WEEK 30: GAME OVER

Writing in this blog is something I truly like but some of the posts must be too long and they take a lot of time to think and to search on the Internet and that is what I have liked the least.

For the rest, it is really fun to write, at least for me, about things I enjoy.

WEEK 29: INTELLIGENCE

Heath drilled holes in B-19's skull and inserted electrodes in several brain regions, including the septal area. For limited periods of time, Heath gave B-19 a push-button device that allowed him to electrically stimulate different regions of his own brain. B-19 soon began obsessively zapping his septal region.

“On one occasion he stimulated his septal region 1,200 times” during a three-hour period, Heath wrote, “on another occasion 1,500 times, and on a third occasion 900 times. He protested each time the unit was taken from him.” The patient “reported feelings of pleasure, alertness and warmth (good will)” and “sexual arousal.”

B-19, who had never had heterosexual intercourse before and found it "repugnant," “began showing increasing interest in female ward personnel,” Heath asserted. When Heath showed B-19 a heterosexual “stag film,” he “became increasingly aroused, had an erection, and masturbated to orgasm.”

Later Heath stimulated B-19’s septal region while he had intercourse with a 21-year-old female prostitute supplied by Heath. The patient "achieved successful penetration, which culminated in a highly satisfactory orgiastic response, despite the milieu and the encumbrances of the lead wires to the electrodes," Heath wrote in Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease.

Heath described the B-19 experiment to Hooper and Teresi in more casual language. He told them that he paid a “lady of the evening” $50 to participate in the experiment. The room where the experiment took place was “blacked out with curtains,” Heath said. “In the next room we had the instruments for recording his brain waves, and he had enough lead wire running into the electrodes in his brain so he could move about freely. We stimulated him a few times, the young lady was very cooperative, and it was a very successful experience.”

• This week I have been studying English transcription

WEEK 28: CONNECTING WORDS

University changes to academic contracts are threatening freedom of speech

Some universities are attempting to insert new clauses into their employment contracts that aim to limit academics’ ability to speak freely in public debate.

All universities acknowledge the role that academics have in public engagement. The University of Sydney for example, states that staff “are encouraged to engage in debate on matters of public importance”. The University of Queensland states that staff are encouraged “to contribute to public debate and media comment”.

Universities recognise that staff are free to make public commentary, as long as it does not prevent them carrying out their normal duties – and as long as they do not claim to be speaking on behalf of the university.

There are also usually other limits imposed on academics’ ability to comment publicly, such as not engaging in harassment, vilification or defamation.

However, it has been reported that some universities are trying to extend or redefine misconduct to prevent academics from speaking out on any matter that is not directly confined to their area of expertise.

How do you define area of expertise?

Melbourne University backed down on its proposal to restrict academics’ ability to comment publicly on only their areas of expertise. Pip Wilson/flickr, CC BY

At Melbourne University it has been reported that management recently proposed restricting academics’ ability to comment publicly to their areas of expertise.

The university soon backed down on this proposal, and now states that it recognises the right of academics to speak freely in public discourse on any matter.

In spite of the backdown, this was an interesting development.

While academics conduct research and develop a speciality within their own discipline, the boundaries of their specialities are also unclear.

Political science academics, for example, often comment on political issues in the news even though their speciality might be in elections, political theory, international organisations, or political parties.

Limiting the freedom to speak publicly to only one’s area of expertise opens the door to management making arbitrary decisions on the boundaries of academics’ expertise.

Trying to define an academic’s area of expertise in a confined way could undermine the ways in which they are able to bring their perspectives to bear on complex social problems.

More importantly, it would not acknowledge the special role that academics have in public discourse. This derives from their dedication to creativity in intellectual life and the pursuit of new knowledge.

Trying to restrict the topics on which academics can speak publicly is a limitation on their academic freedom – and therefore a restriction on their freedom of speech.

This is not the only mechanism that has been suggested to restrict academic freedom.

In recent negotiations at Murdoch University over the terms of a new collective employment agreement, it was reported that the university wants to include in its definition of misconduct actions that might risk the “reputation, viability or profitability of the university”.

As well as resting on highly subjective terms – who would determine whether something risked a university’s reputation or profitability? – this is a significant extension of the meaning of misconduct.

Misconduct usually includes things like theft, assault, making up data instead of actually doing the research, improperly giving a benefit to a family member, or disclosing confidential data. Whether something amounts to “misconduct” or “serious misconduct” depends on the nature and scope of the conduct undertaken.

Including risking the viability or profitability of a university in the items that constitute misconduct could lead to a chilling effect on academic freedom. In free speech theory, a chilling effect occurs when people self-censor for fear of being accused of doing something wrong.

Protecting freedom of speech

Academics are often asked to comment on matters of public debate both within their specialised expertise and on general matters of interest. It should be up to the academic concerned to determine whether they feel qualified to comment on an issue or not.

Engagement in public debate is vital if academics are to have an impact on society, improve public policy, and enable the development of new solutions to complex problems.

Last year the federal government placed greater importance on research impact and engagement. It said universities needed to build stronger relationships with business and the community to ensure their research was having an impact on society.

The kinds of restrictions reportedly being suggested by some university managements run counter to this mandate to improve the interaction between the academic pursuit of knowledge and social impact.

Academics need to retain their freedom to speak on matters of interest, which intersect with their specialised knowledge, even where that intersection is tangential or not visible to others. They need to be able to speak out on matters of public concern without fear that they might be perceived to be placing the viability or profitability of their university at risk. Academic freedom is the key legitimating concept of the entire university system.

• Linking devices:

https://smrtenglish.com/cg/lesson/166

This week to improve my English I have been studying and reading books.

WEEK 27: COMPLAINING

• Get by - to have just enough money for what you need in life.

• Pay back - to return money that you owe.

• Save up - to keep money to achieve a certain goal e.g. buying a house.

• Splash out on - to spend freely on something without worrying about it.

• Chip in - to contribute some money with other people.

second exercise

I am writing today to complain of the poor service I received from your company on June 12, 2016. I was visited by a representative of That Awful Company, Mr. Madman, at my home on that day.

Mr. Madman was one hour late for his appointment and offered nothing by way of apology when he arrived at noon. Your representative did not remove his muddy shoes upon entering my house, and consequently left a trail of dirt in the hallway. Mr. Madman then proceeded to present a range of products to me that I had specifically told his assistant by telephone I was not interested in. I repeatedly tried to ask your representative about the products that were of interest to me, but he refused to deal with my questions. We ended our meeting after 25 minutes without either of us having accomplished anything.

I am most annoyed that I wasted a morning (and half a day's vacation) waiting for Mr. Madman to show up. My impression of That Awful Company has been tarnished, and I am now concerned about how my existing business is being managed by your firm. Furthermore, Mr. Madman's inability to remove his muddy shoes has meant that I have had to engage the services, and incur the expense, of a professional carpet cleaner.

I trust this is not the way That Awful Company wishes to conduct business with valued customers—I have been with you since the company was founded and have never encountered such treatment before. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss matters further and to learn of how you propose to prevent a similar situation from recurring. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

V. Angry

This week I have been reading books and studying

WEEK 26: ESSAY WRITING

http://guidetogrammar.org/grammar/index.htm
https://owl.excelsior.edu/

• The major difficulties for me when I write essays are mainly introductions because to put a topic into words that people will like is hard and I usually have to overthink it very much. This means, I have to erase a lot every sentence I write and rewrite it with another words uncountable times.

This week to improve my English I have been studying and reading books.

WEEK 25: UNDER THE WEATHER WITH THE WEATHER

TEXT 1

Even though the showers and isolated thunderstorms will be brief and miss many cities and towns, Easter egg hunts and other holiday gatherings can be temporarily disrupted in areas that do get hit with wet weather.
A period of steady rain is likely in eastern parts of Maine on Sunday morning, but that will move offshore by the midday and afternoon hours.
Anybody with travel plans on interstates 80, 81, 83, 90 and 95 on Sunday should be alert for rapidly changing roadway conditions and expect slowed traffic in any heavier showers.
A few airline delays are also possible into Monday, but these should not be widespread since the gusty winds that whipped through the Northeast on Friday and Saturday will subside on Sunday and Monday.
As many partake in Earth Day celebrations and festivities on Monday, a new area of low pressure will develop off the mid-Atlantic coastline and bring a period of steady rain to southeastern New England as it tracks northward.

South Carolina (TEXT 2)

There was one confirmed EF1 tornado that hit Florence County, the National Weather Service said. A family became stranded in their home Friday due to flooding in Pickens County, according to TV station WSPA. The Oconee Joint Regional Sewer Authority experienced an overflow at a treatment plant along near Greenville, prompting warnings to avoid the water in a nearby creek. Damage to trees and powerlines was widespread across the state on Friday, with the most damage being done between Charleston and Savannah, Georgia. Several tornadoes may be confirmed over the weekend as the National Weather Service surveys the damage.

This week to improve English I have studied and read books.

WEEK 24: NATURAL WONDERS

Maldives Islands is an archipelago comprising 1,190 low-lying coral islands scattered across the equator, in groups of 26 naturally occurring atolls which are divided into 20 for administrative purposes.
The atolls of Maldives are in fact part of a greater structure known as the Laccadives-Chagos Ridge, which stretches over 2000 kilometres. The islands of Maldives are very low lying with the highest point at approximately 8 feet above sea level. ‘Faru’ or ring-shaped reef structures form the atolls and these provide natural defense against wind and wave action, on the delicate islands.
An indication of the perfection of Maldives atoll structure is the fact that the word ‘atoll’ in the English Language – meaning ‘ring-shaped coral reef enclosing a lagoon’, is a borrowing from the Maldivian language ‘Dhivehi’.
Of the more than 2000 tropical islands that make the paradise that is Maldives, only about 200 are inhabited. Of the remaining islands about a 100 have been developed into exotic resort islands that offer tourists their own hideaway – hidden away from all the hectic hustle and bustle of city life.
The capital of Maldives – Malé, the seat of government and the centre of trade, commerce, business, health and education, is located in the middle of the atoll chain, a small island buzzing with the sounds and activities of more than 150,000 people which is more than one third of the population. Malé is perhaps the smallest urban capital in the whole world.

MY ADDITION:

Paradise awaits you… If your idea of paradise is a pristine tropical island with swaying palm trees and pure white beaches surrounded by crystalline lagoons of varying shades of blue – then the Maldives Islands will definitely fit the bill.Indeed, it is not without reason that the Maldives has been described as ‘(the) flower of the Indies’ by Marco Polo and ‘one of the wonders of the world’ by Ibn Batuta.

It is no wonder that a large percentage of tourists who come to the Maldives are repeat visitors – people who came once and fell so in love with the place that they simple had to come again. The beauty of Maldives is indeed addictive. Once you sample the heady mixture of secluded serenity, thrilling water sports activities, soothing spas, relaxing beaches all wrapped in the luxurious comfort of modern amenities – you are bound to want the experience again.

Sunny, unique and unspoiled, the islands of Maldives offers you sunshine, no matter what time of the year you decide to visit the Maldives – islands that are truly heaven on Earth.

This week to improve my English I have been studying.