Introduction to Chinese Culture - Term Papers and the Final Movie Review

Introduction to Chinese Culture - Term Papers and the Final Presentations - Movie Review Example The movie spans from the 1980s when China is undergoing massive reforms in the economic sector. Cheng is a farm boy of bookish tendencies where as Meng is portrayed as a self assured/ confident and highly ambitious human being. Wang is poetic and slightly flaky. The three become friends at the university where they are all endeavoring to obtain visas, with interviews on the same just around the corner. The first among them to successfully obtain a visa is Wang. However, he changes his mind about going to America and opts to remain behind with his girlfriend (who is of Western origin). Cheng, on the other hand, trial upon trial, fails to secure a visa. Meng nonetheless manages to qualify and get a study visa. He seizes his opportunity and leaves for America. As he leaves, he confides in his friends (Wang and Cheng) that he does not plan or desire to come back to China (American Dreams in China, 2013). In the consequent stages of the movie, Cheng’s misfortunes continue to endlessly stalk him. His girlfriend obtains a visa (where he failed) and he is relieved from his teaching position at the university when he is discovered engaging in extra student tuition for monetary gains. In this state of desperation, Wang (who is good at striking good relations with students mainly via Hollywood films) and Cheng decide to set up a school, the New Dream School. The school aims at promoting new methods for English learning to the billions of Chinese students who crave the perceived benefits that arrive with mastery of the English language at the time (predominantly, the possibility of attaining the much coveted foreign/ abroad studies). This school develops to become a major success story. Meng, in America, finds life unbearable and quite unpalatable as he is resigned to odds jobs to earn a living since his English is not perfect. He is essentially living from hand to mouth as a dream consistently progresses into a nightmare. He grows weary and sets back to China where he

Sexual Harassment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Sexual Harassment - Research Paper Example It was also clear that the policy on sexual harassment in the University was not effective due to inaccessibility and ignorance on the content of the policy. The findings faulted the university unpreparedness to deal with the aftermath of sexual harassment and also the inadequacy that was noted in terms of practices and the resourcefulness of the university to deal with sexual harassment. The research recommended the increase avenues of accessing the policy documents, the creation of awareness and major changes like including gender studies as a common unit in the university. The study also recommended that the university to improve the quality of the reporting of sexual harassment to the form that could be easily accessed by the victimized students. Increase in the intelligence was also recommended by the study among other recommendations. This section is an introduction of factors affecting Sexual Harassment directed on students in the University. It contains background of the study, problem statement, as well as objectives of the study. It also consists of significance of the study. Throughout the theoretical history of sexual harassment, scholars from multiple disciplines in the social sciences have grappled with a diverse set of interpretation of the definitions to conceptualize this abstract idea. According to Kenyatta University Sexual Harassment policy; (2010), sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that tends to create a hostile or offensive work environment. Bingham, S and Scherer, L. (2001) defines sexual harassment to include some specific range of offensive behaviors. In his argument, he suggested that the behavior is always repetitive and intended to present some disturbance and also to upset. He underscores this definition by saying that sexual harassment could refer

Estimation Model And Decomposition

Estimation Model And Decomposition In this lecture we introduce project estimation to estimate project resource requirements, time duration, human effort, and cost. We also discuss the models and techniques used in the project estimation. We also discuss the estimation methods such as comparative, top-down, bottom-up (engineering), historical analogy and expert judgment. Then we presented decomposition technique to break down the project into tasks to assist us in estimating the project. We focus on the work breakdown structure (WBS) decomposition method. Learning Outcomes Understand estimation model Understand decomposition technique and planning tools 1.0 Introduction In this lecture we continue discussion of project management in software engineering. We start by introducing the project estimation to estimate project resource requirements, time duration, human effort, and cost. We discuss the models and techniques used in the project estimation. We also discuss the estimation methods such as comparative, top-down, bottom-up (engineering), historical analogy and expert judgment. Then we present decomposition technique to decompose the project into tasks to assist us in estimating the project. We focus on the work breakdown structure (WBS) decomposition method. 2.0 Estimation Model Project estimation is a highly subjective and person-dependent process. A project task could be done in one day by one person but could take a few hours by another person. Hence, different estimates could be given by different persons of the time it takes to perform a task. After actual execution and performing of the task, the time it has taken to be performed is a measured, actual and real time. Accordingly, any time estimate to performing the task that is not close to the actual time is inaccurate. Project estimates are established at early in a project by the software development team and corporation management. These estimates are required for project resources, work to be done, project cost, project schedule, and time to delivery. Project estimates are required during project planning which is a crucial phase of the project lifecycle. Project estimating techniques are available based on metrics accumulated from past similar project experiences. Projects should be estimated in a structured and formal way, otherwise, estimates are inaccurate and projects could be handed in late. Structured and formal project estimation methods that use sound techniques and understanding have the following advantages: They make estimates more accurate They allow the project team to reach a consensus on the estimates They improve the accuracy of those estimates They make it much more likely that projects will come in on time Project planning requires estimates of the: Resource requirements Human effort- in person-months Time project duration- in calendar time Project cost and budget In practice, project history and past experience are often used as a guide in estimating the above values. The estimation usually requires breaking the project into pieces. At early stages in a project the software development team and management team must establish estimates for resources required (human resources, equipment, software, space, tools, etc.), work to be done and time to product delivery. Cost, time, and resource estimating techniques are available based on metrics accumulated from past similar project experiences. Usually, several approaches and methods are used to estimate these values. Then, estimated values that result from different estimation methods are compared. If these values vary widely, then this variance is taken as an indication of the need for more information. Projects could fail due to different causes related to project estimation. For example, the initial estimation of the budget needed for the completion of the project could be too little or too much. This can also be applied to the duration of the project, as some projects fail due to too little time being assigned for completion. As well as this, another factor that leads to project failure is ill planning, where the whole project is not planned out right from the start. Also, the goals and objectives of a project, which are developed at the start of the project may be regularly altered/changed which as a result causes confusion within the workforce. In addition to this, due to technology being a fast-paced industry, the personnel of the project need to stay up-to-date with this rapid change in order to use the correct the technology for the project. Finally, a lack of or ineffective communication between the workforce of the project, regardless of their role and position, can also l ead to broken interactions and project failure. Estimates could be inaccurate due to different reasons including people injury, sickness, or resign. Project development teams could run into unexpected technical problems, etc. Therefore, the objective of estimation is that people in the organization who have the training and knowledge to give an honest, well-informed opinion of the effort (time, cost, resources, etc. ) required to do a task. The uncertainty about the project could be reduced and more accurate estimates could be generated by producing well-documents about the project scope and vision by the organizations management and by reaching a consensus on the tasks that must be performed by the development team members. This consensus could be reached through discussion of assumptions. The following are some project estimation techniques (models): Source Lines of Code (SLOC): Source Lines of Code (SLOC) is the oldest metric for estimating project effort and thus is the primary input of older cost estimation models. The accurate estimation of a software project estimate is based on size of the project to be built. Project size is translated into human effort, time and money. Software Equation: In software equation estimate data is collected for thousands of similar projects and a the estimation model is a software equation as given below: EPM = (L x Sk(1/3) / PP)3 x (1/d4) Where EPM- is the Effort in Person Months L is the number of code Line Sk is the factor of Special sKills PP is the Parameter of Productivity D is the project Duration Using SLOC as input for cost estimation has some disadvantages because estimating the SLOC early in the software development lifecycle can be difficult. Therefore, if the SLOC estimate is inaccurate, the output of the dependant cost estimation model will be inaccurate. Software LIfecycle Management (SLIM): SLIM was developed in the late 1970s. Wideband Delphi: Wideband Delphi is an effective technique in estimating software tasks. Proxy Based Estimating (PROBE): This is an estimation method that looks at the history of a person in terms of components he has built in the past. It states that a person constructing a component that he has previously constructed (or one similar to it) then the amount of effort that will go into building this component will roughly be the same. The Constructive Cost Model (COCOMO): COnstructive COst MOdel (COCOMO) is a software cost and schedule estimating method which was developed in the early 1980s. It was developed through an experiment which involved the analyzing and evaluating of results for 63 software development projects. COCOMO was updated in 1991 for modern development life cycles, in order to accommodate larger sets of data. It is calculated on the basis of 15 cost factors. These factors, sometimes called variables, cover the cost of the software needed, any computer hardware that will be used, and the cost of labor (wages). These are inputted into the model and as a result, an output is arrived at estimating the size and effort that need to be put into the project for it to succeed. The Planning Game: The Planning Game is the software project planning method developed by Extreme Programming (XP). It was developed in the 1990s. It is basically used to manage the negotiation between the development team and the stakeholders (Business customers). Unlike Delphi, PROBE, and COCOMO, the Planning Game does not require a documented description of the scope of the project to be estimated. Rather, it is a full planning process that combines estimation with identifying the scope of the project and the tasks required to complete the software. Estimates use comparative estimate, grass roots estimate, engineering estimate (bottom-up), top-down estimate, historical analogy estimate, expert judgment estimate, models estimate, and/or rules-of-thumb estimate. Typically, estimates are made using some combination of these/some of these estimate methods. These estimate methods are described in the following paragraphs. Comparative estimate: Comparative estimate compares project with past similar projects. One advantages of this method is that estimates are based on actual experience. One disadvantages of this method is that truly similar projects must exist. Engineering estimate (Bottom-up): Engineering Estimate (Bottom-up) assigns different components of the project to individuals to estimate. Then, component estimates are summed to obtain total estimate of the project. Advantages of this method include generation of accurate estimates because of detailed basis for estimate, promotion of individual responsibility, and support of project tracking. Some disadvantages of this method are that the method is time- consuming, detailed data is needed which may not be available, especially before the project starts or early in the project, and integration costs may be disregarded. Top-Down estimate: Top-Down estimate partitions the project into lower level components where life cycle phases begin at highest level. Some advantages of this estimate are that it is more applicable to early project estimates, it considers system level activities, it is faster, and easier to implement. Some disadvantages of this estimate is that it is less accurate than other methods, it tends to overlook lower-level components, and it provides little detail. Historical analogy estimate: Historical analogy estimate is based on using the software size, effort, or cost of a comparable project from the past. The comparison is made using measures or data that has been recorded from completed software projects. Analogical estimates can be made at high levels using total software project size and/or cost for individual Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) categories in the process of developing the main software cost estimate. Expert judgment estimates: Expert judgment estimates specifies that software development team consults with one or more experts. Some advantage of this estimate is that little or no historical data are needed, and it is good for new or unique projects. Some disadvantages of this estimate is that experts tend to be biased, and their knowledge level is sometimes questionable. This is a subjective estimate based upon what the estimator remembers from previous projects and gets modified mentally as deemed appropriate. If the estimator has significant recent experience in both the software domain of the planned project then, expert judgment can be relatively accurate. Model-based estimate: Model-based estimate uses mathematical relationships or parametric cost models. Parametric cost models are empirical relationships derived by using statistical techniques applied to data from similar previous projects. Rules-of-thumb estimate: Rules-of-thumb estimate come in a variety of forms and can be a way of expressing estimates as a simple mathematical relationship (e.g. cost = Lines_of_Code / 10) or as percentage allocations of effort over activities or phases based upon historical data (e.g. coding task is 22% of Total Effort). The popular project estimates approach is to use several methods and compare values. If these values vary widely, then this variance is taken as an indication of the need for more information. Model-based estimates along with high-level analogies are the principal source of estimates in early conceptual stages. At early stages of the project or before it starts, we usually do not have a clear estimates, but as a project matures and the requirements and design are better understood, analogy estimates based upon more detailed functional decompositions become the primary method of estimation, with model-based estimates used as a means of estimate validation or as a correctness check. Whatever method is used, it is most important that the assumptions and formulas are documented to enable more thorough review and to make it easier to revise estimates at completion of the project when assumptions may need to be revised. Expected Value for Software Size is computed as follows: Suppose that: Expected value for estimation variable (size) estimate = S, Weighted Average of Optimistic estimate = (S opt) Most likely estimate (S m) Pessimistic estimate (S pess ) Then, S can be computed as: S = (S opt +4 S m + S pess)/6 The calculation of the effort put in, in terms of persons-month, in a dynamic multi variable model can be defined as follows: Software Equation (E) = [LOC * B0.333/P]3 *(1/t4) Where: E is effort in person-months, t is the duration of the project, B is special skills factor, P is productivity. 2.1 Decomposition Technique Decomposition technique is used to estimate the project as presented in the previous section. After decomposing the entire project into a number of smaller tasks, we make project estimates. It is easier to handle smaller tasks than to handle a very larger project as a whole. So, the entire project (problem) is broken down into number of smaller tasks (problems) and then each smaller problem could be solved easily. Decomposition technique is used as a technique or model for cost and project estimate. It is difficult to estimate the project as one task. Therefore, the project is decomposed into smaller tasks and each task is estimated individually and then the partial estimations of project tasks are added up for the whole project. Decomposition technique is used as a technique or model for cost and project estimate. It is difficult to estimate the project as one task. Therefore, the project is decomposed into smaller tasks and each task is estimated individually and then the partial estimations of project tasks are added up for the whole project. A sound and formal estimate starts with a work breakdown structure (WBS). A WBS is a list of project major phases, deliverables, and work components (tasks) that will be built by the project that, when completed, will produce the final product. These work components/tasks can then be broken down into the activities that are required to build them. The concept of this technique is to break down the work into smaller tasks. Each task can in turn be broken down further. This technique is very useful for the project development team and project management team to become familiar with the scope of the project, identifies work tasks, needed resources, and cost estimation. It also helps to monitor the projects progress. Project managers use the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to estimate projects and make complex projects more manageable. Some advantages of using WBS include: Assists with more accurate project estimation in cost, effort, resources, and schedule Assists with project organization Helps with assigning responsibilities to project development team members. A WBS that is correctly designed allows for the easy assignment of tasks to a specific element of the WBS, cutting down on confusion/duplication of assigned tasks. Shows the control points and project milestones Helps explain the project scope to customers and stakeholders Assist in planning and control of the project Tasks and Subtasks are related to each other in the sequence of project task networks. Project Task networks graphically visualize the tasks/sub-tasks and their relationships. Project Task networks are also known as activity networks. The Work Breakdown Structure is a tree structure. The root of the tree is the whole project and the children of the root are the main tasks at first level of the tree which compose the project. At level 2 of the tree are the sub-tasks of the main tasks of the project at level 1. The rest levels of the tree are constructed similarly. Using the tree structure of the WBS allows the determining of secondary costs for tasks, resources, etc., into their advanced level parent tasks, materials, etc. The WBS is the basis for dividing work into defined tasks from which the, schedule, cost, and labor hour reporting can be established. There are many ways to decompose a project into tasks. Different project break-down ways lead to different estimates. If the generated WBS is incorrect, then the project estimates are wrong and time is wasted in doing the estimates. The project can be broken down by feature, by project phase (requirements tasks, design tasks, programming tasks, QA tasks, etc.), or by some combination of the two. WBS uses similar previous projects history and previous experience of projects that have been developed to generate project t estimates. Large projects are broken into more tasks than smaller projects or they can be broken into larger tasks than smaller projects. WBS, when created, is used by the project team to create an estimate of the effort required to perform each task. The most accurate estimates are those that rely on similar projects history and prior experience. Team members should review previous project results and find how long similar tasks in previous projects took to complete. Sources of delays in the past should be taken into account when making current estimates. The level of granularity of WBS varies depending on the level of abstraction and what information is available. At lower-levels of the WBS, expert judgment is the primary method used, while at higher levels of the WBS model-based estimates are more common. It is not possible to define a task set for the project uniquely. No set of tasks is appropriate for all types of projects. Project breakdown into tasks is dependent on the size of the project, complexities involved in the project, constraints of the projects and the skill set and capabilities of the team members working on the project. Project tasks have to be properly distributed according to the needs of the project deadlines and schedule. To develop a project schedule, a task set must be distributed on the project time line. The project set of tasks is defined based on the category of the project which is dealt with by the development team. Summary In this lecture we introduce project estimation to estimate project resource requirements, time duration, human effort, and cost. We also discuss the models and techniques used in the project estimation. We also discuss the estimation methods such as comparative, top-down, bottom-up (engineering), historical analogy and expert judgment. Then we presented decomposition technique to break down the project into tasks to assist us in estimating the project. We focus on the work breakdown structure (WBS) decomposition method. Exercises Is it possible to create a realistic estimate before the project team has agreed on the technical design for the software? When the team is working together to generate an estimate, should the testers estimate tasks which will be performed by the programmers? List three models of project estimate. What is estimated using project estimate? Describe the objectives of using decomposition technique? List advantages of decomposition technique for company managers. Describe the Source Lines of Code (SLOC) estimation method. List two advantages and two disadvantages of using The Constructive Cost Model (COCOMO). What is the difference between Engineering estimate (Bottom-up) and top-down estimate? Explain decomposition techniques. How do you define a task set for the software project? What are project task networks?

Networking :: essays research papers

1. Which versions of NetWare support TCP/IP services such as Web site hosting? c. 4.x and 5.0 2. Which version of NetWare contains many services coded in the Java programming language? d. 5.0 3. How many processors can a NetWare 5.0 server support? c. 32 4. What is the minimum amount of RAM required for a NetWare 5.0 server? d. 64 MB 5. Why might you want to install more than the minimum RAM required by NetWare 5.x? The more RAM, the better the performance of the server. 6. Where can you go to find out about known bugs in NetWare? b. www.support.novell.com 7. How might NLMs provide better stability on your NetWare server? a. They can be loaded and unloaded without taking down the server. 8. Which version of NetWare supports the use of virtual memory? d. 5.x 9. What stands at the very top of the NDS tree? a.root a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   10. If you decide to change the name of your NDS tree after you’ve installed NetWare, you can rename it through a server console command. True or False? 11. What is the name of the graphical server manager utility in NetWare 5.x? d. NetMon 12. Which DOS command loads the NetWare operating system kernel? d. SERVER.EXE 13. Which of the following file systems does NetWare not support? b. NTFS 14. What is the name of the volume created automatically when you install NetWare 5.x? d. SYS 15. File compression is enabled by default during a NetWare 5.x installation.True or False? 16. Which server resource does block suballocation conserve? c. hard disk space 17. What is the purpose of a container object in an NDS tree? a. to logically subdivide objects in the tree 18. A user is an example of what kind of NDS object? c. leaf 19. If a user’s login ID is â€Å"james† and the user belongs to the â€Å"marketing† organizational unit, which is in turn part of the â€Å"Corporate† organizational unit within the â€Å"ABC† Organization, what is this user’s context? c. O_ABC_OU_marketing_OU_corporate_U_james 20. Which utility allows you to manage NDS objects? c. NWAdmin 22. After right-clicking an object within NWAdmin, which option should you choose to modify that object’s properties? a. Details 23. In a typeful context notation, how is a user object’s container designated? d. O 24. Why might you want to create an administrator-equivalent ID that isn’t called â€Å"Admin†? b. for security purposes 25. After a simple NetWare 5.x installation, what rights does the default group called PUBLIC have to the NDS tree? b. Browse, Modify, Erase 26. In NWAdmin, you can grant users rights to save files in a directory.

Analysis of Eating Christmas in the Kalahari

Analysis of â€Å"Eating Christmas in the Kalahari† Richard Lee’s piece, â€Å"Eating Christmas in the Kalahari,† describes his experience living with the ! Kung Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert in south central Africa, but it does more than just reiterate a three year stint with a native African tribe. It also serves as documentation of another instance of how different societies of people distinguish themselves from one another with certain customs and differences in how they conduct themselves socially. Misunderstandings are commonplace when it comes to anthropologist living among an unfamiliar group of people due to many sorts of cultural barriers.The primary obstacle that Lee encounters is a misinterpretation between himself and the tribesman on why he isn’t receiving the gratitude that he expects for slaughtering such an enormous ox. While it may not seem like it at first, the conflict that arises between the tribesman and Lee can symbolize the dispari ty between society in the United States and society in the Kalahari Desert. In the United States, when people do a deed that they deem as an act of kindness, they expect a â€Å"thank you† from the beneficiary. The! Kung Bushmen operate a little differently.Instead of the â€Å"thank you† that is customary in the United States, they ridicule and degrade the gift. This is what occurred with Lee and his ox which left him bewildered as to why the Bushmen would treat him this way when he was sure that he has chose a more than adequate ox for the feast. This is another example of how cultures can contrast with one another. The reasoning behind why the! Kung Bushmen handle gifts the way they do is actually a simple one. Their goal is to have no one man perceive himself greater than others just because he can bring home food.The line â€Å"We insult men after they make a kill because of Arrogance. Yes, when a young man kills much meat he comes to think of himself as a chief or big man, and he thinks of the rest of us as inferior or servants. We can't accept this† supports this line of thinking. When the Bushmen realized how proud Lee was of his sacrifice, they utilized this in order to keep him humble. Many times when Americans perform a good deed it is so they can receive some sort of recognition which in turn builds their ego. This is where the !Kung and Americans contrast. The ! Kung act the way they do because they see it as a service. They consider keeping one humble as doing the person a favor. Richard Lee’s firsthand experience served to deliver the message to the reader much more efficiently than if we were to read it from someone who received their information indirectly. By reading Lee’s account, we are able to fully grasp the effect that the ! Kung have on someone and how that person reacts to it, in addition to why the ! Kung act operate in the manner that they do.

Natural Environment Essay

IB Environmental Science and Society. In this class, we focused on the ways that society affects our environment and vice versa. It opened my eyes to the fact that we can be environmentally conscious while utilizing our natural resources. I became determined to become involved with the oil and gas industry that provides so much support for Alaska’s economy, while considering the unique environment around us. I have been accepted to and intend to attend the University of Alaska Fairbanks to study Petroleum Engineering, with a minor in Environmental Politics. This particular program focuses on Alaska’s unique petroleum resources and environment. My Environmental Politics education will be a beneficial supplement and balance to my study of petroleum engineering, as I will learn the necessary precautions that must be taken when handling natural resources, and also because I will be exposed to the political issues surrounding natural resource extraction on a local and global scale. I have been accepted into the UAF Honor’s College, which I intend to become a part of, in an effort to get the most out of my education and surround myself with other students that are as focused as I am. UAF also appeals to me given the opportunities for summer internships with oil companies that operate in Alaska, many of which lead to long-term jobs after graduation. I wholeheartedly intend to stay in Alaska, but I am also interested in the international programs offered by several large oil companies as a chance to see the way other parts of the world extract and utilize their natural resources. Though it still seems far off, I am also strongly considering going for a Master’s degree at UAF in Engineering Management to be competitive and more prepared to become a leader in my field. In my career, I am most interested in increasing the efficiency of oil extraction and transportation through technology, in order to maximize the productivity and environmental safety while minimizing cost and time. Outside of my employment, I also look forward to encouraging young people, especially girls, to pursue math and science related fields, as my mother and aunt have done for me, and it has made all the difference in my decision to pursue a challenging, male-dominated field with confidence. I am confident that I will be a strong addition to the team working in Alaska to utilize our resources and improve our economy, while protecting our environment.

Lakota Woman essays

Lakota Woman essays Lakota Woman. Mary Crow Dog. New York: Harper Perennial, 1991. 263 pp. Lakota Woman, written by Mary Crow Dog, describes Sioux traditions, painful Indian history and the Indians constant battle to win equality in America. Mary Crow Dog uses her personal experiences to give an Indian perspective on these issues. By using first hand experiences, Mary helps to give the book credibility. These stories are real, true experiences witnessed (through story and first hand account) by the author which helps to give an intimate voice to the book. Mary Crow Dogs voice is strong in the book; it is easy to forget you are only reading the book and not actually sitting beside Mary listening first hand to her story. There are many times when you feel present at the protests or in the church at Wounded Knee. Marys experiences show struggle, pain and determination in hopes of getting the reader to see both sides of the Indian movement. Lakota Womans main goal, in my opinion, is to give the reader an understanding of traditional Indian ways and to provide an understand ing of the Indian movement through an Indians point of view. If these goals are in fact reached, it will give the reader a clearer understanding of the Indian traditions and hopefully a more sympathetic heart towards their cause. Mary Crow Dog begins the first half of her story in anger and hate towards her oppressors. Her anger is explained through her familys history and experiences as a child in a European churchs boarding school. In this section of the book, the battle of Wounded Knee is first explained; the horrendous massacre of helpless Indian people by the white man. Wounded Knee is Marys history and by hearing this story you are able to understand how her resentment towards these new settlers began. However, the story of racism towards Marys people by the white man does not end at Wounded Knee, it only begins. Mary&apos...