Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Other courses

Tom King is a big brute of a man who looks every inch the champion prizefighter he was twenty years ago. Times are harder now. He seldom gets a good match and even has trouble finding work on the docks. As the story opens, Tom is finishing a meager meal of flour gravy and bread. He had been craving a piece of steak since the morning, and his poor wife had tried to get meat from the local butchers, but they refused her credit. She purchased the bread with their last few shillings and borrowed the flour from a neighbor. There is no food in the house. She eats nothing herself and has sent their two children to bed without supper. She knows that Tom needs all the nourishment he can get. In less than two hours, he will be fighting a younger man... Continue reading "The Aging Boxer's Last Stand" »

The 1968 Olympic Protest: A Symbol of Black Power

Tommie Smith and John Carlos were African American athletes who won the gold and bronze medals, respectively, in the 200-meter race. They received their medals wearing black socks and no shoes to represent Black poverty. The two men stood with clenched fists upraised and heads bowed while the American national anthem played. With this gesture, they sought to draw international attention to racial discrimination in the United States. The black-gloved and raised clenched fists were meant to symbolize ‘Black Power’. The silver medallist, white Australian athlete, Peter Norman, wore a human rights badge on his shirt during the ceremony to show his support for the two Americans.

Understanding Social

Objectives of Federalism in India

Safeguarding and promoting national unity while accommodating regional diversity are the primary objectives of federalism in India. Two crucial aspects underpin the practice of federalism:

1. Governments at different levels should agree to power-sharing rules.
2. Mutual trust is essential, with each level adhering to the agreed-upon arrangements.

An ideal federal system embodies both mutual trust and a shared commitment to coexistence.

Types of Federations

Coming Together Federations

Independent states voluntarily unite to form a larger entity, pooling sovereignty while retaining their identities to enhance security. Examples include the USA, Switzerland, and Australia. In such federations, constituent states typically... Continue reading "Understanding Federalism in India" »

Murketing

Murketing is an advertising strategy that avoids direct sales of a product and focuses instead on vagaries such as marketing buzz, brand identity, and publicity.^[1][2]

Contents

• 1 Examples
• 2 Usage and etymology
• 3 References
• 4 External links

Examples

Well-known examples of murketing include the launch of Red Bull, which spent millions of dollars promoting stealth events and competitions that had little to do with their actual product.^[3]Pabst Blue Ribbon similarly attempted to cultivate an apathetic image by deliberately not trying to sell or brand their product, knowing that doing so would have alienated their brand-weary potential customers.^[3] The use of viral videos, often unattributed or only indirectly... Continue reading "Understanding Murketing: A Deceptive Marketing Strategy" »

Busy Work vs. Engaging Learning Activities

BUSY WORK:

Tasks JUST to keep students entertained.

Not thinking nor learning.

ENGAGING LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

Activities that get the student involved in his learning and foment cognitive learning.  We are actually learning something.

Misbehavior: Examples & How to Deal

• Examples of Misbehavior:
  • Class disruption
  • Not following the rules
  • Talk out of context
• How to Deal:
  • Give responsibility
  • Give clear instructions
  • Be firm, not rude
  • Reprimand privately
  • Give reinforcers

Classroom Layout & Seating Arrangements

Classroom layout and seating arrangements can affect learning in several ways:

• Affects interaction
• Affects eye-to-eye contact
• Affects board access
• Affects the teacher's attention to students
• Affects teacher's supervision

Common

Connected and Disconnected Graphs

A graph is connected if any two vertices of the graph are connected by a path. Conversely, a graph is disconnected if at least two vertices are not connected by a path.

If a graph G is disconnected, then every maximal connected subgraph of G is called a connected component of graph G.

Dense and Sparse Graphs

A dense graph is a graph in which the number of edges is close to the maximal possible number of edges.

A sparse graph is a graph in which the number of edges is close to the minimal possible number of edges. A sparse graph can be a disconnected graph.

Key Characteristics and Comparison

• Informally, a graph with relatively few edges is sparse, and a graph with many edges is dense.
• Sparse graphs are sparsely connected

Binary Search Tree (BST)

Binary search tree (BST) is a tree in which all nodes follow the below mentioned properties:

1. The left sub-tree of a node has a key less than or equal to its parent node's key.
2. The right sub-tree of a node has a key greater than or equal to its parent node's key.
3. Binary search tree (BST) divides all its sub-trees into two segments: left sub-tree and right sub-tree and can be defined as left_subtree (keys) ≤ node (key) ≤ right_subtree (keys).

Red-Black Tree

A red-black tree is a binary search tree in which each node is colored red or black. The root is black. The children of a red node are black. Every path from the root to leaf has the same number of black nodes and all leaves are black.

AVL Tree

Adelson, Velski & Landis

The Liberation of South America

The Latin American independence movement was a significant struggle, often compared to the American Revolution. While both events shared similarities, key differences also existed.

Similarities:

• Both were led by well-educated elites.
• Both aimed to overthrow the rule of a mother country.
• Both were large-scale civil wars.
• Both benefited from foreign assistance.

Differences:

• Unlike the American Revolution, the Latin American struggle lacked a unified direction or strategy due to vast distances, geographical obstacles, and economic and cultural isolation between countries.
• Latin American countries faced prolonged struggles against Spain's power and numerous internal and external challenges.

The struggle for independence had... Continue reading "Simón Bolívar and the Liberation of South America" »

The Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire

Early Encounters and Exploration

In 1518, a disturbing report reached the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán: white-faced men were approaching from the sea. King Moctezuma, filled with dismay, wondered if these strangers could be the returning god Quetzalcóatl.

These men were part of an expedition led by Juan de Grijalva, sent by Diego Velásquez, the governor of Cuba, to explore the coasts discovered by Francisco Hernández de Córdoba. Grijalva's expedition traded gold with the Aztecs, confirming the existence of a wealthy kingdom.

Hernán Cortés and the March to Tenochtitlán

Velásquez, eager to conquer this new land, chose Hernán Cortés to lead a third expedition. Cortés, a skilled soldier and strategist,... Continue reading "The Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire: A Pivotal Moment in History" »

The Rise of the Inca Empire

Around 1500, during the mid-fourteenth century, a small tribe rose from obscurity in the highlands of modern Peru to create one of the mightiest empires of Ancient America.

Early Inca Life and Development

• Around 2500 BCE, they had a village life. Their traditions originated on the coast, based on fishing, cultivating, and food gathering.
• After centuries of simple village life, a strong cultural advance began about 900 BCE, associated with progress in agriculture due to population pressure.

Cultural and Technological Advancements

• They developed a distinctive style in building, art, and ceramics, called Chavín.
• The Mochica culture built pyramids, temples, and large irrigation canals, evolving into a highly complex society.