My Favorite Chinese Festival The Mid-autumn is my favorite Chinese festival. It always falls on the 15th day of August, but this year is on 29th September. “This wonderful tale is a depiction of a Chinese family coming together and preparing to celebrate the moon with a nighttime picnic that embraces their Chinese customs with glowing lanterns and includes traditional dishes, such as the moon cakes, pomelos, and tea. ”(LIN 94) A few days before the festival, everyone in the family will help to make the house clean and beautiful.
Lanterns will be hung in front of the house. On the evening there will be a big family dinner. People who work far away from their homes will try to come back for the festival. After dinner, people will light the lanterns which are usually red and round. Children will play with their own toy lanterns happily. Then they will sit together to enjoy looking at the moon, the moon is usually round and bright at night. People also can enjoy the moon while eating moon cakes which are the special food for this festival.
There is the background about moon cakes: The legend of the Han Chinese’s uprising against the ruling Mongols at the end to the Yuan dynasty (1280–1368 CE), in which the Han Chinese used traditional moon cakes to conceal the message that they were to rebel on Wu 2 Mid-Autumn Day. (Yang 270) This Festival is also a family holiday. The family members are very happy, because people can look back on the past and look forward to the future together under the beautiful moon.
There also has many wonderful stories about Mid-autumn festival’s moon, I know a story is about love, Hou Yi and his wife Chang’e were forced to separate, Hou Yi on the earth and Chang’e on the moon. They only be allowed can meet once on the Mid-autumn, so that date is very important and precious to them. This story gives people have more expectation, I am a good example like the story. There is a long distance between me and my girlfriend. We met once every 1 year, and most time of my life is missing her. In every Mid-autumn Day, the missing will become more intense. I always felt: No matter East or West, home is best.
As the atmosphere of the autumn is becoming more and more evident, the Mid-autumn festival is coming. The weather is turning cool gradually, and there are big differences of the temperatures between day and night. I even have a little sense of sentiment of autumn, homesick became stronger. The moon on the fifteenth of August of the lunar calendar is roundest in the year, and the day is a time of reunion in Chinese people. As to people who are far away from their homes, they undoubtedly miss their relatives and friends much more on the day. Just like me, I felt so lonely at this year’s Mid-autumn festival.
Because I am in a foreign country, I cannot reunite with my families, lover, only watch the moon alone at here, and recall about something happened at the festival before. Although it is the same moon, but the Wu 3 feeling at home is totally different with here. In my childhood, when the round moon was hanging in the sky at night of the Mid-autumn festival, my father always put a table in the yard. Besides some moon cakes, there were also fruits such as watermelon, apples and grapes on the table. My grandma, mother, father, younger sister and I were around the table enjoying the delicious food, talking and laughing.
Although I was very happy, I felt no more than amused then. Many years later, I was deeply aware how worthwhile it was to cherish. All my loves were around; there was worry in the heart and everything was so peaceful. The moonlight was very gentle and warm, and our family was as whole as the moon then. I remember that when I was in the third grade of the senior high school, we had classes everyday even at weekends, but our school gave us students a day off on the Mid-autumn festival, according to our school, it would be probably rare for us to be together with all the families on the festival.
I didn’t understand clearly the decision of our school at that time. Three years elapsed, and it was really my last Mid-autumn festival that I spent in my hometown. I have been in America for more than two years, and I have my own apartment and study life in this country, but the sense of loneliness comes into my heart from time to time. Walking among the crowds of people, I do not feel as if I belong here. I always cannot help recalling the people and things in my hometown. The fragments of my childhood often occurred to me when I do not expect them.
Wu 4 After a short soothing time, I have to experience a long while of upset. At the night when the moon is round, I particularly miss my relatives and friends in my hometown. Looking up at the moon, I think the moonlight is so dismal that makes me feel greatly empty. I spent one and another moon festival with such a sentimental and worrying mood. The longer I am away from my hometown, the more seriously I am homesick. Although it is the same moon, there are thousands of kilometers away between the people who enjoyed the moon at that time.
People often say that what you are thinking about is what you can see from the moon. When will I sense the pleasure and the satisfaction of reunion instead of the loneliness? Perhaps time will tell me the answer. I hope there is one day as soon as possible that I can stay with my families and lover when the Mid-autumn festival coming. Work Cited LIN, Grace. “Thanking the Moon: Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. ” Library Media Connection. Vol. 29 Issue 4: p94-94. Web. 30. 9. 2012. Yang, Lemei. “China’s Mid-Autumn Day. ” Journal of Folklore Research. Vol. 43 Issue 3(2006): p270-270. Web. 30. 9. 2012.
Review Of The Movie “Moneyball”
The Moneyball movie quotes offer a captivating narrative that surpasses the realm of baseball and sports. Based on Michael Lewis’ book, this film presents a fascinating perspective on achieving success in baseball. It centers around Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A’s, and his partnership with Peter Brand, an Ivy League-educated computer expert. The outstanding performances by Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill create a mesmerizing chemistry that breathes life into the movie, notably highlighting one of Pitt’s finest acting moments.
Moneyball is a movie that combines savvy, astute, clever, and fulfilling elements with the recognition that it involves people. Moneyball: The Fine Art of Strategy and other Valuable Lessons explores the essence of Moneyball. In this film, Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A’s, confronts the challenge of operating within the lowest salary constraint in baseball. To win the World Series, Billy must find a competitive advantage. However, he revolutionizes baseball by using statistical data to evaluate and assign value to his team’s players. Though Moneyball can be viewed as a sports film, focusing solely on that aspect would mean overlooking half or even all of its story. The movie demonstrates exceptional strategy, leadership skills, making and committing to difficult decisions, as well as thinking outside conventional boundaries. After watching Moneyball, I felt like I had witnessed a condensed two-hour amalgamation of various subjects such as “Team Management,” “Leadership Skills,” and “Strategic Thinking,” which left me thoroughly amazed.
Redefining the problem is crucial in finding innovative solutions, whether it be in business or other fields. Strategists often stress the significance of not expecting different outcomes when consistently approaching things in the same manner. This idea is echoed by Billy Beane in the movie Moneyball, where he frequently expresses frustration with not asking the right questions. This concept serves as a fundamental principle in strategic and creative thinking.
In one notable scene of the film, Billy challenges his talent scouts to accurately define the problem at hand. However, they struggle to identify the true issue due to their focus on concrete facts. This scene acts as a wake-up call and highlights the underlying theme of mastering strategic and creative thinking.
Based on Billy Beane’s real-life experiences with the Oakland Athletics, Moneyball demonstrates that seeking different answers through different questions can result in diverse outcomes. The book Strategy and The Art of War provides valuable insights into why plans fail or succeed. It emphasizes reassessing decisions when faced with challenges and making necessary adjustments to achieve desired results.
The renowned work The Art of War by Sun Tzu also underscores that strategy and planning are effective in controlled environments but become more challenging within constantly changing circumstances.In such situations, prompt and appropriate responses are necessary to adapt to changing conditions. The film Moneyball accurately portrays this philosophy as Billy and Peter strategize and design a game plan, carefully selecting players who can achieve desired results within their budget.
Despite their expectations, the plan fails and they revisit their questions, still believing they have the correct answers and tools. However, without the support of their head coach Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who refuses to follow the plan, what does The Art of War suggest? The solution is to adapt by preventing Howe from deviating from the plan. This can be achieved by restricting his ability to choose players other than those intended for each specific role.
The team quickly adjusts their lineup within a 10-minute timeframe, ensuring that they eliminate any options that go against their plan. This decision is considered risky as it involves getting rid of the so-called best players. However, they have confidence in their plan and firmly believe in sticking to what they perceive as right. Moneyball illustrates how challenging decisions are an inherent part of team leadership. One particular scene highlights Peter Brand’s lack of experience in this realm as he hesitantly transfers a player. Despite its brevity, this impactful moment showcases the clash between emotions and logic while still maintaining respect. Billy emphasizes the importance of firing players straightforwardly and respectfully, acknowledging that this is how players should be treated and what they deserve.
By watching Moneyball, any manager can gain more knowledge about this challenging task compared to reading books or attending seminars. Moreover, managers who have experienced this difficult position and watch the movie will definitely comprehend it deeply. The movie demonstrates how the task is carried out with great simplicity and without causing any damage to anyone’s ego, which can be quite remarkable. Additionally, there are numerous leadership examples throughout the film, such as Billy’s face-offs with his management team who disagree with his strategy, making it hard to choose a favorite one.
The film highlights several lessons, with a focus on Billy’s conversation with David Justice during bat practice. Justice, an experienced player who considers himself superior to his teammates, is corrected by Billy about his true nature and how he should behave. This interaction teaches a vital lesson about leadership – instead of trying to alter people’s identities, it is more effective to change their actions. Any competent manager can understand the value of this honest exchange.
Furthermore, the movie also emphasizes the significance of return on investment (ROI) in business. In certain cases, team restructuring becomes necessary when there is insufficient funding to compete against larger competitors.
The movie emphasizes the significance of both a team’s budget and its ability to achieve cost-effective outcomes. Money plays a crucial role in driving the A’s transformation, consistently reinforcing this theme. To further emphasize this point, there is a pivotal scene towards the end where Billy interviews with John Henry, owner of the Boston Red Sox.
The question at hand is whether it is more advantageous to invest $1,400,000 per game in order to secure 10 victories or to allocate $200,000 per game for the same number of wins. The central concern lies in determining which option yields a greater return on investment (ROI). It should be emphasized that Moneyball extends beyond being merely a baseball film and failing to recognize its significance solely as a sports movie fails to grasp its true value.
In any and all seminars about management and leadership and strategy, they consistently emphasize a significant lesson: regardless of the subject – whether it’s school, work, relationships, or anything else – there are always diverse solutions depending on the questions you ask.
As for credits, the cast is excellent and delivers magnificent performances. However, the standout element for me is the script. It is sharp, incisive, and avoids the sentimentality often seen in Hollywood movies. The script is an adaptation of Michael’s book, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, and was written by Steven Zaillan and Aaron Sorkin.
Fear Of Technology And Computers
Introduction
Today’s society is characterized by the widespread use of computers and digital technology. The rapid advancement in the field of technology has made life a lot easier. The fast technological development is attributed to the inventions and innovations of many useful tools and gadgets.
The improvements and invention of the various tools and gadgets served beneficial purposes in the various fields of the society. It enables these fields to reach their goals in modernizing and emancipating the standards within their roles and services. The improvements in our technology are evident and enjoyed by man everyday. The communication process is a whole lot easier and many lives were saved with the use of technology. These technological advancements are considered as a major benefit for the succeeding generations that will further invent and innovate today’s products of technology.
However, a dilemma being faced by the contemporary society is still high with regard to the development of technological advancements nowadays. There are some people who have acquired fear on using these technologies. Their phobia is focused on the innovations of the products of technology. This kind of fear has long been a human concern and it is important that we understand the phobia that some people are experiencing.
Fear of Technology and Computers
The widespread use of various technologies, especially the computers is evident in today’s society. It is easy to think that since we are exposed to these technologies, we are comfortable in using these different products of technology. There are still some people that are hesitant to explore the various mechanisms of useful technologies such as the computer. Some people believe that significant changes within the interface of a highly technical machine may alter humans’ work routines, and as such, can cause fear and hesitation among the people (Goldsmith, Morgan & Ogg, 2004).
The Dell Computer Corporation quoted that “the fear of technology may be the phobia of the 1990s”. The United States is one of the countries leading the technical innovation; thus, it is surprising to find that 55 percent of the American population is still resistant or afraid of taking advantage on the existing technology (“USA Today,” 1993).
The young adults who are more technically literate than adults know how the technical devices transform and vary. And as such, adults are more anxious in using computers and are nervous in operating the computer on their own. But both groups agree on the importance of the computers and on how people will benefit from it (“USA Today,” 1993).
Fear on technology may be caused by anxiety, confusion and frustration. Many relevant studies have discussed the role of computers in instilling anxiety and technophobia. Most of the researchers agree that technophobia is both a physical and mental response to technology. People may sweat out and feel light-headed when subjected to a technological situation. People may also experience anxiety and being out of control reinforcing the fear of technology (Sarkodie-Mensah, 2002).
Since the early days, fear of technology is one of the major human concerns. Fear of technology is also known as technophobia which has resulted from the competition of the products of technology. In some cases, technophobia is also seen as a cultural construct. It is believed that the fear originated from the higher capacity and intelligence of the modern computers that sometimes exceeds the capacity of the human mind. It is also speculated that the fear on computers is believed to be rooted from cultural and historical backgrounds (Karwowski, 2006).
Computer technology is considered as a challenge in the world. The inception of new technology disrupts the routine and comfort of a person in the present situation. It creates anxiety and later develops into fear due to the unknown effects of the particular technology on the life and work of an individual (Sarkodie-Mensah, 2002).
Fear of technology is more often associated with librarians who are believed to be experiencing this kind of fear. Fear of technology is directly related to the anxiety of the librarians. Most people experiencing technophobia are women, elderly and international students. Some studies find out that technology is more masculine than feminine and men often feel more comfortable with these technological advancements. There is a minimal difference of technophobia between the two genders. One of the biggest differences in technology that is related to computers is the prevalence of computer games, which is more popular among men than women (Sarkodie-Mensah, 2002).
Another group of people that is experiencing technophobia is the aged students who had experienced long education gaps. People who were out of school for quite a long time may feel apprehended with technology. The major difference with age is how they initially deal with technology. Adolescents prefer to explore the computer on their own, while adults prefer proper training on how to use a computer. International students also experience technological anxiety, especially library anxiety. Some of the challenges in technology that most international students face are language and communication barriers and the difficulty of adjusting to various library systems (Sarkodie-Mensah, 2002).
How to Overcome It
Technology bears a distinct importance in the society. It becomes the determinant of the level of the modernism. Technology entails the progression in life (“Do you Suffer from Fear of Technology?” 2008). Computers have been beneficial to the contemporary society along with the internet which makes research and information gathering easier (Bradley, 2007). As such, it is surprising to find people who are still afraid or still lack in knowledge in utilizing computers and its useful features. Fear of technology means you deny the progression or advancement in life and career (“Do you Suffer from Fear of Technology?”, 2008).
Technophobia occurs due to the sudden change in the environment. You may feel comfortable in the present professional environment you are in and you tend to avoid changes and alterations because you are afraid of the technological challenges and its effects on your career. The fear of technology or technophobia hinders effective interpersonal relationships with friends and relatives and deteriorates the professional quality of a person. The fear that the person is experiencing may lead to panic attacks, restlessness and irritation (“Do you Suffer from Fear of Technology?” 2008).
In order to overcome the fear of technology, people must know that a computer is just a tool and just like any other tool, it must be used safely and appropriately (Bradley, 2007). There are a lot of ways to learn and master the computer. It may exceed the capacity and capability of the human mind. But a computer will not work without a person operating it.
Technophobes should realize that the computers are beneficial machines in today’s society. Stored information in the computer could easily be accessed. Through the use of computers, people can navigate through the internet and can easily access pertinent information in our researches. Some people have difficulty understanding the jargons and terminologies that are related with computers such as hardware, software, ROM and RAM (Bradley, 2007).
Thus, in order to overcome the fear of technology, it is best to learn the particular technology such as the computer by purchasing self-help books or computer-related books or attending training classes to learn how to utilize the technology correctly. Technological innovations are very important tools for a country to progress. And as such, the people should be willing to use these innovations in order to gain great benefits from these.
References
Bradley, C. (2007, February 20). “Technology Phobia: How to Overcome It”. Associated Content. Associated Content, Inc. Retrieved October 22, 2008 from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/148685/technology_phobia_how_to_overcome_it.html?page=2&cat=15.
Do you Suffer from Fear of Technology?. (2008, October 20). Cure Your Phobia Instantly. Morpheus Institute. Retrieved October 22, 2008 from http://www.phobia-fear-release.com/fear-of-technology.html.
Goldsmith, M., Morgan, H. & Ogg, A.J. (2004). Leading Organizational Learning. San Francisco, CA: Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Karwowski, W. (2006). International Encyclopedia of Ergonomics and Human Factors. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
Sarkodie-Mensah, K. (2002). Helping the Difficult Library Patron. Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Information Press.
USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education). (1993, December). Fear of Technology-1990s Phobia. BNET. CNET Networks, Inc. Retrieved October 22, 2008 from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1272/is_n2583_v122/ai_14672808.