The Madness Of Playing :: essays research papers

<a href="http://www.geocities.com/vaksam/">Sam Vaknin's Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Foreign Affairs Web Sites If a lone, unkempt, person, standing on a soapbox were to say that he should become the Prime Minister, he would have been diagnosed by a passing psychiatrist as suffering from this or that mental disturbance. But were the same psychiatrist to frequent the same spot and see a crowd of millions saluting the same lonely, shabby figure - what would have his diagnosis been? Surely, different (perhaps of a more political hue). It seems that one thing setting social games apart from madness is quantitative: the amount of the participants involved. Madness is a one-person game, and even mass mental disturbances are limited in scope. Moreover, it has long been demonstrated (for instance, by Karen Horney) that the definition of certain mental disorders is highly dependent upon the context of the prevailing culture. Mental disturbances (including psychoses) are time-dependent and locus-dependent. Religious behaviour and romantic behaviour could be easily construed as psychopathologies when examined out of their social, cultural, historical and political contexts. Historical figures as diverse as Nietzsche (philosophy), Van Gogh (art), Hitler (politics) and Herzl (political visionary) made this smooth phase transition from the lunatic fringes to centre stage. They succeeded to attract, convince and influence a critical human mass, which provided for this transition. They appeared on history's stage (or were placed there posthumously) at the right time and in the right place. The biblical prophets and Jesus are similar examples though of a more severe disorder. Hitler and Herzl possibly suffered from personality disorders - the biblical prophets were, almost certainly, psychotic. We play games because they are reversible and their outcomes are reversible. No game-player expects his involvement, or his particular moves to make a lasting impression on history, fellow humans, a territory, or a business entity. This, indeed, is the major taxonomic difference: the same class of actions can be classified as "game" when it does not intend to exert a lasting (that is, irreversible) influence on the environment. When such intention is evident - the very same actions qualify as something completely different. Games, therefore, are only mildly associated with memory. They are intended to be forgotten, eroded by time and entropy, by quantum events in our brains and macro-events in physical reality. Games - as opposed to absolutely all other human activities - are entropic. Negentropy - the act of reducing entropy and increasing order - is present in a game, only to be reversed later.

Management Information Systems Essay -- essays research papers

Management Information System Statistical Research and Methods for Management Decision Abstract In this study, choices of respondent are evaluated to aid the Authority in preparing the scope of services to be used in an RFP for the selection of a Firm able to provide IT Management System services. Respondents participated in focus group as well as answer questions to a questionnaire that was tabulated that will aid in the sampling of data collection and data analysis. Problem Statement:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Housing Authority of the City of Camden (HACC) needs to upgrade the Management Information Systems (MIS) to address the constant changes of the organization. Presently, HACC is using a system called Emphasys Flex Systems. Due to the requirement for a competitive procurement process, HACC is presently preparing to put together a Request for Proposal (RFP) to obtain a qualified firm to provide IT Technical Support to HACC’s MIS Department for maintaining the network system. In order to identify these needs, a questionnaire was developed and completed by staff in key areas. Our intention is to learn through this study the areas of deficiencies that are hindering the ability of the staff to use to the present system to full capacity as well as to determine future upgrades necessary to keep up with on going growth of the agency. Three main areas that were identified as a problem to staff were as follows: HACC Hardware is outdated: One of the main concerns expressed thus far, is that the desktops, server hardware and the software used by the agency are outdated and need to be replaced. Staff are not able to properly utilize the present system due to the current hardware infrastructure. Community Management offices do not have enough PC’S able to properly operate:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Staff offices at the Community Management Offices include the Community Managers, the Maintenance Supervisors, and community clerical staff. Currently, staff members must take turns using the only computer available for running Emphasys Flex. HACC staff is unable to get meaningful reports from Emphasys Flex System: HACC staff enters data into Emphasys System on a daily basis but the reports supplied do not provide the information needed. Method:... ...ning, research, and network and application security. A cursory review of the responses helped to identify critical issues that have been occurring within our information systems and more detailed questions may be necessary to draw statistical relevance. References Krishnamoorthy, K. & Thomson, J. (2002). Hypothesis testing about proportions in two finite populations. The American Statistician, 56(3), 215-222. Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   on February 24, 2004 from ProQuest. Parkhurst, D. F. (2000). Statistical significance tests: Equivalence and reverse tests should reduce misinterpretation. Bioscience, 51(12), 1051-1057. Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   on February 24, 2004 from ProQuest. Safir, A., Scheuren, F. & Wang, K. (2000). Survey methods and data reliability, 1997 and 1999. Retrieved on February 24, 2004 from the Urban Institute at http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=310567. Sterne, J. A. C. & Smith G. D. (2001). Sifting the evidence--what's wrong with significance tests? Physical Therapy, 81(8), 1464-1469. Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   on February 24, 2004 from ProQuest. Management Information Systems Essay -- essays research papers Management Information System Statistical Research and Methods for Management Decision Abstract In this study, choices of respondent are evaluated to aid the Authority in preparing the scope of services to be used in an RFP for the selection of a Firm able to provide IT Management System services. Respondents participated in focus group as well as answer questions to a questionnaire that was tabulated that will aid in the sampling of data collection and data analysis. Problem Statement:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Housing Authority of the City of Camden (HACC) needs to upgrade the Management Information Systems (MIS) to address the constant changes of the organization. Presently, HACC is using a system called Emphasys Flex Systems. Due to the requirement for a competitive procurement process, HACC is presently preparing to put together a Request for Proposal (RFP) to obtain a qualified firm to provide IT Technical Support to HACC’s MIS Department for maintaining the network system. In order to identify these needs, a questionnaire was developed and completed by staff in key areas. Our intention is to learn through this study the areas of deficiencies that are hindering the ability of the staff to use to the present system to full capacity as well as to determine future upgrades necessary to keep up with on going growth of the agency. Three main areas that were identified as a problem to staff were as follows: HACC Hardware is outdated: One of the main concerns expressed thus far, is that the desktops, server hardware and the software used by the agency are outdated and need to be replaced. Staff are not able to properly utilize the present system due to the current hardware infrastructure. Community Management offices do not have enough PC’S able to properly operate:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Staff offices at the Community Management Offices include the Community Managers, the Maintenance Supervisors, and community clerical staff. Currently, staff members must take turns using the only computer available for running Emphasys Flex. HACC staff is unable to get meaningful reports from Emphasys Flex System: HACC staff enters data into Emphasys System on a daily basis but the reports supplied do not provide the information needed. Method:... ...ning, research, and network and application security. A cursory review of the responses helped to identify critical issues that have been occurring within our information systems and more detailed questions may be necessary to draw statistical relevance. References Krishnamoorthy, K. & Thomson, J. (2002). Hypothesis testing about proportions in two finite populations. The American Statistician, 56(3), 215-222. Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   on February 24, 2004 from ProQuest. Parkhurst, D. F. (2000). Statistical significance tests: Equivalence and reverse tests should reduce misinterpretation. Bioscience, 51(12), 1051-1057. Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   on February 24, 2004 from ProQuest. Safir, A., Scheuren, F. & Wang, K. (2000). Survey methods and data reliability, 1997 and 1999. Retrieved on February 24, 2004 from the Urban Institute at http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=310567. Sterne, J. A. C. & Smith G. D. (2001). Sifting the evidence--what's wrong with significance tests? Physical Therapy, 81(8), 1464-1469. Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   on February 24, 2004 from ProQuest.

Language Investigation Essay

How gender affect linguistics in programmes. For this investigation I aim to produce a theory on the language of gender orientation in programming. I think it will be interesting to observe how the role of male and female in our society can affect the programmes that are broadcasted and the linguistics that feature when a programme adheres to a particular gender roles. I will take into account the contextual factors to fully assess whether it is gender, or other factors such as age, class or culture, that affects the language of a programme. The type of programming I am going to study are children’s television programmes because they are commonly reflective of society’s stereotypical views of gender. It is important to assess the influence of heavily male or female based language on children, and whether it forms a gender identity within them and affects how they linguistically interact with those around them. My hypothesis is that language will be heavily male orientated, following from the stereotypical role males have to assert dominance in society. I have chosen to study the children’s cartoon X-Men because it has an interesting reflection of gender portrayed through language. I am going to begin by analysing the title of the programme I am going to study – ‘X-Men’. This title introduces the influence of male superiority through the language it uses, instantaneously using the word ‘men’ to portray the themes of the programme. Instead of the programme only containing men as the title suggests, there is actually an equal number of men as there is women in the ‘X-Men’, so we can conclude that they play a dominant role in the programming, and the influence of stereotypical gender views have responsibility for this. It should also be considered that the women in this programme are represented through male characteristics, and by conforming to this and seen as part of the ‘X-Men’, they are not inferior, but instead seen as equal through another gender. The title clearly suggests that the programme is male orientated, and degrades the influence of the female gender in association with the themes of power and battle. Looking into the idea that the female characters in the ‘X-Men’ are represented with male traits, I am going to study the language of the names used for each character. Without knowing the gender beforehand, it is difficult to associate any of the names with an influence of the female gender. Nearly every name is associates with male traits. For instance when looking at the name ‘Wolverine’ we can clearly determine that the wolf is a origin for power, teamwork and male dominance, which is appropriate to the male character. In comparison to ‘Rogue’, a name which has no female influence, and disassociates the gender from the character, giving her a power orientated name, but suggests that the male represents power. This transcript is of a mostly male conversation, and reveals how the programme orientates towards this gender through it’s language. The use of M1-4 represents the 4 different male characters in this scene, and F1 represents the only female character. M2/3 are very aggressive, using phrases such as ‘Let’s crush him’ and ‘I think me and my buds are gonna squash this slimeball’. This associates the male figure as one of violence. This is disconcerting that this view could influence young children, because they will associate power and dominance with aggression, which could have all sorts of implications of their behaviour. Other male characteristics in the language of this scene are using last names for refer to each other, and imperatives to dominate the conversation and assert their authority. This fits in with George Keith and Jon Shuttleworth’s theory, found in Living Language, that men are competitive in conversation, as opposed to women, who are more supportive. The role of the female in this transcript is very brief, but she clearly supports the other character of Scott, rather than tries to compete with him. This transcript show how female characters are represented as weaker than male. It is interesting to consider that F1 is a dominating powerful character, with many male traits, when the programme deals with the super heros and battle scenes. In comparison, in this scene, she is represented as the supporting character, and inferior to the males. This suggests that the programme still has connotations of the weakness of the female gender. For instance when F1 says – â€Å"Oh, you poor baby!† her language suggests she is being supportive. The use of the word â€Å"baby† has maternal connotations, which is representative of stereotypical domestic and mothering views of females. The language associated with this programme portrays how the male gender dominates the linguistics of ‘X-Men’ which gives an insight into the general view of gender orientation of the programme. These two examples are more substantial in that they are repeated with every episode that a young child watches. It is important to analyse how a heavily male orientated programme effects children. We should consider that a child’s perception of the reality of a television programme is somewhat unclear, and it’s influence could change their gender associated behaviour and understandings. When watching ‘X-Men’ a young child receives language that has strong connotations of male dominance and power, which leads young children to gender roles themselves, which society have been trying to break for some time now.

Art and Society Essay

All art – whether it be visual, music, literature, film, etc. – is affected by the specific cultural climate in which it is produced (time, place, social conventions, etc.) and is often created in reaction to â€Å"movements† or styles that came before it. How important is it to know these sorts of historical details to appreciate a work of art?  To know the historical details of a work of art is essential because without it you would never be able to aprreciate the work the same way. To be able to understand it better one has to know at what point in time was it made so when you see a painting of a steamboat knowing that the painting was made just after it was invented would give you a much different understanding than if it was made yestaerday. To whole different emotional responsed would be made. This is the same for the place (culture) social conventions, etc. What is ‘Good’ Art?  8. As you wander through the contemporary galleries on the first or second floor, select a work of art that leaves you puzzled at best. Write down the title and the artist. Research the piece at the library or on the internet, or speak to an art expert to understand the artist and the intended message.  (a) Does this new information change your appreciation for the piece? Explain by referring specifically to the artist’s intention and the specific work. I chose â€Å"The Bremen town musicians† by Gim Hong-Sok South Korea. After searching in the internet I found out that the sculpture of the Donkey, Dog, Cat and a Rooster, is actually based on a story by the Brothers Grimm with the same title, I had no idea what the sculpture meant at that time because there is no description except a â€Å"fictional one† which states that the furry animal costumes are a family of Mexican illegal aliens and that they are paid 8 dolars a day for posing as said sculpture. I think that Gim just wanted to add some humor to art and to the viewer, as many works of art are deeply sentimental and emotional, which I found very satisfiying. In your contemporary gallery wanderings, choose two pieces of work you consider to be ‘good’ and two you consider bad art.  (b) Identify the pieces and state the criteria you consider to be important in making ‘good’ contemporary art[PH1].  Ã‚  Good Art  Why?  Impenetrable-Mona  I think its very good art because it’s a very innovative piece of work, it is just long lines of steel tubes in the form of a cube but the spaces are so tightly together and with small spikes which make the piece impenetrable just like its named. It also looks modern and neat as it appears to be floating in the air and can be appreciated in 360. Bad Art  Why?  Jean Paul Riopelle-Untitled  I think this is bad art because, there is no pattern at all its just random splashing of colours, and the piece of work doesn’t even have a title, which makes me think as a receiver that Riopelle was just too lazy to come up with a decent name because there was no feeling input into it.  (c) If the artworks you were looking at weren’t part of a national collection and within a purpose-built gallery designed by an internationally recognized architect would you still view them the same way? Who do you think makes the decisions of what appears in National Gallery exhibits? Does their expertise and background matter in your experience of the works? If the pieces I saw were not a part of the national collection, I wouldn’t view the same way because they wouldn’t have the same artisitic value. If a piece of art is recognized by the world and known artists and collections, it gives the works of art much more significance. This doesn’t mean everything that they consider art is something I will also consider art just because its in the gallery.  (d) Do you have the same reactions to the works online as you did viewing them in person? What’s missing? Is this important in viewing art? Can we have the same understanding of something filtered through a â€Å"virtual experience† as exposed to actually experience it in person? Interestingly, one exhibit in the galleries is two computers linking to the website atworkandplay.ca  No I don’t have the same reaction because the quality and the size you can appreciate the works of art is totally different in real life, art is not just viewing but also EXPERIENCING and if you just view it online you are missing the experience of actually being there.

Reading Comprehension Essay

Reading comprehension is a valuable and necessary tool in the learning process. It allows the reader to expand his vocabulary, understand the text he is reading, and use various strategies as he might need them in order to improve learning. It is necessary because it shapes the reader’s understanding of ideas and words. It assists his ability to make sense of ideas and concepts. It can even affect various parts of public life, such as the political arena. In assessing the reader’s state of reading comprehension, there are three levels: literal, interpretive, and applied. If the reader is not satisfied with his own level of reading comprehension, all is not lost. There are means by which to improve it. These include growing one’s vocabulary, utilizing multiple senses, and changing one’s reading speed. All of these tools serve to advance the learning process. In order for one to understand the value reading comprehension possesses, one must first understand what it is. Reading comprehension is â€Å"the process of understanding or making meaning when reading† (Elish-Piper, 2010). The reader can use what he knows to get a grasp of the material he is reading. For example, a large vocabulary—understanding the meanings of many words—can help someone understand a wide variety of texts. The text can usually be placed into a specific category. For example, a novel about an unsolved crime would be in the category of a mystery. The reader can then place the text into a proper context. For the purposes of our mystery novel, it could be for the reader’s own enjoyment, or perhaps an assignment for a college course. Elish-Piper asserts that â€Å"when the reader is able to connect these three key components,† it is much easier for that person to comprehend what he is reading. If the reader needs to, he can use strategies to help comprehend the text better. Elish-Piper also gives ideas for those strategies. With our mystery novel example, the reader could identify the â€Å"basic elements† of the story, which are present with any novel. These include plot, setting, and the main characters. Putting one’s self in the position of characters in the text could also help. Asking questions periodically is also a positive way of self-checking for knowledge and comprehension of the text. One might ask why this comprehension is so important. The very definition of reading comprehension serves to help answer that question. If the reader does not understand what he is reading, he probably is not gaining anything from it. It would be tantamount to staring at a book written in a foreign language. Learning does not happen by osmosis; it happens through understanding. It also allows us to make sense of ideas and concepts. The wider the variety of texts one has read and comprehended, the more knowledge that person has gained. A person with increased knowledge, therefore, understands more ideas and concepts than he did before. This can impact a wide variety of areas. It can even effect areas of public policy. Politicians pass laws, and these laws are (obviously) comprised of words. In order for these leaders to understand how their legislation will affect their intended group, they have to understand what they are writing and reading. Beyond this, policy itself is sometimes designed to shape the practice of education—and thus reading comprehension itself. Over the past years, policy makers have utilized â€Å"assessment data† in the various field of education, including reading comprehension, for â€Å"education purposes† (Moskowitz & Stephens, 2004). In supplement to policy makers, educators have their own views on reading comprehension. There are three levels of reading comprehension (Gambrell, Morrow, & Pressley, 2007). The first level is â€Å"literal. † Literal reading comprehension is the understanding of the base of what is in the text. It is the most basic level and includes items that are generally not left up to interpretation. These can include names, dates, places, and the like. The second level of reading comprehension is â€Å"interpretive. † This type of reading comprehension is not concerned so much with what is actually present, but rather, what one can gather. Reading between the lines and drawing from the reader’s own knowledge, and answering subjective questions, helps. Finally, the third and most advanced level of reading comprehension is â€Å"applied. † Bluntly, this level allows the reader to utilize what is present in the text, make sense of it using context clues, and then using the knowledge gained to learn and understand concepts and ideas outside the scope of the text at hand. Perhaps the reader is not satisfied with his level of reading comprehension. All is not lost; there are means to improve. The most obvious way to improve reading comprehension is to grow one’s vocabulary. It is never too late to learn new words. However, there is more that one can do than the obvious. Using multiple senses is an out-of-the-box way to understand new material. Combining visual and auditory senses is a helpful way to increase comprehension (Woolley, 2010). The reader can use his imagination to set the scene in the text and then read the text aloud or listen to an audio book. Making an outline of the crucial points of the text and then reading that aloud is another way to reiterate key points. Moreover, reading slowly with a purpose as opposed to reading for speed is another way to be sure the reader understands details (Newkirk, 2010). â€Å"Slowing down,† â€Å"memorizing,† and â€Å"savoring passages† are steps in this beneficial process. No matter one’s level of education, reading comprehension is an invaluable tool for success in life. Once a reader understands what reading comprehension is, he can assess his level of comprehension, and then take one or more of a large number of steps to increase his ability. This, in turn, will help him be able to make sense of the world around him, and thus, put himself in a better position to succeed with whatever he does. References Elish-Piper, L. (2010). Understanding reading comprehension: Information and ideas for parents about reading comprehension. Illinois Reading Council Journal, 38 (3). 49-52. Gambrell, L. B. , Morrow, L. M. , & Pressley, M. (2007). Best practices in literacy instruction. New York, NY: Guilford Press. Moskowitz, J. H. & Stephens, M. (2004). Comparing learning outcomes: International assessments and education policy. London: RoutledgeFalmer. Newkirk, T. (2010, March). The case for slow reading. Educational Leadership, 67 (6). 6. Woolley, G. (2010, June). Developing reading comprehension: Combining visual and verbal cognitive processes. Australian Journal of Language & Literacy, 33 (2). 108-125.

Statement of Purpose Personal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Of Purpose - Personal Statement Example Criminology is my favorite subject and I think this is a right time for me to go further in the field of criminology as I have not only completed my bachelor degree but also I fully determined to establish my career in criminal justice department. My good grades in the criminology related subjects, which I studied at bachelor level, also show my extreme interest and aptitude in the field of criminal justice. Another reason why am I interested in the master degree program that is being offered by the University of South Florida is my passion and determination to obtain master degree from one of the top universities of the world. I am seeking my professional career in criminal justice, and that can be possible if I study under guidance of highly experienced faculty of this university. My English language proficiency, educational background in criminal justice, and interest in this field make me a suitable candidate for getting admission in the University of South Florida. The Universit y of South Florida is known for its talented faculty not only in the fields of accounting, public health, and arts, but also in all other courses that are being offered by the university. It is due to the well-experienced faculty of University of South Florida, that today I feel very pleased while thinking of doing my masters from this university.

MPLS Protocol Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MPLS Protocol - Research Paper Example The current version could hold around four billion connections and since in last few years the technological advancements have brought about more devices and connections all over, for this reason IPv6 was worked out in last few years. Internet Engineering Task Force (I.E.T.F) is the entity that defines new protocol standards and hence is responsible for ensuring the new version fulfils the demands by equipping the new version with all the essentials. While the previous version was brought into practical use, little or no consideration was given to the space, and security, and it was believed that around 4 billion address spaces would be sufficient for generations, however with time those addresses ran short, and security became a more serious issue with all types of malwares, and other insurgent forces that came to the world of internet communication.(Kahng et al 2004) The need for a larger network system was felt due to the depletion of I.P address spaces and since about 2 billion p eople across the globe use internet in form of tablets, p.d.a ,smart phones, internet is part of every cafe, airport, office, educational institute , for this purpose a network was needed that could accommodate large number of upcoming connections. IP v4 provided a 32 bit address space.IPv6 users are likely to have faster connectivity. It is gaining popularity with time and need is being felt in Asia and Europe for its implementation on full scale.(Mun,young Song et al, 2005) .Internet protocol version 6 is a network layer protocol of the O.S.I model; it is termed as the next generation internet protocol, which is a new version of I.P, successor to IPv4.The main aim has been to bring about improvement and advancements in the existing version. The overall design is an improved one. The large address space (128 bits) can accommodate many more number of networks, users and devices. The addresses are arranged in eight groups of four hexadecimal digits that are separated by colons. The a ddress types are either unicast which uniquely identifies an interface on IPV6 node, while a multicast is for identifying group of interfaces and Anycast is assigned to multiple interfaces on multiple hosts (Eastep et al 2009), further there are three classes of unicast interfaces that includes link local, site local and global.6 to 4 is another technical term associated with the entire concept which enables the packet transmission of IPv6 to a version 4 network. The 6 to 4 feature allows testing and experimenting the IPV6, even if the version is not provided by the Internet service provider. Global unicast network is dedicated for the 6to4 mechanism. Gateways creates interface between the two. Salient Features of IPV-6 Large address space Stateless auto configuration Quality of service capabilities Improved Security Streamlined Protocol header Mobility IPV6 is packed with large number of improvements which includes large addressing space, and hence accommodation of more users on th e network, this is followed by mobility, which enables tablets, and other handheld devices to be connected even when on the go. A salient feature of the new version is its increased security. IPSec a security protocol is made mandatory in this version while it was only optional in case of its predecessor. Hence it makes it more secure