Occupational Therapy Essays - Computer Keyboards, Keyboard Layout

Occupational Therapy We are a group of occupational therapists and a new client has come to our office with the following case history: Don is a 63 year-old amateur poet. He has several of his poems published in the local newspaper but has not yet been accepted by any literary journals. Three months ago, Don had a cerebellar cerebrovascular accident that has given him significant fine motor control limitations. He is not able to hold a pencil or a pen, and when one is taped in his hand, he can not produce recognizable printing. He is able to reach a range of nearly 5 feet from side to side but cannot pick up a 1-inch cube from the table. When asked to use a keyboard, he is as likely to strike two keys away from the target as the key he is aiming for. He is able to put his finger reliably into a square that is 2 inches on a side wherever it is located within his reach. He is not able to accurately place his finger into a square that is 1.5 inches on a side, however, unless it is located directly in front of him (Anson, 1997, p. 104). Don is frustrated by his condition and needs some assistance to continue his writing. We used the decision tree to evaluate which computer adaptation would be best for Don. We determined that Don has physical limitations to the computer but has full range of the keyboard. Due to his trouble targeting specific keys, it would be increasingly difficult to simultaneously press more than one key at once. The client has frequent accidental keystrokes because of the size of the small keys. His inability to strike a single key on demand led us to expanded range of motion. Having assessed that Don could strike larger keys accurately; we reached the alternative of expanded keyboards. Upon researching expanded keyboards, we found a great variety in what each keyboard offered. The 32 key layout with 2.5- inch keys did not provide an adequate selection for Dons writing needs. Most of the standard expanded keyboards with 128 keys only have 1.5-inch keys. Some examples are Key Largo and Unicorn Expanded keyboards. Key Largo is an expanded keyboard, which works through Discover KENX. It is useful for one with coordination problems. Unicorn Expanded keyboard established the standard 128 key expanded keyboard design. We had the opportunity (in A.T. lab) to try and compare the different expanded keyboards. We appreciated that a client with difficulty reaching small keys would find these keyboards more beneficial. All keyboards require an encoder, which interprets the key. When pressed it converts it to a keyboard code, that the computer could understand. Some computers come with a built in encoder and some without. These keyboards with encoders can be connected directly to the keyboard port of the computer. Therefore no internal adaptation is needed for the computer and it doesnt interfere with any software in the computer. This is beneficial because it can be used with any operating system and software the client may need. A disadvantage to this is that the keyboard codes are not readily adaptable. This means that the keyboard layout is fixed and cant be changed by the clinician. Another consideration is that this keyboard can not be connected simultaneously with the standard keyboard. Since plugging and unplugging the keyboard is not recommended, this option is better suited for a client who would be the sole user of the computer. Expanded keyboards that do not have the built in encoder, require an external device that would interpret the codes to the computer. Although this keyboard has the disadvantage of an external device, it offers flexibility in the keyboard layout and allows for various overlays that change the layout. An example of the latter is the Key Largo keyboard mentioned above. The problem with 1.5-inch keys is the clients inability to accurately reach a key of that size unless the keyboard is positioned right in front of him. An option would be to position the client in front of the computer with the keyboard mounted close enough for him to access. Although this alternative was a possibility we preferred to find

The Manhattan Project Essays - Manhattan Project, Code Names

The Manhattan Project Essays - Manhattan Project, Code Names The Manhattan Project On the morning of August 6, 1945, a B-29 bomber named Enola Gay flew over the industrial city of Hiroshima, Japan and dropped the first atomic bomb ever. The city went up in flames caused by the immense power equal to about 20,000 tons of TNT. The project was a success. They were an unprecedented assemblage of civilian, and military scientific brain power?brilliant, intense, and young, the people that helped develop the bomb. Unknowingly they came to an isolated mountain setting, known as Los Alamos, New Mexico, to design and build the bomb that would end World War 2, but begin serious controversies concerning its sheer power and destruction. I became interested in this topic because of my interest in science and history. It seemed an appropriate topic because I am presently studying World War 2 in my Social Studies Class. The Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings were always taught to me with some opinion, and I always wanted to know the bomb itself and the unbiased effects that it had. This I-search was a great opportunity for me to actually fulfill my interest. The Manhattan Project was the code name for the US effort during World War II to produce the atomic bomb. It was appropriately named for the Manhattan Engineer District of the US Army Corps of Engineers, because much of the early research was done in New York City (Badash 238). Sparked by refugee physicists in the United States, the program was slowly organized after nuclear fission was discovered by German scientists in 1938, and many US scientists expressed the fear that Hitler would attempt to build a fission bomb. Frustrated with the idea that Germany might produce an atomic bomb first, Leo Szilard and other scientists asked Albert Einstein, a famous scientist during that time, to use his influence and write a letter to president FDR, pleading for support to further research the power of nuclear fission (Badash 237). His letters were a success, and President Roosevelt established the Manhattan Project. Physicists from 1939 onward conducted much research to find answers to such questions as how many neutrons were emitted in each fission, which elements would not capture the neutrons but would moderate or reduce their velocity , and whether only the lighter and scarcer isotope of uranium (U-235) fissioned or the common isotope (U-238) could be used. They learned that each fission releases a few neutrons. A chain reaction, therefore, was theoretically possible, if not too many neutrons escaped from the mass or were captured by impurities. To create this chain reaction and turn it into a usable weapon was the ultimate goal of the Manhattan Project. In 1942 General Leslie Groves was chosen to lead the project, and he immediately purchased a site at Oak Ridge, Tenn., for facilities to separate the necessary uranium-235 from the much more common uranium-238. Uranium 235 was an optimal choice for the bomb because of its unusually unstable composition. Thus, the race to separate the two began. During that time, the work to perfect the firing mechanism and structure of the bomb was also swiftly underway. General Groves? initial task had been to select a scientific director for the bomb project. His first two choices, Ernest O. Lawrence, director of the electromagnetic separation project, and Arthur H. Compton, director of Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, were not available. Groves had some doubts regarding the next best candidate, J. Robert Oppenheimer (Wood 2). Finally, Groves gambled on Oppenheimer, a theoretical mathematician, as director of the weapons laboratory, built on an isolated mesa (flat land area) at Los Alamos, New Mexico. After much difficulty, an absorbent barrier suitable for separating isotopes of uranium was developed and installed in the Oak Ridge gaseous diffusion plant. Finally, in 1945, uranium-235 of bomb purity was shipped to Los Alamos, where it was fashioned into a gun-type weapon. In a barrel, one piece of uranium was fired at another, together forming a supercritical, explosive mass. To achieve chain-reaction fission, a certain amount of fissile material, called critical mass, is necessary. The fissile material used in the Hiroshima model was uranium 235. In the bomb, the uranium was divided into two parts, both of which were

Ethical Issues with Research on Lack of Parental Involvement and Essay

Ethical Issues with Research on Lack of Parental Involvement and Childrens Education - Essay Example This essay stresses that teachers can decide to fail students who provide negative feedback, or the parents can punish their children, who are the most helpless of the three and need protection. The researchers must ensure the protection of privacy but at the same time inform subjects of the limits of confidentiality. There are risks involved that the researcher must realistically minimize, especially when using e-mail or keeping digital files, or when these channels are used to send or receive research data which could be compromised and affect the study’s objectivity. This paper makes a conclusion that ethical issues of accuracy affect the whole study, from establishing parameters for measuring parental involvement and school performance to the interpretation and publication of the research findings. How would parental involvement be measured? This would require both objective (such as attendance to school activities or parents’ meetings) and subjective (degree of attention or participation in these gatherings) measures, and direct (tutoring for so many hours each day) and indirect (cooking nutritious meals and taking them with the children) methods of involvement. To add to the complexity of the topic, can a full-time parent who can tutor his son for an hour or two a day be ethically and objectively compared to a working parent who may not have the time and whose involvement is limited to sending her child motivational mobile phone messages a few minutes each afternoon?

Character and Narrative Function of Nicodemus Essay

Character and Narrative Function of Nicodemus - Essay Example "Word of God" reveals Light and darkness goes away. Raymond Brown also writes, "The prologue is a hymn, a poetic summary of the whole theology and narrative of the Gospel, as well as an introduction".2 The result, for Brown, is that "we have a union of wisdom and God's word, a divine person uncreated and existing with the Father." Throughout, from verse 1 to 16, dialogues are centring on this theme of realising knowledge, virtue, truth, Father, Mother, Son, God and Word. The nature of these dialogues is such that they constitute the real essence of knowledge, truth and the Bible. It is this "Word of God" which appears initially to be mystical and mysterious! While, in reality and scientifically, this Word of God is the practical way to delve deep into one's inner self for becoming one with Truth. Knowledge or Truth is there for all of us to see from within. Books and modern science of information and technology cannot help obtain it. One has to see it with eyelids downwards and vision upwards. That is why these dialogues are the essence of Bible. When Jesus says, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God", it is yet another scientific hint to Nicodemus about seeing and realising God.3 It is after hearing the musical sound of Word of God and imbibing the Spirit that one not only experiences but also starts conversing with God. This is how every human being descends upon this spaceship earth from a Mother's womb to go finally for the second birth from the Word of God. Then such a twice born becomes Son of God!4 Necodemus is a leader who has read scriptures and laws for so many years. His behaviour has also been considered righteous. He asks Jesus quite a few questions. He does not grasp what Christ says at that instant. For Jesus, one is wrong until one is born again. This difficult for Necodemus to believe for he finds it hard to see that he has been in the wrong. Despite this apparent disbelief, Jesus bestows Word of God unto Necodemus. After receiving the Word of God, he does not ask much. He now listens to Christ and also Author's Last Name to others who were countering Jesus. He looks on under the spell of his re-birth! Even after crucifixion of Jesus, Necodemus buries Christ in the grave. What Necodemus has learnt from Christ We are all supposed to learn only that from Jesus. Howsoever we may interpret all teachings of Christ in Chapter 3 of the Gospel of John; certain view-points emerge very clearly. Despite several different versions of Bible and Gospel, His fundamental teachings are beyond reasonable dispute.5 Jesus Christ is bestowing upon us through Necodemus several pathways to light and Christian way of life. This is made available in John 3: 1-16, especially through the character of Necodemus. His initial scientific inquisitiveness, later tranquillity; his earlier hypocrisy in learning laws and going to temples and later equanimity of keeping quiet even when Jesus was being crucified. Major lessons that emerge from the concerned chapters of Gospel of John are mainly five, namely, 1. Science of God

Austrian Economics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Austrian Economics - Research Paper Example The second prime objective of Menger was to prove that this explanation of commodity-price-formation is not only general but also abstract. The purpose of this explanation was also to correct the German Historical School, which suggests that there are no such universal economic laws that are applicable across different cultures, times and nations. They rejected the â€Å"Manchester School’s† requisition on global free trade in view of the universal relevance of the comparative edge (Mises, 1969). Menger being a supporter the rich empirical research of the historicists debated that the economic goods’ properties are based on the general theoretical investigation. He also dedicated his book to Wilhelm Roscher who was a renowned historicist. The Historical School’s younger members did not support Menger’s argument. The subsequent argument to this — characterized the methodenstreit or dispute over procedures — followed that the historicist s started to refer Menger and his supporters as the â€Å"Austrian School,† that signifies their mediocrity in comparison to the genuinely German approach (Bostaph, 1994; Caldwell, 2004; Mises, 1969). Although the Historical School applied adequate impact on the German Universities and thereby, took them to the twentieth century however it is the insights of the Austrian School that marked an impact on the remaining professions in other parts of the world. The discussions by Menger in relation to subsiding marginal utility, scarcity, and Robinson Crusoe economies were naturally knitted into the surfacing marginalist consensus. Similarly, the students of Menger, Friedrich Wieser and Eugen Bohm-Bawerk made significant contributions to the principle concept, Wieser for introducing the terminology â€Å"opportunity cost† and Bohm-Bawerk for his coining the time preference discussion (White, 2003). The Austrians had differences with the others, particularly when Marshall re established the production-cost-concept as one blade of a pair of scissors that evaluate price whereas the marginal utility being the other blade of these scissors. However, these were just minor disputes under a wider consensus. Although both F.A. Hayek and Ludwig von Mises followed the tradition of Menger however by the time they were internationally recognized they were just economists and did not require any â€Å"Austrian† label. Since that point of time, the â€Å"Austrian School† simply became a term of historical significance. Nevertheless, the affiliation with the mainstream of the profession continued. The argument related to socialist calculation disclosed the deep, fundamental gulf that distinguishes the Austrians from the neoclassical orthodoxy, which commenced, in 1920, with the publication of â€Å"Economic Calculation in the Socialist Commonwealth† by Mises (1935). According to Mises, the socialist planners, without money prices, would miss-out a common denominator for calculating the effectiveness of alternative uses of resources and hence, would be unable to get involved in rational economic calculation. The socialist-economists retorted with the market socialism theory, the concept that the socialist planners could employ the centrally controlled accounting prices and systems of equations as an alternate for market exchange. Hayek and Mises retorted by pointing out that the market socialists basically misinterpreted the issue, but to no benefit. All Professional

Introduction to Sociolinguistics

Introduction to Sociolinguistics Sociolinguistics is the study of aspects of societies, including cultural norms, the way language is used, and the effects of language use on society. Language is an important portion of identity and culture within many speech communities; also associated with members self-esteem; within these communities. Sociolinguists have structured a number of ways to categorize the languages within their status and social function domains such as vernacular. The specific concern of this paper is focusing on the significance and function evaluation of the vernacular (dialect, accent) and through the presentation used and by sociolinguistic-studies, it is intended to decide on the argument if the language change is lead by the implications, role models of media or not. Touching upon the concepts of vernaculars, dialects and diglossia is a good place to begin. The term vernacular has various meanings; but mostly refers to a language not standardized and not officially confirmed; which is used by local people. Generally, vernaculars are spread among communities living in a multilingual atmosphere where they have a different mother-language than the official language of their residence. For example; Afro-American English is a vernacular created among the group of people living in places where the standard American English was officially used; but had African languages as their mother-tonque. Standard languages, like the American English or the Received Pronunciation in Britain are classified as highly prestigious languages associated with educated; as compared to the people talking vernacular languages. Different from a vernacular; a dialect is a variety of a particular language characterized by specific regional features such as pronunciation; spoken by a specific group of people. Furthermore, according to Fergusson (1996), diglossia is a special language-situation where, in addition to the primary dialect of the language (categorized as (L)), there is a highly regulated and often more complex variety, which is used in official writings and formal speeches (categorized as (H)); but not exactly followed seen in daily conversations. Diglossic situation exists if it has two distinct codes which show clear functional separation (Wardhaugh, 1998: 87). It has been observed that, in due course the standardized varieties of languages (like Standard American English) started becoming less dominant and local varieties (like African American English) became more prominen. Sociolinguists studied the origins of these changes trying to answer whether it was the social factors or impacts of the popular media that triggered these language changes. Labov suggested certain principles to justify these changes within languages: He first said that linguistic variation is transmitted to children as stylistic differentiation on the formal/informal dimension, rather than as social stratification. Formal speech variants are associated by children with instruction and punishment, informal speech with intimacy and fun. ( Labov 2001: 516) Consequently; linguistic changes from below develop first in spontaneous speech at the most informal level. They are unconsciously associated with nonconformity to sociolinguistic norms, and advanced most by youth who resist conformity to adult institutional practices ( Labov 2001:516). In connection with these principles stated by Labov (2001), the positive attitude of youth generation on the growing prestige and spreading of the non-standard languages is quite acceptable. Aftwerwards, Labov also stated that these changes were symbols of nonconformity actions against the structured social norms of appro priate behavior, and were generated in the social settings that challenged those norms. Finally, the constructive nonconformity principle of Labov (2001) concluded that these changes were spread to wider communities by those who displayed the symbols of nonconformity in larger pattern of upward mobility. Apparently, the popular media and its figures also had an indirect impact on this by disseminating these changes to language communities, as explained in detail in the relevant section; below. Likewise, Debra Spitulnik (1997) argues that mass media has a role in the construction of community, and the cultural continuity depends on a social circulation of discourse and public accessibility. The popular mass media has the ability to enact local concerns on a global stage and to merge the marginal with the dominant, the parochial with the cosmopolitan, and the local with the global' (Johnson and Ensslin 2007: 14). This is said to be a form of re-scaling often associated with the globalization of the late-modernity. In the light of these studies, the language used in songs of 50 Cent is presented with the main dialect, accent is used alongside the significance and functions of the vernacular speech. In this presented domain of popular media the vernacular is the African American English dialect with standard being the American English. Appendix 1 The use of vernacular during rapping, affects the voice quality of the speaker within the psychological or emotional states. If the topic is exciting or joyful, voice rises and when it is time to be calm, the voice descends into a bass level. One of the distinctive features of vernacular is usage of double added prepositions as in up on it (line 4). Besides, the use of double negative is common in this vernacular compared to Standard American English. Is is used to structure strong positives and emphasize meanings (line 8). Negatives are formed different from standard American English e.g. use of aint as a general negative indicator (line 11). Appendix 2 Mostly a v substitution occurs in the vernacular unlike Standard English. When using profanity in combination with the F word, speakers pronounce M.F. correctly just like in Standard American English in order to emphasize the meaning (line 2). Unlike the standard, there are words in vernacular that indicate the possessive: e.g. in line 4 them is used for they. If in the context of the sentence a reference is made to more than one(plural), it is not necessary to add an s to the noun: e.g. like in line 5. Also it can be seen that want to is converted into wanna in line 3. African American English speakers have a large repertoire of slang words uncommon to Standard American English. The bread in (line 6) refers to money in African American English. There is th dropping within the African American English as in (line 7) with is pronounced as wif. The phonetic feature of African American English is quite different from standard American English e.g.; solve them is converted to solveem which is continuous sound in one word that can be considered as the compressed phonetic feature of the vernacular (line 9). There is also consonant reduction in African American English: consonant sounds in letters such as (T) are often not pronounced unlike Standard American English (line 11). In the media images; low and middle class African Americans have a negative image: associated with marginal lifestyles; engaged in bad things. For example; (appendix 2, line 10) it is clearly implied that 50 Cent participated in gangster activities, as he raps in African American English. But the re-scaling process of media within semantic positioning, such as In the hood they say theres no bness like hoe bness ya know which cross over into ridiculous representations of unsophisticated ideals and ambitions which, most likely, are unattested practices either in low or middle class black communities. Vernacular has always had a impacted hip hop and rap genres by incorporating meanings (power, money, love, slang idioms) that are historically and contextually situated and relevant to experiences of African American communities. Here vernacular serves as a translator engine, a special tool to express these meanings. This is because, for the African American communities the dialect is not only a variety that one may hear or speak within the community but also a variety delivering local community knowledge, wisdom. For example; the slang idiom Im the love doctor (in line 9 appendix 1), the nickname usually associated with the late Barry White, whose soulful voice is considered by many Americans to be the ultimate music for seduction, is also interpreted by African youth through vernacular. The other speech communities can also access to vernacular; via popular media. That is how popular media spreads certain linguistic-traits around the world and influences the language of all communities; as opposed to having this communication confined to vernacular society. However, it should be noted that media is only spreading out whats there but the creator of the change is not the media, it is someone different (in our case, somebody in vernacular). Given that the standard American English is a political sign for the African Americans which also imply the rejection of their culture; 50 Cent sings especially in vernacular to empower himself within the social and cultural contexts of the African American communities. His vernacular speech also functions as a resistance language towards the white community. It can be assumed that he presents himself as the retainer of local New York, Queens as the low variety vernacular he has chosen to use, which incorporates loss of voiceless y and central off-glides as her becomes /hà ¶/ in (appendix 1, line 13) which New York accent is famous for. All in all, this ordinary performance involves no visuals but only audio and follows the authentic values which emphasize the potential meaning of the restricted language. 50 Cent seems to be following the guidelines of Clarke and Hiscock (2009) on how keeping it real in rap involves reflecting local realities as well as respecting the African American origins of the genre. While it can be quite difficult to assess the precise role of the media and its figures in language change, perhaps this issue should be looked in two categories: The direct and the indirect influence of popular media and its figures. As to the direct influence of them over the language change, the answer should be parallel to that of Chambers: at the deeper reaches of language change sound changes and grammatical changes the media have no significant effect at all (Chambers 1998: 124). The re-scaling process on cultural norms and shaping the vernacular features of media domains is greatly exaggerated. Consequently, language change is the result of the growing prestige of a certain variety of language that is triggered by the social factors such as the non-conformity issues of communities with a vernacular alongside with the standard language. That being said, the media can be considered as having an indirect influence on language change. As also seen in the analyzed example, media plays a major role in raising the awareness to the change taking place; to this growing prestige of a variety within other speech communities as well. In short, it can be concluded that, language change is unlikely to be driven directly by media or its role models only; but they have an indirect impact on it.

Entering German Market :: essays research papers

During the last decade German economy is stagnating, or even decreasing. One of possible reasons is the lack of entrepreneurship in German companies. Old companies usually are too big and unwilling to change something inside, thus German government decided to support establishment of new small and medium enterprises. New agenda 2010 introduces the strategy for Germany to recover the economy and become even more competitive. In the article â€Å"Starting your business with subsidies† in Invest in Germany magazine is written that there are more than 3000 incentive programs available for investors. The program is financed by the federal government, the states and international organizations, including the European Union. The aid is available for business start-ups in a way of funding and consulting. Additional support is proposed to other investment, research and development, and training, as well as improve and protect the environment. The aid comes in the form of investment pr emiums, additional capital allowances, regional support and special credit programs. Subsidies are the main form of support. Bigger subsidies are applied for new – Eastern states and for other incentive areas. Incentive areas mean that economy there should be encouraged, industry is not as developed and investors need additional incentives to choose these areas but not more developed ones. Distribution of these subsidies is generally subject to approval by the European Union. One of the programs to finance investment is Joint Agreement program. Cash grants approved and paid to investors under this program during 1999 – 2001 were 8.6 billion euros, and the budget for 2002 – 2006 is 8.1 billion Euros (http://www.state.gov/e/eb/ifd/2005/42039.htm). All investors – local and foreign – are treated equally under the program, but financed sum depends on the region. The government has placed particular emphasis on investment promotion in the new states of the former East Germany and has offered a large number of incentives to promote economy in those areas. Business Guide in Invest in Germany (http://www.invest-in-germany.de/en/index.php?redirect=http://www.invest-in-germany.de/en/research/businessguide/index.php?topcat=20&cat=1063656685824246400&lang=en) lists those conditions as the most significant for cash grants under the Joint Agreement program: - Funds from the Joint Agreement are granted at the authorities’ discretion - Applications must be filed before the start of the investment - Investors must make a considerable contribution to the investment project from their own capital as proof of their commitment - Cash grants are subject to taxation - An investment period may take up to 36 months from the start of a project.