new direction for the business or a minor upgrade to an existing project. 2. opportunity analysis: Additional information is needed for translating opportunity identification into specific business and technology opportunities and making early and other uncertain technology and marlet assessment. Extensive effoert may be committed for focus groups, maeket studies and sceientificn expertise. However, the amount of effort expended is dependent upon the attractiveness of the opportunit. 3. idea genesis: Genesis is the development and materation of the opportunity into a concrete idea. This represents an evolutionary process in which ideas are built upon, torn down, combined , reshaped, modified,and updated. Ideas may be generated by anyone with a passion for a particular idea, problem, need, or situation. Ideas may be generated or enriched by others through the efforts of a key individual or champion (Markham 1998; Markham and Griffin 1998). Idea selection: In most businesses there a re so many products/process ideas that the critical activity is to choose which idea to pursue in order to achieve the most business value. Selection may be as simple as an individials choice amoung many self generated options or as formalized as a prescribed portfolio method. More formalized project selection and resource allocation in the FEI is difficult die to limited information and understanding at this point. Concept and technology development: The final element of the model involves the development of a business case based on estimates of market potential, customer needs, investment requirements, competitor assessments, technology unknowns, and overall project risk. The environment: The FFE exists in an environment of influencing factors. The factors are the corporations organizational capabilities, customer and competitor influences, the outside worlds influences, and the depth and strength of enabling sciences and technologyThe outside world, government policy, environmental regulations, laws concerning patents, and socioeconomic trends all affect the FFE as well as the new product development or Stage-GateTM part of the innovation process. Some of these factors are indicated in Porters five force model (1987). THE ENGINE (LEADERSHIP, CULTURE, AND BUSINESS STRATEGY) The element of leadership, culture, and business strategy sets the environment for successful innovation. Proficiency in this element distinguishes highly innovative companies from less innovative ones (Koen et al. 2001). Continuous senior management support for innovation has been shown in numerous studies to be critical to new product development success (Cooper and Kleinschmidt 1995; Song and Parry 1996; Swink 2000). Culture in the FFE fundamentally differs from that in the NPD and operations parts of the organization (Buckler 1997).

Government and Politics - We Need Election Reform in America Essay

"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives. A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy or perhaps both." -- James Madison ("Focus" 1) The United States has strived to be a true democracy, a place in which the citizens are free to govern themselves, since its inception. For a democracy to work, the citizens must remain knowledgeable and elections must remain unbiased. Our current system of electing presidents fails in both of these regards: citizens are only given two choices that stand any chance of winning and their decisions between those two candidates are influenced not by knowledge, but instead by what they have seen on thirty second television commercials. In order to break up the complete political monopoly the Democrat and Republican Parties have on the United States, we as Americans need to reform our presidential elections so that third party and independent candidates have a legitimate chance of holding offices and so that citizens are able to vote on the candidates based on their political beliefs rather than on their ability to fundraise and advertise. Similar reforms should be made to the elections fo r other offices as well at the federal, state and local levels. The ideas and arguments presented in this paper can be applied to American elections in general although, because of the small scope of this paper, they only speak of the presidential elections. A candidate cannot legitimately compete in modern American elections without being able to finance a huge television advertising campaign. Commercials have become an integral part of our... ...Democrats and Republicans hold in this country would allow candidates with fresh ideas and new ways of dealing with old problems to take office. Through these new representatives, our government will become healthier and better able to adapt to today's changing political environment. Sources Cited Basham, Patrick. "The Illiberal Reality of European-Style Campaign Reform." http://www.cato.org/dailys/03-13-02.html. Donnis, Ian. "In Whose Interest?" http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/other_stories/multi-page/documents/02552297.htm. Targonski, Rosalie. http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/archive/elect00/primer.htm. "Focus - Freedom of Press and Information." http://usembassy.state.gov/islamabad/wwwhircalert0702.html Associated Press. http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/e1598.htm. CNN. http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2000/results/.

The Native Boomerang :: Essays Papers

The Native Boomerang Imagine the typical colonial or imperial exploration party as white, rational, glorious civilized male believers encountering dark, irrational, ignoble, savage androgynous heathen. Imagine the currently popular (in policy, not theory) admiration of the native as a centered, serious, balanced, healthy, sane, and enlightened idealized form of the explorer. The first is a mirror in speckled and faded photographic negatives – the other is all that is bad about the subject. In the second the mirror is in 32 Bit True Color Photoshopped splendor – the native is all the subject could aspire to be. In the text of Columbus’ first voyage the boomerang effect of the assumed subject perceiving others’ perceptions of his/her self takes form as a rather unsubtle direct photocopy. While the ‘native’ other usually exists as a foil to define the non-‘native’ ‘subject’, in the case of the first voyage in the â€Å"Digest of Columb us’ Log Book†, the newly encountered native, as a collective and individual, functions as someone radically similar to the subject. In this text, the ‘native’, filtered through a complex circuitry of â€Å"authors† and â€Å"translators†, gives its[1] perceptions and reactions in several varieties: in its self-interest, intrigued by Columbus’ cohort as merchants; in its religious/social nature, awed by the â€Å"men who have come from the skies† (58); and in its â€Å"very simple †¦ not savage† (59) state, reluctant and irrationally attached to native lands and the earth. Columbus’ boomerang vision of his ‘natives’ perception of his expedition explains them as rationally, in both its then-present forms, eager about his presence and held back only by irrational impulse. I call Columbus’ perceptions boomerang vision because they emphasize/generate so much likeness between his expedition and the natives that the text understands the parties not as different people marked by similarities, but as the same sort of folks marked by occasional differences. The explicit justifications[2] used at home for his exploration are what he now ‘witnesses’ abroad as the natives’ response: reasoned excitement for wealth and religious ends balanced against unreasoned hesitancy. Columbus’ seven-year solicitation at the court of Spain included â€Å"repeatedly holding out great prospects of wealth and riches for the crown of Castile† (34), culminating in a â€Å"project for the exaltation of His Church† (103). That, thousands of miles away, he happen to ‘discover’ the precise same appreciation for his project, mitigated only by â€Å"their timidity† (77) is not coincidence, but the circular input and output of images through one filtering lens[3].

Essay --

Project 4-1: Develop a Personal Disaster Plan 1. Determine which types of natural disasters are the most common for the region in which you live. In Kansas and Missouri states, the most common natural disasters are occurred by Tornado’s and Snow storms. Kansas is ranked in 3rd position in the frequency of tornados. Missouri is ranked in 8th position. Joplin tornado was one of the biggest disasters in Missouri State. This occurred in the summer of 2011. This disaster took lives of more than 150 people and injured over 1000 people. This disaster caused property damage close to $3 billion. The maximum width covered by this tornado is close to 1 mile. St. John’s Regional Medical Center was one of the most damaged areas of this tornado. Heavy snow falls in the months of January and February and a minimum of over 10 inches snow fall is expected in every winter. So we have to be prepared for the snow storms as well 2. Find out which government or private agencies and organizations have information on disasters for your area. There are several government or private agencies which have information regarding disasters in our area. One of the government agencies among those is Missouri Department of public safety State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). This has information regarding planning and preparing for disasters. This also has information regarding recovering and rebuilding from the disaster. This will also let people to volunteer for the disaster recovering programs. The plan and prepare section of the official website of SEMA has information on how to plan ahead for the various disasters like preparing for severe winter weather conditions, preparing for tornados, preparing for floods, etc. There is also one more agency ca... ...t state. †¢ Teach them about the first-aid process and other safety procedures. †¢ Mock the situation and practice my family in case of emergency. References:- 1. 2011 Joplin tornado - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Joplin_tornado 2. Retrieved from stormaware.mo.gov/preparing-for-a-tornado/ 3. Retrieved from stormaware.mo.gov/tornado-facts-history/ 4. How to Prepare for a Tornado: 14 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2014, from http://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-for-a-Tornado 5. Kansas Tornadoes. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.disastercenter.com/kansas/tornado.html 6. Missouri Tornadoes. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.disastercenter.com/missouri/tornado.html 7. Severe Winter Weather. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://sema.dps.mo.gov/plan_and_prepare/winter_weather.asp Essay -- Project 4-1: Develop a Personal Disaster Plan 1. Determine which types of natural disasters are the most common for the region in which you live. In Kansas and Missouri states, the most common natural disasters are occurred by Tornado’s and Snow storms. Kansas is ranked in 3rd position in the frequency of tornados. Missouri is ranked in 8th position. Joplin tornado was one of the biggest disasters in Missouri State. This occurred in the summer of 2011. This disaster took lives of more than 150 people and injured over 1000 people. This disaster caused property damage close to $3 billion. The maximum width covered by this tornado is close to 1 mile. St. John’s Regional Medical Center was one of the most damaged areas of this tornado. Heavy snow falls in the months of January and February and a minimum of over 10 inches snow fall is expected in every winter. So we have to be prepared for the snow storms as well 2. Find out which government or private agencies and organizations have information on disasters for your area. There are several government or private agencies which have information regarding disasters in our area. One of the government agencies among those is Missouri Department of public safety State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). This has information regarding planning and preparing for disasters. This also has information regarding recovering and rebuilding from the disaster. This will also let people to volunteer for the disaster recovering programs. The plan and prepare section of the official website of SEMA has information on how to plan ahead for the various disasters like preparing for severe winter weather conditions, preparing for tornados, preparing for floods, etc. There is also one more agency ca... ...t state. †¢ Teach them about the first-aid process and other safety procedures. †¢ Mock the situation and practice my family in case of emergency. References:- 1. 2011 Joplin tornado - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Joplin_tornado 2. Retrieved from stormaware.mo.gov/preparing-for-a-tornado/ 3. Retrieved from stormaware.mo.gov/tornado-facts-history/ 4. How to Prepare for a Tornado: 14 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2014, from http://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-for-a-Tornado 5. Kansas Tornadoes. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.disastercenter.com/kansas/tornado.html 6. Missouri Tornadoes. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.disastercenter.com/missouri/tornado.html 7. Severe Winter Weather. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://sema.dps.mo.gov/plan_and_prepare/winter_weather.asp

Reaction Paper on Prejudice and Discrimination

The world that we live in today, although improving, is tainted with cruelty and hatred toward different races. Usually, we have stereotypes about people who are members of groups with which we have not had firsthand contact. We regularly make these stereotypical generalizations based on experiences we have had ourselves, seen in movies or television, read about in books and magazines, or have had related to us by family and friends. Though all these are equally significant roots for the stimulation of stereotypes, media however, is a giant force.When thinking of the topics or behaviors of prejudice and stereotyping, I synonymously think of the movie â€Å"Crash,† which exposes different kinds of social and multicultural differences, giving a quick example of how these conducts can affect a society. These behaviors are viewed as thoughts and feelings that almost everyone has felt more than once. In the first scene of the movie, a  Muslim  man inside a firearm store is atte mpting to buy a gun. The owner is a white Caucasian male that presents a negative attitude towards the customer because of his Muslim background.This feeling triggers in the owner, negative attitudes based on the assimilation and stereotypes with the Muslim race. Being immediately associated with the Al Qaeda terrorist group, which was responsible for suicidal bombers that have killed thousand of Americans. This negative attitude and violence observed in this particular scene, is an example of prejudice, known as a negative feeling and predisposition of behavior towards a group or any member belonging to that group.This is an issue not only found in America but in the whole world. In our  global  economy requiring functional and respectful relationships between nations, prejudice and stereotypes can be a destructive force both in the world and in individual societies, especially in diverse ones. Acting on ones hatred can lead to behavior to what we now in days call â€Å"hate c rime†, such as in the scene where they break into the Muslim's man business and vandalize the place completely.Such acts can lead us to many disgraces even death. This movie shows us the different point of view of people in our society, it gives us an insight of the stereotypes we have build within our society, within the world. It invites us to see and understand how such a small stereotype and negative attitude can go a long way and affect people in different ways. Prejudice is found between gender, religion, cultural, geographical background, and race.People have discriminated against others based upon these attributes. Besides, prejudice is largely a function of ignorance. Today, there are so many different people in this world that stereotypes are almost always incorrect, as many people choose not to be followers, but to be individuals. Asians, African-Americans, Hispanics, Caucasians, and all other ethnic groups need to look past each other's physical characteristics and start looking inside a person to see who they truly are.After all, personalities do not lie on the outside of one's body, but in one's mind. I believe that society needs to raise today's children to accept all people, no matter what they do or do not believe in or what color skin they may have. In order to reduce prejudice and discrimination, it is considered that education for children is very important. For example, exchange student program that includes not only the one between different countries but also the one between different communities within the same area.If children are raised around people who are not the same as they are in school or community, then they will most likely not think anything different of people who do not look the same as them or believe what they believe. If humanity raises their children to believe all people are equal from the beginning, then prejudice will slowly disintegrate over time. The world needs to focus on not judging people before they kno w them for who they are. It is very important to let children have opportunity to know the differences and to be interested in differences because ignorance is the biggest source of prejudice