Deaf Event Paper

Deaf Event Paper For my Deaf Event I decided to attend the Silent Dinner at Valley Ranch Barbeque this past Tuesday April 27th, 2010 with my fellow classmate a best friend, Amber Cullens. A few days leading up to the event I was completely nervous I didn’t know what to expect. With only being a beginning sign language one student I was afraid that I would freeze up or sign something that would be offensive or make me look stupid. When we got to Valley Ranch the dinner had already started so we got in line and ordered our food. We then took our seats in the separate banquet type room they put us in for the silent dinner. Everything was so overwhelming at first, everyone was signing so fast we couldn’t keep pace and didn’t want to be rude by asking for help. Thankfully we weren’t alone there were fellow other Lone Star Students there along with High School students. Even Leyel Hudson attended the event which made things even more comfortable for us having a teacher we know around to assist us if needed any help. I can’t believe I stressed so much beforehand about attending, the Houston Deaf Community was very welcoming and helpful when we would sign with them. They made sure to try and go slower for us and some even helped by writing things down on paper so we could keep up. My favorite thing about the event was not just meeting Deaf parents, but the children of Deaf Parents. I met a young 8 year old boy and his older sister who was 12. They have not only learned English but also Sign Language so they can communicate with their parents. They were truly a great inspiration to be around. Attending this Deaf Event has inspired me to attend more not just while I’m enrolled as a student at Lone Star but on my own time. Currently because of attending this event I’m making it my goal to bring Deaf Events to my job, McAlister’s Deli. Overall the experience was one I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.

Conservation of Mechanical Energy Essay

Background: Kinetic energy is said to be the energy of motion. Kinetic energy can be defined through this equation: KE=12mv2 (equation 1) Where m is the mass of the object in motion, and v is the velocity of the moving object. Potential energy is the energy associated with the forces that depend on the position of the object. However, there are specific types of potential energy and in this lab we will consider gravitational potential energy. Gravitational potential energy is the energy possessed by the objected due to earth’s gravity. This can be specifically defined by the equation: PEgrav=mgy (equation 2) Where m is the mass of the object, g is the acceleration due to gravity and y is the height of the object. With these energies defined, total energy of the system is the sum of its kinetic energy and potential energy at any point in time. Total energy= kinetic energy+ potential energy=constant Therefore the law of conservation of energy is defined as: the total energy is neither increased nor decreased in any process. Energy can be transformed from one to another, and transferred from one object to another, but the total amount remained constant, therefore conserve. Procedure: the procedure of this lab involves a dynamic cart launched up a track towards a motion sensor. Once the equipment is set, measure the angle and record. Then use the coiled spring launcher to launch the dynamic cart by transferring kinetic energy which in turn sets the cart into motion along the cart. The cart will reach a maximum height on the track before it reserve direction. Collect the date of position and time by connecting the motion sensor to data studio which will record the results as the cart as the cart is in motion. Graph position versus time and velocity versus time with the data collected from the motion sensor. Conclusion: In this experiment we observed that no energy was lost in the system, however the energy was not conserved. This can be shown by energy versus time graphs. In the theory the law of conservation assumes that there is no friction, thus conserved energy. However, in this experiment we observed the friction that occurred between the wheels of the coaster and the track, and the wheels of the cart and the track. This friction explains how energy is not conserved and also due to a small fraction of the systematic error that occurred in conducting the lab. This error can be shown in the uncertainty of the angle and the uncertainty of the position of the cart by the motion sensor. With this uncertainty taken into account, it can explain why the line was not horizontal. To conclude the experiment proves that there is no energy lost in the system due to the transfer of potential energy to kinetic, however energy is not conserved due to friction.

Boston Beer Company Essay

1.Evaluate the attractiveness of the craft beer segment relative to the market space occupied by the traditional â€Å"Big Three†. (tip: use the Five Forces framework). a.High Threat of new competition: over 600 of specialty beer companies were founded over the past five years, approximately 40% growth each years. In addition, the existence of contract brewing companies lead to low entry cost. b.High substitution: The attractiveness of craft brewing industry are majorly based on unique styles and flavors of beer. there are many different brands and styles of beer so the actual threat of substitutes is high. c.The intensity of competitive rivalry is also high: while there is a major growth of new entry, the market size shows little growth. This creates tremendous competitive pressures among the industry. d.Bargaining power of buyers: Switching cost for buyers are low, as there are many different substitution and options. companies has to consistently maintain high quality in or der to retain customers. e.Bargaining power of suppliers: switching cost for suppliers are high for the traditional Big Three, as their supplies are tied to their own brewies. Craft brewing companies has the option of switch breweries in a relatively low cost, as the suppliers know they have options to supply other breweries. This allows them to charge higher prices than the big three. 2.Evaluate Boston Beer’s business model relative to Redhook and Pete’s, comparing their business models with respect to specific activities such as procurement, brewing, distribution, and marketing. BBC’s strategy of producing the highest quality of products, the company pursued four initiatives: high quality standards, contract brewing, intensive sales and marketing, and product line innovations. Unlike BBC and Pete’s, redhook relies on its own breweries. Redhook also established a strategic alliance with Anheuser-Busch whereby Redhook products were sold through the nation-wide network of 700 distributorships in exchange for a 25% equity stake in the company. Similar to BBC, Pete’s operates on a contract brewing basis and stress heavily on marketing. In retrospect, BBC intended to remain a contract brewer exclusively, capitalizing on lower overhead and transportation costs while continuing to invest heavily in its branded products. Redhook believed that its long-term growth and profitability were best served by assembling the largest company-owned production capacity of any domestic craft brewer, guaranteeing production capacity in more than one geographic region of the United States. Redhook also made a substantial investment in distribution, gaining access to Anheuser Busch’s nation-wide network of resellers. Pete’s, on the other hand, appeared to be following a combination of these two strategies by producing its products at both company-owned and third-party breweries. 3.How realistic analysts’ long-term growth forecasts (25% to 40% for the craft-brewing segment)? Based on the porter five forces analysis, the craft brewing segment has many advantages over the traditional big three, which explains the 40% growth rate. However the large number of new entries companies has already created a tremendous amount of competitions among its own, which retard the long term growth in my opinion and makes the forecasts of 25% to 40% seem unrealistic. 4.What do you recommend to Boston Beer? a.While the US market size remains somewhat stable. By exporting globally, will introduce BBC to new markets and additional sales b.Forming strategic alliance will help combat the increasing competition among industries.

Globalisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 4

Globalisation - Essay Example Lee & Tai (2006) too agree that liberal trade policies, incentives, growing foreign direct investment (FDI), advancement in information technology and communication have all stimulated the process of globalization. The major drivers of globalization according to Singer (2004) include social-demographic (regional, cultural), technological, which includes telecommunications, internet and transportation, economic factors like foreign direct investment, profit motives and market share, ecological and environmental factors like pollution and green laws, and political-legal factors like falling trade barriers, political stability and intellectual property. There is a connection between poverty and globalization and it is generally believed that without globalization inequality would have increased. Free trade would make the world prosperous and assist the poorer nations in coming up. Technological upgradation takes place in developing nations but evidence also suggests that technological change increases inequality between highly skilled workers and the unskilled workers (Singer). Trade and politics should be independent of each other. Globalization means differently to different people. While it provides opportunities to many people, it has also caused impoverishment to many groups and societies. Globalization has led to rapid and sudden changes in information and communications, which too has advantages and pitfalls. There are conflicting stands on this issue. Globalization is the concept of moving towards single-world society. In this effort there has been rising share of economic activity in the world. The aim was to open the world market to everybody and was thought to be a solution to social and economic disorder prevailing in the world. Globalization has brought about competition, liberalization, deregulation, and privatization and opened up capital markets but at the same time it has undermined the economic prospects for millions around

Concept of hijab and niqab in arab countries Research Paper

Concept of hijab and niqab in arab countries - Research Paper Example The use of the niqab and the hijab in Arab countries may be explainable through delving into the history of their use and the justifications thereof. Of all the types of headscarf won by Muslim girls and women, the hijab is the most common. Its coverage of the body involves the head and neck but excludes the face (Ad-Darsh, and Siddiqi, 2003). The scarf may be of different colors to match the outfit the lady dons. Another headdress in common use among Muslim women is the niqab. The niqab not only covers the head but also covers the whole face, save for the eyes. It covers up to the mid-back and mid-chest. The veil is most common in Arab countries. Of the two, most scholars are in agreement that the hijab is obligatory whereas only a few think that the niqab is obligatory (Ad-Darsh, and Siddiqi, 2003). There are claims that the origin of the niqab may have been the Byzantine Empire where it was a form of dress among women in certain classes. Muslims then adopted it during the Arab conquest in the Middle East (Eltahawy, 2015). Many claim that the rationale of the niqab is within the Quran and Hadith. Hijab refers to the obligation to be modest in dressing. According to many Muslims, the Quran requires modesty by both men and women when in public. Many scholars quote the Quran to draw a justification for the use of both the niqab and hijab as an obligation (Asser, 2006). One such verse is Quran 24:31. In the verse, the faithful women have an obligation to cover their private parts and desist from exposing their beauty unless it is unavoidable. Their scarf should also cover their bosom. However, others claim that the Quran does not make the niqab obligatory. For them, only the hijab is obligatory. Proponents of the niqab as being an obligatory claim that in Quran 33:59, Prophet Muhammad instructs his wives, daughters and believing women that it is necessary for them to cover themselves with outer garments. Scholars, therefore, use the

Himan Rights Law Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Himan Rights Law - Coursework Example It is evident from the study that people in the United Kingdom have enjoyed a lot of individual freedoms and liberties which usually fall into conflict with so many other laws. Consequently, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) was drafted in 1950,to integrate these liberties. However, it was not until the year 2000 that the convention rights were adopted in the United Kingdom through the Human Rights Act. In order to use the convention rights, one had to take a case to the European Courts on Human Rights in Strasbourg. This was extremely expensive to citizens and was also extremely time-consuming. The 1997 white paper â€Å"Rights Brought Home† rightly states that: It takes on average five years, to bring a case into the European Court of Human Rights once all domestic remedies have been exhausted; and it costs an average of  £30,000. Bringing these rights home will mean that the British people will be able to fight for their rights in the British courts – without this undue delay and expense. One of the most critical functions is to ensure that, at all times, there is compatibility with the laws as stipulated by the Convention Rights. The Act gives individuals a complete description and summary of the freedoms and liberties that they are supposed to enjoy as citizens. It ensures that everyone’s rights are respected also, just as ECHR does. The Act also goes ahead do state that rights come with responsibility too. This means that there are cases and situations when these rights may need to be limited, such cases being when crime and public health need to be addressed. Apart from protecting the rights of individuals, the Human Rights Act also requires courts of law to obey the laws that Parliament passes. Courts are only allowed to interpret the laws as is, without altering them in any way whatsoever. Nevertheless, the Act allows higher courts the power to determine that a given order cannot be put into use for the sole reason t hat the law contravenes the rights described in the Convention. When this happens, congress is required to amend the various section of that law before it is set to use again6. Since the Human Rights Act was enacted, courts are now obliged to look at The Convention Rights at all times when deciding how cases should go. This is a tremendouslylarge shift from the way things used to be before. Convention rights were looked at only when the UK laws were not clear. Part 2: How does the HRA work? The Act requires all courts and tribunals to interpret laws and effectively put them into use in ways that are compatible to the Convention rights. Rightly so, when this is impossible, a court may revoke or, subordinate legislation or, if it is a higher court, make a declaration of incompatibility. This allows for the amendment of the law to make it in line with

Antonio Vivaldi Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Antonio Vivaldi - Research Paper Example He is also an innovator, and also a contributor to music, with program music as an example. Baroque music is a style of music that began in the period of 1600 to 1750, the time when Bach died. It follows the Renaissance and it is followed by Classical era. It is characteristically ornate. This is the period where operas began, especially in there early stages of it, on 1600-1640s. The text with extreme emotions with homophony was employed. The middle phase was from 1640 to 1680, and in this phase, baroque music was spread all over Europe. The influence of the church is evident in this phase, as the musicians used the major and minor scales. The late phase is the most famous, as the music that is popularly Baroque usually come from this phase. In this phase, the instrumental music became as important as the vocals and elaborate polyphony was the norm. It should be noted that the music prior to the Baroque era is homophonic and the Baroque era gave way to elaborate ensembles. This movement also produced functional tonality and developed new ways of playing with instruments. Pictorialism is evident in music as there are words that are emphasized through the use of notes. It should also be noted that the Baroque orchestra is based on the violin. This is the reason why, even though there are a lot of Baroque musicians, Vivaldi is exceptional. He is a master violinist and he influenced other Baroque musicians like Bach, who is one of the more prominent Baroque musicians. Antonio Vivaldi was born in Venice, Italy in March 4, 1768. He had five siblings. His father was a barber-turned-professional violinist. He was the one who taught Vivaldi how to play the violin, and then they toured Venice together as father and son. Vivaldi’s father was the founder of the musical association called  Sovvegno dei musicisti di Santa Cecilia. It has been theorized that this is where the young Antonio Vivaldi learned how to make compositions with the help of the

Medical & social needs of homecare clients Essay

Medical & social needs of homecare clients - Essay Example Conclusion Medical and social needs of Homecare Clients. 1. Introduction. Home health aide has a role of assisting the client and family in managing the condition of health at clients home. This essay will describe the needs of the clients, explain the role of home health aide and relate rights of client and family to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It will also discuss culture, life style and experiences of clients while identifying common reaction to illness or disability. The essay will identify body functions, diseases and disorders and emotional or spiritual needs of patients. 2. Basic physical and emotional needs of clients. Home health aides help clients who have diverse needs so that they feel comfortable and get assistance. They include the elderly, infants, mentally ill, people with physical and developmental disabilities together with people with nutritional needs. Majority of the clients require physical assistance in form of service. They require to be bathed, dress and given a hand to conduct self grooming. The client needs to be assisted to wash their hands and perform hygienic tasks to control infections. They need someone to support them as they manage pain. The urinal system may be causing incontinence and they will need someone to help them (Harris, 2004, p. 5). Clients may have nutritional requirements. The home health aide will assist by making the right combination of food and serve them. Those with skin ailments or wounds require help to take care of the skin and the wounds. The home health aide may be required to change the dressing at the right time. The disabled and the elderly may have musculoskeletal system problem. They will need someone to assist them in mobility. The bedridden will require someone who understands the best position when turning them in bed or moving them to another location. The home health aide will give a hand in ambulation and motion. The client will be in need of a safe environment, the home health aide mak es the environment safe for the client. They can clean and arrange their house (Eldelman and Madle 2010, p. 22). The home health aide is involved in organizing and arranging appointments for the client. Organizing entails arranging the means of transport and accompanying the client to their appointments. At times, the home health aide assists in doing shopping and cooking appropriate food for the client. They give the patient company. Additionally, they keep track of medication taken and appointments with the doctors. They facilitate them to participate in certain activities as well as exercise. Because they work closely with the doctors, the home health aides are required to report on the progress of their client. They can be shown to check respiration rate and temperature for the purpose of giving a report. They follow the directions of the physician to give the correct medication. According to Ahroni (1989, p. 77), the client needs to be assisted in lifting and coordinating activ ities. They need someone to give them company. They call in for help in case of emergencies. Clients in home health care need emotional support from the home health aide. This can be achieved if they talk to them, share stories, read books, and listen to them. Emotional support is needed by the client as they cope with their condition and situation. The family too needs emotional support. Families living with the mentally ill patients, disabled and terminally ill need encouragement. The new born can be delicate to handle and people may

Ancient Hero Motifs In Thor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ancient Hero Motifs In Thor - Essay Example Though Robocop is a science fiction, it contains several characteristics of ancient hero motifs enough to place it under the category of ancient movies. Robocop movie contain elements of adventure, hero and others, as well as ending that compares and contrasts it with ancient hero motifs. Lieutenant Murphy is the hero in this movie, and in his role, he acts in a similar manner as the hero in ancient hero motifs. The lieutenant’s obligation is to keep the city safe by getting rid of criminals thereby enhancing the welfare of community members. To accomplish this role he has an inbuilt armor, which consists of guns, flying powers, master key unlock, and computer analysis systems to take commands (Goodman 5). Moreover, children look up to him as their hero who solves crime across the city. They believe that he is real. In a similar way, the hero in ancient stories had one priority, to ensure safety of every member of the community. The hero would have powers, weapons, or techniques to accomplish this task. In ancient movies, everyone in the society looked upon this hero to solve their issues and deliver them from evil opponents. The second factor that shows similarity between Robocop and ancient hero motifs is the opposition from enemies. In ancient stories, there is always an enemy or group of enemies opposing the hero of the story and his activities. In most cases, the enemy would be someone with bad intentions to destroy the community or misuse people in the community (Kerenyi 59). As a result, the enemy will try with all his might to destroy the hero, and at worst attempt to kill him so that the hero does not interfere with his evil activities. In a similar way, lieutenant, who is the hero of the story has enemies. In fact, his enemies are the people who turned him into half him and half machine. Though this company emerged as an organization aiming at rescuing people who have lost hope in life because no medical operation can

American Has Too Many Malls Essay Example for Free

American Has Too Many Malls Essay Many traditional brick-and-mortar retailers are being threatened with economic destruction by their online competition. I’ve had the opportunity to spend some time looking at this issue, and I believe we’re seeing clear signs that the e-commerce revolution is seriously impacting commercial real estate and will continue to do so. Online retailers are relentlessly acquiring success in many retail categories. As a result, many offline businesses are fighting to survive for their economic life. A number of physical retailers have already succumbed to online competition including Circuit City, Borders, CompUSA, Tower Records and Blockbuster. Many other physical businesses are also showing signs of serious economic distress. While many of these large businesses collapsed due to their inability to compete online, The shopping mall is also in danger from the online shopping revolution. Many malls are closing stores by the thousands, and there are few large physical chains opening stores to take their place. The recession in 2008 was the catalyst for bringing down many of these businesses, but competition from online retailers continued the financial difficulties for many offline retailers. The mall business isnt economically healthy either. Most professionals understand that profound changes are afoot. Don Wood, CEO of federal realty investment trust, says there is too much retail supply in this country. The wall street journal reports: green street advisor (forecasts) that 10 percent of the roughly 1,000 large malls in the U. S. will fail within the next 10 years †¦. Thats a conservative estimate. Many mall CEOs predict the failure rate will be higher. I agree with the above perspectives. A report from Co-Star observes that there are more than 200 malls that have vacancy rates of 35 percent or higher. This is a clear marker for shopping center distress. In short, These malls are becoming ghost towns. They are not economically successful now and will only get less so as online business continues to steal retail sales from physical stores. Hundreds of malls will soon need to be repurposed or demolished. Strong malls will stay successful for a while since retailers are willing to pay for foot traffic and customers, but even they stand in the path of the shift of retail spending from offline to online. However, despite the decline of physical commerce, there has been a huge rise in online commerce. If I were thinking of starting a new retail brand right now, I would unquestionably start it online. many very talented entrepreneurs are doing just this. I personally shop at Bonobos for pants, J. Hilburn for sweaters, Ledbury for shirts and Warby Parker for eyeglasses. In the past, these retailers have started in the mall but they now are starting online. This is a trend that will undoubtedly continue. There will clearly be fewer new offline retailers to take the space vacated by the disappearing brick-and-mortar chains. This puts further pressure on malls to try and make money. While doing research for this article, I came across a fascinating website called deadmalls. com. it is a site that chronicles the stories of hundreds of already or soon-to-be dead malls. Unfortunately for mall owners and people who work inside them, the content on deadmalls. com is about to expand substantially. There just are too many malls in America, and this will only get worse.

What Really Is Actor Network Theory Philosophy Essay

What Really Is Actor Network Theory Philosophy Essay In the 1990s there was a war going on in science, or maybe a few wars the so called Science Wars. From one side there were the postmodernists (better known as post-structuralists), on the other side there were the natural scientists. The war started, or better, culminated with an article, that was really a hoax, published in the journal Social Text, one of the most notorious postmodernist journals. The article/hoax entitled Transgressing the boundaries: Towards a transformative hermeneutics of quantum gravity was written by the physicist Alan Sokal (1996), and its purpose was to show to the world how stupid and meaningless was/is the postmodernist endeavor in the studies of science. The whole article was made up just by meaningless phrases that sounded postmodern (see Sokal 2008 the entire Part I). After the revelation of the hoax Alan Sokal and Jean Bricmont wrote a book entitled Fashionable Nonsense. Postmodern Intellectuals Abuse of Science  [1]   (1998) in which they bombed the whole French post-structuralist scene, and a little bit more. In a nutshell, they showed that most of the French post-structuralists and other close-to-post-structuralism philosophers hadnt had really a clue about science, and that most of their theories come out of ignorance of the fields they were/ are writing about. One of the fashionable guys attacked in Fashionable Nonsense was Bruno Latour (92-99, 124-133  [2]  ), the major representative of Actor-Network Theory (from now on: ANT). He was attacked mainly for pushing extreme social constructivism in social sciences and sciences all together. Basically, Latour supported the thesis that there arent scientific facts but just the social construction of scientific facts as was a fashion of the strong program in the sociology of science  [3]  . Hor instance, he used, no more no less, Einsteins theory of relativity to explain how scientific knowledge is socially constructed, but it seems he didnt really understand Einsteins theory. Latour has lately (2004) changed a little bit his mind about the extreme constructivist positions, maybe because he has seen that his positions really helped not sociology but the political and religious conservative and far right in pushing their ideas about creationism, global warming and similar issues. He even asked himself [w]as [he] wrong to participate in the invention of this field known as science studies? Is it enough to say that we did not really mean what we said? Why does it burn my tongue to say that global warming is a fact whether you like it or not? Why cant I simply say that the argument is closed of for good? (2004:227). This retreat isnt that new. As Gross and Levitt  [4]  noted (1998:59), Latour is aways ready to recast and, in effect, retract what he previously said. In other contexts he will, with an apparently straight face, admit that there is a natural universe out there and that scientific theories are shaped by it in important ways. Simultaneously, he will censure rigorously the dogmatics of strict cultural constructivism. Just as he pictures (literally) the mind-set of science as a Janus-faced dualist, he too is constantly springing from one side of a dichotomy to the other. Bruno Latour, even though he, as we have seen, did repent for the consequences that his and other strong program theorists work provoked, in 2005 wrote an introductory book on ANT: Reassembling the Social. An Introduction to Actor-Network Theory. In that book he tried to explain again the whole ANT story, but not that well, in my opinion  [5]  . In the following lines Ill try to explain, more or less, what ANT is or should be, not just based on the mentioned book, but also on various articles on ANT that can be retrieved on the Internet and other books and journals. ANT seems to be a particular or distinctive approach to social theory and research which has its origins in the field of Science and Technology Studies (STS), mostly developed by Michel Callon, Bruno Latour and John Law. In the last twenty years ANT has been used as a tool for research in fields such as organizational analysis (for ex. Cochoy 2009), informatics (for ex. McInerney 2009), health studies (for ex. Dent 2003), geography (for ex. Smith 2003), sociology, anthropology, feminist studies and economics (for ex. Jones 2008). Already the title of the theory is very problematic. Bruno Latour states in his book (2005:9) that [] the historical name is actor-network-theory, a name that is so awkward, so confusing, so meaningless that it deserves to be kept. Every part of the ANT is questionable. Its not really about actors in a classic sociological sense, the network part is misleading (see Latour 1998) because it doesnt refer to the concept of network as in Social Network Analysis or electronic networks  [6]  , and it is not really a theory in the classic sense, it can be reckoned as a set of theories which have similar characteristics. As a matter of fact, he admits that he was ready to drop this label for more elaborate ones like sociology of translation, actant-rhyzome ontology, sociology of innovation, and so on []. (2005:9). How then we can recognize a theory that belongs to the ANT family? Latour puts forward three tests in order to do that (2005:10-11): One of them is the precise role granted to nonhumans. They have to be actors [] and not simply the hapless bearers of symbolic projection. [] [A]ny study that gives non-humans a type of agency that is more open than the traditional natural causality but more efficient than the symbolic one can be part of [ANT] corpus, even though some authors would not wish to be associated in any way with this approach.(10). Another test is to check which direction the explanation is going in. [] If the social remains stable and is used to explain a state of affairs, its not ANT. (10) A third and more difficult test would be to check whether a study aims at reassembling the social or still insists on dispersion and deconstruction. [] Dispersion, destruction, and reconstruction are not the goals to be achieved [as in postmodern theories,] but what needs to be overcome. Its much more important to check what are the new institutions, procedures, and concepts able to collect and reconnect the social []. (11). We can see that Latour is very vague, and it seems he wants to be like that. In short we can say that in ANT humans, nonhumans and language are all on the same level. They all together form a network of actors that form the world. He uses and criticizes very often the concept social, many times as opposed to the concept associations. Social is for him a concept that many sociologists use as a name for a material the society is made of (2005:1), or some glue of society. But thats wrong, because there isnt something social, there are associations between heterogeneous elements (2005:5). Thus, social, for ANT, is the name of a type of momentary association which is characterized by the way it gathers together into new shapes. (2005:65). In my opinion this is not that groundbreaking. Well, the association of humans and nonhumans might be a little bit strange (or Im too positivist and backwarded), but the idea of not using concepts as social forces and similar black magic (or as Latour wo uld call, as we shell see, black boxes) terms is present in sociology much longer than ANT. For example we can check Howard S. Becker (2007) where he explains the errors of using vague concepts as social forces, etc So, interactionists (try to) explain already very well what people do and how they create everyday life, without going into exotic theories that are not that clear even to their main representatives. ANT is considered sometimes a method and sometimes a theory. [A]nti-essentialism informs both the conceptual frame used for interpretation and guides the processes through which networks are examined. (Ritzer 2004:2). There are three methodological principles in ANT: agnosticism. We should abandon any a priori assumptions of the nature of networks, causal conditions, or the accuracy of actants accounts (Ritzer 2004:2). There should be impartiality from our side. This principle reminds us about Grounded Theory methodology with the added value of impartiality towards objects that are not humans. generalized symmetry. Everybody in a network is the same: computers and programmers, clerks and computer networks Basically we should dissect everything free association. there shouldnt be any distinction between natural and social phenomena. The ANT methodology is usually ethnographic. To be precise they often use the case study method. They use to spend time like anthropologists, but not in forests, and other places typical for anthropological research, but in laboratories with scientists. ANT scholars also study inscriptions, a phrase which refers to all texts and communications in all media (Garson 2008). Let us see which are the central concepts of ANT. I will use secondary analyses of ANT by Felix Stalder and David Garson. Here are the main concepts: Actors: entities that do things (Latour, 1992a, p. 241, as cited in Stalder 1998), no matter whether they are humans or any kind of nonhumans. Some authors use actors for humans and actants for other parts/ system elements of the network (Garson 2008)  [7]  . The distinction between humans and non-humans, embodied or disembodied skills, impersonation or machination, are less interesting than the complete chain along which competences and actions are distributed. (Latour, 1992a, p.243, as cited in Stalder 1998) [] An actor is an actant endowed with a character. (Akrich, Latour, 1992, p.259 as cited by Stalder). In Ritzer (2004:1) we can find that [t]he volitional actor for ANT, termed actant, is any agent, collective or individual, that can associate or disassociate with other agents. Actants enter into networked associations, which in turn define them, name them, and provide them with substance, action, intention, and subjectivity. In other words, actants are considered foundationally indeterminate, with no a priori substance or essence, and it is via the networks in which they associate that actants derive their nature. Network: the network is defined as a group of unspecified relationships among entities of which the nature itself is undetermined. (Callon, 1993, p.263 as cited in Stalder 1998). The inclusive character of this definition becomes more evident when contrasted with one of the conventional sociological definitions of network where a social network consists of a finite set or sets of actors and the relation or relations defined on them (Wasserman, Faust, 1994, p.20 as cited in Stalder). An actor-network is not restricted to social actors, not even to actors in the theorys broader sense. There is no structural difference between large and small actors, between a major institution or a single individual or even a thing as mundane as a door opener (Latour, 1992 as cited by Stalder 1998). Black Box: simply put, a black box contains a sealed network of people and things. But lets see what ANTers say: A black box contains that which no longer needs to be considered, those things whose contents have become a matter of indifference. (Callon, Latour, 1981 p.285 as cited in Stalder 1998). A black box, therefore, is any setting that, no matter how complex it is or how contested its history has been, is now so stable and certain that it can be treated as a fact where only the input and output counts. (Stalder 1998). For example, all the concepts in sociology as social forces, etc are black boxes. Cars are black boxes because we can drive them even though we dont know how are they built. The more it costs to reopen a black box, the more it will be stable. Its not just a matter of the black box, but also of the environment in which it is settled (well, everything is in the network). At the end of the day it seems that ANT became a black box too, because it became a fixed center or obligatory point of passage by the mid-1990s (Ritzer 2004:3). Other important concepts are: Punctualisation: a concept that means that the whole actor-network is greater than the sum of its constituent parts. As networks build, synergistic capabilities are enabled; as networks fall apart, de-punctualisation refers to the collapse of networked capabilities as individual components struggle to pursue their individual goals separately. (Garson 2008). Tokens: are the quasi-objects created through the synergy of network punctualisation. (Garson 2008). The constant creation of tokens reifies a network, when they stop being reproduced the network breaks down, or, there is de-punctualization. Translation: is the process of forming a network. This process occurs in the four following moments or steps (Garson 2008): Problematisation: defines the problem and the set of relevant actors who become indispensable Interessement: primary actor(s) recruit other actors to assume roles in the network, roles which recognize the centrality of the primary actors own role Enrolment: roles are defined and actors formally accept and take on these roles Mobilisation: primary actors assume a spokesperson role for passive network actors (agents) and seek to mobilize them to action. Translation is really a negotiation among human actors and representatives of material actants. Stories: The complex process of translation which forms a network also occasions some actors to emerge as spokespersons, articulating the views and wishes of other silent actors in the network. Negotiation in the translation process is marked by: Obligatory points of passage (OPP): they are critical network channels often designed by the primary actor to ensure that communication must pass through his or her domain. In this way the actor becomes functionally indispensable to the network Cooptation: it is a subprocess by which actants seek to have their individual objectives become agreed to by other actants as part of defining network objectives. Actors advance favored goals and solutions, then recruit other actors to be allies in the process of forming commitments to emerging networks. (Garson 2008). Translation model of power: it is a term for viewing power as a relation emerging bottom-up rather than imposed top-down. Those who hold power in principle may not hold power in practice as the latter requires the ability to define, create, and stabilize networks of actors motivated to work in conjunction to accomplish a task. That is, power is seen as a consequence of convincing, enrolling, and other network-building activities. (Garson 2008). This concept reminds a lot the foucaultian concept of microphysics of power. Black-boxing: it is a subprocess by which the network becomes more simple by treating subnetworks as single elements in an actor-network Irreversibility: is achieved by an actor-network when it is no longer possible to return to an earlier network state or to alternatives present prior to the network Network instability. Actor-networks are in a continual state of becoming, including possible dissolution. Networks demand continual maintenance or order In my opinion all the concepts are vague, probably intentionally. I really wonder if the whole theory and its concepts could have been explained in a more simple way, and I wonder why is it always like that in post-structuralism (I know, this is an ad hominem mistake)? ANT was often criticized for being managerialist, for emphasizing Nietzschean mastery, as Machiavellian, for colonizing the other, for being antihumanist, and for representing the powerful. (Ritzer 2004:3). I would add that the founders of ANT write pretty much in an elitist and unclear way. It sounds more like poetry or showing off with strange PoMo-style phrases difficult to understand. I got used to that with Baudrillard, Lyotard, etc But what can we do with it in everyday life? We cannot stop natural scientists to laugh about ANT mumbojumbo for sure. I would say that ANT as a research methodology brings nothing new, or nothing newer than the good old methodology of case study, the grounded theory methodology (Glaser/Strauss 2008) or ethnomethodology on which ANT is partially based. As an explanation for what is really going on it is still a safe bet to stick with interactionist theories from one side, and on the other side, we should use more explanatory theories based on strict field research and model building. For that is handy the analytical sociology approach developed, among others, by Peter Hedstroem (see Hedstroem 2005). With the analytical sociology approach we could finally develop more core knowledge which is feeble in sociology (see Cole 1994) but nevertheless it exists (see Collins 1989) and leave the research frontier to a few artists. Analytical sociology seeks to explain complex social processes by carefuly dissecting them and then bringing into focus their most important costituent components. [] It is an approach that seeks precise, abstract, realistic and action-based explanations for various social phenomena. (Hedstroem 2005:1). So, in the analytical approach we have to explain social phenomena, not just describe it as most grand social theories do. We have to dissect the social phenomena to its smallest parts and then abstract the most important parts and build a model. In doing that we must be precise and clear. If it is not perfectly clear what a given theory or theorist is trying to say, how can we then possibly understand and assess the potential merits of the theory being proposed ? (Hedstroem 2005:3-4), asks Peter Hedstroem, and as an example of unclear theory he takes a French (who else could he take?!) sociologist Pierre Bourdieu and his definition of habitus (2005:4). I agree with Hedstrom that social theories should be based on the construction of models, or explaining social mechanisms, and a social mechanism is a constellation of entities and activities that are linked to one another in such a way that they regularly bring about a particular type of outcome (Hedstroem 2005:10). To conclude, I think that ANT is maybe an approach that could have a major success in the future when there will come the time people will understand French philosophy much better  [8]  , until then I propose to stick with more positivist approaches that can actually really explain why things happen.