In 2012, two Ukrainian students invented gloves that convert sign language into speech. The gloves have special sensors that turn the signs into texts on a smartphone that also turns the texts into speech. This invention caught my attention because I never used to believe that signs could turn into speech.
This invention will impact the participation of people with speech problems in the activities of society. They will be able to participate in business conferences and will be more productive in the workplace. It does not affect me directly, but I have some family members who will benefit from this invention. I believe it has the potential for improvement because the inventors were only students. They will find more time to refine it and even include the reverse process: where the smartphone can decode what other people say for the people with speech problems.
Advantages
It helps improve the level of participation of the speech-impaired in daily activities.
It is very cheap
It does not require new skills other than simply showing the user how to use the gloves and the smartphone.
Disadvantage
May does not reach all people with speech problems since some people in some countries cannot afford smartphones and special gloves.
What could be more normal than sitting on a bed with silk bed covers, sipping tea out of a porcelain cup, reading a book or a newspaper, getting ready to have noodles for lunch? This average description of a modern persons day is filled with things that centuries ago were considered the most miraculous and amazing inventions of their times. And all of them came directly from China.
Nowadays Chinese firms and companies are being accused of copying and faking inventions of other countries, starting mass production of bad quality goods, and flooding modern markets with them. In spite of this stereotype, China is the Motherland of many inventions of the past. As Deng (2011) notices, the achievements of Chinese civilization and culture have contributed immensely to human society.
Paper and printing were invented in ancient China. This influenced multiple spheres of human life traveling, discoveries, communication, and learning. Centuries later, paper still remains one of the most essential objects of human life. The first mention of noodles was made around four thousand years ago, states Clark (n.d., para. 2). Silk became Chinas link to the rest of the world. In the process of turning a cocoon into a thread, the spinning wheel was invented. Being one of the most popular and valuable goods of that time, silk helped Chinese trade ways and the famous Silk Way spread to Europe.
Also ancient Chinese were trying to conquer the sea territory and came up with snorkels, which eventually started to be used in the military, the diver with a snorkel was supposed to track approaching ships, place a pot filled with gunpowder under them, and set it on fire. Kites come from China, of course. Beautiful, gracious kites floating in the wind first were used for fishing without a boat. Kites were used for military purposes too; they were designed to deliver packs of gunpowder to the soldiers. Porcelain is another beautiful material that originates in China and is a common object of modern life. Porcelain quickly became one of the most valuable Chinese goods.
Vessels and vases made of porcelain had some new qualities that pottery of that time was unable to compete with. First of all, porcelain was much thinner than clay. It also had a white color that was easy to paint on. It is also known that alcohol is mentioned in Chinese legends. It turns out that beer was brewed in ancient China long before it appeared in Europe. Another well-known Chinese product is tea. But to make good tea, the tea leaves had to be cut to pieces first. The handmade shredding of tea leaves was taking too much time until a special shredding device was created. It was used to cut the leaves into strips and made the process of tea making much easier.
Gunpowder is one of the most significant and well-known inventions of ancient China. Clark says that according to an old legend, gunpowder was accidentally discovered by alchemists looking for a concoction that would create immortality (n. d., para. 1). Instead of immortality, this product has brought many deaths, this is a historical irony. Gunpowder is the first of the four inventions that, to my mind, made the biggest impact on human history, as it drastically changed the way wars were fought. Besides, gunpowder became the base for the production of fireworks. The next invention I admire is, of course, the compass.
Initially, the Chinese compasses were designed to point to the South. Needless to say, that without the proper navigation to discover the world around us, traveling and creating maps would be impossible. Also, the modern world would never be the way it is now without paper and printing. Even though the modern world is becoming more and more paperless, the invention of paper and printing has made an enormous impact on our education, navigation, communication and culture. Paper and printing are the inventions that I use the most in my everyday life. Documents, books, magazines and newspapers, advertisement, food industry, paper bags, cigarettes, hygiene, medicine, engineering paper penetrates every modern persons life all the time.
Is it fascinating, how Chinese minds have managed to lay the foundation of so many outstanding innovations that have been so popular for centuries? Even today we cannot imagine our lives without some of these amazing inventions. Many of the most significant ancient Chinese inventions were used in the military. As well as in every other civilization, wars and battles in China, fought by Chinese people, served as a great stimulation for the progress in engineering and design, science and construction.
There is also a more peaceful explanation of unbelievable progress in ancient China. Needham and Wang (2004) suspect that the Chinese way of thinking of that time may have been the main source and reason for such unusual ideas. Ancient Chinese thinkers did not separate the spiritual and the material; they saw the world around them as a whole. This special way of perception resulted in a big breakthrough in the science and engineering of the whole civilization.
The largest work of the great ancient Roman poet Virgil was his epic poem The Aeneid. In The Aeneid, Virgil tells of the adventures of the hero of the Trojan war, Aeneas, who was destined by the gods to stay alive after the destruction of Troy to come to Italy and establish the future Roman state there. The desire to create a national epic while preserving the mythological concept in the poem prompted Virgil to turn to the Homeric poems Iliad and Odyssey. Virgil disposes of his epic material under the influence of Homer: books I VI tell about the flight of Aeneas from the dying Troy and about his adventures before arriving in Latsium; books VII-XII describe preparation for battle, the battles of Aeneas and his allies with the enemy, the exploits of Aeneas, and his victory over Turn (Johnson 37). Thus, the first part of the poem echoes the Odyssey and the second with the Iliad.
Ovid
In the form of tales, which was quite common in Roman literature and already had its classics, Ovid was able to show full power bright talent, which immediately made his name loud and popular. Finishing the last of these elegies, he portrays himself as glorifying his people as the Peligins, as Mantova owes her fame to Virgil, and Verona to Catullus. Undoubtedly, there is a lot of poetic talent, free, laid-back, sparkling with wit and accuracy of expression, in these elegies, as well as many accurate life observations, attention to detail, and versioning talent, for which there were no metric difficulties. Despite this, most of Ovids creative path lay ahead. The study of the formation of statehood in Western Europe during the Early Middle Ages, without a doubt, is one of the key problems in the whole complex of issues related to the period under consideration (Wilkinson 29). In this regard, it is especially important to clarify the level and degree of interpenetration and mutual influence of the elements that existed before and were introduced by Rome and its poets.
Circling the Mediterranean: Europe and the Islamic World
The writing address one of the first interactions between Rome and the primordial Islam world. Karl Musa, the grandson of Karl Martell, nicknamed the Great, first allies with the emperor of the West against Arabs annoying them with raids. Karl swears that he is ready to return with his people to the fold of the Christian church, he is with the army on the Apennine Peninsula and treacherously captures Rome. Most of the provinces of the empire are part of the Frankish Caliphate, proclaimed by Karl. Norwegian king Olaf accepts Islam and brings the Koran and Sharia norms to the Scandinavian world (Gibbon 141). Wilhelm, a native of the Roman caliphate, defeats the Anglo-Saxon King Harold and imposes Mohammeds doctrine in Britain. Christians retain influence in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and the Eastern Roman Empire, with their capital in Constantinople.
The Christian Bible: The New Testament Gospels
The history of Christianity in the Roman Empire covers the period from the birth of Christianity in the first half of the 1st century to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. During the II century, Christianity spread almost throughout the Roman Empire, in the II century, there was extensive apologetic literature, as well as messages and writings of authoritative Christian authors. New Testament Gospels address mostly Romes internal term oils, which were not only based on religious views but also influenced by political disbalance of power and corrupt hierarchical structure (Gibbon 85). The Gospels can be used as a source for observing and view the given events from religions perspective, which was establishing itself in this new empire.
Works Cited
Gibbon, Edward. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Palala Press, 2015.
Johnson, Ralph. Darkness Visible: A Study of Vergils Aeneid . The University of Chicago Press, 2015.
Wilkinson, Patrick. Ovid Recalled. Cambridge University Press, 2014.
LeFevres article is concerned with the explanation of a social act. The paper is divided into four parts: social aspects of the invention, invention as a dialectical process, invention as an act, and classical criteria for a social view of the invention. LeFevre offers a distinction between Platonic and social perspectives on the invention.
Analyzing social peculiarities of invention, the author draws attention to several important features. First of all, the inventing self is impacted by social factors (LeFevre 34). Therefore, the invention may be considered social even when initiated by a single person. Next, the process of inventing is performed with a system of symbols. Since language is a social feature, the invention is social, as well. Another reason for inventions social nature is that it involves the knowledge of previous generations that presents a legacy of opinions and ideas (LeFevre 34). Other proofs of inventions social nature are the possibility to enable it by an internal dialogue, the involvement of other participants, and the impact of social collectives and context (LeFevre 34-35).
Regarding invention as a dialectical process, LeFevre remarks that it combines the efforts of the inventing people and sociocultural aspects (35). Such a dialectical partnership helps to form new ideas (LeFevre 35). An exclusive peculiarity of the individual investor, according to the author, is his or her ability to interact with the sociocultural and other individuals. At the same time, LeFevre notes that there is a contrary position according to which invention can relate to either sociocultural or others but not to both (36-37).
LeFevre remarks that when viewing invention from the social perspective requires analyzing it as an act (38). Two approaches are considered in this respect. The first one states that the action is initiated by the inventor and completed by the audience. The second one regards invention as an act that incorporates symbolic endeavors, such as writing or speaking, and continues over time (LeFevre 38). The author notes that the comprehension of the rhetorical invention involves considering two parts of this notion: the initiation of the act and its reception (LeFevre 38). Therefore, the inventor cannot exist without the presence of someone else. One of the ways of treating invention in this respect is considering it as the collaboration between the writer and the reader. As LeFevre emphasizes, there is a notable distance between these actors (38-39).
Another crucial issue to consider is the time dimension (LeFevre 40). The author connects the significance of this tendency with the need to take into consideration not only the creation of texts but also their revision (LeFevre 40). Such an approach is defended by such theorists as Foucault, Braudel, and others. The role of the time aspect is explained by the need to consider the aim and perspective of the definer.
In the final part of the chapter, LeFevre explains her views on classical precedents for inventions social aspect (44-46). The author notes that considering invention from a social viewpoint may appear unorthodox (LeFevre 44). Arguing that invention is a purely social act may seem to be against commonly accepted capitalistic tendencies. LeFevre mentions that such an approach to the invention is sometimes received as the underestimation of the committees role (44). However, the author concludes that the social perspective does not take away the individuals duties or rights and that it is not as exceptional as it looks (LeFevre 44). Thus, through a variety of proofs, LeFevre manages to provide a logical explanation of invention being a social act.
Work Cited
LeFevre, Karen Burke. Invention as a Social Act. Invention as a Social Act, edited by Karen Burke LeFevre, Southern Illinois University Press, 1987, pp. 33-47.
LeFevres article is concerned with the explanation of a social act. The paper is divided into four parts: social aspects of the invention, invention as a dialectical process, invention as an act, and classical criteria for a social view of the invention. LeFevre offers a distinction between Platonic and social perspectives on the invention.
Analyzing social peculiarities of invention, the author draws attention to several important features. First of all, the inventing self is impacted by social factors (LeFevre 34). Therefore, the invention may be considered social even when initiated by a single person. Next, the process of inventing is performed with a system of symbols. Since language is a social feature, the invention is social, as well. Another reason for inventions social nature is that it involves the knowledge of previous generations that presents a legacy of opinions and ideas (LeFevre 34). Other proofs of inventions social nature are the possibility to enable it by an internal dialogue, the involvement of other participants, and the impact of social collectives and context (LeFevre 34-35).
Regarding invention as a dialectical process, LeFevre remarks that it combines the efforts of the inventing people and sociocultural aspects (35). Such a dialectical partnership helps to form new ideas (LeFevre 35). An exclusive peculiarity of the individual investor, according to the author, is his or her ability to interact with the sociocultural and other individuals. At the same time, LeFevre notes that there is a contrary position according to which invention can relate to either sociocultural or others but not to both (36-37).
LeFevre remarks that when viewing invention from the social perspective requires analyzing it as an act (38). Two approaches are considered in this respect. The first one states that the action is initiated by the inventor and completed by the audience. The second one regards invention as an act that incorporates symbolic endeavors, such as writing or speaking, and continues over time (LeFevre 38). The author notes that the comprehension of the rhetorical invention involves considering two parts of this notion: the initiation of the act and its reception (LeFevre 38). Therefore, the inventor cannot exist without the presence of someone else. One of the ways of treating invention in this respect is considering it as the collaboration between the writer and the reader. As LeFevre emphasizes, there is a notable distance between these actors (38-39).
Another crucial issue to consider is the time dimension (LeFevre 40). The author connects the significance of this tendency with the need to take into consideration not only the creation of texts but also their revision (LeFevre 40). Such an approach is defended by such theorists as Foucault, Braudel, and others. The role of the time aspect is explained by the need to consider the aim and perspective of the definer.
In the final part of the chapter, LeFevre explains her views on classical precedents for inventions social aspect (44-46). The author notes that considering invention from a social viewpoint may appear unorthodox (LeFevre 44). Arguing that invention is a purely social act may seem to be against commonly accepted capitalistic tendencies. LeFevre mentions that such an approach to the invention is sometimes received as the underestimation of the committees role (44). However, the author concludes that the social perspective does not take away the individuals duties or rights and that it is not as exceptional as it looks (LeFevre 44). Thus, through a variety of proofs, LeFevre manages to provide a logical explanation of invention being a social act.
Work Cited
LeFevre, Karen Burke. Invention as a Social Act. Invention as a Social Act, edited by Karen Burke LeFevre, Southern Illinois University Press, 1987, pp. 33-47.
The snow on the mountain was melting and Bunny had been dead for several weeks before I came to understand the gravity of the situation. The same fate had befallen my other brother, Melville, just two years before Bunny. These subsequent events changed my conviction that the year 1870 was going to be a huge success to my family. This very morning I had no clue of what was going on until my parents informed me that we were going to leave Edinburgh, Scotland, in search of a healthier climate. It was a very short notice and since I had counted on working on my telephone project in the spring of 1870, I was at first not ready to move with my parents. I could not because most of my equipment and tools were stationary and I did not imagine starting afresh a project, which had started to illuminate some progress.
A year before this, it would have seemed possible since I had not done much on the project, but now it seemed like a terrible disaster. I had a good excuse to remain in Edinburgh and continue with the project, since I really valued it. Furthermore, I could not imagine leaving my good neighbors, the Ricks, and the serene climate that traversed the wooden neighborhoods of Edinburgh. I was confused and I felt compelled to make a decision in such a hurry. I walked inside the house and heard my dad calling out my name loud, Come back here, Alex. We have to agree on this issue! Ok, I am coming dad I answered. His tone was not usual and I knew he was becoming agitated. His face expressed a lot of fear and my mother was just quiet waiting for my positive answer. My dad expressed his fear of losing his only remaining son and he told me how much I meant to the family. Finally, I was convinced to move and experience life outside my childhood city.
From Edinburgh to Brantford
At this point, I had worked so hard to prove my worth to my family and the rest of my friends around me, but the fact that I was leaving Edinburgh made me feel disappointed and now I was retreating and not ready to prove anything to anybody. For my fallen brothers, I had a reason to fight and live long. Running from Edinburgh felt like withdrawing from this course, but for the sake of my good relationship with my parents, time was due for us to move together as a unit (Shulman, 2008).
During this time, I had no money because I depended on my parents for livelihood and my project. It could have been hard staying back against their will. I had become very friendly with my neighbors so I took a few minutes to say goodbye as my mother helped dad to load our luggage in an old Volkswagen. Rick could not believe we had decided to move on such a short notice. I tried to explain the situation before I hesitantly said goodbye. Within less than half an hour, we were ready to depart for Brantford, Ontario. The spring of 1870 was now marking a fresh beginning in my life. Although, I had not dreamt of leaving Edinburgh, the new climate in Brantford felt more serene. From the first glance of my new town, I realized that I was going to catch up quickly and pursue my dreams of improving the state of communication for all.
Like most of the residential buildings constructed in the1870s, our new house assumed the Queen Anne style with a verandah and several rooms where each family member could find some privacy and silence. The house had a tower and it was so colorful. The entire neighborhood looked like a pattern since the building design was similar in Brantford for the middle classes (Lawson, 2008).
Figure 1: The picture below demonstrates the cool weather during spring in Brantford.
The low-class families lived in well-furnished wooden houses with little open spaces where they planted some vegetables. From the types of cars and houses, it was easy to tell that the middle-income class occupied Brantford. At this time, the climate in Brantford was very cold since winter was in its closing stages. People dressed heavily using warm clothing like woolen coats, scarfs, hats, and gloves. People covered all parts of their bodies to protect themselves from the chilly weather (Lin, 2012).
Figure 2: This mode of dressing was influenced by the chilly weather in Brantford and its environs.
I found Brantford a little bit colder as compared to Edinburgh, as I had lighter clothes than this new climate demanded. Since I knew that the spring was on the way, I did bother buying new clothes because it would introduce a gradual return to warm environs.
Changing attitude
I knew I needed not only my parents, but also new friends, teachers, and colleagues to help me with my project. Apparently, I had to do many things by myself until I learned that my parents had decided to move following Hendersons invitation, who was a Scottish friend and a Reverend who had moved earlier to live in Brantford. I now learned that I had someone who would help me adjust quickly to life in the wider Ontario.
My college education and teaching experience would not have been of great effect without the encouragement of friends, inspiring conversations with my father, and now my new friend, Henderson. Partly due to the experiences that had compelled my family to move on that chilly morning in March and the events that followed, I was now finding new horizons. From my new environment and relation with Henderson, I developed the desire to connect my earlier project with real life situations, which could touch people in great ways. My interaction with Henderson made me question my own adaptation to Brantford. Was my own adaptation to this new environment typical? I really did not struggle as a newcomer. I learnt that Henderson had known much from my father and organized a teaching opportunity for me to teach deaf students at a local institution and later in Boston.
As I continued to interact with this new environment, I came across different people in disparate places around Ontario. The majority of the places were fascinating, but Henderson made it easy for me until I realized I had developed a close friendship with him. After a long walk through the neighborhoods, I realized that I was gradually finding something outside myself that gave much meaning to my life than I had previously thought. I had loved working in my deserted workshop all day with only my parents getting involved at times, but now it seemed I was establishing the passion for working with the community. Having previously taught visible speech at a London private school of deaf children owned by Susanna Hull, my fathers friend, I felt motivated to take the offer that Henderson had organized for me.
At one point as we walked back home, I nearly introduced the topic, little did I know he was going to ask me about the offer before I could engage the conversation. Henderson carefully reached out my hand and called out my name quietly, Alex, have you thought of the offer to teach at the community school of deaf children. Yes. I am willing to take this new challenge. I answered (Gray, 2006, p.14). From deep within, I strongly felt that I was doing the best thing not only in my life, but also for my community.
Disturbing thoughts
Life in Brantford was changing faster than I had imagined. Even though the weather was giving me some problems, I felt safe since I had moved away from a place where I had witnessed my siblings succumb to tuberculosis. I was swiftly getting used to heavy clothes as well as having more time with friends. I had agreed to commence teaching on the following morning since my services had been long awaited although I was not aware. March 3, 1870 was to mark my first encounter with deaf children in Brantford. Since I was not used to socializing with people often, I knew I needed to perfect my presentation skills.
Early that morning before meeting Henderson for orientation, I passed by the hairdresser. The hairdresser gave me a warm welcome and said, My friend, can I help you? Yes, I responded. Will you please cut my hair short and wash my head? Right away, he answered. He was a nice charming person and within a short while, he had done his job just as I wanted. I hurriedly walked towards Hendersons house where he was patiently waiting for me. This moment was an opportunity for me to link with people beyond my neighborhoods by interacting with children from diverse origins, but with a common need. By now, I had no clue that this event was going to build on my telephone project, which I had put on hold for some time.
Everyone in the Brantford deaf institution appeared very understanding and welcoming. I did not feel like a stranger as Henderson had worked everything out for me. Although I had left the security of my former comfortable workshop to share my knowledge and advance my ability through teaching in diverse communities of deaf students, a lot of courage was swiftly building from inside. I did not know this beginning would later mean a lot to my life.
I had always believed that my destiny would be solely determined by my passion for inventing a communicating device. With my little experience with deaf children, I made my first speech about how everyone can understand and communicate using symbols and how I was determined to help my new students to learn. At this time, I was not even sure if the students were in a position to understand my visible speech. It was a big challenge, but just as my father had flourished in this field, I was keen to follow his footsteps. I was keen to pioneer the visible speech, an idea developed by my father to help the deaf-mutes and speech-impaired children. I had long been fascinated by the concept of transmitting speech and I knew I stood a better chance of actualizing this aim by interacting with speech-related problems (Royston, 2010).
That morning was my first day teaching in Brantford community school for the deaf children and it marked my second encounter with a class of deaf children. At this point, it started to appear as if we were not off on the right footing. One of the students attempted visual conversations implying that he disliked visible speech and he was not ready to cooperate. I composed myself and assured the children that I was going to be friendly to them and help them learn visible speech. Visible speech included a system of symbols to assist deaf individuals in speech. This aspect was not common in Brantford, but it was a source of hope for the deaf and speech-impaired children.
Teaching the virtues and successes of visible speech was not going to be easy as I first thought. Although students seemed to understand some of the ideas of visible speech, the students did not express concerns to let me know which parts of visible speech confused them and the kind of assistance they required in a bid to improve their speech. Nearly an entire class of angry faces confronted me that day. This move was just but an insight of what awaited me in this new course that I had chosen to endeavor. This institution consisted of deaf students representing diverse cultures and a wide range of social classes (Carson, 2007). Since Ontario was a city of immigrants, I anticipated such experiences. Since most of the students came from low-income backgrounds, I felt obligated to help them and create an impact in their lives.
Building confidence
During my first lesson, the situation was highly complicated, but I was not ready to withdraw. On the contrary, I focused on overcoming all barriers. At the end of my first lesson, I summoned a boy who had demonstrated an extreme lack of interest in this lesson. Jack, right? I asked using symbols of which I was not sure he understood in the first place. Yes, so what? he implied using visible speech. Although the response was not perfect, I was fascinated to realize that there was a chance to develop from somewhere. Listen, I surely understand each students feelings about visible speech. I have joined you to assist everyone to learn how to communicate successfully.
Kindly do not let any obstacle come your way while I can help. I affirmed this using visible speech. Jack smiled discouragingly at me as he walked out of the class. I knew I would find a way to engage him, which would serve as a breakthrough to creating rapport with other students. Whenever I felt like quitting, I would experience memories of my deceased brother, Bunny. I had to do everything possible to achieve what my family had set to achieve. By now, I had realized that my father had moved us from Edinburgh so that I could see the maturity of the family dream in helping deaf children learn how to communicate successfully.
Despite the inspiring support from my parents and Henderson, I never saw myself developing personal ability in my current role. At one point, I solely wanted to help and never thought of myself for a second. I was not sure how long this feeling would last. I spent an entire evening attempting to figure out how wrong I had approached my first lesson in this new institution. Everything seemed normal so I had no basis to complain. I knew I needed time to learn how to engage my class.
My anxiety from being a prospective teacher to conducting my first lesson had now declined since the reality had hit me hard. I spent the best part of that evening trying to see how I could set up my telephone project and divert my thoughts from the school experience. Unfortunately, I had to get new materials to set up a new station, but I did not know how since I had not saved any money for this project. Henderson had taught me to take everyday situation as a basis to build a better tomorrow. This aspect reminded me of the new horizons that I was starting to join. Each new day, I had the opportunity to interact with new people who played a significant role throughout the process whilst presenting a broad range of expectations and experiences.
Helping the deaf children learn visible speech was not an easy or pleasant experience as I thought, but meeting students like Jack for a second time felt scary. One of the hardest things I was yet to learn was being tough. I was always keen not to hurt anybody, but I decided that helping these students was very necessary and nothing was going to stop me. What I realized was that acting tough would also build my confidence in all my objectives. The two weeks following my brothers death kept lingering on my mind. Mentally and emotionally, I got the taste of real life. Now I thought of pursuing what my brother cherished, viz. helping the deaf children, but I felt lacking in my approach.
My father was always there when I sought his advice, as he had a lot of hope in me. For the first time, I wanted to be on my own doing what I felt was best for my students. I decided to relate my classes with my project and see how I could help the deaf students. In the evenings after school, I would spend a little time in my newly set station. I started experimenting with electrical signals in an attempt to invent a telephone device. However, I realized that whenever reflecting on my project, the skills that I had learned from my father never crossed my mind. On the contrary, there were memories of everyday dreams that my late brother, Bunny, wanted to achieve for the deaf children. Unfortunately, I did not realize that I was at one time going to be accredited for inventing the telephone, which my father and I had always thought of in our lives.
The great invention
By the summer of 1870, I had worked with two schools for the deaf and this felt little of what I looked forward to attaining within my first year in Brantford, Ontario. The spirit of invention had possessed me and motivated by the urge to benefit the world, I sought to improve life through communication. I always looked at the situation in Ontario and with the breakthrough I had helping deaf children learn how to communicative using symbols, I was convinced that this was not enough to improve the lifestyles for all people. I had a strong feeling that my harmonic approach was viable to invent a device that could transmit signals from one end to the other. My childhood interaction with my grandfather who often liked experimenting was in a short while going to prove vital. By the end of 1870, the idea of the telephone became so vivid.
At this time, I had invested a lot of time and money on this project and I experimented with a system that could relay several message at the same time through a single wire. As I taught, I also experimented with different devices to assist the deaf learn to communicate. Eventually, on December 14, 1870, I came up with the first telephone device. With the help of my assistance, Lucy, we made the first conversation over the phone. Within a short while, the news had spread everywhere through the same device that I had invented. By the eve of the New Year, many families in Ontario had acquired a telephone device (Grosvenor & Wesson, 1997). At last, I realized that I had achieved something for my family and community.
Conclusion
As I constantly embarked on perfecting my device, I tirelessly committed my time to help the deaf children to improve their integration into the mainstream community with the means of lip-reading and alternative techniques. Despite the fears that developed at the beginning of the year, losing Bunny was surely a turning point in my life. This year defined my entire life and it remains fresh in my mind.
Figures 3a & 3b show that only a few people owned cars with most of the middle-income earners opting for horse-ridden caravans, which were deemed prestigious. Availability of motorcar and road network facilitated Moving from Edinburg to Brantford. Fig. 4
The kind of weather experienced during nights in Brantford.
Figure 4 shows the kind of weather experienced during nights in Brantford. Adapting to this kind of climate is not hard since Edinburg and Brantford had relatively similar weather patterns.
Figure 5 shows the environment in Brantford. The climate is admirable and welcoming though it is a bit chilly.
The environment in Brantford.Family life was always cherished in during 1870s in Brantford.
Figure 6 family life was always cherished in during 1870s in Brantford. Having close family ties facilitated networking which helped cope with new neighborhoods and social integration.
The telephone project.
Figure 7 demonstrates the telephone project that was part of my daily involvement
An accomplished telephone project.
Figure 8 demonstrates an accomplished telephone project that changed lives of many people. To me, this was a dream come true and a dedication to my family whose support was reflected through the project.
References
Carson, M. K. (2007). Alexander Graham Bell: Giving voice to the world. New York, NY: Sterling. Web.
Gray, C. (2006). Reluctant genius: Alexander Graham Bell and the passion for invention. New York, NY: Arcade Pub. Web.
Grosvenor, E., & Wesson, M. (1997). Alexander Graham Bell: The Life and Times of the Man Who Invented the Telephone. New York, NY: Abrams. Web.
Lawson, D. (2008). Posterity: Letters of great Americans to their children. New York, NY: Broadway Books. Web.
Lin, Y. (2012). Alexander Graham Bell and the telephone. New York, NY: PowerKids Press. Web.
Royston, A. (2010). Inventors who changed the world. New York, NY: Crabtree Pub. Web.
Shulman, S. (2008). The telephone gambit: Chasing Alexander Graham Bells secret. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Co. Web.
Invention is one of the prewriting techniques used in writing essays. It refers to the creation of new ideas in relation to the question given or the use of old ideas to come up with new ideas in writing. This is a very important strategy as it encourages critical thinking and creativity in essay writing. Many students, who write compositions, prefer this prewriting technique because apart from encouraging critical thinking, it also enables them to write about subjects that are unique and intriguing.
Hence, the participation of old ideas in prewriting entails the consideration of other writers ideas towards the subject to be written. The writer formulates new ideas, by taking the old ideas and using them together with his own ideas, creating an entirely new idea. As much as some might consider this as plagiarism, it is not, because the writer does not copyright other peoples ideas but rather use them to formulate his own ideas.
In writing, there are several stages that are involved in order to come up with a well written essay. These stages make up the writing process and provide a framework for writing an essay. The stages include; prewriting, writing, revising, editing and publishing. Under each stage, there are several sub stages and they all ensure the essay written is perfect. In this case, the prewriting stage is the first stage in the writing process.
Therefore, it refers to the process of coming up with an idea/ideas in writing through a variety of methods such as invention, brainstorming and free writing. These methods of prewriting provide a ground for the writer to know what idea/ideas to explore in his writing. Depending on ones choice, any of the methods mentioned above would do well in the deciding of the appropriate idea to include in writing.
Brainstorming involves the exploration of ideas that come up in relation to ones initial idea. In this case, the writer writes down a sentence, or a phrase then constructs other sentences that would help in the building of the initial and main idea.
Thus, the writer would use a variety of sentences then counter check the sentences to select the ideas that are in line with what he wants to write by leaving out those that are irrelevant. Under free writing, the writer writes down sentences in an open or focused manner. That is the writer does not decide on one idea from the word go but in a piece of paper, writes down many ideas then later on decides on one idea that suits his content.
Therefore, when inventing an idea, there are a few strategies that should be put in place. A brief invention involves a quick thought of an idea, written down then the writer comes up with other ideas that would support it. This can be made possible by involving prior ideas of other writers and the use of the computer can act as a good way of getting information.
Using this form of an invention is particularly helpful, as the writer finds it easy to come up with other ideas that would assist in building up the main idea. Pre-writing technique under the writing process is a skill that every writer should employ in writing and the invention strategy works well especially in terms of originality.
Tomoko Masuzawa is a modern specialist in religious and cultural studies. Her analysis of religions includes linguistic, semantic, and even pedagogical aspects, especially if the problem of teaching religious studies is considered. Masuzawa, working with primary sources on ancient religions, combines religious issues with modern science and sociology methodology. In her works, she analyzes the terms and categories of religious studies, and one of the most common of them is the term world religions.
The discourse of world religions, according to Masuzawa, is a relatively young and accommodating construct, well rooted in schools and universities and reflecting the supposed position of religions in the world. The name world religion becomes a synonym for the word main religion. Masuzawa repeatedly emphasizes this and the impossibility of distinguishing between major and minor religions (Masuzawa 10-11). The spread and rootedness of the term world religion in the discourse of modern liberal arts education is an echo of Eurocentrism. It also speaks of the underdevelopment of the contemporary methodology of science.
The discourse of world religions arose in attempts to systematize knowledge about religions throughout the planet. In addition, attempts were made to organize religions in space and time, taking ancient religious teachings and medieval ones. The system of beliefs geographically (given the particular vagueness of sacred geography. People cannot accurately determine the geography of a specific religion) has developed in the Middle East, South Asia, and the Far East (Masuzawa 3). The progressive West remains, as it were, above religion; it is a researcher who gives names. For the developed West, where the triumph of logic and reason is set, the specifics of faith are not entirely clear. Because of this, religious consciousness remains misunderstood and hidden for researchers. Researchers associate it with mysticism and nebula to declassify religiosity.
The current discourse of world religions allows us to see how Sikhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shintoism are presented in the literature. The latter is so rare in the literature with a detailed review that most people do not hear it, even though Japanese culture is highly developed and widespread in the world. For other people involved in a humanitarian or philosophical discourse, Confucianism will not sound like a religion, but like philosophical teaching, despite its pragmatic focus. Taoism, on the contrary, is just for the Eurocentric consciousness; it is too arcane; therefore, it is considered a religion.
The problem described by Tomoko Masuzawa has academic utility. This usefulness lies in the fact that professors must combine a fundamental change in the study of religions with religions philosophy. Attempts to structure religious teachings scientifically and even technically will only lead to ridiculous mistakes. The discourse of religions develops rhizomatic, and the category of world religions is not compatible with this growth. This category refers to the language of transcendence, which has already exhausted itself in Christianity.
Tomoko Masuzawas research concerns the original linguistic aspect of using the term world religions. She connects the use of this term with Eurocentric attitudes and a lack of understanding. Starting a lexical, semantic, and cultural analysis, Masuzawa moves on to an in-depth analysis of religiosity worldwide. She refers to Immanuel Wallerstein and other philosophers and sociologists to demonstrate the real problem in the methodology of religious studies. Eurocentric terminology permeates the entire system taught in schools and universities. The growth and development of religions, as Masuzawa postulates, is rhizomatic, so researchers cannot reduce it to direct divisions and hierarchies.
Work Cited
Masuzawa, Tomoko. The Invention of World Religions: Or, How European Universalism Was Preserved in the Language of Pluralism. University of Chicago Press, 2005.
Basketball is a sport that involves a total of ten players who makes two teams, five on each side playing against each other by passing a ball and shooting it into the basket, which is always10 foot high ring controlled by rules that make the game organized.
The players can bounce/ dribbling or pass the ball while advancing to the other side of the court. On passing the ball through the basket from above, a team is said to have scored, and the team with the highest or most score at the end of the game is declared the winner (Gifford 25).
In an attempt to keep his students engaged and fit during winters, Dr. Naismith James, who was a physician from Canada, wanted an indoor game that is vigorous. He invented basketball in 1891 in early December at International Young Mens Christian Association (YMCA) training school (nowadays know as Springfield College) in Springfield, MA, United States of America.
The students used soccer balls to play and shoot on the basket made of peach, and its bottom still maintained. In 1892, Berenson Senda invented the womens basketball at Smith College by modifying the rules that Naismith had written so as to suit the women.
After the invention of basketball, the foremost game to be played officially at the gymnasium in the YMCA was on January 20th, 1892.
It involved nine players on each side of the team and ended one-nil with the only shoot that scored was made on a court that was half the size of the nowadays National Basket Association court, was 7.6m (25 foot) away from the basket.
The game then spread throughout the USA, even up to Canada. From the time of its invention, the ball that was being used to play was brown. But in the 1950s Hinkle Tony, while looking for a ball that can be easily seen by the players and the supporters, introduced a bill that was orange and these color is still being used up to the present day.
College basketball started to be played in 1892, thanks to Berenson and Naismith, who organized a game between Miss Heads School and University of California women basketball (Ramen 39) From that time on, several inter-institutional basketball games were organized and played which also included high school games.
The game continued to be popular all over the USA and other European countries and lead to professional men basketball teams being formed in different cities and towns in the 1920s. Such teams included Original Celtics, the Renaissance Five from New York, and Harlem Globetrotters, who played their leagues of up to 200 games in a year in dance halls and armories.
The Association of American Physical Education formed rules of basketball for women in 1905 under the National Womens Committee on basketball, which restricted the number of players per team that should be between six and nine with 11 officials.
In 1924, the International Sports Federation for Women was formed, which conducted a basketball league for women and afterward, with the support of Amateur Athletic Union in 1926, created a basketball championship for women that had the mens rule completely included in womens game. Due to this effort, in1938 the womens game changed to having six players on each team in a 2-court game from the previously 3 -court game.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) was formed in 1946 and lead to the popularity of the game professionally through organizing top men professional games and teams with the first game played on November 1st, 1946, in Toronto, Canada, between New York Knickerbockers and Toronto Huskies. From its formation, the NBA has become the best professional league in basketball in the world. In 1997, the Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA) was formed (National Basketball Association).
The International Basketball Federation was created in 1932 by different nations that involved only involved amateur players. In 1936, the game was included in the Olympic Games for the first time, with amateur players only allowed to play.
In 1989 FIBA dropped the separation between professional and amateur players, which lead to professional players playing for the first time in Olympic Games in 1992, with the women basketball introduced in 1976 (Helmer and Owens 20).
Basketball has a set of rules and regulations that help to manage or organize the game through officiating, as well as procedure and equipment of basketball. Different leagues like the NBA has there own rules, while FIBA determines the international playing rules.
But in general, the rules of the game are simple; for instance, each team is allowed to have only five players at a time on the court, the players are not allowed to walk or run with the ball, and if the ball dribbles out of bounds it becomes an offense.
The rules also determine fouls such as pushing someone, kicking the ball, reaching in for the ball, use of a bad language, and other conducts that are unsportsmanlike. The number of points scored, which can either be two or three, when on make a basket is also under the rules. When one shoots the ball while inside an arch that is drawn on the court, it is two points, and when one shoots outside the arch, it is three points.
The structures and positions of the game are not that specific, but with time, they have changed. From the 1980s, definite positions have been formed, such as the shooting guard, point guard, and the defense.
The shooting guards/ forwards make shots as well as seeking rebound and stealing the ball from the other team; the point guard organizes the offense of the team while the defense (either zone defense or center) protects the ball from entering their basket as well as stealing the ball.
The game also involves passing, dribbling, and shooting the ball. Passing is the movement of the ball from one player to another, dribbling is where the player bounces the ball continuously, and shooting is the throwing into the basket for the ball to score.
The height of most of the male players in a professional game is above six feet three inches (1.9 m) and the women above five feet seven inches (1.70 m), while the guard who is the shortest player due to their skills of ball handling and physical coordination.
Conclusion
Basketball, as a game, has evolved from the time of its invention in 1891 up to the present time and is one of the worlds most-watched sport in the world.
At the same time, it has its variations and other games similar to basketball which uses common basketball equipment and skills like the basket and the ball, for instance, the half-court game, childrens games and contests that are used to reinforce and improve the skills of the players with no strict rules or even without referees.
Works Cited
Gifford, Clive. Basketball: Tell Me about Sport Series. London: Evans Brothers, 2008.
Helmer, Diana & Owens, Tom. The History of Basketball. New York: the Rosen Publishing Group, 1999.
National Basketball Association. Official Rules of the National Basketball Association.
Ramen, Fred. Basketball: Rules, Tips, Strategy, and Safety. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2007.
One of the most fascinating and important exhibits at the Smithsonian Institute would be the Canard Biplane built by the Wright brothers. This beautiful piece of work was very simple in design but got the job done. Basically, it had a small 12 horsepower engine to turn the propellers and a sprocket and chain transmission system. The airplane design itself was just bare bones because the idea was that you would need enough power to propel a craft that big into the air. So, the less you had to propel into the air the better.
In December of 1903, the Wright brothers were at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina to test their heavier-than-air flying machine. Both brothers made attempts, but Orville was the one who finally was successful. It was only a 12 second flight but that flight led to a boom in aviation growth. Their engineering abilities were the springboard to many new designs and improvements in aeronautical inventions. After the successful flight was made, a gust of wind turned the aircraft over and damaged it. It never flew again.
The Wright brothers then made advancements in their designs that caught the attention of the United States Military. These planes were much faster than the original and by this time the Wright brothers were in the business of selling planes. The advancements continued for the Wright brothers as they built an unmanned aircraft that was a guided missile. This invention was used during World War I and was successful half of the time. So, the invention of this biplane helped the United States military to have an advantage or to be on equal ground with other countries during wartime. Some say that this accomplishment helped to get the idea of rockets going. Also, the advancement in instruments to assist with flight in a more precise way involved the advancements of many other things such as computers.
When trying to imagine what it would be like without airplanes and other aircraft, several disadvantages come to mind. Without the Wright brother’s invention, we would still have long week drives to places that we can get to in hours if need be. Going cross country in a plane makes visits to people and places so much faster and we are able to do this more often. If there were no aircraft, we would have to allot for the additional travel time. Therefore, we would not visit these people and places as often. This would be a great downfall for the business world. Going overseas would still be several months until arrival. This kind of travel would deter most people from being able to visit other countries that are overseas. With the invention of helicopters, we can get to some places within minutes that used to take hours. Without the ability of flight, there would be times when lives would not be saved because getting someone from a remote area to assistance in time may take too long.
This one invention by the Wright brothers has keep the United States interested in researching additional types of aviation. We continue with the possibility of increased improvements of our airplanes. Their abilities to navigate more precisely to specific areas. Their speeds continue to increase. I would say the most important research would now be space flight. This frontier has not really been conquered at this point in history. One day we hope to have shuttles to the moon and aircraft that can speed through outer space. The possibilities are right in front of us, we just need to have the will to attempt new ideas, just as the Wright brothers did so many years ago.