Social networks Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Social networks - Research Proposal Example By examining this, there is the ability to draw conclusions about mass media and how it can use communication effectively with social media for stronger influences. Literature Review The social networks that have emerged in the last two decades are continuing to influence the behaviors and trends of those interested in the networking. This literature review will examine the main ideologies of social networks and how they are emerging into new forms of connecting with others. Specifically, there will be an understanding of how social networks have changed, what has developed and how this is influencing mass media and communication. There will be an examination of what the current trends are with social networks and what is expected in the future, specifically with a focus on what this means for new media. By examining these components, there is the ability to create a deeper understanding of the structure of networks and how these are influencing the current conditions of individuals online. Background of Social Networks The concept of social networks began to emerge in the 1990s and since this time has moved into a rapid spread of growth. The concept is one which emerged with the development of Web 2.0, which was inclusive of the second generation of the Internet. The objectives with Web 2.0 were based on developing interactive platforms for information and networking among individuals and groups. The social networks are inclusive of five eras that have developed with platforms that demand different forms of interaction. The first is social relationships, which includes information, discussions and media available on the Internet. This is followed by social functionality, which includes platforms for friending and communication that is developed. The third is social colonization, which began in 2009. This concept is based on individuals that are able to receive social connections that override the traditional websites and forms of communication. The era of soci al context and social commerce has followed, which is allowing the social applications to alter according to likes and experiences as well as with corporations driving the main components. Each of these eras can be seen in Figure 1. Figure 1: Eras of Social Networking (Owyang, 2009: p 2). Values of Social Networking The eras that have been developed through social networks are furthered with trends and expectations that are a part of the emergence of this new form of working with others. The main focus with social networks is to create a definition of social capital. This means that the networks are defined specifically by the value of networking with others socially and how this leads to relationships with others. For businesses, media and other institutions, the social capital is becoming a way of adding value and recognition to various needs. Specialist audiences, target groups and other forms of social media are continuing to emerge into new forms of behaviors and expectations w ith connecting on the Internet, while new value is being maintained in terms of communication, dialogue and interactions with others that are using online portals to connect to others socially (Woolcock, 2008: p. 469). The social capital that has

The Implications Of The Erp Implementation Information Technology Essay

The Implications Of The Erp Implementation Information Technology Essay Enterprise resource planning systems are now a common feature of any large business; indeed, they are widely considered to be one of the most influential technological developments within the corporate workplace (Davenport, 1999). The popularity of such technology can be ascribed to the organisational benefits of implementing such systems; according to Lengnick-Hall et al (2004), for example, the introduction of such systems can improve the process flow of an organisation and provide the management of the organisation with better quality data on which to base their strategic decisions. This aids companies in their need to react in a timely and flexible manner to changes in the business environment (Zheng et al, 2006). The popularity of the implementation of ERP systems can be seen in the fact that the ERP software market is currently one of the fastest growing e-business software markets in the world, having increased from a value of $23.6 billion in 2004 to roughly $28.8 billion in 2006 (Woodie, 2005). However, there are limitations to the benefits which can result from the implementation of ERP systems, as reflected in the failed ERP implementations at Allied Waste Industries Inc and Hershey Foods Corporation (Scott and Vesey, 2002). The rapid economic growth of the United Arab Emirates has resulted in its transformation into a sought after destination for large enterprises (ERP in UAE, 2011). This is particularly the case in Abu Dhabi and Dubai which is currently the largest trading centre in the Middle East, and whose liberal government regulations, high quality infrastructure and thriving service sector have contributed to its success (ERP in UAE, 2011). As a result of such vibrant business growth, the ERP software market in the UAE was estimated at $300 million (Dh 1.1 billion) at the end of 2009 and is projected to grow further (Askari, 2008). This essay focuses on the implications of ERP implementation in Etihad Airways, the United Arab Emirates national airline, which was completed in 2006. The aim of the essay is to assess the implications of the new ERP system on the organisation as a whole and on its users. The essay begins with an overview of the key factors which are deemed to be important in determin ing the organisational and individual implications of the implementation of an ERP system before subsequently discussing the details of the ERP implementation in the case of Etihad Airways. The advantages and limitations associated with the new ERP system from the perspective of both the organisation and the users is then explored. A review of the studies which have been recently published in the field of ERP suggest a number of critical success factors which need to be present in an organisation to ensure that the implementation of the system yields the desired benefits to both the organisation and the users of the new system. If any of these critical success factors are absent, neither the individuals nor the organisation will reap the full benefits from the implementation of the new system. The first of these is strong leadership, or the capability of senior managers to convince the members of their organisation of the advantages of the change which will result from the ERP system implementation (Davenport, 1999). It is also important for managers to demonstrate that the implementation of the new system is motivated by market needs and that it will enable the organisation to thrive in their environment. This is corroborated by the results of a survey conducted by Zairi and Sinclair (1995) which indicated tha t effective leadership was thought to be the most important factor in large transformation efforts. The second critical success factor which has been identified is barriers to change within the organisation. If employees are resistant to the introduction of a new system, the likelihood is that the ERP system will fail to be successful. Such resistance may stem from a fear of losing power within the organisation or a resentment of authority, an issue highlighted by a study conducted by Bancroft (1996) which found that resolving political issues within an organisation was the most difficult challenge to overcome. According to Aladwani (2001), the first step to ensure a successful ERP implementation is the approval and support of key individuals and opinion leaders in the organisation. The third critical success factor is a strong ongoing communication with employees in order to engender a greater understanding of the new system (Kraemmerand et al, 2003) it is important for employees to be kept up to date with the progress of the new system in order to mitigate any confusion or employee resistance. The fourth critical success factor is the management of change and control. In particular, careful project management is important with clearly defined objectives, work plans and an ongoing overview of the progress of the project (Umble et al, 2003). This needs to be reinforced by a clear decision making hierarchy, with frequent progress reviews. The final critical success factor is the importance of organisational culture. The culture of a company influences the way in which the employees, and hence the users of the ERP system, respond to its implementation hence, the culture of the organisation needs to be adapted to incorporate the features of the new system (Wong, 2006). A new organisational culture needs to be developed which is underpinned by the trust and support of the organisations employees towards the new ERP system (Aladwani, 2001). Etihad Airways is the national airline of the United Arab Emirates and launched its services in November 2003 (AMEinfo, 2006). Etihad currently lies to guests to more than fifty destinations in Asia, North America, Australia, Africa and Europe, with its fleet of aircraft totalling 57 (AMEinfo, 2006). Its revenue in 2009 totalled 2.3 billion USD, and the airline carried more than 7 million passengers (AMEinfo, 2006). Etihad implemented its ERP system in 2006 in partnership with Oracle E-Business Suite. The ERP system focused mainly on integrating the disparate functions of the airlines financial and accounting systems, specifically, its accounts payable, fixed assets, purchasing, inventory management, accounts receivable, accounts payable, self service expenses, inventory management and purchasing and its self service procurement (AMEinfo, 2006). The project took a total of eight months to complete and consulting services were provided to Etihad throughout the process by Satyam Comput er Services (AMEinfo, 2006). The new ERP system was implemented according to schedule and on budget. The key drivers behind the decision to implement a new ERP system in Etihad Airways stemmed largely from the fact that their existing accounting and finance system was outdated and technical upgrades were not available (Etihad Airways, 2009). Furthermore, the systems support which was provided by the current software provider was inadequate, with maintenance becoming expensive. As a result, the airline was spending a significant amount of money on a system which was not adequately meeting their needs (Etihad Airways, 2009). It was therefore decided that a new, integrated software system was needed to streamline and integrate the operational and financial process within the company. The processes which were successfully integrated in the introduction of Oracle E-Business Suite met 80 per cent of Etihad Airways requirements (Etihad Airways, 2009). It enabled Etihad Airways to achieve closer integration with the applications of other business units, enable complete process automation an d provided users with a more user friendly interface supported by strong online support (Etihad Airways, 2009). The same ERP system had also been implemented by a number of other regional airlines including Oman Air. The introduction of the new ERP system had a number of positive implications for both the users of the new system and the organisation itself. According to IBS (2011), the introduction of the new system played a key role in fuelling the growth of Etihad Airways. Firstly, the better organisation and integration of different functions within the operational and financial divisions enabled the company to conduct a profitability analysis on its routes, and to improve the yield from its existing routes based on the results of break even analysis (IBS, 2011). The provision of this useful information enabled the management of the organisation to decide on new flight routes as well as saving considerable time in the preparation of monthly and annual management reports, which was assisted by the simplification of the budget creation and invoice verification processes resulting from the integration of the systems. Secondly, all revenue budgeting and monthly accounting processes were fully auto mated and their systems were fully integrated with the other monthly revenue budgeting and accounting systems which were currently in operation at the organisation (IBS, 2011). This provided users with a central store of information from which they could access past reports and users were able to develop customised reports for their daily operations with the new system. This saved considerable time since it reduced the manual input needed from users and increased work efficiency by a total of 75 per cent (IBS, 2011). Thirdly, the implementation of the new system allowed employees to access the relevant financial and operational information at any station and department. It also enabled users to generate different versions of reports and to transfer data between different versions. The lack of manual input needed for the generation of reports meant that there was greater transparency in the calculations and computations which were used, thus reducing the risk of error and enabling th e company to easily retrace its steps in the event of an error. The new system also enabled the organisation to prepare comparison and Key Performance Indicator (KPI) reports to compare metrics such as actual and projected expenditure from both the current and previous years (IBS, 2011). The benefits for the users of the new system in Etihad Airways was very positive. The key implications of the new system for the users consisted of the saving of time. Prior to the implementation of the new system, the finance department had to manually collect information from different work stations and these were combined in order to provide monthly reports for different revenue categories. The time consuming nature of the work involved meant that a total of two people were required to work on compiling reports during a period of five days (IBS, 2011). The introduction of the new system increased the work efficiency of users by 75 per cent (IBS, 2011), thus freeing up the time of users to concentrate on other tasks and also reducing the overall costs incurred by the organisation. Another key benefit for both users and the organisation of the introduction of the new system was the increased accuracy of the quality of work (IBS, 2011). Prior to the implementation of the new system, the majority of the work performed by employees was of a manual nature. There was therefore a significant risk of duplication and potential error related to human oversight Etihad Airways had lacked an integrated front end portal which could adequately support these processes with the result that much of the financial and operational data which was stored on the system was inaccurate and out of date. Therefore, the reports which were based on such data were not useful to management, and it was often necessary for employees to have to search through multiple databases in order to locate the required information. In many cases, the same information was stored in multiple databases which were not interlinked, with the result that data in one database was updated, but the data stored in other databases was not. Therefore, the introduction of the new system resulted in a much more user-friendly interface for the employees of the organisation and made it easier for them to access relevan t data to construct reports (IBS, 2011). However, despite the advantages which have been outlined above, there are a number of limitations associated with the introduction of the new system in relation to both the overall organisation and the systems users. The most obvious limitation to the new ERP system for Etihad Airways is its prohibitive cost. The results of a survey conducted by Panorama Consulting Group and based on 1600 ERP implementations worldwide (Sachdeva, 2010) found that the average cost of implementing a new ERP system is $6.2 million, which typically represents 6.9 per cent of the companys annual revenue. In addition to the one-off cost associated with the initial implementation of the ERP system, the ongoing costs of end-user training and data migration from the old system to the new system requires a considerable amount of time and money, and also results in lost business throughout that period. It is important to ensure that the benefits provided by the implementation of the new system outweigh the costs associated with the system the relatively recent introduction of the ERP system in Etihad Airways makes it difficult to determine whether this is the case. Another potential limitation associated with the implementation of the ERP system is the issue of training. The complexity of ERP systems means that adequate training is essential to ensure that users are fully prepared to start using the system and to earn their support for the project. Indeed, empirical studies have shown that investing a sufficient amount of money into user training is essential in determining the success or failure of a new ERP system. The study conducted by Gartner Consulting indicated that those companies whose training budgets for the new system constituted less than 13 per cent of the overall cost of introducing the new ERP system were significantly more likely to have an ERP system which was unsuccessful when compared to those companies whose training budget comprised a minimum of 17 per cent of the ER P implementation cost (Sachdeva, 2010). The limitations imposed on the effects of new ERP systems by inadequate training is also supported by findings in academic literature: a study conducted by Markus and Tanis (2000) explores the negative effects that inadequate user training and the consequent failure by employees to understand the functionality of the new system represented a key obstacle to the successful functioning of the new system. Furthermore, while the implications of the ERP system at Etihad Airways currently seems to be positive from both an organisational and a user perspective, the systems which are in place may be insufficiently flexible to adapt to any changes in the work flows and processes at the airline (Sachdeva, 2010). Etihad Airways is a very new airline, having only been launched seven years ago, and hence there is a likelihood that its business process will significantly change in the future whether it be through organic growth or through the acquisition of another company. There is therefore a risk that the ERP system which is currently in place may not have the flexibility to cope with changes in Etihad Airways organisational environment. The findings of this essay suggest that the implications of the implementation of the new ERP system in Etihad Airways have been overwhelmingly positive. The key benefits which have accrued to the management from the new system appear to have been a significant reduction in costs due to the reduced amount of time needed to perform activities. Furthermore, the integration of different systems has made it easier for the management to conduct different profitability analyses on airline routes, thus providing them with high quality information which they can use to inform their strategic decisions. The key benefits which have accrued to the users from the introduction of the new system also include a reduction in the amount of time needed to enter data through the elimination of the need for manual input. This has not only alleviated the tedious nature of tasks, it has also freed up users time to dedicate to other activities. The replacement of manual input with automated systems has als o reduced the risk of human error and potential duplication. The key limitations which are posed by the introduction of the new system stem from the ongoing costs associated with the maintenance and support for the new ERP system, the need for continuous training for end users, and the risk that the ERP systems which are in place are not sufficiently flexible to be able to cope with changes to the processes of the airline in the future. It is important for Etihad Airways to ensure that they take concrete steps to minimise the risk that each of these limitations will prove to be a significant obstacle to the success of the ERP system. In order to reduce this risk, it is suggested that the airline invests in continuous training for its users. While this will increase the cost burden of the ERP system, many of the findings and studies cited above have emphasised the importance of end user training and employee support in ensuring the success of a new ERP system (Markus and Tanis, 2000) and hence it is an important investment for the company to make. Furthermore, a high degree of ongoing communication needs to be put in place between management and end users of the ERP system in order to obtain users feedback on their experience of using the ERP system this will allow management to identify in a timely fashion whether the ERP system has any issues related to flexibility, thus ensuring that they are able to make any necessary changes before significant problems arise. It will also help to demonstrate the strong leadership skills of the management which, as highlighted earlier in the essay, is a critical factor in determining the successful implementation of a new ERP system.

Graduation Speech :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

When I was chosen to speak tonight, I thought that as a track athlete it would be appropriate to compare life to a race. Life is a race, a race to each milestone in our lives. Kindergarten through fifth grade we had just entered ourselves into the race called education. We were about to test our strengths and find our weaknesses. The first day of kindergarten we weren't exactly sure what we were in for. Some of us began to write our names and learn to read, while others ate Elmer's glue and pulled little girls' pigtails -- you know who you are. Middle school was our warm-up and preparation. We stretched ourselves to meet new people and some of them are still sitting next to us today. Our crackling voices and newfound interests in the opposite sex who we usually met at the Skate Deck, distracted us from our upcoming race, but our teachers reminded us that our warm-up in middle school is like the race we would face in high school. We began choosing a path and preparing mentally for the challenge ahead. Freshman year, Mr. Donney's starting gun scared us out of the blocks. We met those we would be running the race with and looked up to those who began the race before us. And for those of us who are in the vertically-challenged front row, including myself, (Sarah, Deja) we literally looked up to them. Some of the challenges we faced as freshman were which lunch line to stand in and deciding which one of the Fleming twins was cuter. To this day that's still a dilemma. Throughout the year, we were forced to pick up speed in order to avoid the traditional freshmen trash can and locker stuffings. Sophomore year, we were finally ahead of others and gaining respect. Having moved up in the race, our timidity vanished, and allowed us to participate in assemblies and other school events. And of course Mr. Dononey scared us again, this time using his biology experiments. Junior year, we were finally upperclassmen. Our race began to fall victim to senioritis a year early. But Mr. Burt's chemistry experiments really lit a fire under us. To this day, I am still not sure if Mr. Burt's eyebrows grew back. And of course, the baseball team drove us to be better. I think they used a Chrysler Minivan, but you'd have to ask Andy, Hal or Beau about that.

The Haunted Mask Ii and Anthology Series

The Haunted Mask li and Anthology Series BY pud1992 Goosebumps Episodes Season One: 19 Episodes 1 . The Haunted Mask (Part One): Sick of being scared and tortured by the boys at school, shy and quiet Carly Beth Caldwell buys a Halloween mask from a new store, but doesn't heed the storekeeper's warning of wearing the mask for more than three times, which is when the mask begins to change its wearer's personality. 2. The Haunted Mask (Part Two): Carly Beth visits the man who sold her the mask to help her break its spell over her. 3.The Cuckoo Clock of Doom: Michael Webster's prank on is unruly little sister involving an antique cuckoo clock sends Michael backwards in time. 4. The Girl Who Cried Monster: Lucy Dark discovers her librarian's strange behavior of eating flies after closing time and suspects him of being a monster. 5. Welcome to Camp Nightmare (Part One): Billy's summer camp trip turns scary when his friends start disappearing and a monster is rumored to be loose in the wood s. 6. Welcome to Camp Nightmare (Part Two): Billy plots revenge on the counselors when they threaten to go after one of the campers–until he learns the secret of Camp Nightmare. Phantom of the Auditorium: A school production of † The Phantom † is threatened by strange happenings from a real phantom. 8. Piano Lessons Can Be Murder: Jerry takes piano lessons from a weird man who's obsessed with stealing the hands of his students–and is haunted by the ghost of the weird man's mother. 9. Return of the Mummy: In the sequel to the Goosebumps book, â€Å"The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb† (which was never made into an episode),Gabe and his cousin are trapped in a pyramid belonging to an Egyptian queen who now has control of the mummy from the first book. 0. Night of the Living Dummy II: A girl named Amy receives a replacement ventriloquist dummy, which she accidentally brings to life. 11 . My Hairiest Adventure: Larry Boyd freaks out when his hands become hairy presumably as a result of expired tanning lotion. Things get weirder when his friends begin to disappear and dogs who share their physical features appear in their place. 12. Stay Out of the Basement (Part One): Two siblings, Margaret and Casey, investigate the strange plant experiments in their father's basement. 3. Stay Out of the Basement (Part Two): Margaret and Casey find a man tied in the basement who laims to be their real father who was trapped when his plant-hybrid clone locked him up and took over his life. 14. It Came from Beneath the Sink! : Kat finds a sponge under the sink of her new house that's actually a monster that causes and feeds on bad luck. Directed by David Winning. 15. Say Cheese and Die! : Three friends, Greg, Bird, and Sherri, find a camera that predicts misfortune on the subject it photographs. 16.A Night in Terror Tower (Part One): Two siblings, Eddie and Sue, get lost in England after visiting a torture chamber†¦ and are hunted by an executioner. 7. A Night in Terror Tower (Part Two): A wizard disguised as a 20th century man reveals that the two lost siblings are actually a prince and princess who traveled forward in time to escape being murdered. 18. The Werewolf of Fever Swamp (Part One): Grady Tucker gets a dog suspected to be a werewolf after rumors of murdered animals and late-night howling surface. 19. The Werewolf of Fever Swamp (Part Two): 1.Be Careful What You Wish For†¦ : Klutzy Samantha Byrd gets three wishes from a strange woman named Clarissa–with horrifying results. 2. Attack of the Mutant (Part One): Comic book addict Skipper finds out his favorite comic book villain is real. Adam West guest stars. 3. Attack of the Mutant (Part Two): Skipper discovers that he has been turned into a comic book character chosen to fght a villain called The Masked Mutant. 4. Bad Hare Day: Wannabe magician Tim Swanson steals the bag of tricks from his favorite magician–and finds himself unable to control the mag ic.Colin Mochrie makes a small appearance. 5. The Headless Ghost: Two pranksters, Stephanie Alpert and Duane Comack find themselves trapped in a seaside house haunted by a headless ghost, a sea captain, and the ghost of a boy who died falling hrough a dumb waiter when his strawberry ice cream didn't arrive. 6. Go Eat Worms! : Todd Barstow's sadistic experiments on worms backfire when his test animals begin to haunt him. 7. You Can't Scare Me: Two boys (Eddie and Hat) who dare each other to scare a fearless girl (Courtney) find themselves running from swamp monsters. 8.Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes: A lawn contest prompts a dad to buy two lawn gnomes who cause destruction at night. 9. Ghost Beach: Two siblings, Jerry and Terri Sadler discover the secrets of a seaside mountain cave supposedly haunted by a ghost. 10. Attack of the Jack O'Lanterns: Pumpkin-headed aliens force four children into trick or treating in a strange town. 11. The Haunted Mask II (Part One): In this two-part sequel to â€Å"The Haunted Mask†, Steve Boswell, one of the boys from the original story takes an old man mask from the store that Carly beth went to and begins to become an old man.Meanwhile, Carly Beth's mask from the first story returns to exact his revenge on its former wearer. 12. The Haunted Mask II (Part Two): Steve and Carly Beth try to break the mask's spell–and defeat the mask that tried to possess Carly Beth. 13. Let's Get Invisible! Max and his brother Noah find a mirror in the attic that turns its users invisible, but on the other side is a world where evil mirror reflections want to switch with real people. 14. The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight: An old couple is haunted by demonic scarecrows brought to life by a farmhand's black magic. 5. Monster Blood: In this adaptation of the first â€Å"Monster Blood† book, Evan Ross and his friend, Andy, discover a novelty slime called Monster Blood that devours everything in its path. 16. More Monster Blood: In this story (which has never appeared in the Monster Blood series), Evan travels back home, only o find that the Monster Blood he destroyed is aboard the plane. 17. Vampire Breath: While searching for their birthday presents, two siblings, Freddy and Cara find a bottle that releases the spirit ofa vampire. 18.How to Kill a Monster: Step-siblings Gretchen and Clark stay at their grandparents' house in the middle of a swamp that has a monster locked in a room. 19. Calling All Creeps! : School newspaper Journalist Ricky Beamer plays a prank on his rival that calls the attention of a group of kids who are actually reptilian aliens bent on world domination. 20. Welcome to Dead House Part One): The Benson family moves into a house in a neighborhood were its residents were killed in an accident from a chemical factory and now walk the Earth as zombies. 1 . Welcome to Dead House (Part Two): The children, Amanda and Josh try to fight the zombies and send them back to their graves. 22. Don't Wake Mummy: Adapted from the â€Å"Tales To Give You Goosebumps† anthology series, a family inherits Beauchamp, a wannabe writer, receives a typewriter that brings anything written to life–even the story of a blob monster. 24. Night of the Living Dummy Ill (Part One): Slappy is found by the O'Dell family, and begins terrorizing them. 5.Night of the Living Dummy Ill (Part Two): Slappy faces off against another evil dummy named Rocky who later turns good and kills Slappy and himself to protect the O'Dells. Season Three: 22 episodes 1. A Shocker on Shock Street: Erin Wright and her friend Marty are trapped in an amusement park based on a horror movie series. 2. My Best Friend Is Invisible: Sam Jacobs visits a house that's supposedly haunted by the ghost of a lonely boy named Brent†¦ who ends up following him home and becomes his invisible friend. . The House of No Return: Adapted from the â€Å"Tales To Give You Goosebumps† anthology eries, four friends get trapped in an old house haunted by a married couple whose firstborn child died in an accident. 4. Don't Go To Sleep! : After being told that he can't have the attic as his room, Matt Amsterdam goes to sleep in there, and finds himself in a chain of alternate worlds and on the run from a police force bent on nabbing anyone who messes with reality. Don Cherry guest stars in this episode. 5.Click: Adapted from the â€Å"Tales To Give You Goosebumps† anthology series, a boy mail-orders a remote control that controls his TV, his VCR, his DVD, his stereo–and his life. The 2006 summer film Click starring Adam Sandler has a similar plot to this. 6. An Old Story: Adapted from the â€Å"Tales To Give You Goosebumps† anthology series, an aunt feeds her nephews, Tom and John, prunes that have the power to turn them into old men. 7. The Barking Ghost: Cooper Holmes and his new friend Fergie are tricked into switching bodies with ghostly canines. 8.One Day at HorrorLand (Part One): The Morris family get trapped in a theme park run by monsters. 9. One Day at HorrorLand (Part Two): The Morrises compete on a game show run by monsters from the park. 10. The Haunted House Game: Adapted from the â€Å"Tales To Give You Goosebumps† anthology series, two friends play a game that comes to life–and may cost them theirs. 11. Perfect School (Part One): Adapted from the â€Å"Tales To Give You Goosebumps† anthology series, Brian gets sent to a boarding school where students are cloned and sent to live with the real students' families. 2. Perfect School (Part Two): Brian tries to stop his clone from taking over his life. 13. Werewolf Skin (Part One): Alex Blackwell discovers a secret about the werewolves that live in the woods. 14. Werewolf Skin (Part Two): Alex confronts his aunt and uncle about the werewolf skin they use to turn themselves into the beasts. 5. Awesome Ants: Adapted from the â€Å"Tales To Give You Goosebumps† anthology series, a kid buys an ant farm that comes with pellets that turn the ants into giants. 16.Bride of the Living Dummy: Adapted from the â€Å"Goosebumps 2000† series, Slappy returns and now is planning to marry a girl's doll (who proves to be Just as evil as Slappy). 17. Strained Peas: Adapted from the â€Å"Tales To Give You Goosebumps† anthology series, Nick discovers his new baby sister is a monster. 18. Say Cheese and Die – Again! : In the sequel to â€Å"Say Cheese and Die†, Greg Banks tries to prove to his English teacher that the amera he found does exist so he doesn't flunk his class.When Sherri unearths it, she accidentally takes Greg's picture which predicts that he'll become so fat, he'll explode while Sherri's picture comes out as a negative, predicting that she'll be so part episode that was never adapted from a book, a greedy girl gets sucked into a toy town where she cheats the people during a lemonade sale and turns into a pig as the town chases her down. 20. Chillogy, Part II: Strike Three You're Doomed! : In part two of a three-part episode that was never adapted from a book, a boy gets sucked nto Karlsville and gets caught in a twisted baseball game. 21.Chillogy, Part Ill: Escape from Karlsville: In the conclusion of a three-part episode that was never adapted from a book, Matthew and Jessica enter the toy town to prevent Matthew's younger brother Todd from being turned into plastic. 22. Teacher's Pet: Adapted from the â€Å"Tales To Give You Goosebumps† anthology series, two kids on a field trip in the woods discover why their teacher is so obsessed with snakes, he is one. Season Four: 8 Episodes 1 . How I Got My Shrunken Head (Part One): Mark given a shrunken head by his xplorer aunt travels to the Jungle where his aunt's partners want to steal the shrunken head for themselves. . How I Got My Shrunken Head (Part Two): Mark learns of the Jungle magic hidden in his shrunken head while searching for his aunt.

Techniques of Poetry Appreciation

Techniques of Appreciating Poetry What is poetry? * Poetry is the creativity of a person's imagination. * It is nothing but rhythmical, imaginative language expressing the invention, taste, thought, passion, and insight of the human soul. * Like any other literary work, poetry needs to be understood to be appreciated. * The writer writes for a reason. * The purpose may be to evoke emotion, inform, define, represent something of the world or life, and to entertain. * Whatever the case, a poem is unique to its writer. And each poem can be analyzed to be appreciated.Here are some general ideas that may help one to acknowledge the beauty of the poem: Techniques of Poetry Appreciation: 1. Subject Matter * What is the poem about? * It talks about the general outline of the poetry. * It could be a person, an object, a place, an event, a situation or an experience. * What does the poet want you to focus on, in the poem or in each stanza? Answer: It is a dedication to the humble tomato, which is readily available to us at the grocery store or in our refridgerator. 2. Theme Once you have identified the subject of the poem, try and figure out what the poet wants to tell you.Look at the following: * the poet's message * his purpose * the ideas that he is conveying * the title; * What was the poet’s purpose or motive writing the poem? * What is the central idea of the poem? Always remember that feeling and tone work hand-in-hand with the subject & theme. Answer: * The theme of this poem is that you must learn to embrace the usual things in life that are often seen as dull, and find the beauty within them. * People must respect everything in life, no matter how insignificant it may seem * Pablo expresses his love towards tomatoes. The title of this poem is â€Å"Ode to Tomatoes† which is a dedication to the underappreciated but beautiful things throughout life. 3. Moods, Emotions and Experiences * What is the predominating mood of the poem? * Is it the poet fli ppant, sad, happy, dignified, angry, contemplative, or satirical? * Does the mood change? Answer: The poet changes the subject when speaking about different types of food: first tomatoes, then parsley, and oil. The poet changes the mood as he talks about different occasions: Summer feeling (mild, intense) Weddings (happy, bright) * What are some of the feelings expressed by the poet? What feelings does the poet arouse in you? * Does the poet succeed in conveying his emotions in you? Answer: * Man & Nature- This poem describes the relationship between man and a tomato. * Man v/s Man- This poem also describes societies view on mundane things. The tomatoes can be seen as representing people. It shows people’s different opinions and perspectives of others. 4. Language * Are the poet’s words appropriate and valid? * What emotions are built up around certain words? The words that are used and the way they are placed can enhance the power of the poet's creativity. Answer: Red viscera† = Guts (Violent). â€Å"Fiery colour† = Vibrant, passionate. â€Å"Bubble vigorously† = Aggressive, Enthusiasm. â€Å"Hemispheres† = Makes a tomato seem large and monumental. 5. Imagery There are various ways to paint a picture in the reader's mind through the use of words. * What are the symbolic or figurative devices used in the poem? * What effect is produced by the use of various figures of speech—metaphors, similes, personification? * Are the images visual, auditory, kinesthetic, tactile, olfactory or gustatory. Answer: â€Å"Summer light is halved like a tomato† = Day parted in half, it is noon. Summer- light is halved like a tomato† is a simile comparing the time of day to a tomatoes half, meaning that it is noon. â€Å"Tomato invades the kitchen† = Tomatoes are everywhere. â€Å"Tomato invades kitchen† is a personification. A tomato cannot physically invade and seize a kitchen; it is meant to show just ho w abundant the tomatoes are throughout the kitchen. â€Å"It sheds its own light† = Tomatoes radiate with beauty. â€Å"It sheds its own light, benign majesty† is a metaphor comparing the beauty the writer sees in the tomato to a wonderful light.He is saying that the tomatoes is brilliant and gorgeous; it stands out when he looks at it. â€Å"We must murder it† = Exaggerating the slicing of tomatoes. â€Å"We must murder it† is a hyperbole, exaggerating how we cut up the tomato. â€Å"It is wed to the clear onion† = It complements the taste of onions nicely. â€Å"It is wed to the clear onion† is a personification that shows how well the taste of tomatoes and onions complement each other. Pausing and punctuation have an effect on the structure, rhythm and rhyme of a poem. 6. Sounds * What about the sounds in the poem? Are the sounds in harmony with the thought and imagery? * Do the sounds suggest pictures, arouse emotions or bring out qualit y of the character? * What is the effect produced by the poet’s use of: alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia and metre? * Are the musical qualities of the poem outstanding? * Is rhyme used for emphasis? 7. Rhyme * Does the poem have a set rhyme scheme? * How it is used in the poem? Is the movement slow, steady, or fast? OR Is the rhyme constant or varying? * Does the poet emphasize words or the message by means of the rhyme scheme? What is the purpose and effect of the rhyme scheme? 8. Form/ Structure * How is the poem structured? * How are the stanzas organised? * Is the structure itself convention? The form of the poem is very important. You should know what kind of poem you are dealing with: e. g. ballad, epic, ode, sonnet, dramatic monologue, elegy, etc. Answer: It is an Ode Its written to show reverence to the most ordinary things in life – claiming to have an extraordinary worth or value. Merits| Demerits| 1. Enriches learning of poetry| 1. Time consuming| 2. Ad d value to the text| | 3.Inculcates scientific temper and a spirit of inquiry. | | 4. Allows critical evaluation| | ‘Ode to Tomatoes’ by Pablo Neruda The street filled with tomatoes midday, summer, light is halved like a tomato, its juice runs through the streets. In December, unabated, the tomato invades the kitchen, it enters at lunchtime, takes its ease on countertops, among glasses, butter dishes, blue salt cellars. It sheds its own light, benign majesty. Unfortunately, we must murder it: the knife sinks into living flesh, red-viscera, a cool sun, profound, inexhaustible, populates the salads of Chile, happily, t is wed to the clear onion, and to celebrate the union we pour oil, essential child of the olive, onto its halved hemispheres, pepper adds its fragrance, salt, its magnetism; it is the wedding of the day, parsley hoists its flag, potatoes bubble vigorously, the aroma of the roast knocks at the door, it's time! come on! and, on the table, at the midpoint of s ummer, the tomato, star of earth, recurrent and fertile star, displays its convolutions, its canals, its remarkable amplitude and abundance, no pit, no husk, no leaves or thorns, the tomato offers its gift of fiery color and cool completeness.