Employing Heuristics Essay Example for Free

Employing Heuristics Essay A heuristic is an informal and usually a quick solution to a problem. These quick solutions or strategies are based on one’s experiences in dealing with problems and in things that are related to that problem. In can be represented by the idiomatic expression â€Å"rules of thumb’ or in simpler terms, common sense, educated guesses, or judgments based on intuition (Kahneman, 1982, p. 39). That having been defined, we can say that the boss’s reaction was as it was due to his limited knowledge of the inner workings of a Volvo car. The only thing he knows about Volvos is based on the experience his brother-in-law had with a certain car of the same brand. That experience being negative, it is inevitable for the boss to react negatively as well. One possible way to sway the boss’s perception of the vehicle is to make him see and experience the vehicle for himself and prove that his perception of the car is wrong. Give him a first hand experience of the car since what he knows about the car is based only on second hand knowledge. Let him inspect the car for himself. Give him a ride in it. Let him drive it. However, his idea of the car may already be corrupted and he may already have formed biases regarding it. This will greatly affect his judgment of it. A way to avoid this may be to conceal the brand of the car to him at first. This will prevent his biases from clouding his judgment. Once he has made his unbiased decision regarding the vehicle, that’s when the brand of the car may be revealed to him. If the likes the performance of the car, he will be surprised to find out that it was a Volvo. If not, he’d probably have this I-told-you-so attitude. Now that you’ve got your boss’s attention, maybe its time you told him about more details regarding the Volvo; about its features and about what sets it apart from a the others. The Volvo Group, a Swedish Company, supplies not only cars but trucks, busses, construction equipments and various transport solutions as well. With this variation, we can say that the company knows what they are doing with regard to vehicles. They’ve been around since April 14, 1927, founded at Gothenburg City. In 1999, the car division of the company was sold to Ford which is an even more reputable car manufacturer. An example of a luxury car under the company brand is the S80 luxury sedan car which presented a new idea of what luxury cars should be. It has superb luxury features which make its looks stand out among other cars. Its engine is created with an advanced technology and can be expected to perform the way modern cars should. And of course, the feature that the brand has been known for, comfort and safety, is something that Volvos can truly be proud of. Safety always comes first anyway. Some more features that the car can boast is its consoles like digital climate controls and the Dolby Pro-Logic II/Dynaudio surround sound system which increases the level of its being a luxury car. t also has stylishly shaped headlamps, soft exterior body curves, and warm color tones which are all made from high quality materials. Its most unique feature, with its state of the art security systems, is the adaptice cruise control with collision warning and brake support. This feature warns the driver of impending collisions and can prevent severe accidents from happening. This is just one car from the brand. We can be sure to expect no less from the other models they manufacture.

Holocaust :: essays research papers

This is a story of how a young boy and his family lived through the holocaust. It begins in a town called Transylvania. The young boy was Elizer Weisel, one of four children and the only son. Elie was very spiritual, in which he wanted to find a master in Sighet to instruct him in the Zohar (the cabbalistic books, the secrets of Jewish mysticism). Moshe the Beadle was a poor man of the town that lived humbly. He was the one that would begin teaching Elie the Zohar.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But one day, Moshe the Beadle, was expelled from Signet by the Hungarian police. He and others were crammed into box cars on a train. Several months had passed when Moshe the Beadle was spotted sitting in a bench in town. He began to tell his story of the terror he encountered. They were taken to a Polish territory where the Gestapo was in charge. They climbed into trucks and were driven into a forest where they dug their own graves. Then the Gestapo began firing at the Jews and throwing babies in the air as flying targets. Moshe was shot in the leg and pretended to be dead. Moshe began to make the journey home telling the horror that he experienced. No one could believe such an unimaginable story. The people just simply thought that he had gone mad. He begged people to believe his story but no one would.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Elie’s family listened to the London radio every evening. It was at the end of 1942 life had returned to normal. Bu the spring of 1944 all the Jews of Sighet were convinced that Germany’s defeat was near and they were all safe from harm. They even doubted Hitler wanted to exterminate them. But one day, they heard that German troops had entered Hungarian territory which brought on some anxiety. Then they moved on to Budapest where the Jews there were living in fear and terror. The Jews of Signet convinced themselves that the Germans would not move any further. But three days later German army cars had appeared in the streets. The officers were put up in private homes even some Jewish homes. Their first impressions of the Germans were mostly reassuring. They were calm, likeable, polite and sympathetic. The synagogues were closed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The week of Passover they gathered at private houses to celebrate, but their hearts were not into it because of what was happening to their town.

Hegemony and Modern Culture

Hegemony and modern culture (TV documentary script) [Shots of banks, shops, people walking down shopping streets Grafton Street, the Mall in Tralee, Oliver Plunket Street in Cork as voice over speaks] â€Å"Not since the time of Antonio Gramsci has the notion of hegemony been so relevant in Ireland today. But what is hegemony? [Image of Gramsci] Hegemony is the phrase adopted by Antonio Gramsci from Marx to explain how social structures evolve. [Scenes of Regina Cali prison] Antonio Gramsci was born in Italy in 1891. After university, in deference to the fascist Mussolini ruling government he became involved in left wing activity.As a result of this he was arrested in 1928. While in the Regina Cali prison he studied the whole idea of hegemony. He wanted to find out why the weaker forces do not fight back, why do they bow down to their oppressors. He adapted the meaning of hegemony. He realized that it is not just concerned with how the ruling classes operate (as Marx had proposed). Gramsci felt that â€Å"what was missing was an understanding of the subtle but pervasive forms of ideological control and manipulation that seemed to perpetrate all repressive structures†1.He also found that the weaker group had their part in it by accepting the ruling class’s authority. This is the kernel that we are concerned with. This is the theory that we are going to apply to modern culture in Ireland today. Not just why modern culture is imposed but what are the subtle manipulations of this culture and also what is our part in acquiescing to them. [Cut to images of Irish legends Cuchulainn, Fionn mac Cumhaill, Deirdre of the sorrows] We used to have a culture rich in language, dance, storytelling, education, generosity and a love of the simpler things in life.It had evolved from years of myths and legends passed down from generation to generation. We lived by a code of traditions and values. Later we became colonised by England we were robbed of our language an d as a result the stories that made up our culture. Nevertheless we fought back until we gained our independence but already serious changes had occurred in our culture- the culture of money had crept in . Yeats commented on it in September 1913 What need you, being come to sense, But fumble in a greasy till And add the halfpence to the pence And prayer to shivering prayer, untilYou have dried the marrow from the bone; For men were born to pray and save; Romantic Ireland's dead and gone, It's with O'Leary in the grave. 3 [Images of cash tills and money] Consumerism has been growing steadily ever since, but its more than consumerism it’s a greed, an insatiable desire, an endless hunger for the next shiny object. The care for our fellow human beings has been replaced by this self propulsion . Recently we have been woken from a glut of consumerism, obsessed by the price of property and handbags and plunged into an abyss of recession. Now is the time to question what happened?Wha t is our culture? Who are the forces that change it and what is our part in adopting this culture as our own? Firstly what is our culture? Culture is anything that engages us socially. It is the media, television, newspapers, magazines, books, internet, art, music and dance. It is all of these and it is more. It is the way we think, the way we live and the things we believe in. Today in Ireland what is most prevalent is the culture of consumerism. Buoyed by the economic boom that was known as the Celtic tiger consumerism grew and grew. Borrowing increased as sales increased on luxury cars.Items such as handbags became known as must haves, the prices of houses escalated at an astonishing rate. Consumer spending increased by 36% in the period 1999 to 20042. As a nation we became gripped with a greed for goods. Where did this come from? Everyday we are bombarded with images of products and goods. The average person sees over a hundred ads a day. The media is littered with advertising. Most fashion magazines and television stations are run by the revenue generated by advertising. So we can observe how Gramsci’s theory is working, we are being governed by the media to buy these products.But what about the other side, why do we comply so easily. Is it because as a colonised state we are easily duped and behave like sheep. There is clearly proof for this . Because consumerism is our new God, we work all hours to acquire more money. Modern life is riddled with apathy. People don’t revolt any more and this is an essential part of Gramsci’s model. In order for a social structure to grow it needs to revolt. We did in the 1920’s when we gained our political freedom so why not again? Because people today are too busy being distracted by the media.Throughout the media we are shown the perfect way to live, what we need to purchase it, to attain that lifestyle and most importantly what we should be thinking. Open the supplement to The Sunday Times newspaper, not only will it tell you what artists are cool and current it will also give you a meter to what’s hot and not. There is usually a spread on a designer or artist with a photo shoot of their house. The following page has a guide as to where you can purchase items that are similar. We are filling our lives and our homes with products in the hope that they will give us an identity, a look a brand.But it goes further than this. Behind this cult of consumerism is a need for something stronger, the constant seeking that can never be found. In order for it to fill us it would have to be spiritual. We have made a false God of the media. Looking to it to sustain us, to give us direction and it can’t because it’s not based on spiritual principals. Our increasing lack of faith in Catholism had edged us more towards our readiness to believe in something else, something that makes us feel good, safe, and important. All the things the media claims to do.Social net working sites convince us we are important, that people are interested in what we say and want to see photos of us. The whole thing is ego based revolving around the church of me. As individuals become more obsessed with themselves, encouraged by the media (‘because we’re worth it’) to buy more products, watch more programmes that reiterate the ideology of Me and read more papers that tell you what to buy, community spirit is wasting away to nothing. In order for us to get any way out of this mess we need to look to Gramsci once again. We need to revolt.We need to stop consuming for the wrong reasons. We need to think about our purchasing. We need to become consciously aware of what we are doing. We need to start asking questions? Where is my money going? Is it helping communities or causing farmers to lose their farms? Why do they sell Riverock a Coca-cola product instead of Kerry Spring in the college canteen? Because that’s the reality; every time you p urchase something you set a chain of events into motion . Now we’re aware of our power there is no going back. We need to start a revolution.Some trailblazers have already started with Fair-Trade leading the way with putting a conscience into consumerism. In the field of fashion people like Kellie Dalton are paving the way forward for fashion with a conscience. Her work and the work of others at Redress. ie are helping make fashion more ethical. Hopefully with this growth in conscience a sense of community can once return to our shores and this will replace the endless seeking of self in the wrong places. [cue Titles Accompanied with Rage against the Machine â€Å"Take the Power Back†]Sources 1 http://www. nternationalgramscisociety. org 2 HYPERLINK â€Å"http://www. davy. ie/content/pubarticles/wmc20070730. pdf† http://www. davy. ie/content/pubarticles/wmc20070730. pdf 3 â€Å"September 1913† WB Yeats HYPERLINK â€Å"http://www. re-dress. ie/† htt p://www. re-dress. ie/ Irish Times Magazine, (Saturday Oct 31, 2009) The Sunday Times Style Supplement (Sunday Oct 25th, 2009) Cultural Theory, An Introduction, Philip Smith and Alexander Riley (Blackwell Publishing) pgs 35 – 37 HYPERLINK â€Å"http://www. victoryiscertain. com/gramsci† http://www. victoryiscertain. com/gramsci http://links. org. au/node/1260

Lanthanides - Properties of Element Groups

The lanthanides or F Block elements are a set of elements of the periodic table. While there is some dispute over which elements to include in the group, the lanthanides generally include the following 15 elements: Lanthanum (La)Cerium (Ce)Praseodymium (Pr)Neodymium (Nd)Promethium (Pm)Samarium (Sm)Europium (Eu)Gadolinium (Gd)Terbium (Tb)Dysprosium (Dy)Holmium (Ho)Erbium (Er)Thulium (Tm)Ytterbium (Yb)Lutetium (Lu) Here is a look at their location and common properties: Key Takeaways: Lanthanide The lanthanides are a group of 15 chemical elements, with atomic numbers 57 through 71.All of these elements have one valence electron in the 5d shell.The elements share properties in common with the first element in the group -- lanthanum.The lanthanides are reactive, silver-colored metals.The most stable oxidation state for lanthanide atoms is 3, but the 2 and 4 oxidation states are also common.Although the lanthanides are sometimes called the rare earths, the elements are not particularly rare. However, they are difficult to separate from one another. The D Block Elements The lanthanides are located in block 5d of the periodic table. The first 5d transition element is either lanthanum or lutetium, depending on how you interpret the periodic trends of the elements. Sometimes only the lanthanides, and not the actinides, are classified as rare earths. The lanthanides are not as rare as was once thought; even the scarce rare earths (e.g., europium, lutetium) are more common than the platinum-group metals. Several of the lanthanides form during the fission of uranium and plutonium. Lanthanide Uses The lanthanides have many scientific and industrial uses. Their compounds are used as catalysts in the production of petroleum and synthetic products. Lanthanides are used in lamps, lasers, magnets, phosphors, motion picture projectors, and X-ray intensifying screens. A pyrophoric mixed rare-earth alloy called Mischmetall (50% Ce, 25% La, 25% other light lanthanides) or misch metal is combined with iron to make flints for cigarette lighters. The addition of 1% Mischmetall or lanthanide silicides improves the strength and workability of low alloy steels. Common Properties of the Lanthanides Lanthanides share the following common properties: Silvery-white metals that tarnish when exposed to air, forming their oxides.Relatively soft metals. Hardness increases somewhat with higher atomic number.Moving from left to right across the period (increasing atomic number), the radius of each lanthanide 3 ion steadily decreases. This is referred to as lanthanide contraction.High melting points and boiling points.Very reactive.React with water to liberate hydrogen (H2), slowly in cold/quickly upon heating. Lanthanides commonly bind to water.React with H (dilute acid) to release H2 (rapidly at room temperature).React in an exothermic reaction with H2.Burn easily in air.They are strong reducing agents.Their compounds are generally ionic.At elevated temperatures, many rare earths ignite and burn vigorously.Most rare earth compounds are strongly paramagnetic.Many rare earth compounds fluoresce strongly under ultraviolet light.Lanthanide ions tend to be pale colors, resulting from weak, narrow, forbidden f x f optical transitions.The mag netic moments of the lanthanide and iron ions oppose each other.The lanthanides react readily with most nonmetals and form binaries on heating with most nonmetals.The coordination numbers of lanthanides are high (greater than 6; usually 8 or 9 or as high as 12). Lanthanide Versus Lanthanoid Because the -ide suffix is used to indicate negative ions in chemistry, the IUPAC recommends members of this element group be called lanthanoids. The -oid suffix is in keeping with names of another element group -- the metalloids. There is a precedent for a name change, since an even earlier name for the elements was lanthanon. However, nearly all scientists and peer-reviewed articles still refer to the element group as the lanthanides. Sources David A. Atwood, ed. (19 February 2013). The Rare Earth Elements: Fundamentals and Applications (eBook). John Wiley Sons. ISBN 9781118632635.Gray, Theodore (2009). The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe. New York: Black Dog Leventhal Publishers. p. 240. ISBN 978-1-57912-814-2.Holden, Norman E.; Coplen, Tyler (2004). The Periodic Table of the Elements. Chemistry International. IUPAC. 26 (1): 8. doi:10.1515/ci.2004.26.1.8Krishnamurthy, Nagaiyar and Gupta, Chiranjib Kumar (2004). Extractive Metallurgy of Rare Earths. CRC Press. ISBN 0-415-33340-7McGill, Ian (2005) Rare Earth Elements in Ullmanns Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim. doi:10.1002/14356007.a22_607