Why Are There Two Congos in Africa

The Congo — when youre talking about the nations by that name — actually can refer to one of two countries that border the  Congo River  in central Africa. The larger of the two countries is the  Democratic Republic of the Congo  to the southeast, while the smaller nation is the  Republic of the Congo  to the northwest. Read on to learn about the interesting history and facts related to these two distinct nations. Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of Congo, also known as Congo-Kinshasa, has a capital called Kinshasa, which is also the countrys largest city. The DRC was formerly known as Zaire, and before that as the Belgian Congo. The DRC borders the Central African Republic and South Sudan to the north;  Uganda,  Rwanda, and Burundi in the east;  Zambia  and  Angola  to the south; the Republic of the Congo, the Angolan exclave of Cabinda, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The country has access to the ocean through a 25-mile stretch of Atlantic coastline at Muanda and the roughly 5.5-mile-wide mouth of the Congo River, which opens into the Gulf of Guinea. DRC is Africas second largest country and covers a total of 2,344,858 square kilometers, which makes it slightly larger than Mexico and about a quarter the size of the U.S. Around 75 million people live in the DRC. Republic of the Congo The smaller of the two Congos, on the western edge of the DRC, is the Republic of the Congo, or Congo Brazzaville. Brazzaville is also the countrys capital and largest city. It used to be the French territory, called Middle Congo. The name Congo stems from the Bakongo, a Bantu tribe that populates the area.   The Republic of the Congo is  132,046 square miles and has a population of about 5 million. The  CIA  World Factbook  notes some interesting facts about the countrys flag: (It is) divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; green symbolizes agriculture and forests, yellow the friendship and nobility of the people, red is unexplained but has been associated with the struggle for independence. Civil Unrest Both Congos have seen unrest. Internal conflict in the DRC has resulted in 3.5 million deaths from violence, disease, and starvation since 1998,  according to the CIA. The CIA adds that the DRC: ... is a source, destination, and possibly a transit country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; the majority of this trafficking is internal, and much of it is perpetrated by armed groups and rogue government forces outside official control in the countrys unstable eastern provinces. The Republic of the Congo has also seen its share of unrest. Marxist President Denis Sassou-Nguesso returned to power after a brief civil war in 1997, derailing the democratic transition that took place five years before. As of fall 2017, Sassou-Nguesso is still the countrys president.

Manet s Bar At The Folies Bergere - 1401 Words

Manet’s Bar at the Folies-Bergà ¨re, one of the most perplexing and mysterious paintings to exist, holds deep meaning and reflects French social life in this era. This work of art illustrates a Parisian nightclub, the Folies-Bergà ¨re, which catered to a diverse set of acts including the circus and ballet. It is here that the Barmaid works and where we see the interaction between her and the gentleman. This is where an extremely important concept of the work appears- perspective. Throughout the years there have been numerous interpretations and claims concerning why Manet painted the scene as he did, whether or not the perspective is accurate, and how all of the elements including the mirror and woman come together. Another fascinating element that comes from this scene is the social aspects of French life during this time. This element comes into play in the relationship between the barmaid and the gentleman in the top hat, the woman’s expression, and the occupa tion of the woman. Although there are many enlightening interpretations of Manet’s work, there is one that is particularly strong. Manet’s use of perspective and inclusion of social matters both engages the viewer and leads them to ponder what it is exactly that they are viewing. A reason this painting has sparked so much interest and analysis is the mind-boggling perspective and reflection. One of the first observations the viewer makes is that the barmaid and the barmaid’s reflection do not go together. PullmanShow MoreRelatedThe Reflection Of Edouard Manet Painting A Bar At The Folies Bergere1465 Words   |  6 Pages The reflection of Édouard Manet s Painting Édouard Manet s painting A Bar at the Folies-Bergà ¨re has been a piece of artwork that has been debated among art historians for over a century; the painting is perplexing due to its ambiguous cultural meaning and therefore creates a discussion between art historians. A Bar at the Folies-Bergà ¨r deludes the spectator when first looked at, as if there is no uncertainty but then with further observation gives a sense of doubtfulnessRead MoreA Bar At Folies Bergere951 Words   |  4 Pages(Clark 206)) were a very popular destination for the people of Paris. Cafà ©s-concerts became an integral part of Parisian social life, as they were visited by hundreds of people each night, regardless of class. A bar at the Folies Bergà ¨re became the topic of Edouard Manet’s last painting, as Manet tried to portray the new, â€Å"modern† Paris, and the introduction of mass production during this time. A Marxist art historian, T.J. Clark finds this particular painting impo rtant because it revealed a lot aboutRead MoreManet at the Bar1216 Words   |  5 PagesPaper December 5, 2012 Manet and The Bar Edouard Manet’s painting A Bar at the Folies-Bergere, was completed in 1882 and is considered his last great painting. He displayed it at the Paris Salon just one year before his passing. This painting as vexed art historians throughout the years for its complex visual subject matter and leaves Manets true interpretation of his painting in the air for discussion. Although there are many interpretations, A Bar at the Folies-Bergere is an avant-garde; viewerRead More Manet Essay3413 Words   |  14 PagesManet Much of the art of Manet reflects the developments going on in Paris in the 1860s and 1870s. The rebuilding of Paris was being supervised by Baron Haussman, as much of the old medieval centre of the city was being destroyed so that the new city could be rebuilt. In his book The painting of modern life TJ Clark argues that modern art of the 20th century evolves from the art produced by Manet during this period of great change in Paris. Manets scenes of Parisian cafes, bars and streetsRead MoreThe Bar At The Folies Bergere1450 Words   |  6 PagesThe Bar at the Folies-Bergere shows a young lady who works at the Folies-Bergere, a Paris cafe. The lady is the sole focus of the work. Manet has depicted her in a manner that seems both thoughtful and aloof. Her mind seems elsewhere while she is focused on serving drinks and appetizers to the noisy crowd. The viewer’s attention is focused on her locket pendant, which makes us think of a situation and place far away from this, whe re she is someone’s beloved, not one of many servers in an overcrowdedRead MoreAppropriation in Art Essay1015 Words   |  5 PagesDuchamp, Yasumasa Morimura, and Maria Kozic. Such artists as Edouard Manet, Pablo Picasso and Leonardo Da Vinci have inspired these artists to the extent that they have used the Great Artists actual artworks in their own works. Appropriation seemed to have flourished in the 1980s and was a very popular technique to use in commercial and advertisement. For this reason the Pop Art Movement (that was most popular in the 1950s and 60s) can also be seen as an excellent instance of appropriation, withRead MoreArt History Study Guide3003 Words   |  13 Pages–[and Polydoros, Athanadoros] Laocoon and His Sons * S Chapter 10 China * 6 Dynasties (220-579) * Gu Kaizhi – Imperial Instructress to Court Ladies * Wang Xizhi –Letter Feng Ju album * Song (960-1279) * Fan Kuan –Travelers Among Mtns and Streams * Xia -12 Views from a Thatched Hut * Xu Daoning –Fishing in a Mtn Stream * Zhang Zeduan –Spring Festival on the River * S Chapter 11 Japan * Asuka (552-646) *

Franklin Delano Roosevelt and His Allies Free Essays

FDR Research Notes * The Jews Standpoint * The Debates never end to the reasoning of why the 6 million Jews were not saved by the US Government * The Jews had already taken heavy fire, and now their voice cannot be heard * In 1942, as details of Hitler’s Final Solution reached the Allies, it was difficult for the public and many government officials to grasp the extent and significance of the Nazis’ systematic, mechanized killing. * On December 17th, 1942, the US joined 10 other Allied governments in issuing a solemn public declaration condemning Nazi Germany’s â€Å"bestial policy of cold-blooded extermination† of the Jews. Franklin Delano Roosevelt t believed that the surest way to stop the killing of innocent civilians was to defeat Hitler’s Germany as quickly and decisively as possible. We will write a custom essay sample on Franklin Delano Roosevelt and His Allies or any similar topic only for you Order Now * Assessment of Roosevelt’s role during the Holocaust is made difficult by the relative lack of communication. * Roosevelt and Churchill chose not to single out German mistreatment and mass murder of the European Jews as a key focus of the conflict, preferring to refer in general to the aim of ending the mistreatment and murder of civilians under Axis rule. From the American Standpoint * Most Americans at this time were clueless about World War II due to the Government’s president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, by our 32nd president not informing us on many things, may have just had prevented the 2nd Civil War in history * The President did not also inform many government officials due to the germination of the news at the time. * The President also had many in-depth conversations with the British Prime Minister to make sure that the Allies can certainly win this war. The President is also reminded by the British Prime Minister to not forget the lives that were lost durin g this World War and also to save the rest * Once the World War was finally making some progress with the 101st Airborne, the riots began. * The Americans were not impressed with the government’s president and the officials could only say, â€Å"Do not lose faith in the nation we lie in, the United States of America. † * The Americans did finally come to an agreement with the situation, and that is, â€Å"try harder. † * The Other Allies The 3 major allies, or known as â€Å"The Big Three†, are Joseph Stalin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill * Joseph Stalin at this time during WWII was in charge of the Soviet Russian’s, which have been recently betrayed by Nazi Germany. * Franklin Delano Roosevelt at this time during WWII was in charge of the United States of America, and has kept many secrets from the Nation that can never be seen. * Winston Churchill at this time during WWII was in charge of the British Commonwealth and has many q uestions on why FDR had backed out on rescuing millions of Jews. Soviet Russia (WWII) * The man with the heart for the mix of democracy and communism. Joseph Stalin was the Soviet Union leader until his death in 1953. * In August 1939, the Union had gone into a non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany that was violated in 1941 and the Union was being attacked by Nazi Germany. * After the capture of Berlin in 1945, Soviet Union became the 1 of the 2 Superpowers with the Allies (the other being the United States of America. ) * The British Commonwealth Winston Churchill, Born on November 30th, 1874 and Died on January 24th, 1965 * The one of the few prime ministers to actually serve twice as the prime minister. * Fought in WWII and had a very good relationship with FDR and was basically the provider of Ammo and supplies to the US during the time of Nazi Germany. * When Hitler invaded the USSR, Winston famously said, â€Å"If Hitler invaded hell, I would at least make a favorable referen ce to the Devil in the House of Commons. † * Franklin Delano Roosevelt * Born January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945 Was involved with the Holocaust and was also partnered with the USSR and the British * FDR was not preparing to save the Jews anytime soon not because of their race, but because of the expenses. FDR had to make sure that Allies win this War and do it with as little money as possible. * FDR was being supplied by his good friend, Winston Churchill, while the Russian Joseph Stalin, provided experimentation so that the Allies could be far more ahead than the Axis (even though we were 2 years behind the Airplane)† Bibliography How to cite Franklin Delano Roosevelt and His Allies, Essay examples

A level media studies book Essay Example For Students

A level media studies book Essay Pretty Woman is an American romantic comedy motion picture that was one of the top films at the box office in 1990. The title character, a prostitute named Vivian Ward, was played by Julia Roberts, who received a Golden Globe award for her role. She was also nominated for an Academy Award, Best Actress.  The male title character is a businessman Edward Lewis who is played by Richard Gere. While ruthless in business he is an Asset striper.  Pretty Woman is the highest-grossing film of the romantic comedy genre, and probably the most well-known. Set in Hollywood during the 1990s, its themes include the tension between romantic love and social class: the main characters are complete opposites in social class and money, while both working in occupations which do absolutely nothing for the environment they live in. The sequence itself runs for approximately 13 minutes. It is preceded by the name of the company which produced the motion picture, Touchstone pictures. The opening shot is a close up of 3 palms which all have what seems to be money and the first words uttered in the entire movie are Its all about the money. Straight away the theme of money is established. The camera then zooms out and follows Edwards lawyer Philip. Philip begins to suck up all the glory for the party. The viewer can already notice even after a few seconds that he is going to be a very devious and selfish character. This establishing shot then cuts to a medium shot of Edward on the phone to his girlfriend. They have an argument and come to a mutual agreement to end the relationship. This points one of Edwards flaws as a person. He seems to be a very busy man and one who is not very good with relationships. Afterwards Edward heads downstairs where once again in a medium shot he is seen greeting and talking with guests at his party in a very friendly mood.  The camera zooms out to a full shot and Edward is seen leaving his party. He then takes the keys to his lawyers car but Philip is not pleased about this and begins trying to get Edward to take the limousine instead. A sense of comedy is now introduced to the movie. There are close ups of both Edward and Philips faces with ones face very calm and joyous and another very stressed and worried.  Edward drives off and slowly the camera zooms out into a low angle crane shot following the car and as He comes to a corner Edward stops and says Shit because he is going the wrong way. Then finally continues on and eventually the camera cuts to a birds eye extreme long shot of Hollywood at night. Nearby, in a small hotel an alarm clock goes off. This established shot cuts to a close up of a shapely pair of thighs, they turns to reveal black lacy panties and a red T-shirt on the upper half of the girls body. An arm stretches out from the bed silencing the alarm at five to nine. Around her a few torn snapshots of herself with different men. Their faces have been scratched out. The girl eases on a stretchy cream top, attached by a metal ring to a short blue skirt. Whilst the girl is only glimpsed partially as if in a peep show. This is Vivian waking up at a peculiar time. Obviously viewers see straight away that Vivian is not getting ready to go to any ordinary job. Shes a prostitute. Constant extreme close ups of her eyes and mouth appear as the camera cuts from one shot to another. .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 , .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 .postImageUrl , .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 , .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8:hover , .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8:visited , .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8:active { border:0!important; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8:active , .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Animal Farm: Imagine you are an animal on the farm EssayVivian tries to leave her apartment when she sees the land lord she then takes a u-turn and goes the back way out to try avoid paying her rent. Once again the issue of money pops up. The camera cuts to a long shot and Vivian is climbing down a ladder. This is very ironic as this is also how the movie ends with Vivian being rescued on a ladder.  At the end of the sequence the last words you hear are Welcome to Hollywood the city of dreams. Excuse me whats your dream. Its clear that at some point in this movie dreams are going to come true like a classic fairytale. There are a lot of similarities between Vivian an Edwards opening sequences. For example both of them seem to have relationship problems. With Edward it is him braking up with his girlfriend but with Vivian it is all the pictures on her wall with faces cut out.  Also they both seem to be staying in the top rooms of their apartments or offices.  Lastly most obviously they are both escaping from someone e.g. Vivian running away from land lord and Edward running away from his lawyer.  Their characters are also very similar as later in the movie Edward points out how very similar their occupations are. He says We both screw people for money! The music also plays an important part in the opening sequence.  At the end of Edwards opening sequence the song King of wishful thinking is playing in the background whilst he is driving. It seems to be a kind of cheering song as he has just broken up with his girlfriend. It says the message that I will get over you  During Vivians opening scene the song Wild women do is playing also in the background. It seems to just show how Vivian is not really like an ordinary woman and that she is very adventurous, uncontrollable and wild.

Hybrid Engine an Example of the Topic Science and Technology Essays by

Hybrid Engine by Expert Prof. Excellence | 20 Dec 2016 Hybrid technology in cars is really not a big thing today. During World War II, submarines ran on diesel engines while cruising at or just below the surface; the diesels charged banks of batteries that propelled the subs underwater, where the diesels are inoperable. Hybrid cars also integrate, through use of computer control, a gasoline engine, a set of batteries, and one or more electric motors. The engine charges the batteries, and the car can be propelled by the gasoline engine alone, the battery-powered electric motor(s), or the two together. Because batteries are charged by the operation of the vehicle, the hybrid does not draw charge from an electrical outlet, an inconvenience of conventional electric vehicles. Need essay sample on "Hybrid Engine" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed The hybrid vehicle concept squeezes miles from gasoline in other ways. The electric motor may grab energy typically squandered as heat in braking to charge the batteries in a concept called regenerative braking. Hybrids can shut down the gasoline motor when idling, for example, at a long stoplight. Hybrids are lightweight and shaped to reduce aerodynamic drag. Some have a more efficient, electronically controlled variable-gearing transmission. Low-drag, stiff tires also increase fuel efficiency, but they may not be best for road adherence in snowy weather. Some of these concepts can and have been used in improving gas mileage in fully gasoline-powered vehicles. For example, Honda's Insight and Civic and Toyota's Prius travel over 50 miles per gallon in freeway use (Cole 36-40). Ford will soon be offering hybrid SUVs; The Escape SUV by ford was recently released in 2004. Ford's 2004 Escape SUV may deliver 40 miles per gallon in city driving (Wechter 17). General Motors offered their hybrid versions of their cars in 2006 when they offered Saturn VUE and later Chevrolet Malibu and Tahoe. Also General Motors distributed around 240 hybrid buses in Seattle. The basic purpose was to reduce the consumption of oil up to 65%. Other than these cities General motors offered Houston, Portland and Philadelphia with the same hybrid bus models (The Daily Herald). Hybrid engines are being considered because of their low contamination levels and quiet operation. These engines operate smoothly, produce high torques at low speed, can tolerate a variety of fuels and exhibit superior cold weather starting performance. Steam generators now available practically eliminate the delayed starting problem which plagued earlier steam vehicles, and are entirely safe. At present, however, they are both bulky and costly. Since no major technical obstacles are foreseen in manufacturing suitable engines, costs no doubt would decline as production increased (Gilles 202). Hybrid technology has been under development for most of the last decade but there is no standard system under the hood of each of these vehicles. Automakers are developing competing and sometimes complementary technologies for hybrid electric vehicle propulsion. One system uses a small gasoline-burning engine that directly drives an alternator to generate electricity. The electricity is stored in batteries or sent to an electric motor which in turn powers the wheels at all times. A second system is configured with two power paths so that the gasoline engine, an electric battery pack or both may be used to produce the motive power to turn the wheels. The gasoline engine also is used to charge and recharge the electric batteries. Under this dual-power or parallel-power system, the vehicle is powered by the electric engine at lower speeds and switches to the gasoline engine for quick acceleration and once it reaches cruising speed. Reducing the total weight of the vehicle is one of the most important factors in achieving greater fuel efficiency. Replacing steel engine and frame components with advanced aluminum, and strategic uses of other materials such as magnesium, carbon fiber and titanium has helped hybrids shave pounds for greater efficiency. Although these types of structural changes have been simultaneously developed and tested alongside hybrids, they will be equally applicable to use in conventional vehicles. (Ruffino 16-18) Some may be concerned that lightweight materials used in hybrids could create safety concerns. Not so, according to Terry Penny All materials on the hybrid vehicles have to meet structural and other performance requirements identical to conventional vehicles." There is one other specific safety issue, says Penny. "Some people worry that in a rescue situation the 'jaws of life' could be electrifying if they cut into the vehicle's high voltage line." But others say that rescuers would be aware of the electric nature of hybrids and act accordingly in an emergency. (Penny 25) Finally, one of the most attractive and intuitively pleasing features of having an electric motor onboard is a function called regenerative braking. As the brakes are applied under normal driving conditions, the HEV captures energy expended to slow the vehicle down. It is then routed to the battery pack, recycled and applied in the passing lane or in climbing that next big hill. In the near term for Ford Vehicles, the likeliest option for the fuel cell vehicle is an onboard converter that plucks hydrogen from natural gas. The technology does produce carbon dioxide emission, however, and its use would lead to questions about the possible security risks of an expanded role for natural gas. An added concern is the expansion of pipeline infrastructure for delivery of great quantities of natural gas. (Arnold 17) For at least the next decade fuel cells unless their hydrogen is supplied through nuclear power, will not replace fossil fuels without major environmental and economic impact. Costly hybrid vehicles offered by Ford and General Motors may make transportation less affordable for fixed- and low-income households; subsidies for the vehicles would have economic costs and could even undermine petroleum conservation efforts. Petroleum seems to be indispensable to prosperity, health, welfare, and a clean environment. Even as petroleum use has increased dramatically, the emissions of six important (criteria) pollutants monitored by the EPA have declined. Technological advances have continued to deliver greater economic output per amount of energy used. Technology may make reductions in carbon dioxide emission affordable. The National Academy of Engineering ranks the electrification of the United States as the greatest engineering achievement of the twentieth century. Following electrification are the automobile and airplane, energy-using achievements that have helped to generate prosperity. Those great achievements were made possible by fossil fuels, especially petroleum, as the largest share of energy supply for the United States and the world. The debt owed to petroleum is immense, as it has reduced the coarseness of nature and contributed much to the blossoming of humanity. Works Cited Leon, Monroe Cole. Tomorrow's Transportation: New Systems for the Urban Future. United States. Urban Transportation Administration. U.S. Government Printing Office. Place of Washington, DC. 1998. Wechter, Arnold. Ford Escape to Feature New Platform, Hybrid Engine. The Washington Times. 2000. 17. Daily Herald. General Motors Plugs into Hybrid Vehicles. Publication Date: November 28, 2005. 1. Ruffino, Norma Carr. The Hybrid Phenomenon: High Gas Prices and Shifting Consumer Sentiment Point to Bright Prospects for Hybrid Cars. The Futurist. Volume: 41. Issue: 4. 2007. 16. Gilles, Tim. Automobiles/ Maintenance and repair. Thomson Delmar Learning. 2003. 202-204 Penny, Terry. Low Grade Heat Power Cycles. Amer Solar Energy Society. 1985. 25-27. Miller, John. Propulsion Systems for Hybrid Vehicles. Institution of Electrical Engineers. 125-128

A Tale of Two Homes Professor Ramos Blog

A Tale of Two Homes SOURCE Not so long ago, I used to have two places I called home. No, my parents weren’t in a custody battle. No, we didn’t have some distant vacation home that we visited twice a year. And no, I was not in the foster care system growing up. Right about now, you are wondering what the hell am I talking about? The second home in question that I am about to mention involves a building filled with endless texts of fiction from awesome adventures to fantasy worlds and fairy tales to comedies and thrillers as well as non-fiction. This could include books about recorded events in history, biographies, textbooks, encyclopedias or anything else you could possibly begin to imagine! Well, obviously now you know that I am clearly talking about a library. This was and truly still is, my second home no matter how old I get. I remember the very first library I walked into as if it were just yesterday. A quaint little hole in the wall next to my childhood home. Just thinking about it sends me into a trance. I can even remember that specific smell of books from new to ancient. The sweet sound of fresh paperbacks being cracked open for the first time in their existence along with the chorus of constant pages turning in anticipation of what is to come next. I relive my whole adolescence again in just the blink of an eye. So you might be asking yourself, â€Å"well†¦.why did it feel like your second home?† This is where I found my first love. READING! For not only did I learn how to read here but learned that books held the power of imagination. My mother was the one who brought me here day after day just to teach me how to read. Now to anyone who has met my mother, they would know that it seems a tad farfetched for her to read all the time. I can hear you saying â€Å"What are you talking about† right about now. Well, she must wear glasses that are  ½ an inch thick. So medically, she is considered legally blind. Yes, you read that right. LEGALLY BLIND. How can one love to read so much even though it is so physically hard to see? That is because no matter what you are reading, it can take you away from this physical world into one that is completely imaginary! Where the story appears to fly right off the pages and into a homemade movie playing inside your head that you can change in real time. Even though it felt normal at the time, each and every day my mom would ask me, â€Å"Would you like to walk to the library again today?† and of course I would just scream enthusiastically â€Å"YES!!!!! Please, please, please!† as I jumped up and down and around the house. Almost as if I was bouncing off the walls before we finally departed on our journey. It was pure love at first fight. So off we went, just like any other day to my second home to find more books that she could read to me. By constantly reading to me, she knew it was only a matter of time before I wanted to do it on my own. So eventually, I got taught the ABC’s and how to read before I even got the chance to learn it in school!! This is when my whole life changed as if someone had just flipped on a light in a dimly lit room. Thankfully, my mother was always right by my side helping me along each step of the way. I went through all the stages. Joy, sadness, appreciation, frustration and gratitude. The immense joy of finally being able to read a whole book by myself. The overwhelming sadness when I found out that libraries were closed on Sunday. The endless appreciation I had for each and every word. The unwelcomed frustration of not being able to pronounce simple words. Words like; through, together, friends and anymore. Yet it was through those stages that the final one appeared. As if it were the warm sun coming up from the cool night. Gratitude. Gratitude for my mother, for the library, for the books, for all the words and lastly for the lifelong lessons learned from the morals of each story. Through the thick and the thin, she was there to make sure that I would win in every battle against the mighty book. Making me feel like a gladiator using the books as my shield when the words came at me like a li on ready to pounce. It’s all thanks to my mom who would keep me busy with reading a different book each and every day of my childhood. Always guiding me in where to find all types of books from A-Z that I wanted to read and conquer next. By first grade it was just more than second nature. It was a way of life for me. It has even followed me all the way through college. So not only has it helped me as a child but it still continues to show me the way when I feel lost. The vast knowledge inside the covers of a book not only shows you something about the author but it also shows you something about yourself. The library will always be like my second home and reading will always be my true love. If you are ever looking for me, chances are, I AM AT THE LIBRARY!

To What Extent are Tutors and Students Responsible for the Learning Essay

To What Extent are Tutors and Students Responsible for the Learning Experience in Higher Education - Essay Example Many experiments have been done on the same and several critics have given the drawbacks and necessary steps that need to overcome them to have a better learning experience. On keeping this as a starting note, it is high time that equal importance is given to students and their learning experience at a higher education level. The primary factor that determines the scale of the learning experience of every student is their boredom factor. So, in order to identify the extent to which the students and teachers are responsible for the learning experience in higher education, an analysis has to be made with boredom as a critical factor.( Mann & Robinson 2009) To give a brief explanation of what boredom is, it can be attributed to person's state of mind when he has nothing to do that he likes. On an analysis on what causes boredom among students which in turn leads them to have a bad learning experience, it was found out that the teaching techniques of the lectures and the methods they fol low to be the primary reason. Some of the teaching methods followed by teachers evoke a passive environment of learning. Also, a one-way relationship between teachers and students could also lead to a dip in their learning curve. On the other side, a student's individual interest also plays a part on the grade one earns in learning. (Gjesne 1977) If the student is not open towards learning new things, irrespective of whatever the teacher presents. Then, the student is at the receiving end for all the blames of having a lean learning experience. Hence a cognitive analysis is required on both sides to determine the extent of impact on learning experience. ( Mann & Robinson 2009) Teachers' effect on learning experience The main teaching method that is followed in most of the universities is converting text to computer PowerPoint presentations and presenting them. Although studies have shown that these methods have improved the learning outcomes of students, there have been cases where it has had a negative impact on students. Hence a factual study of whether these presentations have improved the learning outcomes have not been provided yet.