Economics of Education Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Economics of Education - Assignment Example In a sequence of items over the past ten years, Hanushek used 38 different pieces of writing and put focus on: pupil/teacher ratio, education and experience of the teacher, teacher’s salary, Per Pupil Expenditure (PPE), administrative inputs and facilities. He reviews the evidence of a large number of studies basing on their views of the relationship between spending and school performance. He conducted vote-count based on aggregating 187 studies in 38 separately published books where in each publication there are several regression equations. He classified the relation between each input variable and an output variable into one of five categories according to the direction of the regression coefficient's sign (positive or negative) and its statistical significance (significant or non-significant). The fifth is coefficients that were non-significant but for which it was impossible to determine the direction of the coefficient's sign from the reported results. His conclusion is that money doesn’t matter as school’s output is concerned (Hanushek 150-164). Hedges et al study This study is a reanalysis of the evidence examined by Hanushek. These researchers found that a â€Å"systematic positive patterns in the relationships between educational resource inputs and student outcomes† exists. ... This study declared that the pattern of results given in Hanushek’s vote count is not consistent with the null hypothesis of no effect in every study and thus making a type II error in his statistical analysis due to the low power associated with vote counting. Hedges et al used more sophisticated procedures to aggregate the information in the different studies and corrects some problems that were found in Hanushek’s methodology where they came up with a conclusion which clearly states that â€Å"Money does matter after all†. This directly differs with Hanushek’s conclusion. These two studies attempted to highlight the relationship between inputs and outputs of schools with an essence of improving American educational system. However, all of these researches there was no consensus established as to which course should be followed or even on the need for additional expenditures to produce the desired improvements, instead, some scholars have questioned whet her there is a relation between the amount of resources and level of accomplishment of students in schools. Hanushek used vote counting analytic method. For a given resource input, the "result" of each study is the estimated partial regression coefficient of the resource input to student output, holding constant the family background and other inputs. The vote-counting methodology tabulates these results according to the sign (positive, negative, or unknown) and the statistical significance (significant or non-significant, usually at ?= .05 level) of the results. The category with the most results (the most "votes") is generally taken to represent the true state of the relation in

Serving Each Other in Todays Society

Serving Each Other in Todays Society Community Service: Serving Each Other in Todays Society There are many young adults out there who lack self-esteem, confidence, a sense of accomplishment or purpose, or simply a reason to get away from TV, computers, and video games. They often dont understand the value of community and the importance of team work. Most teens also dont realize how much lending a helping hand to others can also benefit them. What could be done to teach teens the importance of helping others and build a sense of self- confidence and worth? Community service is quick to remind anyone the importance of offering help, working as a team and simply getting outside and active. These teens shouldnt be assigned to just anything. All of the participants in community service should have a voice in the activities in which they are participating. Otherwise, it could make the whole experience a miserable one and do just the opposite of what it is intended to do. There is a lot of stigma around mandatory community service, but with flexible community service programs, positive promotion, and choices, teens will be put on the right track. A lot of stigma surrounds mandatory community service. Most people see it only as a means of corrective punishment. There are many people who think community service should be left to prisoners, and not to the youth of today. This poor attitude needs to be reversed by education. Many teens believe what they hear from their parents, teachers, and mentors. With this poor attitude on the matter, its no wonder teens may despise the idea of serving in the community. Proper education and promotion is the key to a successful program. For example, teens should see the results of community service. They should be able to see workers having a good time and enjoying what they do. Young adults should also see that they would benefit from serving in the community. This could all be done by providing introductory programs, attractive pamphlets, peer communication, and so on. Once teens are educated about community services and its benefits, the stigma will fade and they will be more willing to participate. Its important to remember the power of choice. There are numerous activities the teens could participate in. Blood drives, children activity clubs, clean-ups, and mentoring are just a few of the many things to choose from in community service. One who has a choice in what he or she does as an extra activity will be happier while participating. Delgado states, â€Å"[] a summary of the literature on youth activities, found that youth benefit the most when they have an opportunity to actively plan community-service projects that contribute to the welfare of others[]†.(127) When community service workers plan activities, a sense of ownership is built. Since the ideas were their own, the activity belongs to the workers and they will likely work much harder than they would if they were forced into the activity. Choosing an activity is just as powerful as planning one. The ability to choose an activity will also encourage teens to participate in multiple activities, which will broaden their horizons and abilities. A lot of young people lack a good sense of self-esteem. It can be caused by criticism, the media, the lack of activity, and so on. Many times all a teen needs to boost his or her self esteem is a sense of purpose and direction. Studies have shown that productive individuals generally have a higher self-esteem. (Joseph 1) Using community service as a way for teens to stay active is a great way for them to see the fruits of their efforts. When young adults see how much the work they are putting forth really matters, it will boast their confidence. For example, if a small town had grass growing in the sidewalk, trash lying about, and dirt everywhere, a group of teens could plan a cleaning project. Such a project would beautify the town and would likely give the group a sense of pride. The town would benefit by the work and maybe even be educated by the teens actions. If there were a huge turn-around in appearance, then perhaps the rest of the townspeople would help maintain the new condition of the small town. This would boost morale even higher for the group and make all the work seem very worthwhile. Another good point to mention is the fact teens would be busy. A lot of teens spend a ton of time in from of their computers, televisions, or video games systems. A study conducted in 2003 concluded that an alarming 34% of teens were clinically obese. (Nichols and Good 169) The sedentary lifestyle most Americans have adopted is devastating to overall well-being. When teens are over-weight, they suffer in numerous ways. They are persecuted by their peers, which results in a low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. They lack the energy or drive to pursue an activity because they lack physical fitness. Any kind of activity is good for someones health. If teens get actively involved in community service, they will be on the go. If teens get moving and realize how out of shape they are, then it may motivate them to do something about it. This will promote exercise and proper diet, thus resulting in a healthier lifestyle. Schools have been trying to incorporate teamwork into the classrooms, but it often doesnt work out as well as hoped. There have been numerous studies conducted on the matter and only a small portion of teamwork exercises have worked in schools. (Thomas 1) When a teamwork activity is academically based, it is difficult to pursue and most times it is difficult to see any results. Actual physical labor shows more of an effect of ones efforts. Therefore, some type of community service where one is physically involved in an activity with a group of people would teach teens how positive teamwork is. Then, they would later incorporate the idea into other activities, thus making them well rounded and willing to work with others. There are many young adults who leave high school and have no idea what the real world is all about. Most teenagers only know a life where everything is structured, and there is no question about what step to take next. Teens receive a schedule with their classes, books, a time for lunch period, and often their extra activities are planned for them. Community service would be a great place for teens to learn the importance of self-reliance. When a teen is provided a choice in what he or she may do as an activity, this would be the first step in that lesson. The second would be finding a way to transport themselves to the place of work. Then, they would have to make sure they are on time. Decision making, responsibility and initiative all fit into the lesson of self-reliance and define some of the basic things they would go through in adulthood. As it has already been said, with self-reliance comes a sense of responsibility. Anyone participating in community service is still held to a standard. These standards typically arent as high standards in a paid environment; however, there is still something to be gained. The Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development states, â€Å"[] by age 15, millions of young people risk reaching adulthood unable to assume the responsibilities of informed, active citizenship in a pluralistic society. (Radest 30) This same report also says, â€Å"Early adolescence offers a superb opportunity to learn values, skills, and a sense of social responsibility†. (30) With teens being held to a standard, they must assume responsibility for their successes and failures. This is something everyone goes through as an adult. It is better to learn these lessons earlier in life so teens can make their mistakes, learn from them, and grow from the entire experience. Resilience is a lesson which shouldnt be taken lightly and should be learned early in life. Adults often rush to the rescue when problems arise, not allowing young people to think it through and find a solution on their own. A problem arises and some teens may panic, have no idea what to do, or stand around waiting for someone else to take care of it. While going through community service, teens will likely meet with a few setbacks and will need to take action. Since these setbacks would likely only be minor, it would be a great place to start learning resilience. Resilient children are proactive rather than reactive and have a good sense of â€Å"coherence†. That is to say they understand things happen in life but we still have some control over it all. (Joseph 29) Adults have to practice resilience a lot through life, so learning this early will help teens become well rounded adults. Since community service is a team effort, teens will be able to build professional social skills. Social skills are built throughout childhood, but in a more professional setting where the use of language is different, these skills will be refined. These teens would be working with adults who know how to properly communicate in order to achieve a goal. If young adults observe the behaviors of the adults around them, take note of what happened, and try their best to act the same, they would begin building the stepping stones to success. They would learn a range of thing from avoiding confrontation and generating solutions, to active and proper listening skills.(Joseph 255) All of these are needed in a professional atmosphere and will help them throughout college and the working environment. The benefits teens would receive from community service experience have been thoroughly discussed thus far, but not how the community would benefit. It all, of course, depends on the activities the teens participate in. If there were a community clean-up, then a town would be beautified. If the teens helped deliver groceries to those who cant get around, then people wouldnt have to go hungry or worry about how to get their food. When teens mentor younger kids, the children would have the benefit of someone relatively close to their age teaching them. The people living in these communities and seeing the difference teens are making with all of their work may adopt a more volunteer attitude. The ways a community benefits from those who serve are endless, and shouldnt be forgotten. There a so many things a young adult can take from community service that will benefit him or her immediately, as well as in the future. Teens can build a healthy self-esteem by gaining a sense of purpose and seeing how much of a difference they can make in the world. They could come to understand the importance of living a healthier life. Young adults would gain the ability to think through problems, work with others as a team, and make important decisions. Professional conduct and language will be learned, which will help them in their work endeavors. They will also learn resilience and self-reliance, which will help them bounce back quickly from setbacks and take a more proactive approach to life. There is a quote from Andrew Shue that says, â€Å"Community service has taught me all kinds of skills and increased my confidence. You go out there and think on your feet, work with others and create something from nothing. Thats what lifes all about.† (Shue brainyquotes.com) This is a great way to sum up what teens would gain and what community service is about. Its about helping others, but also helping yourself in the process. Once teens get out there and start working in our communities, they will see what a difference they can make. They would remember these lessons through their lives and likely continue to act in a positive way because of what they learned. This entire process could help change the way people behave now and in the future in a very positive way. When everyone gives just a little, it can go a long way and there has to be a beginning somewhere. Why not make that beginning start with today youth and expand into the generations to come? Works Cited Melvin Delgado, New Frontiers for Youth Development in the Twenty-First Century: Revitalizing Broadening Youth Development (New York: Columbia University Press, 2002) 127 Joanne M. Joseph, The Resilient Child: Preparing Todays Youth for Tomorrows World (New York: Insight Books, 1994) 1,29,255 Sharon L. Nichols, and Thomas L. Good, Americas TeenagersMyths and Realities: Media Images, Schooling, and the Social Costs of Careless Indifference (Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2004) 169 Howard B. Radest, Community Service: Encounter with Strangers (Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 1993) ,30 Andrew Shue, n.p., Community Service, brainyquotes.com, n.d., August 20, 2009, http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/andrewshue214132.html Gary Thomas, Effective Classroom Teamwork: Support or Intrusion? (New York: Routledge, 1992) 1

Ancient Mayan Civilization :: Pre-Columbian History Culture

Ancient Mayan Civilization The Ancient Mayan Civilization was built upon a rigid social structure based on their religious beliefs. They used a caste social structure in which divisions were based on wealth, inherited rank, privilege, profession, or occupation. Their beliefs were based on the fact that nature elements had the power to either help or harm. The Ancient Mayans used their social structure and beliefs to shape their daily lives. The Maya were a very religious people. They believed in many gods. All events centred around their religious beliefs. They wanted to stay in favour with the gods. In their belief system, the gods would bring the rain, heal the sick, bring plentiful harvests, and ensure the health and safety of the people if they were honoured. If the gods were angry, they would send drought, famine and disaster to the people. In order to keep the gods happy, they believed that a daily sacrifice of blood was necessary. They would open a wound and let the blood drip onto a paper. The paper would then be burned in an offering to the gods. It was believed that the priests could see the spirits in the smoke.Kings would also give blood offerings, which would please the gods. The Maya had a strong belief in the afterlife. When a king or nobleman died, the Maya people believed that he became one with the gods and would go to live in the sky with them. The Maya worshipped their ancestors as if they were gods. The dead were buried with food, tools, clothing, and whatever would be needed for their journey. Tombs were built to bury their rulers, and sacrifices and special funeral rituals were performed there. Religion was used to explain natural forces that organized the cosmos into an ordered place. Its ideological function was to comfort individuals, unify the society, justify wars, and to demonstrate the authority of ruling elites. At the top of the society were the ruler, k'ul ahau, his family, their retainers, courtiers, and priests. Others, including the most skilled and influential architects, merchants, and craftsmen were also part of the noble elite, providing their skills were useful to the ruler. In both the priesthood and the ruling class, nepotism was the prevailing system under which new members were chosen.Primogeniture was the form under which new kings were chosen as the king passed down his position to his son.

Freedom VS Security Essay

Many theories and assumptions have been fabricated upon the basis of man’s desires and beliefs. H. L. Mencken wrote, â€Å"The average man does not want to be free, only to be safe. † However, this observation does not correlate with what has been witnessed over the course of contemporary society. Since the 18th century, man has sacrificed safety for a reward that is much more paramount, freedom. Patrick Henry, an orator for freedom in the middle to late 1700’s, knew that liberty was a vital necessity in every man’s life, and that one must do whatever it takes, including sacrificing their security, in order to achieve it. In his speech to the Virginia House of Burgesses, he is most memorably quoted for his concluding antithesis, â€Å"Give me liberty, or give me death! † Henry conveyed to his audience, as well as the entire nation, that freedom is a virtue worth dying for. Mencken’s allegation fails to attribute this instance, even though Patrick Henry was able to convince a whole nation that their liberty was worth dying for. In the past we have had many examples of security vs. freedom. During the civil war we had soldiers and people fighting to be free. They risked their own life everyday stepping out on the battle field just so they could have their own rights. This also happens in the American Revolution; people fight and risk their lives for freedom. Many events in history show how much people truly care about their freedom. Our Founding Fathers created this nation so we wouldn’t have to be living in a society full of regulation. Freedom vs. Security is a non-stop debate in our country. However, freedom is unalienable. Freedom is what keeps the common man happy. Freedom allows us to treat every day as a new day, knowing that we can do and accomplish anything because we are free. On the other hand, while safety is what keeps man calm and secure, it is not what our nation thrives off of. Security is a blanket, while freedom is a threshold. Therefore it is desired, while security is expected. No man cries out for safety, but the same cannot be said about freedom. Freedom gives us hope and excitement, while security gives assurance. Both are essential, yet only one is craved. Mencken’s presumption of what man wants, and what man deserves are in disarray. Freedom is everything, and not even safety can over shadow it.

History from 1815 to 1848: a Review of What Hath God Wrought

History from 1815 to 1848: A Review of What Hath God Wrought Native Americans had been all throughout the United States in early history, keeping to themselves living their lives. Americans believed the Indians to be savage and not worth the life they lived and some thought they should be exterminated, however, there were those who had compassion that believed that the Indians should be converted to Christianity and then everything would be fine (23). Native Americans showed as much willingness as white people to participate in the market economy (48).The Indians figured out different ways to communicate with the whites so that they would be able to trade and barter with them effectively (27). It was rare for there to be unmarried farmers because it took both a man and woman to operate the farm effectively. Typically American farms were economically individualistic only being operated by the single nuclear family, not an extended kinship or communal enterprise (34). Almost all the fa rm families living activities were done within the household setting.They included production, consumption, birthing, child rearing, transmitting the fundamentals of reading, and caring for the sick and the old (36). The United States in 1815 resembled the economically developing countries of today in many ways because of their high birth rate and rapid population growth (43). After the battle of New Orleans it took four full weeks for the news to reach Washington. The news of Jackson’s victory came as a big relief to Madison. Under Madison’s presidency, his secretary of war John Armstrong dismissed the possibility of any invasion coming from Britain, so no preparations for defense were made (63).The British found their way to the public buildings of central Washington easily. They burned the capitol and the departments of state, war, navy, and treasury. It started to rain which helped put out the fires but not before the damage had been done (65). James Monroe had los t against Madison in the election for a seat in the House of Representatives and then again during the election for president. In March of 1811 Madison and Monroe reconciled their differences and became friends once again. After which Monroe became Madison’s â€Å"right-hand man†, and was appointed as secretary of war after the resignation of Armstrong.Monroe emerged from the war a convert to nationalism and was the people’s choice to become president after Madison (91). His inaugural address emphasized continuity with his Jeffersonian predecessors and the new republican nationalism (92). Monroe expected and wanted the one-party system to evolve into true nonpartisanship. However because almost all ambitious politicians joined the republican party, the other party ceased to have coherence (95). Relations between the United States and Spain turned out to be much more problematic than those with Britain.After the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 eastern and western Flor ida still belonged to the Spanish empire cutting off the United States access to the Gulf of Mexico, which caused the limiting of economic development in the southwest (97). After the defeat of the Red Stick Creeks at Horseshoe Bend, Creek refugees fled into Florida. On November 12, 1817 troops under the command the command of General Edmond Gaines burned the Creek village of Fowltown on the Georgia side of the border and killed several villagers.On November 30 those who had been made homeless hit back hard, the warriors from Fowltown allied with escaped slaves and attacked a boat carrying forty soldiers and eleven of their dependents. These two events are what caused the first Seminole War to begin (98). The administration decided to turn things over to Jackson after the war had started. There was a letter from the president stating that Jackson needed to be informed that there were to be no attacks on Spanish occupied forts.However the letter never made it to Jackson, there is no specific reason for why it wasn’t delivered but it has been speculated that maybe the president changed his mind or that it should have been understood that the same rules applied to Jackson that had applied to the general in charge before him (99). Jackson took a thousand volunteer militiamen with him to Fort Scott, at the fort Jackson was able to obtain reinforcements but little provisions. After gaining provisions and having up to three-thousand soldiers, Jackson moved his army toward the east attacking and destroying village after village on his way (100).On April 6th Jackson’s army arrived at the Spanish fort of St Marks, here he demanded the commandant to surrender so he could prevent the fort from falling into the hands of the Indians and the blacks (101). In May Jackson heard rumors that Seminoles were gathering together at Pensacola, however the rumors were false but Jackson didn’t know that. Jackson welcomed the opportunity to move against the capitol of Spanish Florida, on his way he warned that if the city offered any resistance that any man found in arms would be put to death.The governor of Florida surrendered on May 28, 1818; Jackson proclaimed that Florida would be under American occupation until Spain provided sufficient troops there to control the border (102). The election of 1824 was the end of the nonparty politics and created the foundation for a new party system. An alliance between Adams and Clay formed the basis of the party called the National Republican which later became the Whig party. Followers of Jackson and Crawford’s would become known as the Democratic Republican and later as the Democratic Party (210).Adams ended up winning the election and became president with Calhoun as his vice president. The invention of the steamboat enhanced the advantages of water transportation, John Fitch had actually built the first American steamer but he couldn’t get any one to financially back the project and d ied in obscurity. Robert Fulton’s Clermont was the first commercially successful steamboat; it plied the Hudson River starting in 1807. Steamboats seemed to be the most valuable form of water transportation when traveling upstream on a river with a strong current.The invention of the steamboat reduced the amount of time it took to make a trip. Even after the invention of the steamboat many merchants continued to prefer sailing ships for ocean voyages because they didn’t have to have as much space for fuel for the longer trips (215). On July 4, 1826 the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson died in his home hours before old adversary and friend John Adams. As Adams was dying he said â€Å"Thomas Jefferson still survives†, but he was mistaken in his remark because in all actuality Jefferson had died first.With the deaths of these two men that meant that only one of the original signers of the declaration was still alive, Charles Carroll an eighty-nine year old man from Maryland was all that was left of those who had signed the declaration (243). In September of 1814 during the most serious invasion of the War of 1812, commander of the British nave General George Prevost suddenly ordered the army to withdraw after the battle at Plattsburg. Captain William Miller only had one theory for the withdraw assuming that it was a form of divine intervention.After the war Miller went back to his farm and would study the Bible every chance he got. Due to his lack of knowledge in Hebrew and Greek he used a mixture of ingenuity and common sense to help interpret it (289). While interpreting the scripture in Daniel he believed he was given the key to predicting the future. The verse read â€Å"Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed†, Miller read days to mean years and the cleansing of the sanctuary to mean the second coming of Christ to judge the world.Miller felt as though he had experienced a calling from God and in 1831 he began to preach about his finding. He had done the calculations and estimated that the event would occur sometime between March 1843 and April of 1844 (290). When the target year expired on April 18th Miller publicly apologized for his mistake, but his followers were not ready to give up on the theory. One follower Samuel Snow recalculated and decided that the correct date of Christ’s return would be the next Jewish Day of Atonement, October 22, 1844.The followers were convinced that it had to be right this time so they paid their debts, quit their jobs, and left their crops needing to be harvested in their fields. All waited on that day for the world to actually end only to find that it was all a hoax the day became known as the â€Å"Great Disappointment† (291). On March 4, 1829; Andrew Jackson was dressed in black at his presidential inauguration because his wife Rachel had suffered had suffered a heart attack on December, 17 and had died five days after.Jackson had blamed her death on his political enemies because during his presidential campaign his and Rachel’s relationship had been made an issue. The depressed and bitter president-elect managed to avoid having to attend the celebration that had been planned to welcome him to Washington. He refused to pay the customary courtesy call on the outgoing president, who reciprocated by not attending Jacksons inaugural (329). It was estimated that Jackson removed nine-hundred and nineteen federal officials during his first year in office.By the time Congress assembled in December of 1829; Jackson had already removed thirteen district-attorneys, nine marshals, twenty-three registers and receivers, and twenty-five customs collectors replacing them all with recess appointments. At first the removals were routinely justified with accusations of malfeasance, Jackson leader’s dresses up their patronage policy as a reform of the corruption the alleged had prevailed under Monroe and Adams (333). Indian removal was a major issue during the first year of Jackson’s administration.Although Jackson avoided committing himself on the tariff of internal improvements, his favoring of rapid removal was well know and accounted for his popularity in Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. The issue involved Indian tribes all over the country, but the ones with the most to lose were the civilized tribes which included the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and the Seminoles. These people practiced agriculture and animal husbandry and still processed substantial domains in the Deep South states plus in Tennessee, North Carolina, and the Florida Territory (342).The Indian removal bill took high priority in the Jackson’s legislative agenda. Both getting the bill to pass and the latter enforcement of it took Jackson’s full attention. However the Indian removal bill called for another round of treaty-making, intended to secure the complete removal of the Indians to west of the Mississippi (347). The president signed Indian removal into law on May 28, 1830. Jackson wasted no time implementing his favorite measure. While the nations focus was on Georgia and the Cherokees, he sent John Coffee and Secretary of War Eaton to Mississippi to obtain the removal of the Choctaws (352).The efforts the commenced secured the treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek on September 27, 1830. Some Choctaws in the forests of eastern Mississippi contrived to avoid the government’s attention until 1918, the majority were forced to move to Oklahoma. The first large party of Choctaws crossed the Mississippi River during the severe winter of 1831-32 (353). The word telegraph was used to describe long-distance optical signaling, by the 1820’s the word telegraph had become a popular name for newspapers.In May of 1844 politicins were eager to learn news from the party conventions taking place in Baltimore, help was at hand because in March of 1843 congress had finally passed an appropriation for Samuel Finley Breese Morse to demonstrate an electromagnetic telegraph line between Washington and Baltimore (691). Unlike the telephone, invented later in the nineteenth century, the telegraph was used more for commercial purposes rather than social (696). After the Texan gained their independence from Mexico they signed a treaty with the United States, which basically said that they would become their erritory once more and would eventually become a state under the union. Several years later the United States annexed Texas back into the country. Mexico took offense to this even though Texas had already had their revolution, starting the Mexican American war. The War was from 1846 to 1848 when the United States and Mexico agreed that the Rio Grande would be the territory border which resulted in the end of the war. Society had come a long way in the years between 1815 and 1848, from advancement in techno logies and the rapid changes in the federal government.Jackson changed everything during his presidency, going the complete opposite of those who had served before him. Many of his actions during his time as president would account for legislation created later on. Technological innovations like the steamboat made carrying cargo much easier and cut down the time it took to deliver. As well as the telegraph and its ability to relay messages from father away much sooner than a messenger on horse. Also during this time the United States expanded an annexed more states into the union making the country bigger.